Here's the last regular chapter…just the epi left!

Thanks to Prettyflour and Kitty for prereading, I posted before my beta worked on the chapter.

Chapter 25 – You're Here

EPOV

My phone rang for what was probably the hundredth time in the space of an hour. I looked at the display and ignored it, knowing who it was. No one else knew I was back in New York but Garrett, I didn't want anybody else to know for now and I'd given him strict orders to keep it to himself. Although, why Garrett would be calling me I had no idea. I assumed he was probably pocket dialling me, because right now he would be sitting in the Plaza watching the most incredible woman I'd ever met marry someone else.

My flight landed early this morning and it had been Garrett who I'd called. He'd driven out to collect me while Kate spent time with Bella before her fairy-tale wedding.

"You're back," he'd said when I got into the car. "Do I need to ask why? Or do I just take you straight to the Plaza now?"

"You can take me home," I told him curtly. "I will not be going to the Plaza, Garrett."

"You do know she gets married today, right?" I saw him glance at me from the corner of his eye as he drove.

"Yes."

"So, you're not back to stop her wedding?" He frowned.

I sighed. "I don't want to stop her wedding."

"Why?"

"Jesus, Garrett, if she wanted to be with me she had plenty of time to call it off. I can take the hint, man."

"If you just let her explain you might understand a little better."

"No need, she's marrying someone else. What more is there to understand?" I sighed. "Can we not talk about this?"

"You're an asshole sometimes," he muttered. "A delusional asshole."

"Please, Garrett." I ran my hand through my hair and groaned. "I can't deal with this right now."

"Fine, but if you're not here to break up a wedding, why are you back? Does your dad know you're home?"

"No my father does not know and I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell him just yet—I'm seriously pissed right now. His new girlfriend, Esme Platt, is the only reason I'm back here," I told him angrily. "I was told there was a problem with my visa, which I knew was a load of shit. So, I called William from the base and he admitted she paid them off to send me home as soon as they could. They're a charity at the end of the day, so the offer of five funded positions was too valuable to turn down. "

"They've been worried sick, we all have," Garrett said quietly.

I looked out of the window and rested my head on the glass. I hated being back, I hated the city, for the first time in my life I hated it and it was because the entire place reminded me of her. As if on cue, we passed a giant billboard, and I saw an advertisement for Eclipse with Bella's imminent wedding the main focus. I laughed darkly, there was no escaping her, not here, not anywhere.

"I'm going back out there as soon as I get this sorted out," I said and saw Garrett shake his head. "I'm serious, Garrett, as soon as I can."

I thanked him for the ride when we got back to my apartment and he found the need to tell me again what time the wedding was, what suite Bella was in, and in which room the service would be taking place in...just in case.

I dumped my bags and took a long, hot, much-needed shower. As I stood there, I thought back to the short space of time I'd spent in Africa. I'd helped people who really needed it and it had been a eye-opening experience to say the least, but it hadn't made a difference to how I felt. All I could see when I closed my eyes was her face.

As the hours ticked by slowly, I considered it. I thought about nothing else. So many times I stood up, intending to go and find Bella. I wanted to tell her I had lied to her outside the hospital and that I did love her. I wanted to beg her to walk away from the man she was about to marry and choose a life with me. I never got farther than the door before sitting back down.

Why should I have to fight for her? What was wrong with expecting her to fight for me instead?

Because she thinks you're in Somalia, idiot.

At noon I realised I was too late and now was the time, and I imagined her walking down the aisle with her father. I saw her smile at the man waiting for her and it hurt like hell because it wouldn't be me. It would never be me. My phone rang for the first time ten minutes later and then continued to ring and ring for the next hour.

Each time it rang off it would start again, but eventually Garrett got the hint and it stopped. I received a message telling me I had voice mail and with a sigh I picked up the phone and listened to it.

"Fucking hell, Edward. Generally when someone calls you it's because they would like to talk to you. If someone calls you over and over, it's safe to assume they need to fucking talk to you. Check your email and then might I suggest getting your stubborn ass over to that coffee shop you love so much."

