Chapter 27

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Chapter 27

"I can't believe you are doing this without telling Isabella first," the angel said for the hundredth time from the passenger seat in Edward's car.

"Yes, so you've told me, over and over and fucking over again," Edward huffed and squeezed the steering wheel while he drove as they headed toward Chicago.

Seth snorted and shook his head. He had to admit the sentiment was awesome, he just wasn't sure the lovely Isabella would find it as such, at least not without telling her first. He crossed one jean-clad leg over the other and stared at Edward for a moment. Yep, his young friend was dead set on going through with his plan so there was no point in trying to talk him out of it. The way his jaw was set and the dip between his eyebrows were telltale signs, as Seth knew better than just about anyone, so rather than express his opinion again, he probed.

"What made you decide to get it?" the nosy angel asked.

They had talked about it before, but Edward kept changing the subject, as he was apt to do when he was uncomfortable talking about something. But, here now, in a car when it was just the two of them, even though only one could be seen by passersby, Edward didn't have an escape. Seth gleefully thought of all the things he could talk about with Edward because he had no way to get away, but decided, for the moment anyway, to concentrate on the subject at hand.

Edward didn't answer the pushy being, though he did, as had become habit, rub the spot on his chest right above his heart. It was the place Isabella fell asleep every night, and because what laid beneath was all hers, as cheesy and sappy as that was to say, he knew it was the perfect spot for what he wanted to get done.

"Edward?" Seth questioned again, and pushed the sleeves of his red Henley t-shirt up his arms.

Dressed in a t-shirt and jeans, with a pair of Vans on his feet, the angel looked every bit as human as Edward did, but unfortunately that wasn't the case. Edward would never admit, not unless he absolutely had to, but he was rather fond of the pain in the ass.

He wasn't about to tell him that though. No fucking way.

Edward lifted one hand from the steering wheel, ran it through his hair, and then huffed, again. "This is going to sound all kinds of fucked up and I know it will, but I just wanted to have...to keep...I need to always have her with me...even when I die. Getting the tattoo will ensure that she will be."

Seth sighed mightily, so much so the entire car shook from end to end, even the windows rattled, but the car stayed its steady course. He knew...knew...it was that, but to hear Edward say it out loud tore his angelic heart completely in two.

Poor Seth had been struggling so much as of late. Gideon had been by his side more times over the past few weeks than he had ever been, but Seth couldn't find it in himself to let that bother him. Not even a little bit. Watching Edward grow, enjoy his life, and be happy was everything he had wished it would be, but knowing that Edward's time would be ending soon was killing him. Well, rather it would if he wasn't already dead. And then Gideon. He'd been even more cryptic than normal saying things without really saying them and always with a glint in his eye that made Seth want to shake him and ask what the Sam Hill was going on, but he knew better than that.

"I know, I know," Edward grumbled, mistaking the reason for Seth's sigh, entirely. "I am a damn fool, but I don't care. I want it and as crazy as this sounds, I know I'll always have a part of her with me, and I want her to know that, too."

"You're not a fool, Edward," Seth said and sighed again, this time barely moving the car at all. "In fact, I think that is just about the most meaningful thing I've ever heard. Truly."

Edward was quite taken aback by the intensity in Seth's voice but he didn't want to think about why he sounded the way he did. He was sure it had something to do with him and his time being so little, and he was not going to think about that today if he could at all help it.

"So, do you think it will hurt?" Seth asked in an obvious attempt to change the subject and to lessen the melancholy that suddenly settled over them.

Edward snorted and then shrugged his shoulder, saying, "No fucking clue. I'm guessing yes, and from the research I've done, I know it's going to be sore as hell, but it will be worth it.

"Do you know how..." Edward started to ask and then clamped his mouth shut, not having the courage to finish what he was about to say. All the talk about why he wanted the tattoo and pain and everything else had his mind on a tangent he couldn't stop thinking about, no matter how resolute he was to NOT think about it. It was a question he'd tried to ask many, many times since the infernal being popped into his life and one he found himself focusing on more and more as of late. He had no idea why he wanted to know how he was going to die, he honestly figured it was best NOT to know, but it didn't stop him from wondering just the same.

To stop himself from dwelling on subjects he'd rather not, he let his mind drift to Isabella, just like always. It was the end of October now. The leaves had started turning a short while ago, and at night when he and Isabella sat on the deck, they had to huddle underneath a wool blanket, not that he minded that in the least. He did, however, miss the fact that she could no longer go barefoot, instead she had to keep socks on her adorable feet. A travesty, he thought, because he'd come to think that her feet were one of the sexiest things about her, which if he thought about it too much, kind of freaked him out. He hated feet, always had, but hers, he loved. They were so soft and so small and fit perfectly in his hands when she laid her feet in his lap. Of course, his love of her feet probably had more to do with the sounds she made when he rubbed them. Who knew?

Things had settled into a very comfortable routine, one that was incredibly ordinary, but as fulfilling as anything Edward could have imagined. In the morning after he and Isabella had breakfast together, they would head to the office. On the days that she worked from home, though they were quite sporadic and very few and far between, Peter would drive him, as well as on the days she had tutoring after school. On those days, Edward was always joined by Seth and it was during the morning commute that the angel seemed to do his level best to piss him off. Sometimes it was by purposely antagonizing him about Isabella, but other times it was to ask him questions that he didn't want to answer, and of late, most had been about Liam and Maggie.

Edward sighed and shifted in his seat as he sped along the highway toward Chicago and the shop where he would get the tattoo done. Liam and Maggie. The thoughts he had of them nagged at the back of his mind like an itch you couldn't scratch. The thoughts only irritated him when he let himself think about them, and he tried like hell not to do that too often if he could help it. Things had finally started to ease as far as Carlisle and Esme were concerned and he didn't want to do anything to rock that very fragile boat. It had taken them all some time and a lot of effort to get to the place they were at. He wasn't about to risk what he'd found, what they all needed and wanted, by allowing himself to spend too much time dwelling on his birth parents.

He and Esme had talked at length about Maggie, at times painful, heart-wrenching discussions, but they had to be done. He knew how hard it was for her to hear about her sister, but she needed to know, to understand, so he answered her questions as best he could. There were times he just...couldn't, and she understood when he would shut down and firmly changed the subject. He could only do so much, and it was those nights in particular he would find himself curled up with Isabella on the couch or outside under the stars not speaking, as she put him back together again, reminding him over and over again of how far he'd come and how much she loved him.

Carlisle was a different story altogether, but things were so much better there, too. Just the last weekend, when Isabella, Renée, Nonna, Esme, Rose, and Alice had attended a Home and Garden show together, he'd asked Carlisle and Emmett to join him and Charlie to play golf and they'd had a fantastic day. If anyone would have ever told him he'd enjoy spending an entire day with his adoptive father, brother, and father-in-law so damn much, he would have accused them of taking drugs or some shit, but the day couldn't have been any better. Slowly but surely those final walls were crumbling and he could feel himself inching closer and closer to calling Carlisle...Dad.

