Here is the last chapter. I hope that you guys enjoy it and love the ending just as much as I do. The epilogue will post tomorrow. I thank you for reading and sticking with this story. It has meant so much to me.
As always, thank you to Darcysmom, Nikki and Heather. Your support has meant so much to me.
Enjoy!
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Ever since that weekend we spent alone together, I have made it my mission to properly court Bella. We've been on numerous dates since then, even traveling up to Seattle to see the symphony play. I wanted to take her everywhere, anywhere I could to show her I how serious I was about us.
I even reverted back to 1918 and properly called on Bella one night, asking Charlie if I could take Bella out for a stroll. I knew looking at him and the shock that covered his face, it was something he didn't expect and in his mind seemed old fashioned, but I wanted Bella to be able to see every part of me, even the last remaining bits of my humanity that came through from time to time.
Charlie still wasn't okay with me, I could sense his apprehension and see his last shred of hope that Bella would find someone else in his head, but I ignored it. I knew that there would be no other for Bella, just as there was no one but Bella for me.
And I was completely at ease with that, because I knew it with every fiber of my being that there would never be anyone but her, and that I could no longer run from it, no matter how much it scared me at times.
I'd never run again.
Looking back, I think I realized that I didn't put everything into being with Bella then, because I honestly expected her to never want me as much as I wanted her, and that eventually she would give up on me. I truly felt I wasn't worth it, but now I knew better. She showed me I was better than I made myself out to be and so much stronger than I believed myself to ever be.
We still had yet to really take it further between us than we did that weekend. We didn't want to push each other and break what was surely beginning to repair between us. We didn't want anymore setbacks, we wanted nothing more to move closer to our forever.
As dawn broke through the clouds, I found myself leaving the rocking chair and making my way to Bella's bed. I ran my finger slowly across her eyebrows, down her nose, and then softly across her bottom lip, lingering for a bit as she sighed softly and her heart sped up, signaling that she would wake soon.
Her first smiles in the morning were always the best, so unguarded and sweet. She made it seem like her smiles were only meant for me. The way that she would glow as her lips slowly upturned, her eyes slowly waking up, widening as if she were seeing me for the first time.
I would never tire of that.
I kissed her softly, whispering a good morning as I removed the hair from her face as I ran my fingers down her jawline, and then down her neck to her collar bone. I listened to her breath hitch as I moved the left strap of her tank top down her shoulder.
"Should I stop myself now, Bella and allow you a human moment, or may I..." I took in a gulp of air, allowing her scent to burn my lungs as I tried to steel myself to continue, that I could do this. There would be no stopping this time. "Or may I join you" I let out deep sigh, " In bed?"
Her eyes grew wider, her breath hitched as she nodded before opening her blankets to me, which allowed the faintest spike of her arousal to hit the air.
It burned my throat with sweet agony as I swallowed and held that scent in my lungs as I climbed into bed with her. With each inch I moved closer to her, my hands and lips begged to touch her, feel her, take her in deep inside of me, a place where no one had ever been before.
A new boundary had been crossed, and I wasn't going to look behind me. Her eyes held a curious light in them as I pressed my lips to hers as she allowed herself to catch up to the moment and wrap her arms around me, pulling me as close to her as she could get me.
Our limbs tangled as our kisses became more frenzied than the ones before. Tongues begged to be met, breath exchanged, and clothes shed.
Bella pulled back from our kiss, caught her breath, and began to tug at my shirt. "This needs to come off." I didn't hesitate and pulled it off before I began to kiss her neck down to her collarbone, over her shoulder, slightly licking and nipping as I went.
Eventually, after another deep, slow kiss, I allowed my eyes to wander from hers and noticed that we were both finally naked, clothes were strewn all over her room, and I couldn't bring myself to care. The only thought on my mind was how nice and amazing it felt to feel every bit of her touching me. Skin to skin. Warmth to cold as heaven and hell merged.
Her eyes, her beautiful brown, soulful eyes guided me, assuring me that this was perfect and meant to be.
I have never seen so much love staring back at me.
I wrapped my arms up under her, my fingertips on top of her shoulders as I nudged her legs apart and finally allowed myself to feel what what I denied myself for so long. The smell of her arousal, the wetness and warmth as I slowly slid my hardness between her legs hit me all at once. As I pushed in, savoring the feel, my eyes clenched shut. Her breath fanned across my face, her whispers of "I love you's" and "this was meant to be" overwhelmed my dead heart.
