Beneath The Surface

by MyBella

One summer, an internship in Africa, bloodlust, sharp teeth, and a boatload of fear are all that stand in the way of Bella Cullen landing a job at the Atlanta Aquarium - As long as she doesn't count cocky shark expert Edward Masen on her list.

6. 6 Hot & Cold

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. Stephenie Meyer owns anything and everything relating to Twilight. I am in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended and in order to keep it that way, No reproduction, copying, reposting, downloading, or any kind of redistribution of this story is allowed. This is to cover my arse as much as yours! And finally, the Original characters, plot, names, nicknames, songs, poems—anything I created from my very own brain—are all the property of the author of this fanfic, My-Bella. Unauthorized use of the material is plagiarism so please be kind and don't steal my creations.

"~~~^~~~~^~~~^~~~~^~~~^~~~~^"

Chapter 6 – Hot and Cold

Friday, May 30th

"I'm being serious here, Mase," Whit promised while passing a box to him. "Haven't you ever had a dream that was so real you woke up and felt like shit because it was just a dream?"

"I have," Masen answered with a nod. "But I knew the person I was dreaming about."

"Trust me, I know this woman."

"I trust that you're losing your mind, man. You just said you haven't seen her entire face, but you think you know her."

Whit acted like he hadn't heard him. "She's got a great laugh and a smile that makes me wanna fall at her feet and worship her for a lifetime. And to top it off, I know she has a bright soul and a kind heart."

Masen put down the box he'd been stacking and then sat down on it. He peeled his drenched t-shirt off and used it wipe his face and neck off, and then he focused his blue eyes on his friend. "We're losing something in translation here so start over."

Whit was all too happy to oblige, sliding over a box to sit on in front of him. His own shirt had been thrown aside pretty much the moment he'd set foot on the boat this morning so he used a hand towel he'd shoved into his back pocket earlier to wipe up his sweat. Masen did his best to patiently wait for him to finish but it was pretty damn hard when there were answers to be given. Whit had been talking almost non-stop the whole morning about this woman in his dreams and very little of it had made sense so far.

"Okay, so the first night, it was just a quick dream," Whit began. "Just a flash of a smile and long, dark eyelashes against soft cheeks with the most perfect sun-kissed color. I didn't even really register it, but I also didn't forget it either. The next night, it was a hand wrapped around the edge of a surfboard."

Masen couldn't stop himself from laughing. "Talk about your perfect wet dream. A sexy woman feeling up your surfboard."

"That's what I thought it was at first too, but now … Every night has been more detailed and lasted longer, revealing more about her. I'm telling you, Mase, this is different. I've had her so close I could almost touch her. That perfect complexion with a gorgeous smile, those long, dark lashes, and what looks to be the softest head of dark hair ever gifted to a woman. And the curves! I swear to Christ my hands are going to fit perfectly against every single one of them. But it's not even about that. It's about what she says and does in these dreams that really have me hooked."

Whit must have seen Masen still doubted him because he quickly added to his explanation. "It's more than a series of dreams. I know it is. Just like when we're on the water and you know deep inside when it's safe to get in and when we need to stay on the boat. No matter how crazy we think your call might be initially, in the end we're always glad we listened because your gut instincts have never been wrong. And I'm not wrong about this girl, Mase. She's real and she's going to be mine. I've seen her soul and it's a match to mine."

Masen wasn't sure what to say to that and he was saved from having to figure it out by the ringing of his cellphone. He jumped up and rushed to grab it from the shelf he'd put it on earlier. His mom's name flashed across the screen and he smiled as he answered her call. "Hi, Mom."

"Hey, Kid. How are things going over there?"

"We're almost done. We've got a couple more boxes to load and then we need to lock up both boats."

"I know you boys are usually tired after finishing up but do you think you would both be up for dinner and a movie with Bella and me this afternoon? Lee and Gopher have previous plans with her parents."

He didn't even realize his finger was scratching at his nose as he answered her question. "I was sort of thinking I would take her to the aquarium. You know, to get a reading on her fear level with sharks."

"Right." The way she'd drawn out the word didn't leave him feeling like she trusted his answer. He could picture her leaning against the kitchen counter with a big grin on her face just the way she had a thousand times before when he gave an answer she didn't believe was the complete truth.

"Well since you have plans already," she continued, "I guess I'll go visit Tanya and her sisters."

Masen let out a groan, knowing exactly how that would end. "Try to take it easy on the wine because I'm not going to feel sorry for you if you have a hangover in the morning."

"Yes, you will," she countered, sounding completely sure of herself. "Besides, we aren't going to drink wine tonight."

"Mom, those three always get you to try their wine."

"They've branched out. They've got their first attempt at sangria for me to try."

He snorted laughter. "Try to stay out of jail and call me if you need a ride."

"Can't promise anything on the first but I definitely promise on the second."

"Mom, I'm serious. Please don't add to the scrapbook of mug shots of the four of you."

"You know Dale just takes those for the fun of it. He never really arrests us."

"Only because he wants Kate so damn bad."

"Well with sangria on the menu, he might just get lucky for once."

He sighed and dropped his chin to his chest. "I love you, be as good as you can, call me if you need me."

"Love you too, Kid. Have fun with Bella."

He almost replied with a "definitely" but caught himself and just grunted into the phone instead before closing it and putting it down on the shelf.

"Esme's hanging out with the sisters, huh?" Whit asked from somewhere behind him.

"Yep."

"And you're hanging out with Guppy."

Masen didn't need to turn around to hear the smile in his voice but he did it anyway. "It's work, Whit."

"Yep. Working on your game. 'Bout time too."

Not wanting to dignify that answer with a response, he chose instead to roll his eyes and then get back to work. At the rate they'd been going, they could be done in another hour and he would have the rest of the day at the aquarium since it had just turned eleven.

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"Are you sure I can't go with you instead?" Bella asked as she followed Esme from the kitchen to the living room. "Your day sounds much more exciting."

Esme laughed as she curled up in the corner of the sofa. "Have you ever been arrested?"

