1. CONVINCE ME AGAIN

We sat together like a family. Laughing and enjoying each other's company. Family. That's what they've begun to think of me. A daughter and a sister. All of them except for Edward and Rosalie consented to my change. But majority rules. It was only a matter of time. The Volturi wanted it. They were vampiric royalty. What they wanted had to be done. It scared me deeply that they were waiting. Dawning over my demise. But in a way I welcomed it. They were enforcing the likelihood of Edward changing me. To be his companion for eternity. It warmed my heart that they accepted me. That they all wanted me to be a part of them. Edward sat against the black leather couch of the Cullen's wreck-room with me. His cold arm wrapped around my shoulder ever so lightly. This is the way I wanted my life to be forever.

"Now...in what twisted world could that ever happen!" Emmet exclaimed as a plane blew up in mid-air on the television. He had a tendency to ruin action movies like this.

"Emmet..." Alice hissed. She lay on her stomach upon the hard floor. Jasper sat beside her cross legged, looking just as enthralled with the movie as his immortal wife.

"No, Really!" He leaned forward "No one could possibly survive that!"

"We could." Rosalie and Jasper said in unison. We laughed. Edward chuckled lightly beside me. Sending the smell of his luscious breath cascading over my face. I loved his laugh. I curled closer to him and buried myself contently into his chest. His strong arms enclosed around me.

"You know what I mean." Emmet jested. He looked at his wife Rosalie with a teasing look of menace before entrapping her in his solid arms and kissing her passionately as if no one else were in the room with them.

"Emmet. Rose." Esme rang from the loveseat that she and her husband Carlisle sat comfortably in. I didn't need to see Alice's face to know that she rolled her eyes at the affection Emmet and Rosalie were sharing. I looked up at my other half to find that he was staring at me with pensive eyes that were unreadable. I smiled lightly and kissed him on the cheek. Love all around. Suddenly, a beeping noise disturbed the atmosphere. Carlisle leaned back into the couch to ease his hand into his pocket. He pulled out his beeper which was glowing blue in the dark room. The young-looking doctor smiled a sad looking smile.

"I'm needed at the ER tonight"

"Again?" Esme had a blatant look of disappointment on her face.

"I'm sorry, love. I won't stay any longer than needed. I promise" He said the last sentence with a smile that showed he meant it. Esme smiled deeply and leaned forward to give him a small kiss which he returned. Such a beautiful love, those two had. I would be thrilled if Edward and I grew together like that. Stayed young and in love for as long as they were. I think Edward sensed the warmth spilling through me and pulled me closer to him in a tighter and more intimate embrace. In less than a minute, Carlisle was upstairs and then back down with his hair neatly combed and dressed nicely in a jacket with his doctor's bag caught in his hand.

"Goodnight." He spoke again as he entered the wreck-room again to say goodnight. One more kiss for his beautiful wife.

"Edward, don't forget to take Bella home. Don't want to keep Charlie up and waiting all night."

I pouted. Carlisle didn't mean to be a killjoy, but he had successfully made Edward move his arm from around me and nod in agreeance. But my boyfriend looked into my eyes. His topaz invaded my brown as we gave each other a look of understanding. He wouldn't be leaving me tonight. He and I shared the bed in my room every night for the longest time. Every night except for the months he spent away. And it was with this knowledge that I could rise from the couch and leave the Cullen home without complaint. Edward and I bid the family farewell and walked with Carlisle out the front door into the fresh, night air.

"Take it easy tonight." Edward smiled to Carlisle. The tall, blonde man smiled and nodded.

" And you don't keep Bella up all night. It's unbelievable how much humans need their sleep."Edward laughed and opened the passenger door to his Volvo for me.

"Don't I know it.." He flashed his brilliant teeth.

"Goodnight, Mr.Cullen." I said with a smile before lowering myself into the seat.

"Goodnight, Bella." He said softly. His smile overshadowed mine. Carlisle's mustang, which was parked behind Edward's car pulled out quickly and swiftly before he drove away with a loud screech of the tires.

Edward drove one-handed. His other pale and freezing hand twined with mine. Trees and street lamps swirled by in a quick fury as my boyfriend exceeded the driving limit to take me home. In less than ten minutes, we were parked quietly outside my house. I knew I would be seeing him in mere moments, and that the faster I got out, the faster he could go home to ditch the car and come back to me. But waiting for him was hard. I had done enough waiting for him in my lifetime. Months without him. That was enough. It was far too much and I never wanted to be without him again. His eyebrows knotted together in thought as he looked at me. Trying as always, to decipher what was going on through my mind. Agony. Complete agony having to even think about how long I had existed here in Forks without him.

"Bella." He whispered. He ripped me from my nightmare and back into reality. I looked into his topaz eyes and let relief wash over me. He was here. He was here to stay. He was never going to leave me again. He promised.

