Be happy! Another update! And it's a long one, for all you patient readers. Enjoy!

It was eight o'clock on the dot when I pulled up in front of the book shop, Tattered Pages it was called. Charlie was visible through the blurry front window. He waved when he saw me approaching. I smiled, waving back, before entering.

"Good morning, Bella, it's good to see you," Charlie greeted, smiling that friendly smile. I blushed faintly and murmured back the same. "Well, he continued, are you ready to start? I have a pile with your name on it waiting just over there." He pointed to a stack of books that looked fairly new.

"Yes, of course, I can start now," I replied.

"Good. Now, all you really need to do is make sure each of those gets put in the proper section and then put in the correct place on the shelf following alphabetical order…I won't have you do anything non-fiction yet, we'll just see how you do with the novels." So he was testing me, I thought, as I nodded and took the first few off the pile.

I knew the system of work fairly well, I was often in libraries back in Phoenix, and had even volunteered in many of them for a while. I knew how things were placed…even if it was slightly different in a bookstore.

After I had finished with one stack, Charlie always had another waiting for me. It was slow work, but I enjoyed being able to be surrounded by the comfort of books – my favorite pass time – and to be able to get paid for doing something I loved, which was taking care of such books. Charlie was always cheerful, a great people-person, conversing with any customer and always helpful. He even let me help a few customers once in a while – which I was sure was another test – and that pleased me greatly.

All in all, the day went by very quickly – I had lunch at the café down the street – and Charlie even let me lock up. It was an overall good day for me and I looked forward to going home and making myself a nice bowl of soup and settling down to maybe a movie. Then I remembered that I hadn't set up my television yet. Sighing, I drove home, wondering if Alice had managed to find any place yet. I laughed to myself, thinking, the past couple of times I'd come home I had had just that same thought – has Alice gotten a place – and then I wondered why it was that I was so eager to get her out of the house. The self-denial part of my brain said it was because I was excited about having the place to myself again and I really just wanted to be alone. My factual, non-nonsense part told me that it was more along the lines of getting to have the house to myself and Edward that I was excited about.

Edward. Just his name had my body in a pause, my stomach tightening, and a blush creeping along my cheeks. Why did he have such a pull on me? Such an effect that seemed almost like a defect? Was it a defect, this attraction to the lonely ghost? Surely it must be, for only a fool would fall in love with a dead person's ghost…Fall in love? I shook my head sharply and got out of the car quickly. I had to stop this ridiculous train of thought before it went to places that I was nowhere near comfortable thinking about.

Heading up to the door, I fumbled for my keys. Just as I was fishing them out of my purse, the door opened. I looked up and, speak of the devil, Edward's eyes stared back at me, green and sparkling in the fading rays of the setting sun. My heart gave a flutter and I felt a little faint.

"You alright, Swan?" he asked, his brow furrowing. "You look a bit pale – well, paler than normal, I should say…I can barely believe you lived in Phoenix – your tan is nonexistent."

"I'm…fine," I lied, fishing for the first safe word I could find. I brushed passed him and looked around, making sure everything was as I left it. Then I wondered why I'd even think anything would be out of place. Seeing Edward so suddenly had put all thoughts in my brain into a scrambler and now I couldn't remember what I'd been planning on doing once inside.

"Sure you are," Edward replied, following me. I wasn't aware of how close he was behind me until he spoke directly into my ear, "You know, when you flush like that, your skin looks exquisite…" Needless to say I jumped about ten feet in the air and blushed deeper than I had previously. I heard Edward laugh, that beautiful bell sound again, and I turned to glare at him.

"You know, for someone who has touching-issues, you sure like to get up close and personal," I replied smarmily. Edward rolled his eyes and his eyes darkened a little.

"Look, Bella, the fact is not that I have 'touching issues'" he quoted me, "it's just that I don't think either of us would be ready for anything of the sort…I'm not real, Bella, I'm a ghost – not a person. I may look like a man, but that doesn't mean that I am one anymore…however much I'd like to be…" he trailed off, his eyes appraising me in a way that had me wondering what he was thinking.

"Sorry, it's just…I get so shocked every time you're near me and I guess I'll never really get used to it…" I sighed.

"Even if I do it often enough?" he asked suggestively, wiggling his eyebrows and I gave him a stern look.

"If you plan on doing that more in future, at least can I have you promise not to do that while I have company or – or while I'm doing something that requires my concentration?" Edward smirked and folded his arms across his chest.

"Sure, I can do that," he agreed.

