Disclaimer: S. Meyer owns all things Twilight. I just decided it was time to shake things up a bit in her characters' world. And I wanted a bitchy Bella, so here we go!
Oh, and all of the references used in this story in relation to the advertising and marketing company and accounts are only used here for entertainment purposes; no copyright infringement intended.
Thank you to the following people: Angelicwish, who has gone above and beyond the call of duty to provide this insecure writer with loads of feedback, advice, beta services and great conversations, and to my Jennay- Love you! A special thank you to Forever_Liz, Megsly and Barburella for being awesome. I love you all for your parts in making this fic hopefully pretty damn okay.
In case any of you are wondering, here are some fics that are completely devastating me right now (please go check them out on FanFiction or Twilighted) –Tre by my sweetie Megsly; Paper Heart by Hez_Pixie; Finding Forever by SusanAshlea; Not Bad Enough by jlnar19; 15 Step by Jenny Jerkface; Becoming Bella Swan by BellaFlan; and The Misapprehension of Bella Swan (Regarding the Inferior Intellect of Hockey Whores) by hunterhunting. My list of favorites is getting ridiculous. Just read these. You're welcome.
It's been a wild and wonderful ride with you all, and I appreciate all of the love you've given me and this fic. Please know I appreciate every review, tweet, rec and note of encouragement. Now, without further ado, the final chapter…
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Chapter Thirty-two: Wetting a line
"'Can't Touch This!'"
"Jasper, the category is movie titles," I managed between fits of laughter. Emmett seemed to be doing his best impression of the Running Man in the middle of the living room as half of us tried in vain to guess. Unfortunately for Emmett, we were largely coming up short. Sweat glistened on his forehead as he tried another clue.
"Four words. First word."
"Oh my God, Emmett, you look like a trained monkey," squealed Alice, which elicited a belly laugh from Charlie. "I have no idea. Crazy." Emmett made a motion like he was driving and then opened his mouth and eyes in shock or fear. I couldn't tell. "'Ace Ventura: Pet Detective!'"
Emmett shook his head furiously at Alice as she giggled again, and then he proceeded to motion like he was pulling things out of his hair, looking at them and then writing with them.
"'When Harry Met Sally!" yelled Carlisle. Emmett was now completely discouraged and apparently out of ideas. I watched the clock as it ticked down the remaining seconds.
"Okay, time's up," I said. The rest of my team groaned.
"Guys, it was 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off!'" Emmett said as if it were as plain as day. "I was doing the running through the yards thing, and the guys taking the Ferrari for a joyride, and then Rooney's secretary pulling pencils out of her hair! Come on!"
As the odd man out this round, I tallied the scores and announced that it was now seven to six in favor of Edward's team. Emmett, of course, demanded a rematch to get the chance to redeem himself, but it looked like everyone else was ready for bed. Alice was curled against Jasper's side, her feet tucked neatly under her; Esme rested her head against the couch cushions while Rose ran her fingers lazily through her hair.
"Well, guys, I think it's time we call it a night," I said, glancing at Edward. "These two have an early start, and you all need to be in top form for all of the gluttony that is going to take place tomorrow."
Once the others had left, my father reappeared with a set of sheets, a heavy blanket and a pillow and plopped them on the couch in the living room. He eyed Edward and me, rubbed his chin and then ruffled my hair.
"Well, I'm turning in," he said. "Night, Bells. Edward, I'll see you at 4. Don't stay up too late, you two. And…I'm right upstairs if you need anything, Edward." The last part was definitely a warning.
"Thanks, Chi-Charlie…sir," Edward stuttered. With a nod, my father slowly climbed the stairs and shut his bedroom door. I exhaled once the house was silent and began transforming the couch into a makeshift bed for my boyfriend. While Edward got ready in the bathroom, I changed into my pajamas and then I washed my face and brushed my teeth and Edward got settled on the sofa.
"I don't think I've ever seen those PJs," he commented when he gaze fell on my blue flannel pajamas with crescent moons and stars. "Adorable." He reached up and pulled me down and on top of him and I suppressed a giggle.
