***A/N*****

Hi everyone. Just thought I'd drop a note before jumping into the next chapter.

I want to thank all of you who are reading and who have left me reviews. It's much appreciated.

Disclaimer:

This story is unbeta'd, so apologies for any grammatical, tense, and other mistakes. They're all mine.

Now, let's get Bella over to Esmes house...

Chapter 27- Guest Rooms

BPOV

Esme arrived with more than just bagels, I think she must have cleaned out the entire bakery. She had scones, bagels, and an assortment of other pastries. She floated around the kitchen, setting everything out, while chatting away.

"I wasn't sure what you liked, so I just got a little bit of everything. Edward's not picky, so I knew he'd eat whatever I brought, so, well, anyway, I hope you're hungry, dear."

Detective Cullen was leaning back in his chair, sipping his coffee, and watching Esme with an amused look on his face.

He was probably used to all of this, having lived with her. I had a feeling this was only a small taste of what I could expect when I arrived at her home. I was already feeling uncomfortable about it, and we hadn't even left my apartment yet.

I just won't let her pay me when I start back at the store. That, or I'll insist on paying for groceries.

"Esme, please, sit. You really didn't have to do this." I said, as I watched her arrange bagels and cream cheese on a plate.

She took a seat at the table, "Nonsense, I was happy to do it."

I looked at her and smiled as I grabbed a chocolate pastry, and took a bite.

As I chewed, I thought about how I was going to bring up the subject of me coming to stay with her and Carlisle.

While everyone sitting at the table knew I was going, I still felt as if I needed to say something to her to express my appreciation for the invitation. I really didn't want to relive last night, but it was almost as if it were the elephant in the room that none of us were talking about.

I finished swallowing and looked at her. "Esme?"

She looked at me as she stirred some creamer into her coffee. "Yes sweetheart, what is it?"

"I,...I assume you heard about what happened last night, and I just..."

She put her hand over mine on the table.

"We're not going to talk about last night, unless you want to. The only thing I'm concerned with right now is getting you settled at the house, we'll just take everything else as it comes, ok?"

I gave her a grateful look and nodded my head.

Detective Cullen stood up from the table, and took his coffee mug over to the sink, and rinsed it out.

"Ok, ladies. I've got a few things I need to take care of this morning. Esme, why don't you and I give Miss Swan some privacy so she can get her things together, before I take you two over to the house."

I could tell it was killing her to leave without cleaning the kitchen. She was looking around at the open box of pastries, and Detective Cullen's dirty coffee mug in the sink.

"This will all be here when we get back." He said with a grin, as he led her toward the door. She let him lead her, but not without a few furtive glaces over her shoulder at the counter, as she went by.

Detective Cullen looked over at me while opening the door. "Miss Swan, we'll be back in about forty five minutes, maybe an hour. Do you need longer than that?"

I shook my head 'no' and told them that would be fine, and then I watched them walk into the hall, the door closing behind them.

I'll admit, I was grateful to have some time to myself.

I knew I wasn't going to change my mind about going to Esme and Carlisle's, but I wanted to take a few moments and digest what happened in the last twenty four hours.

I also wanted to search the apartment to see if I could find the key, and I wanted to be alone when I did it. I wasn't ready to tell them about any of that.

I thought about why I didn't want them to know about Charlie, and the real reason I was in Chicago.

The truth was, I had come up with nothing in the month and a half I had been here. Nothing to connect the key or the magazine to Charlie's disappearance. It was looking more and more likely that my idea of trying to make some kind of connection, was exactly what I feared, a dead end.

I didn't want to admit, that all this time, while I was busy trying to convince myself I was investigating 'leads', all I was really doing was chasing shadows.

Telling Esme or Detective Cullen about any of it, would not only be embarrassing, but I'm sure it would give them even more pause about the state of my mental health. It's not like I had anything tangible to show for my efforts, and after last night, I'm sure they already thought I was unstable.

Then why do you still want to search the apartment for the key? If it's a lost cause, why bother?

Tears filled my eyes as I stood in the kitchen. I knew the answer to that question. As much as my head knew I was most likely chasing shadows, my heart was still feeling that emotion that makes us all keep going despite unlikely odds...I still had hope.

~!~

I took a quick shower and went to the bedroom to put a bag together.

I took about fifteen minutes to search the apartment for the key. I looked through the night stand drawers, my dresser, and some of my bags in the closet. I checked the junk drawer in the kitchen, as well as the small drawers in the coffee table and end tables. No key.

I did find the magazine, it was in the nightstand drawer.

In a last minute decision, I shoved it in my bag, and put my clothes and toiletries on top. I was walking into the living room, when I heard a knock on the door and Detective Cullen say, "Miss Swan, it's us."

When I let them in, Esme made a bee line for the kitchen. She turned and looked at me when she saw I had already cleaned up, as well as boxed up the leftover pastries and bagels. She almost looked disappointed.

Detective Cullen looked at me and asked, "Are you ready? Do you need anything else before we get going?"

I shook my head 'no' and he reached out to take my bag from my hand.

"I thought we could stop on the way and get you a new phone, if that's ok with you?"

