To: Isabella Swan
From: Alice Cullen
September 14th 2010
8:46 AM

Bella I am SOOOOOO sorry! Jasper surprised me with a trip to the Bahamas! I've been gone for the past two weeks and I didn't bring my computer with me! You and Victoria got INTO it? Did she slap you? I wouldn't be opposed to come down there and kick some bitches, you know that right? Say the word, Swan. What things have been different? Is Edward doing something? Please email me back ASAP. Love you.

-TSIPWR-

September 25th
11:57 AM

The Newton's Bait Shop wasn't the most glamorous job, but at least it gave me chance to get out of the house everyday. My boss was a sixty some year old woman who took after the shop when her husband passed, it originally being his. Her only son moved away, not even lifting a finger to help her keep the shop together. Luckily she was able to hire a slew of people, me being one of them.

I ran the cashier and cleaned up the floor and by the time I got home I smelled like worms and rubber. But I wouldn't trade it for the world. When Edward said I was able to get a job, I jumped at the chance. I was so used to either going to school or doing some after school activity that when I get stuck up in the house, I nearly go crazy.

I interacted with other humans, nicer ones that I have encountered before and I was able to really smile. It took my mind off of a lot of things, one being Peter.

I knew he was sleeping around with other women. It wasn't very hard to figure out. When he came home that night that Edward had given me the pinwheel necklace from Alec, I had asked Peter why he left his fishing rod here at home. His face turned red and he gave me some excuse that he forgot it and his friend let him borrow his. The excuse was lame and when he said it, Edward had been passing by his head rolling over towards me as he raised his brows. Edward knew he was lying just as much as I did.

Peter would also say he would be going fishing with his friends about two times a week during the day. He always remembered to take his fishing rod, but what he forgot was that I worked in a bait shop and his friends always came into Newton's, the only thing that was missing was Peter.

As much as it should have hurt me, it really didn't. In fact I couldn't care less. Maybe it was because Peter and I were never exclusive. We never said we were dating, therefore he can see whoever he liked just like I was able to see whoever I liked.

Though, I stopped kissing him. I stopped hugging him and sleeping in his bed with him. He got the picture eventually, and though we never talked about it we knew where we stood. Just friends.

He brought girls home and I would meet them, acting as if Peter and I had no past together. It made it easier that way. If we never talked about it, never hinted to it and we were fine.

"Bella." Mrs. Newton snapped her wrinkly fingers in front of me, snapping me out of my daze. "Sweetheart, what's on your mind?"

"Nothing." I laughed, shaking my head. "I'm just thinking. That's all."

"Well why don't you head off? It's almost noon." She said, glancing down at her watch.

"Yeah, alright." I nodded, pulling off my green apron and hanging it on the coat hanger before stepping down off the register pad. "I'll see you tomorrow?" I asked and she smiled with a nod.

"Yes. Now go." She waved me off and I grinned, walking out of the shop and into the cloudy Hawaiian day. I passed the streets and walked into the grass, dipping under a rusty fence, heading into the tree line taking the short cut through the forest that led straight to the house.

I held my bag close to me, jumping over the old branches that had fallen off the trees. The small raindrops fell down over me, misting my hair and my skin as I could see the halfway mark I made just last week on the old Acacia Koa tree.

"Sweet little girl…"

The voice stopped me in my tracks. It was a mere whisper, rustling with the trees as the wind blew by. I turned behind me, seeing that no one was there. I felt my breathing hitch, my heart beating faster as I moved with more purpose towards the trees.

This time it was a chuckle that stopped me.

Someone was following me.

Something was watching me.

I began to run, whipping by the bushes that were in my way, feeling the rain hit harder against my face. I heard something behind me, felt something run across my back and I let out a loud whimper, running faster than I could.

I turned behind me, seeing a pair of dark red eyes just in time before they disappeared. I turned back around, hitting something hard in front of me and nearly falling back.

Edward had grabbed my shoulders, picking me up with ease and suddenly everything around me was a blur. It took seconds for me to realize we had stopped and were now in the back of the house, the sounds of waves lapping onto the shore filling my ears.

Edward set me down onto the beach, watching me with hard eyes.

"How long have you been going through the woods?" He asked me, sternly.

"Who was that?" I asked breathlessly.

"How long Isabella? Answer me, now." He was angry. I watched as his jaw tightened and his fists balled together, though I didn't know why he was getting so worked up.

"I don't know… A couple of days…" I trailed off and he laughed humorlessly, shaking his head and disappeared from in front of me. Something broke behind me and I turned to see a tree split straight in the middle, cracked and ragged now from Edward's angry hands. "What is going on? Why was someone out there?"

"The woods are not safe for you." He told me, now standing just a foot away. "There are things out there that are dangerous. Things that will hurt you. Monsters, Bella."

"Like you?" I asked, my voice clipped.

Edward swallowed hard, glaring down at me.

"Exactly like me. But their intentions are not to keep you safe." He hissed. "If I weren't near by, you would be dead right now."

I felt a liquid chill run down my spine as my mouth ran dry.

"Why do they want to kill me?" I whispered, feeling as my hands began to shake. I balled them up together and tried not to show my weakness, but I noticed Edward's eyes soften. He knew I was scared.

"The same reason why they would kill any human, Bella. If you are unarmed with no one protecting you, they will kill you simply because they have nothing else to do. The creatures that are like me are cruel and unforgiving. They won't give you a reason as to why they do things. That's why you need to be careful." He told me, reaching forward for my hand. I gave it to him, allowing him to hold it in his own. "Promise me you will be more safe. No more going into the woods."

"But I - "

"No, Bella. I'm serious. Against my better judgment I allowed you to get a job because I knew you did not like being in the house all day. Do not make me regret that decision by you leaving me, am I clear?" He asked and I could see the sorrow wafting in his eyes. I nodded my head, sucking in my bottom lip. "You're too important to me. But I'm not always going to be here. So I need you to look after yourself as well. Stop being so reckless."

"I'm sorry. I didn't know." I whispered. Edward nodded his head, bringing my hand up to press his cold lips against my palm, and then to my wrist that beat with my pulse underneath it.

"He was a fool to treat you like he did." Edward said with a stern voice. I didn't have to ask who he was talking about; I knew he was referring to Peter. "If you were mine…" His cold fingers slid down my arm, leaving goosebumps in their wake. "I would treat you everyday like the beautiful woman that you are."

"You can't…" I gulped, feeling something stir in the pit of my stomach. "You can't say things like that to me."

"Why?" He chuckled. "Am I exciting you?" He asked, the innuendo clear. I didn't say anything in return. He brought me close, holding onto my wrist as he kissed down my soft skin. "You deserve the best. Yet – I can't seem to stay away from you."

"Then don't." The words tumbled out before I even had a chance to react. Edward stared down at me, bringing my hand down. He reached forward, his fingers skimming the tiny silver pinwheel that sat against my chest.

"You deserve far better than me, Bella." He whispered, bowing his head. I felt my heart strings being tugged and I wanted to grab him, wanted to hold him and tell him he is enough for me. But even I didn't know if that was exactly true. Yet, something inside of me wanted to comfort him. But before I could, before I could bring him close to me… He was gone.

If you guys did not get the pinwheel significance in the last chapter, go back and re-read chapter one. Some questioned it's meaning. Thank you so much for the love and support. Much love going your way.

ii