A/N: Hi guys! Sorry it's taken so long to get this epilogue up. I've been distracted by the World Cup and the subsequent lack of sleep which made writing anything really difficult. Things aren't going to improve any with Le Tour de France starting. I'm addicted to that - I love watching those lovely French towns and villages and dream of visiting some of them one day.
I've also been distracted by Eclipse. I've seen it 3 times and I just loved it. And I've developed a serious case of Robsession - he's just so gorgeous in that movie, it's ridiculous. I couldn't even focus on Jacob's abs! Oh, to be Bella for just one day *sigh*
I'll write more in my AN at the end but I just want to remind you all that Babies has been nominated for a Shimmer Award in the Best Fragile (All Human) category. Voting is now open until July 24 at www(dot)shimmerawards(dot)webs(dot)com/nominees. It's my first nomination ever and I'm still super excited about it.
Epilogue
"Mommy! Mommy!"
Bella glanced up from the couch where she had finally managed to get the baby to sleep.
"Mommy!" Hurtling around the corner came the little miniature pink fairy, bronze locks all askew. "Mommy! Danny got a goal!"
Hot on her heels came Daniel with his friend Thomas, followed much more sedately by Edward, carrying another sleeping child on his shoulder.
"Did he?" smiled Bella, reaching out her free hand to hug Stephanie, the family's self-appointed princess.
Stephanie nodded her head furiously, curls bouncing where they had escaped her ponytail. "Yep. He kicked it and it got in the goal. Daddy and Granpa Charlie were yelling. Natalie cried."
Bella looked up at her husband's face, laughing softly at his sheepish face. "Yelling?"
Edward shrugged his shoulder. "What can I say? We got so excited to see Dan score we cheered so loud poor little Natalie got a fright. She's worn out. How's Andrew?"
"Still a bit cranky but he's finally asleep," she replied looking down at the sleeping baby. "So sweetheart, did you win the game?" she asked Daniel, reaching out to give her eldest a kiss and hug.
Mindful of his little brother, Daniel hugged his mother. "Yeah. It was cool. I'm hungry."
Bella shook her head. He still loved his food. "Hi Thomas. Are you hungry too?" Thomas nodded eagerly.
"Okay then. Let Dad and I put the twins to bed and I'll make us some lunch."
"Cool! Come on Tom, let's go to the tree house." With a loud clutter, the two boys ran out the back towards the tree house that been built a couple of years ago.
Followed by Stephanie, Edward and Bella carried the sleeping eight-month old twins to their bedroom for their afternoon nap.
Daniel was now nearly six years old and he took his role as the oldest sibling very seriously. He was very protective of his sister and the twins and was a great help to Bella, helping fetch things when her hands were full with the babies. Bella often said he had an old head on new shoulders. She and Edward adored their little man, their miracle baby. Bella had bawled like a baby on his first day of kindergarten, Edward's eyes suspiciously moist as well. Daniel also shared a special relationship with Charlie, often spending special time with 'Granpa Charlie'. Getting to ride in the police cruiser was the coolest thing ever as far as Daniel was concerned.
To their delight, Stephanie had been born nearly two years later and she had instantly stolen her daddy's heart. She had inherited Edward's wild bronze hair and Bella's eyes. The opposite of her brother, whom she idolised. The moment she looked at Edward, he was putty in her hands. She was truly a daddy's girl. She loved her mommy, but daddy was the first person she ran to when she wanted a cuddle. She was also a headstrong little miss and Bella had to put her foot down on occasion, remonstrating with Edward for letting her get away with murder. More often than not, she flashed her dimples, told Edward she loved him and Bella lost the battle.
Stephanie was also a real 'girly' girl. Her room was painted in her favourite colour pink and Bella had lost count of the number of dolls she had, as well as doll's clothes and accessories. And she simply adored dressing up, favouring fairy outfits at the moment, although she had gone through a number of Disney character costumes. Stephanie loved shopping with her Auntie Alice and Alyssa because she knew she would invariably get a pretty dress out of it. After begging her mother and twisting Edward around her little finger, she was going to be starting ballet and dance classes in a few weeks. They had bought her some ballet slippers and she wore them every chance she got.
