TWILIGHT
"Wedding Bells"
by shel
© may 2007
disclaimer: bella, edward, and the rest of the cast of characters we've come to know and love, belong to stephenie meyer and possible other copyright holders. i intended no true infringement on their copyrights; i only wanted to borrow these marvelous characters for a short time in my own scenarios and hopefully return them no worse for wear; the only things i've gained from this story are the satisfaction and pleasure of having written it and in knowing that others may have enjoyed it too…
rating: pg-13
summary: worries and concerns as that important event arrives…
timeline: one year after the events of "new moon" (pretend you never read chapter 1 of "eclipse")…
archive: please don't without expressed permission…
notes: my first (only?) fanfic for this wonderful series…please let me know if you enjoyed my tale and why and, if not, why not…and, please, don't bother wasting your time or mine by sending any flames…
Morning Jitters
"Oh, crap!" I heard his velvety chuckle as my hand was moved from where it lay covering my eyes. I tried tugging it back but it was frozen in his icy grip.
"Not my favorite way to be greeted in the morning, Bella."
But I heard the amusement in his warning and peeked at him. "If you're waking me up, then that means I overslept, and if I overslept, that means I missed Charlie leave. And if I missed Charlie leave, that means I couldn't tell him about --"
Edward's kiss interrupted my growing rant and knocked the breath right out of me. And then he had the nerve to chuckle as he pulled back and waited for my heart to start beating again. "Ah, love, I'm going to miss that."
He brushed some hair from my eyes and I muttered, "I hate it when you do that." And I did. It was still embarrassing the way he knew how his slightest touch could make my body react. I couldn't wait for that to change. He knew that too.
When he laughed again, I grabbed my pillow and hit him, sacrificing the few feathers that burst free in a loud poof. He couldn't keep a straight face and with a growl of my own, I pushed myself out of bed.
But I didn't expect the dizziness and, just as my knees buckled under me, I was caught in his solid arms.
"Bella!"
"I'm okay, Edward," I replied as I tried to keep my voice even and my legs steady. No need to tell him I'd already fainted three times in the past week when he wasn't with me. I wasn't about to reveal my surprise for him and his family of a chilled bottle of Bella's Blood. I mean, what's a wedding if the groom and his family can't participate in even a simple toast to the happy couple? And what better toast for vampires than with some of the bride's blood?
It's too bad that my little secret project hasn't gotten me over my queasiness regarding needles and blood. Given my impending change in diet, I'm hoping that will change. I sighed and suddenly felt myself lifted into Edward's arms. "I'm okay, really," I repeated.
But he ignored me as usual. So I closed my eyes and enjoyed the moment, nuzzling his arm with my cheek.
"Bella?"
"I'm okay," I assured him as I snuggled closer. I smiled realizing that, because he couldn't read my mind, I was probably the only person he knew who could actually pull off a surprise on him.
And for the thousandth time, I wonder if that ability will change once I am. From what I understand, excepting for the obvious, I shouldn't change all that much. So maybe it wouldn't be any different. But maybe it would. He did once say that he thought we were operating on two different wavelengths so what if being changed made things even more different between us. I shook my head free of those disturbing thoughts.
"I'm worried about you," he said, settling me on the mattress. He lightly caressed my cheek as he perched himself on the edge of the bed.
"Worried I'm gonna go through with it, you mean," I teased to lighten the moment.
He abruptly dropped his hand and sat up straight. "My condition," he curtly replied. "Marry me and I change you."
"You're still unhappy about it." He didn't speak and I was startled by the spark I saw in his eyes. "You think I'm going to back out of the deal?"
"I know you'll go through with the ceremony, Bella," he rolled his eyes.
"I thought it's what you wanted," I commented with growing confusion. "You wanted me to marry you." We would both get what we wanted. He would have me for a wife and I would have him as a vampire. He gave his word, he wouldn't back out. Unless… "Maybe you're the one having second thoughts."
That old pain, that fault line in my chest, suddenly flared up. "Human moment," I gasped as I scrambled past him and, somehow managing not to trip on the way, made it in time to the bathroom, unintentionally slamming the door behind me.
"Bella!"
