DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.

This was a request by Tiskit. I hope this lives up to what you had in your head, and I'm sorry it took me so long to write. Hope everyone enjoys!

What I was provided:

Pairing: B/E
Standalone
Plot: B & E were pen pals or acquaintances at summer camp or something (whatever you think). Someone from both their pasts (re-)introduces them and they hit it off after years of no contact and after they've both changed and grown over the years. My favorite E's are the awkward, nerdy/geeky ones who've grown into confident, successful, self-assured men (but still retain their nerdy soul at heart), but do as you see fit. Thanks!

Tisket

written by Aspire2write

conceptualized by Tiskit

Tisket – a rare beauty, who is also extraordinarily intelligent, and has a great love of life! A beautiful person

The summer heat was oppressive. At least, it was for Seattle standards. Eddie wiped the sweat from his brow and pushed his glasses further up on his nose. There were kids screaming and laughing as they played around him, but he tuned them out to focus on his book. The Two Towers was even better than he imagined, and he was so close to the end. If he could just have a few uninterrupted hours, he'd be able to finish this and start the next one. Before he could get more than a page in, the book was ripped from his hand.

"Hey!" he exclaimed and looked up to see who was messing with him. Mike held his book with a smirk on his face, and Tyler was laughing. The two popular boys at camp. Realizing there was nothing he could do, Eddie just sighed. "Can I please have my book back?"

"Can I please have my book back?" Mike mocked in a whiny tone forcing his voice to crack too. Eddie tried not to blush, but he couldn't suppress the reaction. Why did they have to be so mean? It's not like he could control it. "Puberty finally trying to kick in, Cullen?" Some of the other kids were now watching their interaction. "What is this crap you're reading?" Eddie didn't want to have an argument with Mike and considered walking away. However, something amazing happened before he did.

"Why are you asking, Mikey?" a girl Eddie didn't recognize asked as she stood between Mike and Eddie with her arms crossed. Eddie imagined she had a scowl on her face. "Can't read it yourself, huh? When are you going to learn to read? Most people figured that out long before you." In a turn of the tables, the kids that had gathered around to watch the confrontation laughed at Mike this time.

"I do to know how to read!"

"Uh huh. Sure. Now give back the book before you hurt your brain trying to figure out all those big words." Eddie watched as his savior stepped forward and yanked the book from Mike's grasp. "Run along now, loser. Tutoring sessions are over in cabin four. If you run any later, the ten-year-olds are going to get ahead of you." Not knowing how to deal with someone that talked back, Mike finally huffed and walked away without a word. The rest of the kids disbursed when they realized the show was over.

When the girl turned to Eddie, his mouth went dry. She was so beautiful. Freckles doted her cute little nose, and he could see a hint of a sunburn on her cheeks. She smiled at him, and his knees went weak. He wanted to thank her, but it was like his voice wouldn't work. He was speechless at the sight of her.

"I…uhhhhh…ummm." She looked at him with an odd expression.

"You okay?" she asked the stuttering boy. He was kind of cute with that shy look on his face. His hair was sticking in every direction and the strangest penny color she'd ever seen. His green eyes were hidden behind thick-rimmed glasses, and she could tell he battled acne like she did last year.

"Thank you for that." She shrugged.

"They're jerks. Here." She handed the book over, and he tripped over his feet before taking it from her hand. "I'm Izzy by the way."

"Everyone calls me Eddie."

"Well, Eddie, I wanna go hiking or canoeing." Eddie stood there for a moment before he finally recognized the look on her face.

"Wait. You w-want me to go?" He pointed to himself and looked around, but no one else was in the vicinity.

"Well, yeah. Don't you wanna? Let's go canoeing. It's so hot, the water will feel good." Eddie rubbed the back of his neck suddenly embarrassed.

"I, uh, I don't really know how to…swim." The girl's eyes lit up. She stepped forward, took his hand in hers, and began to drag him toward the water.

"No prob. I'll teach you."

"Wait! Wait!" She stopped and turned to him with an impatient expression on his face. "I don't have my swim trunks on, and I need to put my book away." She was mollified by his answer.

"Get going then." He turned and walked toward his cabin not sure why or how he'd just agreed to this. "And hurry!" He shook his head in bewilderment. Why would a girl like her want anything to do with a guy like him? "Still waiting!" He picked up his pace not wanting to keep her longer. He didn't know why she wanted to spend her time with him, but he wasn't going to argue.

~Tisket~

The rest of the summer flew by for Eddie. Izzy quickly became the best friend he ever had. She was so outgoing, friendly, and didn't care what anyone thought about her. And for some reason, she'd chosen him out of everyone at camp to spend time with. She kept her promise and taught him how to swim. Then she taught him how to canoe, took him hiking, and made sure he went on as many adventures as she could drag him on. His shyness and reluctance meant nothing to her; she didn't even see it as an obstacle. She just knew he needed to loosen up, and she was on a mission to accomplish that.

The friendship went both ways though. For every adventure Izzy took Eddie on, Eddie got Izzy to do or talk about something that he enjoyed. It took a while, but he finally convinced her to read one of his books. She claimed she wasn't into sci-fi, but Eddie just knew she'd like it if she gave it a chance. It took her most of the remainder of camp to finish the book, but once she did, she couldn't stop talking about it. She loved it so much, she was still talking about it the last day of camp as she and Eddie waited for their parents to pick them up.

"Can you believe it? Did you read the part about the guy that did that thing?" she exclaimed as she paced in front of where he sat on his luggage. Eddie just smiled enjoying every second of her enthusiasm.

"It's my favorite book," he reminded her. "Of course, I read that part."

"Gahhh! It was just so…so…"

"Edward?" The sound of his full name caused both he and Izzy to turn. He was both excited and sad to see his mother and father standing beside the car in their clothes that belonged in an office rather than a summer camp.

"Hi Mom, Dad," he greeted.

"Mom and Dad?" Izzy exclaimed. "No way!" She smiled widely and walked over to hug Eddie's parents taking them by surprise. "It's so good to meet you."

"Oh?" his mom said and looked at him in confusion.

"Mom, Dad, this is my friend Izzy Swan. Izzy, these are my parents Esme and Carlisle Cullen."

