"That's quite the getup."

I opened my eyes. Charlie was standing where I left him. The trip backwards had to have been only a few minutes.

I closed my fist around the ring box and smiled weakly. "Hey."

"Is that real fur?"

"It's a long story."

"Tell it walking," he said, jerking his head toward the car. "It's coming down now."

I followed him to the cruiser, always mindful of the ice. I couldn't help but remember my fear of a lurking Victoria. A cursory glance gave nothing away. Still, I kept looking out the window as we drove. I saw very little through the snow.

"Where did you go?"

"Really far back," I said carefully. I gripped the box to hide my shaking hands. It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the truth, either. Lying to Renee had gotten easier in the past few months, but Charlie was an entirely new ball game.

The drive that normally took an hour was looking to be two. I didn't mind; I was in no rush to leave the safe confines of the cruiser.

It gave me a long time to think.

Edward proposed to me. I wanted to kick myself. I should have seen it coming. The date, the nice restaurant, the secrecy . . . while I thought transformation, he was thinking tradition. My heart ached a little as we drove. While he was right—I wasn't ready—I knew I hurt him. He didn't deserve that. If I had only traveled five minutes later . . . maybe I could have made it right.

It wasn't the idea of getting married to him I was anxious about, it was marriage in general. Though Renee's engagement was clearly going well, her first marriage colored my idea of the institution for most of my life. In my mind, marriage led only to a rocky road.

I ran my finger over the box again. Would it really be so bad? Tying myself to Edward, as I had already done?

"Dad?" "Hmm?"

"How come . . . why didn't you ever remarry? After Mom?"

Charlie thought about it for a long moment. "I suppose I never found someone else like her. She was my first love."

It was surprisingly poignant. So unlike Charlie. He seemed to think the same thing. His voice became gruff.

"Why do you ask?"

I shrugged. "I've always wondered."

I could tell he wasn't entirely convinced. His eyes flickered between me and the road for several miles before he spoke again.

"Did you leave someone behind?"

"What do you mean?"

"A boy." He said it like a dirty word.

"Oh," I mumbled. "Uh, yeah. I did."

"There's still time," Charlie said quietly. "You can go back if you really want to."

I took a deep breath. "No, I want to give Mom and Phil some time alone. They need it."

Charlie didn't agree with me. He was silent as he drove, but I could see the worry lines between his brows. I loved him for caring that much, for being willing to put all the work to the side for my happiness. But until I time traveled again, I was on my own.

The house was just as I remembered. My trips here during the summer ended when I was fourteen, but time travel was a different story. As much as I disliked remoteness of Forks, it was always a relief to end up here and sneak into what used to be my home.

Charlie must have shoveled before he left, but the snow was piling up again. He steadied me when I nearly slipped in the heels, raising an eyebrow at my choice of footwear. I wanted to kill Alice and Rosalie; I was sure my feet were blue.

It only took one trip to get all my things upstairs. My room was sparse but comfortable. Charlie had even set up a computer for my schoolwork.

I ran one finger across the keyboard. There was no dust. He probably assembled it today.

While Charlie went downstairs to make some coffee, I changed my clothes. I hung Rosalie's perfect fur coat in the closet and sighed. So much for keeping that safe.

When I joined my dad downstairs, he was clipping his gun belt back on. With an apologetic look and a warm coffee placed in my hands, he explained there had been a traffic accident across town. With a police force this small, his presence was pretty much required. I nodded.

"Don't worry, Dad. I'll unpack and get acclimated. It's fine."

"I feel bad, though, Bell. It's your first night here."

I shook my head. "We'll have plenty of time to hang out. Be safe out there."

"Always am. I'll call when I'm on my way back."

I watched the cruiser pull away into the snow. I sighed. There was nothing else to do, really, except mope.

Elizabeth's ring sat waiting under my pillow. I opened the box and studied it. I wanted more than anything to go back to that moment, back to his earnest face and tell him—

It seemed like I was getting my wish. I only had a second to grab the ring, and I was gone. Rather than Edward's car, I landed in a big pile of dirt.

I groaned. Typical. Not only was time traveling becoming inconvenient, it was getting downright messy. The ring box had rolled a few feet away from me. I snatched it up from the ground, clutching it to my chest.

I was on a dirt road and the only person in sight. The area was decidedly rural; I saw no one on the road in either direction. With an all-too-familiar sigh, I started walking.

I was sure I had been here before. I couldn't quite put my finger on it. Something about the red dirt, the emptiness of the landscape . . . even the trees seemed familiar. When I finally found a sign, I gasped.

I was in Devil's Lake again.

The last time I had been here was 1935. Edward proposed to me in 1960. Why was I back this far?

I didn't need directions this time. The red farmhouse was a beacon, calling to me from the wasted countryside. No one answered the door. With my impatience growing, I hurried around the house to the backyard. Someone was bent into the hood of a rusted tractor.

"Edward?"

He lifted his head. But it wasn't Edward.

Emmett's face burst into a wide smile. "It's the traveler!"

His eyes were red.

