THE NIGHTINGALE JOURNALS

A/N: To err is human, and apparently, I'm very human. Reader kezcullen pointed out that I stretched the truth beyond credibility with some of the history in the last chapter. By bringing Carlisle's British heritage into the story, I knew that I would be fictionalizing history. However, there is one niggling detail that needs to be corrected: Lady Jane Grey never bore any children, and this has been well documented. She also happened to be executed 200 years before Lord Richard Cullen was born. I've made changes to the previous chapter to more accurately represent Lady Grey's history. My humble apologies.

Things I own: Two four-day passes (with preview night) to Comic Con 2012 that I procured after waking up at 4 AM and waiting in line for 4 hours. Yes, I am totally gloating over this, unabashedly.

Things I don't own: Anything Twilight. It all belongs to Stephenie Meyer.

Thanks to my beta, Trinity/TFX, who still puts up with me, after all this time. Thanks to my grammarbeta, Lupin4Tonks, who keeps me humble, and to Ladyeire72, for her constant encouragement. I love you all.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX: ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL

"So now for the scary part," Bella tells me as we finally snuggle into bed.

"Baby, your naked body next to mine is never scary. I understand that you're blown away with awe over my magnificent and huge cock, but please don't be scared by it." I smirk as I bring her hand to rest on top of the very same magnificent and huge cock.

"Oh my god, Cullen, you're so full of yourself."

"It's hard to be perfect, but someone has to do it."

"Well, it is perfect to be hard."

We both start giggling, still completely buzzed from all the champagne we've consumed. It takes a few minutes for Bella to catch her breath and finish her thought process.

"No, it's scary because you have to call Charlie and ask him for my hand in marriage."

I stop breathing.

Shit.

How the fuck did you overlook that one, Cullen?

"It's not so bad. Since we're in England, he'll be unable to shoot you."

"That makes me feel only marginally better."

"If you're going to be a Lord one day, you can handle a terse police chief from a tiny town in Washington."

Before I know what's even happening, the lights are on, Bella's naked body is ransacking our suitcases, and she's muttering about lost phones.

If Bella's naked, what is she doing out of bed? Does. Not. Compute.

"Aha!" She says, as if she's discovered the secret to the universe. "Here it is! What time is it?"

"Doesn't it say on your phone?"

"Huh. I didn't think about that." She giggles at herself.

Clearly, Bella is still feeling the effects of the champagne. I, however, wish I could have a little bit more at this very moment to provide me with the courage I'll need to break the news to Charlie Swan. Social lube, if you will.

"Oh, this is great! Daddy will still be at the office."

"Great isn't the adjective I would choose to describe this particular task."

"Come on, Cullen! You've saved tiny babies from the jaws of death! If you can face that, Charlie Swan is like a walk in the park."

She hands me her phone, and I see the words, Charlie Swan, call mobile on the screen, plastered over a photo of Charlie Swan himself. My eyes flit to the end call bar that sits underneath his face. I really want to push that button.

I inhale deeply, preparing myself for this conversation, when Bella suddenly snatches the phone from my grip and promptly ends the call.

"Swan, wha—?"

"I have a brilliant idea. Edward, let's get married. Now. Here," she rambles, her voice lit with excitement. "We'll ask Charlie to join us. Just you and me, and our parents."

I feel like my brain exploded, I'm so confused. "When you use the word 'we…'" I start to clarify.

"I mean 'you,'" she clarifies in return.

I slowly nod my head in understanding. "So, I'm not calling your dad to tell him I proposed to you, I'm calling him to ask him to come visit us in England so I can marry you? How is this better than just telling him we're engaged? Any way I look at it, my balls are going to be on the barbeque for dinner. Besides, don't you want to share the day with all your friends?"

She pauses to consider my words. "No, I truly don't. The very idea of having to plan everything, the nerves of being on display in front of all those people, it's way too overwhelming. I just want you and our families. That much, I can handle. If it makes you feel better, we could have a reception for everyone when we get back to Seattle—that certainly works for me. I love you, I want to be your wife, and I want this now. I can't think of a more perfect place to be married than Leeds Castle. Lord Richard himself can ghost over us to bless our union, even." She's dissolved into a fit of giggles over that, so I'm still not convinced that she's completely serious.

"I'll tell you what. Since we're both a little silly from all the champagne, let's go to bed, and we'll call Charlie once we get up in the morning. Now get your naked ass back here so I can molest you some more, fiancé."

The minute our bodies touch, I roll on top of her, gathering up her small hands in mine. I kiss her heatedly, and she arches her back just so, which is all it takes for me to slide gently inside of her. Despite our silliness, our sex tonight is calm, quiet, and a bit awed. We understand implicitly that we just took the first step toward getting married, and it's a poignant, almost sacred moment for us. We keep our eyes on each other the entire time we're joined together. There's such an overwhelming look of love on her face, and I can only hope that she sees exactly the same thing in mine. When Bella climaxes, it's soft and slow, with a small whimper in response. The only part of me that is actively moving is my hips, so I'm rocking into her easily. When I feel my orgasm take over, I bury myself as deeply as I can inside of her, and we allow these feelings of intense love wash over us.

