Disclaimer: All things Twilight belong to the wonderful Stephenie Meyer and not to me… sigh.I also don't own Sleeping with the Enemy. The book belongs to Nancy Price and the movie belongs to Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation.

Sleeping with a Monster


Previously…

"Well, to be honest, I'm looking forward to spending the rest of my life with one starting right now," Edward said, his eyes shining with adoration and love. He gently took my face between his hands and kissed me senseless while the monitor by my bed beeped wildly.


Chapter 40 – Epilogue: Happily Ever After

2 ½ Weeks Later

"Rose. Esme. What can I do to help?" They were fluttering around the whole kitchen trying to get everything ready for Thanksgiving dinner.

"Oh no! You're banned from the kitchen – doctor's orders," Rose answered as she pushed me from the kitchen laughing.

"Both doctors," Esme chuckled and shook her head at me.

"Edward!" I called but winced at the pain in my side from the effort. I looked across the room at Edward and realized he had seen my reaction.

Busted!

"I don't think so, love. I saw that." Edward looked at me pointedly as he walked up to me and put his arm around my shoulders. I crossed my arms across my chest and glared at him. He was taking his doctor duties a bit too far in my opinion.

From the moment I got home from the hospital a week and a half ago, he'd been hovering, acting as if I was made of glass. And, to make matters worse, Esme, who had come out as soon as she heard what happened, was still at our house waiting on us to take care of me. I would never admit it to him – well not yet, anyway – that my recovery was going slower than I had expected. However, I kept up the brave front. It made me uncomfortable to have people wait on me hand and foot. Esme had already done so much for me to begin with.

"Besides, the only thing you can do with one hand is stir things. I think they've got it under control," Carlisle said, reminding me of the only outward indicators that remained of James's attack. I still had plenty of turmoil and trauma roiling around on the inside. Of course, this caused Dr. Colton to increase the frequency and focus of my sessions with her in order to help me deal with the effects the ordeal had rendered on my psyche. Edward smirked at my petulant child act before he kissed the top of my head.

As soon as Edward and I arrived at Emmett and Rose's home, the appetizing smells of dinner overpowered my senses. My appetite was finally starting to return and I was looking forward to eating. And, to be honest, I couldn't wait to get back in the kitchen again. I never realized how much I enjoyed cooking and working in the kitchen until it wasn't allowed.

"I'm just tired of feeling so useless. I feel fine. I don't see why I can't help." I didn't want to whine, but I was tired of hearing the word 'no' all the time.

"Because you have to keep me company. I'm always banned from the kitchen," Alice announced with a wink as she and Jasper walked into the room.

"That's because you can't cook to save you life!" Edward laughed. She shot him a dirty look but ignored his comment. Jasper laughed softly beside me, shaking his head.

"You're looking much better, Bella," Jasper said, giving my shoulder a squeeze.

"See! Even Jasper thinks I'm doing well." I gave Edward a playful glare, but couldn't contain my smile.

"I know, love." Edward winked at me as Alice pulled me over to the couch.

"So tell me the latest news," Alice said as she sat down on the couch and patted the seat next to her. Edward and Jasper joined us on the couch, settling in to watch the football game playing on TV. I noticed Esme had abandoned the kitchen to sit down next to Carlisle on the other couch.

"Jasper tells me they haven't found Victoria yet. How does that make you feel?" Alice's voice held a note of genuine concern.

"Peachy," I said with fake enthusiasm but then I sighed. "Not good. I don't know what she'll do. I'm hoping she'll move on and forget about me, James, and the whole fiasco." I felt a knot of tension start to form in the pit of my stomach.

"Do you think she'll try anything?" Esme asked while Alice started to play with my hair, combing her fingers through it. I had to admit, it felt wonderful and helped ease some of the apprehension.

"I hope not, but honestly, I don't know her so I guess anything's possible. Hopefully her desire to hurt me died with James." As I finished speaking, I glanced up at Edward who gave me a reassuring smile.

"So… Are you excited about the will?" Alice had a mischievous smile on her face.

I groaned. "God, no! I can't imagine what James left me. Besides, I really don't want anything from him."

"Yeah, but I hear he was loaded." Alice's voice had a singsong lilt to it that annoyed me at the moment. I turned my head and looked at her causing her to release my hair.

"Yes, Alice, he was loaded, as you put it," I sighed in aggravation. I didn't want everyone to think I had married James for his money. The news media had explored this avenue when they caught hold of my story. I didn't like the implications. Some of the tabloids painted me as a gold digger and suggested that I got what I deserved.

"Well, think about it. Technically, you were still his wife when he died. Maybe he never got around to amending his will after he thought you died. You could get everything."