When I met her barrier, I looked down at her, and unlike in my hallucination, I felt no need to bite, to taste her. All I wanted was for her to see all the love I held for her as I drove myself home. I was rewarded with one of the most sweetest, loving smiles in return.
Moans and scattered breaths escaped us as we moved perfectly together. Her breath would hitch the deeper I'd push. Harsher, louder moans escaped me as I felt her legs wrap around me, pulling me closer as she pushed back.
She was absolutely beautiful laying under me, allowing me to give her this pleasure. Her eyes were closed, her breaths came in short pants as I felt her begin to clench around me as she neared her release.
All the while, the monster inside me stayed dormant. I felt no blood lust, which allowed my fears to melt away as I allowed myself to give in to my own release with a low moan as I pushed inside her one last time.
She held me to her, refusing to let me move. I nipped gently and kissed her, both of us professing our love in one way or another.
"T-that was...God, Edward. I have no words." Bella whispered softly, before she kissed my neck and finally allowed me to lay next to her. I nodded my head in agreement, as I brought my hand to her bare stomach and lazily drew patterns on her with my fingers as I just looked at her, watched her laying next to me. I came to a realization that this was what I wanted for the rest of my time on this earth. Her beside me. It didn't matter where we were, what we were doing, just that it was her beside me.
"I wouldn't mind laying here all day, but I have plans, sweet girl. So, why don't you go get showered and dressed while I make you something to eat. I will shower after you. Okay?" I kissed her softly on the lips before standing up and getting dressed.
We left her house around noon, both with smiles on our faces due to the fact we had crossed off another hurdle and slowly became more than we ever were before.
Quiet descended on us as I ran through the forest and towards my house. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence, more like everything was perfect and as it should be kind of silence. I had some things to pick up in order for my plans for the day to go through without a hitch. I looked over at my sweet girl and smiled, it felt so right to feel so happy and whole.
Once we came up to the house, we made our way in where our family crowded around Bella, giving her hugs. They each showed her love in their own ways as they had her sit down and Esme, of course, rush off to make her a cup of tea. It was just Esme's go-to thing to do for Bella, and Bella indulged her.
I quietly left the room and made my way up to mine, allowing them their time with Bella. I tried not to intrude on their thoughts as I grabbed what I needed to carry out my plans for today and stuffed the smaller item into my pants pocket, hoping Bella wouldn't notice.
I took my time in my room, allowing the family to have some much needed Bella time all to themselves.
Eventually, I made my way back downstairs. Each member of our family had certain thoughts bombarding my head. Emmett's, of course, were crude. The rest, though, knew how important today was to me, even if they didn't know exactly what I had planned, only Alice had somewhat of an inkling. I kept changing my thoughts and ideas on her as I wanted what I planned to do be a surprise not just for Bella, but for everyone.
"You ready to go, love?"
Bella nodded and said her goodbyes to our family as we made our way out the door and into my Volvo. I kissed her lips softly before I went around to my side.
Bella picked the music, causing Claire de Lune to fill the car. It brought me back to all those months ago when I brought her home from the restaurant in Port Angeles, which seemed fitting for what I had planned.
I turned on to the 101 and began our drive north. Half way there, our conversation and my car was brought to an abrupt halt.
In the middle of the road stood Jacob Black. He wasted no time in hurling thoughts back at me, just like he had when we had first returned and shown up at Bella's house. I got out of the car, intent on sending him on his way, in my own little way, but Bella, being as unpredictable as ever, beat me to it.
"Jacob Black! What the hell do you think you are doing? You would've been hit, you ass!" Bella seethed, her hands clenched at her sides.
"I had to do something, Bells. I can't let you spend your time with him, it's not right. Not natural."
Bella's head snapped up as she sent a glare to Jacob that I wouldn't ever want to be on the receiving end of.
"And you think you know what's best for me? And you somehow think that I will listen to you? Let's get one thing straight, Jacob. I only listen to me. I am sick and tired of people telling me what to do, or what they think I should do."
"Bella, be reasonable. He's cold, I'm hot. I seem more suited, don't you agree?" Jacob said, cockily.
"Jacob, I said it before, and I will say it again, and I will keep saying it until you somehow get it into your thick skull-"Bella said as she stepped forward, poking a finger into Jacob's chest. "It will always, always be him, Jacob. No one else. I am thankful for the friendship I have with you, but that is all that it will ever be. It was always him. And I am sorry that you can't seem to understand that."
Bella wiped a tear away as she turned around and made her way back to my car. I had the urge to at least punch Jacob, even though I wanted to do more to him. But the treaty still held, and even in defending Bella, I couldn't break it.