"Your friend?" Eddie wasn't surprised at his mother's confusion. He wasn't one that made friends easily. It wasn't often his parents heard a new name.

"Eddie and I go way back," Izzy said with a giggle. "We're modern-day adventurers together. Eddie talks very highly of you, so I'm glad to finally meet ya." Esme's smile grew wide.

"It's a pleasure to meet you as well, dear," she said kindly. "Adventurers, huh? What did you two do this summer?"

"Oh, not much really. Swimming, hiking, tree-climbing, you know, just some basic stuff."

"Our Edward went swimming?" She looked at her son in shock. He was tired of her looking at him like that.

"Sure he can. I taught him. He's a natural." The group's conversation was interrupted by a honking horn and all turned to see a police car. "Well, that's my ride. I guess I'll see you guys next summer. Eddie, write me. I stuck my address in the front of your bag." Eddie hurried to get a piece of paper out of his book and handed it to her after tripping over his foot.

"That's mine. You can write back," he said with a shrug. Izzy smiled widely before throwing her arms around him. Before he could figure out how to respond, she let go, grabbed her bags and walked to the police car throwing her bag in the backseat. "Bye!"

The Cullen family waved at her as the car pulled away. Eddie was sad to see her go, and not wanting to dwell on it, he grabbed his stuff and carried it to the trunk. Carlisle and Esme didn't ask any questions until they were in the car pulling away from camp. Eddie watched the camp grow smaller out the window already missing Izzy. Esme just couldn't contain herself. She was so excited to see her rather reserved son finally open up to someone.

"Your…friend was quite interesting," she said, interrupting his thoughts.

"She's amazing," he admitted. "And beautiful." He rubbed his thumb over the Spokane address he'd cherish for the next year.

"You really like her, huh?" Carlisle asked with a hint of amusement. It was clear as day on his son's face.

"I love her." He smiled. "I'm going to marry that girl one day."

~Tisket~

The year after summer camp was full of letters between the new friends. A week didn't go by without a letter being received by at least one of them. Eddie lived for the days he'd check the mail and find another crinkled envelope with some kind of stain on it. Izzy's letters were full of tales of adventures and complaints about school. Izzy was smart, so the school part of it was fine. It was the social part she didn't like. No one seemed to care for Izzy's adventurous spirit, so she felt isolated. She tried not let it bother her, but sometimes…sometimes it got to her. Eddie was happy to hear them, liked living vicariously through her words. She was amazing at telling her story that drew him in and gave him such a rush.

Eddie, however, had a better school year than he'd had in the past. At the beginning of his sophomore year, he tried out for the swim team. He secured a spot and began training immediately. It was grueling, but he fell in love with it immediately. Once he was on the team, the other kids started treating him differently too, better. All of a sudden, his opinion mattered. They wanted him at their events – hanging at the movies on Friday night, after-school snacks at the local diner, and study groups on Wednesday night…with mostly girls in attendance.

A month before summer camp, Eddie was crushed when he read from Bella that she wouldn't be able to attend the camp again. Her father had taken a new job a few hours away, and they would be moving during the summer. With the moving expenses, her father wasn't going to have the money to send her to the camp. She promised to send her new address once they found a house. They would be living with a friend for the time being.

For two days, he moped around the house and school in his devastation. His parents tried to cheer him up, but he wasn't in the mood to be happy. When it was time to send in the camp registration form, he told his parents he wasn't going. They tried to convince him that it would be fun, that he could make more friends. Eddie wouldn't hear it though, and ignored them every time they brought it up.

"Eddie," he heard his mother call him from downstairs once day about a month into summer break. He was getting ready to head to the pool to swim some laps. After pulling on a t-shirt, he bound down the stairs and into the kitchen. Esme turned around to look at her son and just stood marveling for a second. He'd grown up so much in the last year. He'd developed muscle from his time in the pool, and he now stood over six feet tall. She had no idea a person could grow six inches so quickly.

"What?" Eddie asked his mom as she stood staring at him strangely. Mothers were so weird.

"You're just growing up so fast." He looked away when she sighed sappily. "I mean, you'll have your license in just a month!" Eddie was so excited about that. He could finally be free to come and go as he pleased.

"Moooom," he whined. She smiled in amusement before turning back to take the cookies out of the oven. "I want to go swim some laps. Can you take me to the pool?"

"I've got to finish these cookies; I only have one more batch. There's a bake sale at your father's hospital to raise money for the children's Christmas party this year. I can drop these off after getting you to the pool. How does that sound?"

"Cool."

Eddie snuck a cookie from the cooling rack and hurried out of the room when his mother started swatting at him with a spatula. He hung out in the living room until his mom called for him. She tasked him with carrying the container of cookies to the car as she gathered her things. It didn't take long to get to the pool, and he thanked her when she dropped him off. The two hours went by quickly, and before he realized it, she was back to take him home. He said goodbye to his friends and jogged out to the car.

"How does chicken picatta sound for dinner?" his mom asked as they were pulling onto their street. She knew her son would like it. It was his favorite dish.

"Awesome!" he told her honestly. She was hoping it would help soften the news. Later that evening as they sat down as a family for dinner, Esme hoped her husband would be able to handle this delicately.

"Eddie," Carlisle said gently, "your mother and I have some news." Sensing that this wouldn't be an easy conversation, Eddie put down his fork and looked at his parents warily.

"What's going on?" he asked. Carlisle took Esme's hand on top of the table. That worried Eddie. "Is someone sick?"

"No," his mother rushed to assure him. "This is good news. No one is sick or dying or anything like that."

"Okay?" Eddie pushed his plate away to focus on his parents. Something big was happening; he just knew it.

"You know the research study I've been conducting on ALS?" Eddie nodded. His father had been working on ALS research for years. "Well, it seems we're making some great progress. At least, the Mayo Clinic thinks so. They want me to lead a study with their research team."

"Oh!" Eddie said. "That's great, Dad." Carlisle was nodding.

"I think so." Carlisle took a deep breath before continuing. "They want me to lead it at their facility." Eddie looked at his father warily. Did that mean? "They're based in Rochester. Minnesota."

