My love of JRR Tolkien shows big time in this chapter, from the chapter title to the references throughout. Hope you enjoy it!

BPOV

Ever since Beth phased for the first time, my fear has been multiplied. I was afraid of Jake and what he would do, and what Edward would do when he showed up here. I was terrified for Beth and nervous for myself. I would be the most protected, which meant everyone else would be at risk.

Beth was slowly adjusting to the change, having the most trouble with her father's actions. She wouldn't ask me about what her father was like when we were younger, now she was fixated on Edward and how he treated me when we first met. Beth loved hearing about how I fell in love with Edward, and how he constantly put me first. I didn't like that she was being so dismissive of Jacob, I didn't want her to forget everything either, but she refused to let him come up in conversation.

In an attempt to make Leah more comfortable, Esme had started building a small house for her a mile or two from the main house, and Beth had begged until I finally agreed that they could add a room for her in the plans. My daughter was scheming something, but I couldn't figure out what.

I was just happy that we were finding our own sort of normalcy, at least as much as you could with vampires, werewolves and a lone human living together in the wilderness of Alaska…it was like some SCI-FI Channel version of The Real World.

Through it all, Edward stood by me, calming my nerves and supporting me whenever I got overwhelmed. Today Edward had planned something special for us, and like always he was determined to keep it a surprise. Carlisle had spent two hours in his office with Edward this morning, which made me nervous about what that could mean.

When Edward finally came downstairs he had that crooked smile that broke my heart on his face as he grabbed the duffle bag from the kitchen counter and took my hand. "Are you ready love?"

I brought his hand to my lips and kissed the back of it. "Yes, now will you please tell me where we're going?"

Edward laughed and slung me over his shoulder like a backpack as I settled in for the run we were about to embark on.

"No." He chuckled under me and I kissed his neck, signaling that I was ready to go.

I kept my eyes open as we flew through the woods and stayed off the trails until we reached a clearing filled with ferns about 3½ miles from the main house. Edward stopped and put down the bag before helping me off his back.

"So I thought we could have a picnic here. Of all the places I've found, this one reminds me the most of our meadow." I stood in silence as I thought back to the time Edward and I had spent in the meadow in Forks and smiled at the similar qualities that this clearing held.

"It's beautiful Edward."

He laid out a blanket and then reached into the bag, pulling out a cooler filled with food. He sat a salad and some cut up fruit in front of me, as well as some cheese and bread and a small bottle of wine with one carefully wrapped wine glass. Edward motioned for me to try something, so I took a grape and popped it into my mouth.

Edward cut cheese squares while I ate my salad and sipped my wine. All the while Edward paid close attention to every move of my body. "Edward…you're staring."

He shook his head and smiled at me. "Sorry, I just love to watch you eat."

After I finished my lunch, Edward reached into the bag and pulled out the copy of Lord of the Rings I had been reading and turned to the page I had marked. "Will you read some of it to me…it's been a while since I've read the book, but I know it well."

I took the book from him and began reading. The wind of the May afternoon whipped through my hair as I read aloud to him for some time.

"...All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost; the old that is strong does not wither, deep root are not reached by frost. From the ashes a fire shall be woken, a light from the shadows shall spring; renewed shall be blade that was broken: the crownless again shall be king." I stopped and looked over at Edward where he lay carefree on the blanket with his eyes closed and a smile stretched across his face. I closed the book and sat it down beside me before I crawled to his side and rested my head on his chest. "What were you and Carlisle talking about this morning?"

Edward's eyes opened and he smiled down at me. "You." He shifted and I sat up with him as he took my hands. "Bella, the past six weeks have been wonderful, and in the last three and a half Beth has come farther than any one of us could have hoped so soon after phasing. I don't mean to push, and I know letting Beth move in with Leah was hard on you, but I love you Bella, and I want to be with you forever. Bella, a lifetime ago you agreed to be my wife and all I need to know is if you still want that?"

I raised my hands to his face and pulled it to mine. "I would love to be married to you." I kissed him hard and he leaned back, pulling me on top of him. We lay there, kissing and exploring each other's clothed bodies until my hand slid across his jeans pocket.

Edward noticed the change and reached into his pocket, taking out the ring he had given me back in his bedroom in Forks and put it on my finger. "We'll do something small, just family."

