Author's note: I don't know what's going on with chapter ten. I've reposted it a few times but it keeps disappearing. I suggest using the mobile version…? I've also started posting this story over on AO3, but it's going to take me a while to catch up. Anyway, here's the next chapter. I'm making excellent progress on my NaNoWriMo novel (12,000 words, ya'll!), so hopefully, I will have a little time amid all of my other obligations to write another chapter this month. Or, you know, a few.

Chapter Ten: Just Call Me Nancy Drew

Edward was gone the remainder of the week. He warned me as he left the library after helping Angela study on Tuesday that the place he and his brothers were hunting was quite remote, so he probably wouldn't have cell service. But he still managed to send me a text sometime Saturday night after I had gone asleep.

I'm coming home early. What time do you work on Sunday?

I didn't, which I let him know as soon as I saw his text at seven-thirty Sunday morning. I thought maybe he would still be sleeping or that he wasn't in a place with cell service yet, but not a minute later he had texted me back.

Would you care to spend the day with me?

How was that even a question? My hands were shaking so much with the rush of adrenaline that I had to retype my reply three times.

I'd love to.

And then my phone was ringing in my hand, and I almost dropped it in surprise, laughing lightly at myself.

"Good morning, Bella," said Edward. "I hope you don't mind my calling. It's just a little easier than texting and...I missed the sound of your voice."

"Me too," I said, moving to make my bed. I'd only been up for a few minutes when I'd noticed his text, and I hadn't had time to get ready for the day yet. "How was your hunting trip?"

"Fairly uneventful," he sighed.

"You didn't get anything?"

"No, we did," he said. "My brothers were just insufferable. They rather enjoy teasing me, and I'd had enough of it. That was part of the reason I came home early."

"Tease you?" I asked, trying to imagine it but coming up short. "What about?"

"You, mostly."

"They know about me?"

Edward chuckled. "I haven't exactly been a social butterfly up to this point. It's impossible not to notice the effect you've had on me, Bella."

I felt my breath come a little faster at the sincerity of his words. "And they think that's worth teasing you about?"

"They can be incredibly immature, despite them both being older than me. They would find something to tease me about, regardless. I've just made it extremely easy for them. But that's not what I called to talk to you about. Was there anything you needed to get done today?"

"Uh, well, I have a bit of biology homework to do, but that shouldn't take too long. Why? What did you have in mind?"

"I have a few different ideas, but there's something I have to get out of the way first."

I sat down on my bed, bracing myself. "Should I be worried?"

"I am," Edward said with a sigh. "My sister, Alice, won't stop pestering me about spending time with you."

I laughed at what I assumed was hyperbole. "I would like that." After all, what better way to get to know Edward than to learn more about his family? Surely they would give away some clues which would help flesh out an entirely different theory-something completely superhero free.

"You say that now," he muttered. We agreed on him picking me up at ten, which only gave me a few hours to do everything on my to-do list, which was, admittedly, a lot longer than I had led Edward to believe. I needed to get some laundry done, had promised to help Jessica with some of her math homework, and still needed time to agonize about my outfit. I hated that that was who I was now, but there was nothing that could be done.

I hurried to the dorm laundry mat to start a load of laundry. I sat in the nearest chair and pulled out my Biology textbook, but I couldn't concentrate. All I could think of was the list I had been creating in my mind-the list that I knew, if I only looked at in the right way, would reveal the truth.

Edward's sense of smell and hearing were far above average, so I assumed that his sight might be as well. I would have to test that somehow.

He was incredibly fast and strong. Those were facts I was positive of, and I didn't feel the need to test them because doing so would probably have meant my life was in danger again.

He seemed to know some things before they even happened, so I wondered if he had some kind of "Spidey sense" (although I knew that was superhero jargon). Edward was also, by his own admission, very good at reading people. That was another ability I wanted to test, if I could. He had eluded that his family was somehow involved in whatever his secret was, and I was fairly confident that whatever Edward was, his family was as well, so spending time with Alice today was exactly what I wanted. I just wished I didn't feel so nervous about it.

"Hey, Jess, are you ready to take a look at that math?" I asked as I returned to our suite. Jessica was huddled up on the sofa, a blanket pulled over her head, and she flipped channels on the television.

"I'm not emotionally prepared to delve into math right now," she moaned. "I need to veg for at least an hour first."

