SHE STARED AFTER HIM, or rather the way he'd gone, a happy, contented smile on her lips, was barely aware of Esme taking her hand, catching her before she could fall, Alice darting to her other side, fast, though slower than Edward. "Come on, Bella, let's go to my room so you can tell me and Esme what you want your wedding dress to look like, the materials you want us to use."

They didn't wait for her to respond, used the hold they had on her hands to lift her so her feet didn't touch the floor, darted with her up the stairs fast, though, again, it was slower than if Edward was carrying her. This, how she noticed the slight difference in their speed should have been an impossibility, after all, all the Cullens were way, way faster than humans, their senses far superior, but she knew Edward, knew him like the back of her hand, could sense the slight difference in his speed when he carried her . . . and maybe she was becoming a little spoiled, use to Edward carrying her, they were together as much as they could, after all.

She laughed quietly to herself, remembering the first time he'd ran with her, asked her to climb onto his back so they could get back to her truck faster after spending the day in their meadow. She'd felt like she'd stuck her head out the window of a plane in flight, had become dizzy afterwards, as if she was going to faint, had to put her head between her knees. And what came afterwards, their first kiss, how she'd attacked him, lunging herself at him, wanting more, wanting everything he could give her. He'd pulled away all too soon, used a line he'd used again this morning, telling her that he was stronger than he thought and it was nice to know.

Those days, they seemed like so long ago, though it had been a mere couple of months since they'd passed. They'd both changed so much in the interim. He was still careful, gentle, quite panicky of hurting her or causing her to get cold because of his skin, but he was also more confident in himself, his self-control, ability to keep his thirst in check. Of course, he still wanted to spend every waking moment with her that he could, but Bella didn't have a problem with that, because, to be honest, so did she, both of them hating when they had to be away from the other.

Alice waved a hand in front of Bella's face to get her attention. "Earth to Bella. Let's focus on your wedding dress now, you'll be alone with Edward again soon enough, he won't take long on his hunting trip, he becomes quite anxious when he's away from you for too long." Alice shook her head, her lips curving. "Of course, you are a magnet for all things dangerous so maybe he's right to be worried." A shrug. "Oh, well, let's get back to the matter at hand, I'm sure Edward will call soon enough, if only to make sure you are alright. You want your wedding to be in about five weeks time, soon after Carlisle takes the brace off of your leg?"

Bella shook her head to clear it, realized they were already in Alice's massive room, the closet alone bigger than Bella's bedroom, containing who knew how much clothing and accessories, the three of them, herself, Alice, and Esme, sitting on a couch. She took a deep, calming breath in preparation for dealing with a wrecking force that was Alice. It was a very, very good thing she had Esme on her side to help keep Alice in check, because she wasn't sure she would have been able to do it on her own. "Yes, Alice. The sooner Edward and I get married, the better, but, that being said, I don't want to have a brace on my leg on my wedding day." She turned to Esme, made sure to make eye contact with both her and Alice. "You think you can have my wedding dress ready by then? I mean, I asked Edward, and he said about five weeks is plenty of time, but I . . ."

Esme took Bella's hand in hers, gave it a reassuring squeeze, the look she gave her, soothing, loving, nurturing, and motherly, calming her down more than any of Renee's looks ever had, because that relationship was backwards, Bella often acting as the responsible adult, the parent, while Renee acted as the child. "Of course, Darling, don't worry, this isn't the first spontaneous wedding we plan in a short amount of time, as I'm sure Edward has already told you, Rosalie and Emmett like to get married often, and they don't give us much of an advanced notice. Of course, their weddings are big and grandiose, inviting as many people as they can, but you and Edward, you probably want something simple, but elegant, intimate in a way none of Rosalie and Emmett's weddings are. Have you thought of what fabrics you want us to use for your dress? Let's figure out the simple details first, the materials we will need, we can work on the design later."

"Yes, I was thinking we could use white satin with lace." Bella bit her lip, her fingers unconsciously tracing the circumference of the bracelet that had once belonged to Edward's mother that had been his gift to her, then her ring. "I'm not sure of the specific pattern of the fabric, though, nor the shade of white I want, was thinking I could ask Edward if he has any pictures of his mother so I can see them, know what kind of patterns were used in his youth. I know I won't be able to see the specific shade of white used for wedding dresses in 1918, what with the photos only being in black and white, but since you were alive then, maybe you could give me an idea, and I could use it, modifying it only slightly to give it a modern twist so my dress can represent us both."

Alice got a far away look, which meant she was having a vision, her eyes becoming unfocused, then narrowing to slits, zeroing in on Bella, her face a mixture of excitement, happiness, and confusion.

Esme stood up in one of those fast, easy, graceful, fluid movements only vampires were capable of, turned to face Alice, set a hand on her shoulder. "What is it, Alice?"

