Ok, be sure to have some tissues handy ladies!
Thanks for being patient while I updated lovesick!! Trust me it is worth it for this chapter!
As always I do not own Twilight!
BPOV
Edward had been living in Forks with my father for nearly two months. He refused to leave without me and Gabriel. It made me love him more, yet I was still living with Jake. I couldn't bring myself to hurt him again, I was going through the motions of planning our wedding. He was safe, predictable. I knew Jacob wouldn't hurt me.
I couldn't bring myself to choose and my cowardice was putting Edward's life on hold, he had his father come back to Chicago and run the firm there. I felt awful. At the same time, I didn't want him to leave. My wedding to Jacob was in one week, I was at the last fitting for my dress. Looking at myself in the mirror, I didn't look like the thrilled bride, I looked like an emotional zombie. Alice noticed too.
"Bella, why are you doing this to yourself, you belong with Edward, you know you do," she fluffed the veil.
"Alice, stop it, you're only making this harder. You know I want to be with Edward," I sighed, shrugging Alice off me.
"It doesn't have to be this way, he won't leave without you, he loves you," she continued.
I could taste the acidic hatred in my mouth when I whirled around to face her.
"Really, you're sure? He's never so much as hinted to me that he loves me, maybe him telling me that himself would make this easier!" I yelled.
"Never?" Alice questioned.
"No Alice, never. I've told him but he hasn't told me," I sighed, "maybe if he told me that I would have some magical epiphany and throw myself into his arms."
I laid on the sarcasm thickly, to mask the pain.
Alice ignored me, walking away and texting, I didn't care, at least I wouldn't have to listen to her anymore. I didn't need the constant reminders.
EPOV
Gabriel had just gone down for his nap, Bella had asked me to watch him while she had her wedding dress fitted, just the thought of it made my blood boil. Isabella Marie Swan was mine. If I could just figure out how to win her back. Even her father, Charlie, was in my corner. I was living with him, in Bella's old room, it was more than a little awkward but it allowed me to have access to my son and still be close to Bella.
My phone vibrated, damn it, what could the office want now.
I have a plan---Alice.
Alice had a plan? For what?
ALICE POV
Clearly I was going to have to get these two together, never told Bella he loved her, idiot. I sighed. I had a plan though. Jasper and I still hadn't left for him and were staying in my old room, the small bed was uncomfortable but I enjoyed the closeness. He was getting along great with my entire family! He was going to fit in perfectly, I loved him all the more.
"Jazz," he looked at me taking my breath away, "I need you to take Edward to Port Angeles and buy a tuxedo, we have a bacheloret party to plan, without the guests."
"Oh, I think I can handle that," he said in his southern drawl.
The urge to not allow him to go was hard to fight, his mischievous smirk was truly my weakness.
"Take Emmet, Rose and I will keep you updated on how we are setting up things, we only have a few days and to has to be perfect,"I crushed my lips to his.
I called Rose and my mother and we started the plans.
"Ok," I said to them, "We will hire a limo to com get Bella. I will pick out her outfit, Rose you will do her hair, Mom, you are in charge of watching the baby."
Everyone nodded.
"I'll come here just before, set up the candles and finish getting Edward's piano cleaned up. Set the mood," I was so excited about this.
Once we were all on the same page, we split up, buying all the things we would need and getting the piano out of storage. This was going to be fun.
BPOV
I just wanted to get this damn party over with, I hadn't expected Alice to bring me an outfit, by the look of the dress, we were going somewhere very very nice. The black satin dress was strapless and black except a single stripe along the top, under the breast, and just above the three ruffles at the bottom. It was beautiful. The shoes, however, were black strappy death traps.
"Knock, knock," Rose's voice chimed, she fit in so well with us.
"Yea, yea," I grumbled.
"Well aren't you just a ray of sunshine, aren't you excited at all?" she scolded.
"Yea, to have this over with," I mumbled.
I sat down as she began the process to girlify me. It took her about two hours to pull my hair on top of my head and create the most intricate bun of curls I have ever seen, complete with a small row of pearls encircling it.