"I'm headed out at ten," I said, hoping she wouldn't press the matter. But it was Jess, so…

"Where are you going?" she asked, turning the volume down on the TV and pulling the blanket down so she could see me better.

"I'm going to hang out with Alice and Edward Cullen," I said as casually as I could manage, hoping that by putting Alice's name first, she wouldn't focus on Edward as much.

"What's going on with you and Edward, anyway? Angela said you guys looked pretty cozy last week. Has he kissed you yet?"

My face instantly erupted into flames. "Jess!" I moaned, praying that she would drop it.

Jessica gasped, tossing her blanket to the side. "Tell me everything! Was he good? I bet he was-with as gorgeous as he is he has to have had a lot of practice. Where were you?"

"It was honestly just one kiss, Jess. Very chaste and short, there are no steamy details to share." I purposefully excluded the fact that, despite its brevity, it had been the best moment of my nineteen years to date.

Jessica slumped back onto the sofa. "Well, that's no fun. So are you guys, like, dating now?"

"I don't know. But we are hanging out with his sister, so don't bother pressing me for details later-I highly doubt there will be any anything with his sister there."

"You finally get a boyfriend, and he has to be super boring," said Jessica with a sigh. "I seriously need a date. Does Edward have any brothers?"

"Two," I said. "But I don't even know how old they are or if they are single, so don't rely on me to play matchmaker. Find a cute guy in one of your classes and ask him out."

"Because that worked so well for you," Jessica grumbled.

I smiled wanly. "If you want help with math before I leave, you know where to find me."

Jessica never did come to get help, insisting that she would just ask Angela later or trudge through the assignment on her own. She had retreated to her room by five to ten when I decided to head out, figuring I would save Edward the trouble of coming to the door. But he was already there, looking at me-I thought-like I had just caused the sun to rise.

"Bella," he breathed my name and I'd never loved the sound of it so much.

"Edward," I said with mock formality. He smiled widely, chuckling as he offered me his hand. "Where's Alice?"

"I made her stay at home," and then, when he noticed my disappointment, "We will meet her there. I just wanted you to myself for a little while...if that's alright."

I nodded, not trusting my voice, as it often betrayed my emotions. I wondered fleetingly if, with his potential superhuman hearing, he could hear the wild beating of my heart when he said things like that. And then his words sunk in.

"We're going to your house?" I squeaked.

"Yes," Edward said slowly. "Is there something wrong with that?"

I cleared my throat quickly. "Not at all," I said. What better way to gather more information about Edward than to observe him in his natural habitat? I shook my head, realizing I was thinking about Edward as some sort of animal.

"What's funny?" Edward asked as we walked across campus, hand-in-hand.

"Nothing," I said, and Edward sighed. I remembered he had mentioned that I was often difficult to read, but I was not about to clue him in on these particular thoughts. I'd let him have a win later, but for now, he could just wonder about me as I was forced to wonder about him.

Edward's family didn't live inside Seattle, so I got a good view of a tree-lined highway and not a lot else as we made our way to the city and into some of the smaller towns to the east.

"It must be nice living so close to school," I mused aloud. "You're definitely saving on rent."

"We could have lived closer, I suppose, but Esme likes the quiet."

"Esme. That's your mom, right? Will she be home today?"

Edward nodded. "Esme is a bit of a home-body. She prefers spending her time on her hobbies and with her family."

"We should get along great, then," I said. "I prefer home, myself."

"I think I've gathered that," said Edward. "Which is why I was so surprised you agreed to go to that party."

I scrunched up my face in distaste at the reminder. "Jessica needed me. And it's a good thing I went, otherwise who knows what would have happened."

"I do," Edward muttered darkly. "That boy's mind was surprisingly dark."

I found his word choice to be odd. Was this part of his ability to "read people?"

"Tell me more about your mom," I said, not wanting to dwell on the events of that night.

"Esme?"

"Yes," I said. "Unless...I thought you said you couldn't really remember your biological mom."

He looked at me for several long moments. I'd seen that look before-he was considering how much he could tell me without revealing his secrets.

"You're right. I don't remember much about my biological mother. Most of what I have are just glimpses of memories filled in with what Carlisle has told me."

"Did Carlisle know your parents before he adopted you?"

"Only briefly."

I was amazed by how many questions he was willing to answer, but I eventually asked the one which caused him to straighten up slightly, suddenly on edge. "How long ago was that?"

