Forwarded To My Future

by Foenix2phorks

Complete. Bella is resigned to living a boring and unfulfilling life until she's old enough to graduate. But that was before fate stepped in. Looking up from her lunch tray, she sees four perfectly sculpted, pale faces - plus a bronze-haired, green eyed boy known for his gentility. He's not like the other boys in Forks. Can he help make her life a little more interesting? AU.

29. Free To Decide

A/N- Sorry for the update delay. Here's a long chapter to make it up to you. Forgive me, please?

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Chapter 29- Free To Decide

June 3, 2006

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It rained today. Of course, that isn't a new phenomena around here. Forks and dampness practically go hand in hand. The relentless tapping on the roof began this morning and has continued well into the afternoon. I know this is so because I've been sitting at my bedroom window - watching the raindrops dripping from the sky - on and off all day. It's not like I have anything better to do on this particular Saturday. Graduation comes on Monday, so I have no homework to occupy my time. I have no job to go to since I left the sporting goods store last week - all because I wrongly assumed I would be too busy these next few days to keep up with the responsibility. And I can't hang out with any of my friends because they are either out of town for the weekend or too busy preparing for the upcoming graduation ceremony.

It wasn't supposed to be like this. Mom and Phil had plans to fly here yesterday for the upcoming graduation ceremony. If things had gone as expected, I would right now be off on an adventure with Mom - likely one which begins with her forgetting where her purse went before we even leave her hotel room. Though instead of us spending quality time together, she's in Jacksonville nursing her husband back to health.

"Sweetie, I have terrible news." That was the very first thing out of her mouth when I answered the phone this past Tuesday. I could hear it in her voice that she had been crying.

"What is it? What's wrong?" I asked in a rush.

"It's Phil. He was demonstrating how to slide across a base during practice when he came down too hard. When someone tried to help him up, he couldn't walk or put any weight on his legs. He's been in the emergency room all afternoon. The doctors say he fractured his thigh bone." She paused in the story to do a sharp sniff. "I can't stand seeing him in so much pain."

Phil in the emergency room was bad news indeed. I pulled out a chair and fell into the seat, trying to remain as calm as possible. Although Mom is happy and carefree 99% of the time, it's that 1% that you have to watch out for. All it takes is for her to be told someone she cares about is hurt and she becomes a blubbering mess. And if you make the mistake of sounding overly concerned and not optimistic enough, her anxiety will quickly spiral into full-fledged hysteria which takes hours for her to settle down from.

"It will be all right, Mom," I consoled, sounding uncannily like a female Mr. Rogers. "I'm sure the doctors are working hard to help Phil, so try not to worry. Remember that he's a strong, healthy guy. He will get better soon."

Another sniff came from her end. "One of Phil's doctors did say that after his surgery, he should be as good as new in just a few weeks time," Mom added with a touch of uncertainty.

"See? Everything will be fine."

Mom exhaled heavily. "You're right, baby. Though I'm still worried about how he's going to take the recovery process. They say that he'll be in the hospital until at least Friday, and then it will be a long bed rest at home. I really don't see how I'll be able to get him to sit still for two whole weeks! Phil loves being active, you know. Sitting around the house isn't his style. I just know the moment my back is turned that man will try to hobble outside to do something he isn't supposed to - like mowing the lawn or washing the car."

Something she said offhand grabbed my attention right away. Two weeks of bed rest?

Cold reality slapped me in the face.

"Mom? You won't be able to come... will you?"

Approximately four seconds of silence passed.

"Oh, baby," Mom gasped. Soon she was weeping harder than before. "I've been running around worrying so much since the accident happened that the trip to Forks never crossed my mind. I'm so sorry, but I don't think we'll be able to make it to your graduation."

I swallowed hard at what I had already guessed. She couldn't leave her injured husband behind to fend for himself just so she can see Principal Greene hand me a diploma.

"I understand, Mom," I agreed. "It's OK. Phil needs you. You have to stay with him."

And she did.

She called this morning to let me know that Phil has been released from the hospital and sent home to recuperate. Additionally, a big pot of chicken noodle soup with his name on it is simmering on their stove top. It was a recipe she found online that claimed it was an immune system booster. She revealed excitedly that there will be enough to freeze for several future meals.

Poor Phil.

First a broken bone, and now home-cooked meals made by Renée Dwyer. I hope he has Poison Control on speed dial. But Phil has a lot of good friends down there. I'm sure someone will take pity and sneak some real food to him every now and then.

Although my morning and afternoon turned out boring today, the remainder of my evening should be interesting. Yesterday - on our very last day of school - Edward confided that he wanted us to go "someplace special" tonight. My eyes narrowed on his outwardly angelic face. For him to use that particular term could only mean one thing - he planned to take us to some snooty restaurant where I would feel out of place and inadequate. I confronted him about it and reminded him that blowing hundreds of bucks on a single meal was wasteful. He smirked at my scowling face and told me that I had it all wrong. While he refused to reveal the details of where we will go tonight, he did promise that our dinner would be a reasonable affair and nothing outrageously expensive. Then he added that he had a few errands to run beforehand and asked if it would be OK if he picks me up at 7:30. I warily agreed to those terms. If he breaks them tonight and I find myself at an expensive restaurant where I would need to take out a loan just to cover the waiter's tip, I hope he knows there will be hell to pay.

The oil slick black rain clouds from this morning gradually morph to gray as the afternoon progresses. When the rain stops, the dark clouds remain. A few minutes after seven, I set down the book I had been reading and rush to get ready for Edward's arrival. My sweatshirt gets tossed on a chair and I throw on a light colored blouse. Then I give my hair a few strokes with my brush, check the mirror to make sure I don't have anything gross stuck between my teeth, and run downstairs as soon as I hear his car pull up outside.

I am pleased to find that Edward isn't wearing a three-piece suit or anything similarly fancy to indicate that he is taking us to some overpriced eatery. I smile and head in his direction, checking him out as I do so. He's looking about as handsome as a man can get in a simple black t-shirt and jeans.

I climb into the passenger seat of the Volvo and buckle up. Around five seconds later, he whips out a piece of silky fabric from his pocket and silently encourages me to take it.

I pinch the black material between two fingers and lift it up for examination. It's small and has a piece of elastic connecting one side to the other. I realize it's one of those masks people use to block out light when they want to sleep.

My forehead furrows downwards, not understanding why Edward gave it to me. Does he think I need a nap? Do I have bags under my eyes?

"What's this for?"

"It's just a sleep mask. Put it on," he directs without really answering my question.

I give him the side-eye, my suspicions mounting. I've seen too many movie plots where it begins with someone being blindfolded and ends with them sleeping with the fishes. Blindfolds - in whatever form they may come in - are not a good thing. And, frankly, neither are surprises in my humble opinion. Combine the two, and you're just asking for trouble.

"I know what it is," I fire back. "But why do you want me to put it on? If you're taking me someplace that requires me to wear a blindfold, I'm going to guess that I'm not going to like it very much."

His eyes roll around in their sockets before he responds. "We're going to a place that you've been plenty of times. It's just...different right now. OK? There's nothing to worry about. Trust me."

I am very much tempted to highlight the fact that being driven around blindfolded all night long doesn't sound like the fun date night he hinted about yesterday. But he interrupts me before I can utter a peep of protest. "It will only be for a little while. The place we're going is relatively close by. I promise." Then he stares straight at me, the deep green of his irises piercing the air between us. In my mind's eye, his black pupils start swirling hypnotically - like pinwheels - coaxing me to do what he asks.

It's really not fair when he looks at me like this. Any resistance on my part becomes futile as soon as he turns on the smolder. Maybe wearing a blindfold isn't such a bad idea for me. If I can't see his face, I'd probably win more arguments.

"Fine," I moan irritably. The elastic band of the sleep mask (aka my blindfold) snaps into the back of my head and I lower the dark material over my eyes. The sooner we get this over with the better.

"Can you see anything?" he checks.

I so badly want to give him another dirty look, but the stupid sleep mask would keep him from seeing it. Therefore it makes no sense for me to even bother.

I let out a long sigh. "No."

A moment later, the engine fires up and he takes the car out of park. I remain quiet and concentrate, attempting to use my heightened senses to compensate for my lack of eyesight. I figure that if I pay attention to the car's movements, I can guess on my own where he is taking us. But I think my senses must be faulty because not long after we turn right at the end of my street, I'm already lost. The car makes turn after turn. A left here. A right there. Then another left twenty seconds later. I don't understand it. I never realized Forks has so many streets.

I give up tracking our movements and instead spend the ride quietly speculating on where we are going. Only a few places are open at this time on a Saturday night in Forks. There's the Thriftway grocery store. A couple of gas stations. The Forks Pharmacy. The Lodge Steakhouse located just off the highway. And, of course, the Forks Diner. But I doubt Edward is taking us there. I haven't exactly kept my hatred for that place a secret.

