Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or any of the Twilight series. They are the property of Stephenie Meyer and are not my intellectual property. There is no finance gain made from this nor will any be sought.

A/N 1 – In the tradition of Stephenie Meyer, I have borrowed the trope of this story to apply to our Twilight characters. Some of you may recognize it. It was a favorite story of mine and I thought it might be perfect for a Twilight spin.

Chapter 1

"Bella, you cannot ride that death trap."

"Come on, Edward. It looks fine. Please, let's ride the Matterhorn."

Edward looked skeptically at the fair ride, "There is no way I'm going to let you get on that."

I looked at him with soulful, puppy dog eyes but he wasn't budging.

"You know your over protectiveness is starting to get annoying."

He kissed my forehead and said, "You are the only reason for my existence. Do you really think I'm going to risk that on something being held together by baling wire and duct tape?"

"Is there anything here you deem safe enough to take a chance on?"

Edward eyed the Ferris wheel, shook his head and then turned his nose up at the miniature horses that moved up and down on the Merry-Go-Round. "Nope."

"You are being ridiculous."

"Considering your propensity to attract danger and mayhem, I sincerely doubt it."

While I would have liked to argue with him I couldn't deny that if it could maim or kill me, I would find it. I was a danger magnet. Edward, of course was still upset with what he called my "extreme sports debacle".

It had been almost three months since Alice had arrived at my house distraught that I had committed suicide. She almost killed me herself when she found out that it was just an attempt at cliff diving. I had been miserable after Edward had broken up with me. Months after he and his family had moved from Forks, I discovered that if I did something that could be considered dangerous, like learning how to ride a motorcycle, I would hear Edward's voice. That voice generally admonished me to stop, but it was still his voice. I knew it was a hallucination; my subconscious warning me that I was doing something dangerous. I didn't care. For the first time since Edward had left I was able to remember him clearly.

Once I made the connection between doing something that put my life at risk and hearing Edward's beautiful voice, I knew I had to try it again no matter the risk. Hence, the cliff diving. It had worked. Edward's voice had begged me to stop. I hadn't listened. I jumped but underestimated the waves and the current. I was lucky that Sam had seen me on the cliff. He had dragged me out of the water and saved my life. I had driven home a bit worse for wear after being lectured by Sam. I had pulled into my driveway cold and wet only to find a frantic and then angry Alice on my doorstep.

Luckily, Alice had been able to catch Edward's call in time that night and told him what had really happened after Rosalie had mistakenly told Edward that Alice had seen me fall to my death. Edward had been holed up in Brazil. The call made him realize that running away from me wasn't the solution and he and the rest of the family reunited and moved back to Forks.

Graduation was in a week and I knew I shouldn't have been shocked at how everything always worked out for the Cullens. Somehow transcripts arrived and Alice and Edward would graduate with the rest of their class as if they had never left. They even managed to get college applications completed. I had been accepted into University of Washington but Edward had put in an application to Dartmouth in my name without telling me. Sneaky vampire. When he finally mentioned it, I argued that I didn't see the point since Charlie couldn't afford the tuition and I didn't want four times the student loans for an Ivy League school when I wanted to pursue an English Literature degree. Edward said he would pay for it all but I didn't feel comfortable with that.

We had been working through the issues that had followed Edward back from Brazil. Edward struggled with his need to control everything to keep me safe. I still had trouble believing that Edward would not leave me again, if only 'for my own good'.

No matter how many times he assured me that wouldn't happen, a part of me didn't trust his words. I wanted to believe him but some of the scars were still too fresh. I still heard his words in my dreams. I remembered every word he said when he told me that he and his family were leaving. I remembered the feeling of rejection they engendered. Then he came back and told me that everything he said the day were all lies, but I couldn't just let them go. What he didn't understand was they made sense to me. I believed him when he said he didn't want me anymore. It made sense that he would find other distractions. Deep down, I knew there was nothing special about me that should capture and keep the interest of such an extraordinary being. Of course he could find someone else, someone better.

