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Bella was pacing the front lawn, moving so quickly that it was hard to keep up. We were all waiting with her-according to Alice Edward would be here any time. Suddenly she came to an abrupt halt. She turned towards the nearest tree, pulled her fist back, and hit it. The put a hole the size of a baseball and 6 inches deep in the base. Then she growled.

"I think that was uncalled for, Bella. After all, what did that tree ever do to you?" Emmett said mockingly, visibly enjoying his sister's distress. You didn't need to be an empath to notice that this stress wasn't the same kind of stress that she experienced last time she was face to face with Edward. She was more afraid of how he was going to take it than to how she was going to feel. She no longer loved Edward-at least not like she used to. She wanted him to be a part of the family. She was afraid that he would leave again because of her. She didn't want to tear the family apart anymore than she already had-in her opinion. Bella rounded on her brother and let a warning growl slip through her lips. Emmett rolled his eyes.

"First, Emmett, didn't you learn your lesson last time you antagonized her?" Alice piped up, standing and walking towards Bella. "And secondly, Bella, stop hitting things. It's unladylike." Bella hissed. Alice pointed towards the woods. "We've got company." And Bella, still getting used to her new speed, walked towards me and away from me three times before Alice grabbed her by the waist. "Stay here. He's got to see you like you are." Edward emerged from the trees. I didn't know what to expect. His eyes immediately sought Bella, and when he saw her…he was so many things. Sad, ashamed, miserable, joyous, in love…and then he fell to his knees.

"You are…perfect. Bella, believe me when I say that I only wanted to keep you human so you would have a normal life. My greatest desire was to have you mine, forever, just like me. And now…now you're his. I look at you, and I see everything I ever wanted, and I know that I will never want anyone else as long as I live. I'm only going to ask you one more time. Please?" And he was asking for a lot of things. He wanted forgiveness. He wanted her love. He wanted her to leave me for him. I stood by. I let him beg. It wouldn't be fair to me otherwise, because I would want the same chance. I would hold out onto that hope that maybe, just maybe she'd change her mind and come running back to me. But I never doubted Bella, like he had. I knew she was mine. And there wasn't anyone else here right now except those two as Bella fell to her knees in front of Edward.

She pulled him to her, and I knew she was feeling his emotions. She needed to. Her hands were on his face while she sobbed tearlessly, because for once she knew exactly how he felt. She was looking at him straight in the eye when she shook her head no.

"No, Edward. No. He is my everything. But I do care about you, as does the rest of this family. And I want you to stay with us, because it hurts them when you're gone. I want us to be a family, but I understand if you can't stand to be around me. But you need to know that I want you here, in my life, even if it isn't how you originally planned." She hugged him, and then kissed his forehead. She stood up, bringing him to his feet as well. "Don't put me on a pedestal anymore. Don't kneel in front of me. I'm not something to be worshiped, something untouchable. I'm just like you."

I wanted to stand up and present her with the academy award for best speech ever, but that wouldn't be appropriate. I was giddy with relief, because this was the one thing hanging over our heads. She needed to get this out. Carlisle chose this moment to make himself known.

"Bella's absolutely right. We're so glad you came back, and we want you to stay. What to you say, son?" I could feel Edward's resignation as he looked around at the rest of the family. His eyes rested on Alice a moment longer than everyone else. I saw him nod.

"I miss my family. I want to stay." Was all he said. Carlisle embraced him as Esme ran to join them, everyone simultaneously moving towards the house. Everyone except me. Bella turned towards me, expectantly, but I motioned for her to follow me. I lead her away from the house, out of hearing distance.

"Bella, I love you," I said, pulling her towards me. She laughed.

"I know. I love you too. What's all this about?" she asked. She didn't miss anything, that one.

"I want to ask you something. I don't want to make a big deal out of it, since that's not your thing, but I wanted to do it privately, for obvious reasons." Stop babbling, Jasper!

"Spit it out, cowboy." She said, reaching out to touch me. I saw curiosity cross her face as she felt my anxiety. And then I couldn't decide how to ask. I hadn't thought that far ahead. And now I was panicking. Fantastic. What do I do? I felt my phone vibrate, glad for the distraction. It was a text message. Get down on one knee. – A And I did.

