I woke in New York, which was convenient since we had to change planes anyway. I have to admit, that although I hate when the Cullen's spend money on me, I do like riding in first class. I can't even imagine Edward's long legs trying to fit into a coach seat. He managed to get me a fresh meal and also talked me into eating it. He did have an argument on his behalf that I could debate.

"I would gladly join you in mealtimes, but airports never cater to my diet; much less in to-go containers." I actually snorted soda out of my nose, and it stung. Edward cleaned up my tray and I focused on my face. We had just finished when his ears picked up a noise and he smirked.

"What is it?"

"Someone is being initiated." My eyes widened.

"Really?"

"Yep. I think it's pretty funny because one of the participants is germophobic. She's battling between pleasure and fear." I laughed quietly. It wasn't truly funny, but it was better than the initial reaction I fought against; wanting me and Edward in there. I lost the battle because I watched him face me and take a deep breath.

"Sorry." I mumbled.

"I'm flattered and I do feel the same, but…"

"Yeah, I know." I dropped my face. His hand reached out to make me face him.

"I also wouldn't want our first time to be on a plane surrounded by fifty strangers." I smiled and leaned forward. He met my lips with his own. The seats and limited seating of first class provided enough privacy for me to be ok with kissing my boyfriend. He broke the kiss with a sigh.

"What is it?" he leaned closer to whisper in my ear.

"The flight attendant is jealous. She's trying to figure out a way to slip me her phone number." I smiled evilly.

"Let her. Order a drink with me." He matched my smile and I knew he figured out my plan. Edward pressed the call button; we both noticed how the flight attendant practically ran over to us.

"Yes?"

"Could you bring us two sodas please?"

"I'll be right back, sir." We waited and watched her return. She set mine in front of me, but Edward's she poured for him. We both saw her phone number written on the napkin when she set it down in front of him. I saw him smile at her and briefly took pity on the poor girl; I knew what it was like to be dazzled by Edward. We both were polite and thanked her as we watched her walk away. Edward handed me his drink. I sipped it gratefully. I needed the caffeine boost because I didn't want to fall asleep again until we were in Forks. Edward and I spent the rest of the flight cuddling and reading from my book.

When we landed, I was starting to feel very tired. I forced myself to stay awake and walk to the car knowing that I could stretch out in the backseat until we got home. I suffered from a nightmare; one where I was in Italy, but I didn't make it in time and Edward was taken away. I jolted myself awake and met the worried eyes of Edward. He climbed over the seat to get to me and pulled me in his arms.

"You were screaming my name; what happened?"

"I dreamt that I didn't get to you in time and you were taken away." I fought the tears because I didn't want to cry in front of Alice.

"You did get to me in time. I'm so sorry that I put you through all of this pain." I nodded against his chest. I felt the car slow down and noticed that we were in front of the Cullen mansion.

"Oh, I forgot to call my dad."

"I called him. He will be here in fifteen more minutes."

"Thank you, Alice." Alice led the three of us inside. I was immediately snatched up in the comforting embrace that was Emmet. I had missed him almost as much as Alice. Rosalie softly smiled at me from across the room, but made no other attempt to greet me. I didn't care; at least she didn't sneer at me. Carlisle and Esme both hugged me as soon as Emmet released me, both of them telling me how much they missed me. Jasper walked up to me slowly, as if re-acclimating to my scent again.

"Hello Bella. It's nice to see you again."

"Hi Jasper."

"May I talk to you in private?" He asked me and I felt Edward tense up behind me. I saw Jasper look at Edward and engage in silent communication. Edward glanced at Alice, who in turn nodded that all would be fine. He looked at me and nodded, giving me permission to decide, but letting me know it was safe f I chose to go.

"Sure." Jasper motioned back to the door we had just come through and followed me. I knew he would keep us in sight of Edward, and hopefully the rest of them would respect the privacy. We walked to the trees that lined the property, and stopped when the house would no longer be in view.

"Bella, I wanted to apologize…"

"Jasper, stop. It's not your fault and I don't blame you. I know that my blood tempts all of you and I can't help that I am clumsy. It should be me who is apologizing."

"Bella, this could go on for a while." I smiled and so did he.

"I think we should just agree to disagree, but I thank you for not blaming me."

"I thank you too." I knew that any kind of touch wouldn't bode well for either of us, so we didn't even try. He's been away from the scent of my blood for too long.

