In the words of Rachel Greene ala Friends 'I'm so
happy and not at all jealous' of all you wonderful,
lucky people at the Twi-Fic Meet-Up in Atlanta this
weekend! ;)

I hope you're all having an amazing time—you'd
better all post squillions of pictures!

Big thank yous to SunflowerFran and annaharding
for working their magic on this chapter. I've loved
having you both along for the right with this story
as well as its prequel. I can't quite believe this is the end...
or is it?...

All the familiar characters, of course, belong to
Stephenie Meyer. The originals are all mine.

~ oOo ~

Summary: Happily Ever After; it's a lovely concept. Bella
is ready to embrace it after twelve years in captivity. Finally
home with her family, she wants to live a quiet life with the
ones she loves most, but they're not alone looking for happy
endings in the wake of her captor's demise. Big questions still
go unanswered. The past may be behind them, but that doesn't
mean it can't catch up.

Promises to Keep

Epilogue

August 15th, 2020 - Italy

"I don't care what you say; this is freaky as heck. She's too calm."

"There's no such thing as 'too calm,' Rose, sweetheart."

"But look at her!"

Esme was looking - with an ear-to-ear grin and tears gathering in her eyes.

Across the room, leaning against the wide window frame, Bella wore a soft smile as she gazed down at the garden below. Rosalie had already twisted her hair into an intricate braid that wrapped around the back of her head; pieces of baby's breath were wound between the thick strands and a few loose tendrils of her freshly dyed chocolate locks framed her face. Only lightly made up, she'd opted for the gentle, natural look with minimal mascara and only a sweep of a pale gold eyeshadow to make her azure eyes stand out.

As Rosalie said, Bella was almost eerily calm as she gazed at the men carrying chairs, vases, and swaths of fabric down the hill toward the rose garden. The other entrance was too narrow, so the people Edward had hired to set up had to do shuttle runs between the vans out front and the terrace attached to the rose garden, where, in just a short while, she and Edward would be married.

Her eyes danced down to the ring sparkling on her left hand. It still dazzled her every time she looked at it.

Soon, there'll be two rings there…

Finding one to sit nicely with her engagement ring had been a trial, but they'd finally settled on a simple, plain, white gold band to match the thick, brush-effect one Edward had chosen.

A gentle tap at the door preceded the arrival of Bella's flower girl and page boys.

Marley led the way, of course, followed by Bodhi - Carlisle brought up the rear with baby Enrico in his arms.

"Mamma, Daddy looks so handsome!" Marley sighed as Esme tucked her against her side.

She'd been allowed to choose her own flower girl dress - within reason, of course - and had opted for a beautiful, high-low dress with a grey satin bow around the waist and short chiffon sleeves in white, to match the lace-detail bodice. The back was fastened with buttons around a heart-shaped cutout. The skirt was the same cornflower blue as the boys' bowties and Rosalie's bridesmaid dress. It also had a layer of light chiffon to lend the dress an airy feel.

With her hair arranged in the same style as Bella's, a light coat of lip gloss on her lips and a natural, rosy glow to her cheeks, Marley looked eons older than her tender nine years.

"I'm sure he does," Bella murmured with an even broader smile as she crouched to adjust Bodhi's blue bowtie. He looked adorably handsome in his bowtie and a royal blue waistcoat with matching shorts, courtesy of Esme's tailoring skills; trousers would have been too hot for an energetic little boy running around in the height of Italy's summer. The brown leather shoes on his feet would likely be abandoned as soon as the photos had all been taken.

Fussing from Carlisle's arms pulled Bella to her feet. She adjusted her robe and felt her lips curling up as Carlisle handed over her son. At five days short of three months old, Enrico was too young for a real suit, so Bella had picked a short-sleeved, white linen shirt, a bowtie to match the one Bodhi wore with suspenders in the same shade of cornflower blue, and a pair of royal blue cotton shorts. With no use for shoes, his tiny feet were left bare.

"Hi there, baby boy," she cooed, brushing his unruly hair away from his eyes. At not even three months old, Enrico had more hair than either of his older siblings at this age. From the rusty tint as the sun caught the strands to his wide, emerald eyes, Enrico was Edward's double.

"He's just had his bottle, and I changed him before we came up," Carlisle told her, ruffling Bodhi's hair as he looped an arm around Esme.

"Perfect. Then should be happy as can be for the next few hours. He had an amazing night's sleep."

Carlisle raised his eyebrows. "Es said he slept right through…"

Pride warmed Bella as she snuggled her baby boy and pressed a kiss on his forehead. "He did, indeed. I gave him his last bottle at quarter to ten, and he didn't wake me up until quarter to six."

Bored of the conversation, Bodhi tugged his mamma's robe. "Mamma, how come we're all dressed up, and you're in your robe?"

Carlisle, Esme, Rosalie, and Bella laughed; Bodhi's ears flushed pink.

"Oh, sweet boy, I'm going to put something else on." Glancing at the clock - an hour to go - Bella looked at Rosalie and Esme with the first hint of nervousness flashing in her eyes. "Actually, I'd better start getting changed."

Carlisle gathered up the kids and promised to keep them all clean now that he knew they were dressed to their mother's satisfaction, leaving Esme and Rosalie to help her out of her robe and into her wedding dress.

She held her breath and closed her eyes as they slipped it down over her head, only breathing out once Rosalie had fastened the buttons at the back.

