Hopefully by posting this one early enough, you guys wont be upset if I wont get the next ones up until later today. It all depends on who is on the computer when. I'd sit here and rant about how I want my own computer back, but that wont help...so...on with the chapter!

Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight, LJ Smith owns Vampire Diaries, and JezebelWhitlock owns the first Nine chapters. ^_^

Chapter 6

Stefan

After Bella fell asleep that night, she started mumbling something. I didn't know for sure but it sounded suspiciously like fish.

I didn't know what fish had to do with her dreams but I was too tired to think it through. Instead, I got into the bed, conscious of Bella lying beside me, and fell asleep.

Waking up the night morning, I was surprised to find a warm body pressed against mine. Bella's back was to my chest, my arm wrapped around her tiny waist. I don't know how it happened but I was pleasantly surprised by how nice it felt, having another body pressed against mine.

I lay beside Bella for several long moments before easing out of bed. I knew she would wake up soon so I headed downstairs to make her breakfast.

I knew the moment Bella woke up. She moved around upstairs, her feet shuffling as she made her way downstairs. She was stretching, exposing a sliver of her smooth, flat stomach. Her dark hair was pulled back into a messy bun, tresses falling out of the elastic.

"Good morning, Stefan." She said.

"Morning, Bella." I said, turning back to the French toast.

"Mmm, what smells so good?" she asked, peering over my shoulder.

"Breakfast."

"You made me French toast?"

"Is that okay? If not I can make something—"

"It's perfect." She interrupted. "Thank you." Bella took her plate and sat at the table. Instead of eating, she simply stared at it for several minutes.

"You better eat that before it gets cold." I said.

Bella jumped at my voice and nodded. She hesitantly cut into it and took a bite. She moaned and then blushed bright red when she realized what she did.

"How is it?" I asked.

"It's delicious." She said. "Thank you Stefan."

"Then what's the matter?" I wondered.

Bella swallowed and looked at me. "I haven't had French toast since my dad died." She mumbled. "He took me out for breakfast one morning and I was too anxious to get back home so I could see Edward." Tears slipped from her eyes. "I wish I spent more time with him. I wish I told him more how much I loved him."

I knew she wasn't talking about Edward. "I'm sure he knows, Bella."

She shook her head, burying her head in her hands. "I don't know who I am anymore, Stefan." She whispered. "I lost everything that—everyone—who cared about me and now I feel like I don't belong in my own skin. I know this happens, parents die and everyone has their heart broken at some point but I never expected it to happen so close together. The people I love either left voluntarily or because of a freak accident that could have been stopped. My dad wasn't supposed to die the way he did. He was supposed to die of natural causes."

Who knew that French toast would be the cause of her breakdown?

"I've lost my own identity. I don't know where I belong anymore." She whispered.

I went to her side and cradled her in my arms. "You belong here, Bella."

She raised her head and I stared into her gorgeous brown eyes, now glossy from the tears she spilled. I gently wiped the tears away with my thumbs. Bella pressed her cheek into my hand, sighing softly.

"Now, are you going to waste that perfectly good French toast?" I asked.

She smiled and shook her head as my hand dropped to my side. Her stomach growled as Bella took another bite.

"What are you going to do with me?" she asked. "Obviously I can't stay here."

Good question. "Why can't you stay here?"

She blinked. "Because I don't belong here," She said. "I don't belong anywhere."

I shook my head. "Bella, you have nowhere to go." I said. "What are you going to do?"

She seemed to struggle for an answer. "I'm just going to have to find a job and move on."

"You can't do that, Bella." I said. "Would it make any difference if I wanted you to stay here?"

Bella stared at me for a couple of minutes. I waited in silence as she thought. "Why would you want me to stay?"

"I know what it's like to be a wanderer. You don't have to live that life." I answered truthfully. "Besides, I doubt Bonnie would appreciate it if you up and left all of the sudden."

"You don't mind that I'll be interrupting your life?"

"Bella, you have never interrupted my life. I like having you here." I promised. "You make me feel like I'm worthy of something. Like I have something to keep me going," I didn't expect to be so brutally honest.

"So I'm just charity?" her eyes flashed with anger.

"Of course not," I disagreed. "Knowing that you're here makes it so much easier because I'm helping someone who has nowhere else to go. I have all this room and I'm here by myself. You don't know how disconcerting it is to walk into this house and know that it's empty."

"You really want me to stay?" she asked.

I nodded.

Bella swallowed and looked down at her now empty plate. I didn't even realize she had finished eating. "Please stay Bella. It will make me feel better, knowing your safe."

"Why do you care so much about someone you've just met yesterday?"

"Because neither of us have anyone else..." I said.

Bella and I sat in silence while I let her consider my offer.

"You'll really let me stay?" she asked.

"Yes Bella."

There was several more minutes of silence before she spoke. "Okay."

