BPOV

More often than not I was acutely aware of the eyes that followed me on my errands. If it wasn't the eyes, then it was the camera lenses and the faint sounds of clicking that echoed around me as an offering that I wasn't alone.

I trooped past it though, I tried to make myself move with intent and ignore the presence that stalked me. I should have been nervous... and I would have been if Edward hadn't supplied me with two body guards. Seriously... he did. I had argued about it for all of ten seconds until he reminded me of my exit for the hospital and then quickly threw in that this was just as much for our son's safety as it was for my own. He knew me well enough to know that when worded it that way, I could not refuse.

So here I was, walking down Michigan Avenue and admiring the blooms. I had just come from a prenatal yoga class and now I was starving. So imagine the happiness I felt when as I walked... or waddled my way out the door and my phone rang. It was, Edward.

"Hey!" I breathed out. The smile on my face would be unmatched by anyone... I was sure of it.

"How was your class, baby?" I should have felt absolutely ridiculous about the way my body warmed when I heard that endearment, but I didn't.

"It was very good... very calming." I sighed out of contentment and finished my thoughts. "But now I'm starving!" We both laughed into the receiver and when it died down he picked up where I left off.

"Well I can't have my sweetheart hungry... that means our son is hungry. Meet me at your deli..." I had earned that comment. In the last month or so Edward had been a man on a mission. My cravings of late had him visiting Jones's Deli at least four times during the week. When he walked in today though, that would make it his sixth time this week.

If it bothered him though, he didn't show it, because as soon as I walked in he scooped me up in his arms and was kissing me as if his life depended on it.

"I missed you... so much." I didn't get a chance to even respond because he was kissing me again. This was, Edward... it's who he was these days anyway. Ever since I had said I would marry him... ever since he had stood up to his family.

This was who I had fallen in love with.

When I had been with him in secret... he had only been this way. But now... now he was lavishing me with love for any and all to see... he wasn't hiding us... and from the feel of his embrace, he didn't want to.

The camera's clicked and the two men who guarded me through out my days continued to do so as Edward ushered us to the small table that was already holding our food.

The owners Cammie and Tom knew me... and as of late, they had become acquainted with Edward. These days, he simply walked in, smiled and either Tom or Cammie would begin our regular order. He was a regular.

I sat down carefully and he took his seat across from me. I could only admire the plate before me for a long moment before giving him my appreciative thanks. "Thank you, Edward... this... well this looks fantastic." I smiled happily at my full plate and dove right in. I didn't come up for air until I had at least three bites and then the realization that Edward hadn't said anything came to my attention. When I looked up and met his eyes, I saw that he was smiling... but there was something else there... something I couldn't quite place.

"What is it, Edward?" I didn't know if I was supposed to be worried or if it was simply all in my head but then I saw him drop his head a little as he answered.

"I just remembered something is all... it's nothing, love. Really." I wasn't sure if I should let it drop because I wasn't sure I wanted to know. He saw the dilemma and chagrined as he saw my expression. He gave in and said what had struck him. "Your face... when you saw your food... you smiled." Well now I was really confused. He must have realized that and went on to elaborate. "At the Gala... when I had seen you again... when I realized you were pregnant..." his voice fell to a whisper as it trailed off. I felt like I was missing some very big piece of the puzzle. I tried to pinpoint his sadness, but I had no such luck.

"I- I'm sorry?" I offered with question. He simply smiled, got out of his seat and came to sit beside me. His good mood from just moments ago was now subdued and out shined.

"You did nothing wrong, love... just... it reminded me of that night. Of what seeing your face light up like that did to me..." he had my attention.

"What did it do to you?" I whispered out. My curiosity was almost too much for me and I was on the cusp of losing my breath.

Edward said nothing for a moment and instead rubbed at our son and closed his eyes. He looked as if he were at the gates of heaven, as if this were the most blessed moment he had experienced. I felt revered... like I was absolutely precious. After the span of many heart beats, he opened his eyes and finished his thought.

"I saw this..." he gently rubbed my belly and continued. "I was aching to touch you... to feel the bump that housed him inside of you." he stopped a moment to think and continued. "I watched you fill that small plate... so happy that you were going to eat something..." it was getting harder and harder for him to speak, and yet I was on the edge of my seat, anxious to hear more. "I looked around for a bigger plate... I wanted you to have more, I was certain you should." His hand never left my belly as he spoke and he averted his eyes to finish the rest. "I was so ashamed... so desperate... I had no idea what to do. I wanted so many things in that moment and I didn't have the guts to act on any of it." I stopped him then with a kiss. I knew how hard this must have been for him to admit. And just knowing this... just having that small piece of the puzzle somehow felt better. He had been torn... he had wanted us.