Oh…

Tears filled Bella's eyes as she gazed at herself in the full-length mirror. She'd only tried on two dresses before finding this one. It was The One. She'd known instinctively that no other would compare.

It had a sweetheart neckline, thin straps, and delicate, floral lace embroidery spreading down over her bodice before tapering out. The crepe material sheath dress clung to her hips, then cascaded down to the floor. Turning slightly, she smiled at the lace train as Esme fanned it outward. The pattern climbed the back of her dress in a thin column to join the sheer lace back portion of the gown. It dipped low, almost to the base of her spine, while still keeping her modesty.

The soft material was heaven against her skin, the perfect fit flattering the slight curves left behind by her pregnancy. With her hair mostly up, her slender neck was exposed, revealing the white gold locket Bella never removed. Reaching up, Bella realised her hand was trembling as she stroked the necklace containing a picture of her mother.

I wish you were here for this, Mum. You'd love Edward, and I know you'd adore Marley, Bodhi, and Enrico.

"Oh, B…" Rosalie trailed off, tears clouding her eyes. "You look amazing."

Bella's smile trembled as she spun, clasping Rosalie's hands in hers. Her best friend, her sister, looked gorgeous in the dress she'd chosen. It, too, was a sheath dress with thin straps. The majority of the fabric was cornflower blue, and like Bella's gown, the bodice was embroidered with white lace, which ended above a thin band around her waist.

"Thanks, Ro. You look beautiful, too."

Both young women startled at the sudden flash.

Esme beamed tearfully, lowering her camera. "I couldn't resist. You both look stunning. Your boys aren't going to know what to do with themselves when they see you."

As Rosalie smoothed the fabric of her dress, Bella sighed and reached out to adjust a lock of Rosalie's hair. Brushing her shoulder, Bella was thrown back to January, four years ago.

Scarlett fixed sea-blue-green eyes on Rosalie's teary blue, clasping her bare shoulders gently, the red straps of the camisole she was wearing having slipped down to hang against her upper arms.

"You're with me, and you're okay."

Falling out of the memory with a silent gasp, Bella bit her lip. We've come so far.

"All right," Rosalie inhaled deeply, smiling as she straightened. "Are you ready? It'll take us a little bit to get there, so we may as well head down."

"Okay, yeah. Let's go." Although outwardly calm, Bella's pulse began to race. Not because she was nervous or had cold feet, but because the time between now and the moment she'd be married to her beloved still seemed so far away. It just couldn't come quickly enough.

After slipping her feet into a pair of white ballet flats, with Esme trailing behind to make sure she didn't tread on her train, Bella led the women out of the bedroom she shared with Edward. They found Carlisle and Charlie in the living room with Marley, Bodhi, and Enrico.

All eyes turned to Bella as she appeared in the doorway, a flush rising to the apples of her cheeks at the intense scrutiny.

"Oh, Bella," Charlie croaked.

Warmth infused Bella's cheeks as she smoothed a hand over her stomach. "What do you think? Will I do?"

Charlie chuckled as he crossed the room, reverently cupping his daughter's face. "If that boy out there doesn't look at you like you've hung the moon and every single damn star in the sky, we're going to have words."

Esme joined her husband as Marley and Bodhi fussed over their mamma. "I have every faith Edward will appreciate how beautiful she looks as soon he sees her," she promised with a wink.

"Mamma, this is so pretty," Marley breathed, stroking the detail around her mother's waist.

"It matches the lace on yours."

Beaming, Marley touched the lace on her own dress. "I didn't notice that before!"

A soft rap on the door prompted excited smiles all around. Charlie nipped out to speak to Emmett, who'd been sent to tell them they were ready down in the rose garden.

Stepping back inside, Charlie grinned. "It's time, Bella."

Obviously, baby Enrico was unable to walk himself down the aisle, so Rosalie took him from Carlisle and couldn't help but return his gummy smiles.

Carlisle and Esme each kissed Bella on the cheek before hurrying outside, leaving just Charlie and the bridal party. Sucking in a deep breath, Bella managed a tremulous smile for her children. "All right, you two. Are you ready? You're going to—"

"We're going to walk in front of Auntie Rose and Rico, Mamma, we know. We've practiced, remember?" Marley informed her cheekily, her big azure eyes twinkling with mischief and excitement.

"All right, sassy pants."

Soft, muffled music began to play outside. Rosalie gathered the trio of bouquets from the end table; Bella's was only marginally larger than Marley and Rosalie's. They were made up of small sunflowers, white roses, and baby's breath, cornflower blue ribbons holding the stems together. Bella felt her entire body tensing as she followed Rosalie and the children out of the doors and toward the winding path that led to the rose garden.

They could have gone through the kitchen, which would have brought them right out at the rose arches, but they'd opted to take the slightly longer route so they would have a little aisle for the children and Rosalie to walk down while Bella was out of sight.

It was early afternoon, so the brilliant Italian sun shone down through the boughs of the trees leading to the rose garden, dappled sunlight casting patterns over Bella's dress as she watched her feet while they walked. Marley and Bodhi whispered excitedly up ahead, Rosalie gently telling them when to quiet as they approached the first of eight arches. The white roses were in full bloom, the light breeze carrying their fragrant scent to Bella.

Shooting one last smile back at Bella, Rosalie urged the children onward, following several seconds later.