"I'd ask you to shake on it but it seems there may be a difficulty," I giggled, then clapped a hand over my mouth – who knew where this insane, school-girlish reaction came from! I hadn't giggled in years. Certainly I'd never giggled when I had been with Mike…

Edward grinned lopsidedly at me and I felt another flutter in my chest. I shook it off as giddiness.

"Ooo, clever Swan, I'd never have tagged you for a joker," he replied smoothly, still smiling.

"Well, whatever…Hey," I started, changing the subject, "is Alice home?" I suddenly worried about whether or not she'd heard us talking…or more particularly me talking to nobody and thinking I was going crazy. Then she really wouldn't want me staying by myself.

"No, she isn't…She went out with that Jasper bloke again…I didn't hear what they were planning, but I don't think they'll be back until late."

"Well, that's a relief," I sighed going over to sit down on the couch.

"And why is that?" Edward asked, again raising his eyebrow suggestively, "Are you that desperate to be alone with me?" he asked, his voice a bit huskier than usual…No, that was just my imagination.

"No!" I replied quickly, and a little loudly, "It's just," I continued, much quieter, "I just don't want to get caught in an awkward position of having to explain to her why it is that I'm talking to myself as if I were a crazy person." Edward laughed.

"Oh really? That's what you're worried about?"

"Yes," I huffed, and watched as he began to move towards the couch to sit down. I wondered for a moment whether he had to prepare himself to sit or else fall through the solid object…I still didn't quite understand the nature of Edward's existence…the laws that enforced the living of a ghost.

"Well, I guess that's a valid point that is about to be put to the test," he replied excitedly, his eyes darting to look out the living room window. I frowned, unsure of what he was talking about – and then the doorbell rang. I felt my heart jump into my throat.

"Who could it be?!" I shrilled and got up, sharply peeked out the window. Then I felt myself freeze.

"Oh noooo!" I moaned, my eyes fixing on the two figures just outside my door.

"Who is it?" Edward asked curiously and, surprise-surprise, he had moved right behind me.

"My mother and my stepfather!" I whined. This was not going to be good.

"Oh, your mother, huh?" Edward replied mischievously, his eyes glinting. "This should be fun."

"No," I told him sternly, you're not going to do anything, you're going to let me handle this, alright? I'm not about to let you mess things up for me and my family. I can handle them myself." Wow, I did not sound the least bit convincing. I was afraid of why they were here, why they had followed me all the way from sunny, hot Arizona up to cold, dreary Washington. Whatever it was, it must be a pretty strong inkling, because there was no way my mother would make this trek without a very important purpose…And she brought Phil with her, which means she wanted support. Not good.

I was prepared to defend myself against whatever it was that they were going to try and hurl at me, but I wasn't prepared to do it with a ghost that made my heart weak in the room with me.

"Perhaps," I started hesitantly, "perhaps you could disappear for a minute, while I deal with them. I'll see you later, okay," I told him, but Edward only grinned at me.

"Sorry, Swan, looks like this could be too much fun for you to have without me. You forget, I don't normally receive so many visitors and I get bored. It's nice of you to provide me with so much entertainment in such a short time as you've been here."

"Fine," I agreed through gritted teeth, "but don't you dare make a sound!" And with that, I raced to the door, where one of them was knocking furiously by now, and wrenched it open. It was Phil who'd been doing the knocking. His face was set in what I thought was meant to be a smile, but looked more like a grimace. Renee was staring at me with bright eyes – she was happy to see me, but I wondered for how long.

"Oh, Bella!" she cried, leaning forward and pulling me into a tight hug, "It's so good to see you! I've missed you so!"

"I missed you too, mother," I relented, hugging her back. After a moment, I pulled away. "Please, come inside," I invited. They followed me in. I took them to the living room, glancing around quickly to find Edward – but he was nowhere to be found. I sighed, frustrated, unsure of what he was playing at.

"Why don't you sit down," I suggested, pointed to my new couch. Renee sat, but Phil stayed standing, looking about the room.

"Hmmm, interesting taste you've got here," he muttered, looking at the odd assortments of furniture that I had inherited from Edward. I blushed, knowing full well that this wasn't exactly my taste – thought I did love everything that I had found in this house, furniture included.

"Yes, well, I picked this house out because I loved everything about it," I replied, albeit a little defensively.

"Bella, honey, the house is…a little isolated," my mother put in, her face a bit pink. I shrugged.

"I think its fine, it's not like Forks is a big place. The house is beautiful and I can get to town by my car within minutes."

"Bella, honey, really…it isn't that the house isn't nice, but…how are you, well dealing with it…financially?" Renee asked.

