A/N: We're baaack…did you miss us? Please put the pitchforks away. It was a really crazy summer and there was lots of writing to do: WA, BS, and our two outtakes for the FGB auction. Mama needed a rest…sorry

Many of you wanted more of the reunion in the hospital as well as what happened during the month before the gang went to Chicago. This very long chapter answers all your questions, so please make sure you tell us what you think when you're done reading ;)

WELCOME ALL NEW READERS! There has been a huge influx of readers who have alerted this story as their favorite and we would love to hear from you! We appreciate the support everyone has given us for this story.

If you don't read our other story, Beautiful Stranger, then you may have missed that BS was rec'd on The Fictionators Blog a few weeks ago! We were shocked, but so excited.

NEWS FLASH: Have any of you read The Hunger Games series? We just launched a blog for it! Come join us and check it out www(dot)TheHob(dot)org. On the main page you will also see a link to join our forums. Join us and become a member!

Everlasting love goes out to our fabulous beta, Sweet Dulcinea. She works hard to get our chapters back to us quickly while she is busy writing herself! Go read her work - it's good, fun, sexy reading ;)

Do I even need to write the disclaimer? We obviously don't own anything. The sexy fireman and the brown eyed teacher and their story is ours.


*BPOV*

How the hell had I let Edward and Alice talk me into this? Why is it that I am sitting here, freaking out mind you, sweaty palms and all, while my boyfriend is resting peacefully at my side, reclined in his seat as though he hadn't a care in the world? Hadn't I been through enough? I absentmindedly fiddled with the fitted skin colored glove adorning my right hand.

Leaning my head back, I tried to position myself comfortably in the little confining space. After all, I would be sitting here for around four and half hours. Ugh…that thought was fucking suffocating.

Four and half hours sitting on a cushiony seat that wasn't really so comfortable, not being able to fully stretch my legs, not being able to raise my arms without bumping into the bottom of the overhead compartment. I felt the light sheen of sweat begin to spread on my forehead and the back of my neck as I squirmed, the anxiety seeping, burning into every part of my body causing my heart rate to spike to a new high since the last time it beat erratically not even a half hour ago.

Four and a half hours stuck in what felt like a tin can gliding along through the clouds thousands and thousands of miles high in the air. I absolutely disliked flying for fear of crashing or wondering how the laws of physics and gravity really worked, but I had never let that stop me from traveling. However, in light of my whole "being trapped in a very small office with no windows, no source of air while a fire was blazing right outside the door" experience, I detested flying and the feeling of being in such an enclosed space. When you think about it, you're also trapped when on a plane. Where the fuck were you going to go? If you wanted off, you couldn't just tell the flight attendant, "Yeah, this isn't really working out for me. I'm just gonna leave now." Hell, I was so damn frustrated, my line of thinking making my skin heated. I had to stop because there was nothing I could do about it now.

Four and a half hours…

Where the fuck is that flight attendant with my wine? Yes, I needed that little jolt of alcohol to calm the nerves that were currently fraying my insides.

We were finally taking our trip to Chicago to visit with Esme and Carlisle and to scope out venues for Alice and Jasper's wedding. It wasn't as though I didn't want to go because I really wanted to get away with Edward. It's just that I sort of wished they could have delayed the trip a little while longer. However, since I was the reason for the trip being postponed in the first place, I didn't want to cause any more trouble than I already had; hence the reason for my spiking anxiety due to being on this plane right now.

I had already burdened my friends and Edward with them having to dote on me during my recovery, but how could I explain that on the inside I was screaming that I was not ready to go anywhere? This had nothing to do with anyone else but me and I wanted to come to support Alice and Jasper. I just wanted to stay within the confines of my safe haven, which was back at my place, where I had control of the situation. I felt helpless, so vulnerable strapped here in my seat with nowhere to run…or hide if need be. How could I make them understand that without sounding so incredibly selfish?

Alice was so excited to have us all there with her, and Edward, even though he tried to downplay it and act all macho, really couldn't wait to see his parents, especially his mom because they were really close. I wanted to see them, as well, since the last time I saw them their son couldn't remember that I was his girlfriend…a little sad and embarrassing to say the least. It would be nice if they could see us as the happy couple we were who have been living together for months. I mean, we'd spoken on the phone tons of times, but I wanted them to see with their own eyes how in love we are and how we are lucky to have each other.

Lucky.

What did that word even mean anymore? Was it luck that because I breathed in too much smoke that I passed out, hitting my head on what must have been the sharp, pointed corner of Alice's desk, causing me to have a rather lovely reddish line of a scar over my right eyebrow? Maybe it was luck that I had to wear some fingerless glove that acted like an ace bandage to keep the gauze and tape covering my burns from slipping from the palm of my hand. I guess I should have felt lucky that I no longer could handle confining spaces - without a surge of panic blazing through me instantly before I relaxed realizing nothing bad was going to happen.

I felt like a demented version of Frankenstein.

Should I have felt lucky that I had to be mindful of the temperature of my food before I took a bite from it, not wanting to relive that horrible burning sensation that invaded my throat? I cringed at that thought, remembering the time around three weeks ago when I had stupidly ordered Wanton soup for lunch when Rose asked if I wanted to get take-out Chinese. I never again wanted to experience that kind of odd searing pain again. Ever. What an idiot I had been.

I hated feeling so bitter, so cynical. It reminded me of how I had been right after Jake and I broke up. Except this time, my cynicism was more bitter sarcasm at how damaged I really was, not just physically, but emotionally as well; a direct result from being trapped in a fire.

I didn't want to be damaged in any way, but I was. In fact, it was the physical damage that led my emotions astray, playing with my mind like a finely tuned fiddle. Anyone right now could complain, saying that I should be thanking God and whoever else was good and holy that I'd even made it out of that fire alive, that my injuries could have been more severe, leaving my entire face or limbs scarred for life. However, were they to blame for the fire breaking out in the first place? Were they to blame for leaving in the middle of a huge fight with their boyfriend, instead of just sticking it out for a little longer coming to some sort of truce? Lastly, were they to blame for causing said boyfriend, who was also a firefighter, to be sick with dread and the fear that his current girlfriend would share the same fate as his deceased girlfriend? Nope, they weren't to blame.

But I sure as hell was and that realization had caused me to feel an array of emotions from anger, guilt, to sadness. So how could I expect my friends to understand what I was going through? It was extremely frustrating to say the least.

I couldn't even say "ex" because that simply was not the case. The painful truth was that Edward and Tanya would most likely had been married by now if not for her tragically getting trapped in a fire and dying. This knowledge, tattooed into my brain, was painfully evident whenever I looked in the mirror and saw that red scar, whenever I had to air out my open blisters on the palm of my hand leaving them exposed in all their gross glory, whenever I had to wear that godforsaken fingerless glove, and whenever Edward would watch me with some faraway look in his eyes, smiling sadly.

