No Beta this time around. Don't hate me and please ignore the errors!
WE DID IT GUYS!!! OVER A THOUSAND REVIEWS, AS OF 01-22-09!!! Shout out to MeetMeInMontauk for being my 1,000th reviewer!!!!
And thank you guys at the staff for selecting and adding my story to the "Best Of The Best, Over 1000 reviews!" group!! That made my year.
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO REVIEWS AND READS THIS STORY! You're the best!
A few people have asked me how they could pierce through her skin... Well, as mentioned too many times to count now in my announcements, my version of vampires aren't EXACT as Stephenie Meyers. Yes, they can be ripped to shreds and burned to pieces. But I also wanted to mix the old parts of the vampire with SMs, and add some of mine in there as well. So, as said before, she can feel emotions, she can ache, she can feel pain, she can black out... Because that is true to Bella's character, and I wanted to keep those traits. I hope that clears it up!
Chapter 21: WARNING. TEAR JERKER. IT TOOK ME FOREVER TO GET THROUGH THIS.
It's almost as if she's changing all over again...
Bella is stuck inside her body, and in her mind, as she is trying to reach out to Edward and comfort him. [Breaking Dawn, anyone? :D ]
She tries to sort out in her head whether or not she's about to wake up or pass on... and why she can't move.
Officially rated M. ... And again PLEASE REVIEW!
Disclaimer: Twilight/Characters not mine. I just like to dabble.
For what shall it profit a man,
if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul.
Mark 8:36
Chapter 21: Frozen Inside
"How long has she been out?"
"I'm not for sure, Edward."
"Something's wrong, I can feel it."
"We don't know anything yet... I'm not certain of anything here."
"Well you need to get certain, Carlisle! I love her, and I can't keep waiting for something to happen. This is driving me crazy."
"Edward, please calm down."
"Stop telling me to calm down and figure out what is going on with her."
"I'm trying to son, but I can't think when you're yelling in my ear every two seconds. I need you to settle down or leave the room, please."
"I'm not fucking going anywhere."
"Then I need you to settle down."
"...Just please... Just fix her."
"I'm doing all I can, okay? Her skin texture is different, I don't have a pulse to go by here, I don't have the same rhythmic sounds to go by... This isn't a normal patient."
"...I just want her to wake up. She doesn't sleep, so this isn't making any sense."
"I know son."
"I can't bear to lose her too."
"I know son, I'm doing my best."
"You've just got to help her, make her bet-"
"Edward. I know, okay? Now sit there and please just... I love you, but I need you to be quiet."
I listened as Edward whimpered in the distance. He was shuffling his feet nervously as he sat in a chair.
I could hear his shallow breathing as loud as a bell.
...But I couldn't move.
I couldn't speak.
I couldn't lift my head.
And I couldn't open my eyes.
I didn't know what was wrong with me. I didn't know if I was dead and this was the whole in-between phase.
I didn't know anything.
Other than the fact that I've tried for the past day straight to wake up out of this internal-coma and reach out and comfort him.
But there has been nothing I could do.
I've tried screaming, tried shaking, tried tapping my finger.
It was as if I was paralyzed, somehow.
None of this made sense.
And all I could do was hear Edward crying over me.
He hasn't left my side this entire time.
I am not even sure how long I was out... or what happened with Victor and Charlie.
One moment I was trying to save my Dad's life.
The next minute, I was out. And certain I was dying.
Maybe I am, I don't even know.
I had no idea what was becoming of me, or why I wasn't doing anything... was this some sort of weird transition?
The last time I was locked down like this was over a hundred years ago, when I was being changed. But then, I felt like I was caught on fire and choking on flames.
I felt every inch of my soul being ripped apart, centimeter by centimeter.
But now... this time around... nothing.
I felt empty.
Cold.
Hollow.
Non-existent, almost.
"Have you found anything yet?"
"Edward..."
"Carlisle! Come on, you're over there prodding her with different needles and shit. You're driving me insane."
"I have to run tests on her, Edward."
