THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE REVIEWS!

I have neglected this fic as well....Sorry for not updating in a long time – it will be a shorter amount of time for the next update...Pinky Swear!

*~I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT....I OWN 'La Pomme D'Armor'~*

*Bella*

Securing Edward's coat around my shoulders I was still disliking the fact that I was wearing absolutely nothing underneath in the presence of three older men – France had brought me a lot of changes and it seemed stupid to protest against them anymore....Instead just adapt and accept them.

I wrapped my arms around myself deliberately attempting to ignore the beautiful smell of the coat filling my nose...Musk and a hint of cinnamon, almost....The kind of smell that maybe two years ago – I'd detest but right now, it was welcoming...I felt strangely secure in the aroma.

"Here we are our petit Cherie!" Jacob exclaimed putting emphasis on the French of his words before walking into an apartment...The building darker than usual but stepping into the living room it was brighter. I tagged along behind Edward as Paul carried my suitcase through and bless him my bag over his shoulder...Once we were all inside I closed the door after me and brushed my shoes against the coarse material of the doormat before taking them off, completely. Those heels were not going to be graced in my wardrobe back at home – maybe, if I learnt enough French I could sell them to someone who could walk in them ten times better than I ever can.

I took the time when stretching out the pain in my feet scanning around the living room, it was big...Much larger than I originally thought – being an apartment with four men made me realise that this living room must be a regular location for parties and other social gatherings – this was, after all another country...People must do things differently here than they do back in England.

"Bella...Are you okay?" I glanced over at Edward who had stopped in his tracks of the corridor to look at me.

"Yes...Sorry, this living room is really...Nice" I struggled to find a good enough word, Edward frowned before looking around and back to me, again.

"It's not much, but it's home" he replied...I wondered in that moment what kind of home Edward has moved away from. A large one, a small one, a big family, a small one – how was it that I in a strangers house suddenly started to wonder what his background was?

Was I changing in my new home of France?

"Would you like a tour...Although I'd much prefer you going upstairs and having some time on your own to take earlier out of your mind?"

Edward showed much care to me...The kind of care that any friend as caring as he was, would...How come I had never seen this kind of friendship back home? Did concrete friendships only last in other countries that an individual can go through their whole lives without ever having to experience?

"I would like a tour...Do you mind if I keep your coat, on though?"

"Of course...Why would you even ask, that?"

"I guess I am still learning the ways of trying to be polite in a different country"

"You are who you are....You're different, but not in a bad way. There is no need to try so hard" he assured me, causing a smile to creep the corners of my mouth upward.

"Thank you"

"Come on" I cleared my throat and followed him down the corridor past the staircase just inside on the left and into another room.

"This is the kitchen – we are all in here most mornings unless Jacob and Paul are out of town or Seb is working an early shift"

The kitchen was large too, an oak table stood in the middle with six chairs placed neatly around it the shade and type of wood the same – the rest of the kitchen inhabited with the basic appliances, fridge, dishwasher, sink...A lot of spare countertop space. This apartment looked like a flat that an English couple would occupy – it was so big and it dawned on me that maybe because all of the men I was to share this house with were working and earning individual salaries – of course they should be able to afford this.

"Through there is the downstairs bathroom...A shower, toilet and sink – there are two others upstairs but that is a spare one in case the upstairs ones are being used"

"That's handy" I replied instantly wanting to cringe at myself at the words that came out of my mouth...I really have to work on finding better adjectives!

"Right...Upstairs?"

I nodded and waited for him to walk back through the corridor...I followed keeping a good enough distance behind him and keeping my gaze locked completely on the walls on either side of me – the softness of carpet soothing my tired and screaming feet. There were five doors in different places around the landing walls – in the silence...I tried to guess immediately which room would be Edward's and whether or not he shares it with any of his roommates.

"This one-" he pointed to the one closest to us – the door that looks down the stairs to the corridor and front door, beneath "Is Paul and Jacob's....That one is Sebastian's" the landing was a circle around the staircase – Edward was pointing to the right of the landing now...I took hold of the banister keeping one foot on the last and second to last stair. "That's a bathroom" the final door to the right side of the circle was a bathroom and then Edward changed positions and swivelled to his left "another bathroom and finally, my room"

"Do you share with anyone?"

"No"

"Wow...Your own room...That must be nice" for god sake, Bella...Enough with the 'nice'.

"It is great but...The room is yours until you find your way – there is a sofa downstairs that can be turned into a double bed"

"Oh no, Edward please...I can't have you giving up your room for me. I will sleep downstairs"

"No...None of that talk, besides there is only one bed and I am not going to sleep next to you now, am I?"