"Easy, tiger," I teased. "My dad's got a few shotguns, remember?" To torture us both further, I grabbed Edward's face and kissed him long and hard. As our tongues sparred in our mouths, I felt Edward grow and harden beneath me. We both groaned when his hands found my ass and squeezed. What I wouldn't have given for my own bed at that moment - or Edward's.
"Well then, love, you'd better get off me before the chief finds us naked and going at it, which is exactly what he'll see if you don't head upstairs in the next 60 seconds," Edward said, gently kissing my cheeks, chin and nose. Unwilling to spend a night alone in my childhood bed with Edward so close, I whined and kissed him again. But I knew it would be like having a death wish to be making out with Edward in the living room.
"Good night, Edward," I said with a sigh. "I love you."
"Night, Bella," he said huskily. "I love you, too."
After tucking Edward in, I climbed the stairs to my childhood bedroom, my twin bed, to the rhythm of Charlie's snoring. Now unaccustomed to the noise, I tossed and turned for some time and finally gave up and flicked on my bedside lamp. It was just before 1 a.m. and the house with quiet, save for the occasional snort coming from down the hall. I reluctantly got out of bed and tiptoed downstairs for a drink; the house was cold and I couldn't exactly recall which of the floorboards creaked. Carefully, I slid my wool-clad feet along the floor in an attempt to keep silent. After pouring a glass of milk I abandoned it on the counter to warm and went to check on Edward.
He was adorably rumpled, his arms thrown over his head as if on a roller coaster. Edward's hair was in unbelievable disarray, even for him, and the blankets were almost entirely on the floor. His t-shirt had risen and the trail of hair that disappeared into his shorts taunted me. Edward's face was a mask of complete calm, despite the disorder around him. Thinking he must be cold, I quietly knelt down beside him and gathered the blankets.
"Charlie…" Edward murmured, and I froze with the blanket poised over him. A few seconds passed, and then, "I love her, Charlie." My eyes grew wide and the tears immediately blurred my vision. Edward was talking about me to my dad in his dreams. But what was he talking to him about? "I promise, Charlie." I nearly woke Edward up at that statement. Regardless of the meaning, it was a promise, and one that Edward imagined making to my father. My toes were suddenly numb as I lightly placed the blankets over him, careful not to interrupt his dreaming. I brushed the hair off his forehead, whispered an "I love you," and went back to retrieve my nighttime beverage. Once I was back in bed with my battered copy of Pride and Prejudice, my mind drifted back to Edward's sleep-talking and I couldn't help but wonder.
His time with Charlie, I hoped, would be positive for both of them.
The sounds of laughter and fishing poles clanking against the wall in the kitchen woke me up Thursday morning. Rolling over, I looked at my clock – 8:33 a.m. Edward had been fishing with my father for over four hours. Thankful they hadn't gutted each other with the filet knife, I trotted downstairs and took in the scene: Charlie laughing as he took off his fishing hat and vest; Edward at the kitchen sink washing his hands, still wearing one of my dad's old hats with the wide brim. The hat was torn, had rust and fish gut stains on it and must have stunk to high hell. And Edward still hadn't taken it off.
"Good morning, you two," I said, announcing my presence finally. Both men immediately looked up at me and smiled. The fishing, it seemed, had been good.
"Morning, love," Edward said, coming over to kiss me briefly. The hat did stink.
"Hey, Bells," Charlie said. "Sleep well?"
"Yeah, Dad," I answered. "Thanks. Happy Thanksgiving! Did you two have a good time? Catch anything?"
"Charlie and I each caught one, but they were small," Edward said with a grimace. "But it was pretty quiet. Peaceful." I caught an unspoken exchange between them, but before I could ask either what was going on, my dad derailed my train of thought.
"So, Bells, when were you going to tell me about your leaving Seattle to open a new office?" he asked, reclining in a kitchen chair. I looked helplessly at Edward, who I knew had spilled the beans. He shrugged.
