A/N: Hey readers! Another fast update, just like you all have wanted. Thanks to EdwardsFirstKiss for this and all other much needed suggestions.

SM owns Twilight while Kristie deserves the credit of all the evil plotting in FY. ;)

Enjoy...

CHAPTER 14

BELLA

I couldn't believe my eyes. I blinked them rapidly as if trying to push away the image standing before me; to prevent myself from more pain when I would realize that what I was seeing wasn't true, similar to when it happened earlier.

"Go away," I whispered. His brows furrowed.

"What?" he asked confused.

"You heard me," I replied.

"I... I don't understand, love. You want me to go away? But... but why?" he stammered. Could an apparition, stammer?

"I don't want to get my hopes up, Mr. Hallucination. So you can go back to wherever you came from," I turned my body sideways and wiped the remnants of tears that had fallen a few minutes ago.

"Bella," he chuckled. The familiarity of that sound set my heart in my throat. I looked at him sideways, and he took a few steps towards me. "Love, look at me," he demanded. A shiver ran down my spine at his commandeering tone. I can't believe I could be that affected by someone out of my own imagination. I stubbornly refused to look at him. Pushing my chin up, I folded my hands over my chest. I'll not cry; I'll not be affected by this, no matter how real he looks... That was my mantra.

"Fucking adamant and cute as hell... Don't know how she managed that in one body," he mumbled. Jeez! Can apparitions cuss? "Bella, look at me, and I'll explain everything," he asked gently.

"How can I believe you won't disappear when I tell my friends about you?" I muttered under my breath.

"You're right, love. I can't come out in front of our friends," he surmised, emphasizing 'our'. At that, I turned to face him, losing myself again in his beautiful green orbs.

"Love? Would you hear me out?" he pleaded. I shook my head to clear it of 'Apparition Induced Haze'.

I cleared my throat and asked, "Why can't you come out in front of my friends?" I quirked an eyebrow in challenge.

"That's what we need to discuss, baby," he sighed. He looked exhausted. I still couldn't believe he was standing before me and that he wasn't merely a figment of my imagination.

"Ok, talk. I'm listening," I offered, waving a hand towards him to initiate the conversation.

"You still don't believe that I'm here?" he sounded dejected.

"I don't know. It's difficult for me these days to distinguish between what is real and what is fake," I answered honestly. I think I have to check in with Dr. Banner. It seems I'm really losing my mind.

"And that's all because of my fucking stupid mistake. If I hadn't been a stubborn asshole and gone to that hell of a place that day, I would be making love to my wife on our two year anniversary," he huffed and raked a hand through his auburn locks. Wait a second! What did he say?

"Anniversary?" I swallowed hard.

"Yes. It's January 7; the date on which our wedding was scheduled, two years ago. I wouldn't blame you if you have forgotten it," he smiled miserably.

"I... I didn't forget... It's just that I have had so much on my mind that I didn't even realize that today was January 7," I said defensively.

"It's alright, love. So do you believe that I'm real, now?" he asked hopefully.

"I...," Do I believe him? I mean, he remembered our wedding date... "I don't know...," I trailed off, suddenly finding my bare feet interesting.

"Fuck it!" With that he was directly in front of me. I gasped as he took both of my wrists in one of his hands and pinned them over my head. His other hand caressed my face as I looked at him with my jaw hanging open.

"I have wanted to do this since I saw you in the Manor that night 2 weeks ago," his sweet breath filled my senses, my heart beating rapidly. Slowly, he inched his face closer to mine, our lips almost touching. I closed my eyes, overwhelmed by the sudden rush of emotions. He trailed a lone finger from my temple, tracing it all the way to my cheekbones and jawline. My breath hitched as he traced a path with his lips, barely touching me. "You still smell the same, love. Freesias...," he inhaled deeply close to my neck, brushing my hair back. I could hear the sound of blood pumping in my ears. "Mmm... strawberries," he hummed appreciatively. He had me pinned to the counter with his thighs, and it was the only thing that was keeping me standing. Otherwise, I would have been a pile of goo at his feet.

"Open your eyes, love. Let me see my beloved's soul," he whispered in my ear. I opened my eyes and saw his exquisite beauty. "Beautiful," he murmured, tracing my brows. Gently, he left my wrists he had pinned over my head and cupped my face between his hands. He kissed my forehead, both of my cheeks, the tip of my nose, and finally pressed his lips to mine. I froze. I felt... whole. He was actually here. And he was kissing me. Tears welled in my eyes, and a sob escaped my mouth. He broke his lips from mine and looked at me concerned.

