A/N: SM wrote Twilight; I wrote this.
Thanks all for the very kind reviews, I enjoyed each and every one.
When she awoke the next morning there was a tray on the bedside table with a small teapot and a freshly baked sultana muffin, her favourite of course, on a plate. She moaned with delight and stretched under the covers. She wanted to stay there forever but then a pressing need became urgent so she reluctantly sat up and stretched before getting out of the bed to make the dash to the bathroom.
She stopped frozen to the spot when Edward jumped up from the chair by the fireplace with a shocked expression on his face.
"Oh, my word Miss Swan! You have no... undergarments."
Bella hadn't noticed Edward sitting in a chair reading by the fire but now she certainly noticed his shocked expression as his eyes were taking in her body.
She looked down realising the linen nightdress she was wearing was extremely sheer and she was naked underneath it, as he'd left no other clothes for her, and she certainly wasn't going to wear dirty underwear.
She jumped back into the bed and pulled up the quilt. "Sorry Edward, I didn't see you there."
Edward walked toward her, now modestly covered under the bedding. "It is I who should apologise, Miss Swan. I brought in the tray and then settled in to read until you awoke. It was presumptuous of me I know, but now that you are here, I find it difficult to be away from you. Please forgive me."
Bella sat up in the bed pulling the shawl around her shoulders: "Edward, this is your apartment and I am grateful for the lovely arrangements. Should you have knocked? Yes, but I understand. If this attraction thing is what I read about in the file... and you think I am your "mate", then I understand that you feel the need to be near me. If I am completely honest I need to say that I feel a sort of pull towards you too."
He gave her a shy smile but inwardly was ecstatic that she was understanding of his feeling towards her although he doubted she truly understood the depth of his feelings. He was also grateful that she was so sweet and honest as to share that she felt something for him too, even though she did not understand the feeling.
Her sweet voice interrupted his inner reverie.
"Edward, do you think you could close your eyes so I could go to the bathroom without shocking your further?"
"Oh, of course my dear," he said as he placed his hands over his face. Closing his eyes however only brought to his mind images of her beautiful body wrapped in the lovely linen nightdress. She looked like an angel. Not a real angel like Renee, of course, but certainly angelic. He had seen naked women in the minds of others before but never before had he seen anyone so lovely as his Isabella. The curve of her breasts and the roundness of her hips. He needed to shake away these ungentlemanly thoughts before his body gave away just how attractive he had found her to be.
Bella, meanwhile, leapt from the bed and went straight to the bathroom locking the door behind her. She quickly relieved herself, washed her face and hands, brushed her teeth and brushed her hair. She found a lovely soft dressing gown hanging behind the door which she had not noticed the night before; she wrapped herself in the lovely soft garment tying the belt tightly around her waist.
She went out to find Edward pacing the floor. "Are you alright Edward?"
"I fear I am not making a very good impression on you, Miss Swan, and I feel as though I need you to think well of me; it is very important to me."
He sat in the reading chair and Bella walked over to him taking the seat opposite him and immediately feeling the warmth from the fireplace.
"Edward, after what I read in that file last night about the work you have been doing here at SPAM assisting with investigations how could I not have a good impression of you? You have saved hundreds of innocent victims of kidnapping and violent offences, many of them just children. You have done more than I could ever hope to achieve in a lifetime of service."
He pushed his fingers through his hair and shifted awkwardly in this chair. He wasn't a hero; he was only doing what he could with the talent he'd been blessed with.
Bella thought that if it were possible for a vampire to blush that Edward would do so right now.
It was true, in his file she had noted that he had been instrumental in providing the information investigators needed to locate hidden, and in some cases even buried, victims of crime, some living, some not.
Without his help none of them would've been found since torture is not a legal interrogation method of criminals to find out where they've hidden their victims; thankfully Edward provided an alternative.
Many victims had been saved and many criminals had been successfully prosecuted thanks to Edward's ability to assist investigators to locate the necessary evidence.
Some of the cases were ones she had studied during her training and she had often wondered how the cases had been solved. Now she knew. Edward.
In her eyes, he was a hero.
