I don't own these characters. They are the sole property of Stephenie Meyer. I only borrow them. No humans are permanently harmed through my actions, though I do confess to harassing, annoying, torturing, and exasperating them – just because it's fun. I make no money from my little stories, sad day. I only play in the sandbox, I didn't build it.

Author's Note: There was a request to know Bella's thoughts during part of Chapter 52. Here you go. I hope you like it.

Chapter 29: Love is Patient

Love is always patient and kind; it is never jealous; love is never boastful or conceited; it is never rude or selfish; it does not take offense, and is not resentful. (1 Corinthians 13, 4-13)

~THTF~

I watched, mesmerized; shock and dazed amazement were holding me in place. Images flashing by, images of a life I had thought I would get to enjoy forever. A life I had been sure was shattered beyond all repair when two men showed up at my door to give me the news that broke everything.

Then the last picture flashed – one of my favorites. Not our last picture as a family, but I knew immediately when it had been taken.

It had been a year before Mac left, the week before the 4th of July. I remembered because he had taken a week of leave and we had decided to go on a camping trip. Seven days in the wilderness with five males might have intimidated some women, but I had enjoyed it. They liked peeing in the woods and I didn't mind cooking over a campfire, though finding a tree to do my business wasn't my favorite part of the experience. That picture had been taken the first day at our campsite. We had been happy and silly and stupidly unaware of what the future held. I didn't know then I would only have him for another year. Fifty-two weeks. Fifty-two Mondays and Tuesdays and then…. All gone. It sounded like nothing, like the blink of an eye.

And it had been. Before I realized it, that year was over and Mac was gone.

But in that picture, he lived forever. Forever young, forever happy, forever ours. We didn't have to lose him completely. He'd always be there with us if we kept him alive in our memories. And Edward wanted us to do that; hell he was helping us do that.

I couldn't even look at the boys. Later, I would reassure them. I would tell them how precious this gift was. For now, I had to take it all in. It wasn't just the DVDs and what they represented. No, the movies were amazing but it was so much more than that.

If my father had given them to me, I would have been thrilled. If it had been my brother, I wouldn't have been surprised. It would have been such a "Will" thing to do. But it had been Edward. Edward. The one man in my life who had a reason to be jealous of Mac; the one person who might have asked me to try to bury our memories of Mac in the interest of our relationship – and instead he was the one who had done this.

Finally, I couldn't stand the feel of their eyes on me anymore. I turned to Edward. "That was…perfect." I had to tell him that before I made my escape. He had to know that this gift meant everything to me. "Absolutely perfect in every way."

I stood up. My knees felt weak and wobbly. Something warm was on my cheek.

I just needed…a moment. "I'll be right back." Somehow, I knew Edward would recognize that I just needed a moment of privacy. He would wait, as he always did. He always let me figure things out in my own time, never pushing.

I knew that the boys might think it was because I was upset. Maybe Edward thought the same thing. I would reassure them later. Edward would reassure them now.

This moment, however, this moment was for me. I had a lot to take in.

How often does a woman realize, with startling clarity and absolute certainty, that she's been given a second chance at happiness? A second shot at life? How are you supposed to act when you find out that you've been given everything – twice?

What I had shared with Mac had been so special, so real and life-altering, that I had never even considered that I might find its equal again. To even dream of it seemed greedy and selfish. To find it two times would be…impossible, unbelievable, even beyond the realm of possibility.

Then my Emmett had broken a windshield and a man had pulled up into my driveway. A man who, for some reason known only to God and perhaps some gullible, merciful cupid, wanted me. Wanted us. Loved us – every single one of us.

If I had ever had a moment's doubt how he felt about my sons, the moment I saw those DVDs stacked up in that box, I had known. I would never have to doubt again. We might argue and fight and get annoyed with each other, but he loved us. He wasn't going anywhere. A man who could embrace the memory of the man we had all loved – and mourned – has made a commitment that was bigger than any marriage vow.

This was a man to whom I could entrust my sons – Mac's sons.

"Oh, Mac," I whispered. "I wish you could see this. I hope you can…wherever you are right now." I wanted to cry. I wanted to laugh. I wanted to run and scream like a kid on the first day of summer break. I wanted to hug my boys and tell them that even though their father wasn't going to be there, that he would have approved of this man who had come into our lives. I wanted them to know that Edward would be there in their father's stead, with their father's blessing and approval.

