A/N: Thanks to jilburfm for beta'ing!

OCD_Indeed for her support.

Everyone who's reading/reviewing/rec'cing/favoriting!

**

The River

Bella POV

I awoke on Sunday morning still wrapped tightly in Edward's arms. Neither of us had moved throughout the night and I could feel a distinct ache in my neck, more than likely the direct result of using a granite pillow.

I pulled back and looked up to his face, not asleep but peaceful nonetheless. For a brief moment, I wondered what he did throughout the night as I slept. I reached up and ran my fingers across his forehead, sweeping his hair from his face as his eyes opened to meet mine.

With a yawn, I mumbled "Good morning," before withdrawing to stretch my sore muscles. He released me, offering a reserved smile in response.

I inched myself closer to him until we were side by side and rested my hand on his cool fingers. "Have a good night?" I asked, as he flipped his hand to grasp mine. His lips pulled up into a crooked smile and he nodded minutely.

"You're in a good mood," I noticed, happily accepting the change from yesterday.

"You," he began in a strained whisper, immediately casting his eyes downward. I reached under his chin and guided his head upward, allowing our eyes to meet.

"What?" I finally asked, unsuccessfully searching his face for some sign of what he meant.

"You talk."

My face reddened instantaneously and I pulled away slightly, averting my eyes in a vain effort to find composure. I tried to remember my dreams from the past night. Since I'd met him, I had dreamt about him plenty, but lately they had become more... personal. More embarrassing. I couldn't remember exactly what last night's had contained, but I knew it couldn't be good. As I continued struggling to regain my self-control, I felt a cool, shaky finger hook underneath my chin.

I was unable to stop the smile from spreading on my lips as he slowly lifted my head, nor could I contain the traitor tears in my eyes when they finally met his. "What…d-did… I say…?" I asked. I continued smiling in spite of myself as I covered his hand with my own.

After several minutes of silence, I gave up on waiting for his response. "I need to go shower – and eat breakfast," I told him, letting our hands fall and moving backward. He nodded solemnly and slowly relaxed back into the mattress, curling onto his side and pulling the blanket over his shoulders.

Quickly, I grabbed my bag and headed to the bathroom.

**

When I was finished with my morning routine and came back into the bedroom, I noticed that he was standing by the window again, his hands and forehead laid flat against it, his eyes cast downward.

He looked like a prisoner, desperate for the outdoors but unable to grasp it; my mood steadily sunk as I watched him, wondering what could possibly be going through his mind.

I stood by the bathroom door, contemplating how to say what I knew needed to be said. "You know you can –" I began, my heart breaking a little with every passing second. His head snapped up to look at me, his expression a mixture of confusion and longing. I lowered my voice to a whisper as I approached him. "You know you can go… if you want to. I won't stop you," I said, finally reaching him. "We won't force you to stay."

Please don't go, I cried internally. Please… don't go.

He looked longingly back out the window and almost inaudibly whispered, "I don't… I don't think I can."

I held his hand in mine as we stood side by side, watching the world wake up, watching the outside come to life. Soon, we would have to go outside; he needed a chance to really experience it. If he had never been free, he probably had no idea what he was capable of doing. The thought of being outside with him was almost surreal, and I couldn't wait for it.

Alice came in at four, taking a seat on the corner of the bed. "Hey guys," she said, tracing invisible patterns into the comforter. Edward backed up automatically, but managed to contain his growling. I looked at him hopefully, thrilled that his fear wasn't consuming him.

"You should go home soon," she began, breaking the silence. "Charlie will be less of a problem if you spend some time with him." She was right. I grumbled incoherently and knew my weekend was coming to a close.

"Is he even home?" I asked, annoyance seeping into my tone.

"Yep, he didn't fish today. I think he was hoping he'd see you." I could feel the guilt trip about to be laid on me and wanted desperately to avoid it, but before I could speak, she continued, "Bella –"

"I know, I know."

