Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight.

Several people have asked about ages. Edward is 29 and Bella just turned 19.

Chapter 15: Sweet Fire

"I'm Edward, by the way," the stranger said as he extended his hand toward Bella.

Bella bristled momentarily before extending her own shaking hand to Edward. "Bella," she whispered, feeling very uncomfortable and confused. There were rarely new residents in Forks and she was sure she'd never seen him around town, at least not before the day she dumped water all over him. He wasn't someone that she could imagine forgetting so easily. She had been completely convinced that he was Jasper, but he obviously wasn't. Well, at least now she didn't have to feel so bad about the ogling.

"Have you been working at the diner long?" Edward asked before clearing his throat, breaking Bella out of her haze. She realized that they'd been sitting there for several moments in complete silence.

"About a month now, I guess. Are you new in town?" she asked, her voice shaky and unsure.

"Sort of. I grew up here, but left for college. I just moved back, to work for my dad."

As Bella looked at Edward more closely, she could see that he was definitely older. She'd never been good at guessing a person's age, but if he had moved back after college, she would guess he must be in his early twenties.

"Did you grow up here?" Edward asked.

"I was born here, but my parents divorced and I lived with Ren—my mom. I moved back last year…to be closer to my dad."

Though that statement wasn't entirely true, Bella didn't feel comfortable sharing the details of her past with this stranger. It wasn't like they were friends and probably never would be; he didn't need to know about her situation. There were already so many prying eyes throughout the tiny town and she didn't feel like she needed the added scrutiny. She also knew that Edward didn't know her very well and was fearful he would judge her harshly, like so many people already had.

Bella scanned the parking lot, desperately hoping to see Seth pulling in soon. She heard the rumble of the old wrecker before she saw it. Seth hopped out and headed straight for her, throwing his arms around her and squeezing her tight. She giggled as he lifted her from the tailgate, instantly feeling the tension in the air dissipate.

"Where've you been hiding out, woman? We've missed you over on the Rez."

"I've just been busy," she replied, glancing at Edward and giving him a shy smile. "Seth, this is Edward."

"Hey man," Seth answered, sticking his hand out to shake. "This truck is sweet. Are you going to restore it?"

"It was a bit of an impulse purchase, but I'm hoping to, yes."

"Let me take a quick look under the hood, see if I can figure out the problem."

As Seth moved around to the front of the vehicle and busied himself beneath the hood, Bella and Edward continued to stand near the back end. Edward tried to be inconspicuous with his gaze, but he kept looking at Bella. Each time their eyes would meet, she would blush furiously and drop her eyes, toeing the loose gravel with her shoes. She would wait a few moments and then look up to Edward again. He would smile and she would blush, repeating the cycle once more. When the sound of the hood slamming down echoed through the air, Bella jumped and gasped, surprised by the noise.

"Dude, the engine is actually in pretty good shape, as far as I can tell. There are some hoses and wires that need to be replaced. I checked the battery cables and they all look good, so it's probably the starter. I'll have to haul it in to the garage to be sure, though."

"Sounds fine to me," Edward replied.

"Excellent. You can hitch a ride with me, or I'm sure Bella wouldn't mind giving you a ride home," Seth replied, discreetly wiggling his eyebrows in Bella's direction.

Edward rubbed the back of his neck with his hand, debating his options. He was intrigued by Bella and wanted to get to know her, but he didn't want to be an imposition to her, sure that she most likely already had plans for the evening. She'd probably had a long day at work and wanted to go home and relax.

"I think I'll just head to the garage with you, if that's okay? I'd like to get an idea of the cost of repairs."

"Alright. Just let me load this old beast onto the wrecker and we can head out."

As Seth loaded the truck onto the wrecker, Edward and Bella stood awkwardly on the sidewalk, watching Seth work. Edward continued to sneak glances at the petite waitress. She was so shy and awkward, yet there was something about her that intrigued him. He realized that he wanted to get to know her.

~ O ~

Sitting down for dinner that evening with Charlie and Sue, Bella was surprised when Seth came bounding through the front door. He strolled into the kitchen and walked straight over to Ben, who sat happily in his baby bouncer. Ben laughed out loud, obviously excited to see his uncle, as Seth tickled him and made funny faces. After spending a few quality moments with the baby, Seth sat down in the chair next to Bella. It was only then that she realized there was an extra plate sitting there; obviously Sue had known of his intentions.

