Bella

Proud tears rolled down my face as I watched my daughter graduate, she even managed to make the shiny horrid maroon robe look good as she walked onto the stage to accept her diploma. Edward was stood up; aiming the camera at Ness's smiling face.

He sat back down with a soft huff and showed me the screen on the camera. 'Good huh?' I nodded, looking at Ness's wide smile and shining eyes. She had her whole life in front of her and I could see she couldn't wait to face her future.

Seth was next to Edward taking his own pictures; he was tracking Ness's every step with a wide grin. That kid had been through so much, the death of his father, his sister's subsequent disappearance and then his mother – she had clung to him in her despair. All this made him a man before any child had a right to be, I didn't blame Sue however, I don't know how I would have coped with all she had had to deal with.

All this could have made Seth bitter; resentful of life but that was never the case. He was an incredible boy, a perfect foil for my impulsive and darned right trying daughter.

I was so relieved to know they would be heading off to U Dub together. I had seen the strain their impending separation was having on them, Seth and Ness's devotion to each other never faltered but neither relished the prospect of spending so much time apart.

Then a miracle happened, Sue met someone, someone who completely swept her off her feet and saw her moving into his house within months of getting together. Stony faced Sue with her very definite code of morals seemed the last person in the world to get carried away by love – but that's what happened.

And the lucky guy?

None other than Mr Banner, a colleague of Edward's.

He'd taught science when I was at high school and I could hardly believe he was still boring kids with that mitosis stuff when Edward mentioned him one day.

Edward wanted to invite him to thanksgiving dinner last year; he was on his own and let's face it Edward was a soft touch. Ness had invited Seth and his mom seeing as they were on their own too – and the rest as they say was history. It had been both lovely and a little disturbing to see them flirting over the turkey. Seth had seemed particularly traumatised by the events unfolding in front of him.

Mr Banner was a good man though, a little lacking in the sense of humour department but then if I was honest so was Sue. For two such staid people their relationship progressed quickly, stunning us all with their frequent public displays of affection. I won't lie seeing old Banner giving Sue the tongue still haunts me a little.

With his mom's future secured Seth was free to live his own life; a scholarship to U Dub, a school Ness was also accepted to was the icing on the cake. Ness and Seth were lost in their own rosy bubble of happiness for the last few months, even her snark was mostly curbed. Never completely gone of course, she still just had to tease Edward and myself at least once a day.

I felt Edward's hand reach out and cover mine; I turned to smile lovingly at him. I was ridiculously head over heels with this man, there was no point fighting it.

'How are you feeling?'

'I'm good.' Our entwined fingers made their way to my small bump, barely visible beneath my loose fitting top.

After Alice had her baby and we decided that was want we wanted as well, birth control was abandoned. Edward, never a slacker in his attentions, enthusiastically applied himself at every opportunity. I thought fondly back to how he once cornered me in the laundry room and I had a very good time as the washing machine went into spin cycle.

But after six months I began to fret a little, I was getting on and maybe this just wasn't going to happen for us. Edward was my constant reassurance; he was forever telling me he loved me. Ness would be leaving for college soon, and although I tried to hide it I knew it would leave a gaping hole in my life.

Then four months ago it happened, I missed my period. I had none of the morning sickness I suffered with Ness but I purchased a home test anyway. Waiting for the result was torture, I decided not to tell Edward till it was positive and three minutes later I had the news I longed for – pregnant. My heart felt ready to thud out of my chest and I had to sit down on the floor to calm myself. When Edward came home that's how he found me – manic grin with the test in a death grip in my fingers.

'Bella?' I had looked up and literally leaped into his arms.

'We're having a baby,' I whispered in his ear. Ness had come into the room, eyebrows raised at me in Edward's arms, we were both grinning like complete lunatics with the pregnancy test in between us.

'EW you peed on that,' was Ness's only comment as we pulled her into our little family hug.

Ness was overjoyed at the prospect of being an older sibling; she kept throwing around words like mentor and wisdom. If I was honest those words scared me more than a little.

Life was kind of perfect – maybe I was jinxing myself even thinking those words but screw it.

Even Em, who was always happy and joking anyway, was now practically living on cloud nine. I swear I actually saw his feet levitate from the ground when Rose agreed to move into his place.

The graduation ceremony wound up, Ness gave a one last disdainful look towards some girls who looked like lady gaga clones before she made her way towards us.

'Let's get out of here. I'm free at last and it's time to let loose and go wild.' She looked at each one of us with a wide grin.

'Or in your case a trip to the diner,' I laughed.

