A/N: Thank you everyone for your support and reviews. Apologies for the delay, it was a hectic week.

Special thank you to Mel Cee for betaing~all mistakes are my own:)

Enjoy and let me know your thoughts:)

Age 15

October marked Edward moving into his new home. He had a home. Having lived in foster care since birth, he had no clue what a home actually entailed. Of course, foster children typically weren't adopted by a billionaire and his charitable wife. While Edward loved belonging and having a home, he was still a fish out of water.

For instance, the first time he tried to clean his bathroom, Liz had a meltdown. She had reprimanded him, stating they had help for that. Edward was used to being "the help." Edward had promised not only Bella, but himself, that living in this new McMansion wouldn't change him. He and Bella used to make fun of rich people like the Masens.

Bella. His girlfriend. The only person he ever loved. He missed her.

It had been a few weeks since settling in with Liz and Ted. He didn't want to rock the boat right away by asking to visit Bella or have her visit, but he was jumping at the chance to see her; hold her, make sure she was adjusting to their separation.

He did call her every night before bed, but it was often short and interrupted by Victoria bitching about Bella using the house phone. Edward didn't give her the cell phone he promised her yet.

When he did speak to Bella, she sounded…fine. Almost too fine. Too normal.

What Edward didn't know was that she was starting to pretend.


Saint Joseph's Prep was an all-boys private high school. It was a prestigious yet pretentious institution.

Edward felt as though he was a misfit. He had never gone to school without Bella. Starting a new school after the official start date was already rough, but starting it without knowing anyone, and missing the one person who you'd always had next to you, was torture.

The prep school was in a great neighborhood. The campus was tree-lined, with beautifully manicured lawns, and historic brick buildings linked together. The teachers all went to Ivy League colleges and were well versed in preparing these young boys to move on and have incredible careers.

They offered many extracurricular activities: lacrosse, football, theater, art—you name it, they had it. There was even an Olympic-size swimming pool. Seeing that on the tour made Edward somber; he always promised Bella they would learn to swim together. He was starting to realize he would have to get used to breaking some of the promises he'd made her. Mentally, he made a vow to himself that he would make it all up to Bella.

After getting off the bus, Edward sat on the expensive-looking white sofa in the formal living room of his new home. Although Liz told him to sit there while she fetched their tea, he contemplated getting off the sofa with his school clothes. This became an ongoing theme as of late. Edward felt like he was too dirty, almost unworthy of these possessions he now shared with his family. It sucked feeling like a stranger in what was supposed to be your new home.

Liz handed Edward a Hermes china teacup, and his hands shook just thinking about how much it cost. They trembled even harder after thinking about what would happen if he dropped it. He gripped the cup with all his might.

The new mother-son duo sat in silence, both unsure of how to speak to the other. Not that anyone could blame either of them. After all, their situation was unique.

Liz sipped her tea, gingerly. "Have you made any friends? Are people welcoming?"

Edward shrugged his shoulders. "Not really, I mean I'm the new kid." He didn't want to add that being the kid with the richest parents didn't help his predicament.

"Would you like to try tennis, Edward?" Liz pondered, trying to make an effort to get her new son involved in his new school.

"Um, I'm not sure. I've never played before. I really never played sports competitively before," Edward admitted. Although Liz and Ted have been nothing but welcoming, he couldn't help his embarrassment when his past was brought up. This confused Edward; it wasn't his fault he was an orphan before this. The money his new family had made him nervous like he had to prove his worth. "But I can try."

Liz smiled, approvingly. "I'll call the admissions office." She walked away, leaving Edward to wonder how the hell to make friends.


School without Edward was dull and gray. Even though she and Edward hadn't been in all the same classes, she had looked forward to the ones they did share as well as lunch. But now with him gone, she was stuck. Being an orphan and a smelly kid wasn't a great bargaining point when it came to making new friends.

