The Gift
Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyers owns all Twilight and the characters
Chapter 33: One Step Further
EPOV:
"How long are you going to be mad at me," I said without thinking. Why would she ask me that? I mean this is my family's house. Then there in the middle of my chest I started to experience a pain as if someone was stabbing me. I shouldn't be acting like this towards her. "Bella, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that to you."
"It's all right," she whispered back at me. I looked over at her and noticed that she was looking down at her mug. "I kind of deserve it after everything."
"No," I said getting off of the bed. I walked over to the window and looked outside. It was crystal clear as the full moon casted it's light bright. "You didn't deserve that at all."
"Yes," I heard her say before I heard her feet hit the floor. "I have treated you awful and said things that I never should have said in the first place."
"It's all right," I answered not wanting to turn around. I knew that if I did then I would break. "You had gone through so much, and needed to say what was on your mind."
"No it's not," she said as I felt her arms snake around my waist. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I have dreamed of this moment for so long that I never wanted it to end. "You know that day on the beach with Tanya."
She stopped before saying else to take a breath. Why was she doing this to herself? She didn't need to say anything because I was there. I saw what Tanya did. I saw her fall to the ground after being shot.
"You don't need to do this," I said placing my hand on hers. I was still looking out the window not wanting to face her.
"I need to," she said walking around to face me. She grabbed my hand and squeezed it tight in hers. "There was so much going through my mind that day. There was a part of me that still had hope that I would be found. Then there was the other part that had given up hope. I couldn't believe that this was how things were going to end. I kept thinking about all the things that I was going to miss."
"Please stop," I pleaded to her. I looked down at her for the first time and saw the tears running down her cheeks. "You don't need to relive this. Don't do this tonight please love."
"Yes," she said as I wiped the tears off her face. "In my heart I knew that everything was going to be alright. Carly got to see her parents together and how much they loved each other. I also knew that no matter what happened you would always protect her."
"Bella, love," I whispered out in disbelief. I couldn't believe that she thought she was ready to die that day. She had me near the verge of crying with all that she was saying. "I beg you please stop."
"Then I saw you walking down the beach," she said looking up at me. "I had hope once again to believe in. Hope that my knight in shining armor had come to save me."
"Then I said darling," I said before she could. She knew that I never called her that because she meant so much more to me. When she heard me say that she turned away from me and was looking out the window. "I was praying that whole walk that I had made it in time. Never in my wildest dreams would I imagine her shooting you."
"I had flashbacks," she said still looking out the window. I laid my hand on her shoulder but she shrugged it off. "At that moment it was like I was reliving that night so many years ago. This time I couldn't get up and run. When I woke up that was one of the only things that I could remember."
"What do you remember now," I said moving away from her.
"It comes and goes," she answered me. "I do remember you whispering to me. I heard you that night I woke up right after the nurse gave me the sedative."
"You do," I said shocked sitting on the couch. I remember leaning over and whispering to her that night before Charlie had me leave.
"I'm sorry," she said looking over at me. When our eyes met her wall came crashing down before me. Her arms wrapped around her stomach and bent over sobbing. "Will you please forgive me? I never meant to hurt you like that."
I didn't say anything to her all. Instead I got up from the couch and went over to her. Her body was rocking from the sobs and it was killing me to see her like this. How I wished that it should've been of me on the beach that day. How I wished that I could have traded places with her. I took my hands and cradled her face in them causing her to look up at me. Her eyes were starting to puff and were red from crying. Her cheeks had stains from all the tears that were running down them. It didn't matter to me what she looked liked right now or ever. To me she was the most beautiful person I've ever seen.
"Bella," I said placing my forehead against hers.
"You didn't come back," she said before I could say anything else. "After that night you never came back to my hospital room. I know that you were there in the hallway the next morning. Why didn't you come in and try to convince me that I was wrong?"
"You were pissed," I said taking a breath and trying not to get angry. "We both know that it wouldn't have done any good. Things would have been said, and gotten even more complicated than they already are."
"When I was leaving the hospital," she said removing my hands from her face. She took them and intertwined her fingers with mine. "When I came here I was looking for you. You weren't here and your mom said that you had left."
