Disclaimer: The characters of Twilight are owned by Stephenie Meyer. The original characters, content and ideas of this story are mine.

Chapter 26

Weathering the Storms

EPOV

I woke up the next morning with Bella leaning back on my chest still sleeping peacefully and as much as I hated to move out of this spot, I needed to get dressed to meet Alice to pick out Bella's ring.

"Hey Bella, sweetie, come on I want you to go lay in the bed so you can get some more rest." I said trying to wake Bella up and get her to walk to our bedroom, but she just groaned and turned on her side trying to get more comfortable. I chuckled to myself as I slid from behind her off the couch and picked her up to carry her to our bed. After quickly getting dressed in a pair of jeans and a t shirt I wrote Bella a quick note and headed out to meet Alice.

When I arrived at Harry Winston's on fifth Ave. Alice was standing outside waiting for me and started bouncing up and down when she spotted me coming her way.

"What took you so long, do you not have any sense of time Edward?" she said looking at her watch.

"Alice we agreed to eleven o clock, its eleven o seven calm down please." I said rolling my eyes at her as I opened the door to the jeweler for her to walk in.

"Do you have a ring in mind?"

"No"

"Do you have a price range in mind?"

I simply gave Alice a look that clearly said, "Enough with the doltish questions", because how could I possibly think about cost when I was getting something so priceless, Bella's hand in marriage.

"That's all I needed to know brother, let's shop!" Alice said rubbing her tiny hands together and I chuckled at her excitement.

"Good morning, my name is Sophia and what can I assist you with today?" A very well dressed woman probably in her early forty's, with blonde hair swept up in a bun and gray eyes approached us.

"Hi Sophia, I'm Alice and this is my brother Dr. Edward Cullen and we are shopping for an engagement ring for his fiancé."

"Alright then right this way please." Sophia led us into a private viewing room with a white leather sofa and two matching white leather recliners. There was a black table with a gray marble top and four stools covered with white leather seat cushions. "Can I offer you two coffee, tea or champagne?" Sophia said with a friendly smile and Alice and I both opted for coffee.

"I'll have my assistant Margie bring coffee right away and would either of you care for cream or sugar?" I nodded my head while Alice politely asked for Splenda instead of sugar. "Dr. Cullen, I will get you our catalogue of engagement rings to look through so that you can better choose the style you want."

"Thank you Sophia", I said offering a polite smile." and then turned to look at Alice.

"Splenda? That's not real sugar."

"It's made from real sugar and it does not have all the calories." She said sticking out her tongue

"Oh yeah, like you need to watch your weight." I said shaking my head and just then Margie brought in a silver tray holding a fancy white coffee carafe with white coffee cups with gold trim, a glass container with creamer, a glass sugar bowl, and several small packages of "Splenda" for Alice.

"Can I get you guys anything else, we have cookies and pastries also?"

"No thank you" Alice and I said together.

"Boy they really know how to treat you in this place." Alice said looking quite impressed.

"Alice, we're at Harry Winston's" I said waving my hand in the air at our surroundings, "these two cups of coffee alone is probably costing me a couple thousand dollars."

"Geez Edward, how much are you planning to spend on her ring?" Alice said her eyes wide.

"Whatever's necessary" I said taking a sip of my coffee and just then Sophia returned with the engagement ring catalogue.

"Mr. Cullen here is our catalogue with our selection of engagements rings please let me know which ones you would like for Margie and I to bring out for you to view and also if you have any questions pertaining to the cut or clarity."

"Thank you Sophia" I said as I opened the catalogue and begin to scan their inventory and Alice came to sit next to me on the white leather sofa. We had Sophia and Margie bring out several selections from cushion cut to brilliant cut, solitaires to pear shaped and after about two hours of looking for the perfect ring, Alice and I both finally agreed on an emerald cut, three stone, five carat diamond ring set in platinum with a sales tag of one hundred eighty thousand dollars. I also purchased a white gold necklace with one solitaire diamond for seven thousand dollars and a pair of matching diamond earrings for four thousand dollars. After handing over my American Express Black card to Sophia, we left there heading to FAO Schwarz in search of the perfect teddy bear; Bella has always had a love for them.

