"I got the job!" Bella said excitedly into the phone.

Edward knew this thanks to Alice but mirrored her enthusiasm. "Congratulations! I'm proud of you."

"I'm so excited!"

"Did they offer you good terms?"

"Twenty-five dollars per book review!"

"That's awesome!" he said, having no idea how much humans even made at work these days. He hadn't bothered himself with such trivial things in decades.

"They said they use them in several magazines and websites. The publishing companies pay for real reader reviews to help spread the word about new releases instead of just publications and other authors."

"What book are you subjecting me to first?" he asked with a grin.

"They are sending a few in a package but asked me to start with Bitten."

"Why are you giggling?"

"It's a vampire romance novel."

"Of course, it is!" he groaned.

"I think it sounds fun."

"You would!"

"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, laughing.

"Well, I'm not exactly human now, am I? Is your dad in bed yet?"

"Not yet."

"I'll be there in an hour or two."

"I know. I just couldn't wait to tell you."

"I don't mind. You know you can always call me. Although I would rather discuss anything except for vampire romance novels."

"Too bad. It's something for you to look forward to this week." she said, laughing.

He groaned. "I would pay quadruple or more your salary for you not to subject me to that."

"I already agreed to let you pay for college. Don't push it."

He laughed this time. "Fine. I accept your terms. You're lucky you're so cute."

"I hope the book doesn't suck."

"The vampires better suck. What fun are starving vampires?"

"Smartass." she whispered into the phone. He laughed even harder.

"Hey, you're the one that wants to be stuck with me forever. Are you prepared to deal with me teasing you for the rest of eternity?"

"Gladly." she said sincerely, wanting nothing more. "I'll return the favor, of course."

"Naturally you will." he agreed, loving when she challenged or joked with him. He couldn't wait to see how feisty she would be as a newborn now that he was mostly coming to terms with the idea of changing her, though he still hated to subject her to the pain of the change itself.

"I love you. I can't wait to see you."

"I love you too and I feel the same." he said. "I'll be there soon."

Bella ended the call and went downstairs again to spend a little time with Charlie. He was sitting in an armchair reading something other than a sporting magazine or the newspaper for perhaps the first time she had ever seen.

"Don't tell me my shipment of vampire romance novels came early and you're getting a head start on enjoying those?" she teased, having told her dad about the job first as soon as she got the official offer.

"No." he said firmly, making her crack up laughing at his expression. "You can keep the vampires all to yourself."

She was fighting a smile at just how accurate that statement was, but let it show to laugh at his embarrassment on the subject of romance. He smiled at her, happy to see her happy, but blushing slightly at the thought of him reading romance novels. He would never!

"What are you reading?"

He was hesitant, but decided to tell the truth, especially since she could easily see the cover if she stepped any closer. "I stopped by the hospital on my rounds today to talk to Carlisle. He let me borrow one of his books on PTSD." He anxiously waited to see what she would say, hoping that he hadn't upset her.

"Oh?" she asked, going to stand beside her dad to look at the book.

"I was curious. I wanted to know more about it so I could help."

"That's really sweet." she finally said, tears forming in her eyes.

"The doctor was helpful too. He told me a lot about it and what he's gone through with each of his children and their adoption." Bella hid her face so her dad wouldn't see her crying, but Charlie noticed. "Did I do something wrong? Should I not have?"

"No, you did right. It was really thoughtful of you."

"I was afraid that I would be bothering Carlisle, but he was happy to see me."

"You aren't calling him Dr. Cullen anymore."

"No. He let me do that exactly once before correcting me." he smiled. "He's a charming man."

"Shall I tell Esme you said that?"

"I would hope she knows. Wouldn't want her to think there's any…uh…competition." Charlie said, blushing. "So, uh…" he cleared his throat.

"Have you learned anything new?" she asked with a giggle. It was kind of funny to make her dad mildly uncomfortable. He was so easily embarrassed, almost like Edward, and definitely like herself.

"Yes, actually. Bella, honey, I had no idea. All that time you were suffering…I would have tried to do so much more if I knew how much you were going through. If I understood what you were having to experience."

"I know you would have, but it wouldn't have helped. I wasn't ready to deal with any of it until Edward came back. Everything just seemed so hopeless. I couldn't find it in me to do anything or care about much. It felt like all of my happiness was missing. I know we both told you about it the other morning."

