Ah I loved writing this chapter. Lots of people guessed it, but I knew it was pretty obvious. Part of it, at least. COOKIES FOR EVERYONE yay :-) long chap today.

Don't own.

Ch. 10: Look After You

Alice loved clothes.

That's pretty much all I could think, when I saw her closet. She was definitely a shop-a-holic.

And it wasn't really a closet.

She had an entire side room in her apartment just for clothes. Racks and racks of clothing—contemporary, vintage, formal wear, casual, summer, clubbing…any style, it was there. She had all the designers, I recognized a few from Robb's style, and some of the dresses looked like they came right off of the runway. Which I learned later that they had, and were tailored to fit her small size.

Needless to say, my jaw visibly dropped.

"Alice…you're one of them…a crazy person, aren't you?" I said eventually, as she rifled through one rack that was filled with beautiful evening gowns.

Her bell-like laugh filled the air as she piled several on her arm and thrust them at me.

I felt like I was going prom-dress shopping again, only this time I could afford the low, low price of zero dollars. That, and my mother wasn't squealing at how gorgeous and grown up I looked.

"What are you waiting for? Strip! Try them on! Chop, chop!" she said, clapping her hands at me. I obeyed, laying the pile of dresses out on the sofa that was in the room and started to change.

Oh my god, these dresses were gorgeous.

I felt like a princess, I felt like I was almost worthy of the marvelous Cullen family, I felt…

Beautiful.

"That dress does nothing for you. Your hips disappear." Alice said, shaking her head at me. "Try another."

And so we went through dress after dress, and the ones she liked I tried on several more times and compared to one another, before finally settling on what else but a little black dress. But it wasn't little, it was floor length, but it was still black, and I was surprised at how it made me look. It was fantastic.

It looked more like an elongated cocktail dress to me, but I don't really know anything about fashion, so I'm sure Alice would be appalled if I said that to her. So I didn't.

It was silk and flowed like a dream, had what Alice told me was a "ruched, fitted bodice and a drop waist" and thick halter straps, but that didn't really matter as much to me as the ornate design of beaded white roses on the black silk.

Again, with the white roses…I wondered if this wasn't a coincidence, that Alice had done that on purpose…but how could she possibly know about our little inside 'joke'?

Either way, it was beautiful, and I didn't feel like Bella Swan from the East Side, I felt regal.

I almost felt as if I'd belong in a group of Cullens.

"Are you sure it isn't too formal?" I asked, turning around in front of her mirror to look at the back. The straps gathered behind my neck and one strap went across the back, my back almost completely exposed.

"No, this is perfect. You look great." She said, genuinely smiling as she critiqued my appearance.

Then, of course, that smile faded to a smirk as she no doubt thought about whatever it was they all knew that I didn't.

Jerks.

Speaking of people who knew something I didn't, Jasper entered at that precise moment, he apparently having come home and calling aloud and we not hearing him.

Alice skipped to greet him at the door to the clothes room, then presented me with an over exaggerated flourish.

"Miss Swan, might I say you look radiant." He said with a smile, an approving one.

There. There it was.

That notion, that thing I didn't know, present in his eyes.

"Alright guys, I'm not an idiot, what gives?" I said, ruining the regal effect by planting my hands stubbornly on my hips.

"Nothing. Can't a gentleman compliment a lady's stunning appearance?" Jasper said, clearly suspicious. I sighed, shaking my head.

I'd never get it out of them.

"Shoes." Alice mused to herself, going to her giant wall of shoes.

I swear, she had a whole department store in her apartment.

Full of shoes, and dresses, and clothes…

"These should be perfect. And you have small feet so it shouldn't be a problem." She smiled, instructing Jasper to turn around so I could change back into normal clothes. "Alright. Take these, and I'll be over tomorrow to put some finishing touches on you."

"Alice, I don't want to wear make-up." I grumbled, putting my socks back on.

"But you do have hair."

"I don't want you to mess with that, either. Can't I just keep it down?"

"At least let me straighten it?"

"I can straighten it myself, if I chose to."

"One hair clip. That's all I ask."

I sighed heavily.

"Fine."

I stood with the gown bag and the shoes in hand, and went to leave.

I made it a point to stop at the front door, and stare at the both of them as they escorted me out.