I returned home about an hour after purchasing a huge tan teddy bear with huge brown eyes to find Bella still sleeping. I sat on the side of the bed admiring her for a few minutes before disturbing her slumber by placing a kiss on her forehead and then one on each cheek and then finally on her lips.

"Good afternoon beautiful, how do feel?" I asked as she sat up.

"Is it afternoon already? I didn't mean to sleep this long."

"Its fine plus your body needed the rest. Are you hungry love?"

"Yes starving and my bladder is full." She said rushing out of bed to the bathroom making me laugh.

"I'll fix you something to eat, meet me in the kitchen when you're done." I said as I headed into the kitchen to fix her eggs, bacon and pancakes, which had become her favorite meal no matter what time of day it was.

Today was my last day off and I wanted to spend the day relaxing with Bella and making sure she would be okay for the next eight days while I worked my new rotation. I wasn't happy about being away from her, but I am still a resident and I sometimes get the crappy schedules. Bella walked in the kitchen just then breaking me from my reverie looking as beautiful as ever wearing one of my button- up shirts.

"Mmmm, something smells delicious, what are you making?"

"Your favorite of course."

"Good because I am starving." Bella said as she sat at the kitchen table.

Though Bella was only at the start of her four month of pregnancy, her baby bump was very evident and her form was rapidly changing. As she adjusted herself to get comfortable, she finally saw the giant teddy bear in the chair across from her and in her excitement hopped up out of her seat to grab it. But of course Bella being Bella, when you put clumsy and pregnancy together you get a pregnant Bella, on her bottom, on the floor holding her teddy bear in one hand and rubbing her head with the other hand, because she hit it on the table on the way down.

I quickly removed the pan from the fire and rushed to her side.

"Bella, love, what are you trying to do, kill yourself and my kids?!" I said while helping her to her feet and sitting her back in a chair at the table.

"I'm sorry, I just got so excited when I saw the teddy bear."

I sat down next to Bella with one of her hands between both of mine and waited for her breathing to regulate. Her face was flushed when she finally looked up into my eyes and I leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her lips and rubbed her cheek softly with the back of my hand. She gave me a small smile while holding the teddy bear close to her chest.

"Are you okay love?"

"Yes I'm fine, just hungry."

I laughed while standing up to go fix her plate. While standing at the stove I heard Bella let out a squeal which brought a smile to my face and as I turned around to face her my guess was accurate. She had finally seen the necklace around the teddy bears neck that I bought her. I walked over and place her plate on the table and she jumped up and wrapped her arms around my neck and planted a kiss on my lips. I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her close as I deepened our kiss tasting the sweetness of her tongue against mine. When we pulled apart Bella had the biggest grin on her face, so in an effort to keep that beautiful smile on her face, I reached into my pocket and pulled out the box holding the matching earrings.

"I also got you these to match your necklace." And as I opened the box to show her the earrings, Bella gasped and I chuckled once again at her reaction. When I looked up again at her face Bella was crying.

"I…I can't… believe you did all this for me." Bella said between sobs.

"Why can't you, because you are so worth it. You deserve the best of everything and I intend to give it to you." I said placing a kiss on her forehead. "Now eat love, you're food is going to get cold and speaking of food I am taking you to dinner tonight so I want you to get some rest this afternoon."

I used my thumbs to wipe off the few tears that had escaped her beautiful eyes before getting up to go fix my plate. With Alice's help tonight was going to be one of the most important nights of my life, the night I officially ask for Bella's hand in marriage.

BPOV

"Love, we will be leaving in fifteen minutes." Edward said sticking his head in the door of our bedroom where Alice had just finished my hair and makeup. She had stop by this afternoon to bring me a few bags of clothes she picked up for me while out shopping today which I actually was very grateful for, because now I would not have to figure out what to wear to dinner with Edward tonight.

"Okay babe I'll be ready." I said smiling while looking at him through the mirror and then he left and closed the door behind him.

"Awww, you two are so cute! I have never seen my brother so smitten with anyone." Alice said smiling at me.

"I'm sure with as plain as I am, he has certainly had better." I said barely above a whisper as I stood up from my vanity table.

Alice came and stood in front of me and grabbed both my shoulders.

"Bella, honestly have you looked at yourself lately?" Alice said pulling me in front of the full length mirror in our bedroom. "Look at yourself, you're absolutely beautiful and pregnancy has done nothing but compliment you. If its one thing my brother has, it's good taste and an eye for natural beauty and you my friend are extraordinary inside and out."

