Chapter Twenty-Two

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~ Six Years Later ~

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A cool sea breeze drifts in from the opened window. I skim through the article displayed on my computer screen twice, searching for typos and grammatical errors. On the whole, writing is fun. Editing is not.

I'm on the last paragraph when the bedroom door clicks shut. Squinting my eyes in concentration, I focus on the article instead of what's going on behind me. I can't afford to get distracted when I'm so close to finishing.

Minutes later, I attach the document and press send on my email. What I wrote has gone straight into my editor's inbox. Hopefully, Eric will like it as is and won't ask for any rewrites.

The task complete, I lean back in my chair. A familiar set of hands begins kneading my shoulders. It feels incredible.

"Are you done?" Edward asks.

"Yes." I moan as he massages out a kink. "My column is now on official hiatus for the next eight months."

His lips land on my neck, nibbling their way up to my earlobe. "Mmm. Congratulations."

My breathing becomes increasingly erratic. Everywhere he touches sets me on fire. He knows exactly what this sort of teasing does to me.

I rise from my chair and twirl around. His hooded eyes and sexy smirk draw me in as they always do. Time has been good to him. The only evidence there is to show that he's over forty are the fine laugh lines forming around his mouth.

I'm moving forward to steal a kiss when something large and bulky comes between us. I scowl down at the obstruction.

"Ugh. I swear I'm getting bigger by the second," I complain. "It looks like there's a prize-winning watermelon stuffed underneath my shirt!"

He chuckles. "It does not."

"Does to. Yesterday I was shopping in the produce section at the store, and a little kid asked if I swallowed a watermelon whole on purpose."

"Don't let the innocent words of a child bother you. You are as beautiful as ever." Edward lifts my shirt several inches. His hand splays across my protruding belly and goes still. "Is he awake?"

"Junior hasn't moved much for the past half hour. He's probably asleep."

"What's with this 'Junior' nonsense? I recall an agreement which stated we wouldn't decide on a name until after he is born."

"Oh, the agreement is still active - but I got tired of referring to him as 'the baby'. I think Junior is a nice placeholder name for the time being."

He pauses to think, then smiles. "I suppose it's acceptable so long as it's only temporary. Between my father and me, I think there's enough Edwards in this family. Junior deserves a name all his own." Suddenly, a twinkle sparks in his eyes. Rough hands slide sensually over my exposed skin. "So... he's asleep you say?"

"Yes," I practically purr.

"Good. Because there's something I've been wanting to do to you all day."

His words leave me dizzy. Yes! He's been wanting me all day! These pregnancy hormones have made me insanely aroused - especially for the last couple of months. If we didn't have any responsibilities taking up much of our time, I doubt I would ever let Edward leave our bedroom.

Like a starving man, he leans in for a taste of my lips. Sweet kisses turn progressively passionate. His hands stray to my ass. Just as we're shuffling toward our bed, a dreaded sound echoes down the hallway.

"Mom-mee!"

Edward groans. It's the frustrated response of a man who knows hanky-panky time has been postponed until further notice. Reluctantly, he backs away a safe distance in case a surprise visitor busts into the room. As for me, I've already narrowed my eyes at him.

"Don't give me that look, Bella," he says dryly. "While you were working, I took care of everything." He begins counting on his fingers. "I watched an entire episode of Peppa Pig with her. I supervised during bath time. Lastly, I read her three books of her choosing. I even did the voices."

"If that's the case, why is she calling for me? It's past her bedtime."

"I don't know. Her eyes were closed when I left the room."

I exhale through my nose. "Come on. Let's go see what she wants."

We begin our walk down the hallway. Well, Edward is the one doing the walking. All I can do is waddle like a duck. No one ever said the miracle of pregnancy comes with the gift of graceful movement.