"What?" They couldn't mean what he thought they meant. "So, you're going to…go there for a while?" Carlisle shook his head, and Esme reached across the table to take her son's hand.

"We're going to move there." Eddie didn't know what he was supposed to feel, but all he felt was anger.

"Why?" He ripped his hand from his mother's grasp. "How could you do this? I only have two years of school left. I have friends; I'm on the swim team. I have a good shot at state this year."

"Eddie, you're a very intelligent young man," his mother said kindly as her heart broke for her little boy. "You'll do well in any school you go to, and they have a swim team that you can join. You could go to state there. And you'll make friends; I promise."

"I don't have Izzy's new address yet. We can't move. I'll lose touch with her."

"We'll forward our mail. As soon as she sends it, it'll come straight to the house in Minnesota." He shook his head as he felt his nostrils flare. This was so unfair. He stood from his seat.

"I know I don't have any choice, that you don't care about what I want. I'll go start packing." He turned and walked away as his parents called his name. He ignored them as he took the stairs two at a time. They were ruining his life.

~Tisket~

Edward rushed into the gym after parking his car. He'd been kept at the office longer than planned, and it put him behind schedule. The game was supposed to start at 7:00pm, and it was already 6:45pm. After swiping his card, he hurried inside and grabbed Jasper's attention before pointing at the locker room. Jasper nodded then turned back to the rest of the team that was warming up. By the time Edward joined everyone on the court, it was five minutes to tip off.

"Dude, I'm sorry," Edward apologized. The rest of the team waved off his apology.

"Don't worry about it," Jasper assured him and tossed the basketball at him. "You're here. That's all that matters."

When the buzzer sounded ending the game, Edward collapsed into a chair. It had been a tough game. The other team was more aggressive than necessary. This pickup league was supposed to be a way for him to have fun, make friends when he moved back to Seattle, and keep in shape. Some of the teams were just too competitive about it. His bruised rib was evidence they'd taken it too far. Even Jasper was grumbling about it when he dropped into the chair next to Edward.

"We'll just not play them again," Jasper said, and Edward nodded in agreement.

"Are you up for a drink after this, or is Alice expecting you?" Edward hoped he'd be free. He needed to unwind from his stressful day.

"I don't think we have any plans." Jasper could tell that his newest friend had had a rough day. "Let me call her to let her know I'll be home later." Jasper stood from his chair and stepped away to make the call. He smiled when the chipper voice greeted him on the other end of the line.

"Hey there, wife," he greeted her as he usually did.

"Hey, hubs," Alice said with a smile. "How was the game? Did you win?"

"No. The other team was a bit more aggressive than we were looking for in this league." She gasped, worried about her husband.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Yeah." He tried to reassure her knowing she was imagining worse than what had happened. "We're fine. My pride's a little wounded; that's all." She bit her lip before answering him.

"Well, why don't you come on home and I can…make it better." Jasper groaned at the husky tone of her voice.

"I want nothing more." He sighed. "Edward just asked if I had time for a drink. I think he's had a tough day."

"You know you don't have to ask permission to-"

"I still want to check in with you. I wanted to make sure you didn't have something planned." Alice's smile bloomed and her heart was full at his admission. He showed her every day how much he genuinely cared for her and considered her in his every thought.

"I don't have anything planned except dinner, and it'll keep. Go out, and have fun. I'll see you later. I love you."

"I love you too."

~Tisket~

"Bella, please," Alice pleaded over the phone. "You're my best friend. I want my best friend to be at my first official dinner party at my home."

Alice and Jasper had purchased their first house together just last month. Growing up in a family that struggled to make ends meet and even lived out of their car for a time, this was a huge milestone for her. This was more than just a place with four walls and a roof. It was more than just the excitement of a person's first home. This was security and stability, two things she didn't have for a very long time. Even though Jasper could have purchased the home outright, Alice insisted she save enough money that she could contribute toward the purchase. This way, she felt she actually had a stake in it. She was stubborn that way.

Jasper's family was wealthy, 'old money' as many would say. That meant it took a lot of persistence and persuasion to convince Alice to even go on a date with him. Once he did though, it was over. Alice fell head over heels in love with him, and they'd been inseparable ever since. Alice's fear and insecurity reared its head a few times causing some strife, but Jasper never let it put a wedge in their relationship. Before they were married, he'd refused to sign a pre-nup even though both his parents and Alice insisted. She didn't want anyone to think she was after his money, as she'd been accused in the past. Jasper said it didn't matter; they'd be together forever so it was a moot point in his mind. After many arguments, some of which resulted in Alice sleeping at Bella's for the night, Alice eventually relented.

The two were married a month later in a rather small ceremony, much to the Whitlock's chagrin, with 34 of their closest family and friends in attendance. Bella stood as Alice's maid of honor and Peter, Jasper's brother, stood as his best man. They exchanged vows, had a very quaint reception, then left for a two-week honeymoon that Jasper had managed to plan without Alice's knowledge. When she returned from Fiji, she was tan, happy, and desperate to find Bella a love like hers. Bella had been dodging her attempts to fix her up ever since. Two years later and she was still fighting Alice. This dinner party, though admittedly truly was a big deal to Alice, had ulterior motives.

"Who is he?" Bella asked pointedly.

"I assure you I have no idea what you're talking about," Alice answered haughtily. Bella heard Jasper laugh in the background.

"His name is Edward," Jasper yelled. She must have been on speaker phone.

"Hey!" Alice exclaimed.

"And that's why you're my best friend," Bella said loudly as she shifted on the couch placing her laptop beside her and curling her legs underneath herself.

"Excuse you! I'm your best friend." Bella giggled at the indignation in Alice's voice. She loved to rile up her friend. "You don't get to just give that title away. I will fight for that, and trust me, my husband will lose."

"No need to fight me, wife." He had moved to stand beside her as she was speaking to Bella. "You know I'd give you the world if you'd let me." He leaned down to seal his promise with a kiss.

"I love you." There was a dreamy quality to Alice's voice, and if Bella were to say anything, she knew without a doubt she would sound the same. If she were being honest, she wanted what they had so badly.

