Okay then, sorry this took so long to get out. In between sick kids, sick husband (aka-BIG sick kid) and my computer not wanting to cooperate this chapter just didn't want to be written. But, here it is-hope it lives up to expectations.

The Talk

BPOV

Nervous. I was very nervous. Edward would be back in a few short hours to continue our talk and I am a complete nervous wreck.

"Earth to Bella" Charlie was waving his hand in front of my face trying to get my attention.

"Oh, uh, sorry dad. I was just thinking about stuff I need to do tonight. Whatcha need?"

"Just wanted to say thanks for dinner, it was great and that I am going to head down to La Push to see Sue." Charlie had been seeing Sue now for the past two years and it seemed to be getting serious.

"Okay dad, have fun. Are you planning on coming home tonight or staying down there?"

"I was thinking of just staying down there, unless you feel like you need me home with you."

"Dad, I'm almost twenty-two now, I think I can stay at home by myself at night now. Plus, I have some unpacking that needs done anyway."

"Okay kiddo, have fun unpacking then. I guess I'll see ya tomorrow then." He said as he was walking out the door.

After he left I finished the dishes and headed upstairs. As I walked into my room I tripped over one of my moving boxes. Since my 'honeymoon that never happened' fiasco, I hadn't done anything. I decided that I should at least unpack a box or two before Edward arrives, besides, I needed something to wear to bed.

I managed to get some of my clothes and books unpacked when I looked at my clock. HOLY COW, it was already 9'oclock! Edward would be here anytime, if he wasn't already outside waiting for my window to open. I grabbed my bathroom bag and my newly unpacked matching pj's and headed for the shower.

I let the hot water run over me to try and relax the nerves that were now coursing through my body. As I was almost finished it occurred to me that Charlie wasn't going to be home tonight and Edward and I would be completely alone. So, of course my nerves started again. Great, wonderful.

After I finished my shower, I brushed my teeth and took my bathroom bag and my brush back to my room. As I sat brushing my hair I worked on some deep breathing to calm myself. Finally, I got up, went to my window and opened it.

"Edward, if you're out there, Charlie will not be coming home tonight so you may come on in." I turned and walked back to my bed to sit. When I turned around again, Edward was sitting in my old rocking chair, just like old times.

"Hi" he said in his musically velvet voice and gave me that crooked smile that I loved so much.

"Hi" I replied back, though it came out more like a squeak than an actual word.

"So, how was the rest of your day?" He asked.

"Fine, and yours?"

"Productive. I went to the house and opened it up. No one has been there for a while so I had to air it out so it's not so stuffy. I also had to uncover the furniture."

"Does this mean you're staying in Forks?" I was looking down at my hands so he wouldn't see the hope on my face.

"Well, I never want to leave you again, it..um.. hurts too much to be away from you."

"I don't understand. If it hurts, then why? Why did you leave in the first place?" I looked up into his eyes hoping to see…what? What did I want to see?

"I thought that I was protecting you."

"Protecting me from what exactly?"

"From me, my world." He said this in a low whisper.

"But I wanted to be part of your world Edward. You can't protect someone from something that is all around them." I started getting a little agitated.

"I know that now. I left to protect you from the supernatural and what happens? You end up hanging around with a bunch of werewolves, teenage ones at that."

"Yeah, well if it wasn't for those teenage werewolves I'd be dead."

"So I gathered from my little chat with Jacob this afternoon."

"You talked to Jake? Why…why would you do that?" I was past agitated; now I was getting mad.

"I needed to understand, from his perspective, how he could do this to you."

"It wasn't like he planned it, it just happens"

"I know Bella, please just calm down, we only talked."

"Okay then, so what did he tell you? What did you talk about?" A little nervous now not knowing what Jake had said to him.

"Well, I completely understand now, and I don't blame him. It's like you said he had no control over it, it's something that just happens to his kind."

"And, what else did he tell you cause I know he told you more than that?"

"I could only get his side of the incidents but it seems that you have been a target for not only Laurent but also Victoria." I stiffened at his remark.

"Yes I have, so you leaving to protect me from "your world" didn't exactly work out the way you planned. Did it?"

"No, it didn't. What I'd like to know at the moment is why were you in the meadow by yourself?"

"Well, after you left I was so miserable and I thought that maybe, if I found our little meadow then it would, I don't know, make me feel better just knowing that it was real. But, it didn't. At first it made me feel worse and then, when Laurent found me, I knew it was real. But then, when he went to attack me and the wolves showed up, all I could think about was…" I had tears running down my face as I remembered how it felt when those wolves had shown up.

"What is it, why are you crying?" Edward had moved and was now kneeling beside my bed holding my hands.

"It's just that, as Laurent was preparing to attack me, all I could think about was…" deep breath, I could do this "…you." Should I tell him that about hearing his voice or would he think I was crazy?

"Oh, Bella. If only I had known."

"Yeah, well, you're the one who let me. Or did you forget that part? All I wanted when I was searching for that meadow was to know that you and I were real, that it did happen."

"I thought that I was protecting you by removing the danger of my world when I left."

"Yeah, well fat lotta good that did me. I have been in the world of the supernatural since I moved to Forks, and you leaving only made that world more dangerous for me so I don't want to hear that excuse from you anymore. Got it?" I was so upset now that I was shaking and though I thought I had no more tears to shed, they were still coming down.

