A/N: Thanks so much for all your reviews and comments. Reading them makes my day. Thanks also to those who've added this to their alerts and favourites.

Thanks to MrsKatyCullen for checking this for me.

o-o-o-o-o-o

Chapter 8

Bella couldn't help the dreamy smile that lit her face all morning. She put on her coat to walk down to the store in order to get some groceries and she imagined that she could smell Edward on her coat. She breathed in deeply, needing some tangible reminder of the previous night.

She was having trouble believing that it had been real. Had Edward really kissed her so passionately that she had been ready to throw caution to the wind and drag him into bed with her? Only the fact that Edward was a gentleman, that he had promised to let her set the pace had stopped her. Bella smiled as she recalled the feel of his body against hers. He'd wanted her as much as she wanted him. He couldn't hide it.

The smile dimmed a little as she recalled his story. Her heart ached for the young man who'd had to face such a difficult event. She'd seen patients undergo cancer treatment before and her heart had gone out to them. She could imagine Edward's suffering. Bella probably would have cried if she'd seen him lose his beautiful hair.

It seemed so unfair that his treatment had made him infertile. She'd watched him with the babies, his care and delight in them plain for all to see. She wanted to hug Carlisle for having the foresight in encouraging Edward to store his sperm. With today's advances in IVF technology, the chances of conceiving were quite good.

Bella had been telling the truth when she told him that it didn't matter to her. It truly didn't. For one, it was too early in their relationship to worry about it. For another, forewarned was forearmed. If it came to it, at least they would know what they were up against. Most couples just assumed that they would be able to have children and only found out there were problems when they failed to conceive. Look at the Evans' and their struggle to become parents.

Bella wasn't sure what she felt yet for Edward. Whatever it was, it was very strong and she wouldn't give up the chance to be with him for anything.

As she was ironing her work clothes, the phone rang. Bella smiled widely as she saw Edward's name on the screen.

"Hi," she breathed.

"Hi beautiful," said Edward, his sexy voice doing amazing things to her, even when he wasn't in the same room. "Did you sleep well?"

"Not really," she told him

"Me neither. I kept replaying our encounter on your couch for ages."

Bella's knees felt shaky and she sat down. "Me too."

"Do you realise how hard it was for me to leave?" he asked sexily.

"Do you realise how hard it was for me to let you leave?" she replied.

Edward chuckled. "You shouldn't say things like that. It makes it that much harder to keep my promise."

"Maybe I don't want you to keep your promise."

Bella heard Edward groan. "God! Don't say that. You'll drive me insane."

"I like that thought."

"Behind that sweet face, you're a siren, aren't you?"

"Only with you."

There was silence as Edward regathered his composure. "Has Alice rung you yet?"

"No. Why, has she hounded you already?" laughed Bella.

"First thing this morning. I think she wanted to know if I was in bed with you."

Bella sucked in her breath at the thought.

"I think she was disappointed that I was alone at home," he told her, a smile in his voice.

"Probably," laughed Bella. "That girl is an inveterate matchmaker."

"Has she tried to match-make you before?" asked Edward, a slight edge to his voice.

"Once or twice," admitted Bella. "I wasn't interested."

"Good." There was a charged silence. "I'd better let you go. I'll just go back to thinking about last night."

"You do that," said Bella. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Can't wait."

Bella sat there for a while, a goofy smile on her face. Was this what falling in love felt like? This tingly feeling all over, the need to be with him all the time? Bella had never been even close to being in love. It can't be, it's too soon, she thought. Well whatever it was, it felt wonderful. She wondered if Edward's emotions were all over the place like hers.

By the time she walked into work, she had managed to get a handle on her soaring emotions.

She was reassuring a new mother who was worried that her baby was a bit yellow when a call came through to Maternity.

"It's quite normal for babies to be a bit yellow after they're born," she reassured Miss Russell. "It's because their liver takes a little while to start working properly. She should go back to a normal colour in a few days. A little bit of sunshine doesn't hurt."

