A/N: Beginning of her new life this chapter! Will she have neighborly words for Blue Eyes…? I realize the pace is slow for lemons but BlueEyeward is a dark and sketchy guy at this point…the kind we all want to love but could never take home to Mom & Dad!

Lemony goodies will begin soon…at least the aroma of lemons-how's that?

SM owns twilight

Chapter 5 – Neighbors and Noise

Rio finally settled down and allowed Alice center stage as she began her welcome and orientation to 'Cottage Place 101'. "Bella, I'm thrilled! Not only will we be working together, we'll have an awesome time as neighbors! I was worried another staff member would ask for the last condo- I mean cottage- whatever! It must be fate. Carlisle prefers the term cottage," she grinned, "part of the appeal."

I heard Blue Eyes groan and saw him provide a half-wave while he opened his car door. The gravel scattered when he sped hurriedly out of the drive towards the main gate. I watched him in disbelief.

The explanation of his abrupt exit eluded me, but Alice interjected. "Don't mind Edward." She sighed. Alice lifted a few of my bags and guided me towards 10B. "He's probably just annoyed he has a connecting neighbor now, but each cottage has separate drives so you'll have plenty of personal space. In fact, the center wall divides the kitchen and living areas. The bedrooms were designed on the outside of each duplex." She winked. "In case you want to have friends over, ya know?"

I stood there for a moment as it dawned on me. She was actually telling me I could have sex in the apartment without concern of someone hearing me, i.e., Edward? I felt the blush creep up my neck as I diverted my eyes. "Thanks for the info, Alice."

"I'm all about important things first." She giggled. "Now, speaking of sex…"

Were we?

"Do you have a special someone at the moment, Bella?"

Wow. She's nosey, huh?

"Not at the moment, no," I answered tersely.

"Well that's perfect! I'm desperately single myself. I'd share all my woes with you this instant, but I don't wanna scare you off!" Alice laughed light heartedly.

I felt surprisingly comfortable with her, despite the fact we were cut from different cloths in personality. Her company was welcome, but the discussion of my nonexistent sex life was not a topic I was ready to entertain.

You need to interrupt NOW!

"Alice, did you say the last suite was available for a while? Why do you think it wasn't taken?"

She recognized the change in conversation because her level of excitement dropped a notch. Nevertheless, she mercifully allowed it.

I really like this girl.

"The cottages weren't complete until a few months after the Retreat opened. The first nine filled up quickly... and Edward moved into 10A about three months ago. It was the last duplex vacant. Only clinical staff receives the option as part of their benefits package. That left 10B just sitting there, until you!" She winked playfully.

I opened the door and was thrilled at the roominess and Zen-like design; everything in unity, every detail planned out accordingly. The colors of the living area were the same as the surrounding woods, warm browns, neutrals and yellows. I was surprised that my sofa and tables didn't ruin the feel of the place, but the splashes of green in my furniture blended nicely. The two bedrooms and bath were green and blue, my favorite colors. I dropped my bags on the bed which had been set up for me. It was inviting me already to some much needed sleep. I was content watching Rio investigate his new home. He seemed just as happy as I was about the place.

Of course, my nosiness got the best of me. "So, there was no other staff…interested, I mean?" I found that hard to believe, given the financial aspect alone.

I watched Alice pause, a significant fact given her hyper-verbal nature and the flow of our conversations.

"I suppose everyone else was settled in other places by the time it was available. Edward moved in immediately after it was completed, and there didn't seem to be any other takers." She shrugged. "Plus, I think people felt he would be a somewhat…difficult…duplex neighbor." She looked at me in feigned innocence before laughing out loud.

I rolled my eyes and began laughing, too, harder than I've laughed since being in college lectures with my girlfriends. It was the same feeling, not knowing exactly why we were giggling, but not being able to stop. This fact made it even more hysterical. After several minutes, I caught my breath and managed to speak again.

"Alice, I think you're right. It's like I've known you forever."

Alice beamed and nodded her head in agreement, her arms wrapped around herself from the laughter.

