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EPOV

I stopped the wheelchair beside my Volvo, and opened the door for Bella. I stood beside her in case she fell again. She had scared me so badly! If I hadn't had vampire speed, I wouldn't have been able to get there in time to keep her from ending up on the floor.

Bella gave me a smile and stood slowly, hand reaching out for my arm. She was so fragile, and she depended on me, someone who could literally pulverize her if I wasn't careful?

I noticed she put quite a bit of her weight on me as she walked to the car, but I didn't say anything.

"I did it." she said, looking up at me with pride. I couldn't resist pressing my lips to hers. She reached up and pulled me closer, igniting all the I've had to get past. I pulled her hands away from me as the venom pooled at the back of my throat, begging for just one bite.

"I'm sorry, Edward." she whispered, staring at her hands in her lap. "I don't know what happened."

I pushed the wheelchair back to the entrance without a word, knowing that if I opened my mouth and breathed in so close to her, she might as well have not gone to the hospital. But I also knew that it would hurt her. I kept having to choose between two evils, and I hated it.

What had I done to deserve such a creature? She kept asking me to make her a vampire, so she would be my equal . . . but I couldn't take away her humanity; I refuse! I would miss the klutziness, the flush of her cheeks, the erratic jumping of her heart when I got close. She was so delicate, I was surprised I hadn't killed her yet.

Or maybe I wasn't. I knew I loved her, and whenever I thought of how dull and endless my life had been before, I shudder.

I climbed into the driver's seat and glanced over at Bella. I smelled salt, along with the taint of blood drying on the gauze, and her normal floral scent. She was looking out the window, keeping her face from me. I started the car.

After a few moments, I took her hand and kissed it, reveling in her warmth. She surprised me by pulling away.

"Don't Edward,"

I swallowed and looked over at her, wondering what was wrong. We'd had our disagreements, but there was never a time when she'd pulled away from me.

"What's wrong, Bella?" I asked, knowing it was a loaded question, and I would quite possibly get a loaded answer.

She whirled in her seat to face me, complexion pale. "Don't even try that with me, Edward Cullen!" her voice was tight and full of anguish.

I parked the car in her driveway and turned to look at her. Tears were flowing in unheeded tracks down her cheeks, her brown eyes alight with anger - and longing.

I frowned at her, hating to see it, because I had caused it. Somehow. "What did I do?"

"What did - what did you do?" Bella snapped. "You honestly don't know. Well, I'll tell you. Every time you get close to me, my body responds in a way we don't expect." she crossed her arms over her stomach protectively. "I can't help what you do to me, but the least you could have done was tell me it wasn't my fault.

"I know you don't want to do anything that could end up with me in a bloody puddle on the floor," I flinched at her visual image. "but I have desires, too, Edward." she whispered. "I need you." Bella finally seemed to realize she was crying and swiped at her face with her sleeves. "But what I don't understand is that you don't seem to want me."

"Isabella, how could you say that?" My heart ached. I reached for her hands, cradling them in mine. "You know I want you, and need you. But I don't want to hurt you; I couldn't live with myself."

"Then change me, Edward. Then you won't have to worry about that."

I shook my head, why couldn't she understand? "Bella, I'm not going to take you away from your family, I'm not going to end your humanity! I won't be the one to do it, not at all. I would miss your blush, your body heat, your klutziness, the sound of your heartbeat when I get close."

"You'll miss it anyway when I'm dead!" this was the first time she'd raised her voice at me, and it startled me, as much as her statement did.

"Bella, that's years away-" I tried to reassure her. I could feel my calm demeanor slipping away and giving in to anxiety.

She shook her head, looking at our intertwined hands. "You don't know that. I could've died yesterday, and that would've been the end of it all, Edward. No more Bella, period, end of story, end of the stupid romance book."

I swallowed, grasping for composure. "But you're alive, Bella." I moved one hand from hers and brushed aside her hair, letting me see her face clearly.

