End of Chapter 33

"Edward," she breathed heavily looking up at me, her desire burning bright.

"I know, baby," I said tracing her cheek and lips with my thumb. "We'll find our moment when it is right, and it will be right for us, Bella. I love you so much."

"I love you, too," she said, and I felt every ounce of it, as I placed one final kiss on her lips before sending her back inside.

Chapter 34: I Could Have Danced All Night

BPOV

I stood in front of the large floor length mirror in Alice's room, once again smoothing down the front of my floor length white dress.I stared back at the girl in the mirror almost not recognizing her. Alice and Rosalie had spent the morning carefully ironing straight my wavy hair. It felt strange to feel the tips of it brushing against my bare skin below my bra strap, hanging just that much had swept it into a side part, and pulled the sides and bangs back pinning it with a beautiful jeweled clip in the back of my head. I wore my Christmas gift from Charlie around my neck. The girl staring back at me looked refined. She looked beautiful. Most of all, she looked happy.

It was then that I heard it. The sound of the piano floating up through the house from downstairs. Edward. I slipped my feet into the white flats that would be hidden by my gown, and grabbed the black jeweled purse from the bed. Alice peeked out of her bathroom door then and smiled at me.

"Go to him," she shooed.

I walked carefully down the stairs letting the sound of the melody carry me. Esme stifled a little gasp as she saw me, and quickly covered it before holding her finger to her lips in silence, and pointing me down the hallway to where I knew Edward was waiting for me. I walked quietly to the open French door, and froze. There sitting in a black tuxedo, with the jacket unbuttoned, eyes closed and relaxed as fingers flew over the keys was Edward. He had gotten a haircut yesterday, so his hair was a bit more controlled than usual. The sun was just starting to set, and the golden light poured in through the windows casting amber tones over his ivory skin. He was magnificent. He was mine.

The click of a camera behind me alerted both myself and Edward that neither of us were alone. I turned to see Esme grinning down at the screen, before turning to walk back to the living room. I turned back around to see Edward sitting on the bench, mouth agape. I looked down at myself, nervously smoothing my dress once again, and straightening the black bow at my waist. Edward stood slowly and walked towards me, pausing when he was right before me.

"Bella, you…," he started, but choked on the words. He swallowed hard while looking down, before meeting my expectant eyes once again. "There are no words to describe how beautiful you look."

I looked down blushing, until I felt his long fingers slide against the side of my neck. I looked up at him, and a wide smile spread across my face to match his. He bent down and pressed his soft lips gently to mine, and simply held them there for a moment. I closed my eyes memorizing his feel. His smell. The warmth of the sun on the arm that was facing the window. He tightened his lips around my upper lip before placing a few small pecks on my lips and straightening back up.

"Picture time!" Esme called from the living room.

Edward held out his elbow to me, and I laced my hand through it before smiling at him and heading down the hallway. As we walked down the hallway, I saw that Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper, and Alice were already gathered there. The theme for the prom this year was a black & white ball Rosalie's dress was black halter dress. The top was form fitting and sequined. Once it hit her waist, it flared out in a loose, silky material that ended at her knee. Her black heels made her almost as tall as Emmett. Alice had on a black and white floral dress that only Alice could get away with. It hugged her little frame, and ended in a more flowy skirt that ended at her knee. In her heels, she made it to Jasper's shoulder.

It was then that I realized that Esme and Carlisle were not the only parents here. Mr. & stood next to them, along with Charlie and Sue. I released Edward's elbow, and walked over to where Sue and Charlie were standing. Charlie pulled me into a gentle hug, before stepping back, eyes full of emotion.

"You look beautiful, Bells," he said coughing slightly getting a check on his emotions. Sue patted his arm in support.

"Thanks, dad," I said smiling at him. "It's Alice and Rose's doing."

"No, baby girl," he said cupping my face, "it's you."

I looked up at him with watery eyes, and he bent down and kissed my cheek. I noted the odd feeling of his smooth face against my cheek, missing the scratch of his mustache. Sue reached out and dabbed my eyes with a tissue. I smiled thankfully at her, before receiving a kiss on the cheek from her as well.

Esme started with pictures of the three boys looking very handsome in their tuxes. Then one of just the girls. Followed by the group, and then each couple individually, and also with our parents. Soon, we were out the door, and waving good-bye as everyone climbed into their individual cars, since we wouldn't all fit in one.

