AN: This story is the winner of my I Love My Readers contest. The winning prompt came from Ghostreader24.

"Good Morning," Bella greeted her employers as she walked into the kitchen and removed her jacket. "Is Seth still asleep?"

"Yes, he had a late night. James let him stay up past his bedtime to watch the Alabama game." Victoria rolled her eyes playfully before taking a sip of her coffee.

After hanging her coat in the closet, Bella poured herself a glass of orange juice and joined them at the table.

"Hey, it was the biggest game of the season, of course, he got to stay up to watch it," James defended. "You know we have to support our Crimson Tide. Besides, it was only an hour later than normal."

"Oh yes, I'm not sure how they would have managed without the support of our three-year-old," Victoria deadpanned. "I still don't even understand your obsession with them. We live in Seattle for God's sake. Shouldn't you be following the Seahawks?"

"Tori, the Seahawks are a professional football team. Bama is a college team. I've told you this repeatedly."

"Well, isn't there a college team in Washington?"

"Not one with seventeen National Championships, two Heisman Trophy winners, and twenty-five SEC Championships." He waved his hands in exasperation.

Bella's mouth twitched with amusement at their banter. She had worked for James and Victoria Hunter for the past year and a half as their son's nanny, and in that time, had grown fond of the couple.

"What are you two doing today?" Bella asked in an attempt to change the subject. On Sundays or what Victoria affectionately called Date Day, the Hunters went out on planned excursions around the city.

"We're going to the Bell Harbor Classic to watch the yacht parade."

"That sounds interesting," Bella said in what she hoped was a convincing voice.

"No, it doesn't." James laughed. "Tori failed to mention the beer garden. That's the real reason we're going - to get drunk."

"Babe, you could at least pretend to have an inkling of class." She swatted him with the newspaper that lay on the table.

"Why? Bella knows me well enough by now to know it's not true." He shot her a wink.

Victoria sighed at her husband's antics before looking at Bella. "Oh, before I forget, I have something for you." She stood and walked to the refrigerator. After removing a flyer that hung on the door, she gave it to her. "They handed these out at Mommy and Me class yesterday. Paula Donovan told me she took little Graham to one of the shows last week, and he loved it. She said they even do crafts with the kids after each performance. I thought you could take Seth today."

Bella scanned the paper and groaned. "A puppet show?"

Victoria gave her a puzzled look. "Why? Is that a problem?"

Bella shook her head. "No, it's just my ex's roommate was studying to become a puppeteer, and we didn't get along—"

"Wait, are you seriously telling me people go to college to become puppeteers?" James interrupted, his eyes widened in disbelief. "You've got to be shittin' me."

Bella laughed at the dumbstruck expression on her employer's face. "Yep, it's an actual major of study at Central Washington University. Mind boggling, huh?"

"So what was the deal with the puppet guy?" Victoria asked.

"Well, as I said before, I dated his roommate … And for some reason, it was as if Edward hated me from the moment we met. No matter how many times I tried to be friendly, he only treated me with disdain." She paused to recall the searing cold of his gaze every time she would come into their dorm room. A chill flashed through her body at the memory.

"Oh, I see." Victoria giggled. "He liked you."

James nodded in agreement. "Guys act like assholes when they're horny."

"Hey! Watch your mouth!" She hit him again with the newspaper.

"Why? The kid's still asleep," he said. "And, give me that." He grabbed the paper from her grip.

It took Bella a second to realize what they had said. Heat filled her cheeks as she thought about her unrequited crush on Edward Cullen. The way she had pined over him for almost a year before finally agreeing to date Jake. She shook her head and sputtered. "What? No! There's no way he liked me. Maybe liked to torture me ... But liked, liked me? No way."

Victoria simply shrugged. "Hmm. I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree."

TSCF

By the time she and Seth had arrived at The Seattle Creature Feature Theater, Bella had pushed aside all thoughts of Edward Cullen.

Housed in a former church building, the theater appeared to be recently renovated. Refinished pews served as guest seating. Once they found an empty spot near the front, Seth asked her the name of the show.

Bella glanced at the program.

Anthony Ant Saves the World

Just as she started to look through the rest of the playbill, the lights dimmed, signaling the start of the performance. She slipped the program into her bag and settled against the pew.

When the curtains finally opened, Seth released a screech of excitement as a trio of adorable puppets suddenly appeared from behind an elaborate background scene.

Ten minutes into the show, Bella found herself impressed with the overall production. The dialogue between Anthony Ant, Mary Muskrat, and Daisy the Dog was witty, and the craftsmanship of the sock puppets was remarkable. Each one was meticulously detailed with lifelike characteristics. It was apparent that whoever had made them was incredibly talented.

Piqued with curiosity, she reached inside her bag to get the program and find out more information about the puppeteer. But before she had a chance to find it, she felt a tug on her arm.

"Bewwa!"

"Huh?"

"Bewwa! She's got your name!" Seth pointed to the stage.

Bella screwed her face in confusion before turning her attention back to the show. Two new characters had joined the other puppets.

Bella the Black Swan and her malicious minion, Jake the Snake.

