Chapter Fifteen – A Conversation of Expressions

We sat, for a moment, letting ourselves absorb the bright moonlight. Peacefulness floated around us, carried by the soft wind, and in an instant it felt like that was all there ever was. No past, no future, just us; trapped in time.

"Even now, I can't tell what you're thinking..."

His sudden speech shocked me as if he had poured cold water over me. His soft angelic voice came out almost in a sigh. I span my head round instantaneously, but he continued to gaze into the infinite sky.

"...even though I want to know, more than I ever have before."

It was now that he turned to look at me. His expression matched his, soft, calm voice, which had degraded into just more than a whisper. I stared at him, as all my sane words and thoughts escaped me. I was locked into his eyes.

"It was me, you know." His voice was slightly louder now, yet still coated in calm.

"You... what ...?" My speech had returned to me, but my ability to make complete sentences however, still seemed to be impaired by shock.

"I carried you...to the hospital."

My expression obviously mirrored my bewilderment, as he continued.

"When the Volturi..." His face changed suddenly, into one of anger.

He didn't need to go on. He knew it too, when I gasped.

He had saved me. He was the difference between me living, even as a half-vampire, or dying. He was the reason I could still sit and admire the night.

He spoke again, but in great contrast. His angered and pained expression switched into one of sorrow and guilt as he dropped his head suddenly.

"I'm sorry..." His gently voice was barely a whisper.

The words twirled around in my head; the words, which I had so longed to say to Edward, for my not being good enough for him, and for my uncontrollable murderous instinct, the words, which he who has saved me, had just spoken with thick guilt.

What could he possibly be sorry for?

He looked up at me, with apologetic eyes, through his messy bronze hair. I kept the bewildered look on my face.

He let out a small, gentle laugh at my expression.

But then I knew.

The feeling of sitting with him felt strangely unfamiliar, but right. I loved him, but he had left me, and when he finally returned, he had left once again. The pain of his absence came back to me but was swiftly replaced. I didn't care about the past, as long as he was with me now.

I let my body relax as I overcame the shock of his voice, and changed my expression to one of forgives. It wasn't quite talking, but at least he didn't have to read my mind.

It was his turned to be shocked, but this time at my quick acceptance and forgiveness. His bright eyes examined my expression for a moment, as though he couldn't believe it. But it was true. I just wanted to forget the past.

I yawned with realisation of how long it had been since I had slept in a comfortable bed, therefore excluding ones covered with sterilised white sheets.

Knowing my forgiveness, he walked over to me, and I placed my hands into his as he offered them to me. He helped me up as I yawned again, and kept hold of both my hands in his strong but gentle grip. Walking backwards, he lead me back into the house and upstairs, keeping his eyes on my face the whole way.

He sat me on the crisp white sheets and I almost fell asleep just as I sat. Soft fluffy duvets surrounded me, and I was still holding onto his hands. He tried to pull away lightly, but I tightened my grip, and he looked and me, his mouth curving slightly at the edges.

"Bella. You need to sleep" His voice was as soft as a lullaby, hypnotising me to follow his words.

It almost worked. I felt my eyelids drooping heavily.

"Don't go again..." I slurred, trying to keep my grip on his hands hard.

My words seemed to shock him and a pained expression swept over his face like I had poured a bucket of cold water over him.

Although, being a vampire, his reaction to such actions would probably differ slightly. Since, you know, he can't feel cold.

He sat down on the bed next to me. As a nice difference I felt a comforting heat radiating from him. I suppose there were some perks to this half-vampire deal.

In my tiredness I barely had time to register his movements, before his arms were wrapped around me. He held me, quite tightly for a moment and just as I realised how amazing it was, and how much I had missed it, he let me go. In those brief seconds, I was content.

"Good night Bella" Edwards whispered somewhere close to me, but my eyes were already closed on the pillow to see where he was.

"Good night Edwards" My voice trailed off at the end as Edward shut the door behind him softly.

I was warm, I was safe, I was home.

But most of all, I was with Edward.

Nothing could stop me falling asleep now.