AN: Last Chapter before the Epilogue
Thank you to all my reviewers and a just to single one out, 'Sarah-Pattinson' since she gave me an idea for the birth. Much love bb xx
Btw, the ending for the last chapter "I'm in Love." Applies to Edward as well – he was thinking the exact same thing.
What a co-inky-dink.
Listening to: Escape The Fate – Harder Than You Know
Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, own Twilight. All characters, besides those not mentioned in the Twilight Series, belong to Stephenie Meyer. Any other recognizable publications and/or characters do not belong to me. They belong to their respective owners.
Chapter 21
EPOV
(Skipping forward 2 months again)
It's been two months since the night I realized I was in love with Isabella Marie Swan. Although I have yet to express it in words.
I was always a procrastinator as a child until I was given a much needed shove in the right direction. Usually it had been my mom or dad or even a teacher, but this time it was from my brother and his girlfriend.
They had been dating for a shorter period then Bella and I but they were already that couple who struggle to hang up first, or the couple that has fights over who loves the other more.
"So, Edward," Alice began as she grabbed a beer out the kitchen fridge of my apartment. "when do you think you're gonna drop the L-bomb?"
"Uh," I scratched the back of my neck, one of my nervous habits.
Jazz snorted and leaned against the counter, "Don't tell me you've been putting it off again?"
"I'm just...scared, I guess, I want it to be perfect and I'm having a hard time deciding since every moment I spend with her is perfect,"
Alice slapped my arm, "Then just blurt it out. Bella's a simple girl, she wont care how you do it,"
"But I do," I argued. "I want to be able to tell our child that when I first said 'I love you' to mommy that it was someplace special, so that it can set a good standard for him when he's older and in love,"
Jasper shook his head, "You over think way too much,"
"Oh yeah? Well, how did you first say it to Alice?" The pink tint to Alice and Jasper's cheeks gave it away. "You said it after sex didn't you? And how are you gonna tell your kids that?"
I realized the nervous habit runs in the family as Jasper scratched the back of his neck.
"Tell their kids what?" Bella wondered as she entered the kitchen, holding an empty glass in her hand.
Alice's eyes grew wide, "Uh, we were talking about the birds and the bees. Eddie, here, is a nervous about telling Will,"
She looked a little confused but smiled anyway, "Don't worry, there's still loads of time before we have to have that conversation," she patted her stomach and spoke to it. "First off we gotta get this little guy out,"
Alice nodded her head, "Yeah, you really do because there's a whole lot of clothes and toys waiting for him, plus if you get any bigger you'll never be able to bounce back,"
Bella narrowed her eyes, "Wow, thanks for reminding me. Just wait until you're the one carrying around another human being,"
Jazz laughed, "That wont be happening for a while,"
Alice gasped and looked at him with a heartbroken expression, "What do you mean? I thought you wanted kids,"
I was tired of being in the hot seat tonight, so I looked over at Jasper with a mirrored expression of Alice's on my face. "Yeah, Jazz, I thought you wanted kids,"
"Uh, guys-" Bella said.
"Well, I-" Jasper started.
"I can't believe this, Jazz, you told me last night you wanted kids! Or more precisely, a little girl with my blue eyes and your sandy-blonde hair,"
"Guys!" Bella shouted.
"What?!" Alice, Jasper and I all shouted back in unison.
"Well, I hope I'm not interrupting anything, but my water just broke!"
It was like one of those scenes from a movie where everything just stops. Then restarts even faster then ever but you're still stuck in pause.
I stood still while Alice shrieked and ran out the room to fetch Bella's bags, Jasper grabbed my car keys and started helping Bella to the door once she had been changed.
"Edward!" Bella shouted and I snapped out of it.
"Jazz, I got her," I informed him as I supported Bella's waist. Her hands gripped my shirt, her nails digging into my flesh.
Jasper drove my Volvo with Alice in the passenger seat next to him frantically calling all family members to inform them Bella was going into labor.
I was seated next to Bella at the back, her hand clasped tightly around mine as she cried and panted with each contraction.
Thankfully the hospital was close and in mere moments Bella was taken in a wheelchair to the delivery room. Rose, Emmett, Renee, Phil, Esme and both my parents were already in the waiting room.
"Mr. Masen," A nurse called. "I need the name of your OB/GYN,"
Were they seriously bothering me with this shit right now?! "Dr. Andrews." I answered. "I need to get in there,"
She nodded and held the door open for me. Inside was a flurry of nurses and doctors all surrounding the love of my life.
BPOV
I felt scared, alone and in excruciating pain until Edward was back at my side and letting me use his hand as a stress ball. Now I just felt scared and still in excruciating pain, but at least I wasn't going through this alone.
If Edward thought I was a screamer before, well, that's nothing compared to the screams that were coming out of my mouth as I tried to push out my baby.
"Bella, Bella, love," Edward murmured, trying to get me to calm down. "Baby, look at me," I did and was met with frightened eyes. "I've been waiting for the perfect moment to say this and it's now or never..." he sucked in a deep breath. "I love you, Bella. So much."
All pain in my body ceased for a moment but then returned with full force, I squeezed down on his hand harder as I gave one more push, "I love you too, Edward," I gasped out, my heart swelled as I finally expressed my feelings. "But...oh my god," It felt like my body was being run over by a train. "We're never having sex again, okay?! Not unless there's at least a million different types of birth control being used, ahhh!"
"Bella, you need to get your breathing right," the nurse told me, making 'he he who' noises to try and make me follow.
William Anthony Masen was born at 20:02 PM on the 28th of February, weighing at a perfect six pounds and eight ounces. After his birth he was taken away to be cleaned and thouroughly examined to determine his developmental condition and I started crying with happiness when the doctor confirmed Will was a happy, healthy baby.
