This would be a short story, mainly showcasing the thoughts of Edward while he was taking Bella back to Forks from Volterra. I've tried to cover almost all the aspects of his thoughts in his mind.

Finally!

Both I and Alice thought at the same time when Alec came and told us that we could go now.

I was fed up of this dark building – where I was ready to give my life not just twelve hours ago – and wanted to leave this place as soon as possible. Partly because this place holds my worst memories till now, and more importantly because this place was not safe for my Bella, who was still trembling in my arms with a little fear when Alec came to inform us.

It was still marvellous how she was letting me hold her, so close to me, even when she had seen the worst sight of the monsters ever, and even when I had hurt too deeply that I know I don't deserve any of her forgiveness.

I didn't know the reason why she was still letting me hold her, even when I have done the worst by leaving her.

I had two possible reason for that. The first was that she was happy that I was with her again and was letting me hold her with love – I wanted to think that but I knew it was not the reason. Second reason could be that she was afraid that she could get harm here by anyone and was holding me with fear – which was the only reason I could see.

I didn't know what the actual reason was, but I was content in just holding her for as much time as she would let me.

I had no idea how much time I was left to spend with Bella, but I was to treasure every single second that I was with her. Even if it was one moment, I was going to treasure that single moment till I last.

I also knew that once we will be out of the harm's way, she will ask me to go, and I was prepared for that. I had earned all of that. But I wasn't going to complain. I would beg, even if I have to be on my knees for a century I was ready, but I knew in my mind that I wasn't going to get any forgiveness this time.

I have done that much wrong to her.

To leave her alone, thinking that I was doing the right thing. Thinking that I was tracking Victoria but instead that bitch had fooled me and went after Bella. She had to deal with Lauren with too when he was my responsibility. And worse of all, she had to find comfort in the shelter of werewolves. The last monsters I want Bella to ever deal with.

I sighed as I was getting dizzy thinking all this in one second as I looked at Bella, who was still watching the double door through which Alec went inside.

I longed to hear what she was thinking, what was going in the only mind I wasn't able to hear. I wanted to look in her eyes and make assumptions, and laugh freely at the weird working of my love when I would guess the right thing. But I couldn't do that. Because somehow she had learned how to shield her eyes from me.

Bella's eyes had always been the only window for me to her heart, her soul and her mind. But now that I look in them, they are not the usual brown pools of water in which I loved to get drawn every time, but they were now able to shield her thoughts from me. As if just like her eyes, her heart had also forgotten me.

This was my worst fear – that she will see what she is dealing with and let me go. And I also wished for that when I had left her. But now I wanted to punch myself for ever wishing that. I wanted her heart to still love me, still see me the way she used to see when we were together seven months ago. I longed to see her soul through her brown orbs which always shine with the love she held for me.

I sighed again.

I settled Bella on her feet as I too stood up to get away from this place and never look back at it again.

Alice too had the same thought as she tugged on my arm for us to go. Come on Edward. Let's go! I can't wait to see Jasper again.

"Follow the right hallway around the corner to the first set of elevators," Gianna instructed in a professional tone, her mind still trying to solve the mystery why Bella was with me. "The lobby is two floors down, and exits to the street. Goodbye, now."

Pity on her. Alice thought as she showed me the vision she just had of this bizarre human. In the vision Alice saw how Felix will kill her within one month. Both I and Alice suspected that it was because of my objection as I told Caius that even Gianna was a human who knows so much about vampires. Her dreams of becoming a vampire are going to shatter by Felix.

I wanted to feel pity for this human, but I couldn't because I was overjoyed by having Bella back in my arms again.

Bella who again stumbled on her own step as we started to move.

I smiled involuntarily. God! How much I have missed my Bella's clumsiness. Her little traits that made her my Bella. I laced my hands with her and we all went outside.

Once outside, I again looked at Bella – I wasn't able to part my eyes away from her for even a second, not knowing which second will be the last – but she was looking behind at the big royal building we were leaving, no wonder thinking she would never want to come here again.

Alice also glanced at Bella and thought, She has seen so much, more than she should. But I am glad this all is over. Alice thought towards me. You both meet me at the city gate in the south. I'll be outside, waiting for you in the car. Hope I get that Porsche again. That was so amazing. With that Alice went leaving me with Bella, who was walking on dead feet, her eyes dropping every second.

Suddenly I felt Bella panic beside me as her heart beat increased rapidly. I felt her looking to her right than left and then to the crowd. I got worried and looked around for the thing or person that was troubling her. "Where's Alice," she asked, her voice shaking with panic.

Did she really think that anybody would kidnap her, or was she worried because now I was alone with her? "She went to retrieve your bags from where she stashed them this morning." I answered honestly, but still wondering that just not seeing Alice couldn't get such a big reaction from her.