I fall to the side and feel Bella snuggle into me. I marvel once again that this woman is going to be all mine for the rest of our lives, and I fall asleep as the most confident and happy man in the world.

~xXx~

Well, I was a confident man about 12 hours ago. Now? I have to ask Chief Charlie Swan for permission to marry his only daughter. I briefly ponder some more liquid courage, but that only earns me a scowl from my otherwise adorable fiancé.

Fiancé. I relish the word in my head, knowing that the only one I prefer more is wife. I can't wait to marry this amazing woman, and I'm so glad she decided to do it all in one fell swoop. For some reason, Bella Swan keeps making every day better—she owns every single one of the happiest moments in my life.

I keep the vision of Bella wearing my ring on her finger as I dial the phone. I try to remain calm, but my heart is hammering away in my chest.

"Bells!" I don't know that Charlie has ever addressed me with such warmth.

"Uh, no, Charlie, it's Edward."

"Edward? What's wrong?"

I decide to cut to the chase immediately. "Well, nothing, actually. I, uh… might have gone about this in the wrong order… um, I asked Bella to marry me last night, and she said yes. I should probably have asked for your permission first, but I really wanted it to be a surprise for her. Could you still give us your blessing, even though it's after the fact?"

"Engaged?" His voice sounds slightly choked. "Hmm."

This is one of those moments in a conversation where the silence is incredibly awkward—so awkward, in fact, that you feel compelled to fill it with gibberish. I know Charlie Swan, however, and I understand that he's a man of few words. He would not be overly appreciative of word vomit, especially while he considers blessing his future son-in-law's request. Thus, while my brain wants very badly to engage in silence-breaking word vomit, sinking my teeth into my tongue saves me from impending disaster.

"And she said yes?"

"Uh, yes. She did."

"Huh."

More silence. Should I say something? I stand in place, waiting for him to respond. The seconds that tick away are pure agony.

"Oh, for heaven's sake!" Bella grabs the phone from me, frustrated at the conversational impasse her father and I have reached.

"Daddy, I love Edward, and we're going to get married. You can either bless us or not, but it's still going to happen, regardless. Oh, and we're going to get married here, next week."

I can hear Charlie's response, loud and clear. It turns out that the chief has a voice when he needs one.

"Yes, Dad, that's right. I don't want to wait. I found out that Edward's family used to own the castle, and so we want to get married here."

I hear a few more stern words.

How could my family being wealthy be a bad thing?

"Well, it turns out that Carlisle is actually Lord Cullen, a title that will pass down to Edward." She pauses to take in her father's words. "Yeah, it's a pretty big deal. I want to get married now, because I don't want to have a big wedding, and I still can't picture my wedding day…" Bella's voice cracks, and I realize that she has started to cry. She tears up silently for a few moments then gathers her breath. "Without Mom."

I wrap my arms around her and kiss the top of her head, doing what I can to make this less painful for her.

"Yes, it'll be easier for me if it's just family. That means you need to get some time off from work so that you can join us. We'll take care of your ticket, of course."

She hands the phone to me, unable to speak further due to her tears. "Sir, it's Edward again."

"Mmm," he grumbles wordlessly. The silence resumes, and wraps around us like a straight jacket—it's not only awkward, but also constraining. Just when I'm ready to say something, he breaks the silence. "You promise to take care of my girl, and we have a deal."

"I can't possibly do anything less than that, Charlie."

"All right, then."

"We'll be in touch with more details about the wedding. Bella is already working on the flight arrangements for you."

"M'kay."

And with that, Charlie hangs up the phone. I hate to think what it would be like to ask for his blessing if the man disliked me. We definitely formed an important bond while Bella was ill, but it seems as though he'll always be protective and vigilant with his daughter, which is absolutely as it should be. She's a precious girl.

I turn my attention back to Bella. "You okay, love?"

"Yeah. There are bound to be more tears when I think of my mom, but I'll be fine."

"Well, should we go break the news to your other mother?"

She gives me a blissful smile. "Yes! She's going to be so happy!"

I shake my head at her. "You really have no idea. She's going to be a force to be reckoned with, I promise you."

~xXx~

I thought that my mother's happiest day was yesterday, when I got engaged. It turns out that announcing our plans to have a small, private ceremony at Leeds Castle has made her even happier.

"Esme, love, if I didn't know better, I'd swear to god you were under the effects of… well, something that isn't legal."

My mom just beams at my dad and giggles. "Mmm, I feel like I am. I just couldn't be any happier than I am right now. Everything is perfect."

Bella looks just as happy, knowing how much she's pleased my parents with her request to get married during our vacation and at Leeds. She's even allowing my mother to make all the plans. She didn't want to deny my mom the one chance she has to be involved in planning her son's wedding.I'm amused by my mother's giddiness, but I'm worried that Bella is going to regret ceding everything over to her future mother-in-law.

