This is probably the second to last chapter and then an epilogue.

Normal disclaimers apply.

All too soon the day of Emmett and Rosalie's wedding was upon us.

Her, Esme and Alice were cooped up in Esme's room getting ready, while the rest of us got the house and garden ready. A large white canopy covered the veranda, which then opened up to a snow covered garden.

Why they had to pick the end of December for this, I have no idea.

I shoved another outdoor space heater into place and sat down heavily in a chair set out for the guests.

Jasper came over and started massaging my shoulders.

"Mmm, that feels good."

"I know what else will feel good too." He said, leaning down to whisper in my ear.

"As nice as that sounds, I think they might notice if we disappear." I murmured back.

"We're almost done. I think they can manage the last few bits by themselves."

I looked around the space we had created. Poinsettias covered almost every surface. Red ribbon and while tulle decorated each chair and table. Twinkle lights strung up in the canopy gave everything a soft golden glow. It looked magical and perfect for a winter wedding.

We discreetly left dad and Emmett arguing about some candles and went up to our room.

As soon as the door was shut I had Jasper pinned against it, attacking his mouth with my own.

"How long until you have to pick up your parents and grandmother?" I asked, pushing his coat from his shoulders and kissing down his neck.

"Uhh, a couple of hours." He panted, undoing my flies and slipping his hand in.

"Perfect." I growled, flipping the lock on my door and lifting him up by the ass before walking over to our bed. I dropped him down onto the mattress and shed my coat and sweater before covering his body with mine. I ground myself down and he wrapped his legs around my thighs. Jaspers hands found purchase on my ass and pushed me down harder against him.

I rest my forehead against his and looked into his deep blue eyes. "I don't think I can go slow." I groaned.

"Then don't." He panted, pushing my pants down with his feet, while I took off his belt and unbuttoned his jeans.

He handed me a condom and I made quick work of putting it on as he removed the remainder of his clothes.

I eased in slow, not wanting to hurt him, before picking up the pace. It wasn't long before the both of were crying out in pleasure and shuddering through our orgasms.

000

I was busy getting ready while Jazz went to collect his family from their hotel, when a timid knock sounded on my door.

"Come in." I called, straightening my tie in the mirror.

Rosalie stepped into the room looking a million times better than any runway model I had worked with.

"Hey." I said, leaving my tie alone and picking up the cufflinks to put in my shirt. "Everything okay?" I regarded her through the mirror.

"Edward, do you think I'm making the right decision?"

"I spun on my heels and looked at her with raised eyebrows. "Are you having second thoughts?"

"Yes. No. Maybe. I don't know!" She threw her hands up in the air. "I've waited for this day for so long, but what if it's all too fast? What if a few years down the line it doesn't work out? What then?"

"You can't go through life wondering about the what ifs Rose. You have to take that leap of faith and hope for the best. Just know that if you walk down that aisle and say yes to my brother, he's going to treat you like a queen for the rest of your lives. Has he ever told you about his past?" I asked, crouching down in front of her.

She nodded in response.

"Then you know that he's seen the absolute worst in people and he could not be further from that if he tried. He doesn't have a bad bone in his body, despite how he was brought up before he got here. He is an accepting, go-with-the-flow kind of guy who would give you the world if you asked it of him. Do you love him?"

Her eyes snapped to mine. "Of course I do. I never stopped. I never even looked at another guy these last four years."

She really was like her twin.

"Then jump in with both feet." I clasped her hands in mine. "It may seem rushed, but at least you have the opportunity to get married." Jasper and I would have to move to Connecticut for a marriage between us to be considered legal.

Rose smiled at me sadly. "It's not fair. You can get idiots married for just fifty two hours and people roll their eyes and carry on, yet when two people who love each other dearly but happen to be the same sex want to get married, it's frowned upon. The world is fucking mad!"

"Tell me about it sister." We both looked round to see Jasper leaning in the doorway. "Mom's looking for you. She wants to give you some old, borrowed, blue shit or something. I wasn't really listening."

I stood and helped her to her feet.

"Thank you for listening." She said, hugging me tightly before drawing back and turning to her brother. "Hurry up and get ready Jazzy. My wedding starts in twenty minutes and there's no time for the both of you to sneak in a quick one either." She laughed at the looks on our faces. "I heard all about how you two snuck away from your decorating duties earlier. I want you both out of this room in ten." She sauntered from the room in search of her mother.

I kissed Jasper in greeting and followed Rosalie out of the room, letting him get ready without any distractions.

I made my way downstairs and into the living room where several guests were milling about. I was going to ask Esme if there was anything she wanted me to do when an ungodly shriek sounded out behind me.

