1My mind was crawling back from the dark as a vague awareness came over me. A sensation in my side, tugging, pulling, becoming pain. My name a roar on Edward's lips. A crash, a cry, a cold hand. Blackness again.

Then, from a long way away, a siren. Confused voices, shouting - Mike and Charlie. But through everything, Edward's voice, clear and close.

"I'm here, Bella. I'm here. Don't leave me. Please."

---------------------------------

Alice was standing at the foot of the bed when I peeled my eyes open.

"Hi," she said, grinning.

"Um, hi." I looked around. White walls, vinyl floor, apricot curtains pulled around one side of the metal bed. Forks Hospital.

I stretched experimentally then wriggled around, trying to pull myself into more of a sitting position.

"You probably shouldn't do that. Not yet." Alice came closer, frowning.

"I'm okay," I mumbled, though the pulling feeling on my left side told me otherwise. "Where's Edward?" I looked down at the tube going into a blue vein on the back of my hand. "And my ring?"

"They took it off for the surgery. Edward has it."

"Where is he? And Charlie?" They'd both been there when I'd fallen asleep.

"Carlisle made Edward take a bathroom break, for appearances. He'll be annoyed he wasn't here when you woke up." Her face crumpled a little in another frown. "And Charlie's gone for a coffee."

I nodded, and reached down to touch my side. I could feel the thick dressing through the pale blue hospital gown.

"So how are you feeling, now? Does it hurt?"

"Not really. It just feels ... sort of numb. And heavy."

Alice nodded wisely. "That would be the pain killers. You'll feel differently when they start to wear off."

I rolled my eyes. "Thanks for that."

She smiled. "Don't worry, the doctors will give you more. You seem much more alert than you did after the surgery."

"Yeah, I feel more alert." Vague memories. A mask on my face, Carlisle telling me I'd be fine, a different doctor explaining that surgery went well. Charlie's anxious face and Edward's anguished eyes.

I settled back on the pillows.

"What time is it now?" I rubbed my eyes with my un-tubed hand.

"It's ten o'clock, Sunday morning."

I nodded. Sixteen hours since I impaled myself on the tent pegs in Mike's hand.

"So, give me some details, Alice, now that I'm more alert."

She came and sat gingerly on the bed.

"You had two abdominal puncture wounds - one small, one jagged where the tent peg dragged." A wave of nausea rippled through me at the thought, but Alice didn't seem to notice. "No major organs were damaged and you lost some blood, but not a lot. You had surgery to repair the larger wound but you'll make a full recovery. And ... that's about it." She finished with a smile.

I tried to adjust my position again.

"Do you want me to plump your pillows?" She seemed excited at the idea.

"Um, yes, okay." Alice stood up and expertly squeezed and fluffed and plumped. I leant back and definitely felt more comfortable. She put her arms around me carefully in a loose hug. "Thanks,"I smiled up at her when she pulled away.

"Is Edward okay, Alice?"

"Mm, he will be now that you're properly awake." She sat back down on the bed. "I'm sure you can imagine how he's been, though." She rolled her eyes. "I told him you'd be alright. I kept showing him a vision of you sitting up here eating red jello but he's still been a wreck."

I frowned. I hated red jello and she was right - I could imagine him.

"But he can't blame himself for this," I said firmly. "He wasn't even there when it happened." But he was on his way to me, I realised. "Did you see it, Alice?"

Her smile faded and a look of pain crossed her exquisite features.

"I was trying to interest him in my ice sculpture catalogue and ... I just saw you. Falling and then bleeding." She shuddered in a very human way. I reached out my hand, trying to ignore the tubes, and put it on her cold one. "And I saw the tent pegs, and Mike Newton pulling them out ... ," she paused. "And you dying."

"Dying?" I choked out the word, shocked.

She nodded solemnly. "In the vision, Mike panicked and tried to pull them out. He was pretty rough and he nicked an artery. You bled to death before you got to the hospital." My jaw dropped. "Apparently he didn't listen in the first aid lessons last year. He didn't realise you're not supposed to remove an object when someone's impaled on it."

"But ... but that didn't happen." I whispered.

"No, it didn't. Edward saw the vision as soon as I had it and he was out the door, phone stuck to his ear, before I even said a word . He was trying to call the store while I called Carlisle at the hospital." She flicked some invisible dust from her skirt. "Emmett had to reattach the front door."

