Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or its characters

All mistakes are mine.

Author's Note:

Hey Ladies! So I wanted to clear something up real quick as I saw some of the reviews thought Esme is Edward's mother in this story. So in this story, Esme isn't his mother, she is his aunt and we will be seeing more of her in future chapters. Edward's mother is Elizabeth and unfortunately we will also be seeing more of her in the future.

But now that we have that cleared up, let's dive in to Edward's P.O.V

Edward

"You're a fucking idiot, you know that right?"

I glared at Emmett over the rim of my glass and downed the rest of my bourbon, letting the burn ground me and slammed the cup on the table.

"Tell me something I don't already know."

"I don't get it, man. Just talk to her. Tell her how you feel-"

"I did that already and she rejected me."

"Because up until that point you acted like a complete ass." Emmett leaned forward on the table. "What did you expect to happen after three months of the two of you antagonizing each other, her hating your guts and your antisocial ass avoiding her at all costs, that the day you manned up and told her you loved her that she would fall for that? I know you're stupid, but I didn't think you were that stupid. Not to mention, you also talked Jasper into breaking up with her sister-"

"Are you done, Emmett?" I snapped. "I was there. I remember all the reasons why she rejected me and how she told me I couldn't have made the offer of my love in any way that could've tempted her to accept it. I remember it all."

I remembered the hate in her beautiful brown eyes as she looked at me. The hard set of her jaw as she spit those words at me. Hell, I could still feel the rain dripping down my face as she told me all the reasons why she could never love me.

"You're missing the point, my friend." Emmett slapped his hand on the table and leaned back, shaking his head. "Given the circumstances, of course she would react that way. But the circumstances are different now. You two are friends now, aren't you? And she clearly cares about you-"

"Em-"

"And she clearly doesn't feel that way anymore-"

"Em, stop."

"You didn't see how worried she was when I got to the hospital the day of the attack and you were nowhere to be found."

I sighed, running a hand down my face. Emmett did not take the hint as he continued with his rambling.

"And she was clearly disappointed after you walked off after your dance."

"Because I was about to do something incredibly stupid." I slammed my hand on the table and exhaled sharply. I walked away from her because I was seconds away from completely ruining whatever I had built with her. "I wanted nothing more than to kiss her at that moment, Em, so I walked away."

"What if she wanted you to kiss her?"

"Bella doesn't want that."

"How do you know?"

"I just know, Em!"

"No, you assume! Because you always assume the worst of yourself. But just because you fucked up once, it doesn't mean you give up completely." Emmett downed the rest of his drink and slammed the cup on the table before standing up and pushed his chair in. "You'll be going to war in a matter of weeks, my friend, and if you go without telling the woman you love just how much you ache for her, then you will regret it for the rest of your life."

Em walked away with a shrug and I stayed at the kitchen table, glaring at the empty glass in my hand until I heard the front door shut.

Dammit.

It wasn't as if I didn't want to tell her everything. I wanted nothing more than Bella. But Bella had more pressing matters at the moment, especially with her father. I knew from Jasper that he and Alice were planning to marry before leaving for Texas. Then there was her father who, for some unbeknownst reason, hated me so much that he was punishing his daughter for being acquainted with me. Then there was also the housing situation which she hadn't even told her sister about. Hell, she wouldn't have told me either if it hadn't been for Carlisle telling me.

Yes, things had changed between us after the air was cleared. After Jacob's lies were cleared and we talked for the first time since we met. We were friends, yes. We were close, yes. But that didn't mean she felt anything for me, did it? That didn't mean she had fallen for me, had it? What reason did she have to?

Dammit.

I stood and opened the fridge when the front door opened with a slam. I shut the fridge and rushed to the living room, where my mother was pacing the floor back and forth, her hands clenched into fists.

"That stupid girl. Stupid girl!"

"Mother?"

"Oh!" My mother gasped, her hand flying to her chest when she saw me.

She threw her purse on the couch and ran a hand through her hair. I'd never seen her this upset. She was visibly shaking.

"What happened? Why are you so upset?"

"That stupid girl happened! That stupid, stupid girl!" She placed her hands on her hips and huffed out a breath. "Would you believe the audacity? But of course, what did I expect from a member of that family? From the daughter of Charles Swan no less."

Charles Swan? Bella's father? What was my mother talking about?

"Wait a second, mother. What are you talking about? Bella?"

My mother huffed out another breath. "Bella. Yes, that girl. Would you believe the rumors she is spreading across town?"

Bella?

"Mother, you're going to have to be straight with me because I am not understanding you. What rumors? Did something happen to Bella?"

