You all amaze me! You really do. You gave me so much encouragement. I can't even begin to thank you enough!

I'm sorry for making you wait so long. I guess I had my first brush with writer's block. I think I'm over it now though, so don't worry, the next chapter is on its way.

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Edward's POV

As soon as I opened the door to the house I was struck with her scent. It hit me as powerfully as it had that day so long ago, when she settled next to me in biology, the very first time I met her. The smell of her blood sang through my senses, igniting a parched, tearing thirst at the back of my throat. I stood, stunned, forcing back the venom that pooled in my throat, desperately fighting my urge to give into my senses and pursue the tantalizing aroma coming from deeper within the house.

Why was Bella's blood suddenly calling to me with such force? I had become so inured to Bella's scent; I thought it would never affect me with the same force again. How wrong I was! Her scent seemed somehow stronger, more potent, than ever before. If I had not just hunted with Rosalie, I might not have been so easily able to overcome my primal desire to give in to my senses and stalk my prey. I beat down and slowly conquered the monster that wanted to spring. The battle had never been so hard. But I finally forced him back. I lifted my head, and allowed my mind, previously too overwhelmed with Bella's heady scent, to kick back into gear.

Bella's fragrance permeating the house could only mean one thing: that Bella, my Bella, the reason for my continued existence, had returned to me.

Irritated by my pause, Rosalie shoved me forward before she too caught the scent.

I almost stumbled, and slowly raised my head to look at the room. There, in front of me, stood Bella.

A vampire's mind is able to process many things at once, and a vampire's senses are heightened in every way. Nonetheless, I tried to block out what my mind and senses were telling me. I tried to drown myself in Bella's rich, brown eyes, to loose myself in their depths as I had so often before. I tried to gaze at her beautiful, precious face. I tried to imagine running my hand through her silky curls.

But my mind would not allow it. It would not let me ignore the sight that was before me.

Bella had left me. Just when I had allowed myself to believe that this angel was truly going to grace my life with hers, she had left me. And now she stood before me, swollen with some other man's seed. Some man who was able to give her what I was not.

At that moment it struck me—an agony worse than any I have ever known.

I had finally accepted that Bella was mine, that she should be mine, that I, perhaps, might even one day deserve to have her as mine, and I had lost her. Bella was mine no longer.

I took the only route I could possibly imagine. I ran. I ran away from my love, from my life, from my family. I was going to run forever. I was going to lose myself and so lose my pain and my suffering. I ran as I had never run before. Faster and faster and faster—so fast that even I needed to dedicate all of my senses and mind to avoiding hazards.

Yet a tiny, treacherous section of my mind was clamoring to make itself heard. It screamed for me to turn around. It reminded me that I had promised. It reminded me that I had committed. It reminded me that I had sworn a thousand times to never leave her again.

But she left me! I cursed at it, but it was unrelenting. And it was right. I had sworn not to leave her.

The traitor kept at it.

Isn't this what you wanted for her? It questioned.

No! I slammed back. No, no, no! I want her to be with me. To be mine for eternity!

You wanted her to have a normal, human life. A happy life, with a man and a family. With children. A life where she can live without danger.

Yes, I agreed, but I gave up on that wish. I finally accepted that she needed me, that, perhaps, I really was good for her.

Ah, but clearly she does not need you. Clearly she has found something better. Something that makes her happier.

I collapsed then. My body tore with sobs. I felt a hole tear through me and an emptiness seep into every inch of my being. I was emptiness. I was nothing. I was nothing, yet still that void was filled with pain and agony and suffering.

It took all my strength to stand up again. I was resolved. I would do the right thing by my love. I would do everything in my power to ensure that the happiness she had found would be guaranteed to her for the rest of her life. For what was my happiness compared to hers?

I turned slowly and loped back in the direction of the house. I was preparing myself. Preparing myself again to offer a clean break. But I was doing the right thing this time. I would not leave—I could not—but I would set my angel free. I would do what I had once told her I would. I would offer her whatever piece of me she wanted—however she wanted me in her life, I would be there. I would watch her love another man. Marry another man. Bear another man's child. And I would never let her see the pain I suffered. She would be happy, and because she would be happy, I would be happy.

