SM owns it.

Lots of music for this chapter, some may repeat in future chapters:

Comatose by Skillet
B.Y.O.B. by System of a Down
The Way of the Fist by Five Finger Death Punch
I Will Not Bow by Breaking Benjamin
Bullet and a Target by Citizen Cope
Kryptonite by 3 Doors Down
Deeper by Delirious?
If You Could Only See (Acoustic) by Tonic
Everything Changes (Live) by Staind
Closer to You by Adelita's Way

I roll over in my bed and look at the clock, it's six thirty in the morning. I stretch a bit and decide to get up and go for a run. Being a doctor means long and strange hours, so the fact that I only got five hours of sleep doesn't phase me. I get out of bed, slip on my running shorts, wife beater and sneakers and make my way down stares. I grab a bottle of water and my iPod before heading out the door.

I step outside and breath in the crisp morning air, another beautiful day. The birds are singing and there is fresh dew on the grass. It's just too perfect, maybe this and last night are all just a dream. No, no way it was just a dream, if it was a dream she wouldn't have had a boyfriend

I take another deep breath then drink my water. I stretch out all the kinks and muscles making sure to take my time. I select my play list specifically selected and timed to my morning runs and start on my way for my morning run.

I start out slow with Comatose by Skillet. As the song is blasted into my ears I start to think back to last night and the brown-eyed angel with a voice from the heavens. She was amazing, absolutely mesmerizing. There was a depth to her eyes like I've never seen before. She was flirty but not too much to make her seem desperate, of course she has a boyfriend but even knowing that her flirting was sexy and not sleazy. She seemed very comfortable in her own skin, confident but her modesty shown thru with her blush when given a compliment.

And for once, I had a real conversation that didn't require me keeping it going. Not only did she give real, intelligent answers to my inquiries about her, but she also asked real questions about me and was genuinely interested in what I had to say.

The iPod changes over to B.Y.O.B. and I start to really push myself.

Now normally I make it a point not to flash around the fact that I have deep pockets on the first couple dates. But then again, last night wasn't really a date. It was guys night and we just happened to join some beautiful women while we were out. I didn't mind when I saw that the tab came to just around two hundred and fifty dollars. It was nice of Bella to offer to pay part of the tab, but completely unnecessary. I didn't let her know that I saw her slip that cash to the waitress when I was signing the slip. She's so refreshing, like a breath of fresh air. And with that thought I take an extra deep breath, which isn't that easy when your eight minutes into a hardcore run.

The song changes to The Way of the Fist and I really push myself as I break into the last half of my run. What am I going to do? There's no way I'm going to be able to not think about her. She's breathtaking. But she is in a long term relationship, I wonder if that's where the sadness that was in her eyes last night came from. I feel a deep seeded need to get to know her more. I guess I'll have to settle for being just her friend. I'm not going to even attempt to try to get her away from her boyfriend, that's just not who I am.

I make my way back towards the house just as I Will Not Bow begins, it seems I have pushed myself a bit harder this morning as I have my play list timed for my 3 mile run and have gotten home before the end of the song. Once I reach the house I start my cool down and stretch some more. I walk back in the house, looking around to see if Emmett and Jasper are up yet, then grabbing another bottle of water. Still no sign of the guys, I think I'll take a quick dip in the pool before I head up for my shower. The pool is still sort of chilly, but it is still May. But it sure is refreshing.

I head up to my room for a shower and get ready for the day. Dinner with Mom and Dad should be interesting tonight after the twins' declarations to the women last night.

While in the shower my thoughts still revolve around Bella, I just can't get her out of my head. What was with the electrical current that passed between us each time we touched? Did she feel it too? Why was it so addicting? The longer I was in the shower, the more I thought of her. And that caused another problem down around my waist. For a moment I just stared at it, no woman has ever had this effect on me. No woman has ever caused this type of involuntary reaction from my body before. What has she done to me?

I felt guilty pleasuring myself to thoughts of her and wanted to apologize even though, without me telling her, she would have no idea. And surprisingly, I didn't find it all that pleasurable. It was a release, but I knew there was no way it could ever compare.

