Reminder: The italics here are Bella's dreams while she's being held captive. They are based on the Edward she currently knows, so it does not include any supernatural elements because she hasn't remembered yet that he is a vampire. THEY ARE JUST DREAMS - NOT PREMONITIONS.
Remember! This is a J/B fic, so please no hate! Especially because the wedding scene is rather close to my heart. My husband and I wrote a large portion of our marriage ceremony, and this includes most of it – so please be gentle on it!
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. SM does. Unfortunately.
He put it on me, I put it on,
Like there was nothing wrong
It didn't fit, it wasn't right.
Wasn't just the size
They say you know, when you know
I don't know..
I didn't feel the fairytale feeling, no
Am I a stupid girl
For even dreaming that I could…?
Not Like the Movies - Katy Perry
She was wearing white, her face gently covered by the veil she wore. The lights of the candles around them danced across the satin of her dress, catching the lace and bead work of the gown, surrounding her in an angelic glow. She smiled at him through the gauzy fabric, her heart so full it felt like it would burst. He smiled back at her, and she knew that finally – everything would be alright. They would be together now – forever.
They turned together, facing the minister that stood in front of them. They clasped hands lightly, and the minister slowly opened the leather bound book that he held. Taking a deep breath, he began:
"Good evening, and welcome to the ceremony that will unite Edward and Isabella in marriage. We gather here today to celebrate their union, and to honor their commitment to not just gazing at one another, but to looking outward together in the same direction. Today Edward and Isabella proclaim their love to the world, and we rejoice with and for them."
His words echoed around the chapel, the honesty of his words settling into her bones. She could feel the love in the room, and she reveled in it. She had waited for this day for as long as she could remember – and here he was, standing next to her. In a few moments, he would be her husband.
The minister smiled again at them and continued. "May it be in extreme thoughtfulness and reverence, and in dependence upon divine guidance, that you enter now into this sacred relationship. Being assured that your love and your choice of each other as lifelong companions is a part of your spiritual futures and that you have your families' blessings, I now ask: Who gives this woman to be married to this man?"
She heard her father clear his throat, and she turned to smile at him. Charlie returned it, and it was shaky at best, but she still saw the love that filled it. "I love you, Dad," she mouthed to him. He nodded back at her, and she saw as he tried to hide the stray tear that had escaped down his cheek. "I do," Charlie finally stated, his eyes never leaving hers.
She felt a gentle squeeze against her hands and she turned back to her groom, and she found that he was smiling at her too.
The minister waited for a moment to allow the moment to complete itself before continuing. He moved his eyes from the couple in front of him to the small audience beyond them. "In marriage, we give ourselves freely and generously into the hands of the one we love, and in doing so, each of us receives the love and trust of the other as our most precious gift. But even as that gift is shared by two people who are in love, it also touches the friends and family members who in various ways support and contribute to the relationship. All of you are Edward and Isabella's community, and each of you has played some part in bringing them to this moment. This is why gathering as a community is such an important part of a wedding ceremony. Edward and Isabella are now taking a new form as a married couple, and in this form, they become part of their community in a new way." He paused in his speech them, his gaze moving to the front row.
Everyone watched as Alice stood, smoothed her skirt and moved to a small pulpit to the left of the couple. She opened her mouth, and in her light, lilting voice, read:
Love me because I try to touch life
within the framework of
uncertainty
love me in the shadows
in decisions as I strive to gain
knowledge
love me in the silence of my hurts
and the noise of my
confusions
love me for the feeling of my heart
not the fears of my mind
love me in my search for truth
though I may stumble upon
fallacy
love me as I pursue my dreams
sometimes retarded by illusions
love me as I grow to know myself
even during the times of
stagnation
love me because I seek harmony
not man's discord
love me for my body that I wish to
share with affection,
wrapping you in warmth
love me because we are different
because we are the same
love me that our time together will
be spent in growing, kindling
the world with understanding
love me not with expectations
but with hope
I will love you the same.
- Walter Rinder
Alice's voice caught at the last line and she paused to wipe her eyes. When she finished, her eyes shone with unshed tears. She managed a smile and her walk back to the pew was still surprisingly graceful despite the amount of emotion she carried with her. Jasper slid a careful arm around her shoulder as she sat back down, and she leaned her head against his, sniffing back the tears against the silk of his shirt.
