Disclaimer: I am not the wonderful Stephenie Meyer, and unfortunately I hold no claim over Edward or any of the Twilight Saga characters, or the storylines themselves, unless there is something you read that wasn't in the series.

A/N: Sorry to those of you who were reading Eternally Twilit. I know I never finished, but Breaking Dawn came out, and then it was so hard to distinguish my own thoughts from what was actually written in the book. Besides, no one can do it like Stephenie can. I Absolutely LOVED Breaking Dawn. It was just pure genius. So I hope you all enjoy this story, and I promise I will finish this one!!

Lots of love,

Alicia

As Bella and I sat on the couch in Charlie's living room, I could see how tense she truly was. She was completely terrified to tell Charlie about our engagement, but I tried not to let that hurt me.

I knew that she just didn't like being the center of attention, and I think she was afraid of how Charlie would feel about her being engaged so young. She kept fidgeting her left hand, as if trying to hide it from Charlie's immediate line of sight, but I held it steadfast.

I heard the cruiser pull in the driveway, and Bella's breath became slightly hitched. I could almost laugh at how nervous she was.

Charlie's thoughts didn't show that he knew something was up, so he would be a bit surprised.

"Stop fidgeting, Bella. Please try to remember that you're not confessing to a murder here", I said trying hard not to laugh at her.

"Easy for you to say", she shot back, getting more nervous by the second.

Charlie had finally reached the door and the key was twisting in the already unlocked door. Hmmm, wonder what Edwards doing here so early. He doesn't usually show up until a little later… How long have they been alone together? They better be watching a movie…

"Calm down, Bella", I whispered gently to her as I heard her poor heart accelerating yet again.

The door slammed open against the wall as Charlie entered, causing Bella to jump. She was so nervous.

"Hey Charlie", I called, totally relaxed and at ease.

"No!", Bella protested just loud enough for my vampire ears to hear.

"What?" I whispered, curious as to why she was afraid of me simply saying hello to Charlie.

She looked horrified. "Wait until he hangs his gun up!".

I had to work extremely hard to keep from laughing at her, as I ran a hand through my hair. As if a bullet would actually matter. Ha!

Although if Charlie attempted to shoot me, and there was no bullet hole, it would be rather difficult to explain.

Why are those two so quiet all the sudden?? Charlie's thoughts came creeping around the corner just before he did.

Charlie came around the corner still in his uniform, with his gun still strapped securely in place. Well, well. Don't they look like deer in the headlights. Edward always tries to act so innocent. I see Bella's point, he is mature for his age, but boys are boys. All after one thing…

I had to work hard to keep my smile in place. Why was everyone in this day and age so worried about having sex? Was that honestly all people thought I wanted from Bella?

"Hey, kids. What's up?", he asked eyeing me suspiciously.

Bella seemed as if words were beyond her at this point, so I was the one to respond.

"We'd like to talk to you", I said in the most serene voice I had. "We have some good news".

I had to try very hard to keep my face looking straight and innocent. Charlie's expression had changed from being almost friendly to strong suspicion in about a millisecond, and now he was eyeing me somewhat menacingly. Oh my god, Isabella Marie Swan, if you are pregnant, I swear I will kill him this second.

If only he knew how much I wished that could be true. Yet again I felt a small pang of guilt for the human experiences I would soon be robbing Bella of. She swore that she wasn't missing anything, but I had a feeling that these treasures weren't ones she'd miss until they were no longer available.

"Good news?" Charlie nearly growled, looking straight at Bella.

"Have a seat dad", Bella said. As if she thought sitting down would make it easier on him.

Charlie raised an eyebrow suspiciously at Bella, then stomped to his recliner, shooting me a dark look that I'm sure Bella missed. Then he flopped down in his chair and sat with his back perfectly straight, like he was ready to spring at me at any second. What is she so nervous to tell me? People don't get this nervous over GOOD news. She must be pregnant… what else could it be? I'll shoot him if she's pregnant, I swear I will. Charlie's hand twitched momentarily towards his gun, again to quick for Bella to see. In fact, it was so quick, I'm not sure Charlie even realized he did it.

"Don't get worked up, Dad", Bella told him after a moment of loaded silence from Charlie. "Everything's okay".

At least for her it was silent.

Every time Charlie thought she was pregnant, I felt another small twinge of guilt. I wished more than anyone else, other than my family maybe, could ever understand that it could even be a possibility.

In one of the corners of my mind, I grimaced slightly when she used the word okay. I would have described the situation as wonderful, perfect, glorious, the happiest moments of my existence, the first dawn of my vampiric existence, etc.

But for Bella it was just okay. ButI could handle that, because I knew that she loved me, and she was just afraid of having attention.

Charlie seemed to be getting more suspicious by the second. "Sure it is, Bella, sure it is. If everything is so great, then why are you sweating bullets?" I already know I'm right, Bella so just spit it out, your pregnant…

"I'm not sweating", she lied.