Alice didn't say anything for several seconds, letting the vision she was having finish playing out in her head, but even then, when the vision had finished, and her look returned to normal, she didn't say anything, simply leaned around Esme to glare at Bella, her hands on her hips, the huge, unmistakable grin slowly spreading over her lips, sending mixed messages. "It will be sunny this weekend, and we'll be going out of town, on a hunting trip, but someone," she coughed once, "Edward, won't be coming with us because he'll be going on his own trip, to Chicago with Bella so he can show her the house he grew up in, pictures of his parents, his mother, tell her the stories behind them . . . the ones he remembers, at least."

A pause, Alice drumming her fingers lightly on her hips as she arranged things in her head so everything would go according to what she'd seen. "He'll have me stay with her Friday after school so he can go hunting in preparation for this impromptu trip. You should come with me, too, Esme, meet me and Bella at her house after school, we can tell Charlie we're having a girls afternoon with parental supervision, of course, bring Bella here, show her a couple of different types of satin and lace fabrics so she can at least choose the color, though the specific pattern will have to wait until she and Edward get back from Chicago."

Bella felt nervous, excited, giddy butterflies forming in the pit of her stomach at the simple thought, the idea that she and Edward would have an entire house to themselves for the whole weekend. Of course, it wouldn't be the first time they were completely alone at night, no, that was last night, but there was something emotionally special, deep about the fact that when they went to Chicago they'd be staying at the house where he grew up, spent the first seventeen years of his life, had been human, like her, a house that belonged solely to him.

It was surreal, to think that maybe, just maybe, in around a week from now, unlike this weekend, she and Edward didn't have to put their alone time on pause, share the house with anyone, not even for a single second. Sure, maybe he'd go hunting while they were there, leave her alone for a bit, because, knowing him, he'd probably want to make sure he had an iron grip on his thirst at all times while they were alone—but, Bella had the feeling, this trip, it would be much, much faster than the one he was in now, he wouldn't have a reason to stay away, after all, take perhaps a bit longer than he could, and no one would be keeping Bella company in the meantime, meaning he'd want to get back to her as soon as possible.

Bella still had no idea how this trip would come about, what would cause him to want to take her to Chicago, to his childhood home, his human home, but she didn't care, not really. Yet, a small portion of her mind, a tiny, insignificant portion turned over and over in her head, wondering what could be the catalyst, the reason behind herself and Edward going on this trip. Was it the questions she'd ask him when he got back from his hunting trip, that she wanted to see pictures of Elizabeth, his mother? Was it that he wanted to gift Bella another piece of his mother's jewelry, one which wasn't here, and didn't want to be in a different state from her? Something else?

She sneaked a peek at Alice, weighing the pros and cons of asking her about the catalyst of this trip she and Edward would be undertaking, before she decided against asking her, guessing she'd find out soon enough. There was, however, a question Bella did need to ask her, one she dreaded, but she needed to do it nonetheless. "Um, Alice?"

Alice turned from where she'd been having a conversation with Esme, too quiet and fast for Bella to understand, let alone hear. "Yes, Bella?"

Bella bit her lip, hoping with all her heart Alice wouldn't overreact. "Where do you plan on getting the satin and lace fabrics for me to choose from so you can make my dress? Please, nowhere too expensive or exotic, okay?"

Alice narrowed her eyes, glared at her, trying to intimidate her so she can get her way. "Bella, you're only going to get married once . . . for the first time, anyway, no expense should be spared, not if you don't have to have a budget."

Bella opened her mouth, about to argue, but Esme darted over to her, took her hand in hers. Though Esme's skin was, like the rest of the Cullens, cold as ice, the gesture was oddly soothing. "Perhaps you can give us three options, places where we're allowed to get the fabrics for your dress?"

Bella thought about it for a moment, chewing on her lower lip voraciously, weighing her options, then, finally, in a voice so low, it would have been inaudible to human ears, she said, "The continental US, England, and France."

A shake of Alice's head, along with a sound of annoyance so soft, Bella wasn't even sure how she was able to hear it. "Seriously, Bella, I don't understand why you'd choose the continental US as one of your options when there are so many other places, places rich in history and fashion." Alice's golden eyes glittered and she became suddenly animated, excited. "England and France, however . . . now, those have serious potential." Alice nodded to herself, began getting enclosed in her own, little world, forgetting all about Bella and Esme, moved fast, grabbed a sketch pad, sat down on a beautiful, small table made of crystal and glass, the crystal casting sparkles on the walls, much like the heart-shaped diamond of Bella's bracelet, began sketching what Bella guessed was a rough drawing of a bridal dress. "Yes, serious potential indeed."

Bella paled, all the blood draining from her face, her heart beginning to beat a million miles per minute. Esme, who wasn't absorbed in her own, little world, of course noticed this, gave Bella's hand a reassuring squeeze, calming her down. "Alice," her name was a motherly reprimand, "stop becoming self-absorbed. Bella still hasn't told us the specifics of her dress, what she wants it to look like, the patterns she wants to use, and it's her and Edward's wedding day, not yours and Jasper's, she should get to wear whatever she wants."

