|| You, Me and Penny Green ||

| Chapter Twenty Six |

"Good day, gentlemen... and ladies," Iris walked up to the circle of unlikely people with Edward begrudgingly trekking by her side. The faces of Jacob, Jasper, Colton, Ava and Bella all held confused and slightly amused expressions.

"What's going on?" Of course, Jake would be the first one to ask questions instead of waiting patiently for the ginger to explain. She rolled her eyes lightly at the same time Ava did, great minds often think alike.

"You all are here to test a theory. So consider yourselves my subjects and don't refuse because you have no choice whatsoever, Mmkay?" Iris clapped her hands together before explaining exactly what she wanted out of this meeting. Many objected, like her brother and the obvious, Edward. However, Jasper, the expert in this type of shenagigins, thought it was a brilliant idea. Always trust a Texas man, she thought.

"Bells, we can't put you in danger by being up there. This is your life we're talking about," Colton grasped her shoulders tenderly, rarely showing the emotions he masks majority of the time.

"I'll be fine. Riz, Seth and you will be there." The dirty blonde fiercely shook his head, not getting the point even with her poor explanation. Iris sighed to herself, laying a hand on his arm. "We'll watch her Col, she's a big girl."

"Yes, but you have to admit it's risky. Especially because we're luring Victoria there on purpose." Iris narrowed her eyes at Jacob as he leaned against a tree. Ava was the only one who hasn't said much, just watching the exchange with guarded eyes. 

"Thank you, Jacob." Edward agreed, crossing his arms tightly with a scowl.

"Edward, we talked about this. It will work," Iris coaxed as she walked towards him. She could see the internal conflict swirling around in his orbs. His desire to protect his wife at all costs, becoming harder the more she made plans like this. He set his jaw stiffly, looking her square in the eyes. "That means we're training more, I won't have you ill prepared when she shows up."

"And we will do that, I promise."

"So what's the plan," Colton grumbles as Bella leaned on his side lovingly. Jasper finally steps forward, seeing this was his area of expertis. "This field will give us an advantage in battle. We need to lure the newborns with Iris and Bella's scent, it should end here. Once we reach the top, Iris will do what she needs to in order to get Victoria on her trail."

"So you'll need to walk with us to the camp site. Ava and I will pave the way." Iris gestured with her hands, signaling she'll use her abilites to do so.

"I don't know, seems bodgy to me." Ava spoke for the first time with a frown. She fidgeted in her spot, subtly glancing between the Swan and Jacob. Iris caught hints of jealousy, but she wouldn't comment on it for now.

"Although I hate what risks this idea oozes, Jake has a – distinct smell. It'll mask theirs until they split off." Iris smiled appreciatively towards him, thanking him silently.

"Done." Ava snapped her gaze towards Jacob at his agreement. No, she hadn't made any moves to become committed to the Quileute, but she still had her reservations about him and this unnerved her.

The four were walking through the forest, well, Jacob and Bella were. Ava and Iris were gracefully flowing through the trees above them, the Australian keeping a close eye on the childhood friends. Iris was focused on leaving hints only Victoria would pick up on, the subtle direction of the trees, a hair or two in the trunks burrow. The ginger was basically beckoning the nomad into her fighting ring. Victoria had tormented her long enough. 

"So, you let Sam be Alpha?" Iris heard Bella ask as she stumbled over the shrubs underneath her.

Jake sighed, shrugging his shoulder in defiance. "I didn't wat to be in a pack, let alone be it's leader..."

"Chief Jacob," Iris called down after effortlessly swinging from another branch to the other. Jake laughed up at her, briefly catching the eyes of Ava as she perched stiffly from a tree stem. The ginger smirked to herself as she passed Ava swiftly, singing low enough for only the supernaturals to hear, "Luna Ava."

As the group emerged from the thickit, only two were grinning from ear to ear. Bella and Iris bounded towards their mates, easily caught in their embrace like a wool blanket. Iris kissed the underside of Edward's ear, whispering her tender words of encouragement. "This will work, my love. I know it."

"I hope so."

Later that evening, Iris was back in the woods. She swore this had become her new home, not that she minded because she was a servant of nature after all. However, when it was seven in the evening when she could be snuggled on the couch with a bowl of vegetarian fried rice, it came a close second.

This time though, it was for a special occasion. Edward was with her, of course. The little Pea, who had been spending an awful amount of time at her grandfather's, was with the couple tonight.

