24

Bella awoke the next morning before Edward, climbing out of the bed he had made for them on the beach. She slipped on his button up, and walked down to the water's edge, watching as the sun slowly raised over the horizon. Bringing her hand up in front of her, she stared at the gorgeous ring on her left hand, still stocked at the events from the night before. They had danced and laughed, made love and fell asleep in each other's arms. A perfect night spent together.

Edward Mason wanted to marry her.

She had never dreamed of marriage with anyone, even before she got sick. Marriage just wasn't something that appealed to her. Commitment had been something she ran from. She hadn't even realized it until she met Edward. Every time she found herself getting close to a guy, she found a reason to end things. Some made it easy. They were cheaters, lousy in bed, talked too much, didn't talk enough.

But Edward was different. Yes, she had tried to run from him. It seemed easier, safer, but now she knew she had been an idiot. Edward was the love of her life. She just wished she had a longer life to love him for.

"Why are you all the way over there?"

Bella smiled and looked over her shoulder, finding Edward leaning up on his elbow. "Just enjoying the sunrise."

"Come here," he said, stretching his hand toward her.

Biting her bottom lip, she slowly walked back to him, sliding onto her knees as she approached the edge of the blanket. She placed her hand on his shoulder, pushing him backward and straddling him.

"You're so fucking beautiful," he murmured, his hands sliding under his shirt to her hips.

"So are you," she whispered, reaching up and unbuttoning the first of two buttons. Moving to the next one, she slipped the shirt off her shoulders, tossing it to the side. "Tell me again."

Edward sat up, wrapping his arms around her, their bare chests pressed against one another. "I love you. I need you. I want to spend the rest of our lives together."

"Me too," she whispered as a tear slipped down her face.

"Hey," he murmured. "Don't cry."

"I love you, Edward," she whimpered. "I want a long life with you. I want sunsets and rises, and trips around the world. I want everything with you. And it hurts because it's not fair!"

"No, it's not." Edward pressed his forehead against hers. "And I hope . . . No, that's not the right word. I believe that my brother can save your life. I believe that we will have a long and happy life together."

"And if we don't?" she asked, sliding her hands to the side of his face. "And if I die?"

"I don't know," he admitted, turning and pressing his lips to the inside of her hand. "I'm just going to have faith that God won't take you away from me, not when I just found you."

—BDBH—

Bella and Edward stayed on the beach for a few more hours before packing everything and stowing it behind some rocks until they could get it later, seeing as they were on Edward's motorcycle. Then, they headed back to Bella's. She needed to take her meds. She hadn't expected to spend the night on the beach in the arms of her fiancé.

When they walked into the bungalow, Bella was surprised to find Esme and Carlisle seated in the living room. She and Edward shared a look before closing the door.

"So, how was you date?" Esme asked, a cheeky smile spreading on across her face.

Bella resisted the urge to roll her eyes as she grinned, held up her left hand, and said, "Pretty fucking amazing!"

For a solid two seconds, there was absolute silence, though that was because Esme was shaking with silent excitement. A loud squeal erupted from her chest before she rushed over and threw her arms around Bella, causing them both to stumble to the floor.

"Oh, my God, Bells!" she laughed, grabbing Bella's hand and pulling it in front of her so she could look at the ring. Behind them, Carlisle was snickering at her excitement. "It's beautiful!"

"It is, isn't it?" Bella leaned her head on Esme's shoulder. "Thank you."

"For what?"

She gave Esme a look. "For helping him."

Esme opened her mouth, then closed it before she smiled. "You're welcome."

Standing up, she reached down and helped Bella stand, before wrapping her arms around her. "Dad would be happy for you, Bells. You know that, don't you?"

"I do," Bella whimpered, returning the hug. "Just he had cared enough to be here."

"Me too." Esme stepped back and put her hands on Bella's face, tears filling her eyes. "Well, this calls for a celebration."

"Of course it does," Bella laughed, reaching for Edward, who grabbed her hand and allowed her to pull it around her waist. "Let us get cleaned up, grab some food, while you call Peanut and put in action whatever plan you've already been working on."

"You know us too well, sis," Esme snickered, gesturing for them to hurry.

—BDBH—

Two hours later, Bella and Edward climbed into her jeep and followed Esme and Carlisle in her car. They had showered and changed: her into a brown bikini, khaki shorts, and simple white tank top, and him into a pair of black cotton shorts and a red tank top. They had a quick late breakfast, and she took her meds, hating once again the constant reminder that her life was short.

Edward reached over and placed his hand on her knee. "I love you."

Bella smiled, covering his with hers. "I love you, too."

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Was it hard to give up surfing?" he asked, causing her to look at him. "I mean, I know you were injured, but did you ever consider, you know, retiring?"

"Um . . ." Bella shook her head. "No, I never considered retirement. Surfing was who I was. It was everything, until I couldn't do it anymore." She looked at him. "Why do you ask?"

"You know why," he murmured.

Feeling her shoulders tense, she would be lying if she denied it of course. The fact that the PV ended in seven days wasn't lost on her. Edward would have to make the choice to leave and go to the next tournament, which had her chest aching, or stay and put his career on hold, which made her feel guilty for trapping him in this hellish life with her.

