Disclaimer: All things Twilight belong to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended.

Just in time for the New Year...

Bella's arrived in Denali. Let's find out what Edward's surprise is.

Edward is driving an all-terrain vehicle with the biggest tyres I've ever seen. The sky is dark as he steers, one-handed, along the narrow service-road that winds away from the town and through the dense Denali forests. His other hand holds mine on the console. The heat is turned up, I'm bundled snugly in his thermal jacket, and though so much has happened, and so much has changed, I don't think I've ever felt so happy. Or content.

"Not much further, now." He smiles at me, and lifts my hand to his lips, brushing a soft kiss over my knuckles.

I smile back. "Not much further to what? What's the surprise?"

"If I told you that..." And now I'm treated to an Edward Cullen smirk of the highest quality.

"I know, I know. It wouldn't be a surprise." I roll my eyes and he laughs, leans over and kisses me.

"The surprise is having you here," he says, turning back to the road. "Your message only came through a couple of hours ago and when I read..." He shakes his head and closes his eyes. The dashboard lights illuminate the shift in his expression. And mood. The smile slips. Contentment fades and frustration takes its place. "When I read your message I didn't know whether to be happy, or furious."

I give his hand a squeeze. "Judging from the greeting I got at the bus stop, I'm guessing you were happy."

"Ecstatic would be closer to the mark," he says, so grimly it almost makes me giggle.

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

He sighs, and then his words come fast as he changes gear. "Bella, you do realise the risk you took with this, don't you? In two days the park shuts down for the winter. No more buses, in or out. Businesses close up. No accommodation." He turns sharply to stare at me, his amber eyes blazing. "I'm out of phone range so much of the time, what if I hadn't got your text at all? What if you'd been stuck here alone with no way out?"

"Edward..." My thumb strokes softly over his skin. "I know about the close down. I'm booked on the last bus back to the airport. I'm the last guest staying at the Lodge and in two days, when I check out, they close up for the season. I knew all that when I made the bookings. It's all spelled out, clear as day, on the websites, and I organised the trip around it."

"The weather," Edward mutters. It's almost like he hasn't heard me, though I know he has. But he's on a roll, Forks-Edward style, and I'll just have to wait it out. "Did you check the forecast? There are storms predicted for next week. Blizzard-scale storms. Did you check?"

"No. But it's not next week yet."

"What if it came early? It still could."

"It hasn't."

"And the roads? The roads get icy. Even the main one in and out of town. The bus bringing you here could have skidded and crashed."

"It didn't."

He lets out a long breath, and I sense his roll is coming to an end. "No," he says. "It didn't. But you can forget taking the bus back. I'll be driving you to the airport the day after tomorrow." His jaw is set. He is not to be argued with. Not that I want to argue. He can drive me to their airport. He can drive me wherever he likes.

I reach out and touch his cheek. "This discussion feels like old times. Can we go back to being ecstatic?"

He's very still for a second, then his lips twitch. He lifts my hand and kisses it again. "I'm sorry," he says, smiling. "But I worry. That will never change."

"I know."

He gives me his crooked smile, the one that makes my heart skip. "What made you come so suddenly," he asks, softly. "Was it the letter?"

I nod. "I thought at first that it was a love letter, but then as I read, I couldn't understand why you were saying the things you were. Then I realised you would have seen me in Jared's thoughts and you were giving me an easy out, if I wanted it. I couldn't bear the thought of you thinking I might not want you." There's a sudden burning at the backs of my eyes, and I blink hard against the threatening tears. "And I knew then, it really was a love letter."

His hand tightens gently around mine. A fresh frown creases his forehead. "Yes," he whispers. "It was."

I snuggle deeper into his jacket, inhaling the scent of him. "Loving someone enough to let them go is pretty huge."

He nods, staring straight ahead. I see the slow movement of his throat as he swallows. "But you don't want to go," he says quietly, taking a sharp bend so easily I barely feel the car swerve.

"No. I don't want to go. I still want forever. With you. That's why I've come here. To tell you that to your face, so you can see in my eyes that I mean it."

Edwards turns and looks at me. Eyes locked, I feel myself drowning in his gaze, in the depths of the love I see there. A smile of incredible tenderness touches his lips. He lets go of my hand, and grazes a gentle finger along my cheekbone. Though his touch is cool, it leaves a path of heat on my skin.

"I know it won't always be easy," I say. "But I also know the good will outweigh the bad. And there'll always be love."

"Always." Then he takes my hand again, and together we change gears as he faces the road once more.

"I thought, maybe, having my world shoved in your face that way..." He stops, seemingly lost in thought. "This was different to what you'd experienced before. Different to James, or Victoria. This was my life with the curtain pulled back. And I thought, as the days went on, and after the memorial service, that you might not want my reality to become yours." He gives me a sad smile. "I'm a lot to take on."

"You've said that before."

"Because it's true."

"You're right. It is true." There's no point lying about it. "And the past few weeks have been a shock. Huge reality check. But there wasn't a second that my feelings about you wavered." I sigh and push back in the seat. My hand tightens around Edward's, and he squeezes back. "But if I'm being honest, I did indulge in a full-on pity party at first. I was completely absorbed in me. Me, me." I make a gagging sound. "There were tears. I kept asking Alice why you had to go. Why this had to happen. When would you be back. I went on and on. Then I came to my senses." I look up and Edward's face is all horror and pain.

"I'm so sorry," he whispers.

"No!" I say quickly. "No. It's not your fault. I didn't mean...oh crap. I said too much, didn't I?" And now he'll wallow. I watch him closely. Watch as he processes all that I've told him. "I was just being pathetic for a while." I pause, waiting for his reaction. "We're strong enough for me to tell you this stuff, aren't we?"

Edward inhales deeply, quickly. Then he gives a nod of his head, and a faint smile. "We are," he says. "But you weren't being pathetic. You were working through it."

Relief flows through me, and I smile back. "Working through it? Yeah, well, you can call it that if you like."

He chuckles softly, darkly. "I can't believe you're here," he says.

The grin stretches across my face. "Are we ecstatic again, now?"

"We are. Now close your eyes."

"What...?"

"Your eyes," he smiles. "Close them."

I obey, and feel the car begin to slow as it takes a turn. I get the feeling we've gone off the road and onto a track. I'm bouncing and rocking in my seat.

"Too rough?" Edward asks.

"No. Why are my eyes closed?"

"So you get the full effect of the surprise."

"And where is the surprise?"

"It's everywhere."

"Well, that's very helpful, Edward. So I could have stayed in Portland and seen this surprise?"

