Holy crappers. It's been forever since I updated. I'm so sorry! The next chapter will be out as fast as I can make it. Thanks for being so patient! 3

Gah. I'm enjoying this so much more than I thought I would. x3 Thank you guys so much for the reviews!

----

Bella.

I was running again. It was dark and I could hardly see where I was going. One thing was clear; I was running from someone. I had no idea who, but they were getting closer. The fear felt so real.

"Help!" I called out desperately. My voice seemed so weak, so soft. It was lost in this black void that I couldn't escape. "Somebody, please…help…"

I could see a silhouette ahead of me, but it was too dark to make out the face. I felt like I knew him. I felt like I trusted him. I wanted to say it was Edward, but I had no way of being certain. The man stepped closer to me, his face still hidden in the shadows.

Bella…

He held out his hand to me. I felt safe again. Whoever was chasing me couldn't harm me now...

"Good morning, Bella," Edward whispered to me. "I missed you." I blinked my eyes open only to meet his gaze. He smiled at me and ran his fingers through my hair, looking at me with nothing but love in his eyes. I blushed in my half-asleep state and returned his smile. My body longed for sleep; my head was heavy and I could barely keep my eyes open. After all, we'd been out swimming well into the night. I yawned and stretched a bit, trying to wake my body. Edward got up and was standing beside my bed in less than a second.

"Come on, sleepy head," he encouraged as he affectionately tugged on my arm. I grumbled my response and rolled over in bed.

"Bella, you can sleep when we get back to Forks," he teased. I grumbled again. Unsatisfied with my answer, he took a strong hold around my wrist and began to slowly pull me up. All I could do was chuckle a half-awake laugh. I didn't want to get up yet; I wanted to stay in bed. But how could I be mad at someone who missed me while I was asleep?

"Okay, okay," I yawned, sitting up straight. "I'm up." With dreary eyes I turned to the clock that sat on the table beside me. It wasn't a minute past eight a.m. I ran my hands through my hair and winced at the touch. It was messy and tangled into a giant mess. I was afraid to look into a mirror.

"Can I get half an hour to be human?" I asked with a sheepish grin.

"Of course," Edward answered as we made for the door. "Meet me downstairs when you're done, okay?" He didn't wait for my reply and left. It had been a long time since I'd seen him so excited and cheerful. It had been a long time since I'd been so happy just to be alive. Life was good.

Forty minutes later, I was clean, dressed and ready for a new day. Well, more ready than I had been when I first woke up, at least. It was wonderful to be rid of that lingering sticky feeling saltwater tends to leave on your skin and a hot shower made me feel awake again. When I finally made it out of my room, a distinct scent caught my nose.

Someone had been cooking.

The first thing that caught my attention was the smell of cooking bacon. I was starving, and even if I wasn't, it still would have smelled hauntingly good. I followed it all the way into the kitchen where I saw something I'd never thought I'd see.

The entire Cullen family sat in the kitchen and in the living room. Esme and Carlisle sat beside each other at the kitchen table, Esme occupying herself with the newspaper and Carlisle busy working with his laptop. Work had bogged him down, no doubt. Rosalie was leaned back in a cushioned chair, her nose in a book. She paid absolutely no attention to me when I walked in. Alice had a jigsaw puzzle spread out across the coffee table; it looked as though she'd only just started. Jasper sat across from her, flipping over pieces and slowly building a picture. Emmett still had the deck of cards with him. He had taken over a corner of the table and was engaged in a game of solitaire. Edward, the one who I was most excited to see, stood in the kitchen holding a filled frying pan in one hand and a spatula in the other. At that very instant, I heard a mess of greetings all at once.

"Bella!"

"It's about time you got up."

"I hope we didn't tire you out last night."

"How did you sleep?"

"Hey there, Bella."

I gave a weak laugh; I hardly understood a word of it all.

"Good morning everyone," I offered with a smile. Everyone, except Rosalie, smiled back.