The door is cracked open. A night light from within emits a soft and comforting glow. I step inside and pause a moment. The bedroom is a little girl's dream come true. It's all ribbons and lace, with an army of stuffed animals guarding the premises. However, the walls are what's the showstopper of the room. Giant murals of flowers, animals, and mythical creatures cover every inch of space. That's all due to Edward's artistic talent - and our daughter's ability to get her father to do nearly everything she wants. He's supposed to put in a unicorn sometime soon, one with pink mane and a purple horn. It's funny how things can change so drastically. Years ago, Edward would only draw in pencil. Now, he paints in a rainbow of colors.

Waiting patiently on her child-sized bed is our little girl. Looking at her never fails to stun me. She has my hair color plus many of my facial characteristics - but it's Edward's eyes that stare back at you. She's barely four years old and already she's breathtaking.

I lower myself until I'm sitting beside her on the bed. "Mackenzie, what are you doing up? It's getting late."

"You didn't come an' tell me g'night," she pouts.

"I had to work; that's why I said goodnight to you right after we ate dinner."

"But you didn't tuck me in," she argues.

"Didn't your father do it?"

"Yes, but I want you to do it too." To pacify her, I move to kiss her forehead. She dodges me. "Not yet, Mommy! Tell me a story first... please."

Leaning against the doorway, Edward pipes in. "Another one? I read three stories to you only a little while ago."

Mackenzie does an eye roll. It's scary seeing my gestures of sarcasm being mimicked by someone who hasn't yet lost the training wheels on her bicycle. We're going to be in trouble once she's a teenager. I should know. I annoyed the hell out of my parents back at that age.

"That was books, Daddy. I want Mommy to tell me a story."

"Oh, I see." I squint as I try to recall a famous fairy tale. "Once upon a time, there lived a little girl named Goldilocks, and-"

"No! Tell me a real story."

"A real story? Like what?"

She sits up excitedly. "It has to have a princess... one wiff magical powers!"

I shake my head sadly. "I don't know any real stories about magical princesses."

Edward clears his throat. "Excuse me, but that's not true. There is one story you know very well." He smirks at me.

Realizing what he's hinting at, I give him the side-eye. "Edward, that story isn't exactly child appropriate."

"Then make it so. She's going to hear about it sooner or later anyway. Might as well get her used to it. Here, I'll start it off for you: Once upon a time, there lived a beautiful princess." His gaze travels lazily up my body. "She had long brown hair, big eyes, and a smile that warmed the heart of everyone she met."

Mackenzie bounces on her bed. "Did she have a crown?"

"You bet she did. It was made of flowers."

"Really?"

He nods. "Really. I saw it myself during the Princess's crowning ceremony."

"Wow! Did she have any powers?"

"Yes. The Princess could charm fish right out of the water."

I snort at that. I wouldn't call fishing a magical power, but at least it's keeping Mackenzie entertained.

"The Princess lived in a faraway city covered by rain clouds much of the year," continues Edward. "Although she loved her home, she dreamed of traveling all over the world. She wanted to visit ancient ruins, and walk on beaches that hadn't seen a human being in years. But an evil Orc came along and made it his mission that the Princess would never get to see any of it. He wanted the Princess to stay at home like a prisoner and marry him."

"What's an Orc?" interrupts Mackenzie.

"An Orc is a monster... a blond monster whose brain is only the size of a peanut."

"Oh," she breathes in wide-eyed wonder.

I press my lips together, trying hard not to laugh at Edward's description of Mike.

"The Princess was so sweet and trusting, she never noticed how the Orc used tricks to keep her under his control. Luckily, before the Orc could convince the Princess to marry him, she insisted they go exploring together just once. Since he couldn't think of an excuse, he had no choice but to agree. They flew halfway around the world. That's where they-"

I hold up my hand. "All right, Edward. I think I can handle it from here." I turn to Mackenzie. "The Orc and the Princess found a ship that was supposed to take them to many beautiful islands. Much to their surprise, they found that the crew was unlike anyone they had ever met." The smile I aim at Edward is teasing. "The ship was run by a grumpy Pirate with sea-green eyes. He avoided talking to the Princess, which made her very sad. The other crew member was a friendly Giant who loved to sing. And the passengers on board the ship were nice as well, so the Princess tried not to let the Pirate's sour attitude bring her down.

