"Is she ready yet?" Edward called from the other side of the door.
"Almost," Alice answered, but it sounded funny because she was still holding bobby pins between her lips.
"Hurry up!" Edward commanded impatiently.
"Alice, I've changed my mind," I informed her.
"Bella," she said warningly.
"I refuse to give Edward an opportunity if you two have to give me a complete makeover every time he wants to try something."
"Fine," Alice grumbled, and Rose nodded sadly. That alone told me how much they wanted me to accept Edward again. I was expecting much more of a fight.
"Ok, she's done," Alice announced as she pulled her hand away from putting in the last bobby pin.
"Thank goodness," I sighed.
"Let's go," Edward said as he opened the door.
"Where are we going?" I asked as I stood up. Edward gaped at me, like all the guys always do when Alice and Rose work their magic. I'm almost tired of it. It's an insult to my natural beauty that no one looks at me like that unless one of the Cullens helps me get ready.
"We're… going… uh, to… uh, it's a surprise," Edward stammered.
"Fine," I sighed. "Let me go kiss Mark goodbye, and then I'm ready."
I brushed past Edward and carefully made my way downstairs. Mark wasn't in the living room, but he was in the dining room, eating what looked like Esme's latest concoction.
"That looks and smells delicious," I sighed as I came up behind him.
"I'm not sure why none of her children want to eat it," Mark said. "It's delicious."
"I never eat anything Esme cooks," Jasper said. "I fear for my health with her in the kitchen."
He earned a smack upside the head from Esme and a laugh from everyone else. I gave Mark a kiss.
"I'm not sure when I'll be back," I told him. "Edward won't tell me where we're going."
"Have fun," Mark told me, and gave me another kiss. "I'll still be here when you get back."
"Thanks honey. I love you," I said, and gave him a quick hug. "Don't fall asleep for fear of death by Emmett."
"And Jasper," Mark reminded me. "I'll be fine. I think Carlisle can handle the guys."
"Bella," Edward called from the front door. "Can we go yet?"
"I'm taking a moment to talk with my husband that I haven't seen all day long," I called back. "Be patient, o impatient one."
"We'll be late," Edward called back.
"Not with your driving," I retorted. "I don't think we'll be late for anything if you drive the same way you used to."
"Even with my driving we're late," Edward said. "So can we please hurry?"
"Go," Mark ordered and gave me another kiss. "Don't keep him waiting."
"Love you," I repeated before leaving. Edward held open the door for me, and then beat me to his Volvo. He held that door open for me too, and then was buckled in and starting the car before I'd even grabbed my seatbelt.
"Is there no chance that you'll tell me where we're going?" I asked.
"None whatsoever," Edward answered. I carefully avoided looking out the window at the trees flying by as he easily passed 100 mph.
"So why did you really leave?" I asked. "None of that 'I couldn't bear to be reminded of what I lost' crap like earlier today. You promised that you would never leave again, and you did. Why should I trust you this time?"
"I'm sorry for leaving," Edward told me. He turned to look at me, and I could see the sadness in his gaze.
"Watch the road," I instructed him forcefully. His eyes searched my face for a few more seconds before he reluctantly turned forward again.
"I told the truth earlier. I couldn't bear to look at you and see what we had both lost," he finally answered. "But I also couldn't deal with the thoughts and disappointment of my family. They were almost as disappointed as me, even Rose. They all knew that as soon as you died, that I would try to kill myself again. Their thoughts were too much for me to handle, and I had to leave so I could deal with the disappointment on my own. I should have explained it to you, I shouldn't have left, I was stupid and idiotic, and I deserve nothing more than your rejection. But Bella, I still love you. I will always love you. And I'm sorry that I hurt you like I did. I won't ask yet, but I will eventually ask for your forgiveness. I know if I ask now, that you will probably say no. But please understand that I will always be here for you. I will always love you. I will follow you, if I need to. If you want me to leave you alone, just say the word, and I will, but I hope that you won't send me away so quickly. Please, all I ask is for the chance to redeem myself in your sight."
"You already have my forgiveness," I told him reluctantly. "It's my trust that you will have to re-earn. And I'm not going to leave Mark for no reason. He's been very supportive, almost more so than you ever were, and he deserves more than me leaving him too. So if you want to win me back, you're going to have to give me more of a reason than just the mere fact that you love me and that I love you. I'll have to trust you again, and that will be very hard to earn."
"I'm willing to go as far I need to so I can earn your trust again," Edward informed me.
"It will be a long way," I warned him.
"I'm willing to go the distance," he repeated.
"Just as long as you know what you're getting into," I responded. He grinned that crooked smile that I always loved and sped up so we could arrive at my surprise on time.
A/N: Three updates in one day... Wow, I'm getting better. It helps that I had one written last night... yeah. Anyway, thanks for reading, now please review!