*EPOV*

It was a week later that I was sitting in my music composition class, in body only. Bella had been so anxious to get to school that morning because the graded exams from two of her classes were being handed back.

I told her that she didn't have anything to worry about. After all, I'd helped her study myself, I chuckled. But her excitement was contagious, and even I couldn't wait until after class to hear how she'd fared.

While my professor blathered on about tonal systems, I was seeing through the eyes of Bella's professor, staring straight at my wife sitting in the first row. Her legs were crossed and the leg on top bounced away anxiously.

I smiled affectionately at her fidgeting. If I'd been there in her class, I would have reached across the aisle and placed a calming hand on her bouncing knee, and told her to breathe.

Professor Chaney walked up and down the rows of students handing out an assortment of B's, C's, and a few D's.

When he stopped in front of Bella's desk, he looked down at the stack of papers he held. I smiled widely seeing the bright red "A" in felt ink scrawled across the top of her paper as he slid it onto her desk.

"Well done, Miss Capulet. You're going to have to share your studying methods with your classmates," Professor Chaney congratulated her, very much impressed.

I laughed out loud when Bella's brown eyes grew huge and her face turned a startling shade of red as she mumbled, "Thanks," and ducked her head, hiding her face behind her hair. God, was I ever going to miss that.

In my own classroom, Professor Sinclair stared at me, wondering what was so funny about harmonic functions.

I looked appropriately abashed and sat up a little straighter in my chair.

*BPOV*

An 'A' on my Overview of Shakespeare exam and an 'A-' in Sexuality in Early Modern Lit.

Maybe, just maybe I was Dartmouth material after all. My thoughts were optimistic as I practically skipped to the coffee cart after my last class wrapped up.

"So?... Don't leave a man in suspense. How'd you do on your exams?" Edward asked interestedly just before I threw myself into his arms.

"An 'A' in Shakespeare, and an 'A-' on Lipton's exam!" I announced with unbridled excitement.

"That's amazing, Bella! No one is less surprised than me. You've been studying your butt off," his velvety voice was celebratory in my ear just before I pulled away to look at him.

I was about to make a snarky remark about him studying my butt off, but my spidey sense was tingling by the way he said "No one is less surprised than me."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "You already knew, didn't you?"

His eyes widened innocently and then his angel face drew into a full pout. "My class is so boring, love. You are so much more interesting than first-year music theory. And besides, I was just as personally invested in that grade as you were," he smirked,

I should be more pissed about him spying on me, but truthfully, I found it flattering that even now that 'all the mystery was gone,' Edward still found me so interesting.

How often did I hear other women complaining about their husbands' lack of interest and attention? With Edward, I had that in spades.

But if he had watched, then that meant he'd seen...my face reddened instantly. Edward seemed to catch up to my train of thought.

"Though I'd much rather you kept your study methods between the two of us," he ribbed to my extreme chagrin.

I gritted my teeth and clenched my fists as I marched back to the car, much less sanguine about the spying than I'd been a moment ago.

"You should've seen your face," Edward snickered incorrigibly. Then seeing my face, backpedaled. "Don't be upset, love. Can you honestly blame me? If you could watch me, wouldn't you?" He asked pointedly, eyebrows raised.

Without a doubt, I admitted to myself but was much too stubborn to say it out loud.

With one of Edward's probing looks into my eyes, he saw right through me anyway. "See? And I wouldn't mind if you did either," Edward added confidently.

"I hope I have a supremely inconvenient gift, and then we'll just see about that!" I huffed as I flopped into the Volvo and Edward shut the door softly behind me.

"What a funny thing for the mental mute to say." Edward's laugh was almost a giggle as he slid behind the wheel.

Dropping the attitude (I wasn't that mad anyway), I asked "How was class for you today?"

I would never stop asking the questions that I thought I knew the answers to. Because even though I already knew he played the piano with a mastery and grace that mere mortals could only dream of (at least when I wasn't distracting him, I snorted inwardly), it didn't make me any less interested in the things he had to say.

"Pretty standard, I'd say. Do you remember how Mrs. Goff used to let me come and go as I pleased because my Spanish is better than hers?" I nodded.

"In the same vein, my professor asked me if I'd give her personal composition a listen," he chuckled. "So that's what I'll be doing tomorrow while the rest of the class watches a video on the Circle of Fifths."

"Her personal composition?" I raised an eyebrow, not at all liking the idea of another woman making music alone with him in her office.

It didn't seem all that unlikely that a Cullen admirer could take the form of a teacher, especially in college, when Edward was presumed to be a legal adult.

Then I shrugged, realizing my ridiculousness. "Well, I guess you'd know if she had any ulterior motives."

Edward's smile was amused. "Professor Sinclair is very nearly as old as I am. She has a brilliant mind for music, but most of the time can't remember that her pencil is holding up the bun in her hair."

