Much love and thanks to my PTB betas - AddictedtoEdward and ms. ambrosia and to my girl, Browns, who jumped on to beta as well. Thanks for all your feedback and help, ladies! I don't know what I'd do without you!

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

BPOV

Dinner, with the four of us sitting in the living room reminiscing about old times, was fun. Esme, Alice and Edward did the story telling. I loved being able to sit back and hear some of the stories from the Cullen siblings' childhood. Esme had us all cracking up over a story about three-year-old Edward.

"He was driving Carlisle and I crazy; we weren't sure if Emmett was talking him into doing these wacky things or what, but he was into everything. One day at breakfast, Edward walks down the stairs dressed in this crazy combination of underwear, cowboy boots, a cape and a feather boa. Carlisle managed to stop laughing long enough to ask him, 'Where did you come from?' and Edward answers, straight-faced, 'The F.B.I.'"

It was a few minutes before any of us were in any shape to speak. Edward just sat there and grinned.

"Yeah, I have no idea where I got that." He looked over at me and smiled. I could feel myself blushing as I grinned back at him.

Maybe Dr. Dick isn't so bad after all.

The tension that had been there between the two of us earlier had disappeared as we ate our dinner and the four of us chatted. The atmosphere felt comfortable and carefree.

Once we recovered from the F.B.I. story, Alice and Edward took our plates and went about cleaning up the kitchen. They ordered Esme to stay put with a glass of red wine.

"Bella, have you spoken to Charlie today?" she asked as we sat quietly in the living room watching the siblings work together in the kitchen.

I nodded. "He called this morning to check in on me. He said he's going to try to move some things around so he can come up this weekend."

"Oh, good! I was hoping you had a chance to speak to him. Carlisle called while we were out shopping and told me that he and Charlie had talked and they were both going to try to come out and see everyone this weekend. I think your dads want to check on you."

I smiled at Esme's words, "my dads." Charlie had always been a good father. We'd grown closer when I moved in with him, and even more so since the accident. He and I had never had the type of relationship where we vocalized how we felt. Charlie's way of telling me he was proud of me was a pat on the head or a gruff, "Good job, kid." But he took care of me in all the ways that mattered, and I was forever grateful to be lucky enough that I had him as my father.

Carlisle and I had first connected over a shared love of books and reading. We had spent hours discussing the merits of Hemingway and Steinbeck, Austen and Brontë. From there, I found it easy to talk to Carlisle about anything. Unlike my relationship with Charlie, Carlisle and I were able to talk with ease. No subject was off limits when we spoke; he was always there to listen and give advice if I asked. I loved him with the same devotion that I loved Charlie.

"I wish they wouldn't rearrange everything to drive out here, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't happy about seeing both of them. I've missed them and it's only been a few days."

Esme smiled and reached over to pat my hand. "We miss you guys, too. But I have to say it's a thrill to have all our 'kids' so much closer to home. It just wasn't the same when you lived in California and Alice was in New York."

I gave her a small smile, trying not to feel angry at the fact that the only reason I was living in Seattle and not Sacramento was because of the accident.

The Accident.

I really hated those two words. I despised the fact that my life seemed to be defined by them. I felt like I was two Bellas – the one before the accident and the one after it. After Accident Bella wasn't nearly as carefree as Before Accident Bella had been, and After Accident Bella certainly had a much harder time keeping her emotions in check.

Since the accident, I had been on an emotional rollercoaster – happy one minute, sad or angry the next. Charlie had gotten used to me snapping at him out of the blue and I'm sure Esme could see the sadness and anger passing over my features now. This new me differed greatly from the old me, and sometimes I mourned the loss of the Bella I was before as much as I mourned for the loss of my mother and Phil.

I took a deep breath, trying to focus on the fun we'd been having moments before rather than the rage and hurt that was trying to bubble up inside of me. Dwelling on the past would not get me anywhere – it would only cause me to pull away from the people I loved. I had lost so much already and I couldn't afford to let myself get pulled into an angry, depressive state that would only leave me even more alone than I already felt.

