AN: Well this is it. Did it work?

This is the last chapter of Irrevocable with two epilogues to come.

Thanks as always to SarcasticBimbo, my beta and MeteorOnAMoonlessNight, my pre-reader.

I love reviews, follows and favorites and am excited to read every single one so please give my heart a little flutter this week

If there are any mistakes, they're all mine - I do re-read and tinker, always.

As always Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight. Thanks to her I haven't read anything but FanFiction for over 5 years and I'm proud to say, I'm addicted and I don't want to be cured of my love for all things related.

Irrevocable

Summary

It doesn't matter when I live my life, as long as it's with you.

Chapter 14

Edward

It had been three long months since she left, and I was beginning to wonder if somehow she had changed her mind about us. After listening to Alice describe where she had come from, I wouldn't have blamed her; it sounded as if she would be giving up so much to be with me and I was pretty sure I wasn't worth it.

In fact, without her, I returned to my old self, drinking until the early hours of the morning and neglecting work. My mother had not told father anything, as I had requested; after all, there was no sense in fighting to get him to believe what was unbelievable if it was not to be for the future.

Alice, I have to say, was very patient and spent a lot of time with Rose. They had become friends and I have no doubt that, should Bella not return to me, Alice would be absolutely fine. Despite the fact that she had left the love of her life in a future that she may never belong to, she was optimistic, always telling me that she knew everything was going to be fine. I wished I could believe that.

Alice and I had come to an agreement; we kept separate rooms, and despite our uncertain future, I made sure that she would have whatever life she wished. Times were moving on and although divorce was rare, it was not unheard of, and I was determined that Alice, at least, would have a chance to make something more of her life. To that end, I was working on arranging finances so that she had control of her own future. She urged me to wait and not make arrangements just yet, her optimism boundless.

No matter what I tried to do, it always came back to her. I couldn't find solace as I had done before, with the girls in the local bar; none of them were her and I couldn't fathom being with anyone else.

After yet another night filling myself with drink, I returned home and made my way to my rooms. Hope was diminishing, and trudging up the stairs, I decided that enough was enough; I couldn't let the situation stay as it was now. Tomorrow, I thought, would be the time to follow through with my promise to Alice and make sure her future was settled and then I would take the opportunity to travel abroad; maybe I would find some sort of peace for myself, in time.

The following morning, the sun woke me, shining merrily despite my somber mood. Rising and dressing, I entered the dining room to find my mother and father already there. Father was reading the paper and Mother was going over what I assumed were the household accounts as she finished her morning tea.

Alice practically danced into the room not ten minutes behind me announcing, "It's time," in an excited tone. I looked at her strangely but felt that the decisions I had made last night would be better discussed after the meal.

"Alice, would you meet me in the study, when we have finished here, please?" I looked at her to convey that it was definitely time to move forward.

Father merely raised his eyebrows at her exuberance and my reticence alike. Mother looked pained, as if she already knew my thoughts; leaving me to shrug at her piercing look.

Silence covered the room, apart from the clinking of flatware on china.

A gasp from Alice as she dropped her fork with a clang caused everyone to look up. Her face paled as she looked at me. "I told you it was time, Edward." Her eyes were fluttering and closing, and suddenly I knew what was about to happen. I stood and rushed to the door, closing it to ensure that none of the servants entered the room for the moment.

Alice rose from her chair, holding her arms out towards me.

My father rose from his seat followed closely by my mother. "What's wrong, Alice?" he questioned.

"It's time for me to go, Carlisle, Esme. I'm sorry for any confusion this will cause, but Edward will be able to explain—" Her words became fainter as she fell forward resting against me, a beautiful smile on her face showing she was more than ready for her future to begin.

I watched in fascination as her face transformed into that of the woman I had fallen in love with those few months ago, dressed in the same way as she had been when she left. "Bella," I whispered. My mother hovered nearby in case we needed anything, and Father? Well, he looked as if his legs would not hold him up as he sank into the closest seat.

"What—?" he murmured in disbelief, "What's happening, Edward. Who is that?" He looked from Bella's face to mine and then narrowed his eyes at my mother. "Esme, you don't seem to be surprised. What do you know about this?"

"Hush, Carlisle, I will tell you everything soon. Edward, take Bella up to your rooms and I will send Rose with some tea."

Not speaking to my father, I picked Bella up in my arms and headed toward the stairs and my room, ignoring Carlisle's questions behind me.

"Esme, who is this—this Bella—? Where is Mary-Alice?" my father's voice was querulous and insistent as he tried to make sense of what had just happened in front of his eyes.

Their voices faded as I increased the distance between us, almost unable to take my eyes from Bella's face, afraid she would disappear again if I looked away. My heart was beating faster, knowing that she had chosen me; had come to me, despite all the wonders she was giving up in her world. Reaching my rooms, I laid her on my bed, not sure what I should do for her now.

