A/N: This is an epilogue for my completed story, Alice in Blunderland. If you haven't read it, I don't suggest continuing further. Thank you for your interest. For those of you who are already on board, welcome back! Sorry for my long absence. Darn Life getting in the way. ;) As always, I hope you like it. Sit back, relax. You've been invited to a very special night...
White roses, silver decorations, refreshing night air. I stared at myself in the vanity mirror, fiddling with the ring on my left hand, smiling down at it every five minutes. My hair was perfect. My dress, dazzling. Everything had been planned out down to the candles. I knew this. I'd made sure. So why was I shaking? I tried to take the stairs slowly, the hall after them, but I just couldn't wait anymore. Esme was waiting with my bouquet and Carlisle with his arm. I could hear the cooing of morning doves and flowing water, the rich Italian air. Rosalie grabbed my train before it hit the grass, carrying it for me. The area was filled with thousands of candles, cellists playing softly to the side.
And there she was.
I gasped, not having been able to see her in her dress until now. The long, flowing silk hugged her body like I was dying to, the elegant folds rolling down her breathtaking figure and caressing the ground. She was staring at me intensely, but with more happiness than I'd ever seen her. Her hair rippled over her shoulders and back, creamy skin catching the light. I didn't want to move then. I became afraid that if I blinked or breathed too harshly she would evaporate back into whatever fairy tale she'd strayed from.
Charlie was leading her toward me. I was glad to see him smiling. He hadn't taken the news well at first, but was just glad to be seeing his daughter again. We'd decided keeping Bella away from her parents was madness. They'd already accepted her telepathy, why not her being a vampire too? Renee claimed that she'd always known her daughter was gay, and had never had a problem with it. She helped fervently with the planning. Carlisle gently tugged me on. One foot in front of the other, Alice, I instructed myself. We worked our way toward each other, meeting in the middle under a vine covered arch. Our eyes never left the others, and I could see she wanted nothing more than to hold me too.
Emmet carried the piano out for Edward to play quietly through the service along with the cellists. When finally we handed over our flowers and locked hands, chills shooting through my arms, I could begin to feel the ritual binding us. I heard Renee sniffle and Esme patted her hand. Both of our breathing sped up as we said our "I dos" and slid on our rings. As expected, Jacob howled on cue: the kiss. Claps and cheers rang through my ears as, at last, our bodies collided. I picked her up and twirled her around, elation bouncing between us. The music picked up and grew louder. Jasper carried out the large cake. Jacob and his pack would finish whatever Bella's parents couldn't.
I noticed that she was wearing the sapphire necklace I'd given her for her birthday. I touched it lightly before she asked me to dance. We swayed for what felt like hours before Jasper and Jake cut in, followed by our dads. We laughed and opened a few gifts, taking our time with everything. Eventually everyone was up and dancing. Even Rose seemed to be enjoying herself.
"Thanks for being here, dad," Bella said to Charlie before he and Renee went back to their luxury hotels. He knew he couldn't say anything. How could he tell his only daughter how breathtaking she was, how much he'd missed her, how glad he was that she was happy and safe, and also how hard it was for him to let go? Instead he rubbed at his red eyes, smiled lovingly down at her, and embraced her before departing.
"You all right, Charlie?" Renee asked him as they walked together to their cars. "I never though this day would come."
"What? That our clumsy teenager would go on to fall in love with another girl-a vampire, turn into one herself, contact us through telepathy, and throw a surprise wedding in Italy?"
"Yes," she managed through fits of laughter. "It's still a bit surreal to me too."
For a moment the two simply enjoyed standing there together. Charlie couldn't help but notice that his ex wife looked particularly beautiful tonight.
"It's good to see you again, Ren."
"You too," she said, grinning tenderly before getting into her rental car.
"Say hi to Phil," Charlie waved. But she was gone.
He took in the night air, glanced back at the ancient building where he'd seen his daughter, or someone like her, having the time of her life, feeling a mix of jubilation and confusion. He decided to focus on the former, and drove back to his room with a content smile.
Thoroughly drunk now, Jacob began to holler something along the lines of a melody, the musicians laughing and accompanying him exaggeratedly. Jasper pulled the woman who'd been helping with the catering onto the dance floor, speaking fluent Italian with her, helping her feel as bright as everyone else. Her bright red hair freed itself from its hold, fanning out around her neck, stirring her scent. Jasper winced, as did we all. I watched as Bella's jaw clenched, golden eyes squinting.
"Hon? It's okay. Focus on, er, breathing until I get back." Hurriedly, I gently led the caterer away, feeding her some half decent excuse, thanking her for her services. When I returned, most everyone was huddled around Bella. Her nails dug deep into the back of a chair, splinters chipping to the floor. She stood as stiff as the trees surrounding, teeth clenched.
"Bella," I whispered, brushing past Esme. "Calm yourself down. Listen to my voice..."
After a moment, Jasper informed me that our combined efforts were beginning to take hold. Slowly the scent of the woman's blood lifted and the real Bella came back.
"You okay, love?" I wrapped her her in my arms, glad when she smiled down at me.
"What just happened?" Leah asked, though mostly she looked as if she wanted to leave. Only her and Sam were left besides Jake (who remained oblivious of the entire matter, busying himself with trying to play a viola. The musicians were packing up themselves. The evening was ending, the night taking its place.
"Control takes an eternity," Carlisle explained. "Bella's still new to this."
I nodded, smiling around at everyone.
"Well, thank you all so much for coming, and helping. Bella and I can't thank you enough for being such loving friends and family. I'm sorry this is being cut so short, but I think it's time we had dinner." I glanced back at Bella, who was beginning to look rather fatigued. She turned, plugging her nose away from the musicians subtly as they lined out. Carlisle and Esme thanked them for us, paying them triple what we'd agreed. Ecstatic "gratsi"s rose from their vehicles, dismissing the last of the danger as they went on
"Come," I whispered to-can you believe it?-my new wife!
There were hollers and clapping as we sped off into the denser vegetation. She scooped me up, our laughter filling the spaces between the ground and star strewn sky. The moon winked at us through the trickle of trees. I could feel her ring press against my arm as she carried me smoothly.
Then, inconceivable stillness.
It was like the moment when you plunge into water. The world is blurred, all noise and importance is silenced. We must have looked like a couple of apparitions, possibly angels as we fluttered through the cool wood, white dresses ribboning out behind us. Her porcelain face turned to me, hair swirling around her in the way not even a top notch hair commercial could touch. Her elegant hand reached out and I took it, the diamond in my ring resembling a murky crystal next to her skin.
If one were to climb up one of the many trees they would look down to find a breathtaking sight. Not because of our bodies, though of course they were a masterpiece of their own; laying side by side in the grass, pouring into each other. Our mouths, our arms, our entangling legs. The silver grey dawn caressed us like an old black and white film. Looking down at us, for it would be the second best place to witness such a phenomena (the first of course being where we were), one would fall prey to a series of frighteningly emotive chills. Involuntary tears would spring to their eyes as they saw how intense our new bond was. It would become evident that they were no longer seeing two women, but one. One piece of something true, purely beautiful in every right. The untouchable grace of belonging. Love.
I, Alice Swan, discovered I hadn't known what living meant until then. Thus begun the best years of my life. Our life.
My blundering beauty and I.
A/N: Thank you for reading all the way through. It means the world to me to know my writing is being shared. So are you as happy as I am that they're finally married? I wanted to make it longer but didn't want to crowd it at the same time. Please review and tell me your thoughts. *hands out pieces of the wedding cake*
Love you all.
-MIS