I smiled down at him and just as I was about to kiss him again it started to pour. I quickly stood up and threw the book in the bag as Edward grabbed it and the blanket and went to pull me towards the house when a cave at the north edge of the meadow caught my eye. "Edward, let's wait it out in there."

He turned and nodded, picking me up and carrying me to the opening before setting me down and digging out a lantern to light our way in the darkness.

EPOV

As I led Bella into the cave I shook my head at Alice. "How did she not see this?"

Bella squeezed my hand and pointed to something in front of us. "I think Alice knew exactly what she was doing when she told you that you should take me here today." I looked where she was and saw the thick blankets and pillows, a change of clothes for us both and wood set up in a little fire pit. Damn you Alice!

"Bella, I want you to know that I-"

Bella chuckled and stroked my face. "I know you didn't, but don't expect me to bet against Alice."

I looked down at her and ran my hand down her back, earning a shiver from the cold feel of my skin coupled with her wet clothes. "Why don't you change out of those clothes before you catch a cold?" I knelt down at the fire pit and set to lighting it. I worked quickly and it was the sound of Bella's footsteps, barely audible over the pouring rain that made me turn.

Bella was wrapped in one of the thinner blankets with her hair pulled into a loose knot. "Edward, make love to me."

I felt my form stiffen as my eyes burned into her nearly black eyes. "What?"

Bella took another step forward and reached a hand out of the blanket to place on my chest. "Alice told me that she had a vision and that everything will be alright. You won't hurt me Edward; I will get my dream transformation."

I heard what she was saying and was simultaneously thrilled and terrified. I knew from my talk with Carlisle that Bella wouldn't be harmed by being intimate with me. But this was my Bella, and over the last six weeks we had moved slowly to this point, but I was still clueless. I wanted to please her, but I don't know what I'm doing. I needed her and I needed her to need me and that was the source of my nerves now. I was a 111 year-old virgin and that was going to be obvious as soon as we begun.

Bella's voice pulled me from my thoughts. "Edward relax, I'm nervous too."

I looked into her eyes and slowly began to unbutton my shirt. After that was discarded I reached for the fly of my jeans and was soon pulling the wet denim down my legs. I was standing in front of Bella in nothing but my wet boxer briefs as she stood there cocooned in the blanket. Sensing my hesitation, Bella closed the distance between us and dropped her blanket.

I was blown away by her beauty. Her creamy skin glowed in the fire light as my eyes drank her in. The curve of her waist leading up to her glorious breasts made my breath pick up until it stopped when I recognized her warm touch on my waist. "Breath," she whispered as she pulled my boxer briefs down to the ground and let me step out of them before she trailed her fingers up the outside of my legs and then up my stomach and chest. She placed her hands on my shoulders and pressed down; kneeling with me on the blanket Alice had laid out like a bed. Her hands moved to my neck and pulled me in for a kiss, pressing our bodies together and earning a moan when my prominent erection came in contact with her stomach.

Bella's tongue traced my lips and I opened them, meeting her tongue with mine as our breath quickened. I allowed my hands to roam her skin as we continued and Bella pulled back slightly, guiding my hand to her breast. "It's okay to touch me, just be gentle." She smiled against my lips as I very carefully massaged the flesh that fit so perfectly in my palm. I felt her nipple harden in my grasp and thrilled at the moan that it earned from Bella.

Bella motioned for me to lie down and intertwined our fingers as she positioned herself over my throbbing member. "I'm going to have to move slowly, and I need you to stay still. This may hurt a little, but that is normal so please don't get upset if you see me react." Her eyes burned into mine as she lined my tip up with her entrance. She smiled at me once more and then began to lower herself onto me.

The intensity of her warmth made me want to buck up, but I steadied my body because I knew that it would hurt Bella. My eyes rolled into the back of my head at the sensations I was experiencing when I felt Bella stop. I opened my eyes and she squeezed my hand before taking another breath and moving some more. She continued with that pace until I was completely sheathed inside her and she leaned down to kiss me again. We rolled so that she was on her back and I slowly pulled out of her before sliding back in. Bella whimpered and clutched at my back as my hands grabbed the blanket in a vice grip.

I set a slow pace, being careful not to hurt Bella and was struggling to keep my head. Everything was so intense and new that it threatened to push me past the point of reason. But each time Bella would whisper encouragements to me and I would find myself again, that is until her next request. "Edward, baby I need you to roll over for me."

