Chapter 7:The next morning…
I awaken to see… an empty bed… Several things happen at once…

My heart begins to pound… Tears spring to my eyes…My breathing becomes erratic…I'm hyperventilating… I close my eyes and start to count down from 10. I've had these delusions before. 9…8…7…I don't even reach 6…

Suddenly cool hands touch my face. My eyes fly open to see him looking at me. "Bella love, are you ok? Did you have a bad dream? Talk to me, please…" He strokes my hair as I lean into him.

My arms grip him to me. "I-I thought I dreamed last night… I thought it wasn't real. I–I saw the empty bed and thought… I've had that happen before… I've dreamed that you were back and everything was ok, only to wake up to find… the bed next to me…e-empty like a few minutes ago…" I'm calmer now, so I ask him. "Where were you?"

He gestures to a tray on my dresser. "Valerie made breakfast… I knew you'd probably not want to do anything this morning, so I brought it up to you… I'm sorry. I should've realized…your… Jacob filled me in during the night about your…"

"Episodes…? Yeah…I haven't had it happen…more than once…in the last 4 years…Uhmmm, I have a class to teach at 11… I think I'll get Janet (another professor in my department) to take it for me. I really don't want to leave this room anytime soon." I reach for the phone.

I dial and hear Janet's high pitched girly voice. "Hello?"

"Janet, Hi…" I smirk at the phone.

"Oh, hey, Bella! You'll never guess where I was last night!" She sounds sly.

I don't like the sound of this… "Uhmmm…"

"…That Karaoke bar in town…"

Uh, oh… "You were there, huh? Last night?" I grimace.

"Yup, and I had a feeling you'd be calling me today…"

"You guessed that, huh…?" My face will have a permanent frown if this conversation continues.

"Yup. You want to stay home with the hottie who carried you out of there, don't ya…?"

I take a breath. "Actually, yeah…"

"I'll take your class… No problem."

I sigh with relief. "Thanks, Janet, I owe you…"

"I just want the scoop on your sweetie and those songs, hun."

I roll my eyes and say, "I promise we'll sit and talk someday soon. Okay, see ya later."

"Bye, hun!" Janet is so great.

Edward has the tray on the bed now and is about to feed me a piece of waffle. Jake's head pops in the bedroom door. "Hey, Bells, I'm takin' everyone out for the day. See you guys later…" He gives Edward a pointed LOOK and closes the door after himself.

I sigh and roll my eyes. "What did he say?"

"He's just repeating himself, love…it's nothing… So… what would you like to do today?" He asks as I drink some milk. He seems quite eager to please today.

I look at him. He feeds me another bite of waffle. "Well, I think we have some serious 'making up' to do…" I move the tray off the bed. "I've missed you… Missed just hanging out with you." I move myself a little closer to him. "Have you run across any areas like our meadow, while you were hunting? I miss our meadow… Just lying in the sunlight… I missed the sparkle of your skin." I stroke his arm as I say this. Hesitantly, I whisper, "I missed the feel of your arms around me and your lips on mine."

He takes the hint and brings his face slowly closer to mine. Our lips meet…my eyes close and my arms wrap around his neck. He moans against my lips. He senses my need for air and drags his lips across my cheek to the hollow beneath my ear. I savor the feel of the path of icy fire being drawn down my throat. He lingers at my collarbone.

I missed that too. I say quietly, "Are you just savoring the bouquet, Edward, or are you thinking about tasting the wine…?" He looks at me sharply. I smirk. "Don't worry, love. I know I'll have much more trouble talking you into that than Jake did last night… You know, I missed many things over the years. I did not miss the sexual frustration you insist on inflicting on us though. No offense to my dear ex, but you were the only one I ever wanted to go to bed with…to have touch me…in that way… Edward, please tell me you won't be that rigid with whatever boundaries we set for our relationship this time. I've been longing for you for so long…"

"I don't know, Bella. You're still just as human as you were then…" He says softly.

I make my voice just as soft. "But I'm not a virgin anymore…and I'm not as fragile as you think I am, Edward. This time I know the pleasure you can give me. I haven't had any man since Jacob…that's almost 2 years of 'taking matters into my own hands'…I want you desperately…only you." My doorbell rings. I check the clock. "I wonder who that could be… Could you get that? I'll get dressed and meet you in the living-room." He puts his shirt on and leaves it hanging open as he walks to the front door with a slight grin.

I pull on my jeans and a light blue top, noticing that one of my walls seems different… a little more bare than it used to be. I shrug and walk into my living-room to the sound of… My lullaby? The Cullens are gathered around … I gasp. Edward's piano? A tear escapes my eye. I walk forward and sit next to him on the bench. "Are you moving in with me then, my love?"

He motions to his family… They move slightly. I see a stack of boxes… and a few suitcases. He keeps playing and simply says, "Yes, I am."

"What is all of that?" I ask breathlessly.

He gives me that crooked grin. My heart skips a beat. "Most of my CD's and all of my clothes… I asked my family to pack for me so I wouldn't have to leave you."

"But… I would've gone with you and helped…" I said.

Esme lays a hand on my shoulder. "We were only too happy to help, Sweetie. We've all seen how much happier Edward is to be with you again. Besides, we were able to pack at vampire speed. You wouldn't have been able to keep up with us. By the way, Mr. Black called us and took back the VFZ… so we can visit anytime we or you want."

"Jake did what?" I ask astonished.

My lullaby ends as Jacob steps from behind my friends. He sighs. "Bells, I can see how badly you want this… how much he and they care about you…Me, Val and the others will leave in the morning. As much as I'd love to stick around and cause trouble for lover-boy over there… Dad and the pack need me at home…and you… well, you don't need me anymore…" He tries to hide it but I see the tear he swipes from his eye.

I get up and hug him gently. "Jacob Black…You are my best friend…You helped me through the worst time in my life…I will always be bonded to you in such a way that nobody can break. Just because I don't need your daily presence, that doesn't mean I don't need you… I did… do love you, Jake, but that love isn't the true, lasting love you have found with Valerie and I have always felt for my Edward…I am so grateful for what you've done here. Heh, even the part about beating some sense into my boyfriend." I give Edward a funny look… at 27; I should have a lover not a boyfriend. "Not my boyfriend… the love of my life… When you get back to Forks I need you to do a couple of very important things for me…" I look him in the eye. "First, talk to my dad for me. Try to make him see how much it means to me that he accepts that Edward is back in my life. If you can't, that's ok, as long as you try. The other things I want you to do for me are detailed in a letter I gave to Valerie. She will give that to you when you cross the border into Washington… not before. Don't worry…" I smirk. "I'll expect your phone call when you finally read it. Now, let's all go out for some food. This is your last night in town so I've gotta make it a good one. Let's check out this place I heard about called 'Murphy's'. It's supposed to be the best place in town. Go on now, tell the others. Edward will get settled in then we'll go." I turn to face my love. "Everyone, I'll give you guys the 10 cent tour. Let's take those boxes and stuff to my room." I shoot a glance at Edward. "There's a wall that needs filling up…" His 'Mr. Innocent' face is so cute… sometimes.