"The trip went well until they ran into a storm. The ocean was rough, and the winds howled. The Pirate - although he was quiet - was an excellent sailor. He calmed everyone down and said the ship would make it through the storm just fine. But later that same night, the Orc went below deck to a place he knew he shouldn't go. He... was bored and accidentally set the ship on fire."

Mackenzie frowns at the edited version of the story. I didn't feel she was old enough yet to hear about the dangers of cigarette smoking.

"How'd the Orc make a fire?" she asks curiously.

Edward comes to the rescue with an explanation she can understand. "The Orc was playing with a lighter and lit something he had no business being anywhere near."

"But you told me not to play wiff them. Why did the Orc do it?"

Edward taps his temple. "Because his brain was the size of a peanut, remember?"

She nods solemnly. She may be small but she is very smart.

"Once the Orc saw what he had done," I continue, "he didn't tell anyone that the ship was on fire. Instead, he escaped on a small boat, leaving everyone fast asleep and unaware that they were in danger."

Mackenzie gasps. "That's bad."

"You're right," says Edward. "I forgot to mention the Orc was selfish, too."

"What's shellfish mean?"

I grin at her mispronunciation. "It means the Orc cared only about himself. Ok, let's get back to the story... It was the Princess who woke up smelling the smoke. She ran to tell the Pirate, who then ordered all the passengers to get on the life raft. The Pirate was a brave man, so he stayed behind to fight the flames in hopes of saving the ship. The Princess planned on following the Pirate's order - but before she could get in the raft - she realized that the Orc was missing. She began searching high and low for him. Eventually, she decided to look in the deepest, darkest part of the ship. The Pirate bumped into her just as she was walking down the stairs. She explained that she couldn't find the Orc and needed to check below deck." I shoot Edward a subtle glare. "So the Pirate ignored what she said, threw her over his shoulder like a sack of flour, and jumped into the ocean."

He stares me down, completely unmoved. "What else was the Pirate supposed to do? The ship was ready to explode, and the Princess was being stubborn."

"Anyway," I cut in before an argument can ensue, "they managed to escape before the ship was destroyed. The Pirate swam them all the way to another boat that happened to be close by. And can you guess who was in this boat? The Orc. The Princess discovered that he had run away without having one thought of her or her safety. The Orc did not care for her as much as she once believed.

"The three of them found the raft with their friends soon afterward. Everyone had made it unharmed off the ship, which was great news. But life on the raft became difficult in the days to come. Food and water were running low. The sun made it incredibly hot. If they didn't find land soon, they were afraid they might not live for much longer."

"Bella, you are forgetting one of my favorite parts of the story," Edward scolds playfully. He then speaks directly to Mackenzie. "The Pirate tried adding to their food supply by catching fish. He didn't have much luck. Do you remember the Princess's magic power?"

"Yes!"

"Well, the Pirate knew nothing about it. He had a few false beliefs about the Princess, one of which was that she was too prim and proper to ever get her hands dirty." He looks my way, a smile dangling from his lips. "The Pirate was wrong about her. He watched this beautiful Princess fashion hooks out of jewelry and precede to catch fish after fish. He had never seen anything like it. She helped feed all those hungry mouths on the raft. She helped keep them alive."

I make a face. He's got me sounding like a super hero. Though, I am a little disappointed he didn't mention anything about the Princess's "magic" spit. If we can get Mackenzie to think princesses do it, it might help her become accustomed to the Swan family way of fishing before Grandpa Charlie shows her how. He and the rest of my family are supposed to come here to visit soon.

"After many, many days drifting across the ocean, they finally spotted an island," I say, resuming the tale. "Unfortunately for them, the islands in this part of the world were thought to be cursed. It was said that anyone unlucky enough to step on shore would suffer terrible disasters. But the Princess and the others had no choice. They had to land there, or else they would die on the raft. And disaster did strike them, just as they had feared. The Giant hurt himself badly while trying to protect the raft from crashing into their other boat. His hip was crushed. He was in desperate need of a hospital.