The friendships Bella had tried to make throughout the years at school and art class were doomed from the start. Once she started talking about her shitty home life, they looked at her with pity or distaste. Being in foster care was one of those topics people knew about but would rather not deal with. Instead of hearing the reality of what goes on, people would rather pretend they had no clue.

Nobody could relate to the trials and tribulations of Bella's complicated existence. Nobody except Edward.

They were close because they loved each other. They probably loved each other from that fateful day on the kitchen floor. But they stayed together because nobody else understood the truth of their lives. They lived as dirty little secrets.

In spite of Edward's adoption, his new parents don't want a recap of his tragic childhood. No, they expected him to move on. Be grateful they chose him. Be comfortable in his new home. But heaven forbid, he feel comfortable enough to share his innermost demons. His past was in fact his past. Life before being adopted didn't exist once you were. At least, that was what the prospective parents expected.

Once truths became too real, they needed to get shut down. People couldn't handle the real messy aspects of life. Nobody wanted to hear the truth. The opposite of a truth wasn't always a lie; it was concealing the truth as a new truth. One that was an easier pill to swallow.

Bella was daydreaming in her art class when Ms. Emily snapped her out of her daze. "Bella."

"Yes, Ms. Emily?" Bella couldn't recall what the class had been assigned or had even been talking about for the past forty minutes since it began.

"I was asking you if you had decided on a subject for your submission. You mentioned you wanted to enter the contest…" Ms. Emily knew Bella had experienced a lot of loss in her life, but she didn't press her. Again, that would be just too messy. Instead, like many others, she danced around the topic and encouraged her to throw her pain into art, which helped to a degree. Maybe time would heal the rest?

Bella thought back to the conversation when she agreed to submit an original sketch for the first time. Usually, she was given a subject to draw and she based her art on it. This time, it was freestyle, and Bella could choose anything or anyone. She agreed to enter before Edward was adopted. Before her life fell apart.

Biting her index fingernail, she spoke quietly. "Actually I'm not going to enter this time." Bella shifted awkwardly in her chair.

Ms. Emily nodded, moving on. The next twenty minutes passed rather quickly. Bella rushed to the door, not wanting to be home late. Victoria was already in a talespin recently.

"Bella, can I speak with you for a minute?" Ms. Emily beckoned before she could leave the room.

Bella groaned and spun around to face her art teacher. "I'd love to but I really have to get home."

"It'll only take a second," Ms. Emily said, gesturing for her to sit in the chair beside her desk.

Bella dropped the holey backpack that she had for years and took the seat.

"Bella, you really should enter the contest."

"I can't—" Bella started to protest.

Ms. Emily looked at Bella, confused. "Do you know the prize is a thousand dollars? Certainly, you can use the money, no?"

Bella looked down at her clothes. Her top was supposed to be navy blue but now was a faded blue color. Her jeans were becoming high waters, and her backpack had seen better days.

"I don't have a subject." Bella was trying to find an excuse.

"Bella, you don't need a subject. You just draw and the subject will find you. You're one of the most talented students I've had in a very long time. Apply yourself and you can only improve. Think about it please. That's all I'm asking." Ms. Emily waved Bella off.

When Bella headed for the door, Ms. Emily called out to her. "Let me know when it's finished."


Back at the Burtons' home, Charlotte was home early from school. She had gone to the nurse's office with a stomachache. Since Edward had left, Charlie had gotten many "stomachaches".

Nausea ate at Charlotte while she tried to put the thoughts of Edward out of her head. Charlotte's upbringing was disastrous from the start. Her birth parents were two drug addicts, who also cooked meth in their basement. The couple fought constantly, sending both to the emergency room, frequently. Charlotte was not the victim until one fateful night when her mother threw a candlestick at her father. But instead of hitting the intended, it had hit Charlie. The next day at kindergarten, she told her teacher what happened and she was taken in by the state. Victoria and Laurent were her first family, and the Burton household was the most peace she had ever had. Losing Edward was like losing her actual brother, and now all she had left was Bella and Victoria.

Charlotte's "stomachaches" were her way of getting motherly attention from Victoria. It made Victoria snap out of her drug haze, even if it was only for forty minutes or so.