I pull her quietly aside as my mother is on the phone making arrangements. "Bella, are you certain this is what you want to do? I mean, I just want to marry you; I don't give a crap about the specifics."

She gives me her perfect, stunning smile. "Edward, I love you, but if you ask me that question one more time, I'm going to kick you in the nuts," she warns. "Have you ever considered me to be an unassertive person? Trust me, I'm very sure. End of story."

"I can't believe you would sacrifice the junk out of sheer annoyance, baby. That's cruel."

"Just making sure you understand my level of commitment."

"Understood. Now, about getting married at the castle…"

"Yes?"

"Bella, I have to insist that the arrangements will be made by my family."

She gives me a confused look. "Well, I told Esme she could do the planning…"

"No, I mean actually paying for the wedding."

"Oh. Right. Paying. Shit."

"Look, it's my family's ancestral home, we have an in with the Leeds Castle Foundation, and it's only natural that we cover the costs."

"I don't feel okay about that, Edward. It's supposed to be my family's responsibility."

"I understand that, but my family used to own the castle. It only makes sense."

"It seems wrong to me, letting you take on so much. Couldn't we split the costs?'

"Baby, be pragmatic. It's no financial hardship on my family. Why don't you pay for something else? Your dress, perhaps? Would that make you feel better?"

Bella pouts a little bit, but ultimately concedes this point. "It makes me feel moderately better. Dammit." She gives me a rueful smile.

I shamelessly pull out some crimples to distract her, then kiss her perfect lips, and the argument is quickly forgotten.

~xXx~

BPOV

As much as I want to see my dad, it's up to the Cullen men to fetch him. Apparently, I need a day of last minute tailoring, pampering, and high tea before the wedding, according to Esme. As Edward once warned me, his mother is tenacious; he wasn't kidding. However, her tenacity is perfect, because planning a wedding is one of the last things I would ever want to do. I'm relieved every day when I realize that I don't have to go through months and months of this stuff. Not only that, but I get to enjoy the day with one of my favorite people in the world, Esme Cullen.

Esme has booked a day at the nearby Hempstead House in Sittingbourne. She arranged for the tailor to meet us there for my final fitting. While we wait for the alterations to take place, she's treating me to high tea (so I can experience it at least once in my life), and we're getting massages at the spa.

The dress we ordered online is a knockoff of the one worn by Kate Middleton's sister, Pippa, for the royal wedding. Edward would never admit to this if I confronted him, but he went on and on about Pippa's luscious bum in that dress. Seeing how much he appreciates my own derriere, I thought I would surprise him by wearing the same dress. The best part is that the design has no train, so I have nothing to trip over. I recognize that my clumsiness will always be a part of me, but I don't want to have to worry about it on my wedding day. It was Esme's idea, of course. I swear, she thinks of everything. I absolutely adore her.

Esme managed to find a beautiful crystal tiara for me, very subtle but elegant. I decided not to have a veil, because there's really no need for one. Everyone knows what I look like, and Edward will appreciate seeing my blush when the attention focuses on me. The tiara design has some sapphire blue crystals, which will make Edward go bonkers. He loves that color with my skin and hair, so it's the one stipulation I gave to Esme as she started her search. It will also serve as my "something blue."

We run off to the spa to get a wonderful massage, and before I know it, it's time to sit down for high tea; it's magnificent. Esme reserved a private dining room just for the two of us. We have champagne, all kinds of tea and coffee choices, delicious fruited scones with clotted cream, finger sandwiches, and tiny lemon curd tarts.

"Esme, you understand that I'll never be able to thank you enough for all you've done for me. I feel like I will forever be in your debt."

She gives me a very stern look. "First of all, you're not making me do anything I don't wish to do, so you need to hush up about it. Second, I've never seen my son happier in his life, and there's nothing—nothing—in the world that means more to a mother than the happiness of her child. Last of all? You're my daughter, Bella. This is what mothers do for their girls. Thank you for allowing me the chance to do it. You're really a dream daughter-in-law, you know. I'm so lucky."

"I think the luck is all with me, so I guess that means we're even."

She clinks her champagne flute with mine, and we drink to each other.

"I wonder how our boys are doing at the moment," Esme muses.

"You know, for all his piss and vinegar, I think my dad was actually afraid to fly here. I'm not sure he's even been on a plane before, come to think of it."

"We'll get him relaxed with some melatonin tonight, and that should help him with any jet lag. We have a big day planned tomorrow, after all."

I let out a little squeal of excitement and a huge grin when it registers that I'm getting married tomorrow. It's going to be so much fun.

My phone buzzes with an incoming call. Seeing that it's Edward, I look at Esme for permission to answer. She winks at me.

"Hey," I say shyly.

"We made it back to Leeds without incident. Somehow, my father has turned Charlie into Mr. Chatty."

He can't be talking about my dad. "No, I don't believe you. It's simply not possible."

Edward holds out his phone, and I hear laughter, clinking glasses, and loud, boisterous conversation in the background.

"Did you two get my dad drunk, Edward?" I accuse.

"Wha…? I… no, of course not."

"Uh huh. I believe you," My tone communicates that I think he's full of shit.