He didn't understand my insecurities and I didn't want to tell him how deep they went in case he realized I was right. Maybe time would help. Today, we walked around the end of year school carnival sponsored by the senior class. Alice pulled Edward's right hand and by extension mine, which was held securely in his left hand.

"Come on let's go by the midway," Alice said excitedly.

Edward reigned her in after having to save me from tripping over my own feet. Alice was like a fairy on crack flitting around the carnival trying to see and ride everything.

"Why is she so excited about a carnival?" I asked amazed at Alice's enthusiasm for the school event.

"The closest guess I have is that it triggers a sensory memory from her past. Whenever a carnival has come near any of the places we have lived, she has dragged the whole family there and wouldn't let anyone leave until she had seen every exhibit, played every game and ridden all the rides."

"Alice, you know all those games are rigged." I warned.

She just laughed her bell like laugh. "Rigged for humans maybe, but there is a giant purple hippo that will almost complete my collection."

"She has won almost every animal you can think of in a stuffed animal zoo from all the carnivals she has dragged us to over the years."

I shook my head at the dichotomy that was Alice. Here was a girl that had a wallet full of credit cards that could buy anything she wanted but she was willing to shell out any amount to the fair barker to win a five dollar stuffed animal.

"I've never seen them in the house?"

Jasper smiled, "No, she takes a picture of the animals and then donates the ones she deems safe for children to either the hospital that Carlisle is working at or to the local women's shelters."

Alice danced up to a bottle toss game. Jasper handed the guy in the vintage Pink Floyd concert tee a ten dollar bill. The pony-tailed guy handed Alice a cup full of rings and then stood back as Alice tossed the first few rings. Each made a clinking sound as they bounced off the top of the glass bottles.

"Maybe you should let your boyfriend toss the last of those rings for you, little lady," the carnival worker's voice dripped condescension. Alice gave him one of her dazzling smiles and then tossed the last three rings on to three bottles in a row. The plastic made a ringing sound as each circle caught the top of the bottle and spiraled around.

The guy behind the counter looked astounded at Alice's luck and reluctantly said, "We have a winner. What prize would you like?"

Alice looked over the menagerie of animals but there was only one real choice, "I'll take the purple hippo."

The carnival worker used a stick to get the purple hippo down from the top row of the booth and handed Alice her prize. Alice hugged the stuff animal to her chest and then grabbed Bella's hand, "That was fun! Let's see if we can find something for you Bella!"

A few booth's down there was a milk toss offering costume jewelry and fake designer purses as the price. Alice looked thoughtful and she and Edward had one of their "silent" conversations. Edward stopped in front of the game.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm doing exactly what Alice recommended. I am going to win you something." A few tosses of the softballs against the milk bottles and Edward was a winner. "What would you like as your prize, my lady?" Edward asked graciously.

Alice gave me a gentle bump with her shoulder, "Get the beaded necklace that is on the pink bunny!"

I shrugged and pointed to the necklace. Edward handed the carnival worker and extra twenty and said something to the pimply kid. The carnival worker pocketed the cash in his ripped Levi's and passed me the bunny with the necklace still around its neck. I admired my new furry friend and his fashion accessory for a few seconds.

"Put it on, Bella. It will look cute with your dress," Alice urged me. Edward took the faux pearl necklace from the stuffed toy and gently draped it around my neck careful not to get it hooked on my hair.

"Beautiful," Edward said with intensity.

I looked down at the fake pearls. The pearls were spaced with a rectangular "diamond" about every three inches of beads. "You like it?"

"Bella, you make everything look beautiful, even a cheap bunch of beads."

I leaned up and kissed Edward's lips softly, "My champion."

Alice smiled at our banter and we resumed our stroll down the midway to find the next source of entertainment.

An hour later, Edward declared it was time to feed the human. Alice and Jasper left Edward and me to find lunch. Jasper hated the smell of the fried food so Alice dragged him on some rides that Edward deemed unsafe for me.

