Title: Devotion

Rating: PG

Characters: Bella, Edward, Charlie, Alice (by mention)

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Stephenie Meyer

Summary: Post-Eclipse - 1 night before the wedding. Edward is bringing Bella home and seeing her for the last time before the wedding. Charlie is not pleased with the wedding and Edward makes an attempt at talking to him.

"I still find it extremely unnecessary for Alice to insist on keeping us apart tomorrow." I whined. The remaining days in the month had flown by and the wedding was creeping ever nearer. The time until being counted in hours now, rather than days.

"She just wants to make this special" his hand found my chin and pulled it up until I met his deep golden eyes with my own I broke off the gaze as soon as I could without offending him. I was not going to let him dazzle me out of my stubborn complaints.

The silver Volvo slowed to a gentle halt in front of my house. As I surveyed the complete normality of my simple small white house, I was suddenly flooded with realization. This house would no longer be my home after tomorrow. After tomorrow, my home was the Cullen residence. After tomorrow, my home was wherever Edward was. Edward, my husband. The words shocked me even in my mind, though I was getting much more used to the idea of marriage. Charlie, however, had been less than thrilled when I broke the news of our engagement to him. At first, he was entirely opposed to it. His face took on an abnormal shade of purple as he growled "Bella Swan, I expressly forbid you to marry that boy!". It took a couple of weeks for him to speak to me after that, and even then he entertained to intention of attending the ceremony.

"What are you thinking?"

His soft velvet voice shook me from my thoughts and I wondered how long he had been studying my face trying to interpret what was going through my mind.

"Nothing." I replied too quickly

"Second thoughts?" I could hear the pain in his voice.

"No, Edward, I just wish there was a way that Charlie could be happy too." I confided.

His beautiful eyes held mine for a moment before he disappeared from the drivers seat and appeared almost simultaneously at my door. He helped me out in a very gentlemanly fashion with a look of pained determination across his perfect face.

"Charlie will come around" He assured me.

As we approached the door, his grip tightened around my waist. I looked up at him imploringly, but he avoided eye contact and reached forward to turn the handle and let us into the house. Charlie stood waiting, his arms crossed in the entry way.

"Hi Dad." I edged.

" You're twenty minutes past curfew." He was speaking to Edward, I realized.

I exhaled in exasperation, about to open my mouth to protest but Edward squeezed my elbow and cut me off.

"Bella, honey, why don't you go upstairs and give me a moment with your father." It was a demand, not a request.

I froze. He lifted my chin with his hand and did that dazzling thing that I hate. Something about his firm jaw-set and confident eyes told me that it would be in my best interest to humor him, just this once, and do what he says. He was not intent on letting me have any part in an argument with Charlie tonight. My rebellious side took over, wanting at least one additional say in the matter. I rose on my tip-toes and pressed my lips to Edwards, smiling discreetly over the sharp intake of breath coming from Charlie's direction.

"Alright" I agreed in the sweetest voice I could manage. I threw a brief glance at Charlie's furious face before darting up the stairs. I hoped that my actions weren't going to make things harder for Edward.

I reached my room and shut the door silently behind me before leaning my back against it and sliding to the floor. I listened intently, waiting to hear the shouts of fury erupt from Charlie at any moment. They never came. In fact, nothing came. I sat up there for close to an hour, just staring at the room. My room. It seemed so foreign to me. Like it didn't belong to me anymore. My eyelids drooped and I realized how exhausted I was. Alice had made me try on my wedding dress almost 10 times, constantly altering it in some way, insisting that it had to be perfect. I let my thoughts aimlessly wander while I stared intently at the window. Edward wouldn't leave without saying goodbye. I sighed impatiently.

Almost as if in response, the branches on the tree outside moved against the wind. I stood to meet him, but stopped when I heard footsteps coming up the stairs. Charlie.