Things were so good, he was so happy and content, and his life was exactly where he wanted it to be. He and Isabella were doing better than ever. She'd stopped taking her birth control pills right after she'd gone to the doctor after they'd had their talk at the park. Every time they made love, and it was often, that hadn't changed at all, in fact it had only gotten better, he said a silent prayer that somehow, someway, whatever force had sent Seth to him would let her get pregnant. He knew how slim the chances were, medically speaking anyway because her body still had to regulate its hormones, but miracles happened everyday and he was hoping beyond hope they would be granted one. Now that he'd allowed himself to want it, it was all he could think about. If they were blessed enough to have a baby, she would always have a part of him to keep, just like he did with the tattoo.

The angel was uncharacteristically willing to let his charge keep his thoughts to himself, though because he knew him so well, it wasn't at all difficult to interpret every little grimace, grin, and groan. Edward liked to think himself cool and aloof but honestly to those that knew and loved him, like he and Isabella, the man was positively an open book. You just merely had to look beneath the cover.

By the time he was going to ask Edward a question, he noticed they'd entered the city so he let him be. Edward expertly wove in and out of the heavy downtown traffic and within a few minutes they were in front of a rather rundown looking tattoo shop. Seth wasn't at all sure what he was expecting, but whatever it was, it wasn't this. The windows were covered with the usual posters and flyers, the inside had the normal assortment of chairs and couches, and there was classic rock blaring from speakers hanging in the corners.

"Eddie, I swear, boy, you surprise me more and more every damn day," the angel scoffed and shook his head.

"What? When I decided to do this, I talked with Jasper. He's had some ink done, and this is where he comes. Jas even helped me draw it up," Edward said as he held up the manila folder that held the artwork.

Seth knew all that of course, but didn't say it. "Last chance to back out now, or at least tell Isabella first," the angel needled and chuckled when Edward glared at him before getting out of the car.

Edward and Seth walked through the front door but of course Edward was the only one that was greeted. They were told that Zeke would be with them shortly and to have a seat, so they did. After only a few minutes, a man, that again was not what Seth expected, walked out from a back room.

Zeke was really tall, probably 6'2" and stocky. He was bald but had a long, white beard that made him look like a bald, tatted-up Santa Claus. Both arms were covered with tattoos and every color under the rainbow decorated his skin. He smiled widely when he saw Edward and Edward heard, but of course didn't see, Seth take a surprised breath.

Edward snorted and quickly rolled his eyes before standing up to greet him. "Hey, man, thanks so much for fitting me in," he said as he held his hand out for the other man to shake.

"Well, any friend of J's is a friend of mine, so it's no trouble. Why don't you show me what you plan on having done?" Zeke asked and nodded toward the folder in his hand.

Anxiously, Edward handed over the folder and waited while the other man looked at the drawing Jasper had done. He was the only one Edward had told about the tattoo, and he'd asked Jasper to help get what he had in mind drawn on paper because he knew damn good and well he couldn't do it himself. Besides, Jasper was the only person he could trust not to tell Isabella what he'd planned on doing. Emmett couldn't keep a secret to save his life and Alec, well everyone knew how he felt about his wife, and Edward wasn't fool enough to think he wouldn't run and tell Isabella at the first opportunity.

"J draw this?" Zeke asked after a few moments and Edward nodded his head.

"Damn fool is wasting away up in that ivory tower dressed in those power suits all day. I keep trying to get him to give it all up and come work here," Zeke smirked at him.

"Yeah, well, he's damn good at what he does, so I'd have to fight you for him, but he is a hell of an artist. I knew he could draw, but not like that," Edward remarked, still a bit stunned at the depth of Jasper's talent.

The design itself wasn't that complicated, nor were the words he wanted to include as well, but the delicacy with which he drew the tattoo evoked every thought and feeling Edward was going for, without even having to spell it out. The subtle shades of red and black, the wispy lines that curled around the heart itself, the style of the lettering, all were perfect and reminded him of everything he loved about Isabella. They heart was a series of lines and then one side were the words 'la mia ragione' for my reason and then on the other 'la mia couere' for my heart and her name was underneath the heart itself. Of course it didn't hurt that Jasper was his best friend and knew him better than just about anyone else.

Jasper had even helped with the second part of his surprise for his magnificent wife, but he didn't have time to think about that now.

"Okay, man, well, we can definitely do this in one sitting. It really shouldn't take that much time either, though it's gonna hurt like a bitch, chest muscles and all." Zeke grinned, and Edward noted it was somewhat evilly.

He led them to his station and once Edward unbuttoned his shirt, he sat in the chair and tried to relax as Zeke lowered the back for better access to the area on his chest where the tat would go. Edward closed his eyes for a minute and felt Zeke work as he shaved the area to remove what little chest hair he had and then hissed when he felt the cold alcoholic swab used to clean it.

Once that was done, Edward felt the design as it was placed on his chest and Zeke carefully transposed it to his skin. After a few minutes, he had Edward sit up and he asked, "Look okay?"

"Fucking perfect," Edward said with a smile.

"Okay, Edward, this is it; you ready? There's no going back once I get started, you know?" Zeke asked while he put his latex gloves on and set up the tattoo gun with ink.

"Let's do it," Edward stated emphatically and then Zeke got to work.

It didn't hurt as bad as Edward had imagined it would, but it hurt like a bitch nonetheless. With each pinch of pain, it only served to remind him that now he would have a reminder of Isabella with him...forever. Quicker than he would have thought possible, Zeke told him he was done and he gingerly sat up so he could look at the tattoo before getting bandaged up.

His breath left his body in a whoosh the second his eyes focused on the explosion of color on his chest. He wanted to reach up and run his fingers across the skin, in fact he started to move his hand in that direction before Zeke stopped him.

"Jeeze, Edward, you have to wait until the skin has time to at least scab over. I take it you approve?" the man asked with a crooked eyebrow as he shook his head at him in the mirror's reflection.

"Fuck yes I do. It's...wow...it's fucking perfect. Thank you, seriously. You have no idea how much this means to me," Edward said as he fought to keep his voice steady.

He knew it would be emotional to see his vision come to life, but he didn't know it would feel like...this. Like everything was falling into place as it should be, like things were happening for reasons that were outside his realm of understanding...like everything would be okay. He'd felt that way before, numerous times in fact, but, here, now, it was more.

Stronger, deeper, more profound, more intense...more everything.

After getting bandaged up and armed with instructions for aftercare and such, Edward was on his way to his second stop of the day. Isabella was going to be spending the day with her mom and Nonna so he planned on getting everything he needed to get done finished before meeting her back at home.

As he expected, Seth walked beside him, unseen to everyone around them, once Edward had arrived at his next destination. Surprisingly the angel was silent, a fact of which Edward appreciated greatly. There were times he just liked to think without being asked questions. His mind wandered from topic to topic as he meandered down the crowded sidewalk. He supposed he could have parked closer to his intended stop, but really, he wanted to walk today.

