You all know the drill… Twilight belongs to Stephenie Meyer. I'm just grateful that she lets us play with her characters.

Playlist for Chapter Three – "Jump Rope" by Blue October/ "This Dance" by Five for Fighting

Chapter Three – This Dance

September 1993

~Bella~

"Happy Birthday, Bella - I have a surprise for you," Edward said excitedly. "But you have to keep your eyes closed until I tell you to open them."

"Okay," I promised.

I felt my feet leave the ground as he lifted me up to carry me in his arms. Before I knew what was happening, the wind was rushing by. I knew he was running with me – it was one of my most favorite things we did together. A few minutes later I felt him set me down. He helped me back to my feet and turned me around, my eyes still squeezed tightly shut.

"Okay, now you can open your eyes."

I opened my eyes and saw that we were standing at the edge of a beautiful meadow full of wildflowers. Edward grasped my chin and gently turned my face upward until I could see my surprise. Nestled among the large trees was the most amazing treehouse I had ever seen. It had two stories with balconies, real windows, stairs, and everything!

"Do you like it?" Edward asked excitedly.

"I love it! I love it! Oh, Edward, you're the best friend ever!" I replied, jumping up to hug him.

"Let's go see the inside, shall we?"

I followed him eagerly up the stairs and through the door into the beautiful house he had made for me. Inside was a furnished living room with a fireplace, a kitchen, and dining room with tables and chairs. On the table was a small cake decorated with chocolate-covered strawberries and the words "Happy Birthday Bella" written on it. This was the best birthday present a girl could ever have!

I ran up the stairs to see the second level of the treehouse. Upstairs was a bedroom, with a huge canopy bed fit for a princess, an enormous closet full of dress-up clothes, and a bathroom. I was stunned with the amount of work Edward must have put into my treehouse.

"Edward, can we live here forever, just you and me?" I asked.

"We can't live here all the time, but we can definitely spend a lot of time here," he answered, a huge grin on his face. "It will be our special place – somewhere only we know."

"Let's play!" I said, grabbing his hand and pulling him into the kitchen.

~Edward~

My excitement was palpable as I prepared to reveal the treehouse that I had been working on for the last few weeks for Bella's birthday. I hoped that she would find it a magical place, where she could truly be the princess I knew her to be. It was so wonderful to be a part of her life – she made the world a new place for me. I had grown so tired of my meaningless existence during the last several decades, living the same lies over and over in one place after another, but all of that changed when Bella entered my life.

She was nearly vibrating with excitement when I carried her through the forest to my meadow, a place I had discovered one day while hunting. It was a beautiful place, quiet and peaceful, far removed from the bustle of the world, so I wasn't bombarded with the thoughts of others. It was the perfect place to build Bella's treehouse.

I sat her down when we were standing near the treehouse, her eyes still squeezed tightly shut. When I told her to open her eyes, she wasn't looking in the right direction to see the treehouse, so I gently turned her head until it came into view. The feeling I experienced as her face lit up was indescribable. It almost felt as if my heart were beating again. Her joy was my joy.

She flitted through the treehouse, her giddiness no longer able to be contained – it was contagious. Each room was a treasure to be discovered, and hearing her squeal with delight at each new find made my chest swell with pure happiness.

The tour completed, she grabbed my hand and said, "Let's play!"

We headed for her kitchen, which I had stocked with sandwich ingredients and juice boxes. She was definitely in her element in the tiny kitchen, preparing sandwiches for our picnic with the confidence of a master chef.

I spread a checkered wool blanket on the balcony and we took our picnic outside. She wiggled her way over to sit beside me with her tiny legs crossed then leaned against my side, sighing contentedly.

She had just taken a bite of her sandwich when she asked, "How come I never see you eat or drink anything?"

I thought for a moment and then truthfully replied, "I always eat a really big breakfast each day. It's the most important meal of the day, you know – you need to make sure you eat a healthy breakfast every day. When we are together, I'm still too full from breakfast to eat anything."

I omitted the fact that my breakfast was served fresh on the hoof. I had been draining a deer each morning to minimize any risk that my thirst might pose to Bella. I ranged far enough not to adversely impact the ecosystem near Forks, but I'm sure I managed to make a dent in the local deer population.

After she finished her sandwich, I guided her back inside.

"Would you like your cake now?" I asked. "It's chocolate – your favorite!"

"I'd love some, thank you," she replied, already bouncing on her toes.

I lit the six little candles on her cake and asked her to make a wish. As she made hers, I wished that I could hear her mind just this once. Oh, to see through the eyes of a child, to feel her sense of wonder and amazement. I would love to know what she wished for, so I could get it for her. I would give her anything just to see her smile.

~Bella~

When I turned six, my Dad decided I should be in ballet lessons with the other girls. Unfortunately, I wasn't as coordinated as the other girls, particularly Jessica and Lauren, and they made a point of letting me know this. We were preparing for class to start and I was struggling to learn the positions and maintain my balance. I wanted more than anything to have poise and grace, but instead I wobbled unsteadily and landed with an unceremonious thump on my backside.

"Look – it's Bella Swan, the Ugly Duckling! I don't know why your Dad put you in ballet since you only have two left feet," Lauren sneered at me. "It's just a waste of his money and our teacher's time. There's nothing she can do to make you any good."

"Yeah, and your clothes are awful! Did your Daddy find your leotard at a yard sale?" Jessica taunted.