Edward and Alice finished the dishes and came back to join us in the living room. Edward sat in the brown chair that Alice had occupied earlier, while Alice slid gracefully to the floor in front of the TV. Esme was perched next to me on the couch.

"I was just telling Bella that your father and Charlie are going to try to come out and visit this weekend." Esme took a small sip of her wine, smiling at her children. Edward smiled and Alice bounced in excitement.

"We should do a family dinner! Edward, what does your schedule look like for Friday and Saturday?" Alice jumped up, looking around for something.

Edward suddenly looked uncomfortable and ran a hand through his hair. "Um, I have plans for Friday night with...um, with, uh, someone."

Alice looked puzzled, clearly wanting to know what his problem was, but he just looked down at the floor. Alice shrugged and said, "Well, what about Saturday?"

He pulled out his Blackberry and pushed a few buttons. "I'm on from seven to seven."

"Great, we can do a late dinner." She'd finally found what she'd been looking for – her phone – and tapped the touch screen before putting it to her ear. At our quizzical looks, she lifted a finger, giving us the universal signal to wait.

"Hey! Are you and Rose free Saturday night around eight for a family dinner? Charlie's coming out to see Bella and Dad's coming with him." She paused. "Well, get over it. Em, Rose is going to have to meet them sometime and now's a good a time as any." Another, longer pause. Alice was pacing back and forth in front of us, nodding intently. "Uh, I'm not sure, I'll have to ask him." Her eyes flitted over to Edward. "Oh...okay. All right, I'll call you during the week and let you know where we're going. Love you, too. Bye."

Alice floated across the room and sank back down to the floor. "Emmett doesn't think he and Rosalie have any plans, so they're coming. I'll do some research this week and find a place for all of us to go."

She paused and looked at Edward. "Edward, Emmett wanted to know if you were bringing someone named Tan –"

Edward cut her off quickly. "I'm not bringing anyone."

The atmosphere was tense for a few seconds and Esme, Alice and I exchanged confused glances. Edward refused to make eye contact with any of us and he quickly changed the subject by asking Alice if she had any luck finding a suitable place for her boutique yet. Alice launched into the descriptions of some of the places she had looked at and the awkward tension passed.

We talked quietly for a little longer before Esme stood and said she was tired and was going to head to the Pan Pacific Hotel, where she was staying for the week. Esme had turned down all our offers to let her stay in one of our rooms, telling us that staying at a hotel would allow everyone to feel more comfortable and have some privacy and not leave anyone sleeping on a couch. Personally, I think she just wanted to be able to take advantage of the day spa that was located in the hotel. I had no doubt she'd convince Alice and me to join her there at some point during the week.

Edward and Esme left together, with Esme telling us she'd be back in the morning and Edward just leaving with a quiet, "good night."

The minute the door was shut, Alice whirled around and pounced.

"Do you want to tell me what was going on between you and my brother tonight?"

I knew she had noticed the tension, but I had hoped she would've shrugged it off as awkwardness between Edward and I.

Not so much.

So I played dumb. Not that it was hard, since I had no idea where the tension between Edward and I had come from.

"I don't know what –"

"Oh, don't even go there, Bella Swan! You can't play dumb with me. The sexual tension was so thick you could've cut it with a knife. He couldn't take his eyes off of you all night!"

I blushed and looked away, picking at a piece of imaginary lint on the cushion of the couch. "Ali, don't exaggerate. He stopped by to see you and your mom, and check on my ankle. If he was looking at me at all, it was because he was concerned for me as his patient."

Alice rolled her eyes. "Don't bullshit a bullshitter, Bella. Something is going on with you two and I'm going to find out what it is."

It was awkward, but I managed to stand up on my bad ankle without falling on my face. "Well, when you figure it out, you let me know. I'd be happy to hear all about it." With that, I limped up the hallway and into my room, hoping she'd take the hint that the conversation was over.

I wasn't sure if I was relieved or frustrated when she didn't follow me.

The week passed surprisingly quickly.

Spraining my ankle had turned out to be a good thing. With my limited mobility, I had all the time in the world to start looking for a job.

