Well...obviously, it's not Friday. But as you'll know if you read the blog, or follow me on Twitter, or post on Twilighted's OTT thread, this chapter ended up taking on a bit of a life of its own. My average chapter length is around 4500 words; this one is over 9300. Hehe! You'll see why.

So to that end, I won't hold you from it any longer, except to say that, you know, Twilight still belongs to SMeyer and I'm not so much SMeyer.

-o-

Jasper

8 months later – a few days before Thanksgiving

The roar of the plane's engines has quieted and we are at cruising altitude. Though it's the middle of the day, Edward has already passed out beside me. We are headed to Austin on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, to celebrate the holiday with my parents. Rosalie and Emmett will fly in tomorrow, with Brandon and Gabriel.

Edward's face is relaxed and peaceful, and I chuckle at how he nods off as soon as we get into the air, on every flight; then my face sobers as I think back to the first time we flew to Austin together. He didn't sleep on the plane that day.

He rubbed his sweaty hands on his pantlegs, one leg bouncing as we sat in on the tarmac in Salt Lake City, waiting for the plane to take off for Austin. He had barely said a word all day, not since we'd woken up early and taken a cab to SeaTac Airport. His face was pale and drawn, his jaw tight; he answered questions with a nod or a few words, and didn't initiate conversation. If I hadn't known better I'd have been concerned that he was ill. But I did know better, and I knew exactly what was causing his behavior today.

In short, he was terrified.

It had been nearly two months since Edward and I had reconciled, and things had been absolutely blissful between us. We'd spent as much free time together as possible, and burned up the phone lines when Edward had to travel out of town for work. Our relationship grew better and better; and we hadn't had an argument or even a serious annoyance since our reunion.

But today, he was going to meet my parents, along with Rosalie, Emmett and the boys. We were flying to Austin to help celebrate my dad's birthday and Mother's Day combined, though Mother's Day wasn't for a week yet; we would spend that day in Seattle with Esme and Carlisle.

Edward's hands gripped the armrests as we finally taxied to the runway and became airborne. Never having flown with him, I wondered if he was a nervous flyer or had motion sickness. When I inquired gently, he gave me a short, terse response. "I'm not sick. And I fly all the damn time."

I clenched my jaw slightly, figuratively biting my tongue as I reminded myself that today must be a difficult one for him. After all, it was conceivable that my family may not have the best opinion of him after our breakup. I wasn't really worried about my mom, knowing as I did how her advice had helped contribute to our reconciliation. For that matter, I knew my dad would be an easy sell – he'd see how blissful I was and that would be enough for him.

But Rosalie, and to a lesser degree, Emmett – of their response, I wasn't so confident. Emmett was the only one in my family who had already seen Edward, the night they met at my apartment. They really hadn't spoken, though; and Emmett's impression had been set by witnessing my response to Edward that night, which was less than gracious. And Rosalie…I sighed as I thought about how she might treat Edward this weekend. She'd been so furious at him after our breakup, especially since she knew about the other guys he'd been with; and though she had been…the only appropriate word was 'civil'…when I talked about him after our reconciliation, she usually changed the subject pretty quickly. It was clear that she was dubious as to his staying power, that she was waiting for the other shoe to fall.

I hadn't related these conversations to Edward; he had already created enough of a dragon in his mind when it came to Rosalie and the rest of the family accepting him. Naturally I sympathized with him; but I was excited to see them all. I hadn't seen my dad since the day after New Year's; Rosie either, for that matter. And the boys – I was desperate to see Brandon and my little Gabey.

So the balance of the flight was spent in silence. Not an angry silence – just a "giving necessary space" silence. I caressed his hand a few times, and in return he would give it a quick squeeze. We picked up our rented car at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, and Edward handed me the keys. We silently loaded our luggage into the trunk, and then we silently drove to my parents' house. As I pulled into their driveway, I noted that Rosie and Emmett's rental vehicle wasn't here yet. She had texted me that their flight would be delayed a couple of hours, but that they wouldn't be far behind us.

As we parked and I turned the car off, I reached out to catch his hand before he opened the door. "Beautiful, listen to me," I said softly. His eyes darted to meet mine, and I was taken aback by the panic there. I knew he was nervous, of course; but I didn't realize the depth of his anxiety. His eyes were wide; his nostrils flared as he breathed heavily. I brought one hand up to gently stroke his cheek as I spoke. "I love you. You are the love of my life. I know you're nervous about what you'll find behind that door, but you don't need to be. Because you have me, and you will always have me." His eyes were locked with mine as I talked him through his anxiety. "Remember what you told me when I met your parents? 'They'll love you, because I do.' I'm here with you, beautiful. We're facing this together."

When his breathing had calmed, I said, "Okay – let's go." We each got out and he started to walk to the trunk; but I told him, "Leave it for now – we can get it after." I took his hand and led him along the small walkway that led to the side door of my parents' house – only strangers and company came to the front door. Before we even got to the door, I heard my parents' dogs racing to meet us, their nails clicking on the adobe tile floors. I opened the door and we stepped into the kitchen, Edward still holding my hand tightly. I greeted the dogs. "Hey, boys! How's the gang?" Recognizing me, they went a little nuts until I finally commanded them to stop jumping.