I hummed not really knowing what to say..The man was giving up his room for my own comfort...How was any of this really happening? Was there a point of arguing with him when there was no chance in hell I am going to win?

Edward moved towards the door and I was inclined to follow him – he picked up the suitcase and bag that Paul must have left for me up with one of his hands and opened the door with the other one.

I stopped my movements – the reality dawning on me that I was about to walk in a man's bedroom...I had only done it once in my life and even, then it took me a long time to actually get used to walking in there by myself without having any anxiety or embarrassment about it.

"Bella...its okay" Edward's assuring voice filled my ears soothing me a little as the words registered in my mind.

"It's not really proper for a woman to walk into a man's bedroom – not where I come from, anyway...I do not mean any offence by that...Shit, oh now I have gone and said shit...twice"

"Calm down miss babble...I want you to come in and see the best thing about this whole apartment"

"Which is?"

"You won't be able to see it from out here" I bit down on my lip and a sigh of defeat and walked into the room standing still when I placed my feet right in between the corridor and the bedroom carpet.

"It is not rude if I am inviting you in here" Edward's words when unheard when I gasped looking around his room.

There was a large double bed, in the middle of the room at the far end of the wall the left side of the room trailed with large windows covered by white curtains...The left side harbouring a large bookcase and a chest of drawers. This was not the kind of room that I had pictured Edward having...So tidy and so beautiful the whiteness of the walls enhancing the blue bed spread on the bed.

"Wow...This is beautiful..." It was amazing, my mouth permanently fixed in an 'o' shape as Edward chuckled, he must of seen the look on my face.

"Thanks, but we're missing one thing" I snapped out of the trance taking over me from the beauty of the room and watched Edward draw one set of curtains there was a small click and the curtains behind him swung backwards the colder air hitting me...You can step out through those windows...Well clearly they are not all windows, Bella.

There was an awkward silence and before I could register my movements my feet had already made their way to where I last saw Edward.

Good god!!

I gasped again uncontrollably as I stepped out onto the balcony – the Eiffel Tower standing proud in the very distant outline of the horizon...The moonlit sky above creating a blanket around the two of us...My new friend was standing in front of me the muscles of his back breaking through his shirt as he stood in silence taking the view in as if it was his first time like me. As he turned suddenly, I moved my eyes to the view again.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" in reply, I nodded the amazement becoming too much to describe in words – I had already failed in my search for adjectives...I walked forward standing next to him intentionally keeping my shoulder away from his.

"How can you ever leave this room?" I asked

"Well...I have a job and other friends to meet" Edward stepped behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist holding me in a gentle vice...My mind was screaming at me to pull away from him but instead I kept still not moving and giving him anything back. Edward was my friend who was doing me such a huge favour in letting me stay here....The view was music to my ears and flowers to my eyes.

"I never realised how beautiful France is" I said suddenly the soft wind of the air sending tingles through the skin on my face.

"Maybe now you will have time to appreciate it more"

"What am I going to do, Edward...About the job that I would rather die than go back to – I want to pay my part for staying here and you all have been so kind to me"

"Ssh"

I silenced myself at the soothing tone of Edward and took a deep breath in and out. "Bella...There is no need to think about all of that right now...For tonight you are going to have a bathroom all to yourself to spend as much time in and whilst you are in there...I will unpack your things and put them all in my spare drawer"

"That's very kind of you, but...Would you mind if I unpacked myself?"

"No problem...Do you want me to stay?"

"Where did the other go?"

"They probably wanted to give you time to settle in. Tell you what, there are towels in the bathroom...I will go down to Seb's and get us both some drinks and iced buns. I will take the key so no one apart from the guys will be able to get in here"

"Thank you.....Thank you for all of this, Edward"

"It's my pleasure, Bella....I will see you soon"

Edward released my waist and walked back into the bedroom...I instantly missed his arms around me...No longer feeling secure...Empty, almost....Why?!

Not wasting any time...As I stepped back into the room...I took my suitcase from inside of the door and lay it on the bed, searching for my wash bag and finding that everything I left at Maureen's was in there – thankfully, I didn't have to buy any clothes or wash things because everything was here. I took my bag with my favourite strawberry shampoo and conditioner inside and walked across the landing to the bathroom next to Edward's room.

