Bella's P.O.V
The tips of his fingers draw circles on my bare back, sometimes playing with the ends of my hair and tugging it a bit. I draw the same circles on his stomach, outlining his muscles. The atmosphere around us feels different. It's so... Peaceful. There's no dark cloud looming over us. No secrets, no lies... And something deep inside tells me it has to do with Edward. Everything about him is so different. I don't know what it is, I can't put my finger on it.
"What happened to Luke?" I ask, trailing my finger up his stomach to his chest, then back down. "I find it weird to find you guys here and not have Luke with you."
"Oh, after everything that happened, he and Irene managed to find their way back to each other. They're in Boston in a little house they found together."
"Hmm, that's nice. Why was the reason they were separated?"
"She couldn't handle how devoted he was to my family. You know, he was more concerned about our safety than keeping her happy and it took a toll on their marriage. But after it was all over and Emma was okay after her surgery, he went back to Irene. We still regularly. He sends his regards."
I chuckle to myself and reach for his arm. "What about Tanya? Last I remember, she was back for her daughter."
Edward sighs. "Yeah, and a huge disappointed that was. She wanted more than just our daughter... Actually, she wanted something other than our daughter. She wanted me and when I made it more than clear it was never going to happen, she took off. She didn't even show up when Emma had her surgery."
"But why not... try?" I know it's stupid to ask. "I mean, you'd have the opportunity to have a family with the mother of your child."
"Yeah... there was only one small problem."
"What?"
Edward shifts under me enough to look down at me. "Because she wasn't you."
I could have hidden my satisfied smirk, but I couldn't and I didn't want to. I lay my head back down on his chest and inhale his scent... it was so him. The thought that followed left me in unease.
"This is oddly unsettling," I murmur under my breath.
"What is?"
"Well... me asking questions, you answering them so... openly. I don't know, I'm not used to this Open Book Edward. I can't think of a time where I didn't almost have to beat the answers out of you."
Edward chuckles. "Yeah, I guess I am. But think of it this way, we have no secrets, I have no past to run from. We have the liberty of being... us."
I smile and lean back to look at him. "I like that."
Edward leans down and presses a kiss on my lips. "We should get up. The diner opens in a couple of hours and there is something I want to show you."
"What is it?"
He smirks. "You'll just have to wait and see." I pout when he climbs out of the bed and starts getting dressed. When he looks back and sees I'm still not getting up, he leans over me on the bed with each of his arms at the sides of my head and leans down to kiss me. "Get that gorgeous ass of yours up so we can leave, or else we'll be late to the diner and that wouldn't be very ownery of you."
I scoff. "Fine, but I'm going to complain the whole time until you tell me where we're going."
We get dressed and I'm left a little dumbfounded when he slips on his leather jacket I had no idea he had. The same jacket we wore when we went to the basketball game when we first met. We join hands and we're on our way out. Edward is pretty insistent on driving the impala since he does not want to tell me where he is taking me. Our first stop is at Forks Elementary school. I'm kind of shocked at first that he would bring us here until all the children start getting out of their classrooms and joining their parents.
Emma's face lights up when she sees us waiting in the parking lot. She tugs her teacher's arm and points in our direction. Her teacher recognizes Edward immediately and nods at Emma, waving at us as Emma takes off. Edward catches Emma midair and showers her with kisses. Emma then lets go of him and reaches out for me. I take her in my arms with her legs wrapped around my waist and her arms around my neck. I kiss her rosy cheek and pull her wild curls from her face.
"Are we going today, daddy?" Emma asked.
And Edward's response is pressing his finger against his lips and a wink before going back to the drivers side. I look down at Emma and ask, "you know where we're going?"
Emma smiles. "It's a secret." And presses her little finger against her lips.
