Stephenie Meyer owns the characters! Song is owned by Flyleaf and the name is "I'm sorry"

Thanksies to Cullengirl08, twilightSVU, Mz-Star, Isabela is online, theresa24 and jlynnm87 for taking the time to review…oh yeah and the anonymous reviewer…thank you so much. Everyone that reviews is helping me through this story and I really appreciate it. Thank you guys…you are amazing readers.

Also a huge thanks to everyone that added this story to their favorite story lists!

I don't think this story is going to be that long…I'm guessing five more chapters; may be less may be more.

Chapter 10 – Your scars are mine…

Bella's POV

Her giggles woke me up and something else…something was tickling my nose. I opened only one eye and saw my daughter fiddling with my hair and tickling me with a strand of hair. Every time that I would rub my nose she would giggle. She was about to repeat her action when I suddenly grabbed her and started tickling her. Her laughter filled my heart with so much joy that I'm almost unable to breathe.

"Mommy…stop…mom-"she squirmed in my arms. I fell down on the bed next to her and we laughed together. We were out of breath when our laughter calmed. My daughter's chest was heaving and she had the most adoring smile on her face.

"Are you happy baby?" I asked.

"I'm very happy mommy." She sighed. It was a sigh of relief I think or maybe happiness and blissfulness. Normally I'm very good with deciphering my daughter's emotions but ever since we came to this game reserve she's changed so much. Not that I'm complaining; she's happy here and that is more than I could have asked for.

"Do you wanna talk before I get ready for work?" I asked and she nodded. She quickly sat up and crossed her legs.

"How did you and daddy meet?" she asked. It doesn't even feel like seven years ago; if I think about it now it is as if it happened yesterday or merely hours ago.

"We just graduated from school; we were in the same school but I never paid attention to Edward and never showed interest in him whatsoever. My grades were the most important thing in my life back then. I didn't have a social life and never went out. It was December and I was at the beach just chilling. Edward was there playing volleyball with some friends and he noticed me. I recognized him from school and everything but that was really the first time we actually met. You can say it was love at first sight and ever since that day we were inseparable. We did everything together." I explained and my heart ached when most of the memories returned and crawled back into my heart. For so long now I have ignored them and refused to think about those times.

"What happened? I mean why aren't you together?" she asked innocently. I knew she was going to ask this question but I still don't know what to tell her. I don't want to lie to her; lies have a way to come out and it just complicates situations. I took a deep breath and moved a strand of hair out of her eyes.

"I went to daddy's house to say goodbye one last time because he was going away to some music school or something and I was not going to see him for a while. He had a lady friend in his room and they hugged. I jumped to the wrong conclusions and left without saying anything. I never went back to him." I said and was too afraid to look into her eyes. I was afraid that she would blame me for everything that went wrong in our life; basically I was scared shitless that she would judge me. But when I finally met her gaze there was nothing but love in her eyes.

"Baby, I want to apologize to you," I began but she held her tiny hand up.

"For what mommy?"

"For keeping you from Edward all these years. For stealing your childhood and your right to your real father." I said but she quickly placed her hand over my mouth.

"I had you mommy and I had your love. You are the best mommy in this world and I love you." She said and pecked me on my cheek. Her lips are always so soft and it's like a remedy to my broken heart. I would always feel better once she told me that she loved me and kissed me.

"You have no idea how much I love you." I said and pulled her into a hug. She suddenly gasped and her eyes widened.

"Guess who showed up here?" she said.

I shook my head sideways with a smile, "Nope I have no idea-"

"Jazzie and his wife Allie." She squealed and I frowned.

"Really? When did they arrive?" I asked in surprise.

"Yesterday with Emmie. They wanted to surprise Ed-I mean daddy." She said and a blush spread over her cheeks.

"I'm sure he was very surprised." I said and she nodded her head. "Well I have to get ready for work. Is there anything else you want to know baby girl?" I asked. She bit her bottom lip and looked down.

"Do you love daddy?" she asked through her teeth. I closed my eyes and sighed.

"I do love him actually, I love him very much." I confessed to my little angel and a humongous smile spread across her face.

"That's all I wanted to know." She grinned. I didn't reply because how can I tell her that I might never be ready to take Edward back. It wouldn't be fair to him if I just pushed myself into a relationship with him right now.

Edward's POV

"Daddy, daddy wake up." Hayley said while jumping on my bed. I groaned out loud and pulled the pillow over my head.