Her stomach twisted in knots. "It can't be," she thought as she dug through her bag for the program. When she found it, her worst fear was confirmed. On the back, the head puppeteer's name was listed.

Edward Cullen.

After balling the program in her fist, she released what she had thought was a soft expletive. The woman sitting next to her, shot her a dirty look and whispered, "Do you mind?"

Bella squirmed in her seat and apologized before turning her focus back to the performance. Her mouth dropped into the shape of an O as she watched the swan conspire to destroy the world.

The crowd booed at the wicked swan's diabolical plans, and Bella cringed when one little boy threw a handful of popcorn at the bird.

The boos turned into cheers, however, when Anthony Ant learned about Bella's plot and enlisted the help of his friends, Mary the Muskrat and Daisy the Dog. Together, they stopped the evil scheme and banished Bella and Jake to the Land of Naughty No Good Doers.

By the end of the show, Bella's fingernails were digging into the woodgrain of the pew. She had never felt so angry in her entire life. Once the lights came on, she grabbed her bag and told Seth it was time to go.

As she ushered him toward the exit, a lady standing by the door asked, "Aren't you going to stay and make a puppet? The craft area is this way." She gestured toward a large room to her left.

"No, we need to leave," Bella replied, a bit harsher than she had intended.

"But, I wanna make Anty Ant!" Seth said with a pout.

Bella squatted next to him. "I'll tell you what, we'll stop at the craft store and get supplies to make him at home. How does that sound?"

"No!" He ran into the craft room.

"Seth!" she called as she chased after him. However, instead of catching him, she crashed into someone. "I'm sorry," she mumbled.

"Well, it seems some things never change. I see you're still as clumsy as ever." A deep, rich voice responded with a chuckle.

Horrified, she looked up and met Edward Cullen's gaze. "It's y-you!"

He smirked. "Yep, it's me."

"I should sue you!" she spat poking him in the chest.

"Sue me? Whatever for? I do believe you're the one who practically ran me down not the other way around …"

"I'm not talking about that, and you know it." She stomped her foot. "I'm talking about the show!"

Laughter bubbled in his throat. Lord, how he had missed her. She had always been so cute when she was angry. "Did you just stomp your foot?"

"No … maybe … what difference does it make? Stop trying to change the subject!"

"What was the subject again?" He rubbed his chin.

Before she could answer, Seth ran up and tugged on her arm. "Look! Look!"

Kneeling next to him, she took the puppet from his hands and inspected it. "Did you make this all by yourself?"

"Graham and his mommy are here. She helped me." He pointed across the room to where his friend sat with his mother. Bella waved.

"It's incredible, Seth."

"Tank you! I'm gonna make another."

"Okay. Don't forget your manners. Tell Mrs. Donovan thank you."

"I will," he said as he ran back toward their table.

Bella stood and found Edward quietly staring at her.

"What?"

"He's beautiful. I didn't realize you and Jake had gotten married."

"I agree; he is adorable, but he's not mine. I'm his nanny."

"Oh, so you're not married?"

Bella looked at him suspiciously. "I didn't say that. What do you care anyway? Looking for new material for your show?"

"Just making conversation, Bella. It's what adults do," He scoffed before peeking at her left hand.

"Hey, Edward." The same lady from the door jogged across the room to join them. "Can you come over and meet a couple of fans?" She looked at Bella and smiled. "Sorry to interrupt. I'm Alice."

"Hi, I'm Bella. You didn't interrupt. If you'll excuse me, I need to get Seth and head home." She ignored Edward and continued, "Thanks for the craft. He really loved it."

"Anytime. Please come back again."

"Yeah, I'm not so sure, but thanks."

As she walked toward Seth, Alice looked at Edward in amazement. "Is that her? The Bella?"

He simply nodded. His gaze remained fixed on Bella.

"But how?"

He shrugged then grinned. "Fate."

TSCF

The following Friday, Victoria handed Bella an envelope. "What's this?"

"Tickets to the Sunday matinee at The Seattle Creature Feature."

Bella frowned. "But, we just went last week."

"And Seth loved it! You know he hasn't spoken about anything else since. Anyway, it seems you won season tickets in the drawing you entered last Sunday. Isn't that incredible?"

"Season tickets? I didn't enter any type of contest."

"Maybe you were automatically entered, who knows, but what does it matter? The point is, you guys have a free outing every Sunday for an entire year."

"Come on! You can't be serious. You can't expect me to take him to some puppet show every single Sunday."

Victoria narrowed her eyes. "Bella, I realize we've become close over the past year, but it would serve you well to remember that I'm still your boss."

"I'm sorry, but you know how I told you about that guy in college who I had issues with … the one studying to be a puppeteer?"

She nodded.

"It turns out he's the one who runs this theater." She gestured to the envelope in her hand.

"Did something happen with him last week?"

Too humiliated to tell her about the swan puppet, Bella simply shook her head.

"Well, then. There shouldn't be any issue with going again this weekend."

"I suppose not."

TSCF

Two days later, Bella and Seth found themselves seated in a special section reserved for VIPs. As prize-winning ticket holders, they were given complimentary snacks and an Anthony Ant Official Puppet. As they waited for the show to begin, an older couple entered the auditorium and sat next to Bella. After looking through the program, the woman turned to her husband and said, "Oh, it's my favorite show."