When they got closer to the famous jewelry store with the robin's egg blue boxes, Edward pointedly ignored the low rumbling chuckle of the annoying angel and strode directly toward the counter. He paid no attention to the myriad of looks of lust, desire, and sexual need thrown his way by the women in the store, he never did. Well, he hadn't in a very, very long time. He wasn't an idiot, he knew he was a good-looking man, he always had been. His looks along with the air of aloofness and almost aristocracy that constantly surrounded him had garnered him more than his fair share of attention from the opposite sex. Even way back when, when he only wanted to be left alone, women practically fell over themselves whenever he walked past. As his incredible and beautiful wife liked to tease him, apparently for some unfathomable reason, women found him even more irresistible now. He really didn't understand it, nor did he try very hard because it was completely irrelevant as far as he was concerned. The only woman whose attentions he wanted were those of Isabella and she showed her appreciation of him in all the ways that mattered.

He really was one lucky man, he thought for the thousandth time as he approached the display case. The poor sales associate was stunned stupid for a second when he walked up, especially when he nervously ran a hand through his hair. Again, he patently ignored the pain in the ass invisible presence beside him. "Um...I have a special order I'd like to pick up. For Cullen," he said as he shifted from foot to foot.

"Oh, ah...sure...um...let me go check and see if I can find it," the flustered woman said with a blush on her cheeks as she scurried off to find his item.

The chuckle from beside him was even louder than before and Edward whispered in a fierce voice, "Don't say a fucking word."

"Whatever, Eddie," the angel said with a gleeful twinkle in his eye.

The woman came back, carrying his item on a black velvet tray and when she laid it on the glass counter for him to inspect, Edward wasn't sure he'd ever seen anything more beautiful. "It's perfect," he whispered as he traced the pendant with his finger.

He'd had Jasper help him design a pendant that was the exact replica as the tattoo that now adorned his chest. On an oval platinum disk, he'd had the heart etched into the disk, had a bit of color added with a line of small rubies that matched the swath of red on the tattoo, and then had the words engraved as well. On the back he simply wrote 'Always and Forever, Edward' because the words on the front said everything he could possibly say.

"It's a beautiful piece," the woman said honestly, though with a bit of jealousy. It was impossible not to be because if she had a man that looked like Mr. Cullen buying her jewelry that was hand-designed, proclaiming to her to be his everything, she'd consider herself pretty damn lucky! "Is there anything else you need?" she asked and sighed when he shook his head without looking up at her, because he was too transfixed by the necklace. The sales associate thought, again, that his wife was one very lucky woman. "Let me get this boxed up for you then."

She took the velvet-lined tray and was back in no time with a light blue bag and Edward handed her his credit card. Once the purchase was done he started to make his way to the door when he heard someone call his name, "Edward?"

He turned and was face to face with none other than Sophie Jameson.

"Sophie, um...God, it's been so long...hi," Edward stammered and then awkwardly reached out to give her a hug.

"Hi, to you, too," she said and hugged him back.

Once she stepped back, she really looked at him. It had been almost a year since the last time she'd seen him and even then it had only been in passing. He still looked the same, gorgeous as all get out, but the genuine smile on his face and the brightness of his bottle-green eyes told her everything she needed to know: he was happy, as happy as she had ever seen him and it made her smile at him in return.

"I never would have believed I would see you in Tiffany's, Edward," she teased as she pointed to the bag in his hand.

"Ah, well, it's a gift for my wife," he told her and she noted how his face lit up even more.

"Birthday or anniversary?" she questioned as they both started to walk to the front door again.

Edward, ever the gentleman, held the door open for her and as she passed him he said, "Um, neither actually."

They both stood on the sidewalk and faced each other. "There's a story there, I can tell. Come on, buy me a mocha frappuccino at Starbucks and you can tell me all about it."

Edward chuckled and nodded, quite happy with the unexpected turn of events. Isabella was going to be busy for a few more hours at least and he'd thought about Sophie a great deal lately. The fact that they ran into each other was a fortuitous event Edward wasn't about to let go. He had so much to tell her, to thank her for...to apologize for.

He glanced to his right as he and Sophie walked down the street to Starbucks and the angel looked quite pleased with himself, and with him he noted, so he figured he was doing the right thing by spending time with Sophie. It felt damn good, he admitted only to himself, to do something right without having to be told to do it first for a change.

Really good.

Once Edward had ordered and paid for their drinks, they found a table in the back corner by the windows. Once they sat down, Edward didn't even think about Seth being there, instead he concentrated on his very old, very dear, and very unappreciated friend across from him.

"Soph, you look good, happy. How have you been? Tell me what you've been up to," Edward blurted out.

Now that she was across from him, he had a million and one things to tell her and to ask her. He never meant to treat her badly, and he certainly never intended for them to drift apart the way they had. Besides Jasper and possibly Marcus, he hadn't ever had a friend better than her. Isabella, of course, was his best friend, and would always be, but if not for the woman across from him, he had no idea if he would even be here.

Sophie laughed lightly at him and picked up her drink, taking a moment to appraise the man across from her. He sure seemed different and if she hadn't seen him with her own eyes, she never would have believed he was the same man she knew all those years ago. She knew, of course, that he had taken over Cullen Publishing. She also knew that he'd gotten married, a fact which had taken her completely by surprise if she was honest. The Edward Cullen she remembered would never have gotten married unless something had changed. His wife must be a very special woman, at least Sophie hoped so. Edward deserved no less.

"So it's going to be like that, huh?" she asked with a grin and when he nodded his head enthusiastically at her, she giggled. "Fine, then, where to begin?"

She was quiet for a moment while she gathered her thoughts and Edward used that time to look at her. She was still as pretty as ever, and she had that similar air of gentleness around her as his Isabella. She had been such a good friend to him when he'd needed one most, and he felt like such shit to have let her drift away and out of his life. He never meant to. He'd also never meant to not tell Isabella about her either. He'd mentioned her from time to time but he'd never admitted to anyone how hurt and betrayed he was by what Anna had done and how much Sophie had helped him afterward, even though he never let Sophie know how much he appreciated her. It wasn't because he'd felt anything meaningful for Anna, just like he'd told Isabella, but it was more the feelings of unworthiness she just reinforced. Sophie had kept him from slipping away into a black hole of despair and bitterness, though it was only barely, but it was enough so that when Isabella suddenly appeared like a gift from above, he'd been ready, or as ready as he could have been.

For that, Edward owed her everything.

"I'm so sorry I hurt you," Edward said in a rush with a soft voice.

"Edward...that was so long ago," she answered him and he noted, with a heavy heart, she didn't dispute what he'd said. That hurt, a whole fucking lot as a matter-of-fact.

He shook his head and then huffed out a deep breath. Shaking his head he said, "Sophie, whether it was seven years ago or seven days ago, I still hurt you. The way I treated you, it was...I was such an ass. I don't even recognize that man anymore when I think about how I acted back then."

"I take it that is because of your wife?" she prodded.

He nodded and ran his fingers across the bracelet on his wrist, smiling instantly the moment he did so. Sophie couldn't help but glance at his hand and made a mental note to ask about it, but in a minute. She wanted to hear what Edward had to say about his wife first.

"Everything is because of her," he said in a voice so full of love it brought tears to her eyes.

