Edward Anthony Masen Cullen

There were few things more pleasant in my life on the island than waking up next to Bella, turning over and seeing her sleepy smile or just watching her sleep for a while if I woke first. It was quiet and peaceful, and even if it didn't always remain so, most of the time that was also a turn for the better. I didn't think my passion for her would ever wane, any more than my love would. I would always love her more than my own life, and I would always want her.

This morning when I opened my eye I lay still for a few minutes, feeling her comforting warmth near my back, before rolling over to face her and smiling at my first sight of her for the day.

It was my wedding day. Again.

We had decided to keep things simple, in the absence of Alice and her ridiculous plans: a small ceremony on the beach, followed by an informal reception. Bella’s friends had stepped up to provide food and drinks, even a cake, and Nick had agreed to perform the ceremony itself, which pleased me deeply. I stood next to him in the clothes I’d worn when I arrived, smiling to myself at how things had come full circle. A small group of our closest friends and island family had gathered to witness our vows.

There was no live music, but I’d recorded a few songs on my piano and transferred them onto my phone, connected to some borrowed speakers. Pachelbel’s Canon started playing, just as it had the first time, then transitioned into Wagner’s wedding march, and a thrill of anticipation went through me as I watched and waited to marry the love of my life, hopefully for good this time.

When Edward had asked him to officiate at his wedding, Nick’s first reaction had been laughter. His second, when he realized the man was serious, was to ask if he had been drinking. Since that question only garnered him A Look, Nick stopped laughing and started thinking. While he’d never presided over a wedding, he’d been to dozens of them, even stood up at a few of them as either best man or groomsman. He certainly knew how the ceremony worked. As for his status, well, who better to marry a former vampire and a human but a former demon?

In their twisted little world, it made perfect sense.

Now, as he stood in front of Edward, both of them watching the break in the trees, he saw the first flash of white that was the incoming bride and ceased his teasing the guy about his nerves.

Almost.

“Last chance. You can still run for it.”

“Not on your life,” I replied calmly and quietly without even looking at Nick, my lips twitching into a brief grin.

Bella took a deep breath and smoothed down the lace of her dress as the music started up. Her book self had been nervous, scared, ready to bolt at any moment. Hell, she fought this moment like there was a dentist at the end of the aisle, waiting to drill into a cavity without novocaine.

Bella herself had no such hesitation. All she wanted was to get past these trees as quickly as possible to see Edward standing there waiting for her, for them. For the future they were supposed to have, in their world back home as well as here. Nothing had ever felt more right. She knew now that nothing ever would.

When the wedding march started, she took Jake’s arm and walked with him, finally past the tree line and onto the sand, barefoot because heels and sand didn’t work for most and for her would no doubt end up with Dr. Chase putting on another cast.

Then she saw him, their eyes met, and everything filtered away. All she could see was him. He was wearing the same clothes he’d had on when he arrived. She’d known he was going to, but that day in January was so filled with bad memories, her mind had shied away from remembering it clearly. She was kind of glad about that, actually. Now, when she remembered him like this - it would always be this moment.

My breath caught as I got my first glimpse of my beautiful Bella in her dress. She was absolutely ethereal, an angel come to earth and somehow destined for me against all odds. I felt a wide smile spread across my face as I waited impatiently for Jacob Black to lead her to my side. It was a little ironic, him giving her away, considering what had passed between us back home in both the past and future, but I understood why Bella would ask him in the absence of Charlie.

I held out my hand as they drew close, noticing nothing beyond Bella until Jacob leaned close and murmured, “If you ever hurt her, I’ll kill you.”

I glanced quickly at him and smirked. “I know,” I replied, just as softly, and Jacob nodded, placed Bella’s hand in mine and kissed her on the cheek before stepping back. I squeezed her hand, my gaze locked on hers as we began the ages-old ritual to become man and wife.

Bella’s laughter over the small by-play between Jake and Edward only lasted until she’d moved to take her place beside him on the makeshift altar. Because then she was standing facing him, his warm hands in hers.

“No cold feet?” she asked in a low whisper, referencing their story.

“Not even a little,” I whispered back with a smile. “You?”

“Toasty warm,” she echoed.

Nick cleared his throat. “You two mind if we do some vows or something before you start making out in front of your guests?”

I dragged my eyes from Bella and shot Nick a Look. “By all means,” I replied dryly, then looked back at Bella and grinned.

Bella giggled in response, her cheeks showcasing their familiar embarrassed blush.

Nick cleared his throat. “Right. Now that I’ve fully embarrassed the bride and been a smartass to the groom, this is usually where the priest or pastor makes some long-winded speech about marriage and commitment and all that crap. But as there’s a fairly good chance I’d end up with the groom or one of the guests taking me down for it, I thought I’d just forgo that part and head straight to the vows.”

