Thanks to everyone who's reading, recing and reviewing. Thanks also to MC for letting me tap into her beta skills.

A quick A/N: Many of you have mentioned Bella's low self-esteem/self-image in the reviews; since it's come up several times, I thought I should address it.

The way Bella views herself is what she considers "realistic"—not bad or good, it's just what she feels she is. But no, even though Bella is beautiful, she doesn't see herself as being so. When she looks in the mirror, she just sees an ordinary, normal, average girl. There are many reasons for this, but most stem from some core things; she's a middle child. (No, middle children who are reading this, I'm not saying all middle children have warped views of themselves. This applies to Bella because she wasn't the first or the boy like Jake, and she wasn't the baby, demanding the attention Jess had from their parents. Although she had a good childhood, she flew under the radar for attention from everyone in her family; it was just her reality. She did not desire, search-out or receive a lot of attention. She was always self-sufficient and content not in the spotlight.) She's also introverted. She never received a lot of male attention—or rather noticed that she had—and never really felt any real strong attraction to a guy other than fictional characters (before Edward anyway). Plus, she's not a person who thrived on physical contact (again B.E.). Then add in the toxic relationship she had with James, which took her moderately harmless and neutral viewpoint of herself and threw it down the gutter; unrealized by her as to how much so. In turn, she doesn't see how someone like Edward, the idyllic/perfect guy in her eyes, would ever even notice, much less want, someone like her when he could have anyone.

That being said, I hope you've noticed that Bella has made some small successes through the story so far on how she views herself. She will continue to do so as we move on, but it's not going to just change overnight. This is a deeply engrained viewpoint she's held about herself, changing something like that isn't going to happen instantly.

I hope that helps.

Reminder: Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight and its characters. This all human version of events is mine.

Enjoy.

Chapter 21: Confessions

It was raining. Which really wasn't anything of consequence given it rained for some period of time almost every single day here, but today, it was coming down in thick sheets that coated the windows in chaotic rivulets of water, making the windshield wipers work hard to keep up. And today the down pouring of rain matched my mood perfectly. So perfectly, it was like the all-consuming power of them somehow managed to affect the weather.

Sure I knew that wasn't actually possible, but it seemed too accurate and exact in timing to be a simple coincidence.

The night before was nothing short of blissful. But this morning when I awoke, it hit me hard; we were there again, facing another painful goodbye. Even the small package from Alice that she'd sent to Edward and my room, containing copies of pictures of all of us from the night before for each of us along with a note to me saying we should get together soon and to call her any time, didn't cheer me up as much as it should have. It should have made me so happy to know I finally had some real pictures of Edward and me, but the knowledge that it was going to be all I was going to have of him for some time starting in just a few short hours, smothered that feeling.

Now, I sat in the passenger seat of the rental car, as Edward rubbed soothing circles with his thumb into my hand as he drove. I stared out the window of the car, wishing he didn't have to leave; wishing I could go with him; wishing things could be different. I felt heavy with the weight of knowing he was leaving again. I didn't want to feel this way, especially since I felt like I was ruining our last bit of time together by sulking, but I just couldn't get past the fact that it just wasn't fair. But fair or not, the reality was, we both had obligations we had to follow through with and those obligations were separating us in just a few hours' time.

Edward had some more interviews to do and had to head off to start filming his next movie. I couldn't get off work to go with him to where the interviews were this week either. It was June and the summer months were difficult to get time off unless you planned for them at the beginning of the year, even if I were able to afford it or give in and let Edward pay for my flight. But the argument we had this morning over me letting him pay for a flight to see him was really a moot point anyway, because no matter who was footing the bill, I couldn't get off work during the week. And starting the following week, he was going to be on the other side of the country filming which wasn't a trip that could realistically fit into a weekend anyway.

It was looking to be longer than two weeks apart this time—a lot longer—and the thought made everything seem gloomy and dismal. It was everything I could do to not let the tears start falling as I sat miserably glaring at the rain sheeting down on us, because I missed him already. So I sat there wallowing in the knowledge that he was going to have to leave for the airport just a few hours after we arrived at my place.

Sigh.

Edward told you this wasn't going to be easy. A voice in my head told me in a chastising, know-it-all tone.

Shut up. I snapped back. I didn't need to hear it, even from myself.

Edward's phone sounded out.

He released my hand, making me bite back a whimper from the loss of his touch. Then he turned down the radio to a soft whisper and answered the call.

"Hello?" he said pulling the phone up to his ear.

