So here it is and I hope it's to your liking.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything

Chapter 8: Emotions

When I woke up, I was in a blue room. It was the same room I woke up in when I first came back to the Cullen's and over the few weeks that I had been here claimed it as my own. My head was throbbing slightly but it was a muted pain.

I sighed and snuggled deeper into the fluffy mass of my bed. I caught a movement out of the corner of my eye and a glanced over to see Edward sitting by my side. He reached over and lightly touched the area where I hit my head and found that it was bandaged.

"What's the damage?" I asked my voice thick with sleep and the painkillers they no doubt have given me.

"You had to have a couple stitches, but that's about all." He said quietly. "Bella I'm so sorry. It's my entire fault that you got hurt. Can you ever forgive me?"

I slowly sat up, pleased that I no longer was overcome by the urge to throw up and that the dizziness was minimal and only lasted a few seconds.

"Edward." I said gently. "I'm not going to forgive you because there is nothing to forgive. You did all you could and if you hadn't things could have been a lot worse. So thank you."

He smiled but it was forced. Once again he reached out and gently touched my cut and I flashed back to the lake where we kissed. I felt my face flame up and I looked away as he eyed me questionably.

"About earlier," I said, not meeting his gaze as I slid out of his reach. "At the lake, we can just forget about it if that's what you want. I know it probably wasn't something that you wanted to do and we can forget the whole thing happened if that's what you want." I was babbling but I didn't seem to know how to stop. I couldn't look at him and I felt as if my face was permanently stained red.

"Bella." Edward's soft voice made it impossible to not look and my brown eyes met his golden ones. "Is that what you want?"

I didn't know how to answer that so I once again looked away. His hand came up and gently grabbed my chin, lifting my face up to his, giving me many chances to pull away, and once again our lips met. This kiss was unlike our first which was fierce and rushed. This one was softer but just as, maybe even more, powerful. My arms came up to wrap around his neck and his twined around my waist and we stayed like that for what seamed like hours. Eventually I needed to come up for air and pulled back only to borough my face in the curve of his neck. I felt him mirror my actions as his own face buried into my hair and take a deep breath. We sat there in silence both of us content.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that." I heard him say a few moments later, once my heart had clamed down and our breathing was steady. I had to smile at that.

"I think I do." I said jokingly. "I've loved you for so long." I said this in a more serious tone, wondering how he would take it.

I felt him sigh against my neck and he pulled away ever so slightly so he could see me as he said, "Not nearly as long as I've loved you."

I would have sworn that my heart had exploded with the rush of feelings at his words. Happiness that he loved me as well, relief that I wasn't being rejected, and wonder that he could in fact have these feeling for me.

Both of us smiling he pulled me back to his chest, setting me on his lap as he did so. I marveled at the feeling of his strong arms wrapped around me and felt unbelievably safe in his embrace.

"So what happened with the others?" I asked, hoping no one else had been hurt.

"Not much." He said. "Victoria and James didn't stay too long after Laurent came after you. But we will get them." His voice held the seal of a promise and was unbelievably fierce.

"What?" I asked incredulously.

"Bella, they hurt you and were not about to let them get away with it." He practically growled.

"Edward no!" I argued. "I don't want you to go looking for danger because of me."

"Bella he'll keep on coming after you unless we do something to stop him." He pointed out. I sighed in defeat, knowing he was right and that I wouldn't be able to change his mind. Then something else came to my mind.

"Where's Alice?" I asked.

"She's downstairs with the others. Do you want to go down?" He asked after a second. I nodded and he lifted both of us up off the bed and set me down on the floor. It was only then that I realized I was still wearing the clothes I had passed out in, which still had a small stain of blood on the collar and dirt smudged down the front of it. Edward saw me looking at my attire and gave a small smile.

"I'll meet you down there." He said. With a quick peck to my head he left, closing the door behind him. I quickly grabbed some fresh clothing, pulling on a long sleeved yellow shirt and a pair of jeans. I brushed through my hair making it look less like a haystack, and also brushing my teeth.

Downstairs the others were seated in the living room, chatting quietly. I took a seat beside Edward who wrapped an arm around me, smiling brightly. I blushed as the rest of the family beamed at the two of us, Emmett mockingly taking fake pictures with a hand camera. I realized that the rest of the family must have known about this for a long time now and Alice's disappointed looks took on a whole new meaning.

"How do you feel Bella?" Carlisle asked, always the medical voice. "Any pain, dizziness or nausea?"

"I feel fine." I answered honestly, and he nodded in acceptance.

"So Bella," Emmett asked, breaking the slightly tense silence that followed. I hadn't been able to bring up the conversation with James, not knowing the best way to bring it up but he seamed to have no trouble with breaching the uncomfortable subjects most people would leave alone. "What was with the whole freaky show you put on back there?"

I sighed and allowed my gaze to set on Alice. This was her story after all, the human life the she had no memory of and it would be her decision if she wanted me to tell her in front of the family, or at all, even.

"Well, when I was with James and them I learned he liked to gloat." I said. "He told me of past exploits, his favorite past kill's and other challenges. But today, one of his stories came back to me and I realized." I stopped for a moment, hoping Alice wouldn't tare into me for not telling her sooner, "That the only one who ever got away from him, had been you."

The rest of the family fell silent, but Alice's gaze bored into mine. I was waiting for her to tell me if I should continue, or if she didn't want to know about her human life if it had anything to do with James and his psychotic coven. Ever so slightly I saw her nod and I continued.

"He was after you, your scent had drown him in like Edward was attracted to my own. But there was also another vampire that was fond of you as well. He worked at the Asylum that you had been placed in, and as soon as he freed you he made you safe. Apparently it seemed as if you didn't even feel the pain. You'd been in that cell for too long. It was because of your visions that you were placed in there, with shock treatments in the nineteen-twenties. The old vampire made a strong new one, and he had no reason to go after you then. He killed you maker in revenge." I finished quietly.

The family was quiet; Alice curled up into Jaspers side as her eyes were glazed over with the revelation of her won past that had been lost for so long. Eventually I couldn't take the silence anymore and I spoke, well pleaded would be more accurate.

"I'm so sorry Alice." I said gently. "I would have told you much sooner but I just couldn't seem to put the two together. Please don't hate me."

That last statement seemed to bring her out of her little trance and she was at my side in an instant, holding me in her tight grip. "I don't hate you Bella." She sobbed into my chest. "Thank you for telling me. I… I needed to her that."

The two of us clung to each other, Alice sobbing while I tried my best to comfort her. I knew it was mostly for my benefit, and that she would get through this with Jasper, but for now the husband stood back and washed waves of calm over the two of us. Eventually we broke apart, Alice giving me a peck on the cheek before dancing over to her own loves side, her trademark attitude once again in place. Seeing her like this made me think that her happy care free façade was just that, a mask. Perhaps there was a side of the girl I considered to be a sister that she only showed to her soul mate. The thought didn't bother me since I could understand that state of mind. There was only a few things that I didn't want the family to see about myself, and only Edward was privy to my little melt downs when I could not avoid them. We each needed another person that you could confide in, that you knew would understand completely, and not judge you for your flaws, and still see you as the same person that you had been before. That was what Edward was to me, and what Jasper was to Alice. They were our rocks, and everyone needed their own personal rock.

So there it is, sorry for the wait again hope you enjoy this