Just a little time

Just a little something else instead

-X-

Bella was never quite sure how Alice got so deeply involved in the planning of Charlie and Sue's wedding. She was not initially part of the planning team at all, but it was as if everyone blinked and she was there, and had always been there, making crucial decisions and telling everyone else what to do. Sue protested at first but quickly realized that Alice wasn't out to sabotage her wedding day and was, in fact, improving upon it greatly at no extra cost to her. Sue refused to let the Cullen fortune pay for any part of the wedding, so Alice kept everything in the original budget, only skirting around that restriction at times by making things herself. Charlie had no complaints; he had requested to be totally left out of the decision-making.

After all, this was not going to be a large affair, or even a very formal one. It was more of a small gathering of family and friends, with barely any emphasis on the union itself. It was to be a very private, very small event, and Alice respected those wishes.

Also in charge of planning were Sue's brother, Lucas, Emily, and Joy. Old Quil would officiate the ceremony, and the Ateara Family General Store would cater the event. And, of course, the resort would provide a beachside venue and lodgings for all the guests.

Bella tried not to think too much about the wedding. It was very strange for her to see her father getting married again, especially to Sue. It was undeniable that their relationship had been sudden and strange to some, but there was a feeling that it made sense, that it had been a long time coming, so everyone who had nothing nice to say said nothing at all.

Summer was in full swing on the Olympic Peninsula and, at Charlie's suggestion (and Carlisle's behest), everyone had gotten part-time jobs. For Bella, it was a way to take her mind off things, to bring a semblance of normalcy back into her life, and to earn a bit of her own money that she felt comfortable spending. Ateara's always needed more hands on deck, and Joy was happy to have her around. Edward, on the other hand, had to go through the interview process, but Joy still gave him the job. Seth, eager to be involved, also found work at Ateara's, though Joy mostly kept him in the kitchen learning how to make pizzas from Quil.

Down the street, Jacob and Rosalie had found work at Fisher's Tire & Auto. Jacob finally had time to relax and pursue his passions, and it only seemed appropriate that he get a job after graduating from high school. He was still unsure if he wanted to go to PC for a certification, but he had plenty of time to decide. Rosalie applied with Jacob's encouragement; Ethan didn't trust her as far as he could throw her, and she would have to work to prove herself and her skill to him. So far, it was working, if only a little.

With Sam's recommendation, Leah got a job working at the marina. Emmett and Jasper found jobs in Forks at Newton's Outfitters and the local library respectively, and Alice took an internship with an event planning firm in Port Angeles.

Everyone was busy, but it felt good. They were busy in ways that were enjoyable, no matter how much Leah complained about sloppy sailors, or how heated Jasper got about people reshelving books incorrectly, or how hard Rosalie had to work to get Ethan to tell her she did a good job just once.

This was the kind of busy that people were supposed to be. They were living very human lives, experiencing very human problems. It was refreshing.

Things would never be completely normal, though. Even with Lucrezia gone, Bella's anxieties wouldn't go away. She was terrified that there would be someone else like her, that another life-threatening crisis was looming on the horizon. She was traumatized by it all, and rightly so.

But instead of forcing it down, she dealt with it. She had weekly talks with Jasper (and occasionally Carlisle) about how she was feeling. If something was bothering her, she told someone, be it them, or Edward, or Rosalie, or even Angela. She could talk to Angela about these things now, and that was a relief in and of itself. She was learning better coping mechanisms, learning how to let herself feel things, learning how to process her trauma.

And kicking bad habits. Bella and Edward had sat down with Carlisle and put a genuine plan for better, healthier behaviors in action. Everyone was made aware to hold them accountable. Among other limitations, there would be no alcohol outside of social settings, and the two of them were not to drink alone, together or otherwise. Edward got rid of his personal liquor cabinet in favor of a larger, general one that Esme had purchased and put in the kitchen downstairs.

It was not a dramatic change. It was not total sobriety. They had agreed that a sudden, complete 180 might be too much at the moment, and Carlisle had agreed. Instead, they would take smaller, corrective steps, and everyone else would help.

And it was working. Sure, it was frustrating at times, but it was working. Bella found that it was much more enjoyable to drink in the company of friends, in celebration, than it was to use alcohol to drown her feelings and ignore them.

