A/N: Who is ready for some loooove? *raises hand*
Since Valentine 's Day is looming, I figured it would be a good time for our love birds to make some decisions and get cozy.
I want to thank Dishie for taking time off her busy schedule to pre read this for me. I am so honored to have such a talented writer reading my story. If you guys haven't checked out her stories, you are missing out!
Also, thanks to Cintia for fixing all my mistakes. If any are left, I assure you they are my fault.
And last but not least, I want to thank Chopak for her guest review and all of you wonderful readers who take the time to let me know what you think about my work.
SM owns Twilight. Edward owns me!
I kept my arms wrapped around him, and he soon embraced me too. I was thrilled to feel our connection, and I knew he felt it too. After a few minutes of wordless communication between our bodies, he kissed my forehead and began to cry. I pulled away and noticed that his eyes were looking intently at me.
Edward was back.
BPOV
"Bella, I am so sorry," Edward cried, holding me so tight that I felt like my bones would snap.
"Edward, you have nothing to apologize for. If anything, I should apologize for not telling you myself. I was just too ashamed. I will understand if you change your mind about being friends now that you know the kind of woman I am," I responded, ashamed of my deceptiveness.
Edward tensed at my words and pushed away from me, so he could look into my eyes. His eyes were black with fury.
"Isabella Swan, there is nothing you should be ashamed of. Nothing was your fault," he spat.
His anger scared me, he had never spoken to me so sternly. I began to worry that maybe sweet Edward had not really returned.
"That mother fucker hurt you, and I'm fucking sorry I wasn't around then to defend you, but now that you are in my life, I plan to care for you and keep you safe. I'm not letting you go. You mentioned something about the kind of woman you are? Well, let me say this once and for all, You are the woman I want. You're the only woman who has made me feel alive. Your purity, your kindness … everything about you makes you perfect for me. I plan to spend the rest of my life telling you that."
"Edward, you want a wife and kids, and I can't give you that. I want to be your friend and see you happy. You need to take care of yourself, so you never, ever scare me like this. Your family needs you. I need you."
Carlisle cleared his throat, reminding us that we were not alone.
"Edward, I'm glad you are feeling better, and that you felt calm enough to come back to us. However, Dr. Spears still needs to check on you. I've called him and he's on his way. Esme will be here to visit with Bella, too. You both have had a difficult couple of days, so why don't you talk after you both feel better?" he suggested.
Edward looked at me warily and then his expression softened.
"Is that what you want, beautiful? You must be tired"
"I want to make sure you're okay. I know that we don't know each other well, but I think your theory about being soul mates must be true because I was so scared of losing you. Please, tell me you will be fine," I sobbed.
"Don't cry, Bella. I'm sorry you got scared. I'm fine, I promise. I'll get some medication to help me, and soon I'll be back to normal, and when I do, I plan to be with you every single minute of the day," he explained, touching my nose tenderly.
"You will be so tired of me you'll want to kick me out," he jested while kissing my forehead lovingly.
I felt a little uncomfortable with the kiss, but he looked at me so tenderly that I was unable to say anything, or pull away from his embrace. His arms felt heavenly around me. I couldn't let my fears get in the way. Edward was back, and apparently he still liked me.
Jasper and Alice came in at that moment, and Edward's expression turned angry again.
Man, his mood swing will give me whip lash!
"Oh, Edward, thank God you feel better," Jasper gasped.
"Why? Did you miss your retarded brother?" Edward sneered.
"Edward, I am so sorry. I didn't mean it. I saw you hurting Alice, and I snapped. I was so stupid, brother, please, forgive me," Jasper begged.
"Don't you call me that. I am not your brother, and I am sorry you had to put up with my retarded ass for so long. I hope the money I pay you compensates you for the trouble, but if it's not enough, I'll write you another check," Edward responded angrily.