"We should be heading back because Edward is just about at the end of his control." I chuckled and started walking back toward the house. He led me to the dining room where everyone was waiting. Edward stood for me and held my chair, truly making me feel like I was part of the family. He took his seat again, grabbed my hand and held it on his thigh. I smiled at him and turned my attention to Carlisle.

"Bella, I want to thank you on behalf of the entire family for going to Italy and saving Edward. That was extremely brave of you." I blushed, hating when attention was focused me.

"You're welcome; he's worth it." I squeezed his hand under the table.

"Yes, well now, we have a few more matters to discuss. I understand that your dad now knows about us?" I nodded slowly and kept my eyes lowered to my lap.

"I know that there has to be a good reason for him to know; can you tell us of how he came to be in the know?" I once again launched into my explanation of how Charlie came to know the truth about the Cullens.

"He's taken it all really well and seems to have accepted that I am Edward's mate. He knew what the possible outcomes would be when Alice and I left for Italy. I'm actually glad he knows because either way it went, he would have been able to get some closure and also help my mom to grieve. We agreed that she never find out; she'd never be able to handle the truth or she'd end up telling someone." Carlisle, Esme, Jasper and Emmet seemed to accept my story at face value. Rosalie looked pissed. Charlie rang the doorbell and Esme went to greet him.

"So, now another human knows about us and once again we are in danger because of her." She glared at me and I flinched. I heard Edwards growl in warning to Rosalie. He was defending his mate from an attack. I know that my dad had heard the last part. He stood there awkwardly while Esme went to get him another chair. It didn't stop Rosalie from continuing her attack on me.

"Bella, I'm glad that you risked your life to go and save Edward, but I am angry that you have put all of us in danger again and I don't like that. I don't hate you, I hate the choices you are making."

"Well, then forgive me for being human and not being able to handle the pain of all of you leaving me. I know that the love I have for all of you is tremendous, but it pales in comparison to what I feel for Edward. I would do anything for him, and I think that I have just proven that. So back off."

"She's right, Rosalie. She already feels the mating bond. If you think it would be bad for you to feel the loss of Emmet as a vampire, imagine how it must have affected her as a human. You saw how Edward was when we left; I'm surprised that she even had the strength to get up in the morning and go to school." Jasper defended me and I was thankful because he really was the only one that could have explained it. My dad sat silently, taking it all in. I felt a little bad for him that while he was being included in the discussion, he wasn't really being treated as a family member. I had a seat at the table reserved for me, but we all had to move our chairs to make room for him.

"Bella, I know some of it, but what happened in Italy?" Thank you dad for keeping the discussion moving. I could still feel the glares coming from Rosalie; I knew she was pissed that I finally stood up for myself. I looked to Alice to start the discussion with the vision she'd had about me. The only one who didn't gasp was my dad. Even Edward did, and he already was privy to that little tidbit of information. They were concerned when they heard about Jake and his dad's arrival preventing her from seeing the outcome. Edward jumped in at this point and relayed the phone conversation he'd had with Rosalie. He said that that was ultimately what led him to go seek out death and the decision making process with the Volturi. Now, it was my turn.

"I knew that when Alice told me what Edward was planning, that I had no choice in the matter. I also knew that my going there with the knowledge I had was my jumping into a shark tank. I knew with my decision to go, that my fate was sealed either by death or immortality. I did it anyway." I directed my last statement with a sly glance at Rosalie.

"Aro was pleased to see Bella alive so that they didn't have to kill me. They offered me a place on their guard. Aro knows that she is my singer and that I can't read her mind. He couldn't either." They all gasped and I took this to be something significant. Edward didn't pause.

"Jane had no effect on her either." Now, they were interested.

"Aro was going to kill her since he knew from my mind, that I didn't want her to be changed. I engaged in a losing battle with Felix; Bella once again saving me by putting herself on the platter instead. Alice is the one that saved us both. She shared a vision with Aro of Bella as one of us. Aro said she has to be one of us and Alice bargained to let her graduate high school first. Aro mandated that she be changed before her next birthday and that he would be coming up to verify it. He wants to be notified of when it will happen." Edward explained and I could have sworn that I saw Rosalie's face soften when she learned of my sacrifice. I didn't need to be Jasper when Edward spoke. I could practically feel the despair rolling off of him.

"Edward, I don't care how you feel. I want this. I want to be with you forever. If I don't change, then my trip to Italy to save you was all for nothing."

"What do you mean, 'all for nothing'?" My dad asked.