By that time, my parents had made their way into the kitchen, smiling broadly; my father admonished the dogs to settle down. Edward stood awkwardly behind me as I enveloped first my dad, and then Mama, in joyful embraces. When I had hugged them each, I turned and put my hand on his arm, encouraging him to step forward. "Mama, Dad…" I began, "This is Edward. The love of my life."

For a moment nothing happened, aside from Edward's tiny smile at my introduction. It was as though no introduction had been made, and the two parties just started each other awkwardly for a moment. Finally Edward stepped forward, extending his hand to shake with whichever of them would claim it.

"Mr. and Mrs. Whitlock, Edward Cullen. It's my pleasure to meet you both."

My mother, who until now had appeared cool and dispassionate, suddenly threw her arms wide and stepped forward to embrace an astonished Edward. "Welcome, Edward," she said warmly. "I'm glad you came to visit us."

"Thank you, Mrs. Whitlock," he murmured, hugging her back. "I'm very happy to be here."

"Please, dear," Mama invited, "Call me Anneliese."

My dad had watched this with an inscrutable look – I was having trouble determining his opinion of this exchange. When Mama and Edward stepped back from each other, Edward turned to my father, looked him in the eye and extended his hand. "Sir?"

To my utter relief, Dad didn't hesitate. He stepped toward my love, grasping his hand in a firm shake, his other hand coming up to rest on Edward's shoulder. "Glad to meet you, Edward. Harris Whitlock," he said. Dad, as Jasper Harris Whitlock III, had always gone by his middle name, to distinguish him from his father and grandfather – he liked Harris much better than "Trip" or some similar nickname. It also helped after I was born, with both of us having the name Jasper. "Please don't call me sir – that happens more and more these days and I hate it," Dad added good-naturedly. "Call me Harry."

"Sure," Edward agreed with a smile as my dad released him. I stepped beside him and wrapped my arm around his waist, grinning broadly at him. He returned my grin sheepishly.

And that was it – the ice broken, we fell into rather easy conversation, as though there was no reason to be anything but glad we were together. Mama poured us some iced tea and we sat on their back deck under the awning, talking about the flight, work…just catching up on life in general.

After we chatted with my parents for a while, we grabbed our luggage from the trunk of the rental car, and then it was my turn to take Edward on a tour of their house. Fortunately, my room had not been preserved as a sacred shrine to my teenage years; so I didn't feel awkward about showing it to him. I told him this was where we'd sleep this weekend.

"Wait, what?" he asked. "In the same room? Are they okay with that?"

I chuckled. "My parents aren't naïve, Edward. For one thing, it's not like we can get married. For another thing, I'm twenty-six years old! If they said no sleeping in the same bed, we'd just go to a hotel. Nobody wants us to do that, including me."

"Good point," he conceded; but looked thoughtful for several minutes as we opened up our suitcases and pulled out some fresh clothes.

"Do you want to take a shower before dinner?" I asked. His eyebrow quirked into a mischievous look. I rolled my eyes and said, "Yeah, they're understanding, but let's not be ridiculous."

He laughed heartily. "Somehow I didn't think that was what you meant, but it was worth a shot."

I pulled him to me and planted a kiss before replying, "Come on. I'll show you where the clean towels are."

Once Edward was in the shower, I went back downstairs to thank my parents for receiving him so warmly. They were still sitting on the deck, so I joined them, flopping beside Mama on the outdoor loveseat where she sat. She asked quietly how things were going between Edward and me. I sighed happily and lay down, placing my head on her lap. I closed my eyes as she laughed at my childish gesture and smoothed my hair.

"It's going so well," I answered. "He's a different person, night and day from how he acted before. So open – it's like all that time he had a million things to say but just couldn't get started. Now he tells me so much about his parents, his sister, his memories of childhood…and he's so loving. And sweet…I just adore him."

"Safe to say he feels the same way about you," my dad added, and I opened my eyes to squint at him as the sun shone from behind his head. "It's obvious to me that he's only got eyes for you."

Mama sniffled then, and I looked up to see a tear trickling slowly down her face. "Sorry, darling," she said, "I shouldn't be crying. But I'm so happy things have worked out. Last time I saw you the situation was so different."

I grimaced, not wanting to think back to the only truly black time of my otherwise-charmed life. Through the open bathroom window I heard my shower turn off, so I headed back upstairs in time to see Edward coming out of the bathroom, one towel wrapped around his waist and another over his head as he dried his hair. When he saw me come in and close the door, he grinned impishly.

I didn't let him distract me; though if I'd thought about it for even two seconds I'd have been sorely tempted to "accidentally" untuck that towel and let it fall to the floor. No, I headed to the bathroom and took a hot shower, washing off the residue of travelling a couple thousand miles. The shower did wonders, and when I got out I felt refreshed and relaxed.

Stepping out of the bathroom into my bedroom, I was surprised to find that Edward wasn't there waiting for me. I quietly tiptoed to the window to look out on the back deck, and there he was, relaxing with my parents. My father was asking him something about shutter speeds – I smirked, realizing he'd learn soon enough not to get Edward talking about photography. As I slid into a pair of comfortable shorts I thought I heard car doors slamming. I threw on a t-shirt and hurried down the stairs.

