AN – Firstly a really massive thank you to everyone that reviewed: Bunch2009, Bellaangel383, , Cullengirl10, CassieCat97, thatxbaseballxgirl, VampLove617, twilight-vamp-sis, Dallasgurl, Taralynn09, jac master and KiWistYlez.

Thank you so much for reviewing guys, there is only one person that has expressed that they aren't enjoying the story so far, but many of you are and it's your reviews that have motivated me to continue writing.

Secondly a really huge thank you to everyone that added me to their story alerts and/or their favourite stories list.

And finally any street names or house numbers mentioned in this chapter will be pure fiction….I live in England and have no knowledge of streets or area's in Seattle.

BPOV

Edward Cullen? Why would he be calling me at this time? My heart was pounding in my chest and I had butterflies in my stomach which kept fluttering and churning in puzzlement and anticipation.

"Bella, are you there?" He asked as I had not yet spoken.

I was so astounded at his call that it took me quite a few moments to answer him…

"Yes I'm…I'm here…..I….ummmm." I felt extremely awkward and I didn't know what to say. His phone call had been so unexpected; I hadn't had time to prepare myself to speak to him.

"I'm sorry….I probably should not have called…..I…..Goodbye Bella."

"No wait….." I don't exactly know why the two words blurted from my mouth, maybe it was the hint of sadness and desperation I could hear in his tone of voice…

"Is something the matter? Has something happened?" I asked, my voice showing my concern.

"No….I…I just needed to talk to someone sane and rational. Tanya….Well Tanya is very over bearing at times and I….I needed to get away from her and….well can I?..."

He paused and I wasn't quite certain as to why. I could hear the reluctance in the question he had started to ask me.

"Can I see you tonight?" He continued after a long pause.

Now it was my turn to hesitate, I wasn't sure on how I should in fact answer him. I was after all planning his wedding – or at least that is what I had been hired to do – is it entirely ethical to meet the groom socially?

However my debate was soon over within a split-second as I unthinkingly gave my answer….

"Yes…."

There was a long moment of silence before he finally spoke…. "Where?" He whispered.

"Here…" The word spilled from my mouth before I could even stop it.

"At your house?"

"Yeah I mean I do have coffee and it would mean we wouldn't be disturbed…..but…If…If you think it's inappropriate then…" I trailed off, wishing I had kept my mouth firmly shut and that I had not spoken a word.

"No, I don't think it's at all inappropriate."

"OK….I will see you soon then."

I couldn't wait to get off the phone…I needed to change; I couldn't greet him in my pyjamas, could I?

I was about to hang up when his voice once again floated through the phone I was holding to my ear.

"Bella….I don't know where you live."

I laughed nervously while internally cursing myself for my stupidity, I should have known he wouldn't know where I lived, I mean why would he? He had never been to my house.

"I'm sorry I wasn't thinking. I live in number 54 Westgate building; just off of Baldwin Avenue…..I'm on the second floor. See you soon."

I hung up the phone before he could even reply and instantly chastised myself for agreeing to see him.

I was allowing myself to develop feelings…..No the feelings had already developed….that wasn't the problem, the problem was, was that I was doing nothing to diminish those feelings. Instead I was seemingly encouraging them….What was I thinking inviting him to my home at this time of night. I was allowing myself to get closer to him and I could only hope I would not live to regret it.

I ran to my bedroom to change, not knowing how long he would be. I threw a t-shirt over my head and jumped into a pair of jeans.

In my haste I however managed to lose my balance while putting my second leg into the jean leg and ended up toppling over and falling into my wardrobe – bashing my arm in the process.

It was times like this that I really detested my clumsiness – it never did me any favours - it just either embarrassed me excessively or injured me, and I couldn't quite make up my mind which option was worse.

After finally managing to get dressed I decided to switch the kettle on and set the cups – with several spoonfuls of coffee in them – in front of the kettle.

I had to admit I was more than a little nervous at his visit - agreeing to meet him here at this time – I was most defiantly playing with fire, I just couldn't bring myself to care.

My feelings were so conflicted and I no longer knew how to feel or how to think where Edward Cullen was concerned. I was also deeply worried about his presence as the last time we spent a few hours alone in each other's company I had bolted faster than a horse from a stable…..I wanted to be able to sit in a room with him and feel at ease not uncomfortable.

My only problem was, was I don't think my uneasiness was caused by the man himself, I think it was the feelings I had so quickly developed for said man…

A knock at the door shook me from my revere and I rushed through the kitchen, past the dining table – bashing my knee this time on one of the chairs in the process – to answer it.

He stood there smiling at me as I pried the door open. His bronze hair was standing in an array of angles almost as if he had constantly been running his fingers through it.

I felt even more awkward now that he was here; I didn't know what to say or do so I simply smiled widely at him and held the door open wide enough for him to come in.

"Thanks" He whispered quietly as I led him in to the kitchen.

"What are you thanking me for?"