"Oh, Edward," she said back and then grinned when he shrugged his shoulders, totally unapologetic for sounding so sweetly endearing.

"When I met Isabella, I knew right away that she was the one for me. It wasn't too long after I'd taken over for Grandfather because he'd just passed away, and you know I was being groomed to take over anyway. Even though..." he stopped to take a breath and to calm his racing heart. "Even though," he began again, "I knew I wasn't ready for her, I didn't have a choice once I saw her. Sophie, if it wouldn't have been for you, trying to help me after that shit-storm with Anna, I would never have had the courage to even try to love Isabella. I owed...owe you so much, more than I can ever tell you and the fact that you and I just...weren't friends all of a sudden and I didn't even try to stop you, or tell you I was sorry I couldn't be who you wanted me to, is unforgivable."

He'd hung his head and it shot up when he heard her soft chuckle. "Edward, all I ever wanted you to be was yourself."

"I know," he answered and then sat back in his chair.

Christ, things had been such a fucking mess when he met Sophie for the first time all those years ago. She had worked as the head of one of the charities the Cullen Foundation had given money to and they were introduced at the fundraiser dinner the Foundation had put on. It was so soon after he and Anna had parted ways and he was barely functioning. His grandfather was pissed at him and hadn't bothered to even listen when Edward had tried to explain what happened. By that time, he, Carlisle, and Esme had spent so little time together they were practically strangers, and he and Emmett only talked when they had to and only when it was about work. Jasper, Alec, and Marcus tried to get him to tell them what was going on but he couldn't so instead he'd folded even more in on himself. He wasn't eating, wasn't sleeping, and was working eighteen hours a day at the office to try to keep himself so busy he couldn't spend time thinking about Anna or his parents and what had happened to him in Ireland.

In a word, he'd been on the brink of self-destruction and it was the friendship that developed between himself and Sophie that kept him from spiraling out of control.

He didn't tell her about Liam and Maggie. He didn't really even tell her about Carlisle, Esme, and Emmett either. They did talk about his grandfather and Anna, as much as he was able to at any rate, which was barely much at all. No, instead she tried to get to know him and she kept trying and trying until it was apparent that he wasn't ready for her friendship.

She never had any feelings for him that went past platonic but she knew she could help him if only he'd let her...and he didn't, couldn't, because he wasn't ready. Much like Isabella, though certainly not with the same depth of feelings, Sophie recognized there was so much beneath the mask that he had worn back then. She just wanted and needed to help him realize that he was a good person, one that deserved good things to happen to him. They spent a lot of time together, though most of it was spent with her talking and him listening. She told him everything and when they were talking about her, he was engaged and offered the best advice. She told him things she'd never told anyone else, her dreams and her fears, what she wanted to do with her life, stories from her childhood...everything. But, when the tables were turned and she wanted to talk about him, he shut down quicker than you could blink.

It finally just got so hard and she wasn't getting through to him, or so she thought. They just sort of drifted apart and days turned into weeks which turned into months between conversations and then finally they stopped talking all together. That was really the thing that was so hard for Sophie to deal with: the fact that there wasn't really a reason for the distance between the two other than Edward's reluctance to open up to her. Things were just so one-sided and it was hard to be friends with someone when you were the only one trying, or so she felt at the time.

She'd sent a letter of condolence when his grandfather passed away, and she sent a gift when he and Isabella had gotten married, but after that, there wasn't any more contact. Occasionally their paths would cross as she became more involved in charity work, but even when that happened, they didn't speak. She'd thought of him often over the past few years, especially so when she'd gotten engaged as she had just a few months ago, but today was the first time they had spoken in quite some time.

"Edward, you know when we were friends all those years ago, that was all I wanted from you. You were going through such a hard time and all I wanted to do was help. You just shut me out so completely that when we stopped talking. I am not sure you even realized it," Sophie told him honestly.

"Christ, Soph," he said using the nickname from when they'd first met. "I was such a fucking mess. I was hurt and angry and I was holding all this...shit...inside of me. Something happened to me not too long ago that made me take long, hard look at my life and I didn't like much of what I saw. With Isabella's love and faith in me, I've been able to turn my life around, make amends with my family and friends, even Anna if you can believe that," and then he laughed and ran a hand through his hair when he saw the incredulous look on Sophie's face. "I know, right? She's...she's not the person I thought she was and she told me she was sorry for what she did, and I did the same. I...I'm not the same Edward you knew all those years ago, but I'd really like for you to get to know him...if you want to that is."

"I'd really like that, Edward. I can't tell you how happy it makes me to see you so...happy," she told him and then tilted her head to the side as she continued to stare at him. "You deserve it so much."

"Well, I've finally faced a lot of things in my past, again with Isabella's help, so things are...really fucking good to be honest with you," he told her with a small shrug of his shoulder. Once more he ran his finger across his bracelet and Sophie couldn't contain her curiosity any longer.

She reached a hand out and pointed, asking, "Spill it, Cullen. What is up with you and that bracelet?"

He grinned at her and then ducked his head and she laughed when the tips of his ears turned pink. "God, I'm going to sound like such an lovesick fool, but this is a friendship bracelet. Isabella has one, too. I gave them to her for her birthday because well...you know...she's my best friend and I wanted her to know that."

"That must have been some wake-up call, my friend," she told him, though there was a hint of a question in there, too.

Knowing he couldn't say much, he nodded and then said, "It sure as hell was. I've become the husband Isabella has deserved all this time, gotten to know my brother all over again, allowed myself to get closer to Jasper, Alec, and Marcus, and have even started repairing my relationship with Carlisle and Esme. It's been...hard...Soph, but so worth it. I've been offered a second chance I'm still not sure I deserve, but I hope you'll give me one, too, to be the friend I should have been all those years ago. You did so much for me, even though I never told you or showed you, and I'm sorry for that, too. You were the only bright spot in a very dark time for me and I never should have gone so long without telling you that. I'm really sorry for hurting you the way I did. Can you forgive me?"

"Oh, Edward, of course I forgive you," she told him and then dabbed at her eyes to dry up the tears she'd let fall. "I'm so glad you found the happiness I always knew you could have if you just let yourself accept it."

"You sound like Isabella," Edward said with a wide smile.

"She sounds like my kind of person then. I hope I can meet her sometime," she told him softly.

Edward snorted and then rolled his eyes at her. "Oh, shit, I can just see it now, both of you plotting against me." He took a sip of his drink and then sat back in his chair and looked at her before saying, "You know, you two would get along really well, I think. You're a lot alike, mostly because you both look for the good in everyone. It's a trait that I admire, to be honest with you, and one I find myself trying to emulate more often."

She gasped and once again felt the corners of her eyes burn with tears and then said, "You have changed so much."

"Actually, as I tell Isabella over and over again, I think it's just me...finally being me," he answered honestly. "And, now, enough about me, tell me about you. How is work going and tell me all about the man that put that ring on your finger."

