Announcement (Edward and Cullens eventually)

[Bella Cullen]

OOC:*We will need all the Cullen's eventually, but not yet. I will pm you when it is time

Bella stepped into her kitchen, holding tight to Edward's hand. They were finally here. They were finally where they needed to be for what they needed to do.

Bella kept a good grip on Edward's marble hand and kept close to him. "Charlie?" She called. There was no answer. "I guess he is not home yet." She said out loud.

Bella looked into Edward's brown eyes with concern and loving emotion. "Thank you for coming with me my love." She said. "Do you want to tell him...or should I?" Bella asked with a hint of sarcasm in her soft voice.

[lara]

Edward entered Bella's home, staying close to her side and keeping a firm, comforting grip on her small hand. He was not afraid to do what they were about to do. Nor was he nervous. He knew without question that nothing in this world would be able to keep him from Bella ever again after all they'd been through. But he was also very aware that Charlie still held quite a large amount of disapproval towards him, which he knew was deserved. Edward would never forgive himself for the pain he'd caused Bella when he left her last year.

Edward sighed and angled his head towards the window, listening. Charlie's cruiser was coming down the road.

"He's here," Edward murmured. He turned to Bella and lifted a hand to her neck, cradling it while his thumb brushed her jaw line.

"We'll tell him together," he answered her softly. "I'll be right beside you." He leaned down to place a gentle kiss on her lips in the few remaining moments they had alone before Charlie would enter. "I will always be right beside you."

[Bella Cullen]

Bella returned his kiss and nodded at what he said. Bella then came to the surface when she heard foot steps and finally the creaking sound that meant the door was opening.
"Dad?" She called praying no one would answer but unfortunately they did.

"Bells? Is that you?" Charlie called from the doorway.

"Yea Charlie, its me and Edward. And dad...um we have something to tell you. Can you come here, in the kitchen please." Bella said hesitantly, holding tight to Edward's hand.

"...Umm...sure honey." Charlie said, coming into my line of vision and finally sitting down and joining us in the kitchen.

"Edward and I have something to tell you dad." Bella said, trying not to let her voice drop, squeezing Edward's hand harder and harder. Bella looked at Edward and an idea came to her.
She leaned up and whispered in his ear, "Edward, ask him for his permission and thats how we will tell him." She said and gestured for him to go on, hoping that was the best way to go.

Bella smiled at Charlie innocently, hoping he didn't suspect anything.

[lara]

Edward kept his face expressionless as Charlie entered, taking note of the way the older man glanced downward at his and Bella's entwined hands with ill-concealed disapproval. Even at the look, however, Edward's hold on Bella's hand did not falter. If this was going to work he had to show Charlie that he was completely committed to this. Which of course he was.

At Bella's whisper, Edward nodded, sending her a small, knowing smile. He'd been planning on asking permission from Charlie, knowing that this was the customary tradition and also the most gentlemenly way to go about this. He gave Bella's hand one last squeeze and straightened before facing her father fully.

"Sir," he began, his velvety voice calm and courteous. "As you know...or perhaps should know...I am very much in love with your daughter."

Charlie's face began to redden and Edward lifted a hand to halt the oncoming slew of angry words. "Please...allow me to finish," he requested softly, somewhat relieved when Charlie remained silent. Edward took a step forward now, his countenance determined and sincere.

"I know I haven't been the ideal match for Bella. I've hurt her in the past. Perhaps beyond my ability to repair." He paused as a wave of pain passed over him as it always did when he thought of what he'd put Bella through. He closed his eyes briefly, took a deep breath, and continued.

"There is not a moment that goes by in which I don't feel remorse for what I did," he said quietly. "I know that I do not deserve her. I am more aware of this than anyone, even you, sir." He fixed Charlie with his sincere gaze. "But I love her. I do love her. More than anything on this Earth. More than words will ever be able to convey or express. That will never change. And I'm willing to spend the rest of my life making it up to her. As long as she will have me, I will never again leave her side or hurt her. That is a promise I know with every certainty that I will be able to keep." He moved his gaze to Bella briefly, the love he had for her shining in his golden eyes. He sighed and returned his gaze to Charlie.