"I went to have dinner with Patricia, like I told you I was. While we were there, this Jessica girl approached me and told us she worked at the hospital Bella works at. She wanted to congratulate me on your engagement to Isabella."

I bit the inside of my cheek, trying my best to hold back the growl emanating from my chest. Of course Jessica said that. She didn't take it too kindly when I told her to leave me the hell alone after what happened between Bella and I weeks ago. Was this her way to try and get back at me? To try and sink the knife deeper than it already is?

"Of course I knew it was nothing more than a lie, but I wasn't going to allow her to go around town and spread these false rumors and drag you into her trap. So I went over to that stupid girl's-"

"Okay, mother, I'm trying very hard here to listen to you, but if you call Bella stupid one more time, I'm walking away."

My mother gasped. "You would defend her? After she makes up lies about you?"

"Bella isn't the one making up the lies, Mother. That was clearly Jessica." Oh God, if she went to her house… "What exactly did you tell Isabella?"

"I told her I wasn't about to allow her drag our name through the mud just like her family's. I told her she was never to be involved with you and do you want to know what she said? She said she would never make such a promise!"

I tried. I really tried, but hearing those words coming out of my mother's mouth brought something out of me. I thought I'd lost the day Bella rejected me on her porch. It was a twinge of hope. Did she really say that? Did she mean it?

"I told her she would regret it and-"

"Mother, stop." I gripped her shoulders, making her look at me. "No. I am not engaged to Bella, but even if I were, there would be nothing you could do about it, do you understand? Bella is a kind and loving young woman and any man should consider himself lucky to be able to call himself her husband." Although the thought of it felt like someone punching through my chest and ripping my heart out. "What I want to know is what did you say to Bella?"

My mother recoiled and stepped out of my grasp.

"I told her the truth. The same truth I've been trying to get through your head since I arrived at Pearl Harbor. You are to marry Tanya Denali and that low class, nobody of a girl can do nothing to stop that."

This time it was my turn to recoil.

No no no no no!

"For the last time, Mother, I am not marrying Tanya Denali!" I tried my best not to shout, knowing my sister and Tanya are upstairs sleeping but my anger was getting the best of me. "I cannot believe you said that to Bella! You had absolutely no right to do that!"

"I did it for you! That girl is not good enough for you or our family name!"

"That is not for you to decide! And I could hardly give a fuck about the family name! I'd give it up for her. I'd give everything up!"

"Now who is being stupid?" My mother spit out. "She doesn't love you, Edward. She only wants your money and you are falling into her trap!"

"There is no trap, Mother. She doesn't love me. She has already rejected me."

"Already what?" She raised her hands and clenched them again, as if she wanted to strangle me. "Edward Cullen, I cannot believe you would stoop so low for some girl!"

"I did not stoop low, mother. In fact, I aimed pretty high and it is because of that and my own arrogance, I lost her once."

For fuck's sake, all the possibilities of what my mother could've said to Bella start swirling through my mind. Bella had enough going on with her hospital and her housing situation which she hasn't told her sister about. The last thing she needed was my mother showing up at her door and accusing her of trying to trap her son. I reached for my coat and pulled it off the hanger, draping it on.

It was past midnight, but I couldn't wait. I had to see her.

"Where are you going?" My mother shouted.

"I'm going to see Bella." I opened the door, but stopped, turning back to my mother who still stood in the living room. "I've let you have your way my whole life, but not anymore. Not when it comes to Bella. You're so worried about who I am with, who I am to marry to keep our social status and prestige to our family name, you haven't once stopped to think that your son is going to war. A war he might not come back from and if I don't, then there wouldn't be a wedding anyway."

I didn't wait for her response. I slammed the door on my way out.

My fist was halfway up when the front door to Bella's house opened. Alice screamed, her hand flying to her chest when she saw me standing on their porch.

"My God!" She gasped, falling back a step. "Edward, what are you doing here?"

"I'm sorry, Alice. I didn't mean to scare you, but I need to see Bella. Could you get her please?"

Alice's shock washed away and was replaced with worry.

"She's not here. I woke up and she wasn't in her bed, I was just on my way to look for her."

"What? What do you mean she's not here? It's one in the morning!"

"I don't know! She was upset after your mother left and she wouldn't tell me what happened. She went to bed and I thought I'd leave her alone, but when I woke up just now, she wasn't in her bed."

Dammit.

"Okay, listen, stay here okay? Do not leave. It's far too late for you to be out wondering, looking for your sister. I'll go look for Bella, okay? I'll bring her back."

