A/N: Sorry it took so long to update. I've been reading a ridiculous amount of books at the same time, and then the majority of the stories that I have on alert here, were all updated pretty much at the same time. Not to mention that lately I've been bored with writing (which I'm sure has effected my writing, well a few of you noticed). Then of course I had to read SM's novella for Bree, and I thought of a few stories that I'm kind of excited for, one of which I'm toying with the idea of continuing with this story. Ahh decisions, decisions. Where's Alice where you need her!

The coolness of the air around me was refreshing. The calming effect by the river lapping the bank was almost immediate, who needed Jasper? I closed my eyes on the boulder that was shaped like a chaise, but unfortunately my thinking time was cut short. I smelled him.

"Edward, I—"

"Bella, let me speak first." Edward interrupted me. He held up his hands to tell me to wait. It suddenly occurred to me that he wasn't sure if I'd run away or attack him, and the way I was feeling I couldn't be sure either.

"Bella, I know why you did it. And from the bottom of my heart I want to thank you for everything you did for my family. The sacrifice was great and I know that you would have died for us if it came to that. But for the life of me, I can't believe for a second that you had absolutely no intention of contacting us. We loved and mourned for you and then all of a sudden you turn up with other vampires with the intent to kill us."

"If you knew me at all you would know that wasn't my intent. Just be still." I flexed my hand, but then clamped it back shut. With way too much concentration, I found that I was able to project actual past thoughts that seemed to project as visions in others. It didn't always work while I was practicing with Santiago, but I was praying that it would now. I stepped closer to Edward and placed both of my hands on either side of his face. I took a relaxing breath and started with the only thing that I could think of.

Though the memory was a bit faded, it was the first moment I saw him, how I knew what it was. And then I moved to the moments I knew I was in love with him, meeting his family. I skipped over the parts that I knew would cause him pain, him leaving me, discovering me in Volterra, Felix. The next thing I showed him was the look of passion that he had when he first saw me after my change, but before I told him I chose Felix.

I showed him my thoughts of having never told him that I truly loved him before my execution. My conversations with Marcus after I was supposedly dead, all of my training and the various missions I was sent on. My final orders from my uncles, including my conversation with Marcus in the SUV to the house; I showed him all of it.

"I figured out a long time ago why my uncles sent me to Fork, it was only just a matter of convenience that my father actually lived there. I'm sure he would have found some other way to get me to Forks.

Aro has always wanted what Carlisle managed to do without fear: power. He'd probably heard of the family Carlisle had and used me to get the information. And you walked right into his hand when you wanted him to kill you. He saw the love you had for each and every one of them, but most importantly he saw which ones were valuable to him. Then he saw their gifts in action at my party. It took me 'til only now to realize that he never planned to kill me."

"But I left to protect you. I thought I was protecting you." Edward was pinching his nose again. And there was never any doubt in my mind that he thought he was doing what was right at the time. But what I couldn't understand was why he thought what I did was any different from when he left.

"I know Edward. But remember how you left me, how you took everyone that I connected with, your family, away from me? I simply did the same thing. I was protecting you, granted I think I did a much better job of it." I said with a smile, hopefully alleviating some of the tension between us.

Edward opened his mouth to retort, but quickly shut it. He did that several times, and each time I focused more and more on his perfect mouth. And yet somehow I missed the cue when he started kissing me.

Our lips ignited the electricity between us once again, fueling the need that we couldn't stop touching each other. I ran my fingers through his hair, a feeling that I never thought I would feel again. Such a simple gesture brought on a flood of emotions, that seemed would only cease when we did. Only we never wanted to end.

With neither of us needing air, we fell into each other's arms, our bodies seemed to know what we tried to fight; we belonged together. We found each other once again, moving as one, with one mind.

"Charlie." I whispered when our lips parted for what reason I'm not even sure.

"I'm sorry love. You're thinking of your father while we were doing that? I didn't think I was that rusty." Edward joked, his crooked smile was oh so enticing.

I hit him on the shoulder and started to walk towards the house. "No, Edward. I need to go back to Forks. I have to go protect him. I have to find out how I can at the very least bring him here. Carlisle seems to think that would be the best course of action anyway."

"Do you think we need to move so fast? I mean Alice saw Demetri and the rest of them returning to Italy."

"Edward I want to see my father. He had a heart attack, regardless of a threat from the Volturi, I have to see him."

