A/N... All together now... "Ding Dong the witch is dead..." LMAO I should count how many times I had that sent to me after the last chapter! XD It was awesome! Glad you approved of her demise and of course, of who pulled the trigger.
So, my friends, this is the last regular chapter of Sin & Innocence. I know, I know...don't even say it. I've been an emotional mess over it for the last week or so. I've dragged my feet, picked GooberLou's brain until she's about stupid. I'm sad that it's at an end.
But, alas, as all good things must do...it comes to an end. This is citrusy, fluffy, and a touch emotional. You MAY need tissues for some things and for maybe the drool over the deliciousness of Mercward. Lol
Please, please see me at the bottom when you're done...
CHAPTER 25
BELLA
"Mrs. Cope says that Bethy hasn't missed much, that she's caught up just fine in class," Edward said, his back to me as he flipped over my eggs.
I nodded silently behind him, sleepily dipping my spoon back into the jar of peanut butter and bringing it straight to my mouth. I was barely listening to a word he said, because he was cooking...in just basketball shorts and his backwards baseball cap – just like he had the first time he'd cooked for me. His ass was so fucking perfect that I was willing to bet a quarter would bounce off of it, and then I tried to remember if I had any quarters in my purse, because I suddenly wanted to try that shit, for real – minus the shorts. I smiled with the spoon still in my mouth, but my eyes traveled up his strong back to his broad shoulders, finally landing on the new, dark, just about healed ink on his upper arm.
He'd gone the day after the Halloween fundraiser, considering we were already in Seattle, and gotten it done by Barry. He hadn't wanted to put it off any longer – something about "new starts" and "finished fucking business." I didn't care why; the damn thing was fuck-hot on him. Just sexy and dark, bold and rough, all black and smooth scrolls – all cuffed around his bicep. It was a touch of his history for him, a memory of his mother, and an enormous turn on for me, which only grew every time he flexed that damn arm. I wanted to trace my tongue over every curl, every inch of the lion, and every swirl, and I found myself licking my lips as I stared at it.
"Are you listening?" he asked, taking the jar of peanut butter from me.
"To what?"
"Um, me," he laughed. "And if you'll wait, love, I'm making your breakfast."
"I was hungry," I huffed, swinging my legs on either side of him as I sat on the counter. "You let me sleep through breakfast with you and Bethy."
He'd already been up early, gone for a run, showered, woken up our daughter to get her ready to go Mrs. Cope's, made her breakfast and her lunch, dropped her off, stopped at the hardware store, and was already back making my breakfast. The man didn't stop some mornings, and I'd slept through it all. Hell, I was still in just his t-shirt and hadn't done a damn thing.
"You needed the sleep," he said, snatching up the jar and putting the lid on it before I could stick my spoon back in it. "We all eat out of this, you know."
"They make more, you know," I countered, grinning up at him. "A million brands on one shelf. It's an amazing, but very American, over-indulgent concept."
He laughed, rolling his eyes, and stashed the jar back in the cabinet. "Nevertheless, maybe I don't want your slobber in it when I make my midnight PB and J."
"You've never complained about my slobber before, Edward," I chuckled. "Why start now?"
He barked a laugh, his cheeks tinging a touch of pink as he plated my eggs, toast, and sausage. "Eat...real fucking food, sweetness," he ordered with a sexy ass raised eyebrow, taking away my licked clean spoon and handing me the plate and a fork. "And I'll tell you where I really want your slobber to be, besides in my jar of damn peanut butter."
I giggled, taking a huge bite of eggs as he sat on the stool next to me. He shot me an amused look before opening the paper. God, I just fucking loved that man. He put up with two women twenty-four-seven. He tolerated my pregnant mood swings, my irrational food cravings that went so far beyond a simple jar of peanut butter that it wasn't even funny, and my most recent decision to give Gravity a few weeks rest – at least until after the holidays – because I just felt everyone involved with us needed a damn break for once, including us. He had no problem offering to cook – not just for Thanksgiving, which was right around the corner, but for Christmas, too. He never missed one doctor's appointment with me, nor did anything at Bethy's school go unnoticed.
I leaned over, pressing a kiss to his forehead, just below his hat. "Love you," I said simply, taking a bite of toast.
A sweet, warm smile curled up on the corners of his mouth, and finally, his eyes shot to mine. "Love you, too. How did you sleep?" he asked, setting the paper down and pulling at me until I slid with a squeak down the counter in front of him.
"Better. Heartburn's a bitch," I said, taking another bite of eggs.
"Maybe tacos at one in the morning...bad idea, sweetness," he chuckled, shaking his head and rubbing the outside of my bare legs at the same time.
"Yeah," I grimaced. "Don't let me do that again. No matter how hard I beg."
He laughed, picking up my leg and pressing a kiss to my knee. "It beats barbecue ribs at two in the morning," he said with a grin. "At least this time, your cravings are easier to make in a snack emergency."
"I know. With Bethy, I was way out there," I giggled, setting my perfectly clean plate down on the counter next to us, leaving my hands free to cup his handsome face. "Think we'll find out today?" I asked him, having no doubt he'd understand what I meant.
Edward smiled, pulling me to the edge of the counter so that my legs were on either side of his chest. He leaned in, pressing a long, sweet kiss to my growing bump. "He's awfully shy, sweetness. Aren't you little man?" he crooned, dropping another kiss, before replacing it with his hand.
I giggled, because the he hadn't stopped, only I had joined in. "He's like his dad when I first met him, then," I teased, rubbing my fingertips lightly over his stubble, down his neck to his shoulders.
"Oh," he groaned, his brow wrinkling. "I was shy. Terribly shy."
"You were freakin' cute, was what you were," I laughed, tugging off his hat and setting on the counter. "All that cuteness...and too shy to use it."
He nodded, smiling like the sweet boy I'd once met. "That's very true," he agreed softly, leaning into kiss my belly again. "We'll have work on that with you, little one. Your sister will eat you up if you're too shy."
"Nah," I scoffed softly, shaking my head. "She'll probably watch him like hawk, tear anyone up that dares mess with him, and we'll be called to school on a daily basis."
