Edward POV

When I arrived back at the house after taking Bella home, Alice, the little pixie was skipping around the house saying the word "Yes" repeatedly in every tone, pitch and cadence imaginable.

"What has gotten into you?" I asked her flagrantly curious.

She stopped and grinned widely at me. "I'm just trying to get you used to hearing the word."

It didn't take me all that long to figure out what she was referring to since it was the upper most thing in my mind of late. "You mean…Has Bella made a decision? Are you absolutely certain?" I tried to quell the overwhelming joy I was starting to feel until Alice gave me a definitive answer.

"As certain as I can be barring any complications within the next few days. You'll ask her this weekend."

I didn't like the bit about complications especially knowing mine and Bella's track record but I was hopeful, more than I had been in a long time.

"A warning Edward, she is going to want a wedding night, a human wedding night…well half human anyway. Though judging by what was happening on the dining room table, I think you want one too." Maybe you should ask Carlisle for some guidance.

"Edward was getting busy with Bella on the dining room table?" Emmett said coming down the stairs with Rosalie in tow. Great. This was all I needed. "Man I would have paid to see that."

"You were otherwise occupied." Rosalie purred.

"Yeah but Rosie, we can do that anytime. Edward getting jiggy with Bella on Esme's antique table…I never thought I'd see the day. It's about time man. I was beginning to think you were dead." He said laughing at his own joke.

"Why don't you crawl back in the hole you came out of?" I hissed at him.

Aww, c'mon Eddie you know I can't let this one go. "Where's Bella. She didn't leave you high and dry did she?" He said looking around for Bella.

"He took her home, Emmett." Alice told him.

"Now I have to wait to tease her…damn." He grumbled looking like a little boy that had his favorite toy taken away.

"Uh, Emmett. I don't think that would be wise." Rose warned him. She must have noticed the murderous expression on my face. If Emmet wanted to tease me, that was fine…annoying but fine. However, I drew the line where Bella was concerned.

Unable to deal with anymore riddling from my siblings, I escaped to the comforts of my room. It was only here that I could be alone with the privacy of my own thoughts without the interference of others getting jumbled into the mix.

If I could count on Alice's visions and I knew that mostly I could, Bella would be soon making me the happiest creature on earth. I took the ring I had planned on giving her out of the confines of my drawer and pictured how it would look in her finger. It would be perfect. I could imagine no greater joy than to hear her say the word that she would be mine forever…to see the ring adorning her delicate finger. But I was getting ahead of myself. I had yet to ask the question and there was still so much left unresolved.

Truth be told, I did worry that Bella wanted a "human" wedding night, as Alice had put it. Everything in me wanted to share that final bond with her…to truly make her mine in every sense of the word but at the same token my entire being shied away from anything that would cause her harm. Perhaps Alice was right. I needed to speak with Carlisle.

Then there was the matter of Bella's health…mentally and physically. She appeared to be getting better on all counts…her face didn't look as gaunt as it did when I initially returned but every once in a while when she didn't think I was looking, I caught an expression in her eyes that matched the exact expression she wore in Alice's vision when she dived off the cliff. Then there were the nightmares night after night that I was a virtually helpless witness to; her only balm upon wakening shaken and sweating was my cool touch and soft spoken promises. In her dreams was the only time she let go of her carefully controlled outward veneer and I got to see only a glimpse of the inner torment that still attacked her subconscious mind. I hadn't said anything to Bella yet but I was worried.

A knock on my door brought me out of my thoughts. Carlisle opened the door.

"Alice said you might want to speak with me?" He questioned.

"Yes. Come in."

He entered and closed the door behind him almost giving a false illusion of privacy, as if there was such a thing in a house full of vampires with impeccable hearing.

He looks so happy lately. I had despaired I would never see him smile again. Thank you Bella. I smiled at Carlisle's thoughts. After a century of despondency and a brief period of self imposed exile I had finally come to my senses and saw what everyone knew all along. Bella was my salvation…my saving grace. She and she alone had the power to make me happy…to bring color into my dark and gray existence. Without her there was nothing. My family adored her, as did I.

"What is troubling you? I hear Bella will say yes. Am I not correct?" He finally asked me, seeing that I was not forthcoming in my questions.

"Alice believes that is so." I confirmed.

"I don't understand." You should be ecstatic.

"I am, Carlisle. But…" Usually so articulate I found myself at a complete loss of words. So much so that it seemed to all come spilling out of my mouth at once in a rush. "It's odd but since I came back and maybe even before then I have felt this overwhelming need to be with Bella…in every sense of the word. It quite literally causes me physical pain…like I almost can't breathe and feel an unbearable tightness in my chest. Frankly Bella and I…well mostly me…have been testing the limits of the physical boundaries I had so carefully placed. Now Alice tells me that Bella will most likely want to have a true wedding night and I am terrified that I will hurt her. And I worry about her Carlisle. I worry Bella is not healed emotionally from when I had left. I am afraid for her because sometimes, mostly in dreams, it seems that she is still in that place from a month ago when she wanted to end her life."

