Chapter Eleven: Supernova

Six months. It had been too long. Way too long. For Edward and Bella, the last time they had hugged lovingly had been eons ago, almost from a different life. Perhaps fate could be kind and pull them back together; or maybe he could be a cold bastard and find a way to keep them apart.

As it stood, Edward Cullen was sprinting as quickly as possible towards his family's residence in Forks. Having stopped for a quick hunt on the way, he felt strong and was determined to get home as soon as possible. Unhindered by the falling sunlight and unbothered about the cars which would see a flash of white before later writing it off as a trick of the light, Edward was feeling determined.

Back at the Cullen home in Forks, you had to be blind to not notice the anticipation building up in petite Alice Cullen. However, the family were failing to work out whether Alice's anticipation was the good sort or the bad type.

Bella Swan's eyes were distant and unfocused, as her fingers idly began to play with her fork and spaghetti that Esme had made for her dinner. Ignorant of the playful taunts that Emmett and Jasper were hurling over their xbox game, Bella couldn't help but remember the last time she had eaten all of her dinner... which was back in the era where Edward was still with her. His silky laughter, exuberant piano melodies, his soothing touch...

He was getting closer now, having made it towards the fringes of Forks; he could hear the thoughts of his brothers and sisters. Her golden eyes widened like saucers as a vision flittered thorough her mind. He could see the front door now. They could hear his raced footsteps. Her heartbeat was speeding up for a reason that she could not identify.

The door crashed open.

If you could take a moment to imagine the most monumental moment in your life, then I could try to explain the atmosphere in the Cullen house when Edward crossed the entryway and (at a slower speed) made his way upstairs.

Six pairs of amber eyes stared as Edward appeared in the lounge room – a sort of shocked disbelief resonating from each of them. Alice recovered first into an expression of smugness while a second later; Esme had dropped the salad bowl she was holding as her face changed to unbelievable glee. But, it was in the second that the glass fell to the floor and shattered that Bella turned around, raising her eyes off a barely eaten plate.

And as Edward's eyes met Bella's, a supernova occurred. She couldn't believe her eyes; she scrutinised the man standing directly opposite her, trying to decipher whether or not he was real. He gazed intently at her face, re memorising every line, wrinkle or freckle that she had, wondering how he could have survived without her for so long. Her fingers subconsciously reached out to touch his marble skin despite realising that she was seated on the sofa, at least five metres away. His senses were assailed by her scent of warm freesias and when he breathed he felt a refreshed form of happiness.

The room was silent as Bella swung her legs around the sofa and stood up shakily, not once breaking eye contact with the copper haired vampire. Her lips parted before coming together again; she paused as though reconsidering her words before speaking in a dry whisper.

"Are you real?" Bella's quaking voice sounded so sad and uncertain that Alice, who had been anticipating a happy reunion with smiles and no more depression felt like crying. But she remained silent, as Edward took a hesitant step forward.

"Bella, I'm so sorry." Edward said, almost to the floor except he was still focused on Bella. "I thought that my leaving would be better – you would be able to live a long happy human life without us monsters interfering..."

But he never got to finish his explanation when Bella wailed tearlessly, falling backwards into Alice's arms, who helped her settle back onto the couch. Sniffs could be heard as she struggled to control her breathing while the pixie muttered comforting words in her ear.

"I think we should leave" Carlisle murmured to Esme, tugging at her elbow. "Give Edward and Bella a chance to talk things through."

Albeit reluctantly, Esme nodded to follow her husband out the door as Emmett and Rosalie also made a quiet escape. Jasper retreated into a corner but otherwise remained present, watching his wife with worry and concern. His ability of emotional empathy allowed him to sense the bizarre collection of feelings prevalent in the room. Worry and anxiety from Alice; disbelief and a numb type of shock from Bella while Edward was feeling hopeful with guilty regret running wild in the background. Not to mention the undercurrent of nervousness around the room. Head held gingerly in his scarred hands, Jasper slid down the wall, his movement unnoticed by the other three.

Bella's eyes were watery now and centimetre by centimetre Edward's feet shuffled closer to her trembling form.

"Did you really think that leaving would make me better, Edward?" She whispered both sadly and angrily. "You meant everything to me; I loved you with everything I had. And when you turned your back, it was like all solid ground had been swept from underneath my feet."

"I'm so sorry" Edward tried to plead, but Bella was not finished; her eyes were focused on a spot on his forehead.

"I was a shipwrecked woman, clinging to a spar." She said. "Everywhere I looked, I saw memories of you and so I started not looking around at all." And here Bella laughed dryly. "Where I started hearing your voice in my head instead! So, much for 'it'll be as though I've never existed', Edward; try as I may like, I couldn't forget you."

"Bella..." His voice was shaking with turmoil and pain.

"Why are you here anyway Edward?" Bella asked, ignoring the ache in her chest when she spoke his name. "You don't care about me, remember? You said it yourself 'I'm not good for you',"

"Bella, I didn't mean..." Edward stuttered, attempting to make sense of the thoughts running amock in his brain.

Meanwhile, Alice was getting frustrated. The scheming midget knew that Edward and Bella were designed for one another and that they just had to get over this little (big, whatever) hiccup. Sighing, Alice screamed from within her mind. JUST TELL HER THE ENTIRE TRUTH!

He paused for a second. NOW! Shrieked the bell like voice.

