A/N Well the school year is winding down but I'm getting busier by the day. These last few weeks have been absolutely crazy, so again I need to apologize for taking so long to update. Thank you to everyone for sticking with me on this journey. I appreciate all the support and reviews. It means so much to me to have you along for the ride! 3 3

Anyway, here is the latest chapter. The next one won't take me more than a few days to post, I promise! Please enjoy this one and leave me your thoughts! Thanks again for reading! :)

Chapter 52 – Choices

Dinner had gone better than expected. Alice and Jasper had arrived about ten minutes before Charlie, Carlisle and the pizza. After Rosalie's reaction, Bella was really nervous about telling her the news. She didn't want Alice to think badly of her or make some comment like Rosalie had. Edward assured her that she wouldn't and that Bella shouldn't worry about it, but she couldn't help it.

All her fears ended up being for nothing though, just like Edward had promised. Alice was super excited when she heard the news. She had practically started bouncing up and down in her spot as she started talking about options like dresses, colors, and dates.

Edward looked over at her and smiled before mouthing, 'I told you so.' She couldn't help but smile as she glared at him. He just laughed and shrugged his shoulders, leaving it up to her to talk to Alice; she may have been the size of a fairy, but she was not a force to be reckoned with.

Once Bella explained that they had most of everything figured out already and were actually getting married in two days in Port Townsend, Alice's face fell. Bella couldn't help chuckling to herself because she knew it was going to be like this. Alice had pictured a huge wedding in some elaborate church with a dress to rival Princess Diana's no doubt. That just wasn't Bella though. She didn't need all the fanfare when she married Edward; all she needed was Edward himself.

Alice seemed to be okay after Bella invited her to go to Port Angeles the following day to help her shop for dresses and pick out Edward's tux. She did it just to get back at Edward for being so nonchalant about it in the first place. When she glanced at him after inviting Alice and saw the playful glare on his face, she knew she had succeeded.

Their fathers had arrived a few minutes later with the pizza and the six of them sat around the table and discussed the plans. For some reason, Charlie thought that money was the reason they were going to have such a small wedding. "Bells, honey," he started, "if it's money you're worried about, then don't. I want you to have the wedding of your dreams. I've got some money saved up and some left over from the insurance claim. It's yours for the wedding if you want it, okay?"

He was so serious when he offered the money that it brought tears to her eyes. She couldn't believe that she had hurt him so much such a short time ago when she tried to commit suicide. She would probably never truly understand the depth of his love, but she knew it ran deep.

"Dad, I don't know what to say," she stated, as the tears streamed down her cheek. "I don't need a big fancy wedding to be happy; all I need is the man beside me to be waiting for me when I walk down the isle. I don't want anything else." She looked at Edward and smiled before kissing him gently on the lips.

When she turned back to her father, she told him what she was feeling. "Thank you, Daddy, for everything. Thank you for loving me for all these years even though I wasn't here with you. Thank you for being there for me every step of the way after mom died. Thank you for not giving up on me, but most of all, thank you for allowing me to be happy. Your blessing is the only thing I need from you for this wedding."

She glanced at Edward again with a question in her eyes. He knew what she was thinking and nodded for her to continue. "Dad, please keep your money and use it on yourself. You deserve whatever happiness it brings you. Edward has some money put aside that we can use for the wedding if we need to. He's a wonderful man, dad, and he's ready to take care of me."

She felt Edward place his hand on her thigh under the table and she smiled at him again. Charlie looked at the two of them and smiled as well. "Okay Bells. Just know that my offer stands. If you need anything, it's yours. I love you so much and I want you to be happy."

She couldn't take it any longer. She rose from her seat and ran around the table to where Charlie was sitting, throwing herself into his arms. "I love you too, dad. Thank you for everything," she whispered in his ear as her tears continued to fall down her cheek.

She sat on his lap for another few minutes before she realized that the room was too quiet. She kissed him on the cheek and thanked him again before standing and looking around the room. The only person left was Edward; everyone else must have exited to give them a moment of privacy.

Charlie took his leave, stating he was going to go find Carlisle, as Edward stood from his chair and began walking toward her. "Are you okay, Beautiful?" he asked as he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into him.