I laughed at his description and then teased, "That does make me feel better. It's true, you are a known cradle robber." I tried to keep a straight face.

Edward raised an unamused eyebrow at me. Then barked out a laugh, "I'd like to remind you that you're two years older than me. Now who's the cradle robber?" he smirked.

I scowled at the reminder.

Then his face smoothed out and he said more seriously, "Time is relative. When I'm 1,000 and you're 914, will those eighty-six years matter all that much?"

I shrugged. "The years matter," I qualified. "The age difference doesn't. But I suppose you'll have to ask me when I'm 914."

Edward pulled out his phone. "Siri, remind me in 895 years to ask Bella about the relativity of time.".

It was extra funny because Edward's phone didn't have Siri. In fact, if anybody saw Edward's phone (or the rest of the Cullens for that matter), they'd think they were either using burner phones or comically behind the times.

It was a sore subject for Edward, lover of technology, that without body heat he couldn't operate touchscreen devices "without a ridiculous pair of gloves."

I just shook my head and laughed quietly at his antics.

It might've been bratty, but I pulled out my iPhone and said, "Siri, call Charlie," and the phone started ringing. There were so few things I could do that Edward couldn't. I might as well enjoy it while it lasted.

"Hey Bells! You must've been reading my mind. I was just about to pick up the phone and call you. How's college life, kid?"

"Hi, Dad! Doing great! I got my midterms back today and aced them both. Thought you'd be happy to know that I got my brains from your side of the gene pool," I cracked. From my peripheral view, I saw Edward bite his lip to keep from laughing.

It went without saying that I loved Renee dearly, but book smarts were not one of her many attributes.

"That's great to hear, kiddo. I'm proud of you. It's nice to know that all that tuition money I paid is going to good use," he said a bit sourly.

Charlie felt cheated over the fact that I hadn't needed financial help to pay for college, and wouldn't be calling him periodically for money as was a fact of life for most college kids my age.

"When else are you going to call me?" he'd worried out loud when I told him that my tuition had already been paid for when he'd started talking about dipping into his retirement fund.

I tried to call him as frequently as was practical so that this wasn't a worry he'd have, at least not yet. But the calls were getting more infrequent as the weeks and months passed by.

"So how's everything at home? How's Sue?" I'd started asking with every call since she'd become such a fixture in his life.

"Good, good. Hey, there's something I wanted to talk to you about, and since I don't know when I'm going to see you next, I guess now is as good a time as any," he hedged.

I raised my eyebrows at the turn in the conversation. Edward appraised my expression and made a curious face of his own.

"What's up, Dad?" I asked, a nervous feeling in the pit of my stomach.

"It's about Sue. I was wondering what you thought...if I, ah, proposed?" I could practically hear him nervously scrubbing a hand across the back of his neck like he always did when he was uncomfortable.

"What do I think?" I repeated. "Dad! I think that's GREAT! You two are perfect for each other. I'm so happy for you," I gushed with a face-splitting grin on my face.

"Well I haven't asked her yet," he qualified with a nervous-sounding chuckle.

"She'll say yes," I said with certainty, remembering what Alice had prophesied months before.

"Well thank you for being so supportive. I hope the elders will be, too."

"The elders?" I asked quizzically.

"Apparently, it's customary for Quileute outsiders to ask for the blessing of the tribal council before a proposal of marriage can be made. I was waiting to talk to you, but now that I have, I'm going to talk to Billy about it next week," Charlie explained.

I blinked into the phone, unsure of how to feel about Charlie getting more involved with the Quileutes. It was something I hadn't considered when I was pushing hard for Charlie to pair off with Sue so that I didn't have to worry about him being all alone.

After a short silence, trying hard to sound casual, I finally said, "I'm sure it's just a formality, Dad. You're like family to them on the Rez. I wouldn't worry about it."

"I hope you're right, Bells! Hey, kiddo, I'm going to have to let you go. Just got a report of a shoplifter over at the sporting goods store."

"Ok Dad, let me know how it goes when you talk to Billy. And tell the Newtons I said hello," I said, shooting Edward a sidelong glance and smirking when he scowled. "Love you, too. Bye!"

I slipped the phone back into my pocket.

"Well, that's happy news!" Edward exclaimed, patting me excitedly on the thigh as he pulled into the garage at home.

He put the car in park but didn't rush to open the door for me like he usually did.

When my response was less than ecstatic, Edward asked in a wary voice, "Why don't you seem more excited? I thought you were happy about Charlie and Sue?"

I wasn't sure why, but my concerns of Charlie getting closer to the Quileutes wasn't something I wanted to share right at that moment.

"I am happy," I said honestly. "It's just a little bittersweet since I won't get to be there," I said, telling a half-truth.

"They're supposed to elope, right? Maybe you wouldn't have gotten to be there anyway," he said speculatively, trying to cheer me up.

