BPOV

I slammed my door shut to my truck, as the tears came slowly down my face. I've been crying the whole way back from La Push. I'm wet to the bone, shivering from the cold, shaking from sobs that won't stop, and to top it off, my best friend hates me. He's the whole reason I'm crying in the first place.

After a month of silence from Jacob, I decided to go see him down in La Push. After the movie in Port Angeles, Jacob had to hurry and get home. I had waited for him to call me back, worried about him, but he never called. I called after an hour and his father, Billy Black had said that he was sick. I waited a day and nothing. So I called him and again, Billy said he had mono. I waited a month for him to talk to me, constantly leaving voice messages and telling Billy to tell him to call me back. He never did.

After yesterday, when Charlie told me that he saw Jake yesterday out with Sam, I decided to take things into my own hands. If he didn't want to hang out with me, he was going to have to tell me to my face. And that's exactly what he did. I went down to La Push and caught him walking with Sam and his gang.

*Flashback*

I pulled down the familiar dirt road that led into La Push and made my way to the familiar red house that I've haven't been to in a month. I saw out of the corner out of my eye, Jacob making his way past his house into the woods, where Sam, Jared, Paul, and Embry were. I got out and slammed my door shut. I got soaking wet immediately from the pouring rain.

"Jake!" I called out, running very clumsily towards him. He froze, but didn't turn around to face me. When I got closer, I gasped. He turned around.

"What happened to you?" I asked, stopping a foot away from him.

"Go away, Bella," he said, frowning at me.

"You cut your hair. And got a tattoo," I said, disapprovingly, looking at the tattoo on his right arm just below his shoulder. It looked just like Sam's.

"Go away," he said again, ignoring what I just said.

"What's your problem? Where have you been? Have you've been too busy to see me, or….answer my phone calls? Too busy to pick up the phone when I call?" I asked, my face softening.

"Bella, go away," he said, again.

"Is it because you're scared I'll embarrass you in front of Sam?" I snapped. He glared at me.

"Don't bring Sam into this. Sam's trying to help me," he said, shaking slightly.

"Trying to help you, huh? I thought you hated Sam," I reminded him.

He glared harder, shaking even more than he was.

"Don't blame Sam. If you want someone to blame, blame those filthy bloodsuckers you love so much," he snapped. I stopped breathing.

"I….I don't know what you're talking about," I said, slightly breathless.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about. You've been lying to everyone. Charlie…." he trailed off, knowing he was right. He could see it on my face.

"Jake….you can't break up with me. I mean….you're my best friend," I whispered, tears pooling in my eyes.

"I know, Bella. I use to be a good kid. But I'm not anymore," he said, softening his face. He had stopped shaking now.

"But….b-but you promised me," I said, tears almost falling over. Please don't cry, please don't cry.

"I know. It's not you, it's me," he said.

"It's not you," I repeated, the words sounding dangerously familiar. I could feel the hole in my chest starting to open again.

"It's true, it is me. I'm not good anymore. I promised you, Bella, that I would never hurt you, and this is me keeping that promise. So go home, and don't come back," he said. That sent the hole in my chest to tear open.

He took one last glance at me, then ran off towards Sam, not looking back. I watched as he left, then numbly walked back to my truck in the pouring rain, tears falling down my cheeks.

When I was inside my truck, I broke down. I wrapped my arms around my chest, and sobbed violently. I eventually calmed down enough, to start the truck and drive home, the tears never stopping the whole way.

*End of Flashback*

I walked numbly through the rain, inside to the warm house. I found Charlie sitting on the couch, watching the sports channel. He looked up when I came in the living room, fixing to head to the stairs.

"Bella, what happened?" he asked, getting up. I stopped and sighed.

"Nothing, Dad," I said emotionless.

"It doesn't look like nothing. Billy called, said you and Jake had a fight," he said.

"Yeah, we had a fight," I said in the same voice.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked.

"No, Dad. I just want to be left alone," I said, walking up the stairs to my room.

Charlie didn't want that. He followed me upstairs and into my room.

"I'm just going to take a shower, Dad," I said.

"Now hold on, Bella. I want to talk to you. I haven't talked to you in a while," he said.

