Chapter 23

Bella's POV

My nose wasn't working. I swear, if I took just one more breath through it, I was going to vomit. I was sitting awkwardly in the unfamiliar plush chair, waiting for Charlie. It was just minutes before the wedding, and I wondered if Edward was sitting in another room of the rented beach house, just as nervous as me.

But since he didn't have anything to confess to Charlie, I doubted it.

I crossed my legs beneath the flawlessly white, soft dress and brushed my hair-sprayed bangs out of my right eye for what seemed the thousandth time today. I breathed through my mouth again and closed my eyes, relaxing…or at least trying to relax. I was failing horribly.

There was a two gentle knocks at the door before it creaked just barely open.

"Bells?" Charlie's voiced called out to me.

"Come on in Dad," I answered and I stood up from my seat to go meet him. He quickly slid in and closed the door behind me. Charlie was dressed in a clean but dark gray suit that screamed Alice.

The whole wedding screamed either Alice or Rosalie.

Once Charlie saw me his eyes widened and he smiled. I blushed pink. Immediately, he came over and kissed my cheek.

"You look beautiful, Bella," he complimented me warmly, sincerely. "I am so proud of you." Uh-oh the tears were already kicking in and I wasn't even at the hard part.

"Thanks Dad," I looked down at the ground, I didn't like being the center of attention this much. It made me uncomfortable. Charlie placed his hand on my arm and I looked up at him.

"Your mother would have been proud, also," he gave me his crinkly eyed smile and my heart nearly broke. I gulped and bit my lip nervously as I looked away from him again.

"Dad, that's what I kind of wanted to talk to you about. Its' why I asked Alice to go get you for me," I began and snuck a peak up at him, he was so confused. He had no idea what was going on…and I had to tell him. I hated Renee now more than ever; she was going to break Charlie twice.

"What are you talking about, Bella?" he asked me, his eye brows were furrowed together and his lips pursed together.

"Well remember Tristan?" It was a silly question, of course he remembered who Tristan was, but I looked up at him for a response and he nodded wordlessly, "At Christmas break, when we were all at his house-"

"Did he hurt you? Is that why you two broke up?" Charlie interrupted, a fire alighting in his eyes. Hot water began to boil over in mine. I shook my head quickly and Charlie visibly relaxed, though still very tense. I never got this emotional before in front of him.

"No, I never told you the reason why we broke up because…I knew it would hurt you," My voice was so small, so weak, tears were streaming down my face, now, and there was no way I could stop them, so I let them go.

"Hurt me? Bella, tell me what's going on," Charlie demanded tenderly.

"The evening before we left, Tristan's parents were just returning from their vacation…" My voice broke on the last word, and my words were so mumbled and out of tune I wouldn't be surprised if Charlie didn't understand one word I was saying.

"…and he introduced me to them. His step mom is Renee," I got it out as bluntly and quickly as I could, sobbing fully now, and Charlie's eyes were full of shock and disbelief.

"His step mother was our mom, Charlie. It was Renee," I tried to further clarify this for him and when it sunk in, he didn't gasp, he didn't cry, he didn't sink onto the floor in misery. He hugged me.

"I'm so sorry, Bella. I'm sorry you had to go through that. You shouldn't have had to carry such a large burden," he apologized for something that wasn't his fault soothingly into my hair, trying to calm down my cries.

When I realized that he wasn't having the same reaction I was having, I was angry. I stepped back from his embrace and eyed him suspiciously.

"Why aren't you mad?" I questioned him, "Aren't you mad that she left us for another, better family?! Why isn't the guilt eating you alive?" I was almost yelling now, shaking and trying very hard to breath around my violent sobs.

"What guilt are you talking about?" Charlie asked me with a concerned expression.

"Not being enough. Not being enough of a reason to stay. She had a choice and she left me, she left us and found another family, Tristan and his Dad," I looked deep into my father's eyes, but found no fury.

"Oh Bella," my father sighed sadly, calmly. "You're nothing but perfect, you can ask anybody…Alice, Rosalie, and now Edward," he winked at me at the last part.

