Twilight…not mine (sigh).

Chapter 178

BPOV

When I woke up, I was warm, comfortable and well-rested. I blinked a few times, confused as to how I got in my room and why my pillow was rising and falling. I looked up and saw that Edward was in my bed, holding me to his chest. He was wearing a sling? Not to mention he looked scruffy, haggard and tired.

Okay, what happened?

Then, memories of my attempt to be normal came flooding back. Seeing Randall, driving home in a state of panic, screaming like a madwoman and ending up in a semi-catatonic state that Edward pulled me out of. Then, I vaguely remembered Esme coming in, mentioning that Edward was unconscious and he had surgery.

Yeah, I suck.

I tried to wriggle out of his arm but he held firm. "Stop moving," he grumped. "You're pushing on my bladder."

"Then, let me up and I'll get off your bladder," I retorted.

"I missed this, so nope. Ain't happening," he said, tightening his hold on me. I giggled but felt immediately guilty again. He opened his eyes and looked down at me. "Don't beat yourself up."

"I'm sorry," I whispered, tears falling onto my cheeks and on his shirt.

"I'm sorry, too. We both fucked up," he said, sliding out from underneath me. I frowned. "I have to pee, Bella. Seriously, you squirming on my bladder was not helping things." He looked around, adorably befuddled. He stumbled to the first door, finding my closet. The next door was the bathroom. He shut it part way and he sighed as he relieved himself. He washed his hand, walking back into my bedroom and finding his hat, putting it on his flattened hair. "Come on, Little One. I'm hungry and I can smell something delicious being made in your kitchen." I scooted off the bed and picked up my crutch, hobbling out of the bedroom. "You're down to one crutch."

"Yeah," I blushed. "It hurts at the end of the day, but I'm getting stronger."

"Good, I'm glad you're both alive!" Emmett laughed. "I was about to gnaw off my own arm. Esme making stuffed shells! They smell like home, Bella!" Edward's mother blushed and she put the casserole dish of stuffed shells onto the counter. "They even look like yours, bambina!"

"That's because I followed Bella's recipe," Esme snorted. "Dig in, everyone." We ate dinner and it was truly delicious. I couldn't eat much since I was still nervous from before, but I did manage to finish one shell and half a meatball.

Once we were done, Emmett left my condo to go to work and I directed Esme to the guest room. She was up early to take Edward to the surgicenter. Edward asked for an icepack and we settled onto my couch. He took off his sling, trying to wrap the icepack around the bandages. It was not going very well. "Let me," I said, attaching the icepack to his arm. "You've taken care of me. Now, it's my turn."

"Thank you," he said, sitting back against the couch cushions. "Are you feeling better?"

"Yeah. I just panicked when I saw Randall," I shrugged. "He was there, I swear it."

"Actually, he wasn't. I asked Alice, Rose and Jasper to check up on him. Randall was in Venezuela on a mission trip. He just got back from that the day before yesterday," Edward explained. "He didn't even know his brother died until the FBI showed up at his apartment while we were sleeping."

"Oh," I muttered. "Why did I have such a reaction?"

"My guess is that Randall looked a lot like Riley," Edward suggested. "It's going to take time for your mind to get over this. Hell, I still freak out around men who try to touch me. You remember what happened with Mario?" I nodded. "There were days when I was a kid, that I swore I saw my father. Instead, it was just my mind playing tricks on me."

I twisted the pillow, curling up around it. "Thank you for coming," I muttered, my heart swelling at the mere fact that he was here and sitting with me. I had pushed him away and yet, he still came running when I needed him.

The fact of the matter is that you do need him, del Cigno!

"I didn't want you to be hospitalized," Edward replied quietly, shifting the icepack on his arm. Things were awkward and stilted. I hated it and I was the cause of it. I tentatively reached up to touch his face. He jumped before turning his green eyes to mine.

"Did I ruin us?" I whispered.

"What happened to you ruined us," he sighed, cupping my hand to his face. He leaned into my hand before kissing my palm. "You were right in separating yourself from me and my condo, but the way it was handled. That's what hurt, Bella."

"Is that why you jumped when I touched you?" I asked, my eyes filling with tears.

"I've had my own issues," He shrugged, threading his fingers through mine. "But, I think that's part of it. Bella, I want you to be better than you were before. I love you and I always will, but things are…"

"Uncomfortable," I muttered.

"Yeah," he replied. "I'm going to ask you a question and I want you to be honest with me and with yourself. Do you see yourself in a relationship with me? Now or in the future?"

I bit my lip, closing my eyes and trying to imagine my life without Edward. I couldn't. "I do, Edward. I want to be with you."

"Then, I want to be a proper boyfriend. Take you out on dates, spoil you, have fun, laugh, make love and just be us. Not Isabella del Cigno or Edward Masen. Just Bella and Edward," he said, giving me a slow, sexy crooked smirk. "Will you let me do that?"

"Yeah," I blushed, staring into his eyes.

"Will you allow me to take you on a date on Friday, Miss del Cigno?" Edward asked, his eyes twinkling. "You and me, something quiet and romantic."

"I'd like that," I replied. His smile widened and he kissed my knuckles before getting up. "Where are you going?"

"We're starting over and I don't want to blur the lines of our relationship yet. I want to take things slowly for your sake and well, um, mine." He shifted his arm back into his sling. "I'm going to get my mom and head home."

I nodded, understanding his reasoning. He got his mom from the guest bedroom. She was yawning but was still awake. I felt guilty, again, for disturbing her and for disturbing Edward while he was on the mend from having surgery. Esme gave me a warm smile before hugging me tightly. "I'm glad you're giving him another chance," she whispered.

"I realized what an ass I was," I laughed nervously. "Thank you for bringing him."

"If I hadn't, he would have brought himself and Edward on Vicodin isn't a pretty site. More like funny as shit," Esme giggled.

"You talking smack about me?" Edward asked, putting his hat on his head.

"You, all dopey from your pain meds," Esme said, winking at him. Edward rolled his eyes. "You ready, sweetheart?"

"Yeah. I need some of those pain meds," Edward quipped. Esme smirked, breezing past him and walking to the door. "I'll be down in a minute, okay?" She nodded and slipped out of the door. Edward looked at me, his eyes somewhat glazed over.

"You okay?" I asked.

"I really need those pain pills, but it can wait," he shrugged. "Be ready at seven for our date, Miss del Cigno."

"Where are we going?"

"You'll find out," Edward retorted. His good hand cradled my face. "We're moving forward, Little One. We've reached the lowest point and the only way we can go is up."

"Will I see you before Friday?" I asked, my heart stammering in my chest.

"Only if you need me," he answered, smiling gently. "I need to get better myself." He shrugged his slinged shoulder. "We can talk on the phone, email, though my typing skills are significantly hindered." He stared at me, caressing my lower lip with his thumb. "Sleep well, Little One." He leaned down, brushing his lips along my forehead before crushing me to his chest. With one more kiss to my hair, he pulled away and walked out of my condo.

From where he touched his lips to my forehead, my skin was on fire. I felt more alive than I had in six weeks since I was rescued from that godforsaken warehouse. I was going to be fine.

A/N: Jump ahead in time coming up. Edward's date with Bella and then we're going to trial! Leave me some! (And I do promise, lemons will be making a comeback!)