As I stepped in, the same smell from Edward's coat basked me in – I smiled as I closed the door...Opened the small cupboard and took out two towels...One for my body and one for my hair and stripped down making a mental note never to wear that outfit again...The outfit sprawled out along the floor, I also remembered to hang Edward's coat on the hook behind the door, turning the lock before walking over to the shower and turning the water on.

The warmness from the water instantly relaxed my muscles and I closed the glass door putting my shampoo and conditioner in one of the spare built-in holders and tilting my head back for the water to reach all of the areas of my hair.

This felt nice...It didn't feel like I was in another building altogether, the scent of my hair products and the hot water made me feel like I was at home, again...Maureen appearing on the landing to tell me that I shouldn't be making such a fuss over her state and go out and have fun in my young life.

Maureen....I am sorry that you had to go....But why, why, why did you leave everything to Ellie?!

Wiping down the doors...I leant down after and took my towels wrapping the larger one around my body and flipping my hair forward in one swift motion when the towel securely hid my body and wrapped the smaller one in my hair.

The steaminess of the bathroom made me reach over to the window and open it slightly to take away the humidity and condensation from the mirrored cabinet. My mum had always taught me never to go through anything that doesn't belong to you – out of principle to that lesson, I stayed well away from the cabinet and took the clothes in my free hand as the other one was placed over my towel keeping it across my body and stepped out of the bathroom altogether closing the door behind me.

In a sudden act of self-consciousness I peered down to the front door below and heard silence..Thanking that there was no one unfortunate enough to see me in a towel I rushed back to Edward's room opening the door...Gasping as the cool air from the open door to the balcony hit me...I dropped the outfit and closed it drawing the curtain back to hide the night from my gaze.

Quicker than the speed of light, feeling anxious that there may be Edward coming in any moment – I got dressed into my most comfortable pyjamas and rushed back to the bathroom hanging up my towels on the rack and removing Edward's coat from behind the door – the steam beginning to subside now the outside air had moulded with it in the bathroom.

I rushed back and unpacked all of my stuff leaving my horrible outfit from earlier in the suitcase locked away for later use. I did not bring many clothes into the country so – lack of space was something that I didn't have to deal with.

I zipped up my suitcase and put it behind the door – making a mental note to ask Edward where it would be better suited and out of the way where other people cannot see it.

Breathing a sigh of relief that everything was done...I unwrapped the small towel from my hair and let it fall on to my shoulders – running back to the bathroom to hang my second towel up I heard the front door closed...I sprinted back to the room and sat down on the foot of the bed waiting for Edward to appear in the doorway.

After a few moments he did, two takeaway cups in his hands and a bag under his arm.

"Feeling better?"

"Yes thank you" I answered shooting him a small, appreciative smile as he handed me my cup...He sat down next to me. "How's Sebastian?"

"After some long teasing about why you are staying with us...He is fine"

"Does he not want me to stay here?" Edward had put the bag inbetween us and I, purposely left the bag alone wanting him to take whatever it was he brought back with him out first.

"Don't be silly, Bella...He is more cheerful about it than anything"

"That's good...I wouldn't want to make people feel awkward being in their home and invading their privacy"

"Bella....Jacob, Paul and I never would have invited you back here if we did not want you here....Besides, it is mostly me who is here the most time so...It's a relief for me, too"

"Really?"

"Yeah...It's nice to have a friend....I got you a hot chocolate by the way, coffee would have kept you up all night"

"I can't remember the last time I had one of those...When I was a kid, maybe"

"I am not too fond of them, either but that cafe is the best for hot drinks"

"Must be a regularity for you going down there"

"You could say that" he answered with a mischievous crooked smile.

"How was your birthday?"

"Not good"

"How come?"

"I missed talking with you...You can imagine my shock to find you in that club, as well....Bella never again should you allow yourself to be subjected to that. I won't let that happen to you again"

"Edward – you have done too much for me, already...Protecting me is not on the list"

"It's not something I have to do, Bella....But I want to...I just hope that someday soon you feel the need to be open with me about things"

"Why?"

"Because I am not like other guys...I listen to people and I actually remember it afterwards...I mean, you're alone in a strange country and there is nothing worse than that. Bella, I don't want you to feel like you're alone"

"That's the funny thing....I thought I was but...Now, I know I'm not alone"

"Why is that?"

"Because I have a new friend, now"

"He sounds like a great guy" Edward teased.

"Who said it was a 'he'?" I shot back as he chuckled.

"We're gonna have a good time here, kid...Just stick with me. Everything will be alright"

In that moment it dawned on me.

I was going to be alright.

It was all thanks to Edward.

Thanks for Reading!

.S.

xoxoxoxox