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(EPOV)

The image of Bella lying on the bed motionless, barely breathing was enough to make me convulse with agony. I felt Bella move closer, snaking her arms around my waste, and pressed her lips lightly on my shoulder. I was ashamed of myself for breaking down in front of Bella. I knew that I should be stronger than this. Bella's embrace was welcoming, for it is the only thing that could possibly alleviate my misery.

My insides may be frozen in time, yet I felt nauseas. I had finally opened up to Bella, something that had to be done. However, I had only let her in on what it was like being around her while she was human. And I couldn't reframe from telling her how my mistake, taking her soul, had all but devastated me. I knew that I now had to share with her how it happened. This part of the conversation I truly dreaded.

"Edward, we will get through this together. I swear that my new goal in life is to show you the love and patience that you have bestowed upon me time and time again. Together we can overcome the errors of our ways. Because of how much we love each other, the strength and power of such passion cannot be broken or torn apart by petty mistakes. You speak of fate, but I call it destiny. I was meant to move to Forks, to meet you, to fall in love with you, and to spend forever with you. That was my destiny and I don't possess the willpower to ignore it either. So no matter how upset or distraught you are about you lack of control, know this, it will not deter me from loving you, being with you, or wanting you." Bella squeeze my hand as she spoke. I knew she was right. If only I could feel relief with those words.

I was managed to control of the dry sobs and put all my focus on Bella. She knew what to say to help me get my emotions in check. This conversation was far from over. I turned my attention to Bella once again before I spoke. And as my eyes met hers, I was hypnotized. Her very presence was calming. I may not feel I deserve her as mine, but regardless, I was beyond grateful.

"Bella, there is more. It is a relief getting so much off my chest, yet I have evaded teling you the whole truth about my desire for your blood. You only knew the danger of being around me, but you never knew what set off the chain of events. I am not too happy to be admitting it either, but it is time I told you everything." We decided to walk along the beach, hand in hand. It was very romantic and tranquil, extremely calming as the waves rolled over my and Bella's feet. The setting was far more beautiful than the awful truths I was about to reveal.

As I gathered my thoughts, I simply stared into Bella's eyes. It helped with the rage that was building inside, just knowing what I was about to admit was enough to drive anyone insane. But I knew Bella deserved the truth. I just hoped she wouldn't hold a grudge. Finally I found the courage to speak.

"There is something I need you to know Bella about the horror of what I have known since the first day we met. You knew I had taken off to Denali, but you only know the surface as to why. Alice saw me make some very bad decisions involving you. So I left to save your life and to protect my family. But it was Alice's vision that drove me away from you." I took a deep breath, and Bella chimed in as soon as I paused.

"What did she see?" Bella was tuned into my confession with an open mind, for that I was thankful. I am done with half truths and secrets. Tonight Bella would learn everything, from the very beginning, until her last moments as a living, breathing human.

"You were standing in the kitchen of Charlie's house, with your back to me as I lurked in the shadows. I stalked up behind you and captured your jugular before you even knew I was there. I saw threw Alice's vision that my irises were crimson red, with fresh blood. And you dead." Bella gasped as I continued. "As soon as she had that vision, it was quickly replaced with another. All she saw was an empty highway at night, with trees coated in snow as I sped to Denali." I diverted my eyes for a moment, gauging Bella's reaction, awaiting her response, which never came.

I met Bella's eyes and she didn't say a word. She just simply stared at me, a mask of confusion, hurt, and of all things, gratitude. Any normal person would have snapped back and retaliated. Not Bella, she just signaled for me to continue, so I did.

"Once I returned from Denali, Alice's visions about my future became blurry, fragments. Fading and shifting because my life was at a crossroads. I was so torn between staying with my loved ones and running away from you, that her visions became indistinct images. Once she saw Tyler's van kill you, I was no longer fearful of the danger of being close to you. I only knew that I would not watch you die, not when I could stop it." I decided to give Bella a chance to speak, yet she seemed to not be interested in participating.

"That night, after the accident, I told you about our family meeting and the argument that accured. What I did not tell you was that Alice had a solid vision about your future. It was so clear and vivid, that I couldn't wrap my mind around it. First she saw that the two of you, as human and vampire, would become close friends." I took a deep breath, to collect myself before I continued.

"Then she saw your bloodied, lifeless figure outstretched in my arms, as I embraced your still form. You weren't dead, in the literal since anyway, you were just undergoing the change and I was responsible. I knew then, that you would become an immortal. I fought relentlessly to not see that vision come true. Yet, in the end, there was nothing I could do to prevent it." I was cringing at the vision. I was reliving it with every word I spoke, Bella remained calm and collected. Or at least thats how it appeared.

I was far from being finished, but I knew the rest would have to wait because we had a plane to catch. Finally, Bella seem to snap out of the trance she was in. She pulled my our hands up to her mouth and kissed each finger on my hand, lingering on my wedding ring. Before resting her head on my chest. I sudjested that she wait on the peer while I retreived our bags from the house and she agreed.

I wasn't worried about Bella, so I patiently waited on her to find her voice. Alice said she was in a state of mild shock. Nothing serious or permanent, to just be patient. Bella seemed to understand that Alice was going home to Forks, and asked Alice to give her love to everyone, especially Charlie. Then she reverted back to silence. Not one word was spoken the entire trip.

We landed in Florida, under the blanket of a pitch black night. It was eerie, yet pleasantly beautiful. Once we exited the plane, making our way to the limo, she flashed me a weak smile. I relaxed a bit with her attempt to reassure me. At least she was more coherant than before. I also learned that Bella did suprisingly well with her control while in the limo. Not that the bullet proof privacy glass could stop a vampire, but it did serve its purpose, keeping the human scent in the front of the car.

The limo dropped Carlisle off to retrieve our Audi we had reserved, before taking Bella and me home. Then he was going to the hospital to discharge Renee and bring her home. We had already made arrangments for her walker and bed to be delivered early this afternoon. That gave Bella and I a few more hours to finish our conversation, before the true test of Bella's control would begin. So we decided to go hunt and and continue with the bitter truths. Serenty and calm engulfed me as we took off into the vast forest that surrounded our new home and into the dawn of a new day.