Chapter 40 – What Part of Forever

- They say nothing lasts forever. We'll have to prove them wrong.

What part of forever don't you understand?


Other than a lone tear leaking from Gianna's closed eyes, her body didn't respond to the injury Marcus was inflicting upon it. Kneeling at her side, he held both her wrists to his lips, biting one and then the other. Gently folding her hands over her chest, Marcus raised his eyes to Dominic. "She will join you in immortality. You are fortunate this day."

"My God. What have I done?" Dominic hung his head.

"Take her. You need to go," Marcus instructed sternly as he stood.

Dominic lifted his head, his expression showing the strain of the uncertainty of his snap decision. "Where are we going to go?"

"We'll head to mountains. Find somewhere to hole up while Gianna goes through her transition," Edward directed. "There are still those who might seek to destroy us, but we can't travel until Gianna is ready." He gave Marcus a pointed look.

Marcus closed the space between Edward and him. The somber leader placed a heavy hand on Edward's shoulder; an unspoken conversation passed between the two men.

Swallowing hard, Edward nodded once. "I understand."

"What?" Bella demanded. "Tell me!"

They turned toward Bella, but Marcus avoided the intensity of her eyes. Edward took both of Bella's hands in his. "I will, I promise. When there's time."

Unaware of anything transpiring, Dominic finished examining Gianna's wrists and then scooped her limp form carefully in his arms before standing. "I'm all for leaving this hellhole ASAP."

Bella glanced in Dominic's direction then turned away just as quickly. "Um, Dominic … You're missing something."

"Oh, shit!" Dominic exclaimed in frustration and embarrassment.

Wanting to shield his wife from Dominic's nakedness, Edward hastily stripped off his gray cloak, handing it to Dominic in exchanged for Gianna. Dominic slipped it on, his nose wrinkling in disgust, before impatiently taking Gianna back into his arms.

"Marcus, you must come with us!" Bella pleaded. He offered her a small smile, but his eyes were not touched by it. "Marcus?" What was he not willing to share? She could feel panic rising up within her.

"Little One. Thank you. But as I tried to explain to you earlier…" Marcus spread his arms wide, "this is all I have. And my duty here is not yet done."

Bella froze in disbelief as Marcus turned and headed toward the Throne Room!

"No!" she called after him, moving swiftly to stop him.

Edward intercepted her, wrapping his arms tightly around her. "He wants you to let him go."

Bella's eyes widened and blazed as Marcus pushed the doors open and disappeared into the smoke-filled room. "No," Bella whispered in a quiet plea that was crushed as the doors shut with a lethal clang. "Marcus!" She pushed back against Edward's hard embrace. "Edward, we have to do something! He'll die in there!"

"He's giving us a head start. We have to respect his decision. Let's go."

Yet, Bella remained immobile staring at the doors, hoping Marcus would reemerge. Taking her face in his hands, Edward's piercing reddish-black eyes captured hers. "You have to let him go, Bella."

"What have I done?" Bella moaned.

"We need to run," Dominic interjected, attempting to motivate her, remind her that this was the moment they had been waiting for. "We need to run far and fast, Bella."

"Run?" Bella's eyes stared blankly in Marcus's direction.

Dominic glanced with concern at Edward. Bella seemed like she was on the verge of a mental breakdown.

"Yes, love. Run. Away from here. We can leave and go home."

"Home?" The word filled her heart with equal parts of fear and excitement. It was enough to shake her from her despondence. "Yes, I want to leave here, Edward," she said with strength growing in her voice. "I want to run."

"Okay then, we have a plan," Dominic said with trepidation. "Ed, you lead the way."

"We're going through the tunnels. Marcus showed me which way to go. They will lead us outside the walls of Volterra so we can avoid moving through the city."

As rapidly as Dominic could travel on two legs carrying Gianna's dead weight, they moved through the underground tunnels emerging at the base of a hillside. The air was brisk and cold, the sky dark, but the moon provided plenty of light for vampire eyes to see clearly.

With Volterra to her back, Bella couldn't help but remember the Bible story of Lot's wife – how she looked back at the sinful city falling to ruin even though God had instructed her not to. In punishment, she was turned into a pillar of salt. Bella had always wondered: did the woman turn back because, like her, she feared the unknown that lay ahead or because the woman worried in her heart she could not leave behind the sinful ways? Feeling a strange mixture of both, Bella turned to look back.

