It was the night before my flight to England and I was on Edward's bed, trying hard not to let the scent of his bed sheets or the memory of earlier in the day when Edward and I had sex in his downstairs bathroom lull me into a weird hypnotic state.

It was especially imperative that I keep my wits about me, considering that this was my last night with Edward for three weeks.

And we were fighting.

About The Godfather.

"Really, Bella," he huffed, rolling his eyes and glaring at his small TV across the room, "I'm going to pretend you didn't just say that."

"I'm not going to apologize for thinking the second one is better."

He looked over at me with a raised eyebrow.

"Seriously. You can't make me."

His flawless lips curled up into a sneer and I knew I was done for. Shit.

"Oh? Are you sure about that?"

"Yes," I whispered but I sounded as convincing as Pinocchio.

I barely had a chance to screech out "Michael Corrleone" before Edward was on top of me, pressing me down into his firm mattress.

"Would you like to refute your statement now?" he asked with a wicked grin. He knew this was equal parts pissing me off and turning me on.

"No," I hissed, arching my back and raising my hips into his erection in the process. Oops.

He glared at me but did not sway from trying to correct me. "I really think you should reconsider that." He lifted my arms up with his hands that were clenched with mine and then lightly smacked them back down. Oh, my God. I wouldn't be able to resist him for long.

"Think about Fredo," I pleaded. "Think about when Michael kisses him. Or at their mother's funeral when he hugs him but nods to the hitman."

Edward snorted and shook his head. "What about when Michael tells Carlo to never, ever lie to him at the end of the first movie? That is fucking amazing genius right there."

"You don't know what you're talking about," I said with squinted eyes. "Now get off me!"

Edward's hand was in between my thighs before I could even register the move. His fingers dipped into my wetness and he looked at me in mock disbelief. Amusement was dancing in his eyes and I simultaneously wanted to punch him and kiss him.

"Are you sure you want me to get off of you, Bella? Because your pussy disagrees with that statement." He leaned down and blew into my ear. "I'd say it disagrees strongly with your request."

Damn it! He always wins.

"Edward…" I moaned and he knew instantly that he had triumphed.

He tried not to smirk as he started to rip off my clothes but he failed. I rolled my eyes but said nothing as I reached to undress him, too, and soon we were kissing one another frantically. Our heated (albeit, ridiculous) argument had excited the two of us and we both knew foreplay wouldn't really be necessary.

Somewhere in the span of time it took him to unclasp my bra, the dynamic between us changed and we no longer were attacking each other's mouths like primitive savages.

Our kisses turned tender – no less passionate and lustful – and demanding. It wasn't just about the sex. The two of us knew, without speaking, that this would be the last dialogue our bodies would have with one another in a while.

I peered into Edward's eyes and saw everything I ever needed to know in them. For a horrible second I thought he was going to cry but he blinked hard and then smiled at me.

"I love you."

I never got tired of hearing those words.

I said bye to everyone the next day.

Jasper, surprisingly, hugged me first and whispered in my ear that he'd miss me very much.

"I love you like you're my own sister," he told me and I'm not ashamed to say the sentiment made me tear up a little. "You're the best friend and, for all intents and purposes, sister of the love of my life. You make her happy, and you make my best friend happy. It's going to be really sad around here with you gone."

I stepped back from him, feeling a little awkward, and wiped my eyes quickly. "Thanks, Jasper. I love you and I'm going to miss you, too."

He smiled at me and then took a step back.

Charlie was watching me peculiarly but then he sighed and wrapped me in the tightest hug he'd ever given me. "Watch out for yourself, kid."

"I will," I promised, shocked at his public display of affection.

"Have a safe trip." He stepped back with a nod and started playing with his car keys. I could see he was uncomfortable, so I just nodded back and looked over at Alice who was already sobbing like a maniac.

"I'm not going to be gone that long, Alice, and I'll call you every day," I said right away, trying to assuage some of the sadness.

She moved her head up and down slowly in a sign of acceptance but the tears kept rolling down her face. She hugged me ferociously with all of her strength – which was a lot, surprisingly – and kissed my cheek.

"I miss you already."

She went over to Jasper and buried her face into his chest. He rubbed up and down her arms and whispered soothing words into her hair. God, you'd think I was never coming back or something. I was touched, regardless, and feeling a little silly to admit I felt pretty much the same way she did.