"Well, no but—"

"Your first time is not going to be with me and my goofy gal pals. If you are ever arrested, it should be because you were doing something wild and crazy that you really wanted to do with your own friends."

Bella nodded but it was really just because she didn't know what else to do. Was that advice or approval? She settled on asking a slightly different question. "Has Edward ever been arrested?"

From the way Esme was laughing, Bella felt pretty sure he had and that it was a fun story. "Only once," she finally said, snorting just a little at the end. "He was with Whit in San Francisco. Lee and I were there too, but we weren't with them that particular night. We'd chosen to go to dinner with some of the people we'd met earlier in the day at the Farallon Islands."

Bella found herself leaning in closer to Esme at the mention of the marine sanctuary and research center. She knew from their bios that Edward, Whit, and Lee had gotten their first shark training there.

"Edward and Whit had started the night with us but after a trip to the bar and being approached by two lovely young ladies, they decided to separate from the group. They said they were going to tour the area but let's be honest, they wanted to tour those girls' bodies."

Bella gasped at Esme's matter-of-fact way of speaking about her son and his intentions, which set Esme off on another laughing fit.

"So they never got their tour," Esme continued through her giggles. "The girls turned out to be fickle creatures and left them at a bar for some guys in suits, probably figuring the suits had more money to spend on them. Now the way I've been told the story, it was Edward's idea to head to the strip club for shots, but knowing the boys as well as I do I'm pretty certain it was Whit's idea and Edward couldn't refuse him."

"Why take the blame then?"

Esme looked closely at Bella, as if her question was unnecessary because the answer was self-evident. "Because he's the protector. That's what he does. If he can keep Whit and Lee out of trouble, Edward will do whatever it takes."

"What about Gopher?"

"It's different with Gopher. They're not as close. And in all honesty, Edward feels Gopher looks for trouble most days. But I'm sure at some point he'll come around and the two of them will become close friends."

Once again, Bella found herself nodding simply because she didn't know what else to do.

"What about you?" Esme asked. "Do you have any friends back home that are more like family?"

"A few. Mostly I spend time with my sister Alice. But I have Jacob and Leah and Sam and Emily, too."

"Are they coupled off the way you presented their names?"

Bella smiled at how Esme had picked up on that and then she smiled wider as she thought of how much Jacob and Alice would love Esme. "Yeah. But it wasn't always Leah with Jacob. It was me for just about a year."

"He must have treated you very well if you're still friends."

She shrugged. "Sometimes I think we might have worked. And then I remember how we wanted such different things out of life and how Leah is so much more like him."

"Sometimes our paths only twist together for a short distance before going in opposite directions."

Bella found herself smiling once again. "That sounds like something my uncle would say."

"Have you had the chance to call home much since you arrived?"

"I spoke to my uncle and sister yesterday for a bit and again this morning." Her smile fell and her eyes dropped to her feet resting on the cushion and the pink nail polish Alice had insisted on putting on her toenails. "It's kind of like I forget they're so far away until I'm talking to them. I haven't really been away from them in a long time."

For a moment, all of Bella's worries came back to her about what she was doing and why she was doing it. How could she really want to work around these creatures after the way they'd ruined her childhood? What would her parents think if they knew what she was doing? What would they think of the job she was planning on taking when she got home?

Esme reached across the couch cushion and took Bella hand into hers, giving it a firm squeeze. "Whatever your reason is for being here and for fearing sharks, you can share that with us, Bella."

Bella had a new worry now—what was it about her that was giving away there was something to tell? She'd finally felt accepted last night at dinner and the last thing she wanted was to lose that. It was entirely too soon; they didn't know her enough and they didn't know how much it would devastate her to be treated differently because of her past.

"Thank you for the offer, Esme," she said as she forced a smile onto her face. "But I don't have anything to share right now."

Esme's smile seemed much more real than her own felt and the reassuring pat to her hand eased some of the tension that had crept in with her worries. "Whenever you're ready to tell us, we'll be ready to listen." With her next words, she completely turned the conversation in a new direction. "Let's go raid my closet and figure out what I'm going to wear to my sangria tasting."

Bella laughed as they got up from the couch and headed toward the stairs. "With the chance for trouble in your future, I suggest layers."

"Oh, good point. It is much harder to get naked while drunk when layers are involved."

A loud snort flew out before Bella could stop it. "I was just joking, you know?"

"Me too. Mostly."

Once more, she was laughing and this time it was mixed in with a huge amount of wonder over how a woman who seemed so sweet and carefree could have a son so intense with the ability to constantly make her head-spin. Yeah, sangria and jail sounded a lot safer than another afternoon alone with Edward.

"~~~^~~~~^~~~^~~~~^~~~^~~~~^"

"Mom?" Masen called up the stairs.

It took a moment before he heard a door open and then his mother's voice. "Getting dressed, Kid. Did you need something?"

"I'm going jump in the shower. Could you stick around until I get out?"

"I guess I can since it's for you."

He snorted and mumbled "thanks" under his breath.

"Oh, Edward, would you open the backdoor and yell out to Bella that I need her? She took Lizzy out a while ago and hasn't come back in yet."

"Yeah, okay." He quickly padded down the hall and wrenched open the backdoor with every intention of relaying his mother's request. But the words were lodged in his throat, stuck behind a groan that wanted to come out at the sight in front of him.

There for his eyes to feast on in a bright red one-piece swimsuit was Bella running and playing with his dog. She wore a matching cap that hid her face and she had her dark hair pulled out the back and swishing with her every move. The day was clear and bright and it was easy to see the definition in her arms and legs that matched the natural curves of her body perfectly. As he continued to watch her, Masen tried to remember the last time he'd seen a one-piece look sexier than a bikini and couldn't come up with any.

Instead of telling her anything, he quietly closed the door and took a seat on the top step. He knew it was a stupid thing to do since he was already at war with himself where she was concerned and yet he just couldn't help himself. There was something about this girl that drew him.

Lizzy let out a bark and made a leap for Bella who laughed and spun around before starting to run in the opposite direction. Round and round they went while he watched it all from his shady spot on the steps, grinning and shaking his head at how silly the two of them were. Everyone loved Lizzy but no one really gave her attention like he did—like Bella was doing right now.