The move to Seattle hadn't been in my plans when I had first returned to Forks. But after a month in the small town, it'd become clear to me that I needed to find something to do with my life. Finding a job seemed a good place to start.

My first hope had been to return to teaching, but jobs for English teachers in Clallam County were shockingly non-existent. I was almost at the point of sucking it up and asking Mr. and Mrs. Newton for my old job back, when Alice called to tell me that she was moving back to Seattle and wanted me to move in with her. I had jumped at the chance.

I spent much of the beginning of the week sending out resumes and letters of reference to many of the private and public high schools in Seattle. I expanded my search into higher education as well, sending inquires out to both Seattle Community College and UW. I hadn't taught college-level English before, but since I had a Master's degree, I thought it couldn't hurt to see if there were any openings. I figured teaching college students couldn't be any more difficult than trying to get high school seniors to appreciate Shakespeare.

By Wednesday, I was able to walk without a limp or any pain. Alice, Esme and I spent Thursday shopping throughout Seattle for furniture. We managed to pick up our much-needed dining room table as well as some other odds, ends, and accent pieces that we liked.

The three of us spent Friday morning and afternoon at the Vida Spa at the hotel where Esme was staying. We got the works done – massages, facials and body wraps. Esme paid, telling Alice and me it was our welcome back gift from her.

It was no secret that the Cullens had money, and a lot of it. I knew about Alice's trust fund and that if she chose, she could easily live off just the interest without ever having to work. But Carlisle and Esme had instilled a strong work ethic in their children, so it didn't surprise me that all three of them had chosen to have careers. The Cullens had provided well for their children, and while there had never been a need to worry about money, the extravagance to spend it without thought was never there. They didn't spend their millions on diamond-encrusted spoons or solid gold pens. Items were bought as needed, vacations taken when time permitted. It just so happened that the Cullens could afford the very best of these things.

It had taken me a long time to get used to the fact that they had no problem considering me a part of their family and therefore liked spending their money on me. There were a lot of uncomfortable moments and hurt feelings when I didn't react graciously to a gift or opportunity given to me by Esme, Carlisle or Alice. I learned after a while to just accept what they offered me in the love and friendship it was intended. So even though Alice had bought the condo and most of the furniture in it, I agreed to live there with her. She, in turn, allowed me to pay her the going rate for what rent was in our neighborhood.

Or at least she would, when I found a job and had a steady income.

Charlie and Carlisle arrived on Friday night, having rearranged their schedules to permit the visit. Carlisle was staying with Esme at the Pan Pacific, and Alice and I convinced Charlie he'd be comfortable crashing on our couch. The five of us spent Friday night hanging out at our apartment, ordering pizza for dinner and filling Charlie and Carlisle in on our week and all we'd accomplished. When Carlisle heard about my job search, he offered to try and open some doors for me at UW, having a variety of colleagues he could call in favors from. I wasn't sure how a doctor could have contacts that would help get me a job teaching English, but I wasn't going to turn down help when it was offered. I thanked him sincerely for his assistance as I accepted his offer to make some phone calls to see what he could do for me.

Charlie and I spent Saturday morning and afternoon together exploring my neighborhood, before we headed over to Pike Place Market. The two of us explored the shops and spent a lot of time people watching, but mostly just enjoying being together.

We returned to the apartment by six o'clock so we could get ready for dinner. Alice had consulted with Emmett's girlfriend and had made reservations at well-known Seattle steakhouse. Alice spent the hour we had before we left for dinner bugging me about my clothes, hair and makeup; I just let her do whatever she wanted. I had kind of missed letting her play "Bella Barbie" with me, but I also didn't have the energy to try and fend off her need to style and dress me.

She put me in a red top she had found while shopping with Esme earlier that week, and gave the "okay" for a pair of skinny jeans I had. She squealed in excitement when she saw brown boots in the back of my closet – I didn't have the heart to tell her they had been a present from Renee for my last birthday. She lent me a long silver necklace before concentrating on my makeup and hair. Thankfully, she kept it simple with long waves down my back and some mascara and lip gloss.