Edward laughed, his forehead pressing to my chest and his arms wrapping completely around me. "That's probably really close to the truth..."
"It probably is," I chuckled, running my fingers through his hair again.
I pressed a kiss to the top of his head, setting my cheek there, only to glance down at his new tattoo. I knew some parts of it were still tender and itchy, but for the most part, it was healed. I traced my finger lightly along one of the smooth, flowing scrolls, and Edward pulled back to look.
"It's just about healed," I said softly, and he nodded, looking between me and his arm. "You like it?"
"It's a little too late if I don't," he chuckled. "But yeah, it's better than what I'd brought to Barry." He paused for a moment, watching my finger trace its edges. "When I decided to get it, I knew what I was about to start doing for my dad. I knew it was...dangerous, but also I knew men that lost themselves to it. They became killers, hitmen. I didn't want that, but..."
"You thought this would remind you of where you came from – remind you of your mom?"
He huffed, shaking his head and looking a touch pained, but he looked up at me. "I was damn close to becoming one of those men when I came to get you, Bella. So fucking close..."
I smiled sadly at him, brushing his hair from his forehead and placing a kiss there.
"Wh-When I-I sh-shot L-Lilith," he said, pausing when his stutter was too much, but it didn't help, "I-I d-did w-with a s-smile on m-my f-fucking f-face..."
"Hey," I soothed, cupping his face and making him look up at me. "That does not make you a monster, Edward. It makes you my hero. You saved me...and this one." I pulled his hand from my hip, placing it on my stomach. "So don't you dare tell me that you felt badly or that you were wrong. You were so far from wrong, baby."
I knew my Edward, but I also knew from experience the pride of finally catching a bad guy. His smile when he shot Lilith was for that, not in any menacing way – simply pride at stopping someone that had hurt us – but Edward carried things differently than other people.
"So," I sighed, bringing his arm up a bit, "this is for me, too? To remind yourself that family comes first...always?"
He nodded, looking almost childlike when he did it. "Always."
"No matter if they eat peanut butter from the jar? Even if they're cranky and pregnant and can't help themselves at ten o'clock in the morning?"
He grinned, standing up in front of me, but not leaving the cage of my legs. "No matter what."
I chuckled softly, pressing my lips to the center of the lion with reverence and love. "Then its meaning outshines its beauty, Edward, because you've always put us first. Ink, or no ink."
Warm, calloused hands slid softly on either side of my face, thumbs rubbing gently across my cheekbones. Edward's forehead thumped to mine, and his eyes closed. My own hands couldn't stay away from his skin – soft and smooth along his ribs, hard and contoured over his chest and stomach, and warm and strong up and down his back. But it wasn't enough for me, so slowly I tilted my head, pressing my lips to his as my fingers dipped stealthily just under the waistband of his shorts and underwear at the small of his back.
Edward threaded his fingers into my hair, and suddenly, we were lost. Just gone. I knew him well enough to know that this was a thank you, a relief of putting something that had been bugging him into a different perspective. Warm, wet lips met my own. He tasted of coffee, and I was sure I tasted like breakfast, but neither of us cared.
My legs locked around his upper thighs, knowing that his injury was no longer an issue, and I pulled him closer. At the same time, he turned my head, his tongue claiming me, tasting me, and growing ravenous.
My hips finally rolled, finding him hard and straining against me, causing both of us to moan wantonly. Edward broke away from my mouth, dragging long, slow kisses to my ear.
"Sweetness...doctor appointment," he reminded, not that he slowed down, not that his hands didn't slip under my shirt, finding me in just a pair of underwear.
"Don't stop," I gasped against his throat at the same time I was pushing and shoving at his shorts. "We have time. We'll make fucking time."
He chuckled so damn sexily, opening his mouth to the soft spot just behind my ear as his hands slid up my skin, finally cupping my breasts. God, I was so fucking sensitive when his thumbs brushed across my nipples that I cried out.
"First, you raid the peanut butter, and now, you want to be fucked on our counter?" he asked, and I felt his wicked smile against the skin of my neck.
"God, yes," I growled, pulling his face back. "It's not the first time, Edward," I told him, gripping the front of his shorts.
"Uh, no," he breathed, watching my hands as I pushed his shorts down as far as I could, using my feet to shove them father. "Definitely not the first, and it better not be the fucking last," he groaned, gathering up my t-shirt and tugging it off over my head. "Lay back all the way, baby," he said, grasping my underwear.
I hissed when my back met the cold marble of the counter, but lifted my hips so that my underwear could be swiftly removed. Edward stepped back between my legs, his hands ghosting all over me – my breasts, my sides, my thighs, and finally my stomach, where it was undeniable that I was pregnant. Some days, I felt fat and miserable, but when Edward gazed down at me like he was doing right then, I never felt more beautiful, because he said it every time.
"Fuck, so gorgeous," he whispered, shaking his head, both hands cupping our baby. He leaned over the counter, bracing those strong arms on either side of me, to place one long, slow kiss to my stomach, swirling his tongue over my skin, just below my bellybutton.
I moaned at the sight of him, at the feeling of his hair lightly brushing across my skin as he kissed scars that had long been forgotten. He was looming over the lower half of my body, his biceps – and that sexy ass fucking tattoo – flexing and rolling under his skin. His chest twitched with how badly he was holding back, and his cock stood proudly at attention trapped between us. It was so close, yet so fucking far away.
"Now, Edward. Inside, now!" I whispered, gripping his wrists, because it was what I could reach.
Edward stood up tall, rubbing the outside of my legs, only to slide slowly to the inside. "Open up for me, sweetness," he ordered in that low, carnal tone at the same time that he set my heels on the edge of the counter. "Mmm," he crooned, smiling as he dragged his tongue along his bottom lip, while slipping his cock teasingly through my folds. "Oh, always so wet for me, love. Me, or hormones?"
I let out a breathy, but incredulous laugh, because it was him, hormones, stars in alignment, and the position of the sun, as far as I was concerned. It was every-fucking-thing. The man merely had to smile my way, and I fucking wanted him.