"A bit hard around here," said Jackie Russell wryly

"True. If she got worse, we'd put her under a 'billy light' for a few hours, but I doubt that will be necessary. She's not that yellow. If you're worried, we can have the paediatrician look at her," reassured Bella.

At that moment, a junior nurse came rushing into the room. "Excuse me Bella. Can I see you please?"

Bella nodded, said goodbye to Miss Russell and followed the nurse out of the room. "What's up Nicole?"

"Emergency rang through. They need someone down there ASAP."

"Ok, I'm going." Bella rushed down the stairs, foregoing the lifts.

Walking quickly through the half-empty Emergency waiting room, Bella was wondering what was awaiting her. As she entered the treatment area she heard loud cries coming from one of the cubicles.

"Ah, Bella, I'm glad you're here," said the doctor.

Bella looked in and saw a girl, a young girl, lying on the bed, her legs raised and crying. Beside her an older woman, the girl's mother, assumed Bella, was telling the girl to stop being so dramatic.

"What's going on, Ryan?" asked Bella quietly.

The young registrar pulled Bella aside. "The girl, Chelsea Johnson, was brought in by her mother after she began crying due to severe stomach cramps. I examined her and I believe she's in labour. She's thirteen," informed her gravely.

Bella swallowed the gasp that threatened to emerge. Thirteen! "Does she know she's in labour?"

"I told them what I suspected but the mother is adamant it can't possibly be true. She's been yelling at her daughter to calm down but it's only making matters worse."

"Ok. Listen, I'm just going to get the unit to ring the on-call OB. If she didn't know she was pregnant, then we can assume she's had no pre-natal care." Bella hurried to phone and quickly told the unit the situation. Assured that Edward would be called and the delivery room readied, Bella walked over to the young girl.

Chelsea was on her side in the foetal position, tears pouring down her face.

"Hello Chelsea. My name's Bella. I'm a midwife and I'm going to help you with the baby you're having."

"No! That's not true! She's only a child. She can't possibly be pregnant," shouted her mother.

Bella looked at the notes before answering her. "Mrs Johnson, I know this is distressing for both of you but if it's true, then we need to help Chelsea. Your shouting isn't helping your daughter."

"It's not possible, I tell you!" continued Mrs Johnson. "It's just a stomach bug, that's all."

Chelsea cried out at that moment, raising her legs as high as she could. "Oww! It hurts!"

"Give her something so we can go home!" demanded her mother.

"Mrs Johnson, if you don't calm down, I'll have to ask you to leave. You're upsetting Chelsea as well as other patients," said Bella sternly.

Ryan had summoned another nurse and she gently escorted the mother out of the room.

"Ok Chelsea, I'm going to have a quick look at you. Is that ok?" asked Bella gently.

The girl nodded, the tears still falling.

Bella helped her onto her back and pulled up her top. As soon as she saw her stomach Bella knew that she was indeed pregnant. Her stomach was quite small so Bella had no idea how far along she was. Chelsea was a plump girl and Bella could believe that her pregnancy had been missed.

Pressing her hand on the girl's stomach, she could feel the outline of the baby. She grabbed one of the monitor's that were kept in emergency and listened for a heartbeat. She picked up the steady fast beat quite easily.

"Chelsea. I'm going to have to move you to one of our delivery rooms, ok?" Bella stroked the girl's hair, her heart going out to her at the look of terror in her eyes.

Asking for porters to transfer her to maternity, Bella tried to get some information from Chelsea.

"Chelsea, did you know you were pregnant?" she asked gently.

Chelsea shook her head. "He said you couldn't get pregnant the first time."

"The baby's father?"

"Yes. I didn't like it. It hurt," she cried.

"Did he force you?" asked Bella, worried now. "How old is he?"

"No, he said it would show him that I loved him. He's eighteen."

Bella sucked in her breath. Eighteen. The boy had committed statutory rape with a minor. Putting that aside for the moment, Bella continued her questions.

"Chelsea, sweetie, can you remember when that was? I really need to know."

"I think it was...ahh!" Chelsea cried out as another contraction hit, her cries echoing in the room.

The porters arrived at that moment to transfer Chelsea. Asking that Chelsea's mother be informed of where she was going, Bella went to the phone again.

