AN: In this story, Edward has returned after "New Moon". Bella, having gone to Volterra to rescue him, is not content to just slip back into the previous dynamic of their relationship, and to be quite honest has next to no faith in Edward or them as a couple.

It is up to Edward to earn her trust back whilst Bella is at her limit with him and the whole family's intrusion in their lives. Not only does she fear him leaving again, but is also tired of his constant rejection of her advances. This is no longer 1918!

BPOV:

Opening my eyes was proving to be a difficult task to achieve. I had slept fitfully since Edwards's return, with the results showing in an even paler complexion and bags under my eyes that threatened to be the defining feature of my face.

Grunting irritably to myself I rolled over to turn off my alarm clock. Shrugging off the faint pang of melancholy I felt every morning at the absence of Edward in my room when I woke was getting easier and easier, a worrying fact in itself.

So far, well as far as I could prove, he had stuck to his banishment from my room. In what conceivable reality could he have possibly thought that things would automatically go back to where they were before he left me?

The joy that I felt when I saw him standing under that Clock Tower was quickly sobered by the events that followed. Seeing the man I loved being tortured repeatedly combined with the knowledge that at any second I could be eaten had left its mark. Like an unwanted imprint on my mind, I could not forget those images or the feelings I had of absolute terror when Caius implored for me to be killed there and then. My momentary joy at Alice's vision of me as a Vampire were again quenched by the reality that I could be facing immortal life alone, destined to spend the rest of my days watching everyone I care about die and knowing that there was nobody out there for me. Edward has been my one and only and in that one instant in the forest, irrevocably destroyed the absolute trust that I had once laid in him.

There were no excuses that I was going to readily accept, he could claim that it was done with my safety in mind, he could talk all he wanted to about leaving me so that I can lead a normal life. From where I stood it was clear as anything. The man that professed to love me until the end of time, took me into a forest, shattered my very reason for living and then ran like a dog with its tail between its legs. The gentleman from an era long forgotten showed that he has assimilated himself into modern society with absolute ease as he didn't even look over his shoulder to ensure my safety. If that is love, then I would hate to see the other side of the coin.

I showered quickly and perfunctorily, and dressed whilst the toast downstairs blackened in my absent-minded thoughts. Fortunately Charlie had left early for work. Not that I could blame him. If I had been difficult to live with during my lethargic reaction to Edwards leaving, then the mood swings that were typically associated with someone struggling with puberty must have had him on a knife edge. I silently vowed to work harder around him, none of this after all was his fault.

Noticing the time and sensing his inevitable arrival I went downstairs and silently opened the front door before turning on my heel to butter my now charcoaled toast. I felt his arms around me before I had even heard him take a step. I flinched involuntarily at the invasion of my space and felt him move away. Although I missed the comfort of his embrace it was too early in the morning for me to feel any remorse, it wasn't my fault that I felt this way. Turning around to face him I noted that the face that could quite easily dazzle me into a trance had lost the lopsided grin that I fell in love with.

"Sorry love", he muttered contritely, "I didn't mean to startle you".

This time the guilt did flood through me, I had agreed to give him another chance after all, how were we ever going to get close to repairing the rift between us if I shunned any contact at all from him.

"What are you apologising for", I replied with what I hoped to be an airy laugh. "You just made me jump that's all, hardly the crime of century, and you should know". I stuck my tongue out at him and he visibly relaxed. I scoffed inwardly at the people that said I couldn't lie, feeling a distinct relief at his inability to read my thoughts.

"Isabella", he started, shoulder slumped in despair. "You still can't lie." Damn, I thought to myself as he continued. "If I live for the rest of eternity, I will always regret what happened in that forest. I promise you that I will make this right, just please tell me what I need to do, and I will do it. I won't come into your bedroom at night as promised, you want immortality…it's yours. Just please tell me what I need to do to make this right again."

I instantly felt my anger levels rising as my pulse started to race, a fact he would have no difficulty in noticing.

I saw his mouth open to say something, but I never gave him the chance.

"Edward, for the love of God!" I said to him, in a voice that was so eerily calm it did not sound like my own. "I said that we could start again, which in the light of what did happen in that forest, is a fucking miracle in itself." I walked right up to him until we were less than a foot away from one another. I felt my anger soar as my voice started to increase in volume. "You however need to work out how to fix this, you crushed me that day, you took everything in my life that meant something and stamped all over it. You cannot simply expect me to have a magic cure as to how you need to act. My emotions are all over the place, half the time I want nothing more than to be curled up in your arms, whilst the rest of the time I can't stand to be around you. One action is not going to undo all the pain and suffering that you and your family have caused me."

"Bella, I…" he started to reply.

"No Edward", I stopped him, hearing my voice return to its normal pitch. "You need to understand that there is no quick fix solution here. I am trying my hardest here, I really am, but offering me immortality, when I can't be sure in my mind that you won't run away again is not fair. To offer something I once wanted in this way is tantamount to bribery."

"I swear to you Bella, that was never my intention," he begged desperately. "I will earn your trust, I promise you, all I wanted was to show my commitment to you, I simply can be away from you anymore…" he trailed off weakly.

"Then let's go to school and try and have a normal day," I laughed at him somewhat ironically. When was there ever a normal day in the life of the Cullens? As he walked somewhat sedately to the couch to pick up my school bag, I winced momentarily at the thought of a day in a cramped building with the four of them. Though it had not been them to leave me, they went along with it with no hesitation. I expected as much from Rosalie, and Jasper have barely uttered a word in my direction. Emmett would follow Rosalie through fire if it made her happy, quite a declaration of love for a vampire. But Alice, she professed to be my best friend and just upped and left with the rest of them. Not a phone call, a text or even a lousy email. I instantly felt my emotions getting the better of me again. I forced myself to breathe deeply, trying to reign in the vitriol that fought its way out.

What was the matter with me? I had to get a grip on this and soon before I saw Jasper. The cursed empath would realise what was going on before I would be able to hide it. That was unacceptable.

"Ready to go love," Edward asked offering me his arm.

"Let's do it," I replied and graciously took his arm as we left.

AN: As this is my first story, please be honest with your feedback. Is the story worth continuing?

Any ideas and suggestions about the story will be gratefully received!