A/N: Hello, my friends! I know you've all been patiently (or not so patiently) waiting for this chapter to come. So I don't want to tantalize you by ranting here.

Instead, I want to bow to my betas evelyn-shaye and EdwardsMate4ever as well as my pre-readers LaPumuckl and Vampgirl79. Ladies, I'd be completely lost without your help and guidance.

Without any further ado, here's what you've all been looking forward to. Enjoy! See you at the bottom.

Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns all things twilight. Let's send her a round of applause for letting us fun with her characters.

******POMH*******

Chapter 33 – Happy New Year

"Ladies and gentlemen, we've just left our cruising altitude and are starting our descent into Chicago O'Hare. Please, make sure again that your seat belt is still fastened, and switch off all electronic devices for landing. Please, also adjust the backrest of your seat into its upright position, and fold back the table in front of you."

I leaned over to look out of the little window to see the lights of Chicago in the distance. Somewhere down there was Edward, at his brother's house, waiting for the new year to begin and thinking I didn't want anything to do with him. It hurt to be so close to him but still so far away.

After reading his letter and seeing the unique present he'd given me, it hadn't taken me long to decide to go to him and try to make things right. I called the airport as soon as my crying had subsided and I was able to speak coherently again.

It wasn't easy to find a free spot on a flight that would reach Chicago in time for New Year's, and it cost me a pretty penny. But that didn't matter. I needed to get there, and if I'd had to max out all my credit cards, I wouldn't have batted an eyelash.

I'd guesstimated that I wouldn't be at Emmett and Rosalie's house before ten, so I was already wearing my party outfit. To sit in an airplane seat for four hours in a tight black dress, thigh highs and heels wasn't comfortable at all, but I wanted to look good for him when he saw me. After all, I knew how much he liked me in heels and stockings.

I checked my purse again for the present I wanted to give Edward before I sat back and waited for the plane to touch down.

"Welcome to Chicago, ladies and gentlemen. Please remain seated with your seat belt fastened until we have reached the final parking position and the fasten-seat-belt signs have been switched off. Captain Henderson and the entire crew would like to say good-night to you now. Thank you very much for having chosen Alaskan Airlines for your flight. Have a safe onward trip and a happy new year. Until next time, and goodbye."

It took unbelievably long from touchdown until the plane finally stopped. As soon as the doors opened, I pushed my way out of my row, elbowing fellow passengers out of the way, and rushed into the airport building. It seemed to take forever at luggage claim until the first bags showed up on the baggage carousel. I nervously shifted my weight from one foot to the other until, finally, my dark-red suitcase came into sight. I pulled it off as soon as I could reach it and stormed out of the building toward the first cab in line, jumping the people standing there, waiting.

After telling the driver Emmett's address, there was nothing left for me to do other than to wait.

It took us about half-an-hour until the car pulled up in front of a white house in a nice neighborhood. The house was upper-middle-class but not too big or flashy.

Standing on the sidewalk watching the cab drive off, I realized that my knees were wobbly. I hadn't really made a plan for how to go about this. Steeling myself for whatever would be awaiting me, I walked toward the house, climbed the few steps and rang the doorbell.

The music that came from inside the house was really loud. After waiting a few minutes, I rang the bell again, but I wasn't actually expecting anyone to hear me. When another minute had passed, a tall redheaded woman noticed me when she walked through the hall with a drink in her hand.

"Hi, come in," she greeted me friendly as she opened the door for me.

"Thanks. Hello, I'm Bella," I answered as I stepped into the hall, cautiously taking a look around. To my right opened a spacious living room that was full of people. I thought about asking the woman in front of me about Edward when, from the middle of the crowd, Emmett hurried my way.

"Bella! Thank God, you came," he said when he caught me in a tight hug. "You don't know how relieved I am to see you. Thanks, Vicky, for letting her in."

"No problem," she replied, smiling as she walked away.

When Emmett released me, I took a step back so that I could look up into his face. "Hi, Emmett." I didn't know what else to say. I was feeling awkward and out of place while my desire to see Edward grew exponentially.

Emmett must have interpreted my body language correctly, because he nodded with understanding.