My sweet Bella. She was such a horrible liar, I don't know why she even bothered. Even Charlie wasn't buying it this time. He was absolutely scowling at her.

Bella leaned away from it, and in towards me. Then, almost as if it were instinctive, she wiped her hand across her forehead to wipe away the evidence. As if Charlie wouldn't notice!

Finally he exploded.

"You're pregnant!", he shouted. "You're pregnant, aren't you?"

Even though Bella was clearly the one the accusation was shouted at, Charlie was glaring furiously at me. As soon as she admits it, I'll kill you, I swear I will, he thought viciously. This time his hand twitched noticeably towards his gun, and I know that Bella saw it because she inhaled sharply.

"No! Of course I'm not!", Bella shouted. I knew she was somewhat angry at me now, because she had told me this was the conclusion everyone in town would jump to when the heard of our engagement. I almost found it hysterical that in this day and age, a man and a woman couldn't just be married for love. People always assumed that there was some kind of ulterior motive.

When Bella had said she could not think of any other seemingly logical reason, for outsiders, as to why we were getting married, I said "Love". She had rolled her eyes at me.

Charlie had stopped in his tracks at the thought of murdering me when Bella said this. What a relief! But then why all the charades? His glower seemed to lighten slightly, as he processed the fact that his eighteen year old daughter was not pregnant.

"Oh. Sorry", he said a little sheepishly.

"Apology accepted."

There was a long pause, and I was hoping that Bella would realize that both Charlie and I were waiting for her to speak. His mind was reeling a mile a minute, and then he just thought, Spit it out already kid!

Bella seemed to realize that we were all waiting for her to speak, and she look at me, completely panic-stricken. For a girl who was excited to become a vampire, it was hysterical that she was so terrified of simply telling her parents that we were engaged. She mystified me more and more everyday. What I wouldn't give to hear her thoughts at this moment.

I smiled slightly at her and then squared my shoulders and turned to face Charlie.

"Charlie, I realize that I've gone about this out of order. Traditionally, I should have asked you first", Asked me what??, "I mean no disrespect, but since Bella has already said yes and I don't want to diminish her choice in the matter, instead I ask you for your blessing. We're getting married, Charlie." You're doing WHAT? "I love her more than anything in the world, more than my own life, andby some miracleshe loves me that way, too. Will you give us your blessing?"

It had been very difficult to sound as sincere as I truly was, when I had to hear his thoughts of discouragement. As soon as I finished speaking his hand zeroed in on the engagement ring, that was once my mothers, glittering beautifully on Bella's left hand.

I heard Bella suddenly stop breathing, when she seen the change of color in Charlie's face. Bella started to get up off the couch, but I held her in place. There was nothing she could do to help, but to just give him a moment to let in sink in.

"Give him a minute", I mumbled only loud enough for her to hear, as Charlie continued contemplating.

Getting married… Why would they want to do this at such a young age? I mean I know Bella loves him, she was such a mess when he left beforeI cringed at his thoughts of Bella broken and hollow when I made my biggest mistake everbut why all the sudden rush? Then again, they do spend every possible moment together. Maybe they really are as in love as it seems.

"Guess I'm not that surprised," Charlie grumbled at us. "Knew I'd have to deal with something like this soon enough."

Then Charlie looked at Bella, a glare on his face. "You sure about this?", he demanded.

"I'm one hundred percent sure about Edward", she said, sounding as if every single word was true. It felt as if my non-existent heart swelled to be a million times larger when she said this. I loved this girl with every fiber of my being.

"Getting married, though? What's the rush?", Charlie asked, staring at Bella suspiciously. Maybe she really is pregnant.

I knew that the rush was due to me partially, as I was the one who demanded that Bella married me before I made her immortal. But most of the rush was Bella. She was terrified of the fact that she got older every day and I didn't. It was almost as if she thought she wouldn't be as beautiful to me if she was aging. How absurd! As if I could ever want anything but her! No matter how she looked.

I gave Bella a few minutes, but then I realized she wouldn't be able to find a good enough reason that she could explain to Charlie.

"We're going away to Dartmouth together in the fall, Charlie. I'd like to do that, well, the right way. It's how I was raised", I said without even the hint of a lie. In my time, that's the way things had been. In my time, it made sense for Bella and I to be married so young, no questions asked.

Well how am I supposed to argue that?, Charlie thought with his mouth twisted to the side. Am I supposed to say "Oh, id rather you not follow the proper formalities, but just this once"? There was no plausible argument I could find. Edward was almost annoyingly perfect.

I had to stifle a laugh at Charlie's last thought.

"Knew this was coming", he muttered to himself. He finally thought of a perfect way to make it difficult for me and Bella to get married. I nearly laughed again at his thoughts.

"Ha!", he exploded, smiling at Bella, causing her to jump.

Bella looked so confused as Charlie doubled over with laughter. She looked to me for an answer. My lips were pressed in a firm line to bite back the laughter.

