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AN: Hey guys, sorry it took so long to write this. I've been sick and not really up to writing. Anyway, I seem to have forgotten to tell you all WHEN this story is taking place…Silly me! Ok, here we go…The Prologue was 1 yr after Edward left. The story picks up on the first day of the spring semester around 8 ½ years after that, so, picture chapters 1-14 happening in the end of January. Chapter 15 catapults us to the end of February. That's where we are now…
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Chapter 17
I sit with the others again as Edward cooks my meal. It feels so strange to let him do it but he wants to, so Rose and Alice play with my hair as I sit and think. I come to a decision. "Carlisle…"

He looks up from his newspaper and tilts his head. "Yes, Bella…?"

"I've thought about those medical options, and I just don't feel comfortable with donating organs… but I would like to donate blood. Do you think you could help me?" I ask as they all stare at me.

Edward places my dish in front of me and says, "I don't know, love…don't you still get sick at the sight and smell of blood? It may not be a good idea."

I purse my lips for a moment. "Edward, I've gotten so many transfusions in my life. I feel the need… no an obligation to give some back." I start to eat.

Carlisle clears his throat. "I see her point son. We saw her medical file in the few months before we…left. She'd had 6 transfusions and that was before Phoenix."

I nod sadly and say, "When I lost the baby, I needed another 3…"

Edward holds his hands up in surrender. "Ok, ok…! I get it…"

"So, Bella, how much do you want to give in total?" My future father-in-law asked with a frown.

My confusion seems evident even though I'm still eating. "I don't know… How much can I spare? How much am I allowed to give?"

He thinks for a moment. "I believe the donation amount is 1 pint."

"So, how about this…? I'll donate 1 pint per month. That equals 12 pints in total, which is 1 pint more than the amount of transfusions that I've had." I smile up at Carlisle.

He smiles back and replies. "Very good, Bella…I'm proud of you. You're taking all of this in stride."

Alice waltzes into the room with a print-out in her hand. "We're in luck! Florida is in for some cool and cloudy weather! This means we can go with Bella!"

"Oooh! I wanna go to Disney!!!" Emmett yells and starts jumping up and down. "Please, please, please can we go to Disney?" I giggle and take my last bite as Rosalie rolls her eyes in his direction.

"Bells, I've booked the whole trip and I don't want any complaints; do you hear me? The Cullens travel first class all the way! Now call Renee and Phil and tell them the plans." Alice glares at me.

Having just finished my dinner, I throw her a sarcastic salute before heading toward my room to follow orders. "Oh, gosh…I just remembered…she doesn't know that you guys are back in my life. What do I tell her?"

I laugh as Edward's arms pick me up. He whispers into my ear. "Just tell her that you and some friends are coming to visit and you want her to meet you in the lobby at the Grand Floridian hotel on March 27. Tell her to pack for a few weeks and not to worry about expenses. We've taken care of everything…as an early birthday gift. We'll explain things to her once we are there." He sets me down on the bed and hands me the phone.

1 hour later…
I walk out to find my fiancé waiting alone. "I knew she'd be agreeable after a while. Come here, love. I want you in my arms again." Our lips touch and I'm lost in his kiss. I feel his fingers twining in my hair. My body tingles with longing. I reach up to stroke his face. "You know, Bella-love, Valentine's just past and we didn't celebrate it. I want you to know I love you. I want to show you that I love everything about you."

"Edward, I know you love me…" I say quietly. "I don't need a card or flowers or candy to tell me you love me. These arms and lips are all I need for that. Besides, I'll still be a human for Valentine's day next year."

He grins. "We still have time…do you want to go get that belly ring?" I nod and we run to the car. He pulls up to the front of a clean looking shop. After opening my car door, he takes my hand and leads me through the open door and up to the counter. He speaks to the man behind it. "Uhmmm…hey man, I called a few minutes ago… My fiancé wants a belly-ring put in."

The guy looks me over and shrugs. He has 2 bars in his right ear shell and one through his eyebrow. "You don't seem like the type, but okay. C'mon back here." I go behind the counter and sit where he tells me to. "It has to be a small one at first to let the hole set. You can change it to a fancier one in a few weeks, if you want. Here's a paper on how to take care of a piercing. Now, I'm going to numb the area so I can proceed." He injects me with the syringe just above my belly button.

I hold my Edward's hand and close my eyes as the guy- his name tag says 'Brian'- places the piercing gun to my navel and presses the trigger. I feel a sharp pain and squeeze Edward's hand, but it goes away quickly. "There's no blood…not a drop." He whispers to me. "How do you feel, love? Do you like it?"

I nod. "It looks great, and I don't really feel it! I can't wait to show Alice!" I turn to Brian. "Thanks so much!"

Edward grins after he pays the guy and we are walking out of the shop. "I hope you don't mind but I'm getting you a nicer ring for it then a bar. When you can change it out, I'll give it to you. It'll go very nicely with your engagement ring."

"Don't you dare spend too much money on it!" I say pointing a finger at him.

"Don't worry, love," He chuckles and wraps his arms around me. "I'll spend only what I think its worth." I shake my head at him and get back into the car. "Oh, and you should be warned…"

"Uh, oh…what does that mean?" I ask.

"Nothing too dire, my love." He smirks at me indulgently, as we get into the Volvo. "Alice just can't wait to buy you some new tops and things that will show off your tummy. Florida will only be having a couple of cloudy days, so you'll have quite a few chances to dress in light and sexy clothing. I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I will." He wiggles his eyebrows.

I wink playfully at him. "I'll try… but you may have to help me with that…"

He stares at me for a moment and the blood rushes to my face. Edward grins and starts the car. We pull up to our home and see Rosalie and Alice on the porch.

My best friend is practically bouncing in anticipation. "Show me, Bella…please show me?"

I laugh as Edward lets us into the house. In the living-room, I lift my shirt, letting only my belly button show. Rose smiles and winks at me causing me to blush…yet again. Alice squeals and giggles before whipping out a camera and snapping a photo. Edward catches the camera as Alice tosses it to him.

"This was the first thing you did on your list Bella… You needed to have a picture to commemorate the occasion." Alice states, pointing a finger at me. "Now go to bed and we'll let you do other stuff in the morning." I watch in shock as the girls leave the house, closing the door after them.

After a while, I turn to Edward and quietly say, "I'm in the mood for a little reading before bed. I think I'll just settle on the couch with my Jane Austin novel."

He says, "You know... I've been writing music again, love. I'll just work on that while you relax."

"Oh, Edward, I'm so glad you've been writing music again! I changed my mind… I'd love to listen, if you don't mind." I answer before running to get a throw blanket from the closet. I hear him begin playing as I re-enter the room. "Where's that camera, Edward?" He hands it over and I sit on the couch and watch him for a while.

I flip through the digital images on the camera. There's a picture of my house… one of me at the front of my classroom… me with Edward… holding me while I sleep.

The music Edward is playing seems to follow the flow of pictures.

I reach a picture of me in my office at my computer. I wonder when someone took this. I look so… calm and happy. I look up and see him looking at me. I quickly snap a picture of my fiancé playing his piano in our living-room. He looks happy. He has that crooked grin that I love so much on his lips.

Going back to the pictures on the camera, I notice the picture from tonight. My belly-ring looks awesome! I'll have to remember to take pictures of me and Edward together – both before and after the change… and the rest of the Cullens can't be left out… They're my new family too. Finally, I can call the Cullens 'my family' and noone can say I'm wrong… My gaze meets Edward's and he smiles as the notes he is playing come together triumphantly.