This case would need the expertise of the hospital's counsellor. There were a myriad of complications that would need to be solved. First though, they had to ensure the health of Chelsea and the baby.

Racing to catch up, she enlisted the services of another nurse/midwife to help. With no care, there was no way of knowing if the baby and mother were healthy or indeed, even how old the baby was.

Chelsea's mother came into the unit, demanding to be allowed to see her daughter. Bella rushed to her.

"Mrs Johnson, my name's Bella Swan and I'm going to help deliver Chelsea's baby. The doctor will be here shortly. We're going to do everything to ensure she and the baby are ok."

"I told you, she's not pregnant. She's just got a virus," insisted the mother.

Bella felt sympathy for her. To be told your thirteen year old daughter, still a child herself, is in labour with no warning would be devastating. The counsellor would need to see all the parties involved.

Placing her hand on Mrs Johnson's arm, Bella explained the facts. "Chelsea is indeed in labour. I listened for and found a heartbeat. Also, Chelsea admitted that she had had sex with a boy." She would leave the details for the counsellor.

Mrs Johnson's face crumpled at Bella's words. "Oh god! She's only a baby! How did I not notice!" She buried her face in her hands.

"Because you never expected anything like this. Chelsea is quite small and loose clothes would hide any evidence. She also didn't know, so she probably thought she was just putting on weight."

Chelsea's mother nodded. "Her periods hadn't become regular so she probably didn't think anything of it. But didn't she feel the baby moving?"

"Some babies don't move much and Chelsea probably wouldn't know what it was if she did feel movement."

Bella began guiding her to the delivery suite.

"Chelsea is understandably very scared. And in pain. She needs her mother now. Can you support her through this and leave the questions until later?" asked Bella.

"Yes. I just want to help Chelsea," said her mother.

The lift doors opened and Edward stepped out. Bella's heart and whole being lifted at the sight of him. She could feel his eyes caress her as he walked towards them.

"Hi Doctor Cullen," she said, her eyes speaking more than her words could. "I'm just going to take Mrs Johnson into the delivery suite and I'll come and see you."

Edward nodded as Bella lead the way to the delivery suite. "I'll be right back," she assured Chelsea and her mother who were left with another midwife .

Edward was on his way to the suite when Bella ran into him.

"Hi Bella," he smiled. Bella wanted to press her lips to his kissable mouth really badly, especially after his phone call this morning. Pulling herself back to the business at hand, she told Edward of what was happening.

"Thirteen?" asked Edward, shaking his head. "Poor child."

"Yes, I know. The problem is we don't know how old the baby is or if there are any problems because there was no pre-natal care."

"How is she coping with the news?"

"She's scared, as you can imagine."

"Ok, can you get the anaesthetist up here? I think it would be safer to give her an epidural to ease the shock. Given her age and the fact that she hasn't had the time to process what's about to happen, the easier we make this for her the better. Also, get a paediatrician here as the baby will need to be looked at. Has the counsellor been notified?"

"Yes, she'll be here as soon as possible. Chelsea's mother doesn't know, but the baby's father is eighteen."

"Christ! This will get messy," stated Edward as pushed open the doors

"Very," agreed Bella.

Edward introduced himself as Bella made the necessary calls. Chelsea was moaning loudly with the pain.

"Make it go away! It hurts!" she cried piteously.

Edward took the girl's hand and gently squeezed it. It seemed to have a calming effect. "We're going to make the pain go, ok? The anaesthetist is going give you something that will make you numb."

Chelsea nodded, her other hand in her worried mother's one. Bella watched Edward speak soothingly to both Chelsea and her mother, calming their anxieties as much as possible.

Whilst waiting for the anaesthetist, Bella took Chelsea's blood pressure. It was high but that was probably due the shock and fear.

"Chelsea, darling. It's going to be ok," soothed her mother, stroking her daughter's sweating brow.

"Mommy, I'm scared."

"I know baby. I wish this hadn't happened. But the doctor and nurses will look after you, won't they?"

Bella smiled and nodded. "Yes, we'll take the very best care of you, sweetie. It's still going to uncomfortable but hopefully it won't hurt so much.