"I've never been better, Babe," she responded, leaning into his embrace. "Where did everybody go?" She looked around the room again and noticed that the table was still full of dishes and pizza boxes.

Edward shrugged his shoulders and then explained, "They wanted to give you and your dad a minute, so they found something to do around the house. Ali and Jazz are probably downstairs, I think Mom is in the kitchen, and Dad is more than likely in his study."

She smiled to herself, so happy that she would soon be a part of this family. They were all so considerate of everyone else all the time; she couldn't wait to officially be a Cullen.

Squeezing Edward one more time, she let go and backed out of his embrace. "Well I'm going to start getting things cleaned up; it's the least I can do." As she said it, she started gathering empty plates and stacking them. Once she had them all, she left to head into the kitchen with Edward following behind her with the glasses.

Esme smiled at them as they entered the kitchen. "Are you okay?" she asked.

Bella didn't want to start the water works again, so she simply nodded as she returned her smile. "Thank you," she said. Those two words were all she was able to say without breaking into tears again, but it was enough. She knew Esme would understand.

…..

Alice took the news better than he expected. He loved his sister to death, but he had to admit that she could sometimes act like a petulant child when she didn't get her way. She would be happy for them, of that he had no doubt, but would she throw a fit that she wasn't more involved in the planning? That was the million-dollar question.

She surprised him when she accepted everything with only a small pout on her face, and when Bella invited Alice to go to Port Angeles tomorrow he had to laugh at Alice's reaction. Her eyes lit up like a kid's on Christmas morning. It took him a second to realize that Bella had invited Alice to help pick out his tux as well, so he teasingly glared at her for it. She was smiling so he knew she understood he was simply being playful.

When Charlie offered them money for the wedding, Edward was truly touched. This man loved his daughter with his entire heart and it must be breaking at the thought of letting her go. He didn't let Bella see that though; he only let her see that he was there for her no matter what.

Bella had declined her father's money and looked at Edward as if asking permission to tell Charlie about his inheritance. Knowing she would be tactful about it, he nodded at her to continue. She didn't get into specifics but told her father that Edward was a wonderful man and was ready to take care of her. His heart swelled with joy at hearing her praise for him. She was right, too. He was ready to spend the rest of his life taking care of her.

He couldn't help it any longer and silently reached under the table to place his hand on her thigh. He wanted her to know he was there; he would always be there. After Charlie told Bella that his offer stood with the money and that he loved her, he felt her pull away. Once she was standing, she ran to her father and threw herself into his arms, hugging him tightly. Edward knew she was crying, but he also knew they were tears of joy.

When they sat hugging, everyone else in the room silently got up and left to give them their privacy. Edward remained seated because he knew that Bella was slightly emotional just then and may need him when her father left. He heard Bella whisper something into Charlie's ear, but he wasn't sure what was said.

After another minute, they broke their embrace and Bella stood up, looking slightly confused. Charlie said something about finding Carlisle and made his way out of the room at the same time Edward made his way around to Bella.

"Are you okay, Beautiful?" he asked her as he wrapped her in a hug.

Her answer was immediate and completely sincere. "I've never been better, Babe." As if it was second nature, she leaned into his embrace before asking where everyone else went.

"They wanted to give you and your dad a minute, so they found something to do around the house. Ali and Jazz are probably downstairs, I think Mom is in the kitchen, and Dad is more than likely in his study."

He felt her smile against his chest and squeeze him tight before she let go and stepped back. She said she was going to start cleaning things up so he followed her around to help. Bella grabbed the plates, so he grabbed the empty cups. Once they had everything but the pizza, he followed her into the kitchen.

Twenty minutes later, he and Bella were downstairs with Alice and Jasper watching What Happens In Vegas. It was hilarious and he felt Bella laughing against his chest. She was sitting in his lap where she always sat when they were in the basement and he was content to have her stay there forever.

A few minutes later, they heard voices at the stop of the stairs and then Emmett yelled down. "Everybody better be decent. We're on our way down now."

He immediately felt Bella tense up on his lap and knew she was worried about seeing Rosalie. Just knowing how nervous she was pissed him off again. He wanted to ring his sister's neck more than he ever had before and that was really saying something.