"The Pirate had the idea of paddling to another island. He hoped to find people with medicine which could heal the Giant. He couldn't do the journey alone, so he asked the Orc for help. The Orc refused."

"Cuz he was shellfish?" Mackenzie asks.

I giggle. "Exactly. Unknown to the Pirate and Orc, the Princess had overheard their entire conversation. She was disgusted by the Orc's behavior and eager to get away from him. So, she volunteered to paddle the boat alongside the Pirate. And the Pirate... Well, he wasn't happy at all."

"Why?"

"The Pirate had his heart broken by someone he once cared about. It had left him sad and lonely for a long time. To keep from being hurt again, he avoided getting close to other people." I wink inconspicuously at the man standing a few feet away. "He was afraid if he got to know the Princess, she would put him under her spell."

"She already had," he mumbles.

I smile softly before carrying on with the story. "The Pirate had no choice other than to accept the Princess's help. Together they took the little boat and waved goodbye to their friends. They had left the Giant in the care of a gorgeous... mermaid. She promised to nurse the Giant until they got back." I almost called Rosalie an Amazon warrior, but I doubt Mackenzie would know the term. Mermaid works fine, though. Rosalie could easily pass for one if she had fins.

I give an abbreviated, child-friendly description of our hazardous journey, from sinking islands all the way to oar-crunching sharks. Looking back, I almost can't believe we lived through the chaos.

"With each island they visited, the Pirate and the Princess grew closer. He encouraged and protected her - just like she did for him. She discovered that the Pirate had a good heart, and she enjoyed his company very much." I tilt my head as I reminisce. "The last island they encountered was different from the others. The scenery was magnificent, and there was plenty of food and water. But what truly amazed them was what was on the opposite side of the island. They found... a kingdom without people. It had houses in need of repair, and a huge castle that shone like a jewel underneath the sun. The little kingdom had been abandoned before it was finished being built. The Pirate could see the place had great potential if only someone would complete the job.

"The Pirate and Princess were so dazzled by the loveliness surrounding them, they failed to notice what was guarding the kingdom. A giant pig that reminded the Princess of a dragon came out of hiding and went on attack. The Princess and the Pirate had to run for their lives. Fortunately, they found a tree tall enough to escape the angry creature. As the Princess climbed to safety, the Pirate stayed to fight off the pig. He ended up with a horrible wound on his arm. He barely made it up the tree before the pig could do worse.

"Meanwhile, the Princess discovered that the tree grew... magic nuts, which she threw until the pig couldn't take it anymore and ran away. The Pirate's injuries frightened the Princess terribly. She was afraid the wound would kill him. It was at that moment she realized how much the Pirate meant to her.

"The next day, his arm hurt him less but the Princess was still worried. What they didn't know was that the Princess's family had people searching for her. An airplane flew over the island just before sunset. The Princess and the Pirate were seen. They would soon be rescued! In her joy, the Princess kissed the Pirate. It sealed their fate. The Pirate had captured her heart, and she had his.

"A rescue ship came for them the very next morning. It went on to save the friends they had left behind on the first island. Then, they made it safely back to their homes and lived happily ever after. The end."

There is a short pause. Mackenzie's eyes grow bigger. "But what about the Pirate? He didn't have a home anymore. His ship was gone."

"Oh, you're right. The Pirate and the Giant lost their home, didn't they? Well, after the Giant got better and left the hospital, the Pirate followed the Princess back to her home, to a land called Seattle. Her family there learned to love him almost as much as she did. The Pirate planned on buying a brand new ship. He was going to make a living by taking people sightseeing around the city's harbor." I break out into a sly smile. "But the Princess knew the Pirate almost as good as herself. As his golden tan faded, she could see how much he missed the warm waters of the tropical islands he had left behind. And, honestly, she missed it too. So, she began whispering another idea to him: They should return to the island with the lost kingdom and bring it back to life. And that's exactly what they did."

"Why would they go back? You said the islands were bad."