He didn't have to let me in on what he was thinking. I knew it was about her and how he was able to save me, but unfortunately not her. It's not that I thought he regretted rescuing me from that blaze, but the parallels between my and Tanya's situations were way too staggering for anyone not to notice. I was nothing but a walking reminder of one of the most important people he had lost in his world…a reminder of the fact that he was supposed to share his life with someone else…a reminder that Edward was going to ask Tanya to marry him before tragedy struck.

Closing my eyes, I took a deep cleansing breath, shaking my head slightly so I could erase the negative thoughts as I exhaled. I didn't want to focus on those awful things because I did have so much to be thankful for. A few rows ahead of us were the four most amazing best friends I could ask for. They had been nothing short of awesome taking care of me after I got home from the hospital, putting up with my mood swings, making sure I rested, showered, and was fed properly.

Turning my head slightly, my eyes landed on the most gorgeous sight, a smile instantly tugging at my lips. There was my guy sleeping so soundly, his chest rising and falling with each languid breath he took. Lifting my hand, I gingerly ran my fingers through his thick, soft tuft of hair, needing to touch something, anything that was a part of Edward so I could feel close to him. What I really wanted to do was sit in his lap while he cradled me in his arms, like he usually did when he sensed that I need the warmth, the connection, the feeling that I was indeed safe.

The truth was he needed to feel the physical connection as much as I did. Since the fire, we had not been sexually intimate with one another, not that we both didn't want to. Rather, it was a mixture of Edward giving me time to heal on the inside as well as on the outside and me just needing space to process everything that was going on. We weren't necessarily awkward or "hands off" around one another, but neither of us was quite ready to shed our clothing and offer our bodies freely when we hadn't yet stripped the guilt we both shared over the argument that had essentially started the chain of events that followed.

My body was craving to touch him even more. Leaning towards his face, I reveled in the tickling sensation of Edward's soft nasal breaths against my cheek. A sense of calm and relief washed over me in gentle waves as the electricity sparked along my insides, awakening the familiar need to be physically bound to him in every possible way. Turning my head slightly, our lips were dangerously close to one another that I felt the heat emanating from them and I couldn't bare the longing anymore. My lips whispered along his delicately, conveying how much they missed their touch.

Moving back to my original position, I was happy that Edward was still deep in slumber as I really didn't wish to startle him. He had been working so hard for months with all that overtime, his schedule constantly changing. He barely got a decent week's rest, let alone one damn night, so if Edward wanted to sleep on the plane instead of talking me down from my anxiety ledge, then sleep he shall. After all, Edward was my hero, literally, and there wasn't anything big or small that I could do for him, or give him, to make us even. But that doesn't mean I would ever stop trying.

As I played with the strands of his hair with the tips of my fingers, I smiled slightly, recalling the last time I did this while he was sleeping. It was when I first woke up in the hospital. Feeling as though I'd had a rough night out and was about to have one hell of a hangover, I remembered my eyes fluttering open and then having to blink rapidly to get used to the extreme brightness. Instinctively, I closed my eyes, recalling the events that played out.

My head might have felt like it was run over by a Mack truck, but it didn't take long for me to assess my surroundings, realizing where I was. I felt a little weight pressed against my midsection and looked down to see that someone was resting their head on me, facing the foot of my bed.

Edward?

He was sleeping and I felt badly waking him, so I let him rest for the time being.

For some reason my right hand was throbbing, covered by layers of white gauze. I noticed that I was hooked up to an IV. I tried to scrunch my face, but it was as though my forehead wouldn't allow it. Apparently, there was gauze wrapped around my head like a mummy? Or at least that's what it felt like.

What the hell had happened to me?

Just as I was about to start freaking out, a nurse walked in, stopping in her tracks as soon as she locked eyes with mine. She spotted Edward sleeping and a smile pulled at her lips as she shook her head slightly. All I could do was blink rapidly as she began to move in my direction, stopping to get my chart at the foot of the bed. After she was finished writing something down, she moved to check on the IV drip. She turned around and started to speak.

"Someone's going to be very upset that he wasn't awake when you finally opened your eyes," she whispered, nodding her head in Edward's direction.

"Fin…," I tried to say, but all that came out was a gush of what felt like scorching hot air. My hands flew to my neck, covering my throat protectively as if that was going to stop the fierce burning sensation to stop.

Ouch! What the hell?

I looked up at the sympathetic looking nurse who obviously guessed I was confused.

"You were trapped in a fire, honey. You inhaled way too much smoke and passed out, but not before hitting your head on something real solid. Needed a good amount of stitches to close the wound up, but don't worry a very good plastic surgeon did it," she explained, rubbing my shoulder in a comforting, motherly way.

All I could do was practically gape at her as I processed this new information. Then, it hit me like a ton of bricks…Holy Shit! I was in Alice's office and I fell asleep. When I woke up, there was all this smoke and suffocating heat. I had to get out of there and I remembered darting for the door…

My head immediately tilted towards my side, where my bandaged hand was lying. Looking back up at the nurse, I tried to formulate my question. Opening my mouth, I tried to speak again.

"W-What h-happ?"

Holding up her hand to silence me, she answered me. "Oh sweetie, you burned the palm of your hand real good there. You received second degree burns, which are beginning to blister. Don't worry, though. You don't need skin graphs or anything. You will just be applying some burn cream and medicated ointment daily and then covering it up with gauze like you see now. We've been taking good care of you while you were resting, don't you worry your pretty brown eyes about that."

My mind was racing, spinning, trying to put together this massive puzzle piece by piece. Inhaling tons of smoke, hitting my head and passing out, plastic surgeons, stitches, second degree burns…

"Doorknob," I managed to breathe out, instantly regretting it because my throat felt like a fire breathing dragon that was very angry with me. Yes, I recalled reaching for the door and trying to turn the knob, but massively failing because my hand practically sizzled, causing me to yank it away very quickly.

"Oh," was all she responded. She injected something into my IV line as I peered up at her nervously. "Just a little something to help make the pain go away. It's always worse when patients just wake from a long slumber," she spoke softly, gracing me with a warm smile again.

"You are a very lucky woman, Bella. From what Edward told me, the fire was pretty bad. He took his oxygen mask off to give you his air and he carried you down the stairs. Wouldn't even let the paramedics touch you until they convinced him to let you go. And don't even get me started on how he has sat vigil by your side. It took that spunky little thing with the crazy black hair to force him to change and shower. My oh my, can he put up a fight, though. Boy wouldn't even eat or drink…just held your hand and spoke with you. He even read to you. Yup, this guy loves you alright. I'm surprised he even let your dad come in for a visit. Edward was like a pit bull with visitors," she giggled heartily, most likely recalling the events that led to her descriptions she was giving me.

My dad? My dad had come from Forks? Edward never left my room? Jesus, how long was I asleep for?

"For a little over a week," the nurse answered. I guess I said my thoughts aloud. "You were in a coma, dear."

A coma? My eyes went wide at that bit of information. Oh my God, Edward must have gone out of his mind. This most definitely brought back all the horrid memories of Tanya being in a fire. He probably thought I was going to die, just like her. Oh god, he must have been so scared.

