Author's Note: Thanks for all the reviews. I really appreciate that response that I'm getting from all of you. And, once again, I'm sorry it took so long to get this out there. I'm horrible, I know. But, these next two chapters will certainly make it up to you...E&B fluff!

Now this is it. This is where I feel that the story really starts to get going. I'm excited that I'm finally getting into it. Reviews, of course, are always welcome. They let me know that people are actually reading the story. So, please, if you're reading, and you like the story, let me know!

I would also like to take the time to thank a certain reviewer. This reviewer took the time to write a lengthy review with comments and suggestions. She had some awesome points which I think I will share briefly with you all in the event that anyone else had the same concerns. She commented on how this story seems to be falling into a pattern of school, home, and party. This was done intentionally with the first few chapters to really dramatize the situation the Edward, Alice, and Isabella are in, the hypocrisy they find in it, as well as the fact that they fail to do anything about it. She also suggested that our group of characters needed to expand their horizons. Don't worry; I have a lot planned for them. Lastly, she informed me that I may have been incorrect to give Edward a car. If any of you were thinking this, it's pretty much right. However, it was the easiest way around things and Edward with a horse and buggy was a little…daunting. Anyway, that's all I have to say for now. Thanks again to that reviewer who took all that time. It was greatly appreciated!

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. It all belongs to Stephenie Meyer. I could never claim the world and characters she has created. I am just having a little bit of fun with them. However, should she like to hand over Edward and his silver Volvo, I would certainly not object.


Chapter VI: Not While He's Around

A few weeks had passed since the Black party and it was now well into March. Naperville was experiencing uncommonly nice weather. Trees were covered in leaves, flowers were budding, and birds were chirping. It appeared as through spring had come early after a long, cold winter.

That being said, it was time for the annual Spring Soirée at the Stanley residence. It was considered to be one of the biggest events for the students of Bram Stoker Academy. Anyone who was anyone was invited. If you were not on the list, you had an entire year of rejection to look forward to and endless nights of praying that next year you would have better luck. At least that was how most of the student body decided to look at it.

Edward himself decided to forgo the festivities. After all, Mary Alice was away for the weekend with her parents and no fun would be had if she was not there to throw sarcastic comments around with him. His parents were in Aurora and were not around to pressure him into it. His father was working on a big case and his mother wanted to tag along for a shopping trip. Besides, he certainly was not in the mood to put up with Jessica, her calf, and her talks of a duet. He simply did not have it in him to play polite. And on top of everything else, it was far easier to avoid Isabella Swan who was sure to be in attendance.

Ever since his "revelation" on just what his feeling for her were exactly, avoiding her was becoming more and more difficult when they were around one another. He just wanted to be near her, to hear her laugh, to see her smile, to see her blush. This way, if she was not in the same vicinity as him, he had a far better chance of not losing his mind. Maybe.

So while all of his classmates were dolling themselves up and partying in the Stanley's ballroom/living room, Edward was spending a quite night at home. He passed most of the evening finishing all of his homework for the weekend, including the paper he had been putting off for weeks, reading one of his mother's romance novels before he threw it across the room, and playing his baby. He practiced a wide range of music, even pieces that he had not touched in years. It was all to avoid thinking about his original. He was still proud of it; however, he could barely avoid Isabella as it was. It was far easier to just try to not think about her in general.

When he had exhausted all other methods of entertainment (which included picking up the novel again), he decided to go for a drive since he was unable to sit locked up in his house for much longer. He grabbed a light jacket and headed out to his car. He drove aimlessly around town, actually observing the speed limit. He even drove out as far as the Cullen turnoff. The lanterns were up once again and he had a desire to drive down the path. Figuring that it could not hurt and he could fake that he was lost if caught, he turned down the path, immediately engulfed in the trees. Since they were in full bloom, they completely blocked out the sky and the full moon that had hung over the horizon. Edward now understood the need for the lanterns; without them, his headlights would be the only source of light and they only stretched about four feet in front of his car.

After about five minutes of following the path, the trees ended and he was thrown into an opening. He was in front of a nicely sized cabin that clearly dated back some decades but had been worked on in the past few years. There was a wide front porch with flower boxes on the railing and outside the three windows that were in the front of the house. There were no lights on in the upstairs rooms and only one where Edward supposed the sitting room was located. The drive way was also devoid of cars and Edward assumed that Dr. Cullen was on the graveyard shift at the hospital.

After looking at the house for a few minutes, which seemed to be ordinary besides the fact that it was completely out of touch with civilization, Edward turned around in the drive way and made his way back to the main dirt road so he could start to move back into town.

