A huge thank you to the following for giving me suggestions: ScarletWraith, Holidai, snowiewolf, The Unfamiliar, angleface12, pinklady34 and Valentine Rain.

You guys are AMAZING.

14.

Bella:

I'm listening to music while washing the dishes when there's a knock at the door.

I put away the plate I'm rinsing, wipe my hands on my shorts and see who it is.

It's Cullen.

Damn.

Should I act like a reasonable adult, open the door and talk things over with him? Or open the door, spit on his pretty little face and stomp on his foot?

I'd like to go with the second option but I can't. I'm too good to hurt him.

"Hi", I say.

"I'm sorry Bella", he rushes out and pulls me in a bear hug. "I want you to forget everything and forgive me for being such a dumb-ass."

I look at him. "Get lost Edward", I say with fake anger. "I don't want to see you."

His face whitens. Good!

Suddenly 'Everything I Do' by Bryan Adams begins to play on my i-pod speakers and I can't help but smile softly. He notices the expression on my face and visibly relaxes. "Our song", we say in unison.

We danced to this on our third date. What a special memory.

"Forgive me, Bells?" he says.

"I will", I say as I accept the bouquet of red roses he hands over to me. "But first, let's talk."

.

.

.

"Look", he says a while later. "I love you and I realise that I've got to defend you from everyone, even if that includes my Mom. We're in this for the long run and I get it that I've got to be more understanding of your feelings."

This is the guy I fell in love with, I think to myself.

"We're gonna get through med-school, become doctors, get married right after that and have a bunch of babies", he continues.

"Is this your proposal?" Because if this is his idea of asking me to marry him…. I won't be very happy. I want a romantic proposal. Not one in my living room when I'm in my night clothes.

"Nope", he says. "We care about each other but it's too soon to get engaged and whenever I do propose to you, I'll do it the right way."

.

.

.

"What did Mom say to you anyway?" he asks.

A lot. "Nothing much", I tell him.

"So are you guys on friendly terms now?"

I stifle my laughter. "No but I think we'll get along better from this point."

"Is that a good thing?"

"Yes sweetheart, it's a very good thing."

"Is there anything else you want to ask me?"

Yes. "What did Rosalie do to offend Esme?" I ask 'cause I'm curious.

"When she came to our place in Chicago this winter break, Rose basically told Alice that she has no sense of fashion, she told Mom that she doesn't want kids and-"His voice trails off.

"What else?"

"She", he winces. "Dressed up in the sluttiest clothing that I've ever seen, she swore profanities while at the dinner table and apparently told Dad she's an atheist."

I can see how Carlisle is bothered by that fact. His family is extremely religious and that includes Edward.

I, on the other hand, go to church every Sunday.

"That doesn't sound so bad", I say.

"It isn't", he agrees. "That's just the way Rosalie is but she isn't the kind of girl who'd easily get accepted into the Cullens. Even Gramma doesn't like her."

What do you think will happen next?