"There was nothing you and I could do that would make you're mother stay even one day longer. Believe me, I tried anything and everything…but things just were not right." I understood that part, "I want you to try to not resent Renee for this, although you have reason to. She really is a good person, things just didn't work out as we planned. Tristan was a good person, right?"

I nodded my head numbly at him, for the first time really acknowledging the fact that Renee had raised Tristan …and I fell in love with him. She couldn't be that bad, but sometimes the past is just too much.

"Sometimes things happen for just no reason at all, the breeze of fate just whipped her away, nothing more," Charlie said this serenely. Some things he was saying I understood, but other statements, like this, I just couldn't agree with. I wanted specific reasons why she left, I couldn't just let it go like Charlie.

"I'll never forgive her for what she did to us," I stated firmly.

"I know you won't. She took so much away from you by leaving," Charlie sighed, he knew me too well to not notice that 'stubborn' tone of voice.

"I just wish you would have told me sooner," Charlie whispered, "all this wouldn't have haunted you for so long…plus Alice wouldn't have had to deal with all of the water works. She will not be happy," Charlie chuckled and I joined in with him, trying to wipe my face off a little. I glanced at the clock on the bedside table.

"I'm getting married in twenty minutes," I said aloud, very uneasily.

"To a very lucky man," Charlie added, smiling widely.

"I think I'm the lucky one," I argued, shaking my head slowly. Charlie came over to me and wrapped an arm around my shoulders.

"Edward loves you, Bella…I can tell because in his room right now, he's about as nervous as it gets. Worried sick that you'll leave him at the alter." These words surprised me.

"You're lying," I accused Charlie.

Charlie just shook his head with a smirk on his lips. I smiled widely, recalling of the times he told me just how much he loved me. Why in the world did I doubt it now? Why was I so freaking nervous?

"I think that's my cue to go find Alice," Charlie laughed at my thoughtful silence and left the room just as quietly as he came in.

I breathed deep, and this time, through my nose.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Seriously, Bella he's going to be fine," Rosalie rolled her eyes at me; this was just another time when I was being melodramatically over-protective. I stood up, out of my folding chair on the sidelines of the soccer field. Of course, Edward was already out on the field with him, but I was still worried.

"Soccer is a competitive sport, he's going to get injured sometimes," Rosalie reminded me, looking down at Waverly and Cameron, who were playing on the ground, in the grass next, to our chairs.

Waverly and Cameron were only six months apart; Waverly was turning one in November, while Cameron was turning 2 in May. Cameron was a spitting image of Rosalie, her face model-worthy, except her white blonde hair held some of Emmett's curls in it. She loved to laugh as much Emmett and had the passion and fierceness of Rose.

Just then, I saw Edward easily pick up Ayden up in his arms, and carry him off of the field bridal style. Although his face was scrunched up in pain, Ayden's features were strictly Edward's: beautifully handsome. His body was long and lean, but fit, but that was probably from all of the soccer. His chocolate brown hair was untidy and thick black lashes framed his brown eyes. They weren't crying, like any other six year-old injured soccer player…Ayden never cried, he was tough just like his father.

Edward, looking the same was when I married him years ago, placed him on the bench on the opposite side of the field with both the assistant and head coach and walked back over to where we were sitting.

"You can't just leave him when he's hurt, Edward!" I accused Edward when he was in hearing distance. Edward just calmly sat down in his chair that was next to mine, ignoring me. My eyes followed my husband in disbelief.

"Getting hurt is apart of the game. It's apart of any sport. If he wants to continue playing competitively, he needs to learn how to suck it up and play through it without being babied," Edward stated evenly. I was quiet.

Edward was the athlete in the family, it's were Ayden got his genes from. After getting a full ride scholarship to UCLA, half for basketball and half for academics, I learned how to trust him on subjects like this. Though unhappy about it, I sat down silently and Edward wrapped an arm around my shoulders and kissed my hair.

"You just love him. There's nothing wrong about that," he reminded me gently. "In the meantime, when I can't watch Ayden play…where's my little girl?"

He looked around for a second, finding Waverly playing with Cameron, picking grass between Rose and my chairs. He stood up, walked around and plucked her off the ground, making her cry in happiness.

