"I just need to think." Her voice broke twice and I could see the tears starting to well up under her melted-chocolate eyes. She sniffed and I pulled her tighter before releasing her.

"Do what you must." I murmured. "All I want is for you to be happy." And that started it. The tears flowed down her cheeks like streams and rivers and rain.

Why?

She stood alone with her face in her hands. "I don't know," she repeated over and over. "I don't know, I don't know, I don't know…" She curled over herself until she finally turned and ran out from under our porch and into the pouring rain.

I too stepped our from under the shelter of the roof but I just stood in the rain until I was drenched and sobbing and the rain was my tears.

There was anger mixed in with the pain. No, not for Bella, for that stupid mutt and the person I hated most of all.

ME.

I felt Alice's hand on my arm as she lead me back into the house and slowly walked me up to my room. As soon as the door was shut her hand flew across my face.

"FIGHT,"

She yelled. "If you love her so much fight for her, even that Dog is smarter than you."

She hit me again. "Fight," and again. "Damnit." And again and again and again. Her fists pounded into my chest until finally Jasper pulled her off me.

Before the door closed behind them I heard her hiss. "You're ripping this family apart."

SLAM.

I heard Bella stumble across our front yard and I heard her quick breaths like she was scared. My family's thoughts were flying around my head like flies, each one echoing worry and stress and fear. So I ignored them. It didn't matter to me anymore. I knew what Bella's decision would be. Jacob was better suited for her and would show her life better than I could.

There was a knock on the door.

"Edward,"

Esme called. "It's Bella."

Like I didn't already know.

I slowly made my way down the steps. Left, Right, Dark, Light, Die, Live, Die, Live,

DIE.

Bella stood in the doorway, behind her the storm raged and a bolt of lighting lit up the sky. Her clothes dripped on the floor and a bouquet of flowers, pink and yellow and blue and red were held in her hands.

"I've decided."

The whole house was silent. Nothing breathed except for Bella and the only sound that wasn't her was the erratic dripping from our clothes and hair.

The silence was dangerous. It pressed in on my ears until I felt like screaming.

Finally, "you."

And somebody laughed.

I grabbed Bella in my arms and the flowers fell to the floor as I captured her lips in mind and she cried while I wished to do the same.

I could hear Esme and Carlise and Jasper and Alice and Emmett and even Rosalie laughing and their thoughts were euphoric and joyous.

"Why?"

The spell broke.

Bella wiped the tears from her face with her palms and looked up into my eyes, a little red in the face.

"Jacob could always imprint and leave me and even if he didn't mean to hurt me, I don't think I could go through that again."

"Bella-"

I started.

"No," She held up a hand, stopping my protests. "You will never leave me again. You're not a masochist."

Alice smirked somewhere behind me.

"And I love you too much, I can't leave you, it hurts too much. I want to be with you forever."

"I'm so sorry Bella," I whispered. "I wish I wasn't so selfish, I wish I didn't need you, I wish I could let you go."

Bella growled. Yes, she growled at me. "Never let me go," She ordered.

I took her by the hand. "Let's get you in some dry clothes before we talk." We went into my room and I walked into the closet and brought out a T-shirt and shorts for her to change into. They were too big but I don't think she cared.

I moved to take her into my arms but she stepped away from me. I turned, embarrassed and rejected.

AFRAID.

She put her hand on my shoulder. "You're all wet, change first."

I laughed in relief and stepped into my closet, throwing on the first thing I saw. Walking out Bella hit my like an oncoming train and her lips found mine. We melted together like ice-cream and hot fudge and our lips sweet like caramel.

She smelled like flowers too and that brought something to mind.

I pulled away.

"What?"

She pouted.

"What were the flowers for?"

And there was the Bella I knew, she turned cherry-red and bit her caramel lips.

"They smelled sweet; I thought you would like them."

So I kissed her and into her mouth I whispered. "Silly Bella, you smell better than any flower."