I own: a nylon muzzle for my lovely, but destructive puppy.

I don't own : Twilight (any of it) or the music I make reference to (well, I do have it on iTunes and some on CDs, but I don't think that's what they're talking about…)

BPOV (Bella)

We had been driving for… a long time.

I wasn't sure how long we had been driving, but it was dark now. I was still having a hard time pulling myself away from where I was.

I had been nestled into Edward's side since we agreed on taking the week away from the family. I had nuzzled my head into the crook of his neck and studied his arm that was wrapped around my shoulders; looking at all the various patterns I could imagine and ingraining each and every hair, freckle, and other anonymous mark into my vampire memory.

I was safe here. I was loved here.

And… he wasn't going to leave me here.

He wasn't going to leave ever. I had a hard time making myself say it, even though I did believe it. I used to say 'forever' in high school and it ended up ending after only a few months. It just seemed cruel and naïve to believe it so easily now.

But, somehow I did.

I shifted for the first time in hours and lifted my lips up to graze his neck before planting an open mouth kiss there. He sighed while leaning his head back against the headrest. "Ahh…" he groaned. "You cannot do that if you want to get where we're going…"

I giggled as I kissed his neck again… and again. "It doesn't matter where we go, Edward." And I truly believed that; we could go across the world to the most desolate or breathtaking place and I wouldn't even notice, if Edward was with me.

Edward groaned once more before sliding me to the opposite side of the car. I tried to discourage this, hell I would have jumped into his lap if not for the damage it would cause the car if we had crashed because of my actions. "Don't give me that look." He smiled as he stroked down my forehead to my cheek. "You'll like where we're going, I promise."

I couldn't argue with the light shining in his eyes. He was excited and I couldn't take that away. Instead I took the opportunity to place my feet in his lap and lean against the door, getting comfortable.

He laughed as I glanced at the clock, 9:23 pm. There were barely any cars on the road and since I hadn't paid any previous attention to our road trip, I had no idea where we were headed. "Where are you taking me?"

Edward's sidelong smirk reappeared. "It's a surprise, love."

I leaned forward and placed my pouting face on his arm, now holding onto the steering wheel. "Hint. Please?" I said it verbally, as well as mentally. And as much as it gave me joy to see the smirk turn into a full-blown smile, he still shook his damn head 'no.'

***

EPOV (Edward)

She had been silent for hours. She continued to stare me down; hoping, no doubt, that I would reveal our destination.

But, I refused to cave. She would appreciate where we were headed, although I was disappointed she hadn't figured it out yet.

We had been driving since we left biology and now it was just after four in the morning. We were close; we had passed the Washington state line already and I could practically see the city limit sign in front of us on the road.

I distracted myself by rubbing Bella's legs that were currently draped over my lap.

She giggled, although I knew it wasn't because I was tickling her. "I'm content, don't get me wrong," she started as I turned to face her. "But… I am dying to know where in the world you are taking me, Edward."

I smiled, but didn't say a thing because; honestly… we would be seeing that 'Welcome to Forks' sign any moment now.

Eighty six seconds later, she gasped and straightened in her seat. "… Edward…" she whispered. "Oh, Edward."

She saw it, but she was silent after that.

Did she like the surprise? Was she happy coming back to Forks? Was she angry? Was she afraid? Did she hate it here now? Did I do something terribly stupid?

I turned and saw the tears welling in her eyes, but ultimately not falling. Again, I panicked as I pulled the car over. "Bella? What? Please tell me what you're thinking… please?"

She wouldn't look at me; instead she was completely engrossed in looking at the forest around us. "I cannot believe you brought us here." She spoke through her mind.

I hesitated, trying to decipher her indecipherable tone. "Is… is it okay?"

She turned to me then. "It's fine. This is… wonderful, Edward."

I sighed in relief, even with a slight hesitation, as she flung her arms around me and tucked her head under my chin. She stayed there for a long time and I had no intention of letting her go.

***

We approached the door slowly; even if we were humans, slowly. I headed for the electronic keypad, but then saw Bella bend down to the long-dead Poinsettia plant and dig a bit in the dirt.

I tilted my head, wondering what she was doing, but then I saw the dull silver key. "That's how you got in? When I wasn't here… you used the spare Esme left?"

She nodded her head as she looked down to put the key into the lock.

Once we were through the door, Bella froze and I nearly crashed into her. "Love?" I whispered after a moment, slipping my arms over her own and encasing her shoulders.

