~Chapter 8~

New Beginnings

EPOV

Damn it!

My last 2 classes were slow as hell…

The kids were great, I had a hard time concentrating and sounding stern, like I was for my first few classes, because after I saw Bella, my heart was beating again, it knew love again.

I was happy!!!

"Hey bro" Emmett said as he walked into my room,

"Hey, why are you here, there's still 10 minutes left of class." I questioned.

"my kids are done, they go shower and I leave, the assistant stays and deals with all that, pretty sweet huh?

Besides, Bella wants me to walk her back down here, Jacob went off on her this morning and was being a jerk." Emmett sighed.

My kids were just looking strangely at us.

"What?: I asked my class, they all strange looks on their faces.

One skinny kid, who reminded me of myself at that age, except with zero self confidence, just the looks raised his hand." Are you really Coach Emmett's brother?"

"Yes.", I laughed.

"He's my little brother." Emmett boomed.

Then Emmett and his childish self said "Edward and Ms. Swan are in looooovvvvveeeee…"

I turned 10 shades of red and was about to deck him, when he said "See you in a few bro, gotta go pick up the package."

All the kids started giggling.

"So, who here knows Ms. Swan? I asked

A pretty girl, with mousy hair raise her hand and started speaking when I nodded. "She's been very unhappy since Christmas, well, I think longer than that, but after Christmas, she was different. She didn't smile all the way and she wouldn't let us read Romeo & Juliet aloud in class, it was to be read at home and we had a quiz on it, no book report or anything, it's been weird and she's been on this poem kick, but really stupid or depressing ones, nothing good or filled with love and defiantly, no sonnets." She sighed.

"Thank you" I replied.

She smiled and the bell rang, finally!!!

I sat down to play as I was waiting for her to come back to my room.

I started singing.

"It's a new dawn, it's a new day

It's a new life

For me

And I'm feeling good."

I looked up to see her standing there, looking so magnificent that I wanted to cry.

I rushed over to her, grabbed her hand and kissed it all the way up her arm.

I pulled her next to me and smiled into her hair 'Hi', "Glad you could make it."

BPOV

I was so glad when I saw Emmett outside my door at 3:10, knowing that Jake wouldn't dare show himself now.

Emmett walked into my class after the children filled out.

"So, how do you feel?" Emmett gave my shoulder a squeeze.

"I'm not sure, confused, hurt, angry, joyous, thrilled, excited, too many too pick from." I sighed.

"Bella, if you knew how much he's agonized over this, you wouldn't be anything but grateful and ecstatic." Emmett said, seriously.

He loved me like his little sister, he protected me for the past 8 years, took care of me, but, he'd go to bat for Edward, before me, I knew that.

"I know, not all of those feeling are for just Edward, some are for myself and most are towards Jake." I sighed.

"Good, we need to get you to Edward, before he flakes out, he's nervous as hell and if I don't show up to practice or anything on time, I don't get afternoon snack." Emmett said.

We walked quietly down the hall, when I froze, there that sound was again, again sending me into happiness.

I squeezed Emmett's hand to let him know it was o.k., I would be fine.

"You know where to reach me, if you need me." Emmett said.

I walked into the classroom and there he was, looking all wonderful and everything.

Edward walked up to me and kissed my hand, all the way up my arm, damn it, I have no self control.

He then buried his face in my hair and said "Hi, glad you could make it."

"Me too." And I kissed his neck.

I don't know how long we stood there like that, but when he finally pulled away, his face was wet, from his tears, as was mine.

He kissed my cheeks where the tears where falling and said "Bella, love, there is no need to cry, I've waited 8 years for this day and all I want is to see your beautiful smile. Your tears have haunted me for 8 years as to how I left you. I never want that image in my head again."

We sat in his office for a couple of hours just talking about collage and friends, nothing too personal, keeping it light.

I confessed to him that I'd try to keep goldfish as pets, but they always died after a couple of weeks, so after the 5th one, I gave up. He laughed a hearty laugh.