Seconds later, Emmett reached the foot of the stairs, practically dragging Rosalie with him. The look on her face said it all; she looked like she felt terrible. Good; she should feel bad after what she had implied earlier.

Emmett said hi to Jasper and Alice and gave them hugs. Rosalie was quieter than usual, but hugged them both as well. After a few minutes of chatting, Emmett cleared his throat. "Jazz, will you and Tink excuse us for a few minutes. Rosie and I need to talk to Edward and Bella alone."

Jasper looked at Alice and then back at Emmett. He glanced at Edward to make sure he was okay and Edward nodded slightly. "Sure Bro. We'll be upstairs if you need anything. Come on Babe." He grabbed Alice's hand and led her to the stairs before disappearing out of the basement.

After they were gone, there was a heavy silence that filled the room. Bella was so tense with worry that she was nearly choking him to death from hugging him so tightly. Very gently, he rubbed soothing circles on her back. Slowly, she started to relax from his touch, but he could still feel her worry in the way he was snuggled up to him.

After at least a minute of complete silence, Rosalie finally cleared her throat and began to talk. "Eddie, Bella, I owe you both an apology for what I said earlier. I feel absolutely wretched for saying what I did and I hope you can both forgive me. I'm so sorry."

Bella's face was buried in the crook of his neck and she had yet to look up or respond to Rosalie in any way. He hadn't even realized she was crying until the dampness from her tears soaked into his shirt.

He tightened his grip on her, pulling her impossibly closer into his body. "Please don't cry, Beautiful. I love you so much and it breaks my heart every time you cry." He was absolutely livid with the fact that Rosalie had managed to make Bella cry yet again, and in the same day no less. Turning to look at her, he put as much venom in his voice as he could. "You did this! It's your fault she's crying right now. You just can't be happy unless you make everyone around you miserable, can you?"

"Edward stop. Please? Don't fight with your family because of me. Maybe I should just go home so you guys can talk." Bella's voice sounded defeated when she spoke and it angered him that much more.

"Beautiful, please don't talk like that. I don't want you to go anywhere; I don't ever want to let you go. I love you more than I can say and the thought of you leaving hurts too much to bear. Please promise me you'll stay with me? Please?" He brought his hand up to lift Bella's head from his shoulder so he could look her in the eyes.

What he saw there terrified him. For a split second, he caught a glimpse of the old Bella; the sad Bella who felt like she had nothing left to live for – the same Bella he saw two months ago for the first time at his family's end of summer barbeque.

He was about to ask her again to promise she wouldn't leave when Rosalie spoke up again. He honestly had forgotten they weren't alone in the room for a few seconds. "Edward, can I please talk to Bella for a minute? I promise I won't say anything else to hurt her. You were right to blame me because I did do this and now I need to make it right."

"Haven't you done enough already, Rosalie?" he spit at her.

What she did next truly shocked him though. For the first time that evening, she turned and addressed Bella directly. "Bella, will you talk to me for a minute please? I can't make you stay, but I'd really like it if you'd give me a chance to explain myself and make things right. Will you give me that chance?"

Bella looked up for the first time and met Rosalie's gaze before looking back at Edward. "You don't have to talk to her, Sweetheart. We can go up to my room right now and stay there, just please don't leave, okay?"

She closed the distance between their faces as she brought her lips to his in a passionate kiss. "I love you, Edward," she whispered after pulling back from the kiss. "I think I need to hear what your sister has to say though, okay? Will you wait upstairs for me?"

Without a second thought he answered her, "Baby, I'll always wait for you. I'll be right upstairs so if you need me, just yell, okay? Are you sure this is what you want?"

Bella nodded her head. "I don't want to be the cause of any contention between you two. If we can clear the air then I think we should try." She stood up from his lap but didn't release his hand as he stood beside her.

He quickly kissed her once more before turning to Rosalie. "Rosie, if you know what's good for you, you'll make this right. Come on, Em. Let's go talk upstairs." Without another word, he followed his brother up the stairs. He really hoped that Bella would be okay and that Rosalie would fix things. He loved them both, but Bella was his life now. If he had to choose, he wouldn't think twice as to who it would be.