Leave me love, sorry it took so long to update!! I will update at least one more time this weekend. I have 4 stories going on at once LOL.

I do NOT own Twilight but I DO own Colleen Murphy and all things pertaining to her.


EPOV

Emmet and I walked side by side, watching Colleen as she nervously walked at a high clip. The clothes were rough, but I didn't mind. Reaching up, I adjusted my hat, Em's idea, It covered my recognizable bronze locks. We'd been walking for a while before I noticed that all the houses were small and wood framed. All the yards full of small children. We must be getting close.

"Look, Edward. What are you doing with Colleen? She ha had a rough life. She deserves to be loved without complications," Em said, tipping his hat up slightly so I could better see his face.

"I want to love her Em. I don't want to toy with her, but I have to be sure. I can't uproot myself if it isn't something that will last. I know I'm doing wrong. I know," I shook my head as I spoke.

Em clapped my back with one of his large hands ion a gesture I knew to be comforting. I was glad I had grown up with this big brute and that my father was so fond of hiring out of the Irish community. Looking up, I realized Colleen was opening the gate to a two story, white, wood frame house. It was large than most in the neighborhood, but still very modest. There were two boys, they looked like twins, sitting in the front yard playing. Colleen reached down and tousled their hair as she walked up the porch steps to wait for us.

"Emmett," the boys ran up to Em and threw their arms around his legs.

"Will, Thom," he nodded to the boys, they must have been three.

"Well, come on then," Colleen called from the porch.

We followed her inside, Em seeming just as nervous as I was as he wrung his hat in his hands. The sitting room was very plain. There were a few chairs and a cradle with a small child sleeping in it in the corner. A tall man rocked in one of the chairs, reading a book. His years could be counted by the wrinkles around his eyes. His red hair was no longer vibrant, like Colleens, but muted with grey.

"Da," Colleen called, breaking the man's attention.

"Ah, sweet daughter, who have you brought home?" he stood as he spoke.

"Da, you know Em, but this is Edward. He is a good friend of Em's," Colleen lied.

He reached out for my hand, "You can call me Collin."

His hands were far rougher than Colleen's, their lives must be hard. He smiled broadly and I found myself smiling back. I wondered how he would feel about me if he knew the truth of my relationship to Colleen. Em flinched slightly beside me and I then saw why he was just as anxious to be here.

A blond girl, a few inches taller than Colleen, had come flying around the corner when she'd heard Colleen's voice. She was beautiful. Slim and pale, she was almost out of place. Em blushed slightly.

"Rosalie," Colleen spoke, "you remember Emmett? And this is Edward."

The blond girl bowed slightly to me and walked up to Em and threw her arms around his neck, teasing him about being gone for so long. Really, the atmosphere of their home was very cozy.

"Let me show you around the house," Colleen offered, gaining a quizzical look from her father.

She took me through the kitchen, one of the larger rooms in the house. It seemed well used. Her step-mother was in the room preparing dinner with Rosalie and a couple of her other siblings. Next, was the small room where her father kept what few books they had, there were also some pictures in here. I recognized some of the faces as the siblings currently in the house, but there were four older boys I did not.

"Those are my elder brothers," Colleen noticed my curiosity, "Michael, the oldest, died in the war. I miss him terribly. Liam, is currently overseas, we pray daily for his safe return. His last letter mentioned an illness that seemed to be griping some of the troops. That," she pointed, " is Riley, he lives down the street with his wife and two boys. The last one is Malachy, he died six months ago from a fever. My father was crushed."

The sadness in her eyes hurt me, I wanted to keep her from any pain I could. Gently, I slid my hand into the underside of her braid. Colleen looked at me with longing. Our lips touched each other. The heat from the gentle kiss was amazing.

"Stop," Colleen sighed.

Throughout the evening, I enjoyed myself. I watched as Emmett tried to win over Rosalie. It seemed as though he was successful. Colleen let her guard down and was totally herself, she laughed and told stories and sang as her father played a guitar. Her family got on so well and was so lively, I didn't want to leave.

I had to leave though and, when the evening came to a close, Colleen walked me as far as the edge of her neighborhood. I didn't want her to, but she insisted and her father was ok with it. So, I walked down the street, hand in hand, with the girl I loved.

"Colleen," I said, unsure of myself, "I find myself wanting to believe that this," I lfted our joined hands, "could really happen. I think I love you."

We stopped and she turned to me, her eyes searching my face. I though Colleen might cry and I was upset hat I had caused it and wanted to take it all back. The night was cool around us and all was quiet. This is where I always wanted to be.

"Oh, Edward," she looked down and I felt a hot tear hit my hand, " I do too. We can't. I love you too, but we just can't."

Then, Colleen was sobbing. Just sobbing. My heart ached and I was immensely glad that the houses surrounding us were dark. I couldn't imagine how this might look. I lifted her, not wanting to watch her weep on the ground anymore, and held her tightly to me.

"Please, Colleen, don't cry. I can't stand it, it hurts me so to watch it. We will figure this out," I nuzzled her as I spoke.

Slowly, her sobs became less violent and she calmed. She looked up at me, her eyes sad and hollow, and pulled my face down to meet hers. Despite the tears on her face, I had longed for her to kiss me. The sweetness there was something utterly unknown to me before Colleen.

"I have to get home, my darling," I brushed the tops of my fingers across her red, swollen cheek.

"I know," her voice was hoarse as she rose.

She stood there, under the gas lamp light, and watched me walk away until she was nothing but a small speck. I loved her, completely and totally. My parents had made it work, so why couldn't we. I didn't want to hurt Bella. I still felt so very very torn.

I tromped up the front steps, finding the door unlocked for me and went inside. Everyone was asleep. I had been out so late, yet they trusted me. I wasn't sure why anyone trusted me at this point. I was not worthy of it. I shed Emmett's clothes and placed them in the back of my closet for future use.

As I laid down in my soft, warm bed, I didn't know the trials that would lay before me. I didn't know that I should treasure my time here, happy. It would haunt me often later in life.