Disclaimer: I take no credit in the characters within this story; those are the sole work of Mrs. Stephenie Meyer. I do, however, take credit for the specific, new traits I gave them and am quite proud of them.

Note: I have missed you all so much! Due to all the changes that have occurred in my life since I started this story, I am going to try to wrap things up as quickly as possible (NO, not this chapter, but hopefully within only a few more). I really want to say thank you to all of those who have been there with me from the beginning. Your support has meant so much to me. I know that the time it has taken me to finish this has been torturous, but I promise you, the ending will (…hopefully) make it all worth it! As always, I would love to hear what you think!

BPOV

"Are you sure, Bella?"

I let out a big yawn before nodding, "Of course I am, Alice. You know that hiking is not my thing and if Edward stays it's not like you are even leaving me alone. I am just going to relax on the beach until you get back, ok? I will be fine."

She raised her eyebrows at me suspiciously, "What happened last night?"

Sighing I leveled my eyes on her, "Alice, I have already told you that absolutely nothing happened. We agreed to be friends and then talked."

Her lips pursed out, "You had already agreed to be friends."

"We actually meant it this time; it wasn't just to make things easier. We apologized, accepted it, and put it behind us." This was the fourth time I had told her this since she had woken me up at the crack of dawn, a mere 2 hours after I had made it back to my cot in the first place.

"But-"

I lifted both of my hands to stop her as my patience hit its limit, "Alice, listen to me. I am running on very little sleep after kind of a bad day yesterday. I want to stay here to rest, not to be with Edward, do you understand? I hate hikes, as you very well know, and certainly have no interest in scraping myself to hell today. I swear to you I am not hiding anything about what happened last night. Your brother and I have not made up like that—we did not have sex, as I very well know you are thinking, nor did we kiss or exchange any other type of bodily fluid that you would care to think about. We ate s'mores and talked about your family, how happy we are for Emmett and Rosalie, for you and Jasper, how much we love you all. Then I came to my bed after a while of looking at the stars in silence and fell asleep just in time for you to wake me up. Now, if you would mind not making me repeat myself again I would appreciate it."

She eyed me closely for a moment, then nodded. "Fine, Bella. But if you are lying to me…"

"Alice, when have I ever lied to you?"

"When you didn't come right out and tell me you were in love with my brother from the day that you met him," she said casually as she lifted her pack onto her shoulder.

"Certainly didn't stop you from finding out. Besides, that's omission, not a lie."

"Lying by omission is still lying my sweet. Besides, you would have lied if I had ever asked you straight out."

"Well I am not lying, by omission or otherwise. And I am staying here and relaxing for at least this morning, until you guys get back."

She sighed and opened the flap of the tent. "Ok, Bella. Just promise me you will tell me if anything does change, not just wait until I walk in on you two about to—"

"You are not going to walk in on anything again, Alice. We are friends. Period. Not 'friends with benefits' or 'friends with a secret' or anything else. Just friends."

"That's too bad. From how the both of you have been acting it seems like you could use a good lay." Rose said as she appeared in front of Alice and I as we climbed from the tent.

"It isn't a good lay that she needs apparently. Bella just had one of those and she still seems to have a stick up her—"

"Enough! Can we stop focusing on me for maybe two seconds here?"

"Ohhh, did she? You've been holding back from me, Alice." Rose said, giving me a wicked look. "Who?"

"His name is Val. He's Italian and absolutely delicious. A chef, no less. Owns his own restaurant not too far from my apartment. Jasper has met him." Alice gossiped as if I wasn't even there. I felt my blood begin to boil under my skin, anger and embarrassment washing through my veins. "But Bella won't talk about it. She doesn't kiss and tell."

"Damn right. And if you two don't stop talking about my sexual partners as if I am not even here I swear—"

"Looks like we just caught the end of an interesting conversation," Emmett said as he and Jasper rounded the corner of our tent, obviously coming from where the cars were parked. "What about Bella's partners? Did something happen last night?"

I growled, "Don't you start now too, Emmett."

"Ohh someone woke up on the wrong side of someone else's bed," he teased, poking my arm.

The red of my cheeks deepened. Anger surged through me like a tidal wave. I wasn't sure if I wanted to scream or punch someone first, but they both seemed inevitable either way. When I went to speak, my voice was low and quiet, "Emmett, if you don't shut your mouth about things you know nothing about I will make sure it never opens again."

"Whoa, who pissed off Bella?"

I turned my gaze to Edward as he joined the group from seemingly nowhere. I met his eyes only for a moment but could not help but notice that they were the color of honey, much lighter than the deep gold of the night before and a much better sign of a good mood. When my eyes returned to Emmett he had lost his goofy grin and held a look of nothing more than confusion. He obviously hadn't understood how bad my mood had already been.

"I am going to get my stuff to go lay by the water. I will see you three when you get back. Enjoy your hike." Even I couldn't deny the aggravation in my tone. I had never been one to anger quickly, to lose my temper, but sometimes things just struck a nerve too hard to hide it. In cases like that the best solution was separation.