Bella peered up at her dad, frowning when she found tears spilling over his cheeks as he looked back at her. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," Charlie sighed with a nostalgic upward curl of his lips. "My baby girl is all grown up, that's all. Let your old dad have a little cry about it, okay? I'm sure you'll be the same when it's your little ones."

Bella managed a smirk. "You think Edward is going to let them get married? Any of them? He doesn't see Bodhi and Rico any different from Marley. They're all his babies, and none of them are ever getting married, according to him."

Reaching up to smooth his moustache and dash away his tears, Charlie harrumphed. "Don't you think I said the same thing? You were never getting married, either, and here I am giving you away."

As the music segued into something softer, something gentle and sweet and undoubtedly Edward's handiwork, Charlie offered his daughter his arm; Bella took it and twined their fingers together, giving them a squeeze.

"Let's go, baby girl. Let's get you your man."

Everything in her world, everything that had ever been wrong or bad, fell away as Bella began walking. Every step felt like a mile further away from the horrors of her past.

It was liberating.

Finally, finally, they turned the corner and stepped beneath the first of the eight, rose-covered arches. The gardeners Edward hired, and Nonna Contessa had overseen, had worked wonders on the garden, bringing it to life while rearranging it slightly to make room for the almost, forty guests here for the wedding. The back row of seats was in line with the fourth arch, but Bella felt their stares and heard their hushed awe as she and Charlie made their way toward them.

Sucking in a deep breath, Bella forced her gaze up; she gasped at the view. A sea of familiar, much-loved faces stared back at her, tears in many of their eyes above wide smiles.

Uncle Eleazer and Aunt Carmen with Mike, Angela, and Eric - Bella's oldest two cousins, Tanya and Jessica, and their families couldn't make it, but had sent their well-wishes.

Jasper, Alice, Clarke, and Dave.

Peter with Pippa, Heidi, and their respective fiancés, Shane and Harvey.

Alyssa with little Riley.

Archie, Poppy, Carl-Roman, Chase, Chloe, and Callum.

Carlisle and Esme with Mitchell, Albie, James, William, Hunter, and Sophie - who was standing on her chair to see better.

Nonna Contessa, with Antonio and Amy...

Much to Bella's pleasure, Edward's parents had made the effort to attend the wedding. They were relatively blank-faced compared to Nonna's beaming, tearful smile, but they were there to support their son. That was what mattered.

Then, as she rounded the fountain, Bella caught sight of the group gathered ahead in front of the arbour seat.

Marley, now cradling her baby brother Enrico, and Bodhi - her gorgeous little angels; the lights of her life and the very best things to ever happen to her. Without each of them, Bella wasn't sure where she'd be.

More grown-up today than ever, Marley had gotten her through the hardest time in her life. She'd been the ray of sunshine to guide both Bella and Rosalie through years of heartbreak and captivity. Even at just nine years old, she'd proven herself a strong, amazing little girl. Every day she showed just how brave she was. Bella couldn't be more proud of how far her once silent, fearful little girl had come.

Bodhi...sweet, cheeky Bodhi...he'd saved Bella from falling into depression after their escape from the ranch. It was his existence, the realisation that he lived inside of her, that had prompted her determination to get herself together. His slow, sweet, sassy smiles were brighter than the sun and absolutely his best feature.

Then there was Enrico, babbling away in his big sister's arms. In a way, his birth had heralded her rebirth as a mother and the beginning of a beautiful new life. Unlike his older siblings, Enrico was very much adored by both parents from the second they knew of his existence. In so many ways, he was their fresh start.

Beside them, Rosalie used her free hand to dash tears from her cheeks; Xavier babbled happily in the cradle of her other arm as Emmett reached over to stroke his son's hair, his lazy grin a mile wide as he held his wife and watched Bella walk toward them with tears gathering in his own grey-blue eyes.

Without Emmett, without his quick thinking and resilience, Bella and Rosalie might have died on that ranch, and nobody would ever have been any the wiser. For that, and for so many other things - not least Rosalie's happiness - Bella owed him so much more than she could ever give.

As her eyes shifted to the suit-clad form on the other side of the aisle, Bella was thrown back in time - to a period she didn't like to think about if she could help it.

The acrid smoke burned her lungs and throat, and the warmth of the body wrapped around her coupled with the midday sun proved stiflingly hot; Bella clung on tighter, hearing the motel crumbling and burning behind her.

I remember you. I remember you.

She chanted it silently against Edward's chest. Her voice wouldn't work, but her mind couldn't stop twisting and turning with random thoughts; snapshots of memories and faces.

Fire.

Smoke.

Rose.

Marley.

Edward…

Then, a deep voice. "Is she okay? The EMTs are waiting."

Bella peeled her face away from Edward's chest to peer up at the imposing form crouching in front of her. He had sandy brown hair and ice blue eyes. His smile was kind even though his thick brows were furrowed.

The FBI shield he wore around his neck told Bella she was safe, but she instinctively huddled closer to Edward.

"I'll keep hold of her for now, Riley. I don't think she's going to let go." Edward's voice was a low rumble against her ear; it was soothing.

Riley. Did he find us?

It wasn't until much later that Bella would discover just how big a part Riley had played in her rescue.

Four years later, there Riley stood as one of Edward's two best men - Emmett being the second.

