Edward

I found Bella and Esme in the kitchen, looking out the large bay window with their arms around each other's waists. They were the picture of contentment.

Esme heard me enter before Bella did and she sent her thoughts my way.

Edward, you have a lot of making up to do to this girl. I am pretty sure you heard what was said but I don't think you really know how much you hurt her. Make her see you won't leave her again. She loves you and you love her. Make sure she knows that.

Bella heard me approach and turned in Esme's arm to look up at me. The smile she gave me was breathtaking. Yes, I would make sure she knew everyday that I loved her and would never leave her again.

She held out her free hand to me and I took it, moving to stand on her other side. I wrapped my hand around her back, resting my hand on Esme's and we all stood there quietly for a moment. Esme's mind was so full of joy I could not decipher it; it was just a constant flow of happiness.

I looked down at Bella and she was looking up at me. Even though I needed to I did not want to leave her, even for only a few hours. We had not been apart since the courtyard and I was loath to leave her now, even for the most necessary of reasons.

"Jasper and Emmett want me to go hunting with them. Do you mind?"

She looked at me quizzically then smiled. "Of course not, don't be silly. I'm not the only one around here who needs to eat." She laughed. "You need to take care of yourself. Go. It has been too long since you have spent time with them. I'll be here when you get back." She smiled at me tenderly.

She was right. I did need to spend time with my brothers. I had missed them, a lot.

I kissed her on her forehead and nodded.

I bent to whisper in her ear, even though I knew Esme would hear. "Look after my heart; I'm leaving it here with you." I gave her waist a quick squeeze and left the room.

I found Jasper and Emmett in the living room. They were discussing the best place to go hunt.

"Are you ready?" I asked.

They both nodded and we went out the back door into the woods. We were traveling to a heavily wooded area many miles from the cabin that had a large variety of wildlife. Emmett was excited about finding some bears. With his immense strength they were the only things that seemed to give him any challenge, though it never was much of a contest anyway. He ran a little ahead of Jasper and me.

I heard Jasper replay his conversation with Bella in his head. To say that she had surprised him was an understatement.

"She surprised me too, Jasper. Of course I shouldn't have been surprised. She's that type of person. Forgiving."

I didn't expect it. I thought she would hold on to some resentment or bitterness towards me, especially after everything that happened, but she didn't. All I felt from her was forgiveness and affection. Affection! After all the pain what I did caused she felt affection for me! I can't wrap my mind around it. He was mystified.

Jasper had lived in such a turbulent climate before he joined our family that I could see how Bella's reaction would confuse him. In his previous life, an affront was dealt with harshly. Retribution was a daily staple; tolerance was unknown. Of course he had not expected violence from Bella but her unadulterated forgiveness had left him reeling.

"She cares about you, Jasper. You are like a brother to her. She does not hold our natures against us. She knows that the way you acted was instinct, not intent. You made her happy today, when you sat next to her. She wants to be closer to you."

I want that too. She is my sister now, since she is with you. And being around her is easier no; I am not sure why. It's like all the pain caused by my actions cured me of the thirst for her blood or something. I can't describe it right but I don't burn as much when I am around her as I used to. He caught the scent of a group of elk to the south and drifted off towards them, melting into the trees like a ghost.

I followed behind him, just as silent. I contemplated his words as I moved through the forest. It was the same for me. Bella's blood still smelled the same, like lavender and freesias. It was still a potent force to me, more than any other human's. But it did not scorch my throat like it had before. I still burned but the flames were not as hot. Jasper's theory made sense to me. Perhaps losing Bella had cured me from the inferno her scent usually caused in my throat. Just like loving her had cured me from the monster that wanted her death when we first met. It was something to think about.

I caught the scent of the elk in the air and turned my focus to the hunt.

After Jasper and I had both drank our fill we set off in search of Emmett. We found him just finishing off a large grizzly. He dropped the bear and waved at us.

"You guys finished?" Jasper and I both nodded.

"Okay me too."

He walked towards us and I could tell he was purposely keeping his mind blank. He was up to something and he was trying to keep it from me. I tensed, preparing my self.

Up to something isn't he?

I nodded infinitesimally.

How about us first this time? One…two…three!

Emmett never saw it coming. He was concentrating so hard on not giving himself away that he didn't see Jasper and me spring until it was too late. I dove for his legs and Jasper leapt at his chest. We slammed into him and it sounded like an artillery shell went off. Alone neither Jasper nor I were any match against Emmett's massive strength, but together we managed to get him to the ground. Then we were wrestling around, knocking down a mature spruce, and slamming it into another tree that also fell. We grappled for a few minutes before we all collapsed, laughing.

Emmett reached over and tousled my hair, still laughing. "Missed you, bro."

"Only because I'm the only one besides Jasper who will wrestle with you." I said, grinning. I had missed Emmett too.

"Yeah, but you still cheat." He said, grinning back.

"I don't cheat. Even if I couldn't read minds Emmett, you are so obvious I would have been able to see what you were about to do."

"I saw it too Emmett, you are just too easy to read." Jasper put in, laughing at the consternation on Emmett's face.

"Come on, let's get back." I said. I was anxious to see Bella again, even though it had only been a few hours.