"Edward!" Carlisle barked "Do not speak to your brother that way. I know you are angry and have the right to feel angry, but Jasper is your brother, whether you like it or not, so you will treat him as such"
"Dad, that was a choice you and my mother made, but after what happened, I don't have to accept it. As of today, Mr. Whitlock is no longer part of my team, or related to me in any way. He doesn't need to deal with this retard anymore. I'll make sure he's lavishly compensated for all his trouble."
Edward's voice broke as he said those words. He was pretending to be unaffected and cold, but I could see he was hurting. I had no idea what they were talking about, but I was concerned when Jasper said Edward hurt Alice.
Jasper looked defeated, and tears where falling off his eyes before he responded "Edward, I am sorry I hurt you. It is a shame I will carry until the day I die, just like the love I feel for you. I'll never forgive myself for hurting you. You are my best friend. Please, keep your money. I have worked with you because I wanted you to be happy doing what you love, without having to deal with the things that scare you. It was an act of love, not a monetary transaction." He wiped his tears as he walked out of the room, Alice following behind visibly upset.
Edward flinched at his words but did nothing to stop them. Carlisle looked tired and very unhappy.
"Edward, I love you more than my own life, but I'm very disappointed with your behavior. You mother and I taught you to be compassionate and forgiving. Anger and hatred will only destroy you and what's left of our family. You have the right to be upset, but what you just did was hateful and cruel. Your brother made a mistake, and so did you when you hurt his girlfriend. We all make mistakes, but one mistake can't erase a lifetime of love. I would advise for you to reflect on that before you judge your brother"
"So, I guess that means you, my own father, are taking his side?" Edward snapped.
"I am his father too, Edward, please stop suggesting otherwise. Your mother would be so hurt by your words. Emmett and Jasper are my sons, as much as you are. I'm not taking any sides. I'm just pointing out the truth. I know you're angry and emotional, and it must be difficult for you to process those emotions. You're frustrated because you found out something painful and horrible, but you should not take it out on your brother. It's not his fault. Now, please let's go to your room and wait for Dr. Spears"
"Don't talk to me like I am five years old. Contrary to what you all must believe, I am not retarded or stupid. I will go to my room when I want to."
"If you don't want me to talk to you as a child, then stop acting like one, Edward. Like I said, I understand you're having trouble figuring out what you feel and how to manage those feelings but that doesn't mean you can act petulant and disrespectful to your brothers or myself. Life is hard, Edward, and you need to grow up if you want to help Bella."
"Grow up? So you do think like Jasper huh?"
I could tell Carlisle was getting pissed, and I knew that Edward was already very angry. If they kept it up, things were going to get really ugly.
"I would never call you that word, Edward. You are extremely smart, but you are still immature. I think we have shielded you too much, thinking that was the best for you, but I can see by your behavior that it was the wrong thing to do."
Carlisle huffed in frustration and Edward was beyond livid. He had just suffered an episode of whatever illness he had, and I was sure getting angry and upset was not good for him. So before he could respond to his dad, I decided to interrupt.
"Edward, I'm tired. Do you think you can walk me to my room? I am not feeling well," I squeaked, hoping to dissipate the tension.
Edward looked at me and made an effort to relax his posture and smile, but I could tell he was upset.
"Of course, beautiful. It would be my pleasure," he quipped.
Emmett, who had been quiet during the altercation, finally spoke.
"Edward, it makes me very sad to know that you don't think of Jasper and me as your family. You are right, that was a choice your mom made, and no one asked if you felt the same way. However, I want you to know that to me, you are my brother, and I love you. I would not hesitate to sacrifice my life for yours, and I'm sure Jazz would do the same in a heartbeat. I hope you reconsider your position."
Carlisle glared at him, chastising him for continuing the dispute. Edward was visibly affected by Emmett's words but didn't respond to them. He just walked away, holding my hand in the process.