"I really appreciate how helpful you've been to me moving here, sending all the emails and even being here now. It means a lot," I admitted.

Ask her! No! Tred lightly,chica.

"You've been friends with the Cullens your entire life, right?" I held my breath as she nodded.

Alice took a deep breath in response; almost as if she recognized that I was holding mine. She sat down on the couch beside me, smiling, with her legs crossed in a meditation pose. "You can ask me anything Bella."

With her consent, I blurted out the question so fast it surprised me. "Do I need to be worried? About Edward, I mean?" I asked without expecting a real answer, but hoping to read something from her reaction.

She looked at me directly without hesitation. "I'd trust Edward with my life, Bella. There's nothing to worry about."

A little dramatic there?

"With your life? That's a confident trust," I commented. "I know I'm clumsy, Alice, but I hope my life won't need saving, especially by my cranky neighbor!" we laughed again as she hugged me. I wondered what the hug was for, but it felt too nice to complain. Having a friend again would be wonderful, especially since I had just lost the closest one I'd ever had. Her words confirmed my own thoughts about Blue Eyes and my gut feeling that he wasn't a malignant person like other people feared.

"You know what's funny, Bella? I think you'll be good for him," Alice remarked.

I was still mulling over the prospect of understanding Edward when I registered to her words. "Wait, Who? You mean Edward? How, or why, would I possibly be good for Edward? My very presence seems to antagonize him!"

Yet, why did it feel so good to just hear that?

Alice gave me a knowing look, but the problem was, I didn't 'know' it. "At least he's reacting at all."

Of course, her answer spurred my interest even more. "What do you mean, reacting? Does he have a personality beyond angry and sarcastic?"

Ouch Bella—she's his FRIEND!

"I'm sorry, Alice, I guess that was harsh. I barely know him," I admitted.

"No, you're right. He is angry, but he wasn't always that way. Now, the sarcasm is another story altogether!" Alice smiled, showing me she wasn't offended.

"So what's his problem then? Is it me?" My paranoia set in.

Because everything has to be about you, Bella? Oh, shut up and listen, brat!

"You?" She seemed confused. "No, Bella, you've done nothing wrong. Like I said, you've gotten more response from him than the rest of us have in months! But I need to stop blabbering now. Explaining Edward Cullen is not something to attempt when the listening party is sleep deprived." She giggled again, but I knew she had said more than she wanted to. Patting Rio on the head, Alice stood to leave.

"Well I can be nosey, so I'm sorry if I pried," I lied.

Not really.

"It's fine, Bella! Get some rest, ok? It's a shame you only have one more day off before starting your orientation Monday. You could have asked Carlisle for more time, you know?"

"I know, but I'd like to start. Too much down time doesn't work well for me. I'll try—to rest, I mean. Thanks again, Alice!"

I waved as she left and skipped across the lawn to her place. Closing the door, I looked at Rio and our new home again. "Wow. We're not in Phoenix anymore, Rio."

I couldn't believe I was really here, about to start a new job with one of the most renowned neurologists in medicine, at the most prestigious private mental health facility on the west coast, if not the entire United States. But instead of these amazing facts, my mind was on one thing. Repetitive and incessantly, it repeated, Blue Eyes is my neighbor.

******

When I woke up, the room was dark and I was disoriented. It took several minutes for my eyes to adjust and for me to remember that I was in my new place at the Retreat. Stretching, I rolled out of bed, not sure of the time. I hadn't unpacked a thing from the boxes piled high in the kitchen, which included my alarm clock. I walked towards the meticulously labeled stacks and started unpacking, still groggy from sleep. I found my toothbrush and an old football jersey of Charlie's I loved to sleep in. A hot shower and a change into something comfortable would allow me to return to bed and crash. My body was stiff and I felt dehydrated from the hours of driving.

I grabbed a bottle of water that I had placed in the fridge earlier and walked to the French doors which overlooked the lake. Through the window panes, I could see the moon rising and its reflection shown in the water, smooth as glass. It was unbelievably bright, and so full that the surrounding woods could be seen as if it were still daylight. The wind was starting to pick up and I remembered that a cold front was coming through by morning. The thought of the winter weather, that I would have to once again endure. made me shiver. I started to turn around and head for the shower, when I noticed a movement from the corner of my eye.