I heard a woman's voice on the other end I didn't recognize. I wrapped my arms around my middle feeling my stomach drop at the thought of another woman calling him. I tried to fight the jealousy that whipped through me, distracting me from what she was saying to him.

"Are you serious?" Edward asked with excited incredulity. "You're amazing, Irina."

Irina? Amazing?

The jealousy that had flooded my veins began to gnaw at me.

"Hell, I could about kiss you right now," he laughed.

The gnawing turned into sharp bites and snaps I couldn't hold back.

"I know," he laughed. "Yeah, I'll let you know in a minute, don't go anywhere. Thank you!" he signed off and ended the call.

I tried to tell myself to not overreact as the jealousy continued to ripple through me, but it was difficult to rein in such an overpowering feeling when every cell of my body shouted its claim that Edward was mine and sharing him was not an option.

"What would you say, love, if I told I didn't have to leave today after all?" he asked as he set the phone down, a smile evident in his voice.

"What?" I breathed incredulously as I stared at him, wondering if I had just imagined him telling me he didn't have to leave me yet.

"That was my assistant," he clarified. "I'd asked her to see if there was any possible way she could find to extend my time here with you. She was calling to tell me she was able to shuffle some things that would allow me to fly out tomorrow instead of today. It's not much longer, but it's something. She's just waiting for me to tell her to go ahead with moving my flight or leave it as is, because it's completely up to you. If you want, I can stay a bit longer," Edward explained glancing at me from the road.

"If I want?" I asked incredulously. "Edward, there's no 'if' involved. Of course I want you to stay. Call her back!" I insisted, grabbing his phone and shoving it at him.

The sky was still dumping thick sheets of rain, but for me, it was as if the clouds had parted and the sun began shining down on us brightly. Edward had given me more time with him. I didn't care that it wasn't much more time, it was still more. And that meant everything when every minute meant so much.

Edward laughed indulgently, pulled me towards him and kissed my forehead. Then he promptly called Irina back, telling her to go ahead and move his flight and to send him the new information. Then he thanked her once again before hanging up.

I took claim of his electric hand again and looked out at the rain, happily this time, unable to stop myself from smiling like an idiot because I didn't have to let him go; not just yet, anyway. I could tangibly feel the change in our moods, affecting the air around us. The air in the car now felt light and energized. It was as if it held the feeling of happiness that radiated from us and made it a tangible thing.

I was still swimming in my blissful moment a few minutes later when my phone sounded with a message. I pulled it from my pocket and saw Jessica had texted me.

So, Bella, what did u do last night? BTW—I'd advise u to not lie to me. Remember: pictures say a thousand words.

Shit. I thought. I could practically see her tapping her foot as she texted me, sitting in front of her computer, fuming.

I knew I wouldn't have been so lucky that she wouldn't find out that I was with Edward. I sighed and sent her a reply.

Sounds like you already know, so why are you asking?

Seriously Bella! U r my SISTER! I shouldn't have to keep finding out this stuff online!

And there was the angry stomp of the foot. I thought, shaking my head at my sister.

Sorry.

Why r u keeping him from me? That is SO not fair! U know how much I love him! & he was only in Seattle! U promised I'd get to meet him. :( U could have brought me with u!

Yeah, that would have been fun. I thought sarcastically as I replied back.

Sorry, he asked me to go there for a family thing. It wasn't exactly something I was going to bring someone with.

U met his FAMILY? Like, his parents? Holy $#it Bella! R u 2 serious?

It wasn't a big deal. He was going to be in Seattle and wanted to see me so he asked me to come.

Meeting his family IS a big deal! OMFG! My sister is serious with Anthony FREAKING Cullen! Or Edward - whatever. This is SO not fair!

I didn't know what to say to that, so I was just going to go with not saying anything, thinking it best to just leave her alone to cool down. But just as I slipped my phone back into my pocket, it chimed with a new message and I pulled it back out.

& I suppose u 'can't' introduce him to me now bc he's gone. Whatever. U better tell me all about it tonight. It's the least u can do since u made me promise to not tell anyone about u 2.

Shit. Mom and Dad's.

I nearly texted her back right then saying I wasn't feeling well and couldn't make it tonight, but I knew she wouldn't buy it. Even if she did, she'd still be at my apartment with chicken soup as a thinly veiled attempt to look genuinely concerned for me, before she began to barrage me with questions.

Except I wasn't sick and Edward was with me. I cringed at the thought of what Jessica would do if she came by my place and found Edward there.