"I love you, too." Jasper cleared his throat when he remembered Bella was on the other end of the phone. "Come, Bella. I invited him to dinner the other night when we went out for drinks, so yes, he'll be here, but so will Riley and Bree, Seth and Jenna, Jamie, Colleen, and a few other people you already know. You won't be the only single person there. Come on. We want you here."

"Bella, it's my housewarming. A house. One we own. I'm not going to get kicked out of this one. I even have things on the wall!" They both laughed, but they knew what a monumental step that was for Alice. "Please." Bella knew she couldn't deny Alice after that and sighed in defeat.

"I'll be there, Alice." She squealed and clapped at Bella's concession. "However," Bella waited until she'd calmed and knew Alice was listening. "There will be no scheming on your end to get us into the same room, putting us close together in a crowd, or purposely seating us beside each other at the table. Basically, no conniving. Got it?" Alice crossed her fingers before she spoke.

"I hear you." Jasper rolled his eyes and walked away. He didn't need to be a witness to this. He needed plausible deniability. "Oh, Bella. I'm so excited!" Bella laughed along with her friend.

"I'm so happy for you, Ali."

The next day, Bella went to Alice's for their weekly breakfast date. She let herself inside the house yelling out in greeting. She heard Alice call from upstairs and followed the sound of her voice. Bella was amused to find her friend in the room she planned to make the office with three boxes open but only partially unpacked. She wore a panicked expression as she stared at her friend quietly. Bella observed her for a few moments trying not to laugh.

"Alice?" Bella said slowly. "You do realize you are having a dinner party in two days. Right?"

"How is there still so much stuff to unpack?" Alice said with a trill of hysteria in her voice. Unable to contain herself, Bella laughed. She clamped a hand over her mouth as she usually did, and she ended up snorting. That forced Alice out of her mood, and she cracked a smile along with her friend. "Okay; maybe I'm being dramatic. These are literally the last three boxes." Bella stepped forward and reached down to help her friend off the floor.

"Just stick them under the desk. No one will look there." She waved her hand at the room. "This can wait until later. It's pancake time!"

Alice cheered along with her, wrapped her arm through Bella's, and led the way down the stairs to the kitchen where all the ingredients were laid out on the counter. The duo got down to business working together seamlessly. They'd been doing this for over a year now, so they had a routine they could do in their sleep. Before long, a large stack of pancakes sat between them on the counter where they sat at the kitchen island.

"This is sooooo good," Bella moaned as she closed her eyes to savor the taste. Alice giggled at her friend. It didn't matter how many times they ate pancakes, she had the same reaction. You'd think she hadn't had them in ages rather than just a week.

"You make it look like their orgasmic," Alice said with a grin causing Bella to choke on her food. Alice howled in laughter as she pushed a glass of water towards her friend who took a few gulps to clear her throat.

"Geez, Ali." She reached forward and slapped Alice's arm lightly. "No need to be vulgar."

"You need to get laid." Bella gaped at her. "Seriously, B. Let me find you a guy." Bella huffed and rolled her eyes.

"Not this again."

"Bella, you deserve to have someone to love you. You've just got to open up. Anyone would be lucky to have you." Bella stood and took her plate to the sink. There was a lump in her throat that she couldn't swallow around.

"Sure." She'd learned not to argue with Alice. Alice could debate until she was blue in the face then keep going.

"Damnit, Bella. Why don't you ever believe me?" Bella turned to look at her friend exasperatedly. Was she serious?

"Because, Alice." Bella waved toward her face and neck then walked forward on her ever-present limp. "No guy is going to want this. They want someone prettier, not defective." Alice felt her heart break and her anger grow all at the same time.

"A few scars and a slight limp aren't going to scare away the right guy." Bella wanted to believe her, but it'd been eight years since the incident. Her boyfriend at the time left her when her recovery got tough, and no guy had given her the time of day since. One look at her face and they turned the other way. The last time she put herself out there and approached a man; she shook her head at the thoughts.

"I don't want to talk about this."

~Tisket~

Bella took a deep breath to calm her nerves before knocking on the door. Less than five seconds later, Alice was ripping the door open with a beaming smile. Her enthusiasm was contagious, and Bella covered her mouth to smile. Alice squealed before throwing her arms around her best friend's shoulders, which was no small feat since she stood a good four inches lower.

"You're one of the last ones to arrive," Alice said as she pulled away. "I was so worried that you were going to flake on me." Bella felt guilty instantly.

"Honest?" she asked sheepishly. "I almost did." Alice sighed but perked up quickly.

"But you're here!" Bella nodded in agreement. "Come on inside. When the last two arrive, we'll sit down to dinner." Once Bella had placed her jacket in the coat closet, she made her way inside to greet her friends. Jasper pulled her into a hug then pressed a glass into her hand.

"Drink this so you can loosen up," he said with a wide grin. "I can see the nerves rolling off of you. There's no need for that. It's just a bunch of friends getting together." She eyed the drink. "Don't question. Just drink. Doctor's orders." Jasper was Bella's physical therapist after the incident, but they'd become friends. Then when he introduced her to Alice, there was no turning back. He still liked to tease her though that he was her doctor.

"Is it that obvious?" Bella asked. Jasper nodded with a grimace. She took a large gulp of the drink and was pleasantly surprised to find some fruity concoction that was easy to down. "Okay. I can do this."

"You're going to do fine. I know meeting new people isn't exactly easy for you, but I promise this guy is a good guy." Bella rolled her eyes. "Hey, I'm not trying to set you up. Edward is a friend. I'm ready for him to meet my other friends. Plus, he's fairly new to Seattle and doesn't know many people yet. I thought this would be good for him." Bella knew Jasper was a great guy, and he meant only to help his new friend.

"Can't wait to meet him then." Jasper laughed.

"That's a lie, but I appreciate your attempt at enthusiasm." Their conversation was cut off when Seth called out for Jasper. He excused himself leaving Bella to herself. She took another large pull from her drink then made her way into the living room. Bree greeted Bella with a smile and patted the seat next to her.

"I'd stand, but I'm a house," Bree said with a giggle. Bella sat beside her and patted Bree's protruding stomach. "Two more weeks, and she's coming out. I cannot wait."