Interrupted by Rose bringing a tray of tea and food, I anxiously asked, "What should I do, Rose?"

"It's fine, Edward, she's fine," she patted my hand as she bustled around the room, closing the curtains and lighting the lamp beside the bed. "The journey will have taken a lot out of her, so her body will need a little time to recover; just stay with her as she may be a little disoriented when she wakes."

She helped me to take the 'jeans'—as Rose called them—off for Bella, so that she could sleep comfortably and covered her with a lightweight blanket.

Closing the door behind her, she left me seated beside Bella on the bed; where I sat for a couple of hours waiting for her to wake. After that, I took to alternating pacing the room to sitting on the sofa and then sitting on the bed, always watching and waiting.

"How is she, Edward?" my mother's voice interrupted my slightly despairing thoughts.

"Rose says she's fine and will wake in her own time; evidently her body needs time to recover from her journey, whatever that means!" I couldn't help the slightly sarcastic tone my voice had taken on, though she didn't deserve it. As usual, she ignored that and slipped into the room, hovering over Bella and stroking her hair back.

"She feels cool, Edward, so I think Rose is right. She will wake when she is ready; just ring down for tea when you are ready," she replied, not rising to my tone of voice. She smiled at me, laying a hand on my cheek.

She stepped towards the table and lifted the tray with the now cold tea, and headed toward the door. Standing again, I opened it and thanked her, immediately returning to Bella's side, after I closed it behind her. The day wore on and the light from behind the curtain faded into evening; still, Bella slept on.

Deciding that there was nothing to be done for now, I changed into my sleep clothes and carefully slid into the bed beside her. I shifted until my body was as close to her as I could get, hoping that when she awoke, she wouldn't think I was crowding her. Spending three months without her had made me realize that she was it for me, and despite wanting to give her room, I couldn't bear to be away from her.

I drifted off to sleep, eventually, though I slept restlessly. The dim light peeking through the curtains brought me back to awareness, to find that at some point in the night, Bella had turned toward me. We were now as close as two people could get without being inside each other. Her body was clamped to my side, my arm around her shoulders pulling her close, and her leg was thrown over me, making me very aware of just how hard I already was.

Groaning under my breath and attempting to pull away a little to ease the pressure, Bella murmured under her breath, 'Edward' and 'stay'. I wasn't sure she was awake but since I didn't really want to be anywhere else, I settled back and turned more toward her, my arms completely surrounding her. I pulled back as she sighed and I could see that she was still asleep, and allowed myself to drift again, unwilling to let her go.

Bella

At some point in the night, his warm breath fell on my shoulder. I knew it was Edward; everything about him drew me in. His smell, his voice, his face, his touch. We had moved so that he was now spooning me from behind and I could feel his erection pushing against my ass. Sleepily, I turned to face him; not that I could see much in the darkness. His hands cupped my face as his lips descended on mine, holding me in place. I was waiting for the bruising pressure, which never came. Instead his touch was gentle and persuasive, almost loving.

My arms twisted around his neck drawing him to me, kissing him back. Leaning over me, his fingers teased my already peaked nipple, tweaking, pulling and pinching. Arching my body towards him brought his mouth to cover the other side, licking, sucking and nibbling. His hand drifted south, down over my belly and into my wet pussy. I registered the sound of whimpers and moans, realizing it was me. This man was tapping into a part of me that I hadn't known existed, and I found myself so in love with him and needing him beyond any kind of reason.

My legs fell willingly open, inviting more of his touch. His fingers entered me, probing and stroking and I moaned into his mouth, writhing under his assault as his thumb rubbed over my clit.

Moving over me, he settled heavily on me, pressing where already I wanted him and slid home, so deep in me that I couldn't tell where he ended and I began. Involuntarily, my legs lifted and wrapped around his waist as he began long, slow, hard, deep thrusts, building the pressure second by second. His arms slid under me, gripping my shoulders, surrounding me with his smell, his heat; the light sheen of sweat from our bodies mingling, becoming one along with us.

His breathing was becoming heavier and more ragged in my ear, matching mine. With shocking suddenness, Edward lifted his torso up with his hands, hooking my legs over his arms, his penetration deeper. Lifting my hips each time he plunged into me, it was mere seconds before I shattered under him, my whole body arching towards him. He chased me, grunting with each thrust, prolonging my release until I thought I would pass out.

He climaxed with a roar, his body becoming rigid; his head was thrown back, brought into sharp relief by the light of the moon appearing for a few seconds, before the room was returned to its previous darkness.

There was silence then, except for the sound of our breathing. I could feel his heart beating fast, thundering in his chest against me, mine just as fast. He lowered his body next to me, and stupidly, tears welled inexplicably in my eyes, trickling into my hairline. I could not have said what they were for; my body just felt the need to release them at that moment. No words were spoken, but as Edward gathered me into his arms, pulling me close, I somehow felt that I was where I belonged and drifted into sleep.

** Irrevocable **