Chapter 25: 18th Floor Balcony

EPOV

"What's takin so wong?" Avery asked anxiously from her spot on the hospital bed. She was already dressed in her regular clothes and she had her shoes on. She gets to come home today.

"I don't know, baby. The doctors have to do all the paper work." I told her from my spot next to her on the bed. Harper was at school and Bella had to work. I can't wait to go home and have both of my daughters with me and safe. And I absolutely cannot wait to be able to hold my Bella and just worship her. She truly is an amazing person; I feel like I don't deserve her.

"I can't wait to go home, Daddy." Avery told me while resting her head on my shoulder.

"I know, you have been here for a while." Avery only remembers being here for four days because that was how many days she has been awake, but being stuck in the hospital when you are three years old is tough. It caused her to be unbelievably cranky all the time, causing just about everyone around her to pull their hair out.

"I know it's dwiving me cwazy!" She said.

I laughed and wrapped my arm around her and pulled her close to me. I kissed her forehead and she wrapped her arm around my stomach. I almost lost this.

I pushed those thoughts out of my head and looked toward the door to see Carlisle walking in. "Is there a little girl in here who would like to go home?" He asked.

Avery let go of me and jumped off the bed. "Me! Me! Me!" She said while jumping around.

"Well tell your Daddy to get off of his butt and get out of here!" He told her excitedly.

She ran over to me and grabbed my hands and pulled me off the bed. "Come on, Daddy!" I laughed and got up and scooped her in my arms. I walked up to Carlisle and gave him a half man hug because Avery was in my arms.

"Thank you, Carlisle." I said sincerely. I owe this man my life because he saved hers. And mine.

"No need to thank me, son." He said just as sincerely.

"Say goodbye to Carlisle, baby. And make sure you tell him thank you."

She leant over to Carlisle from her spot in my arms and gave him a big kiss on the cheek. "Bye, Carwile. Tank you." He told her your welcome and we walked out of the room to finally go home.

We just got back from picking Harper up from school and we all decided we would play yet another game of Candy Land. I think I need to invest in another board game before I lose my mind.

Bella had work until nine tonight because the bookstore was open until then and she was short on staff. I miss her like crazy though. I decided to take this time to have a serious conversation with my daughters.

"So you guys love Bella. Right?"

"Yes! I wuv wuv wuv Bewwa!" Avery said with excitement. I smiled at her and then looked at Harper.

"I love Bella a lot." She said with a sweet smile on her face.

"Don't you wuv Bewwa too, Daddy?" Avery asked with big questioning eyes.

I smiled. "I love Bella very much." I told my daughters because it was entirely true. "So what would you guys think about moving in with Bella in her house?"

"I've never been to Bella's house." Harper stated.

"I know you girls haven't, but I have and it is really big and you both could have your own room."

"Really?" Avery asked excitedly.

"Yes, really."

"What about you, Daddy? Will you have your own room?" Harper asked with concern.

"I would share a room with Bella."

"And you will have a bed right?"

I leaned over and kissed my daughter's worried little head. "I promise I will have a bed."

"Then I think that would be great!" She said excitedly and clapped her hands together. I looked over to Avery and saw she was nodding her head in agreement.

"Okay, well I will be sure to talk to Bella about it. But don't say anything to Bella until I have talked to her okay?" They both nodded their heads and then I began to become nervous for the next part. "Um…" I cleared my throat. "What would you guys think if I asked Bella to marry me?"

Harper's head shot up to mine and Avery squealed in excitement. "Dat would be great! Can I wear a pwetty dwess?" Avery said.

"Well I haven't even asked Bella yet, but if she says yes, then yes, you can wear a dress."

She squealed again and got up to jump around in excitement. I laughed at her antics and then looked back at Harper. She was lost in her head, looking at the game board as she was deep in thought.

"Harper? What do you think?"

"I would like that but…" She looked hesitant to continue.

"What is it, honey? You know you can tell or ask me anything."

"Would that mean Bella would be our Mommy?"

