Disclaimer: I do not own the Twilight series.
Explanation: This is a Bella story about when Edward was gone, but he's back. It's more of a flashback.
Bella's Point of View
"Bella, I really think you should go to sleep. Tomorrow is the big day." Edward took me up from his lap into his arms and kissed the top of my head as he sat me down on my bed.
I sighed. 'The big day' was no understatement. I had been dreading tomorrow for a long time. Tomorrow, I would marry the love of my life. He was more like the love of my existence. But whatever you call him, tomorrow I would be married to him forever. And although I had nightmares about marriage, I had little excitement butterflies in my stomach. Alice had everything ready and the plans were made.
I cuddled into Edward's chilling arms and closed my eyes. He set his head gently on mine. "Good night, Bella. I love you."
Although I had so many things to say (most of them romantic), I just returned with an answer that summed it all up. "I love you." I began to think of all the crazy stuff that had happened since I had known Edward. One memory held my attention.
…
"Bella, I know you don't like gifts, but I had to get you something." Mike looked at me, and I was emotionless. "Here. Merry Christmas." He thrust a wrapped package at me. He walked away, slightly dejected and annoyed.
I went through the rest of my day and forgot about it until I got home. I dropped it onto my bed and fell onto it. Tears threatened to escape my clouded eyes, but I decided to distract myself with Mike's pity gift. I ripped open the paper, feeling like a child. When I realized it was perfume, I opened it and sprayed it out of the beautiful bottle. It took a moment, but I stopped breathing when I smelled it. Tears ran down my surprised face and I sat there for a long time.
The smell was Edward. It was sweet and alluring and it brought back memories that I would have never allowed to escape from my mind. Those memories were supposed to be locked away. I stayed in my room until Charlie came in to make sure I was okay. He just looked at me, sympathy and unknowing filled his eyes.
…
Edward was looking at me when I opened my eyes and I realized I was crying. "Sorry."
He gave me a worried glance. "Bella, it's okay. If you don't want to do this, I understand. If you're not ready or you don't-
"No," I sighed, "That's not it… I was just remembering, I guess. It's nothing, don't worry. I want you. I love you."
It was then that I realized something important. Love isn't spending lots of time together or kissing romantically or giving gifts or any of that. Love is being physically unable to live without that person. And from experience, I knew that I couldn't survive without Edward. He was not my drug, but my life. Sure, Jacob was the sunshine, but Edward was my heart. He inhabited almost every inch of it, too.
Once again, I closed my eyes. My head was pounding along with the beat of my heart. Edward had his head set gently against mine. I opened my eyes to see that his were closed. He breathed deeply and smiled his crooked smile. Beauty radiated off every inch of his perfect body. He opened his eyes, too. Momentarily, everything stopped. All I could see was the depth of his topaz eyes. There was belonging and lust, but something much more powerful than both. It was a love. He couldn't live without me. And the though simply made me smile.
I finally got to sleep. I slept in a state of realization. In the morning, I would get up and live with Edward, for Edward. We would be bound together, and he would be happy. That was all I needed.