"Dad, I just want to take a shower," I said, trying to move past him. He put his arm out, stopping me.

"No, Bella. I want to talk to you," he said.

I sighed, the faster I talk to him, the faster I can get a shower.

"Fine, Dad. What is it?" I asked.

"I talked to your Mom after I got off the phone with Billy. From what Billy told me, it sounded like you were really mad at Jake…." he said, trailing off.

"Yeah, and?" I asked, wanting to just take my shower already.

"Well, your mother and I thought you should go down to Jacksonville for a while. Maybe finish out your senior year down there. You need to clear your head, Bells," he said. That was a big mistake.

"I'm not going to Jacksonville! How many damn times do I have to tell you? I don't want to move to Jacksonville!" I screamed, tears coming more freely now.

"Bella! You need to go clear your head! He's not coming back, Bella! Why the hell are you waiting for him to? Edward is not coming back!" Charlie screamed back at me. He was red in the face.

That really made me lose it.

"I know he's not coming back! Don't you think I know that? Don't you think that no matter how much I want him to that he's not coming back? Everywhere I look I get reminded of him, Dad! Everything I do reminds me of him! And it hurts, so much! You have no idea, no comprehension of how much it hurts!" I screamed. We were silent then, and I collapsed.

I fell on the floor and curled myself into a small ball and cried the most I've ever cried. I heard Charlie come over to me and wrap his arms around my shoulders. He pulled my head onto his chest and held me there as I sobbed my heart out.

"Shh, baby girl, I know, I know," he whispered to me over and over.

After I don't know how long, my sobs eventually subsided. When they were finally silent, I moved to get up.

"I'm just going to take a shower," I said, moving to the door. When I wasn't stop I walked to the bathroom. A nice shower would feel good.

When I was done, I walked to my room and got dressed. I could hear Charlie downstairs, talking on the phone.

"Billy, let me talk to Jake, right now," Charlie said.

"What do you mean he's busy? It's almost nine! He should be home by now," he said.

"Why would I want to talk to him? Well, let me see. Maybe it had to do with Bella coming home, crying, soaking wet. Billy, she was heartbroken. She threw another fit, one almost similar to the one she threw when her mother was here. Jacob is the only good thing that has happened to her since Edward left," Charlie said.

Just his name brought tears to my eyes.

"What do you mean it's Bella's fault?" Charlie asked, suddenly his voice becoming loud.

"Well, fine then, Billy. I have to go. Bye," Charlie said angrily.

I shut my door and crawled into bed. I shut off my lamp and tried to get to sleep, but as the darkness covered me, memories from that night came back to me.

I don't know how much later it was, but I was woken by yet, another one of my dreams. The same ones that have woken me up every night for the past six months.

I screamed to the top of my lungs, covering my head with my covers, until Charlie came in.

"Shh! Bella! It was just a dream!" Charlie said, sitting down beside me on the bed.

I breathed heavily and laid back down.

"Sorry, Dad," I whispered.

"It's okay, honey," he said, stroking my hair.

It was silent for a minute, him just stroking my hair until he spoke again.

"Okay, go back to sleep, honey," he said. I nodded.

Before he could leave, I called out. "Hey, Dad?" I asked silently.

"Yeah, Bells?" he asked, turning around to face me.

"I love you," I said, looking up at him. He smiled.

"I love you, too, Bells," he said. He wished me night again, and shut my door. I heard him walk down the hall and heard his bedroom door shut. A few minutes later I heard his snores pick up to their regular rhythm.

I was almost back asleep when I heard a scratching on my window. I glanced at my window and saw nothing. You're just hearing things, Bella. It's probably just a branch, I told myself. But then I heard it again. I looked back up at the window, but still, nothing was there. Slowly, I got out of bed, and walked over to the window. I cupped my hands against the glass and looked out into the darkness. Nothing.

My mind started going wild with thoughts. Was it Victoria? Did Laurent kill the wolves and get the news to her that I was alive and unprotected? Oh, no! Charlie! I suddenly flew back, tripping in the process, when I saw two eyes, peeping at me from the shadows of the trees.

I covered my mouth with my hands, so I didn't wake Charlie and get him killed as a figure came swiftly to my window and open it, stepping inside. I looked up into the two pools of gold, and my tears suddenly came back, coming down my face.