When I reached the house I stepped inside and was hit with another wave of the most delicious, mouthwatering aroma I had ever encountered. Again, I had to push back my inner demon, had to battle and eventually conquer my overwhelming instincts.

And there she sat before me.

She was all that I saw. I was vaguely aware of Jasper calming her with his touch. I noted, as a man in a dream, that others of my family were filing in the door behind me.

But they were nothing. Only my Bella—my caring, wise, trusting, loving Bella—filled my vision. My Bella, but not my Bella any longer.

I told her the things I needed to say. I gave her the only gift I could—a release from being bound to me.

She surprised me. I hadn't been sure what to expect from her reaction, but her calmness had unnerved me. But then Bella never did react as I expected her to. She was always a surprise. It was one of the things I loved about her.

Oh, the pain I was in.

But then she approached me. She looked into my eyes and I lost myself. Only she had the power to capture me in this way.

She asked if I still loved her. What could I do? I could only tell her the truth. That I did love her. That I loved her more than I loved anything. That she was the reason I existed each day.

I told her of my love, but I explained why it was okay, why she could leave and be happy—that her happiness was my happiness. It was the truth, but it was also a lie.

My confusion only deepened. Bella's face broke free of the rigid mask her usually animated face wore and I saw a host of emotions pass across her liberated face. But mostly I saw her love. Her adoration. Her desire.

What was I seeing? Was this emotion directed at me?

Impossible.

Her next words bewildered me more thoroughly than ever.

She told me that she loved me.

She loved me?

What did that mean? Did she love me as she had once loved Jacob? A powerful love, but a love that was not powerful enough?

Then she apologized for leaving and forgave me for doubting her.

My bewilderment increased—why couldn't she just tell me what I needed to do so that I could do it? I did not understand the position I was currently occupying in her life.

She left then, and I was grateful. The pain was beginning to overwhelm me, and I longed for an escape. I eyed the door, but my exit was already cut off. I felt feral—I was an animal caged in his own mind. I needed the release of running, of fleeing from my pain.

I heard a voice speaking to me, but it was meaningless—a drone to my ears. I spun, and raced towards another exit, desperate to escape.

Suddenly, I was slammed into the wall. The force of the collision hurt. I jumped up, still intent on my escape, when a fist slammed into my face. I again felt pain. It was nice—a physical pain that cut across my emotional agony.

I felt arms close around me, supporting me, but also preventing me from running.

Then I heard Carlisle's voice commanding me to open my mind. He had never used a voice so serious with me before.

I shook myself, and for the first time since I arrived home, became aware of my family around me. It was Alice's arms that held me and supported me. Emmett had been the force that propelled me into the wall. Jasper stood to the side, and Carlisle stood next to Emmett, his restraining hand on Emmett's shoulder as his eyes bored into me.

I hadn't even realized I'd been blocking my mind from them. From the moment I had entered the house, Bella had been the only reality I was aware of.

I tried to relax, and slowly I became conscious of the minds of my family members. And then the wave crashed over me.

I heard Alice repeating over and over, the baby is yours, the baby is yours, the baby is yours…

I felt Jasper remembering Bella in pain, kneeling on the floor of a room I had never seen surrounded by scattered food. Jasper remembered her despair, her feelings of betrayal, and her loneliness. She whispered, "I would never hurt Edward."

My focus moved to Carlisle. He was telling me, You can make this right Edward. She needs you, now more than ever. Go talk to her.

And finally the images that Emmett fired at me, that I had tried to block out, made it past my defenses. I saw how Bella looked when he first found her, small and alone and so very vulnerable. I felt Bella cringe against him when he first said my name. I saw the terror in her eyes as she questioned Emmett about my safety. I saw the blank horror of her months alone. Then he flashed images at me so quickly I wished I could shield myself from the onslaught. I saw images of Bella's beautiful face suffused with loneliness, with desperation, with exhaustion, and with fear. I saw Bella's nightmares. I saw Emmett's arms holding her safe, soothing her and reassuring her.

And then I heard what he heard as he held her. I heard the soft beat of the baby's heart. Of my baby's heart.

Of Bella and my baby's heart.

The world went black and I took my head in my hands.

What had I done?

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I know we were backtracking a little bit here, but I felt the need to set up Edward's mind before venturing into new territory.