"He went over to our parents' a while ago," Emmett informed me while he took my luggage from me. He led me through the crowd to the French doors on the far side of the living room. "You see the path there?" He was pointing at a little paved path that led away from the house into the darkness. "If you follow it for a few hundred feet, you'll reach the house. Don't be afraid, the path is lit the whole way." He opened one of the doors and gently pushed me out on the patio. "I'll see you later, Bella."

Confused and unsure, I stood there for a moment, thinking about what to do next. Emmett was inside, watching me while he gestured for me to go. I turned away from the house and started my way down the long path through the dark yard.

It took about a minute until I couldn't see Emmett's house anymore, and I couldn't yet see his parents' house. Another minute later, I passed a few trees, and all of a sudden, a big white house with giant windows appeared in front of me. No, not a house. It was more like a mansion. I'd guessed that Edward's parents were quite well off, but I hadn't been aware that they were that rich.

When I was close enough to peer inside the big family room, which was only dimly lit by a few table lamps, I noticed a man in a gray suit sitting on the bench in front of a black grand piano. His head was in his hands, and a tumbler filled with some amber-colored liquid was sitting on the piano top. My heart started to beat faster because it was unmistakably Edward's form sitting there with his back to the window.

There were only a few feet left between me and the patio when Edward started to play a sad sweet tune. I knew he'd learned to play the piano as a kid, but I hadn't known he was still so good at it. The melody was embedded in thick, lovely harmonies. He didn't need to play more than a few notes before I recognized the song. It was "They Remind Me Too Much of You" by Elvis Presley, from the movie It Happened at the World's Fair. We'd watched it together a few weeks ago, and I was sure he was thinking of that night while he played the song.

My heart started to ache terribly when he began to sing the lyrics to the love song. I'd never heard him sing anywhere other than in the shower, but right now, his voice was the most wonderful sound I'd ever heard.

Take away the scent of flowers,

cover up the sky of blue,

close my ear to tender love songs,

they remind me too much of you.

He was singing what I'd been feeling for the past weeks. Every one of his words struck a chord with me, and I was drawn to move closer to the open glass door.

Hide young lovers' warm embraces,

keep stars and moonlight from my view.

Let me forget there are such places,

They remind me too much of you.

He was swaying slightly to the rhythm of the song, but his movements looked tired and resigned. Part of me wanted to walk over to him to take him in my arms, while another part kept me from stepping into the room and potentially disturbing him in his singing and playing.

Must I evermore be haunted,

day after day my whole life through

by the memory of each moment

that I spent alone with you?

I could hear the pain in his voice. Just like me, he was feeling every one of the lyrics. I took my shoes off and held them in my hands so that I could step into the house without making any noise.

If these lovely things don't hurt you

our love just wasn't meant to be.

But please come back to me, my darling,

if they remind you too much of me.

He played the last few notes, and when the piano went silent, I couldn't keep quiet any longer. "They do." My voice was just above a whisper, but Edward's back straightened, and for a second, he was still as a statue.

"What…?" he mumbled, his head still turned away from me.

"They remind me too much of you," I repeated with my gaze steady on his back.

I stood there, shoes in my hand, watching as Edward slowly turned around to look at me. "Bella. You're really here. I'm not dreaming." He stood and started to walk toward me. At the same time, I rushed to meet him in the middle.

He wrapped his arms around my shoulders, crushing me against his chest as I clutched him closely. My tears were streaming down uncontrollably, soaking his white shirt.

"You're here. You're really here." Edward's arms were holding me so close that I had trouble breathing. But I didn't mind. I needed to feel him as close as possible. "You weren't at the airport. I thought I'd lost you for good." His voice broke with the emotion it conveyed.

I dropped my shoes to snake my arms around his waist. "I didn't know. I didn't know until yesterday. I came as soon as possible after I read your letter." I wasn't sure he heard me because, by then, I was sobbing into his chest. Relief as well as regret made it impossible for me to speak clearly.

"I'm so sorry, baby. I'm sorry that I hurt you, that I didn't believe in you." His cheek was touching my hair, and I could feel wetness saturating my hair.

Edward's warmth, his arms around me were so familiar. I felt at home right there. No one had ever made me feel so precious and cared for.