Even more importantly, Bella and Rosalie had sat down and had a long, long conversation, one that was more open and honest than any they had before. Bella took full responsibility for her actions, and Rosalie admitted that she hadn't expressed her concern properly and, at times, had only made situations worse.

They talked about the past while looking towards the future. Things had changed so much, and they would only continue to change. After the wedding, they would have to let Charlie in on the secret, and they had no idea how he would take it. Bella was growing more vampire-like every day, and it was only a matter of time before the venom would take over her body and fully convert her from a mere corpse to a true creature of the night. Carlisle estimated that she had a little over a year before that happened, and she was thankful for that—it meant that she would be able to finish her time at PC. They planned for her to take a gap year after getting her associate's, and if she grew accustomed to the change after her newborn year was over, they would continue on to U-Dub.

For the first time in her life, Bella had a concrete plan for moving forward and a sturdy support system of friends and family. Despite everything else that she had seen and been through, that was what truly felt magical.

-X-

Just a little time

Just a little something up ahead

-X-

The responsibility of making sure Charlie arrived at the venue safe and sound and on time (aka, early) fell to Bella. She was fully prepared for this task but hadn't expected her father to get cold feet the morning of.

"We have thirty minutes to get in the car, dad," she said, banging on the bathroom door. "Are you really gonna run away from this now? After all this time?"

He cracked the door, peering out at her like a sad puppy.

"Bella… What if it doesn't work out?" he asked softly.

She wanted to be surprised by his question, but it made too much sense. This poor man had only ever loved two women in his life: the first had been out of his reach at the time, and the second had tried to destroy his life after he had married her. It was only natural that he be scared of making that supreme commitment a second time.

"Dad, you have known Sue for your entire life. Is there something about her that makes you think it's not going to work out? You probably should've thought that through before you, I dunno, agreed to marry her?"

His sad expression quickly morphed into a scowl. "I'm trying to be vulnerable for once in my goddamn life, Bells. Could you maybe not berate me for it?"

"I'm being honest with you. This is how I help, by being mean."

"Maybe it's a good thing we don't really talk to each other about our feelings."

Bella wasn't sure if she agreed or disagreed with that. She ignored him and said, "Listen, you love Sue. You always have. You loved her so much that you let her get married to your best friend and you moved on from it. You let them be happy and you weren't even an asshole about it."

Charlie sighed and stepped out of the bathroom.

"Doesn't mean I wasn't jealous."

"Yeah, but you didn't do anything. And she didn't do anything. And now, be they unfortunate circumstances, you have an opportunity to be together. I think… I think fate pulls some weird strings sometimes. Who you end up with when doesn't always make sense."

He leaned against the wall and began rapidly tapping his foot.

"It would be so much easier if you could just… know. Y'know? If you could see somebody and just know that they were the one for you."

Bella did her best to withhold a visual reaction to that statement. She wanted to grimace and laugh. If you only you fuckin' knew, dad…

"I… I think that kind of soulmate bullshit is a bit overrated. Probably not as easy or romantic as all the stories make it out to be. Can you imagine if you were walking down the street, and you met eyes with somebody, and you suddenly knew that they were the person that you were supposed to be with forever? To be in love with? And you barely know them. They're just a stranger on the street. That sounds like a lot more work than it's worth," she said.

Charlie scratched his chin. "Well, when you put it that way…"

"You've had a crush on Sue since you were kids. You know that you love her, and you know she loves you too. The road you took to get here was messy and complex, but that's all in the past now. You should enjoy the fact that you got here at all. And I don't think she's gonna be like Renee, and suddenly unveil some kind of wild side after you got married. Again, you've known her for your entire life." Bella paused. "And Sue's great. I like her, even if it might seem like we don't get along sometimes. She's… She's great. You deserve somebody like her, after all these years."

"Eh… I dunno about that, but, sure. Let's just say you're right and get on with it."

"Good. Now grab your bag and let's go! Alice is gonna kill me if we're even a second late."

"Alright, alright," he said, laughing.

Charlie walked past her and ruffled her hair as he went, heading back downstairs to collect his things. Bella shook her head and smiled.

When they arrived, the resort was alive with activity like Bella had never seen it before. Everyone, including the staff, were running around with an anxious excitement. Bella quickly found out why—whereas Lucas, Emily, and Joy were trying to go about things as calmly as they could, Alice was a ball of pure energy, buzzing around the venue like the busiest of bees, tossing out instructions at a rapid rate. She was specifically in charge of the decorations, while the other four were handling the wedding party, the event staff, the food, and ceremony itself, but of course she was micromanaging anything she could get her hands on.

