Thanks again to the folks over at Project Team Beta for their help in fixing my terrible grammatical errors. Commas are the bane of my existence! Thanks to Lyta7 and Batgirl8968 for their amazing beta skills! Thanks to Bonnysammy for her validating my story.


Chapter 5 – Dream a Little Dream

BPOV

When I pulled up to the house I could see the light on in the living room. Harry's truck was still here, so I guessed they were still watching the game. I parked the truck and grabbed my bag, then let myself into the house.

"How was your day, Bells?" Charlie called from the living room. I sauntered in to find him and Harry parked in front of the flat screen. "You remember Harry Clearwater, Bella?" Harry smiled and nodded in my direction.

"Of course, nice to see you again, Harry." I nodded back at Harry respectfully. "It was great, dad. We had fun at the beach, and I even met some of my future classmates. All in all, a very full day." I smiled at them both and headed towards the stairs. "I'm gonna get ready for bed. You need anything?" Both of their eyes were trained back on the tv.

"Nah, Bells, the game is almost over." So I headed into my room, and dumped my bag on the floor. By the time I was done brushing and showering, Charlie was just seeing Harry to the door. He spotted me at the top of the stairs in my pajamas. "So, you had fun with Jake then?" He seemed a little too interested. I eyed him suspiciously.

"Yeah, we went swimming and then to a bonfire. I'm heading over there tomorrow to see the car that he's building. That is, after I stop by the store and get groceries. Honestly, don't you eat?" I admonished. Charlie just chuckled.

"I've taken care of myself for seventeen years, Bells. I get by ok. That reminds me, I left some money on the table for groceries. Don't get anything too fancy." He paused a moment then looked up at me. "So you're hanging out with Jake again tomorrow?" he asked a little too casually.

"Yeah, is that ok? I thought you said you were working. I can stay if you want to do something." I looked down at him confused.

"No no, Bells. I am working. Just glad you've made such a good friend to keep you company." He raised his eyebrows at me. "Jake's a good kid. He takes good care of his dad. Not a mean bone in his body." I smiled at his statement.

"I noticed. He's really nice, very friendly." I was sort of rambling. I wasn't sure what to say.

"Why don't you invite Jake and Billy over for dinner tomorrow? You can tell us old men about what young people are up to lately." Charlie's eyes shimmered a bit.

"Why do I get the feeling that you and Billy spoke already, and this is another not so subtle setup?" Charlie flushed pink.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Bella. But if sometime down the line, you and Jake started dating, neither Billy nor I would disapprove." Charlie chuckled to himself. I flushed red.

"Uh dad, can we not talk about boys? It's weird. Besides, isn't Jake younger than me? How old is he anyways?" I was not prepared for his answer.

"Jake's fifteen." My eyes bugged out of my head.

He doesn't look fifteen. The fifteen year olds in Phoenix didn't look like that. Honestly, the twenty year olds didn't look like that.

"Fifteen? Dad, that would make me a cougar or something; I'll be eighteen in just over a month." Charlie frowned, clearly displeased with my reaction.

"I already told you, Bella, Jake's very grown-up for his age. Taking care of his dad has matured him. Your mother's always saying you have an old soul. You guys seemed to get along really well." I shifted uneasily. Charlie was right. We got along well. Being with Jake was so easy, like breathing. And he was beautiful.

Did I want to date him?

I'd never dated before, so I had no idea. I felt something ... but I had no idea what it was. Add to that my dad trying to hook us up and I felt utterly mystified.

"Right, well, so far I'm just going to hang out with him. Don't start planning a wedding anytime soon." I tried to laugh it off, but this conversation had gotten into really awkward territory. "Anyways, goodnight, dad." I turned back into my room, and crawled under my covers. I lay in bed, not really thinking, but going over the day's events in my head.

Judging by my gawking, I was attracted to Jake. This was new for me; I barely registered the guys I went to school with in Phoenix. My nose was usually stuck in a book. I decided not to worry too much about it because even if I thought Jake was beautiful, it was highly unlikely that he felt that way about pale, skinny me, despite being fifteen. But then I remembered us staring into each other's eyes in his house and thought that maybe he did. I fell asleep thinking about Jacob Black.

