"Nightmares, Dreams, and Eternal Bliss"

Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer nor do I own the following characters. I would love nothing more than to own Edward Cullen….*dramatic pause*…in my pants. :P

Bella POV

Carlisle finishes wrapping my sprained ankle while Alice and I still giggle about my tripping over a sneaker and not one of her death trap shoes. He has given me Tylenol for my pain, but I am used to it, it doesn't hurt much. I have complete faith in Carlisle's work. I wonder what made Edward take off on me like that though…I suppose it was his confrontation with Jacob. Then it hits me. Edward can read minds…Jacob must have thought horrible thoughts or shown him horrible things…or maybe something that would just be horrible to Edward…like how Jacob and I spent almost every day together this summer and how I cried when I thought no one was looking. Thinking about it makes me choke up in tears…without a word exchanged between me and Alice she takes me in her arms and takes me to my beloved. I glance briefly at Carlisle in thanks for mending my injury.

"Alice?" I ask of her.

"Yes, Bella?"

"I want to try walking." She sits me down on my feet and allows me to use her arm to steady myself as I stumble across the landing and to Edward's closed door. I do not knock but slowly turn the knob in warning that I am coming in. Alice helps me cross the threshold and I am immediately in his strong arms.

Edward POV

As I lie on my couch and allow my emotions to take over me and surround me in agony and hurt…I hear the slow squeak of my doorknob as Alice helps Bella stumble in the room. I glide across the floor and take Bella in my arms, her sweet scent envelopes my soul and I plant kisses on the top of her head. She clings to me like it is our first night together again…Alice slowly backs from the room. I'll just leave you two alone now. I notice the sounds of her gentle sobs against my chest and I hold her more tightly to me. "Bella." I state quietly into her long, brown hair. "I love you, Bella." She pulls herself up on her toes and wraps her arms around my neck…I gently kiss the tears falling from her eyes. "And I love you, Edward." Her eyes flow freshly with tears as she looks into my eyes. I lean our foreheads together and whisper to her that I love her so much, that she is my everything, my life now. I step back and lift her in my arms. She must know how much she means to me. I carry her to the soft couch across the room and sit her down in my lap. She curls back into my chest with her arms around my neck. I caress her back and relax into a state of Bella induced bliss. Slowly, her crying stops as I rock her gently in my arms and sing to her. Her hands softly rub the back of my neck and then find my hair. She looks up and lifts her soft, warm lips to mine and I am in heaven. She knows that I am badly upset and I do believe she knows or suspects why. She kisses me with such tenderness, such gentleness. She is like my heroin, as my drug seeps through my veins, I begin to relax by her touch.

Bella POV

Edward takes me in his arms and carries me to his couch. He sits me down on his lap and I cuddle into him. I can feel his sadness, I am sad because he is sad. I am reminded that he left me and of all the months without him and I can't stop tears from rising to my eyes. Edward rubs small circles on my back as he rocks me gently back and forth. He sings quietly of his love and sadness in a song I have never heard before. His voice soothes me into a relaxed state. I rise up and kiss him softly. My head is cleared of all but emotion as his firm lips touch my soft ones. This is the kiss brought on by months of sadness. This is the kiss of a lifetime. Our lips collide into each other over and over in our expression of love and longing. Finally, he slowly pulls away with a small smile on his lips. My face mirrors the face of my lover. I gaze up at him in wonder. "My darling Bella, I love you. You are the most beautiful creature on this Earth, in this universe, in everything. You are my life, Bella. I will never leave you again. I promise you. I will stand and protect you from all that desires to hurt you. I will not hurt you like I did ever again. I will never forgive myself for that." He looks deeply into my eyes and takes my face in his hands. Again, I am ensnared in his kiss. I am wrapped firmly around his body and our lips are moving together gracefully. I use my hand in his hair to pull him closer to me…his hands remain on my face, softly rubbing over my skin…I sigh in contentment. Edward is truly mine forever and that is all I need to be happy.