Edward Cullen was sitting outside on his small patio, a mere twenty feet away. His back was half turned toward me with his profile clearly defined in the moonlight.

He's beautiful. Can a guy be beautiful? Yes, yes he can.

He was drinking a beer, looking out across the lake with a pensive stare. I could still make out his amazing jaw line from inside the hoodie he was wearing. His legs were propped up on another chair, his arms relaxed by his side.

I realized I was hiding beside the doorway at this point, but continued peeking through the glass as I watched him. I was unable to turn away. The lights in my condo were off except for those under the cabinets in the kitchen, and I was fairly certain he hadn't seen me. I could feel myself blushing as I watched him drink his beer. His mouth was pressed firmly against the bottle as he tossed it back. I swallowed slowly as I watched him do the same. My body was warm and alive from watching him. I could hear my breathing quicken and feel my heartbeat pulsing as I became more and more aroused.

Do you even remember where you packed your vibrator? Ya know, the one you bought as a joke but, yet, you enjoyed more than Sean? Cause you're gonna need it.

The intensity of my thoughts caused my grip on the water bottle to suddenly slip. I watched in slow motion as it fell to the ground. The water splashed everywhere, forming a puddle on the ceramic tile.

"Crap!" I said under my breath. Frantically picking up the bottle, I looked back outside where Edward had been sitting. He was still there, staring at me underneath his hoodie. His eyes were reflecting the water from the lake. I stood frozen, feeling as if my feet were in cement.

Leave, turn around, now, go, go, go!

I spun around quickly, nearly slipping on the water I had left on the floor. Practically running from the room, I vanished.

I jumped in the shower, panicking as I turned on the water and started undressing.

Maybe he didn't see me.

He was staring right at you!

Does he know I was watching him? Could he tell I was turned on? Stop spazzing! Yeah, like that's possible!

The hot water slowly relaxed my body and my mind followed suit. But I was still shaky and flustered by the shock of him catching me. Needless to say, my overactive libido had vanished. I finally tiptoed out of the bathroom and peeked outside to confirm he was gone. He was. Somewhat disappointed and still embarrassed, I climbed into bed with Rio snoring on the floor. The moving alone had been exhausting. Despite the adrenaline rush from seeing Edward again, I somehow managed to drift off to sleep. My last conscious thoughts remained on Operation 'Busted by Blue Eyes'.

*****

Morning came all too quickly. "I'm coming, I'm coming!" Rio pulled and tugged on the leash as I headed to the front door. The sun was nowhere to be found as I stepped outside into the cold, misty weather. Rio was ecstatic to explore, but I wasn't sure of the surroundings myself enough to let him roam alone. It was definitely a wet and miserable cold, just like I had remembered. We walked towards the edge of the woods as I noticed a trail leading off to the right. I decided to keep to the main lake area and started jogging at a brisk pace to stay warm. Running seemed to be the only thing I could do without being a klutz, and I enjoyed it. We stopped after thirty minutes and passed by the other cottages on the return trip. We were almost back to our doorstep when an unfamiliar voice startled me.

Someone was calling my name. "Bella? Bella Swan?"

I squinted through the misty fog to make out a man of average build, with spiky blonde hair and a Cheshire smile. He looked as if he had just finished jogging too, since he had beads of perspiration on his brow. He pulled the earphones from around his neck to swing them as he walked toward me. He looked friendly enough, kinda cute actually-in a generic way. He apparently knew me.

"Yes, I'm Bella. And you are?"

"Oh—I'm sorry, I'm Mike! We met online during the group 'chat'. I'm an internist here at the Retreat. I trained at Harvard, the Longwood campus, remember?"

"Oh, yeah! Sure, Mike, I remember. I just didn't have a face to put with the name until now."

How could I forget? You mentioned Harvard like 5 times in as many minutes online.

