:) Hey! I missed you guys! Didya miss me? :) haha soooo...new chapter...yay! annnd I'm thinking of starting a FictionPress story...anyone interested in reading it? I want to have readers if I'm going to do it so...yeah...now...ENJOY :)


Edward sprinted from Emmett's house to the Lincoln that was parked illegally on the street. There was still a hint of a smile on his face. Emmett and Rosalie—he certainly did not see that one coming. He slid into the driver's seat, thankful that they police hadn't decided to strap a boot to his front tire or slide a ticket under his windshield wiper. The steady hum of his engine broke fell into rhythm with the hum of downtown Green Bay, horns and shouts emanating from either side of the street.

He woke up his iPhone and glanced down at the address Emmett had punched into the notes. Edward entered the letters and numbers into the car's GPS system, remembering how Emmett had scowled in his direction while patently asking Rosalie to go back into the other room. What a psycho. Shaking his head, Edward flicked on his blinker and pulled out onto the busy street, weaving in and out of traffic like a madman. He needed Bella to understand, to at least let him try again.

The little house was all the way on the other side of town, and it was at least twenty minutes later by the time Edward arrived. In his mind, that was twenty minutes too long to be away from Bella. He swiftly pulled into the driveway and shuddered at the grinding sound the gears made when he threw it into park.

The building was falling apart. The deck was made of rotten wood. A few shutters dangled from where they had once been nailed into the siding. Paint peeled and fell off the walls in heavy, white flakes, dotting the ground like snow. Bella lived here? He blinked before realizing he was still buckled into his car. The click of the seatbelt made him cringe. The house looked deserted. No lights were on in the building, and even the crickets seemed to be silent on this stretch of land. He scratched his neck, feeling heated anger toward Emmett for giving him a faulty address. Maybe a murderer hid here. Maybe a lunatic fan wanted to lure him into the woods so that—his horror-movie-material thoughts were broke off by a scream. It was high and loud, seeping out through the open windows of the run-down home.

A murder definitely lived here.

Edward sprung into action, hoping his valiance wouldn't end up getting him killed. The shattered silence threw all the animals into motion. Chipmunks scurried up trees that had been vacated by startled birds. Frogs hopped into puddles left by the rain that still drizzled down from the sky, and dogs up the street barked loudly as owners hollered from porches for them to be quiet.

He reached the front door in four easy steps and threw it open, startled by the mudroom, that although was messy, had no trace of dust on the items inside. Wet shoes were sitting askew on the floor, footprints trailing in through the door, muddy from the rain. Maybe it wasn't just a deserted house. "No!" a usually soft voice cried from inside the house, her sobbing following the outburst. He silently apologized for doubting Emmett before hurtling through the doorframe, finding himself surrounded by a well-loved kitchen. Bella's t-shirt was hanging over the back of a chair, drenched and dripping onto the ground below.

"Stop!" His auburn hair flew into his eyes as he whipped his head toward the sound, his mouth parting in horror. Bella lay sprawled on the floor, glassy eyes staring vacantly into the spot of air above her. Sweat had collected in tiny droplets on her forehead, and clumps of hair were pasted against her neck and shoulders. She rolled around while moaning in pain, her pale arms outstretched as if she were trying to push someone away. None of this pained Edward as much as the sight of her bare abdomen. Without her shirt, he could see the smattering of scars that encrusted her flat stomach. They were long, and short, and thick, and thin, and puckered, and smooth. There were so many of them, all at different slants and angles. Some made shapes, others looked just like slash marks cutting across her skin, and Edward felt the pain from each one of them. Had she done this to herself?

He reached out to her, taking her hands and gently pulling them to her sides. "Bella?" He said her name as gently as he could, hoping not to startle her further. She screamed loudly and thrashed violently on the floor. "Bella, wake up." She didn't move, her eyes not even looking at his face as she made to shove him away. Edward easily sidestepped the attack, reaching down to hoist her into his arms. He'd left his sling at the field, and cradling her in his arms had no affect on his shoulder, probably due to the amount of adrenalin pumping through his system. He remembered where her bedroom was, remembered the purple comforter that kept her warm at night, remembered the dinosaur of a computer crammed into the corner. He carried her up there, setting her carefully on the bed as she squirmed and protested, her voice flooded with agony.

