A/N: So I goofed last chapter and said, "have a nice weekend" when it was only Monday. Here's your Thursday update. :)

Betad by the lovely Michelle Renker Rhodes.

Most characters belong to S. Meyer.

Chapter 36 – How You Seal a Deal

EPOV

"Marry you?"

She looks shocked. I don't know, maybe even horrified.

For a handful of seconds all I can think to myself is that I've fucked this up, screwed it up royally because I was in! She wanted Mel and me, both of us forever, and I went and pushed too far. So for the next couple of seconds after that, I actually consider retracting the words and my offer.

But then…no. I can't.

I won't.

Because this isn't just about us. If it were just about us, I might be able to retract and just accept living together. I'm not an old-fashioned kind of guy, Lord knows that. My parents were married, yeah, but the vows they took apparently meant jack to both of them. The hell with thick and thin, better or worse.

But…I was once lucky enough to witness something much better than that - something real: my brother and Alice's love.

No, their relationship didn't progress in that traditional, linear style. Sex was there from the start. But when Jasper sat me down that day long ago and told me that he was going to do right by them, that he and Alice were going to make a life together, he didn't mean shacking up; he meant the whole deal, the whole package. They found that apartment, moved in, got married, and had the baby.

Now, I'm not stupid enough to think they lived some kind of fairy tale, not the kind from those kids' stories anyhow. They didn't have much and had no one to look up to or to give them a hand - not even their goddamn parents. They probably had harder times than I even know about. But I think-

No. I know that in their own way, despite how fucked up it ended for them, when they looked at each other, when they laughed…I saw it there - the devotion, the determination. They were in it for life, through thick and thin. And maybe on another realm, they did get their happily ever after as husband and wife.

Husband.

Wife.

And Mel.

My niece. My responsibility now. My…kid.

It's my turn to do right by her - by her and by Bella.

So what I want to teach Mel isn't that a stupid piece of paper means a damn thing or that it can hold onto somebody that doesn't want to be held on to. What I want her to understand is that when you love, you go for the gold, for the platinum, for the highest prize. You don't settle. You don't test the waters. When you love, really love, you don't give yourself an out, a "let's try this out first", a trial period. You dig in and stake that claim permanently. You put all your eggs in one basket. You treat that love with the dignity, care and god damn respect it deserves through thickest and thinnest, no matter how fucking rich or poor. In sickness and in health 'til only friggin' death can do us part. That's what I'm talking about.

My conviction grows stronger with every second, which results in my words spoken more like a command than a request.

"Yes, Bella. Marry me."

She looks completely bewildered.

"Edward…" she chokes. I place my hand over her heaving chest, and sure enough, her heart feels about ready to race out of there.

I grab her shoulders. "Listen to me; I love you," I spout quickly, "and I know I'm no prize-"

"Edward, stop."

"No. Let me say this. I've got this disease that will always be a part of me, and it'll affect everything, even the way you'd get to celebrate your own wedding," I grimace, raking a shaky hand through my hair and drawing in an uneven breath. "I mean, I'd like to think I'm doing better, but it will always be there. Same with work - I'm doing better now yeah, and hopefully with that office bid…but right now, I'd barely be able to carry half the weight around here much less most of it the way a man should. But I'll give you all I can and then some, Bella, and hopefully someday…I'll be there. Then there's Mel, and you're only twenty-four and just starting out your career; you don't need that kind of responsibility."

"Edward-"

"The point is, I'm weighing you down with this offer, and I know it. But I can't retract it because in my head, this is right; this…is where we're headed."

I curve my hands around the skin on her smooth neck and pull her close, and her eyes, God her eyes; they're wide and glistening, moist with tears, and I don't know…I just don't know what's going through her head, but I had to get it all out there. Lay it all on the line for her so she can make an informed decision.

"But I swear, Bella, I will continue trying to be a good man for you. I'll try even harder than I have up to this point. And I will make a better man of myself; someone who may someday actually be close to being worthy of you and of Mel and of the family I want us to be. You say let's live together because it won't change anything, but Bella, I say 'marry me' because it'll change everything."