I pushed him away, just far enough for my hands to grip the lapels of his jacket so that I could rise on my tiptoes and pull him down to crush my lips to his. After a stunned second, his mouth started to move, and our tongues met in a desperate attempt to devour the other. It was as if we were trying to fuse with each other, to make up for lost time — to forget the hurt and pain of the last few weeks. We moaned into each other's mouths. Our teeth crashed as neither of us was able to control the intensity of our kiss.

Edward's hands were everywhere — on my back, my neck, my ass — while mine held the hair at the back of his neck in an iron grip. He ripped my coat down, letting my purse drop to the floor, and threw it to the side before he found the zipper of my dress.

That's when I noticed that we were moving. Without a moment of doubt, I let Edward hustle me through the room. I opened my eyes when we stopped at the foot of a staircase, just as my dress was pulled from my shoulders. Black feral eyes scanned my body that was now clad only in lacy black lingerie and black thigh highs. "You're so fucking beautiful that it hurts," Edward whispered before his lips attacked mine again, and I started up the stairs, stumbling backwards.

While we were ascending the staircase, I tore his jacket from him and dumped it on the floor, just a few feet away from where my dress was lying. My fingers began to fumble around his shirt buttons, but I was too impatient to undo them. So, in one quick tear, I ripped it open, sending the buttons flying.

Edward growled deep in his chest and pushed me up against a wall when, in that moment, we reached a hall at the top of the stairs. He shrugged out of his shirt and attacked my neck with his teeth, lips and tongue.

Without a conscious command, my leg rose and Edward hitched it around his hip as he ground his erection into my soaked panties. I almost cried out at the intensity of the sensations. It was so good to feel how much he wanted me, still, after everything that had happened. Skilled fingers undid the hooks of my bra and stripped it off me before I felt teeth tugging at my nipple, and I whimpered in ecstasy. Just when I was about to explode, his mouth captured mine again as his hands lifted me up, wrapping my legs around his waist to carry me to the right, a few feet down the hall, and into a room. After kicking the door shut with a loud bang, he crossed the room and set me down on the bed.

Edward kicked his shoes off and unbuckled his belt, shedding his pants and socks in a hurry, while I reveled in the sight of his almost-naked body. His eyes never left mine, keeping me immobile with the intensity of his gaze. Like a lion carefully approaching a lamb, Edward stalked over to me and climbed on the mattress, running his hands up my legs, taking my stockings off. When his fingers glided over my skin again, they ran further up and over my hips. His thumbs hooked into the waistband of my panties and pulled them down.

"I've missed you so much," said his husky voice as his head dove between my legs without warning, lapping at my leaking center. He moaned at the taste of me, and my hands clutched the sheets to keep me grounded. Edward was wildly kissing my folds, pushing his fingers into me as he sucked my clit hard into his mouth.

"Oh my God!" I cried out when my climax hit at once. "Oh fuck!"

While I was catching my breath, Edward removed his boxer briefs and climbed up my body. He rested his weight on one of his hands while the other one reached out toward the nightstand. I locked my eyes with his, shaking my head vigorously. "No," I said, quietly but determinedly. My hand reached out to meet his, entwining our fingers as I pulled it back down onto the bed.

Edward's brows raised slightly, his eyes wide. "You're sure?" he asked insecurely.

I nodded my head, holding his gaze. "Just you and me. I want you, just you, all of you." My voice was hoarse but steady. I had never been so sure in my whole life.

Edward let out a tortured groan. "It's been too long. I won't be able to be gentle."

"There's enough time for that later," I replied as I wrapped my legs around his waist, pulling his tip close to my entrance.

Green eyes burned into brown ones when his free hand took mine and brought both sets of entwined hands up to rest them above my head. I could feel the strain in him as he tried to hold himself back from plunging into me.

Edward lowered his head, touching his lips to mine tenderly, as I felt his swollen cock easing its way into my aching heat. I let out a loud moan at the feeling of fulfillment that washed over me. Although I knew that there wasn't supposed to be anything different, there were a myriad of new sensations. Edward inside me with nothing separating us was almost too much. It was erotic, sensual and incredibly intimate. We were together, just him and me, all disguises dropped and no protective walls left.

It seemed like forever before he started to move. I could feel how hard it was for him to rock his hips gently for a few times before his movements became harder and faster with each thrust.

