Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns everything.

Chapter 9

Age 17

Edward's parents were going to Mexico for a week. Edward at first was excited, thinking he would have the house to himself but his parents quashed this excitement by telling him that his aunt was going to be visiting from California the week before and had agreed to stay for another week to keep an eye on him.

Edward was outraged, he was seventeen after all, and he didn't need a babysitter. His father told him it was to stop him throwing any wild parties, to which Edward scoffed, and to also stop him from having Bella over for the night. Edward blushed when his father said this and his father just chuckled.

So there was going to be no sleepovers.

Having his aunt stay with him wasn't bad, she mostly let him do what he wanted and she was a great cook so he didn't really mind that much.

On the day his parents were supposed to arrive home Edward and Bella were in his room doing homework. They were doing biology, well Edward was doing biology, both his and Bella's because she was horrible at it and he didn't have the strength to refuse to help her when she pouted and asked him to. By help she meant do and he always agreed.

They had the television on while he worked and he was just finishing her report when he heard a news bulletin say something about a plane crash coming from Mexico. He whipped his head up and stared at the television screen. He heard the words no survivors and he face immediately paled. He looked at Bella whose face was just as white as his.

"Oh my God" she whispered.

He jumped up from his bed and bolted down the stairs. Bella followed right on his heels. When they reached the kitchen he stopped suddenly, barely feeling Bella's soft body running straight into his back. His aunt stood in the kitchen, speaking on the phone with tears running down her face.

"Edward" she whispered and his heart stopped.

His parents had been killed in a plane crash. There were no survivors.

The rest of the day was spent in a state of shock. He sat on the lounge, next to Bella gripping onto her hand tightly. They sat in silence. What was there to say? They listened as his aunt spoke on the phone working out details.

He felt numb. He didn't shed a tear. It just didn't feel real.

As night fell Charlie Swan arrived to take his daughter home. Charlie gripped Edwards shoulder, his face grave. He hugged him tightly and told him he was sorry. Edward just nodded.

Bella still looked stunned as she hugged him tightly. Edward buried his face in her neck and breathed in deeply. She pulled back and kissed his face gently.

Her father then pulled her from the room and took her home.

Bella got ready for bed and waited for her father to go to sleep. She had no intention of staying. Once she was sure he was asleep she crept from her room and out to her truck. She drove quickly over to Edwards's house and just as he had many years ago she climbed through his window and into his room.

Edward was lying on his back staring at the ceiling. He looked up as she entered the room and didn't look surprised.

"Belly" he croaked out softly.

She felt her eyes tear up at the tone of his voice. She hurried forward and crawled on to his bed and lay next to him.

He rolled over until his head rested on her chest. He held her tightly and was silent for a moment. And then his chest and shoulders started to shake and he let out a quiet sob. She stroked his hair softly and felt her own tears start to run down her cheeks.

He let out another sob and then another until he was sobbing uncontrollably into her chest. He gripped her even tighter until it was almost painful. She kissed his head and rubbed his back gently. She didn't know what she should say, so she just held him and let him cry. She occasionally whispered to him how much she loved him.

After his sobs quietened down he pulled his face up and buried it in her neck. She could feel his face was soaked by his tears. She tangled her fingers in his hair and rubbed the back of his scalp.

Edward mumbled something into her neck.

"What Edward?" she whispered softly.

"This can't be real" he whispered more clearly "They can't be dead"

She stroked his back and hugged him to her tighter.

He pulled away from her neck and looked down at her "What's going to happen?"

She looked up at him and lightly brushed away his tears "I don't know" she said sadly and kissed his forehead "But no matter what I'm here and I love you"

He leaned his head back on her chest "Don't ever leave me" he whispered softly.

"Never" she whispered into his hair.

Present-Age 20

Bella's POV

My phone rang. Waking me from my usual Edward filled dream. I reached towards my bedside table and fumbled with my phone.

I finally pressed the right button and placed it against my ear.

"Hello?" I said sleepily.

"Hi Bells" my father replied happily.

"What's up?" I asked in confusion wondering why he was calling me so early at...I looked at my clock, ten in the morning. Crap why'd I sleep so long?

"Nothing much" he said sounding slightly nervous "The usual"

"Okay...." I said rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

"Um...I just wanted to talk to you about something" I felt nervous at his words and his tone of voice.

"Talk about what?" I asked worriedly.

"Well...I just wanted you to know that I've been dating for a couple of months now and... you remember Sue Clearwater right?"

"Yeah...?" I said in a daze.

"Well where engaged" he said and I could hear the happiness in his voice.

