I don't own Twilight. all Stephenie Meyer.

Chapter Three

Leaving for the First Hunt

Bella slowly infiltrated her way into our family. No one seemed to be able to resist her obvious charms, except for Rosalie, but that didn't seem to phase Bella much. Each day she discovered something new, and a bright smile would light up her features, an enthusiasm radiating from her. We hadn't experienced in quite some time.

The more time I spent around her, basking in her scent, the easier it became. The yearning to kill her never entirely went away, but the siren's call of her blood dulled somewhat with each passing day. She had taken to sleeping on my chest, burying her face into the crook of my neck. I had to cover her with a blanket to keep her from shivering, but part of my looked forward to that special time we got to share together. It provided me with long stretches of time with Bella in my arms. It kept me from worrying about her.

Never had I met a human, child or otherwise, that was so prone to danger. She needed constant supervision to avoid life threatening calamity. Esme and Alice helped to keep her occupied when I couldn't, knowing just what to do to make her happy.

Watching them together was a sight to behold. Bella would giggle and cuddle with her, our cold skin barely even eliciting a physical reaction anymore, while Esme was happier than I had seen her in quite some time. Her thoughts were filled with pure joy at having a little girl to love and dote upon. She loved us- we were her children- but there was something about holding the small child in her arms and singing her to sleep that filled that void in her heart.

I rarely left the house, always keeping near incase she needed me. Her heart beat and scent had become two significant pieces of my world in the three weeks since she came into our lives.

Each afternoon Alice had something new for her and Bella to play with. Board games, dolls, even a brand new tea set had worked its way into the bunch. That's what they were doing as Esme and I sat and watched them. Alice had sent for one of the most expensive children's tea sets she could find, along with dress up clothes and tiaras.

Sipping from one of the small cups and taking pretend bites from a plastic scone, they spoke of having tea with the Queen of England in her garden. Alice would cast quick, barely noticeable, glances outside at Jasper, winking her at him.

He kept his distance, but still stayed near, trying to get use to the smell of human blood again. The struggle with the emotions of those around him, as well as the difficulty of resisting after years of never needing to, made Jasper's struggle a bit more arduous than ours. But he never complained. His thoughts were always of Alice, promising himself that it was worth it to give her experiences that she had missed out on.

The devotion they had for each other made me hopeful that one day I could experience the same thing.

Bella giggled again, bringing Alice's attention back to their party.

Such a sweet child, I'm sure she must be hungry by now. Esme stood from her place on the couch and went into the kitchen. The food that she prepared smelled foul, although, not nearly as bad as fresh meat. I shuddered at the thought.

"Eggwart," Bella called.

I kept my gaze trained on the kitchen, wrinkling my nose in disgust. "Yes, little one?" When she didn't respond, I turned my head in her direction and she had a small pout on her lips. "Forgive me. I'm listening."

With her arms crossed over her chest, Bella continued to pout. "Where other people?"

There was an almost imperceptible gasp throughout the house. Esme stopped pouring juice in a cup, Carlisle opened the door to his study, Alice and Jasper exchanged looks, even Emmett grunted from the garage.

"It only us. Where my mommy and daddy, other people?" She lowered her voice a little bit, playing with the hem of the dress she wore.

No one said anything out loud at first, their thoughts bombarding me all at once. Ignoring them, I motioned for Bella to come to me. She made her way over, her hands behind her back and her head lowered as though she was in trouble. When she got to me, I held my arms open and watched as she climbed into my lap.

She kept her head down, her shoulders trembling. I lifted her chin so that she would meet my eyes. "You're not in trouble." I ran my hand along her back in soothing circles, trying to ease the tension and fear that was radiating from her.

"Do you remember the day we found each other?" I whispered, continuing to rub along her back. When I felt the slight nod of her head I continued. "Do you remember that your parents were hurt? They wouldn't wake up."

After a few sniffles, she gave another small nod.

"Sweetheart, I brought you here to keep you safe. We're alone because it's soothing for us." Explaining to Bella that we were vampires would have been too confusing for her and this was difficult enough as it was.

"But why all alone? I go to school after birthday." Her little eyes welled up with tears, threatening to spill over at any moment.

The room was silent again. Carlisle stood at the top of the stairs, thinking through plausible answers to give and questions to ask the others.

Alice tensed minutely, a vision beginning to play through her mind.

I paused, watching it in time with her.

Two separate events were shown, Bella's birthday party and her first day of school. Most of what we saw was passed through quickly, making it difficult to get a clear read on what was taking place, but a few things lingered long enough for us to see.

