Edward Cullen returns

Written by Commit Me To Silence

"Bella..." A deep, hypnotising voice whispered. Bella shot up in bed, bolting straight into the arms of her long missing boyfriend, who by now loomed over her wearing that same crooked smile she always adored. She stared at him in confusion, trying to regain control of herself, to wipe away the memory laden dream that had woken her from a dead sleep. She dreamt about his death - something she would never like to see, or hear. She focused again on Edward, not minding the strong arms that had clasped loosely around her. She laid her head on his shoulder, welcoming the touch, the security she had missed for so long.

He pulled apart from her, got under the sheets and buried his face into her neck.

"Ed- Ed...Edward..." His voice was spoken softly, huskily in the dark. "Where have you been?" She felt him smile into her neck, his breath brushing down to her collarbone.

"Shhh..." He leaned in, his body relaxed and warm, and planted butterfly kisses down her neck, his soft, yet firm lips sending chills of pleasure down her spine. She groaned along with him, both of their voices mingling as one, when suddenly, she paused, snapping her eyes open.

"Why did you leave?" Suddenly, he tensed his body, and within instinct, she tensed with him. She turned her head around, slowly, and watched, if not studied him for what seemed like hours, but what must have been minutes, waiting for some sort of response, some small clue as to what he was thinking.

His lips curved into a straight line, his eyes dark and penetrating as he locked eyes with her, "I'm afraid that I cannot tell you that," his face was hard and serious, giving Bella the impression that something was wrong.

"Edward..." She searched his black eyes for any sort of emotion, but he just lay there, emotionless, like stone. She bit her lip, wondering if she had said something wrong, but her thoughts were soon interrupted.

"Tomorrow, Bella," he half smiled, eyes sparkling, "I'll tell you everything tomorrow." He leaned in and kissed her forehead, his icy hand running through her hair.

"But, Edward, you were-" He sought her mouth with his own, needing to taste her once before settling into explanations with her. The idea of having to explain why he left was just too hard, he just couldn't do it. His mind was a muddled mess; he knew what he had to say wouldn't come out right. So, he kissed her, and to his surprise she pulled him down onto her, kissing him hard and desperately.

That kiss - Wow.

The kiss what everything it should have been - scorching, wet, hungry and raw. Bella truly lost herself in Edward. To actually be there, her arms wrapped around him, his muscled body pushed up against hers, his pale, white hands, swiftly yet gently, running through her hair, was incredulous. Eventually, both of them, ignoring the fact that her father was downstairs, were no longer gentle. Their need grew, and so did their desperation. It was so great, that her hands clutched at his arm with enough strength to bruise.

Deepening the kiss, Edward shifted from her side so that he was on top of her, and reacting to him in a way she didn't know she could, she wrapped her legs around his waist, tangled her hands through the soft mass that was hair, and met his tongue with her own so they danced the tango.

She melted into his strong arms, became warm despite the fact he was cold, allowing the sweet smell of his skin to drive her crazy.

They shared the moment a little longer, and then Bella broke away, panting, her chest heaving up and down as she slowly regained consciousness and thought.

"Edward..." She managed to gasp out, "that... that-" She had so much she wanted to ask him, so much to say, but she was unsure. Unsure of so many things. Was this just a one night visit, or was he back to stay with her... forever? Like he had promised? So many questions...

He smiled, "You've gotten better." He flashed his pearly whites.

Bella flushed with averted eyes.

His playful expression soon vanished, and he now looked pained, serious, his face a sudden mask of agony and despair. "Tell me what you're thinking." It was more of an order than a question. He lay down next to her, face to face, his head resting against the very same pillow.

"I'm thinking," she stroked his cheek, "about you... Why- why you left... Everything." She sighed, removing her hand and playing with her fingers, not daring to look into his eyes.

"Don't look away, Bella," he spoke somberly, "look into my eyes-" He reached out and pulled her closer like a cuddly teddy, "look into my eyes," he repeated, more serious this time. She snapped her head up, her heart pounding against her breast bone. "And what do you see?"

She frowned, puzzled. What does he mean by that? Swallowing audibly, she looked at one eye, then the next, guessing, wondering what he meant. Then she saw it, a look; a look of regret in his eyes, pain, affliction...

"What do you see, Bella?" He urged, clasping his cold hands over hers.

"Sorrow...? Sadness..." She rasped, her throat becoming dry. How long had they been there?

"It's regret, Bella." He sounded as if he had been stabbed and was bleeding to death. "Regret of... leaving you..." Saying those words were hard.

"Then why did you?" Her voice suddenly rose, but seeing his black eyes staring at her like that made her sink back down into the matress, wishing she hadn't asked it.

"Because-" He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, "because my thirst for your blood grew stronger, I was worried I would hurt you... kill you..." He trailed off, staring at her wall instead of her eyes.

"Edward," her voice was strong, "you don't have to worry about stuff like that." She leaned in so her face was inches away from his, feeling the cold radiating off his skin. "I said to you I wasn't afraid, and I stand by my word. I'm only afraid of loosing you. If I lost you, which I thought I had for the past two months," she gave him an icy stare, "I would have gone insane, blocked everything out, including my own father," she breathed, "that's the affect you have on me. Strange, isn't it?"

"But if I was to actually spill your blood, I-"

"No. You wouldn't. We would work through it, always. I'm here for you, always remember that..." She smiled sweetly, eyes watering and eyes wavering.

"Sure you would," he smiled teasingly, his mood changing swiftly.

Her mouth dropped and she took fake offence, "sure I would!" He laughed. Then, all of a sudden, he pulled her close to his body, feeling her heat.

"I love you."

"...I love you too," Bella replied breathlessly before crushing her lips against his, her hands small fists as she clutched his shirt, enjoying another moment of heaven.