Here we are again … I'm embarking on a new journey of a fanfiction story. This time, we're going with a post-apocalyptic vibe. I recently watched The 100 on Netflix. I'd been intrigued to write a story based off that show/series of novels. I decided to write it for NaNoWriMo. I'm starting almost halfway through the month, but I'm determined to, at least, get something going. But, here I am in June and I'm still working on it.

Chapter Ten: On the Ark

Renee

In medical, I was working alongside Carlisle to patch up and fix the survivors. Broken bones, lacerations and contusions flooded medical. There were a few severe injuries, which we monitored closely. To be honest, we didn't want to perform surgery when the gravity was on the fritz. The engineers, including my husband, were working to fix the Ark, but it was a fruitless endeavor.

It was beyond all repairs. Also, the computer engineers and security officers were trying to break Aro's encryption code, but it was a fruitless endeavor at the moment. We couldn't do anything until we had complete control of the Ark.

"Time of death," Carlisle muttered, closing Daniel Hale's eyes, "Thirteen twenty-five."

"Damn it," I sneered, shaking my head. "I thought he had a chance."

"A pulmonary embolus dislodged and traveled to his brain," Carlisle answered grimly. "It was a ticking time bomb, only a matter of …" He covered the body with a sheet.

Sighing, I walked over to Daniel, murmuring a prayer of peace and goodbye. His wife had died in the initial destruction of the Ark, thanks to the departure of the Exodus ship. Daniel, despite being battered and bruised, carried his shattered wife to medical, only to collapse in grief when we pronounced her dead. He never regained consciousness, joining her in eternal rest.

The lights flickered before coming on fully, along with all the computer consoles.

The comm system beeped and a voice filtered through the Ark. "This is Chief Engineer Sinclair. We've broken through encryption and have gained eighty-five percent control of what's remaining of the Ark. Chancellor Swan and Vice Chancellor Cullen, please report to the command center."

Carlisle looked at me, taking off his surgical gear. "I'll get Dr. Foster to come down here and help with the injuries," he explained. "When you're done, get Esme and join us in the command center. You've got about an hour or two until you get everyone here."

"Go," I urged, practically pushing him out the door.

He left and I worked with the nurses to treat the wounded. Alec came in with Esme with more injured. We worked together to help them, but we were quickly running out of medications and farm station, which held all of our medicinal herbs and such, was one of the casualties of Aro's madness.

Alec remained in medical while Esme and I went to the command center, called to discuss our next steps in our plan. Whatever that plan may be?

Upon our arrival, Charlie and Carlisle were talking with Sinclair. The rest of the command center was filled to the brim with computer engineers, security, and the smartest people on the Ark. I strode to Charlie, running my hand over his forehead to check to see if he was okay. His skin was clammy, but he seemed okay. In fact, he took my hand and pressed a kiss to my palm. "What's the news?" I asked.

"Before Aro left, we had two thousand three hundred and two people on the ark," Charlie explained. "With our sensors, we're able to see that we have nine hundred seventy-five survivors. The rest were either on the Exodus ship or in the parts of the Ark that were destroyed."

"What about breathable air?" Esme asked. "Food?"

"Emergency rations," Carlisle said. "And the air?"

"We've got about a week," Charlie answered. "If that. The oxygen recyclers were cracked, no working water reclamation system, and we were subsisting on MREs."

"What are we going to do?" I gasped.

"Use the Ark as it was intended," Sinclair replied. "This was never meant to be a permanent solution, only a stop gap measure until the Earth became habitable. The kids proved that we could go down to the surface. We need to use the Ark to bring us to the ground."

"How?" Esme squeaked. "The Ark was twelve individual stations that are barely held together as it is. It'll come apart."

"No longer twelve stations," Carlisle sighed "More like seven and a half."

"This is why we have Sinclair," Charlie said quietly, squeezing Sinclair's arm. "He's one of the smartest engineers here and he can ..."

