A/N: I don't own Twilight, New Moon, or Eclipse... or any of the characters...

I glanced down at the photos I held in my hands. Pictures of graduation. It had been a wonderfully overcast day. Perfect weather for the entire Cullen family to come see Edward, Alice and I graduate. Not to mention everyone else that had come out for the blessed event. Charlie, Renee, and Phil were among all the other parents in the audience.

I flipped to a picture that made my smile huge. Edward, Alice and I standing together, holding those little leather booklets in our hands. I was in the middle. Much to my parent's surprise, Edward had scooped me up and planted a kiss on my cheek after we posed for that picture.

He had been absolutely buzzing with glad. When he showed up at ten-thirty that morning to transport me to the school, he'd been bouncing off the walls like he'd had too much caffeine or something. I couldn't quite place why he would have been so excited.

That is, until after we were in the middle of the ceremony. The school had the annoying ritual of placing the girls on one side of the stage and the boys on the other, so Edward and I had been separated, much to my disdain.

I glanced over towards him plenty of times during the ceremony and he was always looking back at me, except one time. During the principal's graduation address he was looking at Carlisle, sharing a meaningful glance. His angel's face had transformed into that of a martyr. I'd turned away from that painful sight quickly, hoping none of the Cullens in the audience had noticed my glance. Noticed that I knew what was going on.

He was putting up a very good façade. One that he was even fooling me with. The excitement was probably excitement for my sake alone. He did not want our graduation to come because soon after I would "damn myself for eternity," so he said.

His offer to change me himself as soon as we were married was tempting. I shook my head. I didn't want that. Edward and I could be together forever. Marriage was just a statement of the vow that I had already given Edward. I was his forever. Getting married wouldn't change anything, except for my last name maybe.

Who knows why I didn't want to get married? It was just a strong instinct that I had.

"Bella?" Edward's voice brought me back to the present, where I was holding the pictures in my hands again, instead of reliving them.

"Yes?" I answered from the rocking chair in my room. He was sitting on the windowsill watching me.

"Is there no way I can change your mind? None at all?" he sighed. The martyr was back with a vengeance. There was no carefully held front in place anymore. He was wallowing.

"None." I answered. At the end of that day, my transformation from human to vampire would begin. I was afraid of everything that would happen in the following hours, but I would come out of it with the promise of forever with him. It was what my heart, beating or not, would desire until I took my very last breath.

"I'll do it." His voice sounded defeated. I almost didn't catch it, his voice was so soft. So sad.

"What?" I breathed. I was frozen in place. I feared that if I moved an inch, he would change his mind.

"I'll change you, tonight. One condition, though." His eyes, topaz as usual, pleaded with me. There was so much within those golden depths.

I couldn't speak, so I waited until he continued.

"Let me watch you sleep one more time. Not the painful sleep of a human being changed to a vampire. No, the sleep of an angel who calls out my name in the darkness." Edward's voice was almost too much for me. It was the inflection, as if every word pained him. As if all his pride had been stripped away.

I knew this was going to be a dramatic process, but I began to wonder if I shouldn't talk myself out of this. At least appease him for a few more months. Even try out college, if that's what he wanted for me.

No. It would be tonight. And if he wanted to do it, I would grant him this last request. I would sleep.

"Only-only if you wake me b-before you…." I trailed off. My own voice wavered. He knew what I meant.

"If that is what you wish. You'll sleep here. I'm going to inform Carlisle. I'll be back at dark." Edward nodded and then he jumped out of the window and out of sight.

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