By this point, her tears are silently streaming down her beautiful, honey-toned face, lips trembling. When she shakes her head, my heart plunges to my feet.

"Are you done?" she asks.

I nod gravely, gripped by an acute tightening in my chest. My lungs have stopped functioning.

"How could you…" she shakes her head again, exhaling heatedly through flared nostrils. "Don't you ever, ever say or imply that you or Mel weigh me down. You're my anchors, and there's a huge difference there. You keep me grounded to what's really important. You're my life, both of you, and that's…" she smiles, "that's why I want to be with you always, to hold you, to care for you…to marry you."

"What?"

"And you call me silly," she smirks. "Edward, you had me the moment you swaggered into that studio all hard and sweaty from a long day's work, one moment kicking it to me and the next moment all pissed off."

A slow, hopeful grin lifts up one corner of my mouth. I gently wipe away a tear clinging to her top lip, and that smile…Jesus that smile…it radiates. Forty years from now, if I'm still alive, I'll look back on this shitty proposal, and if I remember nothing else about it, I'll remember that smile.

"So does that mean…"

"That means yes," she clarifies.

Yes.

Holy hell, she said yes.

I must look…I don't even know how I look, but it must be a sight because Bella laughs.

"Are you okay?"

"Give me a minute here." I think I smile, but I'm shaking so badly I can't be sure. I cradle her face in my hands, locking my knees and spreading my feet apart a bit to steady myself because I'm feeling light-headed.

"Edward?"

Her voice echoes as if spoken from somewhere far away…

"Edward..."

When she tilts her head sideways and locks me inside that dark gaze of hers, every moment we've spent together, and I mean every. single. one…from the moment I saw her spinning and swaying on that TV screen at the studio to this right here, her looking up at me with all this trust and love and expectation, it's all right there, in those dark eyes.

I draw in a deep breath, fill my lungs with air that feels and tastes like her, air that will always be hers. My legs straighten. My shoulders square themselves.

"Bella…I didn't plan this, not for today at least, but when I look at you, it's what I see. You're mine forever."

Her bottom lip quivers. She nods slowly, and when I press my lips to hers, she releases a long sigh into my mouth. I taste her sweet lips, top and bottom, before shakily resting my forehead on hers.

"You said yes."

She nods.

"You said yes…you said yes…" I repeat over and over, closing my eyes.

She chuckles, and I wrap her tightly in my arms because she's mine. She's mine, and she's going to be my wife. And suddenly I feel like laughing, and she laughs too because we're shocked and excited and bewildered as hell.

"Damn it." I pull away from her abruptly. "I…damn, Bella, I don't have a ring for you."

"I don't need a ring," she smiles carelessly, wiping away a stray tear from her cheek.

"Yes, you do. I swear I'll get you one as soon as I can."

"Shh." She buries her warm hands into either side of my hair. "I don't need a ring right away. We can save and find the right one. What we will need as soon as possible…are walls," she grins.

"Walls," I snort, grinning right along with her. "Yeah, we're going to need lots of those - really good, soundproof ones."

OOOOOOOOOO

We spend the next hour on that couch making plans, talking over each other in our anxiousness to get it all out there, in a daze because this morning we went Christmas shopping and now we're friggin' engaged.

First thing are those walls. Those walls gotta come up, and I assure her that between Emmett and me, we can do that quickly. Yeah, I'm volunteering him when he's already helping me out at Bella's studio, but he's got a basement he wants to finish come summer in that fixer-upper of his he bought last spring, as well as a kitchen and bathroom that needs to be completely gutted and remodeled, so I figure it'll all even out.

I just renewed my lease too, but I may be able to get out of it. It'll give that cheap-ass super an excuse to raise the rent by a hefty fraction.

So while Bella makes plans for Mel's bedroom, already talking color schemes and curtains, I start taking off some layers, beginning with her sweater.

