Edward has the gift of traveling to adjust the past to ensure the future of humanity. Passed on from generation to generation, he makes small changes to ensure humanity's survival. In order for him to pass on his gift, he must find the one who will carry his child so that he may retire one day. Bella is the last person he would have chosen but she is destined to be the one. How hard will he have to work to make what he has seen in the future a reality? AH HEA

THE TIME CHANGER

Have you ever been fortunate...lucky? No, that isn't the right word. What I'm trying to explain is, there are things that happen in life that are more than just amazing. I'm talking fantastical. I mean, something so phenomenal that it's extraordinary.

Most people will never experience something extraordinary. Falling in love is wonderful. Having a baby is beautiful, but that isn't extraordinary. What I'm about to tell you, you'll have no choice but to agree that, what happened to me wasn't anything less than extraordinary.

I know how arrogant I must sound. If you'd known me a few short years ago, you would've said that Isabella Swan is anything but extraordinary. I'll admit, I was a boring person. My idea of a good night was to curl up in my favorite chair with a cup of hot tea and read a book next to a roaring fire.

I was not a person meant for something more. My idea of adventure was to drink a glass of wine while attempting a new chicken recipe I'd found in one of my grandmother's cookbooks.

Love was something I'd read about but never believed I'd find for myself, because I liked being alone. Bringing a man into my life would mean I'd have something loud and obnoxious invading my space and making it difficult to do the things I wanted to do, like reading a book next to a roaring fire.

So, as you can see, I was a pretty hopeless case, which made it nearly comical, when Edward Cullen came into my life and expected that I'd be just like every other girl. Well…not every other girl. I mean, the kind of girl who'd see a good-looking guy and let him buy her a drink, but I wasn't that girl. Poor Edward Cullen. He'd certainly had his work cut out for him.

I thought Edward and I first came to know one another outside The Deadman's Bar over on Fifth. I was in a hurry to get home, because the weather was turning cold, and I had a microwave meal for one awaiting me. However, as Edward eventually told me, he'd been following me for awhile, and I'd never even noticed him…

CHAPTER ONE

"Crap!" I hissed.

I realized must have forgotten my gloves at the coffee shop, and now, my fingers were like ice. No amount of hot, heavy breathing into my cupped hands was going to help me.

I rubbed them together and began to do a little dance, while I waited for the crosswalk sign to allow me to continue.

"Uh...Isabella?"

I stopped my dance, and my head snapped toward the direction from where the voice had come. I didn't recognize the voice, and the fact that this person had called me Isabella meant they didn't know me personally.

Immediately, I was on the defensive.

"How did you know my name?" I snapped, stepping back a few paces and tightening my hold on my purse. My eyes raked over this person...this intruder…and I definitely didn't recognize him.

He was approximately a foot taller than me. My eyes began transmitting to my brain every observation to relay to the police, should I be required to give them a description of my attacker.

Green eyes. Brown hair. Hair not too long, but it probably could do with an inch off the top. Cleanly shaven. Sharp features. Strong jawline. Red sweater. Black jeans and black boots. Serial killer boots.

My eyes narrowed, and I took a stronger stance, ready to fight.

"Um...it's written here on your gloves," he replied with a questioning eye. "You dropped them a few blocks back. You walk really fast, so I just now was able to catch up with you. I just thought you might like to have them back, since it's particularly chilly this evening."

My shoulders and stance relaxed, and now, I felt foolish.

"Oh...uh...thank you," I replied, taking the gloves from him and pulling them onto my ice-cold hands.

I personally thought that would have been the end of our interaction. I had said, "Thank you," so why was he still standing here? Was he expecting a reward?

"Can I...buy you a drink?" he asked, shrugging his shoulders towards the entrance to the bar right behind him.

"Uh...no...I don't drink, and I have a lot to do this evening. Thank you again," I said, holding the gloves up and turning back toward the crosswalk sign. The sign turned from a flashing hand to a solid hand, and I grunted, dissatisfied that this person had just made me miss my turn.

