AN: I am so sorry I have taken so long with this update. I was caught ip my other story "Shared Lips" and it had gotten such a strong response that I stayed with it and put this one on a back burner. However, I was lucky enough to gain some new readers that demanded I return to this one and so I have. I will update once a week (Mondays) twice of I am really good with my time. Thank you to all who have read, will read and continue to follow my work. It means more to me than you can possibly know.

CC 3

EPOV

I'm pretty sure that the second the word engaged came out of my mouth, my mother was on travelocity booking tickets.

I got as far as telling them that we were doing something destination when my father interrupted with a comment on how I needed to grab a pen so I could write down their arrival time. Bella simply giggled and wrote it down then went back to the lap top and continued scrolling through the different places we had narrowed our wedding site to.

"Oh please don't do it before we arrive, Edward! I'm begging you!" I could hear the faint sound of a chuckle that must have been my father and I answered my mother honestly. "Mom, at this rate you and dad will be the only people that aren't our friends who support this... Charlie didn't exactly give us his blessing... and... well Renee is incommunicato. She simply wont answer the damn phone." It was true, we had called at least seven times in the last four hours, but we got nothing in the way of a call back or even a text message telling us to burn in hell. I would have taken either.

"Well, I think that just plain stinks!" my mother seethed. I could hear my father in the background trying to stop her from continuing, but the fight was useless. "I think its fair to say that after four years of dating, this was expected! Charlie was the one saying just three months ago how he didn't understand how you two weren't married yet! And after everything that has happened recently... what in the world could have made him sing a different tune!"

Well hell. It was upon me now.

Bella's fingers slowed from the scrolling but she kept her eyes on the screen. I knew the answer to my mothers question and so did Bella. I had left her. I had said that I couldn't be with her and I left her to herself in a city all alone. Thinking of it that way, I could see just why Charlie had his doubts. I knew I needed to tell my parents what had happened, but I certainly didn't want to do it over the phone. I took a deep breath and said what I could for now.

"Don't be too hard on him mom, he has good reason to be worried." There was silence on the other line for a moment but then it was my father asking all the questions as my mother no doubt was recharging her batteries.

"Why don't you start with the reason that made you sound like an adulterer just now." My father said.

I heard Bella chuckle and then watched as she went back to her computer unfazed. I knew my father was waiting but I was still building up to that as I dropped my head to the counter and began thinking of what was reasonable to say at the moment. As I was pondering a way to answer, I felt Bella's arms wrap around me and her lips kiss my neck before she grabbed the phone and rescued me.

"Carlisle?" I popped my head up and watched as Bella winked at me and turned to walk toward the window to admire the view. "Well thank you! Yes, I am thrilled about it!" I watched as Bella's face lit up while she spoke about the upcoming nuptials to my parents and did what she could to keep the peace. "No, No! It's nothing too dramatic... just... well, you know, it's just stuff that couples go through every now and then after they have been dating for four years and aren't married yet." I felt stupid all over again as she said it, but the kiss she blew my way helped calm my stupidity. "He's been amazing... the condo is amazing! I love it, thank you for letting us stay here, though let me warn you, I may never want to leave..." I smiled at that omission, because I didn't want to leave either. In fact I began working out ways to buy it from my parents in hopes of staying in Seattle with Bella after we were married. Life here with a fresh start just seemed like the best thing to do... granted I still needed to see if Bella wanted that, but looking at her now... looking at her always, it was easy to see that she felt at home here.

"We'll come and get you... no! We'll get you, Carlisle! You don't need to get a rental..." I knew Bella was fighting a losing battle and I could imagine the ways my father would convince her, so when I saw her defeated, beautiful face, I could only laugh once and wait for her to be reasoned with. "Well... that is true... yeah, you're right, it'll be easier that way.. okay, we'll see you soon, Carlisle! Bye!"

