I'm sorry for the delay, I was in Florida watching the Gators play Arkansas... what can I say, Tebow just does things to my eyes and it's hard to focus on much after seeing him in action. I'll have another chapter for you tomorrow... it's almost done.


BPOV

I didn't care that my ribs hurt, I didn't care that I looked like night of the living dead. All that mattered to me in that second was that Edward was in front of me and for the time being, that was enough.

I had seen the confusion and pain in his eyes when I had asked to go home. He looked at me as if I were sealing a coffin with all of our hopes and dreams inside. In all actuality, what I was doing was trying to give us a fighting chance.

I knew that if I stayed here and lived with him and things worked out, that I would always wonder if it was because if the attack. I knew Edward well enough to know that the same thoughts just reversed would be haunting him as well... it would only be a matter of time.

At least this way, we would have some distance and time to think over what the hell it was that we wanted. In all honesty, I had no idea what it was that I actually wanted. This was the only thing that made sense at this moment, and if there was even a hope that we could work out our issues, than this would be a sacrifice I would be willing to make.

He was sitting there silently, his face sad and his eyes locked on the comforter beneath us. I grabbed his hand and began.

"We need to be apart for a while, Edward. I need to leave this place and figure things out."

I watched his face as I said the words, instead of looking at me he was still staring down and shaking his head no. I took a breath and tried to continue.

"I love you." I said to him.

His head shake ended abruptly and he finally let his eye's meet my face.

"Then why do you want to leave me?" he asked in a confused voice.

I was the one shaking my head now. That wasn't it at all.

"It's not that I want to leave you... I just need to be away from here for a bit. It wouldn't do either of us any good for me to stay with you. Too much has happened between us for me to just move in with you and pretend to be a happy couple."

My words were fast, I was trying to get my point across before he could interrupt me, but he was faster.

"That's not how it would be, Bella! I don't expect for you to just pretend that were okay, I know that we have to fix a lot of things. I have to fix a lot of things, that's fine, just please don't leave me! Please! I cannot be without you, Love."

His words were pleading, his voice desperate and needy. I hated that he felt this way, it was breaking my heart.

"Please, Edward... you have to understand. Don't make this harder than it is." I pleaded right back.

It didn't deter him though, instead it fueled him and I watched him drop from the bed and down to his knees. He placed his head in my lap and clung to my waist as if it were a life preserver.

"I don't care if I look ridiculous! I don't care that I have to beg you... Please Bella, don't leave me. I couldn't bear it if you left me now. I need you too much!"

What do you say to the man you love when he begs and pleads with you this way? I wanted so badly to be able to stay with him, to tell him okay and go home with him right now. But there was no way I could say the words and mean them, and without being able to mean them, I didn't dare open my mouth again. Instead, I shook my head no.

EPOV

I didn't have to look up to know that she was saying no. I could feel her body tensing and her breath hitching while I begged her not to leave.

Her silence had meant what I feared, she was going to go and it didn't matter how much I begged and pleaded, either way she was not going to stay with me. I let the reality of the situation sink in for a moment before I moved. When I was sure that I could stand without falling, I gently disentangled from her but held tightly to her hands.

I stood and looked down to her, the sad eye's I saw staring back at me were heartbreaking. Instantly I kicked myself for being a contributing factor. I wasn't trying to guilt her into staying, but I wasn't holding back anything either.

"I'm sorry, Bella. That wasn't very fair to you, I know you are going through a lot right now, I should be supporting you, not fighting you."

I wanted her to stay, I was beyond desperate to have her with me, so I began wracking my brain with ways to do just that.

She needed some time, that much was obvious. What I didn't know, was if she needed time from me, or time away from here. If it was me she needed to be away from, I could suck it up and let her go. I had lost her once, if I thought it was what she really needed or wanted, I think I could do it again.

I dropped back to my knees to see her eye's level with my own once more. Her soft face was a a mix of guilt and love, I knew that she hated disappointing anybody, but I wasn't about to let her continue on this way.

"Bella, be honest love, is it me you need to have some space from? Is this all just too much for you? Because if that's the case, I'll shut my mouth and let you go. I just want you to be okay."

Her eyes went wide as I said the words. I watched as her mouth opened and closed a few times in silence while I waited for an answer. Suddenly she was holding me, tightly in her arms and for the first time since this nightmare had happened, I felt her love again.

"I just need to get away from here... This has been too much, I can't really get comfortable here. I hate this house, it's just me here and the very idea of him being out there, doesn't make me feel any better."

I just patted her back as she spoke her mind softly. I was relieved when I heard her confession, but that went away the second she said what the real reason was. That sick bastard had run her out of her home, her life, and away from me. I hated him with every fiber in my being.

She continued on, " I can't just stay here with things unresolved, my dad would have a stroke, no matter what he say's right now. I know that it would only be a few days before he reneged and brought me home anyway. He worries, you know that."

Yes, I did know that. Charlie loved Bella very much, she was his only child, his daughter, his baby. If she had been harmed any further, it would very well have killed him. I could see the pain in his eyes even now, the way he watched over her was like a hawk, and I knew it pained him greatly to see her hurting.

Now that I knew what the issue was, I could at least try to fix it. If Bella wouldn't stay with me, I would come stay with her. Well I could at least try, I wasn't too sure how she would react at this point, but the very idea of not being without her was enough to make the words fall from my lips.

"I'll come with you. I'll go to Washington, my parents still have the condo in the city and I have tons of PTO built up... I'll come with you!"

I watched her face for any sign that it wasn't what she wanted, but instead her expression softened and her eye's lit up as she let the words settle in her head. She seemed to like the idea, and the fact that she had not so much as frowned, led me to believe that it was indeed what she wanted.