He left her there, yanking open drawer after drawer before emerging with a dry, holey t-shirt. He pulled it over Bella's head, carefully sliding her pants down her legs and depositing them on the floor. He replaced them with a pair of gym shorts he found in another drawer, ignoring the fact that he'd just seen almost all of her without being aware. He blushed at that, pulling back the soft purple blanket and drawing it over her shivering frame, tucking it firmly around her. She whimpered as he brushed back a few tendrils of hair and placed a kiss on her forehead. Her chest was heaving up and down with exertion, her eyes staring at nothing. He dropped to his knees beside her bed, engulfing her tiny hand with his.

"Bella," he said gruffly, feeling his own sense of alarm leak into his words, "it's alright. You'll be okay." He watched her head tip in his direction, though her eyes seemed to pass right through him. A haunting smile graced her lips.

"Oh," she said dazedly, "Edward, you came back." She fumbled down her shirt for something, and before Edward realized what was going on, her hand recoiled with a note clamped between her fingertips. "I'm glad you didn't leave me with this silly note." He reached out and took it, seeing Bella's eyelids slip shut and her mouth part slightly. Her breathing evened out as Edward read the words written in his own hand from so long ago. He had been a child back then, worried and afraid. He crunched the note in his palm and stuffed it into the front pocket of his jeans. Why was Bella reliving her past? He sank down into the rocking chair across the room, peering between her sheer curtains at the yard below.

The grass had long turned brown, the leaves dropping from their branches in brown, red, and orange hues. He sighed, his fingers still playing with the piece of paper hidden behind his jeans. The last time he'd been here, it had been late summer. The grass was soft and green and overflowing with colorful flowers that Bella had planted in an attempt to cheer up her father since it was the anniversary of his wedding with his ex-wife. The tree had more leaves and hadn't looked so dry. An old, orange truck had been parked in the driveway next to his sleek car. The most profound difference was the fact that he'd been leaving back then, and now, he really didn't want to go.

So he didn't. He just sat there, in the squeaky rocking chair, anxiously rubbing his slick hands against his jeans as he waited for her to wake up. He waited, and waited. He heard the front door open and close. He heard heavy footsteps clomp up the stairs and into the bedroom across the hall. He watched the sunlight morph into darkness. He eyed the picture frames that dotted Bella's room, her smiling face contained behind the glass. The quietest voice broke him out of his musings. "Edward?" He stood up from the chair, knocking it back a couple of inches with the motion.

He crossed the room to her, his footsteps fairly silent since he'd removed his heavy shoes. She looked up at him with the blanket pulled up to her chin, her big, brown eyes boring into his steady green gaze. "You stayed." Edward sighed and scratched the back of his neck.

"How many times do you have to wake up with me beside you before you realize that I'm not leaving anymore?" He watched Bella intake a breath, scooting over to make more space on her full-sized bed. Edward gratefully stretched out beside her, lacing his fingers behind his head.

"Hopefully forever," she mumbled, and Edward wasn't sure he was supposed to hear that. He couldn't slow the grin that stretched across his face. The room seemed to still as Edward boldly reached out and tucked Bella into his shoulder, his arm wrapped behind her. "But Edward…your…shoulder…" she protested lamely between the kisses Edward was peppering her face with. She was giving him a second chance, and that was the thing he wanted most in the world. He shook his head once, leaning down to kiss along the line of her collarbone.

"Other arm," he murmured against her skin, loving the humming sounds that escaped her lips. Their legs automatically tangled at the foot of the bed, and her breathing became labored as she twisted her fingers into his long, coppery hair. The scent of her washed over him—vanilla mixed with rain. It was perfect. Her fingers tugged on his locks to bring his face to hers. He paused a centimeter before their lips met, pausing to allow his eyes to dance between hers, looking for any doubt swimming beneath the chocolaty surface. He didn't find any, and he smiled crookedly, bringing his hands up to cup her face, his thumbs grazing her cheekbones.

The kiss was all desperation, with clashing teeth and fumbling tongues. Her wet lips slipped off of his, and their laughter rumbled into each other's mouths. Bella tugged at the hem of Edward's t-shirt and moaned. He wanted it off too. He let her fingers explore his abdominal muscles as he lifted the shirt over his head, her lips kissing the hard planes of his chest during the momentary split of their kiss. His skin tingled wherever her lips touched, his breath hitching as she skimmed her nails inside the band of his athletic shorts.