After my shower I towel off and dress casually in jeans and a t-shirt. I brush my teeth and run my hands thru my hair, no point in trying to do anything else with this mop, it's just going to do what it wants anyway. I look around my room trying to decide what I'm going to do with my day until it's time to head over to our parents' house for dinner. I see my guitars propped up on their stands in the corner and suddenly feel inspired to play. I grab my favorite acoustic and head downstairs to the den, picking up my iPod again on the way. I make my way over to my favorite chair that's next to the large bay window that looks out to the five acre back yard.

I love my back yard, it's perfect for a family, the perimeter is lined with large pines that serve as a natural fence and provide plenty of privacy. Ever the optimistic that I am, that's why I bought it, with plans for the future. But right now it sure is empty. Sure, we have the big in-ground pool that is surrounded by a large, custom laid block patio with a built in grill that's great for entertaining. Not that me or my brothers do any real entertaining, but we could if we wanted to.

When the time comes, this home will be mine with my wife and children. I was the one that had to have this house. Originally when we discussed getting a place for the three of us, we decided that it would be something small but big enough for just the three of us, and temporary.

The day the realtor brought me out here for the first time I absolutely fell in love with it and immediately started envisioning the sounds of joy and laughter filling the air while children ran from room to room, and smells coming from the kitchen as my wife and I cooked meals together. When I looked out to the back yard for the first time I could picture birthday parties by the pool and children climbing on a large playground that wasn't yet there. Back towards the corner of the yard I swear I saw a flash of a garden wedding under a gazebo. This house was a dream and there was no way I was going to pass it up.

I made a promise to myself that day. I was going to make sure that this dream and those visions someday become a reality.

Without speaking to my brothers first, I bought the house on the spot, well, as on the spot as you can when it comes to buying a house. And if they didn't like it then they could just find another place without me. We weren't going to live together because of money, we were going to live together because it could get quite lonely at times in the careers that we have chosen without having a significant other to share our lives with. So until we found someone special to share our lives, we will live together.

Obviously they didn't have a problem with it because they live here with me now. They both laughed the first time they saw the house, asking what I was going to do with such a large house when they moved out. I didn't tell them about the visions I had of the home, not wanting to spur any more of their jokes. I did, however, tell my mother all about them and she has been very supportive and understanding. None of us had any children yet, so I felt ridiculous asking my brothers to help me build a playground in the back yard just yet. I know they will help when the time comes, but for now I'll just wait so I can avoid the Michael Jackson jokes at my expense. But maybe I can start working on some of the other visions. I make a mental note to speak to Mom privately tonight when we go for dinner and see if she wants to help me work with a landscape artist and start working on the garden and gazebo I had envisioned.

One day, I commit to myself, pulling myself back to the here and now.

I strum my guitar and my thoughts automatically drift back to Bella and the magical way our voices melted together last night when we sang together. Before we went up on stage she had asked me if I was ready. And my reply was about more than just singing with her. By the way she looked at me, it looked like she understood.

I know that she has a boyfriend, and I certainly hope that he knows just how lucky he is and doesn't take a moment with her for granted. But I must have her in my life. I'll just have to be content with being her friend. For now. I think about the pain of having her in my life while not being able to call her mine, but it doesn't compare to the amount of pain if I didn't have her in my life at all.

But she is it for me, I can feel it in my bones. There is no one else. No one else that could make me feel as alive as I felt the moment I heard her voice. And when she had placed her hand upon my chest, it was like she jump started my heard and placed a tattoo on my soul. I will wait until forever if that is what it takes. She may not know it, but she has marked me as her's..... for eternity.

I hear Emmett and Jasper in the kitchen and snap out of my daydream. I look at the clock and see that it's almost eleven already. My pansy-assed lawyer brothers and their beauty sleep. They would never make it in my world. Sure they can argue their way out of just about anything, but if they don't get their required hours of sleep, they are useless. Man are they in for it when they finally have kids.

Bringing my attention back to my guitar, I strum a few more chords before I start flipping thru my iPod to see if I find anything that grabs my interest. Music has always come so naturally to me, no sheet music ever needed. I start a new play list to play along with for the songs I've not played before, wanting to add a few to my repertoire. I start with a couple that I play often when I do Open Mic Night at Breaking Dawn. I warm up with Bullet and a Target then Kryptonite. At some point the guys had walked in the den, both on their phones. They enjoy listening and on occasion Jasper will grab a guitar and join me, but it looks like he's too wrapped up in his phone conversation for that right now. If any of these next few songs feel good I'll add them to the list of the ones I play at Breaking Dawn. I hit play and with one bud in my ear I begin the ones I've not played before.