"I'm going to do my best to predict where the Ark will come apart," Sinclair finished, scrubbing his hands through his short curly hair. "It's not an exact science, but we should have a pretty strong chance of getting down to the ground. We'll need to break free of the outer ring, using the thrusters to break our orbit. Then, using the maneuvering thrusters, we can slow our descent once we're in the atmosphere."

"What are we waiting for?" I pressed. "If we stay up here, the people who are injured will get worse. The glitchiness with the gravity is making it difficult to treat our patients. We can't perform surgery and except causing the gravity to stop, making it virtually impossible to repair the injuries … their insides will float out, as will their blood."

"We need to do a risk assessment," Sinclair said. "Figure out where the safest places are to have everyone buckle into land on the ground. We also need to ensure we land close to Mount Weather. It would be pointless to land the Ark if we put it down in Siberia."

"We need to let Mount Weather know," Carlisle said. "How? We can communicate on the Ark with the internal sensors, but our antenna was sheared off when the Exodus ship broke free. We can't …"

"Morse code," Charlie offered. "Everyone had to learn it while taking Earth skills. The kids also learned it. We may not be able to speak to them on the comm, but cause interference in our signal in code? It'll take time, but it's doable." He knocked his hand on flickering table displaying all the damaged systems on the Ark. "We have a lot to do and not a lot of time to do it." Blinking to me, he reached for my hand. "We're going to the ground."

xx MWMA xx

Bella

I woke up with a jolt. I was comfortable and too warm. I shifted, seeing Edward curled around me. The room was dark, with some ambient lighting along the walls that glowed a soft gold. Wriggling, I managed to get out of Edward's tight hold around me. Padding down the hallway, I went to the bathroom and scrubbed my face. I looked at myself, shocked at how haggard my appearance was.

My skin was sunburnt, with freckles splashed across my nose, forehead, and cheeks. I had a haunted gaze, with dark circles underneath. I appeared to be almost shell-shocked. I'd lost a lot of weight due to the lack of regular meals, making the clothes I wore hang on me.

"Princess?" Edward grumbled, walking into the bathroom, rubbing his eyes. "You okay?"

"Where's your shirt?" I quipped, deflecting his question.

"It's warm in here," he yawned, sliding his muscular arms around my body, and nuzzling my neck. Never in my life would I expect Edward Cullen to be a cuddler. He was so rigid on the Ark, keeping everyone at arm's length.

My stomach snarled angrily, making Edward chuckle against my skin, "Come on, Bella. Rose dropped off some food for us."

"More substantial than apples?" I asked as he dragged me out of the bathroom and to the living room.

"She said something about venison," he said, opening up the refrigeration unit and pulling out two trays. Squinting his eyes, he found a small oven, turning it on. While he worked in the kitchenette, I curled up on the couch, using his jacket as a blanket. Outside of the bedroom, it was cool. I shivered as I stared, unseeing, into the kitchen. He sat down next to me, tucking me to his side and giving me some water. "Dinner will take a few minutes to heat up. We've got some time. I noticed you deflected my question, Princess. I'm not that easily distracted. Talk to me, Bella."

"It was like my mind just shut down. I was overjoyed when I found out my parents were okay. I'm beyond … ecstatic," I said, thinking for a few moments. "But, this past month has been a myriad of emotions. I … I'm overwhelmed, Edward. My mind and body have been through the ringer. In the bathroom, I took a moment to look at myself and I'm not healthy. I'm malnourished, sunburnt and … to be honest, I feel so disgusting. I'm ugly. It's vain, but it's how I feel."

"Princess," Edward chided, moving me so I was perched on his lap. My legs were astride his hips, holding us in an intimate position. "You're the farthest thing from ugly or disgusting. We've all lost weight because of lack of food, but now that we're here and have access to more nutritious meals, that'll change."

