Bella POV

Several weeks passed by without too much incident and before long it felt as if the Cullens never left…to the rest of the student body anyway. For me, I didn't know if that hole that had opened when they first left would ever fully close. Edward did his best to reassure me but I had to admit to myself that no matter what words he spoke, there was a part of me still waiting for the proverbial axe to fall…waiting for him to tell me that coming back was a mistake after all. I would never voice my insecurities to him, however. He had been through more than enough recently and I didn't want to add to his pain. I couldn't help but wonder, though, if my nightmares had somehow revealed themselves to him while talking in my sleep and he knew anyway despite my efforts to hide them from him. If he knew he never said a word.

I had placated myself with the fact that he did want to marry me and truth be told the idea of marriage to Edward grew more intriguing by the day. In fact, I really couldn't think of a reason not to commit to him fully in that capacity. Edward was the only man I ever wanted… would ever and could ever want. I knew that as sure as I knew the sun would rise and set each day. The rationale of not wanting to get married so young was becoming less and less of an obstacle to my finally saying "yes" to his proposal.

I hadn't heard from Jacob and I didn't know whether to be saddened, grateful or worried. I knew he could not do anything in an official "wolf pack" capacity without any provocation. The treaty was still intact. But I knew Jacob and he tended to be impulsive and that was what had me slightly on edge. Would he act on his own and break the treaty because of me? I hoped not but judging from his reactions when I last saw him, I couldn't be sure.

Edward and I spent much of our time after school was spent on filling out college applications or should I say I was filling out applications, Edward was assisting me. The first one he had me fill out was for Dartmouth. I gave up arguing with him on that one. If he didn't believe I wouldn't get in, I would just show him the rejection letter once I received one. Thankfully, most of the essay questions were the same so I could recycle those.

Charlie only mentioned once that he thought I was spending too much time with Edward but once I said we were filling out college applications, he really didn't have much of an opposition to that. I knew he was only looking out for my best interests though. He felt that should Edward ever leave again, I would forever remain broken. I didn't argue with him because it was the truth.

One typically dreary Forks afternoon, Edward and I were at his house when he placed a whole new set of applications in front of me. I couldn't suppress the groan that escaped my lips.

"I thought we were done with these." I moaned wanting nothing more than to pick the stack up and launch it across the room. "I don't think I can feel my wrist or fingers anymore."

"These are scholarship applications, love. Since you insist on paying your own way, I thought it would be prudent to fill these out."

"Ugh" I said burying my face in my hands.

He grinned. "Well, if you agreed to marry me what is mine would automatically become yours and this" he said gesturing to the pile of papers on the table "Wouldn't have to hurt your lovely hands filling these out." This was the first time he had brought up the marriage issue since he had first asked. I knew he wasn't expecting an answer so I didn't give him one even though my mind was almost completely made up.

"Even so…I would still want to pay my own way no matter what so it's a moot point." I grumbled reaching for the first set of papers on the stack.

Edward became serious then. "Bella, why can't you let me do this one thing for you?"

I sighed. I could swear we had this conversation already. "Because this isn't something small, it's huge. Because you have given me so much already and I can't give you anything in return. It just throws everything completely out of balance."

He rolled his eyes then and reached for me cupping my face in his hands so he could look directly into my eyes. "You have given me more than you know, more than I deserve. It is me that has been thrown out of balance with the gifts you have bestowed upon me…your forgiveness." He kissed my cheek. "Your love." He kissed my other cheek. "You." He finally said placing a tender kiss on my lips. He pulled back and rested his cool forehead on mine. "I don't think you realize how inconsequential the amount of money is to me. I have…"

"No, don't say it. I don't want to know." I interrupted him. I could only imagine the amount of money that was available to him which made me feel even more insignificant.

He seemed like he was in an internal debate with himself. He briefly closed his eyes. "Okay then. Let's get to work."

I knew then I had won the battle but the outcome of the war was yet to be determined. I was proud of him though. He reigned in and didn't force the issue and I knew he made the effort as part of his promise to me to accept that I could make my own decisions.

Edward grabbed a bunch of papers from the pile. "I'll help you with these. " he said. "I think I can imitate your chicken scratch as much as it pains me to do so."

"We can't all have perfect handwriting like you." I told him giving him a playful punch on the arm which I knew he barely even felt.

"Years of practice my love." He said starting to write.

Emmett and Rosalie chose that moment to come in.

"What's this?" Emmett boomed a large smirk on his face . "For a recently reunited couple I'm sure there are better things besides homework that you can be doing. If you know what I mean." He said ruffling Edward's hair.

"Emmett" Edward warned in a growl.

"Oh Come on now Eddie. You know I'm right. I bet Bell wouldn't disagree." He winked at me.

"Aren't you supposed to be somewhere?" I asked him.

"Nope" he replied with a huge grin and sat down with us.

"C'mon Emmett" Rosalie said pulling him up. "Let's leave them to their school work while we enjoy some extracurricular activities." She said and they walked upstairs together, Emmett's tongue practically hanging out of his mouth.

"Could they be any more obvious?" I said.

"Just be grateful you couldn't hear what they were thinking."

I could just imagine. But Emmett had a point. What were we doing wasting our time together with this? We needed a well deserved break. I moved to sit on his lap facing him and wrapped my arms around him.

