Thanks to SusanQ, Nicffwhisperer, Kikki7, Vampshavelaws, Julie, KittyVuitton, Stephanie, Perry, Jaime, Nolebucgrl, and Sydney Alice for all of their help pre-reading/betaing and supporting my crazy ass. I'm always tinkering until right before posting and any mistakes are mine.

The Calm

"I love you."

Once the words left my mouth, my heart almost jumped out of my chest in fear I'd made a massive error. He'd told me how many times he'd shrugged off potential relationships because they'd wanted more than he was willing to give.

Had he been warning me not to move too fast emotionally?

Did I just make a huge mistake?

He closed his eyes and breathed out. "Bella." His voice was almost a whisper.

What did that mean? Was he trying to figure out a way to let me down easy?

Every moment that passed made it more difficult for me to breathe. It was as if my insides were being crushed.

I wanted to cry, scream, shake him.

The seconds passed like hours, his silence tormenting me. I shut my eyes tight, caught between wishing I could take back my words and dealing with the pain of my breaking heart.

A whimper escaped when he released my hand and brought his arms around me, pulling my body to his.

Was I going to be able to continue on the way we had been knowing my feelings were one-sided? Would he even want to keep me at this point? Was I ready to be alone again when he let me go?

I'd become dependent on his constant companionship and attention in the short time we'd known each other. I didn't know if I could give it up.

"You were spinning around in the library," he whispered in my ear.

What?

I didn't move. I didn't breathe.

He lifted his head from the crook of my neck, nuzzling my nose with his. His breath washed over my face, but I didn't dare open my eyes yet.

"There you were. Dancing around without knowing I was watching. The look on your face—you were so beautiful, so happy, so strong—despite everything you'd gone through in your life."

I was confused. I didn't understand what he was talking about.

"Why are you telling me this?" My voice shook with uncertainty.

"Open your eyes, Bella."

I did as he asked, my sight bleary from the tears I couldn't stop. He brushed away the falling drops with his thumb.

"That was the moment I fell in love with you."

I took in a sharp breath, my entire world spinning as his words sank in. I was almost afraid to believe them. But his green eyes were happy, bright.

Truthful.

"I've only been waiting on you to love me back."

I choked on the sob in my throat, crying from relief rather than sadness. I threw my arms around his neck and kissed him as hard as I could. My two favorite flavors—chocolate and Edward—combined with the knowledge he returned my affection satisfied every last one of my cravings.

He loved me.

He loved me!

I felt light, burden-free. If his arms hadn't been anchoring my body, I might have floated away.

When was the last time someone had loved me aside from Alice?

"Tell me again," I murmured against his lips.

His laugh was like music. "I love you."

Every slight, every ache, every pain my soul had ever suffered were soothed by the balm of his three little words.

I didn't know how long we kissed and cuddled and sighed and touched. Time was meaningless in our blissful bubble.

I wanted to stay locked in this perfect moment forever, but a tiny voice in my head kept getting louder and louder. Despite my happiness, the niggling questions needed answering.

"Edward?"

He mumbled something as he continued softly kissing my neck. I ran my fingers through his hair, my nails lightly scraping his scalp, and he made some sound I was unfamiliar with.

Could men purr?

I kept my giggling to myself because I really did want to ask him something.

"Edward," I started, making sure I had his attention. "Why me? After waiting so long, how did you suddenly know you loved me without really knowing me?"

He raised his head, his intense eyes boring into mine. "I knew Kate all my life and look what happened. It's clear to me now that the length of time you know a person doesn't equate to the depth you can feel for them. You bowled me over immediately. I felt more for you in that moment than I ever did for anyone else."

His fingers brushed lightly over my cheekbones as he continued.

"You want to know how I knew I loved you?" He paused while I nodded. "Well, the truth is I didn't realize what I was feeling until later. I knew before you arrived that I wanted you. I knew when you got here that I couldn't let you go."

"That's why you made up the contract? So I wouldn't leave?"

He leaned in and kissed me. "I didn't want to waste even one more second of my life when I knew you were the one for me. Once you were here and you agreed, I believed that one day you'd feel the same for me as I felt for you." He sighed and closed his eyes. "I wanted to offer you everything you'd never had before. I felt like if I didn't take control of the situation, I'd lose you."

