Always loved her

I have been friends with a girl for 5 years. We have been as close as brother and sister, she has helped me through some of the toughest times of my life. However, there has always been some sexual tension between us and we have made out a few times in the past. I've been crazy in love with her for 5 years, and one day (may 2010)she asked me to be her boyfriend. But I told her to take it slow cause I didnt want to ruin the friendship (stupid i know, but I love her so much it scared me).

Well since then we kept being very very close. Year in, year out. We talk every day. And like I said, I love her so much my soul burns. I've always seen her as the future mother of my children, however I never told her how much I loved her, I kept it to myself.

Now the big surprise. A few days back I called her, and she told me she has being seeing someone. It almost killed me. She asked me whats wrong. And so stuttering I admitted I loved her. (it was one of the hardest things I ever did, the words came straight from the heart after 5 years of not being able to tell her.)

She first told me that she had been waiting for so long and that I never had the balls to tell her my true feelings. She told me: "DId you think I would wait for you forever?".

But when I told her I loved her it seemed like it really touched her heart. She told me she would never choose a other guy above me, and that I was the most important man in her life. She told me the guy she has been seing doesnt mean anything to her. However she also told me she needed time to decide whether she wanted to start a serious relationship with me. She told me she was going to listen to her heart, but that the new dude would never influence her decision, cause this was between me and her. She also told me that she had moved on since she had asked me to be her boyfriend. That at that point she really wanted me, but that she has got to get used to the idea of being romantically involved with me again. I told her that she knew I could make her happy. She told me she knew that.

Now I'm waiting for an answer and its terrifying. At one hand I feel that I could lose a women thats like a sister to me. On the other hand she could make me the happiest guy on earth. I dont like the fact she has all the power right now, and I dont know how to handle this. I havent called her since that conversation, 2 days ago, nor has she contacted me.

Ow yeah, she told me that hearing those words from me (that I love her) almost knocked her out (I guess thats a good thing). She also told me she loves me. Still I really get the feeling she is not gonna give me a second chance in love, even if she told me she loves me back. Why would she have to think about it anyway..I need some suggestions about what to do cause at this moment it seems my heart is in her hands, and she can do whatever she likes with it. She sounded really sweet, and we even did the typical boyfriend/girlfriend thing of: you hang up, no you hangup... I know she loves me but still, if she really wanted to be with me, why would she have to think about it? It is a huge step however since we love eachother so much.