"I'll see you in ten" I said with a smile as I leaned forward to give him a warm kiss on the lips. He smiled at me. I loved when he smiled at me. I quickly opened the door to let myself out and ran to the front door. Edward didn't move the car an inch until he was assured that I was safely inside. As I stepped into the coziness that was my house, I greeted my father who was undoubtedly watching football in the living room not too far off.

"Dad, I'm home!"

"Hey Bells! I didn't think you were coming home. I thought I had to fend for myself again." I looked over at the stove and noticed a frying pan holding some cold eggs and bacon. I couldn't restrain a small laugh. I was too lazy to cook tonight. This would have to do. I ate the remainants of the frying pan quickly, so not to keep Edward waiting. I looked at the clock on the microwave. It read a little after eleven. He would definitely be upstairs waiting by now.

"Mm..I'm going to bed now, Charlie. See ya in the morning." I said with a yawn. With that I dragged my heavy feet up the wooden stairs and to my bedroom. My door opened silently as I pushed my way in. I saw Edward just coming through my window. Moving quickly. Looking as godly as ever. My window watcher. My lovely vampire boy. I smiled.

"Someone's in a hurry.."

"To see you? Never." He said with sarcasm and a smile on his face. I walked slowly to him as I had so many times since we came back from Italy. I touched his face. My fingers touched his cold forehead. His eyebrows. His eyelids. Cheekbones. His proud nose. His chilled lips. Yes. He was here. Definitely. In the flesh.

And he won't leave me again. He won't leave me again. He won't leave-

"Bella? You seem kind of out of it tonight. Are you okay?" I looked up at him with tears in my eyes. His intake of breath was sharp.

"What's wrong?..." He said. Seriousness shone in his eyes. His body movement said everything. His arms were there for comfort, but his eyes told me that if anyone was the cause of my pain, he would gladly hop out my window again and throttle whoever it is that made me cry. And thank god he couldn't read my mind. Because it was him.

"I'm just..so glad you're here." I whimpered. His eyes softened in understanding.

"I'll never leave you again, sweetheart. You know that. I'm not strong enough to be without you. Not again."

He spoke pleadingly. Wanting more than anything for me to believe him. I looked up at him and nodded. I did believe him. Didn't I?His face lowered to mine. I closed my eyes. His cold breath grazed my face. My lips. And I was in bliss. Our lips touched and I sighed. He held me close around the waist, not knowing that was all that was keeping me from falling to the floor. His cold fingers went through my hair. It was in these moments that I absolutely forgot that he left me. It was my birthday. He brought me home from the party at his house that went perfectly. He still refused to change me into a vampire, but he did want to be with me. To hold me and kiss me until morning. All those months never happened. I felt then as if I might truly cry. He pulled his lips from mine slowly and smiled warmly.

"Are you convinced?"

"Uh uh...I think you should..convince me again. I don't believe you quite yet.." I said with a teasing smile. As if to my command, the gorgeous vampire leaned down and kissed me lovingly on the lips again.

"That ought'a do it..." I said breathlessly..."Mmm..I need to take a shower."

"I'll be waiting." He said as-par-usual with a beautiful grin.

Slowly he released me and allowed me to wander about my room to find my bag of toiletries and pajamas to wear to bed. In the shower I let all the negative thoughts wash away with the dirt of the day on my skin and down into the dark abyss that was the drain. I let the drops of water spill into my hair and onto my face before shutting off the pressure and stepping out of the bath onto the carpet before it. I dried myself thoroughly and slipped on my clothing before running my brush through my wet hair and leaving the steamy bathroom. When I stepped into my room, I briefly caught sight of Edward looking at the things that littered my desk. Pictures of mom and Phil. Makeup that I would never wear. Nailpolish that was unnoticable on my fingers. Barrettes that I kept in a small box.

"Snooping, are we?" I said with a smile as I silently closed the door behind me. Edward laughed bashfully.

"Can you believe after all this time we've been together, I'm still curious about you Bella Swan?"

I smiled a little. I knew how he felt exactly. After he left, I found myself even more intrigued by him again. I guess we were both afraid we had missed something crucial in each other's life. Him leaving was a heartbreaking pinnacle in my life. I did learn a lot about myself. Namely, that life without him was hell. Absolute hell. It made me tired just thinking about it. I yawned slowly. Edward smiled softly at me again. Turning my legs to Jello.

"The princess needs her rest." He lifted me firmly into his arms and carried me the short distance to my bed where he slid me between the covers and walked to the side wall to flip the light switch.

"And the prince will stay with the princess tonight, right?"

Immediately after the light went out, I felt a cold arm envelope me. The sound of him breathing my scent in from behind me was intoxicating.

"There's nowhere in the world the prince would rather be..." He stroked my hair and kissed my neck gently. Sending a ripple of goose bumps rising all over my body.

"I love you." I whispered. I didn't bother waiting for his response. He loved me. I felt it deeper than some of my very own emotions. Before he could answer, I fell fast asleep.