"I don't want it," I sneered through clenched teeth.

"But think of all the shopping you could do!" Alice deadpanned.

"Alice!" Edward and I both said in surprise.

"I'm kidding! But seriously, Bella. It's not like you didn't earn it." Whether Alice meant it or not, that last statement hurt. It made me feel cheap. I didn't earn anything – I endured.

Alice glanced at my expression and backpedaled, "Oh, Bella! I didn't mean it like that. I just meant that you really do deserve to have something wonderful." I smiled at her in understanding and took a deep breath. Edward gave my hand a squeeze and I turned to look at him.

"I've already got something wonderful," I said as I caressed Edward's cheek.

"Aw, aren't they sick, Jazz?" Alice teased.

"Terminal," he mumbled, his eyes never leaving the game on the television.

"You could do some real good with all that money, you know," Alice pressed again.

"Alice," I warned. I was tired of this topic. I just wanted James and his money to go away.

"Yeah, you could donate to some worthwhile causes," Carlisle added.

Great another one.

"I think you should put a bounty on Redding's head." Edward mumbled under his breath. I couldn't hold back my snicker.

"Oh, don't get me started on Larry Redding. I can't believe he didn't help you! He knew where you were, long before the boys got there and he stood by and did nothing." The growl in Esme's voice surprised me. But, her reference to Edward, Emmett and Jasper as boys made me smile inside – always the mother.

"I know," I agreed, shaking my head in bewilderment before I leaned my head against Edward's shoulder snuggling into his side.

"I'm not agreeing with what he did, but I'm glad that he at least pointed us in the right direction. Without him, we would have never found you," Edward said with a shudder.

"Can you bring him up on charges?" Carlisle looked at Jasper.

"No. He's covered his tracks too well. The phone he was using was a prepaid throw away phone. We can't even tie him to James. We only have Edward's word that it was Larry," Jasper said finally joining in the conversation.

"Hey everyone. Ben and Angela are here!" Emmett announced as he walked into the room. Rose was carrying Ben, Jr. I watched her, amazed at how natural she looked holding Angela's three month old. Rose and Emmett's eyes met and I witnessed a subtle exchange that made me wonder…

Edward gave my knee a squeeze distracting me from Rose and Emmett. He stood up and offered me his hand. I almost didn't take it, but I didn't want everyone to see how tired I was getting. I took Edward's hand and stood up from the couch to greet my friends. I wobbled a tiny bit from the sudden head rush, but Edward was there to steady me. I gave him a grateful smile.

He leaned down to my ear and whispered, "I know you don't feel nearly as well as you'd have everyone here believe."

I nodded in agreement, suddenly too tired to argue with him about it. "I just want to say hi to Ang and Ben. Then I think I'll lie down for a minute." During the course of my hospital stay, Angela and Ben developed a close acquaintance with Carlisle, Esme, Alice, Jasper, Emmett and Rose. It was a nice addition to the group and I was glad I was able to make s contribution to our little group. It helped having friends from my old life to remind me of my life before James.

After saying 'hi' to Ang and Ben, Edward led me to the guest room for a nap. I couldn't deny how tired I was. When Edward said my recovery would take six to eight weeks, he wasn't kidding.

After I crawled onto the bed, I looked up at him and then patted the spot next to me. "Hold me until I fall asleep?" A lazy grin spread out across his face. He crawled onto the bed next to me and took me in his arms. I felt his chest rumble with soft laughter.

"Care to share?" I said as I propped myself up on my elbow so I could look at his amused face.

His grin widened and his eyes sparkled. "We should repay Emmett and Rose back for having sex in our bed."

"Edward!" I smacked him on the shoulder but then I smirked at him. "Maybe when I'm feeling a little better." His laughter filled the room.

"When you're feeling better." His eyes darkened as he pressed me back into the mattress. His kiss was passion filled and left me breathless. He pulled away and caressed my cheek with the back of his hand. "Get some rest, love."

I smiled as I snuggled into his chest. "I'm washing their sheets first…"

Edward laughed again before he said, "Go to sleep, Bella."

"Ew! We didn't sleep in the same unwashed sheets they were…" Edward's snort cut me off.

"Oh no! I changed them while you were in the shower." I let out a huge sigh of relief before I drifted off.

An hour later, I awoke to Edward peppering my face with kisses. "Ready for Thanksgiving?"

I nodded and stretched my arms above my head, but quickly retracted when I felt the catch in my side – stupid broken ribs.

"Still hurting?" I smiled as Dr. Masen made his presence known as he moved to probe my side. I swatted his hands away with a playful smile.

"Yeah, just a bit. Mostly with sudden movements, but it's getting better." Sat up and swung my legs over the side just as my stomach growled.

