A/N: I apologize profusely for the delay in this chapter. There has been so much going on in RL, in addition to having very sporadic internet thanks to my "reliable" provider. Hopefully, both issues will be resolved this week, and I can finally get this story wrapped up. Thank you for your patience. Take care!

Edward

I never thought I would be quite as nervous as I was when the day finally arrived. Bella was everything I had ever wanted, and how often was it that dreams became reality like that? Yet, there I was, standing at the altar, doing everything in my power to keep myself from pacing, or trying to take off my tie, which felt exceedingly too tight at that moment.

What the hell did I have to be nervous about? The only actual changes that would take place that day were rings on our fingers and Bella taking my last name. Everything else would remain exactly the same. So why was my heart thundering in my chest until I felt it in my throat? Why did I have to keep my hands clasped in front of me so that the whole church wouldn't see how much they were shaking?

My question was answered as the organ began to play and the white satin curtains shielding the doors parted, and Alice stepped through to make her way down the aisle. My eyes had tried desperately to catch a glimpse of Bella before they closed again, and it was obvious that I wasn't nervous, but anxious. Angela came through next, and I felt as if I would jump out of my skin at the hint of a white veil I managed to view before she was again shielded from my vision.

Then everything stopped the moment the music changed, the curtains parted for the final time, and I caught sight of her standing at the end of the long aisle—my breaths, my heart, time itself. I had never seen Bella look so close to an angel in all the years I had known her. Even the skimpiest of lingerie could never compare to what my eyes beheld right then. She was the vision of pure innocence, yet with the exposed neck and shoulders, I knew she had intended to drive me crazy, fully aware of my weakness for them.

God, how I love this woman.

It seemed to take an eternity for her to reach the end of the aisle and ascend the three small steps toward me, and for her father to finally set her hand in mine. How I wished I could lift that veil and kiss her right then and there, but instead, I pressed my lips to her knuckles before turning to face the minister. Prayers were spoken, and blessings bestowed, yet my eyes never left Bella for more than a few moments at a time.

At last, we were instructed to face each other, and even through the distortion of the veil, I could see tears in her eyes, accompanied by the most radiant smile I had ever witnessed from her. Bella's hands were trembling just as mine were, yet our fingers held firmly to one another as I cleared my throat to begin reciting my vows.

"Bella, I thought I would know exactly what to say if I ever stood here with you, but it's one of the hardest things I've ever done. How do I convey in words just how much you mean to me, or how blessed I feel that even knowing me better than anyone in the world, you still love me somehow? You are my everything, and I love you more than any words that I could put down on paper. I promise to try every single day to deserve your love, to be the best husband for you, and father to our children, that I can be. And I will continue to love you every moment, of every day, for the rest of my life."

Bella's lips were trembling as I spoke, blinking her eyes repeatedly and taking a deep breath when her turn came, and she held my hands more firmly as she began. "When I was a little girl and imagined what this day would be like, I never thought it would be as close to everything I ever wanted. The one thing I've always wished for was to be able to say that I married my best friend, and it wouldn't be some cheesy cliché. And here I am, marrying not only the love of my life, but quite literally the best friend I've ever had. You've seen me at my best and my worst, we've been through good times and bad, and I know without any doubt that your love for me is just as strong, and you are my everything." She paused as we shared a soft chuckle at the mirroring of words in each other's vows before she finally continued. "I promise to love you and always be honest with you, and above all else, I will always be your best friend."

Our words were brief and simple, but they were all that needed to be said. Our gazes broke as little as we could manage as we exchanged rings, and I could feel my heart thrumming within my chest again as I waited for the minister to bestow the last blessings and finally pronounce us husband and wife. The statement had barely left him when I reached down for her veil to lift it and reveal her face to me fully at last. She was so beautiful, with tears of happiness in her eyes and the most radiant smile on her lips—and she was all mine. My love, my world, my life, and finally, my wife.

Taking her face in my hands, I stroked her cheeks gently with my thumbs and whispered, "I love you."

"I love you," she replied just as softly before my lips descended to hers.

Our kiss was no chaste peck, yet not nearly as deep as I was desiring at that moment, remembering the time, place, and company we were in. However, it was also no less passionate. I could feel every ounce of her love for me in each brush of her mouth against mine, as I attempted to convey in my own. We had the rest of our lives for everything else, and only a matter of hours left before we could begin.

As the organ began to play again, cueing our procession back down the aisle, I reluctantly pulled back, and her eyes opened to gaze up at me. "Happy birthday."

I smiled and took her hand in mine, raising it to my lips as we made our way toward the back of the church and kissing the back of it firmly. "Best one ever."

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Bella

The remainder of the day passed in a blur, while contrastingly seeming to take forever. I wanted to remember every moment of the day I married Edward, yet at the same time, I was anxious to have him all to myself, without dozens of eyes on us.

