A/N: Found a beta! Yay! But I'm still looking for more…so please, even if you have no experience, hit me up. Everyone has good ideas to share. Not just for this story but…for…a NEW ONE????

Mixed POV

Night has fallen. The unfamiliar forest is anything but welcoming. It's like all around her are shadows closing in, much like the dream she used to have at night. It's haunting, unsettling. Bella stares at the phone, wondering.

Should she call back? What would she say? How could she explain what she'd done? She was terrified of what he would say, or maybe what he wouldn't. The breaking sound of his voice had nearly killed her even in such a brief dose. How then would she stand talking to him if he still felt that way?

It would be wrong to totally abandon him. Surely he deserved better than that. He had committed himself to her, and here she was throwing his trust away. It wasn't right. But neither was keeping him. She took her head in her hands and groaned in frustration. No matter what she did, it all felt so wrong. She wished this had never happened. That she had left him that day or maybe had never moved…

That was a lie, and she knew it. Bella would never have left Edward there to be hurt, and moving to forks had been the best thing that had ever happened to her. Much as she loathed herself to admit it, Bella was beyond glad she had found Edward.

After all, she loved him.

Fifteen minutes had gone by, but still no call from Bella. Never had minutes seemed more like hours, days even. Hearing her voice on the answering machine had torn a new wound, fresher than before and still bleeding, gushing hurt and love. The stars seemed duller and the night colder than ever before. Breathing was a chore and one that didn't feel right without Bella.

She took with her his reason to breathe. It wasn't better to have loved an lost. To have tasted what true happiness felt like, only to have it disappear into the darkness, taking with it his very soul. Why bother living now?

He almost didn't register the buzzing in his hand. Suddenly he became aware and his breathing hitched. Then, his heart pleading and hoping and beating wildly in his chest, he flipped it open and slowly pressed it to his ear.

"Bella?" He asked anxiously. Please let it be her. His angel, who looked in the mirror and saw a monster. Who saw a beast. Who couldn't see herself.

There was nothing but silence for a full minute. He could hear nothing but his own pulse and ragged breathing. He prays silently. Then..

"Edward," his heart's keeper whispered. Bella. Thank god.

"Bella, Jesus Christ." Edward sighed, relieved and hopeful yet sad. Bella said nothing, so he continued breathlessly. "I'm so sorry about all of this. I'm sorry for whatever I did, whatever made you leave."

"No-" Bella started, but Edward wasn't finished.

"Whatever it was, I'll fix it! I promise, I'll do anything. Just please, come back to me, Bella…" Edward let out a small whimper, unable to hold back the torrent of emotion threatening to burst forth from him. Pride be damned. He just wanted her back in his arms again. No matter what.

She cursed herself, feeling her damned heart shatter at the pleading sound he made as he begged her to come back. She would never forgive herself for hurting him, for taking his love and smashing it into pieces. He deserved so much better, and Bella wished she could be that for him.

"Edward, it isn't your fault." She said gently, firmly. "It's mine."

She could hear him let out a shaky breath, and she cursed herself again. She wanted to make it better but she didn't know how… If she returned she'd be endangering him and inviting him into a dark world where people like him didn't belong. Bella hated what she was, but even so, she belonged in that world. She was a creature of the night, damned and cursed and hated by all who dwelt in the light.

Edward should hate her.

"Why did you leave, Bella?" His voice murmured. So soft and broken, so full of pain. All because of her. She wished she knew what to say to him. Wished she had a better answer. She knew he wouldn't understand.

"Edward, I'm not good enough for you." she said with as much conviction as she could muster. Such a cliché line, but surely it had never been so true. "I'm a… well, you know what I am Edward. I can't endanger you. I can't ask you to accept my world, because you're too good for that. It's better for you if-"

"Bella!" Edward's voice screamed from the phone. Bella stopped, taken aback at his tone. He sounded furious. "How many times do I have to tell you, you're not a monster! You may be a werewolf, but I have never held that against you, and you shouldn't either!" There was a deep intake of breath, and then he started again, still yelling.

"How can you know what's good for me? I LOVE you, Bella! What's best for me is to have you here, with me, where…where…" Edward stopped and Bella felt tears leak from her eyes as suddenly Edward was lost for words, sputtering incoherently on the other line. She had no idea what to say, or even if she could speak.

"Come back, Bella." He begged again, breathing now painful and heart praying she wouldn't break him again. "Please, come back. For me." He heard Bella moan softly, and he thought for a moment he heard her sob. Then, he was sure of it, and he suddenly felt like such an ass. "Oh, Bella don't cry, please." He struggled to keep his voice steady. He didn't think it was working.