"I'm glad to see you appetite returning. Let's get you fed." I took Edward's outstretched hand and he led me into the dining room where everyone else had congregated.

The dinner presentation was gorgeous. Rose and Esme had outdone themselves, from the china, crystal and table decorations to the actual food. The scene looked like it belonged on the cover of a magazine.

After everyone took their seats and Carlisle gave thanks for the meal, Emmett started banging his knife on Rose's nice crystal. This earned him a slap up side the head.

"Break that you'll be hurting in more ways than one," she warned.

"But I want to make an announcement," he said giving her a knowing look. Rose smiled and nodded before they both turned to look at the rest of us.

"What announcement?" Esme eyed them suspiciously.

That's when it hit me. I felt a big grin break out on my face and I gave Edward's hand squeeze. He looked at me and returned my smile with a confused one of his own. I just nodded toward his brother and sister-in-law.

"We're going to have a baby!" Emmett no sooner got out the word 'baby' before Esme and Alice both jumped up and screamed, startling Carlisle and Jasper.

"How far along are you?" Angela asked Rose above the cacophony of noise coming from Esme and Alice.

"About three months." Rose was glowing.

Emmett leaned over to Edward and winked. "Thanks for the use of your bed. We're pretty sure that's where junior was conceived."

Edward's lips tightened into a straight line as he tried to scowl at his brother, but I could clearly see that Edward's happiness for his brother shining through. He gave up and smiled at Emmett before congratulating him.

He leaned into me, his breath tickling my ear as he whispered, "Are you feeling better yet?" He pulled back and smirked at me with an evil glint in his eye.

I laughed and nodded my head.

********

Two Months Later

"Bella!" The sound of Edward's voice echoing off the walls of our home brought a smile to my face.

"In here!" I called out to him. I looked up from my spot on the floor of our bedroom just in time to see Dr. Sexy stride into the room. I wonder how long it would take to get him out of those scrubs.

He stopped at the dresser and casually leaned up against it. His face erupted into that damned crooked smile I found so irresistible. His eyes were full of mischief as he continued to watch me wordlessly and I felt a little self-conscious.

"What?" He was almost vibrating and his smile was contagious. I laughed at him, perplexed as he continued to watch me pull things off the bookshelf in our room.

He pushed off the dresser and sauntered over to me. As I watched him approach, my brow furrowed at his strange behavior. Something was up. He reached down to pull me up and wrap his arms around me, holding me close.

"How was your day?" Before he even finished asking, I saw his eyes go from sparkling mischief to smoldering desire. My answer was lost as his mouth crashed down onto mine in a passionate kiss. We both knew where this was going.

An unexpected giggle of utter happiness bubbled up inside me. I felt his lips curl up in a smile against mine. He pulled back and looked into my eyes.

"What's so funny about my kisses?" Edward sported a playful pout as he feigned a wounded ego. I hugged him closer as I looked up into his face.

"That, my dear Edward, was a laugh of happiness." I smiled tracing his pouty lower lip with my finger. "So what's up?" He pulled my hand closer to his mouth and kissed my palm.

"We got it," he said nonchalantly, but the big shit-eating grin that appeared on his face completely undermined his casual attitude. I couldn't help but laugh.

"Got what?" I said pulling out of his embrace to continue boxing up the books from the bookshelf. However, Edward still had a hold of my hand so I didn't get very far. I looked back at him. Even if I had no idea what he was talking about, the excitement emanating from him was contagious and I felt my smile mirror his.

"Bella. We got the house." As soon as the meaning of his words sunk in, I squealed and launched myself at him, wrapping my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist. He caught me taking a step back, laughing at my excitement. I planted a big kiss on his lips before pulling back.

"But I thought the deal was dead in the water." I gazed at my amazing man.

"Apparently the sellers had a change of heart at the last minute. We can move in at the end of the month." Edward was watching my reactions, but I could see he was just as excited as I was.

"Really!" I was squealing like Alice at a Manolo Blahnik clearance sale.

"Wow. That's only two weeks away. Edward!" He laughed again walking us over to the dresser and sitting me down on top. He never broke his hold on my waist and I kept my legs lightly wrapped around him holding him close.

"Why don't you give Esme a call later and you two can plan how you want to decorate the place. Maybe the both of you could take a quick trip to Seattle to get things settled. It'll be easier to paint and make a few changes before we move the furniture in."

"True, but I've got so much to do to get ready for the move," I said frowning.

"Don't worry. This is my last week at the hospital. Then I'm your willing slave." He gave me a quick peck on the lips before continuing, "Besides, it's not like you have to go to work."