After what seems like five miles worth of driving, I detect the car slowing down. Soon, we stop completely. The purring of the engine switches off. His door slams shut while the passenger side flings open seconds later. The cool outside breeze caresses my face. I strain my ears in search of clues as to where we are, but all I hear are distant cars and the wind rustling through tree leaves.

Edward's hand wraps around my wrist and pulls me up to stand. I wobble in place and instinctively fist his shirt to keep from tipping over. Not being able to see where I'm going automatically places my clumsy setting to the max.

"Can I take this off now?" I grumble, pointing up to the sleep mask.

"Not yet. We're almost there."

With his hand in mine and an arm at my waist, he gently tows me forward. I try not to frown but I can't help it. This surprise of his is getting out of hand. I must look so dumb wearing this stupid thing - like a pea-brained Zorro who forgot to put eyeholes in her mask. Any second now, I'm sure I'll hear bystanders as they snicker at the sight of me blindly stumbling around in this getup.

But I am ultimately proven wrong. I never hear any laughter. There are no voices to indicate that there is a crowd anywhere around here either. I don't hear much of anything except for our footsteps.

A minute or so of walking ends with the sound of a door creaking open. Edward warns me to step over the threshold as we pass through the entryway. Soon the light tinkling of piano keys along with a soft, feminine voice crooning an old song floats into my ears.

My eyebrows snap together like the elastic band from the sleep mask. Where in the hell are we? Did someone build a jazz club in Forks?

Fingers other than my own lift the makeshift blindfold from my face. My eyelids squeeze together. After being in the dark for so long, the glare of lights briefly stings. I blink a few times to clear my hazy vision.

Once I can see properly again, I take in our new surroundings. We are in a large room with very little in the way of furniture. There are only two cloth-covered tables sitting on opposite walls. One table has a stereo system with large speakers - evidently the source of that jazzy melody I hear playing since I don't see any pianos around here. It takes me a moment to recognize it as the stereo from Edward's room. The other table holds dinner plates, a covered silver plater, a lit candelabra, and two cushioned dining chairs.

Although the tables are nice, it's the decorations of the room which leave me speechless. Helium-filled, white and gold balloons float, dance, and collide against each other at the ceiling. Tucked in every corner and hung on every available wall is a truck load of delicate white flowers, putting off a sweet floral scent that reminds me of Edward's meadow. And I come to gradually realize the lighting is not as harsh as I had first assumed. It's soft and warm, the effect created by hundreds of tea lights which have been spaced evenly around the perimeter of the space.

As I marvel at everything, I notice little things that look strangely familiar. The walls are made from concrete blocks that are painted white. And although the overhead lighting is turned off and partially hidden by numerous floating balloons, I can tell that it's in that no-frills style that is often favored at old institutions. Like hospitals, prisons, and-

I suck in a breath and stare at everything in renewed wonder.

I know this place.

I've been here almost every day since my move from Phoenix. However, it has vastly improved in looks since I saw it yesterday.

It's a Saturday night in Forks, and Edward brought me to have dinner at our high school cafeteria.

I spin in place and gape open-mouthed at the changes which took place overnight. Where are the dozens of tables and hundreds of uncomfortable metal chairs that make your butt go numb? Where's the scent of greasy French fries, spilled milk, and Mr. Banner's favorite lunch of sauerkraut burritos? And, most importantly, when did Edward have the time to do this? All I did today was read a book and eat a bagel smothered in cream cheese.

My wide eyes dart over to him and search for answers. "H-how did you...?"

Edward's gaze makes a leisurely sweep of the place, as if it's normal that the Forks High lunchroom looks ready to throw a New Year's Eve style celebration in June. "Alice and Jasper came by this afternoon and did all this for me. They did a wonderful job, don't you think?"

I take another glance around. "Well, yeah... But why?"

He doesn't answer right away. With his fingers tangled with mine, he pulls me from the entryway and escorts me across the room. Once we reach the exact center of the cafeteria, we stop walking.

"Because I felt that this room deserves a proper goodbye," he replies, holding on to both of my hands. His head jerks slightly to its left, eyes traveling in the same direction. "That's the table where a lovely but homesick girl chose to sit at a year and a half ago." He glances to his right, frowning at the table holding the stereo system. "And that's the table which sat a clueless boy that thought his life was over. A boy that had reconciled himself to living a half life instead of a full one..."

He steps in closer, staring with hooded eyes. My breathing picks up as the pad of his finger strokes my cheek. "Do you realize the effect you had on me the moment I first saw you? I had seen thousands of faces in my lifetime, Bella, but never had I experienced anything resembling what happened to me that day. It felt as though you could see right down to my soul."

I stand a little taller, surprised by his confession. Nearly the same thing happened to me on my first day at Forks High. I remember that the boy with the mop of untamed bronze-hair captured my curiosity immediately. Then the stranger happened to turn his head a few degrees and locked eyes with me from across the cafeteria. I have been hooked on him ever since.

"I noticed you that day too," I murmur thoughtfully. "You seemed so sad. I couldn't stop watching you... And then you caught me staring at you."

"I stared at you plenty that day myself." He pauses to wink at me, lightening the heavy mood. "I thought you looked like a beautiful nymph - straight from Greek mythology."

My face scrunches up, the expression one of pure disbelief. "A nymph? I reminded you of a half-naked girl that gets chased by satyrs through the forest?"

"Well, yes. I'm the satyr in this scenario, you see," he jokes, straight-faced.

It's almost impossible imagining Edward as a drunken, half-goat man without laughing. I barely manage to hold it in.

Edward leans in dangerously close, eyes trained on me with a predatory gleam. "I'm still chasing you," he purrs.

I click my tongue at his teasing - although I also kind of want to throw my body at him and let him do whatever he pleases with it. This is a common problem for me now.

"You can't chase what you've already caught, Edward," I retort, suppressing a smile.

One bronze eyebrow arches back at me and he plays along. "Have I now? And what do you think I should do with you now that I have you in my clutches?"

I gaze up at him through my eyelashes. "Oh... I'm sure you'll find something to occupy us," I hint.

A crooked smile slides up his face. "I think so, too."

Bending slowly at the waist, his lips hover inches away from my own. My pulses races as I watch him make his move. But then, with no warning, he stops in his tracks. He backs up slightly, allowing his gaze to heat up further.

"Close your eyes," he directs in a low voice.

My eyes slam shut without hesitation. He could have told me to sing the National Anthem off-key and I probably would have done it as long as it ends with his mouth somewhere on me. But this is easy. And rewarding. Everyone knows that kissing with your eyes closed makes the experience a hundred times better.

One of Edward's hands slips out of my grasp. I don't have to ask why. My smile grows as I await what's to come. At any second, those fingers of his will tilt my face up for easier access. Next, they will bury themselves deep in my hair and fondle the strands. Then, he will swoop in to capture my lips in a way that sends sparks to every nerve ending in my body. His methods may be predictable, but it's always perfect.

But as I stand here, the seconds begin piling up. Nothing much is happening. I don't feel any lip action at all. There's no good, old-fashioned groping going on either.

What's taking him so long? And why is he quiet all of the sudden? If I wasn't holding on to one of his hands, I would think he hightailed it out of the cafeteria and left me behind.

With eyes firmly shut, my mouth lowers into a small frown. "Edward?"

I am met with silence for several seconds more.

"You can open them now, Bella," he replies gently.

Huh?

OPEN my eyes? What about my kiss?

I pry my eyelids apart and look up to where his face should be towering above my head. But he isn't there. My eyes drop to our joined hands. And that's when I discover Edward squatting on the floor in front of me.

I blink and furrow my brow at his strange position, wondering why he chose to get down there when it's probably crawling with germs and remnants of the tuna fish salad the lunch ladies served yesterday. I seriously doubt Jasper and Alice had the time to give this place the biohazard scrubbing it deserves before they set up the elaborate decorations.

On the verge of pointing this out, I stop myself once I take note of the serious expression on Edward's face. I study him further and realize that he isn't really squatting. His left knee is making contact with the tile floor. And, oddly, in the palm of his free hand rests a tiny black box that wasn't there earlier.

A funny feeling crawls up my spine. I carefully reevaluate the situation.

I was brought to a place which is meaningful to the both of us. Edward has dropped down on one knee. And he holds up the black box in the air as if it's an offering to me...

My world spins off its axis.

I thought Edward drove us here because he's sentimental, romantic, and wanted to cheer me up after the rough week I had.

Now I think I understand the true reason.

I gape with bulging eyes at the man kneeling before me. At the same time, the erratic thumping of my heart threatens to burst through my rib cage. There's about a million things I want to say but nothing will come out. Intelligible words have temporarily left my brain until further notice.

Edward's thumb grazes across my knuckles in a comforting pattern. "I brought you here tonight because I want the next phase of our lives to be as wonderful as the beginning," he explains, still on bended knee. "I think I began to fall in love with you the moment that I first set eyes upon you. It may have been your beguiling beauty that first caught my attention, but it was your undeniably enchanting personality and intelligence that holds me to this day.

