Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Stephenie Meyer created it all.

Chapter 15: Bella- Kiss

So there we stood with every inch of our bodies touching. For hours, there was no movement and no words were spoken. Night fell around us but they only that happened between us was our breathing. I counted his breaths and I would continue to count them until words came to one of us.

...Four thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine.

...Five thousand three hundred and forty-four.

...Six thousand five hundred and twenty.

I knew what I wanted to say, but I was at a point that I refused to beg. I would let him find his words first. The longer we stood, the more I became afraid that words he had were not the ones I would want to hear. I held my breath.

Finally he spoke, "I missed you." Every striation of color in his iris's bored into mine. Our impasse was broken. He was waiting for an answer.

Suddenly, every double molecule of oxygen that I breathed in incensed me, all I could remember was that I was angry with him.

"How dare you have the nerve to miss me when you were the one that left!" I screamed. My words were like a slap in the face, he looked abashed. I couldn't yet feel bad for him.

"And how dare you strip me of any choice! Didn't you care about what leaving would do to me?" I had never yelled at him when I was a human, wouldn't it be a comedic twist of fate that our first fight was while we made up?

"I just wanted what was best for you! I didn't want this for you!" He put his hand over my silent heart and pinched the bridge of his nose with the other hand. Suddenly, he couldn't meet my eyes.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell. I just knew that if I wasn't in your life that this wouldn't happen and I was wrong."

"But it's not for you to decide who is or isn't in my life. And it's not for you to decide for me to a vampire, which, by the way is irreversible and the decision was inevitable. I know that you want to think that I made this decision to be with you, but it wasn't like that," and then I added sternly, "and it is NOT about immortality!"

"I know that, and I'm sorry that I ever thought that. I was grieving." I stared at him incredulously.

"HA!" I spat, "You were grieving! You knew where to find me! You could have just come back anytime you wished, unlike me, I had no idea where you-"

He cut me off with his lips. They moved against mine fiercely. They moved more fiercely than he ever dared to before. It was deep and passionate and fueled by my anger and his tortured sorrow. I tried to break free for just a second.

"I'm trying to-" But he wouldn't let me. His tongue took the opportunity and entered my mouth, further deepening the kiss. I shoved at his chest.

"-yell at you!" He was back again and I didn't fight his as hard this time. I weaved my fingers into his hair and pulled him closer. He had one hand on the small of my back holding me tight to him and the other tangled in my hair. I couldn't help but moan into his mouth.

Tongues fought for dominance, hands searched endlessly and time stood still.

"Mine," he said after a few breathless pants. I could only nod in agreement.

Finally, the kisses slowed to a more loving and soul-stirring connection. We stood there, were we had stood all night, and just gazed into one another's eyes. Little kisses resumed but we never broke eye contact. Steadily the slower kissed deepened again. He lifted me and laid us both on the ground without breaking the kiss.

"I need you," he said and then paused as the sun was rose. "I need to be with you."

"If you want me, then you can't leave me again. I will always love you with all of my heart, but I can't be yanked around. I need you, too, I need you to stay."

"I promise that I'll stay as long as you want me to."

We laid out in our meadow as the sun climbed in the sky. We fell into easy banter and conversation. After a while he propped himself up on his elbow and leaned over me and gently kissed me.

"So, this thing with Laurent... " I didn't know what to say, I was here, wasn't I? How could he doubt... I thought he said...?

"I... I... he just showed up one and day we've been inseparable ever since... I mean, do you ever just feel like, like you're on the same page with someone? I swear, there's nothing more than that." He surprised me when he started laughing. "Ugh! Why are you laughing!"

"So when you guys were making out in my driveway, you didn't want to jump him right then?" I smacked his arms when I realized that he was kidding.

"You're the only person that I want to 'jump'." To prove my point I climbed on top of him so that I straddled him. He let out an uncomfortable chuckle like he was remembering something. I leaned forward to kiss him but he rolled us over. He laid somewhat on top of me and stroked my hair. I could tell that he wanted to say something, so I waited.

I reached up and traced his face, I memorized the exact curve of his eyebrows, the exact angle of his cheekbones and jaw. I took in the precise color of his lips and the many different flecks of color were in his eyes. He looked like he was doing the same thing to me.

"What's on your mind?" I finally asked.

"I want you." He said it like it was something that he couldn't have.

"Have me." I scooted closer to him and kissed him.

"I want you but I want to marry you first. Will you marry me?"