"I was just trying to find a purpose for myself in this vampire life, Miss Swan. It was the least I could do."
She took a seat and picked up a cup of tea he had poured for her. "Didn't I ask you to call me Bella? So, now you are finished and want to enter society in a new way?"
"Yes. You see I never actually finished high school, Miss Swan... Bella. Although I have studied in my own way and read many books on philosophy, science, romance, history and mathematics, I do not have my high school qualifiction.
"Whereas you completed high school early, completed your degree and your masters in a reduced time compared to the usual time allowed, still finishing at the top of your graduating class.
"As your ... friend, well, I feel ... unworthy of you."
Bella reached out her hand to rest over his: "Edward, that is simply not true. You have done so much good in the world. Honestly, I think the main reason I have completed my schooling so quickly and done so well, is that I never really fit in with 'normal' people. I've spent most of my time alone.
"My father died when I was young and I guess you could say my mother was a bit of a Will o'Wisp in human form. I followed her around, moving from one place to another, until she died when I was 18. I was already at College by then and her death left me completely alone in the world. Losing her to a drunk driver, who should never have been on the road, drove me into studying law and my grief drove me to be the best I could be.
"So you see Edward you've done what you have done for completely unselfish reasons with no reward for yourself. Whereas I have done what I have done, if not for selfish reasons, certainly self-centred reasons."
She sat back and took another sip of her tea. "I am so glad I can repay you for all the good you've done by helping you now with your desire to assimilate into society.
"Thank you for your kind words, Bella."
He went to the bedside table and brought back the sultana muffin handing it to a smiling and grateful Bella.
"Edward? Do you mind if I ask you a question?"
He waved his hand to signify that she should proceed as he resumed his seat by the fire.
"Why have you never … well, why haven't you… um, why have you waited until now to try and assimilate into the community."
"It seems Miss Swan that I must bribe you to eat once again." He smiled looking down at her untouched muffin. "If you promise to eat then I promise to talk."
Bella popped some food in her mouth with an impish grin. Edward chuckled at her playfulness. "Better," he said.
"When I came here at Renee's invitation, I became quite preoccupied with the responsibilities of my role here. Not needing to sleep and being able to read minds, meant that I was a very productive asset for the investigative teams.
"Demetri was company for me for hunting and such, which was a pleasure I hadn't experienced before having lived in solitude since my change. He also taught me many things about the history of vampires. You see my ... , Miss Swan, I had no idea who my sire was, so I had received no education in this life. Demetri has been a wonderful guide and mentor for me.
"Eleazar too has been most kind to me. He introduced me to many other creatures here at SPAM, many of whom have become my friends. My mind reading ability meant that I was able to translate for them and speak with them in ways that no one else here was or is able to; even Aro is unable to assist with this. That is one of the most important reasons for my hesitation to leave life here at SPAM."
Bella continued to eat her muffin in silence as she watched and listened to Edward. She couldn't help but admire Edward's gentle and kind manner when he spoke of his relationships with others.
Edward continued: "However, if I am to be completely honest there are two other significant reasons affecting my decision to leave SPAM. One, is that I have struggled until now with the changes in society which I have witnessed through the minds of the humans I have encountered. I want to reacquaint myself with the world, Miss Swan. I want to be able to mingle with society in as natural a way as possible for a vegetarian vampire.
"My motivation to do so, to once again move in society, well that brings me to my second reason. You. Miss Swan. You are my other reason. If you have read my file you know that Alice, a vampire I have never met who is a seer, has 'seen' that you and I are mates. I apologise if that is distasteful or shocking for you. Please understand that I will never pressure you to a relationship or to anything, but I, well… I want… I need… to be near you.
"If I am to be near you, then I need to be near others and I want so much to be near you, Bella. Therefore, I must learn to be near others and Renee thought that the Cullens were the perfect vampires to assist me."
Bella had long finished her muffin and at his declaration that his motivation to assimilate into society was dominated by the urge to be near her, she had moved in her seat so as to lean closer to him. She was a little overwhelmed at the idea of his feelings for her but she trusted him. She wasn't sure why but she did.