My husband. Just saying those words in my head caused a shiver of excitement down my spine. He had taken my breath away the moment I spotted him waiting at the altar for me, and only partially due to how absolutely gorgeous he looked in that tux. The calm exterior he'd been exhibiting in the weeks leading up to the wedding had finally shown a few cracks. He stood bone-straight with his hands clasped tightly in front of him, his shoulders were precisely level, but even from the end of the aisle, his smile was unmistakable as he gazed at me.

He was nervous, but just as happy as I was.

I swore I wouldn't cry at my wedding, but I should have known that was a futile promise. His words moved me to tears, and I could barely get my own out with the emotion raging within me. It all felt like a dream as we slid the rings on each other's fingers and he lifted my veil to take my face between his hands. Yet, when I felt his lips touch mine, the warmth from them began to spread through me, and it was all I could do not to press my body flush with his and kiss him with everything in me.

It was no dream. We were married—he was mine, and I was his.

We had been lucky that, while cloud-cover filled the sky, not so much as a drop of rain had fallen, and we were grateful for that. We also felt blessed to be surrounded by everyone we loved, congratulating and supporting us, but now, hours into our reception at the park, I was anxious for some alone time with Edward. Even with him standing right behind me, his arm wrapped around my waist and holding me close, I wanted more.

That day had been everything I'd wanted it to be, and I'd felt like a princess through every moment of it, but now, I was getting tired. My feet hurt, despite taking my shoes off right after our dance and cutting the cake. The champagne, though I'd only had two glasses, was swirling in my head. And I really just wanted to kiss my husband without dozens of eyes watching us or the clinking of glasses. The sun was starting to set, some of the kids were getting cranky; it was time to call it a night.

"Ready to head out?" Edward whispered in my ear and pressed a soft kiss just behind it.

"You literally just read my mind," I replied, turning my head to meet his lips with mine.

"Nah, just anxious to get you to the hotel room and show you just how much I loved today, and this dress," he said with a laugh, running the tip of his nose down my neck and brushing another kiss on my shoulder.

I brought my hand up to run my fingers along his jaw and spoke softly against his hair. "As I said, read my mind."

Edward's arm tightened minimally around my waist, and I swore I even heard the hint of a moan escape him. "You are a wicked woman. And I love you."

I gave him an impish smile as he pulled away to take my hand. "Never said I wasn't, and I love you, too."

As soon as we announced that we were leaving, everyone congregated around the limo. It was the one tradition I had wanted to opt out of—the rice/birdseed toss. However, when the daughter of one of Edward's friends, who was all of four, looked up at me with her teary blue eyes at that decision, my heart simply melted. I could pick birdseed out of my hair for a day or two in exchange for the dazzling smile and excited gaze of that same little girl, bouncing beside the limo right at that moment.

Once we escaped the torrent and settled into the car laughing, Edward pulled me backward into his arms until I was lying across his lap and sealed his lips over mine in a passionate kiss. It was definitely one that had not been appropriate for church or with the peering eyes of our family and friends, and exactly what I had been craving all day. When we parted, I gazed up at him as his hand still caressed my face while we caught our breath, his eyes remaining closed.

"So, you liked the dress, huh?" I asked teasingly, and he finally looked at me again with heated eyes.

"Baby, it might just take me the entirety of the next three days to show you exactly how much. I have never been so mesmerized and turned on all at once in my entire life. You looked like an angel, yet so damn tempting," Edward responded in a low voice, peppering soft kisses on my lips.

The way he spoke caused me to shiver all over, but I had never felt warmer. Just thinking of the next three days alone with him, in a hotel room we had booked in lieu of a honeymoon that neither of us wanted, was exhilarating in itself. Yet, the arousal present in his voice was making me want to urge the driver to move a little faster and plead with my dad to dismiss the speeding ticket later. Port Angeles felt so far away, and I was not making love to my husband for the first time in the back of a limo.

Although the thought was seriously tempting.

Throughout the entire hour-long drive, my head remained in Edward's lap, and our eyes never left each other. Not even for a single moment did we stop touching, though few words were spoken; each of us seemingly lost in the other.

The air shifted dramatically from the relaxed calm we'd settled into, however, as we felt the vehicle pull to a stop. We sat up and straightened ourselves before a gentle tapping sounded on the car window. I couldn't help but chuckle at the likely reason for it—the driver had probably opened the door in the past to sights that neither he nor anyone else passing by needed to witness. I glanced at Edward, and it appeared as if he might have been thinking along the same lines, if his barely restrained grin was any indication.

He reached over to pull on the handle, signaling that we were indeed decent, and held his hand out for mine as the door swung open. "Are you ready, Mrs. Cullen?"

I didn't even try to subdue my smile as I slid my fingers between his and gripped onto him firmly. "More than ready, Mr. Cullen."