Chapter Seven
I felt my stomach musels tighten and contract as I breathed, trying to stay as composed as I could as Edward took a seat next to me. For a minute we just looked at each other, his breath cool on my face and sweet smelling as I inhaled. His eyes were looking at me intently, the gold seeming to glow in the lighting.
"Well," I said. "Aren't you going to enlighten me?"
"Enlighen you," he said, nodding and running a hand through his hair. "Of course. Well, where do you want me to start?"
"The begining would be nice," I said sarcasticly, rolling my eyes. He nodded, and I knew he must have felt stupid.
"The begining, okay," he murmered. "Well, we all knew that Victoria was coming -it was just a matter of when. And we knew that she wanted to take you away from me, so that not only you would suffer, but so would I. I knew what I had to do then, but I just didn't know how to go about doing it. I had long talks with Carlisle and the rest of the family about this, Bella. And that was when we decided that we were going to leave."
"Leave," I repeated, nodding. "Keep going."
"We knew that if I left you, Victoria would know that it would cause you pain. That way, she would not need to inflect anything more on you. I also knew that if I took you with me, she would still hunt you down and find you when you were vunerable."
"Why didn't you tell me that was why you were leaving?" I asked, curious evident in my voice.
"Because I knew that you wouldn't let me go," he said, matter- of- factly.
I recoiled back. "I would not have, Edward."
He nodded. "Alice saw it."
I frowned. "Oh."
"I knew what I was doing the night before I left. I just... I didn't want it to go as far as it did. Things go a little out of hand, Bella. And I'm sorry."
I shook my head. "Don't be sorry. I love Mason."
"As do I," Edward said. "But I just wish that I would have known that this would have happened. I wish I would have known that it was possible."
I nodded. "I was so scared, Edward. I didn't know if the baby was going to be okay, if something would go wrong. I just wanted a healthy baby, you know?"
He nodded, understanding. "I know, Bella."
"Anyway, finish enlightening me."
"Well, while we were away, I spent most of my time trying to find Victoria. It was much harded then I thought it would be. She was so sly, like a fox, and she kept getting away. It was really fustrating to me. I wanted to be able to protect you from her, but I couldn't. Then I heard from Rosalie that she was destroyed. Of course I wanted to find you right away. But I knew that it would be best to just let you do your own thing for a little while. I didn't know whether or not you had moved on and found someone else. I didn't know anything. So I stayed for a little longer. But not too long."
"It was long enough," I said, then I laughed a little despite my intentions. Edward cocked a smile, half lifting the corners of his mouth just a little. But then I glared at him, and he stopped.
"I agree," he said with a nod. "Much longer than I hoped for, at least. I just wished there was a way..."
"You could have called me," I said, pointing a finger at him. "You knew my number, and you could have called anytime."
"I could have," he agreed. "But what would I have said, Bella? You have to put yourself in my shoes for a minute. I'm trying to protect the one I love."
I nodded in understandment. "Okay."
"So Bella please understand where I'm coming from," he pleaded, his voice soft. He reached over to pat my knee, his hands so white against my black jeans. "Just know that I have never meant to hurt you. You are the last being on this plantet that I would ever want to hurt. Do you understand that?"
Reluctantly, I said, "I understand where you're coming from, Edward."
He grinned, running a hand through his touseled bronze hair. "You do?"
I was about to say something, but a nurse walked around the corner and looked at me. "Charlie is wondering where you are. Your son is getting fussy, and needs to be fed." Then she looked at Edward, surprised a little. "Oh -hi Edward."
"Hello," Edward said in that same smooth voice.
When she dissapeared around the corner, I stood up for the waiting room chair. I looked down at Edward; he had this nervous look on his face, like he had something to say. I knew what it was.
"Do...do you want to come?" I asked, my voice low and raspy even though I didn't want it to be. Edward looked up at me with wide eyes.
"Really?" he asked. "I mean, are you sure."
I took a deep breath, and then exhaled, gulping. "I'm...sure."
We walked in silence down the long hallway to Charlie's room, passing peoples stares as we went. They were amazed by Edward's beauty, much like I was when I first saw him.
Reaching the door, I stopped with my hand on the doorknob. "Why don't you wait here for a minute?" I asked. "Charlie doesn't really like you right now."
He nodded. "Okay, yeah. I understand."
I walked into the room to see Charlie with Mason on his chest. I could tell my Mason's blotchy red cheeks that he was crying, and I could hear the faint little hiccups coming from him. I walked over, and got him for Charlie.
"Sorry for taking longer," I said quickly. "I'm going to take Mason out to fed. I won't be too long. You should try to get some rest, though."
Closing his eyes, Charlie said tiredly, "Okay. Bye, Bells."
"Bye," I said, walking back towards the door. Mason was wrapped in a receiving blanket; it was blue fleece, and very soft. I had him proped up on my shoulder, my hand cupping his head, my other hand under his bum. I was gently bouncing hims up and down to try and calm him down, and it ws working so far.
When I walked back out, Edward immeditaly perked up. Then he took on that nervous look again.
"It's okay," I said to him, still bouncing. "Don't fret; I just have to feed him."
"Feed him," Edward said, nodding. "Right."
I swung the diaper bag down from my shoulder and grabbed a bottle out of the side pocket, swiningg it back on. "Oh, crap," I muttured.
Edward was over me at once. "What is it, Bella? Are you alright?"
I nodded, looking at the bottle. "I... I don't know how to warm it up."
"This was," he said, pointing down the hallway. "There's a little room down there was a microwave and stuff. We can go in there."
I looked at him and smiled timidly. "Thanks, Edward," I said.
He guided me to the little room, and I popped the bottle in the microwave.
"This room is like a little apartment," I commented. The room had a little kitchen with a stove and such, then to the left there were couches and chairs, and a dining table to the right a little more. It looked very neat and tidy.
Edward laughed. "I think that's the point. It's here so the nurses and doctors can have a break every now and then."
I was feeding Mason now. He was in my arms, the blanket wrapped securely around him, drinking so cutely from the bottle.
Edward walked over to me, hovering over Mason from the back fo the couch. I looked up at him for a minute, then back down at Mason. They did look a lot alike. They had excactly the same hair colour, and he had the cutest eyes ever and a little button nose that scrunched whenever he was upset.
Edward was still looking. "He really is something," he muttered.
I nodded.
I knew that keeping Mason from Edward was wrong in the long- shot, but it just seemed like the right thing to do. But it seemed like Edward did really care about him, and that was something I knew from the very begining.
"Would you," I gulped, "like to...feed him?"
"You'd let me do that?"
I gulped again. "Yes."
He walked over and sat by me on the couch. I gently laid Mason in his arms and handed Edward the bottle. He gently put it to Mason's mouth, and smiled when he made a gurling sound. A few minutes later, he leaned down and pressed his lips to Mason's forehead. I...smiled.
"You're...you're good with him," I muttered.
He smiled down at Mason, still not looking at me. "I hope so."
"You are," I said again.
Edward looked up at me now, our faces just inches apart. I could smell his sweet breath on my face; I inhaled. Then, before I had a chance to do anything, I felt Edward'scool lips press on mine.
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PLEASE READ THIS AUTHOR'S NOTE
A/N- I'm fairly pleased with this chapter! I know this is what you've all been waiting for, so I decided not to hold off any longer. You guys are seriously amazing.
So, I've decided to play a little game. I want you guys to ask me questions! It can be any question you want to ask me. It can be what I like on my pizza, if I have any pets, my favorite/ least favorite subjects in school, if I have any siblings. Anything. So please put in your questions!
