Two Turtle Doves

December 24

~~~Edward~~~

The grandfather clock chimed twelve times.

Midnight.

It was Christmas Eve, and I had the love of my life asleep in my arms after the worst day of my life.

I blew out a gust of air, finally able to exhale in relief.

I had realized something was wrong the second I woke up alone in a cold bed yesterday morning. By the time I got downstairs, I already knew what her note was going to say before I read it.

I wanted to cry, scream, and hit something… or someone.

However, none of those things would bring her back.

I immediately called Alice and Rose on the off-chance Bella had told them anything. Little did I know that would set off a chain reaction leading to another confrontation with my mother.

I was broken from my thoughts when Bella moved in my lap. Her beautiful face was still blotchy and tear-stained as she slept soundly with her head resting on my shoulder.

When I had seen her standing by the front door with the snow coming down around her, I thought my imagination had taken over, or I was having a psychotic break. After being out there searching every part of the city, I had thought maybe I'd really lost the best thing to ever happen to me. The last thing I'd expected was to see her at our front door.

My arms tightened around her as if assuring myself she was really here.

I loosened my grip to gently remove her shoes and coat, covering us with a blanket and lying back on the cushions with her still on top of me. My phone vibrated in my pocket, and I reached down to grab it.

"Hey, Emmett," I answered softly.

"You're home, right? You promised you wouldn't go back out. Rose and I are going to come over. I don't want you there alone tonight."

"She's here," I told him.

"What? How?"

Emmett must've pulled away from the phone to inform Rose that Bella had made it back home. I heard shuffling noises, and then Rose replaced Emmett.

"Edward? She's there?"

"Yes, she's asleep. She was here when I got home. We haven't had a chance to really talk yet, so I don't know anything more."

Rose let out a sob, and Emmett got back on the phone.

"Is she all right?" he asked.

"I think so. Listen, she's asleep right here. I don't want to wake her. Can you please call the rest of the family and let them know? I'll call you tomorrow."

"Sure thing," he said and paused. "I'm glad she's home."

"Me, too. Thank you for being there for me today."

"You're my brother. I always have your back."

I chuckled, even though my gut was still twisted. "Goodnight, Em."

"Goodnight."

I placed the phone on the coffee table and sighed. The soothing scent of Bella's hair helped, but I wondered if I would ever be able to relax again.

One thing I knew for sure… Bella and I had a lot to talk about.

~~~*~~~TDoC~~~*~~~

I only got snatches of sleep throughout the early morning. Each time Bella so much as twitched, my arms instinctively tensed around her, and I was jolted awake. The thought she might disappear again was a nightmare I couldn't live through again.

She eventually started to stir, her fingers running through my hair. My stomach was in knots as I thought about the looming conversation we needed to have. I had to know she was in this with me… that she really wanted to be with me.

I didn't know what I would do if she said no.

"How about some breakfast?" I asked, rubbing her back. "Did you eat anything at all yesterday?"

"No," she whispered.

I sighed, realizing she was probably starving. I sat up, and she pulled back a little with downcast eyes. My fingers brushed her cheeks until she looked at me.

"Let's eat something… okay?"

She nodded and stood up. I grabbed her hand in mine before she walked away, and she sighed, her eyes focused down at our linked fingers.

Did she think I didn't want her anymore?

I couldn't have that.

I stopped, pulling her to me in a hug. She squeezed me back before I leaned down to give her a kiss. I framed her face with my hands, brushing her cheeks with my thumbs as I pressed my lips to hers.

"I love you, Bella," I said, happy to see her eyes brighten.

"I love you. So much."

We smiled at each other before continuing to the kitchen. The familiar rhythm was back, although our working in tandem was silent this time around. We put together our scrambled eggs, bacon and toast, and sat down together at the table.

The silence became deafening when we sat down, neither of us making the first move to talk. We both picked at our food, mostly pushing it around our plates. I couldn't stand the thick tension that had fallen around us.

"Why did you leave?" I blurted out. She put her fork on her plate and looked down at her lap. I took a deep breath before continuing. "Was it because of what my mother said?

She bit her trembling lip and slumped her shoulders.

"Please, Bella. Please look at me and talk to me. I love you, but I need to know what you're thinking. I need to know you're in this with me. I can't live wondering if you are going to disappear again." My voice broke, and I took a breath, trying to pull myself together. "It was the worst day of my life."