By the time I got to the side door I heard little voices on the other side of it. I threw it open and there stood Rosalie, Emmett, Brandon and my Gabey. I knelt to greet my nephews. Brandon threw himself at me; Gabe quietly wrapped his arms around my neck. I scooped them both up, one in each arm, and twirled them around the kitchen as they giggled and shrieked with delight. I stopped before I got dizzy, bending to give Rose a kiss and greeting Emmett enthusiastically. By that time my parents had joined us, having heard the commotion from the deck. Everyone was talking at once – our family was the definition of "joyful noise". After I handed Brandon to my dad and Gabe to Mama, I glanced around for Edward.

He stood in the sliding door between the kitchen and the deck, watching the happy scene. As he had when he'd met my parents, he looked slightly awkward, as though he felt out of place. I crossed the kitchen to him and took his hand, gently leading him to join us. Rosie and Emmett had their backs to us, chattering with Mama and Dad about the flight and the Austin traffic; but soon Em turned and saw us standing, waiting for a break in their conversation. He gave Edward a small smile and then nudged Rosie. "Hey, Lee-Lee," he said, and she looked at him, then saw us. Her face went from animated to solemn in almost in an instant.

She and Emmett turned to face us. I took a deep breath and jumped. "Rosalie and Emmett, this is my partner, Edward Cullen. Edward, my sister Rosalie Whitlock, and her husband Emmett McCarty."

Edward, too, took a deep breath and stepped first to Emmett. "Emmett – we've met before. Nice to see you again."

"We weren't properly introduced before," corrected Emmett with a grin. "Good to meet you, man."

"Thanks," replied Edward gratefully. He turned to Rosalie, who stood with her arms folded, resting her weight on one hip. Though he held out his hand to shake hers, her body language was very closed, and I was starting to fear that she wouldn't give Edward a chance. With my eyes, I pleaded with her – begging her to shake his hand.

After a few seconds my father cleared his throat, and it had the same effect on Rosie as it had when she was a little girl – spurring her into doing the right thing. She put her hand out and clasped Edward's.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Rosalie," he said cordially. Though I was dying from the awkwardness of this situation, my heart jumped a bit that he was trying so hard to be polite to her, even in the face of her outright rejection of him. He continued, "Jasper talks about your family all the time – I've heard so much about you."

Finally she spoke; though once she did, I wished she hadn't. "I've heard a lot about you too," she replied flatly.

"Lee-Lee…" Emmett warned her in an undertone; but the awkwardness of the situation was interrupted by a piercing little voice.

"Uncle Jay," said Brandon excitedly, "now me!"

"Of course," I said brightly, trying to be positive. "Edward, this is my nephew Brandon."

"Hello, Brandon," said Edward, and reached out his hand to shake. Brandon put out the wrong hand; and Edward gently took the other and showed him how to clasp, then they solemnly shook. Brandon giggled when they were done.

Then I took Gabey from Mama. Being in such close proximity to someone he didn't know, he immediately laid his head on my shoulder and put his first two fingers in his mouth. "And this is Gabriel – Gabe, we call him." Edward seemed to realize that Gabe needed a much more passive approach when confronted by someone new. Instead of reaching out to shake, he simply tilted his head a bit to meet Gabe's line of sight; then smiled gently and gave him a little wave. "Hi, Gabe," he said quietly. "I've heard a lot about you, and your brother, too. Your Uncle Jay talks about you two the most." Gabe rewarded his efforts with a small grin. Watching him interact with my nephews warmed my heart, in spite of my disappointment in Rosie.

Once the introductions were complete, my mom said, "Well, let's not stand here in the kitchen all afternoon. Come on in, kids – we'll have a cool drink on the deck." I handed Gabe back to Rosie and everyone filed out of the kitchen.

Everyone, that is, except Edward. When I was almost to the sliding door I turned to say something to him, and realized he was leaning back against the countertop. His hands were clasped and his eyes were downcast. I came to stand beside him, and put my arm around his waist. We stood silently for a few moments with me running my fingers through his hair, and then he laid his head on my shoulder.

"That didn't go so well," he said simply, and I felt awful for him – he sounded so sad.

"Emmett was nice," I said quietly, "and the boys..." He didn't respond. "Yeah, I know," I conceded. "Rosie was…awful. I guarantee Dad and Mama are telling her right now how rude she was."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" he asked morosely. "Your parents are going to give her hell so she'll act nicer? I don't want her to pretend to like me."

"Give it some time," I suggested. "Maybe she just needs to observe us together first, to see how you are with me; and then she'll realize that you are kind, and loving, and intelligent…and that you're not going anywhere." He smiled, and I continued, "Besides, she's only one person. You've got five of them on your side. My parents know we're meant for each other."

"Yeah?" he asked, his eyes brightening at this news.

"Of course," I nodded. "They can see it already, in the short amount of time we've been here. And Rosie will too, once she pulls her head out of her ass far enough that she can actually see."

He chuckled at this, kissed me, and then pushed away from the counter, reaching his hand to me to pull me along. Hand-in-hand, we strolled out to the deck and joined my family.

-o-

Over the next two days, we actually had a good time. We visited with my parents a lot. Edward, Emmett, Dad and I had a great game of basketball in the driveway Saturday morning – Em and Dad versus Edward and me – and the little boys cheered from the sidelines. Em always took trash-talk to a higher level than most, and even Edward wasn't exempt from his constant stream of good-natured insults. He focused on the game, allowing most of them to roll off; though he got in the occasional wry comeback that left Emmett gaping and Dad and I snickering.