My heart ached, dropping to my stomach at the thought of Edward in such turmoil. I've caused him such grief and I felt so horrible. My poor, poor guy having to relive almost the same scenario.

"I'm going to get the doctor now and tell him that our little sleeping beauty has awoken. Oh, and you may want to wake that prince of yours, as well." She trotted out of the room, her shoes squeaking against the shiny linoleum tiled floor.

As soon as she left, I began to process everything she'd told me as best as I could. One thing stood out among the rest, making my heart swell with love and admiration. Edward had risked his own life to save me, just like he does on a daily basis. But he wouldn't let me go, whereas he would have easily handed over someone else to the EMT's. Instead, Edward wanted to keep me safe in his arms until he knew I would be alright.

Oh, I could just imagine the fight he put up with anyone who was trying to help! However, that was Edward and I wouldn't change anything about him. When he loved you completely, he was loyal, compassionate, and would give his own life to save yours. I'd never felt so protected and so treasured in all my life.

There was still so much to say about the night of our fight. I remembered everything, which meant I recalled that nasty argument we had and the fact that I walked out on him to go to Alice's shop. I was so damn angry and I had a right to be. Would he still be working overtime? Would he break another date, leaving me frustrated and disappointed?

It wasn't a question of whether or not he loved me now, but I still wondered where I ranked on his lists of priorities. Even though we loved each other whole heartedly, without communication, without making each other a priority once in a while, the relationship will go south sooner rather than later. I certainly didn't want that to happen.

After he woke and turned his head to face me, I nearly died at the sight of him. Edward looked so tired, so drained of any animated life to him. My heart broke for him, knowing that me being in this accident had put him through his own personal hell.

His eyes were stained red at the rims and he hadn't shaved in a while. Cupping the side of his face with my hand, I stroked my thumb along his cheekbone while the short, coarse hairs were prickling at my fingers. I didn't mind the scruff, but knowing that the unkempt scruff was the direct result of keeping vigil by my side just made me want to shave it off him myself so he could be free of this burden and start fresh.

We never broke our gaze from one another as a small smile broke free on my face. Edward looked at me with such a yearning intensity as though he hadn't seen me in a long time and couldn't believe I was real or something. I guess he did have a right to feel that way since I hadn't been awake in a week. Not to mention, the last time we had seen each other we were so angry and had said hurtful things towards one another. That thought alone made my already aching throat constrict with emotions I was sure we should really address at that moment.

Then Edward tilted his head, leaning into my touch as his eyes fluttered shut. I was so focused on soaking his presence in that it wasn't until I felt something wet creep under my thumb that I realized he was crying. This strong, confident man was crying freely in front of me and it didn't go unnoticed that Edward seemed to be relieved through his tears. Whenever Edward would swipe the tears away, a fresh round would gently fall, causing my emotions to act instinctively. Tears were welling, my eyesight slightly blurred as I realized just how attuned we were with one another.

If Edward ached, I ached just as much, if not more. I needed to comfort him with words and not just my touch. I had to tell him how much I loved him and how sorry I was that we had fought.

"Don't cry. It's okay," I barely squeaked out. Between the large lump in my throat and the pain from the fire, I could barely speak.

Edward grabbed my hand from his face and held it his. Through his own tears, he looked at me with fierce determination as he spoke the words I so desperately wanted to say first.

"Bella, I thought I was going to lose you. I'm so sorry about our fight. I'm so sorry for working so much lately. I just need you to know how much I love you and how sorry I am about everything."

Shaking my head, I tried to formulate the words to say, but before I could, Edward squeezed my hand and insisted that I don't use my voice just yet, as it needed the rest. I squeezed his hand back in response, but I couldn't just sit back and not respond to his beautiful words…not when I wanted to reassure him that he hadn't lost me, that I never intended to go anywhere without him for the rest of my life.

"I'm sorry, too. I love you," I declared with as much emphasis and emotion I could muster since I was forced to whisper.

Hovering over me, Edward leaned down to place a soft kiss against my lips. The moment his lips pressed into mine, I melted into the bed. What I wanted to really do was grab the back of his head and hold him against me forever, but I was too weak. When Edward pulled away, I felt the loss pulling at me leaving only an empty ache in my chest.

We definitely needed to air things out and not sweep anything under the rug once I got home. This was way too important to overlook and hopefully Edward would see that. I knew I was going to be okay, but the real question that needed to be answered was, were we going to be okay? I wasn't the only one who had just survived a traumatic experience; Edward did, as well. He had to suffer for days wondering if I was to endure the same fate as Tanya.

My head was throbbing at that thought. What if Edward would never get over the fear of losing me like he did her? Would he even want to be with me now, even though he said he loved me?

God, I hoped so.

A few minutes after Edward left to alert our friends that I was awake, there was a soft knock at my door as it was opening at the same time. Looking up, I saw my dad nervously fidgeting with his hands, deciding whether he should walk in or not.

"You can come in, Dad," I whispered.

Charlie sat in Edward's chair beside my bed. He looked me over and then smiled up at me. "You gave your old man quite the scare, Bells."

"I know. I'm so sorry, Dad, that you had to travel all the way here," I sadly breathed, my head hanging low with guilt.

"Hey," he started, his voice stronger now as he took my chin with his fingers and lifted my head, forcing me to face him. "None of that, you hear me? Jesus, Bella, you were in a fire. I should hope that if the roles were reversed, you would have wanted a phone call. Speaking of phone calls, I was able to reach your mother in Japan. She was so panicked, she wanted to get on the first plane and fly over here, but I told her it wasn't necessary once I knew you were out of the woods, so to speak."

My mother had been living in Japan with her boyfriend Phil, who is playing minor league ball there. I haven't seen her in a long time, but we talk on the phone as often as we could. As much as I missed her, and would love nothing than for her to be with me right now, I knew that the trip was too far and too expensive to do on a whim. I made a mental note to call her as soon as my voice was strong enough to do so.

"Of course, Dad. I would have rushed to Forks to be with you, to help in any way. You know that. And that's okay about mom. At least she wanted to fly, knowing that I was hurt and in the hospital."

"Then why can't I do the same for my little girl, huh? I would have been devastated if you had any more serious injuries or worse. If you would have not made it out of that building alive and breathing, it would…it would have killed me, Bella," he choked out, his eyes becoming glassy at his last thought.

Instantly, the tears pricked my eyes and began to spill over, sliding down my cheeks. Charlie and I were never ones to have long, deep discussions. We were close because we were the only family we really had, but my Dad and I rarely ever discussed our feelings for one another. So, when my father admitted that he would have died if I no longer breathed, well…that just spoke volumes, and I knew that even though he may not always show it, my dad loved me with all that he had.

"Oh, Dad, I love you, too. And thanks for being here. It does mean so much that you're sitting beside me right now," I awkwardly whisper-sobbed. I wanted to scream I was so irritated that I couldn't find my voice without it being so painful.