I opened my eyes and my room was still dark, except for the moonlight shining in through my window. My alarm clock said it was 3:27AM I went to roll over but noticed a shadow in front of my window. My first instinct was to be alarmed, but I couldn't move my body. As my eyes came into focus, I saw the outline of a tall man. He was facing the window, but upon hearing me move he turned his head over his shoulder to look at me. The movement made the muscles in his shoulders and upper back ripple in the moonlight, despite the long black hair hanging down over them.

My body visibly relaxed as I exhaled a long breath, my body clearly recognizing what my mind could not. His broad shoulders turned the rest of the way around allowing me to gaze at his strong torso, with lean, sculpted abs. Even in the faint light, the definition of his muscles was noticeable. As before, my eyes were drawn to the deep V just below his hipbone. He stalked over to my bed and as he moved, he made no noise. When he reached the foot of my bed, I expected him to stop, but he crawled onto the bed on all fours until he was hovering over my body. He dipped his head down towards me and sniffed from my ear, down my jaw line to my collarbone. I looked up at him and noticed his eyes darken, if that were even possible.

Somewhere in the recesses of my mind, a part of me was screaming to get up and run to the door, but I couldn't. I wanted to be here. I wanted to know what he would do next. I tentatively reached up, and saw his eyes watch my hand. I traced the muscles up his arm, up to his shoulder then down to his chest. His skin was soft, but everything under it was firm. I could feel the power that lay just beneath his skin. He tilted back and rested on his legs, kneeling on either side of me. My hands ghosted down his chest to his rock hard abs. I heard a rumbling in his chest as he closed his eyes. Then before I knew what I was doing I sat up on my knees and was all over him. My mouth crashed down on his, while my hands trailed all over his body, running across his stomach, then around to his back, pulling him into me. The heat between us was incredible. He was everywhere, warming me with his scorching body and big hands. More. I wanted him touching me more. His hands moved over my bottom and gripped my thighs, lifting me up. He pulled me up to him so I could wrap my legs around him, then not so gently, lowered me back onto the bed, his lips never leaving my body. I could feel his hot mouth on mine, my neck, my ear, my shoulder...I was hot. So hot. I went to pull off my tank top and I awoke, tangled in my sheets sweating.

What the hell was that? Holy crow!

I had a hot and heavy dream about Jacob! I felt like a perv. A cougary perv, who was lusting after her dad's best friend's fifteen year old son. Albeit he didn't look fifteen, but still. I clearly remember dreaming about Jacob, well more accurately Jacob's body.

Dammit, he's fifteen! What was wrong with me?

And the sexy dream? Well that was new. I sighed, got out of bed and headed to the bathroom for my morning routine, and maybe a cold shower.

After grabbing some breakfast, I headed out to the Thriftway. Since Charlie had next to no food, I had a lot of things I needed to get and my cart was quite full. I paid for all the groceries and pushed the cart out towards my truck, unloading the bags into the bed. As I was lifting the last bag, I heard a rip, and cans of tomato sauce, soup and kidney beans went clambering all over the parking lot.

Shit.

I shouldn't have been surprised. Things like that happened to me often. As I bent down to pick up the cans, I accidently nudged the cart with my foot and it went careening across the parking lot, and slammed into a silver Volvo that had just pulled into a spot.

Oh for the love. Could I do nothing right?

I threw the cans loosely into the truck bed and ran over to the cart.

"I am SO sorry!" I grabbed the cart and pulled it away looking for signs of damage. It looked like there was a scratch or dent on the passenger side back bumper from my ineptness. I barely noticed two figures emerge from the car. I could feel my blush creeping way past my hairline. This was beyoned embarrassing. "The bag broke, and then there were cans falling, and I went to pick them up and the cart got away." I realised I was rambling and they probably didn't care about my accident proneness, they were probably worried about the car. "I swear I'll pay to have it fixed." I hoped that Jake offered his services cheaply, because I doubt edI had enough to pay a real shop to fix it.

I looked up from the damage to see a young man and young woman looking at me. They were both the most beautiful people I had ever seen.

Did supermodels shop at Thriftway?

