We have another little time jump...just a few months this time.
Welcome to all the new readers! I always love seeing new people coming on board.
It was the third Christmas Bella was going to spend with Edward, and the first one she had to share him with their friends. After much debate, where Edward and Rosalie were at each other's throats for months, over choosing a destination, only to find everything booked in the end, Tanya had come to their rescue. She and Kate had family in Alaska, near Mount Denali, which coincidently was the same as their family name. With the sisters' help, they had been able to rent one of the Gate Creek Cabins in Trapper Creek.
Bella had stayed behind to spend a few hours with her brother's family, before she took the last plane to Anchorage. She had also squeezed in a visit to Leah, who'd called to let her know she had some free time if Bella still wanted the new tattoo they'd talked about. Bella had to accept the offer.
It happened that Jake had missed the earlier plane, with everyone else, due to some last minute clients at the garage.
It was late at night when they landed in Alaska.
"I can already feel the cold," Jake said, shuddering.
"Drama princess," Bella joked, keeping her eyes on the snow-filled tarmac.
All thanks to Edward, it wasn't the first time she saw snow in person. He'd taken her to a small cabin in North Carolina during the Valentine's Day week. They had ignored the elephant in the room during the fateful day, and Edward had relaxed immensely by the following morning. Bella had learned to respect his boundaries, and talking about Angela was clearly a hard limit for him. As long as he was okay, Bella had no reason to worry about him. And she saw to keep him happy every single day.
They shuffled out of the airplane and into the airport, dragging the suitcases after them. Jake had put his parka on him the moment he could have the safe belt off and he could stand.
"So, how do we get there?" Jake asked, digging in one of his pockets for something.
"Felix should be waiting for us," Bella said.
Jake came out with a packet of gum, offering her one. She declined it, urging him to overtake a group of slow people.
"Come on. I'd like to get there today."
Jake hurried along, grumbling about being tired. Then, he remembered about the last minute clients, and started complaining again. Bella had heard the story – three times. She was about to roll her suitcase over his foot in hopes to keep him quiet, when she spotted a familiar face in the crowd.
Edward.
Bella hadn't seen him that morning, since she had taken herself to one of the guest bedrooms after their fight the previous night. She hadn't expected to see him so soon.
Edward had been unreasonable about Bella staying back in Santa Barbara to exchange early presents with her brother, and then take a later plane to Alaska. He'd insisted that she could have exchanged presents anytime in the past week. Bella had called him an insensitive jerk, and had watched with incredulity as he'd raised his hand ready to backhand her. He'd stopped himself in time, curling his hand into a fist. That had been the point when Bella had left the room, shouting at him not to follow her.
She had barely slept, which was a great factor for her annoyance in regards to Jake's lamenting. Instead of sleeping on the plane ride, she had to listen to his whining.
While Leah had inked her wrist, Bella had seriously considered what she was doing. Edward was one of the most difficult persons in her life, but she couldn't even think of spending a day without him.
As they drew closer to where Edward was waiting, Bella left her suitcase and jacket by Jake, who had stopped walking. She broke into a run, glad that Edward caught her when she threw herself at him.
She kissed his face, hugging him tightly. "Forgive me. I promise to never go to sleep mad at you."
"It's me, who should be apologizing, baby." He ran his fingers through her hair, which she had started growing again. "I'm sorry, Bella." His sincere voice made tears fill into her eyes.
"Let's talk about this when we get there," she suggested. She turned slowly to see Jake had joined them with her suitcase.
When she reached to take it, Edward beat her to it. But instead of taking the handle, he took her bandaged wrist. "What happened?" His scared eyes found hers.
"It's a surprise."
Jake snorted, clearly aware there was new ink under the bandage, unlike Edward, who probably thought she'd cut her wrist.
"Bella could have travelled on her own. There was no need for you to hang back," Edward muttered to him, but kept her hand in his. "How did you hurt yourself?"
Jake chortled loudly, making Bella moments away from kicking his ass. "What, you mean you never noticed she was cutting herself?"
"Jake!" Bella shouted, lunging at him, but stopped short. "All yours, Edward." She stepped aside, grinning deviously.
Jake backpedaled. "Fuck. You know how I run my mouth. Forget I said anything."
Edward went into Jake's personal space. Even though Jake had two inches over Edward, he shrunk away. "If you dare to joke about Bella's safety like that, you're sleeping outside this holiday."
"With the wolves," Bella added, laughing. "Aaa-woooo!"
Jake glanced at her, but she could only see pure horror on his face, not a trace of humor. Hopefully, that would keep him quiet until they arrived at the cabin.
The car Edward led them to, was the Caddy. It reminded Bella that Felix and Edward had driven to their location with Harley, so he wouldn't be subjected to a cage in a plane. Felix opened the trunk door, helping with their bags.