Waverly had bright green eyes and copper colored hair like Edward, but her face was soft and her lips were full, much like me. She had already begun to blush like me, but luckily she wasn't clumsy, surprisingly her coordination was already evident, even at her young age.

"Hello cutie pie," Edward's eyes lit up the way they do whenever he plays with Waverly. He held her up high, nuzzling her tummy with his nose. She laughed musically, imitating Edward's. Edward was the perfect father, he perfect husband, everything I could ask for.

Cameron looked up at them with sadness in her eyes. Emmett was coaching at the moment, so he was busy. Edward noticed this, of course, and reached down, picking up Cameron also. Now he had two little girls in his arms.

"Uncle Edward loves Cameron too," Edward hugged her tightly with the one arm her was holding her with and kissed her cheek gently, making Cameron laugh loudly. Rosalie smiled gratefully up at Edward.

"Look, girls, Ayden is going to play again!" Edward nodded his head to where Ayden was now jogging onto the field, giving a high five to the boy whose place he was taking and was coming out the game. I didn't miss the very slight limp in his walk and the way his jaw was tightened. I glanced nervously up at Edward and he gave me a comforting smile in return.

"We're in the A.M. baby!" I heard a very familiar voice yell loudly from behind me, I jumped in surprise. I turned around and stood up to hug a very pregnant Alice and Jasper. I let her have my chair, standing up beside Edward and Jasper now.

"What did I miss?" Alice asked excitedly, getting into the game and watching Ayden intently.

"Well Ayden just got hurt around five minutes ago but he's back in the game now and the it's tied at 1-1," I gave her and Jasper the low down.

"Ankle?" Jasper guessed.

"Yup, he landed on it wrong, but that was bound to happen sometime," Edward shrugged and gently put the girls down to come and greet Jasper.

"That explains the limp," Alice muttered, "BUT IT'S THE A.M. NOW!" she yelled once again, referring to Ayden's initials, Ayden Masen. For a pregnant woman, she was definitely not weak or tired often.

Ayden ran by in his usual fast pace, but slowed down to a normal child's run to complain, "Aunty Alice! You're embarrassing me!"

We all laughed in response while Emmett yelled out to Ayden to pay attention to the game. I glanced at my watch, there was around five more minutes left in the game. I hoped that they wouldn't lose, Ayden would be a little upset for the rest of the day and everybody was coming over for a backyard barbeque.

The next few minutes of the game were very intense. I watched as Ayden was all speed and agility, easily sliding through defenders with the ball, a born athlete. In his chocolate brown eyes was an emotion I was familiar to seeing in him, competitiveness. Although he was raised to be a perfect gentleman and took it well, he hated losing. He was so much like Edward and I sighed as a small smile formed on my lips.

Just then, at the middle of the field, Ayden swiftly stole the ball from a player on the opposing team. From the corner of my eye I saw Alice struggling to stand up and Jasper quickly help her up.

"He's going to score…" Alice stated quietly, completely assured of premonition.

It was quiet as we watched Ayden with intense concentration; one by one he broke down the other's team defense. I caught a couple glances at his face and he didn't seem the least bit panicked or frantic though there weren't any other teammates around to support him.

I gasped as I saw two defenders come rushing at him…he couldn't possibly get by two of them. I guess Alice was wrong for once. I watched as Ayden looked up and saw the two running towards him.

One, being faster, got there earlier than the other and Ayden faked to the left pushed the ball behind his right foot with his left and then moved back to the way he faked, getting in front of the one defender.

The second boy got there right as Ayden got passed the other defender; Ayden made one move, which faked the boy a little to the right and moved right past him.

"Go Ayden!" Edward yelled from beside me, realized that our son now had a clear shot to the goal, the only one standing in the way was the goalie now. Ayden, using his full speed, sprinted hard at the goal, showing no signs of an injury and easily putting a comfortable space between him and the boys he just passed, and once he was close enough to the goal, kicked the ball. His shot was fast and hard, but also accurate, it hit the net in the top right corner; making sure that there was no way the goalie could have saved it.

