A/N: START OVER has advanced to the Second Round in "FAVORITE UNDISCOVERED GEM FIC" category at the TwiFic Fandom Awards. Several readers said they've voted for me, and I'm so thankful to everyone for the support :) You still have until November 21st to show some love for your favorites. There are some amazing nominees out there. Good way to build up your TBR lists!

I stood in front of the mirror, holding a red tie in one hand and a silver one in the other. I held each one up against my chest, pursing my lips as I tried to figure out which one would go better with my deep blue suit.

"Need some help, sweetheart?"

I whirled at the sound of my mother's voice. She was leaning against the door frame with her hands folded across her chest and an amused smile on her face.

"I can't figure out which one would look better," I muttered sheepishly.

She walked in, and looked at the two options thoughtfully. "I'd pick the red one. It would bring a much-needed pop of color to the outfit." She nodded.

I shrugged, tossed the silver one aside and started tying the red tie around my neck. When I was done, Mom reached out to fold the collar over it.

Placing one hand over my cheek, she looked into my eyes with a smile. "You look wonderful. Very handsome."

I huffed out a laugh. "Thanks, Mom."

"Nervous?"

"More than words can express."

She smiled knowingly. "It's a big day for Bella."

"It sure is. Everything she has ever wanted is within her reach now."

"And she doesn't even know half of it."

I sighed. "I hope this is what she wants."

"Nobody knows her better than you do, Edward. If you think that you both are ready for this, then I'm sure she must feel the same way. Everything will be okay."

"Promise?" I couldn't help but ask, even though I felt like a five-year old boy instead of the forty-year old man I was.

She chuckled. "I promise. Now you better get ready to leave. You don't want to be late for the ceremony."

I glanced at my watch and nodded. "We'll see you guys after?"

"Of course. We wouldn't miss it for the world."

I tried to tame the wild mess that was my hair, but I knew I'd end up wasting my efforts by running a hand through it all day. I shrugged, not really concerned about it.

Bella seemed to prefer it unruly anyway.

I grabbed my ticket, bid goodbye to my parents, and headed out. The traffic Gods seemed to be smiling down upon me, so it took me no more than half an hour to reach my destination.

I stepped out of the car, buttoned my jacket, and made my way inside. Walking across the campus, I pulled out my phone, and dialed Charlie's number. He informed me of his location, and I followed the arrows toward where he said he was seated.

I found him without much difficulty, greeting him with a half-hug. We'd grown pretty close in the last eight years. I could still remember with perfect clarity the way he had pushed me against my own door when he had come running all the way from Forks, worried about me taking advantage of his daughter, but he had softened up considerably toward me over the years. I knew it had everything to do with the way I treated Bella- with complete respect and unending devotion. There was also the fact that I had unerringly fulfilled the promise I'd given him – supporting Bella in every step she took toward the life and career she wanted, without influencing her decisions.

We had visited Forks at least once every year, sometimes more, and both our sets of parents were always happy to see us. Mom showered Bella with her love, and Dad beamed with pride whenever Bella told him about her accomplishments in school. Spending a few days in Charlie's home was also on the agenda in every one of our trips, and it was only the last couple of times that I had been officially allowed to forego the couch in favor of Bella's room.

"You made it," Charlie said, clapping me on the back. "Just in time."

"Yeah," I said, relieved, and took my seat. "I got stuck in an emergency surgery in the morning, and it ran a little later than I'd assumed it would. I rushed home and got changed as soon as I could."

"Edward!" I turned around just in time for Renee to latch onto me.

I hugged her back. "Renee. It's good to see you."

She pulled back, looking me over with a grin. "Well, well. Don't you look handsome! This is the kind of suit to buy, Charlie - one that fits your body perfectly. Now, do you understand what I was saying earlier?"

"Good God, woman!" he muttered, rubbing at his mustache in what I knew was a nervous gesture. "All these years, and you still can't stop pestering about me!"

I sat back and stifled a smile as they launched into what was obviously a continuation of their argument that must have been going on before my arrival. I thanked my good fortune that my assigned seat was beside Charlie, and not in between the two of them, or God forbid, beside Renee.

Watching Renee go at it reminded me of the day I'd met her for the first time. She had been her usual flighty and talkative self, until I'd pointed out that her behavior toward her daughter needed to be rectified. I would be lying if I said that her relationship with Bella changed for the better immediately after that night. Renee made an effort to change, but it didn't take long for her to fall back to old patterns sometimes. There were some days where Bella would come to me, frustrated with her mother's inability to listen to her, but what did change was that Renee started to realize when she was doing it. That would lead to a couple of extra calls or e-mails that week, and they would bring the smile back to my sweet girl's face.