The anaesthetist came in and explained what she was going to do. Holding Chelsea in order to keep her still, the doctor inserted the canula into Chelsea's spine and waited until her lower half was numb.

Bella quickly strapped on the monitor to Chelsea's stomach in order to keep a constant watch on the baby's condition and put her on a drip to keep her fluids up.

Once the pain eased, Chelsea became less panicked and lay back on the bed, her mother holding her hand tightly. Bella saw that her contractions were about three minutes apart.

Edward, in the meantime had taken blood samples and had asked for the ultrasound machine to set up. He needed to know the baby's position and hopefully get some idea of the gestation age. Bella asked Chelsea again if she could remember when she fell pregnant but Chelsea couldn't remember the date, only saying it was sometime in the spring.

Even as tense as the situation was, Bella still felt the tingles through her body when she accidentally touched Edward. She was standing next to him, smearing the gel on Chelsea's stomach and had to control the shiver when he spoke quietly to her.

"I would guess, by what she's said, that she's not far from full term but she's very small which means the baby could be quite underweight."

Bella nodded in agreement and watched as Edward began the ultrasound, the images clear on the screen. Calmer now that the pain was gone, Chelsea looked at the screen.

"Is that it?" she asked.

"Yes and by the size, it's nearly full term." Turning off the machine, Edward spoke to Chelsea and her mother. "Everything seems to be progressing normally. It's now a matter of waiting."

Patting Chelsea on the hand, Edward spoke to her. "How are feeling now Chelsea? Any pain?"

"No. It feels weird but it's not hurting." Her eyes were still frightened. "I don't want a baby. I don't want to be here."

Edward squeezed her hand. "I know this is hard for you, but we can't stop it now. A counsellor is going to come and speak to you and your mom afterwards, ok? Just relax now because the painkiller will wear off and then you'll have to push the baby out."

"Will it hurt?"

"I'm afraid it will hurt somewhat but there should be enough painkiller left to dull it a bit."

Chelsea lay back on the bed, her young face tired and scared. The tears started again as she looked at her mother.

Bella and Edward left the room so that they could talk.

"Boy, when I was called, I didn't expect this," sighed Edward running his hand through his hear, leaving it endearingly tousled.

"I know. I couldn't believe it when I saw her. She's just a child herself. This must be so traumatic for her."

"And her mother."

"I told you life wasn't perfect here," said Bella.

"Nowhere's perfect."

The hospital counsellor arrived at that moment. Bella greeted her and introduced Edward then proceeded to explain the situation.

"Oh dear," said Chris. "That poor child. How's she doing?"

"She's in full labour and we've made her as comfortable as possible. She's very frightened, as you can imagine," replied Bella.

"And she told you the father's eighteen?"

"Yes, that's what she said. It seems she was a virgin because he told her she couldn't get pregnant the first time. Poor Chelsea just didn't recognise what was happening to her body."

"I'm going to have to contact Social Services as they'll need to investigate. The father could be up on charges of statutory rape. I don't suppose they've given any indication of what they'll do in regards to the infant?"

"On whether she's keeping it or not? No and we've not asked. We just want her to get through the ordeal of labour."

Chris nodded her head. "Yes, that the best thing. I'm going to make a few phone calls and then introduce myself. This is going to be a delicate situation. What about Chelsea's father?"

"They haven't mentioned him, so he may not be around."

"And how is Chelsea's mother coping?"

"She's understandably shocked and disbelieving. It took a while to convince her that Chelsea wasn't suffering from a stomach virus," replied Bella.

"I'm not surprised."

The other midwife popped out of the suite and called Bella and Edward. "The contractions are getting very close now, about a minute apart."

"Ok, we'll be right there," said Edward. "Come in to the delivery suite when you're ready," he said to Chris. "Mrs Johnson could do with support of her own."

He turned to Bella. "Can you make sure the paediatrician is on their way?"

Nodding her assent, Bella did as Edward asked and returned to the delivery suite. The next couple of hours seemed to pass in a blur. As the contractions got stronger, the anaesthetic wore off enough to allow Chelsea to push.

