AN: Special thanks to the wonderful ladies that helped us so much on our journey. Without them we may never have gotten this first fic written and it certainly wouldn't have looked this pretty so thank you to Mana, SaraBeth and Jan for pre-reading and to our Beta kitchmill who took on some newbies and not only made our story better, but made us better writers. You ladies are better than chocolate… even chocolate with caramel inside.

I'll save the rest for the bottom…

BPOV

I sit looking through our photo album and can't believe how different things are since Edward and I honeymooned in Hawaii.

I sure wouldn't wear any of those tiny bikinis now, not while I'm thirty-eight weeks pregnant with our first child. That's just one of the changes that have taken place over the last three and a half years.

Tonight will be our first night in our home that we built on Edward's—well our—land. We hated to leave Atlanta, but wanted to raise our children here in a real home.

Edward is out right now with Emmett adding a few touches outside. Esme, Rose and Alice just left after helping me with the final details in the house, including finishing the nursery. Everyone has been so wonderful with helping us with this move and getting everything put away and settled since I can't do very much. Or at least Edward won't let me do very much.

I put the pictures away and think it'll be nice if I have some lunch waiting for Edward and Emmett when they come inside. As I get up, I stretch out my sore muscles. My back has been aching all day, but I don't dare tell Edward or he'll have me in bed.

I go into our new gourmet kitchen and mentally thank Esme once again for making sure we're well stocked with groceries. I pull out things and set about making sandwiches. As I slice and layer, the ache in my back gets worse and worse. When Edward gets inside, I'm going to try to lie down for a while.

About that time the door opens and Edward and Emmett are talking. Edward calls out for me, and I let him know I'm in the kitchen.

"Hey, pretty girl. The house looks great. I hope you didn't do too much."

"Nope. I barely did anything. Your mom and the girls did most of it. I sat and held Joshua and tried to keep Emma and Luke entertained."

Emmett's stuffing his face with some chips I laid out but stops long enough to ask about his kids. "Did they give ya'll a hard time? Was Rose in a bad mood when they left?"

Rose and Emmett have three children. They wasted no time in filling their house. Luke is the oldest, Emma was born right before Luke turned one and little Joshua is only three months old. I have no idea how Rose does it, but she's an amazing mom. I only hope to be half as good as she and Esme are.

I smile at Emmett's fear of his wife. Rose definitely rules the roost at their home. "Nah, she was good. I think Esme is going to take Luke and Emma for a while so Rose can get a break. Maybe get a nice bath while Joshua is napping."

Emmett actually fist pumps the air. "Yes! Thank you, Mama. I bet I'm gonna get lucky tonight."

Edward pops him in the shoulder. "What've we said about oversharin'?"

I just laugh at their antics.

"How are ya feelin'? You look tired." Edward looks to me with concern etched on his features. Before I can answer him, a pain rips across my stomach and I gasp. "Pretty girl, what's goin' on? Are ya okay?" He's by my side in an instant.

I have my hands on my stomach and it feels like a rock. After a few seconds, the pain lets up and I breathe out and turn to Edward. "I'm okay. That may have been a contraction, but it might've been Braxton Hicks. I'm only thirty-eight weeks so it could be nothing." I lean over to kiss him.

"Well, let's go get you checked out." Of course he wants to go to the hospital right away.

"No. Let's give it some time. We're not even sure if I'll have any more," I tell him, trying to be reasonable.

Edward wants to argue, but changes his mind and huffs out a breath instead. "Okay. At least let's get ya lyin' down on the couch or bed."

I agree to make him happy. Plus, my back does still really hurt. We start to head into the living room, and before we get far another pain hits.

This time Emmett speaks up. "Listen, I could probably deliver this baby if I need to, but I figure with your first one you wanna be at the hospital. So unless ya'll want to chance me havin' to, we should get goin' 'cause your contractions are only four and a half minutes apart."

"You timed 'em?" Edward asks.

"Well yeah. I'm a pro at this now," he answers Edward then turns to me. "Bella, do you have your bag ready?"

I'm kind of shocked at my brother-in-law right now. "Yeah my bag's been in the back of our car. I went ahead and got it ready since all the books I've been reading talk about that."

Another pain hits.

"Edward, help your wife. Let's get her to the car and go," Emmett says, taking charge.

Edward helps me into the car and sits with me in the back. The farther down the road we go the contractions seem to be getting faster and more intense.

"Wow, Bella, you're movin' fast. Don't worry. If you needa start pushin', let me know and I'm sure I can deliver you just fine," Emmett says like it's no big deal.

Suddenly, I'm not so impressed with him.

"Em, there's no way you're deliverin' our baby. Just drive faster." Edward is starting to lose what little calm he has.