Instead of celebrating wildly, Ayden let the conservative and shy side of his personality show and just smiled and nodded his head like he was listening to a good song.

The referee blew his whistle loudly, signaling the game was over.

"THAT'S GAME!" Emmett barked loudly and rushed over to Ayden like the rest of the team was doing. Emmett easily lifted Ayden onto his shoulders while the boys screamed and gave each other high fives. The team went back to their bench and Emmett put Ayden down, getting the boys to line up single file for handshakes.

After they said their 'good games', and Ayden made sure to be nice to the goalie and defenders, they had a rough game. Emmett spoke to the team for a few minutes and then dismissed them, Ayden walked over to us with his soccer back-pack on and water jug in hand. His limp was much more prominent and he was biting his lip hard.

Edward mussed up Ayden's sweaty hair with his hand,

"Nice finish… how's the ankle?" Ayden shrugged, but his eyes screamed a completely different answer.

"Let me take a look at it," Edward took Ayden's back pack and water jug, and had him sit in one of the chairs next to Alice. Alice gave Ayden a small hug,

"Don't save it until the very end next time, it stresses me out," she teased lightly and Ayden laughed quietly, nodding.

Edward kneeled down onto the ground and began to take off Ayden's soccer cleat, then peeled off his long white socks, and finally his silver and black shin guards. My eyes widened as I saw that Ayden's ankle was huge, swollen and puffy, parts of it turning blue and purple.

"Edward," and just by saying his name, I knew that I was telling him more than necessary about what I was thinking.

"Well buddy, it looks like you did some damage," Edward chuckled, erasing some tension. Ayden nodded weakly.

"How about you and I go get some ice from the snack bar and then get this checked out while Mom and Waverly go back to the house with everybody else for the barbeque?" Edward suggested and stood up. Ayden tilted his head slightly to the right, a signature look for when he questioned something.

"Am I going to miss dinner?" Ayden asked. I smiled as everybody else laughed.

"Well in case you do, I'll make sure to hide some food for you so Uncle Emmett doesn't eat all of it," I promised him, Ayden smiled.

"That works," he agreed.

"Well little man, I think we should get going, want a piggy back ride?" Edward offered, picking up Ayden's soccer back and water. Ayden shook his head and stood up, putting all of his weight onto his right food. I observed him carefully.

"Ayden are you sure want to walk? Dad can carry you…" I cautioned.

"I'm fine, Mom," he stated confidently to me and I knew that tone meant to back off, so I did, though it didn't stop me from worrying. Edward came over and gave me a kiss before leaving,

"He'll be fine, Bella," Edward reassured me, whispering lightly into my ear. His presence still gave me goose-bumps.

"See you at home, sweetie," I went over to Ayden and gave him a kiss on the top of his head.

"Later Mom," he answered, rolling his brown eyes at me overdramatically. Rosalie, Alice and Jasper snickered behind me; they always said I babied him too much. I just considered it love. Just before Ayden and Edward were off to the car, a boisterous voice interrupted them,

"What's wrong, Champ?!" Emmett called from afar, he came jogging over, picking up Cameron. She laughed loudly and clung to him tightly. Her blonde curls bounced with every step he took.

"Nothing," Ayden mumbled, looking to the ground. If I knew him, he was trying to not over react about it; he'd want to play in next weekend's soccer game. But he just ended up looking pouty and angry. Emmett was taken aback.

"Oh…okay, Champ. See you back at the house," Emmett eyed him carefully as Ayden politely said okay and left with Edward. Edward, with a smirk on his face, rolled his eyes at Emmett for our son's behavior and Emmett just smirked back, shrugging his shoulders. It was a language only they could understand so clearly.

I turned around to find Waverly; I found her sitting by Rosalie's feet, playing in the grass. I went over to her and picked her up. For her age, she was so little and barely weighed anything. She didn't say anything, just rested her head on my shoulder, her face buried in my neck.

"Hey baby girl," I cooed to her. She responded by cuddling up into my neck even more, Alice came by me and brushed Waverly's hair out of her face. Alice still didn't know if it was a girl or boy, her and Jasper preferred on waiting. Mostly because the shopping Alice would have done, if they had known the gender, would have been ridiculous.