"He pulled the door off?"

"Oh yes. Very Edward. But it was an emergency."

I shook my head. Very Edward.

"I remember the phone ringing just after I fell. And then he arrived. I heard his car, and his voice." Edward's voice. I'd known as soon as I heard it that everything would be alright. "So Edward stopped Mike?"

Alice nodded. I let out a long breath. He'd saved my life again. My eyes closed, and I shuddered at the thought of what he must have gone through.

"Is Mike okay? I mean, it must have been scary for him. Oh, and I fell on him, too!" I suddenly remembered.

"He's alright. And his arm should be fine. The cast will be off in a few weeks."

Cast? "Did I break his arm?" It wasn't enough that I'd injured myself, I had to take someone with me.

"Not you. Edward."

I felt my jaw drop. "Edward broke Mike's arm?" Disbelief. "Why? I know he doesn't like him, but it wasn't Mike's fault!"

"It would have been if you'd died," Alice said seriously. "But calm down, Bella. It wasn't like that." Alice put her hand on mine.

"What then?"

"When Edward arrived, he saw you lying there, with the blood, and Mike was trying to pull out the tent pegs. Edward had seen that it would kill you ... so he did a leap over the counter and pushed Mike out of the way." She grimaced slightly.

"Oh." Now I understood. "Is it a bad break?"

"Not too bad. Edward obviously exerted some sort of control, but Mike's lucky he still has an arm. Carlisle set it for him."

Suddenly, Alice hopped off the bed.

"They're coming back."

A moment later Charlie appeared. Relief was written all over his face when he saw me awake.

"Bella, honey. How're you feeling?"

"Fine." Although my mind was still reeling from everything Alice had told me. He sat down in the chair beside the bed and started patting my hand.

"You're going to be okay, Bells." It sounded like he was trying to convince himself more than me.

"I know, Dad," I smiled, squeezing his hand. Then I looked past him to the door. Looking for Edward.

"He's coming, Bella, he'll be here in a just a minute."

Was I that obvious?

The door opened and Edward walked in. I felt my heart expanding in my chest. His hair seemed more tussled than usual, hanging down into his eyes. He looked weary, though I knew that wasn't possible, as he came and gave me a soft kiss on the forehead. He put his hand on my cheek and I could feel his love and relief travel through me.

"Hello." His voice was quiet, his eyes searching mine.

"Hi."

He sat on the bed. "Is this okay?" I nodded and wriggled over a little until our legs were touching through the blankets. He smiled and my heart skipped. It was like we were the only people in the room. In the world.

"I have something for you," he said softly. He took my left hand in one of his and reached into his pocket with the other.

"My ring!" He smiled as he held it up and then bent his head over my hand as he gently slid it onto my finger.

"Back where it belongs," he whispered, kissing my hand once it was in place.

I was vaguely aware of Alice speaking and Charlie clearing his throat.

"Bella? Bells? I'll, er, let you and Edward have some time together. I'll be back later."

Our moment was obviously making him feel awkward.

"Oh, are you sure, Dad?" He nodded as he pushed back the chair and said goodbye to Edward. "Okay, well I'll see you later." He gave my hand a squeeze as he turned to go.

Alice smiled. "I'll be back later, too, when Esme and the others want come and see you." She gave a little wave as she danced out the door behind Charlie.

"So are you feeling alright?" Edward's eyes were still on mine.

"I'm fine."

He frowned. "A building could fall on you and you'd say you were fine." I could hear the strain in his voice.

I sighed. "Okay, I feel alright now, but I think I'll be sore when the pain killers wear off. When I move it twinges a little."

Edward smiled. "Thank you for the honesty."

"Now, tell me how you are."

"I'm fine." He smirked at the look I gave him. "Let me clarify. I'm fine, now. Now that I'm here with you, and I can see that you're alright." He dropped his gaze. "Alice told you about her vision." It wasn't a question, he would have read it in her mind.

"Yes," I stroked his hand.

"When I saw it ... ," he shook his head and looked up at me again and this time the anguish in his eyes was clear. "My whole world changed in that second. Our whole world changed. It took two years to get to where we are and then ... gone."