"Thanks for reminding me," I scowled at him. "I still can't believe I got fired. I've never been fired from anything."

After the school board found out about my false identity, they put me on paid administrative leave pending a review. They rendered their decision just after the Thanksgiving Break. They stated that 'although they understood the necessity of my deception, they could not over look the fact that I had misrepresented myself.' The use of an alias and the forged documents Charlie had provided just made the situation worse. The deciding factor was the possible danger I posed to the children I was teaching. They could not overlook the fact that had James decided to come after me at school, someone could have been hurt. Finally, they stated that they could no longer turn a blind eye to my deception. On the plus side, they were now taking a closer look at their background check policies and procedures. If I fooled the system, there could be others.

Let the witch hunt begin.

"Sorry, Love. But, look at it this way. It will make it easier to get us all packed up for the move to Seattle."

"Thanks," I mumbled.

"Besides, it's not like you haven't had offers galore for book deals, movies, talk shows. Face it Bella, if you decide to pursue any of this, you will be too busy to think about teaching." He was trying to get me to see the bright side of things.

"I'm not interested in any of that. Well, maybe the book part," I admitted with a little smile.

"I like some of the ideas about using all the money James left you for outreach programs for battered women. I especially like the idea of early prevention by educating school-aged girls about the dangers and their options if they ever find themselves in an abusive relationship." I could tell he was sincere – not that is surprised me. He had helped both Rose and me in similar situations.

"I never wanted any of his money. It's hard, you know. After I left him, I never wanted to have any part from him in my life. And now, I'm stuck with more money than I know what to do with. I feel like it still ties me to him." I gave him a wry smile.

"I know, Love. But, whether you like it or not, the money is yours now, and you get to decide what happens to it. I find it ironic that all the money James had and used to torment you can now be used to help others in a similar situation. It's a nice way to get revenge," he smiled before he skimmed his nose along my jaw.

"Revenge was never a good reason to be a… a philanthropist, you know." I was trying to keep my wits about me, but Edward's lips were trailing kisses down my neck.

He pulled back and looked at me. "You know what I mean, Bella. It's the ultimate irony and it will help those who need it."

I sighed in agreement. "Yah, I get it."

"That donation you made in Larry Redding's sister's name was priceless." Edward laughed. "If that wasn't the nicest way to get revenge, I don't know what is."

A few weeks ago, I made a rather large donation to a women's shelter in the Miami-Dade area in honor of Jenna Redding, sister to Miami resident Larry Redding. With the recent national press coverage of my harrowing experience, most stories involving domestic abuse received more attention then usual. Therefore, a sizeable donation in the name of domestic abuse made the headlines. Larry Redding was the unwilling recipient of a lot, and I mean a lot, of attention – especially his business. He was scrambling to do damage control, trying to draw the attention off himself and his company before the true nature of his dealings became known. His business was inundated with requests to help the down trodden and weak – not the richest of customers – while driving away his more lucrative customers who didn't want the nature of their needs to become known. I hit him where it would do the most damage, his wallet, while at the same time honoring his sister who died at the hands of an abusive husband.

I paused for a moment. I didn't want talk of James, his money or Larry Redding to spoil the excitement for our new home. I gave Edward a sly little smile and he cocked one eyebrow at me, his smile matching mine.

"So are you ready to be my slave now?" His smile grew as he lowered his head and resumed kissing my neck.

"Mm. What did you have in mind?" he mumbled against my skin as he nuzzled my collarbone. I was too lost in what he was doing to answer as a shiver ran through my body as he nipped and kissed the crook of my neck. Edward chuckled lightly at my reaction to him. I ran my fingers through his hair and lightly scraped my nails over his scalp causing him to hum at the sensation.

When he finally brought his lips to mine, I attacked him passionately. As our kissing escalated, so did our movements on the dresser. We didn't pay attention to what we were knocking off until my glass of lemonade spilled. It soaked my pants and spilled down into the open drawer on Edward's side of the dresser.

"Oh, Shit!" Edward exclaimed his face flushed. "Sorry, Love." He gave me a chagrinned smile as he quickly slid me off the dresser.

"Quick, grab another towel or something!" I flung open his top drawer in an attempt to keep the lemonade from pooling on the carpet. Edward disappeared into the bathroom for a moment before he returned with a towel.

"Here, let me get that." Edward winked at me as he started to mop up the spill. I started to fling his wet clothing out of the dresser and into the hamper.

As I grabbed a pile of his boxers, I felt something hit my foot. I looked down to see what it was and my heart jumped into my throat. It was a blue ring box. I absent-mindedly dropped the boxers in my hands onto the carpet.