"Who knew you could deep fry Oreos and it would make them taste even better!" I said between bites of the fried goodness.

"Hells, Bells, how's it hangin?" Emmett's voice boomed from our right.

Without missing a beat, I replied, "Fair and square, how's your pair?"

Emmett looked shocked which made me laugh.

"Emmett!" Edward admonished him.

"What? She's your girlfriend."

"Feeding the human, I see," Rosalie drawled.

"Three times a day according to all care instructions."

Rosalie smirked at my sarcastic reply. While we weren't besties, we were generally cordial to each other.

Two sophomores walked by eating ice cream cones. One caught sight of Rosalie in her skin tight designer jeans and form fitting shirt that showed off her abundant assets. She smiled and at the boy on the right and he tripped over a garbage can which created a domino effect. By the time the dust had cleared both boys were on the floor with ice cream all over their faces and clothes.

Rosalie was a stunning girl. She was frozen at the height of her beauty. That kind of reaction frequently happened around Rosalie. Boys and men were mesmerized by her looks. She had once wore a mini skirt around downtown Port Angeles and caused a three car pileup. She tried to look annoyed at the fuss but I could tell she was secretly pleased by the impact she had on males and even some females.

The attention she got never bothered Emmett. He once told me that he knew she loved him and he never worried that she would be tempted to stray. He understood she needed to be worshipped like one of the goddesses of old and he was only one man.

"What's that around your neck?" Rosalie asked.

I touched the beads and smiled proudly, "Edward won it for me."

"How quaint."

Emmett expression indicated that he saw this conversation going downhill so he quickly asked, "Where's Alice and Jasper?"

"They were going to ride the Fire Ball." The fire ball was the premiere ride at the carnival. It was a mechanical arm that hung from two steel beams that formed an A. At the bottom of the arm was a circle of seats that the riders were strapped into. The circle of seats spun around at the same time the mechanical arm swung it from side to side. Edward had taken one look at it and then at my hopeful expression and said, "Absolutely NOT!"

"I think we'll go check it out. See ya, Bells," Emmett said as he and Rosalie walked away.

I took a last sip of my drink and Edward asked, "What do you want to do now?"

"Hmm. Let's see. You have forbidden all the rides. We did the games. The only thing left is the petting zoo."

"No way, one of those little pests could bite you and you could get rabies."

I rolled my eyes at him. "You are being absurd. Come on lets go see the rabid miniature goats."

I fought my way through the little kids in the petting zoo area. Barred from the adult rides, I understood that I was invading their territory and had to be patient. I wanted to get to the Flemish Giant rabbits. I had petted the goats, the ponies and a llama. I wanted a chance to see one of the giant rabbits up close. They were cute, fluffy and the size of large dogs.

Edward was eying them funny. "Looking for a snack?" I quipped.

He gave me a dirty look which made me laugh and we moved on to the next pen.

XXXXX

EPOV

"Admit it, Edward, you had fun," Alice said from the back seat of the Volvo on the way back to Forks. It was still early afternoon but even Alice looked like she had run out of steam.

"Alright, Alice, I'll concede that it was rather a fun day."

"And as I predicted, nothing bad happened."

I looked over at Bella, "How sad is that we gage our days on whether we avoided a major disaster."

No one had a smart ass comment in reply. Jasper parked the car in our drive way and I got out and ran to the other side of the car in a blur to open Bella's door.

"What do you want to do now?" I asked.

Bella looked at the house. "I'd like to spend some alone time if you're interested? Charlie has had me on a short leash since you've been back"

It hadn't take a mind reader to know that Charlie was still angry at me for the way I left Bella. It killed me every time I caught one of Charlie's memories of how gaunt and miserable Bella looked when we were separated. I knew he wasn't thrilled when Bella had forgiven me when I came back.

"I'd really like to go to our meadow," Bella continued.