Oh shit, shit, shit.

"Everything alright love?" Edward asked putting his hand on my thigh.

"Um. Yeah," I said, not sure what to tell him.

"You really are the worst liar I've ever met," Edward laughed.

I rolled my eyes.

"Well, everything is alright. Technically," I mumbled and then took a breath. "I had just forgotten that I'm supposed to go to my parents' place tonight. Every Sunday we hang out and have pizza."

"Is that all? Bella, that's not a big deal," Edward laughed.

"It's not?"

"No," he assured.

"But what are you going to do while I'm there?" I asked.

"Oh," Edward's face fell. "You don't want me to go with you. I'm sorry, I misunderstood. It's okay. I'll just call Irina back then, I'm sure she can still re-book my original flight for tonight."

"What? No! That's not what I meant! I would love for you to come with me, but I just figured I'd save you from that horrifying experience," I explained, realizing what I'd said and how he'd taken it.

"Really Bella, it's not a problem," he said, his voice holding a sharp edge to it as he reached for his phone, not believing me despite his knowledge that if I was lying he'd be able to call me on it.

"No Edward! Don't!" I begged, panicking at the thought of him leaving today after I'd just found out I'd get to keep him for the night. "Listen to me, okay? I just figured you wouldn't want to spend an evening with my crazy family."

"You just spent two days with mine, what's the difference?" Edward said with an icy edge to his voice that I hated as he stared coldly out the windshield. "It's fine if you aren't ready for me to meet them, just tell me."

My stomach knotted tightly. He had put up a wall and it hurt knowing it was there, but who did I have to blame for making him put it up but myself? I'd succeeded in putting my foot in my mouth and made it sound like I didn't want him there with me, even though there was nothing I wanted more.

I turned to him with a sigh and placed my hand on his cheek. "Seriously Edward," I pleaded, "you know I'm a terrible liar, so you should know I'm not lying now. I want you there with me. My thought of you not going was more along the lines of keeping my family from you not you from them. Edward, I love my family, but they're all a bit cracked."

Edward's mouth twitched upward. He quickly reined it in, but it was too late, I'd seen the smile flicker across his face before he had been able to hide it. And I felt the knot in my stomach begin to loosen.

"I'm serious," I continued. "Let's see, where do I begin? Well, my mom is far too open about sex, expects my sister and me to talk to her like girlfriends about it and will probably flat-out ask you if you're having safe sex with me."

"And how do you propose I answer that question?" Edward asked, chuckling despite himself. "Shall I assure her that I am dutifully stockpiling condoms to keep up with her completely insatiable daughter?"

"No!" I said horrified. "Just don't answer it. I have never told her anything and that does not need to change now. Jess can go ahead and have that 'bond' with her, I don't want it."

"Okay, so your Mom is open about sex, I come from a family that's really open about pretty much everything, so that's not exactly going to scare me off. What else do you have?" He challenged.

"Well," I paused determining what to tell him next, "my dad is chief of police and feels the need to make sure any guy who comes around knows full-well that he's armed and knows how to use his gun with perfect accuracy."

"A protective father over his daughter?" Edward scoffed. "That's pretty normal. You really need to try harder, love."

"Fine, if that doesn't deter you, Jake will," I went on. "Putting you in the same room as my brother would be like throwing you to the wolves. He is convinced that you're just some no-good sleaze-ball who used his fame and smooth talking just to get me in the sack."

"So you don't share your sex life with your mother, but you do with your brother?" Edward asked confused, thrown off with this detail.

"God no! I've never admitted to sleeping with you to anyone," I told him and then realized it was a lie. "Okay that's not entirely true," I amended. "I've never admitted to sleeping with you to anyone other than Rose. Jake just jumped to conclusions, it didn't matter that I never confirmed or denied anything, he's convinced that's what happened."

"As scary as you claim he is, I think I'll be alright… with him and your father," Edward said confidently, not the slightest bit deterred by my warnings. "Having a sister, I have insight into where they're coming from. You're not exactly bringing home some twenty-year-old guy who's just fucking around, planning his next conquest. When they realize I'm quite serious about you, they'll back off. Trust me."

My stomach fluttered happily hearing Edward's affirmation.

"If you say so," I said feeling his confidence was misguided; he didn't know how well two cops knew how to intimidate, "but as if those three aren't bad enough, I'm sure my sister, Jess, will be enough reason to want to stay away on her own. That woman is fanatically infatuated with you. I'm honestly afraid of what she'll do if she is put within jumping distance of you."

