When people think of immortals, they all assume time passes slowly for us. In many ways this is so. Yet, things never slowed down enough for Bella and I. We had barely had any time at all to merely be a couple. There was always something happening. I knew this wasn't likely to end until after the battle, and after she was changed. Then we could finally live as man and wife, and not worry about things other couples don't even dream of.

I wasn't sure that I could wait that long then. As the family headed out to hunt before the battle, I decided to take advantage of the alone time Bella and I would have. I needed to be close to her, and only her, and feel the calm. I was certain that time alone with her would give me more strength than a hunting trip.

I prepared my room, and waited for her to arrive. Though I was always frantic when she traveled alone now that a newborn army was coming after her, I remained inside the house. I didn't want to crowd her. I was trying to do the same thing with her relationship with Jacob. I knew if I held onto her too tightly I could lose her. I had to give her her independence. Though it wasn't her freedom I was trying to take. I was only concerned for her safety, and for our relationship. But if it's him she ends up choosing, I would let her go.

It was a worry I always carried. What if she left? I wouldn't be able to go on. I'd live as long as she did, just in case her mind changed. But I'd only be a shell of myself. I wholeheartedly believed that we belonged together, and I could not return to life before her. I had to accept though, that she may see things differently. But not tonight.

Tonight was ours.

I heard her rumbling engine and looked out the window to see her beloved truck making its way to her usual parking spot. Before she could finish turning off the car, I was there. I opened the door and swung my arm around her to lift her up. There were few times I dared to be this free with Bella. I enjoyed it now.

I slung her bag over my shoulder as I held her close, my lips on hers. I shifted her so she was more secure as I brought her into the house. Her lips moved enthusiastically under mine, as I savored in the feelings that came along with having her near me. I stood there, by the door with her until I was satisfied with our reunion. I laughed as I heard her sigh from me pulling away.

"Welcome home," I said.

"That sounds nice," She smiled at me as I put her on the ground. She threw her arms around me, and I wondered how I could ever doubt that she'd leave.

"I have something for you," I said with a smile.

"Oh?"

"Your hand-me-down, remember? You said that was allowable. "

"Oh, that's right. I guess I did say that. "

I laughed at her insane hatred towards gifts."It's up in my room. Shall I go get it?"

"Sure. Let's go. " She took a step to walk but I shook my head, and she was back in my arms again. I ran us up the stairs and placed her back on her feet once we reached my room.

I went to my closet to get her hand-me-down. She took a seat on the bed and hugged her legs to her chest, looking like I was about to give her a death sentence. "Ok." She said with a look. "Let me have it." She held out one hand.

I laughed as I sat on the bed next to her and took her hand. "A hand-me-down," I reminded her. I quickly worked the diamond onto her bracelet, resisting the urge to flick off the wooden wolf charm. Instead I gave her back her arm and watched as she looked at the heart shaped diamond that now adorned her bracelet. Her gasp thrilled me. I hoped she would like it.

"It was my mother's." I explained. "I inherited quite a few baubles like this. I've given some to Esme and Alice both. So clearly this is not a big deal in any way. But I thought it was a good representation. It's hard and cold." I chuckled. "And it throws rainbows in the sunlight."

"You forgot the most important similarity. It's beautiful." She said and I smiled.

"My heart is just as silent. And it, too, is yours. "

"Thank you. For both." She said.

"No, thank you. It's a relief to have you accept a gift so easily. Good practice for you, too. " I grinned and she moved closer to me. I held her close, reveling in the perfection of the moment.

"Can we discuss something? I'd appreciate it if you could begin by being open-minded." She said seriously.

"I'll give it my best effort." I said in the same tone. My guard was now up.

"I'm not breaking any rules here. This is strictly about you and me. So . . . I was impressed by how well we were able to compromise the other night. I was thinking I would like to apply the same principle to a different situation."

"What would you like to negotiate?" I said though I was losing my grip on the seriousness of this. She looked like she was trying to muster up courage to speak. "Listen to your heart fly." I said absently as I heard her heart rate kick up in speed. "Are you all right?"

"I'm great."

"Please go on then." I urged.

"Well, I guess, first, I wanted to talk to you about that whole ridiculous marriage conditionthing."