He snorted. "And you don't think that was intentional?"

"You know I love them all. Well, maybe not that horrible one about the swan who tried to destroy the world."

Bella giggled, drawing the woman's notice. "Sorry, I didn't mean to overhear your conversation. They performed that story last week."

The lady smiled. "That's quite all right my dear. I'm glad I missed it. I never believed such a beautiful swan could be so evil."

Bella beamed. "Me either. In fact, I was very disappointed with the entire show." She leaned over and added in a hushed voice, "Between you and me, the puppeteer lacks talent. We only returned today because we won free tickets."

"Oh my," the woman placed a hand across her chest. "Well, I hope you enjoy today's performance better."

Bella shrugged. "I highly doubt I will, but I'm here for him," she gestured to Seth, "so it really doesn't matter."

The lady nodded in response as the lights dimmed.

Anthony Ant appeared on stage. This time, however, he was joined by a new character.

Bella the Butterfly.

And once again, Seth pointed to the stage and exclaimed, "Bewwa! She got your name!"

The woman turned at Seth's outburst and gave Bella a curious glance before returning her attention back to the stage.

Bella slumped in her seat and dug through her bag to find the program for the show. She scanned it and located the title of the performance.

Anthony Ant Learns the True Meaning of Beauty

She chewed her bottom lip as she forced herself to watch the show.

In the story, Anthony Ant and his friend, Bella the Butterfly are out for a walk in the woods when they come across Esme the Spiny Elm Caterpillar. Never having seen a caterpillar before, Anthony is taken aback by her worm-like appearance and afraid that her sharp spines will hurt him. Even though Esme is nice, Anthony is not friendly in return.

Once Esme leaves, Bella asks Anthony why he was so rude, and he admits to having been bothered by the way she looked. Bella then becomes upset with him and reveals that she was once a caterpillar herself.

When Anthony proclaims how amazing it is that something so ugly could turn into something so beautiful, she teaches him that actual beauty has nothing to do with someone's outward appearance; it's what is in their heart that's important.

By the end of the performance, Bella's eyes were welled with tears. Even though the play was written for children, there was pure beauty in the storyline, and she couldn't help but get emotional.

When the woman sitting next to Bella noticed her tears, she handed her a tissue and said, "Is it safe to assume that you now have a better opinion about the puppeteer?"

The woman's words hit Bella like a splash of cold water.

The tickets, the VIP treatment, and now the heroic character … it all made sense. Edward was trying to butter her up. Well, it wasn't going to work. With a huff, she told Seth it was time to leave.

Once they got into the hallway, he pouted. "I wanna make a butterfly." He ran into the craft area, but this time, she caught him before he reached a table.

"Not today, Seth. Let's go, and I'll get you some ice cream."

"No, Bewwa," he stomped his foot in protest.

"Are you sure he's not your kid?" A warm voice tickled the back of her neck. She turned around to find Edward staring at her with a bemused grin. "Because he sure has that foot stomp of yours down pat."

Bella rolled her eyes. "Hardy har har, you're a real joker."

"Hey, Seth!" Alice approached them. "Are you ready to make a puppet?"

"Yes!" He squealed before following her to a table loaded with art supplies.

"So did you like the show today, Miss Swan or are you still considering pursuing legal action?"

"So, let me get this straight, you actually thought you could write a new show this week and make me the good guy," she said the last part in quotation marks, "and all would be forgotten? You are really a piece of work, you know that?"

Edward ran a hand through his messy auburn locks and sighed, "Bella, I wrote the show we performed today over two years ago."

"Sure, you did."

"It's true," a new voice chimed in, it was the older lady who had sat next to her in the auditorium. "In fact, I saw the opening of that performance, where was it, sweetheart?"

"It was at a library in Morenci, Michigan," Edward mumbled.

She smiled. "Oh, yes. That was while you were touring with that group from Canada - the Middle Musquodoboit Puppet Pack. We were so proud." She grasped his cheek and gave it a tender squeeze.

He brushed her hand away. "Ma. Stop."

Ma? Bella winced as she recalled the comments she made prior to Edward's show. "If you'll excuse me, I need to go help Seth."

"He's fine, dear. Alice is with him." Edward's mother turned to face her. "We haven't been formally introduced. I'm Esme Cullen, and this is my husband, Carlisle." She gestured to the man beside her.

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Cullen."

"Please, call us Esme and Carlisle. And what should we call you?" She tilted her head and waited for a response.

"Oh, I'm Bella. Bella Swan." She offered her hand first to Esme and then to Carlisle.

"Well, as I live and breathe, Bella Swan! You don't know how long I've wanted to meet you!"

Edward grimaced at his mother's behavior. Giving his dad a look of desperation, he said, "Don't you have a dinner reservation?"

"Yes, we do. As a matter of fact, we should be heading out. Come on, Es," Carlisle said as he put his arm around his wife and attempted to steer her toward the exit.

"But, I want to get to know Bella."

"Esme, let the kids be."