I was expecting them to ask this question and I thought about what I would say. I thought about it a lot and now she has asked it and I have no idea what to say. It's not like I really talked to Bella about them one day calling her Mom and all that. "Um…I haven't talked to Bella about it, but I am sure you could ask her."

Harper nodded her head. "I would like to call Bella my mom." She said quietly.

"Yeah me too, Bewwa would be the best mommy ever!" Avery said while throwing her hands out in the air for emphasis.

"So when are you going to ask her?" Harper asked.

"I was thinking tomorrow, but I need to get a ring. Would you guys want to come with me?"

"Yes!" They both yelled at the same time.

I laughed "Alright, let's go then!" I said and we were out the door in no time.

I pulled up to Zales because it was the closest to our house. If there wasn't one in there that I liked, then we would go to another store. I parked the car outside of it and put on my Red Sox hat and sunglasses. The paparazzi still finds a way to get shots of me and Bella every now and then. It slowed down a little after her father's new product was out, but they still came around. There was no way I would want one of them getting a shot of me shopping for Bella's engagement ring.

I got out of the car and brought the girls with me. They both gasped at how 'shiny' it was in the store. I walked up to the middle desk where there was a man standing there waiting and smiling wide.

"Helloooo." He said happily.

"Hi." I said shortly and the girls both waved at him absentmindedly because they were too distracted by everything that was going on.

"And what can I help you with today?" He asked.

"Um…I was looking to buy a ring, an engagement ring."

"Okay and do you have a budget or any preferences?"

"I can't afford anything more than $500, so does that leave me many options?" I asked, feeling like an asshole. I should be able to buy Bella the most expensive and beautiful ring in this store. But I know Bella, and she wouldn't care either way.

"Oh that gives you many options…" He then started pointing out all of the rings that he had available. The girls looked with me, and there were a lot that just weren't right. Not Bella.

"Daddy! Daddy! Wook at dis one!" I heard Avery say while pointing at one that both of the girls were looking at. I walked over to them and then I knew I found the perfect one. It had a white gold band with three diamonds on it. There was a large one in the middle, with two smaller ones on either side of it. I thought it represented us well, because if she was agreeing to marry me, she was also agreeing to be a part of the girl's lives.

"It's perfect. Sir?" I asked, trying to get the salesman's attention. ' I think I will get this one."

"Alrighty then! That is a wonderful choice!"

"Do you do any engravings on rings?"

"Yes we do sir."

"What is the fastest you can have it done?"

"The earliest can be by tomorrow morning."

"Perfect."

"Daddy, can Abbey please come over today." Harper asked the next morning. I was sitting on the couch with Bella curled up in my side. Harper and Avery were listening to the radio and dancing in front of us in the living room. Harper stopped to ask me her question.

"You have to ask Bella because I am going to be gone most of the morning."

Her gaze moved to Bella and so did mine. "Of course, honey. I will call Esme and Carlisle after." Harper squealed in happiness and jumped on Bella to give her a hug.

"Thank you, Bella!" She said and then started dancing with Avery again. Bella and I both laughed at them and their dancing. I looked down at Bella and watched as she watched my girls with so much love in her eyes. How did I ever get so lucky?

I brought my hand down and used my index finger on her chin to lift her face up to mine. I kissed her softly and deeply. She kissed me back and we tried to keep it rated PG but it was hard. I pulled away first so things didn't get out of hand. "Thank you, Bella."

She looked at me confusedly. "Why are you thanking me?"

"Just for everything that you do for me and the girls. You don't have to do any of it, but you do, and I wish I could do more for you in return."

"You already do enough just by being with me."

"Yeah, but I just feel like I am holding you back, or taking advantage of you. I don't…"

She stopped me by kissing me chastely on the lips. "Can I tell you something, Edward?"

"Of course." I looked to check on the girls but then I noticed they were both in their room because I could hear them laughing and talking.