By the time Alice finished her little speech, I had become quite emotional thanks to my wonderful hormones and I was on the verge of tears.

"Thanks Alice." I said with a trembling voice.

"Bella Swan, if you let one tear escape those stunning brown eye of yours and destroy my makeup job, I will give you something to really cry about." She said with her eyebrow cocked and her hands on her tiny hips which made me laugh before pulling her into a hug.

I stepped into my navy blue sleeveless Vera Wang Lavender Label draped chiffon dress and Alice zipped me up. I turned back to the mirror and I hardly recognized the woman staring back at me, because I had to admit she was quite stunning. Just then Edward poked his head in the door again and when he looked at me I heard his breath hitch in his throat as he opened the door wider and stepped into our room. He came and stood behind me in front of the mirror and placed his hands on my shoulders. He placed a soft kiss on the back of my neck, causing shivers to run up and down my spine before looking up into my eyes with his emerald green orbs burning with passion and desire. He then placed both of his hands over my swollen belly while his chin rest on my shoulders.

"You look simply ravishing and you are going to make me the envy of any man with eyes who crosses our path tonight."

I turned two shades darker while looking down trying to hide my blush. Edward reached over and grabbed the necklace he had bought me and placed it delicately around my neck and then placed another soft kiss on my shoulder.

"I'll be waiting in the living room love." He said and then left out of our room.

"Didn't I tell you that you look gorgeous?" I nearly jumped out of my skin when Alice spoke, because the dazzling effect Edward had on me had made me forget she was in the room.

"Whoa, Alice I forgot you were even in here."

Alice just chuckled while handing me the box with the matching diamond earrings Edward had also bought me.

"Here, I think you may also need these and then you'll be ready to go."

I quickly put the two carat diamond studs in my ears, gave Alice one last hug, grabbed my wrap in case it was chilly out tonight, my small navy clutch purse and headed to the living room. Edward was standing by the balcony doors, with his hands in his pants pockets, staring out into the New York city streets and I took a moment to admire him before making my presence known, he really did look exquisite in his charcoal grey suit with very thin light blue pin stripes and his shirt and tie were a perfect matching light blue color. I cleared my throat and Edward turned to look at me giving me that lopsided grin that always made my heart skip a beat.

"I'm ready" I managed to choke out.

Edward walked over and offered me his arm. "Shall we" he said smiling down at me and I placed my arm through his and allowed him to lead me into what I'm sure would be a night of pure bliss. As we excited the elevators, I noticed Edward did not go to the garage, but headed for the front door which the doorman was already holding open for us. As we stepped outside to the front of the building there was a black stretch Lincoln Town car limo outside and the chauffeur that was standing by the curb quickly moved to open the door for us to get in. once I was comfortably seated in the limo I looked at Edward with an eyebrow raised.

"Edward Cullen, what are you up to?"

"Nothing but the best for you my love." He said placing a kiss on my cheek as the limo pulled away from the curb.

About twenty minutes later we were stepping out of the limo in front of Rockefeller Center and Edward led me into the building, up the elevators and into The Rainbow Room. At first I didn't know how to react, because this was the same restaurant we ate at when he first introduced me to Tanya, but I took a deep breath and decided to not let my hormones ruin the night. Instead I allowed the hostess to lead us to our table, which unlike last time was a cozy, romantic table for two over looking New York's beautiful skyline and a perfect view of the Empire State Building. Edward pulled my seat out for me before taking his own seat and quickly ordered a bottle of Harlan Estate 2008 Bordeaux Red Blends Napa Valley California wine, before turning back to me and winking. I raised an eye brow at him wondering if my current "physical" state had somehow slipped his mind.

"One glass of red wine won't hurt love." He said offering me that lopsided grin that I loved as he picked up the menu.

"This is nice Edward, but we could have stayed home and I would have been as equally pleased as I am now." I said wondering why the fancy dinner.

"I know, but it feels good to take you out sometimes; you're always stuck in the house lately." He said grabbing my hand on top of the table and giving it a squeeze.