She nodded as she bit her delicate lower lip, smiling slightly. "She's stealing a car, too, isn't she?" I was distracted by her little trait, as I badly wanted to kiss her lips. I shook my head minutely clearing the mess that was forming in my mind.

She hasn't change a little. Roaming with vampires and flying over the world was fine, but stealing a car was not at all fine.

I couldn't help but smile with her. Maybe she was panicking for some other reason, and I was overreacting just like I always do. "Not till we're outside."

The weather was getting cold, and Bella's clothes were still damp, so I made a small blanket for her with the coat I was wearing and put my hand over her waist, carrying half of her weight. She snuggled closer to me, and I could say that I was in my temporary heaven as the girl I loved still wanted to be with me, no matter what the reason, or for how much time.

In our way, I saw many adolescent kids running around in the city, wearing a black cloak with red lips and fake vampire teeth, trying to scare each other.

How can the people living here can be safe when they are surrounded with the worst minsters ever. A boy passed me and tried to scare my with an impish growl. "Ridiculous!" I muttered as I carried Bella to the gate where Alice was waiting for me.

Alice was waiting for us, just outside the big gate which marked the entry in Volterra, sitting in a black Mercedes Benz.

I carried Bella to the passenger door at the back seat and made her sit there, sliding beside her from the other gate.

She looked at me with a puzzled expression, no doubt wondering why I wasn't taking the wheel. And the answer for that was that I couldn't stay without her for a minute. Hell a minute, not even a second'

And here we go Volterra! Alice thought with a sigh of relief as she drove away from the city we never wanted to enter ever again.

Once on the road, Alice turned a little. "I'm sorry," she said as she pointed at the dashboard nonchalantly. "There wasn't much to choose from."

I let our a light chuckle. "It's fine, Alice. They can't all be 911 Turbos."

You are right! Alice muttered in her head with longing. It was the best car I have even sat on. It was speedy, sporty, everything I wanted to be in my car. And if it wasn't for that, we would have been late. "I may have to acquire one of those legally." She announced. "It was fabulous." Visions of the yellow car filled her mind, her mind shouting to fetch that car back.

And I got the idea of how to repay – what she had done for me could not be repaid, so it was like a gift as my gratitude – my sister.

Alice saw my decision as she saw herself driving in her own Porsche, showing off on the roads. Still I wanted to make it formal, so I said aloud. "I'll get you one for Christmas."

She turned around. "Yellow." She mentioned specifically. I nodded. Whatever she wanted.

After my conversation with Alice, I again looked down at Bella who was watching the roads disappear in the dark as we sped to the airport.

I could tell that she was trying to deny her much wanted sleep.

I ran my hands through her hair as I tried to tell myself again that it was really happening, and not any another illusion. Her smell, her smile, the texture of her hair, her warmth was all real. And even if it was an illusion – which I knew it wasn't – I didn't want it to end.

Bella turned around as she looked up, trying to settle her eyes on me in the darkness that enveloped the road that she wasn't able to see me clearly. But I could see clearly how her eyes were trying its best to not close.

I kissed her hair. "You can sleep now, Bella. Its over." I mumbled in a smooth tone, trying to lull her to sleep.

Bella looked at me with troubled eyes, and her heartbeat spiked up as if I have said the exact words she was afraid to hear. Then she shook her head drowsily, and I could see how hard she was trying to not sleep. "I don't want to sleep. I am not tired."

I knew that the second part was not true. She was very tired, her body asking her to let her fatigue take over, but I couldn't decipher the reason why she didn't want to sleep.

I kissed her behind the ear. The electricity was still between us, but I could not tell if she felt it or not. Because her reaction was again the same. She shuddered, confusing me again if she was liking or not that I was touching her skin with my lips. "Try." I encouraged.

She shook her head again. "You're still just as stubborn." I mumbled and she smiled in response, though tightly, as if thinking that if she smiled properly, she may regret it later.

I wanted to hear what was running in her head. What was she acting like this. Hell I wanted to ask her so many questions! How was she, or what did she do till how, or what was happening right now with her. I also wanted to tell her so many things. Why I left her, why was I in Volterra in the first place. I wanted to shout that I still loved her. I wanted to confess that whatever I told her in the woods were lies and nothing else. I wanted to hold her too tightly to me and never ever let her go away from me. But I couldn't do that. Not now. I didn't want to spoil my any second with Bella, fearing that once I started, my time with her would end more faster.

So I settled with just holding her hand, my whole life, in my hands and I laced her hand with mine, letting her snuggle by my chest.

The place I never wanted her to leave from.

More chapters on the way.

I know it is a little blah!, but this story was running in my mind since a long time and I wanted to write.

Hope you like it.