On his way back home, he passed by the Stanley house and could tell that the party was in full swing. He could see people talking through the light that came out of the windows. The house was obviously packed and Edward was happy with his decision to not go. But as he thought that, he could not help but think of Isabella Swan. What was she wearing? What was she doing? Was she thinking about him? Who was she conversing with at that moment; Jacob or Michael?

With thoughts of Isabella now plaguing his mind, he was ready to head home and call it a night. He turned down Dock Road and yawned. He saw something moving up on the sidewalk in shadows down at the other end of the street. A body of a young woman then moved under a streetlight. She was walking a little quickly and that was when Edward noticed a bulky man about ten feet behind her. At first, he did not think much of it but slowed down nonetheless. Then, the man, unaware of Edward, started to pick up his pace little by little. The woman, on the other hand, seemed to be going as fast as her legs would carry her without her breaking into a run. Suddenly, she stumbled over what seemed to be her own two feet and Edward immediately knew that it was Isabella. Without a second thought, he stepped on the gas and tore after them.

The man finally heard Edward's car coming up behind him and he took off down a dark alleyway at a full sprint. Edward, however, took no notice of him and pulled up in front of Isabella. He swung open the door, called her name, and she jumped in without a second thought. Once she was in, he took off down the road towards her house. He could feel her looking over at him but he kept his hands firmly on the wheel and his eyes on the road. He could tell that he was breathing heavily and that his hands would be shaking if it was not for the wheel he was holding.

He did not understand what had come over him. It was Isabella who should be upset, not him. But the idea of some man coming after her made him want to…kill him. Never in his life had he had such thoughts. The idea scared him a little but when he thought back to the fact that it was Isabella, his Isabella, he realized that he would do anything to protect her from harm. He was so angry at the moment that he could not bring himself to look at her. He did not want her to see what he was sure was reflecting in his eyes at that moment.

He pulled over once they reached her house. Only a light was on in the entrance hallway. He took a deep breath, rubbed his face with his hands, and looked over at her. She was staring right back at him. There was not a hint of an emotion on her face. Her chocolate eyes just locked on to his own. He did not know how long they sat there like that, just staring at each other.

Isabella was the first to break the silence. "Edward…." she said, her voice trailing off as he looked into her eyes.

On instinct, he grabbed her hand gently and pulled her to him in an instant. He wrapped his arms around her small frame as she buried her face into his chest. He stroked her back and leaned his cheek on the top of her head. He closed his eyes and just held onto her as if afraid of what would happen if he did not. She did not utter another word for quite some time. He figured that she was either in shock or just as content to stay that way for the rest of eternity.

"Thank you," she mumbled after some time into his chest. She rested her chin on him and looked up at him. She gave him a soft smile. "I never would have made it home."

Edward stroked her hair and he looked down into her eyes. He smiled back halfheartedly. "It's not a big deal, Isabella."

She laughed and shook her head. "Of course it is. He'd been following me ever since I left the party."

Edward closed his eyes at the thought and breathed in deeply once more. "Why aren't you more upset about this?" He opened his eyes to look down at her. She did not seem worried in the slightest. In fact, now that she was in his car, she looked like she was laughing about the ordeal.

She shrugged. "What is there to be upset about? Nothing happened. And besides, you were there." She smiled once again.

"You are crazy, you know that, right?" He shook his head and sat up straight, disentangling himself from her.

She frowned at him and crossed her arms over her chest. "You really know how to flatter a girl, don't you?"

"Well, not a girl who isn't in the least bit frightened by the fact that some man was coming after her."

She stared at him for a moment before turning away from him. "Okay, so maybe I was a little scared. But only because he said my name."

Edward put a hand on her shoulder and made her look at him. "He knew you?"

She nodded but did not look him in the eye. "Is that so hard to believe? This is the town where everybody knows your name." She sighed and played with the fabric of her dress. She had something to say and he knew that for sure. He just watched her as she built up the courage to let it out. "And he seemed to know that my father was gone for the weekend," she mumbled in a rush.

However, she did not say it quiet or quick enough for Edward to miss it. He growled under his breath and closed his eyes once more. The feeling of pure anger and hatred bubbled up inside of him for the second time that night. He felt as though he could not control it. He wanted to chase after the scum that dared to come near his angel. He wanted to tear him to pieces for even thinking such a thing. However, the moment a small hand rested on his shoulder, he felt himself calming down. He looked up to see Isabella clutching his shoulder with a shy smile.

