Hey everybody! Hope you had an awesome week!

Thank you so much to everyone who reads and a special thank you to those who take the time to review. I'm sorry if I wasn't able to reply but I read every single one and they make my week!

Huge thanks to Kimmcarr, whatobsession17 & Jessypt for fitting my little story into their busy lives. Love you ladies!

As always, I don't own the Twilight characters, I just took their homes away...

WARNING!

This story contains subject matter which may be offensive to some readers. I will try to post a warning before each chapter if I feel there is a need, but the story in general deals with mature themes.

*This chapter contains some mature lemon zest content*

Your stitches are all out

But your scars are healing wrong

You thought by now you'd be

So much better than you are

You thought by now they'd see

That you have come so far

-Regina Spektor

EPOV -Day three in Forks

We spend the morning wrapped up in the sheets making out like teenagers. I'm trying so hard to keep my hands to myself; it isn't working. They've already found their way to her hair. It's like gravity; my hands have to be on her. I had touched her chest before but don't want her to think I feel I can just go for it anytime I want. So, I'm waiting for some signal from her to tell me it's ok. Until then, I'll try to stay away.

Her arms are wrapped tightly around my waist and mine in her hair. We're both lying on our sides facing each other, our legs tangled together. I have no idea how long we've been kissing, but it's been a while. It started out frantic and needy but now we just lay there kissing and only pulling back to breathe. I had no idea it was possible for me to love someone so much.

"Love you," she sighs, her forehead resting against mine.

Times like these, when she looks at me and her eyes are clear, are my favorite. There's no fear, no sadness. She only sees me, and it seems she forgets about her horrible past, if only for a second.

"I love you, too," I say, leaning in and kissing her again, not able to stay away any longer.

My hand slips down her neck. They have a mind of their own and know where they want to be. Bella must notice too because she moves her hands from around my waist and lays them over mine. Slowly, she starts to pull my hands down, down, down. She sets the pace and I let her lead me; the shock of what she's doing makes me stop kissing her. Her hands are still on top of mine, her eyes on me. She pulls my hands over the swells of her breasts and directly on top of them. I groan. There's no other place I want to be. I can feel her hands shaking, this worries me.

"You ok?" I ask, my voice coming out hoarse.

She takes a minute to fight whatever demons are threatening to ruin this moment for us, then she nods and kisses me - hard. Her hands fly to my hair. I squeeze her breast and she moans into my mouth. Fuck, I love that. I pull her on top of me, she giggles, surprised from the quick movement. She recovers and leans down to kiss me. I continue to feel her through her tank top, but I want more.

Still kissing her, I reach up and remove her hands from my hair. I hold her hands and set them on my chest. With one finger I reach up and slip the strap of her tank top down her arm, goose bumps follow the trail the strap makes. I go to the other side and do the same. I don't pull the top down past her breast, I'm not sure if she wants that.

She stops kissing me and lays her head in the crook of my neck, her chest is now pressed against mine. I'm sad I can no longer play with them but feeling them pressed against my chest isn't so bad. I can feel her center on me, and I buck my hips up without even thinking; I want her so bad. She's gone completely still, and I worry it's too much for her.

I wonder if we should stop, but I can't force myself make that decision. If she asks me to stop or starts to panic I will, but I can't do the smart thing and stop this myself. I force my hips to be still, even though I want the friction so badly. I run my hands up and under the back of her shirt and trace soft circles on her back.

After a while I feel her leaving kisses on my neck and feel her grinding her hips into mine.

"Fuck," I groan out. She sits up a little and smirks at me. It's sexy as hell. Yeah, she's ok.

She continues to grind on me and kiss me. I'm in heaven. She sits up and reaches for the hem of her shirt pulling it over her head. I sit with my jaw hanging open, I wonder if this will be my reaction every time. Quickly, I sit up and attack her breasts with kisses. Rolling her over onto her back, I lay on top of her continuing my attention.

She's moaning and still grinding herself against me. I've never been so turned on. I look down at her and she looks to be completely relaxed, no trace of panic. I bring one hand to the waistband of her pants and rub her stomach there, she stiffens a little. I look down at her, and she doesn't look so relaxed anymore.

"It's ok," I tell her, removing my hand from her pants. Her body immediately relaxes.

"I'm sorry, Edward, I want to, I just-"

"Shh, no, it's ok," I say, cutting her off. She's not ready, and it's totally understandable. I don't want my being a horny bastard ruin the perfect morning we've had. I move my hands back to her breasts and continue where we left off.

~*E&B*~

After we've taken our showers and have gotten ready for our day, Bella is quiet. I can tell she feels like she failed, but she hasn't. When she first met me, she wouldn't even look in my eyes or speak. The first time we kissed she had a complete breakdown. Now, she's enjoying herself in the intimate moments we have, she's made amazing progress. I won't lie and say I don't want more, I do, but I will wait.

"What's the depressing mood about?" I ask her, bumping her shoulder with mine. We're packing our stuff up to stay with the Cullens.

