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I Should Go copyright 2013 nikkipattinson

I Should Go

Chapter 38

Bella, Rosalie, Mom and I practically ran to my car. Rosalie was still sobbing, so Bella rode in the back seat with her. We followed Charlie, in the cruiser with lights blazing and siren blaring, to the emergency room.

We all ran through the doors in time to see my dad walk out. His suit was covered in blood, but he was smiling.

"Carlisle?" Mom asked.

"He's going to be fine. They got the bullet out. It was a small caliber so it didn't pack much of a punch. I made sure that it was bagged for your evidence, Charlie."

"Thanks, Doc," Charlie said.

"It didn't hit a bone, so nothing is broken. There are no real internal injuries other than the obvious. The team is cleaning the wound and will stitch him up. He'll have to keep the arm immobile for a few weeks, but I expect that he will make a full recovery."

"Oh, thank God," Aunt Aubrey said as she collapsed in a nearby chair.

"He's being admitted overnight for observation. He'll be moved to a room shortly."

"Thank you, Carlisle," Uncle Joe said as he shook Dad's hand. "When can we see him?"

"You and Aubrey can go on back," Dad said. "I'm going to go see if I can find some scrubs to change into."

"Thank you," Aubrey said as she hugged my dad, completely ignoring the blood.

We watched them walk through the double doors. Rosalie had managed to stop crying, but she was holding onto Bella for dear life.

"Are you two going to be okay here for a while?" Charlie asked Bella and Rosalie.

"We'll be fine, Dad."

"I'll need to get a statement from you, Rose."

"Okay, fine, whatever. I just want to put this all behind me and forget that this night ever happened."

"I'm going to go and make sure that Royce is properly detained."

"Charlie?" I called to him as he walked away. I turned to Mom and asked her to stay with Bella and Rosalie. I caught up with The Chief and asked, "Do you think that Royce will file charges against Emmett?"

"For what?" Charlie asked.

"Well, for assault."

"I didn't see an assault. What did you see?" he replied with a smile.

"Why don't you tell me what I saw?"

"I saw an officer subdue a madman with a gun who was trying to take a hostage. I think you'll be hard-pressed to find anyone else in town who saw anything other than that." He smiled again and patted my shoulder as he walked away.

I shook my head and returned to where the ladies had sat in the waiting room.

"Is everything all right?" Mom asked.

"Yes, everything is fine."

"This is entirely my fault," Rosalie moaned. "I shouldn't have come here. If it weren't for me, Emmett wouldn't have been shot. I'll never forgive myself."

"It wasn't you're fault, Rose," Bella said. "Royce pulled the trigger. It's his fault and he'll pay for it. Right, Edward?"

"He'll probably be charged with attempted murder for Emmett and assault and attempted kidnapping for you, Rosalie," I replied. "Needless to say, I think your divorce will go through rather quickly and easily after this."

"I never want to lay eyes on him again," Rosalie said as she glared at the door Charlie had walked through.

The doors opened suddenly and Uncle Joe walked over to us. "Rosalie… Emmett is asking for you."

"He is?"

"Yep. He wants to make sure that you're okay and he doesn't believe us. He wants to see you. Will you come with me?"

"Yes, yes, of course." Rosalie stood quickly and followed Uncle Joe through the double doors.

Bella turned to me and asked, "Who had one night in the betting pool?"

I laughed and said, "Unfortunately no one." I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her cheek.

"Edward… your mom is right here."

"I really don't care," I said as I kissed her again. "I'm just so happy that you're okay and that I can do this now without anyone getting mad or upset."

"I'm a little upset," Mom pouted.

"You don't count," I replied as I kissed the top of Bella's head.

Mom smiled and said, "I wondered how long it would take you both to figure it out."

*****ISG*****

Six Months Later

"See this. I love this," I said as I kissed the small mole on Bella's neck. I moved down to her shoulder and kissed it. "I love this shoulder too." I kissed my way to her belly-button. "This is the most exquisite belly-button in the world. I love it!" I moved down her body to her inner thigh and kissed her there. "This little patch of skin here… I adore it."

Bella giggled and said, "You're being silly."

I licked the inside of her thigh and then said, "I love how you taste."

"That I'm more inclined to believe," she replied. "At least that sense isn't impaired. I don't know how you can profess to love things that you can't see."

"I don't need my glasses to know every inch of your body. I could go completely blind and still know you. I've memorized your body."

I kissed her knee before I crawled back up her body and kissed her lips. "I love you."

"Mm hmm, so you say," she said teasing me.

I began tickling her sides and she shrieked with laughter. I wrapped my arms around her and rolled her over on top of me. I kissed her lips again and said, "I love you."

"All of me?" she asked as her eyes grew dark with hunger for me.

"Every part," I whispered as I buried my face in her neck.

"Oh, God, that feels good," she moaned.

"Tell me you love me," I said as I threaded my hand through her hair. I kissed and nibbled at her neck just to hear her moan. "Say it," I whispered against her skin.