"Nooooo…need more sleep." I groaned. Her cold hands grabbed my foot and started tickling me. I pulled away quickly and she giggled. I sighed and dragged the top of my body up. "Okay I'm up." I groaned. She jumped onto the bed again and cupped my face.

"I woke this morning with a song in my heart, do you wanna know why?" she said with a smile. Her sweet voice was music to my ears.

"Why?" I grinned.

"Because you are my daddy. I have the sweetest, bestest, prettiest daddy in the whole world. And I feel like the luckiest little girl on this planet." She giggled and my heart swelled. I had to chuckle at the word 'bestest' although it rhymed with her sentence it sounded so weird.

"I'm the lucky one Hayley believe me." I said and pinched her nose. "Let's go have some breakfast." I suggested and she jumped off the bed.

Hand in hand we walked to the kitchen where we usually have our breakfast and everybody was already seated, Bella included. She smiled when Hayley and I walked into the room.

"For a moment there I thought you were going to sleep yourself to death." My annoying sister smiled. I kissed her on her head and my eyes met Bella's. For the first time since Bella made her appearance back into my life I see life in her eyes. Even if it was a small amount of life it shows and it brings me an enormous amount of hope.

"Pft, I haven't slept like that in six months Ali." I said and took a seat across from Bella and Hayley sat next to Bella. I filled my plate with a slice of toast and bacon and eggs.

"How have you been Bella?" Jasper asked her and I guessed that she haven't been in the kitchen that long.

She cleared her throat before she answered him, "Urm, fine Jasper."

"Emmie, guess what?" my daughter grinned at Emmett. He swallowed his food down before he shook his head.

"No sweetie I'm too tired to guess please just tell me." He said. It's been a hectic couple of days and I think some of us could use a break.

"Eddie is my real daddy." She said and at that moment forks cluttered and eyes popped and jaws dropped.

"What?" Emmett, Alice and Rosalie asked at the same time. Hayley giggled and thought it was very funny.

"Is this true?" Emmett asked frowning and I nodded. "How?" he asked and I raised an eyebrow.

"Do you really wanna know how?" I asked and Jazz chuckled.

"You know what I mean." Emmett said and rolled his eyes.

"Long story, fact is, Hayley is my daughter which makes all of you guys her aunts and uncles." I smiled.

"Well fu-" Emmett was about to say fuck so I kicked him from under the table. "Ow!" he cried out.

"Your dirty language in front of little angels is unacceptable Em." I chastised. He mouthed fuck off and pulled a face.

Everyone was quiet throughout breakfast, I don't know if they thought Hayley's announcement through or mine or whatever. Was weird to look at everyone and know their thoughts were somewhere else.

When we arrived at the office I checked the bookings and schedules and was thrilled that we had four days before the next guests will arrive. I'm thinking about taking time off and spend more time with Bella and Hayley.

"Can we talk?" Bella came into my office and asked up front. I sat back in my chair and smiled at her. She took a seat in front of me and smiled back.

"When I left Forks and Mike, I just left Edward…"

"I don't understand Bella." I said.

"I'm still married to him Edward. There's no way that I could file for a divorce because he would know where I am and the possibility of him finding me is too risky." She said and bile rose to my throat thinking that she's still married to that bastard.

"There has to be a way out of that marriage." I said.

"I wish there were but I won't take that risk Edward. I'd rather stay married to him forever than letting him find me and force me to go back to him." She whispered and the fear was obvious in her voice.

"Bella," I sighed "Help me to understand why you really stayed with him for seven years, please." I begged and heard her sigh. She rubbed her hands together and looked really nervous.

"After Hayley's birth when I was released from the hospital, I went back to him after he promised that he'll never do it again. Everything was okay for a couple of weeks and I really thought he changed." Her voice trembled and she swallowed hard.

"I was emotionally drained and my heart was a mess. I missed you more with each passing day and I couldn't get you out of my heart or mind. I cried myself to sleep every night." She said and tears formed in her eyes. My heart broke hearing this.

"Mike went out more and came home drunk every night. Hayley was six months old when he came home drunk again. I waited up for him and as soon as he walked in, fear crawled into my heart. His eyes looked the same as when he almost killed me. I remember him grabbing a fistful of my hair and I cried out in pain. He slapped me across my cheek and it burned like fire. I can't remember everything he did to me…but when he was done and he went back upstairs to our room I cried my heart out." She sobbed.

I stood up and went around my desk and pulled her into my arms and held her tightly.

"For the first time since I left you, I fell asleep without feeling heartache or without thinking about you. The beatings helped me to forget about you for a while and I know it sounds sick and everything, but it kept me going. I preferred the beatings over the heartache over you because that was unbearable. Hayley kept me alive and the beatings kept me from you." She sobbed into my chest.