She did not see a city ablaze from the judgment of God; only a thin trail of black smoke winding its way from the turret into the dark winter sky. The reinforced Throne Room doors would contain the fire, and the city would awaken blissfully unaware of what had transpired the night before. But she knew Marcus was in that room. Would he leave the vampire world leaderless? If so, what sort of vampire anarchy would arise?

Worst of all, the consequences were hers to bear because of her selfish quest for "justice."

Edward was too busy with logistics to reflect on ramifications of recent events.

'Dominic, I suggest you give Gianna to me. You need to be in wolf form to keep up from here."

Dominic's face darkened. "Assuming the melancholy vamp did what he said, how long before … you know …"

Edward grimaced as Dominic's memory recalled the horrors of Bella's transition. "I can't say for certain, but most likely once the venom repairs the damage in her brain." Questions ran rampant in Dominic's head, but all Edward had time for right now was a bit of reassurance. "The venom will repair her injuries. I can hear her heart working. She will reawaken."

Reluctantly, Dominic transferred Gianna to Edward's arms. In the distance he could make out the shadowy outline of a mountain range. "How far?"

"About a hundred miles to the base," Edward answered.

Shrugging off the cloak before tucking it around Gianna, he asked, "And going there is a good idea why, Ed?"

Catching Dominic totally off guard, Edward hit him square in the chest with his open hand, but only hard enough to shock and set Dominic off balance. He stumbled backwards, tripping on the uneven terrain and falling hard on his backside.

"Edward!" Bella responded, stunned by his aggressive behavior.

"Stay back!" Edward warned, holding up his hand toward Bella to keep her from rushing to Dominic's side.

Bella's eyes grew wide as Dominic burst into his exceptionally large wolf form.

What the hell did you do that for!? Dominic's thoughts hit back as he snarled.

"Don't call me 'Ed'," Edward replied calmly in contrast to Dominic rage.

His eyes grew wider. Seriously?!

Edward tried unsuccessfully to quell a slight smirk. "You didn't think you'd be able to turn without anger as a catalyst, so you were stalling us with questions. I helped you out."

Gee, thanks, Eddie.

Edward let a low rumble vibrate in his chest to show his displeasure.

Okay, fine. Edward. But it makes you sound like an old man.

"I'm a hundred and five."

Guess the name fits then. Who's stalling now?

Oblivious to their conversation, Bella had taken several measured steps toward the city. The wet beating of Gianna's heart had sent her vampire senses berserk. Her throat burned with the heat of the inferno she had just left behind. "I can smell them … the people in the city …"

Bella's confession drew Edward's attention immediately. "Bella." Edward took her by the upper arm to gain her attention. "It's time to run."

Swallowing back the venom pooling in her mouth, she turned to face him. His eyes showed the compassion and understanding she needed in that moment. "I don't know if I can do it. Be around people. I'm so thirsty, Edward." Her hand came to rest on her throat. "It burns so much and makes me feel ... crazed."

"Running will help. We'll hunt in the mountains. It's going to be all right." He offered her a tenuous smile. "We made it out – with Dominic and Gianna. So are you ready?"

Bella looked back at the city before glancing at Dominic. He lowered his gigantic furry head once in affirmation. "Yes."

Before she married Edward, Bella had scribbled out a list titled "pros/cons of becoming vampire." Running was at the top of the column of pros. Nothing felt like freedom and fun more than a run with Edward, even if she was just a rider on his back. This was something she wanted to experience firsthand – her own legs moving her as swiftly and silently as the wind. She took off like a shot in the direction of the distant mountains, leaving Edward and Dominic no choice but to play catch-up.

Luckily for Dominic, his extra large size gave him an extra long stride. He was able to maintain pace with Edward while also keeping a sharp eye on Gianna as well. The feel of the earth giving way under his every step was exhilarating. Every stride was taking him closer to freedom.

Despite their best efforts, however, neither man could keep up with Bella. Soon, they lost sight of her on the uneven terrain; however, their noses told him they were following in her tracks.

As the miles passed under their feet, the slick grassy hillsides gave way to a more rocky terrain which eventually became snow covered. The sky became lighter, but clouds hung heavy and gray, covering the sun. As they climbed in elevation, the snow got deeper and the air thinner, leaving Dominic struggling to catch his breath.

I need to rest.