She chuckled under her breath and mumbled, "Of course you do," just loud enough for me to hear. "So – this weekend," she began, before detailing the plans for Friday and Saturday. Friday was homecoming and Saturday was my birthday, making this weekend my own personal hell. At least, I justified, I'd be able to spend one night here. Although I had spent very few birthdays with Charlie, when we did spend them together he would get up early to cook breakfast and watch me open gifts. I looked forward to it, as it was one of the only traditions left between us. So I knew Friday night was out, but I hoped that he would be okay with me spending Saturday night here. I put it out of my mind, determined to not let it affect me yet.

We talked about homecoming and, while I tried to reel her in in regards to my birthday, I could already see that she was out of control. Edward didn't speak, but he didn't growl or tremble much either. He just watched her intently.

By five, it was time to pack up. I left the book on the table and grabbed my things, shoving them all into my bag and setting it by the door. I walked to the edge of the bed where Edward sat watching me curiously, and knelt down next to him. He immediately reached his hand toward mine and I took it, flipping it over and drawing invisible patterns on his forearm. He inhaled deeply and closed his eyes, his muscles tightening briefly under my touch.

"I have to go home. My dad – Charlie – he's waiting for me."

I moved to stand but he tightened his grip on my wrist. He opened his eyes and looked at me morosely. "You… you'll be back?" he asked, his eyebrows pulling together.

I reached up and stroked his jaw before answering, "Of course I will."

**

Carlisle POV

It was Tuesday night and I had taken root in my study, scanning through yet another set of files that were possibly linked to the bracelet. I had been pouring all of my free time into figuring out where he came from, and although no one could answer, I was able to find several hospitals that utilized similar wristbands. So far, however, none had been a match. To be fair, I knew it was highly unlikely that hospital records would turn anything up. As I finished browsing the last file in the stack, I closed it despondently, sighing at my futile efforts.

I heard a soft knock on the door, the heartbeat that accompanied it immediately giving away her identity. "Come in," I called loudly, restacking the files and setting them aside.

"He said his throat hurts," Bella explained as she walked into the study. She immediately sat down in the leather armchair. "Is he thirsty?"

I nodded, contemplating which course of action would be best. "Likely," I responded as I stood. She followed suit and together, we walked downstairs. As she left for the night, I began to consider the implications of his burning throat.

It had only been a few days since he had last fed, and I hadn't really counted on him needing to feed again until at least Thursday, but I was unwilling to take any risks where this vampire was involved. Especially with Bella spending so much time with him, I thought wryly.

I knew that some progress had been made in regards to his disposition over the past few days, although all of my information was coming to me through the grapevine. I had been putting more hours in at the hospital, as I found myself unable to sit idly by while Bella risked herself day after day, knowing that she would inevitably be in danger.

I still couldn't fully process why the others were so laid back about the whole situation. Given Alice's vision, nothing good could come from this budding relationship. But we were a unit, and I could not grant myself absolute power, despite my status in the family. As it was, Rosalie and I were unable to fight the four votes of approval, but damned if I would sit in my home and simply wait for hell to break loose.

It was in that mindset that I began pouring myself into my work. For the past two weeks, my attendance at the hospital was sparse at best, and if I were being honest with myself, it was a nice break from the drama.

However, it meant that when improvements were made at home that would otherwise catch my attention, I was only informed as a courtesy. I could admit, though, that his developing trust in Bella was remarkable, and I could only hope at this point that it might carry over to one of us.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Jasper asked, interrupting my thoughts. Did I want him to? We all knew that Jasper was the least likely to earn his trust, but it was entirely possible that, if he had come far enough, Jasper's calm could potentially do some good.

"No," Alice answered for me, striding into the room and taking her place next to her husband. She looked up at him meaningfully and explained, "It'll be better if it's just Carlisle this time, I think." She turned her attention to me and continued. "Right now it looks like it might be alright… Just take it slowly, don't take anything for granted, okay?"

I nodded solemnly, considering all of the different possible meanings of 'alright.' Finally, I grabbed my bag and moved to the kitchen, filling it with pints of animal blood, and headed up the stairs.

As I entered the room, I kept my position beside the far wall, maintaining as much space between us as possible. He was already cowering against the headboard when he came into my view, so I quickly set down my bag. I'm here to help, I thought, unsure of whether spoken words would be the proper approach in this situation.

"I'm Carlisle," I introduced myself slowly, hesitantly, and waited for some sign of recognition. He continued recoiling until his back was flat against the wood and let out a menacing growl.