"There's good and bad wherever you go, honey. I like to think of it this way: If the Princess hadn't been left stranded on those islands, she never would have fallen in love with the Pirate. That was good, wasn't it? Sometimes you need to treat a place like you would a person. Before you judge, you should give them a chance to show you how wonderful they can be. I promise the Princess and the Pirate don't regret their decision."

How could we regret it? The island has become both our home and livelihood.

The original owner of the island had passed away years ago. Edward approached his widow and made her an offer. She was eager to wash her hands of the place and sold it for a steal. It took a lot of work, but Edward managed to convince others to invest in completing the enormous project. The money was used to fix the houses on the island, and the hotel was made to look new again. Sparkling swimming pools were put in. Numerous places were built for relaxation and entertainment purposes - as well as an animal sanctuary to house the island's pesky feral pig population. Even solar panels were installed to cut down on the need for imported fuel. The island is currently sixty percent energy self-sufficient.

And of course many people had to be hired to help with running the operation. Some brought their families and friends, who created businesses of their own in the town square. A thriving little community grew where none had been before. At last count, there were two hundred and fifty-one full time Whitwatchian residents. During the busy season, tourists more than double the population. They come in droves to marvel at the island's beautiful beaches and reef. And after a tiring day of sightseeing, they sleep at Uncharted Destination, the world's most remote island resort hotel.

Mackenzie looks thoughtful for a moment. "Did the Princess ever get to explore?"

"She did. She landed a new job where she wrote about traveling to wonderful, interesting places all over the world. But after a couple of years, she decided she wanted to stay closer to home and raise a family. Now she gets to write a monthly column about what it's like living on a tropical island. Sometimes she travels to the islands nearby and reports new things the scientists have discovered. She loves the job very much."

"Did the Princess and the Pirate like living in the castle?"

I suppress a giggle. "The castle is only for visitors. The Princess and the Pirate fixed up a cute little house on the beach and live there with their daughter. After their son is born, he'll be living there too."

"They're gonna have a baby?" Her little hand comes to rest on my belly. "That's just like us!"

"Hmm. It is, isn't it?"

"What happened to the Giant? An' the Mermaid?"

"The Giant got better after his accident but will always walk with a limp. He had to give up working on ships, but that's ok because he helps the Pirate in running the island kingdom. And for fun once a week, he gets in front of a big audience and encourages people to sing. He eventually talked the Mermaid and her son into moving to the island with him. They live right by the ocean too since the Mermaid likes the water."

Back before the resort officially opened, Rosalie had been worried about the island's isolation. Surprisingly, Carlisle and Esme helped change her mind. Her parents looked at moving as an opportunity to get away from the hustle and bustle of modern life. Esme opened a little stand where she sells homemade straw hats and other souvenirs. She makes a killing off the tourists. As for Carlisle, he currently enjoys semi-retirement from the medical profession. He works at the island's clinic three days a week and drinks piña coladas by a pool the other four. While there are other doctors here, he and Rosalie will still be the people delivering my baby. Junior won't be the very first child born here, but he will be the very first Masen who will have the Whitwatcher Islands listed as his birthplace.

Riley will be turning twelve later this year. He's been an only child all this time. That will change soon. As a former foster kid, Emmett was passionate about wanting to help kids in situations similar to his. Although it took longer than he planned, the McCarty family is now deep in the process of adoption. As practice for their increasing parental responsibilities, the family babysits Mackenzie at least once a week. On those nights Edward and I sometimes sneak off to the other side of the island, to a place where a private beach awaits. It was there six years ago that we discovered our mutual attraction. We greatly enjoy reenacting our first sexual encounter whenever we visit. A few months back we went there without glow-in-the-dark condoms or any other form of birth control - which was intentional. I'm almost positive that's where we conceived Junior.

I keep in contact with one other survivor of the sinking of Breaking Dawn. Instagram success never happened for Tanya, much to her disappointment. Beauty and fashion influencers are a dime a dozen on that app. She briefly distanced herself from all social media in order to reflect on her life.