Alice sighed audibly, came back to sit on the couch, the sketch pad thankfully forgotten. "Fine, fine." She gave Bella a serious, assessing look. "Do you know what you want your veil and train to be made out of?"

"I was thinking sheer white lace." Bella ran her fingers over the lace patterned with flowers of her dress, thinking of a modern twist she could put on her veil and train with a symbol that was old, so old. "I want the lace to be patterned with roses and heliotropes, though."

Esme's eyes lit up, became bright with excitement. "Ah, a symbol of eternal love."

A nod. "Exactly, I want to use my dress to represent the eternity, the strength of our love, because, like Alice said, I'm only going to get married once . . . for the first time, anyway." Bella thought of what Esme'd told her, how Emmett and Rosalie liked to get married often. "How often do Emmett and Rosalie get married?" She had the feeling that if her and Edwards love continued to grow, intensify over the decades, then centuries, and eventually millennia, as she suspected it would, then Emmett and Rosalie wouldn't be the only ones getting married often. Of course, she and Edward getting married often wouldn't have to do much with the fact that they needed to constantly show the world how much they loved each other, Bella didn't care about that much, and Edward, along with the people closest to them, already knew that—more with the fact that if they got married often they could live as a newlywed couple, alone, and if they had a child, perhaps a daughter . . .

"Once every decade or so." A shrug, Esme's eyes filling with pride and deep, motherly love. "Non of Rosalie and Emmett's weddings, nor Alice and Jasper's, nor mine and Carlisle's, for that matter—can compare to your and Edward's wedding, both this one and the ones you will probably have in the future, full of love and deep, meaningful emotions."

Bella glanced toward the door of Alice's room nervously, well aware that if Rosalie was in the house she'd be able to hear them, and she didn't want her animosity to increase.

"Don't worry, Bella, " Alice's voice caught Bella's attention, "Rosalie left with Emmett soon after we came into my room. She can't stand the fact that we're welcoming you to our family so openly, that Edward is willing to change you. Of course, he only became willing to do that after you agreed to marry him, old-fashioned man that he is, but that doesn't matter to her. She thinks that Edward is taking your life away, what with so many things being an impossibility if you remain with him, like, for example, becoming a mother."

Bella blinked, startled. Didn't Alice know it was possible for her and Edward to have a baby? Hadn't she seen their discussion this morning? Maybe she'd been focusing on someone else's future, probably her and Jasper's, giving her and Edward some privacy, and if she didn't know anything about the discussion she and Edward had had, then she wasn't going to bring it up, was going to keep it a secret, her and Edward's precious secret, though perhaps she and Edward should talk to Carlisle before he got her pregnant, discuss some more of the logistics . . . Bella shook her head, reminding herself she had to remain undecided if she didn't want Alice to see anything, know her and Edward's secret.

"But I'm not Rosalie, I don't want the things she does, all I want is to be with Edward forever, I love him." Bella was surprised and thankful that she didn't blush. That telltale reddening of her cheeks, along with a quicken heartbeat, always gave her away when she was trying to lie, it was as if she was an open book, her facial expressions and body language giving her away. Even Edward, who, thank God, couldn't read her mind for some inexplicable reason, could often infer what she was thinking by her body language, facial expressions, and the changing rhythm of her heartbeat. Perhaps the reason why she hadn't blushed was because she wasn't lying, she just wasn't telling them all the details. It was a massive secret she was hiding, sure, but it wasn't a lie.

Alice and Esme both looked at Bella with matching smiles on their faces. "We know, Bella, and there's nothing wrong with that, you and Rosalie are both very different people. Just do what Edward does when it comes to Rosalie, ignore her." Alice and Esme both let out a small burst of laughter, then, soft and happy. "He even, sometimes, as you saw earlier, ignores Emmett, too."

Alice stood up, went to get the sketch pad, came back to the couch, making Bella tense and open her mouth.

Alice rolled her eyes. "Don't look at me like that, Bella, I'm not going to start sketching a draft of your wedding dress again, not until you tell me and Esme exactly what you want, the specific pattern and color of the silk you want to use, I already got reprimanded by Esme once, I'm just going to write down everything we discuss in detail."

Now it was Bella's turn to roll her eyes. Alice didn't need to write down anything to remember things, her memory, like all vampires' memories, was perfect. Bella's facial expression and body language must have given Alice a very good idea of what she was thinking, because she glared at her, set her hands on her hips. "This isn't for me, Bella, it's for you and Edward, a memento." Then her hand was moving, graceful and fast, too fast for Bella to even see it, over the sketch pad, writing everything they'd discussed thus far. Alice nodded to herself. "I'll get a scrapbook later so we can include more momentos, pictures and pieces of the fabrics we'll use for your wedding dress, along with other things—transfer all the information. Now, let's discuss your shoes to go along with your dress."

Bella took a deep breath, praying she wouldn't regret this, that Alice wouldn't overreact, want to go overboard. "I guess they'll have to be high heels—" she cut herself off at Alice's bright, excited look. "Now, hold on a minute, Alice, the heels can't be too high, I don't want to fall while I'm walking down the aisle, embarrass myself."