He smiled, giving the inside of my thigh a kiss. "Don't answer that," he chuckled sexily. "I don't care. Just as long as you never stop wanting me..."
"Edward," I whispered, locking eyes with him as he positioned himself at my entrance. I reached for him, and he gave me his hands, linking all our fingers together as he slid completely inside of me. "Oh, God..."
My back arched, and I squeezed his hands as that feeling of perfect completion took over my entire being. My eyes rolled back into my head as we lost ourselves in our own damn kitchen.
~oOo~
EDWARD
"Does it hurt?" Bethy asked softly, and I couldn't help but peek into the living room to see what my girls were up to.
I grinned as Bethy was giving her mother's growing belly a complete investigation as they lay on the sofa. Both were dressed for bed, both my brunettes had their hair down in long, soft waves, and both were just fucking adorable as Bethy's tiny hands moved over Bella's almost four months along stomach, her little brow furrowed as pushed the shirt up a bit. The movie they'd been watching was over, the credits rolling silently up the screen, but apparently, my daughter had gotten curious.
"No, pretty girl," Bella chuckled, reaching up to twirl a lock of Bethy's hair around her fingers. "It's not a tummy-ache," she told her, tickling her neck, which caused Bethy to squeak and fold in on herself.
"I wanna know if it's a boy or a girl," Bethy stated, practically pouting by folding her arms across her chest.
Our daughter couldn't quite decide what she wanted – a brother or a sister. It was a tough debate for her, really. With a girl, they could share toys, dolls, and clothes – a built in future playmate. Yet, she was used to Caleb, so a boy was the easiest concept for her to imagine. In fact, she missed having him around all the time now that everyone had gone back to their normal routines and lives.
"Soon, baby," Bella giggled, meeting my eyes as I stood in the hallway, because we knew, but the announcement wasn't to be made until the next day, when everyone would be at our house for Thanksgiving.
"Can't we get a puppy instead?" Bethy huffed, looking rather belligerent about the whole thing.
I laughed along with Bella, who said, "No, we can't. One major addition to the family at a time, please, Miss Elizabeth. When you're older and when this one gets here, then we'll think about it, okay?"
Bethy had not given up hope on the prospect of getting one of Aunt Kate's puppies, but we just thought the adjustment to the baby would be a big enough fucking deal without adding house training a Husky into the mix. After a long discussion, an angry three-year-old, and a call to Aunt Kate, who told us she was most likely going to breed Maia again in the spring, we'd decided to wait. Esme said that once the baby arrived, Bethy might feel left out, so a puppy might give her something to focus on while our attention was on the new little one. Bella and I were completely undecided.
"Maybe for your birthday, little sweetness," I hedged, coming to kneel beside them by the couch. "You have to wait, baby."
"How old will you be?" Bella asked, slipping sweetly into another subject in order to distract her.
"Four," she said, holding up all five fingers.
I grinned, tugging her tiny thumb down. "Four."
"Oh yeah," she giggled, sounding a little like her Aunt Alice, which caused Bella and me to laugh with her. Her big green eyes locked onto my face, and she reached up and rubbed my jaw. "You got paint on you, Daddy."
"I'm sure I do," I sighed, rolling my eyes and shaking my head. "If it's not paint, it's stain. If it's not stain, it's wood glue." I leaned over and pressed a kiss to Bella's stomach, which was still exposed from Bethy's examination. "You're high maintenance, little one. And you're not even here yet."
Both girls giggled, and Bella leaned over to kiss my forehead. "How's it going, handyman?" she chuckled against my skin.
"It's going fine, and no...you can't help. No fumes, remember?" I growled, pointing a finger at her.
"I know, I know," she sighed, smirking at me. "I'm just making sure you're not killing yourself over it. Someone can sleep on the couch tomorrow, if it comes down to it."
"Well, most likely, someone will have to, baby," I told her. "Dad and Esme will stay at his house here in Forks. In fact, they're probably already there. Aunt Kate can take the guest room, and we'll throw a blow up mattress in the new room for Mickey and Obie, because I'll air it out overnight. If Tom decides to come, he can have the couch."
"Well, that works," she said, pushing herself up a bit. "Rose and Emmett are leaving early from Seattle in the morning. When they're done here, they're going to Portland to see Rose's parents for the rest of the weekend. Alec, if I'm not mistaken, is already in Forks," she said, raising an eyebrow at me at that last statement.
I grinned and nodded, because Alec and Sarah's relationship had only blossomed since Halloween. Abby adored him, adopting the name Uncle Alec for him, just like Bethy. He loved it – every fucking second of it. I'm pretty sure hearts were breaking all over the fucking country, too, because that man was officially off the market – heart, body, and soul. He'd fallen for two really sweet girls. And as I looked at my own, I couldn't blame him one fucking bit, because sometimes, they made you feel like the best thing since sliced bread.
"Who does that leave?" I asked, looking up at Bella, because the list was a mile fucking long this year.
"Wes and Makenna," she answered, pulling Bethy closer and curling her to her side so that she could run her fingers lovingly through our daughter's hair. "They'll be here about the same time as Rose and Emmett. Alice and Jasper will be here first thing. Jasper promised to help you with the tables and setting up a fire pit, and Alice promised to help me get the guest rooms ready."
"Not if the paint isn't dry," I warned her.
"I get it!" she giggled softly. "All brain cells on mine and this one's part will stay intact. However, you'll be stupid by the end of the week, Edward. Call it a night, baby."
I chuckled and nodded in agreement, giving her tummy a loving caress, but noticed that our daughter was slowly fading out for the night. Her eyes were drooping, getting heavier with each pass of her mother's fingers through her hair.
"Hey," I purred softly, tilting Bethy's chin up. "Bedtime, little soldier," I whispered without much authority, because I was pretty sure I didn't need it.
"Yes, sir." She yawned widely, pushing herself up a bit and reaching for me after she kissed Bella goodnight.
I stood up, scooping her into my arms and placing a kiss to her temple when she lay her head on my shoulder. "Only sweet dreams," I whispered, and she could only nod against my neck.
