A/N: Huge thanks to irritablegrizzlylover for helping me out with this chapter! I owe her tons!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Bella POV

It was impossible for me to sleep. Of course, I should be used to this. I hardly ever slept when I should anymore. Usually I got by on whatever cat naps I was able to sneak in during the day. But tonight was different. My mind was working overtime as I ran through everything in my head.

The last conversation I had had with my mother and the words that had come out of her mouth. Harsh, biting, stinging. I thought about Seattle and what might be there for me when I got there. I thought about Mike and I thought about the baby growing inside of me. But most of all, most of all, I thought about Edward.

I had monopolized the conversation earlier, greedily letting him listen to me while I talked about the one person I would never be able to see again. I should have asked him about his self. The only thing I really knew so far was his full name. And what a wonderful name it was. I sighed heavily and rolled my body onto my side, taking in the clear view of Edward.

His hair was messier than it had been the first time I had seen him, probably from the way he seemed to run his hands through it whenever he got nervous. For a brief moment I wondered what it would feel like to run my own fingers through it. To see if it felt as silky and soft as it looked. I shook my head of the ridiculous thought and moved on to the rest of his features. His eyelashes created shadows on his cheekbones and his full lips, still pulled up into the smile, were a natural red color. He was, in every sense of the word, gorgeous. A living Adonis.

I stopped myself right there, I had to. I was laying next to perfection. Plain Jane me who cringed at the thought of using makeup or wearing high heels. The girl whose motto was simple: "The less you look in the mirror, the better you'll feel about yourself." I stuck true to it as well, and yet here I was, lusting after someone I would obviously never be able to have. And if my lack of beauty weren't enough, well…the child I would soon bear forth would be.

I ignored the way my heart seemed to ache as I rolled ungracefully off of the bed and padded over to the heavily curtained window, pulling it back as I rested my forehead against the cold window pane. The snow had stopped, the yellow glow of the street lamps from above was casting shadows across the layers that covered the ground. I could see lights in the distance and just make out the distant hum of what I could only assume would be snow plows.

"I wish I knew what you were thinking…" His voice, though whispering, was loud in the quiet of the room, yet comforting.

"Didn't mean to wake you."

"You didn't." I could feel him behind me and his hand pushed the curtain away from my head as he joined me at the window.

His breath was warm on my neck and it sent tingles up and down my spine, making me shiver slightly.

"You should go back to bed and get under the blankets."

"I'm not cold." I protested though the way his breath fanned across my cheek made goosebumps rise on the flesh, contradicting my statement.

A low chuckle escaped him and I turned around to face him, trying not to get lost in his gaze as his green orbs bore into me.

"Hold still." His voice was barely a whisper as his hand reached up tentatively, his long fingers reaching toward my face.

When they connected, I felt that same tingly feeling. The one that made my heart thunder and my palms sweat. It felt like fire in my skin, without the burn. Like turning my bones to Jell-O and my knees quake. It was thrilling and wonderful and frightening.

The tips of his fingers were velvety smooth and gentle as he gently brushed his fingers beneath my left eye and then held his finger up to show me something in the moonlight shining through the window beside us.

"Make a wish." He whispered when I saw it was one of my eyelashes stuck to his finger.

I closed my eyes tightly as I thought of the one thing I wanted and blew as hard as I could against Edward's finger and then opening my eyes quickly to see if it was gone. It was.

"What did you wish for?" He asked quietly when I looked up to him, smiling.

"I can't tell you." I said, matching his quiet tone. "Then it won't come true."

"That's just a silly superstition." He smiled as he leaned in toward me and I felt myself returning both favors as we stared into each other's eyes.

Edward's hand came up again, gently pushing my hair back from my eyes and tucking it behind my ear.

"Bella…"

"Mmhmm?" I hummed as I leaned into his touch. His hand lingered on my cheek and I closed my eyes at the way my skin was alight where his hand met my face.

He didn't say anything else as his soft, full lips found mine and his fingers entwined in my hair, gently pulling me to him. I forgot how to breathe and my vision was interrupted with bright white spots as the kiss intensified. Our lips moved together and I grabbed onto his shoulders, trying to get myself closer to the warmth that seemed to emanate from around him. The same warmth that spread through me at his touch.