That's when she found her true calling.

She had discovered during our harrowing ordeal that many types of animals gravitate to her. Not every encounter was peaceful, such as when the sea bird wanted to use her head as its nest. These experiences - while often embarrassing to Tanya - were viewed as comical from other perspectives. With this thought in mind, she visited the nearest petting zoo to her home. It didn't take long before a herd of rowdy goats surrounded her from all sides. She descended into a crying fit when the barnyard animals began munching on her designer clothes, handbag, and carefully coiffed hair. A friend of hers recorded the entire encounter.

The video was posted to Tiktok and went viral.

More clips followed and found equal success. She tweaked the format of her content when zoos across the United States and Canada began inviting her to visit. The videos went from slapstick silliness to humorously educational. It was the right move. She asks questions about animals that even a five year old can understand while said animal harasses her in a safe, controlled environment. Kids and adults love it. She now has a devoted following.

I got a text from her a couple of weeks ago. She asked if she could film a portion of her upcoming Netflix series on our island resort. Of course we said yes. The new scuba instructor - who, by the way, she was thrilled to learn is very single - will take her to view the reef. I haven't decided yet if I should warn her about the possibility of running into any horny sea snakes. I'm sure her legions of fans will love her reaction better if the licking takes her by surprise.

I smile at Mackenzie. "Did you like the story?"

"Yes, but what happened to the Orc? Did he-" She stops to yawn. "-get rescued too?"

I squirm as I try to come up with a response suitable for a child's ears. "Um. The Orc was rescued and he went back home. He had learned his lesson about being nice to others and promised to never be bad again."

Edward chuckles at my fib. If only that were the truth about Mike...

Because there were witnesses who heard Mike confess to smoking on the ship, prosecutors toyed with the idea of pressing charges. In the end they decided against it since the resulting fire was accidental. He got off with a fine that was basically a slap on the wrist. However, he didn't fare so well in civil court. His defense was no match against the mountain of evidence. Edward's lawyer demanded a full reimbursement of the cost of the ship, plus emotional damages. The judge agreed.

Mike will be paying for his smoke break for the rest of his life.

None of the survivors of Breaking Dawn were eager to discuss publicly what we went through. Even Tanya felt the subject was too personal in nature to share. To placate the intense interest we had after we returned to civilization, I wrote an article which touched on some of the incredible animals and sights we saw. As requested by the others, I left out the details and drama.

Here's where Mike stepped in.

It was forbidden under the terms of civil court for him to profit in any way off the sinking of the ship. Unaware of this fact, a publishing firm bought the rights to Mike's story and gave him a ghost writer to help put together a tell-all book. Thankfully, Edward's lawyer sniffed out the scheme early on and put a stop to it. The unfinished draft currently rests on our bookshelf in the living room. According to Mike, I became increasingly cold and distant once the cruise began. He was concerned but hopeful my foul mood would soon pass. Then the truth came out: I had fallen into the arms of the swoony Captain Masen. Once my alleged infidelity came to light, Mike fled from our room and went below deck to smoke like a chimney. He couldn't help that the stress from my betrayal kept him from paying attention to what he was doing, thereby making him throw his lit cigarette into a trash can of oily rags.

I assume Mike hoped the story would be believed since Edward and I are a couple now. When I told Alice what he had written, she told me he's just jealous and wanted to retaliate against me. She's probably right. I'm sure there's more ridiculousness in Mike's version of events, but we've never looked any further in his draft. It's impossible to read when you're laughing so hard that you're crying.

Mike's only blessing was his job. The outdoor magazine stuck by him through everything. In their eyes, he was an established photographer who had been with them for years. He paid their kindness by engaging in a months long affair with the editor-in-chief's wife. The relationship was exposed during the office Christmas party. Rumor has it that they were caught together in the supply closet. Mike was promptly fired and blacklisted. The company refused to give him a good reference. The last I heard, he works as a yearbook photographer somewhere in Idaho, where he begs cranky kindergartners to smile for the camera. It's a far cry from his dreams of conducting photo shoots with beautiful models and celebrities.