"What are you doing?" she snorts, lifting her arms over her head to help me.

"We've got to seal this deal, Baby."

She giggles hysterically, her arms gripping my shoulders and lifting her ass off the sofa while I pull her sweatpants off.

"Oh really?"

"Really. Won't be official until then."

I reach back behind my neck and pull my hoodie and shirt off.

Bella turns around and lays her head over my lap. She gazes up at me happily, her fingers lightly skimming my chest.

"When should we do it?"

I trace the outline of her full lips.

"Tomorrow, the next day, next week - it's up to you."

She giggles again. "This summer, August, after the production is done would work. Mel will be out of school. The studio isn't as busy that time of season…" Her fingers trail down to my stomach, making it contract at her touch. "You'll be working those office buildings..."

"Maybe. That's not a given."

"You will," she grins, and then closes her eyes, throwing back her head. "I see it all already…spaghetti strap dresses, white flowers in my hair…Mel in a soft blue that'll match her eyes, and you…in a tux…oh my God, you in a tux..."

I snort. "Where?"

She opens her eyes and looks at me. "I don't care where, maybe my parents' back yard," she shrugs. "It's pretty and big enough to hold everyone. Sue will be so excited!"

"Shit, your father's going to kill me," I say tightly, just now remembering his existence. "Maybe we should rethink this."

I'm only teasing her, but she picks up her head and fists my hair, bringing our faces close. "Don't you fucking dare," she growls, making me laugh. Then she tries to pinch me along my ribcage, but the skin there is too tight for her to get a handle on.

"You're marrying me, Mr. Cullen, making an honest woman of me."

I tilt up her chin and dip my mouth close to hers again. "Bella Maria Swan," I say roughly, "you're going to be my wife, and no one's going to stop that."

She sighs unevenly, and I put my mouth on hers, my tongue sliding deep into her mouth. She groans and wraps one hand around my neck, and for a long time, nothing else exists but the taste of her, and our tongues meeting and retreating together. But then she sits up and flips over, that perfect ass of hers up in the air while she leans her face into my lap.

"What are you doing?" I breathe while she undoes my fly and slowly pulls down the zipper on my pants.

"We're sealing this deal, Baby," she murmurs, echoing me. I lift my hips off the cushions while she pushes my pants and boxers down past my thighs, letting them pool at my feet. My erection stands stiff and thick just a couple of inches from her mouth, and when she speaks again, I feel the vibration of her words right on the swollen tip.

"When I put my mouth on you, when I taste you, this deal is sealed, Edward."

A guttural groan escapes me. "I've got no problem with that, Baby."

She tilts her head sideways so that her eyes meet mine; an impishly wicked grin spreads along her face. "Ready?" she whispers.

"Yeah," I say, my heart beating fast in my chest. "Yeah, I'm ready."

Painfully slowly, Bella inches her head lower. When I feel that first lick, it tingles all the way down to my balls and then up my spine. I hiss and throw back my head, instinctively fisting my hand into the nape of her head and guiding her mouth.

She moves maddeningly slow up and down my length, hollowing her cheeks for suction, making stars dance before my eyes.

"Yeah, Bella. Yeah…"

She moans, and the sound travels up my dick into every extremity of my body. With one hand she grips my thigh, supporting herself, the other plays with my sac, around and around.

"Uhh…"

The heat of her mouth burns me, her moist tongue circles all around, and it feels...somehow it feels different, better knowing that she's going to be my wife.

"You like that, future Hubby?"

"Mmm," I barely manage because the pressure is building deep in my stomach, coiling in my muscles, blood rushing to my cock…

But no. I don't want to come yet - not like this. I wasn't kidding when I said I wanted to seal the deal.

Using my grip on her hair as leverage, I gently yet firmly ease her mouth off of me. I've got to breathe out through narrowed lips when I lose the heat and suction of her fuck-hot mouth.

She meets my gaze, the lust in her eyes almost enough to make me lose my shit right there, so I grab her shoulders and push her back against the couch, laying her down over the comfortable cushions.

