Breaking Dawn:

Chapter 3

My eyes flew open to the sound of the door closing shut. I was lying on the couch still. I fell asleep? For how long? Were they still out there? I Must have been pretty exhausted to fall asleep around all this excitement. When I heard footsteps enter the living room, I eagerly rose from the couch to see who it was. It was Edward. "Edward" I said his name out loud. "What happened? What was all that about? Did you actually…" I stopped my words, when Edward suddenly walked closer to me. He smiled, showing all his teeth. "You mean, did I ask for his permission?" I looked at him with an open mouth speechless, and shook my head yes. "Then the appropriate answer is, yes I did."

"You did? What did he say?"

He grinned before he answered. "well, your old man is pretty stubborn."

"Oh no! he said no?!" I gasped, covering my mouth with both hands.

"Not exactly. We walked for a while, I explained to him everything, and my feelings. It took him a while to actually believe me, he was very hesitant, as he should be." I looked into his eyes, they looked as if they were filled with such pain. "What do you mean?" I asked. He looked down in shame. "Bella, when I was asking Charlie, his thoughts were screaming at me as if he were shouting them at me himself. He was thinking of when I left you, what I did to you. His thoughts were filled with such anger. I couldn't help but agree with him, I'm not quite sure if I truly deserve you. If I deserve any of this."

"No." I whispered ,"Don't say that. That's not true." I reached up and touched his face, his skin was so cold.

"I'll never forgive myself."

"Edward, you did it because you love me, and I know that. You're here now, and that's all that matters. I love you." He could tell how hard I was trying to convince him. "So he said yes?"

"He accepted my request."

I leaped into his arms at once smiling with joy, as he held me tight against his chest. "I knew he would understand." Edward smiled to my reaction and kissed my hair.

I loosened my embrace when I heard another pair of feet enter the living room. I quickly turned to face Charlie standing in the doorway, holding a look of complete defeat. Without thinking, I immediately ran straight into his arms. "Thank you daddy" I whispered into his shoulder.

"So I guess we have more ahead of ourselves then just college." Charlie stated.

I giggled nervously to Charlie's statement. Edward stuck his hand out in front for Charlie to shake, his hand hovering in mid-air. He must of felt obliged. I glanced quickly in Charlie's direction, eager to meet his reaction. Charlie stared down at his hand as if unaware of what to do, then gave in and shook it. Charlie looked so serious, making sure to show no sign of submission, as Edward smiled, reading his every thought.

Charlie loosened his grip, and walked closer to Edward. "Remember what I said" Charlie mumbled. Edward froze, Charlie's words caught him off guard. "I will" Edward reassured.

What was that? Remember what?

"Dad…" I started, but Charlie quickly flashed a smile and left the room. I took a deep breath in. "That was without a doubt, complete torture."

Edward laughed, "It wasn't that bad. He loves you very much, you know."

"Yeah.., I guess he does."

Edward smiled wide. I looked at him funny, smiling, "What's so funny?"

"I think Charlie might actually use his gun on things other than fighting crime."

"Nah, he wouldn't."

"Yeah, well you weren't reading his thoughts."

I smiled wide trying to hold it in, but gave in bursting with laughter. "Don't worry I wont let him hurt you." I teased. I squeezed myself into his chest, as held me in a secure grasp.

I sighed. "Unfortunately the torture is not over yet, I still have to tell René." I knew that Charlie would leave that up to me. I processed in my mind all the different ways I could tell René, but none of them did themselves justice. It was going to be much more difficult than how my imagination held it, considering how I unintentionally ignored her for half the summer. This would definitely not be a suitable starting topic for a typical reunion chat.

While I was deep in thought, Edwards cell phone suddenly went off. He immediately answered it. "Yeah ?" he answered. "Alice….", he moaned. "Must I actually come for this? Yeah, yeah I know how hard you're trying. Yes, I do care. No, I didn't say that. You have fine taste, Alice." Edward looked at me, rolling his eyes. "Alright, I'm coming."

"It seems I am summoned for "emergency" reasons." he said putting away his phone.

I smiled. "For décor advice?"

"unfortunately."

" hah, should I come?"

"Nah, I think I'll save you the torture." he answered, smiling. I took a deep breath in and sighed, as my eyes drooped to the floor. I glanced back up in reaction to a light breeze on the back of my neck. Edward stood gracefully behind me, breathing lightly against the curve of my neck. "I'll be here later tonight." he promised, kissing me lightly on the cheek. I blushed closing my eyes, and when I finally opened them, he was gone.

I went upstairs, thinking that maybe I could break the news to Rene through email. It would be much easier than by phone. Edward sent out the invitations, but I told him to hold off on Rene. I wanted to tell her myself, it wouldn't be right for her to get a blunt delivery such as that in the mail.

I turned on the computer and decided to clean up my room a little bit while I waited for it to start up. I was in such the lethargic mood, that I just through all the dirty laundry in a pile, in a corner of my room. Kicking things out of the way, I came across a shoebox of photographs. Some were old and some were fairly new. I quickly glanced through them, some of Rene and I at the beach when I was young, some of Jessica and I, Charlie and I, , and then I spotted his face. Jacob's warm smile faced me, as it burned through the photograph. Holding the picture carefully I looked closer to get a better look, analyzing the curve of his lips and the tiny dimples that hovered so lightly on his cheeks. To the left of him, was me smiling up to the camera, holding tightly around his waist. We looked so relaxed, so happy. Just… normal. It was like we didn't have to try hard, to prove anything. We were just, us. The picture itself made me smile. God I miss him.

