AN: Thanks so much to sweet Beta, Hadley Hemingway. We adore her and send out healing thoughts for her brother and mother.

BPOV

It's our first Thanksgiving together, and I'm so excited that even Alice has been telling me to calm down. I started cooking yesterday, and Alice and I have been cooking all day to make sure it's perfect.

My dad arrived this morning. It was the earliest he could get away. He's with Edward now over at Alice and Jasper's house. Alice shooed all the men away early on. We sent Emmett and Rose went with them, because he kept coming in trying to grab whatever he could, but he came back when Alice went home.

"Emmett, don't you dare touch any of that food!" I yell out to him, as I finish getting ready. That boy has already tried to sneak into the kitchen more times than I can count today.

I know Edward is showing Jasper and my dad the classes he's signed on for. He called and had a long talk with my dad about starting college and even me paying for it. My dad simply told him that he was proud of him. I think it helps a lot to know he has my daddy's approval.

Since then, he's been a lot more easy going about it all.

Once I'm dressed, I finish setting the table. I admit I went a little overboard. As I'm setting down the food, I hear the door open. Before I can make my way out to greet everyone, I feel arms circle me from behind. "Baby, this looks really good. You're amazin'."

I lean back into him. "Thanks. It's our first Thanksgivin' together, and I wanna make sure it's special."

"We could be eatin' Spam and it'd be special as long as we're together."

I turn in his arms and kiss him. "Aw, ain't you sweet. If you'd rather, I get you some Spam…"

I squeal and giggle as he starts tickling me.

"All right, you two. Break it up. Some of us are hungry and don't need to be losing our appetites seein' this." My daddy's standing in the doorway, smiling.

I walk over to him and give him a big hug. I've been so busy, I haven't had much time to spend with him since he got here. "Hey, Daddy. I've missed you. I'm so glad you're here."

"Me too. Me too." He pats me back before pulling away. "We ready to eat?"

"Yep. Let me just tell everyone to come and sit down."

~~~~~Smoke~~~~~

The table is loud with everyone talking and laughing. It's definitely the best Thanksgiving ever so far. I wait until things quiet down a little. "Daddy, I talked to Angela the other day. She tells me you been spendin' a lotta time with Miss Sue." I raise my brow at him.

His face turns as red as the cranberry sauce. "Everybody in that town is too damn nosy."

"So it's true?"

Before my dad can answer, Edward speaks up. "Sue that runs the diner?"

I look at him and nod. "Yep. Accordin' to Angela, Daddy really enjoys her pie."

Everyone is watching with wide eyes waiting to see what my dad will say. He grabs his napkin and wipes his mouth. "Fine. I've been seein' Sue. Happy now?" He picks up his fork and turns back to his plate, indicating the discussion is over.

I know he loved my mama something fierce and it 'bout killed him when she died. I'll never doubt that. But it's time for him to find someone that makes him happy again.

I grin at him. "Yes, Daddy," I say in my sweetest voice, "I'm very happy." He looks up from his plate, and we share a smile. He knows I'm okay with him moving on.

Not one for mushy moments, he quickly goes back to stuffing his face.

Once dinner's over and the table is clear, I decide to try something new before serving dessert. "I thought we could try somethin' this year. I've seen it on TV. Maybe we could go around say somethin' what we're thankful for. I'll go first."

I make sure everyone is paying attention and okay with this idea. "I'm thankful for everyone here. My daddy, who is the best daddy a girl could have. Alice, who looks out for me and changed my life. You're the best friend and sister a girl could have. Jasper and Rose, you two are also like family to me. You've always made me feel welcome into your home and lives."

Alice starts bawling. "Oh, Bella, we love you, too."