"Bella said your throat hurts?" I asked, taking a step toward the bed. A leather-bound copy of Dracula lay curiously open on the mattress. I approached it and picked it up, inspecting it. I relished in the scent of the old material before setting it on the nightstand.

"It's likely your body's reaction to the thirst," I explained, keeping myself as far from him as possible. His growling let up and he straightened his shoulders a bit as I continued. "It hasn't been long since you've fed, but if you're thirsty I think it's best that we not waste time." It won't be pleasant, but it's necessary.

He looked at me incredulously, his mouth parting slightly in confusion. Can you hear me, Edward?

I noticed his trembling increase infinitesimally, if I hadn't been watching him so intently I wouldn't have recognized it at all, but there was something in the way his eyes shifted uncertainly. He was growing more nervous.

"It's okay," I said, moving to my bag. "My only intention is to feed you."

He wrapped his arms tighter around his legs as I rounded the bed quickly and calmly, sitting on the edge closest to him. His growling and trembling both amplified as I reached over and grabbed the book.

"So," I began, flipping through the pages. "Dracula, huh?" I chuckled under my breath. Humans had such creative perceptions of the vampire world. I thought about why Bella would pull this book, of all books, out for him. Unless he had chosen it, I couldn't really come to grips with the decision. It was Emmett's favorite, but Bella had never really shown interest in it. I would've guessed her to have picked Austen or Bronte.

Somewhere in the back of my mind, I noticed the growling softening, but, having instinctually linked it to my thoughts about Bella, I tried to keep them at the forefront.

"Emmett loves Dracula," I finally said. "He loves the vulnerabilities that encompass traditional depictions of our kind. Makes him feel strong, worthy." I set the book down and reached for my bag, opening it and laying the contents out on the table next to us. "You need to feed."

His eyes met mine as he continued to growl softly, his breathing heavy and desperate. Their coloring was still relatively light, but I couldn't fathom taking any risks with him; not where Bella's safety was concerned. I reached out for the cup I had set aside and poured a small amount of blood into it before setting it back down.

"You could try," I began, considering how to broach the subject. "You could try to drink it orally, but it likely won't work," I explained, pulling out the tube once more. "Would you like to try?"

I watched him closely for his answer, for some sort of shift in body language to indicate a preference. I was fairly confident that his body would naturally expel the blood, but the more choices I gave him the better the chance of this going well.

Eventually, he closed his eyes and shook his head slightly, presenting me with his response. The progress that had been made over the past two weeks truly was astounding.

I stood, certain to keep my movements deliberate as not to startle him, and uncoiled the tube. "I'm going to take this slowly," I explained, trying to gauge his fear. "If you need me to slow down, or if you feel yourself panicking, I'll stop. You just need to let me know, okay?"

Gradually, I reached my hand out toward his arm. He flinched, desperately trying to move himself back further, but had no room left to withdraw. "Are you okay?"

I'm not going to hurt you, I repeated mentally, unsuccessful in my attempts at relaxing him; he wasn't calming.

So I thought back to Bella, the one person he seemed to trust. I allowed myself to think about her birthday, about the CD player that Emmett and Rosalie had bought her, and imagined her reaction to opening it. Alice and Emmett had taken her on a weekend trip to California over the summer and the sole reason that Bella had allowed Alice to drive was because her truck lacked appropriate "road-trip music." We met them there and spent a particularly muggy day at an amusement park.

I tried to remain blissfully unaware of his calming, to continue allowing the happy memories with our favorite human to flood my mind, but when our eyes met, I couldn't help but briefly wonder what was going through his.

Quickly though, before his panic could resurface, I went back into those memories. I thought about their prom, about the dress that Alice forced her into. She had tripped walking down the stairs and sprained her ankle. I remember the look of sheer happiness on her face when I told her the news; she didn't care one bit about her body, so long as she could get out of dancing in public. I smiled fondly at the memory of the make-shift prom in our living room, Emmett whirling her effortlessly around the floor while Alice took picture after picture.

