A/N Hey people, this chapter is rather short, but I promise that's only ss the next one will be packed with words and action. Anyway ibjope you like it nonetheless.

Chapter 21

I sat on my bed listening, trying to see if anyone was coming up the stairs. Nothing. I quietly slid off, a knife and gun in each hand. I still couldn't shoot straight because of my hiccups, but I could still manage to wound them. Also, it was just to make me look more menacing. I silently tiptoed to the wall next to the door, trying to get a peek out into the living room. I couldn't see everything, but I saw a tall dark figure in the back corner. They seemed to be studying something. I took a silent deep breath; then I pulled the door open a few more inches, praying it didn't squeak. Once it was opened just enough for me to slip out, I quietly squeezed through and descended the steps, keeping my eyes on him the entire time, my back pressing against the wall.

When I reached the end, I took a step toward him. Close enough to the couch, in case I needed to duck for cover. The gun was aimed at their back. I swallowed a hiccup, making me silently jump. The knife was in my left hand, hidden at my side. The figure seemed to be turning causing me to quickly duck behind the couch, careful not to make a sound. The silence was deafening. I peeked around the corner of the couch; they weren't there anymore. Shit.

I adjusted myself into a crouch, I listened for the slightest of noise, and instead I picked up a trail of cologne. He was a male, at least 6 ft 2, and light on his feet. The smell grew stronger, a shadow flickered- I tucked and rolled out of the way as a hand flew at me. I rolled into a crouch and then quickly stood with the gun aimed at them. I couldn't tell you specifically where because my hand was slightly shaking.

I just hoped he couldn't see it, or else they might have an advantage over me. I steadied my hand, swallowed another hiccup, and tried to make out the man's face. The moonlight entered through the big window, but it wasn't enough to see details, just outlines. We stood 5 feet apart from each other. Both holding up a gun and immobile. Something had to happen soon, but I couldn't bring myself to do anything. Call it women's intuition, but I knew if I fired I'd regret it.

"Drop your weapon!" I ordered in my most authoritative voice. The man's hand twitched, like he was going to listen to me, but he regained himself.

"Only after you drop yours." He answered. My whole body went into shock, my gun clattered on the ground. I hadn't meant to drop it, but his voice…It sounded so much like Edwards. But it was impossible, I was losing my mind that had to be the only explanation. The man must have thought I had agreed to his terms, for I saw and heard his gun drop to the ground.

I no longer had the gun in hand, but it was still shaking, along with the rest of me. We stared at each other- well at each other's figures. I needed to get to the light switch, I needed clarity. "All of them." He stated. The hand holding my knife twitched, my eyes flickered to the light switch across the room, why hadn't I installed the clap on lights like Alice wanted? My body tensed, he sensed it. I slid the knife down my hand so I held it by the grip handle, I aimed two inches to the right of his face. I threw it and ran for the lights. Before I could reach them, he tackled me to the ground. I rolled around, he was on top of me, trying to pin me down. I struggled against his grip, I kneed him in the gut three times before he loosened his grip, just enough for me to pull away and slap the little button that controlled the lights.

The room filled with light. I shut my eyes, blinded from the sudden light. I crawled away from my attacker, using the wall as support. I stood with my back pressed against it. My chest was heaving, and my eyes stung, but they were clearing. The guy was on all fours on the ground, slowly he stood, his back facing me. When he finally reached his full height, the hoodie slid off his head, revealing a burst of bronze and copper. A gasp escaped my lips. My eyes widen, everything seemed to slow down, my pulse, time, even him turning around to look at me, seemed in slow motion.

Pain, excitement, grief, happiness, all burned inside me, but the most over powering- horror. How was this possible? If this is truly happening now, then what happened back then? Where had he been, was it truly him, why didn't he try to come home, why, what? Thousands of questions raced in my mind, but only one escaped from my mind through my lips, "Edward?"

He finally faced me completely. His face expressed pain, confusion, desperation. "What?" He gasped. What does he mean what? The horror in me, grew; what if- no. I couldn't think of that right now, I would have a mental breakdown.

"What did you say?" He asked, desperate.

