Sorry it has taken me ages, I blame the holidays. Anyway, one more chapter after this one, and then we will be back at the prologue, just to warn you all.

Also, I'd like to think the Fic Sisters for featuring this story on their blog last week, and to Kyla713 for writing that piece on it. It definitely made my day. Thank you to all the new readers that found this story thanks to that blog. I hope you all continue to enjoy.

Many thanks to Kyla713 for looking this over. And to my girls for pre-reading.

Enjoy.

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Waking up to Bella wrapped up in my arms, her hair fanned out across my pillow was nothing short of perfection. As I looked down at her, noticing the small smile as she slept on, made me want to have every morning like that - that I would do anything to make it so. I just needed this amazing girl in my arms, and in my bed every night.

I became unsure of myself the more I looked down at her. I wanted to declare that I felt more for her than just a friend, but I knew that I had to let her lead, since she was much much younger than me. I didn't want to lose her, so if I had to remain just a friend for now, I'd do that.

She began to stir, so I decided to pull away and get out of bed. Bella had other plans as she grabbed my hand and tugged, blinking her sleepy eyes awake.

"Just where do you think you're going?" Bella asked, her voice still raspy from sleep.

"Nowhere?" I replied, laying back down and covering back up with the covers.

Her hand slipped across my waist as she pulled herself closer and laid her head on my chest, sighing in contentment. "Good. I'm not ready to let my human heater go anywhere just yet."

I tried to hold back the chuckle that wanted to escape, instead twirled a strand of her hair with my finger. "Well, then, I shall be your willing prisoner."

Bella held me tighter, not saying anything, but nothing really needed to be said. I was comfortable with her in my arms, there was no place I'd rather be.

Some time later, I felt myself begin to drift off to sleep again, but couldn't help but voice at least some of what I felt toward the beautiful girl in my arms. "I really don't ever want to let you go. You seem like you were made to be in my arms."

She looked up at me, smiling as her eyes shone with happiness. "What are you saying, Edward?" She bit her bottom lip, waiting for my answer.

"I'm saying that...that..." I sighed and sat up, my back up against the headboard. "I'm saying that I'd really like it if you went back to Washington as my girlfriend." I laid it out there, my heart beating wildly in my chest as I looked at her, hoping that we were on the same page. Fear pounded harder inside my head the longer she took to answer. So long that I worried that I had completely screwed everything up. My heart shattered at the thought.

"I'm sorry.. I just.. I hoped.. wanted..." I wasn't even sure how to say what I wanted; it was all coming out in a mess. I knew that if I said anything else, I'd regret it. She knew where I stood, maybe not completely how I felt, but she at least knew something. I was afraid if I voiced anything else, I'd just bury myself further in the hole that I'd already begun digging.

"Fuck!" I muttered as I left the room, pulling at my hair as I left Bella behind. I reached the kitchen and went about making breakfast, hoping that at least our last days together would be happy and not uncomfortable between us.

I flipped the french toast before I began warming up the syrup. My mind was on autopilot as I tried not to think about the girl back in my bed and my heart that seemed to be hanging by a thread. I set about finishing breakfast, and just as I had placed our tea and food on the table, I felt a small hand at the middle of my back.

"Edward?" Bella said, her voice sounded soft and unsure.

I turned around to face her, all the while, my heart pounded out a fast paced rhythm as I looked at her, waiting for her to say something, anything.

Bella moved closer to me, her eyes never leaving mine as she went up on her toes to kiss my cheek as her arms went around me, holding me tightly.

"I think- I think we need to talk, okay?" Bella grabbed my hand, guiding me back toward the table to sit down. She played with her fingers nervously before taking a small sip of her tea. "I'm not saying no...but I'm not saying yes, either. At least, not yet."

What did she expect me to feel or say here? I nodded my head, motioning for her to continue.

Bella let out a sigh as her eyes met back up with mine. "I want to...god, do I want to. I want to say yes, I want to be yours. But..But I have some things that I need to take care of first. Surely, you can understand that, right?"