"You are the reason why I wake up with a smile on my face. You are the reason why I have hopes and dreams again. You are my life, and I want to spend the rest of it making you happy. I'll wait for you for as long as it takes, but I need to ask you regardless of what you may decide."

With his gaze pinned to my face, Edward takes a breath and briefly holds it. The tiny black box cracks open, sounding abnormally loud to my ears. "Isabella Swan," he begins formally. "Will you marry me?"

I look down and see a gold ring with a diamond about as large as my protruding eyeball staring back, as though it's waiting for me to answer his question too. My lips move wordlessly several times. I'm so flustered, I don't even have the strength to complain that he used my full name instead of just Bella.

Out of all the things I thought we would do tonight, this was not one of them. He never so much as hinted at what he had planned. Sure, he's mentioned little things here and there over the past year or so to indicate that he wants our lives permanently intertwined one day, but he never said anything about proposing so soon.

I swallow the hard lump blocking my airway. "Edward... This is - crazy... Who gets married at eighteen?" I wheeze, nearly breathless.

One broad shoulder gives a nonchalant shrug. "Lots of people have."

My eyes narrow down at him. "I meant people that live in this century, Edward. No one gets married right out of high school." I'm sure back during olden times, a girl marrying at eighteen was no big deal. If you were still single at twenty years old, folks around town probably called you a spinster behind your back. But Edward needs to wake up to the fact that he doesn't live in that age anymore. In 2006, it creates lots of unwelcome talk.

"Timing is but a detail, love. Should it matter that we found each other now instead of later? I don't want to waste precious time together just because a few people may raise their eyebrows at our marrying at a young age. As long as it is what we both want, the rest doesn't matter."

The corners of my lips lower half an inch. He made his argument sound sensible. How does he do that? I think he may have been a career politician in a former life and that's why he debates so well. Though my biggest concern is one that he made no mention of.

My body nervously shifts its weight to my other leg. "But my parents would flip if we... you know. They married right after graduation, and look what happened to them. They divorced before I could even walk."

His face pivots to the side, eyes boring into mine. "First of all, we are not your parents. They had only been together for a short while and married on the spur of the moment. We, however, have been a couple for over a year. And my desire to marry you certainly isn't a wild or spontaneous idea that I just thought up a few days ago. I planned this months ago. And, secondly, they will not - as you claim - 'flip out' if we were to do this."

I force myself not to roll my eyes. Clearly, his optimism is clouding his judgement. Has he forgotten who my parents are?

"Yes they will. Charlie will shoot you for even asking me and then he'll have a heart attack," I counter. Just the thought of him hearing about this has my palms sweating.

Edward's chest shakes as he softly laughs, the sound more alluring than the music playing in the room. "That's utter nonsense. The man is stronger and more levelheaded than you give him credit... Besides, he already knows."

The lower half of my jaw almost detaches from its hinge.

"No way," I yelp once my ability to speak returns. I covertly check Edward's body for signs of bullet holes. It wouldn't look good if the police chief had to be carted off to jail, so there was probably a cover-up going on behind the scenes after Charlie shot him. And I have no doubt Carlisle knows how to sew up a wound until it's almost invisible to the human eye.

Edward's smile grows wider. "Oh, yes. I let him know weeks ago that I would be asking you soon."

My eyes enlarge to their maximum. This boyfriend of mine is more old-fashioned than I ever could have imagined.

"You asked Charlie for permission to marry me?" I enunciate carefully. Then I bite my tongue, holding back my snarky remark of if he asked Charlie about the details of my dowry too. This is twenty-first century Forks, Washington. Not fifteenth century England.

His head shakes in the negative. "No. It was more of an...advanced notification. I simply visited him at the police station and explained to him my intentions."

My eyelids flutter a few times, bewildered by this easy-breezy explanation. It wasn't long ago when my father was grumbling about how Edward and I were going off to Florida without his supervision for a few days. So how could he possibly be OK with us taking an even bigger step than that?

I stare down at Edward's kneeling form and probe for more information. "And what did he say?"

"He claimed that he had a feeling it was coming. I'm at your house nearly everyday. And - I should guess - just by the way I look at you, it probably clued him in on what I had in mind. So, really he seemed more philosophic than surprised."

Charlie had a feeling it was coming?

How is that possible when I had no clue about it myself?

While I am quietly puzzling over this conundrum, Edward drops another bomb on me. "And before you say anything more, you should be aware that I alerted your mother as well."

My stomach recoils from the shock. It seems like every single word from Edward's mouth tonight only stuns me further.

My head shakes from side to side. "No. You couldn't have. You don't even have her phone number."

His smile is smug, yet somehow he manages to make it look attractive. "You are correct on that front. I didn't call her. I told her - in person - back when we visited her during spring break."

I struggle to make sense of what he said. Then, I let out a startled gasp. "That was...almost two months ago! Why didn't she say anything to me?"

"Well, I asked her to keep it to herself and she agreed."

I stare at him in absolute stupefaction for twenty seconds straight. Slowly, I regather my wits.

"My mother promised to keep this a secret from me? The same woman who always blurted out what she bought for my birthday - because she was 'too excited' to keep it a surprise - agreed to keep her mouth shut?"

Edward nods with a hint of amusement. "It seems so."

Did Edward drive us to an alternate universe where everything is opposite from our former reality? Because none of this makes sense otherwise.

I suck in a lung-full of air, trying hard to not black out from worry. "So, what did she say?"

Edward's mouth twists ruminatively as he forms a reply. "Basically the same thing as Charlie. I will venture to say that she even appeared thrilled that I was asking for her blessing. She thought it was a quaint and gentlemanly custom."

Anxiety has me practically trembling in my sneakers. I don't buy his story one bit. Obviously Edward is sugarcoating what really went on that day. I know my mother. She spent the seventeen years I lived under her roof reminding me of her greatest mistake - her quickie first marriage. She told me she was too young, too irresponsible, and too unprepared back then to have gotten married to Charlie so soon into their relationship. And Edward expects me to believe that she is fine with us doing exactly what she warned me against? I don't think so. He has to be leaving out the bad parts of their encounter.

"But what did she do, Edward?" I stress with aching lungs. "How much did she scream? Did she throw anything?"

His lips press together while his eyes shine up at me. "Umm...no, if I recall correctly. She seemed calm. Apparently, you have spoken so highly of me for so long that she accepted that something likely would be happening between us. She claimed that she thought it would either be marriage or 'shacking up together'. Which, by the way, were her words, not mine."

My panicked breathing gradually subsides. That last part does sound like something Mom would say. And I guess I have talked very good about Edward a lot to her, too. Then, when we visited her, she saw for herself how hard I've fallen for him.

Edward must be telling me the truth.

But the truth can hurt sometimes. My mother gave dozens of speeches through the years, drilling it into my skull not to make her same mistakes. Now - suddenly - she doesn't seem to mind that her daughter is committing herself to someone right out of high school. And my dad is OK with everything, too. No complaints. No concerns. That can only mean one thing.

"So...they don't care?" I murmur with a small frown.

Edward's amusement disappears, his mouth forming a straight line "They care, Bella. Very much so. But, they would rather let you make your own decisions. It's your life to live. And they will support you in whatever you decide. As will I."

A heavy weight lifts from my shoulders. It registers within me that I am an adult now, and my parents are treating me like one. It feels good.

But even with the worry of disappointing them no longer as great of a concern, the big question that started all of this remains. Edward asked me to marry him.

And I'm not sure what I should say.

I gulp down a wad of saliva and play back his comments from only a few moments ago. Then I repeat it aloud, making sure I understand it correctly. "So, if I were to say that I needed to think it over first, you would be OK with it?"

His reply is instant. "Yes. I told you that I will wait however long you want - be it days or years. But I needed to ask you this now so you will know - without a doubt - what my feelings are towards you."

Wonderful relief washes over me, lessening the stress tenfold. Knowing that he doesn't expect a yes or no response at this very moment allows me to breathe normally again.

But my relief is short lived as I take a good look at this man. Guilt rapidly takes its place. Edward remains crouched down on his knee, groveling at my feet like I'm royalty and he's nothing but dirt. I don't like it. I've been so preoccupied with my own fears and paranoia that I neglected to consider what I have put him though tonight. What must he be thinking after seeing me have freakout after freakout over the mere thought of marrying him? He probably thinks the worst - that I don't feel the same as he does about me.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

"Get up please," I urge, my voice above a whisper.

He rises gracefully from the floor, eyes on me the entire time. As he straightens his tall frame, the tiny satin box remains wide open in his palm. I never really got a good look at it until now. The diamond ring gleams in its black box, casting off a light bright enough that Robinson Crusoe could have used it to send distress signals to passing ships.