I hadn't checked them for weeks, so naturally my inbox was full. I had no idea what I was looking for, until I saw it. There was one which had been sent by Bella, addressed to both Esme and myself, and I opened it with baited breath.

I am in love, hopelessly, and crazy in love with the most amazing man I've ever met—my Butterfly Guy. He is the only man to give me goose-bumps, the only man who has ever made me feel like I was flying after we shared our first kiss. I simply can't imagine my life without him. Period.

I nearly closed the email when I read the first few lines, but something pressed me to continue and then I understood.

And, to my real butterfly guy, I love you. I wish there was some way to let you know just how much I love you. You were my inspiration from that first day in Balotelli's, and nothing has changed. Every single word I wrote belongs to you, and not telling you that will be the biggest regret of my life. I let you walk away, and I'm quite literally lost without you. But you know, despite the pain I've felt in these weeks since you left, I wouldn't change a minute of what we shared. I never felt more alive...more like me, than the times we were together. I know there is nothing I can do to make up for how I behaved, all I hope for now is that you're happy. You deserve someone who tells you every single day just how amazing you are, someone who puts you first, and someone who isn't afraid to take a chance for you.

I read her words and I realised it had always been about me...about us. As soon as I read the last word, I was on my feet and out of the door, calling Garrett as I rode down the elevator.

"Finally you call me back," he yelled. "Tell me you checked your voice mail and read your email?"

"I read it," I said. "You knew and didn't tell me?"

"How could you not get it? I tried to tell you this morning, Edward, and you told me to shut up. I would have told you before, but you took off to goddamned Africa, remember?" he continued to shout.

"She didn't marry him?"

"No," he said, and then laughed. "She definitely did not marry him, Edward, but you need to talk to her about it."

"She's at Balotelli's," Kate interrupted. "She fought for you, Edward, and now it's your turn."

"I'm on my way," I said, smiling. "Thanks, guys."

I didn't bother with my car. I didn't have time to find somewhere to park, so I had the doorman hail me a cab and for the first time in my life, I told him to "step on it." He didn't of course, but it was worth a shot.

I saw her straight away. Her back was to me, and she was sitting at a table gazing out of the window. I watched her for a few seconds, not sure what I was going to say. When I walked inside, she didn't flinch, she didn't look around, so I went to the counter and placed my order.

I waited nervously as the owner took the croissants over, and waited for her to realise. At first she didn't move, and I was just about to go to her, when she turned her head slowly. I forgot about everyone else in the room as soon as her eyes met mine.

BPOV

Edward was here, I knew it, because no one's presence ever made me feel like this.

I turned my head slowly towards the counter and I was crying even before I saw him.

"Edward?" I croaked, and a shy smile formed on his face.

He was waiting by the counter, his hands stuffed in his pockets. I could tell he was nervous, not sure what to do now.

"Hey," he said, and took slow steps towards me.

"You're here?" I wiped my eyes, watching him nod. "You're really here."

"And so are you," he said simply, his smile growing.

"I'm here."

"What happened?" he asked quietly, taking a seat opposite me. I saw him look at my hands, gripping the cup of coffee, before looking back up at my face. "Shouldn't you be married now?"

"Technically I suppose I should be, yes." I smiled. "But I'm not. It should never have gotten that far, Edward. I got caught up in it all. Before I met you, I was really lonely, I wanted to have the perfect life, and when Jake proposed I thought that was my chance. I knew it wasn't right, the next morning I knew I was making a mistake, but then Esme made me the offer and before I knew it I'd lost control."

He didn't react, but his face had none of the harshness I'd seen outside the hospital. His eyes were warm, soft, his eyes were all Edward.

"Then I met you." I reached for one of his hands, resting my fingers softly on top of his. "It was crazy, how quickly I fell for you, Edward. I can't even begin to explain how you made me feel."