"I can't answer that honestly, Bella," he said. I appreciated him not skirting around the truth, but he must have realized that this was yet another clue. I was beginning to believe that Edward wanted me to know the truth so much that he wasn't hiding it as much as he probably should have been. Carlisle couldn't have been more than thirty at most. How young was a person allowed to adopt? The way Edward talked about his family gave the impression that his placement with them was not new. I was missing something, of course, but I didn't want to worry about it too much. I had to remind myself once again that it ultimately didn't matter and that I should just enjoy my time with Edward.

"What are we doing with Alice today?" I asked, not wanting to make him feel uncomfortable. But clearly my change of subject didn't help, as Edward looked at the road darkly, his hold on the steering wheel tightening.

"Nothing you don't want to do," he said. "If she makes you feel uncomfortable, just let me know. Alice tends to be a little...overwhelming."

"She seemed nice when I met her at the hospital," I said.

"That could have been the drugs," he muttered.

"Don't be so dramatic," I said, offering him my hand. When he accepted it, I slowly rubbed it between mine, willing him to feel the warmth from my touch. I wondered if the cold hurt him at all, like when you are outside too long in the snow, and your hands begin to ache. "I'm sure I'll love her."

After a moment, Edward visibly relaxed, his furrowed brow giving way to an almost smile.

"Will all of your family be home today?"

Edward shook his head. "No, thankfully. Just Esme and Alice. Carlisle is working today."

"And the others? Do they not live at home?" I was trying to piece together a better picture of his family, but there wasn't enough to go on.

"No, they do," he said. "They are just...busy today."

"They didn't want to meet me," I said, and Edward's frown was all the answer I needed.

"I know this will be difficult for you to accept, but their issues really do lie with me."

I tried to laugh off my feelings of insecurity, but I didn't think I did a very good job. Edward kept glancing over at me to gauge my reaction, probably regretting ever asking me to spend time with him. "Having siblings sounds like so much fun."

"They aren't all bad, I promise. I love them all fiercely, but there are some things we just can't seem to agree on, no matter how hard we try. That's the nature of wha-who we are, I suppose."

I nodded, adding another clue to my list. Edward had almost said "what" not "who." Once again, he was referring to himself as something "other." Probably the monster he had eluded to, but I still couldn't fathom any semblance of a connection.

A short time later, Edward turned off the highway to a smaller paved road, which eventually turned to gravel. There, nestled in the middle of the forest, was a large house. Three of four of Charlie's house would have easily fit inside. The exterior looked almost Victorian, with a wrap-around porch I imagined would be perfect for late summer days watching the sunset behind the trees.

"Wow," I breathed. "It's beautiful."

"Esme will be pleased to know you like it," Edward said, opening my door for me and quickly reclaiming my hand as we made our way up to the porch. "Her hobby is designing houses, and this is one of hers."

I looked at the house more closely, feeling like I knew a bit more about Esme already. Artists always put a bit of themselves into whatever they did, was my understanding, so I now imagined Esme as someone who appreciated beauty over functionality.

"Bella!" Alice called when Edward and I walked into the large living room. "I'm so happy you're here!"

Edward scowled as Alice skipped forward to embrace me. I wasn't usually an overly affectionate person. Still, there was just something about Alice that brightened my mood, and I gladly hugged her back, thoroughly convinced that there wasn't a person alive who couldn't be moved by her infectious personality. That was, until I saw Edward glaring at her opening. Both siblings were once again locked in a silent staring contest. In the end, I think Edward lost because Alice took my arm and led me farther into the house.

"Come on, Esme is just in the kitchen making you some brunch," Alice said, leading me past the living room and a grand piano which sat in the corner of it. I glanced at it, then at Edward, remembering his list of favorite hobbies.

"Is it yours?" I asked him as he fell into step beside Alice and me. He nodded, still scowling at his sister. I hoped his suddenly foul mood had to do with his being jealous of Alice monopolizing me and not something I had said or done.

"You'll have to play for her later, Edward," said Alice. "Let her eat first."

I could smell the food before we entered the kitchen, and my stomach growled loudly, causing both Alice and Edward to laugh.

"It's too much," Esme said as we entered to see the veritable feast she had laid out on the island counter in the middle of the spacious kitchen. She was almost exactly as I had pictured her to be-a classic beauty, too beautiful to be real, just like the rest of the Cullens, with waves of caramel hair framing her face, and the Cullen eyes, although hers looked slightly lighter then Edward's, and that gave me pause. "I know it's too much, but I couldn't seem to stop myself."

