A/N: This chapter is much shorter than the others and I realize that, but after making people cry after the last chapter, I thought a nice piece of fluff was in order!

Chapter Sixteen

I followed behind Edward, my heart thumping in my chest as we made our way through the house. I was vaguely aware of Alice and Jasper watching as we passed through the living room; I was even more aware of Rosalie slamming the door to her bedroom as we passed through the second floor, but none of it mattered. The only thing I could concentrate on at this very moment was my Edward.

It nearly killed me to see the look of utter defeat in his eyes when he'd been so ready to let me go, but I had meant what I said; I wasn't giving up without a fight. As we ascended the second flight of stairs leading up to the third floor, my grip on his hand tightened. Though I'd been in this house many times, I'd never ventured beyond the living room and his bedroom. Carlisle's office was new to me.

He paused at the first heavy door, and even though he did not knock, Carlisle's voice beckoned us forward from within. Giving my hand a reassuring squeeze, Edward pushed the door open with a sigh.

The room was not what I expected. The rest of the house was light and open, but Carlisle's office was the exact opposite. Heavy shades covered the windows, making the dark paneled walls appear even darker in the dim light. He sat behind the huge mahogany desk, eyeing us expectantly.

"How is your head, Bella?"

"Much better," I mumbled. "Thank you for helping me last night."

"You're quite welcome. You may also be interested to know that your friend will heal quite well. As I suspected, there was no permanent damage. He's recovering now as we speak at a hospital in Phoenix."

"Phoenix?"

"I thought it might be wise that he didn't stick around. He'll most likely have no memory of the events that occurred last night. But enough about that. Please, have a seat," he said, gesturing grandly to the two leather seats in front of his desk.

Not needing to be told twice, I sank down into the comfortable chair, still unwilling to let go of Edward's hand. I was afraid if I let go, he'd disappear.

"Now, I assume this isn't just a courtesy visit?" He asked, the question directed at Edward.

"I need your help, Carlisle. Last night… a lot of things were made very clear to me last night after I…" he trailed off, lowering his eyes to the floor. "I can't keep putting her in danger because of what I am."

"So what do you propose we do?"

"I want to change her." The words sent an involuntary shiver down my spine, which was missed by neither Carlisle nor Edward.

"And does she agree to this?"

"I do," I responded softly.

"I see," Carlisle mused quietly, as he sat back in his chair. "And you do realize exactly what you'd be giving up, don't you?"

"None of that matters to me, Carlisle. I want to be with Edward forever. He's all that matters to me."

"And what about Charlie? Your mother?" The question caught me off guard. I hadn't even considered my family. "You do realize that once the venom has spread and the change is complete, that you will have to disappear. You would be a danger to them, especially during the first few years after the transformation."

"So I won't see them for the first few years. I'll… we'll talk by phone and email and then after I'm… normal, like you guys, I can go back to seeing them again."

"Even then, you'll never be the same Bella that you are now."

"I don't care. It'll all work itself out. I just… I need to do this, Carlisle."

"Very well," he responded with a nod.

"I don't… I don't know that I can do it, Carlisle. I don't know if I'd be able to stop, once I tasted her blood. I need you to help me."

"Of course I'll help you in any way that I can. There are ways we can work on strengthening your willpower, without putting Bella in any danger, of course. But it's going to take time."

Edward nodded fervently, turning his topaz eyes on me. "Are you sure that this is what you want to do?"

"I'm positive," I responded firmly. "Forever," I reminded him.

"Forever."

Xoxoxoxoxoxo

"What's it like?" I asked quietly, much later that night as we laid in bed. My head was resting against his marble chest as his fingers weaved through my hair. "Is it going to hurt?"

He was quiet for awhile as he processed my question before he answered in a soft voice. "It's very painful," he responded honestly. "I don't have many memories of my human life, but I can remember the transformation vividly."

"Will you be there with me when it happens?"

"I'll be there with you ever moment, my love. I want to be the first one you see when you wake up from it."

"You're the only one I ever see anyway." I could feel his cool lips against my hair as I sighed contentedly. To think, just twenty four hours ago, I wasn't sure I'd ever see him again. "Can I ask you another question?"

"Anything," he responded.

"Well… there's something I wanted… something I wanted to try with you first, before I'm not… human anymore."

"And what's that?"

I could feel the heat on my cheeks as I turned to hide my face against his chest. "Nevermind. Forget it."

"Bella!" He complained, pulling away from me slightly in an effort to see my face. "You know how much I hate when you do that."

"You're just going to laugh at me. It's so stupid and I just… ugh. I don't know why I even bothered trying to bring it up!"

"Will you just ask me? I'm not going to laugh at you, love."

"I didn't know if… if we could… try to… you know…?"

"Bella, I don't understand what you're trying to say."

"Are you really going to make me say it?"

"I'm afraid so, my love."

"Fine! Ugh. I didn't know if maybe we could try to… to be intimate together."

"Oh Bella! Sweetheart, we've been over this before. I don't… I don't know that I could take that risk with you, especially after what happened last night!"

"I just want to try Edward! If it gets to be too difficult or anything, we can stop and I swear to God, I'll never bring it up again! I just… I want to have that experience with you while I can! You have to understand that!"

"Of course I understand it but I just… I could lose control so easily and I would never… I could never forgive myself if I hurt you!"

"I'm just asking you to try," I responded pitifully.

"I just…I don't…"

"Why are you being so weird about this, Edward? Please?"

"I can't! We aren't even married and—"

"So let's get married then!"

His eyebrows knitted together as his topaz eyes searched my brown ones. "Are you serious?"

"Well why not? I'm signing myself over to you for eternity anyway. Might as well get it legalized first."

"You really wouldn't be opposed to getting married before the transformation?"

"Why would I be opposed to it? Isabella Cullen sounds much better than Isabella Swan, as far as I'm concerned."

The grin on his face was infectious. I was pretty certain that I'd never seen him this happy about something. I squealed quietly when his cold arms wrapped around my shoulders, crushing me against him. "I'm fairly certain that you've just made me the happiest man in the world."

"Wait a minute, Cullen!" I laughed, pulling away from him before I kissed his lips. "I want your word though. I'll even let Alice get involved in the planning process if you give me your word that you'll try to give me a real honeymoon."

"As long as you'll give me your word that we'll stop if it becomes too much, or if I hurt you."

"Alright then! It looks like we've got a wedding to plan."