Seth had taken his leave some time ago, not that Edward even noticed. He watched from above as Edward and Sophie talked for hours as she filled him in on everything that had been going on in her life and Edward soaked up every minute of it. Much like Alec and Isabella, Edward's rediscovered friendship with Sophie would help him in more ways than he would even be able to recognize. In Sophie, he had a confidante, not that he didn't have one in Jasper or Emmett, but she would always be there to remind him he was a good person when, as Edward was apt to do from time to time, he over thought things too much. It didn't hurt either, Seth chuckled loudly, that he could envision Isabella and Sophie becoming as good, if not better, friends than Sophie and Edward; he kind of couldn't wait to see how his young friend dealt with that!

Yep, Sophie would be just what both his favorite humans had needed and even though he was an angel and didn't really need to do it, he sent up a prayer of thanks for Sophie's appearance today. He knew it wasn't just chance that the two crossed paths so he said the thank you Edward wouldn't realize he needed to say.

"So, we'll see you and Max next week?" Edward asked. He and Sophie had made tentative plans to meet for dinner, with their significant others as well, of course.

"Sure thing. If anything comes up, I'll call you, but I'm sure it will be fine. Max, um...well, I've told him about you so he'll be anxious to put a face with the name," she told him with a blush and then hurried out the door he was holding open for you.

"He's jealous of me, huh?" Edward teased with a waggle of his eyebrows.

She rolled her eyes at him and then jabbed him in the stomach with her elbow. "No, you big goof. He knows we never felt like that for each other. He just wants to meet you is all. He knows how important you were...are to me," she told him. "Are you going to tell Isabella you saw me today?"

"Hell yes I am. If I could track her down, I'd call her as soon as I got in the car to go home, but it'll have to wait until I get there. I'm really excited for you guys to meet." He meant it, too. He couldn't wait to get home to tell Isabella about his day.

Sophie laughed at him and put her sunglasses on. "Edward, you should probably wait until after you give her whatever is in that bag. I'm sure that is more important than telling her about seeing an old friend."

He wasn't going to argue with her, but really, he knew Isabella would think they were at least equally important. He knew how much it would mean to her to see him make peace and reconnect with one more person from his past. Especially one that meant so much to him, and to both of them really.

"You'd be surprised. It was so good to see you, Soph. I'm so glad we found each other again," as he moved closer to her and wrapped her in a hug.

