Disclaimer: I still do not own Twilight or the characters. Though, I do own a Robert Pattinson cut-out from the first movie. You probably didn't want to know that.

A/N: So...I was really excited to write this, even though it is largely filler and character background. BUT, it sets up the next chapter which will answer many of the questions I have been receiving about Edward's background and, possibly, throw a loop in the story. :)

I hope you guys like it...I'm sorry it's so long! Anyhow, this is just a quick note because I have to go to work now!

Remember! Review=Quotes from the next chapter! :)

Chapter Five

After that night, I'll admit that I've started to compile every article I can on Edward Cullen. I've even read his financial reports. I know as much about the man's company as he probably knows about the company. He has become my favorite reading topic.

There was something strange about my boss and, no matter how kind, no matter how caring, no matter how attractive…I had to remember that he was, indeed, my boss and he had a secret that very much might involve my job.

Granted, to do my job, I probably don't need to know how much money the man donates to charities and how much he makes himself in a week.

By the time I had been working for Edward Cullen for seven weeks and three days (yes, I am counting), I have a giant folder on my computer which pretty much lists every detail of Edward Cullen's life that I can piece together. But, it's the financials of his company that have begun to fascinate me. They've, actually, become some of my favorite reading material. On my days off, I usually spend my time reading the weeks reports. Edward even knows about it now, after finding a print out of it on his coffee table in the living room.

Now, he provides the weekly financial reports and statements. Apparently, I am more thorough than his CFO. Which is a little shocking, considering my lack of mathematical ability.

He's begun to ask me questions about it in our nightly meetings, even, sometimes asking me if I've found any discrepancies. I can't say I find it strange, because, with Edward Cullen, I don't find a lot of things shocking.

On this particular Saturday, however, I am not going to be reading. I have other plans. Saturdays and Sundays are my days off, mostly because Edward Cullen believes his staff should have the weekends off. He will be home on the weekends and it should be his job, on these days, to contribute to the housework –Jasper's domain – and to take care of his own daughter –my job. As such, despite frequent interactions and even shared activities on the weekends, Jasper and I are free to do whatever we wish.

But, this Saturday is September the 10th and, as it is all she has been able to talk about all week, I feel it is only appropriate to help celebrate Nessie's birthday. Nessie isn't having a party, which I find strange, but, instead, Edward has asked us to go to dinner as a family. Jasper, Edward and I have been making arrangements all week and, to be honest, I think the three adults of the house are more excited than Nessie!

I sleep in until nine today. When my alarm goes off, I roll over…but, it keeps ringing. I want to cry like a petulant child, however, I roll over and verify the time instead. Edward and I had definitely stayed up far too late the night before. We had actually started to watch a British television series that we had both been interested in…we watched seven episodes and were up until two o'clock in the morning. I couldn't sleep very well, either…

Something Edward had said was bothering me. He really needed to stop complimenting me before I actually fell in love with him. And, last night, he had made some stupid comment about the color blue looking good on me. It was nothing to gush over…and, yet…I felt like gushing, like it might mean something.

I sigh and throw the blankets off me. I will stop mooning over him. I should really get out more often…

I quickly throw on jeans and a sweatshirt and grab the wrapped present from my dresser. Might as well start the day off right for Nessie, right? Makes my job easier if she continues to like me. I quickly brush my hair in the bathroom before I run downstairs to the kitchen. The smell of food is wafting up the stairs. Jasper clearly decided he was cooking this morning and that was alright by me.

Especially since I was pretty sure I could smell pancakes. And I was more than happy to help devour those pancakes.

I hear the commotion in the kitchen before I am even halfway down the stairs. Nessie was talking about something, extremely excited. I could hear Jasper laughing along with her. I slide into the kitchen, expecting to see the penthouse's occupants eating and goofing around, like any Saturday.

But, it's just Nessie and Jasper. I feel myself make a face. I am confused. Maybe Edward just got up for some reason…

Nessie see me first. "Miss Bella!" She runs to me and hugs my legs, nearly knocking me over.

I laugh. "Well, good morning to you, too!" She's dressed in what, for her, is casual attire: a cute black pencil skirt and a white lacy blouse. She has her hair in braids, instead of curled. This tells me that Edward didn't have the time to do her hair this morning before her piano lesson. "Did you do your braids yourself today?"

Nessie nods, enthusiastically. " Uh huh! Well, Daddy had to help me a little bit before he left, but, mostly me!" She smiles her huge smile and looks at the package in my hand. "Is that for me?"

I glance at the bright pink package in my hand. It isn't exactly inconspicuous… "Greedy, aren't we? Maybe it's for Jasper! Did you ever think of that?"

