"Bella? Bella, are you awake?" I shook her shoulders lightly as she leaned against the airplane window. "We're going to be landing any minute." I was starting to feel a lot better. We would be landing in Rio shortly and after that it wouldn't be long before I could get her to the safety of the Island. She yawned and stretched her arms above her head. "Did I sleep the whole flight?" she asked innocently. "Yes, and then some. I practically had to carry you onboard." She laughed which always made me smile. "I guess I really haven't been sleeping all that well. It did feel nice to get some honest to goodness rest." I nodded my head in agreement. The dark circles that had been rimming her eyes for the past week were all but gone. The warm glow that always colored her face had finally returned. It was a good thing she hadn't been so rested before we left. Otherwise Carlisle never would have been able to convince Charlie that Bella needed an extended vacation with out interruption. He seemed wary to accept Carlisle's assessment but, Bella had agreed and after all she was nearly twenty-three now. There wasn't to much he could do to stop her. I had brought that tiny fact up to Bella the morning we told Charlie the news. Only to find out that it did not make her very happy. She had allowed herself to get to what she said was "a lot older that me" which was preposterous. If we were being real I had her beat by almost nine decades now. I sighed thinking of my very ,very long life. Thinking about her worrying again about her age made me wonder if somewhere deep inside she was still considering immortality. We hadn't made a point to talk about it since we'd more or less gotten back together. However, I still kept her ring, my mothers ring, in my left pocket where it had been since the day she gave it back to me. Someday, sometime soon I would get it back on her. I was sure of that.
The pilot came on the loudspeaker welcoming us in Spanish to Rio. We took a taxi from the airport and dropped Carlisle, Esme and the others at the home they would be renting for the next few months. Once we had said our goodbyes Bella and I set off for the boat docks which would take us on the next leg of our journey. I walked our things down to our yacht and placed them onboard. Then with my other arm swung Bella lightly over the railing. "Since when did you get your captains license?" she asked jokingly. "Nineteen fifty-four." I answered back with a wink. She giggled and went to sit on the large white bow. "It's going to take us a good forty minutes to get there so you might want to go below and get comfortable." I told her starting the engine. " I'm comfortable right here." she told me. It was plain to see that she was happy again. I didn't know why I deserved this but I was glad for it.
I wondered, as I drove, if she thought much about Jacob anymore. It wouldn't be Bella if she didn't at least give the situation some thought but she was hiding it very well. Oh, what I wouldn't give to be in her head for just a few moments. Well, that was never going to happen. At least not while she was still human. Who knew what this vampire life would have to offer her. I shouldn't even be thinking about that yet. I cursed myself internally for even considering it.
The ocean was as calm as glass and the water broke softly on the bow. It wasn't too long before I could see the shape of the island in the dark. "We're here!" I shouted to Bella who hadn't moved since we'd boarded. "It's so dark. I can't really see anything yet." "You will in just a moment. As the boat approaches the automatic lights will go on." She snorted playfully. "What do vampires need with automatic lights." I laughed. "All part of the game." I said as I easily moved the boat into position and docked. "We're here. Welcome to Isle Esme." I told her. I took her by the hand and helped her down off the boat. She had changed out of her jeans and turtle neck when we stopped to drop the others in Rio. Now she wore a small blue sundress and she had her hair up in a messy bun. Small beads of sweat dewed up on the nape of her neck. Bella looked so beautiful I could barely stand to breath. Every part of my was alive again with the prospect of forever with her laid out in front of me again. "Go ahead in and look around" I said handing her the small silver key. "I'll just get our bags and be right be behind you, love." I decided I would push my luck as far as I could. I reached out and gave her behind a tiny tap as I sent her off. Bella spun around and gave me a devious smile then turned around and skipped up the sand drive to the front doors. I couldn't believe I was being so irresponsible. Before Bella had broken our engagement and chose Jacob she had tried once, unsuccessfully, to get me to sleep with her. At the time we had put it off until after our wedding, a wedding that had never happened. One major thing had changed since then. As much as I hated to think of it, Bella had slept with Jacob. Her failed pregnancy was evidence of that. Right now even with the decades of experience I held over, her there was still one place where she was more experienced than me. I didn't have the slightest clue what I was doing when it came to having sex, let alone sex with a human. I could literally break her in half and It wasn't just something I was saying to boost my ego. I actually could split her in two and kill her.
" Edward, I cant find the lights!" Bella yelled from the doorway jostling me from my thoughts. "Coming love." I grabbed both trunks and Bella's suitcase and sped up the walkway. Once we were in the house and all the lights turned on I brought our trunks to the living room. "There are three master bedrooms. Why don't you have a look and let me know which one you'd prefer." I told her pointing at two doors to my left and another to my right. As I thought she might she went first to the door on the right. The one closest to the ocean. "This is the one!" she yelled. I laughed and picked the luggage up to bring it in. "I had a feeling this is the one you'd choose." I said smiling and putting the bags in the corner. "Its Esme's favorite too." The room had a huge white bed with long gossamer netting flowing down the posts to the ground. It also had a huge wooden deck that opened directly to the beach. The view was breathtaking, still compared to Bella it was simply a beach. She stood now on the deck looking out into the ocean. The wind had blown her messy bun out of place and her long brown hair flowed down to her back. The bottom of her dress looked like a flower dancing in the wind. My heart caught in my throat. I walked to her and put my arms around her waist, kissing the back of her neck ever so gently. It couldn't have been more than a minute before she turned around and stared at me. "Edward, there is something I want to ask you." she said holding my hands in hers. "The last time we were together I was only eighteen and suffice it to say it was at a confusing time in my life." I took her hands and kissed them. "The point is that I've had a lot of time to grow up and I know what I want now more than anything." I was just about to kiss her when she suddenly got down on one knee. "Edward Anthony Masen Cullen, I will love you forever. Every single day of forever. Will you marry me?" She repeated the same proposal I'd given her almost five years ago. "Bella, are you sure about this?" I asked her a little stunned. "Yes, If you'll have me. I know I don't deserve a second chance but …" I cut her off by scooping her up in my arms and twirling her in a circle. "Yes, yes A thousand times yes!" I told her kissing her all over her face. "I'm sorry I don't have a ring for you." she said teasing. "No, but I do!" I answered pulling my mothers ring from my inside pocket. Her eyes sparkled in the moonlight as I slid it into place on her left finger. Now that I finally had the ring where it belonged I was sure that it would stay there for all eternity.