As of late, Victoria went around the house breaking things and screaming whenever she wasn't locked in her room. The once voluptuous redhead was now skin and bones; she rarely ate and was addicted to any prescription drug her "doctor" would prescribe. Bella suspected she was having an affair with her married therapist.

Bella arrived home after her art class, less than thrilled about having to draw something for this stupid contest. She found Charlie sitting on the couch, brushing her hair. Watching Charlie was painful for Bella; all it did was remind her of him.

"Bella, you're home," Charlotte gushed. She constantly tried to cheer Bella up.

Bella rolled her eyes. "Yes, Charlie, I'm home." Bella put down her bag and started for the kitchen. She heard Charlotte following her.

"So what's for dinner tonight? Can I help? Oh, how was art class? Did you hear from—"

Bella reached over and covered Charlie's mouth with her hand before the name came out of her mouth.

"Charlotte, please stop. I'm not in the mood for this." Bella gave the younger girl a stern look and turned to peek inside the mostly bare fridge.

Taking out some sausage links and spinach, Bella was going to attempt a stir fry. She was going to have to ask Victoria for grocery money soon.

"Bella, can you walk me to my friend's house tomorrow? She lives past the underpass, and I really don't want to walk it alone."

"I can't, Charlie. I have a meeting with Mrs. Cope tomorrow." Bella didn't really want to walk the underpass for a different reason. That was the way she and Edward had walked home and to the store.

They had met Billy there.

"But Bella!" Charlie whined, stomping her foot.

Bella took a deep breath. Ever since Edward had left, Charlie looked to Bella to be everything Edward was to her. Bella barely had the strength to hold herself up, let alone a child.

"Charlotte, stop!" She walked around her "sister" having a tantrum and began sauteing the spinach.

"Stop calling me that. I'm Charlie. Charlie. Edward always called me Charlie." The little girl cried, mourning the loss of Edward.

"Charlotte! Enough!" Bella screamed, grabbing Charlie's arm and dragging her back to the couch. "Stay here and leave me alone."

Bella was not Edward. Charlotte had to know that. Edward had patience and maybe Bella did too, but under the circumstances, she was growing tired. Tired of being the responsible one. Tired of making lunches and dinner. Tired of cleaning. Tired of missing Edward.


All night long, Bella stood awake, which wasn't a rarity. Edward and Bella both had trouble sleeping without the other. She sat in her bed, house phone in hand, waiting for Edward to call like he normally did. Except this time, he didn't.

Bella understood how his new life was complicated and he probably had so many things to do, but didn't he realize she did too? Yet, she still made time to answer the phone each time he called.

The morning light shined into the room, making Bella groan. She rose out of bed and strode to the bathroom to splash water on her face. Bella looked at herself in the mirror. Her eyes were red-rimmed from crying. She stretched her tired body and made her way down the stairs.

Bella thanked her lucky stars that Charlie was still sleeping. She didn't want Charlotte to comment on her disheveled appearance. Bella felt terrible about the way she treated Charlie yesterday. She was the last person who deserved her anger.

Bella checked the driveway and saw Victoria's Volvo still there. Odd, she usually couldn't wait to see her therapist. Bella prayed she stayed in bed.

Her meeting with Mrs. Cope was this morning. Bella wasn't really hungry, so she figured she'd wait for the food she got with Michelle. She tried to ration food as best as she could, so Victoria wouldn't complain too much.

An hour went by before Bella looked at the time and realized that Mrs. Cope was already supposed to meet her. This was odd seeing as how Michelle was never late, always early.

Not wanting to waste the weekend, Bella decided to start mopping the kitchen. While Victoria expected her foster children to keep a clean home, Bella cleaned as a source of relaxation and control in a world of chaos. She liked feeling accomplished; not to mention it took her mind off of her current struggles.

The doorbell rang as Bella was wringing out the mop. Fabuloso reeked throughout the house. I might have used too much, Bella thought.