I had guided him onto his back by the time that night had completely played out, and was ready to reinsert the tube. "I'm not going to hurt you," I whispered, preparing it. "Are you feeling okay?" He didn't respond, but our eyes met for a brief second so I continued.

I thought back to the summer nights at the river, spent swimming and cooking out. She always hated when we cooked, knowing it was only for her benefit. But Esme loved to cook, and Emmett loved the atmosphere of cook-outs, so we were able to convince her it was for our benefit as much as hers. She really brought out our humanity, for which all of us were grateful.

"Swallow," I spoke softly as the tube hit the back of his throat, keeping the images in my head. He silently complied, looking at me desperately. "Good, you're doing perfectly," I praised him as I would any other patient, "It's almost over."

This past summer was the best any of us could remember. It was so light-hearted and simple. Occasionally Charlie would come to our cookouts, in which case we would be forced to eat, but it didn't matter. Charlie would sit by the edge of the river with Jasper and fish, although they rarely bit with the girls splashing nearby.

When the tube was in place I knew I needed to come back to reality, if just for a minute, to get him fed. He turned his head to the door, but didn't make a move to escape. As the blood flowed through the tube, I reached for the cup and put my hand under his head, lifting it slightly off of the pillow.

"You need to smell it," I instructed, supporting his neck as I held the cup under his nose. He looked up at me, fear evident in his features, and closed his eyes. I felt a wave of calm crash over me and smiled, silently thanking my son for his assistance. I should've known he'd be nearby.

Edward inhaled quickly, taking a very shallow breath through his nose. I felt his body jolt reflexively as the smell of the blood assaulted his senses, so I immediately pulled the cup away. I turned his head to the side and pushed his hair off his forehead, whispering, "It's okay," quietly, repetitively. I reached out to his hand, gripping it loosely, and in his panic, his fingers quickly tightened around mine. Violent tremors shook his body as he clutched my hand desperately, but eventually, his body began to calm.

The blood continued to flow into his system, and when he had finally stilled, I brought the cup to his nose once more. Abruptly, he pulled away, his head turning into the pillow in a vain effort to protect himself. I'm sorry, I thought poignantly, it needs to be done. If Bella hadn't grown so close to him we could possibly afford to take more risks, but the circumstances required that I act with the utmost caution, not just for his well-being, but for hers as well; I could see no other way of getting around his aversion, and allowing his thirst to consume him would surely end in disaster. I could only think to slowly reacquaint him with the scent of blood, which would hopefully let his body recognize the positive reaction it had when blood was consumed.

I reached my hand into the cup and let the tip of my finger coat in blood, relishing in the sweet scent. It was only animal blood, so it was far less appealing than human blood, but it still sparked that familiar sting in my throat. I put my finger under his nose, keeping my thoughts calm yet pleading.

Eventually, he inhaled again. The reflexive gag followed, but it was visibly less violent this time. I withdrew once more and wiped off my hand; it was enough for now. Still, I wanted to make sure he was fully fed, so I quietly pulled out another bag of blood. As I continued to feed him, I brought up every happy memory of Bella I could think of. By the time he was through his fifth pint, I slowly removed the tube and stood. "Are you alright?" I asked again, returning my supplies to my bag.

His breathing was slowly returning to normal as the tremors in his hands stilled. "You should be alright at least until the weekend. Does your throat still hurt?"

I looked at him quickly, hoping that the cause of this pain was as simple as thirst. He sat up slightly on the bed and shook his head, rolling to his side and wrapping his arms tightly around his legs. I smiled and walked quietly to the door, glancing back it him quickly.

"You're welcome to explore the house," I added, unsure of whether this was actually safe. "I know you've seen the study, but you're free to take a look around. There are, of course, other books – which you may find more interesting," I thought to continue, but it seemed as though he had had enough of me for one day. "If you need anything, I'll be in the study." I dropped my head and smiled to myself, quickly exiting the bedroom.

**

Bella POV

By the time Wednesday rolled around, I was feeling more comfortable in our routine. We had been spending much of our time on the balcony, but I decided that it wasn't enough anymore. Tonight we will go outside, I promised myself as I got ready for school that morning.

The past few days had been relatively event-free. He didn't move around much, except to stand by the window, and he rarely spoke.