Bella remained quiet throughout most of dinner as quiet conversation swirled around her. Sue was chattering about going to a baby shower in La Push, Charlie spoke of catching a group of teens smoking pot behind the grocery store, and Seth talked about work at the garage. Her mind kept wandering back to the diner—and to Edward. Hearing his name escape Seth's lips, Bella looked up from her plate.

"Ha," Seth laughed. "I knew that would get your attention."

"Wait. What?" Bella asked in confusion.

"I was just telling Charlie and Sue about Edward and his truck, about how I get to take the lead on restoring it. He's a cool guy, Bella. How long have you two been hanging out?"

Charlie's fork fell onto his plate with a loud clatter. "It's fine if you're seeing someone, Bella, but I think that I should meet him, make sure he's good enough for my little girl."

Before he could continue, Sue reached up and squeezed his forearm, effectively ending his inquisition.

"Did you meet someone, Bella?" Sue asked, a hint of excitement evident in her voice.

"No, it's not like that," she replied, shooting Seth an evil glare. "He's just a customer at the diner. When I was leaving, I noticed he was having trouble with his truck and offered to help. It was the least I could do since I dumped water on the man a few weeks ago. I didn't even know his name until today."

As dinner continued on, no one mentioned Edward again, but it didn't escape Sue's attention that Bella's cheeks had flushed a delicate pink when his name was initially mentioned.

~ O ~

Bella pulled into the driveway of a small bungalow in the residential section of town. The home was quaint, warm, and inviting. She sat there momentarily, admiring the lush landscaping, bright, inviting windows, and freshly painted shutters before moving into action, unbuckling Ben's car seat and grabbing his overstuffed diaper bag. Her shoulders were tense, nervous to finally be meeting Alice's husband, Jasper.

She rang the doorbell, taking a tentative step back, but before she had time to compose herself, the door flew open and Alice greeted her with a bright smile.

"I'm so glad you could come over," she beamed, reaching out to remove the diaper bag from Bella's shoulder. She glanced down momentarily to the carrier Bella was holding, but there was a blanket covering the baby, shielding him from the wind and light sprinkles of rain. Bella followed her through the entryway, into the living room, taking a seat on the plush, beige couch. Bella's eyes scanned the open doorways, waiting for Jasper to emerge.

Alice, noticing her frantic eyes, spoke up. "Jasper isn't here, unfortunately. He called a couple of hours ago; he's stuck in Port Angeles at some sort of meeting. I'm sorry you won't get to meet him today. But definitely next time."

Bella relaxed immediately and began unlatching Ben from his carrier. He stretched and squirmed as she worked to unfasten him. As she pulled him into her lap, she noticed Alice admiring him, her eyes filled with awe and wonder.

"Would you like to hold him?"

"Can I? You don't mind?"

Without answering, Bella handed Ben over, watching Alice's face light up as she looked at his cherubic face.

"He's beautiful, Bella," Alice said. "Jasper and I, we've been trying to have a baby, but no luck so far. That's why we moved here, to start a family."

After a quick discussion, the two women decided to just order a pizza and settle in for an evening of chick flicks. As they sat munching on popcorn, immersed in Teen Witch, one of Alice's favorite movies, Bella noticed Alice fidgeting beside of her, no longer paying attention to Louise as she prepared to cast a love spell on Brad.

"Jasper and I have been trying to have a baby for a long time—two years. I wanted to see a fertility specialist, but he's against the idea. He wants to just keep trying, but I think there's something wrong."

"Oh, Alice." Bella scooted closer, reaching to squeeze Alice's hand in reassurance.

"I'd just like to know. If there's something that can help us, I want to do that. But if not, adoption can take a long time and I'd like to get the process going. I'm ready to start a family."

"My pregnancy was an accident," Bella replied. "James didn't want anything to do with either of us and my mom didn't want to help out with a baby. That's how I ended up in Forks, with Charlie."

The movie was soon forgotten as Bella and Alice bonded and shared their tears. Alice spoke more about her difficulties with conceiving and the strain it was putting on her marriage. Bella shared everything that had happened to her in Florida, feeling relieved as she purged herself of some of the guilt and shame she'd been carrying.