Saturday night we all went out for dinner for Dad's birthday. It wasn't easy trying to figure out what to get my dad for Christmas and birthdays, but this year I knew he would appreciate it. It was something relatively simply, actually – a digital photo frame that I had loaded with numerous family photos, displaying them on a rotating basis – but for him, I knew it was perfect. He had often remarked that it was getting harder and harder to narrow down his favorite family photos to put in his office at work; yet he really hated clutter, so he had no more than five or six in total. When he unwrapped the gift and saw the pictures cycling through – Rosie and Em's wedding portrait, pictures of Dad and Mama when they were young, baby photos of the boys, even a couple of Edward and I – he was literally speechless for several moments. Working for a high-tech company, you'd think he would have realized the existence of such a thing; but Dad was never one to acquire gadgets solely because they were available.

That night as we sat at the restaurant, I looked around the table at the faces of the people I loved more than anyone in the world, and realized that this was the first of many such dinners to come. Even Rosie had thawed a bit towards Edward, having watched him read Gabe a story and play an endless game of catch in the backyard with Brandon. She was civil, at least; and the evening went beautifully.

The following morning, Rosie and I cooked breakfast for everyone. This was our Mother's Day tradition, rather than taking Mama out to some overcrowded restaurant for brunch. Rosie made a quiche; I made sausages and waffles, and cut up fresh strawberries and oranges. Mama always insisted that she didn't want gifts for Mother's Day – just wanted her children with her. As usual, we ignored her request. Mama had gone without a lot of personal luxuries when we were younger; Dad's income wasn't always at the executive level, and Mama was a stay-at-home mom. They sent us both to private school; and then put us through college with minimal loans at the end of it all. Even though things had changed and they could easily afford the luxuries now, Rosie and I wanted to give her some of the things she had sacrificed when we were young. This year we had gone in together to purchase her a day of pampering at one of the upscale spas in Austin.

She loved the gift, of course; told us both we "shouldn't have", and got a little teary. Just after we'd finished breakfast, I heard her call her good friend Diane to tell her about the gift. That was how I really knew it was a hit.

By the time the weekend was over and we were ready to fly back to Seattle, Edward had cemented his place in our family. The boys adored him – Brandon started calling him Uncle E, and Gabe voluntarily gave him a hug before he went down for his nap on Sunday afternoon. Em bestowed the highest praise he could, solemnly telling Rosie how impressed he was by how much Edward could eat. My dad clapped his hand on Edward's shoulder and called him 'son'; and my mother simply beamed every time Edward and I displayed a bit of affection to each other.

But the biggest shock and the greatest source of happiness was Rosie's farewell to Edward. After all our farewells and hugs were exchanged, once the boys were strapped into the rental SUV and Em had started it up, Rosie got back out of the truck for a moment. She strode up to Edward and threw her arms around him. Shocked, he didn't reciprocate for a moment, but then tentatively put his arms around her waist. When she released him, she said, "I know I was rude to you on Friday, Edward, and I'm sorry. I am very protective of my little brother; I want the best for him. I can see now he already has it."

I smile again, as I do every time I relive that memory. I know Rosie's admission that day cost her a lot, to concede that she was wrong; but I also know that she was never so happy to have been wrong in her life. Since then, she has been as great a source of support for us as any of our other close family members have.

Thinking about meeting family reminds me of the first time I met Alice, about three weeks after we got back together – it was significantly different from when Edward met Rosie.

I ground my denim-clad hips into Edward's, and he groaned as he opened his knees to take me between his legs, which he then wrapped around my back. The leather-clad couch squeaked beneath the weight of our bodies – mine on top of his, writhing as we kissed passionately. We had already ditched our t-shirts, and his smooth chest pressing against mine was heaven. I moaned as he placed little sucking kisses up and down my neck. I was just about to reach for the button on his jeans when the building intercom buzzed, scaring the shit out of me.

I jumped, and he said, "Shit – who the fuck is that?" He switched on the TV and changed it to the channel that showed the front door camera. Standing at the door was a young woman I'd only seen in pictures.

"Alice," he groaned. "Good to see she hasn't lost that impeccable sense of timing." He pursed his lips and said, "We could ignore it, pretend we're not home."

I shook my head. "I'm sure she's seen your car, beautiful. Ignoring her probably isn't a stepping stone to rebuilding your relationship. It's okay – let her in. I'd like to meet her."

He nodded. "Sorry you don't have more time to prepare."

"No worries," I assured him. "I'll go to the bathroom and straighten myself up, and then I'll come out once she's already in."

A few moments later, after putting my shirt back on and straightening my hair in the bathroom mirror, I came out of Edward's room to see him and Alice sitting on the couch. She saw me and stood up to meet me.

Edward made the introductions. "Alice, this is Jasper Whitlock. Jasper, my sister Alice Cullen."

"Nice to meet you, Alice," I said, smiling as I reached to shake her hand.

She took my hand and as we shook, she said, "Nice to meet you too. I've been looking forward to meeting you since Mother and Dad gave you such a glowing review."

"Jesus, Alice," said Edward. "You make him sound like a book or something."

She elbowed him in the ribs. "You know what I mean," she said. "Anyways, I didn't realize you were here – I hope I'm not intruding."