The girl had a glazed look over her face, like she wasn't looking at me directly. The boy had walked around the car to join her and looked at me. Or more precisely he was glaring. I had never seen a more beautiful or scary face. His features were perfect and strongly defined. His eyes were coal black and much darker than Jacob's and were piercing into me. I hesitantly stepped back from the waves of fury rolling off of him.

If looks could kill...I guess he really likes his car.

He reached his hand up and pulled on his already tousled hair.

What's the term? Sex hair?

The action lifted up the corner of his shirt and I saw one side of that V muscle.

Why, hello there V muscle. Apparently you're quite populous in little Forks. What do they put in the water here?

I don't know how but my face got even hotter.

"I'm so sorry," I whispered my apology again. The girl seemed to snap out of her daze and grabbed his arm, almost like she was going to restrain him. It seemed laughable, she was not even five feet tall, very slight and had cute spiky hair. The thought of her restraining anyone seemed unlikely.

"Don't worry about it!" She flashed me a brilliant smile and stepped closer, putting herself between me and the boy. His head snapped towards her and he looked confused for a moment. "It's just a scratch, nothing really. Our sister will take a look at it when we get home. She loves to fix cars." The boy was back to glaring at me. I couldn't help but feel he did not think it was 'nothing'.

"Are you sure? My friend fixes cars too, I don't mind. I feel awful." I glanced behind her to her angry looking brother. She looked back at him and laughed.

"Positively sure! My name is Alice, Alice Cullen." She stuck out her hand and started shaking mine. Her hand was cold–I guess they must have been blazing the air conditioning in the car. My truck had the old 'roll down the window and air whipping by' version of A/C. "The grumpy one back there is my brother Edward." He nodded in my direction, his eyes still locked on me. "So you're new in town?" I looked up at her surprised, and she laughed. "It's a small town. New people are big news. We moved here two years ago." She gave a little shrug of her shoulders.

"Uh yeah. I'm Bella Swan. Nice to meet you. I'm really sorry about the car." She laughed again, and it sounded like bells twinkling.

"Please don't worry about it. Are you going to be going to school here in September?" She was like a little ball of energy. I could almost feel her vibrating.

"Yeah, I'll be starting Forks High as a senior." She jumped up and down.

"We're seniors too! Isn't that great? Maybe we'll have classes together!" Just then Edward shot her another look. I took that as my cue to leave.

"Maybe. Anyways, sorry again. I should get back. Should I give you my information or something in case you change your mind?" I started rummaging in my bag for a pen.

"Please, Bella, don't worry about it. Hopefully we'll see you at school!" She flashed me a big smile full of dazzling white teeth. I turned and pushed the cart back towards the store. I glanced behind me to see Alice and Edward having some kind of silent argument. I hoped Alice won; she seemed much nicer than her gorgeous, but frightening brother.

I managed to make it home, and unpacked the groceries in the kitchen without further incident. After setting aside everything I'd need to make lasagna tonight, I got in the car and headed to Jake's. I wasn't sure how I felt about going to see him.

Apprehensive? Eager? Like a cougar? Maybe puma was more accurate, that's what they called cougars in training right? Wait, was I in training?

I was undecided as I pulled up to his tiny red house. Just as I stopped, I saw Jake run around the corner.

"Heya, Bells! I was wondering when you'd get here." He flashed me his perfect smile, and as usual I responded with my own. I couldn't help it. When Jake was happy, I was happy. It was like he was contagious.

"Sorry, I had an incident at the Thriftway." He smirked. "Jake, be honest. How much does it cost to repair dents and scratches on cars?" I was so worried that Edward would change Alice's mind and hunt me down with a bill. Jake eyed the monster of a truck I had.

"I dunno, Bells. If your truck hit a car, I think there'd be a little more than a scratch."

What?

"Huh? No, my driving is perfectly fine, thank you." I poked him in the arm. "My cart got away from me and dented another car. It left a mark, but they told me not to worry about it. I want to know roughly how much it would cost to fix in case they change their mind." He smiled gently at me.

"And thus begins our first lesson in automotive repair," he said solemnly. I rolled my eyes at him.

"How much smarty pants?" I put my hands on my hips to emphasize my seriousness. He laughed casually.

"Not much, Bells, but I guess it depends on the car. Usually you can just use some touch up paint and clear nail polish. Who was it? Maybe I can go smooth things over for you." He chuckled at his own joke.

