So, if anyone's still hanging around, I'm so sorry for the long wait. Things have been just the same, so I can't use RL as an excuse. I was just not able to write, and a tiny bit lazy. Sorry.

I now have a beta! HezPixie is a wonderful, amazing beta. She tells me where to add commas, how to merge sentences, which paragraphs should be connected, etc and improves the chapter overall. All this, while I'm a constant pain and keep forgetting to send her the corrected version of the chapter for a second checking. And she's so polite and sweet all throughout. I don't know what I'd do without her.

Heather, you rock. :)

Yes, I know I'm gushing. Sorry.

Oh, and Julie pre-read the chapter for me 2 months back. Thanks Julie :) Where are you now?

There's an even longer A/N at the bottom, please, please read it.

Anyway, on with the chapter.

Chapter 2: Just say you'll wait for me

Coldplay helped me with this chapter.

Hold my head inside your hands,

I need someone who understands.

I need someone, someone who hears,

For you, I've waited all these years.

- Til' Kingdom Come - Coldplay.

Communication. It's the first thing we really learn in life. Funny thing is, once we grow up, learn our words, and really start talking, the harder it becomes to say what we really mean, or ask for what we really need.

My eyes tune into his sleeping form again.

Edward's beautiful green eyes are closed, his eyelids fluttering. I wonder, once again, what he's dreaming about. It bothers me more than anything else that I still haven't unraveled that mystery. It's downright ridiculous how antsy I feel not knowing that one tiny little detail.

It's not because I'm afraid that his dreams feature someone other than me. No, that's not it. It's because this is when he's at his truest, his most defenseless… his most vulnerable. This is when he's without his fences- ones that he's covered with chains and barbed wire in an attempt to convince himself that they will protect him more efficiently than simple plaster walls. Normal plaster walls aren't enough for him. He needs everything to be complex, and everything includes this… us. And after yesterday, I'm once again clueless as to where we stand.

Yesterday was a tumult of emotions. It was the most exhausting day of my existence, but also the most exciting. The events invoked so many contradicting sensations in me- love for this silent man beside me, uncertainty of what was next, but also the confidence that we would get through it.

So yesterday is everything. But today is what will decide the rest. Today is right now, and right now is what matters.

I know that I'll be deprived of the stability that comes with my routine, and the steady comfort that it offers, and the thought alone nearly gives me a panic attack. As I'm contemplating running far, far away from that idea, I feel his hand ghost across my abdomen, from one hipbone to another. from one hipbone to the other; the sensation of the rough pads of his fingers over soft skin is one that never fails to elate me, and one that I hope I will never tire of.

Apparently, I'd been so lost in my musings that I didn't even notice his eyes open and take me in. Take in my creepy perusal of him while he slept. I look into his sparkling eyes, waiting for the usual expressions to flit through them, all the while hoping that for once he'll just smile at me and kiss me good morning and tell me he loves me. Fresh embers of hope reignite themselves in my heart, fluttering about and creating turmoil deep within me. I'm waiting for him to say something, anything.

He yawns, stretches, and kisses my temple. And then he walks right out; no words, no declarations, no denial, no panic. Nothing. My heart drops in my stomach and my pulse beings to race. Anxiously I follow him - all the way to the bathroom. Unbidden, my words fall out.

"What're you doing?" My voice is rougher than I thought and I cough a few times to clear my throat.

"What does it look like, Bella? I'm peeing", he answers with a slight grin as he pokes his head out the door.

Without offering any words, I run out and go to the window by the bedroom. It's my happy place, in a way, where I come every time I just need to drown in my sorrows. It's not some huge, elaborate thing that covers the entire wall - no, it's just a small normal window. What makes it really amazing though, is that it has a small parapet outside it where I can just sit and people- watch for hours. It's not even fragile it's sturdy and can support my weight easily. It's so comforting, granting me a reprieve from reality.

As I'm sitting there, trying to understand why I'm feeling so panicky and trying in vain to curb my tears, he comes and joins me. Without speaking, his arms surround me and hold me while I try to control my shaky breaths. I feel his soft lips on my hair and just like that he tucks me under his arm and all I can smell is him. It's so comforting and so surreal that a new round of tears starts.

This acceptance is what I've dreamed of for so long, and now that it's happening, it's even better than I imagined.

"Bella? Honey, why are you crying?" he murmurs. Truth is, I don't know why, and I tell him as much.

"Do you want me to leave you alone? Because I can go if you want", he says, misunderstanding the reason for my tears. In response, I cling to him even tighter than before. I guess it clues him in to my distress, because he stops trying to shake me off him and resorts to holding me tighter, rocking me back and forth and murmuring sweet words of love and assurance. The rocking doesn't really help matters; it just makes me feel nauseous. But the very fact that he's doing all he can to make me feel better, that he's putting so much effort and thought into it, makes me warm with affection for this man.

