Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyers owns Twilight. I do not. I do however, own my 'gang'.

A/N: Also thanks to my awesome Beta, Blueboarderchick.

Thank you to my reviewers.

Chapter 23

I stirred awake lazily after having a great night's rest. I contemplated going back to sleep as the sun hadn't risen yet. Raising my head off the pillow, the clock confirmed this, as it was about six thirty. I rolled onto my back and froze.

Edward was in my room, sitting on the chaise lounge by the window looking at me. It startled me and I was also a little creeped out. How long had he been here watching me? I sat up warily, "Edward. What are you doing here?"

"I hope you don't mind but I couldn't resist watching you sleep."

Annoyance prickled along my skin. I did mind. When Edward did things like this, it made things even more confusing between us. A part of me wanted to tell him to get the hell out of my room but the other part of me. The part that still loved him and had no desire to hurt him won out and I said, "It's okay, Edward."

Going back to sleep was now out of the question, so I decided to get up. As I stood up, I saw Edward gazing at my exposed legs. His golden eyes burned with hunger. Whether it was the man or the vampire in him that wanted me, I didn't know. Not wanting to find out, I grabbed the robe off the chair next to my bed and slipped into it.

I made my way to the lounge and sat beside him. We were silent for a few moments as we gazed at the snowflakes falling outside. I didn't know what to say and I was sure Edward was experiencing the same difficulty.

Edward's smooth voice broke through the peace and tranquility. "This is what I wanted for you, you know?"

I shifted my eyes from the wintry scene to look at him. "What?"

"I wanted you to experience life and everything it had to offer. Even though we aren't…" His voice cracked, telling me just how difficult it was for him. "I never wanted to take your life away." He pulled me closer, wrapping an arm around my shoulder.

I felt like this was my opportunity to say all the things I hadn't been able to the last time we were alone together. "I don't think I ever really thanked you, Edward."

"Thanked me for what?"

My hand found his. "For letting me grow up." I laid my head on his shoulder. "Thank you for letting me live. I know I didn't make it easy on you, at times." He chuckled and we both knew I was referring to all my ill-conceived attempts to seduce him in the past. If Edward wasn't the strong man that he was, I wouldn't be human right now.

"I'm still hoping you'll change your mind, you know."

My mind wandered back to his birthday note. I pulled away slightly. "I know, Edward. But you have to know, I won't change my mind, Edward. We might look like we belong together now but what about the future? When I'm forty and we look like mother and son. I can't do it, Edward." My tone was soft, to help lessen the blow. "I've changed, Edward. I'm not the same girl that I was a year ago. We just don't belong together anymore." The grief on his face broke my heart but I had to tell him the truth. It hurt to say the words out loud.

"I can see how much you've changed in the minds of your friends." A wan smile flittered across his face. "Would you like to know what I saw?"

I was torn between wanting to know but not wanting to pry. Gnawing my lip, I tried to decide. In the end, curiosity won out and I asked, "What did you see?"

"Well, Ryan is very protective of you. He sees you as his little sister and makes it his business to look out for you." He turned to me with a frown. "Especially where Dillon Buchanon is concerned. He doesn't think Dillon has the purest intentions toward you." I rolled my eyes. One more member to join the, I hate Dillon Club.

"Zach's feelings toward you can be brotherly at times but he does have some not so brotherly thoughts about you in that blue playboy bunny outfit." Edward smirked and I couldn't help the blush that crept up my cheeks. I knew that that was a side of me Edward had never seen before and I was more than a little embarrassed.

Noticing my blush, Edward laughed softly, "Don't worry, Bella. It was nice to see you enjoying yourself. You have nothing to be embarrassed about. That outfit though…" Turning back his eyes back toward the window, he continued, "Zach senses something is a little off with us. We make him uneasy for the most part and he doesn't understand why."

I tried to remember something Ryan told me once about where he came from but I couldn't. Looking out the window, the sun was rising. Edward's beautiful skin glittered when touched by the sun's rays. My hand itched to touch his face but I gripped my knees instead.

I noticed he hadn't said anything about twins. "What about Liz and Taylor?"

Edward chuckled darkly and shook his head. "Those two are very interesting. You're very important to Liz. She had a very lonely childhood and didn't have any close female friends. She feels very connected to you." That made me smile.

"Taylor…" Edward was frowning again. "His feelings are a bit more complicated. He feels very strongly toward you. I'm not sure of the depth of his feelings… I'm not even sure he knows how far they go." I didn't know what he meant by that. Feelings? What kind of feelings?

"What do you mean? How can you not be sure? I thought you were able to read everyone's mind clearly… except mine."

Edward studied my face for a long moment then continued. "His mind is like nothing I've ever seen before, Bella. It's like an onion, there are lots of layers and it's difficult to get an accurate reading of his thoughts at times." He paused again to let that information sink in. "The twins are not ordinary, Bella."

Startled, I turned to look at him. Edward's expression was one of worry. "What do you mean they're not ordinary?"

