A/N: Again, thanks to everyone who has been reading. Also a big thanks goes to my pre-reader, EternallyCullen (check her work out, it's fabulous) and to my beta, the amazing Jenny Cullen, aka Jenrar (check her stuff out, too, it's amazing).

Also, everyone is wondering where Matthew's father is; I promise that mystery will be unfolded soon!

Disclaimer: I do not on Twilight, all I own is Matthew. This goes from the very beginning of the story.

Bella was stunned. Maybe Edward was not a total asshole after all, but she had been sweet talked before, and that had ended in nothing but trouble.

He's not here to seduce you, dummy. He's here to help Matthew. She offered him a tremulous smile. "Thank you, Edward. Apology accepted. So, where do we start?"

Edward pulled a small laptop out of his case and set it upon the dining room table. "Well, from what I hear, you're still job hunting, correct?"

She nodded silently.

"How's that going?" he asked, watching the screen as the computer booted up.

She sighed and sat in the chair opposite him. "It's not. I've searched for days, and unfortunately, Forks is a small town, so almost everyone knows my history and that I've been fired multiple times. I don't know what else to do."

Edward nodded. "Okay, we just have to think smarter than them."

She scoffed. "I can't trick them into giving me a job, Edward. I have to earn it on my own merit."

He laughed lightly. "I know that, but we can make them want you for their company."

"How?"

He tilted his head slightly, the corner of his mouth pulling up into a small smirk. "Are you free on Saturday?"

"For what?" she answered guardedly.

"I want us to take a trip together to Seattle. My mother donates her used clothes to a program there that helps low income women find proper business attire, shows them how to put on proper make-up,and gives them tips on hairstyling. It's basically a beauty makeover," he said with a smile.

Bella gritted her teeth. Another handout. "What the hell does that have to do with Matthew's diabetes? I thought that's why you were here, not to get me pity beauty makeovers."

Edward felt his temper spike, but managed to maintain a calm exterior. "Well, my understanding is that you want a job that offers benefits, including health insurance. You have to find a good position in order to get a job like that, Bella. But first, you need to appear as a professional, not only during the time you are filling out an application, but all the way through to the interview."

When she began to glower at him, he glared right back. "Remember, I'm just here to help," he said through gritted teeth.

"Well, I can't afford a whole new wardrobe," she spat. "I'm poor, remember?"

He sighed, breathing deeply through his nose. "Thus the reason for the Seattle trip. This place I'm talking about offers all of their services for free. Bella, I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions the other day, but I know this would make a huge difference in your ability to get an interview, and possibly even a good job. It's called Dressed for Success. They will help you with your wardrobe for an interview, and then more when you get a job."

"I've already got a job," she said suddenly and defensively.

Edward looked confused. "A second ago, you didn't have a job."

Bella dropped her head into her hands. "That's because it's my last choice, but my dad has offered me a job as the receptionist and dispatcher at the Forks Police Department."

"Well, that's great. I would assume they have insurance."

She rolled her eyes. "Of course, but…" She trailed off.

"But what?"

"Nothing. I haven't taken it, because I don't want to put my dad in that position."

"I think you need to take it. What do you mean by position? I wouldn't have thought that you'd have a problem with nepotism." Edward pulled the corner of his mouth up in a small smirk.

Bella glared at him again. "It's not that, smarty pants. I just don't want to take advantage of him and miss a lot of work. I don't mind hard work, you know. I just need someone to give me a chance."

Edward laced his fingers together and placed his joined hands on top of the table. "So, you do want someone to give you something. Hell, I can't figure you out. One minute, you have to be the Lone Ranger, doing it all alone, and the next, you want someone to give you a chance. Make up your damn mind," he said angrily.

She narrowed her eyes and stood up suddenly, her chair falling back in the process. "And I thought you came here to apologize. Don't sit there and try to psychoanalyze me, Doctor Student. You have no idea how my life has been and the things I've gone through."

Edward stood as well. Dammit, she knew how to push all of his buttons, and apparently, he knew exactly how to push hers. He had come to apologize, and they'd ended up in another fight. "I did come to apologize, Miss Smarty Pants, which I've already done!"

"Then I guess you're gonna have to do it again, because you've just pissed me off all over!"

He threw his hands up. "What the hell do you want? And who says that I have to bow down to your every whim? So I pissed you off… so what? You pissed me off, too, so are you going to apologize to me?"

"I'm fucking sorry. So, there."

"So am I!" he shouted. "Now can we get back to work, so I can get this fucking project done and get out of your life?"

"Mom? What's all the yelling about?" a young voice asked from the hallway.

Bella sunk down into the chair, putting her hands over her face. Finally, she turned around to face Matthew. "I'm sorry, honey," she said, bending down to hug him. "I didn't mean to get angry."

"I heard voices, and they kept getting louder and louder."

Edward was standing silently, staring at the young boy. He looked chronically sick, with lifeless eyes, dull hair, and he appeared to be underweight for his age. "I'm sorry, too," he said, this time with sincerity.

"Who are you?" Matthew asked from his mother's embrace. She was brushing his limp brown hair from his forehead.

"I'm Edward. I'm here to help your mom find you a good doctor."

