Disclaimer: Not only is the original concept not mine, I can't even take credit for the AU, since I'm just borrowing the characters!

This story was half about Charlie figuring things out and half about Edward really having a wake-up call and coming to a few important realisations. So now, the conclusion of those realisations.

Charlie was at the hospital promptly for eight o'clock, but there had been no frantic phone calls overnight, and there was no change at all in Bella's condition. For now, she was being kept sedated until they felt it safe to wean her off the ventilator.

Edward had snuck into Bella's room around three in the morning, but with her condition still critical, he had had only a few minutes with her before the nurse returned on rounds. It was enough to tell her he loved her and that she had to come back to him.

Alice arrived later in the morning with fresh clothes for all three men. Esme arrived with hugs for all three as well.

Bella's father seemed quite calm, considering the conversation of the night before. It was almost as if he'd set the whole thing aside as a bizarre dream, at least until he'd emerged from the washroom wearing the new clothes that fit perfectly.

'How did you know my size?' he asked Alice.

'Oh Charlie, I know everything!' she beamed.

'That's not...I mean, you aren't...is that like a super-power?'

'Yep!' Alice said, her usual bouncing self.

'You're too happy,' Charlie told her.

'I'm always happy. Why wouldn't I be? Besides, Bella will be fine,' she said, with such conviction in her voice that a passing stranger probably would have believed anything she said.

'You know that?' Charlie hesitated.

'Yes.'

'How?'

'I can see the future.'

It was clear he hadn't really believed Edward when he'd said the same the day before. 'Well, all right then,' Charlie finally relented and Edward smiled. 'That's really good. Thanks Alice,' he told her sincerely and went off down the hall back to Bella's room.

'I told you everything would be alright,' Alice said in a sing-song to Edward.

He smiled. 'Yeah, I really have to stop doubting you,' he admitted. 'I need to leave for a while. Will you call me if – '

'Nothing is going to happen,' Alice told him, in a slightly menacing tone.

'Right,' Edward relented. 'Esme?'

'Of course, dear,' his mother agreed, happy to join him on a hunt.

Alice and Esme returned home that afternoon, and Edward, Carlisle and Charlie fell into something of routine over the next few days while Bella lay unconscious. She was slowly healing, however, and Carlisle was confident she would be off the ventilator soon. Once she was, they could transfer her back to Forks.

Edward became more anxious with each passing hour. Charlie was happy to share the ICU now, at least, but that simply meant that he and Bella's father took turns sitting at her side. Carlisle finally returned to Forks on the second day, because it was quite obvious that Alice's vision was true and there was nothing more he could do.

It was Tuesday when they attempted to wean her off assisted breathing. It went well, which Alice had also seen and Charlie seemed much more relaxed afterwards. It was another twenty-four hours before Bella opened her eyes.

Alice had called Edward Wednesday morning to tell him that he might want to be in Bella's room at three forty-seven that afternoon. Edward smiled and thanked his sister profusely.

Edward managed to get Charlie out of the room for a break at three thirty, only seconds before Bella's vitals changed to show she was trying to wake up. More impatient than ever, Edward grasped her hand and started calling to her.

When she finally blinked open chocolate brown eyes, he thought his heart might actually start beating again he was so happy.

'Bella, love? I'm here.'

'Ed...rd,' she managed.

'Shush, don't try to talk just yet. You've been on a ventilator for a few days now, so your throat will be sore.'

Her heart rate picked up at that, but Edward rushed to calm her. 'You're alright. You're going to be just fine. You just need to rest.'

She gave him a look.

Edward smiled and kissed her forehead. 'You're in the hospital in Port Angeles. It's Wednesday. You were hit by a car on Saturday. You have multiple broken ribs, one of which punctured your lung. There was a significant amount of damage, but it's been repaired. Your hip was also displaced, but it's fine now. You're going to be here for another day or two and then we'll have you moved to the hospital in Forks, alright?'

She nodded, relaxing at his explanation.

'Your father is here too; he's just down getting some food. Bella, I want you to stay calm, alright love?' He knew this would have the opposite affect intended, but he needed to warn her. 'We told him the truth. About us.' Bella blinked and opened her mouth to try to say something. 'No; it's alright. He took it surprisingly well. Everything is fine. He was just asking too many questions for us to continue to lie to him.

'Bella?' he went on. 'I told him that you wanted to be like me. That you wanted to be changed and I agreed to it.'

Her heart rate spiked. The nurse would be in in a moment at this rate. 'Calm down,' he ordered. 'Charlie took that quite well too. He agreed it's probably safest. And Saturday, when you were injured, I nearly did it right then. But I had to be sure, Bella. I have to ask again,' he said, making sure she was looking right at him. The pain medication she was on was probably making everything a bit fuzzy and hard to follow, but he couldn't wait any longer.

'Bella, do you want me to change you?'

She nodded, tears slipping from her eyes.

'Alright. We'll do it as soon as you're out of the hospital then. Your injuries will take weeks, even months to recover from. I don't want you in pain any longer than necessary. By the weekend, hopefully.'

It didn't have the desired effect he thought it would. Her heart started to pound again and this time the nurse did come rushing in.

'What are you doing?' she yelled.

'It's alright, she's alright,' Edward explained. 'Bella just woke up and I explained what happened to her. I didn't mean to upset her, but she wanted to know.'

'Dear, you need to calm yourself, alright? Bella, just relax,' the nurse – Beth – implored. Slowly Bella's heart rate returned to normal. Beth glared at him. 'She needs rest. Say goodbye and let her get it.'

'Just a minute and I promise I'll go,' Edward agreed.

She huffed at that. Clearly Edward's dedication to Bella's bedside for the last few days suggested that wasn't going to happen.

'Bella?' Edward asked softly when the nurse was gone. 'Bella, I'm sorry if I upset you. I don't know what I said. You want to be changed, don't you?'

Still crying softly, Bella nodded again. 'Yes,' she whispered, too quiet for anyone other than a vampire to hear.

'But you don't want to be changed next weekend?' Edward ventured.

She shook her head.

'Why not?' he asked, losing his patience and then immediately apologising.

'I,' she started and then had to swallow, her throat too dry. 'Wed...ing,' she managed.

'You're worried about the wedding? You don't need to be. Alice can call the whole thing off. I know you didn't want any of it. We'll get married later, if you still want, after you're changed.'

She was adamantly shaking her head. 'Wan...t wed...ng.'

Edward stared at her, incredulous. 'You want to get married? You want the wedding Alice has planned?'

Bella let out a sob, but nodded.

'Oh love!' he said, leaning down to capture her lips with his own, trying to be gentle. Bella moaned against him. 'Then we will have the big white wedding. You have plenty of time to recover before then. And we'll go away on our honeymoon, just as I promised.'

She smiled.

'And then?' Edward asked.

Her smile grew wider and she nodded.

'Good. I love you,' he told her. She answered with a blink. 'The nurse is right, you need to rest. Rest and heal and be ready for August thirteenth. I'll come back to see you later. And your father will be here too.'

Bella's eyes were already closing of their own accord, her limited strength spent. But she smiled once more when he kissed her forehead.

Beth poked her head around the door. 'Out!' she hissed.

Smiling, Edward went. He had everything he needed now.

That's it; there isn't anymore. Thanks for reading (and reviewing). Thank you to all my lovely reviewers for this story. You are the BEST!

A sequel to North of 39 is in the works, but may take a while. I'm afraid January is almost half over and has already been very busy month for me, with little time to write, much as I'd like to! Hopefully I'll have something by February, but it may be March instead (at the latest, though, I promise).