So...no power at my house. Power at my parents but no heat.

How are you guys doing?

Chapter Ten

Starting a Life

Edward realized soon after he'd officially moved Bella into his apartment, he needed to introduce himself to her parents. He was now settled into his family's business and Bella only had a few more months until she got her degree. It had been a struggle for Edward to wait for her to be done with college to propose, but he'd done it. Now he had a very important question to ask her parents. They lived just a few hours from Seattle and his ingrained manners forced him to schedule a trip to Ellensburg, although keeping Bella in the dark was harder than he thought it would be.

"Why are you going all the way to Tacoma for beer?" she whined as he got dressed. He looked in the mirror and smiled at the pretty pout gracing her lips.

"Baby, you know I can only get those IPAs I like down there. I'll only be gone a few hours. And you told me you wanted to catch up with Alice. I'll be back before you know it," he said, moving over to where she sat on the bed.

"Be careful," she whispered, looking up at him. He couldn't help but to lean down and kiss her gently.

"I love you," he sighed, straightening before he was tempted to throw her down and show her just how much he loved her.

*()*()*

"My name is Edward Cullen. I'm in love with your daughter and would like your permission to marry her."

Edward stood straight and tall as Bella's father, Charlie stared him down. He knew there was a shotgun around somewhere, but he hoped the man would refrain from filling his ass full of buckshot.

"You've already moved her into your place, haven't ya?" Charlie drawled, enjoying the way Edward's throat bobbed as he swallowed. His decision was made the moment his only child called to tell them she was in love. If the man was good enough for her to love, he had already earned his respect. The fact that he'd come all the way from Seattle to ask for Bella's hand officially only added to his regard.

"Sir…" Edward stammered, but Charlie's good-natured chuckle silenced him.

"I was just pulling your chain, son. Come in and sit for a while. I'll show you my newest Browning. The damn thing can blow a hole through a solid wood door," Charlie said with a smile.

*()*()*

"Fuck Bella!"

The moment Edward walked through the door, Bella pounced. She had him stripped bare and laid out in the middle of their bed in a matter of minutes. Now she had his cock down her throat, her fingers roaming down to his sac, squeezing and stroking as her mouth worked him over. Though Edward had a hard time accepting her selfless attention, he loved watching her suck his cock.

"Coming, coming, coming," he chanted breathlessly, giving her enough time to get out of the line of fire. Instead of releasing him, she closed her eyes and stayed with him, as if savoring him. Flopping down on the pillows, Edward reached for Bella, needing her close.

"Marry me, Bella."

"Yes."

Her reply was instantaneous, as if she had been waiting for him to ask. He lifted his head and looked down at her, unable to believe she was really going to be his.

*()*()*

"Welcome home Mrs. Cullen," Edward whispered as he carried Bella across the threshold. They had spent months looking for the perfect house. It had to be big enough that they wouldn't outgrow it in a few years and in a good school district. Though they had only been married for a few months, kids were a huge part of their future and Edward had made a big production of tossing away Bella's birth control pills the moment he slipped her engagement ring on her finger.

Now, as he walked through their front door for the first time, Edward could picture their hoard of kids running through the wide halls, coloring on the walls and making a mess in the garden.

He couldn't wait.

*()*()*

Edward walked through the front door, nine months later and sighed when he found the downstairs empty.

The honeymoon period was over.

After trying for months to get pregnant, Bella dragged them to a specialist. Two hours later, they walked out of the office in a daze. They were both young and healthy, but the doctor couldn't give them an answer as to why they'd yet to conceive.

Bella had given up.

Edward could hear her crying through the bathroom door as he made his way up the stairs and felt his own eyes sting. He had her cycle marked in his calendar, and when he realized her period was late, he'd hoped that maybe this was finally their chance.

Apparently not.

"Baby?" he pleaded, falling to his hands and knees outside their bathroom door. The wood separating them did nothing to stifle the sound of her tears. "If you don't open this fucking door, I swear to God…" Edward whimpered, slamming his hand against the wall. The door suddenly swung open, revealing Bella standing in one of his long-sleeved shirt and nothing else. Her face was pale, her cheeks wet.

But her smile was blinding.

Bella's hand shook as she held out a pregnancy test.

Edward took the insignificant piece of plastic and looked down at it. The two pink lines stared up at him, threatening to change his life forever. His eyes filled with tears as he allowed himself to believe their dreams were really coming true.

"Oh baby," he breathed, lunging forward and burying his face in her belly.

*()*()*

"Edward, this really needs to stop. He was just trying to help," Bella reprimanded, smacking him on the arm as he continued to glare at the retreating back of the salesman.

"Bella, he did not have to put his hand on your shoulder to show you how to operate a fucking stroller," he snarled, sliding his hand protectively across her swollen belly. He thought he'd been possessive and jealous before Bella was pregnant, but he was wrong. Now, just the thought of another man touching or even talking to his girl was enough to make him homicidal.

Bella attempted to get Edward to apologize to the salesman, but he refused.

"He shouldn't have touched you," he said, without remorse. "He deserved to have his nose broken."

*()*()*

"He looks just like you," Bella whispered as she looked down at their son. After seventeen hours of agonizing labor, they were finally able to hold the child they'd wanted for so long.

Edward was unashamed of the tears that blurred his vision as he watched his son suckle at Bella's breast. The perfection of the moment was overwhelming as he realized the woman he loved had given him something amazing. He wondered when he would stop finding new reasons to worship her.

Hints and peeks and getting closer.

Pretty sure next chapter is when we merge.

Mwah!