"Whatever's going on…I'll figure it out. And I'm holding both of you accountable if I don't like it." I pointed my finger at them, trying to glare.

But I just couldn't. It was Alice, and she was a happy ray of sunshine.

So Friday came, and office life was usual. Meetings, bickering, and one mention as we were leaving to go home about tonight's occasion.

Edward looked awful, worse than the day before. But today it made him more irritable, and I advised Clemons to take a day on the streets, finding a story. No doubt if he had stayed in the office today, I would have had to fought to let him keep his job.

Alice came home with me from work, and sat talking to my mother as I showered. I'll never know what they were talking about, but Renee looked pleased…too pleased, to be perfectly honest, by the time I was finished.

As promised, Alice made use of one hairclip, and of course it was real silver and diamond studded, that she used to pull one side of my hair out of my face. It was definitely too extravagant for me.

My mother came into my room as she was finishing with my hair, and I had the dress hanging up by the window. She stopped in her tracks upon seeing it, before a smile brushed over her features.

"Okay sweetie, here are my mother's pearls." She said, sitting next to me on my bed as Alice's finishing touches included curling the ends of my hair a little bit and jabbing me in the eye with eyeliner again. My mother opened a velvet box to show me a beautiful string of pearls with stud earrings and a bracelet to match.

"Mother…no. I can't take these."

"It's one night. I want my baby to make all of those rich people jealous." She told me, putting the string of pearls on around my neck as Alice finished with my face.

I smiled, and Alice left to prepare herself, leaving me with my mother, with a wicked grin on her face.

"Oh, don't tell me you're in on it too." I exclaimed, slipping into the dress and stepping into the shoes, she helping me clasp the latter.

"In on what? It's the opening night of an opera house. There are going to be a lot of important people there. And they're going to be stunned."

"Just who are we talking about?" I raised my eyebrows at her, as I put in the pearl earrings.

"People, dear…you know, the general public? Well, they'll be drooling."

"Mother, I don't look that good. I'm average."

"You're gorgeous, darling. Don't ever let me hear you say anything else." She said, holding my face and staring me in the eye.

I sighed, and nodded.

It seemed that the more dressed up I looked, the more self-conscious I was. I was fine in sweatpants and a t-shirt, I was fine in normal casual clothes, I had even gotten used to professional clothes, but this…I couldn't get over the open back issue, despite the fact that I could still wear a bra with how the back fell.

I was trying to get used to this when the doorbell to the side door, the actual 'front door' to our house rang, and my mother leapt to get it. I put my coat on and took a deep breath, trying to prepare myself to face the beautiful Cullens.

Edward was standing in my foyer, in a tux, looking radiant as ever. You couldn't even tell that he was sick, and would probably prefer to be sleeping. That spark, the one that was gone yesterday most likely from his cold, was present in his eyes again.

His face held a genuine smile, his lips upturned in that soft smile I'd only seen once before.

Why did my stomach flop all of a sudden, when I realized that this seemed less and less like an outing with my boss's impossibly rich family and more and more like a date?

He was my boss. I'd been fighting with him just three hours ago.

Then why was I liking my notion that this was kind of a date?

And why wasn't my mother locking me in my room, remembering how she'd flipped out the previous weekend.

Had it really only been a week? It seemed like so much longer.

Maybe it was because I was comfortable with his pigheadedness, and had learned how to deal with him pretty quickly. Maybe it was because I liked him.

Maybe it was c. all of the above.

In fact, I'm fairly certain it was. But alas, I digress…

"Ready?" he asked, clearing his throat and offering his arm as he opened the door. I took it, feeling like it was the eloquent thing to do, and merely nodded. I was too elated to speak, as we made our way to a cab waiting in the street. "We're meeting them there. I didn't think you'd go for the limousine they hired."

"You're right, I wouldn't." I smiled in return, and found myself excited for this. Maybe it was the fact that Edward was so goddamn beautiful, maybe it was the fact that he knew me well enough to deny a limo, or maybe it was just the fact that I was sitting here with him and neither of us were fighting.

We pulled up to the opera house, and I saw a crowd outside, of journalists and photographers harassing everyone who went into the building.

My smile dropped into a look of horror.

"Edward…what the hell is that." I said, tugging on his sleeve as he was talking with the cab driver.