He nodded. "The way people describe their experiences in this. The nightmares. I can't imagine." he said, shaking his head and looking down at the book in his lap. "Do you still have nightmares?"

"Not as often since he's come home, but yes."

"He does too?" he asked.

"Yes. That's part of why he got me the cellphone. For us to call each other when it happened."

"But somehow, you two help each other."

She smiled at her father. He was trying so hard to understand. She had never seen him put this much care into something. It was heartwarming. She couldn't feel guilty for the time he was spending on her because it was so touching. It was clear how much it meant to him to try.

"We don't usually need words to explain what happened to each other. We just get it. And then we don't feel alone or afraid because we're together."

"That's what you said the other day too. I'm trying to make sense of it all…" Charlie trailed off. "At your age I was interested in women and underage drinking, not having to deal with suffering nightmares and flashbacks and all of this."

Bella smiled again, imagining her father as a young hooligan. "Tell me more about this underage drinking you did."

"Never." he grinned back at her. "Is there anything more I can do to help you? Anything I should be doing?"

"You're doing great. Edward and his family have been helping a lot too. We all talked about it last night."

"I've been wondering if more of the Cullen children might be affected due to their adoptions and their lives before Carlisle and Esme."

"Alice and Emmett not so much, but everyone else most likely." she agreed.

"That's what Carlisle said earlier too. We talked for a while. He feels so bad for how their leaving town affected you."

"I know. But they're home now. Things are better."

"I want to say that I'm scared to death of what would happen to you if anything ever happens to you and Edward again, and that you really shouldn't let your life revolve around some guy so much, but something tells me anything permanently happening to separate the two of you again is impossible."

"It is." she assured him. "We're meant to be together. We're happy when we're together and anxious when we're not. When he's not here, it's like missing part of myself."

"Even now?"

"A little. I'm obviously doing much better but I'm still always thinking about him and waiting impatiently to see him again."

"Some people go their whole lives without ever finding their soul mate. They make a lot of bad choices. There are struggles. You guys have had your hard times, but you have something most adults never get to experience."

"Yeah." she agreed with a shy smile as she nervously looked at her feet. She never expected to hear these sorts of things from Charlie.

"Carlisle used that word to describe you two earlier. Soulmates. Seemed fitting. I noticed the night he came back how you two interacted without needing words. You just seemed to know things."

She nodded in agreement.

"I didn't understand why he left you. It made even less sense after I talked with the doctor. But then I started reading. The book talked about self-esteem issues and self-destructive habits. It said that sometimes people are used to things going badly for them. So used to it, in fact, that they feel like they don't deserve good things when they do happen and they sabotage them thinking they deserve it or it's what was meant to happen.

We see things like that a lot in my line of work, actually. People relapse into bad habits thinking they aren't worthy of their new job or relationship or whatever. They feel so guilty about it no matter how hard they've worked for it and some people just can't handle that and crack under self-created pressure.

The book had a few personal stories of people that went through things like that. I think I get it now.

That poor kid. He holds you in such high regard. You're my daughter and I love you more than anything, but I can't imagine feeling so low about himself that he wouldn't think he deserves to be with you. It's clear how much he loves you. Hell, he loved you enough to scare you away with it once. Although it sounded like you weren't too sure that you deserved him either.

I wish there was more we could have done for him before. Carlisle said he had no idea either or he said they never would have moved, and he certainly wouldn't have let him say those things to you." Charlie looked exasperated, tired beyond his years, yet his eyes were lit up with understanding and empathy. It was the most emotion she had ever seen from him. The sincerity in his expression meant the world to her.

"Edward has apologized so many times. He really regrets it. I know it still bothers him that he left like that, and he's promised not to leave again." Bella said quietly, having had no idea that what her father was reading could be another reason Edward had left before, but it made so much sense. She didn't want her dad to worry about that ever happening again. "We've talked about everything with Carlisle and Jasper, as well as each other. A lot. We're serious about staying together forever." He had no idea just how true that statement was.

"Just don't get knocked up until after college." he said sternly. "Please."

Bella laughed at his bluntness. "I promise I won't. We're not really interested in having children." She decided it was best not to tell him that Edward couldn't. "And Edward is really old-fashioned. He doesn't believe in that sort of thing before marriage."