"I did leave," I said squeezing her hands. "I didn't want to make you anymore mad than you already were. I was afraid that you would be mad enough that I would never get to see Carly again."
"Oh," she whispered in disbelieve. "I would've never done that to the both of you. She loves you so much, and it would break my heart to the see the results of the two of you being apart. Where did you go?"
"Well," I said as she was yawning. "I think that you need to get some rest before we continue this talk anymore."
"Tomorrow then," she said as I led her to the bed.
"As you wish," I answered her. Once she was covered up and in a comfortable position. I leaned over and kissed her forehead. "Goodnight love."
"Don't leave please," she said sitting up.
"I won't," I answered her. I knew that my old self would have probably jumped into the bed with her. In order for us to grow not only as a couple but as a family I needed her to set the pace. "I'll be right over there on my couch."
"Okay," she said as she lay back down. I walked over to the door and flipped the light switch off. "Edward!"
"Yes," I answered walking over and sitting down on the couch.
"I love you," she said quickly before letting the silence overcome the two of us again.
"As I love you," I whispered not knowing if she heard me before a smile crept onto my face.
For the first time in many nights I actually welcomed the sleep. I knew deep down in my heart that everything was going to be okay. The road ahead of us is going to be challenging but I would be there beside her the entire way.
BPOV
I turnover and look at the alarm clock that is sitting on the nightstand. Six o'clock in the morning is flashing in a bright neon green light. I laid here thinking about all the events that happened last night. He was here and we were actually talking about some of our issues. I just hoped and prayed that I wasn't dreaming at all.
"Bella," I heard someone say and I sat up. That voice was the voice that I longed to hear first thing every morning and the last one I wanted to hear at night.
Upon scanning the room I saw him sleeping on his couch. He was actually here so I wasn't dreaming. I got up from the bed and made my way over to his couch. Sitting down beside him I let my finger tips trace the features of his face. He was tired and I could tell just by looking at him. I lay down beside him and covered the two of us up. It didn't take long after I laid down before he encased me in his arms and pulled me closer to him. As I felted his grip tighten around me I couldn't help but think back to what he said about me being mad. It made me go back to Christmas when he was mad and I thought he was going to Carly away from me. So I knew exactly what he what was going through his mind. If the two of us could make it through this, then we could make it through anything. He is my best friend. He is the one person that I could talk too and be open with. I have been in love with him for longer than I can remember. Even when we were apart I couldn't stop thinking about him. I yawned once more as I snuggled myself closer to him.
I had awoken to the feeling that someone was on top of me. Opening my eyes I saw a dark shadow over me.
"Don't move," he said pressing a knife to my throat. I closed my eyes taking in a deep breath. I could feel his breath on my neck, and it made me want to be sick. "You smell so sweet."
"Please stop," I managed to say as he ran his tongue down my jaw line, and turning my face away.
"What did I say," he said pressing the knife closer and harder.
"Fight," I heard Charlie say.
I was laying on my back as he straddled over me. Remembering the self-defense classes I took I bent my knees up with a hard jerk. The reaction was quick as his grabbed his parts and I flipped over trying to get to the open door.
"Stupid bitch," he said grabbing me by my hair and jerking me up. "I'll teach you a lesson yet."
He slapped me across the face before taking his knife and taking a quick swipe at my face.
"James," I heard Tanya's voice yell. "What the fuck did you not understand?"
"Love," I heard Edward say as he was shaking me. "Love wake up. Bella wake up it's only a bad dream."
"No," I said sitting up. I was trying to catch my breath and noticed that I was covered in sweat.
"Love," he said wrapping his arms around me. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," I answered leaning into him welcoming his safety net. "It was just a bad dream."
"Do you want to talk about it," he asked as we just sat there.
Instead of answering him I just shook my head no. We didn't talk to one another during this moment of silence. He just sat there and held me no questions asked. After all the fighting at Christmas and what was said in the last few weeks he was still here. I knew that I would have to talk about it and soon. I couldn't keep having the same nightmare every time I closed my eyes. That could wait because all I wanted right now was to be in his arms.
AN: Sorry that it has taken me forever to update.