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Dream's Shadow

Summary:
This is my take on the over- and usually poorly- done plot. Edward leaves Bella again. She is changed and they meet again in the future. There will be a big twist! Requested by Iris. Banner by Iris!

Notes:
Try it! I know stories like this usually stink, but I thought I'd give it a try. I own nothing. Stephenie Meyer owns all.

44. Chapter 44

Rating 5/5   Word Count 557   Review this Chapter

“Bella? Bella, what’s wrong?”

His tone is frantic.

My answering one, in contrast, is thick, slow, and confused. It matches the haze of pain clouding my mind. “I thought you… wanted… me?”

He doesn’t understand. I pull at my chest, trying to find the words, to see why he doesn’t understand what he’s doing to me.

“More than anything in the world, why?”

He still doesn’t see it. There is a second as he pulls himself to his feet and looks into my eyes. I think he locates the ghost within them. He sees there is othing to see. “Bella? Oh, love, you didn’t think… did you think I was going to leave you? Right after you agreed to marry me?”

I am ashamed as I realize the ludicrous misunderstanding that motivated my pain. I should trust him, and I cannot. “Yes. I’m sorry.”

His eyes are aflame with fury as they bore into mine. “Sorry. You’re sorry. Why the hell are you sorry? You’re sorry I left you twice, and scared you? I don’t deserve your love. I don’t deserve a second look from you! How will I ever… I’m… I’m sorry, Bella. I can’t do it.”

“No! Edward, I don’t care what you think. I love you. You’re the only one I’ll ever love. Don’t, don’t, don’t leave me. Please. Please!”

“I promise not to, love. Don’t worry. I’m just… I want so much to be enough for you, and I can’t. Whatever I do is wrong. Both times, leaving you seemed like the right thing, the only right thing… and it’s only hurt us both so much.”

Finally, I decide the subtle kind approach isn’t working. I give up on hinting Edward around to a normal relationship. “Listen to me, and listen good.”

His head jerks up at my unfamiliar tone.

“You are going to stop treating me like a child. Right now. I’m not a human anymore. I can take care of myself. If you make a decision about my life ever again, I will hunt you done, and I will… um… something. That’s not the point. But it will be dire. So the next time you start totally disrupting every facet of my existence, I get some input, okay? I’m an equal here. I’d like to be respected.”

His eyes are ashamed. “I’m sorry, Bella.”

“And stop apologizing. It’s irritating. You can’t change the past.”

“But I can change the future.” With those words, he slips the ring on my finger, kneeling once again to kiss, delicately, my hand. “We have a deal, my love.”

I wrap my arms around him and pull him to his feet. “A deal.”

His lips meet mine, again and again. Alice coughs.

“What?”

“Well, could you two get a room? Like, your room? I don’t need to see that.”

“I didn’t need to hear you and Jasper for the last fifty years, either,” Edward counters.

“Whoa, wait a second. We’re not doing anything that requires a room until after the wedding. Soul? Ringing a bell? I am not endangering that, Edward. You’re too important.”

He sighs. “You’re right.”

Alice smiles. “Well, lovebirds, I’ve got a party to plan!”