"Enough of that!" Alice exclaimed, wiping an errant tear from her cheek. "Let's talk about something not so depressing, like the guy you met."

"What? I didn't meet a guy," Bella protested.

"Oh, Bella, did you forget that I'm psychic? I know you met a guy; now tell me all about him."

"There was this guy, at the diner…but really, it's nothing," Bella sighed, feeling somewhat disappointed that her interaction with Edward had been so brief and meaningless. Alice merely quirked a perfectly arched brow at Bella and crossed her arms across her chest, patiently waiting for more information.

"I mean, I guess he was attractive," Bella lied, knowing she found him to be very attractive, "but I doubt he'd be interested in me. Besides, I doubt I'll ever see him again."

"You'll never see him again? In Forks?

"Okay. So I'll probably see him again, but it doesn't even matter, Alice. Ben is my top priority; I don't have time to even think about a relationship."

"Just promise me you won't completely rule it out. At least give the guy a chance, even if it's just as friends. I have a feeling this is going to be good for you."

~ O ~

On Friday night, Bella sat on the couch with Ben in her lap, watching the evening news. Sue sat next to her, knitting, and Charlie was stretched out in his recliner, snoring gently, a can of Vitamin R clutched in his hand. Bella was momentarily startled as she heard the front door fling open, the sound of heavy footsteps echoing through the hall. Seconds later, Seth appeared in the entryway, a mischievous grin on his face.

"Grab your stuff, Bella. I've come to kidnap you."

"Seth!" she whined, knowing she wouldn't be able to wiggle herself out of whatever scheme he had planned. The overgrown oaf wouldn't take no for an answer. Most of the time, he simply dragged her out to the reservation, forcing her to sit around with his friends while they tinkered around on cars and the occasional motorcycle. Initially, she had been afraid that she would feel odd hanging out with a bunch of guys, but she quickly found her place within their group. They treated her like a little sister, protective over her to a fault. They didn't even complain when she brought Ben along, happily taking turns entertaining him.

"A little warning would have been nice. Ben hasn't even had his nap yet."

"I'll keep Ben," Sue interjected, her eyes never leaving the tv screen. Bella huffed, realizing that Sue was obviously part of whatever stunt Seth had planned.

"Fine, fine," she grumbled, kissing Ben's cheeks before handing him off to Sue. Bella stomped through the house, grabbing her favorite tennis shoes and a light jacket. "Let's go."

Seth merely grinned, leading the way out to his beat-up old Volkswagen.

~ O ~

As they approached the reservation, Bella could see the flames of a bonfire burning brightly on the beach. Loud shrieks and the sound of people laughing echoed through the salty air. Seth maneuvered his car into an unoccupied parking space, reaching into the back seat to toss an old flannel blanket in Bella's direction. Moving towards the back of the car, Seth pulled out a small cooler and paper bag of groceries, leading Bella down to the beach.

Nearing the raging fire, Bella noticed that the small gathering was made up mostly of people she already knew. Seth's friends were all there, along with their girlfriends, but there were a few faces that were new to her. She stopped short, however, when she glanced in the direction of Sam Uley and his wife, Emily. Sitting next to them on a small gathering of tree stumps, with a can of beer clutched in his hand, was Edward.

His pale skin was illuminated by the fading sun, the dancing flames of the fire highlighting the streaks of red in his auburn hair. His eyes crinkled as he laughed, obviously amused by something Sam had said. Bella felt queasy as the insides of her stomach fluttered, like the gentle touch of a moth's wings. She stood there momentarily, just watching, until Edward looked in her direction, their eyes meeting across the open expanse. As he smiled in her direction, she felt her body burn.

"Come on, sis," Seth said as he passed her, intentionally bumping his shoulder into hers. Snapped out of her daze, she followed him obediently, realizing too late that he was headed in a direction she wasn't ready to go, straight towards Sam and Emily—and Edward.