"He might have had a little bit of Scotch when we got home."

"I knew it!" I giggle. "Well, it will probably be good for him to loosen up. Your mom and I will be leaving soon."

"I can't wait to have you home."

"I can't wait to be home. I love you."

"Pretty sure I love you more. Hurry back to me."

~xXx~

When we get home, I greet my happily buzzed father and Carlisle. Charlie is so used to drinking his Vitamin R that the Scotch hit him hard. Well, that on top of being jet lagged.

"Bells, Carlisle is going to take me fishing tomorrow. Apparently, the lake here at Leeds Castle is well-stocked."

I walk over to Carlisle and give him a small kiss on the cheek. "Thank you for making my dad so happy. You're wonderful, you know."

"I'm thrilled to have someone who will fish with me, to be honest. Edward was always a little too intense to appreciate the subtleties of fishing."

Edward shakes his head. "I'll leave that to the two of you. I want to make sure there are plenty of fish for you to catch, after all," he grins.

Tonight, we're going to have a small, pre-wedding dinner here at the Cullen's cottage. I've decided to surprise Edward with a Hob Nobs groom's cake, similar to the one Prince William had for his wedding. The Prince's version uses tea biscuits; I plan to substitute them with Hob Nobs.

I'm lost in my work when I feel a pair of arms wrap around my waist from behind.

"You're so beautiful."

I turn around to look at my fiancé, and he has a loopy grin on his face. "Jesus, don't tell me that you're all drunk!"

"Noo, baby, just loose and happy."

"Mmhmm. In other words, drunk"

"I just wanna feel you up a little bit," he says, pawing my ass.

"Sweets, I need to finish this before dinner. I can't do that if my ass is in your hands."

"Oh, I bet you could. You've always been an incredible multi-tasker."

He bends down and kisses me, and before I know it, I've forgotten completely about what I was doing.

Edward's tongue tastes like Scotch. I instantly want to prolong our kiss to savor it mingled together with his own unique taste—I could never get enough of it. The Scotch just makes it more interesting.

I let a small moan escape, but it's interrupted by someone clearing their throat. I break the kiss and look around Edward's body to see my dad. I instantly stiffen, causing Edward to turn around, too.

"I'm, uh… I…" my dad stumbles. "Edward, you're supposed to leave Bella alone so she can finish what she's doing and join us in the drawing room."

"Oh, right," Edward says, smoothly. He gives me a quick kiss on the forehead then walks over to join my dad. "Hurry and finish up, baby. We'll be waiting for you."

I'm all hot and bothered from that little incident as the two of them walk away, but I realize with a deep sigh that I do need to finish this up so it has time to set before dinner.

~xXx~

Our rehearsal dinner is catered, and it's scrumptious. Esme focused on Edward's favorite foods, since the night before the wedding is considered the groom's dinner. That's specifically why I chose the Hob Nobs cake as a finale.

Carlisle opens bottle after bottle of incredible wine, and we're toasting one another almost non-stop. It's a raucous affair, with laughter, and shouting, and high spirits. Inappropriate stories of youthful mishaps are told by both families, much to the chagrin of Edward and me.

I think my dad has said more tonight than during the entire time I've known him. It's absolutely delightful to see him become chatty and animated. Who knew all it took was jet lag and Scotch to get the guy going? I'm seeing a side to him I've never seen before, and it's as if he's giving me my wedding gift early.

Naturally, sitting next to my very buzzed fiancé has led to some heated under-the-table groping. Edward Cullen never needs an excuse to accost me, but I have to say that he's definitely more gregarious than usual.

I'm wearing a skirt, Edward's favorite, and he's working his hand up the inside of my thigh. I'm trying very hard to keep calm and cool, but it's no use. I keep seeing images of his long fingers in my head, and I know exactly what those long fingers are capable of doing.

A sudden brush over my bare pussy makes his hand freeze where it is. He turns and looks at me, wild-eyed. I just smirk and nod at him, acknowledging that I am sans panties.

He leans over to whisper in my ear, "You're so naughty, Bella Swan. I'm seconds away from leaning you over this table and fucking you silly."

His words to straight to my crotch, and I clamp my hand on his thigh to regain some control. Fortunately, everyone else at the table is caught up in conversation and ignores the two of us. I need to get Edward's focus away from my lady bits, at least until we leave the table.

"What do you say we leave these drunken sods to their ridiculous lies about our childhoods and go snog in some corner?"

"I'd love to, Edward, but then you'd miss my surprise."

His eyebrows rise, and a slow, happy grin blooms on his face. I marvel once again how damn lucky I am. Edward Cullen is just plain fuckhot, no matter how you look at him. I lean over and snuggle into his side.

"Carlisle, I'm wondering if you could serve the champagne while I go get the cake."

He looks up at me, surprised by my interruption. "Why yes, Bellar, of course I will. Lead the way, my dear girl."

Edward gives me the most forlorn and pouty look I've ever seen, and I whisper to him, "Later." That's all it takes to plant a huge, sloppy smile on his face.