As I disappeared back into the dark of the tent there was nothing but silence outside. Obviously I had made an impact. I focused on getting my stuff together—book, notebook, iPod, headphones, towel, sunblock, water bottle—and changing into my bikini. I covered myself with a pair of shorts and an extra large t-shirt that I usually slept in before heading back out of the tent, hoping and praying that they had all left. No such luck.

"Good morning Bella! I heard you aren't coming with us. Hope you aren't still feeling unwell after yesterday," Carla said as I took my first step toward the beach. Beside her Randy gave me a sympathetic look, as if he had understood my hope to walk by unseen.

"Oh no, I am fine. I am just not one for hikes. And I am a little tired."

"Stay up too late last night?" Sam asked, scooting up to my side as if he belonged there. "I thought you had gone to bed before we had even left."

"Just went to the tent for a little while. Didn't get to sleep for some time afterwards sadly." I scooted away from him and searched for someone to call over to save me. Rose and Emmett were standing beside the boys tent, seemingly deep in conversation. Alice and Jasper had disappeared. My eyes finally caught a movement close the trees. I had to squint to see, but finally could focus enough. Edward stood there, leaning against a tree while Brie talked to him energetically. Her outfit from yesterday seemed to have shrunk to an even smaller size. I honestly hadn't known that they made mini bikinis until that point. I had also never been so uncomfortable in my own clothes. "If you will excuse me though, I was heading over to the beach."

"Of course," Carla said, looking at me carefully. "Are you sure you are ok though dear? You just got really pale."

I put on my best fake smile and nodded. "Nothing that a nap in the sand won't cure. There is nothing quite like a vacation to make everything better."

"Be sure to put on sunblock," Randy said as I walked away. "Don't want to end up with a sunburn."

"Of course." I walked slowly, hoping that Edward and Brie would see me coming and break up their conversation before I got there, letting me walk by in peace. Maybe in a perfect world they would have—hell, maybe in a perfect world Brie would have been covered with boils and never have dared to venture out in such scanty clothing. But the world has already proven itself to be as far from perfect as anything comes.

"But why don't you want to come?" Brie whined, looking up at Edward pleadingly.

"I don't want Bella to be left here alone," he said simply, looking down at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Bella is a grown woman. She doesn't need a babysitter."

"And Brie has not yet reached that point and would really really like one," I growled quietly to myself as I got closer. "As long as it's you that watches her."

"What was that, Bella?" Brie asked, turning her eyes to me. I knew she couldn't have heard me, but was sure that the malice of my tone had been enough to alert her to the insult none the less.

"I was just agreeing Brie. I really don't need a babysitter, Edward."

"When have I ever been your babysitter, Bells?" he asked, smiling at me. "Friend, partner in crime, student even, but never babysitter to my memory."

I met his eyes, "Oh, I am sure there was a time or two when Alice told you to watch after me and keep me entertained."

He held my eyes firmly, "I never watched you for anyone except myself."

I felt my cheek redden and had to look away. A feeling of pride rose in my gut until Brie spoke again. "Nice shirt Bella, you look very… comfy."

I glanced down at the faded night shirt that hung down to midthigh, feeling more than a little embarrassed about it suddenly. My embarrassment sparked my anger back up and I spoke without thinking. "I am comfy actually. I am sure you wouldn't think so though. You seem to be much more comfortable mostly unclothed. Must have something to do with the way you live your life."

Her eyes widened at me and I could see the rage rising from her chest as her lips pursed. "And what is that supposed to mean?"

I swear I did not mean to say it, but it came tumbling out of my thoughts before I could really try to stop it: "I live my life clothed and out of bed. I would guess that someone like you spends much more time naked and in someone's bed instead. That, of course, is merely based on your behavior here."

I tried to take it back, tried to eat my words, but they just wouldn't return to me. I didn't know what to do. I was never so hateful, even to people that I truly disliked. I was never one to speak without thought, especially not something so mean to someone that I really barely knew. I opened my mouth to apologize but she cut me off first.

"Are you suggesting that I am a whore or that you have simply never had the pleasure of a man's company?"

All at once the hurt, anger, and embarrassment of the last months rose to a peak and the dark side of my heart took full control of my mouth. "I have had enough company to know how to tell the difference between a good person to share my bed with and a bad. I don't just throw myself at every male around like I am a piece of meat that I want them to eat up and shit out. You might judge me as inexperienced in comparison to the multitudes that I am sure you have had the pleasure of knowing, but, at least in my experience, I have found that there are very few worth knowing. Then again, I am sure that the men you have known knew about how much you were worth when they met you—maybe half an hour in a room and then absolutely nothing else."

"How dare you?"

"No, how dare you? How can you, in good conscience, walk into another's camp and flirt with the three guys in it—two of whom are taken by women at the camp and one who…" my voice died in my throat before I allowed the words 'should be' passed my lips.