A bit of sparkle came into his brown eyes. "Really? Like a real di'betes doctor?"

"Speaking of, munchkin, we need to check your sugar." Bella lifted him up and sat him on the kitchen counter, pulling the glucometer out and puncturing his finger so fast, he didn't even flinch. He squeezed his finger while she guided the drop into the strip and listened as Matthew counted down.

"Five, four, three, two, one!" He grinned as the machine beeped exactly after he had spoken. "What is it?" he asked seriously.

"It's awesome. It's eighty-seven." She held up her hand for a high five. "That means you only have to take your Lantus insulin."

His eyes widened. "No sliding scale?"

She smiled at him. "Nope, just one shot tonight."

Matthew pumped his fist up in the air as a symbol of victory. "Yes!" he said.

Edward stood in the dining room, watching mother and son practice a ritual they must have been doing for years, and that no child should have had to go through. It was as though they were magnets – she moved, he moved.

Matthew's attitude toward the entire thing was extraordinary and really opened Edward's eyes to this project. He had seen adults with diabetes act more childish regarding their blood sugar checks and insulin injections. He was also amazed at how much Matthew seemed to understand about his own condition. How many six year olds knew about sliding scale insulin? He continued to watch the entire procedure with awe.

"All done," Bella announced to Matthew, giving him a quick kiss on the head.

Matthew hugged her. "Thanks, Mom. Nice to meet you Edward," he called as he headed back to his room.

"You, too, buddy," he said, surprise still evident in his voice. "He's a very well-behaved kid," he remarked to Bella.

"Thanks," she said, putting the insulin back in the refrigerator. "I try."

"And he took his injection without any fussing."

She nodded. "Yeah, he's a good kid. We've been doing injections since he was two, so he really doesn't know it any other way."

"It must be hard to raise him on your own," he hinted. The question of Matthew's father had been burning in his mind.

"I manage," she said, her voice cold. "Now, what do we need to do tonight?"

Edward sat back down at the kitchen table. "Well, first things first. You need a job. Do you want me to ask my father if there are any jobs available in his office or in the hospital? Or are you going to work with your father?"

Bella's defenses immediately came up. She did not need favors from this well to do, hoity toity, doctor wannabe. But she stopped before the words came out of her mouth. He had been on his best behavior since Matt had caught them arguing, and she did not want to upset Matt again. Stress always made his sugars fluctuate. "Um, yeah, that would be okay."

xXx

"Son, are you asking me to give your Ethics project subject a job?" Carlisle asked Edward.

As soon as Edward had arrived home, he had gone to his father's study to ask Carlisle about any open positions either at the hospital, or more specifically, his medical office. He wanted to get a top grade in the class, but he also had changed his position about Bella after meeting Matthew.

He knew she was a poor, single mom, and he wanted to help her.

"Well, I'm not asking you to give her a job, but just a chance. At least interview her. Please?" he added.

Carlisle sighed. "Well, I need a new medical assistant. The one I have just turned her notice in today. She's getting married and moving to Miami."

The grin on Edward's face almost cracked his cheeks. "Please, just interview her."

Carlisle nodded. "All right, Edward. I'll interview her, but it's up to her to get the job."

"That's all I ask."

He stopped in the kitchen for a glass of milk, and then climbed the stairs to his room. He was tired. He made the drive to Seattle three times a week to attend his classes, and at times, crashed with some friends who had an apartment off campus. But with this Ethics project, he would be spending most of his off days with Ms. Isabella Swan.

He was so excited about getting her the interview that he picked up his cell phone and called her immediately. The phone rang several times before she picked up.

"Hello?" Her voice was gravelly. He must have woken her.

"Bella, it's Edward Cullen." He was so excited that he was practically bouncing on his bed.

She yawned. "What? Earlier wasn't enough for you?"

Okay, that stung a bit. "Yeah… I mean no… I mean, I was calling to give you some good news." Damn woman. How could one little female make him so uncomfortable and feel so inferior?

"It couldn't wait until tomorrow? It's eleven o'clock."

Edward looked at the clock and slapped his forehead. "Shit, I'm sorry. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

She yawned again. "No, it's okay. I'm not a real pleasant person when I've been woken up. Sorry I snapped at you. So, what's the news?"

"It's all right. I shouldn't have called so late, but I talked to my dad, and he's got an opening for a medical assistant in his office. He said he'd be glad to interview you for the position."

"Fine."

Fine? That was all? He was not expecting oratorical fireworks from her, but he was hoping for more than just a "fine."

"Okay," he said, slightly deflated.

"I appreciate it, Edward, really I do. I'm sorry, I'm just not real coherent in the middle of the night."

"Right, sorry I woke you up. I'll call you tomorrow."

"Okay, night," she said and disconnected.

"Night," he said to the empty phone line.

He lay back on the bed and put his hands behind his head, staring at the ceiling. Isabella Swan was an enigma to him. One minute, she was friendly, but the next, whenever he tried to help her out, she turned into a spitfire. It seemed like he could not do anything to please her, no matter what he tried.

But for some reason, he felt that he had to keep trying. Not just for her, but for Matthew, as well.