"I'm so fucking tired of being strong for everyone else," I whispered, tears tracking down my tight cheeks. The sunburn was really bothering me. "Making all the decisions, protecting everyone …"

Edward's large hands cupped my face and he gently wiped away my tears. "You're not alone. Yes, you're fucking strong. Hell, you put me to shame."

"Edward," I huffed.

"Stop, Princess. You have the grit. You don't stop until the job is done. But, you got us here. We've got shelter, a home and protection for the winter. Now that we're all here, we can share the mantle of responsibility. Let me take some of your burden, Bella," he breathed. "We're together?"

"Yes. I never thought I'd say it, but we're together. Our history on the Ark, we had quite the adversarial relationship. But, down here? I feel closer to you than I do to Rose, who was essentially my sister," I snorted. "You're … everything to me. If you weren't here, I don't know if I'd still be." I shrugged my shoulders, almost ashamed of what I was saying.

"Isabella Swan, a world without you in it … don't ever say that again," he growled, pulling me closer to his strong body. "You're the embodiment of goodness and I don't know what I'd do if I lost you. Promise me that you'll never say that and that if you feel overwhelmed, you'll come find me or Rose or …"

"Edward, I'm just having a weepy girl moment," I said.

"Promise me," he repeated, pressing his forehead to mine with his hands cupping my face. "Bella, please?"

"I promise," I whispered, sliding my hands up his smooth skin of his shoulders and twining my fingers into his newly shorn hair. He relaxed, kissing my lips gently. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize. Don't ever apologize for talking to me about how you feel," he murmured. The oven dinged in our kitchenette. He moved me off his lap and got up, taking out our meals. The savory scent of dinner filled the suite. Edward carried the meals to the table. He sat down on the floor, handing me kitchen utensils. "Dig in, Princess."

I slid down next to him, licking my lips at the decadent smells from our meal. "What is this meat?"

"Venison," Edward answered. "At least, that's what Rose said when she dropped it off." He cut into the meat, moaning when he put it into his mouth. "Fuck me."

I blushed, shooting him a look. "Um, not tonight, Cullen."

"Sorry," he laughed anxiously. "That's not what I meant … I … this is delicious. I thought the rabbit was good, but this? Oh my God … eating real meat and not plant-based proteins?"

I giggled, tucking into the meal, and having the same reaction to the venison. We devoured our dinner, splitting another apple for dessert. I yawned, shivering at the chill in the air. "I shouldn't be this tired."

"We've been living on adrenaline for the past month. Our bodies need time to recuperate, Bella," Edward said, placing the stack of clean plates and tray onto the counter. "Let's get some more sleep. From what I've read on the tablet, breakfast is served at eight. I know you want to talk more with Rose about what we learned today."

"Yeah," I said. "I mean, I just shut down. After hearing both of our parents are okay, my brain went a little haywire."

"Again, we've been surviving on adrenaline. You're a doctor. You know how a human body reacts to stress," he smirked, reaching for my hand. "Come on. We've got a ginormous bed to curl up in … It's like sleeping on a cloud. I swear."

Placing my hand in his, he pulled me to my feet and swept me into his arms. "Edward! I'm not too tired that I can't walk," I chided.

He just gave me a grin, making him look so young and carefree. "Humor me, Princess." Striding back to our room, he lay me down on the bed. He kissed me sweetly and changed out of his clothes, leaving him wearing nothing but a pair of dark grey boxer briefs. I was trying to contain my drool at seeing his toned, muscular body as he pulled back the covers after he'd turned off the lights, leaving on the soft ambient lighting in the room. I shimmied out of my pants and kept on the t-shirt. He lay on his side. "Are you okay? I mean … with the news of our parents and the Ark?"

"I don't know," I shrugged. "I mean, I'm happy they're okay, but this crazy idea to bring the Ark down to the ground? It's almost as crazy as Aro's plan with the Exodus ship. It could end up … in the same situation." I frowned, focusing on his neck. "It's what woke me up."