I sniffle and wipe my eyes. "I'm not tryin' to make anybody cry." Everyone chuckles. "I'm also thankful that Emmett and Edward are in my life. You two are my family. I love you both and am happy every day that y'all were at my concert. It was a bit of a windin' road for us, but havin' you two here makes everythin' worth it."

My dad clears his throat. "I'll go. I'm thankful for this food, for my job, for the good games comin' on, and Jasper and Alice for watchin' out for my little girl. I'm also thankful for Edward and Emmett. You two have brought a lotta happiness to Bella, and I'm grateful to have you both in my life, too. I'm most thankful for my baby girl, because I couldn't ask for a better daughter. Now, somebody else go."

Emmett is sitting next to my dad, so he pipes up. "I'll go. I'm thankful for my brother, for Bella, for Rosie, for Charlie, and Jasper, and Alice, and for all this food. Oh, and for havin' such a good football season."

I giggle at his fast and sweet thanks. The adoration I feel for this boy is so far beyond anything I ever expected. I'm so glad he worked out whatever happened between him and Rose. 'Course, he's a charmer like his brother, so I knew she couldn't resist him forever.

Rose is, of course, sitting next to Emmett, so she goes next. In the shy, quiet voice that she uses she has to speak in front of people, she takes her turn. "I'm thankful for my sister and Jasper. I'm thankful for Bella and Edward. And I'm very thankful for Emmett." Her cheeks are flaming red as she finishes.

Jasper narrows his eyes briefly, and I wonder if he just got clued in to the little romance brewing, but Alice pats his hand and nudges him to speak. "Alright, I'm thankful for my wife and Rose. They're my life and make every day worth living. I'm thankful for the little sister I have in Bella and the new friend I've made in Edward. I'm thankful for Emmett and Charlie. I'm thankful for my job and for the good things we all have coming."

"My turn!" Alice claps her hands and actually stands. "I'm thankful for Rose, who I love more than life, and even though I miss our parents, I'm so glad she came to live with us. I'm thankful for Bella. She's the best friend, sister, and partner in crime. I'm thankful for Edward and Emmett who make Bella happier than I've ever known her to be. I'm thankful to Charlie for being a good man and a good father and for being here. And mostly… I'm thankful to my husband and his super sperm who has impregnated me with a little bun that will be here next year."

"What?" I can't help but squeal and leap out of my seat. "You're pregnant?"

Alice is beaming. "I am!" We hug and squeal and hug some more before we start talking 'bout names and nursery ideas and color schemes.

We're just getting into things, when Jasper interrupts. "Baby, I know you're excited, but we have plenty of time for you ladies to discuss all that. Can we finish this and get out dessert? Please?"

Alice pouts for half a second before she grins. "Okay." She turns to me. "We'll definitely get together next week and start making some plans."

"Sounds good," I agree.

Jasper helps her back into her seat before taking his own. "Edward, I do believe it was your turn."

Edward snickers. "Thanks, man. No way was I going to break that up."

I roll my eyes. "Well, go on then." I wink at him to let him know I'm joking.

"Okay, I'm thankful for everyone here. My brother who's been through so much with me. He's put up with bad cookin', no money, and havin' his brother have to learn to do things. He's put up with it all. He's the best brother I could have ever asked for. I'm thankful for Alice and Rose bein' such good friends to Bella and to me and Em. I'm thankful to Jasper for bein' a good friend and helpin' me so much, even though you barely know me. I'm thankful to Charlie who's been so supportive of me and Bella and the grandpa my brother always deserved. And Bella, my Bella, I'm so thankful to you. You've brought me more happiness than I ever thought possible, and you've given me a chance to follow dreams I buried a long time ago. I love you, baby."

I get up and kiss the man. I need to after that, even if my daddy is sitting right there. Then I head into the kitchen and start bringing out everything for dessert.