When planning the wedding, asking Riley to stand up with him was one of the few decisions that needed no real thought; it was a given. Without Riley, without the hard work he'd put in to track down Bella and Rosalie, none of this would be happening. He was so much more than an FBI agent. He was family. And when they returned to England in September, he would become baby Enrico's godfather.

Looking handsome and regal as ever, Riley wore a royal blue suit and an ear-to-ear grin as he shot Bella a wink before murmuring something to Edward that looked a lot like 'she's stunning.'

Everything seemed to come to a standstill as Bella's gaze slid over to find Edward. His unruly mane stuck up in every direction and shone a burnished bronze while his soft, dimpled smile filled Bella to the brim with love and awe.

He's mine. This perfect man is standing there, handsome as ever, waiting for me. He's all mine, and he's about to become my husband.

A bolt of nerves shot down Bella's spine as his eyes raked over her; it disappeared as quickly as it had come when his eyes found hers once more. His emerald gaze glistened with adoration.

"You look beautiful," he mouthed, eliciting sighs and a ripple of "awws" from their gathered family.

Everything melted away as Bella and Charlie reached Edward. She saw only him as her dad kissed her cheek, took her bouquet, and slipped out of the way to stand with Riley. She watched Edward murmur "Thank you, Chuck" and felt her chest expand with a content sigh.

He was beyond handsome. He wore a crisp white shirt under a royal blue waistcoat and matching trousers. His tie was cornflower blue, and on his feet, he had the same brown leather shoes as Bodhi. At Bella's insistence, he'd forgone shaving for the past couple of days, so he had a healthy growth of stubble over his jaw; Bella forced herself to resist stretching up to feel it against her cheek.

The celebrant, a petite, forever-smiling lady by the name of Kate, was beaming as she gently cleared her throat to get their attention. "Are we ready?"

Bella and Edward looked into each other's eyes for a long moment before joining hands and facing Kate, nodding in unison.

Kate's smile widened. "Perfect." Speaking a little louder, she addressed everyone. "Today is a celebration. A celebration of love, of commitment, of friendship, of family, and of two people who are in it forever. You don't have to have a ceremony to have a marriage, and when you think about it, the whole thing is kind of weird, right?"

There were titters of laughter from the guests.

Looking between Edward and Bella, Kate continued with a twinkle in her eyes. "But we do it because, despite all our differences, love is what we all share. It's the great unifier - our one universal truth. No matter who we are, where we've come from, what we believe, we know this one thing - love is what we're doing right. That's why you're both standing here today, and why you're all here to watch them stand up here with me.

We've all loved in our lifetimes, be it a mother, brother, friend, or significant other. At this moment, we're reminded that the ability and need to love is the very best part of our humanity. All of us here have our own love stories. They're all different, but they're all perfect in their own way. Some are short, some are long. Some are yet unwritten…"

Bella couldn't help but let her eyes flick to Riley; his gaze was focused somewhere behind her.

On Alyssa, I bet.

"...while others are just getting to the good part. There are chapters in all of our stories that are sad or disappointing, and others that are exciting, and full of adventure."

Kate reached out to take one of Bella's hands and one of Edward's in hers. Her grey-blue eyes sparkled with unshed tears as she squeezed their fingers. She'd been a long-time friend of Edward's grandparents and had jumped at the chance to perform their wedding for them. Bella liked her from the very first moment they met her. Now, as Kate spoke words which would lead to their vows, Bella could see the pride shining in her eyes as she looked between her and Edward, continuing in Italian-accented English.

"You two have overcome significant hurdles and fought courageous battles to bring us to this day. You've proven your love and your commitment to each other, as well as to your family, and have chosen to include all of us in this momentous and joyous occasion. And even though this day, this experience, is so incredible, words will fail you when you look back and try to explain it. That's just the way love is - it's meant to be felt, not described. We use the words we have to write stories, poems, and songs about love. Even though we try to describe it in a million different ways, and even though it looks different from one person to the next, we all know it when we see it.

And we see it here, today."

Unlike Rosalie and Emmett's wedding, there were no readings or poems. Instead, Bella and Edward had opted to write their own vows. As Edward fished his from the pocket of his trousers and Charlie passed Bella hers, they sucked in deep breaths and flashed nervous smiles at each other.

Edward went first. Clearing his throat, he reached out to hold Bella's hand; the hand holding his vows remained steady. "Bella, when I found you, I had no idea I was doing anything but rescuing my childhood friend. It took me too long to realise it, but I was actually saving myself when I carried you out of that motel room four years ago. I thought I was happy here with my work, and my music, but I didn't even know the meaning of the word until I found you. You've taught me more about strength, courage, and love than I ever thought possible. Mi amore, you're beauty, fire, and grace, and I could never ask for a better mother for our children. I hope one day I'll prove myself worthy of being your husband and father to our babies, but in the meantime, I want you to know I love you more than anything, and I'm so grateful to - almost - be able to call you my wife."

Tears tumbled over Bella's cheeks as she gratefully accepted the handkerchief her dad held out to her. How do I follow that?

"Jesus, Edward," she sniffled, flushing at the soft, tearful laughter of her family. Glancing around, there were only a few dry eyes left.

"Ti amo, mi amore," he mumbled, reaching up to brush a tear from the apple of her cheek with the pad of his thumb.