"You're riding shotgun," Edward told Jake, as he opened the back door for Bella. He assisted her inside, before climbing after her and shutting the door.
"How could you leave Felix wait here?" Bella gasped.
"It was for ten minutes, tops," Felix answered, glancing at her through the rearview mirror.
"We cut it a little too close. The weather is insane," Edward said, taking her left hand.
He wasn't going to let it go until she told him. "You'll see it later."
"See what?" He met her eyes, confused.
"Seriously? You still haven't figured out why I have this around my wrist?"
"You hurt yourself…somehow."
Bella was certain she'd heard Jake saying "moron" under his breath, but she chose to ignore him. She focused on Edward's adorably confused face.
"It's new ink, Edward."
"Oh." Many emotions played on his face – disbelief, wonder, amusement, but he settled on content. "Okay."
Bella giggled, resting her head against his shoulder. She managed to doze off, bathed in his scent – all Edward and his favorite cologne.
Bella was pulled from her drowsy state by hushed voices and the feeling of floating. She was cold, so she snuggled closer into Edward's chest, and suddenly she was toasty warm. More nonsensical voices made her grumble. She was so tired.
"CANDY! Candy! Candy! Caaaaandy! NOW!"
Bella shot up, disorientated.
She was in a bed and it was dark in the room. Absolutely nothing was familiar about that place.
"Shhh." Edward's hand rubbed her back. "Come back," he said in a rough, sleepy voice.
"How did I get here?"
"I wan CANDY!"
"Fuck me." Edward threw an arm over his eyes. "Jasper chose the room next to ours."
"You mean, that's Cynthia?" Bella asked, shocked.
"Yup." Edward wrapped his arms around Bella, holding her close.
"Really, how did I get here? I remember we were in the car…then nothing."
"You were tired." He kissed the top of her head. "I didn't sleep either, last night," he confessed.
Bella stared at the unknown shapes in the dark room, deciding that this was the perfect environment to talk about what had happened. She couldn't see his agonized face, because she knew that emotion was clearly painted on his face.
"I'd have gone to see Jimmy last weekend, but we went to see your parents. Then I was at work, and by the time I came home, I was too tired for social life. I figured today was the day since I had the day off."
"Bella…" Edward drew invisible patterns on her back, making her shiver at his gentle touch. "I had no right to accuse you of seeing your only family." One finger traced the length of her spine, over her shirt. He took a shuddering breath. "Most importantly, I had no right to even think about touching you like that."
Bella flinched at the memory. A hot tear slid down her nose, but she chased it away before it could land on Edward's chest. "You scared me," she admitted in a small voice.
"I have no excuse for the way I acted. I can't believe what I almost did."
Bella took his hand, squeezing it, before tracing her fingers up his arm until she reached his shoulder, then she brought her hand down on his chest. Edward had grown accustomed to being touched unexpectedly, but there, in the darkness, Bella could bet, she'd set off all his triggers with an uncalculated gesture.
"Tell me," she whispered, still stroking up and down his chest.
His breath hitched and his hand stilled on her back.
"Something's bothering you. You don't lash out like that unless you keep something to yourself. Tell me," she insisted.
His breath came down over her head in a whoosh. Then, he chuckled humorlessly. "I've been obsessing over something. I guess I forgot how to act, while being locked in my head."
"Was it…this trip?" Bella asked.
"To an extent."
"Edward…"
She felt him twist around then heard the nightstand drawer being pulled open. Edward used both hands on whatever he had there, then he took her hand.
"This is clearly not the way I wanted to do it."
"What are you talking about?"
He sat up, scooting up to lean against the headboard. Bella followed his lead, resting her back against his chest. Edward's fingers stroked her left hand, as his lips pressed to her shoulder.
"I promise to love you every single day for the rest of my life."
Nerves churned in Bella's stomach when something round and cool slid on her ring finger.
"No way!" she cried out, turning in the direction she hoped the nightstand was, searching for the lamp. There was no lamp or nightstand. "I need light! Edward, where's the goddamn lamp?"
He reached over, and warm, soft light flooded their side of the bed. Edward's face was unreadable.
Bella focused on her left hand, which was shaking. Sure enough, he'd sprung on her an engagement ring.
Every time they had talked about getting married had been part of some joke. It wasn't that Bella didn't see her life including Edward for all eternity, but she had never thought about making their commitment more durable, that way.
The ring was simple, yet impossibly beautiful and delicate. There was a small rock, which Bella appreciated. He knew her so well. On either side of the main diamond were two tiny others, giving it a vintage air.
"Oh, God!" Bella lifted her eyes to Edward, who looked a little green. "I love you so much!" She wrapped her arms around his neck. He seemed frozen under her, so Bella pulled back to search his eyes. "You okay?"