I hushed her and gently rubbed her back.

"I have hurt you so much that you welcomed beatings just to forget about me. And here I thought Mike was a monster. I am no better than him." I whispered.

"That's why I stayed with him; he took the heartache away. Yes, I know it was in a sick, brutal way but it helped. Besides I made peace with the life I have chosen for myself." She simply said.

"You should never have to settle for second best Bella because you deserve much, much more. You deserve more than the best. I know now that I'm not worthy of your love." I said and it felt like my heart was being ripped out of my chest and cut up into a million pieces with a blunt knife. The pain was unbearable.

"If you're not worthy of my love then I'm not worthy of yours. Besides, you are the only one I want and if I can't have you then I don't want anyone else." She said honestly.

"How can you even still love me after everything I did to you Bella?" I asked astound. She smiled perfectly.

"I'll always love you Edward. I don't blame you for one thing I went through; I made my own stupid choices." She sighed.

She looked up into my eyes and her brown eyes were swimming in tears.

"I'm so broken Edward and I can't promise you anything but what I can do is to try." She said and breathed out. I pulled her back into my arms and kissed her head. My heart went into overdrive just feeling her in my arms, feeling her heartbeat against me.

"Bella, I'm not going anywhere. I'll wait as long as I have to even if it is forever. Don't force yourself into something if you're not ready Bella." I said and really meant it. I don't want to force Bella into anything and I don't want to cause her any more pain.

"Thank you Edward. It means a lot to me." She said and kissed me on my cheek before she pulled away. My fingers rested on the place where her lips were a few seconds ago and my fingertips felt like it was on fire.

"I've lost you once; I'm not planning on losing you again, ever." I said in determination.

She was about to leave my office when I remembered that I wanted to give everyone off.

"Oh, Bella I think we're taking the rest of the week off. So you can finish off and then we can head home." I smiled.

"Urm, thanks. Give me five minutes okay." She said and left my office.

Bella's POV

"Bella, can I talk to you for a second?" Alice chimed.

I nodded and smiled back at her. I really liked Edward's sister. She has so much energy and is so full of life.

"Sure Alice, what's up?" I asked.

She grabbed my hand and pulled me outside to the patio.

"July 30th…" she said and let the phrase just hang in the air. I frowned in confusion.

"Don't you know the meaning of that day?" she asked in surprise.

I thought back and gasped when I suddenly realized.

"Edward's birthday…" I whispered and Alice nodded excitedly.

"Yes and I need your help to throw him a surprise party." She squealed.

"Why me?" I asked and she huffed.

"Well I want it to be really special Bella. Since you and Hayley came here he is a different man…he is so happy Bella." She explained. "Anyways, I was thinking about inviting some of the employees, nothing big. What do you think?" she asked.

"Sure…look I don't know anything about party planning but I just had an idea and I'll need fifteen minutes of the night's agenda." I said with a smile.

"What are you going to do?" she asked and I shook my head.

"It's a surprise…" I smiled.

Alice and I spent the next fifteen minutes discussing Edward's party. It's in two weeks which does not leave us with a lot of time.

Hayley and Edward were watching a movie and I took off to the music room, feeling the need to let go of some heavy emotions. The last couple of days when I sang with Edward really helped me a lot and I think I should do this more often.

I took a seat on one of the stools and opened my music book to the last song I've written. I pulled the acoustic guitar to my body and let my fingers fall on the strings. It sent tingles down my entire body and my heartbeat picked up.

"I'm sorry!" I began singing my song and strum the chords of the first verse.

"I don't mean to remember…it's true that I dreaaaaaam less often I'm…not ashamed, of that long December. Your hand's coming down again…" I sang with a fast beat. It's not the usual depressing stuff and I think I owe it all to Edward because it's as if I constantly have a song in my heart these days and I know it's because Edward told me that he loved me and he's waiting for me.

I strummed the chorus and closed my eyes.

"I close my eyes and brace myself…I only noticed your face. No matter what you're gonna build my sheeeeellllll…no matter what you're gonna build my sheeeeellllll"

With my eyes still closed I strummed the bridge and smiled. I love Edward and I want to be better so I can be with him forever and always.

"My scars are yours today…this story ends so good…I love you and I understand…that you stood where I stood."

"Close my eyes and brace myself…I only noticed your face. No matter what you're gonna break my sheeeellllll…no matter what you're gonna break my sheeeeelllllll."