"Good. Enjoy your life first. You deserve some time to yourselves after what you've been through."

"Do you regret having me so young?" she asked.

"I could never regret you." he answered immediately. "I may have my regrets about marrying your mother. About not trying harder to stay with you two no matter how much she annoyed me, but I have never, ever, not once regretted you."

"I know I didn't come at the best time."

"No, you didn't, but that has never made me love you any less." he said. "Please don't ever feel like you're a burden to me. I wanted you. I've loved you since I first saw those big brown eyes when you were just a few seconds old. No exceptions." He was smiling now, a gentle reminiscent smile as he remembered her as his precious baby. She had grown up so fast.

"The more I think about my mom, I'm not so sure she feels the same." Bella confessed, nervously admitting one of her most difficult thoughts to him.

"Honestly, screw her. I will love you enough for the both of us no matter what her feelings are. She does love you. I know that. She had a bad way of showing it though. I can't speak for if she has regrets or not, but that was never your fault even if she did. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. And if she doesn't feel the same, it's her loss, not yours."

"Thanks, dad." Bella smiled, "You're right."

"Of course, I'm right. I'm your dad. That's my job."

She still smiled at him. "Then who's going to win the game tonight if you're always right?"

"Knowing my luck, the team I didn't bet Billy money on."

"Most likely." she agreed, still smiling. "I'll let you get back to your vampire romance novel."

"The day I start reading those of my own free will is the day I give you permission to put me in a home."

"But what if it's a really good vampire romance? What if I insist that you read it? What if my review of it is just so riveting that you have to see what all the fuss is about?"

"No." he said, shaking his head, and smiling kindly as he went back to his reading. "Hang out with me as long as you like. You never bother me. I was just going to read some more of this book. It breaks my heart, but it's fascinating too."

"It's really sweet that you're trying to help. It means a lot.

"It's my job." he said quietly, returning to the book.

They sat together for a while, her pretending to watch TV but really running through their conversation in her head. It was so nice to feel so loved and understood. She understood Edward a bit more too, realizing that he had mentioned self-sabotage as a symptom earlier on. It suited his actions for sure.

"How about a snack?" her dad asked after a while, closing the book on his lap and heading for the kitchen.

She eyed the clock nervously. "I was actually going to get ready for bed."

"Uh huh. Tell Edward I said hi and that he's welcome to use the door when he decides to sneak over in the middle of the night next time."

Bella blushed. Charlie smiled. She knew it was no use denying it. "I will." she answered, making him laugh as she retreated upstairs, happy for his approval, but embarrassed he had heard them talking the other night.

She got ready for bed, still smiling as she washed her hair in the shower. She had never truly had a support system like this before. It was a wonderful feeling. She had friends and family that she could count on. The love of a lifetime. She had even gotten a job she was excited about. Things were finally looking up. She was still almost always a little on edge, but slowly, her nervous state was diminishing and at times even going away, like now. Being relaxed was a nice feeling.

Edward was waiting lounging in her bed with the covers pulled back in invitation as she got out of the shower and walked into her room dressed in soft pajamas.

"Dad says hi and that you're welcome to use the door."

He grinned her favorite crooked grin, the one of mischief hiding under the surface. "I'll keep that in mind."

She joined him in bed quickly, the rest of her nighttime routine forgotten. She was unable to resist touching him when he was right there. It was always as if magnets drew them together and hummed in harmony when they were touching. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead.

"I thought you weren't going to be back for a few hours."

"I got impatient." he said. "Even a minute without you is too long."

"I'm alright with that."

"Your dad knows I'll show up at some point tonight anyhow. He went to see Carlisle earlier."

"He told me."

"He told Carlisle that he figured it out when you stopped having screaming nightmares every night. That I was usually here with you. Then he heard us a little the other night when he mentioned it to you over breakfast. Then Carlisle told him that when I go missing in the middle of the night, they just assume I'm with you and decide not to question it. And that it's nearly every night, yet I always arrive on time for school."

"I thought he'd be mad."

"He trusts you." Edward assured her. "I see it in his thoughts. I was so sure he would hate me though after what I did to you. Yet, he doesn't."

"He understands, at least as much as possible. I'm really lucky to have him."

"Indeed." he agreed. "We both are."

