DISCLAIMER: I do not own Twilight, New Moon, or Eclipse. They are the property of Stephenie Meyer.

Charlie wasn't taking the news of Edward and me getting married very well. His face was so purple I thought he was going to pass out from not breathing. But after a few minutes of sitting in silence he realized what we just told him.

"Are you insane? You both just graduated high school! Now you're planning to get married??"

After Charlie said that he lost all color in his face and he sat down very quickly, well he really didn't voluntarily sit, he just fell into the chair. After he started breathing slowly again he just started to gaze from Edward to me. I started to think of Harry Clearwater. Charlie isn't much older than he was when he died, what if he's having a heart attack.

The tension in the room was getting worse. Edward was stiffening next to me, as if he was getting uncomfortable, and Charlie seemed to be getting very upset. I just stared at him with confusion written all over my face. Than it hit me.

"Dad how could you think that! Edward and I have not… well; you know… how could you even think that!" I started to get upset; I've told him this before. How could he not believe me when I told him? Charlie seemed to relax a little bit and the tension in the air seemed to loosen a little bit. At least he was believing me now.

"Sorry Bells, I just thought… I don't know... The news hit me so hard, and it just sort of crept into my head."

"Dad, we're getting married because we love each other."

"How do you know you and Edward are supposed to be with each other for the rest of you life? You're so young…"

"I know what it feels like when Edward isn't with me, and I know I never want that to happen again. Yes we are young, and very lucky. Some people don't find love until late in their lives, giving them a limited time with one another. We found each other so early, and now we have so much time with each other." If only Charlie knew how much time I was talking about.

"How do you know he's not going to leave you again?" I just stared at him, Edward was sitting right next to me, and he wasn't invisible. Charlie was acting as if this was a private conversation between him and me. But it wasn't, Edward was less than two feet away from me. I was holding his hand.

"Dad, that's not fair. Edward left because he thought it would be better for me. He thought I would move on, like he wasn't a big part of my life…" That's when Edward cut in. He started talking in his perfectly smooth voice to Charlie, to try and help him understand.

"Charlie, I know what you think, I left Bella and that just proves I am irresponsible and selfish, I know you think I will not be able to take care of her. But your wrong sir. When I was saying goodbye to Bella that day, I thought it was going to be impossible for me to survive. But than after being away from Bella for so many months, I realized saying goodbye to her was only the beginning of the pain."

Edward turned away from Charlie to look into my eyes. Than after a minute he turned back and started to talk to Charlie again. "Every day seemed like a struggle to get through. My family started to worry about me. I didn't have the will to do anything or be around anybody. All I could think about was Bella, every second I was with her started to replay in my head. I couldn't survive without her. But by the time I realize that I had to come back and beg her to give me another chance, Rosalie called me and told me Bella was dead." Edward twitched when he said it and his eyes turned black for a second. I started to draw circles on the back of Edward's hand, trying to make him relax. "You can only imagine the pain I felt when that news hit me. But when I saw Bella, alive and well, I realized she was it. She was the one that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. I agree with you sir, we are young to be getting married. But we both know this is what we want. We want to love each other for the rest of our lives, grow old together, and live happily… together. We don't want to wait to do that." When Edward said that I tried to picture us growing old together. I tried to imagine us sitting on a porch with blankets on our laps, rocking back and forth holding hands. But I couldn't, what I did picture was the two of us, just how we are. Not a year older talking and joking around with one another.

I looked at Charlie and realized I was daydreaming at the wrong time. I couldn't tell what the look on Charlie's face was. But before I had time to think about it he looked out the window and started to talk.

"I guess I should have thought of what you went through when you left Edward. It's just… when you left, Bella was broken so badly, I never thought I would have to see my daughter dead inside. But that's what happened. She had no desire to do anything, she went to school, worked, cooked, and cleaned. But that was it. She was doing it for me. I could see that and it hurt." Edward closed his eyes and his jaw tightened so much I thought it would break, good thing he was unbreakable. I didn't have to guess to know what pictures were flashing through Charlie's mind. "If you acted like half of what Bella…"

Charlie must have stopped thinking about the times when Edward left because Edward was relaxed a little bit now. He was the one soothing circles on the back of my hand now. What was Charlie thinking, should I say something next? If only I could ask Edward, he knew exactly what Charlie was thinking.

Than, Charlie got up and walked to the kitchen. I just looked at Edward confused, why was he just walking away? Edward stood up, holding his hand out so that I would stand and follow behind him. But before we went into the kitchen he whispered in my ear, "Everything will be fine."

And it was fine. Charlie didn't approve of the fact that we wanted to marry so early, and when he found out it was only six weeks until the wedding he freaked again. But after everything was said and done Charlie gave us his approval, or at least as much of it as he could.