Edward had been waiting for Dominic to admit his mounting fatigue. "Let's find some sort of shelter – a cave or outcropping of rocks. We can leave Gianna there while we hunt." The blankness of Dominic's mind made Edward grin crookedly. "You never thought about it, have you?"

Hunting? Like a real wolf?

"Like the real wolf you are," Edward pointed out.

Killing? Eating ... raw?

"Hunt or starve. No other choices."

Edward listened as Dominic recalled an awkward hunting trip with his great uncle when he was a youth. A trip that ended in his uncle calling him a "bleeding-heart sissy."

"Don't concern yourself too much," Edward added when the memory had run its course. "Bella will need to learn as well. Just give in to your instincts. Hunger will do the rest. Bella!" Edward called ahead. "Dominic needs to rest."

She emerged from the darkness ahead, running towards them. Despite the fact her clothes were in tatters from the acid and her feet were bare, she was glorious. Draped in black, her dark, thick hair wild from the run, all framed by a backdrop of pristine white. It did appear immortality agreed with her – if only he could see her smile. Currently, she was frowning with discontentment.

"We need to keep running," she insisted.

To calm her apparent concern of discovery, Edward offered his assessment, "The mountains will provide us with protection. Between the constantly shifting snow and the wind, our scents should dissipate quickly. Besides, hopefully, Marcus will have ..."

Bella abruptly turned away, pulling the leader's heavy velvet cloak securely around her. It whipped angrily in the wind around her ankles. Dominic let out a whimper, his thoughts reaching Edward: I'd skip the talk about the self-sacrificing vamp for now...

Needlessly licking his lips, Edward took Dominic's advice to heart. "I'm going to run ahead and scout for shelter. Listen for my call." With that, he ran off, still carrying Gianna close to his chest.

When Bella and Dominic tracked to where Edward had found a shallow, rocky cave, he had already laid Gianna on the frozen ground atop his gray cloak.

Guessing at the root of Dominic's anxiety as he paced outside the cave, Bella comforted, "The cold will make it easier for her." Without the fear that should be innate in a vampire, Bella reached out to stroke Dominic's fur over his shoulder, barely within her reach.

"Now that Gianna is ... resting, you both need to hunt..." Ever practical, Edward proposed their next course of action and waited for Bella and Dominic's responses.

Dominic's thoughts were clear: he wasn't leaving Gianna alone. His concern for her overrode the physical discomforts of his hunger. Dominic shook off the snow that had blown onto his coat and moved into the cave, curling up next to Gianna with a grunt of exhaustion.

Edward turned to Bella. Uncertainty was clear on her face. An awkward silence settled between them causing him to wonder if he'd ever felt so isolated from her. She stood, staring at the gray sky, wrapped tightly in her cloak-cocoon, refusing to let anything – or anyone – in. Physically they were out of the castle, but mentally, they were far from being free from the damaging events that occurred within its walls.

"We need to stay strong and focused. You can't do that if your thirst overwhelms you." Edward spoke softly, hesitantly placing a hand on her back. She stiffened at his touch and he withdrew his hand immediately. "What if we just run for a little while?"

When she nodded, Edward held out his hand. It was an olive branch he hoped she'd take.

When she did, they took off, climbing higher into the mountains. After an hour of running, with no mention of the hunt, Edward began to understand. "We can run from the city. We can put it half a world behind us, but it won't help you forget, love."

Bella began to noticeably slow her pace. Reaching the summit of the mountainside, she paused to look down into the valley below. "Where are we?" she asked, though it really didn't matter.

"Somewhere in the Apennine Mountain range."

"The view is ... nice," she stuttered. Then sat.

Sitting next to her, Edward wished for the five-thousandth-and-one time he could listen to her mind. Maybe then he could find the right words to bring her the comfort he knew she was searching for. Instead, he waited in silence next to her. They watched the clouds shifting above them and a herd of Chamois grazing in the valley far below.

"Even with this incredible mind I have now, I can't wrap it around it all," she finally said, frowning.

"A lot has happened in a very short period of time," Edward agreed, but was careful not to assume specifics. He needed to follow her lead; he needed to think, What would Carlisle do...?

"How do I begin to make things right?"

"Forgive yourself first. You were put on a path that wasn't of your own choosing. Survival had to be your priority." Though she was still closed off, he wanted to reach out and pull her into an embrace. He was so thankful for her survival, for their escape. It may be selfish of him to discount the destruction they left behind and the consequences of their actions, but it was the Volturi that pursued this course of action, after all. What he and Bella had done was in self-defense.