After Stephanie was born, Bella and Edward decided to try for one more child and they were overjoyed when Bella discovered she was pregnant barely six months later. Their joy turned to sadness when Bella miscarried at ten weeks. They were both devastated. Many nights were spent with Edward comforting her while she cried. They both mourned for their little lost baby. Daniel and Stephanie were their comforts during this difficult time, reminding them how precious their children were.
Nearly three years passed and they began to believe that there were to be no more babies in their future so they were both astonished to find out that not only was Bella pregnant again, but she was carrying twins. Andrew and Natalie were born a month early and spent a week in special care before they were pronounced healthy enough to take home. Stephanie considered herself their second mother, letting Bella know when the babies were crying. Bella had found Stephanie a number of times singing her favourite nursery rhymes to them.
The twins were little miniatures of their parents. Natalie had Bella's colouring and eyes while Andrew was a little Edward clone. Edward often joked that they managed to produce 'his' and 'hers' babies. Bella didn't get much sleep for the first three months of their lives but she couldn't imagine their lives without them now. After the twins' birth, they decided that their family was complete and neither missed the irony of Edward getting a vasectomy.
Edward absolutely revelled in the family he didn't think he'd ever have. Watching Bella and their children never failed to fill him with sheer happiness. They were the light of his life, the reason for his existence. Each child held a special corner of his heart. Daniel was his miracle child, his firstborn. He and Bella had learned the ropes with their little man. Stephanie was his little princess. She could have him in the palm of her hand with just a dimpled smile and an "I love you, Daddy." And the twins were gorgeous little 'mini me's'. They were full of smiles and loved their older brother and sister's attention. As was often the case with twins, they had their own special connection. They slept in the same room and often looked for the other when separated.
They were both teething at the moment but Andrew was having a harder time than his sister. He had been a bit feverish and grumpy so Bella elected to stay at home with him while Edward took Stephanie and Natalie to watch Daniel's soccer game.
The twins were laid in their cots for their sleep, the drapes drawn to block the light. "Come on, Princess. Let's get lunch ready for Mommy. She's been busy with Andrew and needs a rest."
"Okay Daddy," agreed Stephanie, bounding down the steps in her fairy outfit.
Edward took Bella in his arms and lightly kissed her. "Tired, love? You were up a lot during the night."
"Yeah. He seems a little better so I hope he'll sleep well tonight."
"Go have a nap. I'll watch the kids. We're going to Alice's later, remember?"
"You sure?"
"Of course. Go. I'll get their lunch."
"Okay. I love you."
"I love you too."
They kissed tenderly for a few moments before Bella went to bed for a nap while Edward headed downstairs, smiling to himself. He and Bella loved each other as much now as they did at the beginning. Maybe even more so, with their children creating a bond between them that could never be broken. Life was good.
oooOOOoooOOOooo
When the family got together nowadays, it was usually a hive of nosy, bustling activity. The main feature was the loud laughter, chatter and occasional tears and fights of all the children present.
Alice was having a party to celebrate Jasper's birthday and the house was full of people. As Bella and Edward arrived with their brood, they were met at the door by Alyssa and Robbie, who instantly dragged Daniel and Stephanie off to play with the other children.
"Hello darlings," cried Esme as she bent over to give them a hug before they disappeared.
"Hi Granny," said Stephanie, returning the hug and giving Esme a kiss before being picked up and cuddled by Carlisle. "Poppy Carly, Danny got a goal at soccer!"
"Wow! That's great, Daniel." He put Stephanie down and gave Daniel a hug. "I'll be at your game next week since I'm not working then. I hope I can see you score another one."
"I'll try Poppy."
Waiting impatiently, the two children were dragged away by their cousins.
"How are my two angels?" cooed Esme at the twins.
"Andrew was a bit feverish because of his teething but he's picked up now," replied Bella, giving him a kiss on the cheek.
"Oh, poor baby," said Esme, taking hold of Andrew while Carlisle took Natalie and carried them out to meet some new people.
Free of children for the moment, Bella and Edward made their way into the house, greeting friends and acquaintances as they went.
"Hi guys!" greeted Alice, carrying her younger daughter on her hip. Ashley was nearly two years old and took after Jasper in looks. Like Alyssa's birth, Alice struggled with Ashley and decided that she was stopping at two. Poor Jasper was destined to be surrounded by females everywhere he turned. Not that he was complaining. His girls were his treasures.
"Hi Squirt. Hi baby," smiled Edward, kissing both of them on the cheek.