"Will you…," she broke off as a blush of crimson that could be seen in the dark spread across her cheeks. "Will you do something for me?" Edward nodded and moved a little closer to her. He took her hand in his as to give her encouragement. She breathed in and looked down at her feet as she finished her request. "Will you…stay with me tonight?"

He stared at her for a moment before he began to shake his head vigorously. "Isabella, that…no. No, I can't. You don't know what you are asking."

She merely nodded. "Of course I do."

"No," he said as he continued to shake his head, trying to banish the thought. "I can't. The idea is completely inappropriate, Isabella. It is something that just is not done. And beyond that, what would the neighbors think if they woke up in the morning and saw my car at your house. We would be the talk of the town. It would be the biggest scandal since the Lousier girl became pregnant. No, it simply is not done, Isabella."

She laughed but it held no hint of humor. "Oh, that is rich coming from you, Edward. You are the one who finds this small town to be quite ridiculous! That you should worry about what they think of you is hypocritical."

He sighed and nodded. "Yes, it may seem that way. But keep in mind that it is not just my reputation I have to worry about. There are my parents, your father, and you. I am more worried about what they would say about you, Isabella. And speaking of your father, you must have forgotten that he does not wish for me to be associated with you. Think of what it would do to him if he learned I had stayed the night."

Isabella shook her head and grabbed his hand. "I don't care what they say about me! And my father...well, he must not know you. He never has given me an explanation. Besides, how horrid can you be after saving me tonight?" She paused then looked at him. "Wait, how did you know that my father doesn't approve of you?"

Edward shrugged. "Good guess?" She glared at him and he sighed. "Okay, so I overheard you fighting the night of your party." She laughed. "But he does have a reason and, whatever it is, it is between you and him. Besides, how do you know I'm not a horrid person? What if I wanted you to ask me to stay and I'm just waiting to take advantage of you?"

She sat up straight and looked directly into his eyes. She gazed into them for a full minute before she pulled away and smiled. "You wouldn't do that to me, Edward." He just looked at her, amazed that she was so comfortable with her judgment. That she could be that trusting of someone she hardly knew was remarkable. He also could not help to think that it could also be a downfall. "So, what did you do that my father disapproves of you so?"

Edward shook his head and smiled down at her. "No. Not tonight. I'll tell you some other time."

She looked up at him again. "Promise?"

Edward laughed. "I promise."

"Then stay with me tonight. Please. You have seen my maids and hands, they are no threat at all." She laughed at her own comment but her eyes seemed troubled.

"Isabella, no. You don't seem to understand how inappropriate this is."

"No, I do. I just don't care." With that she popped out of the car, stumbling on her feet in the process, and turned around to face him. "If you turn around and go back the way you came from, you'll see a turn off for the alleyway behind the house that is hidden behind trees. You can park back there. I'll let you in through the back door in ten minutes. Hide in the bushes until I get there." She then shut the door and ran into the house after looking to her left and right.

Edward growled and smacked his hands off of the steering wheel before putting it into gear and turning around. He grumbled until he found the alleyway and inched along, trying to find the Swan mansion through the tree cover. He parked and turned off the car. Half of him wanted to turn around and leave. Isabella was clearly out of her mind. The fact that she would even suggest such an idea was a sure sign of instability. Not only did she barely know him but she was aware of how to hide the fact that he was even there. He knew that he could not just leave without telling her but he also knew that once she had her grip on him, he would not be able to say no. While he knew that Isabella's innocence was intact, he could not help but let his mind wander as to the events that would take place once he was inside….

He shook his head, furious with himself for even thinking such a thing about his angel. As he climbed out of his car, he berated himself on all things moral. He was upset for letting it get this far. Isabella clearly did not understand the kind of thing that she was suggesting by asking him to stay the night, innocent or not. He also knew that he did not want it to be himself that caused her to lose her innocence in the eyes of the town.

The idea was completely inappropriate. He had no idea about her feeling for him but he was sure of his own. He loved her with everything he had. The thought of anything hurting her disgusted him and the fact that he could that by telling her that he had to go home was even worse. He also knew that, sometimes, his will was not the strongest that one might find in a seventeen year old male. He did not want to put Isabella in a position that she was not comfortable in.

As he crouched in the shadows of the bush outside the back door, he felt that he could sink no lower. He was going against everything he had been raised up to be. He was entering a girl's house, unsupervised, and at night. The alarms were going off in his head as he saw a light pop on in an upstairs window. This was wrong in all accounts of the word. She was wrong to suggest it but it was entirely his fault for going along with it. He should have had the nerve to stop her when she first brought it up. Looking back on it, he felt like he had not even tried. She had gotten the better of him once again.

