Hello my lovely reader… I can't believe we are already here. This has been such an emotional ride for me and I can't even fathom where to begin to thank each of you for taking this journey with me. As a result of this story, I've met many people I now consider friends.

Thank you for sticking with me as readers and especially as reviewers. Thank you to brie, who beta'd most of this while she was traveling throughout Europe and attending school abroad. All of you have helped to make this such an enjoyable experience that I hope to continue in the future with another story. I have a few different things in the works, but I don't know when they will post so keep me on alert if you're interested in reading more from me.

I do have a surprise at the bottom though…So until then, Enjoy!

The Epilogue – Ever After

"I always took it for granted that there would be life after Hollywood."

–Ester Williams

It had been almost four years since I took the trip that had forever changed my life. Edward and I became husband and wife in a quiet and low-key ceremony nine months after we met. To some, it may have seemed rushed, but to us, it just felt right.

We married at sunset on the deck where we had our first date away from my cabin. I wore a dress that was identical to the one Edward had described to me. The ivory lace hugged my curves and made me feel beautiful, but nowhere near as beautiful as the look on Edward's face made me feel.

I loved the dress and wished I could wear it again, but it wouldn't have been appropriate. Besides, the dress wouldn't fit me now. But the dress I would be wearing later this afternoon was pretty spectacular, too.

I hadn't spoken with my mother in almost three and a half years. Charlie filed for divorce after Renée was caught cheating on him with her much younger co-star, Phil Dwyer. The sickest part was he was playing her son. It was like the Brady Bunch 2.0. As a result of the affair she was only able to take with her what she made from her acting gigs during their marriage. She hadn't been offered any roles since, nor had she been nominated for any awards. They say karma's a bitch, and she was proof of that.

Today was the Academy Awards, and I was up for best screenplay again. I was actually more anxious this time around than I had been four years ago. This time, I had been nominated as Isabella.

It was a huge honor, especially since I had scaled back on my work. I chose to do that so Edward and I could continue to grow as a couple. I was only submitting an occasional screenplay here and there. I had recently tried my hand at an adaptation. Production for it was scheduled to begin later this year. I had high hopes for it to do well, but only time would tell.

My nerves were on edge not only because I was up for the award again, but because I was also sixteen weeks pregnant. I didn't want the public aware of this glorious, life-changing event, so besides needing a dress in which I could look fabulous, I also needed it to protect our secret.

The secret was hard to hide, though, because I was still having horrible morning sickness at the oddest of times each day.

I had actually thought I'd caught a stomach bug at first, but when I wasn't feeling better a few days later, I took an at-home test and it came back positive. After a visit to the doctor's we found out I was due in mid-August, so conception had taken place around Thanksgiving. Edward was ecstatic, and I was shocked.

I knew we wanted kids and I wasn't getting any younger. I had turned thirty this past September and we were completely settled into our home, but we really hadn't talked about children since before the wedding. It was pretty much up to me, or so we thought, but a bout of the stomach flu messing up my birth control made the decision for us.

Once I'd overcome the surprise, I was happy. Edward would make a wonder father, and with Esme's support I had learned what a mother really was. I wasn't afraid of being a bad mother anymore.

I had won a Golden Globe last month, but hadn't attended the awards show because I didn't want to fly during my first trimester, even if the flight time was less than two hours. I felt safer once I'd past that milestone and was finally comfortable with sharing the good news with our family. They were delighted and everyone decided to accompany me to the L.A. for the awards show. Thankfully the flight had been uneventful other than fighting the morning sickness. I refused to get sick in the plane's bathroom even though it was my father's plane.

Alice and Jasper met us at our house when we arrived a few days ago. They had finally worked everything thing out about three years ago and Alice ended up joining Jasper here in California. He loved California too much to move and Alice had been okay with it because she loved the shopping. She now worked only with celebrities inside their homes and helped them prepare for upcoming events. She turned down a lot of business for tonight; I would be her only client.

After a loud family dinner at our house that first night back, I crashed from the long day and the baby who was wearing me out. Edward joined me after he said good night to his parents and walked Alice and Jasper out. They ended up purchasing the house next door when it came on the market. I was thankful for that because we would be converting the office into a nursery and Jasper's old room was now a guest room for Edward's parents.