"Unfortunately, it wouldn't be the first time I've had to deal with someone like that, love."

"You don't know Jessica," I insisted.

Edward laughed, brushing off my warning.

"You know," I laughed, "I think the only one that I wouldn't be afraid to introduce you to is my sister-in-law… so we could stay at my place, away from everyone else and I could tell Leah to come over. Because even my brother-in-law is not your biggest fan, since Jess is so obsessed with you. Really Edward, I don't want to put you through the freak show of hell because you'll surely run away screaming and I can't handle that," I confessed, surprised at myself for uttering the words. I waited a beat for the regret of them to sweep over me, but they didn't. I needed him to know that and felt better knowing that he did now. "I was hoping to wait until everyone settled down about me being with you before I let them near you, so I'd have even half a chance in hell that they would act semi-sane."

"You're serious?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm very serious. I hate to admit it, but it appears I'm related to a bunch of nut-jobs," I admitted closing my eyes with a sigh.

Edward laughed. Surprised, I opened my eyes and looked at him confused.

"No Bella," Edward corrected, "are you serious that's the only reason you don't want me to go with you? You're supposed 'crazy' family?"

"Isn't that enough?"

"Love, I don't think there would be anything big enough to make me walk away from you now," Edward said decelerating the car as we approached the outskirts of Port Angeles.

My stomach leaped.

"Besides," he went on, "if I'm going to meet them eventually anyhow, I don't need for you to protect me from them. I believe that all families are a bit off their rocker in their own way to some degree or another."

I nodded as a warm flutter flashed through my chest with the mention of us and a future together. I took in a broken breath from the emotion that filled me with the thought.

"So if that is all you have," he continued, "your concern is unwarranted. I am quite certain that I can handle it."

"Alright, but don't say I didn't warn you," I told him wondering if he wasn't a bit crazy himself to willingly walk into all that knowingly. But finding I loved him all the more because of it.

XXXXX

Later that afternoon, given the mood the rainy day set, we decided to curl up and watch a movie. Of course Edward began browsing through my movie collection and noted teasingly how many movies I owned with him in it.

I pretended to ignore his playful goading as I put in an old favorite movie of mine—one he was definitely not in—and sat on the couch with a huff.

"Are you sure you don't want to watch this one?" Edward asked as he held up Undone, wagging his eyebrows and flashing an impish smile. "Didn't you say you had a thing for the guy in it? Something about thinking he's really hot…?"

"Shut up," I retorted, biting my lip trying unsuccessfully to not smile at his adorably playful banter. Of course I turned bright red as got up from the couch, yanked the movie out of his hand and shoved it back on the shelf.

As I turned to stomp away from him and back to the couch, Edward snared his arms around me, trapping me there.

"Agh!" I let out a sound that was a mixture between laughter and surprise.

"You're not mad at me, are you?" Edward asked through his laughter, as he held me against him, my back to his chest.

"Very," I pouted trying very hard to use an impressively angry tone.

"Aw, you can't stay mad at me, love," he said play biting my neck until I laughed.

Then he through our laughter, he turned me as I squirmed unsuccessfully to get away from him, lowering us down to the floor, pinning me by straddling my hips and holding my wrists. I struggled again trying my best to act mad.

"Try me," I bluffed, trying my hardest to keep a straight face and keep myself from laughing.

I saw a flicker of mischief flash in his eyes, telling me he had caught my lie. He gathered my wrists into one of his hands and smirked.

"You can, huh?" he asked squeezing his free hand just above my hips.

My body jerked and I squirmed, but I somehow managed to bite back the laughter my body wanted to eject. My hands jerked trying unsuccessfully to wrap around my stomach to guard it in defense but Edward held fast to my wrists.

He laughed triumphantly finding my weakness.

"Are you still mad?" he challenged, letting go of my wrists, sliding both hands around my middle undeterred by my arms trying to protect my ticklish sides.

I nodded seriously, lying the best I could.

"You're so stubborn," he marveled.

Then he began attacking my middle making me burst out in a session of breathless laughter.

"Tell me you're not mad at me," he commanded as his hands continued their assault, tickling my sides until I was laughing so hard I couldn't breathe; my defenses useless.

"You're cheating!" I accused in gasps.

"Knowing how to defeat your adversary is not cheating," he laughed along with my forceful giggles.

"This is so cheating!" I managed between laughs.

