Chapter 3 – Meeting Dr. and Mrs. Cullen

There's nothing like overcoming something that scares you so much. Nothing feels better.

Laura Wilkinson

Edward's POV

Isabella Swan was Malcolm McCullough's granddaughter. I still couldn't believe it. What are the odds of me finding her in Seattle and at Rosalie's bar of all places? I hadn't a clue, but the probability had to be small. I tightened my hold on her. She had cried herself asleep some time ago, but I was reluctant to move from her side. After laying there a few more minutes, I released her and rolled onto my back. I was just starting to get up when she turned over, her hand coming to rest on my stomach, halting my movements. I stared down at her dainty hand, thinking, Okay, so I'm not going anywhere right now.

I continued to worry. Malcolm had been given false hope so many times. How can I be sure that Bella didn't give me a well-rehearsed story? As much as I hated the prospect, I'd have to ask her questions that non-family members might not be able to answer. After picking up my phone, I searched the internet for every piece of information that had been published on Malcolm.

After hours of searching, exhaustion got the better of me and I fell asleep. The ringing of my phone woke me. I reached blindly in the direction I thought it was and came in contact with a warm—

I bolted straight up. I'd fallen asleep next to Bella.

My phone continued to ring, and I ignored it as I turned my head to take in a Bella. She had her head cocked to one side with one eyebrow raised and her lower lip between her teeth.

"Bella, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to fall—"

Bella's hand came up, her fingers silencing me as they came to rest on my lips. "Don't apologize. I could've woken you had I been uncomfortable at finding myself in your arms."

When my phone started ringing again, Bella motioned me to answer it.

"Bathroom?" she asked.

"Through the columns to the right," I answered, reaching for my cell. "Hello?"

I watched her closely as she disappeared. Nothing seemed amiss with her behavior, but I had just met her, and the little knowledge I had wasn't enough for me to tell if she was really okay with finding me asleep beside her.

"Why didn't you answer?" Emmett asked.

"Well," I started, running a hand down my face and slipping out of bed. How much can I tell him? I moved to look out the window, and with a shake of my head, I briefed my brother on some of the events that had transpired after I left the bar with Bella, leaving out the parts where she ran from me and I fell asleep next to her.

"Don't you dare call Malcolm until you're absolutely sure." I heard typing in the background. "Mm, this is strange. I thought I'd check to see if Malcolm reported a granddaughter missing. He did, but for an Isabella McCullough. I'll pull the physical file and see if there's any information on his granddaughter—a picture, another last name, something," Emmett said. "I did run the background check on the girl in your care."

"What did you discover?"

"Nothing about her, as far as arrests and convictions go, just like I thought. But her parents, Charlie and Renee Swan, were murdered in their sleep."

Placing my hand on the window frame, I looked down. Bella had said her parents had been killed, and there was a police report to confirm she'd told me the truth, not that I really needed confirmation. But that wasn't all—the names of her parents sounded familiar. I wasn't sure how I knew them, but I did.

"The police report states that their daughter, Isabella, was not found on the premises. Close friends and teachers were questioned."

"Let me guess, they hadn't seen her."

"Yep. One friend stated she dropped her off at home a little after ten the night her parents were killed." He paused a moment. "You've got to be kidding me."

"What?"

"Jacob Black was questioned," Emmett said in outraged awe.

I clenched my teeth.

"He told the authorities he hadn't seen her for days." Emmett ground out.

"So, you believe Bella's message. That she was in Jacob's custody."

"With his rap sheet, how can I not? You have no idea the number of crimes he's gotten away with. There's never been enough evidence to pin anything on him."

I heard my bed squeak and looked over my shoulder. Bella had returned—time to switch subjects. "Did you catch the shooter?"

Emmett wasn't fazed by the sudden change. He was used to carrying on two or three conversations at once. "Fuck no. Whoever it was disappeared."

"What now?" I asked as the house phone rang. "Hold on, Em."

"I gotta go anyway. I've got a meeting. Thought I'd fill you in on what I found out. I'll call or stop by later."

"Okay." I ended the call as I moved over to the dresser and picked up the cordless. "Hello?"

"Esme and I are leaving now," Carlisle said.

"So, you'll be here in," I glanced at the clock, "twenty or so minutes."

"Sounds about right," he confirmed. "Did you find out what caused your guest to freak out?"

How in the world am I going to let him know? "You," I said, hoping I wasn't being too cryptic.

"Your father?" Esme's voice was filled with questioning concern.

"Yes. Just be prepared, Carlisle. Esme, it might help if you offer to stay in the room."

