The rest of the ride to the Cullen house was silent. I walked into the familiar house, and all eyes were on me as Alice and I entered the living room.

"Alright, I'll be right there," Carlisle said into his cell phone, ending the call with whoever he was on the phone with.

"Hey Lydia," Emmett said with a smile. "Long time no see!"

Esme hurried over to me, hugging me. "We're so glad you're safe!"

Their interactions helped break the ice. "I'd love to catch up, Lydia," Carlisle said, hugging me briefly, "But I have to go. I need to do an autopsy report on two bodies that were found by your house."

As the vampire doctor walked out the door, my brain immediately went to Michael. He had killed the two people, because they posed some kind of threat.

"I see you're doing well," Rosalie said nonchalantly.

I nodded. "Yeah. If you don't count finding out I was in danger just now." I couldn't tell the Cullens about Michael- if they found out I was dating him, they would disapprove. "Is-"

"Yes," Jasper interrupted. "Edward is here."

"Lydia." Edward Cullen said my name and walked into the room, golden eyes burning into mine.

"Edward," I responded. I felt incredibly nervous to be around him after not seeing him for all those years.

The sound of a cell phone ringing brought me back, and Edward reached into his pocket, pulled it out, and pressed the button, still maintaining eye contact with me. "Hello?" A pause. "Alright. We'll be there. I'll tell her."

"Carlisle says that your parents are home and that the police will want to interview you. I'll take you. Okay?" Edward's voice was quiet.

"Okay," I answered. In a daze, I followed Edward Cullen to his car and he drove me back to my house.

The police questioning took about an hour. They interviewed my family at our house, reassured us they hadn't found signs of a break-in, and that if we didn't feel safe they could have a guard at our house, which we declined. Edward walked over to me.

"Carlisle says that the autopsy reports are ready for the murders. I'm going to go down there and-"

"I'm coming with you," I cut in.

"But Lydia, it's ten-thirty at night."

"And?"

As you can guess, I won that little argument, if you even want to call it an argument. The car ride there was just like the car ride to my house- silent. When we arrived, the bodies were being carted away to the morgue. I felt a shudder go through me as I looked at them, thankful for the sheets covering them.

What did you do, Michael? I thought.

"Strangulation and a bashed in skull," Carlisle reported, meeting us at the front steps of the police station. "Nothing vampire related."

I caught sight of Michael in the trees, his mask on, watching me. Had he stalked me here? Was he worried about me? He turned and walked further into the forest.

"-Keep you safe," Carlisle was saying. "Okay?"

"What?" I asked, having been distracted.

"I'll take her home," Edward told his father. "I'll guard her house."

Carlisle nodded with approval, and Edward led me back to the car. On the car ride home, he asked, "So, how have you been?"

"Good," I answered honestly. "I've changed a lot since you left me. I grew up. Matured."

"Good," Edward replied. That was the end of our conversation until he pulled into my driveway. "Goodnight, Lydia."

"Goodnight, Edward."

I watched his car drive away. I went into my house and immediately got ready for bed. I was too exhausted to do anything else. As I pulled back the covers, I noticed a scrap of paper on my nightstand. A signal that Michael had left a note for me somewhere. Slipping my hand under the mattress, I found it. The police hadn't thought to look there for clues. Michael was incredibly smart.

"That boy and that girl broke into your house. The boy had a pistol on him that I found after I killed him. The girl had a stun gun. I think they were going to rob you. I protected you. I protected your family. I protected your house. I care about you. -Michael"

When I was done reading the note, I ripped it into tiny pieces and tossed it in the trash. I remembered the police calmly explaining the exact information Michael had written in that note. I curled up in bed and closed my eyes.

Not even two minutes later, my window opened. I jolted up, thinking it was Michael, but it was Edward.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"I'm going to be guarding your house," he responded. "I want you to be safe."

"Well, I don't always need your protection," I shot back.

"Lydia, I'm sorry. For everything. For leaving you like that. It was the hardest thing I've ever done."

"Even harder than controlling your thirst when you first became a vampire?" I asked, joking but not showing it in my tone.

"Way harder than that," Edward replied, a smile turning up the corners of his mouth. He got serious again. "Lydia, I want to make it up to you. My family has agreed that its okay if….." he trailed off. "If we're together again."

I felt a surge of shock. Now I was really trapped. I couldn't tell them about Michael, and I couldn't lie and say I was dating someone else.

"Edward, I'm beginning to think Rosalie was right in the first place. I shouldn't have been with you. It was too dangerous."

Edward's face fell. "I still have feelings for you. I still love you."

Love me? He didn't even know the person I was now.

"Edward-"

"Esme told Carlisle you brought me to life! And that I'd been alone too long. I missed you so much, Lydia." He reached for my hand, and I was taken aback by how cold it was. I missed Michael's warm touch. "I thought I was strong enough to stay away from you, but I'm not. I feel very protective of you."

"Edward-" I tried again.

"I'll stay until you and your family feel safe again. We can see where things go. I would never want to force you to date me. Please."

"Alright," I agreed. "You'll have to get to know me all over again though."

He smiled, releasing my hand. "I look forward to it." He reached across and brushed his fingers through my hair, then said, "I'll be right outside if you need me." Then he left through my window, closing it, staying true to the fact that he was going to guard my house.

As I tried to fall asleep that night, I wondered what I had gotten myself into.