"Edward, I have to get going, I'm sorry. I have to help my neighbor out tonight, she's disabled and I do her laundry for her and sit with her for a while, I'm so---" he pushed his finger to my lips.

"Shhhhh." "No more sorry, I understand" he said and kissed my lips.

The electricity that was there when we were teenagers was still there, I blushed.

Edward gathered his things and turned off his classroom lights and walked me to my classroom.

We walked through the door and I stood there, stunned.

"What the ?" Bella started.

I picked up my phone and as soon as possible and called Emmett. Emmett wasted no chair time on things, where we were a force.

We had the flower throw up, cleaned and ready and I as I walked Bella to her car, I leaned down and smiled, kissed her forehead and told her to call me soon. What a waist.

Alice would be waiting for her at her apartment, so I could relax, Alice was a force to be reckoned with and she could hit with the best of them.

I was pacing in my living room when my phone rang.

"Alice, listen, I have an idea, but you might have to convince Bella, I'm sure she wants to be together, just not sure how much. I want tomorrow night to be perfect." I said.

BPOV

"Alice, so what do you think about Edward being back.?" I asked.

"I'm so giddy that he's here, you just have no idea. I took months of preparing to get to this day!" Alice sang.

"How long have you known that he was coming back? " I asked.

"Oh, several weeks, I helped Esme with his house and loved her exquisite remodel." Alice chirped.

Ring, ring

"Hello?" Bella answered.

"Hey love, are you o.k.?" I asked.

"Fine, we finished everything outside and just got back into the apartment, they're were no scary looking guys tonight Edward dear." Bella said.

"I just worry about you my sweet. I don't want anything happening to you. I don't know what I'd do if…"

Edward was saying and trailed off.

"I'll be fine Edward, Alice needs to go home and I need to get some lessons done, really, fine, I promise." I assured him.

I knew he wouldn't give in that easily and he'd have someone looking out for me, until I was safely with him.

EPOV

The next morning, I waited by my car, just like back in school, for Bella to arrive.

I stood there and smiled when I noticed her little rental pulling in.

I walked over to help her out and she smiled.

I grabbed her bag to carry it for her and grabbed her hand and squeezed, I walked her to her class and knew that last period was going to be the longest hour of my day and lunch the shorter,

I had enlisted Alice's help yesterday to convince Bella to come to my house for dinner tonight, Alice would be at my home today, getting everything sexy and romantic.

"Do you have the directions?" I asked.

"Yes, Alice even printed out the map, incase I'm totally stupid to were I'm going." Bella quipped.

I giggled at her and pecked her on the cheek.

"I'll see you at 7, then love." I stated.

I went home to change and look good for my Bella.

I walked up the walkway and noticed Alice had put 2 trees on each side of my front door, fully covered in twinkle lights, I opened my front door and saw a million candles and heard soft music creating a wonderfully romantic mood.

I saw Alice looking at me hopefully, I smiled and gave her a big hug.

"Thank you, this is perfect." I said.

Alice was grinning from ear to ear.

We said our goodbyes and I paced and waited for Bella to arrive.

I decided to sit on the front porch and wait.

I saw Bella get out of her car and a devious smile crossed her face.

She walked quickly up the walkway and almost leaped into my arms.

"Oh my goodness, I can't believe it, why didn't I see it when Esme was redoing this place," Bella was talking cryptic for me, I had no idea.

"Esme, Alice and I worked on this house, they told me a young, successful, degreed gentleman was moving here and wanted everything to be modern and updated with keeping costs low." Bella stated.

"They wanted my opinion on everything, from the kitchen to especially the shower," she said with a devious smile.

"I'm glad you like it, I wanted it to be everything you wished for and more.", I stated.

I led her to the dining room and pulled her chair out and sat across from her to see her beautiful face.

We ate dinner in silence, every once in a while, one of us would start to say something, but couldn't.

Finally when dinner was finished, I led her to the front room with a crackling fire.