He chuckles. "Not quite. It is everywhere, but we can't always see it properly. I'm taking you to a place where you can get its full effect." A moment later the car stills and the engine stops. Edward's voice is soft in my ear.

"You can look now."

We're in a vast, open space and my heart is thumping as I take in the scene before me. "Oh!...wow...Edward...just, wow..." The power of speech leaves me, and my breath catches in my chest, as I stare, wide-eyed.

The night sky is lit up with thousands and thousands of shimmering silver stars. No, it would have to be millions of stars. Like the sky has been dusted with diamonds. "I want to get out and see." I want to be part of it. So I grab my gloves, pull my beanie down and my scarf up, tuck Edward's coat tighter around me, and reach for the door handle.

Edward's already there. Opening my door and lifting me into his arms. "Just for a moment," he says seriously, as he walks us a short distance from the car. "It's cold."

He's right, it is cold, but I barely notice. I'm too overwhelmed by the sky. It's everywhere. Above and behind and beside – it's all around us. There's a swooping feeling in my stomach. It's almost as if the world has dropped away, and now we're part of the heavens. No intrusion from the forest. No buildings. No competition from street lights and city neon. It's just sky, and us. If magic exists, then I've found it here.

In Edward's arms, nestled against his chest, watching the endless, starry sky, I wish I could capture this moment and keep it forever. "I don't want to move. I don't even want to blink. I never want to lose this."

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" There's a smile in Edward's voice. "When we lived in Alaska before, I used to come here and just sit for the night." He presses me closer. "I know we won't be together for Christmas, and I've not had the chance to get you the gift I'd planned, so I'm giving you this. The stars are yours. Merry Christmas, Bella."

My heart feels like it could burst. There's so much I want to say, but words don't seem enough. All I manage is a touch to Edward's cheek, and a whispered thank you. But I think he gets the idea.

He presses a kiss to my cheek. "The track ends back near the road, but can you see the mountain ahead?" I squint, and can just make out the faint, shadowy outline of a low range in the distance. I nod.

"I think so."

"At the foot of the mountain there's a lake and the reflection from the stars make the ice on its surface sparkle. The location is almost impossible for a human to access, but one day..."

"When I'm like you."

He smiles. "When you're like me."

He lowers his face and kisses me, his lips brushing softly, sweetly, over mine. The kiss ends when my teeth start to chatter. And now I notice the sting of cold against my face, despite the scarf. My body begins to tremble.

"Time to go," Edward says.

"Not yet. Just a bit longer."

"Bella..."

"Please?"

He makes a small huff of frustration. "How about I walk back to the car slowly?"

"Okay."

So he does. He takes slow backwards steps while I keep my eyes fixed on the view, drinking in every last star, burning this blazing, breathtaking image into my memory.

Edward keeps the headlights off as he reverses the car down the track and I watch as my Christmas present gradually disappears behind dense forest.

"We'll come back," I say. "And you'll show me the lake."

Edward takes my hand again. "I promise."

ooo

Doris is the manager of the Park Lodge Hotel, and she's annoyed that we've arrived so late, even though it's only eight o'clock. But Edward flashes his most dazzling smile, tells her in his smoothest voice how sorry we are, and a second later she's offering us complimentary breakfast to our room.

"You only booked for one person, though," she says, raising an eyebrow at me. "Should I make that a double booking? It adds thirty dollars to the price for each night."

I look at Edward. He hasn't actually mentioned how available he is. I don't know the current situation with Kim, yet. Does he have to go back tonight?

"It's a double booking," Edward smiles. "Two nights." His hand is resting on my back and it slowly slides lower. I feel a delicious clenching deep inside me. "And your best room, please."

"Oh, well now, that would be the Grand Mountain Suite. That'll put the price up again."

"Price doesn't matter." Edward hands over his sleek black credit card and Doris is beaming. I'm beaming too. Two nights. He can stay. His hand rubs slow circles over the small of my back and I lean into him.

Doris swipes Edward's card, tells us the restaurant is closed for the night but she can arrange something simple to be brought to us, then she holds up an envelope labelled with my name and arrival date. "I'll just put this old key back and get the new one," she says. As she disappears through a door marked 'office', Edward pulls me into his arms.

"You can stay," I whisper, smiling.

"I hope so," he says, and glances down where his phone makes an outline in the pocket of his jeans.

"Oh. They'll call if they need you?"

"I'm hoping it won't happen."

My excitement falters a little as I realise our reunion could end at any minute.

"How is Kim?" I ask, keeping my voice low. "I saw your family when they got back. Jasper said she's improving. Emmett thinks you might be home by New Years."

"She is improving," Edward says, thoughtfully. "But it's a slow process. I wish I could be as optimistic as Emmett, but I think New Years might be too soon." My heart sinks as disappointment flares through me, but I try not to show it. It's not all about me, after all. I'm sure Kim wishes things were different too. I'm sure she'd like to be home for Christmas and New Years with her family and friends.

"So, things aren't going as well as Jasper says?"

"They are, it's just..." He screws up his face. "She's still so unpredictable," he says, almost bewildered. "More than any other newborn I've seen. I thought Emmett was a handful, but this..." He lets out a slow breath and shakes his head. "Doris can't find the key," he says suddenly, nodding towards the office. "We're the only guests they have before they close down on Saturday and she thinks the day manager has already locked the other keys away in the safe. This could take a while." He leads me to a couple of comfy chairs that sit to the side of the reception area. "I'm so sorry," he says, taking my hand.

"About the key?"

Edward rolls his eyes. "You know what I mean."

"Yeah, I do. And I also know you won't stay away any longer than you have to. It's not just me that wants you to come home, right?" I lean across and kiss his cheek. He smiles.

"No, not just you." He kisses my hand then shifts his chair closer so he can rest his head on my shoulder.

"Listening to my heart?"

He nods. I press my lips to the top of his head and we sit quietly for a moment. A heavy tiredness begins to steal over me and I yawn.

"It's been a long day for you," Edward says.

Very long. But worth it, to feel his head on my shoulder and his arm around me.

On the wall behind the reception desk is a huge, framed photo of snow-capped mountains rising out of a forest. A local shot, I'm assuming. I imagine myself running through those trees with Edward one day, keeping pace with him. I wonder if he runs through them now with Kim.

"What do you do to help her?" I ask.

"We talk," he says. "A lot. And we hunt every day. Usually in a group."

"But you're always part of the group?"

"So far, yes." He shifts his head, looking up at me with his beautiful amber eyes. "I'm the fastest. I'm the only one who can catch her if she tries to get away."

"Oh."

