Don't forget - please send me your suggestions
for outtakes or things I missed out in the story
that you'd like to see. I'll be picking a few to start with
and working my way through :)

The wonderfully talented Rebadams7 writes the most

beautiful poetry! She wrote this for the final chapter
of Pinky Promises, and I just adore it!

There were two girls

Just in curls

Winding the way home

When evil came

And caught their mane

And stole away their home

Time did pass and articles crass

And cruel came to pass

A lucky day they broke away

And took too a third heart fast

In peril they fled so full of dread

And barely survived fortnight

Home at last and learning fast

That all can come round right

New places to fit new roles to share

And open hearts again

Dozen years and more matters not

To fill broken father's hearts

Till a sunshine day would send one away

Not far but a new life true

And with love found and now unbound

The other wee girl grew too

Now families can join and dance

A new chapter in life at last

Peace in the hearts

And smiles abound

Those two lost girls

Now women well found

~ oOo ~

Pay it Forward will be featuring three fics in different
categories on their new blog each month. Number one will
be our rookie…a new, first-time writer showcasing their
first fic on our blog. Number two will be our encore…a new fic
from a seasoned author giving us a sneak peek. Number three
will be our classic…one from the vault, a time-tested oldie.

If you are a rookie and need help, contact Fran on the PIF
Page, or myself. And if you have an encore, contact her to get
your new fic showcased. And anyone interested in writing a
summary on one of their favs, please feel free to send it in.

My last A/N will be at the bottom, so I'll let you get on
with this beast of an epilogue xo

~ oOo ~

Summary: When two little girls were allowed to walk

home from school one bright spring day nobody could've

predicted the events that followed. The way two families

were torn apart by the vendetta of a deranged man.

Nearly twelve years on, we'll watch as the two girls stolen

away from their homes at eight years old fight to take

back their lives. If only it were as simple as escaping. AU

Pinky Promises

Epilogue – Pt. 3

December 16th, 2018

Bella followed the wailing.

She sighed as she made her way down the stairs, a basket of dirty washing tucked under her arm. Passing the doorway to the living room, Bella could see Marley crying into Edward's chest. Ever since Bonnie, the Whitlock's dog, died three days ago, she'd been sporadically bursting into tears; she was heartbroken.

Edward was busy murmuring to Marley so as much as it killed her, Bella left him to it and continued into the kitchen. Nobody could soothe her quite like her daddy. And besides, the sooner Bella was done with the few household chores that needed finishing, the sooner they could go out. Charlie had texted to say he was on his way home and Archie was meeting them at their destination with the boys.

Bella's heart hurt a little more at the thought of her brother and nephews.

Archie, Carl-Roman, and Chase were in a better place now than they had been when Kristen left them a year and a half or so ago, but Bella still ached when she thought of her brother having to raise his sweet boys by himself. As far as she knew, Kristen hadn't seen Carl-Roman or Chase in almost six months. She'd shown up at their house the week before Archie's birthday back in June, but that was the last time anyone heard from or saw her.

Bella angrily shoved Edward's dirty work jeans and t-shirts into the washing machine; Kristen hadn't even bothered to call her sons.

That said, the boys were doing wonderfully without their mother. To be truthful, they weren't finding it much different. It was sad to say, but Kristen had been an absent parent since long before she actually made it official by packing her bags and disappearing. Carl-Roman asked about her very occasionally, but Archie had admitted to his sister that Chase hadn't once called for her or wondered where she was; he was simply used to her being gone, and didn't appear to be worried by her lack of return.

"Mamma?"

"In here, baby!"

A few seconds later, Bella slammed the washing machine shut and swiveled in her crouched position to face Bodhi. He was frowning and holding his hands out, palm-up. "I f-fell down in the garden, M-Mamma."

"Oh, sweet boy, come here." Folding Bodhi into her arms, Bella sat back against the cabinets and peppered kisses over her son's forehead. An uninvited memory flashed to the front of her mind.

"I remember." Though timid and softly spoken, Scarlett's words were resolute. She remembered the squeaky door. Edward wasn't sure why, but he felt his lips tug upwards in response. The only thing stopping them from turning into a full-blown smile was the fact that she was still shaking violently on the kitchen floor.

"Can I get you anything? What happened?" A shake of her head was all the answer Edward received. He rocked back on his heels, hating that he didn't know what to do, how to help. Musically talented? Sure, he could admit that, but schooled in dealing with tears? Not so much.

"I c-can't stop sh-shaking," Scarlett suddenly moaned. Her hands slid up into tangled blonde curls, tugging hard as she rested her forehead on her bent knees.

Edward hesitated before asking, "Are you cold? Can I get you a blanket, jumper…?" Another head shake. No. His eyes moved from the small sliver of her face he could see from this angle to the dark blue knitted wrap around her shoulders. It was thick, he could tell, and she was also sporting a pair of turquoise jogging bottoms drawn to her calves. On her tiny feet were a pair of navy ballet slippers and since it wasn't exactly cold outside, he couldn't figure out why Scarlett was shivering so fiercely.

Another tremor rippling through Scarlett's body rocked her into Edward's knees. He shoved away the questions bubbling on the tip of his tongue, reaching for her on instinct like he used to when she was little and would fall over. So torn apart by the lingering nightmare in her head, Scarlett didn't fight him at all as he turned, tucking her securely beneath his chin in his lap. She wound up pressed against his solid chest, covered only by a thin, light blue ribbed vest and an unzipped gray marl hoodie. Her legs rested over his lap, head over his heart. It thumped evenly beneath her ear. Soothing in its steady beat, she relaxed some of her tightly coiled muscles and tried to suck the warmth from his body into hers.

They'd sat in this exact spot.

It was back when they'd only just returned from Montana, and when she was still 'Scarlett.'

It was the day she and Rosalie had been called upon to make their statements; before Garrett resurfaced and Bodhi arrived.

So much has changed…Bella marveled silently, rocking her baby boy and inhaling the apples and watermelon scent of his shampoo.

It was before Bella realized how much Edward would mean to her.

They'd come so, so far in the time since.

"Mamma? My hands n-need 'mooches."

Bella pulled back to smile at her son, leaning in to plant loud kisses on his slightly red outstretched palms. "There; all better."

Bodhi smiled tremulously. "Gwazie, Mamma."

For the first time, Bella noticed how utterly adorable he looked. She'd been busy all morning, and Bodhi had slept in, so she'd been at the grocery store when he finally got up, meaning Edward dressed him. She'd only been home twenty minutes or so and Bodhi had been next-door with Peter until now, so this was the first time she'd seen the outfit Edward had chosen.

He was wearing khaki cargo shorts identical to the pair Edward had pulled on when Marley dragged him out of bed at seven. On his feet were his baby Timberlands, a navy and white striped beanie covered his head, and a navy gilet over a grey t-shirt. Without unzipping it, she knew it was his favourite t-shirt emblazoned with the very true words, 'chicks dig my curls.'

Archie had bought it as a joke, but it was true; everywhere Bodhi went he received comments on his gorgeous mop of honey-blond curls.

At almost two-and-a-half, and dressed like a little adult, you could easily mistake him for Edward's own son. Especially, with the silly smile spreading across his face.

Much to Bella's amusement and adoration, her baby boy had a dimple.

Before Bella could comment on the fact that Bodhi would freeze outside in shorts, Marley appeared in the doorway with Edward right behind her.