Carlisle out up a hand to halt me. "Whoa Edward. I can see now why you are so upset but surprisingly everything you mentioned is all linked."

"How so?" The connection escaped me.

Hmm, how to explain? "Okay. Let's tackle this one at a time and I will show you how the puzzle pieces fit together. Are you afraid that Bella would try to harm herself again?"

I thought about that for a moment. I had to be honest with myself. "I'm not much of a psychologist but I do know that when someone tries to hurt themselves they will usually try again."

"Let me ask you this then…do you think you are suicidal?"

I nearly felt affronted that he would ask such a thing of me. My answer was quick. "No, of course not."

"And yet you were about to fly off to Italy to ask the Volturi to kill you."

I ran my fingers through my hair. "That's different. I thought Bella was dead…my whole reason for existing gone. What else could I do?"

"Did you perhaps think that by leaving Bella the way you did, with no hope of you ever coming back that it would have been like you were dead to her? That you took the reason for her existence away from her?" As a human the after effects will linger for a time but as long as you keep your promise and stay, I don't see Bella taking such a desperate act again.

I hadn't thought about that, not really. "So what are you telling me Carlisle?"

This is where the pieces fit together, my son. He put a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Bella is your true life's mate and everything in you, everything that you are craves to be with her, to make her truly yours. That's how it is with vampires. Kind of like a much stronger version of a wolf's imprint. I can barely stand to be away from Esme for any extended period of time and I am sure if you were to ask your siblings they would tell you the same. Even though Bella is not one of us yet it seems she was always destined to be. Vampires don't usually have humans as a life's mate and the bond between you and Bella is one of the strongest I have ever seen, even between two of our kind. It is truly a gift that you have been bestowed and I am happy that you are finally embracing it and cherishing it."

"And the wedding night?" I asked my voice coming out hoarse almost strangled.

"That's the easiest Edward. You have tasted her blood and yet she still lives. That is testament alone to your strength and to the strength of your love. The physical act of love is a wondrous, beautiful thing but the physical act of love between life mates is as necessary as a human's need for air. I am actually quite surprised that you have been able to wait this long although from what Alice tells me it's becoming more difficult. I do understand why you want to wait until your wedding however. You are truly a man of your time. But don't let fear keep you from your happiness. You have tried that path once before and it did not work out too well."

No, no it didn't.

If you want to discuss this further down the road, my door is always open to you.

"Carlisle, thank you." I told him sincerely.

He nodded. "Will you be asking Bella this weekend?"

"That is the plan. In our meadow." I was both nervous and excited.

How wonderful! "Have Esme pack a picnic basket. I understand women think picnics are quite romantic." Maybe some champagne. I won't tell Charlie if you won't.

"Somehow, I think Esme will opt for sparkling cider."

Carlisle made a face. "Hmm, I think you're right." I see I have given you much to think about yet again. I'll leave you alone with your thoughts.

It was as Carlisle had said. All the pieces did fit together. Could it really be so simple and I have been agonizing over this for naught? Bella would be the first to tell me so, I smiled. Bella, I thought. Without even needing to check the clock, I knew that it was time to go to her.

I climbed in her window already knowing she would be waiting for me. There she sat on her bed, Indian style, reading. Judging from the books dilapidated state, I could tell it was a book she had read many times before.

"Which book is it this time?" I asked her.

Startled, she jumped then smiled. "You scared me."

Sitting down beside her, I breathed in her essence and softly kissed her lips. Forcing myself to pull away, I turned my attention to the book in her hands. "Wuthering Heights? How many times have you read this one?"

"A few." She shrugged putting the book aside and turned to me.

I stroked her cheek with my finger and she leaned into the touch. It always amazed and awed me that she was not repelled by my cold skin. "Mmm, I was thinking that we have had enough of college applications. Perhaps we could go to our meadow this Saturday. We have not been there in quite some time. "

Her eyes lit up at this prospect. "I would love that."

"Good. I'll even bring a picnic along." I smiled at her.

"Yes, we mustn't forget to feed the human." But there was no censure in her words.

I laughed and nuzzled her neck.

Bella made a mewling sound deep in the back of her throat and threaded her fingers in my hair. My body tightened in pleasure. "You seem unusually happy this evening." My Bella was always so perceptive.

"That's because I am happy. You make me happy." I told her and God willing we would be happy for all eternity.

"I'm just so used to brooding Edward. What happened?" Her breathe hitched suddenly as I brought my lips to hers once again and kissed her tenderly. I pulled back and looked deep into her chocolate brown eyes.

"Let's just say I had an epiphany of sorts."

"Care to share?"

"Hmm, maybe later." I said dragging her into my lap and embracing her letting her know that talking was hot high on my list of priorities at the moment.