Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. I only own my mistakes.

~~~o~~~

I take deep breaths and wipe my sweaty palms on my dress over and over again. We are each wearing our own thing, but the whole band is matching in black and white. Rosalie helped me pick my dress in black with the top made out of lace and a skirt that flows over my legs.

The curtains are still down, but I can hear the murmurs of the crowd outside. I take a look around me and smile shyly at the rest of the band members. Three violinists sit behind me with the wind instrument guys behind them, an upright bass to my right, and percussions on my left.

I sit right in the middle with my cello between my legs, and take one last deep and soothing breath before they signal we are about to start.

As soon as the music consumes me, I'm not nervous anymore. Granted, I keep my eyes closed for most of my solo. But at the end, I get through it and I can't contain the smile when it's over and people are standing on their feet clapping for us.

After the blinding spotlight subsides, I first see Charlie, crying, first row. I give him a little wave and a smile, but my smile disappears as soon as I see who is standing a couple seats to his right.

It's Alice.

And next to her, Edward.

My heart beats faster in my chest and I feel like I could throw up.

He's back. He's here. He came back and he came to my concert.

He is wearing a dark suit and his ray-bans, but no fedora. Hi hair is lightly gelled and in that perfect disarray that still turns my knees into goo.

He is still standing, clapping and smiling right in my direction.

I look down out of instinct, unable to face him, until I'm rushed backstage by the other band members.

I take as long as I can collecting my things until I am the only one left. Then I just sit backstage, fidgeting, dreading to go out.

He's back. What does that mean?

When there's a knock, I look up tentatively. He stands at the door — Flowers in one hand, ray-bans on — smiling.

"Bella…"

I hold my breath. Maybe if I don't breathe he won't know I'm here.

"Bella, you were absolutely magnificent. Congratulations!" He holds the flowers in front for me.

I don't even know what I would say if I was able to speak. He holds his smile and the flowers in place for a while, until his hand reaches for his glasses, and then he slowly removes them from his face.

His eyes are the beautiful deep green I remembered so clearly, but there's something different... They're bright and they're focused.

Right on me.

His pupils shrink as they take in the light, and they switch from my eyes to random spots on my face, to my lips, to my eyes again.

It all becomes clear then.

"C-can… can you see me?" My voice is barely a whisper.

He nods, coming a little closer. "I am so sorry about how I left, Bella. Can you forgive me?"

When his eyes water, I lose it.

He had the surgery. By himself. He didn't tell anyone. He pushed me away, and now he's back.

"My dad," I start, getting up, but I'm unable to finish the sentence.

"What?"

"My dad is waiting for me. For dinner. I have to go."

"Bella…" His hand finds my arm, and his fingers close around my elbow.

"I have to go," I say again, a little louder this time, avoiding his eyes.

He releases me with a sigh and now it's my time to storm out.

~~~o~~~

Dinner with dad goes in a blur, all I can think about it's Edward.

All I know it's that he's back. And he had his surgery. And he can see now.

He can see.

He can see me.

He said he was sorry for leaving, and that he wanted my forgiveness. Does he still want us to be together?

Do I still want that?

I don't get to dwell on it overnight though because, sitting at the front steps of my dorm, Edward is waiting for me. I know it's him even with his head is down. I don't know if it's the flowers next to him or the fedora I already recognize what gives him away.

"Edward?"

His head snaps up and he gets up in a flash. He isn't wearing his ray-bans anymore. Not that he would need them since it's dark.

"Bella, you're here," he says with a shy smile. I know it doesn't make any sense, but all I want are my arms around him. "Can we talk?"

I manage a nod, and his words follow in a rush.

"After the night we got robbed, I knew it in me. I had to try. For you. For me. I've never felt so useless, so helpless, so disabled in my whole blind life than that night, Bella. Just the thought of them hurting you and me just standing there useless… I…" He pinches the bridge of his nose with two fingers.

I can see how the memory hurts him, so I step closer, uncertain whether I could touch him or not. Afraid of what it may do to me.

He takes a deep breath and continues. "I hope you'll be able to understand that I had to do this on my own though. I couldn't bear the thought of putting you or my family or anyone I care about through it. I didn't know if it was going to work…"

"But it did…"

"It did." He smiles proudly.

"You can see fine now."

"I'm wearing contacts for a little help, but yes. I don't have 20/20 vision yet, but it's getting better every week."

"Wow…"

He takes a step closer to me. "I'm really sorry I left the way I did. After everything we shared you deserved better from me, but it's the only way I could have managed leaving. I'm so sorry."

My eyes lock on his and I feel the tears starting to build up. He takes one more step in my direction and his hand reaches for my cheek.

"I'm here now and if you take me back I'm not going anywhere unless it's with you."

"You still want me?" The thought leaves my lips before I even realize it.

"Bella..." His tone changes to one bordering on anger. His fingers push under my chin making me look at him. "I've never wanted anyone so bad in my life. You are stunningly beautiful. Even more than I could have ever imagined. But I knew that already, before I could actually see you."

A strangled mumble escapes my lips because what do you exactly reply to such words. My legs feel like jelly and I am relieved when he holds my arm with his hand.

"Please say something," he begs.

Then I just kiss him. I kiss him as if he belongs to me. I kiss him entirely because he does, just as much as I belong to him. I kiss him without restraints, without worries, without doubt.

I just kiss him.

~~~o~~~

Long ass A/N:

Thank you so much for everyone who read/reviewed/enjoyed my little story. Blindward was the first twific I wrote/drafted ever, but other plot bunnies kept getting in the way. I'm so happy to have it out here and completed. I'm sorry I dropped the ball toward the end and couldn't post weekly as I wanted. Even though the story was completely written when I started posting, I had no beta and no pre-reader (and also I am now 8 months pregnant!) so it got difficult at times. Anyways, thanks for sticking with me! mwah!

In case you want to see where I got my inspiration for the characters: bit . ly /1fRnX8p (remove spaces).

And this is the kind of music I have in my head of Edward and Bella doing together: bit . ly /1JGZlvb (remove spaces).

Ps (only read if you care about the science behind this story):

Some of you noticed how this was set in the early 2000s. This is when transsphenoidal surgeries of pituitary tumors became more broadly available. In case I have any med-geeks like myself reading this: Edward's tumor was a benign, non-secretory one, so he didn't have any hormonal problems, but the tumor's size and location was what was causing his vision problems. For the record, after a successful surgery some improvement in vision field is observed right away (2 weeks to a month) BUT it can take up to 5 years for the patient to completely gain his/her sight back (Only 35% of them do). I was obviously not going to make Bella wait that long, so I took a little liberty with that. Hope you forgive me!