Hey! Fast update, ahoy! The song doesn't really have too too much to do with the chapter, but the mood from it fits it perfectly. And I just love this song: "Lullaby" - Spill Canvas.

BPOV

Edward had called me dozens of time over the whole week. I knew I was being childish and really just a whiny bitch by not accepting Edward's calls and listening to his explanation. But I was still mad; there was a point where he took it beyond a point of privacy and into the simple keeping secrets phase. I knew there was something important he was keeping from me, but I couldn't figure out for the life of me what it was.

Rosalie had listened to the messages with me, and encouraged me to talk with him. She said there might be a really good reason he'd left so suddenly, and that I should at least give him a chance to tell his side of things. I'd eventually snapped and told her that if I should give Edward such a chance, why didn't she give one to Emmett, then stormed out of the room. Later, I'd felt horrible about my actions; I was graduating in just mere months and should be acting like an adult.

Alice simply told me that I should fight fate. No matter what I said, she just told me fate would will out and there was no use wasting time fighting it. Seriously, that girl didn't make sense half the time.

Jasper was the easiest to talk to and really think he was listening objectively. All he'd told me was that I'd know what to do when I was ready to move past this. I was envious of his and Alice's relationship. Both were so… aware that they would only get into such minor disagreements that they could work them our almost without speaking.

Jacob was the most satisfying of my friends to speak about it with. He was with me all the way, almost viciously so. It made me wonder why he disliked Edward so much, with an almost murderous hate. Not that Jake would ever kill anybody, but it seemed like he wouldn't care less about Edward.

"He's no good for you, Bells," Jacob was telling me as we watched another old movie on Bravo.

I sighed. "Jake, you barely know him. And all I've been doing is complaining… Alice says I must be PMSing."

"Please, don't talk about your womanly things around me." Jake gave me an overly dramatic grossed out expression, making me laugh.

"Seriously, though. I… I could have sworn he was a good guy…"

"Weren't you always complaining about him before though? He stole your card, insulted you, treated you like trash…."

Sighing, I buried my face in a pillow. "I don't know Jake." I mumbled into the fabric. "I thought maybe that was the act. Now I'm not sure which personality of his is. And if the nice guy is the act, then why did he go to all that trouble? And who do I really have to blame for the date?"

"Him!" Jake said forcefully. "I don't give a damn about him and his issues, he treated you badly. You did nothing wrong, Bells. You have every right to be pissed!"

Sighing, I fell back onto the arm of the couch, staring at the ceiling. "What time is it?" I finally asked.

"Five thirty. Why?"

"Alice wants to get together at Rodnie's to work out a game-plan for getting Rose and Em together again. She got the other side of the story from Edward on Wednesday, and it looks like it was, for the most part, a misunderstanding. Emmett was still stupid, but… he meant well. We're hoping to get those two back together and stop the moping."

"Oh, well alright. Glad to know you aren't spending your Friday alone. Are you going to visit Rene still this weekend?"

"Yeah," I sighed. "She says Charlie is going to be home, but I doubt it."

Jacob shrugged. "Maybe you'll get lucky."

I shrugged back, waved good bye, and exited his room, walking down the hall and out into the warm night air outside. I made sure I had my keys this time before getting in my car and driving to Rodnie's.

It was unusually deserted and dark when I pulled into the parking lot, and I got out with a frown, glancing around in confusion. Cautiously, I stepped inside, still frowning when I only saw an old couple in the far corner. I stepped a little farther inside, then froze as I caught sight of one other single person in the diner.

"Bella, please, just let me speak."

I finished gaping for the moment and crossed my arms defensively over my chest. "What are you doing here? Did…"

"Alice agreed to help me, but promised that if I screwed this up, she was going to rat me out to Carlisle and Esme."

I narrowed my eyes at him suspiciously. "Rat you out about what?"

He raised a brow, a slight quirk of his lips betraying his amusement. "What? You thought they knew about my late nights and familiarity with the cops?"
My cheeks tinged pink; I hadn't really thought about that at all.