"And of course I can see where her thoughts are headed, so I'm usually able to talk her round before she runs, but sometimes..." He shrugs and doesn't finish, but I get the idea.

"Where does she want to run to?" Edward doesn't answer straight away, but his silence connects the dots for me. "To find humans?"

Edward nods again and lifts his head. He pulls his hands through his hair as he slumps down in his seat. "And then she hates herself for it."

"Poor Kim."

"But things are getting better." Edward sighs. "From a psychology viewpoint, it's fascinating. The paper I could write..." He pauses and frowns. "We take a certain amount of ourselves with us when we change, and in Kim's case she's effectively become the thing she'd been taught to despise and fear while human. She's brought that hate with her. And she's become something that her soul mate is designed to destroy." A cold shiver snakes down my spine.

"Esme talked about that," I say.

Edward nods. "It's created a whole new, extra level of problems for her that most of us don't go through. She has so much anger about what's happened, and that anger seems to have fuelled her thirst and made it stronger. I've never seen blood lust like it."

It's a chilling picture Edward paints, and no matter how I try I can't imagine kind, sweet Kim this way. I don't think I want to.

"But her thoughts are becoming less violent since we've been here," Edward goes on. "Carmen, Eleazer and the others have been very helpful. She's connecting well with Kate."

Kate.

"Um, has that been awkward?" They'd nearly taken their friendship further, and now he knows she'd lied to him. Her and her family – they all had.

Edward gives the vaguest of shrugs as his posture stiffens. "There hasn't been much time for awkward," he says. "But we've had a conversation." His voice has become formal, cool. He shoots me a cautious look. "She and her family, they're all sorry. But Kate especially." He shrugs again, but his body seems to relax now. "There's no point to me being angry. Their lies came from a misguided belief it was for the best. Like my own family. And I can see now that Kate wasn't trying to take advantage; she was trying to be a good friend. It was me who thought of making it more, and she believed I was developing new feelings for her." He gives me an apologetic smile. "But it was only to fill the hole you'd left, though I didn't realise it at the time."

I smile and squeeze his hand. "I'd made a lasting impression."

"That you did." He squeezes back. "I'm just glad I realised it felt wrong, before I did anything I'd regret."

So am I.

"So you're okay now? You and Kate?"

"We're okay."

There's a noise from the office. Some muttering. Doris is obviously having trouble finding the key. "Do you think we should just take the Budget Room I'd originally booked?"

"No," he says, smiling. "I don't." He tucks a stray strand of hair behind my ear. "We have two days. We make the most of it."

Just two days. My thoughts drift back to why we're here.

"How's Jared?" I ask. How's he doing?" Edward sighs.

"He loves Kim," Edward says simply. "And that's overriding everything else. He doesn't care about who she is now, he just cares that she's unhappy and angry. That's what's killing him. But she loves him, too. They'll find a way to make this work. They want to make it work."

I run my fingers over the back of Edward's hand, tracing the pale blue vein that runs from his ring finger to his wrist. "I don't really understand why Jasper came home," I say. "I know Alice said you can only modify someone's moods for so long and they have to learn control on their own, and I get that, but if Kim's so erratic, wouldn't this be the time when Jasper is really needed?"

Edward frowns. "Jasper can modify Kim's emotions, but as an empath he also absorbs them. He takes on some of what she's feeling. And with someone whose newborn blood lust is so extreme..."

"Oh..." The picture becomes crystal clear.

"He had to leave."

My hand stills on Edward's. My mind tumbles with thoughts and questions and fears, all shouting for attention.

"Bella? I've said too much?"

"No." I shake my head. "I'm just thinking."

"What?"

"Edward, what if I'm like Kim when I change?" My words come suddenly, without permission, giving voice to the fear that has been gnawing at me for weeks now. I bite my lip as if I could take them back. Edward blinks like he hasn't understood. "I, um, heard her in the background the night you left that voicemail on my phone." Even now I can't keep from shuddering a little, and realisation dawns on Edward's features.

"I don't think you will be." His answer comes so swiftly and confidently, it surprises me. My jagged thoughts scatter and fade as he explains. "You're situation is entirely different. You're going into the change willingly, it's an informed decision. You're comfortable with my kind already and you'll understand the decision you're making. I think that will make a huge difference."

"Really?"

"Based on my experiences, the things I've seen, yes. Although, it still won't be easy." He takes my hand, stroking his thumb over my skin gently. "But I'll be there every second to help you through it."

I know he will. I look at his hand in mine. He's both the strongest, and gentlest person I know – he'll never let me hurt anyone. Now he kisses me softly, but pulls back slowly before I've had enough, placing one last peck at the corner of my mouth. "Doris has found the key," he says.

At last. "Good."

"Bella?"

"Yes?"

He presses his forehead to mine. "I know you might have questions, and I'll answer anything you ask, but if we can make these two days about us, and not talk anymore about why I'm here..."

"You'll get no arguments from me." I smile and push his hair back from his face, tracing his cheekbone, and then running my finger along his bottom lip. "None at all."

His eyes darken. He makes to kiss me again, but stops suddenly with a groan. He gives me a wistful smile, then stands, just as Doris appears.

"Here it is," she says, holding up the key. "Now, let me show you to your room."

ooo

For a 3-star hotel, their Grand Mountain Suite is actually a lot nicer than I'd expected and Doris makes sure to show us every detail. Edward leans casually against the small dining table while we listen to Doris list all the features of the suite, and then I politely follow her from the large living area with comfy sofa and huge flat screen tv, to the spacious bedroom with four-poster bed and panoramic view of nearby mountains. Doris points out the fancy soaps and lotions in the all-white bathroom and the tub that's big enough for two. It's all very nice, but I wonder how much longer the tour will last because right now I just want to be alone with Edward.

Back in the living area, Edward hasn't moved. He seems relaxed enough, but his fingers tap softly on the top of the table as he leans back against it. His eyes follow my every move. He quirks a brow as Doris sticks her head in the mini bar, recites the list of contents, and asks if we're over twenty-one. "We won't be drinking," he says politely.

"Oh, okay, then," Doris smiles. "Now, we have cable, and a selection of DVDs at reception." She picks up the remote from the coffee table. "I'll just show you how..."

"That's fine," Edward says. "We can take it from here."

"But it can be tricky finding the right..."

"We've already taken enough of your time." Edward gives Doris another dazzling smile. "I'd never forgive myself for keeping you from the rest of your evening." She gives an almost girlish giggle, asks what time we'd like breakfast, and then, finally, she leaves. I shut the door behind her, then turn to Edward.

"I'm guessing this suite is a lot nicer than the Budget Backpacker Room I'd booked. Thank you."