The second she spotted Bella and Charlie walking up to where she was directing resort staff to reorganize the chairs in rows of four, she pointed straight at them and shouted, "You! Get him to Cabin 39! Now!"

Bella gave her a sarcastic salute before taking Charlie by the shoulders from behind and pushing him down the gravel path away from where the ceremony will be held. Inside Cabin 39, Bella handed her father over to Billy, Lucas, Sam, Jacob, and Seth who would get him all cleaned up and looking handsome.

Once he was in good hands, she walked further down the line of cabins to number 35, where the bridesmaids would be getting ready. Emily, Leah, and Nora (one of Billy's sisters) were already inside. Emily was wearing a simple but beautiful sleeveless blue dress, and Nora had on something similar, while Leah had opted for a pair of khaki pants and a navy blue blouse that somehow still managed to look out of character for her.

The dress code was semi-casual and even the bridal party had no uniform outfit rules; they had simply asked everyone to wear shades of blue. Bella had nothing that fit the bill, so she had borrowed one of Edward's button-downs. As she changed, she realized that she and Leah were almost matching.

"Well, one of us is going to have to change," said Bella, laughing.

"I think Emily should actually go find a pair of khakis and a blue shirt. Then we'll all match," said Leah.

The cabin door opened and in walked Joy, who was, of course, wearing a blue shirt and a pair of khaki capris. The other three girls looked at each other and burst into laughter.

After they were dressed, Bella and Leah snuck out of the cabin to see what everyone else was up to. Alice was still running a tight ship, so they made sure to avoid her, ducking behind other cabins as they made their way to the tent by the beach where the guests were waiting (that would also be the location of the reception). Everyone was mingling and making small talk.

Bella snuck up behind Edward and grabbed his waist, actually managing to startle him, causing him to yelp and jump slightly.

"You're stepping quietly these days," said Jasper.

"Being able to sneak up on vampires is fun," she said, tickling Edward before releasing him. "Thanks for the shirt, dude."

"No problem," said Edward, rubbing his sides. "You look good."

"You too."

Edward was wearing a light, denim button down shirt and a pair of khaki shorts. It was something he would've worn on a normal day, but Bella could tell that Esme had probably ironed it and made him button it all the way up. His hair was gelled up far neater than she had ever seen it (also probably Esme's doing). Jasper looked just as good if not better than his brother, wearing a white shirt, blue vest, and a tasteful bolo tie.

"No cowboy hat?" she said, elbowing him.

Jasper rolled his eyes.

Bella scanned the crowd, looking for any other familiar faces. It appeared that Seth had also snuck out of the groomsmen's cabin and was talking to some of his cousins. Carlisle and Esme were talking with a few Tribal Council members that Bella recognized from her time working at Ateara's. Jared and Paul were standing by the table of pre-ceremony refreshments and eating their fill.

She knew almost everyone in attendance, which surprised her. Bella hadn't realized she was getting so familiar with the area. Part of it came from her new job, which had her interacting with all kinds of people on a daily basis, but she was impressed by the amount of folks she knew personally. Her social circle was unbelievably large when she looked at it from this angle.

Finally, she spotted who she was looking for. Rosalie was standing just outside the tent, her back to everyone else, watching the waves roll in. Bella pushed through the crowd to get to her, walking up quietly and, instead of trying to scare her like she had Edward, she slipped her arms around Rose's waist and gave her a hug.

"Hey," she said, standing on her tiptoes to put her chin on Rose's shoulder.

Rosalie smoothly turned around in Bella's arms and put her own arms over Bella's shoulders.

"Hey," she said, smiling at Bella with all the love in the world in her eyes.

"Weddings," said Bella, getting a little flustered. "Crazy stuff, right? I mean, Alice is going way off the rails. Do you think she'll be able to calm down after this is over?"

Rosalie laughed, a sound that made Bella's heart swell.

"I sure hope she does. I don't know if I can keep putting up with this level of energy." Rosalie gave Bella a peck on the forehead. "You know, if she finds out you left your 'designated area', she'll kill you."

"It's a shame I'm already dead. And would she really risk losing one of the bridesmaids?"