"What are you…?"

Before she can finish her sentence, I pull her panties off in one go and drop to my knees in front of her. Sliding my arm under her knees, I guide them up and spread her wide, and then I bury my face into her warm core. She cries out, and her ass bucks off of the sofa, but I hold her in place with my hands splayed along her inner thighs while my tongue licks that sweet, swollen nub.

"Edward…" she whimpers. "Edward…"

Her head thrashes from side to side, hands fisted in my hair while I slide my tongue up and down her slit before plunging it deep inside. Another strangled cry escapes her lips, and she pushes in my face deeper, and I comply, hungry for that sweet nectar of hers. I work my tongue in and out of that spot, lapping her up and then hungrily sucking. She likes the licking, but when I suck her…when I suck her, she goes wild.

But we're sealing a deal here.

When she starts grinding her hips faster and faster against my mouth, I know she's getting close, so I pull my mouth away, and she looks at me in total bewilderment before I spread myself over her and plunge my cock deep inside those wet, tight walls.

"Ffffuck!" I grunt from the maddening sensation, and Bella groans long and deep, her back arching again. She wraps her long legs around my hips and uses her heels on my ass to pull me in closer. I pump quick and hard because we're both too worked up for a slow build-up.

"Sealing the deal, Baby," I say gruffly, impaling her over and over so that her back lifts off the cushions, but her face is scrunched up in this expression of pure, explosive pleasure, and she meets me thrust for thrust, our hips slapping noisily against each other.

"You gonna marry me, Bella?"

"Yes!" she whimpers.

"You mine?"

"Yes! Yes!"

"Every night, Baby. You gonna give me this every night for the rest of our lives?"

"Yes, Edward. Yes! Yes! Every night! Always! Always!"

And it hits me that I'm inside my future wife, my fiancée - between her legs, in her heart, in her mind, always...

It's…overwhelming.

When we both come together, gazing into each other's eyes, my head spins and sways the way she's made it do so from day one – the way she always will.

OOOOOOOOOO

We go pick up Mel, and before we get out of the truck, I tell Bella that I'm leaving it up to her how to handle this, the telling people portion of this deal.

"You want to keep this quiet? Think that'll make it easier to get out of it?" she teases.

"'Course not, Bella, but you know I'm no good with announcements and shit."

She smiles softly. "I'll make the announcements if you'd like. As for Rose…I was actually thinking that maybe we shouldn't tell Rose just yet," she says carefully. "With her marriage problems, it might seem like we're rubbing it in her face."

I shrug because like I said, I'm leaving it up to her.

So we spend a couple of hours with my sister and the kids, during which we mention not one word of this new deal between Bella and me, but Bella's fucking glowing, even I can see that. I have no idea how we make it out of there with spilling.

When the three of us get back to Brooklyn, we spend some time in Bella's loft, and then she sits Mel down, and I just sort of stand there in front of both of them, arms crossed against my chest, waiting.

"Mel, your uncle and I have...some news for you."

Mel frowns curiously, and when Bella tells her we're getting married, she looks like she doesn't understand at first.

Then her eyes pop, and there's this loud-pitched scream that has me covering my ears while the two of them hug it out on the sofa.

"I told you that you were going to be my aunt!" Mel yells; I mean she really yells. "I told you! I told you! Yeah!"

"When did that happen?" I ask.

Bella blushes. "Never mind."

And then Mel stands up and wraps her arms around my waist.

"Thank you, Uncle Ed." It's said with so much emotion, like I've given her an early Christmas present here. The best one possible.

I don't really know what to say, so I just sigh and hold her close.

OOOOOOOOOO

The next couple of weeks leading up to Christmas are busier than ever.

Turns out, the super's got someone willing to pay a lot more than what we're paying, so he's got no problem letting us out of the lease as of the first of the year. So we're on a deadline now, which means I'm working day and night between Eli's lofts, Bella's studio and now making a whole new bedroom for Mel and putting walls around our bedroom.

