A/N- Sorry for the delay, I've been so freaking busy it's insane. Thanks to everyone that reviewed. For everyone that reviews this chapter, I'll reply with what song is the song for the next chapter (at least what I'm pretty sure it will be). I know the song doesn't work great for this chapter, but please bear with me, I had the hardest time finding one for this chapter. Thanks to my beta, VioletWilson, without her help I doubt I'd have any readers. I thought I'd give you a bit of Edward's side of the story. Not sure when the next chapter will be up, I'm about a third of the way through writing it. So, if it's a bit more than a week I'm sorry, this is the hardest part of the story to write.

Chapter Five – She Is

"She Is" by The Fray

I cradled her in my arms, never wanting to let go. Her floral scent intoxicated me, her soft hair welcomed me, everything about her left me curious. When I thought I could get away, she would catch me again. I couldn't quite figure her out, but I was dying to try.

"Edward?" Esme knocked softly on the other side of my door.

It took me a second to come back to reality. "Yes?" I called.

The door opened and Esme walked in. She was trying to hide the smile creeping onto her face, but was failing. She had been so happy when Alice and Emmett had adjusted so quickly to Forks. We'd been here not even a week and a half and they were both heels-over-head in love, both of them having already found their "soul mates". They were set for the rest of their lives, but I wasn't. I always seemed to be the odd man out, not that I minded, but it did bother Esme. Esme hadn't known where I'd been going when I would visit Bella, and assumed it was a friend I had made. She surely had not been expecting me to bring Bella home so soon, and was hopeful for me. The scene of Bella and I that greeted to her added to those prospects.

Bella shyly snaked her way out from under my arm as an adorable blush crept onto her cheeks. I couldn't help but smile when she peeked up at me.

"Bella, dear, I was wondering if you would like to stay for dinner?" Esme asked, beaming.

"No thank you," she replied, shocked at how late it had gotten. "I should be getting home. Charlie's expecting me and probably wondering where I am."

"Well, you must come another day," Esme smiled and left the room. She would personally see to it that Bella would be back again, she wasn't letting someone go so easily.

"I'll drive you home," I sighed, sad to see her go.

She nodded, looking at the carpet. I grabbed my keys and waited for her to follow.

She looked around the room and she let out a soft sigh. I wanted to know so much what she was thinking. I placed my arm around her waist and escorted her down the stairs. She seemed to melt into my side. It felt right, like we were two pieces of a puzzle.

Alice, Emmett, Rosalie, and Carlisle were all sitting in the living room. I felt Bella tense when they came into view. Was she scared of them, or scared they would hurt her like so many others already had? What was going on inside her mind?

"Alice, Emmett, Rose, Carlisle, this is Bella," I introduced her.

Carlisle looked up from his book and nodded warmly to her. Alice looked like she was debating weather or not to jump up and hug her, she seemed to decide not to. Emmett smiled but looked back to the TV almost immediately. Rosalie's cold glare rested on Bella. Pure hatred shot from her eyes. I felt my arm subconsciously tighten around Bella, a desire to protect her surging through me.

Bella nodded to each of them, not making eye contact with anyone. I guided her out of the house and to my Volvo.

"Does Rose hate me?" she asked after a while.

"No," I lied. "Well, I don't know," I corrected myself. I didn't want to lie to her.

"It's okay if she does." she whispered. "A lot of people do."

"I'm sure she doesn't hate you," I said, not so sure.

She didn't seem convinced either. She didn't say anything else the rest of the drive. She looked out at the blur of green and rain, she looked at the seat beneath her, and she looked at me. I couldn't help but glance at her often. Something about her drew me in.

I opened her door for her when we pulled into her driveway. She muttered a thank you and hurried into the house.

I began driving around town, I had no where to go, but I needed time to myself. I definitely considered Bella a friend, at least, by now, and I was fairly sure I was one to her. But, I think I wanted something more. Her tears hurt me, I felt a need to protect her from the world. This felt much stronger than friendship. But, I didn't have much to compare it to so I wasn't sure.

