A/N: I don't own this, we all know who does. What I do own is a bunch of little boxes with those Crystal Light flavored drink mixes that are just big enough for a water bottle. I haven't bought soda in a while. I think hubs is gonna have a rude awakening when he realizes I'm not planning to buy anymore... :D

I love that most of you really liked the way Edward handled the proposal last chapter. :) majose commented on how it reminded her of the story Art After 5, and how that Edward purposefully left the engagement ring in his suitcase so that Bella would find it and get used to the idea before he actually asked her. That's one of my favorite stories, and to have something of mine compared to it...I can't even tell you how happy that made me. :D But I think the thing these stories have in common, besides very sweet and loving Edward's, are Bella's that are broken and have very valid issues when it comes to commitment and marriage. I like that these Edward's know their Bella's enough to know what they need and how to deal with them. That's a good thing. :)

So, this chapter is where my fear of disappointing you comes in. This story is not gonna end with something that MANY of you want. I'm sorry, I just can't write what you're hoping for. I can only write what I see in my head, and this is how I see this story going. It's probably my "Doormat" and "Non-confrontational" personality coming through, but if faced with this situation, I'm about 99% certain I would react the same way Bella does. :) I hope you can understand that. :)

Oh, and there are pictures of the ceremony, the tux, and the dress on my Facebook group, in case you're interested. :) There's some VERY pretty Rob on there...so yummy. :D

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Chapter 29

Weddings were not easy to plan. That was one lesson I hadn't learned with my wedding to Jasper. Between my mother and his, I really didn't do much of anything. I tried on dresses, tasted cakes, looked at announcements, but aside from that, they did everything. At the time, I didn't care. I just wanted to get married and live happily ever after with my prince.

I was young and stupid. I should have paid closer attention to a lot of things.

As Edward and I put together our wedding plans, I was shocked to find out that he actually cared what happened, and when it happened, and how it happened, and where it happened. I thought all men hated wedding stuff, but not Edward.

He said it was because it was a day to celebrate us tying our lives together forever. He was so cheesy sometimes.

His parents graciously offered us the use of their vineyard. I wanted to use it. Cambria was beautiful, and if we waited until just after harvest season, then the vines would still be green and leafy, but the area would be quiet and all ours.

The wedding was small, with less than fifty people there. Only our closest family and friends attended the ceremony, though the Cullen's invited a few more to the reception. My father walked me down a long, rose-petal covered aisle to my Edward, who was waiting at the end. He looked so unbelievably gorgeous in his tux, and I wished for just a moment that I could fly so that I could get to him faster.

As if my father could feel my excitement and the likelihood that I'd sprint ahead of him, he held tight to my arm and hand, keeping me in pace with him and whispering that Edward wasn't going anywhere. That I should walk slower and let him enjoy seeing how beautiful I was. That he was so sad to be giving me away again, but this time he knew it was to the right man.

By the time we reached Edward and my father placed my hand in his, I had tears running down my cheeks.

And the ceremony hadn't even started yet.

Edward smiled at me, reaching up to gently wipe away my tears before pressing a kiss to my forehead and telling me everything was okay. And it was.

I was with him. I was happy. My life was okay. Finally, really truly okay again.

We spent the next week driving up the California Coast, stopping at several little towns along the way to spend our nights. We were under no real pressure, except that we had to be in Forks two weeks after the wedding for a small reception there. It was October and we'd timed the wedding perfectly to coincide with our Fall Break at school. I still took a week's vacation, but even though I missed my new class and the sweet faces that greeted me each morning, it was worth it to have the time alone with Edward.

The trip reminded me so much of the first trip I'd taken as I was fleeing Forks, running away from my past. I watched Edward as he drove and I knew how much better my life was during this drive. He was wonderful, and we were amazing, and our lives were truly blessed.

My parents held a small get together in their backyard. My father had wanted to rent the local lodge, but my mother insisted that the backyard was fine. She rented some tents, some portable heaters, and lots of tables and chairs, and by the time we got to Forks, she'd transformed the backyard into a little paradise.

She wanted me to wear my dress for the reception, but I talked her into me wearing it for just the first hour. Then I would change into something nice, but more appropriate for a fall evening in northwestern Washington. My sleeveless, tea-length dress was not the warmest thing ever created.

Edward encouraged the dress wearing and the changing. He liked pulling the dress off of me, and hoped that maybe we could reenact our wedding night several more times once we got back home.

Several of my parents' friends and co-workers came to say hello and to see Edward, the mystery man who'd saved the poor little dumped girl. It felt strange to answer to Isabella and Izzy again, but I did my best to hide my discomfort. Edward laughed at me, finding it truly strange that people called me something other than Bella.

I simply smiled and repeated over and over again in my head "He's gonna get it tonight..."

I wasn't surprised when Cynthia showed up. She and my mother had rekindled their friendship, which I was happy about. I was honestly glad to see her, and welcomed her with open arms. I introduced her to Edward, and he was gracious as always. It was a trait I loved about him.

About fifteen minutes before things were set to start wrapping up, I glanced over toward the back gate and my heart nearly stopped. Alice was standing there with a small girl next to her. She looked very out of place, and extremely nervous, but when her eyes met mine, I could see her face begin to crumple up a bit.

I had to talk to her. I just had to.

"I'll be right back," I whispered to Edward, kissing him quickly before sneaking away from the group we were chatting with.

Alice was fidgeting and shifting from one foot to another as she stayed in the same place. Her eyes were locked with mine and I could tell she was crying.

I wanted to. I wanted to cry. But I didn't let myself.

"Hi, Izzy," she said, her voice soft and nervous.