Edward pushes off from the table, dismissing my thanks with a shake of his head and a slow smile. But there's something in that smile. And in his eyes. My stomach tightens and my skin tingles. Edward comes towards me; slow steps, too smooth to be human. A shiver runs along my spine. My heart hammers in my chest. He hooks a finger in the belt loop of my jeans and pulls me to him. "I don't think I've told you yet how much I've missed you, Bella." He lowers his face, runs his nose over my throat. "Missed having your scent on me."

Oh, God, my heart might explode. My knees buckle but he catches round the waist with his arm. He lifts his face, his burning eyes devour mine. I wrap my arms around him, press myself against hard him, and kiss him with everything I have. Edward responds, his lips moving urgently with mine as he lifts me and carries me swiftly into the bedroom.

I don't get the chance to undress him. Somehow his clothes are just a pile on the floor, quickly joined by mine, and then we tumble onto the bed. Edward's lips make a hot trail over my neck and breasts, his hands gripping my hips like he'll never let go. He slides into me and I moan his name. He buries his face in my neck as he begins to move. It's not sweet or romantic, but a deep, pounding rhythm, fuelled by frantic, burning need. A rhythm that has me panting, clutching at him. His fingers claw at the sheets as his body charges to a shattering climax that brings me with him. I cry out, arching against him. He roars my name as he stiffens, and shatters above me. Then, with a deep groan, he collapses on the bed beside me. The sheet billows up around us. Edward curls a gentle arm around me, pulling me close against his trembling body. "Oh God, Bella," he whispers. "I love you."

ooo

"It has its own library?" I stare at Edward in wonder as we sit on the floor, facing each other across the coffee table. Pale winter-morning sunlight struggles through the window.

"It could be a library," he grins. "Or a second study. Another guest room. Whatever we want."

The table top is scattered with papers and I look again at the floor plan that Edward has sketched out on complimentary hotel letterhead. "The master bedroom overlooks the woods behind the house," he says. "There's a creek, just beyond the trees, and you can hear it." He grabs the pencil and adds some trees to the plan. "And the location means I don't have to travel too far away from you to hunt."

"This is what you wanted to talk to me about the night Jake arrived?" I remember the discussion about houses, and the paper he'd held in his hand.

Edward nods. "I got interrupted."

"Interrupted? Edward sometimes you are a master of understatement." I pick up the real estate brochure for 1222 Bowery Lane, that sits beside the floor plan. It shows several photos of a two-storey house on five acres of secluded, wooded land on the outskirts of Portland.

"It needs some updating," Edward goes on. "A new kitchen. Definitely new paint."

"Oh, I don't know. I've always like the idea of a lime green bedroom."

"Really?" Edward arches a brow. A smirk tugs at his lips. "I haven't."

"No?" I giggle.

"No." The smirk breaks free. "But of course you can keep the lime green walls if you want." He doodles absently on his floor plan. "And while you're enjoying them, I'll be in the bedroom down the hall. Just knock twice if you want me."

The laughter bursts out of me, and Edward grins. "And what colour will your bedroom be, Edward?"

He pretends to consider, staring thoughtfully at the brochure. "Not lime green," he finally says, and I dissolve in giggles again. "Colour scheme aside, the house is structurally sound, it's been well-maintained and it has good proportions. The plumbing works fine and so does the heating."

"I like the staircase." I go back to studying the brochure. "And your black sofa would fit perfectly there, in that alcove off the main bedroom." I can see him lying there, beneath the window, reading. Or with his eyes closed, stretched out, listening to his music. "And I love the windows, they're all so huge."

"To let in lots of light." Edward smiles and I grin back at him.

"How far from your family's house?"

"Five minute drive." His smile fades and now he looks wary. "Too close?"

"No, it's fine," I laugh. And if I'm honest, I'm glad we won't be sharing with his family. I love them all, but I'd prefer it to just be Edward and me, without six pairs of supernatural ears hearing every sound we make. But now I wonder... "Um, will we live with them other times? When we have to leave Portland?"

"No," he says. There's a flicker of something in his features, but I can't quite catch it.

"You don't want to live with them anymore?"

He shrugs and rests back on his hands, legs stretched out under the coffee table. His toes nudge mine. "I'm starting a new life. With you. They'll always be my family and we'll always live close by, but I want us to have our own place, wherever we go." He gives me a crooked smile as I smile too. "If you're agreeable."

"Sounds good to me."

I trace my fingers over the photo of the spacious kitchen. The living room has a window seat in the huge bay-window. There's an open fire place. "So you like it?" Edward asks.

"I love it."

"I thought you would." His voice is excited. "We can live there until it's time to move on, but it's location, and the style of house, means we can keep coming back to it and live there again and again over the years. If you want, I can contact the agent and arrange a viewing for you next week."

I'd like to view the house with Edward, but I also know that waiting could mean someone else buys it. Thoughts of us walking through empty rooms together, holding hands and pointing out where we'd put the sofa and the tv and the piano, begin to fade. The romance gives way to reality and practicality. "That sounds like a good idea," I say. "Actually, if you give me the number I'll call them when I get back. It'll be easier if I organise a viewing time myself." Edward nods and picks up his phone. His thumb moves swiftly over the keypad, texting me the details, while I do a quick mental check of next week's schedule. It's not good. With classes, work, and the extra shifts to make up for the ones I'm missing while here, it'll be Sunday next week before I can take a look.

Nine days away.

I feel a spark of panic. Nine days. Still enough time for someone else to buy. And if Edward is out of range when I see it and I can't give him the go ahead...

"On second thought, lets do it now."

"Now?" Edward looks up from his phone sharply. "Without you seeing it?"

"You think the house is right for us, don't you? And from what you've told me, and this very detailed floor plan you've drawn, and the brochure, I'm sure I'll love it too." Honestly, just seeing the excitement on his face as he talked about it is enough for me. "Lets buy it."

Now his face is quite blank. "You'd agree to buy a house sight unseen?"

"I've seen it through your eyes. That's enough. I trust you. I trust your judgement and I've made my decision."

His eyes spark and a slow smile curves on his lips. He reaches for his phone again while his big toe runs over the sole of my foot. I giggle, and jerk away. He grins as he types.

"What are you doing?"

"Sending an email to the agent. I'm making an offer."

The grin stretches wide across my face. I look back at the picture of the kitchen. "Red and black countertops," I murmur. "Looks like a checkers board. That'll have to go."

"It's better than the bedroom," Edward mutters as he sets the phone down again.

I shoot him a sceptical look. "Really? You think it's that bad? So if I decide not to repaint the bedroom, you'd never come in? I don't know what to think about that."