Charlie, Alice and I arrived at the restaurant a little before eight to find that everyone but Emmett and Rosalie were already there and seated. We made our way to a table in the back to find Carlisle seated at one end, with Esme on his left and Edward to his right. Charlie quickly plopped down next to Esme, so he was facing the entrance, back to the wall. I rolled my eyes, remembering all the times Charlie made me change places with him when we went out to eat. It was apparently part of police academy training to never have your back to the door when in public.

Alice suddenly excused herself to go to the bathroom, leaving me standing there, wondering where to sit – next to Edward or next to Charlie. I bit my lip, starting to slide toward Charlie's side of the table when I heard Emmett behind me.

"Hey, hey! The gang's all here!"

I turned to see Emmett striding toward us, holding hands with a beautiful blonde. Carlisle and Esme stood to give their oldest child a hug, and they seemed thrilled to finally meet Rosalie, both of them giving her a warm, welcoming hug. Emmett clapped Edward on the shoulder and I heard Rosalie say hello to him as well. Then they approached me.

"Bella, this is my beautiful girlfriend, Rose. Rosalie, this is Alice's best friend and my honorary adopted sister, Bella."

"Hi Rose, nice to meet you. I've heard great things about you." I stuck out my hand.

She grasped it, giving me a sunny smile and returned my greeting. "Hi Bella, it's really nice to meet you too. Welcome to Seattle."

I smiled back my thanks and moved out of the way so Emmett could bring Rosalie around to be introduced to Charlie. I glanced down to find Edward staring at Rose, then back at me, a shocked expression on his face. Just then, Alice returned from the bathroom and there were more hugs. My dilemma about where to sit was taken out of my hands as Alice slid next to Charlie, and Emmett took the spot next to Alice at the other end of the table. Rosalie sat to his right, which meant the only seat open was the one next to Edward. I quickly lowered myself into the chair.

We busied ourselves with small talk and looking over the menu. Rose began questioning Alice and I about our condo, apologizing for not being able to come over with Emmett to help us move since she had been in New York visiting her parents at the time. We waved off her apology and Alice invited her to stop over whenever she could.

I glanced to my left to see Edward watching the three of us with the same shocked look on his face that he had earlier.

"Is everything okay?" I leaned over and asked him quietly.

He jerked, surprised, and met my eyes. "Uh, yeah. I'm just...well, shocked to be honest."

"About?"

"Rose. She can be very sweet, but normally when she first meets someone she's very cold. I'm just surprised with how warmly she's acting toward you."

I raised my eyebrow and shrugged. "Maybe she just didn't like you when she first met you."

Edward looked taken aback and then began to chuckle. "I wasn't referring to...yeah, maybe she hated me on sight."

I grinned. "Is that possible?"

Whoa, did I just flirt with Edward Cullen?

He looked shocked and then gave me that sexy, crooked grin. "I would hope not, at least where some people are concerned."

I blushed and bit my lip.

I'm in way over my head.

I broke our eye contact and looked at the menu. I used my father as an excuse to end my conversation with Edward. "So Dad, what do you think you're going to get?"

Charlie answered me as Carlisle asked Edward a question and the moment of awkwardness passed.

We didn't speak directly to each other again until dinner was served. After I had a few bites of my meal, he leaned over and asked, "How's your chicken?"

My mouth was full so all I could was nod and chew. Once I had swallowed, I looked at him and answered. "Very good. How's yours?"

"Perfect. Would you like a bite?"

Holy crap!

I don't think I consciously thought about it as I nodded. We didn't break eye contact as he took his fork, which already had a piece of steak pierced on its tines, and raised it to my mouth.

Our eye contact broke only when he looked down and watched the juicy meat disappear between my lips. Neither of us moved as my lips closed and I felt the steak on my tongue. I watched him watch my mouth, and the fire I saw in his eyes captivated me. He lowered the fork as I slowly began chewing the succulent meat, his eyes still fixated on my lips.

We were both startled when we heard Emmett give a loud guffaw, and it broke the strange spell that seemed to have been encompassing us. I quickly looked back down to my plate and from the corner of my eye, I saw Edward adjust the napkin on his lap. Swallowing the piece of steak he had fed me, I could feel the blush begin in my cheeks. I knew that despite my best efforts, I would not be able to will it away. In the next second, it occurred to me that the entire table could have been witness to what just took place. I glanced up quickly to look around.