"Mamma, Daddy said me and Beesy should help you so we can go out quicker," she mumbled, her sad, tear-stained face breaking Bella's heart.

Glancing up at the clock on the wall, Bella made the snap decision to abandon the rest of the housework. The happiness of her babies was more important than the breakfast bowls beside the sink or the vacuum waiting silently in the living room. The familiar rumble of her dad's car arriving outside sealed the deal; they were going to head out earlier than planned.

"Change of plans!" Bella cried, clapping her hands together with a smile. Edward appeared amused, while Bodhi and Marley simply cocked their heads and frowned in confusion. "Get your coat, baby girl. Bodhi, if you don't want to freeze your butt off, you'd better get some trousers on."

Once Bodhi and Marley had darted up the stairs, yelling out 'hellos' to Pawpaw Charlie on the way, Edward pulled Bella up to her feet and drew her in for a tight hug.

"Is she feeling better?"

"A little. She loved that little dog. I'm just praying we're doing the right thing today," Edward sighed, squeezing her tighter for a second before pulling back. He ran a fingertip over the apple of her cheek, brushing a loose lock of hair behind her ear. His vibrant emerald eyes were intense and set her on fire from the inside-out. She couldn't help but wish, just for a moment, that Marley hadn't woken up so early that morning. Edward had promised to make love to her as they'd tumbled into bed bleary-eyed and half-asleep the previous night after an evening of wrapping Christmas presents, both too tired for anything more than cuddling. But their daughter's presence put a damper on any naked plans for the morning.

With a quiet hum, Bella leaned into Edward, absently wondering if the passion she felt for him would ever wane. Their physical relationship had evolved quicker than either of them had anticipated, but once they'd exchanged 'I love you's' and had begun routinely sharing a bed, their hands began to roam, and as Bella's confidence grew, so did the fire between them. She'd never expected to enjoy the physical aspects of a romantic relationship after her past experiences, but it was different with Edward.

It was more; it was right.

"Hey, kids."

Charlie's entrance set Bella's cheeks on fire as she tried to shove thoughts of naked time with Edward from her mind.

"H-hi, Dad."

Edward grinned impishly at Bella as Charlie passed them, heading for the coffee machine in the corner.

"Are we still good for today? The big plan?"

"Yeah, Chuck. The kids are on their way to get their stuff…ah, on their way back, I mean," Edward chuckled, all three adults listening to the footsteps thundering down the stairs. Marley and Bodhi careened into the kitchen seconds later.

"Daddy, h-help me pw-pwease!" Bodhi requested, his left arm through the right sleeve of his coat.

With an indulgent smile, Edward dropped into a crouch and helped his son right his jacket while Bella adjusted Marley's blue daisy-print headband.

"Pawpaw, we're getting a surprise today," Marley told Charlie gleefully.

Charlie turned to face her, his moustache dancing above his smile as he twisted the lid of his freshly-filled flask into place. "I know. You mind if your ole Pawpaw comes with you?"

"Sure! I guess that's okay, right Mamma?"

Bella nodded. "Right. And Uncle Arch, Carl-Roman, and Chase are coming, too. They're going to meet us there."

Marley nodded, shucked her feet into a pair of tan, suede fringed boots, and impatiently dragged Bodhi through to the hallway to help him put his shoes back on. He'd dropped them in his hurry down the stairs after changing into a pair of cargo trousers.

Bella, Charlie, and Edward laughed as they watched them.

"Why don't they hurry like this on school mornings?" Bella wondered.

Edward snorted. "Because that would make life far too easy, mi amore."

Ten minutes later, they were all ready.

Well, Bella thought she was ready.

When Edward had broached the topic of what to get the kids for Christmas back in early October, she'd been suspicious; and rightly so. It had taken two weeks and a visit out to a family living just over a half hour away for her to agree with his grand plan. For the past six weeks, she'd hemmed and hawed over their decision though, and was vacillating between being bone-shakingly nervous and crazily excited as she and Edward loaded their babies into the car and set off.

Charlie had volunteered to sit in the backseat between Bodhi and Marley, but he soon regretted it; he hadn't anticipated just how relentless they could be when they were this eager for something. Bodhi cried that he'd forgotten Mr. Bear, and Marley whined that Bella hadn't thought to bring the iPad for her to watch people opening chocolate eggs to marvel over the toys inside, as was her new obsession. Charlie fidgeted, uncomfortably wedged between the two, bulky car-seats.

This was all within the first five minutes.

Marley kicked the back of her dad's seat and asked the question all parents dread on prolonged journeys. "Daddy, are we there yet?"

~ oOo ~

Shortly before they were due to arrive at their destination, Bella received a text from her brother.

"Oh," she murmured sadly.

Edward glanced at her quickly before returning his gaze to the road. "What's wrong?"

"Archie isn't coming. They were on the road, and Chase started throwing up everywhere."

Edward hissed sympathetically. "Is he okay? Should we go back and help?"

Quickly dialing Archie's number, Bella whispered that she'd ask. He answered after a few rings. "Hey, Archie. Are you okay? Do you want us to come back?"

"Thanks, but don't worry. We're already almost home again," Archie sighed. "He told me he felt funny this morning, but I just figured he was hungry so we stopped for McDonald's pancakes. As soon as the smell of the food hit him, he started throwing up everywhere."

Bella couldn't help but smile as she listened to Carl-Roman calling to her to say that he was okay, and 'the puke didn't hit me, though, Aunt B!' "Tell Carl-Roman I'm glad he didn't get hit, and please give Chase our love. We'll see you later if he's feeling better, okay?"

"Sure. See you later, Sis. Send me photos! I wanna see Mars' and Beesy's faces."

"Will do. See you later, Arch. Love you."

"Love you, too."

"S'Chase sick, Mamma?" Bodhi asked sadly.

Bella twisted in her seat to reassure him with a small smile. "Chase is okay, baby boy. He's a little sick, but Uncle Arch is going to make him feel better. You can see him tomorrow, if he isn't well enough today, all right?"

Bodhi nodded and shoved his thumb in his mouth, peering out of the window at the scenery sweeping past.

It wasn't very long before they reached the signposted turn-off they'd been instructed to look for. Bella's stomach began to churn in anxious anticipation as she listened to Marley asking Charlie if this was their surprise; visiting a farm. In the months since she'd started school and Bella had become a regular at Breaking Dawn, the second chance rescue centre where Esme volunteered, both Bodhi and Marley had grown to love the place. With that in mind, it didn't surprise Bella to hear their excitement at thinking their grand surprise was a trip visit some farm animals.

"Pawpaw, l-look! A c-cow!" Bodhi cried, pointing to the cluster of Jersey cows huddled together in the field.

"Yeah, Bees; that's a herd of cows," Charlie chuckled.

As the car rolled to a stop outside the farmhouse, Bella inhaled several deep breaths and looked up at the beautiful building while she tried to calm her racing heart. It was stupid to be this nervous, she told herself, but it didn't help.

The red brick house had pretty green shutters on the windows and a pale yellow front door painted with large daisies; it made Bella smile.

"Can I get out? Daddy, I wanna get out!"

"All right, little sweet. Hold your horses." Edward turned to Bella, squeezing her knee gently and meeting her gaze. "Are you okay, mi amore?"

"We're crazy, aren't we? Doing this two days before Christmas."