All in all, they managed to cultivate a relationship that was still not one hundred percent solid, but was much stronger than it had previously been.

It was only when the MC announced the beginning of the ceremony that Renee gave up on explaining the cuts and lines of a perfect suit to Charlie. We settled into a steady round of applause as a stream of students started arriving to collect their diplomas after a motivational speech by the keynote speaker.

It took quite a while before they got to the medical students, and several more minutes until they reached the S's, but finally, finally, she was there.

I watched with immense pride as my Bella walked across the stage in her pale blue robe and cap. Her head was held high with a smile lighting up her beautiful features. She shook hands with the Chancellor, while taking her hard-earned diploma from him. She waved once in our general direction before tipping her head back and looking up at the sky for a few seconds. I smiled slightly at the gesture. She was remembering her Nana. I, too, sent up a silent prayer of thanks to the wonderful woman who had loved Bella unconditionally and played the most important part in making her what she was today. I would always regret never having a chance to meet her and tell her that in person. I had no doubts that wherever she was, she would be immensely proud of her granddaughter today.

The rest of the list seemed to pass as slowly as the first half. It was over an hour later that the ceremony ended with the new graduates throwing their caps in the air in celebration. The crowd was massive. It would be next to impossible to find Bella, so we decided to stay put. Finding us would be much easier for her, since she knew the area where our seats were. It also gave me a chance to speak to Charlie privately, while Renee called Phil.

"I, uh," I stammered. "Today's the day."

It didn't surprise me the least bit when he understood what I was talking about without any further explanation. It had been just last week that I had called him to ask for his blessing, after all. I could safely assume that the topic must have been swirling in his mind ever since I had put it before him.

"A new beginning, huh? In more than one sense," he said gruffly. "You remember our conversation at the hospital, don't you? Do I need to refresh your about what will happen if you hurt her?"

I chuckled. "I remember it perfectly, Sir. I have no intentions of going back on my word."

He nodded, and held out a hand. "Good luck."

Two slender arms wrapped tightly around my waist before I could thank him. I turned only to come face-to-face with a smiling Bella, and it was the most beautiful sight in my world. She jumped up to her toes and pressed her lips to mine firmly.

"Congratulations," I mumbled against her lips, kissing her back with fervor, but broke apart when she stroked my tongue with hers. I placed a quick peck on her pouting lip. "Later," I promised in a whisper, as we both calmed our breathing, recalling the presence of her parents. She let go of me with a saucy wink.

She moved over to her parents, hugging them tightly as they congratulated her. We started walking toward the parking lot, stopping a couple of times as a few of Bella's friends came by to exchange promises of keeping in touch.

"Are you guys coming home with us?" She looked at her parents inquiringly, who in turn looked toward me. Bella realized this and turned to me with raised eyebrows.

The word 'home' tumbling from her lips would never fail to excite me, it seemed. It had been over six years since she had moved in with me, but the idea of us sharing a house, and more importantly, a life together still managed to get my heart racing.

On second thought, it probably had to do with the fact that in an hour or so, I was going to ask her to take the next and final step in binding our lives together forever. That was probably what had the nerves coiling nice and tight in the pit of my stomach, instead of the fluttering I imagined in my heart.

"We're not going home just yet," I explained. "There might be a little something planned for you."

She sighed dramatically. "Why doesn't that surprise me?"

"Because you know me well." I snickered, while kissing her forehead and opening the car door for her.

Renee and Charlie settled in the backseat, and I pulled out of the lot. Bella spent most of the drive convincing me to tell her where we were going, even though I reminded her that she would be finding that out very soon. Once she realized her exercise was pointless, she moved on to chatting with her parents about the best wishes her professors had given her before the ceremony.

Bella's eyes lit up when she saw where I parked the car. Discarding her robe in the car, she jumped out excitedly, making me ecstatic to know that I'd picked the right location.

Hand-in-hand, we crossed the entrance of Central Park, and I led her over to where our family and friends had assembled.

"Congratulations!"

They greeted us with loud cheers, and Bella stepped forward to hug everyone. It was a small gathering, intimate and simple, but the atmosphere was filled with love and happiness. I saw Charlie heading straight for the table decked out with various types of finger foods, Emmett following in tow. Rosalie, Mom and Dad chatted with Bella regarding the graduation ceremony, while I greeted Phil.