"Grrr," Edward huffed, and I could hear things slamming around.
"Edward, you've been awake for over forty-eight hours now, that I am aware of. You really need to get some rest. You're growing delusional."
"I'll rest when she wakes up."
"Edward, if she were to wake up, then I promise I will wake you up. The very minute it happens."
"No. I'll wait."
"Please son."
"I said I'll wait!"
Carlisle sighed. "Fine."
I could hear the door opening, as light footsteps grew closer. "How is she, Carlisle?"
"I'm not sure yet, Alice."
I could hear sobbing, and then someone touching.
Someone was hugging someone.
"Why is she naked?" Alice whispered. "She looks so cold."
"She doesn't get cold, Alice," Edward whispered through a sob. "And we had to strip her so we could pull all the wood and metal out of her."
"But.. I don't see any marks or scars anymore... Where did they all go?"
Carlisle hummed, "We're not sure how it happened. Edward and I were removing the splinters, and as we worked, you could see the scars healing themselves... closing up slowly."
"Wow... It's a miracle..."
"Yes she is. I've seen nothing like her before."
"And I've loved no one before her, and no one after her..." Edward whispered. "So... just ...do what you have to do."
"I'm going to, Edward. I promise."
My ears hollowed out, and I could hear again.
I'm not sure how long I was out this time.
I'm not sure because I still couldn't feel anything, and couldn't move.
I could hear someone sobbing over me.
But it was alone.
"Bella, can you feel my hand? Squeeze my hand if you can feel it?"
Edward... I'm here.
"God, why isn't she waking up! Bella... Bella please... I need you to snap out of this."
Edward... I can hear you, I'm here.
"God, please just let her wake up. Please don't take her away from me too."
I won't let them. I'm trying to stay here for you.
"...I can't lose her too."
You're not going to lose me.
"Bella, please just... please just squeeze my hand," he whispered through his tears.
I'm trying... God, I'm trying.
"Please baby, just squeeze it. Tell me that you're here."
Edward... please don't give up on me. God Bella! Dammit! Wake up!
His voice was weak and scratchy, "Please don't leave me. Please don't leave me. Please don't leave me."
I growled, trying to force my body to buck up.
I felt stuck.
"Bella I just love you so much."
I love you too. Dammit Bella, wake the fuck up!!
"Hey Bella... I was thinking about how we met. How I asked for your help showing me the locker..."
Yes, yes, I remember.
"...You changed my life that day. And it was weird, because the second right before you turned around... I knew my life was never going to be the same. I felt it coming, right before it happened... You flipped my entire universe around, and you showed me how to love again... How to open my heart up, although I had the fear of losing the most important person in my life... which turned out to be you."
You changed me too, Edward. You have no idea.
"And... I... I'll never love anyone again, Bella. I swear. If you don't wake up, I won't be able to make it. I won't be able to go on without you."
No Edward! Don't think that way.
"...I'd never be able to because... How could I ever submit myself to love, knowing it'd never be as strong as the one I hold for you? Nothing would measure up, not even a fourth of it. You're it for me, Bella. You're my whole life... Please don't go away, my love."
If I don't wake up, though I want you to love me, I want you to move on from me. You deserve to be happy. I'll be happy knowing you are. Please don't give up.
"...Damn it Bella! Are you fucking listening to me?"
YES! I can hear you! I just can't... get this stupid... hand to move.... God damn it, please let me wake up.
"I don't care if you're trying to be stubborn right now, Bella. Wake the fuck up!"
I'm trying!
"God." He exhaled. "Just wake her up... Just wake her up... Just wake her up."
Yes, please let me wake up. Let me wake up.
"Bella... I can't do this, I mean it, I can't do it if you're not with me."
Oh my God... please help it. Please comfort him.
"I refuse..." he replied, his voice beyond control as it shook and weakened. "I refuse... I refuse... I refuse..."
Then my ears hollowed out again, and I felt my skin tighten.
And I was out.