I dismissed that immediately "It's only ridiculous to you. What about it?"

"I was wondering . . . Is that open to negotiation?"

I felt my mood plummet. I was hoping she would agree to marriage. "I've already made the largest concession by far and away -I've agreed to take your life away against my better judgment. And that ought to entitle me to a few compromises on your part. "

"No. That part's a done deal. We're not discussing my . . . Renovations right now. I want to hammer out some other details." She said, while nervously moving her fingers.

"Which details do you mean exactly?"

"Let's clarify your prerequisites first."

"You know what I want." I said simply.

"Matrimony." She said saucily.

"Yes. To start with." I grinned.

"There's more!" She squeaked looking more nervous.

"Well…..If you're my wife, then what's mine is yours . . . Like tuition money. So there would be no problem with Dartmouth." I grinned again.

"Anything else? While you're already being absurd?" She said and crossed her arms.

"I wouldn't mind sometime." I added honestly.

"No. No time. That's a deal breaker right there."

"Just a year or two?"

"Move along to the next one." She said, ruthless.

"That's it. Unless you'd like to talk cars . . . " Her expression made it clear that was a no.
"I didn't realize there was anything else you wanted besides being transformed into a monster yourself. I'm extremely curious." I noticed her nerves take over, and caressed her face. "You're blushing? Please, Bella, the suspense is painful." When she remained silent I grew worried. "Bella?"

"Well, I'm a little worried . . . About after." She confessed like a sin. I tried to not show my own sudden worry.

"What has you worried?"

"All of you just seem so convinced that the only thing I'm going to be interested in, afterward, is slaughtering everyone in town. And I'm afraid I'll be so preoccupied with the mayhem that I won't be me anymore . . . And that I won't . . . I won' t want you the same way I do now."

"Bella, that part doesn't last forever." I wish there was a way I could take that fear away for her.

"Edward, there's something that I want to do before I'm not human anymore."

"Whatever you want." I said, willing to give her whatever she wished, but unsure of what it could be.

"Do you promise?"

"Yes. Tell me what you want, and you can have it."

She took a breath and looked back up at me. "You."

"I'm yours." I answered simply and smiled.

She moved forward and put her arms around my neck as she kissed me. I responded gently, and played with the ends of her hair. I froze when I felt her shakey fingers on the buttons on my shirts. It suddenly hit me. I knew what she wanted now. I pushed her away with a sigh.

"Be reasonable, Bella." I said.

"You promised - whatever I wanted." She argued.

"We're not having this discussion."

"I say we are." She countered and began unbuttoning her own shirt.

I placed her wrists at her sides. "I say we're not."

We glared at each other and I knew she was mentally calculating her next argument. "You wanted to know." She said.

"I thought it would be something faintly realistic."

"So you can ask for any stupid, ridiculous thing you want - like getting married – but I'm not allowed to even discuss what I…"

Before she could finish I put my hand over her mouth. "No." I said in a voice that dared argument. Suddenly emotion went through her face and her eyes filled. I was confused and lifted her face to mine. "What now?"

"Nothing." She shook her head.

A sudden realization hit me. "Did I hurt your feelings?"

"No." She said, but was clearly lying.

I pulled her back into my embrace and stroked the side of her face. "You know why I have to say no. You know that I want you, too. "

"Do you?"

"Of course I do, you silly, beautiful, oversensitive girl. Doesn't everyone? I feel like there's a line behind me, jockeying for position, waiting for me to make a big enough mistake. . . . You're too desirable for your own good. "

"Who's being silly now?"

"Do I have to send a petition around to get you to believe? Shall I tell you whose names would be on the top of the list? You know a few of them, but some might surprise you. "

She rolled her eyes."You're just trying to distract me. Let's get back to the subject. Tell me if I have anything wrong. Your demands are marriage, paying my tuition, more time, and you wouldn't mind if my vehicle went a little faster. "Did I get everything? That's a hefty list." She looked like I was demanding she slaughter virgins. I hid my grin before answering.

"Only the first is a demand. The others are merely requests."

"And my lone, solitary little demand is -"

"Demand?" I hadn't realized how serious she was about this.