"What's up, Ashley?" asked Bella, stroking her blond hair.
"Oh, she's tired and a bit cranky. She refused to take a nap today because of all the excitement of getting ready for the party. I'm paying for it now, aren't I, sweetheart?" Ashley smiled up at her uncle Edward before burying her face in her mother's shoulder. "I think I'll find Jasper and hand her over for a while."
Following behind, they found Jasper and gave him their birthday gift. He took hold of Ashley, her little arms wrapping tightly around her daddy's neck.
"Thanks for the gift. It's a madhouse in here tonight!" he laughed.
They were joined by Rosalie and Emmett, who was holding their newborn daughter, Nikki. Bella had to smile at the sight of the huge man holding the tiny baby so carefully.
Rosalie and Bella began talking about the children, while the guys talked baseball. Rosalie's two boys, Riley and Jackson had joined the other kids outside. Rosalie was laughing as she told her about the way Emmett doted on Nikki, his baby girl.
"You'd think he was the only man ever to have a daughter, the way he carries on," she laughed.
"He looks so cute," agreed Bella.
"Who's cute?" Edward growled near her ear as he wrapped his arms around her.
"As if I would tell you," she retorted, earning herself a tickle around her waist.
A small commotion near the door signalled the arrival of Jacob and Victoria and their family. To Bella's delight, Jacob had found his happiness with Victoria and Robbie. It hadn't been without effort on both their parts; Victoria needing to work past her demons and her low self-worth, a product of the difficult life she had led and Jacob to convince her that she was he wanted and he would be there for both of them.
For Victoria, the clincher had been the way Jacob loved Robbie as if he was his father. Despite feeling like she didn't deserve someone like him, she just couldn't deny Robbie the chance to have a real father, one who cared for him, protected him but most importantly, loved him.
With Jacob she discovered that what she thought was love making was just an awful travesty of the words. What she thought was normal was just selfishness on James' part. Her whole time with James was a travesty. The only good thing out of that was Robbie. Jacob taught her how a man treats the woman he loves, how her pleasure was as important, if not more so, than his. The first time they made love Victoria had cried afterwards. Jacob had been frantic, thinking he'd hurt her. When she calmed down she explained that she was crying for all the lost years when she was treated like garbage. She cried for what could have been if she had met the Cullen's years before; met Jacob years before.
Six months after they finally consummated their relationship, Victoria and Robbie moved in with Jacob. In the intervening months, she had completed high school by correspondence, unable to believe her grades. Jacob had been her rock, taking Robbie when she needed to study or complete assignments, helping her when she had trouble with the work. On the day she passed her exams, Jacob took her out for a celebratory dinner and to her astonishment, asked her to marry him.
The look in his eyes had been so vulnerable, as if he was preparing himself for her refusal. She had looked at his beautiful face, and knew that this man would give her what she used to dream about during those awful years in care. A man that truly loved her. With tears falling down her face, she had said yes. The next day, she moved in with Jacob as they began working out when the wedding was to be.
Not being in any rush, their wedding took place a year after Jacob's proposal and Victoria found out she was pregnant only a few weeks later. Jacob was absolutely over the moon and when little Charlotte was born, delivered by Edward, he was ecstatic. He was careful not to ever let Robbie think he was any less loved. Before their wedding, Jacob had legally adopted Robbie and his name changed to Black. Of course, Robbie would need to be told the truth eventually, especially considering he looked nothing like Jacob, but they hoped that he would know that Jacob considered himself Robbie's true father.
Only eighteen months after Charlotte's birth, their son Taylor made his entrance into the world. A cheeky, happy little boy who definitely took after his father, he was already a little scoundrel and Victoria had her hands full with him.
Victoria still harboured a dream to become a teacher and they were now exploring their options. One option was to move to Seattle temporarily while Victoria studied. Jacob's business had expanded to the point where he didn't actually need to be physically present at the business. If they went to Seattle, Jacob was considering expanding his business into the city to give him something to do. Between the two of them, they would somehow manage the needs of their family. Once Victoria graduated, they would return to Forks. It was home, after all.
Bella went outside with Victoria to check on the children. Jasper had ensured that his large backyard was as child safe as possible and the kids were either on the trampoline or in the girls' playhouse. Following them around was a veritable menagerie of pets. Alyssa was mad about animals and somehow managed to con her parents into letting her keep a number of strays she found, much to Edward's amusement. Bella had pointed out that they themselves had been talked into adopting a couple of them, namely their dog Toby and Stephanie's cat, Pebbles.