Bella was overwhelmed by the display of love by her best friend and future sister in law. She knew that poem had been a perfect choice to describe how she felt about Edward. The pressure of his hands on hers said that he felt the same way.
"This kind of love enriches each part of life and marriage enriches love. Two lives, shared with this kind of love, can hold more fulfillment and happiness than either life alone. Edward and Isabella, we are here to remember and rejoice with you and to recount with one another that it is love that guides us on our path, and to celebrate as you begin this journey together. It is in this spirit that you have come here to today to exchange these vows. Please face one another." They turned together and for the first time since she had joined him at the altar, her eyes found his and she was overjoyed at the abundance of love she found in them. His eyes told her everything she needed to know – that he loved her, that he was there for her, and always would be. The smiles they wore had grown exponentially since they'd first reached each other at the altar and Bella was almost afraid her face would crack with joy. "Edward, are you ready to enter into this marriage with Isabella, believing the love you share and your faith in each other will endure all things?" The minister finished.
Edward's smile was huge, victorious. "I am."
The minister turned to Bella. "Isabella, are ready to enter into this marriage with Edward, believing that the love you share and your faith in each other will endure all things?"
"I am," She responded without hesitation. She felt his hand tighten around hers and she felt comfort in his love. They were here together – finally.
"Edward, please repeat after me:
I, Edward, take you, Isabella, to be my wife
I promise above all else to live in truth with you
and to communicate fully and fearlessly
I give you my hand and my heart
as a sanctuary of warmth and peace
and pledge my love, devotion, faith and honor
as I join my life to yours."
Edward more than happily complied, his eyes never leaving hers as he repeated the mantra that would join them together for the rest of their lives. When he finished, he smiled at her, rubbing his thumbs gently over the top of her hands. She had promised herself that she wouldn't cry, but felt the tears welling up in her eyes as he said those loving words.
The minister then turned to her. "Isabella, repeat after me:
I, Isabella, take you, Edward, to be my husband
I promise above all else to live in truth with you
and to communicate fully and fearlessly
I give you my hand and my heart
as a sanctuary of warmth and peace
and pledge my love, devotion, faith and honor
as I join my life to yours."
Her voice trembled as she spoke, and she struggled to keep from throwing her arms around him right then. Her voice caught when she noticed the tears forming in his eyes, and knew full well what he was feeling right then.
"Now," the minister continued. "You wish to speak personal vows. Edward, please begin."
Edward took a deep breath, and she could feel the love, the joy, radiating out of him. "There was darkness for a long time and then there was light, and that light was you. Your love has given me wings, and our journey begins today. I have dreamt my whole life of having someone as wonderful as you to love me in this way. I give myself to you as a man, and I promise to treasure for all of my days the love we now celebrate. Let us bring together our lives and find ourselves anew each day. I know as we read our vows, I will continue to love you forever, beyond the bounds of human existence, time, and space. I pledge before this assembled company to be your husband from this day forward. Let us make of our two lives one life. I want you for today, tomorrow, and forever."
They were the most beautiful words she had ever heard in her life. And to know that he was the one saying them made it even more wonderful. "Edward… You were there for me when I couldn't even believe in myself. I'm not perfect, and never will be – but you have made me realize that it's ok – because I'm perfect for you. You are my shining star – an example of how beautiful love can be. Even when I was lost, you were there to remind me that I can keep going, and that I can be strong. To not be with you would to be without a part of myself. I have loved you my whole life – even before I met you. Before then, I was simply loving the idea of you – even though I didn't know it yet. Every step I take has been to reach this part of my journey with you – and now I know that every future step will be taken with you by my side. I thank God everyday for allowing such a blessing in my life. Thank you for loving me as I am – there could never be anything more powerful then that."
For everyone witnessing, the love overflowed, coating the room in its' endless and beautiful rapture. There had never been a doubt that it was always the two of them and nothing could separate what something far more powerful had created.
The minister turned to Edward. "Are there rings?"
"Yes," Edward replied softly. He gently let go of Bella's hands and reached into the pocket of his dark wool tux jacket. He placed them gently in the minister's palm. "For thousands of years lovers have exchanged rings as a token of their vows. These simple gold bands are not of great value in themselves, but are made precious by our wearing of them. Your rings say that even in your uniqueness you have chosen to be bound together. Let these rings also be a sign that love has substance as well as soul, a present as well as a past, and that, despite its occasional sorrows, love is a circle of happiness, wonder, and delight."