"It's not a big deal, Edward. I was there when all three of mine were born. I watched what the doctors did. I even told Rosie she should just have our next one at home."

Even though I'm in pain, I still can't resist asking him about this because I know my girl. "What did Rose have to say about that?"

"Uh, well, she wasn't too keen on it," he avoids answering.

"I bet. What did she really say?" I need to know. Plus, it helps keep my mind off this pain ripping through me.

He sighs. "She made me sleep on the couch for three nights and then said when I, uh, let her shove an orange through my pee hole with no pain meds then she might agree to havin' a baby at home."

Both Edward and I can't help but laugh. And if I know Rose—which I do—I'm sure she didn't use those exact words either.

I shut up real quick though when another pain hits. I can't believe this is happening so fast. I'm really not prepared for this. After that contraction passes, I ask Emmett to please be sure to call everyone as soon as he can to let them know what's going on.

About that time we pull up to the hospital. Thank goodness. Emmett drops Edward and me off at the door and says he'll park and make his way to the waiting room. Then he wishes us good luck, though he seems to be looking more at Edward than me.

Once Edward helps me inside, I'm quickly ushered into a wheelchair and taken to the labor and delivery floor. The nurse helps me get into the gown and settled into bed. She is just getting the IV into place when Dr. Hunter comes in.

When I first met Tanya, as she prefers to be called, I knew right away I wanted her to be my doctor. She's a beautiful strawberry blonde in her mid-forties that has a way about her that makes me feel relaxed and at peace. We were very fortunate to find her. We had an appointment with Rose's regular OB and Tanya was filling in for her that day.

"Well, Bella, it looks like your baby is as impatient as you and your husband seem to be. Let's see how far along you are." The nurse helps me get into position while Tanya puts on gloves and lubes up her hand.

Poor Edward looks like he's going to pass out. I squeeze his hand and Tanya checks my cervix. It's painful and doesn't help that the contractions are so steady now.

As Tanya pulls her hand away and removes the glove, she shocks us. "Bella, it looks like your wee one is even more impatient than I thought. You're already eight centimeters. You'll be ready to push within an hour."

"Oh, well we better hurry with that epidural then." All of this has moved so fast and the pain is so intense I'd even be okay if they'd just knock me out.

Tanya brushes some hair from my face and looks at me in a way that I know I'm not going to like what she has to say. "I'm sorry, but you're too far along for an epidural. I can give you something through your IV to take the edge off, but you're past the point for the epi. You've just moved too fast. I'm sorry."

"No. It's not too late. Edward, tell her it's not too late. I always planned on an epidural. I came as soon as I felt contractions. I need the epidural. Please!" I'm full on panicking because I know I can't do this without pain relief.

"I'm so sorry. I wish things had gone the way you wanted, but I've found that's rarely ever the case with babies. You can do this. I'll be back in fifteen minutes." Tanya leaves, and suddenly I don't like her at all.

"Edward, go find us a different doctor. I don't believe her. Please. I can't do this."

I should feel bad because poor Edward looks heartbroken and I know seeing me in pain is killing him, but I am in pain, and as awful as it sounds, I really don't care about his feelings right now. I only care about making the pain stop.

"Listen, pretty girl, I'd take your pain away in a second if I could. You're the strongest person I know. You can do this. Just imagine holdin' our sweet baby after it's over. If anyone can bring this baby out safely, it's you. I know because you're gonna be the best mama ever." The man has a way with words.

True to what Tanya said, in a little less than an hour I'm pushing our baby into the world. Overall it's a great experience, even without the epidural.

Well, I may threaten Edward a time or two, and he actually cups his junk once after a particularly long rant on my part. But as soon as we hear the sweetest cry we've ever heard, every curse word, every threat, every ounce of pain melts away.

Our daughter, Grace Harper Cullen, is born weighing in at a tiny six pounds, five ounces and is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.

After we're moved to a private room and the nurse helps me feed her, it's finally time to introduce her to the family.

Thankfully, we're able to get a large private room which I'm sure has something to do with who Edward and I are. Our town is so small it doesn't even have a hospital, but Rose always comes to this one so we trust her judgment, and they've treated us wonderfully so far.

We definitely need space as our family piles in. It's hard to believe there are so many of us now. Carlisle and Esme rush in followed by Emmett and Rose with their three children. Charlie and his new girlfriend Sue aren't far behind.

My dad and mom divorced a couple years ago, and just last year he took a job here as a deputy for the Pike County sheriff's department. He moved here before we even moved back, but with new fishing buddies in Carlisle and Emmett, and only an hour drive from us, he thought it was a smart move.

I have to say I am glad he did.

He met Sue after he moved here and they're perfect for each other. She is wonderful and so sweet—exactly what my dad needs after years of living with my mother.

