Disclaimer - I obviously do not own the Twilight Saga, I just enjoy borrowing Stephanie Meyer's characters

"Let's go!" Demetri yelled before pounding on the door. He was going to everyone of them yelling about meeting in the throne room for training. Another week had passed and today was the third day in a row Dad had Demetri rounding everyone up to train.

Edward and I were in our room, lying on the bed. Finding us together was the usual since the discovery of having little time until the expected invasion.

I groaned. "Do we have to?" I pressed my lips against his.

He chuckled, "I suppose we should." But he kissed me again anyways, until the door burst open.

It was obviously Demetri. "Let's go love birds! We've got training to do!"

"Did you ever think that everyone might be a little tired of this?" I asked him, getting up.

"Vampires don't get tired. It's direct orders from Aro, anyways."

I rolled my eyes, going into the closet to change.

"And you!" I heard Demetri say to Edward. "Are gonna learn a lot today. We've got multiple attackers on the agenda and were gonna deal with Bella's shield."

I came out and rolled my eyes again.

We gathered down in the throne room and Caius was there to get started. I didn't know a lot about Caius' history, but I knew he was a better fighter then my dad.

"Let's do multiple attacks first. We'll work on your shield later, Bella," Caius said. "Heidi, I want you against Bella and Alec – no powers."

After discussing it, we figured some of the rebels would be seriously trained. To our knowledge they've been building themselves up since I found myself in the Volturi's hands, and two hundred years was a significant amount of time. But if the rebels had been around for that long they wouldn't send trained leaders to do the dirty work. Just like how Dad, Marcus, and Caius wouldn't be doing any fighting unless it became necessary.

So I attacked like any new fighter would and was easily thrown against the wall by Heidi. By the time I got back on my feet I saw that Alec was off to the side and guessed that she was already done with him – it's not like we could actually rip each other's heads off while training – so I a little harder.

Heidi was a good fighter, though, and soon I was done too.

We went back to stand with the others and wait for further instructions and my hand was in Edward's again. Edwards hand tightened for a quarter of a second before Caius said, "Got that Edward? You're next. Demetri and Bella you two can get up here, too."

I felt Edward's arm slide around me as we sat on the rooftop garden. He just got back from talking to Esme but I guessed that the other Cullens would've been there too.

"They've agreed to stay put unless they're in danger," he said.

I sighed with relief. "Thank God. Because I don't know what I would've done if they hadn't."

I felt him shrug beside me. "It wouldn't be too much of a problem; the majority would've agreed and then they could keep the minority away."

"But still, if they got hurt…" I repressed a shutter that threatened to glide across my back.

Edwards grip tightened around my waist and his lips found my temple. "I know," he whispered it so quietly I wouldn't have heard if it weren't for his lips grazing above my ear. They pressed against my temple softly then and his other hand wound around the front of my torso and lifted me onto his lap. His lips made their way across my closed eye lids, around my nose, and found my lips.

It was a slow, passionate kiss; something that didn't happen a lot in our lives on the guard. One that said, if you don't make it, I won't make it. We didn't need to read each other's minds to know that.

It was true. We had friends and family – plenty of them. But as something that lives forever, there's that thing in that back of your mind that reminds you that those people can leave whenever they want. As a vampire your mate is what you truly look for; someone that you're forever stuck to.

I broke away, feeling as though I'd had an epiphany. "Edward." My voice came out clear and strong.

His eyes had worry in them, but he didn't need to worry, not now.

"Ask me again," I said.

He just kept staring at me, trying to find my reasoning. "I don't understand, Bella."

But I saw behind the confusion, and he knew exactly what I meant… or at least hoped he knew what I meant. So I got off his lap and stood him in front of me. "Yes you do. Ask me again."

He stood for a moment, searching for something in my eyes. Then reached for something in his back pocket and knelt onto one knee in front of me.

It wasn't like I didn't expect it; I enforced it in the first place. But all of a sudden I felt overwhelmed – not in a bad way but in an holy-crap-I-love-this-man-until-the-end-of-forever -but-longer kind of way. And so I had to grip onto his shoulders as he opened a velvet blue box to reveal a delicate looking ring inside. It shined bright as if it had just been perfectly polished but it looked hundreds of years old.

"Isabella Rossi-Volturi, the minute I saw you I knew I loved you. And now, I can't imagine one day going by without seeing your beautiful face. I'll always love you. Longer then forever; I'll love you for eternity… Bella? Will you marry me?"

I couldn't help the smile that spread wide across my face. I couldn't find my voice suddenly and my head just kept bobbing up and down.

Edward seemed to be okay with that answer and his own happy grin spread across his face. Then he picked me up off the ground and kissed me.

I kissed him back with all the love I could muster up and wrapped my legs around his torso. When I pulled away I finally found my voice. "Yes, Edward. I'll marry you. Of course." Then I wrapped my arms around his neck and felt the sense of crying. My eyes stung and my chest felt heavy and my breath stuttered as it came out. "I love you so much."

"You have no idea," he said back.

Then I jumped down from him but when my feet hit the ground our foreheads found each other and we both just smiled like idiots.

He grabbed my left hand and I felt the warm metal slide around my ring finger and looked down to admire it. "It's beautiful," I said.

"It was my mothers."

I looked back up at him to check if he was joking but his face was serious. "Edward, I-"

"No," he interrupted. "I want you to have it. She would've wanted you to have it. It's not like there's anyone else I can pass it onto anyways."

I blinked slowly, letting his words sink in. It was true; we couldn't pass it onto anyone. But was that he thought his mother would want me to have it that left me without words, and I wondered what it would be like to have met her.

"She would've loved you; you're quite alike. You're both independent, strong."

I swallowed hard trying to get rid of the feeling of tears so I wouldn't have to think about being human, but it didn't work. "I've never wanted to cry so much my whole life." He wrapped both arms around me again and I pressed my face into his shoulder. "Happy tears," I said, but it got a little muffled.

He laughed a bit and it made me smile. "Well I sure hope they're happy tears."

I nodded against his shoulder. "They are."

He pulled away then and just clutched onto my right hand. "You can come out now," he said towards the door leading to the roof we stood on.

I was shocked when it wasn't just the Cullens standing on the other side, it was my dad and Marcus and Caius and the whole guard waiting to congratulate us. And I knew it had to be Alice, she would've been the only one to have figured it out; especially with her talent.

My hand slipped away from Edward's in an instant, but it didn't bother me so much since I could hear his voice and laughter from the five foot space separating us. The girls admired the ring and the boys gave me a congratulations and a ruffle of the hair.

But what made me the happiest was having my dad pick me up the most bone crushing hug yet and whisper in my ear, "I'm so proud of you, Isabella."

Getting sappy with my dad was weird so I just said, "Good," and laughed lightly, but squeezed him back just as hard.

He let me go and I turned to see Carlisle and Esme, patiently waiting.

"Welcome to the family, Bella," Carlisle said with a smile and then I couldn't help but practically fling myself at them and hug them tight.

I whispered quietly, "Thanks for taking care of him before I rolled around."

When I pulled away I heard it before I felt it. I single raindrop landed right on my shoulder. As I froze everyone on the roof stopped to see why.

"It's raining," was all I said. Edward's voice filled my mind; we got it, he said. Next time it rains.

It was the invasion.

A/N - Awww, theres a fluff-filled chapter for y'all since the next one (as I'm sure you can tell) will not be. Please remember to review so I know what you think, I appreciate it all. I just finished chapter 20 and i'm super excited for you guys to read it, so hang in there!

Also, hello new readers!