"It's not gone, Edward."

He nodded, looking down again. "I know." He was rubbing my hand. "When I saw you...," he stopped for a breath. "Your heart sounded strong, so I just held onto that. But I was wondering how I was going to change you, if it came to that." My eyes widened at his words. "The situation and location were difficult, but I was working on a plan. Just in case." He seemed to shudder at the memory. I pulled on his hand, gently. He looked at me, puzzled. I smiled and tugged harder, pulling him towards me. He followed and I wriggled closer to the edge of the bed, leaving space beside me. When Edward was close enough I reached up, putting my hands on either side of his face. Slowly I pulled him down to me, pulling him in.

"Bella, I don't think ... "

"Ssh."

He let out a breath and gave in, climbing carefully up onto the bed so he was lying next to me. Gently, I rested his cheek against my chest. I put my arms around him and held him there, over my beating heart. I stroked the back of his neck and he gave a deep sigh and curled himself around me. I felt the tension leave his body and he closed his eyes. We stayed that way for some time.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here when you woke up." Edward lifted his head after a while. He took a moment to reposition himself very carefully so he was sitting along side me, my shoulder against his arm, his hand holding mine in his lap, our legs lying next to each other. I was glad. His closeness was better than any pain killer and he seemed to understand that. He wasn't treating me like I was made of glass.

"It's okay. Alice explained where you were and she filled me in on everything." He seemed to tense a little. "She told me about the wound and the surgery."

He nodded and started rubbing his thumb in circles into my palm. "And Mike's arm," I said casually.

He eyes narrowed. "I was going to tell you about that later." He looked away so I couldn't see his face.

"Alice said it happened when you stopped him pulling the tent pegs out."

Edward's jaw tensed before he started speaking rapidly. "That's pretty much it, yes." I noticed his teeth had come together, hard. " The idiot thought he was helping but he didn't realise the damage he was causing. He would have killed you." He took a shaky breath. "I had to stop him." He looked up at me suddenly. "I was a bit ... distraught ... at the time." He gave me a weak smile and I smiled back. I wanted him to know I understood but I felt a bit bad for Mike. Edward must have been terrifying.

"Did you really jump the counter?"

"Yes, why?"

"I wish I'd seen it."

I reached my face up to his. He understood and lent down to kiss me but pulled back almost straight away.

"What?"

"We're about to get visitors."

I scowled. "Who?"

"Carlisle and Dr Lewis"

"Dr Lewis?"

"She's been treating you since you came in."

I was confused. I'd assumed Carlisle would have been looking after me.

"It's hospital policy, love. You're too closely connected to Carlisle for him to treat you."

"Too close?"

He ran his hand over my hair, and there was happiness shining in his eyes now. "You're practically his daughter-in-law, remember?"

Ah, now I understood. I grinned back at Edward and he leant down to kiss me, but just before his lips touched mine, he whispered, "Just don't be too embarrassed by anything she says." Before I could ask what he meant his lips brushed over mine.

"Sorry, we didn't mean to interrupt." Carlisle was smiling at us.

Edward pulled back and I looked at the tall, silver haired woman who'd just followed Carlisle through the door. She approached the bed and held out her hand.

"Hi Bella, I'm Dr Lewis. I've been treating you since you came in. It's nice to see you awake."

Her smile was warm and friendly and I smiled back as I shook her hand.

"I'm just going to do some checks. Your injuries weren't too serious, luckily. You can stay if you want, Edward."

"Thank you." His voice held a smile and he shared a look with Carlisle. Dr Lewis' offer was meaningless. Nothing was going to drag him away.

"Bella, I have some rounds to do now, but I'll look in on you later, okay?" Carlisle gave my hand a squeeze. "It's good to see you looking so well," he said before he left the room.

Dr Lewis took my pulse and my blood pressure, she checked my eyes, felt my head for bumps and listened to my heart. Then she very gently felt my stomach and the lower area between my naval and my hip bone, where the wound was. While Edward went to look out the window she lifted my gown and checked under the dressing. I grimaced as she prodded around and then pulled the gown back into place around my thighs.

Edward came back to sit on the bed beside me, holding my hand, as Dr Lewis went through what had happened. It was basically as Alice had said, but with more medical detail.

