It doesn't mean much

It doesn't mean anything at all

The life I've left behind me

Is a cold room

I've crossed the last line

From where I can't return

Where every step I took in faith

Betrayed me

And led me from my home

Sweet Surrender: by Sarah McLachlan

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Bella POV:

Staring at the stars on a clear night still amazes me with my vampire eyesight; I never knew – or understood – the vastness of the night sky while I was still a human. The thought makes me realize just how many of my human memories have faded in the past year, so I quickly sweep through the memories of my old life I want to hold onto. Basically everything involving Edward – as nothing else seems important to me – and all of this reminiscing eventually starts to bring out my favorite memories in my new life as a vampire too.

Four months into my new life Alice was fussing over me, 'trying' to make me perfect, dressing me in this ridiculous baby pink, silk, floor-length dress and four-inch stilettos, plus my hair and makeup. I knew we were not leaving the house, so I did not know what all the fuss was about and I couldn't help the few growls that rumbled in my chest throughout the whole ordeal.

After hours of fussing, Alice finally took a step back and turned me to the mirror. Her work was amazing, of course, but I just did not understand why something that should only take ten minutes was being dragged out for hours. And then as she led me to the stairs I quickly found out she was only distracting me while the rest of the family silently decorated the house. The rooms were alight with strands of twinkle lights and full of the scent of orchids, cherry and orange blossoms and roses. The stairs were covered in red and white rose petals. It was stunning.

As I descended the stairs a slow song played out from the piano and I glanced over, expecting to see Edward sitting there but was shocked to find Rosalie. Edward was waiting for me at the end of the stairs, and as I reached the bottom he stretched out his arm to me. I placed my hand in his as I took the last step off the stairs and he pulled me to him, stroking my cheek and leaving a trail of fire and desire rushing through me. After a moment of captivation in each other's gazes he took a small step back, "Bella, my love, will you please dance with me?"

I learned quickly that there was no need to fear being clumsy; I had as much grace as the rest of the Cullen's, and it was a wonderful feeling. I leaned into him and with a swift kiss he led me over to the piano. Rosalie quickly moved onto another song without pause and Edward began leading me in a slow and sensual dance. After the fourth dance I looked around to see the rest of my family moving rhythmically about the room, and Emmett sitting on the piano bench with Rosalie.

Then the song morphed into something new and Edward took a step back away from me. I looked at him in confusion, but he smiled and pulled me to the middle of the floor, where he got down on one knee and pulled a black box out of his pocket. I gasped, as I knew what he was going to do.

He stared at me with love etched deeply in his face and a bit of hesitation lingering in his eyes, but as soon as he spoke, I was relieved. "Isabella, I love you. I have loved you for what seems like a lifetime already. Will you please become my wife?"

For two seconds I thought about making him sweat, but I could not do that, not to him. I looked at him, placing all my love into my features and answered with a firm 'yes'. And as the smile spread across his face and lit the entire room, he stood and embraced me lovingly. When he pulled away a sly smile came across his face for a brief moment, "Will you become my wife today?" I gasped slightly when I looked around the room and saw everyone's smiles, except for Alice, her look was murderous.

We spent four days in Las Vegas; Edward booked the most expensive chapel there was. The wedding was beautiful, but the outrageous hotel room he reserved for us was even more stunning. The family indulged in the casinos while Edward and I spent the four nights in our room, making love nonstop. We never emerged until Alice was knocking on our door letting us know the plane was ready for us to go back home to New York.

When we returned home, I wrote letters to my parents and sent them some pictures of our wedding. I had Jasper use photo shop so that I could look more human, and of course to make my eyes brown instead of the muddy red they had become, though they were starting to turn gold a lot sooner than was anticipated. I was a little sad that I could not invite my parents to the wedding, but I had chosen this life and I knew I had to start letting them go.

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It was announced when I was nine months into my new life that we were moving to Montana, just outside of a town called Libby. Esme had purchased a large plot of land nestled against the Kootenai National Forest, and stated that we had to clear the land and build the house. She had a set of blueprints she had been working on, and she wanted to use the trees that we would be ripping up to build the house instead of selling the lumber.

The house was beautiful once it was finished three weeks later. It took no time at all for Esme and Alice to decorate the inside; it was very similar to the Forks house with the glass walls and wide, open floor plans. When the moving truck arrived from New York I noticed it was very small as there were only a few pieces of antique furniture and some artwork that came along. Alice and Esme ordered new furniture from a high-end store, which was delivered on the same day.

The cars had then arrived on a covered truck so the townsfolk would not see them. There was a new car in the mix when everything was unloaded, and Edward walked up to me, a bit hesitant. He reached out for my hand with a wary expression and then led me over to the new car; opening the driver's side door and helping me sit. I faintly heard Emmett mutter "Oh god…" as Edward closed the door and flew to the passenger seat. Once he was seated in the car, I turned to him with an eyebrow raised.

"Let's just take the car for a quick ride, and then you can tell me if you like it or not." Silently, I nodded to him and started the car.

The car was amazing; I was in love with it. I lowered my shield and let him see my joy in the speed. He was laughing when we finally pulled back into the drive way and made it back to the house. Everyone was standing at the front door with expectant looks on their faces, before Emmett walked up to us and started, "So Bella, how do you like your new Bugatti?" Edward started to growl low in his chest, but his brother continued on unfazed, "I figured you would have been mad after finding out that it was a two million dollar car."And then he was grinning widely, like he had won some silent challenge before I turned slowly to Edward, who had his head bowed sheepishly and was avoiding my gaze. I glared at him.