Mr. S happens to know someone on the co-op board, so we're granted immediate permission to start work, though we have to do it under S&D Contracting because as is usually the case with co-ops, only certain, pre-approved contractors are allowed to do work up here, and of course, S&D is one of those.

Meaning now I've got to accept Mr. S's help, and though on the outside I kind of balk at it, there's only so many hours in a day, and I need the help.

Bella and I have gone over the plans I've quickly prepared. We're dividing the upper loft into two spaces: one 12' x 14' room for Mel, and another 12' x 12' space that I'm turning into a proper storage area including built-in closets and shelves designed to hold Bella's studio paraphernalia and my tools and anything else we'll need to store.

So while the females go off on yet another Christmas shopping trip the following weekend, Emmett, S and I get started.

At some point, S and I are drilling side by side.

"Look, it's kind of fast," he says, and I snort because yeah, like I couldn't tell this has been on his mind since the moment we gave them the news - unlike his wife, who couldn't hug Bella and me tight enough, "but...I trust Bella…and I trust you with her."

I smirk to myself, but something loosens up inside me because…I don't even know why.

"You might as well call me Charlie now," he grumbles.

I roll my eyes at the wall and continue drilling because shit, we're back to this again, and I guess I can't very well keep calling him S when he's going to be my father-in-law.

But there's also this unexplained smile threatening at one corner of my mouth.

"Or you can call him 'Dad'" Emmett chimes in from somewhere behind us, laughing heartily.

We both ignore him.

OOOOOOOOOO

Two days before Christmas, we are fucking done with Eli's goddamn lofts.

The night before, Emmett and I finally turned in that proposal for the office job.

The entire time, Charlie and I haven't uttered one single word to each other about any of it. There are topics that are better left alone. The bid is the main one for obvious reasons.

As far as Eli goes, Bella has agreed to her parents' offer. Their lawyer is drawing up a proposal for Eli. It's something in which I can't involve myself – not yet – not until I'm at a place where I can take over that loan. That's going to be a loaded topic when we broach it, so for now, we leave it alone.

I'm paying half of the mortgage, and we're adding me to the lease. My Bella…my future wife…my fiancée – when she jumps into something, she jumps in all the way. She wants to make Mel the beneficiary should something happen to either one of us, but I tell her we're holding off on all that. She and I aren't husband and wife just yet.

Anyway, Charlie and Emmett have to go to the site this morning for some final clean-up, but I'm moving today. I haven't taken one single damn day off this entire job, so no one can say shit about my taking off today.

So we're moving and donating furniture and shit. It's three days before Mel's birthday, so she's received a whole lot of early combination birthday/Christmas presents, and I make sure she knows that my labor, plus that of Emmett and Charlie are part of her presents. We also spent an entire afternoon at Home Depot picking out fixtures for her – though if you ask Bella, she'll say most of that time was me up in the hardware section. From Bella, she's got a 32" flat-screen for her room, not to mention a laptop and desk from both of Bella's parents, and she also received new bedding and curtains from her Aunt Rose.

And our room, our bedroom now has four walls. I installed an electric fireplace for Bella because she said she always wished she had one in the bedroom, took a few feet of space and redid the walk-in closet so that both our things would fit and so that Bella and I have room to admire that beautiful body of hers while she dresses and changes. I also changed the light fixtures, added a ceiling fan, and repainted the room Cornflower Blue. We've actually repainted most of the loft because Bella still had the painters-grade white walls from when she moved in. She said she had no inclination to make improvements before, no eagerness to make changes.

But now…now this is our home.

The studio is closed this week and next for the holidays, so we've got plenty of hands in the mix to help us today: Jake, Carlisle, who's rearranged his morning appointments, Ben, who is always hanging around the studio lately, and then there's Angie, Bella and me.

Since it's moving day, Mel will officially return here after school. Bella and I have already been up to the school and filled out paperwork for her "change-of-address" as well as who's allowed to pick up Mel and what not.