I smiled in understanding and twenty minutes later, we were seated on a blanket in the middle of our special place. Bella looked around at the wildflowers in a riot of colors in their meadow. It was so beautiful and peaceful in this little slice of heaven we had claimed as our own. Bella had her camera with her. I watched as she took a few pictures of the meadow in bloom. She took the stuffed animal and placed him in the high grass that was littered with wild flowers. The colors were spectacular. She took the necklace off and put it back on the toy rabbit.

"What are you doing?"

"Immortalizing your win."

She crouched down low and admired the plush toy as she lined up her shot. I too the opportunity to admire her delicious bottom. Bella took the picture with the camera her dad had given her for her eighteenth birthday. She had told me that after I left, she found she liked taking pictures and kept the camera handy. Angela had taught her some tips on lighting, exposures, and framing what she was photographing. She was pleasantly surprised to find out that she seemed to have a knack for it.

"You know that you probably won't be able to see the rabbit through all that tall grass and flowers."

She shrugged. "Maybe. But you and I will always know he was there." She took the necklace from the stuffed rabbit and placed them back around her neck before she plopped down in front of me. I pulled her soft body against my chest and she automatically tilted her head. I moved her long chestnut curls to the side and placed kisses along her exposed neck. Her blood and scent called to me but now it was more sexual than hunger after almost losing her.

I played with the beads around her neck which made her say, "Thanks for winning these for me."

"For you, I would do anything."

She twisted around and said, "Really? Anything?"

I recognized that look. "Come on Bella, we've talked about that."

She didn't say anything which made me sigh. "If you want me to change you, you know what I want in return."

She remained quiet. I knew she didn't understand why this was so important to me.

"Marry me."

Her breath hitched as it had the first time I said those words to her the night I came back.

"Edward, I know that you are it for me, but I just have never seen myself as married. Especially at eighteen. It seems medieval."

"It doesn't to me." Even I heard the frustration in my voice.

"I don't understand why this is so important to you. I haven't seen many happy marriages. Look at my parents. My experiences of marriage and love are promises broken and people abandoning me."

I knew that how I had left only added to that sense of abandonment.

"Bella, I swear I could never leave you again."

"You say that now but what if you decided that leaving me again was for my own good?"

"I tried that once before and it nearly killed me."

She was silent for a moment. I had told her what I had planned to do if she had really been dead. She had yelled at me and then had thanked the heavens that Alice had answered the phone.

"Is the paper really that important? Nearly half of all marriages end in divorce."

"Well, I think you will find the Vampire divorce rate is a bit lower than the national average."

She didn't disagree with me so I tried to push my advantage. "I know your parent's marriage didn't work out but look around you in Forks. Many of the kids we go to school with all have parents that are still married and seem happy. Maybe your parents are just the outlier?"

"You know everyone will think you got me pregnant."

"If only that were possible." I muttered under my breath. It was one of the reasons I had left her, so she could have a normal and safe life which included the possibility of kids. She made it very clear the night I came back that I had to let her make her own decisions about her life. I had to let her decide what she wanted and what she was willing to give up.

"Bella, I know that people today think it's crazy to get married so young but it's different for me. When I was human you courted a girl and got married. It was the way you said that you loved each other and wanted to spend the rest of your lives together. Many of my friends that were only a year or two older than I was when I was changed were married and had started their families. So, I don't think of it as being unusual to marry at such a young age. Now that I found you, I guess I want to declare my love and commitment to you in front of our family and friends."

"You're right."

I was stunned into silence for a moment. "I am?"

She smiled. "I love you. Nothing is going to change my feelings for you. So, yes."

"Yes?"

"Yes, I'll marry you."

I was shocked. She said yes.

"Crap!"

Now it was Bella's turn to look shocked at my reaction. "What's wrong? Are you having second thoughts?"

"NO! I don't have a ring with me. Now how are we going to make this official before you change your mind?"

Bella giggled. "I think it can wait."

"No. I'm sure there is a way we can make this official." I looked around the clearing for a moment and then down at her necklace. "I know! Hand fasting!"

"What?"