"You have every reason in the world to dislike me, sir. I cannot blame you. I'm certain I would feel the same were I in your shoes," he said, falling silent for a moment. He took another deep breath before finally saying what he'd come to say. Here it was, the moment of truth.

"But I am here, foolishly and knowingly undeserving...to ask your permission for Bella's hand in marriage."

[Bella Cullen]

OOC: That was amazing!! I was seriously laughing and crying when I was reading it!!

Tears ran down Bella's cheek as she continued grasping Edward's cold hand. His words touched her heart and she knew that he truly, sincerely met all that he said. When Edward mentioned his absence a lump rose in her throat, as she knew one was forming in Edward's as well. She never liked remembering that evil, forbidden time, that time where she was lifeless, but the good thing was she knew that it would never happen again.

Bella closed her eyes for a minute, so that everyone wouldn't see her crying and squeezed Edward;s hand even tighter, mouthing 'I love you' and 'Thank you' in his direction.

At that moment she put her arm around his middle and stared straight into her dad's face, into Charlie's face. "Dad...I feel the same way. Charlie I love him!" She said, her voice trembling.

Bella smiled and looked back at Edward then back at Charlie. "I have never been happier dad." Bella told him, with sincerity, just as much as Edward. Bella stepped forward and placed her own, other hand in her fathers and also kept hold on to Edward's with the other one. She glanced between both of them, both of her favorite men. She loved them both very much, her finance and her father.

The only reason, now, for Bella's existence was standing right beside her. This was now her only reason for life and if she could not have him, she wouldn't have life. She had decided that long before and it would always be that way, now and forever.

[lara]

OOC: Err...so wait, am I supposed to be writing in Charlie into my post too? Or is someone taking him? And thanks! ;D lol.

Edit: Gah! This is long, sorry. *dies* I wrote in Charlie. I have no idea if this is how he'd really react so sorry if it seems all...wrong. lol. He's harder to write than I thought...

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Edward smiled at Bella's words, but his form was tense as he awaited what he already knew was brewing in Charlie's mind. The man had gone quite silent at the speech Edward had given. Not even he could deny that the boy sounded as though he truly meant every single word he'd uttered, of course. But what Chief Swan had not been expecting, Edward noted, was the subject of marriage. His eyes had grown wide at the word, and Edward heard the older man's heart hammering much too fast. What he wouldn’t give to have Jasper’s ability at the moment...

And that’s when the yelling started.

"Marriage?" Charlie finally gasped. "But...but you're too young! For heaven’s sake, you only just graduated out of high school!” he told them both, looking incredulous. Despite the tense air around them, Edward had to hold back a wry smile at the words.

If he only knew…

Charlie didn’t seem to notice Edward’s private amusement, however. He was looking at Bella, his expression a mixture of disbelief and anger. Edward listened as thought after thought plagued the man’s mind in a maelstrom of conflict. Images of a younger Bella flickered across Edward’s vision as he immersed himself in Charlie’s thoughts.

My little girl…how can she do this to me…so young…

The images shifted to memories of Renee…the night she left. He was afraid the same thing would happen to Bella. He thought about the time it did happen to Bella, and Edward stiffened, cringing as Charlie remembered the night Edward had left her. It was hard to reign in his reaction to seeing the mental image of her, broken and empty. It was so much worse than being subjected to a physical pain. Charlie looked up at him finally, brow furrowing as he noticed Edward's tortured expression. But not a moment later his face was smooth once more, and he was looking back at Charlie with the deepest of sincerities in his eyes.

“I’ll never leave her again, Charlie,” Edward finally said. His voice, though soft, was firm. “As long as I live I’ll stay by her side. Through anything.”

Charlie looked Edward full in the face, as though trying to dissect his words and find some flaw or weakness in them. He would not find one, of course, which he seemed to realize after a moment had passed. Giving up, he turned to his daughter, looking almost at a loss for words.

“Bella…" he said after a moment. "I love you sweetheart. But think about what you're doing. I don’t want you to make the same mistake your mother and I did...”