"Sorry, Dad," I replied. "It wasn't deliberately keeping it from you, but…" I didn't really have an answer. "Well, it all happened rather quickly and I…I wanted you to be proud of my decision." As soon as the words left my mouth, I knew they were true. Charlie sniffed quickly, his features softening infinitesimally.
"Bella, I've always been proud of you," he said. "You've worked hard. And on the occasion that you stumble, you always make things right." He glanced at Edward and the gesture wasn't lost on me. "Portland, huh? You'll be commuting all that way?"
"Thanks, Dad. Yeah, for now," I answered. Secretly, I'd hoped that at some point Edward and I could maybe find a place of our own that was in between our offices, but I certainly wasn't ready to play that card. First, Edward and I needed to be secure - back to good.
Edward excused himself to go shower and I began making breakfast. Only eggs, bacon, home fries and toast would do for my two adventurers. After whipping the eggs and pouring them into the pan I tossed some potatoes, onions and seasonings into another pan and let them cook. Charlie came back inside, having stored the poles in the shed, and took an audible whiff of my meal-in-progress.
"God, Bells, I miss your cooking," he said wistfully, standing over the crackling bacon. On instinct I swatted his hands away and shooed him from the stove. With a chuckle he stepped away and resumed his seat at the kitchen table. Looking over my shoulder, I jokingly threatened to cut off his fingers if he tried it again.
"So…what ever happened to that problem employee of yours?" Charlie hinted as I worked. "I heard you had a run-in with her." I rolled my eyes to no one in particular and filled him in on Tanya's abbreviated career at S&P, followed by her employ with Aro and our two rather colorful confrontations. By the time I was finished Edward had returned and breakfast was ready.
We ate in companionable silence, only occasionally punctuated by groans or "Mmmms" of appreciation. Once we'd finished, Edward helped me clear the table and then offered to call Alice to coordinate dinner plans. Before going outside to call her, he leaned over to kiss me.
"Love you," I whispered, softly enough that my father didn't hear me.
"Love you, too," he whispered back with a crooked smile.
As I washed the dishes, I was aware of Charlie's eyes on me. He wanted to say something, but was struggling to find the words. I knew his silence quite well.
"You're different," he said. Stunned by his statement, I turned away from the sink. He was studying me, his eyes twinkling.
"How so?" I asked.
"I don't know," he said, struggling to explain. "It's almost like you're a bit softer around the edges. At peace. Less frantic." Laughing lightly in response, I shrugged and dipped the dirty pans into the suds-filled sink. Was I really different? Maybe for the better?
"Edward does that for you, doesn't he? I told him I thought so."
"I never thought about it, but yes," I admitted. "He makes me want to be a better... Wait - you told him that?"
"Yeah. This morning," Charlie said. "We had a talk." I turned off the running water and put down the sponge.
"You had a 'talk?' What did you talk about?" I inquired, now more curious than ever.
"You know…guy stuff." Charlie obviously wasn't going to divulge the apparently top-secret nature of their discussion, but I noticed the smile that peeked out from under his mustache. So busted.
"Right…guy stuff," I muttered, shaking my head. "Well, I hope it was a good talk. I really like Edward, Dad, and I'd like to keep him around for a long time." The implication, though unspoken, was clear. Charlie nodded thoughtfully before answering.
"He's a good man, Bells. And he loves you."
The tears came so quickly as a result of Charlie's admission that I had to busy myself with my cleanup task in order to avoid becoming a blubbering mess. Edward had obviously shownmy father that he was worthy of me. As if he had to make a case at this point.
"I know, Dad," I managed, my back still to him. "Thank you."
Edward entered the kitchen, cell phone in-hand, informing us that everyone was ready to come over "whenever the Swans were ready." Emmett had insisted on watching the parade, but even he couldn't deny his stomach's need for instant gratification by way of hors d'oeuvres. I called Esme, told them to come over, and then inspected the defrosted turkey. Edward made the stuffing and then Charlie and I managed to stuff the bird and slide it into the oven.
