Chapter 16: Two Souls Combined

Three months later, Edward and Bella returned to Forks, walking along the streets they used to go down together when they were dating in high school. They were halfway to Charlie's house when Edward suddenly stopped. "What is it?" She asked. Edward reached under a bush and pulled out a weather beaten plastic bag with what looked like sticks. "What is that?" She asked.

"The carnations I bought you two years ago when I went to apologize," he replied.

Bella bit her lower lip as she looked at the very dead flowers in his hand. "You did come back," she whispered.

"I did, but I was a foolish boy then," he said quietly.

Bella reached up, placing her hand on the side of his face. "I've forgiven you," she whispered. He pressed his forehead to hers, closing his eyes.

"I loved you then Bella," he murmured.

She nodded her head slowly and he moved his hand over her back letting out a sigh. They were moving slowly, step by step to get to know each other all over again. Edward kissed her gently before they started walking the rest of the way to Charlie's house. Bella took the dead flower stems and threw them into the trashcan. Edward kissed the back of her hand as they walked up the steps. Bella went to take off her jacket when Edward took her jacket off for her. "Dad? Renesmee?" She called.

"There's a note on the fridge," he observed.

Bella walked over and took the note off the fridge, reading it over. "Bells, took Ness up to Port Royal. I'll be back later, dad," she read. Edward laughed a little.

"You weren't kidding when you were saying your dad's attached to her," he commented.

Bella smiled a little and let out a sight as she walked upstairs to her old room with Edward walking behind her.

They sat down on her bed and Edward looked around. "You took down the drawings," he teased. Bella laughed a little, shaking her head.

"A lot of things changed in this room. For the first year Renesmee slept in a crib that sat at the foot of my bed," she answered.

Edward held her hand, moving his fingers over her wrist. She smiled a little, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. He kissed the back of her hand again. "I did my homework in here as well just so I could be close to her," she said quietly. She let out a sigh, leaning against him. He kissed the top of her head, moving his fingers through her hair. "Edward…where did you go after you disappeared?" She asked.

Edward lied back on the bed, staring at the ceiling. "I emptied my bank account and just went anywhere and everywhere until I had just enough money to pay my tuition to Dartmouth. I traveled all over the place. I stayed in Vancouver for a few months, then Alaska, Italy, I just traveled," he explained. Bella lied down next to him, moving her hand over his chest. "I had thrown my phone out because I was so hurt I didn't have the courage to talk to my family," he whispered.

Bella played with the buttons on his shirt, buttoning and unbuttoning them again. "I went to Dartmouth and started to be just a womanizer really. Any girl I wanted I got at the drop of a hat. I didn't love any of those girls, it was just something to try to fill the void," he said quietly. Bella kissed his chest and let out a sigh. "I became the person you and I despised. The total opposite than I ever would want to be. My God Bella I destroyed my life. Then there was Tanya who just refused to take 'no' for an answer. I was just so depressed and beaten down mentally on myself that I just gave into her instead of fighting," he explained. Edward swallowed hard and tears pressed against his eyes. "And ever moment I was with her, I kept thinking of you," he added, his voice cracking.

She sat up a little more. "I tried to date…I did…before James I mean. I did try to date, but all the time I sat there comparing him to you. Then I would go home at night and just cried and cried until I was asleep. I was just looking for a father for Renesmee, because I just didn't think I would fall in love again after you and I didn't," she explained. Edward reached up, stroking her face gently. "You're the only one for me," she whispered.

"You're the only woman for me," he answered.

Bella leaned forward and kissed him gently. Edward kissed her back, his hand moving up into her hair. She moved so she was more on top of him, their kiss deepening, the same electricity they felt two almost three years ago zapped through them. She ran her hand over his chest, gliding over the buttons of his shirt. She undid a few of the buttons before leaning forward, kissing his throat and his chest. Edward closed his eyes and let out a deep breath. His hand glided over her arms, going towards her hands. Bella moved her fingers through his, but pulled her hands back as she finished undoing the buttons on his shirt, leaving kisses along his torso with each button that was undone.