Edward barked a laugh, nodding and shrugging. "Probably, yeah. But you know what? I think it'll be fun. And so worth it when the kids realise."

"Realise what, Daddy?"

Edward grinned, turning to smile at his son's and daughter's curious faces. "You'll see. Come on then! Let's get out."

Bodhi and Marley clambered eagerly from the car once Charlie had released their seat buckles and their parents had opened the doors. Charlie unfolded himself, chugging the remainder of his coffee from his flask before tucking it back in the car and slamming the door shut; moments later, the daisy-print door swung open.

Mrs. Bethany wasn't what Bella had expected, at all. When she'd pictured a farmer's wife, she'd imagined a short, slightly plump older woman with a perm and a forever-smile.

Instead, the young woman in the doorway was dressed in a scarlet jumpsuit, her lips painted a striking, matching shade of red, her eyelids adorned with royal blue eyeshadow, and her silvery blonde hair curled back around her head in a braided bun. She was smiling, though, so Bella got one thing right, at least.

"Hello! You must be Bella," she called loudly as Bella led the way toward the house, Bodhi quietly demanding, 'Up, Mamma' while Marley trailed behind holding Edward's hand, Charlie bringing up the rear with a small, moustache-topped smile.

"That's me. You must be Mrs. Bethany, then?"

The woman laughed a high-pitched, delighted sound. "Mrs. Bethany is my mother-in-law! Please, call me Kate."

"Okay."

Kate's eyes moved to Bodhi then, her smile impossibly wide. "Oh, and aren't you just the cutest? What's your name, handsome?"

Bodhi's ears tinted pink as he mumbled, "Bodhi."

"Well, what a gorgeous name! And what about you, Princess? What's your name?"

Marley beamed as she stepped away from Edward to greet Kate. "I'm Marley Rosalie Swan. This is my Pawpaw Charlie and my Daddy. I gotta call him 'Daddy,' but most people just call him 'Edward,' right Daddy?"

Edward grinned and shook Kate's outstretched hand. "Edward Cullen; lovely to meet you, at last. When we came out here last, your husband only had nice things to say."

Kate's answering peal of laughter brought automatic smiles to everyone's faces. Her delight was infectious. "Oh, I'm sure he told you to say that! Jon has very few nice things to say about me." She shook Charlie's hand next, making him blush when she complimented him on his impressive moustache, then led the troop into the house. She fell into step beside Bella, leaning in so Bodhi and Marley wouldn't hear her question. "Is it still a surprise?"

"It is. They have no idea why we're here," she affirmed with a rueful little smile.

Kate giggled. "Perfect! Well, I took the liberty of adding a little finishing touch to your gift. I hope you won't mind."

It only took a minute more for Bella to realise what Kate meant, and she most definitely didn't mind. The sight that greeted her upon her entry into the kitchen eradicated any and all doubts about her decision to let Edward have his way.

"Oh…my…God…"

"All right, no more Friends for you, Mars. You sound far too like Janice for my liking," Charlie rolled his eyes and ruffled Marley's hair; not that she noticed. Her gaze was trained on the kitchen floor.

Well, not the floor…but the litter of spotty puppies tumbling around on it.

There were eleven in all; six boys and five girls, all white with an even spread of black spots.

"Mamma…" Marley breathed, her eyes darting between the puppies. Bodhi cried out, grinning as he wriggled to the floor and followed his sister to the edge of the playpen splitting the tiled kitchen in half. The puppies noticed them then and all charged over, jumping at the barrier with excited yips, waggly tails, and wet noses.

Marley turned to her parents with wide, hopeful eyes as Bodhi giggled, the puppies tickling his hand through the bars as he reached through to pet them. "Are we just visiting?"

Edward and Bella moved to crouch beside her and Bodhi, pulling his attention from the puppies for a moment. "We're not just visiting, little sweet. We're picking up our new puppy today. She'll be coming home with us."

Much later, Bella and Edward would thank Charlie for his foresight in videoing the reactions of the children. They jumped around, squealing and pressing kisses over Bella and Edward's faces.

Once they'd calmed down a little, Kate beamed as she stepped through the gate and called Bodhi and Marley to join her; they were instantly surrounded by Dalmatian puppies, and the kitchen was filled with the sounds of their joy.

"Which one is ours, Daddy?" Marley asked as a puppy wearing an orange collar licked her nose.

Edward looked to Kate for help.

She laughed, scanning the puppies before scooping one up and handing the wriggling bundle of fur to Marley. "This is your little lady. She's the prettiest of the bunch, and she's even got a special bow."

Bella smiled; the pink bow around her neck was evidently the 'finishing touch' Kate had added.

"Aw, she's so cute! Oh! Mamma, Daddy, she's licking me!" Marley giggled as the puppy smothered her face in kisses, her little body moving around so much that Marley wound up sitting down because she was afraid to drop her. Bodhi plonked himself beside Marley, giggling when their girl stretched over to nibble his nose.

The sight was utterly adorable, and Bella was incredibly glad she'd let Edward talk her into this and that her dad had been all for it, too; it was his house, after all. The smiles her babies were wearing were worth the inevitable chaos the puppy was about to rain over their domain. She'd been researching all things puppy related; training, toys, toilet training, what foods were and weren't allowed…

It would be like having a newborn baby all over again.

"Did you guys decide on a name, or are you letting the kids choose one?" Kate asked cheerily, relaxing back against the counter to watch the puppies tumbling over each other to get to Marley and Bodhi.

Edward and Bella shared a loaded glance. "We kind of like 'Faith,' if that's okay with Marley and Bodhi."

Marley looked between her parents' faces, then down at the puppy whose amber eyes were bright and trained intently on the face of her new little mistress. Marley beamed back at her mamma and daddy. "I think 'Faith' is perfect. Good choice, Mamma, and Daddy."

~ oOo ~

"Okay, so this is your paperwork. These are all her details from the veterinarian visits…her first vaccination, hearing test, microchip, all that jazz. Her birth weight and three-week check-up details are in there, too. This is her Kennel Club registration and details."

"Does she have some fancy schmancy name?" Charlie asked with a grin.

Kate smirked. "My husband decided them all. Your little Faith here is Chahill's Princess Posey."

Marley giggled into her hands, leaning over to kiss Faith's spotty head. She'd fallen asleep in Marley's lap while Kate, Edward, Charlie, and Bella talked. Bodhi had also made a friend.

"W-what's this o-one's n-n-name?" Bodhi asked quietly, tickling the soft black ear of the puppy asleep in the nest of his crossed legs.

Kate's expression softened as her eyes landed on Bodhi and the puppy in his lap. "We call him Tiny. He's the smallest of the litter." Kate met Edward's eyes, "He's deaf. The owners who'd put the deposit on him changed their minds after his hearing test. Poor little boy is the only one without perfect hearing, and we haven't found a home for him yet."

Marley and Bodhi cried out, their expressions sad as they immediately turned to gaze up at their parents.

Bella's eyes widened. "Oh, no! No way, you two. We're getting one puppy. One."

"But, Mamma—" Marley began, arranging her features into the expression she often used to get her way with her daddy. Bella quickly reached up to cover Edward's eyes; they were already softening. She could see him caving already.

