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Babysitting Samuel and Unperky Alice

Bella's POV

I was starting to wonder about Alice as the next few days she seemed more sober than ever, very un-Alice. The last time she was so sober was when she was eight and her grandfather was dying slowly of cancer. What really made me concern was that she missed one day of school, Mrs. Brandon told me she was "sick"—Alice was never sick. And then the following morning, Alice forgot Emmett's coffee and she didn't nib from her secret stash of chocolate.

"I'm worried about Alice," I answered Edward when he asked me why I was biting my lip, which he claimed I only did while I was thinking.

"Yeah, she's seemed like a zombie," Edward commented.

I nodded.

"I wonder if it has anything to do with Jasper," Edward said, turning down the lane that headed towards his house.

"Maybe…probably," I stated. Jasper was her heart…like Edward was mine.

We pulled up into the Cullen driveway, spotting a car on the street.

"I wonder who that is," I said as Edward held the passenger door open for me.

All Edward said was "Hmm," before leading me up to his door. Edward opened the door and called out for Esme.

"I'm in the kitchen, darling!" Esme called out.

"I know she's baking her wonderful chocolate chip cookies again," I said, sniffing the air at the smell of baking.

"Bella, I'm making your favorite cookies!"

"I love her," I whispered, pulling Edward towards the kitchen. Edward chuckled.

"Edward!" called a little male voice as we entered the kitchen.

"Oh god," Edward moaned, resting his head into my back at the sight of the little boy in the kitchen.

The boy smiled impishly.

"I thought I got rid of you in Seattle," Edward muttered under his breath while Esme introduced me to Samuel's mother.

"Edward, Samuel's mother has to go out of town and we'll be babysitting him this weekend," Esme said, resting a hand on Samuel's head.

"Even though I'm a big boy and can watch myself," Samuel said, smiling up at Edward.

"Mm-hmm," said Samuel's mother, giving this "sure…right" type of look as she folded her arms against her chest. "And just how did you manage to break my favorite vase?"

Samuel looked sheepishly.

"I still won't forget just how you got in," Edward said, glaring at Samuel.

Samuel just smiled causing me to laugh and remember the last day before Edward moved to Forks.

- - - - - Flashback - - - - -

"Well…that's the last of it," Edward said, staring up at the house he was saying good bye to.

"Going to miss it?" I asked, wrapping my arms around his waist.

"Sort of," he whispered, rubbing my arms with his hands.

"EDWARD!"

"Oh no," Edward groaned.

I turned my head to see a little boy running towards us.

"Hi, you must be Bella," the boy said, smiling.

"Uh, yeah, how did you know?" I asked.

"Edward's talk lots about you since he got that first email."