Brie smiled, finding my weakness. "'Who…' what Bella? Is free to make his own choices? Can do whatever he wants? Tell me, what is wrong with me talking to him? What is it about it that gets under your skin so much? You don't really care about how I act with the others, it's all about Edward. It's because you want him as yours, isn't it?"

My inflamed face felt as if it were going to melt. "It's because he deserves so much better."

She cackled, "And that is supposed to be you?"

I shook my head. "No, Brie. It's not. He is not and never will be mine. I am not too simple to understand that. But, just because he is not mine does not mean he does not deserve something much much better than you."

"Bella you can not lie about something so obvious. You are infatuated with him," her sneer made me queasy.

"Edward and I—" my throat closed around the words. I swallowed hard and tried again. "We already tried. It didn't work. Plain and simple. We have been apart for a little while and this is the first time we have been in the same area since it failed. I may be a bit protective of him, but trust me when I say that I am not the only one who knows that you are not even remotely in his league."

She took a step toward me, anger pouring off of her, "If you are so sure, then why are you so worried? Surely Edward knows what his league is, surely he can make his own choice on that account."

All at once I was spent. Every little bit of energy left my body in a single exhale. The demon that had stolen my mouth fell dormant again and I could feel the blood beginning to drain from my head, making me the slightest bit dizzy. "You know Brie, you're right. Let him make his choices."

I took a step past her, toward the beach. Edward's hand wrapped around my arm before I could take another. "Bella—"

"Please, Edward. I'm going to lie down on the beach. I need to calm down." My eyes never left the ground as I spoke. His fingers slipped off of my arm as I continued to walk.

After three steps Brie spoke, "You actually got with her, Edward?" The disgust in her voice was clear, but had no effect on me. "Why?"

I was out of ear range by the time he responded. I didn't care to know anyway. My feet sunk into the white sands of the beach as I emerged from the woods, the grains still cool even in the glow of the sun. I moved closer to the edge of the water and spread out my towel in robotic movements. It was like I was completely disconnected from myself suddenly. I wasn't feeling or thinking about anything, just doing what I knew I was supposed to. Once the towel was laid out I removed my shirt and sat down in the middle. I covered my chest, stomach, legs, and face with sunblock before laying back and picking up my iPod. I didn't look at my library, just pressed play and let the music run through the headphones and jack into my head as I closed my eyes.

The pianos melody was beautiful—a recording of Edward from when he took his first composition course his freshman year of college. I didn't focus on that, just let the music smother any remaining pain that hid in my chest. As I lost myself to the rhythm of the song images began to run before my eyes, reality bleeding away into a dream that I would have preferred any day.

I watched his fingers flow over the keys, kissing each gently in their passing and producing a melodic tune. I lifted my gaze from his hands, following his skin, paler than normal from a long a winter, until I was staring into his face. His features were statuesque, unchanging as music poured from him, his eyes seemingly glued to a nonexistent spot hovering somewhere between him and the wall. Even with his lack of visible emotion the love was evident, heard in every note that rose to my ears, seen in the way he touched the piano keys as if it were the most precious thing he had ever beheld. To him, it probably was.

His eyes shifted to meet mine. They were the color of thick honey, darker than some days, lighter than others, but just as intoxicating as ever. An unknown amount of time passed just like that—the music deepening with the mood as his eyes held onto mine. Suddenly I felt his hand on either side of my face, stroking my cheeks even as the music continued to play. His eyes got closer and closer until I could feel his breath brushing across my lips, his smell surrounding us in a warm envelope. His lips touched mine so gently, his eyelids slowly lowering. I felt the hand on either cheek trembling slightly as I leaned closer into him, not afraid of the emotions that welled up into me. I loved him. I longed for him. I wanted him to wrap himself around me and never ever let me go again. To shield me from the misery in the world.

His lips parted just enough to whisper to me. "I will never leave you. I love you more than words could ever try to express. I wrote it for you. I always wanted you to know that. I wrote them all for you."

-EPOV

"You actually got with her, Edward? Why?"

I watched her back as she continued to walk away without flinching. Her skin, which had been a deep maroon while her anger had been talking had drained to leave her pale and tired. I wanted to chase after her, to lift her into my arms and tell her what an idiot I was, but she hadn't even been able to meet my eyes. She wanted her space and I knew it was my job to give it to her… at least for a little while.

I turned my eyes back to the girl that stood before me. Only a year or two younger than Bella, but looking like a child in comparison. "Because she is the most amazing woman I have ever known."

"An amazing woman who has grown an awfully sharp tongue."

I turned to look at Esme, surprised at her presence. I felt the immediate need to defend Bella. "She is not herself right now."

"Nor are you, dearest," she said quietly. "Brie, I have known Bella for a very long time and must say that I have never heard speak like that to anyone, no matter how angry. I am very very sorry that it was you that she blew up on, but please try to understand that she is not herself right now. Edward, as for you, when we get back I want to sit down with you and talk. Obviously there has been a lot to happen that we have not heard about. Do your best to calm her down. Time to go, Brie."