In the kitchen, I retrieve the cake from the refrigerator and loosen the sides of the pan. Carlisle sets the bottle of champagne on the counter and stops my motion. He gently cradles my head in his hands and gives me a sweet kiss on my cheek. He lets out a happy sigh, and hugs me.

"Bellar, I cannot tell you what your presence means to my whole family. I never imagined that gaining a daughter would feel so natural and right. It's as if you were born to be with us. I truly love you, my girl."

I start to tear up, all emotional from the wine and my overwhelming sense of happiness. "Oh, Carlisle. You've all given me so much, and I never knew it was what I needed to be truly happy. Thank you for accepting me into your family so easily."

We hug, losing ourselves in the comfort of our proximity, until Edward comes into the kitchen.

"Hands off the merchandise, Dad! We need the champagne, and I need Bella."

Carlisle chuckles and gives me a kiss on the top of my head. "Just letting your girl understand how much we all love her, son. Here you go."

He hands me off to Edward, who quickly pulls me into his arms. "I missed you."

"I've only been gone for a couple of minutes, you goof. Now let me get the cake ready."

"I'm going to have my wicked way with you in here."

"Cullen, my dad is about 12 feet away from us. No way."

He sighs deeply. "Damn. I was hoping a healthy dose of crimples would make you forget."

I push him away, giggling and place the cake onto a serving platter. That's when Edward turns his attention away from me and toward the plate.

He looks at me, then at the plate, and back at me. "Baby, is that what I think it is?" he says hopefully.

I nod in response.

"Jesus god in heaven, I love you!" He avows.

"I know. Let's serve this puppy up, okay?"

That's all it takes to get him in motion toward the table, yanking my free hand to hurry me along.

I set the cake on the table and cut it into slices, while I explain why I've made it.

"Daddy, the Cullen men love Hob Nobs, so I've made a special Hob Nobs cake for my handsome groom."

"Do I even want to know what a Hob Nob is?" My dad cringes.

"It's a British tea cookie, Dad, made with oats and brushed with milk chocolate. They're delicious."

"Oh," he says, embarrassed.

"Trust me, you'll love them."

I distribute a slice to everyone, and we're digging in when my dad clears his throat and lifts his champagne flute.

Charlie is going to give a toast?

"Bella, you've been my angel since the moment you were born. You've always been smart as a whip, and the best girl a father could ever want. You helped your mom, you've always helped me, and I'm happy to give you up to a man who loves you at least as much as I do. To you, my girl."

Everyone answers, "To Bella." I blush furiously as the flutes clink together.

Edward turns and kisses my flushed cheek. "I love you, baby."

After a small awkward pause, Carlisle prompts us to eat. "Come on, now, let's sample this delicacy!"

I'm rewarded with sounds of mouth orgasms, and I take a taste for myself. It is completely nommely.

"If it's good enough for Prince William, then it's good enough for the Cullens, too. William's version uses tea biscuits, but I thought the Cullen boys would prefer Hob Nobs. It looks like I was right," I observe.

"Bellar, if I hadn't already pledged my undying love to my dear wife, I'd pledge it to you after eating this cake."

"Back off, Dad," Edward growls at his father, then turns his attention back to me. "All I can say is that had you chosen to make this recipe rather than your apple pie, you would never have made it out of the physician's workroom unscathed. Jesus, you're an absolute miracle. Are you really mine?"

He's staring at me when Esme pipes in.

"My boys might have made their claims on you, but I wholeheartedly concur—I'd go to the Dark Side for you, Bella. This is positively sinful."

"Bells, you can make this for me any time. I'm with the Cullens on this one."

I'm overwhelmed by all the compliments, as well as the champagne. I feel so happy, light, free. I look over at Edward, recognizing once again that I get to go home with him every night for the rest of our lives. Life just doesn't get any better than this.

~xXx~

Esme has a schedule full of fun events planned for our wedding day. We decided to take the entire day to celebrate, since we have such a small wedding group. Edward and I spent a difficult night apart, but I wanted to be able to get a good night's sleep for the wedding. I should have known it was a bad idea; I always sleep more soundly when Edward is with me.

We get up at the crack of dawn; the plan is to take a balloon ride so we can view the castle's splendor at sunrise. I've never ridden in a balloon before, so I'm thrilled to have this opportunity. Charlie opts to stay on the ground, even though I try to coerce him to join us. For all his gruffness, I'm surprised to learn he's afraid of heights. I guess he always wanted to appear infallible and strong for me, especially after Mom died. It's a tad unsettling to witness his vulnerability.

Edward holds me at his side during the entire ride, and I can't imagine a more beautiful, perfect moment. We're in the air as the sun rises, and once the light hits the castle, it appears to glow. It's utterly quiet and peaceful, except for the sound of the hot air. To speak right now would ruin the solitude of the moment, so we just enjoy the sensation of being close to each other and take in the beauty of the Kent countryside. I almost want to pinch myself to affirm that this is all really happening—I recognize that I'm going to be part of the history of this place, in some small way.