So the guys and I carry the heavy shit: Mel's bedroom furniture, my tools, one two-seater that's in good condition and Bella fell in love with, clothes, and a few other odds and ends. Then we're done. Jake is doing me the favor of lugging the rest to the Salvation Army in my truck while I set up everything at Bella's place.

No…our place.

I've got to get used to that.

And Mel stares after that truck with this longing, but we discussed this last night when we made final decisions on what was going and what was getting donated. We've kept much of her parents' things, but a lot of the rest…

"We don't need any of that anymore, Mel. Better to let others get some good use out of it."

She stares off and sighs. "I know, Uncle Edward, new place, new life."

And then she picks up her lamp and a couple of teddy bears she's had since she was a little girl and walks into the building.

OOOOOOOOOO

This guy, Ben, Bella's agent, he's a cool guy, got this obsession with Star Wars going on, but it's all good. I know enough to keep up though Bella has to continually come to me for translation when he gets into his Jedi-speak.

Anyway, Carlisle had to leave, so Ben's helping me set up Mel's bed back in her new room. Mel, Angie and Bella are organizing everything else in here, and it's hot as hell with all these people in one room while Ben and I are building.

When I take off my shirt, I hear Angie's cat calls behind me, and Bella giggles while Mel says, "oh brother."

So I guess Ben gets hot too. Out of my periphery, I barely note him pulling up his Obi-Wan Kenobi faded tee shirt because I'm hammering that bed frame well and solidly. It's the sudden silence that first strikes me.

I look up, and yeah, he was a deceiving little motherfucker with those baggy vintage shirts and button downs and shit.

"Wow, Uncle Edward, Ben's muscles are almost as big as yours."

I look at Mel and smirk. "Do me a favor. Go get me the small toolbox from the hallway."

"Come on, Mellita; I'll help you," Bella says before I can ask her to do just that.

And then there were two.

"Ben, I've got this if you want to head out," I say.

"Or you can come help me, my Jedi Papito," Angie says. "Help me finish getting all these books on this shelf?"

"Sure," he says right away, dropping the wrench so fast it lands on my damn toes.

"So tell me more about this…light saber of yours," I hear her ask. "Is it big?"

"Very big."

I roll my eyes at the bed frame.

"And long?"

"Very long."

"I bet you wield it expertly."

Is she kidding here?

"I…I try my best, but…it would be good to practice with someone…"

"Oh I'm all for practice, Papi. I'm a big believer that practice makes perfect!"

I groan under my breath and shake my head, but my lips twitch.

Friggin' nutjobs.

OOOOOOOOOO

Eventually, Bella has to leave for rehearsals, and Ben and Angie leave as well, thank god, and Mel and I are left alone together in this loft that's now our home.

It's been a long day. The timing actually worked out well. She's got no school for the next couple of weeks. It'll give her time to adjust a bit.

We're in her new room. I've adjusted her TV about a hundred times until at last, it's hanging exactly how she wants it. Now she sits on the floor talking a mile a minute while she sorts through the rest of her stuff.

"Hey, you alright?" I ask, just to be sure.

She stops yapping and draws in a deep breath, releasing it slowly.

"Yeah," she smiles. "It's…weird. A year ago…Mom and I were baking Snickerdoodles for Dad because they were his favorite holiday cookies. And Dad had this bracelet he'd bought for Mom. He showed it to me, told me not to tell Mom about it." She chuckles.

"Yeah, I know which one," I say. "All that is put away for you."

"I know," she whispers.

But it's not about the bracelet. I may not know much, but I'm learning, and I know it's not about the bracelet.

"It's…different," I say because I can't say it's better for her, not without my brother and Alice.

But some things are better - so much so.

"Thanks, Uncle Edward, for all this," she smiles, hugging an oversized pillow, her eyes sweeping around her new room.

"You're welcome, Mel," I respond. "And like I said…I know it's different, but…together, we'll try to make it work, okay?"

She nods, smiling. "Okay."