I did as she asked and gripped the ground again to keep from hurting her as she began to move harder and faster over me. I knew this was the pace she needed at the moment and I was a little disappointed that I couldn't do it for her. That was until she started speaking again. "Oh God…Edward. Oh shit you feel so good." Knowing that I was giving her that type of pleasure, that it was my name falling from her lips tightened the coil in my stomach and caused a growl to escape from my chest. Another minute and Bella threw her head back, never looking more stunning, as my name erupted out of her and echoed off the cave walls, sending me to my release as she quivered around me.

Making love to Bella was unlike anything I had ever experienced, or anything I could ever experience and I never wanted it to end. Bella collapsed on top of me, kissing my chest before she reached for another cover and wrapped us up. We laid there for a few moments when Bella moved off of me and cuddled to my side with my arms wrapped around her. I had never loved her more than in this moment and it reminded me of something she had said before this all began. "Bella, what is your dream transformation?"

I felt her lips curl against my skin as she kissed my pec. "On our wedding night after we make love as husband and wife, you change me. That way my life is bound to yours in every way forever. Legally, physically, biologically, I want to give all of myself to you that day."

I held her closer and kissed her hair. "I don't know what I ever did to deserve you?"

"You loved me." Her voice was plain and sure as she made the statement, as if that was all it took for me to win her, as if I could ever know her and not love her. We laid there for a while, watching the rain fall at the opening of the cave and the flames dance in the fire pit until finally Bella fell asleep. The long summer days were beginning to start and I knew it would be light for hours, which meant that Leah and Beth would be out training and my family would be working on the house for the girls.

I moved from Bella's side to pick up everything so we could be ready by the time she woke up and then rested at her side again, marveling in the angel who lay next to me.

Bella woke up some time later to the grumble of her stomach. The rain had let up so we both got dressed and then Bella climbed on my back as I lifted the two bags and ran home. We were still alone when we arrived so Bella went to shower and put on her pajamas while I made her dinner.

She sat before me, eating her fish, while my mind started to play with ideas that I knew Alice had already seen. Sneaky little pixie!

BPOV

After dinner, Edward and I went to bed early, knowing tomorrow would be a busy day.

Sure enough, when I woke up Alice was waiting downstairs with Leah, Beth and Rose while Esme and the boys headed to work on the house. Alice kept trying to convince me to do a big wedding, but I wasn't having it.

"Alice, this is my second wedding. And besides, who would I invite besides all of you; it isn't like I can invite the pack. I want it simple and classic. Nothing over the top."

Alice winced, but didn't argue, which meant she knew this wasn't a fight she could win.

Leah was supposed to check in with Brady today, because Jake was less paranoid about the younger wolves, so she left us to our planning.

It was nearly three hours later when we heard the feral howl as it turned to a shriek, signaling that Leah was now in her human form. We all froze in the living room and Edward and Esme came running down from upstairs as Leah walked in the door.

"What happened? Is Jake…?" Edward asked from his place behind me.

Leah shook her head. "No, sorry that wasn't about La Push." Leah looked completely frazzled and it worried me, because she was always the best at hiding her frustrations, you only knew she was annoyed when it benefited her.

"Leah, if it isn't Jake than what has you so upset?" I couldn't fathom what caused her to scream like that.

"I just imprinted." Six sets of eyes focused on her as she sat on the couch across from us.

"That's wonderful, who is he?" Alice was plotting a double wedding from the smirk on her face but I knew something had gone wrong.

"I don't know! I was a wolf when I saw him." Leah took her head in her hands and I moved to sit next to her.

"Leah, tell us everything."

I felt the couch shift as she settled in and looked up at me. "I was running through the woods and I got to a part where the snow has melted more than it has up here on the mountain, so I stopped to check in with Brady. When we were done I turned and started running, but felt this weird pull in the opposite direction. I followed it and then I was face to face with some hunter. He had a few rabbits on a rope and when he saw me he bowed…it was weird, but anyway, I felt it. It really is that sudden. So he stared at me a minute and then I ran off."

"What, why didn't you talk to him?" Rose was on the edge of her seat with this little encounter.

"I would have had to phase in front of him, which would be a lot to explain, not to mention the whole being completely naked part."

I couldn't help but laugh at her tone and it instantly lightened the mood as Leah joined in. "I hate my luck!" She shook her head and Edward smiled at her.

