AN ALTERNATE ENGAGEMENT

"WHAT?!"

Charlie's face was becoming as red as a tomato. A tomato being pressed and pressed to the verge of explosion. I wanted to turn and run then and there, but strangely enough I stood my ground. "I'm getting married, Dad. To Edward. He asked, and I said yes." I was surprised at my tone of voice. I sounded so confident, and to me, so amusing. I was summoning all of the thoughts and feelings I had summoned only a little over a year before when I had to hurt Charlie to save him from James, a thirsty vampire who almost had his way.

Charlie stared at me with rage, which made me glad I was his one and only daughter, because his gun sat on the coffee table, just one foot in front of me. Yet I stood there, feet planted firmly, hands clasped at my waist, feeling the ring that glistened on my finger. Charlie put his hand over his face, taking deep breathes. He kept opening his mouth to say something, but would then close it, sighing. I looked away from him and out the window, looking into the woods that weren't even past my backyard. As the silence between me and Charlie deepened, I allowed my mind to wander off into the forest. That thick, lush place, greener than the Emerald City. The town of Forks, Washington was small and boring, but the woods were very enchanting if you knew what lurked within them.

Finally, my wandering was interrupted by Charlie. He didn't seem to say anything, but his loud grunts as he tried to find the right words to let me know to whom this conversation was heading. I began making false answers in my head, as the grunts slowly turned to words. "W-why isn't Edward here?" Charlie asked, pointing to the floor angrily, "If he wants to marry you he should show himself to me." He looked like a farmer in the Wild West, and Edward was a cowhand trying to steal me away. I shifted my weight to the left leg, I did not think this would be the question Charlie would ask. I could think of a million other questions he could possibly ask, but not this. "He's…" I began, "Camping with his father and brothers." I liked the sound of this, although my eyes shifted slightly to the ceiling, where Edward was more than likely sitting on my bed in the room above.

"He wanted to ask for your blessing, instead of me, but I wanted to tell you alone. It was hard to get him to go. Edward can be very stubborn." That part was true. Edward DID want to tell Charlie with me. Nay, he DEMANDED to tell Charlie with me, but I wanted to tell him myself, and alone. After all, it may be the last time him and I would be alone together like we used to be. Before I made a choice.

"Yeah, the boy can be stubborn," Charlie admitted reluctantly, "He keeps you in line whenever you catch a whim."

My eyes went down the ceiling back to Charlie, who sat bent over with his elbows on his knees, staring at the floor. I began to feel he was starting to accept my engagement, but I couldn't be too sure. "So…" I began, "Do we have your blessing?"

Charlie stood up so suddenly that I found myself jump. He began pacing quickly. So quickly that the floor began to shake slightly. "I…" he said, getting flustered, "I…I just don't know that I can let you do this, I just-"

"LET me do this?" I began to get angry, "Dad, I'm not asking for your permission. It wouldn't matter if you said yes or no, I would still have the wedding. But I would hate to get married without your approval." His face was still red as his brow furrowed, but before he could say anything, I went clumsily over to him and took his hand. "Dad, it's your blessing I want. I want to know that you approve of me and Edward together."

Charlie closed his eyes, and shook his head slightly. Probably at the though of me and Edward at an altar, despite Charlie's foul wishes on our relationship from the beginning.

"I'm sorry, Bells," he said, "I…I just don't like the idea."

I dropped his hand. My face was not angry, but I could feel it rearrange into a lethal expression. "I'm sorry you feel that way," I said, almost a whisper, "And I'm sorry you don't like Edward…but I'm sure if it was JACOB, the son of your dreams, then you wouldn't feel this way!"

I pictured Jacob, his copper skin in the light. His warm body holding me, trying to get me to change my mind. Charlie was happy about my little fence ride between Edward and Jacob, rooting for the latter the whole time. It hurt me to say Jacob's name with so much hate. Charlie shuddered at my anger.

"But it's happening, Edward and I," I resumed after the long pause, "And it is not only me you will be missing out on, but you will also miss out on seeing your grandchild!" I didn't see his expression, but I knew it took. I turned quickly and ran up the stairs. I knew there would be no grandchild, but Charlie didn't. I was just surprised I had to play that card.

I ran into my room, dark except for the moonlight streaming across the floor. I jumped onto my bed as cold, strong hands wrapped around me almost immediately. Tears streamed down my face, and I covered my eyes with my palms, unable to look up at who held me. "I don't know what possessed me to think he would take it well."

