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Chapter Six

Edward Pov

I chuckled as she pouted silently in the passenger's seat. She was much too stubborn to relent her stiff posture, and I found her passionate frustration endearing. Her hands were crossed in front of her chest, her fingers gripping her forearms tightly. She averted her face from mine, staring angrily out the window.

"Bel-la." I whined. "Please?"

"No." Her answer was short and crisp. Then her hard demeanor slipped. "Edward," She sighed. "I really don't like surprises! I won't look at you until you tell me!"

I deliberated this. "Alright." I agreed.

She snapped her head to look at me, her eyes wide in astonishment. "Really?" She asked hopefully.

"Yes." I paused. "When we get there."

"Ugh!" She groaned, letting her head rest against the seat in defeat. "Whatever, Masen."

I smiled, my heart singing. "You remembered my name." I said in awe. Bella rolled her eyes, choosing not to comment.

The radio was playing an appropriate song for the moment, and I smiled at its familiar tune.

I began to sing.

"Cheer up and dry your damp eyes, and tell me when it rains. And I'll blend up that rainbow above you and shoot it through your veins. 'Cause your heart has a lack of color, and we should've known. That we'd grow up sooner or later 'cause we wasted all our free time alone."

She rolled her eyes, but her lips twitched to a smile.

"Our hopes and expectations. Black holes and revelations." She responded.

Hold you in my arms. I just wanted to hold you in my arms. I countered, using the same song she did.

She finally laughed. "Alright, alright. I won't ask where we re going anymore. But that doesn't mean I ll enjoy a surprise."

I chuckled. "I think you will." The radio switched songs.

"You have stolen my heart." She mimicked it.

"I'm glad" I retorted. "Because you have stolen my heart."

"Ridiculous." She muttered.

I parked the car, and she gasped at the abrupt halt. I got out and walked to her side of the car, opening the door. "What did you say?" I demanded harshly.

She fidgeted nervously at my tone, stepping outside the car as well. "I-I said ridiculous."

I sighed, closing her door. "That's what I thought you said." I turned towards her, gently cupping her cheek in my hand. "Listen to me." I spoke urgently, passionately. "I love you. I always will, my Bella." Her skin turned tomato red. "I must know that you believe this with all your heart." I whispered.

She averted her eyes from mine suddenly.

I leaned back, wounded. "You don t believe me?" I asked in astonishment.

"Can I ask you a question, please?" She murmured softly. Promise you won t laugh at me.

I nodded.

"Honestly, I m standing here, afraid I ll be betrayed." She ducked her head, and my heart sunk. "I-I don't, no, I'm not used to being liked, let alone loved." A sharp pain went through me, and I wanted to world to love her; wanted every one to love her. They should.

"I just can't understand why you would love me." She continued. "I know that I love you, but I just want to know why you love me. I feel like I m living on love, and if this doesn't work, I will die. Edward, I just have to know. If I-"

I silenced her, pressing my lips to hers desperately, trying to convey all the things I left unsaid and the things I had tried to say. I loved her. I needed her. I wanted her. I could not live without her. She was my everything. She was perfect. I wasn't. But somehow we were meant to be. As messed up as I was, she was mine. I was hers.

She responded under my mouth. Bella grabbed my hair, yanking me towards her. I grinned against her lips, satisfied. She loved me. She wanted me. She accepted me.

She kissed me like she meant it, and I knew that she meant it as much as I did. It was a meaningful kiss, and I couldn't even dream of a better one.

"So" I smirked, breaking the kiss off after a while. "Are you ready for your surprise?"

She groaned. "I guess."

I smiled. "Good. Cause we're here." She snapped her head up to examine the building.

"Oh dear God, help me." She muttered, reading the sign.

Seattle Ballroom Dancing.

"In we go." I said cheerfully, leading her towards the door. She complained but followed.

"Edward!" She hissed. "I can't ballroom dance!"

I shrugged. "Neither can I. So this should be fun." She stared at me in shock, gulping and her eyes grew even wider.

"Edward!!"

I laughed at her sheer fright. "I'm teasing. Of course I know how. Don t worry, I ll teach you." She relaxed somewhat at my soothing words. Then she froze, her attention on something behind me.

Or rather someone. Two people, as a matter of fact.

A short woman and a tall man. Both had brown hair, and their outfits were the same shade of lime green. Tacky. The woman reminded me somewhat of Jessica Stanley, an annoying, over-confident cheerleader. The man seemed off, as if he was slightly dangerous.

"Imagine seeing you here!" They said together. His voice was excited and deep, but hers was sarcastic and cruel, a sharp squeal.

I shifted my gaze from them to Bella. "You know them?" I asked, confused and surprised. They didn't seem like people Bella would associate with.

Bella gave me an apologetic glance. "Sorry." She mouthed. I gave her a questioning look, but I soon understood as the woman began to speak.

"Whatever is my daughter doing here?" The woman growled. "And why did you steal my dress!!?" Bella timidly looked to the ground, not defending herself.

Her mother turned to me, shifting herself so that she was turned away from both Bella and the man. "I look so much better in it than her." She winked at me, coming closer. I backed up, into the wall behind me. "I look good doing anything." She threw me a flirty smile. I choked. "Oops, I mean wearing anything." She lowered her voice. "Including nothing at all."

My eyes widened, and I gasped. Gross. I pushed her off of me. "That is nasty." I informed her, trying to stay polite. Absolutely repelling. Disgusting. Awful. Horrible. I couldn't keep the horror out of my voice.