I'd gotten up earlier than usual today, since I had such a busy day today. Edward brought me breakfast in bed. He had made me banana nut oatmeal, which was something I had begun to crave shortly after we discovered I was pregnant.

When I was finished, I showered and buffed my skin until it was smooth as silk. I dressed in a terrycloth robe before I went and joined the rest of the family in the living room. The guys were watching football while Esme sat, drinking a cup of tea and chatting with Alice while she set up her things in the dining room.

"Good morning, dear," Esme said as I walked into the room.

"Good morning to you as well, Esme. Hello, Alice. Do I have time to get a cup of tea before we begin?" I asked.

"Yeah, we have plenty of time, so help yourself," Alice replied at she continued her set up.

I turned on the stove and set the kettle on to boil. I grabbed a peppermint tea bag, a mug, and the honey when two arms wrapped around me and a hand began to caress the small bump I was now sporting.

"How are my two loves doing after breakfast?" Edward asked.

"We're good," I replied as his hands continued to worship my belly. "I can't wait until I can actually feel the beginning flutters. According to all of the books we've been reading I should be able to soon."

"I'm kind of jealous of you right now," Edward said, and I turned to face him to find out why.

My eyes must have spoken the question because he continued. "You get the privilege of knowing our baby nine months longer than me. It will know your voice best, and the bond you're creating right now is remarkable."

Again with the buttery words that make me swoon. "There's no reason to be jealous. You read to the baby every night. He or she will know your voice just as well as I do. And if medical science does ever figure out how to allow a man to carry a child, I would be more than happy for you to do the carrying next time."

"Look at you," he said, mischief playing in his eyes. "Teasing me about carrying the next one. For that, I'm just gonna have to knock you up with twins next time!"

He began to tickle me and I shrieked. His fingers poked gently into my sides.

'Stop! Stop! Stop! You're gonna make me pee." I wasn't kidding, either. Ever since I'd gotten pregnant I had to pee all the time.

He stopped his assault and gathered me back into his arms. "I love you so much, beautiful. Thank you for this perfect life."

Edward leaned down and captured my lips between his own. He tasted like coffee and cinnamon rolls. I moaned into his mouth. I'd missed coffee and had cut back on my sugar intake when we found out about the baby. My fingers wove into his hair as I deepened the kiss. Time ceased to exist as I lost myself in his taste until the whistle of the kettle caused us to separate.

Edward finished making my cup of tea and guided me back into the dining room where the ladies where waiting.

"I trust you not to turn her into a clown, Alice. She looks beautiful just the way she is," Edward said to her, but never took his eyes off of me.

Ladies and gentlemen, my husband: the reason my panties were never dry.

"Good grief, Edward, you sound like you have no faith in me. I know just how gorgeous she is. Now scat! I have work to do."

I slowly drank my tea as Alice curled my hair. It took a while for her to finish because I had so much hair. When she finished, Alice twisted and tweaked the curls into a messy up-do.

Before she began my makeup, we broke for lunch. Carlisle had made us all grilled chicken and baby spinach salads. He even dressed it with a sweet honey mustard dressing just for me. Another craving I had begun to have: honey. I wanted it on everything I ate.

When we finished I brushed my teeth so Alice could finish her handiwork. She airbrushed the foundation on and gave me smoky eyes, false eyelashes and all. A pale pink gloss finished the look before I went to get dressed.

I slipped on a cute pair of boyshorts since panty lines wouldn't be an issue with my dress. With my matching strapless bra in place and my heels on, I slowly stepped into the dress and called Alice in to help me zip it up.

It fit snuggly to my chest and flared out from there. The only jewelry I wore was given to me by my father and Edward. Diamonds and star sapphires hung from my ears and the matching bracelet sparkled on my right wrist. My wedding band and engagement ring sparkled on my left hand. I dabbed my pulse points with my favorite perfume and headed out to where everyone else was waiting.

I was greeted with compliments when I joined everyone in the other room. Everyone looked beautiful in their dresses and tuxes, and the six of us climbed into the limo and we were on our way.

The red carpet was everything I was used to, but it was eye opening for the Cullens. It was lined with reporters and photographers who screamed out their requests for pictures. I posed with and without Edward, and Jasper guided us along with Alice fluffing out my dress as I posed each time.