A little body collided with my legs, and I looked down to see a blond-haired beauty grinning at me, showing off her two broken teeth. I knelt down to hug her. "Hey, Maddie! My gosh! You're getting taller every day."

"Uncle Edward!" She planted a kiss on my cheek. "Momma says I'm going to be as tall as Daddy."

I chuckled at her proud little face, the spitting image of Rosalie. "Well, I'd have to agree, especially with the way you're growing up so fast."

I caught up with Maddie for a few more minutes, before she ran away, squealing, to say hi to Bella.

Jasper grabbed me a beer, and I thanked him, taking in a big gulp.

"No Leah today?" I asked him, trying to sound nonchalant, though I was anything but.

He shrugged. "Nope. We ended it last week. Well, she ended it. She said she needed more, and I couldn't give her that."

I clapped his shoulder, secretly a little relieved at the turn of events. Leah was kind and sweet, but she wasn't the one for Jasper. I looked at my friend carefully, thinking about the changes that the past few years had brought in him.

Following the debacle with Maria, Alice and Jasper had remained friends for almost a year, before giving their relationship another chance. Slowly, but surely, Alice's faith in him made him realize that he was a good person who was capable of loving and being loved. He let go of the irrational fears he had held on to for all his adult life and committed himself to their relationship.

The cracks started to appear, however, when Alice was in her last semester of under-grad. She had applied for admission into a Masters' program at a prestigious university in Italy without speaking to Jasper about it. When he found the acceptance letter, it had resulted in a huge argument. For almost a week, they weren't on speaking terms, but eventually got together to have a clear discussion about their future. Jas never relayed all the details, but he did say that he ended up proposing marriage to keep her with him, and Alice did not appreciate him wanting to tie her down. She wanted to make the decision best suited to her career, and Jasper was reluctant to give up the life he had here.

They parted ways on relatively friendly terms, but it was the hardest decision each of them had ever made. Alice kept in touch for a while, and we were all glad to hear that she was enjoying her new courses. At the same time, we couldn't help but worry that Jasper would fall back into his old routine. We were willing to do whatever it took to prevent that from happening.

But he surprised us all.

It was a few months after their break-up when he finally expressed an interest in someone else, but when he did, he did it the right way. There were dates that didn't end in a quick fuck, and promises to call that actually materialized into reality. Emmett cautiously asked him about it once, and I was actually glad for it. I had been curious, but hesitant to ask, lest I rock the shaky boat.

"Alice left, but the parts of me that she unearthed are still here," Jasper had replied calmly. "Being with her made me see that I could be so much more than what I expected of myself. She made me question a lot of deep-rooted assumptions, and even though she's gone, I'm not going to give up on myself. She will always hold a special place in my heart, but I won't lose the hope that she awakened in me - the hope of finding happiness and true love."

He had been in a few relationships since then, but none of them had lasted over a year. I suspected that subconsciously, Jas was still holding onto the hope that Alice would return, but never voiced the thought, except in front of Bella. I knew she was saddened to have lost her friend, but keeping up a friendship across the ocean was a daunting task. With both of them juggling their very busy schedules, they slowly drifted apart as their calls and e-mails dwindled.

"Anyway," Jasper sighed, pulling me back to the present. "It wasn't ugly or anything. Leah didn't yell or curse, just calmly told me that this wasn't working for her anymore."

"I'm sorry," I offered honestly. I was sorry that he was hurting, even though I was hoping for something along these lines.

Not because of Leah, of course. Like I said, she was nice.

But I had watched my friend fall hard for a girl years ago, and I knew that he had never felt the same for anyone else since then. It was extremely hard, for this very reason, to keep my mouth shut about the surprise I had in store for everyone today, but I had made a promise.

I almost jumped when my phone buzzed with an incoming text. I smiled widely on reading it. Quickly replying to the person on the other end, I called out for Bella.

She rushed to my side, all wide eyes and flushed cheeks. "What's up?"

I couldn't resist pressing a lingering kiss against her rosy skin. My heart thrummed in contentment at seeing her so happy. "Told you I had a surprise for you."

Her brow furrowed adorably. "Isn't this it?" she asked, waving a hand toward our family.

My eyes fell over her shoulder, and I grinned at the sight that greeted me. I took Bella's drink out of her hand and turned her around by the shoulders.

"There's the second part of your surprise," I whispered in her ear.

I watched and heard her sharp intake of breath as her gaze fell over Alice's petite form standing a few feet away. Alice smiled tentatively and waved. Bella was frozen for a moment, before she turned to me, her expression one of incredulity.