I step closer and study the ring. A large, oval-cut diamond is the focal point. Several smaller stones surround it like ladies in waiting, each one as lovely as the next. My index finger traces the cool gold of the band, amazed at the detail that went into the delicate, floral design. It must have taken some craftsman dozens of hours to make something this elaborate.

"It's beautiful," I admit.

As I continue to stare at it, it sinks in that Edward means to give this work of art to me - the plain girl who prefers McDonald's to a five star restaurant. I even wear sweatshirts on dinner dates sometimes when I'm too lazy to dress up. I'm not worthy of something this beautiful. Or expensive. Mr. Multimillionaire here probably said to hell with it and instructed the sales clerk at the jewelry store to bring him the most costly item they carried. I hate to believe he would waste so much on me.

I refocus on Edward's face, hoping that my instincts are wrong. If I'm lucky, maybe he will admit the diamond is a cubic zirconia. "This didn't cost an arm and a leg, did it? Please tell me that you won this out of a bubblegum machine or something. Or it says 'Made In China' in tiny letters somewhere."

A charming smirk is directed at me. "It was neither an arm or leg, nor did I sell my soul or anything else you could possibly think up. Actually, this didn't cost me anything. This is the ring that my father presented to my mother. I inherited it."

My eyes drop back to the object in his hand. It's in very good condition considering its age. The gold is flawless and unscratched. The precocious stones shine just as brilliantly as if they had been cut and polished yesterday. The ring is timelessly classy.

"I never would have suspected that. It looks like new," I breathe out.

"This was made over a hundred years ago."

A warm tingling grips my heart as we admire it together. Mrs. Elizabeth Masen - the woman that brought Edward into this world and was strong enough to push the vampire Dr. Carlisle Cullen to find her son - owned this exact ring. It feels as though I'm viewing a sacred relic, like a clipping of Saint Peter's hair. Although the bond they shared was once strong, Edward doesn't speak of her very often. Every now and then, he will smile and recall something she once said or did. Whenever I hear a new detail about her, it only seems to add to her mystique. Intelligent. Beautiful. Caring. Sophisticated. Witty. Mrs. Masen sounds practically too good to be true. But this ring proves she once existed. She was a real person - not just a lovely face from the old sepia-hued photographs her son keeps in a scrapbook. She wore it the day she became Edward Senior's wife. She wore it when she hosted fancy dress balls and attended high society tea parties. And, she wore it the day she took her last breath on this earth. She may be gone now, but her memory and the love she had for her family continues to burn brighter than the diamonds of her ring. And the idea that Edward would want to give me something so personal of his mother's has officially transformed my insides to mush.

"I suppose this would be considered rather old-fashioned nowadays." I glance up from the ring to find Edward's eyes shifting from side to side, suddenly unable to look at me head on. "If ever, or whenever, you decide that you want to marry me, you can choose a more up-to-date ring," he offers.

What? A NEW ring?

My forehead scrunches into a mass of wrinkles, repulsed by the very idea.

Edward rambles on obliviously. "Alice suggested a few places in Seattle that have more modern jewelry that you may find more to your liking. Though, knowing her, those places would-"

My finger lands on his lips to silence him. He stares back with a touch of confusion, the way I probably looked a few minutes ago when he first dropped down on his knee. But I'm not confused anymore. Everything begins clicking into place, like cogs turning a clock's delicate mechanisms - pushing its hands forward instead of backwards. I don't want Edward to search for a new ring because the one he holds is perfect. This ring actually means something to us both. I can even picture it on my finger - not as something to weigh me down, but as something to treasure and take pride in. And after I finish imagining it on my left ring finger, I surprise even myself. I discover that I want it there.

The tip of my finger continues to press against his firm lips. I immerse myself in the look in his eyes, unable to tear my attention away. To be honest, this happens a lot. But it's more than just his handsome face which fascinates me. It's everything about him. Because when I look at Edward, I see things I never before thought possible - like light-hearted jokes in between kisses, and deep, thought provoking discussions over a simple dinner of chicken nuggets and fries. I see companionship when I look at him. I see love.

I think I see forever.

And that doesn't sound nearly as scary as it once did.

I blink to bring myself back into the present. "No. That won't be necessary. I like this one," I insist.

I peek down at his mother's ring and marvel at it once more. It really is eye-catching. Old in style but better to me than anything else you can find today. It kind of reminds me of someone I know.

Removing my finger from his mouth, the beginnings of a smile lifts my cheeks. "I'm not much for modern things. I find that old-fashioned things are much more attractive," I remark playfully. I didn't know how to flirt very well before my move to Forks. Being with Edward has been a wonderful learning experience.

His bronze eyebrow cocks up at an angle. "Do you now? Is this...preference of yours limited to inanimate objects or does it cover a broader range?"

"Yes. It includes ridiculously attractive males that time travel. They are impossible to resist."

His lip juts out into a small pout. "I wasn't aware that there was such strong competition among that group."

I move in closer, my arms entwining themselves around his neck. "Oh, but there really isn't. You see, I'm seriously considering the offer one of those time travelers gave me. He asked me to marry him, but I haven't given him an answer yet."

"Is that so?"

"That's right. I think that I should give him an answer. Don't you?"

His head nods slowly while his eyes closely monitor my face. "I suppose that would be the proper way to go about doing things. So... what will your answer be?"

My face takes on a broader smile. "I'm thinking that since I love him and plan on being with him forever anyway, that I should go ahead and make it official."

He peers deeper into my eyes, his expression no longer joking. "Are you sure, Bella? I don't want you to agree just because I want this for us. I would rather you be honest and tell me that you need more time than for you to be unhappy in the long run."

I glance down at the floor, taking a moment to decide on how I should explain myself. My eyes dart back up to meet his worried face. "You want honesty? OK. I'm scared out of mind about what Jessica and Angela will say when I tell them I'm engaged. I'm dreading the shoes that I'll be expected to wear. I'm terrified that you'll wake up one day and ask yourself why you picked me out of all the people in the world to be with. But, I can also tell you that what I feel for you will never change. I know what I want, and it's you. So, if marrying you is all that I need to do to make that happen, then I guess I'm saying yes to you."

He stares unblinking, face almost frozen. "You'll marry me?"

I make sure to keep our gazes locked before I respond. "Yes."

A gust of air rushes from his mouth. Seconds later, a grin - gloriously crooked - has his eyes dancing. It's infectious. My smile matches his.

His arms scoop me into a hug. "Thank you," he breathes into my ear.

I can't hold in my giggle. This man... What am I going to do with him? He's acting as if I'm doing him a favor.

"You're welcome."

He holds me tight until I fist the collar of his t-shirt, yanking it downwards. He takes the hint and lowers his face to my level. Our lips crash together, sealing our future with a kiss. But I can't seem to get close enough. I want more and more. I think he does too. An arm locks at my waist like cuffs, giving no indication of releasing me anytime soon. It's an awesome feeling to be this man's object of desire.

Forks High was built over fifty years ago on a wooded lot off the main highway. However, Edward and I do something that no one in the history of the school's baseball team could ever accomplish. Today marks the first time that two bases were crossed in the cafeteria.

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I'm snuggled deep within my blankets when I hear a pounding at my bedroom door. One eye cracks open. Glancing at my alarm clock, I see it's a few minutes past seven. Charlie probably wants to let me know he's going fishing. It is Sunday, after all.

I stifle a yawn. "Yeah. Come in."

I expect to see his head poking inside any second, nervously checking for signs of anything too girlie going on in here that may scar his bachelor eyeballs for life. A few months back, he accidentally walked in on me putting away laundry. I thought I was going to have to perform CPR on him when he caught sight of my sports bra. Now when he needs to come to my room, he practically has his eyes glued shut until he knows for sure the coast is clear.

But it isn't Charlie who waltzes into the room this morning. It's Alice. She's dressed perfectly as always with a beaming smile to top off her look. There's a briefcase under her armpit and she's carrying two stacked cardboard boxes, leading me to believe that the girl is up to no good.

"Morning, sleepyhead. Time to wake up!" she sings like a blue jay. She closes the door and carefully sets her things down at the end of my bed. Skipping to the window, she shoves open the curtains. Daylight briefly enters my room and strikes Alice's ghost-white skin, making her glitter like a '70s era disco ball before the clouds sweep back in to cover the sun.

I stare at her through tired, sleep-deprived eyes. The moment I arrived home last night from our school cafeteria dinner engagement, Charlie called me into the living room. Sitting in his recliner, his eyes soon found the new object shining on my left ring finger. He stared and stared. Eventually he heaved a sigh, cracked open and quickly guzzled down one beer, and then mumbled with a pout that he knew this was going to happen. There was no anger. There were no threats to murder anyone who possesses a dreamy square jaw and fantastic bronze hair. There was only resigned acceptance. It was reassuring to see him take it so well. I decided to keep the ball rolling by calling Mom and letting her know too. She embraced the news, surprising me with her enthusiasm. Edward must have charmed her real good back during spring break. Or he hypnotized her to go along with the idea. He is talented in that way. And as for the lone worry Mom had, he quickly squashed it back then by assuring her that he could support us financially (even though what he claimed isn't one hundred percent accurate). Mom casually mentioned during the phone conversation that it's a good thing Edward's trust fund became available once he reached eighteen. I just hummed in agreement. Then she admitted how difficult it was for her to keep Edward's future proposal a secret from me for so long. I think it helped that she confided to Phil about it and that's why she was able to hold off telling me. Plus she told all of her close friends. And her neighbors. Her hair stylist. The mail carrier. And the pimply bag boy down at her favorite grocery store. Apparently, he wishes us the best of luck.