"You missed, love. The hamper is over here," Edward laughed as he continued to mop up the lemonade. I gave him a nervous smile before I knelt down to picked up the ring box.

Could it be?

"Edward?" I looked up at him as he wiped lemonade off the cover and spine of an unfortunate book that was sitting on top of the dresser.

"Hm?" he said still distracted from trying to save the top of the dresser from water damage. As the butterflies pelted my stomach, a feeling of love overwhelmed me for a moment as I watched him.

I wanted so much to open the ring box, amazed that something so small and unassuming could cause such powerful emotions to flood my system.

"Edward," I whispered.

His head snapped toward mine at the sound of my hushed voice. He gazed down at me and as he glanced to what was in my hand, a look of understanding dawned on his face.

"Oh," he said sheepishly as his cheeks reddened. He slowly knelt down on the floor in front of me, refusing to look me in the eye. He covered my hands with his before he gently took the ring box from my hands.

"I… a… damn it," Edward cursed as ran his hand though his hair. He was nervous. "This isn't how I… I wanted it be a romantic… I had planned… Bella, I'm sorry. I should have known that the top drawer of the dresser wasn't a very good place to hide…" I pressed my fingers to his lips and halted his ranting. Edward had never hidden the fact that he wanted a future with me, and not just a future, but also a happily-ever-after. I knew this day would come soon enough, but it was a surprise nonetheless.

"It's okay." With my hand, I lifted his chin until his eyes met mine. When I finally had his full attention, I gave him a warm encouraging smile. I certainly wasn't disappointed, maybe surprised, but never disappointed. He returned my smile with a tentative one of his own. He pulled my hand down into his own, resting them in my lap.

"I guess the cat's out of the bag," he chuckled softly as his brilliant green eyes held mine in a look so full of love, I had no hope or desire for them to release me, ever. "This wasn't how I planned on asking you, but for some reason this feels like the perfect moment." I gasped at the implications of what he was saying. My heart crashed against my rib cage.

Oh! My! God! He's going to ask me now!

"Bella, my Love. You are the woman I have been waiting for my whole life. You make me feel alive. I want to be a better man because of you. You are the love of my life, my soul mate. I want to spend a lifetime getting to know you and then I want to do it all over again." I reached up this time to caress his cheek and he leaned into my touch.

Then he turned his head and kissed the palm of my hand before he continued, "I want to build a life with you, have a family together, and grow old together side by side. I want to take care of you, love you for the rest of our lives. You have captured my heart and I love you. Please do me the honor of being my wife. Bella." His voice suddenly quieted as he said my name reverently, "Bella, will you marry me?" Edward's entire countenance glowed as if he were shining from within as he made his declaration to me. It wasn't until his image started to blur that I realized I was crying tears of joy.

In that moment, it didn't matter that I was barefoot, wearing an old Van Halen concert t-shirt and kneeling on the floor of our bedroom in lemonade soaked jeans. It didn't matter that Edward was wearing hospital scrubs, unshaven and looked exhausted from his twelve-hour shift. It didn't matter that my hair was in a sloppy ponytail and I didn't have a stitch of makeup on. It didn't matter to me that a candlelight dinner with a stringed quartet playing romantic music didn't accompany his proposal.

This was Edward declaring his love for me. It was honest and human and it was absolutely perfect. I wanted to shout my love for him from the rooftops. I wanted everyone to know that I loved this man and I belonged to him body and soul. As much as my heart wanted to sing of my love, my head decided to go with a more reserved response.

"Yes, Edward. I will marry you. And I promise to love you forever," I managed to get out before my voice cracked with emotion. I heard the lid of the ring box creak as Edward opened it. I looked down at the exquisite diamond solitaire. I brought my right hand up to my mouth in surprise. The princess-cut diamond in the middle was stunning and was more than a caret in size. The band of the ring had sixteen smaller diamonds in a channel setting, eight on each side. It was all set in platinum.

I looked up at Edward who was watching me with the biggest smile on his face. He freed the ring from the satin-lined box as he gently brought my left hand forward. We both looked down at my trembling hand as he slid the ring onto my finger. It was a perfect fit and even though I could sense its weight immediately, it felt natural, as if it had always belonged there.

I looked back up at Edward to find him watching me. "Oh, Edward. It's perfect. I love you!" I declared just before I threw my arms around his neck and kissed his smiling mouth.

We spent the rest of the afternoon making love, reaffirming our commitment to each other. Although it wasn't our first time together, it felt brand new. Whispering our feelings for each other while giving love and taking pleasure in each other. He was mine and I was his – forever.