"Okay," I breathe and then clap my hands once. "So…you know how to keep Christmas secrets then?"

OOOOOOOOOO

A bit later, we pick up Bella from rehearsals.

She and Mel are both excited all the way home about our new living arrangements, about plans for the future, for the summer wedding. Mel has a different relationship with Bella; more open. She lights up when Bella's around, and I'm grateful for that. It reinforces everything: the…rightness of this.

There's a new Christmas tree waiting when we get home. Bella squeals in surprise because with everything going on, we hadn't had a chance to set one up. But once I was done with things, I ran down to the guy selling trees on the corner and picked one up. It's small and not as fresh as I would've liked, but considering it's two days to Christmas, it'll do.

So the three of us trim that tree with decorations Bella had stored away, and Bella puts on Christmas carols, first familiar ones and then these Spanish, upbeat tunes to which she and Mel start dancing.

When Mel's ready for bed, she pulls Bella by the hand, and they both go up there, gazing into that bedroom like it's full of gold, and my chest…my chest aches in the best fucking way.

"She loves it," Bella says excitedly later after Mel's asleep. She sits on our bed and scans our new bedroom. "And I love this."

I turn around and lock our new bedroom door. We've got four walls and a door now. Then, with my eyes on hers, I walk back to her, taking her hand and guiding her up to stand.

She wraps her arms around my neck, and I slide my arms around her slender waist. She's got on one of those tiny, black nightgowns, and with the streaming light of the moon, I can tell there's nothing on underneath.

I kiss her tenderly. "You happy?"

"You have no idea."

"I think I do," I smile against her mouth. Then I start swaying her slowly, not the way she was dancing a short while ago, but sensually, the way she showed me one night a few months ago, a night that seems like a lifetime ago and just yesterday all at once.

"You're learning," she chuckles while we dance to no music at all. I'm probably doing a crappy job, but she's in my arms, and that's all I care about.

Gazing into those beautiful eyes, I reach up and slide her left arm off my neck, bringing it between us.

She gasps loudly when she feels the cool, metal slip onto her finger.

"Edward…" she whispers, her soft hand splayed out stiff between us, her eyes flashing between me and her ring.

"Edward, how? When?"

She starts crying.

I take her hand in mine and thread our fingers together.

"You can't really get engaged without a ring, Baby, I told you that."

She's sobbing, but she's smiling, and I feel this fullness like I've never felt before.

We kept the large windows facing the river uncovered. She likes them that way. The sunlight streams in in the mornings, and moonlight as well as the city's skyscrapers illuminate the room at night.

Right now, they're illuminating her beautiful face, showing me the way her eyes dance and sparkle. Her ring does too. It has a thin but strong platinum band with one solitary diamond in the middle. It's not big, but it's good quality, good ratings on all those C scales. My future mother-in-law has a friend, who treated me well, showed me some good ones that weren't too out there price-wise, and gave me a fair financing option.

"Edward…" she cries quietly now. "Edward…why?"

"So I could seal the deal properly," I smirk.

When I drop to one knee, she draws in a sharp breath. Taking her hand, I bring it to my mouth and kiss it lightly.

"Isabella Maria Swan..." I clear my throat and swallow nervously, reminding myself that she's already said yes. "Bella, since the day I met you, you've made my head spin, and I don't ever want it to stop. Will you do me the honor of being my wife?"

"Oh," she breathes, her sweet lips wrapped around that "O" while she breathes in and out. "I will. I so will."

In that one moment, a flash of Jasper and Alice suddenly fills my mind.

But it's not a scene from the past.

They're smiling at me from somewhere. I see it. I feel it.

I take my future bride in my arms and pick her up, and then I lay her down on our bed within our four walls where we'll begin to build a future together…for better or worse.

A/N: Thoughts?

Those of you who've read my stories before know that though we're headed to the finish line, we're not necessarily done yet!

Twitter: PattyRosa817

Link to 'Stories by PattyRose' is on my profile page.