I smiled and nodded my head, feeling a little more upbeat.

I took one last look around the apartment to see if there was anything I was forgetting, and figured I could come back if there was something really important. The three of us made our way to the door, and walked into the hallway. I was turned around, locking the deadbolt, when I heard someone come out of the apartment a few doors down from mine.

I looked up and saw it was my neighbor, Mark. We had run into each other a few times in the lobby. He was from Philadelphia, and I remembered he told me he worked for a pharmaceutical company.

He was in Chicago for a few weeks, meeting with local hospitals. He showed me a picture of his wife and son last week when we were waiting for the elevator. He was nice.

He was in a suit, most likely heading to a meeting, and was fumbling with his keys. He looked a little distracted, and when he saw us, he looked up with a startled expression. I smiled, and gave him a wave.

"Hi Mark, nice to see you."

He smiled nervously at me, and his eyes darted over to Detective Cullen.

What's that about?

"Ummm, Hi Bella, nice to see you too."

I turned to look at Detective Cullen, and saw him staring, stone faced, at Mark.

Mark looked down quickly and said,

"Ummm, Bella, I uh, just want to apologize for last night. I went to Happy Hour with a few coworker's after a meeting, and well, we had a little too much to drink, and I couldn't find my keys, and, anyway, I think we were probably really loud out here. I know Brian was pounding on the door at one point, so yeah, um, I'm sorry if we disturbed you."

My mouth popped open, and I looked over at Detective Cullen, who was still giving Mark a death glare.

Oh my God, did he confront my neighbor?

I looked at Mark, and felt a wave of guilt for my reaction last night. I smiled apologetically.

"No worries, Mark, really, I'll see you later."

I turned to Detective Cullen with a questioning look as we started walking down the hall. He looked at me, shrugged his shoulders, and tried to give me an innocent look I didn't quite believe, as he walked toward the elevator.

I stared at his back and watched as he pushed the button, and heard Esme chuckle under her breath,

"Poor Mark."

~!~

When we pulled up to Carlisle and Esme's house, I saw a black Range Rover parked in the driveway.

"Oh, Alice is here early."Esme said.

She turned around to look at me in the back seat.

"Bella, Alice and I made plans for her to come over to talk about some wedding details, I hope you don't mind. I'll get you all set up in your room or the living room, wherever you're more comfortable, and Alice and I will set up in the kitchen so we won't disturb you."

Was she for real? I was the one intruding on her life.

"Esme, don't be ridiculous, this is your house, you and Alice set up wherever you'd like, I'll be fine."

Detective Cullen parked, and we walked up to the house. When Esme opened the door, and we walked into the foyer, I was reminded how much I really did love this place. It was an old, stone Farmhouse, and while it made you feel as if you were in the country, it was only a half hours drive from the city. It sat on ten acres, had a pond in the front, swimming pool in the back, and two large flagstone patios for entertaining on the side.

I remembered the first time I came for dinner, and Esme showed me the area outside where her vegetable garden was planted in the summer. It was a huge plot with a split rail fence, complete with gate and arbor, and a plethora of raised beds for growing fresh food. Her perennial gardens took over about half the property, and I could only imagine how spectacular they must look when in full bloom during the season.

The interior was just as inviting. Most of the walls were the original fieldstone, but some were done in Colonial inspired shiplap, and paintings by local artists adorned the walls.

There was a huge stone fireplace in the living room, and the furniture was tasteful and classic, just like Esme.

There were oversized armchairs, wide plank wood floors, and rustic overhead beams. I could see why she was drawn to the architecture of the bookstore, her home was just as lovely. Yeah, it was perfect, all that was missing to complete the picture, was a yellow or black Labrador Retriever.

As Detective Cullen set my bag down on a bench, I heard footsteps coming our way from the kitchen.

A small, dark haired young woman was smiling at us as she walked down the hall, Alice.

She was a little smaller than me, dark hair cut into a stylish bob which framed her beautiful blue eyes. She wore a relaxed tailored outfit , and looked like she belonged on the cover of a Ralph Lauren catalog, the epitome of classic cool.

She wore a neutral colored, long sleeved, button up oxford shirt, and her hands rested in the pockets of a pair of wide legged flowing trousers. The gold and silver bangles on her wrists, clinked together as she walked, and the smile on her face widened when she reached us.

"You must be Bella, I'm Alice, I'm so happy to finally meet you."

She walked up to me and gave me a light hug, while being mindful of my arm.

She exuded warmth and friendliness, and I couldn't help but smile and hug her in return.

"Yes, hi Alice, I've heard so much about you from Esme and Detective Cullen. It's very nice to meet you."

She looked at her brother with a frown.

"You're making her call you Detective Cullen?"

He looked up in surprise.

"What? No, I... um, no... I'm not making her call me anything."

Alice gave me another smile and said,

"Well Bella, let's get the formalities out of the way. I'm Alice, you know Esme, and this is my brother Edward, who just happens to be a Detective. Don't feed his ego, he's really not that important."

She smiled and stuck her tongue out at her brother.

