Bella pov:

"you... you what? W-why why would you say that? "Bella asked as she jerked the reins of her horse in agitation.

There's no way... he couldn't possibly love me! I'm not worth loving!

Edward looked upon her with sad eyes.

"Because its true…I do love you. I love who you are and how genuine your intentions are. You're not like anyone I've ever met. You care about me and about others even when you've been hurt, you still try to see the best in life. How can I not love you?"

Bella had no words to say. Here he was only knowing her for what a few weeks to a month and he was saying I love you. How could he feel so strongly for her?

Not able to handle the pressure, Bella readied her horse and shot off.

I have to get away. I can't think like this.

Bella wasn't looking behind her to see if Edward had followed. Her mind was just so muddled and confused.

Without realizing it, she found herself in front of Sue and Harry's cabin. She still couldn't believe they were here.

Bella quickly tied her horse to a nearby tree and went unto the front porch. To her surprise the door swung open but instead of Sue, was Harry.

"My god, I Thought sue was just yanking my chain when she said you had shown up here and yet here you are. Come on in here Girl!"

Bella found herself wrapped in strong Burly arms and the smell of pine and dirt overwhelmed her senses. Normally being touched like this would cause major triggers for her, But Bella knew Harry would never hurt her. His touch was always gentle.

"He told me he loved me harry! What am I supposed to do with that?" Bella sobbed. It was an odd greeting for someone she hadn't seen in years, but she couldn't help it. Harry had been the one she would run too when she was feeling upset.

"ssh, ssh little one. Come sit. I haven't seen you in years and yet here you are sobbing in my arms. Tell me Isabella, what exactly is troubling you?"

Harry led them to a comfortable living room where a small fire was roaring.

"Where's sue?" She asked as she wiped her eyes.

"She's just getting some more supplies from the store. It takes about an hour's trip cause were so far."

Bella twitched, she was starting to come down from her emotional and anxiety induced haze. She was alone. In a cabin. With a man…who was not Edward, or not Carlisle! What was she thinking, she needed to get out of here! She hadn't seen Harry in years! Who knows what would happen?

"Isabella breathe honey. Its just me…it's harry. "

She didn't realize she had stopped breathing.

Bella sat back and took in the situation. Harry had gotten older. His face was full of wrinkles and his hair had a small touch of grey. They were alone yes but there was enough space that if Isabella needed to run, she would.

One moment she had been at peace and now she was panicking. She just needed to get this all out.

"My boyfriend just told me he loved me… and ...well we haven't been togather long! How could he just say that! I just don't understand!"

Harry smiled.

"Any man, who can see the beautiful women you are is lucky to have you Isabella. I just think you don't see yourself how he sees you. And I can understand why, especially with the way your mother treated you. Isabella, I think your afraid that this relationship with this young man wont last? Is that it? you think that once you give him your whole heart, he will leave you broken and alone, just like others have done in your past."

Bella felt the tears emerge all over again. Harry had put exactly what she was feeling into words.

She was terrified to love and terrified that it would all come crashing down. Just like everything else had in her life.

"Do you trust this young man Isabella?"

Bella sniffled and nodded. Yes, she did trust him. He had been real and honest with her from the beginning.

"I think you should take some time and talk to him. Express to him why you feel the way you do. But first, how about some pie?"

Bella smiled. She had grown up on Harrys Pie and hadn't had it in years.

It brought back memories. Good memories.

….

Edward pov:

Edward gripped the spoon hard.

How could I have been so stupid, Edward thought. There's no way anyone could love someone like me. I don't even know what love is.

Edward sighed. He put his heart on the table and look where it got him.

Alone, always alone. And not just alone, alone in the middle of nowhere abandoned in some cabin. He knew he shouldn't have done it. He should have left Bella alone as soon as he heard about her. Nothing good came from taking a chance with a low probability.

Even thought he was deep in his thoughts; Edward still heard the front door creak open.

In an instant, he pulled out his gun and turned it on the intruder.

To his surprise, there stood Bella. well, she wasn't his Bella anymore. She never was. He had given his heart to her and she crushed it by running away and leaving him to wander by himself. So much for Caring.

"oh. Its you. I didn't expect you to come back. Look, I will refund you however much you spent on this trip and I will be gone by the morning." His tone was cold and detached.

"I'm sorry Edward. I shouldn't have left you. I did Exactly what I didn't want done to me. please just hear me out?"

Edward closed his eyes as Bella pleaded with him. He couldn't bear the pain that was in her voice, but he had been hurt too.

"yes, please tell me Isabella. What in the world cause such a reaction?" He spat. He saw that the his use of her full name caused her to flinch and immediately he felt bad. He was being a jerk and he knew it.