Crying and moaning loudly in pain, the young girl gripped her mother's hand as she was encouraged to keep going.

"No! Stop it! I want to go home!" she sobbed, too young to cope with the gravity of the situation. Bella's heart broke for the poor little girl who was being forced to grow up way too fast.

Taking hold of Chelsea's other hand and stroking her hair, Bella tried her best to encourage her.

"Sweetie, I know it hurts but it's too late to stop. It's not too much longer now," she reassured her, looking at Edward who nodded in agreement.

Once the baby's head began crowning, things progressed quite quickly. The paediatrician had arrived and was standing by to receive the infant.

With much encouragement and a scream of pain, Chelsea's son was born. As suspected he was very small for his age and the paediatrician wanted to examine him immediately. Bella stayed his hand for a moment.

"Chelsea, would you like to look at him?" asked Bella gently.

Lying back exhausted, Chelsea shook her head. Bella handed the baby to the doctor as she and Edward continued to look after Chelsea. They cleaned her up and moved her to a private room where she could rest without the stares of other patients.

Chris, who had been supporting Mrs Johnson, allowed mother and daughter some privacy before going in to begin the difficult process of determining who was responsible for this sad situation and what would happen to the infant.

"How is he Doug?" Edward asked the paediatrician.

"He's small so I suspect he's around 36 weeks but his breathing's fine and otherwise he looks healthy. I'm going recommend he be placed in the special care nursery for a few days just to be sure," replied Doug.

"Good idea. Also, it'll give Chris and the Social Services people a chance to try and sort out what's to happen," said Edward.

Picking up the baby, Edward gave him a cuddle and talked gently to the red, scrunched up infant. "Poor little tyke. You've arrived in less than ideal circumstances, haven't you? I hope things work out for the best," he murmured, gently stroking the baby's soft skin.

Watching him hand over the baby to the paediatric nurse, Bella felt her heart lurch in response. To see such a masculine man be so gentle with a tiny baby did funny things to her insides. If she didn't already know that he had this caring, gentle side it would have been driven home now. When he turned to look at her, Bella gave him a wide, tender smile letting him know she understood.

"Can you come to my office when you're ready Nurse Swan?" asked Edward as he picked up Chelsea's file.

"Of course. As soon as we've cleared up Dr Cullen."

Together with the other nurse, Bella quickly cleared the delivery room ready for the cleaners to come through. As soon as possible, she headed to Edward's office.

She knocked on the door and entered at his call to go in. Edward looked up from his notes and stood up, a hungry look in his eyes. Bella shut the door behind her as he came around the desk.

In the next instant, Bella was being held tightly in his arms, kissing each other hungrily. Pulses racing, their breathing ragged, they kissed over and over, delighting in the opportunity to be close. Bella's hands had tangled in his hair, mussing it up even more than usual.

Edward's tongue sought entry to hers, their tongues dancing. Bella heard Edward's soft moan as she gently nipped his full bottom lip then sucked it into her mouth.

Much too soon for either of them, they broke apart, their faces flushed. Bella rested her head on Edward's shoulder, neither of them wanting to break the contact yet. She could feel Edward rubbing her back, calming them both down.

"I needed that," murmured Edward into her hair.

"Mmm, me too. It's been a hell of an afternoon, hasn't it?"

"That poor kid. I feel sorry for all of them. Whatever decision they make, there'll be lasting consequences."

Bella nodded her head in agreement. "I know. It's an awful thing to happen. I hope they'll make the right decision for them."

"I'm sorry something like this had to occur, so soon after you arrived," said Bella.

"Like you said, nowhere's perfect. I don't suppose you've seen this situation too often, have you?"

"No. Not this young. She's a baby herself. I'll have to make sure that the staff take special care of her. It's going to be a shock at first for all of them."

"Still, I'm glad to have been able to see you today," smiled Edward. "I didn't think I would." He reached up and stroked her cheek. "I suppose we shouldn't stay in here too long. Tongues will start wagging."

Bella grimaced. "No, I'd better head back to work. I've still got a few hours before I go home."