'Woohoo – living in the fast lane now.' Ness grabbed Seth's hand and pulled him along to the car muttering 'the fun never ends round here.'

Ness's graduation present was waiting for her at home. I was pretty certain she had no idea about the truck Edward and I had bought her. It wasn't fancy but it was reliable and would allow her to get around at college. The red beast was also practically indestructible, which had to be a good thing when Ness was the one driving it.

Emmett, Rose, Alice and Jasper, along with the rapidly growing Sophie - who grew more gorgeous with every passing day, joined us in celebrating Ness's graduation. We all met back at the house where Ness's squeals could probably be heard in the next state over when she saw the truck.

'Oh my god, seriously is this mine? It's like the ugliest thing ever. I love it, I love it, I love it,' she enthused. Seth was coerced into dancing round the truck with her, he kept casting pleading glances at us but everybody was too busy laughing.

Emmett had set up a barbeque in the back yard, all the men were reverting to cavemen, a lot of grunting could be heard while they stared at the flames. Suddenly an image of them all in loin cloths dancing round fire entered my head ... mmm Edward in a loin cloth, my mind digressed.

The day was fun but all too soon Ness and Seth had to be off, they were going camping along with a few other friends to celebrate their freedom. Ness wasn't exactly a roughing it kind of girl and insisted on me buying as much stuff from Newton's to make her trip as comfortable as possible.

I heard her muttering beneath her breath as she tried to put the pack on her back. There was a moment when I wasn't sure if she was going to be to keep her balance, she rocked on her feet precariously until Seth reached out to steady her.

'Ness you are going to have to take some stuff out, you can't even stand up let alone walk.' They disappeared back inside, Ness pouting and moving awkwardly under the great weight of her pack before Seth finally freed her from it.

We waved them off, Emmett unable to resist a parting 'don't do anything I wouldn't do.'

Edward was holding Sophie in his arms, 'I can't believe soon we are going to have one of these.' He looked up at me with eyes such an intense green it caused a lump to form in my throat, I don't think I had ever seen a more content, blissfully happy person, except maybe when I looked in the mirror.

'I know,' I smiled up at him and was rewarded with a darkening of his eyes, an unmistakable sigh that he wanted to get me alone. My burgeoning figure only seemed to inflame an already insatiable Edward. Not that I was complaining – no siree.

Everybody drifted off and we were finally alone. Edward's hands stroked slowly over my shoulders, slipping the silky material of my top down one arm. He lowered his head, warm lips caressing the skin he exposed while his fingers were occupied in undoing the rest of the buttons along the front. My head lolled back at the delicious feeling of Edward sucking and nipping on my over sensitive flesh.

'So soft, so beautiful,' he murmured in that husky voice I loved. His hands ran along the edge of my top before gently lifting it over my head, he stood back looking at the infinitesimal swell that rose above the waistband of my skirt.

'Mine,' he breathed. There was so much awe in that word that I could do nothing else but smile

'Will you still feel that way when they are crying at god only knows what time in the morning, or when there are nappies to change that smell worse than anything else you can ever imagine? I raised my eyebrow in challenge but Edward just nodded.

'Especially then.' There was just arguing with this man.

'I love you.' Edward's grin widened and the sexy gleam in his eye returned tenfold. He stalked towards me but I put my hand on his chest.

'Okay before you get too carried away I suggest we adjourn to the bedroom, I really don't want any more injuries.' Edward pouted - damn he even looked adorable doing that, before gnashing his teeth playfully at my neck.

'Do hickeys count as injuries?'

'Hickeys? Edward, you are worse than a teenager.'

'I can't help it – you're just so biteable, especially ...' he patted my rear and I rolled my eyes but not before a distinctly girly giggle left my mouth.

'Last one there is a rotten egg,' I yelled as I dashed up the stairs.

'It's worth coming last if I get to watch your ass,' Edward called back.

Before I knew what was happening I was naked, my fingers digging into Edward's firm shoulders as I tried to calm my hectic breathing.

Edward lifted his head, eyes soft and hazy from his recent orgasm. 'Mmm you always smell so good and you taste even better.'

I couldn't help but chuckle. 'Thanks?'

'Welcome,' he beamed.

Threading my fingers through his chaotic hair I pulled his face down to mine, claiming in his lips in a gentle kiss.

Edward rolled me over suddenly and I felt a sharp nip on my bottom.

'Edward!' I shrieked.

'You know you love it.' He rolled me back, his grinning face hovering over mine.

Sighing, a reluctant smile tugged at my lips, because I really did – I loved it all.