"Speaking of extracurricular activities." I said. "Why don't we explore some on our own?"

"You are the epitome of temptation, love." He said threading his fingers in my hair and pulling me closer for a deep kiss…one that I felt to my very toes. He pulled back ever so slightly. "How could I ever have conceived that I could live without this…without you?"

"Hmm, I don't know. A momentary lapse of reason."

He chuckled. "I must have been insane." His mouth covered mine again, his hands moving from my hair down my back hitching my hips even closer to his. Liquid heat infused my entire body and I felt like I was melting. I was waiting for him to pull away as things were getting intense but his lips and hands showed no sign of stopping their exquisite assault. Moaning deep in my throat, I gripped his hair trying to pull him closer to me, if that was even possible at this point.

"Bella." He moaned letting me come up for air. The look in his eyes was dark with desire as he stared at me intently. In one fell swoop he swiped all the papers from the table and lifted me onto it, his body covering mine, his lips descending on mine once again. I was momentarily startled when his lips moved from trailing down my face to gently caress the sensitive area between my neck and collar bone. Clearly Edward was moving past all of his carefully laid boundaries and I wondered what had changed. What had caused him to suddenly stop being so cautious?

"Who are you and what have you done with my Edward?" I whispered as he was swirling his tongue in the most delicious pattern on my neck.

He pulled back suddenly as if finally realizing what he was doing, a shocked expression etched on his beautiful face. He looked around registering the fact that we were lying prone on the dining room table with a mess of papers surrounding us. "Oh, God. I am so sorry Bella."

I partially sat up resting my elbows on the table, his body still hovering over mine. Caressing his cheek with one hand, I stilled him. "It's fine. Believe me. I'm not complaining. I was just wondering when you decided not to be so…uh…careful." I wanted to kick myself for asking but I had to know.

He was still leaning over me, his brows creased in confusion. "I don't know." He said finally. "it's just that since I came back after so long without you…after finding you alive… after thinking you were dead, I…I don't know…I just have this insatiable need to be with you, to physically touch you. It's overwhelming. I didn't hurt you, did I?"

I shook my head. "No. I know you could never hurt me."

"But I so easily could have. The need was just that strong. That would have been…unforgivable…and to nearly take you on a table no less" He looked thoroughly disgusted with himself.

"Edward please stop. Don't beat yourself up over this. I enjoyed it. I had hoped you did too."

"More than you know, my sweet Bella. More than you know."

He kissed me once more but this kiss was chaste in comparison to the ones before.

That's how Alice found us moments later.

"Really, Edward? On Esme's table?" We stopped, instantly separating to see Alice standing there with her hands on her hips and an admonishing look on her face. I felt the heat rise to my cheeks and Edward looked wholly contrite.

"Hi Alice." I said with a grin.

Alice POV

I was in a good mood, no, correct that, a great mood. The vision was clear and I knew that Bella would indeed say yes to Edward's proposal this coming weekend…well 98% sure. And I had plans, big plans. So when I entered the house after coming back from shopping, it came as quite a shock when I saw Edward practically lying on top of Bella on the dining room table of all places. What was he thinking? Did his dormant teenage hormones suddenly decide to kick in? I knew instantly he would regret if anything progressed further than it had. He was old fashioned…he wanted to wait for a wedding night, no matter what his body was telling him to do. Ugh, when did I turn into a mom?

"Really, Edward? On Esme's table?" I glared at them with my hands on my hips. They looked at me like two deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming car and separated instantly. I refrained from laughing and put on my best stern parental face. This was fun.

"Hi Alice." Bella said grinning at me.

"Don't you 'Hi Alice' me." I said indignantly. "Thank goodness it was me that found you in flagrante delicto and not, God forbid, Emmett.You're just lucky we don't eat on that table." No, No, No, Edward. You're supposed to wait. I mentally admonished him. At least he had the decency to look ashamed. Bella, on the other hand looked like the cat that ate the proverbial canary. I wanted to shout 'Good for you' to her for getting Edward to be less Victorian but I held back. Wedding night, wedding night. I kept repeating to myself. Edward must have been listening in because he looked at me questioningly.

Later

He nodded and helped Bella off of the dining room table.

"Sorry Alice." Bella said now feeling somewhat abashed as she began picking up papers from the floor.

I grinned to let her know all was forgiven. "Oh don't apologize. I just never knew homework could inspire such…passion."

"Yes..err…well." Bella fumbled, another blush rising to her cheeks.

"Been shopping Alice?' Edward said to get away from the awkward topic as he noticed the bags on the floor next to me.

"As a matter of fact…yes I have." I quickly thought about some Italian food recipes. No need to tell him that I was actually shopping for Bella.

"Anything interesting?" Judging by the look on his face, he wasn't fooled. What was in the bags was all part of my "revenge", so to speak. They just didn't know that yet. I would have to work extra hard at controlling my thoughts around Edward.

"I don't shop and tell." I told him smugly. He eyed me suspiciously. "Why don't you take Bella home so she can cook dinner for Charlie? Otherwise he is just going to eat another Salisbury steak frozen dinner. Too much sodium in those." I said. When you come back, we'll talk Edward.