Nessie pouts at this. "But, Miss Bella…Jasper's birthday is in June. Mine is today/"

I roll my eyes. Usually, she's such a good natured little girl who doesn't want for anything. She hardly throws tantrums and, when something is upsetting her, it's usually something serious. But, it's her seventh birthday. I suppose it is acceptable to be a little greedy. "If you're nice to me, maybe I'll let you open it for Uncle Jasper," I say, winking.

Jasper scoffs, not even turning toward us. "I don't think I want whatever's in that package, Miss Bella. Probably going to be some giant hair piece or something. And, while my hair is quite the spectacle, I think if there's a tiara in that box, you better run faster than I do," he teases me. I rolls my eyes again as he slightly turns toward Nessie. "What shape do you want you pancakes in, princess? Rabbit or Kitty?"

"Rabbit!" She says, clapping her hands together and grabbing the package from me without asking.

"HEY!" I try to get it back, but, she's already tearing into the package. I can't help but smirk. She's something…. I cross my arms and watch her as she opens the box and gasps.

"What is it? Is it a tiara? Was I right?" Jasper stops cooking and I'm worried that his pancakes might burn. He leans over the kitchen island and watches as Nessie puts the giant bow on top of her head. Bright pink and covered in rhinestones, the bow was so massive that it had to be attached to a headband. Jasper smiles as wide as Nessie. "Well, look at that! Miss Bella knew exactly what you wanted, didn't she?"

Nessie spins around the kitchen. "Oh, thank you, Miss Bella!" She hugs me again. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She rushes off toward a mirror in the foyer.

I turn my attention to Jasper who is continuing on with his specially shaped pancakes. "Where's Edward? Isn't he supposed to take Nessie to her piano lesson in a little bit?"

Jasper doesn't look up. He isn't just concentrating, he is purposely avoiding meeting my eyes. "He had to take off this morning. Got an important phone call. He had to go take care of some business. I'm going to take Nessie to her piano lesson, though. No worries." He smiled at me, reassuringly.

I purse my lips. I wasn't sure that it was reassuring. Honestly, I felt like now that something was being kept from me. "Oh…well…is everything alright?" I try to subtly pry, but, Nessie rushes back in the room.

"I love it so much, Miss Bella! I can't wait to show Daddy! Oh! Miss Bella! Can you take a picture and I can text it to Daddy? Please?" I smile, only slightly minding that she has interrupted the conversation.

I fluff out the bow. "Absolutely. Why don't you run and grab your phone? And, could you do me a little favor?" Nessie nods, still bouncing. "Mister Fluffy…"

"Mister Fuzzy," she corrects me.

I grimace. "Have I been saying his name wrong this whole time? Goodness! That must be why he doesn't like me!" She giggles at this comment as I feign horror. "Could you go get Mister Fuzzy? He seems to have found his way into my room again last night and, though I appreciate his want to cuddle, I think he's missing the other toys."

Nessie nods, very serious. "He does love to cuddle, Miss Bella. I'll go get him right away!"

I smile and pat her head. "Hurry up! Don't want me to eat all your pancakes, do you?" With that, she's off and I'm alone with Jasper.

Excellent. My plan worked swimmingly.

Jasper flips a pancake onto his pile. "You're good with kids," he comments, pouring more batter into the pan. "You'll make a good mom someday, I bet."

I lean against the island. "Alright. Spill. Where exactly is Edward? You couldn't say in front of the kid, but, we're all adults here…except that stuffed rabbit in the corner. I don't know his age or how he qualifies."

Jasper sighs, poking at his pancake. "Look," he says, turning purposely in my direction, "Miss Bella, I like you and, to be quite honest, Nessie is happier with you as her nanny than she has been in a long time. But, there are some things that you should stop poking your nose into. I don't want to see you let go." He pauses for a moment before he looks down at the tile in the kitchen. "I saw your computer the other day. You left it in the library and, I know it was wrong, but, you had just stepped away for a second and, I just wanted to see. I saw you'd been looking into Edward and Tanya Denali and, I'm begging you, Miss Bella, don't poke your nose into those articles. There's nothing there that you want to find and no way of knowing what is true even if you do find it." He seems almost desperate. "Edward likes you, Bella. He honestly likes you. You're…important to him and he sees how much you mean to Nessie. If he thinks you need to know…he'll tell you."