My dear Bella captured my hand in hers and held it to her cheek. The warmth flooding my hand was utter bliss. "Maybe you're just prolonging what fate says needs to be. Maybe I'm supposed to die at a young age. Either way, Edward, if you change your mind years from now, and you do want me to be with you forever, I'll be old and ugly. That's not what I'd want as a vampire, and I'd be the one saying no then."

I don't know if it was the way she said it, or if it was just now penetrating. I remembered my line of thought the night before, and how I didn't want to live forever without her in it. Suddenly, I wanted to say yes. I wanted to take her in my arms and kiss her and bite her then, so that fate couldn't get at her.

"Alright, Bella." Wait, did I say that? After a moment's thought, I discovered I meant it.

She looked at me curiously. "You mean it?"

Uncertainty curled in my stomach, but I ignored it. I put my hand behind her head and pulled her to my lips. Ah, I could never get enough of her! The way her kiss burned my lips - how it was like water to a dying man's thirst. "Yes, love. I mean every word. I'm looking forward to spending eternity with you." I left her lips, kissing below her ear, and trailing fire down to the collar of her red sweater, the one I thought brought out the flush to her face perfectly. I kissed along her hairline, across the back of her neck. Then I pulled away.

"Esme will be wondering what we're doing out here." I said, climbing out, an umbrella in hand. I held it over her head as we walked to the door, then left it, open, on the porch.

Inside, I could smell the gamey scent of bacon, and . . . eggs, perhaps? My mother came over and hugged Bella gently. "It's so good to see you looking so well. I have to admit I was worried. But you look like you're recovering nicely. Go on and sit down in the kitchen, I've got food ready."

Bella smiled indulgently. "I'm not really hungry, Esme." There were shadows under her eyes I hadn't noticed earlier. She needed to get to bed.

"Nonsense. Once you eat something, you can go rest. But you need sustenance." she gave Bella a little shove toward the kitchen. It was gentle, but in her more-fragile-than-usual state, Bella stumbled and almost fell. She grabbed onto the edge of the doorframe as Esme apologized profusely.

"Honest, I'm fine. Don't worry!" I followed behind my mother as Bella walked into the kitchen and sat on a stool. I sat beside her and put an arm around her. She looked up at me, her eyes shining. Her hair fell from her shoulders, washing a breeze of her scent to me. It no longer made me want to bite her, just kiss her until I ran out of air. I touched my lips to her warm nose, and smiled when she shivered.

Esme placed a plate with a starving man's portions in front of her. "Holy crap, Esme. I've eaten in the last week, you know!" Bella said, eyes wide.

After a few bites, she just pushed her food around on her plate. Esme was trying to convince her to eat more.

"Just a little, Bella." she pleaded.

I continued to trace small circles on her lower back.

"I'm just not hungry," Bella insisted, propping her head up on her fist. "I couldn't eat anything else if I tried. It must've been something in the IV."

I looked at her food; she had barely eaten a quarter of it. My Bella leaned against me. "I'm actually kinda tired." she closed her eyes, weariness etched into each feature.

Esme thought to me: Go ahead and take her up, Edward. Goodness knows she looks like she needs the rest.

I nodded and picked her up. She smiled up at me and snuggled closer against me, putting her arms around my neck with a sigh only I caught. I ran up the stairs and placed her in bed and slid in beside her. I pulled the covers up over both of us, and wrapped my arms around her.

Bella rolled over and cuddled nearer. "I love you, Edward," she whispered.

I kissed her temple softly. She lifted her face up; I knew what she wanted, and kissed her soundly. I could've sworn my withered heart started going into palpitations. She gave a little gasp and pulled away. I looked down at her, concerned

She blushed. "Sorry, I couldn't breathe. At all. Usually, it's not so bad, but this time it wasn't just an expression." Bella closed her eyes with a sigh.

I nuzzled my nose into the hollow of her throat. "I love you too, Isabella."