As they walked away, Esme called over her shoulder, "I'll see you soon, Bella Swan."

Once they were gone, Bella gave her head a small shake wondering what in the hell had just happened.

"Sorry about them," Edward said sheepishly.

"No worries," she answered before adding, "did you really write this show two years ago Edward?" Her eyes questioning him.

"Yeah... I promise I didn't do this just to make up for last week," he replied.

Bella took a deep breath collecting herself. "Look, let's just forget about last week."

His eyes crinkled in surprise. "Really?"

She waved her hand in the air. "Yeah, I'm over it. You don't need to try to make it up to me by changing the name of your characters or giving us season tickets. I'm not going to seek legal recourse."

He chuckled. "Well, I suppose that's good to know." He paused and looked at her seriously, "So … does this mean we can be friends?"

Bella studied him as he stared at her, his expression hopeful. Her heart pounded as she allowed herself to consider the possibility of a friendship, but something gave her pause. She wanted to credit her hesitation to his past behavior, but deep down she knew that wasn't the cause of her reluctance. No, she was afraid she might end up wanting more than just a friendship with Edward Cullen.

When she had first met him back in college, she had been instantly attracted to the handsome junior. Something about him had called to her, but all of her attempts to get to know him had been for nothing. Edward wouldn't have anything to do with her, and she could still recall the hurt she had felt even after all this time.

As she met his gaze, she could see herself easily falling for him again, and she just couldn't take the risk.

Choosing to protect herself, she scoffed. "Edward, why would we? You treated me like shit from the moment we met in college. And to be frank, I really don't see myself having much in common with a guy who wears socks on his hands for a living."

Hurt by her comment, he lashed back without thinking. "You're probably right. And I usually hang out with people who aspire to be more than glorified babysitters."

Tears welled in Bella's eyes at his remark. She knew not very many people respected her career choice, but hearing him say it, somehow upset her worse.

"I really need to go," she said between sniffles. "Goodbye, Edward."

"Bella, wait …"

But instead of responding, she retrieved Seth and left.

The next Sunday, Bella didn't come to the theater. However, the following Sunday, Edward spotted Seth after the show. Bella wasn't with the little boy, but from the similarity in their appearances, he guessed the woman with him was his mother.

Victoria approached Edward once Seth was busy making a puppet.

Without even introducing herself, she asked, "What type of game are you playing, Puppet Boy?"

"Wh-what?" he stammered.

"So, my kid tells me everything, and I mean everything. So I know all about Bella the Black Swan and Bella the Butterfly. It can't be a coincidence that those two plays and the one you performed today all have a character named Bella."

Mouth dry and heartbeat racing, Edward struggled to think of a response. "Well, I … I …"

"I might not have questioned it if they were all the same character, but we've had what … a swan, a butterfly, and now a barn owl? Are you obsessed with Bella? Some type of stalker?" Victoria moved closer and studied the sock puppet still on his hand. Gasping, she cried, "Oh my god, please tell me that's not Bella's knee-hi!"

Edward ripped the owl puppet from his arm. "No! No! Of course, it's not! I don't know if Bella told you, but we went to school together."

She arched an eyebrow. "Go on."

"Well, I suppose I took out certain frustrations while I was writing my shows."

Victoria stared at him. He was blood red and a mumbling mess. Her suspicions were confirmed. Edward Cullen was interested in her nanny, but just like the majority of men she knew, he was too stupid to know what to do about it.

She sighed. "Did you know that Bella came home crying after the last time she was here?"

He grimaced.

"Bella might work for me, but she's my family. I don't like to see her hurt. It better not happen again, do we have an understanding?"

He nodded.

She began to walk away, but paused and looked back at him. "Oh, and I better never catch you going through her sock drawer either."

TSCF

The next week, Bella returned to the puppet theater, but to Edward's chagrin, she brought a guest with her.

A male guest.

As soon as he spotted the couple in the audience, he became so flustered he missed his cues three times. Alice was forced to ad-lib in order to cover for his mistakes.

Once the show was finished, she grabbed him by the elbow and asked what had happened. Before he had a chance to respond, she spotted the reason.

"Bella!"

Bella turned. "Hi, Alice. Sorry, we can't stay today; Seth has a family event later this afternoon."

"Oh, that's too bad. I'll miss my favorite guy." She ruffled Seth's hair. When Bella didn't introduce her mystery guest, she took it upon herself. "Hi, I'm Alice."

"I'm sorry," Bella apologized. "This is Garrett."

Scowling, Edward stood a few steps away but didn't say anything. Bella ignored him.

"We really need to go. Sorry."

"See you next week," Alice said.

Bella shrugged. "Maybe."

Bella did attend the next show, and when she entered the auditorium, she discovered the crowd abuzz with excitement. Word was the puppeteer had written a new story and created a new character.

Not sharing the other patron's enthusiasm, Bella grabbed the program to learn the title of the day's production.

Garrett, the Grumpy Goat

"That motherfucking, son of a bitch!" Bella mumbled as she threw the program on the pew.

"Bewwa, what's a bich?" Seth asked, his eyes wide with concern.

Startled by his question, she smiled and hugged him to her. "It's another word for a female dog. I was just wondering if Daisy would be in today's show."