After my first run thru I decide to add Deeper, If You Could Only See, Everything Changes, and Closer to You. The guys seemed to approve and agree. I edit my play list and play each one again, once with the accompaniment and once without. They feel good, will definitely need more practice before I play them on stage, but they feel good none the less.

When I play, whether it be the guitar or the piano, I don't pay attention to much else. I let the music fill me and take over. I think I heard Jasper say my name, but he knows I don't respond to anything less than an emergency while I'm playing, so he's most likely not talking to me. I finish up and look at my watch. We'll be leaving to head over to Mom and Dad's for dinner soon, there's nothing like a home cooked meal from Mom. I save the new songs under a new play list so that I can work on memorizing them, then pick up my guitar to take upstairs and put away. I go into my home office and print out the lyrics to the new songs just to make sure I'm getting the right. At quick glance I don't see anything that stands out. I tuck the sheets into my folder with the other song lyrics I have and walk back downstairs to let the guys know I'm ready.

I head into the garage to wait for the guys in my Volvo. When they step into the garage they both have guilty looks on their faces.

"Alright, what's going on?" I ask.

Emmett speaks up, but quietly, "we're going to take the Hummer. After dinner with Mom and Dad we are going to see the Rose and Ali, so we figured we would just take a separate vehicle."

"Ok," I tell them, not really understanding why they look so guilty, "that's certainly understandable. You don't need to look so guilty for wanting to spend time with the ladies."

"But," Jasper says, then shakes his head and decides to drop it, "never mind."

"Guys, it's fine. I'll see you there." And with that we make the short trip to Mom and Dad's separately for the first time since moving into this house over a year ago.

Mom is waiting on the front porch pretending to water her plants when I pull up. I see her confusion when she sees that we didn't ride together and I am alone in my car. I arrived first because, not to brag but, I drive like a Cullen. I walk up on the porch and greet Mom with a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Hey Mom, Jazz and Em should be here any minute. They will be leaving shortly after dinner to go spend some time with their new lady friends that we met last night. I promise to tell you anything I can that they don't after they leave, but you know Em, he doesn't keep much to his self so there probably won't be much to tell. Not about them anyway. But I do need to talk to you later about something." Just then, they pull up in the Hummer and I turn with Mom to greet the guys.

I think I heard Emmett call me a "speed demon" and Jasper mumble a "lead foot" but I just grin. I know my car and how to handle it.

I walk into the kitchen with Mom while my brothers go looking for Dad in the den. I help get the rest of dinner ready and on the table then go tell everyone that dinner is ready. The first few minutes at the table are pretty quiet while we fix our plates. Dad and I practically work together at the hospital, but we try to refrain from talking 'shop' on Sundays during dinner.

The guys work their way into talking about last night, well, Emmett does anyway. Emmett does most of the talking, Jasper is a little more quiet and reserved, but who can get a word in with Emmett around.

"Ma, I met my wife last night, she's great, your going to love her. I tried to get her to marry me last night, but she said to give it a month and that we had to meet each other's families first. But Mom, she's wonderful."

"And you know this after knowing her just a few hours?" Mom asks Emmett skeptically, to which I stifle a laugh.

"It's not just me, Ma. Jazz too!" It's harder to hold back the laugh now, but I'm doing well not choking on the delicious pot roast. "And even Edweirdo over there, he just doesn't know it yet, or is in denial or something like that."

"Whoa, hold on just a minute." I clear my throat, sip my sweet tea and clear things up, "I will admit that Bella was a pleasure to talk to last night and is the first girl I've met in a long time that has been able to hold a decent conversation for longer than 2 minutes. But I'm not the one that declared my love and intentions as my first words after introducing myself. And besides, she has a boyfriend. I can be her friend, but I'm not interfering."

"Whatever," Emmett says rolling his eyes. Jasper still has not said a thing about it.

"So what can you tell me about them?" Mom asks looking to Jasper, hoping to get him to speak up.

Jasper looks up with a mouth full of food and the dear in the headlights look on his face when he realizes she was asking him.

