Chapter 5

EDWARD'S POV

I slowly opened the bathroom door, and saw Bella, in the bath, scrubbing her skin with a sponge. She didn't look up when I came in.

"Bella?" I closed the door behind me.

"What?" She asked, scrubbing harder.

I fought to take the sponge from her. "My love, what are you doing?"

"Washing Lucas off of me."

My eyes widened. "He didn't…rape you…did he?"

"No," Bella teared up, "but he might as well have."

I held her to me. "Don't say that."

"Why couldn't I be ugly?"

I laughed. "Bella, you're a beautiful girl. Men like you, and you can't change that. But from now on, I'm going to keep men from doing this to you."

After Bella stopped crying, I gave her the red dress I had bought her.

"Edward," she wiped her eyes, "it's beautiful. But please tell me it didn't cost a lot of money."

"Bella, my love, we have already been over this." I kissed her hair.

"Where are we going?"

"A candlelit dinner in Seattle. I have a surprise for you."

"You already surprised me with the dress and dinner."

"Well I love spoiling you."

I let Bella go and put her dress on. While she did, I got dressed in the suit I had gotten, and let Alice help me with the tie.

"Ahem." Bella said.

I turned. The dress looked amazing on Bella. Her hair was in a bun on the back of her head, with little wisps of hair framing her face. She hadn't put any make up on, and I liked it that way.

"Bella," I kissed her hand, "you look wonderful."

"You do too." She smiled.

"We'll be gone for awhile." Edward informed Alice.

"Don't drink and drive." She laughed.

I helped Bella into the car, and then drove off.

"What's the surprise?" Bella asked sweetly.

"Wait my dear." I laughed.

"Oh come on." She leaned over and kissed my neck.

"Bribery won't do it."

"Won't it?" Bella took off her seat belt, and kissed from the bottom of my neck, all the way up into my hair.

"N-no."

She laughed against my skin. "Come on."

"Just wait."

She laid her head on my shoulder, putting her arms around my waist.

When we got to the place, I helped her out of the car, and led her down a set of stairs, and opened the doors.

Inside, there was a table set for two, with candles all around. Surrounding us were millions of red roses. Everything was just as planned.

"Wow." Bella whispered. She spun around slowly, taking in everything.

"Like it?"

"Love it." She hugged me.

"I'm glad."

The waiter I had hired came down with two glasses.

"Will that be all for this evening?" He asked.

"Yeah, go ahead on home." I slipped the money into his hand, and he left.

"What will we drink?" Bella asked, sitting down.

"This." I pulled out a bottle.

"What is it?"

"Aged mountain lion." I checked the label.

"Nice."

I poured us each a glass.

"To you Bella. Thank you for being my wife, and thank you for being so beautiful and so strong."

"To you Edward. Thank you for being my husband, and thank you for being handsome and strong…and for loving a klutz like me."

I laughed, and sipped my drink.

BELLA'S POV

Edward and I talked about everything. We talked about the past mostly. We discussed Mike Newton, and Jessica, and our favorite memories.

"What is the surprise?" I asked, trying to look flirty.

He smiled. "Well, because our last honeymoon was interrupted, I'm taking you on another one."

My eyes widened. "Edward, you don't have to do that."

"Sure I do."

"Where are we going?"

"Alaska."

I smiled. "Sounds wonderful."

Just then, an unwanted visitor stormed through the door.

"You…missed." Amber said gruffly.

"Oh my God." I stood, and Edward stood protectively in front of me.

"Amber, get out of here." Edward snarled.

"Not a chance. You killed Lucas."

I pushed Edward aside.

"What are you doing Bella?" He looked at me.

"This is between Amber and me." I growled, pulling my hair out of the bun.

"You're right." She barked.

I took a few steps forward. "You tried to kill my dad. That's unforgivable."

She dove at me, and we wrestled on the ground. I pulled off my heels, and used one to stab her in the back.

She howled in pain, and tossed me against a wall.

I jumped to my feet, and hiked up my dress. She ran her feet against the ground. And then we charged at each other.

I ripped out chunks of her fur, while she clawed at my beautiful dress.