Edward's lips twitch. He shakes his head as he gives me a bone-melting look. "Oh, Bella," he says. "I think we both know that nothing will keep me away from you." His foot inches its way further up my leg. "Not even lime green walls."

"Yeah?"

He smiles. "I'll just keep my eyes shut."

ooo

The tourist trails are closed. Most of the shops in town have shut up for the winter. So when I want to stretch my legs we go and build snowmen in the park across the road from the hotel. Of course, Edward's snowman is perfect; head and body completely spherical and in proportion with each other. Mine looks like, well, I don't know, really. Maybe a small blob of snow on top of a bigger blob of snow?

"How come yours looks like a Michelangelo sculpture, and mine looks like...this?" I wave a hand at my version of Frosty as Edward chuckles.

"Yours is different," he says. "He has character."

"Actually, you're right. You've gone for the cliché while mine is a creative interpretation of a snowman. It's innovative and imaginative." As I say this, the head of my creative interpretation falls off and onto the ground. I blink at it and ignore Edward's laughter. "That was meant to happen," I say. "Performance art." Edward is doubled over, his whole body shaking with laughs. I roll my eyes, pick up a handful of snow, pack it into a rough ball, and throw it at him. It's flying straight for his bowed head, but without even looking he holds up a hand and my snowball explodes into nothing against his palm. A few flakes from the fallout settle in his hair – that's something, I suppose. I think about trying again, but my fingers are starting to numb, despite the thick, snow-proof gloves we bought from the small hotel shop. It was closed, but Doris opened up especially for Edward. That's why I'm also wearing fur-lined snowboots and a padded goose-down jacket with an arctic weather rating that's so puffy it makes me feel like the Michelin man. It has cost Edward a small fortune so we could play outside for half an hour. And even so, I'm starting to feel the chill seep beyond the fur and goose-down. Suddenly I wish I was somewhere warm. Someplace where I can feel the sun on my skin. A place where I can comfortably put my arms down by my sides. My mind floods with images of white sand and aqua water. Edward is still chuckling as he comes towards me.

"I found the bikini." Where the heck did that come from? Crap! My hands fly to my mouth as Edward stops walking. His eyes widen.

"You've been in the drawer?"

"Not to snoop," I say quickly. "I wanted to wear one of your t-shirts to bed."

"Oh."

What do I say now? He's looking at me, surprise still etched on his face. But there's some uncertainty there, too. "I'm guessing it's for me? The bikini?"

"Do you like it?"

"Yes."

"Then it's for you."

"Oh!" A giggle escapes me. "And if I didn't you'd give it to someone else?" I try to sound offended, but fail. Edward shrugs, and affects an exaggerated air of casualness. Laughing, I bend to grab another handful of snow, but in the blink of an eye, Edward is standing in front of me, taking my hands in his.

"I'm glad you like it," he says smoothly in a voice that makes me feel warm again. My heart flutters softly as I stare into his darkening eyes.

"I love the colour."

"I thought it would look beautiful on you."

"It's very small. Tiny, even."

Edward leans in close, running his nose along my jaw. "It is small," he says. "It's a honeymoon present."

My breathing hitches. "So, we'll be honeymooning somewhere warm, then?" He nods. "Where?"

"It's a surprise."

"But somewhere you can sparkle in private?"

He chuckles, a low, deep chuckle that seems to travel through me. "Mm...somewhere private, where my eyes are the only ones to admire you in your bikini. Bella?"

"Yes?"

He swings me up into his arms and starts striding through the snow, back towards the hotel. "I don't want to build snowmen anymore."

ooo

The bath water is deliciously warm and I slide deeper into the tub. Edward sits on the edge of the bath, a towel slung casually round his hips. My whole body still tingles from our love making. In the water I feel feather-light and floaty.

"I like making love in the bath." I run my hand over Edward's towel-clad thigh. "The house in Portland, is it's bath big enough for two?"

"Doesn't matter if it isn't," Edward says. "It will be before we move in." I giggle and splash him. He scowls.

"Your hair's wet."

"I'm not surprised." He pushes some strands out of his eyes.

"It was wet before I splashed you."

"That doesn't surprise me either." His gaze drifts to the bathroom floor, awash with water. "We made quite a mess." Then he shakes his head, showering me with drops of water, making me laugh even more. "Okay, okay, enough!"

He stops and grabs a towel from the rail. He holds it up for me. "It's a Wonderful Life starts in five minutes. Do you still want to watch it?"

ooo

We sit on the sofa together, each of us dressed in a fluffy white bath robe. I'm nursing a hot chocolate while Edward nurses my feet in his lap. On the television, George Bailey has just wished he'd never been born.

"So this movie is a Christmas tradition for you?" Edward asks and I nod. It's a favourite, the story of George, and Clarence the angel who is yet to earn his wings.

"Renee and I watched it together every year when I was a kid. Even last year in Florida." I take a long sip of chocolate. "It doesn't feel like Christmas unless I watch it."

"You could buy the DVD."

I shake my head. "It's not the same if you can just watch it any old time." Edward chuckles softly. He runs a gentle hand along my leg. I watch his fingers make slow spirals on my skin. On the tv, George has just had his wish granted by Clarence. "What about you?" I ask. "Do you have Christmas traditions? What's a Cullen Christmas like?" He tickles softly behind my knee.

"You've asked me this before," he says, eyes twinkling.

"I know. But that was before you knew that I knew who you were." He quirks an eyebrow and I roll my eyes. "You know what I mean. And anyway, you kept your answer very neutral."

"That's because there's not much to tell. Tree. Presents. Alice goes over the top with decorations; lights, tinsel, candles. There's a different theme every year. Last year everything was white, silver and blue." He cocks his head. "Where will you spend Christmas this year? My family would love to have you there."

"Not without you," I say firmly. "I'll go to Charlie this year." I shift a little, settling myself more comfortably. "Do you open presents on Christmas morning? Or Christmas eve?"

"Esme likes me to play the piano on Christmas eve. Carols she likes and remembers from her human time. Presents get opened Christmas morning. Under the tree." A trace of mischief flashes through his eyes. "And then we go out for Christmas lunch together."

For a brief second I'm confused. But just for a second. "Oh. You hunt together? All of you?"

He nods. "We don't usually go as a group. Only for Christmas and Thanksgiving. Then, afterwards, I usually go to my room to listen to music and read and get away from Emmett and his joke presents."

"Sounds like a real family Christmas."

"In some ways, I suppose." A soft frown shadows his features. He turns back to the television. George is learning what the world would have been like without him. His brother has just fallen through the ice with no-one to save him. His wife is a sad old-maid. "It's mostly down to Alice and Esme," Edward says after a while. "Without them I don't think the rest of us would bother, to be honest."

