As always, I couldn't do this without my super fantastic beta cdunbar...go now and read Resident Geek...srsly...this can wait...lol

EclipseoftheTwilightMoon...HAPPY BIRTHDAY BB!!!!....Written in the Stars is also required reading....well, what are you waiting for?

The ladies on the Twilighted thread rock my socks right off....I love you all....and to the Cougarmobile ladies, you know who are, I'm on my way!!

Disclaimer: I am not Stephenie Meyer, in case you hadn't already guessed.

CHAPTER 8

Goodbye

EPOV

I was back at Bella's building at 8am the next morning, after a restless night and another couple of hours of time wasting, armed with coffee and bagels. This time she was up, dressed, and greeted me with a breathtaking smile as she opened the door.

"Again?" she chuckled, eyeing the tray. "Careful, a girl could get used to this," she warned, leading me into the kitchen.

"She should." I smiled. "I plan on bringing you something every chance I get."

She gave me a coy, sideways glance before hopping up onto the counter next to our breakfast and fishing a bagel out of the bag.

"Well, so long as you stick to coffee and bagels, I think I can accept. But no new cars or anything extravagant, ok?" she teased before taking a sip of coffee.

"Damn," I laughed. "I guess I'll have to cancel the delivery I had planned for tomorrow." I let out an exaggerated sigh and rolled my eyes to the ceiling.

She snorted at my dramatics and then we both laughed while I reveled in the comfortable camaraderie that we had built up in such a short time; along with the feeling of calming completeness I felt whenever she was near.

The day played out much the same as the day before; we continued the monumental task of sorting and packing her books, stopping to discuss certain ones as the hours flew by. As we were empting the last of the shelves, Jasper and Alice came over, with pizza from Volterra this time, and we all settled down to watch a movie.

Before I thought it was possible, the day was over and I was, once again, embracing Bella at her front door, wishing her a good night. I held her a little longer this time, relishing the feel of her in my arms and was thrilled when she didn't pull away or make a sarcastic comment when I finally released her.

With a promise to call her when I got home and to see her again the next morning, I practically skipped down the hall to join Alice and Jasper in the elevator.

The ensuing two days followed in much the same fashion. We had begun to work our way through her 'maybe' pile of books and, through much debate and discussion, had narrowed them down to a top ten. Bella had decided that she wanted to work her way through her favorite movies, watching one or two each evening, before packing them in the open box which was situated next to the entertainment center.

Jasper and Alice came by at varying times to help or bring food and we had already taken a load of boxes and smaller pieces of furniture to the storage unit. Jasper and I insisted on being the ones to do all the lifting and carrying while the girls kept us supplied with snacks and bottled water.

Each evening I reluctantly returned home. The nights I spent away from her were filled with anxiety; lying awake for hours recalling every look or touch that had passed between us throughout the day, counting down the seconds until I could be back on her doorstep. Plagued by an overwhelming feeling that each minute spent without her was a minute wasted.

My physical reactions to her presence had not subsided. On the contrary, they had become more intense over time. I found myself in a near constant state of arousal from the moment she answered her door, her scent enveloping me as I walked by her. My condition would be painfully punctuated each time she'd reach for something, revealing a sliver of smooth, creamy skin, when her shirt rose up slightly. Or whenever she bent over to pick something up. Or when she would brush past me on her way through the apartment.

Those were the images that invaded my mind when I finally fell asleep. Not only did this woman consume my every waking thought, she also starred in all of my dreams. The throbbing morning wood I awoke with each day, as a result, made my morning shower ritual essential for more than just personal hygiene reasons.

I was hornier than a teenage boy at a Playboy mansion party, and it took all of my willpower at times to not follow through with the frequent urges to show her exactly the effect she had on me. Thankfully, on those occasions, logic outweighed the instinctual need to satisfy my baser impulses.

My reasons for holding back were many and varied. First of all, I was convinced that if I gave in to temptation, I would not be able to let her go; my initial impulse to drop to my knees and beg her to stay would certainly become a reality and probably cause her to run screaming to the airport.