"I can't wait to meet her," Bella said with a warm smile, but there was pinch in her chest too. She wanted this. She thought she'd have it by now, but life had other plans. Now she wasn't sure she'd have it at all.

Colleen came into the room and joined the duo on the couch. Bella listened attentively as Colleen talked about a new case she had taken the previous week. Her work as an intellectual property lawyer had always fascinated Bella. As an editor for a major publishing company, Bella understood the importance of protecting one's intellectual property. She loved listening to the legalities of it all.

Bella heard the doorbell right while they were talking but ignored it knowing Alice would answer. A few minutes later, Bella heard Jasper introducing his new friend to the guys. It wasn't long before she heard him making his way into the living room. She pushed herself up from the couch as nerves settled in the pit of her stomach. Meeting new people, having them look at her strangely was always anxiety-inducing. Bree and Colleen stood, and being a few inches taller than her, they blocked her view. Jasper introduced the new person, Edward, to them, then both women took a seat.

"And this is my friend I was telling you about, Bella," Jasper said. Bella was stunned at the beautiful man standing in front of her. His sharp jawline, steep nose, and bright green eyes contrasted with his perfectly-imperfect hair that was a brilliant shade of copper. "Bella, this is my friend, Edward." Jasper's voice brought her out of her stupor and she reached forward to shake his hand.

"Pleasure to meet you," Bella said kindly. He took her hand in his lightly, but didn't say a word. Bella grew self-conscious when she realized he was just staring at her. She knew this would happen. It always did. She turned her head slightly to the side to try to hide her scar. Edward wasn't looking at her scar though. All he could see were those soulful brown eyes staring back at him. Brown eyes that he knew all too well.

"Izzy?" Edward asked in astonishment. She looked back at him sharply. No one had called her that in at least ten years. Plus, she'd only let certain people call her that.

"H-how?" she began to ask, then look more closely at him. She didn't think she knew him. If she'd met a man that handsome, met him, she'd remember surely. She searched the recesses of her mind.

"It is you." A bright smile bloomed on his face. He laughed in astonishment. "I thought I'd never see you again. You moved, then we moved, and I never got your new address." Realization slapped her in the face.

"Eddie?" Edward nodded as the tips of his ears grew warm. No one had called him that since he left Seattle for Minnesota all those years ago. "I – I – I – how – you-"

"I know. How crazy is this?" His emotions overwhelmed him, and he reached forward to pull her into a hug. Still confused to see him in front of her after so long, it took a few seconds to react. Eventually, though, she wrapped her arms around him as well.

"I take it you two know each other?" Jasper's voice broke them from their bubble. Edward and Bella both pulled away quickly, startled by the voice. They'd forgotten others were in the room. Alice had come in at some point and was beaming at the scene in front of her.

"Izzy," Edward began but shook his head, "I mean Bella, and I went to summer camp together when we were teenagers."

"Really?" Alice asked with intrigue.

"Yeah. That was a great summer. She forced me to go hiking, canoeing, rock climbing, taught me to swim. It was full of adventures. This one has such a love of life."

"Adventures?" Edward was confused by the shock on some of the people's faces.

"Of course. Every day. She didn't allow a single day of rest." Bella swatted his arm.

"That's so not true." She smiled at the memories. "There were lazy days. I even read one of your books, and that took me daaaaays." Edward turned to look at her accusingly.

"We had like three lazy days out of two months. That isn't exactly even." She placed her hands on her hips.

"I don't remember you complaining, Mister." Both of them startled once more when Jasper cleared his throat.

"How about we leave you two to catch up?" He smiled wickedly. "Then you two can dish on what teenage Izzy and Eddie were like." Edward nodded, took Bella's hand, and led her to have a seat on the couch. He sat next to her and turned to her with a smile.

"God, it's so good to see you." He couldn't control the elation he felt seeing her sitting there in front of him once again. She hadn't changed much. He'd recognized her immediately, her features the same just matured. Her eyes weren't exactly the same though, maybe a bit dimmer than he remembered. Life would do that to you though. "I thought I'd never see you again. What happened? Last I knew, your father had taken another job so you two were moving."

"We did. We moved from Spokane to a small-town north of Seattle called Forks. We lived with one of dad's old buddies for a few months. Once he finally bought a place, I wrote you immediately. The letter got returned though." Edward sighed.

"We moved too. My father took a job in a research lab at the Mayo Clinic. I was so angry at my parents, because I didn't have your new address. They told me the mail would be forwarded, but it never came."

.

"I checked for you at all the Seattle schools I could find." Edward's heart warmed at the thought. She'd looked for him. "I couldn't find you on any websites. I even called pretending to be your mother hoping they'd put you on the phone." He laughed. That sounded exactly like something she would do.

"I looked for you on social media when it came around." Bella liked hearing that. It was confirmation he hadn't just forgotten about her.

"I was a late adopter. Social media wasn't really my thing. I only got it once I began my professional career. By then, I'd stopped going by Izzy. I'm listed as Bella on Facebook, though I have to say I'm not on there very often." He nodded, pulled his phone from his pocket, and clicked away. He turned the screen to face her.

"Is this you?" Her profile picture was a side shot that didn't expose her scar, so it was hard to tell it was actually Bella. She nodded. He clicked once more triumphantly. "There. Now I won't lose you in the future." He had no idea how much that statement pleased Bella.

"What has you back in Seattle?"

"Work was the catalyst. After school, I started at a financial firm."

"Numbers. Of course." He smirked at her assessment.

"I became a hedge fund manager four years ago. The firm I work for wanted to start a new branch here in Seattle. My parents had moved back years ago. Seattle is home, so I jumped at the chance to come here and open the new office."

"Hedge fund management," Colleen butted in. Bella turned to look at Colleen, and she could tell the woman was trying her best to catch Edward's attention. She sat on the edge of her chair with her back straight and chest sticking out. "That sounds fascinating."

"It is for me," Edward said politely before turning back to Bella confused to see her smile had faded, and she'd barely meet his eye. "I never thought-"

"You must work with some very influential people. I work for the city. Who are some of your clients?" Edward was perturbed with Colleen's interruption. Couldn't she see that he was trying to speak with Izzy – Bella?