"It's Friday night, and I did just go two blocks out of my way to return those gloves. The polite thing to do would be to take me up on my offer, since I'm new in town and don't have any friends yet…"

"Yes, it was very kind of you," I cut him off, "But I don't know you, and for all I know, you could spike my drink with something, and I'm not about to end up in a dark alley, not remembering how I got there, or worse, with my guts coming out of my body."

"You have a really active imagination," he laughed.

I squinted my eyes.

"You know, you could just order a drink from the bar. Unless you think I paid the bartender to spike your drink because we're in cahoots. You could even ask him to bring you a beer, and you can open yourself, just to be extra cautious."

I huffed and looked over at my light to make sure he wasn't making me miss the signal again.

"I don't like to drink. Not every girl is dying for some hunky guy to buy her a beer," I replied.

I felt him step closer, even though I wasn't looking at him.

"So...you think I'm hunky?"

I scowled.

"Isabella, I'm Edward. I'm thirty-two years old, and I just moved to the area. I'm sure we'll see each other again. It's obvious you're exhausted from your workweek and probably need a good night's sleep. We'll revisit this again at a later time, and hopefully, I won't be just another good Samaritan on the street when next we meet. Have a nice evening, Isabella."

I whirled around, ready to address his pompous speech.

"Who do you think…"

"Ah-ah," he said, shaking his finger. "You'll miss your light again."

He pointed to the sign, and it had indeed finally turned for me to walk. I shook my head and began to cross the street, my eyes darting behind me to make sure that this weird stranger wasn't following me.

My small house was only three blocks away from work. Nestled back in the trees, I doubted a neighbor would call the police if they heard a disturbance coming from it. Normally, it was one of the things I loved about my house, but on a night like this, when I'd had a strange encounter…suddenly, I wished for a nosey neighbor.

The moment I entered, I flipped the knobs on both of my locks and switched on the light, all in one swift motion. My back hit the door, as I looked around at my spotless home, and suddenly, I felt silly for my irrational fears.

I pulled off my gloves and looked down at them. It then occurred to me that these gloves didn't have my name written on them. How in the world had that stranger known who I was?

I did my best to put the stranger out of my mind that weekend, but whenever I thought about leaving my house, his face would pop into my head, and stupidly, I would find something better to do than to leave my home.

Come Monday morning, I didn't have a choice. I berated myself the whole walk towards the college library. The school I worked for wasn't very large, so my position paid only a few dollars over the minimum wage. But where else could a person find work where they could spend countless hours reading while getting paid? I loved my job.

There were only a handful of people who worked in the college library. Alice, who I considered to be my best friend, worked alongside me. Best friend meaning…I would only ever see her at work. We never did anything outside of work hours, but she was sweet. However, I did feel that her energy might be put to better use outside of the library.

My boss, Sue, had been with the library ever since they had built the structure. She was quiet, and I appreciated quiet people, which was why we got along just fine. Although, with Alice, Sue always found ways to keep her at the opposite end of where she herself was planning to work that day. Sue would cringe whenever Alice would begin to speak.

"Good morning, Bella," Alice greeted.

I smiled and set my bag down behind the desk.

"Morning, Alice. Do anything fun this weekend?" I asked.

I found it best to get Alice going on her past weekend activities. It would keep her from asking me if I had done anything besides reading. She always said the word "reading" as if it were a curse, which I found odd, since she worked surrounded by thousands of books, even if I never did catch her cracking one open.

I nodded along, while starting up the computers and grabbing the keys. I would be sure to pay attention every so often, just in case she asked me a question.

"…he took me to this fabulous restaurant in Seattle, and since it was raining, we sat in the car and talked…just talked. I know what you're thinking, but it seems Jasper is too much of a gentleman…"

"Jasper?" I asked.

"I know," she cringed. "The name is so old-fashioned. I think I might try to modernize it and call him Jazz."

I grabbed a few discarded books and placed them on the cart.

"I don't know. I like old-fashioned things," I said with a shrug.