I thought about his words while his eyes implored me to understand.

"I had to figure out a way to keep you—even if it was money at first—and I hoped eventually you would love me for me."

I took in a large gulp of air. It hurt me that he believed I'd agreed because of the money.

"I didn't say yes because of the money, Edward. Do you really think I'm that kind of person?"

Confusion swam in his eyes, and the more I thought about it, the more I berated myself. What else was he supposed to have assumed?

"Why did you say yes?" he asked.

I placed my hand on his cheek. "Because of the way I felt when I was near you. It was exciting and like nothing I'd experienced before. You wanting me—needing me—made me feel powerful. Alive." I trailed my finger along his lips. "It also didn't hurt that you were the most attractive person I'd ever seen."

He chuckled before turning serious again. "When…er…how… did you realize…?" He cut his words off, but it was clear what he wanted to know.

"I think I've known for a while now, but I only admitted to myself the night of our reception. Watching you there with all those important people, but doing everything you could to make sure I was happy…I don't know." I bit my lip, trying to come up with the right words. "I guess I realized how lucky I was to have you."

He gave me a toe-curling kiss before whispering against my lips. "I didn't know I could be this happy. I'm the lucky one."

I basked in his affection, his sappy words filling my heart so full I thought it was going to explode. "You'll be even happier when I'm pregnant."

His kisses stilled before his hand moved slowly down to span my tummy. His touch was gentle. Almost reverent. I watched as his eyes followed the same path before darting back up to meet my gaze again.

I began to fret when his forehead creased and he visibly swallowed a few times, as if he was hesitating to tell me something.

"What? Do you not want kids now?" I asked, my voice straining with anxiety.

He blew out a gust of air and shook his head. "No. God no, that's not it. I do want kids. I want them with you and I want that more than anything. I want it so bad I can taste it." He sounded almost crazed before he took a couple breaths, pressed his forehead to mine, and closed his eyes. "I never…"

I rubbed the back of his neck, trying to assure him whatever he said wouldn't be as awful as he seemed to think it would be. As long as he was honest, I could handle anything.

Except not having him, of course.

"You never what?" I prodded.

He opened his eyes again. "In my haste to keep you with me, I never really even asked if you wanted children now. I made assumptions from what I knew of you already—perhaps heavily influenced by my own wishes—that you were eager to have a family." The little lines around his eyes deepened. "Is this what you want?"

He sounded so worried, and my heart ached at just the thought of him being upset. I gave him a smile while pondering what to tell him. I had spent countless hours since meeting him going over in my head whether I'd made the right decision.

There had been times when I'd doubted my choice, asking myself why I didn't ask him to give me more time before jumping into motherhood. I thought maybe I'd agreed mostly to please him, knowing he felt he was running out of time.

But I realized that wasn't true.

Yes, a large part of me wanted nothing more than to make him happy. It made me feel good to put a smile on his face.

But that wasn't why I agreed to try for children now.

I thought back to the words he had read…the words I'd written for my scholarship submission which had asked my opinion about the important things in life.

It was the little things that meant the most to me…the little things that had gotten me through the hard times.

The way my dad's moustache had tickled my face when he gave me a goodnight kiss when I was little.

The smell of cookies baking in the oven while my mom and I laughed at the mess we'd made in the kitchen.

The warmth and happiness I felt when my dad would let me curl up in his lap while he sat in front of the fireplace and read his newspaper.

The sound of my mom's voice when she read me a bedtime story, making each character special and unique.

Those were the important things in life. Those were the things I wanted to pass on.

I had so much pent up love in my heart that I wanted to share and so few people to share it with. I wanted to make new memories to cherish.

I focused my attention back on him, leaning in to kiss his temple, his nose, his cheeks and finally his mouth. When he finally gave me a smile—albeit a small one—I started talking.

"The last few years, my only goal was to get out of Forks. I think it was partly to get away from the sadness which seemed to loom over me constantly and partly to experience new things. See something different. Be something different.