I couldn't really tell what color his eyes were but right now they were a dark blue, his skin a pinkish color and his hair looked browny-red, but we were told he would start to look more like Edward and I over a few days.
One year later
"Alice," I gasped as we stood in the church foyer. "I think I'm gonna throw up,"
She shot me a glare as she fixed the front of my dress, "Isabella Marie, so help me god if you throw up on this dress..."
"She'll be fine, Alice," Renee assured her as she took my side. She leaned in to whisper in my ear. "Although if I were you, I wouldn't chance the wrath of that girl, heaven forbid I say the wrong thing when I give you away,"
I brought my thumb into my mouth and bit down on the nail, trying to calm down my nerves. I thought you were supposed to feel butterflies in your stomach when you were nervous? Right now they felt more like hungry piranhas chewing at my stomach lining.
Angela gently tugged on my hand to release my thumb from my teeth, "Come on, Bella, it's fifteen minutes tops and then you and Edward are officially married, plus you'll have William with you the whole time,"
Another reason for my anxiety was that I was away from my baby boy who was seated on his grandpa's lap. Apparently. I had yet to see him today and that did nothing for my nerves.
The piano began to play the traditional Wagners March and I felt like my legs were about to give in. For the thousandth time in my life I cursed Alice for her dictation of my footwear. I'd be much more comfortable walking down in simple ballet flats...but, no I had to wear these deathtraps.
"Ooh, this is so exciting," Renee commented in a tone barely below a squee. It was easy to see she was in her element despite the fact it was my special day. Over the past year we've gotten closer and her demeanor has changed marginally – she's no longer so self-absorbed but has adopted some of the qualities of a sweet grandmother from spending time with Elizabeth and Esme. They were all lunch buddies now, believe it or not and would take turns babysitting since Renee and Phil decided to move down to Forks since Phil was unable to continue with his baseball career due to a shoulder injury. His new job, you ask?
Esme had started up her own magazine a few months ago titled 'Home – the place you're always welcome' it was an interesting blend of cooking, décor, fashion, sporting and even an advice section run by yours truly. Phil was in charge of sporting, Elizabeth handed out some of the best recipes you could ever imagine, Alice took over the fashion department and Esme used her love of interior design for the décor section.
I was so caught up in my own thoughts I didn't even realize Alice and Angela had already started walking down the aisle.
Was there one of those brown paper bags somewhere that I could hyperventilate into? Or throw-up?
Renee began to walk and somewhere, somehow I found the strength inside me to will my legs to move forward at the correct pace.
And then my eyes connected with Edward's and I suddenly wanted to walk faster down the aisle to get to him. He looked...delicious.
There was simply no other words to describe him.
Everything about our wedding was traditional besides the fact we'd already had our first child, but Edward was dressed in a tailored black suit and my dress was simple and elegant. The straps of my dress were just below my shoulder, leaving my entire neck area bare except for my hair that hung loose in beautiful curls.
He grinned then, huge and cheesy. It was probably even cheesier than the grin on my face.
Before I knew it I was at his side as Renee kissed both our cheeks and placed my hand in his.
"You look so beautiful," he whispered taking both my hands in his.
"And you look so handsome," I said lamely, what I really wanted to say was superb, amazing, incredible...but I figured it was a bit much.
"Yes, yes, you both look beautiful,"Angela's Dad, Father Weber, commented with a knowing grin and our family and friends laughed.
His speech traditional yet unique, "We are gathered here today to celebrate the union between these two lovers, Isabella and Edward. Two souls destined to live as one in perfect harmony..."
I tried to pay attention, I really did but I got lost in staring at Edward who was staring back at me with such a look of love and adoration in his eyes that it made my eyes water a little.
"Isabella Marie Swan," Father Weber started and I almost jumped out of my skin. "Do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold from this day forward?"
I cleared my throat a little to make my voice louder, "I do," it still came out just above a whisper.
"And Edward Anthony Masen, do you take this beautiful woman as your wife? To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, till death do you part?"
"I do!" he almost shouted with his excitement. A chuckle sounded through our audience and echoed throughout the room.
"Very well then," Father Weber announced, a wide smile on his lips. "By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Edward, you may kiss your-"
he didn't get to finish as Edward already had his arms around me and his lips pressed against mine.
He kissed me sweetly yet passionately. Heated yet chaste. It was heaven and desire wrapped into one. It occurred to me then, as this kiss sealed my destiny that this was it. The moment I'd been waiting for my whole life, the moment where you realize you are absolutely blissfully happy and nothing and no one can ever take that away from you.
He pulled away, too soon for my liking and turned out bodies to our audience as Father Weber pronounced us "Mr and Mrs Edward Masen,"
Whoops, cheers and applause sounded through the small church as we started our walk down the aisle.
"Ma!" Will announced happily from his seat on Ed's lap, his arms raised as he indicated he wanted to be picked up.
"Hey there, buddy," I cooed, lifting him onto my hip. His copper curls and emerald green eyes made him look so much like his father.
Edward kept his hold on my hand as we exited the church through the huge doors, the sun was shining brightly outside as it set and probably made us look like silhouettes from behind as we journeyed off in bliss into the sunset.
AN: I've written the first page of the Epilogue but it's been written, rewritten and was even a part of this chapter at one stage before I decided to change it to the wedding.
I've got no news :( Sorry.
But, feel free to tell me yours in a review :D
I do have fic recs though :)
music-is-life2009 has a number of amazing stories, check them out.
And another is by one of my most loyal reviewers 'Imperial Violets' just search by author and your little eyes will be opened to a whole new world of amazing-ness :)
I'll see you soon for the LAST CHAPTER D;
I think Ima need a Kleenex.