After an enjoyable night, they took their tired children home. The next half hour was spent getting all four to bed, and they breathed a sigh of relief when the last bedroom door was shut. Taking Bella's hand, Edward led them back to the haven of their bedroom. This was their time, when they stopped being 'parents' and simply became lovers.
Closing the door, Edward took her in his arms, hers encircling his neck as their lips melded, bodies pressing together as the familiar passion rose quickly between them.
"God, I love you," breathed Edward against her throat as his hands roamed over the body he knew so well, yet still filled him with wonder.
"Mmm, I love you too," replied Bella, her head tilted to the side to allow his lips to work their magic as her hands reached between them to pull at the buttons of his shirt. Her hands roamed over the ridges of his chest, loving the smooth, warm feel of him. Edward pulled off her top impatiently, freeing her breasts from their confinement. With a breathy sigh, Bella pressed her naked torso against his as her hands moved up to tangle in his hair, cut relatively short now and pulled his lips back to hers. Edward had grown impatient with his wild hair and had cut it, much to Bella's initial dismay. But when she saw it, she had a hard time not dragging him off to bed that instant. He looked so damn sexy with the shock of hair on top but cut close elsewhere.
Bending down, Edward buried his face between her breasts, kneading them roughly as his hips bucked into her, seeking relief. Her breathy sounds and gasps as he took her nipples into his mouth and sucked urgently drove him wild. One hand moved down and quickly unsnapped her jeans, moving under her panties to cup her, his finger moving slowly through the slickness there.
"Ahhh…" breathed Bella as he dipped his finger inside her. It didn't matter how long they had been together, he still made her body sing. She opened his jeans and quickly pushed them and his boxers down, freeing his glorious erection. Edward groaned against her nipple as she took his length in her hand, pumping him slowly, her thumb spreading the moisture at his head. When she lifted her finger and put it in her mouth, Edward gasped and frantically pulled off the rest of her clothes.
When they stepped out of their jeans, Edward lifted Bella up, her legs wrapping around him as they kissed urgently, his erection brushing her entrance making them both moan in anticipation. When Bella wriggled her hips, he groaned loudly as his tip lodged just inside her, his knees nearly buckling at the sensation.
"Oh god!" he moaned. "You drive me wild."
"Good," she replied breathlessly. "Oh please, I need to feel you."
Moving backwards until he reached the bed, he sat down on the edge, entering her fully as her knees rested on the bed on either side of his hips. Neither moved for a few moments as they savoured the feeling of being joined so intimately.
"Oh baby, you always feel so good," he breathed into her mouth.
In response, Bella dipped her tongue into his mouth, loving the taste of him, a taste she knew she couldn't live without and moved her hips, the jolt of pleasure shooting through her body.
"Oh Edward, I love you so much. So much."
Edward took hold of her hips and helped her move up and down over his shaft, her juices coating him liberally with her arousal. At first their movements were slow and deliberate, both enjoying the sensations of his body moving within hers but soon their pulses were racing and their breathing became ragged as they sped up, the friction building the tension unbearably.
Before long, Bella was frantically bouncing up and down in his lap, her hands gripping his shoulders as her nails dug into his skin, unnoticed by either of them. Her head was thrown back, bringing her breasts into relief, her nipples rigid. Edward took one into his mouth, biting gently. Bella felt the jolt of electricity down to her toes.
"Oh shit! Oh god, I'm so close!" she cried out as his hands pulled her hips down hard, feeling him buried so deep inside her.
"Fuck, that's incredible!" he ground out, his own hips bucking frantically up into her, matching her rhythm.
For the next few minutes, there was only the sounds of their moans and their bodies slapping together as they raced towards their peak, their skin glistening with sweat.
Edward growled loudly as she felt him swell even further inside her. "Oh god, Bella!" He lifted her right off him and slammed her back down and it was enough to send them both crashing over the edge.
"Bella!" he yelled out as he surged into her. Gripping her tightly, he muttered, "I love you, I love you," over and over as he poured himself into her, stunned as always but the sheer intensity of their lovemaking.