Alice's bright, excited look turned into a glare. "I'm not an idiot, Bella. Besides, Edward will probably have my head if I put you in heels that are too high while he's not able to hold you, keep you safe, he doesn't trust Charlie's coordination and balance any more than he trusts yours." Alice shook her head, getting back to the matter of Bella's shoes. "Of course, they'll be white, with some sort of silver decorations to echo the ones of your dress . . .?"

Bella nodded, a small smile playing about the full curve of her mouth, this wasn't so bad, after all, and, she knew, if Alice started going overboard at any point in time, Esme would help her, get things back on track.

They spent the next couple of hours discussing her wedding dress, shoes, hairdo, and accessories such as jewelry in detail, eventually moving on to her honeymoon wardrobe, which stores Bella was and wasn't willing to go to, what was the maximum amount she was willing to spend on a particular item of clothing.

A knock coming from somewhere in the room, followed by a beautiful male voice, one Bella recognized immediately, because it was Edward's voice, her fiance's voice. "Alright, I think my beautiful bride to be has discussed clothing with you and Esme long enough for one day, Alice."

Bella's heart beat faster, expanded with joy and love, and she forgot about everyone else in the room. Suddenly there was nothing else but her and Edward, this moment. "Oh, Edward."

Bella uncurled herself from the couch, tried to go to him as fast as she could, tripping over her own two feet in the process. But he was there in less than a second, caught her, his arm securely around her waist, pulling her to his chest, fitting her to him. He chuckled quietly, low and soft. "Careful, Bella, Love, you really shouldn't be putting weight on your broken leg like that, trying to run. Did you miss me, my beautiful bride-to-be?"

She twined her arms around his neck, pulled him down to her, pressed her forehead to his. "Of course, I always miss you when we're apart, no matter how short the period of time may be."

"As I miss you." Edward kissed her, letting his lips gently, slowly, brush over hers, his tongue, cold as ice, carefully darting out to take in the taste of her skin. All too soon, he pulled away, and Bella buried her face against his neck, taking in the sweet, intoxicating, addictive scent of his skin, the perfume of his breath, suddenly self-conscious at her and Edward's very public display of affection. He stroked a hand soothingly over her hair, his words directed to Esme and Alice. "Carlisle and Jasper are waiting for you downstairs."

Alice and Esme stood up, and Edward gently pulled Bella away from him so they could each give her a hug, even as Edward kept an arm around her, refusing to let her go even for a second. Esme kissed Bella on the cheek, then her forehead, her goodbye simple, but loving and motherly. "Carlisle and I will see you tomorrow afternoon before Alice drops you off at your house." She looked at Edward, then, touched her fingers gently to his cheek. This gesture caused Edward's expression to shift to one of pain, grief, and loss. Esme quickly removed her hand, realizing she was causing Edward emotional pain. "Of course, Edward won't be far behind, will follow you on foot."

Alice's hug was quick and light, sisterly. "Have fun, we'll discuss how to tell Charlie about your engagement tomorrow before I drop you off at your house."

Then Alice and Esme were both gone, but Bella wouldn't ask Edward what she really wanted to ask him, not until she was sure they were completely alone, his entire family far, far away, and they wouldn't be overheard. There was another question she wanted to ask him, though, one that was less pressing and it wouldn't matter if his family overheard. She touched her fingers to his cheek, looked up into his eyes, saw their color was akin to the purest of honeys, the gold so pure, she could see herself reflected in his irises. "Will you let me know when we're alone and there's no possibility of your family overhearing us? There's something I want to ask you, but I don't want them to overhear our conversation." Bella kept her voice low as possible, waited for him to nod, before she asked, "Did you find any mountain lions?"

A soft, warm, musical laugh. "Yes, I did, four, actually. It seems Forks is having a bit of a mountain lion problem." A light shrug. "Oh, well, the longer this problem lasts for the town, the better for me." Edward wrinkled his nose. "I don't like hunting herbivores, would much rather hunt mountain lions, you'll find out why after I change you." A pause, Edward cocking his head slightly to the side. "My family is gone, we're alone now. What did you want to ask me, Bella, Love?"

Bella didn't waste time, beat around the bush, went straight to the point. "Alice doesn't know it's possible for us to have a baby, didn't see our conversation this morning?"

A shake of his head, his eyes dancing, glittering with excitement and happiness. "No, she's been preoccupied, focusing on her and Jasper's future. He's planning a surprise for her, but, of course, because Jasper knows Alice, knows how her ability works, he hasn't decided specifically what yet, is keeping her in limbo. Alice is really frustrated, trying to make him decide, but Jasper won't budge." Edward shook his head. "Enough talk of Alice and Jasper, speaking of our future child, have you thought of names yet?"

Bella's lips curved, blood coloring her cheeks in the form of a blush. "If it's a boy, I was thinking Edward."

Soft, unexpected laughter. "He'd be the third generation to bear that name."

Bella blinked, startled. "Your father's name was Edward?"

