"How are you feeling, baby?" Edward ran his hands over Bella's hair, his eyes examining her so intently you'd think he'd never see her again.

"I'm fine, can you please stop asking me that question?" It had been two days since Emmett released Bella from the hospital, three since the boys had formulated their plan. She pushed his hand off her head and scooted away from the edge of the bed, making room for him to sit down. "and stop calling me baby."

He smiled at that, sitting down beside her. "You never really were one for pet names, were you?" He pulled her hand into his, subconsciously checking her for any more pain.

"That's because I'm not a pet, Edward." He pulled her closer to him, wrapping his arms around her small frame. He'd been trying hard not to ask Bella about her mother and stepfather again, trying hard not to let her know that he knew, but it was getting increasingly harder to keep it from her. He just wanted to know the whole story.

Getting out of the hospital had been joyous for Bella, but not as joyous as finding out that she'd be okay, that she'd live. It was hard for her to think into the future, hard for her to accept Edward's love, hard for her to accept anyone, but she was trying. She could tell that Edward was holding something back, but she was afraid to find out. She stared up at him, looking at the subtle ways the years had changed him and smiled. He was here now, his arms wrapped around her, his skin touching hers. But what if he left again? What if he realized how pathetic she was? What if he looked at her and saw the same worn out little girl her mother had seen? What if he already wanted to go?

She was irrational, she knew that. Edward had reminded her time and time again that she was worth it, that he loved her, but she still feared losing him. What if the cancer came back? Would she lose herself? Tears formed in her eyes and she moved to wipe at them, but Edward was a step ahead of her, kissing the tears from her cheeks before they even made it there.

"Whatever you're thinking, Bella, stop." His eyes stared down into hers. "I'm not going anywhere, I love you and I always will."

She smiled softly. In the past he had been oblivious, he'd been so blind that he hadn't seen her for what she was, but now he was in tune with her feelings, with her thoughts. He knew when she was drawing into herself again, knew when she was being self depreciating, and he called her on it.

His hands smoothed over her hair before he leaned in, placing a soft kiss on her forehead. "I will never leave you Bella, never again."

They laid that way for a while, Bella fast asleep on his chest, his name spilling out of her mouth every so often. Bella had always been a very vocal sleeper, and at one point in time he loved that about her, but that was before the nightmares came. His name was erased by another man's, but she didn't speak it quite like she spoke Edward's. She spoke this one with fear.

And in that moment he couldn't bring himself to regret anything. If he had to kill Phil Dwyer for the things he did to her, he'd do it with pleasure.

HEY GUYS!

Happy Oscars Sunday! Hopefully you're all as proud of Leo as I am!