"Really?"

He shakes his head. "At least, not with the same enthusiasm. And for me, sometimes Christmas has felt like a hollow gesture, like we're play-acting, trying to hang on to our human pasts." He watches his hand on my leg, then lifts his eyes to mine. "But this Christmas would have been different. For the first time in almost a hundred years it would have felt real, and I was looking forward to celebrating. With you. Maybe that's the difference, having someone in your life to celebrate with." His perfect lips curve in a sad smile. "I'm sorry about Christmas, Bella. And the wedding."

"Hey, that's enough," I say quickly. "You've given me the stars. And the wedding will happen. And there'll be next Christmas. We'll choose a tree together and put it by that fireplace. And there'll be presents. Lots of presents. You'd better start making your list now so I have time to save up, okay?"

His lips hint at a smile. "Okay."

"Sounds good?"

"Sounds great." He smiles properly now, a happy grin that lights up his face.

George Bailey's running down the street, laughing, rejoicing, returned to life and wishing Merry Christmas to everyone and everything in sight. Edward massages my feet as I sink deeper into the cushions. Then he tugs on my big toe playfully. "March twelfth," he says quietly. My head snaps up. His eyes are bright.

"March twelfth?"

"Do you remember?"

"That was the day you took me to the meadow for the first time."

"It was the day I kissed you for the first time. The day I rested my head against your heart and felt it's beat."

"It's the day I knew there was no turning back."

He swallows. "It's the day I came alive." A tender smile dawns across his face. "You wanted a special date for our wedding. I'm proposing March twelfth."

Tears are pricking at my eyes. "Perfect."

He leans forward and kisses me, just as George hears bells ringing, and Clarence the angel gets his wings.

ooo

The agent says the owners of the house are out of town. He'll try to contact them, but we should know that another party is also ready to make an offer.

"Oh no!" My stomach knots as Edward reads the email to me. I set aside my dinner plate as my appetite vanishes. "We can't have the house?"

"Don't worry," says Edward. His thumbs are a blur as he responds to the email.

"Why not? What are you doing?"

"Telling him that I'll better whatever offer the others have made."

"But, we don't know what they've offered! It could be so much more!"

"Doesn't matter," Edward says, smiling smugly. "You've seen my bank account, and that house is ours, Bella. I promise you."

ooo

The endless, starry sky surrounds us once again. Snuggled in my new snow clothes, and the even newer thermal blanket, I sit curled up in Edward's lap while he sits on the hood of the car.

"Thanks for bringing me back here. I just wanted to see it one more time before I go."

I feel Edward's arms flex around me. "My pleasure." He chuckles softly. "It's not exactly a hardship to be here with you, Bella. I just don't want you to be cold."

"I'm not." Not right now, anyway. But I know it will come and then we'll have to leave. "I can't believe this time tomorrow I'll be back in Portland."

"Don't think about it," Edward says. "I'm not." But I know he is. I can hear the hint of sadness in his voice.

The stars sparkle above us, some brighter than others, and I feel like I could lose myself in them. "Did you used to come here a lot?" I ask.

"Yes." He nuzzles his nose against the small strip of my cheek that is exposed between my hood and my scarf. "Despite what I might have thought about myself, and what I'd become, coming here and looking at the stars always made me feel that I was still a part of something."

"Puts things in perspective?"

"I think so."

I snuggle closer as I keep my eyes on the sky, not wanting to miss a second of the view. "You know that spare room in the house? The one that could be a library or a second study?"

"Yes."

I turn my face to his. "I'm thinking it could be a nursery."

The gentle surprise in Edward's eyes is beautiful to see. "A nursery?"

"Uh huh." I feel the smile stretch across my face. My heart swells in my chest. "If that's okay with you."

He gives a small, disbelieving shake of his head. "After these past few weeks I'm just happy you still want forever. I didn't dare presume you'd still..."

I reach up to touch his cheek with a clumsy, gloved hand. "You can presume."

I think Edward's smile might be brighter than the stars. "A nursery it is, then," he says. And then he kisses me.

ooo

The last call for my flight crackles over the airport tannoy.

"I'll come home as soon as I can," Edward whispers. "I'll text whenever I have a phone signal." I nod, my head buried in his chest as he holds me close. Holds me like he'll never let go. I want to say so much, but I can't find the words. So I just stay close, and hold him like he holds me. Sometimes there's no need for words.

The tannoy barks again. They're starting to close the gates. I kiss Edward hard and then I'm walking past the check-in counter and through the gates. When I turn for one last wave, Edward is there, crooked smile in place. He mouths "I love you" and as the flight attendant ushers me away I see he's clutching my bookmark in his hand.

ooo

The Drum is busy for a Sunday, thanks to the Christmas crowds. We've sold out of Wiggly Wiggly Christmas, there's been a run on guitars and harmonicas, I'm getting low on electric organs and it's barely 10am.

The crowds ebb and flow. There's a lull around 11.30, when Alice appears at my counter. I've kind of been expecting her.

"Hi," I say brightly, trying to ignore her piercing glare. "You got my text?"

"The one you sent last night when you arrived back from Alaska without telling anyone you were going in the first place?"

"That's the one," I smile.

She throws up her hands. "Honestly, Bella, how could you do that? Running off to the wilds without a word to anyone? Do you know how dangerous..." I hold up my hand, stopping her.

"Your brother has already made the risks clear, and you're only annoyed that you didn't see me do it." Her scowl becomes a sulky pout and I know I'm right. "And anyway, if I remember right, you and Jasper had gone off for some alone time together. I'm assuming you had other things on your mind apart from me."

If Alice could blush I think she might be beetroot red, right about now. She fiddles with the service bell on the counter. "You still should have told someone," she says. "We all thought you just wanted space and time to yourself."

"I did want time to myself. With Edward. And I got myself there and back without incident." I hold out my hands wide. "See? All in one piece."

"I see," she says. At last she smiles. "He would have been glad to see you."

"He was." I smile back, but it's a shaky smile. "He won't be back by New Year, though."

A look of understanding crosses Alice's face. "I'm not really surprised," she says gently. "These things can be hard to predict. Especially in Kim's case."

We're interrupted by a customer wanting to buy a tambourine. Alice steps aside. Then the line grows as other customers come to purchase. I see Alice grab a nearby trombone and join the queue.

"Really?" I say when it's her turn.