"Oh, baby, you have no idea how good you feel. I can't ever get enough of you," he choked out.

His mouth had moved to my neck, biting and sucking the sensitive skin. His hands let go of mine, and instead, he propped himself up on one elbow while the other hand moved to dive under my knee, bringing it up to my chest, which granted him deeper access.

I cried out when he started to pump into me with wild abandon, hitting my g-spot with every intrusion. Our skin was covered with sweat, and both our breathing was ragged when Edward quickly pushed me further toward the edge. I held onto his shoulders for dear life, when all of a sudden, I tumbled into the abyss. I felt my body tremble, and the muscles in my center contracted, trying to pull Edward even closer and hold him to me. I was out of control, screaming and thrashing around. I felt Edward all around me, filling my nose with his enticing scent, my ears with his strangled moans and my heart with such love that I felt like I was going to burst.

Instead of coming down from my high, I hit a whole new level of orgasm when, somewhere in the fog around me, I felt Edward coming, his cock jerking, pumping his warm seed deep into me.

When I slowly came to, I noticed that my cheeks were wet, and I felt a sob stuck in my throat that was struggling to get out.

Without moving the lower half of his body, Edward pushed himself up to look into my eyes.

"Baby, what's the matter? Are you okay?" His voice was thick with strain and worry.

He was so utterly beautiful. I just smiled at him through my tears, running my fingers through his wildly tousled hair. "I love you," I whispered, and the tears just ran down my face and into my hair. The relief that I felt at finally getting the words out was immense. "I love you so much." I almost couldn't stop saying it again and again.

Edward's eyes lit up and he smiled brightly before he crashed his mouth to mine with incredible passion. When he pulled away, he looked at me, his expression very serious.

"I love you, too. I've loved you from the moment you stepped into the dark corner at Alice and Jasper's party." He rested his forehead against mine, giving me a minute to process his words. "I wanted to tell you so many times, but I was afraid I would scare you away. I tried to be patient and subtle, to give you time to learn to love me, too." He wiped my tears away, but the attempt was futile. There were so many more where those had come from. Carefully, he pulled out of me, both of us moaning at the sudden feeling of loss, and rolled onto his back.

He pulled me with him, making me snuggle into his side, while I laid my head on his chest. Over the past months, I had come to love this position, and over the last few weeks, it was what I'd missed the most.

"When you talked to me the night before Thanksgiving, I was sure we had come so far. You let me hold your hand and didn't push me away when I came close. I should have talked to you then. But I was an idiot, thinking you had to be the one to speak up first. I was so afraid to push you too far too soon that I pushed you away when Jacob showed up. I was so jealous and mad at the guy who hurt you like that that I wasn't able to see you only wanted him to be your friend." He was talking quietly and soothingly while his hands caressed my arm and back.

"Then I saw him kissing you and made stupid assumptions. Tanya must have fucked with my head so much that I wasn't able to see anything other than you cheating on me, even though we weren't officially together." I could hear that it was hard for him to speak but I felt that he needed to get it all off his chest before we could move on.

"When I said all those bad things to you at the party, it wasn't because that's what I was thinking but because I knew it would hurt you just like I thought you'd hurt me. I never believed those words. Not for a second." He put one hand under my chin, tilting my face to make sure I'd look at him. "You're everything to me, baby. Without you, I feel like I can't breathe. I need you so much. I've been praying that you can forgive me some time." The words were pleading as his hands stilled on my skin.

"I made mistakes, too," I started, feeling the need to stop him from blaming himself further. I spoke softly but with determination. I needed to explain some things as well. "I was so used to being alone and hiding from emotions that I didn't realize that you were different from the other men. I shouldn't have pushed you away for so long when all you were trying to do was love me. Please, forgive me for hurting you over and over again. And then, the thing with Jake, I was so stupid."

Another round of violent sobs started to shake me, and Edward began to soothingly stroke my arm and back again. "Shhh, shhh. It's okay, baby. That's all in the past. I won't ever let you go again. You're mine now."

Edward's words were like a balm spread on my sore soul. His arms around me assured me again that he would hold on to me, come what may. I was his, and it felt unbelievably good.

