Author's Note: This chapter is meant to serve as background for Bella and Edward's relationship. It is written entirely in Edward's point of view, I had planned on doing both point of views, but I have mountains of work this week and wanted to get another chapter posted. Bella's point of view will be next and probably more in depth. I hope you enjoy! Thanks for reading.

EPOV

As I prepared dinner for Bella and myself all I could think about was the fact that she came. She was here, and would be with me for three wonderful months. Maybe I hadn't been as terrible to her as I thought. My mind began to drift back to the first time I saw Bella.

Shelly (Ackers) was leading two students coming down the dock, they were the last two to arrive, another boy and the other girl. I helped them get their bags down to the bunkroom and left the kids to finish unpacking. Carmen sent me up to the marina office to make sure everything was in order for our departure tomorrow. When I returned everyone was almost done unpacking so I sat and talked with Shelly for a few minutes until the students were ready to get started. Everyone moved up on deck and each of the students introduced themselves. We seemed to have an interesting group of students this trip. As I introduced myself I glanced around our group, and as I glanced at one of the girls, Bella, I saw a blush creep across her cheeks, which I found adorable. But I couldn't allow myself to think like that. Though I was only a few years older than her, I was for all intents and purposes her teacher, and I would not risk my job or her reputation for a crush.

The next week was uneventful, we taught the kids the ins and outs of Volterra, and set out for Baltimore. Bella continued to grab my attention time and time again, so I made a conscious effort not to favor her. I did however find myself looking for opportunities to talk to her alone, usually to no avail with so many people in such a small space, and she and Alice had attached themselves to one another. My opportunity came the second day of our sail, when I saw Bella on the foredeck alone reading. I joined her and we discussed her impressions of the trip so far and how much each of us enjoyed being on the water. It was the only time I was able to catch her alone for the next week. I caught myself flirting with her a couple times, and other times I swear I saw her staring at me, and I could only hope no one else noticed and that I could get over my preoccupation with her. I couldn't place what it was about her that captivated me, she held so much interest and I had an inexplicable urge to try to protect her.

We arrived in Norfolk and had the day off. Alice dragged Bella away quickly and the boys went their own way. I decided to go the Hampton Roads Naval Museum. I took the ferry across the harbor and bought my tickets. Just as I entered the first exhibit I saw Bella, Alice, and Jasper. Alice was whispering urgently to Bella a few feet away from Jasper. Bella broke into a beautiful smile and hugged Alice, then Alice and Jasper left. I walked over to where Bella was reading about the exhibit and leaned down to her ear.

"Do you come here often?" I asked in what I hoped was a smooth manner.

Bella spun around, surprised. Then that wonderful blush rose in her face and she looked down at the floor before meeting my eyes and giving me her warm smile.

"Oh I'm a regular. How about yourself?" She replied, playing along. I was glad I had not freaked her out by using a pick-up line in a teasing manner.

"Nope, first time. Would you be willing to show me the ropes?

"Uh, yeah sure. Are you sure you want to spend the day with a kid. I would have thought all the mates would have run in the opposite direction as soon as we left."

"I'm sure. Lead on."

We spent the rest of the afternoon looking through the exhibits and touring the USS Wisconsin before catching the last ferry back to Volterra. It was an amazing day. We got to spend hours of time together, uninterrupted by other people or suspicions. We talked and laughed and I think that is the day I knew I was hooked. Bella seemed different that day, she was relaxed and seemed happy, it was a different version of the girl I had known before. I didn't know what was troubling her, but I was glad that for at least a day she was free from the worries that seemed to weigh her down.

After that afternoon at the museum, I couldn't help myself but to slightly favor Bella over the other students and to keep a special watch over her. I started to notice that she had become more reserved, and I missed seeing the sparkle in her eye that had been there. One evening I couldn't take it anymore and had to talk to her. I left my cabin and went into the bunkroom. Bella was on her bed reading, so engrossed in her book that she didn't look up when I entered.

"Bella, can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Umm, sure."