"So, I finally got to meet Edward in person," my dad started. "He's a good guy, Bells. Edward is the one who called me as soon as you were settled in a room. And he introduced himself as soon as I came to the hospital. Came right up and shook my hand, but little did I know that it was me who should have ran up to him and introduced myself."

"Oh yeah? Why is that?" I wondered. Charlie had this odd look on his face. It was a mixture of awe and sadness.

"You know, I wasn't too crazy with the idea of you living with him after a short amount of time, plus after everything that happened with his accident and all. But, I knew it was best not to say anything because I'm not around all the time and you're a big girl who can make her own decisions. But you always sounded happy, so I didn't pry. Plus, from what you tell me of him from time to time, it seems as though he gives you a run for your money and doesn't take too much of your stubborn shit," he laughed a hearty belly laugh.

"Dad!" I hoarsely chuckled. My dad never really cursed too much around me and when he did, it was either part of a joke he was telling me or it was because he was enraged. It was refreshing to hear him laugh so carefree like this. I hoped he really was happy that I was with Edward.

"Well, you can be pretty tough to take, young lady, but your boy can take it and isn't afraid to challenge you. I like that. Shows he's got spunk. What I didn't know about Edward until meeting him is that he is a truly honorable man and you know I don't say those words lightly about anyone, Bella."

"Yeah, he's amazing, Dad. And he's so good to me, he really is, but I'm wondering why you would call him honorable from a simple handshake and a conversation. That really isn't like you," I told Charlie. It was true, Charlie was not one to give compliments, and especially to someone I was dating.

"Well, I had no idea that he literally rescued you from that fire. He never even mentioned it to me. Instead, he just spoke about you, your injuries, and the progress you were making before I even arrived. A selfish person would have boasted about being some hero, but he was modest, too modest if you ask me."

"Who told you then?"

"Alice did. After she cried and apologized that she left you alone to rest, which needed no apology at all, she started in on what happened as soon as Edward and the rest of his fire company came to the scene."

Charlie shifted in his seat, trying to find a comfortable position before he rested his elbows on the edge of my hospital bed. Taking my good hand in his, he smiled up at me.

"He loves you more than anything in this whole world, Bells. We had a good, long talk and I know without a doubt that you are safe with Edward. I never felt like that when you were with Jake. That ass always seemed to have his thoughts occupied somewhere else whenever I tried to talk with him. But not Edward, he gives you his full attention, especially when the topic of conversation is you. He's a keeper, and he sure as hell wants to keep you forever," he chuckled again, shaking his head slightly as if recalling something Edward had said to him.


"Here's your wine, ma'am," the flight attendant said softly, not wanting to wake the sleeping passengers around us.

I blinked, shaking my head from the memory I was just stuck in.

"Oh. Thank you," I mumbled, sitting up straighter and unlocking my tray table.

Taking the small bottle and the plastic glass with ice from her hands, I set them down on the table and proceeded to open the bottle, tilting it so that the wine cascaded over the protesting, cracking ice. I knew it was a major faux pas drinking red wine with ice, but the thought of drinking something warm made me cringe. I didn't want to think about any more of my neurotic idiosyncrasies any more than I had to.

The cold wine felt good against my throat. Even though my throat was fully healed now, once in a while when I had to cough out a tickle, it would bring back the feeling of being in burning pain. It was something that I knew I would get over eventually with time.

"Psst. Hey honey. How are you holding up?" Alice whispered, taking in Edward's still sleeping form and gracing me with a smile. She was leaning her elbow on the top of Edward's seat so she could get closer to me.

"Good," I lied, not wanting to bother her with the crap I had still swirling around in my head. I had definitely bothered her enough.

She sighed and I knew that she didn't really buy what I was telling her. "Alright, but if you want to talk just pop on down the aisle and come visit. Jasper and Emmett are fast asleep, too and they are both snoring. I finally convinced Jasper to move to the seat next to Emmett to sleep so Rose and I could sit and chat," she giggled quietly before blowing me a kiss and heading back up to her seat.

It had been over a month, but I still felt so fucking guilty over ruining Alice's design studio. Let's face it - I didn't really know how the hell to turn off that damn iron…whatever the hell that monstrosity was. I thought I knew how to work that machine, but apparently not.

Her entire fall collection…ruined. Her favorite mannequin, one of those dainty old fashioned ones that she had used since design school…charred to a crisp; nothing but melted wire now. Ugh! I wanted to tear at my hair in hopes to rip away those haunting thoughts that prevented me from getting a decent night's sleep.

I stared out my window into the dark night sky, scenes of the past weeks were flashing like a slideshow against the black nothingness. I wanted to look away and just forget how stupid I acted at times, but I couldn't tear myself from the images. Yes, I was extremely thankful that I didn't sustain any other life threatening injuries, but I was still so damn furious with myself…frustrated in feeling helpless and weak. For the most part, I was a stellar recovering patient; my friends nothing but the pillar of support I desperately needed.

Instead of getting things done for themselves or just being with each other, they pitched in by keeping me company, making me dinner, doing my laundry, and just being lazy laughing and watching movies with me. Of course, not every time they were there for me was it nice and laid back...

I was having a particularly rough day, definitely waking up in a foul mood, hating the fact that I was stuck at home taking it easy during my summer vacation from work. What was even more annoying was that Alice and Rosalie just wouldn't let me be. God forbid I was feeling a tad sorry for myself and wanted to crawl into a hole just to have some solitude for a while, be alone with my thoughts. The more they slapped on freakishly happy faces for my benefit, the more agitated I became, causing my skin to literally twitch. I mindlessly scratched the same spot on my forearm over and over out of anxiety and nerves.

It was as though I didn't have the freedom to express my thoughts and feelings without getting overridden by the girls' incessant attempts to forcefully dredge up happier times just to make me smile. Don't get me wrong, I loved them dearly, but I wanted some space like a claustrophobic person wanted air.

Edward was trying to over compensate the fact that he had to keep on working while I was in recovery because he took off during my stay in the hospital. He had Jasper, Emmett, Alice and Rose keeping a watchful eye on me. Everyone was suffocating me so much that I was crumbling, coming undone on the inside. Just the very thought made my stomach wrench and twist.

Tears started to swell in my eyes and I was just so frustrated that now I was crying. Every once in a while my insecurities about Edward would creep in my head, reminding me that they still existed and weren't going anywhere. I hated that they were here running rampant and creating havoc in my already tired head.

"I just want it to go away," I sniffled.

Immediately, Rose and Alice flanked to my sides on the couch, each had an arm draped around my shoulders protectively.

"What needs to go away, Bella?" Rosalie asked softly.

Shaking my head in shame, I tried to formulate my answer coherently. "That freaking feeling of dread. That guilty feeling I have whenever I glance into the mirror and realize that he was supposed to be with her," I sobbed loudly, burying my head in the crook of Alice's neck.

"Ssh, Bella. It'll be okay," Alice cooed in my ear, kissing the top of my head.

"No, it won't," I cried harder. "I see the way Edward looks at me, Alice. His eyes give away his secret."