With nothing in my stomach, it was a case of dry heaves but I was left shaken just the same. I eventually slumped back against the tub, the porcelain cooling my neck. I knew Edward was anxiously waiting on the other side of the door but I didn't have the energy to move yet. "I'm okay," I called out, unsure if he would believe me.
A year later and I knew he still felt tremendously guilty over what I had gone through after he'd left me that day in the woods. A year later and my nightmares had faded but hadn't completely disappeared. At times it felt like a hazy memory but other times, other times found me being set off by the slightest inadvertent comment. I finally stood on shaky legs and made my way to the sink where I caught sight of my pale reflection. "I'm okay," I whispered.
"Are you sure?"
Of course he would hear me. I nodded in response before remembering that Edward didn't have the ability to see through walls. At least I didn't think so. "I'll be right out," I told him before I washed up.
When I finally opened the door, I headed straight for him and wrapped my arms tightly around his waist. "I'm sorry…"
Edward buried his lips in the crook of my neck and murmured, "I love you, Bella."
"I love you, too," I assured him, my voice muffled by the light jacket he wore. I inhaled his scent that permeated the fabric. Sated by the strength of his presence, I gazed up at him, touched his lips with my fingertips, and apologized again, "I'm sorry for worrying you."
"I didn't mean it the way you took it," he apologized, gently rubbing my arms as he stepped back. Almost impulsively, he brought his hand to my forehead as if checking for a fever.
"I'm not sick," I told him as I pulled his hand away but didn't release it.
"You have been paler than usual and you've hardly been sleep-talking." I smiled at his concern but that only caused him to frown. "That means you've been sleeping more deeply which means you're more tired than usual which means --"
This time, I interrupted his rant with a kiss. "You're sweet but I promise I'm not coming down with anything." Of course, I couldn't deny that I was thrilled to hear I hadn't been talking in my sleep. Last thing I wanted was to find out I was the one to spill the beans about my surprise.
He guided me back to the bed where he sat and pulled me onto his lap. "Maybe we should postpone the wedding for a few more --"
My heart stopped and, for once, it had nothing to do with Edward's innate abilities to dazzle me. For him to be willing to postpone the wedding meant he was really worried. Feeling guilty, knowing it was my fault I was paler and weaker than usual, I rested my head against his shoulder and brought his hand to my lips for a light kiss. "A deal's a deal and, three days from today, we are going to become Mr. and Mrs. Edward Cullen."
"It's not too late to back out."
His voice was so soft I was barely sure I'd heard. I jerked back as much as I could, trapped in his grip. I stared at him, my lips quivering, but this time I managed to control the fear. I know Edward loves me and I know he wants forever. It's the how of our relationship that we disagree upon. I want to become a vampire and he wants me to stay human. "Never," I declared, squeezing his hand. "I love you, Edward, and I want forever."
Slipping his hand free, he gently framed my face between his cold hands. "We will have forever," he softly agreed.
"Not if it's your way," I quietly argued, tears now stinging my eyes.
He brushed away some tears that spilled onto my cheeks, pausing a moment to stare at his glistening fingertips. "I won't be able to do this anymore."
"I won't have reason to cry," I stubbornly informed him.
"I'm serious, Bella." He slid me off his lap and stood. "Your life will change, irrevocably. All those human moments, all those important milestones…"
"I doubt I'll miss crying or throwing up or having nightmares."
He turned his back to me and stared out the window. "We've talked about this, Bella. You won't just be losing those negative aspects. How about the way you cry when you read your favorite romances? How about the way you blush at the slightest compliment? Or how about the way you tell me you love me when you're talking in your sleep?"
"So I'll daydream and mumble for you instead." I didn't move from my spot on the bed. We had discussed this all before. I shrugged, "And I'll still have milestones. I do plan on graduating from college, you know, and I'll still be getting married." He began to turn around and I hoped he would understand that I was committed to him despite all my jitters about getting married. "And there's still nothing positive about tripping over my own two feet," I added with a smile, "nor about throwing up."
But he seemed almost pained instead. "Except if it was due to morning sickness." He met my gaze and added, "You won't ever become pregnant or experience any of the joys that go with motherhood."