The happiness I heard made me feel terrible for what I was feeling at that moment. My father was dating? He was engaged? It sounds stupid but I had never considered the thought of my father remarrying it was just completely...unexpected. And I knew I should be happy for him. He deserved to be happy.

But how could he be with other women? A woman that wasn't my mother.

I knew that I shouldn't think that he was replacing my mother but really he was.

"Bella?" my father asked worriedly.

"Um" I said croakily. I tried to clear my throat "That's great dad...I'm really happy for you"

I hoped I sounded convincing. I must have, because Charlie let out a big sigh of relief and began chatting about wedding details. I tried to pay attention but it was hard. All I could think was that I needed to speak to Edward.

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During out day at the beach Edward had told me where his dorm was.

I stood outside his door with my hand poised against it. But I couldn't work up the nerve to knock.

I took a deep breath and finally brought my hand down on the wooden door. I stood there for a moment until the door was slowly pulled open.

Edward stood in the doorway in a blue sweatshirt. His hair was slightly damp so I assumed he had just showered.

He looked surprised when he saw me standing there but his surprise quickly turned into a smile.

"Hey" he said softly.

"Hi" I replied as I looked down at the floor. I could feel the tears filling my eyes.

"Bella" he said sounding concerned "What's wrong"

I wrapped my arms around my stomach and sighed "It's really stupid. I shouldn't be upset"

He seemed to hesitate slightly but he reached out for my hand and pulled me inside his room.

I could feel the tears start to roll down my cheeks.

"It can't be stupid if you're upset" he said still holding my hand in his.

I looked up into his green eyes. They were filled with concern.

"Charlies engaged" I said softly. I knew that's all I had to say. That he would understand immediately.

And I was absolutely right. His expression was at first surprised but then it turned to understanding.

"I'm sorry" he said simply.

"I shouldn't be upset" I said guiltily "I want him to be happy...it's just..."

"I know" he said squeezing my hand.

I looked down at our hands. Both pale, his bigger than mine but they fit together so perfectly.

It just felt right.

So right.

Without thinking about it, I did what felt natural, what felt right in that moment.

I leaned forward and pressed my lips against his. It was just how I remembered. But also so much more.

His mouth didn't move at first. As though he was surprised. But I pressed harder and he responded immediately. His hand wrapped around my waist and pulled me tightly against him. I heard him sigh into my mouth. Was that relief?

I pushed my tongue into his mouth and almost started crying again. He tasted just as I remembered and he smelled just how I always imagined and wished I had with me when I slept at night clutching his shirt to me just trying to remember.

His lips moved from my mouth and slowly down my neck. I moaned softly as he sucked on my neck. I pushed him gently to the bed until he was sitting on it. I sat on his lap and hungrily kissed his lips again.

I trailed my hand slowly down his chest and reached for the hem of his sweatshirt. I started to pull it up when Edward ripped his lips away from mine and pushed me off him.

I stood on my feet breathing heavily. I felt the hurt and rejection wash over me as I looked down at Edward as he sat on the bed also breathing deeply.

I could feel my face begin to burn. I thought he had wanted this.

"Bella..." he said staring at his hands.

"It's okay" I said quietly "I understand. You don't want me anymore"

He looked up at me with a slightly shocked expression.

"You can tell me if you've found someone else. I mean it's been years, I'm sure there have been lots of girls" I said not having the strength to look at him as I said this, instead I stared at the wall behind him.

"There hasn't" he said so quietly I didn't know if I had heard him correctly.

"What?"

"There hasn't been anyone else" he said louder "But I understand if you found someone. I know I hurt you"

I felt a surge of anger rip through me "Hurt me? You think that's what you did?" I screamed at him. He looked up at me quickly his jaw dropping open "You practically killed me. How could you do that? You promised me...you promised..." I trailed off as the tears began rolling down my cheeks.

Edward stood up and reached a hand towards me. Tears were trailing down his face.

For the first time in my life I pushed away his hand "Do you have any idea of what I went through while you were gone? I couldn't... I couldn't live without you. And then you have the nerve to say you understand if I found someone else? How could I? You've ruined me for anyone else. Because...because they'll always be second best"

Edward reached out for me again and pulled me into his arms "I'm sorry...I'm sorry Belly" he whispered into my hair. I could feel my hair getting damp from his tears.

I pushed him away and looked into his tear filled eyes "Tell me why. Please. If there wasn't anyone else than why? Did you just stop loving me or...or..."

"Stop loving you?" he asked racking his fingers through his hair "How?...how could...that's not possible"

"Then why?" I asked in frustration.