A nod, his cool fingers touched to her cheek. "And if it's a girl?"

Bella twined her arms around his neck, pulled him down to her, pressed her forehead to his, took a deep, calming breath. "I was playing around with our moms names, along with our fathers, and I was thinking Renesmee Elizabeth Carly. I know Esme's been acting as your mother for a long time, but I noticed that when you speak of your biological mother, Elizabeth, you sound like you miss her, even if the pain of her loss is not that fresh, still love her. I figured we could honor her this way, tell our daughter about her biological, paternal grandmother as she grows up—"

Edward kissed her, soft, sweet, and deep, deep as he was willing to without fear of hurting her, cutting her off, half lifting her off the floor so he didn't have to bend. "Oh, Bella, thank you, Love. Yes, we can definitely honor my mother this way, tell our daughter, Nessy, about her biological, paternal grandmother as she grows up, for however long that lasts, because I'm pretty sure her vampire genes will kick in at some point, and she'll stop aging, her physical appearance remaining the same forever."

Bella stiffened, all the blood draining from her face, what she was thinking about a total change of subject, but now that she was thinking about it, she couldn't stop, the thoughts hitting her like bullets, one after another, so horrible. Edward noticed this right away, heard a change in her heartbeat, because her heart, it was beating a million miles per minute, as if she was in the middle of a race, and her arms, they tightened around his neck, to the point where, if he'd been human, she'd been choking him. He kept one arm around her waist, still half lifting her off the floor, ran his free hand soothingly up and down her back. "Bella, Love, what's wrong?" Though Edward's voice was soft, soothing, his beautiful golden eyes were wide, filled with dread and alarm.

She didn't answer him, cupped his face, her fingers running up and down his cheeks, not saying anything. She had to do something, had to come up with a plan, keep him safe, because the thought of Edward being only the slightest bit hurt, it hurt more than James's bite had hurt, his venom rapidly spreading through her system. "Maybe it's best if we don't tell Charlie about our engagement, if we just run away to a different town in around five weeks from now, get married. I'll see if I can leave him a letter telling him how much I hate Forks, that coming here to live with him was a really bad idea. It'll probably break his heart, but it's a lot safer for everyone involved this way . . . you think Carlisle can walk me down the aisle?"

Edward's eyes were full of confusion and worry. "Of course Carlisle can walk you down the aisle if that's what you want, he already looks at you like a daughter, but don't you want Charlie to do it? Will you please tell me what danger it is we're in so I can protect you? I don't like seeing you like this, it makes me anxious."

Bella kissed him, soft and sweet, kept running her fingers up and down his cheeks. "Of course I want Charlie to walk me down the aisle."

"Then—"

"He's best friends with Billy, and if we tell him we're getting married, he'll probably invite him." Bella shuddered, and it wasn't a shudder of cold or pleasure, but of pure, potent fear—buried her face against his chest, her voice coming out muffled against the fabric of his light gray t-shirt. "I don't want any werewolves to come to our wedding, especially not after everything you've told me, the unpredictability of their facing, their anger management issues. I know you told me the werewolf gene isn't active in Billy, but what if, somehow, for some reason, it's active in Jacob? What if they decide that this—us getting married, is a breach of the treaty, though it's my choice, because it'll lead to my transformation, decide to attack? I don't want them to hurt you."

Edward laughed, and his laugh, it was cold and dark, though it was still intertwined with his love for her, for no matter what, their love shone bright and true. "They have no right to do that, Bella, be so petty, not when it was Jacob, the great grandson of the chief we made the treaty with in the first place, who broke it, telling you about us, 'the cold ones.' I can't blame the boy entirely, of course, you're quite lethily persuasive when you want to be, and what he told you actually brought us closer because your self-preservation instinct is totally lacking."

Edward pulled her face away from his chest, touched his knuckles to her cheek. "Don't worry, truly, Love, there's nothing and no one, save, of course, for you, who can keep me from marrying you, but since you're as eager to marry me as I am to marry you, there's nothing in the world that can stop us." He stroked her cheek, her lips, and where he touched her, it was a fire, hot as an inferno, that bloomed. "This conversation does bring up a good point, though, I don't want you alone in your house, not when Jacob is there, especially if, like you said, somehow, for some reason, the werewolf gene is active in him." He shuddered, cradled her closer to him, crushing her to his chest. "I shudder to think what could happen to you with your luck, one little burst of anger from Jacob could end in disaster. How often do he and Billy go up to your house?"

Bella shrugged, fisting his shirt in her hand, taking the opportunity to take her fill of the sweet, addictive perfume of his skin. "I don't know, I've never paid too much attention before."

One cool, gentle finger under her chin, tilting her head up to meet his eyes. Those eyes—they were warm, soft, filled with love. "Can you please have your cell phone on you at all times, call me if they go to your house so either myself, Alice, or the two of us can go get you, bring you somewhere safe, perhaps here?" Edward's lips curved into that half smile she loved, that made her heart beat faster. "Of course, it might be better if Alice and I go get you together, we have Charlie wrapped around our little finger between the two of us."