I quickly flung myself onto my bed and closed my eyes, hoping that my fake sleeping would help me to avoid a presumably uncomfortable conversation. Charlie knocked and entered the room hesitantly, ignoring the fact that I was likely asleep. I heard the scraping of the rocking chair along the floor as he clumsily dragged it over to the bed side. He was making no effort to be quiet, so I concluded that he wanted me to wake up for this. I kept my eyes closed and steadied my breathing. He sighed loudly as he sat down.

"Bells?….. Bells, honey, are you still awake?"

I didn't move.

It seemed like an eternity before he made another sound. The sound he did make, however, shocked me.

Was Charlie….. Crying?

I didn't dare open my eyes, but I could hear the unmistakable sharp and uneven intakes of breath. Chief Swan, crying. Impossible.

My stomach clenched as he began speaking. I could hear the cracks in his voice, and even with my eyes closed I could almost picture the torment on his face. I felt his tear soaked clumsy hand find my own and give it a light squeeze before he began.

"Bella, I want you to know how much I love you." His voice was so tortured and weak.

"The day you moved to Forks was one of the best days of my life, and…. And I guess I'm just not ready to let you go so soon." His voice broke and he hesitated a moment before continuing.

"I don't have anything against Edward. He is a great man, Bells, and I know that he will take care of you. I didn't realize until tonight how much he loves you. He is everything that a father could want for his daughter, and so much more. I know I haven't made this relationship easy for you. I apologize for that. You have t understand that….. I am not really good at this parenting thing……" He hesitated again.

" I'm sorry that I have been so hard on you. You didn't deserve it. I'm sorry that I have been such a horrible parent. I didn't mean to….. I never should have….." He struggled for words and then gave up with a conclusive sigh.

"I love you Isabella Marie Swan.". Another minute passed and he rose from the chair and replaced it, much quieter this time, across the room in its corner. He lingered in the doorway a moment more before he muttered.. "Honestly Bella, you're a pitiful actress"

I scowled as the door clicked shut. Why did everyone feel the need to point out my pitiful acting skills!?

In a moment he was there. His cold arms circled around me and I curled into his chest.

"Thank you", I whispered.

He chuckled lightly. "Bella, did you think that I was going to let you walk down that aisle alone tomorrow? Besides, its much easier to win an argument and change someone's mind when you have an unfair advantage. My insight is very useful in these situations."

I couldn't think of a decent response, so I twisted my neck around and found his lips in the darkness. He pulled himself on top of me without breaking the kiss. His hands held my face so gently. Too gently, almost. I wondered how much effort it took him to be this gentle. My heart accelerated as his sweet, cold breath filled my senses. I knew he could hear my erratic pulse. He listened to it often. He broke the kiss and swiftly laid his head against my chest and listened to my heart beat.

"Will you be here in the morning?" I whispered.

"No. Alice would kill me. But I'll see you at about 2."

"Who's coming to pick me up?" I asked.

"Charlie is driving you." His tone told me that that fact was not open to compromise.

I bit my lip in response, not anticipating the awkward car ride.

"Everything will be fine." He whispered in my ear. His cool breath cascaded down my neck, sending chills through every inch of me.

I caught his eyes. "I know." I assured him. "Tomorrow, I will be your wife."

His teeth glistened in the moonlight from the window. His smile made my heart skip a beat.

"Isabella Swan, I love you."

"Isabella Cullen" I corrected him.

He laughed one short, melodic note and swiftly kissed my nose.

"You don't know how happy that makes me."

I smiled. As little as I wanted to admit it, I was as happy as he was. Up until these last few weeks, marriage had not appealed to me at all. But as the date grew nearer, and now especially that Charlie was more accepting of it, I could hardly wait until the moment I could say 'I do'.

I traced his marble face in the darkness as happiness swelled inside of me.

"I love you Edward Cullen."

"I know you do Bella. You couldn't be lying, I know better. You're an awful actress, remember?"

I smiled and rolled my eyes.

"Sleep now, my Bella. You are my life, and my world. And tomorrow, you will be my wife."

"I like the sound of that." I breathed.

With Edwards ear against my chest and his lips pressed to my throat, humming my lullaby, I smiled and gave in to sleep.