"Yes, demand. Getting married is a stretch for me. I'm not giving in unless I get something in return. "

I tried to be more soothing and understanding."No. It's not possible now. Later, when you're less breakable. Be patient, Bella. "

"But that's the problem. It won't be the same when I'm less breakable. I won't be the same! I don't know who I'll be then." She started getting worked up.

"You'll still be Bella."

"If I'm so far gone that I'd want to kill Charlie - that I'd drink Jacob's blood or Angela's if I got the chance - how can that be true?"

"It will pass. And I doubt you'll want to drink the dog's blood. Even as a newborn, you'll have better taste than that. "

"But that will always be what I want most, won't it? Blood, blood, and more blood!"

"The fact that you are still alive is proof that that is not true." I reminded her.

"Over eighty years later. What I meant was physically, though. Intellectually, I know I'll be able to be myself . . . After a while. But just purely physically – I will always be thirsty, more than anything else. "

I didn't say anything, and I know she took that as her making a point.

"So I will be different. Because right now, physically, there's nothing I want more than you. More than food or water or oxygen. Intellectually, I have my priorities in a slightly more sensible order. But physically . . . "

She moved so her lips pressed into my palm. It was the first time she seemed to know she had an effect on me.

"Bella, I could kill you." I said. I knew I was losing my grip on my reasons for saying no to her, but that one remained firm.

"I don't think you could."

I narrowed my eyes and reached behind her for one of the iron roses that adorned the headboard of the bed. I showed her what it was, and then closed my fist over the metal. It meshed and molded through my hand, as if it was clay. I showed her the new product, then closed my fist again, this time turning the dark metal into dust.

"That's not what I meant. I already know how strong you are. You didn't have to break the furniture." She lectured me.

"What did you mean then?" In a burst of impatience I tossed the dust and let it hit the wall.

"Obviously not that you aren't physically able hurt me, if you wanted to . . . More that, you don't want to hurt me . . . So much so that I don't think that you ever could. "

"It might not work like that, Bella."

"Might. You have no more idea what you're talking about than I do.

"Exactly. Do you imagine I would ever take that kind of risk with you?"

Her tone changed, becoming more desperate. "Please. It's all I want. Please."

I found when she sounded this way, my will crumbled. She had no idea of her affect on me, but I was affected nevertheless.

"Please?" She continued. "You don't have to make me any guarantees. If it doesn't work out right, well, then that's that. Just let us try . . . Only try. And I'll give you what you want. I'll marry you. I'll let you pay for Dartmouth, and I won't complain about the bribe to get me in. You can even buy me a fast car if that makes you happy! Just . . . Please. "

I held her again. "This is unbearable. So many things I've wanted to give you – and this is what you decide to demand. Do you have any idea how painful it is, trying to refuse you when you plead with me this way?"

"Then don't refuse. Please."

"Bella . . . " My will was slipping again.

She turned to kiss me again, and I felt something snap in me. My control perhaps. I didn't hold back as much as usual, and I didn't stop her. She moved away to breathe and I kissed the length of her throat. It never stopped amazing me that I could be close to her like this. I didn't object when she started unbuttoning my shirt, I suddenly wanted more.

When she moved her lips back to mine I tightened my arm around her waist, keeping her closer. But when she tried to unbutton her own shirt, I placed her wrists over her head and on her pillow. "Bella, would you please stop trying to take your clothes off?"

"Do you want to do that part?" She seemed perplexed.

"Not tonight."

"Edward, don't…"

I'm not saying no." I interrupted. "I'm just saying not tonight. "

"Give me one good reason why tonight is not as good as any other night."

"I wasn't born yesterday." I smiled "Out of the two of us, which do you think is more unwilling to give the other what they want? You just promised to marry me before you do any changing, but if I give in tonight, what guarantee do I have that you won't go running off to Carlisle in the morning? I am - clearly - much less reluctant to give you what you want. Therefore . . . You first.

"I have to marry you first?"

"That's the deal - take it or leave it. Compromise, remember?" I started kissing her again. When I broke away she looked worried.

"I think that's a really bad idea."

"I'm not surprised you feel that way. You have a one-track mind."

She pouted. "How did this happen? I thought I was holding my own tonight - for once -and now, all of a sudden"

"You're engaged." I offered.

