2. Rainbows

I woke up the next morning on the couch, Charlie had apparently thought me better where I was. I got up and looked around, Charlie was gone, and Edward was nowhere to be seen, good, I was still mad at him.

Jacob was gone, I mused over breakfast, but that was the well deserved consequence of my choice. I chose Edward, I couldn't live without him, but I loved Jacob, and he loved me back with a ferocious intensity to match his werewolf self.

And my wedding was a little over a week away, my fairytale wedding, thrown mainly for the benefit of my friends and family. After that was a new life, I would become a vampire, it would be hard but I thought I was ready.

Someone came knocking at the door, breaking my train of thoughts. I knocked over my chair as I stood up, running to the door.

"Feeling better?" Edward asked as I swung open the door.

"I was." came my acid response.

Edward faked a hurt look, "What did I do?"

"I don't know, what did you do?" I asked with a hard indignant tone.

Edward paused for a moment, and sighed, "Bella," he whispered, "I truly am sorry, I went against your wishes, but I had to. I could not withhold thanks from Jacob, he's done so much for me, and for you, it seemed like the right thing to do."

I stared at him, he had not dazzled me, at least not like usual.

"Bella, I would never do anything to hurt you, you should know that by now."

"I know," there was a dreamy sort of air to my voice, "I wanted to tell him too, but I was afraid. Thank you."

Edward pulled me into a hug, a long, tight, cold one, one I enjoyed while it lasted, not long enough.

"Come with me, I want to talk to you." He said, the velvet almost dripping from his voice.

I turned to get my shoes and keys, but I had not taken a step before two powerful arms scooped me up.

"Edward." I protested.

He just laughed at me, "You're not driving, not today." He said, and took off running.

My surroundings seemed to melt away, and all I could see were Edward's golden eyes smiling on me, but that was only when I opened my eyes. I had learned long before that the high speeds of Edward running never sat well with me, and I could combat the sickness by closing my eyes. I settled down in Edward's arms, and relaxed, I was completely safe here.

Edward set me down, and I opened my eyes, the meadow, our meadow. Edward sat down beside me on the cool grass, and took my hand in his. The sun broke out from the clouds, a very rare occurrence in Forks.

"Bella," Edward began, "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"What?" I asked, somewhat surprised.

"Do you want to give up your soul for me?" he asked.

"Edward. I don't believe I lose my soul by becoming a Vampire."

"But there's always the chance, are you going to gamble that much for me?"

"You did." I said.

He stopped, he had not expected that, "When?"

"When you fought Victoria."

Edward turned over to me, "Bella," he said, "You are absurd."

"No, really," I protested, "You could have died for me, and lost your soul."

Edward rolled over onto his back and sighed, looking at the sky, "You're absolutely right. I won't question you like that again, if I'm willing to something I can't hold you back from doing the same thing."

I moved closer to him and laid my head against his chest. Hidden by the tall grass we lay, staring at the sky in silence, I savored the peace, the aloneness, the last weeks had been so very busy, preparing for my wedding. A week remained before I would be joined with Edward, for all of eternity.

The wind blew softly through the meadow, and in the breaking clouds a brilliant rainbow emerged, stretching as far as I could see. The colors were more vibrant than any rainbow I had ever seen before.

"Now that's a rainbow." Edward mused.

"Let's go find the pot of gold." I said, "It's got to be a big one, with so beautiful a rainbow."

Edward tossed my hair into my eyes, "Silly Bella," He said, "There's no pot of gold, I'm what's at the end of your rainbow."

"It's better than the gold." I said, and Edward laughed.

I walked in the front door of my house later that night, Charlie was sitting on the couch watching a game. He switched it off as I walked by.

"Bella, could you come talk with me for a bit."

I walked in and sat down.

"How are you?" he asked.

"I'm alright." I responded.

"I meant about Jake, you were really upset last night."

"Oh." I said, "I'm fine now, he was really upset that I'm marrying Edward, it's just a consequence of my choice, and I have to live with it."

Charlie nodded, and turned back to the blank TV, "I'm really going to miss you," he said, just as I was getting up to leave, "I love you, Bella."

I just sat there, staring at the floor, "I love you too, dad."

He stretched his arm around my shoulders, "Its been fun. Goodnight."

I stood up, and he turned his game back on. In my room Edward was waiting for me, I climbed into bed, and he came in after me.

"He really meant what he said." Edward told me.

"So did I."