I know this chapter is a little early, but I'm hoping it will encourage more reviews. Reviews are like life blood, so keep me alive. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter!

One pair of eyes stared into the other's. Had he heard her correctly?

She still loved him?

Edward blinked once, trying to register her words in his mind. I love you. She had been gone for so long; he didn't know how long. Time was not a solid thing in his mind. It sped up as he did his gardening, and slowed to a crawl when he thought of his life before.

But now, as they held each other, time blurred into an endless moment. He never wanted it to end…never wanted to release his grasp from around Kim. And, as he gazed at her, the look in her eyes told him she wanted the same thing.

He suddenly had an overwhelming desire to kiss her again.

But, he resisted. He didn't want to scare Kim away, not so soon after they'd been reunited. He tried to simply look at her eyes, which had a mesmerizing power all their own. But his eyes kept wandering back to her mouth, which was softer than anything he'd ever felt.

She felt a blush creeping up her neck as she watched his eyes travel to her mouth, and she smiled, suddenly shy. But, she knew he was too polite (not to mention nervous) to kiss her without her permission, so she leaned back up and kissed him again.

The kiss started innocently, for Edward was pure of heart, and never had experienced anything like this. Kim could feel the scar on his lips on hers and she reached up to trace his face, feeling each scar beneath her fingertips. She suddenly felt anger rise in her stomach as she thought of how many more scars he had because of her ex-boyfriend, Jim.

She reached her hands to tangle in his messy raven hair and pulled his mouth to hers with a sudden intensity, feeling the passion she had never quite felt with Jim.

Edward's eyes, which had closed of their own accord, shot back open. He gently pulled away as quickly as possible, stuttering out, "I-I'm sorry," over and over again. She furrowed her eyebrows. What was he apologizing for? She was the one who had let the kiss become too passionate for his liking. He continued to mumble apologies until she put a finger over his lips to silence him.

She nearly laughed as his eyes crossed to look at her finger on his lips. Edward relaxed. It was apparent that she wasn't upset with him. In a sudden bold move, he kissed her fingertip, making Kim's face heat up at the beautifully pure gesture. Jim had never been that gentle with her. She suddenly scowled, wishing desperately Jim hadn't been her first love. Why couldn't it have been Edward all along?

"Kim? Are you okay?" he asked in his quiet voice. He was afraid he'd done the wrong thing and made her angry, but her quick smile assured him that he hadn't.

"Yes, I was just remembering…" she hesitated.

"Remembering what?"

She sighed, knowing it was genuine care for her feelings that he asked the question. But she didn't want to hurt him.

"Oh, nothing. Just remembering the first time we met," she lied, though it wasn't a complete lie; that memory had flooded her mind hundreds of times in the last year.

Edward smiled. He remembered it well. She had come home from her camping trip to find a man with scissors for hands trying to sleep in her bed. She'd panicked, he'd panicked, and he'd ended up popping six holes in her water bed. The memory almost made him laugh.

"I'm sorry if I got…too carried away for you," Kim murmured and looked down at her feet. They had finally let go of each other when Edward had pulled away, and she didn't like it. But, she still felt the need to apologize.

"No! I…I…liked it," Edwards voice sounded panicky, fearing he'd offended her by pulling away. It wasn't that he didn't like it; quite the opposite, he'd never wanted to stop. But he had never engaged in any form of this kind of thing, so he was afraid of doing something wrong, and especially of hurting her by mistake.

Kim grinned wider than a Cheshire Cat at his admitting his liking of the kiss. She stepped dangerously close to him and whispered in his ear, "Want to try it again?"

xXx

The sun was starting to set behind the clouds when Kim realized the time. They'd been talking…well, she'd been talking while Edward listened with unwavering attention. He was such a good listener, and she felt like she could talk forever with him: about school, about her family (He missed them dearly), about her new friends. He was utterly fascinated by her stories, and she felt guilty that he couldn't experience the same things himself. Every so often she would reach up and bring his head down to hers for a quick kiss. It was heavenly.

"Oh, crap!" she suddenly shouted, making Edward jump. "I have to get going! Mom is going to freak if I don't get home soon."

Edward's face fell, but he nodded. Would this be the last time he'd see her? She saw the change in his demeanor and made a quick decision.

"I promise I'll be back tomorrow," she said with mock solemnity, smiling when his eyes lit up.

He walked her to the gate, like a gentleman, and with a quick peck on the lips from her and a smile from him, she vanished from his sight.

As she made her way down the hill to her house, she was blissfully aware that she would see him again. She'd been unsure at first: was it really such a good idea? But how could she leave him? After telling him she loved him, after kissing him like that, she knew how powerful her love was. She couldn't just leave him alone again.

She glanced around when she reached the base, hoping that everyone would be in their homes having dinner. Luck was on her side, and she made her way to her house without being noticed.

"Where have you been?" were the first words out of her mother's mouth as she walked in through the door. "Anne called earlier and said she wasn't out with you when I asked, so I was getting worried. Care to tell me where you were?"

Kim suddenly realized she hadn't come up with an excuse and she stumbled across her words. "I-I…" Sheesh, Edward is already starting to rub off on me. Whoa, now there was a thought! She felt her face flush in embarrassment at that idea, but her mom mistook her reaction.

"Oh honey, are you dating someone new?" she squealed in delight.

"Wha—? Um, y-yeah…sort of," she stammered.

"Dear, that's wonderful! Who is he? You have to tell me all about him! Let's go sit in your room and talk in private," she talked excitedly, pleased her daughter was finally out with someone.

The two walked into her room and sat down on her bed. "Well?" her mother prompted.

Kim sighed, debating whether or not to tell her mom the truth. Maybe she could go with half-truths.

"Well, you know him," she started, watching Peg's eyes grow wider in excitement. "And, he's been to our house before."

"Is it Edwin Banks?" her mother asked, seeming hopeful that it was.

Kim shook her head slowly, and decided to give her mom a real hint. "Well, no, but his name starts with 'Ed'," she qualified carefully.

Peg's smile faded away, and she slowly registered her daughter's words.

"Y-you mean…"

"Yes, Mom. It's Edward. I…saw him today," she said as calmly as she could.

Peg's eyes were swiftly welling up with tears, and she suddenly pulled her daughter into a tight embrace. "I thought…I thought you said he was dead…I mean, during the incident at Christmas…" she suddenly broke down sobbing, clinging to her daughter like her life depended on it.

Kim started crying too, her day suddenly overwhelming her. "I know Mom, but I lied that day, hoping they would leave him alone…hoping he could find some peace. But, I couldn't leave him alone up there. I had to see him…I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I never told you."

"Oh, honey, forget about t-that. I'm just so…happy…he's a-alive! I always hoped…but I never could bring myself to go up t-there," Peg blubbered away in Kim's arms. Suddenly, she looked up past the tears and suddenly realized what Kim had said.

"W-wait, I asked if you were dating someone…and you said…" she was stuttering in an effort to understand, and Kim suddenly beamed; a smile more beautiful than she had ever seen from her daughter. Kim answered the unspoken question with one word.

"Yes."