"Ew! Please don't say that out loud. "

"Are you going back on your word?" I said severely yet my mood was light. "Are you?"

"Ugh! No. I'm not. Are you happy now?"

"Exceptionally." I smiled as I felt every joy imaginable. "Aren't you happy at all?" I kissed her, seeping my own happiness into the kiss.

"A little bit. But not about getting married. "

"Do you get the feeling that everything is backward? Traditionally, shouldn't you be arguing my side, and I yours?"

"There isn't much that's traditional about you and me." She said with a smile of her own.

"True." I started kissing her again and smiled on her lips as I heard her heartbeat kick up.

"Look, Edward. I said I would marry you, and I will. I promise. I swear. If you want, I'll sign a contract in my own blood. "

"Not funny." I said as I continued to kiss her hand and arm.

"What I'm saying is this - I'm not going to trick you or anything. You know me better than that. So there's really no reason to wait. We're completely alone - how often does that happen? - and you've provided this very large and comfortable bed. . . . "

"Not tonight."

"Don't you trust me?"

"Of course I do."

"Then what's the problem? It's not like you didn't know you were going to win in the end. You always win. " She pouted again.

"Just hedging my bets."

"There's something else. Are you planning to go back on your word?"

"No. I swear to you, we will try. After you marry me. " I said seriously

"You make me feel like a villain in a melodrama -twirling my mustache while I try to steal some poor girl's virtue. "She laughed and I hid my face by kissing her collarbone.

"That's it, isn't it? You're trying to protect your virtue!" She slapped a hand over her mouth to drown out the laughter.

"No, silly girl. I'm trying to protect yours. And you're making it shockingly difficult. "

"Of all the ridiculous -"

"Let me ask you something." I said getting fired up again. We've had this discussion before, but humor me. How many people in this room have a soul? A shot at heaven, or whatever there is after this life?"

"Two." She said with an angry face of determination.

"All right. Maybe that's true. Now, there's a world full of dissension about this, but the vast majority seem to think that there are some rules that have to be followed. "

"Vampire rules aren't enough for you? You want to worry about the human ones too?"

"It couldn't hurt. Just in case." She looked angry again and I continued. "Now, of course, it might be too late for me, even if you are right about my soul."

"No it isn't."

"'Thou shalt not kill is commonly accepted by most major belief systems. And I've killed a lot of people, Bella.

"Only the bad ones."

"Maybe that counts, maybe it doesn't. But you haven't killed anyone -"

"That you know about, " She interrupted.

I chuckled at her humor even in the most serious of conversations. "And I'm going to do my best to keep you out of temptation's way."

"Okay. But we weren't fighting over committing murder." She said, bringing the other subject back.

"The same principle applies - the only difference is that this is the one area in which I'm just as spotless as you are. Can't I leave one rule unbroken?"

"One?"

"You know that I've stolen, I've lied, I've coveted . . . My virtue is all I have left." I flashed her my crooked grin she loved so much.

"I lie all the time."

"Yes, but you're such a bad liar that it doesn't really count. Nobody believes you. "

"I really hope you're wrong about that - because otherwise Charlie is about to burst through the door with a loaded gun."

"Charlie is happier when he pretends to swallow your stories. He'd rather lie to himself than look too closely."

"But what did you ever covet? You have everything." She asked, confused.

"I coveted you." I answered, my happy tone gone and my smile dimmed. "I had no right to want you - but I reached out and took you anyway. And now look what's become of you! Trying to seduce a vampire." I shook my head, and pretended to act amused, trying to hide my shame.

"You can covet what's already yours. Besides, I thought it was my virtue you were worried about. "

"It is. If it's too late for me . . . Well, I'll be damned - no pun intended - if I'll let them keep you out, too." I hoped it was something I had control over.

"You can't make me go somewhere you won't be. That's my definition of hell. Anyway, I have an easy solution to all this: let's never die, all right?"

"Sounds simple enough. Why didn't I think of that?" I grinned.

"So that's it. You won't sleep with me until we're married."

"Technically, I can't ever sleep with you."

"Very mature, Edward."

"But, other than that detail, yes, you've got it right."

"I think you have an ulterior motive."