Flashes of us wearing birthday hats with perfectly wrapped presents in our hands filled both of our minds. And, we appeared to be in Chicago. I had not been there since Carlisle changed me and wasn't sure if I was ready to go back. Not returning hadn't been a conscious effort, but the crystal clear reminders of my previous life there would not make it any easier.

Gasping slightly as the onslaught of images ended, Alice turned to me with an uncharacteristically worried expression on her gentle features. Are you going to be okay with this?

I gave her a curt nod, trying not to alert the tiny little human in my arms to our exchange. Bella curled herself into my side, the warmth of her skin heating me all the way to my bones and giving me the small bit of courage that I needed.

"What did you see?" Jasper had come into the room and was next to Alice, his arm around her protectively. The look that passed between them, a silent conversation, lasted only a few seconds.

Esme came back into the room, carrying the plate of grotesquely smelling human food and tried to pick Bella up. "Don't you want your lunch, dear?" Esme asked after Bella refused to loosen her hold on me.

Burrowing herself closer against me, she shook her head adamantly.

Lifting her eyes to mine quickly, Esme smirked. She is quite enamored with you, Edward. Bella seems to know when you need her. "Are you sure you don't want to come with me into the kitchen?" Esme placed the plate of food and the small cup of juice on the dining room table when Bella made no attempt to move.

The others slowly made their way into the room, finding places to stand or sit as they waited for someone to talk. Even Rosalie came in behind Emmett. She had been avoiding the main part of the house when Bella was awake, only gracing us with her presence when the moon came out.

I encouraged Bella to eat, whispering to her that she could stay in my lap if that was what she wanted. Once she picked up the spoon that had been resting against her food and began eating the macaroni and cheese, I turned my attention to the anxious faces of my family.

Alice looked to me one more time before launching into an explanation of what she had seen, her voice no louder than a whisper. She described what each scene had been about, the dates, where we were, and any and every detail that would be significant. The soft smiles on Carlisle and Esme's lips when Alice described them taking Bella to school put me at ease, if only for a moment.

No one spoke the words, but the decision had already been made. We were moving to Chicago.

Carlisle, Esme, and Emmett didn't seem too surprised by the description, our time of isolation having already begun to take its toll on us. Being away from the outside world helped us control our thirst and allowed for us to just be ourselves, but it kept us from retaining a semblance of our humanity.

I knew that Jasper would go anywhere that Alice went, and she would not part from Bella. I sighed at the thought of going through the motions of high school and classes again, but things were different this time. I needed to be there for Bella, as long as it was safe for her.

"Move again? Why are we doing this? She is nothing to me." Rosalie didn't even pretend to keep her voice down, disdain and anger dripping from each word. Her eyes narrowed at the child, her thoughts even more hostile.

Hissing at Rosalie, I adjusted Bella so that I was shielding her from my sister.

"Bella is a part of our family now, Rose. We're doing what's best for everyone." Carlisle stood between us, a note of finality in his tone. "There are still plenty of preparations that need to be taken care of before we can go. It won't be until the summer at least." He tried to assure her and everyone else in the process.

"She is a puppy that followed Edward home. A frail little human that will only serve to endanger our family." Her voice cracked slightly at the end, fear of losing Emmett at the forefront of her mind.

It took everything that I had not to launch across the room and pin her against the wall. Part of me couldn't be angry with her, knowing the fear she felt for her mate and the conflict over her feelings for a child. But her actions were inexcusable.

Having Bella in my lap was the only thing keeping me from even growling at Rose.

"I get to go to school?" Bella asked, breaking some of the tension in the room. Her eyes were wide with curiosity, expectant and hopeful.

"Yes, little one. You are going to go to school." I smiled down at her, feeling my lips form into their usual crooked grin. The excitement that Bella now exuded helped rid me of the last traces of anger at Rosalie. I listened as my family discussed the different facets and considerations we needed to prepare for.

My main focus, though, was on the gentle heartbeat coming from Bella. Each thump lulled away any worries or frustrations, making everything else insignificant.

Ooo~Ooo~Ooo~Ooo~Ooo

Getting everything ready for our move took quite a bit of time as Carlisle had told Rosalie. Jasper was waiting until the time was closer for us to leave before he contacted Jenks about our new documents. That way we would have plenty of time to register for school and fill out necessary paperwork.

We tried to take care of every minute detail, making sure that no detail was overlooked.