Another concern was how my advances would be perceived. Surely, making a move on a girl while possessing the knowledge that she was leaving town, possibly permanently, would suggest a desire for a 'no strings attached' fling and that was not the impression I wanted Bella to leave with. Even if she were accepting of my advances, the chances of her wanting to try to build a relationship on such a rocky foundation, should she return, would be slim. The thought of having no chance with her later, when we had more time, because of a mistake made in these two weeks, was unbearable.

My biggest fear, however, was that she wouldn't be interested in pursuing any more than the friendship that was budding between us and that by pushing things too far or too fast, I could ruin what we did have. I truly cherished the time we spent together and was afraid to do anything that may cause her to be uncomfortable and consequently cut short our already very limited time.

In spite of all my honorable intentions, the pull I felt to be in contact with her was too strong to ignore and I spent my time finding ways to be close to her, without the risk of total rejection. I had established early on that handholding and quick embraces were not overstepping any boundaries that Bella may have set, so I took every available opportunity to do both. When my hand acted of its own accord and stroked her face, I discovered, to my great astonishment and joy, that she didn't shy away from that either, so that became something else I did as often as possible.

By the fifth day we had settled into a very relaxed and comfortable routine. We had spent the morning organizing and packing unessential items in the kitchen and had retired to the sofa to finally narrow down the pile of top ten books to the final three. Bella was sitting cross legged beside me, close enough that her knee was resting on my thigh, and I had my arm stretched out on the back of the sofa behind her as we discussed her options.

When she couldn't decide between the final five titles that were strewn over the remainder of the sofa, she let out an exasperated sigh and leaned back; resting her head on my shoulder with her arm falling back to brush against my side. My hand gripped the back of the sofa to prevent it from reaching down and scooping her in closer as I took a deep breath before drowning in the glorious scent of her hair that was now a mere inch away from my face.

She continued to debate the pros and cons of each book, as I fought to hold myself together, until she finally decided on her favorite three. I watched as she set the last two books to be packed aside, before she exhaled loudly and slowly got up to pick out our movie for tonight.

Alice and Jasper were not visiting tonight, so Bella and I made do with reheated leftovers for dinner before settling down to watch the film. To my delight, Bella relaxed into her previous position next to me before throwing a blanket over both our legs and hitting 'play' on the remote control.

As she watched the movie, my mind ran through all the possibilities that this new development presented. Was she trying to send a message? Was she simply so at ease around me that this seemed like a natural progression for her? Would she act like this around any friend? Am I reading too much into this?

I concluded that I was probably reading too much into this simple gesture and resolved to just relax and enjoy whatever morsels of intimacy Bella decided to throw my way; letting her set the pace and intensity. I allowed my arm to fall lazily from the back of the couch and my fingertips barely touched the skin on her exposed arm. I felt her flinch minutely when our skin made contact and worried that I had over stepped that invisible line before I felt her relax, once again, into my side.

When the movie was over, Bella got up to turn off the TV and pack away the movie while I got ready to leave. I moved towards the door, expecting her to follow me, as was our routine, when she whispered my name softly from across the room, effectively stopping me in my tracks.

"Bella?' I asked, turning to where her voice was coming from.

She was standing at the opposite end of the couch, picking nervously at a loose thread on the seam of the upholstery. Her shoulders were hunched and tense as she stared intently at her busy fingers.

"Were you planning on coming and spending the day here every day?" she questioned, hesitantly.

My stomach churned and I swallowed hard, forcing back the bile that had begun to rise in my throat.

This is it. She doesn't want me to come back. I panicked. I should've given her some space instead for forcing my presence on her every second. Way to go, Edward!

"I can't think of anything else I'd rather do," I said truthfully, struggling to keep my tone light and even, while a thin film of sweat formed on my brow.

"Well…I…um," she mumbled, still staring down at her hands before sucking in a deep breath. "It seems silly for you to go home just to sleep. This sofa pulls out into a bed so…uh…you can stay here if you want," she blurted out in one breath.

Once my brain had caught up with what she had said, I blew out a long breath and my body relaxed so completely that I almost collapsed onto the floor. Figuring that having me faint was probably not the answer she was looking for, I pulled myself together.

