A.N - I got so many nice reviews today :) I was so happy. So when I got up to 430 reviews a couple of minutes ago I thought 'screw this I'm updating' thanks to everyone you're all lovely :)

I hope I've done this justice. It wasexceptionally difficult to write this because I've never been with anyone before. Hopefully that doesn't make me sound sad. Lol.

So it's my 14th next Saturday. Can't wait! Yayz! I'm hopeful that I will get b-day reviews :)

And thanks for all of the reviews saying about me being a good author. Im sure that you're all trying to butter me up so I'll update - well it worked lol.

Apologies if this is OOC it was v difficult to write.

Chapter 38 – Damaged

I watched as her eyes widened in shock. I'd noticed her brown eyes before, the deep mysterious quality to them. Everything about her was drawing me in, yet I sucked in a breath and refrained from approaching her. I didn't want to push her – Alice had warned me how difficult it would be to tell Leah before. I didn't want to scare her away and become the 'brooding' Edward, as Leah called me.

My previous words ran through my head as I considered what I'd said. I wondered briefly if I'd pushed too much information into her; I was terrified that she would leave me, abandon me. Though I didn't want her to feel obliged to stay with me, either.

I sucked in a deep breath, hoping that my anxiety wasn't too obvious from the outside.

Leah's heart was flying, beating at rocket speed. Her breathing was ragged and uneven as she sucked in quick, startled breaths. In her head, random numbers flashed through her mind at top speed.

"What?" she finally managed to force out. Her breathing slowed ever so slightly, as did her heart. She wasn't freaking out as much. But she was still… unsteady.

Her hands clenched into fists, her nails cutting into her skin. I could smell blood for a brief moment; it held no appeal to me. The idea of her blood, no matter how small the amount, being spilled sickened me.

"Don't do that," I said, knowing that the cuts had already healed even as I spoke. She seemed to know what I was talking about as her hands relaxed and pulled away from her palms. I could see fading cuts in her skin.

"Edward?" she demanded, her voice considerably harsh. I looked down at my shoes, trying to avoid her eyes. I was panicking inside, convinced she was going to grab her things and just walk out and leave me.

"What do you want me to say?" I asked quietly. My hands clenched against my will, mimicking her earlier movements.

"Don't do that," she said quietly. I didn't look up, heard the bed creak as she swung her legs over the edge of the mattress and approached me. I held very still as her warm hand wrapped around my wrist and her fingers pried my own nails away from my skin.

"Did you mean it?" she demanded, her grasp tight around my hand.

"I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it," I replied seriously.

"Say it," she said to me quietly. Her eyes bore into mine; I was surprised at her boldness.

"Why?" I asked, trying to place the colour of her eyes for a brief moment. They were incredibly dark around the edges, becoming lighter closer to her pupils.

"I need to hear someone say it," she replied in a whisper.

"I fell in love with you," I said firmly, staring into her eyes. The colour seemed to gleam, her pupils sparkled for a brief moment. "I looked at your body on the ground after the newborn battle, and I was so shocked that you could even be hurt. You were my rock, something to hold onto when everything else was gone. When I saw you seriously injured, I realised I couldn't go back to before. I need you now Leah. I don't know what happened, but something changed and when I close my eyes now I don't see her, not even for a second. It's only you."

I leaned closer to her, not wanting to push her but desperate to feel her or hug her or something. Her eyes closed for a brief moment, she inhaled sharply before opening them again. Her heartbeat was even now; she was over the shock.

I needed to show her more, I needed to make sure that I'd done my damndest to convince her of my feelings. I grabbed her hand, choosing not to force a kiss upon her lips. I was still a gentleman despite everything. It was rude, unheard of to force a woman into a kiss in my time.

"Do you feel it too?" I demanded urgently, wrapping my fingers around her hand gently. The mixture of our temperature, fire and ice, enveloped my hand. My fingers tingled, it felt as if my blood was boiling under my skin. It was a figurative term; I had no blood to boil.

Leah was watching me with scrutiny, just waiting for me to speak.

"You said before, it was like fire in your fingertips. Do you still feel it?" I asked her, silently begging that it wasn't just a feeling on my part. I wanted her to feel it too, I wanted her to experience love again. I didn't want my heart to be broken either.

I waited, watched as she pursed her lips and then a very familiar smirk appeared on her face, pulling up the left side of her mouth. Despite the fact that her hair was messy, having not been brushed – despite the fact that she had morning breath… I still thought that she looked incredibly sexy, even as she stood there in her cotton pyjamas.

"I do," she said, with the smirk still present on her face. "I thought it was just a werewolf reaction to touching a vampire..."

"I wouldn't know," I said, also smirking as I saw that she wasn't running from me, she wasn't screaming and quickly running from the house. "I've never taken it upon myself to hold Jacob's hand."

She let out a laugh, smiling. Her eyes sparkled with happiness; I had done that. She looked like it was Christmas all over again, and it was thanks to me. I hope, I tacked on in my mind.

"Are you sure?" she demanded. "Are you sure that you want this?"

"Leah," I took both of her hands in mine. The fire and ice swelled through my skin, burned slightly but in a very good way. Even if it was in a bad way, I wouldn't have let go. "If I wasn't sure, I wouldn't have spoken."

We both shared a smile, and then, I slowly moved my lips towards her. I was giving her time to pull away, making sure that she was comfortable with the speed at which we were moving.

She was still smirking – no, it wasn't a smirk anymore. It was a full blown smile; she was smiling with happiness.

Then, suddenly, the happiness was wiped from her face and she clamped her hands over her mouth, turning away from me with horror in her eyes.

Terror filled my stomach; had she changed her mind? I bit my tongue, tried to swallow the excess venom that had filled my mouth.

Then, she let out a low groan.

"Leah, what's wrong?" I asked nervously, flitting to her side.

Then, she muttered the last three words I would have expected her to say.

"Fucking morning breath."

XxXxXxXxX

So you expected a kiss? Maybe next time.

The more reviews I get, the faster I update.