"Ohh! Edwa…..!" All rational thought fled as she became lost in him and the sensations he drew from her body. Every cell in her body felt alive in that moment.
Exhausted, they fell backwards onto the bed, Bella draped over Edward's body, completely boneless, and utterly satisfied. Slowly, their breathing returned to normal, Edward dropping tiny, loving kisses over her damp brow, his hands roaming aimlessly over her back.
Bella lifted her head and gave him a loving smile. "You certainly know how to make a girl speechless, Mr Cullen."
Chuckling, Edward kissed her softly. "Well, Mrs Cullen, you inspire me in so many ways. I truly love you, Bella," he said quietly, his eyes showing her the depths of his feelings. He looked at her like she was a gift from heaven itself. She couldn't stop her eyes from welling up.
Taking his head between her hands, her fingers missing his unruly hair for a moment, she leaned down and touched her nose with his. "And I truly, deeply, madly love you Edward. There's nothing I could ever want more than you." Giving him a slow, deep kiss she could feel his body stirring again beneath her. Pulling away, she gave him a cheeky smile. "Except maybe for you to grow your hair out again."
Edward laughed and pulled her down, crushing her in his arms. "Done," he replied before kissing her.
oooOOOoooOOOooo
The years rolled on as did all their lives. When the twins started school, Bella returned to midwifery, first on a part-time basis and then, when they were older back full time. She and Edward returned to working seamlessly together again. When Carlisle eventually retired, Edward was offered his position but Edward turned it down. He didn't want to be an administrator, he was a doctor and he wanted to be hands on. The hospital had expanded over the years as the population grew and he knew he'd rarely, if ever, get to work with patients if he accepted. Besides, he still enjoyed working with Bella.
The children all grew up and no one was really surprised when Daniel announced that he was going to join the police force, like his grandfather Charlie. He did a stint in Seattle before moving back to Forks, bring home his girlfriend, Kelsey. Bella and Edward couldn't have been prouder of him and Charlie was nearly fit to burst when Daniel became a policeman. Bella had worried about him when he was in Seattle but now he was home, she could relax.
Stephanie decided to follow in her beloved father's footsteps and became a doctor, going into paediatrics. She went to Dartmouth to study before going to Chicago for her residency. Her parents missed her terribly while she was gone. To their delight, she returned to Forks and fell in love with one of the new surgeons, Ricardo. Like her parents, she didn't wait long before they married.
The twins followed vastly different paths. Andrew showed great skill in baseball from an early age. As he got older he told his parents that he wanted to play professionally. Through his persistence, he managed to get picked up by a minor league team and it wasn't long before he caught the eye of some of the major teams. The Seattle Mariners gave him an opportunity which he grabbed with both hands. He now lived in Seattle and the family tried to get to as many home games as they could.
Natalie went into midwifery like her mother and was living with her brother in Seattle. Since he was away playing a lot of the time, she often had the place to herself. Besides, they were as close as twins got and they would have missed each other terribly if they lived in different cities. It suited everyone. Eventually, they would meet that special someone and things would change, but for the time being, they were happy with the arrangement. Bella and Edward made sure they got to Seattle as often as they could to ensure their babies were looking after themselves.
Victoria and Jacob did move to Seattle for a number of years with their children. When Victoria qualified as a teacher they returned to Forks where she got a job at one of the elementary schools in Port Angeles. No one who didn't know Victoria would ever have guessed at the hardships she had been through. She was now a happy, confident woman who knew she could do anything she put her mind to. And it was thanks to her husband Jacob, who had instilled this belief in herself. She thanked fate everyday for bringing Jacob and the Cullens into her life.
Robbie had grown up hero worshipping Jacob. He always knew deep down that Jacob wasn't his biological father and wasn't shocked when they told him the truth. Jacob was his father in every way that counted. When he finally found out the truth about the man who had sired him, he was thankful that he never had to meet the scum. Through spending hours with Jacob, he became a skilled mechanic, so much so, that we was offered a job working for a NASCAR team as one of the pit crew. It broke Victoria's heart to see him go, but he was so excited by the opportunity she had no choice but to put on a brave face and urge him to come home as often as possible.
His sister Charlotte became a teacher like her mother. When she returned from university, she ran into an old friend Riley. He was Alyssa and Ashley's cousin and though he was six years older, she had had a crush on him during her teenage years. He had seemed like an unattainable movie star from a fifteen year old's perspective. She hadn't seen him for at least two years and she was now a self-assured twenty two year old. A fact not lost on Riley. He wasted no time asking her out and were now engaged.