The girl didn't seem to know what to do or say. Esme had a way of making her authority clear without being anything less than the sweet woman she always had been. The two of them walked away, Brie casting one last look over her shoulder at me. It wasn't the flirtatious look she had been casting me since she had first arrived, but rather a cold and dark look, as if I had betrayed her. It didn't matter anyway.

I watched everyone file out onto a path that lead to a rocky trail that would take them around the lake and eventually back to camp. It would take about 6 hours, maybe more. I glanced down at my watch. 7:30 on the nose. They could be back anywhere between 3:30 and 5. At least I had that long to think of what to tell Esme when she got back. She wanted to hear about what happened between Bella and I… at the moment I wasn't sure I was going to be able to talk about it.

When they had completely disappeared I looked in the opposite direction toward the beach, toward Bella. 'You are infatuated with him.' Brie had said. The statement had made my heart pound while I waited for Bella's response. She had said she was protective of me. My sweet, little Bella who I had always watched over like a hawk to make sure she was safe and happy was protecting me? And she had not denied what Brie had said, did not argue that point. What did it mean? Could Bella possibly still be interested in me? After what a prick I had been to her? After how bad I had hurt her? Did I want her to be? Did I want to even come close to taking the chance of hurting her again?

I felt short of breath and extremely lost all of a sudden, like I had been dropped into some foreign country in the middle of a war—gunsmoke and shouts filling the air as death coated the lungs with every breath. I took a deep inhale and shook my head, trying to clear the confusion and figure out what to do with myself. How much space did Bella want? Should I go down to the beach or not? Should I wait in my tent? It seemed best to try to give her a few minutes, let her relax and let it go before she saw me again, yet after a moment I realized that I was moving toward her anyway.

I stopped right at the edge of the trees, still in the shade as I looked across the small expanse of beach to the blue towel laid across the sand. On it I could not move my eyes from the sight of my beautiful Bella; her breasts settled onto her chest and barely covered by the bikini my sister must have wrestled her into; her stomach tight and flat, shinning beneath the sun; her hair spread around her, making her skin look paler than I knew it was. Absolutely stunning. Her eyes were closed, her face content as the sun laid on her skin, shimmering, her chest rising and falling as she slept. I walked across the sand slowly, keeping my eyes on her, letting the sun heat my skin as it did hers. How could I ever have been such an idiot? Had I not given it up I would have been laying there right next to Bella, running my hands down her, kissing everywhere the sun did. We could have spent the last month together, exploring our new relationship.

But I had let it all slip through my fingers.

Instead I was a complete jackass and gave up the best thing I had ever had, destroying us both in the process and absolutely bashing to ruin any chance I would ever have of making it up to her. Even if she said she would be my friend, the reluctance had been so clear. She could still hardly look at me. The previous night, while we sat by the fire and talked about Rose and Emmett she had kept her eyes so firmly placed on the sky I didn't even have to worry about getting caught staring at her. This morning she had only met my eyes once, and then never took a second glance. No matter what Brie insinuated Bella could not possibly still have feelings for me after what I had done.

I sat down in the sand beside her, looking out at the water. My mind zoned out, pulling back images from the depths of my mind. The first time I kissed Bella, when I hadn't been able to resist anymore. How beautiful she looked when I woke her up, the sleep still in her eyes. The sad look she had the night she said goodbye to me and walked away without a glance back. That one pained me more than the rest. I had sat in that restaurant for another hour with Rose and Emmett, not saying a word, battling in my heart to decide if I should just turn back around with them. But I was afraid to hurt her more. Finally I took off. By the time I reached Forks I had turned around three times and lost about a day more than I should have in travel time. I never told Esme or Carlisle why I had left Bella's but I always believed that Esme knew anyway.

I turned my eyes back to her. If only I had turned around. But that little nagging part in the back of my head still repeated what Brie said—'You are infatuated with him.' What if Brie knew more than I did? Could it be possible? But I had left and had never come back… if I couldn't forgive me for it, how could she?

I laid my hand on the cool sand, ran my fingers through it while my eyes stared out at the water. If only there was some way to make this right.

-BPOV

My body twitched awake as I tried to lift my arms around his neck. I opened my eyes slowly—the piano still played through the headphones. Obviously I had not been asleep for very long. The water seemed to be reflected over me, a crystal blue spread across the sky without the smallest cloud. A deep breath carried the flavor of the salty lake, refreshing and sharp. I turned my head to the side, expecting to be staring across the sandy shore, only to find Edward maybe a foot away, sitting in the sand, his eyes staring ahead in deep concentration. Affection rose before I could choke it back, residual feelings brought on from the dream.

"Don't think about it too hard or your head might explode."

His head whipped sideways, the frown lines over his eyes smoothing out. "If it hasn't happened yet I doubt that it will."

I smiled despite myself and turned my eyes back to the sky. "It's a beautiful day."

