Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Stephenie Meyer created it all.

Chapter 13: Bella- Epiphany

Throughout my journey, I've given a lot of thought to what I would say when and if I ever found Edward. I wanted him to tell him everything I should have told him when he left me.

Edward, I love you and I've never stopped and I never will.

I wanted to beg, Please don't leave me again.

I wanted to scream at him. How dare you strip me of any choice in the matter? Who are you to decide who should and shouldn't be in my life?

I wanted to throw my arms around him and melt into him.

But none of that would happen now that certain death was nipping at my heels. Maybe I would wait for him from heaven if I had to. The way my brain worked now was amazing in that even in the disparity of my situation, I still thought of what I wished I could say, what I could have done differently. It was almost as if my brain knew that I would get my chance but it just seemed possible in that moment.

It was almost as if my brain was preparing me for the moment that Edward would jump and yell 'surprise'.

You can only imagine my surprise and elation and burgeoning hope when he appeared. Out of nowhere I heard his sweet honey voice yelling.

"Treaty! Stop werewolf, the treaty!"

It wasn't the most eloquent speech, but it was effective. These giant beasts halted at his words. My world halted at his presence. So here we all stood, me, Laurent, two werewolves, and Edward.

Edward.

His scent, honey and lilacs and sunshine reverberated around me and I was stunned. All the words I ever wanted to say were gone, not that now was the best time to say them anyways.

"Bella?" a familiar voice said from beside me.

"Jacob, don't come any close, she's not stable," Edward instructed. I resented that remark.

Jacob? I looked to my right and where the two wolves once stood was my once-friend and another man from the reservation. Part of me marveled that I had no interest in attacking them, they smelled dangerous. I inched closer to Laurent and grabbed his arm, I didn't know if he felt the same way.

"Look at their eyes," the older boy said.

"Regardless of their lifestyle, Sam, they are friends of the Cullens and, by extension, covered by the treaty."

Laurent groaned, I knew he was still thinking about poor David.

"What on earth is going on? Werewolves? A treaty? Jacob?" I asked in complete confusion. I couldn't bring myself to even look at Edward, or even think about us. Moments ago I thought I was going to die and now everything was different.

"Of course they wont," Edward asked an unanswered question. "I think we should all go back to the house and talk there."

"No," I said, "Jacob, you're a werewolf and you couldn't even tell me?"

"I might have if you hadn't run off with that bl- with him, now look at you," he replied and started to quiver. Sam placed a shoulder on Jacob's shoulder and commanded him to be calm. Jacob took deep breaths and stilled.

"Why did you go?" Jacob questioned. His eyes kept darting back to Laurent.

Although I was answering Jacob's question, I allowed myself to look at Edward. His eyes were starting to get dark again.

"I went to find you, Edward," I told him, "You shouldn't have left me."

I was always so sure that when Laurent would leave that he wouldn't come back, and he always did. And I was so sure just now that I was going to die, but I didn't. I so was convince, and by Edward's own words, that he left because he didn't love me. I had been so wrong about everything, I felt like I couldn't have faith in anything. I realized that now and decided to take that leap of faith and listen to what Alice said and what Laurent kept telling me: that Edward did, in fact, love me.

"Please." Of all my pretty words, if was the only thing I could say.

"Hmmm, I still can't hear you," he mused. I was relieved. I couldn't hardly untangle my thoughts, I didn't need an audience.

He took a slow step closer and I clutched Laurent's arm tighter. Edward was the only thing that kept the wolves from attacking and I was still afraid of them. I hoped that Edward wouldn't misread my gesture.

"Please," I repeated.

Laurent tugged at my arm, I broke my eye contact with Edward for the first time for what felt like years, to look at Laurent. He seemed uneasy about wolves, particularly Jacob who was staring at him.

"Laurent's right," Edward said, "we should hash out the treaty before anything else. Guys, will you accompany us back at the Cullen house?"

"No, we want neutral territory and even numbers. Meet us at the line in half an hour," Sam said. Jacob and Sam began to shake and in the blink of an eye they were gone.

After they were gone, Edward took a step closer to me but stopped again. "We need to go."

I agreed, my instincts were warring with my thoughts. I kept looking over my shoulder, it was completely involuntary.

We ran to the house and I let my mind wander. I felt like a schoolgirl as I played romantic fantasies of spending forever with Edward.

Esme ran out of the house to greet us. She wrapped Laurent and me in her arms and begged us not to leave again. I hugged her back, this time remembering the wonderful mother that held me in her arms. I knew that although I saw her a few weeks ago, it felt like the first time since Edward left.

Alice threw her arms around me next, "You're just as beautiful as I saw!" She wasn't as friendly towards Laurent but at least this time they weren't screaming.