The baby of the family, Taylor proved to have quite a business brain. After college, he initially started working for Jacob, taking over the business side of things, much to Jacob's relief. With his business acumen, he expanded the business even further and was branching out. He now divided his time between Seattle and Forks, happily building his business empire.
As predicted, Alyssa grew into a beautiful woman, giving Jasper many a sleepless night as she got older. With her long black hair and blue eyes, boys had been after her like bees to honey since she became a teenager. To many a boy's dismay, she was more interested in her animals than any of them. She and Daniel were very close and he protected his cousin fiercely, much to Jasper's relief. Before Jacob moved away, she used to follow Robbie around like a puppy but when they returned years later, they seemed to antagonise each other. Alice and Victoria couldn't work it out.
Alyssa's dream was to become a vet, and no-one was surprised when she went off to college to study veterinary science. Robbie left around the same time and as a result, they didn't see each other for nearly seven years. They somehow never seemed to get back home at the same time. With her father's help, Alyssa set up her own veterinary practice in Forks and had been home for nearly six months when her Aunt Bella threw Uncle Edward a birthday party. Her sister, Ashley who was a fashion designer was coming up from LA for it.
Almost the first person she saw when she arrived with her family was Robbie and she couldn't stop her pulse racing as their eyes met. He had changed so much in seven years. He was no longer the boy she remembered. The boy who she had secretly been in love with during their teens. Whom she fought with in order to hide her feelings since she believed he would never feel the same way. The boy who broke her heart every time she saw him with another girl. It had been a relief to leave for college and when she heard he left town as well, she figured it was never meant to be.
Now he was a man. A gorgeous, sexy man and she felt like that teenager all over again. Only this time it was worse. She watched as his eyes travelled over her, seeming to burn her flesh. His blond hair was carelessly styled and his clothes faithfully hugged his muscles like a lover. Trying to get a grip on herself, Alyssa forced herself to look away and spent the next few hours trying to avoid him. Yet, she knew he watched her; she could feel his eyes on her. Needing some air, she went outside, heading for the old tree house that she, Daniel and Robbie used to hang out in when they were little. Lost in memories, she didn't hear anyone follow her out.
"Why won't you say hello to me?" asked the deep, gravelly voice.
Startled, Alyssa looked down from her perch and saw Robbie looking up at her, his eyes questioning. Her breath seemed to catch in her throat. He was so beautiful and she knew her heart was in danger of being lost to him all over again.
"I…I'm…sorry. H…hello," she replied quietly. "I didn't mean to be rude."
"Didn't you?" Looking up sharply, she could see what looked like hurt in his eyes. But that couldn't be true, could it?
"You look beautiful. But then, you always did," he murmured. Alyssa gazed at him in astonishment.
"Thanks. You look good too."
Robbie smiled his half-smile, the one that used to make her knees weak. "It's been seven years, Alyssa. We all change."
Alyssa nodded, then decided to get down. She felt silly talking to him from up here. As she climbed down, her foot slipped and she stumbled. Strong hands wrapped around her waist and caught her. Her breath faltered when those hands didn't let go immediately, instead her body was held against his, her back to him. Knowing she should step away, she couldn't seem to get her legs to move. She gave a gasp when she felt his lips on the nape of her neck, her skin burning where he touched it.
Confused, yet incredibly aroused, she didn't fight it when he turned her around, the desire in his eyes making her heart falter.
"Alyssa!" he breathed as he took her lips with his.
Without volition, she met him with equal passion, their arms locked around each other as they kissed ravenously. Alyssa couldn't comprehend what was happening but it just felt so good, so right. She had dreamed of this for so long.
They were both breathless when they pulled apart, staring at each other with a mixture of lust, wonder and confusion.
"Do you know how long I've wanted to do that?" he asked huskily. "Years. I've wanted you for years. I thought I'd got you out of my system but one look at you tonight and I'm lost, Alyssa."
Alyssa looked at him, unable to grasp what he was trying to tell her. "You…wanted…me?"
Robbie nodded, his eyes begging her to believe him. "God, yes. I've wanted you so badly. All I wanted in high school was to be with you but you seemed to hate me."