When she was off the phone, she came waltzing back to my side, handed me my cell and went back to her wedding destination sites. I wanted to ask her why she spared me from having to tell my parents, but at the same time I didn't want to come across ungrateful. I pondered over my thoughts silently but moments later she answered my unasked question. "It's not important, Edward." I snapped my head in her direction and tried to make heads or tails of the words she had just said. She couldn't possibly be talking about what I was thinking about.

"What do you mean, It's not important?" She didn't look at me as she continued, but her words were still sincere. "It's no one's business... no one needs to know about that month. I don't want to have anyone else doubting our relationship." That last part came out as a whisper, and even though she was still staring at the computer screen, I knew she was hurting.

I went to her then and ever so gently held onto her body. For the longest moment all I did was hold her and kiss her cheeks and temple. I knew why she didn't want to tell anyone, but that didn't mean that I wasn't going to own up to it.

"I can imagine why you don't want me to say anything, love. I get that it's not the highlight of our relationship. But... I don't want my parents holding any resentment toward, Charlie. That wouldn't be very fair to him." I felt her take a deep breath and nod once. We said nothing more on the subject and simply stayed where we were looking at the page for Paris in front of us. This had been the one site she would always return to, and in the last few days, it was the one I would see her going over the most. "Is this where we are going to become Mr. and Mrs. Cullen?" I teased.

She said no words and instead simply shrugged her shoulders and tried to change the page. I didn't understand her silence, or her lack of excitement. I knew this was what she wanted, but I couldn't understand why she wouldn't admit it.. all she simply had to say was yes.

"Love?" I slowly turned her body to me, in fear that if I did it too hard it would hurt her healing body. When she was facing me and we were looking into each others eyes, I began again. "Love, I can tell that you want to go to Paris... what is keeping you from admitting it? Are you having second thoughts?"

Suddenly her eyes were as wide as saucers and she clutched her hand from my chest as if guarding her ring. "No! No, that's not it at all!" her frantic words worried me but mostly it was her reaction to the question that bothered me most. I would never take her ring from her, I would never ever take her ring from her finger.

"Bella... I'm not going to take your ring if you tell me you need more time... I would understand that love, please don't think that I would do that to you." She was in my arms again on her own account. She simply held me for a moment and then sat down on the stool. She motioned with her eyes for me to join her, and when we were face to face once more, she began her confession.

"It's not about wanting more time... I want to be your wife. I can't wait to be your wife. It's just... that..." I could see her eyes growing nervous and her skin turning pink... she was embarrassed.

"Tell me, love. Let me help you, what ever it is, we'll fix it." I couldn't seem to say the words strong enough, though I was trying with all that I was to get that truth across to her. She sat up then and took a deep breath before starting once more.

"I want to get married in Paris... very soon. Tomorrow, if we could do it." She had my attention now, I was already trying to time out a flight and a way to have everything set up, but her words next are what stopped me in my tracks. "But I can't afford a wedding in Paris, Edward. I can barely afford to pay for my bills this month..."

In an instant, I understood what was going on here. Bella had just graduated College... she left Tampa before she could get a job and she had lived the last four years off of student loans. I felt like an idiot of mass proportions. Bella lived a work free life because Charlie and Renee helped pay things for her and now that school was over... that was over. When I looked at her face once more, she was beet red and her eyes were sad. I wasted no time pulling her into my arms and kissing those pouty lips, because if that was the cause of her stress, then it was highly unnecessary.

"Sweetheart, is that what you're worried about? Money?" She nodded her head and sighed as if it were a great relief to have out in the open. I once more felt horrible for not having this conversation earlier... I should have done this long before... I should have done it the afternoon we had decided we were together again. "Bella, what's mine is yours... money, home, car... everything."

"But that's just it, Edward! Everything will be yours... I won't be bringing anything into this marriage! All I have is debt!" I simply smiled and looked at her while she stressed about nothing. When she was calm again, I stood up, kissed her nose and took her hand in my own and led her to our bedroom. When the door was shut and we were laying on the mattress in silence, I began.