"I offer my clients the utmost confidentiality." He hoped she dropped the subject. "Iz, I'm sorry. Bella. What do you do? I've been wondering for so long. What sort of thrilling job did you get?" Colleen's grating laugh trilled through the room.

"Bella? Thrilling? Surely you jest." Colleen looked at Bella in amusement. Bella always knew there was something about Colleen that set her on edge. She didn't realize how cruel she could be though.

"Colleen!" Bree said both surprised and disgusted that her friend would say such a thing about Bella, one of the sweetest people she'd ever met.

"Hey, everyone," Alice said cheerfully from the kitchen. "Dinner is ready. Come on in." Bella stood and gave Edward a small, sad smile before turning to walk away. He stood to follow her, but stopped to help Bree when he saw her struggling to stand. She smiled and thanked him.

"Come now," Colleen said as she threaded her arm through Edward's. "We'll sit together. I suspect we have much in common that we can talk about." As politely as possible, he extricated himself from her hold as they stepped into the dining room.

"Edward," Alice said with a smirk. "I put you next to Jasper. I hope that's okay." Gratitude filled him as she motioned to the chair between Jasper and Bella.

"That's wonderful, Alice. Thank you." He stepped away quickly and took a seat before Colleen could sink her claws into him.

~Tisket~

Edward's frustration mounted throughout dinner. Bella seemed to have drawn into herself and wasn't participating in the conversations around the table. No one seemed to attempt to draw her in either. It did not seem intentional, except for Colleen maybe, but almost as if this were a natural occurrence. It was so contradictory to the Izzy he knew. Teenager Izzy was lively. She would have dominated the conversation, and people would have been drawn to her. This Bella was different. He wondered what had happened to change her. He wondered if it had anything to do with the scar that ran from her temple to her chin.

When everyone began leaving for the evening, he offered to help clean up as Bella was doing. Maybe if everyone left, he could have her undivided attention. Colleen tried to stick close and talk, but he told her he'd walk her to the door. When they got there, he gently guided her out and shut the door before she could try to invite him anywhere, and he was finally able to relax. Jasper laughed at him as he sighed in relief, and Edward maturely shot him the finger.

"Hey," Edward said to Bella as she washed the last dish in the sink. "Can we talk?" She looked at him cautiously.

"About what?" Bella asked. She wondered why he would be interested in getting to know her when Colleen was obviously into him. She was a beautiful woman, successful in her career at the city attorney's office. If Bella were being honest, Colleen and Edward would probably make a great couple on paper.

"Tell me what I've missed." Edward took her hand and pulled her into the living room. Once they were seated, he turned to face her pulling a leg onto the cushion and throwing an arm on the back of the couch.

"Like what?"

"Everything. I want to know everything." She could see the sincerity on his face. He really wanted to know.

"My life isn't as fascinating as you seem to imagine it. Graduated high school and went to Columbia for undergraduate then eventually Brown for graduate. I started editing for online publication, moved to print media, and eventually started as editor at my current publishing company. I'm senior editor for the fantasy branch now."

"Izzy!" Edward's enthusiasm was immediately. "I did that! I got you into literature." Bella couldn't contain the laugh that bubbled out of her. "You didn't want to read at all until I made you at summer camp." She covered her mouth as she laughed at the proud look on his face. She hated the way her smile didn't raise on one side.

"I admit, you got me started." Edward propped his arm against the back of the couch and leaned his head to look at her as she settled down. "I never thought I'd be doing this, but I have a passion for it."

"I didn't expect this. I thought you'd be doing…I don't know, maybe a mountain guide, an explorer, working for National Geographic, running a camp of your own. You're such an adventurer. I thought for sure you'd be doing adventures outside, not on pages of a book." He sat up and dropped his hands to his lap when the mirth drained from Bella's eyes and she visibly pulled back. He reached forward and took her hand in his. "What is it?"

"Nothing."

"Hey. Don't do that." He reached forward and tipped her face up so she was looking at him. "It's me. You can tell me anything. You can trust me; you know that." Once she smiled at him, he dropped his hands.

"You weren't far off," she reluctantly said. "I wanted to be a mountain guide. When we moved to Forks, I took every chance I could get to go hiking in Olympic National Park. Then I went to Mt. Rainier, Glacier Peak, North Cascades – you name it, I went. Those places," she paused as she took a deep breath, "they call to me." Edward loved seeing the bliss on her face when she talked about it. "Called to me." She let out a long breath. "After years of hiking and camping in those areas, I wanted to be able to take people myself.

"I was in training. Actually, I was getting ready for the certification. A group of us decided to go for a weekend trip climbing and camping in the Olympic, no customers, no teachers. We just wanted a reminder of why we started in the first place, the love of the sport. It…it didn't end well. After that, I decided safety wasn't so bad. I finished my degree, decided to pursue a Masters, and fell into the publishing world. I haven't looked back since."

"You haven't hiked since. Have you?" Edward had a feeling he already knew the answer, but he hoped against hope that wasn't the case. Bella shook her head. "What happened?" Bella was honestly a bit surprised at how straightforward he was in his question. Most people avoided asking, but this was Edward. He hadn't beat around the bush when they were in summer camp or during any of his letters. Why would she expect anything different now? Edward saw the discomfort on her face and back peddled. "If you're not comfortable talking about it, we don't have to."

"I can," she cleared her throat. "I can talk about it." Bella scooted back to sit against the arm of the couch. Edward watched her shrink into a smaller space. "There were five of us. We left out on a Wednesday and planned to be back on Saturday. Joe had to fly out the next day for a wedding or we probably would have planned for longer.

"Climbing is dangerous in Olympic. The snow is unstable, rocks are fractured, the weather changes rapidly, and you can experience hurricane-force winds. But man is it a rush!" Edward's heart was in his throat thinking about what went wrong, but he could see elation on her face as she described it. "Friday we climbed Mt. Olympus. I'd done it fifteen times before. No big deal." Bella shook her head at the thought. "Everything was fine until Shawn lost his footing. He was in front of me, and when he fell, he slid. In his panic, he grappled for a hold on something, anything. The only thing within reach was me." Edward's stomach rolled at the thought. He'd been on only a few summit trips himself. His guides had been diligent on explaining safety. He knew what was coming next.