"Hey! Yes I am!" he yelled defensively through his own grin.

"Don't believe her, she lies. I'm very important. People come from far and wide to hear what I have to say, because I'm so important."

I tried to contain my giggles as I watched them. The love between them evident, in their relaxed and teasing exchange.

He turned his gaze from his sister to me.

"She's right though, please,call me Edward, I think by now, we should be on a first name basis, wouldn't you agree?"

My face got warm thinking about last night.

While I did think of him as 'Edward' in my mind sometimes, I didn't know if it was appropriate for me to call him that out loud, it's not like we were friends.

But shamelessly latching yourself onto him last night was appropriate? You've already crossed the line into inappropriate. By a mile.

Yeah, there was that.

I nodded my head. "Yes, I agree, and please, call me Bella."

He tipped his head in acknowledgment.

Alice was smiling looking back and forth between the two of us.

Esme broke in. "Bella, why don't I show you where you'll be staying, and you can get comfortable. You can have a bath or take a nap, whatever you'd like."

She led me down the hall, and Edward followed us, my bag in his hand.

"I'm going to put you in the bedroom down here so you don't have to walk up the stairs, I hope this will be alright."

As I followed her toward the room I said,

"Esme, I'm sure I'll be more than comfortable wherever you'd like to put me, thank you again for having me."

She opened the door to a sprawling room with a large king size bed. The head and foot boards were dark wrought iron rails, and the linens were a crisp white. A plethora of oversized fluffy pillows sat atop a white down comforter. Just looking at it, I knew I would never want to get out of it in the mornings.

The sunlight shone through large, double paned, arched windows. There was a brick fireplace in the room with a slate hearth, and a carved wooden surround that came up each side, and morphed into the rustic wooden mantle.

A brass container on the hearth contained a bundle of wood, and there was a chaise lounge chair next to the fireplace, with a blanket laid across it. The fire was going, and it cast a warm glow throughout the room.

I saw a connected bathroom, and from where I was standing, I looked through the doorway and saw a large claw foot tub, separate stall shower, and double vanity sink.

Edward placed my bag on a bench at the end of the bed, and went over to warm his hands in front of the fire, as Esme started to turn down the bed.

"I hope this is ok and you'll be comfortable. I had Carlisle start the fire to take out the chill, and I left clean towels in the bathroom. Would you like to rest for awhile? Maybe you'd like something to eat first?"

I was still looking around the room taking it all in, and thinking how vastly different this place was from the cold, sterile, temporary housing I just left. Was it really only last night I was sitting in the corner holding a butcher knife?

No, this,... this was a home. I looked over at Esme feeling my eyes getting misty. I tried to keep the emotion from my voice. "Esme, thank you, this is just wonderful, you've done too much."

"Oh nonsense, since Edward and Alice left, we don't get too many overnight visitors, I'm going to love the company, I'm so glad you're here."

She came over and wrapped me in an embrace. I looked over her shoulder at Edward, who was still standing in front of the fireplace. He had his hands in his pockets as he looked at me.

When Esme released me from the hug, I said with a grin,

"I'm actually pretty wide awake. Would you mind if I joined you and Alice? I'd love to hear about the wedding, and I'd love a chance to see this 'Bible' I've heard so much about."

"That sounds wonderful. I'm sure she'd love another opinion."

I heard Edward scoff exaggeratedly and Esme gave him a smirk, and then turned back to me. "Why don't you get your things settled, and just come out when you're ready."

I nodded my head and gave her a smile as she left the room.

Edward started to follow her.

"So I'll just leave you to it."He said as he walked toward the door.

I called out to him before he could leave the room. There was something I had been wanting to say to him all morning.

"Edward?"

He stopped just before the threshold, and turned around.

" I just,...well, I just want to thank you for everything you've done for me. I know I probably wouldn't be alive if you hadn't come along when you did that night, and you could have just kept walking when you saw me...but you didn't, so thank you, and... thank you for last night, I'm so sorry about that, I'm still so embarrassed, so...well, just, thank you."

My eyes drifted to the floor as I finished thanking him, and I watched, as his feet moved from the doorway back into the room, until he was standing so close to me, I could see his chest moving up and down with his breathing.

I raised my head, and when my gaze reached his eyes, I wasn't sure what emotion I saw there as he looked down at me.

"Bella, you don't have to thank me, I'm just glad I was there, both times, and for the record? I would never have kept walking that night, you needed help and I,...all I want to do is protect you and make sure you're safe."

I looked up at him a little stunned. He was still staring at me intently, and I wasn't sure what to do with his declaration. Logically, I knew it had nothing to do with me. He was a police officer, he took an oath to protect and serve, but still, it did funny things to my insides when I heard him say it.

"I'm going to head to work, so I probably won't be here when you come out, but like I told you yesterday, if you remember anything, call me anytime."

He looked as if he wanted to say something else, but instead walked out of the bedroom, closing the door behind him.

I stood and took in my surroundings again, and as happy as I was to be there, I couldn't deny the slight sense of loss I felt when he walked out of the room.

***A/N***

I hope everyone has a Happy Halloween!