She suddenly fell over in the sand, laughing and pretending Lizzy's leap had knocked her over. "Good girl. You win. You are such a good girl," she cooed as she hugged the dog to her chest and ruffled the fur behind her ear.

He could tell Bella was sweaty from the way the sand on her skin sparkled in the sunlight and figured Lizzy was going to be just as covered. That led to thoughts of a bath and it wasn't his dog he was imagining soaping up either. Fragile bubbles mixed with thick lines of suds slipping over bare curves with hands all over gently rubbing and smoothing soft skin.

Masen's groan must have been a lot more external than internal because Bella was suddenly looking right at him. "Lizzy, look! It's your Edward. Go get him," she said, extending one shapely arm and pointing at him.

He tried to ignore the uneasy feeling that gripped him at her words and focus instead on the puppy charging up the incline and headed straight for him. She dove for his lap and he just barely managed to catch her, it was a really good thing considering how much it would have hurt if he'd missed in his current state.

"I hope you don't mind," Bella said, suddenly standing right beside him. He took in her timid smile first and then the small patch of sand on her neck. His fingers twitched with need, wanting so badly to touch her and brush the sand away for her skin.

"I was just going to take her out for her to do her business …" Bella continued, "… but it was such a nice day that I thought it would be fun to let her play around. I'll bathe her if you want."

And there are those imagines of soap and water again, he thought as he scrambled for a quick way to get Bella away from him that didn't involve him revealing the state of utter turmoil he was in at that moment. "Thanks, but she doesn't really let anyone other than me bathe her. Besides, my mom was looking for you." There, he thought. Perfect reason for her to go inside and it's the truth.

"Do you think you could get me a towel? I'd like to brush off really quick so I don't track sand all through the house." She said this as she swept the side of her hand against her skin, traveling across her chest and going from one shoulder to the other.

Masen kept his expression neutral and his voice even, never giving away that there was a voice inside of him screaming to be that hand on her skin. "Uh, it would probably be easiest if you just duck into my bathroom. It's the first door on the right. I've gotta ruffle Lizzy's fur up and sweep some of the sand out of it before I can take her in."

"Okay, thanks, Edward. I promise not to leave a mess in your bathroom." She climbed the stairs and went inside, closing the backdoor behind her with a soft click.

He let out a sigh of relief at having her gone but just as quickly spit out a curse for having sent her into his bathroom. Now he was going to be stuck sitting here until she got out of there; he seriously doubted there was any mental image he could conjure up to combat the soapy one that had caused the problem with his board shorts that prevented him from going inside.

Thankfully, it didn't take long for Bella to signal she was done by knocking on the glass pane of the backdoor. Unfortunately, she seemed to be dressed in only one of his towels because he couldn't see the straps of her bathing suit. He forced a smile and gave a polite wave and then pretended to see a few more spots of sand to brush away. Once he was sure Bella was far away from him and the backdoor, he darted inside and into his bathroom, all the while cursing his behavior and the voice in his head sharing what Whit's thoughts would be about all this.

Masen had a lot of time to think while he bathed Lizzy and got her mostly dried off before it became impossible to hold on to her wiggling body. What he came up with in all that time was that pretending he wasn't attracted to Bella wasn't working at all and it was time to try something new. He obviously couldn't do anything about the attraction but maybe if he stopped pretending it didn't exist at all then it would be easier to ignore it. Despite Whit's assertion that it wouldn't be a bad thing to pursue Bella, he couldn't get past the fact that it would be a risk to MMR—a risk he couldn't bring himself to take. So he would just ignore any non-professional feelings; just as soon as he had his shower and enjoyed those soapy images before getting rid of them.

No sooner than he'd finished his shower and dashed across the hall into his room, someone was knocking on his bedroom door. "Edward?" Esme called out.

"Just a sec." He grabbed the first pair of shorts he could find and yanked them up his legs and over his hips.

"Thanks for sticking around," he said as he opened his door and let her in.

"Sure, Kid. What do you need?"

"I just wanted your opinion on this trip to the aquarium. I was thinking of having Noelle let us in behind the scenes."

"Hmmnn," she said as she sat down on his bed. "I can see both the pros and cons of that but I really don't think we know enough yet about what exactly Bella's fear of sharks is all about to make that decision. My suggestion to you would be to tour the aquarium like any other visitor until and unless you find out what the issue is for Bella."

"I could just ask her."

"You could but I don't think she's comfortable enough yet to just come right out and say it. Why not try asking leading questions as you two walk the grounds?"

He sighed and pulled on the ends of the towel resting against his neck.

"Edward, you knew this wasn't going to be easy. It was part of the reason we selected Bella. We could have easily gotten someone who appreciates sharks the way we do but there would have been no challenge in that, no chance to grow and learn as individuals and as a company."

"Yeah, I know. I just want this whole intern experience to go well and be good on both sides."

She came to stand in front of him, taking his face between her hands. "Take your time, think before you speak, and proceed with caution. You do those three things and I'm sure it'll be fine."

"Thanks, Mom."

"Anytime, Kid. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some sangria to imbibe."

He laughed and pulled her into a hug. "Have fun and be safe."

"Same goes to you." She gave his cheek a soft pat and then left him to dress.

He ended up settling on a pair of dark green cargo pants with a black v-neck shirt and his favorite pair of black Sketchers with white trim. He set his sunglasses on his head for now, filled his pockets with his wallet, phone, and keys, and left his room to search for Bella and Lizzy.

He found his dog stretched out on the kitchen floor, napping in a stream of sunlight coming in through the window. He left her to it while filling her bowls with food and water since he wasn't sure what time he'd be back tonight.

He came out of the kitchen at the same time Bella was coming down the stairs and shoving a short black leather book into her bag. "Ready to go?" he asked.

"If you are," she said, giving a half-hearted shrug.

"It'll be fun. The Maui Ocean Center is a great aquarium with lots of marine life to see."

"I thought you were only interested in one type."

"Not at all. We try to learn as much about all types of marine life as we can. We just happen to be focusing on sharks right now because they need it the most." He got the sense that he hadn't really put her at ease so he added, "We'll keep the main shark exhibit as the last on the list to see."