"He took you down." Bella nodded, and Edward's anger at this man he didn't even know boiled. If this Shawn had been such an experienced climber, he should have known better.

"I couldn't self-arrest. We were above the timberline, and it was so steep. I don't remember everything, because my helmet came off at one point, and I hit my head knocking me unconscious. When I came to, the pain was overwhelming. Everything hurt. Kit and Rahul were there trying to keep me calm. Really, they were trying to keep me alive. They'd covered me with every blanket, every jacket, anything they could find while Joe and Shawn had gone to get help."

"Did it take long?" Edward knew time meant everything in a rescue situation. That had been one of the firsts things they taught at summer camp.

"31 hours." Edward reached for Bella's hand and held it tightly in his. She smiled sadly at him. "I'm okay now."

"Is that how you got that?" He gestured to her face, and Bella nodded while averting her eyes.

"I smashed me face pretty good as I tumbled. That's where the scar comes from. I broke my right pinky, a leg, an arm, my back. I've got a steel rod in my leg, because the bone broke through the skin, and they weren't able to repair it completely. It's why I'll always have a limp." Bella looked over at Edward afraid of what she would see.

"You're so brave and so strong." Caught off guard, she looked at him as if he were crazy.

"I never climbed again, and I barely go into national parks anymore. I'm a coward and weak."

"No," Edward said sharply with a shake of his head. "You survived when you could have given up. You keep living when you could choose to hide away from the world. That makes you brave." She shrugged not willing to believe him. "How long ago was this?"

"Well, I was 24 soooooo, eight years ago. That's how I met Jasper and Alice. He was my PT. When he introduced me to Alice, there was no turning back. You'll see. She's pretty hard to shake." Edward could hear the amusement in her voice when she spoke of Alice. Even that couldn't stop his heart from hurting for his friend.

"Wow. I'm so sorry that happened, Iz." She smiled as the nickname slipped through then shrugged.

"It is what it is."

"But you-"

"What are y'all talking about?" Jasper asked as he and Alice stepped into the room. Bella startled at the question. She'd completely forgotten they were at Alice and Jasper's house. She was so engrossed in her conversation with Edward, she forgot about her surroundings, about her friends.

"You know. Catching up since we last saw each other at camp," Edward said immediately. Bella was thankful, but she didn't know how much more of the topic she could discuss.

"Speaking of which," Alice said with a clap and squeal as she pushed Jasper onto the loveseat before sitting beside him and scooting as close as she could get. Jasper wrapped his arm around her shoulders with amusement on his face. "Tell me all about teenage Bella." Bella groaned as Edward laughed. The movement brought her attention to their joined hands, and she slowly slipped from his grip. Edward glanced at her but didn't give any indication as to how he felt about the action.

"Izzy," Edward said. "There was no Bella back then. At least not for me." Alice covered her mouth and giggled before motioning Edward to continue. "Well, let's start with how we met." Bella rolled her eyes but sat back and let the others dominate the conversation. She'd interject every once in a while, but mostly she enjoyed watching her current best friends get to know her childhood best friend.

~Tisket~

Over the next month, Edward and Bella spent time reconnecting and getting to know each other. They had a great foundation of a friendship, but they were different people now. The passage of years would do that to a person. Edward was surprised to find that Bella was a much more cautious person than Izzy ever was. Izzy had been high-energy, go-go-go, all of the time. She had grand plans to travel the world, hike and climb every peak she could find. Bella enjoyed simple, safe things. She liked watching movies, reading books, playing board games, and going to museums. Edward was happy to do those things with her too. He didn't care how he got to spend time with her. He only cared that he got to spend time with her.

Bella was surprised to see how much of an adventurer Edward had grown to become. He may still be her little nerd, what with enjoying his numbers the way he did, but he'd changed too. Edward told her about going rock climbing, surfing in Hawaii, and scuba diving in Grand Cayman. She was excited to hear how he joined the swim team after their summer together and went on to win the state championship once. Deep down, she attributed that to herself. She taught him after all. When she teased him about it, he told her she was right with not a trace of teasing on his face.

One of the biggest changes Bella discovered about Edward was how open and honest he'd become. Eddie had been a stuttering, insecure young boy. Edward was not. He was an honest man who wasn't afraid to tell her how he felt. When they were together, Edward smiled at her, laughed with her, flirted with her. She didn't quite know how to respond. She always liked him and always held out hope that she'd find him and maybe, just maybe, something could develop between them. Now that he was sitting in front of her, she didn't quite know how to respond. Did he really think those things he said, that she was beautiful, that he loved spending time with her, that he thought about her often and couldn't wait to see her when they parted at night? How could he? Edward was very good looking, kind, a catch. Bella thought she could be someone's cup of tea, but she just didn't fit into how he described his life now. She wasn't fun and couldn't impress a crowd on his arm. He needed someone better. The sound of her phone ringing brought her out of her thoughts, and she reached for it already knowing who was on the other end of the line.

"Hey," she greeted enthusiastically. "This latest chapter is killing me, so I'm glad you called."

"What are you doing working on a Friday night?" Edward asked, though he knew the answer. Bella seemed to always be working.

"I was hoping to get two more chapters done. I thought I could power through and be done tonight."

"All work and no play make Bella a dull girl." She smiled at his antics. "Except dull is the last word I would use to describe you. But back to the reason I called." She placed her laptop on the coffee table and curled her legs underneath herself on the couch. "What are your plans for tomorrow?"

"Alice and I have breakfast, but other than that, I don't have any plans." Edward already knew about breakfast. Jasper had explained it was their weekly tradition. Which is why he had already called and spoken to Alice about his plans.

"Well, I have plans for us tomorrow. I'll pick you up at 6:45am." Bella was intrigued, but she couldn't ditch her friend.

"Alice-"

"Already knows I'm stealing you for the day. Be ready. Wear something you're comfortable getting sweaty in." Her nerves kicked in a bit, but she couldn't deny she was slightly excited as well.

