"I chose this because it's very colorful and the music is wonderful. I'm sure you will enjoy it. Also, it's not a film we could watch if Rosalie was here. You'll see what I mean as it goes along," Alice said cryptically as the movie started.

Chapter 2: I Will Wait for You

The film was in French, and the subtitle translated into The Umbrellas of Cherbourg. It was filmed in 1964 and both Edward and Alice enjoyed seeing the vintage cars. Getting into the spirit of the film, they would occasionally speak to each other in fluent French. I figured they had both been to France and were probably discussing something that had happened to them there.

Edward's velvet voice sounded so beautiful speaking French; I couldn't tell what he was saying but it didn't matter, everything sounded romantic when it came out of his perfect mouth. They weren't speaking loudly, but if I kept listening to them I would never be able to keep up with the film. After rolling my eyes I chose to ignore them and just concentrate on the subtitles.

The movie started beautifully in the rain, the rain in France being so much more scenic than the rain in Forks. It told the story of a 17 year-old girl, Genevieve, who is in love with Guy, a 20 year-old auto mechanic. When she tells her mother she wants to get married her mother objects (no surprise there, this anti-marriage thing must be universal).

This doesn't stop the beautiful blonde girl from sleeping with her boyfriend, though. And after he leaves for military service, she discovers she's pregnant. Then I understood why we couldn't watch this when Rosalie was around.

Complications ensue, and when the girl is presented with a proposal by an older, wealthy man she accepts. Her boyfriend comes back from his military service and finds her already married, and she has a baby girl. At first he is miserable, but after awhile he finds a girl, marries her and has a son. Both couples name their children the same thing, Françoise, a name they had discussed before he left for his military service.

That made me think of how I had been able to see a future with Jake that included children; thank goodness I hadn't picked out names. At least I could be grateful it never went that far. And I could be grateful that Edward would be spared ever knowing anything about that whole episode with Jake. It would hurt him too much and I never wanted him to suffer because of something foolish I did.

There was a point in the film when I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes and I tried hard not to cry but I couldn't help myself. I bit down on my lower lip and willed myself not to be so weak.

Genevieve is cleaning the windows in her Mother's umbrella shop and says, "I thought I would die without him… so why am I not dead?" It reminded me too much of when Edward left me and I had felt the same thing; I thought I would die without him, but I went on, day after day, barely surviving.

When I started crying Edward hissed something in French to Alice but she didn't answer him. He held me close and wiped the tears from my eyes, softly kissing my cheeks. The movie's music was beautiful and after a few minutes of his tender touches I calmed down again.

Edward said with a tone of annoyance in his voice, "Am I the only one who finds it strange that most of these famous love stories have unhappy endings?"

"What are you thinking of besides Romeo and Juliet?" I inquired.

"Tristan and Isolde, Arthur and Guinevere, Heathcliff and Cathy, Lara and Zhivago, even Robin and Marion," he concluded, unknowingly listing all my favorite characters in literature. Maybe there was something wrong with me. I did enjoy sad love stories, the sadder the better.

"Would you rather I had chosen one of those films?" Alice piped up.

"No thank you, dear sister. You have already been too helpful."

"You forgot Mr. Todd and Mrs. Lovett," Alice taunted.

"I would hardly call the demon barber of Fleet Street a great love story, Alice. Really, you are too bizarre," Edward objected. He muttered something else in French but Alice let it pass without reply.

Near the end of the movie an older, wealthy Genevieve, traveling with their child, stops at Guy's gas station. They haven't seen each other for years, and it's sad for both of them. She had to choose between an unsure future with her true love and a safe life with a man who could provide security, and she did not choose love. Now we saw the consequences of that choice.

She tries to have a serious conversation with Guy, but he won't open up to her. She leaves, seemingly discontent with the path she chose and he plays in the snow with his family, at least a bit happier than she is. It seemed that Guy and Genevieve's love was frozen and would never see the soft spring rain again.

That was sad enough, but the lyrics were even worse. "If it takes forever, I will wait for you. For a thousand summers, I will wait for you. 'Til I'm back beside you; 'til I'm holding you. And forevermore, I will wait for you." I felt the tears start to roll down my cheeks again but I bit my lip and didn't make any sound. I thought if I kept very still these fresh tears would escape Edward's notice and dry on their own, but no such luck.

