I sat there, wondering what was taking Alice so long. I had been sitting here for at least 45 seconds, which in Vampire Speed time is like an hour.

Suddenly, I felt little prickles along my spine, warning me I was being watched. I flipped my head around, trying to see into the woods, but nothing was there. A cold hand on my shoulder startle me and I whipped my head back around. Alice was standing there, rolling her eyes.

"I am just about sick of this Edward. You aren't going to kill her. I can see that. Come out from the stupid trees."

"Edward?" I barely choked out his name, there wasn't enough air in my lungs to make more than a whisper, but suddenly Edward was standing beside Alice, rather obviously keeping her between us.

I could see his reluctance to get to close to me, but it didn't register enough to stop me. I lurched forward to grab his arm, prove to myself that he was more than some hallucination.

My fingers closed around air as he moved almost imperceptibly out of my reach. Tears welled up in my eyes, but I refused to let them come. This was the only time I'd get with him. It would be stupid to spend the entire time crying.

I stood up and Alice moved away, to Edward's rather obvious disappointment. But something was wrong. He wasn't supposed to look like he'd kill to get closer to me, and he wasn't supposed to be reaching out for me, and then letting his hand drop, in a motion so human it shocked me.

I looked into his eyes, trying to figure out what was going on in his mind, when suddenly a few of the missing puzzle pieces seemed to fit together in my mind. First, the obvious. Edward was thirsty, and I smelled good, especially with my hand the way it was. But there was more than that legible in his eyes. Edward looked as if he might still like me. I had no doubts he didn't love me, and that his liking me wouldn't be enough, but he obviously wished it was. He looked as if he wanted to reach out and touch me, make sure I was real, just like I wanted.

This time when I reached forward I hesitantly touched his shoulder and he didn't move back. I could feel his perfect marble self even through the light t-shirt he was wearing, and he was as cold as ever. As marble, cold, and real as ever. I slowly stepped closer to him and still he said nothing, just moved my hand to the side of his face, reveling in his perfect face.

Suddenly Edward had his arms around me, gripping me to him, his arms felt protective and cautious; he was giving me the same choice he had when I first met him, to run, to scream, to curse his name. And I chose the same way I had then and buried my face in his chest.

"Bella, I'm so sorry. Didn't realize-" it was obvious if he could he'd be crying. He kissed the top of my head, and I realized I was bawling into his chest. I had one hand still on his face, proving to myself he was real, the other was over my mouth, in an attempt to stifle the loud sobs.

With his arms around I could practically feel the tears in my chest being sewn up, so perfectly it was like there never had been a rip in the first place. In his arms I felt whole.

Edward lifted me into his arms and began to move at an inhuman pace, I wasn't sure where we were headed until suddenly we were in our meadow, and the sun was sparkling across his face, like someone had dipped him into glitter glue.

I moved my hand over his skin "It's even more like diamonds than I remember"

We were both quiet for a while, today didn't seem to be the day for words for either of us. Even though I knew he'd be gone, and take my heart with him, he was still here and I felt like an idiot for wasting my time with him.

In the end, he began the conversation

"Bella, are you all right?" I knew form his tone he meant more than my hand.

"I wasn't for a while. But, it all seems alright now. I love you, and I know this is going to hurt so much more when you leave again. But I have to say it again. I love you Edward Cullen." There, I had officially guaranteed myself a new set of nightmares when he was gone, but I had to say it.

"What do you mean 'when I leave again'?"

"You aren't staying. Even if you convince yourself that it might be alright, you'll change your mind." My voice lost its volume until at the end it's a wonder if he could hear me at all even with his being a Vampire.

"You far over estimate my self control Bella. All these month apart, I haven't really been alive, I left myself with you. It's like a meteor had gone through my life, burning my retinas until, when it was gone I couldn't see the stars anymore." He pulled his fingers through my hair.

I was confused; Edward was describing my world without him, not the other way around. Unless he had developed the ability to read my mind like he could everybody else's….

I must have had a funny look on my face because he pulled my chin up and looked me in the eyes and asked simply "Bella?"

"You love me. That's why I kept hearing your voice. Even though I didn't think you did, you did! You love me!" I bounced slightly at the end of this, so happy to have figured it out. Edward loved me!

"Of course I love you. Do you know how much it hurt to tell you I didn't? And even worse, for you to believe me so quickly…"

"Wait, so you've loved me all along? Then why did you leave Edward?" he reached down to my injured hand, blatantly not breathing, and pointed to the crescent shaped scar on my arm James had left. Immediately he dropped my hand again, and as soon as it was an appropriate length away he began to breathe again, but his breaths were slightly shaky, as if he was under strain.

I nodded; it was so Edward to hurt both of us in an attempt to protect me.

I nuzzled closer to Edward, trusting him not to kill me.

"Not to go off topic or anything, but why was there a were-wolf in your living room?" I burst into semi-hysterical giggles at how awkward that sentence sounded, even on Edward's perfect tongue.

"Oh, that was just Jacob. He helped me stay part way human while you were gone."

"So, he's you new boyfriend?" I could hear the confusion and jealousy in his voice

"No. he wishes he was, but I just didn't love him or even like him that way. Jacob's just a friend. Actually it's kind of a good thing he's a were-wolf I'd probably be dead." I caught Edward interest on the last bit.

"Would you care to, ah, elaborate on that last bit?" his voice was carefully controlled; it sounded almost like he was asking me about the weather.

"Oh, well you remember Victoria, right?" the question was rhetorical; I just threw it out there to gauge his reaction. Obviously this wasn't going to go well based on the fact that the tree behind us now had a hunk taken out of the side in the shape of Edward's hand.

"Well, she sent down Laurent to find me, and the were-wolves killed him. Ever since then She's been sort of running around trying to find a way at me that doesn't involve fighting the were-wolves, because she'd lose that fight." I tried to say it all matter-of-factly, but some of my fear slipped through.

My story set Edward off on what was obviously one of his protective tangents. Immediately he was running with me, leaving our meadow, and out few moments of peace together behind us in favor of his house.

When we got there his entire family was staring out the window expectantly except for Alice, probably because she already knew what was going to happen.

When they all saw me with Edward their responses ranged from Esme's obvious delight to Emmett's laughter to Rosalie's disgust. Carlise let a small grin through, until he noticed Edward's serious face. Jasper looked like he had already stopped breathing,

When we entered the house, Edward set me down gently on a couch and as his family noted his expression they gathered around.