If I were human, I would tell him 'no'. If I weren't immortal, I would tell him 'not now'. But this moment in time was no different, now, than any other. As I watched eternity stretch out in front of me I realized that there was no other moment like this, yet time would always be the same. The answer was obvious.

"Yes."

He rolled on top of me and kissed me and while the kisses were less guarded than when I was human, he still held back to be congruent with wanting to wait until after we married. I vowed to work on him between now and then.

He pulled and said, "I miss your blush, you're even harder to read now... Come on, I have something for you," he got up and pulled me to my feet. "It's at the house."

"Good, we can check on Laurent." Why did he get that goofy grin on his face when Laurent was mentioned? "You do realize that he's going to kick your ass... and I'm going to let him."

"If you let him, I wont give you your gift," he teased.

"You know how I feel about gifts, right? Besides, if I said please, you'd give it to me."

He huffed, "Yeah, I probably would."

"Hey, go easy on him? He's not exactly... well, he doesn't enjoy fighting."

The run to the house was short and after we crossed the river we slowed to a walk and held hands as we approached the house. Laurent was sitting on the front steps. When he saw took in the sight of us walking hand in hand, a sad smile overtook his features.

Edward squeezed my hand and told me to go to him. Edward told me he'd be upstairs and I gave him a quick kiss before joining Laurent on the steps.

I sat down and leaned my head against his shoulder. He didn't say anything for the longest time, so I linked my arm with his.

"Tell me," I said softly.

He pursed his lips, "Irina came by yesterday after you left with Edward. We talked things over," he let out a short humorless laugh, "and she kissed me and there was nothing. I thought that maybe I loved her before and there was just... nothing. It completely put everything in perspective for me. Everything's making more sense to me now."

I wasn't quite sure what that meant, I figured he'd tell me in due time. For once the option of him leaving didn't worry me, I knew he wouldn't. Something held him here and for some strange reason, I didn't think it was me.

"Suddenly, I get this feeling... like I'm waiting for something but I can't quite figure out what it is. I can feel it coming, I can just feel it."

Hmmm... things are suddenly making sense but he can't figure it out. He sounded like such a guy, no wonder they're not known for expressing their emotions.

"Hey," I nudged his shoulder with mine, "would it make you feel better to kick Edward's ass now?"

"It would definitely help to get my mind off of things." I left to go find Edward with a promise to return.

As I walked up the stairs I trailed my hands along the banister and thought about how I'd never have to suffer getting a splinter again, it was a silly thought, but it made me smile.

"Edward?"

"Up here, love." I followed the sound of his voice and crossed into his room to find him kneeling on one knee holding out a ring box.

"It's my gift for you and nothing would please me more than if you would wear it."

I really should have expected it, but it still surprised me. I walked over to him and he took my left hand in his and repeated his earlier question, "Will you marry me?"

"Yes," I told him again, and he slipped the ring on my finger and it immediately started to cool to my body temperature. It would be mine forever and so would Edward. I was overcome with emotion and Edward stood and took me in his arms and he promised me forever over and over.

"I actually came up here to summon you to get you ass kicked."

"Huh, well that's romantic."

We both laughed together and went downstairs where Laurent waited for us.

~o~x~o~x~o~

"Alright, old man, are you ready?" Edward asks. I smiled at how Edward acknowledge his age. I know it was a pet peeve of his to be spoken to as if he were younger than he is. God help anyone that would call him 'son'. I laughed a dim memory of him growling at an older maid that once cleaned our hotel room; she called him 'son', but not twice.

Laurent charged at Edward when he was distracted by my laughter. The boys scrambled on their feet until they wrestled their way to the ground. Eventually, Edward got the upper hand in their brawl. Well, it wasn't as much of a brawl as it was the first of many fighting lessons.

I cleared my throat to make Edward let up. He maneuver in such a way that Laurent could come around and pin him and just as he was about to do it, Laurent looked at me suspiciously.

He narrowed his eyes and said, "You! You did that!"

Edward stifled a amused smile as Laurent dove for me and easily tackled me to the ground.

"I can't believe you!" He shouted and then he began tickling me relentlessly.

Edward couldn't hold in his amusement any longer and was doubled over in laughter as Laurent continued to torture me.

ooooo

A/N: Although this is probably the chapter you have all been waiting for, this is not the end of the story. Please stay with me as Laurent sorts out his love life, too. I don't know about you, but Laurent is really growing on me.

Thanks for reading my story! Feel free to comment or PM.