"Before I met you, I was pissed at the world. My whole life, I have had everything handed to me without me having to lift a finger. I always thought there was something wrong with that when I was growing up but it was all I knew, you know?" I nodded my head and she lifted herself off of me and knelt down on the couch next to me. She grabbed both of my hands and looked at them as she talked; only glancing up at me a couple of times.

"And as I grew up I began to realize that the life I was living was not 'normal' I guess you could say. When I turned 18, I told my dad that I wanted to own my own bookstore one day and he gave it to me a week later. I wanted to go to college so bad. It was hard to run a bookstore and keep up with classes so I never got the chance. So college is the only thing I ever wanted back then."

She finally kept her gaze on my face and brought her hands around my neck. "But now, every day when I stay home with the girls, I have never been so happy. I love that I bring them to school every day and they run to me and hug me when I pick them up from school. I love playing fucking Candy Land 20 times a day because I get to spend time with them. And I love having dinner ready for you when you come home. I love to be able to kiss you when you walk through the door every night, exhausted from your hard day's work. I even love this little apartment and this small couch we sleep on every night because it is where you and the girls are. I will always be happy no matter what as long as you are all with me."

I stared at her, stunned by her beautiful words and internally kicking myself for not having her ring now, so I could stake my claim on this unbelievable woman.

"So you say you think you are holding me back and you are taking advantage of me, but you could not be more wrong. There is literally nothing in this world that I would rather do than what I do every single day for you and the girls. I never really knew what it was like to be a part of such a loving and hardworking family, but now I do. And I wouldn't have it any other way. Ever."

I brought my face down to hers and kissed her passionately. I tried to put every ounce of love and adoration I have for her in that kiss. I swept my tongue along her bottom lip and our tongues collided. I kissed her deeply until both of us lost our breath. "I love you so much, Bella."

"I love you too, babe." She bent down to kiss me again but I pushed her away gently soon after.

"I have to go, love." I said while getting up.

She groaned and threw her head back on the couch. "Ugh, why do you have to go?" She whined with a pout on her beautiful lips.

"I have some errands I need to run. Harper! Avery! Come give me a kiss bye!" I yelled to them.

"And why again can't we go with you?" She asked as Avery and Harper both ran to give me a hug. I bent down and hugged them both close while answering her.

"It's a guy thing." I told her with a smile on my face.

She laughed at me. "Whatever, weirdo."

I stuck my tongue out at her and kissed the girls on the head. "You better be good for Bella or else I will make you both clean the bathroom floor with a toothbrush." I said only a little bit serious.

"Bewwa was wight, you are a weirdo, Daddy." Avery said with a look of disbelief.

"Well you are my daughter so I guess that makes you a weirdo too."

"Nuh uh!" She said.

"Yeah huh!" I said right back.

"Avery honey, don't listen to your Daddy. He is just jealous because he is nowhere as awesome as we are." Oh how right she is.

"Yeah! Bewwa is wight again!" Avery said and Harper laughed at all of us. Harper grabbed Avery's hand and they both ran back to their rooms.

"I love you!" I yelled after them. They both yelled they loved me back and I went over to Bella to give her one more kiss.

"Please be fast." She said and then kissed me again.

"I'll be back." I said in a Terminator impression.

She laughed against my lips and I reveled in the sound. "I love you." She said while pulling away and still laughing.

"Love you more!" I said while walking to the door.

"Not possible!" She yelled from behind me.

"Iloveyoumoreendofstorybye." I said quickly before shutting the door so I had the last word.

I walked out to the car and went first to the jewelry store. I picked up the ring and it looked perfect. I thanked the man at the counter again for his help and then made my way to my next stop. I took the elevator up to the apartment and then knocked on the door. I heard loud music coming from inside the apartment. I knocked harder and then the music finally turned down and I heard feet running to the door.

The door soon swung open, and the woman who answered it jumped in my arms and hugged me tightly.

"Edward! It is so good to see you! But aren't you a little early?" She said while pulling away and looking over my shoulder.

"No Alice, I actually had something I wanted to talk to you about." I told her.