"You already did," he whispered. "You've been trying to tell me for months, Bella. Maybe if I'd been reading the diary all along I could have seen it from a different perspective. Maybe if I'd really thought about it, sat you down and talked about it instead of running away, I would have realised. Everything you wrote, I felt it too, Bella. How could I not?"

I felt more tears run down my face, and as I moved my hand to wipe them, Edward stopped me. He brought his hand up and held my chin gently, wiping away the tears with his own thumb instead.

"I lied to you, Bella. I told you the cruellest of lies outside the hospital. I thought I was giving you the perfect out. I didn't want to be the other man any more but I couldn't ask you to choose, because I thought you loved Jake and I couldn't bear to think about you choosing him and not me." He ran his thumb across my lower lip, watching as he did.

"I would have chosen you." I knew that was the absolute truth. I may have been too cowardly to make the decision until now, but had he asked me, I knew for a fact I would have chosen him every single time. "It's been you for so long, Edward, you've been all I can think about since that day in Garrett's gallery. I know I made such a mess, but I hope you can forgive me, I love you, Edward."

It was the first time I'd told him and it felt so good to say it. His eyes flashed to mine and a huge smile broke out on his face. It warmed every inch of my body to see, to know I did that, to know that those three words I'd said made him happy.

"I should have said that ages ago," I said, grinning. "I love you."

He stood up, and for a split second I thought he might leave, but he didn't. He placed both hands on the table and leaned forward. "I love you," he whispered. "I've never loved anyone like I love you, Bella Swan."

I beamed, unable to quite believe this was actually happening. I ran a hand up his arm, gently stroked up his face and ran my fingers through his hair. "I love you," I said again.

Before I'd finished talking his lips pressed against mine. If it was sparks and butterflies before, this time it was fireworks. Everything else ceased to exist in that moment but Edward.

Far too quickly, he pulled away and sat back down. I pouted and he chuckled. "If I don't stop now, I dread to think what would happen on this table. Besides, what's the rush? I've got the rest of my life left to kiss you, Bella."

I was crying again, or perhaps I just stopped noticing it when Edward kissed me? He reached across the table and held both of my hands tightly in his.

"Do you have any idea how good it is to know there will be no more stolen moments, no need to constantly look over our shoulders and try to hide how much I love you from other people?" he whispered. "I can walk down the street holding your hand because I know you're mine."

"I'm yours," I agreed. "I've always been yours."

"Can I ask what happened? How did you end everything?" he asked me nervously.

"I asked the minister to stop," I said simply. "I knew why Jake was going through with it, I knew neither of us really wanted to get married, so I stopped the wedding. My boss wasn't happy, so I'm probably going to be out of a job come Monday morning, but I really don't care."

"What about your promotion?" he asked. "I thought you wanted it?"

"I did," I said. "But I wanted you more. Like I said, I'd choose you every single time. Esme told me she fixed it for you to come home...are you angry?"

"I was," he said. "Now I've never been more thankful for anyone interfering in my entire life."

"And you're not going back?" I clarified. "Once it's cleared up, you aren't going back?"

"Why would I go anywhere?" He kissed my forehead. "Everything I need is right here."

We stayed in Balotelli's for another half an hour or so. Talking about what he'd seen in Somalia, talking about what I planned to do about work. It was close to three when we stepped out onto the street. We'd barely taken more than three paces when Edward twirled me around and kissed me. It was more intense than the one inside but still not intense enough.

"I'm going to be doing that a lot," he said smugly, as we started walking again. "A hell of a lot."

"That's fine with me." I smiled.

We ambled around the city hand in hand, eventually finding ourselves outside Edward's building. I nestled into his side as we went upstairs and into his apartment. It felt strange to be back here, knowing Edward too, had been away for so long.

"I missed this place," I murmured. "It was awful knowing you weren't here. I couldn't even walk past your building after I heard about Somalia."

He kissed the top of my head. "Stay here with me as long as you like. I'd rather be here than at your apartment...there has never been a naked Jake in my bed."

