A/N: MWAH, duckies. Mwah.

"You get away from me," Bella snapped. "Don't touch me."

Edward held his hands up, taking several steps back from his wife and rubbing the back of his neck. Rosalie stepped forward, pushing him away. "You should take a walk." Her tone made it clear it was not a suggestion.

"Rosalie-"

"I have her. Go."

Edward growled, but he went. He didn't make it far. He sunk down in the first chair he came to, his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands.

His mother told him once, "Let me dispel one of society's biggest myths for you here and now. There is nothing sacred about marriage. There's plenty good about it. Divine, even, but nothing magical. It is a beautiful union between two people, but there is the rub. Those people are no less human than before they entered into that union."

She'd taken his hands and squeezed them, her expression wistful. "I think we all fall in love several times in our lives. Maybe it's with a job, a hobby. Or maybe you will love many people in your life. Love is like that. Its definitions are endless and its possibilities are limitless. Don't let anyone tell you differently.

"When you marry, if you are very lucky and work hard, you will fall in love with the same person over and over again. Time will change you. Time will change her. Time will change your love. It may happen that there will come a time your beautiful union isn't so beautiful anymore. There's nothing wrong with that, no shame, but if there's any beauty left, any chance that you want to keep your lives entwined, you put all you have into it. Fight. And that goes for more than marriage. Fight for anything you love, anything that can be good in your life."

So Edward had fought. He and Bella had both fought.

And they'd won.

Like everything in life, the road was far from smooth. They tried to be careful. They tried to be mindful of the lives they were building apart as well as separately.

After they moved to Seattle, things were good for a time.

It was Edward who'd remembered something that had slipped Bella's mind. Financial aid was granted based on the tax year previous, not the current time period. She was still eligible for the financial aid for the Spring semester. With Edward's encouragement, she talked to the dean at UDub and was granted late admission for the Spring semester.

Edward was still drifting.

It was, he thought, karma coming back to bite him in the ass. When his every thought about Bella was colored with rancor, Edward was disdainful of how long it had taken her to get her act together. But like Bella when she was eighteen, when it finally sunk in to him that the life he'd planned was not the life he wanted, Edward was at a loss.

What on earth did he want to do with the rest of his life? What would make him happy? And he knew how much happiness a good profession could bring. He'd watched every time his father came home after being at the hospital a solid day. Carlisle would look wrecked, utterly exhausted from too much time on his feet and too many lives in his hands. But there was this look in his eyes, a deep-seated satisfaction that permeated every aspect of his being. He walked taller because of it. Esme was the same about her job.

Edward had always wanted that. When he and Bella were young, they'd both had a pie in the sky vision of the people they wanted to be. She'd seen herself as a successful scientist, the kind who would change the world with her endlessly fascinating experiments. He saw himself rocking a power suit, oozing charisma and success.

Actually, Edward's vision had proved correct, but not in a remotely satisfying way. There was no soul to the world of business.

Which left the question - where did his soul lie?

So far, he'd distracted himself with charity work. When he was furious at what his mother had to suffer, the indignities of her disease, she'd patted his hand. "I'm so lucky, Edward. I have the best possible care and a loving family. This is natural, and nature is not always forgiving. There are so many others who don't have the comforts I have."

So while he wondered what he was going to do with his life, he'd started to put together a foundation aimed at helping people without insurance or support. It was a huge undertaking, but he had both the money and the business sense to pull it off.

"Your mother would be proud of you," Carlisle told him often.

Edward sighed as he thought back. He glanced at his watch, noticing it was damn close to midnight. How fitting.

It was nearly a year to the day that his mother had died. There was a memorial planned, but it looked like Edward and Bella weren't going to be there. Somehow, though, he didn't think his mother would mind in this particular case.

"Mr. Cullen?"

Edward was on his feet in a heartbeat. "Is my wife okay?"

The nurse smiled. "Just fine, as things go. She's forgiven you. She wants you back." She patted his shoulder. "Don't worry. I think she'll keep you this time, Daddy. We're getting down to the bottom of the ninth."

Eager to get back to Bella, Edward all but sprinted down the hospital hallway.

Rosalie stood up from her place by Bella's side, grudgingly making room for Edward to take her place. She made some noise about going to the cafeteria, but Edward hardly heard her.

"Edward." Bella sounded relieved as she reached her hand out for him. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Edward."

"Shh, shh, sweetheart." He took her hand in both his.

"I just got really pissed off for a second. But I need you. I need you here."

"I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere. I promise." He stroked a damp strand of hair away from her face. "Okay?"

Bella sniffled, calming. She turned her face into his palm. "Okay."

Edward bent down, pressing a long kiss to her forehead before he sat down in his rightful spot. He kept one of his hands wrapped around hers and rested the other over the, as of late, ginormous bulge of her belly. "How's our baby?"

"Better now that she heard the doctor say I could have the epidural."

"Thank God."

"That's what we said." She sighed, pressing her hand over his against her swollen stomach. "I'm worried."