An hour after I hung up with Mom, Charlie said goodnight and went to bed. Edward and I were then able to engage in a late-night, secret bedroom rendezvous. I didn't mind it at the time since I figured I could sleep in today. But I failed to consider that Alice might pop over this morning.

I shimmy into a sitting position, leaning against the headboard so I won't be tempted to fall back asleep. "Why are you here so early?"

She flies like a bullet to the side of my bed. "We have to get ready for the wedding, silly! There's a whole lot to do in very little time." Her fingers begin ticking off along with her verbal checklist. "We have outfits to find. Caterers and florists to choose from. Musicians to book. And around a thousand other things to decide on... Oh! Congratulations on the engagement, by the way."

She closes her mouth for approximately two seconds, pulls out a magazine from a cardboard box filled to the brim with them, and thrusts the front cover underneath my nose. "See this table centerpiece? It combines dahlias with pillar candles. What do you think? Love it or hate it? Tell me the truth."

My brain has a meltdown. It's too early for this. I can barely think. "Wha-? Alice... I...don't know. I just got engaged last night. Edward and I haven't gotten around to deciding anything yet."

"I know. But you need to start thinking about things now while there's still time to make a plan. If you wait around too long, you may find yourself in Las Vegas at the Chapel Of Love." Her petite frame shudders violently. "There's no dress code there. You can get hitched wearing flip-flops, a t-shirt, and shabby blue jean cutoffs."

My mouth puckers musingly. Flip-flops and a t-shirt? That isn't such a bad idea. Sounds comfortable...

Alice's eyes glaze over. Nanoseconds later, she inhales sharply. "No! You can't do that!"

"Why not?"

Golden eyes dart around in a panic. "Because... because... everyone in Forks is looking forward to the wedding!"

I cock my head and stare hard. "How is that possible? No one here except me, Edward, Charlie, and a handful of vampires even know about the engagement yet."

Alice twiddles her fingers and glances down at the carpet. "Well..." she drags out. "Once they find out about it, then they will look forward to it. Just imagine how sad all your friends from school will be if you and Edward get married out of state and they can't be there."

A fraction of my annoyance dissolves. Jessica would sulk for a week if I eloped with Edward without her knowledge. And I can imagine Angela's face if we did that. There would be a hint of disappointment, although she would likely try hard to conceal it. "That's true," I concede.

"And how do you think Billy and Jacob will feel if the girl they consider practically family doesn't invite them to watch her walk down the aisle?"

My mouth opens to agree. "I guess you're righ-"

"And don't you think your parents would just love seeing you get married in an elegant ceremony? They married in Las Vegas on the cheap, for cryin' out loud! I think they would enjoy seeing their only daughter have the wedding they couldn't afford. And Charlie said before he left the house this morning that he wants to walk you down the aisle. Isn't that sweet? There's not much of an aisle to walk down in Vegas."

Wow.

Charlie said that? He's more sentimental than I thought. Last night after he saw the ring on my finger, all my dad requested was that I don't make him a grandfather yet. That sounds like a good plan to me. Every single houseplant I have ever owned died within a month of entering my care - and all they supposedly needed is a little sun and water every so often. I think human babies are a lot more demanding upkeep wise. So I think I'll pass on having any - at least until I find proof that I have a maternal instinct hiding somewhere inside of me.

Alice shrugs a shoulder and smiles at my stunned expression. "I came by here extra early so I could measure Charlie for his suit. He asked for it be a little loose around his midsection. I think he wants to have room for his belly to expand during the reception. Oh, yeah! And he wants barbeque pork ribs that night, too. It sounds messy but we want to keep him happy, don't we?"

"Yeah, you're right. But-"

"Great! So you agree!" In a flash, she flings open her briefcase and tosses a pile of brochures on my lap. "I took the liberty of finding every facility in a two hundred mile radius that can host a wedding ceremony plus the reception afterwards. As you can see, there's a few dozen churches, some quaint farmsteads, a few decent looking community centers, an abandoned sawmill that was renovated and transformed into a trendy bed and breakfast, and so on and so forth to choose from. Take a look-see and pick your pleasure. But I think the bottom quarter of the pile are places too risky to book. The top few brochures are venues that promised they can host your wedding by the end of the month."

Blood drains away from my face. "T-t-the end of this month?"

She exhales a contented sigh. "Yep. June was made for weddings. Even Rose and Emmett think so. It's their favorite time of year to renew their vows. Thirty-three times it's been so far. And I bet they'll want to do it again after watching you tie the knot. Weddings get them all hot and bothered."

"But I...I hadn't anticipated this happening so soon," I stammer.

"Oh? When were you planning on doing it then?"

I tuck a lock of hair behind my ear. "I haven't thought that far ahead yet."

Alice plops down on the edge of my bed, her face suddenly serious. "OK. So let's start thinking about it then. Do you want this to happen before you two go off to college, or do you want to wait until a later date?"

I suck on my bottom lip while I ponder the question. On the one hand - if Edward and I marry before we're at Cornell - we can move into the same place and live as a couple. That's great. And I wouldn't be forced to share a dorm room with a stranger. That sounds good, too. Additionally, if we're married, no one would be able to complain about me sleeping in the same bed as Edward. I think that's the best perk of all.

But on the other hand, if we put things off for a little longer, we would have more time to become used to the concept of marriage. And maybe I'd become less nervous about walking down the aisle while being stared at by a roomful of people. That's definitely a plus.

Then again... The longer we put things off, the longer Edward's mouth and hands will tease me to death while my lady parts slowly shrivel from disuse...

"Before," I blurt out.

I wish all decisions were this easy to figure out.

Alice makes a high-pitched squeal that would damage a bat's sensitive hearing. "Yes! I was hoping you'd say that!"

"But not June, Alice. That's too soon," I demand.

"Fine... Then how about the end of July? That will give us plenty of time to make all of the wedding arrangements. Plus, we need to schedule you in for a doctor's appointment. You need to choose your birth control before the honeymoon starts. Edward has a month long trip planned." She smirks mischievously at my widening eyes. I hope it's just a coincidence that she's thinking along the same lines as I was only a few moments ago.

I clear my throat nervously. "Yeah. But - um - no Doctor Cullen. OK?"

She titters into her pale hand. "Absolutely. Talking about your sexual history - or lack thereof - with the man Edward looks up to as a father figure does sound awkward." She taps on the stack of brochures on my legs. "So now that we're decided on that, it's time to start picking out the venue."

I feel a headache coming on as I glance at the enormous pile. I would need to examine each one, comparing their strengths and weaknesses. High school graduation is tomorrow. I thought I was done with studying for a while.

My weary eyes meet bright, energetic ones. "Alice, I don't think it's right to make these types of decisions without Edward being present. He might have some preferences about this that I'm not aware of." Although I am only seeking a way out of working so hard this morning, what I said is absolutely correct. I want him to be happy too. Edward was too busy last night nibbling on my neck to tell me if he wants a small, private ceremony or a big one.

Alice's hand waves my objection away. "Don't worry about Edward being left out of the planning. He doesn't mind what we do as long as you and he are married in the end. In fact, he already gave us the go ahead to start hammering out the details."

My eyebrows rocket up to my hairline. This is unexpected. "What did he say?"

"I'll give you his exact words." She deepens her voice to imitate Edward's cadence. "Anytime, anyplace, and in whatever color scheme Bella wants is fine with me, Alice. Now stop with your nagging and get out of my room. It's 4:30 in the morning."

My shoulders slump at the news. Now that I am out of excuses, I can't put this wedding planning thing off any longer. I lift up one brochure and skim over it. It brags for an entire paragraph about how a Kennedy clan member once slept there. Too pretentious. I pick up another brochure. Everything in the building is in shades of scarlet red and ink black - looking about as elegant as a crypt. Too goth looking...and terrifying. I snatch another brochure to check out. It shows pictures of an outdoor, mountaintop ceremony. Nope and nope. It would inevitably rain us out. Then I would slide on a wet pebble and tumble to my death far, far below. So, too dangerous.

After several minutes, I shove off the brochures and groan. Alice pauses digging through her extensive wedding magazine collection and stares my way. "What's wrong? Too hard to pick which one you like the most?"

