A/N: Sorry this took so long. I've had it planned out since I decided to start a small little story. That small little story turned into 14 chapters of fluff. I hope you all enjoyed it and if you're in the mood for something different check out my other story "To Love Again" if you haven't already. This was just a side project to keep my mind busy(er) and just something to keep me from going insane in between stories. To some of the reviews I've gotten, I've never claimed this was a brilliant story, and I never wanted it to be "just" like the song. I like the song itself but it was only the starting point and an idea igniter, nothing more. Though I do thank Sara Evans but being such a good muse.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Edward POV

"We don't have to do this." She breathed in my ear, tightening her hold on my hand. I smiled and shook my head, moving forward with the line.

I had lost count of just how many times she had told me that, reassuring me that I didn't have to do this; that we could turn around before we got there.

But I was determined.

"I mean…we don't have to…" I rolled my eyes and looked over my shoulder at Alice and Jasper as they held their sides, trying to control their laughter. Emmett and Rosalie were behind them, grins on both of their faces, no doubt knowing that Bella was still trying to assure me that I didn't have to go through with this.

I cut her off as I set down the bag I had slung on my shoulder and repositioned the rest of the stuff in my grasp, turning around to face her.

"Bella. I'm doing this, I'm fine." I said firmly and then I leaned forward to press my lips firmly against hers.

"Hey, none of that while the baby is watching." Alice squealed, hitting her palm against my shoulder as Jasper chuckled and turned the baby's face away dramatically.

Bella rolled her eyes and groaned in annoyance but still had a smile on her face as she grabbed my hand and kissed the back of it. I laughed and reached my hands out to the beautiful eight month old situated in her 'uncle's' arms and she squealed, propelling herself towards me. We were still working on reaching.

"Look mommy, Michaela wants to go too." I said as I turned my puppy dog eyes on Bella and grinned wickedly.

"Ugh, you disgust me." She said teasingly. "Corrupting our daughter."

My heart tugged at her casual use of the word 'our' and I couldn't keep the stupid grin off of my face as I peppered Michaela Joan's face with kisses.

I held on tightly to the baby as we walked onto the plane and found our seats, and tried to resist the urge to jump out of my seat and run off screaming. Bella's hand was planted firmly in mind as the engines started and the flight attendants recited the very informative, yet very boring, seat belt instructions. And I kneed the back of Jasper's seat twice when he was looking at the 'Skymall' catalogue instead of paying attention.

The plane started taking off down the runway and I had to let go of Bella's hand and wipe my palm on my pants leg to get rid of the thin layer of sweat that was beginning to form there.

"Here, Edward. Mickey will need this." Bella said as she reached into the diaper bag and pulled out a bottle.

I nodded my head and shoved it into her mouth, trying hard to concentrate on something other than the fact that we were gaining speed and altitude and soon the ground would disappear beneath us; putting us all at risk.

I closed my eyes and held the baby close to me and I felt Bella's hand working soothing patterns up and down my arm, all the while I tried to ignore the sound of the plane around me.

XxxxxX

"Edward…" I woke quickly, my eyes opening to see Bella smiling at me. "Edward we're here."

"What?" I asked groggily and then tried to move, realizing my mistake as pain shot through my arm. I panicked slightly before looking down to realize Michaela was still asleep in my arms and her dead weight had put my appendages to sleep.

"We're about to land." Bella laughed and I looked around to see everyone else putting their trays away and returning their seats to their upright positions. I felt my eyes widen and looked in front of me to see Jasper looking over his shoulder and Alice peeking through the cracks in between the seats, smiles on both of their faces. I didn't need to look behind me to know that Rosalie and Emmett's expressions would match.

I smiled to myself and switched the baby around so that she was resting on my shoulder, shaking out my arm and trying to return some of the feeling back to it.

The plane started to lose altitude and I felt myself start to get tightchested, that same clammy feeling overtaking my palms as we reached our destination.

Before I could think on it too much however, Bella's hand found mine and she held on tightly. I turned see her smiling at me lovingly and I smiled back, my stomach settling back to where it should be just as the jolting lurch of the planes wheels hitting the tarmac below us rattled my seat.

XxxxxX

Bella POV

I took a deep breath and adjusted Mickey on my hip as we walked over the loose gravel. Edward was behind me, keeping his distance, and for that, I was thankful.

He had offered to just stay behind with Renee and Phil, but I wanted him here. He needed to be here. He needed to see what had started all of this.

I reached the tombstone and put the baby down on the soft grass at my feet before kneeling down next to her.

Mike's picture was on the gray slate, his smiling face looking up at us as we sat somberly beside him.

I didn't really know what I wanted to say; I hadn't really thought of it before I got here. So, following my instinct; I opened my mouth.

"I'm sorry it took so long to get here. I didn't have the heart to come before because…well I missed you too much. God Mike it wasn't the same without you. Before…it had been about you and me. You were my best friend since…well forever, and knowing that you had wanted more when you died, more that I didn't want to give you, well I thought you'd hate me.

That day, the day we decided to be each other's firsts because we had done everything else together. We were so young and stupid and it…well we didn't think it through. And while I can't say that it wasn't stupid, I definitely can't say I regret it." My voice was getting stronger as I talked on through my silent tears. "What I do regret, is that you're missing this. Missing her. She's so precious Mike. And she's so…you. Her blonde hair and her bright blue eyes. She's not even a year old and she's got that puppy dog look down pat."

I heard Edward chuckle behind me and I smiled to myself. Michaela's babble's broke the silence and she crawled forward towards the headstone and tried to pull herself up on it before falling down on her little diapered bottom. I knew Edward was aching to go get her and help her up but I knew he wouldn't. Not yet.

"I finally got your mom and dad to see me. I'm taking Mickey over there today… I think they'll fall in love with her. I mean, she's half yours, how could they not. I just… I wanted to see you again Mike. I wanted to bring your baby to see you. But I also wanted you to meet someone else. I wanted you to meet Michaela's daddy. You'll always be her father Mike, but I know that you would want her to have a dad. Someone to look up to, someone to love her like a father should. And Edward, well he's done that since I met him. And I…well I came today because I wanted to tell you thank you. Thank you for giving me the best friendship I could ever ask for, thank you for protecting me from the woes of high school, thank you for giving me the most precious gift I could have ever asked for. And thank you for loving me. We love you mike."

I smiled and held my hands out to my baby and she scuttled contentedly into my arms. I stood up with her and wiped the dirt off of my knees and then off of Michaela's diaper, before kissing her on the cheek. I said a quiet goodbye and then turned to see Edward standing there with his arms open for the both of us. I went to him and let him hold us, kissing us both on the head before we turned to walk away.

He let go then and I looked back just in time to see him saying something to Mike's grave. I didn't question him as he turned around and joined us to walk back to the car, but sooner than I would have liked, curiosity got the best of me.

"What did you say to him?"

"I told him thank you." He answered simply and I smiled as his arm snaked around my waist. "Without him I never would have fallen in love, let alone on the back of a greyhound bus."

A/N: Michaela is of course, derived from Michael. Joan is for my biffle WeasleyWeakness. Iloveyou! And Keep your eyes open for the utterly awesome story her and I are writing together! It will knock your socks off. And it's Bella and Edward.