"What Renee means is, how are you paying for all of this? This house is practically a mansion. It's not like Mike died and left you with a pile of cash." Leave it to Phil to be so blunt and crude. I grimaced and looked at my hands.

"Well…I used up all of the money that Mike left me…and I've been supporting myself through this bookshop job I just accepted…I'll pay off the loan eventually…My mortgage isn't bad…I'll manage." I sounded defensive, dang it, and that wasn't good. I wanted to sound confident and capable of handling things myself, but right now this wasn't really working.

"Oh, Bella! Why can't you just come back home, sweetie! Phil and I can support you until you can find a job and get back on your feet," Renee told me tenderly, coming over to stroke my arm.

"Ha! As if you'd be better off in Phoenix, you've already got a job here!" I gulped – Edward was back. I looked quickly from Renee to Phil to gauge their reactions, but neither of them looked as if they'd heard anything. Then I remembered that Edward was only audible and visual when he wanted to be. I looked over to find him sitting where Renee previously had been, lounge, more like it, his arms outstretched along the back and his leg crossed over to rest on his other knee. He grinned at me.

"Look mother," I answered her, ignoring Edward, "I already have a job, and I like it here. I don't want to leave. I came with a purpose in mind and I'm planning on finishing it out." Renee's face fell and tears brimmed her eyes.

"Bella, what's so wrong with coming home?" she whispered. "Why don't you come home?" I knew she was trying to get me to break, but I had already resolved to stay and it would take more than a mother's tears to get me to go.

"You're mother needs you," Phil prompted, his eyes hard when I looked at him. "You're being ridiculous, Bella. It doesn't do you any good to be all the way in the middle of nowhere, with debt and a house that you can't afford and a mother back home who is lost without her child." Phil's words, though meant to make me see the light, only made me angry – and I wasn't the only one, apparently.

"Oh! You think that's the ticket to get you're girl back!" Edward barked, "Bella's much stronger than that, you blind man!" I shot him a warning look.

"I'm not a little girl anymore – and you're not my father, so I think I have a right in saying, back off!"

"Bella!" Renee cried, shock evident in her tone.

"That a girl," Edward praised, grinning.

"You keep out of this!" I hissed at him.

"Bella, I'm you're mother, I have a right in being a part of your life!"

"I wasn't talking to –"

"Bella, Renee's initial plan was obviously to get you to agree to come with us, but I see that a different tactic is needed. You're in debt, that much is obvious. And this little job of yours – this bookstore whatever, it won't be enough. You need to come home and you need to be with your mother."

"What I need," I ground out, my eyes boring into Phil's, "is to be left alone!"

"Well, more like, left alone with me," Edward gloated, his eyes glinting. Then he turned to look a Phil. "You really are a sucker, to think that you have any power over her – She's mine," he all but growled.

Whoa, I'd have to deal with that little tidbit later. Right now, I had to force myself to ignore Edward's comments and pretend like he wasn't there so I could focus on getting rid of the parental situation.

"Bella, how can you talk to Phil this way!? Oh this is too much!" Renee sobbed and covered her face with her hands. I sighed and rolled my eyes.

"Mother, you don't need me, what you need is a first class ticket out of here. You haven't needed me for years! You've had Phil, and I had Mike, but now I don't, and that's okay. Would you like to see the house?" Renee looked up at me suddenly, surprised by my offering. Hell, even I was surprised, but I had to have more time to think of a better way to get them to leave. Obviously telling them that I was perfectly capable of handling my own monetary situation wasn't enough.

"A-alright," she mumbled, and I nodded, and, not caring if Phil was following, led her into the kitchen. I said little as I showed them about, only commenting when they had something in particular to say. Edward followed behind, ghostly as ever, giving Phil a withering stare whenever he thought I wasn't looking.

When I got to my room – Edward's, that is our room – Renee seemed a bit better about the house. Phil, however, took one look at Edward's portrait and snorted.

"This panting is hideous," he announced.

"Oh, and with a face like yours you ought to be careful with your comments on ugly," Edward snarled. "Plus, Bella seems to like it perfectly fine." He smirked at me.

"It is not!" I objected, going to stand by it. "I think it is perfectly lovely." I blushed and furiously avoided looking over at Edward who barked a laugh and I'm sure looked fairly smug.

"Seriously, Bella, whoever built this house and furnished it had absolutely no taste. And I don't know why you'd sleep with this awful man staring at you all night. It's unsightly!" I rolled my eyes.

"He's unsightly," Edward glowered.

"Shut up," I hissed, but Phil heard me.