"Bitch!" I screamed, and socked her right between the eyes.

Shakily, she held me above her head.

"Put…her…DOWN!" Edward took a silver bullet from his pocket, and placed it between his upper and lower teeth.

"Edward, what are you doing!" I shouted.

Then, he spit it at Amber as she ran at him. It hit her in the chest, and she staggered back and forth before dropping me.

Edward caught me, and ran for the car.

"You had a silver bullet the whole time?" I asked.

"I figured if you fought her, it would give you some closure." He shrugged.

"Well it did." I muttered.

"Now then," he sighed, "maybe we can get a little piece and quiet around here.

EDWARD'S POV

"I'm sorry about the dress." Bella looked at the dress, now in shreds.

"Don't worry – it was easier to take off."

She hit me in the arm. "Edward!"

We were lying in bed, our fingers entwined.

"Hey, I heard a girl saying something like that in a store once."

"That doesn't mean you have to say it."

I laughed. "Well anyways, don't worry about the dress. Who cares, I'll buy you another."

"No you won't. The next one is on me."

"If you can beat me to it."

Bella sighed heavily. "I'm done beating people for awhile."

"Me too."

"So is Amber really dead now?"

"Yes Bella." I laughed tiredly.

"Good. We already killed her twice. How many more times would she need to die?"

We heard honking.

"Emmett and Rosalie." I mumbled.

"Let's go see them." Bella tried to sit up, but I twisted her around for a kiss.

"Alright, now we can go see them."

We got dressed quickly and scrambled downstairs.

"Emmett, Rosalie. How was your trip?" Bella asked, hugging each of them.

"Great." Rosalie smiled at her.

"Wait until you hear what happened around here." I sighed.

Bella and I filled the two in on our adventure while they sat there, dumbfounded.

"Geez man, what? You have to get into trouble every day?" Emmett whistled.

"It's not my fault. She's a danger magnet." I pointed to Bella.

"It's not my fault. He's an old geezer." Bella shoved me.

"Well whoever's fault it is...knock it off." Rosalie laughed.

"Well we're going upstairs." Emmett grabbed Rosalie.

Igroaned. "We're leaving."

I grabbed Bella and we headed outside.

"Where are we going?" Bella asked.

"Are you up for the meadow?"

"I don't know...isn't that where everything bad happens?" Bella laughed.

We raced to the meadow, and I came out the victor.

We laid underneath the stars, trying to find constellations.

"Edward." Bella sighed happily.

"What?" I stroked her cheek.

"I wish I could give you kids."

I froze, and sat up. "What?"

Bella sat up, and put her hand on my shoulder. "Did I say something wrong?"

"Bella, you know we can't have kids."

"I said I wish I could give you kids."

I just stared at her blankly. "What do I say?"

"Oh Jesus Edward." Bella rolled her eyes and laid back down.

"What?" I threw my arms up. "What?"

"I say one thing and you freak."

"Bella, if you wanted to have kids..."

She closed her eyes and clenched her teeth.

Don't even say it.

I laid down next to her. "I'm sorry. I wish I could give you kids too."

"Well we could always adopt." Bella suggested.

I nodded. "We could."

Bella sensed my mood. "Let's save this conversation for another time."

I nodded.

"Bella?" I asked, propping myself up with my elbow.

"Yeah?" She did the same.

"Are you happy?"

She stared at me. "Are you kidding me? Of course I am."

I looked down. "I just...I wish that you could experience human things."

Bella scooted into me, and laid her head down. "Edward, I would rather be with you like this, than live a human life with someone else."

"Don't you want to get pregnant?"

"Of course, but ifI have to sacrifice having kids for you, then it's no contest."

I smiled. "You're amazing."

So we laid out under the stars, and until Emmett and Rosalie were finished, we stayed out in the meadow.

The meadow. It had brought us so many good things, and bad things. Our first trip together was in the meadow. Her blush, her pulse, her breath. The meadow where we ran into trouble countless times. Our meadow.

I smiled as I realized that it would be our meadow, Bella and I's meadow, forever.