"True. Everything has to go off without a hitch."

Bella hadn't come to Rosalie with anything in mind to talk about; she just wanted to see her before the wedding. She hugged her tighter and let her head rest in the crook of Rose's neck. The two of them stood like that for a few moments, swaying gently, listening to the sound of the ocean.

It was Rosalie who finally spoke.

"Don't take this as a super serious question but… how do you feel about marriage?"

Bella lifted her head. "Well, I guess I don't have any strong feelings about it one way or another. I used to… I thought it was a mistake, because it kinda fucked up my dad's entire life. Now… I don't know. I'm happy to see him getting remarried. I think it'll be good for him. And Sue. But me? I guess… Right now, it's not the first thing that's on my mind. For obvious reasons."

They both laughed.

"Yeah, I get that. There are more pressing things," said Rose. "I was just curious."

"What about you?"

Rosalie let go of Bella and stepped back, looking at the wedding guests and the ceremony venue way off in the distance.

"It used to be all I dreamed about. Getting married to a good man, settling down, having kids, having a family. I mean, I was engaged. I was going to get married, before… Well…"

Bella gently touched her arm, and Rosalie smiled, placing her own hand over her mate's.

"After… all that… I burnt my old wedding dress. And I didn't think about anything related to romance for a long, long time. No partner, no marriage, no wedding. I thought it just wasn't in the cards for me anymore. But now…" Rosalie lifted a hand to Bella's face, brushing her cheek with her thumb. "I don't think I care anymore. Getting married… It doesn't mean anything, especially not for us. There's no reason for us to define ourselves with a legal document that'll be outdated after a few decades anyways."

"Good point. I mean, why should a piece of paper define anything about us? We've barely been able to define our own relationship. I think we should just… let it be what it is."

"We do have forever," said Rosalie.

"I'm not even sure that's enough time for us to figure things out," said Bella, grinning.

Rosalie laughed again, and she leaned down to kiss Bella, smiling as she did. They broke apart, still chuckling.

"You'd better get back to where you're supposed to be," said Rosalie, pushing her away. "Or Alice will have your head."

"Right, right. See you soon."

"See you soon."

They waved as they parted ways, Bella finding Leah in the crowd and dragging her back to the bridesmaids' cabin with her.

When the time came, Alice came around and lined them all up two by two, with the Best Man and Maid of Honor entering last: Sam and Emily, Lucas and Nora, Seth and Joy, Jacob and Bella, and Leah and Billy. Behind them was the flower girl and ring bearer: Claire, Emily's niece, and Brady, Sue's nephew. The procession was small but mostly made up of people that Bella knew or at least was aware of. There were no awkward introductions to be had as Alice corralled them all behind a building before they were to enter.

The bride was still inside her cabin with her father, Jonathan.

Someone else had bought Jacob's clothes for him and it showed. He was wearing a light blue short-sleeved button down whose buttons looked as though they would burst if he flexed a little too hard. Someone had made him button it all the way up and put a dark blue tie around his neck, and Bella could swear she saw his face turning purple from how tight and uncomfortable the entire getup was. However, Billy had braided his hair and given him one of his old hats to wear.

"From the neck up, you look great," she said. "Everything else…"

"Shut up," he said, barely audible.

"Who put this on you? Was it Alice?"

"One of my aunts."

"Connie?"

"No, Nora. Her twin."

"She has a twin? Oh god. I might have been talking to the wrong person at the rehearsal dinner last night."

"Solomon offered me one of his shirts but I thought it might be too small. I should've taken it. It would've been a thousand times better than this."

"How does it feel to be too sexy for your shirt?"

"Bella, I swear to god, if I was sure that punching you in the face would rip this sorry excuse for a shirt to shreds, I would hit you so hard right now."

Sam, who was wearing a white dress shirt and navy blazer that clearly fit him, looked over his shoulder at Jacob with a shit-eating grin on his face. Bella was almost shocked to see him displaying such unadulterated emotion. Jacob, who was normally so cool and composed, was now turning red in the face instead of purple. Bella stepped on his foot.

"Don't you ruin this wedding," she hissed, barely holding back her own shit-eating grin. "Alice would kill you. And Sue would kill you again."

Jacob straightened his back (cautiously, as he was afraid puffing out his chest too much would lose a few buttons) and took several slow, deep breaths in an effort to relax as best he could.