"Edward, we haven't been togather long and you must understand with my past and the things I have been through…to hear you say you love me…I couldn't believe it…I didn't want to. Because if you loved me…then that meant you would have the opportunity to leave me and I would have given you my whole heart, just to watch it be crushed as it has so many times. I… have put so much on the line in this relationship and…and I'm scared."

Edward whipped around, forgetting the chili that was on the stove.

"and you don't think I'm scared too Bella. To admit that I love you. That I hold someone dear to my heart, who in turn could get hurt at any moment. You're afraid that ill leave you but I'm terrified that I'll lose you. That whether myself, my family or even my lifestyle will send you running for the hills and ill be alone again. But yet here I am taking a chance. Why can't you? Isn't it what this trip was about? Taking a chance? I mean you stood up to my father for crying out loud. How could saying I love you be any different. I want to take a chance on us. To go…to go beyond this…"

By now Edward had slowly walked towards her. He looked at her trembling form and all his anger dissipated. With Gentle hands he brought Bella to his chest, holding her tightly.

"I won't leave you Bella."

"you don't know that…" Bella sobbed in his chest.

"But I do… la mia anima. I have never, never in my life Met anyone like you. When I was rescued from the people that took me…I was terrified of anyone touching me. Men and Women but mainly women. They were the main abusers. The very thought of a women touching me made me sick but then… then I met you and your touch…its so pure Bella. So pure and never a harmful intent. I..I long for it in ways that I never thought I would. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"it sure sounded like you were going to leave me when I got back in."

Edward sighed.

"I don't think I would have made it far. I would have turned back around because the thought of being away from you was unbearable. I'm sorry Bella. I am feeling Emotions and thoughts that I never thought I would, so my first instinct is to shut down and treat everything that makes me uncomfortable like a business transaction. I was just hurt. Hurt that you ran away from me and I honestly thought it was over, that I had put my heart on the line for nothing. But how easily I forget that you and I are one in the same. We both suffer from traumatic situations that have altered our views on life and they may never go away but we can work through them. Are you willing to work me my lady?"

Edward smiled softly as Bella lifted her head and gazed into his eyes.

"Even if I don't know how to tell you that I love you? Or that I'm not ready to say it? or that I don't know what i feel? That thinking of love in general is just too much! That it hurts to think about it?"

Edward gently put his finger under Bella's chin. His hands were shaking. Only with her could his loose his cool and be who he truly was.

A nervous wreck. Trying to be perfect and pleasing everyone but not her. She was happy with just the way he was.

Edward knew. He needed to make the first move. He needed to show her that it was ok. That she could trust him, That she could love with him without fear or worry.

With that in mind he pushed his lips towards hers. Jut gently enough so she could know what his intentions were.

To his surprise, Bella deepened the kiss. Opening her mouth just so his tongue could gain entrance.

Oh lord they were adding tongue to the mix. That was new and exciting. A little too exciting. God! He was having an erection!

Edward was just about to pull away in Embarrassment, shame, and a little bit of fear, but froze when he heard Bella's soft moan.

"Ed-Edward?" She questioned

Edward opened his eyes and looked down at her. The sight before him, had his hormones on high.

Her lips were swollen, and her face was flushed. And she looked like she wanted…more?

"Bella…are you… are you feeling what I'm feeling?"

She blushed and nodded her head.

"I..I want you Edward…but…I'm not… I don't know how…-"

Edward cut her off with the shake of his head.

"Shh... I would never ask that of you…I...I don't think were ready…at least-"

"BUT I WANT TO TRY! I- I WANT TO FEEL NORMAL!" Bella suddenly shouted at him, her face red.

Edward cocked his head to the side.

"Honey you'll have to explain? If anything, it's me who should want to feel normal… but I don't. These feelings and emotions are strange to me. The only time I felt them…hell, I'll just be honest. The only time I had a erection was when someone was raping me and pumping me full of drugs, so all of a sudden with you I can get it up…That's never happen before…not with any female my family tried to throw at me."

Edward felt Bella tighten her grip around him as she bore her soul.

"After my rape…I was afraid of any kind of touch. Especially anything that had to do with sex. I was afraid. Repulsed and yet I yearned for it. I wanted to have a healthy sexual encounter so that I could feel normal, so that I could prove to myself that I was ok…but I was wrong… I'm not like I was but I'll never be the same and yet…here I am…Incredibly horny for you and we have no idea what to do about because were not ready for it and yet... yet here we are... Alone for the first time since we met…"

Edward didn't know what to say because she had stolen the words right from his mouth.

So with trembling hands, Edward gently led them to the bedroom…