"Explain, Princess," he whispered.

"I had a nightmare that ended in the Ark crashing to the ground and there were no survivors, only a crater of destroyed tech, broken bones and melted, twisted metal," I choked out. "It was so real." I moved closer, sliding my hands along his warm, smooth skin. He enfolded me into his arms, surrounding me with his protection, his strength. "I'm afraid to fall back asleep … only to have the nightmare return."

"It's only a nightmare, Bella. It hasn't come to fruition," he murmured, idly scratching my back. With each pass, I felt my body melt into his. "We're not alone. We're together … if you need me, I'm here."

"I'm sorry, I'm a mess," I huffed, pressing my ear to his chest, and listening to the steady thrum of his heartbeat.

"This whole situation is a mess, Bella," he snorted humorlessly. "Now, try to sleep. We both need it." His fingers slid under my shirt, tracing nonsensical designs on my back, which, along with his heartbeat and warm body, eventually lulled me back to sleep.

Thankfully, no nightmares came.

xx MWMA xx

Edward

Early the next morning, we both woke up and got ready for the day. Bella was slightly better, not as shaken as she was the night before. The haunted look in her eyes was missing, but she was emotional, tears welling every so often. Hell, I probably had the same expression on my face. Even more so after she said that she was tired of being strong for everyone else, but who was strong for her? What was the point?

I couldn't lose her.

We were probably dealing with PTSD or whatever it was called, along with exhaustion, sleep deprivation and malnutrition. I also recognized that I was clinging to Bella in a way that was more than likely unhealthy, but something about her made me want to shelter her from the pain. She also needed me, as well. Her hold on me while we slept was bordering on being too tight, terrified that I'd leave her.

That wasn't going to happen.

Not if I had any choice in the decision.

There may be instances where I'd need to go on a scouting mission, but I'd fight my way back to her.

A quiet knock on the door interrupted our morning. Bella padded to the door as I was tying my boots. Rose, Emmett, and Lauren were on our doorstep. "Good morning," Bella said. "Everything okay?"

"Yes," Rose nodded. "We just wanted to talk to you and Edward before we head to breakfast. We're waiting for one more, Jasper Whitlock."

"He loves his weed," Emmett deadpanned as they walked in. "He found a natural source about two kilometers from here, an entire field of marijuana. Granted, he's working on using it more for its … high … but, he was adamant on testing the product."

"Marijuana has medicinal uses, as does the various parts of the plant," Bella sighed. "CBD derivatives have natural pain killers, along with easing anxiety and …" She stopped speaking as she sat down on the chair. "Sorry, I could have used some CBD last night. I was a fucking mess."

"Girl, we all are," Rose snorted humorlessly. "I'm lucky if I sleep four hours a night and I get nightmares, which lead to me sleep walking."

"I found her this morning in the shower. Thankfully, it was turned off, but she was propped up against the wall of the stall," Emmett murmured, giving Rose a sad smile.

"Once I get a chance to get medical set up, I want to do a physical and psychological wellness check on everyone," Bella said. "We're all fucked up. Hell, we may all have to partake in some weed to calm our asses down."

There was another knock on our suite door, and I let Jasper inside. His eyes were red-rimmed, but he looked ready for whatever we were going to discuss. "So, what's the deal?" I asked.

"We need to establish some sort of power structure here. All of us in this room are being looked at as leaders, to be honest," Rose said. "No one would touch medical because Bella is the most advanced physician down here on the ground."

"I'm not a doctor, yet," Bella argued.

"You are. All you needed was to take your final test and you'd be a doctor in the eyes of the Ark, Bells. But, we don't have that luxury," Rose smirked. "Lauren has been holding down the fort in the Command Center, handling the technological problems and I've been taking over the engineering aspect of Mount Weather, maintaining its vital systems like the hydroelectric generator, ventilation and power distribution."