Bella let out a small, startled burst of laughter. "I wonder if it would still be that way if he knew the clothes she was trying to force his daughter into."

Edward joined her in laughter, then, and their laughter, it echoed off the walls of Alice's room. "It probably would. All of us, as you've seen, can be very persuasive. You still haven't answered my request, though, can you have your cell phone on you at all times?"

She kissed him, quick and light, just the barest brush of lips against lips. "Of course, I'd never deliberately stay in a dangerous situation, not when I know how crazy my safety drives you, would rather spend more time with you, anyway."

Edward pressed his lips to her forehead, then the crown of her head. "Thank you, Love." He looked around Alice's room, sweeped Bella up into his arms, like how a groom carried his new bride. "Let's get out of here, go to my room, discuss some more wedding plans." He shifted her weight so he held her with naught but one arm, touched his knuckles to her cheek. "I'll make you dinner in about half an hour . . . unless you're hungry now, want a snack?"

Bella shook her head, twined her arms around his neck, pressed herself closer to him. "No, I'm fine." She pressed a soft, warm, sweet kiss to his neck, where, if he'd been human, she'd been able to feel his pulse, making him shudder from pleasure. "Let's go to your room, discuss some more wedding plans."

They were in his room in less than a second, and, because Bella wasn't totally absorbed in his beautiful, perfect, angel's face, she finally saw the mess that was the bed. The gold coverlet and parts of the carpet were sprinkled with fine, sparkly, silver dust, like some sort of glitter, and the dust . . . she looked up, at the frame of the bed, saw huge chunks of wrought iron, and some metal roses were either missing or deformed, as if they'd been clawed at by a wild, ravenous animal. "What," Bella's voice was low, a shocked whisper, "happened to the bed?"

"I told you," a kiss pressed to the tip of her ear, that single kiss turning into a trail of cold, sweet kisses down her neck, along the hollow of her throat, over her pulse, "I seem to have a tendency to tear and gouge the furniture apart when we're being intimate, but I don't care, I would rather tear a hundred beds apart than hurt you, I'd never, ever forgive myself if I did that." Edward tilted her head slightly to the side, giving himself further access to her throat, spoke against her skin, making her eyes roll to the back of her head, her thoughts going out the window. "Still, I'll fix it tomorrow so you have a decent bed to sleep in the next time I hold you hostage, bring you here."

Edward walked slowly, deliberately, to the head of the bed, laid her down, her hair fanning out across the pillows, getting dirty with silvery dust that was wrought iron pulverized. He pulled off his t-shirt in one quick movement that was too fast for Bella's eyes to see, because there was no need to do things at human speed, not now, revealing the top half of his beautiful, perfect, slightly muscular body, came to lay over her, holding his weight carefully so he didn't crush her. She set her hands against his chest, the cool temperature of his skin the perfect antidote to the burning, scorching heat in the room. He pressed a kiss to her jaw, continued placing sweet, soft, cold kisses down her neck and throat, pausing to pay extra attention where he felt her pulse beating like a drum. "Tell me, my Bella, Love, Alice didn't go overboard with your wedding dress, try to force you to do something you didn't want to do, did she?"

The way he was kissing her, soft, sweet, loving, pouring as much love as he dared without fear of hurting her into each kiss, it should have been illegal, made all her thoughts go out the window, her mind a chaotic, incoherent mess. "What?" The single word came out a moan, would have been intelligible to human ears.

He laughed lightly, his cold, sweet, addictive breath washing over her skin as he continued to place kisses over her face, neck, and throat, any part of her skin that was exposed to him. "Alice, did she go overboard with your wedding dress?"

Bella tangled her fingers in his hair, pulling gently, holding him to her skin, not wanting him to ever stop. "Once or twice, but Esme always pulled her back from her own, little world, reminded her that this was our wedding, not her and Jasper's . . ." She trailed off as Edward very carefully, gently, so gently that it was a caress, let his teeth scrape over a particularly sensitive area of her throat. "Oh." Her breathy, quiet moan encouraged him to repeat his action over and over and over again, driving her mad. "Speaking of my wedding dress," she said when she could somewhat think, her voice coming out unsteady, "do you have any pictures of your mother, Elizabeth, I could see? I want to see what patterns women wore in your youth so I can incorporate them into my dress, and it can represent us both."

"Hmm." He shifted, pulled Bella astride him so she was on top, used one hand to angle her head so he could continue kissing her throat and neck, using his other hand to lightly trace her bracelet, a bracelet that had once belonged to his mother, Elizabeth, with one cool finger. "Do you like to wear my mother's jewelry, my beautiful bride-to-be?"

"Yes." Bella's answer was a hushed whisper, because she never, not in a million years—would have thought she'd enjoy wearing jewelry, she just wasn't that kind of girl, yet, somehow, knowing the pieces he gifted her had belonged to his biological mother once, someone who he clearly had loved, still did, made it all the more special, sentimental.