He paused and handed a ring to Edward. "Edward, take Isabella's ring and put it on her finger, and repeat after me: With this ring I take you to be my trusted confidante and partner for life."
Repeating after the minister, Edward said softly, "With this ring I take you to be my trusted confidante and partner for life." He smiled at her again, glowing in the happiness of the moment, slowly sliding it onto the ring finger of her left hand.
Now it was Bella's turn. "Isabella, take Edward's ring and put it on his finger, and repeat after me: With this ring I take you to be my trusted confidante and partner for life." She did, with a voice full of tremors and love, and she just barely finished as the unshed tears overflowed and spilled down the porcelain of her cheeks.
The couple received another smile from the minister. He laid his hands gently on their shoulders and said, "Edward and Isabella, although I'm officiating here today, it is not truly in my power to sanctify, legitimize or bless your relationship in any way, because the two of you have already done that in your hearts. So, by joining hands right now and looking into each other's eyes, let it be known that you are joined, body and soul in this lifetime, and that this bond is sacred and eternal. As God has joined this couple together in His covenant of marriage through this community of faith, will you encourage and support them in their usefulness in God's kingdom? Will you stand by them in sickness and in health, in adversity and prosperity, and be true and loyal to God in support of this covenant relationship, so long as they both shall live? If so answer, 'We will'."
"We will," came the resounding answer. It echoed off the wood beams and glass windows of the building, coming to rest in the already overflowing hearts of the couple standing at the altar.
"And now that you have stood before me and exchanged these rings and these vows, and have agreed to be married according to the laws of the state of Washington, it gives me gives me great pleasure to pronounce that you are Husband and Wife." The minister smiled and lifted his hands. "Edward, you may kiss the bride."
If it was possible, Edwards's smile grew even more at that moment. He gently lifted her veil, revealing the love filled eyes of his new wife. He leaned forward, pressing his lips softly against hers, all his love flowing into the moment. She returned the kiss, discovering for the first time, the mouth of her husband.
When he pulled away, just a fraction of an inch from her lips, he whispered, "I love you…"
"I love you too," she whispered back.
"And now," The minister announced. " I am pleased to announce for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Cullen!"
The chapel was then filled with the sounds of the organ and the cheers of the family witnessing. It was beautiful and wonderful and perfect. They were together – and would be for the rest of their lives…
There was pain. That's all Bella could comprehend. The images danced in front her eyelids but she couldn't see them. They were simply flashes of empty light, meaningless and broken.
There were voices, but the words meant nothing. Their sounds rolled uselessly through her skull and the only other thought she could find was how much her body hurt. Her head was exploding, as if her brain was literally expanding, forcing it's way out of the bone structure that was meant to contain it. Her wrist was aching again, like the red head had been ripping at it again. Her fingers felt sticky and she didn't want to open her eyes and see the blood that had dripped and congealed there.
Something inside her felt like she was waiting, but for what, she didn't know.
Death?
She hoped not. Despite her earlier feelings of leaving the mortal world behind, this was not what she had had in mind. Being tortured to death by a crazed woman had definitely been outside the realm of possibilities when she had contemplated ending her own life.
Edward?
Bella considered the scenario that had just been running through her head. Her wedding day. To Edward. She hadn't considered that before. Well, at least not that she remembered. She didn't know what it meant or how it made her feel. Weddings were supposed to be happy and wonderful and joyous and she wasn't sure if those emotions could be triggered inside her anymore.
Jacob?
She longed for his warmth. She felt so cold, so alone, broken, damaged. It was foolish of her to think that a rescue was possible but she couldn't help but hope anyway. Jacob was so strong, so masculine, so protective, that she could almost imagine him swooping in, like a knight in shining armor.
When she thought of Jacob, it made her dream of Edward seem…
Wrong.
But how could it be? Edward was her boyfriend. Something inside her must love him, right?
But Jacob's life energy was brilliant, unmistakable and so very real, and he made her feel safe when nothing else in her life did. She may not understand him or the feelings that she had, but safe… that she understood.
She almost smiled, but it was too much. The pain overwhelmed her again, and she felt the deep tug of unconsciousness dragging her down again….
"Are you ready to go, darling?" came Edward's sweet voice, interrupting her beautifying procedures in front of the vanity mirror in her marble tiled bathroom.
