Chapter Two: Two Hours Earlier

Edwards POV

I see her. I see her when I close my eyes. I see here when they're open. I see her.

I'm a fool. I should never have left. I should have told Alice no to a party. I should have made sure that she wouldn't have got a paper cut. I should have been a proper boyfriend. I…

I want to go back. I want to go to her and get down upon my knees and beg. I want to hold her in my arms and never let go. I want to see those chocolate brown eyes of hers. I want to see her blush. I want her. My heart is breaking even though it's already dead.

Staring into space, I could feel my vision becoming blurry. It's a strange sensation. Something I haven't experienced in almost a century. My eyes felt like they were watering, like tears were beginning to form. Impossible. Until one dropped on to my cheek.

I moved my hand to wipe it away. There it was. A tear. I'm actually crying. I'm a vampire, I can't cry. So how can I now? More come. I sit up from my position on my couch and check my reflection in the mirror. Yep, definitely crying. But that's not all.

"Dad!" I said quietly, knowing that Carlisle would be the only person worth talking to about this.

He spoke? Edward? Carlisle thinks in my direction from downstairs.

"I need you, can you come up here?" My voice choking on my tears.

Edward? I started to hear him come up the stairs. What's wrong?

"I can't explain it. It's best if you see for yourself." I said. Still tearing up. Carlisle knocked on my door. "Come in."

"Edward, what..." Carlisle said, coming into my room. He took one look at me and stopped dead. I didn't know what to say. I just let another tear escape. Carlisle started running through everything in his mind.

You're crying? How?

"I was hoping you could answer that for me." He flinched at the sound of my voice. He walked closer to me and sat himself down beside me on the couch.

And your eyes have changed. I haven't seen that shade of green in a very long time. He took a deep un needed breathe.

"Edward. I have no idea how. I've never heard of anything like this happening to a vampire." He said. I could start to hear thoughts coming from down stairs. All of them were focused on how and why I've started talking again.

I wiped away my tears on the back of my hand. They stopped for the moment, leaving my eyes tired.

"What about my heart?" I said, almost in a whisper.

Can you feel it beating? I was unsure. Something was different though. I looked at him. He closed his eyes and focused. I listened though his mind. He was searching for my heart beat. It took a while, it was so quiet. But there it was. Beating steadily, pushing blood around my body.

"I don't understand." I said. Carlisle nodded. He didn't understand either.

"What do you feel?"

"Sad. Angry. Depressed. Lonely…" I paused, watching his confused and serious expression turn into a pained guilty one.

Go on.

"Tired. Hungry. Thirsty."

"When you say hungry and thirsty. How do you mean?"

"Both."

You're hungry for human food AND thirsty for blood? I nodded. Well… You can cry. You're eyes have gone back to their human color. You feel hungry and thirsty. You can still read minds. I wouldn't be surprised if you could sleep. How is your strength and speed? There is no way I am letting you anywhere near a mountain lion if you have lost those.

I smiled at that. He was still my Father after all. I stood up and ran to the other side of the room.

"Well. You still have your speed. What about your strength?" I walked to one of the tables that housed my CD and stereo system and lifted it up above my head with one hand. If I had lost my strength there was no way I would have been able to do that.

Everything seems ok from a vampire's perspective. It seems you just have a human side now too.

"What, so I'm half and half?"

"Like I said. I've never seen or heard of anything like this. But if I had to make a guess… yes."

We left my room to tell the others. Alice was waiting on the landing. She was smiling. With my new found humanity she knew what I would want to do. What I do want to do.

"I've always tried to imagine you with green eyes. It suits you." She stated, calmly.

"How is she going to take it?" I asked her. Wanting her to look into the future.

How is who? She showed me pictures of Esme, Rosalie and Bella. She lingered on Bella, but knew I was talking about Rosalie. Rose will be fine. She'll understand… Go back.

"I intend to." I made a split second decision. Now that I was more like her. Less dangerous things would happen… right? Alice's eyes lit up and she ran down the stairs at full speed to stand at Jasper's side.

Carlisle and I walked down at a human speed. Carlisle carried on walking till he got to Esme's side. I stopped as soon as I came to bottom of the stairs. I sat on the 4th step up. I looked at Carlisle, wanting him to explain.

"It seems that somehow, Edward has gained back his humanity." Rose looked outraged at this. But she looked me in the eyes and her anger backed down. She had never seen me look so vulnerable.

"Is that even possible?" Emmett said. "I mean, I can hear your heart. What I meant was… how?"

You miss Bella. Jasper said. I nodded.

"We don't know." Carlisle said, answering Emmett's question.

Go back.

"I don't know if I can do that, Jazz."

Yes you can. What's different to less than 5 minutes ago? You made your mind up then? Why change it now?

"Just because I'm half human, doesn't mean I'm not dangerous to her."

Did that matter to her in the first place?

"No. But I still can't." I said looking at my empathic brother. He sighed.

Edward. Let me carry the guilt for this one. Go back to Bella. She loves you and you love her.

"What if she doesn't want me back?"

"Stop making excuses." Jasper and Rosalie said together. I looked at Rose, surprised.

"Look in the mirror, Edward. You are tearing yourself apart. Bella makes you feel whole. So stop making excuses and go back to her." Rosalie ordered.

"If I go back. I won't be able to leave again."

"Good. That means we can all go home."

Carlisle started making plans to travel back to Forks in his head. He would call the realtor and sell our house here. He would call the movers and get them to pick up all that would be needed back in Forks. He would hand in his notice at the local hospital he had started to work in. We would be back in Forks by 5pm the next day.

"I want to go back now." I said.

"Edward, I don't think you should drive back this late. You could fall asleep at the wheel." To prove his point, I yawned.

"I'll take him back now." Another surprised look washed over my face. "Emmett will drive the Jeep. Jasper will drive back Edward's Aston Martin."

"Fine, but take the Mercedes. It'll get you there faster." Rosalie nodded at that.

"Well then, you can drive back Edward's Volvo with Esme and Alice can drive back my BMW." There were nods of agreement all around at that. Alice grabbed Rosalie's car keys with a smile on her face.

"I'll be extra careful with it." Alice said. Then she ran upstairs to my room. She was packing me some clothes.

"Don't have to do this for me Rose, but thank you."

Don't thank me. When you were completely immortal, you hid your feelings. You wore nothing but a dead blank expression. She showed me my own face, when we moved here a few weeks ago. I shuddered. Now that you're part human, your expression is easy to read. It's sad and depressed. If Bella can put a smile back on your face then By God, I will see it happen.

Alice came running back down the stairs then. She handed me my bag.

"Don't knock on the front door. It might take a while for Charlie to forgive you enough to let you inside his house again. Go through Bella's bedroom window… She'll be waiting for you." With that, Alice hugged me and disappeared to start packing.

"Do you need any food or anything?" Esme asked. She looked sad, but inside she was happy that we were going back. She missed Bella and hoped she was okay.

"No, Mom. I'll be fine." I replied.

"Well you be careful." She said. I have three sons, and I'd like to keep it that way.

"I will." I smiled at her.

"Come on, let's go. You have some grovelling to do." Rosalie grinned at the idea of me begging Bella to take me back. I didn't care though. If Bella wanted me to beg, I would beg.

We left the house, got into the Mercedes and drove away. Soon I would be back with my Bella.