"The press." He shrugged, "This is the first show done in the remodeled building. And it's opening night. Celebrities, important people will be here. Carlisle was one of the main benefactors of the project, and everybody loves talking about our family."

"Edward, think about this for a moment." I said, massaging my temples, trying to remain calm. The freaking press were going to have a field day.

They knew me, they knew I worked for him…

It looked bad.

"Think about it this way." I said, stopping him from opening his door and exiting the cab. "You are the employee of an extremely well-to-do man in society, and you are going with his family to a ballet. You show up late with your boss. There's a million people out there waiting for a new scandal to follow. Are you starting to get what's wrong with this?"

"Bella, don't worry. You look so different than you do at work, nobody will recognize you." He said, and noticed my hands were shaking.

I was extremely nervous, it was all I could do to keep from crying. He took one of my hands and kissed it, with the same grace and class Carlisle had done that first day I met him.

His lips were so warm…I felt like I could melt. They were soft on my skin. I wanted to forget about everything and kiss him.

No. No Bella, no. Ask him to find a different door.

"Please? Can we just…not walk in there?" my voice was quivering, and I'm fairly certain he saw that I was inches away from having an anxiety attack.

This was my job on the line, this was my career. If the press assumed something, they'd be all over this story and I'd lose my job…I wouldn't be able to find work, either. I'd be branded as the office slut…

He sighed, and addressed the driver.

"Can you pull around to the next street? We'll walk." He said, then turned back to me. "We'll just slip in an employee door. The press isn't allowed inside until the show starts."

"Thank you." I whispered, unable to raise my voice any higher.

He just kissed my hand again, a sort of affection present in the way he held it in his lovely hands, his thumb lightly caressing over my knuckles.

My heart started pounding against my chest at this affectionate touch. I couldn't help it, he was magnificent, I was falling for him, and he was being a perfect, beautiful gentleman.

I'm not quite sure he remembered I was his employee just now, with any of this. I don't think he realized what was at stake for me.

Maybe he still had his fever.

The cab pulled up in the alley, and the side door to the dancer's preparation area was open a crack, no doubt to let cool air in. We entered quietly, earning a stern look from the dance instructor at first, which faded once she saw it was Edward Cullen.

"Too much press." He whispered as she stopped by us for a moment. She took a look at me, and how I held the arm that he'd offered, and smiled a strange smile before going off to probably give a pep talk to her dancers. We got out into the main lobby and picked up our tickets, after which he turned to me. "Was that so horrific?"

"That wasn't, but the front door would have been." I said, defensive of my behavior.

"It wouldn't have been that ba—" Edward trailed off as we checked our coats, he seeing the full dress for the first time. I'd forgotten I had my coat on when he picked me up.

"What?" I said, flushing a little at his surprised stare at my appearance. I crossed my arms over my chest, pulling my hair forward to cover my shoulders.

"Nothing." He said, putting my hair back over my shoulders and offering his arm. "And you were worried that they'd recognize you. I hardly recognize you. Alice did an amazing job."

I had a feeling that was as close to a compliment as I would get from him. Maybe if I hadn't brought up the fact that he was my boss, he would have said something different, but now I think he was realizing his behavior.

Maybe.

We stayed in the room inside of the lobby, and I learned that at these events guests were forced to mingle, for the doors didn't open until right before the show.

I'm sure I wouldn't have minded, if I hadn't been so nervous, or if I belonged in these social circles.

But I didn't.

The last time I'd seen most of these people, I was waiting on them.

One of the workers came up to us, having a message that there was a message at the front desk for Edward, and he excused himself, leaving me standing in a room alone with a glass of champagne in my almost trembling hands.

I don't blame him, he didn't know my history with a few of these people, he didn't know that Jacob Black was here, and that oh look, here comes the giant lumbering up to me.

"Bella? You look fantastic, what brings you here?" he said, trying to be courteous. I tried not to gag.

"The ballet. What else?" I said coldly, taking a sip of my champagne.

"Well who are you here with? These things are hard to get in to…"

Way to say I don't belong here, buddy. Thanks. Really, you shouldn't have.

"Wow. You really know how to charm a woman, don't you?" I snapped. "For someone who's this big shot lawyer, you really suck with words." I turned away from him, scanning the room for any signs of the rest of the Cullens.