"Edward? Son... It's almost been three days... You need to sleep. You're getting yourself seriously sick."
"I'm not leaving," he said, his voice a bearable whisper at this point.
He was exhausted, he hardly had strength to talk.
Go to bed, Edward.
"Son there is nothing you can do for her now."
"I'm not leaving. She knows I'm here, I can feel it inside me... That electric pull, it's strengthening... She's getting stronger, I just know it."
"Edward... she hasn't moved an inch."
"I don't care. I know she's getting better. I know she can hear me."
"Edward..."
Edward listen to him. You're being the stubborn one. Stop it before you get yourself sicker. Fucking listen to me!
"She's probably cursing me out right now. Typical Bella."
Your damn right I am, now go get some sleep!
"Edward... I swear to God if you don't move I will tranquilize you and knock you out myself."
Yes! Do it Carlisle!
"Well then that is what you're going to have to do, because I'm not leaving her."
"What do you think is going to happen, Edward? Do you honestly believe she's going to have some sort of epiphany, wake up from her vampire-esque coma, throw herself in your arms, and tell you thank you for holding her hand and getting yourself sick because of it?"
"Yes."
"Edward. If she can hear you, I'm sure she's very angry with you."
Oh you have no idea how angry I am at you, mister. I love you, but you're being a pain in everyone's butt!
"Good. Let her be angry with me. If she's angry, then that means she's going to wake up just so she can slap me. I look forward to it, if that's what it takes."
"God Edward. You're so stubborn."
Yes he is.
"Yep."
And then I was out again...
"How are you sure?"
"Because I saw her hand moving."
"But what does that mean?"
"It's a wonderful sign, Edward."
"So she is going to wake up?!"
"I'm hoping so."
"Yes! Yes, yes, yes!"
"Edward calm down, there is no definite yet. We can't be certain of anything."
"I'll take what I can get."
"I just don't want you to get your hopes up too high."
"Too late."
"Edward..."
"Carlisle, I'm fine."
"You're running on straight energy. One minute you were crying over her body because you were too weak to stand... and now that she moved, you're on high wires again."
"I can't help it. Just wake her up."
"Calm down son."
"Just wake her up."
"Bella? Bella can you hear me."
Yes.
"She's not moving. Get her moving again."
"I'm trying... Bella... Bella can you feel this?"
I felt a slight bit of pressure on my thumb of my left hand.
Yes. Yes I can feel it!
"Can she feel it?"
"I don't know..."
"Try it again."
Carlisle sighed, and his pressure became heavier. "Bella... I don't want you to try to talk... but instead, try to lift your finger I'm touching. Can you do that?"
I pushed as hard as I could, feeling like I was up against a brick wall.
"Did you see that?!" Edward shouted.
"Yes. It twitched. Good, that's good Bella..."
"Yes! She's waking up."
"Calm down, Edward. Turn around and grab me that scalpel behind you."
Scalpel?!
"Why? W-What are you going to do with it?"
"Just trust me."
"Don't you fucking hurt her."
"I'm not going to hurt her... I'm just going to prick her, see how she reacts."
I felt something poke my hand hard, and I tried to wince away from it, but couldn't.
Stop it!
"She moved again! Her hand! It moved more."
"Yes... Bella, I'm sorry if I'm hurting you but I'm going to push down harder... okay?"
Yes, yes, just do it, get me out of this trap!
It felt as if my hand turned to fire, and I tried to wince away again.
"Holy shit! Her hand lifted!"
It did?!?!
"Yes, yes, good Bella!"
"Bella? My love, can you feel my hand? Squeeze it if you can feel it, Angel!"
I felt my right hand being surrounded with warmth, and I squeezed as hard as I could.
I'm here Edward, I can feel you.
"Yes! Carlisle, yes! The transfusions are working!"
"Good, good... She's coming around..."
What transfusions?! What are they talking about?!
"Give her more. Please."
"Hold on Edward... we don't want to overload her. If she smells it, she might wake up and snap."
Smell what? What are they talking about?