~ oOo ~

Despite their disappointment, and with the assurance from Kate that little Tiny would remain with her until he found his forever home, Bella eventually made her way out to the car with just one spotted puppy. Faith wriggled in her arms, looking around at the snow-speckled landscape with bright, curious eyes. Bella bundled her inside her zip-up hoodie to protect her from the freezing December air, hurrying back to the car.

"Mamma, I want to hold Faith!" Marley complained.

"No, Mamma! I-I wanna h-h-hold h-her!"

Charlie sighed, shaking his head as he lifted Bodhi and buckled him into his seat. "Look, kids; it's better if your mamma holds her. There's more room in the front, and if she pees you don't want it to be on you, right?"

Bodhi and Marley exchanged disgusted glances before vehemently shaking their heads.

Charlie chucked and climbed into his spot between his grandchildren, offering his daughter a wink when she shot him a grateful grin in the rear-view mirror.

Thankfully, Faith didn't use her new mother's lap as a toilet during the drive home. She was remarkably well-behaved and settled comfortably on Bella's thighs, content to peer out of the window and stretch up to lick Bella's chin every now and then with a happy wag of her tail. Halfway home, Bella managed to take a picture of Faith as she curled against her chest cradled in one of her arms, her pink tongue poking out just enough for it to be visible in the resulting photo.

Bella quickly sent it to everyone waiting for news of the new arrival; Archie and the boys, Rosalie and Emmett, Peter, Esme and Carlisle, the twins, and Alice and Jasper. Apparently, Clarke and Dave were itching to come over to meet the new puppy, so Bella expected the Whitlock clan over later. Which worked well, seeing as Bella and Alice hadn't seen each other for a couple of weeks and had plenty to catch up on.

Rosalie – Oh my gosh! She's so cute!

Rosalie's text was followed by a series of seven, heart-eyed emojis and a reminder that they wanted to come over as soon as Faith was settled. Bella responded with her promise that she'd let them know just as they rolled to a stop outside the house and piled out onto the driveway.

"It's okay, pretty girl," Bella cooed when Faith poked her head out from her jumper, once again tucked inside but just for the quick walk up the driveway into the house. She peered up at Bella with sleepy eyes. "We're home, Faith. This is your new home."

The puppy simply stretched up, licked Bella's chin, and ducked back inside her warm cocoon where she promptly fell back to sleep, much to the consternation of Marley and Bodhi.

~ oOo ~

"She's just precious, Bella," Rosalie sighed, her lips spread in a wide smile as she watched Marley, Bodhi, and Faith tumbling around the living room.

Faith had slept for almost an hour after arriving at her new home, and Bella had followed the puppy-rearing book Charlie had given her, settling Faith in her new bed in the kitchen so she'd learn where she should sleep. She was content enough to remain there for fifty minutes, somehow managing to sleep through the children's thinly disguised attempts at waking her.

Eventually, Marley and Bodhi wound up sitting side-by-side on the naughty step wearing sulky pouts, their mother fed up with their purposeful crashing and banging around in the hallway.

When Faith did awaken she padded her way into the living room by herself, greeting her little master and mistress with plentiful kisses and tail wags. The children had been playing with her ever since and had been delighted when Edward pulled a basket of brand new puppy toys from the under-stairs cupboard. So far, Faith's favourite was a small, stuffed football and the trio had been playing piggy in the middle with it for almost a half hour by the time Bella noticed Faith's tongue lolling and her faltering footsteps.

She inhaled a deep breath, already knowing the kids were going to throw a tantrum when she informed them that their little friend would soon need another nap.

But first…

"All right, Faith probably needs to go potty now, guys."

"I'll come, Mamma!" Marley declared, scowling when Bella shook her head.

"No, baby girl; you two stay here, so she doesn't get distracted."

Bella scooped Faith from the rug in the centre of the room, kissing her head and carrying her to the hall. She'd always thought it was silly to buy clothes for dogs, but she'd seen how cold Faith had gotten earlier just on the short walk in from the car, so she was abruptly glad she'd ignored her instincts and bought a small yellow jumper for Faith.

Just in case, she'd told herself. Faith looked appreciative of the forethought when she padded around the chilly garden, glancing over at Bella every few seconds. It took almost ten minutes, and the threat of the naughty step for Bodhi and Marley when they refused to stop teasing Faith through the patio doors, but Faith finally squatted and did a quick wee on the grass.

As Bella rushed over to praise her and hand her a tiny cube of cheese as a reward for doing her business, she inwardly sighed at herself and wondered just how ridiculous she looked to her family on the other side of the glass doors.

~ oOo ~

Nine days later, Bella was utterly in love with her third baby and couldn't believe she hadn't given in sooner on the puppy debate.

It was Christmas morning, and Charlie's house was complete mayhem.

Archie and his boys had come over bright and early, Esme and Carlisle close behind them. Peter and the twins arrived only ten minutes later with Emmett and Rosalie hot on their heels.

Just like last year, they all wore matching jumpers; green and white striped with reindeer emblazoned across the front.

Edward and Bella had been woken by two over-excited children just before seven a.m.

"Mamma, Daddy! Wake up! It's Christmas!" Marley yelled, bouncing up onto the bed before tugging Bodhi up by his arms to join her.

Bella quickly pulled both children to her side of the bed, trying to stifle her laughter when Edward let out a soft whine and rolled onto his side. "Marley, sweetie, I think you stomped on Daddy's misters."

Marley's smile fell, but she giggled an apology behind her hands. "Sorry, Daddy."

"S'ok, little sweet," Edward croaked. After clearing his throat and relaxing a little into the mattress, he exhaled a deep breath and gently guided Marley down to sit beside him. "Merry Christmas, little sweet."

"Merry Christmas, Daddy."

"Mewwy Chwistmas, D-Daddy!" Bodhi crowed, crawling over to sit on Edward's stomach.

Bella couldn't resist swiping her phone from the nightstand to take photos of her little family. Bodhi had shed the long-sleeved, candy-cane pattern t-shirt she'd put on him before bed last night, but he was still wearing the matching trousers; Marley had the same pyjamas, but unlike her brother, she was still wearing them. They both wore fluffy white slipper boots and had majorly messy bedhead. Edward did, too.

As she took a series of photos of the trio, Bella couldn't help but realise how alike they seemed. Bodhi's sunny blond mane and Marley's long, chocolate locks were curly, whereas Edward's was pretty much just a bronze mess, but you'd be forgiven for thinking they were related when you looked at them wearing matching bright, beaming smiles and snuggling up under the covers. Bella felt her heart fill to the bursting point. It was an adorable sight.

"Mamma, y-you snuggle t-too?"

Bella smiled, setting down her phone and wriggling over to join her family. She leaned down to kiss Bodhi's curls and mentally praise Esme for suggesting she and Edward invest in a bigger bed, now that the kids were in their own room. They often had the kids in with them on Saturday and Sunday mornings to watch cartoons, but they'd never have all fit in Bella's old twin bed. The king Esme had talked Bella into was far better.

"Mewwy Chwistmas, Mamma," Bodhi said quietly, offering her a toothy, dimpled smile.

"Merry Christmas, baby boy."

"Oh! I forgot!"

Before Bella or Edward could ask what she'd forgotten, Marley was bouncing out of bed and running from the room. They shared a curious glance, then listened to her thumping footsteps as she came back up the stairs a few moments later.

As soon as she appeared in the doorway, Bella sighed. "Sweetheart, they can't—"

"Please, Mamma? It is Christmas…"

Edward chuckled, "yeah, Mamma. It is Christmas."