Her watery eyes met mine, and I reached for her hand.

"I'm so sorry I left like that," she started. "I realize now what a mistake it was. I should have talked to you first." She paused and took a couple deep breaths. "It wasn't just your mother. It was a culmination of a lot of things. I'm messed up. Are you really sure you want me?"

"I've never been more sure of anything in my life. I'm just worried you don't want me the same way." It was my eyes that turned down this time.

Before I knew it, she was off her chair and straddling my lap. "I'm so sorry I made you feel that way. I… I thought… it would be… better for you." She cried, stumbling over her words.

I rubbed her back, trying to calm her down again. I didn't want to upset her. I only wanted to know the truth. "Will you ever believe me when I say that you are what's best for me?"

"I'm trying to," she whispered. "God, Edward, I love you. I just hope I'm enough… I pray that I'm enough."

"You are," I told her firmly. "Why do you doubt that?" I put my fingers under her chin so she would look at me.

She blew a gust of air out the side of her mouth. "You'll get mad."

I shook my head and smiled at her. "Never. I told you that you could tell me anything."

"Well, of course it's all my past stuff."

"Do you mean Jake?" I asked, barely able to say that bastard's name.

She shook her head. "No, not just him. I mean everything. Look at you… at how you were brought up. I don't have any history. I don't have your education, your family, your means. I saw you the other night dancing with that girl… that Tanya. She looked like she belonged on your arm. I don't have any of that."

Tanya?

"All right, let's take that point by point… starting with Tanya. Yes, my mother wanted to see us together. But I assure you, even if you and I were not together, I would have zero interest in Tanya. I never did. She has nothing on you. You are warm, sweet, funny, interesting, and more beautiful than she could ever pay to be."

She started to protest, but I wouldn't let her get a word in.

"No, Bella. I know you don't see yourself as others do, but you are so beautiful, you make my head spin. You won't believe me, but I was stopped more than a few times the night of the benefit and asked who you were. I believe the words gorgeous, stunning, and out of your league were all used. Emmett can verify that."

She blushed. "You're ridiculous." At least she had a smile on her face.

"It's the truth, Miss Swan. Now for your education… well that is easily remedied. You can have all the education you want. Although, you can already argue me under the table with most every literary topic, and I have a masters' in literature."

I placed a lock of her hair behind her ear, admiring her pouty lips as she stared at me. The memory of our night together, being inside her, hit me hard. I closed my eyes and forced myself to focus on the things that needed to be discussed first.

"Then your final two points of contention were family and means. Well, those go hand-in-hand, don't they?" I asked, watching her eyebrow raise. "As I've told you before, I have all this through my family. I've been blessed and granted opportunities because of my last name. It was luck of being born a Cullen." I took a deep breath, crossing my fingers that my next words didn't blow up in my face. "Our children will be the same way."

As expected, her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open. A few chuckles left my lips before I could stop them.

"Our what?"

I shrugged and smiled. "Our children. I was hoping for two or three. How many kids do you want?"

"I… I… don't know," she stammered. She shook her head and looked down again.

Please let this work. Please. Please. Please.

I wanted to sigh in relief when her shiny eyes met mine again with a huge smile.

"You want to have babies with me?" she asked softly.

"I want it all. I want babies. I want you to marry me. I want you to be a Cullen. I want to make a family with you."

Her lips crushed mine as she threw her arms back around my neck, and I laughed when the force of it almost knocked us backward in the chair. When she pulled back, her grin remained in place.

"Nobody's ever wanted me as part of their family since my parents died."

"I do. My whole family wants you with me."

Her expression turned skeptical. "Except your mother."

I shook my head. "My mother included."

She still didn't believe me. It was understandable, I supposed.

"Okay, when I got up and found your note…" I paused, swallowing the lump in my throat. Her eyes were sad, but she ran her fingers through my hair. "Well, I called Alice and Rose first thing, hoping maybe you'd contacted them or went there. That pretty much sent the whole family in a panic. I drove every inch of Chicago, and so did they. My mother called and begged me to let her help.

