Chapter 30

The American Dream

EDWARD

I relaxed into his chair looking around his office as I drink his horrible brandy. I could think of half a dozen things I rather have been doing at midnight. Watching my son sleep, annoying Roger, making sweet love to my fiancée…my fiancée…I liked that. But I would love to call her my wife. Sadly instead of doing any of that I sat across from Aro, the biggest corporate leech I had ever seen.

"Mr. Volturi, James is here to see you." His secretary spoke over his open line. Aro's dark eyes looked to me and I nodded.

"Send him in." He said.

Five.

Four.

Three.

Two.

One.

"What the fuck is this?" the king of fools sneered upon seeing me seated comfortably.

With no emotion whatsoever I nodded to him "Hello James."

"Fuck you Cullen." He snapped. He looked thin, shaking as though he was on something. The stupid pony-tailed hair of his was gone and his clothes were just…sloppy.

"Watch how you speak boy…Mr. Cullen is a guest here." Aro informed him.

"A guest? A fucking guest? Do you know what this son a bitch did to me?"

"What I did to you?" I gripped the glass in my hands so tightly it could break, "Let's talk about what you did to me. Or did you forget you tried to kill me."

He froze and his eyes widened before he finally had the good sense to deny it; "I don't know what you are talking about?"

"My break lines were cut—"

"You deaf Cullen? I said I didn't have anything to do with that."

"He thought you might say that." Aro cut in, "Which is why we tested you."

"Test." He paused. "What test?"

I said nothing and Aro simply called in one of his bodyguard. James turned around quickly but did not speak. He just stood there staring at the man with tattoos covering both of his arms and a scar on his eyebrow.

"You called, sir?"

"James do you know him?"

James said nothing, his fist clenched as he turned to back to us.

"You have something to say?"

He nodded; "Yes. I'm leaving. Fuck all of you and this idiot dog you have working for you."

He pulled the door open only to find two doctors dressed in white already waiting for him.

"What is this? Get the fuck out of my way."

"Daniels." Aro called stepping forward; "Please tell these good doctors what my son asked you to do?"

"James approached me as a test. Upon seeing my tattoos he offered me half a million dollars to murder both Mr. Cullen and his wife." Daniels told us.

"Bullshit!" James snapped.

Daniels pulled out a napkin; "He signed this agreement on the only thing we had to use at the time."

"Doctors as you can see James is not mentally stable. For years he has obsessed over my wife and me. I don't think the police are needed. After all we were friends once weren't we James? Now you can get all the help you need." I said with fake concern, rising from my chair.

"YOU SON OF BITCH!" He charged at me but Daniels and the doctors grabbed him; "I'm going to kill you! I swear to God I'm going to kill you and your little bitch."

"Hold him still." One of the doctors yelled as he injected something into his neck. "Have a jacket ready for him."

Neither Aro nor I said anything as we waited for him to be taken away. Turning to him I shook his hand gripping it tightly.

"It is because of you that he's not in jail. I want him so high he can't even remember his name. If he is ever released I swear to you Aro, I will handle it in a less delicate manor….Just remember I will always be watching."

"Of course Edward. Thank you." He said.

As I entered to my awaiting car at the bottom of Aro's Tower part of me wondered if I would regret this. The fucking bastard tired to kill me not once but twice. The second time he planned to come for Bella as well. The thought made me want to pull his throat out. But having James arrested also meant more media attention. Once again my family's life would be broadcast on new stations every damn hour of the day. We needed peace. We needed a fresh start…Bella needed that. It was the only way we could put the past to rest.

Looking out the car window I saw a man ask a woman for her number on the corner. I watched them, even as we drove and they became specks in the distance. The both looked excited, happy, normal. That's how things were supposed to happen right? You're supposed to meet someone at the corner of some street, or in a bar and flirt, then go out, date, then get married, and finally start a family. None of that happened for Bella.

We were a complete fucking mess. We hurt people, ourselves, each other; it was like we just didn't know how to be normal….and I think that's okay…now. At least now that we know what our problems are.

"Hold for a second." I called out to the drive as we rounded the corner and I focused on the giant poster for the upcoming movie version of Confessions of a Billionaire's Whore.

I looked at the cheesy guy with the woman wrapped around him and just laughed.

"My wife is in love with that book." The driver snickered, "She's made me promise to take her to see it opening night."

"Why does she like it? And you can go now?"

Nodding he pulled back on the road and shrugged; "She says because it isn't about the long lost love couple, or the girl next door. It's about two real people with issues and the pain of loving each other. She likes them because they are totally flawed…and she can relate."

I said nothing staring at the back of his head. He coughed and shifted awkwardly as if just now remembering who wrote it.

"I just think she likes for the lemons."

"The lemons?"

"Yea you know that's what they call the graphic sex scenes. Anyway, I knew it couldn't be you sir. No one's life has that much drama." He added.

You want to bet?

"Drama and sex sells." Was all I could think to say when we finally made it to my house.

I didn't wait for him to open the car door. I opened it myself. It was late and I just wanted to strip and crawl into bed with Bella.

"Night sir."

I nodded to him entering quietly. Taking off my shoes and tossing my jacket and tie on to the couch.

"Bella?" I called noticing the light from our room still on.

As I enter, there she is sitting with Levi who was rubbing his eyes in the middle of our bed, Cappuccino asleep in his arms. And Bella with tears running down her face.

"Bella? Bella what's wrong?"

She looked up at me shocked like I had come out of nowhere.

"Nothing," She shook her head, "Everything is amazing."