They should have been here by now…what I would give, to see even Rosalie right now…

No luck.

"Bella, I didn't mean it like that, I just meant that it was a surprise seeing you here—" he said, putting his hand on my shoulder to turn me back to him.

Do not make a scene, Bella. Don't do it. Don't smack him, though he deserves it. Just shrug him off.

"Remove your hand." I said through clenched teeth, hoping to God that Edward returned shortly.

"Why do you have to be like that." He said, doing quite the opposite and pulling me to him, placing one hand cradling my head and the other at the small of my back. I shuddered, trying to push him off of me.

This was a formal place, I couldn't scream or anything, there were probably reporters lurking inside, in secret.

Then he tried to kiss me, and I lost it.

"Get off of me!" I hissed.

I stomped on his foot with my heel and threw the remainder of my champagne in his face, pulling back from him with as much force as I could muster. I stumbled back, out of his grasp as his hands went to his face to try and wipe the champagne out of his eyes, nearly falling if two strong arms hadn't held me up.

Maybe they should rename the TGIF to TGIE, Thank Goodness it's Edward.

Except he didn't look happy, he no doubt seeing what had happened, with Jacob's inappropriate behavior.

"You bitch!" he roared, trying to open his eyes long enough to glare. He managed, and saw me standing with Edward, Edward's arm encircling my waist. "This isn't over."

He stomped off to the men's room to try and clean up, and it was then that I realized Edward had been whispering reassurances in my ear this whole time. He pulled me along through the crowd that had begun to gather, and bribed a doorman to let us up to Carlisle's balcony seats early.

I was still dazed. I couldn't believe that he'd tried to kiss me, that he'd dared to come near me again. And I also couldn't believe I'd thrown champagne in his face, in front of a crowd of the elite. Could this night get worse?

"Edward?" I heard my meek voice say, as he stood at the balcony, fuming.

"How do you know him." Edward said, turning his face to me, as I stood next to him, wary. It was more of a demand, almost animalistic.

Except…I knew he wasn't angry with me, he was angry with the situation.

I could just feel it.

"My father and his father were friends." I said, cautious. Should I tell him the rest? I think I kind of had to…

"Then why did he try to kiss you?"

"We…dated in high school, and broke it off before college." I said, waiting for the explosion.

It didn't come. He just stared at me, studying my face.

"He saw me waitressing at a function a few weeks ago, and hasn't left me alone since." I continued, feeling desperate to let him know that I wasn't interested in Jacob whatsoever.

"The flowers?"

"He showed up at my house Tuesday. I was able to yell at him there, but didn't think it would be very ladylike here." I said, and he smirked.

"I love how you think throwing champagne in someone's eyes is ladylike." He smirked, and I flushed.

He had a point. I probably should have yelled at him instead…but it felt so good to throw something in his face.

"Whoops." I said, shrugging.

"No, I'm really glad you threw champagne in his eyes." He said seriously. "Or else I probably would have punched him in the face."

"Why?" I blurted out, surprised. He would have fought over me? That didn't seem right…

"Because his father and his father's firm did all they could to throw my parents into poverty."

"But Carlisle and Esme…" I started, confused.

"Aren't my real parents." He said, looking at me seriously. "They adopted me when I was twelve, and I love them dearly, but they're not my parents. My father was a stockbroker, and my mother was a dancer with the New York Ballet, until my father passed away in a plane crash on his way home from India."

He paused, looking away from me for a moment, staring at the ornate wooden carving of the balcony rail.

I remained silent, hooked on his every word. I had no idea. I thought he was born into money.

Why was he telling me this? He had to still be feverish. It didn't make sense, otherwise…

"My mother quit her job with the ballet and found a new one, trying to support us and pay off my father's debts. He was a stock broker. He owned stocks, and many of them had plummeted. He'd borrowed a lot of money from a lot of people, and had been fighting lawsuit after lawsuit by the Black Family Lawfirm, Billy Black one of the men who my father owed money."

"That's awful." I murmured, and he nodded, still not looking at me.

