CHAPTER ONE: Breaking the Ice

"Bella? Bella?" I heard his angelic voice coming from the void, coming from a place my mind had allowed me to drift away from. "Bella, my love, we're here."

With those words I broke from my trance. I broke from the blank emotionless void to the hard dangerous confusion of reality. "What? Sorry I blanked out."

"Your mind drifted, as it is I cannot tell what you are thinking, but at this time it made me grow anxious."

The doubt and confusion, coming from his eyes which bore into mine, and with never quite having the right words to say, all I was capable to come up with was, "What do you mean?"

"Well I was a bit worried you had changed your mind," he said with the hurt and confusion marked on his forehead. It pained me to see him with the emotions warring within his mind. A war that he did not have to fight because this was a choice that I had to make, a choice that no matter which side I chose the result was pain. Even though I knew that there was pain, it didn't mean that I was not going to strive to make him understand that this choice that I had made is what is right for me. I did not choose the bad over good; no I did not because both are good. Both have the same kind heart, even if one may not believe so, it is still there and they are trying to do what is best for me. What they fail to see is that it is my choice in the end, not theirs. I have made it and I am going to be happy…forever. "No I did not change my mind. I told you;" placing my hand on his cheek "I cannot live without you."

Though my words did not seem like enough, it was going to have to do for now because I had another matter to attend to. I had to tell my father that I was going to marry Edward. Wow. Marry Edward. The idea had never really crossed my mind, but now that I think of it; it doesn't really scare me it's just that I did not want to end up like an average teenager who marries right out of high school. Besides it's not like I had a great example of lasting teen love. Charlie was still in love with mom, but she had moved on. At least I will have the comfort that Edward will never leave me, again. "Well let's go deliver the good news," I said raising my left hand to showcase my engagement ring. With that his perfect crooked smile spread across his face and I could feel the warmth inside me grow, as well as my nerve to reveal my newest, I guess, secret to Charlie.

I climbed out of the car and began walking to the front door. Oh why our yard couldn't be bigger, I thought, at least then I could figure out what to say or how to start. My little visit to the void left me no time to prep. Even now worrying about that gave me less time. Well I am going to have to wing it. I just hope Charlie won't hate me. He said to give him a head notice when I was going to leave him. He also did say he could warm up to Edward, but he also said not to get my hopes up. This will be a better way to let him know that I was not going to forget about Edward and that I love him. If he can't warm up to him after that then I don't know what else to do.

I opened the door to find Charlie, again, in his usual spot on the couch watching television. "Hey dad I'm home," I said walking in, hand in hand with Edward.

"Hey Bells," he said with some cheer then his eyes went to Edward and his greeting towards him wasn't as welcoming. That was the last thing that I needed right now; Charlie openly showing that he still was not happy about the fact that I chose Edward, but if there was ever a time that he was going to start warming up to the idea would be after I tell him that I am going to marry him in a few months; now…how to tell him?

Edward and I sat on the small couch and turned our attention to the television set. Not our usual place to be in the house and it seemed like Charlie took notice and began to look at us, trying to be inconspicuous. My nerves began to itch in my fingertips and work their way up my arms and to my lips. The tingle had me moving my lips from side to side. My mind was racing with the thought that Charlie may have found out what was going on. It seemed like hours before any other word was said. I looked at the clock; it would be time for Edward to go home, according to Charlie. It was now or never.

I guess Edward could fell my anxiousness so he squeezed my hand gently. I looked up at him and the faintest trace of his perfect smile was there to encourage me. I gave him a smile in return and stood up. Edward of course followed and we stopped in front of the television.

"Hey Bells! I'm trying to watch the game." I switched the TV off and looked at Charlie.

"Dad there is something that I…" Edward squeezed my hand, "we, there is something we have to tell you." Charlie sat up and looked his torn eyes straight into mine. There was pain there that I had never noticed before. It saddened me and I couldn't say a word for a while. Then right before I could say anything he spoke, "You're leaving me aren't you?"

Oh how that one sentence could bring me so much sadness. It made me think of how he had felt when mom left him all those years ago. I wasn't leaving him though, well not like that. I was going to move on to another step of my life. "Dad it's not what you think…but there is going to be a big change." His eyes grew wide with shock and then anger. In that instant I knew that he thought the worst.

He hefted himself off the couch and was about to lunge at Edward and I put myself between them, "Dad, NO! Stop, you don't know what's going on."

"The hell I don't! You told me nothing like that was going on between you and now you are here telling me that you…that…you and him…are…going to-"

"Get married…we are getting married," I blurted. Not what I wanted to do but I needed to stop him from attempting to hurt Edward.