"I-I-I-" I couldn't form coherent words, "Edward?" I asked loudly. It was him, he was here! Tears gathered in my eyes, I wanted to run to him. But before I could do anything, else he gripped his head, dropping to his knees. He groaned. I ran to him, dropping to my knees in front of him. His eyes were squeezed shut. His mouth contorted in pain. I placed both my hands on the side of his face, stroking his cheeks. His expression relaxed. The room was silent except for his heavy breathing, and my pounding pulse.

Slowly, he opened his eyes, revealing the green emeralds I had dreamed about every night for three months. He searched my face, his eyes wild, "Bella?" He whispered. A tear slid down my cheek; a smile pulled at my cheeks. It was small; but for the first time, genuine. "Yeah?"

"Do you know who I am?" He asked quietly, my heart broke in two, what happened to him?

"Don't you?" I asked, fearing his answer.

"Not entirely?" He whispered looking down. I sighed; it was better than a no.

I brought his gaze up to my own, smiled tenderly at him, and softly stated, "You are Edward Anthony Masen Cullen, and you are the love of my life."

The moment I saw her; they all hit me at once. Memories flooded my mind. It was so overwhelming, I actually felt like I was drowning. I couldn't breathe. The pain in my head was excruciating. The memories from earlier where starting to fill out, the woman I was fighting was her, but I liked to prolong pinning her down just so I could watch her in action a little longer, and be close to her for a while longer. Her laugh echoed in my mind. Her melodious laugh, and then my dream played on my closed eyes. She was sitting across from me; her lips moved once more. This time I heard it, "Edward."

"Bella?" I whispered. I felt her touch on my face, the pain vanished. I felt something I hadn't felt in a while: warmth and happiness.

"Yeah?" She answered. I cried on the inside, it was her! I had her back! But I still needed the last push to completely break the cracked walls, "Do you know who I am?"

"Don't you?" I knew what kind of man I was, nobody could ever change that, but I needed to know the identity, of said man.

"Not entirely." I stared into her sea of chocolate warmth.

"You are Edward Anthony Masen Cullen, and you are the love of my life." She answered. Just like that the walls crumbled, my life was mine again. Nobody could tell me who I was and who I wasn't. I knew what I was, and now I knew who I was. I laughed softly, then a smile spread on my lips. It was so big it hurt, but I didn't care. I had my Bella back, and I wasn't letting her go this time.

My hands flew to the side of her face. I pulled her in for a long overdue kiss. It started out slow and gentle, and like an ember tossed onto a trail of gasoline, ignited rapidly. Her hands moved into my hair, and she tugged at it. I pulled her close, laying her on her back right where we were. I pulled away, opened my eyes, and stared at her beautiful face. We were both heaving, her arms wrapped around my neck and my hand was around her waist. "I love you." I stared into her eyes, feeling lighter than a feather. She smiled and pulled in for another kiss. She's stronger than I remembered. I collapsed on top of her, but quickly pushed myself off, just far enough so that I wouldn't crush her, but I was still in contact with her.

My eyes were closed, but I could feel the wetness on her cheeks. I pulled away wiping at the streaks and asked, "Why are you crying?"

"I'm not crying, you are." She said wiping at a tear rolling down my cheek.

I sat down beside her.

"What?" I asked confused feeling my face, sure enough tears were free falling from my eyes. She sat up, smiling.

"Why are you crying?" She asked, wiping my face. I kissed her hands, "Because I didn't know how incomplete my life was till this moment, when I have you. I missed you without even knowing what I missed." I laughed at my absurd rambling, she laughed too, tears spilling down her face as well.

"Okay, now why are you crying?" I asked wiping her tears.

"Because I missed you... I needed you Edward, and you weren't here." She cried.

I brought her forehead to mine, "I'm here now, and there is no way I am ever leaving you." I whispered, smiling.

I pulled away just to look at her. This is real. She's real. I'm real. I had found my angel. I vowed never to lose her again. She smiled, and leaned into my hand. She tried to stifle a yawn and failed...epically.

I chuckled, "It's late. You should go to bed."

"Noooooo." She whined. "I couldn't possibly go to bed right now."

"Well that's too bad, because I haven't slept in three months, and I am exhausted." I dropped my hand from her face and stretched. "You guys haven't cleared out my apartment yet, right?" I asked getting up. She jumped to her feet, her hands pressed against my chest.

"No! Don't go! And no, none of us could enter there without feeling like we were trespassing." She sighed, "I want to know everything about where you've been, and what happened. It's killing me not knowing." She pleaded.