We were silent for a while, and at some point, my tears subsided. I wiped my face and just reveled in the feeling of happiness I experienced now that I was close to Edward again. Our hands just lovingly caressed each other's skin.

After a while, I started to playfully run my fingers around Edward's nipple. It didn't take long for the little bud to pebble, and at the same time, I felt another part of his body stir close to my leg.

I didn't waste any time climbing on top of him, straddling his hips. My wet center was positioned right over Edward's straining erection. Cocking a brow, he propped himself up on his elbows, his eyes locked with mine. "What are you doing?" he asked in a half-playful, half-confused tone.

I felt my eyes darken when I answered, "I want to make love to you." A deep groan rumbled deep in his chest when I lifted my hips and closed my fingers around his cock to line him up with my entrance. With our eyes locked, I slowly sank down, impaling myself to the hilt, unable to bite back the moan from being connected like that.

After a moment of adjusting to the feeling of fullness, I started to move my hips up and down at an almost painfully slow pace. Edward sat up and wrapped his arm around my waist to hold me close to him. In that position, he had to slightly look up at my face, and while I continued to rise and fall, his lips met mine in a tender yet passionate kiss.

We clung to each other, our chests rubbing against each other, as we unhurriedly consummated the commitment we had just made. With the words of love we'd spoken to each other not long before still fresh in our memory, we reveled in the feeling of finally being able to freely pour all of ourselves into our connection.

Slowly but steadily, our movements became more intense, the warmth of our panted breaths burning hot on our flushed, sweaty skin. When I felt like I couldn't take it any longer, about to break from the depth of emotion as my clit constantly rubbed over Edward's pubic hair, I suddenly screamed into his neck when I felt myself spiral out of control. At the same moment, Edward took in a deep breath before he started to curse through his release. "Fuck, fuck, fuck! Oh baby, I love you."

I held on to him until I was able to hold myself up enough to pull my head away from the crook of his neck and look him in the eye. He'd never been more beautiful than in that moment with wild hair, flushed skin and beads of sweat on his forehead and above his lip. His sparkling green eyes held mine as a brilliant smile lit up his face.

"Happy New Year, baby," he said before he crushed his lips to mine.

"Happy New Year," I mumbled against his mouth, and we both crashed down to the bed, vibrating with laughter.

"If it continues the way it started, it definitely will be. What a way to welcome the new year." I had never seen Edward as happy and carefree as he seemed to be in that moment.

I rolled off of him, sighing when his now-flaccid cock slipped out of me with a gush of our mixed juices. I giggled when he reached out to the nightstand and came back with a few tissues to temporarily clean us both up.

"Let's make this a tradition, okay?" I suggested as I snuggled into his side, resting my head on his chest.

Over a heavy yawn, Edward answered, "Sure. We'll never do anything else for New Year's again."

I couldn't stifle my own yawn, and Edward chuckled at the noise. "You're tired, love?" His fingers were toying with one of my locks.

"It's been a long couple of days," I admitted as I moved closer to him upon feeling a sudden pang of regret.

"Yeah. I feel like I haven't slept for weeks." He sat up and pulled the covers over us. "Let's sleep, my love. I won't let you go tonight." His arms pulled me flush against him, and enwrapped in his warmth, I fell asleep immediately.

********POMH********

A/N: First of all, I have to thank a very dear friend who's a flight attendant for Lufthansa for providing me with the correct announcements for the flight. Illabilla, I love you!

Now, how did you like it? Are you happy, Bella and Edward are back together? And what a hot reunion it was. For all of you who wonder what might be left to tell now, here's a teaser:

… "I don't know about last night," Carlisle started, laughing lightly. "But I can tell you that the water in Edward's bathroom ran for a very long time this morning. And every time I passed by the door, I heard some really strange noises coming from within." …

Yeah, Bella's going to meet Edward's parents. How do you think that'll go? I'll tell you that it'll be fun.

For all of you, who wonder what the Elvis song sounds like, you should look it up on youtube or click on the link in my FB group Payton79's Fanfiction. It's a very lovely song.

The next update will be Friday with the last regular chapter *sniff* but there are at least three chapters of epilogue left before this story is over. Please, leave me your thoughts here or on FB.

See you Friday!