Esme flittered around, keeping in constant contact with the architect and design crew working on our new home. She knew exactly what she wanted and wasn't going to accept anything less. Her manner was kind, but firm in conveying her wishes. Alice spent the spare time that Esme wasn't on the phone, calling her favorite European designers and ordering the latest fashions to update our wardrobe.

The differences in watching the two women work were extremely amusing.

Bella found me one evening, hiding in the kitchen. I couldn't imagine how Jasper was handling all of the edginess, but I couldn't stand being around it all night. So, I stood in front of the French doors that led outside and stared at the moon, a new melody working through my head.

Listening to her heartbeat come closer, I couldn't help smiling. There was something about the little girl that had warmed my dead heart. Each time she came to me, ready to fall asleep, was a comfort to me. She felt safe with me. Whether or not that was a good idea was still up for debate, but as long as she needed me I would be there for her.

"Come here, little one." I grinned, stooping down and holding my arms open.

She giggled and ran toward me, blanket in hand.

I scooped her up carefully, tucking her into the crook of my arm and wrapping the blanket securely around her. She let out a small sigh as she snuggled in, laying her head down on my shoulder.

Humming softly, I stroked her back and her hair gently as I returned to looking out at the moon. It took a little while for her to get settled, but soon I could hear her breathing slow down and her pulse calm.

I took in a deep breath, allowing her scent to wash over me. Even though my throat burned and ached, I found that I rather enjoyed the delectable smell. Being around it constantly had somewhat desensitized me, allowing me to bask in the fragrance.

"Eggwart," she mumbled.

Pressing a kiss to the top of her head, I chuckled softly. Being around her was making me feel so… human, something that I hadn't dealt with in too many years. It was foreign and yet familiar, revealing old instincts that were coming back to the surface.

Jasper and Emmett's thoughts quieted, shifting to statistics as they came looking for me. They were intentionally blocking me out.

Not being able to hear their thoughts put me on edge and I waited as they entered the room.

"What?" I kept my voice low, so as not to wake Bella.

"We're going hunting," Emmett announced.

I didn't say anything, just continued to look outside.

"You should come with us," he persisted.

Looking down at Bella's sleeping form, I smiled. She was so peaceful. "I'm alright. You guys go on without me."

They didn't leave.

I kept my back to them, protecting her just in case.

"Edward, it has been weeks since you've gone." Jasper finally spoke. "Being around humans won't help if you're thirsty and out of practice."

"As I said," I hissed out, "I'm fine."

Moving from their spots behind the counter, I knew they were circling around me. It wasn't for an attack, but I still kept myself on the defensive. A low growl rumbled in my chest as they drew nearer.

Jasper held up his hands in a gesture communicating that he meant no harm. "Relax, Edward. Going this long without hunting is not good for you. Or for her." He stopped in front of the window, standing with me in silence for a couple of minutes. "What are you going to do when you have to leave her side at school?"

School. I hadn't even thought about that. My stomach sank at the idea of not being there to catch Bella if she fell.

I felt grossly protective again. From what I had witnessed, Bella couldn't be left alone for even a moment. There were too many ways she could harm herself in a classroom without proper supervision.

"You both will be better off, Edward. She'll be fine for a few hours." Jasper tried to assure me.

"We'll wait for you out front." Emmett clapped my shoulder, making sure not to jostle Bella.

Once I was sure that they had left the room, I glanced back down at Bella. She looked so peaceful. Her little arms clung to me as tightly as she could.

I could do this, right? It would just be for a little while and I would be back before she woke up.

The burning had been getting worse, but I had just pressed it to the back of my mind, overriding the desire to feed. But they were right. It wouldn't do any good for us if I was too thirsty and unable to control myself. Being in control around one human was different than thousands, and I had been out of practice.

Closing my eyes for a moment, I breathed in the floral scent of Bella and allowed it to calm me. Prolonging this would not help, so I brought her up the stairs quickly and to my room.

I settled her in the middle of the bed and kissed her on the top of the head as I tucked the blanket around her again. She murmured my name softly, burrowing against the pillows.

Down stairs, I found Carlisle and Esme lounging on one of the couches, speaking to each other in quiet tones.

"Please make sure nothing happens to her while I'm gone. We should be back by sunrise." I could hear the pleading in my voice, feel the ache at leaving her. How had such a little human completely taken over my life?

"She'll be just fine, Edward." Esme smiled at me. Her gentle thoughts urging me to take some time for myself, that she would not let anything happen to her.

I glanced back up the stairs, listening for her heart one last time before leaving. I knew that my family would keep their eyes on her, but that didn't stop me from worrying about her. This was the first time we were separated for longer than half an hour since I had brought her back with me.

