"We need to talk."

I offered up the first excuse I could think of. "Can't talk right now, Edward. I have to get back to my date."

"He isn't your date."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "How do you know that."

He smiled. "Emmett."

"Emmett." I growled in frustration. "Well, you need to get back to your date."

"I know that you know she's not my date. Emmett talked to both of us."

"Whether we have dates or not isn't the point. This is Alice's night and I need to see if she needs me."

Edward's smile grew. "Bella, Alice is gone."

I whirled around to face the banquet room of the restaurant to see Jasper's parents apparantly settling a bill with a server while other employees cleared the tables. Sure enough, all of my beloved friends were gone, even Tyler. I turned back to face Edward, who was leaning against the corner, smirking. "What the hell is going on?"

"Alice asked me if I could give you a ride back to her place."

"She set me up!"

"She knew I needed to talk to you."

I'd thought I was ready to face him, but seeing him for the first time earlier that evening had shaken me to my core and I could barely look at him. His constant stare had kept me on edge all evening. I'd tried to hold onto my anger so I could be strong and face him down, but it was melting away and I was desperately trying to find the strength to even remain standing. "What do you want from me, Edward? You're the one that left me!"

His green eyes flashed. "I spent months trying to find a way to talk to you! You wouldn't even let anyone mention my name!"

The pain that I'd kept locked up so tightly for the past four years came crashing down around me and I was yelling. "What would have been the point? You didn't want me! You sent me away and didn't even give me the chance to make my own choices!"

"You wouldn't have gone to England if I didn't do it!"

"Whatever would've happened, it was my decision and you shouldn't have made it for me! You were always making my decisions for me!"

He blew out a breath and his voice came out much softer. "Yes, I made decisions for you and I shouldn't have. I was wrong. I was young and stupid and I didn't know how to reach you."

His soft words took the wind out of my sails and all I could do was stare at him. "We were both so wrong, Bella. You constantly acted like you thought you weren't good enough for me, like you thought I was going to leave you. I tried so hard to prove you wrong, but you never believed me. I didn't know what to do, how to make you feel better. I know I took over for you when I shouldn't have, but I didn't know how to reach you."

He was voicing my deepest fears from four years ago. Not four years ago, I realized suddenly, but from my entire life. I'd always been afraid that people would find me lacking, so I tried to protect myself. I'd worked so hard to overcome my shyness and insecurities in the past four years, but they were still there underneath and this man brought them right to the surface again. "You left me," I murmured softly.

"I didn't mean to, Bella. I was a stupid kid who was trying to do what I thought was best for both of us. When I finally came to my senses, it was too late. You were gone. But I don't think it's the worst thing that could've happened to us."

"What do you mean?" I gasped.

"Do you really think we would've made it if you'd come to Boston with me? Or if we'd tried long distance? I was an insecure kid trying so hard to hold on to you back then. I think we would've ended up hurting each other worse in the end. From what everyone says, you've turned into an amazing person."

"You asked about me?"

"Always."

"I-I don't understand," I stammered, trying to catch my breath.

"Just be honest with yourself, Bella. Think about who we were back then and where we are now. We were good together back then, but we'd be amazing now. If you don't think so, I'll leave you alone and try to move on."

"What do you mean, try?"

"I'm not over you, Bella. Never have been, never will be, but if you don't want to be with me, I'll learn to live with that. I think we've been through hard times, but they've been good for us and we've both grown up a lot. But like I said, if it's not what you want, tell me."

"I, uh, I don't..." I trailed off, unable to finish my thought. I stumbled and fell into a chair, unable to stand under the weight of my thoughts. Rosalie and Emmett had tried to tell me there was more to the story than what I knew. Hadn't I just convinced myself that we weren't right for each other back then? He was too controlling and I was too needy. Maybe it wasn't that we weren't right for each other, but that we both needed to grow up before we could really be happy together. I thought back to Rosalie's speech. When she'd been speaking I hadn't really been paying attention, but now I realized she'd been talking to me. She'd tried to tell me how hard relationships were. She and Emmett had been so happy together once and so miserable when they were apart. Now they had a second chance and I knew they would both jump into it wholeheartedly. Could I do the same? I looked into his eyes and I knew my answer.

I smiled at him, but before I could speak he knocked over a glass of water on the table next to me. I frowned at him, wondering what the hell he was doing. "I'm so sorry! I'll buy you a new glass of water. And a new dress."

I looked at him, still wondering what was going on. He held out his hand to me. "Hi, I'm Edward."

Suddenly I understood. "Careful, we don't want anymore freak indoor tidal waves."

"I don't mind them. They've brought me the best thing in my life."

THE END

Bella's done, but Edward still has a little more to say. If you're interested, jump over to Far Away.