He made a quiet noise of agreement, but didn't say anything else on the matter. I allowed my eyes to drift shut again, savoring the warmth of the sun, the light breeze that brushed stray hairs across my forehead, the comforting smell of the water that lapped at the shore not too far from my feet. All of the anger I had felt earlier seemed to have seeped away into the sand. Brie was not worth the energy it would have taken to hold on to it. With a small sigh of resignation, I apologized.

"I am sorry Edward. I didn't get much sleep, it made me short tempered. I never should have said any of that. I wish I could take it back."

To my surprise, he laughed. "Why are you apologizing to me Bella?"

Brie. He wanted me to apologize to Brie… My insides shivered as a quick image of her smug little face floated before my eyes. But, if it was what he wanted I could bear it. I had been cornered into doing much more awful things, confronted much more dreadful fears. I squeezed my eyes closed tighter, as if that would make my next statement less difficult. "You're right. I'll apologize to her when she gets back."

I felt his skin brush against my bare arm, "Bella, Brie may not have deserved the full force of your anger, much more of that should have been for me, but you certainly didn't say any worse about her than she did about you. You two just clash. I have a feeling that you trying to apologize will do more harm than good."

I opened my eyes, relaxing my forehead. A sense of relief washed away the sickness in my stomach that the idea of apologizing to the witch had brought. But the relief was quickly followed by guilt. "No Edward, I really should apologize. I was the antagonizer today, not her. She has not done anything to wrong me and did not deserve the insults that I have been directing at her. All she did was like a man who I…" am in love with. The thought made all the blood in my body rush to my face as I tried to choke out what I actually meant… well, meant for him to hear anyway, "have been friends with for a long time and know is way out of her league."

I could feel his eyes on me and, unlike last night, I had no darkness to hide the evidence of my original thought. He would know I wasn't being honest, he always knew. "Bells, do you really think I would be that foolish?"

My eyes turned to him despite the embarrassment that still swam under my skin. I sought the reassurance that every part of me craved, but that my mind would never believe, no matter his response; "She is beautiful, Edward. I don't need a second head to recognize that. Why wouldn't you take advantage of such an easy conquest?"

"Bells, did you just suggest that I only think with my—"

"Edward!" I snapped, a moment before laughing. It felt like the first time I had laughed in years. A weight seemed to have lifted off my chest as I allowed a real smile to spread across my lips. For the first time since Edward had left, I felt like myself. "What else could I possibly be suggesting? Isn't that the only head any man thinks with?"

As I looked at him his eyes visibly lightened. His lips parted to reveal a wolfish grin and he looked even more handsome than he had only moments before. "Be careful not to get yourself into trouble my dear Bella, there is no one here to protect you from the repercussions."

I barked out a laugh. "Like I have ever needed anyone to protect me from you Edward? I hate to tell you, but you really aren't all that scary."

"Not scary, huh? I seem to remember a few times when we were younger that you ran and hid from me."

"Yeah, so you wouldn't tickle me, or toss me into the pool."

"Well Bells, we may not be anywhere near a pool, but I think I hear a lake calling your name."

Before I even had a moment to get ready to defend myself he had launched himself onto my bare legs, wrapping both of them in his right arm while reaching under my lower back with the other. I wiggled as hard as I could, trying to scissor kick my legs and get one free while pushing at his chest with both hands. He held strong and, with a little bit of struggle, managed to stand with me cradled to his chest.

I fought harder. My laughter took a considerable amount away from my strength, but I seemed unable to stop. He ran toward the edge of the water, giving me his most charming smile. "Ready Bella? One…"

"Edward, please!" I squealed, more out of excitement than any real fear of getting wet. After all, I was already in my bathing suit.

"Two…" he made a fake swinging motion, playing that he was building up the momentum to toss me in.

"No! Please! I'll do anything!" I laughed. The game took me back to the summers in Forks. I couldn't even count the number of times he had tossed me into the pool, or acted like he was going to. I felt more lighthearted than ever, like we were just teenagers again, everything still ahead, but not thinking of anything but enjoying our time together. When he was still just a hopeless crush.

"Anything, huh?" he asked, eyebrows wiggling. He was trying to make me blush, but I had a better idea.

I took advantage of his distraction, swinging my legs down hard so he nearly dropped me. I caught myself on his arm just as my feet hit the ground. He was so surprised by me actually landing on my feet rather than my face that pulling on his arm worked better than I had expected—we both ended up in the water. Too bad for him, his clothes were still on.

He laughed as he quickly got back to his knees, the water still covering him up to midthigh. "Oh yeah? Is that how this works Bella?"

"What ever do you mean dear Edward? Was I not supposed to sabotage your attempt to throw me into the water?"

"You never have before," he pointed out.

I did something else I had never done and turned his own wolfish grin on him, "There are a lot of tricks that I didn't know before."

His laughter made my heart melt. For a moment it was just the two us, the 8 inches of water, and a beautiful day in the summer. Nothing that had happened mattered at all. We were exactly as we always had been—the sexual tension high and no need to try to change it. Flirtation with no expectation. And god was it beautiful.