I walked her down the hall to her room, tucking her into bed. With one last kiss to her forehead, I said, "Love you."
"Love you, too, Daddy," she mumbled, curling Mr. Bunny to her, and I was pretty sure she was out before I was back down the hall.
Bella hadn't moved from the sofa, but she shifted a bit so that I could fall in between her and the back cushions. I wrapped my arms around her, kissing the back of her head.
"You're sure?" I asked cryptically as I spread my fingers out over her belly, because I knew she'd understand.
"Oh, yeah," she said, turning her head to nuzzle my jaw. "I'm very sure. Are you okay with it?"
I chuckled, shaking my head and rolling my eyes, finally locking gazes with her. "Most definitely."
"Good," she said with a sweet, sweet grin. "Now, help me up, and you go shower. You smell like a hardware store."
I laughed, smooching her neck loudly, before helping her to her feet. "Yeah," I said, standing up beside her. "And then bed, because tomorrow is going to be a long day."
~oOo~
"Abby, Abby, bo-babby...Banana fanna, fo fabby. Fee fi fo mabby... Abby," Bethy, Abby, and Emmett sang loudly from the front yard.
I snorted, rolled my eyes as the big lug taught them the Name Game. It could only end badly, which was thirty seconds later, when he opened his fat fucking mouth.
"Now...Buck!" he boomed, his head spinning when several voices bellowed.
"Emmett, don't you dare!" Rose, Bella, and Mickey all snapped at the same time.
Oh, but it was so too fucking late, because the girls burst into it.
"Banana fanna fo fuck," they chirped, not even giving it another thought, but Alec smacked Emmett on the back of the head.
"Stunad," he muttered, giving Emmett dark look after calling him stupid in Italian, and I was pretty fucking sure that if Alec hadn't gotten to him, my dad would have, because his face was just as appalled.
All of this could be seen from the open windows as I worked in the kitchen with Aunt Kate. Everything was just about ready; we were just waiting on a few things, and the turkey needed to be cut. Bella, Rose, and Makenna were trying to get plastic table cloths to cover the length of three long tables pushed together, Mickey and Jasper were adding wood to the fire pit, and my dad, Eleazar, and Kurt were all chatting on the front porch.
"Dad!" I called through the screen door. "Come cut this thing."
He chuckled, shaking his head and tugging open the door. "It's your house."
"It's Mom's tradition," I countered with a laugh, slapping his back once he was over the threshold. "So get to it, old man. I've been cooking the damn thing since four o'clock this morning. The least you could do is slice it!"
"It's a good thing I taught you to cook, Edward Anthony," Aunt Kate chuckled, rolling her eyes at my dad. "You'd have grown up on delivery pizza."
I grinned, glad to have someone in my corner when it came to my father's lack of culinary talent. "Yeah, see?"
"Shut up, son. It's not like you're malnourished," he growled back, but he was fighting his smile.
My father picked up the knife and began to slice the turkey, but he glanced up at me. "If I'm doing this, you have to do the toast."
"I know," I said, my voice serious, but I went about setting out plates and silverware – all in plastic, because be damned if I was washing this many fucking dishes.
"I think he's hiding something, Carlisle," Aunt Kate whispered dramatically. "He and Bella have been secretive all damn morning."
I grinned, shooting a wink her way. "Nosy thing," I teased her, which only caused her to chuckle and wrap an arm around my waist.
My dad, however, glared at me, studying me, and finally muttered, "This ought to be fucking good."
Once he finished cutting the bird, I called everyone in to make their plates. There wasn't enough room inside my house for them to eat, so Jasper had helped me set up the long tables outside, starting a fire in a pit close by in case the day turned chilly. However, the weather was playing nice, for once. It was a crisp, clear day, the fire only adding to everyone's happy moods. It seemed the removal of threats had caused everyone to be almost giddy – Emmett more than anyone, because he was currently encouraging the two girls to roast marshmallows, which sent Bethy into the house like her hair was on fire.
"D-Daddy!" she gushed, her cheeks pink with having played outside just about all morning. "Unca Em says w-we sh-should woast marshmawwows," she said, diving into the cabinets.
"Whoa, slow down, little sweetness," I chuckled, because she was in high gear and the word marshmallow coming from her might have been the best pronunciation of a word yet. "Dinner first. Then we'll talk s'mores, baby."
"Aw, but..."
"No... No aw-buts," I laughed, shaking my head and setting her on a stool. "I'll make your plate, Bethy. You're just like your mother... real food first. Then we'll talk dessert."
"Hey!" Bella laughed and chided at the same time, causing the house full of people to laugh. "I have an excuse!" she growled, rolling her eyes at me.
"So does she," Rose chuckled. "She's only three."
Bella walked up to Bethy, smooshing her face lovingly with her hands and kissing her sweet, puckered lips. "They're picking on us, pretty girl. Just because chocolate and melted marshmallows are so very tempting, far beyond turkey and stuffing."
Bethy giggled and nodded. "Daddy says dinner first."
"Unfortunately, he's right, baby," Bella sighed dramatically. "But I'm with you on the s'mores thing. See me after dinner," she whispered conspiratorially.
"Okay," my baby girl whispered back.
It didn't take long for everyone to make their plate, walk back to the table, and take a seat. It was the largest party Bella and I had thrown yet, but the absence of Sam was glaringly obvious. I sighed, gazing at friends that were considered family – our crew – and I took in the new faces to the table, like Kurt, Sarah, and Abby.
It was holidays like this, when everyone was here, that the missing faces floated through my mind more. My mother, who would have loved a big gathering like this, loved family and non-family alike. Charlie, who had sacrificed every-fucking-thing for Bella to live a somewhat happy and normal life; I knew she missed him, missed out on knowing the real him that had only been discovered after his death. And Sam, who had no family to speak of, who had attached himself to us like a quiet guardian angel, who'd loved my wife like a daughter, and who would have sat at the farthest corner of the table, just to be able to watch everyone in his usual silent way. He would have taken in everything, smiling at jabs and insults and funny stories.
I felt a warm hand take mine, linking our fingers together. I glanced over at Bella, swallowing nervously.