"I'd love to," I replied lightly, attempting the relive the tension in her posture. "If you're sure I won't be in the way?"

She slowly raised her head; her beautiful brown eyes met mine as her lips pulled into a small smile. When I returned her gesture with a big, dumb grin, her shoulders loosened as her smile broadened. And, just like that, we were back.

"Of course not," she said brightly. "Alice used to spend most of her time here before. To be honest, it's been kind of weird to be here alone for so many nights." She moved towards the coffee table and was about to move it out of the way when I interrupted.

"I'll get this," I offered, picking up the table and moving it off to the side.

"Ok, I'll get you some bedding," she called over her shoulder as she headed for her room.

I had just finished pulling out the mattress and frame when she returned with a pile of linens. We worked together to make up the bed and then Bella handed me the t-shirt and sweat pants that I had worn that first night.

"So…I was thinking that maybe we could go to your house tomorrow?" she asked, a little timidly. "I'd love to have a bath and then you could pick up some clothes while we're there?"

"Sounds like a plan," I answered, desperately trying to ignore the bathtub fantasy that popped into my mind the moment she mentioned it.

"Ok." She grinned. "Well, goodnight, Edward," she said as she walked down the hall.

"Goodnight, Bella." My eyes followed her retreating form.

"Oh and, Edward?" Bella turned, with her hand on the doorknob. "It's my turn to make breakfast tomorrow, ok?"

"Ok," I chuckled before she disappeared into her room.

I quickly stripped down to my boxers and pulled on the t-shirt that Bella had given me before sliding between the sheets on the surprisingly comfortable bed. Sinking my head into the pillow, I automatically rolled over to face the direction of the hallway and for the first time in a week, I fell into a deep and peaceful sleep.

"Wake up, sleepyhead!" I was awoken the next morning to Bella plopping herself down on the bed beside me.

I reluctantly opened my eyes and stared at her blearily. She was holding two plates, stacked with pancakes and I could smell that there was coffee nearby.

"What time is it?" I rasped, easing myself up to lean against the back of the sofa.

"Nine o'clock!" she exclaimed, passing me a plate. "Honestly, how you managed to get here at eight every morning is beyond me. I've been banging around in that kitchen for half an hour and you haven't even stirred!" she finished, cutting through her pancakes.

"Alarm clock," I lied, rubbing my eyes with the back of my hand.

"Well, eat your food," she giggled at my disheveled appearance and pointed her fork at the plate in my lap. "I made pancakes so that we could use up that maple syrup you found!"

I obeyed her order and ate the delicious breakfast, nodding and humming my appreciation throughout. When we had finished, Bella took my plate into the kitchen and I grabbed my jeans from the end of the bed and made my way to the bathroom, amazed and refreshed by my extended sleep.

A little over an hour later I was lying on my own bed, distracted by the sounds of water dripping and swishing around as Bella unwound in the tub. The fact that there was only a wall separating me from a very wet, very naked Bella was driving me crazier than I imagined possible. I was so turned on, I couldn't think straight. Hell, I couldn't think at all. And I'd almost forgotten what I had planned to do to pass the time while waiting for her to finish.

When I heard her begin to hum, I couldn't take it any more. The image of her in my head, coupled with the sounds of the water and now her voice, were too much. I grabbed my trusty iPod, popped in the ear buds and, sitting down at my desk, I booted up my computer, logged onto iTunes and busied myself with downloading some items I'd been meaning to purchase.

I was startled a short time later by a tap on my shoulder. I spun around in my chair and found myself confronted with Bella's chest. My eyes widened while I gawped for a second at the way her breasts were moving, before I realized that she was talking to me.

"I'm sorry, what?" I said, pulling the buds out of my ears and raising my eyes to meet hers.

"I said that I did knock, but you didn't hear me. I can see why now," she laughed and pointed to my iPod. "Anyway, I'm ready when you are. I'll meet you downstairs?"

"Sure," I replied. "I think I'll have a quick shower first, though, ok?"

"No problem, I wanted to speak to Alice before we left, so take your time." She smiled and turned away. I watched the sway of her hips as she walked across the room and out of the door.