Edward rolled his eyes where she couldn't see him as I replied, "Not at all. Have a seat. Do you want a coffee or something?"

"No thanks," she answered. "I don't drink coffee – I have a lot of energy as it is and coffee makes me a little insane."

"How about you, beautiful? Coffee?" I asked.

Alice looked as though she was again opening her mouth to respond when Edward interrupted. "Sure, I'd love some. Thanks."

I ignored Alice's gaping mouth as I turned to go to the kitchen. As I left the room I heard her ask him in a hushed tone, "He calls you beautiful?"

I couldn't hear Edward's reply – only some whispers as I scooped the coffee into the pot. At one point there was a loud burst of laughter, and I was wildly curious as to what they were laughing about; but gave them their privacy. After I started the coffeemaker I put the cream in two coffee mugs for Edward and I – having convinced him that adding the cream, then the coffee, was the only way to drink it – and then cleared my throat to warn them that I was re-entering the room.

They were sitting together on the couch, their heads close to each other to facilitate their confidential conversation. When I appeared in the doorway, they each sat up, ending whatever private conversation they'd been having. The rest of the evening was spent chatting with Alice and Edward; Alice told us about the people she was working with as she completed her practicum at the Child Services department. It was her first experience with a working environment that consisted of more than a few people; and we laughed out loud as she described in detail the Office Space-like atmosphere promoted by a few of the managers.

It was an easy, comfortable visit – aside from the blue balls Edward and I were both suffering. Alice was intelligent, funny and obviously very accepting of me and my relationship with Edward. Feeling like I had now won over the entire Cullen family, I was on cloud nine as Edward and I said goodbye to her that night; and once she was gone, I attacked him, taking him and ravaging him with a voracity I'd never felt before.

Just what I need – finding myself with a hard-on while we're cramped into these tiny coach seats on an airplane. Edward could never be a member of the Mile High club, as it would require him to stay awake longer than five minutes. I cover my lap with the edge of his blanket, and then I lean back to try to relax a bit as well, before we get to Austin and have to deal with the traffic there. I am grateful, at least, that Edward talked me into flying down to Austin on Tuesday instead of tomorrow – the airports aren't as busy and we won't have the day-before-the-holiday traffic to deal with.

-o-

I wake up as Edward gently shakes my arm. "Hey, angel," he says softly, "time to put your seatbelt on." I slide the belt till it clicks shut, and then Edward hands me a piece of gum to help with the ear popping. I'm grateful he flies as often as he does – he always thinks to pack these things. I, on the other hand, think of it after I'm already on the plane and it's too late to do anything about it.

A couple of hours later, we're pulling up again to my parents' house. This is our third visit now, including the trip in May and another we made in September. As well, my parents came up to visit me for the Independence Day long weekend, and came with us to the Cullens' annual Fourth of July party. Our parents were fast friends almost immediately, being more or less the same age and having lived ten minutes away from each other in Seattle for years. Since then, they speak on the phone at least a couple of times a month. Esme always assures my mom that I'm being well taken care of here in Seattle, and Dad and Carlisle spend way too much time talking baseball. Since neither Edward nor I are the least bit interested in sports, it's nice they can bond over that.

Edward and I pile out of the car, each of us having stripped off our sweaters during the car ride. The chilly damp of Seattle is but a distant memory here in Austin, where fall has only just begun. Mama and Dad meet us at the side door, welcoming us both with open arms. Dinner that night is relaxed and comfortable; and when the day is over and we snuggle into my old double bed – one of us spooning the other seems to be about the only way we can fit into this bed, not that I'm complaining – we're exhausted but happy.

The next day is another whirlwind of activity as we get ready for Rosie and Emmett's arrival with the boys. Mama sends Edward and me to the grocery store to get a few items she still needs for Thanksgiving dinner, and when we return the gang has arrived. Again, the joyful noise fills my parents' kitchen as we all greet each other. Even Gabey, who hasn't seen Edward since May, remembers him and his face lights up in a brilliant smile. The boys are now five, and two and a half; and the changes that have taken place in the six months since I last saw them, both amaze me and break my heart. Brandon is in kindergarten, and is excelling both in his academics and in the gymnastics classes he loves so much. Gabey knows all his colors and can count to ten; and the baby look has all but disappeared from his face. It makes me a bit gloomy that I now live so far away from them; I used to see them at least monthly when San Diego was only a short plane ride away.

When we're snuggling in bed at the end of the day, Edward asks me what's wrong, having sensed my melancholy. I tear up a bit as I share my regret over not being in their lives as much now. He listens, brushes away the few tears that brim over my lids, and kisses me. "I love that you love them so much," he murmurs. "You're so amazing with them, Kas; and they adore you. You are in their lives, every single day, even if you're not physically present every day; because you're in their hearts."

Yeah, like that doesn't make me cry even harder than before. Even after I've calmed and Edward's slow, steady breathing tells me he's fast asleep, I lie awake thinking. I think about a child – just a hypothetical child, no one specific – for whom I could be physically present every day. For the first time in my life, I actually give serious consideration a child of my own – of our own. The thought seems crazy at first, completely ridiculous – us, with a child? – but I can't stop thinking about it. When I fall asleep I dream of a roomful of children – a toddler girl who's unmistakably Chinese...a tween boy who looks Hispanic...a tall, slim teenaged boy with familiar green eyes and bronze curls...

