Disclaimer: S. Meyer owns the world of Twilight…I just create a bit of chaos with it.

A/N: This is it. Thank you for all of your interest and for taking the time to read this. Anyways…I'll let you get on to the chapter but please read the long ass A/N at the bottom.

--

Epilogue

The hot, dry heat of the Phoenix summer beat down on us as we merged onto the highway, driving away from the hotel. My hair whipped around in its ponytail and my tank top began sticking to my back as the dry wind flew past us. Edward insisted on a convertible and thank god he did because it made the weather a bit more bearable.

My hands clutched the wheel as I looked over to Edward. His feet were propped up on the dashboard, clad in shorts and a t-shirt. That brilliant hair flying messily in the wind, his eyes shut away behind his Ray-Bands and a contented smile on his face.

I reached my right hand over and ran it over his thigh, feeling his hand grasp mine with a squeeze. With a sigh I managed to relax my shoulders and look ahead to our intended destination.

After Edward finished up with his physical therapy, life seemed to turn back to normal. His bike was pretty banged up in the accident but after repairing the damage personally with Jasper's help, the bike looked good as new. I still wasn't thrilled about him riding again, but who was I to stop him? Especially since I wanted to learn. He would resent me eventually if he did listen and I did love to ride with him on it. Esme basically forbade him from driving it until after graduation, she wanted to make sure his knee was fully healed up before he took a chance again.

As his injuries healed, I noticed that he had several scars on his knee. It was a small price to pay for his life. At least he did not have any scaring on the rest of his body.

He managed to drag me to prom despite my protests. However he quickly made up for it before we even made it to the dance.

"Where are we going?" I asked as we drove the opposite way of the high school.

"Making up for Valentine's Day," he said seriously, not taking his eyes off the road.

Instead of going out to eat with our friends, he decided to take me out to Lake Crescent on a surprisingly warm evening in the Pacific Northwest.

He had set a checkered blanket out on the hood of his car before lifting me effortlessly on top. Somehow he had ordered take-out from my favorite Italian restaurant in Port Angeles along with producing a bottle of sparking cider. Yes it was cheesy, but it was the most romantic thing I had ever experienced.

We both managed to graduate with descent GPA's. I was worried about Edward since he had missed so much school, but thankfully with the work he had done from home, his grades didn't suffer much.

While most people stood around crying and hugging each other because school had ended for them, I couldn't be happier. With the way the school year started, my therapy sessions, the ups and downs with Edward and then finally his accident…I was ready to move on to bigger things.

I was set to attend U-Dub in the fall. Unfortunately Charlie insisted that I had to live on campus my first year of college so Edward and Jasper were going to get an apartment together until I was able to move in with him. He managed to secure a job at a friend of Emmett's bar. He was planning to eventually get his bartending license but was content on learning the ropes. It probably helped that Carlisle and Esme bought an apartment as a graduation gift.

Alice got accepted to the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in LA. We were all sad that she wasn't going to be near us all the time, but I was personally looking forward to the vacation opportunities.

The biggest change came with my therapy sessions. Ever since getting together with Edward, my dreams had practically stopped; only a few flare-ups remained. With that change, Dr. McPherson took me completely off my meds and knocked my several sessions a week with her down to a single session per week. I wasn't the only one that didn't have to go to therapy as much; Edward also only had to go one day a week.

Dr. McPherson suggested that I visit my mom's grave on the one year anniversary, which is what brought us to Phoenix in the middle of July.

I stopped to get a bouquet of flowers before continuing towards the cemetery. The closer we got, the more nervous I felt. I had made such progress in my recovery and I was afraid I would have a relapse. This was the first time I had been back in almost a year and the thought that I would leave the same way I did last time scared the shit out of me.

"You're going to be fine," Edward said. I was beginning to believe that he could read my mind.

"How do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Know what I'm thinking or feeling at a given time?"

He was quiet for a moment, contemplating his answer. "Because I am attuned to you…I think because we feel so deeply for each other that our connection is very special."

"I think you're right."

We pulled off the main road and into Red Rock Cemetery. The place was a lot more beautiful then I remembered it and it was very peaceful. I wove through the rows of tombstones and flowers until I came upon where my mom and Phil were buried.

As soon as I stopped the engine there was nothing but silence. I gripped the steering wheel tightly, trying to work up the nerve to get out of the car.

Edward gave me that push by placing the flowers in my lap and unlocking the doors.

"Go see your mom babe," he said quietly.

I finally moved and slipped out of the car, shutting the door behind me. I forced myself to walk the path towards the double-headed tombstone that was my destination. Finally I stopped in front of the marble stone, a sculpted double heart with Renee and Phil's names and birthdates etched into it.

I dropped to my knees and hesitantly dragged my fingertips along the names of my parents. There was an attached vase set in the center of the headstone. I took the roses out of their wrapping and placed them within the holder, arranging them to look just right.

"Hey mom…" I started, running my fingers of her name again.

"Sorry it took so long for me to visit. But I hope you were able to see what I've been up to since…since the accident." I stumbled on the last part, trying to keep myself from losing it.

"I miss you so much…everyday. It never really gets easier, but I just learn to live with it. It took me a long time to finally break through this wall that I put up after you died. Charlie insisted that I start therapy, and I did. I would…um…have nightmares almost nightly about what I saw a year ago. I hated myself because I felt it was my fault that you died…if I hadn't of called you or maybe I could have walked a ways to get reception. I hated that I didn't tell you I love you before I left that night."

I poured my heart out…everything I felt in a year. I couldn't help the tears but they felt like a release…of all the resentment, sadness, happiness that I had felt since she left me.

