This is a re-post. I initially wrote this and switched from 3rd person vice to 1st person halfway through. It messed me up for a few days, but I'm back on track now. Please forgive the inconsistency. (See why I usually have a beta?)

Concede...

~(~)~

Their embrace ends as quickly as it begins and just as quickly, Bella is in her truck. She rolls the window down and turns the key, only to look over and see Edward scrambling in his pockets for something.

His eyes are rimmed in pink and he sniffles a little before he looks up at her. "Can you drive around and meet me at my car? I have something for you."

If she's surprised, she doesn't show it. "Okay."

Edward nods. "Okay, good. Thanks."

He turns and darts off down the street, leaving Bella to wonder why she didn't protest. Perhaps it was because she'd been too busy wondering what to say and do after hugging him. Or perhaps it was because she was still shell-shocked that she'd initiated any physical contact with him to begin with.

Whatever the reason, she pulls herself together and then pulls her truck around the corner to find Edward waiting for her next to the driver's door of his car. He walks around to her open window when she stops next to him and holds out a tattered looking envelope.

"You said not now, and not here, but… it says everything I would have said earlier. Probably more."

Bella hesitates. "How long…"

"A while. You don't have to open it if you don't want to, not if you think it will cause you any pain or regress, but… It was an important part of my recovery and I'd like to have it if you ever think you're ready to hear it."

Her fingers shake slightly as she stretches her hand out, stopping before she gets half way there.

She knows if she take it, she'll eventually read it. She knows it will open up the floodgates and there will be no going back. What she doesn't know is if she can handle that.

Her subconscious must think so, however, because she takes the letter from Edward a moment later.

"Thank you," he says, his voice quiet but full of emotion.

She nods and places the letter inside her handbag. When she turns back to him, she sees their holding up traffic.

"I gotta get moving."

"I know. Go."

"Goodbye, Edward."

He smiles sadly in response. "Goodbye, Bella. Drive safe."

~(~)~