I heard him chuckle and blurted out, "I haven't done anything with Jake for months, Edward." As soon as I said it, I blushed. "Sorry, I guess that wasn't something I needed to share, huh?"

"Actually, Bella, you'd be surprised how much I had to force myself to not think about that. It made me feel sick thinking about you and him together. The weekend we stayed at Peter and Charlotte's was probably the worst night of my life." He hesitated and then smiled wryly before adding, "Until then at least."

"That was the last time," I said quietly. Thinking of that night and the vividness of the dream, I blushed. Edward noticed and he looked at me curiously. "After that I couldn't bear to go near him."

"Do I even want to know why you're blushing?" he asked cautiously, and my cheeks reddened even more. "Bella?"

"I thought we'd...you know...had sex that night. As in you and me," I whispered and he frowned. "I honestly thought you'd crept into my room, Edward. It was so real, it felt like it really happened. I woke up with Jake next to me and had no idea what was going on. When Kate told me you'd left while I was still...well, I realised I'd imagined it all and..."

I trailed off and shook my head. This was not exactly the conversation I'd planned on having with him at this particular moment in time. Probably not ever.

"And what?" he pressed.

"Edward, can we talk about something else, please," I whined, and he shook his head defiantly.

"What were you going to say? Please, Bella, I want to know." He rested his head on mine, and I sighed.

"Dream sex with you was the best sex I'd ever had," I blurted out. "Until then any way."

"Interesting," he said, and his hands wandered lazily up to my face, holding it close to his. "Very interesting."

"I felt terrible that you heard, that I was acting so badly and so unlike me." I bit my lip and looked at him. "But honestly, Edward. I replayed that over and over in my head every day until we spent Christmas together. I'm sorry."

Edward chuckled. "Bella, none of that matters now. You're here with me for real and you most definitely aren't getting married to another man. No more dreaming required."

He kissed me, and this time he didn't hold back any part of him. His tongue traced against my lips, before teasing its way into my mouth. I held onto him as tightly as I could, pulling him closer to me.

"I love you," I breathed against his lips, and slid my hands underneath his t-shirt, my fingertips grazing against his skin. "I won't lose you again."

"You couldn't, Bella."

I opened my eyes and found him staring at me. His eyes were burning just like they had so many times before and for a moment I couldn't believe my stupidity. No one had ever looked at me like Edward did, yet I'd believed every word he'd said outside the hospital.

"If I'd told you I loved you instead of letting you walk away," I whispered. "If I'd actually said what I'd come to say what would you have done?"

"I would have kissed you a lot like this," he said and kissed me again, sending me weak at the knees. "And then I would have told you I loved you, and taken you home in that instant to show you how much I love you."

I giggled. "You were at work if I remember correctly."

"Mm, that would have been very inconvenient," he whispered, kissing me once more. "I suppose in that case I would have had to rush you into the hospital under the pretence of you being sick and in need of very urgent care." His kisses dropped to my jaw and neck.

"What about the nurses and other doctors?" My voice was trembling. "Wouldn't they have tried to help?"

"That wouldn't do. I would have to think of something that would require complete isolation..."

"I like the sound of that," I said, and tugged at the hem of his shirt, trying to pull it up.

Edward's hands snared mine and he stopped me. "Bella, we don't have to..."

"We don't have to...but I want to." I stood on my toes and kissed him. "I want to really be with you, Edward without worrying about anything else. Let me show you what it can be like."

I sensed his hesitation, and pulled him towards the bedroom. Kissing him as soon as he closed the door. Whatever doubts he had were soon forgotten. We took our time, because there really was no rush, and slowly removed each others clothes. I ran my hands over every inch of his body, not quite able to believe this was actually happening.

I kissed him, following the trail of my hands with my lips. I heard every breath, every groan and felt each muscle tense as my tongue teased him. I slid my hands around his back letting them rest on his ass as I drifted lower; my mouth on his chest, his stomach, his hips.

"What are you doing to me?" he whispered, barely audible. "I don't think I can stand much more."