That seemed to help some because she gave him a small smile and finally came down off the last step. He felt pretty pleased with himself for easing her worries as he led her out of the house and over to the car, so pleased in fact that he didn't even notice what she was wearing until they got out of the car at the ocean center. His initial thought wasn't a thought at all really, just a litany of curses. It was followed by the idea that she was doing it on purpose to see if she could make him literally swallow his tongue. But then he realized how oblivious she was to his blatant staring and knew she had no clue she was killing him with her outfit.

The first thing his eyes were drawn to was the sliver of golden skin visible between the bottom of her shirt and the top of her shorts. He tried to lift his eyes higher but they refused to go anywhere other than toward the pair of jean shorts with the paint splatter pattern too perfect to be natural. They fit her perfectly, starting right at the widest parts of her hips and then hugging her toned upper thighs. They created the illusion that her legs were longer than they really were and he followed those legs all the way down to the gray Nike shoes with the pink check that covered her feet.

He was finally able to force his eyes up but all that did was put him staring at her bare neck since she'd pulled her hair up into a ponytail. The cropped white shirt she was wearing had a scoop neck, letting his eyes go from her neck to her collarbones, all places his fingers and lips had become intimately acquainted with two nights ago when this crazy attraction to her had first started.

"What are you staring at?" Bella asked.

Masen tried to squash down the guilt he felt over being caught while also trying to read her expression. He found it damn difficult to do when her eyes were hidden behind her sunglasses. "I was just looking at your shirt," was the response he eventually settled on.

She tugged at a corner of it, pulling it away from her body and revealing even more skin to his hungry eyes—eyes now hidden behind his own pair of sunglasses. He knew there was no way in hell they were blue right now.

"I found it at one of the chain mall stores back home," she explained. "I like the way the word 'Love' is repeated along the gray stripes. And I like how the word makes me think of different things each time I see it. Like when I saw it today, I thought of how much I love being on the beach with the sun shining and a cool breeze blowing."

She lifted her head and though her expression was still unreadable, he felt certain she didn't completely believe the shirt was the only thing he'd been looking at. Her question to him only confirmed that suspicion. "What did you think of when you saw it?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Just that it was a nice shirt. Reminds me of one Lee has with hearts or stars or something on it." He also made sure to change the subject. "So one of the things I like about the ocean center is that in addition to giving the basic information on the hundreds of marine life living here, they also give you the Hawaiian name of each. Like my favorite invertebrate is the anemone hermit crab, which is also called unauna."

"Why is that one your favorite?" Bella asked as they entered the ocean center.

"Hermit crabs are always fighting for empty shells to live in. They use tug-of-war and audio warfare to win the shells."

"Audio warfare?" she interrupted with a loud snort.

Masen grinned, excited to finally share some of his marine knowledge with her. "It's like this … If a hermit crab sees a shell he likes better than the one he has, he'll go up to it and knock on it with his shell until the owner of the shell he wants can't stand the sound any longer and moves out. Then he sets up residence in his new shell and leaves the old one for whoever wants it.

"Now the anemone hermit crab tries to prevent the possibility of audio warfare. He carries an anemone wrapped around his mobile home. They provide additional camouflage and they're venomous to most predators so they're a great line of defense against hostile takeovers from other crabs and snack-time from predators. For providing protection, the anemone gets free travel and food scraps from the crab. It's a perfect symbiotic relationship."

"That is probably the most imaginative description I've ever heard for a hermit crab. That's really good, Edward."

He chuckled, wondering if she'd really expected anything less from him. "What about you? Do you have a favorite invertebrate?"

There was no hesitation on her part. "Tiger cowry."

"Leho-kiko. One of the most beautiful types of mollusk in the world."

"Did you know that they're like snowflakes? They're all white shells with dark, leopard-like spots, but no two shell patterns are alike."

"I did know that," he said with a nod. "Did you know they were once used as currency?"

Bella gave out a happy laugh. "Of course I know. They're my favorite. Actually, they were a favorite to a lot of people. They've been found in prehistoric England, ancient China, pre-dynastic Egypt, Saxon Germany, and parts of Africa."

"Alright then," he said, grinning at her. "You know your favorite marine life pretty well, Guppy. Let's go find out what you know about the ones that aren't your favorite."

They started with the Living Reef Exhibit where they saw both of their favorite invertebrates, along with the Flame Angelfish that had been mentioned during breakfast yesterday when they'd been discussing nicknames for Bella. She was impressed by the little fish but also joked that it looked nothing like her. Her favorite new discovery was the orange frog fish or humaumau. She even admitted that she'd thought the fish with the pole on its head was just a made-up creature from Finding Nemo.

From there, they went on to the Turtle Lagoon where she was able to touch the shell of a green sea turtle that had surfaced right next to her. "What's the name for the turtle?" Bella asked as she dried her hand on her shorts.

"Honu."

"Do you actually speak Hawaiian? Or do you just know certain words?"

"I can understand some of it if the person is speaking slowly and I can speak the basics to get what I need, but I never was very good at taking it on as a second language. One of the few things I was never able to master."

"So you gave up on it?"

"No, not completely. I just know it's not something I will ever be fluent in. That doesn't mean I gave up on it and don't still try to pick up new words. I just don't throw a lot of focus into it. In order for you to do anything well in life, you have to know where your strengths and weaknesses lie. My strengths don't include languages and that's fine. That's an area that Lee is strong in. Just like she's not so great at editing photographs while that's something I'm good at and enjoy."

Bella only nodded in response but Masen had a feeling that had more to do with her noticing the sign for the new exhibit they'd arrived at. "What do you know about hammerheads, Bella?" he asked as they walked up to the viewing window.

She shrugged. "Their eyes are set really far apart."

"The mano kihikihi have a lot of secrets still, just like the great whites. It's assumed the odd shape of their head allows for increased sensory abilities and easier navigation but nobody knows for sure yet. Another thing that really has marine biologists baffled is the fact that they're the only large shark to gather in schools."