"Hi, Ali."

"I hope it's okay I showed up. I didn't want ruin your party, I just knew this was probably the last chance I'd get to see you, and I really wanted to see you."

I sighed, stepping closer to her. The little girl at her side looked up at me with bright blue eyes. Jasper's eyes. Her dirty blonde hair was pulled into pig tails, and when she lifted her fingers to her mouth, she reminded me so much of Alice on our first day of Kindergarten. It was the day we met.

"It's okay, you're welcome here."

"Really?" she asked.

"Yeah. I'm over what happened, I promise I am. I don't like it, and I don't know why you felt like you needed to do what you did to me, but it's because of that that I have Edward now, and my life is good. Much better than it would have been if I'd stayed with Jasper."

She nodded. Obviously, she knew how true that was.

"I decided a long time ago I'm not gonna hold a grudge anymore. I need to let go of what happened and move on. I'm not saying it's okay what you did, but just that I don't care anymore."

She seemed to breathe a sigh of relief as she held tight to her daughter's hand.

"I don't know why I did what I did. I guess I just got caught up in it, you know? He told me so many things, and they just made sense, and I let myself fall for him. I never should have done that. I should have stopped it the very first time anything happened between us. I don't know why I didn't, but I wish I did. I wish I had answers I could give you. I wish I could explain, but I can't. I'm so sorry, Iz. If I could go back and change it, you have to know that-"

"No, don't. I don't want to change it. That's what I'm saying. I wouldn't change anything in my life. The things that happened to me before...they're what's made me who I am now, and given me the life I have now. And I wouldn't trade this for anything. Not ever."

She nodded. "I still wish I could change some things. Like losing your friendship. I wish I could change that." Her voice was so soft, so quiet. I could barely hear her speaking. But I knew what she'd said, and I knew what she meant. Things hadn't worked out in her life. At least not the way she'd planned them to. I felt sad for her, but not sad enough to give up what I had.

"Who's this?" I asked, kneeling down and holding my hand out to her little girl. I knew she was almost three years old, and in all those years, I'd never learned her name. I never wanted to know it. But now, as I looked at her and saw both Jasper and Alice so clearly in her little face, I needed to know.

"I'm Lucy," she said. Her voice was high and sweet. She was a stunning little girl.

"Hi Lucy, I'm Bella."

She reached out and shook my hand, smiling a little bit. "Is you fwends with my mommy?" she asked.

I smiled at her. "I used to be."

"Do you gots cake here?" she asked, and I laughed.

"Lucy! No, I told you we're not eating here. We're going back to Grandma's."

I looked up at Alice. "It's okay if you wanna stay. I don't mind. And besides, there's a lot of cake left. She may as well eat her fill, if that's okay with you."

Alice looked at the few people that were still at the reception, and then back at me. "Are you sure? I mean, people will talk."

I stood up, straightening my shirt. "I don't care. Let them talk, it doesn't matter to me."

With that, they followed me back over to the tent, where I introduced them to Edward and to his family. They all knew exactly who she was and what had happened, and not one of them treated her like they did. I gazed up at my husband, watching how kind he was to both her and Lucy. He was amazing.

After everyone had left, I pulled him into my old bedroom, pushing him against the wall.

"Thank you for tonight," I said, kissing his face over and over again. "You were incredible."

He swept his hands through my hair, tilting my head back so that he could look into my eyes.

"No, you were. What you did out there for Alice and her daughter...you could never know how proud I am of you."

I hugged him to me. "I just don't want to be mad anymore, you know? Especially not when my life has turned out so well. I want to move on and be happy."

"See?" he asked. "Amazing, Mrs. Cullen."

I giggled up at him. "I'll show you amazing, Mr. Cullen."

Taking hold of his hand, I pulled him toward the bed, where I proceeded to ravage him until very late into the night.

Just before I finally fell asleep, lying next to him, an old song started running through my head. The lyrics fit almost perfectly, and I couldn't help but acknowledge how closely they mimicked my life.

"...Suddenly remembering doesn't haunt me
At the time you couldn't tell me

That one day I'd be glad
That something that I thought was love
Was misinterpreted..."

I trailed my fingers over Edward sleeping face, the face that always made me smile. Over his bare shoulders, the shoulders that always supported me when I was losing my way. His gently beating heart, the heart that had always loved me no matter what.

If I'd never been with Jasper, if he'd never cheated on me, I never would have found Edward. I never would have known what love really was. I would have missed out on the greatest thing to ever happen to my life.

At the time I thought the failure of my marriage was a tragedy. Maybe it was, but maybe it wasn't.

Another bit of the song played through my brain, and I couldn't help the tears that welled up in my eyes.

"I watch you sleeping - your body touchin' me
There's no doubt about it
This is where I want to be
You know it's so ironic - I had to lose to win..."

It was so true. For me to win Edward, I had to lose Jasper. And now that I knew what true love really was, I knew I'd never let it go. I would never take it for granted. I would never cast it aside.

I loved Edward, with every piece of me.

I snuggled up next to him, his arm instinctively wrapping around my waist and pulling me against him, as he buried his face in my hair. Even in his sleep, he was tied to me.

And that's how it always would be. Him and me. Me and him.

He was my everything—my life, my love, my reason for existence. And if Jasper and Alice had never cheated on me, I would have been cheated out of Edward.

And that would have been the greatest tragedy of my life.

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A/N: Is it wrong that I'm already all teary over this ending? Ugh...maybe this is why I always drag out the endings of stories. :D

The song lyrics are from that Chicago song "If She Would Have Been Faithful" and I posted it on the FB group, too, in case you wanna listen. :) It's really a pretty song. :)