"Jessica, you know they can't afford nice ones because they're POOR!" Lauren yelled. "Poor, clumsy Bella – just give up and go home. We don't want you here."

"Poor, clumsy Bella… Poor, clumsy Bella," Lauren and Jessica chanted.

I turned and ran from the studio, once again reining back the tears. I was back at the edge of the forest, and before I even realized it Edward was lifting me into his arms.

"Oh Bella, what have they done to you, my precious girl?" he sighed, rubbing soothing circles on my back as I let the waterworks flow.

"They were making fun of me because I'm clumsy and I can't dance pretty like they do. They said I was poor because I'm wearing my cousin's leotard…" I sobbed breathlessly.

"Bella, you can dance. You just need the right partner. Come on, I'll show you," Edward said. He lifted me up on his back and told me, "Here we go – hang on tight."

We were flying through the forest again, and I felt free from the hurt and bitterness I had experienced because of Jessica and Lauren. When I was with Edward, he was the only thing in the world, and everything else just faded into the background. There was nowhere else I ever wanted to be.

When we came to a stop, we were at the base of our treehouse. I took Edward's hand in mine and we climbed the stairs together.

"Why don't you put on your prettiest princess outfit and meet me in the living room?" he suggested.

I ran up the stairs to my closet and picked out a gorgeous ball gown of midnight blue, with matching slippers and a tiara with blue and white jewels set like flowers. I changed as fast as I could, and carefully made my way back down the stairs so I wouldn't trip and fall in my pretty dress.

Edward put some music on the CD player he had set up in the entertainment center and turned to face me with a brilliant smile.

With a deep bow, he asked, "May I have this dance, my beautiful Bella?"

"Of course, my Edward," I replied, as formally as a six-year old could. "I would love to dance with you."

I curtsied and gave him my hand. He put his other hand behind my waist, lifted me up, and arranged my tiny feet gently on top of his shoes. As the music played, we twirled around the room, and I pictured us as the handsome prince and his princess as they revolved on the top of a music box. Edward made me feel graceful and beautiful. My heart was soaring – it was the happiest I had ever been. I never wanted this moment to end.

~Edward~

For some reason, even after hunting I had been on edge and remained in the woods, close to the field near Bella's elementary school. I heard the sound of her little feet pounding furiously on the ground, her ponytail bobbing behind her as she ran to the forest to find me waiting for her. Her breaths were uneven and ragged, and I could tell she was on the verge of tears. I met her at the forest boundary and lifted her in my arms as the tears streamed down her beautiful face. To see her in pain wrenched at my stone heart.

When Bella told me what those vicious little vipers, Jessica and Lauren, had said to her in her ballet class I had to fight the urge to go find them and provide a desperately-needed attitude adjustment. It wouldn't do me any good to be seen by others, and I had been raised by my mother to treat women – even spiteful, mean-spirited girls – with respect. Instead I simply held Bella and soothed her as best I could.

Bella thought she couldn't dance, but she had only begun to take lessons. Her self-confidence was undermined by her perceived clumsiness. If only I could show her just how much she was truly capable of, boost her confidence enough to carry her through when I couldn't be there…

I ran back to our treehouse with her clinging to my back, feeling the tension draining from her with each step. Running had always been my only delight in this life, and running with Bella was as close an experience to heaven as I could imagine. She seemed to enjoy it as much as I did. Hearing her excited voice asking for me to "fly" with her, as she called it, made my existence worthwhile.

We reached the treehouse in no time and were up the stairs and standing in the living room. I thought Bella would feel the part if she were dressed like a princess, so I suggested that she change into one of her many dress-up outfits hanging in the huge bedroom closet upstairs. Alice would have been proud of me for both the size of the closet and the selection of clothing and accessories it contained.

My breath caught when Bella began her descent down the stairs. She had selected a ball gown of midnight blue silk, with tiny matching slippers, and had donned a sapphire and diamond tiara that I bought to go with the outfit. She was absolutely stunning – there was no "pretend" about it – she was a real princess in my eyes. I wanted to find a way to make her recognize that she was truly beautiful, inside and out, and the most precious thing in my world. She was my world.

I found a perfect song for us to dance to and cued it up on the CD player I had installed for her. I walked over to her, bowed, and asked her to dance. She gave me a little curtsy and placed her tiny hand in mine. I picked her petite form up and placed her feet on top of mine and we began to dance.

Her dress billowed as I spun across the floor with her, absolute joy filling my heart because her happiness was so tangible. Her dazzling smile filled the room with light – the world was a beautiful place because of her. I had never felt anything so complete and all-encompassing. It was the most perfect moment of my very long life. I wished it could last forever.

A/N: Happy Thursday to everyone! This is the chapter that contains the idea that got me started with this story – Edward dancing with Little Bella.

Shouts, hugs, and kisses from Rob to my ever-amazing beta Christine (A Little Distracted) for just being you! You are the wind beneath my wings girl!

Great fun was had by all of us who attended the Muse concert at Toyota Center in Houston last Thursday – they rocked hard for almost two hours! It was an audio-visual masterpiece!

Links to pictures of Bella's Treehouse and the Sapphire and Diamond Tiara are on my profile.

The playlist for the story is on playlist(dot)com(slash)playlist(slash) 19366254859

There is also a link to the playlist on my profile.