Edward closed his eyes and helped her throw the shirt aside. He pulled her on top of him again, caressing the side of her neck before sitting up a little, kissing her jaw and her neck while his hands pulled at the hem of her shirt. He pulled the cotton material over her head with ease, her brown hair cascading over her shoulders. He moved his hands up into her hair, kissing her again. Bella kissed him back, her hands moving along his arms and over his chest again as she moved him back onto the bed. He ran his fingers along her spine, skimming over the clasp of her pale blue, laced bra. He sat up again and pulled her into his lap, placing delicate, loving kisses on the tops of her breasts.

Bella bit her lower lip as she moved her fingers through his hair, moving down to scratch the back of his neck. She let out a small sigh as his lips moved over her throat, leaving opened mouthed kisses. She felt his left hand glide over her side while his right continued to caress the small of her back. She tilted her head back a little as he kissed along her collarbone, nuzzling her skin a little. He nudged one of her bra straps down her arm and kissed over her shoulder before kissing the spot behind her ear that made her eyes roll back. "Edward…" she sighed before she could stop herself.

They moved so she was on her back this time and Edward looked at the beautiful angel under him. He moved his fingers over her flat stomach, leaning forward to place kisses over every inch of her skin. He heard her sighs and her whispering his name again and again with every kiss. He reached behind her back and undid her bra, pulling the lacey material away from her body, revealing her half-naked body to him. He skimmed his fingers over her breasts, making her moan softly and arch her back a little. Edward leaned forward, kissing her softly, yet lovingly.

Bella opened her mouth under his, moving her fingers over his back before moving towards his front to undo the belt of his pants. She felt a shiver run up and down her spine as he moved his hand under her knee, hitching her leg over his hip. Edward closed his eyes, groaning softy into her mouth at the intimate contact. The feeling of her body melding against his was electrifying and fulfilling.

Their clothes were stripped off and they were under the blankets. Their bodies were covered in a sheen of sweat, they moaned each other's names, but that was about it when it came to words. Just hearing each other say their lover's name was arousing enough to add anything else. He moved inside her and they connected immediately, two parts of a puzzle completed. They moved their hips together, their arms wrapped tightly around each other.

Their pace picked up after a little while. Bella moaned a little louder than before as Edward held their hands above heir heads, touching the headboard of her bed. The old bed squeaked, the headboard lightly tapped against the wall, but it had gone unnoticed by them. Her brown eyes were locked with his green eyes as they felt their climaxes. Edward kissed her passionately, Bella kissed him back, moaning as they both tried to reach their releases. Their grips on each other's hands tightened as they hit their peaks, both moaning each other's names loudly.

Edward collapsed on top of her, his sweaty forehead against hers. Bella moved her fingers over his jaw, trying to catch her breath. He kissed her neck as his breathing still came out in pants. They were wrapped tightly around each other, not wanting to let each other go, afraid this was a dream and soon they would be waking up at any moment. Bella moved her fingers through his damp hair, letting out a deep breath. "So beautiful," he whispered gently, kissing her jaw.

"Don't start that," she answered.

"Why not?" He asked brushing his nose against hers.

Bella let out a sigh. "I'm not that beautiful Edward, we have this debate all the time," she answered.

"And yet I mean it every time I say it," he murmured, nipping at her lips.

She sighed against his lips, moving her hand over his sweaty back.

After awhile, Edward had moved aside and Bella was asleep with her head resting on his shoulder. He moved his fingers over her jaw lovingly, watching her sleep with a smile. Even now watching her sleep was fascinating to him. During high school he would sneak into her room just to watch her sleep, she looked like a beautiful angel watching him sleep. Edward leaned forward, kissing her softly. "I love you," he whispered. She sighed in her sleep, whispering his name. He smiled gently before falling asleep with his arms around her.

The moonlight was showing into the bedroom window on the reunited lovers, on the floor sitting by Edward's discarded pants was a dark blue ring box with a gold lining.