Picking up the Pieces

12

(Alistair)

I was almost asleep when I felt Bella stir,

"Star?..." My eyes flew open,

She wrapped herself around me like a cute koala, nuzzled into my neck....

"Star?..."

"Yes my sweet"

"I love you" I moved a little back and looked at her surprised... Did she forgive me already?

Her eyes were closed... she was mumbling in her sleep. I smiled. My Angel loved me, I was in her dreams. I felt a load been taken off my shoulders. I was so scared of losing her again.

No way was I letting her get away from me now. I knew she still loved me. I did not need any more coaxing....I am going to win her back.

My arms tightened round her... "I love you too, my angel" I kiss her forehead...

She whimpered and nuzzled deeper into my neck.

I slept... knowing my baby was in my arms, safe. I slept without a nightmare after 2 years.

(Isabella)

I woke up to a warm cuddle.

I was cuddling someone. Warm hands were wrapped round me, my lips on his neck. I was almost sleeping on top of him....

Oh My God.....I was sleeping on top of Star, when did I nuzzle so close. It seems he never moved from his side of the bed. I had rolled over on top of him.....

Stupid girl....stupid girl....

I tried to move away, but his hands tightened round me...

"5 more minutes, baby" he mumbled....

"I am not your fiancé, Alistair" I said... Remembering the magazine interview...

He opened his eyes slowly... "Huh?"

"I said I am not your fiancé anymore, so could you please let me go. Go back to your fiancé, she must be worried" I sat up.

"I am with my fiancé"

My turn to be surprised..... "Huh?"

"You are still my fiancé, Bella" he said sitting up, so I was on his lap facing him...there goes my heart again... but I had to ask... I had to clear the doubts that were killing me...

"But it was a fake engagement"

"For who exactly?"

"Don't play with me Alistair. Both of us know the engagement was fake, you never wanted it. I was way too young and should I remind you, you have a girlfriend...Sally"

"First off, I agree you were too young, but I never said it was a fake engagement for me. I was sceptical because of our age difference and not because I didn't want it. I am 10 years older than you. I felt you would not like the idea. Second, Sally was never my girlfriend, let alone my fiancé. She tried... but I felt too strongly about someone else to be with her."

I gasped. He didn't hate me? And there was someone else?

"So you have someone else"

"No... I had you"...

I blinked hard. I did not want tears now, not now....

"But she called me a maid in front of you. I wanted you to defend me then, you never did"

His grip tightened on me.

"You just accepted that I would even think of you that way. How on earth did you for even a fraction of a second think that I would? Have I ever treated you in a way, to make you think that I did? I accept I tried to stay away from you because I thought it would be better for you. It hurt me, Bella, the fact that you upped and accepted that I could say something like that... Come on Bella, I thought you knew me more than that"

Now my eyes could not stop the tears anymore. The dam just broke, all those days of hurt, loneliness hit hard...

"You could have defended me" I said in between sobs

"I was too shocked to react, Bella, I am so sorry. I was angry at both of you. She was my friend, I never expected her to react the way she did to you and I also did not expect you to respond to her the way that you did"

"You could have told me, but you did not come home the entire night"

"I had a fight with Sally that day, right after you left. I was so furious; I went to the park and walked till I was too exhausted. I thought I would give you some time to calm down and we could talk in the morning, when I came back home you were not there"

"I stayed up the entire night waiting for you" I tried wiping my eyes, but Star beat me to it. Slowly moving his thumb to wipe my tears away...

"I am so sorry my sweet, Shushhhh... baby, don't cry, I am so sorry... I should have followed you home, I should have said something immediately, I should have....."

"I am so stupid, Star." I stopped him shaking my head

"I went away without giving you a chance to explain yourself. I wasted two years being hurt and being away from you when we could have been together... I am so stupid, it's all my fault"

"Shushhhh baby, you are not stupid, Bella, it was a misunderstanding. If it's anyone's fault it was mine. I was the older one in this; I should have had better judgement."

"I am sorry, Star"

"As am I my sweet, as am I"

"I love you, Star"

"I love you too, my sweet. So much..."

"Don't let me go again"

"Never in forever, my sweet, never in forever"

He put his forehead against mine.... "I love you so much, baby...I have missed you"

"I love you too and I missed you so much Star"........