She kept her eyes gazing over everything still within the house. "I… I haven't been here in 18 years. And… and you haven't been here with me since… since you…" She didn't finish her statement, but I knew what she meant. Since I left her.

I placed my chin on her shoulder and leaned in to whisper in her ear. "I'm sorry, Bella. Do you want to… do you want to leave?"

She turned to face me, quicker that I expected. "No!" She leaned up to kiss me. "No, I just… this is weird for some reason, you know?"

I nodded my head as she continued to look around the living room. After a moment she gripped my hand and led me to the stairs. "I want to show you something."

We passed by several bedrooms before stopping in front of Carlisle's former study. She turned to face me, then kiss me, before opening the door and pulling me inside.

Immediately, I knew what she was showing me. This is the place.

The place where she gave birth to our baby.

The place where she burned.

The place where she died.

She walked to the window and after touching the glass briefly she leaned against it and we locked eyes. "This is it." I didn't phrase it as a question and she didn't answer it either. "You disposed of it all." That she nodded to.

The scent of her human blood was faint, but still lingered even after 20 years. "Are you okay?" I hadn't realized that she was the one who spoke. It easily could have been me asking her that very same thing, but here I was being consoled by her where she had burned.

"You died here." I whispered, barely understanding the words I had spoken.

Bella walked over slowly, and then grasped both of my hands. "No. No, I changed here, Edward. There's a difference. If I had died, you and I wouldn't be together now." She pushed both of her hands through me hair, scratching at my scalp to put me at ease. "Come here."

She led the way and although I knew exactly where we were going, I stayed silent.

Bella opened the door to my old bedroom and then eased me through the door and down onto the couch. She didn't waste a second before curling up next to me. I smiled as she looked at me critically. "Sorry, old habits…" I mumbled.

"I know." She whispered in my ear before changing her position to straddling my lap. "I'm not dead though, Edward. I'm just… like you."

"And I'm thrilled about that, don't get-" I tried to explain. But she silenced me by holding her hand over my mouth.

"Are you happy? You're not mad at me at all? If you are, it's okay… I just need to know. No secrets, you know? You're okay with what I told you?" I should have interrupted her, but I was too dumbstruck to understand why she was saying those ridiculous questions, to me of all people…

"What?"

She looked to the ceiling and I saw the tears again. She gasped from taking in such a large breath. "You're not mad?"

"What for?" I couldn't fathom a reason I would be upset with her. She was perfect and she took me back. There would never be a reason for me to be mad at her.

"For lying to you. For hiding from you… " She spoke as if it was obvious, but I was shocked.

I held her face in my hands until her eyes focused in on mine. "Never!" I spoke fiercely. "I could never be mad at you, Bella. And absolutely not for those reasons. You protected yourself and Renesmee, I can't be mad at that."

Bella sighed before looking at me with determination. She kissed my lips before drifting to my cheeks, forehead, chin, nose, and then down to my neck. I hummed under her touch, but stiffened when she began unbuttoning my shirt. "What… what are you doing?"

It was a stupid question. I knew what she was doing and I wanted it. I wanted it badly, more than anything else in this world. I wanted her more than anything else in this world.

I wanted her!

Bella laughed, but didn't stop until my shirt was completely open and her hands slipped underneath and then up onto my bare shoulders. "I thought it was obvious, Edward."

I hesitated, not knowing how to approach the situation.

Again, she surprised me. "Its okay, Edward." She looked me in the eyes again. "Its more than okay. I love you, and this is… perfect. You're perfect. And for some unknown reason you want me and I want you just as much if not more than that." She kissed me again and pulled my shirt away before lifting her own shirt over her head.

"Tell me this is a beginning…" she whispered, her voice cracking.

I paused, longer than I should have, I know. But I was trying to think of the prefect thing to say. I needed a comment that would stand up next to hers.

I pulled her right bra strap down and planted a line of kisses where it had lain. "No, it's not. We had an interlude… an intermission, but now… now it's continuing on…" I kissed her glorious lips. "… Forever."

She sighed happily as I repeated the process on her left shoulder as well.

A/N: It's not done, I swear!!! Although there's only probably two chapters left from here on out.

You all wanted an M rating or a lemon… well, actually you all wanted many, many lemons but I'm not ready to add that stuff to my writing and not to this story at all…

I hope you liked it… let me know which part was your favorite.

AND READ my other story PLEASE!!!! 6 Chapters and still more to come.

Thanks so much for those who review. Read, Review and Comment – You know I love it!

-kmwhyte