A/N To the guest who wrote all those reviews in a row. I would love to have a back and forth with you. Please pm me.

Chapter 37

Bella didn't anticipate not being able to say goodbye to Edward. Being forced to leave without seeing, kissing, or breathing him in one last time before being deprived of him for the night was more than she could endure.

She needed her fix.

He lounged back in the tree, giving her his lopsided smile. "Hello, love."

"Hi" the word came out as a breathy whisper.

Closing her eyes, she inhaled deeply, trying to absorb his scent. He was too far away, her craving to inhale the essence of him left unsatisfied. Leaning dangerously out the window, she breathed deeply again. Still not enough. She reached out, trying to grab him and pull him to her, but the only thing she succeeded in doing was to tumble forward out the window.

If it wasn't for Edward's cold hands catching and pulling her to him, she would have plummeted to the ground. She gripped on tightly, hoping he would think she was afraid of falling. In reality, she didn't care if she plunged to her death just as long as she was wrapped up in him. It was when she unconsciously dragged her tongue up his neck that he decided she had to go back inside. She grasped him, trying desperately to hold on just a little longer.

He chuckled, guiding her back through the window. She whimpered, shivering from the cold breeze, at least that's what she told herself.

Edward let out a humored snort. Gesturing towards her t-shirt, he said. "That color is lovely on you." A memory flashed through her mind. Something missing… a long black t-shirt. Before the thought could fully form, he continued. "But with your fathers new rules, if you want me to stay, I fear we need to cover it up." He held his sweater out to her. "It is a bit chilly, but this should keep you warm."

She pulled the sweater over her head, taking in deep greedy inhales. Ugh, Jake and Paul were right. She was a junkie, and Edward was her drug of choice. She didn't care about anything else. She didn't need food, water, or air as long as she had him.

Pulling the rocking chair over to the window her stomach growled. Loudly. She ignored it hoping Edward would do the same. Her hopes were quickly dashed.

"When was the last time you ate?"

"Earlier today." She lied. Another loud gurgle shouted its objection, making her blush.

"You need to eat." He chastised. "Here, Alice sent this over." He pulled a tupperware container seemingly from out of nowhere.

Bella peered in at the stewed meat.

"I thought Alice left."

"She did, but she made me promise to bring some of this food she cooked." Lifting an eyebrow, he handed her a shiny utensil. "She also told me to bring a fork."

Smiling, she took a bite of the food then buried her nose in the color of his sweater. breathing in deeply she basked in the scent of him once more. Unwilling to breathe in any scent that wasn't him, she refused to pull her face back out of the sweater leaving just her eyes peeking out the top. Moving the food around she asked about Alice hoping he wouldn't realize her failure to eat.

"She misses Jasper. Plus she will be more productive away from the wolves. Not being able to 'see' what's going to happen has been hard on her. She said it's like seeing everything through a thick cloud, and Esme could use her help."

"Oh, but they will be coming back, right?"

"Of course love."

"When?"

"They should come back in about a week or two."

"Oh, will the others be coming with them? I mean the new vamp…"

"No!"

Bella jumped at his sharp tone. "I'm sorry," she apologized, unsure of what she did wrong.

"No, I'm sorry love." Edward, soothed. "They will be staying in Alaska for at least a year. Esme, Alice and Jasper are just getting them settled. The Denali coven will be training them without us for now."

"Right," she whispered, then changed the subject. "You never told me Emmett built medieval torture devices."

He lifted an eyebrow in question.

"The thing Leah is in."

"Ah, yes. That's nothing compared to the torment he and the wolf girl have been dishing out."

"What? What have they done?"

"You want to talk about torture? They have been shrilling out, 'I've been working on the railroad' since you left."

"Shrilling?"

"Yes, they call it singing, but it sounds more like donkeys in a fire."

"Wow, that's…"

"Torcher." He smirked.

"Yeah."

Edward frowned down at the food. "Eat," he demanded.

.

Bella closed her eyes and sighed. Seeing an opportunity, she bribed, "If you come in."

"Your fathers rules." He reminded her.

"You told me if I wanted you to, you would break them. Besides, he is so dead asleep he will never know."

"No love, I fear they're spies lurking nearby that will too willingly wake him to tattle."

Glaring into the woods she cursed whichever wolf was out there tonight.

After they ran out of things to talk about Edward began to Hum her lullaby. She started to drift off to that semi unconscious state where she was unable to move or speak, but was still somewhat aware of what was happening around her.

Distantly, she could hear two people arguing. One was Edward. The other deep gruff voice was harder to place.

"Touch me again leach, and I will rip you to shreds." The deep voice growled.

"She will be fine where she is." Edward hissed back.

"You've obviously forgotten what it's like to be human. If we leave her to sleep like that she will wake up in a massive amount of pain."

"I'll move her."

"Wow! You're telekinetic now?"

"Don't be absurd. It will take me less than a second to place her in her bed."

"No, you won't step foot in that room. Unless you want daddy dearest to ban you from even being near the house. Or maybe it will be irrelevant, since your breakneck speed will probably break her neck."

Edward mumbled something unintelligible, then there was the sound of scuffling.

"That's what I thought." The snide remark came from that gruff voice.

Who was that?

Overly warm arms lifted her out of the chair. The scent of wood smoke, pine, and salty brine encompassed her. The smooth gate of the wolf made her feel like she was gliding across her room. He gently placed her down onto her cool sheets causing goosebumps to rise. All consciousness was lost after that.