"Okay, fine," Charlie managed to choke out between laughs. "Get married", he said as he was taken over with laughter once more. "But.."

"But what?" Bella demanded of Charlie, becoming truly irritated at the joke she seemed to be missing out on.

"But you have to tell your mom! I'm not saying one word to Renée! That's all yours!", he rumbled with laughter again, as Bella's jaw dropped.


"So Charlie is really fine with the wedding?", Emmett prodded.

"Well he is fine with being the one to say it didn't matter. He's planning on Renée being the one to put her foot down and say no", I answered.

A huge grin spread across Emmett's face as he turned to Jasper, with his hand outstretched and said "Pay up".

"I can't believe that you two were betting on whether or not Charlie would oppose to me marrying Bella…. But then again, you have been know to bet on just about everything". I couldn't help but smile in spite of myself. My brothers loved to bet on everything.

"Jasper, being married to someone who sees the future, it surprises me that you loose so much", I teased him.

He crouched down into his fighting stance, knowing that I had just challenged him to a wrestling match. A feral, yet playful growl slipped out from between his teeth, and at the same time Esme came flying out the front door.

"Absolutely NOT! I just finished trimming and hedging all of the rose bushes with Alice, and there is to be no wrestling in this front yard, Edward Anthony Masen Cullen." She had the most frightening motherly look on her face.

Emmett snickered at the fact that she had used my whole name, and muttered something along the lines of, "Oooh, Face!", Ha-ha mom totally called you out.

"Sorry mom", I grumbled as Jasper and I straightened out of our defensive positions.

Just as Esme turned to walk in the house, I quickly punched Emmett in the jaw, snickering quietly as I did so.

Unfortunately it wasn't fast enough for Esme to miss.

"EDWARD! What did I say?!", she growled at me. "If you mess up these flowers, I'm letting Alice loose on you!".

This comment may seem funny to most, but when you actually knew what a monstrous little pixie like Alice could do, being on her blacklist was the last place you wanted to be.

After Esme's threat, we all followed her into the house and sat around in the living room. The rest of the family was there. Emmett took a seat with Rose, Jasper with Alice, and Esme curled up next to Carlisle, as he poured over a huge medical book. No doubt doing research for work.

I wandered over to the piano bench, sat down and began playing quietly to myself. As I was playing, I felt a sudden sense of peace that I knew did not belong to me, come washing over me.

Edward, you're thoughts are so depressed… What's wrong?, Jasper's thoughts came creeping into my mind.

"I just look around and see you all together, and it makes it even harder to be away from her", I said out loud, startling everyone. I had forgotten that Jasper hadn't actually said anything aloud so it probably sounded as if I were talking to myself. I was absent-mindedly strumming my fingers across the piano keys, playing her lullaby.

"When will she be back, sweetie?", Esme said, as she came and sat next to me on the piano bench.

"She's coming home tomorrow. Then Alice is kidnapping her for her final dress fitting, and I will only see her for a few hours tomorrow night, because some people are forcing me to go to a Bachelor Party". I spat out the last words as if they were disgusting things, and Emmett and Jasper both chuckled.

"Well in a few days, you two will hardly ever be away from each other again. I know it seems impossible to be apart now, but you can't be together every second for the rest of eternity. I think your just so nervous now, because she's still so breakable", Esme said trying to soothe me.

"And don't even try to get out of your party, because you are going no matter what", Emmett said. Not like you two will be doing anything interesting tomorrow night anyway.

I growled slightly.

Awww… What's wrong Eddie? Can't handle a little teasing from big ol' Emmett? Did I upset you Eddie? Poor baby.

This time it was a full out growl and I was on top of Emmett in a fraction of a second. Rosalie screamed as I whizzed past her, and nearly took her down with us. I could feel Jasper sending waves of calm my way, but I was so mad, they helped little. Esme came over and pulled me off of Emmett. She was only successful because I knew it hurt her to see us fight like that, and hurting someone like Esme should certainly be a crime. I was in my room on my leather couch and I heard Esme come in right behind me.

"I'm sorry mom, I just lost it. I know he likes to rattle my cage, but he' just so obscene sometimes. And I'm already frustrated. When we told Charlie that we had good news, he automatically assumed that Bella was pregnant". My face fell into a frown. "No one understands how much I wish that it were true. I feel so guilty all the time for taking that from her. I'm such a monster. But I can't live without her. Without her I'm completely hollow, just an empty shell…".

"Edward, you have to stop. Bella knows all these things. When you truly love someone, the way you two love each other, the things you give up to be with each other are nothing compared to the reward of just being together. If it weren't what Bella wanted, she wouldn't be so happy around you. She glows every time she's with you. Even Jasper said he has never felt feelings as strong as the ones you two share. When she says it's worth it, he said she means it. He feels no hesitation from her. She feels like she isn't worthy of you. You are both so silly, you were meant to be together, so let it be. Stop second guessing things."

With that she kissed my forehead and headed out the door.