"I thought schooling was for smaller fish to protect themselves. You know, safety in numbers. What are they afraid of?" she asked, jerking a thumb toward the glass window.

"Nobody knows yet. They think it serves some kind of social purpose, like maybe it's a part of their mating. But since so little is known about shark mating habits at this point, it's all just speculation."

"How dangerous are they to people?"

"They're not considered an aggressive shark but any creature that large should be considered potentially dangerous."

She looked up at him with widened eyes. "Dangerous? You really used that word?"

He chuckled at how much he'd shocked her. "We're passionate about sharks but that doesn't mean we don't see the danger in them. If anything, it makes us more aware of it. We know when to be in the water and when not to."

She didn't say anything but she did face the window head-on for the first time. He also noticed the way she was twisting her watch around her wrist while she studied the three types of hammerheads swimming around the exhibit. He wondered once again what had caused her fear. There were more than enough cheesy horror movies to have done it, starting with any of the Jaws movies. There were also plenty of books, especially since he pegged her for more of a reader than a movie watcher.

Before taking her to the enclosure housing the sharks they'd most likely encounter on their journey, he let her wander around the interactive displays that educated visitors on the humpback whales. It seemed that Bella didn't need any educating since this was another of her favorite marine animals and she practically recited their entire history, only leaving their Hawaiian name for him to add to the conversation. It was not only impressive to see how knowledgeable she was, but to hear how eloquently she shared that knowledge. She didn't come off as someone reciting a science book but she also didn't make a joke of it either. She balanced interesting information with scientific facts in a way that kept him from being bored; he was definitely going to have her teach him how to do that.

But first, he was going to take her through the Open Ocean exhibit, a clear fifty-four foot acrylic tunnel that offered stunning views of spotted eagle rays, tiger sharks, grey reef sharks, and many other species of large marine life. The first thing he noticed when they entered the exhibit was how much closer she got to him, her arm touching his with every step they took. The second thing he noticed was that while she had removed her glasses just like he had, she was only looking out of the side of her eyes at the fish swimming around them. The last thing to catch his eye was her hand twisting her watch once again.

He walked with her until they were about a third of the way in before stopping her and trying again to ease her worries. Taking her by the shoulders, he pulled her in front of him and faced her toward the acrylic wall. "Look, there's a spotted eagle ray," he pointed out, picking what he figured would be the least threatening fish in the exhibit. "The Hawaiians call it hihimanu."

The only sign that she was listening was the way her eyes tracked the ray up and over the small coral wall in front of them.

"What do you know about eagle rays?" he asked, trying to distract her from her fear.

"They're not a stingray."

"Good. What else?" he encouraged. He was still holding onto her shoulders and his thumbs had started to rub the soft skin at the base of her neck. He told himself it was for her comfort but deep down he didn't really believe that was the only reason.

"They're not a stingray because they don't have a venomous spine at the tail base. They have a long whip-like tail instead. They like eating crabs, shrimp, snails, and squid like other rays. They also have a long wingspan and are covered with white spots on the top and dark spots at the edges on the underside of their wings."

"Very good," he said sincerely. He lifted one hand from her shoulder and used it to point out a white-tip reef shark to her. "That little shark right there with the white tip on its dorsal fin, that's one of the only sharks that doesn't have to be constantly moving to breathe. They can stay almost completely still until they're ready to move. They like to eat reef fish, octopus, crabs, and lobsters and like to live in caves and along ledges."

"What's their other name?" She had asked the question so quietly that he almost didn't hear it over the laughing children and chattering adults surrounding them.

"Mano lalakea. People see them a lot when they go scuba diving near the caves around Maui. They're not aggressive at all but it's still best to be cautious. A lot of marine life will bite when scared, especially fish whose biggest weapon against predators is their teeth."

His comment about teeth sent a shiver through her but it was the large cruising tiger shark suddenly appearing in front of them that had her stepping away from the window and into his chest. "Relax, Guppy. We're just checking out the local marine life under safe, controlled circumstances. There's nothing for you to be worried about or afraid of here."

They moved a little further into the exhibit with him pointing out the fish he knew and asking questions about the ones he figured she would know about it. It even seemed like she was starting to finally relax since she was asking a few questions of her own.

And then it quickly all went south, starting with her stepping all over his feet in her attempt to back away from the window. It also included a scream he had seen coming and had just barely stopped. He smiled at the people around them while keeping Bella tucked into his side with a firm hand over her mouth.

He decided to walk her back toward the entrance since it was the quickest way out of the tunnel, all the while trying to calm her with his words. "Whatever freaked you out is outside of this tunnel. You need to calm down before you scare the kids in here and their parents and start a panic."

She struggled and managed to pull his fingers down enough to speak. "But that diver's in trouble, Edward. That thing is going to bite him."

"Stop," he hissed while recovering her mouth. "You can't just say things like that in here, Bella. You'll panic people, especially the kids. And over nothing. They do those dives all day long every day and the sharks never hurt the divers."

He kept her mouth covered until they were out of the tunnel and had gone all the way past the exit to the lawn area where a few benches were scattered. He didn't head for the benches, though, taking her to stand behind one of the trees instead in case she wasn't done with her freak out.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" he hissed once he'd let her go. Not even the wetness of her eyes or the way her body shook with each breath she took calmed his anger down. She had nearly incited a panic in there and didn't seem to grasp that at all.

"That monster was going to bite that diver. Didn't you see it open its mouth right next to his leg?" Her lower lip quivered as she softly added, "What if it already has?"

"If it had, you'd have heard about it by now. The only one attempting to do any screaming was you. How can you have spent all that time working with the public at Sea World and not know that screaming in a crowded place like that will set off a hysterical chain-reaction? Not to mention that it would freak out kids who otherwise wouldn't have been scared of sharks."

"They're unpredictable, especially around humans. Everyone says that. So you don't know for sure that it won't bite that diver."

"You're right. I don't know for sure. But what I do know for sure is that every precaution known to man is taken to ensure the safety of the divers. I know there has not been an accident yet. And I know sharks don't attack just to attack the way you seem to think they do."

"You don't know anything about what I think."