"At least you know that there's a good chance he's an Inuit, that's something." We both turned to Edward and he smirked. "Inuit's revere the wolves as skilled hunters; if an Inuit kills a wolf they see it as killing an equal, not hunting a meal. Leah you'll see him again, and he'll feel the same attraction then as you both felt earlier."

Leah stood up and hugged Edward. "Thank you, I needed that."

I was thrilled for Leah, because I knew that she had felt like she would never be happy. After everything that happened with Sam and then watching most of her pack imprint, she felt like there was something wrong with her. "I told you it would happen."

Alice went to the kitchen and got a bottle of champagne to toast Edward and mines engagement and Leah's imprinting on a mystery Eskimo.

In the two weeks that followed Leah's imprint, Edward and I had a lot of time to spend alone. Construction was taking longer than Esme had expected, so it would probably be another few days before they could move in, and I intended to take advantage of every moment with my daughter.

Today Alice and I were helping Beth pick her dress. Alice had found a silver dress that she fell in love with, Rose had chosen a form fitting blue dress and Leah found a beautiful pale green tea length dress. No one had seen my dress, including Alice, because I was not chancing Edward seeing it in someone's thoughts. Today was the last bit of planning because Alice had ordered the flowers, Esme would be cooking, Rose offered to play for us, and Jasper had become ordained over the internet because I would never have made it through the ceremony with Emmett officiating.

I had urged Edward to invite the Tanya and her sisters, especially because he wanted Eleazar to look me over for my future gift, so they would be in attendance along with a few of the doctors that Carlisle worked with, who he was particularly close with.

I was tapping my foot on the floor as I waited for Beth to come downstairs; she had dismissed the last three dresses without even coming down. Finally, I heard her come to the stairs and I froze in my seat.

Beth came down in a tea length purple dress with a floral design creeping up the front of the skirt. "Beth, you look so beautiful." I couldn't help the tears that rolled down my face as I took her in my arms.

"You really like it? Because I love it, but I wanted to know what you thought."

"It's perfect!" I hugged her again and then Alice joined in before sending her upstairs to change before we wrinkled it.

Today was the day I had been dreading out about since Beth had asked to move in with Leah. I knew everything would be okay, but for some reason, Beth and Leah moving out made it feel like everything was finally starting to happen and I wasn't completely ready to let my girl go.

"Mom, stop freaking out…its only a mile from here, that's nothing." Beth was trying to calm me as she packed up the few things from her childhood that she had kept out of the Cullen's basement as mementos.

"You're leaving me, how can I not freak out?" She knew how I felt, but Beth was adamant about wanting to give Edward and me space.

"Mom, seriously you'll be fine in a few days. I just want to spend some quality time with Leah, please?" She shot me those puppy dog eyes and I was done for. I suddenly felt guilty for every time I had done that to Edward, and then laughed knowing I would do it all again if it meant I got to keep him.

I sighed, resigned to let the move happen, and excited to see what Esme and everyone had accomplished in the last several weeks.

Edward and I walked with Leah and Beth a few steps ahead of us until the woods opened on a small wooded area. The little house sat perfectly amongst the trees, which I had heard them clear, and was astonished at how beautiful it was.

Beth ran to hug Esme and Leah quickly followed. "Esme, this is so awesome!" Esme smiled at Beth's enthusiasm as Leah released her from her hug.

"Really Esme, the house is lovely, I can't believe you got it done in such a short amount of time."

"Why don't you take a look inside, if there's anything you want changed, let me know." Carlisle opened the front door as he handed Leah two sets of keys and Beth pulled me along as the three of us looked around inside.

The living room was a beautiful tribute to the girls' Native American roots, with a faux-leather finish on the walls and several masks and pieces of Native artwork, with the wolf featured in particular. The kitchen was small, but economically set up and the bedrooms fit them to a tee. Beth's room was a dusty purple, and Leah's was a pale green. We all laughed when we realized that the walls matched their dresses for my wedding and knew that, although Alice couldn't have seen that, she had spent enough time talking to them about what they liked to be confident with her choices. The other thing I notices was the placement of several incense burners, replacing the Cullen's scent with a mix of lavender and rose.

As we exited the house they hung around thanking everyone for their hard work when I felt Edward take my hand. "I have a surprise for you…something to take your mind off the separation anxiety." I looked at him a little bewildered but followed him out of the newly created clearing.