"Do you want me to go with you?" Edward grabbed my hand and entwined his fingers with mine. His question threw me off for a second. Of course I wanted him to come with me. But there was no way I could think of to explain Edward's presence to Charlie.

"I would, but no. It's something I'll do on my own. Whether he knows it or not, Charlie will need my protection, and it's better if I'm there as soon as possible." Edward nodded solemnly, and it was almost like I could read his mind. Everything was finally good between us, and we were being separated yet again. One of these days of eternity, we needed some time to relax with each other.

We ran back, Edward only slightly behind me, to the manor. I was still very aware of the electricity that still buzzed between us even though we were no longer touching. I didn't want to even risk looking back at Edward for fear that I would want to kiss him as passionately as I had before. Instead I kept my eyes focused on the manor that was brightly lit.

"Marcus," I started when I walked into the house. "Will you be staying here or coming with me? I'm going to see about getting my father out of Forks." I briefly looked around the room and saw that Rosalie and Emmett were nowhere to be found. Esme and Alice both had sympathetic smiles on their faces. It created a sense of longing, but I needed to keep focused on Charlie.

"I think I will stay here my dear. Our Carlisle has been discussing the diet that all of you have chosen. I must admit I'd always been curious about it, especially when you took it up in Volterra. But to see the research that Carlisle has complied about the strengths of it Amazing!" Marcus held up a bunch of papers that I presumed came from one of the boxes that were laid out on the coffee table.

"Fascinating. Alice you'll call me if the Volturi decide to make a move?"

"Of course. Are you sure you don't want anyone to come with you though?" She looked briefly between me and Edward, but I quickly shook my head.

"No, this is something that I have to do on my own."

"Then you'll need this. Don't worry about returning it, I was thinking of getting a new one anyway." I smiled at the smirk on Jasper's face as he threw me some car keys. "It'll get you there pretty fast."

I stepped closer to Jasper and gave him a kiss on the cheek. He nodded to me and he knew there was so much thanks behind that little peck. "I'll show you to the garage." Edward lightly tugged on my arm to lead the way. I followed him, somewhere in the back of my mind told me that I would follow him wherever from now on.

"Are you sure about this?" He asked, flicking the light switch for the garage. From what little bit I remember from my human life, the car in the far right was Edward's Vanquish. His special car. There were a few other cars that I would never even know where to begin to identify them. I held out the key to Edward and his eyes bugged out for a split second.

"I don't think that's a good idea." He simply said. "Maybe you should take the Vanquish. Charlie will be able to ride back with you in it as well." His last statement piqued my curiosity.

'Why what car did Jasper give me?'

My favorite crooked grin crept up his smooth face, "You know, I don't think I'll ever get used to that."

"Hmm, well don't worry we'll have all of eternity for you to practice." The words came out of my mouth before I even thought about it. And judging by Edward's face, he was just as surprised I'd said something like that as I was. This was an excellent moment to illustrate how I did not miss blushing.

Edward, choosing to bypass the moment gratefully, moved to the middle of the room and seemingly found what he was looking for. He uncovered something and I flew to stand beside him.

"That! Jasper wants me to drive that all the way to Forks." I looked over the blue motorcycle that was before me. The side said Ducati, more Italian in my life. Great.

"I know. Ludacris." Edward thought he was agreeing with me.

"Awesome.'' I said with a smile, I couldn't believe the excitement of riding a motorcycle again. It was one of the things I'd learn with Santiago, and I'd taken to it extremely well.

"Bella be serious, you can't drive that."

"Edward, enough! I know it's impractical to take the bike, and I'm thankful for your offer of the Vanquish. But listen to me when I tell you that if anything is to work between us, you have to decide that you will no longer decide anything for me. I am not a breakable human anymore, and even if I was, I still have my own mind and would appreciate it if you started acting like it. Now hand me the keys to the Vanquish or else I'm taking the Ducati whether you like it or not." I heard a few cheers coming from the house and realized immediately that everyone heard me stand up for myself.

Sheepishly, Edward walked over to the wall where there were several hooks for the cars and pulled the one that would allow me to operate his car.

"You'll be careful?" He had asked after handing them over.

I gave him a quick peck on the lips, all was forgiven. "Yes. I'll call if I run into any trouble." I hopped in the car and pressed the little button that operated the garage door. Before it even had a chance to fully open, the car was on and I was out of the door. There was no one I needed more now other than Charlie.