Moments later, they heard their cue, and they began the procession with Alice directing them like a maestro. Bella linked arms with Jacob, which was harder than it sounded due to both his movement-constricting clothing and the fact that he was more than a head taller than her. He was so tense she was worried he would break her elbow between his forearm and bicep before they made it to the altar.

Alice had truly put together the perfect ceremony. Bella knew that most of the decor was bespoke, handmade, and that there would be nothing else like it at any other wedding. The altar consisted of an archway woven from branches that had been painstakingly covered in moss and white and blue lilies. Similar woven wood columns had been erected around the seating area, which itself was comprised of folding chairs provided by the resort that Alice had put navy covers over to make them seem nicer than they were.

Charlie was waiting by the altar in a sky blue dress shirt and a white tie. He looked nervous. Bella gave him a small thumbs up as she and Jacob split at the end of the aisle. Charlie tried to smile and return it, but he still looked like he was about to pass out.

Then, Sue appeared at the end of the aisle on Jonathan's arm, wearing a beautiful but simple white dress. She had been insistent that everything stay simple and clean. They wanted to celebrate this, but not in an overzealous manner.

Bella's eyes drifted from the bridge to her own partner, who was sitting in the middle of the crowd with the rest of her family. Rosalie and Bella's eyes met and they smiled at each other until their attention was redirected to the altar, where Old Quil was beginning the ceremony.

Bella didn't really hear anything that was said. She was so intently focused on the happy couple that the world grew muted. She could only see the back of Sue's head, but she could clearly see Charlie's terrified but excited face.

Despite his anxiety, she had never seen her father look happier than he did today.

Charlie had suffered through two decades of Renee. He had made a mistake that, unfortunately, many did, and married fast and early to someone he didn't know that well, and wound up having a child with that person. It was far too late to say that he should've taken things slower, that he should've waited. All they could do now was hope for a better future.

And he would have one with Sue, with his childhood crush.

Bella could not help but think about Harry in that moment, as she was sure everyone else was, even the bride and groom themselves. It was wrong to say that he was probably smiling down on them, happy with what had played out. If he was watching them, Bella knew that he was probably jealous. But, in her mind, Harry had always understood things better than anyone else, so she thought that he would, at least, understand.

"Sue Clearwater, in taking the man whom you hold by the right hand to be your husband, do you promise to love and cherish her, to honor and sustain her, in sickness as in health, in poverty as in wealth, and to be true to her in all things until death alone shall part you?"

She smiled and nodded.

"I do."

"And Charles Swan, in taking the woman whom you hold by the right hand to be your wife, do you promise to love and cherish her, to honor and sustain her, in sickness as in health, in poverty as in wealth, and to be true to her in all things until death alone shall part you?"

Charlie swallowed, his mouth dry, and nodded.

"I do."

"You may kiss the bride."

Everyone rose to their feet and clapped as the newlyweds closed the distance between them. It was a powerful, emotional moment, but for several people in the audience, it was tinged with a bit of anxiety, because they knew what this meant.

Charlie was officially "in on it". Today would be a celebration of their union, but soon, they would have to sit him down and explain to him that a lot of people had been lying to him for a long time, including his beloved daughter, and there was no way to know how he would take that.

Bella shook her head and clapped harder, pushing her worries about the future out of mind, allowing herself to live in the moment and be happy.

As soon as they were away from the ceremony, Bella grabbed Jacob, loosened his tie, undid a few buttons, and untucked his shirt. He relaxed for the first time today, letting out a huge sigh of relief.

"Thank god that's over!" he wailed, pulling the fabric away from his skin. "No offense to the newlyweds, but fuck!"

Bella laughed and held his hand as she started walking faster, leading him down to the reception tent. They quickly found Rosalie and Edward, and the guests began to mill about while waiting for the bride and groom, some already taking advantage of the open bar.

It did not take long for Charlie and Sue to reach the tent, and they were almost knocked down by another round of cheers and applause. Emily motioned for the happy couple to come to the center of the dance floor. Bella could see Charlie's excitement fading a little as he realized he was going to have to dance with Sue while everyone watched, but he didn't have time to protest. The music began immediately, the gentle open chords of "Rhiannon" filling the air and overwhelming the sounds of the not-so-distant ocean.