"For letting me see you….I…I don't exactly know why I came here and I feel a little embarrassed to admit I wanted some company…sane company that is."

I nodded in understanding… "Tanya doesn't strike me as a very sane person."

"She's not." He laughed as I walked over to the kettle and poured the hot water into the cups.

"Sugar?" I asked, as his eyes opened wide in what looked like general surprise before a look of realisation seemed to break across his features.

"No thanks."

"Milk?"

"No thank you." He repeated.

"Me neither." I smiled, placing the cup in front of him on the table and sitting down beside him.

We stared at each other for a few moments until I finally broke the silence…..

"Is there something you wish to talk about?"

"Not really….No…..I just. Well to be honest I….I don't want to talk about me, I don't want to even think about me. I was….kind of hoping you would tell me about yourself….that I would be able to get to know you a little better." He paused for a moment before continuing…..

"You see, Tanya wants both me and you to pick up a wedding ring that was once her Grandmother's…" I nodded my head in reply.

"Her Grandmother….Her Grandmother lives in Ireland."

I stared at him, my mouth agape and my eyes as wide as saucers. I wasn't even certain whether he was being serious….He looked serious, his eyes held no hint of amusement.

"Ireland?" I whispered in both question and disbelief, to which he simply nodded his head.

"But….I….I can't go to Ireland. It's insane and completely irrational…." He stretched out his hand and placed it on the table on top of mine.

"Please Bella, don't distress yourself….everything is perfectly fine, the plane tickets have been bought for the day after tomorrow…."

"But…"

"Bella, please don't worry about it, I'm not, I'm actually looking forward to spending so much time with you…..I just thought it would be an idea for us to get to know each other a little before we spent such a long time together on a plane."

"You cannot just come to my house at eleven 'o' clock at night, tell me we are both going to Ireland the day after tomorrow and expect me to just accept it..."

"Yes I can…Please Bella; Tanya always gets what she wants, so there is no point in even arguing…..trust me I've tried."

"But…..I can't….It's Ireland….It's not part of my job description…..I cannot just abandon everything and go to Ireland…"

"Please Bella." His green, sparkling eyes pleaded…..and I found myself unable to argue any longer I simply nodded my head and admitted defeat.

But what scared me the most was the reasons why I so quickly admitted defeat….I think I actually wanted to spend time with him….alone. I didn't know what the hell was wrong with me…..One minute I couldn't stand to be in the same room as him and the next I wanted to be alone with him for a substantial amount of time…..

He was looking at me….scrutinizing my face and I blushed red due to the amount of attention I was receiving, I wanted to avert his gaze…..

"So…."

"So…." We both declared in unison, before laughing.

"Tell me about yourself Bella Swan."

"If I had known you were going to ask me to tell you about myself when you telephoned me earlier I would never have invited you over….My life story isn't very interesting….In fact it's rather dismal and I would hate to bore or depress you. Not to mention the fact that it's extremely complicated."

"Well I have all night and I'm pretty sure I can keep up…."

I sighed realising he wasn't going to just let the subject drop….. "What is it you would like to know?"

"I would like to know everything; you're parents, where you grew up, your childhood and teenage years…..Everything from the beginning."

I sighed….. "Can't you tell me about you? I would much rather hear your life story."

"No….Tonight is all about you….I want to know everything." He repeated.

"But….I hardly know you."

"And I hardly know you, I just want us to really get to know each other; I want to be you're…friend." I noticed he stumbled on the last word but I wasn't quite sure as to why.

"Can't we just tell each other our hobbies, our passions, our hopes and our dreams…..?"

"No….I want to be able to understand you Bella Swan and I can't do that until I truly know you."

"Well, can't you tell me something of your life first? Something that not many people know."

"OK…..Carlisle and Esme aren't my biological parents; I was adopted at the age of fourteen after my Mother died.

"But I already knew you were adopted…..Alice told me tonight."

"It's not my fault that Alice has already told you, it's still something that not many people know about, and I simply refuse to believe she told you I was fourteen when the adoption took place…." He stared at me, his mouth twitching to form a half smile and his eyebrow pointedly raised.

"No, she did not tell me how old you were." I replied.

"See…..I did tell you something you did in fact not know."

His eyes twinkled in amusement and I couldn't help but smile brightly at him as I shook my head at his logic.

"Now….." He continued….. "I have held up my side of the bargain, now it's your turn."

I sighed and drank a sip of my coffee, I could easily see he wasn't leaving here tonight without knowing at least little bits of my existence, so I took a deep breath and started to tell him aspects of my life…..

EPOV

I wanted to know everything about this woman. I wanted to know the woman I loved – Yes loved…..I couldn't quite believe I had fallen in love with someone so quickly…Without even knowing them – But I had and I was determined to know everything about her and her past which had made her the woman she was today…

"My parents divorced not long after I was born…They both married far too young and my Mother - Renee – couldn't stand her own and my Father's home town. They both grew up in Forks it's….."

"A small town not far from here." I interjected smiling at her before nodding for her to continue.