"You'll be fine," she whispered, leaning in to kiss my cheek.
I nodded, but stood up, holding up my beer. The conversations came to a pause as everyone looked up at me. "My mother had a tradition," I started, bracing one hand on Bella's shoulder, but it was her soothing hand on mine that gave me strength at the mention of my mom. "She wanted to truly give thanks on Thanksgiving. She was grateful for a lot of things." I sighed, meeting Esme's warm, calm gaze, and then my father's. "It's been...a really strange year," I said, looking down the table. I sighed a deep breath, because someone had purposefully left an empty seat at the end of the table; I'd have been willing to bet that Alec, Em, and Jasper had coordinated it. "We've had good things happen, like the addition of Caleb and my own little one on the way," I said, smiling when loud echoes of jovial agreement burst from the table. "We've had close calls," I added, my voice deeper than I meant it to be, because my eyes fell to my girls. "And we lost good men," I stated with a frown, because Sam and Elam had lost their lives in this last mission.
I looked around the table, picking up my glass. "My mom's tradition was to give a thank you toast for what we are grateful for, but I don't have just one this year. I have three." I paused, looking to Bella for strength, because this shit wasn't easy for me.
"My first thank you is to all of you, for your help, your hard work, and the blood, sweat, and tears it took to get my girls back, to finish something that was bigger than we expected." Everyone raised their glass or beer, but they didn't drink. "My second thank you is to Sam," I rasped, swallowing again. "I'm pretty damn sure that I wouldn't be here without him, and I'm also pretty sure that some others are sitting at this table because of him, so he should be honored today," I stated, and we all raised our glasses again – although this time, silently. It took me a second to speak again, because this was the biggest thank you I had.
I looked down at my wife, offering her a hand. "Stand up for me, baby," I whispered, my brow furrowing. "And my last thank you is to my wife," I said, unable to keep the grin from spreading across my face. She giggled and rolled her eyes at me as she leaned into me, which caused chuckles to erupt softly around the table. "She's given me everything – a beautiful daughter, a perfect home, and now, she's giving me—" I paused, laughing just once and shaking my head, because I was just stupidly happy "—a son." I looked up when the table exploded in cheers, but I held my hand up, so they tried their best to shut up. "I'd like to introduce to you—" I chuckled, rubbing Bella's stomach that was getting bigger and more beautiful by the day "—Samuel Masen Cullen."
~oOo~
BELLA
There was an almost comical pause, before the whole table erupted, because Edward had slapped down the last sonogram pictures without shame, which caused me to laugh. They'd all placed their bets on boy or girl, I was sure of it, so I buried my face into Edward's chest the minute money started changing hands once everyone had taken their drink.
My girls squealed and launched themselves at me, tugging me away from Edward, who had been pulled into Esme's and Carlisle's arms. They all started babbling at one time.
"For real?" Makenna squeaked, her face bright and happy. "Like for real, for real?"
"And here I was, betting pretty boy could only make girls," Mickey teased, wrapping me in a tight hug.
"Nice, Bells," Rose chuckled, kissing the side of my head. "God, Edward looks like he's about to just float away," she whispered in my ear, and I couldn't help but nod in agreement, because I felt the same damn way.
"A boy, a boy, a boy," Alice chanted in a squeal, while grinning like a loon, bouncing on her toes, and then diving into my arms.
I was passed around from Jasper to Emmett, who lifted me up, only to be yelled at by Edward and Carlisle to not be so rough. Alec whispered a congratulations against my forehead, and then it was Eleazar, who handed me off to Aunt Kate. On and on it went – Kurt, Sarah, Obie, Tom – until finally, I was wrapped up by Carlisle's warm, strong arms that were practically shaking.
"Hell, yes, a grandson," he growled, cupping my face and grinning when I giggled up at him, because he loved his grand title of Poppy. "Oh, I'm so teaching him to fish," he chuckled, shaking his head.
"He's not even here yet," Esme chided, rolling her eyes and taking me from him. "Oh ho," she chuckled. "We got our wish, huh, sweetie?"
I grinned and nodded, swiping at happy tears. And again, visions of little hiking boots, small cargo shorts, and tiny backwards baseball caps flew through my mind. I saw chubby cheeks paired with a crooked smile and crazy hair the same shade as Edward's.
"Why Masen, sweetheart? Edward wouldn't say," Carlisle asked once Esme had taken a step back. His gaze shot to his son on the other side of the table, but it seemed everyone heard the question and quieted for the answer.
"Because Edward was already taken," I teased, swiping at tears, but grinned when Emmett chuckled. "Sam gave me a gift. I wanted some part of that gift to be attached to his name."
"Huh, and I would've expected Charles," Esme mused.
"Charlie hated his name," Carlisle and I stated at the same time, which caused us to laugh together.
"Something about a tuna commercial on TV and the fact that the name had been overused in the family," Carlisle said with a laugh.
"Yeah, there was a Charles in every generation," I stated, my nose wrinkling. "I'm not sure if that's tradition or lack of imagination. I'm honoring him by not using his name."
Carlisle laughed, wrapping me in a hug again.
"And we were not using Anthony," Edward growled softly from behind me. "Not a chance."
"That was your mother's doing," Carlisle chuckled, squeezing his shoulder. "It's a strong name, you two. I'm so happy for you."
"You wanted grandkids, old man," Edward teased, which made me look for Bethy.
She and Abby were sitting together at the table, but they were just watching all the adults with wide-eyes. My little girl looked slightly lost in it all, so I waved her to me. She scuttled around everyone, dodging adult sets of legs left and right, and I scooped her up to walk her away from the table a bit, letting everyone sit back down to their plates. I sat down with her on the front porch steps, brushing her hair from her face.
"It's a brother, pretty girl," I told her softly, watching as she tilted her head at me a bit. "What do you think?"
She smiled, biting her bottom lip. "A boy, like Caleb?"
I nodded, and Edward came to kneel beside us, practically wrapping us up in his arms. "Yup, a boy, just like Caleb," I told her.