I had only agreed to speak once, and Jasper had secured an interview for E!'s Live From the Red Carpet. It wasn't long before I'd reach my destination.

"Hello, Isabella. Long time no see. You look lovely this evening," Ryan Seacrest said as he air-kissed my cheeks.

I hadn't been to a televised industry event in over three years, so attending the 88th Annual Academy Awards was a big deal.

"Thank you. Max Azria designed this lovely gown for me," I replied.

I had loved the green dress he designed for Angelina when she was pregnant, so I begged him to design my Oscar gown. It was a strapless, sweetheart neckline, navy blue chiffon gown that fell effortlessly down my body and hid the most precious gem I carried: my baby. Edward stood back out of the camera's view in a handsome Dior tuxedo while I talked with Ryan.

"Tonight is the first time you have been nominated as Isabella and not Marie. What does that mean to you?" he asked.

"Any time you are given the distinguished honor of being nominated, it is a blessing. I wasn't planning on ever using my real name, but my husband, Edward, encouraged me to step out from Marie's shadow. This particular screenplay is very near and dear to my heart and it finally felt right to put my own name on it," I replied.

"Speaking of husbands…" The camera panned over to Edward, who was just staring at me, and I gave a little head jerk for him to join me. "When did that happen and how have you managed to keep it a secret?" he probed.

"My private life is just that: private. I've always said where there's a will, there is a way, and since I moved away from here, I've been able to keep more things to myself, exactly as it should be. People always say, 'But you chose this life; you knew what you were getting yourself into,' and my response is, no I didn't. I was born into this life; I never asked for it. I chose to embrace a part of it when it became obvious that my life was never going to be my own. I found a way to survive and the fact that it pisses off those people who feel that they deserve to know everything makes me smile. No one outside of my family needs to know everything about me.

"The nicest and easiest part about what I do though is that I can pretty much work from anywhere. I have a beautiful life that is my own, but I will tell you I have been happily married for almost three years now and we met just about four years ago." I smiled at up my husband as I finished and he gave me his panty-dropping smirk.

"Edward, what do think of all the pageantry that is the Oscars?" Ryan asked.

"It's quite educational and overwhelming at the same time, but there's nowhere else in the world I'd rather be than by my beautiful wife's side." Edward leaned down and placed a kiss on my forehead.

It was the give and take of Hollywood, but some things would always only be mine.

We spent a few more minutes with Ryan before he went to commercial. He apologized for the questions and congratulated us on our nuptials, and then we continued our way down the carpet. It had been so long since I'd been in heels for any length of time, and my feet were killing me. I was feeling nauseous again, too.

"Did you by chance bring any of those ginger candies with you? I feel like I'm gonna puke," I whispered into Edward's ear.

He reached into his inside breast pocket and pulled out what I had dubbed my new best friend. I quickly stuck the sweet treat into my mouth. I hoped it would start working soon or I would be giving the paparazzi the shot of a lifetime by blowing chunks on the red carpet.

The walk down the red carpet took over forty minutes. Alice went with me to the ladies room so she could assist me with my dress. The last thing I needed was to ruin it.

We were guided to our seats that were approximately twelve rows back from the stage. My father and Sue, his secretary and new wife, sat closer to the stage. He came over and chatted with us for a few minutes before he was dragged back to his chair as the show began.

Seth McFarlane was hosting again and his opening number was even better this time around then it had been three years ago when I watched it on television. He was a comedic genius and I adored his adult humor. His song and dance was brilliant and I loved hearing Edward laugh next to me.

Many awards had been presented and I became jitterier as we got closer to the screenplay awards. Imagine my surprise when my godmother, Meryl, walked out to present the award.

"Without their words upon the page, an actor wouldn't have lines, a director wouldn't have direction, the scenes would not exist, and the story would remain untold. A good screenwriter tells you a story you love to read, a really good screenwriter tells a story you never want to end, and a great screenwriter tells a phenomenal story that makes you laugh, cry, and think all at the same time while taking a piece of your soul with it.