"You're such a beauty, Wave," Alice said to her quietly. I'd like to think that Waverly understood her because she blushed a light pink then. Whether or not it was a coincidence, I am not sure.

Jasper grabbed Waverly's baby bag off of the grass while Emmett folded up the chairs for us.

"I'm starving, let's get going," Emmett half begged and we headed off the cars. Once I had Ayden, I traded in my Audi A5 for a Toyota Highlander, a hybrid, of course, while Edward just upgraded his Volvo S60. Luckily, Edward had work early this morning so we took separate cars to the game and that meant I still had my car and a car seat for Waverly.

I pulled my car keys out of my pocket and popped the trunk for Jasper and Emmett so they could put my stuff in for me. After unlocking the doors also, I buckled in Waverly, told the guys I would meet them at my house, jumped into the driver's seat, and pulled out of the parking spot.

I drove the familiar path through the streets; I loved where we lived. It was a fairly large city, but everybody still felt like family. I pulled my highlander up the driveway and pushed a button on the roof of the car to open the garage.

Instantly, I relaxed once I was in the garage, it was just so comforting. Edward had the house custom built for our family, so everything was perfect. Our home was very classic but at the same time, modernized. I switched off my car and turned around and saw Waverly peacefully sleeping in the backseat, she looked so peaceful and didn't want to wake her up. As quietly as I could manage I got her out of the car, into the house, up the stairs, and to her crib. I kissed my lips to her soft, pale white forehead one last time before tip toeing out of her room, shutting the strong wood door behind me gently.

Just as I was making my way to the kitchen to begin preparing the food Emmett and Jasper would be barbequing, a quiet knock on the front door interrupted the peaceful silence that had settled over the house. I sighed and went to open the door, probably to meet another one of Ayden's neighborhood friends who wanted him to come outside and play.

Instead I was extremely surprised with an unforgettable, though now slightly aged, face.

"Bella," he breathed, as if he was previously holding out a large breathe of air. I was still in shock and it took me a few seconds before I blinked and let out a breath of my own.

"Tristan…" I was speechless after pronounced the name I had kept unspoken for nearly fifteen years.

"I'm so sorry for coming unannounced… but I was in the area on a business trip and one of my high school friends I still keep in touch with told me you lived around here," Tristan quickly explained. His blue eyes did not dull over the years, and his dark brown hair was full but kept a little shorter.

"Well I'm glad you came by, it's been so long," I knew my eyes would say what I didn't, its been so hard.

"It has…" my very first love agreed.

His presence brought with it a wave full of old, forgotten memories and nostalgia but could not erase the ones that had been created since. The latter, to me, now, was far more important and essential and his visit changed nothing.

"Come in, everybody else should be arriving for the barbeque soon and I'm sure would love it if you joined us," I quickly offered; he was in town for a business meeting and most likely would be eating alone tonight. He paused in the doorway, looking conflicted.

"I'm afraid I can't, my plane leaves back for New York tonight…I just wanted to see you before I left."

"Oh…well, I appreciate you coming to stop by," I answered, surprisingly and guiltily disappointed. Tristan smiled, his blue eyes twinkling.

A cry rang from up the stairs.

"I'll be a moment…come inside," I beckoned Tristan in the door, and ran up the stairs to get Waverly, she was standing up in her crib, hand wrapped around the bars, wailing.

"Waverly, what's wrong, sweet heart?" I cooed to her and lifted her out of the crib and into my arms, she cried into my shoulder and I patted her back, carrying her out of the room and back down the stairs.

Tristan still stood by the door, but was staring at the little person in my arms, amazed.

"Waverly, I have somebody that I want you to meet so you need to stop crying, okay?" I told her in a gentle voice, she looked at me and her quiet sobs gentle to a minimum. She looked up at Tristan from my arms curiously,

"This is Tristan, a very good friend of mommy's." Tristan smiled at her with his charming grin and with a nod of approval from me, reached out to hold her. His charm was obviously still intact because Waverly leaned over to him and let herself be carried.