Yes! That would work. "Carlisle told me that when he was a human and a couple didn't have access to a priest they would get hand fasted. They would join hands and make a formal promise and it would serve as a marriage in the eyes of the community. In come cultures it would last a year and one day and if the couple still wanted to be together they would then formally marry."

I gestured to her necklace. "Here, hand me those beads."

Bella took off the faux pearl necklace and handed it to me. I took Bella's hand in mine and then wrapped the beads around our joined hands.

Then, there in the beautiful natural cathedral of our meadow, we knelt on the blanket and faced each other. I looked Bella in the eyes and said, "Bella, I only existed before we met. You brought color and happiness into my life. I was surrounded by loving couples but never felt a part of that love until you came along. You have brought meaning and purpose into my life. I know I hurt you when I left but I promise I will never let you go again. It was fate that had Carlisle save me so I could find you because our souls are connected and we are meant to be together. I solemnly promise to love you, cherish you and be with you every day of our forever."

Tears ran down her beautiful face at my words. I wanted to brush them away but when I went to release her hand she squeezed it and held on tightly.

"Edward, I don't know how I got lucky enough that someone like you believes that he loves someone as ordinary as me." Why couldn't this wonderful girl see herself clearly? I would have told her that but she continued, "I know that you have questioned whether you have a soul, but I know that you do. I see you. Not just your physical beauty but the beauty that comes from within that can only be the light from your soul. I promise that I will never stop loving you for every day of my life and beyond."

My heart felt like it was going to explode at her words. I was silent for a few moments, overwhelmed by my emotions. Then, I leaned in and kissed her on the lips softly and said reverently, "I love you!"

"I love you too."

I grinned, took the beads from around our hands and then went over to a group of rocks. I started to dig a hole.

Bella came over and looked over my shoulder. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to bury the beads."

"Why?"

I dropped the beads into the hole and quickly covered them up with dirt. I then grabbed a few of the nearby rocks and arranged six around the newly turned dirt.

"To commemorate this moment," I said as I put a seventh smaller rock over the mound of dirt. I brushed the dirt off of my hands and continued. "These rocks will mark the place where we buried the beads. Only you and I will know they are here and what they represent. Each time we come back to this meadow either next week or in a millennium, we will know that they are here and we will remember the promises we made to each other."

Bella looked moved by my words. She stood up on her tip toes and she kissed my lips. Then she buried her head in my chest and we savored this perfect moment of happiness.

XXXX

The trees thinned out as Bella and I made our way back to the house. She put her warm hand on my arm and tugged.

"Edward, wait."

I looked at her questioningly.

"Could we keep this just our secret?"

Was she having second thoughts?

"You do realize that Alice probably already knows?"

"Yes, but if you ask her, she won't mention it to the rest of the family."

"Why?"

"I want to wait until after graduation before we tell everyone. Charlie will have a heart attack if I tell him that I'm engaged before I graduate from high school."

I didn't think he was going to take it any better after graduation, but I didn't want to upset her. I was disappointed, but I agreed. If it were up to me, I would take out a full page color add in the Forks newspaper announcing our engagement but I had to respect her wishes. I had the commitment I had wanted so I would let her set the pace. Besides, it was only right that I ask Charlie's permission for Bella's hand in marriage.

"We've got time. We can announce the engagement after graduation and maybe plan something before we leave for college."

Bella seemed satisfied. We walked across the green expanse that led to the house. Alice met us halfway. She gave me a knowing look and then hugged Bella as she whispered, "Don't worry. I won't say anything. I'm really happy for you both."

"Where is everyone?" I asked.

"They all went out hunting. You have the house to yourself. I just wanted to congratulate you before I joined them."

Bella gave her a grateful look. "Did you see that coming when you told him to play the game?"

Alice shrugged. "I saw that something special would happen if he did but not the particulars."

"Thank you," Bella said.

"No, thank you for making my brother so happy."

