Edward POV

My thoughts were still whirling with everything that Alice had told me as we made our way back through the forest. I felt like I was in physical agony from the knowledge that all I had done, all the sacrifices I made to keep Bella safe had all been in vain. Had I stayed, I would have been able to protect her from everything and we would have both been happy. Instead, I might as well have sentenced us both to die and I was the judge, jury and executioner. Alice was right. However, arrogant ass was too kind a phrase.

I felt myself move instinctively towards Bella's house as if propelled by some magnetic force I couldn't control almost as if the very nearness of her presence pulled me to her. The need to be with her, touch her after being without her for so long was extremely powerful.

"I guess this is where we part ways." Alice said shaking me out of my reverie. I had completely forgotten that she was with me, so driven was I in my desire to be with Bella.

"Please let everyone know I will see them later." I asked her. "I just have to be…"

She held up her hand silently interrupting what I was about to say. "Say no more. I feel the same way when Jazz and I have been separated for an extended period of time. And I'll do you one better with the family. I'll tell them not to be so hard on you about the last few months. I've already lectured you."

Alice was being too kind. I knew I deserved everything my family dished at me, with the exception of Rosalie. Rosalie could rot for all I cared.

"She will be safe, won't she, Alice?" I asked her suddenly anxious.

She shrugged. "As safe as one can be hanging out with vampires and werewolves." Tigers and lions and bears, oh my!

Not what I wanted to hear, I growled.

She rolled her eyes at me. Really "Relax Edward. It was a joke."

"Not an even remotely funny one." I responded gritting my teeth. She should know better than to joke about Bella's wellbeing with me. A thought occurred to me then about the wolves and it scared the hell out of me. "Alice, can you not see Bella at all when she is with Jacob?"

"Sorry, Edward." She responded sadly, looking at me. "Like I told you, her future goes completely dark, almost as if she were…" he voice trailed off.

"Dead." I finished for her suppressing my body from trembling.

She nodded. "That's why I thought she was when she jumped from the cliff. It's really rather annoying to have a complete blind spot like that." She said wrinkling her brows in irritation.

"Hmm" was my only reply. There was no way I would be able to tolerate Bella being friends with the mutt if her future disappeared every time she was with him. To not know if she was safe, hurt or God knows what else would be going beyond the boundaries of what my sanity would allow.

Alice went home and I raced the rest of the way to Bella's house though I had to slow down to a human pace when I got into town. Her window was open for me and I stopped for a moment to savor the fact that after all I had put her through and even though I didn't deserve her forgiveness or her for that matter, she was mine.

I felt panic overwhelm me when I heard Bella's screams. Without care for my human pretense, I ran to her and jumped in her window poised to attack any being that dare harm her. What I found was something I could not fight against.

Bella was violently thrashing around in her sleep, tears leaking from her eyes.

"No! No! Edward! Don't' go. Don't leave me…he's gone, he's gone, he's gone…why couldn't you love me?...why couldn't I be enough?"

I choked back a sob. I did this to her, I thought in utter despair and ran to her, trying to get her to waken from her nightmare.

"Bella, Bella love" I whispered expecting Charlie to come in at any moment to see why Bella was screaming. Listening intently, I just heard his snores. I gently grabbed her shoulders to stop her thrashing, trying to prevent her from harming herself. "Bella, Bella please wake up. It's Edward, love. I'm here. I'm never leaving again. Please wake up."

Bella POV

"I don't want you to come with us. You're not good for me Bella." I watched Edward as he walked away from me, from us and from all that I thought we were only to find out is was all a lie.

"No! No! Edward! Don't' go. Don't leave me"

My knees buckled and wracking sobs consumed me. "He's gone, he's gone, he's gone…why couldn't you love me?...why couldn't I be enough?"

He was back or was it a hallucination? "Bella, Bella love" He cried to me. "Bella, Bella please wake up. It's Edward, love. I'm here. I'm never leaving again. Please wake up."

My eyes creaked open to see Edward looming above me with a stricken expression on his face. I wept when I saw him and he gathered me in his arms.

"You're real. Please tell me you're real." I pleaded.

"Shh" he said and placed a tender kiss on my forehead. "I'm real. I'm here and I'm not going anywhere."

I pulled back slightly to see the blazing sincerity in his eyes. Letting out a stuttered breath, I wiped the remaining tears from my eyes.

"Okay, I'm okay now." I didn't know if I was trying to convince him or myself.

"Are you sure?" he asked trying to assess my honesty and if I really was alright. I knew he could hear my heart racing. "I thought you were going to wake Charlie. There would have been quite a bit of explaining to do if he caught me in your room at this hour."