The ride is over far too soon, and we enjoy a champagne brunch afterwards. It's turning out to be a perfect, sunny day, if a bit cool. My dad and Carlisle cut brunch short in order to get some fishing done before the ceremony. It's their preferred way of passing time while they wait.

Esme has hired a stylist to do my hair and make-up, which seems ridiculous, given that it will be just the six of us. She promised me that I'll want to look my best in the pictures that we'll be taking, for posterity's sake. I merely acquiesce, knowing that she's probably right.

I have no idea what Edward is up to, but I don't get the chance to see him before the ceremony. Esme wants to make sure we preserve that tradition, "for good luck." I giggle at her superstitious nature, but allow it. I want Edward to be pleasantly surprised when he sees me; he has no idea that I'll be wearing Pippa Middleton's dress.

All my preparations take place at the castle, so there's no chance anything will happen to my gown before the wedding. My hair is styled very simply—loose, wavy curls that are pulled back, leaving a few loose tendrils hanging. The style allows the tiara to be shown off, instead of being hidden among my curls. My make-up is equally as simple, natural tones that enhance my face subtly and make my skin glow.

When we pull on my dress, I hold still for the damn buttons to be fastened; it seems to take forever.

"There, all finished," she finally tells me. "Turn around so I can get a good look at you."

I follow her command, looking up at her timidly.

"Oh, my daughter, you're stunning." Her voice cracks a little, and I can see tears forming in her eyes. "Edward will be so pleased."

I feel myself blush, and start to get emotional. I worry about smearing my make-up until the stylist reminds me that he used waterproof mascara. Thank goodness, because I'm sure that I'm going to tear up here and there this evening; it can't be avoided.

I hear a rustling noise and look up to see my father standing in the doorway. "Oh, Bells…" he exclaims softly.

I reach out my hands to indicate that I'd like a hug. "Daddy."

"You look so perfect," he tells me. "I'm so proud of you, my girl. Your mother would have been so happy to see you like this." My eyes start to leak out a fresh rush of tears, and he gives me a kiss on my cheek. "Shh, it's all right. She knows, she knows."

He turns to Esme, "So, we're on in about five?" he asks.

She quickly checks her watch. "Yes, that's right."

I feel my stomach flutter. Five minutes?

I can do this.

Esme comes over to do some last minute preparations. "All right, so we have your engagement ring, which is something old, your tiara has your something blue, your dress is something new. I have an idea for your something borrowed."

"Oh?"

"I have an old pair of drop pearl earrings. Would you like to borrow them?"

"Esme! Of course I would love to. Thank you so much for thinking of this."

She takes a moment to put them in my ears, and steps back to admire them.

"Edward's charm bracelet! I almost forgot! Would you put it on for me, please?" I ask.

"Edward will be so thrilled to see you wearing this, Bella."

"I know. It means so much to me, too."

After she finishes attaching the bracelet, she gives me a small kiss and a big hug. "Now, are you ready?"

"Can I have a moment to myself?"

"Of course. We'll be waiting for you in the Henry the Eighth room."

Edward and I chose to be married in the Henry the Eighth banquet room, because it overlooks the lake, it's a beautiful room, and it's a nod to Edward's heritage. While I'm excited to join him there, I'm also a little nervous. I'm not sure exactly why, because I know on a very deep level that this is exactly what I want. Edward is absolutely, positively meant to be the man for me, for the rest of my life.

I remind myself that it's just a small group of people and that I can do this. I take a deep breath in and out. There's a gentle tap on the door, and my dad sticks his head inside.

"You ready, kiddo?"

I smile at him. "Yeah. Yeah, I am, Daddy."

~xXx~

EPOV

Bella appears in the doorway, escorted by Charlie, and I feel my chest constrict when I see her—she totally takes my breath away. Her dress is very simple, but she's positively radiant. Then it dawns on me that she's in the same dress that Kate Middleton's sister wore to the royal wedding. I might have mentioned how fine Pippa's ass was in that dress, and now here is my Bella, wearing the same thing. I can't wait to take a peek at her rear; I'm sure it puts Pippa's to shame.

I notice the way the dress falls over her tits, and all thoughts of virtue and purity fly out the window. It feels wrong to want to sully the fuck out of her, but seeing her like this, knowing that it's all for me, fills me with a deep sense of pride and possession. As she walks toward me, all I can think of is how easy it will be to unravel her hair, and I imagine how it will bounce along with her tits while I'm fucking her.

This is your wedding day, Cullen, concentrate on her innocence. Jesus.

Her walk across the room gives me the opportunity to take her all in. The extra time doesn't make me any less lascivious, but when I see Charlie, my thoughts obligingly drift back to where they should be. Bella just smiles at me, and I'm toast. This woman totally owns me.

When they finally get to where I'm waiting for her, Charlie gives Bella a kiss on her cheek. He puts her hand in mine, and I nod my head at him in quiet thanks.

I quietly tell Bella she looks beautiful and give her hand a squeeze. When I smile at her, she mutters something like "damn crimples" to me. She whispers, "That tux makes me want to do wholly improper things to you."