With the major task accomplished, the men retired to the living room and the parade while I hunted for table linens and nicer china. Thankfully, Charlie still possessed many of the items he and my mother had received as wedding gifts. Renee had moved on to bigger and better things, in her mind, and that included wedding presents, apparently. Hidden in the back of the hall closet I discovered an old tablecloth still in its packaging, matching napkins, and their unused china. I carefully washed each piece, examining the classic leaf pattern etched around the rim, accented by platinum edging. It was beautiful.
The table was set with the off-white linens, and the bone china made it look like quite the Thanksgiving affair. Hopefully Charlie wouldn't mind. And Emmett wouldn't break anything. A quick knock followed by an immediate "hello" signaled the gang's arrival.
"Happy Thanksgiving," Alice cried as she hugged Charlie and then Edward, before skipping over to me. "Time for the festivities to begin!"
Emmett immediately opened the oven door to inspect the turkey, which earned him a slap on the wrist from me and a smack on the back of the head from Rose.
"Don't let the heat out, Em, or it's not going to cook correctly," she admonished. "I'll find you a bear to eat or something." Carlisle, Jasper and Emmett shook hands with Charlie and Edward, exchanging pleasantries and asking how the fishing expedition had gone. Esme, Alice and Rose made themselves busy with the hors d'oeuvres. Within minutes, the previously quiet kitchen was buzzing with activity, laughter and smells. It was a delightful chaos.
Hours later, the kitchen counter was covered with colorful dishes: squash, stuffing, green bean casserole, bread, cranberry relish, mashed potatoes and a beautifully roasted turkey. Charlie, of course, did the honors and cut the bird. We formed a sort of buffet line and filled our plates. Once we were all seated, Charlie said grace.
"Dear Lord, thank you for the many blessings in our lives," he began. I squeezed Edward's hand gently as my dad continued. "Thank you for new and old friends, for loved ones and family. Amen."
"Let's eat!" Emmett exclaimed, reaching for the turkey leg on his plate. "Man, this turkey is better than sex! Great cookin,' Charlie!" Eight sets of eyes were at once on him - one set rather angry - but Emmett was too busy chewing to notice at first. He looked up, suddenly aware, and his mouth hung open, full of half-chewed food. "What? What'd I say?"
Charlie, to his credit, simply laughed a deep belly laugh and everyone else joined in. Emmett's face finally registered the implication of his comment, and he blushed furiously as Rose glared at him and punched him on the arm.
"Thanks, Emmett," my father said, adding, "I guess."
Once we were all stuffed and the wine and beers were exhausted, everyone helped package the left over dishes and turkey and then wash the dishes. Sluggish with full bellies, we all crashed on the couch, loveseat and on the floor in the living room while my father snored in his recliner. Edward sat on the floor, leaning against the couch, while I laid my head in his lap. As he ran his fingers lazily through my hair, I drifted to sleep.
"I love you, Isabella Swan."
His whispered voice floated to me on the breeze of my food-induced dream. I rolled over to look up at him; Edward's emerald green eyes were focused on mine as his fingers moved from my hair to my cheek. At that moment, there was no other place I'd rather have been.
"I love you, too, Edward Cullen," I said softly, adding, "with all my heart." He leaned over, bent at an awkward angle, and kissed me gently, holding my face to his. "You are one of my greatest blessings."
Instead of a reply, Edward kissed me again. Forgetting where I was for a moment, I wrapped my arms around him and pulled us closer together, savoring the taste of him on my tongue until Charlie's snores ceased. Breaking our kiss, Edward looked at my father and I followed his gaze. Charlie's eyes were still closed, but a hint of a smile played at the corner of his lips. As I sat up I took stock of everyone else; Rose and Emmett were seated on the loveseat and Emmett's arm was draped over Rose's shoulders. Esme's fingers were threaded through Carlisle's and next to them on the couch, Alice rested her head on Jasper's shoulder.
"Well, gang, I'm beat," Charlie said suddenly. He stood and that seemed to rouse the rest of us. "You guys feel free to stay here as long as you'd like or stay here if the drive back to the inn seems too long. We've had a long day." He shook hands with the guys - including Edward, who'd risen – and kissed the ladies on their cheeks. "It was a great Thanksgiving. Thank you all."