Carlisle was talking to Charlie, who was nodding his head in agreement at whatever they were saying. Edward was listening to their conversation politely. Emmett and Rosalie were laughing with Esme over something, thoroughly enjoying their conversation. I took a deep breath, steeling myself in the hopes that the only person left would be wrapped up in something other than what just happened between Edward and me.

No such luck.

The minute I caught her eye it was remarkably clear that she had caught the entire interaction. Alice's eyebrows were raised and her mouth hung open a bit in surprise. I felt my blush grow worse, firing up my already overheated cheeks. I broke her gaze and began eating again, wishing that the floor would just open up and swallow me whole.

The rest of dinner passed quietly. Edward and I didn't speak again, having our conversations only with the others. He spoke to Carlisle and Esme mostly, and had an intense discussion with Charlie over the Mariners' prospects for the spring. Their discussion about baseball reminded me of Phil. My heart clenched with the reminder of our stadium tour and how it had ended.

The Accident.

I quickly turned my head to the right, immediately immersing myself in the conversation that Emmett, Rose and Alice were having. It took a minute to catch up with what they were talking about, but it was enough for me to bury the pain and calm the rising panic I was feeling.

Not long after Carlisle paid the check, and we all rose to leave. As I was rising from the table, I turned to say something to Alice. I had risen at the wrong angle and was trying to turn in order to face her, but instead I did nothing more than throw myself off balance. Before I could hurt myself or fall to the ground in a humiliated heap, I felt someone grasp my elbow.

"Easy there." Edward held me tight to his side, helping me right myself. "Are you okay?"

I nodded and gave him a small smile. "I'm fine. Just terminally klutzy."

He grinned and opened his mouth to reply, but before he could, we both heard a shrill voice call, "Edward!" from across the restaurant.

I instinctively turned toward the grating voice, which put me in even closer proximity to Edward's long, lean body. I could feel him tense next to me, and the grip he had on my elbow tightened slightly.

I looked up to find a stunningly beautiful woman floating toward us.

That voice belonged to that body?

I got my answer as she reached us. Her eyes narrowed as she took in Edward's hand on my arm and the closeness of our bodies. I could see her jaw tense and then relax. She reached up and gently cupped Edward's cheek. Her face moved toward his and the grip on my arm tightened even further.

I watched curiously as Ms. Fake Boobs leaned in, lips puckered and quiet obviously aiming for Edward's lips. His head turned away despite the hold she had on his cheek, and her lips grazed the side of his mouth.

Her hand fell from his cheek and she stepped back, a look of clear disappointment crossing her face for a brief second. Had I not been watching the exchange so closely, I probably would've missed it all together.

"Darling, when you said you had plans tonight, I had no idea that you were coming here."

Right, and I'm the Queen of England.

I had to hold back a snort. I highly doubted that this woman did anything without design.

Edward gave a tight smile and said, "Yes, well, we were just getting ready to leave."

I had no idea who this woman was, but I knew that I didn't like her, not from the moment I'd heard her annoying voice from across the room. I had been in her presence for only minutes and I hated everything about her – from her over-processed hair to her giant fake boobs spilling out the top of her coat. She was standing much too close to Edward and I had to hold myself back from pushing her away from his body.

You're traveling through another dimension – next stop, the Twilight Zone.

I was definitely in The Twilight Zone; there was no other explanation for how I was feeling. The way I was reacting was just not...me. It didn't make any sense.

Before I could delve any further into that thought, Ms. Annoying-the-Ever-Loving-Heck-Out-of-Me put on her best pout.

Oh, hell no, she did not just push her lip out like a two-year-old.

"Aren't you going to introduce me first?"

Edward froze, obviously at a loss about what to do. Ms. Fake Boobs took the matter right out of his hands. Turning to Carlisle, she gave a full-watt smile and held out her right hand.

"Hello, I'm Dr. Tanya Jackson, Edward's girlfriend."