I nodded and mouthed, "Go on."

She whirled back to face her friend. This time, she walked toward Alice with quick, long strides, and wrapped her in a tight embrace.

I shifted my attention over to Jasper, who was standing still as a statue with his mouth hanging open, as he gazed in disbelief at the sight before him. I patted his back, and it thawed him out of his trance.

"How… why…" he stuttered.

"She's here to stay, Jas," I told him softly. "She put in a request for a transfer, and didn't want to tell anyone until it was approved. When she finally received the confirmation two days ago, she called me first, wanting to surprise Bella."

He swallowed hard. "Just-uh, just Bella?"

"That's what she said, but there might have been some roundabout questions about how 'everyone else' was doing. I did tell her about all of us one-by-one, but I knew she wasn't really satisfied until she'd heard about you."

Jasper's eyes widened. "What did you tell her?"

"Just the very basics. I told her that she would have to ask you herself if she wanted to know more about your personal life," I assured him.

"Okay," he exhaled. "Okay, good. You really think she's going to stay?"

"I do."

Bella and Alice approached us, putting an end to the conversation. Alice greeted me with a warm hug, and said hello to Jasper with a small, hopeful smile. Bella grabbed my hand and tugged me away, leaving them alone to catch up.

"That was an amazing surprise, Edward." She grinned and kissed me deeply. "Thank you so much, baby! You've made this day exceedingly special for me."

"The day isn't over yet, Miss Swan." I nuzzled her nose with mine.

"Let's go and enjoy it then."

The next two hours passed in a flurry of good food, laughter, and recollection of happy memories. Renee and Emmett bantered back and forth, keeping us entertained with their antics, while Alice regaled us with her experiences in Italy, and her hopes and dreams for the new job she was about to start next week.

Every time my gaze fell on Jasper, I found his attention fixed on Alice, while she, too, stole furtive glances at him. Bella and I exchanged matching grins at their not-so-covert interactions.

As twilight fell upon us, the sky took on hues of orange intermixed with streaks of purple. I looked around, and everyone seemed to be engrossed in their conversations. I stood up to toss my empty can into the bin, and Bella followed.

"Take a walk with me?" I asked, clasping her hand.

"Are we allowed to leave our own party?" she asked playfully.

"It won't take long," I persuaded, and she smiled, agreeing easily.

We were silent as I led her along the path. The nerves that had settled into the back of my mind during the day returned with a vengeance as we neared our destination. Bella must have noticed my preoccupation, but she didn't comment on it, leaving me to my thoughts.

She sighed happily, swinging our hands between us as we reached the Bow Bridge. Leaning against the rail, she wrapped an arm around my waist and snuggled into my side.

I swallowed to dislodge the sudden lump in my throat, and pulled away from her. Bella frowned as I disentangled myself from her arms, taking her hands in mine instead.

"Edw-"

I placed a finger against her lips. "I have to tell you something."

She inhaled deeply, and then nodded, even though I could tell she was confused at my behavior.

She didn't suspect what I was about to ask because it had been a long time since we had discussed this topic. It came up when Alice and Jasper broke up. We had been living together for almost two years, and I would have thought that by that point, we were completely secure in our relationship, but I was proven wrong. Their break-up affected us quite a bit because we knew that it could have been us. Those reasons could just have easily forced us apart.

It led us to have a frank, open, and honest conversation about where we saw ourselves five years down the line. Bella informed me that Columbia would be her first choice for medical school because she loved the life and friends we had in the city. I was ecstatic to hear that, and promised her in return that for her residency, and later her fellowship, I would happily follow her wherever she wished to pursue it.

On the personal front, we were one hundred percent committed to each other, but marriage was something Bella was not completely sure about. She had seen Renee make a mess of it time and again, and it made her a little wary, though not absolutely opposed to the idea. As far as I was concerned, I had gone that route before, and I knew that rushing into a marriage only made it susceptible to failure. I had Bella's love and her commitment, and it was more than enough. I didn't need an official piece of paper to validate our feelings for each other.

So the matter had been dropped for all these years.

Now that Bella had been accepted into the Presbyterian for her residency, our plan for the next several years, at least, was clear. I had seen the way Bella looked at a couple of weddings we had attended last year, and watched as the wariness had been gradually replaced by wonder, and maybe even longing.

After eight years together, I knew every dip and curve of her face, and as I saw her now, I knew she was ready.

We were ready for this.