Alice nodded, her hand still pressed to her chest. "Okay, okay. Try the beach first. She hasn't been sleeping and she'll go on a walk before bed to try and tire herself out. She might be there."

"Okay, I'll go there. Lock the door, Alice. Do not open it until I am back with Bella."

Alice nodded again and stepped back, shutting the door.

I was on a mission now, strutting down the porch and ran toward the beach. Luckily it wasn't too far from where the girl's lived and it wasn't completely deserted, even with the late hour. There was a group of people having a bonfire and off in the distance, a lonely figure standing close to the edge of the water.

That had to be Bella.

At least I hoped.

I approached her slowly, first because I wanted to make sure it was her and not another helpless girl who could mistake me for a stranger trying to harm her. I wouldn't, but that didn't mean she knew that. But the closer I got, I realized it was Bella.

She was close enough to the water that every time the waves came crashing, they reached her feet. She was still in her robe, her arms wrapped around herself and her braid fell over her shoulder.

She turned once I was close enough. Whether it was because she could hear me or felt me behind her, I wasn't sure. But her wide eyes met mine and a sharp breath escaped her.

My own breath got caught in my throat at the sight of her.

She was so beautiful.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"I couldn't sleep," she said, shrinking into herself. She shifted on her feet, turning back to the water and I could see her face clearly under the moonlight.

I could see the dried up tears on her cheeks.

I clenched my hands into fists at my sides.

"How could I make amends for such behavior?" I asked, feeling helpless. "Bella, I had no idea. Had I known-"

"Edward." She stopped me, looking at me once more. "After everything that has happened, after everything I did, the only person who should be making amends is me."

"I've told you before, Bella, I do not want your apologies."

Bella scoffed, but it sounded more like a sob. "How could you say that? After everything that has happened, how could you still feel this way?"

"I just do, Isabella. It might make me a fool, but I cannot help how I feel." I took a step closer to her. "You are too kind to trifle with me. I know you spoke to my mother earlier and after what she said to me, I can't lie and say that what you told her didn't give me an inch of hope, as I scarcely allowed myself to feel before." Another step. "If your feelings are still the same as they were before, just say the word. My affections and wishes have not changed, Bella, but say the word and that will silence me forever."

Her eyes watered and she let out a shaky breath.

"Edward…" She shook her head and finally said, "I'm afraid to love you."

I fell a step back, but she quickly took a step forward.

"I'm afraid to love you because you'll be gone in a matter of weeks. I'm afraid to love you because you'll be fighting a war and I'm terrified that I will never see you again." Tears started spilling and I wanted to reach for her and wipe them away, but I couldn't move. "I've done nothing but damn myself to hell and back for being so gullible. For falling for Jacob's lies, for being so blind. If I hadn't… if I hadn't then we would've had time. We would've had the time Alice and Jasper got, time we lost and I've been so angry at myself for wasting it. If only I hadn't fallen for Jacob's lies, if only we would've gotten here soon-"

I couldn't help myself then. I reached for her, taking her face between my hands. Bella sobbed, closing her eyes as I pressed my forehead against hers.

"I'm so scared to love you and lose you so soon," she cried.

The words spilled out of me before I had the chance to think.

"Marry me."

Her eyes flew open and she stared at me in shock, her eyelashes soaked in tears.

"W-what?"

My heart fluttered against my chest. There was no turning back now, but I wanted it. I wanted it more than anything.

"Marry me."

Bella shook her head again.

"You don't mean that-"

"I do."

"Your family would never allow it!"

"I don't care."

"And my father-"

"Marry me, Isabella."

"You don't want that-"

"I do."

"I'm nobody, Edward!"

"You're everything." I tilted her head up, making her look at me. Our faces were mere inches from each other. "Bella, you're my life now. My heart is yours. And yes, you're right, perhaps we don't have time now, but now I have something worth fighting for. Something worth coming home to. The only thing that could get me through this war is knowing I get to be with you once it is all said and done."

"And if you die?" She asked, her voice breaking.

"Then I will die happy knowing we got to make the most of our time together and you will be taken care of. I love you, Isabella Swan, and I'm asking you to marry me."

I waited on baited breath as she looked at me as if I'd lost my mind. Perhaps I had. Surely my mother would think so. But I mean it all, every single part of it. I would give it up all for her. I would fight this war twice as hard if it meant I got to come home to her.

Bella sighed and her hands gripped mine that were still cupping her face. She took one of them and brought it to her lips, pressing a gentle kiss on my hardened knuckles.

"Yes."

Chapter Eighteen Preview -

"I'm more worried about Edward coming home from the war than what my father might think about my choice of husband."