"You do know I'm not getting married tonight, right," I said touching it in awe.
"Yes, I do, but I want you to look nice for tonight. NO touching," she smacked my hand.
"Ow!" I complained.
"Go get dressed the limo will be here to get you in about half an hour, we'll meet you at Esme's" she smiled and trotted off.
I sighed, it was going to be a long night.
EPOV
Had I ever been this nervous, the bar exam, taking over at the firm, being alone with Bella for the first time, nope, never been this nervous, ever. I watched Alice quickly lighting the candles of all sizes, it was a magnificent effect in this room with the glossy piano and the huge window.
"You'll be fine," she smiled, lighting the last one.
"Are you sure?" I wanted promises.
"Yes, you belong together," she looked into my eyes, she always seemed to know things.
"I know, I've known all along, why did I fight it so hard?" this was rhetorical.
BPOV
The limo pulled closer to the Cullens' home and I notice the second floor window had a warm glow, as if lit by a million candles, I wondered what was going on. Stepping out of the lino I was met by Jasper, in a full black and white tux with tails, my shock must have registered on my face.
"Ma'am." his twang was thick, "may I lead you to your dream, it's waiting."
He offered me his arm, confused, I took it.
"Jasper, what did Alice do?" I asked, not looking up at him.
"Ah, don't you worry your pretty little head about that," he said.
Jasper took me inside and let go of me.
"Follow the rose pedals, they will take you where you belong," I sensed his words had a double meaning and my heart began to pound.
I hesitated for a minute before deciding to follow the rose pedal trail. As I got closer I could hear the piano, all the blood in my body rushed to my face, what did Alice do? Walk, don't run, I had to remind myself. I thought I might explode.
I came to the door of a very familiar room, candle light pouring out of it, along with my song. My beautiful song.
When I crossed the threshold the sight took my breath away. Edward was in white tuxedo, with tails, at the piano, his eyes closed, the candle light playing in his beautiful bronze hair, messy as always. Suddenly it was as though all the color and sound returned to my world. I truly did belong with him. He suddenly looked up at me, instinctively I knew he wanted me to sit beside him, so I did.
"Bella," he continued to play as he spoke, "this song, is us. The sadness is me, it starts out melancholy, self loathing, then beauty begins to trickle in, light, life, all things good. That's you. The two stands of music blend together, The love bringing the sadness out of itself, joining; mingling in ways it hadn't previously thought possible," he paused.
I felt a tear trickle down my cheek, this was so much like my dream, so much like it.
"Before, the sadness fought the love. Believing it was unworthy, a tarnished, hateful thing. Then the love left, and the sadness resumed unchecked," the song changed tugging at my heart, "It continued like this for years, until, the love showed up when least expected. The love gave of itself, not caring it wasn't returned. The sadness didn't know what it had."
I wiped at my eyes with a tissue. He continued.
"Now, the sadness has become greedy and doesn't want to let the love go."
Edward stood, taking my hand and turning me around on the piano bench until I faced him. He knelt onto one knee and I could feel my heart in my throat, the candle light warmed his green eyes, my chest ached.
"I should have told you this before, from the very first time I saw you and every day after that. From that very first day, I knew I loved you, that I only ever wanted you. You can't marry Jake, if you do, I will surely die! Marry me, come home, marry me in Chicago. Alice has everything set up and waiting, in two days time, you and I can be married," he paused, eager for my answer.
"Damn you Edward!" I shouted, watching him wince, "Why couldn't you have done this before, before I had to hurt someone else to follow my heart to you?"
I watched at the stunned realization that my answer was hidden in that statement, wash over his face.
"Bella, I love you, I don't want to be without you, ever, be my wife," he pulled a box out of his pocket.
The ring inside was old, it was unlike any I had ever seen before, tiny leaves attached to delicate vines made up the bad, small diamonds throughout, it was beautiful.
"It was my mother's," he said, still waiting.
I looked down at the ring already on my finger. Tearing it off and tossing it I replied with my whole heart.
"When can we be back in Chicago?"