"I've always wanted to learn," she says. "Oh, and can I have it gift-wrapped, please?" She turns and smiles sweetly at the people lined up behind her. There's grumbling, but Amaranthe appears at the second register and the line shifts. I send her a grateful smile and turn back to Alice, ready to make a smart remark about her sudden interest in horns.

"At least you got back before the snowstorm," she says, before I even open my mouth.

"Storm?" Something tugs at the edge of my memory. That conversation in the car. I thought Edward had been exaggerating to make a point. "There really is a storm?"

Alice nods. "A blizzard. It hit last night and it's growing and there's another one's brewing," she says. "It could go on for days, so if you'd left it until today to come back, you would have been stuck."

"Edward said there were storms predicted for next week. Not last night."

"Things change," Alice says dismissively. "Weather is unpredictable."

Edward said that, too.

"Will he be alright?"

A flare of panic shoots through me and it must show on my face. "He'll be fine," Alice says quickly. She seems almost puzzled by my concern. "Honestly. Blizzards are nothing new to Edward. To any of us. When we lived in Alaska Emmett and Jasper and Edward used to go outside in the storms and see who could throw a baseball furthest against the wind. Emmett usually won."

It's a bizarre image, but it does make me feel a little better. I remind myself that Edward doesn't feel the cold. He can't freeze. His skin is like granite. And the Denali's have a house.

But still.

"What about Jared?"

"With that thick coat? He'll be fine too. He can always stay inside if he wants to."

I suppose so.

"The worst of it," Alice goes on, "is that everyone will be out of contact for a while. The storms play havoc with communications, signals go down, and people can be cut off for days."

My heart sinks a little.

Days.

Alice puts a gentle hand on mine. "He knows you're back here?"

"Yes. We texted last night."

"Then right now he'll be relieved and happy you're safe, and not hunkered down, shivering in a hotel or an airport somewhere, surviving on stale vending machine snacks and water from bathroom taps. Think of that."

She's right. I'll think of that. "He said he was out of range a lot of the time, anyway, so communication was always going to be a problem."

She nods. "That's true. He would be out of range a lot, anyway."

"So, I guess I'll try not to worry."

"Good!" She beams at me.

I finish gift wrapping her trombone and hold it out to her. She thanks me, and as I swipe her card she asks if I'm spending Christmas with Charlie. I tell her yes.

"What about New Years?" she asks. "Jasper and I were planning to watch the fireworks from the top of the Wells Fargo Center. The view's great."

"They let people up there?"

"No," she giggles. "But we have ways. So, you'll come for a Cullen New Year? Wear dark clothes."

I smile but shake my head. "Not without Edward." It wouldn't feel right, celebrating a Cullen New Year, without my favourite Cullen.

I expect Alice to argue, and am surprised when she doesn't. There's understanding in her eyes. "The offer's there if you change your mind," she says. "What will you do?"

"Actually, I'm working here until 4.00. And then Alison has invited me to a party at her place. There's going to be live music. And a climbing wall." She practically ambushed me this morning, insisted it was going to be the best party ever and that I had to come. "I thought I might go for a while." Maybe.

ooo

Later that night I look up the Denali weather report. It seems the last lot of storms in the area lasted five days, on and off. Eight feet of snow fell. Phone lines were out for over two weeks. These new storms look like they could do the same. I pull the covers tighter around me as I fall asleep, clutching my phone, imaging Edward throwing baseballs in the snow.

ooo

I wonder about the house at 1222 Bowery Lane. The storm struck so soon after I left Denali, and Edward hadn't heard back from the agent at the time I boarded the plane. He mightn't have had a chance to do anything before the lines went down.

I spend the next couple of days debating with myself. Do I call the agent and ask? Sometimes I even pick up the phone and dial, but I always hang up before it's answered. It's like holding an envelope from the college admissions office, and being too scared to open it.

On Wednesday I give in, leave class early, and head out of Portland to find Bowery Lane. It's a long, windy and narrow road, skirting the edge of thick woods. Only the occasional road-side mailbox tells me where a house might be.

Finally, I come round a bend and see a red mailbox marked with 1222. Beside the mailbox is a For Sale sign. Across the sign is a wide sticker declaring it SOLD. My heart leaps and I start to laugh, until I realise I don't know who bought it. Edward? Or the other party? Now my heart sinks, my laughter fades and I wish I hadn't come.

Should I call the agent and ask? I reach for my phone and stop. Either way, I want to hear the news from Edward. So I turn the car around and head back to my apartment. On the way I tell myself there will be another house, maybe a better house. Perhaps 1222 wasn't meant to be. Things happen for a reason. I didn't like the kitchen counter tops, anyway.

ooo

Christmas with Charlie is quiet, as usual. There's a small plastic tree with the ornaments I remember from childhood visits and he waits for me to arrive on Christmas eve so we can decorate together. Well, he hands me the baubles while I place them on the branches. Later, when I curl up in bed, I keep imaging Edward arriving suddenly, unannounced, to surprise me. But of course, I know he won't. Even so, I sleep with my window open a crack.

We spend Christmas day eating ham and turkey, and I read the book Charlie's given me, and he assembles the new foldable fishing rod I bought for him. I call Renee. I tell her and Charlie our new wedding date and for a moment I'm swept up in excitement. My dad seems genuinely pleased we're back on track. Renee squeals down the phone. And I wish so much that Edward was here to share it with me.

Sue comes over in the evening. When Charlie goes outside for firewood, we ask each other for news from Alaska, but neither of us has anything to share. The storms in Denali have calmed, but the phone signals are still down. According to news reports, the terrain and snow have made repairs difficult and dangerous. There's been no word from anyone.

ooo

New Years Eve is much quieter at The Drum. Alison is at home, preparing for the party. Scott is in Mexico with friends. It's just Amaranthe and me and the occasional customer.

She sits on the counter, swinging her legs, examining her purple finger nails. I keep checking my phone. Just in case. Even though the signals are still down, two weeks later. "You going to Alison's party?" Amaranthe asks.

"I don't know. Maybe. What about you?"

"No," she says. "I'm going to a club. You could come if you want."

"Would I have to dress like a Goth?"

"You wouldn't have to. But I could help you out if you did. You have great skin for it." I laugh and touch my cheek. I suppose I have. "Is Edward still snowed in?" she asks. I've told people he went to Alaska to spend Christmas with his cousins, and got stuck.

"Yep." I join her, sitting on the counter, and swing my legs too. "There was another storm a couple of days ago. They're saying it's the worst season on record." And I'm starting to wonder if he'll even make it for March 12th. Whether Kim is okay or not.

"Fucking global warming," Amaranthe mutters. "I hope Edward gets on well with his family. I'd go crazy if I was snowbound with mine." She shudders.