"I'll just finish up, check on Chelsea and go home." He watched her face intently before kissing her again. It was brief but passionate. "Just needed one more kiss before I go," he smiled.

Reaching up, Bella smoothed Edward's hair down. "Don't want people to get the wrong impression."

Edward stepped back and opened the door for her. "See you tomorrow," he whispered.

"Can't wait," she whispered back.

With a last squeeze of her hand, Edward let her go. Bella made her way to the staff room, needing to compose herself before going back to work. Thankful that the room was empty, she went to the ladies' room to see what effect Edward had on her.

Looking in the mirror, Bella took in her flushed face, slightly mussed up hair and her shining eyes. She had to admit that Edward was good for her looks. Smiling wryly, she fixed up her hair, put on her 'work face' and went back to the unit.

Bella looked in on Chelsea and her mother a few times before she left, making sure that they were comfortable. Edward had given Chelsea a mild sedative to help her sleep, the young girl still in shock.

Grabbing her bag, Bella felt the urge to have look in on Chelsea's baby. Walking into the special care nursery, she wasn't too surprised to see Mrs Johnson standing by her grandson's crib, looking down at him, tears rolling down her eyes.

"Are you ok?" asked Bella sympathetically. The poor woman was suffering as much, if not more, than her daughter.

Mrs Johnson sniffed and wiped the tears away. "Not really. This time yesterday, things were right in my world. It's never easy on your own with a child, but I was coping. Now, everything's upside down and I don't know what I'll do."

"That's what the counsellor's here for. To help you straighten yours and Chelsea's lives"

Mrs Johnson nodded slightly. "How could I not have noticed? Was I so caught up in my own life that I didn't see what was happening with Chelsea's? I know the boy, you know. He's a neighbour. I want him to pay for what he did to my little girl," she said bitterly.

Bella didn't say anything. They both looked at the sleeping infant, his tiny fingers twitching.

"This is my grandson and I don't know how I feel about him. He's like a stranger's baby."

"That's not surprising, Mrs Johnson. Most people have nine months to get used to the idea, prepare but you didn't have that opportunity. Hopefully with time, things will get clearer," sympathised Bella.

"Social Services are coming in the morning. They're going to ask what we plan to do about him. I just don't know," whispered Mrs Johnson.

"They won't expect an answer straight away. This is an unusual situation and they'll give both you and Chelsea time to decide."

"He's very cute, isn't he?" murmured Mrs Johnson as her grandson's face scrunched up in sleep.

Bella smiled. "Yes, he is. He's lovely." Touching Mrs Johnson on the shoulder, Bella spoke. "I truly hope everything works out for the best for all of you. I'll see you both tomorrow. I would suggest you try to get some sleep. It's been a draining day."

"Yes, I suppose so," agreed Mrs Johnson wearily.

Bella bade her goodnight and left the hospital. It was nearly midnight by the time she got home and she was exhausted. The traumatic events of the day had taken it out of her. After a hot shower she went to bed, needing to sleep before her next shift in the morning.

Her thoughts turned to Edward and she smiled wistfully. That kiss in his office had definitely fulfilled one of her fantasies about him. The things that man did to her emotions! The smile was still on her face as she fell asleep to dream about being in Edward's arms.

o-o-o-o-o-o

Bella's heart was beating fast as she knocked on Edward's door the following afternoon. She'd raced home after her shift and changed into more casual clothes. Jacob had rung to see if she wanted to go to the movies that night but Bella had to decline, of course.

"Got a hot date?" teased Jacob.

"As a matter of fact, yes," replied Bella.

"What? Who with?"

"Why so surprised? Am I that hideous?" asked an indignant Bella.

"Of course not, don't be stupid. It's just that you haven't been out with a guy for ages," said Jacob, surprise still evident in his voice.

"Well, he hasn't been here long."

"Who is it? Do I know him?" asked Jacob curiously

"It's the new doctor. Carlisle's son, Edward Cullen," answered Bella.

"Oh. Well, good for you, Bella. Hope he treats you good or he'll have to answer to me," said Jacob, only half teasing.