I didn't understand until she turned the iPad around and there I saw the face of a tiny red baby with its face all bunched together. The camera shifted and I could see Angela and Ben.

"It's a girl." Bella cried.

Moving I sat on the bed beside her; "Congrats Doc."

Ben shook his head at me but nodded; "Thank you Edward."

"What's her name?" Levi yawned taking the iPad from Bella.

"We aren't sure yet buddy—"

"Okay when I'm awake I will help you. Mommy says I'm the king of names." Levi said proudly.

"That is true. Cappuccino's name is pretty awesome." Angela laughed tiredly. I couldn't even begin to imagine.

"We will let you guys go. I will be on the next flight out—"

"Bella you don't have too—"

Bella shook her head. "Nope. You are not stopping me Angela. You were there when I had Levi and it is my duty to be there, too. Besides I must give you the secret mommy book."

"There is a book?" Levi looked to her in surprise causing both Bella and Angela to laugh.

"So does that mean you will help with late nights?" Ben snickered.

"Not the first few of course. It doesn't hit you how much you love the little suckers until they wake you up at 3 am." She pulled Levi into another hug who just pouted at her.

"I'm not a sucker mommy, I'm Levi." He yawned once more, which was made cuter due to the baby yawning alongside him.

"Goodbye guys." Bella said to them before ending the video chat. She let out a big sigh and wipped her eyes smiling at me. "Hey. Sorry we didn't hear you come in."

"It's alright." I said her kissing her forehead before standing. "I'm going to take Levi to bed why don't you just relax."

"Yeah, relax mommy." Levi muttered half asleep reaching up for me and I picked him with one hand grabbing Cappuccino with the other.

Kicking open his room with my foot I laid Cappuccino on his dog bed on the floor before placing Levi in his bed. He rolled over on his side and pulled his stuffed elephant closer to him.

"Goodnight Bud. I love you." I said to him.

"Night night daddy. I love you." he muttered.

Kissing his forehead I stood turning off all of the lights making sure his nightlight came on before closing the door to a crack.

Heading into the room Bella sat waiting with her hands clasped together.

"Why do you look like you were waiting for the principal?"I laughed taking off my shirt.

"Because I just might be going to detention." She replied pulling out the USB stick.

"Bella—"

"I watched it. I know I shouldn't have. It's none of my business and I have no regard for personal space. I know! I swear I tried not to but all day it kept whispering to me like the Ring from Lord of the Rings! I thought I was going to go crazy—"

"Bella—"

"Your right, that's still no excuse but I just had to tell you I watched and I cried and I think you should watch it too. There I said it. I think you should watch this—"

I all but jumped on to the bed pulling her close to me and kissing her. She moaned into the kiss, her legs wrapping around me.

"Can I get a word in now?" I asked looking up at her.

She pouted sitting on my waist; "I guess you can."

"Bella—"

"Oh but wait I'm sorry. I just need to say—" I gave her a look. "Never mind your turn to talk."

"I have a feeling I know what is on that USB." She opened her mouth but I just put my finger on her lips. "I now you think I don't but I do. I'm just not ready to look at it right now. I don't know why? Maybe because I want her to speak to me and not some camera or maybe because I know it will make me want to go to her and I can't. I can't watch whatever is on there and go rushing back to her only to be met with silence again. That would hurt me worse than ever before. It's okay that you saw it. But right now I'm not ready. Is that okay?"

She nodded kissing me quickly; "Of course that's okay. It's more than okay."

"Good. Now," I flipped us over to hold her wrist as I laid on top of her, "get some sleep before I keep us both up all night?"

"Is that a threat or a promise?" She grinned kissing my nose. Rolling over I pulled her into my arms.

"I love you."

"I love you too." She giggles resting her head on my chest, "Edward I was thinking; can we go to the justice of the peace to get married. I don't want anything big and maybe in a few years we can renew our vows or something and make that big. I just want us to rest for a while."

I played with her hair thinking for a moment before sitting up and reaching into my bedside table and pulling out a box.

"I was going to wake up early in the morning to give you a proposal you would never forget but for some reason I think this would be the best time." I opened the box.

"Holy shit." She gasped, "Edward they can see that from the space."

"Good, then it will be perfectly clear your mine…even to aliens." I smiled taking out the teardrop ring. "For the tenth million time woman; will you marry me?"

"For the tenth million time man; yes I will marry you." She said as I slipped the ring on her finger.

For some odd reason I took a deep breath just holding her; "I feel like I've traveled a million miles to get here."

"Me too. I'm glad we finally made it though." She whispered kissing me and this time I didn't break away, I gave into her…

She was everything and despite our choices; both good and bad, we were finally together.

Soon to be wife,

An amazing son,

A dog and a

White picket fence.

They called this the American dream but right now it just felt like my own and I never wanted to wake up from it.

I know I can't believe it either. Yes there is still unanswered questions like…what the heck is on that usb? (lol I know). What about Alice and the family? I know! But I feel as though I can't wrap up all the lose ends of this story. Not because I'm to lazy to write anymore or because I don't know what to write. But because of the fact that in my head Coabw can never really be over. In this story Bella and Edward had a lot of issues, issues they will most likely spend all of their lives fixing…I get a lot of reviews of people telling me how unlikeable B&E were…I don't mind that. I wanted them to be flawed because now at the end they are so much better.

For those of you who would like to translate…Go ahead just please send me links. :D

Some of you have asked but no I will never pull and publish this story so it will be up here forever.I might send out a pdf later.

Thank you all for following a pushing me. Lol honestly this was only ever supposed to be a one shot. I truly hoped you enjoyed it!

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Ps. I may do a future take some time well...in the future lol.