After a few more minutes of draining the subject of his morals, the back door slowly opened silently. A white hand peeked out first. After a moment, the head of an angel came out veiled in deep mahogany hair. "Edward?" she whispered into the night. She sounded even more angelic in the silence.

He stepped out of the shadows. She jumped slightly and he heard her breath catch in her throat. He hand rose to her chest but she relaxed a moment later when she saw that it was Edward. Her hand reached out once again, taking his in hers.

"I'm sorry," he whispered but he still felt as though he was being too loud. Compared to her voice of bells, his sounded like the reverberating of cymbals.

She just laughed; a violin's soft tremolo. "It's alright. I'm just a tad bit jumpy." She gave his arm a gentle tug and pulled him towards the door frame.

He stumbled, half of him wanting to turn around and retreat to his car while the other wanted to pick her up and take her inside in his arms. "I-I can't."

"Nonsense," she said as he seemed to float into the house and she closed the door behind him. They were now shrouded in darkness. She moved closer to him and put a finger to his lips to signal him to be quiet. "The maids have retired but Betsy listens like a hawk." She seemed to laugh at her own joke as he felt her body shake close to his. She gave his arm another tug as they started up a pair of steps that would normally be used by the help. On the fifth step she stumbled and hit her knee. She groaned quietly; a low note on the piano. Edward put an arm around her waist to steady her and he felt her start to laugh again. They started to move once again. Once they reached the second floor, she pulled him away from the steps and onto a landing. She passed through a door and into a hallway. They walked down the hallway, their footsteps muffled by the carpeting that Edward assumed was immaculately white like the rest of the house.

Isabella turned towards a door and started to open it. Edward pulled on her arm. "This is wrong," came out of his mouth before he could stop it but Isabella ignored him and shoved him into the now open room.

It was not what he had been expecting. He thought that he would see bright white walls, a white bedspread with white pillow covers, a white dresser, and a white door leading to her closet. He thought he might see some trinkets laying orderly in their places. He expected a flawless room that matched the rest of the carefully arranged house.

Isabella's room was far from that. True, the carpet was white, but that was it. Her walls were painted a soft baby blue while the ceiling was a pale yellow. There was a large, antique, oak dresser next to him with a large mirror hanging over it. Pieces of jewelry and other little items were strewn across the top with what Edward could only think as disarray. Her closet on the side wall was still open and jammed packed with what he could tell were numerous designer gowns of all styles and colors. Opposite him was a large bay window that took up most of the wall and over looked the back yard and forest. The couch on the bay window had a lavender covering and lavender accent pillows. In the middle of her room was a queen sized bed with a soft pink comforter and different colored pillows. Her walls were covered in pieces of art. The small end table by her bed was cluttered with pictures as well but these were photographs. The room was spacious even with the enormous bed in the center.

He turned to Isabella who was still standing behind him. She seemed to be waiting for his reaction because she seemed nervous. She was standing against her door and her hands were fidgeting. She never looked smaller or more delicate to him.

She took a step forward and the light from her lamp fell on her. Edward knew that he should look away but he could not. She was wearing a sea green dressing robe with the sash tied around her slight form tightly. Her dark hair was curly and it fell in front of her until her stomach. Her face was as pale as ever. She bit her lip and her eyes seemed to glow in the semi-darkness. Edward turned away but not before he saw a bright, crimson blush come over her cheeks. The sight drove him even madder as he turned away from her completely.

After a moment, he made a move towards the door, still not looking at her. "I really shouldn't be here…." He successfully had his hand on the doorknob when a small hand gripped his elbow tightly.

"No." That was all she said. It was forceful. It was captivating. It was strong.

She then managed to turn him around with more force than he thought she was capable of. She was directly in front of him and he had to lower his head to see her properly.

She looked beautiful, more so than she ever had. She was gazing up at him with passionate eyes. She was so sure of herself. She was determined. He never felt more aware of her in that minute and not just because her body was practically up against his.

But suddenly, that resolute stature was replaced by a vulnerable one. She licked her lips as she lowered her head to stare at his chest. Edward unconsciously took a step forward and placed a finger under her chin. He gently forced her to look up at him. A strand of hair fell across her face as she complied. He reached up and tucked it behind her ear, brushing her cheek with his fingertips in the process. She closed her eyes in response and opened them once again as his hand remained on her cheek. Her chocolate eyes bore into his green ones intensely. The gaze was nearly overwhelming him. He felt as though he could fall right into her irises; they seemed fathomless. This time it was Isabella who took a step forward, tilting her head back more. He felt her moving closer to his face as he caressed her cheek gently. He saw her close her eyes and something within him broke.