His lips were soft as suede and velvety against mine, lingering, clinging, begging. Suddenly, his lips left mine and he backed away from me, bumping into the loveseat that sat in the corner.

"I'm sorry." He mumbled and before I could say anything else he was across the room and out the door.

I stood frozen where I was, not sure what to do. My heart yearned to go after him, to tell him there was nothing to apologize for. To tell him I wanted that kiss more than he could ever imagine possible. But another, smaller, probably more logical, part of me, knew why he had left. Because it was just as I had known it would be. It was a mistake.

Mindlessly I pulled myself over to the bed and dragged my body on top of it. Curling my knees up as far as I could, I leaned back against the velvety, plush headboard.

My heart ached inside of my chest, my lungs tried to absorb whatever oxygen they could, and my body protested my solitude as agonizing pain seared through me. The minutes ticked slowly by, and still, I was alone.

Despite my best efforts, my eyelids began to close, robbing me of my patience and my will. Finally, I could keep my ten ton eyelids open no more and I surrendered over to the battle raging inside of me and let sleep overtake me.

"You can't do this Isabella." My mom was adamant as she paced around my room. "You can't just throw everything away like this. It will ruin your life."

In that moment I wanted nothing more than to sink down into my comforter and disappear. I knew this would be hard. Telling her, after what happened to her after all, I knew this would tear her apart. She had hated Mike as it was and never understood how I could stand him. 'Vile' had been her choice word.

"Mom." I said meekly, pleadingly. "Please, don't."

"I won't let you go through with this."

"You can't stop me." My voice trembled as I stared at Renee. It was the first time she had ever truly acted like a mother. The first time she had put her foot down and her fickle, flighty, frivolous persona all but disappeared.

"Like hell I can't. You aren't eighteen yet..." I froze on my bed. She was serious. I could tell by the tone of her voice, her posture, the look on her face. She was determined, and she was planning.

In all honesty, I hadn't expected this. I had thought she would blow up and kick me out. Or maybe disown me. But trying to control me?

"Mom…" My lip trembled and I fought hard against the tears that were clouding my vision.

"Bella, honey, you have to understand. This isn't a game."

"I know that."

"I don't think you do." She sighed heavily and planted herself beside me. "It will ruin your life. And what about Phil and me? And what would your…"

"Stop." I pleaded as the tears fell from my eyes.

I woke with a start when I heard the door to the room open. The heavy curtains were still drawn and the room was dark but for the glow of the alarm clock beside me that read ten o'clock.

Edward stood in the doorway, his head down, looking at the floor beneath his feet.

Look at me, I pleaded in my mind. Begging him to make eye contact with me. I needed that reassurance, that it wasn't a mistake.

"The uh…" He cleared his throat and his long, elegant fingers ran through his hair again. "The roads are clear and the bus is leaving in thirty."

"Okay." Please, look at me.

"I'll just leave you to get ready then." And with that he turned and left again. My heart sunk and my body ached and I felt the tears pool in my eyes as I stared at the door, unmoving, unblinking.

I waited another fifteen minutes, my chest burning with each second that passed on the clock.

Finally, when I could stand it no longer I swiped at my eyes with the back of my hand and lifted myself away from the headboard with a great lurch.

The baby protested and I winced as pain radiated from the front of my bump to the small of my back. It was then that my world came back into focus. I wasn't going to do this. I wouldn't do this. I couldn't. I wasn't going to put myself through this.

I heaved a sigh and slid off the bed. If Edward didn't want me, that was fine. I would get over it. And that was what I was determined to do.

I waddled over to the table where my bags were laid and started rummaging around inside of them, looking for my toothbrush and hairbrush. It was then that I heard my phone vibrating again. I heaved a sigh as I pulled it out to hit the button again. Renee had been calling me nonstop for the past six days. I stopped when the number on the front of my phone caught my attention. It wasn't my mom…

I cursed as I threw the phone back in my bag and stalked into the bathroom. She had gone and done the one thing I had made her swear she wouldn't do. The one and only thing I needed from her. She had called him. The one person who could and would make me come back. The one person who knew me better than anyone else. And Lord only knows what he would do now.

A/N: Oooo, so sorry. Again. I hate it when I do that. NaNoWriMo starts on Saturday but I think I'm going to keep writing all of my stories and post when I can. Review for a sneak peek!
Besos.