He kissed her forehead again and she relaxed against his chest. He rested with her, enjoying her warmth and scent as always. He closed his eyes, enjoying the soft sounds of her breathing and heart beating. They had been through so much together. It felt good to heal together as well. Edward too was beginning to experience life without his anxieties, at least for a few minutes at a time. He had no idea what he had been missing out on. It was a wonderful feeling.

Slowly, his thoughts drifted to their meadow at dusk and how lovely the last evening they spent together there was. They would have to do it again soon. He felt warm that night despite the chilly evening. He was loved and whole with her by his side. He smelled their scents together mixed with a little bit of the evening air, recalled in perfect clarity in his memory. They were both at peace. All was right in the world so long as they were together. He felt soft, gentle touches on the skin of his arms and back and remembered how they had laid there just enjoying each other as the sun had set and the stars started appearing in the sky.

After a few minutes of quiet reflection on the lovely memory, he saw his face looking back at him, smiling, though not as detailed as his vision normally was.

He scrunched his face up in confusion in the present moment. Sure, he had perfect recall, but seeing his own face in any memory from his own perspective was weird. Normally, he saw things from his view. And even then, what he had just seen was kind of blurry.

Bella's heart sped up a little, as if excited.

"What are you thinking about, love?" he asked out of habit, still trying to unravel his own mystery with his thoughts.

"The last evening we spent in our meadow together."

"Me too." he said softly.

She remembered the way his cool hands felt touching her sides and her face. How safe she felt with him stretched out over her, loving her with passionate kisses as their bodies touched in a dozen places, though he never touched a few places that she wouldn't have minded if he did.

He remembered this as well. All of a sudden, the thoughts started joining with the images and feelings he had already been feeling. He could have laughed with joy and with amusement as he heard her voice in his mind for the first time. There was no mistaking it as hers.

He thought he wanted her more than she wanted him. How wrong he was. How wrong he had always been. This memory was proof of that. If it wasn't, her racing heart was. And that was just a human memory. Blurry. Missing many details.

He didn't want to snap out of the trance of the memory, but Edward was always curious. He carefully lifted the hem of her shirt with one of his hands and traced up her side. Her attention immediately snapped to the present moment. He enjoyed not only her soft warmth at his touch, but the bliss in her mind that was finally revealing itself to him, at least a little. He had a thousand questions to ask her but none of them mattered. Not a thing other than the complete love and happiness he found there. He could live in her mind forever.

She readjusted to look in his eyes, swooning when she gazed into their golden depths, still very aware of his hand resting on her waist just under her shirt. He kissed her, both of their bodies immediately responding to each other in ways he would never get used to, ways he could never imagine despite his decades of reading minds. Her breathing sped up and became shallower. Every nerve of his was alive with a warm tingling sensation. The burning in his throat for her blood was nothing compared to the fire inside him. He had her right in his arms, yet he needed her more than ever in ways he wasn't sure he could even comprehend.

He had to pull away before he forgot where they were and why acting on any or all of his instincts wasn't appropriate no matter how much he wanted to. She was smiling and caressing his face.

"I love you." she whispered.

"And I love you." he promised.

"You seem extra happy tonight."

"I am."

"Me too." she agreed. "Did something happen?"

"You." he answered, kissing her forehead holding her tightly to him, struggling against his urge to take off out the window with her, running through the night to take her somewhere they could be truly alone. He needed her so much. His thoughts made it very clear that there would be no protest. She would be thrilled.

"You aren't telling me everything."

"I'm not." he agreed with a grin.

Her thoughts turned to amused confusion. She knew he was happy, so she wasn't afraid. Just like how Charlie's thoughts were more images and concepts than words to him, hers were more about what she was feeling and visual memory then words. At least for the most part.

"I can hear you." he said.

"My breathing and stuff?"

"Not just that." he said, offering no further explanation.

She re-adjusted to look in his eyes again, seeing a gorgeous mixture of gold and black as he tried to control his lust. She gasped as his words connected in her mind. "My thoughts."

"I never would have imagined…"

"Oh no! Did I think anything embarrassing? Did I…"

"Shh…" he reassured her. "Nothing of the sort. Please don't worry."

"Why now?" she asked, and his mind was again his own, her presence leaving a lingering warmth and love unlike any other.