I pulled Bella away from my interfering but well-meaning sister. "Enough. You're cutting into my time with the human." I grabbed Bella's hand and led her into the house and upstairs to my room. I tipped her into the chaise lounge that I had the forethought to ask Esme to buy for me when we moved back into the house. I hadn't wanted to tempt myself too much with a bed.

I cuddled the love of my life into my chest. She giggled and then said in an exaggerated southern drawl, "I hope you don't think that just because we have an understanding, you can get me alone and take liberties with my person!"

I had to laugh. "Bella, I think we both know who out of the two of us is more likely to attempt liberties. I have had to guard my virtue since I met you, Miss Swan."

She blushed but she didn't disagree. Then she twirled an imaginary handle bar mustache and said in her best villain voice, "I hope you know I expect you to give me what I want now that I have given you what you want."

"Speaking of that, I would like you to wear something. It was my mother's."

I went into a beautiful man's jewelry box. "I planned to ask you to marry me with my mother's ring. It's at the jewelers being reset. Since we don't want anyone to know yet, will you wear this on your bracelet?"

I had given her a charm bracelet for her eighteenth birthday. It was one of the items that Bella couldn't find when I left. When I had shown her where I had hidden everything in her room she had cried. I tried to explain that I had wanted things I had given her with love to be close to her while I couldn't be.

I took her hand and looked at the bracelet that she hadn't removed since I had put it back on wrist a few months ago. I took the bracelet from her arm and attached something to it. She raised her arm and saw that it was a heart.

"What a pretty crystal heart."

I didn't tell her it was a real diamond. I just smiled ruefully and said, "Not as pretty as you. When you look at this I want you to remember that you hold my heart. I can't wait until you wear the ring so the world knows it as well."

I took her in my arms and kissed her trying to transmit all the love and happiness I felt in that moment. Bella's cell phone interrupted our passionate moment. I looked at the screen.

"Damn, your Dad must have a sixth sense of when I'm trying to have my way with you."

Bella laughed and swiped the screen.

"Hey, Dad. What's going on?"

"Bella, can you do me a favor?"

"Sure, Dad. What do you need?"

"Can you come to the station? I need your help with something."

"Sure, I can be there in about fifteen minutes." She hung up the phone and turned to Edward. "I hate to leave you but can you drop me off at the station?"

"Of course."

XXXXX

BPOV

"Do you want me to wait for you?"

"No, my Dad's shift is almost over. I'll catch a ride home with him. Will I see you later?"

"Definitely. Leave your window unlocked and I'll be there to tuck you in."

I loved the fact that Edward had resumed his late night visits to my room. He stayed over most nights. It made me feel safe. It also helped when I woke up from a nightmare. They were less frequent now but they still happened.

I didn't want to leave him. I gave him one last kiss and reluctantly let him go.

"I can't wait until we can tell everyone about us."

"Me too."

I fumbled with my seatbelt. Edward was out of the car and had my door opened before I even unclipped my seatbelt. He took my hand and helped me out of the car. I gave him a hug and ran up the stairs to the station front door. I turned back to him and gave him one last waive and went into the building. I didn't see the smile of satisfaction as he gave as he saw the diamond heart catch the rays of the waning light.

"Hi, Bella! Looking forward to graduation?" The station receptionist asked.

"Absolutely!"

"Heard you got into UW. Congrats."

"Thank you, Linda."

"The sheriff's in his office if you want to go back."

I waived a thanks and walked to the back hallway that led to the offices. Charlie was at his desk working on his computer.

"Hi, Dad."

Charlie got up from his chair and kissed me on the side of my head as he gave me a side hug.

"Hi, Sweetheart. Thanks for coming down."

"No problem. What do you need me to do?" I expected him to say he needed help with something on his computer. Charlie struggled with some computer programs. While I was no expert on a PC; in the land of the blind the one eyed man was king.

"I need you to translate for me. One of the Johnson Mill workers witnessed an assault. He doesn't speak a lot of English and my Spanish is non-existent. Deputy Soto is out sick today. Mr. Rodriguez can't come back tomorrow so could you do me a favor and translate for me."