"What secret, Bella? What are you talking about? Edward loves you," Rose reasoned, sounding a bit confused at my words.

"Rose is right. Edward does love you so much, Sweetie."

"I know he loves me, but now I can't help thinking that he was going to ask her to marry him. Now with what happened with me, this completely took Edward back to those days with her and it only fueled him to reminisce about how he wished to spend the rest of his life with her." The tears were rolling uncontrollably down my face; my nose was a runny mess. I asked for a tissue and Rose handed me one.

"Please don't think that way, Bella. It'll only hurt more to think about what could have been had Tanya not passed away. For whatever reason, Edward wasn't supposed to be with her forever. He's supposed to be with you," Rose stated, rubbing my shoulder soothingly.

"No, I can't believe that. Look at what almost happened to me. I almost received the same fate as Tanya. If I'm supposed to be with him, then he'd ask me to marry him. But he hasn't and he probably won't."

"Oh, Bella, you don't know that. You never know what will happen," Alice tried to reason with me, but it didn't make me feel any better.

I sat up, darting my eyes between my two friends, I flashed them an incredulous glance.

"Please give me some credit here. My injuries are a huge reminder of who Edward maybe should have ended up with," I started, jumping up from my spot and turning to face them.

"You see this?" I pointed to the slightly puckered, red streak that adorned the top of my right eyebrow. "This gross, ugly line will forever be part of my features, even when it turns white. No matter how faint this scar will become, it will always be a deep, dark, red reminder of what, or should I say who Edward lost."

My voice cracked at the end of my bold statement as the tears pricked at my eyes, taunting me, reminding me that I deserved this because the fire was my fault. I shook my head, trying to rid it of the demons that were crawling inside me. On the outside, I merely looked like a crying person who was obviously upset. However, I was a tangled mess inside, the memories of Edward crying at Tanya's gravesite hovering over me like the darkest of storm clouds.

Rosalie and Alice were still like stone statues, their eyes watery and glassy as they listened with rapt attention to my sudden emotional tirade. Perhaps what I was trying to convey was finally seeping into their brains. Maybe they thought I had a point; that they, too, felt the fire was dredging up old ghosts of Edward's, causing him to rethink his future with me.

Staring down at my right hand, I lifted it so that it was in front of my face as I proceeded to strip the ace bandaged glove along with the tape and gauze covering the hideous healing burns. My friends' eyes widened with shock; I never took my dressings off in front of people…never. They knew how sensitive I felt about people trying to sneak a peek at it.

"Oh, God…and this," my voice trembling as I revealed the inside of my hand to them. "This disgusting…thing that has marked my palm is nothing but a wretched reminder of the burns that Tanya received, except hers were worse because she didn't make it out of her fire. She died and I lived and that is what Edward has got to be thinking any time he looks at this."

I just stood there, letting the tears cascade down my face in sorrowful streaks as I covered my face with my hands and sobbed, not caring what a fool I was making of myself in front of my best friends. It was better them than Edward, right?

Just then, because that's how much the universe loved me, Edward, Emmett and Jasper walked in, announcing their arrival with the closing of the apartment door. The sound brought me back to Earth as I looked up, noticing their faces were laced with confusion and…pity maybe?

"Everything okay in here?" Emmett hedged tentatively as Jasper and Edward continued to focus their attention on me, not even acknowledging anyone else in the room.

As quick as a flash, Alice and Rosalie pulled at my arms, whisking me down the hall into the bathroom. The cool water they splashed on my face sobered me from my morbid, depressing thoughts. As they patted my face dry, Alice and Rose were whispering to me words of strength and encouragement. They were informing me of how much they loved and supported me as they brushed the wet hair from my face and affixed a clip at the top of my head, holding the runaway hairs in place. The dark circles under my eyes were masked with concealer and my eyelashes were dressed with mascara. Rose even put a little bit of blush on my cheeks to make me look halfway decent.

Edward could never know the haunting thoughts that possessed my dreams and that started to filter into my days. I didn't want to burden him with more than he was already handling when it came to me. I couldn't just waltz out of the bathroom as though I had never been crying my eyes out, but I could pretend that I was over my spell, that what was making me upset no longer did. I felt horrible that I had to lie, tucking away my feelings under the deepest corner of my being, but I would for Edward.

The truth was, I was deathly afraid that he would leave me one day. Nothing, and I mean nothing, could ever make me crumble and fall apart but Edward leaving me. Without Edward, my world would cease to exist.


Two days later, Esme, Alice, Rose, and I were off to the Ritz Carlton, a possible venue for Alice and Jasper's wedding. We had already been to three other places that morning, each not satisfying whatever Alice's wedding needs and requirements were. Jasper's parents and the Cullens were splitting the cost of the wedding, with Alice and Jasper chipping in for some extra things they had wanted. Her needs changed on a daily basis, and since she was the bride, Rose, Esme, and I zipped our lips and only spoke our opinions when asked. She wasn't an overbearing bridezilla, which was good, because Rosalie and I were ready to put her in her place at a moment's notice, knowing how Alice can be at times. I knew what planning a wedding entailed, but that never came to fruition thankfully.

Turned out Alice absolutely fell in love with the grand ballroom. We all oohed and ahhed in agreement as we stood in the center of the large rectangular dance floor underneath the massive crystal chandelier. Alice beckoned the wedding planner over so she could deliver the exciting news and make sure the date in question was still available. Esme laughed, rolling her eyes as she informed Alice that a February wedding in Chicago would be no problem since it was still the dead of winter around there.

Since Valentine's Day was on a Monday, and she wanted it on a Saturday, Alice opted to have her and Jasper's wedding on February nineteenth. We all squealed, encasing ourselves in a group hug, congratulating Alice and just being so happy for her. She swiped a few tears away from her face as she pulled her cell phone from her pocket, calling Jasper and informing him that he and the other men had to get their butts on over here to see the location she had chosen.

As Alice went with the planner to her office, Esme and Rose excused themselves to find a restroom. I gravitated towards the massive windows which outlined the entire room. We weren't extremely high up, but the windows made it feel as though we were floating in the air amidst neighboring buildings, headed for Lake Michigan, its deep blue color making it look amazingly peaceful.

Gazing out into the evening sky, the sun was making its fiery orange mark as it was trying to set. The twinkling lights of the faraway buildings reflecting off one another made everything encased in some magical bubble with this ballroom smack in the middle.

I began fantasizing about planning a wedding for Edward and me. I really hoped that day would come in time. I would never pressure Edward, considering my mood swings lately, but I would be lying if I said that thoughts of being Mrs. Edward Cullen never entered my mind at least once a day.

I was so caught up in the breathtaking view that I hadn't noticed that someone had sidled up next to me.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Esme asked softly, nudging her shoulder with mine, a smile gracing her face.

"Yes, it is. The lights make everything sparkle at night," I sighed wistfully, still enraptured with my musings involving Edward. I played with the charms on my bracelet absentmindedly just to feel close to him.