"The nominees for best original screenplay are…"

I squeezed Edward's hand as the video montage rolled across the screens. I was up against fabulous writers: the Coen Brothers, Ben Affleck, Woody Allen, and Quentin Tarantino. Not only was I up against these great writers, but I had also been the only woman nominated again. It made wanting to win even more important to me.

"And the winner is…my darling Isabella Swan for The Yellow Ribbon Club."

I was stunned. Edward pulled me up and kissed my breath away before I turned and walked to the stage in a daze. I missed Charlie blowing me a kiss because I was so shocked. Meryl pulled me in for a hug and then kissed my cheek before she handed me my award.

I turned to the microphone and began to speak once the applause and music stopped.

"Oh, my God. I didn't think I was going to win so I didn't even bother putting my shoes back on." The audience laughed with me. "Seriously, though, thank you to the Academy for bestowing this honor upon me once again. To my fellow nominees, your work is incredible, and I am beyond blessed to have been included the same category as you all.

"Thank you to Jasper for finding the right team to produce and direct what I feel is my greatest work to date. To the cast and crew, who embraced my script and worked tirelessly to hold true to the tale. I know it wasn't easy, but it meant so much to me as I watched you all come together to tell this story.

"This story was inspired by my amazing husband's time in the service before we met. To the men and women who continue to serve in our armed forces, I say, thank you. You and your families' sacrifices do not go unnoticed, and I have chosen to honor that service by donating my entire paycheck from this project to The Yellow Ribbon Club Foundation I've just begun. We will be there to support you and your loved ones as you continue to support our freedom.

"Thank you, my love, for encouraging me to share a little bit of our love story with the world. It was a hard sell, one we fought about constantly until he finally said, 'Our love story is the ultimate happily ending. Why wouldn't you want others to experience that as well?' My response was, 'Because I'm greedy, that's why.' But he won the final argument, as you can see.

"To the people who went and watched The Yellow Ribbon Club for the love story:Edward and I both waded through many storms before we finally found each other and the silver lining in life. Remember, love will find you when you least expect it, so don't shut love out. Be cautious but open, and most of all love with your whole heart.

"Thank you all, again!"

I turned and walked out with Meryl.

"Congratulations, sweetheart. I'm so proud of you," she said as we made our way backstage.

"Thank you. I wouldn't have wanted anyone else to give me the award." We hugged again before I was whisked away to the press room.

"When did you decide to stop using your pseudonym?" the first reporter asked.

"It seemed ridiculous to continuing to use Marie after the last time I was here and ousted myself, but as I said on stage, it was my husband who convinced me to be who I am."

"Then why use Swan instead of your married name?" another questioned.

"For privacy reasons. I'm not ashamed of my married name and I answer to it proudly, but I refuse to allow my in-laws' lives to be turned upside down because of who I am. My husband understands and supports my choice."

"Tell us about the foundation you began. Was something you had planned on starting?"

"It wasn't something I planned, but talking with my husband about his fellow servicemen and women and what their families go through, made it seem necessary. Our freedom is a gift and as a country, I believe we should support not only our troops, but their families, too. They make sacrifices that most of us cannot begin to even fathom so I want them to know that if they need help, it is out there for them."

"You've mentioned your husband a few times now. When did you get married?"

"Edward and I married just over three years ago."

"Do you plan to continue writing?"

"I do. As long as I continued to be inspired, I will. I love telling a story that makes people feel something. The emotion itself doesn't matter as long as the audience feeling it."

When I finished with the press, I was escorted back to my seat. The show was nearly over, and I was welcomed back with lots of hugs and kisses.

"Are you happy?" Edward quietly asked me.

I turned and looked at him. "I couldn't be any happier. I have my little seedling cooking, I have a wonderful extended family that makes me feel wanted, and I have you: my happily ever after."

~The End of Part One~

Yep, you read that right. This was the official ending, but you all motivated me to add one more thing. Last week I began to think about writing a futuretake, but as I wrote I just didn't care for the direction it was heading. Instead, I started to think about all the questions that had been posed to me in reviews that I may or may not have addressed throughout this story and thus a Part 2 epilogue began. I finished it Sunday night and cried through most of it, but only because I've come to love these characters so much.

Anyways, I sent it to my beta and asked her to hopefully have it back to me by Friday so I can post it for you all then. I hope you like the additional surprise.

Leave me some love if you feel so inclined.