I turned slowly to see a lanky teenage boy of Korean descent looking in my direction and fanning himself. A startled looking Alice came rushing out of the kitchen followed by Bella. They stopped to talk to the boy and then pulled him over to me.

"Everything all right Ali?" I asked, as the boy swooned. Bella rolled her eyes, but continued to hold him upright.

"Edward, this is Eric. Eric, this is my big brother Edward. He is your biggest fan." She stated conspiratorially, turning back to me.

"I'm not just a fan Alice." He hissed. "He is my idol." Eric turned to me. "You are a god amongst men. Thank you so much for the picture and the message you wrote me two years ago. I read it every day without fail and am living my best life because of it, especially with these two by my sides." He hugged Bella and Alice to him. "I want to open up my own fashion house and Alice will be my top designer. Bella is going to be our photographer and it's going to be awesome!" He started bouncing in place and clapping his hands while the girls tried to get him to calm down. I left them to it and made my escape while the teens were occupied.

I went out to the veranda to get ready for being Emmett's best man, but found myself in the company of a familiar face. "Austin? Long time no see. How are you?" I shook his free hand while the other cradled his new born son to his chest.

"Edward! Great to see you. Don't let my wife see you, she'll never let you go." He joked.

"How is Katie?"

"Yeah, she's great. Just taken Noah to the bathroom."

Austin got married to his high school sweetheart, Katie, as soon as they graduated and had Noah not long after. Their second son, Nicholas, was born at the beginning of December.

"What are you up to these days?"

"Would you believe I'm actually a stay at home dad? Katie is still doing her nurses training when not on maternity leave. She'll go back when school starts up in the new year."

"That's great. Never expected that of you. Thought you would have gone on to be a superstar athlete."

"Yeah, well, things change. I bet you never expected to be a famous model."

"I don't think anyone expected that." I laughed along with him.

I stepped back when I felt movement down by my knees. I looked down to see a small boy with curly brown hair and bright blue eyes looking up at me.

"Who you?"

"Noah, don't be rude." Austin admonished. "This is Edward. He's an old friend of daddy's." He had crouched down to look his oldest son in the eyes.

Having not really been around children younger than the age of ten, I felt a little out of my depth and escaped the first chance I got.

I located Emmett up by the makeshift altar looking a little green. "You know you could ask dad to give you something for the nerves." I slung my right arm around his shoulder and patted his stomach with my left hand.

"I'm not nervous."

"Then why does it look like you're about to vom into the floral display?"

He didn't get a chance to reply as Carlisle called out, "Ladies and gentlemen, if you could please take your seats, the ceremony is about to begin."

The music started and Emmett straightened up, turning to face the aisle.

Carlisle and Esme came down first, followed by Rosalie's parents Lil and Abraham. Alice -Rosalie's only bridesmaid- was escorted down the carpet by Jasper.

Watching him walk down towards where we were standing made my mind drift to if we were to ever get married. Would one of us wait by the altar? Would we both walk up together? How would everyone react?

I shook my head out of my musings and smiled when he stopped next to me, slipping his hand into mine.

Everyone stood when Rose came down the aisle by herself.

Her blonde hair was done up into a smooth chignon with loose tendrils framing her face. She had a faux fur stole wrapped around her bare shoulders and a bouquet of red poinsettias with ivy clasped in her hands.

Rosalie, who was normally bold and fierce, actually looked demure and a little reserved.

Emmett's mouth dropped open at the sight of her in a white satin dress that hugged her curves and flared out slightly mid thigh.

Her blood red lips curved up into a brilliant smile when she saw him waiting for her.

She came to a stop in front of him and he held out his hands, helping her up onto the small, raised platform. She handed her bouquet to Alice to hold during their vows and grasped Emmett's hands tightly in her own.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to witness the union of Emmett and Rosalie. I understand that the bride and groom have written their own vows, which will be followed by the traditional ones." The celebrant said. "Miss Hale, if you would like to go first." He stepped back and let Rosalie speak.

"Emmett, all my life I dreamed I would meet someone as caring and as loving as you. Despite our time apart I never stopped thinking about you."

Jasper squeezed my hand as his sister spoke, conveying the same sentiment to me.

"When I finally saw you again, I knew I could never let you go. Which is why -with these vows- I promise to be forever by your side, supporting you in all of your endeavours as an equal."

"Mr McCarty-Cullen, if you would now like to share your vows."

"Rosalie, my sweet Rosie, you had me floored on that very first day we met and, although I wasted so much time, I was never happier than when I saw you on that park bench five months ago. I had been granted another chance to do things right. I promise you that I will never repeat the things in my past and I will cherish you for the rest of my life, my fierce warrior princess."