"Bella!" And with his half tortured yowl, Bella quietened to appraise the vampire with tear filled eyes." When I chose to leave, undoubtedly the worst mistake I've ever made, I was thinking of you. I was remembering what happened last spring with James and I was terrified of all the other hidden dangers you could be in because of your involvement in my world. I was worried for your safety. I didn't want you to get hurt."

"HURT!" Bella shrieked suddenly. "You didn't want me to get HURT? Edward, the past six months have been the most PAINFUL I have ever had to deal with! And, here you are, claiming that you didn't want me to get hurt?"

With that comment, Bella's voice had cracked into an almost screeching pitch. With an inaudible (well inaudible for humans anyway) sniff, Bella ran out of the room; her thoughts were a blitz with only the fateful memory of Edward's departure dominating her mind. Bella would find that she had somehow dodged Rosalie while obscured by crying and crash landed in Alice's bed.

A dumbfounded Edward stood as a marble sculpture – his eyes betraying him of his horror as Bella ran away. Blinded to Carlisle and Esme coming downstairs to hug him in a soothing manner; deaf to Emmett's muffled 'nice to see you again', Edward's only thought was consumed by one word.

Bella.

The Bella he'd give his life for was the same Bella he'd gladly die for and now that he knew the terrors of not having her in his life, Edward was going to hold onto her with everything that he had.

The relationship between Rosalie and Edward was and will always be a difficult one to define. They argued frequently; and got on each other's nerves. Yet at the same time, they united over a joint sharing of angsty moods. Alice and Emmett, the usually cheerful ones had fought tooth and nail in a desperate failed attempt to make Edward leave Forks, but it was Rosalie who had supported his decision and encouraged him to do it promptly.

So it was Rosalie that shared Edward's regret.

A few hours later, Bella was stirring faintly from her sleep, where she had experienced a lovely dream about being reunited with Edward. It was so pleasant to see his face of perfection that Bella did not wish to wake up, instead firmly closing her eyes, to keep out the rays of sunlight dancing across her duvet. But when the light changed its trajectory to glisten on her face, Bella's eyelids were forced apart.

She was forced to adjust to the glistening diamond like appearance of Edward's hand. And after she blinked rapidly to ensure that this scenario wasn't an extension of her dream, Bella was staring shocked at the vampire sitting on her bed. A gasp escaped from her lips which parted as though she was about to speak, but Edward responded first, with a gentle hushing sound.

"Would you understand what I meant if I said I was only human?" He murmured softly, allowing his velvety voice to have a caressing edge to it. "Let me explain this from the beginning Bella. From the moment I met you, my whole perspective of life shifted dramatically. I saw things I'd never seen before and felt vivid emotions that brought me joy that I never could have comprehended. I had a reason to live my life – I had a reason to pay attention during the boring repetition of school. You made me happy, Bella, you made me feel complete. When you were gone, my whole world went black. I couldn't see the lights I used to cherish; I couldn't enjoy music or literature because without you close by, I had no reason for anything."

Here he chuckled, despite the painful memory.

"I deluded myself into thinking that if I sacrificed my own happiness, and to a stage, my sanity, in the name of your safety, then the trade would be worth it." Edward continued. "I saw myself to be dangerous – a monster and that I didn't for a moment deserve to be in the presence of an angel like you."

"You are not a monster" Bella insisted forcibly, then blushing when her voice was amplified by the sparkly purple walls.

"I was a monster when I was getting ready to leave you. I was a vile demon when I disregarded your emotions and opinion, selfishly relying on my own impulses, and my own impulses alone." He confessed shamefully. "You have to believe Bella when I say that on that fateful afternoon, I lied. I lied about you not being good for me because you will always be better than me. I fibbed about vampires being easily distracted because no matter how hard I tried; I couldn't remove your face from the forefront of your mind. How many times did I try to convince myself to come back to Forks and to go down on my knees, begging for forgiveness? Well – the same number of times that I stubbornly insisted that you were safe and living your life a human should.

But what I've learned in this past six months is that I cannot live without you and I was a fool to even try. Please Bella, give me a second chance."

By now, Bella's left hand was clasped in Edward's; despite all the time that had passed, it was still a perfect match. Bella's eyes held a slight layer of wetness and if Edward could cry, he'd be positively bawling by now.

"Alright" Bella consented softly. "One more chance."

Edward smiled broadly as ninety percent of the anguish left his facial expression. His lips bent down to place a kiss upon her hand, feeling elated.

"Thank you."

Outside her own bedroom, lingering in a hallway nearby, Alice Cullen permitted herself a grin as she skipped downstairs towards Jasper. Although she knew that Bella and Edward still had more amends to make, she was content to realise that soon, everything would return back to the 'good old days'.

And Alice's family would be complete.

Wow. It's hard to believe that this is the final chapter and where this story comes to a close. So, now I would like to thank all my brilliant reviewers who supported me throughtout this journey - even when I updated sporadically and when I went in breif circles of repetition. Thanks to all of your encouragment and your pressuring me to update faster. And I definitely appreciate your advice in improving my plotline. But in particular, I'd like to give a shoutout to valuablenicola for being my muse. While it is unlikely that I will provide a sequel to these events, I hope you all enjoyed this fanfiction and will continue to be interested in my other stories in the future. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. xD ;) :) =)

~alicecullen5