He said Vegas, I said I don't care and I didn't, oddly I wasn't focused at all on getting married, I had my sights fixed on the bigger event. I don't know how long it took us to get there, but I can't imagine flying would have been quicker. His driving still terrified me. We took Carlisle's car only because it had the darkest windows. At a rest stop just outside of Vegas it all came down on me at once. This was it. This could very well be the last time I would walk freely in the sunshine and I am spending it among strangers in a rest stop. I longed to have Edward hold me and so I let the warmth surround me and walked back to the car with wistful eyes. To an outsider I must have looked insane and to Edward I must have look like I was getting cold feet. I got back into the car and we drove into Sin City, his eyes never leaving me and in complete and total silence. The full weight of our decisions was upon us and there was no turning back.

It all happened very fast. We pulled up to the Venetian at dusk and Edward had us checked into the most elaborate room the one could ever imagine, let alone afford, The Venetian Bella Suite. I had never outright asked Edward how much money he had, I never wanted him to think I really cared, but it was obvious, in situations such as this that we would never want for anything material.

When Edward opened the thick wooden door that led into the suite I was taken aback by the amazing view. In the sitting room, which boasted a finely upholstered "u" shaped sofa was a huge arched window that looked out over the desert. It was sunset and the view took my breath away. "Edward, it's amazing." I turned from the lavishly adorned window to face him and his eyes were held within them pure love. He carried me to one of two king sized, curtained beds and lay me gently down. He lay atop me, brushed my hair from my face and kissed me passionately. I broke the embrace and stared into his soul "Edward, I know that this is a sacrifice for you and I want you to know that I will be forever grateful to you for having me." I was tearing up. " I just want you to know that no matter how this all ends it has all been worth it."

He was offended by my statement, " One day I will prove to you that you are my prize and not the other way around. You know, if you don't want to go through with this we can just call it a little get away, go back home and there would have been no harm done."

"Absolutely not." I pulled him back down upon me and kissed him fully. It was him, this time who broke the embrace uttering words of my insane death wish.

Edward took me down to a private dinner that was set up on the pool veranda. It was truly like we were in another world, alone and at peace. I was at that very instant completely content with my decisions, I was not terrified of Victoria stalking me or the Volturri trying to kill me and the Cullen's. And then the ambush began. Esme and Carlisle, Alice and Jaspar and Rosalie and Emmett. They were all here. I immediately began to cry. Edward laughed and I kicked him under the linen covered table.

That was the point that I lost control. The men were doing whatever it is that male vampires do before a wedding. I was shuffled to a private dressing room to select a dress and shoes and you name it they insisted upon it. Esme held her hand up to the woman who bustled in a cart full of jewelry, sending her away. I didn't much care. The endless energy that my vampire accomplices had exhausted me by midnight and I was ready for bed. They continued, however to make arrangements for the next day. I trudged, alone, into the suite that we had sadly not utilized to it's potential. When I opened the door I was bombarded with the scent of flowers. There were so many flowers that I could not even estimate a number. There had to be one of every type, color and size and scent. In the middle of the table was an elegantly wrapped box with a handwritten note from Edward.

Please accept this ring as my formal promise to marry you and to love you for eternity.

I am sorry that I could not give it to you personally, but rules are rules.

I shall await you my love.

Edward

It was the ring of my dreams. Simple yet elegant. It looked as though it were from another time and then it hit me, it was his mothers ring. I only heard the story from Carlisle, but I am quite positive that it was the very ring that his mother had entrusted to Carlisle so many years ago. I was overjoyed and exhausted. I bathed, wrapped myself in an exotic bathrobe and drifted off into a dreamless sleep.