Sue led, and that was fine with Charlie, who stared straight at her, cheeks pink, trying to ignore the rest of the world and focus on her only.

Bella's head bobbed from side to side while Rosalie held her hand, adjusting the positioning of their fingers every so often. Edward nodded along to the beat, always keeping time. Jacob let one arm hang loose over his shoulders.

Once the song was over, Charlie was finally able to relax for the first time that day. People flooded the dance floor, surrounding them and diffusing the attention. Jacob found himself being pulled along again, this time by Edward, who had a look of childlike glee on his face as he led his partner out onto the floor. Bella didn't move right away, instead choosing to stand aside and observe for a moment.

Carlisle and Esme danced together with an effortless grace that could only come from decades of time spent together, spent loving one another with a ferocity like nothing else. They saw only each other, but they weaved between the other couples without so much as brushing shoulders with them.

Jasper and Alice swung in a manner that looked reckless at first but revealed itself to be so precisely calculated. He followed her lead without a second thought, Alice taking him wherever she wanted to go.

Jacob and Edward weren't so much dancing together as they were dancing with each other. They had trouble staying connected, but there was no debating that they were there for each other, as rough and ridiculous as they looked.

Sam and Emily stayed close to each other and looked like they knew what they were doing, as opposed to Jared and Kim, who kept tripping over each other's feet and laughing at themselves.

Emmett was standing with some of the single members of the pack, talking specifically to Paul, who he had built up a brotherly friendship with over the past few months. They were both meatheads who liked to watch sports and play video games, and they suited each other well.

Angela and Leah weren't dancing, but standing on the far side of the tent, holding hands, content to stay that way.

"Care for a dance?" Rosalie whispered in Bella's ear.

"Not sure I'll stay on my feet, but I can try," she said.

"I've seen you remain upright and throw yourself all over the dance floor while you were four drinks in."

"Wildly enough, drunk me often has better coordination than sober me."

"I feel like that's an exaggeration."

"Maybe it is. Maybe I'm the same, with or without the alcohol."

Rosalie kissed her.

"I think you are."

She took both of Bella's hands and spun her into the crowd, laughing and catching her when she almost fell. The song changed, turning to the more uptempo, disco beat of "September", which Bella was suddenly more excited to dance to. With great effort, she spun Rosalie away from her and started moving her shoulders and twisting her hips. Rosalie came back, bending her knees as she got closer so they were eye to eye. They smiled, and they laughed, and they were happy.

Everyone was happy. Bella danced and danced and occasionally looked at the people around her that were dancing too (or not), and what she found was harmony. Her first thought was that this scene was one of a beautiful peace between two immortal enemies, a resolution to a conflict that spanned generations.

But, she realized, that's not what it was. No, this was not some momentous occasion of unity between vampires and werewolves. None of that mattered.

These were just people. They were people who had come to know and understand one another, and there was nothing more to it than that. It was still special, for sure, but there was nothing supernatural about this.

They were all just people.

Twilight came and went, a fleeting moment of pink and purple sky signaling the end of the day. As the sun dipped below the horizon, the clouds parted and gave way to the moon and stars. Night fell over the reception, but it did nothing to stop the party. Fires were lit, lamps were turned on. Soft, warm light illuminated the tent, casting a golden glow over the newlyweds and their friends and family.

Bella had a few drinks. She danced with her dad, and with Edward, and Jacob, and Leah, and Carlisle, and Billy, and everyone who asked for her hand. It was the most fun she'd had in ages, far better than any shitty Phoenix house party or even some of the events Jessica had thrown around Forks. It was wholesome and sentimental, two things Bella had never thought herself to be. It was a night that Bella would hold in her memory forever.

Sam and Jared started a bonfire on the beach, drawing some guests away from the tent to gather around the flaming pyre. Bella and Rosalie watched folks sit down and warm their hands, starting to tell tales both tall and true. Bella watched Seth sit among them, eagerly listening, and thought of Harry sitting by the fire on Second Beach all those years ago, wowing her and the other kids with his own words of wonder.

She could never quite tell for sure, but tonight Seth looked happy. He liked to put on a bright face for everyone else, and she hoped that he would learn he didn't always have to do that.

Rosalie linked their arms together and pulled Bella away from the fire, taking her to the southern end of the beach, near the trees.

"Is this it? Are you finally whisking me away to make me your prey?" Bella asked with a grin.