Alice and I were complete opposites, and I could tell she was ready to give me a rebuttal on why new was always better. Thankfully, we were interrupted.

"Good morning, ladies!"

"Good morning, Sue," Alice and I replied in unison.

"Feeling nervous, Sue?" Alice kidded. "I don't know what you're going to do next week without your daily dose of Alice."

I rolled my eyes and refocused on the books on the cart.

"Yes…well…" Sue began, "I'm not quite sure, either, dear."

Sue was set to retire at the end of the week. She said her plans were to travel to all the places she had read about and always wanted to visit. I couldn't blame her. I imagined if I had the funds, traveling to all the picturesque places I had read about throughout my life would be at the top of my list, too.

"Today, the new administrator is coming in to begin settling his things. I want you two to be in top form, so he knows I trained you properly. Don't embarrass me," Sue warned.

Sue took the steps on the main staircase slowly, heading back to her office. I could tell just how much she wouldn't miss those steps by how she held onto her hip as she went.

"I wonder what the new guy will be like. Probably old and handsy," Alice cringed.

"I just hope he's aptly educated. There's nothing worse than a person who comes into a position like this who has no zest for books and education. Most administrators use this place as a stepping stone for something better."

Alice began twirling around on the chair at the front desk. She popped a piece of gum into her mouth. A huge no-no, but since Sue was leaving, I was sure Alice couldn't have cared less whether she would be caught.

"Well, as long as we're making wish lists, I hope the new guy is one of those sexy nerds. Like…Indiana Jones. Glasses and businesslike in school, but once you get him in the wild…"

"Ew, Alice! That's our boss you're talking about. Besides, I wasn't making a wish list. I think my aspirations for the person who'll take over are appropriate. Why does he have to be cute? I thought you were all about Jasper this week, anyway."

Alice tended to devour men the way I devoured books. I think she was a tad offended by my wording, because she bounced down from the stool and pushed the cart I was working on away without another word.

I sighed, knowing I would need to apologize soon for my inconsiderate remark. My eyes went to the clock, which told me I needed to unlock the main doors. I tossed the keys lightly in my hands and walked to the main entrance.

There were already a few students waiting outside, which was usual for Monday mornings. I held the door open, while the small line came through. Just as the line began to thin, I saw him again. The stranger.

"Are you stalking me?" I snapped.

Now, my mind was leaning more and more towards a serial killer. Why else would he keep popping into my life like an unwanted plague in Egypt?

"Isabella," he greeted.

"How do you know my name? It wasn't written on my gloves. How long have you been following me?" I accused, poking him hard in the chest.

He held up his hands in surrender and gave me this confident, sly grin, which only made me narrow my eyes even more so.

"Isabella…if you'd just…"

"My name is BELLA!" I nearly yelled.

I heard someone shush me from behind. I had forgotten where I was.

"Well, you're not what I was expecting," he grumbled. He seemed exasperated with me, which was nearly comical, since I was the one being stalked.

"You have to the count of three to leave, or I'll call the police," I threatened.

"That might not go over well. You see…I'm the new administrator for the library."

My heart stopped, and I took a small step back, as if his words had pushed me all on their own. My mouth opened to argue, but no argument could be found.

"I know who you are, because I studied the staff picture roster in Sue's…my new office. I knew the gloves were yours, because I saw you drop them outside the library as I was leaving after meeting with Sue on Friday. I was here for my orientation, so I could begin my new position here today. Once again, may I introduce myself. I'm Edward Cullen. You may call me Edward. No need to call the police on your new boss."

I closed my eyes, too embarrassed to even look at him. When I did finally manage to open them, I focused on the floor. I'd let my overactive imagination get away from me, and now, not only had I thoroughly embarrassed myself, but I had allowed my silly fantasies to keep me locked in my house the whole weekend.

"Come in," I mumbled. "Sue's in her office. I'm sure she's expecting you."