"They get on fine," I say. "I wasn't expecting him until sometime in January, anyway." Or February.

The door opens and my head snaps up. A young couple comes in and Amaranthe goes to help them. I tidy the things under the counter.

"I think we should just close up," Amaranthe says after the couple have bought some replacement guitar strings and left. "It's almost 4.00 and they're the only customers we've had since lunchtime."

"You go," I say. "I'll close up."

"Seriously?"

"Sure."

"What about the club? I could pick you up around ten?"

"Maybe next year," I say.

She gives me a soft smile. "You miss him."

"Yeah."

"Hey, you could bring him next year. I know I've said it before, but Edward would make a great Goth."

I smile. "I'm sure he would."

She smiles too, wishes me a happy new year, and tells me to call her if I change my mind about the club. Then she grabs her coat and as the door bangs behind her, I'm left alone in the store.

It's still twenty minutes to closing time, and though I'm alone and missing Edward, I refuse to let my situation make me miserable. So I put on a CD of dance music and turn the speakers up loud.

I'm not a natural dancer, but I sort of shuffle and shimmy my way around the store, tidying things here and there, re-arranging CDs that people have moved out of place. How Willie Nelson ended up in the Abba section, I have no idea. While I work, I sing along with the music and I think of all the positives I've got going on. I have two party invitations for tonight. Three if I count the fireworks with Alice and Jasper. My wedding is less than three months away. I might, or might not, be part owner of a house, and if not, then Edward and I can have a lot of fun looking together for another one. I'm loved by the most beautiful man, inside and out, that has ever existed. And for Christmas he gave me the stars.

I'm not doing too badly, really.

The CD ends and I choose another one. An 80s English band, Madness. Edward introduced me to them. The music starts and the first track is It Must Be Love. I smile and sing along and notice that someone has shoved the wrapper from a chocolate bar into one of the guitars. Part of it is sticking out of the sound hole. I shake my head, amazed at the things some people will do, as I make my way over to the instrument aisle.

I'm about to pluck the wrapper from the guitar, when I notice something else. Something on the floor at the end of the aisle. Something that can't be what it looks like.

My bookmark.

Lying there on the carpet, just like that evening at the library.

My heart speeds as I approach it slowly, cautiously, almost like it's a frightened animal. I pick it up and yes, it's mine. Same narrow tan strip of leather. Same Celtic design. Same small inked B on the back. My skin tingles. My hands are shaking as I lift my eyes and there he is.

Edward Cullen is standing at the end of the instrument aisle. Smiling.

I can't believe he's here. I stare and I stare, thinking I must be imagining him. But I'm not. He comes towards me slowly, his smile widening to a grin. In the background, Madness are singing that it must be love, love, love.

I'm smiling too. Tears spill onto my cheeks as I hold out my trembling hand. The bookmark lies across my palm. Just like that first night...

He shakes his head. His hand grasps mine gently, and he curls my fingers back over the leather strip. "It was a keepsake," he says. "I don't need it anymore." Then he pulls me into his arms. "I'm never going to need it again."

The significance of his words hits me hard and the happy tears flow harder. Edward brushes them from my cheeks, then he kisses me.

What a kiss.

It's full of love and reunion. It's a promise that this is just the beginning of so much more. It's a kiss that sweeps me up till my legs are weak, and I'm boneless against him.

I can't believe he's real. Can't believe he's here. My arms snake around his neck as he pulls me harder against him. "I love you," he whispers when he pulls back.

It takes me a moment to catch my breath as I nestle my head against his chest. "I love you too. Why are you here?"

He throws his head back and the laughter rumbles deep in his chest. It's beautiful to hear. And see. "What a welcome," he says, and I giggle.

"You know what I mean."

We stand there in each other's arms, amongst the guitars and violins, music playing, smiling at each other.

"Jared was injured during the storms," Edward says quietly. His hand smooths over my back slowly. "Not badly. He misjudged a jump and landed badly. He broke some bones."

"But he's okay?" I remember how fast wolves heal. I've seen it with Jake more than once.

"He was fine. The bones repaired in a couple of days and he was back to himself. But Kim was beside herself. She insisted on being the one to care for him. She bandaged him. Sat with him. She prepared his food."

I can see where this is going. "She got back in touch with her human side?" Edward nods, smiling.

"It happened just before Christmas," he said. "The improvement after that was remarkable. She still has a way to go, but she doesn't need me anymore. So yesterday I said goodbye."

"But the blizzard? The snow?" He waves a dismissive hand, and I realise now, he ran through the storm to get here.

My face almost hurts with my smile. "That's wonderful news."

"It is." Edward tangles his hand in my hair. "For them. And me." He kisses me again, softer this time. Slowly. Making me shivery. "It's New Years Eve," he whispers against my lips. "I realise you might have plans. I'd hate to interrupt them."

"No," I sigh as his mouth blazes a trail over my neck. "Nothing I can't cancel."

He chuckles. "In that case, I have a suggestion."

"Mm..."

He pulls back a little, then reaches into his pocket and pulls out a key. He holds it up. On the tag is written 1222 Bowery Lane.

"Oh!"

I gasp, not just at the sight of the key, but at the brilliant joy that lights up Edward's face. At the future I see in his eyes, and feel in my heart.

"Come on, Bella," he says, and takes my hand. "Lets go home."

ooo

A/N: This is the last chapter of The Keepsake. There will be an epilogue sometime in the New Year, where we'll see a little way into the future.

Thank you to everyone who's stuck with me and kept reading, even when updates have sometimes been so long coming. And thank you for your reviews and messages, they truly mean so much to me and I appreciate them more than I can say :)

Thank you Melanie, my dear friend and beta-extraordinaire (note: only part of this chapter has been beta'd, so any mistakes are mine). Melanie has published a novel. It's called Into The Storm by Melanie Moreland. It's available on Amazon and is a wonderful read. I'd recommend you check it out :)

If you're feeling a bit romantic, I posted a Christmas outtake from my novel, Over The Edge, on my blog. So if you'd like to see what Angus and Zoe got up to on their first Christmas together, you can read it here... w w w dot suzannecarroll dot com . It's called Surfboards and Sleighbells: An Over The Edge Christmas Outtake.

If you're interested, you can follow me on twitter, suzanne_carroll and on my Facebook author page where I'm Suzanne Carroll, Writer.

Madness are a great band. If you haven't heard It Must Be Love, give it a try. It always makes me smile :)

Thanks again for all your support for me and this story, and also for the support so many of you have given my original work. I wish you all a wonderful new year, and hope 2014 brings you all you wish for.

Happy New Year! Sue