"My mother continued fighting them, trying to pay off the debts, trying to do anything to keep us comfortable, but couldn't. Because of Billy Black, we lost the house, we lost everything, and moved to a tiny apartment. She had to sell her wedding ring for money, to keep us going. She worked herself ragged, and got sick. She developed a heart condition, and we couldn't afford to take care of it. We were still trying to pay off the settlements from the lawsuits. She was grieving, she was overworking herself…and it killed her."

He looked at me seriously, seeing the shock and horror in my eyes.

"She had been friends with Carlisle, and refused to admit to him how much trouble we were in. When she died, he adopted me and paid off all her debts, like she should have let him do in the first place. She wanted to pay them off herself, she wanted to stay independent…like you. I'd never seen anybody work so hard since, until I met you."

"That's why you…" I started, but couldn't finish it. He'd been looking out for me, for my health. He didn't want me to end up like his poor mother.

That poor woman.

"Yes." He said, squinting at me a little, scrunching up his forehead. "Alice told Carlisle how much debt you were in, and how hard you were pushing yourself."

He kept my gaze with his beautiful green eyes, now looking sorrowful, remembering.

"I overheard it, and overheard that you were to work for me. I was going to get your boss at the hotel to fire you if he hadn't that night, so you wouldn't be pulling such crazy hours. I was going to find you an apartment if you didn't move back in with your mother…"

"But…why." I breathed, sitting down in one of the seats, unable to grasp this. "You didn't even know me. You never met me before…"

"Because you're just like her." He said, sitting next to me. "Headstrong, stubborn to a fault, unable to admit when you need help…I couldn't let what happened to her happen to you."

"Edward…" I said, it dawning on me. "What exactly did you do when you met with the companies I owe money to?"

"I paid them off." He said seriously, watching my eyes widen and begin to tear.

"Why" I exclaimed, standing and going to the balcony, anything to get away from him.

I couldn't believe it.

I think I knew it all along, that he'd done that, but I didn't want to admit it.

But this…I'd never seen kindness like this before. I didn't know how to handle it. I didn't know what to do.

Tears sprang to my eyes at the thought of it. He'd willingly come to my rescue, and I hardly knew him.

I could never repay him for this. And I'm not even thinking about money. I couldn't ever do anything worthy of justifying this.

I didn't know he'd moved until his arm went around my shoulder, to comfort me.

"Because you needed it." He said, turning my chin so I looked at him. "Because I saw my mother in you that very first day, when you came late. I was angry that someone was going through what my mother went through, so long ago. I was angry that you didn't understand what it was doing to you, that you would continue to work yourself like you were, in a heartbeat."

"Edward…I can't repay this." I said, turning away from him. "How am I supposed to take this? Now I'm indebted to you—"

"Just don't worry about it." He said, looking at me seriously. "You're off the hook. Just stay as you are, fight with me, and it's paid off."

I couldn't help but smile at this, and slowly nodded.

I knew now that he'd never really ask anything big of me, but I'd do anything he asked if he did. I was in his debt…

God, I could kiss him right now, he was so kind. And I really wanted to, but didn't. He was my boss. It was wrong.

But I don't think he was really my boss, except on paper. We were friends now.

Woah. Speaking of friends, the show was starting and nobody else had shown up yet.

"Um…where is everyone?" I asked, taking my seat next to him.

"That's what the message was." He sighed. "They're not coming."

"What!" I exclaimed, confused. "But you said Esme…"

"I know. That's what she told me. But they're not coming."

"Ugh, you mean I have to spend the night with you…I mean seriously, that's just awful…" I said jokingly, rolling my eyes mockingly.

"Looks like it to me." He said with a smile and a fake exasperated sigh, then kissed my hand again.

His lips were unusually warm, warmer than before. I opened my mouth to say something, but he stopped me.

"Hush, it's starting." he said as the music started.

About halfway through Edward wasn't watching the ballet. He slumped over with his head in his hands, having been seriously trying to conceal his discomfort.

It was the fever. I knew it was, it was back, probably with a splitting headache.

He noticed I was watching him, and squinted up at me, as if in pain.

He sat up straight, continuing to squint at me. I noticed that his forehead was glistening with cold sweat.

Maybe I was dreaming, but he was genuinely staring at me, just watching my face.

I noticed his skin was paler now, and guessed that his cold was kicking in now that it was later and he needed rest. It wasn't uncommon for colds this time of year to have fevers on and off, kicking in randomly. I'd had a cold like that just a few weeks ago, and it was awful.