She moved forward to greet me, and for a moment, it seemed as if she wasn't sure to shake my hand or hug me. She looked to Edward for the briefest of moments, then closed the space between us, enveloping me in a hug that left me feeling a little disoriented. How could I love these two women so much already?

"Your home is so beautiful," I said, looking around the kitchen with admiration. "Edward says you designed it. I don't think I've ever seen anything like it."

"I'm so glad you like it," said Esme. "It's good to finally meet you, Bella. Edward speaks so highly of you."

I both felt and heard Edward's long-suffering sigh as he took hold of my arm to extricate me from Esme, probably thinking he was saving me from feeling uncomfortable or embarrassed, which I usually might have been, but I couldn't seem to muster the emotions now.

"Calm down," I muttered to him as we all took a seat at the island. Alice insisted on putting a plate together for me, vowing that I would love it and not to worry. She was so confident and sure about herself. It was a stark contrast to Edward, and the mystery regarding his grumpy attitude began to dissipate. Alice's brightness affected him too, but he was stubborn. Whereas this gave me no clues about their little family secret, I enjoyed watching the family dynamic and coming to understand better what made Edward tick.

"You're not going to eat?" I asked as I realized the three of them were watching me with a vested interest.

"We ate earlier," said Alice. "But we know you have to eat that gross campus food while living in the dorms, so Esme thought she'd make you a nice, home-cooked meal. She's the best cook of all of us, of course."

"Do you like it?" Esme asked as I took another bite of the eggs.

"It's very good," I said, covering my mouth. Esme seemed extremely pleased by this.

"What are your plans for today?" she asked, turning to Alice and Edward.

"Edward is going to play for Bella, and then we are going to watch a movie."

"Oh, Bella," Esme smiled. "You're in for a treat. Edward is such a talented musician."

"I'm not surprised," I said dryly. "Edward seems to do everything well."

Esme looked at Edward reproachfully. "You haven't been showing off, have you?"

I laughed before Edward could defend himself. "Edward is often far too humble about himself and his...abilities."

Three sets of eyes looked about the room as casually as possible, completely ignoring my thinly veiled reference to Edward's secret. Yes. His entire family was definitely involved. I just wondered who would be most likely to give me more information. My money was on Alice.

I finished my meal quickly, eager to hear Edward play. I felt terrible that Esme had made so much food, but I supposed they'd probably have leftovers for days.

"How long have you been playing the piano?" I asked Edward as I allowed Alice to lead me by the arm into their spacious living room area.

"My mother-my biological mother," he corrected, nodding to Esme, who sat down on a nearby couch as Edward sat down at the piano. Esme smiled at him warmly, her eyes full of a mother's love. It made me miss my own mother to watch them, and I made a mental note to call Renee later. "She insisted I start taking lessons when I was very young. I don't remember how old I was exactly."

Edward placed his hands upon the keys with the ease of someone who had been playing for years. I didn't know too much about playing the piano, but I was fairly confident he had perfect form. I felt my eyes bug out as he started playing and Alice and Esme laughed lightly as they watched my reaction. Edward glanced up at me, and I could have sworn I saw him smirk. I knew at that moment that majoring in music would have been a waste of his time. I'd never heard someone play with such precision. He played a few measures of classical songs I was familiar with but didn't always know the name for; then he created a bridge into a beautiful song he informed me was "Esme's favorite."

It must have been because the love I'd seen in Esme's eyes turned to devotion. Edward may not have been her son by blood, but there was no hesitation, no holding back between them. Edward deserved that kind of love. I only wished…

And then the melody was changing again, as Edward moved to a completely different tune. "You inspired this one," he murmured as I instinctively moved closer to him. I had no words as I listened in awe, focusing not on the technically perfect way Edward played but on the emotions woven within the song. It felt familiar in a way I couldn't explain.

"You wrote this?" I asked, feeling a lump forming in my throat.

Edward nodded, leaning towards me slightly but never missing a note. "For you."

"Esme, do you know where I put that copy of the DVD?" Alice asked suddenly, moving to grab Esme's hand.

"Yes, let me show you," Esme said smoothly, but I saw through their facade. They were giving Edward and I some privacy, which I appreciated. A minute later, Edward ended the song, the last sad notes sustaining and echoing slightly through the large room.