As he smoothed the tears off my face and gently kissed my cheeks until I smiled as I continued to think about the movie. Unfortunately, Genevieve couldn't wait for Guy and she had to live with that mistake for the rest of her life.

I thought that is how it would feel to be half-alive and I couldn't help but compare that situation to the one I had so recently experienced when I said goodbye to Jacob. If I had chosen him instead of Edward I would have been sentencing myself to a tragic half-life, with part of me always longing for Edward.

No matter how much Jacob would have loved me, it wouldn't have been enough for me. There would always have been a part of me that belonged to Edward, and no matter what Jake did, he would never have been able to touch that part. And eventually it would have eaten at my soul until I couldn't take it anymore. I would have been miserable and I would have made Jake miserable. Maybe not at first, but one day, and when I realized the mistake I had made I wouldn't have wanted to go on.

Maybe that had been Alice's idea all along. She was crafty, that Alice. Perhaps this was her way of showing me what my life would have been like if I had chosen Jake. I would have had a human life, and maybe a child, but I would always have wanted to go back to Edward and would have ultimately been unhappy with Jake.

I had closed the door on Jake and I was currently looking for a hammer and some nails to make sure the door never reopened. How could I have thought we could remain friends after Edward and I got married? Jacob would never be happy about my being changed, and I was adamant about that happening, so I really wouldn't be able to see him for much longer anyway.

I was glad I had chosen Edward and this film opened my eyes to what might have happened if I had not chosen my true love.

"Wonderful choice of films, Alice," Edward's voice dripped with sarcasm. "Next time we will let Bella choose the movie."

"No, Edward, it's okay. I liked it."

He looked at me, a frown creasing his handsome brow.

"She needs to see more than Disney movies, Edward. You can't treat her like a child forever," Alice bravely pointed out.

"You are being absurd, Alice. I do not treat her like a child."

"Hey guys, I'm right here," I volunteered. "I thought the movie was sad, but I did like it. The music was lovely, and so were the colors. Not all movies have to have a happy ending. But sometimes we can learn something from them."

Edward gently tucked a stray lock of hair behind my ear, and ran his long fingers through the tangled strands. After leaning on him through most of the movie my hair probably looked like a haystack but he didn't seem to mind.

"What did you learn from that, Bella?" Edward was curious to know what I was thinking, as always. And as usual, I wasn't keen on telling him everything.

"Just that the decisions you make when you're young can affect your whole life. So you need to be sure when you make a choice that it's the right choice. And stick with it." I thought that was a fairly straightforward answer, but Edward didn't look pleased. He was still glaring at Alice.

"You should relax, Edward, she still loves you," Alice said as she gracefully got up from the sofa and danced toward the stairs. "I'm going to leave the two of you alone while I get online and check out the flower market in Amsterdam."

She had taken to monitoring the daily sale of flowers in Europe to make sure there would be a good supply available for the wedding. I thought she was going overboard with the flowers but she insisted she knew what she was doing.

"She's right Edward. I still love you. But that was never in doubt."

"I hate to see you cry, especially over a silly film. Alice should have chosen a comedy or let you choose."

He had been holding my hand and now he brought my palm up to his lips and pressed a kiss against my skin; I felt his mouth curve into a smile. I loved it when he did this. It was something so intimate, something only the two of us shared with each other.

"Well, I think the point is to expose me to films I wouldn't ordinarily see. Didn't you at least like the music?"

"Some of it. But nothing that makes you cry."

"Could you play that'I will wait for you' song on the piano for me? It reminds me of us because I would wait forever for you." I was hoping this would distract him and put him in a better mood. The piano always seemed to provide a release for feelings he wasn't able to express otherwise.

"I have waited forever for you. And I would wait a thousand summers if I needed to," he said, leaning in and kissing me before he got up from the sofa.

Wanting to make it last as long as possible I pressed myself against his hard, muscled chest. I felt a jolt of electricity when his lips met mine, and he ran his hand from my shoulder to my hand, leaving a trail of sparks on my arm in his wake. It was painful when he broke contact with me now; I wanted to feel his skin on mine all the time. My eyes followed him as gracefully he made his way to the piano.

He began to play and as his fingers danced across the keyboard he made the powerful instrument sound better than the full orchestra had. I thought how lucky I was to get a private concert like this. After a while he gracefully made the transition into a song I didn't recognize, but it was beautiful and sad.