"I've taken mechanics under my wing, working closely with Rosie. I've been trying to bring everything back up to the standards we had on the Ark," Emmett said.

"Jasper? Why don't you explain your plans?" Rose encouraged.

"Right," Jasper said, clearing his throat. "With my team, we're working on the hydroponic farm and food stores. Every day, we're going out on hunting trips, gathering kills and seeds for next spring. Obviously, with the weather changing, our fresh fruit and vegetable options are minimal. We have to use what we have in the seed bank, which is a lot of root vegetables and squash. I'm working on growing medicinal herbs to help with replenishing what's more than likely expired in the medical bay, but we didn't access anything in medical without permission. I'm also poring over the resources in the Mount Weather database for making natural medications and what plants are good for what.

"Now, I know you all see me as this pot head, but we've got eighty some odd people down here, who will need to be fed, medicated and cleaned for at least six months before things start growing again," he finished, blowing a blonde curl from his forehead.

"Do you think we should have a rationing system?" Bella asked.

"I need to do some more inventory and once I figure out how much we have, along with what our projected needs will be, I can let you know," Jasper explained, nodding his head. "I also know that there's something going on with Ark. Rumors are going around and we have more people joining us, making it even more imperative that we need to make the most of the time we have to get as much as possible."

"Sounds like a solid plan. I'm honestly surprised, Jasper," Bella breathed. "I mean …"

"No, I get it. I was thrown into the sky box because of my choices to get high and stupid, but I was good at my job on Farm Station," Jasper shrugged. "I can also make a killer moonshine. It'll get you drunk in one taste."

"Good to know," Emmett laughed. "But, let's hold off on making of that for the time being."

"We couldn't, even if we wanted to. You need corn. We're currently working on creating a crop in the hydroponic farm, but it'll be at least three months before it's ready," Jasper smirked. "I'm working on an ale and an apple cider with what we've got."

"At least, we won't go hungry," Lauren snickered. "I shared most of my recipes with Jasper's team and with people working in the kitchens since I'll be in the command center, making sure all this works with Rosalie, plus making sure that everyone is safe, with the security team."

"Edward, with your obvious expertise on security, you'll be the head of that," Rose said. "You'll be working with Lauren and a security detail."

"Sounds like a solid plan," Bella smiled. "We have department heads and a loose plan as to what needs to get done."

"We also need a head of state," Rose pushed. "Someone who's in charge of everything … a chancellor or president, which is what they called the leader of United States, the government that created this bunker." Rose looked pointedly at Bella, who paled. "You got us here, Bella. It was you and your tenacity that got us inside."

"I …" she choked out. "I … don't know. A lot of people are pissed at my dad who was the Chancellor on the Ark and look where that got him. He was almost assassinated."

I moved to Bella, sitting down next to her, and pulling her into my arms. "Might I suggest a compromise?" I asked.

"Go ahead," Rose nodded.

"A vote … like on the Ark. All of the department heads are eligible for the role of Chancellor or President or whatever we want to call it," I said. "That way, people don't feel like we're forcing them to follow Bella. Whoever has the most votes, is our leader and the second most popular vote is the second in command." I squeezed Bella's hand. "What do you think of that, Princess?"

She gulped, blinking to me. "Less pressure," she whispered. "And, fair."

"I also like that you're calling on the department heads as the candidates," Rose nodded.

"Respectfully, I fall under Edward's jurisdiction," Lauren blushed. "I'm also only eighteen. I'm not in any place to lead us."

"I'm good with crops, not people," Jasper laughed. "I don't feel like it's my place to make decisions."

"So, the four of us," Emmett grinned. "May the best man or woman win."

"No matter what, we'll always support each other, and we should get a leadership council organized after we've elected a figurehead," Bella suggested. "A council, as it were, roping in a representative or two from the rest of the population, mirroring what we had on the Ark, but making it more flexible."