"Shh," A soothing voice said above me, "Quiet. It's alright. I have a feeling your father will accept your marriage. You ARE his only daughter after all."

Looking up into Edward's eyes, glowing topaz into my plain brown, I knew he was right. But it only made me feel slightly better. His eyes were hurt at my sadness. I hat to make myself feel better. I turned over and pressed play on my little CD player. The lullaby Edward had written for me began streaming out of the speaker, and flowed around us, somehow strengthening our love. I tightened my grip on him, while he kept his the same, trying to resist crushing me to dust. I pictured the bed knob Edward had crumbled before my eyes once. The sight of the golden dust falling never seemed to frighten me, yet made me more attracted to him. The sense of danger in our love seemed only to intensify rather than hinder it. Our love, which is forbidden among vampires, only grew with each thought of the danger we were in.

I wrapped my arm around Edward's neck and pulled his lips down to mine. My heart beat rapidly at his icy touch as he came to me willingly. As the kiss ended, I brushed my lips down his chin and neck, burying my face into his chest. He felt like a stone angel, one that belonged on top of a church in Vatican City rather than on my bed. My lullaby ended, and the only noise that came from the silence was my breathing, calm and even. I turned over again and pressed play, this time hitting the repeat button. When I turned back over, my arm hit the mattress. Edward was gone. I sat up and looked around In the shadows. I could barely make out his figure, something I could only do because I had seen him hiding in shadows so many times before. His eyes were very visible, the topaz glowing out of the darkness, reminding me of the disappearing Cheshire Cat. He brought his finger to his lips, telling me to be quiet, then his eyes shut and he seemed to almost disappear. I then realized I was still crying. Forgotten tears brought from Edward's touch. Now that he wasn't holding me I remembered the drops rolling down my face. I looked over at my window where rain was beginning to gently tap at my window, a sight not uncommon in Forks.

I sat, legs crossed, hands in my lap, waiting for whatever it was Edward was hiding from.

"Bella?" Charlie asked gently, quietly knocking on my door.

"Go away," I told him, not wanting his apology.

"Please, Bells," he begged, "We need to talk."

I looked over at the shadow, where I could make out a nod. I sighed, "Come in." I leaned over and pressed pause on the CD Player, as the door opened slightly, light from the hallway flooding into the room. I squinted at the brightness as Charlie stepped in. He reached over for the light switch. "Don't turn the lights on!" I said quickly. He looked at me, confused, "My eyes will hurt…"

I looked over at the shadows, eyes wide. Charlie shrugged and shut the door behind him. He sat on the edge of the bed, where moonlight hit him, the gray at his temple shining, making him appear older. "Listen," Charlie said awkwardly, "It's not that I don't WANT you to marry Edward, It's just that-"

"Don't sugar coat it, Dad," I said, "Tell me what you really think. What you really want."

"I don't know what I want," Charlie stood up and began to pace again, "part of me wants to see you happily do this. But the other part of me, the stronger parts, remembers the hurt Edward has caused you. Seeing you stay with him would be like a knife in my heart."

I looked to Edward's shadowy hideaway, and shot him an apologetic glance.

Charlie sighed and sat down on the bed, "But he has a good head on his shoulders, and I know you two are happy together…Alright…you have my blessing."

I smiled and hugged him as tightly as I could, "Thank you, Dad! Thank you so much!"

"But," Charlie began, "If he hurts you again, I'll kick his ass." I laughed, knowing that Edward could take Charlie in one second flat. "When is the date?"

"August 13th."

"…So soon?!"

"Dad…"

"I love you, Bella."

"I love you too."

As Charlie left the room, Edward emerged from the darkness. "He is right you know," he began, "I am terrible for you." He stood in the moonlight, his pale skin like freshly fallen Christmas snow. His sad eyes glared at the window, the rain getting harder. I got off the bed, and walked over to him, "I know you are," I said, wrapping my hands around his waist, smiling "that's why I love you so much." Edward smiled, then picked me up and carried me over to my bed. As I landed on the soft mattress, he tossed the blanket over me, then laid beside me, his arm the best pillow I could ask for. I threw my arm over him, letting winter coldness sweep through me, sending shivers down my spine. I let my heartbeat run wild, Edward's favorite sound in the world. "What is Charlie thinking?" I asked. Edward was quiet for a moment, using his power to listen into my father's head. He began to laugh. "What?" I asked.

"He's glad I'm away on that camping trip."