"I'm going to keep you on soft foods, just until you've been to the bathroom and we know everything's working okay. I don't expect there to be any problems, it's just standard practice with abdominal injuries." She smiled apologetically. "Once you go home you'll need to keep the wound clean and replace the dressing each day after you shower. We'll give you enough dressings and antiseptic wipes to take with you."

I nodded.

"You'll have to come back in about a week to get the stitches out and we'll put some small adhesive strips over the wound then, just to support it while it keeps healing. They'll come off after another week and after that you should be fine. Until then, though, you'll need to take it easy. No heavy lifting, no physical exertion."

"Uh huh." I couldn't say much more than that - Edward was stroking the side of my neck.

"You can probably go home in a day or two. I'll write a script for some pain killers in case you need them." She went to the end of the bed and began writing on the chart that hung from the bed frame. Then she came to sit on the foot of the bed.

"Everything's good, but there's something I want to discuss with you both." Her voice was more serious now. Beside me I could see Edward trying to hide a smile. His lips were twisting and he wasn't looking at me. I felt my heart start to pound. Was this the embarrassing part?

"I believe you're getting married soon." Her eyes flickered to my engagement ring and she smiled. "I think it might be a good idea if, sexually, you take things easy until the stitches are out and the adhesive strips have done their job." She gave a light laugh. "Two weeks isn't too long to wait, I hope. And in the meantime there's nothing wrong with lots of touching and hugs and kisses."

The blush ranged over my face and neck. Edward was still looking away. He could have warned me.

"Two weeks. Okay, got it." I spoke abruptly, trying to stop the conversation going any further but Dr Lewis wasn't to be deterred. "And take it a bit slowly for a week or so when you do resume your activities. No acrobatics at first, okay? Just to be on the safe side." She smiled warmly. "Four weeks should see you ready for anything!"

Acrobatics? Ready for anything? I was looking down at my hands, wishing a hole would open up and swallow me. I snuck a peek at Edward. His face was smooth and expressionless, but when Dr Lewis turned her head away ... he winked at me! I barely stopped the giggle from bursting through my lips. I tried to compose my face again.

But suddenly, Edward tensed and his grip on my hand became a little harder. I wondered what he'd heard in her thoughts.

"There's one more issue I would like to address," her voice was even more serious. "Often, with abdominal injuries, the first thing a woman wants to know is if she can still have children." Oh no, not this. No wonder Edward was tense. "And I'm sure, as you're young and about to be married, that worry has been uppermost in your minds." Now she was looking at Edward, too.

"Now the good news is that there is no need to worry. You can still have a family, this injury has no effect on your ability to bear a child at all."

I heard a slight hitch in Edward's breathing and he looked out the window. The muscles in his jaw and neck were like steel cables.

"We weren't planning on having children." I said, shakily, rubbing my thumb over his hand.

"Lots of young women say that," she smiled at me. "They almost always change their minds."

Dr Lewis left the room and Edward and I sat in silence. The mood had changed. I was hanging on to his hand, hard.

We'd skirted around this issue before, when we first became engaged. And I knew it had been on his mind since the arrival of George. He was worried he was taking away my chance for motherhood. I'd told him, truthfully, that I didn't need motherhood.

Edward took a breath and his head was bowed, looking at our hands together.

"Bella, if you ever decide ... ,"

I cut him off.

"I already have everything I want Edward. I have you. That's all I need." I looked straight into his eyes, willing him to believe me, though it was in his nature always to doubt. He held my gaze for a moment then gave me a soft smile and nodded, but I wondered if he would let it go.

Suddenly, the mood shifted again. Edward's head snapped around towards the door. He swung his legs off the bed and stood up, reaching one arm across me protectively and he started ... snarling?

"What? What's wrong?"

A second later the door opened, and Mike stuck his head around the corner. When he saw Edward he recoiled and went to back out again, quickly. I looked at Edward and gasped. Oh! No wonder Mike bolted! I'd only seen that face a handful of times but I knew what it meant. Lips curled back, teeth bared. Protector. Predator.

"Edward," I hissed, and squeezed his hand as the door banged shut.

He dropped the face instantly, his posture returning to normal.

"What?"

"You scared him!"

"He's lucky that's all I did."

"Edward!"

"He should never have let you climb up that ladder." He defended himself against the look I was giving him.