Even in my dream, I snort at myself. Sure, Kas – all you have to do is get yourself knocked up...

On Thanksgiving Day the house is, surprisingly, quieter than the day before – the exception, of course, being the kitchen. No one is coming and going; it's just our family, enjoying spending time together. We have a game of touch football in the backyard, and everyone joins in, including Mama and the little boys. There is much shouting and laughter, and the game culminates with Edward scooping up Brandon and carrying him into the end zone for the final touchdown. Brandon gets to do a victory dance, and revels in being the hero of the game.

We have an amazing, traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Our family isn't religious, but every year we go around the dinner table before we eat and tell what we're thankful for. When it comes to Edward's turn, he turns to me, taking my hand and kissing it; then he looks around the table and says softly, "And that goes for all of you, as well. Thank you." It's an incredibly touching moment – that is, until Emmett extends his hand across the table to where Edward sits. Edward gives him a fist bump; but Em's hand remains where it is. Edward looks at him blankly for a moment until Em clarifies, "Dude, where's my kiss?"

After dinner Rosie and I do the dishes, and Em gives the boys their baths. Edward and my parents all disappear for a good hour – to where, and whether separately or together, I don't know. Rosie and I are putting away the last of the clean pots and pans, Edward comes into the kitchen and pretends to be disappointed that he's missed all the dishwashing fun. I give him a smack on the ass, and Rosie says, "Um...guess I should go see if Em needs help wrangling the boys into bed." I smirk at her back as she retreats from the kitchen.

Edward takes my hand and says, "Let's go out in the backyard."

"It's dark out," I reply dubiously.

"Exactly," he replies with a wicked grin, and I can't get out the door fast enough. We haven't fooled around since Monday night, before we left Seattle; and sleeping in such close quarters with him every night has been painful – literally. Waking with morning wood and having to quickly rub one out in the shower just to take the pressure off, when he's right on the other side of the door – it's just not right.

Thank goodness for my parents' spacious, tree-lined backyard, into which the street lights can't filter – making it pitch black. I stand, my back leaning against the trunk of a particularly large cottonwood. Edward kneels in front of me and undoes the button fly of my jeans, quickly tugging them down, then my boxer briefs after them. My already-engorged cock points directly to the place it wants to be – in his hot, wet mouth. Wasting no time, he takes the entire length down his throat. Though I'm trying to be conscious of our noise level, I can't help the moan that escapes my throat. He releases me long enough to caution, "Shhh," and then returns to plying his talents on my rock-hard cock.

It feels so good, and he's such a pro at it; and embarrassingly, I'm shooting my load down his throat in under two minutes, my ass clenching and my hips thrusting towards his exquisite face. When I'm coherent again, I pull him up, kissing him deeply as I spin him around so that he is now the one with his back to the tree. After I resituate my briefs and jeans, I divest him of his – or at least as far as his knees – and this time it's my turn to drop to my knees before him and worship his beautiful cock.

He hisses as I suck on the knob, sliding my lips slightly back and forth over the ridge around the head. He whispers hoarsely, "You keep doing that, angel, and I'm not going to be able to stand."

I grin around his cock and pull away. "That's the point," I whisper back; and he moans ever so softly, his hands coming to my head and stroking through my curls. Little gasps emanate from him and his breathing accelerates as he stalks the moment of his release. Soon he's there, and his hands hold my head still as he fucks my mouth, whispering, "Fuck, yeah...so beautiful, so beautiful...I love you...god...coming!" He freezes, only his cock pulsing as he fills my mouth with his nectar. I swallow every drop, savoring the taste of him.

This time, rather than him pulling me up, he pulls up his drawers and sinks down to meet me. He leans against the tree, spreading his legs and I lie against him, my hips at a 90-degree angle to his, but my upper body angled towards him. He holds me tight, stroking my hair, whispering sweet words to me for a long time before we make our way into the house and up to bed.

The next day is, of course, Black Friday; and it is this day that we've chosen to fly home. Rosie and Emmett will be staying another day – Rosie will hit the Black Friday sales with Mama and they'll likely both get most of their Christmas shopping done. Em and Dad plan to take the boys to the park; but since our flight doesn't leave till late afternoon, Edward and I volunteer to take the kids, and let Em and Dad stay home to watch the college football games.

The morning goes by in no time, and we all have an absolute riot. After the park, we take the boys out for lunch. They're both ravenous; though poor Gabey is so tired out that he can barely keep his eyes open long enough to eat.

An hour later, we've all returned home; Mama and Rosie as well. Soon Edward and I will have to leave to get to the airport, but I'm having trouble tearing myself away. I stand beside the crib in Rosie's old room where Gabey is sleeping soundly. For a long time I stay, watching him sleep. His beautiful eyelashes brush his cherub cheeks; his lips are parted slightly. "I'm sorry I won't see you again for a long time, Gabey," I whisper. "I'll miss you so much."

From the corner of my eye I see movement at the door; Edward stands watching me, a sympathetic look coloring his beautiful face. He holds out his hand to me. "Time to go, angel," he says in a barely-audible whisper.