Edward smiled gently, but kept his distance, though I thought it looked rather reluctantly. But maybe it was an act. Maybe all Edward was an act and Hyde was the real thing. Or was Hyde the act, and Edward real? I couldn't tell; only Edward really knew the truth, I thought.

"Bella, can you please give me the chance to talk to you. I've already ordered your favorite, and if you decide you still hate me by the end of the meal, then I'll let you leave and never bother you again. I swear."

I studied him for a long moment, trying to decide if he was serious or not. All I could see was sincerity radiating from his eyes, and I finally sighed, letting my arms loosen and fall to my sides. "Alright." I sighed.

"Thank you," he breathed, in what I perceived as relief. I followed him over to a table in the corner, plates of warm food already set in place. Edward pulled out my seat and then pushed it gently in once I had sat down, before settling down himself across the table.

There was a bacon burger and some of Rodnie's delicious fries were definitely my favorite meal in the place, and I wasn't too surprised Edward had figured that out. He could have asked anyone here and they could tell him.

"Bella," he started almost immediately. "I know my actions last week were enough to deserve any harsh, unforgiving emotion you may harbor towards me, and I don't want you to necessarily forgive me of them. I just want you to understand that if things hadn't happened the way they had, I would never have left you like that."

'If things hadn't happened the way they had', I repeated bitterly in my head. If we hadn't fought, if I hadn't pried, if Ricardo hadn't almost said something….

"I had to leave because something came up. I'm so sorry Bella, but it was urgent. My mom…"

I looked up, hearing the pain in his voice, and watched as he struggled for words. "My mom had another episode that night, and I didn't want her to get any farther in her drinking than could be helped. I remembered how uncomfortable you were last time she had one, and I didn't want to subject you to that again."

"Edward…" I couldn't think straight. I wanted to forgive him, I realized I really honestly did, but… "Why didn't you at least tell me good bye?"

He hung his head in shame, staring at his hands on the table. "I didn't know if you were still angry with me over my actions with Ricardo. And I'm sorry about that, too, Bella. I never mean to get so angry… but… it's just, they all know things about me, and my past transgressions that I'd rather you not know about."

"You don't want to share them with me." I stated flatly.

He shook his head, frustration apparent. "Bella, it's not necessarily that… it's just… they're not something I'm proud of, and I keep it from as many people as I can. I don't want to ruin things with you by revealing something horrid before you get to see the real me. I-"

"Edward," I said gently, understanding what he was saying. "We've only been going out a short time. If there are things you aren't comfortable telling me yet, that's fine, I understand. I just… please try not to take it out on me?"

His gorgeous green eyes - some cross between jade and pine - looked up at me gently. "I promise. If I start acting like a jerk, just tell me to stop being an asshole. I never mean to hurt you, or get angry with you. I just forget, sometimes, that…."

I reached across the table. "It's okay. I understand that you left because it was important, and you were uncertain how I would react to you leaving after the fight."

He smiled softly at me, and opened his mouth to say something but his cell phone went off, interrupting us. Holding up a finger, he answered, then frowned as he listened. "I'll be right there."

"Bella," he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I'm terribly sorry to do this, but my mom locked herself out of the house." He rolled his eyes. "It seems the lock finally stopped working, and she can't get inside. She wants to know if I can come by and force it open, and crawl through a window or something."

"Oh," I said, trying not to let disappointment show. "That's alright, Edward, I understand." I didn't look at him, rising and gathering up my things.

"Bella," he said, slight amusement in his tone, his hand closing around my forearm. "I was going to add…. Do you want to come with me there? It'll only take a few minutes, and then maybe we can continue our date elsewhere. I think I owe Ricardo an apology too, and we never did finish our night there."

I smiled happily, so glad that he was trying to not be as secluded as he had last time. "Okay, that sounds nice." And it did; a pleasant way to ease back into things.

He led the way out to his car, promising we'd come back for mine later. It didn't matter much; Rodnie recognized mine and Rose's cars and usually had no qualms about them staying in the lot overnight if we met up with friends while eating. Red Jumpsuit Apparatus was playing softly in the background as we made the twenty minute trip to Edward's house. It was dark as we pulled up, but I couldn't even make out the form of his mom on the porch.