"I love Daisy!" Seth exclaimed.

Relieved that he seemed to have forgotten about her slip, she said, "Me, too."

As soon as the lights dimmed, and the show began, the audience was quickly introduced to Garrett, the Grumpy Goat. When Anthony Ant's good friend, Bella Bumblebee started hanging out with Garrett, his surly temperament rubbed off on her.

Anthony became upset as he watched his once sweet friend become a grouch. He spoke with Bella and warned her about the dangers of running around with the wrong kinds of animals.

Bella Bumblebee soon saw the error of her ways and told Garrett the Grumpy Goat they could no longer be friends.

By the time the show was over, Bella trembled with anger. Taking Seth by the hand, she marched straight into the craft room and approached Alice and Edward.

"Alice, can you help Seth for a few minutes? I need to have a word with Edward."

"Sure, but just so you know, I tried to talk him out of doing today's show."

After Alice and Seth walked to a table, Bella glared at Edward. "How—"

He placed a finger gently against her lips. "Can we go to my office for this conversation?" Gesturing around them, he added, "Away from little ears."

Bella nodded and followed him. Once they entered his office, a spacious room lined with wall-to-wall shelves, she couldn't help but look at all the hundreds of puppets on display.

"Did you make all of these?"

He ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah."

"You really are talented."

"Thanks. Bella, I know I may have crossed a line today."

"Crossed a line?" She rolled her eyes and scoffed. "Do you think?"

"I didn't mean any harm."

"No, I'm sure there wasn't anything personal when you called Garrett, what was it again ... oh yeah, a crotchety, bellyaching sourpuss."

Edward squirmed.

"I just don't understand … what did I ever do to make you dislike me so much? I mean I know you and Jake weren't the best of friends, but I always made an effort. But for some reason, you seemed to hate me from the get-go."

"I never hated you, Bella." He sighed.

"Right."

"Do me a favor." He gestured to the back of the room. "Look at the puppets in the case behind my desk."

Bella walked over and studied the dozen or so puppets. They were of various animals and bugs, a couple she had seen before … the swan … the butterfly. She released a gasp, however, when she spotted a human puppet that was fashioned in her likeness.

Turning, she gave him a wide-eyed expression. "Is that me?"

He nodded. "Actually, they all are. You see, every story I've ever written and produced has a Bella character."

"All of them?"

He walked next to her and opened the cabinet. He pulled out the humanlike puppet and gave it to her. "This is the first Bella puppet I ever made. I made her when I was a sophomore at school."

She quirked her eyebrow questionably. "But, I don't understand. We didn't meet until we were juniors."

"But I had already noticed you. I used to see you at the library and around campus." He ran a hand through his hair and exhaled. "You don't know how many times I tried to sum up the courage to talk to you. When our class was given a project in which we had to use a human subject as the basis for a puppet, you ended up as my muse."

He met her astonished gaze.

"And you've kind of been my muse ever since."

She opened and shut her mouth, and then opened and shut her mouth again. "Edward, but that doesn't make any sense. Why were you so mean to me?"

He released a dry laugh. "I was jealous, Bella. Seeing you with Jake … it killed me. I wrote Anthony Saves the World while you guys were out on your third date."

Bella shook her head in disbelief.

"What?" Edward asked.

"You are ridiculous!" She waved her hand in the air. "I didn't even start dating Jake until we were seniors! We were just friends!"

"Wh-what?"

"We were just friends!" she exclaimed. "Sure, he asked me to date him for about a year, but I kept hoping someone else would take an interest."

"Who?"

"Are you seriously that dense, Edward? I tried so many times to initiate a conversation with you. I asked you repeatedly to go out with us whenever we went to get something to eat or bowling, but you … you would hardly speak to me! And whenever you did, it was only to say something snarky and rude."

"Bella, I had no idea."

"No shit!" She sighed before taking a deep breath. "I finally gave up hope that you would ever be interested in me and agreed to date Jake when we were seniors."

"And I continued to be an asshole."

She shrugged, staring at the puppet that had remained in her grasp.

"Please tell me what you're thinking," he whispered.

Looking at him, her lips twitched. "Please don't be offended, but this puppet is creepy as fuck."

He busted out laughing. She never did or said what he expected. "It is kinda creepy, isn't it? I never did perfect the art of fashioning real people. That's why I stick with animals and bugs.

She placed the puppet back on its holder. "Are all of these really based on me?"

He nodded. "All my shows feature Anthony Ant, a Bella of some sort, Mary the Muskrat, and Daisy the Dog."

"Why Anthony?" She tilted her head.

"It's my middle name. It was either that or Edward the Emu."

She giggled. "And Mary? Is that a g-girlfriend?"

He chuckled. "Good Lord, no!" That's Alice. My sister. He stressed the word sister.

"Oh. Is that her middle name as well?"

"No, don't tell her I told you this, but Mary is her actual name. She hates it. To make a long story short, she's a huge Alice Cooper fan and legally changed her name to Alice as soon as she turned eighteen."

"Alice Cooper ... really?"

He nodded and grinned. "Alice is a bit eccentric."