Thank you's and comments of agreement chorused around my father as he stooped to kiss me goodnight.
"Dad, thank you so much," I said. "This was the best Thanksgiving. Thanks for letting us have it here."
"'Course, Bells," he said, dismissing me with a wave of his hand. "It was…real nice. Night, all." Once the Swan family patriarch had retired, our friends decided to say their goodnights and depart. After making sure Jasper wasn't too tired to drive, I kissed and hugged them all with promises of making plans the following day. Edward and I watched from the doorway as they drove away, our arms wrapped around each other.
"Well, Ms. Swan, I'd say that Thanksgiving was a resounding success, wouldn't you?" Edward kissed me on the lips, and I melted into him. Now that the family frenzy had subsided, I wanted nothing more than Edward. Nothing.
"I completely agree," I murmured against his lips as I kissed him back vigorously, igniting the familiar fire within me that only Edward could extinguish. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I pulled him down to me and closer still, greedily devouring him. It wasn't until he sighed into my mouth that I remembered we were making out in the kitchen. "Come with me."
Like an obedient puppy, Edward let me tug him upstairs - I was sure to avoid the places on the treads that creaked and instructed Edward to follow my lead - and down the hall to my bedroom. Once he closed the door behind him, Edward's mouth was back on mine with a renewed hunger that surprised me. He walked me backwards until my calves hit the little twin bed, and I pulled him down on top of me.
"Bella," he groaned, running his hand down my thigh and hitching it over his hip at the same time his lips wandered to my neck. My body was a live wire of need for Edward. A few days of little alone time together had apparently been too much for both of us. I grasped at Edward's button-down shirt, eager to find bare skin, and successfully rolled it off his shoulders before he took a moment to pull it off the rest of the way. While he did this, I yanked my purple turtleneck over my head.
"Please, Edward," I whimpered. Edward settled over me again, pressing his pelvis deliciously against mine as if in response. One hand pressed against my cheek as he kissed me, while the other cupped my breast, still covered by my bra. And when his fingers dipped inside the lace and touched my skin, I sucked in a ragged breath.
"Edward, I need you," I said, reinforcing my previous plea. My desire-muddled brain thought nothing of a sleeping Charlie down the hall or the mere fact that my bed was much too small for two. I had my sex-blinders on and was singularly focused at that moment as I reached for the button fly on Edward's jeans. But his hand stilled over mine as he kissed me, effectively halting my progress.
"Bella, love, we can't," he said with a grimace. Edward pressed his forehead to mine and attempted to slow his staggered breathing. "Trust me, I want to, but not like this. Not with your dad down the hall." Edward groaned once more and rolled off me, barely managing to stay on my bed. Knowing a loud thud would wake my father, I grabbed Edward to keep him from falling and moved to give him some room on the tiny bed. We lay face-to-face for some time, unwilling to go to sleep - alone. Overcome by a sudden sentimentality, I studied Edward's features as if it were my last opportunity - the copper highlights and auburn lowlights in his hair; the flecks of gold and blue in his green eyes; the faint wrinkles around his eyes and across his forehead that gave a hint of his age contrary to his otherwise boyish looks; the dark lashes that framed his soulful eyes; his full but not too-plump lips; and the symmetry of his facial structure.
"How did I get so lucky to have found you?" I asked absentmindedly, running my fingers through Edward's hair. I only had a second to feel embarrassed by my admission before Edward's voice calmed my panic.
"It's me who got lucky, Bella," he said, kissing me lightly. I started to scoff, but he shushed me and picked Pride and Prejudice off the floor. "So, I'm curious…why do you love this book? I mean, I get your love for great works of literature, and I certainly agree it's great, but you obviously love this one best. Why?"
"Well, I think mostly because Elizabeth and Darcy both have so much pride - Darcy in his station and disdain for anyone 'lesser' than him and Elizabeth in her own character - that it completely skews their perceptions of each other," I said. "I love Elizabeth's tenacity and her unwillingness to settle or be defined by marriage to a rich man. She resists Darcy, and he her, until they both realize how stupidly they've both been acting. They are two very similar creatures, who in the end realize they are perfectly suited for one another. And likely no one else more so."