Jasper and Alice show up about twenty minutes later. They'd already made it back to Atlanta by the time they got the call. They're in the process of planning the wedding of the century, which will take place in Atlanta three months from now. It took them years to work things out, but through everything they stayed in contact and could never deny the draw they have to each other.

After Alice finished college, she couldn't stand to be all the way across country anymore. She moved to Atlanta last year and decided it was time to make some changes and give her and Jasper a real shot. She's lucky he wasn't taken, but I think he always knew she'd come back to him.

"Bella, you did an amazing job. Look at this little sweetie," Alice coos, looking to Grace.

"Congratulations, you two," Jasper says, shaking Edward's hand and giving me a smile.

"Thank you," I say to them both.

Alice has never been much of a baby person, but I'm sure it won't be long before she and Jasper add to the family, once they marry.

"Oh, Em, look. She's so tiny. None of ours were this small." Rose has complained many times about having nine-pound babies. It's her own fault for choosing Emmett, who's huge. Of course his babies are going to come out half grown.

Esme is over the moon that she has yet another grandchild to spoil. Even Carlisle can't help but shed a few tears every time he holds one for the first time.

Charlie is the best one to see though. This is his first grandchild, and it's amazing to see him with her. It's just more proof of how different he is. He holds her like she's made of the most fragile crystal while whispering sweet words to her about life, love and even fishing. It's something to behold and makes me surer than ever that I was right in forgiving him and letting him into our life.

I finally persuade everyone to leave and go get something to eat. I love everyone, but I could use some time off from the party that's happening in my room. Plus, I really just want to spend some time with my husband and snuggle with my baby. Edward says he will be right back after he walks everyone out.

Everyone says they will be back the next day.

Sue runs out and grabs Edward and I something to eat before everyone leaves. I force Edward to eat while I feed Grace again. He eats faster than I've ever seen him.

He wheels the bed tray over so I have a place to put things then brings the bag of food.

"Thank you. I'm starving."

He carefully takes Grace and hands me the bag. "Eat, baby. You've worked hard today. I'll hold the little angel here while you do. Her daddy wants some time with her anyway." He never takes his eyes off the baby while he says this.

He sits with Grace while I devour the food he brought.

Two days later, we're finally going home. I can't wait to get Grace settled in. The hospital and staff have been great, but nowhere is like home.

Edward asks everyone to give us some time to get settled before coming over. Carlisle, Esme, Charlie and Sue will be bringing dinner later. Everyone else makes plans to stop in tomorrow.

The first thing I notice when we get inside is a huge bouquet of gorgeous flowers.

"Who are those from? They're beautiful." I have no idea who would have sent something that elaborate.

"They're from Marcus. He also sent a gift card for us."

"That was really sweet. I'm so glad we stayed with him. He really is a good guy. New Moon is doing better than ever under him. Especially with Caius gone." I can't help but giggle just thinking of why Caius is gone.

Edward looks at me knowing how I get every time his name is mentioned. "You may as well laugh it out, pretty girl. You know you're goin' to anyway."

He's right. Thankfully Grace is still in her car seat and sleeping soundly, so I cover my mouth to try to muffle the laughter. "Sorry, but it's just so funny. Who would've thought he'd get busted for having a sex tape with Jessica and Lauren, of all people, and that they'd be snorting coke off each other on camera? I still have no idea how that tape got out, but I'm so happy it did. Marcus was able to get rid of Caius with no trouble after that."

Edward snickers too. "I almost felt bad for 'em all 'til they came out in interviews still pushin' the blame around and not acceptin' any responsibility. I was glad to see the girls finally go to rehab after everythin' went down. I hope it worked out for 'em."

I can't help but kiss him. "You're such a good man."

I turn and see another gift. This one is a basket full of blankets, onesies and bibs. I peek at the card that's lying on top. I chuckle when I see who it's from. "Oh my goodness. I still can't believe Emily and Aro are together. So odd. At least that makes things easier for us I guess … one team representing us both now."

Pure Religion and I each released another two albums after we were married. The tours were much smaller in area traveled and production.

My new concert performances were just me, my songs and my music with some accompanying instruments. No dancers, sexy outfits or erotic moves. The arenas were still packed, and my fan base didn't drop any.

We both had great album sales and concert draws for both albums, but decided it was time to try a different path. Emmett wanted to stay home with Rose and the kids, and it turns out he felt a different calling. He is now in Seminary school studying to be a pastor. As silly as he can be, it seems like this is something that actually suits him very well.

Jasper decided he wanted to get more hands on in the behind the scenes stuff. We sat around and talked about it and decided to go in together and open our own studio.

Alice and Jasper each own twenty-five percent, while Edward and I own another twenty-five together and the same for Rose and Emmett. We just opened the doors six months ago, but with Alice's business savvy and Jasper's music experience, it's doing incredibly well.