Again, I was quiet. My voice seemed caught in my throat, even with the small dose of hope she gave me that she wanted me, too.

"I have so much coming up. Finals...Graduation...sorting out moving in with you," she said, smiling.

"Okay, I can understand that." I moved my chair closer to hers. "But Bella, I need you to know that I am the most patient man, especially when it comes to you. I can and will wait for however long I need to." I pulled her into me, my arms stayed wrapped around her. "I just want to be able to wake up every morning, knowing you are mine, knowing I can keep you."

"I'd like that someday soon."

We ate our breakfast in comfortable silence, stealing glances at one another. I felt so much like my teenage self then.

Bella decided that she had to be the one to clean up, since I made breakfast. I tried to argue, but she was having none of it. So I watched her and realized that she simply belonged here.

*.*

Our last days together fell away in a blur of activity. I took her everywhere I could think of that she'd want to go. We visited the aquarium, went back to the pier and had to make one last visit up to the University. We spent our last two nights together, cuddled up, watching movies.

She never did return to the guest room.

When the alarm blared at seven in the morning, jolting us both out of sleep, I was suddenly hit with the fact that I really didn't want to take her to the airport. That I didn't want her to go back to Washington. What if something happened? What if she changed her mind? What if? What if? What if? So many what if's.

"Hey, sleepyhead! You really need to get a move on, and your cute butt in the shower," I said, winking. "Unfortunately, your flight leaves in three hours." I tried not to let the sadness I felt come through in my voice, but my heart was hurting as I watched her get up out of my bed and make her way to the bathroom.

She held my hand as we drove toward O'Hare, her fingers passing slowly over mine in a reassuring gesture. But it did nothing to quell what I was feeling. I wasn't at all ready for her to be so far away again.

"You'll come to my graduation, right?" Bella asked as she turned around from the ticket counter after having turned over her suitcase.

"You know that I wouldn't miss it for anything."

She gave me one of the sweetest smiles that made me just want to kiss her, somehow imprint that smile onto me, so I pulled in for hug and held her tight, kissing the top of her head instead.

I reluctantly walked her over to security, so that she could be on her way to her terminal.

"Call me when you land?" I looked down at her, she had tears in her eyes as she nodded yes.

"Be safe for me?" Bella nodded again as a tear fell, and I wiped it away with my thumb.

"And you'll be here soon, ready to move in with me?" My voice shook with emotion. I wanted to make some wise-ass joke about how we were moving so fast, but in reality, we weren't. She was taking my heart with her, while I lay in wait. But I stared at her, wanting to remember everything about her in that moment.

"I promise, Edward. Nothing could keep me from you." She smiled, brushed my lips with a way too quick kiss, and turned around to go through security.

I drove home in a daze, already missing her, when my phone pinged with a message.

B: I miss you.

I pulled over and replied, hoping she would see it before she took off.

E: I always miss you.

I started the car back up, my mind instantly returning to the girl that was flying away from me. Once back home, it felt so empty. Amazing how only after a few short days, Bella left her imprint there. I wasn't at all sure how I would sleep in my bed without her in it.

Later that afternoon, after watching boring reruns of shows, and long after I confirmed my schedule at the hospital, my phone went off and I didn't think I had ever moved faster to answer it before in my life.

"Hey."

My heart instantly felt calmer at the sound of her voice. "Hi, Bella."

"I landed, and it was the most boring flight ever. But it felt so wrong."

"Oh?"

"Yes, oh. It would have been a thousand time better had you been with me. Don't you know you have the perfect shoulder to fall asleep on?" Her laugh came through the phone, melting my insides as I soon joined her.

"Well, maybe someday soon we can rectify that."

"I hope so. Anyway, I need to catch a cab and get back to my place. Just a few more months, Edward, okay?"

"I'll be waiting, Bella."

We hung up, and I found I was suddenly excited for the future and all that it would bring.

*.*

So guys, still with me?