Hearing the tinkling of the tiny charms clanking against one another, Esme lightly grabbed my wrist, lifting my arm so she could get a closer look.

"I knew that he was going to get this for you before his accident. Edward was so excited, he sounded like a little boy when he told me what he wanted to put on this," she mused, her fingertips brushing along every charm.

"Really?" I asked, sounding hopeful, wanting to believe that he was that excited over a present meant for me.

"Yes really," his mother laughed. "This is the first time I am seeing this and it's so lovely. I have to say that my son has excellent taste…and that includes who he chooses to be in a relationship with."

I turned so my body was facing her. "Thank you, Esme. That means so much coming from you. I can't even express how much I appreciate you saying that right now," I smiled, my eyes filling with tears. I was truly touched.

"Oh, come now," she rubbed my back. "How could I not love that you're with my son…Carlisle, too, for that matter? You have turned his world on its axis in such an amazing way that has changed him for the better. You are so good for him, Bella and Edward's well aware of that, too."

I couldn't say anything as the words of love and admiration poured from Esme's mouth. I don't know how I managed to hold back the waterworks, but I did. I had done enough crying and I didn't want to make Esme feel uncomfortable.

Esme turned my wrist so that my hand was palm up. I looked at her questioningly as she started to lift my glove and remove it gingerly from my hand. I cringed slightly once I saw the redness appear.

"Does it hurt still?" Esme asked, a look of sympathy splashing across her face. "God, you must have been so scared."

"I'm okay…now that is. It doesn't hurt really. It's more like an annoying numbing feeling," I shrugged, beginning to feel uncomfortable that my burn mark was exposed.

Esme assessed my face contorting, no doubt trying to read my thoughts. "You know, you don't have to keep this covered all the time. You should let the fresh air hit it once in a while."

"I do…when I'm sleeping," I mumbled. The glove was completely off now and it took all the willpower I had in me not to yank it from Esme's hands…politely, of course.

She tilted her head slightly to one side. "Are you embarrassed by your scar? I'm not going to tell you how you should feel, but I will add my two cents, if that's okay."

I nodded.

Esme breathed a big sigh before she started in. "Bella, you don't have to hide your injury as though you're ashamed it's there. What happened was an accident, plain and simple. Yes, Alice's studio and clothes were damaged, but that's what insurance is for. It's not like her store was burned to the ground and she has nothing left. Because she still has you. In fact, we're all lucky that we still have you here with us. No store or design studio is more important than you. Please learn to believe that.

Let this scar be a reminder of how much you have persevered in order to get to where you are now. This mark makes you stronger, not weaker like you think. Just remember that things happen for a reason and that there are many situations and circumstances that are far beyond our control, so it's nearly impossible to fathom why the bad things happen…and even the good ones. You just have to accept it and try to move on. You are one brave woman, Bella, and covering this up won't make us think otherwise."

A few tears spilled over, falling in big, fat, drops. I got the feeling she wasn't just talking about the palm of my hand at that last part. I wondered if Alice may have briefly mentioned my emotional outburst from a few weeks ago. It wouldn't surprise me, but what did shock me were the reasons Esme just gave me for why I shouldn't keep my hand covered. I had lots of mixed emotions swirling around concerning this. I didn't know what to do or what to feel.

"I-I don't know if I'm ready to leave it off yet, Esme. All I'm certain of is that I need a little more time to think it over. Wearing the glove makes me feel better in some small way. It keeps the…ghosts at bay, if that makes any sense," I admitted, stammering nervously over my words.

Esme handed me back the glove and I quickly affixed it over my scar. After wiping the few tears that had fallen, I glanced up at Esme and smiled, much like the warm one she was giving me.

"Thank you, Esme. I want to feel completely better and I will. I appreciate your two cents and I will think about what you said," I stated, pulling her into a tight embrace.

"No need to thank me, Bella. Just know that Carlisle and I are here for you any time. You're part of our family."

"Am I interrupting something?" A husky, sexy voice filled the air around us, immediately breaking my and Esme's bubble.

"Mom, why is my girlfriend crying? Bella, is everything alright?" Edward's eyes were darting between me and his mother. His forehead creased with worry when he saw my red stained, glassy eyes. There was no hiding it from him. Edward sounded so sweet, so protective as he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me close against his chest.

"She's fine, son. There's no need to keep her away from me," his mother giggled. "Bella and I were just having a little heart to heart, that's all." Esme walked away, greeting her husband with a kiss, and started talking with Emmett, Rosalie, and Jasper.

"Yes, she's right, Babe. I swear, everything's fine," I smiled as Edward fingers were brushing along my cheeks, erasing the remnants of my tears.

"Okay," he sighed. "I'll believe you…for now. So, this is where the big event will happen, huh?"

"Uh huh. Isn't this place gorgeous? I mean look at this view, Edward. And look over at the water over there," I pointed, tugging on his hand like an excited child who wanted to show off her shiny new toy. Now that I was with Edward, physically touching him, I was in a much happier mood. I felt calm and safe…like I always did when I was near him.

A crooked grin tugged at his lips as he surveyed the surroundings and then capturing my eyes with his. He was so pretty, my heart swelled a thousand times over just looking at him. I couldn't help the wide smile that broke free.

"Yup, it's certainly beautiful," he whispered, closing the distance between us and rewarding me with a slow, soft kiss that was respectable enough in front of his parents. Lord knows that if they weren't in the room, then I would have just dove on in and feasted on his pouty lips, but I couldn't do that. Not after the beautiful words Esme just spoke to me moments ago.

"So, is this the kind of place where you would want your big event to take place?" he questioned, his eyes bright and sparkling with curiosity.

The heat was quickly spreading up my body, as I flushed with shyness at his bold question. Was he implying our wedding? I'm sure I heard correctly, but still I had to wonder. That's just in my nature to.

"Uh…yes…I guess. Um…after all, it's every girl's dream to plan her dream…big event," I fumbled over my words, too embarrassed to say wedding. I had to look away. Geez, did my response even make sense? I swear Edward had the power to turn me into mush. One measly kiss and poof! I was powerless against him.

He laughed, throwing his head back at my response. His face was glowing when he locked eyes with me again. "Huh. Is that so? Well, that's good to know, Baby. Good to know indeed," he said before leaning down, covering my mouth with his for another sweet kiss.


The next day was a lazy one, the girls and I opting to stay back home while Edward took Emmett over to his old fire company to introduce him to his Chicago boys. Carlisle and Jasper were in and out of the house, running errands for Esme. Apparently, she was in the mood to make Edward's favorite meal, but she was acting as though it was a holiday or something the way she was fussing over what tonight's dinner should be. We were sitting at the table enjoying some girl talk, when Alice shot up and breezed out of the room. The three of us just looked at each other and shrugged.

Literally a minute later, Alice was back with her cosmetic bag. She took her place next to me again and grabbed my hands. Esme and Rose just giggled as I tried to pull away from Alice's strong grasp.

"Oh Jesus, you need your nails done, Bella. Seriously, when was the last time you has a manicure, huh? Gosh, why hadn't I thought of that?" Alice admonished herself…and me I suppose.