You still got it bad, bro, Emmett thought.

Can't stand to be away from her for even a few hours can you? Jasper was laughing to himself.

I glowered at them both and they both burst out laughing.

"Come on, Jasper." Emmett said. "He just doesn't look right unless Bella is attached to his hip." Even I had to laugh at that and we took off towards the cabin.

Dusk was falling when we got back. We walked inside and Kate was the first one to see us.

"What in the world happened to you three? You look like you all fought with a tree and the tree won."

I saw in her mind how we all looked. My shirt had several dirt stains and there were a few leaves stuck in my hair. The knee of my jeans was ripped and there were grass stains all over them. Jasper and Emmett didn't look much better. Emmett actually looked a little worse. The bear had torn a gash in his shirt and he had a twig stuck in his hair.

Carlisle came in when he heard Kate speak and he just looked at us and laughed, shaking his head.

Good to see that some things never change. Wonder what the forest looks like after their wrestling match? He knew us too well.

Rosalie, Alice and Bella came down the stairs then. They stopped when they saw us standing there, disheveled.

"Emmett is that the shirt I gave you?" Rosalie glared. Geez! He is such a kid sometimes! Can't stay clean for ten minutes! She was a little amused by the stick in his hair though.

"Um, I'm not sure, maybe." Emmett stammered. Rosalie turned and walked back up the stairs.

"Aww, Rose! We were just having fun!" Emmett called, following up after her. Jasper and I looked at each other and laughed until we had to hold each other up.

"You look terrible, Jazz! It's not going to be easy to get that shirt clean. Come on, let's get you changed." Alice sounded exasperated but her thoughts were excited. Hmm, maybe I can go buy him a new one. I have to take him with me though this time…

Jasper felt her excitement and groaned. He knew exactly what she was thinking. He trudged behind Alice up the stairs.

Bella walked up to me and grinned. I grinned back.

"You look great to me." Then she reached up and kissed me quickly on the lips. "It makes me happy to see you play with your brothers again. I brought your bag up to the room. Come on." She held out her hand.

I took it and we walked up the stairs. We walked down the hall and she opened one of the doors. It was the room I usually used when I stayed here but I was surprised to see Bella's bag next to the closet. She noticed me looking at it and blushed pink.

"Esme put us in here together. She said that there wasn't another empty room and that we should share." She was looking at her feet when she spoke.

I sent a silent thank you to Esme. I knew that even with all of us here there were at least two other rooms that were empty. Esme knew that I would not want to be parted from Bella, or have to face the embarrassing situation of being caught sneaking into her room.

I took her chin in my fingers and kissed her. "I don't mind and neither should you. It is exactly the arrangement that I would have asked for if I had thought about it. You know how much I like listening to you talk in your sleep. I've missed that." I winked at her and she rolled her eyes. "Besides, would you rather get caught sneaking into my room to sleep next to me?" She blushed bright pink.

"Me neither, so this is the best way. Don't worry about what everyone else thinks. In here we are the only two people in the world, okay?" I liked the way that sounded. A private sanctuary for Bella and me. I could tell by her expression that she liked it too.

I took a quick shower to wash away the evidence of our wrestling match then changed into fresh jeans and a t-shirt. Bella was waiting for me when I came out of the bathroom. I saw her look me up and down and I raised my eyebrow at her and grinned. As I expected she turned a beguiling shade of pink and then giggled. She held out her hand to me and I took it, intertwining our fingers.

"Come on," she said. "I think everyone else went downstairs."

I tugged her to a stop before she could take more than a step. She looked up at me questioningly.

"One thing, before we go downstairs." I said, pulling her closer to me.

Her eyes widened for a moment then softened as she looked at my mouth. A small smile played around her lips. Unconsciously she licked her bottom lip and that was all the invitation I needed.

I bent my head to hers and captured her lips. She was so warm. The taste of her lips was indescribable. Her arms went around my waist and I felt her fingers grasp the fabric of my t-shirt. My fingers slipped into her hair and cradled her head. I gently tilted her head back, kissing her more deeply. Her breath became more ragged and her fingers were kneading my shirt like a kitten. I let my tongue slid across her bottom lip and she opened her mouth, fanning me with her warm sweet breath. One of my hands slipped free of her hair and wrapped around her waist, pressing her closer to me. She moaned softly in her throat. The sound was so arousing it was almost my undoing. Then I felt her shiver in my arms. Though I knew it was from passion not temperature, it was the reminder I needed.

I released her, but slowly. Partly because I didn't want her to feel rejected by breaking contact too quickly but mostly because I never wanted to let her go. I slowed my kisses until they were soft caresses on her lips. When I pulled away I looked at her face. Her eyes were closed and her creamy skin was flushed. She opened her eyes and the chocolate brown of her eyes had darkened to mocha with passion.

Gorgeous. I had to stop myself from pulling her into my arms again.

I rested my forehead against hers and tried to get my breathing under control.

"Hmm," I said when I felt steadier, "remind me to thank Esme for putting us in here together."

She blushed, of course. "Me too." Then she reached up and kissed me softly on the mouth before pulling away slightly, her face just inches from mine.

"Though, that would have been worth getting caught sneaking into your room for." She grinned and then pulled me out of the room.