Next came the hardest words he had ever had to say. Words that tore at his throat and heart like the sharpest blades and left a copper taste in his mouth. Words he had to say, because he loved her. He had to offer her a way out. "If-if you don't want to come back…if you don't want to be with me anymore…Bella, if you don't feel the same way then I understand if you lea-"

"No!" Bella hissed over the phone, sounding shocked. There was a brief pause, as Edward assumed Bella was calming herself. "Of course I want to be with you. It's just I-I can't Edward." She groaned again and their was a sound like something being hit in the background. "I don't want to ruin you."

Edward sighed, in relief and in exasperation. She did want to be with him. But still, there was her damn self-hate. He didn't know how to make her see herself correctly, but he did know he could tell her what he saw. "All I want is you." he told her solemnly, knowing it was the truth. She took a deep breath, sounding shaky.

"And I you," She breathed. Edward's heart felt as though it would explode with relief. He had finally made her admit she wanted him just as badly. It was such a relief to hear her say that. Now, he just had to get her back.

"Run back, Bella." He commanded softly. He didn't know if she would listen to him, but he knew he had to try. "Run home to me. I don't want to live without you."

There was a long pause. He grew nervous, but before Edward could speak again, Bella whispered the one word he had been praying to hear.

"Ok."

If happiness was helium, Edward would have floated right to heaven's gates. There were simply no words to say to express his euphoric state right then. All he could manage was a choked out "Thank you." He only hoped she could tell how happy he was. How much he really did want her back.

"I'll see you soon," She whispered. "Wait for me?"

Edward closed his eyes. "Run to me." He whispered back.

And she did.

Bella ran faster even than she had run away. She wanted to be back to him before she could change her mind again, before her brain overrode her heart and sent her in the opposite direction. She didn't care if she was being selfish or not. Edward was the light of her life, and she'd be a fool to let him go.

More still, he hadn't let HER go. He had fought for her, and had obviously wanted her back very badly. If that alone was not enough to convince her, he had said it again. Told her he loved her, despite how badly she had handled it the last time he had said that. She vowed to spend the rest of his life (or maybe hers, for that matter) making it up to him. He deserved it, and most of all, he deserved an apology.

She had a lot of apologizing to do.

It was two hours later when Bella finally reached familiar woods. She ran even faster, anxious to see Edward. She imagined how good it would feel to be in his arms again, to feel his warmth and to smell his scent and bury herself in his love. She had never imagined anyone could make her feel this way, but she wasn't going to complain. Sure, she was still terrified about the future, but at the moment, life could be allowed to please her.

She neared his house, and suddenly she was plagued with doubt. What if Edward had changed his mind? What if he didn't want her back anymore? Worry clouded Bella's thoughts and suddenly she could feel herself shaking. There was a possibility that things could never be the same… had she ruined this, the best thing she had?

As soon as she caught sight of him, however, her fears melted away into nothingness. All that was left was bliss.

Those emerald green eyes went in one moment from dismal to alight with joy as he watched her emerge from the trees. Frown lines turned into a radiant smile as he held his arms outstretched, welcoming Bella home. He looked as though he might have been just as happy as Bella was, and as she launched herself into his tight embrace, she thanked whatever god was still watching over her for allowing her this moment. This time with this boy who made her nightmares fade away and gave her a taste of what heaven could be like. Should be like.

Bella could smell salt as she buried her face into Edward's shoulder, taking in his smell and swearing to herself that she would never leave him again. Not ever. She realized there were tears on his cheeks as he rocked her back and forth, heart pounding in welcome.

"Bella, Bella, my Bella." Edward crooned, squeezing her for all he was worth and bringing tears to Bella's eyes as well. His arms were her fortress, a place where evil could not penetrate to steal her from his love. And he did love her. She saw it in his misty eyes as she pulled back to meet his gaze, taking in his godlike face and barely resisting the urge to howl with delight. He loved her, for all her unworthiness, he still wanted her.

"I'm sorry." She murmured, burying her face back into the crook of his neck. "I'm so sorry, Edward." Tears of her own mixed with his on his shirt as they stood locked together in a shaking, crying, squeezing tangle of love. Bella had to struggle to remember to be gentle with him as every ounce of her body wanted to hug him as tight as she could, to never let him go.

"You came back." Edward sighed, and Bella felt his warm lips press against her cheek. She held him even tighter, losing the battle to stay gentle as she immersed herself in his glowing presence. "You came back to me."

"I will always come back to you," She promised him earnestly, leaning back to stare intensely into his bright green eyes so full of love. How could she have ever thought she could stay away from him? He was her addiction, her heroine. She knew then what she had to do. What she had to say. It was the truth, after all.

"I love you, Edward."