They were both laughing when a knock sounded at the door. A moment later, Alice and Seth entered the room. "Sorry to interrupt, but craft time is over."

Edward looked at his watch and scratched his head. "Geez, I'm sorry. I didn't realize how late it had gotten."

"Bewwa, look at the puppet I made, it's Garret the Grumpy Goat."

A hot flush stained Edward's cheeks.

"Wow, Seth! That's great."

"And look, I gave him glasses like the real Garrett. Can we go and show him?"

She ruffled his hair. "Not today. Garrett's out of town with his girlfriend, Kate." She said the last part looking directly at Edward

"Aw, man." He said with a pout before he noticed all the puppets around the room. "Bewwa, look at all the puppets! Look! There's Daisy!"

Edward pulled Daisy from her holder. "Do you like Daisy, Seth?"

"Yes, she's a bich!"

Bella blushed. Alice and Edward laughed.

Edward replied, "Yeah, I guess she is."

Seth asked Edward, "Do you got a real doggie?"

"No, I'm allergic to them."

"Oh." He frowned. "I don't got one either."

"Do you know what Edward did have growing up though, Seth?"

"What?"

"Alice." Edward groaned.

"He had a stuffed animal named Daisy," Alice said with a wide grin. "She was a pink wiener dog, and Edward carried her with him wherever he went."

Bella placed her hand over her mouth to stifle a giggle.

"Do you still got her?"

"Well, I don't know where—"

"Our mom does! She keeps her in Edward's old bedroom."

"I want to see her!"

"Seth, you can't go around and demand things like that," Bella reprimanded.

"I sorry."

"It's okay," Alice said. "I'll tell you what. Next time I talk to my mom, I'll ask her to bring Daisy for a visit so you can meet her."

"Yay! Tanks, Alice."

"You're welcome, buddy."

"Yeah, thanks, Alice," Edward grumbled.

"Well, we really need to go," Bella said. "Come on, little dude."

Seth wiggled. "Bewwa, I gotta go potty first."

"I'll take him," Alice said, "so you two can say your goodbyes."

"So Garrett's not your boyfriend?" Edward asked.

"Nope, he's not. I went to high school with him and his girlfriend. Kate moved out of town last fall for a job, so Garrett tags along with Seth and me every now and again when he's bored."

"I guess I made a stupid assumption."

She nodded. "It seems you're good at making stupid assumptions."

"Touché. For what it's worth, I really am sorry."

She met his gaze. "I appreciate it, Edward."

"So do you think you might reconsider being friends?"

A small smile formed at the corner of her mouth. "Do you promise to never again retaliate against me through puppetry?"

"Well, I'll try..."

Her eyes widened.

Raising his hands in the air, he laughed. "Just kidding. Just kidding. I promise."

"Okay then, friends," she said.

Moving, so he stood beside her, he grabbed her hand, "Friends get dinner together sometimes, right?"

Heat spread throughout her body as her pulse quickened at his touch.

She gulped and licked her lips. "I … I think that's an acceptable thing for friends to do."

"So, can I call you this week?"

She pulled out her cell phone with a smile. "Sure."

TSCF

Three days later, Edward and Bella met at a restaurant in Fremont.

"Have you eaten here before?" she asked as she removed her jacket and sat across from him in the small, secluded booth.

"No, but Alice recommended it. She said everything is good."

A server approached their table a few minutes later. "Hi, I'm Charli. I'll be taking care of you this evening. Can I get you started with something to drink?"

"I'll have a Coke," Bella replied.

She turned toward Edward. While she waited for his response, recognition dawned over her. "Hey, I know you! You're that puppeteer!"

He grinned. "Yeah, hi. I'm Edward Cullen, it's nice to meet you."

"My son, Max, loves your shows!"

"Thanks."

"Do you think I can get a picture with you?"

"Sure, I guess."

She patted her pockets. "Oh shoot, my cell is in my bag. I'll bring it when I get your drinks." She began to walk off.

Edward called, "Hey, Charli."

She turned around. "Yeah?"

"Can you get me a Coke as well?"

She smacked herself on the forehead. "Of course, I completely forgot to ask."

After she left, they both broke into a round of laughter.

When the waitress returned, she placed their drinks down and pulled her phone from her apron. Without looking at Bella, she shoved it into her face. "Do you mind?"

"Sure."

Edward stood, and Charli wrapped her arm around his waist, leaning close into him. "Mmm. You smell good," she said.

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Th-thanks."

Bella snapped a couple of pictures before handing the phone back to Charli.

"Well, I'll give you a few minutes to look over the menu."

Once they were alone again, Bella raised her eyebrows at him and shook her head.

"What?"

"Nothing." She shrugged her shoulders.

"Something's obviously bothering you."

"I just can't believe she would flirt with you like that while I'm with you."

A smirk formed on his mouth. "But we're not on a date."

"Yeah, but she doesn't know that." She released a huff.

"Why does it bother you so much though? We're just friends. Shouldn't you be encouraging me to get her number or some shit like that? Isn't that what friends do?"

She rolled her eyes. "Seriously? Is that what you want? Do you want me to be your wingman?"

