Hey everyone!

I'm sorry if Bella and Edward being apart upsets you, it bothers me to write it, too! But, it's all for the story.


I got a great response from the last chapter, which helped me get this out faster then I thought I would be able to.


I think this chapter will clear away most of your worries anyway and by this chapter you will know what is going on with Bella and Edward!

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Chapter 11: Gifts

Edward's Point of View:

It was early in the morning when I made it to my destination, a deep forest outside of Volterra. Surely, Max and Bella had to come out to hunt some time soon. Since Max was so new to this diet I knew he had to hunt more frequently. It would only be a matter of days. I made do with where I was and did my best to stay inconspicuous. I took Bella's earlier advice and hunted before I could find myself a good hiding place.

After hunting, I moved as close as I dared to Volterra. I could not risk being found out here by anyone besides my wife and Max. I did my best to strain my talent, but to no avail. I could not hear the thoughts of any of the Voultri, just a few of the humans lingering near the edges of the city. It would be a long, long few days out here. Quickly I reminded myself that, right now, this was the best place I could be, if I was planning on keeping everyone safe, and I quieted my thoughts.

I sat there wallowing in my thoughts, and thinking of what exactly made Bella follow Max here. If he had threatened her, I would rip him to pieces. If she truly had wanted it… no, Alice saw her beautiful features torn in a disarray of emotions. She was upset, that much I could be certain.

My mind only let me draw one conclusion. Max had taken my Bella to this danger. Oh, that man would pay!

Bella's Point of View:

Talking to Aro was pretty simple. Max had been very right about that. I could tell Max was beating himself up on the inside over dragging me into this, but he does not know just how honored I am that he came to me for help. Yes, he may have gotten us into this mess, but it was fine by me. For once in my life, the reason for the drama was not because of me and my mistakes. Maybe it was just the curse of the newest Cullen.

"Ah! Lovely, lovely!" Aro said when he saw Max and I, hand in hand, walk through his doors.

"Bella, Bella, how nice to see you again. Have I told you just how well suited you are to being a vampire, it is like you were always meant to be one." Aro had a thing for repeating words.

"And Max, my boy, you have found yourself a lady. How nice," and in a mock whisper tone he muttered, "if you could help out your buddy Marcus it would be greatly appreciated."

The ever silent Marcus did not even show a flicker of annoyance, just the usual calm stone face.

"You have chosen to stay with us, Bella?" He asked, coming closer.

"Yes, and I'm willing to prove it, if you doubt me."

"You have learned to let others see your mind, Bella?" Aro asked, now very interested on top of his usual over excitement.

"Only partially," I lied to the best of my ability. Max gave me a quick wink, letting me know he was putting his power to work. Max later told me Aro could only see what Max wanted him to see, the good part, the part that showed he had 'done his job'. All else was left blank to him.

"Interesting, interesting," he mused, "Well, it really is a pleasure to have you here, Bella, make yourself comfortable."

"I'll let you two get comfortable here, we can chat more later. But, I am so excited Bella, you have no idea. Your talent will be greatly appreciated here."

"Thank you, Aro." I said calmly.

I had to get out of the castle. I was only so good at lying. Maybe a small hunt would help me regain my composure. I noticed the time of day and also realized I should get Max out of here in case they started their human meal. I did not want Max to be tempted to revert to his previous ways.

Anyways, I had yet to learn how I would react around freshly spilled human blood.

We placed our belongings in a dark room with blue and white furniture and told a guard where we were going and when were expected back. This was apparently the protocol for any guard member who left the castle. We were also required to bring one of the castle cell phones with us in case we were needed at any given time, to return.

It was still dark outside, the sun only beginning to appear when Max and I made it safely within the forest outside Volterra.

Walking through the forest I came across a familiar scent, a very familiar scent. A scent that I loved, and with Max right next to me, there was no doubt in my mind that my doubt from before had all been a part of his test, love's test.

Edward.