"Edward has always said that he wouldn't out live me for long. If I don't change and just simply spend the rest of my life as a human, I'd get sixty, maybe seventy more years with him before my human body wears out. If Edward had difficulty being separated from me after only knowing me for a year, what will it like for him with eighty years worth of memories to deal with? You really think that the Volturi will kill you ever? They want you and your gift too much. It would make my life meaningless if that happened. I want to be changed. I need to be with you forever." Understanding swept across the room. I think Edward finally grasped just how much I was set in my decision. I took hold of his hand and looked him straight in the eye.

"You are worth it, Edward. I love you."

"Thank you." I had humbled him and it was all he could say, but I felt every meaning behind those two little words.

"Well, you graduate in three months, Bella, and your birthday is three months after that. Is there anything you want to do before then?" Carlisle asked. It sounded like they would give me the world if I asked for it because out of everyone in the room, I'm the only one being changed voluntarily.

"There are two things. I would like to take a road trip to see my mother and maybe where all of you lived when you were human. It's something we can all do together. The other thing is private and I have to do it alone or only with Edward and my dad's help."

"Oh, I like that idea. I'll get you the supplies you'll need." Alice chimed in. I nodded, there really was no getting around her. I squeezed Edward's hand, resting on my thigh.

"A road trip sounds like a great idea. I'll take care of the transportation. We'll leave the day after graduation." Carlisle said.

"We have to move again too don't we?" Rosalie sounded so bitter.

"No, we won't. There are seven of us here that can help with Bella's newborn year. She'll be fine. You're all graduated after this year and no one will expect to be seeing any of you since you're all away at college." Esme said.

"Don't expect a lot of help from me."

"I want to be married to Bella before we change her. I want to stop in Vegas if we have to."

"I will take care of it. I have the perfect date in mind and I will have everything ready by then." Something was lingering in my mind, but I didn't want to discuss it publicly just yet. I had to talk to Alice first.

"Hey Bella, are you hungry?" Alice asked me. I saw her eyes and nodded my head.

"Let's go get dinner for you and your dad. Charlie, we'll meet you back at your house, ok?"

"Um, sure. It was nice seeing you all again." All of us stood at the same time. My dad shook hands with Carlisle and headed for the front door. Alice and I followed him. Edward was right on our tails.

"Alice, I will take her out. It's my responsibility." He must know that she's up to something.

"It's ok, Edward. It's chick time. Rosalie, Esme, would you like to join us?"

"No thank you." Rosalie answered, but Esme did join us.

"I'll see you later, Edward." He didn't want to let me go any more than I wanted to leave him, but it still had to be done. I kissed him and was out the door a minute later. Alice, Esme and I took Carlisle's Mercedes and drove to town.

"Bella, start talking." Alice commanded while we sat down at the pizza place. She had called my dad to meet us there; mostly so I wouldn't be eating alone.

"I want Edward to be happy. I'd like to get married to him in Chicago. Just the eight of us, my dad, my mom and Phil. The only other person I would want to invite is Angela, but if I invited her, then Jessica and Mike would feel left out. I don't care if they're there or not, so it's up to you if you want to invite them. It's what I want."

"I think it's so sweet, to be thinking of him, Bella." Esme said.

"I think it's so cool and I have the perfect idea of how to do it too. I'll take care of everything." Alice added.

"I also want to be a little touristy on this trip; taking lot's of pictures too."

"Bella, you are truly a unique individual. I love that you are a part of our family." Esme said warmly.

"Bella, I think I could take some time off of work and take a trip with you. I don't know that I'll go all the way to Florida, but I'll definitely be there for your wedding, wherever it is. I want to spend some time with you kid."

"That's good because I have plans for you too. You might have to sacrifice a few fishing trips though."

"Bella, I understand what is going to happen in a few short months. I will do what I can to make them happy for you. I understand what it means and that I won't get to see you for a while; or ever. I accept that. I understand the role I will have to play." He told me quietly so that only Esme and Alice could hear him. I fought to keep the tears in. I wondered who had told him that I might never see him again. Our pizza was served. Alice and Esme made it look like they had actually eaten when I knew in fact that they had not. When you know what you're looking for, it's obvious how they hide it. I didn't care. Soon, food will have no joy for me either. We planned some of our trip details.

"Alice, should I even bother packing?" I asked with a smirk.

A/N: Reviews are wanted and appreciated. Have a great day!