"It was a silver Volvo, and a girl named Alice Cullen. Do you know her?" Jake stopped smiling.

"No. I don't know her. I know of her. I wouldn't worry much further, Bella. If she said it was ok, it's ok. They're loaded. She'll probably just buy a new car." I wasn't used to seeing Jake so serious. "Why are you so worried if she said it was ok?" I shrugged my shoulders.

"Her brother looked pissed. In fact he looked like he wanted to kill me. It was kinda strange." Jake looked visibly upset now. I didn't like that I had upset him, he was usually so easy going.

"Wait, are you saying a Cullen looked like he wanted to kill you?" His eyes flashed. I needed to calm Jake down.

"Jake, I highly doubt he would have actually killed me over what you are saying is an easy fix to a car. He just looked pissed. No biggie. Alice wasn't mad at all." Jake looked at me like he was trying to decide something.

"Okay, Bells. Just do me a favour and avoid them. Some people on the Rez don't like the Cullens. There are old stor ... let's just say people don't like them and leave it at that." I was about to ask what the old stories were, but I wanted happy Jake back, so thought better of it, and tried to distract him.

"So, are we going to start my lesson now then?"

EPOV

The school charade was one thing. Alice and I would dutifully be attending our senior year at Forks High this fall. Graduating for what seemed like the one hundredth time. It was actually only my twenty seventh time graduating high school (thank you perfect vampire recall), but it was still tedious business. However, the grocery shopping charade was entirely different. We don't eat food. We don't even like to pretend to eat food, so why buy food? It seemed like such a waste. Occasionally one of us would drive it out to Tacoma or Seattle and drop it off at a shelter, but still ... the grocery store was dreary and held no interest. The minds of the people in the grocery store were boring and unoriginal. Nobody did any serious thinking at the grocery store.

Alice was chatting away animatedly about her planned shopping trip for back to school clothes when I pulled into the Thriftway. Just as I put the car into park I heard a crash at the back rear bumper.

Great. Well Rosalie has an excuse to work on my car now.

I got out of the car with Alice to tell the poor human that it was no trouble. As I was walking around the front of the car to go stand by Alice, the breeze shifted and I was assaulted with the most delicious fragrance I had ever smelled. It was the perfect balance of the most savoury fruit and flowers. It smelled like freesia and strawberries, and it was irresistible. My mouth completely filled with venom. I felt my eyes darken and instinctively moved toward the scent. I never knew a scent like this could exist. If I had, I would have gone looking for it. I had to taste her.

Edward, NO!

I heard Alice screaming at me in my mind. I quickly saw the vision in her head of me attacking this girl in full view of the entire parking lot. I didn't care.

Edward, PLEASE, hold your breath. NO!

Alice was begging me with her eyes. I looked over to the small, frail girl who was prattling on about cans and bags. Her blood was rising to her skin, taunting me with its proximity. Alice had three more concurrent visions so fast they were just like flashes.

Flash. Alice and this girl arm in arm.

Flash. Alice and this girl arm in arm, but the girl was like us. Pale, beautiful. yellow eyes. A vampire.

Flash. The girl as a human again, then blackness. Nothing.

"I'm so sorry," the girl whispered. And she should be sorry. She was like a demon from my own personal hell here to torment me, to make me atone for my many sins. Alice reached out and touched my arm. I glared at her.

Please, Edward. Don't. Please. For me. For Carlisle.

I heard Alice's voice in my head and she looked up at me and begged. She turned to the girl.

"Don't worry about it!" Alice subtly moved between the girl and I. I wonder if she had any idea how lucky she was that Alice was here. Alice called out to me again. Please, Edward. I'm going to love her. She's going to be my friend. Please. My head snapped towards my favourite sister in surprise. Friend? We were going to befriend a human? We were usually so careful to avoid humans at all cost. She continued on to the girl.

"It's just a scratch, nothing really. Our sister will take a look at it when we get home. She loves to fix cars." I looked back at this small creature, irate that she could swoop in and alter our lives so completely.

How dare she make me want her. How dare she jeopardize our carefully cultivated facade. Friend? I wanted to drain every ounce of blood from her. How was I supposed to be her friend?

"Are you sure? My friend fixes cars too, I don't mind. I feel awful."