"Did you write that, Edward?"

"No, do you like it?"

"Yes, it's so sad but also hopeful in a way."

"I thought you would like it. It's from a film score by Michael Nyman. The movie wasGattaca. Have you seen it?"

"No. Gattaca? What's it about?"

"We have it on DVD if you would like to see it. Technically it's science fiction, but it's actually a much more romantic film than the one we just watched."

More romantic? According to Edward? I definitely wanted to see it. "Oh yes, let's watch it now, please."

He disappeared briefly and returned with the DVD. He popped it in the player and settled down on the sofa with me again. With just the two of us I stretched out and put a pillow in his lap for my head. He instantly began playing with my hair, which I found a little distracting but soon I was totally absorbed in the movie.

It didn't look like a science fiction movie. There were no aliens and it was a very romantic story, and a thought-provoking one, too. Edward pointed out that parts of it were filmed in a Frank Lloyd Wright building in Marin County, California. The scenery was beautiful.

The story was set in a future where genetic testing played a big part in how a person's life played out, and the main character basically had to live a double life, concealing his true identity from almost everyone. Until he reveals himself to one girl. I could see why Edward liked it. It reminded me of us in some ways.

The music underscored the emotional scenes perfectly and it had a haunting quality about it. The ending was bittersweet, but hopeful at the same time. I couldn't help it, I cried.

"Are you going to make me regret showing you this movie?" Edward inquired softly.

"No," I gulped, "I really liked it. It was beautiful and so sad, just like the music." I wiped the tears away from my eyes. "And it wasn't just about family interfering or stupid misunderstandings. I can see why you like it. It brings up so many questions. It was truly heartbreaking, the choices they had to make. And the music was perfect. I think this was sadder than Romeo and Juliet."

"That surprises me. This couple is still alive at the end. How was this sadder?"

"Well, she loves him, and does what she can to help him achieve his dream, and then he leaves her." I couldn't help be see a parallel to when Edward had left me in the woods.

Edward looked worried, but his voice was gentle. "Yes, but he was honest with her. She knew that was going to happen. She even helped to make it happen."

"That's true. I guess, given his situation, it had to happen that way. But it's still very sad."

I felt so bad for the poor girl who had to go on without her true love. And she had done everything possible to help him reach his goal, which took him away from her. She had lied for him, and when she did it she knew it would take him away from her forever. I knew what she was going through. I wondered if I would be strong enough to help Edward leave me, if that was what was best for him.

"He gave her what he could of his heart. He loved her but he had to leave," Edward said softly.

"I know; I guess it had the best ending it could, taking everything into consideration. At least he achieved his dream. And the music was so romantic. Can you play some more for me?"

"I could, but it will cost you." He was going to tease me now.

Maybe he thought the movies had made me too sad, but I was immediately suspicious. If he was going to demand a price, it could be anything from a kiss to agreeing to let him drive me to Port Angeles at 200 miles an hour.

"What's the price?"

"How badly do you want to hear me play?"

"My desire is lessening by the moment," I retorted.

"Bella, you are going to hurt my feelings," he said as he feigned a sad face.

"I'm waiting to hear a price," I had to show him I could be a tough negotiator if I wanted to have any kind of hand in our future relationship.

"Let me see. How about if you agree to…"

"Stop." I cut him off. "I've changed my mind. If you don't want to play, that's fine with me. I'm not agreeing to anything now. The moment has passed." That would show him.

"My, my, you are growing impatient."

"I'm just not into making deals tonight. Especially after the way you and Alice spoke French all through the first movie. You know that's rude, don't you?"

"I am sorry. Did I spoil the movie for you?" He sounded sincere but I couldn't be sure.

"No, not spoil, precisely," I said lightly, not wanting to be too hard on him.

He leaned over and kissed the tip of my nose before he went back to the piano. It was probably all red and swollen from crying, but that didn't seem to bother him.

"It would be my pleasure to play for you." He sat down and started to play. I recognized several of the themes and they recalled the scenes we had just watched. I thought about how Edward led a double life too, but he made it look so easy. He had shared his secret with me and now he was going to share his life with me, fully and forever.

I was so in love with him, it all seemed like a dream. How did I get here? I let the music transport me to different times we had shared; Port Angeles, high school, the meadow, his shiny silver Volvo, Italy. I shivered and then hoping he didn't notice, tried to cover it with a yawn.