********

Five Years Later

"Look, Mommy! I got dressed all by myself!" Chloe said proudly. I looked into my daughter's smiling face, her green eyes sparkling with her accomplishment. She had Edward's eyes. I didn't have the heart to tell her that her shirt was on wrong side out, shoes were on the wrong feet and that she'd forgotten to put on socks.

"Wow! What a big girl you are! Are you sure you're only three years old? 'Cuz I'm thinking you must be twelve. I'm so proud of you," I laughed as I pulled her up into my arms for an embrace. She hugged me fiercely before she wiggled around indicating she wanted down, having had enough of me. As soon as her feet hit the ground, she grabbed my hand and dragged me over to bed. She hopped up and patted the bed for me to sit down.

"I can't wait to tell Megan. Can we call Uncle Em and Aunt Rose now?" Chloe idolized her cousin. Megan Esme Masen was the spitting image of Rose and had the personality of Emmett. She was quite the handful at four and half years old. Chloe hung on her every word. We tried to get together as much as possible, but it still only amounted to a couple of times a year because of the distance between Seattle and Phoenix.

I felt a twinge of sadness for Rose and Emmett. A year after Megan was born, they started trying again for another baby. So far, they have been unable to conceive. Edward has even offered up our bed for inspiration.

"Sure honey." I pulled out my cell phone and dialed that familiar number in Arizona.

"Hey Rose, is Megan around?" I spoke to Rose and Megan at least every other day.

"Sure. How are you doing? Any news yet?" Rose asked.

"Not yet. We're scheduled to find out today, so I'll call you again later with the results." My daughter tugged on my arm impatiently and I laughed. "Chloe is just itching to tell her cousin her latest accomplishment."

"Alright, but I want to talk to you before these two hang-up." I handed the phone to Chloe who hopped off the bed and started to walk around the room, jabbering away with her cousin. I watched in amusement. They were two peas in a pod. I felt a little saddened that they didn't live closer, but that's just the way life goes sometimes.

"Yay!" Chloe squealed before she dropped the phone and ran to me.

"Chloe, the phone!" I chastised her.

"Megan's having a baby!" I looked at her for a moment before the meaning of her words hit me. I jumped up and grabbed the phone off the floor.

"Rose?" I heard a bunch of fumbling on the other end of the line before Megan yelled for her mom.

"Wow, that had to be the shortest conversation those two have ever–," Rose started to say, but my excitement didn't allow her to finish.

"You're having a baby!" I squealed no longer able to contain my exuberance.

Her soft chuckle came over the phone. "Can you believe it? It only took us three years and lots of visits to fertility specialists to get it right this time."

"How far along are you? Is Esme beside herself? Oh, and Jasper's got to be thrilled," I rambled.

"I'm fourteen weeks along. And Bella, you're the first to know, besides Em and Meg, of course."

"Oh, wow! Congratulations! Can I tell Edward or does Emmett want to do that? Although I should tell you, I don't know if Chloe can keep it a secret for long," I laughed.

"It's okay. I know how crazy Edward's schedule is and Emmett's isn't much better with the expansion of his business. Who knows when those two boys well get a chance to talk?" she sighed happily.

"I'm so happy for you, Rose." It was funny to look back on the start of our relationship. Who knew we would become so close, sisters even.

"Thanks. Well, I have to go. Call me later and tell me everything."

"Will do." I hung up and turned find Chloe at my side, tugging on my pant leg.

"Mommy, tell me the 'mantic story." Her heart-shaped face looked up at me with the most innocent expression. I laughed softly.

"Hm. We don't have much time, but I think we can fit it in." I gave her a wink before I turned to retrieve it from the office.

"Mom," she said in a flat, know-it-all tone with one hand on her hip.

And so it begins. I was saddened that she called me mom instead of mommy. It was a sign that she was growing up, not to mention her tone of voice. Chloe was three going on sixteen.

"Here's the 'mantic book." She hauled the thick photo album up from her bookshelf and plunked it on the bed.

"Chloe Renee Masen." I raised one eyebrow at her, questioning how the wedding album managed to make its way in to her bedroom. She gave me a sheepish grin as she swung her arms back and forth.

I quickly scooped her up in my arms and tossed her on the bed. She let out a squeal of delight as she bounced on the bed, her long brown hair settling in a halo around her. I sat down crossed legged on the bed next to her. She clamored onto my lap, effectively kneeing me in the stomach.

"Oomph," I groaned a bit as I rubbed my abdomen.

"Sorry, mommy, sorry baby." Chloe quickly kissed stomach better as she played with the hem of my red and white floral maternity shirt. I laughed at her thoughtfulness towards her little brother or sister. Lately she had taken to talking to my stomach, asking her sister or brother to hurry up already so mommy could poop them out.