She looked over Alice's shoulder to me. Alice followed her gaze. She was so heartfelt in her request. Please, Edward. Don't. The change in her voice between her appeal of me, and the conversation with the girl would be laughable, if I wasn't so torn.

"Positively sure! My name is Alice, Alice Cullen." Alice reached out and shook the girl's hand. "The grumpy one back there is my brother Edward." I nodded in acknowledgement of my name. "So you're new in town?" The girl looked up surprised. I tried to read her mind to see why, but I saw nothing. I heard nothing from her. Alice laughed. "It's a small town. New people are big news. We moved here two years ago." Alice shrugged her shoulders.

"Uh yeah. I'm Bella Swan. Nice to meet you. I'm really sorry about the car." Swan. As in the Police Chief's daughter. I knew where her house was. I strained to hear her mind while she was talking. Nothing. Complete silence.

"Please don't worry about it. Are you going to be going to school here in September?"

"Yeah, I'll be starting Forks High as a senior."

Maybe she would. Maybe she wouldn't make it that long.

I was thinking of ways to lure her from her house.

"We're seniors too! Isn't that great? Maybe we'll have classes together!" Alice was jumping up and down and started screaming in my head.

Edward Anthony Masen Cullen! Don't you dare! I shot Alice a look.

"Maybe. Anyways, sorry again. I should get back. Should I give you my information or something in case you change your mind?" The girl started rifling through her bag.

"Please, Bella, don't worry about it. Hopefully we'll see you at school!" She turned to push her cart back towards the store, and Alice turned on me. "Edward, please, let's go find Carlisle." I didn't want to leave. I wanted to smell her again. I wanted to know why I couldn't hear her. I wanted ... I wanted to devour her. I exhaled the long breath I had been holding since I first smelled her delicious scent. Alice grabbed both my hands, and looked me in earnest. "Edward, think of your family. Think of how this would uproot us. Think of how you would disappoint Carlisle." She was right. I wouldn't want to disappoint my mentor. He was the only father figure I had known for the last eighty years. I sighed and got back into the car.

We drove home in silence. I was so ashamed of my behaviour and myself. I couldn't believe I almost sacrificed everything we all had been working for, for one small human. But every time I thought of her scent, I almost turned the car around so I could track her down. Alice was speaking quickly into her cell phone, asking that my family meet us at home. What would I tell them?

Oh, I encountered a human that made me forget the last 80 years of abstaining from human blood. I'm just going to go lure her from her home so I can have the most delectable meal of my miserable existence. Don't wait up.

Alice's eyes glazed over, then she looked at me.

"Don't be so dramatic, Edward. It wasn't as bad as you're making it out to be."

"Wasn't it, Alice? What do you think would have happened if you weren't there? If anything I'm downplaying what could have happened." I took an unnecessary breath to calm myself. It helped being in my car that only smelled of me and my siblings. I dreaded the thought of taking another breath outside, where I might smell her. I pulled up the long drive, and was hit by my family's thoughts suddenly. Concern emanated from all of them. Alice had not gone into details, just asking that we have a family meeting. We moved inside at vampire speed to find my family around the dining room table. Suddenly I was so ashamed, and had an overwhelming desire to be anywhere but here. Jasper took in my emotional climate and seemed taken aback. Alice skipped over to his side, and joined him at the table.

"Edward, what is it?" Esme glanced between Jasper and myself, and looked stricken.

"Please, son, tell us why you've requested us here." Carlisle put his hand on my shoulder, and looked into my eyes. I had to look away. I went to sit in the chair next to Carlisle.

"I ... I was tempted today." I blurted out. Emmett guffawed.

"Dude, we're all tempted every day. Hardly necessary to call in the cavalry." Emmett seemed oblivious to my inner turmoil. Jasper gave me a sympathetic look.

"No." I tried to continue. I wanted to explain it right, to ask for their forgiveness. "No. I was more than tempted. Had Alice not been there, I would have taken that girl in the parking lot of the store. Her scent …" my voice faltered as my mouth filled with venom from thinking of her scent. "I've never ... the smell ... could have ruined everything ... I'm so sorry ... I put us all in jeopardy. I think I should go away for awhile. I'm so confused." I ran my hands through my hair, and pulled at the roots. Almost in unison, six voices in my head shouted 'NO'.

