Caught in the Flames

Chapter Fifteen

Okay, so I'm starting something new. I'm one of those writers that I have to have a ton on my plate or I get bored. I doplan on finishing all of my WIPs, but I wanted to try something different. Anyhow, this will be a drabble-ish fic. My chapters will be a thousand words or less, unless the chapters lend themselves to something longer (i.e., a lemon...). We're also going to be switching back and forth, every five chapters between our two favorite characters, Edward and Bella...

As always, none of this is mine. I'm just the perv who want to make our beloved Twilight characters swear, drink, and go at it like horny rabbits. This story will be a combination of love, suspense, some violence and steamy, sweaty sex.

On with it!

Chapter Fifteen

BPOV

I gave Edward directions to my place. He helped me out of the car. He managed, somehow, to find a parking spot right in front of my home, which was great for me. I wanted to get inside of my house under my own power. Hobbling, I walked to the stairs and grimaced. How am I going to get up these?

"Come on, Hop-Along," Edward said, gently picking me up. "Don't do stairs yet."

"My entire house is stairs," I grumbled, looking at the four-story building.

"You own all of this?" he asked as he put me on my feet on the landing.

"My grams left it to me when she passed away right after the first of the year," I said, unlocking the door. Pushing it open, Igimped inside and tossed my keys on the entry table. Edward followed behind me. "Do you want anything to drink? Water?Gatorade?"

"I want you to sit down," Edward said, guiding me to the living room.

"You're awfully bossy," I snorted, plopping down on the oversized chair in there. I shifted uncomfortably, trying to take off my shoes and socks. I hadn't noticed it at the time, but I was covered in scrapes from my fall. I groaned, looking at my torn up legs.

"Sorry. Comes with the job. I'm in charge of four hooligans who wouldn't know what to do if I didn't tell them," Edward chuckled. "Now, first aid kit?"

"Upstairs. In my bedroom, it's in the bathroom attached to that, underneath the sink. There's also a heating pad, too. My room is the one with exposed brick wall," I said, hating that I was sending a stranger up to my bedroom. I couldn't do it. My leg was throbbing and oozing. Edward came back down with my first aid kit, heating pad and several washcloths. He set everything up, sitting down on the ottoman opposite of me.

"Leg up, Bella," he said gently. I raised my leg, propping it on his knee. Carefully, he began wiping down my leg with one of the washcloths that he had dampened prior to coming downstairs. He got all of the crud out of the scrapes and then he put some hydrogen peroxide on them. "This might sting," he whispered. I nodded, not really feeling anything he was doing. Compared to the pain I'd felt before, this was nothing. Just a nuisance, really. "Okay?"

"Um, yeah," I said stoically. "Thank you for doing this, Edward."

"It's the least I could do for the woman who outfitted our house for a week with food," he said, wrapping my leg with a loose bandage before getting up and placing it on top of the heating pad. Edward went over some basic stretches to loosen up the muscle as he cleaned up the mess. He also said that once I was done with the heating pad, to let the scrapes breathe. I nodded, giving him an appreciative smile. "I have to work, but I can swing by with the truck to check on you?"

"I'll be fine, Edward. This is nothing," I said, waving at my leg. "I can already feel my leg relaxing."

"Well, I grabbed your phone from the charger upstairs. I've plugged my cell phone number in there along with the number of the firehouse. If you need anything, please call?" he asked, his brows furrowed.

"I'll keep it in mind, but I'm okay. I promise," I said, arching a brow.

"Look, Bella, I want to apologize for making you feel uncomfortable that day when you dropped off the food," Edward began, sitting back down on the ottoman. "I just wanted to take you out as a thank you for doing such a selfless thing. The offer still stands, as does the barbeque. The guys want to thank you, too." He had put his hand on my knee and I blushed, feeling the warmth of his palm on my skin. "They're a bunch of knuckleheads, but great guys."

"I'll come by at some point," I said, looking up at him shyly.

"Good," he smiled crookedly. "Now, call me or Alice if you need anything. We're right around the corner. I hope to see you again, soon, Bella." I nodded again and he got up, grabbing his keys and darting out of the door. I collapsed against the chair, letting the tension leave my body once he left. Something about Edward Cullen made me nervous, but the fact that I allowed him to help me and even enter my house shocked me to the core. He made me feel safe, as weird as it sounded. The way he cared for me, a nobody, a stranger, made me feel protected. Plus, the fact that he was easy on the eyes was a bonus, too. Perhaps, perhaps, I could open myself up to be friends with Edward.

See, Grams? I'm trying. Aren't you proud?

A/N: Up next will be Edward...his take on what happened and I promise that you'll get some answers about Bella's past. And they will be spending more and more time together. Scouts honor. Leave me some!

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