"We can talk about that tomorrow, you need rest." I chuckled wrapping my arms around her.

"No! What if I wake up to find this was a dream? I can't let you go." She buried herself into my chest. I sighed and slip my arm under her legs. I adjusted her and took her up the steps into her room.

"I promise I'll be here," I said pulling back her covers with one hand then I set her down, "in fact, you won't have to let go." I jumped over her and laid down next to her. "I'll be here the whole night." I smiled down at her.

She smiled, snuggled into my side with an arm around my middle-quite securely I might add. I kicked off my shoes and pulled her cover over us. I kissed the top of her head and knocked out into a deep sleep.

I heard the drumming of the rain pouring down. I listened to its calming rhythm, then I heard the soft snoring. I was awake, so that couldn't be me. I was suddenly aware of pressure against my back, and an arm around my middle- oh crap what did I do last night? I opened my eyes. My alarm clock told me that it was 8:00 in the morning. I slowly and carefully twisted in bed to face the person behind me.

I ended up inches away from Edward's serene face. I smiled remembering last night. I snuggled closer to him, wanting as little space between us as possible. Before I could go back to sleep, my phone started ringing. I scrambled to the edge of the bed, trying to answer it before waking up Edward.

"Hello." I asked groggily.

"Oh thank god! We were starting to get worried." Alice's voice shrieked through the phone. I winced, "Alice I've been asleep for approximately 30 hours now, minus a one hour or so intervention. I was practically in a coma, and I've never been better in my life." I answered smiling down at Edward.

"Well, we have good news. We were able to pull information out of Felix, quite literally, and all systems are up and running at full function." She announced sounding accomplished.

"That's great." I yawned, "What are you guys doing right now?" I asked wondering how to tell her the news.

"Well, we pulled two all-nighters with this, so everybody isn't due to report in 'til later in the evening. Carlisle had Felix locked up in one of our cells, and I wanted to call you first before we headed home." She explained.

I bit my lip. In that moment, Edward's hand started searching for me. After coming into contact with my leg, he smiled and opened his eyes. "Give me a sec, don't hang up." I said into the phone, the pressed my hand against it.

"Who is that?" Edward asked in his sexy I just woke up voice.

"Your cousin." I answered. He propped himself on his elbow.

"Have you told them?"

"No. I think you should do that. I was thinking of having them come over." I suggested. He frowned pensively, then nodded.

I put the phone back to my ear, "Alice? Can you do me a favor?" I asked.

"Of course." She answered brightly.

"Before you head home, can you, Jaz, Rose, and Em stop by my place?" I asked.

"Sure, is everything alright?" She asked sounding concerned.

"Absolutely." I assured her. She said they would be here in 10 minutes and hung up.

"10 minutes." I told him.

I paced Bella's room nervously, what would their reaction be? Of course they would happy to see me. I had no reason to be nervous! But still I couldn't help but wear out her carpet as I walked back and forth. It felt like seconds after she had hung up that they were ready ringing the door.

Bella stepped out of her closet in sweats and a hoodie. She smiled at me as she went to go open the door. I leaned against the wall next to the door, trying to listen in.

"I know you're all exhausted, so I'll make this brief." Bella's sweet voice rang through the air. "These past hours. I have been thinking things deeply, and I've come to the conclusion that I am not meant to be you leader. Therefore, here before you, I resign my position as leader of division one."

There was a chaos of rejections and confusion. Rose's angry voice demanding she think this logically. I smiled, they knew a good leader when they had one, making me even more nervous about what was going to happen next.

"My decision is final." Bella cut them off. "And if you must know I've already chosen your new leader. I expect and know all of you will welcome him."

Emmett's voice shouted, "I will do no such thing. He doesn't belong here. He can just pack up and leave before I throw him out!"

I took a deep breath and walked out, slowly descending the steps. "Oh really? You think it'll be that easy to get rid of me cuz?"

All four of their heads whipped in my direction, their eyes bugging out of their heads, and their jaws dropped to the floor. "I'm back, and I'm not leaving without a fight." I smirked.

A/N See? Short. But I have plans, very big plans, for the next episode. We all know happiness doesn't last very long in stories. *tun tun tuuun* Muahahaha! Anyway let me know what runs through your ads and I'll see ya next week.