There on the cracked porch stood Mrs. Cope. Michelle usually wore makeup and had a professional suit on, but today she was barefaced and in a sundress. This had Bella on high alert.

"Hello, Bella, how are you?" Michelle asked, striding past Bella to do her typical walkthrough of the house. She didn't even apologize for being late.

"Fine, thank you," Bella said curtly, looking up the stairs, hoping Victoria had the wits not to come down the stairs.

She hadn't anticipated Victoria still being home when Mrs. Cope arrived. She usually left for her therapist's office by now.

Bella chewed on the inside of her cheek, looking to the stairs as Mrs. Cope walked back from the kitchen. They were now waiting at the stairwell, Bella not saying anything or making a move to head upstairs.

"Bella, shall we?" Mrs. Cope gestured to the stairs.

At that very second, Charlie started climbing down the stairs, clutching her stomach.

"Oh, Bella, I think I caught Victoria's stomach bug. Oh hi, Mrs. Cope. I won't come near you since I don't want to get you sick." Charlie faintly smiled, proud of herself for thinking fast on her feet.

"Is Victoria up there sanitizing everything?" Bella asked, giving Charlie a subtle wink.

"Yep, you got the downstairs covered?" Charlie inhaled the Fabuloso scent, smirking.

"All done." Bella looked over to Mrs. Cope, praying she wouldn't go upstairs.

Michelle looked at Charlotte clutching her stomach."You know what, Bella, how about we get out of here. I can't afford to get a bug before my trip."

Bella held back a snort, calling over her shoulder, "Bye, Charlie, I'll see you later."

While Bella was annoyed with Charlie for being a typical hyper eight-year-old, she couldn't find it in her to think of them being separated so soon after Edward leaving. Now it was Charlie who needed protection.

The car ride to Wendy's was silent. Bella was grateful that Mrs. Cope wasn't in a chatty mood. She did ask Bella why she didn't want to go to McDonald's or for pizza like usual, but Bella shook her head, stating things were different now. Meaning those were her spots with Edward and who knew when, or if, she would see him again.

They pulled into the parking lot and walked side by side, going into the restaurant. Bella held the door for a woman exiting with a baby stroller. "Thank you!" the woman exclaimed, nodding at Mrs. Cope. "Your mom has taught you well."

Bella gave her a polite smile.

Once the woman was gone and Mrs. Cope was preoccupied ordering their lunch, Bella thought about how much she'd lost out on by not having a mom. She didn't have anyone to braid her hair, or hold her when she and Edward got into a fight, and she certainly didn't have anyone to push her to get good grades.

Bella was lost in her reverie as Mrs. Cope walked back over. "You okay, dear? You look a little pale! Are you coming down with the bug too?" Mrs. Cope instinctively took a step back.

Once they were seated at the table, Mrs. Cope broke her news.

"Bella, I hate to tell you this, but I'm going to be leaving my position as your caseworker." Michelle looked at Bella expectantly.

"Why? Is this because I haven't gotten adopted yet? Because I can, you know!" Bella crossed her arms defensively. Fuck, everyone leaves.

"No, dear. It has nothing to do with you. I'm moving to Florida to take care of my father. My husband and I don't want him to go into assisted living, so I'm leaving by the end of the month." Mrs. Cope was relieved to be leaving her stressful job for her father's beachfront condo in Miami. Her husband worked from home so there was no issue for him to relocate.

Bella was stunned. She didn't have anything to say. She knew this sort of thing happened, but she had no clue how other caseworkers operated. Mrs. Cope was the first and only caseworker she had in the eleven years she had been in foster care. She knew Mrs. Cope and her quirks and vice versa. Change and Bella did not go well together. And lately there has been an awful lot of change.

"But you've been with me since I was four years old," Bella reasoned. This couldn't possibly be the end of this relationship.

"I know, Bella. I'm very sorry to leave you like this, but your transition to your new caseworker will be seamless, I promise. She's going to come by the house a few times with me before I leave, and we will work on acclimating you both." Mrs. Cope's well-thought-out plan sounded better in her head.