"Me, too, Edward. Keep in touch, okay? And, I'll let you know for sure about next week," she told him and then patted his back before stepping backward. With a wave, she turned and walked away, though this time he knew she would be back.

~~~~OOO~~~~OOO~~~~

Isabella had had the best day with her mother and Nonna but as she drove home, all she could think about was getting home to Edward. She hadn't seen him since early morning and she missed him. As much as she loved spending time with her family and friends, spending time with Edward was ever so much more fun, more fulfilling, more everything.

She supposed in this day and age it was strange to have such a small circle of friends, but she didn't much care because it was who she was. Even before Edward's metamorphosis into the perfect husband, she never needed to fill her time by spending it with people she truly didn't care about, she never had. Her life was full, fuller than most anyone's and she wouldn't trade it for anything. She enjoyed her lunches with Alec, the girls' nights she occasionally spent with Alice and Rose going to dinner and to a movie, spending time hanging out with her dad while they watched baseball on TV, or cooking with her Nonna and mother.

She had a wonderful life, one that was full of more love and more blessings than she ever would have thought possible, even more so now that Edward was, well...her Edward. The fluttery feeling she always got when she thought about him was out in full swing, even more so when she pushed the button to open the garage door and saw that he was home already. He had been so secretive the past few days but always gave her a sexy smirk when she would ask what he was up to.

Well, whatever it was, she was sure it was something for her and she really couldn't find anything to get upset with him for about that, at all.

When she walked inside from the garage, her mouth began to water immediately when she smelled the Chinese food he'd obviously picked up for dinner. Smiling, one, because she didn't need to cook, and two, because she couldn't wait to see him, she started to rush up the stairs, but came to an abrupt stop when she got to the bottom one.

There, like wrapped up pieces of sunshine, was a trail of her favorite butterscotch candies dropped haphazardly on the stairs and leading all the way up. Giggling like a teenager meeting her favorite pop idol, she bent down and scooped up a few pieces and popped one into her mouth. She practically skipped up the stairs but as she got closer to their bedroom door she stopped feeling like a teenager and felt every bit a woman wanting to see her husband.

Her body was practically electrified as she took a deep breath outside their door before opening it. The sight that greeted her was not at all what she was expecting, but when did Edward do anything that was ordinary?

"Oh, Edward," she breathed out when she looked at him. She moved and he could tell she was about to run and jump into his arms, and well, any other day he'd be all about that, but with the tattoo he didn't think it was the best idea.

Luckily, he was holding a bottle of wine so was able to say, "Wait, Beautiful," to keep her from hurting them both. He bent over and set the bottle in the wine bucket and by the time he stood back up she was standing next to him. Wasting no time, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to him and pressed his lips against hers to kiss her. His tongue slid into her mouth and the moment it did so, she felt that sexy as hell rumble she always felt when they kissed after being apart for any period of time.

"Mmmm, buttery," he smirked when he smacked his lips against hers.

"What in the world is all this?" she asked as she looked on the floor.

He'd moved the two chairs and small table that were usually in front of the fireplace in the corner of their room and instead, he'd laid out a blanket and a few pillows. The Chinese food she'd smelled all the way from downstairs was set between two place settings of their expensive china and her favorite wine was chilling in a bucket of ice. Candles were everywhere and on one plate there was a clipping from the hydrangea bush outside.

She looked at him and he shrugged his shoulders before he said simply, "I had a really good day today. I missed you, and I wanted to do something nice for you."

"My husband, you certainly are something else. Do I have time to change?" she asked when she noticed how comfortable he looked in a pair of khaki cargo shorts and a black t-shirt. His feet were bare, his hair was all over the place, and he hadn't even taken off the glasses he sometimes wore when he worked on his laptop. In a word, he was sexy as hell and she had to squeeze her legs together and bite the inside of her cheek to keep from groaning out loud.

"Sure do. I'll pour the wine and get the food ready, you go change," he told her with one more kiss to the top of her head and a swat to her ass.

Quickly she grabbed a pair of flannel boxer shorts and a tank top and hurried to the bathroom, gasping loudly when saw the items on the counter. "Edward, what the hell?" she practically shrieked, but only because she was worried. Hydrogen peroxide, gauze, some with blood on it and some sterile and still in the package, and lotion all were laid out on the counter and had her mind reeling.

"Ah shit. Baby, it's no big deal, I promise. Hurry up and get dressed and I'll explain," he told her when she flung the door open, dressed only in her boxers. "Or, don't get dressed," he drawled with a waggle of his eyebrows.

"Edward Anthony Cullen," she growled as she yanked her shirt on, twisted her hair up into a ponytail, and then put her hands on her hips as she stared at him.

"Isabella Marie Cullen," he smirked back. Gah, she was too fucking adorable when she got all feisty and shit, he thought and grinned even wider. "See, I can three name you, too. Now, come sit and eat with me. I have things to tell you."

She gulped, loudly, and that only made him laugh harder. "Love, come on. You can see there's nothing wrong with me, stop worrying so much. I promise I'll explain everything."

She narrowed her eyes as she walked closer to him and seeing nothing but happiness and love shining in his eyes, decided to let him do his thing. He was a man with a plan and she would let him lead. However, she thought, she would step in if needed.

"Thank you," he told her when she was close enough for him to grab her hand. He helped her sit down and then immediately took his spot across from her and began to spoon the food onto the plates.

She took a sip of her wine as she watched him load up her plate with pork fried rice, sweet and sour chicken, beef and broccoli and he topped it off with an eggroll. Thankfully he only gave her a spoonful of each because it was already more food than she could eat, but he more than made up for it when he got his own food. Once he was done, he lifted his glass to her and said, "I sure miss you like fucking crazy when we're apart all day, but I'll take it if I can spend nights with you like this."

"Smooth, Edward," she giggled at him and then leaned across the food to kiss him quickly on the lips, "but very sweet just the same."

Grinning like the cat that caught the canary, he said, "Just wait, baby, you haven't seen anything yet." He then proceeded to pop a piece of chicken in his mouth, chuckling when she tried to glare at him.

Before long, Isabella forgot all about what was going in the bathroom because they'd been talking nonstop, pausing only long enough to chew or to take a drink of wine. After about an hour, she put her fork down and groaned, saying, "I can't eat any more."

"Me, either," he answered her and tossed his napkin on his plate.

She stared at him across the candlelight, marveling at the way the light danced across his face. He hadn't shaved since yesterday morning so he was deliciously scruffy. He'd taken his glasses off when they had sat down to eat so now the reflection from the fire shown in his vivid green eyes, not to mention that his hair looked like it was on fire the way the light bounced off it. He had laid down on his side and was resting his head on his hand and if there was a time she had ever seen him more relaxed she couldn't recall. If there was a way she could stop time, this moment right here would be what she wanted. To see him so happy was all she'd ever hoped and prayed for and there weren't enough words in the English language that could adequately describe how thankful she was to whatever force had brought them to this place.

She could tell he wanted to say something because he kept running his finger around the rim of his wineglass, but she didn't push him. The music playing in the background was soft and soothing and between it and the fire, she had no desire whatsoever to intrude upon the extraordinarily intimate setting. Just being with him, sharing the same space with him, was enough to fill her heart and warm her body from head to toe, so if they spent the rest of the night simply doing nothing but looking at each other, she was perfectly fine with that.

"I saw Sophie today," he said softly, as he picked his head up and watched her reaction.

That was not what she expected him to say, not at all, but if the last two months had taught her anything, it was that Edward was full of surprises, a fact which he displayed over and over and over again.

She'd heard him mention Sophie from time to time so hearing her name didn't come as a huge surprise. Nor did the sincere way he said her name. Isabella was more than intuitive enough to be able to put together that nothing romantic had ever transpired between Edward and Sophie and neither party wanted it to either. She was merely a friend; a very good one judging from his obvious pleasure at seeing her again.

"You seem very happy about that," she answered him back with a tender smile.

He nodded at her and said, "I am. Beautiful, it was so weird seeing her, but so damn good, too, you know? She helped me so much after all that shit happened with Anna and I never told her that or even said thank you. I just took and took because it was nice to have someone to spend time with, even if I didn't say very much and she did most of the talking. She kept me from falling into a very dark place, I know that now, so I'm even more grateful to her than I was before."

"She sounds like a very good friend, sweetheart," she remarked with absolutely no hint of jealousy. In fact, she was extremely grateful to Sophie for being a friend to Edward during a time she knew he needed one most, and was probably the least likely to want one.

He nodded and picked up his glass, taking a sip of wine. "I want her to meet you. Is that okay?" he asked, hoping she understood that he only wanted to show Sophie how happy he was and how much he and Isabella loved each other.