"Well, Alice is an entrepreneur, she owns a small clothing boutique in downtown Baltimore, she has a degree in business management and studied fashion for two years before deciding to open her own place. She lives with her sister, Rosalie, but all three of them are really close. She has a kind soul and a giving heart." Jasper shrugs his shoulders and puts another bite of potatoes in his mouth very matter of factly, not once breaking eye contact with Mom.

"And what about you Em?"

"Rose is the best! She also owns her own business," he says with a huge grin on his face. "Get this," he closes his eyes, just brimming with excitement of what he's about to say, "she owns and is head mechanic of R.S. Motorworks. She also works with a local organization that helps single mothers in need that need work done to their vehicles. She often does work for less than cost when she can for these single mothers thanks to donations from the community, which I think I'll make a donation to. Even though she lives with her sister, she is very independent and strong willed and has a big heart. Oh, and she's a twin."

"You're welcome guys," I say with a very confused look from my mother and father.

"These two fools wouldn't know half of that if it weren't for me. They got to the table, introduced themselves and then just stared at them. After I got the conversation going, while these bozos just continued to stare, they finally spoke up, only to declare their love for the fine ladies."

"Now, now Eddie-boy, you were just as smitten if not more, from the moment you heard Bella sing."

"I'll admit, I was quite captivated by her angelic voice. But I didn't start confessing my love for her, telling her I wanted to bring her home to Mama and run off and get married." I countered Emmett.

"Oh no. No, no, no. Where's my phone?" He pulls out his phone and starts his search. "He's in deeper than us, Ma. Don't let him deny it. He may not have said the words, but after you see this you'll see there were no words that could have said it better." My body tenses up slightly, wondering if Emmett had heard me last night say just that, there are no words.

"Emmett, what are you talking about?" I ask, then look at Jasper who looks just as smug.

"Here Ma, look at this" and Emmett hands his phone over to our mother.

"Oh my," she gasps and covers her mouth.

I can here the song Bella and I sung together last night. "What….? What is that?"

"That, my dear brother, is proof." Emmett looks so proud of himself.

"I don't remember you taking video of us last night," I must admit, I'm a little shocked.

My mother briefly looks at me with a big grin on her face. "No dear, it doesn't look like you would remember or noticed anything else going on around you. I will say, I'm a bit surprised you got up there without your guitar."

"Yeah, well, I," what is wrong with me, I can't even form a coherent thought while that song is still playing.

The video comes to an end, she hands the phone back to Emmett, reaches across the table to grab my hand and the only thing she can think to say is "wow."

"Let me see that, better yet send it to me, I need that on my phone. And why is everyone looking at me like that? Can we just finish our dinner please?"

"It's okay sweetie. Yes, lets finish eating. I'm sure you boys are anxious to get out of here."

Both Emmett and Jasper don't hold back and agree that they are in fact ready to go see Alice and Rose.

"Next Sunday you two should bring Alice and Rose to dinner. If you think it's really that serious, there's no reason to delay the inevitable."

"Sure thing Mama" Jasper pipes in, "I'll make sure to let Alice know so she doesn't make any plans for next weekend."

"Well Ma, dinner was delish as always. Do you have an evening free this week to do some shopping with me? There's something I need some help with?

"Emmett, if this shopping is for what I think it's for, let's hold off until I've met the girl first, okay? I'm not saying I don't trust your judgement, but I can better help you once I've gotten to know her a little bit."

"Okay Ma, so the next week then?"

"Yes Emmett, we will figure out an evening to go shopping?"

"Mama?"

"Yes Jasper, for you too?" I see Mom roll her eyes. "I've never seen two young men so rushed to get a ring on a girls finger."

Dad finally speaks up, "you know Esme, I was the same way, but it took forever for me to find the perfect ring."

"Carlisle, you asked after only 3 months, it couldn't have taken you that long."

"Actually, my darling, it took me two months, three weeks and five days to find the perfect ring."

"Aww, sweetheart, you never told me that." By now Mom is up out of her seat and walking towards Dad. Dad slides back from the table making room for Mom in his lap. She starts peppering his face with kisses and my brothers and I all groan in protest. At this moment I'm a little jealous that they have somewhere to go while I'm staying for a bit to talk to Mom.