Steeling herself, Bella glanced at the vows she'd written before passing them back to her dad. "I tried to write down how I feel about you more than a hundred times, but I realise now that it was pointless. Nothing I wrote is enough. There aren't enough words to describe how you've made me feel like the strongest, most invincible woman on the planet even when I've questioned my own vulnerability or wondered how I'd ever be able to carry on. I couldn't find the words to tell you how much it kills me that we missed out on so many years of each other's lives, even though those missing years brought us together in the end."

Taking a moment to catch her breath, Bella tried to gather her thoughts. "Edward, your love, your patience and kindness and ability to knit all my broken parts back together when even I thought it was a waste of time...you healed me when no medicine could come close. Neither of us are perfect on our own, but together, we're perfectly imperfect. A long time ago, I asked you to make me a promise. Do you remember?"

Grinning even as tears gathered in his eyes, Edward nodded.

"If you promise to keep me brave, I'll promise to keep you whole," Bella recited with a sigh. "You told me it's a promise to keep, but that you would have done it anyway, with or without it. So this is me, promising to love you with every fibre of my being and every beat of my heart for the rest of our lives, Edward. I promise to be brave and to help you be brave, too. And I promise to keep you whole so we can be the best partners for each other and the best parents for our children."

Before anyone could say another word, Edward threw tradition out of the window and dipped down to catch Bella's lips in a gentle, tender kiss. Sucking first her bottom lip, then the top, into his mouth, he hummed and cradled the back of her head for a moment before it was over.

Blinking like a wide-eyed owl, Bella found herself rosy-cheeked and deliciously warm from the inside-out as she stared up at an impishly grinning Edward.

"I...ah…"

"Okay," Kate laughed. "Shall we move on to the reading?"

Edward and Bella joined hands, the groom winking at his bride as she tried to calm her racing heart. "On this day, I give you my heart, my promise that I will walk with you, hand-in-hand, wherever our journey leads us. Living, learning, loving - together, forever."

"Do we have the rings?"

"Oh, that's my job!" Bodhi cried, much to the delight of the onlookers. His ears flushed pink as he fished the rings from the little fabric bag in his pocket, handing them to his daddy with a proud grin.

Carefully holding Edward's ring halfway down his ring finger, Bella repeated after Kate.

"I, Isabella Swan, give you this ring to wear with love and joy. As a ring has no end, neither shall my love for you. I choose you to be my husband this day and forevermore."

As she slid the ring home, a deep sense of relief spread through her body. He's mine.

Next, it was Edward's turn, his voice strong and sure.

"I, Edward Cullen, give you this ring to wear with love and joy. As a ring has no end, neither shall my love for you. I choose you to be my wife this day and forevermore."

As Kate spoke her closing words, Bella and Edward lost themselves in each other. Their eyes, emerald to sea-blue, filled with tears as the weight of what they'd done began to sink in.

We're married. I'm a wife. I'm Edward's wife…

"Ti amo," he whispered, glancing Kate's way before cupping Bella's face and leaning in to capture her lips in a fiery, possessive kiss. Only the sound of their children giggling and their family laughing behind them broke them apart.

"I love you, Hubs."

"And I love you, Wifey."

The end of the ceremony was a blur. Edward and Bella led the way back through the rose arches to the pool, leaving their guests to make their way to the terrace where they'd enjoy a feast and spend the rest of the day. Meanwhile, Edward and Bella let the gentle lapping of the water and the rustle of the trees soothe their wild emotions.

"I love you." They were the only words Bella could think to say as they rested their foreheads together, her hands on his chest over his heart as it thumped away.

"Ti amo tanto, mi amore."

A soft breeze caressed them as they embraced, content to stand together and bask in the joy of their union.

"We're married, Hubs," Bella finally breathed, tears pricking her eyes. "We did it."

Edward gave her a squeeze and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "We did it, mi amore. You're my wife." Pulling back to cradle her face, he stared into her eyes with such intensity, love, and overwhelmingly adoration that Bella couldn't hold back the flood any longer; she was suddenly thankful for Rosalie's foresight in using waterproof mascara.

"Mi amore, my beautiful Mrs. Cullen, finally."

~ oOo ~

The team Edward hired had done a fantastic job turning the terrace into a gorgeous reception venue.

A collection of mismatched tables had been pushed together into a line, odd seats and benches lining the sides. White table runners spread the length of them with clear glass wine bottles acting as candle holders and smaller mason jars holding flowers to match the bouquets.

Edward and Bella's seats were in the centre, but everyone else had carte blanche to sit where they liked; the children gathered mostly at one end, the adults at the other. With the exception of the babies, anyway - Xavier was cradled in his father's arms while Esme didn't hesitate to steal away her honorary grandson, Enrico, for snuggles while his parents relaxed.

In lieu of having to worry about burdening their guests with the task, Edward had hired a local catering company to provide and serve a tapas feast and enough wine, prosecco, and beer to ensure nobody went hungry or thirsty. There was also a table with three large, glass drinks dispensers filled with lemonade, juice, and water for the children or anyone who didn't want to drink alcohol.

Once everyone had a glass in front of them and a smile on their face, Charlie got to his feet and clinked his glass with a spoon, clearing his throat loudly when the table didn't immediately hush. "I'm trying to do a speech here, people," he grumbled, shooting Bella a wink.

"Get on with it then, Unc!" Eric, Bella's cousin, yelled cheekily from the other end of the table, eliciting snickers from the rest of the guests.