"Oh I like that! If I didn't know any better I would have said you were raised by wolves!" he growled.

"Hey, don't you talk to her like that!" Edward growled back, getting up in Phil's face, though Phil could not see him.

"Edward!" I interjected, then slapped a hand over my mouth. My mother frowned.

"Edward? Who's Edward?" She looked at me, her eyes searching.

"Umm, oh, uh…" I stalled, and then blurted, "the portrait, the portrait over there is of Edward…and he's not hideous," I put in for good measure.

"Oh, I see," Renee whispered.

"Renee, I've had about enough of this," Phil rumbled. "Look, we've tried, now let's go. I don't want to stand here and be talked to that way. She's your daughter, I think it's time you said good bye and good luck." And with that, he turned and exited, causing Renee to look at me, torn, and tears splash down her cheeks.

"Bella…." Sniffle "I'm sorry about" sniffle "Phil, it's just" sniffle "he's just so worried about me, especially since" sniffle "I've been missing you…I'm sorry honey," she added, and she looked it. "We'll leave you now…"

"Oh mom!" I sighed, and pulled her into a hug. Over her shoulder I saw Edward back out of the room. He winked at me before he disappeared. "I'm sorry I've been acting so weird…I just…I was so surprised to see you here! And…I really am glad to see you," I whispered. Renee sighed.

"We didn't mean to surprise you, Bella," she told me, pulling back and looking at me, "I just…missed you, missed seeing you everyday…So I asked Phil to take me up here and try and convince you to come back. We knew you were having financial problems…All I wanted was to help…and now I see I've only caused you pain. I'll leave you alone, Bella, I promise, just – just don't let us stop being…us? I want to hear from you, talk to you every once in a while…Can I call you?" I looked into her eyes and I knew that that was all she needed. Renee didn't need me anymore, but she still needed to have the option of needing me. I was, after all, the only child she had. I smiled at her, trying to get it to reach my eyes, but failing miserably.

"Of course, mom," I said, "I'll give you my number." And I did. Surprisingly I didn't feel bad doing it, because I knew that despite having all this freedom, it would feel nice to every once in a while feel around for a support that I could fall back on.

Renee left happily and I kissed her goodbye – Phil was already in the car and I was not about to go out of my way to say bye to him. For some reason, though when he looked at me through the window he looked rather frightened, as if he'd just seen a…ghost.

"Edward!" I yelled, once the car had turned out of the driveway.

"No need to shout. I am the only one here, you know," his velvety voice told me and once again, he was standing right behind me. I turned to glare at him.

"What did you do to Phil?!" I demanded. He just laughed.

"Edward!"

"Sorry, sorry, it's just…he got what was coming to him!" He told me between laughs. I continued to stare until his laughs had subsided and he stared back at me, his eyes glinting in an appealing way, though I tried to ignore that.

"Alright," he finally relented, "while you were upstairs with mommy dearest, I was downstairs making a little goodbye of my own." He smirked at me.

"What. Did. You. Do?!"

"I just gave him a little…push…That's all. Really," he grinned. I raised an eyebrow. "And I may have yelled a thing or two…He really did piss me off, Bella," Edward grumbled. "You don't have to take all the fun out of everything! Live a little! I just gave him a tiny scare to put him in his place! He didn't see me, only heard me, and I was very careful that I didn't give him a heart attack or send him into a panic attack! He'll live to darken doorsteps another day."

I sighed. "I'm not mad, Edward, and I'm not trying to take away you're fun." And then I grinned at him. He grinned back. "You are so bad!" I giggled. Ah! Again with the giggling! Aye yay yay!

"You're really cute when you laugh, you know?" Edward whispered, his eyes getting serious. I stopped laughing and stared back.

"Boy," I whispered back, "You really know how to kill a mood." Cue the crooked grin, his specialty.

"Well, I can't help it, Swan. Sometimes you make me do crazy things that I wouldn't normally do…I've been alone for a long time. I'm not used to…talking," he admitted. I nodded.

"So what do you propose, then, Mr. Masen?" I asked. "Shall we take some time to get better acquainted?" He smiled softly.

"I think, Swan, that I would love to do that. And I'll do you one better – I know how we can solve your money problems." I stared at him…He said "we." Swoon. Gulp.

Playlist:

Same – Snow Patrol

I Don't Know If I'll Be Back This Time – Sea Wolf

Consolation Prizes – Phoenix

Bring On the Terror – Robbers On Highstreet

Spotlight – Mute Math

Please review, I am always more encouraged to write faster if I know what you think! Cheers!