Then after a beat, his cool hand took me by the chin and gently turned my face to look at him. "You know there's no hurry right? Nothing is set in stone until you are."

I frowned and shook my head. "There's always going to be a reason to postpone… it's never going to feel like the right time to hurt my family. But I'm a danger to them as long as I keep hanging on, and I'm not going to play chicken with the Volturi.

"No," I said more decisively. "We're sticking to the plan. We'll go spend Christmas in Florida and then you'll change me as soon as we get back.

"Well, I guess it won't be here, but wherever we're going to be while I adjust," I qualified with some disappointment. I was already growing attached to this place, our first home together.

*EPOV*

From inside the house, I heard Alice stagger and gasp under the forcefulness of the vision that she had just seen.

"She's decided," Alice said in little more than a whisper. And then more excitedly, doing a little dance, "She's decided!"

Somewhere inside the house, Alice was seeing Bella open her blood-red eyes for the first time, and then she focused on the digital clock next to the bed. In smaller numbers displayed underneath the time was the date. December 30th, 2006.

In just sixty-seven days, Bella would be mine forever.

I had never doubted Bella's commitment, but knowing the actual date gave me an overwhelming sense of relief.

All of the worrying and uncertainty would be over soon. At least as far as worrying about losing her forever due to some unforeseen accident. That worry never left my mind.

After she was changed, I wouldn't have to worry about losing her so much as I would worry about keeping her. Keeping her happy in this existence of neverending night that she's sacrificing everything for so that we can be together forever.

"What just happened while I've been sitting here? Why do you look like that?" Bella asked impatiently, waving a hand in front of my face.

I met her gaze. Normally, I'd be tempted to keep this new information from her, worried that she'd feel undue pressure by the knowledge.

But as Alice always reminded me, she was only as certain as Bella was, and the vision had never been clearer.

"Alice...sees a date," I said softly.

"Oh!" Bella exclaimed, thoroughly taken by surprise.

"Why do you look so surprised when you're the one that just decided?" I laughed once, uncomprehendingly.

"I'm not surprised that she sees a date, just that you looked so happy about it. I didn't expect that."

I stared at her like she grew a third eyeball, and then, remembering that we were still sitting in the car, I suggested we finish our conversation inside. I dashed around the car opening her door before she could answer.

Once inside, I pulled Bella by the hand to sit down with me on the couch.

"Bella, I just found out with a reasonable degree of certainty that in sixty-seven days, I get to keep you for eternity. How else should I feel but happy?" I searched her eyes for some explanation.

Bella stared at me like I was the one with three eyeballs.

"Am I being punked right now? You hate the idea of me being a vampire. You've fought against that outcome since the moment you decided to be with me. You left me so that I wouldn't end up what you are. And then you voted no when you came back...So yeah, I'm a little taken aback to see you look so jazzed about it."

She thought that I hated the idea of her becoming a vampire? I gaped at her. What a horrifying revelation!

"Bella, no," I refuted, aghast. "I thought you were clear on this. I don't hate the idea of you becoming a vampire. What I hate is all that you'll be giving up to be like me. You joining us..." I shook my head, speechless. "There are no words for what a gift that will be. One that I could never hope to repay."

"Really?...Huh! You've always been so dead against it that I just kind of internalized it as you wanting me to be human more than anything else...

"I thought that you were only just starting to come around to the idea of changing me out of necessity and inevitability. But I never thought it was something that you actually wanted."

I sighed, cursing myself for the millionth time for bungling everything so completely.

"Until recently, it's not something I ever let myself want because of what it would mean for you. But Bella," I said, taking her face between my hands. "There is nothing I want more than to spend forever with you, no matter what package you come in. Never doubt that."

Her eyes widened then. "Did you say sixty-seven days?"

Had I frightened her? I nodded slowly, dropping my hands from her face. "Alice saw December 30th."

Bella sat in silence absorbing that for a painfully long minute, then raised her chin resolutely before she said, "Well then, I guess I better start writing, shouldn't I?"

She stood up and disappeared into the bedroom for a moment before reappearing with the journal I'd given her under her arm, only to disappear back into the library.

And thus began the countdown to V-day.

*A/N* I hope this chapter doesn't confuse anybody. When Bella "decides," it's not that she was making up her mind to become a vampire. That was already a done deal, she just became more clear on the timing which had always been a little ambiguous. BD Bella was waffling about the timing before Renesmee came along and forced her hand, so I wanted to show that here. Til next time! As always, I would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions. Drop me a line!

*To the tune of Seasons of Love*

🎵 Six-and-a-half million heartbeats until Bella's a vampire

Six-and-a-half-million heartbeats until Edward can breeeeathe

Six-and-a-half-million heartbeats until Bella's a bloodsucker

Where will they go? When will they leave?

Measure in love

Measure in love

Bella's sweet bloooooood

Seasons of Love 🎵