"I hope you're hungry," said Edward and he stepped up behind me. He gently pushed me towards the table to the spot that had been set and ready for a meal. He pulled the chair out for me and, with a dramatically formal attitude, he motioned for me to sit down. I blushed and took my seat. I felt more spoiled than ever.

"Breakfast is almost ready," he said as he kissed my cheek. "What would you like to drink? There's milk, orange and apple juice, coffee…"

"Water would be fine," I said softly. Edward poured me a glass of orange juice anyway. In a matter of seconds, Edward reappeared beside and started to fill the empty plate in front of me. First golden-brown pancakes, then a pile of scrambled eggs followed by four strips of the bacon I smelled earlier.

"You did all of this just for me?" I gasped.

"Of course, sweetheart," he replied before returning to the kitchen to clean the dishes he'd used.

"But I can't eat this all," I continued, even though it looked and smelled outstanding. He chuckled but didn't turn away from the dishes.

"I hate to say it, Bella, but you're going to have to," he replied. "I doubt anyone is going to be able to help you finish."

I don't know if it was because I was starving or if it was just because Edward made it, but it was one of the best meals I'd ever had. It was ironic how someone who hadn't eaten this kind of food in decades could cook so well. I almost felt bad that everyone couldn't share the wonderful meal with me. I felt even worse when I gobbled it all down in record-breaking time.

"Geez, Bella, have we starved you that much?" Alice said with an obvious dash of sarcasm. I offered another sheepish smile.

"It was really good," was my only excuse. The family laughed. Again. Edward, of course, insisted on doing all my dishes for me and made me feel even more spoiled while I sat at the table and did nothing.

"So what's the plan for today?" Carlisle asked. "If it starts raining we might be able to go out with you today, Bella." He didn't have to explain why. In a place like Forks, a vampire taking a trip outside was easy. The sun never shone and there was nothing to fear. At a beach, on the other hand, it was warmer, sunnier and more crowded. The Cullens had to be extra careful.

"There's a theatre in town," Emmett offered. "How 'bout a movie?"

"Only if the weather permits," Carlisle reminded him.

"Can I go down to the beach while it's still sunny?" I asked with a guilty grin. Edward frowned.

"Of course you can," Esme said in place of Edward. I bit my lip and offered an apology through a smile. I felt bad for asking, I really did, but I was dying to see the shore during the day. I enjoyed going at night, but it had been ages since I'd been to the beach and I wanted to at least go once in daylight. I gave Esme a smile, stood, thanked Edward for breakfast one last time and headed to the door. Edward, of course, walked me there.

"You don't mind, do you?" I asked tentatively. I felt like a horrible person. The Cullens were nice enough to rent this house just for me for the entire week and there I was, insisting on activities in which they couldn't join me. I stopped just before the door but Edward pushed me outside. There was a bit of an overhang over the patio, giving Edward some shade to hide in. Still, he hadn't answered my question. He must have been longing to spend time with me and all I managed to do was turn him down.

"Never mind, I'll stay inside with you," I second-guessed myself and turned back for the door.

"Bella, no," he said with a tone that was disturbingly close to that you'd use when talking to a dog. I gave him a look.

"Go out. Have fun," he encouraged, leaning closer to me. "I'll be here when you get back." I looked up at those gorgeous topaz eyes again and melted. Edward had the beauty of an angel, nothing less, and it took me every time. I gave in to impulse and leaned closer to him, testing my luck. He hesitantly gave in and grazed his lips across mine. He planted delicate kisses along my cheek until he reached my mouth where he paused for a moment. I knew he was taking time to control himself. I knew he was trying to keep me safe. But it was a teasing that I couldn't withstand. I'd longed to be this close to him, share the most passionate kisses this world has ever seen and do the kind of things young lovers do.

I kissed back but Edward objected with "Easy, Bella. Easy."

Despite good intentions, the most I got was a held back kiss and the attempt and retreat of a deeper one. It was a taunt that I could hardly stand and my resistance was wearing thin. Impulse took me by the hand and I found myself pressing my lips to his in a fiery passion. My arms wound around him so tight that I could feel his cool chest against mine. The feeling lasted only a second.

