Warning: This story is fictional and has no sort of relevance. Partly exasperation.

I'm very impressed with all the reviews, I must say.

Now, just to clear some air...

I've come across the knowledge of many abusive families and, although this is from my head, families to bide by this sort of thing. Now, I'm not disowning this sort of thing, not saying its right or wrong, but it is fairly uncommon, so therefore, this story is one of a kind!

"Well, now that we're figured that out, let's get started," I joked, but with a frustrated edge. It was edging ten o'clock and we were finally edging our way to the real work. Our assignment was the beginning of our Biology unit on cells. I hated the repeat of this unit because of how boring it was in grade nine and ten. The assignment is nothing new and so simple I could do it in the back of my head.

But Edward and I had to make a 3D diagram of a human cell. This, however, was new. I felt bad because he had done almost all the work: he thought of the idea, he came over here and did things he shouldn't have had to, he brought everything we needed with him. I did hardly anything. He clearly deserved more credit than I did.

Edward grabbed his backpack and started unloading the various items that would make up the idea he created – a 3D play dough model of a human cell. It was an idea I never would have thought of. This guy is brilliant.

"When do you have to be home?" I asked curiously.

He laughed. "My parents took curfews away when I turned fourteen," he told me. Lucky you, I internally sighed. "There's no certain time; my parents don't care."

For a moment I wished I had that. The freedom, the will to do anything I wanted. Like him. I didn't know anything about his family, but I already wished I was one of them.

"Okay, good because we have a lot of work to do, " I laughed, curling my legs underneath me. "I was thinking that we could—"

"Bella," Edward interrupted, pointing over my shoulder. A crease formed between my eyebrows as I turned around in the direction of his gesture.

Standing on the stairs, nearly masked in shadows was a little girl in a pink princess nightgown, barefoot and holding a worn teddy bear. She looked at me with sad brown eyes, timidly meeting my eyes. What was she doing up?

I stood from the couch and went to the stairs, gesturing her down the stairs. Her feet lightly thunked down the stairs as she stood in front of me, craning her head back to look at me. I bent down to be more at her level and save her a neck ache. "Melly, what are you doing up?" I asked gently, straightening her nightgown and brushing the hair from her eyes. Melly's dark hair was matted to her moist forehead. I knew before she even uttered a word.

"I had a bad dream," she whispered, wiping at her eyes. I hadn't noticed the extra moistness under her eyes. "Can I sleep with you tonight?" she asked in a small voice.

"Um, I won't be going to bed for awhile. Why don't I tuck you back in and read you a story?" I offered, smiling as sweetly as possible. I turned to look at Edward, who was watching us from the couch, awaiting my return. "Do you mind if I just—"

It was Melly who interrupted. "No. I want to sleep with you tonight."
"But I'm not—"

"C-can I stay up with you?"

"No, Melly, you need to sleep." I stood up and grabbed her hand. "Come on, I'll tuck you back in." She whined, whimpered and pouting, straining against me as I tried to pull her up the stairs. "Melinda Swan, upstairs now," I said sharply, pointing up the stairs with my free hand. "It is your bedtime and you are not staying up at this time of night."

Maybe I should have gave her some slack because it was the weekend and all, but I knew that work would be slim with her around. I sighed again.

"Melly, please," I pleaded. "Just go back to bed. I'll tuck you in, read you a story and lay with you until you fall asleep. Just...please." I looked at her pleadingly, but she only whimpered, unshed tears settling in her eyes.

"Noooo..." she whined, stomping her feet.

As I opened my mouth to beg and plead with the four year old again, Edward spoke behind me.

"Bella, she can stay up with us. It won't be a big deal."

I glanced over my shoulder at him as he leaned forward, propping his elbows on his knees. I was still doubting the situation when I looked back at Melly; from the look in her eyes, she knew she was winning. She needed to sleep...but if her nightmare was that bad, I could allow her some stretching ground.

"Okay," I said in defeat, standing up and releasing her. "Go for it." I gesturing to the living room.

Melly ran and grinned at Edward, jumping onto the couch beside him. I groaned as I made my way back to my spot. "Can I watch TV?" asked Melly quietly sucking on her thumb gently. I'd tried to teach her not to suck on it but she never listened.

"There won't be anything on for you," I told her. Did they even air cartoons this late at night? "Why don't you just...play for awhile?" I suggested.

"Can't I help you?"

My patients were already running very low with this little girl. But before I could insist on her back to bed, Edward answered her. "Of course you can." His voice was nothing like mine – you could hear the gentle sweetness toward Melly, while I didn't hold back my annoyance.

I'm turning into my mother, I thought.

Melly smiled at him, turning and forgetting all about me.

I was wrong about her; I was pretty much the one to take the backseat. They talked like adults while he explained to her what he needed her to do, and they worked and talked and left me alone. Story of my life. I worked too, more slowly than Edward but faster than Melly, deep in my own thoughts. This wasn't what I'd been expecting for the situation for us to work in. Sure it was getting done, but I guess I was hoping for some kind of...human interaction. Edward and I were just Biology partners, and he was also the first person I spoke to in, well, forever. And here is my little sister, standing in the way.

But no matter the qualms I was having about this new setup, there was something I was seeing that I hadn't in awhile. Melly was smiling. Smiling in a total different way. Not the same yay-its-Bella way, or yay-its-supper-time, either. It was happiness, excitement, the light of a new person for her to look at. It wasn't the same for her to just look at us or the kids at school; this was new for all of us. A stranger in our house that didn't mean harm.

"What's this supposed to be again?" Melly asked Edward, holding up a little blue blob she'd created.

"That's the Nucleus," he told her, amusement coloring his tone. She nodded like she actually understood.

We continued working, moulding parts of the "cell" out of play dough. It was edging eleven o'clock when the pieces were roughly shaped and Melly couldn't keep her eyes open, and soon fell over to rest against me. "And she's out," I declared, running a hand over her soft hair.

He laughed, leaning back on the couch. "Well, she did work pretty hard."

I smiled slightly. "Yeah, she did." I added, "I'll be right back," and picked her up to take her to her room. I tucked her back in, pulling the pretty pink blankets around her sleeping form. I kissed her forehead quickly and snuck out quietly, hoping to not wake anyone.

We decided we did enough work for the night, so I pulled out the pop, popcorn and chips and flipped on the TV. I don't know how much I saw of The Buried Life before it all went black.

Short, I know. Hopefully the next will be longer.

-SeraphimXOX