"I understand that you are independent. I get that you feel like you wont have anything tangible to add to our marriage, but let me ask you this. If I were to just be graduating and you were the one who was already established in a job, would you hold that against me? Would you not want to marry me until I had something to offer you other than my undying love and devotion?" She stayed quiet then and played with the hem of my shirt. I waited patiently for her answer and kissed her forehead and then her cheeks. Just as I was about to move to her lips, she gave me her answer.

"No. I wouldn't care if you only had five dollars... I would love you this much not matter what." I smiled triumphantly and breathed in her scent before continuing on with my point. "Well I am glad to hear that sweetheart. I love you just as much... some day's I think I love you more, but... this isn't a contest." she smacked my stomach playfully and I rolled over her body so that I could see her face better as I said the next part. "I had to live an entire month without you by my side, I know that was on my own accord, but that didn't make it any less painful. I love you Isabella Swan, you are the only reason I have to stay alive... I will not be without you ever again. Your contribution to my life is far greater than any amount of money you could ever contribute to the bank account."

A smile greater than the sun came across her face then and just as quickly as that conversation began, it was now over.

I couldn't stop smiling as I watched from the couch as Bella and Alice went over colors and styles of bridesmaid dresses on the floor. Between the two of them, there were swatches, samples and pages upon pages of different types of things ranging from flowers, shoes and hairstyles.

After Bella and I talked about the things that were bothering her, it made talking about everything else that much easier. She confessed that she was scared about not being able to help financially with the wedding either and that as long as her parents were against this, then there was no way they would be kicking in. I knew she felt bad about that, but I didn't. Honestly, if those were the worst worries she had, then I was happy to be a rich trust fund kid, because I was able to alleviate that worry from her. Aside from me being able to afford the wedding... my parents wouldn't be easy to keep out of this event, seeing as I was their only child.

I was still watching the girls go back and forth with their banter about different ideas when I heard the door open and saw Emmett and Rosalie walk in, and unsurprisingly... they were holding hands. I tried not to focus on it, but Emmett caught me looking before I could look away. When he saw me looking, something akin to nervous crossed his face, but he held steady and continued to hold her hand as he called out to me, "Hey man, can I talk to you for a minute?"

I simply nodded my agreement and made my way toward the patio to give us some privacy. I had been the only one to see the attraction when Rosalie had first arrived. Bella and Alice had been too busy talking about the upcoming wedding plans to really even notice. I imagine it had been that way all week, because even now, they kept going at what they were doing and hadn't even noticed Emmett and Rosalie walk in the door.

I heard the patio door shut and then Emmett was leaning over the balcony toward the view along side me. We hadn't spoken much... I didn't have a whole lot to say. He was here because I knew Bella wanted him here, because he was her friend. His and my relationship was strained to say the least, I held a lot of animosity toward him for bringing Dimitri into Bela's life. I was angry that he had assured me that that animal was a good person. I didn't want to forgive him, because in forgiving him it felt as if I were forgiving what happened to Bella, and I would never forgive that, not ever.

"I'm sorry" he said. I didn't acknowledge his words for a long moment. I was trying to decide if I wanted to even have this conversation. He waited patiently though, just admiring the scenic view before us. When I decided how I wanted this to go down, I went ahead and spoke.

"So what is going on with you and Rosalie?" His head turned quickly in my direction and he was shocked. Whether he was surprised I had asked or was surprised that this was what I chose to speak of, I couldn't really tell.

He took a deep breath and turned around to lean his back against the railing before he answered. "Well... I..." He paused briefly and breathed in deep once more and began, "I know this is gonna sound stupid and probably a bit juvenile, but... I love her."

The thing about that though, was that I didn't think it was stupid... or juvenile. I wasn't surprised either, because Bella had been going on and on for months about how Emmett needed to meet Rosalie and how he would love her and that they would be perfect together. I wasn't shocked that they were holding hands, or that they had stayed up late together every night when the rest of us had gone to sleep. In knowing the power of immediate love, I said the only thing I could to get him to understand were I was coming from.