"You look very much like your mother, Waverly…but have the exact same hair and eyes as your dad," Tristan verbally observed happily. Waverly sweetly giggled as Tristan tickled her stomach softly.

"And I see from my family picture, that you have an older brother," he pointed to the large picture on the wall of the family on the beach in Hawaii. The baby girl in his arms smiled up at him.

"Ayden," I informed Tristan softly, "Ayden Tristan Masen."

Tristan looked up at me with a shocked expression. But I averted my gaze to the family portrait, admiring my family.

"Why?" he demanded in a whisper. At this question, I met his pleading blue eyes. The question he was so desperate for had a simple answer.

"Because…those are the two men that I want him to be most like."

Tristan put his head down almost in embarrassment.

"Really?" I nearly scoffed at that question,

"You pretend that I don't know anything about you, that you aren't on CNN every week for being on verge of finding the cure for malignant brain tumors. That I'm not aware about how last week, you donated 5 million dollars to a women and children homeless shelter in New York. I've been keeping tabs on you, Tristan Ashburn, and as far as I'm concerned you haven't changed. You're still the teenage boy who refused the path to football stardom to save get an education and save people's lives everyday."

Tristan shrugged, modestly.

"The media over exaggerates."

"And you're still the boy who can't see himself very clearly. But I've heard that you've found someone who does." Another smile lit up his face,

"Rachel? Oh yes, she is…everything I've asked for," he answered, obviously referring to his wife, the one he'd met at Dartmouth.

"I'm happy for you, Tristan," I congratulated. He nodded,

"I'm happy for you, too, Bells." His phone chimed and he pulled it out, Waverly still in his arms. He took one look at it and sighed.

"Looks like my time is up…I've got a plane to catch." He carefully handed me my daughter.

"It was good seeing you, try to keep in touch, okay?" I said as he opened the front door.

"I will, don't worry," he answered sincerely. He walked off onto the front porch and down the steps to his waiting rental car. Just as he was getting into his car, I yelled out to him,

"Oh! And please don't do anything too stupid or silly in public like I think you will one of these days…I have a son watching you and I expect you to be a role model!" I reminded him. He chuckled and put on a pair of dark sunglasses that were in his pocket.

"Take it up with my publicist if I do! She's on my website… we just got three billion views last week, you know!" he answered back with his ever famous sarcasm.

"Hey Tristan…you're officially a celebrity and all…but still nobody cares!" I joked back at him. He laughed at that one and shook his head, getting into his car. He rolled down his window and before driving off shaking his head with silent laughter,

"Bella Swan…you still got it."

I laughed and stood at the open door with Waverly for a few seconds after he left. Tristan Ashburn, what a character. And even if it was as an old friend, I couldn't help but care about him. Maybe it wasn't the same burning love that I felt for Edward, but the thoughtfulness was still there, just the same.

I shut the front door and resumed back to the kitchen to begin cooking dinner.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Edward's POV

It was nearly seven o'clock when Ayden and I finally got home. Of course, the injury was no more than a mere sprain, but the doctor ran some x-rays, which of course took forever. Some things, like doctor's offices, never change.

Once we got home, we immediately went out to the backyard, Ayden limping along. I imagined that he must be starving; hopefully Emmett didn't eat everything yet, it wouldn't be too surprising.

Bella was sitting with Alice and Rosalie at the patio table by the pool talk while watching Emmett and Jasper, who were in the shallow end of the pool with Cameron and Waverly.

Ayden went straight to the food without greeting anybody and I made my way over to my wife. She had her back facing to me so I snuck up behind her and kissed her cheek, she jumped in the chair with astonishment. I laughed out loud and she turned around and smacked me in the arm,

"Don't do that!" she shrieked. Her cheeks were flushed a light pink.

"What? I can't say hello to my wife anymore?" I joked, Alice and Rose were giggling at Bella quietly.

"I don't like surprises, you know that," she reminded me, rolling her eyes. I smiled and snorted…she didn't like surprises, but I loved to surprise her.