Frowning, I stepped out, clearing my expression for a brief smile at Edward as he steadied me by holding onto my hand, and peered more closely at the porch.

She wasn't there.

"Edward?" I asked in confusion, looking to him as he led the way up the porch steps to his front door.

He merely offered up his crooked grin as he gazed down at me, and opened his door, which was unlocked. Did Elizabeth somehow manage to get the lock to work before we got here?

He led down the hall, and into the living room.

There was a gentle glow from all the candles around the room, their lights flickering against the walls in dancing shadows. A small platter of cookies sat on the table in the middle of the room, in front of the couch, and….

"I called someone in to fix it up, tune it, repair any and all damages… that sort of thing." Edward softly explained. "Happy one month, love."

The grand piano in the far corner looked polished and ready for use, unlike the last time I'd seen it. The keys gleamed from the candle light, orange and yellow and white and black, and there was blank music sheets standing upright on the stand for them. Grabbing my hand gently, Edward led me over to the bench, and sat down, tenderly pulling me down beside him.

I noticed his fingers were shaking slightly as he reached towards the keys, pausing just a half an inch away from actually touching them. He closed his eyes, breathing deeply.

I was touched; I could see how difficult this was for him. He hadn't played for three years because he blamed his music for his father's death, and yet, to make up a date-gone-wrong to me, he was going to play. Tears burned the backs of my eyes, and I almost wanted to tell him to stop, that he didn't have to do this. But I had a feeling of how he'd respond… 'I want to'.

Trembling still, eyes remaining unopened, his fingers moved forward to finally rest against the polished white keys. Slowly, he let his eyes open, and a bit of tension leaked from his posture.

Smiling, I rubbed my hand up and down his arm, but didn't say anything. I wasn't sure what to say… if there was anything to say. It didn't seem like this was a moment for talking of any sort.

For a few minutes, his fingers merely reacquainted themselves with the keys, stumbling a few times, causing him to wince. But after a while, they began to move with more grace, familiarity and ingrained practice fixing and coaxing Edward's slim fingers into a pattern that had to once be second nature to him.

He didn't give any sort of warning or look or say anything to announce he readiness to play an actual composition. He just started playing. His fingers moved quickly and gracefully across the keys, weaving a complex sound of emotion and wordless communication around us, filling the room with the sweet noise. I closed my eyes, sinking deeper into his playing. It was so… beautiful. I could understand why his father had made it such a priority to hear his son play, to encourage him to keep at it. Edward had a gift.

It took me a moment to realize that the song had drawn to a close.

"Bella?" Edward asked uncertainly.

My eyes flickered open, and I immediately threw my arms around him. "That was amazing, Edward." I whispered into his ear.

He chuckled, his arms wrapping around me as well. "It's Esme's favorite."

I smiled, pressing a soft kiss into the side of his neck, not moving for a long moment. Until I remembered what he'd said before we'd sat down, that is.

"You remembered this was our one month?"

He laughed outright at that. "It feels like much longer, doesn't it? But yes, I remembered, and I felt that this was the best way to earn your forgiveness back."

"But… I already forgave you. Back at the diner; I said-"

"Bella," he said softly. "You're so forgiving… but I have to do something to earn it first. Yes, you understood why I did what I did. But I didn't do anything to make up for that. So I knew I had to play for you."

"No, you didn't have to." I smiled and pressed my lips softly to his. "But I'm so glad you did."

He smiled, I could feel it against my lips. "Well, then, alls well. This is for you, Bella, as long as you're happy, I am."

"You're such a sap. Don't you know that's one of the most cliché phrases ever?" I whispered, not pulling my lips away from his. They brushed together with every movement we made.

"Some clichés are clichés for a good reason. And it's not sappy if I mean it." He pressed his lips more firmly to my own, kissing me with a steadily growing heat. By the time we pulled apart, we were both gasping for air, and my cheeks were heated with a blush.

"I missed you," I admitted.

He grinned. "I missed you too of course."

