When I get to the boardwalk, he's not there, and my heart sinks even though it's pounding out of my chest. I look around, but I don't see him. Anywhere. I know it's ridiculous, but I panic just a little. Not because I don't think I'll be able to find him, but because, now that realize I can have him, I don't want to waste another second of my life without his face and his words and his body inside mine.

And just him.

I don't want to be without him anymore.

Ever.

I walk over to the edge of the boardwalk, and out of the corner of my eye, I see just a flash of his red hair. He's there, sitting on the sand by the cove, looking out over the ocean, just like I was last night.

I'm pretty sure I don't even feel the sandals slip from my feet, or the sand beneath them.

He doesn't even see me coming, which is ridiculous, if not a little ironic because it was the same for me. I didn't see him coming. I couldn't have.

Just a second before I crash into him, his eyes connect with mine, and then he says my name.

"Bella." Just my name. That's all. Such a simple little thing. I realize that I'm crying as I fall on top of him and we tumble down into the sand because he said my name. Only it's not just my name. It's his voice and his arms and the way that he's holding me against him even though he must have no idea what the fuck is going on. "What are you doing here? Is something wrong?"

"I'm sorry," I tell him, but it's not enough. So like an idiot, I just continue. "I couldn't do it. I had to come back. And I'm sorry I was so fucking stupid – every time you tried to talk me this week. But I just couldn't see it. I couldn't see my life as anything different than what it was. Even though you were here. Making it different. You were here and saying these wonderful things…and just being this amazing man who was changing my life…"

My words are running together, and my thoughts are so chaotic, I'm surprised I can form a sentence. But he just holds me. He holds me so tight – tight enough that I know that he understands my nonsense however jumbled it comes out.

I pull back even though I don't want to feel an inch of space between us. I pull back because I just need to see his face and let him see mine so he knows that what I'm telling him is true.

But when I do, I see his eyes, his gorgeous green eyes that are bloodshot and watery. So I apologize again. "I'm sorry. I'm so fucking sorry."

"Stop it," he says roughly before kissing me hard and deep. With his mouth on mine and his arms wrapped around me, my frantic heart settles, and he centers me, kisses me, and pieces me back together one broken bit at a time. His mouth moves to my neck and he speaks against my skin, "I don't care about your apology. I only care that you're here. Are you really here?"

"Yes," I tell him, nodding and laughing through the tears that just won't stop coming.

"And you're not leaving again?"

"No," I shake my head. "Well, not for long. Not forever. Just long enough to get my dad. You were right, Edward. I can have a life that isn't filled with days and nights of sadness and responsibility. I can have more than that. There's help. I do have options. I just needed someone to show them to me."

"When you walked away, you took my heart with you," he says, wiping the hot tears from my face. "And I was afraid I would never get it back. But now you're here…"

He chokes on the last word, so I kiss him softly, succinctly, three times. "Now I'm here," I whisper over the sound of the ocean. "Now I'm here, and if you don't mind about your heart, I'd really like to keep it."

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Thank you for all the love. For each and every review, comment and tweet. The readers makes this fun for me. And I've been saying it for years, I have the best readers the twific fandom! I adore you all.

For Marvar - There are no words left to express how much I love you. That's why I'm left with writing stories about how much Edward loves Bella. You are my oldest friend in the fandom. Even more, though, you have become my friend in real life...my family. Thank you for everything, solemeat. You are truly the most exceptional person I know. Happy birthday.

And HolletLA is a goddess. And not only that, she is brilliant and wonderful and gracious. And she beta'd this for me this week like a rock star. And she made the entire story, each chapter, and every sentence better. And I love her, too!

My pre-readers - Welp. I love you all. Jaime, Kourt, and Laura...you make me happy. You make this fun. You make me want to write all the words. Thank you for your friendship. And thank you for being the amazing women that you are.

Reviews are love.