-EPOV

"Bella stop trying to get away, I am only trying to help!" I insisted, chasing after her across the sandy shore, the bucket of water swinging at my side and splashing most of its contents back into the lake.

"Right!" she called back over her shoulder as she raced ahead, "By dumping a bucket of water over my head!"

"Well you were the one complaining about the sand in your hair," I laughed, trying not to appreciate the sight of her running in the small swimwear too much. I slowed down, lifting the bucket higher. "Fine! You win."

She stopped a good ten feet ahead, watching with her arms across her quickly rising and falling chest until I dumped the water out. She had run hard, I had to give her that. "I gotta tell you, I am impressed."

"Impressed? Because I can run faster than you?" she teased as she wandered back toward me.

"No, because you didn't fall down once."

She gave me a look of mock betrayal. "Are you calling me a klutz, Edward?"

"A klutz? Never. More like a… catastrophy." I reach down and splashed a handful of water at her.

She laughed and punched my arm without too much force. I wrapped that arm around her shoulder and pulled her into a hug, using my other hand to give her a light noogie. She rested her head against my chest, her breath heavy as she laughed again. The run had taken a lot out of both of us. I looked back down the beach, back in the direction we had come. There were only footprints, swerving in and out of the water as far as the eye could see. How far had we come?

"You know, we have a pretty long walk back," she pointed out, seeming to have pulled the thought right out of my head. "And I have to admit I am kind of beat."

"Oh what? You can outrun me, but when it comes to walking back you can't handle it?"

She smiled, "I didn't say I can't handle it, I was merely suggesting that we take a break first."

I grinned down at her, "If you insist."

She flopped down into the sand, her legs stretching into the water. She looked up at me and patted the spot beside her, "Don't be shy."

I sat, bumping my shoulder against her. "I was never the shy one."

"Insult after insult. Edward dearest, how do you ever expect to win my heart back with that attitude?"

I felt as if I had swallowed a whole tray of ice cubes. A chill seemed to radiate from the pit of my stomach, working its way out to my sun warmed skin. My eyes traced her profile—she showed no sign of panic, or embarrassment, or anything else that made it seem that she had meant what it sounded like she had. None the less, suddenly I found my esophagus constricting, my tongue in knots, and my palms sweaty. I felt like I was a teenager again, debating on whether I should just ask her to come to the prom as my date rather than as my friend.

"Bella I…" My mouth stopped working.

Her eyes turned to mine and she gave me a blinding smile. "Don't worry, Edward, I was only teasing. Sometimes it is just easier to make light of it. Makes it easier to let go. I missed this, you know. Missed having you."

I could not resist the smile that insisted on spreading across my lips. "I missed you too. But—"

"Well, isn't this a surprise! I thought I heard your voice, Bella."

We both turned so fast I feared one of us may have managed some permanent neck damage. Alice stood maybe two feet behind us, the tree line a good 15 feet behind her. Obviously she had been trying to sneak up… this time rather successfully. She gave me a fiendish grin. "Enjoying ourselves?"

Bella suddenly started laughing. "Alice, you are a terrible best friend, you know. Much too nosy."

My eyebrows shot up, but Alice looked much more stunned than I felt. Bella, though always quick on the comeback, was not usually quite so blunt with Alice. But, no matter her surprise, my sister took it with a smile.

-APOV

She had actually laughed. It had been too long since I had heard the noise that at first my mind hadn't even been able to comprehend it. But the smile that shone from her face, the glow that surrounded her, all proved that the noise had actually happened and was not a mere figment of my imagination.

"I may be nosy, but that does not make me a horrible best friend Bella. It is my forcefulness that takes care of that." She laughed again and it reminded me of the first really warm day after a snowy winter. I beamed at her, so happy to see her looking so well that the cause didn't even matter. "You got some color today."

Bella nodded, glancing down at her tanner arms. "The sun with do that."

"Does this mean we are close to the tents then?" Rose called hopefully down from the shade.

Bella stood and shook her head sadly. "Afraid not Rose. You have a good mile to anyway."

That caught me off guard. "What are you two doing a mile from camp? If you wanted to take a walk you could have—"

Bella shushed me. "Don't have a conniption fit, Alice. We had not intended to come this far. We were just about to head back, actually."

I wanted so badly to ask questions right then, but managed to hold back only so that Bella wouldn't stop smiling. I knew that once I started asking, she would get irritated—she always had. Suddenly the little angel on my right popped into my ear. "Ok, well, seeing as neither of you have any shoes…or clothes… how about you guys walk back on the beach. We will meet you over there."

Edward eyed me for a moment then nodded. I had a strange feeling that he was a bit uptight with me… had I interrupted something?

-BPOV

The walk back to camp was much less eventful, but still bizarrely wonderful. We stayed quiet, no teasing, no more than an occasional comment spoken, but a comfort that reminded me of home, of Forks, of Charlie, of summer vacation. But most of all it reminded me of Edward. It was like for a moment I had forgotten how comfortable we always had been together, how our silences meant just as much as our conversations. How the occasional gentle touch of our arms as they bumped into each other could tease more than any innuendo. I kind of expected it to make me sad, but after a moment, when no such emotion arose, I realized that having it again was enough. The past was the past, no matter how much I loved to cling to it at times. It didn't matter if we had had some problems, if we had hurt each other, we were ok again now and that was more important than anything else. Let the past rest, let the future come, and just keep on lifting up you feet.