I felt myself step backwards. His face fell at once. It took a moment for me to compose myself. "Sorry," I murmured, shoving my hands in my pockets. "It's just . . . your eyes . . . "

"I understand."

His eyes were red the last time I was here. He was a new vampire then, but I didn't know if he still was, or if he . . . slipped. Some of the fear seemed to show in my face, because he took a few steps away from me.

"Please don't be offended. It hasn't happened in your time yet, but I've had some bad . . . experiences."

"None from us, I hope." "No, not at all."

Emmett moved at a slow pace to sit on the ground. I sat where I was, watching him. His hands were black with grease. Some of it was even on his face; I giggled.

"What?"

"Nothing," I said hastily. "What year is it?"

"June 4, 1937."

The last time I was in Devil's Lake was 1935. After I left, I didn't see the Cullens again until 1945. Yet I was in North Dakota for the second time. Time never ceased to amaze me.

"So what brings you here?"

"Time travel has a way of taking me back to certain places," I shrugged.

Emmett grinned. "I assume you figured out my clue."

I smiled back. "I did. It took some time, but . . . thank you. It changed my life."

His eyes fell to the ring box in my hand. "In more ways than one, I see."

After a moment of hesitation, I scooted closer. There was about five feet between us now. He took the box from my outstretched hand and whistled.

"You and Edward, then. I knew it."

"You did?"

"He talks about you all the time," Emmett said a matter-of-factly. "But I don't think he knows it yet."

I felt my cheeks warm. "I didn't, either."

We laughed together. It felt wonderful to be near a Cullen again. I wanted to roll my eyes at myself. A few hours go by and I was bereft of them. But I was bereft.

I could feel my heart twisting. Oh, if only he was here, too . . . "So why is it in the box and not on your finger?"

"If only I could explain."

Emmett shrugged. "Try."

So I did. It was strange to pour my heart out in this way. Emmett and I had a good relationship, but we never talked about personal things. We joked and made fun of each other but never opened up. I knew it was Edward's absence that was fueling the conversation, but I couldn't talk to Charlie or Renee about this stuff.

I was careful to avoid discussing anything except but Edward and me. I could seriously change things if Emmett knew about James or Victoria. It was difficult to put our relationship in perspective without those dangerous circumstances.

"It sounds like you've changed your mind," he said when I had gone silent. "Rather than outright no . . . it seems like you're moving toward yes."

"But isn't that terrible?" I said miserably. "That I couldn't tell him yes at that moment?"

Emmett laughed. "No at all. I had to ask Rosalie twice before she agreed to marry me. She and Edward are a lot alike in that way."

"What do you mean?"

At my nod, he scooted closer to me. "The thing about Edward and Rosalie—they're dramatic."

"Well, yeah."

"They don't see us the way we see them," he explained. "And vice versa. Like when she saved me, for example."

I remembered that story. Rosalie found him dying in the mountains of Tennessee. A black bear was making a meal out of him, but she carried him over a hundred miles to Carlisle. When his transformation ended, she was the first thing he laid eyes on. An angel sent to deliver him to God.

"The point is, they're both worried about the superficial aspects of the change. The looks, the speed, the power . . . but you and I? We don't want any of that. We just want them."

He was right. I imagined the two of us peering through a window at our loves. Rosalie, twirling a wrench as she studied an engine. Edward bent over his piano and his art. What they didn't understand was that we weren't interested in the rewards of immortality. We had everything we ever wanted through them.

Emmett hesitated, then patted my arm. It was a stark contrast to his bear hugs later on in time.

"What are you waiting for?"

And suddenly my answer was easy. It was right on my tongue. Yes, a thousand times yes.

My lip was trembling. "Thank you, Emmett."

"Any time, traveler."

A breeze lifted my hair slightly. He stood, took four steps back and folded his arms. A shuddering breath ran through his chest. I grimaced.

"Sorry."

"You can't help it."

I studied him thoughtfully. In eight years he was going to see me again. I would be ignorant of this conversation entirely. He must have kept it from both of us all these years.

Emmett looked up at the sky. "Rain's coming this way."

"And I'm going."

I knew my next trip would be to Edward. It was as if a hook had been cast my way. It was a slow burn, though, a gathering storm. I turned to Emmett one last time. "Keep this from him—if you can."

"Trust me, he's not looking in my head," he told me, a warning finger pointed to his eyes. I nodded in understanding. Something terrible was keeping Edward far away from Emmett's thoughts. I only hoped he would find some peace with them.

"Here's to looking at you, kid," I grinned as I went, parting with a wave. He'd understand in five years.

The house was quiet when I arrived. A Christmas tree stood twinkling in the darkness. Presents and wrapping paper were strewn on the floor. A fur coat similar to the one held captive in 2005 was bursting out of a box.

It looked like I had just missed them. I sighed.

I found the bathroom and washed the Devil's Lake dirt from my hands. The ring was nestled safe in my pocket. Wherever Edward was, I prayed I'd see him soon.

As if answering my thoughts, the bathroom door burst open. Edward stood there staring at me with wide eyes. I leapt and wrapped my arms around his neck without hesitation. He laughed, squeezing me against his chest.

"This is extraordinary."

I nibbled and nipped at his ear. "Sure is."