Edward yanked himself back and stood across from me on the opposite side of the deck. He was biting his lip and his hand was clenched into a fist in a futile attempt to keep his instincts at bay. I'd gone too far again.

"I'm sorry," I offered softly. Sorry for what? I couldn't help but think. Sorry for kissing your boyfriend? You have nothing to be sorry for. I immediately shook the thought away.

"No," he assured me but didn't take a step closer. "It's fine. Enjoy your walk, I'll be here when you get back." I opened my mouth to speak but he had an expression that warned me to leave. I took the hint and left, perfectly silent.

It was nice to have a gentle shore greet me when I made it out there. The sand glistened in the edge of the water as it flowed back and forth with the pulling of the tide. Countless shells had washed up and I found myself bending over and carrying around handfuls of shiny, colorful sea shells. A couple crabs hurried out of the way as I approached, mistaking me for a predator. The tracks of seagulls crossed over the wet sand leaving a trail for me to follow on my walk. A private, gorgeous beach all to myself. It was perfect. It was bliss. So why wasn't I feeling that way?

A pinkish-purple shell caught my eye and I immediately bent over to claim it. Then I caught a track of footprints, obviously not from any animal, but a person. I looked up and saw nothing but bare shore. Curiosity got the best of me and I placed my collection of shells down and followed the tracks. It turned into the game. The steps were far apart so I could only assume that this bare-footed person had been running. I made long strides and matched my footsteps with the ones before me, awkwardly walking my way down the beach. With my eyes glued to the ground, I noticed that this person had feet much larger than my own. I kept following.

I became so wrapped up in my footsteps that I didn't notice the man in front of me until I saw his feet on the ground. I paused, thought for a moment, and then looked up. The next thing I did was yelp. And then, of course, I lost my balance and fell to the sand. It was a bit of a nasty fall. I jumped and sort of twisted in the air, though one foot was planted on the ground. Fortunately, the sand made for a soft fall.

"Oh, I'm sorry, miss," the man said as he held out a hand to me and pulled me to my feet. "Didn't mean to frighten you. Are you alright?" I brushed the sand off my back and tried to stand up straight. The first thing I noticed about this man was his strong, British accent. It was smooth and made his speech come out hauntingly easy. The next thing to catch my attention were his eyes. I'd never seen eyes so vividly blue. It seemed as though every shade was represented around his pupil, mixed in a dazzling display. He had chocolate brown hair that fell over his ears at lengths that seemed to vary depending on the spot. It was wavy and flipped out here and there, giving him a pleasing but unkempt look. As if that wasn't enough, he smiled right after.

"I'm so sorry," I spat out, forcing myself to balance on my own. At that time, his hand was clutching mine to make sure I didn't fall over again. "I wasn't even looking, I didn't mean to—"

"It's quite alright," he offered with another smile. "You looked so into what you were doing, I'm sorry I interrupted."

"Oh, well, no, I just," I stuttered, blushing once again. "I didn't know there was anyone else around here, and I saw footprints…"

"Ah," he nodded with an amused yet gentle smile. "You must be a vacationer, then."

"Well, yes, I'm here with some friends," I answered, trying to hide my own embarrassment. The man turned and pointed to a house surprisingly close to where we were standing. I'd failed to notice it before.

"Believe it or not, some people are crazy enough to live in this touristy town," he laughed to himself.

"I had no idea there were houses this close," I observed, sounding like more of an idiot than I was aware. The man chuckled and smiled again.

"I'm afraid there aren't." His reply made me freeze for a second. Just how far had I walked? I slowly turned around and saw nothing but an empty beach behind me. After looking closer, I noticed the shape of a house into the distance.

"Oh," I choked.

"Are you lost?" he asked, his voice taking on a more concerned tone.

"No, I just had no idea I'd come this far," I admitted with a grim expression.

"Will you make it home okay?" he continued to question.

"I'll be fine. I made it out this far, after all. I can make it back." I added a smile to my sentence as if to make it more convincing.

"Well, it was a pleasure meeting you, miss…?" he said in a way that asked for my name.