EPOV

Why was I here? I have no clue of an idea. I just couldn't take the pain anymore. The huge hole in my chest has become unbearable. After spending six months in South America, tracking down Victoria, only to be led to a false trail, I had to come back to see her.

I made a promise to myself. If I found her happy with someone like Mike Newton, I would accept it and leave. But if she was in worse shape than I was, which is unlikely, then….well, I don't know what I'll do yet. Give her more time? Go back to her, begging on my knees for her forgiveness.

I watched as she climbed out of her rusty old truck into the pouring rain. She looked completely different, yet still the same beautiful woman I left six months ago. She was much, much thinner. Her once lively, bouncy chocolate brown hair, laid limp on her shoulders. Her brown deep pools of chocolate that I called her eyes had no emotion in them. Nothing but a blank, never ending hole that went on forever. She was actually even paler, almost as pale as me. If it weren't for her heartbeat and wonderful, delicious blood I could smell, I would have thought she was a vampire. You caused that, my head told me.

I was safely hidden in her tree as I watched her walk inside. She met her dad inside and he looked concerned.

Surely it wasn't that big as a fight as Billy told me it was on the phone, was it? he thought.

I dug a few things out of his head. She's been hanging out with a….Jacob Black. Why did that name sound so familiar.

I watched as her father, truly concerned for his daughter, follow her upstairs.

"I talked to your Mom after I got off the phone with Billy. From what Billy told me, it sounded like you were really mad at Jake…." Charlie said, trailing off.

"Yeah, and?" Bella asked. She seemed to be in a rush.

"Well, your mother and I thought you should go down to Jacksonville for a while. Maybe finish out your senior year down there. You need to clear your head, Bells," Charlie said. Suddenly, Bella exploded, surprising me and Charlie both.

"I'm not going to Jacksonville! How many damn times do I have to tell you? I don't want to move to Jacksonville!" Bella suddenly screamed out, tears starting down her face. I was shocked, okay that's an understatement. Bella hardly ever swore.

"Bella! You need to go clear your head! He's not coming back, Bella! Why the hell are you waiting for him to? Edward is not coming back!" Charlie screamed, red in the face. I suddenly froze. They were talking about me. Had I truly hurt Bella so much? I could see the answer right in front of me. I only wanted what was best for her. I wanted her to live a human life without the dangers of me and my existence.

"I know he's not coming back! Don't you think I know that? Don't you think that no matter how much I want him to that he's not coming back? Everywhere I look I get reminded of him, Dad! Everything I do reminds me of him! And it hurts, so much! You have no idea, no comprehension of how much it hurts!" Bella said, before collapsing on the floor, crying her heart out. It took all my strength not to run in there and tell her I lied, and that I loved her, and to take her in my arms and keep her there forever.

Charlie walked over to her and pulled her into his embrace. "Shh, baby girl, I know, I know," he whispered to her, soothing her.

Suddenly, memories flashed through his head. The night that I….left, when a man about 20, Sam Uley, came out of the forest with Bella. Another of Bella, as the doctor looked her over. Another of the same doctor, who told Charlie that she was catatonic. Another of Renee and Charlie packing Bella's things to take her to Jacksonville, and Bella coming home, seeing what they were doing and throwing clothes across the room. Another as Charlie was taking out the trash and finding broken cds in the trash. Suddenly, I gasped and held on tightly to the tree. I had caused her all that pain. I had to get away for a while and clear my thoughts.

I jumped down from her tree and took off into the forest. I stopped after a few minutes and sat down on a boulder. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes.

After six months, she's still suffering. Still suffering from that dreadful lie I told her. I couldn't believe she thought I didn't love her anymore. I could see it clear as day when I told her six months ago. Did she not have that much faith in my love? How could she have believe me so easily? It broke my heart that she didn't believe in my love for her. How many times have I told her I loved her? I told her at least a hundred times a day. I told her every morning she woke up, every night before she fell asleep. I sighed. She was obviously wasn't doing any better than I hoped she was. I just wondered if she even wanted to see me. I hurt her beyond repair, but could she still love me? I guess there was only one way to find out. But was I ready for this myself? Was I ready to beg on my hands and knees for her forgiveness? I knew the answer to that one.