"How did you do it?" And for the first time since they had left the castle, she looked him in the eye.

"Do what?"

"Reconcile killing with your conscience? How do you live with the memory that you took someone's life?"

Edward immediately regretted the smile that formed on his lips. Seeing the dismay on Bella's face, he rushed to explain. "Feeling remorse for taking human life is a good sign. It means you haven't given in to the disregard taught by the Volturi. It's an important first step."

But instead of looking relieved, Bella shook her head in disgust. Her lips parted several times to make a point; however, the perfect words seemed to elude her. "I still want it, though." Her eyes pleaded with Edward to understand without her actually having to say the blasphemous words out loud.

"I understand your craving. More than you know." Edward held out his hands in front of him. They were shaking considerably.

Perplexed, Bella tried to think of the possible reasons for his unsteady, humanlike behavior. Seeing the discomfort on Edward's face was the last clue she needed. "Corin?"

"I was exposed to a heavy dose of her effect. It's a tactic that works very effectively if the Volturi view someone as a flight risk. The withdrawal sickness makes that individual think twice about leaving, or at the very least, brings them back very quickly."

"I destroyed her. I never even thought ..." Bella was struck with guilt. The pain Edward would have to endure!

"It's not your fault. I just ... worry about my ability to protect you and keep my wits about me as it worsens. That's why I want you to hunt. Get a handle on your thirst. We can't have both of us in a fog."

Bella looked down into the valley where the herd remained. "I heard the hearts of those animals and smelled their blood on the way up," she hesitantly began. "I know I don't want that."

Not only did the smell of the deer-like creatures not appeal to her, she didn't think they would supply what was needed: nourishment for her shield. With Edward incapacitated, Dominic centered on a transitioning Gianna, it was up to her to provide protection for the group. Her shield had not appeared until she drank human blood from a body. It needed human blood – she needed human blood.

"Try?" Edward coaxed.

"I can't!" Bella jumped to her feet and began to pace. "Our situation is direr than you're willing to admit. I need my defenses … I don't need what those have to offer." She pointed a finger emphatically at the animals below. "Stop deciding what is best for me!"

Her volatile emotions were ramping up, and Edward's first impulse was to smooth over the situation. Distract her or placate her until he could solve the crisis as he'd done in the past. But if Edward was being realistic, any vampires that may have survived the conflagration in Volterra would seek revenge.

He had no experience with a shield like Bella's to know if she was correct. Even in Aro's thoughts, her strength was feared. Maybe it did require human blood …?

"You're right. I have sheltered you from the truth in the past, but this experience has taught me to be honest with you, and I have admitted I've underestimated you… but what you suggest … drinking human blood … how could I, in good conscience, let you add to your guilt?"

"I need to protect you."

He understood that intense look upon her beautiful face. The pain he saw was reminiscent of his expression as seen through Esme's mind when he told her of his decision to leave Forks – to leave Bella in order to keep her safe. Looking at her, he saw the need to protect a mate no matter what the personal cost.

"I would never ask you to sacrifice for me … but I understand," he responded from his heart instead of his head. He again reached out physically to her. Taking her hand, he gave it a reassuring squeeze. Then a memory presented itself. One that offered a solution. "I know where you can get human blood without killing anyone."

Bella's eyes narrowed in suspicion, and then her eyebrows flew upwards. "Not Gianna! Her state must still be so fragile, I don't –"

"Not Gianna," Edward cut her off. "Me."

"You?"

"Drink from me."

"Will that work?" Bella asked skeptically.

Edward's eyes shifted as he remembered how he had aggressively fed from Tanya when he first came out of his stupor. He had violated her … it was something he would have to figure out how to make amends for doing…

"Yes. It will work."

"It doesn't sound like an ideal solution."

Edward could feel the irritability of withdrawal threatening to snap at Bella's hesitance. He swallowed it back. "Love, it's the best solution. We don't have many choices right now. Please."

At last, he could see the resignation in her eyes. She nodded. Raising Edward's wrist to her nose, she inhaled deeply hoping instinct would overrule her reluctance. She was so afraid of worsening his condition. Or hurting him.