He finished the last notes of the score and I said, "Thank you, Edward. That was beautiful. Now I will do whatever you want without bargaining. Just name it."

"That's a dangerous offer. You must really trust me."

"I do."

"My favorite phrase this month." I could hear the smile in his voice.

I giggled in spite of myself. Edward seemed to have the wedding on his mind day and night. I tried to forget about it as much as I could but it seemed like every little thing reminded him of it. Sometimes I thought he engineered conversations just to get me to utter those two particular words, and I almost always fell for it.

"I have it figured out," his velvet voice snapped me out of my reverie.

"What?"

"I would like this to count as a 'get out of jail free' card, so to speak. So the next time I do something that annoys you, instead of getting mad at me, I can remind you that you owe me one." He sounded very pleased with himself for coming up with this scheme.

"That doesn't sound fair to me. I thought you'd just ask for a kiss," I said hopefully.

"One of your kisses is far too valuable to be bargained for, Bella."

He had an answer for everything. And how could I argue with him when he said something like that? It would just make me sound ungrateful.

I went over and sat down next to him on the piano bench. He immediately slid his arm around my shoulder and pulled me to him. I gazed up at him adoringly. I was going to get my kiss one way or another.

"Bella, are you trying to dazzle me?"

"If you have to ask, I must not be doing a very good job of it," I said sadly.

He leaned down then and pressed his cool, hard lips against mine. I brought my hand up to wind around his neck and pull him even closer to me. I couldn't get close enough, no matter how hard I tried. He pulled back suddenly and I felt his arm tighten around my waist.

"Did you know you were about to fall off this bench?"

Both my feet were off the floor and I had twisted around so I was barely on the bench any longer. I tried to straighten up but just ended up clutching onto his shoulder even more.

"You'll never let me fall," I said confidently.

He flashed that crooked smile at me and I sighed, leaning against his chest.

Just then I noticed Alice and Jasper coming downstairs, arm in arm. "I just wanted to say goodnight and to let you know that your flowers are going to be spectacular," Alice said as she let go of Jasper and waltzed over to where we were sitting. It was clear she had much more to say on the subject.

Edward released me and Alice took my arm, leading me back to the sofa. I sat down again and she leaned on the arm of the sofa and began to fill me in on details about the varieties and colors that she had been tracking online and Jasper went over to stand next to Edward at the piano. Edward stood up and shifted away from me and I thought he and Jasper were speaking but I couldn't hear their words.

Alice was still going on about how spectacular the flowers were going to look as Edward came to stand next to her. Jasper stayed by the piano as Edward took my hand, pulling me up off the sofa. I leaned my head forward and fluffed the hair off my neck, quickly stealing a moment to inhale the scent from Edward's chest. Heavenly.

"Just say goodnight, Alice, I have to take her back to Charlie's now."

"I know. Goodnight Bella," Alice chirped, giving me a big hug. "Don't let Edward keep you up all night; there will be plenty of time for that soon enough," she giggled.

Edward shot her a dangerous glance but she continued to giggle as she made her way over to Jasper. He nodded his head in my direction and smiled. I knew the next few weeks were going to be rough on Jasper, with all the emotions we were experiencing so close to the wedding.

I smiled and said, "Goodnight Alice, Jasper. Thanks for everything."

Edward squeezed my hand gently. "Time for someone to get some sleep," he said softly. "Ready to go?"

"Not really, but I know I have to. I will be so happy when you don't have to take me back to Charlie's anymore." Then I had a twinge of guilt, knowing that in a very short amount of time I would no longer be able to see Charlie again, no matter how much I wanted to.

I felt the tears coming again but I fought them back. I didn't want to have to explain to Edward what was making me sad now. I knew he felt bad enough about taking me away from Charlie forever and I didn't want to make him feel worse.

We drove home in a comfortable silence; me lost in thought and Edward listening to classical music on the car's CD player.

Preview of Chapter 3, from Edward's point of view

The evening had started out pleasantly enough in our well-appointed living room. Bella's warm, beautiful body was nestled by my side on the sofa, munching on popcorn that was about as appealing as Styrofoam pellets to me but which she found essential for movie night. I was happy to see her eat anything; she needed to keep her strength up.

My eternal thanks to not done baking for being a fantastic beta.