The dance, itself, was a mixture of dancing and laughing, and generally enjoying ourselves. Alice and the prom committee had done a beautiful job decorating, and you almost forgot you were in the Forks High cafeteria. The DJ played a great mix of up tempo songs and slow dances that allowed us all to take a break or simply slow it down. As the night came to a close, Edward led me to the dance floor as the sounds of Katie Melua's remake of "Just Like Heaven" flowed into the room.

EPOV

"Thank-you for tonight, Edward," Bella whispered laying her head against my shoulder and pulling me close.

"Thank-you for loving me, Bella," I whispered into her hair holding her beautiful figure to me.

"I do love you, Edward," Bella said leaning away from me to look me in the eye as she said the words.

"I love you so much, Bella," I said, and then whispered almost to myself, "Always."

I leaned forward and placed a slow, lingering kiss on her lips. We remained connected as we swayed and flowed with the music on the dance floor. As the song came to an end, Bella turned and looked deeply into my eyes.

"Take me home," she said softly against my lips. When she uttered that, I knew she meant my home.

We all had plans to go back to my house to change into more comfortable clothes, and sit around watching movies, before crashing for the night. Alice had to stay until after the dance to help clean up. Rosalie and Emmett were named Prom King and Queen, so felt obligated to stay as well. So we told everyone we would see them later, and headed out.

When we got back, the house was dark. Edward walked into the kitchen tossing his keys in the basket on the island, and reaching down for a note that sat there.

"Mom and dad are at the Hale's playing cards. Your dad and Sue are there, too," I told her setting the note back down as I felt her small hands reach around me and glide up my chest.

"So we are alone?" Bella asked rhetorically, and I swallowed hard.

"Yes," I barely managed to say as I turned around.

"Edward," Bella said softly as I bent down and captured her mouth with mine cutting off the rest of what I was sure she was going to say. Softly, she broke my kiss, and took my hand in hers, as she started pulling me towards the stairs. I stared transfixed as my vision in white led me up the stairs occasionally glancing back at me smiling a contented smile at me, until we reached my room.

I walked in behind her, and let go of her hand to slowly push my door shut and clicking the lock. I turned then to see my beautiful girl standing in the middle of my room awash in the moonlight looking like some mystical answer to a prayer I didn't realize I made. I stepped towards her, running my hands up her bare arms, ghosting across her bare shoulders, before diverting, one going into her hair, and the other finding rest on the small of her back.

"Bella, are you sure?" I asked my lips tingling with the barely there touch of our kiss.

"Edward, I want this. I want you," she said before kissing me fully.

We stood there kissing and caressing each other before I felt my jacket being pushed from my shoulders. We continued to kiss and smile and whisper words of love as buttons and zippers lost their purchase, until I was standing in the center of my room holding the bare form of the girl that I couldn't imagine my life ever being without. I slid my hands down to her thighs, lifting her into my arms, and carried her to my bed where I would give that last bit of myself to her, and she to me.

An hour later, we were showered and changed into our pajamas when Carlisle and Esme returned home, shortly followed by the rest of our friends and family. Bella and I were curled up on one of the couches in the theatre room watching Pride & Prejudice upon Bella's request, a bowl of popcorn nestled between us. We answered my parent's questions about how the dance was as the rest of them changed. They said their good-nights to us, and left us alone. Softly, we kissed and touched waiting for the rest of them to join us.

As they all made their way into the room, they all shot us furtive looks and knowing smiles. We settled on watching Star Trek, and everyone had light conversations about the night while we were waiting for Emmett to load the movie. Admittedly, though, I was distracted by the girl in my arms. I thought of what it was like to be with her. She had consumed me. I belonged to her now, completely.

I leaned back on the arm of the sofa as the movie started, and she crawled between my legs, resting her head on my chest. Reaching out, I drew slow, lazy patterns on her back with my fingers.

"Are you okay?" I asked quietly as the opening sequence blasted into the room.

"A little sore, but so happy, Edward," she said resting her chin on the back of her hand and looking up at me. I arched forward to place a slow kiss on her forehead, before resting back on the pillow behind my head. She laid her head down on my chest, and I pulled down the throw that was resting behind us on the couch to cover us up. Soon, I could feel that her breathing had evened out, and my own eyes drifted close as I pulled her close to me. The thoughts of her happiness, that I had made her happy, lulled me to sleep.

In the weeks that followed, ending the school year, Bella and I were busy with our various activities. She continued to take Charlie to his treatments, and I was busy with baseball. In between, we found time to curl up to reconnect. We would talk for hours, and if the opportunity presented itself, we would spend hours caressing and losing ourselves in each other. Every coupling with Bella just settled her deeper into my heart. I would be a lucky bastard if I had her always.