"Ah, I see. Your guest is afraid of doctors," Carlisle said, catching on to what I was saying.

"Like I'm afraid of dentists," I said, leaning against the dresser and winking at Bella.

Bella's face colored a beautiful shade of pink.

"That bad, huh?"

"Maybe more so," I said. "I did say you're not like the last one she saw."

"She?"

"Uh-huh."

Esme tsked in sympathy. "Poor girl."

"Okay, we'll see you soon."

"Bye."

"Your father?" Bella guessed.

"Yes. He'll be here soon," I remarked as I dropped the phone back into its cradle. "My mom, Esme, is coming with him and would be happy to stay in the room while he examines you. That is, if you want her to."

Bella's small smile was breathtaking. It reached her eyes, lighting them up. "That would make me more comfortable. I'm still scared, though."

"You can trust both my parents."

"I-I don't know."

"I understand your fear." I blew out a breath; I hated that I had to question her. She'd been through so much, but Emmett's concern mirrored my own. I couldn't call Malcolm without some proof. "While we wait, I have a few more questions for you."

Her lip disappeared between her teeth. Internally I groaned, slightly jealous of them and wished it were my teeth pressed into her lip. The thought surprised me. Yes, I'm attracted to her, but I've never wanted to do anything of that nature.

"Then ask," she said after a moment.

"I hate that I have to ask these questions, but I don't want to call your grandfather and then find out you're not who you say you are. He's been told one too many times that you've been found—"

"Only to have his heart broken," she said, finishing for me. "I appreciate your caution and further suggest that you tell him what you asked and my answers. Knowing my grandfather, he would want evidence."

I nodded. That was a good idea, but I didn't think it was necessary. "First question. What's his middle name?"

Every site I had navigated to before falling asleep only had his middle initial.

"Ewan," she answered. "It was his great-great-great-grandfather's name."

I stared at her. She'd gotten his middle name correct, but I hadn't known the origin of the name. I saw why she made the suggestion about telling what was asked and the response. "What's his most prized possession?"

"A jeweled Scottish dirk."

"Can you describe it?"

She nodded. "It has a metal handle woven in a Celtic knot—you can see through it. The end of the handle is capped with a blue sapphire."

"How did it come into his possession?"

Bella once again drew her lower lip into her mouth; she had a habit of doing whenever I asked her a question. I didn't think she was going to answer, but she'd given me enough to settle things in my mind. Malcolm might have more for her.

"He received it the day he married my grandmother, Annabella. She received it from her great-grandmother, Maribella. One day it will be given to me to pass on to the gentleman I marry."

Again, Bella gave me details I wasn't aware of, and only Malcolm could confirm or deny those facts.

"Any other questions?" Bella asked.

"No." Behind me, the door started to open, and I turned to see who it was.

Carlisle's head popped around the door. "Ms. Cope opened the gate for us," he said when I motioned for him to enter.

"Bella, this is my father, Carlisle, and my mother, Esme."

"Hello, dear," Esme said. "Do you mind if I sit on the bed?"

I watched Bella closely from where I still leaned against the dresser. She sat rigidly against a couple of pillows, but she wasn't trembling as she had been in the early morning hours. She did, however, nod in response to what Esme asked. Her eyes didn't stray from Carlisle.

Esme sat on the edge of the bed, reaching out to stroke Bella's arm. "My son hadn't told me he is dating anyone."

Bella's eyes flashed to mine.

Oh, no. I'm in trouble.

"Our relationship is fairly new. We decided to keep it hush-hush until we figured things out," Bella replied with a gentle smile. "He's been very sweet and caring. You should be proud. When I injured myself last night, he wanted to take me straight to a doctor. I-I-I freaked out."

My mom was smiling proudly when she turned to look at me. "I'm glad to hear that and can't fault him for keeping you a secret," Esme said after returning her attention to Bella. "If I stay in here with you, would you let my husband check your wrist and ask you a few questions?"

Bella's lip started to quiver, and she closed her eyes, blowing out a breath that moved the hair that had fallen into her face. "If you stay … okay," Bella whispered.

Carlisle had kept his distance up to this point, allowing Esme to work her magic. "Edward, why don't you give your mother and me twenty minutes," he said.

"I have a call to make anyway," I said. I paused by the bed to give Bella a kiss on the cheek. "I'll be in the study should you need me." In a low whisper, I told Bella where the study was located.

Bella's POV

Holy cow! Edward's parents think I am his girlfriend. When I looked to him for assistance, he seemed as startled as me. He'd helped me so much that I felt I owed him something. Without really thinking about it, I was spinning a story that was true, although not completely.