I give Gabe one last look, and then I take Edward's hand and allow him to draw me into his arms. "I love you," he says softly, holding me as I bury my face in his neck. I just nod, not trusting myself to speak. He gives me a few moments to gather myself and then, hand-in-hand, we walk downstairs together.

Edward has already loaded our luggage into the car; and there my family are gathered to say goodbye to us. After hugs, kisses and endearments, Edward and I finally pull away from the place that, until eight months ago, I considered my home.

Now, my home sits beside me in our rental car, concentrating on navigating the Austin holiday traffic to the airport. Before Edward, I never really experienced pain; but neither had I known overwhelming joy, consuming passion, or the knowledge that I'd found the person with whom I'd spend the rest of my life.

I spend the flight watching Edward sleep; for the second time today, I marvel at how beautiful fanned eyelashes are against a smooth cheek, how winning pouting lips look when parted slightly in repose. We have a nonstop flight back to Seattle, thanks to Edward's foresight in booking this trip months ago; and four hours after leaving Austin we descend toward Sea-Tac. I hate to wake him; I do it as gently as I can, softly kissing his jaw from his chin to his ear, where I whisper, "Time to come back to earth, beautiful."

He smiles before opening his eyes, and murmurs, "Always fly with an angel."

Sometimes we are just disgustingly happy.

Finally home again, it's still early evening Seattle time. In our absence, each of us has received a letter from the sexual health resource centre where we've had our recent STI testing. We're both clean, and though I wasn't truly concerned about myself, I know Edward has been nervous about the results of this test, in particular. We've been monogamous for a little over seven months now, and getting the news that we're both still clean is a huge weight off his mind. He doesn't say it, but it's evident in his demeanor.

We have the whole weekend ahead of us still, to just cocoon ourselves here in the apartment and enjoy being together. We relax on the couch in front of the TV, watching the first holiday movie of the season. Edward sits behind me, his long legs extended down the length of the couch; I am nestled between his legs, leaning back against his chest. Since we've both seen this movie many times, we talk quietly throughout it. There's something I've wanted to tell him since Thanksgiving dinner, but have been waiting to be truly alone before saying it.

"Thanks for saying what you did at the dinner table," I tell him, "about my family. I know this hasn't always been easy for you, but it meant so much to me; and I know it did to them as well."

"It's the truth," he replies. "When I think about how my life has changed since this time last year? It's practically unrecognizable. I will never be the same person I was before I met you; the night you came into my life, the die was cast. It was an unstoppable force…I couldn't fight it, no matter how hard I tried. "

I close my eyes, resting my head back against his shoulder with a deep sigh of contentment. "This is where I want to be," I murmur. For several moments we sit there in silent commune, his arms wrapped around me. In a moment he shifts under me slightly; his left arm leaves me and it feels as though he's digging in his pants pocket for something. In a moment, though, his arm comes back around me and stays there for several minutes longer.

Eventually he whispers, "Are you happy?"

"Deliriously, criminally happy," I reply, my eyes still closed. His left hand moves over mine, gently tracing circles over the back of my hand, then soft lines down each of my fingers, starting with my thumb, headed toward my pinky. At the tip of my ring finger, he hooks one finger under mine, lifting it and slipping something onto it in one quick, fluid movement.

My eyes pop open. On my finger is a ring. The band is titanium, with its telltale gunmetal grey color. There is an inlay of platinum around the band, set into it so that the band feels completely smooth to the touch. The finish is a matte satin. Set into the band are three square diamonds that sparkle and glimmer in the halogen lights that shine from far above our heads on the high ceilings.

I am speechless, literally speechless, as I gaze at the stunning, masculine ring on my finger. For a moment I hold my hand up, staring at it; then I shift so I can look into Edward's eyes. I still can't speak, taken entirely by surprise. Edward is silent, watching me with a look that is at once joyful and nervous. Finally he speaks, his melodic voice full of feeling.

"I adore you," he says simply. "I want to be with you for the rest of my life, Kas. I don't care whether the government tells us we're not allowed to do this legally; you and I both know that no government on earth could separate us. I want to be surrounded by the people we love and pledge myself only to you, for the rest of my life. Kas, please say you want the same thing. Please – be my husband, and take me as yours?"

During his speech my heart has begun to overflow with the love I have for Edward. Of course I have thought about us making it official someday – if and when it becomes legal in Washington State. I had no idea that Edward was giving it serious consideration now; but, my god, he has a ring. A ring that now gleams on my finger. My earth feels complete.

"Yes, beautiful," I whisper, tears rising to my eyes. "I will be your husband, all of my life, and you will be mine."

Edward, too, has tears in his eyes as he crushes me to his chest, kissing me passionately, frantically, as if to pull me inside his body. "I love you," he whispers frantically between kisses. "I love you, I love you." The electricity between us is overwhelming. I need him – need to feel his warm body around me, need to be deep inside him and watch his beautiful face as his body is overcome with pleasure.

Pulling away from him, I jump up of the couch and grab his hand. "Let's hit the shower, beautiful," I urge hoarsely.

He groans in response and is right behind me as we dash through the bedroom and into the bathroom. We each strip off our own clothes, shedding them as quickly as possible. Edward starts the shower with its dual shower heads while I grab a condom and lube from the night table. I step into the shower, where the sight of Edward's gorgeous, smooth, aroused body nearly makes my knees buckle. I put the condom and lube on the ledge in the shower, and force myself to slow down. I want this to be memorable for both of us.