Then I looked over to my savior and nearly decided to rip up my plane ticket.

He took a step away from the uncomfortable bunch and said, "Come here."

I followed him away a few paces and stopped when he turned around. His eyes were glassy and he looked… the most disturbed I'd ever seen him.

"I love you," he said seriously in a tone that dared anyone to question him.

"I know. I love you, too."

The word 'love' sounded so weak in comparison to the almost stifling emotion I felt for Edward but it would just have to do. It was like how you translated words into other languages; sometimes the meanings matched and sometimes you had to offer up a word that was somewhat close in meaning.

He stepped closer to me and kissed my forehead. "Love you." His gorgeous lips moved down and he kissed the tip of my nose. "Love you." Then he finally met my lips and gave me a kiss to remember. When he finally pulled away – his strong chest heaving, desperately trying to catch up on the needed oxygen – he smiled softly and whispered, "Love you."

I started to cry like the hypocritical idiot that I am and he huddled me close to him. "Shhh, sweetheart. Stop crying."

"I can't," I blubbered. "I'm going to miss you so much."

"Words can't express how I'll miss you, Bella, and they can't even begin to cover how I feel for you. But it's going to be all right."

"I know," I sniffled, trying not to get any kind of moisture on Edward's beautiful shit.

"And think of it, Bella," he whispered with a smile, "think of the mindblowing sex we'll have when we see each other again."

I burst out laughing and kissed his lips softly. "I love you."

I looked at the rest of my farewell party and smiled faintly. "I'll see you all soon."

And then I couldn't delay the inevitable anymore. Edward walked outside with me, having planned to be the one to drive me to the airport.

He drove as I fiddled around with the radio stations. We didn't talk but I could feel the tension and suddenly I couldn't take it anymore.

"I change my mind. Take me back."

Edward smiled and squeezed my hand but kept his eyes on the road ahead. "You'd be sorry."

"Would not," I protested like a bratty kid, but I knew he was right.

London was going to be amazing and I already knew I would obtain a wealth of knowledge and experience from my trip. I wasn't going to have to stay with some strange family; instead, I'd be staying in a dorm room with a girl my age. I'd regret not going, I knew that. But as I gazed at Edward's profile, I also knew how much I was going to miss him. I hadn't even left yet and the ache was already spreading through my chest.

I glanced around and saw we were almost to the airport.

"Thank God Alice is so bad with goodbyes," I said, desperate to say something before I got even sadder. "I'm glad we got to spend this time alone."

Edward still wouldn't look at me. "She's probably pacing around the house, hating herself for not coming."

I laughed but it sounded as artificial as it felt.

Of course he picked up on it and the pressure of his hand on mine tightened. "You'll be back before you know it."

"And then Charlie," I added, trying to change the subject. "He's even worse with goodbye. He acted like he forgot he was supposed to work today."

Edward said nothing and I let the silence envelop us for a few minutes until it was too much.

"I'm going to miss you so much," I whispered, begging myself not to cry. I didn't want to cry, not yet. Not in front of Edward.

"Me too. But it'll go fast. I promise." He lifted my hand to his lips and kissed me softly.

We were silent for a few more minutes until Edward got off on the exit for the airport.

"Seriously, Edward, take me home."

"Stop tempting me," he sighed.

"I'm dead serious."

He sighed again but said nothing. He didn't turn the car around, either.

"This experience isn't worth it to me, honestly. I don't know how I'm going to deal with being apart from you."

The annoying ticking sound of the blinker went on as he turned into the airport parking lot.

"Are you deaf? I want to go home." I wasn't feeling fear anymore; I was feeling absolute panic.

As he sped up to my terminal, I smacked his shoulder. "Take me home!"

"No," he finally muttered. "I will not be the reason you pass up on this opportunity."

"Ugh, I'll make my own decisions, thank you! And I want to go home!"

He parked the car and looked at me. "You're just scared. Everything is going to be fine."

Then the tears began and I couldn't stop them. I felt so ridiculous, so immature, but I couldn't stifle the shuddering, shaking sobs.

And like the best boyfriend on the planet, Edward took me into his arms and let me cry there for a bit. After a little while, he pulled back and brushed some wet hair from my face. I tried not to think about how disgusting I probably looked.