"Love? Are you okay?" he asked, forming sweet circles on my cheeks with the tips of his thumbs.

"Ed...ward...," I choked out.

"Yes, love. I'm here," he smiled.

"You... you're really... here," I hiccuped.

"Yes, love. I am," he brushed his lips on my forehead. And that was enough to set me on fire. I threw myself in his arms, eliminating the little space we had between us. I buried my face in the crook of his neck and locked my hands on his back. Sobs were wracking through my body, but I didn't care. For the first time in two years, I was in the arms of my love.

He gently hushed me, rubbing my back and pressing kisses to my temple. We stood there, rocking back and forth in each other's embrace, which felt like hours but was actually only a few minutes. Eventually, we broke apart, but our bodies stayed close.

"How?" I whispered, looking into his eyes.

"I said I'd explain everything, didn't I? But first you need to take your meds," he arched an eyebrow.

"How do you know about...? Ok. I got it; you'll tell me later," I nodded, and he chuckled.

"C'mon! Let's get you medicated up," he announced taking a step back but took my hand in his. Medicated up?

We stepped outside the bathroom. "I... Would you like some coffee?" I blurted. He laughed softly.

"No, thanks. You go and take your meds. I'll be in your room," he released my hand after placing a kiss to the back of it. But I was hesitant to leave. What if disappeared as soon as I left?

"What?" he asked tilting my face towards him with a finger beneath my chin. I looked up at him under my eyelashes.

"You... Will you be here when I get back?" I whispered.

"Love. I'll be here as long as you want me," he vowed. Somehow I believed him. I nodded and pushed past him to the kitchen.

Grabbing a glass of water and swallowing the pills, I sat on the chair across the counter. I put my head in my hands and rubbed my temple with my fingertips. It was undoubtedly going to be a long night. I wasn't ready to go back to my room, yet. I wasn't ready for the talk Edward wanted to initiate. Hell! I don't even know where he came from. One minute, I was standing in my bathroom talking to my god-damn image, and the next minute- Whoosh! Edward Cullen standing before me in all his glory.

The last thought reminded me of my ring. I raised my head and looked at my ring finger. My eyes widened when I saw my original ring. Not the bizarre green colored gem. It was my original diamond colored solitaire.

"I don't understand," I mumbled, lifting my hand to examine it.

"I'll explain that, too." I was startled when he spoke suddenly. I turned my head to look at him standing behind me, with his hands in his pockets. That was the first time I noticed his clothes. He was wearing a V-neck, black colored sweater with navy jeans, and black and white-striped sneakers. His hair was in its usual disarray, and his jaw was dusted with light stubble. He looked his usual self; exactly like he had looked two years ago. Like he had never left me; like he never... died. I swallowed hard at that word. It's better not to think about that now. Technically, I should be afraid. Oh, yes I was terrified; but not of Edward. I was terrified of what all of this meant.

He looked the same, yet different. The care-free attitude was missing from his eyes. They were pained; like they had witnessed things they shouldn't have. He might have tried to look at ease earlier by cussing and all, but I could see that he was hiding something big. Questions were bombarding my head from every side, but I didn't know which one to ask first.

"Ok, then," I took a deep breath and sat up straighter. "Have a seat and you can start," I motioned for him to sit. I heard the shifting of the chair beside me, and I looked up to meet his eyes. He smiled tightly at me. I leaned on the table and tilted my face towards him.

"What do I tell you, first?" he asked more to himself than me.

"Why don't you tell me where were you have been for the last two years?" I suggested.

"That's a loaded question," he looked away. I reached to take his hand in mine and entwined our fingers.

"What happened that day?" I asked, tracing small circles on the back of his hand. This was one of the things that calmed him. He turned his head and looked at me when he realized that I was asking about the day he left.

"You won't believe me," he sighed.

"If I can believe that you're sitting in my apartment with me then I think believing the rest of the gory details is pretty obvious," I joked. He shook his head and smiled my crooked smile.

"Fine. When you left that day, I prepared myself to go to Seventh Street. Call it reckless; I just wanted to prove to you that there was nothing wrong in the Manor. I thought if I completed the site work that day, we could finish the rough draft early. That way we would have had enough free time for the wedding. However, we all know how that turned out," he laughed bitterly.

"I found your letter," I told him to distract him from the latter thoughts. He seemed confused for a second, but then realization crept into his features.

"You did?" he seemed shocked to hear that.

"Yea... But why are you so surprised to hear that?" I asked slowly.

"Nothing. It was just... I thought you would rather tear the letter to shreds instead of experiencing more pain," he admitted.

"You know I'm a masochist," I snorted.