Nick looked at Bella. “Do you, Bella Swan, take this man, Edward Cullen, to be your husband, to have and to hold, for richer for poorer, in sickness and health, for as long as you both shall live?”

Bella nodded at Nick, then turned back to look at Edward when she answered. “I do.”

Nick then turned to Edward and repeated the same, except for Edward he changed “to have and to hold” to “love, honor and obey.” When Bella giggled, Nick shot her a wink then looked back at Edward with a raised eyebrow. “Edward?”

I rolled my eyes a little, but there were no conditions Nick or anyone else could set that would change my answer. “I do,” I told Bella, beaming at her.

“Bella,” Nick said to her, “take the ring you had to pry off Edward’s finger last night and place it back on.”

Bella grinned and turned to the Dodger, standing right behind her and looking very stoic and serious about his job as her ring bearer. She handed him the bouquet and took the ring he had in his outstretched hand. With a mouthed thank you and a wink, Bella turned back to Edward and did as Nick had instructed, slipping the band back into the indentation on his skin.

“Now repeat after me. With this ring, I thee wed.”

Bella did so and slipped the band back into the indentation in his skin.

“Edward, your turn to cough up the shiny stuff,” Nick instructed.

I nodded and slipped the ring I’d had made from my pocket, taking Bella’s hand and slipping it onto her ring finger.

Bella, still smiling over Nick’s smartass comments, looked down at the ring he’d been so secretive about. She stared at it for a full ten seconds before a gasp escaped her lips.

”It’s the color of your eyes today...I suppose, if you asked me in two weeks I’d say onyx.”

She remembered that conversation as clearly as if it had happened yesterday. And now she would wear a further reminder of it on her finger forever. Her eyes, when she raised them back to Edward’s were flirting on the edge of tears. “Thank you,” she mouthed.

I nodded, the sight of tears welling in her eyes causing a similar reaction in mine. And without waiting for Nick to prompt me, I told her in a voice slightly rough with emotion, “With this ring, I thee wed.”

Nick smiled at both of them, tickled to see his friend having gone the gamut from the moody mess he’d first met to a man so happy he was almost crying from it. “And now, with the sharing of rings and the repeating of vows, especially Edward’s to obey Bella, I now pronounce them husband and wife. Bella, you may kiss your groom,” Nick finished with a wink to her, before one parting shot. “Within reason.”

Bella was still smiling when she took hold of Edward’s lapels and pulled him close, raising as far up as she could on her bare toes to kiss him soundly.

I held my breath until Bella’s lips touched mine, and then a soft sigh of relief escaped me as I kissed her back, my arms slipping around her waist to cradle her loosely against me. I was finally kissing my wife, and it was the best moment of my entire long life.

Bella’s arms wound around his neck, fingers finding their way into his hair as her head tilted and she invited him with a soft moan to deepen the kiss.

As much as I was enjoying the moment, we did have an audience, so after a minute I gently eased back from her, smiling as my hand cradled her cheek. “Later,” I mouthed, giving her an amused look.

“Think we can duck out of the reception early?” she asked softly, passion-darkened eyes meeting his before she stepped away.

The heat in her eyes and anticipation of our wedding night sent a flood of warmth through me, but I just smirked and took her hand, turning to face our guests. I had no objection to sneaking away early if we could manage it.

“Here they are everyone,” Nick announced as the couple faced the small crowd of friends. “Mr. and Mrs. Cullen.”

Bella would have blushed at the attention but she was seriously too happy to care.

The ceremony flowed right into the reception, with Daphne manning the refreshment table and a playlist providing music for anyone who wanted to dance in between congratulating the happy couple.

[Small, invite-only GP for the nuptuals of Edward and Bella Cullen. Tag the bride and/or groom, tag each other, eat, drink and be merry!]

It had been a long night, but not in a bad way. Bella had fallen asleep almost immediately and had been sleeping peacefully ever since. At first I had contented myself with holding her hand, but once I was certain she was sleeping soundly, I couldn't resist the opportunity to stretch out next to her, one arm around her waist. I'd spent so many nights like this, watching her sleep, and yet I didn't think I would ever get enough of it. It was probably crossing a line, and certainly not the perfect gentleman I'd promised to be, but hopefully she would forgive me if I didn't manage to slip away again before she woke.

The day was starting to lighten the sky outside the window, and my eyes felt scratchy and dry with my own lack of sleep, but I wasn't willing to miss a moment of this. I watched her face as the morning light grew stronger, lingering on every detail even though I'd committed them all to memory long ago. I didn't know when or if I would have another chance like this.