"It's time. You don't want to miss your flight."

"I don't want to lose you," I finally said.

Edward's eyes shone and, for a moment, I thought he was going to start crying, too. "You won't. I don't want to lose you, either, but I know you've gotta go. You know it, too."

"I just feel like… I finally have you. And I feel like things are finally falling into place and now of all times I have to leave."

"Bella, what I feel for you just isn't going to vanish. You know this. I don't even think this is about me anymore." He kissed my forehead and hugged me tightly. "Don't stop yourself from something amazing. I did, once, and I regret all the time I wasted ever since."

"What did you stop yourself from?" I asked curiously, still sniffling like a fool.

"From being happy with you."

I kissed his chest and cried harder. Edward fumbled around with some papers, trying to find me a Kleenex, but it was hopeless. He looked so lost that I had to laugh and then our moment was over. We both stumbled out of the car, as if in a daze, and marched to the airport with my two modest suitcases.

I didn't protest anymore because what Edward said was true: my hesitance wasn't about him anymore. I didn't want to be away from him, that was certain. As a matter of fact, the thought of it almost made me feel like I was dying. But I knew I'd survive it because I'd know the whole time I had him to go home to and he'd be waiting for me and loving me. What I was really afraid of was living just for me, of finally being an adult—like everybody else is. And that was exactly why I had to do this.

Edward waited for me as I checked in my bags and grabbed a coffee. He wasn't going to wait with me until I took off, mainly because he couldn't walk past the security checkpoint with me but also because, like Alice, he was terrible with goodbyes.

"Be safe," he said, almost like an order. I smirked a little but his glare stopped me from giggling. "I'm serious. If you come back with even a tiny little bruise, I'll be severely pissed at you."

"I love you," was all I could say.

He smiled breathtakingly and I memorized it, adding it to the reel of spectacular moments with Edward I intended to replay in my mind until we were together again.

"I love you, too." And then in a move quite uncharacteristic for Edward, he grabbed me and kissed me. It was a fierce, possessive, hot kiss. It wasn't goodbye, it was I love you and I'll be sexing you up soon enough. I thought back to his promise of "welcome back sex" when I got home and blushed the reddest yet.

He finally pulled back and grinned sheepishly at me. He looked around, partly embarrassed but also partly smug, and then kissed me again. It was softer than the first but just as passionate.

When I was younger, I could never imagine that I would feel this way about someone. The idea of just one person for life seemed pretty ludicrous to me, especially since it didn't work for my parents. Even when my huge crush on Edward developed and I fantasized about being with him, the thought that he was it never truly entered my mind (consciously, anyway). It was only until he was mine and I was truly his that it came to me that he was everything. Always.

"Soon," he whispered. And then he was gone.

Though it killed me to turn around and walk away, his promise gave me all the strength I needed. So I turned with determination and marched over to my future, thinking about how it would bring me that much closer to all my dreams. And to my dreams of Edward.

I'd like to like and say I was a strong, independent woman who didn't mope at all over the next few days but I can't. In fact, I sobbed so hard the whole plane ride that one of the stewardesses told me there was a flight back a few hours after we landed.

When I arrived at the airport, I saw there was a shuttle that would be taking me over to the dorms. I felt a small surge of excitement, but overall I was tired and cranky and snotty. I needed a shower and a nap.

A small girl was waiting for me in the check-in area, holding a huge sign that read "Bella".

"I'm Bella," I told her shyly. "Nice to meet you."

She smiled back and introduced herself as Anna. "I have to apologize to you now," she told me as we walked to the room, "the place is a sty. I meant to clean it, really I did, but I have the worst headache in the world. I drank one too many last night."

"It's okay," I laughed.

We chatted a bit as we walked across campus. I liked her immediately but I still couldn't shake off my gloomy "I miss home" cloud.

The dorm was nice but, as promised, incredibly messy. I was thankful we weren't permanent roommates or anything like that. Sometimes Alice was careless but never like this. What looked like months old oatmeal was stuck in bowls, blackened banana peels hung over the sides of her dresser and bedside table, glasses with moldy looking liquids adorned most of the room, and clothes were wrinkled together in massive lumps.

After she showed me around a bit, she gave me an appraising look and asked, "Homesick?"