"I don't care if I have to bring in a buck and blow it's damn brains out all over your library. I want her to wake up."
"I know you do. Just be patient."
"I've been patient. For three days now."
Edward, listen to him.
It got quiet, and I tried to reach out for him again.
"...Dad," Edward whispered, and I smiled at the thought of him calling Carlisle that name.
"I see it Edward."
See what?!
"Dad... do you see that?"
"Yes son."
"Yes, yes, yes, Bella. I'm right here baby, keep reaching out for me!"
I'm trying, I'm trying, I'm trying.
I felt my lips being touched, and then my nose.
And then I smelled blood.
I reached out as hard as I could, and heard them both gasp.
Then my eyes flew open.
And I was sitting up, naked but covered in a white sheet.
And I saw him.
My eyes zoned in on him, leaning against Carlisle's desk with his hands behind him to support his weak frame.
His eyes were grey almost, and droopy. He was completely exhausted, and almost blue in the face.
And he had a slight gash from where Victor struck him earlier.
And he never looked more beautiful to me.
"Bella?"
My head snapped to my left to find Carlisle in full doctor-gear, leaning against a tray of utensils, with a discomforting expression.
"Bella? Can you see me?"
I nodded, swallowing down the sawdust taste in my mouth.
"Can you hear me?"
I nodded again.
"Do you feel that we are opposing any type of threat to you?"
""Why would she feel that?"
"Edward," Carlisle gritted through his teeth as he kept his eyes on me. "Bella..."
"No," I croaked out, surprised I had a voice at all.
They both exhaled, and Edward pushed off the desk toward me, but Carlisle swung his arm out, blocking him from moving.
"Not yet, son."
"But I just-"
"I know, but we need to make sure she's okay first."
"She's fine! She's awake! I just want to touch her."
"I know, but just be patient a little bit longer."
My sharpened eye sight bounced between their two beautiful faces, as I tried to comprehend the echoes of the loud noises that rang from their voices.
Everything was intensified.
Sharper than before.
"I've missed you," Edward mouthed silently to me.
I smiled and mouthed, "I've missed you too."
"Don't ever leave me again," he whispered out loud this time.
"I won't. I promise."
"Bella?"
My head snapped back to Carlisle.
"I think your body shut down to protect your mind. When you got pierced through... your body put up some sort of shield. A protective mechanism. It shut the outside of you down, so you could heal yourself. And because of that, you grew numb... Because all of your strength and presence was channeled on the inside-out."
I nodded, amazed at how much that made sense.
"I have to intervene by transfusing animal blood into you. We first tried human blood that I took from the hospital, but we were afraid to give you too much, not knowing how you'd react to it. Edward said you never drank human blood before..."
I shook my head.
And then it dawned on me that Emmett really did tell Carlisle and Esme about me.
And Carlisle didn't seem to care.
I furrowed my brows as I stared at him.
What kind of angelic creature could be so accepting of me like this?
Not only was it Edward, but his entire family too?
This was too much.
From the corner of my eye, I could see Edward begin to sway.
At first, it was gentle, but then it became light circles.
"Carlisle," I said, and Carlisle turned his head in Edward's direction.
"Son?"
Edward stumbled back, waving his face with air from his hand.
"He's going to pass out!" I shouted, feeling my strength as I hopped off the bed and rushed over to him.
Edward's eyes rolled in the back of his head as he fell lifeless.
I caught him the same time Carlisle did.
"He's exhausted, his body gave out."
"Fix it!"
"I'm trying, hold him still."
I nodded, gripping his clammy face in my cold hands.
Carlisle swiped a white stick under his nose a few times, and Edward gasped, his eyes popping open.
"Wh-What happened?" he whispered, as he blinked around.
"You passed out. You're too sick."
"N-No," Edward tried to shake it off and stand, but I held him down.
"Edward. I'm okay. I need you to rest now."
"No, I don't want to rest. I just want to look at you, look at those eyes I've missed... I just want to..." His eyes fluttered shut but he force them back open, "...just want to drown in them... I don't ever want to be able to not find them again..."