"I know I did everything I could to ease whatever stupid fear you have about sharks and it didn't do a damn bit of good with you. I'm warning you right now, you pull shit like that on my boat, and you are gone. No excuses and no second chances. Is that clear?"

The color drained from Bella's face, leaving her skin a sickly gray. She tried to lift her hands to her face but her knees seemed to give out because she stumbled and had to hold her arms out to catch herself. Masen reached out to steady her but she was already turning away and stumbling toward the restrooms.

"~~~^~~~~^~~~^~~~~^~~~^~~~~^"

Bella's fingers shook so badly it took three tries before she was able to slide the bolt on the stall door. She couldn't catch her breathe or stop the shivers wracking her body as she leaned against the wall with clenched shut eyes and trembling lips. The word "control" was a litany in her head as she tried to focus on slowing her breathing to stop the hyperventilating. But having her eyes closed only made things worse since she kept seeing the gaping mouth full of razor sharp teeth right next to that diver's leg.

Her eyes shot open and a huge sobbing gasp ripped through her chest, leaving her lungs burning and her eyes stinging with unshed tears. He'd called her fear "stupid". She knew if she went out there right now and told him the source of her "stupid" fear, he'd apologize and realize he was being a complete jackass. But that was exactly why she hadn't told anyone yet. They would hear the story, they would pity her, and then they would treat her differently. They wouldn't push her the way she needed to be pushed—not the "shove it down her throat until she breaks" approach Edward had decided to take with her, but an encouraging, honest push toward creating a new relationship with sharks.

She shook her head, trying to shake loose the images of shark teeth and the sound-loop of Edward calling her fear "stupid". It didn't work. In fact, it seemed to make her feel even more panicked. She needed someone who knew, someone who understood every fear, every pain, and every haunting memory. She fumbled her phone from her pocket and was thankful she only had to hit one button to make the call—just as soon as she could get any one of her fingers to stop trembling long enough to hit the right one button.

"Carlisle Cullen," her uncle answered. She knew he only answered that way when he was busy and not paying attention to his screen but she couldn't help interrupting him. She needed him; he was the only one who would understand.

"Uncle Carl," came out of her as a choked sob.

His words weren't directed at her but that was alright. "I'm going to need a few minutes here. I'll let you know when I'm done."

She could hear murmuring and shuffling on the other end and then a door closing. It was followed by her uncle's voice, sounding both strong and concerned. "What's wrong, Sweetheart?"

The speed of the words spewing forth from her quivering mouth was nearly in time with the frantic beating of her heart. "All I could see were teeth and they were right next to this man's leg and it was that day all over again and I couldn't help it. He's so mad at me and I don't even blame him. This was all my fault. They're monsters to me and they probably always will be and me being here is just a complication. I've ruined his program and I don't care for him because he called my fear stupid. I care for Esme and Whit and Gopher and even Lee."

"Bella, I need you to slow down and start at the beginning. I'm going to help you, but I first need to know what happened."

"I can't."

"You can." His voice was so firm and sure that she didn't argue with him. "Do you have a place where you can sit?" he questioned.

She looked at the toilet seat in front of her but there was no lid and no tank on back. "No."

"That's okay. We'll just do it standing instead. I want you to close your eyes and picture the gazebo in our backyard."

"I can't close them," she wailed. "I'll just see teeth again."

"Bella, trust me. Close your eyes and listen to the sound of my voice in your ear. The only thing you see is the gazebo out back. Its bright white frame and the cushion covered seats going all around. You can see the potato vine flowers encircling the beams. Do you remember why you and Alice chose those flowers?"

"They look like stars," she whispered, absently wiping away a few escaped tears.

"That's right, Bug. Perfect white stars with yellow centers. I want you to think of yourself sitting in the gazebo with a book in your hands and Alice doing pirouettes to that techno music she loves."

Bella snorted a little, always having found it insanely funny that her sister would perform classical ballet moves to such modern music.

"There you go. I can tell you have it pictured, Bug. Now I want you to add me into the image. I'm right there with you girls, watching over you both and making sure you're on the right path. And, Bella, you are on the right path. I know it's a scary one and that you won't always succeed while walking it, but I also know of your strength and resilience. You can do this, Bella. More importantly, I know you want to do it."

The shivers had finally stopped and although her breathing was still a little shaky, Bella finally felt in control of herself again and it allowed her to explain everything that had happened, starting from the hammerhead exhibit and ending with Edward's angry words to her.

Her uncle took a minute to think over all she had shared before speaking. "I do feel his reaction was a bit over-the-top, but at the same time, he also doesn't know your history with these creatures. I know when we initially discussed things it seemed best to keep that quiet until you'd proven yourself a valuable addition to the team, but maybe we were wrong about that. Perhaps it would be best for everyone, especially for you, if you told them."

"If I tell him now, I'll get a pity apology and ridiculously easy assignments. Or worse, he'll decide I have no business being here and he'll send me home."

"Do you think you should be there?"

"I honestly don't know," she said, using her free hand to pull the holder out of her hair to let it fall over her shoulders. She curled a finger around the end of one lock as she thought about her options. "On one hand, I freaked out today and that's something that absolutely can't happen on the boat. Lives would be at risk and I already like these people so much. On the other, I freaked out because I wasn't expecting divers. I wasn't expecting a person to be anywhere near a shark. I'm always better when I know what to expect and I know they will be in the water with sharks all the time. And plus, I really wanna do it now just to rub it in his stupid face that I can handle this."

Bella let out a breath and reigned in her mix of fear and anger. "Sorry. I don't really mean that last part."

"I know you don't, Bug. You're just feeling overwhelmed at the moment. You need a cool head and a quiet place to sit and reflect so you can make a choice out of what you feel is truly best for you, not out of fear or anger."

"But I'm still at the ocean center and I really don't think I can deal with facing Edward right now."

"Have you made friends with any of the other team members? Someone you could call to pick you up?"

"Whit would do it."

"Then that's what you should do. Let Edward know you will find your own way home. Do your best to be polite about it, Isabella. You both had strong reactions to what happened and need to tread lightly with each other, especially until you make a decision about if you want to proceed with the internship."