He looked at me for a moment as though he was deciding something.

Then he slowly reached his hands down to the hem of his sweatshirt and he began to pull it off.

I looked up into his eyes in confusion. When he had pulled the sweatshirt off, I looked down at his chest and gasped.

His beautiful chest and stomach was covered in angry red burns. The skin, which had once been smooth and perfect, was now bumpy and broken.

I couldn't look away; the burns ran from his chest down to his stomach. There was also some on his arms.

What the hell had happened to him?

Age 17

"Edward" the social worker said "The only option that makes sense is you going to live with your Aunt"

"No" Edward said firmly glaring at this man who he felt a deep hatred for at that moment.

"Edward" his aunt said gently "It'll only be for a year, just until your 18"

"No" he said again. They couldn't take him away from Bella, it wasn't happening.

"Look" the social worker said sounding slightly impatient "This is what your parents wanted, you have no other family and there is no way that your staying here by yourself"

Edward stood up and brushed his fingers through his hair in frustration "So what, it isn't enough that my parents died but now you want to take me away from the only person I have left?" he yelled glaring at his aunt.

Her face saddened at his words "Edward I'm sorry..."

He cut her off "You can't take me away from her! Do you have any idea how much she means to me...? Do you...?" his words trailed off as the tears started running down his cheeks.

He sat down on the couch and pressed his hands into his eyes.

He suddenly thought of something, he pulled away his hands and looked at his aunt again "Why don't you stay here? Please then..."

She cut him off "Edward I can't just leave my job and my home..."

He jumped to his feet and paced around the room angry "That's what you're asking me to do...to leave my home. Why is your life so much more important than mine?"

His aunt looked at the floor.

The social worker looked at him a bit incredulously "I don't think it's fair to compare a hard earned career with a teenage crush"

Edward felt something inside him snap; he hurled himself forward and without thinking grabbed the man by the throat.

His aunt screamed and grabbed his arm "Edward don't..."

He glared straight into the man's beady eyes "You don't fucking know anything"

He was about to punch him when his aunt pushed herself between them "Edward think about what you're doing"

He looked down at his hand that was gripped around the man's throat and came to his senses.

He lowered his hand and looked into his aunts eyes. They reminded him so much of his mothers, he felt his heart clench.

"I can't leave her...without her I'm nothing" he whispered in defeat.

His aunt looked at him sadly "I'm sorry but there's no other choice"

Edward lowered his head and turned around to leave the room. As he walked he heard his aunt apologising to the social worker.

------------

Edward of course went straight to Bella's house. She wasn't in her room when he climbed through her window so he laid on her bed in the dark and waited for her to come back.

After a few moments he heard the door softly open and the light turn on. Bella was so used to finding him in her room so she didn't get scared.

She smiled at him but the smile fell when she saw his face.

She crawled across the bed and sat in his lap. She stroked his face gently "What's wrong?"

As he looked into her eyes he felt like he couldn't say the words. If he said them it would make them real.

He closed his eyes but still the tears escaped and ran down his face.

"Edward?" she asked worriedly "Please tell me...you're scaring me"

He closed his eyes tighter; he couldn't see her face when he told her "Their making me leave"

"Leave where?" she asked in confusion.

"Forks"

She was silent for a moment "Where are you going?"

He opened his eyes and saw her expression was a mix of anger and sadness "To live with my aunt"

She gasped "No"

"They said I had no choice" he said and laid back against her pillows, gripping his hair in his hands.

She was still straddling his legs, she leaned forward, placing her hands on his chest and looked down into his face.

"No...You can't" she said frantically "Stay here I'm sure Charlie..."

"They said I have to stay with family and my aunts the only family I have" he said watching her expression closely.

Her face fell and her eyes filled with tears. She sat there for a moment and then her mouth turned into a thin line and her eyes flashed. She was angry.

"No" she whispered and then she screamed it. "NO! Edward" she pulled her hand into a fist and brought it down on his chest "No you can't leave me...you can't...you promised...we both promised we'd be together forever" she screamed and Edward's heart broke.

Edward sat up and grabbed her wrists, pulling her into his arms and gripping her tightly.

"I'm sorry" he whispered "I don't want to leave...I...I love you so much"

She struggled against him and after a moment of him hugging her to his chest tightly she gave up and gave in to her sobs. She gripped the back of his shirt tightly in her fists.

"No" she sobbed against his chest "Please...Please stay"

Edward buried his face in her hair and whispered to her how much he loved her and how much he wanted to stay until her sobs stopped.

AN: Please review and let me know what you think!!