Bella just chuckled. "I gotta go, I have to get ready."

"Ok. Don't do anything I wouldn't do," teased Jacob.

"That doesn't exactly narrow my options then, does it?" she laughed.

Edward opened the door, his eyes lighting up in delight as he saw her. Reaching out, he pulled Bella inside, shutting the door behind her.

Pushing her back against the door, Edward leaned into her and kissed her passionately, pressing his body against her, letting her know what she did to him.

Moaning, Bella wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly to her, loving the feel of his taut body against hers. Edward's hands moved over her back before lowering down to cup her backside and pulling her urgently into him.

"God, you feel good," murmured Edward against her throat. "And taste good." He was taking gentle nips on her neck, soothing it with his tongue.

Bella bent her head to the side, exposing more of her throat to his urgent mouth. "So do you," she replied breathlessly, grinding her hips into his. He was so hard against her, his need for her evident.

Her hands gripped the sides of his head and she pulled his mouth back to hers, needing to taste him again. Bodies entwined, pressed against his front door, there wasn't a breath of space between them. Bella could feel her restraint slipping and any moment now she was going to beg him to take her here, against the door, her body moist and languid with desire.

As if sensing her control slipping away, Edward pulled away, on the brink himself. Stepping back he cupped her cheek, still breathing heavily. Bella smiled, her eyes nearly black with desire, her lips red and swollen from his kisses.

"Hi," he said sexily, his voice husky with desire.

"Hi yourself. Do you greet all your visitors like this?" she teased.

"Only the gorgeous ones," he quipped. "Come into my parlour!"

Laughing, Bella allowed herself to be led into the rest of the house, Edward showing her around. A couple of rooms had ladders and paint in them.

"Mom and Alice have been busy. One or two rooms at a time."

"Esme did a good job finding this place for you," commented Bella.

"It suits me. Do you want something to drink? Good host I am! You've been working all day and I accost you and don't even offer you any refreshment," he said wryly.

Bella giggled and hugged him. "I certainly didn't mind being accosted."

"Don't say that!" he groaned, giving her another kiss. "Come on," he said, taking her hand.

He asked about her day as he prepared their meal, Bella telling him about the visit by Social Services. "I know Chelsea was scared. She thought she was in trouble. They were really good though. They spoke with her and her mother for ages and gave them information on their options. They also got information on the baby's father."

"Any idea what they're going to do about the baby?" he asked while serving up.

"No. I don't think it's sunk in yet."

After dinner, they sat together on his couch talking, Edward's arm around her as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"Have you always lived in Forks?" he asked, his hand idly stroking her hair.

"No. I was born here but my parents separated when I was a toddler. My mom moved us to Phoenix. I used to visit dad during holidays until I was sixteen when I moved back to live with him."

"Why was that? Didn't you get on with your mother?" he asked curiously.

"Oh no, nothing like that. Mom's a bit of a free spirit, more my friend than mother in many ways. I tended to look after her more than the other way around."

"Didn't that bother you? Being just a kid?"

"Not really. That's just the way Renae is. On the other hand, she was heaps more fun than most mothers. She didn't care if we made a huge mess baking cakes or doing artwork. She would come up with fun ideas, like dressing up and making up plays and stuff like that. My school friends loved coming over. They thought Mom was the coolest mom around," said Bella, smiling nostalgically.

"So why did you leave?"

"Mom got remarried to Phil. He used to play baseball in the minor leagues. He needed to travel with his team and she wanted to go with him. It was understandable, they were only recently married. I saw that she missed him when he was away and thought it would be best if I came to live with Dad so that they could be together."

"That was really selfless of you," he commented. "For such a young girl."

"Not really. It just seemed the right thing to do."

"How did you adjust? Phoenix and Forks are poles apart. In just about all ways."

"I have to admit I hated it at first. It was cold and rainy and too green. After Phoenix it was like a different planet. I knew some kids from my visits over the years so school wasn't too bad. It was mainly the weather. And living permanently with Dad was different to visiting for a few weeks."

"I can imagine. Do you see your mother often?"

