I looked down at my shoes.

I gazed at the clock at the wall.

I fiddled with a stray thread on my sweater.

Anything to avoid looking at her grief-stricken face.

Her expectant, tortured face. Her crossed arms, her quivering lips, her pain-filled eyes.

I didn't picture it like this.

I cleared my throat; it felt as though I hadn't spoken in years, like my throat was coated in dust and cobwebs from lack of use.

"Words can not express how deeply sorry I am", I began. A spark of hope lit up her face.

"For a long time, I walked through life alone. I traveled, I saw the wonders of the world, dabbled in every culture possible. Yet I was unfulfilled. Those around me, my family, each had someone who loved them, someone who cared. Their everything. After three dreary years at Forks, you arrived, and suddenly, I had a reason to be here.

Rain clouds had give way to the most magnificent sunrise of my life, and I knew that I had to be with you. And then, that….that incident.. on your birthday", I paused to pinch the bridge of my nose with my fingers.

"To see you hurt, to see you bleeding and know that despite all my strength and so-called power I couldn't do anything to save you, to know that I had put you in that situation, to know that I was the one that had injured you!"

An agonized growl formed in my chest and I had a sudden urge to rip out my hair, as the daggers in my chest twisted cruelly.

"Bella, I love you so much, so much that I would do anything to see you safe and happy, I would willingly die and suffer for eternity in the fiery its of hell just to keep you alive!

I left, because I love you! I left because I wasn't right for you! I left because…. I hurt you. And I couldn't cope with that".

All the energy seemed to rush out of me, every ounce of bravado deserted me and left me a bitter, broken shell.

I looked up at her, and she stared at me with an expression of mingled horror and pain.

'You idiot! Look what you're doing now!', the voice in my head scolded.

I licked my lips, and opened my mouth again.

"At the end of the day Bella, when the serene moon has struck the passionate sun out of the sky, I want to be with you. I want to be with you every minute, every second, of every day. I will never stop wanting you, I will never stop loving you. I need you"

I stepped forward again, and carefully pressed my icy hand to her blazing cheek.

Her tortured eyes locked with mine.

"Edward", she whispered in a soft, meek voice. Her warm little hand covered mine, and slowly, carefully, she put her head on my chest.

My head was ablaze

She was here, she was in my arms! I held her, never wanting to let go, my hands in her hair and her arms wrapped around my ribcage, as if she was the one that needed me.

Hot tears spilt from her eyes and soaked the front of my sweater. I breathed in the beautiful scent from her hair as it tickled my cheek, as I hummed the tune that she loved so much into her delicate ear….

And then a long screech of nails against glass broke us apart.