"That's okay," she sighed dramatically, which caused us to chuckle, but her warm hand met my belly. "You can't come in my room, 'cause Mommy says no boys allowed," she said loudly. "And I'm still Daddy's co-pilot," she huffed.
A laugh barked out of me, but I looked to Edward. He was looking at his daughter with so much love, it was breathtaking – and slightly heartbreaking, if I were to be honest. We knew that this would be an adjustment for her, that it would be a gradual thing to show her that we loved her just as much as Samuel. Bethy had to learn to share her parents with a little brother, and it probably wouldn't be easy, but at that moment, Edward gave it all to her, because there was no way he could take away the one thing the two of them loved so much. I could see it in his face. He just couldn't.
He placed a hand on her head, leaning in to kiss the top of it. "Of course you are, little sweetness," he whispered to her, because his voice was filled with emotion. "That will never change," he sighed against her hair.
"You'll outrank him," I chuckled, kissing Edward's temple, but tilting Bethy's head up. "You're older, you've been here longer, and you'll be in charge, pretty girl," I explained, giving Edward a second to relax, but he chuckled at the way I'd put it and nodded in agreement.
Bethy's tummy gave a long growl, and we all laughed, but I couldn't help myself.
"Oh, now who's hiding angry bears, huh?" I chuckled, tickling her sides so that she squealed into hysterics, her little face turning pink as she laughed so hard, writhing on my lap.
Edward scooped her up, but gave her a raised eyebrow. "You know what that means, don't you?" he asked her in a low, deep voice, and she shook her head frantically. "It means...you're...growing," he growled, bending her upside down so that he could ravish her belly with raspberries and tickle her with his stubble.
"No, no, no!" she screamed, her whole body squirming and wriggling his his grasp. Her poor face was crimson, but her smile was infectious. "I'm not, Daddy!"
"You are," he accused, making sure his stubbly chin teased her bellybutton just right, and the poor thing couldn't decide whether to curl up or try and get away. He finally righted her, and she sagged in his arms, which caused him to chuckle. "Time to eat, little soldier," he ordered, using his commanding tone.
"Yes, sir," she sighed, still trying to catch her breath. She grasped his face, frowning at him. "No more tickling," she ordered, sounding just like him.
"Yes, ma'am," he laughed, setting her on her feet, but he turned to me once she ran off. "Come on, sweetness. You need to eat, too."
I grinned, kissing his sharp jaw, purring, "Yes, sir."
~oOo~
EDWARD
"Uh...no, I'm so not going shopping on Black Friday," Bella snorted, rolling her eyes, but she pulled Bethy back to her chest as they roasted marshmallows together. "There is nothing on this planet I need to fight a million people in line for."
"I'm just thinking of this computer..." Alice said dreamily. "It's like half price..."
"No, Alice," Jasper and Bella said at the same time.
"You have enough computer equipment," Bella added, kissing the top of Bethy's head when the marshmallows looked done. "Anything you need, we'll talk about after the new year." She pulled the stick from the fire, bouncing Bethy on her knee. "Okay, pretty girl. Have you got our chocolate and graham crackers ready?"
"Yup!" Bethy chirped, eying those golden marshmallows with a look just this shy of a hawk spotting a mouse. In her hands was a paper plate with two sets of crackers and chocolate just waiting to become the warm, gooey mess that only a s'more could be.
I grinned, shaking my head, because my girls loved their snacks – popcorn, chips, candy...s'mores – and I loved them, so it was just about impossible not to kiss them to death when they were up to no good together.
There were less people at the house now. Aunt Kate, Mickey, Obie, and Tom were spending the night, before driving back to Seattle to catch their flight back to Alaska the next day. Alice and Jasper, who only lived right around the corner, were still there, and so were my dad and Esme. Everyone else had gone home or on to other family commitments. But we were all sitting quietly around the fire and roasting marshmallows, most likely for Bethy's sake.
Bella and Bethy were sitting at the foot of the chaise, and I was at the back, just watching them. Actually, I was waiting for one of them to offer up a bite of one of those bad boys, because once they smooshed them together, I had to admit they looked fucking delicious.
"Here, Daddy," Bethy said, crawling up the chaise to my lap. "Want some?"
"Which part?" I chuckled, shaking my head. "The part smeared all over your face, or this hand?" I asked her, holding up her arm that had her s'more in a tight, oozing grip. "You're wearing more of it than you're eating, little sweetness."
She giggled from what used to be my injured leg, holding out her hand, and I took a bite, knowing she wouldn't eat a whole one anyway.
"Definitely gonna need a bath before bed, pretty girl," Bella chuckled, scooting back between my legs and leaning against my chest.
"I've got that," Esme chuckled, having watched the whole exchange. "Finish up, sweet one, and we'll get you cleaned up. It's just about bedtime, right?"
"Right," I said with a nod, taking another bite Bethy offered me. Both my girls giggled when it dripped messily down my chin.
"Nice," Bella chuckled, reaching up to wipe it off with her thumb, only to scoop it into her own mouth.
I smirked at her, shaking my head, because I could practically read her mind – or her darkening eyes, really.
"Shut it, Edward," she huffed, rolling her eyes. "Not letting it go to waste," she muttered, squirming when I tickled her side at the lie.
"All done," Bethy sang, holding up two empty, but chocolatey, sticky hands.
"Don't move, baby," I chuckled, grasping her wrists and standing her up. "Now, let Gamma give you a bath, okay?"
"Okay, Daddy," she agreed, and started toward me for kisses.
"Oh no," I laughed, holding her back. "I'll smooch on you all you want...when you're clean."
She grinned, and it was evil and beautiful, just like her mother when she got a crazy idea. And Bella saw it instantly, bursting into laughter, joined by everyone else at the fire.
"Elizabeth Renee, stop right there," she ordered in a giggle. "Don't do it. It's bad enough I'll be fighting the chocolate stains on your clothes. I don't need a whole load." She popped the last bite of her own dessert into her mouth and stood up from my lap. "Come on, baby. I'll strip you in the laundry room. Plus, I need to get towels and stuff for everyone."