She nodded, completely forgetting he couldn't see it. "I'm sorry I interrupted you. It's just I knew you would understand. I can tell you I feel terrified and embarrassed and more than a little ashamed and you'll understand all of that. And you'll help me put it into perspective too."

"You have a right to your fears, Bella. You went through a horrific ordeal and you have struggled every day since to put it behind you. I know sometimes it may feel like you've used up all of your strength and courage, but I promise you that you haven't."

"I just don't want to disappoint anyone, myself included."

"I have complete confidence that you won't disappoint at all. In fact, I think you're going to surprise yourself with how well you do this summer. Just know that if you decide not to stay, I won't be disappointed in you. For you, yes. But never in you."

"I love you, Uncle Carlisle. So much."

"I love you too, Bug. Now I want you to hang up with me and call this Whit friend of yours for a ride. Okay?"

"Okay. And thank you."

"Anything for you, Sweetheart. Call me once you've made your choice."

"I will. And … Could you please give Alice a really big hug from me and have her do the same for you?"

"Absolutely."

After one more exchange of "I love you", Bella ended the call with her uncle. She scrolled through her contacts until she found the number Whit had programmed into her phone and after a few minutes of talking to him, it was agreed he would pick her up and bring her back to the house.

Since she didn't have Edward's number, she had to go outside to face him. She put away her phone and turned to face the bolt, then just stared at it while taking deep even breaths. She knew what she had to do and could even hear Alice in her head saying the words … Pull up your big girl panties and face it head on.

She finally pulled the bolt back and came out of the stall, determined to say what she needed to say and leave without causing any more friction. She didn't even realize she was twisting her watch around her wrist the entire time she walked from the restroom to the large tree he was leaning against. His legs and arms were crossed, his chin was tipped toward his chest, and an angry scowl covered his face, making him look like he was angry at his shoes.

She had embarrassed him; she knew that and knew she needed to apologize for it. But right now didn't seem like the best time. And honestly, she really wanted the chance to explain herself before giving that apology and she felt certain he wasn't ready to hear it.

"I've called Whit to pick me up. I think it would be best if you and I went our separate ways," she told him.

"Is that permanent or just for today?"

She felt awkward standing there with a mix of guilt and fear in her stomach while he was positioned so tensely. This could have been a great afternoon of learning for both of them but that thing had messed it all up. "I don't know."

He nodded his head slowly. "You know you only have until five tomorrow morning to figure it out?"

"I didn't expect this to happen. I really wish it had gone differently."

"Well that makes two of us." He pushed up from the tree and walked right past her without another word or even a glance behind him.

She could see the top of his head as he wove his way through the crowd and then he turned a corner and was gone. It felt so permanent for some reason and it made that sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach intensify. She realized in that moment his opinion of her really mattered and that it would be a large factor in whether she stayed or not. How was that possible? How could someone she'd only known for a day and a half already matter so much to her? Especially someone who had been so hot and cold from the first moment they'd laid eyes on each other.

The feeling of her phone vibrating in her pocket jerked her out of her thoughts and she found a text message from Whit telling her he was there and waiting. She hurried toward the exit and when she finally made it outside, she found him standing next to an expensive looking motorcycle and offering her a helmet. It had yellow and black swirls that matched the color of the bike and the second helmet sitting on it.

She thought he would ask about why he was here to get her but he didn't. "Ever ride before?"

"A lot with my friend Jacob but it's been a few months."

"You just hold tight to me and it'll be fine," he said as he helped her get the helmet on. He gave her a smile while closing the visor for her and then put on his own helmet before straddling the bike. Bella got on behind him and wrapped her arms around him as far as they would go, then clenched his vest tightly in her hands.

He didn't take her straight home but he also didn't take her anywhere to try to talk to her. He just rode her around and let her take in the scenery as if he knew she needed that quiet distraction. He didn't drop her off in front of the house until the sun had started to set on the water.

"Thanks, Whit," she said as she handed the extra helmet to him.

"You gonna be okay?"

"Yeah. Probably won't sleep much tonight, but I'll be okay."

"Whatever happened today, if you want to tell me about it I'm not going to take sides."

She smiled as she leaned in and gave him a grateful kiss on his cheek. "Thanks but I think you would in this case. Besides, I don't think talking about what happened is going to help anything. I'm just going to take a walk on the beach and figure things out."

"Alright. But if you change your mind, I'm only a phone call away."

"Thanks, Whit. I hope that no matter what I decide, you'll still be my friend."

He gave her a grin that she was unable to resist giving right back. "Guppy, you ain't never getting rid of me."

"Thanks, Whit," she said, giving him the tightest hug she could manage.

She was almost to the path that led around the house and down to the beach before he called out to her. "Yeah?" she questioned, turning around to see him.

"Being brave doesn't mean you're not afraid. It just means you won't let it stop you."

"Do you really believe that?"

"Better," he said, grinning once again. "I live it every day." His face disappeared beneath his helmet and then he started up his bike and was gone, leaving her with a head full of thoughts and one very big decision to make.

"~~~^~~~~^~~~^~~~~^~~~^~~~~^"

Bella had walked up and down the stretch of beach so many times that she knew exactly how many steps it took to get from the small group of rocks she considered her starting point to the little dune where she stopped and turned back around. The sun was long gone and there was only a crescent of a moon to light her way but the night was so clear that she had no trouble seeing in the dark. Her only trouble was in coming to a decision.

She'd weighed all of the pros against all of the cons at least two dozen times and she felt no closer to a solution than when she'd first kicked off her shoes and buried her toes in the warm sand. The sand was cool now and so was the air but she barely noticed through the swirl of thoughts and emotions that kept her pacing along the beach.

She reached the rocks again and with a frustrated sigh sank down into the sand to give her tired feet a rest. With her legs stretched out in front of her, she leaned back on her hands and tilted her face up to the sky, focusing on the brightness of the stars above her and the evenness of her breathing to center herself.

She felt him before she ever saw him; she also felt glad he was there despite her worry that he'd only come to yell at her more. Edward sat down next to her and passed her a sweater. "It's Esme's so it should fit."