~~~~~Smoke~~~~~

After everyone is stuffed to the gills, and belts have been loosened, we all leave the table. I've kept up with the cleanup pretty good so there isn't much to do.

The men insist on taking care of what does need to be done, though, since Alice and I did all the cooking. I start to protest, but Alice won't hear of it. "Come on. We can go talk while the men do a little work. Plus this pregnancy makes me tired, and I could use a good sit down."

Once we're in the living room, and Alice has her feet propped up, we chat a bit about her news. I know her and Jasper have been thinking of having a baby, but apparently they hadn't even started trying yet when they found out it had already happened.

She informs me that I need to be in the delivery room with her and Jasper. She says Jasper is going to stay by her head because there's no way she's letting him see her lady bits all stretched out. I can't do anything but laugh at my silly friend and agree. Before we can get into much more baby discussion, the men come in and join us.

We sit around watching the games and enjoying each other's company. It's really nice to spend some time with everyone.

Jasper and Alice say they need to go once it starts getting dark. She and I make plans to meet up early next week. Tomorrow and the weekend have been reserved for spending time with my dad. After more congratulations, they gather up a reluctant Rose and the dishes Alice brought over and head out.

~~~~~Smoke~~~~~

After another helping of leftovers, Emmett heads off to his room for the night. My dad and Edward are still watching some game or at least the highlights on ESPN. I let them both know I'm going to go take a shower.

Edward still isn't in our room when I get out of the bathroom. I'm exhausted from being up so early to cook so I decide to go tell them goodnight and turn in. When I get closer to the living room, I overhear them talking. I know I shouldn't listen, but dammit, I'm nosy. What can I say? So I creep close to the door and listen in. My dad is speaking.

"… and Emmett have been good for her. She's always been a happy person, but since she met you two, she's even happier. It's nice to see."

"Well she's definitely made our life better, too. We were gettin' along okay, but Bella completes us. She makes us happy in a way we didn't even know we was missin'."

"So I have to ask, how long you plannin' on just livin' with my baby girl? I like you, but I wanna be sure you do have plans."

I can imagine Edward's eyes bulging out. I almost laugh out loud, but quickly stop myself. I should probably be mad at my daddy for questioning him, but I know he's only looking out for me. Plus, Daddy always told me that any man who can't take some questioning ain't worthy of a lifetime with me.

Edward clears his throat. "Well, sir, I absolutely plan on marryin' Bella. I just… I wanna be able to be the man she deserves. I don't feel like I'm in the right place right now. I can't even buy her a decent ring."

I hear shifting and know my dad is probably moving around. "Son, you know she don't care about a ring. She loves you. But I do understand where you're comin' from. When I met Renee, I had nothing and here was this girl who deserved the world. I'll tell you this, though. Life don't always go the way we expect, and sometimes it's over too fast. Don't waste time worryin' about trivial things. Just love her and Emmett. In the end, money won't mean nothin', but havin' people that love you and lovin' 'em back is priceless."

I feel tears leak down my face. I turn and make my way back to our bedroom. My dad is a brilliant man. He's right. I don't care about a ring. I really only care about having Edward and Emmett in my life. Sure, I love the thought of marrying Edward… someday. But I'm not in any rush. I want him to be ready. As long as he loves me and I love him, I'm all good.

I wash my face and go back out to tell my men goodnight. This time no heavy conversations are going on, just some trash-talking to the TV. I make sure my dad has everything he needs, give them both hugs and head to bed. It's been a really great day.

When Edward comes to bed later, I'm asleep, but I feel him as soon as he lies down. My body automatically responds to his and curls around him. I never used to have an issue sleeping alone, but now I never rest peacefully unless his leg is tucked between mine and my head is resting on some part of him.

I blame it on the grogginess, the fact that I can't keep my mouth shut. "You know I don't care about a ring or anything, right?"

I feel him stiffen, and not in the good way. "How do you know about that?"

Now I choose to remain silent.

He flips us so he's above me, and he has an amused smirk on his face. "Were you eavesdroppin', Isabella Swan?"

I still say nothing.

"Oh, you're not going to tell me?" I shake my head.

"I bet I can get you to talk." He leans down and nips my neck causing me to squeal out. "Shhh, baby. I don't need your dad comin' in here shootin' me."

I giggle at him. "Please. He likes you. Plus, he didn't bring any of his guns."

He laughs quietly. "Oh, that makes me feel much better." Then he sobers up. "You know I will marry you someday, right?"

"I know. Don't worry. I'm not in any hurry as long as you love me."

"Well, baby, that ain't ever changin'." Then he kisses me and more than once he has to shush me before we finally go to sleep.

~~~~~Smoke~~~~~

The next few days are spent with my dad. We show him where I usually record at, where Em's school is, the bar that Edward works at, and all of our favorite places. He's seen some of it when he's visited me before, but he still wants to see it all again.

His favorite place is the same as Edward's – Whitt's Barbeque. He loves it, and at one point, I wonder if we're ever going to get him out of there.

"Gah, Charlie. I thought me and Edward could put away some food. I think you just ate a whole cow." While I feel slightly sick from watching my dad eat all that food, Emmett's looking at him all wide-eyed like he's some sort of hero. He was already one of Em's favorite people, but I think he just went to a whole new level.

All in all we have a great time together. My dad and I go out for breakfast, just the two of us, before he leaves Sunday. He orders his Breakfast Sampler and I get my strawberry Rooty Tooty Fresh 'N Fruity.

As he fixes his coffee, he tells me, "You look really happy, baby girl."

"I am, Daddy."

He reaches over and takes my hand. "I know we don't have a lot of these talks, but I want'cha to know your mama would be so proud of you."

I know how hard it is for him to be open like this, even with me. "Thank you. You know she'd be happy for you too, right? Mama would always want you to keep livin' and find someone new. You know she was all about romance and love."

He rubs his face with his free hand. "I know. It's just hard when you've been with the one person who's perfect for you in every way. I think you've found that in Edward and I pray y'all don't ever lose each other. Just love each other every day, okay? But remember if he does mess up, that daddy has guns and knows where to hide bodies." He winks at me causing me to laugh, breaking our heavy moment.

We finish breakfast and head back to my house so he can go. After tons of hugs and a few tears from me, Emmett, and even my dad, though he'll never admit it, it's time for him to go.

With one last kiss to the cheek, I tell him to be safe and watch him drive away. I turn around into Edward's waiting arms.

"It'll be okay," he says, as he rubs soothing circles on my back.

"I know. I just miss him."

"Well, we'll go see him soon. For now, Emmett just went over to Jasper and Alice's, so why don't we go inside, and I can enjoy some of your pie." He wiggles his eyebrows.

I gasp before I bust out laughing. "I cannot believe you just said that."

"Is that a no?"

I raise a brow. "Oh, Cullen, you're in so much trouble."

He laces our fingers and pulls me to him. "Bella, I've been in trouble since I've met you, and I've never been happier."

Almost time to say goodbye to these characters… at least temporarily. ;) We hope you've enjoyed getting to know them as much as we've enjoyed writing them.

***Just and FYI … Fyre has been writing something on her own that will start posting on Wednesday. There's a special sneak peek on TLS today if you're interested. She'll also post that peek here on Mon or Tues for you guys to check out. Put her on alert if you're interested in reading it ~ fyrebyrd89 ~ she's listed in our fave authors.