Did this mean I was falling for Bella Swan? Surely not.

I found myself pulling into my driveway and into the garage before drifting into the living room and falling onto one of the large white couches. Everyone looked at me, but I was too lost in my thoughts to notice.

"How can you stand her?" Rose sneered, breaking the silence.

"What?" I asked, shocked at the obvious hatred in her tone.

"You don't need to play the hero, Edward," she continued. "Before she tried to kill herself, Bella Swan was the typical popular girl. She was a bit off, anyone could see it. She distanced herself from her crowd, but she never made a move to change anything in her life, until she tried to commit suicide. Which is the most selfish thing a person can do in my opinion."

"Stop," I almost hissed. But she didn't.

"And, she can't even take what people are saying when she's the one who gave them a reason to talk. Now she comes crying to you just like she did to Mike Newton." Rose ignored me.

"Stop!" I yelled.

"Rosalie," Esme cautioned, "I know you and Bella are not my daughters, but I would prefer it if you would not speak of her, or anyone else, that way in my house."

"I'm sorry." Rosalie lied. "I got a bit carried away." I could almost hear her teeth grinding together.

She whispered to me, soft enough that Esme would be sure not to hear, "She'll only hurt you like she did to Mike."

"Mike and I are completely different people. And he doesn't seem too hurt over her." I hissed.

I stormed up the stairs to my room, done listening to Rosalie whine. I grabbed the remote off my nightstand and blasted music, the one thing sure to calm my sudden temper.

Rose's words repeated in my head. Now she comes crying to you just like she did to Mike Newton. I was different than Mike. Mike already was with Lauren and had probably been with her while he was dating Bella. There was no way Rose could even compare me to that scum. I was nothing like him.

How could she hate Bella so much when, as far as I knew, she had never spoken to her? She had only moved here a month before we had, you couldn't build that much hate up in a month. Could you?

I hated to think that Bella didn't care about me at all. My feelings for her were still undecided, but I knew there was something. She had to return those feelings in some way. Hadn't she shown that when she'd clung to me for support just now?

I remembered the first time I had seen her. She had been sitting in the cafeteria, Mike on one side of her, his arm wrapped too tight to be comfortable around her waist. Jessica on the other side, looking like she would kill to be in Bella's place. Bella had been staring off into space, looking completely lonely, even surrounded by all those people. She seemed lost and like she didn't want to be there. She looked trapped. Trapped in her own life, trying to find an escape.

I remembered her weak body on the bathroom floor. Looking so close to death, I'd almost thought her faint heartbeat was an illusion or mistake. In the hospital, she had looked slightly stronger, but mostly dead again. Today, she had again seemed weak. I wondered if she would ever find enough strength to not let her weaknesses show. She tried, but it never worked. She didn't like showing her weakness, but wasn't yet strong enough to hide it.

I drifted to sleep, not sure what were dreams and what was reality.

Bella was reaching for me, and I couldn't bring myself close enough to take her into my arms. The scenery was blurry, but familiar. Tears streamed down her face, different than the ones this afternoon. Tears of fear and love, pain, and suffering. Tears that told a story of sorrow.

She screamed, a pair of arms restricting her from running to me. Though I could not feel it, I knew that intense pain was binding me to the spot. Mike Newton stood feet from us, rage and pain spread across his face. I hated him then, I wasn't sure why, but pure hate surged through my veins.

The arms holding her back fell away, and Bella flew to me. She screamed and cried, she whispered reassurances, she clutched my hand though I could not feel it. I had no idea what was happening and I didn't care. Surely, Bella could make things all right. If not, at least she was here now.

In the morning, I had no memories from this dream. No traces of Bella's face in ultimate pain were in my mind. No traces of the hatred and love I had felt were with me. The only thing I could remember about it was that it was that she had starred in it, as all my dreams from that day on would.

A/N- Next chapter, we're back to Bella's POV. But, only if you REVIEW. Please, review it gives me feedback on how you feel about what's happening.