I was just about to pinch myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming. That Emmett was actually being sweet, but then he goes and ruins it by making a Xena reference. Idiot.

"Thank you Emmett, for that...wonderful expression of words. Now, if you would like to repeat after me."

I let go of Jaspers hand to get the rings out of my inside jacket pocket. I handed them to the celebrant who placed them on the open book in his hands. "I, Emmett Alan McCarty-Cullen, take you Rosalie Amelia Hale to be my lawfully wedded wife. To have and to hold, for richer and poorer, in sickness and in health, for as long as we both shall live. What say you?"

Em repeated it word for word and Rose said 'I do' as he slipped the wedding band onto her finger.

Rosalie repeated the process, slipping Emmett's band into place as he said 'I do'.

"With the power vested in me I now declare you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride."

The tent was filled with cheers and whistles as Emmett dipped Rosalie and locked lips with her.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honour to present to you Mr and Mrs McCarty-Cullen.

000

After the speeches and the toasts. The gift exchange and the cutting of the cake. The bouquet toss and the garter retrieval, we partied the night away and saw in 2005 with a bang.

When all of the guests had left and Rose was almost asleep on Emmett's shoulder, did I give them their wedding gift.

"Hey, Em, this is for you both. I didn't want to give it to you in front of everyone else."

"Why not?" He asked, taking the envelope from my hand.

"Because I didn't want to make a big deal out of it."

"What is it Edward?" Rose asked, stifling a yawn.

"Open it and see." I was starting to feel nervous.

Emmett tore the envelope open and pulled out the paper inside. He read it and looked at me slightly gobsmacked. "I can't accept this."

"What? What is it?" Rose snatched the paper out of Emmett's hand and gasped when she read it.

"Please Emmett." I said. "I wouldn't be where I m today without all that you have done for me."

"But you already gifted us our honeymoon."

I had given them a two week, all expenses paid, trip to Italy for Christmas that they said they would use as their honeymoon.

"Edward, this is..." Rosalie trailed off.

"A cheque for a million dollars." I finished for her. "Please accept it. I want you both to be able to set up a life for yourselves and after you both graduate, your own businesses. Em, you can start your own gym and Rose, you can start that day care centre I know you dream of owning. You should also have enough left over for when you want to start your own family."

"I don't know what to say brother." Emmett rubbed the back of his neck while Rose sat there with her mouth agape.

"Thank you?" I suggested.

Emmett stood and pulled me into a tight bear hug. "Thank you, Ed. So much. You have no idea what this means to us."

"I think I have some type of clue." I replied, patting him on the back.

He drew back, sniffing and Rose took his place, kissing me on the cheek.

"Thank you." She whispered.

"You're welcome." I said, holding her tight.

I let her go and bid them both a goodnight. Jasper was waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs. He silently held out his hand and led me to bed.

000

Why have we stopped here?" Jasper asked, peering out of the windshield of my car. "Where are we?"

I unbuckled my seatbelt and turned to face him. "Do you trust me?"

"Of course I do. Without a doubt. But, what are we doing here?"

"Just get out of the car Jazz." I replied, climbing out of my Volvo and walking up to the front door of the house.

He got out of the vehicle and followed behind me.

It was currently spring break for Jasper, and although I supported him wholeheartedly about finishing his degree, I missed him something chronic during the week.

So I put a plan into action where I could see him everyday and not just at weekends.

I let him into the house and showed him around.

It was a nice four bedroom house split over two levels with a wrap around porch. It included a large kitchen with an adjoining dining room, a living space, two offices, a den, a master bathroom and two smaller ones. Out the back was a medium sized, heated pool and patio, perfect for entertaining.

It may be a little over the top for just the two of us, but things might change in the future and there's always space for overnight guests.

"What do you think?" I asked, coming to a stop in front of the back doors.

"It's real nice and all, but I still don't get why we're here."

"Could you see yourself living here?"

"What?"

I rephrased the question. "Can you see yourself living here, with me?"

"Ed-" He started, but I cut him off.

"Jasper we spent four years apart and we both know that saying goodbye to you every Sunday evening is killing me."

"Edward."

"This way, we can be together every night. Wake up to each other every morning."

"Edward."

"I know it may seem a little bit rushed. I mean, we've only been back together for a few months, but I can picture us spending the rest of our lives here. Please say y-"

He effectively shut me up by pulling me in for a passionate kiss. When we parted he rest his forehead against mine. "Can you please let me answer?" He asked, looking me in the eyes. I nodded, our noses brushing together. "I would love nothing more than to move in with you."

Aww they're going to set up home together.

Let me know what you think

x