Chapter Twelve

Edward cursed to himself as he rushed over to his wife. He knew she was too weak to for this. He should have just kept his damn mouth shut and dealt with his demons and doubts in silence. Why did he keep hurting her? Tears pricked his eyes and Edward had to take deep breaths to keep them at bay.

After quickly making sure that she had not hit her head he slowly picked her up to take her back to their chamber. As he was walking back up the stairs Bella began to stir and opened her eyes followed by a cough.

"Let me down," she barely whispered.

"Bella, you are too weak. I need to get you back to bed," Edward argued.

Bella narrowed her eyes. Anger boiled in her veins at the conversation they just had. She took a deep breath and began to squirm in Edward's arms.

"Put me down," she yelled.

Edward faltered in his step but didn't listen.

"Edward, if you ever loved me you will put me down now."

Edward stopped at the top landing of the stairs. "If I ever loved you?" he questioned. "If I ever loved you? And what is that supposed to mean?"

"Exactly that Mr. Cullen. If you ever loved me. You must not anymore if you are willing to send me away into the arms of another man not two months after we have been wed. I wonder if you ever really did. But let me tell you this," Bella seethed hanging onto the wall so she didn't fall over or pass out again. Edward made a move to pick her up again, but she wouldn't let him.

"I took my vows seriously. If you want to throw me away like yesterdays garbage I'll go, but it will not be into the arms of another man. You were it for me. I only give my heart away once and you got it Mr. Cullen. I gave it to you completely and that is not an easy thing for me to do."

Bella coughed again and wavered where she stood. She could feel the darkness trying to take her over as her temperature began to spike once again.

"I don't trust easily, but I trusted you completely and now you are leaving me broken. I'll send for my things later."

Bella made for her room to get dress so she could leave immediately.

"You're not going anywhere," Edward told her. "This is your home. And I do love you Bella, but you have to understand where I am coming from."

Bella swayed on her feet again and blinked her eyes several times to try and focus them.

"I have to protect you. I am failing as a husband and I can't live with that. You are continually in danger and I am never there to prevent harm from coming. You need someone who can do that."

Bella was quickly losing color in her face while listening to Edward. He scooped her up in his arms and kissed her soundly. "I just want what's best for you," he cried.

"Edward," Bella slurred. "You are what's best for me. Only you."

Her eyes closed as the darkness took her over once again. Edward took her into their chamber and lay her down on their bed. He looked at her for just a few moments before going into the water closet to get some cool water to wipe away the sweat from her fever.

Edward truly did love Bella with ever fiber in his body. He never wanted harm to come to her and it seemed that every time he blinked something was happening. She was a constant danger to herself with tripping over this air cutting her finger on the pages of books. Then there was the danger that seemed to find her…James, the wolves. Edward just didn't know how to handle it. He wanted to desperately to lock her in their room to keep her safe, but he knew that couldn't happen.

Edward watched his wife for several minutes before a knock at his door pulled him from his musing. He kissed her forehead and opened the door to a very pissed off sister.

"What do you think you are doing?" she hissed looking past his shoulder to a very pale Bella. "She is the best thing that has ever happened to you and you are just going to throw it all away for what? That woman loves you Edward. She has given up everything to marry a man she barely knew and even found it in her heart to love you in return. Just because some horrible things have happened doesn't mean you just get to throw her away. It doesn't work that way. You have to fight and make this right or you will lose her forever."

Edward stared down at his little sister in awe wondering where she got all of that. Then it dawned on him. They hadn't been as quiet as he hoped they had been and everyone had heard what was said. Edward sighed and closed the door after walking into the hallway so he wouldn't disturb his Bella.

"It's not that simple," he sighed. "She needs someone that can protect her. I'm not doing a very good job of that at the moment. I'm failing her as her husband and I can't live with that. I can't live knowing that she could easily have a husband that can protect her better than I can. I'm just trying to do what's right."

Alice rolled her eyes. "You don't think you protect her? Edward, if it wasn't for you she would already be dead by now. She would have had her virtue forcefully taken from her. She would be so much worse off without you. She is alive because of you."

Edward looked up at his sister. "I love her so much Alice. I just don't know what to do. I don't want to let her go, but I want what is best for her."

"You are what's best for her Edward. Only you. That girl would not survive well if you were not there to catch her every time she fell. You are the one that stopped James,"

"No papa did. He's the one that shot him."

Alice glared at her brother and stopped him in his tracks.

"You were the one that caught her every time she nearly fell down the stairs, when she decided to climb the willow tree and slipped, when she tried to climb up the book shelf to get a book and lost her gripping. You are the one that caught her ever time she fell and it was you who pulled her from the water after shooting the wolves that would have killed her. It was you that stayed by her side and did everything you could to keep her alive until you could get us out there with the proper medication. It was all you Edward. You protected her…no one else."

Edward looked up at his sister who had a smirk playing at her lips. "Just think about it. You know I'm always right."

With that Alice turned and started walking down the stairs. "We are going home Edward…don't screw it up," she yelled over her shoulder.

Shaking his head he walked back into his chamber to find Bella slowly trying to get into her petticoat. "What are you doing," he called rushing over to her and pulling it away from her and wrapping her in her dressing gown.

"Let me go Edward," she rasped out. "I know where I am not wanted."