"Well, I'm just confused is all. Because it seems as if you're jealous. Are you jealous?" He stood and moved to the other side of the booth sliding into the seat next to her.

"Wh-what are you doing?"

He leaned toward her face and whispered, "Getting closer so you could get a whiff of me. Isn't that why you're so upset? Because Charli said I smell so good, and you wanted to know for yourself?"

Her body hummed at his nearness. She had been jealous of the waitress, but she wasn't about to admit it. After taking what she hoped to be an inconspicuous sniff, she placed her palm on his chest and pushed him away. "You're ridiculous. Go back to your side."

Chuckling, he returned to his original seat.

When Charli came to take their order, she said, "Hey, Edward, do you think I could get your autograph, too?"

Edward peeked over at Bella before replying. Even though she was pretending not to be listening to their conversation, he could tell she was, and that she was annoyed. Deciding to milk the situation for all it was worth, he gave the waitress one of his biggest grins. "I'd be happy to give you one."

"Thanks! I'll be the envy of all the moms next weekend."

"Well, I don't know about that," he said.

"No, trust me." She placed her hand on his forearm. "Moms talk."

Fed up with the woman's blatant flirting, Bella said, "I'm sure all your husbands appreciate that."

"Maybe some other women's husbands do, but I'm not married," Charli responded haughtily.

Bella sighed. "Can you please just hurry and give her the autograph? I'm starving over here."

He coughed to cover a chuckle. "What would you like me to sign?"

The server handed him her notepad then changed her mind, pulling it from his grip. "Oh, do you know what would be cute? If you signed one of Max's socks … maybe you could come over Sunday after your show? Max will be out of town with his father this weekend, so we'd have the place to ourselves."

"I have an even better idea," Bella said. "My workout bag is outside in my car. I have a pair of gym socks you can use. I wore them today, but they don't smell too bad."

A bubble of laughter escaped Edward's mouth. Charli didn't notice though, she was too busy glaring at Bella.

"What's your problem?"

"You're my problem. I'd like to eat, but you're too busy flirting to do your job."

In an attempt to diffuse the situation, Edward said, "Listen, Charli, next time Max is at the show, I'll make sure we have some autographed items set aside for him."

"Wow! Thanks, Edward."

"You're welcome." He smiled. "Now, if you don't mind getting our order in, we'd really appreciate it."

"Sure."

For the rest of the evening, Charli kept a professional distance, but this didn't stop Bella from giving her the stink eye. Edward noticed this, and it gave him an inkling of hope. Hope that Bella could feel more for him than friendship.

After dinner, they decided to walk around the neighborhood. They ended up sitting on a bench beside the Fremont Troll, watching as tourists stopped to take their picture with the famous landmark.

"So, that waitress was nice," Bella said as she picked imaginary fuzz off of her pant leg.

"Yeah, she was," he agreed.

"And pretty."

"Yeah, I suppose."

"I just feel that in order to be the best wingman I can be, I need to make you aware of those things, you know." She shrugged. "Maybe you should ask her out."

"Oh, I don't think so."

"Wh-why not?"

He turned to face her. "Maybe, I'm hoping someone else will take an interest," he replied, repeating her earlier words back to her.

Her breath caught in her throat as her heart fluttered with joy. "Maybe someone already has."

At her words, he wrapped his arm around her waist and yanked her into his lap.

Startled by his actions, Bella laughed. "Edward! What in the world are you doing?"

"What I should have done years ago," he replied before placing his hand behind her neck, and drawing her down to kiss her lips. He intended to be gentle, but the intense need to taste every inch of her mouth overpowered him, so he moved his hands into her hair, pulling her tightly to him. Bella shivered as his tongue embarked on a deep, achingly sweet exploration of her mouth, his touch thorough and demanding. When his lips began trailing soft kisses along her jaw and down her neck, she melted at the sweet tenderness of his caresses.

After one last, gentle kiss on the lips, Edward pressed his forehead against hers.

"Those lips of yours are pretty amazing."

"Is that so?" Edward replied with a smirk. "Well, I work with my hands. Just wait and see what I can do with them."

They both laughed.

TSCF

Two Months Later

"Bella! It's so nice to see you."

"Hi, Esme." She smiled at Edward's mother before turning to his dad. "Hey, Carlisle. Edward didn't tell me you guys would be here today."

"Oh, we didn't tell him. We just happened to be in town and decided to stop by to see the show."

Bella smiled. "Great! I'm sure Edward and Alice will be thrilled to see you both."

Esme gestured to the playbill. "I'm so glad we came, it looks like they're performing a new one today!"

"A new show?" Bella frowned. Edward hadn't said anything to her about a new production. "Can I see the program?"

"Sure, dear," Esme said as she handed Bella the paper.

Bella read the title.

Anthony Ant's New Best Friend

She didn't have time to ponder what the title could mean because the lights dimmed, signaling the start of the program.

Mary the Muskrat and Daisy the Dog appeared on stage. Daisy turned to Mary and asked, "Where's Anthony? I haven't seen him in days."

Mary released a small growl before giving her reply. "Oh, he's probably with his new best friend. He spends all his time with her."