"Edward, it was my decision to climb the ladder. I'm the one who fell. Mike tried to ... well you know what happened. He tried to catch me."

"He impaled you!" His eyes were blazing and he spoke through clenched teeth.

"Edward, he didn't mean to."

"He was killing you!" He held one hand out, palm up, imploring, his other hand tearing through his hair. His voice was shaking.

"He didn't know," I whispered, but now I recognised the depth of Edward's fury. And fear.

I held out my arms to him. "I'm sorry," I said.

He shook his head sharply. "You have nothing to be sorry for." He spoke abruptly, his whole body tense. I waited. After a moment he relaxed his shoulders and gave me a shaky half smile. He climbed onto the bed beside me and I remembered the words he'd spoken as he'd held me, bleeding, on the floor of Newton's store. I rested my forehead against his, my hands cupping his face.

"I'm here, Edward. And I won't leave you."

He let out a shuddering breath and held me tight.

We were still in each others arms a while later when the door opened and an orderly wheeled in a battered trolley with a squeaky wheel. He picked up one of a dozen covered metal trays and set it down on the cupboard by the bed.

"Lunch," he said sharply, not looking at us, as he and the trolley squeaked out the door again.

"Lets see what's on the menu," Edward reached across and lifted the lid.

I groaned. Red jello.

--------------------------------------

I'd had a steady stream of visitors. Charlie, Cullens, Jessica, Charlie, Cullens, Angela and Ben, Charlie, Cullens, Tyler and Eric. Mike stayed away, but Mrs Newton brought me a fruit basket, with get well wishes and apologies from Mike. Edward behaved himself during that visit, though he never left my side or let go of my hand.

Finally, on the afternoon of day two, I took some of the gentle exercise that Dr Lewis had recommended. Edward had a gentle hold on my arm as I walked slowly along the hospital hallways.

"I'll race you to the fire doors." I grinned up at him and he chuckled. It was good to see him happy. We walked past the x-ray department, past pathology, ending up near the children's ward. We turned the corner and came to the nursery. I glanced into the large glass window. There were two babies in residence. Both boys I guessed, going by the blue ID cards on the ends of their cribs. One had dark hair, one had no hair at all. Their faces were scrunched up, eyes shut tight, rosebud mouths and little snub noses, skin like velvet, dusted with a fine white powder. The dark haired baby had wriggled one arm free of his blanket and his hand rested on his cheek. He had quite long fingers. Tiny nails.

I'd never been interested in babies or children - the result of too many years spent mothering my own mother, I supposed. But as I looked into the nursery, I wondered briefly what George had looked like as a baby, had he looked like a little Edward? I smiled at the thought. I didn't feel the envy or jealousy I'd experienced when I'd first learned of his existence. Understanding the circumstances around his birth, and meeting him, had helped me deal with that. But now, as I looked at the babies in their cribs, I wondered what our baby would look like. Edward's and mine. A little bronze haired boy with a crooked smile.

It wasn't a sad thought, there was no longing or regret, just ... wondering. Edward's voice broke through.

"Bella?" There was some tension in his voice as he stood behind me. I looked up at him over my shoulder and smiled. "You were miles away." His hand was rubbing over my shoulder and back. "What are you thinking?"

I was about to lie, and say nothing or maybe make something up. But he'd see through it, my blushing, at least, would give me away. And we'd been so honest and open with each other these last few weeks, I didn't want to step back into the old ways - I didn't want to hide anything. But still I debated the wisdom of telling the truth. Especially after Dr Lewis' little talk the day before and his reaction. Before I came to a decision, though, Edward answered the question himself.

"Were you wondering about our baby?"

My eyes opened wide, my smile dropped into open mouthed shock. How could he have known? Tension ripped through me as I tried to anticipate his reaction. I closed my eyes and nodded dumbly, then prepared for the fallout. I knew what he was going to do, he would throw his head in his hands and insist on releasing me from the engagement so I could marry someone else and have their babies. He'd be racked with guilt, selfishness. So I was shocked when his arms wound gently around my waist and he rested his chin on my shoulder.

"She'd be beautiful." His voice was soft in my ear.

"Wh, what?"