I was feeling more than a little guilty about what I was about to do, while Bella was in the house, but I could see no other option. Well, besides dragging her back into the bedroom. My balls were blue from listening to her in the bath, and then after having had her breasts in my face less than a minute ago, I knew I wouldn't make it through the rest of the day without finding some relief first. I sighed in resignation and made my way to the bathroom.

When I got back downstairs, relaxed and refreshed, the girls were excitedly making plans for the next day. Sunday had been declared a 'no work day' and the four of us were going to spend the day on Bainbridge Island, continuing with the 'tourist in your own town' theme. After making arrangements to meet in the morning at the ferry terminal, Bella and I left to continue our work and spend another evening eating popcorn and watching movies.

Despite the fact that the ferry was teeming with tourists, it felt as though Bella and I were the only ones aboard as we stood on the deck, leaning against the railings, silently watching the Seattle skyline becoming further and further away. The ever present breeze off the water caused Bella to shiver and wrap her arms around herself in an effort to keep warm. Pushing myself back from the railing, I moved to stand behind her, attempting to shield her from the chill as I rubbed my hands briskly up and down her arms to try to keep her warm. She turned her head to me and smiled in gratitude before leaning against my chest.

The ferry pulled towards the dock as we stood there, my arms on either side of hers, our hands in a neat row, side by side on the rail while she relaxed against me. I looked down to the peaceful expression on her face; her head rested on my shoulder and her eyes were closed as she breathed in the salty air in a deep, steady rhythm.

It was in that fleeting second that the seed of despair, which had lain dormant in my stomach since the time I had learned that she was leaving, began to grow. I knew that, from this moment on, the remainder of our time together would be bittersweet. Suddenly, each second that passed no longer held the hope that I had so foolishly harbored, that watching her leave would get easier, but instead it would mark the impending arrival of our goodbye.

We were jostled by the docking of the ferry, effectively breaking us both from our reveries. I breathed out a heavy sigh before offering my hand to Bella to escort her through crowded ship. She looked at me quizzically, but left her question unasked before lacing her fingers through mine and allowing me to lead the way. Although my heart was decidedly heavier from my most recent revelation, I was still determined, perhaps more so now then before, to enjoy whatever time I had left with her.

Our morning was spent on the beach, the four of us chilling out and enjoying the short lived Northwest summer. The conversation between Alice and Bella had turned to one of fights, airports, and suitcases. Each travel related word caused a tightening in my chest and the looks I was receiving from Jasper had changed from the smug snickers and smirks of last week, to ones of apology and pity, which really wasn't helping my situation at all.

After having lunch in a small café, we parted company. Alice felt the need to stroll around the shops in the village and dragged Jasper off on yet another shopping excursion. I was beginning to wonder if the girl had a problem. Bella and I, on the other hand, preferred to take in some of the trails that the island had to offer.

We fell into an easy conversation as we walked, hand in hand, through the trees and it was at this point I discovered yet another side to Bella. She was a klutz. It would seem that any grace she appeared to have possessed was only in effect when there weren't leaves and tree roots in her path.

I spent the majority of my time with her in my arms, saving her from hitting the ground. And while I loved being her savior, I couldn't help but caution her to be more careful; joking about there being no hospital on the island and not wanting to have to have her air lifted back to Seattle.

"Well, it's a good thing that I bought along my own personal physician then, isn't it Dr. Cullen?" she laughed, nudging my shoulder playfully.

The reaction I had to her calling me Dr. Cullen was, admittedly, not conducive to a doctor/patient relationship and I hoped it was not the reaction I would have every time somebody addressed me by that title. I chuckled at the image of me getting called before the Medical Review Board for getting a raging hard on each time I was paged, in my future career.

We met up with Alice and Jasper back at the ferry terminal in the early evening and once on board, Bella and I took up our previous position on the deck. It was warm inside the passenger area of the boat but the evening had brought with it a much cooler breeze and I was surprised that Bella had insisted on remaining outside for our return journey. It did, however, give me an excuse to wrap myself around her more tightly to try to keep her warm and so I decided not to question her motives and just enjoyed the half hour trip.

