AN: I know what you're thinking... another update! Do you feel spoilt yet? :)

I just want to say a huge thank you to my pre-reader babylopez2008. You're awesome, and I couldn't update this without you.

Also, thank you to Angel N Darkness, DreamOfTheEndless, traceybuie, IcarusToSun, team jazper, khartgrove513,juney83uk, and kittycat1980 for reviewing my last chapter.

If I get an beta-ed version, I will let you know.

But for now, enjoy...

Bella

I have to admit that I think the stress is getting to me.

It's been a long week.

Edward

On Sunday evening, I accompanied Bella back to her house after describing the basics of what had happened with the wolves. I left out the discussion about biting a human.

She didn't talk much. I decided it was best that I spent the night outside. I didn't want to overcrowd her. It hurt a little when she didn't protest.

Suffice to say, it was a long night.

I took her to school on Monday. I didn't want to leave her to get my car, so we ended up going together in her truck. She let me drive again, for which I was grateful. When we arrived in the car lot, we got some weird looks. The thoughts of the students all revolved around the same thing; What are they doing together?

I could see that Bella was withdrawing into herself; reverting back to the meek person I first met. She'd had a long weekend, so I just put it down to that. At lunch, we spent our time in one of the music rooms. I thought maybe she would want to play on the piano. I know it always helped me. But she just stared at it.

She wouldn't even touch it.

So instead, I played for her.

She never asked me to stop, so I played compositions for the whole hour. It's not like I needed to eat. I noticed that Bella didn't either. She just sat on the opposite side of the room, staring at the instrument. I didn't try to engage her in conversation. I just let her be. I figured that the music would be better for her at this point.

Just like the previous night, I gave her some space and stayed outside. When I finally heard her breathing even out, I knew she was asleep. I made my move to join her. I sat in her desk chair until she was close to waking up.

Tuesday passed in much the same way as Monday.

On Wednesday, I needed to hunt. I went after school, leaving Bella in the hands of Alice. I returned by late evening, satiated for the time being. Alice left as soon as I arrived. She looked upset, but she wouldn't tell me why. Her thoughts were also protected. She was thinking of some ridiculous pop song.

I joined Bella in her room. Again, she was just staring in to the distance. I took a seat on the same chair that I spent my night on and waited.

I didn't have to wait long for her to speak. I was relieved to say the least to finally hear her saying something.

"Does Alice want me to die?" she asked.

The way she said it broke my heart.

"Why would you ask me that?"

Finally, she looked at me. I could smell the salty tang of tears that had built up in her eyes. She blinked them away before answering.

"She told me that she had a vision of that vampire attacking me, but she did nothing to help me. She was the first friend I made here... I don't understand."

I moved from my position on the chair and sat next to Bella at the head of her bed.

What do I say to that?

"How much did she actually tell you?" I ask.

"That was it... she said you could fill in the rest."

Of course she did.

I decide on how to tell her, I don't want her to think badly of my sister.

"I think Alice just got caught up in the moment."

That's not enough, is it? I'm going to have to tell her about my sister's very first vision of her, aren't I?

Will Bella be able to handle it though?

She looked at me expectantly, obviously wanting more of an answer from me. I had to tell her something. In the end, I blurted most of the truth out.

"Before you arrived in Forks, before I came back too, Alice had a vision of you. She didn't know who you were at the time, but it was you. She showed me it after I saw you that first time. I think she was hoping that you being attacked was the chance for it to come true. She realised afterwards just how selfish it was of her. She hasn't been the same since it happened. I've never known her to be so sad or remorseful. I think she'd do anything to make it up to you."

Bella's eyes darted around the room while she processed what I had told her.

"I don't know," she finally says quietly.

"You don't have to decide now. I'm sure Alice will see when you do anyway and she'll come barrelling through your door." I try to make a joke.

"What was the first vision of?" she asks as she turns on the bed to face me properly.

"Uh... well, it was of you. You were in a dense forest..."

"There's something you're not telling me, isn't there?" she asks me. Before I can reply, she continues, "Don't worry. I think I've heard enough for now."

We spent the rest of the evening talking about me. She kept asking me questions about what I had done with my life and where I was before I decided to come back to Forks to join my family for good.

"I was in Paris for Valentine's day. Big mistake." I laugh.

"You were alone?"

She sounded sad. I allowed myself a little bit of hope that she might feel something for me.

I nodded in reply to her question.

"Yeah, uh, I travelled by myself the whole time."

"Why?" her sweet voice asks.

"When you can read the thoughts of everyone around you, it sort of drives you a little crazy. I love my family and even though I was surrounded by their thoughts, I still felt... alone, I guess."

"So, you travelled to find someone?" I've never wished so much to hear inside her head than at that moment.

"No. I travelled to find myself. I was doing the same thing every day, and after one hundred years you can imagine how monotonous that gets. I needed the change."

She accepted my answer. We spent the rest of the evening swapping stories about one another until she became too tired to stay up any longer. I wanted to learn more about her, but she kept asking me questions about myself instead. I answered as best as I could.

Thursday and Friday were much better than the start of the week. By Friday evening, we had heard from the pack that they had caught a trace of the nomad's scent out toward the sea.

So, she was still trying to come back. Was she testing our defences?

Now it's the weekend again, I've persuaded Bella to spend her time over at our place.

I'm tired of waiting. I'm fed up of wanting her all the time.

Today is the day that I tell her the whole truth.