I glanced sideways at the piano. "Would… you… play another piece for me?" I asked slowly, not wanting him to do something he wasn't comfortable with yet.

But he seemed completely at ease as he twisted back to face the piano and set his steady hands to the keys again. I listened, smiling, at the bouncy, happy tune he played, glad to hear something like this, some proof that he was very obviously happy at some point in his life. It wasn't a long song, and he smiled down at me as I finished it.

"When you'd write that?" I asked curiously.

Edward glanced up, letting out a short huff of breath as he thought. "Oh, I don't really remember… I think I was… eleven, maybe? Thirteen? Somewhere around there."

I stared at him in amazement. "That's brilliant, Edward."

"Nah, not really." He dismissed it quickly, but I thought he seemed a little pink. How cute, I thought. He's blushing.

Absently, his fingers began to press onto the keys. "Those cookies on the table are for us. Esme helped me make them… I didn't want to accidentally poison you."

I laughed, rising to grab a cookie off the plate. Noticing Edward watching from the corner of my eyes, I pretended to cautiously try them, then made a considering face. "Eh, I don't know…" Looking at Edward I grinned. "Brilliant, delicious, unsurprisingly."

He rolled his eyes and turned back to the piano, his fingers starting to pick up speed, but still remaining slightly cautious and uncertain, pressing keys as if he was unsure about which ones he wanted. As I continued to watch, he frowned unconsciously, tilting his head to the side as he tried a sequence of notes again. He tried them slightly differently, then straightened with a slight smile, pleased with the new sounds. I continued to watch him, as he would try different sequences for a while, then play them, then try new sequences, add them to the previous ones…. He was composing, I realized.

Settling myself on the ground to the side of the piano bench, moving slowly to keep from attracting his attention, I settled in to listen to a masterpiece being made.

I loved watching his expressions. The focus as he tried to piece everything together was intent and obvious on his face, his brows scrunching down over his eyes as he tried to figure out the best choice of sequences of notes. He had begun writing on the blank music sheets, pausing every once and a while to scribble down his choice of notes. My eyes began drooping shut as he continued trying to compose, and I shifted until I was lying on my stomach on the ground, chin resting on my hands. I smiled sleepily as the he began the song again from the beginning, the music swelling around me, dark and brooding at first, with sharp, deep, low notes. It changed into something abruptly sweet, like laughter, then shifted again to dark. My eyes were shut, and I couldn't tell if I were dreaming about the rest of the music, or if it were real. In all honestly, I was sure it would be beautiful either way.

Hyde POV

I pressed and held the last note, head tilted slightly and a soft smile on my face at the perfection of the song. I'd finally been able to write down the song that had written itself in my mine weeks ago. Bella's lullaby….

Bella.

I glanced over, preparing to apologize for loosing myself in my music. I hadn't realized how much I had wished and longed to continue playing. It was like an outlet for all my pent up emotions, and a way to connect with my dad. I'd become so absorbed in my playing that I couldn't help but begin to compose that song, to compose for the first time in years. It was the first time I'd really had a reason to since before his death.

I blinked in surprise as I noticed her lying calmly on the floor, her eyes shut and face peaceful. Rising off of the piano bench, I knelt down in front of her still form, brushing hair from her face and brushing my fingers along her cheek bone. Then I quickly fitted my arms in place around her and lifted her off the floor. A soft, gentle mumble slipped past her full lips, but then she cuddled deeper into my chest.

I placed her in the bed, pulling her shoes off her feet, and struggling to work her out of her jacket. Once that was done, I stepped over to my dresser to change, pulling out some pajama pants and sliding them on, then stripping off my shirt.

Crawling in next to Bella, I wrapped my arms tightly around her, breathing a deep sigh of content. I hadn't slept well at all since last week, whether because I was having troubles falling asleep from missing her, restlessness, or guilt. But now she had - amazingly, so easily - forgiven me, and I was back with her.

If the next coming months were anywhere near as amazing as this first one was, I'd never be unhappy again.

Tada! Let me know what you all think... it wasn't beta'd so if there are mistakes, pardon them please!