Edward sat me down carefully on our bed. It wasn't until after he was laying next to me, holding me close to him, that I realized that I was still shaking in fear.

"It's alright," he cooed. "You're home now, and you're safe with me."

I spun around so my head was buried in his granite chest, but his arms were still tightly wound around me. I was pretty sure I had stopped shaking once I heard his velvet voice again, the one that I thought I would never hear again after tonight.

"I was afraid you wouldn't get there in time," I said, my voice cracking. "I thought I would never see you again."

"Silly Bella," Edward said, kissing my hair. "I wouldn't let that happen. I promised you nothing would ever happen to you, did I not?"

"Sometimes," I murmured, "You can't fight fate."

He took my face in his hands, and forced me to look into his ocher eyes. They were intense, very serious. "Nothing is ever going to hurt you again," he said, "I mean it. I will fight fate if I have to. Do you understand me?"

I nodded, though it was difficult through his iron grip. He dropped his hands, and I returned to our previous position, my head hidden in his torso. I sighed, and snuggled closer into his cold grasp.

"What were you thinking?" he asked suddenly, and I instantly knew what he was talking about.

I shook my head, "I wouldn't let her hurt you," I said, raising my head to look up at his face again. "To imagine her killing you, instead of me…" I shuddered. "I just couldn't allow that."

"Bella, she would have never laid a hand on me," he said. "It was all a part of the plan. Emmett and Alice were standing nearby in the trees the whole time. Jasper had the car too, just inside the trees, just in case. My job was to get Victoria to get her teeth at a safe distance, and then to call to them, so they could get her away from you, and I could run with you to safety. Well, you did a good enough job distracting her yourself…" he sighed.

My face turned a deep pink, and I didn't speak. I could have really gotten us both killed right then and there. If instead of pulling away in shock, she would have just listened to me, and killed me right there… I almost messed up the entire plan.

"It's not like I wouldn't have," he said, "If Alice and Emmett weren't there, I really would have given anything to save you, you know that right?"

"No!" I half-shrieked, "Absolutely not! You will never do anything like that again Edward Cullen, do you understand me?" I poked his chest several times with my index finger, hard.

"Do you seriously expect me to choose my life over yours?" He sounded disgusted by the idea.

"Yes," I nodded. "Your existence is far more important then mine. Besides, I wouldn't want to live in a world where you didn't exist. You will never give up your life for mine, and that is final."

He groaned, "Bella, you're absurd."

"I'm absurd!?" I explained, pulling myself out of his arms, and rolling to the other side of the bed, but still faced him.

Edward sighed, and rested his head on his palm, propping himself up using his elbow. "Yes Bella, you're absolutely absurd." He said, closing his eyes. "To think that you would honestly give up your own life for mine, you're ridiculous. You think my existence is more significant then yours? That's… that's absurd! I cannot even think of another word to describe it!"

I smirked, "How about incongruous,"

"Yes, that's one," he smirked too. "Or unreasonable,"

"Or illogical," I giggled.

Edward opened his eyes, "Irrational,"

"Ridiculous,"

"Ludicrous,"

Edward laughed, "Preposterous,"

I glared, running out of words. "Um… silly?"

"Silly Bella!" Edward smirked.

I rolled my eyes, and scooted closer to him again. I traced the contours of his face, as I did often when I was thinking. First I traced his brow, and the lids of his closed eyes, and the light purple circles on his lower lids. Then I traced his perfectly sculpted nose, and finally his pale, soft lips. Slowly, I repeated the process again, and neither of us dared to speak, our thoughts consuming us.

"But you know what, Edward?" I said, letting my fingers linger over his lips.

He sighed, his icy breath against my skin. "What, my love?"

"All those spiffy words that we just listed," I said, "They don't describe the notion of me dying for you, it's the other way around."

He growled, "Bella, you are not going to die for me, and that's final. Victoria is not going to lay a hand on you. Whether it's to save me, or otherwise,"

"And she is not going to lay a hand on you," I glared, "To save me, or otherwise,"

"So, we're in agreement here," Edward sneered, "Victoria won't hurt either of us."

I sneered back, "Deal,"

I fell back into his arms, my face hidden in his chest again. There was a long silence, where we just listened to the sound of each other's breathing, and my heartbeat. Two sounds that Edward was still being stubborn about hearing.

"Hold on a second," Edward said suddenly.

I lifted my head to look at him again, "Hmm,"

"A few minutes ago," he began, "Did you say spiffy?"

I couldn't help but laugh hysterically at that. I blushed, and burrowed deeper into his chest. He laughed too, and stroked my hair.

"Silly Bella," he whispered.

I giggled, "Silly Edward,"

He pulled my face from his chest so I was looking at him. "You are not allowed to say that."

"Silly Eddie,"

He glared, "No way, that's not cool."

"It is too cool," I smirked. "As cool as a pool,"

"More like as cool as a hot tub,"

I laughed, "Spoil sport,"

"Silly Bella is not embarrassing," he rolled his eyes, "Silly Eddie is,"

"Eddie-poo," I burst out laughing.

He wasn't laughing. "Isabella, stop that!"

"EDDY-WEDDY!" I burst out laughing again, and rolled away from his grasp.

"Oh no you don't," he shouted angrily, although I could tell that there was a smile behind his tone.

"Eddy-weddy, Eddy-weddy," I sang, backing away. Suddenly, he pounced at me, and the next thing I knew he was on top of me, tickling my sides.

"I draw the line at Eddy-weddy," he chuckled, continuing to tickle me.

"Alright….haha….Edward…stop…haha…seriously…" I managed to choke between gasps.

He stopped, but he was still sitting on me. "No more embarrassing nicknames?"

"Alright, alright,"

He raised a perfect eyebrow, "You promise?"

I sighed, "Yes, I promise." I said, rolling my eyes. "Now get off me,"

Edward chuckled, and moved, now sitting cross-legged next to me, as I still was lying on my back.

Out of nowhere, Alice was standing in the doorway, a solemn look on her face. Something told me that our afternoon was about to go downhill.

"She got away,"