Nothing could have prepared Edward for the rush of emotions that overwhelmed him as Bella spoke those words, brown eyes heavy with truth and promise. Happiness, joy, bliss…none of those words could amount to how he felt. He picked Bella up easily in his arms and whirled her about, squeezing with all his might and now sobbing with abandon. She loved him.

A smile that threatened to rip his face in half earned a similar grin on Bella's perfect face. The world could not have been more right than it was in that moment. Edward had the love of his life in his strong arms, was holding her tightly as she promised him the love he had been searching for his whole life. This beautiful creature was his now. Edward suddenly was overcome with possessiveness at that thought and he growled deep in his chest, a sound that was surprisingly identical to the sound Bella made in her wolf form. No one would take Bella from him. Not ever again. She was his. He had no idea what had brought on this random feeling to make her his, but the desire overwhelmed him.

The tears stopped and Edward forced himself to pull back together. Stop acting like such a chick, he scolded himself. He continued his low growl, nuzzling her neck and placing rough kisses everywhere- her neck, her cheeks, her lips…Bella said nothing about his sudden animalistic behavior, but when he glanced at her face, she was smiling and looking amused. "What?" He asked, and she giggled.

"I think I'm rubbing off on you," She laughed, emitting a growl of her own that matched Edward's perfectly. He smiled adoringly at her, lost in the beauty of her smile. Growl fading into another chuckle, Bella looped her arms loosely around Edward's neck and played gently with his hair. A silent agreement was made to talk about the mistake she had made later. For now, they would just be happy. "Are you planning on putting me down?" she asked teasingly. Her eyes were gentle, a soft auburn color that melted Edward's heart like butter. He shook his head fiercely.

"Not ever." He said gruffly, spinning in a slow circle. A primal dance of possession, love, devotion. "You're mine now, Swan."

Bella's eyes flashed yellow and a soft rumble came from her throat. "That's right, Edward. Yours." She agreed. Edward growled again and kissed her passionately, elicititing a low moan from Bella. The sound drove him positively wild, and suddenly his hormones were raging inside of him. He had never been this close to Bella, had never felt her pressed against him so… It was a feeling beyond comparison, and the gentleman part of Edward was suddenly nowhere to be found as he pressed Bella up against a tree, feeling her legs wrap around his waste and pull him even closer. It was so easy to get lost in this…until Bella pulled back from the kiss, creating a sense of loss. Edward resisted the urge to kiss her again, instead he struggled to focus on what she was saying. "What?" he asked, trying to comprehend what she had just murmured in his ear. It was so hard to concentrate on anything other than Bella's warm breath on his neck.

Bella had a mischievous look in her eye, obviously pleased by her hold on Edward's focus and noticing how wrapped up he was in her body. "I said, we should go back to your house now." She whispered. Edward was shocked at this suggestion. He wanted to stay with her, to continue kissing her and holding her and…and…

"Edward," Bella sighed in mock annoyance when he just stared at her. "You have a torn down house and a dead werewolf to take care of at home. Let's go."

She had a point, but that didn't make Edward hate the fact that they had to leave any less. He sulked, and Bella grinned at his pouting expression. "Can I at least carry you back?" He asked hopefully. He didn't wait for an answer however, simply turned and marched back towards the house, holding a laughing Bella in his arms. The sight of his home, however, made the laughter die on her lips.

Fuck.

Look what I've done. What I did.

Bella cursed silently as she and Edward stared at the ruined mess of his home. Night had fallen long ago, but Esme could be seen staring out at them from the enormous hole Bella had made as she and Tanya had tumbled outside in their struggle. With her superiors vision, Bella could see Esme had been crying. Another cut to Bella's heart. Poor woman, standing in the shambles of a broken home.

But the past was the past, and all Bella could do now was try and make up for it. She would help the Cullens repair their damaged home if it was the last thing she did. She owed it to them for their acceptance of what she was. She owed it to Edward, for his unswerving devotion. She had to help.

Side by side, she and Edward went inside to inspect the total damage. It wasn't good. Huge, gaping holes and rips and cracks peppered the house, as well as red circles where blood had dripped from the two wolves. Claw marks tore up the floor and carpet and scarred the walls. It really did look like a battlefield, and Bella cringed at the sight of what her strength had caused. Edward held her hand tightly, a constant source of comfort as they walked silently around, passing the others who wore similar looks of sadness.

"Bella, you're here." Carlisle greeted her with a halfhearted smile, looking up from the unhinged door to Edward's bedroom. Bella nodded and went to him, looking down at him as he worked to get the splintered mess out of the entryway. She offered to help, but Carlisle simply waved her off and jerked his head over to Alice's room. "Go talk to Alice. There's something we need to deal with." He wouldn't meet her eyes.

Uh oh.

Here comes goodbye.