She put her book on her pillow, climbed out of her bunk and followed me up to the cockpit. We settled down behind the helm, she stared at her hands in her lap and bit her lower lip. I really had to stop noticing things like how beautiful she looked when she did that, or when she blushed, or laughed, or…stop.

"I just wanted to see how you are doing. I'm always here to talk, and I wanted to check in with you."

Her eyebrows furrowed and she continued to stare at her hands. I wanted nothing more that to tilt her head up and look into her deep brown eyes and know her thoughts behind her expressions. I waited patiently for her to speak.

Finally she looked up at me and heaved a big sigh. I noticed that was a habit of hers, kind of like how I ran my hand through my hair.

"I'm just so conflicted. I was so unhappy at school, and I was thinking about transferring, but now, I'm not sure. I love Volterra so much, and I think I have grown a lot just in the short time I've been on board, I feel like I can be myself here and I'm happier than I've been since I started high school. And Alice is becoming like a sister to me, I don't know if I want to leave. I don't know what…I don't know how I will feel when I get back to school. I like feeling that I can be myself here, but I'm not sure if I will have the courage or strength to continue being myself back on campus."

Tears welled up in her beautiful brown eyes and there was such pain and conflict that it was all I could do not to pull her to me and hold her to try to make all her worries disappear.

"Bella I think that you are stronger than you think. I have seen an incredible change in you the last few weeks. This program asks a lot of each student, and you have risen to each occasion and surpassed expectations. I have seen that you have gained confidence and have started opening yourself up. You laugh more and you seem more at ease. You and Alice seem to have a friendship that can survive a lot worse than the transition back to campus. I encourage you to look into all your options, but don't let fear dictate your decisions."

A lone tear slid down her cheek. Oh shit. I made things worse. But then she smiled and the grip on my heart loosened.

"Thank you so much Mr. Cullen. I appreciate the vote of confidence. I have a lot to think about. Would it be alright if I took some time and we discussed this again in a few days?"

"Of course Bella. When I said I am here for you anytime I meant it. And that doesn't stop when you leave Volterra, I am always available for you."

If only she understood all the ways I meant that last part.

"Thank you." She sniffled. "Do you mind if I stay up here for a few minutes, I don't want everyone else to know that I've been upset. I want to get my mind off my worries before I go back down below."

"I'll stay with you as long as you like."

We stayed up on deck for another 45 minutes, I told her stories about my summers in high school, even earning a couple laughs when I told her about accidentally sailing into a pod of walrus. When she was ready we got up, and she stepped toward me. I opened my arms to her and she stepped in for a hug. I held her for a minute before forcing myself to let go before I crossed a line. We both went below to resume our respective work. I was so happy that she felt she could confide in me and that I knew the insecurities that plagued her. If only I knew what I could do to make her life perfect.

The next day the weather was not in our favor so we decided to stay at anchor another day and wait for a weather window. Captain Carmen asked if I would teach the kids how to make Turk's Heads, braided bracelets. I told the kids to meet me in the main saloon in ten minutes and gathered everything I would need. It took a while to show everybody how to follow the correct pattern, and everyone but Jasper had to start over at least once, Alice and Bella seemed to find this particularly challenging. I found some humor in this, Bella was the star student on this trip, she had just been named deckhand, but she could not figure out how to make a bracelet.

She was starting over for the fourth time when I went over to help her. I took her small wrist in my hands and showed her each step again, making the bracelet onto her wrist. She smiled and thanked me and finished the Turk's Head herself. As I helped her tie it off, I hoped that she would think of me every time she saw it.

We had just been kayaking in Mosquito Bay on Vieques which has the highest concentration of bioluminescence in the world. We had all rinsed off under the fresh water hose they kept at the livery and were walking back to the docks to head back to Volterra. Carmen and Shelly had gone ahead with John and Chris as the first load headed back to the big boat, and I was walking with Bella, Alice, Tyler, and Jasper along the beach. Bella and Alice were chasing each other and jumping on and off the rocks when I heard Bella shriek. I turned back in time to see her somersaulting across the sand.