"Thank you." She started to put it on and was surprised when he reached over to help her. She thanked him again and then silence descended over them.

Bella was surprised that the silence wasn't crushing. It was by no means comfortable with all the said and unsaid things sitting between them, but she also didn't feel an urge to talk and disrupt it. It felt like they were both taking time to think before speaking.

Edward was the first to move, sending his hands into his hair to ruffle it while letting out a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry, Bella. I shouldn't have lost my temper with you the way I did, especially since I was angrier with myself than with you. I thought your fear was just from a movie or a book and that it would be easy to help you past it. I realize now that it's something deeper, something a lot more personal.

"I'm not asking to know what it is. At least not right now. But I do need to know where the line is with you so I can gauge when you need space and when you need a push. I still believe I can show you a side of sharks you don't think exists. And I believe there are things I can learn from you. But it's not going to be easy on either side. All I need to know right now is if you want to put forth the effort. If not, I get it and I'll be sorry to see you go. But if you do, then stick around and tell me where the line is with you."

She wasn't sure what shocked her more, the apology or the calm way he was speaking to her. This was not the Edward that had been under the tree with her, yelling and saying the one thing that had made it impossible to hold herself together. This man was calm and professional and cared about whether or not she stayed.

"I'm sorry too," she said, turning her face toward his. "I wish I could give you a list to go by to know what I'm okay with and what's too much but I can't. It was too much today but that doesn't mean it will be that way if I go back tomorrow."

"What was it about today that set you off?"

She lowered her eyes to her feet, focusing on digging her heels deeper into the sand. "The teeth. It had its mouth open so wide and those teeth …" She visibly shivered and he shocked her again, this time by putting his arm around her. "Edward, I'm not some kid afraid of the boogeyman. I don't have a sticker on me that says 'fragile-handle with care'. I'm just someone who fails to control my fear sometimes. If I'd known ahead of time to expect a person next to it, then I really believe I would have been able to keep control."

"If I thought you were a kid or fragile, I wouldn't want you to stick around. It would be a danger to you and my team. I honestly think we can deal with your fear but you have to give me an idea of how big and deep it is if you want us to work together."

"I know I can't get in the water at all right now. I get extremely anxious whenever I know I'll be around them but I can usually control that. I don't know how I'll react to seeing one of you in the water at the same time as one of them. But I can promise I'll try my absolute hardest to control my reaction."

"So we'll start you off watching videos of us in the water. Once you're comfortable with that, we'll have you come up on deck with us. We'll just take it slow and take precautions for you and us."

She shook her head while pulling away and sitting up straight. "The last thing I want to do is jeopardize your research so if this is going to put me in the way—"

He cut her off by bumping his shoulder against hers. "Shut up while you're ahead, Guppy," he said with a grin that made her feel warm all the way through. He meant what he was saying and wanted her to stay even though she wasn't completely sure she should. How could he be the same man who had been so furious with her earlier today? It just didn't make any sense—not that much had with him so far.

"~~~^~~~~^~~~^~~~~^~~~^~~~~^"

Masen could tell from the way Bella's brown eyes kept shifting as she stared at him that she was uncertain of what to make of his apology and his offer for her to stay. In all honesty, he wasn't so sure himself. It just felt important to him that she stay and not give up before they'd even really gotten started. He'd misjudged her today but now that he knew it, he could take steps to keep it from happening again.

She turned her head away and then she set it against his shoulder, just sitting there without saying anything. He wasn't sure if that was acceptance of his offer to stay or not and didn't really want to find out just yet. He'd already discovered enough things today and wouldn't mind at all if she wanted to sleep on it before making her choice known.

Whether he liked it or not, or wanted it or not, he cared about her. He cared enough to have stuck around at the ocean center until he'd seen Whit arrive with his own eyes, wanting to make sure she would be alright even when he'd been angry.

Seeing Whit touch her hair and move it off her shoulders to put the helmet on … That had twisted something inside of Masen, something that had never twisted before. Watching her put her arms around his best friend and ride away with him had been just as bad, leaving him with a bad taste in his mouth as if he'd sucked on a copper penny. The whole thing had felt wrong to him.

It had also made him realize something … She could be Whit's dream girl. So many of the things he'd said about the girl applied to Bella but he didn't seem to realize that. He never would have suggested for Masen to go after her if he had. But just because he didn't see it yet didn't mean it would take him long. And then what? Given the choice between the two of them, there was no reason in the world for her to choose him over his friend. The only thing that gave him any hope at all of her caring about him was the fact that she was with him right now. After the way he'd treated her today, she had every reason to want to be as far away from him as she could get.

Bella adjusted her head against his arm and he gave in to his overwhelming need to have his arm around her. He'd spent the afternoon analyzing every second of their time at the aquarium to pinpoint exactly where things had gone so wrong for them. While he'd found that moment, he'd also found plenty where things had felt so effortless with her. He hadn't had to force himself to pay attention to her like he had when he'd been with other women, even Lee. Even if they weren't boring or they had things in common, his mind had still focused on the next project or research mission. With Bella, he didn't have to do a thing to stay in the moment; she held his attention all on her own.

He cared for her and that was both amazingly simple and extraordinarily complicated. Not only did he have to worry for MMR but he was also going to need to look out for Whit. If she was his dream girl … Masen didn't want to think about that right now. There would be plenty of time for it tomorrow when he pulled his friend aside to talk about it—hopefully after he talked Bella into staying.

"~~~^~~~~^~~~^~~~~^~~~^~~~~^"

A/N: Sorry for the long wait! Real Life is being more intrusive than usual lately. Big thanks to EternallyAddicted - She created a wonderful polyvore of the outfits Masen and Guppy wear to the ocean center in this chapter & you can see it on the Masen Marine Blog! Also thanks to Noelle for her help with location - we always try to keep things as realistic as possible but this time we took a liberty to further the story. We made it possible for Masen & Whit to drive to the OC when that's not possible in reality. And an even bigger thanks to anonymouslysufferingfromOCD for helping us tweak a few bits and get this chapter in tip-top shape, just like Masen's beloved boat! We hope you all enjoy!