I wrote a Charlie/Bella thing and reaaalllyyyy liked it so now I'm doing some Edward/Charlie and Edward/Nessie with a hint of Jacob/Edward Father/son bonding in there.
I scrutinized as Ness floated gracefully across the long, glossy dance floor, envious of the man that held her in his arms. Jacob was lucky. He got to have my daughter forever… They shared a bond stronger than I though was possible for them. They were tied to each other in every way thought possible, now. They were each other's, endlessly. I watched him whisper into her ear, listened to her soft giggles. He made her happy.
She smoothed down her long white gown, twisting at her new ring, before his large hand grabbed them and spun her around to stop her nervous fidgeting. Her smile beamed, a twin to his, as she watched him. Though many attended the wedding, they only had eyes for each other. They were the only two that were actually here. Many human friends were gathered around mingling, drinking, having a good time. The Wolves stayed in an exclusive group in the corner, trying not to cross paths with the Denali's, who were putting in an equal amount of effort to stay away from them. My family was spread around, trying to keep all of the guests happy, and my wife had gone to find something to clean up a mess one of the guests had made in the dining room. Some couples circled the dance floor around my daughter and her groom, but none of them stayed for very long, which left me, standing alone in the corning watching them.
I thought back to my own wedding, not that long ago... Maybe seven years or so ago. I thought of how Bella and I danced like that, as if we were the only two left in existence. She looked so much like her mother sometimes. I remembered the way Bella's cheeks would flush red when I kissed her cheek during our never-ending dance, as Renesmee's cheeks were blushing now. I remembered everything so clearly from that night, as if it had happened a matter of seconds ago. I remembered our honeymoon, and the shocking realization when I learned my bride was pregnant. So help he lord, if Jacob, bless his soul, got my little girl pregnant after a night of being we, I'd kill him.
It was as he glided across the floor, brushing his foot against hers, that I remembered what had happened when I did that move at my own wedding reception. It was about the time that Charlie cut in, begging for one last dance with his daughter.
"It's a godforsaken right, son," He had said, "for a man to dance with his daughter on her wedding night. I've already given her up to you, can't you let me have just one dance?" So I gave the man his wish and stepped aside, watching them as I my daughter now.
Charlie had kissed Bella's hand, murmuring things to her every once and a while. He would make her blush and danced awkwardly with her. I knew she had to have gotten her clumsiness from somewhere, and I realized where when I saw that they both had two left feet. I'd chuckled, heart warmed by their maladroit exchange of love. I'd seen how He kissed her cheek at the end of the song, tears trying not to leak from his eyes.
"I love you, Bells." He'd said.
"Love you too, dad." She had whispered, pressing her hand to his cheek, wiping off a fallen tear.
He'd spotted me looking on from the shadows and joined in.
"Take care of her, okay? She's my little girl and I want what's best for her, you hear?"
I nodded politely, telling him I'd carry her to the end of the earth and back. I promised to keep her safe.
"Good… now go on and join her, I think she's looking for you." He smiled, pointing to my beautiful wife, who was searching the crowds.
"Oh, and Edward?" He added as I started to walk away.
"Yes, sir?"
"Thank you for the dance. And if you ever have a daughter of your own, never waste any time with her. Soon she'll be getting married, and leaving you behind. Make the most of it, Edward. Never let those memories go."
AS I remembered Charlie's words, I realized how he'd felt that night of our wedding. I knew. Now, I wished I'd remembered his advice a little while ago, and fulfilled it. There was so many more times I could've spent with my daughter… times I'll never get back. I realized my feet were carrying me towards them when I tapped Jacob on the shoulder.
"May I cut in?" I asked.
Jacob hesitated so I added in wise words a man once said to me.
"It's a godforsaken right, Jake, for a man to dance with his daughter on her wedding night. I've already given her up to you, can't you let me have just one dance?"
I watched him back away, and my arms replaced his around my daughter encircling her.
"What was that for, daddy?" She asked.
"I just want to spend a few more moments with my little girl," I murmured, "What's so wrong about that?"
She smiled, giggling a bit, and I saw the magic of her blush take action as Bella's had undoubtedly taken on Charlie. I followed his lead, kissing her hands, her cheeks, her forehead.I swayed elegantly with her to the music "Cinderella" by Steven Curtis Chapman.
She spins and she sways to whatever song plays
Without a care in the world
I sighed, singing the song under my breath. It was the perfect description of what was going on right now.
And I'm sitting here wearing
The weight of the world on my shoulders
It's been a long day and there's still work to do
She's pulling at me saying, "Dad, I need you
There's a ball at the castle and I've been invited
And I need to practice my dancing, oh please, daddy, please
Ness would always be my princess, and the way she learned to say please after everything from her mother, she was a spoiled, manipulative one, but I loved her for that.