I debated lying but decided in the end it didn't matter; she was only asking to be polite. My misery was probably written all over me. "Terribly."

"I don't blame you," she said sympathetically, "but you need to take advantage of where you are! In a few days you'll forget all about it."

I laughed good-naturedly but I obviously wasn't convinced.

"Got a boyfriend?" she asked as she started putting away some of her clothing.

"Yes," I muttered, feeling quite sorry for myself.

"Oh, tell me about him!"

So I did, since I was thinking about him, anyway. She listened attentively and laughed along with me as I told her about our past, about asshole Mike, about our disastrous Thanksgiving dinner, about how clueless we were for so long. And suddenly I felt a little better and I realized I owed it all to this girl I hardly knew.

"Thanks," I said seriously after we drifted into a silence.

She looked up at me as she folded a stained sweater and grinned. "No problem. I've been there. Love's a crazy thing."

And so the weeks went by. Flew by, if I were to be honest, like everyone promised. The classes I took were amazing and I was so busy that I barely had time to brood. I only spoke to Edward a few times because it actually hurt to hear his voice and not see his face. He told me he had gotten a job at a restaurant that was closer to his school and was earning a lot of money. I could tell from his voice he missed me, but I was glad he was keeping busy, too. Alice and I spoke a few times and she ensured me she wasn't letting him sulk too much.

Then suddenly it was the day I was leaving and I was hugging Anna goodbye.

"Take care of yourself," she told me, "and make sure to keep in touch."

"I will," I promised, feeling a little sad that I'd probably never see her again.

"And take care of that boyfriend. He's probably going to tackle you to the floor right in the airport as soon as he sees you, so do right by him."

I laughed. "I think it's actually going to be the other way around."

I glared at the stewardess, wondering what was taking so long. She caught my glance and looked appropriately creeped out by my intensity. She fidgeted a little and explained that we were "docking". If I wasn't feeling such anticipation, anxiety, and frustration, I probably would have burst out laughing.

Once we were free, I literally ran through the airport, ignoring the stares and the cat calls. All I knew was my family, my friends and my Edward were waiting and I couldn't wait another second.

Then I saw them. Edward was pacing anxiously by a vending machine, Alice was jumping up and down because she'd already spotted me, and everyone else was more or less waiting calmly in a line for me. My parents were standing in front of everyone. Rosalie and Emmett were there, too, surprisingly.

I reached Renee first and practically knocked her over. "You look good, sweetie," she told me. "Real good."

"Missed you, kid," Charlie mumbled. He gave me an awkward hug that made me giggle.

Then Emmett tackled me as Rosalie daintily patted my hand. Jasper got to me afterwards and Alice very nearly knocked me out. It was good to be back.

Finally my eyes met Edward's. He was standing a little back, watching the spectacle we were making with a small contented smile. I was aware of everyone's eyes on us as I walked over to him but I didn't care because before I could blink he had me wrapped in his arms and I was home again.

"Finally," he whispered in my ear.

I couldn't have agreed more.

I nearly cried with joy when I saw Edward had taken his own car. He told me he had arranged it with everyone else that there would be no welcoming party or anything like that. He said he did it because he knew I would have hated it (which was indisputably true), but I couldn't help but feel that he did it for himself, too. I sure as hell wasn't complaining--the very thought thrilled me. I hugged and kissed everyone and then plopped into his car, anxious to be completely alone with him.

Unfortunately, Alice tapped on my window and continued chatting with me about this and that. I watched her with amusement, so glad to be back. I couldn't really be mad at her.

"And then he actually cut me off! Can you believe that?"

I looked over at Edward and had to desperately try not to laugh. His impatience was all over him. He ran his hand furiously through his hair and glared at Alice.

"We're leaving now, Alice. Say goodbye."

She pouted at him but blew me a kiss and hopped off with Jasper.

I turned to joke about it but the expression on his face cut me off short.

His eyes, glittering with lust and excitement, roamed up and down my body a few times. Then they met mine. He didn't smile.

"Soon," he promised with a nod.

I had a feeling Edward had his own personal welcoming party planned and I was flushed with my memories of the last time we'd been together. I blushed even redder, remembering his mention of the mindblowing sex we'd be having.

I had never seen Edward act like this before and the very idea of it made me want to go on another trip soon.

All I knew was—

Welcome back, Bella.