I think my family were right all those weeks ago.

I think she's my mate.

Bella

"Welcome, sweetie. How are you?" Esme asks as soon as I enter the house.

"I'm okay, thank you."

"Can I get you something to eat? It's around lunch time for you, isn't it?" she asks as she ushers me towards the kitchen.

"Oh, um, really? But you don't eat food."

"We don't, but you do. We still have to go grocery shopping to keep up appearances, but now it won't have to go to waste." She smiles as she walks towards the refrigerator. I take a seat on one of the stools that surrounds the island counter.

As soon as I do, Edward walks into the kitchen and takes a seat next to me. He drove me over in my truck which Rosalie has offered to look at. Edward was complaining about the speed of it. It got on my nerves, so I relented. I think she's working on it now.

I watch as Esme pulls out some ingredients to make a sandwich. I must have a puzzled look on my face because Edward leans towards me and says, "She's been watching The Food Network."

With Edward being in such close proximity and the thoughtfulness that Esme is displaying, my skin erupts with goose bumps and I feel my cheeks blush. If they notice, they're kind enough not to point it out.

Esme makes small talk with Edward while she fixes my food at a human pace, allowing me to think back over my week. Spending time with Edward has been great, even if the start of the week didn't go so well for me. I guess you could say I was lost in my thoughts, not willing to share them with anybody.

Thankfully, I haven't had to see Alice much, just that once on Wednesday... but I'd rather not think about that.

This week has just shown me that any feelings I thought I had for Edward have now increased. It feels weird to be without him. I don't like it when he goes somewhere without me, even though I know it's impossible to go with him when he's hunting. It's like a part of me craves his presence at all times.

Why is that?

"Here you go, Bella," Esme says, bringing me back into the present as she hands me my sandwich.

"Thank you."

She smiles at Edward and I and replies, "I'll just leave you to it."

She walks out of the room, leaving me alone with her son.

I'm not complaining.

"You don't have to stay," I tell Edward. "I know you don't like the smell." I reach down to the sandwich and pick it up to take a bite.

Cheese and tomato- nice.

Another thing that I've learnt about Edward this week; the smell of food repulses him. I made sure to brush my teeth after every time I ate.

"I'd rather stay." He smiles at me as I chew.

"What?" I ask after swallowing my bite.

"Watching you eat is fascinating."

I don't know what to say to that, so instead I pay close attention to my sandwich.

That's something else I've noticed throughout this week. There has been several occasions where he's said something and it's almost felt like he was flirting with me. I tried not to think about it at the time, but it only spurred on my feelings. It's like that time by the waterfall when he told me I meant everything to him.

I can dream, right?

Once I've taken my last bite, Edward picks up my plate and washes it, all before I've even swallowed the last of my meal.

It makes me happy that he can be himself around me.

"Where is everyone?" I ask.

Are we alone?

"Ever since the nomad's trace was picked up again, Jasper and Emmett have been working hard to track her. I think they're in Canada right now. Alice decided to go with them this time. She thought she would be more useful there than here. Carlisle is working, and Esme is cleaning. Oh, and Rosalie is working on your truck."

"Okay."

"So, is there anything you wanted to do today?" he asks me.

"Not really," I reply.

He nods and says, "Follow me then."

I get up and walk behind Edward. He guides me up the stairs by placing his hand in the small of my back.

We end up in his room. He drops his arm when we reach his door. I walk through ahead of him as he holds the door open for me.

I don't know why, but I'm nervous. Maybe it's because I have bad memories of this place. I would do anything to forget that day, but that was also when I learned what this family really was. Would I really want to change that?

I take a look at Edward and instantly I instantly know my answer.

No, of course not.

He actually looks as nervous as I feel. I wonder why. I turn my back on him and take a seat on his couch. He slowly walks over to me. He doesn't sit next to me at first. It's like he's trying to decide on something. I haven't seen him like this before. It's making me worry.

"Is there something wrong?" I ask quietly when he finally decides to sit down next to me.

"No," he says quickly.

He turns his body so he's facing me completely. I do the same.

"There was something I wanted to talk to you about," he tells me after a brief second of silence.

"Okay," I reply hesitantly.

He reaches out and takes my hand in his. He told me earlier in the week that he likes the warmth of my skin. I have to say that I think I prefer the cool feel of his.

I look at his expression, and it almost looks like he's in pain. Without thinking about it, my free hand finds its way to his face. He leans into my palm and seems to relax.

"Bella, I wish I could describe to you how I feel."

My hand drops from his face and back into my lap. Do I really want to hear what he has to say? What if it's a rejection?

His hand squeezes the one that he's already holding, making me look from my lap back up to his eyes.

"But that's exactly it," he continues. "The way I feel for you is indescribable. I've never felt this way before, and honestly, it scares me a little." He chuckles but it sounds like a nervous reaction. "What I've been trying to tell you this past week is that vampires are like one half of a whole. When they find their other half, they become complete, and it changes them eternally."

He takes a deep breath and searches my face.

"That's what I meant when I told you that vampires mate."

"Okay..." I say. I want him to spell it out for me. I don't want there to be any confusion about this because if I allow myself hope, then he could easily break my heart.

"Bella... you've changed me, irrevocably. I'm sorry if it's too soon, but I need to tell you that I love you. I love you, Isabella Swan."

My jaw drops in shock.

What did he just say?

AN: Thoughts?

Until next time...