"No, not that," he insisted, pulling away from me. "Bella, you're sleeping in the next room."

"Really?"

It was true. I peered through the doorway and saw another Bella sleeping there, hair flung all around her face. I pulled the door shut and turned back to Edward.

"Definitely one of the more bizarre experiences of my life." "You're telling me."

I couldn't contain my joy. He backed into the bathroom under my kisses, hoisting me up so my legs wrapped around his waist. After a moment, he pulled away guiltily.

"It feels like I'm stepping out on you."

"It's me," I coaxed. "I promise I'll understand."

He needed no further encouragement. I heard myself moaning as he slipped a finger inside me. His smile grew wicked. Edward couldn't read my mind, but he loved to hear me. I remembered the Bella in the other room and hoped she wouldn't wake up for this. It was too weird to think about.

We leaned against the tub afterwards, panting. Things had been strained in 1960. I was glad to experience the good side of our relationship again.

"You aren't wearing your ring."

I followed his gaze to my finger, then looked at his. He was wearing a wedding band. Then I remembered my steamy visit to 1962. In the hazy of our kissing, I never noticed he had a ring then, too.

This was a time after our marriage. A fluttery sensation settled in my stomach.

"It hasn't happened for me yet."

I watched the understanding dawn on his face. It was like the time I jumped forward and nearly slept with his future self. His head slumped a little. "Oh."

I lifted his chin with my hand. "It's the next time I see you. I'm sure of it."

A smile grew on his face at the memory. He must have been thinking of the moment when I came back. I pressed my other hand flat to the ring box. Soon he'd be putting that ring on my finger.

"It's a small wedding," he assured me, correctly identifying the reason behind my racing pulse. "You, me, and a justice of the peace."

"Really?"

"It's what you wanted. Not a big production. Just us."

That did sound like me. The idea seemed less frightening now. Just me and him, and forever.

My prediction was correct. When I left that Edward, I finally returned to mine.

He had been drawing again; when the light faded away, the pencil dropped from his mouth. He caught the ring box with an astonished expression, still not speaking. I pretended to scowl.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Ask me."

Edward was off the bed and sank to one knee in one fluid motion. His topaz eyes were bright with happiness. I thought my heart might burst at the sight. In my tattered pajama pants and t-shirt, I was hardly the perfect bride-to-be. But suddenly things like that didn't matter.

"Isabella Swan, I promise to love you forever—every single day of forever. Will you marry me?"

"Yes," I whispered, picturing the forever he promised. It was so close I could almost touch it.

The time we have will be time enough.

Edward slipped the ring on my finger then hugged me. I melted into his arms, squeezing him as tightly as I could.

I was never going to let go.

April 17, 1960

Edward watched me smooth my dress nervously. "You look beautiful."

I blushed. In order to maintain the small production value of our wedding, we kept it a secret from everyone else. That meant I chose my dress alone. Well, alone for the choosing part. Edward sat at the front of the store with his eyes and mind closed. His checkbook was a different story.

We watched a pregnant woman and her soldier fiance totter off for their turn. Edward grinned.

"What?"

"They don't know they're having twins."

I raised my eyebrows. "Mazel tov."

Edward squeezed my hand, frowning slightly. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"I am," I said firmly. "I love you."

Then it was our turn.

It was as simple as the future Edward promised. We exchanged rings and quiet vows. The old official laid his hands over ours and declared us married.

It was a strange feeling. Before I met Edward, I considered marriage an unlikely venture. But sometimes, when I did picture a ceremony, Charlie and Renee were on either side of me. I wondered what they were doing in the future. If they sensed a shift in time, a hint of something different.

I thought we were headed directly home, but Edward surprised me. Half an hour later I found myself in a honeymoon suite with my new husband. The thought made me giggle.

"What is it?"

"This room . . . you . . . today. Everything is wonderful."

He opened the champagne effortlessly and handed me a glass. "To you, Mrs. Cullen."

"Mr. Cullen," I nodded at him, then took a sip. It had a sweet and cloying flavor. Edward dipped his head to kiss me, then parted my lips to taste it himself.

I barely had time to set the glass down before he was kissing me again, sliding the zipper of my dress down with a teasing sort of slowness. I lunged and wrapped my arms and legs around him tightly. With a laugh, he fell backwards onto the bed, clutching my waist to control the fall. I clamored up to his neck and planted kisses there, all the while sliding my hand between us. A growl rumbled through his chest when I took him in my hand. There was something sexy about him losing control in that way. That I of all people could render him senseless—helpless, even—with just a touch.

Though he was careful not to tear the dress, I couldn't say the same for my underwear. Or the sheets. Or the pillows. I was vaguely aware of the headboard slamming at one point. His eyes never left mine, though. I could see the love in them—lust too—all tied together in one smoldering expression. He was beautiful when he came, resting his head on my shoulder. A cool kiss pressed to my neck. I could feel the blood rushing under the surface of my skin.

"Are all honeymoons this good?"

"This is just the wedding night, love," Edward grinned, slipping under the covers. "The honeymoon is yet to come."

It seemed like I was about to do a lot of that.