Chapter 1: The Announcement

IT WAS TIME. I HAD TO TELL CHARLIE NOW BEFORE I LOST THE COURAGE, AND I did owe him at least this. Edward must have known that I would have to tell Charlie fast why else would he carry the ring around with him.

I smiled up awkwardly at Edward trying to hide how truly terrified I was of what we were about to do. What would Charlie say? What would Charlie do? Yet even with the closeness of the time when I would have to tell Charlie it paled in comparison of how scared no terrified I was of telling Renee that I was about to get married. She told me not to even think about getting married until I was thirty. Here I was at eighteen and getting married.

Edward could see that my courage was starting to fail me and started to lead me out of the clearing towards the car. Then I remembered we didn't take the car which meant that we would be home a lot sooner than I had planned. He whisked me up into his arms and took off. I closed my eyes I still wasn't used to moving so fast without a metal frame around me and it scared me slightly. Next thing I knew he was setting me down in front of the house. The cruiser wasn't here. I wondered where Charlie was. Though was secretly glad he wasn't home.

It was Sunday though and Charlie hadn't gone anywhere since Harry died this spring. Well, that was true but for one exception. Friday he went out with Billy while all the wolves and Cullen's were fighting a horde of young vampires that were sent by Victoria to kill me. That was the fateful day that Jacob got hurt in a "motor cycle" accident and Carlise Cullen went to take care of him. Only I knew the truth about what really happened. We would leave Charlie in the dark it was the best way to protect him. I still felt guilty for him getting hurt. It was my fault any of them had to fight.

"Bella?" Edwards captivating velvet voice called me back to the real world. "Bella, what are you thinking about?"

"Nothing," I lied not wanting to have the 'it's not your fault' conversation with him yet again.

"Bella, please tell me what is on your mind," he begged and then turned the full power of his molten topaz eyes on me. That was so not fair, I can't withstand those eyes and he knew it.

Ok, I breathed deeply partial truth then, "I was just.."

At that moment Charlie came in, "Bella," he yelled. I couldn't speak.

"Bells are you home?"

"In the kitchen," I yelled as I frantically looked for something to make for dinner.

"Calm down," Edward swooned so quietly that I knew Charlie wouldn't hear.

At that moment I pulled my head out of the pantry and Charlie walked into the kitchen. I faced Charlie with a thing of pasta and a jar of spaghetti sauce. Charlie looked at my face and then the pasta and asked me if I was ok. I didn't get why he asked and he could tell.

So he explained, "You made that for dinner last night Bells. You have never made the same thing two nights in a row. Are you feeling ok? You look flushed; I'll just order a pizza."

"No, that's ok. I'll just figure out something else real quick," I replied a little too fast. He knew something was up now.

"Bells what are you putting off telling me?" Yep he knew something was up.

I looked at Edward unable to answer. It felt like my airway was closing up. That's when dad looked at Edward for the first time.

"Well?" He almost yelled.

There was a moment of silence that seemed to go on forever, though it could only have been a few seconds. I looked from Charlie to Edward and then back at Charlie. Finally Edward broke the silence.

"Why don't we all go out to dinner tonight" Edward suggested.

We both looked at Edward then with the same shocked look in our eyes.

"Sure," I said barely able to speak.

Charlie just looked at both of us, too stunned to reply. When he could answer he replied with the one question I didn't want him to ask.

"What's the occasion?"

Edward and I looked at each other for a second then at Charlie. Yet again Edward answered, because I was too stunned to do anything but sit there with my mouth hanging open.

"We have something to tell you but we want to take you to dinner first and tell you. Would you allow us to do this please?"

Charlie's reply was one word or at least I thought it would be. "Ok," he said and paused a moment. "This doesn't…"

"No more questions until after we eat," I finally was able to get something out.

Charlie sighed his agreement and turned to go get back into his cruiser. Edward and I followed him out the door. When Charlie was about to get in Edward stopped him.

"Chief Swan, sir, why don't we take my car," Edward suggested.

"Whatever you want it is your night," he huffed.

"No, it isn't my night. It is Bella's," he said smiling at me and then looking at Charlie.

I felt my face go red and knew that I was blushing redder than I ever had before. At that we all got into Edward's Volvo. Charlie sat in back so that Edward and I could sit together up front. This was unusual for Charlie. He hadn't been happy with Edward since he left this last fall. I hadn't been normal the whole time he was gone.

I gave Edward a look that said drive like me for once. He got what I was trying to say and drove slower than we do even when I drive my old truck. Even at the speed we were going it seemed like we got to the restaurant a lot faster than we should have. That seems to happen whenever I have an unpleasant task ahead of me.

Edward parked the car and we went in and sat down. I wondered how Edward was going to work this one. He doesn't have the same diet that Charlie and I have. Charlie was bound to notice if Edward didn't eat anything this time, being as it was Edward's idea to go out. I looked at Edward and he gave me a look of don't worry I can do this.

The waitress can to take our orders. Charlie got his usual steak, I got chicken and Edward ordered some kind of pasta. The waitress left and we sat in silence. It was a nice silence one that I wished could last through out dinner. But as usual my wishes don't come true. Charlie looked at Edward and I and asked what was going on. Of course he didn't know I was careful not to let him see my hand. I looked at Edward and he replied.

"We will tell you. We promise but let's eat first," Edward insisted.