I flashed a naïve look. "Another one?"

"You know this will speed things up."

"There is only one thing I want to speed up, and the rest can wait forever . . . But for that, it's true, your impatient human hormones are my most powerful ally at this point."

"I can't believe I'm going along with this. When I think of Charlie . . . And Renée! Can you imagine what Angela will think? Or Jessica? Ugh. I can hear the gossip now. "

I wondered why someone who never seemed to care much about what other people thought, was suddenly concerned over gossip. "It doesn't have to be a big production. I don't need any fanfare. You won't have to tell anyone or make any changes. We'll go to Vegas - you can wear old jeans and we'll go to the chapel with the drive-through window. I just want it to be official - that you belong to me and no one else. "

"It couldn't be any more official than it already is."

"We'll see about that. I suppose you don't want your ring now?"

"You suppose correctly." She practically growled.

She was cute sometimes. "That's fine. I'll get it on your finger soon enough. "

"You talk like you already have one. "

"I do." I said, not bothering to hide it. "Ready to force upon you at the first sign of weakness."

"You're unbelievable."

"Do you want to see it?" I felt my excitement rise.

"No!" She said loudly, and my excitement disappeared. "Unless you really want to show it to me."

I tried for nonchalant. "That's ok. It can wait."

"Show me the damn ring, Edward."

"No."

"Please?" She whispered. Her fingertips felt smooth and warm on my face as she breathed the request. "Please can I see it?"

I almost snarled. "You are the most dangerous creature I've ever met." I went to get the box out of my nightstand and then took my place next to her, draping my arm around her as I put the box on her knee. "Go ahead and look then."

"You didn't spend a lot of money, did you? Lie to me, if you did. "

"I didn't spend anything. It's just another hand-me-down. This is the ring my father gave to my mother. "

"Oh." That seemed to soften her up.

"I supposed it's a little outdated. Old-fashioned, just like me. I can get you something more modern. Something from Tiffany's?"

"I like old-fashioned things." She said with a small smile and sighed before opening the box. My mother's ring looked back at us, still as beautiful as I remembered it being when my mother was alive to wear it. Bella ran her fingertip along the diamonds. "It's so pretty." She breathed.

"Do you like it?"

"It's beautiful. What's not to like?"

"See if it fits." I said and watched her left hand tighten into a restraining fist. "Bella I'm not going to solder it to your finger. Just try it on so I can see if it needs to be sized. Then you can take it right off. "

"Fine." She muttered.

I took the ring and carefully slid it on to her finger. Not only did it fit, but it looked right on her hand. It was always supposed to be there. Here I had been wondering if it would be difficult to see my mother's ring again. Yet the only emotion I felt was stunned happiness. "A perfect fit, " he said indifferently. "That's nice - saves me a trip to the jeweler's. "

"You like that, don't you?" She asked.

I shrugged. "Sure. It looks very nice on you."

I looked up from her hand as she stared at me. It was really going to happen. She was really going to marry me. I didn't bother to hide the emotion that realization invoked. She would be my wife, and I would be her husband. I was getting married. She wouldn't leave. I had never felt so alive, or happy before. I held her face in mine and kissed her, hoping it would be enough to show her just how happy I was. "Yes, I like it. You have no idea. "

"I believe you."

"Do you mind if I do something?" I hugged her close.

"Anything you want." She said and I let go of her. "Anything but that."

I pulled her to her feet and stared into the brown eyes I loved and would miss. "Now, I want to do this right. Please, please, keep in mind that you've already agreed to this, and don't ruin it for me. " And in a gesture as old as time, I knelt to one knee.

"Oh, no." She got flustered.

"Be nice." I said and waited for her to regain composure, and searched for some myself. "Isabella Swan? I promise to love you forever - every single day of forever. Will you marry me?"

She looked at me for what seemed like an impossible amount of time. Many different emotions flickered across her face before she finally smiled. "Yes."

I felt so many things. Triumph, happiness, excitement, and most of all love. The dream I had never allowed myself to wish for, was coming true. I would be a husband. I would be hers. And she was mine. "Thank you." I said and kissed her fingers, and kissed the ring that would now belong to Isabella Marie Cullen.

I now had the strength for whatever would come next.