"I know that I already have you for forever. I have no doubt in my mind that we are going to spend every day of eternity in love. I want you to marry me, Bella, so that we're tied together in every sense of the word. I love you, and I want you to marry me." She stood there for a moment, staring into my eyes.

"Yes." She didn't say anything else as she watched dawn break over my face. I got up, swung her in my arms and kissed her with more passion that I had felt in a long time.

"I have an engagement ring, if you want it." I knew Bella didn't care for Jewelry, and this was more symbolic than anything.

"I only want your name." was how she replied. I kissed her again as we started the walk back to the house. Of course Alice was on the porch.

"I'm willing to let the engagement ring slide, but if I have to force a wedding band on your hand, by God I will." She was comically fuming. Bella smiled.

"I don't want a big wedding, Alice. In fact, I'd be happy if we just went down to the courthouse…" Alice's glare silenced that train of thought. "How about just family? I'll wear a dress, but that's as far as it goes. We can do it in the front yard, and Emmett could officiate." She grinned at the ludicrous idea, but Emmett must have heard.

"I'm gonna do what?" he asked, looking between the three of us. I saw Bella grin wickedly at Alice.

"Jasper and I are going to get married. I only want family, and I want to do it here in the yard. I told Alice I'd wear a dress, but that's all. And I said you could officiate." It took him all of a half of a second to answer.

"Sweet. I can get that certificate online, right? Because I totally will. Can I write your vows, too?" Bella was laughing, and I had to join in.

"No, I think that Bella and I should write our own vows. But if you're serious about getting certified, I'd love to have you at the head of the aisle." I could tell this wasn't how Alice had envisioned it, but it would be the perfect wedding for Bella. Fun and laughter instead of tears and seriousness. I hadn't noticed the rest of the family join us on the porch until just now, curious about the laughter.

"What's so funny?" Rosalie asked, and surprisingly she turned to Bella.

"Jasper and I are getting married, and Emmett is going to officiate." She gave them the short version. There was a pause, and the strain was palpable. How would Edward react?

"It's just like you, Emmett," Edward said, and a weak smile played on his lips. It didn't touch his eyes, but it was accepting. And all the walls were down as we laughed together, visions of Emmett wearing holy robes dancing in our heads.

"I'm serious, though," Bella started, "I want you to do it. And just the family. Nothing big." Everyone nodded in agreement, and then laughed again as Emmett headed inside to 'make it official.' There was just one more thing…Edward, let's take a walk. I thought, and he nodded. He and Bella may be on the mend, so to speak, but we haven't talked since he found out. It seemed like taking walks in the woods was the center for my day. Edward let out a brief chuckle.

We stopped, and I turned to face him. "I'd say I'm sorry but I'm not." I sounded like a child.

"A little, yes. But I don't expect you to be sorry. There's a reason Alice made me wait to talk to you until now. It's because I wasn't ready. I was blaming you for everything, and blaming me for nothing. But she cleared it up for me. Everything I wouldn't give her, you would. I treated her like a child. A breakable, frail, child. And I spent more time protecting her than loving her, like you do." Wow.

"I swear it didn't happen on purpose. We were both broken up, and just needed…something. I turned out we needed each other. I love her." He was feeling grief, of course.

"I know. And she loves you. And believe me, I thought about fighting back. I thought about killing you-I'm sorry about that. I thought about killing myself. And then I thought about Bella. I didn't want to do anything to cause her any more pain. So I gave up."

"Gave up?"

"I know I can't win her back. I know she belongs to you. I just…let it happen. Because, more than anything, I want her to be happy. And if you make her happy, then so be it." Thanks. "I'm going to dry my hardest to make this work. Because she wants it, and because I honestly do miss my family. But don't expect me to go throwing rice at your wedding." I don't.

"The fact that you're letting this happen shows how much you've grown. I know you don't see it like that, but when you met Bella you were childish and selfish. And now you see the bigger picture. I'm glad to have you back." It was a truce, I think. I knew that Edward and I had a long way to being okay, but at least we were working on it.

"We'll be okay someday. Alice seems to think so, at least."

"Ahh, Alice." And we walked back towards the house in comfortable silence.

So there you have it! I'm thinking next chapter we'll have J/B's wedding, and then an epilogue. Don't be mad, you know it's time. :)