"I blamed myself for the longest time mom…but now I know that it wasn't. It was an accident and you were in the wrong place, at the wrong time. I know you wouldn't want me to continue to live my life by carrying the blame…I know you'd want me to be happy."

I paused as I began to think about Edward, a small smile forming.

"I went through a lot of therapy and medication to get where I am today. But the one reason I think I managed through was because of a very special someone. I don't know if you remember him…Edward. He is Alice's brother and my boyfriend, the love of my life."

Suddenly I felt hands on my shoulders and felt a body shift behind me. I turned my head to see Edward sitting down behind me, a tentative smile on his face. He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me to sit between his legs. I leaned my head back on his shoulder, my eyes still on my mom's name.

"Mom…I want you to meet Edward. He is my savior in every meaning…I think you sent him to me."

"Mrs. Dwyer…I just want you to know that I love your daughter and I plan to spend the rest of my life making her happy. Thank you for blessing me with someone like her." He kissed my cheek before nuzzling his face in my hair.

We sat like that for what seemed like forever. I felt at peace, knowing that my mom did hear me.

Eventually the heat began to get to us and we stood to leave. I looked back at where my mom laid beneath me, a smile breaking out on my face. "I love you mom…thank you for giving me the strength to live my life. I miss you and I hope you continue to watch over us…to help us find our happiness like you did with Phil."

Edward pulled me to the car, helping me climb into the passenger seat. He slipped behind the wheel and I was more then content to allow him to lead for awhile.

As we got back on the highway to head back to the hotel, I broke the silence. "Thanks for coming with me…I know it's silly, but I truly felt like she was there with us."

"It's not silly. Do you think she would have liked me?" he asked.

I nodded. "Oh yeah. She would have kissed all over you, telling you what a handsome guy you were, feeding your ego and I would have been blushing scarlet the entire time. You have nothing to be worried about."

He laughed and shook his head. "I don't have an ego."

"Pshhh…sure you do. But you are also pretty selfless. But I'm serious…thank you for doing this with me."

"I'd do anything for you Bell. You're set free now…enjoy the life your mom gave to you. That's what she would have wanted."

I must have fallen asleep, exhausted from the emotional weight that I had felt all day. I jolted awake when I felt myself being shifted. I looked around and found that we were now back in the room and Edward had laid me down on the bed. I watched him quietly moving about the room, picking up our things and throwing them into the suitcases.

"Edward?"

"Hmm?"

When I didn't answer him right away he stopped his movements and came over to the side of the bed that I was laying on.

I reached my hand out to grab his before looking up at him. "I need you."

He looked at me for another moment before nodding and slipping his hand out of mine. I watched as he raised his arms and pulled his t-shirt over his head, revealing his beautiful chest to me. Next went the belt and shorts, all tossed into a pile behind him.

I sat up and pulled my tank over my head as well, tossing it with his. His fingers were on the buttons of my shorts before I could even think. I raised my ass to help him shimmy them down my legs.

No words were spoken as he climbed on to the bed and settled part of his weight on me. His bent elbows were on either side of my head while the rest of him rested lightly between my open legs.

"I will always need you," he whispered before running his nose softly against mine.

His lips left a hot trail as he moved from my jaw down to my collarbone, and then along the swell of my breasts as his hands fitted undneath me to unclasp my bra. I felt the garment fall away from me before Edward's tongue and lips replaced them. He had me withering from the sensations…the mix of his hot breath and the chill of the air conditioned room.

I couldn't manage words, only sounds. If I was even half coherent I would've been embarrassed by all the panting leaving my mouth.

I pushed his boxers down his hips, using my feet to push them the rest of the way down his body. His hands followed the same movements as mine before there were no barriers left.

I needed him…so badly. He didn't need me to utter a word because I felt his arousal push into me, barely giving me time to adjust before he pulled out and thrusted in again.

His hands grasped mine over my head, our fingers intertwined. I felt myself start to perspire as our pace increased. His tongue dragged across my chest and collarbone, tasting me.

My body suddenly flamed as I felt every inch of him on top of me. My walls clenched around him, milking him to fall over the edge with me.

Our eyes connected and an unspoken emotion flashed between us, both of us knowing that the other was ready.

He pressed me further into the mattress as his pace increased, his hips creating a delicious angle that caused me to close my eyes as I finally let into the building pressure. The only noise that came from Edward were his soft moans before he stilled above me and collapsing to the side.

I curled into him, kissing his chest where his heart beat.

He fiddled with my hair before telling me he loved me. I returned the sentiment as we settled into an easy silence and stared out the open window.

As the sun set on the Phoenix desert, I knew I was going to be okay.

With Edward by my side, he gave me the strength to smile everyday. And despite all the sorrow and change that I went through, meeting Edward truly saved me. I know that sounds melodramatic, but I didn't even want to think where I would be if he hadn't found his way to me.

And through it all, I also found myself in the process.

--

A/N: And that's all she wrote! I hope you enjoyed reading You Found Me as much as I loved writing it. Thank you so much for the reviews and the alerts and all the love you sent this little fic. Now I want to give you a small update on what my future plans are. My next multi-chapter story will be an expansion on my one-shot Southern Cover (a Jasper/Bella story). Go check it out in my profile if you may be interested in reading the story when it comes. I am starting school once again and my time will be pretty limited for several months. So I don't plan on posting the story until May and I also need a break from writing. I will be posting a few outtakes for You Found Me…so keep a look out for those. Also, I am sure I will get the urge to write something here and there before May, so please put me on Author Alert if you are interested. Once again…thank you for reading my writing. If you are interested in updates please add me to twitter or check my blog. Both links are in my profile.