"Tough," I taunted. "Because I have a lot more left to give, Edward."

"Jesus," he croaked.

I smirked to myself and placed once tender kiss on the tip of his dick hearing him groan again. Flicking and swirling my tongue around the head first, his hands grabbed my head and his fingers tangled themselves into my hair.

As soon as I wrapped my lips tightly around his shaft and took him fully into my mouth I could feel his legs start to shake. I grazed my teeth against his skin as I moved back and forth, loving the effect it had on him.

"Bella, you have to stop...I'm going to come if you carry on," he panted, but I ignored his plea and took him deeper still before he came with one final cry, "Fuck."

I let him pull me to my feet, smiling smugly at his expression. Those incredible green eyes were heavy, but had lost none of the intensity and I knew the best was yet to come. He kissed me once and then pointed to the bed.

"Lay down," he commanded.

I nodded once and did as he asked. I watched as his eyes trailed over my body, studying every visible part and there were no feelings of embarrassment or shyness as he did. My heart raced and my skin tingled and he hadn't even touched me.

"I love you," he murmured, stooping over to kiss me, and then he laughed. "I don't think I'll ever tire of saying that to you."

"I'll never tire of hearing it," I told him honestly.

He kissed his way down my body, whispering it over and over again. I arched my back and gasped loudly when he drew one solitary finger between my legs.

"Oh God," I moaned, and clawed at the sheets.

I opened my eyes briefly and noticed him watching me. He nudged my legs further apart and settled between them, his face right where I was so desperate to feel him. He licked through my centre in one firm stroke and it felt so fucking good.

"Jesus. More, Edward, please don't stop." I was far too wound up to care how desperate I sounded and Edward happily complied.

He quickened the motion of his tongue and flicked it back and forth over my clit. The moans became louder and louder as I felt my orgasm build inside me. I writhed on the bed and Edward held me in place, knowing exactly what he was doing to me. When I came, I felt it ripple over me from my toes to the very tips of my fingertips. It was almost as though my skin was ablaze and for a fleeting second I had absolutely no control over my body at all.

"Wow," I said as I tried to catch my breath, but before I knew it, Edward was hovering over me caging me in with his hands on either side of my head.

"More to come, love," he whispered. "Much, much, more."

I kissed him, holding his face in mine and pushed him over on to his back before climbing on top of him. I was still unwilling to take my lips from his, and he didn't seem to object. His hands settled on my hips, and slowly I lowered myself down onto him, moaning at the feeling. I started to rock back and forth, but Edward stopped me. He sat up, and wrapped my legs around his waist, holding me close against him.

We moved together, my hands in his hair, keeping him as close as physically possible. It was intense and incredible, it was exactly how it should feel. I whispered his name over and over as I came, feeling him falter and then still shortly after.

"I think," I said with a giggle, "had that happened in the hospital, the other patients would have been very jealous of your diagnosis and treatment of my 'condition' Dr. Cullen."

He smirked and kissed the tip of my nose. "Let them be jealous. That treatment is most definitely reserved for you Ms. Swan."

"I should think so." I wrapped my arms tightly around his neck and hugged him. "There's one thing we have left to do, and it's very risky."

"Oh?" he asked, sounding worried.

"Yep, you have to meet Chief Swan and the rest of my family. They all know I spent Christmas Day night with you...and now Dad probably realises it wasn't as platonic a relationship as I let him believe," I told him. "He's very protective and he owns a gun...legally."

Edward shrugged. "And I carry a license to administer sedatives. If he gets too frightening, I'll give him a shot of benzo and we'll run like hell."

"Sounds like a plan." I smiled, feeling more blissfully happy and content than I had ever felt in my life. This time yesterday I was utterly lost and now it seemed I had everything I wanted. Could it get better than this?

I knew it could and I knew it would, because I had Edward.

A/N Hope you liked it! Thanks for all your reviews and alerts, sorry for being a big fat review fail again…no excuses, but I do love reading each of them! I am trying to catch up

TTFN

Katy

xxxx