"You won't Edward. I'm not going anywhere, I promise."
"No, no," he cried as he lifted his hands to try to push Carlisle away. He appeared very dizzy and blue, like he was going to get sick, "I'm f.... I'm f... fine."
"You're not fine," I almost growled at him.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine."
"Edward! Stop being so fucking stubborn! God, you've been pissing me off this entire time! Stop it!"
Edward chuckled lightly as his head swayed around, "See dad? I t-told you she... was going to start... cursing at me... when she... when sh-she woke up."
Carlisle pulled the needles out of my body, and I watched mesmerized as the holes disappeared quickly.
I sighed as Edward's body grew more lifeless on the floor, "Yeah, well you're just lucky I don't slap you now."
His eyes fuddled open, "You h-heard that part?"
"Yes," I sneered at him as Carlisle lifted him up off the ground.
"Follow me Bella."
I nodded, following him out of the study. I wrapped the towel securely around me, and we ran into Esme half way there. I noticed it was night time out as we passed through the halls.
Esme smiled and extended her warm hand out to me, which I smiled and accepted.
"I'm so happy you're okay sweetheart," she said, "We were all so worried about you."
"Thanks Esme."
We entered Carlisle and Esme's bedroom, where Carlisle laid him on the bed.
Esme gave me some clothes, and I quickly changed into some pajamas.
I entered the bedroom to find Esme crawled up with them, and then she pulled me along too.
"Bella?" Edward asked hazily, his weak hand in the air extending for me.
I pulled myself up to him and took it, kissing his palm over and over again.
"Please stay with us, Bella."
"I'm not going anywhere, I promise."
"Please stay with me, Bella." he repeated, growing more dizzy.
"Shhh," I brushed his hair, "I promise. I'm not going anywhere. Just rest."
"No Bella... You can't leave me."
"Edward, I promise."
"Edward, we won't let her leave," Esme whispered as she too began to stroke his bronzed hair. "She's stuck with us."
Our eyes met and we smiled at each other, before looking back down to Edward.
He dozed off within seconds, his weak hands gripping me with everything he had left in him.
I watched him for hours, as the three of us monitored everything he did.
Every time he breathed, or sighed, or hummed, or snored, or when his eyelashes fluttered.
We watched him like a hawk.
After a while, he'd grip my hand stronger.
And mumble in his sleep, "Are you still here Angel?"
I smiled, stroking his cheek, "I'm still here."
Around the sixth hour of us staying with him, I noticed Esme dozing off too. She placed her head on Edward's stomach while she brushed his thumb of his free hand.
She was such a good mother to him.
I could tell how strong their bond grew.
She loved him as if he were always her son.
And Elizabeth would be proud of her.
Carlisle stroked my right arm gently.
I looked up at him and smiled.
His beautiful blue eyes began to water as his own exhaustion started to take over.
"Bella," he whispered with a slight frown, "...I need to tell you something. It's about Charlie."
I looked down to the mattress and squeezed Edward's hand, "I know," I whispered.
"What do you know?"
"Around the second night.. it all hit me. I know he..." I shook my head, "I know he didn't make it."
"I'm so sorry Bella... I tried everything I could to help him, but there had been too many tendons that had been ripped... I couldn't mend them."
I swallowed hard and nodded sharply, "I know. I-I understand that you ...did all you could.. for him."
"I really did, Bella," he frowned, shaking his head as he looked down. "I'm sorry that I ..."
He began to sob, making my chest heavier. "... I'm sorry that I failed you."
I pulled my lips into a line, "You didn't fail me, Carlise. You saved me... You b-brought me back to Edward."
"He was all you had in your world though, Bella."
"I know," I frowned again, looking down as the ache in my chest rose up to my throat, tightening my muscles.
I sighed. "But... now he can be with.. my mom, at some place that our kind goes... in some sort of Heaven."
I felt that desolated, heavy ache pour down in my chest as the reality of losing my dad settled in.
