Disclaimer: All characters belong to Stephenie Meyer.

Just got done with finals last Thursday so please excuse the wait.

Thanks to all those who reviewed and said that they liked the fight scene!

Enjoy.

Chapter 19: Proposal

The hot, muggy air outside greeted Bella and I as soon as we stepped off the plane and onto the tarmac of international soil. There was already a rented BMW a few feet from the airplane with the keys on the hood and no one around. Of course, Alice would arrange it that way knowing Bella couldn't handle standing a few feet away from a human being right now.

I looked at Bella, examining her state of mind carefully. Reading her body language instead of her mind. Her hair was disheveled with a pair glazed over eyes and wrinkled clothes. The expression of exhaustion was perfectly molded into her face. Mentally exhausted, of course. Sixteen hours on the plane must have given her a lot of time to think.

Bella slid into the passenger side as I placed our only suitcase into the trunk. The atmosphere between us was a tense one like skating on thin ice. As if one of us could crack at any moment if we don't talk, but this wasn't the time and place. Not yet.

The engine purred to life to my satisfaction before my phone went off.

'Alice', the LCD screen blinked until I picked up and hit the speakerphone button.

"I hope the car isn't too shabby," Alice's voice was light.

"It'll do," I stated pulling out of the airport.

"Hi, Bella! How are you feeling?" Alice asked in the same tone.

Bella shifted in her seat, "I'm fine, but a little hungry."

I craned my head to catch a glimpse of her eyes, but she quickly turned away from me. The road was also too dark for me to catch her reflection against the glass. I'm sure whatever hunger she was experiencing, it was beyond a little.

"You'll be fine, Bella," Alice encouraged gently.

"You're reason for calling, Alice," I reminded.

Alice giggled, "Oh, right. Jasper and Emmett stayed behind with Kyle to clean up after you guys left. Apparently, some of the humans were starting to turn and they had no other choice but to make it seem like James' coven did it."

"They burned the bodies," I said.

There was no reaction from Bella. Just silence.

"Yes, but everything has been taken care of. The police questioned some of the students from the bonfire, but it turns out their account of what happened was voided because of the alcohol and drugs found in their system," Alice explained.

I had to ask the next one, "What about the family?"

"Carlisle's working on it. He wants us out of the US, and Esme agrees with him. They think foreign education will give us a broader view of life," Alice replied.

Bella whipped her head around to look at me squarely in the eyes. The burning, crimson shade I saw at the bonfire was now so dark that they were pitch black.

"Out of the states? Why?" Bella demanded toward Alice.

"I'll call you later," I snapped the phone shut.

"Why?" Bella repeated addressing me now.

I didn't know how to answer her. If she stayed with us, the issue she would blame herself for is the answer to her question. We can't stay in New Hampshire because of Kyle's wishes against her, but in the midst of everything, I'm not quite sure she caught that. If she decides to go her own separate way, the answer to her question simply wouldn't matter.

I softened my expression, "Your eyes are pitch black, Bella. Let's get you something to drink before we talk, okay?"

"Is it because of me? That's why your family has to leave?" She questioned angrily.

I didn't want to look at her then, because I know I'd find pain and regret hidden behind the black abyss of her eyes.

"We're almost there," I kept my voice controlled and Bella gave up on our conversation for now.

The road began to swirl into the trees passing empty wilderness. I stayed on course until I saw a dimly lit cabin up ahead. Bella began to straighten out in her seat as I pulled into the unpaved driveway. It definitely looked a bit shabby from the outside, but I was guaranteed its pristine condition on the inside by Alice.

"Great. The middle of nowhere so I can't kill anybody," Bella mumbled under her breath.

"That's not it, Bella. I brought you here so that you can regain some control of yourself," I replied before exiting the car and she followed.

Bella was suddenly standing in front of me with a smirk on her face, "Same difference."

"Hungry?" I asked side-stepping her to trek toward the woods.

She gracefully walked next to me, "Where are we, Edward?"

"The most exotic place on earth, I think," I replied content on our walking pace.

Bella rolled her eyes, "And where is that exactly?"

"The Amazon Rainforest. We are about ten miles away," I replied.

"And why did you take me here?" Bella asked.

"To bag a few jaguars," I smiled.

"Jaguars?" Bella's eyes lit up.

I nodded, "You'd like 'em. They put up a good fight."

A wicked smile spread across her lips, "Race you! Ready, set, go!"

I reached out too late to grab her back, and ended up having to run after her. The silhouette of her body weaved in and out between the trees, disappearing one moment and reappearing the next, forcing me to work to keep up with her. I was so preoccupied with keeping her in my view that I almost didn't realize she wasn't running anymore.

There was complete silence where her running footsteps were concerned, and I jerked to an abrupt stop in the middle of the forest. It took me a moment to realize that I was alone, and Bella was nowhere to be found. Did I lose her? That was impossible because she was right there in front of me give or take a few yards.

"Bella," I called softly turning around.

Nothing. Where could she have gone?

CLONK! Something big hit my head and fell to the ground. I leaned down to pick up a fruit and found it to be the Brazilian cupuacu. My eyes automatically gazed up into the tree because such a fruit could not fallen on it's own without some assistance.

Something was crouched down on one of the branches and I recognized the shape of her body immediately. What on earth was she doing up there? Then, as if she read my mind, Bella extended a her hand to point at the object of her desire. Resting a few branches below was a spotted jaguar. I hope she didn't plan to pounce on it, but we're talking about Bella here. She positioned herself on her branch and before I could warn her, Bella dropped right onto the jaguar's branch fearlessly.