"Isabella Swan," I answered awkwardly. "Bella Swan. Bella works just fine."

"Well I'm Lukas Barras," he answered. "Luke Barras. Luke works just fine as well." We shook hands and exchanged smiles one more time and parted. I turned around, spinning on my heel and instantly yelped again. This resulted in another trip to the ground.

"Bella?" Luke hurried back over to me and held out his hand once more. "Bella, what happened?"

"I'm fine," I fibbed. "I really am." Instinctively, I leaned forward and rubbed the sore spot on my ankle. It felt swollen.

"Are you sure?" he asked, being unbelievably caring. "Can you make it back to the house?" He didn't believe my lie, that much was obvious. I decided to try my luck at walking again and took another step in the sand. Pain pulsed from my heel and up my leg, making me wince, yelp and trip all at the same time. Luke was there to catch me almost instantly.

"At least let me get you some ice," he insisted, motioning for me to follow him to his house. Instantly, I had second thoughts. This man was still a complete stranger. I didn't have a reason not to trust him and he seemed like a nice guy but I was still hesitant. Edward always reminded me to be safe and careful. Following a stranger into his house couldn't possibly fall into that category. I told myself that I should just turn around, thank Luke for his concern and walk away.

"Bella?" he asked, his British accent more apparent than ever. "You coming?" I opened my mouth to once again tell him that I was fine but my ankle throbbed. I really hate being so clumsy.

"Yes, I'm right behind you." Like a gentleman, he took my hand and helped me along the way. Of course I felt awkward, but then again, he was just being nice. If he had just left me and not insisted on helping, it would have been completely indecent. There was nothing to be afraid of.

From the outside, Luke's house looked like most of the rest. Like almost all beach neighborhoods, the houses looked as though they came from a cookie cutter. They all looked like the one beside it. Even still, the homes were breathtaking.

What made Luke's house unique was that it didn't fall into the classic nautical look. Everything was surprisingly modern. I felt like I had stepped into some kind of coffee house that college students stood up and read poetry in every night. It was all so simple. The furniture was all in odd shapes, giving it a bizarre yet smooth feel. The decorations, from the carpets to the picture frames, all matched in simplicity. The entire building was perfectly clean; not a single item out of place. As if that wasn't enough, it all looked entirely new. This man obviously had money to spare.

Luke hurried and disappeared behind two, singing doors that looked as though they were pulled from a 50s diner. Still standing at the back entrance, I brushed as much sand as I could off my legs and stepped inside. The heat had steadily grown throughout the morning and I'd be lying if I said I didn't wish to get back into conditioned air. Admiring the style of the room, I took a seat on a sofa that looked remarkably like the shape of a "V." I glanced down at the injured joint, secretly hating it for causing so much trouble. It looked swollen, alright, but nothing serious. I did this kind of thing all the time. A little ice and a bit more of rest and it would be as though it never happened.

"Here you are, Bella," Luke announced as he walked back into the room carrying an icepack. He sat across from me on the coffee table—a table that happened to be crystal clear glass with some strange, metal and black border around the edges. I blushed and stuttered a "thank you" as I took the pack from him and pressed it to the throbbing swell at my ankle. I did my best not to wince.

"You've got an amazing home," I offered in an attempt to keep the subject of conversation off of me.

"Ah, why thank you, Bella." There was another awkward pause.

"You don't live here alone, do you?" I asked tentatively. I was afraid I'd cross a line and end up asking questions she didn't want to talk about or answer.

"I do, in fact," he answered with yet another grin, letting me know that I was okay by asking. "My parents used to vacation here all the time. We found that there was a college just 20 minutes from here with an excellent marine biology program. I moved here so I could attend school."

"So where are you from?" I asked, getting into the conversation.

"London. That explains the accent, no?" he answered, chuckling to himself a bit. "My parents are back home while I'm studying abroad. It worked out rather nice, I'd say." When I met him, I would have guessed that Luke was around 18 or 19. But after hearing him talk, it sounded as though he was at least 21. I found myself trying to come up with more questions just so I could listen to that accent of his.