Edward smiled with my explanation and rolled onto his back, opening the book and flipping a through a few pages toward the end until he settled on a passage and read it.
"'You taught me a lesson, hard indeed at first, but most advantageous. By you, I was properly humbled. I came to you without a doubt of my reception. You showed me how insufficient were all my pretensions to please a woman worthy of being pleased,'" he read aloud.
I smiled, replying, "Smart man, that Darcy." Edward put the book down and rolled back to face me. Taking my face in his hand, he kissed me gently once, twice and then again.
"'I cannot fix on the hour, or the look, or the words, which laid the foundation,'" I recited by heart. "'It is too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew what I had begun.'"
"Dad, we'll be back in a few hours, okay? Before dark, for sure," I called behind me as I threw the pack into the trunk of my car and shut the lid. Charlie smiled from the open doorway and winked at me as I got behind the wheel.
"Have fun!" he yelled before going inside.
My car knew the way to the trailhead in La Push; at this point it was second nature. Since my first visit to this place, I'd visited a number of times - some with my father and some alone. Today was special. Spring in the Olympic Peninsula was much like the rest of the year, with the exception of the twittering of birds and the aroma of thawing earth, and I reveled in the subtle changes of the season.
"What're you thinking about right now?" Edward asked from the passenger seat as he threaded his fingers through mine. "You have this look on your face." His eyes sparkled as he studied me. "I don't know. You look different."
Laughing at his observation, I squeezed his hand. My heart thumped quickly in my chest at the notion of my appearance having changed since the previous night. Silently, I both hoped that it was and wasn't the case. "I was just thinking about spring and the last six months," I answered finally. "So much has happened, you know?"
Edward nodded silently, but I didn't need an answer from him to know the truth. He and I had been through a lot in the last six months. Soon after Thanksgiving, I'd made my departure from the Seattle office of Swan & Platte, and had been operating out of Portland since that time.
Christmas had been wonderful. Edward and I had spent Christmas Eve with the gang and Christmas Day and the weekend with Charlie. My father and Edward had actually developed a rather comfortable relationship, which pleased me to no end when I considered the future. Edward had given me a beautiful leather-bound journal with my initials embossed over the cover, along with a sleek Cross pen with my initials carved into its barrel. In turn, I had presented him with a year's free detailing for his Audi and tickets for us both to the upcoming U2 concert in Portland.
Edward and I had struggled to keep up our now semi-long-distance relationship, but our friends and family had been supportive. Most importantly, we were both committed to making it work. I had started seeing a therapist twice a month and for one of those visits every month, Edward and I went together. Work kept us busy, but we spoke every day by phone, at the very least, and I always kept my Friday night dates with the girls. The weekends were ours.
As I slowed the car to pull into the parking lot at the trailhead, my heart resumed its frantic gallop. I hope Edward likes it. We climbed out and Edward pulled the pack from the trunk, slinging it over his broad shoulders. We were dressed in layers and raincoats in preparation for the rainforest-like setting, but thankfully only a thick fog hung over the landscape. After packing our jackets in the pack, we started out into the lush, dense forest.
Since I was leading the way, Edward stayed a half-step behind me, but I could feel his breath as it blew wisps of hair across my cheek and hear every soft thud of his hiking boots. When I stumbled over a tree's roots, he was close enough to catch me before I fell. And when I reached the edge of the clearing and my heart hammered double-time in my chest, I was convinced he was close enough to hear it.
"Bella, you okay?" he asked as I paused to catch my breath. "You seem…nervous."
"Why on earth would I be nervous?" I squeaked, effectively blowing my cover. It's only that this is a huge deal for me, and I'm not sure how you're going to react to any of it, Edward. Grabbing his hand, I stood and urged him forward. "Come on. There's something I've been meaning to show you."
As we broke through the evergreens and into the clearing - my meadow - I looked to my right to gauge Edward's reaction. His eyes grew wide at the odd sight of a clearing in the midst of a lush forest, but he kept walking and was now towing me toward the center.