So I will dance with Cinderella while she is here in my arms
'Cause I know something the prince never knew
Oh, I will dance with Cinderella, I don't want to miss even one song
'Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight and she'll be gone
And soon, my daughter would be ripped away from me, whisked off by her new favorite man. I was always the man she turned to, the one who wiped away her tears and sung softly to her when she was ill or had nightmares. I wasn't that man anymore. Jacob was.
She says he's a nice guy and I'd be impressed
She wants to know if I approve of the dress
She says, "Dad the prom is just one week away
And I need to practice my dancing, oh please, daddy, please"
I kissed her cheek, just to prove to myself that she was still here with me.
So I will dance with Cinderella while she is here in my arms
'Cause I know something the prince never knew
Oh, I will dance with Cinderella, I don't want to miss even one song
'Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight and she'll be gone
She will be gone
I knew this song was almost over…. And then she would be gone. I wanted her to stay forever. I wanted this song to be endless.
But she came home today with a ring on her hand
Just glowing and telling us all they had planned
She says, "Dad, the wedding's still six months away
And I need to practice my dancing, oh please, daddy, please"
I thought back to when Ness had told me about the wedding. I wasn't angry, but I was grieving. I knew what was coming. I knew she would leave. I knew she would move out after the honeymoon, and have kids of her own, slowly starting to fade me from her memory. Yes, I knew it was coming, but that didn't make it any easier. It didn't make it hurt any less.
So I will dance with Cinderella while she is here in my arms
'Cause I know something the prince never knew
Oh, I will dance with Cinderella, I don't want to miss even one song
'Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight and she'll be gone.
The last few notes played from the stereos, and I clutched to my daughter. The song couldn't be over… our dance couldn't end yet! I had to keep her here; I had to convince her to stay with me… to dance in my arms forever. If I told her to just stay one more song, if I asked for another after that—
No.
It was time. I had to let go. I unwound my arms from around her waist, kissed her on her cheek, and gave her a sad smile. She was going to have a wonderful life with Jacob, the lucky bastard.
"I love you." I murmured in her ear.
"I love you too daddy," Her voice broke, a small tear escaping one of her eyes. I brushed it away, smirked a weak little grin, and kissed her forehead, taking in the last few moments before she'd leave me. I was no longer the most important man in her life.
Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Jacob lurking in the corner, watching our exchange, just as I had, so long ago. History was repeating itself, and I was privileged to carry through with the tradition. I backed away almost uneasily from my daughters embrace, whispering a last goodbye, before sauntering over to my new son-in-law.
"You found me," He chuckled.
"Yeah, I guess I did." I smiled, not looking at him, but my daughter who was now going through the crowds, mingling with her friends who were- by the looks of it- gushing over her dress.
"Jake, you take care of her, you hear? She's my little girl, you know." I repeated Charlie's words to me in my own way of saying things. I wasn't really going to call him 'son' as Charlie had, but I did want to get the same message across.
"Of course, man." He grinned, smiling at her.
"Good. Now, run along… she'll want you with her." I smiled back, pulling my eyes away from her to look at him.
He started to leave when I remembered the rest of Charlie's advice.
"Jake?"
"Yeah?" He spun round to look at me.
"Thank you for letting me dance with her tonight. It means a lot . And if you ever have a daughter of your own, never waste any time with her. Soon she'll be getting married, and leaving you behind. Make the most of it, Jacob. Never let those memories go."
He smiled, nodded, and winked before scurrying off to find his Nessie. My Nessie. My little girl.
"Wise words, Edward." I heard a voice murmur from behind me.
Sighing I said, "Well, I got that advice a long time ago from a very wise man. I didn't take it seriously until it was too late and I realized how true it was." I turned around to embrace my wife.
"Would that wise man happen to be my baseball- watching, beer-drinking, man of little words, father?" She asked.
"It would," I smiled, kissing her temple.
"So was that where you disappeared to on our wedding night? To talk to my dad?" She giggled.
"mmm-hmm." I mumbled against her hair, closing my eyes.
She hugged me sideways, pulling my face from her head to look up at me.
"She's happy with him, Edward. She's safe, happy and protected when she's with him. He's a good man... My best friend. He's good for her."
"I know," I sighed, looking down at her. "I know, and I'm glad she's with a man like that, but I just wish I could always be her go-to guy. I wish I could always be the person she went to, the ma she loved the most."
"She does. She always will… just in a different way," Bella promised, "Besides, now you know how Charlie felt. He lost me to you, and I'm the happiest I've ever been. I want her to feel the same kind of happiness we do, even if it ,means giving her up."
I gave her my signature smirk that was always reserved for her.
"And that is why I married you… Do you have the slightest idea how amazing you are, my dear?"
She stood on her tiptoes to peck me on the lips.
"How about you remind me?" She winked, and I pulled her into a deep, passionate kiss.
;)
So this was fluffy and adorable… a little bit of Edward and bella, Edward and Nessie, Edward and Jacob bonding, and Edward Charlie bonding too! Mmm Fluffy goodness ;)