"I believed my only option to find the life I wanted was college." I snorted and shook my head. "I guess it was, in a roundabout way. It brought me to you." His arm tightened around my waist. "And yes, I do want college. I want to learn new things, try new things. But I also know it's not the most important part of my life. It's no longer the necessity I once thought it was."

He frowned a little and I laughed while smoothing out his furrowed brow with my thumb.

"You were right in assuming I wanted a family. It's not a modern notion to be married and pregnant right after high school. It wasn't what I'd planned and feminists around the world may shake their head at me because I'm young, but I think they would also applaud that I'm making my own choice. I have all the relevant information. I'm completely informed. And I'm making a decision based on what I want and what is best for me." I placed my hands on his cheeks. "The answer to your question is yes. I do want children."

His smile lit up the room and made my heart flutter. "Now? You want them now?"

I giggled and nuzzled his neck. He smelled so good.

"Yes, now. And quit worrying so much. I know you think you're getting too old, but you're not. I'm pretty sure I'm more mature than you are most of the time."

His laugh resounded in the room. "I fucking love you," he said before sucking on the skin below my ear.

I grinned, loving his words even with the fucking thrown in there.

Our legs were still twined together, one of his hands tangled in my hair while the other gripped my ass. As many times as we'd been together already that day, I couldn't believe he was ready to go again. It was probably a good thing we never bothered to put on our clothes.

"You are insatiable."

His lips returned to mine as he turned us so I was lying flat on my back. He hovered over me, propping himself up on his elbows.

"Yes, I am," he answered with a lopsided smile.

His hand trailed down my leg, lifting my knee first on one side then the other, until he was settled between my thighs.

I brought my arms around his neck, enjoying the way his body molded to mine. "Since we said I love you, does that mean you're going to make love to me now?"

I was mostly joking with him, but his face took on a serious expression as he stared down at me.

"I've always made love to you. Every single time. You just didn't know it."

At this point, I was simply a melted puddle of Bella goo on the mattress. I gripped his hair, pulling his head down to mine, and kissing him with everything I had.

He groaned, pushing into me slowly. "Baby…so good."

I understood the sentiment. There was nothing better, as far as I was concerned, than us being connected like this.

He slid his forearms under my back, gripping onto my shoulders. Our bodies were pressed together, but he was able to keep some of his weight off me. I wrapped my legs around him, my breath stuttering with each thrust.

"You feel so good." He buried his face in my neck. "Smell so good. Taste so good."

I really loved when he mumbled.

"Tell me again, Bella." His panted breaths hit my skin between his kisses. "Tell me now."

He pushed faster.

Harder.

Inside me and surrounding me at the same time.

Consuming my body and my mind.

And my heart.

"I love you."

He moaned, the guttural sound echoing in my head, gratifying me on the most primal level. His arms tightened around me, keeping us locked together.

"Edward, please." I was so close.

His teeth scraped down my neck. "God, Bella. Fuck." He panted and kissed and licked. "I love you, too."

I came apart, pleasure rolling through me. Wave after wave. He was slumped against me when I became aware again, and I was sorry I missed seeing him go off.

Mr. Smugs had a great 'O' face.

Well, his face was always pretty great.

"I don't think I can move," he said finally.

I giggled and rubbed his back. "That's okay. I like you right here."

The air from his chuckles made me shiver when it hit my sweaty skin. As we lay there, I could only smile as I thought about our future. Everything was bright and shiny.

There was nothing to fear now that I had his love.

AN: What did you think of Edward's response? Was it what you expected? Is Bella right that she has nothing to fear now?

I know this was a shorter chapter, but I'm also going to try and get an EPOV outtake to you in the next few days. I thought you would like to get into his head a little bit. I'm not sure if I will post the EPOV as a chapter in this fic or make it an entirely different story on its own. So be on the lookout for an alert either here or under my author name within the week.

Thanks again for all the readers and reviews! It's been really fun hearing your thoughts on Bella, Edward, and their decisions.

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Fic Recs:

Wisp by Cris-really loving this fic, but have tissues handy

Head Over Feet by iambeagle

Southern Comfort by JiffyKate