Stephanie Meyer owns all things Twilight.

Chp now beta'd by the wonderful women from Project Team Beta - Mrs. Dazzled & Tiffanyanne3. Huge thank you's go out to these two for not only their fantastic input, but for taking the time to read through a new story.

Song Credit - Angel *DMB*

BPOV

"My sweet Bella," he said softly as he grazed his lips across the knuckles of my left hand.

"Edward…" I whispered.

"My Bella, I love you so much."

I wanted to tell him the same, to smile at him and tell him over and over just how much he meant to me. All I could manage was the closing of my eyes and a sigh.

As I lay in the hard, sterile hospital bed with nothing but the sounds of heart rate machines, IV monitors, and my own shallow, ragged breathing attempting to match the ins and outs of my husband's, my mind was overwhelmed with flashes of the life I had lived up to that point.

Edward and I met my freshmen year of college. He was a junior year student advisor, helping us lowly freshman find our way around campus, telling us the rules of the cafeteria, and the secrets to college living.

I had no intention of dating throughout college. I had ended a year-long relationship a few weeks prior to moving into campus housing and was left with nothing but angst towards all men. I wanted to focus on my degree, get through school, and begin my life as an adult.

I was assigned to Edward's tour group, not taking any particular interest in the guy who was probably forced, either as punishment or credits toward his degree, into taking time out of his weekend to be on campus. As we walked around campus, however, I could sense the passion he had for our alma mater. The way he spoke while giving the history of each building, campus life stories, and tips on which classes to avoid; I found myself entranced.

As we neared the end of the tour, we were served a light lunch in the student center. Crappy sandwiches with stale bread, bagged potato chips, and bottled water.

They really pulled out all the stops, I thought to myself.

"I promise the food in the cafeteria is better than this," I heard a soft, confident voice say beside me.

Edward stood there, picking apart the "food" before throwing it back down and just grabbing a bag of chips. His hair was disheveled, sticking out in every direction, and yet it was perfect. I found myself trying to come up with a name to give the color of his hair, when he looked down at me and gave a sideways smirk.

"Good to know," I said shyly before turning and taking an enormous gulp of water.

"Are you completely overwhelmed yet?" he asked as we moved down the line.

"Mildly," I replied.

He quirked his eyebrow at me.

"Okay, completely." I chuckled.

"You'll fall into step. This is a great school."

"Yeah," I said lamely.

"So, you going to back to school night at Sleepy Hollow tonight?" he asked.

The events committee of the school had set up a night at a local sports park to welcome new and returning students before classes started the next day. Free pizza, beer for the of-age, batting cages, rock climbing, volleyball, go-karts…I knew not a single soul but was still looking forward to it.

"I think so, yeah. Hoping my roommate Alice will come; she's the only one I know."

"Cool – maybe I'll see you there…?" he left off, obviously fishing for my name.

"Isabella…Bella."

"Well Isabella…Bella. See you around." He smiled as he walked away. I stood there, just then noticing how fast and hard my heart was beating.

I did, in fact, see Edward that night. And we'd been inseparable since, despite my credo that I was not going to date until I was done with my degree. Our relationship was a whirlwind of love, passion, romance. We were married just over a year after that fateful day; everything I had ever dreamed of was coming true, albeit a few years earlier than I had planned.

Every up and down we faced – difficult classes, graduations, wild nights at the bar and the resulting day after, new jobs, buying a house, job layoffs – we faced it all together, coming out stronger and more passionate about each other than we had before.

But nothing could have prepared us for the news we had received.

Consciousness slowly came back to me as I heard the music of our first dance as a married couple fade away, replaced by the sniffles and sobs of my heartbroken husband. I could feel the bed vibrating with his pain and sorrow. I wanted nothing more than to wrap my arms around him and kiss away all his troubles. Unfortunately, I was his troubles.

I willed my eyes to open and lifted my left hand to the bronze hair I adored so much. His red, swollen eyes lifted immediately, the mask of confidence quickly put back in place.

"Hey, sweet girl," he said, the false smile evident in his voice.

I had just worked up the energy and oxygen to speak when Dr. Ganske came in.

"Bella, good, you're awake."

I turned my head towards Dr. Ganske, using my energy instead to respond to her.

"What's up, Doc lady? I don't usually…"

Deep breath.

"…get the honor of your presence…"

Wheeze.

"…in the afternoons." I gave her the best smile my muscles would allow, which I'm sure appeared as more of a grimace.

"We just got word that you've been accepted into the cancer treatment trial."

A/N - This isn't my first go at writing, however it is the first I'm hoping to pull through until the end - for very personal reasons which will be revealed in time. Please let me know what you think, it will give me the will to keep going.