She gives me a sad smile, and her reply is more honest than I thought it would be. "I just want to be normal."

The look on her face is heartbreaking. I'm not quick to tell her she is normal, because she isn't. She has been broken. She's healing but I know she needs more than I can give. Carlisle's words run through my head again. Bella needs help.

"I like you just the way you are," I tell her honestly. She looks at me and smiles, the pain leaves her face momentarily.

"Thank you," she says softly. "I... just want... I dunno..." she trails off.

"No, what? Tell me," I say.

"I want... everything. I want a relationship that isn't poisoned by my past. I want to be happy - I don't want to be fucked up," she says with a large sigh, setting the shirts she was folding down.

She's frustrated trying to list the things she wants and just sums it up. I understand. I don't want to be fucked up either. I don't know what to say so I just walk over and hug her.

~E*B~

"So, Bella already knows this place like the back of her hand, but let's give you the tour," Esme says with a smile. Bella agrees and helps herself to a soda from the fridge.

"You've already seen the downstairs; help yourself to anything in the kitchen. I try to keep it stocked but with Emmett and his appetite it's about impossible, and then Alice and..."

She catches herself, and I wonder again what could be going on with Bella's friend that her parents don't want to tell us.

"Well anywho, eat whatever you want and leave me a list of things you would like," she finishes and starts up the stairs. I follow behind her feeling completely out of place.

I've never heard those words before - offers to buy me what I'd like, people telling me to make myself at home. I'm not one of their children, and I don't want to be treated like it. I'm staying here, but I'm working for it. Once the work is done, I'll start paying or leave. I don't say any of this to her though, because she's genuine and one of the nicest people I have ever met - too nice to offend.

We make it to the top of the stairs and now it's just the two of us. Where did Bella go?

"Ok, this first room on the right is for you and Bella - Bella asked if you two could stay together," she says with a smile, opening the door.

No judgment or awkwardness. I expected to have to demand for Bella and me to stay together, but I don't. The Cullens are treating us like adults who can make their own decisions. They understand time period when we were children abandoned us many years ago - many years too early. I look in the room, and my feeling of unease increases.

The room is nice. It's a nice room - in a nice house - a house I don't belong in. The room looks somewhat juvenile but at the same time not at all. The molding that runs through is stark white, and the walls are a soft caramel color. There's black stenciling running on all the walls, random swirls. There's basic furniture and an attached bathroom; I don't look in, but I can see the black swirls on the wall disappear; they must continue in the bathroom.

"We let all the kids choose the decorations for their room. Emmett, he..." Esme shakes her head and groans. "He wanted black and blue checkered walls. It took weeks to paint over it. Alice was all about the pink and purple, total girly girl. This is what Bella picked at thirteen, hers was the only room we didn't have to redecorate when the kids moved out," Esme says with a laugh.

"Bella had her own room?" I ask, surprised. I knew she was close to this family, but I guess I didn't understand how close.

"Yeah, it's the guest room now, but we always considered Bella a part of our family."

After hearing Bella herself decorated this room, I take a closer look at it. This is Bella; this is what she was like before her life was ripped away from her. Calm, that's the feeling in the room. It's a room you could feel peace in, a place to study, read or sleep with no nightmares and demons chasing you. I imagine what Bella's room would look like after everything she's been through, and I don't believe it would look so welcoming or calm.

"All the towels are in there, and you can just throw them in the laundry room when they're dirty." Esme breaks me out of my musing and continues with her tour.

It's the nicest house I've been in but not at all over the top or pretentious. We go back downstairs I see Bella's soda abandoned on the kitchen counter, but she's nowhere to be seen. I go into an instant panic.

"Bella!" I shout, looking around corners and into rooms. I've had the tour, but I don't know this damn house. Quickly, Bella comes running from around the corner.

"What? What's wrong?" she asks wide eyed when she sees me. I feel stupid for my panic.

"Uh, nothing. I just didn't know where you went," I say, feeling so stupid. I'm obvious, and my moment of panic doesn't go by unnoticed.

"Sorry, I was just washing our clothes in the laundry room," Bella says softly. She doesn't act like I'm stupid; she understands. We both have the same fear.

"Let me just finish. I'll be right back." She disappears around the corner leaving me alone with Esme. I don't want to look at her so she can see the red in my cheeks proving my embarrassment, but the woman has a sixth sense and already knows it without seeing me.

"Edward, it's ok," she says softly to my back. "Carlisle told me what happened. We're all worried. There's an alarm on the house. I used to only set it at night, but I have it on all the time now." When I still don't turn she tries again.

"Here, I'll show you how to use it." She walks away, and it would be rude to not follow.

She tells me it sends the police instantly when it's triggered. She insists it makes her feel better to know this is here, and it should make me feel better, too. I'm not good with electronics never having them.

We were too poor for me to have any kind of a game system as a kid, and you don't have computers or cell phones living on the street, so I've never touched either. She shows me the buttons to push and how to activate it. It seems simple when she does it, but I don't get it - I feel stupid.