Shooting him a look that said 'traitor,' Bella realised it was fruitless to argue with her daughter and Edward – and likely Bodhi, too – and huffed. "All right. But just this once! They're not meant to be up here."

With a wide, triumphant grin, Marley set down the big, squirming bundle in her arms.

This wasn't the first puppy-related argument Bella had given up on.

She'd said 'no' to getting a puppy in the first place, and wound up bringing Faith home six weeks later.

She'd said 'no' to Faith being allowed on the furniture or having extra treats besides her food and training treats; so far this past week she'd caught Edward and Charlie sneaking her tidbits when they thought she wasn't looking. That wasn't including the bits and pieces the kids snuck her from the table.

She'd said 'no' to taking Tiny off Kate's hands.

And yet, as Faith ran up to the foot of the bed, stretching on her short legs to peer through the poles of the footboard, she was quickly joined by her spotty, deaf, pink-nosed brother.

Yes, she'd caved, and it was no-one's fault but her own.

She'd sent Kate some photos of Faith with the kids on day four and had wound up speaking to her on the phone later that day to clear up an issue with Faith's microchip information. Kate had offhandedly mentioned that Tiny was still there, and Bella hadn't been able to push the sweet puppy's face from her mind all evening. Of course, Edward had noticed her preoccupation, and had been surprisingly reserved in his opinions of whether or not they should take on the added responsibility of another puppy so quickly after getting their first; especially a deaf puppy.

Two days of intensive research and with guidance from experienced Dalmatian owners on the page Edward frequented on Facebook, their minds were made up. They left Marley and Bodhi with Emmett and Rosalie, put Faith's travel harness on and buckled her into the backseat as they set off on the forty-minute trip to Kate's.

"Here, let me help," Edward chuckled, crawling to the end of the bed to scoop up the puppies.

Bella smiled and shook her head, remembering Kate's face as she'd pulled the door open upon their arrival.

"Well, well. You know, I wasn't surprised at all to get your phone call. He's a lovable boy."

Bella sighed and smiled, shaking her head. "I just couldn't stop picturing his sad little face when we left last time."

Kate took Faith from Edward's arms, peppering kisses over her head. "Hello, sweet girl. You've grown so much already!"

"That's because she eats like a horse!" Edward exclaimed. "We follow that guide you gave us, but man! She'd constantly eat if we let her."

A laugh bubbled out of Kate as she gestured for them to follow her inside. Once the front door was closed, she set Faith on the floor and let out a soft whistle, followed by a quiet, "Lulu!" A few moments later, a slim, pretty dog trotted into the hall with a slow tail wag. Faith immediately darted toward her, bouncing around her legs and trying to lick her face.

Edward grinned, sliding his fingers through Bella's as they followed Kate, Lulu, and Faith into the kitchen. "It looks like Faith has missed her mamma. I bet Lulu's missing her babies, huh?"

Kate hummed, offering them a tea or coffee. As she started making their cappuccinos, she murmured, "I think she does, but she's definitely enjoying the freedom of just having one pup left. She's had a very busy eight weeks with all of them, and now she just has one to deal with."

Bella was listening to Kate, but her eyes travelled to the bed across the room where Tiny was sleeping. He obviously couldn't hear that they'd entered, so he was snoozing happily with his legs out-stretched; he wasn't having to share a bed anymore, which struck Bella as sad. It must be lonely to be one of eleven and suddenly find yourself alone, she thought.

"Hey, Faith, go wake your brother," Kate said as she opened the gate separating the two halves of the kitchen. Faith sniffed cautiously before stepping through, then bounded right over to her sleeping brother.

He didn't stay asleep for long.

Faith pounced right on him, and soon they were tumbling around, their excited yaps and happy tails bringing tears to Bella's eyes. Lulu waded in but kept her distance, content just to watch her babies play.

"Are you okay?" Edward asked gently, squeezing her to him.

"I'm fine," she promised. "I think we made the right decision."

Kate beamed as she handed over Tiny's paperwork and bagged up the last of the puppy toys, informing Bella and Edward that she wouldn't need them now that all the pups had gone to their homes. Lulu gave each of her babies a thorough wash while Edward and Bella ran outside to pack the car with all the paraphernalia; Tiny's favourite cushion, the puppy toys, some leftover packs of mince which Lulu didn't like, but the puppies did.

Having never had a dog before, Bella found it odd to be feeding her almost, ten-week-old puppy raw mince and chicken wings, but it made sense once she thought about and researched it. The benefits far outweighed the surrealism of watching a tiny puppy crunch up raw bones as though they were biscuits.

Bella had picked out a travel harness for Tiny to match Faith's, except his was black and hers was pink, so she slipped it over his head and adjusted it to fit comfortably before scooping him into her arms as Edward did the same with Faith. Kate sighed as they stood by the front door, Lulu sitting contentedly at her the feet of her mistress, her puppies in the arms of their new parents.

"I'll miss this little guy," she cooed as she reached out to fondle his soft, spotty ear. He peered at her through his mismatched eyes – one blue, one chocolate brown – and let out a squeaky yawn as he turned to snuggle his head under Bella's chin, where he promptly fell asleep.

Kate and Edward's laughter didn't disturb him, because he couldn't hear it, so he slept peacefully through Bella's promise to take care of him and his sister and his journey from the house out to the car. Edward opened the back door, but hesitated and turned to face Bella when she asked him to wait.

She frowned for a moment. "Don't worry about putting her in the back. I'll have them both on my lap, I think."

Edward raised his eyebrows, smirking. "You sure? Brave move considering we don't know how the boy's gonna deal with being in the car."

Bella snuggled Tiny tighter, his head still nestled under her chin, and opened the door to the front-passenger seat. "I'm sure. I've got towels and puppy pads for accidents."

"All right, mi amore," Edward chuckled. He waited for Bella to get comfortable and buckle herself in, then handed Faith to her. Tiny woke briefly to curl into his sister, and by the time Edward had rounded the car, offered Kate a parting wave, and climbed into his seat, both puppies were fast asleep curled up in Bella's lap. She turned to him with a smug smile; he laughed, shaking his head and starting the engine.

Only time would tell whether or not both Faith and Tiny would remain that placid until they made it home.

~ oOo ~

"Awww, look, Mamma!" Marley cooed, pulling Bella from her thoughts.

She followed Marley's adoring gaze to Edward, Bodhi, and the puppies. Faith was curled up on Edward's lap – he'd shuffled back to sit against the headboard – and her brother was spread along Bodhi's side with his spotted head resting on his little master's shoulder.

"Mamma, Sammy's snugglin' me!"

Tiny had become 'Sammy' shortly after joining the family. To be truthful, he wasn't very small anymore, so 'Tiny' didn't really fit. Despite being the runt of the litter at birth, he was now bigger than his sister by a fair bit, and Bella thought it fitting that he received a new name as he joined his new family.

After a vote, they decided on 'Sammy.'

"He is, tesoro. That's 'cause you're his best buddy."

Bodhi grinned widely. "I am?"

"You sure are," Edward promised, tapping the end of his son's nose.

The kids had been beyond happy when Emmett and Rosalie had brought them home to find Sammy there; Bodhi especially. It was strange, but Faith and Marley had bonded just as hard as Sammy and Bodhi. The quartet spent the majority of their time together, but they also paired off equally as often.