"Oh, so that's how we're gonna do it now." I get in the car and put the seatbelt on both Emma and I since she refuses to leave my lap. I catch sight of her hearing aid behind her ear. I'm so happy she finally gets to hear. I known her for a very short amount of time, but from what I can see Emma has probably one of the purest hearts in the world and she deserves all it has to offer. The sound of the wind, the sound of the ocean waves, or the sound of nature as you walk through the woods.
"Where is your mother?" I ask Edward as he drives us out of town.
"She's at home. She figured we could use some time alone."
"Wait..." I think about it for a second. "You planned this for today? How did you know I'd be so forgiving? I could have as easily blown you off today as any other day before."
Edward shrugs, reaching for my hand. "Yeah, well, I guessed I hoped today was going to be my lucky day. Just like I did the days before."
I chuckle and lean back on my seat. Emma gets comfortable on my lap, laying her head on my chest and wrapping her little arms around her front. My cue that this is probably going to be a long ride.
* * *
The motion of the car going from one side to another wakes me from my slumber. When I open my eyes, I see that we are in fact in the middle of the woods. Emma sits up on my lap and rubs her tired eyes, yawning. Edward then stops the car and kills the engine.
"Alright, my girls, let's go."
"Where are we?" I ask, looking around. Then I look at Emma. "You guys didn't bring me here to kill me, did you?"
Emma shrugs. "It was Daddy's idea." And gets out of the car.
"That's good to know," I mutter and get out of the car. I close the door and wait for Edward. "Seriously, where are we?"
He smiles. "You really don't recognize it in the daylight? You once told me it was beautiful."
I take a good look around, taking in the scene around me. That's when I realize just where exactly we are. We're at the clearing... the meadow. He brought us to the meadow. Edward smiles when he realizes I know where we're at and nods his head toward the clearing.
"Lead the way."
Emma takes my hand and starts tugging me toward the clearing. "Lets go, Bella. It's so pretty."
"You've been here before?" I ask her as she leads me to the clearing.
"Yes. I love it, but Daddy wanted to come back only if you came with us."
I look back at Edward, who is walking behind us with a smile. I let go of Emma's hand when we finally reach the meadow. Emma laughs and runs to the center, jumping over the tall grass, picking at the colorful flowers. She looks so beautiful surrounded by nature and the sunlight bathing her. She even goes and chases the white butterflies. The meadow is amazing. The smell of the wet grass invades my senses, the sight of the colorful flowers and the tall grass under the sunlight is breathtaking. It's impossible to find a sight like this.
Edward comes up right beside me and takes my hand in his. "Emma loved it from the very first moment we were here. It was almost impossible trying to get her back in the car. But being here not only did it help me realize I needed to fight to get you back, it brought so many memories of that night. I watched you all night long without knowing you'd be the one person who would render me weak and open me to the possibility to love again and I knew I couldn't come back here, not unless I had you by my side."
I look back at Emma, who is dancing around with a flower in her hand. When she sees us, she stops and kisses the tips of her fingers and blows it to us before going back to her own thing. My heart swells with so much happiness and love. Love for her, love for Edward. The only people that I need in my life. I look back at Edward and takes his face between my hands.
"Promise me this is it. That this is forever and that we will never lose this, Edward."
Edward smiles. "I promise, Bella. Cross my heart." He makes a cross over his heart.
"Cross my heart."
Thinking back to those two years we spent apart, I always thought that after Edward and I reunited - if we ever did - that our happily ever after would come years later. Like that very last chapter of a book, that very last scene of a movie where years have gone by and the protagonists are married, have a house, a dog, a mini van and four children or maybe with a big wedding scene. I thought I'd have to wait years to finally realize I had gotten my happily ever after.
But at this moment, right here, in the meadow with his daughter and him, I realize I don't need a big wedding and for years to pass and to have our children to know this is the happily ever after we deserve. Of course, those things will come eventually. But this, right here, right now, is perfect as it is. It's the happily ever after we deserve, with our future bright ahead of us and with two people willing to fight for it no matter what. It's the ultimate promise to each other. We will never let go... Cross our hearts.
The End.