I was a little shocked when Edward came over and kissed my cheek, but glad at the same time. "A left through the columns and out the door, then another left and you'll be in the study. Think about telling them how we actually met. It's your story to tell," he whispered in my ear.

Soon I was alone with Edward's parents. I swallowed and turned my attention to his father.

"We'll take things slowly," Carlisle said, approaching the bed with an open notebook.

Esme stood and moved around the bed to sit in the wingback chair I'd noticed earlier, folding the cream blanket.

"Full name and date of birth?" he asked.

"Isabella Marie Swan. September 13, 1993." Neither reacted to hearing the year I was born.

"Allergies?"

"None that I know of."

"Taking any medications or vitamins?"

"No."

"Do you know your height and approximate weight?"

"Five feet, four inches and about one-hundred and ten pounds."

"Last menstrual?"

Like always, I blushed at the question. "A week and a half ago."

"Are you sexually active?"

My blush deepened as I answered. "No."

"I think that's good for now," Carlisle said, placing the notebook down on the nightstand. "Normally, I'd start by taking your vitals, but I think we can skip that since I don't have a cuff or stethoscope with me."

I glared at him when he chuckled. Is that supposed to make me feel better?

"Can I examine your wrist?"

Like Edward had done twice last evening, Carlisle held out his hand and waited for me to place my hand in his. He was very handsome, almost like that of a Peter Facinelli. The way he smiled charmingly down at me helped me to relax.

I placed my hand in his, noticing it was shaking. I wasn't scared, a little nervous maybe. The care he took unwinding the bandage settled my nerves.

"This might hurt, and I hate that I have to cause you even momentary pain. If I knew another way to examine your wrist, I would," he said after handing Esme the bandage.

I winced with each gentle prod and twist Carlisle made to my wrist.

"Can you tell me how this injury happened?" Carlisle asked.

"I fell when Edward was chasing me," I said without thinking. "My thoughts ran away from me when—at something he said. I took it the wrong way."

"What in the world did he say that had you running?" Esme asked.

I drew in a sharp breath when realization of what I started to tell them hit me. I can't tell them the truth, can I? I think I can. They've been nothing but kind. "Don't get mad at Edward, but we met two nights ago at Driftwood."

"Oh!" Esme exclaimed, handing Carlisle the roll bandage.

"He thought that I was in trouble and offered to help me. I ran into one of the private rooms. I left my purse, and he opened it to see if there was any way he could return it to me. He found a note confirming his suspicions."

"What kind of trouble are you in?" Carlisle asked, kneeling next to the bed with his hand covering my re-bandaged wrist.

His concern reminded me of my father. It was genuine, not at all false like Jacob's had been. I had to turn away and bite the inside of my cheek to prevent myself from crying again. I missed my father so much.

"She was being held captive by Jacob Black."

My gaze snapped to the doorway. Edward was there, leaning against one of the pillars.

There was a gasp from behind me, and a glance over my shoulder Esme was again sitting on the bed with me.

"I put my cell phone and business card in her purse. Last night she called me, and I brought her here after finding out she had nowhere else to go."

"I freaked out, thinking he meant me to share his bed as payment," I said.

"I chased her after she jumped out of the car. She slipped and fell."

"I'm a klutz," I muttered.

"Everyone is when they're frightened," Edward said.

"And it's nothing more than a sprain," Carlisle said.

I didn't say anything about Edward being wrong. If I stayed with him for an extended period of time, he would learn just how often I injured myself.

"When we got here, I fainted," I stated, feeling that as long as I was in the company of a doctor, I might as well tell him about that too. "I've been blacking out quite often over the past three or so weeks."

"Edward, did she hit her head?" Carlisle asked, slipping back into doctor mode.

"No. I was only a few steps away and caught her as she went down. It helped that she cried out."

Carlisle motioned with his head toward the door.

"I'll go in a moment," Edward replied. "I have one question for Bella concerning what she and I were talking about when you arrived."

I swallowed. What question does he have for me now? "Go ahead," I said, sucking my lip into my mouth.

Edward pushed off the pillar and walked over, trading places with his father before freeing my lip from its prison with his fingers.

"I really don't want to ask this," he whispered.

"You have no choice."

Edward nodded and then looked to the floor. "I'm asking on behalf of your grandfather."

"He's not willing to come and see me without more proof," I guessed.

His head snapped up, and he looked directly into my eyes. It was as if he were asking how I knew. "Yes. He didn't tell me what I was to ask you, though. All he told me was that if you were who you say, you would be able offer undeniable proof."