"Okay, meeting adjourned. I'm starving and whatever they're cooking in the kitchen is filtering through the ventilation system," Rose moaned, getting up and dragging Emmett with her. Jasper followed closely after then, talking with Lauren and we brought up the rear, locking our suite.

We rode down to Level 5, and were smacked with decadent scents from breakfast and sounds of laughter. In the dining room, there was a buffet set up with a hearty meal of oatmeal, venison mixed with potatoes and fresh fruit. There was a sweet smell mixed in with the food, which Rose held in a mug. "What's that?" Bella asked.

"Something called coffee. It's bitter, but with some raw sugar, it's the best thing ever. Filled with caffeine," Rose sighed, sipping her drink. "There's also a chicory version, along with some tea if you want something warm, but not this."

We made our meals, sitting down with a few of the older people from the prison and tucked into our breakfast. The oatmeal had cinnamon mixed in, with some baked apples and it was the best thing I'd ever had. The venison mash, as was described on the card, was good, but tough since they were using parts of the animal that were more difficult eat. I loved the coffee. I had two cups, reveling in its bitterness, with a smooth finish. Bella didn't care for it and ended up drinking some chamomile tea with lemon and fresh honey.

After breakfast, Bella left to work in medical. I went up to the command center to talk with Lauren about who would be strong candidates for the security team. Looking over the people who came with us from the drop ship, I found a crew of twenty people who would protect the mountain with the proper training. A few of those people, such as Emmett and Tyler, would float to the security detail, when needed.

Around mid-day, the department heads met, and we recorded an announcement about the leadership of the mountain, along with the elections of the leader of our motley crew. We put the announcement on repeat for the rest of the day, every hour, on the hour until lights out, which was at ten at night. As I was walking back to the command center, I heard mostly positive things about the decision making. There were a few grumbles about who got which position, but it wasn't to the point where I felt like I needed to pull those people into an interrogation room to ask if they plan on causing harm to the people they were complaining about.

I spent the afternoon inspecting the mountain. I was shocked at how quickly things came together. But, in the hydroponic farm, I was the most surprised. It was huge, filled with fields of new crops, apple trees, lemon trees and a set of large coolers, along with lab. Jasper was sitting at the counter, reading a tablet. His brow was furrowed. "Hey, you okay?"

"Oh, hi, Edward," he said, his furrow falling away and an easy smile taking its place. "I'm just reading about the nearby local wildlife and vegetation that's edible. Did you know that you can eat fungus? They're called mushrooms."

I wrinkled my nose. "I don't know about that. There are some boundaries I won't cross. Eating fungus just sounds all sorts of wrong," I chuckled.

"It might be good," he shrugged. "Do you like my domain?"

"It's impressive," I grinned. "I didn't expect it to be so big."

"Mount Weather had enough room for about a five hundred people. They needed enough food to last for centuries," Jasper said. "When we got here, it was pretty sad. Only living things down here were the apple trees and shockingly enough, lemon trees. We managed to empty out the shit down here and prepped the fields for corn, wheat, soybeans, and rye. Once one of those is harvested, we can plant potatoes." He gestured to a few potatoes under an artificial light, suspended over water. There were a few sprouts springing from the potatoes, clearly indicating that they were capable of growing. Sitting down on a stool, he looked at me. "Have you heard from your sister? We left a radio at the drop ship, right?"

"We did, but we haven't heard from them," I frowned. "I wanted to bring her with us, but she was adamant on staying with Jacob and his cronies."

"That guy," Jasper snarled. "He's shady as fuck."

"Yeah, he is. His father raped my mother because he pissed that my father missed a growth on his wife's stomach and Alice was the result," I growled. "She refuses to believe me that Jacob is her brother."

"That's fucked up, man," Jasper muttered, his blue eyes wide with shock. "I'm afraid that Jacob might …"

"Be a lot like his father?" I finished for him. "Yeah, me, too. But, he'd be … I don't even want to think about it. It makes me sick. I hope that, in time, Alice will come back to me, to us. Here? She'd be safe. You know?"