"And where are you from, Bella? Do you com here often?" he asked.

"Forks," I said. He gave me a confused look. "A rainy little town that no one has heard of. It's a couple of hours from here. And no, this is my first time visiting."

"Ah, well I hope this trip is a good one. It'd be great to see you come back. My neighbors usually end up being old, retired couples or new parents with rowdy two-year-olds." Luke then stood and motioned for me to do the same. "Let's try walking on that ankle of yours and see where we're at." I pulled myself back to my feet, forced my way to a standing position and, of course, winced again. I'd pulled a muscle and I was paying for it.

"I'm okay," I said before he could even open his mouth. "It's just a little sore, that's all. I'll be fine." This time I didn't make the mistake of trying to prove that I could walk. Instead, I just smiled my best, convincing smile.

"But will you make it all the way back to your house?" he asked suspiciously. "It's quite a walk." I didn't have a good reply for that one. I was hurting and I really didn't want to walk. Luke's offer was very tempting, but if a stranger dropped me off and Edward saw, he'd be furious. Edward wasn't the jealous type, at least, not to an excessive extent. He was protective, that was for sure. He found peace of mind when I was with someone he trusted. Unfortunately, he didn't trust very many people. Either way, I couldn't make it back by myself.

"I'll call my friends and ask them to pick me up," I offered.

"Nonsense, I was just planning on going out. I'll drop you off on the way there," he smiled again. "Would that be alright?" At that point, I didn't think of what could happen to me. I only thought of Edward's reaction if he saw us.

Bella, what's the matter with you? There's no reason to be afraid of Edward. He'll understand.

"If you wouldn't mind," I began, hoping I wouldn't have to regret my words. "That would be wonderful."

Luke's car was just as nice as his house. I don't know much about cars, but I know that it (looked) expensive and that it was comfortable. It was small, perfect for two, possibly three people. The interior was white leather but there wasn't a stain or speck of dirt on it. The sun-heated seats didn't burn the bottoms of your legs when you sat down, either. It took a second before the warm air turned and the car was just as cool as the inside of the house. After making sure I made it into the passenger side okay, Luke scooted behind the wheel and pulled onto the road.

We made small talk all the way back, switching from school, to home towns and back to schools. There was nothing said that was really interesting. I thanked him so many times that he would only laugh if the word "sorry" escaped my lips. Every time he'd assure me that it was all fine. Finally, we pulled into the driveway of my rented beach house. I knew that the entire Cullens family would have heard the car approach and I cringed at the thought of their reactions—especially Edward. I did my best not to think about it.

"It was a pleasure meeting you, Bella," said Luke sincerely as he walked me to the door. "I hope you're feeling well soon." Literally, he walked me, almost carried me there. My ankle still gave me a handicap. I could fee a pair of eyes on me other than Luke. I had to force myself not to check all the windows for Edward who was probably watching from a window.

"Thank you so much for all your help," I thanked him for the 102nd time. "I'll make it up to you somehow."

"Don't you worry about it," he smiled "just enjoy your vacation." With that, he walked back to his tiny, black car, shut the door and turned back to the road. I waved as he left, stalling for time before I had to enter the house. I took a deep breath and mustered up my courage.

"Bella! I was worried about you," said Edward before I could even step in the door all the way. I opened my mouth to speak but he beat me to it. "Who was that man?"

"He lives next door," I explained.

"Next door? There aren't any houses," said Edward skeptically.

"There's one about a mile from here."

"You walked that far?"

"I'm fine, Edward. It wasn't so bad…"

"Did you know that man?" he continued to question.

"No, I met him on the beach and," I was cut off.

"And you got into the car with him! Bella, do you have any idea how dangerous that is? What were you thinking!"

"Well, I didn't know what to do so I asked if—"

"I should have gone with you. It was a bad idea."

"I can take care of myself, Edward," I reminded him. I was a little offended. Sure, I didn't have any inhuman abilities like he did but I still knew right from wrong. I could handle it on my own.

"You let a complete stranger drive you home," came his sarcastic reply.