"Chill out, Pix. I haven't had them done in a while, but you can do them if you'd like."

"Oh! Let me do yours, Esme, please?" Rosalie offered, sitting up straighter and taking Esme's hands in hers.

"Sure, Sweetie. I haven't been pampered in quite some time, so it would be nice for someone to be brave enough to cut my cuticles," Esme laughed.

Alice was now on hyper speed or something as she stole a glance at the clock. "Shit, there's not much time. Damn it! I really wanted to do this for you, Bella"

"Um…okay. Alice, honey, we have plenty of time to paint my nails now if you'd like. Just please relax for me…and breathe slow and even breaths."

She scoffed at my words. "Plenty of time…that's what you think, missy," she mumbled to herself. My friend really wasn't making much sense, but I knew not to ever argue with Alice when she was in a mood like this.

Whatever her mood was, it seemed to have rubbed off on Esme and Rosalie as we spent the next hour pampering each other's nails. Everyone was acting strange, even Jasper and Carlisle. When they had returned from the store, I could have sworn they were out of breath, like they were literally racing one another to see who could take the bags of groceries in the fastest. It was equally bizarre when they asked if they had missed anything, looking up at the wall clock, and then letting out a sigh of relief when Rose shot them a pointed look, just muttering, "Not yet."

The strangeness didn't let up, either. Alice threatened my life if I even so much as moved a finger after she painted my nails a pretty, shimmery, chocolate brown color. She led me to the living room, setting me on the couch, and even choosing the TV show I was to watch. Rosalie sat beside me, giggling the whole time, while Esme, after her nails were dry, started working on dinner for us.

Once in a while, she would pop in to see how we were doing, but not before winking and smiling at me. The more I sat there and thought about it, the clearer it all came. My birthday was less than two weeks away and since we weren't going to be here to celebrate it with Edward's parents, everyone wanted to surprise me with a nice dinner.

Maybe they went in on some big gift for me and that's why they are acting like Stepford people, smiling and giggling whenever they look at me.

It was getting to be close to five o'clock and I wondered when Edward and Emmett would return. I kind of missed him and I really wanted to spend some time with him, maybe go to a movie to be alone for a little while. It's not that I didn't want to hang with everyone, but between my recovery and Edward working to make up for his absence, we really hadn't gotten to be with each other…like alone "with" in a short while. We were sleeping in the same bed in Edward's room, but we still hadn't even fooled around…heavy petting, yes, but there wasn't any release on both ends. That depressed me as I thought about how much I missed all of Edward.

The sound of sirens broke me from my haze. They weren't just any sirens, they were the distinct sound of fire engine sirens and they were screeching louder and louder as though a truck was headed right down our street.

Don't even tell me that Edward went out on a damn fire call!

Carlisle and Jasper shot up from their card game in the dining room and ran out the door like they were the ones on fire.

"What's up with them?" Really, this day was so weird, nothing would surprise me now.

"Uh, they just remember they forgot something at the store…an ingredient I needed for the pie I'm baking later," Esme said, spilling over her words, trying to sound calm.

Rosalie and Alice started talking in hushed whispers about something important by the way their heads were huddled together. The sirens weren't letting up and they were getting closer and closer until spinning red lights were reflecting off the walls of the living room. I turned to see what was happening outside through the big living room window and noticed that the fire truck was parked right in front of the house.

"Hey, you ladies think that a neighboring house is on fire? I mean, look at all the guys packed into that truck spilling out like a circus clown car. Esme, shouldn't we check it out just in case the blaze is right next door?" For a split second, I started to panic, the erratic heartbeat just dying to punch through my ribs, but I held it together with the comfort knowing that I wasn't alone.

"Bella, can you go into Edward's room and get me my purse? I think I left it there earlier. Then we can go check out the scene outside," Alice chimed in, smiling away. Wasn't she the slightest bit sorry for the poor people whose house was probably beginning to be engulfed in flames? Who knows, maybe it was a silly oven fire or a carbon monoxide alarm that went off, and this was all for nothing.

"Sure, Alice. I'll be right back."

I couldn't find Alice's purse and called down to let her know. She told me not to leave the room and that she would be right up. The lights were still flashing and curiosity got the better of me, so I decided to sneak a little peek at all the commotion outside.

Edward's room faced the street and one of the windows had a small balcony hanging from it. It was big enough for about two or three people. It wasn't incredibly wide, but it wasn't a really tight fit, either. Opening the window, I climbed out and stood peering over like a little kid who shouldn't be out here.

That's when I saw it…nothing. Absolutely nothing. There was no commotion, no fire blazing in the distance, not even someone screaming for help in a panic. In fact, the street was deserted of all life forms except for my friends, some firemen and him.

There Edward was, donning his old fire uniform, standing next to his buddies in front of the truck. The sight of him nearly took my breath away as I smiled in his direction, locking eyes with him and only him. Nothing beats a man in uniform, but seeing Edward in a uniform was like finding water in the dessert, like watching a shooting star glide across the sky, like anything wonderful you could imagine. That was what it was like…and he was all mine.

I still couldn't help feeling horribly confused. Why weren't the fire fighters walking around assessing the surrounding area? Why was everyone staring up at me, smiling at me like they were in on a secret that I obviously wasn't privy to?

Most importantly, as delicious as Edward looked in his fire fighting gear, why was he dressed like the others? Emmett, too? Have they been going out on calls all day? We were on vacation. Did they really feel the need to volunteer their services when I knew there were more than enough people who were working. After all, they were all standing before me wearing the same thing.

I saw his crooked grin widen as he bore his teeth. My eyes gravitated towards the twinkling white lights that outlined the top of the truck. It was really pretty, but I wondered why they were there. Come to think of it, the truck looked completely spotless and shiny from up here. My face crinkled in bewilderment.

I looked around and noticed Emmett whispering something in Edward's ear that made him shake his head and laugh. Then I saw Emmett run over to Rosalie, picking her up gently and kissing her. He said something to Rose that made her giggle and rub her belly ever so discreetly, but not discreetly enough for me not to notice. However, I was standing up higher than the others who couldn't see what she was doing. I smiled at the possibility of what that tiny action could imply.

"Hey, Alice! Weren't you supposed to come up here and help me look for your purse?" I yelled, noticing that Carlisle and Jasper were standing with Alice and Esme. Now I was really confused, but I gave up hours ago trying to decipher what was going on.

Alice gave me a playful toothy grin and shouted back, "Nope. I guess Edward will have to help you with that."

Just then, I heard a machine-like sound, as I noticed Edward hopping into a white bucket. He was being lifted into the air, headed towards the balcony. He had taken off his hat and coat, leaving him in his blue work t-shirt that was fitted to his muscular form and his fire pants that were being held up by red suspenders. My mouth was watering at the sight of him coming closer to me, looking like that.

When he finally reached me, I stood back a little, allowing Edward some space as he climbed out of the bucket and onto the balcony. He stood before me in all his fireman glory with one hand in his pocket.