I felt her hold me tighter and I mirrored her reaction. Bella wasn't in my arms for more than two seconds though, before I heard a hiss and felt her body tense. I pulled back and saw the confirmation of pain on her face.

"Baby, what is it?" I asked her in a panic.

"My ribs, they still hurt me."

I cringed at the fact I had just squeezed her tightly. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt her, but my excitement was too much to bare, and I had forgotten. I pulled back slightly and loosened her body from my arms, never fully letting her go. I would never do that again.

My first reaction was to pepper her face with kisses and whisper my apologies, but as she relaxed into my arms, I couldn't help the way my body reacted to the feel of her in my arms. I gently rubbed over her tender sides and placed soft kisses to the crook of her neck.

Bella's breath hitched and the thought that I harmed her once again had me on my feet and near the door in seconds. I watched her with remorse and waited for her to tell me what I had done this time to illicit such a response, but as I stared at her from the door way, all I could see was confusion in her eyes.

It wasn't long before they watered and her head dropped, my heart followed right after.

"I'm sorry." she said quietly.

I couldn't fathom what in the world she was sorry for, she had done nothing wrong. I took two steps toward her, gauging her reaction to see if I was welcome back, but she never brought her eye's back up to meet mine, instead staying down and staring at her feet.

Just as I was about to beg for forgiveness, it hit me like a lightning bolt. That sound had been one of pleasure, and I had been the one to illicit it from her sweet mouth. Instantly I was beside her again, my hands gently cupping her face and pulling her toward my mouth.

The moment our lips met, I was home. She responded, but the usual strength in which she did it with was lacking. I knew that it was because of our past, but not having her return my passion hurt my heart and made it harder for me to continue.

I began to slow my lips, and as I pulled away, Bella snapped. She clutched onto my shirt with double fists and reclaimed the hold I had just released her from. Before I could stop her and get an answer, her arms were around my neck and holding me closer. My hands had a mind of their own now, and were traveling the length of her body.

They came to rest gently on the dip in her back, but that was as far as I would allow them to go. Bella's reaction to me earlier was still fresh in my head, and there was no way I would let that happen again. I was actually surprised that she had even let me kiss her. I didn't get to dwell on that for too long, there was a knock on the door and it pulled us away from our kiss.

Bella released me and moved away from my side, but the gentle smile on her face showed me that she wasn't regretting anything we had just done. I winked at her as she called out for the person behind the door to come in, and watched as Charlie walked through.

"Bells, I'm sorry to interrupt, but I just got a call from the police."

He had my attention, I stared at Bella for a moment to see if she was ready for this conversation, and to my delight, she had a very stoic look on her face, she was ready and prepared to hear whatever it was that Charlie needed to say.

"They said that Dimitri is apparently doing a good job of staying hidden, they have a few leads from some of his friends, and the information Emmett gave them earlier was also a big help, but they feel it would be good for you to be out of this house for a while."

It was not the news I was hoping for, but at this point it didn't really matter. Either way, Bella would be leaving for Forks with her dad and I would be following right after. The drive to Seattle from her home town was only a couple hours, and if I needed to, I would make the drive to and from everyday so that I could see her and help her with anything she needed.

Charlie looked from Bella to myself, and then continued on.

"When do you think you'll be ready to leave here Bells?"

Suddenly Bella's face wasn't so calm, her eye's went wide and she sighed deeply before plopping on her bed.

"I- I guess I didn't really think this through, I have to cancel my job interviews and take care of the utilities before anything. I may need a few days..." she trailed off.

Charlie nodded in understanding, his worry brow evident as he wracked his brain with some kind of puzzle that needed to be sorted out.

"Is that going to be a problem dad?"

Charlies head popped up, and his eyes went wide.

"Uh, no no... just, well I need to make some arrangements at the station is all. Nothing to concern yourself with sweetie, just thinking is all."

Bella's face wore a sad frown now, I knew why. She hated interrupting his schedule or anyone's for that matter. She was always worried about inconveniencing people, she never understood that we all would do anything for her.

I hated seeing her so sad, so again I offered my help without really thinking it through.

"I can take her, Charlie."

He looked at me confused. He had no idea what I meant, so I explained.

"I'm going to Washington also, my parents have a place in Seattle, and I am going to be staying there until Bella is ready to come home."

He looked like his jaw was about to hit the ground. I didn't falter though, instead I stood there trying my best to convey the absolute need of why I was doing it.

Charlie didn't seem to need any explanation though, instead he looked to Bella and I did the same. She was watching me with a small smile and her eyes were swimming with...excitement? Love? I wasn't sure.

I looked back to the chief, and instead of frustration, I saw understanding.

"When are you leaving, Edward?"

I didn't hesitate with an answer.

"As soon as Bella is ready to go, I will leave as soon as she says we can."

I loved saying we again. It was just like when we were together, being able to speak of she and I as unit made my heart beat faster.

I thought that Charlie was going to inquire more, but instead, he nodded and walked back toward the door.

"Okay, we'll talk more tonight, but for now I'll let you two get back to your conversation."

With that, he turned and shut the door and Bella and I were left alone again. This time, I didn't waste time.

"I know that a lot needs to be dealt with, Bella. However, I just want you to know that I'm not going anywhere, not without you. I will fix us... as long as it is what you want, I will make this right."

Bella and I stood facing each other for a moment, and before I could say too much, I made myself leave the room. She had a lot of things to deal with right now and the last thing I wanted, was to make her feel pressured. The only thing she needed to focus on, was feeling safe and resting her tired body.

I heard her call my name just as I had reached the door. She was smiling at me, her eyes less sad now than they had been just moments before.

"Thank you, Edward. For everything."

I simply nodded and mouthed the words I love you before walking out to let her rest.