When we got to my room, he was shaking in anger. I had no idea what to do, but I didn't want to leave him alone while he felt that way. Moved by my desire to soothe him, I wrapped my arms around him and burrowed into his arms. He responded, but his posture was tense. I held him for a few minutes, but he didn't relax; he was shaking and rubbing a repetitive pattern on my back.
"Edward?"
"Hmm?"
"Thank you for caring so much about me," I whispered.
He finally melted into my embrace and held me tight against him. I could feel his heart beating, and the sound of it soothed my nerves. I inhaled, and his smell made my body tingle. Without really knowing what I was doing, I began to pepper his chest with kisses. I could feel the familiar electricity between us, and each kiss felt like a jolt of it.
He gasped and immediately pulled away to look at me. Strangely, I didn't feel afraid or nervous. I was able to look at his eyes and smile. I was undoubtedly high on Edward. I couldn't think about anything, but the fact that he was there, holding me.
After reading my face for a moment, he responded with a breathtaking smile. His eyes shined with hope and tenderness.
"Bella? Do you feel it too?"
"What do you mean?"
"Every time I touch you, I feel something, like an electric shock, but it feels nice. I don't touch a lot of people, but I have never felt that before. It makes me feel happy and warm, and I never want it to end. Do you feel that too?"
"Yes I do. I feel so happy and safe when you hug me. I was so scared when I saw you sitting still, void and empty. I don't think I could have dealt with losing you too. You are my best friend."
His eyebrows furrowed, and he looked displeased.
"Friend? Is that what you feel for me? Just a friendship?"
"I don't know, Edward. I have no idea what this emotion is. I don't have friends besides Alice and Rose, and I know you don't feel like that to me. All I know is that I feel good when I am around you, and I don't ever want to lose you, or see you hurt. However, I'm sure that I could not be more than a friend to you. I am messed up. Now that you know what happened to me, I think you can understand when I tell you I don't ever want to experience that again. It disgusts me to the point that I would rather die before having to go through that pain again. You deserve a woman that can give herself to you, and that's not me."
A bout of grief began to consume me. I grieved the loss of my innocence. I wished more than anything that I could love Edward in every possible way. I grieved for the life we could have had. I imagined our house filled with our kids' laughter as Dorito and Bear chased them. I cried for the loss of snowy evenings, where we would sit by the fire and read to each other. I cried for the Bella Marcus destroyed.
Edward held me tight while I cried in his arms, leaving huge wet spots on his shirt.
"Bella, I have no way to even begin to imagine what you have gone through. Thinking about what those men did to you makes my heart bleed with both sorrow and anger. I know you're afraid and emotionally wounded. I would never force myself on you. If you don't think you could ever be … physical with me, I would understand. All I want is for you to let me be close to you, to care for you. I want to see you healthy and happy. Please let me help you. Let me love you."
"That would not be fair to you, Edward. You deserve to be loved back, to have a woman that won't flinch every time you touch her. Someone who can marry you and have kids without having the shadow of another man get in the way. I am fucking disgusting, Edward. I have been fucked by many men, so basically I'm a whore. I cannot even eat food, or go out for a walk with you. You are a movie star! Can you imagine what would people say about me?"
Edward tensed again, and I heard a low growl emanating from his chest. He pushed me away and grabbed my arms forcing me to look at him.
"Bella, first of all, don't ever call yourself disgusting or a whore again. A whore is someone who willingly sleeps with men for monetary gain. You are pure and innocent. They may have taken your body, but your spirit is clean. Your innocence is intact, no matter what they did to you. You are beautiful and exquisite, even after you abuse your body the way you do. You are a fucking vision, Bella. The most beautiful woman I have ever seen, and I work in fucking Hollywood," he huffed.
His eyes were burning as he spoke, and the grip on my arms was strong.
"Secondly, I think I'm old enough to know what I want, so please don't tell me what I should have. I don't want kids if they aren't with you. I don't ever want to be intimate with any woman that is not you. The sole idea of kissing someone else makes me gag. The only thing I want is for you to love me enough to make yourself healthy, because I would not be able to survive losing you."