As she quickly snapped a few photos of Edward, the kids, and the puppies all bundled together, Bella couldn't stifle her happy sigh.

The puppies were just as much hard work as the children, but they were also every bit as rewarding. There was nothing more beautiful than seeing her babies sitting on the couch with their spotty puppies sandwiched between them. Marley and Bodhi had never smiled as much as they did when they were around Faith and Sammy. They were noisy, messy, and time-consuming…but they were absolutely a wonderful addition to the family.

~ oOo ~

With a coffee in one hand and his video camera in the other, Charlie sighed and watched the bedlam unfolding in his living room.

The kids were all there – Carl-Roman, Chase, Marley, Bodhi, and Alice and Jasper's Dave and Clarke – so there were presents and torn wrapping paper strewn all over the place. Their parents were spread around the room with smiles on their faces and camera phones in hand ready to capture the excitement on the faces of their children. Faith and Sammy ran amok amongst the kids and toys, their excited yapping and sloppy kisses adding another layer of chaos to the wild morning.

Peter was on the floor with Dave, helping him unwrap a particularly trickily wrapped package. Charlie grinned and shook his head as he glanced over at Rosalie and Emmett cocooned in a blanket on the window seat. Idly, he wondered how long they'd make Peter wait for a grandchild of his own. He knew Peter was desperate for grandbabies, although he'd told Charlie he was content to dote on the other kids until they were ready.

Even Charlie wouldn't have been upset if Bella and Edward chose to bless him with more grandchildren, despite already having four.

His eyes moved to Marley and Carl-Roman. They were kneeling together to open their presents, bright smiles on their faces as Sammy bounded over to 'help.' He adjusted his camera angle to catch them giggling at Sammy as he attempted to tear paper from one of Carl-Roman's gifts and ended up somersaulting when he tugged too hard on the flimsy wrapping paper.

This…this was what he'd wished for.

When Bella and Rosalie were missing, and his family was broken, all Charlie had wanted was to have the girls back. He wanted them to be happy, safe, and healthy. He wanted them whole.

He saw Archie settling down and starting a family and had been broken-hearted to think his daughter and Rosalie wouldn't get to do the same. He'd held his grandsons minutes after their births and wondered if he'd ever get to hold Bella's children, or even get to hold her again.

When he'd discovered that he had a granddaughter, a little girl born into a life of horror worse than Charlie had ever comprehended, Charlie had been sick with grief and loss. He'd missed those precious first years; he'd missed seeing his baby become a mother.

But now…

Now he got to see her healthy, happy, and loved. He got to watch her dote on her babies and he got to love on them himself. They lived under his roof and ran to greet him at the end of every day. They woke him up on Sunday mornings with their thumping footsteps on the hallway landing and ransacked his sweet jar on a regular basis.

But he loved it. Charlie loved each and every second of having his grandbabies close. He treasured his daughter's smiles after such a long period of having to live without them. He delighted in seeing his childhood best friend so happy to have his own daughter back. Every day, Charlie got to have breakfast with Bella before kissing his grandbabies 'goodbye' and heading to work with his best friend and future son-in-law – because there was no way Edward would fail to put a ring on Bella's finger at some point – and Emmett. He was fairly certain Archie was going to join Swan-Hale Construction in the near future, too. His job as a security guard in Eastbourne was increasingly demanding of his time, and he'd voiced an interest in joining the family business; Charlie would leap at the chance to have his son come aboard.

"Oh, Pawpaw!"

Charlie barked a laugh at Marley and Carl-Roman's faces. They were slack-jawed and wide-eyed, the tickets he'd purchased clutched tight in their small hands. "So, you wanna go?"

The children waded through heaps of torn paper and quickly forgotten packs of socks. Charlie sank into a crouch and passed his video camera and coffee to Jasper so he could hold Marley and Carl-Roman.

"We can go? Really, Pawpaw?"

Charlie felt his eyes prickling with tears as well as the eyes of the other adults in the room. Only Peter knew what the tickets in Marley and Carl-Roman's hands were for. "Sure, we can. I mean, every kid's gotta go to Disneyworld, right?"

Bella gasped, her hand flying to cover her mouth. Emmett whooped, then whined when it earned him a gentle tap on the nose from Rosalie. Bodhi and Chase scampered across the room to join their siblings and pawpaw. "Dad…" Bella breathed.

His eyes darted to her; a touch sheepish, but tear-filled nonetheless. "Uh, yeah. I wanted to mention it first, but I got a bit carried away, and I thought you might say 'no,' so I didn't."

She laughed a watery giggle. "You can't…I mean, Dad—" she trailed off with a sigh. "Paris?"

Charlie plastered a big, pleading grin on his face and held his grandbabies close. She's gonna kill me. "Florida."

"Dad!"

~ oOo ~

By the time the adults got over the shock of Charlie's surprise announcement that he and Peter were taking everyone to Florida for Easter, thanks to their business doing incredibly well this past year, the kids were ready to continue opening their other gifts.

While the kids got back to business tearing paper from presents, Bella pulled her dad aside.

"What the heck, Dad?" she hissed, tugging him out into the hallway.

He grinned, tucking a loose lock of her hair behind her ear. "If you missed something one of the kids did for the first time, would you be upset?"

Bella frowned, confused by his seemingly random train of thought. "I…uh, yeah, I would. Why?"

"I don't want to miss their first ride on the teacups, or the first time they see Mickey Mouse. I don't want to miss them seeing the magic of Disneyworld for the first time, Bells. I want to be there. I want to see it all. We've had some huge projects this past year and we've made a lot of sound investments too, Pete and I." Charlie reached up to straighten his hair, his eyes soft as he gazed down at his daughter's shocked face. "Bells, let us do this. Let us spoil you all. If not for you, then for the babies. I never took Carl-Roman and Chase before we got you back because I didn't want to. I wanted to wait until we could all see it. Now, we can. Let me do this, please."

Bella's eyes swung into the living room. Charlie turned to follow her gaze, both of them laughing quietly when Bodhi found his Mickey Mouse ears and put them on his head – backward.

"Okay, Dad. Okay. But it's too much. Way too much."

Charlie chuckled, tugging her into his side for a cuddle. They remained in the doorway for a little while, watching the messy mayhem unfold until all the presents were opened and it was time for Charlie to baste the turkey again. He left Bella with a kiss to the temple and a murmured, "Love you, Bells."

~ oOo ~

"All right, all right! Quit fighting over the crackers, you two."

Marley and Carl-Roman quit their squabbling, looking abashed as they mumbled apologies to their mimi. Esme sighed with an indulgent smile. "Here; one of you take my silver cracker."

Marley beamed and accepted it with a grateful grin. "Thanks, Mimi! Look, Carl-Roman, we match!"

It had been some feat, getting everyone around the same table for Christmas dinner, but they'd just about managed it. The kids were wedged into the far corner, where there was less room but enough for them to squeeze in, and there were more people to each side of the table than was comfortable, but it was perfect.

Rosalie had gotten her family picture, just like last year. 2016's canvassed image hung on the wall behind the table where they sat, everyone unable to resist commenting on how much everything had changed in twelve months.

They'd travelled to Italy, and spent a month learning what it was to live and love without fear or worry.

Edward had declared his love for Bella, and in turn, set off the chain of events to make her realise she felt the same way about him.