I didn't expect the rush of happiness I felt at that single word, but I welcomed it to stay.

Bella

I don't know why I agreed to stay. Maybe it's because it's the first act of kindness I've experienced since I left Forks.

But if I stayed, wouldn't he eventually learn the truth of how I got there? Panic overcame me. I didn't want Stefan to think I was a monster.

I didn't want to lie to him either, though. He's doing so much to help me and yet I don't know how long I can go keeping the truth from him.

"Would you like me to show you around Mystic Falls?" Stefan asked, breaking through my scattered mind.

"You don't have to do that." I said.

"I want you to feel comfortable here, Bella." He said.

I nodded my head reluctantly. "Okay."

He smiled the first genuine smile I've seen. "Good. Why don't you go have a shower and get ready?" he suggested.

I stood up and headed upstairs. This house was so big I was afraid of getting lost. Thankfully, finding Stefan's room wasn't as hard as I expected.

Charlie would have had a heart attack if he knew I was sharing a house with a boy. And one that was all by himself. At least with the Cullens, the whole family was there.

Stop thinking about them, I scolded myself.

I stepped into the bathroom and stripped out of my clothes, turning on the water. I shivered as the warm water touched my cold skin.

XxX

Stefan was already ready when I got downstairs. He was staring out the window, completely still as he watched.

"Stefan?"

He turned around. "You ready to go?" he asked.

I nodded.

"Come on then." He led me out to the car. It reminded me of the Cullens and their love for cars. I slipped into the passenger seat and stared out the window.

"Where are we going, exactly?" I wondered.

"I thought I'd show you around town." He said.

I smiled and nodded, looking out the window. This town reminded of Forks. I had no doubt that everyone knew everyone.

"This is a town where everyone knows everyone isn't it?" I asked.

"Unfortunately yes," He said. "Don't worry; I won't let anyone get to you."

I smiled and laugh. "How could you protect me from them?"

Stefan looked at me with a glint in his eye. "Just trust me."

I chuckled and nodded. We fell silent as he drove. It didn't take long until we were downtown. "Would you mind if I asked about Elena?"

He stiffened briefly before relaxing. "What do you want to know?"

"I was just wondering where you met her."

"Really?"

I nodded. "First time I saw her was at school. I was in the office, talking to the secretary about my schedule. Elena and Bonnie were staring at me."

"Reminds me of my first day in Forks," I said absently.

Stefan laughed and stopped the car.

"Anyway, the first time I actually spoke to her, was that afternoon. She was sitting in the cemetery. She liked to go there to talk to her parents." He paused, waiting for some reaction from me. When none came, he continued.

"Our meeting was unconventional." He chuckled. "She was so different." He parked the car and took the keys out of the ignition.

We got out of the car and I followed him towards a building. "Where are we?" I asked, looking at the name above the door.

Mystic Grill.

I looked at him with interest. "It's a place everyone goes to." He said. "It's got good food and even pool tables."

"You're not going to make me play, are you?"

He chuckled. "Maybe,"

"I wouldn't advise it." I warned. "I have no hand-eye coordination to speak of. I'll probably put out someone's eye with the cue ball."

"You can't be that bad." Stefan disagreed.

I shrugged. "You're funeral."

People looked at us as we walked inside. I had the strong feeling of Déjà vu. I shivered and pushed closer to Stefan. "They aren't so bad."

"People are all the same in any small town." I said.

"Stefan," A woman with blond hair came up to us.

"Morning, Sherriff Forbes." He replied, putting his hand at the small of my back.

"Who's your friend?" she asked, looking at me with interest.

"I'm Bella." I said, annoyed that she would ask him and not me.

"She's a friend of mine." Stefan said, glancing at me. "She just got here a few days ago."

"Is she staying with you?"

"Yes Sherriff,"

She turned away from me to look at Stefan. "How's Damon? Is he coming home soon?"

"No ma'am," He said. "I think Damon's gone for good."

"That's too bad." She sighed. "The Counsel misses his input on things."

Stefan looked surprised but didn't comment. "If you'll excuse me, I have some business to attend to."

He nodded his head, removing his hand as she disappeared.

I looked at Stefan. "Don't mind her." He said. "She's suspicious of everyone who comes to town."

"Why?"

"She has to be." Stefan explained. "There have been a few problems that have caught her attention."

"What kind of problems?"

He shrugged. "Animal attacks."

I stiffened at that. Every time I heard about animal attacks, it was always a problem that vampires caused.

It's not the same, I told myself. This is different.

"Let's go play pool." Stefan suggested.

There you go! ^_^ I would like to remind you guys, that all I'm doing with these chapters is going through and fixing small stuff or adding things in, so for the most part, they're still like JezebelWhitlock had written them. You wont really see a difference in the writing until you see the chapter I've been working on.

Please remember to Review! They're like cups of coffee when I'm awake earlier than normal.

~Cori