"Yeah….Well Renee hated it. She felt cramped and confined and wanted to see more of the world, she felt there had to be something better for her than Forks. So she took me and we moved to Phoenix, Arizona."

"Did you like Phoenix?" I asked generally intrigued, especially now that she was living in Seattle.

"I liked the heat and the sun, but I always felt like I never truly belonged there….I only lived there so I could be with my Mother..."

She trailed off and looked at me with an expression of deep sadness before continuing…..

"Renee was rather scatterbrained and flighty and I took care of her until I was fifteen…..On my fifteenth birthday, she met Phil by complete chance - the man of her dreams – she accidently smacked him in the face with a restaurant door, she broke his nose that night...but he always used to say that it was more than worth it…."

"Used to?" I interjected.

She nodded her head, "They both died when I was seventeen…."

"You really don't have to tell me if you don't wish to or if it's too painful. I would really hate to make you feel uncomfortable or too unnecessarily upset you." I interrupted.

"No….It's OK….Really, I dealt with what happened, when it happened, I don't mind talking about it….Unless you don't wish to hear it….which I would quite understand, I hate talking about myself anyway."

"No….Where friends now, friends share their past with each other don't they?"

"I believe they do. Friends isn't really something I have ever had a lot of experience with….Angela is the only friend I have ever known."

Her eyes held a hint of sadness and I had to fight the urge to wrap my arms around her tiny frame and comfort her. A girl as beautiful as she was shouldn't look sad….She should be happy and full of laughter.

"Well they do…." I whispered, smiling attentively at her. As she smiled back at me before taking a deep breath…..

"Phil was a minor league baseball player and he used to travel a lot…during the first few weeks of their marriage -which was a few months before I turned sixteen -Renee would stay at home with me….But I could see how unhappy that made her, so I came to the decision to live with my Father in Forks. It wasn't easy leaving my Mother to live with a man that I had only ever seen once every year for two weeks since I was a baby. But never the less I went to live with him and I dare say….it enabled me to build a relationship with my Father which I had never had the opportunity to do so before hand…"

"It was my seventeenth birthday when it happened….Renee and Phil were coming to see me in Forks to celebrate and on the way to the airport, Phil lost control of the car and they crashed into a tree. Renee died instantly, but Phil managed to get to the hospital before dying of internal bleeding."

"Bella….." I placed my hand on top of hers and gently squeezed as she continued to talk.

"Charlie – my Dad – took it far worse than I did, I don't think he ever really got over my Mom, even though they had divorced many years ago he still loved her – deeply and her death sent him over the edge…..Literally. He started to drink and gamble after her funeral; he spent money like water and ran up a list of debts as long as my arm. Within a month we had absolutely no money and I started to work two part time jobs after school just to put food on the table."

"Bella…..I….."

"Please don't…..Please do not feel sorry for me, I can see the look of sorrow in your eyes. We all have to face hardships in life..."

"Bella…You were forced to work two jobs after school, I call that a little more than a hardship."

"I didn't do it for long, only a couple of months…."

"He stopped gambling then?"

"No…..Not until….."

"Until…." I urged her…..

"Until the house was repossessed….On Christmas Eve. They took everything….the only good thing that came out of the whole situation was once the house had been taken from us, Charlie realised what he was doing…He'd hit rock bottom and he knew it…."

"After your house was repossessed….What happened?"

"He lost his job as chief of police….A police officer isn't allowed to be in debt so he was forced to leave, luckily a friend of my Father's - Billy Black - was prepared to let us live with him for a while. Billy lived on the reservation close by and he gave both me and my Father shelter when we needed it most. A couple of months later he managed to find work as a security guard in Port Angeles and his life started to get better…..He even found love again with a woman who also lived on the reservation and they are now happily married."

"Bella, how can you not hate your Father for doing what he did to you? A Father is somebody you should be able to depend on…not someone who….."

"He didn't mean to completely ruin us; he was going through a lot and….."

"So were you Bella….She was your Mother, she died on your birthday…."

"Please….I don't wish to spend the rest of tonight calling Charlie for his mistakes. The past is the past I can't change it….I….

She was cut off by the shrill ring of my phone….I pulled it from my pocket and the name on the screen sent my stomach plummeting to the floor…

Wasn't I allowed one night of freedom? I asked myself before answering…..

AN – I know that last chapter I said they would in fact go to Ireland in this chapter but their conversation went on longer than I planned. This being said I hope you all enjoyed the chapter and didn't find the conversation between Edward and Bella at her house dreary and dull…I just feel that I needed to explain her past while building a relationship between Edward and Bella before they even get to Ireland.

I would really appreciate people's thoughts on this chapter…. To be honest I didn't at all like how this chapter turned out; Bella's past didn't really come out how I wanted it too and I do feel that it didn't really flow correctly so it would really help to know what my readers thought.

Please…..Please review as I really am struggling with this story at the moment and it's your reviews which will help me to decide whether I should continue writing this story or not.

Thank you