"I would love that," Isabella answered honestly and leaned back on a large throw pillow. "Tell me about your day with her," she prodded and then proceeded to listen and he filled her in on his visit with his old friend.

When he finished talking she stretched her legs out because they were a bit cramped from sitting for so long.

"Wait here, I have a few more surprises for you," he told her with a mischievous grin when he stood up. He bent over and tilted her head up with his fingers beneath her chin and then kissed the tip of her nose.

"Edward," she huffed partly in exasperation and partly in defeat. She knew she was fighting a losing battle, so rather than fight it, she smiled at him. "Fine, fine, I'll pick up the dishes and you go do whatever you need to do." She giggled as she shooed him away toward the bathroom of all places. He turned and gave her her smile and then closed the door behind him.

She picked up the dishes and the food and carried it all downstairs to put away in the dishwasher and fridge. After she set the alarm and turned out the lights, she walked back up the stairs and sighed when she spied the candy again. She didn't even think about picking them up yet; it was too cute a gesture to not enjoy for as long as possible.

When she walked back into the bedroom he was waiting for her, leaning against the door of the bathroom with his robe on. She spied a corner of white on his chest that looked eerily familiar to the gauze she saw in the bathroom earlier and she realized she'd forgotten all about asking him about it all during dinner.

"Edward," was all she got out before he said, "Wait, love, okay?"

She looked at him with anxious eyes, feeling a distinct change in the atmosphere. It was charged, heavy, but layered with the need they both had for each other. She had questions, but was still willing to follow his lead. Besides, she knew he had to be naked, or at the very least mostly so, beneath his robe. She could tell the bathroom was filled with steam from the bathtub, so she kind of hoped she'd be naked, too, before too much longer.

"I did something today, something for you. Well, mostly it's for me," he began and didn't move from his position against the door frame.

She had stopped moving as well and stared at him, standing no more than an arm's length away from him. His eyes were blazing intensely, bright pools of green-black that stared at her in such a way it was if he was trying to etch the vision of her onto his brain. Her skin prickled under the weight of his stare, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Instead it made her feel adored, cherished, and loved beyond all reason.

"I love you so fucking much," he told her in a voice that almost didn't sound like his own it was so gruff, so deep due to the emotions swirling in and around him.

"I love you, too. Edward, you're scaring me. What's the matter?" she asked him, too afraid to move though every cell in her body screamed to throw herself into his arms.

He shook his head, trying to clear it of all the thoughts and feelings so he could focus solely on her. Pushing off the door frame, he reached for her hands, threading his fingers with hers. She watched as he lifted them to his mouth and then as he rubbed his lips across each of her knuckles, never once forming them to kiss the skin of her hand and never once taking his eyes off of her. She was mesmerized as she watched his eyes take her in from head to foot. If all of her clothes suddenly disappeared from her body she wasn't sure she'd feel more exposed than she did right then...like he could see into the depths of her very soul, like he could feel every emotion she did, like he knew every one of her hopes and dreams, needs and wants.

She opened her mouth though she didn't know why nor what she wanted to say, but it didn't matter because before she could even blink, his mouth was on hers. It wasn't sweet. It wasn't gentle. Instead it was full of unquenched desire, of a need to claim, to consume.

To possess and remember...forever...this moment right here.

He hadn't even shown her the ink that would stain his skin for the rest of time, but he knew it was there and more than that, why it was there. His tongue delved deeply, tasting every part of her mouth, then he retreated to nibble on her bottom lip. His fingers had found their way into her hair and he cradled her head between them as if she was the most expensive piece of art ever made. In his mind, she was infinitely more priceless than anything mere man could make. She was...everything. His reason...his purpose...and without question the greatest gift he'd ever been given.

"My beautiful Isabella," he murmured once he'd gotten a slight hold on the emotions that were threatening to overpower him. He stared her again for another long moment before he sighed and released her head and lowered his hands.

She watched as he untied the belt holding his robe closed and she let out a breath of air that matched almost perfectly the whoosh when he let the robe fall to the floor. The stark white bandage glaringly stood out on his chest and she gasped when she saw it. With shaking fingers, she lifted her hand to touch it, but he captured her wrist before she could. Wordlessly, he walked backward, pulling her with him, until they stood inside the bathroom.

He'd turned the lights down so that the room was bathed in a soft golden light. There was steam rising from the jacuzzi tub and there were a few candles lit on the shelf behind it. The scents of the candles were heady mixed with the steam, but not so much so that it was unpleasant. The heat from the bathroom caused her hair to curl and he reached a hand up and held a mahogany strand between his fingers, marveling for the thousandth time how it could feel so fucking soft all the damn time. There was so much he wanted to say to her, he didn't even know where to start.

He wasn't sure when the tenor of the evening had changed, but change it did. He suddenly had the urge to tell her things he'd never told her before, stories from his childhood he'd long kept buried. About the time he and Emmett, on a rare occasion of brotherly bonding, had taken a pair of reading glasses from their Grandfather and hid them when they were fifteen and ten. The time he and Marcus had been caught by the campus police drinking and they'd been underage but had talked the officer into not turning them in. So many things, so many tiny moments that all made up who he was, her Edward. All the good and the bad, the happy and the sad, all blended together to make the imperfect man that stood before her.

"Today, I finally did something that I have been thinking about since the first morning I woke up with you in my arms, in my bed, all those weeks ago," he began in a rough whisper. "It was the start of a new beginning for us, Isabella, a chance for me to be the husband...the lover...the friend...the Edward, you needed me to be," he told her kissing her so gently but so passionately after every word. "You, my beautiful wife, have somehow always managed to see the real me, even when I tried so fucking hard to keep him locked away, hidden, buried, so no one would ever know him." He reached up and began peeling back the tape that held the gauze in place. "I've told you, over and over again that you're my everything, la mia ragione," he breathed out the words reverently. "So today, I made it so that every day, every fucking day, I will have a physical reminder of not only what you gave me, but what you are to me." Without taking his eyes off her, he removed the rest of the tape and then pulled the bandage away from the skin.

Isabella gasped when she saw the explosion of color that blossomed on his chest. Instinctively she reached a hand out, wanting to touch the black and red that was indelibly marked on his skin, but she knew she couldn't touch. She could, however, look, so her eyes did what her fingers couldn't. She stepped closer, between his legs, and then laid her hands on either side of the artwork that now adorned his body.

"Edward, it's...it's so beautiful," she whispered, using every ounce of willpower she possessed to keep herself from wrapping her arms around him and pressing her body fully against his. "I can't believe you wanted this...that you did this...for me."

"Well, love, technically I did it for me, so that I would always have a part of you with me," he told her as he pushed her hair back behind her ear. "Isabella, if I could manage it, I would never leave your side, but I know that isn't possible. I know it might seem fucked up or whatever, but this," he said as he pointed to the tattoo, "always means, that wherever I go, no matter how far away it is, you're always with me."

Isabella felt more than heard his words. She felt them deep in her marrow, felt them as they mixed with her blood as it flowed through her veins, felt them as they coated her skin like a fine mist. God, what she felt for him, sometimes it was so much she didn't know how her body was able to contain it all. He was light and love and happiness. He was all things good in her world. He was every wish and every prayer she'd ever had or said. He was her heart, her soul, her reason for living. He was every color of the rainbow and the sounds of every note of every song she'd ever heard. He was her reason to wake up every morning and every dream she had while she slept. He was lust and passion, ecstasy and pleasure. He was the air she breathed. He was her entire world.

He was...her Edward.

And she wanted him, with a fervor that was practically primal, and she wanted him now.

Molding her body against his the best way she could without hurting him, she trailed her lips across the sculpted muscles of his chest until she got to the edge of his tattoo. "Did it hurt?" she whispered, and he shivered as her warm breath floated across his skin.

"No, Beautiful, at least not any worse than I expected. It was worth it," he told her as he gripped her hips, sliding his thumbs beneath her tank top.

The moment his skin touched hers, she was gone.

"Edward," she said, his name sounding like an answer to a prayer.

The way his name sounded falling from her lips ignited that barely suppressed need he'd been fighting all night to claim her and possess her. He wanted every piece of her and wanted to give every piece of himself to her in return. He gripped her hips even tighter and she pressed her body closer, wishing there was a way she could crawl inside of him. She felt it as his hands moved ever so slightly and then before she knew it, he'd pushed her shirt up and then pulled it over her head. Being careful not to hurt him, she pressed her breasts against his chest and they both moaned when their bodies touched.

His mouth found hers again and this time the kiss was gentle. Languidly he slid his tongue into her mouth, and she felt it all the way down between her legs the moment their tongues touched. Her body shivered just from the anticipation of finally having him inside of her. He must have felt the same thing because in an instant he'd pushed her boxers down her legs and did the same for his. When he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her flush against him, she felt his hardened length against her stomach.