[Bella Cullen]

OOC: Its okay mines going to be no shorter and I will be a little shaky at Charlie. Sorry if he's bad I might add more later

Bella carefully gazed into Charlie’s, into her father’s deep brown eyes. She took in each word that he said slowly and carefully. She took them in one at a time, as they exited his mouth they entered her ear. Bella knew in her heart that her father cared deeply for her and was expressing his deepest concern on her behalf with the line he had just spoken, but she knew better.

"Dad...I know. I understand your concern and I appreciate it, but trust me. You told me to warn you before I do anything rash, and this is me telling you. Charlie, I want you at my wedding, I don't want you just in the dark, and I don't want you to be mad or unhappy with me OR Edward. I really do love him dad and you must believe that everything he says is true." Bella paused and looked straight at her father, her gaze as warm as ever.

She glanced once at Edward then turned back to her father and continued. "Dad, I don't mean to hurt you or mom in any way, and I won't do the same thing you guys did. We, our, its different with us." She finished, studdering, for she didn't know how to.

Charlie gazed at his daughter as she spoke and every so often at Edward to see if he had become less flawless or weakened in some way, even though he knew he hadn't.

'How, why?' Charlie thought to himself. He didn't know what to say. In a way he knew what Bella was saying was true, but he didn't want to believe it, he couldn't.

"I...I. Bella, is this really what you want? I mean you are so young and he...he..."

"He is what dad?" Bella asked, frustrated, a little of warmth going away from her gaze.

Her father was so...so hypocritical some times.
"Charlie, you have to face that Jake and I are never going to be and that I am going to marry Edward whether you like it or not. But...dad, I really don't want to hurt you like I said before and I want you at my wedding. I want you walking me down the aisle and giving me off to Edward, like it is supposed to be. I want a normal wedding." She said, emphasizing the word normal, even though she knew her and Edward were beyond it.

Charlie continued to listen to his daughter and his expression changed as he noticed the change her tone of voice. He knew his daughter was indeed a grown women, but he didn't want to believe it, especially now.

[lara]

Edward stood tall as Bella spoke, keeping his face expressionless even as Charlie continued to shoot him calculating glances as though still trying to find some weakness in his facade. But a faint, warm smile caught his lips as he listened to Bella's speech. Her words caused a swell of pride to rush through him. It took every inch of his will power not to reach out for her right then and take her in his arms.

When she finished, a still silence fell over the room. Charlie was on the edge of accepting what he'd just been told. Edward could tell by the way the man's thoughts teetered between being stubborn and realizing the truth. And the truth was that Edward loved her more than anyone else ever could.

"We both want that, sir," Edward finally spoke, his voice like velvet, soft and true. "It would mean everything to Bella to have you there. And all I want in the entire world is for her to be happy. I'm sure you can agree with me on that much, if nothing else..."

He let the words fade, the question hanging in the air. He stared at Charlie with the utmost sincerity and the man stared back, finally giving in and nodding curtly.

"Of course I want her to be happy," Charlie said. He sighed, suddenly looking tired and weary. Battleworn. An interminable amount of time seemed to pass but Edward didn't move or make an effort to speak. Finally Charlie raised his head, glancing between Edward and Bella before coming to rest his gaze on his daughter.

"I do want you to be happy, Bella. That's all I've ever wanted for you. And...if he's the one who can do it," his eyes flickered briefly to Edward, clearly fighting back a frown, "And if you're sure this is what you want...really sure....well, then...then I guess you have my blessing."

It sounded like he'd had to fight the words out, but there it was. Charlie still looked slightly downtrodden, but it was somehow less intense than before.

"But you listen to me, Cullen," he suddenly said, turning threat-filled eyes on Edward as he pointed a finger at him. "You hurt her again in any way, shape or form, and I won't hesitate to use my pistol, got it?"

Edward smiled, knowing that day would never come. He'd made a promise to himself never to hurt Bella again. And it was a promise he knew with the entirety of his heart he'd be able to keep. No matter what it would take.

"Of course, sir," he said with a nearly imperceptible nod, a faint smile still ghosting his lips. "I would expect nothing less."

[Bella Cullen]

~END~?

[lara]

I think so, yeah.