I climbed on Edward's back and he took off through the trees and I was able to figure out our destination, but when he stopped in our new meadow, I was taken aback, never able to imagine what was there.

In the cave that Edward and I had been together that day now stood a cottage, with the front wall flush with the cave opening and a single bay window near a large circular door. "Welcome home." The anticipation in Edward's voice caused the tears I had been holding in to escape and I turned to him in awe.

"You built me a hobbit home?"

He smiled that perfect crooked smile at my reaction and handed me the key to our home. "I thought about the day we came here and how everything seemed to fit so well, how we fit so well here, so I asked Esme to help me build my wedding gift for you. Would you like to see the inside?"

I nodded giddily as we strode towards the door. When I opened it, I was truly blown away. The way the house had been carved into the cave, using the existing rock with new materials to create a unique cross between a hobbit hole and a fairy tale cottage was breathtaking. The floors were all light wood and the walls were all white or pale blue, mimicking the color scheme that I had grown to love. The furniture all looked handmade and there were two fireplaces with chimneys carved through the stone to exit off to the short side of that part of the mountain. The first fireplace was in the living room and I had a feeling I knew where the second one was.

As I walked through the kitchen and the bathroom I fell even more in love with the house, but the last two rooms were beyond any dream. The first door was tucked in the front of the house, with the living room between it and the master suite. I opened it and saw that it was a simply designed bedroom in a deeper blue than the rest of the house, with very little in the way of personal touches. I felt Edward follow me in after the moment he gave me to take in the room on my own. "I wanted Beth to always have a home with us."

I spun in his arms and kissed him, never wanting to let him go. Edward picked me up and carried me through the house and finally rested me on a large bed before stepping away so I could look around.

Nestled in the back of the cave, where we had made love for the first time was our bedroom, complete with a large bed and a giant whirlpool tub sunk into the floor. I continued to look around and saw that many of my things had been moved here and that in the slightly ajar closet, hung my clothes, along with some additions care of Alice. I marveled at the sheer beauty that surrounded me as Edward joined me on the bed. "What do you think?"

"You built me a house. Edward…I can't thank you enough for this." I wrapped my arms around him and started crying harder. I felt stupid for crying, but he seemed to understand as he cradled me to my chest.

"Let it out Bella, its okay baby."

EPOV

I had expected Bella to be excited by the house, but I didn't foresee the torrent of emotions that followed. Holding her in my arms, she finally began to regain her composure. "Bella, what made you so sad?"

She shifted and looked me in the eye. "I wasn't sad really, I was more overwhelmed. You've given me so much and I feel like there's no way for me to repay you."

"Bella, you're my everything, all I need is you."

Bella smiled and then yawned as her eyes fluttered. "I don't know why I'm so tired."

"You haven't been sleeping as soundly as you normally do. Why don't you take a nap?"

She nodded and then curled up on top of the covers while I held her close.

Bella and Beth were having a mother/daughter morning so Leah came with us to hunt, which was an interesting experience. Although she was a natural, Leah felt resentment towards aspects of the wolf lifestyle, the worst being hunting. Because she would be too tempting to have around once we began hunting, Leah went running in a separate direction than us to hunt. Jasper and Emmett were trying to outdo each other while the rest of us simply went to fill ourselves.

Once we were all satisfied, we headed towards the place we had agreed to meet Leah. As we got closer I could hear her yelling. "What is it? Did something happen to Seth? Sam? Why don't they just phase and save me the guessing ga-" Leah's face dropped and she trembled, but nothing happened. "Thank you Billy." Leah hung up and we were sprinting to her side.

"I don't know what Jake did, but they can't phase or tell me what happened."

"How is that possible?" Carlisle was standing at her side with a hand on her shoulder.

"An Alpha command can't be disobeyed. Billy called me, he couldn't tell me what was happening, but for him to call means that things at La Push are even worse. I should have stayed behind."

"Leah you came to keep Bella safe and we needed you these past few weeks with Beth's transformation." Carlisle tried to soothe her, but she just shook her head.

"I'm older; Seth shouldn't be carrying this burden. He hasn't left, but he will soon. We just have to be ready for it."

There you have it! Leah found love, and Jake is back. This chapter was a hard one to write, but it finally worked itself out.