"What?" obviously he was thrown from his train of thought, "You're getting married?"

"Yes, Edward and I are getting married," I lifted my hand to show him my ring. He took it and examined the ring, then looked at Edward through the corner of his eyes and stared straight into mine.

"Why? Why are you going to marry…HIM?" you could hear the disdain drip from his words. It just amazed me how he could ask me such a question, it even was laughable, but there was not the faintest trace of humor in his eyes or at all. "After all he put you through! The loneliness, pain and suffering," I could feel Edward flinch at my side, "After those months you cried yourself to sleep, the days you walked out into the world with no sign of hope and every ounce of pain a person could hold and…"

"Stop, Please!" Edward yelled. "Chief Swan I know I made an enormous mistake by leaving Bella and telling her the greatest lie I could tell. Making her believe that I didn't love her, that was a crime, and I live with her pain in the back of my mind every day waiting for the time she will finally say that she doesn't want someone who hurt her with no true reason; a person that can't stay away from her even though he has the ability to bring her world crashing down and..."

"Edward, stop," I couldn't hear this anymore and the tears were beginning to swell in my eyes. I loved him and I didn't want him to hurt. I hugged him tightly until his arms came around me and he whispered, "I'm sorry." My sadness faded into anger and I faced Charlie to let out my fury. "Dad, I know you have not been able to get passed…the past, but I have. I love Edward and if I am not with him I will turn back into the zombie that no one likes. I need him, he is my life."

"He is not your life. He has made you hurt and miserable!"

"I am not in love with Jake dad. I know how much you really like him but even he is not a perfect guy. He has hurt me too okay, but Edward wants to spend a lifetime making it up to me and I want to give him that opportunity. Why can't you see that this is it? He is it for me. Now you can love me and accept him so I can continue to be in your life or if you can't I will walk out that door and never bother you again." I don't know how I was able to say all this, but it was the only way he would understand.

"No," the response came from an unsuspecting direction. That word came out of Edward. I turned to look at him with confusion all over and sadness in my eyes. "What? What are you saying?" I asked with confused eyes.

"Bella you know as well as I do that you cannot leave your father so hastily. He is your family and though he may view things differently, you should share all of what life you can share with him. He means too much to you. You can't leave him without anything."

"But…but Edward," I couldn't understand at first. I was so confused with what he was saying, but then I processed it and I realized he was right. Soon, with Charlie's consent or not, I was going to marry Edward and then soon after become what he is and I cannot take my last memory of my father to be one of anger and hate or sadness. Edward was right I could not walk out on my father, because then he would have been left by yet another person who was supposed to love him. It's not that I don't love him; it's that I can't live without Edward and that is what he wants me to do. I can't walk out, but I will not give up Edward either. I turned to look at my father and right when I was going to tell Charlie that I would not leave him he lifted his hand to stop me.

"Ok."

"Okay?" I asked.

"Yes Bells, okay. I did not see before the kind of person Edward was because I was judging him from his past actions, but now I see. I see he really cares about you, he cares about everything that has to do with you, which I think includes me," he said looking at Edward.

"Of course Chief Swan, your happiness means as much to me as it does to Bella and that is why I know she cannot really leave you behind." Edward looked at me gave me a smile and I knew what I had to do.

"He's right dad. I wouldn't have been able to leave you in the cold like that. I love you so much. Yes even though you were not in my life for that long, but the time I have spent with you allows me to love you. Including all the embarrassing moments," I said with a wink and gave him a hug.

He chuckled wrapped his arms around me rested his head on mine and said, "All I want is for you to be happy and safe." I looked up at him and saw that my father was my greatest hero.

"Dad I will be, Edward will protect me from any and everything and he loves me more than I deserve."

"No," they said simultaneously. They looked at each other and then Charlie spoke. "Bella you deserve all the love in the world and I know now that he will be the one to love you and I give you my whole hearted consent." I smile and leapt into his arms kissed his cheeks and told him that I loved him. "Okay Bells let me congratulate Edward." I let him go and he walked to Edward shook his hand, "You take care of my little girl you hear?"

"Of course sir, the best way I can."

"That is all I ask," he released his hand and faced me, "Well you both should go tell the happy news to your parents Edward."

"Okay dad I won't be long."

"Don't worry Bells you should celebrate. I trust him he is your fiancé now." I gave him a hug told him good-bye and I grabbed Edward's hand and we left. We jumped in the car and we were both laughing.

"Let's go tell the family," Edward said with his perfect crooked smile and a wink which had me laughing more and we drove off.