"We are so excited you're joining us, Bella. Please let me know if you need anything as you settle in. When is your first day?"

"I'm starting tomorrow actually, well, at least the orientation and moving into my office. I guess my first patient care won't be until the end of the week."

Mike smiled and nodded, enthusiastically describing his experiences with some of the more difficult patients. He answered my questions about the nursing and laboratory support. His demeanor was much friendlier and less narcissistic than I had first perceived. Some of the patients he described sounded fascinating, with mixtures of co-morbid medical and psychiatric illnesses. Mike apparently completed all the medical histories and physical examinations for the patients which I would be seeing from a psychiatric standpoint. Although I preferred to do some of the basic medical screenings for my own patients, it would be wonderful to have such collaboration from various medical backgrounds. I found myself talking more than I meant to, which Rio reminded me of as he began pulling me away.

"Hey, Bella, one more thing, did the tech support come by and set up the Retreat's network to your laptop?" he asked quickly, stalling my goodbye. "It comes in handy for dictations and checking on labs whenever you leave the main building."

"Not yet." I shrugged. "They're coming by tomorrow morning and I should get my log in and codes during the orientation and compliance training." I was about to attempt goodbye again when I heard another voice.

"Hey, Mike, Isabella."

How does one voice you've never heard until mere weeks before send chills down your spine? I felt Edward's eyes on me as he approached, but I couldn't bear to look directly at him after last night. I stood stiffly with my back to him.

"Hey, Edward!" Mike answered for us both. "You're up early for a Sunday morning."

"I didn't sleep," Edward answered coldly as he stood there in the drive, kicking the gravel with his foot. His keys dangled in his left hand.

"Really? I always sleep like a log. What does that even mean, anyway? How does a log sleep?" Mike laughed and grinned at me.

This guy is seriously sunshine on a stick, huh?

Edward made a gesture as if to rub his hands through his hair but stopped himself short. A sigh of frustration escaped his lips. He wore a beanie cap, pulled down tightly over his ears. We finally made eye contact as he looked at me in annoyance.

"Standing water can irrevocably damage Florentine tiles," Edward informed me.

I stared at him bewildered, not fully comprehending his words. Before I could formulate an understanding, let alone a response, Mike piped up for clarification. "Do you have a water leak Bella? Should I come take a look?"

Edward smirked as he witnessed my internal light bulb moment.

A water leak ,indeed.

I guess my question of whether he saw me last night was answered. He even noticed I left the water on the floor when I ran from the room?

Frackin prick! He's mocking me!

"No, Mike, It's all taken care of. And thanks Edward, for that educational tidbit."

"No Problem, Isabella".

Mike looked utterly confused, but still happy just to be in the conversation. Since the dialogue didn't continue beyond that, he finally cleared his throat and made his goodbyes. "Later, Edward. Bella…maybe we can talk more tomorrow during breaks or something? I gotta run, but it really is great to have you here!" Mike jogged off towards the other end of the lake, disappearing from site.

"Thanks, Mike, sounds great!" I called after him, turning back to find Rio playfully sniffing Edward's hands. He was actually rubbing his ears in return.

Traitor.

"So," I managed.

"So," he spoke in return.

I stood there feeling, once again, like an awkward school girl, not knowing whether to giggle or to run. In the morning haze, the steam was rising off of the lake, and we were engulfed by both mist and silence. I wondered what he was thinking, and why our relationship had gotten off to such a strange start. He was standing there as if he wanted to speak. Maybe if I put forth more effort I could salvage some normalcy from the situation. But before I could try to start over, he broke the spell on his own.

"Well I hope you eventually got it off." With those words he walked away. Edward slid into his car once again and pulled out of the drive. Standing there watching him in frustration, I wished I could have immediately responded to his sarcasm. Once again he won the last word.

Complaining under my breath I made my way back to the condo. "Yes, Blue Eyes, I got the water off the floor. Ugh!"

That's the only thing that got off last night.

A/N: Blue Eyes will watch you write a review with his mouth caressing a drink……………..