We ate dinner in a comfortable silence and I have to admit the glass of wine was delicious. I couldn't help but notice though that Edward was unusually quiet and appeared to be a little uneasy for some reason. He kept running his fingers through his hair and whenever our eyes would meet he would let out a nervous chuckle and look away. He also kept looking at his watch as if he had an appointment or something to get to.

"What time do you have to be there?" I asked with a smirk on my face.

"Huh… be where?" he asked with a surprised look on his face.

I took another sip of my wine and gestured toward his watch.

"You keep looking at the time, do you have somewhere to go or are you expecting someone to meet you?"

"Uh no…I um…" then he let out that nervous chuckle again looking down at the table. He took his napkin out of his lap and placed it on the side of his plate and looked me directly in my eyes. He placed both his hands on top of the table palms up and I slowly placed both my hands in his, never breaking eye contact.

"Bella, when I was younger I remember the one thing I was always sure of was how much my parents loved me. I knew that as long as they were there, everything would be okay, that I had nothing to be afraid of. And as I grew older and watched my parents I began to understand why I felt so secure and so loved, it was because of how much they loved each other. They loved each other unconditionally and although they had some rough and trying times, they always made sure Alice and I knew how much they loved each other and how much they loved us."

I began to wonder where he was heading with this, because as I looked into his eyes I saw a whole sea of emotions that I could not began to elucidate. There was passion, desire, lust, yearning, fear, excitement and the list goes on, but the one that caused the lump in my throat and caused my eyes to prickle with tears was love. I swallowed hard and fought back tears as I continued to listen to him.

"All of my adult life I have hoped to find that kind of love that my parents have. The kind that makes you put someone else's needs and wants before your own. Someone who puts a song in your heart and a smile on your face when you think of them. Someone that makes you count down the minutes until you're in their arms again. Someone who makes the sunshine, the moonlight and stars twinkle just a little brighter simply because they exist. I can't promise that everything will be perfect and that like my parents we won't have rough and trying times, but I can promise that if you let me it will never be you or I, or yours or mine, it will always be we, us, and ours."

He then took one of his hands away and pulled his cell phone out of his inside jacket pocket and made a call while still holding my other hand.

"It's time" he simply said and then hit the end button on his phone. He then grabbed my other hand again and simply stared into my eyes.

"I love you so much Bella."

"I love you too, Edward." And just when I was beginning to worry what this was all about, what he was so nervous about and what he was trying to tell me, he motioned with his chin towards the window and when I turned to look at what he was referring to, my heart felt as if it would burst with happiness.

There in bright lights on the side of the Empire State Building was a sight that would forever be embedded in my memory. Four simple words lit up in bright white lights, "Bella Marry Me Please", and the tears spilled over uncontrollably. I could feel my bottom lip trembling, my hand shaking as I brought it up to cover my mouth and I could do nothing but stare at the words on the building. When I finally did turn back to Edward there in his right hand he was holding a little box opened displaying the most beautiful emerald cut diamond ring I have ever seen. He let go of my other hand and took the ring out of the small box and came and kneeled right in front of me.

"Bella, I will spend the rest of our lives together making your dreams come true if you allow me to. Marry me please?"

I placed my hands on both sides of his face and placed a soft kiss on his lips before whispering, "Yes, I'll marry you Edward" and then he placed the ring on my ring finger on my left hand before standing up and pulling me into a hug and whispering, "thank you" in my ear.

There were a few hand claps from those who were seated around us and I couldn't stop the tears from flowing down my face. Edward pulled back and looked into my eyes as he used his thumbs to wipe away my tears.

"Oh Edward, I can't imagine what on earth I did to deserve you." I said wrapping my arms around his neck as he held me around my waist.

"You were born" he said placing a kiss on my forehead, and then my nose and finally my lips.

I slept most of the ride back home exhausted from all the excitement and once we were back at our apartment, Edward ran me a nice warm bath to soak in and relax. After bathing and putting on one of Edward's t shirts, which had become quite comfortable in my pregnant state, Edward massaged my ankles and feet which were slightly swollen from the heels I wore tonight. I fell into a blissful slumber that night in the arms of the one I loved and with his promise to always love me forever.

A/N: I want to thank everyone who signed up for story/author alerts and a special thank you to those who left reviews, they are certainly appreciated. I am at 69 reviews and would love to be able to hit 100 so if you are reading/following my story and would like me to continue to write please leave a review, thanks again for all my supporters.