After joining Alice and Jasper for dinner and a few drinks, we returned to Bella's apartment, where we both realized that we were too tired from our day outside to stay up to watch another movie. We worked together to make up my bed before saying our goodnights and I watched Bella slip into her room.

Monday flew by in a flurry of activity; Alice came over to help Bella pack her suitcase and carry-on, boxing up any unnecessary items along the way while I spent the day packing her less personal items, CDs, linens, kitchen utensils, etc. The plan was to have everything packed and ready by the end of the day as the four of us were moving the remainder of the furniture and belongings to the storage unit the following day.

Bella's flight was leaving on Friday morning, and Renee and the Brandon's both wanted to spend some time with her before she left. She would be leaving her truck at Alice's parents while she was away. So the plan was that we would move everything out on Tuesday and then she and Alice would drive separately to Redmond. They were going for dinner with the Brandon's and staying there overnight, then spending time with Renee on Wednesday, before returning to Seattle on Wednesday evening. Jasper and I had offered our guest room to Bella for her final two nights in Washington.

Alice and Jasper showed up early the next morning and while the girls finished any last minute packing, Jasper and I wrestled the sofa bed into to elevator and then onto the truck. When we finally made it back upstairs, the girls were waiting for us with water, coffee, and cereal, which we gratefully accepted before continuing on.

After three trips to the storage unit, with the truck loaded with furniture and the Volvo piled with boxes, we were finally done. Bella wanted to make one last check of the apartment to ensure nothing was left behind before she handed her key to the building manager. I, naturally, followed her up. She quickly scanned the rooms before returning to where I was standing in the living room.

I watched her face as she took in the bare walls and the empty expanse of floor, her eyes darkened and her brow creased in sorrow. Seeing her look so sad, I had an overwhelming urge to do whatever it took to make the expression go away. I wanted to take her in my arms and tell that everything was going to be ok. I wanted to kiss her until that crease in her forehead smoothed out and then kiss her some more, until her smile was back. I wanted to bring all her stuff back and put the apartment back to the way it was, if it would make her happy.

So, I did the only thing I could do, I gave her some time and then, silently offered her my hand. She looked at it before glancing up to look into my eyes. And then she did smile. Not the full, knock me off my feet smile that I'd hoped for but it was a smile, nonetheless. She placed her small hand in mine and I gave it a slight squeeze before leading her out of the door and to the elevator for the last time.

Tuesday night Jasper and I sat in silence in our living room; he had taken his usual place on the recliner and was staring at the TV. 'Gods and Generals' was playing on the TV but I was spared the running commentary on the history of the characters and the critique of the filmmakers' accuracy that always accompanied the viewing in the past as he sat, expressionless.

I had taken up residence on the sofa, an open textbook in my lap with a blank notepad on the cushion beside me, a pen held loosely in my right hand as I tried to concentrate on the words that were swimming on the pages before me.

It was still fairly early when Jasper finally turned his head towards me, the movement causing me to look up from the book I couldn't read. We simply rolled our eyes at each other before closing everything up for the night and going to our rooms to, presumably, wallow some more in privacy. If it wasn't so pathetic, it would have been funny.

Bella still starred in my dreams that night, but not in the way she had for the past week and half. I could see her and get close to her in every scenario; however, when I reached out to touch her, it was as if there was an invisible barrier surrounding her, preventing me from making contact. I tried everything from approaching her slowly, trying to slip past the shield undetected, to holding out my arms and encouraging her to reach out to me, but nothing worked. Each time, I was allowed to get to within an inch of her skin only to be denied the touch I craved.

I woke up on Wednesday morning, frustrated and angry. Jasper tried to coax me out of my room at about noon; his spirits had lifted considerably as the day wore on and he took it upon himself to attempt to cheer me up. He spent a couple of hours annoying the hell out of me, not leaving me alone for a second, telling stupid jokes or boring me with some civil war story and, while I appreciated the effort, he really wasn't helping matters. My heart felt like it weighed a thousand pounds and that seed in my stomach had sprouted into a full grown tree overnight.

After a few moments of blessed silence, Jasper finally said, quietly, "You know, Alice is convinced she'll come back."