"I don't want to cry here... not for the past." I kissed him once more and grabbed his plate and dragged it over so it was in front of him.

"Eat, baby..." and so we did.

EPOV

I had never been particularly good at anything regarding relationships... not even remotely near it. The closest I had ever come was showing up on time for a date... if what I did with other women constituted as a date... I was still shaky on that.

All that aside though, I found that I was exceptionally good at being devoted to taking care of Isabella... at loving her.

I did it all, I bought her flowers, I gave her massages, I cooked her dinners (under the extremely careful eyes of Esmeralda), I worshiped her with every ounce of love that was inside of me and I did everything in my power to show her just how committed to her I was.

A month ago when she said that she would marry me, life had changed dramatically. For one, I no longer felt as if we were in limbo. We were going somewhere... together. I had worried that the enchantment would wear off and that I would be scared shitless, but it never happened. Instead, I woke up each morning anxious and excited to being one day closer to the big day.

True to my word, I didn't go overboard. I only did as Bella requested and not an embellishment more. This was her day... I mean it was ours, but I wanted it to be what she envisioned. So instead of the media circus that my parents would have loved to create, we simply arranged to have a garden that was tucked away in the suburbs decorated and able to seat seven.

Outside of purchasing flights for her friends and Charlie, there was very little planning to be done. My mother had taken care of everything... there wasn't a detail to fret over and we were both grateful. I personally appreciated it because all my joy came from giving Isabella my undivided attention.

Tonight was no different.

It was about nine thirty in the evening and we were already in bed... we were always in bed early. My life before her was a distant memory, something I had no desire to return to. I rather enjoyed the quiet life... as long as Bella was with me... I enjoyed it.

I rubbed along her belly and smiled at the sound of her sigh. She always did that when I would feel our son. It never got old... holding my family... holding my world literally in the palm of my hands. She was so precious.

"Tomorrow you become Mrs. Isabella Cullen..." I was gloating every time I said it, I couldn't get enough of it. She would become my wife, my spouse, my everything.

"So you still plan on showing up?" she teased. I however didn't find it funny.

"Do you think I wont?" there was no laughter in the question... I really wanted to know. She shifted on her side and looked over her shoulder to gauge my expression. She realized I was serious and her smile disappeared.

"No. I know you will be there tomorrow. I know you want to be there tomorrow. I do not question that. Not anymore.

Relief flooded me and I exhaled shakily as I took her in my arms fully to hold her. For the longest moment I did just that and nothing more. I was out of ways to show her... but as it turned out, she didn't need me to anymore. That didn't mean I would stop... it just meant that for once... for once I had done something right.

I had loved her right.

BPOV

"Bell's are you sure that you want me to walk you? I mean... well, I haven't been much of anything to you." Charlie was looking down at his shiny black shoes and tugging on his sleeves to give himself something to fidget with. Emotional confrontations were never his strong suit.

We were in the back of the garden, hidden by the rest from the large rose and ivy covered wall. "You are my father... you gave me life. I am finally at a point in the gift you granted me to appreciate the significance in that. Yes, I want you here... there is no one else that I'd rather have give me away."

"Thank you for asking me, Bell's. I didn't think I would ever get this moment... didn't think I had earned it."

I fought my initial sarcasm with just one look at his face. This really did mean the world to him. I was about to say more, but then I heard a soft pst! Coming from around the bushes... it was Alice.

"You're beautiful!" she trilled. I simply rolled my eyes and did a once over at my body. I was a week from my eighth month and I looked like a whale. The dress I wore was a simply lace material that stopped at my knees... it wasn't even white... I had chosen champagne.

Alice must have seen the disagreement on my face because she was clucking her tongue and shaking her head. "Bella, if you think I'm just saying that, well then you'd better pay attention to the look you get from Edward when he see's you. The man thinks you walk on water wearing pajamas and eating a pound of turkey... this will blow his mind." she said matter of factly as she waved over my appearance.

When she said it that way, there wasn't much of an argument. He really did look at me like I was a goddess when I was simply in his shirt... and this had to look better than that.

"He loves you so much, Bella. This is right." I didn't question that, I knew he loved me and that this was right... it's what I had dreamed of the first night we'd been together. I had known even then that he was different, and not just with sex, but in general. When we kissed that first time it was so electric that I felt it in my toes. He was the one... the one I could never walk away from. I knew even then.

"I know, Alice..." a throat cleared from behind us. I turned to find My dad waiting nervously for me.

"It's time, Bell's." I smiled widely and embraced the warm feeling that spread through me. What I had been aching for was coming to be... the man I wanted was just on the other side of this greenery. He was waiting for me and I was ready to make our lives complete.