I motioned for her to have a seat on the floor cushions and poured some wine.

"Bella?" I asked.

"Yes Edward?" she sighed and looked into the fire.

"I wanted to do this right and I don't want to screw up anymore, so I just want to get it done and over with." I mumbled.

"What? Edward? Is something bothering you?" Bella always could read me…

I reached in my pocket and motioned for her to stand up, I was on one knee and she started the water works.

"Bella, my love. I have loved you since the first day I met you and I messed up, 8 years ago and I'm truly sorry for leaving you broken and hurt, I will always carry that with me. I had to follow my dream and then so much time had passed that I didn't think you'd want anything to do with me. You'd return all my letters, wouldn't answer my phone call, etc. and so I gave up, thinking you were truly happy with Jacob, then Alice started filling me in a couple of years ago, after Jake's second proposal. Saying you weren't truly happy and telling me all about almost everything you'd, been through, right then and there, I decided had to get my life straight. Yes, I had my dream of Juilliard, but I wasn't truly happy.

So I started planning to come back here." I let out a deep breathe.

"Isabella Swan, will you marry me? I don't want to waist any time, we already know each other, we just have to become reacquainted and I know I love you and that I've saved myself for you all these years and that we'd have a house full of love to give.' another deep breath.

Bella stood there, biting her lip in the cutest way and blushing.

"Did Alice and Emmett know about this?" she said.

"No, no one did, this is all me, I love you Bella and I want you to be my wife." I stressed it as I said the words.

"Will you marry me Isabella Swan?" I pleaded with my eyes.

I knew it was sudden and I told myself I was going to take it slow, but when I was waiting for her, I couldn't I had to do it, waist no more time!

"YES! YES!" she squealed.

I was smiling and shaking, I could hardly put the ring on her finger.

"Edward Cullen, you are the most wonderfully romantic man in the world. I love you!" and she kissed me, a long and passionate kiss, a kiss I'd never experienced before.

"Do you like the ring?" I asked.

"Oh my, I hadn't really looked" she blushed.

She held her hand out and grinned.

"It's beautiful, stunning and way to much!" she said.

"It's not nearly enough for you." I replied.

I'd had it made in NY, from a small local jeweler.

His work was exquisite.

One of a kind.

I found the diamond I wanted for the center, it was 3 carats, and then I found smaller ones to go around the outside in 3 rings, around the solitaire. It was 5 carats all together. In a platinum setting.

I held her hand and kissed it and said 'forever".

'Bella?" I asked.

"Hmmm?" she said as she snuggled beside me in front of the fire.

"I love you, you're everything I ever wanted and more and I will never ever---" she stopped me by putting her finger on my lips and saying "No more sorry, remember? That means no more apologizing for the past, lets only live in the hear and now and live for the future. I want to be with you for the rest of my life and I want to have your children and grow old with you. Only you!" she kissed my lips, my nose and then snuggled into my chest.

We sat there for a few hours, just caressing and an occasional peck. Just wanting to learn each others body again.

I heard a soft snoring coming from my chest, Bella had fallen asleep.

I pick her up, took her to one of the guest rooms, pulled the covers down, laid her down, slid off her shoes, pulled up the covers, kissed her forehead and whispered sweet dreams, she snuggled into the bed.

I opted to sleep on the couch that night, incase she woke up in a haze and forgot where she was at.

I awoke in the morning to the smell of coffee, eggs and bacon.

I walked into the kitchen and there she was, cooking for me.

She had a cup of coffee on the counter waiting. "I'm not sure how you like your coffee, so I left it black for you" she whispered.

I walked up behind her and kissed her neck, snaking my arm around her waist and grabbing her hand with our new bond, I kissed her ring finger and said "Morning my beautiful princess!"

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A/N: I know… really long, it just kept coming…

I don't know what happened to my last chapter, it ended up getting all bold and underlined,

Sorry about that. Review, review…

Disclaimer: I own nothing, it all belongs to Stephanie!!!