I looked up at him and blew out a defeated sigh. "Jasper, you were there yesterday. Her apartment is empty, she has a one way ticket, and for reasons that I don't understand, she seems determined to give this her best shot."

"That's what I told Alice." There was pity in his eyes again. "But she just said 'I know these things' and tapped her finger on her temple." He looked amused as he recalled the conversation.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" I asked, exasperated.

"Damned if I know!" He rolled his eyes. "But the point is, she knows Bella better than either one of us, so there's got to be something to it, right?"

"Maybe," I conceded, my heart lightening minutely at the thought.

"Have you thought about telling her how you feel?" Jasper's voice dropped as he became more serious.

"What I am supposed to say? 'Oh, by the way, I know you're leaving and we've only known each other for a week, but I just thought you should know that I am completely obsessed with you and if you don't come back there is a good chance that I'll be showing up on your doorstep before the year is out'? She'll have an Order of Protection issued against me by day's end. Her dad's a cop, you know?" I leaned back against the headboard and groaned.

"Well, when you put it that way, I guess it does make you sound kind of creepy," he chuckled. "But, if you do decide to go that route, could you make sure I'm there to see it?"

"Not funny, Jasper." I reached behind me and pulled out a pillow, throwing it at his head before we both started laughing at my ridiculous situation.

Satisfied that he had accomplished his mission to pull me out of my mood, Jasper stood up from the bed and walked towards the door.

"If your ass isn't downstairs in ten minutes, I'm coming back up. I don't think I've told you about the Napoleonic Wars before, have I?" he threatened with a grin on his way out the door. "The girls will be here soon and I, for one, can't wait!" he shouted out, on his way down the hall.

Knowing that he wasn't bluffing about the history lesson spurred me into action. I quickly changed before following Jasper downstairs. The effort he went to this afternoon to make sure that I was ok gave me hope that maybe I would be able to manage to get through the days once Bella was gone. My only concern now was to make the most of our last hours together.

Bella and Alice arrived a short time later and we all convened to the living room. Alice hopped on Jasper's lap, as was the norm now, and Bella sat next to me on the couch. We talked for a while about the things they had done since we'd seen them last while Jasper and I evaded any questions about our own activities during their absence, not needing them to know that we were practically useless without them.

Bella had chosen to leave her Wii with Alice, rather than put it in storage, and Alice decided to keep it at our house. Once it was set up, we chose a different game to play, this time going with a bowling game that had us arranging the furniture in order to accommodate the movement that was necessary to play.

After playing for a couple of hours we called it a night and I took Bella's suitcase upstairs to the guest room and wished her a goodnight at her door before crossing the hall and heading for my own bed. Crawling between the sheets, I lay on my side facing the door, My heart was still heavier than normal, but there was calm air flowing over me as I fell into a deep sleep.

I woke on Thursday with the determination of a death row inmate who was facing the chair the next morning. Trepidation about what was to come filled each moment, but it was overridden by the desire to fully experience every second to the fullest until that time came.

Jasper cooked breakfast for the four of us, and Bella and I cleared away the dishes afterwards. We had the radio on and I couldn't help but hum along to one of the songs as it played.

"I never pegged you for a Buckcherry fan," Bella laughed.

"I'll have you know," I quirked an eyebrow at her, "That my taste in music is quite varied, and pretty damn good, if I do say so myself," I added, smirking.

"I think I'll be the judge of that," she quipped, raising her eyebrow in a challenge.

"Ok," I said, grabbing her hand. "I'll show you."

I pulled her up the stairs and into my room, stopping in front of my CD collection.

"Whoa," she gasped. "That's a lot of music!" she exclaimed as she ran her fingers along the shelves slowly, pulling out her selections as she went.

I picked up the discs she had chosen so far and began loading them into my stereo. Once it was full, I grabbed the remote and switched it on before handing the control to Bella. She couldn't possibly have realized that I had never done anything like that before in my life. It was a huge deal for me to allow someone else to have free reign over my music and I had handed her that remote without giving it a second thought. Jasper had almost lost a finger when he tried to change the radio station in my car not too long ago.