A smile against her skin, then a kiss pressed against her lips, and when he spoke, his voice was full of love. "Then perhaps we should go to Chicago next weekend, to my family home, where I, just like you, was human, all of my family pictures are still there, and I could show you pictures of my mother, and there's also some pieces of jewelry still there that I would like to give you."

"I," her breath hitched as he pressed a kiss to the center of her chest, slightly to the left, where her heart was beating like that of a trapped bird's, "was wondering when you'd say that."

Gently, slowly, he turned them over again so it was he who was on top, pressing her softly into the mattress. His hands, cold, strong, but gentle hands, loving hands, stroked over the feminine curves of her body—from the top of her shoulders, down her arms, to her waist, to her hips, down her right leg, pausing at her knee cap, the point where her leg bent, hitching it around his hip, then repeating the process with her left leg. The feeling of his cold, hard, beautiful, perfect body pressed ever-so-gently against hers, it was exquisite, heavenly, beyond her wildest dreams, made her mind a jumbled mess, incoherent once more, and the way he was kissing her, soft, sweet, cold, loving kisses, it wasn't helping matters. 'Did Alice have a vision?"

Bella had to focus very hard, use all of her willpower to answer him. "Yes, she . . . " Edward placed a kiss to a particularly sensitive spot of her throat and she moaned, arched her neck to give him further access. "Oh, Edward!" Bella's voice was loud, a scream of pleasure and ecstasy.

He pulled back at once, cupped her face, brushing her hair away, his golden eyes full of gentle concern. "Did I do something wrong?" Edward's face filled with discussed and self-loathing from one heartbeat to the next. "Did I hurt you?"

Bella shook her head rapidly, wrapped her arms around his neck, pulled him down to her so she could kiss him. He kissed her back softly, gently, for a moment, before he pulled away again. Before he could say something, anything, tell her how perhaps they'd gotten carried away, risked her life long enough for one night, Bella spoke, her voice coming out a breathy whisper. "No, Edward, my beautiful, overprotective fiance, you didn't do anything wrong, hurt me, it's the opposite, actually, you, the way you're touching me, kissing me—is driving me crazy, the really, really good kind of crazy." Bella shifted her hands, stroked his face. "I know we won't do the next part, take our clothes off . . . not until we're married, old-fashioned man that you are, but please don't stop."

He groaned, low and soft. "Oh, Bella, I'd really like to continue this, especially now that I know I didn't hurt you, that you actually like what I'm doing, but perhaps we should put this momentarily on pause, go take care of your human needs. It's getting quite late and you must be getting hungry, and, besides, if we take care of your human needs now, we won't have to stop later, and I can keep you up for hours on end doing some much wanted and needed wedding night practice because we don't have school tomorrow, and you can wake up late."

He shifted, got up, off the bed, pulled on his t-shirt, his arms coming around her, lifting her, cradling her close to his chest. "Come, let's go to the kitchen so I can make you dinner." They were downstairs, in the kitchen, in less than a second, Bella sitting on a chair, Edward scouring through the fridge, which, she guessed, he'd filled with all of her favorite foods before he'd brought her here. Edward paused his rummaging, looked at Bella over his shoulder. "Is baked avocado and roasted eggplant okay?"

"Yes, it's perfect, thank you." Bella was aware she sounded distracted, but she was suddenly reminded of certain conversations she had to have with Edward. She played nervously with her ring, running her fingers over each diamond, then her bracelet, running her fingers over the delicate white gold chain, then the heart-shaped diamond. "Um, Edward?'

Edward set the ingredients he'd taken out from the fridge down on the counter, got a very sharp, professional looking knife, began cutting the avocado, dissecting it. "Yes, Love?'

She played with her hair, a nervous gesture, tucked it behind her ears. "Can you come get me, please, set me down on top of the counter? There's something I want to discuss with you, but I want to be close to you so I can give you small, love touches while we talk."

He was in front of her in less than a second, his movements so fast, they were invisible to Bella's eyes, lifting her into his arms, carrying her to the counter, then setting her down. Not saying anything, guessing she needed to gather her thoughts before she spoke, he continued with the preparations of her dinner, not bothering to do it at human speed, there was no need for him to pretend, after all, not when he was with her.

Because he was so fast, they were waiting for her dinner to cook, each in there respective forms, The avocado in the oven and the eggplant in a cast iron skillet, when Bella finally spoke. "You know how your family . . . our family left again so we could have the house to ourselves tonight, practice for our wedding night?"

His eyebrow furrowed, trying to guess the path of her thoughts, even as his beautiful, full lips curved, because, she guessed, of the way she'd automatically corrected herself, called his family her family, too. "Yes?"