"Thank you," I said, not sure what else might be appropriate to say when someone composes a song for you.

"Did you like it?" he asked, searching my face. He took my hand and gently pulled me down to sit beside him.

"That was...more than beautiful," I said, still struggling for words. Edward's eyes roamed my face as a small smile formed on his lips.

"So are you," he said, reaching forward to brush my cheek with his hand. I willed him to lean forward and close the distance between us, to seal this song for me in a way I could more adequately show him how much I appreciated the gesture, how much I cared for him. It felt like it should have been a sudden revelation-after all, I'd only really known him for a little over a month. That didn't seem like enough time, but somehow I knew it was. Everything about him just felt...right.

Edward claimed I was hard to read, but he must have seen something in my face because his other hand came up to cup my other cheek, his eyes sending a silent warning. I froze, barely breathing as he moved toward me. This kiss was different from our first-still cautious, but a little less so, as Edward allowed his hands to follow the length of my jaw with his fingers, down to my neck, and back up again. The movement was hypnotizing, and, had I not already been sitting down I was sure I would have gone weak at the knees. He moved his lips carefully against mine, and, when I instinctively parted my lips, wanting so desperately to kiss him back but afraid of hurting him, our lips were finally able to mold together like I'd dreamed they would.

He pulled back abruptly, swallowing hard, and sent a glare toward the hallway where Alice and Esme had disappeared to minutes before. Edward let his hands fall from me with a sigh and, standing up, offered me his hand.

"Come on," he said. "Alice isn't going to let us be until she gets "her time."

I laughed at how put out he was about spending time with his sister instead of just me and, whereas I definitely wanted to repeat what had just occurred many times over (and soon!), I liked the idea of spending time with Alice.

"Esme found it," said Alice, walking back into the room and making her way to the large TV on the wall.

"What are we watching?" I asked, allowing Edward to lead me over to the sofa. He sat down next to me, hesitantly placing his arm about my waste. His mouth pulled down slightly, and I knew he was wondering if this was alright, so I leaned into him, offering a small smile in return. He looked relieved for a moment, then groaned in Alice's direction.

"Not again, Alice," he said.

"We're watching The Devil Wears Prada," Alice said. Turning to Edward, she glared. "Bella hasn't seen it, and she's going to love it, so you can be quiet."

She was right-I hadn't seen it. It had come out that summer, but I'd been too busy working and preparing for the fall semester to see any movies, though I vaguely recalled Jessica dragging Mike to see it. He'd hated it.

"Wasn't that just in theatres a few months ago?"

Alice held a finger to her lips and winked, then sat down on the other end of the couch, giving Edward and me plenty of space. As the movie began, I reached absently for Edward's other hand, and we took turns tracing lines into each other's palms, interlocking our fingers and just...being. It was such a simple thing, yet it felt so ridiculously right.

When the credits started rolling, Alice sighed dramatically. "Wasn't that so good?"

I nodded. Alice had been right-I did enjoy the movie, but I'd enjoyed my time cuddling with Edward more. "It was great, Alice," I said, and Edward moved to stand up.

"Oh, come on, Edward," Alice said. "Don't leave already. Let me talk to Bella for a while. Jasper won't be home until later, and I'll be lonely."

"Jasper," I said, trying to remember. "That's your brother, right?"

Alice snorted, the first time I had seen her do something less than gracefully, and Edward glared at her again.

"See, this is why we need to go," said Edward through clenched teeth. "You're trying to be transparent."

"She'll figure it out eventually, Edward. You know she will. And when she does-"

Edward turned sharply away from me, facing Alice at what could only be described as inhuman speed. He all but growled the next word. "Enough."

I had the sudden urge to jump between them, to yell at Edward to calm down, to protect my new friend from...whatever this was. But I stood frozen, trying to quickly analyze what I had just seen, to compare it to what else I knew, to make a connection. Slowly, Edward turned back to me, as if he had only realized that he'd given me more clues.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, his shoulders slumping.

"I'm fine," I said. "But I don't want you guys fighting over me." I leaned over so I could see Alice behind Edward. She looked annoyed.

"I really enjoyed the movie, Alice," I said.

"I know," she said, smiling once more and moving around Edward. "We should go shopping sometime. Edward hates shopping, and Jazz only goes to appease me. I need a female model for one of my design classes, and Rosalie and Esme claim they are too busy to help."

"Well…" Shopping and fashion were really not my thing.

