Yes, believe it or not, this is the LAST CHAPTER, then the epilogue. I may have some outtakes later on, but for now this story is almost complete. I will not cry... yet.

I'll go more in depth about future stories next time, deeper thanks and all that jazz.

For now, I once again thank everyone for reading and reviewing. I still don't own anything, of course.

And I do suggest listening to Perfect Situation by Weezer for this chapter. It was brand new when I first came up with this story idea, (yeah, that long ago) and I can't post this chapter without mentioning it. Oh, and I don't own that either.

Chapter 36: Perfect Situation

Get your hands off the girl,
Can't you see that she belongs to me?
And I don't appreciate this excess company.
Though I can't satisfy all the needs she has
And so she starts to wander...
Can you blame her?

EPOV

Focus on work. Don't think about the fact that they're probably married by now. Don't think about the fact that he's probably holding her right now, kissing her, telling her how much he loves her and how she's probably doing the same.

Ignore the desire you have to be in his place right now. Ignore the sharp, burning, agonizing pain you have in your chest right now. It's not gonna do you any good anyway. Just focus on work.

Why I didn't take today, of all days, off I'll never fully understand. Maybe I thought that if I kept myself busy I wouldn't think about what was happening today.

Who am I kidding? Every time I get my mind off it for just a short second, I'm attacked with a pain that feels like I'm getting hit in the chest with a sledgehammer. It's almost as if my heart won't let me forget.

Okay, how about this, I thought, trying to compromise with myself. Don't forget, just... let go. Let go like you did with Tanya. She, just like Tanya, will marry a guy she loves; who loves her back.

There will never be another I love like I did with Bella. After Tanya left I had doubt but some hope as well, that someone would come around. This time I knew. There was no hope, only knowledge. There will never be another Bella. I will never be the same.

After three hours from Hell, I somehow managed to sneak out for a break. The dirty alley was deserted and quiet; exactly what I needed.

I had promised Bella she would never see me again. Even in the city, I knew that would be next to impossible. I started looking into places for rent in Chicago. I didn't find much but had a lead on a new job.

It won't be easy, but I have to give her this chance.

I have to at least try.

Leftover rain dripped from the gutters, landing right on my head as I leaned against the building. I didn't bother to move; I only closed my eyes.

BPOV

I froze as soon as I found him. He wasn't the same man I left just weeks ago. Everything about him showed his defeat. I stood there for who knows how long just watching him.

When the door finally slammed shut behind me, we both jumped.

He blinked several times as we locked eyes, before pushing off of the brick wall.

"Bella?" he asked.

"Hi," was the only word I could get out.

"What are you doing here?"

Where do I begin? I slowly started walking towards him; loving how my heart gave an extra beat with every step.

"I came here for you."

"Where's Jacob?"

"He left with his family hours ago."

He raised an eyebrow. "Why aren't you with him?"

"Because I wanted to be here with you," I said, coming to a stop just inches in front of him. "We didn't go through with the wedding; we couldn't."

"Bella, I'm sorry if I had anything to do with it not happening again. I've been trying to-"

I cut him off. "If? Edward, you had everything to do with it."

"I'm sorry." He hung his head, but I was too desperate to see his eyes again. I grasped his face between my hands and forced him to look at me.

"I'm in love with you. Even Jake could see it. We didn't get married because I love you. I'm here because I love you. And I'm sorry it took me so long to figure out just how much I love you."

He pulled my hands away. "Bella, you shouldn't have left Jake. You deserve-"

"Tell me you don't love me," I interrupted again.

"Bella," he sighed.

"Tell me and I'll leave."

"I can't," he whispered. I didn't realize I had been holding my breath, until it rushed out of me at his words.

"I want you Edward. I'll wait how ever long it takes for you."

"I'm not going to make you wait."

I thought for a second he was going to push me away. Instead, he pulled me closer and kissed me.

"I love you, Bella," he whispered against my lips. "I promise to do everything I can to give you everything you need."

"I just need you. I need you more than I could have ever thought I would." I kissed him again.

Before I could stop him, he was pulling away and reaching under the collar of his shirt. "You need to have this."

He unhooked a gold chain from around his neck. It took only a second to realize what was hanging off of it.

"Our rings?" I gasped. "You kept them?"

"Of course I did. I needed something to remind me of you."

My eyes never left his at he re-hooked the chain around my neck. The weight of the rings sat against my pounding heart.

"Perfect," he said.

And it was.

Even after the less than ideal beginning and the heartbreaking middle; the end result was indeed just that.

Perfect.

I don't usually do end notes but I wanted to add something. I'll try to post a preview of the epilogue on my blog in a few days, just before it's posted, if you're interested.