A sharp crack brought both of them tumbling downward, and I quickly got out of their way as Bella disengaged herself from the cat's grip during the fall.

"You just had to piss it off, didn't you?" I asked perched against one of the branches of the tree above them.

The jaguar tensed its muscle, and let out a vicious snarl. Bella remained in her crouched position, tensed as her opponent, but much calmer. Without warning, both of them leapt up and crashed against one another. The jaguar flew backwards at Bella's force and landed on the grass, but it quickly sprang back up brushing itself off.

He bared his teeth at her, and didn't hesitant to charge full force at Bella. She only stood there, patiently waiting for the perfect moment. The jaguar leapt off the ground in a second attempt to knock her back, but before he made contact, Bella quickly side-stepped and sank her teeth into his neck.

I smiled and left her to find my own meal for the night. I'm not as confrontational as Bella is with her food, but I did find a mountain lion lapping up water by a small pond. There wasn't much of a fight at all, quick and clean was how I usually liked my meals.

Nearby, I could hear the roaring of a river or a waterfall. I stepped over the lion's body and moved a curtain of vegetation aside to reveal a magnificent waterfall. Lush flowers surrounded the large pool of water collected from the fall, and hundreds of fireflies danced in the humid air. The moon gave a luminous shine to the pool and flowers, giving everything a soft, airy glow on everything.

"There you are," Bella said stepping through the curtain of vegetation.

I smiled, and Bella stepped closer to the edge of the water.

"It's beautiful here," Bella said catching a few fireflies in her hand to watch them glow in her palm.

A delightful smile spread across her lips leaving me breathless as I stared at her. Those painful weeks without her was nothing compared to this moment. She was real and standing in front of me with her ethereal beauty, but how much longer did we have before she disappeared again?

I felt like I was having one of my many hallucinations and if I blinked, she would suddenly dissipate into thin air. So, I didn't blink. I barely breathed for the fear of losing her again would do permanent damage to me.

Instead, I pulled on her hand sending her twirling into my chest. One of my arm tightened against her waist and the other on the back of her neck.

"Edward…" Bella gasped struggling to free herself but I didn't let go.

"You were gone for weeks, Bella. How could you?" I asked bitterly crushing her to me.

"I was craving the one thing you wouldn't let me have," Bella answered softly almost as if she was ashamed to admit it.

I was too preoccupied with the way she smelled and how her body naturally fit against me to form a coherent sentence.

"But that came with a hefty price. All those students, all those bodies…I didn't want to, Edward. Not after the first time. I wanted to get away from him, but where could I have gone? Being alone was terrifying, and-"

"You should've came back to me, Bella!" I interrupted.

"How could I knowing the monster I became? The same one you tried to keep me from. How could I return to face Esme and Alice as a murderer? So, I stayed, but with great disdain. I would've found a way to get away if you didn't come," Bella said.

I let her go so that I was face to face with her.

"Of course, I had to come! What James was doing drew a lot of public attention, and if it got any bigger, the Volturi would've heard and came down to take care of the matter personally. I'm afraid they wouldn't have let you survive the way Kyle did," I informed.

"The Volturi?" Bella asked.

"They are the oldest of our kind. Older than Carlisle and far more skilled. A powerful ruling coven of vampires in Italy who doesn't spare anyone involved in events that threaten to expose our kind. That's why we had to nip what James was doing in the bud before the news reached them, because I would be hopeless to save you then or die trying," I explained.

"You can't, not because of me. Ever! Promise me," Bella demanded.

My smile was bittersweet, "I can't do that. I am wherever you are, Bella. I've told you so many times before, but you have yet to comprehend that."

"Because I don't understand why you want to be with me. I don't understand why you changed me, and I definitely do not understand why time and time again you forgive me!" Bella retorted.

I held her gently, sweeping my fingers across the soft skin of her cheek.

"Do you want to know why?" I asked.

Bella hesitated, "Why?"

"I love you, Isabella. That is the truth. You are the reason for my existence and I've finally found you after decades of loneliness. I can't let you go without a fight," I paused to watch her reaction but she seemed paralyzed by my words.

"But I'm afraid I've forced this life on you long enough. It has to be your decision now. Whatever you decide, I will always be there no matter what," I hurried to finish.

"What do you mean?" Bella questioned.

"You should choose your own path, Bella. Make your own decision about the lifestyle you want to lead, but if you choose to leave, I will always be there watching you even if you can't see me. To make sure you're safe," I explained.

Bella narrowed her eyes, "Do you want me to leave?"

"No. No! Of course not. That's not what I meant," I replied in a rush.

"What do you mean, then?" She demanded.

"I mean, I don't want you to leave, but I can respect your decision if you choose to. I love you enough to let you go is what I'm saying, Bella," I answered.

Bella's gaze was intense when she looked into my eyes, "Could you love me enough to stay with me forever?"

"More than enough," I answered before Bella tackled me with her lips.

I broke our fall, cushioning her landing with my body. Bella was pleasantly warm against my body as her lips crushed against mine. Before I could react, she thrust her tongue into my mouth swirling around before sucking on my bottom lip.

"Coming on a little hard there," I said with a smile.

"You love it," She whispered.

"Bella…" I called for her before our tongues glided against each other.

"Yes?" Bella answered breathlessly looking down at me.

"Bella, marry me."

To be continued…

Cliffhanger!!! Sorry, I couldn't help it when the opportunity presented itself. Forgive me.

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MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

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