It was strange but… somehow it wasn't awkward.

I mean sure I wasn't sure how we were going to proceed, whether we continued where we left off or took it slower, we hadn't decided. But we had a kind of unspoken agreement that we were going to be together, no matter what others thought.

Edward chuckled so quietly I almost didn't hear him.

"What?" I asked, looking around us to see if I could locate the source of his laughter. We were in the meadow. It seemed the only place appropriate after all we'd been through. The sun was just poking through the clouds at random intervals, lighting it up in all of its glory and then covering it with a dark cloth, like a theatre stage.

"Your musings are very interesting. It's nice when I can finally know what you're thinking." He smiled down at me. I blushed deeply, and blushed even more when I realized what he had heard.

I was lying in his lap. We were in the middle of the meadow, doing nothing but sitting there chatting one moment and silent the next; with Edward all the while stroking my hair. The scene had an unrealistic feel to it, and the sun reflecting off of Edward didn't help things.

Now came a moment of silence. As I got lost in my musings again, I had a sudden thought. Wow. There was something about Emily's family that was irresistible to werewolves. I burst out laughing.

Edward stared down at me in confusion over my sudden outburst. I explained my revelation to him and he laughed along with me. We chatted amicably over random things.

I finally got up the guts to ask him the question that had been bothering me for so long.

"Umm… Edward?" I began timidly.

"Yes love?" the use of the pronoun placated me. I took a deep breath and said it fast before I could change my mind, rushing my words together.

"WhatwereyoudoingwhenIwaswithJacob?" I asked afraid that I might have struck a nerve reminding him that I had left, and that he'd realize in a rage that I didn't deserve him and then he'd leave me here. That would be kinder then what I deserved if he did.

"I…was with my family. Trying to forget you… but I always had Alice watching for the day when your future would reappear." He replied, hesitantly. There was something about the way he said it, I had to ask.

"How…" I stopped myself, not sure if I wanted to know. "How were you trying to forget me?"

Silence. Slowly, he raised himself out of his stupor.

"I…I guess honesty would be better…" he mumbled, more to himself than to me. He sighed and began again. " I decided to give Tanya a chance. My breath caught. "But it didn't work out. I realized that immediately, but… it was hard to make Tanya see my point of view." He chuckled, and I noticed with shock that his words seemed to have an undercurrent of hate. "She hates me now, and I can't honestly say I don't return the feelings."

Wow. I was immensely relieved. Scared as I had been of the threat that Tanya had posed to our relationship, I couldn't deny that I was happy that there was no chance of them being together.

"Edward, I have to tell you something." I sighed. I had to get this over with. I couldn't leave it unexplained. He looked at me expectantly.

"When I left you…" I cringed mentally at his barely visible flinch. I had hurt him, bad. Maybe now we were even. "It wasn't because I didn't love you, or because I loved Jake more."

This conversation wasn't becoming any less painful. "It was because I'm a coward, and that was the easier path. The path where I didn't have to sacrifice my family and friends. The path where I could continue living peacefully, just… without you. That hurt me, being without you, but that's why I had Jake. To ease the pain a little. I didn't want to tell you because I was afraid you'd see that I didn't want to give you up, and then you wouldn't let me." I sighed. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize love. I understand. It wasn't fair of me to take you away from your family, and now you've given them two extra years." He smiled down at me and I forgot to breathe. Again.

"So… you're still going to change me?" I asked hesitantly, not sure if this was a good or bad thing.

"Of course! Unless you don't want me to." Worry lines creased his forehead.

"No, no! I do! I just didn't think you'd still want to."

"Bella, love, nothing has happened. I simply leant you to the world for a few extra years before taking you back as mine." My smile probably radiated as much as his. Then my smile fell. I asked a very important and dangerous question.

"Do we still have to get married?"

So this is the continuation, dedicated to Searching For Topaz Eyes, who requested it. Like I told them, I'm sorry it took so long, I just wasn't sure how to continue and finish it. Hope you liked it. :D