"Edward, I'm confused. I still don't feel it's right for me to enjoy life, when my parents can't. However, I want to. I want to be with you, more than anything, but I feel so selfish, so wrong about it."
I cried at my admission. Seriously, what kind of daughter would I be if I just keep living as if nothing happened? As if my parents had not died because of me?
"Bella, you need to let go of that guilt and accept that your parent's deaths were not your fault."
"I'm not sure I can do that."
"You need to take baby steps. Live one day at a time. I will be with you every step of the way, holding your hand, but you must move forward. We should talk to Esme. She can help us. Maybe you need to see other doctors or take different medications. I know your care has been deficient due to the lack of money, but that is no longer the case"
"I'm not going to let you pay for my care, Edward. I am not a charity case," I spat.
"Bella, if I was sick and in need of help, would you deny it to me? Would you stand on the sideline and watch me struggle if you knew you could easily help me? Could you watch me die?"
The sole idea of Edward dying made me flinch. Of course I wouldn't let him suffer. I would do anything for him.
"Edward, I would help you. I can't stand the idea of you suffering in anyway. I think I just proved that to you in the last couple of days."
"What would you do if I refused your help? Would you walk away?"
"Hell no! I would beg, plead and even fight with you, but I wouldn't let anything harm you. Not even yourself"
The memory of Edward hitting his head on the wall came to my mind. I remembered how painful it was to see him hurt himself and how I hold him in order to stop him.
"So what makes you think I can? I'm a very wealthy person Bella. Not only do I make millions with each movie I make, but I also have the money my mother left me, and the trust my grandparents left me. As if that was not enough, my father is one of the most important doctors in the country. So, do you think that paying for a treatment that will help you get better would be difficult for me? Bella, even if I were living in the fucking streets, I would give you everything I had in order to make you well!"
Edward was clearly annoyed. I knew he was right, but it felt wrong to abuse his generosity. I was not a gold digger.
"I know what you are thinking, beautiful. I assure you that I would never think that you are trying to take advantage of me. I'm the one offering, aren't I?"
I nodded, but still felt uneasy.
"I'll make you a deal. Since you feel bad about taking my money, why don't you let me hire you? In exchange for paying for your medical necessities, you could help me out. Since Jasper will no longer be in charge of my career, I need to get a new manager and a personal assistant. I know you don't want to leave the house, but you could take care of things that don't involve that, such as arranging my calendar, handling my fan mail, help me study scripts, arrange for my dry cleaning to be picked up and things like that. That way, we both help each other."
His words shocked me. He was offering me a job. A real job! I felt like I was in an episode of the Twilight Zone. Although the idea of having a job made me incredibly happy, I wasn't sure I could pull it off. What would happen when I got sick?
"I'll ask Rose to see if she would like to work part time for me. She could be your back up, in case you were sick or tired. She could take care of the things that require driving."
"God, Edward, stop reading my mind!" I chided while striking his arm playfully.
"Ouch, beautiful, that hurt!" he whined while rubbing his arm.
"You're a wimp, Edward," I jested.
He let out a hearty laugh.
"Indeed, Missy, so you must treat me lovingly. In fact, that is my first order as your boss."
"Hmm… I haven't accepted your offer, Mr. Cullen, and I'm afraid you're asking too much," I teased.
"True. What if I added an endless supply of hugs to your benefit package? Would you take the job then?" he asked, his eyes shining with mischief.
I pretended to think about his offer.
"I'll even add a couple of trips to the pond and another romantic dinner with your choice of food, of course," he pleaded.
"Okay, I'll take the job. However, you must offer the same benefits to Rose, since you must be an equal opportunity employer" I replied.
His smile faltered, and his ears turned red.
"Uh ... err ..."