"She'd have your deep, brown eyes, and your beautiful hair." His hand reached up and let some strands filter through his fingers. "She'd have my co-ordination, I'd hope, and maybe my musical ability. But she'd have your goodness." He turned me around to look at him. "I've imagined it too, Bella." His eyes were still sad, but there was love there too. So much love. "I'm sorry that ... if you ever ... "

I put my fingers on his lips to stop him. "Just leave it there, Edward." I smiled up at him. "I only need you." He smiled as he bent down to brush his lips against mine. But I ruined the moment when my stomach grumbled. He pulled back and I laughed. "Come on, I'll beat you to the cafeteria." He laughed too, but I could still see a sadness in his eyes.

We were sitting in orange plastic chairs at a small, fake-woodgrain table. I was still trying to get my head around Edward's reaction outside the nursery. A few weeks ago he would have acted very differently, I was quite sure of that. But even though he hadn't beaten himself up as I'd expected, I wondered if he was really going to leave it there. I didn't have long to wonder.

"Bella ... ," Edward's voice was soft. I looked at him over the hot chocolate he'd bought me. His eyes were sad again, but he was smiling slightly. He reached across the table and took my hand in his, looking at my fingers. I knew where this was going. My heart clenched. He wasn't going to leave it alone.

"I've been thinking ... " He looked up at me. I had a fair idea what he was going to say, and I didn't want to hear it.

"Bella, you loved me enough to bring George into my life. Into our lives." He smiled. "If you ever ... "

I cut him off.

"Edward, don't ... ," but he mimicked my action from before and put his finger to my lips. He smiled and waited until he was sure I wouldn't interrupt.

"Bella, if ever you decide you want a baby, I won't stand in your way. Please know that."

I could see the love and sincerity in his eyes. It was mingled with the pain. He was hurting, and for no reason. I didn't want someone else's child. If I couldn't have Edward's baby, I didn't want one. I opened my mouth to tell him all this, again. To make him understand that I didn't need children.

I was ready to do what I normally did when he was being torn with self-doubt and guilt about some imagined problem - I was ready to rage and argue, deny and refute. But then I stopped. I decided to do the opposite.

I chose to acknowledge his words, and recognise and accept the deep, unfailing love that was behind them.

"I do know that, Edward. I do."

And he smiled. The cloud lifted from his expression.

Over the past few weeks I'd leared that Edward couldn't be bullied or argued into understanding. Doing that just gave him something to rage back against. No, Edward came to understanding through love. My words and tone had told him more than any argument. All the things that he saw as misgivings and problems, I saw as choices. My choices. And I chose to be with him.

He lifted my hand and pressed it to his lips. "I love you," he whispered.

"And I love you." I reached out and took his other hand and rested it against my cheek, turning my face to kiss his palm. His smile widened, his eyes were soft.

I finished my hot chocolate, wiping my mouth on the napkin before screwing it into a ball and stuffing it into the empty cup.

"Was it any good?" Edward asked as he helped me to my feet.

"Mm, okay, not as good as the ones I had in Chicago though. They were the best." I giggled, thinking about the night Edward had gone out in the rain to buy me my hot chocolate. And what happened when he came back and caught me dancing. My blush started to make an appearance. Edward must have been remembering the same thing because suddenly he bent down to whisper in my ear.

"Bella, if I sent to Chicago for hot chocolate, would you dance for me again?"

-------------------------------

That first night home I took a long time showering. I knew I had to change the dressing myself afterwards and I was trying to put it off as long as I could. I carefully pulled on my old pyjamas - I'd deliberately ignored the glamorous blue nightie that Alice had given me so I could recover in style - and headed back to my bedroom. I opened the door and my heart skipped when I saw Edward lying on the bed. It was only two hours since he'd said goodnight to Charlie and me, but even that was too long. Of course, he heard the erratic beat and looked up, smiling.

"Maybe I should stay away until you've completely recovered."

"Don't you dare." I was laughing.

I walked over and went to sit next to him. His hands stopped me, gently but firmly.

"Have you changed your dressing yet?"

I frowned. I'd forgotten that as soon as I saw him.

"Er no. I can do it later."

"Why later? It's supposed to be changed straight after showering."

I scowled and looked at the floor. I didn't want to look at my stitches. I didn't want the adhesive of the dressing to pull my skin when I removed it.