"Bells, we'll see you tomorrow," Alice said, standing up from Jasper's lap and hugging her.
"Yeah, we'll be here in time to see Aunt Kate and Mickey off before they leave," Jasper added, giving me a fist bump.
Everyone at the fire started to get up, following Esme, Bella, and Bethy into the house, leaving just me and my dad.
"Come on, son," he chuckled, standing up. "I'll help you put this fire out."
"I gotta lock up my wood shop, too," I sighed, groaning when I stood, because it had been a long day. A good one, but a really fucking long one.
"Go ahead. I've got this," he said, picking up a bucket of water.
I nodded, ran a hand through my hair, and walked away. I stepped under the awning of my wood shop, taking in the new crib I'd started the minute we'd gotten home from Alaska. Bella had said we could use Bethy's, but it just seemed like something I needed to do. Maybe I just wanted each of my children to have something unique. Bethy's was currently sealed tight down in the basement, and it totally fit her – light wood, sturdy, but ornate.
I ran my hand slowly over the smooth wood, the subtle arch, and down the side. This one would be different – dark stain, simple curves, masculine. I was using teak, instead of the maple that I'd used on Bethy's.
"Damn, that's really good, son," my dad said from the doorway.
"Thanks," I said softly, picking up the tarp to cover it, but stopped. I took one long look at it, and then met my father's eyes. "Why am I more nervous about a boy than I ever was with Bethy?" I asked, practically blurting out the question, because this was the first time we'd had a minute for me to ask, and I felt only he would understand.
He smiled warmly and shook his head. "Because Bethy is an extension of Bella," he answered simply. "You've taken care of Bella since the beginning, so Bethy was easy. Another little damsel in distress, so to speak."
I grinned, huffing a laugh. "I guess."
"Sons are different," he sighed, running his fingers over each little rail. "Not better, or more; just different. They carry on the name, they take longer to figure themselves out, they end up carrying more responsibility on their shoulders, and they need guidance, because they have to become a man, a husband, a father, eventually." He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly, and I realized he was talking about me, not my son that was on the way. "You're nervous, because you don't want to fuck that up."
I snorted and nodded. "Yeah. I just...I don't want him to make the same mistakes I did."
My dad chuckled, locking eyes with me. "That's all I wished for you, you know. But there's something that strokes the ego when your son wants to mimic everything you do." He paused for a moment, leaning on the crib. "Your mother's last request of me was to let you be what you wanted, to just be there for you when you fell. She never wanted to stifle anything about you, Edward. Ever. If you had wanted to play baseball the rest of your life, I'd have been in the fucking stands at every game. Does that make sense?"
I nodded, swallowing back emotions that had been building in me since I'd found out the baby was going to be a Samuel instead of a Samantha, because once Bella and I truly talked names, neither of us could think of anything else but honoring Sam – once again, we were always on the same damn page – but Masen was something she'd surprised me with. My girl was determined to have my history, my name linked on our son somehow, someway.
I tossed the tarp over the crib, and he helped me make sure it was completely covered before speaking again.
"Listen, son," he said, placing a hand on my shoulder. "If you love Samuel even a fucking fraction of how much you love Bethy, you'll be just fine. You are an amazing father, Edward. I'd like to take credit for some of that, but I see Elizabeth in you when you're with Bethy."
I knew he was just exaggerating the example, because even I knew it was written all over my fucking face that I was already lost to Samuel, and he wasn't even here yet. Suddenly, I missed my mother with an all consuming ache, which in turn made me need my wife. I needed to hear her voice telling me everything was okay, that we'd be fine, that I wouldn't fuck this up.
"Liz had to be both father and mother to you while I was overseas, and she did a damn good job," he whispered, squeezing my shoulder. "Don't doubt yourself, son. But if you do, just take a step back and listen to Bella, because she won't let you fuck up. You know that."
"Thanks, Dad," I sighed, reaching up to tug the wood shop door down, locking it.
I took a deep breath and let it out, because he'd helped just like I'd thought he would. We didn't always talk like this when I was younger, but I'd come to realize that as I got older, I was able to tell him shit that no one else would get – things about our jobs, my fears. It may have been just my mother and me for the first part of my growing up, but once she was gone, he'd stepped in better than I think he gave himself credit.
"Mmhm," he hummed, and we walked back toward the house. Once we were inside, he grinned up at me. "I'm totally stealing a turkey sandwich. Don't tell Esme," he whispered, giving me a slap on the back, before diving into the kitchen like it was a black ops mission.
I snorted into a soft laugh, rolling my eyes at him. "You're welcome to stay, but you'll have to bunk on the floor. There's an air mattress in the laundry room."
"Nah, but thanks. We're staying in town. We'll be back tomorrow to see Kate off," he said, not even bothering to remove his head from inside the fridge. "But I'll lock up when we leave."
"Yes, sir," I chuckled, walking through the living room. Tom, Obie, and Mickey were all camped out, watching a movie, and I waved as I passed them by.
My first stop down the hall was Bethy's room. I leaned in the doorway, just watching my girls. Bethy was situated between Bella's legs so that she could brush out our daughter's now clean hair. Bethy's wide yawns and watery eyes told me she was just about done for the day.
"Hi, Daddy," my little one said, yawning again. "I'm clean now."
I grinned, stepping into the room. "Good, because I just wasn't sure how much longer I could live without kisses," I told her with a shrug, sitting down next to Bella, who was chuckling at us.
She set the brush down, and Bethy crawled up on my lap. She grasped my face and kissed my cheek.
"Better now, Daddy?" she asked, tilting her head just a bit, but she yawned widely again.
"Absolutely," I said, grinning at her. "Bedtime, little soldier," I told her, scooping her up, and Bella and I pulled back the covers so that we could set her into bed.
"Yes, sir," she giggled, puckering her lips adorably, and I couldn't resist them.
I pressed my forehead to hers, whispering, "Only sweet dreams, baby."
"'Kay," she sighed, her eyes dropping farther and farther closed. "Love you."
"Love you, too," Bella and I both said, kissing her forehead one at a time.
