I had to get this story started, since my husband and I are taking our daughter on her first mini-vacation on Friday. We're going to be visiting my in-laws all week, so I won't have the chance to update this story or any of my other ones. So if you like the story, please leave a review and put it on alert so you'll get the chapter when I update sometime after I get home!

The story has been in my head for a few weeks…I've read stories with fireman Edward, so I'm trying to make this one different. It's going to have plenty of sweet, fluffy moments, but later on there will be some angst.

Enjoy!

…

EPOV

I still remember the first time I laid eyes on Isabella Swan. It had been a long year ago, when I had first started at the fire station.

…

"Well, Edward, we're glad to have you." Chief Swan said, but before I could say anything in return, the door to his office opened. A slender girl with long brown hair and pale skin walked into the room, her eyes on the ground. When she glanced up at me, my heart nearly stopped beating. She had the most beautiful brown eyes I had ever seen.

"Sorry." She said at once, glancing towards her father and setting a set of keys down on his desk. "I'm done with the car."

"It's okay, hon. Edward, this is my daughter Isabella. Isabella, this is Edward. He'll be starting next week." Charlie introduced us, and a little pink blush appeared on her pale cheeks. She smiled at me, nodding her head slightly before hurrying out of the room and closing the door behind her. "She just got back from a college interview…she wants to go to Juilliard." Charlie explained, and I raised my eyebrows slightly at the mention of the famous arts school. "She's a ballet dancer, and her teacher says she has amazing potential." Charlie added proudly, a big smile on his face.

I knew right then and there that Isabella Swan was special.

…

But in the past year, I've hardly seen her. Chief Swan didn't like her hanging around the fire station, and I never saw her around town. She had dropped by before, but only briefly and we've never spoken. I'm hung up on a girl that I've never even spoken to. I shook my head slightly, running my hands through my short hair. I thought about her all the time, even though there was very little I knew about her.

She was born in September, and three months out of the year she goes to New York City to spend the whole summer with her mother, who divorced Chief Swan when Isabella was little. She's beautiful, and she's got the sweetest voice I've ever heard. And she's a ballet dancer, and supposedly a damn good one at that. That's all the information I've been able to piece together about her, especially since I'm sure Chief Swan wouldn't appreciate a twenty year old asking around about his seventeen year old daughter.

Suddenly, I looked up and saw Isabella standing right in front of me, wearing shorts and a tee shirt and looking absolutely stunning. "Hi." She said, smiling slightly at me. "Is my dad around?"

I fumbled around with my words for a second, and then nodded my head. "Uh, yeah, he's in his office." I managed.

"Okay, thanks." Isabella nodded her head, waving slightly at me before turning around and heading in the direction of Chief Swan's office. I groaned and exhaled loudly through my nose, mentally berating myself for being so goddamn stupid.

"Not a good idea." I turned around to see Emmet McCarty approaching me, shaking his hand.

"What are you talking about?" I asked irritably

Emmet just continued to shake his head, a smile on his face. "She's off limits, Edward. Come on, even I know that would be a completely stupid idea…she's the Chiefs only daughter. His pride and joy. And he wouldn't be very happy if he found out that you want her." Emmet said easily, elbowing me. "Plus, she's only seventeen years old." He added.

"Fuck you." I snapped. "What do you know?" Emmet laughed, shrugging his shoulders and walking away.

"My mistake, then," He called over his shoulder. He was still laughing.

I watched him walk off, and my shoulders slumped. He was right. Chief Swan would have my head if he ever found out. But that didn't matter, because there was no way I was ever going to let anybody else find out about this.

Besides, I wasn't exactly the best person for her. Sure, plenty of firemen had wives and families, but I couldn't see that for myself. I couldn't see myself putting someone I loved in that position- having to deal with the fact that my life was in danger every time I walked out of the house to do my job. Trying to get out of my own head, I headed towards the kitchen to make myself something to eat. As I walked past Chief Swan's office, the door opened and Isabella came out, but was startled and tripped over her own feet.