I didn't worry about anything as we approached our abandoned stuff. My towel, which had been soaked when we had started down the beach, was dry stiff, the salt in it making it more like a board than any sort of fabric. Edward's clothes were in a very similar state and I shot him an apologetic smile. After collecting our stuff and putting our shoes back on, we headed toward the trees where the sound of voices could be heard.

-EPOV

"You are so in trouble!" Alice hissed at me just after Bella turned toward her tent and hurried in to find clothes.

My eyebrows shot up, my mind still lost in a calm fog. "What?"

"Esme kept asking me questions the entire time. She wants to talk to you. If I were you I would just get it over with."

I was sobered instantly. I had forgotten. My head nodded on its own. "Where is she?"

"Your tent I am sure, waiting to ambush you. She didn't seem happy about what I told her…and I painted you in a much better light than I thought you should be brother."

"Well thank you for that. If I am not back in an hour, call the cops."

Alice laughed quietly as I walked toward my tent, desperately trying to come up with any sort of excuse that would lighten the load Esme was about to drop on me. She loved Bella, and would not be happy to hear that I had broken her heart and then ran home and hadn't told my own mother about it. With one last deep breath I slipped into the tent.

-EsmePOV

He stepped into the tent twitching, as if he knew what was coming. Obviously Alice had tipped him off. I was proud of him for coming anyway, facing what he didn't want to hear, what he probably already knew. "You have been keeping secrets from me, Edward."

His face shifted into a fake smile, "I highly doubt that most sons share half of what I have with their mothers. You have a closer relationship with me than a tenth of the mothers in the world. You should be proud of that."

I sat down on top of one of the sleeping bags, "Edward, you know you should have told me simply because it was Bella."

He sighed and sat as well, the smile slipping away and replaced by a heavy frown. "Yes, I do know. I also know that when I got to your house I was not ready to discuss any of it. I don't even know if I am now."

"Edward, I truly do not understand you two. There was a time when your father and I thought I was inevitable that you two ended up together, and when you finally manage to get over yourselves you can only last a week?"

"Less than," I sighed. "I don't know what to tell you, Emse."

"Tell me what happened, Edward! And how you plan on fixing it!" I urged, reaching out and touching his arm. "You love that girl, I know you do. And you are great together, from what I heard. Why do you fight it so hard?"

"I don't know how to fix it. I hurt her enough the first time, how could I possibly risk doing that again?"

"Isn't it said that you always hurt the ones you love? It's a part of life. You both learn to live with it, to accept it."

"Isn't it also always said that if you love her let her go and if it's meant to be she will come back."

I reach out and popped him gently in the back of his head. "And what do you call this trip? Is this not her coming back?"

He turned to look me in the eye. "I don't know how to fix this. She deserves so much better than what I can give her…"

"And you don't think that is exactly how she feels as well? Think about who Bella is, Edward. Think about how she has always been. She probably fears being not being good enough for you way more than you fear not being good enough for her. She is not going to be the one to make the move, you will have to be. Now, if you don't mind, I have to get back to your father." I stood and moved toward the door. When I looked back he was staring off into space, lost in his thoughts. "You can do it Edward. You can make this right."

-EPOV

When I emerged from the tent there was no one in sight. I wanted to talk to Bella immediately, before any sort of sense could talk me out of it. With quick steps I hurried to the beach, searching for her. By the time my feet hit the sand my head was a mess, my tongue tied, and my heart slamming against the restraint of my ribs. I had to do this now. I looked around, but my target was no where in sight. Brie was the nearest to me, a sour look on her face.

"Brie!" I called, hurrying over, "Have you seen Bella?"

Hate filled eyes turned to meet mine and it registered that she had been the wrong person to ask just a little too late. I took a step back, holding up my hands in surrender. She spoke before I could apologize. "You know Edward, I thought you might be a good guy but you are just like the rest of the scum in this world. You don't know what you want, and you don't care about who you hurt when you try to find it. I don't know why I thought you were different."

I opened my mouth, then closed it. My thoughts raced around in circles. Had I hurt her? How? I had never given her any sort of indication that I was even remotely interested in her, had I? "Brie, I never—"

"Save it," she snapped, cutting me off. "Bella went for a walk with Alice. Neither of them looked very happy when they left."

-APOV

"But Bella…" I begged.

"Alice, you know how much I love you. You know how much your family means to me. But you need to learn that just because you want to hear something does not mean I will immediately divulge it. I am sorry. For now can't you just let me keep a good thing to myself for a little while and wait for me to be ready to tell you?"

I opened my mouth, my first instinct being to guilt her into it, but my better sense holding it back. "Ok Bella, as long as you will tell me one thing; are the two of you together?"

