The girl froze; her crimson eyes wide and unblinking. She was sure that she heard him incorrectly. There was no way that Edward had just proposed to her . . . right? After all, she was only seventeen, for God's sake! Of course, she loved Edward with all her heart, but marriage? He had to be joking. She wasn't even a legal adult yet!

Bella couldn't help but think of her parents. They had loved each other so much. They were so much in love that they married when they were only nineteen, (two years older than she was at that very moment). But look at what marriage had done to them! It ruined them, completely destroyed their love. She couldn't let that happen to her and Edward. There was no way that he wanted that.

Edward resisted the urge to sigh. Was it really that difficult of a question? Could she honestly not see them together like that, forever? No, of course she could. There had to be another reason for her hesitation. She was the one who became immortal for him after all. She even said it herself. She wanted him for eternity. Why was making it official such an absurd thought? Oh, how he loathed that her mind was the only one hidden from him.

The two of them stared at the other expectantly. Edward was waiting for an answer, and Bella was expecting him to laugh and scream 'gotcha!' in her face.

"Okay," Bella said slowly. "What's the punch-line?"

"You're wounding my ego, Bella." He frowned slightly, and Bella's sharp eyes noticed, even in the dark. "I ask you to marry me and you think it's a joke."

"Edward, please be serious."

"I am one-hundred percent serious," he said, unblinking. "Think about it, Bella. You're the one who became immortal for me, remember?"

"Oh, c'mon Edward," she replied, her voice coming close to hysterics. "I'm only seventeen!"

"And you're going to be seventeen for the rest of eternity," Edward retorted. Bella froze again, and he reached out to her, taking her hands in his. "You chose this life with me. I know that you don't want to be with anyone else, and you know very well that my heart is yours for as long as you want it. You chose to be with me for the rest of time. Why is marrying me such a ridiculous concept?"

Bella sighed. "It's not," she said. "I'm just afraid. All I can think about is Charlie and Renee. Look at them now, Edward."

"This can't be about their approval," he raised his eyebrows. "Bella, have you forgotten that they're going to think that we eloped, no matter what?"

"No, no," Bella shook her head. "I'm talking about their marriage," she explained as she looked away. "They got married when they were only two years older than I am. Look at how that worked out for them. Marriage was pretty much the kiss of death in their relationship."

"Interesting choice of words,"

Bella sighed and lifted her head. "You know what I meant," she said, frustrated. "I just don't want to end up like them. I don't want us to end like they did."

"We won't," Edward promised. "We're not like them. We're different, we're stronger. Look at Alice and Jasper, Rosalie and Emmett, even Carlisle and Esme. They've been together for decades, even a century in the latter case."

"I can't, Edward, not now." She looked away again, avoiding his eyes. One look into those smoldering orbs and she would completely lose her confidence. She sighed and looked out the window as she added, "You just have to give me time."

Edward didn't say anything as he turned away and started the car. Bella found a little solace in the fact that one of his hands remained in hers though, as he pulled the car back onto the road and sped forward.

"I'm not saying no," she tried, speaking quickly, "just . . . not yet."

Again, Edward didn't speak, his face as hard as stone as he stared at the road in front of him. Bella bit her lip, and began tracing circles in his palm with her thumb; something she typically did to calm him. For a moment, Edward's eyes moved from the road to look at their entwined hands. He smiled a tiny smile before his gaze was back on the path ahead.

"I do love you," Bella tried.

Edward lifted their hands and pressed his lips to her knuckles. "I know," he said. Bella smiled, relieved that he did, at least, know that. "I love you, too," he added.

With that, they sped home, the sun rising behind them.

- - - - - - -

Two days later, Charlie Swan pulled his front door open. It had been another typical day at work, searching for his Isabella. It had been a week since she had disappeared, and he was worried sick. How could something so terrible happen in such a small town? This was the kind of thing that happened in big cities and the occasional suburb. Things like this never happened in tiny towns like Forks.

He had picked up the mail on his way inside, and he dropped the stack of envelopes on the table as he kicked off his boots, just like his normal routine. One particular letter on top caught his eye, however. There was no return address, but in its place was a date, the date of the previous Monday.