"What are you doing here, Edward? Why is everyone down there? And why is everyone looking at us and smiling?" I fired off nicely, but still so damn bewildered.

"Well, like Alice said, maybe I can help you find what you were looking for."

"She can't find her bag. It's hardly a call for the fire department to take care of it, so why don't you tell me the real reason why you and your fire team are here, because I think it's for my birthday," I joked, playfully shoving him in the chest.

"Wow, I didn't even think of that," he chuckled. "No, my beautiful Bella, this is not for your birthday."

He was fishing something out of his pocket as he moved closer in my direction.

"Like I said before, I'm here to give you what you have been looking for." Edward reached for my left hand and held it before him, palm up, as he delicately placed a small, black velvet box in it.

Instantly, my eyes widened, my heart pitter-pattering like crazy against my chest wanting to explode from combustion. I knew what that black box represented…and I just felt what was in there certainly wasn't earrings. Suddenly, everything made sense to me as I quickly replayed today's events in my head. All the smiling, all the fumbling of words, all the hushed whispers, making sure my nails were done up just so, the decorated fire truck…they knew what Edward was planning.

Some of his friends were yelling up to Edward, which brought me back to the here and now…and possibly my proposal?

"Come on, Eddie! Just ask her already, will ya? Don't get all shy on us now," they playfully taunted my boyfriend, who was actually flushed with embarrassment.

Aw, my man was getting all shy on me. I think I just fell in love with him all over again.

Once again, I was crying, except now it was for a happy reason. I just stood there, frozen, unable to even wrap my fingers around the box, for fear that if I tried to, it would vanish before me and I would wake up from this pleasant dream.

"It's okay, Baby. Don't cry. This is something really good, I promise."

I nodded and smiled in response, urging him to continue.

"Bella, from the moment you bumped into me, I took one look at you and I was a goner. One measly look and I knew that I had to have you forever. We both may have been stubborn at first, but eventually, I wised up and realized I could no longer fight what I was holding back. I'm pretty sure I loved you from the moment I turned you and your class away that day. You are the air I breathe, Bella, and without you, I am nothing."

He smiled before he continued, "Now, before you start protesting and adding your take on events, I want you to understand one thing, Miss Bella Swan. I love you…all of you, which means the parts that are hidden physically and emotionally."

Edward kissed my forehead before ghosting his lips over to where my scar was over my eyebrow. His lips lingered over that area as he moved his head back and forth.

"You once said that your injuries were a painful reminder of what I had lost, that I would never want to be with you fully because of that," he started.

"Wait, how did you kn…"

"Jasper, Emmett, and I overheard you as I was unlocking our door. You ladies didn't hear us," he interjected, his eyes apologetic.

Cupping my face in his hands, he brushed my scar with his thumb. "How could you ever think that? Baby, when I look at you, I don't just see your injuries, I see the woman who I am madly in love with and want to spend the rest of my life with."

"This scar," he brushed over it again, "is a reminder of what I never lost.

"Your anxiety over confined spaces now is a reminder of what I have."

"Your burn," he continued, removing his hands from my face and lifting my right hand. He slipped off my glove and kissed his way over my injury. I didn't cringe this time. I melted, his kisses like hot chocolate relief after a day of playing in the snow, burning my insides deliciously.

"It's a reminder of what I will never lose because I plan on protecting you and loving you until the day I die and beyond that. So, you see, Baby, every time I happen to see your injuries, I am reminded of just how lucky I am that a woman like you is with someone like me. I love you so much and you make me so happy by just being the wonderful person you are."

Edward paused, taking a deep breath, before he removed the velvet box from my hand and dropped down on one knee in front of me. He carefully opened the box, and looked up at me.

"Please make me the luckiest man on earth and be my wife? Marry me, Bella. I can make you happy, Beautiful…I promise," he said, smiling nervously.

He faced the open part of the box so I could look at it. My eyes bulged at a rather large, round, sparkly diamond with tiny little round diamonds lacing the white gold…or platinum band. It was strikingly beautiful, and I really, really wanted to wear it on my finger, marking me as Edward's forever.

Looking down at him through tear soaked eyes, I smiled. "You already make me happy."

"Does that mean that you'll marry me?" Edward swallowed thickly, his voice cracking with nerves.

"Yes," I breathed. "Yes! Hell yes I will marry you!" I finally found my voice as I screamed it for the onlookers below to hear.

Edward took the ring which was nestled in velvet between his fingers while taking my left hand and gliding that beautiful ring along that ever so important finger. Now the ring was lying between my middle and pinky fingers; it's new home, where it will never leave…ever.

Edward stood up and held my head in his hands, wiping away the stray tears.

"I love you, Isabella," he whispered as his lips closed in on mine, giving me a very heated, sexy kiss.

We didn't come up for air as I snaked my arms around his neck…not even when he picked me up and swung me from side to side gently…and not even when our friends and family down below were catcalling, whistling, cheering, clapping. You name it, they were doing it.

When we finally broke apart, we both gave each other the same googly eyed expression.

"Alright, everyone. Show's over. I'd like to be alone with my beautiful fiancée now," Edward laughed, smiling so wide I thought his mouth was going to be like that permanently.

The bucket started to go back down and doors of the fire truck slammed shut. Edward's firemen friends shouted their goodbyes and drove away without the sirens this time. My friends, along with Esme and Carlisle shouted how they would be back a little later to have dinner with us.

"Where are they going?" I asked, waving good-bye to them from the balcony. Alice and Rose were winking and blowing me kisses. I threw them back one of each.

"Well, I just proposed to my girlfriend, who happened to say yes. I'd like a little time alone with her, if you don't mind." Smiling deviously, he crawled through the window and helped me get back into his room.

I was utterly speechless, as my smile etched deeper into my face. Edward began to saunter over to me, a predatory gleam in his eyes, as I began to back up towards the bed. Oh yes, it was safe to say that Edward was done giving me my space as he had this past month. My heart thudded rapidly as the want and the desire I craved pulsed through me.

"You don't mind do you, Bella, if I make love to my fiancée now?"

I returned the same devilish smirk to him. I was never so eager for a reunion in my life.

"Why no, Edward. I don't mind at all."


A/N: Next update won't take so long!

So, was the proposal to your liking? How about the rest of the chapter?

Please review and tell us what you thought of the chapter. I'm sorry it was incredibly lengthy, but Bella had lots of things to say!

Yesterday was September 11th, which was a hard day for Pauline and I. We both have parents that were directly involved in 9/11. My mom worked in The World Trade Center just barely getting out of tower 2 before the building started to crumble. Pauline's father was a NYC Firefighter. Thankfully they both got to live to see another day, while so many did not. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all those who lost loved ones on that fateful day. Never forget.

"This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave." ~ Elmer Davis

*One more regular chapter left and then an epilogue. We can't believe how this story is winding down. We'll miss writing it. On the 9th was actually my and Pauline's one year anniversary of posting this story. Geez, time flies, huh?