I could hear Esme and Aunt Kate in the guest room as Bella and I made our way down the hall, laughing like they were lifetime friends. It made me smile, because I was pretty fucking sure that my Aunt Kate missed my mother just as much as my dad and I did, but as she had a tendency to do, Esme was starting to fill that role.
I closed the door to our room, leaning back against it, almost weary with happiness and contentment. Despite having an amazing set of friends and family, despite the beautiful little girl asleep down the hall curled around her Mr. Bunny, and despite the son currently on his way that I could barely wait to meet, my life all boiled down to the woman in front of me at the end of every day.
"You okay, baby?" Bella asked, her brow wrinkling as she kicked off her sneakers and sat down on the edge of the bed. "You look...lost."
I smiled a little and shrugged. "I-I f-feel th-that w-way s-sometimes," I admitted softy, walking to her and tugging my t-shirt off over my head. "Lean back, love. I'll help."
I knew it was getting harder for her to bend down, to do simple things like taking off socks. Touching her toes had gone to the wayside about three weeks ago, something that made her ecstatic and frustrated at the same time.
Bella scooted to the middle of the bed and lifted her feet for me with a giggle. "Thanks," she snickered, when I pulled off each sock and dropped them to the floor, but I didn't stop there.
Gliding my hands slowly up her leggings, I grasped the waistband and removed those, as well, leaving her in an oversized shirt-dress like thing. I reached for the hem of that, too, and Bella chuckled.
"Edward," she chided in a whisper, most likely because we had a house full of fucking people, but I didn't give a shit. My house, my rules, my time, my wife.
"I-I w-want t-to s-see him," I whispered back, and she sobered up, holding her arms up so that I could take her shirt off.
She was wearing a pretty pink underwear set with black lace, and it seemed to be a fan-fucking-tastic representative of her personality. Sweet and naughty, strong and fragile, perfect and flawed – all at the same damn time. And fuck, she was beautiful.
I crawled up her body, bracing one arm by her head and slipping the other underneath her back to scoot her farther up onto the bed. She grinned up at me, biting on her bottom lip, but seemed to be letting me have the moment. I sat back on my heels between her legs, just looking at her.
I raked a thumb lightly over her old scar on her thigh, remembering how this had all started, how I'd obtained the best thing that had ever happened to me. I bent forward, placing a kiss to her ever growing belly and dragging my lips across the scar that was left from Bethy's birth.
"Sweetheart, are you okay?" Bella asked softly, running her fingers through my hair. "Talk to me, baby."
I smiled against her stomach, rubbing my stubble across her sensitive skin and chuckling when she writhed under me with a laugh. "Samuel, tell Mommy that she needs to relax."
Bella grinned down at me, shaking her head.
"Tell her she's the prettiest thing Daddy's ever seen," I whispered, my eyes never leaving the sweet, chocolate brown in front of me. "Tell her that of all the things to give thanks for, it's her."
"Edward," she whispered, reaching for me, but I shook my head, because I wasn't done.
"We aren't perfect, little man," I sighed, closing my eyes as I placed soft, random kisses to her belly. "We're kind of pains in the asses, actually, but we love you already." I smiled at Bella's laughter, but went on. "You can be, do, think, feel whatever you want to, Samuel," I said, remembering saying this very same thing to Bethy at about this stage in Bella's pregnancy. "The world is yours for the taking, pal. And I promise that someone will always have your back."
Apparently, Bella couldn't take it, so she sat up enough to cup my face, only to fall back with me. She kissed me softly, slowly merging into an urgent feel. She tasted my top lip, my bottom lip, her tongue begging for entrance, and I opened up for her, a moan leaving us both as we drank from each other like we'd never kissed before. I shifted my weight to the side of her, not wanting to squish her, and I threaded my fingers into her hair, pulling her head to the side so that I could kiss that sweet spot that drove her crazy.
Warm, wet kisses met the skin of my shoulder, and I pulled back to watch as she pressed her sweet lips to the ink on my chest at the same time her fingers traced the new one on my arm. She liked the significance of it, but I knew fucking deep down that she found that shit sexy, which wasn't a bad thing, either.
I'd told my dad once that I didn't think any woman would ever understand my job, my past, my mistakes. His answer to me echoed back in my head as I watched Bella remind me silently that we could always come back to us, to this, to each other, no matter how overwhelming shit could get. She always seemed to just get it – always seemed to understand that I didn't always have words to express myself in the right way.
My girl and I kissed like two teens making out, but I couldn't stop myself. Slowly, my shoes, my socks, my jeans, and her underwear all hit the floor. Soft laughter ghosted out from us as we tried to be quiet, but teasing hands, nipping teeth, and wet lips caused gasps when certain places were touched a certain way. And that shit wasn't always easy to contain.
I felt my anxiety, my worries, my fears of raising a son ebb away with each kiss, each giggle that I could evoke from Bella. Nothing fucking mattered when we were together, because there wasn't a fucking thing we couldn't get through. And as I finally slipped deep inside of her, my memory echoed back to me again.
"The things I've done…that I've seen…" I grimaced, shaking my head. "No one understands that shit. Fuck, I don't even understand it."
"The right woman…she'll take that all away," my dad said sagely.
God, he was so fucking right.
A/N... Yeah...I was kind of a mess writing this. I'm even worse with the epilogue as far as my emotions go, but I'm giving you the longest epi I've ever written on any story. There were a fair amount of loose ends.
Okay, first... Who's got quarters? Because the cook in the kitchen is too much to resist. LOL Second... IT'S A BOY! :D Samuel Masen Cullen will make his appearance in the epi, I promise you guys, so don't worry.
My thank yous – the really long ones – will be at the end of the final chapter. But I need to thank my usual suspects. JenRar for beta'ing this for me. GooberLou for ever so much more than pre-reading. And MedusaInNY, who is currently MIA, and I miss you like crazy, but thanks for all the stuff you do.
My goal is to have the epi done by Wednesday, which is probable, because it's almost done. (See? Told you I've been dragging my feet!) Anyway, please, PLEASE let me know what you think, and I'll see you most likely Wednesday. Until then... Later! :)