BPOV

We sat in relative silence as Charlie and I drove to his last chemo appointment. This year, this disease, had altered us both on so many levels. It brought us both pain, emotional and physical. It brought us friends that we didn't know could exist for us. It taught us to trust "outsiders". It brought us love. Most of all, it brought us together. I reached out and took Charlie's hand that wasn't on the wheel of my truck. He looked at me curiously, and I just smiled. Last fall, this would have been awkward and quickly shaken off. Now, Charlie just squeezed my hand back, not letting go.

Carlisle met us as we checked in, his smile a mile wide. We went back to his office with him to discuss follow-up appointments for Charlie, but mostly we just talked about the upcoming Fourth of July party we had planned. It was a celebration of Charlie being done with his cancer treatment and being cancer free. It was to be at the Cullen's and Renee and Phil were even going to make it. After the party, I was going to go back to visit with Renee for most of the rest of the summer.

Edward was very upset when I had initially told him of my plans. Not angry, but sad that we were going to have to spend most of the summer apart. We promised to write and call, and he had even bought me a web cam so I could see him from time to time. Since school got out, we had been sneaking away together as much as possible gorging ourselves on the wonderful physical relationship we had discovered until we were forced to do without.

The day of the party, we were all busy at the Cullen house, cooking and decorating. Renee and Phil were staying there in the guest room. The Hales were coming, as well as the Clearwaters. The women were all standing around the kitchen talking and giggling as we made the food and traded stories. The boys hung out in the back yard talking and waiting for their grill duties.

We all sat around eating the buffet of food that was before us, until Charlie stood before everyone and cleared his throat.

"I want to thank the Cullens for hosting this party today, and for everyone being here. This has been one heck of a year. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the support of everyone around this table. A special thanks to Carlisle. Thank-you for the good work you do, sir, but also, thank-you for making me see what an ass I was being." Carlisle waved him off. "Finally, to my baby Bells," he stopped and gave a little cough, and Sue reached out and grabbed his hand. "After being a mediocre dad to you your whole life, you willingly came and took on more than you ever should at your age. You are so giving, baby. You have let your old man lean on you, and stayed when others would have walked away. You taught me to trust, and how letting others in doesn't weaken me as a man, but makes me stronger. I love you, kid."

I stood up then, and ran into his arms. Both of us just holding each other close, me sobbing, and Charlie shedding silent tears. Vaguely I heard someone say 'To Charlie', followed by a chorus of other voices repeating. We leaned back and smiled at each other, wiping each other's tears. He then motioned his eyes behind him, and I smiled and nodded slightly, a huge smile spreading across my face.

"If I can have your attention for one more thing," Charlie started and everyone went quiet again. "Opening my mind and heart has lead me to this fine lady sitting next to me. Sue, thank-you for all your care and help this past year. You have become so important to Bella and I. You have become my best friend, and now, I was hoping you might become my wife."

Charlie got down on his knee holding out the ring box to her. Sue's eyes went wide, and then began overflowing with tears before she launched herself into my dad's arms.

"Yes, yes, yes," she said hugging him tight and kissing him everywhere she could reach. Everyone cheered, and congratulations were soon spread around.

"You knew about this," Edward's voice whispered into my ear.

"I did," I admitted.

"You didn't tell me," he said with a pout.

"Your face is an open book. You would have totally blown the surprise," I said in mock seriousness, until he reached down tickling my sides, sending me squeeling.

The party went on into the night, and we all started to find our places on blankets in the Cullen's backyard. We could see the Forks fireworks display clearly over their trees. I looked around as my parents laughed and conversed together, along with their new loves. I watched my friends playing cards and laughing together. This was my life now. Happiness. Then, as I felt familiar hands snake around my waist from behind me, and a chin come to rest on my shoulder, I knew my future would also be full of love.


A/N: Just the epilogue left. Thank-you so much to everyone who has made me and this story a favorite! It has been bittersweet writing these final words. I have known the epilogue since I started this tale, so it will not be long until you receive it. I set out to test myself. To see if I could write a T fic, and also wanted to write about a subject matter that touches so many of our lives. I can't thank you all enough for sharing your stories with me along the way.

Speaking of cancer and kicking it's ass…I was very happy to be put to work as a moderator for the Fandom Gives Back auctions to support Alex's Lemonade Stand. We HOPED to get $10K. As of today, we are up over $87K! There are no words, fandom. Your generosity knows no bounds.