Alyssa licked her suddenly dry lips, his eyes watching the movement intently. "I…I thought you didn't like me. I thought I wasn't pretty enough for you when I saw you go out with all those girls."
"Not pretty enough? God Alyssa, you were, are, the most beautiful girl I've ever known. I thought I wasn't good enough for you." He looked intently at her. "Alyssa, I was so in love with you then."
Alyssa gasped in shock. Was that true? "In love with me?" Robbie nodded, his hand reaching out and cupping her cheek.
"Yes." He kissed her again, the passion rising instantaneously. "God, I want you."
"Yes, I want you too. I loved you then also," she admitted.
Robbie groaned against her mouth. "Let's give this a chance, Alyssa. Please." His eyes were pleading and she felt the sting of tears. "I don't want to waste another moment."
"What about your job? You'll be leaving again won't you?" she asked. She didn't know how she would cope saying goodbye to him.
"No. I left the team before I came back." Taking her hand, he lifted it to his lips. "To be honest, I left because I knew you were back. Mom told me. I knew it was stupid, but I wanted to be near you, maybe convince you to give me a chance." He looked intently at her. "Will you, Alyssa? Will you give us a chance?"
Wrapping her arms around him, she pulled him close as she whispered against his lips. "Yes. Yes, Robbie, I want this. I want you."
Neither noticed when the other guests began singing "Happy Birthday" to Edward. They were lost in each other's arms.
oooOOOoooOOOooo
It was a warm summer's night and they were sitting arm in arm on the swing chair on the patio. It wasn't the original; that had given up the ghost many years ago, but this one was just as comfortable.
"Well, my love. Here's to forty wonderful years with you," said Edward, his bronze hair long since turned grey, but still as unruly and thick.
Turning her head, Bella kissed him. "Yes, forty truly magical years." Edward smiled at his Bella, her hair now grey, her body pleasantly rounded.
"You're still the most beautiful girl in the world, you know," he smiled as Bella put her head on his shoulder.
"And you're still the most handsome man that I ever saw," she replied.
Resting his head on hers, they looked out onto the mountains they both loved so much, the established gardens providing the foreground.
"We've had a good life, haven't we?" he mused.
"Yes, the best. We've certainly been blessed," she agreed.
"I love you, my lovely Bella."
"I'll always love you, my Edward."
They kissed softly, just as much in love as the day they got married. Probably more so.
Neither knew what the future held but they knew that they would always be together, in spirit, if not in body. They would treasure every day and one day, they would be together for all eternity.
Neither had any doubt about that.
THE END
oooOOOoooOOOooo
A/N: *sniffle* I admit I got teary as I wrote those words. It's been such a rewarding ride writing this and I'm really going to miss it.
First up, Edward's short hair was inspired by that photo of Rob in the hammock *swoon*. If you haven't seen it, do yourself a favour. Told you I've become Robsessed lately.
Now, I want to thank MrsKatyCullen for betaing most of these chapters for me. She's a busy young lady and I've really appreciated her efforts.
I also want to thank all of you readers, and most especially everyone who took the time to review. Many of you faithfully reviewed every chapter and I appreciate the support more than I can say. To say I was nervous when I started writing is an understatement. I considered not posting it at all; it just seemed too different, I wasn't going to add any major angst and I feared that readers would get bored. To read that I've brightened your day, made you smile and left you feeling warm and happy has just been so amazing to me. I've especially loved hearing so many of your own stories - I'm so glad it struck a chord with so many of you. As you know, I put in many of my own personal experiences into the story and that's why I feel so close to it. I even included my children's names (Daniella, Stephanie and Andrew). Once again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your support. I still can't believe I got over 2000 reviews.
I've got another story in the works that I will start work on after I post the two outtakes. It will be called "I do, I do. For Now" It's another Bella/Edward story with all the requisite sexiness, tension and loving that I love to read myself. Look out for it in a few weeks.
I want to wish all of my US readers a great 4th of July. It's also my daughter's 19th birthday on that day. She always says that if we only lived in the US, she'd never have to work on her birthday!
The first outtake will be Alice and Jasper's first meeting. After seeing Eclipse, Jasper is second after Edward on my swoon meter. So hot in that Confederate uniform *sigh*
Hope you come back for the outtakes, but if you don't, take care, happy reading and I hope to hear from you again.
Cecilia