"I think I've already done that quite thoroughly, and no, I'm not. Not on your father's wedding night, that's for sure."

Bella fell in step with her and began swinging their entwined hands.

"So where are we going?"

Rosalie looked over her shoulder and stopped. They were at a sufficient distance from the reception tent.

"Here," she said, taking Bella's other hand in hers.

"Romantic, as always."

Bella looked up at the sky, which was totally clear. It was a highly unusual break in the usual overcast weather of the Olympic Peninsula, but it was welcome tonight. The moon was full and bright and shone down on them as strong as the sun—or perhaps that was just Bella, who had grown accustomed to seeing in the dark. Maybe it wasn't as bright as it seemed.

She didn't really care. It was beautiful, and so were all the twinkling stars surrounding it.

"I have a little something for you," said Rosalie, reaching into a pocket on the side of her dress.

"Your dress has pockets!"

"It does. I wore it specifically for this purpose."

Rosalie produced a box—a bit too large for a ring box, more rectangular than square, which immediately assuaged Bella's fears that this was about to be a proposal. It can't be that, we just had a whole conversation about how we don't care about getting married this afternoon.

But when Rosalie opened the box, it was a ring. Two rings, to be exact. Very small ones. Black metal with silver inlay. Incomplete circlets with a moon and star at either end.

"Okay, Rose, start talking," Bella said, laughing nervously.

"Relax, babe. They're just pinky rings. Give me your hand."

Bella gave Rosalie her right hand, and she slipped one of the rings onto her pink finger. She handed the box to Bella, who did the same in turn. Then, Rosalie held up her pinky finger, proudly displaying the ring.

"Pinky rings for a pinky promise," she said.

Bella's eyes lit up, finally getting the intent behind the gesture.

"Rosalie, I would cry right now if I could."

"Just give me your finger, idiot."

Bella rubbed her eyes as she laughed and lifted her pinky finger to lock it with Rosalie's. They held them like that, staring into each other's eyes.

"What exactly is this promise we're making?" Bella asked.

"What do couples usually promise each other?"

To stay together.

Bella didn't even need to say it. It wasn't that Rosalie could suddenly hear her thoughts like Edward could. For the first time, that intrinsic bond between them worked as it was intended to.

Bella threw her arms around Rosalie and kissed her, long and deep. They stayed that way for a long time, not giving any thought to anyone else.

They were finally on the same page.

-X-

I'm dreaming of

Being, being, being

Being human

-X-

END OF PART III


it's weird to say that, as i was writing this, i started to wish that i had kept harry alive and not pursued this sue/charlie subplot. i kept thinking about how weird this wedding feels, but it really goes to show that, holy shit, i've been writing this fic for over THREE YEARS! addiction is NOWHERE NEAR the fic i thought it was going to be when i started writing it back in 2017. i didn't even have a real idea for a story until i was most of the way into part 1, and i was still working on and editing the outline right up until the very end. there were some very different things i had planned that didn't make it into the fic.

i do kinda wish i could go back and write something different for charlie. i feel like i wrote myself into a corner by relying too much on canon to get him "in the know". there were definitely more creative ways i could've gotten to that point, but oh well! it's honestly just amazing that i finally got to write this wedding scene, which has only existed in my head for a looooong time. and i'm glad you guys get to read it!

i think i've criticized this fic in my head more than anyone, but i think it's the nature of serial fiction for it to repeat itself and sometimes not make a ton of sense. every time i took a hiatus from writing i had to go back and re-read the ENTIRE fic to remember what i was doing, and i still have to constantly reference old chapters as i'm writing. this fic was a very long labor of love, and it definitely has its issues, but god, isn't it insane that it's almost done?

i'm writing this author's note like this is the last chapater, but there's still an epilogue coming! that, and there's definitely going to be a sequel, so keep your eyes peeled! rosalie and bella's story is nowhere near being over.

thank you for taking this journey with them, and with me! whether you've been reading this fic since it was posted way back in 2017 or if you just recently binge read all of it (props to you, this shit is LONG), thank you so, so much. i have learned so much about myself and my writing through this fic, and it means so much to me, flaws and all. twilight has always been a means of escapism for me, and to have readers tell me that this fic has been a means of escapism for them makes me happy in ways i can't articulate.

thank you, thank you, thank you! and stay tuned for the epilogue!