"Okay, but…"

"No buts and no more talk of you leaving to protect me crap. YOU LEFT ME!" I was sobbing now and my chest felt like a great big bleeding wound. It sucked.

"But only to…"

"YOU LEFT ME!" I was almost screaming now. "ALONE. In the woods after you ripped my heart out. I tried following you but only ended up lost, deep in the woods and then I tripped and you know what" I was not only mad but I wanted, no, needed him to know what happened when he left. "I didn't get up. I didn't care what happened to me, I just lay there on the wet ground and just … gave up. I didn't care I if ever made it out of those woods, I didn't care Edward. Do you get it? As far as I was concerned my life was over! It meant NOTHING without you. So don't you see when you left me, you left me dead inside?" I basically just collapsed on my bed then, I was crying so hard. Every feeling of that day had come back full force and hit me like a mack truck.

Edward climbed up on my bed, picked me up and just held me while I cried for what felt like forever but was actually only about an hour. I finally had to move away from him, I was completely spent but I knew there was more to be said.

"Are you alright now?" He asked cautiously.

"I think so. I'm sorry about that…"

"Please don't apologize, if anything it should be me who needs to be apologizing to you."

"I thought I'd never see you again and now you're here telling me that you never wanted to leave, that it hurts to be away from me. I just need to know one thing, what happened to change your mind?"

"Change my mind about what?"

"Well, the day you let you said that you didn't want me. Now you're saying that you do, why the change?"

"Not a change, it was all lies. I knew you wouldn't let me leave unless I convinced you I didn't want you. It was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I'll always regret that decision and I will never, ever leave you again. Unless it is your wish."

"Oh, Edward, I never wanted you to leave in the first place."

"I know, I know. But I don't understand how, after I had told you so many times that I loved you, how you could just believe me that quickly."

"It never made sense to me for you to love me the way that I loved you. And then, you tell me you didn't want me and that you're no good for me. The way I see it, YOU are the only one who is and will ever be good for me."

"What about Jacob? You married him?" I could see a sense of confusion in his eyes.

"You were gone, and Jacob had been there for me for a long time. He helped bring me back to life after all that had happened. He has kept me safe and has saved my life, on several occasions. So, after I gave it a great deal of thought I decided that the only way I was going to be able to go on with my life, the way you had wanted, was to be with Jake. He loves me and I love him, though nowhere near the way I feel about you. Even though I knew that I'd never be able to love him the way he needed me to I gave in and agreed to marry him. I will always love him, just not the way I love you." Oops, did I mean to say that out loud?

"So, I'm not too late? You still love me, even after everything?" A gleam of hope shot out of his eyes and all I wanted to do was grab him and never let go.

"I love you Edward, I have never stopped loving you. I can forgive your stupidity over leaving because now I understand why you did. But to forget, no Edward, I'll never be able to forget. I have lost almost five years of my life that we could've been together. I have been hurt emotionally as well as physically since you left so I'll never be able to just forget what happened. I have so many scars inside and out that will remind me every day of those five years without you." The only reason I mentioned my outer scars was I knew that Jake had to have told Edward about what Victoria had done to me and I'm sure he would ask me at some point. Hopefully not just yet.

"Oh Bella, I have never stopped loving you and will spend the rest of eternity trying to prove to you how much I love you."

"All of eternity Edward?"

"Only if you want me. I have come to the realization that I cannot live without you and if that means eternity then I would love to spend eternity with you by my side."

"Eternity Edward? Are you saying that now, after all this time, you would change me?"

"Yes Bella, I am and I will if that is what you want. Like I said, I can't exist without you and I won't. So, if that's what you wish, then that is what I'll give you."

"Well, it's been a long time since I have thought about that possibility, I'll have to let you know. For now, let's just work on getting to know each other again, okay."

"I would absolutely cherish getting to know you again, my Bella."

"Okay, enough with the heavy talk. Where is the rest of your family at and when will they be here?"

"Well, they are at our home in Ithaca awaiting a call from me letting them know what your verdict is on wether or not they are welcome."

"What? Why would they be waiting on me to decide?"

"They aren't too sure what your reaction to them would be after all these years."

"Are you kidding me? I would love to see them. How soon can they be here? No wait, could you tell them to make it a couple of days? I want to spend some time together, just you and me before they get here."

"I think I can handle a couple of days of just you and I. Let me just call them and let them know what your decision is. I'm sure Alice knows but I just want to make the official call."

"Alice, oh how I've missed Alice."

"She has missed you to you know."

Edward took his phone out and called his family.

"Hey Alice I am here with Bella and she says that she would like for you all to be here in a few days." I could not hear what Alice said through the phone but I could only imagine her excitement.

"No Alice, she wants a few days for just her and me first."

"Yes Alice, I will tell her. Goodbye. Alice says that she can't wait to see you and spend time with you."

"I can't wait to see her either. Wait, I take that back, I can wait a couple of days to see here so that we can be alone." By now it was well past midnight and I was getting very tired.

"Um, Edward?"

"Yes Bella?"

"Uh, do you mind holding me as I sleep?"

"It would be my pleasure." And with that we lay down on my bed and I went to sleep."

Well, there it is, let me know if you like. Next chapter will be up in a few days, we get to see how Bella and Edward spend their days alone until the rest of the family show up.