"No, I don't like any of them so far. And some of them use the weirdest terms to describe their amenities. What exactly does it mean when they say the reception hall is 'filled with a cozy ambiance'?"

Alice snorts. "That's just a fancy BS term. It means that you can fit maybe twenty people in there before the room bursts apart at the seams."

My face falls into my hands. Planning anything more elaborate than a three course dinner is so far above my ability that it isn't even funny. I'm about to say "screw it" and tell Alice that Vegas is beginning to sound good again.

A cold stone arm comforts me, her hand patting my back. "It's all right. We'll figure something out." After a few silent seconds, she adds, "May I make a suggestion?"

I peek between my fingers and nod my head.

"I didn't want to say anything yet in case you fell in love with one of the choices, but I guess that won't be a problem. You see, I thought of the perfect locale. It's comfortable. It has plenty of room, both indoors and out. It's only a short drive away. And it wouldn't cost us a dime."

Even though I won't be paying out of pocket for any of this myself, hearing that something is free automatically perks my interest. "Where?"

"Our house! We can have the ceremony inside and the reception outside. But if it does rain, there's enough space inside to host the reception too! Esme already said that it would be fine with her. She even has a few ideas regarding the decorations that you may like."

I blink back in awe. That actually sounds perfect.

"OK."

Her smile cranks up full throttle. "Are you positive?"

"Sure. It seems fitting that the house of the groom - and my maid of honor - would be the best place to hold this thing."

The announcement that she will be the lone member of my wedding entourage only serves to energize her more. Her mouth starts moving at a zillion words a minute, all while pointing at pictures of bridesmaids gowns and asking me which one I like best.

"I don't know," I mumble. My late night Frenching with Edward has caught up with me. I can barely keep my eyes open. "Which one do you think is best?"

With lightning fast speed, her finger lands on a photo spread towards the back of a magazine. "This one. It's silver and beautiful but won't distract from your dress."

My entire body goes rigid. "My dress?"

"Uh-huh. I made it last year just for this occasion. It's my best creation yet. You won't find a bridal gown like this anywhere. You can come over and see it today if you want. But just so you know, I already had a vision of you telling me that you absolutely love it." Almost as soon as she finishes saying this, her look of confidence fades. Her lips pucker out like a child worried of being reprimanded. "If that's all right with you, of course. We can always find something else if you want."

My eyes squint suspiciously. "Will I be able to walk in it without tripping on the train?" If it's anything like Princess Diana's wedding gown, I will be in serious trouble.

"There's no train. The dress ends at your ankles. I don't foresee any problems there. "

My eyes narrow further. "Does it show off a lot of cleavage?"

"Nope. None at all. It's very demure."

I relax and release a breath. "Then it should be fine," I agree. At least I hope the dress is fine. I'll check it out soon myself just to make sure.

Fast forward a few minutes, and she's flipping through a magazine with smartly dressed men gracing its pages. She's asking if I prefer black or white tuxedos. She's asking if I want the guys in single or double breasted jackets. She's asking if I am in favor of cummerbunds. I have no stance on this issue since I have no idea what a cummerbund is.

Once she's describing all of the neckwear choices for guys nowadays, I make an snap decision.

"Alice," I interrupt, catching her eye. "This isn't going to work." Her happy smile vanishes in an instant. I keep on going. "I know I should care about all this stuff - like what type of flowers should be in the bridal bouquet and what appetizers to serve during the reception - but I just don't have it in me. Obviously, I wasn't made for event planning. So if you don't mind, do you think you can handle making these types of decisions for me? As long as absolutely everything isn't in shades of pink, I'll be OK with it."

Alice's eyes explode with excitement. "Really?" she squeaks. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah. Umm. And if you ever get to a point where you're not sure about something, just choose what you think I would like."

Alice doesn't need to be told twice. She immediately whips out her cellphone, dials in a number, and chats to someone in what I believe is Italian. Based on a few overheard words, I'm guessing this has something to do with shoes. Old Bella would worry Alice is ordering something crazy for me, like stilettos or platform shoes. New Bella hopes for the best, pulls the blankets up to her shoulders, and falls back asleep.

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June 21, 2006

The passing of time is a funny thing. You can't stop it. Its force is stronger than the wind and more unrelenting than the pounding waves. Something that once seemed impossible becomes commonplace. Something that once sounded frightening can one day be met with anticipation. If someone had told me before I moved to Forks that I would soon be marrying a man who didn't know that microwaves even existed until he saw it inside of a house run by vampires, I would have gotten a good belly laugh at their expense. But times have changed. I can't live without that man, and those vampires now hold a special place in my heart.

Graduation is behind us now. It went about as well as can be expected. Jasper filmed the ceremony so I could send the footage to Mom and Phil. Alice received her tenth high school diploma and added it to her collection. Edward and I each have one now, too. During the ceremony, Emmett whistled and howled as I crossed the stage. Half of the audience laughed when my cheeks heated up to an embarrassing shade, which I think had been his goal all along. He gets his kicks sometimes out of seeing me blush and tripping over random objects. Rosalie stomped on his foot in retaliation. She and I don't talk a whole lot, but I think this was her way of showing she cares.

That night a lot of the graduates and their families headed over to The Lodge for dinner. Edward and I decided that since our friends were around, it would be a good idea to go ahead and inform them of the impending marriage. It would have been awkward if they received the invitations in the mail before I got around to saying anything.

We were huddled in a group making small talk. Angela was filling us in on the details of her soon to be home. "My mom offered to buy all new bedding for me, but I told her that it wasn't necessary. I love my comforter. I wouldn't mind bringing it to UDub."

Jessica closed her eyes and shook her head. "Angela, Angela, Angela. Are you crazy? She's trying to spoil you a little before you leave! When your parental unit wants to splurge, you're supposed to let them do it! Just think of what you may have missed out on. A mini fridge. Ultra, high-def sound system. A lava lamp..."

Mike snorted loudly. "A lava lamp? Why would she need one of those in a dorm room?"

Jessica's eyes glared back. "I don't know, Mike. 'Cause maybe they're fun? Unlike some people who shall remain nameless." The two of them had broken up five days ago. And it wasn't amicably.

Ben looked between the two adversaries. "Uhh... If Angela ever has the need for one, she can always borrow mine. I'll be right across the campus from her."

"Oh, yeah. That's right. You're going to UDub, too," Jessica murmured, her head tilted ruminatively. Her attention swept away from Ben and landed on me. "What about you and Edward? Did either of you make arrangements for a dorm yet?"

My lips felt bone dry. This was it. I had to tell my friends now.

"No. Um... No dorm. We're - uh - getting an apartment."

"Or a house," Edward quickly added.

I sighed. Edward is pro-house. He insists that not only can we afford it, but it would also make us happier to have our own place in the long run. Esme took charge of the search for a suitable house or apartment since she actually knows what she's doing when it comes to real estate.

"Or a house," I repeated in monotone. Having so much money at my disposal will take some getting used to.

Jessica stood to attention, clearly intrigued by this juicy morsel. "So...like you guys are gonna live together?"

"Um-hmm," I answered, chewing my lip.

"And your parents are OK with it?"

"Um-hmm."

She laughed once. "Wow! If I told my dad that I was moving in with my boyfriend, he'd be so pissed. How did you get away with it? Did you tell them that you and Edward are gonna have separate bedrooms or something?"

My arms wrapped around my upper chest. This was harder to announce than I had anticipated. If she was excited by two people living together, what would she say when she found out those same two people are planning to pledge everlasting devotion come next month?

"Uhh..."

Four sets of eyes were staring at me, waiting impatiently for a reply. I couldn't form one. So Edward did the simplest thing to solve the problem. He took my left hand and aimed the ring at their faces. I'm surprised the glare from the diamond didn't blind them.

Mike's skin paled while Jessica's mouth dropped open like a great white shark. "Oh. My. God," she stressed, unable to stop ogling the ring.

Angela was the first to recover from the shock. "You guys are getting married?"

I swallowed and nodded my head.

"When?" She said this normally, as if she were simply asking when it would be a good time to hang out again.

Edward squeezed my hand in a reassuring way. "We're thinking the last Friday in July," he answered for me.

Her eyebrows rose. "That's not too far off... But the weather should be nice then. It's usually a lot drier around here in July."

Jessica's eyes tore themselves away from the engagement ring and glanced down at my midsection. "Hmm... I'm sure July will be fine. You could probably still fit into a regular wedding dress without needing to make a special order. So how far along are you? Three, four months?"

Ben joined Jessica in staring at my belly. Mike was too busy shooting Edward a sneering glare to bother looking. We should have guessed an unexpected pregnancy would be everyone's first assumption...

Angela drew in a sudden intake of breath. "Jess!"

She frowned back at Angela. "What? I'm just curious."

I glanced up at Edward. His face wasn't shining an awful, blushing red like mine. He appeared more irritated than embarrassed - as though steam would soon be blasting from his ears like an overheated teakettle. "No one here is in the family way," he explained through his teeth.