"I'm still here, aren't I? You need to trust my judgment more."

"We've seen what that leads to."

"Edward!" I raised my voice that time. He'd gone too far. I knew what he was talking about; he always brought that situation up when we fought about things like this. He was talking about our encounter with the hunter and how I'd crept away from the Cullens and ended up being bitten.

"You're naïve, Bella, you don't understand—" he began. This time I interrupted.

"I can take care of myself," I spat out, getting too worked up to realize what I was saying. "Sure, I make mistakes. I'm human, it's what I do. Everyone is allowed to mess up sometimes. Except for maybe you. You just have to be perfect." The words came out too fast. I would have taken them back if I wasn't so heated up in the argument. Although I didn't mean it, I sounded as though I hated Edward for being a vampire. He didn't move for what felt like the longest time. He simply looked at me and tried to hide the hurt that showed through his eyes.

"I suppose you can." Edward was gone in a second. On impulse I wanted to cry out and say how sorry I was. I never wanted to argue. I never wanted him to be upset. I wanted to shout out how much I loved him. But I had too much pride for that.

He'd been angry because I trusted someone he didn't. He just assumed this man was untrustworthy and therefore looked down on me because I thought otherwise. He shouldn't have to control my life like that, I can handle it myself. He didn't even bother to ask if I was okay. My ankle was still throbbing and it felt even worse than before but Edward didn't even notice.

The entire Cullens family must have heard our fight. No one was around but I was certain they all heard. I retreated to my room before anyone could approach me and buried myself in the blankets. Promise yourself that you won't cry I thought over and over. The tears came anyway. I felt guilty for hurting. I felt hurt because I'd been wronged. I wanted to be right and sorry at the same time. I hated wanting something I knew I couldn't have.

"Bella?" came a soft voice from outside my door. It was Alice. Although I always enjoyed talking with Alice, I didn't want to. At least not after my fight with Edward.

"Alice, I don't want to—" I began, but she interrupted me.

"It's okay, Bella, you don't have to talk. Just listen to me for a little bit?" she paused, but not long enough for an answer. "It's hard for Edward to be so close to you so often. Don't get me wrong; he loves you, and I'm sure you know that. The thing is, your scent is everywhere and it impossible to ignore. Edward has to be so careful. All of us do. We all have to. It takes so much control, especially on Edward's part. He's worried about you, Bella, so worried. He doesn't want anything to happen to you. You mean the world to him and he just wants to be certain that you're safe. You have to understand." I didn't know what to say so I remained quiet. I wasn't in the mood to talk, especially when I knew I had been in the wrong.

"Alright, well, let me know if you want to go see a movie, alright? It's starting to rain." And with that, she left.

I was alone in my bed for the longest time. Alone. I didn't have Edward there to hold me and tell me it would be alright. In my worst state in weeks when I needed him most, he couldn't be there.

I wasn't trying to go against you. I wanted to come back home. I didn't mean to make you upset, I was just trying to do what seemed best. You're right, I was naïve. I'm lucky I met an honest person, otherwise I could have been in danger I thought to myself. I was in the same position for a while, deep in thought. I faded in and out of sleep, passing back and forth at a rate so fast that I couldn't tell which was which.

"Edward…" I mumbled to my pillow. Half a second later I felt a cold hand around my shoulder.

"I'm right here, sweetheart," he whispered back, sitting at the edge of my bed. I bolted upright and embraced him, burying my wet face to his chest.

"I'm so sorry," I cried. "I didn't mean to cause all this, I'll be more careful next time, I promise."

"Bella, it's fine. I was just worried about you, that's all," he offered, patting my head. "Everything's okay now."

"You promise?" I asked, half serious and half playful. He kissed the top my cheek, sealing his word with a kiss.

"I promise."

"I hate fighting with you," I grumbled, teasing this time.

"I hate it more," he retorted. I opened my mouth to say "nuh uh!" but giggled. I was that close to arguing again.

"Let's never fight again," I offered. Edward, still keeping his distance, leaned forward and gave another gentle peck of a kiss.

"Gladly."