"You love her... Rosalie." I wasn't questioning it, I was making a statement. Emmett realized that and simply nodded his head in agreement. I nodded my understanding back and continued. "And if I brought an animal into her life... told her that the filth of a man could be trusted and then brought it into her home..."

"Edward" his tone was angry, hateful even but that didn't stop me, I kept on with my point.

"And then left her alone with that filth and found her broken and bloody... because he had beaten her as he attempted to rape her..."

"Stop! Now! You are crossing a line right now, damn it!"

His words and his tone meant nothing to me, because my own pain and hate was far greater than what he could be feeling in this moment.

"No! I found the love of my life on a floor with a broken body! He threw her around like an old rag doll and then attempted to force himself inside of her! He tried to take my angel and degrade her!" I was crying now, full on heaving, panting crying. The memory was too much, the hate was too much.

"Edward... I just had to learn about something from Rosalie that kills me! It kills me to know that it happened and that I cannot do anything about it! Please! Stop! I understand your feelings right now more than you can possibly realize!"

I was breathing hard and fighting my tear ducts to stay in control. I didn't know what he was talking about, and short of Rosalie having been raped and beaten, he could make no comparisons. I was about to say those very words aloud, but the door to the patio opened and it caught our attention. It was Rosalie.

She quietly shut the door and took a glance back inside to make sure the girls were still occupied. They were... the patio door was sound proof.

"I don't really know what you two are talking about out here... I couldn't hear, but... I could see that you two are pretty angry." I took a deep breath and breathed in deep to control my emotions as I nodded my head. "Emmett told me what he was going to talk to you about... what he was going to say. I take it you don't accept his apology?" Rosalie's voice was calm and peaceful, it wasn't at all the way I usually heard her. On any other occasion, Rosalie was the life of the party... the one that got the laughter started. She was a shadow of that person on the porch just now. I couldn't understand it.

"Everything is fine, Rosalie... go on inside, Bella wanted to ask your opinion about dresses..." I tried to remove her from this conversation, for one, because I didn't know how much she knew about what happened to Bella. Second, I didn't want to out Emmett for what he had just said, but Rosalie was not having that.

"I know that you're angry. I know that you blame Emmett... that you feel a bit betrayed even." I didn't answer her, but she kept on going any way. "I'm really happy for you and Bella. I'm happy that you two were able to make it back after something as bad as what happened... happy that you realized how much you love her..."

I could hear her voice breaking as she said it and suddenly my anger began to slip away. In that moment, I took the time to really see Rosalie. In this moment, she was a broken woman, what Emmett had just said suddenly began to make sense. I didn't know what he meant exactly, but I could see that she was about to confess something very intense. All of a sudden, my anger turned to a sinking feeling resting smack dab in the middle of my stomach.

"I know that your angry... that you want to hate somebody. I get that, truly I do." I turned to see Emmett as he came up to her and held her gently to his body as she continued with the next part. "I won't go into detail, but... well, Emmett loves me." I was confused by the change in direction, she must have seen that on my face because she decided to spell it out for me. "Well, he say's he does... and I believe him." I smiled at her comment because it ticked Emmett off and she went on. "What I mean is that Emmett loves me and today I told him something that was very hard for him to hear. I imagine he feels something a kin to the way you are feeling. I told him because he wouldn't stop bitching about you not liking him and I figured he needed to understand where you are coming from."

It hit me then, the dynamics of what she was saying. Though she didn't come right out and say it, I was able to piece together her words with Emmett's statement and it all made sense. Something the similar if not the same had happened to Rosalie... and Emmett had to hear about it. He loves her... as I love Bella, and now he knew what that deplorable feeling felt like. Instantly I felt horrid... because I would never wish this feeling on anyone. Especially a man that had been my friend and Isabella's rock.