Edward paused his assault, letting me breathe.

"And it's not nice to tease me," I chastised him, calming my breaths, feeling my body begin to relax under him again.

"But I like that you had a thing for me," he insisted, his voice still a little breathless from the round of laughter. "On you, it's sexy."

"Yeah, I'm sure. Very sexy," I scoffed. "If that were true you'd be drooling after three quarters of the population."

"Just three-quarters?" he asked, feigning offense. "Ouch. I must be losing my looks."

"Whatever," I retorted, rolling my eyes just as much at myself for not being able to mask the smile that wanted to burst through my weak facade, as I was at his comment.

"The general populace is one thing, you, Bella, are another," Edward defended. "Like I said, 'on you it's sexy.'"

"Then why do you have to give me crap about it?" I asked trying once again to scowl impressively and once again, failing miserably.

"Because you're cute when you're angry," Edward smirked playfully, giving a quick squeeze to my side, making me jump and let out another laugh. "And so I can see you blush."

I rolled my eyes.

"It's one of the many things I love about you," Edward smiled.

Then his smile faded and his face turned serious. I felt the electricity running between our bodies begin to spiral around us, getting stronger; pulling us together. My breathing sped and my chest warmed as the moment lengthened, our eyes locked into one another's.

"I love you, Bella," Edward breathed softly, but his words were concrete, unwavering and honest.

I gasped at the feeling of my chest filling with tingling warmth and the sensation that my heart had just expanded to a size that shouldn't be able to still fit inside my body.

Edward watched me intently, evaluating every last feature, searching for how I reacted to the confession he'd just made to me. The air around us crackled and stilled; the moment frozen with the words that he'd said still hanging in the air.

I struggled to recover from the impact the words had on me, but found myself mute with the disbelief that it could even be a possibility to be true.

Edward drew a deep breath.

"I'm sorry, love," he said, his eyebrows pushing together. "I shouldn't have—. It's too soon. I—" he rambled half formed sentences, shook his head and began to pull away from me.

Edward's disengaging finally drew me out of my stupor; unable to stand him pulling away from me.

I grabbed his hand and held it tightly, making him turn back to me, though he didn't meet my eyes.

"I love you too, Edward," I breathed feeling my eyes well with tears of joy.

Edward's downturned eyes flashed to mine, skeptical and ready to call me out on a lie.

But there was no lie to be found.

It was the truth in the most basic level; I felt my body lived and breathed on the knowledge. I felt every action, every word, every look I'd given him, every touch had said it. Hell, every personality that lived in my head had already been screaming that simple fact to him for what seemed like forever before this moment.

Realizing the truth of my words, a smile began spreading across his face and I realized then, the same goofy smile was forming on mine.

Edward leaned down and kissed me soundly, with purpose and conviction. That kiss fed the next and we began to laugh between kisses. But soon the happy laughter faded and I could feel the emotion that coursed through the kisses as they went from light exaltation and deepened, turning into something more serious.

We slipped off our clothing slowly and unrushed, relishing in every slip of skin revealed. Each touch was gentle and sensual, tracing the lines of one another, engrossed by every contour, peak and valley. Each kiss was languid and unhurried.

The feeling I'd gotten the other day that had made me wonder if we'd gone from having sex to making love was just a faint whisper of what was rocking through me when he pushed into me this time. I knew then that I'd been right, that this was the something that had changed. But now with the confession out in the open from both of us, I realized the feeling before that had ghosted, just hinting at the emotion. Now that emotion had been opened and unleashed, it radiated between us intensely; demanding to be heard, felt, seen.

Edward loved me. For reasons beyond me, he did. And he now knew I felt the same.

I didn't want it to end. I wanted to stay there tangled up with Edward forever. If I could have done it, I would have, and it seemed Edward felt the same way too, dragging it out, delaying the end.

When we did finally finish, we curled up on the couch, intertwined for quite some, talking, kissing, touching, unwilling to pull away from one another until we absolutely had to.

"I love you Edward," I told him when I could no longer ignore the fact that we had to head to my parents' place and I slipped out of his arms. I reveled in how good it felt finally being able to say it out loud.

"I love you too, Bella," Edward told me in return, caressing my face, his eyes burning with the intensity of his words.

I stared back into his eyes, and I could feel it; I knew with absolute certainty that he did.

Here is a song rec for this chapter.

Falling In by Lifehouse

http:/www (dot) youtube (dot) com/watch?v=7Az8lNQ4wdg

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