"I really liked her. I thought she felt the same, too," Jasper breathed. "She was a spitfire, that's for sure."

"I was just getting to know her," I shrugged, a pang of sadness twisting in my stomach. "I wanted to know more about her."

"Maybe, we'll get a chance," Jasper suggested. "Anyway, I want to make a list of what we can forage around the mountain before I head out on an expedition with a couple of the farmers. We'll be back for the election."

"You're leaving tomorrow?" I asked.

"Right after breakfast and should be back in three days. Peter, who's been working with Emmett, is driving us in one of the Rovers," Jasper explained. "I'm slightly afraid to get into that thing, especially with Peter behind the wheel."

"That bad?" I snickered.

"Rover One has a new dent on the rear bumper thanks to Peter," Jasper huffed, rolling his eyes. "I'll see you at dinner?"

"Sounds good. If you need me or anyone from security, we're on channel four on the radios," I explained, pointing the unit on his desk. Jasper nodded, shaking my hand and I left the hydroponic farm, making my way back to the upper levels.

On my way to the security office, located in the command center, I stopped in medical and smiled when I saw Bella in her element. She was working on a younger boy, about fifteen, who'd cut his hand. She had a soft, easy smile as she gently stitched him up. Ten minutes after she treated him, he bounded out of medical and ran toward the dormitory where we'd stayed that first night in the mountain, almost a month ago.

"Are you injured, Commander Cullen?" she quipped.

"Don't call me that," I snorted, rolling my eyes. "Yes, I may be the commander of the security guards, but I'm still just Edward."

"You're more than just Edward. You're everything to me," she said, walking over to me and sliding her arms around my waist. "My port in the storm, my rock …"

"As you are to me, too, Princess," I murmured, pressing a kiss to Bella's forehead. "How are things going?"

"Good. I did an inventory and then I began my physical and psychological health checks, building a medical database," she said. "I have one more person to get done before I'm done for the day. Want to be my final patient?"

"I get to play doctor with you?" I purred, waggling my brows.

"Hmmm, perhaps I should have Austin do your examination?" Bella snickered. "You're not supposed to treat your loved ones."

I stared at her, my face flaming. A slow crooked grin spread over my face at her admission. "You love me?" I whispered. Now, it was her turn to blush. "I love you, Princess. Even when you think I hated you, I loved you …"

She blinked up at me, with love shimmering in her eyes. "I do love you, Edward. Very much … you've become my best friend, my port in the storm and so much more. You're my family."

"I think … I know that things are all sorts of crazy, but I want to … I want, at least, a night where we could just be us," I breathed, pulling her into my arms. I leaned down, pressing my lips to hers. "It might be difficult, but just disconnecting from the stress that is our lives right now."

"I'd like that," Bella beamed. "Unfortunately, not tonight." She looked at the clock on the wall. "We've got to go to dinner and be seen, since we are in the running for the leadership of this place."

"Tomorrow, after our workday, you're mine. I'll see if I can get our meals delivered to our suite," I replied.

"It's a date," Bella giggled, removing her white doctor's coat, and hanging it in the closet.

"Bella?"

"Hmmmm," she hummed.

"I love you and I'm happy you're here with me," I murmured. She stepped into my arms, kissing my lips tenderly. I pressed my forehead to hers. "And, for becoming my family."

"I love you so much, Edward," she sighed, sounding so happy.

If we had each other, we could get through anything. Right?

A/N: To be honest, I struggled with getting this chapter, but after doing some illegal planning (meaning, I worked on this at my job … in a notebook), I got over the hump. I know who the big bad will be and the climax of the story, but the issue is getting there. You know?

Anyway, pictures from this chapter are on my blog. You can access that through the link on my profile. I'm also on FB: Tufano79's Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation. Twitter, too: tufano79.

Leave me your thoughts and I'll see you on the flipside!