There was nothing left for Bella to say. It seemed like once again, things were out of her hands. She had no choice but to watch someone else leave. It wasn't like she was that attached to Mrs. Cope, but she had been a consistent person in her life for eleven years. Bella needed all the consistency she could get.

"Your new caseworker is Siobhan Kelly; obviously you'll call her Ms. Kelly. She's young and very nice. I think you both will work well together. Now another thing I wanted to talk to you about—I know you probably haven't seen much of Edward since his adoption. But before he left, I'd been meaning to sit you both down and talk to you about something." Bella nodded. "Now I know you are both getting older and you're going to have urges and that's fine and all, but you need to be safe. Do you understand what I'm trying to tell you?" Mrs. Cope hated having "the talk."

Bella made a face of disgust. She hadn't been able to kiss Edward in what felt like forever, and now she was being warned on safe sex. Edward and Bella were not there yet. Bella didn't know if they ever would be either.

Mrs. Cope rolled her eyes and continued, "Do you remember when I told you a while back about Jane getting pregnant?"

"Yeah, I guess?" The details were a bit fuzzy, seeing as her time with Jane felt like a lifetime ago.

"She passed away during childbirth. It was awful. Poor girl. I know you had your differences, but how tragic." Mrs. Cope began to ramble, and Bella was lost again in her head.

Jane's dead. Her baby was probably in foster care. How tragic indeed. Bella now felt sick to her stomach.


Bella and Michelle finished their meals and they made their way back to the house. Mrs. Cope made promises to bring Bella's new caseworker around next week, along with breaking the news to Charlotte. Bella nodded and entered the house. She noticed that Victoria's car was no longer in the driveway.

Bella walked into the kitchen and saw Charlie eating what looked like stale crackers.

"How's Mrs. C?" Charlie asked, mouth full of food.

"She's fine." Bella wondered if she should share the news. Fuck it, she thought. "She's moving to Florida and we are getting reassigned to a new caseworker."

"What? Are you serious? She's been around forever. Mrs. C was your only caseworker too, right?"

Bella nodded. "Yep, the new one should be here next week to 'acclimate' to the change or some shit," Bella ranted.

Charlie rolled her eyes and looked at Bella.

"I'm sorry," they both said simultaneously.

The pair laughed and Bella put her arm around Charlie lovingly. Just because Edward wasn't here, didn't mean she couldn't have some joy. Bella realized she could try and give Charlie the happiness she wanted when she was that age.

"So do you still want to go to that friend's house?" Bella inquired, feeling generous.

"Um yeah. She has the newest dance game, you know from that commercial!" Charlie gushed.

"Oh yeah. Well go get changed; I'll walk with you." Charlie tackled Bella in a big hug. "Oomph."

"Oops sorry!" Charlie muttered, running up the stairs before Bella changed her mind.

Meanwhile, the phone began to ring. Bella went over to the entryway table, picking up the corded phone. "Hello."

"Bella."

Her name never sounded so good.

But the words got stuck in the back of her throat. "Bella?" Edward asked, wondering if Victoria tampered with the phones.

"Yes I'm here." She croaked the words out, feeling tears welling in her eyes, as they normally did when he called. Reminding her once again of their new reality.

"Can you meet me halfway this afternoon?" Edward asked, sounding winded.

Bella grew concerned and wanted to meet him, but she had made a commitment to Charlie.

"I can't, Edward. I promised Charlie that I'd walk with her to her friend's house." Bella bit her index finger anxiously.

"Where is the friend's house?" Edward queried.

"Past the underpass. By the McMansions." Bella wanted to take back the words as soon as they came out, seeing as how Edward might live in one of them.

"I live close to there. Can you meet by Billy's side of the underpass?" Edward negotiated.

"Okay. Yeah okay." Bella nodded into the phone even though he couldn't see her.

Bella was on pins and needles to see Edward. For him to wrap his arms around her. To make her feel safe.


