So, my dears, this is the last chapter before the epilogue… it's sad to see this come to an end, but it is. Fret not, however because I have one story that I am already working on. The next chapter of Silent Sweetheart should be up soon! ;) Love ya'll! On with the story…

EPOV:

"I have big news." Bella sang as she walked into the kitchen, a big smile on her face.

I pulled her close and looked at her quizzically. "And what might that be?" I asked and kissed her wedding ring.

"Remember when Dolly Parton asked me to perform at the Grand Ole Opry?" She asked me, literally bouncing with excitement by the time her sentence was finished.

I laughed and nodded.

She pulled away from me to look at my face. "Guess who is going a two weeks!"

My mouth fell open. "No way, Bella, that's great, baby." I told her and gave her a tight hug.

She giggled. "I know right? I am so freaking excited right now!"

I laughed. "With good reason, baby; we should celebrate."

It had been three months since little Emmalyn's birth. Bella had constantly been begging Rosalie and Emmett to let her baby sit. No one loved that little girl as much as Bella, except for her actual parents. I couldn't wait until it was our child Bella was acting that way with. She hadn't gotten pregnant yet. We were trying though. She never stopped hoping though, and that's what I loved about her.

"So, when do you go?" I asked her as I grabbed two bottles of beer from the fridge.

"September eighth." She answered and smiled, taking the bottle of beer from my hands.

She had been working so hard lately. Between her book tours, singing tours, and interviews, she was basically going crazy. Add my football into the mix; we rarely spent any time together. It was hard, but we made it work. We had been to as many functions as we could together to prove that we were still very much in love. There had already been rumors of a divorce, which caused Bella to just laugh and roll her eyes.

I took a swig of beer and Bella stepped closer, placing a hand on my chest and looking up at me.

"You know, I think I could come up with a really good way for us to celebrate." She said and smiled softly.

"Really? Well, Mrs. Cullen, care to share?"

She giggled and gave me a deep kiss.

*~~~BWCY~~~*

I watched as Bella from backstage as she sang on the stage, just her and her guitar as she belted out her rendition of a Waylon Jennings classic. I noticed that she was so much more at ease than she usually was, and that was when I realized what her real dream was. This, this was it. She didn't want the bright lights, thousands of fans screaming her name, the loud back ground music. She wanted the classic southern sweetheart that everyone in sixties and seventies loved. She wanted her guitar and the real country music.

I loved every part of her. I loved the country rock star. I loved the country pop star. I loved the true country classic girl. I loved her more than anything in the world. She was the only thing that mattered.

As she finished her song, the fans started clapping louder, and I saw Merle Haggard walking across the stage towards her. She turned, and is aw her eyes fill with tears.

BPOV:

I turned as the clapping got louder and saw none other than Merle Haggard. My hand flew to my mouth, and I fought to keep my knees and legs straight. I loved Merle Haggard. He was my dad's favorite singer, so I grew up with him. His songs were just so true, and they were so real.

He walked up to me, and I noticed how old he was getting. Granted, I still loved him. I gave him a hug, careful not to hug him to hard.

"Well, Mrs. Cullen, we, here at the Grand Ole Opry, have a question for you."

No way, now freaking way; this could not be freaking happening to me. No way was he asking what I think he was asking.

"Other members here feel that we would like to add you to our family, what do you think darlin'? He asked.

I tried not to let out the sob that was trying to escape my throat. "That would be so awesome." I said and nodded.

He smiled at me in a grandfatherly way. He was so cute. Two people came out holding a wooden plaque with my name and a record on it. Pictures were taken, and Merle and I walked backstage.

"It was such an honor meeting you, really. I grew up listening to you sing, and I just really love your music." I said and smiled.

He smiled back at me. "Just remember how you feel now. Don't forget your fans. They put you where you are today." He said.

I nodded. "Thank you, so much." I said and gave him another hug.

Merle looked at Edward and smiled. "Nice game, Sunday."

"Thank you, sir." Edward said and shook his hand.

That night Edward and I got home, and I got to thinking about how lucky I was. I had everything I had ever wanted, well almost everything. But I knew that it was in God's hands. I couldn't take anything I had for granted. I loved Edward, my friends, and family. I have been so blessed.

Ever since we started trying for a baby, Edward and I had gotten so much closer. Instead of the tears and fails adding tension to us, we just use that as more ammunition. And we know that we have no control over what may or may not happen. We accepted that. We only got one life, and we were going to live it to the absolute fullest.

I picked up my guitar and started to play. I didn't think of words are which chords would sound best next. I just played what I felt. It varied from major to minor, and it somehow felt right to me. I let the music course through my veins. I let the melody sink in as the chords made their way to my very soul. What I had felt that day was like nothing I had ever felt at all.

It was just me and my guitar. There was a stage and one spotlight on me. The crowd was loud, but not as loud as they usually are. That was my heaven. That was why I started in the first place.

It was like what my daddy always said:

Music doesn't need lyrics, Bell. One day, you'll hear a song with no words, and it'll speak to you as if it is a form of God's voice.

The adrenaline, the pure feeling of just being, I relished in it. I craved that feeling again. The only other feeling that surpasses it is when I'm with Edward.

Edward. I looked down at his sleeping form, lying on the sofa next to me, not even bothered by my playing. I hummed a little tune, nothing more than that. I closed my eyes, and slowly stopped strumming the chords. Soon, like Edward, I was also asleep.

The next morning, I went into the kitchen and wrapped my arms around Edward from behind, resting my cheek against his bare back.

"Good morning." I said softly.

He turned and pulled me closer. "That it is, Mrs. Cullen," he said and kissed my nose.

I giggled.

*~~~BWCY~~~*

Holy crap, holy crap, holy crap; please let it be positive. Please be positive. I paced around the master bathroom, waiting for the results. I stopped after about a minute, and sat on the toilet, my head between my knees.

I had been three days late, and thank God Edward didn't notice. I just didn't want to get him worried. If it was positive, I would tell him. If I wasn't, he would never have to know, simple as that. You wish it was that simple. I told the voice in my head to shut up as I waiting another minute for the results.

When the time was up, I looked at the results and breathed out for the first time in that time frame.

"Holy fucking crap," I muttered.

A knock on the door interrupted me. "Baby, you in there," Edward asked on the other side of the door.

Crap! He was not supposed to be home yet. Okay, Bella, be a woman and just tell him. I took a deep breath and tried to calm down. When I opened the door, Edward was looking at me with worried eyes.

"You okay, you've been in there since I got home."

I nodded. "Yea, I'm great." I said and smiled, biting my lip as I held the test behind my back.

Edward looked like he was about to say something, but he stopped as he looked at something that was behind my head. I turned my head around and saw the pregnancy test box. Shit! I was supposed to pick that up. This was not how I planned on doing this.

"You need to tell me something, babe?" He asked with raised eyebrows.

I nodded and took another deep breath. "!" I said quickly.

Edward looked at me with his eyebrows pulled together. "What?"

"I said, I took a test and it said that I was pregnant." I said softly.

Edward's lips pulled into a smiled. "Seriously?"

I laughed and nodded as I showed him the test. "Seriously."

YAY! A baby! So, the next chapter will be the last chapter and will also be long a long chapter, just a fore warning. So, what did you think? And what do you think they should name the little baby? Hehe!

-Layn

TWITTER: evangelvamp511 or LaynEvln