She bit her lip, blood coloring her cheeks in the form of a blush. "Well, I know we'll eventually have to move to a new town, have to go to high school again, but could we please, please have our own, little home even then? I don't want our family, especially not Emmett, to be privy to our love life, something that should be private, between the two of us. I don't even want to think about all the 'jokes' sexual innuendos, he could come up with if we reside in the same house as him. At least if we don't reside in the same house, he can't know what's going on behind closed bedroom doors, and I'm sure Jasper will appreciate this, too—what with him being able to feel everyone's emotions, moods. Also, and I know this is a total change of subject, but your vampire mind," she gave him a quick, fleeting smile, "should be able to keep up with me here without the least bit problem, should we discuss my getting pregnant with Carlisle before you actually get me pregnant?"

Edward braced his hands on either side of her, made space for himself between her legs, bent down slightly, pressed his forehead to hers. "I don't usually think of my privacy like that, as I wasn't involved with any woman. It takes years for my family's thoughts to . . ." He shuddered, an unpleasant expression crossing his beautiful, perfect, angel's face, and Bella wondered what was causing it." Edward let his lips brush, light as a butterfly, over her forehead. "Of course, I had no need to think about my privacy like that, not wanting to hear everyone's thoughts or for them to hear me, often, not until very, very recently, I had to wait for you to come into my life for a little over a century, after all. Yes, perhaps it's best if we have our own, little home even when we have to move, go to high school or college again, especially if we have a child, I don't want Emmett to put any ideas in our child's head, young minds are very impressionable."

He pulled away slightly, nodded to himself, likely coming up with a plan. "We'll go to the hospital on Monday after school, speak to Carlile while he's there, away from the rest of our family, see what we can come up with. I'm sure we can come up with a solution together. As far as discussing your future pregnancy with Carlisle, I don't think it's necessary, nor the best idea, anyway." He touched his cool knuckles to her cheek, his golden eyes full of gentle concern and love. "I don't want Rosalie to be more hostile towards you than she already is, and if we tell Carlisle and she somehow finds out . . ." Edward shook his head, shuddered, cradled her to him, pulling her gently to his chest, one hand cupping her face, fingers spread over her cheek. "Let's keep this—your ability to get pregnant, a secret, just between the two of us until they inevitably find out, I'll do some more research in the meantime, see what I can find, alright?"

She placed her hand over his on her cheek, turned her head slightly even as she lifted their linked hands, pressed a soft, warm kiss to his palm. "Whatever you think is best, you've known Rosalie a lot longer than I have."

"Good," he pressed a light, chased kiss to her lips, "I'm glad we got that sorted. Your dinner is almost ready, I think." He took out a fork from one of the many, many drawers, used it to turn the slices of eggplant over, letting it cook, brown and caramelize on the other side, then came back to stand between her legs. "I think I'll cook lunch for you to take to school on Monday." He flinched, stroked her face, tracing the shape of her eyebrows respectively. "When I was looking at your freezer, I saw you had a lot of precooked, frozen food, which, I'm guessing, is for Charlie's sake, so he can eat something if you're not there to cook for him, like now—noticed there's a lot of chemicals and preservatives in those kinds of foods, and that's not at all healthy. All school cafeteria food is prepackaged and precooked, and I don't like the idea of you putting a bunch of junk and garbage in your beautiful body, as I'm sure you don't, either."

Bella tensed, because if Edward wanted to cook lunch for her so she could eat it at school, and that, that he cared for her health and safety—it made her heart kick, expand with love and gratitude—it meant he had to leave her earlier than he usually would.

Her expression and body language must have given Edward a very good idea of what she was thinking, because he took her hands in his, wrapped them around his neck, his own arms coming around her, in circling her in his embrace. "Don't worry, Bella, I'll stay for most of the night, sing you to sleep, hold you in my arms, will leave only at the last possible second. Besides," he added, all serious now, his voice soft, the depths of his golden eyes mesmerizing, "I don't, under any circumstances, want to miss my favorite part of the night, hearing you talk."

Bella blushed, buried her face against his chest, her voice muffled against the fabric of his shirt. "Edward."

Gently, he took her face between his hands, cool, gentle fingers stroking her cheeks, looked deep into her eyes. "Don't be embarrassed." It was a plea, soft and persuasive. "If I could dream at all, it would be about you, but you already knew that, I've told you this before. And," he let his thumb brush over the curve of her lips, sending a jolt of electricity, a fire, racing through her system, "I like hearing my name coming from your lips even while you're asleep, that you love me, when you call me your future husband, like, too, the thought of a dream version of myself keeping you company in your dreams while I keep you company here, in the real world."

Bella felt a reluctant smile tug at her lips. "I like that I dream of you, too, it means you come with me almost everywhere I go in some way." She stroked his face, the heavy, rich silk of his hair. She hadn't forgotten how they'd gotten to this point, still didn't want him to leave her any earlier than he had to, but . . . compromise, she reminded herself, they had to reach a compromise. "Fine, you can leave me a bit earlier than you usually would with one condition. Wake me up before you go, kiss me goodbye."

A beautiful, heartbreaking, heart palpitating smile tugged at his lips. "That I can definitely do." Edward kissed her, then, soft and sweet, but it was all too brief, the kiss, because soon he was pulling away. "Your dinner is ready, I think"