"I'm so excited to see Eddie." Charlotte was practically skipping rainbows and sunshine.

"Okay, pipsqueak, don't get too excited. I don't know how long he can stay or if he's coming alone," Bella warned, not really knowing what Edward would be like now.

Charlie just nodded and continued rambling as Bella attempted to tune her out. "Who's Billy again?" Charlotte asked for the tenth time since Bella explained the meeting place to her prior to leaving the house.

Bella fixed her hair while continuing to walk the remaining three blocks. "Billy is a young man who lives in his car by the underpass. He helped me when I slipped on ice about a year ago, and he's been a friend to Edward and me ever since. He has a pet dog, Embry. He's very friendly." She looked over at Charlie, waiting for her to speak again; she never stopped talking. Bella also didn't add how Billy had been a friend of Sam's.

"So Billy and his dog are homeless?" Charlotte questioned Bella's wording.

"Billy prefers 'home challenged,' and yes, he's basically like us. We don't have a real home," Bella remarked flippantly.

Charlotte grew quiet as they got to the beginning of the underpass. She was scared and clutched Bella's hand tighter.

"There's nothing to be afraid of," Bella said, reading Charlie's thoughts.

They saw Edward on the other side of the road. As they grew closer, they really saw him and the sling on his arm.

Bella ran to him, all anger for not calling her last night pushed aside.

She looked him up and down. His hair was shorter but still in its disheveled disarray; he was wearing a blue polo shirt and khakis. He was even wearing cologne.

"What happened?" Bella interrogated, not bothering with a hello.

Edward caressed her cheek with his good hand and gave her peck on the lips.

"I'm fine, Bella. Chill." He laughed.

Bella flicked the shoulder without the sling with her fingers. "Ow," Edward feigned pain.

"What happened?" Bella asked, looking over her shoulder, making sure Charlotte was okay.

"Hi Charlie." Edward acknowledged his little sister. She would always be his little sister.

Charlie waved, but then all of a sudden she was quiet and reserved. Bella snorted. "Where the hell was this Charlotte at home?" She accidentally said that outloud.

Bella turned her attention back to Edward, looking at him questioningly.

"I tried out for tennis and I stumbled mid-serve and sprained my rotator cuff," Edward said, sheepishly. He wasn't cut out for organized sports. Fitting in was harder than it seemed, no matter how much money his new family had.

"Are you okay? Is this why you didn't call last night? I was worried," Bella admitted, playing with her fingers again.

Edward grabbed her hand in his. "Yes, we were in the ER until pretty late. By the time I got home, I figured you would have been asleep and I couldn't exactly call when Victoria would answer."

Bella grabbed his face in her hands, kissing him passionately, trying hard to remind herself that their love was a force to be reckoned with. They broke apart at the sound of Charlie making gagging noises.

"Eww cooties," Charlie muttered, turning to see a dog barking behind her followed by a shadowy figure.

Billy was seventeen years old, with long stringy jet black hair. His clothes were tattered, and he looked plain dirty and hungry. But his dog, Embry, looked perfectly healthy and content.

"Hey kids! Who's this?" Billy inquired, always nervous around newbies.

"This is Charlie. She's our foster sister," Bella said, matter of factly.

Charlie began playing with Embry and talking Billy's ear off with a hundred questions.

"You live in that red truck?" Bella laughed as she heard the badgering continue, but she was too lost in Edward to rescue poor Billy.

Edward handed Bella a flip phone. Bella looked at him, puzzled. "This is for you, Liz let me buy this for you. It's only talk and text, so no surfing the web." Edward shook his finger at Bella.

"Thank you, Edward. I missed you so much." She carefully hugged him.

"I'm sorry about all of this, Bella. But we are going to make it work, I promise. I spoke with Liz and Ted and they said starting next month you can come over, and even if they have parties and stuff, you can be my plus one." Edward grinned proudly. "I love you, please believe that."

Bella nodded, looking to the floor and then to the phone. "I do."

Edward nuzzled into her, inhaling her scent. Nothing compared to her.