She looked concerned. "Is it about Avery? She is okay right?"

"Yeah, yeah she is fine, she is perfect really. She can't wait to come here later."

"Oh well so I assume it is about Bella?"

"Yeah." I said and then she gestured for me to walk into the house. I saw cleaning products on the coffee table and noticed I interrupted her cleaning. "Sorry if I was interrupting."

"No it's no problem; I was just cleaning up for the girls later on. So what did you want to talk about?" She said while sitting on the couch and I sat next to her.

Shit, now I am really nervous. "Well you know I love Bella a lot right?"

She looked at me like she was trying to figure me out. "Yes…"

"Okay I am just going to say it. Alice, do I have your permission to ask Bella to marry me?"

She looked at me in shock. She just stared at me for what felt like hours but I am sure it must have been only seconds. "Y-yo-your asking me for permission to marry Bella?" She asked in disbelief.

"Well yeah, I know I am really supposed to ask her father, but Bella isn't speaking to him and I am not going to lie. I don't like him. And you are the closest person to Bella and I would have felt weird if I just asked her without asking you first for permission."

I saw there were tears welling in her eyes and I hoped those were happy tears because if they weren't, I think I may throw up. All of my worries went away though when she launched herself at me and hugged me tightly.

"Of course! Of course I give you permission!" She said while laughing. "You really didn't have to ask me but I am glad you did!"

I laughed along with her because I was happy she agreed. "Thank you, Alice." I said.

She pulled away from me. "No, thank you Edward. You have changed Bella for the better and she loves you more than anything in the world. She always had so much love in her to give but she could never find the right person to give it to. And I am glad it was you because you give it to her right back like she deserves."

"I wish I could give her more. I would give her the world if I could."

"I know you would. And that is why I would be ecstatic if you guys get married and I am going to plan it! When are you going to ask her?"

"Tonight."

She squealed a high pitch squeal. "Well good luck, even though I am sure you won't need it. She will say yes."

Let's hope so

"Oh my god, Edward. Why did you make me watch that movie?" Bella asked after we got done watching Sweeny Todd with Johnny Depp after we ate dinner. We were both sitting on Bella's huge couch with a blanket around us.

"I didn't make you do anything, we both chose it. I actually thought it was pretty cool."

"Well, all I know is I am not going to want to get a haircut anytime soon."

"Why? You don't like the idea of your body parts being used to make meat pies after you die?"

She gave me the look Avery gave me a lot. The 'are-you-really-that-stupid' look. "You know Edward, sometimes I wonder about you."

I laughed at her comment and pulled her in to kiss me. Her hands shot down to the bottom of my shirt and she tried to take it off. "Wait a minute, love."

She groaned and then pulled away. "Okay." She said looking impatient but still giving me her full attention.

"I need to talk to you about something."

All impatience was gone and her face looked concerned. "Okay." She said again.

"Well I have been thinking and I wanted to ask you if maybe you would allow for me and the girls to move in here." She gasped softly and brought her hand to her mouth. Oh shit, Oh shit, Oh shit, that was too forward. "I mean, if you don't want us to that is fine, I just…well you said you would and…"

She cut me off by slapping her hand over my mouth. "Edward. Stop talking." I nodded my head and wiped my sweating hands off on my pants. My hands were shaking and Bella noticed that and began to laugh. She pushed closer to me and hugged me around my neck. "Oh, Edward. You get so nervous for no reason at all, my love."

"So is that a yes?" I managed to get out with the knots in my stomach.

She began to laugh harder and pulled away from my neck and kissed me hard on the mouth. "That is a fuck yes." I stood stunned because she said yes and because Bella swearing is fucking sexy. "But I have to ask, why now? Why do you want to move in now?"