Rosalie said nothing more and instead hugged me, hugged Emmett and made her way back inside and shut the door as well as the curtains behind her.

We were silent for a long moment and I appreciated the moment to find a way to make amends. He didn't seem in a hurry to end the silence and when I turned to him to speak, my eyes were met with a foreign sight. Emmett was crying.

I had never seen him in tears before. I had seen him with glossy eyes, hateful eyes and painful eyes, most of which had been in the hospital where Bella was at, but tears flowing from his eyes, that was new.

"Emmett?" He didn't respond with words, instead he held up his hand and wiped at his eyes in a fury. I could see him attempting to regain his composure but he was failing and miserably. "I'm sorry that you feel like this. I wouldn't wish this on anyone... especially you."

He stayed with his face in his hands and shook his head vigorously. "No. I should have... I... my gosh this is so fucked up!" His anger now made the tears cease and he was able to speak clearly now. "You have every right to be angry at me, Edward. I wasn't careful, I should have never left her with him, I shouldn't have been so damn trusting!"

And as quickly as my anger with him had come, it was now gone. I couldn't justify the anger I had for him any longer. Not with what he was feeling, not with what he would always feel. In someways, this pain we shared made us closer. It was just one more thing that we each would go through... and we would go through it together. I would have him and he would have me. He would understand the anger inside, he would share the hate with me. I had never felt more his brother than I did in this instance.

Without a second though I apologized. "You were there for her when I wasn't. I'm just as responsible for what happened... more even. I cannot blame you for a situation that I made necessary. She would have never been in that situation had I not..."

"No more. Please... I can't... we... let's just leave it at were both sorry. I can't take anymore today. Please."

And that was that. We took a moment to compose ourselves and then went to find our other halves. I can only assume that during our conversation, Rosalie confessed her feelings for Emmett with the girls, because no one even flinched when he went to her side and snatched her from the couch and carried her to the room.

I on the other hand simply went to take a seat behind Bella on the floor and wrapped my body along her own to sit quietly with her while she and Alice continued on their mission for the perfect wedding. Every now and then, I would get a kiss or a hug, but for the most part I simply sat stoically and offered my opinion when asked.

Just as I was about to see if they were ready for dinner, the door bell rang. Apparently the doorbell no longer scared Bella when it went off, because she simply patted my leg for me to answer it. I chuckled my way down the hall and felt relief at the small progress we had made in our time here.

So when I answered the door and saw a smiling Renee, it took a minute for me to restart my heart.

"I hear that there is a wedding to plan! Come here and give me a hug damn it!" I stood shocked for a moment until Renee went ahead and pulled me into her arms anyway. I heard Bella in the background and making her way toward us in the doorway.

"Mom!What are you doing here?" She was so happy and thrilled. By the time Bella reached us I had gained my sense of speech and ushered her into the house without a second more of delay.

"I got a call from your grumpy father and he tells me that he gave you and Edward a hard time! So I hopped on a plane, headed to his house, had a chat and a half with him and now I'm here! I'm sorry I didn't call you baby, but you know how I am with cell phones and I was just too annoyed with Charlie to put it off."

I could barely believe my ears. Renee was happy for us... and she defended us against the chief! What a day! What a weird, backward but glorious day.

Before we made our way back with everyone else, Renee stopped us but focused on me. "I know that I wasn't very nice to you in Tampa, Edward... I'm sorry about that." I was about to stop her and tell her it was completely justified, but she wouldn't let me. "You two love each other so much, you have taken good care of her and I believe that you will for the rest of your life. I am here for you two, to support you and help you in any way I can."

Bella rested her head against my chest as she thanked her mother. "I can't tell you how grateful I am mom... how grateful we both are. We didn't think you or dad would want this." Renee simply smiled, kissed Bella's cheek and patted my own and said the only thing she needed to say, "It's been four years... this wouldn't have shocked anyone months ago... and it shouldn't shock anyone now."

And with that, we made our way into the main room to begin where Alice and Bella had just left off.