"I mean they're kind of like you. The way you're immune to my mind reading ability. They're unique like the way Alice was before she was changed. They're not ordinary human beings, Bella." Edward explained and closed his eyes. I wondered if he was listening to someone else's thoughts. Not for the first time I was grateful that he couldn't read mine.

I wanted to find out more but it suddenly felt wrong to steal their secrets when I could never share my own. Feelings of protectiveness, especially toward Taylor, took me by surprise. He was always one to keep his thoughts to himself and I didn't like the idea of Edward traipsing around in his mind.

I decided to stop Edward before he gave up all their secrets. "I don't need to know what they are, Edward. Just answer me this. Are they dangerous?" Sure, Liz and Taylor were my friends. But I had to know if they were a danger to the people around them.

"Liz is not. But Taylor… he's a very dangerous man. This thing that makes them different is stronger in the men on his mother's side. If he loses control he can inflict a lot of damage and possibly kill." I remembered Liz's words in the kitchen; he's in control, right, Taylor? It made me shudder. This was a lot to absorb. My best friends weren't normal. Leave it to me to go out into the world only to find people with abilities.

Wait a minute. Why wasn't Edward freaking out? I stared at him incredulously. Even though Edward was concerned, he wasn't overreacting and telling me Taylor was too dangerous to be around. "How come you didn't flip out as soon as you found this out? I remember when you found out about the wolves. You forbade me from seeing them."

He looked at me sternly and I caught a glimpse of the over protective Edward. "Do not mistake me, Bella. I'm not at all comfortable with your living with those people but I know that short of physically restraining you, there's not much that I can do to keep you from them." He sighed wearily and raked his hand through his hair. "Taylor's control is exceptional. He's never slipped and never caused harm to anyone, unlike Sam Uley."

It was my turn to sigh. I knew no matter what I said in defense of the wolves, it would never change his opinion of them. In the meantime, I would wait until Liz and Taylor were ready to tell me their secrets. Until that day, I refused to violate their privacy.

Trying to reassure Edward, I gently rubbed his hand. "Don't worry about me, Edward. I'll be fine."

Edward sighed, his gaze was tender. "Don't you know I'll always worry about you, Bella?" He grasped both my hands in his freezing ones and I shivered slightly. I'd gotten used to normal skin temperatures, so his touch chilled me. "When I think about what almost happened to you…" Edward whispered faintly.

"But I'm fine now. I need you to believe that I can take care of myself and I don't need anyone to be my hero." I wanted to make it clear to him that I didn't need him tracking me down every time he thought I was in danger. "I need you to let me live my life, Edward, whichever way I see fit."

He looked crushed but after a few moments he muttered, "I understand, Bella. I'll try not to meddle unnecessarily in your affairs. But know this; I will always be there for you whenever you need me." His eyes hardened with determination and he gently squeezed my hands.

"Thank you, Edward." I murmured softly. Turning back toward to window, I saw the sun was blocked off by the clouds. It would be another snowy, overcast day in Anchorage. Suddenly, I remembered Alice's plans to take us shopping today.

I couldn't help the groan that escaped my lips. Edward frowned, "What's wrong?"

"I just remembered Alice is taking me shopping today." I pouted and Edward chuckled. He paused listening to something in the distance.

Rising from the lounge, he said, "Well, I think I'll leave now and let you get ready for breakfast. I can hear Esme preparing it now. Would you walk me out?" I shook my head slightly. Edward and his gentlemanly manners.

"Sure." I stood up and followed him to my door where he opened it.

He took one of my hands in his and pulled me into the hallway. As he pulled me to him, he wrapped an arm around me and used his cold fingertips to tilt my face upwards.

"You know I love you, right?" He smiled down at me.

"I love you too, Edward." I began to feel uncomfortable as our positions were a little too intimate. As I tried to pull away, Edward's hold on me tightened slightly. Looking up, I gave him a questioning gaze. That turned out to be my undoing. Edward was lowering his face to mine. His eyes rendered me transfixed and I couldn't pull away. Edward was deliberately dazzling me.

"Edward… stop…" I whispered. My mind was rapidly turning to mush.

As he pressed his cold, hard lips to mine, my body betrayed me and I kissed him back. My mind screamed. What are you doing! As he tried to deepen the kiss, I stiffened. It suddenly felt wrong. It was wrong. Edward and I were over. All the times in the past when I'd tried to push for more, he would pull away. Why was he pushing now? I couldn't act like this with him anymore.

I pressed my palms to his unyielding chest and he allowed me to push him away. My lips tingled as I stared at his face but Edward wasn't looking at me. His eyes were focused on something behind me. He wore a small, triumphant smirk on his face and my heart sank in dismay.

Oh Edward, what have you done?

A/N: Coming up next Bella has it out with Edward and she also sees something strange after a nerve-racking moment.

Also one of Bella's friends has a shocking question for her.

The next chapter has already been written.

You know what to do if you want it before next week. Review!