I burst into laughter. I laughed so hard that tears were falling. I don't think I had laughed so hard in a long time. It took me forever to stop because, every time I looked at him, his expression was unamused, causing me to guffaw harder.
"Very funny, Miss Swan. Very funny," he said sardonically. However, I could see he was struggling to keep a straight face.
"What? It's true! The law is the law, Mr. Cullen. You wouldn't want to be accused of making preferences between your employees, would you? I quipped.
"That's it, Miss Swan, you have earned your first punishment for challenging my authority. Prepare to be tickled until you apologize"
Edward crouched into a predatory stance, and I jumped back trying to escape from him. However, he was too fast for me and caught me easily. He began to tickle me mercilessly, making me squeal with laughter.
"Stop!" I begged "I'm gonna pee on you if you don't stop," I said between giggles.
"Go ahead, Miss Swan. I know you're dying to mark your territory," he teased.
We heard someone clearing their throat and immediately stopped our playful fight for dominance. We turned around to find Carlisle and Esme smiling at us.
"We're sorry to interrupt, but Edward's doctor has arrived, and it's time for Bella's therapy," Carlisle explained. His mood had obviously improved since the fight with Edward.
Edward got up from the bed and helped me get up while smiling mischievously. I stuck my tongue out and shoved him out of my way, earning a chuckle from him.
Edward and Carlisle left the room while Esme looked at me incredulously.
"What?" I asked, feigning ignorance.
"You know what," she replied, arching a brow.
"I don't know what to tell you, Esme. Edward makes me feel so light, so … happy. When I saw him sick, I was terrified. I realized how much he truly means to me. I wanted to help him, to soothe his pain. I don't want to lose him, Esme."
"What makes you think you could lose him?"
"He deserves better. I'm afraid he'll realize that he needs a woman, not a nutcase and then leave me. I don't think I could deal with that."
"Bella, we've been through this before. You have to let go of your guilt and take back the reigns of your life. You need to stop letting Marcus dictate the direction of your life. I know it's not easy, Bella, but you have to try. You deserve to be happy"
I proceeded to explain to Esme my conversation with Edward.
"How do you feel about his offer, Bella? Do you think you are ready to hold a job, to deal with the stress that it conveys? More importantly, are you ready to try to get better? Because I will tell you right now that no matter how many doctors Edward brings, or how many treatments we give you, you will not get well unless you want to. You must be prepared to deal with the heavy things and not to hide behind your medication. There will be no more half-assed efforts, Bella. You would have to work really hard, share your thoughts and feelings while following our advice. Are you prepared to do that?"
Her tone was a bit harsh, but I knew she was giving it to me straight. She knew by experience that I was not a willing participant in therapy, and that I had refused to deal with things for the last ten years. I was used to taking the easy way out by numbing my pain through medication and drugs. My feelings were conflicted. One part of me wanted to curl up in bed and continue to suffer the consequences of my parents' deaths, while another part, the most dominant one, wanted to leave the pain behind and get well, so that I could be with Edward. I knew I would never be able to be with him romantically, but I wanted to be healthy, so that I could enjoy as much time as possible with him. I wanted to get a job and learn to fight my fears, so that I could be good at my job, go out and eat ice cream, or be able to go shopping with Alice. I dreamed of going back to school and start a new life. A life where Marcus could not hurt me anymore.
"I don't know what to do, Esme. I'm confused. I really want to do this you know? I want to be healthy so I can give him the best of me but I am also a bit afraid. What if I fail? What if I can't do this? I wouldn't be able to look at Edward again. I would kill me to disappoint him," I explained.
"Honey, I know that you care about Edward, but you have to do this for you. You need to love yourself enough to fight for you and to forgive any mistakes you may make, because I assure you Bella, that this won't be easy. There will be times where you will falter, and when that happens, you will need to be strong enough to get up and try again. You cannot base your success on what Edward may or may not think. It is good for you to have someone to support you and hold your hand when you struggle, but you cannot depend on him to do those things for you in order for you to succeed. This will be your fight, and your fight alone. We will all be next to you, cheering you up and guiding your way, but no one can fight this battle for you."