I purse my lips. I don't honestly want to drop the topic. Honestly, I am just now more sure than ever that there is something going on that is being kept from the help. I run my tongue over my teeth before I finally decide that I have to let this go. If he is serious and it might mean my job, I have to drop it. "Fine, Jasper. Then, as far as I'm concerned, Edward Cullen is just the man who signs my paychecks." I throw my hands up, emphasizing that I am done with the topic. Jasper seems slightly relieved as he goes back to his pancakes.

Nessie reappears at that moment with her phone and I do an impromptu photo shoot with her. We snap pictures until Jasper has our plates at the kitchen island…complete with rabbit head shaped pancakes. This makes Nessie, debatably, the happiest child on the planet. She squeals as she dumps syrup over the stack of pancakes. I add a third pancake to my stack, deciding Jasper has been too stingy.

Jasper tsks at me, clearly disapproving. I honestly am beyond caring about my weight at this point. He must decide I don't get the hint, because, as I start pouring syrup over the pancakes, he takes it from my hand and lightly drizzles it over the cake. "You are twenty-two years old; you do not need pancake soup," he says, putting the syrup slightly out of my reach. That was a cruel, rather predictable move…

I shovel pancakes into my mouth. Note to self: take cooking lessons from Jasper. Nessie and Jasper daintily cut theirs, to which I roll my eyes. High society…they're a different people.

"In about an hour, I'll take Nessie to her lesson. Do you have any plans until dinner?" Jasper asks me as he takes my plate.

I lunge to stop him. "I can do that!" I don't like him waiting on me. He shakes his head, already almost to the sink. I sigh and glance at Nessie who is still eating her pancakes. "I can take Nessie to her lesson, if you'd like. I don't mind and watching Nessie is my job, yeah?" I smile, hoping he sees it as good natured. He usually spends his Saturdays taking care of household necessities, sometimes shopping and, occasionally, meeting up with his friends. I know he'd never say anything, but, if taking Nessie out would ruin his plans, I am as free as a bird.

Nessie perks up. "Can she, Uncle Jasper!?" She seems to like the idea. I wouldn't mind hearing her play piano for an hour. I've hear practicing and, she's much better than I would ever be…she's a perfectionist, but, she's quite good. I smile back at her as she pouts. "Please, Uncle Jasper?"

Jasper gave her a stern look. "Nessie, I told your father I would take you to your lesson and you would spend the morning with me. Let's not disrupt Miss Bella's day. Don't be selfish." I grimace. I think he is being a bit too severe. Nessie looks like she has been kicked.

"I'm really not doing anything today," I immediately interrupt. It makes Nessie gain a little more of her sparkle. "I wouldn't mind it, honestly. I know you usually have plans on your weekends…"

Jasper raises an eyebrow. "Seems I am out voted, then," he says, taking Nessie's plate, delicately and placing it into the sink. "How about we compromise?" He looks directly at Nessie who crosses her arms over her chest.

"I am ready to hear your terms!" She seems so serious, I have to bite my lip to avoid bursting into laughter. She is going to be one hell of a teenager when she grows up!

Jasper smirks. "How about Miss Bella and I both go with you to your piano lesson? Maybe, afterward, we can go out for some ice cream?" It sounded more like a bribe than a compromise.

Nessie pretends to consider this for a moment. After a while, she holds out her hand. "I am willing to accept your terms."

The three of us come spilling back into the penthouse about four o'clock that afternoon. Nessie's piano lesson consisted of her going into her teacher's piano room and Jasper and I sitting in her living room, talking. Jasper was so easy to talk to that I'm pretty sure we now know each other's life stories. Every time we would hear Nessie hit a wrong note, we would smile at each other, knowingly. We had bets on how frustrated her teacher would be after the lesson.

Ice cream and a trip to the park later, Nessie is ecstatic. She isn't used to receiving the undivided attention of two adults, apparently. I almost feel sorry for her. Even though my parents divorced, I was always able to get their attention when I needed it. Whenever my parents saw each other, they were always on good terms and willing to take me out together.

I wish Nessie had the attention of both a mother and father.

I have to shake the thought out of my head. It isn't worth my curiosity. I don't know her situation and I might never know.

"I want a rainbow cake!" Nessie said, laughing as she twirled into the foyer. "Oh! And a puppy!"

Jasper groaned. "Nessie, we've been through this! The apartments won't let us keep a puppy!"

Nessie rolls her eyes and scoffs. "So? We can keep him in my room. They don't have to know!"

"She's got you on that one, Jazz," I say, still holding onto his arm. He's a gentleman and has been escorting me the entire day. Too bad this habit has mostly died out…

I hear someone clear their throat and look up, shocked.