"Usually around once or twice a year. She lives in Florida now. I'm spending Christmas with her and Phil this year. I'll be gone for a couple of days."

Edward nodded slowly. "What about your father? Do you get on with him?"

"Yeah. Dad's not much of talker so don't try to talk to him about feelings. He breaks out in hives! But he loves me and can be overprotective at times. He's terrible at looking after himself so I still do a lot of it."

"No wonder you're so good with the patients. Taking care of people seems to come naturally to you, doesn't it?"

Bella shrugged. "I suppose so. That's part of the reason I chose this profession. It seemed an extension of what I'd been doing all my life."

"And who looks after you?" murmured Edward, tilting her face up to look into her eyes.

Bella felt like she was drowning in the depths of his green eyes. "I don't need looking after."

"Everyone needs someone to look after them sometimes, Bella."

"What about you? Who looks after you, Edward?"

"Mom, Alice. Sometimes they look after me too much," he said wryly.

"You've got a wonderful family, Edward," she said.

He nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I'm lucky. And even though Alice drives me crazy at times, I love her dearly."

"It's hard not to, isn't it?" she chuckled. "She basically stormed into my life and I can't imagine not knowing her now."

Edward laughed and tightened his hold on her. "Yep, that's Alice."

"What about you? Where did you grow up?" she asked him.

"In Chicago. I was born and lived there until I went to college. Nothing as interesting as you," he declared.

"Where did you go to college?"

"Dartmouth. When I got sick I went back to Chicago for treatment. Mom wanted me near while I underwent chemo. Once I got the all clear, I went back to continue my studies."

"You must have been really scared," said Bella, imagining a young Edward being confronted by the knowledge he had cancer.

"I suppose so. To tell the truth, I was so busy trying to fight it, that I didn't really stop to think of the alternative. If I had, I probably would have fallen apart and cursed life and the luck that had befallen me."

"I'm glad you had your family around you when you were sick."

Bella felt her eyes droop as they talked. It had been a draining weekend, filled with incredible highs and some awful lows. Top of her list was being with Edward like this. She was happy to stay like this forever.

Noticing that she hadn't spoken for a while, Edward looked down and saw that she'd fallen asleep, her lips parted as she breathed.

Smiling tenderly, he shifted her so that her head was in his lap, a cushion under it. Bella sighed in her sleep and mumbled something he couldn't make out.

He spent the next hour gently stroking her hair, marvelling at its silky softness, bringing strands up to his face to breathe in the strawberry scent.

Edward couldn't remember being this content ever. Just sitting here, watching her sleep, filled him with a calmness that pervaded his whole being. Even his constant desire for her had abated, ready to roar back into life when she looked at him. Tenderness had replaced the desire, for now.

With his fingertip, he traced over her full lips remembering how they felt against his. Like a blind man, he learned the planes and angles of her face, committing it to memory. Then he reached down and took her hand in his, lifting it to his face and softly kissing her palm.

The movement caused Bella to stir and turn towards him. Slowly, her eyes opened. He saw the instant she realised where she was when her eyes widened in surprise at the position she was in.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, struggling to sit up.

"Shh! It's okay," he soothed. "You've been asleep that's all."

"Asleep? Why didn't you wake me? I'm so embarrassed!" she groaned.

Edward chuckled. "Don't be. You looked enchanting," he soothed, stroking her cheek. "I enjoyed watching you sleep."

"I didn't say anything, did I?"

"You mumbled something but I didn't catch it. Do you often talk in your sleep?" he asked curiously.

Bella blushed as she answered. "I have been known to hold whole conversations in my sleep."

"Sounds interesting."

"No, it's embarrassing. Who knows what I'll say?" said a mortified Bella.

Her face was flushed with sleep and embarrassment, her lips parted. Edward couldn't wait another second to taste them and pulled her into his embrace, their mouths meeting in a fierce kiss that had both their heart rates soaring.

It was getting quite late by the time Bella left his house, her body tingling from his equally devastating goodbye kiss.

Bella didn't know how much longer she could wait before begging him to make love to her.

Not long. Not long at all.

o-o-o-o-o-o

A/N: Review and let me know what you think!