Chapter Twenty: Waking To The Future

Bella's POV

The first thing I was aware of was the black exhaustion. Then I felt his cool fingers against my face. His cool breath tickled my cheek before I smelled his sweet scent. He said something but my head was still muddled and I couldn't comprehend it. I groaned and leaned my head closer to the most perfect sound in the world; his beautiful, melodious voice.

Everything was coming in clearer now but I still couldn't open my eyes. I could hear a soft beeping that kept time with my heart. The bed I was on was hard and uncomfortable with itchy sheets. Where was I?

"Bella, can you hear me, sweetheart?" Edward's voice called to me. The velvet of it was marred by worry.

"Edward?" I mumbled. I still couldn't figure out how to open my eyes. The exhaustion of my recent fainting spell still weighed on my eyelids.

I heard him exhale in relief; it was obvious he knew I was awake. I felt his lips brush against my cheek so I turned my head, searching with my lips for his. He didn't hesitate or pull away when my lips finally found what they were looking for. He kissed me passionately for a minute until we both heard a rapid beeping and he moved away from me, chuckling.

"I should be more careful with you. I've been too careless today than I ever intended to be while you are still human. I should have never left you. If I took better care of you, you wouldn't be here." He said with dark humor.

"Don't be silly," I mumbled.

Finally my eyes opened and I found his glorious face. He was so close that I considered pressing my lips to his again but his expression and the beeping was driving me crazy. I realized that it was running the same rhythm as my misbehaving heart so I tried to slow it. I became aware of the tubes and wires stuck in me. Everything clicked then and I was aware of where I was. This new information irritated me.

"Edward, why the hell am I in the hospital? What happened?" I asked as I glared at the IV in my arm. I hate hospitals and I kept ending up in them. It was infuriating to be in a place I can't stand constantly. It was like I couldn't go a week without a visit here. Edward's tone diffused that rage.

"You can't imagine how good it is to hear your voice, love. I was afraid I was going to lose you. Again. When you passed out, I went berserk." Edward's voice was filled with relief. I must have really scared him. I was instantly angry with myself for fainting but it quickly subsided. He was more important and I was compelled to reassure him.

I stared into his eyes and pressed my hand to the side of his perfect face. "I'm not going anywhere. I am yours forever." The conviction resounded in every word.

He smiled and placed his hand over mine to keep it there. "I promise that as soon as you are well enough, I will make you a vampire. I can't lose you. I'm not strong enough to live without you and I don't want to try again."

I remembered the scene at the house before it went black and I woke up here. "Is that before or after the wedding?"

"You remember my proposal? You still want the wedding?" he questioned me. How odd for him to doubt me like that.

"Did you think I would change my mind?" I asked him but didn't let him answer. "I remember you proposal and my answer is still a firm and confident yes." I smiled as he took my hand from his face and kissed it. There was no doubt in his jeweled eyes as he beamed at me. There was only pure bliss and love between us.

"Alice will be thrilled. She's dreamed of planning our wedding since the first vision of us being together. I myself could not be happier." I was sure that we were finally equally matched on our feeling toward our marriage. I wanted it now just as much as he did.

He bent down to kiss me. Again, the heart monitor was sporadic. He pulled away but not before one last kiss on my throat.

"Better not push your health, love. You are still sick, after all." Edward murmured as he stared at the monitor to my heart.

I nodded and went back to the earlier topic. "Tell me about the wedding Alice saw. Our wedding, I mean." I liked the sound of the words.

Edward chuckled as he returned his gaze back to me. "Alice isn't happy about it. She wants a huge, grand wedding with the entire town in attendance. Some big, expensive production with flowers everywhere, fancy outfits, crystal glasses, and perhaps a horse-drawn carriage involved." He paused as he took in my expression. His words painted a horrifying picture. I absolutely refuse to have a wedding like that. Alice should know me better than that. "That is what Alice wants but not what she saw, love." Edward added quickly.

"I don't care what she wants! No big, elaborate weddings!" I shouted, furious that Alice would even consider something so ridiculous. Didn't she know me at all?

"Love, please. I know the kind of wedding you want and you are going to get it. A small, intimate wedding is what Alice saw. Nothing too fancy. A simple wedding with close friends and family is in our near future. Don't worry, sweetheart. That future is set in stone." Edward reassured me.

I sighed in relief before smiling up at him. "Tell me more about our wedding. I want to hear my fiancé describe it." I insisted, enjoying the sound of the word 'fiancé' as I said it. It felt right and I wondered why I was so averse to the whole subject before.

Edward's smile grew bigger. He liked his new title; that was for sure. He was about to speak when he suddenly cocked his head to the side and his eyes narrowed in concentration. I recognized that look instantly; he was listening to someone's thoughts very closely. I waited patiently for him to speak again.

"I would love to continue the subject of our upcoming marriage but Charlie is here. I don't think he should know yet. Too much stress from you being sick as it is for him, wouldn't you agree?" he sighed. I grew panicky as he spoke. So many questions filled my head. I had to protect Charlie from this.

"What? Charlie's here? What does he know? What will he say when he sees you? You aren't supposed to be home, are you? What do we tell him?" my voice was panicked and growing higher with each new question.

"Bella, calm down. Charlie doesn't know why you are here yet. There isn't any time to explain. He wants to see you right now. Lie back and don't panic. Everything will be fine." Edward's voice was soothing as I did what he said.

I thought of what I would say to my father as I waited for him to come in. I could hear him on the other side of the door. He sounded worried and angry. It was obvious that he was arguing with Esme and the rest of my family. They were trying to keep him out and he demanded to see me. Finally, after he pulled the 'parental authority' bit, they agreed to let him in. here we go. This should be fun.