After shaking a fist at his guffawing nephew, Charlie took a big chug from his chilled beer before huffing and setting it back on the table with a quiet thump. The sun beat down on him and caught the grey hairs at his temples. He'd aged gracefully over the past few years, his birthday earlier bringing a decidedly handsome set of laugh lines and a sprinkling of grey through his beard and hair.

No wonder Renee has a crush on him, Bella thought with glee, promising herself that she'd double her matchmaking efforts once they were home. Her dad had been alone long enough; he deserved to be happy.

As he gazed down at her, Bella reached out to hold his hand. Her rings clinked against his - the ring her mother put on his finger on this day exactly forty-two years ago.

"When Bella was small, her mother and I used to talk about this day. I was always adamant my baby girl would never get married, but Penny…" Charlie trailed off, his eyes far away as he remembered his late wife. "Penny made me promise three things. The first was that I'd make sure any guy lucky enough to get this far with our girl was worthy of being in her life."

Squeezing his daughter's hand, he looked over her at Edward. "I think we can safely say I kept that promise. There's no other man out there I'd trust with my Bella. Edward, you've been my son for a lot longer than you've been Bella's husband. I hope you know that."

Edward stood with tear-filled eyes, stepping around Bella to hug his father-in-law before sitting and squeezing Bella's hand hard.

"The second thing was that I'd walk Bella down the aisle. I can tick off that one, too."

Blowing out a long breath, he blinked to clear suddenly misty eyes. "The third was that I'd always protect her and keep her safe, so that one dayshe'd be able to walk down the aisle with me at her side and already have a high standard for her new husband to keep. Baby girl, I'm sorry I didn't always keep that one, but I hope you'll still keep Edward on his toes for the duration of your lives together."

A ripple of tearful chuckles spread through the adults - the kids, too interested in each other and the colouring mats - while Bella stood and rested a hand on her dad's chest, right over his thundering heart.

"Daddy," she whispered. "None of it was your fault. I don't know if I ever told you that, but it wasn't. You did protect me, by teaching me how to be strong and brave, and by teaching me that the bad guy always loses in the end. All those nights of 'one more fairy tale' paid off."

Choked up and unable to speak, Charlie pulled his daughter into his arms instead. They held each other for a long time, finally peering at each other with watery smiles.

"I love you, Dad."

Charlie's moustache twitched as he reached up to thumb away a tear on her cheekbone. "I love you, too, baby girl. Always and forever."

The rest of the speeches were much lighter and drew laughs from everyone. Emmett regaled the group with tales of Edward's nerves in the weeks leading up to his proposal, even though Emmett hadn't known about his plans. He also told everyone about the lovesick way Edward had behaved after Bella's first 'I love you.'

Meanwhile, Edward buried his face in Bella's neck and nibbled her lightly whenever she giggled at his expense.

By the time Edward stood, he'd rolled up the sleeves of his shirt and unbuttoned the top button, loosening his tie slightly. The weeks they'd spent in Italy in preparation for the wedding had turned his naturally olive skin a much deeper shade of tan, and his slightly tipsy grin couldn't have been wider if he tried as he gazed down at his new wife.

"Bella, mi amore, I had the privilege of knowing you as a baby, a happy-go-lucky child, then the strong, courageous, beautiful mother you'd become. I've seen you flourish and grow, and I've loved every second, but nothing beats seeing you now, sitting here beside me in that stunning dress, as my wife. I tried to find some sort of poem to describe how I feel about you, but I couldn't find anything that said it better than ti amo, and I'll love you until my last breath, mi amore."

Looking around at his family and friends as they stood with their drinks, Edward raised his glass. "To Bella."

Once everyone had taken their seats, Bella sucked in a deep breath and surprised Edward by standing.

"Two special little people actually have something to say, well, to ask. Marley, Bodhi?"

The children hurried to join their mamma and daddy, shooting Edward impish grins when he cocked his head and asked what they were up to.

"We've been scheming, Daddy. Right, Mamma?"

With a tearful giggle, Bella nodded and stroked her son's hair. "Right, sweet boy. Ah, Dad, have you got that...thank you."

Charlie handed over the envelope she'd asked him to hang onto earlier in the morning, curiosity shining in his gaze because even he didn't know what was inside.

Blowing out a breath, Bella faced her husband and passed the envelope to the children. They joined hands and stood in front of Edward, all eyes trained on the little family.

"Daddy," Marley began softly, a smile in her voice. "The first time I saw you, you had this sorta scared look on your face, but when you saw me, you smiled so big. I'd never seen anyone smile so wide before. You always tell me you loved me right from the start, but I never told you...I loved you right from the start, too."

"Little sweet…" Edward croaked, dashing tears from his cheeks. "Of course, I loved you. How could I not? You're my little sweet, my little angel."

"I love you, Daddy." Still holding Bodhi's hand, she threw her free arm around his neck, sniffling into his shoulder as he stroked her hair and tried to regain control of his emotions.

Bella fought tears and a tremulous smile as she watched Bodhi visibly square his little shoulders; he hated speaking in front of crowds.

Stepping back, Marley gave her brother an encouraging squeeze.

"Daddy, I may not have your eyes or your smile, but I'm really glad you call me your child." Bodhi recited the poem he'd been learning for the last few weeks, his little voice shaky as he cocked his head like an adorable puppy and held out the envelope, waiting until Edward had opened it and read the card inside before shooting a look up at Marley.