On instinct, he wrapped his other hand around her tiny waist as her hands came to rest on his chest. They moved closer together slowly, as though they were magnetized. They could not stop it if they wanted it. He knew that he was drawn to her. They were close that their noses were almost touching. His own eyes flickered shut. He could feel her warm breath on his nose, his cheeks, his lips. He could smell her flowery scent all around him; he was intoxicated. He knew that her own lusciously pink lips were only a mere inch from his own. The thought made his heart beat so wildly in chest that he was sure that she would be able to hear it with how close she was standing. He was about to take the finally leap and put an end to all the unnecessary space between them.

THUMP!

They broke apart with lightning speed, panting heavily. The sound came from the floor below, more than likely the shutting of a door. They just stared at each other, both overheated and blushing from their almost encounter. As he looked at Isabella, so embarrassed and alluring, he wanted to grab her and kiss her like they almost had. But the moment was gone and he knew that as she turned away.

She sat down on the bench at the bay window and looked out into the night. She sighed, her breath shaky as it entered her lungs. Edward slowly approached her, not wanting to startle her. As he did, she drew her knees to her chest, making room for him to sit across from her. He did and laid a hand on her knee which earned him a halfhearted smile in return.

"Isabella..." he said, waiting to say something, anything. He felt that the situation warranted something but he just did not know what. Not that it mattered because Isabella herself quickly filled the silence.

"I…I really was frightened by what happened tonight. I wouldn't have asked you to stay otherwise," she mumbled, pulling her legs closer to her body. "It's just, I've always been taught to be strong."

Edward gently rubbed her knee in comfort. "I know, Isabella. It's alright. I'm here."

She looked up him, her eyes covered by drooping lids. "I just…I don't want you to be under the impression that I do this sort of thing."

Edward could tell that his eyebrows were knotted together in confusion. "What do you mean? What sort of thing?"

She blushed and looked back out the window. "You know…inviting young men to spend the night with me."

Edward chuckled under his breath and put a hand on her cheek to get her to look at him. "Never would I have thought such a thing from you, Isabella. Never."

She smiled up at him. "Thank you again, Edward." She placed a hand on his own and continued to stare out the window into the night.

After a while, she walked over to her bed and pulled the covers down. She tossed some of the extra pillows on the floor and climbed in after hitting her foot off the frame of the bed and wincing. Edward returned his gaze to the window, the picture of the dutiful look out.

"Edward," Isabella whispered.

His head snapped over to look at her. She was snuggled under her covers and her hair surrounded her. She looked like the sculpture a goddess from Greek Mythology. Her pale complexion only added to the attractive illusion. A smile broke over her face and he could have sworn he melted right there. Her hand reached up and patted to the right side of the bed that was untouched.

Edward shook his head and leaned back against the frame of the window. "Remember that conversation we had about things being inappropriate?" She nodded, still smiling at him. "Yes, that would fall under that category."

"Well…you're already here," she said, earning another disapproving head shake. "Please, Edward?" she pleaded. Her voice sounded like sugar to him and he closed his eyes as though it would be helpful against her attack.

"No, Isabella." He did his best to sound firm but even he could hear the slight shake in his voice.

"What are you going to do? Sleep sitting up?" she questioned, a pout starting to form on her features.

"Who says I need to sleep?" he challenged, smirking at her.

"Says the boy who just yawned." She had him and she knew it.

He grumbled as he stood up and walked around the bed. He sat down on top of the covers and slipped his shoes off. He laid his legs out in front of him and leaned against the head board as he looked down at her. She smiled up at him. She then turned her head towards the window where the dark night loomed. He saw worry come over her features and his heart broke.

He reached over and stroked the hair from her forehead. She sighed and closed her eyes as she snuggled further into her warm bed.

"Don't worry, Miss Isabella Swan. No one's going harm you…not while I'm around."

She smiled lazily at his sincere promise. He knew that he made her feel safe as she finally started to drift away into slumber and he hummed her lullaby softly in the silence of the night.


Well, there is chapter six. I really enjoyed writing this one even though it was kind of difficult. I hope that it shows…that's it was fun, not difficult.

I don't really have much to say at the moment.

Oh, and anyone who can figure out where Edward's last line came from unintentionally, you get a nice, big virtu-cookie! (Michelle, Jackie, and Tom—you guys are excluded from this because I know that you know! And if you didn't pick up on it…well, then…shame on you! Lol.)

Pumpkin.