It swallowed me whole, and I began to whimper.
"I'm really going to miss him though," I cried.
And then a flashback of Charlie hit me. Charlie once said to me, on my sixteenth birthday, that if I was going to cry... to only shed one tear.
And make it a good one.
Because that's all anything or anyone was worth.
One beautiful tear...
I don't know how it happened, but again, for the second time in a hundred years, a tear fell from my eyes.
Because I was broken.
And I wanted my dad to hold me.
No more came out, but that one was enough to express the ache I was feeling.
Because I did as my dad said.
Carlisle pulled me over to him and I laid my head in his lap, sobbing invisible tears for hours.
My chest heaved and burned.
I felt as if I was being ripped apart.
I felt empty, and heavy at the same time.
I thought about everything...
About the first memory I had of Charlie in my human years.
Blowing out my second-year birthday cake. He stood on the other side of my high chair with a large grin while my mother video taped. His grin grew as he clapped his hands...
"You're a princess, my little Bella!" he cheered.
I remember feeling mesmerized by his sparkling eyes and his pale face...
Trying to understand at that young of an age why he was more beautiful than anyone else.
Charlie being a vampire was all I knew.
He had been turned years ago.
And after my mom died, he lost a large part of his soul... He was never the same.
He tried to mend our identities and our destined paths by becoming a cop, and serving his town, and putting away the bad guys.
And he will be remembered forever.
Because I'd never let him go... and neither would anyone else.
I sobbed, fluttering my eyes closed.
"Bella, we want you to stay here with us," Esme whispered, and my eyes popped open.
I didn't even know she had woken up.
"I don't know if that's such a good idea," I whispered, "Because... I'm different."
"You're not different," she replied, as tears of her own streamed down her face. "Not at all."
She looked just as broken as I did.
She shared my heartache.
Because she was a mother... and she knew what I was feeling inside.
I reached out and took her hand in mine, desperate for the pain in my chest to go away.
She seemed just as desperate to pull it away.
And I loved her so much for it.
"None of us will be able to go on without you in our lives Bella," Carlisle whispered.
"But... how can you guys trust me? What about Julia?"
"She's slowly healing... She's getting better everyday," Carlisle answered.
"And Julia has nothing to do with us and this family Bella," Esme concluded, "...We trust you one hundred percent. We want to take care of you. We want to see you smile, to see Edward smile... We want to smile ourselves. And that can only be possible if you stay with us."
I nodded, closing my eyes.
I felt so broken, and suddenly, so complete.
Miserable, but happy.
Empty, but full.
"Okay," I whispered, "if that's what you truly want, then okay."
"It is," Esme replied as she crawled on her knees. She continued to sob with me as she leaned in, grabbed my head gently, and kissed my forehead.
I could hear Carlisle crying too.
And I glanced over, to see Edward asleep still.
I felt both their loving arms surround me, as Carlisle and Esme hugged me, engulfing me with their love.
They were trying to mend me.
And it felt so good.
I glanced over to my right, to see Jasper leaning against their doorframe.
I sniffled, and he smiled at me. A warm, gentle smile.
"Get in here," Carlise said, and he didn't even look over there.
He was a good father.
Jasper smiled, and then suddenly, all four of them rushed into the doorway.
It had to be five in the morning, but they were all awake.
They all crawled on the bed, surrounding Edward and me fully.
Carlise and Esme were up by the pillows, hugging onto me and Edward.
The rest of them were surrounding our bodies in a slight circle.
No one said a word.
We'd smile at each other... and sometimes share frowns when they knew I was thinking about Charlie.
They all shared my heartache.
And my happiness.
Because we these guys were my family.
And they'd never let me forget where I came from, or the two beautiful parents that loved me from the start.
But they'd try to love me as much.
...and as I felt Esme running her fingers through my hair as I closed my eyes and pretended to fall asleep with the rest of them...
I had no doubts in my mind that they would love me as much.
Because I loved them with every ounce of my being now.
