"Isn't it nice to feel the fresh air?" Bella asked, as she unloaded a blanket and picnic basket from the trunk of her car. "You must have been getting cabin fever," she smiled at Edward who had plastered a smile on his face, not finding the courage to say that he had hoped that they would take advantage of having the evening and house to themselves. Seeing the New Year in at a public park wasn't exactly conducive to the types of activities that he had hoped to engage in with Bella after their earlier interactions.
Trying to take the basket from a rather stubborn Bella, Edward could admit, though, that it was nice to be out in the open, despite the chilling wind. It was refreshing. It was rejuvenating. It would keep his mind off things that he didn't want to think about.
"It is nice to see more green than different shades of beige and grey." He took the blanket from Bella, instead, when she wouldn't give in and followed her down a path. "Something tells me that you've been here before."
Bella chuckled and continued to head towards an area surrounded by trees.
"Magnolia Park has always been a sort of escape for me. I think that it's one of the best kept secrets of Seattle, so don't go showing people what I'm about to show you, okay?"
"Okay," an intrigued Edward responded as Bella turned off the more visible path, brushed some branches aside and followed a narrower and less visible one.
"So, taking the path less travelled does make all the difference," Edward commented light-heartedly, Bella halted and immediately turned to face the person who had made reference to a poem by Robert Frost. She stared at him and pondered how his mind could recall such things and yet hold locked away the memories of the self. Edward felt rather unnerved by her stare.
"Did I say it incorrectly," he queried, unsure of himself.
"Not at all," Bella replied quickly. "What surprised me was that you said it perfectly."
Edward shook his head and murmured in faux disappointment as he passed Bella, "Such little faith in my abilities…"
Bella caught up.
"It's not that. It's just that you continually surprise me. Don't you surprise yourself, sometimes? Don't you wonder what you did for a living?"
Edward's eyes glazed over.
"All the time…"
Noticing the despondency in Edward's tone, Bella steered Edward and the conversation down another path.
"Not much longer now."
They walked for a few more metres before Edward knew that they had reached their destination. They stood on a smooth patch of green grass, guarded by various trees. Looking towards the west, it was if they were standing on a stage, with the sun as their spotlight and, in a side box, Mount Rainier watched on as a member of the audience. The ocean glistened yellow, orange and pink in the evening light. The thing that impressed Edward most of all was that there was nobody around to disturb them.
"Amazing… I can understand why you want to keep this place a secret."
Bella took the blanket from Edward's hands and unfolded it on the grass.
"Well, I'm pretty sure that others know about it, but, whenever I'm here, I like to think of the place as my own."
Edward grinned and slowly lowered himself to sit beside Bella on the blanket. An ocean breeze hit them and, despite her many layers, Bella shivered. Edward immediately wrapped his arms around her and brought her close to his chest.
"Better?" he asked, as she closed her eyes and rested her head on his shoulder.
"Much better."
"Maybe we should head back…" Edward began, but Bella opened her eyes and frowned.
"No. We need to see the last sunset of the year. It's tradition."
Edward raised a questioning eyebrow, encouraging Bella to explain.
With an exhale, she continued.
"It was something that my Mom and I used to do. She always said that you should be thankful for every sunset that you had witnessed, because each represented another day that you had lived."
Edward ran a hand through Bella's soft hair and looked out at the setting sun.
"She sounds as though she was a wise woman who cared about you very much."
He couldn't help but wonder if his mother was the same. Had she had to go through family traditions while dealing with his loss?
"She did," Bella sighed and then smiled as a thought came to her. "It's funny, but sometimes I see her in the sunset. She told me thatsomeday I would find the one who would hold me close until the sunset of my life... and that I just needed to be patient."
Edward's arms tightened around Bella's torso as he turned her around to look into her chocolate eyes.
"Has your patience paid off?"
She reached up and cupped his cheek.
"Yes."
Edward closed his eyes and scrunched up his face as he tried to express what he was thinking.
"I'd make you mine if I could, Bella, but, without an identity, I will never be able to. Besides, I can't even offer you a secure lifestyle, let alone place a ring on your finger. It wouldn't be fair to…"
Bella silenced Edward by placing a finger to his lips.
"Shh... you don't need the law to make me yours, Edward Cullen."
Edward sat, frozen in place, as Bella pulled a loose, beige tassel off of the picnic blanket and wrapped it around her ring finger, just as she'd fantasised about doing since reading The Count of Monte Cristo as a teenager.
"This can be my ring," she whispered, resting her hand in Edward's. "The question is, do you want it to stay on my finger?"
Edward swallowed as he looked at Bella's hand and then into her waiting eyes. His heart answered. Picking up the loose ends of the tassel and knotting them, he gave Bella and himself his answer, with the red hues of the sunset as his backdrop.
"Bella Swan, I'll love you for as long as I live, if you'll let me," he breathed before kissing her finger. Slowly, but firmly, Bella guided Edward's mouth to hers and kissed him until both of them were breathless.
She held her hand out between them and admired her finger. Grinning, she met Edward's bright green eyes and inclined her head towards her finger.
"Now… Now we have tied the knot."
Edward shook his head, as a grin of his own came to life. Before Bella realised it, she was flat on her back and squirming as Edward's long fingers tickled her.
"Stop… stop!" She said between uncontrollable laughs. "I'll do anything…"
Everything stilled. Edward's roaming eyes turned hungry as his hands ghosted down Bella's sides.
As the moonlight danced upon their skin, both knew where they were headed.
Wordlessly, they navigated the dark path home, eventually revealing themselves to each other – body and soul.
Wakening to the New Year, Bella stirred Edward from his sleep as she worshipped each of the scars that had brought them together. Kissing Bella's shoulder and running his hands down her smooth, bare curves, Edward pulled her closer and guided Bella's gaze towards the window. Together, they watched the sunrise.
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Thanks for reading,
Karry.