"I'm sorry, love," he squeezed my hand.

"I'm not angry, Edward... What happened when you got there?" I asked, again distracting him from that line of conversation. He raked his other hand through his hair, a habit so familiar that it ached my heart. How I existed without him for so long was beyond me.

"I reached Seventh Street and started inspecting the other three houses there. I took notes and finally set off for the Manor. But when I reached the Manor, I realized that I'd forgotten to bring the keys with me. Dumbest thing I'd ever done. Well, except for going on that fucking Street," he groaned. "I was frustrated but nothing could be done. So, I got in my car and started for home. Unfortunately, that's not where I landed," he chuckled humorlessly.

"I was almost off of that Street when I felt the weather change. Clouds formed a canopy in the sky, and it looked like a storm was near. I accelerated, and the speed of the car increased. But it increased beyond my control, Bella. I tried to stop it, but I couldn't. I turned the steering to avoid hitting a giant rock ahead, but it was as if the rock was a magnet; a magnet attracting me towards it. I panicked. Fucking panicked... Love? Are you listening?"

"Huh... I...," I released his hand in mine and folded my hands in my lap.

"Hey, look at me," he urged, cupping my face.

"I... I saw that...," I whispered shakily. His hand left my face, and he gripped his hair with both of his hands.

"Don't I fucking know it?" he huffed.

"What... how do you know...?"

"Because, it was due to me!" he yelled, and I jumped in my chair. "Yes. It was me who took you into your ring," he pointed at my ring finger. "It was me because of whom your hand is covered in motherfucking bandages," he cursed.

"I... I don't understand," I looked at him flabbergasted.

"There are many things you don't understand, Bella. One of which is that I'm the most selfish fucker on this planet. In this entire motherfucking universe," he swore loudly. He was really getting on my nerves now.

"Edward Anthony Cullen! If you can speak without cussing between every sentence, only then talk to me," I hissed and started to stand, but he gripped my arm and pulled me down onto his lap.

"You know how fuc... irresistible you are when you scold me like this," he caressed my face. I rolled my eyes, and it looked like his previous emoness had finally vanished.

"Don't you dare to sweet-talk me, Mr. Cullen," I warned playfully.

"Why, I don't know what you're talking about, Mrs. Cullen," I stiffened in his arms at that. His eyes widened as he realized what he had said. "I'm sorry..."

"No, it's... fine," I sighed. I guess 'Bella's special, mood gone crappy' moments are not reserved only for Jake, after all. Speaking of Jake...

"Did you silence my phone that day at the Manor?" I narrowed my eyes at him. He looked at me comically and seemed to be taken off-guard.

"Well, I...," he cleared his throat. "I heard Jasper and Emmett talking about you and Jake; so when you were in the bathroom, I sort of... you know how much I like him," he shrugged, scratching the back of his head. He looked so innocent that I just couldn't resist him. I smiled and pecked his lips. Two years ago that action would be a daily occurrence for us. But now it threw both of us off the mark.

"I...," I started, feeling my cheeks heated.

"Sshh... Don't say anything," he said softly. He brought a finger to my cheeks and, like he did earlier in the bathroom, traced them. "I missed this color," he kissed my left cheek. "Mmm... so warm." He rubbed the tip of his nose along my jawline and inhaled deeply. I bit my lip feeling the tingly sensation. "Fuck, Bella. Love? Can I... Can I kiss you?" He looked so unsure of my reply that I felt bad for him.

Instead of answering, I crashed my lips to his. He stiffened for a moment but caught up quickly. One hand travelled to my lower back while the other cupped the nape of my neck. The kiss was slow but passionate. I buried both of my hands in his silky locks. It felt so good to be able to touch him again. I pulled his hair slightly, and he emitted an animalistic growl. Holy shit! That was a fucking turn-on. I pushed myself further into him, and there wasn't an ounce of space left between us. Suddenly, he pushed his tongue into my mouth. I eagerly granted him access, sucking on his bottom lip. He tasted like my Edward. Nothing had changed in two years. There was a part of my rational mind that was asking questions like, how was it possible for him to be here in person? But at the moment, I could not have cared less.

We broke apart, panting hard, when it was difficult to breathe. I moved my hand down to his shoulders, and he held me tightly at my waist. We looked at each other, emotions flowing in our eyes.

"I love you," we spoke at the same time which made us laugh softly.

"I never thought I would be able to do that again," I whispered, putting my head on his shoulder. He hummed in response, running his hands through my hair. We were in our own happy bubble, in pure bliss.