A throbbing headache began to affect me, so I asked Esme if we could talk the next day. I needed to think about what she had said, and I couldn't do it when my head felt like my brain was being squished.
After she left, I took a couple of Tylenol and a shower. While the hot water untangled the knots in my muscles, I thought about my time with Edward. I was amazed at how comfortable I felt around him. His touch no longer scared me; on the contrary, it soothed me. He felt so warm and safe.
I thought back to our dinner date and how he had kissed me. His lips were so soft and sweet. His breath was delicious, and his tongue had made my stomach clench, spreading warmth all over my body. His kiss was both shy and demanding, and it made me feel like I was on fire until the image of Marcus sticking his tongue in my mouth reminded me that I could never give Edward what he wanted, what he deserved. However, the memory of that kiss, my second kiss ever, would forever be etched in my memory.
XX Broken XX
Alice arrived a few hours later, and she was a complete mess. She was crying so hard that it scared the hell out of me. Alice didn't do tears.
"What's wrong, Alice?" I asked as I ran my fingers through her hair like I used to do whenever we were kids and she was upset.
"Oh, Bella, I'm so sad and worried about Jasper."
Jasper's earlier words about Edward hurting Alice came back to me.
"Why? What happened?"
Alice explained to me how Edward had been upset at her because she wouldn't tell him about Marcus, and how he had shaken her angrily. According to Alice, Edward was already losing control of his emotions and had not realized he was hurting her until Jasper defended her. I was absolutely livid when I found out he had called Edward a retard. I would have punched him in the face if he were in front of me, but thankfully he wasn't. How could he do this Edward? He knew how affected he was by the bullying, so how could he be such an ass?
"I know what he did was wrong, Bells, but he was so panicked that he wasn't thinking straight. I'm not excusing him, but I also know that he didn't mean to hurt Edward. He just wanted him to back away from me."
"I know, Alice, but I can see why Edward would feel betrayed and hurt by his words. I'm not sure he will be able to forgive him easily."
"I know, Bells, and that's killing him. He feels horrible and believes that he betrayed Elizabeth's love by hurting her son. He has been drinking non-stop since that day, only stopping to help care for Edward. He refuses to talk to me or let me help him. He even told me he didn't want to see me anymore, that he didn't deserve me."
"Ohh, Alice, I'm so sorry," I said, unable to find better words to soothe her pain.
"I love him, Bells. He is the one for me. I won't be able to get over this one. He is the only man who has ever listened to me and doesn't judge me by my past. He cares for me and treats me like I am the most special woman on earth. He's funny and kind, and he loves his family. He told me he wants to marry me one day and now …" she trailed off.
"Give him some time, Alice. I'm sure Edward will eventually forgive him, but he needs time to deal with the pain and hurt first. Then they both need to talk and forgive each other. I'm sure it'll work out, you just need to be patient."
Alice nodded but continued to cry incessantly. I felt bad for her and so useless. There was nothing I could to help my friend. After I assured her I was feeling well, Alice gave me my medication and went to her room, but I could still hear her sobs.
With a heavy heart, I eventually drifted to sleep.
XX BROKEN XX
I woke up in the middle of the night scared to death. I had a nightmare that Marcus found Edward and me while we were sitting at the pond, feeding the ducks. He approached us, and before I could react, he shot Edward in the head, just like he did my dad. Then, he had pulled me by my hair and dragged me to the house where he beat me and raped me while laughing at me for thinking I could get rid of him. The dream was so real that it took me a minute to realize it was a dream and not reality. I could feel the panic rising, and I fought to remain calm. I didn't want to be sedated again. Esme's words were ringing in my head as I tried to normalize my breathing. Stop letting Marcus control your life.