Her nose wrinkled while she blinked rapidly. "Huh?"

I decided that I had better translate his fancy Edwardian speech into something she could better understand. "I'm not pregnant."

"Oh. Then how come you're getting married so quick?" Her eyes narrowed slightly as she said this.

He stared stonily at Jessica for a moment. "Perhaps it's because we love one another and are ready for the commitment."

While Jessica appeared too stumped by his response to speak, Ben took the opportunity to do some kind of weird handshake thing with Edward. "That's awesome, guys. Will I get to be there on the big day?" he grins.

"Of course. You will all be invited."

I nodded in agreement. The invitations would go out just as soon as Alice found the best design. She only had around a thousand to choose from. The problem was that she loved each one.

Jessica's head jerked back. "Whoa. You're gonna have - like - a real wedding? With a reception afterward and stuff?"

Since she was asking a non-humiliating question this time, I answered it for her. "Yeah. It will have everything you'd expect to see, I guess. Food. Cake. Dancing. Our families are making sure of that," I added dryly. The Cullens asked for Mom's phone number yesterday, so now she is feeding even more ideas to Esme and Alice to make the event a "success". I thought having an ice sculpture was going overboard, however my opinion appeared to be in the minority.

"So...you expect for us to have dates, right?"

"It isn't mandatory. But you can bring someone if you want."

Jessica did a quick perusal around the room. Her eyes landed on a face within our group. A sugary-sweet smile materialized without explanation.

"Mike!" she exclaimed, stepping close enough to the boy in question to be practically joined at the hip. "I just love what you did with your hair. Did you use a new brand of gel today?"

His brow furrowed into one long row. "No. I ran out of gel this morning. I only had enough to spike up half of my hair."

She giggled like a hyena, her hand playing with the hair on the nape of his neck "Really? You should totally style it this way all the time. It looks hot."

"You think so?"

"Definitely! When you pick me up for the wedding, this is exactly what I want to see on you when I open my door. OK?"

His brow knitted together again. "What?"

She took him by the arm and began escorting him outside. He didn't fight her at all. "And make sure you clean your SUV before you get me, Mike. The last time I was in it, you forgot about the bucket of worms on the passenger side and I stepped right in it. Do you know how long it took me to clean-"

I looked into the faces of Ben and Angela, who seemed equally as confused as me. Edward just frowned. It appeared that Mike and Jess were back on. Again.

It's been two weeks since their reconciliation, and they're still going. Of course, I wouldn't say that they're relationship is going strong since they bicker so much. But Jessica claims that she loves him and that they're just overly passionate about each other. I guess that's one way to put it.

Yesterday was Edward's birthday. I'm admittedly a little jealous that he's nineteen already. I prefer it when our ages are the same. He insisted on a private celebration in our meadow instead of enduring a big party. What do you give as a gift to the man who has everything? It's simple. A picnic of BLTs, a red velvet cupcake, and an hour of straddling his lap. He seemed happy with those presents at the time.

Today we have a different celebration to observe. June 21 is the official start of summer. The occasion is apparently a big deal to the Quileute wolf pack. Jake invited us to the reservation for a hot dog cookout on the beach. Edward and I accepted.

At this time last year, the Cullens and the pack barely spoke to one another. Things are different now. The change began when a curmudgeonly man named Billy from La Push - plus Jacob - started coming to Charlie's house to visit. They inevitably ran into Edward. Jake was OK with Edward but Billy still viewed him with skepticism. Evidently he believed there had to be something wrong with Edward since he didn't mind living with the Undead. Their relationship built slowly. Like, coral reef building slow. Yet Billy eventually discovered that Edward wasn't insane. And Edward found that underneath Billy's thick, stubborn hide was a decent human being. Edward began sharing what life was really like in the Cullen house. From the doting matriarch to the prankster Emmett, each story surprised Billy. I don't think he had ever accepted that vampires can form legitimate family units until Edward came along. Before Edward's revelation, he considered vampires as nothing more than cold, calculating creatures hell-bent on dining on any human with a heartbeat.

Thanks to Billy's influence, the tribe lightened up on their fears of the Cullens. The residents of La Push no longer avoid the Forks Hospital. Carlisle gives the tribe's elders a heads up whenever Alice foresees trouble brewing. Sam contacts Carlisle whenever a shape-shifter picks up the scent of an unfamiliar vampire out during their patrols and asks if it's anyone the Cullens can identify. It's a partnership of mutual benefit.

No one has acknowledged this out loud, but I know this breakthrough only came about because of one man's existence. Edward. It took hearing Carlisle's impassioned pleas to spare Edward's life from the nomad last year for Sam to begin to accept that the Cullens meant no harm. It took getting to know Edward better for Billy to accept that maybe he was wrong about the Cullens. If Edward wasn't here, would the wolf pack and the Cullens ever gotten along? Would relations have steadily deteriorated? That is a question I believe I know the answer to.

Edward and I arrive at First Beach when the sun hangs low in the sky. It's only us stepping out of his car today. Paul and some of the youngest members of the wolf pack do not yet trust having the Cullens cross on to their territory. Since a skittish shape-shifter is a bad thing, the Cullens agreed. They didn't appear hurt about it. It's not like they would be interested in scarfing down hot dogs anyway.

There's a crowd already gathered on the beach near a driftwood fire, blue and purple flames dancing within the stone circle. Jake envelopes me in a friendly hug and threatens to toss me into the air like a baby. I threaten to kick him in the balls. He carefully sets me back down. Meanwhile, Edward gets a dozen handshakes and back slaps from the males. Wedding invitations went out earlier this week. It mentioned a buffet style reception. The shape-shifters consider this joyful news. They always seem to be hungry.

Sam's fiancée, Emily, brushes off my offer to help and instead hands me a grilled hot dog and soda. As I take my first bite, a strong sea breeze blows in from the west. Goosebumps erupt from my neck and all the way down to my ankles. The wind is colder now that the sun isn't as bright.

What's wrong with this place? Why is it that the Olympic Peninsula is the only place in the Northern Hemisphere that feels like the surface of Pluto today? It's summer. I shouldn't have to worry about frostbite. But I guess the blame is on me for not wearing long sleeves.

Edward catches me in the act of rubbing my arms for warmth. I think he has a sixth sense in knowing when I'm uncomfortable and being generally pathetic. He encourages me to huddle with him in front of the fire. I don't want to do it, but I don't have much of a choice. Everyone else is wandering around and having a great time. Emily is wearing a tank top. Kim has on a skirt. Why is it that I'm always the only person shivering from the cold in June?

I stop the self-pity once Edward seats himself behind me, allowing his chest to become my nifty and muscular backrest. I lean back and relax. Both of his thumbs rub small circles into the outside of my hip bones. I warm up real quick.

A white-haired elder perches himself on a lone piece of driftwood, his back facing the setting sun. Silently he signals that it's time to pay homage to the tribe's history and beckons for everyone to take a seat. One by one, they circle around the bonfire. The elder speaks of the very first shape-shifter and how it's his blood which runs through the veins of today's wolf pack. He recites the legend of the Cold Ones and how they brought terror to the village of La Push hundreds of years ago. With eyes of red and bodies made from stone, the pack had been the tribe's only defense against these drinkers of human blood. Centuries after the first wolf pack passed on to the other side, a new generation came across a group of Cold Ones who were stranger than anything they had ever seen. These Cold Ones didn't behave like crazed animals on the hunt. They possessed golden eyes and lived as a family. They even had a leader who spoke calmly and rationally, a leader who wished for peace instead of war.

The sun is gone completely by the end of the old man's tale. Only the flames of the fire reflects enough light to see by. People rise from their seats and drift away to restart the conversations they were having earlier. It isn't long before Edward and I are the last ones at the fire. I know that I should be polite and join the group, but moving is impossible. Where I sit is peaceful, comfortable, and perfect. I see swirling, colorful flames tickling the night air. As I sit propped against Edward, I both hear and feel the rise and fall of his chest. Then I taste him too when he sneaks in a kiss once no one is looking. So, no. I'm not moving a muscle yet.

Just when I begin to think that we've been forgotten by our Quileute hosts, Seth Clearwater sits cross-legged before us. He's easily the largest fourteen year old in Washington state. Possibly the country. He became a member of the pack four months ago, right around the time his dad passed away from a sudden heart attack. It's a good thing he had Sam and Jake there for him during that difficult time. He's a good kid, always smiling it seems. But between Seth and his sister Leah, their poor mother must spend a ton on groceries. No wonder she has to grow a vegetable garden. It's to offset her son's gigantic appetite.

"Hello, Seth," Edward greets.

Seth wears a smirk, dark eyes flicking from Edward's face to mine. "Hey. Do you two often do this when you're invited to a party? Cuddling while everyone else is having a good time?"

Edward's hold on me tightens, bringing me even closer than I had been before. "Oh, I'm having a very good time," he emphasizes in an amused tone.