"I'm done healing!"

"I'm done healing!" I screamed and strummed the last chords of the song.

My chest heaved up and down and I was out of breath but my heart screamed out in joy.

"You're right…" his velvet voice whispered and I slowly turned around to face him. He was leaning against the door frame in all his godlike beauty and I felt my heart race; not out of fear but out of love.

"About what," I whispered back, my voice thick with emotion.

He broke into a genuine smile and his amazing emerald green eyes crinkled the tiniest bit at the corners. I gasped and Edward pushed off the door frame.

"Your scars are mine, Bella and I promise that I'll love every single one of them forever."

He slowly approached me. His eyes smoldered mine and I swallowed hard. He knelt in front of me, never leaving my eyes. We just stared at each other and I drank all the love I found in Edward's eyes. I filled my entire body and heart with his love and adoration.

"What are you thinking right now?" I asked. My voice trembled just like my body was trembling.

"I'm thinking about how much I long to kiss you right now…" he whispered with a hoarse voice. The intensity between us was overwhelming and my heart started beating wildly, out of rhythm, wildly. I almost feel terrified of kissing him and to be honest I'm really scared…I don't know what to do and how to handle it. What if I freak out? My body had a mind of its own as I leaned over. I was getting closer to his face and the last thought that ran through my mind at that moment was…it's too late to back off now. And I'm not sure I want to stop anymore.

I leaned forward and felt Edward's hand cup my cheek, pulling me closer. We were very close to each other and I could hear Edward's breathing, I could feel his warm breath on my face and as I inhaled his scent; the scent I've been longing for all these years, I gasped and wrapped my one hand around the back of his neck pulling him closer.

Our lips lightly brushed against one another's and a weird growl escaped Edward's throat. He trailed his tongue on my bottom lip and I closed my eyes at the sensations that are going through my body. Not in a sexual way but in a loving way. I needed Edward's love more than anything right now; I needed for him to show me that he really, truly loves me and there's no better way to do it than his kiss right now. I feel every single emotion that's going through Edward and it fills my heart with happiness and love and joy.

I parted my lips slightly, giving him permission to enter my mouth and as soon as his sweet, warm tongue enters my mouth I moaned and pulled him closer. Edward gently started to move his lips against mine, his tongue exploring my mouth. He moaned softly when his tongue found mine and our tongues started dancing together; lips moving slowly in unison. Both my hands reached up into his hair and my fingers knotted themselves with his hair. His arms went around me and pulled me off of the stool and I straddled him.

We were so close to each other and he smoldered as if his body was on fire. The heat was oppressive and we were both having trouble breathing. Edward gently ended our kiss and my lips turned cold as soon as his lips left mine. He looked into my eyes; passion burning in his and I'm sure in mine as well.

"That kiss…wow." He breathed and a smile broke across his face.

"Yeah, that was hot…I think." I exhaled and Edward chuckled.

"You think?" he raised an eyebrow.

"I haven't felt like that in seven years Edward. I guess I forgot how it's supposed to feel." I explained shyly and felt the heat burning my cheeks.

His finger trailed down my cheek and smiled.

"I should work on making you feel like a woman again." He smiled.

"I kind of felt that right now-"I blushed and Edward chuckled.

"I hope I didn't push you when I kissed you right now." He said a little nervously.

I shook my head and placed my hand over his mouth.

"At first I was terrified, but when our lips connected, I felt all your love and it kind of calmed me down."

The most beautiful smile broke across his face and it really showed off his emerald green eyes and brought love to them.

"You felt my love for you?" he asked.

I nodded and smiled back at him.

"Yes I did Edward and I think I'm starting to live again."

He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear and smiled.

"You have no idea how much that phrase just meant to me Bella." He swallowed. "One step at a time; we'll take it slowly and what's healthy for your heart and mind."

"You are all I need; you and Hayley. Thank you for being so patient with me Edward." I said.

"Bella, I love you more than life itself and I will do anything for you." He said. "I'm patiently waiting for you to take a step back from the edge of the cliff where you're standing; still praying that you won't feel the need to jump." He whispered.

I smiled with tears in my eyes and cupped his beautiful face between my hands.

"I think I just took a step back Edward." I said and my heart swelled.

Edward brushed his lips against mine and my lips moved with his, sending shivers down my body. I may not be completely fine or whatever but I know one thing for sure; I love this man with every beat of my heart, with every breath that I take and I'm not losing him again…ever!

Please Review and tell me what you thought about them kissing. Edward's party is the next chapter…and a surprise visit from Bella's past.