This I can answer, because I have thought about this for a while. "Well, after the whole thing with Avery, I kind of had an epiphany I guess you could say. I just realized that life is too short. I realized it is too short to be letting my manly pride get in the way of giving you and the girls everything that I am capable of giving you. I still feel like an asshole by moving into your house when I barely have to do anything, but that is all stuff that has to do with me, and I will just have to deal with it. I will find a way to somehow make it up to you." She started to talk but I already knew what she was going to say so I stopped her by kissing her gently on the lips. "I know you don't think I owe you anything; but I do. So for my own sanity, please just let me try and help you any way I can."

A beautiful smile spread across her face and she began to laugh again. Then my Bella squealed like Avery would. "Ah! I am so happy!" She said and jumped on me again. "I love you so much." She said while laughing and crying. Wait, crying?

"Love, why are you crying?"

She gave me the 'are-you-really-that-stupid' look again and then she hit me on the chest. "I am crying because I am happy, you dummy."

"Hey I was just asking. No need to call me a dummy."

She laughed and kissed me again. After a while she again went for my shirt but I stopped her. And she kind of got mad at me. "Babe!" She half yelled and half groaned.

"Hold on, love. There is something else I wanted to ask you." Oh wait, maybe not. Maybe I should just wait until tomorrow. I can't do this. I am going to throw up. I need to count to ten or some shit before I lose my shit.

"Okay, what is it?" She asked while still looking at me.

Just suck it up and do it, Cullen. "Umm…well Bella, you know I love you right?"

"Yes…" She said and stared at me confusedly.

Okay, I am just going to go for the kill. "Um…you are the love of my life, Bella. You are my soul mate. You make me and my daughters so happy." I saw tears welling in her eyes and then the most mortifying thing happened to me.

See, what I meant to do was kind of just glide off the couch and get on one knee, but instead, my foot got caught in the blanket that we had around us while we were watching the movie, and I fell off the couch. Oh yeah, this is romantic. Idiot. I got up from the ground as fast as I could and grabbed the ring box from my pocket. I immediately opened the ring box and said what needed to be said before I made an even bigger fool of myself.

"Will you marry me, Bella?" I asked and my voice cracked. My god, this is the worst proposal in the history of proposals. I am acting like such a freak!

I looked in her eyes and saw that she was crying and laughing again. She had her hands over her mouth and she stared at the ring that was in my shaking hands.

"Yes." She said in a breathless voice and then she got down on the ground to kneel in front of me so we were eye level. She brought her hands to both sides of my face and looked at me with such love and adoration in her eyes. "Yes, I will marry you, Edward."

A huge and stupid smile broke out on my face and I leaned forward to kiss her. She kissed me back but she was still laughing against my mouth. I laughed along with her because I was just too happy to not laugh along with my fiancée.

I pulled away again but she didn't complain this time. I took the ring out of the box and grabbed her left hand. I slipped the ring onto her ring finger and it looked so perfect there. It belonged there. We belong together.

And I raised my hand as if to show you that I was yours
That I was so yours for the taking
I'm so yours for the taking
That's when I felt the wind pick up
I grabbed the rail while choking up
These words to say and then you kissed me...
I knew it from the start
So my arms are open wide
Your head is on my stomach
And we're trying so hard not to fall asleep
Here we are
On this 18th floor balcony...
We're both flying away.

18th Floor Balcony, by Blue October

So what do you think of Edward's proposal? Are you happy they are engaged? Are you happy they are finally moving in together? I have had people telling me to make them move in together at Bella's house for a long time now and now they finally are.

Now I have had A LOT of people ask how many chapters are left for this story and to tell you the truth; I don't know an exact number, but I am not done yet. I know it seems like things are starting to wind down as far as drama goes, but there are still some loosed ends that need to be taken care of. I don't really want to give away what those lose ends are but I am sure you guys can figure it out if you think about it.

So with that said, if there are any lose ends that you think need to be fixed, let me know please. Because I have in my head what I need to write about but some things I may miss. So be sure to tell me.

I hope all of my fellow American readers had a nice Independence Day, mine was great! And to those who aren't American, I hope you had a good Sunday! It felt weird not being able to update yesterday.

Picture of the ring on my profile.

REVIEW PLEASE! I need to know what you guys are thinking.