The noon bell finally ended the torture of Junior English for the eighteenth time. The teacher was forcing the class on a journey through the works of the Bronte sisters, which meant reading Wuthering Heights, a book that hurt more than anything besides Romeo and Juliet. Anything that reminded me of Bella was almost more than I could handle. This teacher in particular was driving me insane. Her analysis of the book was completely flawed. I was planning to point it out in the paper I would write and probably fail.

I collected my things, swung my backpack over my shoulder with just the right amount of force to make it appear heavy, and trudged out of the room to face another school lunch. Alice was waiting outside, vibrating with energy as usual.

"Edward, did you hear that there were two new sisters enrolling here today?" Alice enthused.

I nodded at Alice; the excitement of the two girls' enrollment had been on the minds of most of the students in our small school. Something seemed familiar about the image I had seen of the first one from some of the male population. It seemed like it should raise some alarms. I hadn't seen what the other girl looked like. She had worn a hood most of the day and most of the students had assumed she was completely antisocial, ignoring her almost completely.

Then the two girls walked into the cafeteria, their arms linked together, heads inclined towards each other whispering.

"It's only been a few days but I miss him."

"You know why he can't show up at the same time – it would be far too conspicuous."

"I know but it's hard to be without Ben."

"I know Ang- believe me I know. Only a week longer and then he can enroll. Plus he'll arrive in town tonight."

"I know- I can't wait to see him."

The two girls shuffled toward the food line, grabbing pizza and a coke. I tried to listen to their thoughts when I realized that I couldn't find them. I had heard their voices but both of their minds were a mystery to me.

"Alice what are their names? I can't read them," I said swiftly, in a range only my siblings and I could hear.

"Their names are Angela and Marie."

"I feel like there is something familiar- "

Alice gasped and squealed slightly, blocking whatever she was seeing from me. Instantly the two girls were looking in our direction. Angela's eyes were the exact same color I saw reflected back at me in the mirror every day. She was a vampire. I was struck again, by how familiar she seemed.

The other girl quickly turned her head away from me before I could see her face.

She frantically tugged on her sister's jacket, who froze and moved to the opposite end of the lunchroom, intentionally facing away from us. They pulled out a notebook and began to write to each other too quickly for human hands. I listened to the thoughts of the other students to make sure they were not caught. After two minutes, they stood and moved to the doors, leaving their uneaten lunches on the table.

Alice hissed out, "You need to stop them. They are going to leave and you don't want that to happen."

"Why not Alice?" I retorted.

"I don't have time – just trust me and go get them Edward!" she said frantically.

I moved swiftly through the packed cafeteria, easily avoiding the teens that surrounded me. The moment I hit the door on the other side, I began to run, following their scents until they split. I picked a path and followed one of them out of the building and into the surrounding trees until the two paths joined again. I followed them to a small house, nestled into the edge of the woods. They were inside, frantically packing.

"I can't believe this! Of all the places we end up- they would have to be here."

"Relax – I don't think they saw you or recognized me."

"I'm not going to relax until we are as far from the Cullens as possible."

"Maybe you should just- "

"No Angela, I am not talking to them. They left me behind remember?"

I stood rooted in place for a moment. I didn't dare to hope but now I needed to know.

I ran into the house, slamming the back door behind me, alerting them that there was someone else in the house.

"Shit Ang! Go!"

"I don't think we'll make it."

"We have to try! Go!"

I met Angela at the bottom of the staircase, her face grinning at me as she threw her arms around me – her thoughts an open book.

Don't you dare hurt her again or I will rip you limb from limb.

I nodded gratefully at her, finally realizing exactly whom I was staring at - Angela Weber.

I rushed up the stairs to the most beautiful creature I had ever seen. I stood there, staring until she flung her pack on and turned to walk out of the room. She froze, her eyes boring into mine in shock and disbelief. I ran to her, throwing my arms around her, picking her up and swinging her around. She fought me for a second before going limp in my arms.

Finally, I set her down and she glared at me. Then for the first time ever, I heard her thoughts.

Edward, I can't handle this. Don't. Please. You destroyed me when you left again. I can't take it again, especially standing there looking at me like it's Christmas morning- like you actually want me. Please!

I knew I deserved that and much more. I had left her just a week before our wedding after promising to never leave her again.

"Let me explain- please. I'm begging you!"

"I don't want to hear it, you lying asshole!"

"Yes, you do."

"No you don't get to waltz in here and convince me that you care about me again. I won't allow it!"

"Bella – I left to save your life."

"You've used the keeping me safe card before Edward. It won't work this time."

"I knew you were going to be turned. I didn't know others would be too, but I knew that if I left you would become one of us."

"What? So you left and let it happen?"

"Yes."

She stood there facing me, dumbfounded. I knew I had her attention now. I knew she had no reason to forgive me but I hoped. Even if she didn't, the fact that she was alive was enough for me.

"Bella, if we had gone through with the wedding, Alice saw a confrontation with the Volturi that ended with our deaths. I wasn't going to let you die."

"The Volturi? Why?"