Emmett and Jasper stand from the table and excuse themselves after thanking her for dinner and make their way out. I stand and start to clear the table so that I don't have to witness their over expression of love. Don't get me wrong, it's great that they are still so in love and can express it openly to each other, but no one wants to watch their parents make out like teenagers. I hope they can rein it in when the girls come by, but I'm sure that's too much to ask.

I get the table cleared and leftovers put away with some set aside to take home. I walk back in the dinning room to wipe the table down and see that my parents have finally separated their lips from each other. Dad gets up and goes back into the den.

"Thanks for cleaning up, you didn't have to do that."

"Oh, it's no problem Mom. Besides, you were a little busy."

"Come on Baby Boy, let's go in by the piano and we'll talk," she winks at me. "I want to hear all about this Bella, without your brothers around." She puts her arm around my waist and we walk to the other side of the house.

Just then my phone chimes with a new message and when I check it I see that Emmett has forwarded the video from last night to me. I download it and watch it all the way thru.

"She must really be something. I don't think I've ever seen someone look at another person the way you are looking at her in the video."

"She is. She's unlike anyone I've ever met. She was singing when we walked in the bar. And the moment I heard her voice it was like everything else disappeared. Her voice called to me. She didn't even see me at first, she had her eyes closed. And when the song was over and she opened her eyes, I…I…I, I just, Mom, I don't even know, there were no words. Her eyes held something in them that I've never seen before, an impossible depth that I wanted to dive into." There was no way I was keeping any of this in, I needed to tell someone.

"And then, her and her friend walked past us to go to the ladies' room or somewhere in the back and when she walked by and she put her hand on my chest, it was like my heart exploded and there was this electrical current between us. I kept testing that spark, when we walked up on stage and when we left for the night, and it was there. It wasn't my imagination, it was real. It was real Mom."

"Did she feel it too?"

"I have no idea." I start running my hands back and forth on my thighs then thru my hair. "But she has a boyfriend, and from what I got last night, I think they have been together for a really long time. But there was this sadness in her eyes, not all the time, but it was there and it makes me wonder if maybe she's not happy with him. Maybe that's just me hoping, but she never spoke ill of him, but she never really said much about him at all."

"So what are you going to do?"

"I'm not sure. I'm not going to pursue her and try to damage her relationship."

"No, of course, you would never do that."

"I know it will be painful to be around her and not be able to make her mine. But when I think of not being able to have her in my life at all, that's so much worse."

"Is this what you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Well, yes and no. I knew we would talk about this, I certainly can't talk to the Tweedle Twins about this. But I actually have a favor to ask of you."

"Tweedle Twins? Really Edward?"

"Yeah, ya like that? I came up with that one last night after Emmett kept calling me Eddie. But anyway, Mom, remember when I bought the house last year and I told you about the visions I had the first time I saw it?" She nods. "Well, I want to start working on making some of that a reality. And I think I want to start on the garden and gazebo in the back yard. Do you think you could help me work with a landscape artist to make this happen?"

"Edward, of course. I would love to help you with that, thank you for asking me. But I'm going to need some payment, what do you say you play a bit for your mother?"

"Of course, you know all you have to do is ask Mom. Anything in particular that you would like to hear?"

"No, just whatever moves you."

She sat next to me on the piano bench while I played. "You really got up on stage without your guitar or piano?"

"Yeah, I know. I feel so naked on stage without an instrument, singing has never been my strong talent. But that was the only way I could get the waitress to leave us alone, to have her put me on the list." I laugh thinking back to the amusement on Bella's face. "And then when she offered to do a duet with me, I couldn't pass it up."

"So I've seen. Just hang in there. If what I saw on that video is any indication of the possibilities between the two of you, it will happen, just be patient."

"Thanks Mom. I don't know how I'm going to do it. But I'm going to try."

I grab my leftovers from the kitchen, give Mom another hug and kiss on the cheek and head home.

The guys aren't home when I get there. I didn't really expect them to be. But I know they won't be out too late, they both have work in the morning. I walk thru the house and decide to just head up for bed. The last thing I remember before falling asleep is watching the video of myself and Bella.

Yep, I definitely fell in love last night. She's beautiful, incredible, perfect.

A/N: Leave me some love. I'm greatful for any feedback.

I didn't get as much writing does this week as I had planned, so I don't know if I'll be on time next week with a Sunday update. Trying to stay a chapter ahead of posting is hard when you want to read other great stories too.