"New best friend? Who are you talking about, Mary?"

"Bella the Beaver! She's all Anthony talks about anymore. You should hear him go on about all the amazing things she can do with wood!"

In the audience, four things happened simultaneously.

Seth yelled, "Bewwa, the beaver's got your name!"

Esme placed a hand against her chest and exclaimed, "Oh my!"

Carlisle snorted.

And Bella closed her eyes, silently plotting her boyfriend's demise.

TSCF

One Year Later

By the time Bella entered the auditorium, the theater lights were already dimmed. She rushed to her seat, not wanting to miss any of the show.

Once she was seated, she noticed Carlisle and Esme in the seats next to her.

"What time is it? I thought I was early."

"I think you're right on time," Esme replied with a smile. "Where's Seth?"

"Victoria and James took him to some special event."

"Oh, that sounds nice."

A few moments later, a single light illuminated the center of the stage. A smaller version of the theater served as the backdrop for the show. Bella's brow furrowed when a puppet that looked exactly like Edward popped out from behind the elaborate scene.

She turned toward Esme. "What's he doing?"

Esme simply shrugged and said, "Just watch."

A moment later, the Edward puppet was joined by Anthony Ant, Mary the Muskrat, and Daisy the Dog.

Anthony said, "Edward, what are you doing here today?"

"I'm here for a special occasion."

"A special occasion … what's that?" Mary asked.

"It's a very important event."

"What's the event?" Daisy asked.

"Well, you see, I'm going to ask the woman I love if she'll marry me."

Bella gasped as tears filled her eyes. Esme gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

"Who's the woman?" Anthony asked.

"It's Bella Swan."

Mary hissed. "No! Not Bella the Black Swan! She's the "evilest no good doer in the land!"

Edward laughed. "No, not Bella the Black Swan. Bella Swan. The most beautiful, kind, and perfect woman in the entire world."

Daisy sighed. "Wow, she sounds amazing."

"She is," Edward agreed.

"But, I don't understand," Anthony said. "If she's so incredible, why is she dating you?"

The audience laughed.

"I'm not sure of that myself, Anthony. All I can say is, I'm one lucky guy."

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Mary asked. "We don't have all day."

Suddenly, Edward stood from behind the background scene. After removing the two puppets from his hands, he reached inside his pocket and pulled out a black velvet box.

Looking out into the section of the auditorium where he knew she sat, he said, "Bella?"

Esme nudged her. "Go on, dear."

Bella wiped her eyes before standing and joining him on the stage.

A small voice called out from the audience.

"Mom, look! It's Bella!"

Recognizing the voice's owner, Bella turned to see her employers and Seth sitting in the second row. Now almost five-years-old, he was finally pronouncing her name clearly.

A puzzled expression crossed her face at their appearance.

Noting her confusion, Edward said, "Look at the entire audience, sweetheart."

She glanced around the auditorium. Each seat was filled with only their friends and family.

"How did you manage this?" she asked. "Is that Kate? Wait … Is that my mom?"

When she turned back to Edward, tears rolled down her cheeks. "You're the amazing one."

"No, Bella, it's you. And I wanted all of our family and friends to know how much I love and adore you. How it has always been you …"

He dropped down on one knee.

"Bella Swan, you're my muse, my best friend, and the love of my life. Will you do me the extraordinary honor of becoming my wife?"

"Yes!" She jumped into his arms, nearly knocking him over, and kissed him as the audience erupted in cheers and applause.

When they broke apart, they turned to find Anthony, Mary, and Daisy celebrating as well. Joining them on the stage were Bella the Black Swan, Jake the Snake, Bella the Barn Owl, Esme the Spiny Elm Caterpillar, Bella Butterfly, Garrett the Grumpy Goat, and ... Bella the Beaver.

At the sight of the beaver, Bella huffed before whispering, "Seriously? You were supposed to get rid of that thing!"

He gave her a sheepish grin. "I'm sorry. I just couldn't go through with it; she's one of my favorites."

She rolled her eyes. "You are lucky I love you."

"I know I am, believe me."

"But really, I don't want to see that wood chomping beast ever again."

"Bella," he groaned. "Please don't talk about wood and chomping while we're standing in front of all our families and friends."

She laughed. "Speaking of our family and friends … are you ready to go celebrate?"

Grabbing her hand, he gave it a lingering kiss. "Lead the way."

The End

AN:

Thank you to all my incredible readers who made this story possible!

A huge shout out to Ghostreader24 for sharing her incredible story idea with me. I hope you enjoyed it, Kay.

I received so many other amazing prompts, it was such a difficult choice deciding which one to write. Thank you to everyone who submitted an idea!

I loved the interaction with the readers during the writing process as well. I wish I could have included all of your ideas!

A special thanks to the following readers for contributing to this story:

sheselectric1

T Traveller

Monica03

LizziePaige

Alyscia

shouldbecleaning

JA Mash

And as always, thanks to my beta and pre-readers - Fran, K, and Gail! Love you ladies!

Also - as a side note - puppetry is not a major of study at Central Washington University. They do, however, offer a course. For those thinking about a second career, a MFA/MA in puppet arts is available at The University of Connecticut.