"Edward, is this true? Did you really pay that much for a car?" He looked up to me slowly, his eyes holding a bit of sadness when he answered with a solemn 'yes'. I huffed in annoyance and noticed Emmett tense, as if waiting for a rebuff from Edward for letting his secret out.

Seconds ticked by in the following silence as I thought to myself, but after a moment I realized how painfully stubborn – and possibly even ungrateful – I was being, and I decided right then and there that I was not going to let the price bother me. Why should I not accept a gift from my husband, even if it was ridiculously expensive? I turned to Edward with a calculating smile on my face and he looked at me cautiously, still wary, so I decided to put him out of his misery. I knew what I wanted in a car. "I love this car Edward, thank you so much. However this car, like the Aston Martin, cannot be driven around town, so I want to go buy a different car and I know exactly what it is I want." Edward's expression changed and he looked at me with an indulgent smile and Alice let out a squeal of delight, no doubt seeing an image of the car I wanted. I pulled out my cell phone to look for the closest dealer to us and finding one in Bozeman, a 6 hour human drive. I knew we could get there in less than 3 hours.

Three days later Edward and I drove to the Audi dealer to find my new silver Audi S7; it was the perfect car, just like Edward's Volvo. "Edward, you can drive the Volvo home and I will drive my car." Already he was eyeing my newest vehicle and I thought he would have started drooling if he could. Instead he let out a small huff of irritation and got in his car. I smiled slightly, knowing he was jealous.

I decided to help in his frustration in that moment when I remembered Alice had picked out a miniskirt for me to wear. As I got in the car and started driving away I lowered my shield and opened my mind to Edward – of course, he didn't know I did this unless I actively tuned him in. So I put my hand on my thigh and started slowly moving my hand upward, moaning and sighing softly in my mind. As my hand reached my sex I heard him behind me, and he was growling loudly. I let a smug smirk play across my face.

I decided to further add to his growing frustration by plugging my iPod into the stereo system and loudly play 'Sex on Fire' by Kings of Leon. We were about ten miles from the house at this point, so I knew that everyone would be outside waiting to see the new car. I turned up the music and started playing images in my mind of us together in bed, they were rather vivid, and then I started sending him thoughts of me running my hands all over his body. The growling only got louder.

As we pulled up to the house I put my shield back up, and as expected everyone was outside waiting. I smirked to myself. I made no move to turn the music off as I exited the car at a slow pace, and as Edward pulled up beside me I ran my hand up my leg. I watched with a teasing smile as he gripped the steering wheel hard and let out a deafening roar, all eyes flying to him as Alice let out a peal of laughter.

As I walked past everyone with a smirk on my face I quickly looked back at Edward who was still sitting in the car and winked at him, throwing my keys to Rosalie and walking right into the house. Then I heard Alice tell everyone they needed to go hunting for a few hours, as they were not going to want to be around the house for a while.

I reached our bedroom door when I heard Edward enter the house with a deep growl in his throat. I knew I had excited him beyond reason, his lust clouding his vision like it did on our first hunt – there would be no gentle love making here today. I turned as he entered the bedroom, raw lust on his face and in his golden eyes. I moaned wantonly as he stalked towards me, like I was his prey.

"Bella," was all he said – or more like snarled – as he pushed me down onto the bed. I fell back, and then my clothes disappeared from my body in a matter of seconds. His were gone next before he lowered himself down on me and kissed heatedly. I knew he was trying to be gentle, but he was losing control and quickly. So I lowered my shield and showed him what I wanted and he let go then, growling.

And then he was inside me, moving at such a speed it was shaking the room. I felt it coming, a mind-blowing orgasm, and as my walls tightened around him and I knew he was reaching release I leaned up and sank my teeth into his shoulder. He let loose a growl that shook the windows before he too came.

~~~~~~~~O~~~~~~~~

I come out of my memories as I hear Edward climbing up onto the roof of the house, approaching from behind to sit behind me. He scoots closer and wraps his arms around my chest, and then he sighs. I know what has him so upset, but I want him to say it because it is so funny. So I look up at him and place a gentle kiss on his cheek, hopefully making the way easier for me to get him to admit what is playing on his mind. "What's wrong, Edward?" He looks down and sighs, a mixed look of love and irritation displayed on his face, his reluctance also showing.

"I am just not ready to share you with the world yet, especially the high school world. I know this will be very redundant for you, since we basically just left high school, but starting over is starting over. And this time we will graduate together, and actually go through to college next." I giggle at him, the sound soft as I try – and fail – to hold it in. I know he is worried about the thoughts of the human males, but he needs not to worry since I am no longer human and I will not leave his side. A small smile reaches his lips. "Come on love, Alice is waiting for you and I am going to go on a quick hunt with Jasper and Emmett before we plunge back into the human world." I glance back at the sky and notice the sun is rising. I did not realize I have been sitting up here all night lost in my memories.

Edward pulls me up and close to him, giving me a quick kiss as he leads me to the ledge of the roof. We jump together, and as we land Emmett and Jasper are there, Edward kisses me again and then runs off with the boys. I have a plan and I quickly lock it away from Alice as I go straight to my room to get dressed. I notice she has laid out an outfit for me, but I walk straight past it and into my closet because I know she is going to be impressed with what I am going to do.

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I would like to thank Shakaka for her beta skills!

I know what you are thinking, I am a tease with the lemons, but I can assure you they will get better. It's just not time for them yet. I promised dirty ones, and there will be, and I also know you probably did not expect this story to turn into a school story, but I do not plan on keeping them there long. We won't be spending chapters upon chapters at school; we will skip a lot of it….