Alice disappeared to take her seat and as I reached my father, he pulled me into a hug. "You make that boy take good care of you... good care." I had never seen or heard my father at a loss for words and having it happen now was making it even more emotional.

"He will... he will." Charlie simply nodded and collected himself then held out his arm for me to take hold of.

"Let's take a little walk shall we?"

EPOV

I would like to think of myself as a man's man. The kind that can take pain and grunt through an injury. If you would have told me that today I would nearly be knocked to my knees from just a smile, I wouldn't have believed you. But as it were, I was.

When she rounded that corner on her fathers arm it was heaven... but then she smiled. She smiled my smile... the one she reserved for only my eyes and I knew that no matter what, I would spend my life giving her a reason to show it to me everyday.

I watched her and only her. I faintly realized her father was walking her and I faintly realized we had guests... all I could see was Isabella. The short walk to me seemed to take an eternity and it took everything I had to not break out into a sprint and pull her into my arms, but somehow I held back.

...So I waited... and I waited... and then she was there, close enough for me to touch. And I did. Charlie didn't get the chance to give me her hand because I had grabbed her and clung to her as I breathed a sigh of relief... this was happening... this was real. I heard soft laughter from our intimate crowd and I pulled back with a hint of embarrassment... not a lot.

"I love you" she whispered. It was exactly what I had needed to hear.

We both turned then and let the ceremony begin.

A man of my word, there was no spectacle. There was no fanfare, or press. We were simply among the ones who loved us best. The ones that when the last shoe fell stood beside us and told us it would be okay. The ones who stood up and defended us... even from each other.

This was right.

Our vows were simple. They were words that had been spoken countless times, by countless couples. They they were a reflection of our desires, hopes and dreams, they were exactly what we would strive for in our lives...simplicity.

But before the final blessing, father Cavenaugh asked us if we would like to say something... I was about to speak up, but Isabella beat me to it.

"Edward" her voice shook and she dropped her gaze to the ring on her left hand then back to me. "I know that in this life I am not alone. I never will be... because you love me, because you chose me. And I know you will never leave me, that you will never forsake me. This is right, we are right." She emphasized her words with her grip on my fingers. And suddenly my world was right, but suddenly my words didn't seem so amazing... I didn't know how to follow that. I was still struggling to find my words when all of a sudden the moment was upon me. Father Cavenaugh addressed me and in a moment of clarity, I said what was in my heart.

"Today is the day our life begins." I took a deep breath and looked into her beautiful brown eyes. "It's always ever just been me... and before I met you that was all I cared about. But then you came into my life like a burst of fire and I could feel your burn throughout every inch of myself." In that moment every beautiful, wonderful and life changing moment came to mind and so did the bad ones. In the span of three seconds I saw just how much I could have lost if she had given up on me, if I had walked off her stoop that day and never come back. It hurt to imagine, but I let it all settle into me... all of it. I would never have to know the true pain of that choice... only the fear and with that I continued on. "I am yours, Isabella. Mind, body and soul... it's all yours."

I wanted to kiss her but I knew it wasn't time, so I settled for rubbing my thumb over the plush diamond that used to be my grandmothers... grandma Masen's. The pause we shared gave me just enough time to realize that I wanted to live forever... because there just wasn't enough time in my pathetic human existence to enjoy her fully. I didn't know how I would ever fit a lifetime into the years we had together... but I would try... every day... I would try.

I didn't realize I was crying until Isabella wiped at the tears on my cheeks. I mirrored the movement and then the words we had waited for were upon us.

"You may now kiss the bride." And I did...

Ever so gently, I pulled the woman who had stolen my world into my arms and kissed her with every hope, every joy, and every emotion she had ever evoked in me. I vaguely heard the small claps and rejoices that came from our loved ones. I had no intention of pulling away but then Isabella giggled and pulled my hand to her stomach... he was kicking. He was happy too.

Life was beginning... and I knew that until our son was born, this was the biggest day of my life. When we went to greet our guests, a movement in the bushes caught my eyes... I strained through the embrace of my mother and saw a reflection of something gold fall to the floor as someone walked away.

When I had greeted and was congratulated by all seven people at the ceremony, I stepped to the corner where I had seen the person. They were long gone, and if they were the press, the pictures were probably posted on line by now. I turned to go back to Isabella but I felt something under my shoe. I paused before I could step fully over whatever it was and knelt down to see what it was.

When I picked it up though, I gasped. It was a gold pocket watch... it wasn't just a pocket watch though. The cover was the Cullen family crest... and on the back was his name... Charles Cullen.