After we told Charlie we had to tell Renee. I wasn't sure how she was going to take it, I knew she saw how deep Edward's and my relationship was, she told me when I was in Florida. But how would she feel about me being engaged?

"Hello?"

"Mom, its Bella. Edward's on the other line, how are you?"

"Oh Bella! And I even get Edward on the other line. It's so good to hear from you two, how is everything? Anything new and exciting happening since you've been high school graduates?" Edward sat next to me, he looked more relaxed now than he did when we were telling Charlie, did he already know this was going to go well?

"Hello Renee. We are doing very well thank you for asking. And life is a lot different now that we are out of school. How is everything out in Florida?" His voice was smooth without going off pitch.

"The weather is absolutely wonderful lately; the sun has never been brighter." We caught up on everything that has happened since the last time we talked. Phil's baseball season was going smoothly. Mom went to as many games as she could stand.

"Oh Bella, Edward it was so good to hear from you. We have to talk more than we do." Edward saw the panic in my eyes and started to draw circles on my hands.

"Actually Mom there was a reason we called."

"Oh I'm sorry to keep rambling on about my boring ol' life, what's up?"

"Well…" There was no easy way to tell her. I just had to come out with it. After Charlie's explosion I should be able to handle anything. "Mom, Edward asked me to marry him… and I said yes." The words came out so fast I'm not sure if she heard me.

"Well… I shouldn't be surprised… the way you two were when you came to visit. I knew it would only be a matter of time." Even though these words were coming out of her mouth I was sure that's not the only thing she was feeling. "Are you sure you're both ready for marriage though? It's a big step, and you've just finished high school. Can't you wait until there are no questions about it?" There it was, the doubt I knew she would have, at least she kept a level voice, unlike Charlie.

"Yes Mom we're sure. We know this is what we want. We don't want to wait."

"Bella, Edward all I ask is that you think about this. Really think and be sure this is what you want."

"Renee, I would not have asked Bella to marry me without thinking this through. I cannot live without her in my life; I know that for a fact." I was so thankful that Edward was with me. I couldn't imagine what life would be like without him. If I never went to Italy and stopped Edward. I shivered from the image of purple smoke filling the air, knowing that could have been Edward.

"Mom, we're sure about this. I have thought it though and I would rather marry Edward young than not have him at all."

"Well if you two are both positive about this I can't do anything to stop you. But if you change your mind no one will be mad either."

"Thanks Mom, for the advice and taking it so well."

"Yes, I thank you as well." Why did Edward know exactly what to say in every situation?

After we hung up with Renee it was already almost ten. I didn't want Charlie to get upset about anything else tonight, and I surely didn't want to get into another fight. So I said goodbye to Edward. I knew I wouldn't be away from him for too long, but it was just so hard to be so close to him but so far away.

"I'll be waiting upstairs for you." Edward whispered into my ear. I shivered as his cool sweet breath swept across my face. I just shock my head; I didn't trust my voice just yet.

After Edward left I decided to straighten up the kitchen. After the dishes were washed and put away I went into the living room to say goodnight to Charlie.

"Dad, I'm headed to bed. Have fun fishing tomorrow morning. See you after." He just nodded his head, without looking away from the television. Was he really that focused in the game or was he really trying to avoid me?

Instead of finding out I headed up to my room, I could ask Edward what Charlie was thinking, he would tell me.

When I opened my door there he was, looking like as much of a God as ever. "I can get used to this you know, always opening the door to find you behind it." My favorite smile played across his lips.

"You being the one to always open the door would be just fine with me."

I grabbed my pajamas and bathroom supplies and went to the bathroom to change and brush my teeth. When I got back into my room I snuggled into my bed with Edward's arms wrapped around me.

"What is it Bella, I can tell you want to ask me something."

"I was just wondering what is going through Charlie's mind."

"Is that all? He was, and still is for that matter, thinking about when you were younger. It's quite entertaining actually, to see your childhood played out as a movie." I guess the look on my face told Edward I didn't understand why Charlie was thinking about my childhood so he started to explain. "Charlie was shocked when we told him our news." As he said this he picked up my hand and kissed the ring finger my engagement ring now resigned. "Charlie is just wishing he spent more time with you as a child. He wishes he had more time with you as his little girl instead of his grown daughter."

After Edward explained that I felt slow for not understanding that before. "Bella that's how life works, when children are born the parent knows the child will just grow from that moment on. Charlie always knew this would happen, it's just sooner than he imagined."

I couldn't say anything that would make any sense. Edward didn't mind he just started to sing hum my lullaby and I started to drift into unconsciousness.