I don't own Twilight!

Chapter Four: Apologies

"You know where he is?" Alice asked as she started to bounce up and down in her seat in excitement.

"Yes," I replied confidently. "Do you think I should go see him?"

"Of course you should," Emmett said in a tone that made it seem like I was dumb to even ask.

"Okay," I said as I nervously stood up to leave. "Hopefully I will see you guys later."

"You definitely will," Alice said with a big smile. "I promise."

I nodded and walked away from the table that held my long lost family. Part of me still reeled from the shock and excitement of finding them in the last place I expected, but I knew with Alice around I would never have to be completely alone anymore. I had almost made it to the door of the cafeteria when Zach Newton stopped me.

"Hey Bella," Zach said, trying to sound sexy and failing miserably.

"Zach," I replied as tried to get around him.

"I was wondering if you wanted to sit and have lunch with me," Zach asked, and I could have sworn I heard Emmett laugh on the other side of the cafeteria.

"I was just leaving actually," I said in frustration.

"Why?" Zach asked, sounding far more interested in my life then he had any right to.

"I'm not feeling well," I lied, and then I gave a small cough to emphasize my point.

"Oh," Zach replied.

"Yeah, and you may want to get out of the way, because I think I am going to throw up, and I would want to do it on you," I said, and sighed in relief as Zach moved out of the way.

I quickly exited the cafeteria before I could be stopped again and made my way to the office. Getting the women in the front office to let me leave was surprisingly easy. I stuck to my being sick story and the secretary believed me instantly, probably because I was so pale.

Once I was in my Volvo I drove quickly to my destination. I arrived just minutes later and parked my car in the same spot I had parked my truck when I came here years ago with Edward. I grabbed my keys, shoved them in my purse, and ran to the meadow where I knew Edward would be.

As I ran, I began to pick up Edward's scent, so I knew I was heading in the right direction. Once I made it to the trees that were on the outside of the meadow, I took a deep breath to calm my nerves and walked forward.

Lying in the middle of the meadow with his eyes closed was Edward, just as perfect as ever. Any human that saw him there, so peaceful, would have just assumed he was the statue of a Greek God that someone put there.

His bronze hair was as messy as ever, and my fingers ached with the need to touch it. Actually in all honestly my fingers ached to touch all of Edward, not just his hair, but I knew I had to be patient. I needed answers before I could give in to my desires.

As I was standing there I began to wonder why Edward wasn't aware of me watching him, but then I realized it was because I was standing downwind from him and he couldn't read my thoughts. Seeing him in person for the first time in so long caused so many emotions to run wild inside of me. I didn't know what to say or how he was going to react, but I had to find out where we stood with each other.

I quietly went and sat down near him and waited for him to notice my presence. A second later Edward cracked one eye open to see who had disturbed his peace.

"Hi," I said shyly.

Both of Edward's eyes snapped open and he shot up into a sitting position.

"Bella," Edward breathed. The confused and doubtful look on his face told me that he was trying to decide if I was real or not.

"Yes," I replied as my eyes hungrily drank Edward in. He began to slowly shake his head in disbelief.

"This isn't possible. Bella died eighty years ago," Edward said, closing his eyes again and pinching the bridge of his nose. I knew by these signature moves that he was trying to convince himself that he wasn't having delusions.

"She was attacked by an animal and died," he stated, finally looking at me again with an almost hopeful expression, wanting me to convince him otherwise.

"No, Edward, I wasn't. Unless you consider Victoria an animal, which I guess I do," I said with a small smile.

"My God, Bella, it really is you, isn't it?" Edward said as he finally came to terms with reality.

"It really is," I replied.

"I thought I was never going to see you again," Edward said as he reached his hand out to touch my face.

"Wait," I said as I stopped his hand. "I thought that was your plan, never to see me again. You don't love me, remember?"

"Bella, the reasons I gave you for leaving that day in the woods were all lies. Telling you that I didn't want you or love you was the blackest and most difficult lie I've ever told," Edward said.

"What?" I asked, not daring to believe he was telling the truth.

"Bella, the reason I left was to protect you from myself and others like me, which clearly didn't work," Edward said as he took in my vampire appearance.

"Why didn't you just say that? Why did you have to say you didn't love me?" I asked.

"You wouldn't have let me leave if you thought I still loved you," Edward explained, and I knew he was right.

"Okay, that is probably true," I admitted.

"Bella, I want you to know that I have never stopped loving you. Even when I was convinced that you had died, I still loved you more than anything else in the world, and I am so sorry for everything I put you through," Edward said, and I would have tears streaming down my face if I could.

"You really still love me?" I asked because it was just hard to believe that I had to hear him say it again.

"Yes, I really love you Bella," Edward said and I could see the love in eyes as he gazed at me. "My life has been pretty miserable without you."

"I know, mine has been miserable without you, too," I admitted. "I love you so much, Edward, and I forgive you. I think I forgave you a long time ago."

"Really?" Edward asked as happiness started to take over his face.

"Yep," I said, smiling bigger then I had in a really long time.

Edward and I smiled happily at each other for a second before his lips came crashing down on mine. We kissed passionately in our meadow, neither of us needing to breathe, until it started to rain.

"Stupid rain," I mumbled as we pulled apart, causing Edward to laugh.

"Okay, now would you mind explaining how Victoria changed you?" Edward asked as the seriousness returned to his face.

"How about we go someplace dry to discuss it?" I said as the rain began to pour.

"Sure, we can go to my house," Edward said. "I know everyone else is going to be thrilled to see you."

"I actually saw Alice, Jasper, Emmett, and Rosalie at school," I admitted.

"I thought you might have, since you figured out where I was, but I know Esme and Carlisle will want to see you," Edward said with a smile.

"I would love to see them, too," I said with a smile as Edward helped me up.

"Let's go then," Edward said as he grabbed my hand.

"Actually, we have to go get my car first. It's parked on the side of the road," I said.

"Of course, no problem. So, has your taste in vehicles improved at all over the years, love?" Edward teased with a smirk.

"Oh, I think you will be pleased," I said as I grabbed his hand and we ran to where my shiny silver Volvo was parked.

AN: Thanks to my beta fnmom68! REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW PLEASE :)