Charlie assumed that whatever it was must have gotten lost in the mail. Either that or he hadn't been checking the mailbox as often as he usually did. Because of his stress over his daughter, it could have easily been the latter. Curious, he tore open the envelope, and pulled out the paper inside.

Dad, it said. Charlie's eyes about popped out of his head. This was clearly a letter from Bella. The handwriting was a little neater, but it was unmistakably his daughter's. He gripped the paper tightly and read on.

I'm sure you're wondering why, instead of finding me cooking, you're finding this letter in the mail. Now, before you start the search parties, I need you to know that I am safe, and that no one has harmed me. I'm actually very happy, and I sincerely hope that you'll forgive me for putting you though this.

I also need you to know that I didn't leave Forks because I was unhappy living here, or I don't like the town. I'll admit, when I moved to Forks, I wasn't so sure about how happy I would be in a town where the sun rarely comes out. After all, I had lived in Phoenix all my life. Clouds were something I would have to get used to. But, to my surprise, it wasn't so bad. I learned to call this place 'home.'

However, I really wasn't completely happy with Forks until I met Edward Cullen. Even with Mike, Jessica, and Angela, I had never known happiness here until I found him, my best friend. But he's so much more than that. I've fallen for him, and he feels the same for me. We love each other, and we know that there is no one else that we could ever want to be with.

So, the two of us have eloped. I know, you're definitely not happy with me right now, and as a father, you probably have a few choice words for Edward. But he didn't force me into anything, I promise. I want this just as much as he does. You just have to trust us when we say that we know what we're doing. (Even though you probably find that hard to believe)

Edward's parents are going to receive a very similar letter, so you all can be very angry with the both of us together. Just remember that I love you too, alright?

I promise that I'll call as soon as I can.

With all my love,
Bella Swan

Charlie read the note several times to himself, completely blind sighted. How could Bella do this? Hadn't she seen what happened to her mother and him? Didn't she see how serious marriage was? She hadn't even finished a school year with him! How could she love him? She was only seventeen!

He should have known that something was going on when they were both declared missing. He had interviewed a few of Bella's classmates, and they had said that she and Edward had been seen together in school constantly. The word 'inseparable' was even used. How could he not have seen this?

Oh dear God, Renee was going to flip. He knew that much. He also knew that she would blame him somehow. She could almost hear her voice in his head, yelling at him. 'How could you let this happen?' She would say. But, he didn't really care about that. He only wanted his Bella to be safe, and happy.

Would she be happy with the Cullen boy? Charlie glanced at the phone. He could only wait to find out. After all, what could he do? They had already left.

In the meantime, he could get in touch with the doctor and his wife. He was curious as to what Edward had to say. Maybe he had given a little more insight into their departure.

He made his way to the kitchen and pulled the phone book from one of the top cabinets. By the time he had found 'Carlisle Cullen,' and was prepared to dial, there was a knock at the door.

When he opened the door and saw Carlisle and Esme waiting for him, he shook his head in disbelief. "You must have a psychic in your family," he said with a chuckle. "I was just about to call you."

Carlisle smiled as he and his wife walked in.

You have no idea, he thought.

- - - - - - - - - - -

After dropping off their goodbye letters, Edward and Bella took some things from their individual rooms, and packed them in bags. Bella had to be careful of what she took, being cautious as to not take anything that the chief would notice was gone.

That meant, Bella realized with despair, she would have to wait a while before she could get her favorite strawberry shampoo.

"Ready to go?" Edward asked, carefully climbing into Bella's bedroom window for the last time. He sighed and sat down in the rocking chair as he watched Bella zipper up her old camp bag.

Bella spun to face him and threw her duffel bag over her shoulder. "Yeah," she said. "I suppose that's everything," except for my favorite shampoo.

Edward chuckled. "We'll get you some more once we get to Denali," he said. "It's not like they only sell it here." He grinned. "Besides, I like the way it smells, too."

Bella gaped at him. "You heard that?"

"I'm sorry, were you not speaking to me?" He raised his eyebrows jokingly.

"Edward," Bella said slowly. "I didn't say anything about my shampoo out loud." She stared at him, not even breathing. "You read my thoughts."