"Didn't the nurses show you how?"

"You know they did, Edward. I'm just ... I don't like that sort of thing."

He was thoughtful for a moment.

"If you like, I could change it for you. You could watch what I do and then try yourself tomorrow night. It's really not hard. What do you think?"

"Are you serious?" I asked. He'd never had his hands below my waist before. But I supposed this was different. Changing a bandage was hardly romantic after all.

"I am serious. But if you're not comfortable ... ,"

"No, no. I'm comfortable with it. Should I lie down?"

He smiled.

"No, come here." Edward motioned for me to stand between his legs. I was trying very hard to keep my heart beat even and breathe normally. He seemed surprisingly composed, almost clinical.

"Could you lift your top for me?"

I lifted it and exposed my tummy where the plastic backed dressing was stuck down my left side. The wound was about three centimeters long, ending just below my hip bone.

Very gently Edward began peeling back the corner edge.

"Tell me if I hurt you," he said softly.

I could feel a slight tugging but no discomfort. It only took a second and then it was off.

Edward was studying my wound. I was studying Edward.

"Mm, it's looking good. How does it feel?"

"Not too bad. It burns a little, and itches."

He nodded. "That's part of the healing process. There's no puckering or inflammation. The surrounding area is smooth." I was surprised when he carefully pressed his fingers to my skin. "The skin is knitting together very well already. I don't even think there'll be much of a scar." He reached over to my bedside table and grabbed the pack of antiseptic wipes and fresh dressings that I'd brought home from the hospital.

"You sound like a doctor."

"Two medical degrees, remember," he murmured as he opened the wipes and took one out. "This might sting," Very softly his long fingers wiped the small piece of material over the stitches. He was right, it did sting. I flinched slightly and he jerked back a little.

"Sorry." We both said it at the same time. He looked up at me and shook his head, smiling.

"Don't apologise, Bella. I'm the one with the stinging antiseptic wipe, remember?"

Edward opened a fresh dressing, smoothly pulling the plastic cover away from the sticky edge that surrounded the soft gauze pad.

"Be still, please," he murmured softly as I shifted my weight slightly.

He reached out and gently placed the dressing over my wound, his cool fingers softly grazing my skin. Starting at the top he smoothed it down to fix it properly in place. The dressing was longer than the wound and its bottom edge would come down lower than my pyjamas. I thought he might feel awkward about that, but without hesitation, he smoothly lowered one side of the elastic waistband, exposing a bit more of me than he'd ever seen, and fixed the last part of the dressing in place, below my hip. My breathing hitched as he gently put the waistband back in place.

"Did I hurt you?" his voice was anxious.

"No. No I ... you surprised me, that's all."

He said nothing, but I could see a smile playing around his lips.

We were still for a moment. Me still holding up my top. Edward studying his handiwork.

"All done." he said quietly. I was about to lower my top when he slowly reached out to stop me. My heart started to gallop, but this time he didn't comment. He put his hand on the small of my back and with the gentlest of pressure he pulled me towards him. At the same time he moved his face towards me. He lowered his face slightly and I held my breath as his perfect lips placed the softest of kisses on the bare skin beside my bandage. Then he ran his icy fingers over the place where his lips had been.

I heard myself sigh. He pulled back slowly and smiled up at me through his lashes.

"They didn't teach you that at medical school," I breathed. He gave a low chuckle as I let my top drop back down.

In one smooth motion he picked me up and laid me down on the bed, tucking the covers around me. He picked up the old dressing and the empty packets, wrapped them in a tissue and disappeared through the door. He returned a second later and laid carefully beside me on the bed, wrapping his arms around me.

"I hope you were watching what I did." Was he kidding? "Do you think you'll be able to do it yourself tomorrow night?"

I shook my head. "No."

"No?"

"No. It'll have to be you again. You're much better at it than I would be." He smiled and placed a kiss in my hair as he pulled me closer to him. I cuddled against his cjest but suddenly he seemed hesitant.

"Bella, there's something I'd like to talk to you about. If you're not too tired."

"I'm not too tired."

He took a deep breath as my curiosity grew. "I'd like to put the wedding back a bit, love."

What? Was he serious?

I tried to sit up, instantly regretting it against the pull of my stitches.