I lean over to kiss Mackenzie's forehead. "Goodnight. Sweet dreams."

"G'night, Mommy." She looks to Edward next. "I wanna hug." He saunters over and gives a loving squeeze. As he starts backing away, she grabs his face with both hands and holds it in place. "Daddy, I'm hungry. I need a cookie."

Edward makes no attempt at rejecting her demand. On the contrary, he seems to be weakening by the second. Her pout and pleading voice are like a hypnotist's swinging watch. I can see him being wrapped around her little finger from where I sit.

"A-hem!" The sound of my clearing throat is sent as a warning. When he glances over at me, he is met with a threatening glare. It says: So help me, you had better not give that child a cookie. It'll keep her up all night!

The message is sent loud and clear. Edward faces our daughter with renewed strength. "Not tonight, Sweet Pea. You'll get a cookie tomorrow if you're good."

She falls back onto her pillow, eyes fluttering from fatigue. "Ok," she whispers.

I pull the blankets to her chin. Moments later, she's already drifting to sleep. The long story must have tired her out. Edward and I exhale in mutual relief.

Finally!

I try to get up to leave but I'm not budging. The bed is situated too close to the floor. Apparently gravity hates me due to the extra load I'm carrying around. Junior can't come quick enough.

Wiggling my fingers, I silently beg for assistance. Edward swoops over and saves the day, pulling me to my feet. After we've made it to the hallway and shut our daughter's door, his gaze switches from loving father to needy husband. He walks me backwards until I'm pressed snuggly between him and the wall. His arms are on either side of my head, trapping me. A long, zigzagging scar runs from his elbow up to his shoulder. I blame myself and my awkward attempt at putting in stitches. If I had been more careful, the scar wouldn't look as noticable. Edward insists he's fine with it. He says the scar is undeniable proof of my affection toward him, therefore he wears it proudly. I can't argue with that logic.

"I'm curious about something," he smolders. "You said those characters are off living happily ever after - and while that's great - I find that ending to be lacking in detail. I'm wondering what this Princess and Pirate will be doing tonight now that they have some time to themselves."

Playing along, I become equally flirty. "Hmm. That's a good question, and I believe you're going to love the answer. The lonely Pirate - who isn't lonely anymore - follows the Princess down the hall and into their bedroom." I move closer, until my lips are a hair's breadth from his. "He locks the door, closes the curtains..." My previously sultry voice turns teasing. "Then he spends the rest of the night rubbing the Princess's feet, because her ankles are really swollen."

With a quick kiss to the tip of his nose, I duck underneath his arm before he can wake from the trance I put him under. I'm halfway down the hall when I check on him. He's frozen in place and staring at my ass like it's a gift to be unwrapped. Smiling, I walk into our bedroom, secure in the knowledge he will soon follow. Because that's just one of the many things about him I love. No matter where I go or what I might do, Edward will be behind me every step of the way.

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~ The End ~

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A/N -

Outtakes! If you want 'em, I can write 'em. First would be an Edward POV with a heavy dose of Emmett. The second outtake would tie up a couple of loose ends that I didn't address in this final chapter. Yes, I am aware that I'm being incredibly vague with the descriptions. I don't want to give away any of the fun! So, yay or nay? (Just so you know, I'll probably write them even if you beg me not to. These characters are living in my head and demanding more scenes. )

For those of you not interested in any outtakes, I will say my farewells now. I couldn't have written this story without the help of numerous Youtube videos. They taught me everything from how life rafts operate to the strange mating habits of olive sea snakes.

I also couldn't have written this story without you, dear reader. Every time someone left a review, followed or favorited, it encouraged me to get off my butt and write another chapter. Thank you for sticking with this story until it's official end. You didn't stop when Mike said something offensive, when Bella fought a robe-thief crab, or even when Edward had a glowing monkey yanking on his hair. Congratulations on surviving the silliness! You deserve a free seven day, six night stay at the world's most remote resort, Uncharted Destination.