Instinctively, I reached out and grabbed a hold of her to keep her from falling. When I did, our eyes met and I shivered slightly. "I thought ballet dancers were supposed to be graceful." I said after I managed to find my voice. Isabella blushed as I helped her to her feet.

"Only when we've actually got the leotards and shoes on." She said playfully, although there was still a blush on her cheeks.

I laughed, and then noticed that she must have skinned her knee when she fell, because it was bleeding. "You hurt your knee." I said, and Isabella glanced down and winced, pursing her plump lips.

"I hate blood." She said, immediately looking away.

"Here, I'll get you a band-aid or something." I offered. "I think there are some in the kitchen." Isabella nodded, following me into the kitchen. Luckily, no one else was there. "Um, here, sit up there." I said, patting the countertop and then turning around to rifle through the drawer that usually held the band-aids. When I finally managed to find one, I turned around and Isabella was sitting up on the counter, her knee oozing more blood and her eyes squeezed shut. "Are you okay?" I asked, concerned.

She nodded, not opening her eyes. "I really hate blood." She said through her clenched teeth.

I quickly placed the band-aid on her knee, pressing it down firmly. "All gone." I said, and Isabella finally peeked her eyes open. She exhaled with relief, smiling shyly at me.

"Thank you." She said, and I just smiled back. We just looked at each other for a moment, and then I cleared my throat and spoke up.

"So, are you going to college soon?" I asked, changing the subject.

Isabella nodded enthusiastically, swinging her feet back in forth. "Yep, I leave for New York on next week, on August tenth, and then I'm going to spend some time with my mom until I start school on the twenty third. I'm really excited…but I'm also scared, though. The competition is going to be tough."

"Everyone says you're the best." I said quietly.

She blushed, looking at me with her wide brown eyes. "Thank you." She murmured. "But even if I am the best here, that doesn't mean I'll be the best at Juilliard. The school is filled with the most talented kids in the country, and the dance program is extremely competitive. Therefore, I'm terrified." Isabella said with a weak laugh.

I gently put my hand on her knee, giving her a reassuring smile. "I'm sure you'll be amazing." I murmured.

Isabella stared at me, the blush spreading further across her face. "Thank you." She said again. "Now…let's talk about you. If you don't mind, that is."

"It's fine. Ask me whatever you want." I said, sitting next to her on the kitchen counter.

"Okay…how old are you?" She asked.

"Easy one…I just turned twenty in June. How old are you?" I questioned.

Isabella raised her eyebrows at me. "First of all…I thought I got to ask the questions. But to answer yours, I'm seventeen, and I'll turn eighteen in September. I should still be in high school, but I skipped a grade." She explained. "Okay, now you again…" She paused for a moment, thinking. "Do you have a girlfriend?" She finally asked, and her voice was quiet and timid.

I looked over at Isabella, and her face was bright red and she was avoiding my gaze. "No." I said softly. "Do you have a boyfriend?"

She bit her lower lip and looked up at me. "No." She whispered, and then she inched a little closer to me. All I could see were her big brown eyes, and that made me want to kiss her. But I didn't. I couldn't. Luckily, before I could do the wrong thing, I heard footsteps approaching. I casually slide off the counter and went to throw away the band-aid wrapper just as Chief Swan walked into the kitchen.

"Isabella, what are you still doing here?" He asked, frowning slightly.

"Oh, I just skinned my knee and Edward was, um, getting me a band-aid." Isabella explained, sliding off of the counter and walking to her father's side. "I've got to get going now, though. I'll be at the studio until six." She kissed his cheek, and then hurried out of the room, looking over her shoulder at me with a blush still on her cheeks.

I walked her go, and then Chief Swan cleared his throat. "She's seventeen, Edward. Don't make this hard for any of us."

"I know." I said in a low voice, and then left the room.

…

Well, there goes the first chapter. And I'm going to tell you this now- yes, Edward and Bella will end up together in the end. And they'll be just about the cutest couple you've ever read about.

Please review!

Xoxo- Melodyella aka Mellie