"Jacob, take the gift of friendship she has given you. Be thankful for that. If that was all that amazing creature would give me, I'd take it. I count myself lucky, and so should you." I could tell he was close to phasing, he apparently didn't like what I had to say.
Jacob huffed as he paced back and forth, eventually giving into phasing as he ran off.
I quickly got back into my car and continued the drive up to Port Angeles as I held Bella's hand, squeezing every now and then.
The view of Bella Italia soon loomed in front of us as Bella gasped, her eyes grew wider as a sweet smile graced her face.
"I figured this was a good place to be since we haven't been back here since that night. You can count it scratched off on my list of memories to fix." I said as I winked and leaned over to give her a slow, sweet kiss. "Instead of me being unsure of us and our future, like I was that night. Today, I know where I stand and how I feel. Now, let's go get you some food."
Bella's ordered the pasta dish that was on special, while I orderedtwo cokes, just as we had the last time we were here. We talked and laughed our way through the meal. Bella was full of smiles. It did something to me every time she smiled and I could see her happiness radiate out of her. It made me just as happy, too.
We lingered a bit longer in the restaurant, talking about our family, Charlie, school, graduation, just about everything and time just flew. It always did when I was with her. I happily added today to the list of days I never wanted to forget, due to how perfect it seemed so far.
We were once again in the Volvo driving back to Forks when my nerves hit me hard. I tried to hide it, hoping she wouldn't pick up on the change in me as we got closer and closer to her house. But I knew she knew something was up. She would quickly glance at me, shake her head and look back out her window as she wrung her hands together. I wanted to take away her worry and assure her everything was fine, but I knew that if I said anything now, that I would probably just be one jumbling mess of a vampire with no coherent words coming out of me, which, to be honest, is not something a vampire usually does.
As we pulled up into her driveway, I noticed the Chief was still not home and I tried to rein in the nervousness again, but it stayed with me as I took unnecessary deep breaths to try and calm the rising emotions within me.
I could hear her sigh as she left the car and slowly walked towards her house, which finally snapped me out of my thoughts and feelings as I got out of the car and caught up with her.
"Bella, stop." I whispered into her ear as I pulled her back into me, holding her close. I kissed her cheek, down her neck and back up to her ear as I listened to her heart fly.
Turning her around to face me, I kissed her again, deeper. Her lips were sweet and soft, and I couldn't get enough, but I needed to set out to do what I had planned.
I held her hand tightly, hoping she wouldn't take my words the wrong way. "Will you take a walk with me?" I said, as I looked towards the treeline towards the back of her house.
She hesitantly nodded as her grip on my hand grew tighter and her breaths came shorter.
"Trust me, love."
I pulled her through the opening to the forest, her footsteps faltered as she tripped a few times as we made our way to our final destination.
It was the spot.
THE spot.
The very spot I left her.
"I once left you in this very spot and shattered you into a million pieces. but now, here, I want to rectify the biggest regret and mistake I've made in my once human and now vampire existence with a new memory. One that you deserve to have."
I watched her face, her eyes wide with unshed tears as she nervously bit her bottom lip.
"I want to give you a much happier one, I owe you that much, and so much more, if I am honest."
I stepped closer to her, grabbed her hands in mine and held them tightly as I softly stroked her knuckles, hoping to reassure her.
"This area, this spot, from now on will not be the spot where I said those fateful words and broke us. No, this spot will be the spot where I ask you something simple in the hopes of gaining a forever with you."
I kissed her, running my tongue across her bottom lip and gently nipped it before I pulled away.
"This spot will be the spot where instead of sad tears falling, I hope only to see happy ones today. This spot will be the spot where I hope to see your brightest smile light up for me. Bella, I will never leave you again, lose you again or break you again."
She looked up at me, her eyes so bright and full of love as a smile crept up on her face. I then pulled out her ring from my pocket and went on bended knee as she decided our future.
"I love you for all of my days and hopefully my days will be infinite with you by side. This spot will be full of happy memories for us. This spot is the spot where I ask you to be my wife. So Bella, marry me, stay with me, love me as I will forever love you. Say that you will marry me today. Right now, right in this moment. This spot is where I give you forever."
Her breath hitched as she gave me the answer I longed for, solidifying our future for the endless days to come.
THE END
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I hope that this story was everything you thought it would be, and maybe just a bit more. I can't thank you guys enough for all of the reviews, favorites and the fact that you guys took time out to read this little story from me.
I look forward to your thoughts. Thank you.