After a few minutes, I had calmed enough so that I could breathe normally. However, I was afraid to go back to sleep and didn't want to be alone. I tried to be brave, but I couldn't, so I thought aboutasking Alice to sleep with me. However, I decided against it since she was struggling with her own problems. I didn't want to worry her further. Then I thought about Edward and how safe I felt in his arms. I debated whether to wake him up and ask him to sleep with me or just take the damn medicine and let it drug me into oblivion.
I decided Edward was the best option, so before I could chicken out, I walked to his bedroom. The door was closed, so I knocked lightly, trying not to wake up anyone else, but apparently Edward was not a light sleeper. Disappointed, I began to walk to my room, but the sound of a door opening made me turn around. A sleepy and very confused Edward was standing at the door, wearing nothing but black boxer briefs. He looked so damn beautiful it hurt. He had a little bit of hair on his chest that created a trail that disappeared under his briefs. His stomach was flat, toned and was peppered with little brown moles.
"Bella, what's wrong? Are you okay, beautiful?" he asked with a raspy voice.
"I'm sorry, Edward, I shouldn't have woken you. I just had a nightmare, and I'm scared, but I didn't want to take any drugs, and Alice is … struggling … so I didn't want to wake her. I thought that maybe you wouldn't mind sleeping with me, but I can see now that it was a bad idea. I'm sorry, go back to sleep, please"
Edward walked towards me and used his finger to make me lift my face, so he could look at me.
"Of course I wouldn't mind, beautiful. I'm so happy you came to me that I'm tempted to jump around and squeal like a girl," he grinned. "It would be my pleasure to guard your dreams, princess."
"Are you sure you don't mind?"
"Bella, do I look like I mind?" he asked as he gave me a toothy smile, making me laugh at his silliness.
"Okay, Mr. Cullen, take me to bed."
He laughed, and in one swift motion cradled me in his arms. I let out a surprised yelp but managed to keep my voice down as I reminded him of his injured leg and begged him to put me down. He didn't.
When we got to his room, he placed me on his bed and tucked me under the blankets. He then walked to his closet and grabbed some pajama pants and a t-shirt. The fact that he was considerate enough to do that made me love him even more.
Love him? He is supposed to be your friend, Isabella.
Whatever.
Edward got into bed and pulled his side of the blanket. We lay there a few minutes without saying anything and feeling a little awkward.
"Bella?"
"Yes, Edward?"
"Would it upset you if I hold you? I don't want to make you uncomfortable, but I really need to feel you close to me."
I thought about it for half a second before I realized that I craved his arms too much to let my fears stop me.
"No, Edward. It will not upset me. In fact, I would appreciate it very much," I replied sincerely.
He then pulled me into his arms and snuggled against my hair.
"Bella?"
"Yes, Edward?"
"Thank you for trusting me."
"Oh, Edward, I should be thanking you for putting up with my craziness."
"If your craziness makes you want to sleep in my arms, we may have to rethink the whole treatment options," He quipped.
I chuckled and kicked him playfully under the covers.
"Ouch!" he whined.
I was slowly drifting to sleep when Edward spoke again.
"Bella?"
"Yes, Edward?" I responded, a little annoyed.
"You are not a blanket hugger, are you?"
I laughed.
"No, Edward, I'm not. Don't worry, I won't make you freeze your butt all night."
"Good."
Once again I was about to drift into a peaceful slumber when he asked.
"Bella?"
"Hmm."
"I love you. Sweet dreams, beautiful"
I fell asleep after that, feeling like my world had tilted on its axis. I was complete. I finally knew what love was, and regardless of my fears, my love belonged to Edward Cullen.
A/N: *squeals* It seems like Bella is finally ready to let Edward in, even with all the issues he has. What do you guys think about Edward's reaction to Jasper? Do you think he went too far? I personally think Carlisle was up to something when he talked about misplaced anger, but I also think Jasper needs to realize how much he hurt Edward.
Please let me know what you think. I love to hear your input!