They spoke in unison, Bella losing the battle against her tears as they asked, "We'd love to be able to call you 'Daddy' officially. Will you adopt us?"

Edward's mouthed cazzo elicited tearful chuckles from all those close enough to see it. He tossed the card on the table and slid off his chair, pulling Marley and Bodhi into his arms as he peppered their faces with kisses.

"I'd be honoured. Nothing would make me happier than to be your dad in every way."

~ oOo ~

As the sun began to set, Edward and Bella took to the centre of the terrace for their first dance. Their loved ones formed a circle around them, smiles on their faces and love imbuing the balmy evening air.

"One look at you, my whole life falls in line.
I prayed for you, before I called you mine.
Oh, I can't believe it's true, sometimes.
Oh, I can't believe it's true.

I get to love you.
It's the best thing that I'll ever do.
I get to love you.
It's a promise I'm making to you.

Whatever may come, your heart I will choose.
Forever I'm yours, forever I do.
I get to love you, I get to love you."

Resting her cheek against Edward's chest, his waistcoat long-gone and his tie loosened, Bella released a long, content sigh.

Four years ago, she'd never have believed this would be her reality. She'd have laughed if anyone tried to tell her she'd be a married mother of three just months after her twenty-fifth birthday; that she'd have her own home and a large, extended family who doted upon her and her children.

As Edward led her in a slow dance, their friends and family watching, Bella finally felt it sink in. She finally let her mind accept what her heart had been telling her all along - I deserve this.

All the trials, all the pain, heartbreak, and despair...it was worth it. Those years on the ranch were the worst of her life, without a doubt, but they brought her here, to this moment, and to Edward.

Bella couldn't bring herself to regret any of it as she felt her husband's heart thumping against her cheek; as she inhaled his aftershave and felt his fingers stroking the skin just above the back of her dress.

"You're stunning, mi amore," he murmured, brushing a kiss to the crown of her head.

"Ditto, Hubs." Peering up at his blissful, dimpled smile, Bella couldn't resist stretching up to plant a quick kiss on his chin. "I love you, Mr. Cullen."

"And I, you, Mrs. Cullen." Tears gathered on his lashes as he heaved a silent sigh and rested his forehead against hers. "Little sweet and tesoro...they really want this?"

There was no need to clarify what he meant by 'this.' Smiling and cupping his jaw, Bella nodded. "They want to be Cullens, like us, and like Rico. They just want to be yours. They told you it was their idea, didn't they?"

Edward nodded, blinking the glassiness from his emerald eyes. "Little sweet said she asked you, yeah. I just...I can't believe my luck. Not only do I have the most gorgeous, courageous wife, I have three caring, sweet, beautiful children."

Several weeks before they flew out to Italy, Bodhi had asked his mamma why he and Marley had a different last name from their baby brother. It had taken a long discussion to explain that they had a different biological father than baby Enrico. They'd planned for this eventuality, so they had books on how to explain the situation to children and had researched on the right way to tell them about different kinds of parentage. Marley understood more than her little brother, and her parents knew she'd have more questions once their basic explanation had sunk in, but she and Bodhi seemed content to accept the promise that, different surnames or not, Edward would never see them as anything other than his babies - just like Enrico.

In the days afterward, Marley had come to her mother with more questions. She'd asked if they knew the man who'd helped create her and Bodhi. Deprived of sleep after being up with Enrico most of the night, Bella's slack-jawed expression and wide eyes had been enough of an answer for her intuitive daughter. Despite that, Marley had nodded and hugged her mamma, thanking her for bringing Edward into their lives; needless to say, more than a few tears were shed that day, especially when Bella told Edward about the conversation when they were curled up in bed together after tucking in their children.

A week passed before Marley and Bodhi came to Bella with a statement and a request.

"We want to be Cullens. Please, can Daddy gives us his name, too, like he's giving it to you?"

Again, Bella cried. But this time, she kept the conversation to herself. Keeping it a secret until the children could ask Edward at the reception had been torture, but the look on Edward's face and the bliss he was emanating now...it was so worth it.

"How many children do you want?" Bella asked as they swayed together, her eyes finding Marley, Bodhi, and Riley as the FBI agent grinned and accepted Enrico from Charlie's arms.

Edward hummed thoughtfully, resting his cheek against the crown of her head. "I've always liked even numbers."

Bella's lips curled upward. "Oh, you have, huh? So, one more?"

"Definitely one more." Edward paused. "How do you feel about maybe two or three more? You know, to round it up to six. Six was always a good number for us when we were kids."

As her heart took off at a semi-sprint, thoughts of three more pregnancies and three more newborns flying through her head, Bella felt Edward shaking with repressed laughter. Lightly slapping his chest, she breathed out a long sigh. "One more, Hubs. Four is enough. Besides, we don't have room for more than that. Rico would have to share with a new baby or Bodhi as it is."

They lapsed into silence, content to listen to the swish of the trees, the soft music serenading them, and the joyous, relaxed chatter of their nearest and dearest. Bella watched from her husband's arms as Alyssa and Little Riley, as he'd been nicknamed to stop confusion, joined Riley, Enrico, Marley, and Bodhi. It was easy to see the infatuation growing between Riley and Alyssa. As the children cooed over the baby, their eyes repeatedly sought each other, their body language relaxed but somehow yearning.