Edward turned Bella so he was looking directly at her. He looked into her eyes before he lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her with all the passion he could find in him. He pried her lips apart and shoved his tongue into her mouth and massaged hers with his own. He moaned when he felt her kiss back, but all too soon he had to pull away to catch her before she fell.

Edward scooped Bella up into his arms and brought her back to bed before kissing every inch of her face; her eyes, cheeks, nose, chin, forehead and once again to her mouth. She moaned as she wrapped her arms around his neck allowing him to deepen the kiss.

Before long Bella pulled away feeling dizzy and lightheaded and gasping for precious breath.

"Bella, I've been a fool of a man," Edward whispered looking directly into Bella's chocolate brown eyes. "I could never live without you by my side. I could never let you go. It might be the selfish thing to do, but I need you to be with me. Please love don't leave me. I will understand if you need to go after what I have put you through, but please give me another chance to prove that I am the man you need me to be."

Bella grinned up at her husband before placing her hand on his face. "I always knew you were the man I needed you to be. You just needed to figure it out."

Edward nuzzled his beautiful wife's neck and inhaled her beautiful lavender scent and sighed in satisfaction. Bella's breathing evened out and soon Edward allowed himself to fall into a peaceful sleep next to her side. He held her close afraid that he would wake up and she would be gone because of his superior idiocy.

Over the next few weeks Edward nursed Bella back to health. He stayed by her side every moment he could only leaving when she was in need of something or when she was using the water closet. He didn't allow her out of bed insisting that she needed her rest and not to put any undue stress on her lungs. They were weak and needed to be able to heal properly. Bella just smiled at Edward and patted his cheek knowing there was no use in arguing.

It took nearly a month before Bella was able to get up and walk around and get back to some form of normalcy. And all too soon Edward had to return back to work saving the good people of Chicago.

Even though Edward worked long hours, Bella was understanding and patient. She always made sure that there was a meal ready for him when he got home and kiss on the lips. She made sure that everything he would ever need was ready for him and he couldn't be more pleased. Edward loved Bella with his entire being and she him. They were two halves of a hole and worked in sync. He could always tell when Bella had something on her mind that was bothering her even if she denied it and Bella seemed to know what Edward needed before he ever said anything.

Their lives were perfect and everyone around them could tell they were the happiest of couples.

"Bella," Edward whispered one night after a particularly hard day at work.

"Hmm…"

"I was wondering if you would like to go someplace with me tomorrow since I don't have to work. Take a picnic."

"Edward," Bella laughed. "There is snow on the ground."

"I know," Edward grinned nuzzling his nose into Bella's neck and kissing her softly. He knew he could get to do anything if he kissed her in such fashion.

"Edward that's not fair. You can't kiss me like that and expect an argument from me."

"I didn't want an argument. Come on please? You'll have to bundle up more than normal, but it will be worth it."

Bella sighed and kissed her husband before nodding. Edward pulled her on top of him and kissed her hard smirking against her lips. Soon Edward was making love to his wife and reveling in the sounds he was able to make escape her lips. He loved knowing that he was the only man that would ever be able to make her sound like that; the only man that would be able to make her feel the way he did. She was his and he was hers completely.

The following morning Edward got up before Bella and made a picnic lunch for the two of them. He gathered blankets some fire wood and loaded into the sleigh before going back up to his chamber to find Bella getting dressed.

"I hope you're going to dress warmer than that my love," he said grabbing her waist and pulling her back to him so he could kiss her soundly.

"Well how warm are we talking?"

"The warmest you have and layer it with whatever else you can. Hat's, shawls, coats, scarves, gloves. You name it wear it."

Bella raised an eyebrow at her husband but acquiesced to his demands and dressed in her very warmest cloths before layering them with every winter item she had.

"I know it seem a bit much love, but I don't want you to get sick again. I know you feel fine now and you're doing well, but the pneumonia weakened you lungs and I just don't want to take any chances."

Bella grinned and kissed Edwards jaw before walking out of the room. She made her way down stairs and into the dining room before being joined with Edward. They sat and ate quietly before making their way out to the sleigh.

As they drove further away from their house and further into the country Bella couldn't help but wonder where they were headed. Edward wouldn't tell her anything and she learned a long time ago it was of no used to whine about it…he wouldn't say a thing.

It took nearly a half an hour before Edward pulled the reigns and the horse pulled off into a snow covered meadow.

"Edward?" Bella questioned.

"We are almost there love. Don't worry; you are going to love it."

Bella nodded her head and relaxed back into her seat. She took in the beauty of the snow covered trees and the undisturbed snow that surrounded them. It was quiet and peaceful and the air smelled pure and clean. She was in heaven.

Edward pulled around a curve and a beautiful ice covered lake was revealed. On the other side of the lake a small A Frame cottage stood covered beautifully in unmarked snow. It looked like something you would see in a picture.

"It was my grandfathers." Edward said pulling the sleigh up to the cottage. "He left it to everyone to use whenever we just needed to get away. We usually use it when life it stressful and we need to get away from everyone. It's seen some good use over the years."

"Edward," Bella sighed. "I don't even think there are any words to describe this place. It's magnificent."

Edward grinned as he pulled Bella down and carried her into the little one room cottage and went back to gather the supplies for the rest of their day. Bella was always making sure that Edward was well taken care of, but now it was Edwards turn to make sure she was taken care of.