"Turn around," I tell him, "and put your hands on the ledge." He complies; I wet a clean washcloth and soap it up. Tenderly, I wash his body, starting at the back of his neck, down his shoulders and arms; his back and chest, being particularly careful to clean his nipples. He shudders as the terry loops brush across the hard nubs. I rinse and resoap the cloth, and then I carefully wash his cock, his groin and his balls, and continue downward, to his perineum and up the crack of his ass. Again he shakes slightly, moaning as I cleanse his most sensitive areas.

I pull him into the shower spray, watching as the water cascades down his exquisite body. He tilts his head back, closing his eyes as the droplets rinse him clean. When he is rinsed completely, I take hold of his hips, turning him around so that his back is now to the ledge; then encourage him to back up until his ass is on the ledge. He sits, and together we bring his legs up, resting his feet on the shelf where it extends around the side walls of the shower. He is spread wide for me, waiting and hungry and unspeakably beautiful and mine.

He picks up the condom to hand it to me, but I shake my head, saying, "Not yet." I slide his ass a bit closer to the ledge, then I bend down to take his cock in my mouth. He gasps and then moans, his ass cheeks clenching enough that it thrusts his cock deeper into my mouth. I suck his cock for only a moment, then lick my way down it, spending a few minutes sucking and mouthing his balls. Lower still, to his perineum, pressing against it with my tongue. Finally, I reach his ass, and his hands thread into my hair, balling into fists as my tongue worships the delicate tissues. He pulls me close and I thrust my tongue into him as best I can. The sounds that are escaping his mouth are so carnal, so shamelessly needy that I can't help reaching down to run my fingers around the head of my own rock-hard cock.

Soon his hands in my hair are gently tugging my head upwards, and he begs, "Ungh, fuck, baby, I need you. Please, Kas," he pleads, "fill me up, make me yours."

Straightening, I grab the condom and rip open the wrapper. Quickly I lube my cock and his ass. He is watching me through half-closed lids; his chest heaves as he awaits the moment of ingress, when his body accepts mine and we are fused together.

I rest one hand on his shoulder and bring my face close to his as I position my aching cock at his ready hole. Looking into his eyes, I don't need to ask; he gives me a tiny nod, and I begin the slow journey to the center of his body. Gradually, millimeters at a time, I press forward as I repeat the same phrase over and over. "You are mine…you are mine…you are mine…"

His eyes are wild, locked on mine as he nods frantically, responding each time my words claim him. "Yes…I'm yours…forever…never let me go…so good…Kas…I'm yours…deep…"

It's the most intense fucking thing I've ever experienced. When my throbbing cock is at last fully surrounded by him, I have to pause, my legs trembling. Edward pants heavily, resisting the urge to thrust as he keeps up his verbal encouragement. "Ungh…Kas…I've never…felt like this…only you…do this to me…for the rest…of my life…I love you."

With his body quaking around me and his words in my ear, it's fucking difficult to calm myself enough that I can start to thrust. When I am at last able to withdraw somewhat, his words change to moans; and now mine join him. I bend my head to his chest to take his nipple into my mouth, licking, sucking and gently scraping my teeth against it. My hands come to rest on his hips, and I grasp them tightly to steady them as I descend again into his molten depths.

I am so fucking hard, and he is so goddamn tight, and the passion and love between us threaten to consume us. My hands move from his hips, to wrap around his mid back, and I pull him as close to me as possible. He's whimpering, cursing, twisting, writhing against me, his midsection rising to meet me each time I thrust into him. He reaches between us for his cock and gently twists his fingers around the head of it, and his whimpers become moans. The pressure is building in us and between us, and we are fucking powerless to control it.

Our moans are nearly constant now. The world draws tighter around us, and no one exists here but us – Edward and me. Smaller and smaller, the universe recedes, molding, shaping itself to these two bodies that writhe together; now pressing, pushing against two, merging them into one. When they are no longer distinguishable as two, the cosmos tightens further, as a beam of light that is brought into sharp focus. When it has been reduced to an ultrafine point, there is no sound, no movement for an instant, as the souls within it can no longer push against it…

…and then the beam of light is a laser that burns through the barrier, and the contents, finally released, explode amid keening cries and pleasure that floods the room like light travelling through fiber optic cable. There are no words, no rational thought – only the mushroom cloud of rapture as it burns through every atom of their being, and beyond.

-o-

We lie together in our bed. We're not intertwined as we so often are; instead we are each on our sides, facing each other; not speaking, just looking. I'm looking into his eyes and his soul. Looking at the face upon which I will gaze lovingly…and occasionally even angrily…for the rest of my life. Looking at the one who will tenderly hold and fiercely protect my heart, for all our days.

Looking at my future…my life…my love.

-o-

So this chapter turned out to be an epilogue of sorts; or at least the first part of the epilogue. I can't say with certainly how long it'll be before the next chapter is posted – if it turns out to be as fucking epic as this one was, it may be another ten days. Thank you so much for your love and patience. Everyone who reviews will get a wedding teaser!

Voting in the Bellie awards is still open! Over The Top has been nominated in the category of best slash. I hope you will visit www(dot)thecatt(dot)net/tw and vote for your favourites – voting closes August 5!