Bella silently promised to give Riley a nudge when she was back home after the summer; it was about time he made a move and gave Alyssa something more than the phone calls and texts she admitted they'd shared in recent months.

It was about time he got his happily ever after - Alyssa and Little Riley, too.

Speaking of stubborn men who needed nudging…

"All right, son. My turn," Charlie cut in with a grin and a man-hug for his son-in-law, beaming at his daughter once he had her in his arms; Edward set off in search of Nonna Contessa to give her a twirl around the terrace. Bella watched him approach his parents and Nonna and smiled at the pleased look on her face as her grandson gently tugged her away from Antonio and Amy.

To be fair, I'd want to be saved from the sour-faced pair, too, Bella admitted to herself with a hint of guilt.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" she asked her dad, distracting herself from her grumpy mother- and father-in-law.

"More than I expected to after having to give away my baby girl."

Rolling her eyes, Bella shook her head. "Always so dramatic. Nothing is changing, you know? I'm still your baby girl, and I still live two minutes down the road. It's not like you're shipping me off."

"Feels like it," Charlie mumbled before catching himself and widening his smile. "Now...are you enjoying yourself?"

"I am. It's been...magical. Everything went according to plan, surprisingly enough. Someone must have been smiling down on us today." As she spoke, Bella watched her dad's eyes become a little glassy. His moustache twitched as he pursed his lips and blinked hard.

"She'd be so proud of you, you know? All she ever wanted was for you to be happy and have what we had. She used to wonder about the sort of man you'd choose, the children you'd have." Charlie and Bella peered over at Edward as he crooned to Marley — who'd taken Contessa's place — and swayed her around the terrace, Esme close by to help Bodhi snap pictures of the sweet father-daughter dances on his children's camera - Edward and Marley in the foreground, Charlie and Bella in the background.

"He's a good guy, Bells. You chose well."

Overwhelming, heavy emotion swelled inside of Bella as she shook her head and blinked back tears of her own. "I never had a choice, Dad. He chose me, and I was helpless to resist. We were always meant to be."

Everything that had happened, everything that had lead them to this moment, this day, this life together - Bella had been powerless to resist. Like a runaway train destined to crash, she'd always been fated to fall for her sweet, loving, Italian man. And fall she had; hook, line, and sinker. Everything about him called to her on an elemental level.

His manhandled mop of red-brown hair — the hair he'd passed on to their baby son — his entrancing emerald eyes, the crooked, dimpled smile that had pulled her from the abyss as he carried her from a flaming motel room. The way he parented their children, and the loving reverence with which he handled her...if he had flaws, Bella hadn't found them yet.

As she watched him serenade their daughter, a rosy flush infusing Marley's cheeks and ear-to-ear grins on both their faces, Bella couldn't help but be grateful for the circumstances that brought Edward to her and to their little, ever-growing family.

With the sun setting on their perfect day, her family and friends gathered around her and illuminated by millions of fairy lights, Bella made a silent vow to never let anything destroy or get in the way of their happiness; it was a promise she intended to keep for the rest of her life.

With the sun setting on their perfect day, their family and friends gathered around, illuminated by thousands of fairy lights, Bella made a silent vow to never let anything destroy or get in the way of their happiness.

It was a promise she intended to keep for the rest of her life. A pledge to her family, to her husband and children.

No more looking back.

Facing forward, her father's arms around her and the giggles of her son and daughter over her shoulder, Bella cast her eyes to the sky just as a shooting star flew across the sky.

"Pinky promise," she whispered.

There we have it, folks. That's all she wrote—for now. I plan to write a few futuretakes, but I don't want to put a timescale on those just yet. They'll be a part of this though, so you don't need to worry about adding anything else to your alerts.

I want to say huge thank yous to my wonderful beta and pre-reader, SunflowerFran and annaharding. You've both become friends as well as my dream team and I couldn't have done this and achieved everything I have without either of you. I'll always be grateful for you both volunteering to help me with Pinky Promises, and that you stayed on to help with this story, too. You're wonderful ladies and I couldn't ask for better friends.

Of course, without you, the readers, this wouldn't have been possible, either. For reviewing, cheering me on here and on Facebook, and for trusting me even when I put you—and the characters—through the ringer, THANK YOU. You're the best and I adore each and every one of you. When I started posting Pinky Promises I'd have been happy with one or two people reading it. It's currently sitting at 697 favourites, 1490 reviews, and 762 people have it on alerts...madness!

Then with this, the sequel, I couldn't quite bear to let go of these characters that I've fallen in love with, but I was terrified nobody would want to read any more. I had visions of people saying 'not again, not more of this drivel' and then you were all so wonderful and encouraging. I can't thank you enough for supporting me.

If you didn't already know, I have a page on Facebook where I ramble and share teasers and pictures to go with the chapters. You can find me at 'CiaraShayee's Subconscious.'

I've also made the decision to re-work Pinky Promises slightly and publish it on Kindle/paperback. It's a huge, scary decision but I'm so excited to see my words in print, and I hope you'll like it, too. I'll post info on that on my Facebook page and here, but I'm hoping to have it finished and available in August/early September.

So...there we have it. Have an amazing weekend, everyone, whether you're at the meet-up or not. Much love to you all! xo