Yes, I was. I would do anything for that woman. She was my sun, the reason I even decide to live everyday. I didn't care if she took me back or not, I wouldn't take me back after all the pain I caused her, as long as she knew I loved her and that I lied. I had to tell her, so she knows that no matter what, I'll always love her, but she didn't have to take me back.

When I arrived back to her house, I found her and Charlie both asleep. It was a little past midnight as I climbed up her tree and sat down, staring in through her window. She was fast asleep, but was tossing and turning in her sleep. She had a not so peaceful expression on her sweaty face.

"Edward…." she whimpered. I felt my dead heart break.

"Edward, please. Please come back…." she whimpered again. My heart broke again.

"I love you…."she whispered, tears slowly falling down her face in her sleep. I felt my heart break as far as it could go, if that's possible. Six months. I left her six months ago, breaking her heart and possibly a chance of her never being happy again, and she still loves me.

I sobbed a silent sob once, but stopped when Bella suddenly woke up, screaming to the top of her lungs. I heard Charlie wake from his room.

Not again, he moaned in his mind. Again? What did he mean again? But I didn't have time to even think about it before images flashed through my head. They were of Bella, waking Charlie up every night for the past six months.

What have I done? I asked myself, mortified of what I left behind. I've left this girl behind, broken beyond repair, starring in her nightmares every night, hurting her physically, even without being near her. And she still loves me.

Charlie woke Bella up, telling her it was just a dream. I watched silently as he told her to go back to sleep and left the room. Before he fell back asleep, he thought, I swear, if that boy ever shows his face again, I'll kill him.

I laughed silently and looked back at Bella as his snores picked up. She was laying down her in her bed, her heartbeat almost slowing. I hate to keep her up, but if I don't do it now, I'll lose the courage. It's now or never.

Silently, I jumped on her roof and scratched the window to let her know someone was here. Her heartbeat started beating erratically and she shot up in her bed, her eyes going straight to the window. She must not have seen anything.

She laid back down and her heartbeat slowed some. I scratched again and she looked towards the window again. She slowly got up and walked to the window. I jumped back on the branch so I wouldn't scare her.

Her small hands cupped the window and she peered out. She must have seen me that time, because she suddenly flew backwards, tripping and almost falling over herself. I took that as my cue to go inside.

I swiftly opened her window I did, what seemed like forever ago, and jumped quietly through. She looked up into my eyes, and her two chocolate pools started leaking with tears.

BPOV

I couldn't breathe. My heart was beating so fast, I thought it would pop out of my chest.

"Breathe, Bella," his velvet voice whispered. Oh my gosh, not even my memory could do him justice.

I took in a deep breath and fell backwards onto my bed, putting my hand over my still beating heart.

"Sorry, I thought you were Victoria," I said, looking at the floor.

Suddenly, he was in front of me, on his knees, hands in my lap, and trying to capture my eye. I jumped a little, not use to his speed, but relaxed after a minute.

"What do you mean you thought I was Victoria?" he asked, his angelic face confused.

I looked into his eyes and spoke my mind, suddenly dazzled.

"She's back. For me. A few days ago I went to the….meadow and saw Laurent there. He told me that Victoria wanted to kill me, because you killed James. Laurent said, 'Mate for a mate, an eye for an eye,'" I said, repeating his chilling words from the meadow.

I looked back at his face, to find him seething furiously. His hands clenched into fists on my lap, he spoke through his teeth.

"I truly hate myself now," he said, closing his eyes.

"Why?" I asked.

"So many reasons, my dear Bella. So reasons. For starters, I lied to you and hurt you so much. Now it's my fault Victoria is after you," he said, his face going from furious to broken in a matter or milliseconds. His hands relaxed in my lap.

I froze. Lied to me? What the….

"Lied? Lied to me how?" I asked, finding my voice.

He looked up into my eyes, with a broken face.

"Bella, I owe you an apology. No I owe you so much more than that. But I have to let you know that the only reason I left, was because I thought I was protecting you. I wanted you to have a chance at a normal, happy, human life. One without vampires putting you in danger. I had to let you know that. I couldn't go on, knowing you thought I hated you. I'm not asking you to take me back. I wouldn't take me back for all the pain I've put you through. I just wanted to let you know that, Bella. I love you and I'll always love you. I just had to make sure you knew that," he said.