"She doesn't want to do it, Alice," said Edward.

"Sure," I said before Edward could try and defend me unnecessarily. "But I have to warn you. I have pretty much no fashion sense."

"I think you always look nice," Edward mumbled, and Alice and I rolled our eyes in unison. Alice's tinkling laughter filled the room, making me smile.

"That's what I'm here for," she said. "What's your phone number? I'll make you a contact, and we can talk about a good time."

Edward waited less than patiently for Alice and I to finish our conversation, but when Alice finally said goodbye, and Esme had come downstairs to say goodbye as well, I found I would have rather stayed.

"I love your family," I said, as Edward and I drove down the lane back to the highway.

"You've met the most agreeable members of it," said Edward.

"Then why were you in such a grumpy mood pretty much the entire time we were there?"

Edward sighed and apologized. "Old habits, for one. And secondly...Alice thinks she is sneaky with her hints, but she really couldn't be more obvious. I just...want you to myself for a little while longer."

I felt my mouth drop open in shock. "So what you're saying is that, as soon as I figure out your secret, you're just going to leave?"

"Bella," Edward began, and it sounded like he was about to start explaining something to a small child. "I'm positive that you will demand I stay away from you, so it's a moot point."

"You don't know what I will choose," I said. "So can you stop ruining my beautiful day and just...be yourself. Stop worrying about "whens" and "what ifs." Just be here."

"I'll try," said Edward. "But...it's very difficult for me to change, and I've already done so much changing in the past few weeks. I'll try harder. For you."

"Thank you." I let my body relax as he took my hand. "I do have a question…"

"After an afternoon like that, I would expect nothing less," said Edward darkly. I gave him a pointed look. "Sorry. You may ask your question, but I can't promise I'll be able to answer it."

I nodded in understanding. "Are Alice and Jasper...together?"

Edward's laughter came out in a short burst. "Is that what you took away from today?"

"You don't have to patronize me. Just answer the question."

"I'm sorry," said Edward, instantly contrite. "It's just that everything you say and do is so unexpected. To answer your question, yes. They are a couple. Does that bother you?"

I thought about it for a minute. "No, not really. It's just, to use your word, unexpected. I mean, they're not really siblings."

"No, they are not," Edward confirmed.

"Okay," I said. "Another question."

"Just one more, then it is my turn."

"Deal," I said. "How long have Alice and Jasper been a couple?"

Edward's mouth twitched, and his eyes narrowed for the briefest of moments. "I can't answer that."

It was another confirmation, although he may not have known it. He couldn't answer questions regarding time.

"Then I get another question," I said firmly in hopes that he wouldn't protest. He frowned but said nothing.

"Edward," I began, feeling suddenly nervous for even needing to ask this question. "How old are you?"

If I hadn't spent so much time with him, I probably wouldn't have noticed the slightly more rigid posture, the way his eyes purposefully became more focused on the road ahead. It was like earlier when I had mentioned Edward's "secret" to Alice and Esme. Too calculated.

"I'm eighteen," he said. Something in his voice sounded strained.

"No, you're not," I said, absolutely positive that that was the truth.

"Yes, I am," he said. "I was born on June 20, 1988. Now it's my turn to ask a question."

I didn't argue with him, but I knew he had just told me a well-practiced lie.

"Please, please stop trying to make me leave you."

He'd asked me to stop guessing, had warned me that there would be consequences for his family if I found out their truth. Alice had seemed confident that I would find out eventually, which had made Edward angry. He had said that if I found out, he was sure I would run. But this was an admonition to what would happen if I did find out. Edward would leave-whether he had to or was forced to, I didn't know. But I couldn't let that happen, not when I had only just found the one thing I hadn't known I had been missing.

"That wasn't a question," I said, my mind still reeling from the revelation. At some point, we had pulled over into a small gas station, and I looked around in confusion.

"You're right," he said. "It was a request. Please, Bella."

"Why?" I asked, feeling like a petulant child demanding answers from a parent when I knew there were none.

"Because I love you," he said simply, his eyes pleading. His words washed over me like a wave, encircling me, pulling me down deeper and deeper until I was sure I would drown in them. When I came up for air, both figuratively and literally, as he had leaned over at his words and captured my lips with his own, I nodded, making the most difficult, pointless vow I would ever make.

"Okay," I said. Because I knew that I was irrevocably in love with Edward Cullen. And, at that moment, at least, nothing else mattered.