I saw him shake his head, even if I didn't allow my eyes to look up. He walked off towards the main staircase and bounded up the stairs. A far cry from how slow Sue was forced to take those steps.

I looked out towards the library, hoping no one else had witnessed my humiliation, and saw Alice standing with the cart. She instantly dropped the books she was holding and practically skipped over to me.

"Who was that hottie?" she attempted to keep herself from squealing.

I rubbed my hands over my face roughly, hoping to stave off the impending migraine that was fast approaching.

"He's…well, he's…looks like you got your wish list," I grumbled.

"He's the new boss?" she squealed.

Once again, we were shushed.

"Oh, my god, Bella. That's one administrator I won't mind if he wants to get handsy."

Unwilling to hear all the ways Alice planned on taking sexual harassment in the workplace to the next level, I pushed past her and went to the desk to begin checking books out.

Sue's office, or Edward Cullen's new office, was up high on the second floor, overlooking the checkout desk. The whole afternoon, I was plagued with the sensation that he was up there, just staring down at me. I wanted to give in and look, but if he was indeed staring down at me, I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing I cared.

"Hey, Alice. Do you mind taking over the front desk and switching with me? I think I need a break and would love to go get lost in the stacks for a while."

I had a full cart that would take me the rest of the afternoon if I played it right. I pushed the cart to the very back corner of the library and filed a few books away, before grabbing one of my favorites and backing up to slide down the wall and read a few chapters.

Emma was one of my favorite books that always calmed me down. A few light chapters of reading would do the trick, and this might sound a little crazy, but every time I was finished, I would take a strong whiff of the book. It was a ritual that always cleared my head. I needed it today.

I had just finished and was right in mid-whiff, when someone cleared their throat, alerting me that I was not alone.

My eyes opened, and standing there, tall and judgmental, was my new boss.

"Is it policy to take breaks to sniff the books during one's shift?"

I was embarrassed and irritated. I was not giving off a very good first impression, which Sue had asked us to present to our new employer. I closed the book and stood up.

"My apologies, Mr. Cullen," I whispered.

I turned and placed Emma back in her spot, before pushing the cart on towards the next section. However, I knew Mr. Cullen had decided to follow me. Probably wondering if I would shirk my duties again once out of sight.

"Miss Swan," he began. "I was wondering where the rest of your history section resided?"

"History…is the entire back wall. Was there something in particular you were hoping to find?"

He stopped and looked towards the back wall.

"That's all? I have to say, I'm rather disappointed in this library's collection. I would've hoped for something a little more impressive."

I stopped pushing my cart and looked back at him.

"We're a small school. I would've thought a person in your position would've done your homework before accepting this post."

He tilted his head and gave me that infuriatingly cocky grin of his.

"You don't like me, do you, Isabella?"

I sighed, irritated.

"Sorry…Bella. Right?" he corrected.

"No, you may call me Isabella. It's fitting, actually. I'm often annoyed when someone calls me by my proper name, and if I may say so, I find you equally annoying. Now, can I return to finishing my work, or would you like to find more complaints to make about the workplace you chose to manage?"

He shrugged. "It makes no difference. I'm not here for the books. I have more pressing matters to attend to. I can make this work…for now."

I rolled my eyes and returned to my cart. Looked like Alice had gotten everything on her wish list, while my ideals had been completely ignored. Just another administrator, looking for a stepping stone to something better. The good news was, if Mr. Cullen's pressing matters were to rise out of this post, then it would mean he shouldn't be here for very long.

Alice was babbling non-stop to Mr. Cullen, when I finally returned with the finished cart. It seemed he was able to handle her a lot better than Sue was ever capable of doing. I could hear her three stacks away, going on and on with her male inquisition. Something she had always done, whenever she met a man she was interested in.

"And where are your parents from? You do still have parents, right?" Alice asked.

"My mother and father are very much alive and live near Seattle," he answered.

"Oh, so, you're from around here."

"You could say that," he replied cryptically.

"But, you're new to Redmond?"

"Yes. This is a new city for me."