"Of course."

I followed my father into one of the conference rooms. Charlie introduced me to Mr. Rodriguez, a well-dressed man of medium height in his late forties. I explained to Mr. Rodriguez in Spanish that I was here to help. He smiled his appreciation and Charlie asked the first question to complete Mr. Rodriguez' witness statement. I translated between Spanish and English until Charlie said he had everything he needed.

Charlie shook his hand and said, "Thank you for taking the time to talk to us, Mr. Rodriguez."

Mr. Rodriguez told him he was welcome and would be happy to help if he needed anything further. Charlie left the room and Mr. Rodriguez turned to me and said, "Your Spanish is very good. Did you learn it from your Mother?"

I laughed and replied to him in Spanish. "Not at all. I lived in Arizona as a child and the woman that watched me while my mother worked spoke to me in Spanish. I seem to have an ear for languages and I picked it up quickly."

"Well, your accent is very good. If I didn't know you weren't a native speaker I would have thought Spanish was your first language."

"Thank you. I appreciate that. It's a beautiful language."

"I also imagine that with your coloring, you were often mistaken for Spanish in Arizona."

"Really? Wouldn't I be too pale?"

"Not for someone who's family originally came from Spain. In fact, you sound like you have a Castilian accent which would be from northern Spain."

Mr. Rodriguez said his goodbyes and I walked back to Charlie's office.

"Thanks for doing that Bells."

"No problem. It keeps me from getting rusty."

"Do you want to get out of here and get a bite to eat?"

"Sure."

XXXX

EPOV

Later that night I held Bella in her bed as she half covered my body with her chin resting on her arms. I hoped she wasn't too cold. She insisted that I take my shirt off. I loved the skin to skin contact too so I gave in.

I stared up into her beautiful brown eyes and said, "How did it go with your Dad?"

"Fine. We went to the diner for dinner and then home so he could catch the Mariners game."

Bella looked over to the corner of her room. She must have caught the flash of pink. I had placed the stuffed bunny from the carnival on her desk when I came in through the window.

"You remembered Mr. Rabbit! Thanks for bringing him with you."

"Mr. Rabbit? Not exactly imaginative."

"That's what he looks like," she said and gave me a quick kiss in thanks.

"Like the teddy bear I got you looked like Mr. Bear?"

"Yes, now stop making fun of my naming skills or I'll name something on your body and you'll be stuck with it forever!"

"Forever?"

"That's all I'm asking."

I put my arms around her torso and gently squeezed her tighter to my body. I couldn't get close enough to her. She made me so happy. We quietly laid there content to just hold each other until Bella raised herself up again and whispered, "I loved what you said at the meadow. Did you mean it? You really won't leave me again?"

I hated that she still worried about that but I knew it would take time for her to trust me again. I tried to reassure her. "Bella, I will never leave you again. I fact, I promise that if you left me, I would spend every day of my eternity trying to find you and get you back."

"That could never happen. I could never leave you. I love you too much."

I hoped that was true but I knew that being around my kind put her in danger. I worried that one day she would change her mind and crave 'normal'. She was oblivious to my concerns. My words must have made her feel better because she had shifted her focus and was intent on kissing me again. She worked her way down my neck with delicate licks and I couldn't stop a grumbling noise from escaping me that might have sounded like a purr.

"Oh, Mrs. Cullen…."

Bella popped up to look at me again. "Mrs. Cullen….I like that. Does that mean that we finally get to do what married couples do?" She asked raising her eyebrows up and down.

"Absolutely," I said with a grin. Bella's face brightened in anticipation. "As soon as I get you to walk down the aisle and say your vows before God and our families."

Bella's face fell. "You are practically gothic."

"Well, maybe Edwardian."

Bella rolled her eyes at my pun. She flopped back down on my chest. "I guess that means more PG-13?"

"Well… I feel like our hand fasting entitles us to a few more privileges."

My hand went under her tank top and she shivered this time from anticipation instead of cold.

A/N - Please review and tell me what you think.