Fuck yes.

"It's hard to resist the crimples, I completely understand."

She gives a slight stomp on my foot, and I grin at her.

Since our wedding is merely a civil ceremony, it only lasts about ten minutes. We both agreed ahead of time that since it's just the two of us and our families, there's no need for writing our vows, or reading poems, or anything like that. The sooner we can get to celebrating our marriage, the better.

"Would you like to kiss your bride, Dr. Cullen?"

I start the kiss, but Bella gives it life. A little bit too much life in front of our families, so I have to end it as well when I hear more than one person in the room clearing their throats.

"Later, love," I whisper, and watch a gorgeous blush bloom over her face.

~xXx~

We sit down for a festive wedding dinner in the Henry the Eighth room, buoyed by the champagne and the happiness we all feel. I have to admit, my mom did a bang up job planning this whole affair. It's been an unforgettable day.

Although it's just our families in attendance, they've been clinking on their glasses nonstop, begging us to indulge in kiss after kiss. Fortunately, we're both happy to oblige.

I'm surprised when Bella herself stands to give a toast. "Edward, I recognize that we're in the Henry the Eighth room right now. It's where we were married, and it's where we're celebrating. And while I know that we can't choose our families, I want to make sure you understand—very clearly—that while Henry might've had six wives, you only get the one," she grins at me in triumph.

Laughing, I reply, "I duly promise not to chop your head off."

Chief Charlie Swan isn't nearly as amused by my comment as is the rest of the wedding party. Bella sees this, and explains it to him.

"Daddy, Henry the Eighth had six wives, and he beheaded two of them. He broke with the Catholic Church in order to be able to divorce his first wife, creating the Church of England. He divorced another wife and considered chopping the head off his sixth wife. Not a very good record. I expect better from Edward, however."

Charlie's eyebrows furrow as Bella recounts the story, and reacts with a "Hmph."

"Trust me, Charlie, I know that you carry a firearm in your line of work. I'll do everything in my power to honor your daughter every single day for the rest of our lives."

I grab Bella's hand to kiss it, and she lets out a huge yawn. I need to get her to bed. I open my mouth to make an excuse to call it a night, but my mom beats me to the punch.

She hugs Bella, and places an envelope into her hands. "This is your wedding gift, from Carlisle and me."

Bella takes the envelope from my parents, opening it carefully and reading the contents. "I don't understand… what… it can't be…?"

My parents conferred with me about their gift before deciding upon it; I explain the situation to her. "It's the title to their house, Bella. They're giving it to us, so we have plenty of space to start a family."

Her jaw drops and she turns to my mom. "But, it's your home! Where are you going to live?"

My father takes his new daughter by her hand. "My lovely Bellar, it's very simple. We're going to trade homes. We'll downsize to live in Edward's condo, and you'll take over our larger home. It's time. The house is far too big for just the two of us."

"But, you can't give a house away!" My beautiful girl dissolves into tears. It's been a very long, emotional day.

My father gives her a kiss on her forehead, closing her hand over the sheath of paper. "You must take it, my sweet daughter, and fill it with love and grandbabies. Besides, Darcy and Elizabeth prefer you anyhow. I'd hate to disappoint the dogs by denying them of your daily presence."

She blushes and her voice cracks as she mutters in grateful disbelief, "Thank you. So much. I can't believe it."

I come up behind her, slipping my arms around her waist. She interrupts my thoughts when she leans over and whispers in my ear, "Take me to bed, Edward. I need you."

For the benefit of our parents, I announce our departure. "Come, love. You're very tired. Let's get you to bed."

She continues to sniff away her tears, but grabs my arms and hugs them more tightly around her body. "Mmm," she agrees.

Without having to utter another word to our parents, who've been witness to this magical kind of love that Bella and I share, I take her by the hand and lead her off to our room.

We're sleeping in one of the castle rooms tonight, so we have the entire place to ourselves. It's just as well, because there is no way in hell we're going to be quiet, and I certainly don't want Charlie Swan to hear exactly what it is I'm doing to his little girl. As I carry her over the threshold and shut the door behind us, I head straight for the buttons running down Bella's back.

Damn, her ass is finer than Pippa's. I'm such a lucky bastard.

I near the bottom of the buttons, which reveals my first peek at that fine bum. I can't help myself; I slip my hands between her dress and her ass, giving it a healthy squeeze.

"Fuck, Mrs. Cullen, I need you."

Bella slides out from her dress, leaving it in a pile on the floor. She's in nothing but lingerie—garter, thigh highs, and sheer bra and panties. The very sight leaves me rock hard for her.

I watch her hands reach around to the front of her, fumbling with something. She starts to speak in an affected manner, so I turn her around to see just what my little minx is up to.

"Edward, I'm just… so… sleepy," she yawns, stretching her arms above her head. The action makes her tits appear like round globes, and I want nothing more than to have them in my mouth. "I can't be bothered at all right now. In fact, I think I need to put on this VIRGIN AIRLINES SLEEP MASK to make sure I get a really restful snooze in tonight," she says as she hops onto the bed.