"Aw, are you sure?" She fluttered her eyelashes, trying to be seductive.

"Yes, I m positive. Believe me." I glanced frantically at Bella, and my jaw dropped. "Excuse me."

I shoved the man off of her, who had her hands pinned above her head. "What are you doing?!" I shouted.

Bella gratefully hid in my arms, leaning firmly against my chest. I pulled her closer, and I was sure she could feel my angry heartbeat.

The man gave me a wicked grin. "Her."

I growled at him, and he stumbled back. "Look, little, little boy." He slurred. "She s my st-step daughter. I knew her longer longest than you you." He hiccuped.

I pulled Bella away, stepping backwards from the man. I wanted her as far away from this man as possible. I pushed through the crowd, swiftly and crookedly, and he couldn't keep up in his drunken stupor.

Bella shivered in my arms. "Sorry, Edward."

I gave her a disbelieving look. "You don t need to apologize for those monsters."

She trembled in my secure grasp. "I feel responsible."

I kissed her hair." Then don't." I paused. "Who were they exactly?"

She could only manage a whisper. "My mother Renee and her husband Phil. My step-father." Her voice slightly broke on the word. What had that vile man done to her before I knew her?

I released her, turning to face her.

I bowed formally. Then I took her small hand gently, lifting it to my lips. She flushed as I placed a fragile kiss against her pale skin. She was obviously confused, but she was distracted from her parents. "May I?" I asked, gesturing behind us. Her eyes widened.

"Oh, no, NO way, Edward! I can't!" She protested, panicking as I tried to lead her to the center.

"Please, Bella? I really want to." I told her, pouting my lip. "Really."

The dawn is breaking. A light shining through. I sang softly. She flushed as I winked at her. "I'm open, you re closed. Where I follow, you go. I worry I won t see your face light up again."

I gently tugged at her hand, pulling her to the dance floor. "Edward," she warned.

"Even the best fall down sometimes. Even the wrong words seem to rhyme. And out of the doubt that fills your mind, we'll somehow find that you and I collide." I whispered in her ear, and she froze.

"I-I"

I wrapped my arm around her waist carefully. "Bella." A new song started, and it was perfectly slow. "See? It s not like we have to be ballroom dancing. It s just a slow dance."

She nodded hesitantly, lifting her arms around my neck.

"My knees went weak, and you saw me cry. Say I'm still the soldier in your eyes," I whispered along with the music.

"You are," She breathed.

"I may not have the softest touch. I may not say the words as such. And though I may not look like much, I'm yours," I sang only to her.

She sang right back, her voice angelic. "Though my edges may be rough. I'll never feel I'm quite enough. And it may not seem like very much, but I'm yours." I held her closer, twirling her around in my arms.

"Do you really believe you aren't good enough for me?" I wondered in her ear.

"Of course." She answered, as if it were obvious. "I know I don't fit in that much, but I'm yours."

I shook my head, nestling my face in her hair. "Absurd, my Bella." I argued gently.

"Tell me that you love me, and it'll be alright." She sung, to a totally different song I couldn't place. "I think you love me."

"I love you so very much." I murmured. "Will you be my girlfriend, my Bella?" I asked boldly.

"Of course." She whispered, smiling. I softly kissed her cheek. "I'd give up forever to touch you. 'Cause I know that you feel me somehow. You're the closest to Heaven that I'll ever be, and I don't wanna go home right now." She spoke softly, her eyes glistening with tears that didn't spill over.

I drew my arms tighter around her. "All I can taste is this moment. And all I can breathe is your life. 'Cause sooner or later, it's over. I just don't want to miss you tonight."

"And I don't want the world to see me. 'Cause I don't think they'd understand." She whispered, her lips trembling.

"When everything's made to be broken, I just want you to know who I am." I replied soothingly. "You bleed just to know you're alive, Bella." I kissed her forehead gently. "We'll get through this." I muttered. Somehow.

We were both messed up, but we were both messed up together. I would rather be broken with her then be fixed and alone.

"And hearts disfigure. But that's no concern, when we're wounded together." Bella sung softly, and I smiled at the exact appropriateness of her timing. We were definitely connected. We were perfect for each other. She stumbled, her eyes drooping.

I gently scooped her in my arms and walked her to the car. I opened her door and set her in. I brushed her hands away and buckled her seat belt for her. I closed her door, careful not to slam it loudly.

I climbed in the driver's seat, fastening my own seat belt. I looked at Bella, who was peacefully sleeping, her hair spread out in a beautiful wave over her shoulder. I lightly pulled her hair out of her face and pushed it over her shoulder, revealing her pale neck. I placed a fragile kiss on her throat.

"I love you, my Bella." I whispered against her skin, and I noticed how her lips rose into a soft smile. I chuckled.

I started to drive back to my house, turning the radio off.

I will never let her go. No matter what happens, I will be there for her.

Even if saving her sends me to Heaven.

A car was on the wrong side of the highway, its driver drunk. I was preoccupied with my thoughts, so I noticed the headlights a little too late. But it was soon enough to throw my body over Bella's sleeping form. I shielded her. The impact came. I was faintly aware of shattering glass, and pain rippling in my back. And everything went dark.

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Beep. Beep. Beep. A sudden scream filled the air, and the machine mimed it. Flat line.

Uh, yeah, please don't kill me. :) That's be appreciated. feel free to leave a review, but no throwing pitchforks at my head!! It hurts! Hahaha. :)

-Belmo