"I love you," she said breathlessly. "I love you… I love you… I love you." She repeated the words I wanted to hear between my assaults on her lips.

Her lips left mine and began working their way down my body. She kissed my neck at that spot she knew made me shudder. She giggled when I moved beneath her. I reached down and gently pinched her nipple. I heard her gasp.

"Behave," I whispered.

"Um, no," she said against my chest. She dragged her tongue around the outline of my tattoo. "I love this part. It's sexy," she purred.

"Yeah, I'm so sexy," I mumbled.

She kissed the center of the mark on my skin before looking into my eyes and saying, "You're the sexiest man alive."

I laughed loudly and pulled her back to me so that I could kiss her. "You lie. I know for a fact that the title belongs to Channing Tatum. The damn magazine was on the coffee table for a month."

"People magazine just hasn't seen you yet," she replied.

I rolled us over and hovered over her. I gently brushed the hair off of her face. "You are so beautiful. I want you so much."

"Show me," she said softly.

That was all the invitation I needed.

Until….

"Edward! Are you home?"

Bella's eyes went wide as she said, "Is that your mother?"

I dropped my head to Bella's chest and said, "Fuck me. Yes, it's my mother."

Bella pushed me off of her and began covering her naked body with the sheet. "What is she doing here?"

I got out of the bed and said, "Trying to get me put in prison for matricide." I gritted my teeth and made a decision. "I'll be right back." I fumbled around on the bedside table for my glasses. I found them and slid them on my face.

"Edward," Bella called out in a loud whisper. "You don't have any clothes on."

"I know," I replied.

"Don't you think you should wrap a towel around yourself or something?"

"No," I said as I opened the bedroom door and proceeded downstairs.

"Hi, Mom," I said as I stepped into the kitchen. My mother had her head in my refrigerator. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to the grocery store, so I stopped by to see if you needed anything," she said. A second later she actually looked at me. Her mouth fell open and she stumbled back into the stove behind her. "What are you…? You're naked!"

"Yes, ma'am, I am. Does it bother you? I mean, you did wipe my bare bottom… remember?"

"But… but… you're… you're…." She took the dishtowel off of the counter and thrust it at me. "Cover yourself!"

"Why? This is my house. I can walk around naked in it if I want to." I went to the refrigerator, bent over with my ass toward her, and got a bottle of water. I stood up and took a drink before turning to my mom with a smile.

"But your… thing… it's… you're… aroused." She tried to hand me the dish towel again. I took it and put it on the counter behind me.

"Yes, Bella is upstairs."

"What is that on your chest?" she asked as she tried to not look at my penis.

"It's called a tattoo, Mother. Do you like it? I'm thinking of getting Bella's name on my ass." I turned and pointed. "Right here."

"I can't believe you!" she exclaimed as she ran out of the kitchen and into the living room.

"Where are you going?" I asked as I followed her.

"I didn't raise you to be so vulgar, Edward," she said as she snatched her purse from the couch. "And that thing on your chest… I just… how could you?"

"Let's get something straight right now. This is my house. I pay the bills. These are my things. You are barging into my home and invading my privacy. What would you have done if you had walked in and Bella and I were having sex on the couch?"

"Is that a possibility?" she asked as she looked at where her purse had just been.

"Yes, as is the recliner, the kitchen table, the counter top in the kitchen…."

She held up her hand and said, "Stop… just stop."

"This is your one and only warning, Mom. Quit coming into my house unannounced. I don't want to change the locks, because if there is an emergency, you or Dad might need to get in here. Until that time, you are to knock. If I don't open the door for you, then assume that I am either not at home or otherwise engaged. Do not, and I repeat, do not let yourself in. I am a grown man. I do not need my mother to take care of me. I do a fine job all by myself. Plus, I have Bella now and she keeps me fed and clothed… for the most part. Do you understand what I'm telling you?"

"You don't need me." she said as she began to cry.

I sighed. "No, Mom, that's not what I'm saying. I'm saying that I love you and I will always need you, but I'm not twelve years old. You have to start treating me like an adult. That means giving me some privacy."

"I'm sorry," she mumbled.

"Don't be sorry. Just promise me that this is the last time that you will barge into my house without calling first or at least knocking."

"I promise," she whispered.

"Thank you. I would hug you, but, well, that would be weird. If you don't mind, could you please go? I'll call you and Dad later."

"Okay," she said as she opened the door. "Tell Bella 'hi' for me."

"I will. I'll talk to you later." She wiped her eyes and walked out the door. .

I made sure that the door was locked behind her before I took the stairs two at a time back to Bella. I burst through the bedroom door, said, "Where were we?"

Bella squealed as I leapt on top of the woman I loved.

Epilogue

I tried in vain to straighten my tie. "Never can get the damn thing right," I muttered. I finally gave up and turned away from the mirror. Jasper was pulling at his tie as well, but I think it had more to do with the fact that Alice had pulled it a little too tight because it was a perfect Windsor.

I pointed at it and said, "I should have let your better half tie mine too."