Still, though, I could see him getting better. We were working toward something and, as slowly as he was progressing, I could see his improvement. It was wrong that he was stuck in that bedroom all day every day, and tonight, tonight I would rectify that.

School dragged, my budding excitement over this evening's plans making it extremely difficult to remain focused on anything else.

It was almost five by the time I got to the mansion, and I was met at the front door by a very eager Alice.

"Before you say anything," she began. "I'm not positive how well this will go, but I think it's a good choice."

I smiled, throwing my arms around her. "But you need to be careful, okay? We'll be nearby, and I'll watch closely… but please, just be careful."

She released me and led me into the house. Strangely, no one was in the living room as I passed by. I looked questioningly at Alice, who just shrugged and pushed me along before heading toward the kitchen.

He was sitting on the bed with the book in his lap when I entered, his automatic growl quickly dissipating as I made my way over to him.

"Hey," I greeted him as I laid down on the bed and look at the ceiling. I turned on my side and reached over to him, my hand falling on his forearm. "How are you?" I asked. His eyes were lighter again, the circles that had begun to appear had completely faded; he had fed.

"Okay," he whispered softly, leaning back into the bed next to me.

"You fed?"

He nodded. "Do you feel any better?"

"A little." He smiled and closed his eyes, pulling my hand up to his face. He inhaled deeply and opened his eyes as he looked back to the window. It reminded me of my current dilemma.

I was oddly nervous about going outside for the first time. What if he left? There really would be nothing stopping him.

He looked at me curiously as my heart sped. I sat upright and tightened my grip on his hands, guiding him with me. "C'mon," I whispered, gesturing to the door.

This was normal enough for us, as we had gone to the study several times by this point, but when I turned right instead of left outside the bedroom door, he stopped short.

"It's okay," I said, moving a bit further. He growled sharply, his face full of alarm as he looked at me. His hands were beginning to shake, but eventually he took a tentative step in my direction.

"I was thinking maybe… maybe we could go outside?"

His fingers tightened around mine and he took another step toward me. "It's okay," I whispered, as we slowly made our way to the top of the staircase. Looking down upon the living room, I could feel the trembles rising in his body. Slowly, we descended the steps. The room was still empty as we passed, but my vampire remained as close to the wall as possible while we inched ourselves forward.

He kept his eyes fixed straight ahead, not curious whatsoever of his surroundings, which initially puzzled me. Although, given his reaction to the computer, I could imagine that the things in the living room would terrify him.

When we got to the back door I opened it slowly and turned to him. "You're faster than me," I began, our eyes meeting, "and stronger. If you run, I won't be able to catch you," I whispered, squeezing his fingers tighter.

"I won't run," he promised softly, his eyes leaving mine as he looked through the cracked door. He slowly pushed it open wider, a small shiver running down his spine.

I stepped outside, the warm September sun immediately lightening my mood. Forks weather was so unpredictable; I knew to savor these types of evenings.

I took a few steps forward, letting the breeze hit my senses, and looked up to the sky. The Cullen land really was beautiful. I spent several seconds admiring the land around me while I listened intently for the river. I knew the Cullens could hear it from the house, but as hard as I tried, I couldn't make it out.

When I heard a soft growl behind me, I turned on my heels. Edward was still standing in the doorway, partially obscured by the shadows.

I reached out a hand and gestured for him to join me, smiling widely at the strangely cooperative weather. "Come on," I said, stepping toward him.

He took a step back, retreating into the house and shook his head, his trembling growing visibly.

I reached out further and our hands met, his eyes closing as he inhaled deeply. "It'll be okay," I whispered, stepping back again. This time, he tentatively followed.

As he finally stepped out into the sunlight, we simultaneously gasped.

Edward in the sunlight was like nothing I had ever seen before. I knew that a vampire's skin reacted this way to the light, but he was so intensely… beautiful. I openly gaped at him but my ogling was cut short.

He quickly retreated to the shadows, falling back against the outside of the house. Immediately, I went to his side and wrapped my arms around him.

"The Cullens own all of this land," I whispered, as we took in our surroundings. I had been out here countless times, but never before had it seemed so breathtaking. I watched the trees sway with a newfound appreciation.

