A/N: Set during New Moon when Bella chases Edward through the woods in an attempt to find him after he leaves her.

Chapter 7

Bella's POV-

"Isabella Marie Swan, do you take Samuel Jaxon Uley as your lawful husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish until death do you part?"

"I do."

"Samuel Jaxon Uley, do you take Isabella Marie Swan as your lawful wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish until death do you part?"

"I do."

Half an hour earlier-

"I couldn't find the tunnel."

This couldn't be happening.

No. No. No.

As I stood in my wedding dress, a beautiful white satin gown I had never envisioned myself in, facing the man who would become my husband in less than an hour now, all I could think was an escape route from this point.

I had never imagined being this worried on my wedding day. I had never imagined not loving the man that I would call my husband.

It wasn't supposed to happen this way.

I was supposed to marry Edward. He was the love of my life.

Not Sam.

I didn't even know him well enough to call him a friend!

I did not want to marry him!

"Let's just run off…"

"Are you crazy?" I stared at him in disbelief. "This is not our universe. We don't know the dynamics of this one. Where would we even go? And have you forgotten that we need the tunnel to go back? We will have to stay here in order to find that damn tunnel!"

"Let's call off the wedding."

"On what basis?"

It wasn't a bad idea, I would admit; but we had been dating since long in this universe, we would need a rather good reason to call off the wedding.

"Cold feet?"

I simply stared at him, waiting for him to continue.

"Um, I don't like some habit of yours…and it's a deal breaker."

"Like what?"

Was the man serious now?

"You are an introvert."

"As if you are a party animal!" I waved my hands in air, scoffing the words out. He was a recluse. Period.

"I don't know! I just said the first thing that came to mind."

Whatever.

"We'll just say that you changed your mind about marriage, and are planning to become a hermit and move to the mountains."

"Why me? You go to the mountains!"

"Nobody is actually going to the mountains!"

He did know that…right?

"I don't like this excuse. It portrays me in a bad light."

Excuse me?

"I am not taking all the blame."

Nope. Not happening.

"Neither am I." he smiled, his eyes boring holes into mine.

"Fine. Whatever." I spat the words out. "I fell in love with your brother and decided to ditch on you…"

"Let's be realistic now." He scoffed. "Nobody in their senses can fall for Edward. Even you have that much of a brain."

Excuse me?

I didn't appreciate the tone or the words in that sentence!

"Can we just come up with one silly reason to stop the wedding that makes sense?" I furiously demanded.

"We love one another." In this universe, yes. "We are both well settled in our respective careers." What did I do again? "Our families support this union. No family feud to moan about."

"They actually wholeheartedly support our relationship; can you believe that?"

"Would they still, were we in our universe?"

"I don't know." I trailed off. "Charlie…and I were not that close. He did not like Edward…but it was never about my happiness. It was simply a game for him to piss Edward off- a means of entertainment. And Renee, she cared even lesser than Charlie did. I guess that's what attracted me to the Cullen's. They cared. Esme and Carlisle were like the parents I never had. They listened when I talked. They cared about my feelings. It wasn't just about them. It was about me, too."

"My parents too…weren't as supportive." He hummed. "They did not wish to understand my helplessness. I did not want to be unemployed. I did not choose to be poor. I did not have a choice. I had to patrol La Push. I could not get a well-paying job that accommodated my erratic timings and need to come and go at my own will! Such jobs don't exist!"

"You know what, maybe we don't need them! Once we go back to my universe, I will come and find you. We will go and find the Cullens' together."

"Impossible! I am not living with my mortal enemies!"

"Fine. We will cross that bridge when we reach to it."

I would convince him.

The Cullens' were good. They were unlike his and my family.

"But from now on, we don't leave one another alone. Friends?"

"Yeah." He hummed in agreement. "We will get out of this mess."

"We will." I smiled in response, his eyes trusting as I found myself unable to look away. I could believe in him. He would take care of me. He would get me out of this mess.

"Bella."

"Sam."

We were ruthlessly pulled apart in opposite directions by Alice and Edward respectively, our eyes begging to not be distanced, as the two of them led us to where we were supposed to be. Him at the end of the aisle….and me…

"Bella, are you ready?"

No.

So not ready for this.

"I love you."

I stared at Charlie expressionlessly. He had never told me that he loved me before. Not in any universe.

"You have held my heart since the day I first saw you, less than five pounds but so strong and determined. You held my finger tight with all the strength you had in you…and I knew in that moment that I had been blessed. I am happy for you, Bella. Sam is a good man. He respects you and takes care of you. He will cherish you like the way you deserve to be."

"Dad…I…"

I could not do this. I could not break his heart.

"Stay happy, Bella." He kissed me on the forehead, the walk while not that long seemingly never ending.

I could not do this to him.

I could not break his heart.

Sam and I…would find a way out.

Sorry, Edward.

It was not supposed to happen this way.

I wasn't supposed to marry another.

Not in any universe.

But now I will.