Eyes widening in shock, he took her hand and weaved his fingers through hers, feeling her smile against his mouth. He released it was she lifted her own shirt upward, the fabric falling to the floor with a whoosh. Edward grunted. "Shhhhh," she said, placing a finger on her lips. "You'll wake my dad!" Edward chuckled deeply.

"Déjà vu, huh?" Bella nodded, her hair tickling his cheeks and neck as her fingers played with his. He brought his lips back to hers, his hands exploring the newly exposed skin. They grazed a raised, rough scar, and his long, pianist fingers froze. The scars—he'd forgotten about the scars. Bella noticed his hesitation and pulled away, reaching down to the floor for her discarded t-shirt. "No," he said, grabbing her wrist and pulling her back toward him.

"They always freak out about the scars. They say they are ugly. It's okay, Edward. I should have expected it." She tried to squirm away from him again, but Edward was having none of it. He pushed her shoulders down so that she was laying flat against the bed, her arms bent at the elbows and her legs splayed out below her. He hovered above her, staring at her face in puzzlement.

"Bella, I'm not afraid of your scars." She huffed in disbelief, reaching up to push him off. He captured her wrist and kissed the inside of it. "They're beautiful." Her hollow laugh echoed off the walls of the room, sending a shiver down Edward's spine.

"Of course they are ugly, Edward. A girl's skin is supposed to be silky smooth not…not puckered and red." She again attempted to shimmy from Edward's grasp, but he held her tight.

"Maybe a girl's skin should be like that, but Bella, you are not a girl. You are this…this confident, miraculous, gorgeous woman that has had her fair share of experiences. The scars are one of them." She shook her head wildly back and forth, and he could tell she was trying not to cry. A tear escaped, and he captured it with a kiss, selfishly inhaling all of Bella he could.

"You. Really. Think. So?" she asked between huffs, her eyes watering even more. Edward nodded, tucking a rebellious lock of brown hair behind her ear. She released a heavy sigh, the motion moving Edward's hair. He grazed the pads of his thumb across her exposed stomach, tracing the patterns and designs of slash marks cutting brutally into her flesh. The only sound was the soft sound of their breathing. Edward could tell that the heat of his gaze on her was melting away her anxiety. She finally relaxed into his fingertips, her eyes following them wherever they went.

He brushed his fingers along her ribs, hearing her heavy inhalation at the sensation. His thumb teased at the underwire of her bra, rubbing back and forth along them metallic piece. Bella whimpered quietly from below him, scrabbling to unhook the clasp behind her. Edward caught her hands and held them up to his lips. "Are you going to tell me about the scars?" She blinked up at him as he looked down at her expectantly. He slowly watched her deliberate within herself, debating whether she should tell him or keep it all bottled inside.

"Nobody knows." Her response was hushed, and her eyes fell from his, staring at the hard indents of his abs. Her fingers followed her gaze.

"I would like to know." She sighed, and for a moment, Edward thought she was going to get up and leave. Just leave him in her bed the same way he had left her. It was a shock to him when she slowly nodded, a blush rising to her cheeks. He rolled off of her, and she scrambled into his arms, nuzzling her face into the crook of his neck as she told him the story.

He sat there patiently as she talked about Mike Newton. He tried not to tense when she talked about telling him she loved him. He held her tighter when she told him how Mike had cut her over and over again with the knife. By the time she was done, the sun was peaking over the horizon, and Edward's shirt was soaked through with tears. His fingers rubbed soothing circles onto her back as she slept, and two hours later, the front door slammed open then closed. Charlie was gone again. Bella began to stir from the noise, her fingers clutching his t-shirt as she tried to pull him closer, even though space was nonexistent between them. "Bella," he whispered, shoving her away awkwardly since she was clawing his chest. "Ouch, Bella, stop." He couldn't help but laugh when her sleeping form pouted. "Wake up," he said through his chuckling, watching her eyelids slowly lift. He grinned at her and set her aside as she stood up. "Breakfast time for the lady?" he inquired, quirking an eyebrow at Bella's half-nakedness. She blushed, pulling a t-shirt over her head before nodding.

"Mmmm…make me pancakes." Edward snorted.

"Pancakes are a girlie food, Bella. Men do not make pancakes. You get eggs." She cocked her head to the side before shrugging and following him down the narrow staircase.


Bam...you're welcome...they are together now...hopefully a sadistic, ex-boyfriend doesn't come into the picture :) Yes...I do enjoy being evil...Please review :) Thanks, lovelies!
~BallinBlonde21