I think Max picked up on the familiar scent, and he gladly gave us our space. He slowed down to a stop and I smiled while I zoomed past him; only one thing on my mind.

At that moment I did not care how completely shocked I was that he had gotten here so fast, that he had followed me and had known where I would come. I forgot all of that as his scent overwhelmed me. I could smell where his scent was the strongest, where it was the most concentrated.

Across my mind it was like a big neon sign was blinking, as I ran the few miles to where he would be, that read: the love of my existence coming up to your right, 3 miles, 2 miles 1 mile...

As I neared where he would surely be, a wide grin spread across my face, I could not contain the shear excitement I felt at almost being in his arms once more. I wanted to be safely in his arms. I wanted my husband.

I saw him before he saw me, and the sight of him made my grin expand to a point where all of my teeth were exposed and the euphoria must have been rolling off me in waves, if only Jasper were here.

He turned around just before our bodies collided and from the force of my run we both fell to the forest floor with a muted stone hard thud.

"Edward!" I cried into his shoulder. I just wanted to hold him forever and ever and ever. At times like this I wished I was human so that the tears could roll down my face and explain my exploding emotions, like lava from a volcano exposing what's on the inside and releasing the pent up heat.

I pulled my face away and looked at his face, smiling down at him like a drugged teenager.

"Bella?" He questioned, disbelieving.

"Yes?"

"Is it you!?"

"Yes, love. It's me, your Bella." I hugged his middle towards me and he, in turn, slowly reached his arms around me, locking me in place.

"My Bella?" He pulled my face upwards to meet his penetrating eyes, wondering if it was true, if I was really all his again.

"Yes you silly vampire. It's Bella your wife and I love you and what are you doing here?"

"What was that?"

"What are you doing here, in Italy, as you usually don't come to Europe to hunt?"

"No, before that."

"I love you, Edward." I took a deep, unnecessary breath and continued.

"Even when I don't seem like I do, I do. Please, do not forget that. I am sorry for doubting it. Yes, you annoyed me the teeniest bit, but it was blown out of proportion, I would not willingly run from you, love, not in my wildest nightmares, I love you too damn much. If you started to call me Izzy , talked about Mike Newton every day, wanted to chase after squirrels in your spare time and smelled like Jacob, I would not leave you. I couldn't and I wouldn't, Edward. It wasn't my choice. Really, it's a long story, see, Max's gift presented a threat to our love…" I did not want to waste time talking about this, so I quickly opened my mind to him and let him see Max's sincerity, our current dilemma, and what was going on with the Voultri.

"I love you too, Bella, and don't worry, I have faith in this plan, even if it involves you lying to the Voultri about our love." He grinned, flipping us over so that he hovered above me. I pulled his body back down to mine and kissed him firmly, smiling through the kiss.

His lips felt so good, and the kiss was about to become a little too intimate before I heard a little cough come from the corner of the clearing.

Edward growled a little, not leaving his place above me, or removing his lips from mine, "Max, could you leave us alone for a moment?" He grumbled.

"It's kind of important…" Max mumbled quietly, but I heard him retreat back through the trees.

"Oh, and sweetheart, please know I fully intend on giving up the over possessive, protective, clingy fool of a man charade I have been putting up ever since you stumbled into my life. I realize you are strong and capable now and don't need me as much, I see that Bella, love, I do."

I knew that Edward was looking through the images running through my mind, dancing with Alice and Rose, the pure excitement I felt…

"But I do need you Edward, so much." Oh, he had no idea…

I quickly took back my now blocked thoughts. Maybe he did have an idea, silly Bella, look at his face. He was a mess.

"I'm still giving you the space, respect and freedom that you deserve." He gave me a meaningful look and continued.

"I should have done that from the start. I know you are powerful woman and you don't need a man to help you with every step you take. I am truly very sorry, excuse my 1918 manners, I seem to forget about what century we are in when I'm with you. Everything else has no meaning, space, and time are nothing without you, Bella."

"As they are nothing without you." I reasoned.