"The Quileutes want to meet at the line to discuss the treaty in about twenty minutes," Edward started to explain once everyone had filed out of the house, "They're bring four wolves and they wanted even numbers. I'll be going, and Carlisle."

"I need to go," Emmett said and Edward raised his eyebrow at him.

"Action, hello!" Emmett said it like it was obvious

"What do you think, Jasper?"

"I don't think this requires too much strategy, it's just a meeting. That said I think it should be you, Carlisle, Emmett, and Bella."

I felt conflicted. I did not want anymore encounters with the werewolves, but part me wanted to see exactly where this line was; that would solve the problem in the future. I wanted to see Jacob, but I didn't either. It was all just too much.

Edward looked at me, "We can talk after we get back but we need to get going."

I nodded and I turned to Laurent, "You'll be okay?"

"Yeah," he assured me.

Along the way Carlisle pointed out where the line started and how long it stretched for. He told me how they worked out a treaty with the wolves seventy years ago. I marveled at the thought that someday seventy years wouldn't seem like such a long time.

Soon enough we came up on Sam, who was flanked by three wolves. One of them was Jacob.

"Thank you for meeting with us," Carlisle said as he addressed the wolves.

"We're glad you brought Bella," Sam stated frankly, "we wanted to talk to her about the circumstances of her change, to make sure the treaty wasn't broken."

I felt like I was on trial, as if I answered wrong we would all die.

"First, Bella, where were you bitten?"

I couldn't remember. It was one of those hazy human memories. I knew we traveled all over the country, but I just couldn't say for sure.

Emmett spoke, "Jasper and Alice said they were in Houston, Texas."

"Who bit you?"

"Laurent," I said timidly.

"Carlisle, was Laurent aware of the treaty at that time?"

"No."

"And will Laurent be staying with you for a while?" I didn't think too much into the question.

Edward smirked and nodded.

"I want to take the time to go over the finer points of the treaty. You are not to cross into our territory, and you will not bite or kill to feed from any human. Any violation of these terms and the treaty will be void. Your numbers, where do they stand now?"

"If Bella and Laurent join our family permanently, there will be nine."

"Please make sure your newcomers know where the line is, good day." With that Sam and the pack turned to leave.

"Jacob?" I called.

The red-brown wolf turned his head to look at me. We stared into one another's eyes but he just shook his head and turned around and kept walking.

"Why does he do that!" I screeched.

"He just needs time," Edward told me as he smirked again and turned to Emmett, "How was that action, Emmett? You know, Jasper just wanted to make you feel better. I don't really think you intimidated the wolves that much," he said playfully.

"Think what you want, man!" Emmett laughed and ran off and Edward chased him.

Carlisle took the chance to talk to me, he probably told Edward that he wanted to.

"How are you doing?" He was genuinely concerned.

"It's all so much. Everything, my emotions, reactions, instincts, my friends, slips-ups..." I trailed off.

"Oh?"

"Well, it wasn't mine per se, but I was right there and I just feel like it was my mine, too. Like if I hadn't been so close to Laurent as a human he wouldn't have been so tempted, you know? It broke my heart to see him cry like that, we held a funeral and it was sad but I really think that Laurent's going to put his best effort forth now."

"That's good, and what about you?" he questioned.

"Before when Laurent and I talked about me changing, I asked him if he would help me to not kill humans. It was a major stipulation. Thankfully, he followed my wishes, it saved my father."

"Speaking of, he came over and had a very enlightening conversation with Edward and Esme. He understands your limitations and he knows not to show up unannounced. However, you can keep in contact with him, but we do have to be careful because of the Volturi. We'll talk more about that later. I think that Edward wants to talk to you." He gestured to Edward standing across the field from us. Carlisle hugged me and ran off and finally I was alone with Edward.

He took off running, but not from me, he wanted me to follow and so I did. We ended up in our meadow. I stopped a few feet away from him.

I took a step towards him and he didn't move away. I threw a party inside. I took another step this time only slower. I felt our electricity start to crackle around us. I didn't know if it was because of extended separation or because of my heightened senses but it was intense. It made it hard to breath. I looked into his eyes and I was lost, here he was, right in front of me. What more could I ever need? I reached my hand out slowly, so slowly, and held it out for him. He reached out just as slow and our fingers touched. The electricity exploded, it was like holding on to a live wire. I weaved my fingers into his and took another half step forward. He reached his other hand out and splayed his hand across my stomach. He slid his hand around to my waist and pulled me closer and closer, so slowly, until our bodies touched. I swear I felt the phantom of my heartbeat exploding out of my chest. He wasn't close enough.

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