Still, as I looked into her eyes, something akin to nervousness bubbled up in my chest, and I had to squeeze her hands to draw the strength to continue. There were a few people passing by around us, but I pushed them out of my mind easily, focusing only on the breathtaking woman before me.

I took in a deep breath.

"Bella, right before I met you, I was at the lowest point of my life. I had lost all hope of ever finding love, doubting even its existence. I'd been trying to let go of the ideals I had believed in since my childhood, and then… and then you walked into my world. I'd forgotten how to breathe, and you brought me back to life. I had given up on my dreams, and you taught me how to hope. You, my beautiful Bella, were the only ray of sunshine in the dreariness of my life back then, and it was your smile, your joy, and your strength that made it possible for me to break through the walls that had captured my heart. It was at this very place that we took our first picture together, commemorating the day when you gave me hope - hope for your forgiveness, and for a second chance at love. You have given me so much, and today, I ask you for one more thing."

Pulling the little velvet box out of my pocket, I lowered myself down to one knee, and looked up at the deep, glimmering, chocolate pools of her eyes. "Isabella Marie Swan, will you please give me a chance to make you happy for as long as we both shall live? Will you let me spend the rest of my life with you and love you forever? Will you marry me?"

My eyes welled up as she nodded frantically. Her lips stretched into a wide smile, yet they quivered in tune with the beads of tears that fell from her eyes. "Yes, yes, yes to all of it," she choked out. It was a whisper, but the words reverberated in my soul louder than they would have if she'd shouted them.

People around us clapped and cheered, and we acknowledged them with a quick smile, unable to tear our eyes away for each other's for a second more than absolutely necessary.

I grabbed the ring from the box, and slowly placed it over her finger. I watched the diamonds glitter against her porcelain skin, and I could wait no longer. Pulling myself up to my feet, I cupped her smiling face in my hands, and pressed my mouth to hers. Her arms came up to slide around my neck, the cool metal of her ring making its presence known distinctly against my skin. She pressed herself closer to me until there wasn't a hairsbreadth of space between us, as our lips moved synchronously, conveying every bit of our love for each other – deep, astounding, and everlasting love, that mere words failed to describe.

We kissed for a long while, unhurried because we knew we had a lifetime of this to look forward to. When we broke apart, I pressed my forehead to hers as we gasped and panted through the smiles that continued to tug at our lips.

We stood there, wrapped up in each other for a few more minutes, before we had to go and share the news with our friends and families. They must've been waiting on pins and needles, but I indulged myself in this moment alone with the love of my life… now my fiancée.

I remembered when I gave her the stethoscope for our first Christmas together. It was the day I'd asked her for a second chance. I recalled the little poem I'd found - the one that asked for a chance to start over. Thinking about it now, I realized we weren't really starting over. Our relationship wasn't built on a clean slate, but on the foundation of the honest friendship we'd cultivated during that first summer in Forks. It was a journey that started with a few innocent interactions and led us here - to each other, and the kind of love that grabbed hold of our hearts, and bound them together forever.

"I love you, Edward," Bella whispered, her voice choked up with emotion that I could feel pouring out of my very soul. "I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you."

"I love you, too, Bella," I promised with all my heart.

"Forever."

A/N: That's it, guys!

This fic marks a lot of firsts for me, so allow me to get a little sappy here ;)

Dazzled Eyes22 - You've been my friend, supporter, cheerleader, and critic throughout this fic, and I can't thank you enough! From frantic discussions about dorm rooms and sleeping arrangements, to my smut-related insecurities, you've held my hand through it all.

Melissa (TwilightFanatic85) – You've worked with me through sickness, vacations, faulty e-mails, and irregular updates. Thanks a lot for all your help!

I'm very grateful to Diane (OTB) and Sue (CSG) for making the lovely banners for this story!

Tarbecca and Zveka… It means a lot to me that you considered my fic worthy of your recommendations.

And last, but definitely not the least, YOU, my dear readers – Thank you for your support for this little story of mine :) Those of you who left reviews in every chapter, your kind words are what kept me going through exams and other RL issues, and gave me the motivation to write as regularly as possible. I appreciate it more than I can say.

So… what's next, you ask? (Or don't ask… it's up to you :P) Disguised Intentions will be my priority until I finish it, and that is a long while away. It's VERY different compared to Start Over. Check it out if you enjoy suspense stories.

I have a few O/S ideas in mind, and I'll pen them as and when I can. If that is something you'd be interested in, please keep me on your Author Alerts.

Ta-Ta for now!