"Careful," Edward murmured quietly and helped me get readjusted. I was sitting up next to him, looking down at his beautiful face as he lay beside me.

"Why do you want to do that? We agreed, August thirteenth, as planned. The doctor said I only need two weeks to recover. She said in four weeks I'd be ready for anything!"

Edward sighed.

"I know, Bella, but ... you might not be ready for me." He was looking into my eyes with such tenderness. He reached up and stroked a finger along my jaw. I didn't want to wait to marry this man. And I didn't think he wanted to wait to marry me.

"I don't understand."

He took a deep breath. "Bella, I'm sure when Dr Lewis said that in four weeks you'd be ready for anything, she wasn't factoring in sex with a vampire."

The smile started spreading across my lips. I tried to stop it, he was being serious after all, but I couldn't help it.

He shook his head. "Please be serious."

"Okay," I wiped the smile as Edward took another deep breath and gritted his teeth.

"Though I hate to mention him in relation to this, what happened with Newton's arm should show you what can happen if I lose control."

I shook my head. "That was different, Edward. You were angry, and scared. It won't be like that on our wedding night."

"Certainly not the angry part, anyway," he ran his hand through his hair as he smiled. I gave his other hand a squeeze. "Recently I have been feeling a lot more optimistic, about us making love, but there's still a risk. In light of your accident, I'd just feel more relaxed waiting six weeks, rather than four."

I frowned. "Are you overthinking this, Edward?"

"Probably. But I don't want to hurt you, Bella."

"You won't hurt me." I laid down beside him again and nuzzled his jaw with my nose. He turned his face me, his fingers pulling lightly through my hair.

"Six weeks?" He breathed in my ear. Then he gave a low chuckle. "So I can be more relaxed about the acrobatics?" I gasped and a shiver ran through me from the top of my head to my toes.

"Alright, six weeks then. What date does that make it?"

"August twenty seventh." He kissed me softly. "Thank you, Bella."

I nodded. "But you tell Alice when I'm not around, okay?"

He laughed and pulled me to him. Carefully.

Right then, Edward wasn't the only one who hated Mike Newton.

I reached across him and rested my head against his chest. He started stroking my arm and shoulder. More of those lazy spirals he was so good at. I slipped my hand under his shirt and ran my fingers over his bare skin. He let out a soft sigh but then put his hand on mine, through the fabric, and stopped me.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing at all," he leant down and kissed my nose. "It feels very right, but you haven't even been home a full day. Give yourself a chance to heal."

"But this isn't going to hurt me. And the doctor said touches, cuddles and kisses were fine, remember." I put my lips against his ear. "She practically prescribed it, Edward."

His eyes narrowed for a moment, then he released my hand. I smiled in victory and kept on my path. His eyes closed and he sighed again.

"At least let me return the favour," he said suddenly and slipped his hand underneath my tank top, his fingers running lines up and down my spine. I shivered, then let myself melt into his touch. "But this is as far as it goes tonight, Bella," he whispered.

I was about to argue, then remembered just how far he'd come in the past few weeks. And given that I was just out of hospital with stitches in my side, he was probably right.

"Okay," I said and sighed. "Are you still sure you want to wait six weeks?"

He chuckled. "I didn't think it would bother you so much, postponing the torturous wedding. Or is this just about my body?" He was smirking at me but there was an undercurrent in his words. I'd been about to make a smart comment, but stopped myself.

"No, it's not about your body, Edward. I want to marry you. I love you and I want to be your wife. Simple as that."

A strange expression came over his face. Was it ... joy?

"You've never said that before."

"What do you mean? I tell you every day that I love you."

"Not that. About marrying me."

"What?"

"You've never said you want to marry me."

"Yes I have."

"No," he spoke very clearly, he was raised up on one elbow now, his hair falling over his eyes as they stared into mine. "No, you haven't. You agreed to marry me as a condition of our making love, you said yes when I asked you. You said we should go ahead with the original date as planned. But you've never said you wanted to." His eyes were shining with happiness. "That was the first time." He whispered those last words.

"Oh," I hadn't realised. A feeling of warmth radiated through my whole body and I grinned. "Well, I do want to marry you. Very much."

The smile on his face was breathtaking in its beauty. And, despite his earlier reservations, he pulled me close and kissed me for a very long time. Carefully.