"What did you mean earlier when you said I was in the ring because of you?" I asked, suddenly curious. His hand stopped mid-stroke, and dropped to his side. "It's okay... If you don't wanna tell me, then don't...," I defended quickly, sitting up straight. Great job, Bella! So much for bursting a fucking bubble, I internally scowled at myself.

"No, love. You deserve to know. And that's why I'm here," he smiled slightly. Taking my hand in his, he continued. "I need to tell you a lot of things, Bella. But some of them are not meant to be revealed, yet. There are things that exist but not everyone is allowed to know them. You know this better than anyone, don't you Ms. Black?" he raised an eyebrow in question.

"How would I...," I stopped mid-sentence as his words repeated in my head. You know this better than anyone, don't you Ms. Black? I jumped out of his lap and stood across him.

"How do you know that? Who the fuck are you exactly?" I yelled.

"That's what I'm going to tell you, my Bella," he chuckled.

Fuck! My life has become the definition of 'out of frying pan into the fire' situation.

ooOOoo

He looked in the crystal ball and saw a man begging at another man's feet. His lips curled into a devious smile as the scene unfolded before him in his crystal ball. He felt proud. He was about to conquer the whole world in a matter of days. Nothing could stop him, now. His fool of a father was locked up in his chamber. Now, only he was left to be the master. He dipped a finger in the red-colored drink in his hand and stirred it.

Suddenly, the door opened and a weary man stepped in. The man looked afraid to death. His clothes were torn in several places; like he had had to urgently escape from some place.

"Mahastra! Mahastra... I... apologize... Forgive me Mahastra...," the man dropped to his knees, heads down, hands joined together in a praying gesture, pleading anxiously.

Mahastra rose from his seat and stepped towards the pleading man, with his drink in his hand. He stopped in front of the man and lifted his chin up by one of his shoe-covered feet.

"Speak!" He yelled, slowly digging the pointed tip of his shoe in the man's Adam's apple. The man gasped.

"Mahastra... he... he... escaped... She... she's here... she helped him, Mahastra. I... When I reached there... he... he was gone... Only she... she was there... She punished... me... She... said to tell... to tell you... that your... your end is... near... Aahhh!" the man was pushed back with a jerk as Mahastra kicked his throat.

Mahastra started laughing loudly. The walls of the big room reverberated with his laugh. He lifted his glass and threw it at the writhing man on the floor. The glass hit him in the eye and blood started oozing out of the wound.

"She will destroy me! That bitch will destroy me! Let her try. I would be pleased to see her grovelling; her head in the dirt at my feet." Mahastra laughed again. "I will find him. He can't hide from me." With that, Mahastra reached for his crystal ball. He chanted some spells, and the ball clouded suddenly. He looked frustrated. He started the spell again, but the clouds in the ball remained as such.

"NO!" He shouted and threw the ball at the wall across from him. It didn't break; just righted itself in the air and occupied its earlier position at the table. "Ateara!" he shouted.

The door opened again and revealed a burly man, his hands clasped behind his back. He stood before Mahastra, his head lowered in respect.

"Bring the useless shit of my father from his chamber. It's time to put his good-for-nothing old ass to use," Mahastra commanded. The burly man nodded, his gaze shifting to the man writhing on the floor.

"Do you want the same fate as him!" Mahastra yelled, pointing his finger at the man on the floor. The burly man wisely shook his head in denial and left. Mahastra sat in his chair, rubbing his chin, with his elbows resting on his knees.

"Run as much as you can; that bitch can't save you from me forever. I'll find you soon, Cullen," Mahastra laughed viciously. Just then the man on the floor gasped deeply and took his last breath.

ooOOoo

*grins evilly* So I guess most of you are satisfied by this chapter as now your doubts about Bella ending up or sleeping with Jacob are clarified. I told you guys, I'm all Bellward *sighs* . Now about the ending of the chapter. Any guesses who this fellow is? Who 'she' is? And I think the 'he who escaped' bit is clear.

#sherylb: Stay tuned. Edward will explain himself in the next chapter. :)

#Miller18: I like Jacob but not that much that I land him with Bella. ;)

#tomboygirl2: Definitely an E/B story.

#cheshire15: LOL. I loved your comment. Yup, I think she told Esme that to 'shut her up'. :D

#MARYMARY123 (guest): There are no vampires. Ms. Cliffe... hmm... I like the title. See there's no flashback this time. I'm not that cruel. ;)

#Guest: Lucky number 7... hmm... You know I just noted that. That name was a random pick. :)

I'm so happy to hear from you all. So please continue to REVIEW and tell me your thoughts. I'm here to clarify the confusions. :)

Thank you for reading, following, favoriting and reviewing.

See you soon.

-K