Fate had worked miracles with a rock and a windshield.

"He loves our boys, Mac.," I murmured. I closed my eyes and Mac was with me in that bathroom. He waited patiently for me to speak. He would stay as long as I kept my eyes closed and I believed.

It was all a matter of faith. I had that now. I had it in abundance.

"He loves them," I said again. "He tries so hard to be what they need." I laughed. "Jake got to him first." I shook my head. "You know how he is."

I could almost hear Mac's murmur of agreement. How often had we laughed ourselves silly over Jake's antics?

"Emmett has tried so hard to resist it, but he asks when Edward will be over now. He needs a man around, Mac. He's so strong willed." I smiled. "He's so like you. I worried for him, Mac. I worried what might happen to him if I wasn't strong enough to keep where he needed to be."

Mac waited. He listened. He had always been a good listener, letting me ramble and rant and vent when I needed to.

"But Edward doesn't push him," I continued. "He lets Emmett come to him. He just lets Emmett set the pace and that's what Em needs."

I took a deep breath, felt it fill up my lungs while Mac and Edward filled up my heart.

"And Seth…" I shook my head. "He's always loved music. But you and I…." I laughed. "We don't have a musical bone in our bodies, do we, sweetheart? But Edward does. And Seth is coming out of his shell when he holds that old guitar in his hands. It's wonderful to watch. He's finally got something that's just his, that's only Seth."

I closed my eyes tightly to make sure that Mac would stay and hear me out.

"And our Sammy…" I sighed. "God I'm so proud of him, and Edward is too. You can see it in Edward's face when he talks to him. He's as astounded by him just like we were. But he never forgets that he's still just a kid."

There was nothing but silence in the little bathroom but I still felt Mac there. "And Jake loves him, Mac. He really does. It's been so hard for him. I could see him grieving for you…silently…but so, so deeply. He's so sensitive. You know how he is. But he hides it, our little clown. Edward and Jake, they're like…I don't know…connected somehow." I held myself closely, wrapping my arms around me because Mac couldn't do it. "Honestly, I think he fell in love with Jake first…and then me. And you know what? I'm okay with that."

Just silence, but I knew Mac was listening.

"He loves me, Mac. He loves me as much as you did. And I love him. It's different, but just as big, just as….I don't know what else to call it. What I feel for him doesn't take away anything I felt for you, Mac. I wouldn't change a moment of our lives together. It was so, so sweet, Mac. And you were so good to me. But I know you loved me enough to want me to be happy, so that's what I'm going to do, Mac. I'm going to love Edward and we're going to be happy together. He'll watch over me, whether I want him to or not." I couldn't help but laugh at the thought of my adorable control freak. "But more importantly, he'll watch over our boys. He'll guide them on their way to being men, good men that you would be proud of."

I knew I had to go back out there soon. I didn't want them to worry that they had hurt my feelings. They had given me the world.

"So thank you, Mac, for sending him my way if that was you that day," I said with a little smile. It wouldn't have surprised me. Mac had always been a prankster. It would be just like him to lead a man into my life that way. If such things were possible, it was completely a Mac thing to do.

And I opened up my eyes, because it didn't matter if Mac was there with me at that very moment. I would carry him always in my heart. I didn't have to let go of Mac to love Edward. I could hold onto them both. Mac was my past, but Edward was my future.

"I love you, Mac…I always will…Forever, you know that. This doesn't change that."

I took a deep breath and opened the door. I knew that whatever happened, we'd be all right. We'd be better than all right.

My eyes met Edward's…He was standing next to Sam. Of course. He would have comforted him when I made my big, dramatic exist. Edward had stepped into a father's role without hesitation, all without taking anything away from Mac. It was a very fine line to walk, but Edward did it with grace and generosity.

I hugged my son, giving him an extra squeeze. "Thank you," I said.

I gave my Edward a hug too and then kissed him on his beautiful lips. Actually, at that moment I was torn between bawling like a baby and shoving Edward up against a wall and having my way with him.

I glanced around and saw our audience. Okay, I would just play this cool. "And thank you," I told him. Thank you for loving me. Thank you for loving my sons. Thank you for not trying to rip away what they've got left of their father. Thank you for being you. "I love you."

And it didn't feel wrong to say it, to know that my heart was filled up with both of them. Because Edward had let me know that it was okay to love them both.

I told you that your heart had room, Bells.