"Apparently, after my phone calls, everyone set her straight. Rose, Alice, Emmett, and Jasper all made her realize the huge mistake she'd committed. When she met up with me downtown, she and I had a huge fight right in the middle of a sidewalk… well, it was more me yelling and her taking it. I think we drew a crowd, but I didn't care. She finally convinced me how sorry she was and joined me in the search. We went to every single shelter, store, restaurant, soup kitchen, church… basically looking in every building in the downtown area trying to find you. I understand if you can't forgive her—what she did was reprehensible—but for what it's worth, she's sorry. She understands I love you, and that I will stop at nothing to be with you."

I watched Bella's face as she considered my words. She finally gave me a small smile.

"You found Ruby," she said.

I laughed and nodded. "Yeah, we found Ruby. I was a mess. She had to practically slap me so I could get the story out. I thought for sure you would be there with her, and when you weren't… I guess I kind of broke down." I shuddered from the memory.

She hugged me again. "I'm so sorry."

I kept going, wanting to get it all out in the open. "Anyway, I kept searching and wandering around until Dad, Emmett, and Jasper convinced me to stop for the night. It just hurt imagining you out there somewhere cold and in danger. When I pulled up to the house, I couldn't park in the garage. I debated driving back."

I hugged her tight, breathing in the scent of her hair until I calmed down.

"You have to promise me you won't ever do that again, Bella. No matter what. I won't be able to function if I'm always wondering if you're going to disappear."

"I won't. I promise I won't. You're stuck with me now."

~~~*~~~TDoC~~~*~~~

After our breakfast talk, we both took showers and met again to snuggle in front of the tree.

"The snow's nice. We'll have a white Christmas," I said, watching the flakes come down out the front window.

"Yeah, it's pretty when I'm inside with your arms around me."

"I can't believe you walked all that way." I shook my head. "It's a wonder you don't have frostbite. I think I should check you over and make sure everything is in order."

She giggled when I tickled her and turned around to face me.

"I think that's a good idea, Mr. Cullen." Her husky voice grabbed my dick's full attention.

Her mouth was back on mine before I could say a word, and our kisses continued as our hands roamed. I moaned when her fingers gripped my hair. Eventually I had her pinned underneath me. I was ready to explode as her body writhed in anticipation.

"I think we should start practicing making those babies," I said between pants, pulling her shirt off.

She laughed, unbuttoning my jeans. "I want three."

"Baby, can I taste you?" I asked, tugging her pants down.

"Yes."

I took a second to admire her lying there in her black panties. I wanted to pull them off… with my teeth.

"Edward," she said, breaking into my thoughts of what was under that material.

"Huh?" I kissed her navel.

"The doorbell."

"Sure," I said, continuing to explore.

She tugged on my hair.

"No, the doorbell rang," she said louder.

What the hell? What kind of cockblocking assclown was ringing my bell on Christmas Eve?

I growled when it rang again, rubbing her thighs and nuzzling her through her panties with my nose.

Fuck whoever was at the door. She smelled too good.

"They'll go away," I said, teasing her with my tongue. I smiled when she moaned.

"It could be your family. You better check."

I reluctantly sat up, painfully adjusting myself as I buttoned my jeans. I wanted to weep when Bella started putting back on her clothes.

"We're returning to that later," I said, before dragging myself to the door.

~~~*~~~TDoC~~~*~~~

Later ended up being bedtime.

Alice, Rose, Emmett, and Jasper showed up with food, and Bella was the cordial hostess. Despite my protests, they ended up staying most of the evening.

However, a couple of good things actually came out of their unexpected visit.

Bella had a good time, and I believed it helped her feel like part of the family. She even agreed to attend the official Cullen Christmas tomorrow at my parents' house.

Mother wisely stayed away and gave us this day to ourselves. She did send some things, which Alice delivered.

One was a personal letter to Bella. I didn't read it, but Bella's happy tears and smiles afterward assured me that my mother had taken some strides to make amends.

The second was for me… well, actually for me to give to Bella.

Any doubts I had about my mother's acceptance of Bella were laid to rest when Alice handed me the small velvet box containing my grandmother's engagement ring.

I thought Christmas would be the perfect setting to ask her to be my wife. I just had to figure out whether to tell her about the bookstore before or after I asked for her hand in marriage.

Only one more chapter left :) I'm kind of sad to see these characters go! Next up is Christmas at the Cullens. Have a safe and happy Christmas Eve!