Eventually, he straightened up and took a deep, shaky breath. I anticipated that he was ready to try again, so I kept my arms clutched tightly around him and slowly, we left the confines of the shadows.

The sun was beginning to set in the sky, his body reacting less to the dimmer light. We gradually inched away from the shade and further into the backyard.

As we moved, Edward lifted his hand out in front of him and turned it over, closely inspecting the effects the sun made on his diamond skin. His trembling had grown fiercer, his occasional flinches deep and unrelenting, and as we finally made it to the most exposed part of the yard, I lowered myself to the grass.

His shaky arms remained outstretched before him as he sat down next to me.

I took his hand in my lap and held it up, rotating it slightly to the left and right, as we both examined the sparkling flesh. "So beautiful," I murmured, only to myself.

His shuddering eased a bit as he looked to me and smiled. He closed his eyes and let his head fall back, inhaling deeply through his nose. I kept my grip on his hand and ran my fingers up and down his forearm, tracing the shimmering veins that appeared there. "Is this okay?" I asked, as I moved to flip his hand over. He realized what I was trying to do and complied, the back of his fingers fully exposed in just a fraction of a second.

The movement would have startled anyone else, but I knew that I was safe with my vampire. "You have no idea… how that feels," he sighed, his eyes remaining closed. I smiled outwardly, elated with his approval, and continued examining his arm.

As the sun fell further the diamonds began to dull into the pale skin that I was used to, but I continued my exploration of his exposed skin. I could feel my heart beating erratically in my chest as I pulled his other arm into my hands, his eyes finally opening to meet mine.

Tentatively, he pulled one hand free and brought it to my collarbone. He laid his palm flat against my heart as we both sat completely still, lost in this moment. Too soon, though, he pulled his hand back. I immediately missed its presence, but just as I opened my mouth to beg him not to stop, he brought his head closer to me.

I refused to move a muscle as he rested his ear over my heart; the only movement from either of us was my ever speeding heartbeat. I could feel my breathing picking up as his head lay flat against my chest, so I closed my eyes and tried to calm myself.

"Beautiful," he whispered softly, eventually pulling back. I was still stunned by the whole exchange, but, as not to create any tension, I quickly went back to inspecting his skin.

After what could have been minutes or hours, we stood and quietly walked further into the yard. I knew not to get too far in, but I could hear the river flowing in the distance; we were nearing it. I found the path that we often took and followed it, keeping my vampire's hand clutched tightly in my own. He occasionally cringed as we walked, and I often had to wait as he took in his surroundings. He was clearly petrified, but I could tell in the way he examined everything around us that he was also curious.

"Do you want to go back?" I asked as I waited out his hesitation.

"Not yet," he whispered, closing the small gap that had been formed between us. We continued walking.

When we reached the river I let go of his hands and knelt down, letting the tips of my fingers run through the cool water. He followed suit and crouched beside me, a soft growl resonating from his chest. He put his hands in the water quickly, unaffected by the coolness that it brought, and closed his eyes.

I sat down, watching him as he inhaled the scents of the river. He pulled up handfuls of water and observed as it trickled through his fingers. Over and over he did this, relearning what the earth was like. Again, I felt the pang of hatred for those who did this to him. I assumed that vampires had to be involved, as I knew of no human in the world that could overpower one of these immortals.

"But what kind of vampires would keep you locked up for one hundred years," I mumbled silently, only to myself.

"They weren't vampires," he answered quickly, his eyebrows knitting together in uncertainty. He looked up from the water and directly to me, shaking his head in confusion before continuing. "Your -," he started, but stopped short, swallowing hard. "– before last week, I'd never seen another vampire."

**

A/N: Well, there ya go.

Lots of questions about EPOV. There won't be EPOV within the story, as far as I know. There will at least be EPOV outtakes at some point, but his POV will never appear inside the story.

The new review response system and I had a bit of a disagreement, so I'm sorry to say I didn't get to respond to a good chunk of reviews. We were able to work out our differences, though, so I should be able to respond this chapter.

As always, thanks SO MUCH to everyone who reviews! The review count epically slipped last chap, so… Review if you're surprised that E never faced a vamp? Or if you called it. Or if you're indifferent!