It's not that he wasn't beautiful, it's that he was sick and looked it now. But he was staring at me with something else in his eyes. They weren't dull and tired like they were the previous day, but they were losing their radiance as he got sicker and sicker.

"Are you alright?" I asked, suddenly concerned. I couldn't help but bring my hand to his cheek, and gasped. "Oh my god, you're burning up."

"Bella, you're beautiful." He murmured, squinting again, not listening to me. I pulled out my cell phone and went through the contacts.

His voice was quiet and weary, and I knew it was his fever. He shouldn't have come out tonight. He looked so weak.

"I'm going to call Carlisle, to take you home." I told him, standing to go talk behind the curtain.

"I'm fine." He mumbled, and stood.

And swayed, and probably would have collapsed completely if I hadn't done my best to catch him, and ease him back into the chair.

I sighed, and called a cab instead.

There was no way he was staying here, like this.

"C'mon, I'm taking you home." I said, slowly helping him stand. I couldn't believe how helpless he was right now, how quickly it had taken hold of him. I helped him into his coat back in the lobby, and with a burst of pride he hissed at me that he could walk fine.

But I didn't care, and led him to the cab and directed them to his apartment.

The stairs were almost too much for him to get up at all, and he was leaning almost completely on me by the time we made it in his door. It was all I could do to get him to his bed, and immediately got him some blankets.

He was burning up! I didn't doubt that he hadn't been taking care of himself, with his bad TV dinners and whatnot.

I don't know what compelled me to take him home and take care of him. Then again, I had realized only the other day that I was falling for him, for real.

It wasn't just that he was gorgeous, I actually liked his personality, as much of an asshole that he can be.

I think part of it was me wanting to pay him back for what he'd done. And part of it was affection. I wanted him to be well. I'd taken care of Robb and his boyfriend when they were both sick with the flu, and it was one of the most pathetic things ever.

And now I was going to do this for Edward, and he was worse than those two. He was normally such a strong person, to see him like this…

It was awful.

Checking his cupboards, I found that he didn't have any soup, and didn't have any cold medicine.

Idiot.

At least he had a thermometer…

But I couldn't even find acetaminophen to break his fever!

Guess I'd have to go shopping…

"Edward?" I said quietly, but found he was already asleep on his giant, elegant bed, curled up with the blankets.

It was by far one of the most adorable things I'd ever seen.

He didn't look like the tyrant that he was, like this. He looked innocent, angelic.

He looked like the Edward I'd seen tonight, the Edward that told me of his past, the Edward that had willingly paid off my debts.

I sighed, shaking my head, and left a note on the bedside table for him, then left to get some things. I'd need to get some food too. His cupboards were still bare…

I could do that tomorrow. Right now it was about ten o'clock and I was in an evening gown, going to the local pharmacy to pick up some anti-inflammatory.

I was gone for about twenty five minutes, and when I returned he was right where I'd left him, sleeping peacefully.

He looked so innocent, so…not jerky that I almost felt bad for waking him.

"Edward…wake up and take something." I said, and watched his gorgeous green eyes blink open.

"What are you doing here?" he said groggily, clearing his throat. I helped him sit, and gave him the anti-inflammatory and a cup of water.

"Taking care of you." I said, taking the glass from his unsteady hand and giving him another blanket and forcing him to lay down again. "You nearly passed out at the ballet."

"You didn't have to do that." He murmured, blinking. I didn't let him say any more, and put a thermometer in his mouth. He glared at me, barely having the energy to do that.

"Oh, hush." I said, taking out the thermometer after a moment. "102.3. You're in no condition to be arguing with me, mister."

I left him for a moment to get a makeshift cold-compress, and returned to find him already half asleep.

Cutie.

It was late, and I yawned, calling my mother and leaving a message telling her not to worry, before ending up falling asleep on the same bed, outside of the blankets with my evening gown and heels still on.

I swear, sleep was contagious.

At least, that was what I was telling myself. Really, I just wanted to stay watching him, and fell asleep doing so.

There's nothing wrong with that…I knew my purpose…

And he was my boss. Nothing could happen anyway, it would ruin things at the office.

So I slept.

Betcha you weren't expecting that muahahahaha. review :-)