"Bella, how did you ever find this place?" he asked finally, folding me into his arms as we stood there. While it surely wasn't yet at its natural apex, the grass was vibrant and wildflowers punctuated the sea of green with small white, lavender and yellow flashes. Besides, I couldn't wait any longer to show it to him. Edward looked all around us, seemingly in awe of the space. "It's amazing."
"I found it once last year, while I was visiting Charlie," I said, careful, now, not to avoid the pang I felt when I reflected on last fall or the reason for my visit. "You know, when we broke up. Charlie and I came out here, and this place, even in the fall, was incredible. It seems so separate from the rest of the world. Like a little bubble. It's special to me, and I wanted you to see it. I wanted to share it with you."
Edward kissed me fervently, hugging me against him tightly as he did so. He urged me to sit down so that I was straddling his lap and continued to hold me and kiss me. Not even the birds interrupted us; the only other sound was the occasional gust of wind. It swirled the pudding-like fog around us and moistened my face, the grass beneath us and every other texture within its reach. It felt as if time and space had forgotten this place; it was as if Edward and I were protected within the green walls of my sanctuary. Our sanctuary.
"I love you," Edward said softly as he broke our kiss. His thumbs caressed my wet cheeks and I blinked the small water droplets off my eyelashes so I could see him clearly.
"Edward, I love you, too," I replied. "Move in with me." His stunned expression prompted me on. "I found two houses - one in Centralia and one in Longview. I'm sure there are more if you don't like them, but I figured that one of the two places is between Seattle and Portland and it would allow us to be closer to everyone…and each other, obviously. With my commute, we hardly see each other during the week and I miss you terribly. I know it's a big leap for us, but I think we're ready."
"I do, too," Edward said with a smile. "I think we're ready for lots of things." The inference wasn't lost on me, but I couldn't lose my nerve now that I'd found it. I told him that we'd find a realtor together and spend a few weekends looking at some of the homes in those towns. I told him I could put the house in my name or we could both sign the papers, if he wanted to. Edward agreed that we'd both own whatever house we ended up buying.
"Edward, there was something else," I said, trailing off. My heart thundered in my chest and this time I was certain he could feel it through the layers of clothing. His worried expression confirmed it. Trying to reassure him, I cradled Edward's face in my hands and kissed him. Here goes nothing. "I know this might sound a bit presumptuous on my part, but I want to say this before I lose my nerve. I love you completely, Edward. You are everything that is good and true in my life. You are my anchor. You make me better. You make me want to be better." His expression softened and his lips found mine before I continued.
"I wouldn't be where I am without you, and I need you to know how much that means to me," I said, searching his eyes for the love I always found there. "And I want to be with you for the rest of my life." Say something. Please, Edward. So many emotions swept across Edward's face as he processed all that I'd said in the span of only a few minutes. His gaze never wavered from mine.
"Bella, I've known since we met that I'd marry you someday. You are my heart's true home."
For probably only the second time in my life, I was rendered speechless at Edward's declaration. And at the risk of ruining the perfect beauty of our words, I kissed Edward with all that I had, knocking him backwards and into the grass in the process. He rolled us over so I was under him, never breaking contact, and I wrapped my arms and legs around him, desperate to get closer. It was never close enough.
"Bella, will you let me do the proposing, though?" Edward asked jokingly as he pulled back slightly. "Not that I don't appreciate your taking the bull by the horns, so to speak…" I pushed him playfully back into the grass and kissed him with reckless abandon.
"Maybe," I teased. "Only if you surprise me."
"Oh, don't worry, love," he said slyly. "I will. I promise."
A/N: So, I hope that you enjoyed the final chapter, and that you've come to love this version of Edward and Bella as much as I have enjoyed writing them. The two passages that E and B quoted were, of course, from Pride and Prejudice. No copyright infringement intended.
For those of you wondering, yes, there will be an epilogue to this story. For fear of losing my fingers – which I must keep in order to continue writing – I have acquiesced to my friends on that one. Please let me know what you thought of this. I love reviews as much as I love happy endings!