Just then the waitress showed up with our meals. Charlie gave in and ate his steak in silence. He never took his eyes off of us though. A couple of times I thought he may have noticed the ring on my hand but he said nothing. When we were all done eating Edward had the waitress bring us some sparkling apple cider. Charlie realized this was big at that point. The terror started to streak across his eyes. He was on edge now and wanted to know what was going on.

When the waitress got back Edward stood and said he had an announcement to make. I tried to pull him back down not wanting everyone in the restaurant to hear what we were about to tell Charlie. He continued like I didn't do anything.

"I want you all to be the first to know," he said like we were in a movie, a horror movie to me at this point, "I have asked Bella Swan to marry me and she has accepted."

I looked up at my dad then and the look on his face was not the one I expected. He seemed happy. I wondered if it was just a face because we were out in public and he didn't want to make a scene here. Then Edward sat down and whispered to me that Charlie really was happy for us and that it wasn't going to be near as bad as I had made it sound like it would be.

That's when Charlie started to do something I wasn't prepared for. He started to cry. I looked at him and felt a little guilty that I was getting married and leaving him now. I wanted to cry but then Charlie spoke.

"Bells, I am so happy for the both of you. I know that it must have been hard for you seeing as your mom and I never gave you a good example of what a marriage should be. Edward you must be one special young man."

I didn't know what to say. Charlie doesn't ever say things like that. I wondered if there was an alien sitting in front of me and not my dad. That's when I noticed who was there. I don't know how I didn't before. There were only three other couples in the room and then a group over in the corner. I looked around and noticed that it was all of the Cullen's, but at different tables and then I looked closer at the group. It couldn't be. There was Mike, Eric, Angela, Ben, Tyler,

Katie, Conner, Jessica and Lauren. I was happy to see everyone but Jessica and Lauren. Nothing I could do about it now though.

I felt a little guilty though. Not one of my friends from La Push was here. I guess I was going to have to go tell them by myself if I told them at all.

It was at that moment that I realized the reason Charlie was able to express his feelings was because Jasper was here. I was grateful then that he was here. I wanted to know what Charlie truly thought and never would have if he wasn't here.

I noticed then that Charlie was asking me something.

"What, sorry dad?" I said.

"Come one let your old man see the ring," he said again. There was the smile that I knew and that was the reason my mom had loved him. I showed him the ring. His jaw dropped. I didn't expect this.

Edward told Charlie it had been his mother's. He had wanted me to have a special ring that showed me how much he really loved me. This was the perfect ring.

The rest of the night was a blur. I was happy when we got in the car and went home. I needed to talk to Edward and spend some time with Charlie. There was still another person to tell though and I had forgotten till now. I felt a lump form in the pit of my stomach. There was no way Jasper could help with this one as much as I wish he could. I still had to tell Renee.

This one was harder because I couldn't see her when I told her. Of course she freaked out just like I thought she would. Her first words to me were: "I told you it was more serious than you wanted me to believe. Now look you are getting married. What happened to the wait till you are thirty plans? I liked those ones. You were going to go to college and get a degree before you got married. Now look you are going to go and waste it all on a boy. You got into Dartmouth honey. You don't want to let that go to waste. Go the college route if he loves you he will let you finish school first."

Edward looked at me and immediately felt sorry. I gave him a look like don't you even dare. My mother is just a little crazy. I knew I needed to answer, I had let her rant but now I needed to put an end to it because she was wrong about how it happened.

"Mom," I finally said, "listen please. Edward wanted to wait until I graduate from college. I pushed for this summer. Mom, I love him so much. I don't want to spend another year of my life not married to him. He is the one I chose. I chose the day I chose everything. If you need to warn anyone wouldn't it be him. I am dad in this relationship." Ok that may be a little much but it shut her up, for a minute at least.

"Ok, let me talk to Edward then."

Reluctantly I gave him the phone. Oh how I wish I could have heard what she was saying to him. He just smiled and said yes or no when she gave him a chance. Then it was Edward lecturing my mother.

"Yes, I know you had plans for your daughter. I did too. Trust me they were more like yours than you think. I wanted her to go to college and to finish before even thinking about marrying me. She would have none of it. She told me it had to be this summer because she was scared of me leaving again. She thinks being apart for any extended period would kill her next time. How am I going to argue her on that? I think she knows herself better than any of us do. I don't know about you but I am willing to do whatever it takes to keep your daughter safe and alive."

At that he handed me the phone again. I took it and there was no noise so I said hello. My mom was quiet on the other end. When she did speak it was a total change from before.

"Bella, you know what's right for you. I just want you to be happy. Edward is a wonderful young man. If he is what you need then you marry him. I will just have to learn to live with you being married. Just don't go and have a baby right away. Get school done first. I just want you to have the best in your life."

"I will mom. Don't worry. Edward won't let me not go to school." I smiled at Edward. I told my mom I loved her and I hung up the phone.

I turned to Edward and gave him a huge hug. He turned my mom. She was not going to fight my getting married anymore. I had that promise from her. In return though, I had to promise to wait on children. I could do that. Edward couldn't have kids anyways. At least I don't think he can. Our relationship was a new one for them. Never before had a mortal fallen in love with a vampire and willingly given herself to him. I was an oddity not just to my world but to his to. Aro said so himself earlier this year. I didn't care anymore that I was odd. I had the one person I never wanted to leave. I had Edward. It was at that moment that Edward said he needed to leave because it was getting late. I quietly asked if he was going to be back later. He promised he would. He left then and I was alone with Charlie for the first time since he found out.