Hey guys!Well...just sending this short little chapter before the big one gets done. Just a few more chapters and this story is really done.*sniff, sniff*
Stephenie Meyer bla bla bla...you know how this part goes. E and B are all hers.
Darkward is all mine though. And so are the grammar mistakes. Unfortunately.
Chapter 25
BPOV
"You're here."
"I'm here."
"You came."
"I did."
Now that my doubts were no longer crawling up inside my mind, all those things I wanted to say, suddenly were no longer there. My mind was a blank.
"Uh...hi."
God...I sounded like a clumsy 15 year old nerd who never spoke to a boy before. Pathetic.
Say something! My inner voice screams at me, so I do. The first thing that came out of my mouth was, "you look awful."
Great. Should have just kept my mouth shut.
A lifted eyebrow. "Haven't slept much lately. But thank you for the compliment."
This awkwardness between us was making me too nervous. It didn't used to be like this. It felt like we were starting from the beginning. The start that made me fear not just his behavior but decisions as well.
He started to turn around when I suddenly shouted, pulling on his hand. "Wait. I remember. I remember...everything."
He stopped in his tracks, but gave no answer. No comment.
"Aren't you gonna say something?"
"What do you want me to say?" hands behind his back, voice disinterested.
"How about: I'm glad for you, or something like ...good job?"
Or maybe: I missed you...I love you?
"Good job? Really?" Another lifted eyebrow.
"Yes. No...I don't know. I just want you to say something. Anything. A reaction of any kind."
"I just did."
I sighed frustratingly.
"Look, I know I was acting cold and distant the last time, or behaving like..."
"Like me?" he interrupted
"No. Not like you."
With every spoken word that came out of my lips, my feet were getting closer and closer to him. He didn't object. On the contrary, as closer I got to him, the more I saw his posture thaw out, eyes became wilder but warmer, kinder. Hopeful.
"You are not that man anymore Edward. I know you're not. You may have fooled me before, when I had no idea of a man you are, but –I know all of this is a facade. I know what kind of a man you are; warm, gentle, and caring. You don't like to show it, but you do care, and will do whatever it takes to protect the people you love in any way possible, no matter the consequences."
"And well...what I wanted to say is..." I take a deep breath before letting it all out." I've missed this. I missed you."
He opened his mouth but I cut him off.
"You don't have to respond to this. And I'm not asking you to, just wanted you to know that I...know. I remember. Everything."I say, finally close enough to touch his face, feel his breath on my face.
And I did. Slowly, ever so, I lifted my hand with the agenda to touch his scruffy, unshaven face.
"So warm," I add silently. "You're always so warm," my hand touching his cheek, thumb slowly stroking his jaw. He says nothing but leans in and closes his eyes with a deep, but pleasurable sigh.
My forehead leans on to his, and we stay in that position for who knows how long.
It could have been hours or minutes, maybe even seconds, but with no expectations, I feel his soft lips ever so lightly on mine. It was a chaste kiss, but with such gentleness, such love, such devotion, my eyes watered, slipping over my cheeks.
"I'm sorry Edward. So sorry."
With opened eyes, staring right at me with confusion, he asks, "Why?"
"Esme, Miriam, Alec..."
He shakes his head furiously while wiping the tears off of my face. "Don't you dare feel guilty for any of this. For them, or me. There is no room for pity here."
"But you didn't deserve any of this. To be played by them like a puppet..."
"Or you to be almost killed by Esme. It was my job to protect you and I failed. So what does that say about me?"
"You did save me Edward. Plenty of times..."
He cuts me out with a heavy sigh.
"Why do I have a feeling that we have been on this road before? Let's make a deal, you'll stop apologizing to me constantly and I..."
"Will stop blaming yourself for everything wrong that ever happened in your life you couldn't control? Deal."
He shakes his head stubbornly, a small smile appears on his lips. "Stubborn as always. God, I missed you."
Butterflies appear in my stomach at hearing his soft spoken words.
"Fine. I'll give my best to do so. Now, may I ask why did you ask me to meet you here?"
"Well, first, I need you to listen to me very carefully, just listen, and if you don't like my plan, you can freely say no, but...just please,listen very carefully, okay?"
"Fine. Go ahead."
And so I did.
He didn't like it. Of course not. In this thought out plan to destroy Alec Edward was against it, of course. I could see the dilemma brewing in his eyes. This was after all a man that not just killed his mother, but also was the person that took him in after Carlisle was killed and raised him with respect and honor. Not to mention was his flesh and blood, his biological father.
To Edward, it would feel like a betrayal, I know. But also, Alec was someone who will do anything, if someone threatens to destroy him and his empire. And apparently, that was me.
Edward already tried to escape this life that Alec forced him in, but to no avail.
He was so used to doing everything alone, he failed spectacularly at his plan.
But he didn't have what we did. Army of people at Emmett's disposal.
Of course, this made Edward suspicious of success, knowing that no matter what we do, we will fail in bringing Alec down. But I had faith. So I persuaded him to try.
With Alec gone, we would have a chance, a real change to give this relationship -no matter how strange it began- a chance.
I wanted it badly. And I could see just how much he did too.
So with a bittersweet goodbye, we promised each other to stay in contact though any means necessary, and have a shitload of patience for the difficult days or even weeks that might come, and hopefully pass in the best possible way. We knew this was the last time we might see each other before the disaster struck, but we were ready.
Only, I had no idea just how much Edward really was correct in his belief.
The big finale is coming soon. Be prepared my dear readers. ;)
Thanks for reading.