Contessa had lost her husband; Edward, his nonno. She'd kept her home in Rome but moved into the bungalow they normally let out to holidaymakers in East Dean, just a short car ride away from Eastbourne, where her beloved and doting grandson lived. She was spending Christmas in Italy though, with her sister, but would be returning in time for the New Year.

Emmett and Rosalie had gotten engaged then married all within the space of six months.

Edward became Marley and Bodhi's 'daddy' at long last.

And Bella…

Bella had finally plucked up enough courage to admit just how madly, crazily, utterly in love with Edward she'd been for longer than even she realized.

They'd fallen head over heels for one another and settled into being the epitome of the normal family life Bella had once said she never wanted.

Edward and Bella had welcomed two new babies into the family. Faith and Sammy were the perfect additions to the wonderful, mish-mashed chaos they knew and loved.

As Bella looked around the table at her friends, her family, she realized that it wasn't just her who'd had epiphanies this past year.

The twins had both gotten into serious relationships and would be heading off to university next summer; Heidi to study horse care, while Pippa went into childcare.

Rosalie and Emmett were hesitantly talking about trying to find a place of their own, now that they were married and felt ready to take that next step together.

Jasper and Alice had finalised their plans to sell the house a few streets over. They'd bought it four years ago, intending to renovate and sell on for profit; it had sat empty ever since, but they'd decided it was about time they focused on their new venture and powered through now that the economy was beginning to recover.

Peter was happier than Bella ever remembered him. He and Charlie had their ever-expanding business, and Peter finally had his three girls all together again. She knew he was sad at the thought of the twins heading off to university, but it would be tempered by having Rosalie and Emmett nearby still.

Archie and his boys were doing amazingly well. Bella stifled a smirk and chose to ignore Bodhi wiping his juice-smeared face with the back of his sleeve as she thought of her brother's face when she caught him being sappy on the phone to his new girlfriend. Nobody had met her just yet because Archie was keeping this relationship close to his chest, but Bella could tell he was smitten. It was only a matter of time before he introduced his boys to her and her two children, and the rest of the family would follow in due course. Truthfully, Bella was just overjoyed to see him happy again; to see that wide grin back on his face instead of the lonely sadness clouding his dark eyes.

Charlie…Charlie was a nightmare. Thinking about his incredibly extravagant gift of a two-week stint to Disneyworld later in the year made Bella want to throttle and kiss him in equal measure. It was far too much, but she understood his need to do it and wouldn't begrudge him it.

However, she would talk Edward into giving him some money towards it, at the very least.

Edward.

Bella's eyes swivelled to her right, where Edward sat. He'd been a bit quiet for the past hour or so since all the presents had been unwrapped and the paper had been tossed out, but he had a smile on his face and his arm resting along the back of her chair, his fingertips drawing little patterns up and down her side.

He was amazing. Everything she could ever have dreamed of as a friend, a partner, and a father for her babies. She was filled with love as she sighed and leaned into him.

"I love you," she whispered, shivering at the intense look he shot her when he turned to gaze down at her and cup her face.

"Ti amo, mi amore."

Bella smiled, stretching up to plant a quick kiss on his lips.

"Ca-can we pull cwrackers, n-n-now?"

"Sure, handsome," Rosalie laughed, managing to let Bodhi win when he held out a cracker for her to pull.

The rest of the table followed suit. Cheers were alternated with groans, laughter mingling with the excited yapping of the puppies following the muted bangs of the crackers. Sammy hadn't heard them, obviously, but he'd seen his sister getting worked up and didn't want to be left out of the action.

Esme slid away from the table to soothe the puppies, settling them back in their shared basket nearby with a pair of pigs' ears.

Bella smiled as Edward reached for the cracker on her plate and held it out to her. His expression was far too serious for such a light-hearted moment.

"Are you scared you'll lose?" she teased, getting a firm grip on her end of the sparkly blue cracker. She had the only one that wasn't either silver or green, this year's colour theme.

Edward frowned slightly, sucking in a deep breath. "A little."

Bella got a funny feeling in the pit of her stomach. She held on tight and tugged hard when Edward murmured, "Here goes nothing."

For the shortest moment, Bella couldn't understand why everyone seemed so shocked that she'd won when she ended up holding the largest section of the cracker.

Then she realized it wasn't her winning that made them gasp at all.

It was the prize that bounced out of the cracker and landed square in front of her on the table.

Bella could see the white box, but she couldn't comprehend its significance at first.

Not until Edward slowly plucked it from the table, slid from his chair, and dropped to one knee beside her.

"Bella, mi amore, I've been planning what I'd say right now for weeks, but now that we're here I don't want to say any of it."

"Edward…" Bella squeaked. "What...what are you doing?"

There were titters from across the table. Emmett.

"Little sweet, tesoro, come here please."

Marley and Bodhi scampered out of their seats, sliding under the table to join their daddy. They were both wearing wide, toothy grins, their eyes sparkling.

"I've already asked these guys, and they're in agreement. We should be a real family, right guys?"

Marley and Bodhi nodded emphatically, putting a small but nervous smile on Edward's face.

Bella wiped her clammy palms on her jeans and sucked in a shaky breath. Her heart felt like it was going to burst clean out of her chest, it was beating that fast. Her eyes widened and stung from the impending threat of tears as she watched him carefully open the velvet box to reveal the contents.

There were gasps all-around.

"Ooh, Daddy! That's so pretty!" Marley sighed lovingly, craning her head to see it better.

Edward chuckle was tremulous. "Grazie, little sweet."

It really was pretty. It had a thin, rose gold band with a large, sparkling stone in the centre. Little, clear stones – Bella was trying not to think of any of them as diamonds because of the price tag attached to such a purchase – fanned out around the centre stone, lending the ring a sunflower-like appearance. Bella couldn't drag her eyes away from the beautiful piece of art long enough to check if Edward was serious and this was actually happening. He was on bended knee in front of their entire family, a ring in his hand and intent in his voice as he cleared his throat.

"Isabella Scarlett Swan, you're my best friend, the love of my life, and the reason for my existence. You've given me more than I could ever have hoped to have. You've brought light and laughter and love to my life, as well as our two, beautiful, crazy children—"

"A-and Sammy and F-Faith, D-Daddy!" Bodhi interjected.

Bella forced her gaze up to Edward's face as he chuckled and leaned in to Eskimo their son. "That's right, tesoro. And Sammy and Faith, of course."

He turned back to Bella, his jade eyes soft and hopeful. "Bella, mi amore, I love you more than life itself. You're everything I want, and I can't picture a single day of my life without you in it."

Collectively, everyone seemed to hold their breath as Edward looked down for a moment before returning his gaze to Bella.

"Will you do me the enormous honour of marrying me, Bella?"

He hadn't finished speaking when the, "Yes, yes, of course, yes!" flew from her lips and she launched herself at his chest, almost knocking him clean over. Marley and Bodhi cheered with delight and danced around as everyone leaped from their chairs to congratulate the newly engaged couple. Edward scooped Bella into his arms to swing her in circles before they got too close, his grin exultant and the beauty of his happy eyes unparalleled.

"Yes?" he whispered.

Bella dashed tears from her cheeks and giggled, cupping his face. "Yes, silly man. Of course, I will!"

As their family gathered around them, Edward took the ring from its box and gently slid it into place on Bella's left hand, grinning with a relieved sigh as it rested at the base of her finger.