The sweet smell of blood under his skin was very enticing and her thirst demanded to be quenched. But just before she surrendered to the drive to drink, he stopped her.

"No. Not there. Here." He exposed the side of his neck.

Her stomach clenched and her knees weakened. There was something incredibly alluring about his offer. Too irresistible to refuse. So wrong and so right.

Roughly, he pulled her to him. "Do it, my love," he crooned.

Giving in to his embrace, Bella's body pressed against his. Her defenses fell like dominoes; every part of her was responding to his request. As she skimmed her nose against the smooth, fragrant skin of his neck, venom flowed, generously filling her mouth.

She expected resistance from his skin. Instead, her teeth sunk into the flesh of his neck as if she were biting into a succulent, ripe peach. A slow hiss, more like a rush of air, escaped his lips, but Bella was lost in a world of her own pleasure. Intoxicated by combined intake of her mate's scent and the exhilarating taste of human blood mixed with his venom, she knew nothing but the desire for more.

"Yessss," Edward rumbled, his hold on Bella tightening.

With his encouragement, she drank deeper. Though it couldn't be, the fluid she drank from him flowed hot down her throat and warmed her whole body. But there was more to it than just a sensation of warmth. Her mind diverged, looking for a way to describe what she was feeling. Sated, strong, pleasure – she felt complete. A void she didn't realize was within her was being filled.

"I love you, Bella. I'm yours." His voice cracked with strain. When his grip on her weakened, Bella released her hold on his neck. Slowly, he sunk to the ground.

"Edward!" Bella cried in fear as she helped ease him down. Getting on her knees, she cradled his head in her lap. But when she looked down at his face, she was surprised to see a peaceful, content expression.

His eyes were black, but yet they burned wildly. Without explanation or hesitation, he reached up to caress her face. "Kiss me, Bella. Give yourself to me?"

The feeling that had built up so intensely while she fed had meaning in his eyes. There was no question as to what her answer would be. She kissed him. Deeply, passionately, and with every ounce of her new being, she kissed him, pouring all that ached within her into his hungry mouth as it nipped and tugged at her lips and tongue. This was kissing as she had never experienced with him before. No longer did he hold back, fearful the smallest nick his razor teeth might begin her change.

He consumed her. He needed her, wanted her. And the more he took, the more she was willing to give.

It was the elixir that brought them to common ground. As need, stress, and passion hit a boiling point, hands moved to comfort and reassure the other with alternating gentle strokes and impassioned squeezes. They had survived; they had found each other again. They were mates.

But as the emotional needs morphed into physical desires, Edward took her face in his hands. Her new sight allowed her to see the flush of arousal in his cheeks. "I cannot let this continue until I know. Beyond being mates, Bella, do you love me? Love me as your husband and lover?"

His vulnerability touched her heart. She knew she could destroy him with a word – and understood she could never do that. He was her mate and he had confessed his true love for her several times over –- even without her singing blood.

"I never truly believed that someone so perfect could love me. What was I compared to you? Because of my insecurity, Aro was able to convince me that my blood resulted in your possessiveness and you feared not wanting me without it flowing through my veins. Was it all lies, Edward? Tell me now, before we go any further, was there any truth in what Aro told me about us?"

All expression drained from Edward's face. His eyes stung with the prickling of nonexistent tears. "I am far from perfect. If I had been, Aro could never have convinced you my love was false. I vow I will spend the rest of eternity proving my love for you, Isabella Marie Cullen. My mate, my wife, my forever."

But Bella shook her head. How would she reconcile her past with her future? How could she bridge her old weak persona to her new powerful vampire/killer reality? "How do we go home when so much has changed? How can you see me as yours when someone else's venom courses through me? I've murdered, I … I turned my back on you!"

"What part of forever don't you understand? I meant every word I said on our wedding day." He shrugged. "We'll figure it out – one step at a time, together. As equals."

His simple, accepting response gave her a glimmer of hope. They were both broken, flawed. But with time, maybe they could come to terms, heal. Build a new path. The truth was, there was no one else she could imagine making that journey with.

"Forever," Bella promised.

With a smile she had only seen grace his face twice before, first when she said she'd marry him and second on the day they exchanged vows, Edward swept her into his arms. He carried her to a patch of tall pines, laying her on a soft bed of fallen pine needles. Whispering words of love and reverence, Bella's husband reverently removed her clothing, caressing and trailing kisses over every inch of newly exposed skin.