"Son," Carlisle started, "You have always made us proud. Even now, though you were tempted, your thoughts go to your family, to keeping us safe. The whole family will leave if you find you cannot resist. The decision is yours." I looked around the table at my siblings. Rosalie was looking down and Alice was avoiding my eyes.

"Carlisle. There's something more you should know. I had a vision, well three actually. Bella and I will be great friends if we stay, either as a human or ... " Alice looked at me for approval. I looked away, now avoiding eye contact with her, "... or as one of us. But if we leave, her future goes black. I can't see her. I think we should stay." She looked back at me beseechingly.

"Alice, what do you mean one of us? You know that would violate the treaty with Quileutes." Carlisle seemed very concerned now. "Can you see how the transformation is brought about?"

Maybe we should leave now. This could get very serious, very quickly. I could hear the inner turmoil in him.

"My vision didn't show me much, they were more like quick flashes," Alice spoke quickly now.

"And the blackness? Are you sure that's if we leave? It's not her ... dying?"

I'm sorry Edward, I need to know. Carlisle apologized to me privately.

"No. I'm not sure," Alice said so quietly that human ears would not have heard it. "It was very strange. Not so much like the end of her life, more like an absence of the vision. I've never experienced anything like it."

"Edward, can you describe to me exactly what happened? It may help in your decision making to go through the events again." Carlisle turned his full attention to me, his golden eyes staring into mine.

"I'm not sure. I got out of the car, and the wind shifted. She was the most appealing scent I've ever encountered, exponentially more than any other human. I hadn't known such a scent could exist, I can't explain the appeal ... " Jasper shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Knowing he could sense my desire for her, I immediately apologized. "I'm so sorry, Jasper. This must be torture for you. Why don't you go hunting? I won't make a decision until you return." Jasper nodded gratefully, and stood to leave. Alice and Emmett went to join him. Esme stayed on Carlisle's other side and Rosalie sat unmoving on her left. "I have no explanation for how she smelled, or how I resisted her. As I mentioned before, if not for Alice, I could have ruined everything here." Carlisle stood up.

"I'll be back in a moment. Please wait here a moment, I want to retrieve a journal from my study." He flew up the stairs, and returned seconds later. He skimmed threw the book, found the page he was searching for, and lay it down in front of me. "Edward, I think you encountered your blood singer." I looked down at the journal entry. It was dated from the time Carlisle stayed with the Volturi in Italy.

... In one of our many discussions regarding my choice of sustenance, Aro asked if I had ever encountered my "La Tua Cantante," my singer. Having never heard of the term before, Aro elaborated for me. "The blood of your singer calls to you. Her blood sings out a song that cannot be ignored by you." He suggested that if I were ever to meet my singer, I may not be able to maintain my chosen diet ...

"I don't understand, Carlisle. Are you saying it's inevitable? That I will feed on her?" Rosalie read the journal entry in no time. Carlisle smiled at me.

"No, Edward, I'm saying the opposite. You already resisted her. Once again, you have shown us what you are capable of. I'm proud of you, son." Rosalie looked up at me and smiled a little.

"I think Emmett met his singer once, maybe twice. He didn't even hesitate. Remember?" I thought back to when Emmett had told us that he had slipped up many years ago. Initially I had written it off to the fact he was young at the time. But the words came back to me now. 'She had smelled better than I had ever thought possible.' Was this the same thing?

"Edward?" Rosalie was looking at me across the table. "I don't want to tempt you, but I would very much like to stay in Forks. We almost get to be normal here. It's ... it's a nice change." Of course Rosalie was thinking of what she would like. Did she not understand what this was like for me? "Perhaps there are some precautions we can take? Extra hunting?"

"Rosalie," Carlisle warned." This will be difficult enough for your brother without any extra guilt. While you are making some good suggestions, please let Edward decide what he wishes to do first."

I looked at my sister, and then my father and mother. Esme looked so distraught. I didn't want to be the one causing her to feel this way. I didn't want to be the one disappointing my family.

"No. I appreciate the suggestions. I don't want to leave either. I would like to try. I want to stay in Forks."

And so my decision was made.