The rest of the day was spent in my room, just the two of us listening to everything from classical to rock. We laid on the floor, side by side with our eyes closed, as the soft piano of Debussy washed over us. We sat on the bed discussing bands she'd never heard of as I played her some of my favorite tracks from each one. She sang along to some of the older songs that we both loved. She even started head banging and playing air guitar to some of the heavier rock in my collection while I watched and laughed, falling for her even harder than I had already.

My meticulously arranged CD rack had been annihilated, stacks of CDs littered the floor and under normal circumstances I would have been crawling the walls trying to keep everything organized, but today I just couldn't bring myself to care about anything except the smile I saw on Bella's face each time she listened to something new.

When she finally noticed my DVD collection, her face lit up as she looked at me with a question in her eyes. I smiled and nodded, silently asking her pick whichever movie she wanted as I turned the stereo off and turned on the TV.

We watched movies well into the night and I was thrilled that she seemed as reluctant for this night to end as I was. Finally, just as the current movie was about to end, I turned to ask her what she wanted to watch next when I noticed that she had fallen asleep.

Quietly turning off the TV, I shifted my body so that I was lying on my side, facing her, taking the opportunity to watch her as she slept. She was even more gorgeous than I thought possible, lying on my pillow, her face smooth and relaxed, mouth slightly open with a soft snoring sound coming out, which told me that she was deeply asleep. Her hair had fallen into her eyes and I gently brushed it back so that I could see her more clearly.

My eyes were getting heavy as I stared, transfixed, at the angel beside me when suddenly she spoke. It was almost too quiet for me to hear but my heart knew exactly what she said as it swelled in my chest, threatening to break out. A smile spread across my face as I relaxed into sleep, my last thought before succumbing, was the word whispered from those beautiful lips…Edward.

When I awoke the next morning, she was gone. My heart raced and a feeling of dread filled my veins at the possibility that she had left without saying goodbye when I heard the sounds of the shower coming from the next room and voices echoing up from downstairs. Taking a deep breath, I pulled myself up and out of bed.

Arriving in the kitchen, I was greeted by a morose Alice and a sympathetic Jasper.

"Are you sure you can't come with us?" Alice asked glumly. "I'm sure we could fit you in."

"No, Alice, it's ok. I have that appointment, remember?" I answered. "I'll just say goodbye to her here."

I tried to smile but I'm sure it came across as more of a grimace, because Jasper flinched at the sight. I had made the excuse that I was going to be too busy to go to the airport today, knowing that I would not be able to watch Bella walk through the security gates without making a fool of myself and very possibly getting arrested.

"Hey guys! Cheer up, it may never happen!" Bella tried to sound cheerful as she joined us in the kitchen.

She was answered with forced smiles from Alice and me as Jasper's eyes darted worriedly between the three of us.

"So…are you ready to go?" he asked the room in general, nervously.

"I suppose so," Bella and Alice said in unison before genuine smiles appeared on their faces.

"I'll go get your bags," I said, hurrying out of the room and stomping up the stairs.

Jasper met me at the bottom of the stairs and took the bags out of the already open door and into the car. My eyes locked with Bella's as she stood in the foyer waiting for me. I opened my arms as I approached and I could see the tears poised to fall down her cheeks as I wrapped her in a tight embrace, knowing that if I saw her cry I wouldn't be able to let her go. She hugged me back more firmly than she ever had before and we stayed bound together for what seemed like an eternity and, at the same time, not long enough.

"I'll miss you," I whispered into the top of her head and I felt her stiffen slightly. "Kicking my ass on the Wii," I finished, moving my hands to her shoulders and pushing her gently away. I looked into her damp eyes and forced another smile.

She let out a small chuckle and wiped her eyes. "I think Princess Toadstool over there can teach you a thing or two," she said, motioning to Alice, who was waiting by her car.

"I bet she can." I managed a half smile. "Take care of yourself, Bella," I said softly.

"I will," she breathed, turning towards the door. "Goodbye, Edward."

"Goodbye, Bella," I choked out as the door clicked closed behind her.

I stared at the door as I listened to the sound of the engine kicking to life in the driveway, and then as the car backed out into the street, my world dimmed once again.

A/N....::hides::....please review and let me know what you think.....