A/N: So sorry about the sneak peek guys. I had to go out of town last weekend and when I got back I had no new messages... at all. I'm embarrassed to say that it took me forever to figure out that it was acting up. This chapter is not my best, just a warning but I am on a roll now (for a little while at least) and the next chapter is already really great. I'm loving it. I'm not really that happy with this chapter though, but it was necessary.

disclaimer: I own nothing apart from half of the NWBS and a really cool wifey.

Edward POV

I couldn't explain what it was that drew me to her. I could however come up with numerous reasons that might explain it. Or at least excuse it. For one, she was so young. Though I hadn't gotten up the nerve to actually ask her how old she was, I'd wager that she was in her late teens. Eighteen maybe. That fact alone made me want to watch over her. Keep her safe, protect her. Maybe it was just the big brother in me coming out but I refused to let her fall to harm while I was around. Then there was the fact that she was pregnant. She seemed so fragile, like she would break if someone so much as touched her too hard. But at the same time, she looked so strong. It was also hard to explain, even to myself.

I also couldn't explain what had happened when I handed her the mint. I had meant just to open her hand up and drop the peppermint into it. My mother had helped out in a women's shelter when I was younger and she had told me how peppermints helped soothe stomachs. She always kept some with her, especially when she was around expectant mothers. When I touched her however, it had felt like every nerve, every vessel, in my body was on fire. Like I had been burnt. Or electrocuted. Or like when I was little and I would purposefully drag my socked feet across the carpet in our house and then touch Alice. I didn't think she had felt it however, if she had, she hadn't acted like it.

I hated not being able to explain to myself what it was about Bella that gave me an uncontrollable urge to be beside her. I was always the logical one, even as a child, but this wasn't logical. And it was slowly driving me insane.

"You finished yet?" I looked up from the puzzle I hadn't really been doing to see Bella smiling at me, her deep brown eyes twinkling.

"No." I sighed as I set the paper down on my lap.

In all actuality I had only been staring down at the numbers on the paper, not really seeing any of them, for the past few minutes while my mind ran rampant over the creature seated next to me.

"Oh, well it takes a while to get the hang of it." She said softly and I turned to see that her face matched her voice. Soft, gentle, beautiful.

I quickly shook my head of the thought, I had no idea where it had come from but I didn't want to dwell on it. No, dwelling would not be good.

So instead I focused my attention away from her. To the window on my other side, to the trees and grass and signs and whatever else we happened to pass. Pretty soon my eyelids started to feel heavy and I leaned my head back on the seat, closing my eyes as I listened to the even breathing that filled the air around me. To the tires beneath our feet as they rolled over the smooth surface of the highway. The highway that was taking me home. The one place I didn't think I'd ever see again, and probably wouldn't have if it wasn't for Alice. If it wasn't for the fact that my baby sister was growing up and getting married. Though I couldn't say I agreed with her decision in the slightest.

"Edward?" I opened my eyes to see Bella biting her lip uncertainly. Her little hand was on my arm and the places where her palm touched my skin were tingling.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" I asked anxiously as I noticed her other hand was pressing down on her stomach.

"Yeah..." She said almost uncertainly and my heart beat sped up.

"What's wrong?" I repeated as my hands came up to touch her shoulders. I ignored the way just touching her made my heart race even faster. The way it made my knees weak and my palms sweaty. This was definitely not normal.

"I'm fine." She assured me with a timid smile. "I just really have to go to the bathroom. She bit her lip as she looked down to my stretched out legs. "I'm not exactly the most graceful of people and I can't see my feet right now anyway, which just makes it worse."

I chuckled as I let go of her shoulders gently and pulled my feet back, allowing her to pass.

"Thanks." She smiled down at me as she waddled out into the aisle and made her way toward the back of the bus.

I watched until she was safely in the bathroom with the door closed behind her before sighing and resting my head in my hands. This was not good. With one simple glance this girl had my stomach in knots. I was terrified to let her out of my sight and terrified that I'd want to watch her too long. What the hell was wrong with me?

My cell phone ringing from my pocket distracted me as I dug it out and smiled at the little video Alice had uploaded of herself to go along with her ringtone.

"Hey Al." I breathed into the phone as I answered it.

"Don't 'hey Al' me." She snapped. "Where are you?"

"Um... I think around St. Louis." I guessed though I really had no idea where we were and I couldn't remember the schedule that had been posted up at our last stop.

"Edward..."

"Alice, I can't make the bus go any faster. Just..don't start the wedding without me okay?"

She laughed quietly, just what I had been hoping for. "What am I going to do with you Edward?" She sighed after her giggles had quieted.

"I don't know." I chuckled back.

"Be careful okay. There's some bad storms in the mid-west, and I had a bad feeling..." I almost groaned as soon as the words had left her mouth. Alice had always gotten these 'feelings' of sorts, and usually, they were right.

"Thanks for the warning." I said, only somewhat sarcastically.

"You're welcome. I love you."

"Love you too." I said quietly before hanging up. I looked down to see two sneakered feet standing patiently in the aisle beside me. "Hey."

Bella smiled as I looked back up to her and moved my feet in again so she could pass. "The bathroom is disgusting." She warned me as she wrinkled up her little nose in distaste and pulled her purse out to rummage around inside of it.

I laughed as she pulled out a bottle of hand sanitizer and coated her hands in it, working it all the way up to her elbow vigorously.

"What?"

"Nothing." I shook my head.

"You can laugh all you want now but when you contract tuberculous or...or..something. Don't expect me to share my hand sanitizer with you."

"Won't it be too late for me to use hand sanitizer then?" I chuckled and she slapped me playfully on my arm.

"Jerk." She laughed. Her laugh was musical and before I could stop myself, I found myself relishing in the sound of it.

Now I really knew something was wrong. I sighed heavily and picked up the Sudoku puzzle once again. This was going to be one hell of a trip and I didn't need Alice's 'feelings' to tell me that.

A/N: Like I said, I'm not really happy with this chapter, but I had to get it out there and try to work some foreshadowing in. But things should start to pick up now. I'm very busy this weekend and while I would love to say more, I really cant. I'm legally bound. ugh. So if I don't post Friday then it might be Sunday or Monday before I post again. But sneak peeks are ready to go so, you know the drill. Review and get yours.
Besos.