She dropped her mascara wand in surprise. "Shit," she muttered, wiping at the black smears that appeared on the counter.
Edward's eye brow rose in surprise. "Such language from a gorgeous lady," he said smoothly, his face the perfect mask it always was, never betraying his emotions.
Bella sighed. "I'm sorry dear. I've been distracted lately, I know." She turned to him, tucking her small body against his, the soft wool of his suit jacket caressing her cheek. "I'm glad we have tonight though. We haven't been out with the family in so long."
His hand cupped her chin, moving it upwards until she looked him in the face. "Are you sure you're up to it, love? If you need to stay home, I would be happy to have a quiet evening with you." His golden eyes held back much more than his voice let on, and she was sure there was more pain hiding there than he was willing to ever admit to her.
She shook her head. Another night at home was not what they needed. "I am very much looking forward to spending time with Alice, Jasper, Rose, Emmett and your parents. Let me just put on my lipstick and I will be ready." He nodded, slowly, watching her for a moment longer. When she moved back to the mirror and carefully avoided his gaze, he left the room. She fiddled with the small tube of lipstick, not much thinking about the shade as she swiped it across her lips.
She snapped the lid back on and smoothed her dress. Her hand lingered on her abdomen for a moment and she felt a brief twinge of pain. The jingle of a set of keys from the other room broke her from her trance before her brain had a chance to recall any of the memories she had worked so hard to forget. "I'm going to go get the car, love," Edward called out.
"Ok!" She replied quickly, giving herself a spritz of perfume. She looked in the mirror again, taking in her reflection. Her dark blue silk dress complemented her curves and advertised ones she had not known existed. The color made her skin look creamy rather than pale and the pearls nestled in her throat were the perfect accessory. She fingered the delicate beads, wishing that Edward had given them to her in happy circumstances rather than sad…. But the necklace was still beautiful and she knew it would hurt him if she never wore it.
The car ride went well, considering Bella did her best to chatter about mundane topics like politics, the weather, and her marketing job. Edward was always attentive, catching every change in intonation, every sarcastic comment. It was always pleasing to know how interested he was in her activities.
Her attention turned to the car window as she watched the lights of New York City flow passed them. It was easy to forget here, to get lost in the masses of people. She was just a face in the crowd, another stranger on the sidewalk. A pang of guilt echoed in her stomach and she fought it off. He was a wonderful husband. She knew enough to admit that to herself. He catered to her every whim. They took extravagant, luxurious vacations together. They went shopping, and he seemed to adore watching her body in every type of garment they could find. He allowed her time with her friends, which most of the time was just Rosalie or Alice, but he had always encouraged her to go out with the girls from work, even when she had insisted that she didn't want to. He took her to the opera, to the Met, to the museums, to the ballet, to gallery openings, any cultural experience that he thought she might enjoy.
Sometimes it felt smothering, to be so cared for. But she also knew that it was supposed to be for her benefit, to help her forget.
It never worked though.
She never forgot.
The tenor of the lights changed, and she realized that they had arrived at the Discovery Times Square Exposition. Unable to stop herself, Bella clasped her hands together in excitement. Determined to make the most of the evening, she reached across the seat to take Edward's hand. "I'm so excited to see this exhibit. We must thank Carlisle for getting enough tickets for everyone. 'Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs' is supposed to focus on the 18th Dynasty, a 100-year period when Egypt was at the height of its power and the 'golden age' of Egyptian artistry. I want to see his royal diadem and one of the four gold and precious stone inlaid canopic coffinettes that contained his mummified internal organs." Her smile was almost gleeful.
She watched him watch her, and she knew that Edward was pleased that she was excited. "Really?" he replied softly, the corners of his mouth turning upwards. "Mummified organs?" She was glad that this time, his smile looked like it met his eyes.
She rolled her eyes at his response. "Thank you for humoring me, but I know that you know what's in this exhibit." She peered out the car window at the valet service up ahead. "The opening looks packed. How on earth did Carlisle get tickets?"
Edward shrugged and allowed the car to roll forward slightly as the line moved closer to the valet. "I'm not sure. Mount Sinai has some prestigious patients - I'm sure he made contact with some people." He reached over and stroked her knee gently. "I am very pleased that you are excited to be here."
She blinked, nodded dumbly and swallowed around the knot in her throat. "Thanks for bringing me."
He turned his head to look at her curiously. "Why wouldn't I want to bring you here? You're my wife, Bella."