Tugging at his collar, Jasper said, "Not if you want to breathe. It's too fucking tight."

"C'mere," Emmett said from across the room. He was dressed in his new dress uniform. The previous one had been destroyed in the events of a year ago. He reached up and tugged gently on the knot of Jasper's tie. "Better?" he asked as relief washed over Jasper's face.

"Yes," Jasper said with a sigh. He collapsed in a nearby chair. "How much longer, Ed?"

"The wedding planner will come and get us when it's time," I replied.

He nodded and took out his phone. I saw him open a game and start to play.

I walked over to Emmett as he stared out the window of the church. I placed a hand on his shoulder and asked, "Are you okay?"

"What? Yeah. I'm just not much for making a spectacle of myself. You know that. Standing up at the altar, with almost the entire town staring at me is kind of unnerving."

"We have that in common, cousin. Don't worry about it. It will be over before you know it," I replied.

"How are you holding it together? These types of things usually send you running for the hills."

"I keep reminding myself that I'm doing it for someone who I care about. She's worth it, right?" I asked.

He smiled and said, "Yep, she's definitely worth it. Maybe if I keep reminding myself of that, I can get through it without making a fool of myself."

"I just want to get this dog and pony show over with so the real party can begin," Jasper interjected from across the room.

A soft knock drew our attention to the door. It opened and Jessica stuck her head in. "It's time," she said.

We filed out of the room and took our places at the front of the church. The doors at the back opened to reveal Alice. She smiled and began walking slowly down the aisle. I looked at Jasper and saw him return her smile.

Alice had been good for Jasper. She seemed to ground him in a way that he'd never been before. He no longer smoked marijuana and he drank very little. He had taken on more responsibility at work. So much so, that his father was talking about retiring and turning it all over to Jasper.

He, Emmett, and I had started working out together after Emmett fully recovered from the incident with Royce. I'd never seen Jasper look so healthy and happy. He looked better than he did in high school when we'd played ball together.

Emmett too had come a long way in a year. He'd completely recovered from the gunshot wound. Rosalie was by his side through the entire process. She stayed with him and did everything for him for the weeks that he couldn't use his arm. She helped him through his physical therapy. She stayed by his side through it all.

At first, Emmett thought she did it out of guilt, but as the weeks progressed, he began to see what we all knew. Rosalie was head over heels for him and he felt the same about her.

She never moved out of his house and eventually she moved out of his guest room and into his bedroom. They'd been inseparable ever since.

I was right about Rosalie's divorce going through without a hitch. After Royce was convicted of attempted murder of a police officer, attempted kidnapping, and assault with a deadly weapon, James Jones decided that he no longer needed to represent Royce in the divorce case. He recused himself and retreated without so much as a whimper. I might have had a hand in that, since I let it slip to the judge that James had been the one who actually rented the car that Royce had used to stalk Rosalie in Forks.

Without representation, and with Royce on his way to prison, I could push through a now uncontested dissolution of marriage petition. Rosalie was officially a free woman less than six months after the man of the year banquet.

The music changed. My breath caught in my throat as Bella began walking down the aisle toward me. She was breathtaking. The dress that Alice had helped pick was perfect.

I must have had an interesting expression on my face, because Bella smirked, rolled her eyes, and shook her head. As she got to the altar, I leaned forward and whispered, "You look lovely."

"You clean up nicely, too, Cullen," she said with a grin. She took her place across from me and we turned to the double doors at the back of the church. Jessica had pulled them shut just as the wedding march began.

With a flourish, Jessica threw the doors open to reveal Rosalie standing in the doorway on the arm of her father. Rosalie looked more beautiful than I had ever seen her. She looked happier than I thought she could. She was radiant with it.

She started walking down the aisle and I turned to look at Emmett. I could see the tears trying to spill over out of his eyes. I saw his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed back the tears of complete joy.

I reached out and touched his shoulder. He tore his eyes from Rosalie long enough to acknowledge me with a grateful smile, before returning to stare as his bride made it to the altar.

"You… you…." For I think the first time in his life, Emmett was at a loss for words.

Rosalie smiled and said, "You too." Her father placed her hand in Emmett's before taking his seat beside Rosalie's mother.

As the ceremony began, my eyes just automatically landed on Bella. It didn't matter where we were or how crowded the room was, I could always find her. She was my 'true North'. It was like my mind and body instinctively knew that I belonged at her side.

I thought back to the eighteen months that had brought us to this moment. I no longer hated Tanya for what she had done. I was almost thankful for it. If she hadn't hurt me, I would have married her and stayed in Chicago. I would have missed out on finding the love of my life.

I slid my hand into my pocket and touched the ring that I had placed there that morning. It wasn't as large or over-the-top as the one I had bought Tanya, because Bella wouldn't have wanted something that gaudy. It was a simple three quarter carat, oval cut diamond on a thin, white gold band. It wasn't fancy, but it was perfect. It reminded me of Bella.

I had already talked to Charlie. I had his blessing. Tonight, after the reception, I was going to ask Bella to be mine… forever.

The End

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