They were all I had left.
Carlisle, Esme, Jasper, Alice, Emmett, Rosalie, Edward...
Seven beautiful, heaven-sent angels.
They were going to help heal me.
And I vowed to help them in any way I could, until the understood how grateful I was to have them in my life.
Edward stirred, and my eyes popped open in the darkness.
Everyone was sleeping soundly around us, as the two of us lied face to face on ours sides in the loving circle.
His eyes fluttered open.
"Hey you," he whispered groggily as that beautiful crooked grin swept over his lips.
I smiled, "Hey you."
"Mmm, I missed those beautiful eyes."
I smiled softer, "I missed yours too."
He reached out his weak hand and took it in mine, so we were holding both hands.
"Bella, I love you so much."
"God, I love you too.." I replied, feeling the ache in my chest. I loved him so much, it hurt.
"I don't ever want to be away from you again."
"We wont, Edward. I promise."
He nodded as his right hand lifted from mine, and he stroked the hair out of my face. "Bella, I love you. I know I keep saying that, but I haven't been able to in three days, and i just really want to to tell you."
"I love you too."
He nodded, his eyes fluttering shut for a moment.
Then he smiled, and his eyes slowly opened again. as he whispered, "Bella would you do something for me?"
"Anything." I replied, my voice just as weak as his was.
"Yeah?"
"Of course," I replied softly, stroking his hair with my fingers while he stroked my hair with his.
"Bella... Would you marry me?"
I froze, as our eyes connected completely.
I couldn't speak, and couldn't look away from his smoldering eyes.
His lips were so moist and warm as his smile was gentle and calm.
Reassuring.
And then I thought about Charlie not being able to walk me down the isle.
About him yelling at me for wanting to be married... although he knew I'd do it anyway.
...And he's smile because he knew it was what would make me happy.
"Yes," I grinned at him. "Yes, I will marry you."
His eyes widened and sparkled. "Really?"
I nodded, "Yes. Yes, yes... I will."
He pulled me to him and we hugged tight as our family around us nuzzled into their pillows and body heat.
"And I want to be like you," he whispered in my ear, "heart and soul."
"We'll talk about it," I replied, holding him for dear life.
"No, there isn't a negotiation. It's final. I talked with my family, and they all said it was up to me. I want to be like you, I want to live with you forever."
I pulled my face back and furrowed my brows, "Edward, how can you be so sure? You just saw what happened with..." I closed my eyes, shivering at the thought, "...Charlie. Why would you want this type of life?"
"I want you Bella," he whispered as he cradled my face, "...I want you. Always... I have to be with you. It's the only way."
I closed my eyes, shaking my head.
But he gripped his hands, forcing me to stop with his weak grasp. "Bella, do you love me?"
"Yes."
"And you want to marry me?"
I smiled, "Yes."
"The we're going to be together. Forever."
I took a deep breath, focusing on his green eyes.
I didn't know how I'd ever go a day without seeing them.
Ever.
"If it's what you want," I replied after a few minutes.
He smiled, placing his warm lips to my forehead, "It's the only thing I want, besides you."
So there we go, Chapter 21! Keep the reviews and compliments/suggestions/positive feedback coming in!! They are always welcome. Stay tuned!
ANSWERS TO REVIEW QUESTIONS/RESPONSES:
-- Yes, I'm a sobbing tool. What a bittersweet moment.
-- Thanks to everyone who's continued to be faithful with their reviews per chapter, their positive feedback, advice, and their constructive criticism, etc. It's been amazing and so enjoyable to come home from a long day's work and see the number rise from people who enjoy the story just as much as I do! I can't say it enough: You're the best!
-- If you're in the mood for some drama, go check out my latest Edward/Bella fanfiction "The Ex Factor", subscribe and review! Rated Mature!
-- IF I MISSED SOMEONE'S QUESTION, I TRULY APOLOGIZE, PLEASE LET ME KNOW AND I WILL ANSWER IT ASAP!
Sincerely, Angela.