Every time she did this in front of Edward, he would give her a lecture about how mommy's don't 'poop' out babies. I usually had to intervene before 'Dr. Daddy' got too technical or said something I didn't want to explain to a three-year old.

The news about Rose was exciting. At fourteen weeks, she was just one month behind me. At least I won't be the only one pregnant at Jasper and Alice's wedding in two months. I found it odd that those two were finally getting married. Seven years is a long time, but Alice said she didn't want to rush into anything. I laughed at the irony. Our impatient Alice wanted to move slowly.

I was happy for them and couldn't wait to see their new house. Two years ago, Jasper took a job with the San Francisco Police Department as the head of the Major Crimes Task Force. Alice hired Angela to run her dance studios in Phoenix. Alice just opened her second studio in the Bay Area.

I looked down at the cover of our wedding album just before Chloe opened it and pointed to a picture of Edward and me gazing into each other's eyes.

After Edward asked me to marry him, we decided to get married where we wanted. Our circle of family and very close friends was so small that we decided get married on a beautiful beach in Aruba. We turned the planning over to Alice, who was thrilled to oblige. How she pulled it off in two and a half weeks, we'll never know. We both wore white. It was an elegant yet simple ceremony. Edward and I didn't even wear shoes. Our guest list was incredibly small. It consisted of Esme and Carlisle, Emmett and Rose, Jasper and Alice, and Ben and Angela. As it was Carlisle who brought us together, I thought it should be Carlisle to walk me down the aisle. Emmett was the best man and Alice was my maid of honor. After the wedding and honeymoon, Edward and I had a small open house in Phoenix.

"Mommy, tell me about the monster and how he wanted to keep you from Daddy." Edward and I gave Chloe, what we liked to call, the fairy-tale version of our courtship.

Because of the media maelstrom and subsequent changes to my career, we decided we would not hide the truth of what happened from our children. It was something that would be impossible to keep a secret. Of course, we had to present the story in a way that would not scare them, so a fairytale seemed the best way to start. As our children grew so would their ability understand the reality of the situation. We planned to amend the story, adding more of the real facts.

"There was a mean man who wanted Princess Isabella all for himself. But, he wasn't a nice man. He said he loved the princess, but he really didn't. He would call her names and take away her favorite things."

"Mommy? Do you think the mean man would take away my Hannah?" Chloe clutched her favorite doll close to her heart.

"No sweetheart. Princess Isabella and Prince Edward would never let him do that."

"One night, the princess decided to leave the mean man. King Carlisle and Queen Esme found out and decided to help the princess. They sent Prince Edward to help." I looked up and saw Edward leaning up against the doorframe, watching Chloe and me with a soft expression on his face.

"Look, Chloe. There's Prince Edward now," I whispered in her ear.

"Daddy!" Chloe squealed before she jumped off my lap and ran to her father.

"How are my girls doing?" Edward gave me a sexy smile as I swung my legs off the bed and stood up.

"Look, Daddy! I dressed myself." Chloe's puffed out chest showed just how proud of herself she really was.

"Wow, I can see that. You did a wonderful job too." He pulled her up into his arms and gave her a kiss. Chloe threw her arms around Edward's neck and gave him a squeeze.

"Oh! Oh! Daddy! Guess what?" Chloe was bouncing up and down in Edward's arms, excited about the news. Before he could respond, she blurted it out. "Megan's having a baby!"

"Really?" Edward watched his daughter as she nodded her head vigorously.

"We're going to play house together with our new babies," she prattled on about all the games they could play. Edward's eyes met mine in silent confirmation and I nodded. His face erupted into a huge grin. Chloe she arched her back – a clear indication she wanted down. Edward chuckled and released her.

He reached for me and pulled me against him, enveloping me in his warm embrace. "Wow. How far along is she?"

"Fourteen weeks." I wrapped my arms around his waist.

He gave me a quick peck on the lips before he asked, "Who else knows?

"We're the first. Megan let it slip," I laughed. "So no telling Carlisle when you get back to the office." I gave him a stern look.

A little over a year ago, Carlisle and Esme moved to Seattle. They said they were tired of living so far away from their 'children.' Edward was looking for a doctor to go into private practice with so they decided it was the perfect opportunity. I loved having them so close and Chloe loved her 'grandparents.' We never corrected her because for all intents and purposes that's exactly what they were.

"Oh, I wouldn't dream of it," he said with a wink.

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Don't you dare pull an Alice! Let Emmett have his moment."

"No way. He's the one who told everyone about Chloe before we had a chance. Time to return the favor," Edward defended. I tried to give him a stern look. Yeah right! Like that ever happens. He just makes me too damned happy.