It feels so good that my eyeballs threaten to roll into the back of my skull. "Me too."

Seth's nose crinkles, however I still spy a smile on his lips. "You guys are sickeningly sweet... But, seriously, have you two had fun tonight?"

I nod my head. "Sure we did. It was really interesting hearing all of those old legends."

"Yeah, I guess they would be pretty interesting to you guys, but I've heard them all before."

Edward barks out a small laugh. "I suppose tonight must have been quite boring for you then."

"Nah. I'm used to rehearing them over and over again. I just wish we could have done something more to add to the excitement."

I try to hold back a smile. "Like what? Fireworks display? Or maybe we could have had pony rides on the beach. I'd bet that would be fun," I tease.

"Or a magician act," Edward chuckles.

Seth's eyes become as luminous as the bonfire behind him. "Actually, that's kinda what I was thinking of. You know, every summer solstice we do something to celebrate the season's change. This year and last year were both pretty tame. Though - back two years ago - it was awesome."

My head pivots a few degrees on its side. "Really? What did you guys do?"

He leans in more, as though he's letting us in on a secret. "We went up on the cliff and had a summer solstice ceremony. Only a few of us were there for some reason - Billy said that it was important to keep the numbers low. Anyway, Sam lit this gigantic bonfire, right? Well, the flames must have reached a good ten feet up in the air. Then, right at sunset, us boys had to begin the ceremony. Each of us circled the fire. After we all had done that, Sam walked up, said a few words in our tribe's tongue, and threw something into the fire. And then, bam!"

Edward's body stiffens behind me. I peek over my shoulder to find his jaw clenched. Seth continues on, too caught up in his story to notice Edward's strange change in demeanor.

"The winds whipped up and everything went nuts for a little while. The flames of the fire doubled in size, almost licking the sky! We all stood around with our mouths hanging open. None of us had ever seen anything like it before. Then, just as suddenly as the winds came, they vanished. The fire instantly went out, leaving only a bit of smoke and its charred wood. After that, we went to the beach and ate. So all in all, it was a pretty great night if I say so myself." He ends the story with a proud smile and waits for our reaction.

Edward breaks the silence, his voice crisp but low. "Seth? Tell me again please, but when did you say that this happened?"

"Two years ago."

"And it was the first day of summer, you said?"

Seth nods eagerly. "Well, yeah. For some reason, Billy and the other tribe elders wanted to make it a bigger deal than usual... I wish we could do it again. I bet you guys would have enjoyed it." His mouth puckers out like Donald Duck's bill. "Maybe I should bring it up to Billy. We could do it next year."

When Seth makes a move to get up, Edward's hand shoots out and captures him by the wrist. "No. That's unnecessary, Seth. Bella and I had a wonderful time tonight. And I'm sure Billy had his reasons for only performing the ceremony once. Perhaps it's a once in a generation type of thing."

Seth tilts his head and stares at Edward for a few beats. Slowly, he nods twice. "Maybe," he drawls. Five seconds later, his confusion is gone and he's smiling again. "So I heard your wedding is gonna have an all-you-can-eat buffet. Do you guys know if there's gonna be any buffalo wings?"

Edward releases Seth's wrist and leans back against the driftwood log. As I try to chitchat with Seth, my eyes keep being drawn to Edward's face. That relaxed look he had earlier is gone. Whenever Seth says something funny, Edward's laugh is forced. Thankfully Seth doesn't appear to notice. But I sure do.

I hear his mom, Sue, calling for him and he bids us a quick goodbye. He jumps up and jogs over to help her move the ice cooler. Edward and I are once again left alone by the bonfire. He gazes into the flames, not saying a word. I do the same, allowing him the time to quietly muse before he explains his problem. Several minutes of silence goes by. My patience gradually dries up. It looks like I will be required to do some pushing to get it out of him.

I scan around to make sure no one is spying on us. Emily has pulled out more snacks, distracting a majority of the shape-shifters. I think we're safe.

"Are you going to tell me what's wrong?" I ask in a whisper.

With my ear near his throat, I hear him swallow before he answers. "His story - it was... interesting. I think there's more to it than he realizes."

"What do you mean?"

I move my head just enough where I can see his face. His mouth is parted open, moving ever so slightly. "Bella... Do you remember the date that I first appeared here?"

"Yeah. It was June 20, 2004."

"And what is today?"

"June 21," I reply.

Edward's head moves up and down. "Yes, but today is also the summer solstice, correct? And Seth mentioned that the tribe conducted a ceremony in 2004 on the summer solstice..."

He says this as though I should see something significant, but I don't. "So, what does that mean? What's the problem?" I press, knitting my brow.

His eyes tear themselves away from the flames and meet my own. "The problem is that in 2004, the summer solstice fell on June 20, Bella. I believe that my appearance and their strange ceremony that night may be connected somehow."

A cold sensation crashes over me. "They brought you here?" I breathe.

Edward's eyes briefly glance downwards, broad shoulders shrugging once. "I doubt it was on purpose. I'm thinking that it was an unintended consequence. They were unaware of my existence until I ran into the Blacks in town."

I bite into my lip as the significance of everything swells. Edward spent two years wondering how he went from early twentieth century Chicago to early twenty-first century Forks. We have a possible answer on how that came to be. He had everything he treasured taken away that day. But now he can get it back.

"Maybe we should tell them," I suggest softly.

He shakes his head, not willing to give my idea a reasonable amount of consideration. "No. I'm not telling anyone about this."

"Why not?"

His hand buries itself into my hair and brushes through it several times. Eventually his fingers travel to my face, tracing over my cheek bones. "I don't want to upset anyone. I'd rather the Quileute remain unaware of my true origins than for them to feel guilt that they brought me here."

"But you could go back," I urge.

The sadness in his eyes instantly breaks into a raging fire. "I'm not leaving you," he says in a low growl.

My eyebrows snap together at his assumption. I whip my body all the way around to scowl at him head on. "I didn't say that. I'll go with you too."

His blazing eyes stretch wide for a moment. "No, you will not. Your life is here. Your family is here. I am not risking your life on something that has no guarantee to work out in the end."

The mention of my family has me frowning. To abandon Mom and Charlie would be difficult. I love them both. And I would miss Alice and the rest of the Cullens very much, too. But I would leave this time period with Edward right now if that's what he needs to be happy. He tried to adapt to 2006 for me. I can try to adapt to 1918 for him.

My voice softens. "But you said that you wanted to go back once. You said that's why you went to find the meadow again - to find your way back home."

He closes his eyes off and releases a heavy sigh. "I was willing to risk it then because I had nothing to lose. I had lost everything and felt that I didn't belong here." His eyelids reopen and he studies my face. "But, now I know that I do. And I'm not going to sacrifice your life on something that will probably fail."

"But your family..."

"Trust me, love, I would want nothing more than to save them. However, I will probably fail if I tried. Carlisle and I spoke of it often. We strategized on how I could go about doing it, but he always ended our conversations by reminding me of the dangers. The vortex may send me to some other time period - one that I would find unpleasant, like the ice age for instance. Then, if I somehow could make it back to 1918, there's the fact that I may show up after they had already passed away. I would be stuck there with no way to escape. And then there's the risk that I could catch the Spanish Influenza and suffer the same fate as they had. So... You see... It took me months to accept these facts, Bella. And, I know my mother well enough to guess what she would want me to do. And that would be for me to live my life - however strange it may be - to the fullest. Here, with you."

My heart bends and twists. It's strange to be half upset that he has given up on going back to his original home, yet also half relieved that he has. I guess it might be a little selfish of me to want to keep him here in a safer time period, free from a worldwide war and a deadly influenza outbreak. But at least that's what he wants, too.

"Are you sure?" I ask, examining him closely.

Hands gently cup my face. His lips press against my forehead. "I'm positive. I will be wherever you are - and this is exactly where you belong. I'm staying."

I nod my head, accepting his decision. He helps me to lay back onto his chest, resuming our position from earlier.

"Oh, and Bella? Let's keep this between ourselves. I don't want the Cullens worrying about this either. There would be arguments within the family of whether I should go back or not. I prefer to leave things as they are. And since we're close enough for the shape-shifters to be blocking Alice's visions, we should be safe from her prying eyes."

"All right," I whisper.

It doesn't escape my notice that his arms snake around my middle as we both gaze into the fire. My right hand finds his knee and massages it under the guise of comforting him. But I am afraid. I'm terrified of wormholes and mysterious ceremonies that evidently are not properly understood. He pulls me closer, burying his nose at the crown of my head. Tighter and tighter becomes his grip around me, as though he believes some unseen force may materialize at any moment to rip us apart.

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A/N- Don't worry about that last part. That isn't a foreshadowing of bad things to come...yet.

Next Chapter- Bella meets a vampire with a stronger libido than even Rosalie and Emmett. And, uh-oh! Edward has some explaining to do.

Stay safe and thanks for reading! :-)