I was now faced with the blank white box of where I was to start writing my letter to Rene. I started to type:

Hey Rene,

How are things? There's all different things going on up here, a lot of big…… things.

I finally decided on where I'm going to school, Edward helped me choose. I plan to go to Dartmouth with Edward in the Fall. I'm pretty excited, and as you can tell Edward and I have gotten pretty close over the last three years. I love him.

My fingers hesitated over the keyboard ready to start the next sentence, but I couldn't. It was like my fingers refused to continue. This is wrong, I thought, and I knew it. This was something that I would have to tell her myself, with my own voice. I couldn't rely on a computer to deliver this news. I bit my nails nervously as I thought about how Rene's reaction would be towards the news. I closed the email box, and logged off. Getting up to throw on my pj's I glanced at the clock on my night table. It was already nine, and still no sign of Edward. Hmm. I jumped in the shower, I figured I could use up some time.

When I got out I went towards the mirror. My face looked different some how, older in a way. With my finger I rubbed the dark circles under my eyes. "I desperately need more sleep." I said out loud.

"That, you do." a voice answered, coming from in back of me.

I turned quickly and Edward walked into view. He wore a wide smirk. "Hey" I said beaming. I glanced down at what I was wearing. I was wrapped in a white towel, just a white towel.

"I told you I'd be back." he said, giving me a wink. "so was it as torturous as expected?" I asked, glancing down self consciously, making sure everything was covered.

"Hah, it wasn't that bad, until she started putting ribbons up to my eyes, trying to decide what colors would go best. She really seems like she knows what she's doing though."

"Hah that's Alice for you." I responded back apprehensively. I anxiously grabbed my hairbrush and started combing through my wet hair, just giving my hands something to do, worked. I felt more secure that way. Working out a knot, I turned around and my heart skipped a beat. Edward's face hovered inches from mine. I stared deep into his golden irises. His eyes were bold, and held such assurance. He leaned in closer tracing his nose along my cheek, breathing in my scent. His lips traced the rest until they found mine. They moved slowly and gracefully against them, until I started to kiss him back, and the brush slipped slowly through the grasp of my fingers. My arms responsively wrapped around his neck, as he pulled me in closer. Our lips grew more eager and our kissing grew more passionate. Finally I released to get a breath of air. I thought I heard footsteps coming up the stairs, when suddenly there was a knock on my bedroom door. "Bella, can I come in?" I heard Charlie's voice ask. "Oh!" I gasped. Edward released me quickly, kissed me lightly on the lips, and swiftly went to my window. "I'll be right there, just getting dressed!" I called.

I quickly danced out of the white towel and threw on a robe, taking one last look in he mirror as if making sure my face hid all secrets before facing Charlie. "Ok Dad, you can come in." I murmured, sitting on the edge of my bed. I knew what this was going to be about, I could feel it before Charlie even entered my room. It was going to be about my engagement. Charlie poked his head around the door first, then slowly made his way in. "Hey Bells" he said raising his arm up behind his head. You could hear the apprehension in his voice, whatever he was about to say he anxiously wanted to get it out.

"Hey Dad, what's up?"

He took a deep breath in and sat next to me. Wow he must be really nervous, his legs are shaking so much. "Bella, there's something that I need to say, that I need to let out before everything is all said and done." I looked at him, sympathizing for how much pain it caused him to say these words. I reached out and rubbed his upper back with my closest hand. "Dad, what's wrong?"

" I love you so much Bells. I watched you grow up, all the way from a little girl to a beautiful young lady." This was it, the father and daughter conversation that takes place in every young woman's life. The one that's supposed to make you feel all nostalgic, and just plain sad. " I couldn't be any more proud of you than now, and have faith that you will make the right decisions for yourself." I looked down fast and gazed upon the wooden floor, I found myself unable to look into his eyes. " You claim that you are truly in love, so much that you know he loves you back?" I took in his last question and looked up into his face. I reacted quickly because I already knew the answer. "Dad, of course Edward loves me back." I couldn't believe what he was insinuating.

"Dad…I"

"Bella, I still remember. You might not as much, but a father never forgets a sight like that. I had to watch you fall into a depression, watch you not eat a thing for days and days. You were sick for months. I've never seen you so broken before, until then."

"I know. I was miserable without him." I sighed. "Edward knows what he did and he still tares himself up for leaving me, but he only did it to protect me. Mistakes were made, yes, but I forgave him. I forgave him because I love him. At the time I was so lost and filled with such mixed feelings, but I did know one thing Dad, I couldn't live without him."

I kept my eyes steady on his face waiting for him to say something. " I just wanted to make sure you understood the seriousness of marriage, and how it's one of the most important decisions you will ever make in your life." Charlie said, in a low voice. I smiled at his worried expression. "Dad please don't worry. I'm happy, but can you please try to lighten up on Edward. It would make this whole process so much easier."

"yeah, I guess I could be a little more flexible." he said, as his mouth slowly formed into a grin.

"Thanks Dad." I said kissing him on the cheek.

" Night sweetheart." Charlie whispered as he closed the door behind him. I put on my pajamas and flopped on my bed. There was so much on my mind, it was making me sick. I rolled onto my side and cuddled into the pillows. I lifted my hand so I could see the ring. It was mesmerizing how the light hit each piece of slanted surface, bouncing off left and right. The photograph of Jacob caught my eye again, it was just laying there on top of the pile. I wonder what he's doing right now? Where he is. My eyes grew heavier, giving in, as I slowly drifted off to sleep.