"Sonny, don't you tell me what's worthwhile-true love is the best thing in the world, except for cough drops. Everybody knows that."

~ William Goldman, The Princess Bride

o-o-o-o-o-o

Age 22:

"Bella!" Rosalie barked impatiently. "Stop pacing! You're going to wear a hole in the floor and then we won't get the security deposit back."

Edward was coming to pick Bella up a 5 so they could exchange gifts before joining his parents for dinner, and she had been pacing around the apartment she shared with Rosalie and Angela for the last half an hour. "I can't help it," Bella whined. "Seriously, I think he's going to propose tonight."

"Remind me why?" Rosalie asked, hoping to distract her for a few minutes.

"Well, we've been together for a few years now," Bella began ticking off on her fingers. "So, we've talked about it before, that it's kinda an inevitability. But, we've been talking about it more lately, especially since we're almost done with college and starting to figure out what we want to do after we've graduated. Then, at Thanksgiving, he was looking over my shoulder as I went through the Black Friday ads, making a lot of comments about the rings in the ads. Plus, he's been kinda...I don't know...jumpy lately?"

Rosalie just hummed and nodded as she put the finishing touches on the package she was wrapping. "Guess you'll find out in a few hours, huh?" She didn't mean to sound flippant, but Bella had been obsessing for the past few weeks, and Rosalie could only give her reassurances so many times before she felt like she was repeating herself.

"I know, I know," Bella groaned, flopping back on the couch. "Sorry, I know you're sick of me."

"Nah, I just think you're thinking too hard about it. You just need to go with the flow."

Bella sighed. "You're right...but easier said than done, y'know?"

"I know, Ducky. Just breathe."

She took an exaggerated deep breath, then checked her phone again, sighing when she saw only four minutes had passed since the last time she'd checked. It was going to be a long couple of hours.

Rose breathed a sigh of relief when Edward finally arrived and she buzzed him up to the apartment. Bella was in her room, changing her outfit for the fourth time, and Rose was ready to strangle her.

"Ready to go, R2?" Edward asked when Bella emerged a few minutes later. She nodded, lacing her fingers with his as he reached for her. "You look lovely," he murmured, kissing her gently.

The knot in Bella's stomach loosened a little at his smile and sweet words. "You look pretty good, yourself, 3PO," she replied, taking a moment to appreciate the way his button down shirt stretched across his broad shoulders. "See you tomorrow, Rose," she called over her shoulder as Edward helped her into her coat and they headed down to his car.

The small measure of calm Bella had achieved diminished the closer they got to Edward's apartment, and by the time he had unlocked the door and ushered her inside, she was a bundle of nerves again.

Edward flipped on some soft Christmas music while Bella poured them some wine, then they settled together on the couch. "You ok?" Edward asked softly, seeing how stiff she was next to him.

"Mmhmm," she mumbled, taking a large sip of her wine and avoiding eye contact.

Edward opened his mouth to say something, then though better of it. Instead, he cupped the back of her neck and leaned in to press a soft kiss to her jaw. "Presents before or after dinner?"

"Before?" Bella squeaked. She couldn't possibly survive dinner with this level of anticipation. She took another gulp of her wine before mentally chastising herself for being ridiculous. Time to put on the big-girl panties. "Open yours first," she suggested, leaning down and retrieving the package she'd brought with her.

Edward kissed her again before ripping the paper and opening the box. He lifted the slim book out of the box, the solid black cover with an embossed infinity symbol not giving him any clues to its contents. He flipped to the first page, and his eyebrows shot to his hairline. Bella watched nervously as he paged through the book she'd put together with Angela's help.

Angela had been thrilled when Bella had approached her about recreating the original calendar photo shoot they had done freshman year. She was even more excited when Bella told her they would be for Edward, so she was ok with her face being in some shots. It also meant she was willing to do a few more risqué shots as well - the opening image was her in nothing but a sheet, sprawled on Edward's bed, her hair a cloud of tousled curls.

"This is my bed," Edward pointed out. Bella nodded, a sly smile curling her lips. "How?" he asked.

"Ben," she shrugged.

"Ben saw you like this?" he growled, possessive rage bubbling up inside him.

She laughed and cupped his face in her hands.

"Of course not. Angela helped me by taking the pictures, and we used Ben's key. He was in class while we took these," she reassured him. He relaxed immediately, feeling silly for his irrational reaction.