"Oh fuck, Isabella," he groaned into her mouth.

He lifted her then, and she wrapped her legs around his waist, trapping his cock between them. Carefully he stepped into the steaming water and lowered them into it in one fluid motion. Immediately her body settled over his once they were seated. She stared down into his face. "I love you, Edward, with everything I have inside of me," she whispered as she held his head in her hands.

"I know, Beautiful."

"I need you," she half-begged, half-demanded.

"I know," he hissed as she rolled her hips over his erection, sliding up and down his length.

"Please, Edward. Don't make me wait any longer," she practically sobbed.

She ached for him, so much so it brought tears to her eyes. Everything he'd done today, everything they felt for each other, every obstacle they'd overcome, every tear she'd cried for him, every prayer she'd whispered, every ounce of heartbreak and pain she'd ever felt all crashed down on her and she literally felt like she was about to break apart into a million pieces if he didn't take her now.

"Oh my Isabella, baby, you don't ever have to beg me for anything," he whispered in the most reverential voice she'd ever heard. With a gentleness that was completely contradictory to the way he looked and the way they both felt, he lifted her up and then settled her over his straining erection.

When he was fully inside of her, touching her so deep, she didn't, couldn't, move. She stared at him once more, then let her eyes slide over to the ink on his chest and tentatively laid her hand on it. His heart beat beneath her hand and she closed her eyes, trying to memorize the way it felt, though she knew she would recognize its rhythm anywhere. It was embedded deep in her mind, her soul, her heart.

Finally, she opened her eyes again and began to rock against him slowly. Neither spoke. Words weren't necessary. Everything they could say, wanted to say, had already been said. Soft moans of pleasure, whispered cries when he touched the spot deep inside of her that set her entire body on fire filled the room, echoing off the tiled walls. Water sloshed over the side of the tub, but neither paid any attention. The world could crumble around them and neither would know because they were so focused, so consumed, by the moment.

"You will always be mine, Isabella, forever and always," he choked out when he felt her walls clench tightly around him.

"Yours, Edward, always," she panted as her movements sped up.

"Fuck, Beautiful...so close," he hissed as he lifted his hips and thrust up inside of her. His fingers kneaded her ass. His thumbs pressed against her hipbones. He took a nipple into his mouth and sucked on the pebbled flesh.

She arched her back and rolled her hips forward. Her nails dug into his back. Her thighs clamped around him as she began to move faster.

"Yes, oh God, yes!" she cried out. "More, Edward, please," she begged again.

He moved his right hand between their bodies and circled her swollen clit with his finger. She cried out again, the sounds coming out in choppy gasps as the feelings of exquisite pleasure flowed through her. "Oh, God, Edward...come...I need to...so close," she panted.

"Then come," he commanded. "Let me feel it, Beautiful." Again, he closed his mouth over a distended nipple, nipping it lightly with his teeth.

She felt it as her nails dug into the flesh of his back but didn't take the time to worry about hurting him or leaving marks. The only thing she could focus on was the orgasm that was quickly taking hold of her body. When she felt his teeth bite down harder on her nipple, she let out a moan that made him grow even harder inside of her.

"That's it, Isabella. Let go...you're so fucking beautiful when you come, baby," he whispered against the skin of her breast as he watched her fall apart.

She threw her head back and ground her pussy against his finger. The end of her hair brushed across the top of the water, causing it to swirl around them. The candlelight caused pools of shadow and gold across her chest and as Edward watched, mesmerized, it was almost too much for him to comprehend.

He felt her flutter and pulsate around him because he was still hard and inside of her and the moment her body stopped shaking above him, he pulled her down on him, lifting his hips as he drove into her as deep as he could possibly go. Water spilled over the side of the tub, the candlelight flickered with their breaths as they moved the air around them, but all of that paled in comparison to watching her above him.

She was fucking magnificent.

"Together my love, come with me, please," he hissed. He tried to find purchase along the bottom of the tub by pushing his feet against the sides. His legs burned from keeping the muscles in his thighs so tense. His jaw ached from gritting his teeth, but all he wanted, needed, was to fall over that edge with her. Always with her.

"Oh...yes...Edward..." she whimpered.

"Isabella, look at me," he demanded. He waited until her eyes found his. He stilled inside of her and let go of her with one of his hands and said, "Give me your hand." When she put her hand in his he laid it over his heart and the ink that covered it. "This is yours, forever," he told her and try as he might, he couldn't help the way his voice shook as he looked at her. "Whether I'm in this world or the next, you will always, for eternity, be a part of me," he told her and then crushed her body to his with his other hand.

With her hand above his heart and his hand splayed across her back holding her body to his, they came together in a blinding, soul-touching orgasm that seemed to come from another space and time. It wrapped around them, enveloping them in a cloud of passion and ecstasy so deep and meaningful it took more than a few minutes to come back down from wherever they had been.

After another few moments, Isabella giggled from where she'd rested her head against his shoulder. "Um...that was...wow," she whispered and he felt her smile against his skin.

"Love, wow doesn't even begin to describe what that was." He kissed the top of head and shifted them so that she was in front of him with her back against his chest.

She wanted to protest the fact that he wasn't inside of her any longer, but couldn't find the energy so instead she relaxed in front of him, extremely thankful for the oversized hot water heater and for the abundance of towels they kept stocked in the bathroom. She barely gave a passing thought to the amount of water that was bound to be on the floor because sitting between Edward's legs while he wrapped his arms around her was pure bliss.

He watched her, and though she wasn't sleeping, she hadn't moved in quite some time, which worked out perfectly for the last surprise of the evening. Reaching for the box he'd hidden behind a candle, he carefully pulled out the necklace. He held it up in the light, appreciating the way the rubies glinted in the candlelight and he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that it would look positively spectacular resting against her creamy white skin. He lifted up his other hand so he could hold both ends of the chain.

"I got something for you today, Beautiful," he whispered in her ear and laid the necklace against her chest.

She gasped, startled when she felt the cool platinum against her warm skin. "Edward...what...how did you?" she stammered as her brain tried to catch up with what was happening.

"I wanted you to have a reminder, always, of how much I love you," he told her as he fastened the necklace.

She sat up quickly and turned around, paying no heed to the water that again spilled over the side of the tub. With trembling fingers she held the disk in her hand and felt tears prick her eyes when she realized it was an exact replica of his tattoo, except for the rubies of course. She turned it over and then felt her tears fall down her face when she read the engraving on the back.

"Oh, Edward," she sighed and was at a complete loss for words.

The necklace was every bit as stunning as the ink on his skin and she was moved beyond anything she'd ever felt before.

"I'll never take it off," she promised and knew with all her heart she would keep her word.

He stared at the pendant and whispered, "It looks even more gorgeous on you than I imagined." He reached for her then and pulled her close. Running his lips back and forth across hers he told her, "I need you again, Isabella. Let me make love to you and show you again how much you mean to me."

"You don't need to show me, Edward, I already know and I'll never forget," she answered him as she ran her hands through his hair and then along the sides of his face.

"Fine, then let's make a baby," he told her with a lopsided grin, even though he was deadly serious. He couldn't imagine a better culmination of what they shared tonight than for Isabella to get pregnant with their child. A child made from their absolute and total love for one another.

She giggled at him, though she couldn't deny that his words made her hope that somehow what they both wanted would happen. It was too soon for her to be able to get pregnant, but it didn't keep her from hoping just the same.

He stood up and held his hand out to her and then he carefully stepped out of the tub and held on to her so she wouldn't fall. Grabbing some towels from the cabinet, he threw them down on the floor to soak up the water and then wrapped one around her as well. They walked back out into their bedroom where they spent the rest of the night doing all they could to make their dream of a child come true.

~~~~OOO~~~~OOO~~~~

Far above, the two angels looked down on their two favorite humans some time later. Isabella and Edward were completely wrapped in each other's arms and both slept with the most peaceful of smiles on their faces.

"He needs more time, Gideon," Seth practically begged his mentor.

"Seth, you know it is out of both of our hands now. It is the way it must be," Gideon told his young friend in a resigned voice.

"Is there nothing we can do? He deserves to stay with her, they need each other so much," Seth tried again.

Gideon sighed and turned and faced his most favorite prodigy. "This is not the time to question your faith, Seth, you know this. Trust that things will work out the way they are supposed to. You'll see," Gideon told him with a pat on his shoulder and then floated away.

Seth immediately went to his two humans and took up his nightly vigil to watch over them. Edward and Isabella continued to sleep the sleep of the innocent while Seth prayed that he had the strength to see this assignment through to the end...no matter when that end came.

~~~~OOO~~~~OOO~~~~