"Where's Ayden?" she asked, suddenly remembering just why we were gone. I rolled my eyes and pointed to the outdoor kitchen where our son was putting himself together a cheeseburger. Bella scoffed but smiled,

"You can't even come say hello to your mother?!" she called out sarcastically. Ayden looked up, and gave a weak, half-assed wave before going back to making his burger. This time Bella sighed without a smile, I bent down and kissed the top of her head, rubbing her shoulder.

"He's just hungry, he hasn't eaten for nearly five hours," I reassured her. She shook her head,

"No…he's just not the baby that needs me every five seconds anymore," Bella corrected.

"It would be unhealthy if he did need you that much…he's growing up, it's a good thing," I reminded her in a whisper. It was a second before she nodded in surrender. As parents, we were still learning everyday like everybody else.

"Go get something to eat…and make sure Ayden doesn't burn himself on the grill, it's still hot," Bella suggested and I gave her one last kiss on the cheek before running off to get some food.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Ayden and Waverly were tucked into bed and the house was cleaned from the barbeque. The only light that was on was the one that gave light to the book Bella was reading next to me in bed. Nearly every night for the past two weeks she has been reading that series halfway into the night. It was very frustrating.

"Bella… you have to go to sleep, sweet heart," I groaned, leaning over her to turn off her bedside lamp. She grabbed my arm and pushed it back to my side.

"No! I'm at a really good part," she argued. I moaned; she was at a 'good part' every night. When was this going to end?

"I'll go to sleep in ten minutes," she bargained, and I gave in. I tried to go back to sleep, but my mind was on other places than sleep. Ten minutes passed and Bella was still deeply immersed into that black-covered hardcover novel. So I went on instinct and snatched it out of her hands,

"Give it back to me!" she wailed like a child. I began skimming the page she was previously reading. I could make no sense of the words that jumped out at me 'topaz', 'forever', 'lamb', 'ice'. I quickly took a look at the cover, Eclipse.

"Why are you reading this?" I had to be honest, the book didn't look that great, I didn't understand anything that was going on.

"Don't jump to conclusions, Edward. It's actually very good," she defended her book and stuck her tongue out at me. I rolled me eyes at her childish nature. She reached out to take back her book but instead of letting her have it, I grabbed her and rolled so she was on top of me, my arms holding her tightly to me.

She looked at me, dreamily for a second and then kissed me softly.

"This book has given me one thing, Edward," she spoke, her lips still pressing against mine, "It's given me a good phrase for what you do to me."

I gave her a curious look and urged her to continue.

"You dazzle me." I kissed her again, more forcefully.

"Can I dazzle you into finding time to read the books during the day? The night time is very valuable to me." I questioned her suggestively. She giggled and flushed rose red.

"Maybe…"she murmured.

I kissed her again, my lips displaying the passionate love that I felt for her…I left her gasping. I raised an eyebrow at her, and she pressed her lips into a tight line before sighing in defeat.

"Fine…Waverly has nap time from one to three."

I chuckled and kissed her neck softly.

"Have I told you that I love you lately?" I asked her quietly.

"Do you have to point out the obvious?" she retorted back.

"Yes…I love you," I stated simply, but sincerity rang through my every word. She kissed me so softly it was like a first kiss, innocent and naïve.

"You have me in love with you, Edward…forever," she answered and reached over to turn out the lamp light. I froze and hesitated for a second before speaking,

"…Bella?"

"Mhmm hmm," she murmured against my neck. I swallowed before continuing, this could end very badly…

"…Did you get that from your book?" I asked timidly. She moved and the lamp light flickered back on, her face was incredulous…I held back a chuckle and settled for a smirk.

"Do you always have to ruin the mood, Edward?!"

I am soooo sorry for the super long wait.

I was just burnt out from writing two essays a week in my English class and couldn't get myself to write.

But it's finished and I appreciate all of your support.

I don't know if I'll continue writing any fics…but I never say never.

But know that my experience with this story has been nothing but pleasant and I hope that you all enjoyed the ending.

I would love to hear your opinions!

and pics are on my profile :)

I honestly can't thank you enough.

Really.

Thank you.

-with love, cullen-style