Previously…

******

"Bella, you need to go home."

I nodded my head.

"I know, Alice. Could someone watch Renesmee for me tonight?"

She was hanging on to her Aunt Rosalie's hand, and it was obvious who would be watching her tonight. Rosalie smiled at me.

"That's already taken care of, Bella. Go home and talk to my brother."

I smiled.

"Thanks, guys. I'll see you later. Be good for your Aunt Rosalie, ok?"

"I will, Mom."

I gave her a little kiss on the forehead, and walked at human speed back to our cabin, ready to face what I was sure was going to be the discussion to end all discussions.

**********

It was dark. I suppose that's a ridiculous statement since it was 2:00 in the morning, but still, it was dark. Walking through the forest by myself would, in my human days, have given me the creeps. I felt weird, but for a completely different reason. I had no idea what I would be expecting when I got home and this frustrated me to no end. I hadn't really spoken to Edward since our argument last night, and I missed him. I missed hearing his voice, feeling his touch, just being near him.

I could see my beautiful cabin off in the distance, and could not see any lights inside. That didn't surprise me, because Edward often liked to be in the dark. He felt that he could be himself in the dark, even though we could see each other perfectly in the absence of any light. It was also good for our daughter, so she could sleep in perfect darkness and we could watch her together.

Faster than I had thought I was actually moving, I was at the front door. I stood outside for a moment, trying to get my wits about me, trying to figure out what I was going to say to him. How can you express to the one person in this world that you love more than anything that you feel like a complete idiot for being so emotional about something so silly? I took an unnecessary deep breath and opened the front door.

*****

I heard the front door open and sat up in the chair. I was sitting in the darkness, not knowing what I would say to my beautiful Bella. She was my life, and there would be no way that I could let her go. Ever. I knew I had messed up by forgetting this most important day, and if I had to take the rest of my existence to make it up to her, I would.

"Bella."

It wasn't a question, just a statement.

"Edward."

She was standing right behind me. I didn't need to say anything for her to know where I was, but I was so rapt in my thoughts that I didn't hear her approach me. I held out my hand and she took it in hers, exactly what I thought she would do. She walked in front of me, and sat across my lap, as I had hoped. I couldn't come up with words for the time being so I just held her. I hoped that I wouldn't crush her, even though she was stronger than I was just now, but at times I still saw her has the fragile human that I had fallen so hopelessly in love with. Her head rested on my shoulder, and we sat there for a few moments, neither of us speaking what so desperately needed to be said.

"I'm sorry."

I pulled back from her and looked into her beautiful eyes.

"You're sorry?"

She nodded her head and looked away from me.

"I was so unbelievably angry with you, upset with this situation, and I'm sorry, Edward. I should never have behaved like that. Please forgive me."

Oh my sweet Bella. I pressed my lips against her forehead gently as I held her close.

"It is I, my love that should be asking for your forgiveness. I have become so used to not acknowledging this event that I didn't give it a second thought. I know that it must be incredibly difficult for you to deal with all of this. I should have been there for you when you needed me, and I wasn't – again."

"Edward, I just need you. It doesn't matter to me what day it is, what time it is, what year or century it is. I just need you."

"I know, Bella. But I need you more. I had waited over 90 years to find you, and once I did I swore to myself that I would do anything that you needed, that I would be anything that I could possibly be for you and yesterday I was so involved with myself and my own existence that I completely ignored you. Can you ever forgive me for my ignorance?"

She didn't respond. She sat up and looked directly at me, then stood up from the chair and walked to the center of our Living Room. I was getting nervous.

********

"Edward."

"Bella."

"Come here."

He stood up and I could sense his nervousness. He walked towards me and in the total darkness of our home I could see his amber eyes shining at me. He stood directly in front of me but he did not look at me. I took his hands in mine, and forced him to look into my eyes.

"Bella, I…"

"Shhh. Don't say anything, Edward. Look at me."

He slowly looked directly at me, and saw me smiling up at him.

"Dance with me, Edward."

He looked completely shocked.

"Who are you, and what have you done with my Bella?"

I smiled a little at him.

"I told you at our wedding that dancing wasn't so bad – as long as it was with you."

He smiled his delicious crooked smile at me.

"Well then, Mrs. Cullen, may I have this dance?"

"It would be my pleasure."

He took my right hand in his, his free hand supporting my back. We started to move slowly in the middle of our Living Room, no music playing, no sound other than our feet moving ever so slowly across the floor. I couldn't take the intensity anymore, and buried my head in his chest.

*****

I can't believe that she asked me to dance with her. My Bella, who tells me time and time again that she doesn't dance, asked to dance with me. If it were possible for my heart to soar, it would be. We danced for a few moments just enjoying the closeness that we had been lacking for the past 24 hours and she rested her head on my chest. The force that hit me was almost enough to make me stumble. In moments like this I forget that she's a newborn. I wrap her in my arms tightly, and hold her close to me.

"Bella, what's wrong?"

She holds me tighter, and speaks just above a whisper.

"Nothing. I just love you, Edward."

My Bella. Painfully, I removed myself from her arms and took her hand in mine.

"Come with me, Bella."

"Ok."

We walked up the stairs together towards our room. The door was closed, and this was how I had wanted it. We stopped just at the front of the door, and she went to reach for the door knob.

"Not yet, love. I wanted to tell you something before we go in. I only read the first part of your letter, as it was so full of emotion and love that it overwhelmed me. I didn't know if I could take any more. I know that you poured your heart into those pages, and I know that at some point in time I'll read them all."

I held her beautiful face in my hands, looking deeply into her eyes as I continued to speak softly to her.

"I am amazed by you, Isabella. You are my one true love, and have done nothing but sacrifice for my sake, giving yourself so endlessly for me and I have done nothing in over one hundred years to deserve you. I can not believe that I have been so incredibly selfish, that I would forget something that is so very special to you, and therefore should be equally as special to me. I am so very sorry for forgetting, my Bella. Though I have done nothing to warrant it, I am asking for you to forgive me."

She looked up into my eyes and I could feel her emotion.

"Edward. Of course I forgive you. How could I not?"

I smiled at her and leaned towards her as I placed my lips gently against hers. I smiled against her, and whispered softly.

"It's a day late, but the sentiment is as strong today as it should have been yesterday. From my unbeating heart to yours, happy birthday, Bella."

She smiled against my lips as I opened the door to our room. She gasped at what she saw.

*******

"Oh, Edward."

I looked at the beauty that I saw in front of me. There were candles lit on every available surface in our room. Rose petals had been strewn along the floor, and over our bed. I turned to look at the beautiful man that was my husband.

"Thank you, Edward. This is perfect."

He picked me up in his arms and took me to our bed, his eyes never leaving mine.

"We have all night. Rosalie is watching Renesmee."

He smiled at me.

"Good. We'll need all night."

He rested me gently on our bed, and then turned the volume on our stereo up ever so slightly. He turned to look at me with his beautiful eyes.

"I know we did this downstairs, but I'd really like to continue my dance with you. Would you care to?"

I stood up to meet him, and wrapped my arms around him.

"As long as you'll dance with me all night long."

"That's a guarantee."

He leaned in to kiss me gently, making me melt just a little by the emotion in his kiss. He wrapped his arms around me and neither of us let go all night.

*****

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