Super short chapter. I hope you love it.

So lovely, so smooth, his fingers gently squeezed mine. I would have fainted if I was human. My heart would have lept out of my chest and ran away. So, instead, I closed my eyes and inhaled his pine-and-snow smell, a smile playing on my lips.

I wanted to slap myself, shove myself back into reality. Edward was just leading me somewhere to talk about where I would go. And yet, I absorbed every second, every detail of it.

I pretended he still loved me, that I was human and blushing. That he'd never left. That his smile warmed his liquid gold eyes, that I was waking up in his once cool arms. That he was holding my hand just because he wanted to be close to me. That his sweet breath would cloud my senses as he leaned down to press his lips--

I snapped out of my wishful thinking as we began to run through the dense forest. Well, he started to run, dragging me along until I could get my legs to move. Green blurred past us, air whistling through my ears. I was so wrapped up in Edward that time stood still.

I breathed in the cool, earthy air to clear my head. I was acting ridiculous, prattling on like a school girl about my latest infatuation. My feet padded lightly against the soft dirt and moss forest floor. The sky would have been clear if it weren't for a few puffy grey clouds hanging along the tops of the trees.

My pupils dialated as a strange light grew brighter in the distance. Edward stopped us right before the trees ended.

He didn't release my hand.

"Why don't you go out first, Bella?" He suggested quietly, his eyes never leaving my face.

I nodded and pulled the last few leaves out of the way.

I stepped into our meadow. The stream still bubbled and gurgled. The grass waved in silvery ripples. Delicate white flowers nodded along with the breeze. The sky was pink around edges, the tip of the red sun not yet breaking the horizon. The grey clouds floated away, turning purple.

Edward was suddenly beside me. "Don't leave, Bella." He whispered. I didn't turn to face him.

"Why not?" I murmured back.

After an unfathomable moment, Edward spoke.

"Because I love you."

And I was in the forest once more, my back pressing against the thick trunk of an oak. My hair caught against the rough bark as I twisted my head to see around the tree. Edward stood perfectly still and gazed evenly back at me. My breathing was labored. I ripped my eyes away from him and sank to the ground, pulling my knees to my chest. What did he just say? Clearly, I was mistaken. He didn't actually... I shook my head and stood up, plucking the leaves and twigs from my hair.

I went around the tree before walking tentatively back into the clearing, eyeing him suspiciously.

He was in front of me before I could blink. I started to step back, but he wound his hands gently around my waist before pulling me into his chest. He sighed and kissed the top of my head.

"I love you." His words were muffled against my hair, but I heard him clearer than day.

My eyes widened. I pulled back so that I could see his face, my eyebrows furrowing together.

"No, you don't." I reminded him.

He tucked a lock of hair behind my ear and smiled wistfully.

"Ah, but I do."

I slipped out from underneath his arms. Fury threatened to spill over.

He smiled at me.

I screamed.

"Stop that! Stop pretending you didn't leave me in those woods, Edward Cullen." I slammed my fists against his chest. "Stop saying you love me. Stop smiling at me all the time. Stop acting like the last six months never happened."

"I'm not pretending, Bella." His face was agonized. "I'll never forgive myself for decieving you. But honestly, Bella, after the countless number of times I've told you I love you, how could you have believed me so easily?"

I shook my head visciously. This was not happening.

"I left you to protect you. From me." He walked up to me and laughed once without humor. "But I couldn't even protect you from yourself."

My raging fire ebbed to a burning ember, his words like water. Doubt filled my mind. I hated him for having such an unbreakable grip on me. Common sense told me to shake my head and walk away, but I couldn't bring myself to listen.

Swiftly, I lashed out and slapped him, hard, across his face. His head jerked to the side. Then, I wrapped my arms around his neck and dry-sobbed into his shirt:

"Don't you ever do that to me again."

He wrapped his arms around me in return, rocking us from side to side, crooning my name. We stayed like that for what seemed like an eternity.

Before I knew it, the sun flared out across the forest, yellow streaks licking the world around me to life. The grass turned emerald and the sky a blinding blue. Blinking, I gazed up at Edward in amazement. His skin was sparkling, hidden diamonds glittering. He stared down at me, his expression dazed. Checking my skin beneath my tattered shirt, I beamed.

I was sparkling, too.

Oh, delicious lovey-dovey-ness. I couldn't help it, I had to have Bella slap Eward. So... may take a little longer for the next update, because I have some serious plot-twisting to do. Bwahaha! Review, please! (Who am I kidding, you don't need to be reminded!)