Eventually, I stop trembling and loosen my death grip on him. "You just- you just got up and walked away. You didn't even say anything. You just went", I whisper.

The confusion on his face slowly melts away and is replaced with a look of comprehension. His eyes hold mine and he lifts a palm to my face, stroking my jaw and gazing into my eyes. Slowly, as though trying to make me understand every word carefully, he speaks in a soft but firm voice- "Bella, I'm not going anywhere. Not now, not ever. Not until you tell me to, and even then, I won't go without a fight. Okay? You need to understand that."

It's amazing that he knows just what to say. Or maybe what he says just assuages all my fears, which is why it seems fitting.

"Okay, Bella?' he asks me once again.

Through my haze, I manage to nod and mutter a shaky 'okay'.

"Okay", he reaffirms.

Later, we lounge around and enjoy the typical Seattle Sunday. He makes me pancakes, and we watch reruns of Family Guy, with his long legs sprawled out on the couch, his greasy mop of hair on my lap. During the commercials, he imitates the little kid with the huge-ass head perfectly and all I can think about is how even these little aspects of him are so important to me. He's dorky, and goofy, but he's my little nerd, and the pride I feel in even thinking that has me smiling so wide.

"What're you smiling about?" he asks as he nudges me gently, the beginnings of a smile etched on his face.

"You're such a dork," I reply. He scowls and begins protesting as I run a hand through his slippery ginger hair.

"But you're my dork," I interrupt him.

I watch as the scowl on his face morphs into a small, shy smile; the likes of which I've rarely ever seen. His eyes lose that spark of minor irritation, and instead capture mine in a searing gaze. It's something I'm getting used to now, so I lean down and meet him halfway. Our lips come together for a short kiss; it's not passionate, or long, but a way to express this small bout of affection.

We separate as a talking dog- really? - occupies the screen again, and as I watch him make a fool out of himself, I realize that I finally feel at home. I know that we still have a lot of issues to sort through; my little panic attack in the morning is evidence of that. But I also know that we're in this together. I know that at the end of the day, he'll be there for me, to free me of my burdens and my fears. Not just because he was there for me today; I know that it's impossible for me to go from being so uncertain to being so sure of his presence. No, it's because I want to believe that he'll be there. I want to believe that we'll make it. And for now, that's enough.

For now it's more than enough.

I'm confident he'll wait for me to rid myself of my insecurities, just as I'll wait for him to explain himself to me. He can't always avoid it and hide it under the mask of pancakes and kisses. Or the little kid with the huge-ass head.

We'll explore, love, and learn together. If, along the way, either one of us is ahead of the other, we'll wait for each other. I'm confident of this. I'm sure of our love, and believe that we'll continue to love fiercely.

Edward reaches his other hand up and laces it with mine, bringing it to his mouth and placing little kisses on my knuckles - all this, while he's still watching the show and laughing. I'm so surprised by this little action, as though it's natural for him to pepper my little pinkie with feathery light kisses, almost as if he's been doing this since forever. It makes my heart swell with even more love for this man.

I lean down and kiss his large, crooked nose and land a full kiss on his mouth.

Why?

Because I can.

At the end of the day, there are some things you just can't help but talk about. Some things we just don't want to hear, and some things we say because we can't be silent any longer. Some things are more than what you say, they're what you do. Some things you say because there's no other choice. Some things you keep to yourself. And not too often, but every now and then, some things simply speak for themselves.

For you I'd wait, 'til kingdom come.

Until my day, my day is done.

And say you'll come, and set me free,

Just say you'll wait, you'll wait for me.

- Til' Kingdom Come - Coldplay.

Soo. Review please. Suggestions, criticism, love, no hate.

Now, a few imp things.

1) I've participated in the Beyond The Pale Contest. My story is 'Just Two Words'. Go read it please. Voting for the competition is also open, so please go read and vote! If not for me, then for someone else at 's the link to the community :

www . fanfiction . net / u / 2431148 / BeyondThePale . (Remove the spaces, obv.)

2) I just found out through ff net's story stats thing that this story has received around 1500 hits and 1000 visitors. Frankly, these are all fancy terms that I don't understand. If someone knows what they mean, can you please tell me? But what really bothers me is that there are many people who read but don't bother to review. Which, by the way, is very discouraging. Please don't do that. It takes a minute to review, so do it. Reviews make me very happy, which in turn helps me churn out chapters faster. So, please review.

I think that's it for now. But I just started High School, so I'm experiencing new things. Click the little button below and tell me about your time in HS!

See you'll next time. :)