Bella clenched her teeth together. Were they really going to have this conversation again? Did he really want to talk about this more? She didn't want to dwell on the past any longer. They had once been so happy together. They used to enjoy themselves. It had been such a long time since she had been so very excited about something that she wanted to choke him for questioning her.
Much to her relief, the valet chose that moment to interrupt them to go park the car. Bella threw open the door and stepped out without waiting for Edward's typical attempt to help her out. Her eyes found Alice on the steps, talking animatedly with Rosalie and Emmett, while Jasper stood beside her, his face glowing with joy.
She hurried towards them, happy to see the siblings that she had been practically ignoring for the last three months. "Hey guys!" she called anxiously, hoping that they wouldn't be upset with her latest disappearing act.
"Bella!" Emmett shouted, ignoring all proper rules of etiquette as he grabbed her up in a bear hug. She laughed at his antics, happy to see that he wasn't fazed by her ridiculous behavior. He released her and reached around to clap her husband on the back in greeting. The two brothers smiled at each other, but Edward's smile was tight and his eyes looked drawn, his gaze fixed on Alice, who was struggled to control her facial expressions.
"Alice?" Bella asked in confusion. "Is everything ok?"
"Oh, sister!" Alice laughed lightly, prancing over in her 4 inch stiletto heels. "I was just telling Rosalie and Emmett some good news I got at work, that's all!" She put her small arm around Bella's shoulder's. "Let's go inside! Esme and Carlisle already made it inside, and I heard something about mummified organs…"
Bella stopped walking, bringing Alice's excessive rambling to a halt. "What's going on, Alice?"
Alice's eyes shifted to the ground, then her gaze tripped awkwardly up the length of Bella's dress before settling somewhere on Bella's forehead. "I overheard my boss telling another manager that they were interested in promoting me to lead director of the promotions division. I was excited, that's all. I thought that perhaps it would mean some good connections for Emmett's new club that he's opening next fall." She smiled, and it was a good fake, but Bella wasn't buying it.
"You're pregnant, aren't you." She said flatly. It wasn't a question anymore. Bella wasn't stupid. She knew when everyone was tip-toeing around her, desperate to not scare away the poor, weakened, shattered Bella.
Alice's smile slipped and Bella knew she was right. Her heart, that she had worked so hard to carefully pieced back together, crumbled once more, effectively destroying all the work she had done the last three months.
"I'm happy for you," Bella continued, her voice empty, emotionless, dead. "I've got to go."
And before anyone could stop her, she whirled around and disappeared into the streets of the city. She ran. She ran and ran, and didn't care when she fell, ripping her dress, marking it with the stain of the city she now lived in. She ran, not noticing when the heel of her shoe broke off, flying off into the darkness that she now longed to be a part of. She ran, ignoring her surroundings as the street lights got dimmer and the strangers on the street got dirtier.
She ran, and she didn't stop.
"Victoria! If your plan is to kill her than you're doing a great job of it, but you said you wanted to wait!"
"It's been four days. I can't imagine that disgusting excuse for a vampire wouldn't come and rescue the love of his life. It's pathetic. I'm about to just finish her off and forget out it. At least I got a good meal out of it."
"She's practically dead as it is. You've been draining her for, what? 96 hours? She's fading. Her heartbeat is so slow it's barely even there now. You know they're going to come. We might as well just leave her here. We can leave together, just like we wanted."
*Snort* "I'm not ready to leave yet. I need to see the look on his face when she dies. I want him to watch the life leak out of her eyes and know that it's fault. I want him to cry while she lies broken on the floor. I want him to feel what I felt."
"What you felt? What are you talking about?"
"Shut up, Riley. Go find us some dinner. I can't take more from her today if I want her alive by the time they arrive."
"Victoria-"
"GO! Now! Don't make regret turning you."
"I'm sorry, Victoria! I just want what's best for us. You know that! I'll do what-"
"Get. Out. Of. My. Face. She's mine. I'll do with her as I please. Now, be a darling and find us some fresh dinner and I promise I'll make it up to you later…."
As Bella found her way up their winding staircase and into their bedroom, she still found it hard to believe the twists and turns her life had taken.
All of her nieces and nephews were grown and moving on into a chapter in their adult lives: Rosalie and Emmett's daughter Stella had taken years to settle down, finally marrying this last summer at the mature age of 40, choosing a prosperous career over children.