She cleared her throat: "So Edward, when do we fly to Forks?"
He smiled gently at her lovely face which looked so pretty with the gentle glow from the fire reflected on her cheeks: "We can't really fly directly to Forks, so we are flying to Port Angeles and then we are driving to Forks. Your personal things are already loaded on the jet with your furnishings being placed in my storage here.
"Tanya has arranged some clothing for you on your bed. I will go dress for the trip and then meet you in the parlor in say an hour?"
She nodded and he left the room closing the door behind him. Bella looked to see a pair of jeans and a blouse as well as clean underwear were on the bed waiting for her.
She jumped in for another shower, dressed and then headed out switching on the lights in the hallways so she could find her way. She arrived back in the 'parlor' and took a seat to wait for Edward, taking the opportunity to read more of the file. She'd been fascinated with the information about the vampires working with the USSS and other creatures as well and wanted to know more.
Tanya flew into the room, literally. "You better take good care of Edward, young lady."
"I will, although from what I read in this file, he's pretty much indestructible."
Tanya came to rest in front of Bella's chair. "That's not what I mean; his body is strong as marble but you need to be careful with his unbeating heart. He's innocent in the ways of modern women with their slovenly habits. He won't understand when you use him and lose him. So just you be careful with him."
Bella was confused by Tanya's comments but she definitely felt affronted: "I don't understand what you mean by slovenly ways or by your 'use him and lose him' reference but I am pretty sure I'm insulted."
Before Tanya could reply Edward entered wearing what can only be described as an old-fashioned banker's suit. Bella smiled to herself again at the impossibility of passing this gentleman off as a modern teenager but thought that now was as good a time as any to start assimilating Edward into society. "Um, Edward?"
"Yes my dear?"
"Do you have anything less formal to wear?"
He looked at his clothes and back up to Bella: "These are my travelling clothes, Bella. They are not in the least bit formal, I can assure you."
Tanya flew to Bella's side and crossed her arms over each other: "I've bought him 'modern' clothes but he just won't wear them."
Bella looked to Tanya: "Are there any jeans in his closet?"
Tanya nodded enthusiastically.
Bella took Edward's hand. "Come on, lead me to your wardrobe, your assimilation starts now and it starts with some Calvins."
Tanya giggled and flew ahead leading the way: "I think I might like you after all, Isabella."
Bella laughed: "Ok, but just don't call me Isabella, I hate that name. Call me Bella."
The girls dragged Edward back to his rooms and then into his very large walk-in wardrobe.
Bella pulled out all the things, she found in the depths of his closet, that were appropriate for a 'modern' teenager and threw them on the bed. "Pick something from these to wear today, I'm going to pack the rest." She opened his suitcase and pulled out his perfectly folded but very 1920s appropriate clothing, including his long-john's. "Edward, you can't wear these ... ever!"
Tanya laughed and grabbed the old fashioned clothes returning them to the closet. "Don't worry Edward they'll be here for you when you come home."
After half an hour of packing and listening to Edward whine about inappropriate and uncomfortable clothing, he was finally dressed wearing a fabulous pair of jeans which hung low on his hips, a white t-shirt with a plaid over shirt. He had boots on his feet since he flatly refused to wear runners, and he carried a large wool jacket.
He looked like a model on a casual shoot for a men's magazine.
"Can we leave now?" he grumbled.
"Not quite," Bella said as she shoved a Chicago Cubs baseball cap on his head. "Now we can go."
"Bella, I can not wear this cap. First of all, we are not going to the baseball and secondly, I can not wear a hat while indoors."
"Yes you can and yes you will." She placed a small kiss on his cheek. "Now come on, it's time to assimilate." She strode out of the room and headed back out to the lobby of the apartment.
Edward touched his cheek where she had kissed him and grinned as he watched her leave. He turned to Tanya: "Goodbye old girl, wish me luck."
Tanya kissed his forehead: "Don't 'old girl' me and you be careful. And be nice to Bella, I like her."
He chuckled and kissed her temple before following after Bella, mumbling about uncomfortable underwear.
A/N: Well I just adore this Edward. I hope you liked him too and that he gave you a smile.