"How long will we be gone?"

"I'm not sure, but plan for all day just to be safe." He cleared his throat. "I'm going to let you go so I can get a good night's sleep. You should do the same."

"One more chapter." He groaned.

"You say that. Then it's two. Then it's three. I know you, Bella Swan." She giggled, because he truly did.

"Fine. I'll call it a night. And I'm hanging up. If I'm getting up at sunrise, I need to get some shuteye soon."

"Goodnight, beautiful girl." She was too stunned to respond before the call disconnected.

Bella groaned when her alarm sounded at 5:50 the next morning. She hadn't had to get up this early in a while. Back in her mountaineer days, this wouldn't have phased her, but those were long behind her. She snoozed the alarm once before getting up and following that heavenly scent to the kitchen. She was so thankful to have a coffee pot with a timer on it. She stood at the counter while she drank the first half of a cup until she felt she could function with some brain cells now awake. She topped off the cup before heading back into her bedroom and pulling an old pair of shorts, a sports bra, and one of her racerback tops from the closet. Twenty minutes later, she was freshly showered, dressed and pulling her hair into a high ponytail when the doorbell rang.

"H-hey," she stuttered when she opened the door. Edward stood on the other side looking very nice in his own pair of shorts and t-shirt. The shirt was just snug enough to show off the definition of his muscles, and Bella took a few seconds to admire them.

"Hey, you," Edward said enthusiastically. "Are you ready? We're burning daylight." She shook her head and met his eyes to see them filled with mirth. His enthusiasm made her smile.

"Where are we going?"

"You are going to my car. I am going to drive us somewhere. You game?" Bella could only nod.

The car ride wasn't long. Edward kept the conversation going, and Bella enjoyed their discussion. He was telling her about his time at Northwestern and the characters he became friends with. Once lived here in Seattle, and Edward was excited to meet up with him later in the week. Bella hoped she'd get to meet Duke, because she had no doubt he would have fun stories about Edward. An hour after they left the city, Edward turned into a small, dirt parking lot. Bella looked around, and her anxiety kicked up slightly when she saw the sign for the Mt. Si Trailhead. Oblivious to her sudden anxiety, Edward reached into the backseat and pulled out a pair of hiking boots. The sight shocked Bella. They were her hiking boots.

"How?" she asked.

"I have well-connected friends," Edward said with a smirk.

"Alice." Bella smiled at the realization. She was going to kick her friend's butt when she saw her. Or kiss her. She wasn't sure yet which one.

"I said no such thing." Bella laughed at him as he pretended to zip his lips shut, but sobered quickly.

"Edward, I don't know. I-"

"This is a leisurely trail. Round trip is 8 hours, but no one said we have to do the whole thing. This is a great way to step back into hiking. I know you miss it. I can see it on your face when you talk about it. Let's go have fun. This isn't meant to be some test or for you to push yourself. Do it because you enjoy it." Bella took a deep breath before she nodded once. Edward's smile spread wide at her acquiescence. "Awesome! Put these on, and let's hit the trail." Bella took the boots and toed off her shoes.

The first hour of the hike was nerve-wracking for Bella. She worried how she looked to every person that passed them as she limped along. It didn't hurt; the limp would always be there though. Edward watched and his heart sank every time doubt crept into her eyes. She was so self-conscious, and he'd do whatever he could to wipe it from her face. An hour in, when she tripped over a branch and caught herself on a tree trunk before falling, he took her to the side to check on her. She insisted she was fine and shook off his concern.

"Remember this is for us, for you," Edward told her. "The point of today is the have fun. You don't need anyone else to do that." He reached for her face and rubbed her thumb over her cheek. "You don't need anyone else's opinion to do this." Edward was right. Bella knew he was right. She needed to tune out everyone else. It didn't matter if they thought she was good, a beginner, or whatever. She used to love this…she still loved this.

"Okay," she agreed prompting Edward to take her hand, turn back to the trail, and pull her along. Bella liked the feel of her hand encased in his. After that, she took time to look around, enjoy the scenery, and joke back with Edward as he kept up the conversation full of jokes and quips, even if they weren't all that funny.

Halfway up the trail, they stopped to drink some water, and Edward offered to turn around if she felt like it. Bella told him she wanted to do the whole thing, so they continued on. When they reached the turnaround point, Bella marveled at the view. It was rare clear day, and Mt. Rainier was clearly visible. She stood enjoying the view while Edward took off his backpack off and pulled out the sandwiches he'd packed for lunch. He also pulled out a few bottles of lemonade knowing they could use the sugar kick before heading back the car. He hated to interrupt Bella when she was obviously enjoying herself, but he called to her knowing their time was running out. It's taken about six hours to get here. If it took that long on the way back, they'd be nearing sunset. He didn't want to push it too close. Bella's heart fluttered when she saw all that Edward had done for her today. The hiking, the lunch; it was all so thoughtful. She had to admit he truly cared about her. In her heart of hearts, she hoped he cared about her more than just a friend.

The trip back to the car didn't take as long. Bella's speed increased once she stopped worrying about the others around her. It made Edward proud to watch her savor the moment with happiness on her face. This was the Izzy he knew. He'd told Alice she was still in there, and he'd been right. He used his phone to snap a photo of her when she was looking at him with a smile. That would end up as the wallpaper on his home screen. He loved her in a ponytail, her long, slender neck exposed. A few strands had come loose from their hold and were sticking to her sweaty face. She was gorgeous.

"Edward, I can't go in there!" Bella exclaimed as he into a parking lot on the side of a nice restaurant. "Look at me."

"Trust me," he said as he turned to face her with a smile. "I am." There was a glint in his eye that stole Bella's breath. "But I was actually talking about that." He threw his thumb behind him, and Bella followed the path to see an old-timey diner.

"Oh." Edward laughed.

"When you're finally ready to let me take you on a proper date, I'll give you sufficient notice so you can get all dolled up." Bella couldn't deny the truth in his voice. If she were honest, it had always been there. She just wasn't ready to hear. Not until now.

"Promise?" Edward pulled her across the console and kissed her cheek dangerously close to her lips.

"Promise."