Once out the door, I began running, not even waiting to see if my brother's were following me.

They didn't say anything when they caught up with me; we just ran in silence. It felt good to be outside, to feel the wind blowing through my air. Running for us was instinctual, natural, something that we didn't need to think about. Not having to think was good.

We didn't make any noise during our run, the different scents and sounds of our surroundings assaulting my senses. Giving over to my baser instincts, I followed my brothers as we tracked down our prey.

Near the Nenana River we came upon a herd of caribou. Taking down a few was simple enough, they never really put up much of a fight. I was finishing my second when I noticed Emmett getting anxious.

He bounced on the tips of his toes, working into a fighting stance. He was worked up and ready for more of a challenge. Our regular meals were somewhat satisfactory. Caribou, moose, elk, they kept us going, but there was something more to getting a carnivorous creature. Their blood wasn't exactly like a human's, but it tasted more like it.

"Mmmm… there's something a little better down there." He pointed across the river. "Irritable and more willing to put up a fight." A wide grin spread across his features.

Emmett had always favored grizzly bears. After the circumstances that led to his change, messing with an angry bear and bringing it down seemed to settle that particular need in him. It wasn't very often, but he was right on schedule for that with this hunt.

I looked in the direction he pointed, the distinct predatory hue to the animal's blood was there. Even though I knew that Emmett needed this, I was ready to return to Bella.

My kills had been slower than Emmett and Jasper's and I knew that the sun would be coming over the horizon soon.

"Perhaps we should head back. Haven't you two had enough yet?" I ran a hand through my hair, images of Bella waking up frightened that I was not there started running through my mind.

"Come on little brother, the nights just getting started." Emmett winked, smiling wide enough for his dimples to show. "Maybe we can track down a wolverine for you."

I growled at him.

"You have to let it go, Edward. Bella is fast asleep. Carlisle, Esme, and Alice are all there and will be able to get to her if anything goes wrong." He rolled his eyes at me. "I'm not going to pretend that I understand your attachment to her, but the two of you need to be able to be apart. She is a human child."

Jasper stepped in before I could respond. "Let's just make this our last run. I'm starting to get full now anyways." He looked between us, waiting for both of us to nod in agreement.

Being so protective of someone like Bella was not something I had wished for. My life was perfectly content before I'd found her, but now that I had, I couldn't imagine not having her around.

She was my life.

After jumping over the river we went a little further into the forest until we picked up the trail of the bears. There were enough for the three of us, so we quietly made our way to where they were and sat back, waiting to make our move.

We each went our separate ways, moving in on the bears the way that we each preferred to. It wasn't as swift as our earlier kills, the grizzlies charged and fought against us.

Hunting had been something that I missed, stalking my prey, finding the perfect spot drink their blood, the satisfaction of the warm liquid flowing down my throat and easing the burn. It was natural.

But, when I finished with my bear, and finally felt full, all I could think about was getting home. So when they decided that they were finished as well, I took off for the house, running faster than I had in a while. It felt good to let go and run; the beauty of nature was all around me but I didn't register any of it.

Getting home was all that I cared about. I nearly broke the door off its hinges when I arrived. Bella's heart beat was exactly as it had been before I left, steady and smooth, and she hadn't left my room. I breathed a sigh of relief, trying to block out the sounds of my family and their amusement over my concern.

Not a single hair out of place. She's perfectly fine. Carlisle chuckled.

Emmett's booming laughter filled the house as he stepped inside. Maybe next time you should strap her to the bed, just in case. Or you could lay bubble wrap and pillows all over the floor to cover all of your bases.

A growl rumbled low in my chest, and I did my best not wake her up in the process. I could hear their laughter throughout the house as I settled down on the bed without jostling her. Even though I wouldn't admit it to them, I realized as soon as I found her that I had been overreacting. Carlisle and Esme would never let anything happen to Bella. Keeping the proper perspective was nearly impossible when I didn't have her near me.

How was I possibly going to make it when we began school?

First and foremost thank you to CLHahny for purchasing me way back in the FGB New Moon addition Auction. She was beyond generous and has been incredibly patient in waiting for these chapters. Thank you so much and I hope you enjoy these next steps in their lives!

And I would also like to thank LolaShoes for beta'ing these chapters for me at the last minute. You are absolutely fabulous and I can't thank you enough!

So, there are two more pre-written chapters that I'm hoping to update over the next two weeks. I'm working on finishing my other auction pieces and will be posting them as soon as I can. Thank you all for your patience and understanding.