Bella stumbled through the wet sand, a million thoughts racing through her mind. She couldn't deny the stirrings of attraction she felt for Edward, but that didn't mean she needed to indulge them. She thought back to her relationship with James, those bittersweet moments when they had first met, when she'd felt a similar stirring deep within her. But those feelings she'd had for James in the beginning eventually faded away, revealing feelings of only friendship. Was her attraction to her Edward doomed to the same fate? Though it scared her to admit it, she somehow knew that this felt much different.

When they finally reached Sam and Emily, Bella was thankful that the sun had begun to set, hoping that the blush she could feel burning her cheeks wouldn't be as noticeable in the fading light. Emily rose up quickly, engulfing Bella in a hug. The two women hadn't spent a lot of time together, but Emily radiated warmth and kindness, always going out of her way to make Bella feel comfortable and welcome.

"Bella, have you met Edward?" Emily asked.

"Yes, at the diner," Bella replied, nervously tucking her hair behind her ear as she shot a small smile in Edward's direction.

"Edward and I got to talking when I hauled his truck in," Seth added. "So I invited him out, thought it would be good for him to meet some new people."

Bella simply nodded at Seth, not completely buying into his explanation. Though Seth was always friendly and outgoing, she felt as if there were some underlying motive to Edward's presence. Realizing that Seth had obviously picked up on her silly crush on Edward, she wondered if Edward had noticed as well. She suddenly felt even more embarrassed, allowing her hair to fall around her face, shielding herself from Edward's gaze as she sat down on a well-worn log.

Conversation swirled around her, as Sam and Seth regaled the small group with stories from the garage. They spoke of cars they'd worked on and the pranks they played on one another during their down time. Before long, Bella found herself laughing at their antics, no longer feeling quite as self-conscious.

With little warning, Seth and Sam shuffled off to start grilling the food. Then Emily ran off, going to speak to some of her girlfriends, leaving Bella and Edward sitting there alone. Bella sat there, staring at her hands in her lap, unsure of what to say or how to start a conversation. She listened to the sounds of the waves crashing, hoping for someone to save her from this awkward moment.

"Seth seems like a lot of fun," she heard Edward say. She smiled as she thought of Seth's jovial personality and smiling demeanor.

"He's always in a good mood, always smiling. And he loves to play practical jokes, so watch out." She heard Edward chuckle beside of her, and just like that, the awkwardness between them seemed to disappear.

The pair continued to sit together for the rest of the evening, exchanging stories and getting to know one another. They talked about the love/hate relationship they both seemed to have with the rainy little town, about movies and books they enjoyed, places they had traveled and places they still wished to visit. Edward spoke about the summer he spent backpacking through Europe with his friends, while Bella talked about all the places she'd moved to while living with her mother. She shared her love of classic literature, surprised to find that Edward had read many of the books she favored.

As she spoke, Edward watched her intently, seeing the emotions play out upon her face. She seemed somewhat guarded, but he enjoyed the information she was willing to share, desperately yearning for more. He refrained from questioning her too much, though he found himself desperate to know all of her hopes and dreams.

Bella felt happy and content, though she shied away from sharing more than surface information with Edward. She felt a bit guilty not sharing that she had a son, but it felt nice to talk to someone who wasn't aware of her situation and didn't judge her for past mistakes. The looks of pity she got from those around her didn't escape her notice, though they tried to appear ambivalent. She also feared that the knowledge that she had a son would cause Edward to reject her.

All too soon, the moon rose high in the sky and a cool breeze drifted in across the ocean. Bella shivered as she unfurled the blanket Seth had given her, wrapping it around her shoulders.

"Hey, Bella. You ready to go?" Seth asked as he jogged up, a buoyant smile stretched across his face.

"Umm…yeah, sure."

"Actually," Edward interrupted, "I could give her a ride, save you a trip into Forks, if you want," he continued, his statement sounding more like a question.

"I think that would be okay," Bella answered, looking up just in time to see Seth wink at her. She fought the urge to giggle, stepping closer to Edward and allowing him to lead her towards the parking lot.

~ O ~

A/N: Thanks to lislar for her beta work, to shoefreak37 for pre-reading and helping me through my usual eleventh hour freak-out, and to Alby Mangroves for just getting it. I love you ladies hardcore.

As always, reviewers get a teaser.

Also, there most likely will not be an update next week. I'm still going to try, but no promises. See you in two weeks, hopefully sooner!