He still did not look okay, like there was something besides the Voultri and Max that was bothering him, deep inside.

"Edward, love, are you okay?" There must have been something off, something about his features. He looked tormented, tortured, like Jane had just put the full force of her gift on him for a nice, long time.

I focused really hard on opening my mind, letting my love shine through to him, making sure he could know just how concerned I was for him, and just how much I loved him.

I wished he could let me read his mind.

Edward's Point of View:

She crashed into me like a ton of bricks. Bricks never felt this good. I fell over, not because her weight was too much, but because I could not focus, for the life of me, for the amount of time, which would be about a millisecond, that it would take to sweep her up in my arms.

I was absolutely ecstatic. Bella! My Bella, was running to me, not away. And while the scent of Max was all around her, he was nowhere to be seen.

It was as if heaven had come to meet me itself. I was thrown backwards by the sheer beauty of it.

I was afraid to put my arms around her, afraid to make any sudden movements.

What if she just went and faded away like a hologram or a mirage that my mind conjured up to torture me more than it already was.

I listened to her as her arms sneaked around me and tightened to the point where, if I were an ordinary rock, I would be squeezed into the shape of her embrace.

I slowly regained my composure and responded to her, disbelief surely clouding my face and eyes.

"Yes you silly vampire. It's Bella your wife and I love you and what are you doing here?"

I wanted to hold her to me for so long that our rock bodies molded into one, unyielding, uncompromising force.

And she loved me?

I wanted to scream from the way she made my heart feel alive again. She was so dangerous; she could kill me with just a day of her absence. She could convince me to do absolutely anything; she was the world's biggest danger. If she begged me to commit murder, I would do it for her, even if I was killed in the process.

There was probably only one thing she would not be able to convince me to do: hurt her.

I thought her presence would wipe away my earlier discontent. Ha, discontent is not the word. It's more like disheveled grizzly bear being woken too early from hibernation. I was positively insane just a few minutes ago.

Now, all was right. Bella was in my arms and she loved me. I sighed in content.

There were plenty of things I really should worry about, but how could someone worry when their angel was in their arms? What would be the point? Nothing bad could happen to Bella when she was in my arms, I wouldn't hear of it. If nothing was happening to Bella, I was fine.

…The Voultri and Max and our family I could think about later, there was so much going on in my Bella's mind. I was surprised to see the actual anger she felt towards me and how irrational it was and how she was beating herself up for hating me for no reason.

I saw how much she enjoyed the dancing, and being independent from me, being her own person. I got the lovely benefit of seeing Bella see herself in that mirror at the dress store. She looked absolutely stunning and it was such a comfort to see that she agreed.

Her mind ran through the conversation with Max, how everything clicked and how the Voultri needed to think that they were together so that they could stay there and somehow work to get Max out.

I held her closer; I was not ready to let go and face the harsh reality surrounding our bubble of effervescence and love.

How did she know that I was so crazy earlier?

How could she see that on my face? I should think it would be gone, don't tell me she's reading my mind now, too.

Edward?

I jumped up, scared. I scurried to the other side of the clearing and heard her gasp.

Bella? I took steps closer to her, as she stood up slowly to face me.

Am I in your mind, love?

Indeed you are sweetheart, how in the world… My mind ran through a hundred possibilities, but her angel's voice rang out clearly on top of my crazy thoughts.

I was focusing on how much I needed to open my mind to you, and how much I love you and…

"Bella, Edward, I can explain."

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Questions? Comments? Suggestions?

This chapter is for three of my anonymous reviewers: twisessed, cArRymEuNdEr, and ViCtOrIoUs.
Hope you three were satisfied with this reunion!


YAY. I was itching to bring them back together from the moment they were apart, but I think it was worth the wait. ;)


Anyway, next chapter: face the Voultri. Be scared. Hehehee.
I was also wondering if you guys could tell me which one I was writing better, Edward's POV or Bella's. I feel like one of them is lacking, but I am not sure which. Tell me what you think!
Thank you readers and reviewers!