I ended up shaking my head and grinning at him. "Okay, but I'm washing my hands of the both of you when Rose finds out."

He laughed be fore he replied, "Fair enough. So are you almost ready to go?"

"Almost," I said throwing a glance down at our daughter who still needed to put on socks and fix her shirt and shoes. Edward laughed before he dipped his head down and gently kissed me.

"I'll take care of it," he said as his lifted his head and released me from his embrace.

He turned to Chloe and held his hand out to her. "Come on, sweetheart. Let's find you some socks to go with that outfit."

"But I want to finish the 'mantic story!" Chloe folded her arms across her chest and took a stubborn stance. I turned my head to hide my smile. There was not doubt she got her streak of defiance from me.

Of course, Edward always knew how to work around it. He let out a dramatic sigh before he said, "Okay. If that's what you really want. I guess we can find out if you're getting a little sister or brother some other time." Edward quickly sat down on the bed and tried to pull Chloe onto his lap. Apparently she had other ideas.

"Yay!" she squealed running to her dresser and pulling out socks. "I like these socks. Do you think the baby will like these ones, Daddy?" Edward looked at me and smirked. I smiled and shook my head as I walked out of the room to get my things.

During the short drive to the doctor's office, Edward and I discussed cutting back on my schedule of speaking engagements for the foundation. After inheriting all of James's wealth, Edward and I decided to create a foundation to help educate teenagers and woman about domestic violence. Knowledge is power. Sometimes just knowing there is someone out there who will help you is all many victims of abuse need to know in order to escape.

When I was pregnant with Chloe, my workload was heavier because I also had to contend with a book tour. We managed to get through the added stress though. However, this time we had Chloe to consider. I may not have a book tour, but a sassy little three-year old and a newborn were more than enough to make up for the difference and then some.

Before long, I found myself lying on a padded table while the ultrasound tech smeared gel on my stomach with the imaging wand.

Chloe watched the monitor with wide-eyed fascination and the tech pointed out the heart, lungs and stomach of her sibling. She let out small gasp when she saw the baby's face on the monitor followed by a little giggle because the fetus was sucking its thumb.

"Do you want to know if it's a boy or a girl?" The tech said smiling at Chloe. She leaned into Edward's side before she looked up at him asking for silent permission to respond as she bit her lip nervously. Chloe may be opinionated and loud around her family but her shy side always came out with strangers. Edward nodded giving her the permission she wanted.

"Yes," Chloe said shyly peaking up at the tech from under her eyelashes.

"I hope you like little brothers…" The tech winked at Chloe.

"Wow. A son," Edward whispered in awe as he gazed at the screen. I smiled and gave his hand a squeeze. When his eyes met mine, I saw they were glistening with unshed tears.

"I love you," I whispered. Edward brought my hand up to his lips and gently kissed it.

"I love you too." He gazed into my eyes and I knew this was the life we were meant to have.


happily ever after…


Insanely Long Author's Note…

THANK-YOU to everyone for the constant reviews and PM's. You don't know how much I have appreciated all the support and words of encouragement! And thank you for taking my story above the 1000 review mark. I never thought my story would garner that kind of response! And finally thanks to everyone who simply read my story. Even if you didn't review, the number of hits told the story!

THANK-YOU: I also want to thanks to my hubby, who isn't a Twilight fan, but he is a fan of me. I love you, sweetheart.

THANK-YOU to Pochacco906 and Blackgem88 for letting me run ideas past you and for being honest enough with me to tell me when it sucks or when it's a good idea! And I appreciate your willingness to act as my betas! Be sure to check out their wonderful stories!

A couple of housekeeping notes… I am in need of help with the following locations for some future stories: Seattle, Chicago, and Nebraska. If you are willing to help me out by giving me local advice, answering a few odd questions and provide some descriptions, please PM me.

There are several awards sites taking nominations right now. So be sure to visit them and nominate your favorite stories! I have put up the links, a description and the relevant dates on my profile as well.

Bellie Awards at www(dot)thecat(dot)net
Twi-Fi Awards at www(dot)my-smile-is-my-tears(dot)webs(dot)com
The Razzle Dazzle Awards at www(dot)razzledazzleawards(dot)com
The Indie TwiFic Awards at www(dot)theindietwificawards(dot)com

PICTURES of Bella and Edward's rings are on my website.

PLAYLIST: Yes, I do have a song list for this story. If anyone is interested I have posted a link to the Playlist for this story on my profile.

Songs for Chapter 40

If Today Was Your Last Day by Nickelback
Freckles by Natasha Bedingfield
Lucky by Jason Mraz

I hope you've all put me on your author alert! I should have my next story up sometime this weekend! – SavageWoman