Iris immediately got to work, waving her hands around as she envisioned a sanctuary of blue bells and lilies hanging upside down from a wooden alcove she created. The fireflies glowed around the cubby. The twinkling creating the perfect, romantic atmosphere. When it was all said and done, the little family hid and waited for the unsuspecting guest to arrive.

"Col, what are we doing out here?" Isabella Swan eyed Colton suspisously, following his precise footsteps. Her hand was in the place it belonged, intertwined with Colton's as he rubbed small circles with his thumb on that back of it.

"Shh, we're almost there." He grinned in the twilight, his nerves all over the place. He was never a guy of tradition, his strict upbringing being the main reason for that. So, asking the love of his exsistence to marry him, tonight, would go right along with his persona. He loved Bella Swan, that much he was certain over everything else in the world. "Right here."

There was no one else he could picture his life with, and he was going to to tell her just that. "Colton..." Bella's heart stopped once she caught sight of the magical set up. Her palms instantly became sweaty because she just knew something was up. Colton wasn't this suspicious, if he could help it. Yes, he was often mysterious from an outside perspective, but not to this extent. She didn't know what to say. "Y-you did all this?"

He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, shaking his head with a genuine smile on his face. "No, I had some, well appreciated, help. So what do you say?"

The Swan looked up from her daze, a curious quirk in her brow. "Say to what?" Instead of saying the words like he knew he'd mess up somehow, he decided to show with actions. Bella's stomach did somersaults as she witnesses Colton go down on one knee before her. Her doe brown eyes widened as she sputtered. There were a lot of predictable things in her life. When Colton showed up, everything flipped on it's head and she didn't know what was up or down. It was good, spontaneity was good for the brunette.

Colton swallowed as he fumbled with the ring, staring between her surprised gaze as he finally worked up the courage to say something...anything. "To marrying me, Bells. What do you say, you and me – forever?"

Bella let out a slow, shuddering exhale as she bit down on her lip. Marriage. A finicky subject within her family that never lasted long enough after 'I do'. She didn't have a good role model of the commitment growing up and she dreaded the idea after spending years going back and forth with Charlie and Renee during the summer.

Yet, Iris and Edward, Alice and Jasper, Carlisle and Esme, even Rosalie and Emmett had somehow made it work. The brunette didn't care for the glitz and glamour that came with a wedding day, however, she couldn't get the picture of Colton dressed in black, waiting for her at the end of an alter. She'd gain the sister she never knew she needed and a lover who excepts and completes her wholeheartedly. 

Her choice was made, there was no one else but Colton Green for Isabella Swan.

"I don't think I'd mind," Bella voiced breathlessly not even a second later. Colton nearly let out a loud sigh of relief, standing abruptly to his feet as he kissed her passionately. His hands cupping her heart shaped face as Bella hung on for dear life to his shirt. Their engagement wasn't lavish, but it was them, subdued and intimate. In a way they would only understand.

"Oh my god, now I know how Alice felt!" Iris squealed as the little family emerged from their hiding place. The Swan was beet red as she separated from Colton and buried her face in his chest, the simple diamond ring sparkling on her finger in the night. 

"Congratulations guys," Edward smiled at them happily, subtly reining in his wife so she wouldn't go nuts with excitement. If Colton smiled any wider, his perfect marble face would split in two. The couple caught up once again in their own little bubble.

Iris nudge Edward in the side, keeping her eyes on the loved up couple. "Were you that nervous when you asked me?" Edward rolled his eyes lightly as he adjusted Pea on his hip. 

"Of course I was, dear." Iris nodded with a determined glint in her eyes. She would have some serious planning to do. The ginger was just glad she got to this wedding before Alice did, now it was all hers. She would've never imagined planning her brother's wedding to her best friend, but what are you going to do. Can't pick your relatives.

"Good answer. C'mon Eddie, we have swatches to go over!" Iris pulled Bella into a tight embrace, planting an obnoxious kiss on her forehead before swiftly turning on her heel back to her house. Edward groaned in the back of his throat, giving Colton a glare over his shoulder as he trudged on after her. Penelope was the last to say goodbye as she waved her tiny hand with a cheeky smile on her plush lips.

"Bye bye, Ben-ya."

Unedited. 

WHOOO, #Cella is engaged guys! My heart is melting guys, MeLtiNg! Let me know in the comments what you felt this chapter.

Next chapter: Some lovin'(That's mature, but nothing new with us YMAPG'ers), camping and funny family story-telling!