"Bella! Are you okay?" I called as I ran back to her.

"I'm fine, just dying of embarrassment. Don't worry about it."

She was a sight. We hadn't dried off after rinsing off and the sand stuck to her wet skin and hair, she was covered. I'm sure she was blushing, but I couldn't see it in the dark night.

"We can go back to the livery so you can rinse off again. Alice, Tyler, Jasper you guys can walk down to the docks and wait for captain to get back. Tell her we'll be there soon."

The other three continued down the beach and Bella and I headed back the way we came.

"I am so embarrassed. I am such a klutz. I'm so sorry for making you come back with me. Thank you."

I laughed. "Don't worry about it Bella. It could have happened to anyone. "

"Yeah, but it usually happens to me."

…

As I thought back on that night an involuntary smile came to my face. Even when she was a klutz she was completely endearing. I was so happy to have her back with me. I grabbed vegetables out of the fridge for a salad and got lost in my thoughts again.

All the students had their bags packed and we enjoying their last night in the bunkroom. Tomorrow they would all fly back to campus together. Bella would be leaving. When Carmen asked me to accompany everyone to the airport I hastily accepted. We all got up pre-dawn and our water taxi arrived shortly after. We loaded everyone and their bags into the boat and the students said their good-byes to Carmen and Shelly. Everyone was quiet on the trip to the airport. Bella sat across from me beside Alice with a sullen expression and her brown eyes conveyed sadness. I understood that she was sad leaving Volterra, she had taken to the boat and sailing incredibly quickly, and she really did seem like a different person than the Bella that boarded in New England two months ago. The sadness I her eyes I'm sure was mirrored in my own, but mine was only in anticipation of losing her. Her presence brightened my world. I had been able to spend the last eight weeks in her almost constant presence, and in a few short hours she was being taken away from me. It wasn't fair of me to think in that manner, but it was how I felt. We stayed quiet, but Bella and I locked eyes a few times, and it was like we were able to have an entire conversation without saying a word. But was I imagining things or was that really longing for me in her eyes?

We arrived at the airport way ahead of schedule so we had a couple hours to wait. I took a seat and Bella came and sat next to me, and Alice next to her. We all chatted for a while, then Alice went to talk to Jasper. Bella and I sat companionably, talking at times and in silence at others. I knew I was trying to absorb as much of her as I could in the time we had remaining together. All too soon the kids' flight was called to board and I saw each of them off. I said good-bye to everyone, I was really going to miss this group.

"Bye Eddie, I'll see you later." Was Tyler's farewell. I'd let them use their nickname they had come up with seeing as it was the last day of the trip.

"I look forward to it, don't get into too much trouble in the mean time."

I shook hands with John and Chris and they followed Tyler out onto the tarmac. I noticed Bella hanging back, could she want the private good-bye I was hoping for?

"Thanks for everything Mr. Cullen. This trip would not have been nearly as much fun if you weren't here. I'll see you in the spring." And with that Alice and Jasper walked out to the plane hand in hand.

Bella was staring at me and biting her lip. Was she trying to tempt me? We walked toward each other and she held out her hand. A handshake?!

"Thank you for everything. I really appreciated everything you did for me and that you were willing to listen. I had an amazing time."

I smiled and returned but ignored her outstretched hand and pulled her into a tight hug. She immediately relaxed into me and I held her for a few moments, trying to memorize this moment and the feeling of her against me. Much to quickly we had to end our embrace and she had to board the plane.

"It was my pleasure Bella. Please keep in touch, I'll miss you."

She exited the terminal and I watched her approach the plane. She glanced back at me and smiled before boarding.

I stood and watched the plane doors close, and with them, my time with Bella came to a close. I watched motionless as the plane taxied down the runway and took off toward Nassau. When I could no longer see it, I dejectedly turned away and started my long lonely trip back to Volterra.

Please, please, please review. I never understood how much it meant to authors until I started my own fanfic. It really does mean the world to hear feedback. I will try to get Bella's POV up on Saturday, but it will be up on Sunday at the latest. Thanks for reading and reviewing.