"Honestly we don't know. There was something in Alice's vision that we couldn't understand. That she couldn't see."

"So instead you condemned a whole town. Do you know what happened in Forks Edward?"

"We know. We had no way to stop it. Either way, the town was lost."

"I held my father while he died Edward! Jacob too! While they systematically eliminated the whole town only leaving the gifted ones alive but changed. Angela, Ben and I were the only ones to escape! Most were forced into their service Edward."

"I know."

"And yet here you stand, unapologetically."

"It was the only way to keep you alive, love. If there had been a way to save Forks, I would have."

"Bull-"

Then I did one of the most dangerous things I have done since I was created. I ran to her, enveloped her in my arms and kissed her. At first she fought me halfheartedly before she melted against me, still furious but unable to fight against me. In that moment, I heard her again.

I hate you. I fucking hate you! You let my father die. Jacob die. Almost everyone I loved and cared about is gone now! God but the feel of you is intoxicating, overwhelming. Fuck it!

Then she slid her arms around my neck pulling me even closer, our bodies pressed together as the kiss intensified. I pushed my tongue against her mouth, insistent and she opened to me. Instantly our tongues were battling for dominance as she hitched a leg around me, putting her center right against my erection. I began to grind against her, helpless to fight what I was feeling. I had never been so overwhelmed. I heard the door slam as Angela quickly vacated the house.

I wrapped her other leg around me and picked her up, shuffling us both into one of the bedrooms, throwing us both down the moment my legs hit the edge of the bed. She began ripping at my shirt, shredding it. I lifted myself onto my knees as I reached between us and ripped her shirt open, finally breaking our kiss.

She looked at me, her chest heaving as she breathed rapidly, the scent of her arousal filling the air. She growled at me and pulled me down to her, suckling on my neck as we ground our bodies against each other. My hands went down to cup her breasts and begin to knead them. She squirmed under my touch.

I growled into her ear, "Like that, do you Isabella? You're going to like this more."

I grinned at her mischievously as I ripped the bra from her chest and pulled her up to me so I could wrap my mouth around her pebbled peak. She gasped as I began to suck and growl against the sensitive skin.

I felt her hands find my waistband and push under it as she swiftly grabbed my cock, stroking it. I hissed and released her breast, finding her mouth instead.

Then her mind screamed out, God I want him but I should stop. He's just going to leave again. I can't go through that shit again.

I released her lips and looked into her eyes showing every bit of emotion that I could. Then I said, "Bella- I'm never leaving your side again. I promise. I know you have no reason to believe me after what I've done to you but I mean every word of it, love. I love you- I won't leave even if you order me away."

She sobbed and captured my lips with her own. Her hand stroking me again. I broke the kiss after a moment sucking on her neck and jaw as I found the button on the top of her jeans and popped it. Then I slowly slid the zipper down, cupping her center, kneading it in my palm for a moment before sitting us both up and pushing her jeans and thong from her hips. She pulled her hand out and I whimpered at the loss of contact. She swiftly reciprocated as I shuffled out of my pants the rest of the way and then pulled hers off roughly. I stared at her perfect naked form for a moment before settling against her again. She automatically wrapped her legs around me putting her wet folds in direct contact with my cock. I kissed her deeply as I pushed myself into her in one stroke. She gasped out as her barrier ripped and I was overwhelmed at the feeling of being inside her. She laid still for a moment and then pushed against me. I pulled almost all the way out before burying myself in her again. Quickly we found our rhythm as we rocked together. I reached down with one hand, supporting my body weight and movement on the other to use two fingers on her sensitive nub. I felt her breathing quicken and her pace become frantic as I rubbed and rocked with her. Then her walls tightened and began to pulse around me. I gave two more strokes before I released into her and then we collapsed against each other enjoying the afterglow.

After a moment I kissed her gently, sweetly and rolled us both on our sides, never letting her go. I was never going to let her go again.

Finally, I looked into her butterscotch eyes and said, "I know you have every reason to hate me. I hate myself for what I've put you through. Can you believe even after all the hell I put you through that I love you?"

She closed her eyes for a moment and then slowly nodded. I kissed her gently again.

She opened her eyes and said, "Edward, you ever walk away from me again, I will castrate you."

She glared at me challenging me. I nodded and said, "I'm not going anywhere."

"You do realize we have a ton of shit to work through right?"

"I realize that love."

"You do realize that part of me hates you."

"I know- I deserve it but I also know that a larger part of you still loves me."

"Part of me wants to get up and run just to show you how it feels."

"If you run, I'll chase you – I'm not letting you go."

"You do realize that you'll also have to deal with Angela and Ben. I'm not the only one who got hurt this time."

"I know."

"You also know that the only way this is going to work out is to go after the Romanians and side with the Volturi. We have to rescue them Edward."

"I know love. Alice already saw us facing them for some reason."

"Edward?"

"Yes love?"

"We've fucked. Make love to me?"

I smiled down at her, as she looked up at me, her face transforming, losing the harsh edge and love filling her eyes.

I whispered, "I love you Isabella Swan," as I gently covered her lips with my own, beginning the dance again.