Sam's POV

The hearing is this afternoon at 3, Bella's been up since 5 this morning cleaning and cooking and pacing like a crazy person. Seth wanted to skip school but Bella promised him we would pick him up early so he could go to the hearing with us. 2 more months and he graduates, he told Bella he doesn't really want to leave for college but she convinced him it's the right thing to do. He worries about Marley just as much as Bella and I do.

I never thought I could love a baby so much, especially one that wasn't meant to be mine, then again maybe she was meant to be mine. She feels like mine and in a few hours she will be mine. We definitely weren't planning on kids so young but Marley needed us.

We both took today off today for the hearing. Marley is napping and Bella is scrubbing the clean kitchen.

"You have to chill out babe, maybe take a nap while Marley is sleeping. You're going to be exhausted if you keep this up." I tell her for the 5th time in the last hour.

"I'm too nervous to chill Sam. This is important! What if something happens and they take her?" She asks annoyed.

"Bella the social worker loved us; she told us everything would be fine. I get you're worried but running yourself to death isn't going to help anything. Just sit down please, eat something." And then she breaks down crying.

"I'm so sorry Sam, I know that everything is supposed to be fine but bad things happen to me. I'm so sorry I'm driving you nuts." Way to make me feel like crap I think as I hold her with her sobbing into me.

Finally she lets me lead her to the couch and within minutes she's crashed. An hour later Marley wakes up and I keep her upstairs until it's time to wake Bella up. She's such a happy baby, she babbles all time and hardly ever cries. I worry about what she'll think about us adopting her when she grows up especially since Charlie lives so close. We found a house not far from the apartment because the location is perfect and the schools are good, Seth kept going to his old school since it's he's last year and he wanted to gradate with his friends.

"Come on Marley, let's wake mommy up." She smiles at the mention of mommy and I take her downstairs and set her by the couch and she babbles in Bella's face until she wakes up. She wakes up smiling and I'm relieved that she already seems to be in a better mood.

She gets up and eats a quick lunch then gets ready while I get Marley ready then we pick up Seth and head to the courthouse. Phil is there with Leah and Alex and my mom and Embry. We are so lucky that everyone supported us in this. As soon as we get close to them Marley lunges for Embry and he laughs and takes her.

"Shit Sam why is he here? He can't have her, it's too late. She's mine, I mean ours but he can't have her." Bella starts flipping out and I turn to see Charlie walk in. I tell Bella to stay with everyone; I'll go talk to him. Leah comes with me, she's the only one that actually talks to him, I guess not seeing him drunk and ignoring his infant daughter made it easier.

"Why are you hear Charlie?" I ask him.

"I came to support you and Bella, that's it. I screwed up and I'm so glad you and Bella picked up where I failed. Marley belongs with you though I would like to be a part of her life." He tells me and for the first time in a long time he looks sorry.

"I will talk to Bella about it later; she doesn't need to think about it right now, she's a nervous wreck. Did you want to talk to her and tell her why you're here?" I ask him and he hesitates then comes with us.

"You can't have her." Bella demands as soon as he's close enough.

"I know that Bella, I didn't mean to worry you. I came to support you, I regret the way I handled things but I know you stepped up and I'm not here to cause any problems for you." Charlie tells her and she says fine then goes to sit down with Marley.

The judge comes to the pulpit and asks Bella and I and the social worker to stand, Bella hands Marley to Seth and leans against me, I don't think she's breathing.

"Sam and Bella Uley as of today you are the legal guardians of Marley Sue Swan. Congratulations. Would you like to change the child's name? I can put the paper work through and the change will be effective immediately." The judge asks us and Bella is crying so I tell him yes please, we want her to have our last name; the rest will stay the same.

Bella, Seth and I had a huge discussion about it. Seth actually named her because Charlie couldn't think of anything. Charlie's last name is Swan as was Bella's before we got married even though in high school she started using Phil's last name as it was her mom's. Sue took Charlie's last name but Seth and Leah have their dad's last name. Seth wanted her to stay Marley Swan so she would have Sue's last name but Bella didn't want her to have that tie to Charlie. Pretty sure it's the only fight they've ever had. Bella finally used the fact that's hard to go through school with different last names than your parents as they both knew and that Marley was going to be confused enough with her sister as her mother and her brother as her uncle and Charlie as who knows what. Bella knew it was our decision but she didn't want Seth to be upset and he finally agreed with us.

Once Bella stops crying she takes Marley from Seth and holds her tight whispering you'll always be my little girl, no one can take you now. I promise you I'll do everything I can to be a good mom. I'll always be there for you just like your daddy will be. Just like my daddy is. I love you Marley.

Charlie is sitting in the back of the courtroom alone and Bella takes Marley with her to go talk to him. They're crying and then they hug and then she lets him hold Marley.

She just needed that legal reassurance that she is our little girl and no one can change that.