It was a perfect fit.

~ oOo ~

Edward and Bella didn't get a lot of alone time for the rest of the evening, but eventually, they snuck out into the garden under the guise of getting Sammy and Faith to do their before-bed wees.

The music playing in the living room was just about audible in the garden with the kitchen window ajar, so Edward folded Bella into his arms and swung her in loose, slow circles around the patio.

"I've waited a hundred years. But I'd wait a million more, for you."

Edward crooned the lyrics to the song currently playing into Bella's ear, his hot breath tickling her. It was freezing outside, so they were bundled up in coats, hats, and scarves to stave off the cold, but both of them cursed the layers between them as they huddled as close together as possible.

"Nothing prepared me for, what the privilege of being yours would do. If I had only felt the warmth within your touch. If I had only seen how you smile when you blush. Or how you curl your lip when you concentrate enough."

"Well I would have known what I was living for. What I've been living for.
Your love is my turning page. Only the sweetest words remain."

Bella sighed, resting her cheek against his chest. It was cold, but this moment was perfect. Bella's eyes were once again drawn to the sparkling new ring on her finger. It really was utterly beautiful.

And likely far more expensive than she could imagine; Bella was trying not to think about the price tag.

Edward's kisses along her hairline between words sure helped distract her.

"Every kiss is a cursive line. Every touch is a redefining phrase.
I surrender who I've been for who you are."

As they swayed together in the moonlight, Bella couldn't help but try to picture what their life together would look like from now on. They'd discussed moving out and planned to broach the subject with Charlie in the new year. The thought of moving into their own home, newly engaged and ready to take that next big leap together, filled Bella with nervous but excited anticipation. She'd wondered if she was strong enough to handle it, but with Edward at her side, she felt stronger than ever.

"Nothing makes me stronger than your fragile heart. It I had only felt how it feels to be yours,
I would have known what I've been living for. What I've been living for."

All at once, she felt as though she was just ready.

Ready to move on from the past and welcome the future; to run head-first into her new life as mother to Marley and Bodhi and future wife to Edward. Her past defined her outlook on the future in a way, but she didn't want to let it lead her decisions. That part of her life, that part of her story, was over now. One day, she would have to share it with Marley and Bodhi, but not yet. For now, it was time to live this wonderful new life they'd been given.

It was time to turn a new page and pen the next part of their story.

"We're tethered to the story we must tell. When I saw you, well I knew we'd tell it well.
with the whisper, we will tame the vicious scenes. Like a feather, bringing kingdoms to their knees."

"I love you," Bella said quietly, suddenly just, needing to say it.

Edward sighed, squeezing her tight. "I love you, too. More than the sun and the moon and all of the stars."

"I'm so glad you got your twenty seconds of courage."

Edward released a bark of laughter and pulled back to smile down at her. His face was shadowed but glowed in the dim moonlight, his eyes startlingly beautiful so close to her own. "Yeah?"

"Yeah," Bella smiled. "I'm glad Marley talked us into watching We Bought A Zoo. You might not have gotten the idea then, and I might never have realized."

With a sigh and a quick spin of Bella under his arm, Edward shook his head. "One way or another, you'd have realized. You're more clever than you think and I was rubbish at hiding how I felt, even back then."

"Marley helped. She was a big push in the right direction."

Bella and Edward both let their minds run back to Rosalie and Emmett's wedding. Hearing Marley call him 'Daddy' for the first time had been a magical experience for them both.

"Shall we go in?"

"One more dance," Edward said, tugging her back against his body as a new song begun. Bella didn't recognize it, but he obviously did as he began singing the words in time.

Bella snuggled into him, allowing his soft but somehow, still slightly rough voice to caress her.

"I know I have my moments, and at times I'm hard to be around.
I get impatient when you're getting dressed.
It's just, I thought the first one looked the best.

You're beautiful, more than I deserve. So listen close, to these
one, two, three, four words. So please keep, loving me. Because our hearts speak fluently.

Wherever I go, whatever I do, the map on my heart leads to you, so baby,
please keep loving me, loving me, loving me."

Bella's lips curled up. "You like this song. You requested it at Rose and Em's wedding, didn't you?"

Edward nodded against the crown of her head, continuing to sing.

"Your lips on my smile, are like bees round a honeycomb.
You see through my heart's misty window
and out of all the fingerprints only yours will show."

A quiet tapping on the French doors caught their attention. Sammy was tapping on the glass with his paw, Faith at his side whining insistently.

"Oops. Looks like the spots are cold," Edward mumbled. He peered down at Bella. "You ready to go in, too? Your cheeks are all pink."

Bella grinned and nodded. "Yeah, let's go in. We'd better try to wind the kids down, anyway. They've had far too much sugar, and they'll be hell to get to bed with Carl-Roman and Chase here, too."

"You're probably right," Edward agreed. He stared down into Bella's eyes for a moment, sighing heavily. It was a relieved, content sound and filled Bella with a sense of rightness and belonging. She was content, too. And overwhelmingly happy. "I can't wait to make you my wife and be a real family with little sweet and tesoro."

Bella's heart pounded. "I can't wait, either."

He leaned down, pulling the breath from her body with a bone-melting kiss before abruptly stepping back with a grin. "If I don't stop now, I won't stop, and we've got company."

Bella turned toward his pointed glance; Marley, Carl-Roman, Chase, and Bodhi were pressing their faces to the doors and covering the glass in sticky fingerprints and lip marks. As they laughed and made their way in to rejoin the craziness of their family, the puppies more than happy to be back in the warm with their little humans, Bella and Edward shared a glance.

It was happiness, relief, and 'I love you's' all rolled into one look as they took a seat together in the bay window and settled in to watch Charlie and Peter learn the Macarena, as taught by Carl-Roman and Marley.

Bella gazed around at her loved ones, her heart fuller than it ever had been before, her left hand significantly heavier than it had been before Edward's surprise proposal.

One thought ran on a continuous loop through her head as she leaned back into Edward and kissed his five 'o clock-shadowed jaw.

Life just can't get any better than this.

I don't know what to say, except…

Thank you and I love you all.

Your support, your endless faith in me to deliver the promised Happily Ever After, and your willingness to share your thoughts with me time and time again have made this entire experience of posting my first ever fic so incredibly precious. I'll never forget the way you all made me feel with your kindness and generosity.

I'll always remember getting those notification that Pinky Promises had been recc'd in pages like SunflowerFran's Pay It Forward, The No Rules Twilight Fan Fics Rec Club, and The Lemonade Stand (which I've followed religiously FOREVER; I am not ashamed to admit they elicited a happy dance from me when they shared PP over there.)

This has been the most amazingly wonderful experience for me. I wrote the core outline of this back in 2011 and it's moved around on the various computers I've owned since then, but I never really did anything with it. February this year, I decided enough was enough and I'd post it here. In that time it has evolved to waaaay beyond where I ever expected it to go. It's well over 200k words and it's been a labor of love I'll cherish forever.

As you all know by now, the sequel will be posting in a week or two, so keep your eyes open and be sure to add me to your author alerts if you want to catch it right away. The exclusive cover reveal will be on my Facebook author page - 'Ciara Shayee - Author', although I'll most likely also be posting it in SunflowerFran's Pay It Forward a day or two before the first chapter goes up.

xoxo

Songs:

Turning Page – Sleeping At Last

Please Keep Loving Me – James TW