I was surprised he'd voiced that concern. In all of our discussions about changing me, we'd always seemed to dance around that subject. And now that it was on the table, I had to be honest. "I never said I wanted to be a mother." That caught him off-guard. I stood and closed the distance between us.
"Edward, I spent most of my life taking care of my mom and me." I slid my arms around his waist and met his topaz gaze, "I love her so much but I'm not ready for the responsibility of raising someone else."
"Not now," he softly agreed, "when you're only nineteen. But what happens in ten years or fifteen or even twenty?"
"Ever heard of adoption?" But he wasn't amused, not that I could blame him. It's not like we'd really be able to adopt looking like the teenagers we physically would be forever. "I don't know what to tell you except I never really thought of myself as being someone's wife much less being someone's mother." I saw his jaw strain with tension and quickly added, "All I know is that I love you and I want to be with you and that means becoming what you are and sharing in your life."
He suddenly hugged me tight, so tight I couldn't breathe. "Isabella, do you know how precious you are to me?"
"I have an idea," I croaked.
Edward jumped back so quickly that I couldn't help but chuckle from his reaction. I tugged on his hand and indicated I wanted to be back on his lap. Thankfully, he obliged by sweeping me up into his arms and sitting in the rocking chair.
I snuggled closer for a contentedly silent few minutes before peeking and catching his reluctant smile. That slightly crooked smile that always made my heart skip a beat or two. "I love you oodles."
"Oodles?" He raised an eyebrow.
"Definitely," I giggled. I couldn't control a shiver that ran through me and I sighed happily.
And he was concerned all over again. "You need to eat," he ordered.
There must have been something in my eyes because he framed my face between his hands and grinned, "There will be time enough for that, love. Be patient."
I glared at him but sighed. After two plus years together, I did know how far I could test his limits. And after the morning chat we'd just had, I knew this wasn't one of those times.
He lowered one of his hands to hold my hand that wore his engagement ring. "If Carlisle had ever thought I might one day marry, he never would have had my mother buried with her rings."
He seemed so wistful and I wasn't sure what I should say. I pressed my cheek into his palm and closed my eyes as his thumb momentarily caressed my cheek.
"I don't have any memory of what the ring looked like but Carlisle assures me this is a pretty close copy."
"I do love it, you know," I confessed as we both admired it. Given his unabashed joy in spending his money on me, I'd been afraid of what he'd buy me once I finally caved and agreed to marry him. But it was an old-fashioned setting and not ostentatious at all. On the other hand, I didn't want to think about what he'd paid to duplicate his mother's ring.
"I'm glad," he replied with a light kiss to my temple.
I heard the relief in his brief comment. Fully aware of my aversion to gifts, he'd been more than a little worried about my reaction. But like I'd told him when he'd slipped it on my finger, marriage hadn't ever been a high priority for me so I'd never been one of those girls to have the perfect ring picked out for years in my head. I glanced down at my ring and smiled. Both of us had worried for no reason. Like my angel, the ring was perfect for me.
"Surprised you, didn't I?"
"Thought you couldn't read my mind." He was too smug for his own good but I kissed him anyway. We'll see who can surprise whom in three days.
With a sigh of his own, Edward pushed me off his lap. "Get dressed, Bella. I'll make you breakfast."
It was still disconcerting the way he could cook so well considering he couldn't taste any of the food. "Cold cereal's fine, you know."
"You need some protein," he countered. He stopped in the doorway and turned back to me, "Oh, Esme said that she and Renee will be going back to the florist for some last minute details so keep your cell on in case they have questions."
Despite her fears and lectures that I was too young to get married, Renee had certainly jumped into wedding preparations easily enough. My mother had been in town for two days and, under Esme's direction, was already conspiring madly with Alice about Barbie Bella's wedding day. I rolled my eyes as I met him in the doorway, "Poor Esme."
"Poor Renee," he chuckled. "Rosalie always micromanages her weddings and Alice only had the one wedding so you really don't understand how excited Esme is that you've let her coordinate this little shindig."
"What shindig?" I gasped. "I thought we all agreed to a small ceremony in our meadow, just our families and the justice of the peace."
"Nothing for you to worry about, love," he grinned slyly as he pressed one last cool kiss to my forehead before disappearing with a whoosh down the hallway.
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