I hone in on her face the second that mask is down over her eyes—she was merely pretending to be sleepy?

I pounce on top of her like a panther, mouth to her ear.

"You really shouldn't have done that."

She wiggles underneath me, all happy energy that I'm playing along. She genuinely has no idea—she might think that I was playing when I warned her before not to put on that mask, but she's about to see how fucking serious I am. It does unreal things to my libido. I grab her hands and hold them above her head, tightly. She needs to understand what this shit does to me.

"You are such a naughty girl, Mrs. Cullen. I was planning to be all slow and loving but now I'm going to have to fuck you senseless," I warn her. "Keep those hands above your head unless you want to be spanked."

Does she listen to me? No, she does not. She deliberately takes those hands and puts them at her side, taunting me.

I decide to give her another chance. "I'm not kidding, Bella. Hands up."

She beams out a grin and shakes her head, giggling.

Fucking hell.

I grab her hips and turn her over while pulling her up onto all fours. "You asked for it, baby," I explain, and swiftly deliver a round of spanks. She squeaks after each one, excitedly. When I finish, she wiggles her ass at me.

"Is that all you got, Cullen?"

"Are you fucking kidding me?"

More wiggles. I swat her harder this time, but instead of cute little squeaks, I get some moans.

I rub my palm over her pussy, noting how wet she already is. "You're ready? Something makes me think that being married has only increased your wantonness."

I hear her gasp. "Fuck, yes."

I waste no time getting down to business; I turn her onto her back, ogling her in her lingerie. I love Bella, but this is going to be neither slow nor gentle nor loving. Whenever Bella has the sleep mask on, she's going to get fucked. It's a fact of life.

"Hands. Above. Your. Head," I grunt out menacingly in a rough voice.

At a moment such as this, I can't be bothered by things like buttons and zippers. They require too much handling. I shove Bella's bra up, exposing her tits. She has her blue barbells on, just for me. The minute I see them, they're in my mouth. I grumble in frustration with my zipper—I'm a desperate man here, and it fucking needs to cooperate with me. I finally get it down and yank my cock free. Shoving her panties to one side, I place the head of my cock right in her entrance. I thrust into her as deeply as I can. My pace is frantic, because I just can't get enough of her. I could be married to her for the rest of my life, and I will still never have enough. My mind is so clouded, I can't even think straight. All I can hear is the slapping of our skin together and Bella's grunts in time with each one of my thrusts. Neither one of us says a word. Bella's eyes are concealed, and mine are shut. All I can feel is the incredible sensation of us moving together. Her tits bounce in time with me.

I take one of her nipples into my mouth and tug on her barbell. Not hard, but more than a love nip. That's all it takes to set her off.

"Fuck! Edward!"

"How do you want to finish?" I grunt at her.

"Inside me. Deep inside me."

I wait for her twitch, the one that tells me I've gotten her where she needs to go. I drive myself into her, as if I'm chasing my orgasm down a hallway, and I do as she asks, deep inside of her. The place that now belongs to me alone.

We're both panting after our fuck, smiles on our faces. Bella removes the sleep mask and turns her body into mine.

"What did I ever do to deserve such a wonderfully complex, amazing man? How is it that you always think of me, of my pleasure, even before your own? You always make sure that sex is a fair exchange, and it's perfect every single time. All I can say is that you're stuck with me now, Mr. Cullen. Forever."

"I hope you know that means we're going to spend the next three months in bed, give or take an hour or so."

She lifts her face to mine and gives me a soft kiss. I pull her over to straddle me, and remove her bra. I'm settled down enough to be able to do it slowly and gently. Without breaking our kiss, she lifts her knees so I can work her panties off. I arch my back and remove my pants, and we're finally completely naked together. She slides her pussy over my cock, which gradually hardens beneath her. Without a word, I lift her hips and slip inside. We kiss and rock in unison, taking our time, together in this moment. There's no me and her, no outside world, nothing but the connection of our moving bodies. It's perfect.

Bella comes with a small squeaking noise, and I pause a moment while she jerks from her orgasm. It isn't long before I finish and when I open my eyes, I see her looking at me with such adoration that it takes my breath away. Every time I think I can't possibly love this woman more, she proves me wrong. Not only that, but she apparently loves me just as ardently. I let out a very contented sigh, and Bella leans over me

With my arms around her, I whisper in her ear, "Sleep well, Mrs. Cullen. Remember that you'll always be my lobster."

She gives me a wordless "Hmm" in response, and we drift off to sleep.

A/N: I will be writing a one-shot for the Fandom For Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (fandom4LLS on FFn). It will be an outtake from TNJ, called "Bella Swan: AKA The Naughty Nurse." Yeah, it's going to pretty much be PWP, as per usual. There is just the epilogue and one additional outtake left. *sniff*

The recipe for Prince William's/Edward's Chocolate Biscuit Wedding Cake is located on my livejournal: kimpy0464(at)livejournal(dot)com. For those of you who have access to Hob Nobs, I just substituted them for the tea biccies. It was very nomz.