He was completely at peace, again rubbing his fingers along her side until she relaxed fully in his arms. "I don't know, but I'm certainly not complaining. It was the most beautiful thing I've ever experienced."

"My thoughts are mostly about you."

"I know." he smiled. "And mine about you. Can you show me again?"

"I don't know how I showed you to start with."

"We'll figure it out." he promised, kissing her gently as his hand trailed up higher, resting just above her waist, an inch or two from anything that might be considered inappropriate.

"You're about to figure some other things out too." she giggled, putting her hand on his and moving her face just an inch or two away, admiring the darkness of his eyes.

"Should I stop?"

"No."

"Perhaps I better then." he teased, "At least for tonight."

"Not fair."

He laughed softly. "I have to maintain some semblance of the self-control I'm so well known for."

"But why?"

"You're so adorable when you pout." he said. "Your mind is beautiful in ways I couldn't imagine even if I tried. I can't wait to hear more of it."

"I wonder why now."

"I don't know." he answered honestly. "It's not as if I have anyone else to ask. You're the first person I've ever not been able to truly read."

"I'm still defective."

"I think you're gifted."

"Gifted?"

"Yeah. I read minds. You block mind readers."

"And how many mind readers do you know?" she asked.

"Just me."

"Pretty useless talent if it only blocks you."

"We don't know that for sure. I bet there's more to it. Besides, you're human. Most humans don't have talents, let alone ones developed enough to actually use against an immortal."

"It's kind of cool thinking that I might have a talent."

"Yours doesn't seem as obnoxious as mine, regardless."

"What if I can't control it and eventually you can hear all of my thoughts?"

"I would be a very happy man."

"I would be mortified."

"Why?"

"I'm human." she reminded him. "I think embarrassing things sometimes, or about food a lot. I have to be aware of gross things like sweat and bathroom habits. I don't want you to hear all of that."

"I've heard the minds of thousands of humans. None of that would bother me. Besides, it's not like I can't hear your stomach growling on occasion."

She tried to not focus on what other things he could likely hear. "I suppose that's true. I want you to hear my thoughts, but it has always been nice being able to surprise you and spare you from all of my boring thoughts throughout the day."

"None of your thoughts are boring to me. Not ever."

"The instructions for meatloaf? The exact steps required to switch gears in the truck? The weird random songs stuck in my head throughout the day?"

"Never. I have to hear those things from everyone else every time we're out in public or at school. I would much rather hear them from you. Besides, what you were feeling a moment ago, when you thought of us in our meadow…there are no words."

"I can think of some words." she said sarcastically, watching as his eyes darkened just slightly again. "Maybe you should go hunt."

"The most delicious option is right in front of me. Nothing out there will ever come close. Besides, this isn't that kind of thirst. I told you that."

"I know, but I like hearing you say it."

"You are going to be the death of me."

"You're already dead." she said, laughing as she used one of his terms for himself. "Or undead."

"I'm not a zombie, though it may have felt that way before I met you. How you were feeling a minute ago, is that really how you felt that night in the meadow?"

"Yes. I thought only Jasper could sense emotions though."

"That's true, but emotions and thoughts are often intertwined. In your case, you think more in feelings and images than words. Your dad is similar. I bet this is why your nightmares are so intense. It's like you're really there, seeing and feeling everything as if it's really happening. But it also makes your memories way more…fun."

She smiled. "If only I knew how to show you."

"A glimpse was one of the most beautiful experiences of my entire life, if not number one, although every moment with you is the best."

She yawned loudly against her will.

"Rest my beloved little human. I'll be right here."

"What if I have weird dreams and you see them? What if I turn into a giant piece of toast or something?"

He chuckled and held her close against his chest, gently humming her lullaby and stroking her hair until he heard her first snore.

Author's Note: There are a few concepts in this story that I've played with elsewhere, like Edward hearing Bella's thoughts when she's still human. This also appears in The Gift. Sometimes, when I work through one idea, I come up with other similar scenarios that deserve their own writing as well. It fits here and I think it's great symbolism for their healing and learning to understand each other.

I've been debating all along if this story should involve lemons or not. I'm not entirely decided yet, but I do think part of Edward's healing will be getting comfortable with his body and all of his instincts eventually. Let me know what you think.

As always, thanks for your sweet reviews! I'm going to be on vacation this week so I'm posting now in advance instead of Tuesday.