"Hardly even a city," Alice laughed. "We should all go out for drinks tonight and get you acquainted with the scene."

Mr. Cullen looked at me, just as I slid the cart back into its place. My eyes met his for a split second, before I focused on the library dropbox.

"That's sounds nice. I met Isabella on Friday and was hoping she'd oblige, but…she already had plans."

I shut my eyes tight, knowing what would come next.

"Bella! You met Edward on Friday and didn't tell me?"

Alice already felt comfortable with calling him Edward.

"Plans? Bella never has plans. She never goes out. Never once has she taken me up on my offer to go to happy hour. She's…shy. You have to work extra hard with that one, if you want her to spend time outside of this place."

I stood up and dropped the books down on the cart. Maybe I slammed them.

"Alice!" I snapped. "You know I don't like the club scene."

"Club? I never dreamed I could get you into a club. I'm talking a nice little adult pub with a glass of wine. What's the harm in that?" Alice argued.

"She keeps thinking I'm going to spike her drink," Edward added.

"You were a stranger to me. You know, a lot more women would be alive today if they didn't accept things like drinks and a ride home from strange men. You all think I'm an idiot, because I'm vigilant with my safety. But I'll bet you'll never see me end up as some unfortunate headline."

Alice jumped down from her stool and grabbed me by the arm.

"Let me have a quick moment with my coworker regarding the need to move our science section away from our…we'll be right back."

I didn't know what disturbed me more. Alice's obvious attempt at speaking to me about Edward Cullen away from Edward Cullen. Or the fact that she didn't know what other sections were near the science section.

She nearly pinched my arm, as she pushed me into the fantasy fiction section.

"Ow!" I complained.

"What's the matter with you?" she asked. "Bella, it's so obvious that he likes you. Why won't you give him the opportunity to teach you how to live for once in your life?"

"Me?" I asked. "I thought you were flirting with him. If you want him, you can have him."

Alice turned towards the books and began picking them up randomly and rearranging them while speaking to me.

"No, I want to see where this Jazz thing goes. And if Jazz falls through, and you still won't allow Edward to make his move, then I'll think about hooking up with him. But you could be hooking up with him now. Why not dust off the old girl and let her take your life for a joyride? Is this because you're still a virgin?"

"I'm not still a virgin," I said, probably sounding a tad offended. "I did the whole sex-based relationship thing. It's not for me. I like having the bed all to myself. I like coming home to a clean house and not finding some man-shaped butt print in my couch. I like my life. I know it must seem boring to you, but I happen to enjoy the boring stuff."

I went behind Alice and began to put all the books she had rearranged back into place.

"One drink. Just give me one drink with the boss, and if it goes poorly, I'll never bug you again for as long as we both shall live."

I wasn't sure why I agreed to have one drink. I told myself it would be worth it if Alice never butted into my life again. I figured one drink would be civil. A glass of wine and a short conversation, and then I would be free to leave.

Edward was enthusiastic, when Alice told him we would take him for a drink. He'd managed to get what he had been after Friday evening. Me in a bar with a glass of mind-altering alcohol. He thought I would be like every other girl. Have a glass of wine. Let my inhibitions fade away, and then he could do what he came here to do. Edward's pressing matters? I was his pressing matters. He thought I would be easy. But he was wrong. So very wrong.

AN: Thank you for reading and reviewing. As of right now, I'm hoping to update once a week. I am going into a busy season at work so I hope I can keep that posting schedule. I hope you enjoyed it because I can't wait to take you on another ride!

The Lesser was nominated for Top Ten Fanfics of November by TWIFANFICRECS dot com. If you were able to read it, I would appreciate any support you can show and go vote now!

Thank you to Dollybigmomma for editing this! She has spent A LOT of time going through DEGREES OF DECEPTION to edit it and I will be posting it soon with all corrections plus she even wrote an additional chapter which I am excited to post as well. Please be on the look out for it.

STORY IS MINE. CHARACTERS BELONG TO STEPEHNIE MEYER.