I shook my head. "He sleeps through them now. He used to rush in here but not anymore."

Edward flinched. "Do you have these types of dreams very frequently?"

I didn't want to tell him that I had them every night since he left. He was feeling guilty enough already.

"Bella?" He prompted.

"Not too often" I said looking away, my voice hitching just a notch but enough for him to eye me suspiciously.

"You're such a bad liar, Bella." He raked his hand through his hair in typical Edward fashion. "Don't tell me you're not letting me know the truth because you are afraid it will hurt me. After everything I have put you through, don't be less than honest to spare my feelings. Please."

I worried my lip with my teeth. The last thing I wanted to do was cause him more grief. He turned my face back towards him and looked at me intensely.

"Please." He said again.

I nodded. "Almost every night."

"Since when?"

"What's with the interrogation, Edward?' Can't you just let it be?" I asked flinging my hands up in the air.

He got up off the bed and started to pace the room. "It's been going on since I left, hasn't it?"

"Edward, stop. Just stop."

He rushed over to me sitting on the bed beside me and tilted my head up with his forefinger. His eyes looked tormented and I felt guilty for putting that look on his face.

"I'm so sorry." I whispered to him.

He closed his eyes tightly as if he were in a great deal of pain. "Don't. Don't apologize to me. You have done nothing wrong. Nothing." He said with conviction. "This whole mess has been my responsibility entirely."

"It's not your fault that I fell so hopelessly in love with you. Your parting words last year might have worked with anyone less mental than me." I grimaced.

Edward looked at me with his lop-sided smile. "And I am so hopelessly in love with you and that is entirely your fault. I guess I am just as mental as you are."

Holding my head between his hands, he trailed soft kisses down my jaw line, on my cheeks and finally his lips rested on my mouth kissing me softly. He moved over me then straddling me in between his legs taking care to not press down on me with his weight. I gripped his shoulders urging the kiss into something less chaste. He groaned and I whimpered. One of his hands skimmed down my side to rest right under my breast. Moaning I surged my body upward unconsciously seeking more.

Edward tore his mouth from mine and stared at me with his heated molten gaze noting the quick rise and fall of my chest. I licked my bottom lip. They were swollen from his kisses. We were both panting from unfulfilled passion. He touched his forehead to mine and rolled over to lie on his side facing me, one hand entwined with mine the other caressed my cheek.

"You should get some sleep." He whispered. "I'll stay until dawn."

Sleep? He wanted me to sleep now when by body was burning and throbbing with all this pent up desire with no place to go. He was kidding, right?

"You are kidding? You think I can sleep? Now?" I said disgruntled, stifling a groan. Well, at least he wasn't apologizing. That was progress.

Edward grinned and gave me a quick peck on the lips. Before I could deepen the kiss he pulled away and shook his finger at me like I was a misbehaving child. "Uh, uh uh. Ms. Swan, are you trying to seduce me?"

"Apparently I wasn't trying hard enough." I said frowning.

He chuckled. "Ahh, Bella, how I love you. Now go to sleep." He said and started to hum my lullaby. I nearly cried. I hadn't heard it in so long and my fractured memories of it did not do it justice. Feeling my eyes slowly close, I drifted into a dreamless slumber.

When I awoke, Edward was gone but he left a note on my pillow.

Bella My Love,

There is French toast in the kitchen for you when you awaken. Please eat it. I'll be by later to see you. Perhaps we can go to our meadow. Please take care of my heart, I left it with you.

Forever Yours,

Edward

I couldn't help the blush that rose to my cheeks or the grin that spread over my face. Just then a paper airplane flew into my window. What the hell? I plucked it out of the air, confused. Written in almost unintelligible scrawl on one of the wings was the phrase "Read Me." Shrugging, I unfolded the paper airplane to read what was written inside.

Bella,

We have to talk. Meet me in the forest at noon.

No bloodsuckers.

Jake

I cringed at the obviously commanding tone of the letter and crumpled it up, tossing it in my waste paper basket. Looking out the window I saw Jacob's retreating form. He didn't look happy.

"Sorry Jake." I whispered. Jake was still my best friend. I owed it to him to speak with him, to tell him about Edward and me. I didn't want him hearing it from anyone else. Jake wouldn't take the news well at all.

The chances that Alice told Edward that Jake was a werewolf were high although we didn't discuss it last night. If that were the case, I had a niggling feeling that he would never approve of me meeting Jake alone. As much as I did not want to worry Edward, I also couldn't hurt Jake by abandoning him. Resolved, I would meet Jake in the forest