Avery and Lily, Alice and Jasper's children, had married years before, showering the family with a total of 5 children between them. And everyday Bella realized how wonderful they had turned out.
She and Edward couldn't have been happier with their family, and she was grateful that so many years later she was still able to enjoy them.
"Bella?" came Edward's quiet voice. He found her standing by the window, contemplating the wild beauty of the Pacific Ocean outside their Washington state home, watching the waves crash on the beach below. "You look tired."
She managed a smile for him, but they both knew that they were getting older. They had moved into a smaller home many years ago, and had stayed in their home long after they should have. They both knew that they wouldn't be able to watch over each other much longer – Edward had developed heart troubles in his 50's, and despite all the medical advances, they knew he didn't have much time. Bella's health had never been the same since her accident all those years before – but they had each other to take care of, and they knew that was all that mattered.
"I'm fine, Edward," She replied softly, reaching over to stroke his cheek gently. "You know me."
"What I know is that you look tired… I know you're excited that everyone is coming tomorrow, but you can't forget to rest," Edward pointed out.
Bella's eyes lit up at the thought of her family coming to visit. "I'm just so happy that Avery and Lily will be coming with all the kids this time. We haven't been together as a family since Christmas. Sometimes I wish that Stella wouldn't have loved the Jacksonville sunshine so much and had come home to Forks."
Edward laughed lightly. "Well, she was the free spirited one. Avery was always so much more grounded. That's probably while he took after Carlisle and myself, choosing a healing profession. He would have been so very proud of them."
"Yes… he would have been. He spoiled them so much as babies. And he was so happy to hear Avery was going to medical school." Tears appeared in her eyes then, and she quickly wiped them away. Esme and Carlisle had been gone for many years but often it felt like the pain still burned as bright as the day they had been laid to rest together, side by side. Shaking her head to clear away the morose thoughts, she smiled again at her husband. "We should get some sleep. I think their plane lands early."
And together the old couple got ready for bed, tossing smiles and loving glances at the other as they completed their nightly rituals of undressing, teeth brushing and other things. Soon, they crawled into bed together, tightly grasping hands. "I love you, Edward. Even after all these years…" Bella whispered to him in the darkness.
"I know you do…" He whispered back, stroking the top of her hand with his thumb. "I wouldn't trade these years with you for anything in the world."
And then laying there beside her husband, holding his hand in her own, Bella and Edward Cullen drifted off to sleep…
Hours passed and the sun rose again, the birds calling their morning song to the forest around them. But there was little movement in or around the Cullen home, until the sounds of approaching car engines broke the silence.
"Uncle Edward! Aunt Bella!" Lily called out as she stepped into the foyer, bags in hand. "Are you here?"
Her husband stepped in behind her, carrying the rest of the bags. "Maybe they're not up yet?" he asked.
"Hey you guys!" came Avery's voice from behind them. "I'm so glad you're here!"
The families turned to one another, and hugs were exchanged. The children among them began chattering excitedly, as the cousins had always been close.
"Did you talk to them this morning?" Lily asked as her brother hugged her.
"No," Avery replied, shaking his head. "But I called when they're usually out for their walk on the beach. I just figured they knew when we were coming."
Lily furrowed her eyebrows at him. "Well, let's check upstairs first. You know Aunt Bella – she's probably still fussing with the sheets in the guest bedrooms."
"Yeah, she always does that," Avery laughed as he followed her up the stairs. But his laughter died in this throat as they entered their Aunt and Uncle's bedroom.
"Are they… sleeping?" Lily whispered. "Oh god…" She flew towards the bed, even as Avery tried to reach for her.
"Lily…" but he already knew. As a doctor, he knew some things when he saw them. He crossed the room to her, placing an arm around her shoulders. She covered her mouth to close in the sobs that rose to the surface. Unable to look any longer, she buried her face in his shoulder.
Avery and Lily were the closest thing to children that Edward and Bella had ever had, and they couldn't help but stand like that for a moment, holding each other, both overwhelmed with grief. They looked down at the peaceful couple before them, the couple that even in death still held each other's hands. But as they stood in their Aunt and Uncle's bedroom for what might be the last time – Avery and Lily Cullen both knew one thing: Bella and Edward were together. Maybe not in the physical world any longer – but in a new one. One where they could – and would – continue to share their love for all of eternity… and their family knew there would be no better place for them…