"These are amazing," he murmured as he flipped through more pictures, several of the original pictures interspersed with the new shots they had taken.

Bella smile shyly. "You always joked about wanting a copy of those pictures. So, I finally decided to give them to you. I hope you like it."

"I love it, Bella. This is amazing." He leaned in and pressed a reverent kiss to her lips. "Thank you."

"And I have the USB with the only copies of the pictures, so no worries of a repeat of that debacle, either," she added. Edward threw back his head and laughed; it had taken a while, but now they were able to laugh about Angela losing the pictures of Bella.

"Thank God. And I'm really glad you even took the chance again. This is so worth it." By the time Edward had flipped through all of the pages in the book, he was ready to shoot a text to his parents and tell them not to expect him and Bella to join them for dinner, but he reminded himself there would be plenty of time for him to show her his appreciation later. Good things to those who wait, and all that.

Besides, she still needed to open her present. "Your turn," Edward announced, smiling softly at Bella before turning to the tree and rustling through the packages beneath it.

Her heart fluttered in her throat in anticipation. This is it, she coached herself. But, when Edward turned back to her, he held out a flat, rectangular package, about the size of a text book. She kept her smile plastered on her face, even though her heart sank. Guess he's not proposing.

She carefully tore the paper off the package, and lifted the lid to reveal a photo album. She hesitated, a little confused, and Edward prompted her, "Open it."

She opened the cover, finding a note written in Edwards distinctive scrawl.

Bella,

You once told me that you wanted me to be all of your firsts. I can't tell you how happy it makes me that we got to share all of those moments together.

But you are so much more than a "first" to me. You are everything, and I put this together to show you just what you are to me.

I love you forever.

Edward

She glanced up at him with a glowing smile, before turning to the first page. Her smile widened when her eyes landed on the picture of them as children, sitting together on her porch, grinning at each other as their ice cream cones dripped down their arms. There was a handwritten caption beneath the picture: You are the only person I'll share my mint chocolate chip with.

Bella continued to flip through the pages, finding pictures throughout her history with Edward, with notes beneath each, some silly, some sweet.

You are my favorite teammate for Trivial Pursuit.

You are the person I can tell all of my hopes and dreams.

You are my favorite pillow.

You are my inspiration when I feel like giving up.

You are my partner in crime.

You are the reason my reality is better than my dreams.

The last picture was a shot of them from the previous summer, all dressed up for Esme and Carlisle's 25th Anniversary party. Bella was smiling at the camera, but Edward was gazing down at her, his expression one of pure adoration. The caption beneath said: You are my best friend and the love of my life.

Bella looked up at Edward, tears shimmering in her eyes. "Thank you, Edward. This is wonderful," she murmured, her voice thick.

"There's more," he urged. Bella turned the page; there was no picture, just another note. You are all of these things and more. But, there's one thing you're not..." Bella's eyebrows knit in confusion, and she turned to the next page, hoping he had clarified that statement.

He did.

She gasped when she registered the words on the page, her heart fluttering wildly against her ribcage.

...yet

My wife

Beneath the words, a photograph of a ring box.

Bella's eyes flew to Edward, and she choked back a sob when she realized he was now kneeling before her, the ring box from the picture clutched in his hands.

"Bella, you are my everything, and I will love you forever. Will you marry me?" He flipped the box open, revealing a beautiful ring.

Her throat was tight with unshed tears, so she began nodding, finally managing to choke out an ecstatic, "Yes!"

Edward beamed at her, gathering her tight into his arms and pressing his lips against hers in a joyous kiss. "I love you so much."

"I love you, too," Bella murmured. Her smile spread wide across her face as Edward slipped the ring onto her finger.

He pointed to the band next to the sparkling center stone, where the metal twisted into a small infinity symbol. "Now, I tried this before with jewelry, and it didn't work, but hopefully this really drives it home. Infinity, Bella. That means I'm yours. Forever."

Bella kissed him soundly, before pulling back to lock gazes with him. She may have doubted the possibility of forever with Edward when they were teenagers, but now, there was no doubt in her mind. "You are my past, and my future," she promised. "You are my forever."

"No," Edward corrected gently. "We're each other's forever."

o-o-o-o-o-o

A/N: Pic of the ring on my blog.

I love you all :)