Fresh, hot tears streamed down my face. A lump in my throat stopped me from speaking my mind.

"Bella, please say something," he pleaded, wiping away my tears.

"Y-you love me?" I asked, more tears coming down.

He nodded. "Forever, Bella."

I couldn't stop myself from what happened next. I threw my arms around his neck and pulled my lips to his. And let me tell you, it felt so good. I hadn't noticed until now, the new feeling I was feeling. I was feeling whole. For the first time in six months, I felt whole. I felt I could actually breathe.

I pulled away for a second, resting my forehead on his and breathed in that wonderful scent I've missed for six months. We were both breathing heavily.

"I love you, too," I whispered in the silence. Then my hand came up and smacked him on the back of his head. It didn't hurt him as much as it hurt me, but he got the point. He pulled back and rubbed his head, looking at me with wide eyes.

"What was that for?" he asked.

"Don't ever….take yourself away from me again. So help me God if you do, I'll track you down myself. Human or vampire. Now come here," I said, pulling his head to my chest. He laughed lightly, another thing I missed in the past six months.

"I guess I deserved that. I honestly don't know why you choose to take me back. I hurt you so much," he said, laying his head over my heart, listening to it beat.

"The past is the past. I'm only looking forward to the future," I said, laying my head on top of his, threading my fingers through his bronze locks.

I felt him smile against my chest.

"Forever," he promised.

I pulled away, shocked. Did he….

"Did you just…." I asked, trailing off in shock.

He smirked and looked back up into my eyes.

"I can see that I physically can't tear us apart even if I wanted to, so what more can I do. You won't take any of my other options to live a human life, even with me by your side, and honestly, I don't think I could stand the thought of you dying, even if I do follow soon after. I love you too much. So yes, I'll change you, if you do one thing for me," he said, a sparkle in his eye.

Finally, something I could give him.

"Fine, what is it?" I asked, eyeing him carefully.

He reached into his back pocket and pulled something out, putting it in the middle of us. A black velvet box. My breathing hitched. Is that?

"Isabella Swan, before you, my life was like a moonless night. Very dark, but there were stars, points of light and reason. And then you shot across my sky like a meteor. Suddenly, everything was on fire. There was brilliancy, there was beauty. When you were gone, when the meteor had fallen over the horizon, everything went black. Nothing had changed, but my eyes were blinded by the light, I couldn't see the stars anymore. And there was no more reason for anything. I guess what I'm trying to say is, I love you. And I want to make up for the pain I've caused you by showing you how much I love you for the rest of our forever. Will you please, spend forever with me as Isabella Marie Cullen?" he asked, opening the black box to reveal the most beautiful ring I've ever seen.

I gasped. It had a gold band with three gems on it. They were all diamond, two small ones on the side, and a large one between the two smaller ones.

"I-I….marry….me….you….forever…." I stuttered. I took a deep breath, getting my thoughts straight. I looked into his eyes.

"Yes. Yes, I'll marry you, Edward Cullen," I said, taking his stone, cold face between my hands.

His face broke out into the biggest smile I've ever seen. He lifted me up off the bed and swung me around in a circle. He set me on my feet and kissed me so fiercely, I thought I would pass out from all the passion from the kiss.

He pulled away and slipped the ring on my finger. A perfect fit.

"You have made me the happiest….man in the universe," he said, putting his forehead against mine. I smiled.

"Good to know. Because I really hope you didn't spend too much on the ring," I said, glancing down at my new piece of jewelry.

"I didn't spend a dime. I promise. It was my mother's. My father gave it to her when he proposed to her," he said, kissing the ring on my finger. I smiled, happy he trusted me enough with it that he would give his mother's ring.

"That just makes it that much more special," I whispered. He kissed me one more time before laying me on the bed and crawling next to me.

"Sleep, love. Tomorrow will be a big day," he said, kissing my forehead.

"Hmm….I love you, Edward," I said, drifting off to sleep. He chuckled.

"I love you, too, my Bella," was the last thing I heard, before I drifted off into a dreamless sleep for the first time in six months.