"I thought I fucked everything up for a wild moment," he confessed, his eyes narrowing playfully. "Maybe you should have said something else, before shouting 'no way'."
"Oh, crap!" Bella shifted away, returning her gaze to the ring. "Well, you didn't ask me anything," she teased.
"You're impossible." He climbed out of the bed, and Bella lurched to grab his arm.
"Hey! Don't go. I'm sorry."
Edward knelt at the edge of the bed, grinning. "Remember, you already agreed."
"I did no such thing," she giggled.
"Are you seriously going to make me ask?" Edward ran a hand through his hair.
"Yup." She beamed, amused to see him so vulnerable.
He took her left hand, his thumb pressing against the main rock, playing with the ring. Edward gulped thickly, meeting her eyes. "Isabella Swan, would you do me the extraordinary honor of marrying me?"
Tears sprung into her eyes upon their own volition. She'd hoped to keep the amusement in the air, but it seemed she was an emotional mess.
Bella threaded her fingers from her left hand through his, smiling watery. "Yes. I'll become yours, Edward."
"Mine," he murmured, joining her on the bed. "All mine." His lips descended onto hers, sealing their moment with a heated kiss.
"I guess…it's funny how I did this without knowing your surprise." Bella focused on unwrapping the bandage and gauze over her left wrist. She held her hand to him, inner wrist up.
Edward seemed overcome with emotion, which was a sight Bella wasn't used to. He stared at the simple locket and the words Forever His for so long, that when he spoke, she jumped.
"For me? You marked your flawless skin for me?"
"It's not my first ink, Edward."
"This is for me."
"Well, yes. Technically, it's for my Dom. Though, he seems to have been replaced by my marshmallow of a boyfriend." She watched amused as her words sank in, then Edward growled, pinning her to the bed. "Careful with it!" She extracted her hand from his hold.
"It almost tops my surprise," he said, amused.
"I plan on doing a key on my other wrist."
"No." He shook his head seriously. Bella was about to tell him that she planned to have more tattoos and he wasn't going to stop her.
"I'm the key holder," Edward said roughly.
It took Bella a moment to understand what he was implying. "You hate tattoos!"
"I don't hate them. I've never been a fan of them, though."
"You want to tattoo a key on your wrist with the words Forever Hers below it?" she asked incredulously.
Edward smirked. "Pleeease. It's Forever Mine, or no words."
Bella choked on a laugh combined with a sob, before snuggling into his chest. "I think this is the best day of my life."
A commotion from the room besides theirs, had them straining their hearing.
"Honestly, Jazz!"
"It's healthy and it's not candy," Jasper retorted.
"YES!" Cynthia shouted. "Crack whores!"
Bella and Edward's eyes met, before they burst out laughing.
"It's better if we're left in the dark," he whispered. "I never want to know what that is."
"Kids are funny like that," Bella laughed. "I mean, Ruby told me earlier how much she loves titties. It took James too long to realize I wasn't familiar with the way Ruby pronounced kitties."
"Titties!" Edward hollered with laughter. "Imagine, walking with her on the street and seeing a stray cat."
There was a knock on their door, and Edward was too slow to turn the light off, because the door cracked open. Jasper poked his head inside.
"I'm so sorry if she woke you up," he said, staring at Edward confused, who was half thrown across the bed, on his way for the lamp's switch.
"It's cool," Edward answered. "I hope she enjoys her midnight snack of crack whores."
"God! You heard that?" Jasper palmed his face. "It's crackers, really."
"Suuure, man. Not our problem what you teach your kid."
"Wait till morning when she demands milk." Jasper winked.
"Is that moo-moo?" Bella laughed, rolling on her stomach.
"It's…milf."
"Get out of here, you perv!" Edward pointed to the door, laughing loudly.
"Whatever, Doodie!" Jasper shut the door behind him.
"Fuck." Edward switched the lamp off, throwing himself next to Bella. "Cynthia called me Doodie earlier. I guess Edward's too complicated for her."
"Doodie," Bella repeated in disbelief, pressing her face into the pillow. "I'm marrying a Doodie!"
"You'll pay for that, baby girl."
"I'm shaking in my panties, Sir."
"We've just been witness of how thin these walls are. Do you want all of our friends to hear what a naughty girl you are?"
"I can be quiet. I had no idea if you packed anything, so I added a last minute something in my bag. I figured I'd have to stay quiet."
"The last time we tried the ball gag, you nearly threw up on me."
"I'm willing to try again." Bella shuffled out of the bed. "Turn that light on again, please. I have to redress the tattoo."
"Bathroom is in the hallway. I could show you," he offered, turning the light on.
"Ugh, not now. I can do it here."
*bites lips* Surprise! I bet none of you expected the proposal.
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