She smiled at me, a real smile, one that I hadn't seen since Edward's departure from Bella's house. "Alice, we are not together. I told you that it wasn't going to happen earlier. But we are really friends again. Just like old times. Isn't that enough?"

I grabbed her hand. "Bella, it wont be enough until I can actually call you my sister. But it'll do for now." She rolled her eyes. "Now, will you at least tell me why Brie was being such a bitch on the hike? She had murder in her eyes."

Bella's smile quickly turned to a frown. "I said some mean things to her this morning. Indeed to apologize when we get back."

"That bad Bella?"

She nodded, to my surprise. "Yeah, I practically called her a whore and told her she was not remotely good enough for Edward."

I shrugged, "Sounds pretty accurate from what I have seen."

Bella shook her head, "She hasn't done anything to really deserve what I said, Alice. She has never done anything wrong to me and it was not fair for me to blow up on her like I did this morning. I wont feel right until I tell her that I am sorry."

I bumped my shoulder against her arm, "You seemed to be feeling just fine when I saw you and my brother on the beach."

She tried to hide a smile, but denied nothing.

I released her hand and instead wrapped her arm through mine. "Ok, well if you must apologize lets just take a nice long walk and put it off for as long as possible."

"Agreed."

-EPOV

I sat a log by the fire, my eyes constantly changing directions, searching for even the slightest movement in the trees to alert me to Bella's return. It was nearly an hour before she finally appeared. I stood abruptly as she came from between the trees, her arms linked with my sister. Bella's eyes met mine and a smile appeared instantly, but she also lifted up a hand with a single finger erect, telling me to wait. She looked away, said something to Alice and disattached herself, before heading toward the beach where laughter and talk could be heard. I followed her with my eyes until she again disappeared from sight. Alice came and sat beside me without a word.

It was a moment before she reached over and patted my back. "She wouldn't tell me a thing. You must have done something right."

I shrugged, "Don't know what it could have been."

"That is because you are a fool when it comes to that girl, brother. You never know what is the right move, or what is the wrong. But it's ok, she's just as much of a fool with you. Everything is confusing when it comes to love I suppose."

"Learn that from personal experience?" I asked.

She shrugged, "Not exactly. I am too sure of my actions to be a fool with Jasper, but our relationship and yours are much different. Neither of us ever denied what we felt, where as you and Bella did it for years and years. The problem with denial though, brother, is that you will eventually have to face it, whether you like it or not. And that is something that I learned from personal experience."

"Do you think he's the one, Alice?"

"I do." She spoke with such assurance that I did not doubt it. Alice had a way of knowing things, she always had.

"Have you told him that?"

"Not in those words, but I have made it clear, just as he has. Neither of us have ever felt so complete. That is something that you feel with just anyone, you know?"

I sighed, my mind on Bella, "Yeah, I know."

-BPOV

I walked onto the beach, looking for Brie. She sat at the small ledge on the opposite side of the volley ball net, staring out at the water. It made me feel worse, remembering how and why I had sat there just the day before. I walked up behind her, "Brie, can I sit with you for a second?"

She turned with a killer glare, "What, so you can call me a whore again?"

I sighed, "No, so I can apologize."

The girl gave me a skeptical look and turned back to the water. I knew it wasn't an invitation, but I took the seat next to her anyway. "Listen Brie, I am really sorry for how I acted earlier. I really didn't mean it. I had been up late and my friend had already made me mad, so I just kind of blew up on you. It was uncalled for, and completely unfair. I feel horrible for it."

She grunted sarcastically.

"What, you mean after you won? Now you feel bad?"

I sighed. "It isn't a competition, Brie. Edward and I have been friends for a very long time, and I… after what happened between us, seeing him again was really difficult. And knowing that there was someone else who was interested in him hurt deep down because I knew I didn't stand a chance. Listen, Edward and I were only together for a very short period of time, ok? If you really think that he is what you want, then you have no reason not to try. It is his decision, as you said. And it was not right of me to try to intervene."

"You know, if you had said this yesterday, I would have believed it. But it isn't until after you spent the entire day with him, twisting his mind about me how you want it to be I am sure."

"Brie, I didn't say anything to him about you today, ok?" Frustration was starting to kill my sympathy.

"Why should I believe that?"

I bit my tongue on the comment that wanted to pop out and instead said, "Brie, I am really sorry for what I said this morning, and there is no way I can make you believe me, but I am being honest. I don't lie just for the sake of lying."

"You know Bella, I would believe that a lot more if I hadn't overheard what Alice was telling Rose on the hike. Who's Val, huh? And yet you act like you care about Edward? You tell me that I am not good enough for him? You know, at this point, I really don't give a damn anymore; I was only looking for some fun and really, this drama is not worth my energy. The only thing that I am pissed off about it is that he is blind enough to fall for you—someone who pretends to be so pure and really you are no better than what you accuse me of being."

My insides turned to ice before the tears reached my chin. She was right.