It's based in Atlanta.

Edward and I are there when needed, but for the most part we still do what we love doing. And now have a studio we can depend on for any musical creations we may want to record. We both write music. Sometimes we perform the songs ourselves and sometimes we just sell them. We've actually been up for a couple of awards. So far we haven't snagged any, but it's still pretty cool that we're even nominated.

Honestly though, singing with Edward is better than any award. Every time we get in a studio together it's like magic.

Grace starts to stir. Edward goes over to get her before I can even take one step. He's already so wrapped around her tiny little fingers.

"Hi, baby. How's my girl? Did you sleep good? Are you hungry? You want Mama?"

It's so adorable to watch him with her. I didn't know I could love this man any more, but my love for him has grown just over these last few days.

He hands her over to me, and I coo at her as I get her situated on my breast.

"I love that," he says while watching me get her settled to eat.

"You just love my boobs. You always have." I wink at him.

"I do, but seein' you give her life like that? It really is beautiful. You're amazin'. Thank you so much for lovin' me, marryin' me and now givin' me this sweet angel." He softly strokes his fingers along her head.

Didn't I tell him my hormones are all whacked out? Tears are streaming down my face. "Well, I could say the same to you, ya know. Though I'd like to think she's a gift to us both, not just you." I smile so he knows I'm teasing about the last part.

Grace finishes eating, and Edward is quick to take her to burp and change her. He's already an amazing dad. After he puts her down, he comes over to sit with me. I curl up next to him. We know we better enjoy our quiet time while we can.

"Did you call your mama?" He hesitantly asks.

I know well enough not to expect anything. And it doesn't even hurt anymore when she proves to have no interest. But I do try to live a more Christian life since marrying Edward, and I am so blessed having him, his wonderful family and even my dad. And now with Grace I really do have it all. I suppose in some ways I almost feel bad for her because she'll never know love like I do.

"Yeah, I called her before I left the hospital."

"How'd it go?" He pulls me a little tighter, as if to protect me from whatever he fears she said.

"It wasn't too bad actually. I told her about Grace. She told me she's remarried and apologized for being a terrible mother. She said she's sure I'll be much better than she ever was. Then she said goodbye. It was kind of sad because it really felt like she was saying goodbye forever this time. I think maybe I won't call her again, and if she ever wants, she can be the one to make the call this way."

"I'm sorry, baby." He really wishes he could give me the world, and that includes the perfect mother.

"I know. It's okay though. She chose her own path, and I chose mine. Thanks to you, I have my dad again and have the world's best mother."

He looks at me questioningly.

"Your mom. I love her like my mother. She has been there for me almost since the day we met. I can't ever thank you enough for giving me a family." I kiss him softly.

He looks deeply into my eyes. "It's crazy to think that this all started over a tour I didn't even wanna go on. I'm glad my brothers insisted on it. I can't imagine my life without you."

"I know. To think everything in our lives changed in those nine months, and now everything has changed again in nine more months."

"Maybe nine's our lucky number. So what ya think … nine babies sound like a good number?"

I cock my eyebrow at him then see he's teasing. Or at least he better be. "Sure, nine sounds good. As long as you give birth to the rest of them." I smirk at him because I know I won this round.

Grace makes a tiny cry from her bassinette. Edward jumps up. "I got her."

I watch him get our daughter and know what a lucky woman I truly am.

All thanks to a crazy idea for music tour.

AN: Writing this story has been a blast. I have been in this fandom for years and never thought I would be brave enough to actually write anything. Then Fyre came to me with this idea and we went for it.

We didn't really expect much, but you have all really and truly blown us away. We can't express enough how grateful we are. You are the reason we have gone on to write Smoke on the Water and Blame it on the Mistletoe. We even have other ideas and stories we are hoping to bring to you soon and that's all thanks to you. So make sure you have us on alert. ;)

One more epi to go after this. Hopefully it will close any holes and answer any questions you still have. If not we aren't saying no to possible outtakes in the future so if there's something you would like to see… maybe even something between characters other than Edward and Bella… let us know.

Lastly… Special thanks to Fyrebyrd. She is by far the best writing partner I could ask for. At times we are like night and day, but we always make things work and I think our differences make us better. She is the one with most of the ideas and the brain behind our duo. She's amazing and lovely and you would think she's been writing for years. She's a natural. I'm happy to be the Pinky to her Brain, the Garfunkel to her Simon, Oats to her Hall, the jelly to her peanut butter, the salt to her tequila… (*sniff sniff* Thanks Lissa, ~Fyre)

Until next time, thanks so much for all the love and support. Fyre will be doing the AN for the last epi so…

XOXOXOXO,

Lissa