Grandfather wants undeniable proof? What can I offer him? I closed my eyes thinking. It had to be something that very few people knew. What, what, what? An image came to mind, and I went with it, describing what I saw. "There's a room in the castle, a library of family journals," I started. "There is no key for this room, though there's a keyhole under the doorknob. To enter the room, three stones need to be pushed in and in the correct order. The stones are on the right side, a third of the way down from the top of the doorway." I still had my eyes closed, picturing the sequence. "Eighteenth stone, ninth, and finally the fifteenth, then with a pull of the sconce the door will swing open."

I opened my eyes to find Edward scribbling down what I said. He looked up at me. Somehow, I knew what he was about to ask.

"If that is not enough, then show him this." I took off the pendant I wore. "I won't tell you the story of how this came into my possession or who gave it to me. He'll recognize it," I said. I can't believe I am holding it out to him, and I'm not sure if Edward will be able to take it from me. I will have some explaining to do when it repelled him.

When he hand closed around it, I had to hold in my gasp of surprise. He shouldn't have been able to touch it.

"On second thought, show him the pendant first. If he needs more, tell him about the room," I instructed.

"Oookay. Can I ask why?"

I shook my head. "Ask me again sometime, and I might tell you."

Edward raised his hand to tuck a lock of hair behind my ear before cupping my cheek. "I will. You can count on it."

Edward's eyes didn't leave mine, and his hand didn't drop. It was as if we were staring directly into each other's soul.

Confusion swept through me. So much had happened since I'd met him. There were two facts I couldn't ignore. He broke through the protection spell I recited each night I went to the bar, and he that he could touch the pendant. Both puzzled me, the pendant more so. My parents hadn't been able touch it. I couldn't think about all that now. The bottom line was when Edward showed Grandfather the pendant, it would tell Grandfather not only that I was alive and in Edward's care, but also that there was something about Edward we couldn't ignore. I had no idea what it was Grandfather and I couldn't ignore, but hopefully Grandfather would.

A clearing of a throat had us breaking apart.

"I do have rounds, Edward," Carlisle said.

"And I have another call to make." Edward stood and left again.

Twenty minutes later, I was given a somewhat clean bill of health. Carlisle wanted me to go to the hospital for a blood pressure reading and blood draw, since he couldn't make any solid determinations about my fainting spells. His best guess was that either my blood pressure or blood sugar was responsible.

Carlisle had left me alone with Esme so he could talk with Edward.

I felt comfortable around Esme, like I had Rosalie, but like I had been with Rosalie, I was unsure how to act. Esme seemed like a gentle and kind lady, and maybe someone I could turn to when I needed to complain. Perhaps even a replacement mother.

"Do you have any belongings?" Esme asked just as my thoughts started to stray to my own mother.

"No. What little I had, Jacob's probably ripped and burned to shreds." I shrugged. "It really doesn't matter. The clothes I had were either too small or too big and had been selected by Jacob. I don't want them."

"Well then, you and I will just have to go shopping. For now, we're going to have to get creative," she said, moving to Edward's dresser.

I was about to tell Esme I didn't have much money, but something prevented me—something that was beyond my control and told me not to worry about money, that everything would be taken care of.

"There's someplace I need to take Bella after we stop by the hospital," Edward said.

Esme jumped and turned to face me and Edward. I'd seen him come in the room, but he'd surprised his mother. My hand went to my lips to cover my giggle when Esme marched right up to him and swatted him on the shoulder, much like you would an annoying fly.

The action didn't deter Edward. "Then she's free to go shopping with you. I'll even give Bella my credit card."

My jaw dropped. This was not what I was expecting to happen when I didn't bring up not having money to Esme.

"Why don't you just come with us?" Esme asked.

"I'll think about it," Edward replied, his gaze moving from me to his mother. "And you don't have to get creative. I've already started Christmas shopping and bought a few outfits for Rosalie." He opened a sliding door and brought me two boxes from inside. "This should fit. You and Rose are about the same size. The shoes … hmmm," he looked down a moment, "… might not."

"Thank you." I excused myself and went back into his bathroom.

It was then that I looked down at the boxes in my hand. One was labeled "Vera Wang" and the other "Jimmy Choo." This is what he got his sister for Christmas? I gasped when I opened the "Vera" box—a blue, lace dress. It was beautiful, and the silver and blue shoes were just as wonderful.

Discarding what I had on, I slipped the dress over my head, and it whispered as it settled over my body. It was a perfect fit, and so were the shoes. I walked out to find the bedroom empty.

Oh boy, this is going to be interesting.

Following the voices, I soon found myself back in the entryway—the only part of the house I saw before I had fainted.

A/N: I want to thank ElleCC and hammondgirl for editing this chapter.