It takes a few times of her showing me how to use it, and I catch on. She never gets impatient or acts like I'm stupid. I deactivate and set the alarm on my own, and she's right, it does make me feel better. I know that Bella can be here without me and still be somewhat safe.

~*E&B*~

The rest of the day flies by and before I know it, dinner is done and Bella and I are alone in our new room. I take a deep breath. Today was overwhelming for me.

"What's wrong?" Bella asks, sensing my mood. She sits with her legs out in front of her on the bed. I watch her spread lotion up and down her legs, then her arms. I didn't know she liked to use lotion. I would have made sure she had it before. I wonder what else I don't know. When I don't answer she leans forward and runs a hand through my hair.

"Nothing," I lie, knowing she expects some kind of answer.

I don't know what to tell her. I'm like a un-house-broken animal that doesn't know how to act while living in a real home, with a real family. Bella has lived this life before. Even though she's been through hell and back, this - this house, family, this lifestyle - is completely normal to her. She's comfortable. Even when I lived with my mom, it was in shitty little apartments. I've lived on the streets for the majority of the past eight years, that's my comfort zone; what I know.

"You don't like it here." It's not a question; she knows me.

"What's there not to like," I say with a weak smile. I know she likes it, loves it here. I would never hurt her by asking her to leave with me, no matter how uncomfortable I am.

"Well to me, there isn't anything not to like, but I can tell you're uncomfortable... I don't like that," she says, sadness in her voice.

"I'm fine, baby. Don't worry about me. I'm just not used to... this," I say, waving my hand around the room.

"We don't have to stay; I want you to be happy, Edward," she says, gripping on to my hand. I can tell she means it. I could tell her I wanted to leave tonight and we'd be gone. She'd wouldn't even want be to feel guilty about it. I can't do that to her though.

"No, we'll stay. As long as I'm with you, I'm happy." It's corny as hell but true.

She looks at me, and I know what she's thinking. It's the same thing I would be thinking if the tables were turned. It's not enough. She wants me to be comfortable. I decide to tell her what's running through my mind in hopes of putting hers at ease.

"I know this is normal... for everyone. It's the farthest thing from normal to me, though. Just like when you showed up that night when I was sleeping on the bench, and you were scared, didn't know how to act, didn't know what was expected of you. That's how I feel now, I guess." I feel like a bitch telling her all of this, but I know she doesn't see me that way.

"But... I was only scared for so long because you were there. You helped me, showed me how to act, how to survive in your world... I'll help you in mine. I love you," she says, giving me a sweet kiss.

Who knew the tables would ever turn, that Bella would be the one to comfort me. It's enough talking for the night, so much has happened in the past three days. Bella pulls back the giant feather comforter on the bed and slips in, the perfume from her lotion wafts up to me. I strip to my boxers, not caring about Bella seeing my scars anymore, and crawl in behind her. We both lay our heads back on the pillows and sigh. This is a nice bed.

"Not gonna lie, this is the most comfortable bed I've ever slept in," I say, kissing her on the forehead as she curls into my side.

"I know. I've missed this bed so much. I would come stay here sometimes just for the bed," she laughs.

I don't blame her. The sheets are soft and cool, and the pillows are so nice they seem to self-fluff. Bella wiggles out of my arms and turns off the light on her bedside table. The room is now pitch black except for the eerie glow of the moon through the window.

"I feel like I've just fallen back into my old life, except I've been able to add you to it," she says, squeezing my middle. "The past couple of days have been good, but it's not going to stay that way, is it?" she whispers into the darkness.

I tighten my grip on her. I want to tell her to not worry, that everything from here on out is smooth sailing, but she's worth more than that, more than easy lies I can feed her.

"Things may get a harder before they get better," I say. She knows what I mean. After this weekend she has to see doctors, talk to the police, and face her father. It's not going to be easy. I hear her sniffle.

"You have me though, and the Cullens. Everything will be ok," I say, kissing her head. I can promise those words. I will make sure she makes it through this.

"I bet you're excited to see Alice and Emmett," I say, trying to get her mind off of everything.

"I am. I guess Emmett knows I'm back, but Alice is out of town. They didn't want to tell her over the phone."

I can feel her fidgeting with the blankets. She's still nervous. I decide to do the one thing I know calms her - the one thing that's just, us.

"Blanket," I say. She sniffles for a second and wipes her eyes with her hands.

"Coperta, blanket." I repeat her words back.

"Family?"

"Famiglia, family."

As we continue, I feel her body relax against mine. The worries of our lives disappear and are replaced with words of a language that mean so much to her and have grown to mean something to me as well. For the next fifteen minutes we go through words she's already taught me. She also tries to get me to form real sentences. I make a mess of them, but it's part of the fun. My eyes are growing heavy, and Bella's speech starts to slur. We're moments from being dragged under to a peaceful sleep.

"I love you, Bella," I say, holding her as tight to me as I can.

"Ti amo, Edward." And for the moment, I forget about what the future holds. I close my eyes, and everything is perfect.

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