She reciprocated, marveling at the warmth between them despite the snow and wind that swirled around them.

As they consummated their mating bond and reunion, alone on the mountaintop, Bella found wonder in her new vampire body and it's capabilities to experience intimacy. Every touch, every caress thrilled her a thousand times more that she had experienced as a human. Love and pleasure consumed her, and with time, she knew it would be enough to heal her wounds, build the bridge.

She could have stayed safe, shielded in his arms in their frozen paradise for eternity, but with a gentle kiss on both of her eyelids, he rose to retrieve Marcus's cloak, pulling it around them to cover their nakedness.

"Edward, why didn't you tell me vampire sex was so … incredible?"

"And how would I have known? You are my first and only."

"I thought you said you would be honest with me! Tell me a mind reader in a house of mated pairs hasn't a clue?" She giggled slightly at his sheepish look.

"Okay. Yes, I may have heard a thought or two about how … 'earth-shattering' vampire sex was, but I'm not giving away any names. Besides, I wanted you to stay human, and after we were intimate, you wanted the same."

"It was a mistake." Bella's mood sobered. "Look what that decision has cost us." She pulled Marcus's cloak tighter around her body. "Will I ever see him again?" Bella asked in a hushed whisper.

Edward pulled her close, his trembling more apparent. "Marcus wanted me to express his sorrow. He wanted so much more time with you. And he apologized for taking your humanity – though he doesn't regret seeing you become vampire. He truly believed it was your destiny."

"Do you feel the need for revenge against him for what he did to me?"

"Not anymore. Hearing Marcus's thoughts, knowing his feelings for you… He cared deeply about you, wanted you as his protégé. He also … deferred to my status as your mate when he changed you…"

Again, the sheepish Edward was making an appearance. He had something he needed to confess, so Bella urged him on. "What do you mean 'deferred to your status'?"

"There is a great deal to teach you about vampire life. Much of what we do is dictated by emotion and much of it by instinct."

"I've realized that," Bella reluctantly admitted.

Edward continued, "When a vampire wants to possess someone, human or vampire, he or she goes for the neck. It's a way to stake a claim." Edward slid a finger from Bella's shoulder down her arm until it came to rest on the scar on the crook of her elbow. "Marcus changed you, but he didn't claim you as his own. I'm sure Aro would have acted differently."

Bella let the meaning of the information sink in. Then the whole implication hit her. "You wanted me to bite you on the neck, not your wrist! You wanted me to claim you?"

"I did. Are you angry with me?"

She thought, furrowing her brow deeply. "No. I actually think I feel … dominant."

Edward laughed. "You are stronger than me in everyway."

"Not emotionally. When it comes to that, I'm a wreck," she admitted. "And I noticed you didn't answer my question. Will I see Marcus again?"

He couldn't put off the truth any longer. "He knew you'd never leave if he told you his plan, but he wanted me to tell you not to despair and that he was thankful for his freedom." Edward could feel Bella stiffen in his arms. "He wanted to make sure Aro was destroyed … and then he planned to join Didyme."

Bella slumped against Edward's arms. "No. That was not how I planned it. He was supposed to get a second chance at life. After all that time, why would he waste his freedom?"

"He didn't waste it, Bella. That had always been his choice, but Chelsea and Aro robbed him of it."

"So you were right!" she cried in anguish. "If I had done what you said, kept the secret, Marcus would still be alive! The vampire world would have a great new leader. Instead, I destroyed him."

"No, you saved him. And he promised to help save us. I just don't know if he was successful."

Fear again gripped Bella's heart. "We better get back to Dominic and Gianna."

Edward agreed, but as they dressed, their anxiety mounted. Had Marcus followed through on guaranteeing Aro, Caius, and the remaining guard had been destroyed before he sacrificed himself? What became of Afton and Chelsea? What would be the reaction of Sulpicia and Athenodora when they find the horrific scene in the Throne Room? Would Gianna, upon becoming vampire, accept Dominic? And how would a shape-shifter and a vampire in the throes of withdrawal deal with two thirsty newborns!?

With these questions heavy on their minds, Bella and Edward ran with all haste back to the cave.


A/N: This chapter was not as I had planned it, but I guess a love like Bella and Edward's can't be contained for long! This chapter was one of those magical times when the characters come alive and dictate the words/actions for you. I hope it made you smile (or even say "Aww").