"Yeah, kind of figured we'd have to talk about that," she admitted.

"The next tournament isn't for another month," he said, quietly.

Bella nodded. "Where?"

"Manhattan Beach."

"Oh."

"I think . . ." Edward picked up her hand and brought it to his lips. "I know what I need to do. It's just harder than I thought it would be."

"Are you sure that's what you need to do?" she countered, pulling into the parking lot outside of the beach and parking a few spots away from her sister and Carlisle.

"Come on, Bella!" Esme yelped as Carlisle wrapped his arm around her and pulled her toward the beach just outside of where her studio was located.

"Be there in a minute," she called back and then turned back to Edward. "Don't give up your career for me, Edward."

"I can't . . ." He shook his head. "I can't leave you behind."

"Then I'll go with you," she said.

Edward scoffed.

"What's that mean?" she asked.

"After the tournament is over, you agreed to let Emmett run his tests to see if you're still a candidate for his trail."

Bella sighed.

"You're not backing out, are you?"

"No," she said, quietly. "But what good is letting him run his tests if his magical cure won't work. My . . . She won't help me."

"You don't know that," he quipped. "You could ask her."

"Would you ask your dad?" Bella asked, raising an eyebrow, and Edward tensed. "That's what I thought."

"I don't know what I would do if I were in your position," he admitted. "I'm selfish, baby. I don't want to lose you."

"I don't want to be lost." She shifted her eyes toward the beach, where Esme and Carlisle stood with Alice and Jasper. "I told Esme she could talk to her. You know for me. I just . . ." Bella shook her head and looked back at him. "I don't want to owe her anything, Edward."

"You won't." He climbed out of the jeep and hurried around to her side, pulling open the door and scooping her out of the driver's seat, causing her to squeal as he set her on her feet. "For now, let's just party like it was 1999."

Bella laughed and slipped her arms around him. "I love you."

"I love you more."

"Not possible!"

She slipped her hand into his as he shook his head in disagreement and led her over to the beach. Edward was willing to give up his career for her, yet she was afraid to ask the one person who could save her life to, you know, save her life. She was being stupid, she knew this. But how could she be sure Renee Swan would even agree to help her. She had walked away from Bella twice. Would she do it a third time?

"Swan!" Alice, being Alice, launched herself into Bella's arms, squealed, cried, laughed, all at the same time. "You said yes."

"Should have known you were in on this, too." Bella teased, smiling.

"Of course I was," she scoffed, looping her arm in with hers and pulling her away from Edward. "Now, tell me every amazing detail."

"I don't think so, Peanut," Bella snickered. "Just know that it was . . ." Biting her lip, she looked over her shoulder at Edward, who was walking behind her and Alice with Jasper, Carlisle, and Esme, ". . . perfect in every way."

"Awe, my little Swan," Alice teased.

Bella should have expected it, but she was surprised when she found a slew of people waiting for them around a large fire pit. Seth and Tanya, Felix, James and Laurent, Rose, but it was Emmett that surprised Bella the most. Though, she shouldn't have been. He was Edward's brother after all. And he wanted to save her life.

"Let's get this party started!" Alice yelled before hurrying over and turning on some music. "Our girl is getting married!"

While everyone gathered around Bella and Edward, congratulations and hugging her, acting like she was the first woman in the world to ever agree to marry the love of her life. It was all a bit overwhelming and unreal. Yet she found herself smiling and laughing. For the first time in a year, she felt alive.

—BDBH—

"Hey."

Looking over her shoulder, she smiled when she found Edward standing a few feet behind her. Bella slipped away from everyone and once again found herself standing at the edge of the water. "Hey."

"You okay?" he asked, closing the distance, his arm wrapping around her waist.

Bella nodded. "Just needed a minute to myself. Everyone is so excited for us."

"Yeah, it's kind of weird, isn't it? You would think they are the ones getting married."

"Right?" she laughed and shook her head as she looked back at the ocean.

"I feel like you're upset with me."

"Why?" she asked, turning toward him and placing her hands on his chest.

"I don't know," he murmured. "Maybe that I'm pushing you to hard to . . . to, you know, live."

Bella sighed. "You're not. Edward, I don't want to die. I just . . . I just don't know. I saw firsthand what happened with my dad. He tried so hard to keep fighting, but it just got him. In the end, it just got the best of him. I don't want to go out that way."

"It doesn't have to be like that for you," he pleaded. "Even . . . even if his cure doesn't work, even if you don't have more than a few years left, I will never stop fighting for you."

"Promise?" she whimpered. "Do you fucking promise?"

"I do." Edward wiped the tears off her face. "I do, baby, I do."

"Then I'll make you a deal," she whispered, shifting her eyes to his. "We get married. Tomorrow, or the next day. We get married and then . . . and then I'll talk to her. Ask . . . ask her to try to save my life," she sobbed.

"Bella," he whispered.

"Deal?" she cried, fisting his tank top in her hands.

"Deal."