"Daddy!" I hear Nessie cry out, barreling toward Edward. Jasper and I separate, immediately, almost embarrassed. I study Edward as he picks up Nessie and holds her, just a little too tightly. "You're home! This means we can still had my party, right?" Nessie doesn't seem to notice anything strange about her father, but, I do. He looks exhausted as he kisses the top of her head.

He nods to her, smiling in a way I have never seen before. He almost looks sad. "Of course, we are. You can't miss your seventh birthday, now, can we?"

Nessie hugs her father again, clearly excited. Nessie doesn't seem to notice anything is wrong. It must be something that children can turn a blind eye to…though, I don't know how. "Can we have my cake now, daddy?"

Edward laughs. I glance at Jasper who seems to have noted that something was strange. He looks troubled, just as I do. He has noticed, also, that Edward seems to be behaving strangely. "Should Bella and I get ready to go out or would you rather we stayed at home? Bella and I can be pretty handy in the kitchen." I wonder if he knows that I have no prowess in the kitchen. I am almost certain that Edward knows this. He is definitely lying through his teeth…

Edward shakes his head, still holding onto Nessie. "We are definitely going out. I promised everyone we would go out for Nessie's birthday and that's exactly what we are going to do!" He seems to be changing his tune quickly. I notice he is trying to act normally, but, he is failing. Something is upsetting him…and, I don't think it's the possibility that his butler is sweet on the nanny.

I exchange another look with Jasper. He nods to me, as if I have asked some unspoken question. I bite my lip. "How about that cake?" I try to force a smile.

Edward nods, smiling. "I think this once, we can make an exception and have dessert before dinner." Nessie immediately begins to blabber about her bow before I turn toward the kitchen.

"I'll grab the cake and bring it into the dining room, yeah? Jasper, do you have a lighter?" He nods, digging through his pockets. "No worries! I'll just bring the cake in there, yeah? You can do us the honors of lighting the candles?"

I think he realizes that I am concerned. "Sure, Miss Bella. And I'll set the table for you." Edward is busy, talking to Nessie. There is something strange going on, but, I'm not sure what. It's probably just my paranoia. Or, so, I can tell myself. At least for the moment.

I turn toward the kitchen and go to the fridge, humming to myself. Edward actually did have Nessie a cake made that was rainbow layers, frosted in pink and dusted with pink crystals. As a little girl, I think I would have been so happy with this result that I would have cried in happiness.

I carefully move the gigantic cake out of the fridge toward the kitchen island. I carefully set the cake down on its ornate crystal dish. Edward loves Nessie. He didn't spare any expense for this cake…

Candles…where would I keep candles if I were a rich entrepreneur…where would I keep candles? In the drawer is where I always kept mine growing up…I start digging through the drawers. I am victoriously rewarded and laugh. Guess they aren't so much different than the rest of us, then.

I struggle to rip open the box and succeed in scattering them all over the kitchen island. I sigh and go to pick them up. I wish I weren't such a klutz….

I notice papers all over the island then, as I pick up the candles…papers I didn't notice before. I purse my lips and start to read it. It's all legal jargon…

I pick it up and start to browse the papers…And realize it's a summons. Edward Cullen is being sued. I keep skimming the papers. He's being sued by Tanya Denali.

"Bella?" I hear Jasper call from the doorway. I quickly hide the papers behind my back. I glance up. "You doing ok? You're taking an awfully long time with those candles. You need some help?"

I smile, innocently. "Yeah…I mean…no. I'm fine. I accidentally ripped open the package. Candles flew everywhere. You know…typical Bella." I laugh at myself and slide the papers back up onto the island. "Seven candles, right?"

Jasper rolled his eyes. "Yes, Bella. Seven candles. For the seven year old girl who has been talking about how she is seven the entire day," he teases me. I start to slowly count out the candles. "You sure you're ok? You're looking mighty pale, Miss Bella." It's the most Southern I have heard him speak.

I nod. "Yeah. Everything's fine!" I arrange the candles around the message on the cake. "Just…being a klutz," I emphasize.

Jasper slowly pushes me out of the way and begins to light the candles. "How about we go in together? Make an even grander entrance?" He smiles at me.

"Yeah," I say, happily. Jasper thinks I'm not feeling well or something of the like. He doesn't know what I've seen. I'm glad for that. Edward trusts him more than I. He'll tell him before I ever find out. "I'm sure Nessie will appreciate that."

I'm nervous now, though. What is going on with Edward Cullen? And, why is Tanya Denali's name popping up now?

A/N: Let me know what you think! I would love to hear theories! :)

Reviews= Quotes! Sorry it's so long! I'll hopefully hear from you all later!