"There's nothing to worry about."

"She's early."

"The doctor said she's fine. They know what to look for, Bella."

She pressed her lips together, obviously not buying what he was selling just yet. "It's my fault."

"Bella."

"No. Remember? When we found out about her, all I could think of was how it would interfere with school. Again." She banged her head back against her pillow. "Life doesn't want me to get through school. Remember? It seemed like the worst thing in the world?"

"Bella. Sweetheart, she's fine. She's going to be just fine." He stroked her cheek gently. "You remember what tomorrow is, right?"

"Of course."

"I don't think it's a coincidence. Maybe it's Mom, giving you this gift. School starts in two weeks, right? You can go this way. Have you thought about that?"

"I don't care. I don't care anymore. I just want our baby to be okay." Her voice cracked, and Edward's heart twisted.

She was tired. She'd been in pain a long time. Edward would have done anything to help her. He felt helpless, and he wasn't good with helpless.

But he could be strong for her. He could be strong for Bella and their daughter.

Before he could comfort her, Bella gasped. She grabbed his hand, squeezing hard as a strong contraction hit her. "Breathe. Just breathe. I'm right here." He watched the monitor, rubbing her back with his free hand. "Almost done, Bella. You're almost done with this one."

The contraction eased, and Bella sagged against him.

"The anesthesiologist should be here any minute," the nurse assured her. "I'll go check to see where she is."

Edward adjusted his arm around his wife, holding her close. He kissed the side of her head. "I'm so proud of you, Bella. I love you so much."

"I love you too."

He rested his forehead against hers, putting his hand back against her belly. Their baby was almost here. It had been a crazy ride the last five months.

Well, really, it had been a crazy nine years. Edward had no idea how it had happened. How had he ended up with everything he wanted when he was eighteen years old? Oh, sure. The meaningful employment was in flux, but somehow, he'd managed to cobble together everything else.

He was married to the woman he'd loved since they were children. They were head over heels in love, even after all this time, especially after all this time.

When they were teenagers, they thought their late twenties was a great time to start a family. Twenty-seven. It gave them time to get ahead in their careers and still be young parents.

Their new life came with many readjustments. At twenty-seven and twenty-eight, they were rebuilding their relationship. They were happy and getting stronger, but they weren't even talking about making their marriage real before the baby surprised them.

Bella had been on the pill. Either they fell in the 1% or maybe she hadn't taken them right. One way or another, she'd been busy with school when she fainted dead away on campus. Far from over his mother's death, Edward had panicked and made her go to the doctor. They found out there was nothing wrong with Bella except a four month old bun in her oven due two weeks into the fall semester.

It changed everything, of course. Bella moved into his house, their house, and suddenly there was a baby to plan for along with the rest of their lives.

They were happy, cautiously ecstatic, even. It was all out of order but they were starting to get used to the idea John Lennon was right: Life was what happened when you were busy making other plans.

Edward cleared his throat. "Hey. I have something for you." Reaching into his pocket, he took out her engagement ring. Bella gave a little huff of a laugh, and Edward looked at her with a sheepish smile. "Hey, we're so out of order here, we might as well do it up good and proper." His smile gentled then as he took her hands. "Bella Cullen. Mother of my baby. Love of my life. Will you marry me. Really marry me?"

She laughed again, but it was a giddy kind of sound rather than a derisive one. "Yeah. Yes. I will."

Edward's grin was so wide, his cheeks hurt. He slid the ring on her finger, and brought her hand to his lips to kiss it. He wanted more. He wanted a ceremony. Not a traditional ceremony - that seemed wrong without his mother - but one in front of her friends, where everyone could see how happy they were.

But for now, he was glad she was finally wearing his ring with all the sentiment that was rightly attached to such a thing.

Another doctor appeared in the door then, her smile wide. "Candyman's here."

"Oh, good. I'm jonesing over here."

The woman nodded. "Well, let's talk about what I've got for you, Mrs. Cullen."

~0~

Bella was spent, completely drained of energy. And sore. Jesus Christ, she'd never been so sore. Moving was uncomfortable to say the least.

A soft mewling sound drew her out of her drowsy state. She smiled, turning her head toward the sound. She opened her eyes and her heart seized at the beautiful sight in front of her.

Her husband held their brand new daughter in his arms. He was staring at her with awe, the goofiest smile on his face as he counted her miniscule fingers for what was probably the hundredth time.

She was tired, sore... and completely over the moon. Despite her worries that she was four weeks early, her daughter was fine, healthy. Just over five pounds but healthy. And impossibly precious.

Born one year almost to the minute her grandmother had died.

Bella remembered what Edward had said when he hoped, despite the uncertainty of their relationship, that their frenzied, life affirming night together had sparked another life. They did love each other. No matter what else existed between them, that baby would have been conceived in love.

Though just a few months had passed between that potential child and this realized one - what a difference. They weren't ready - though who was ever truly ready for parenthood - but she was conceived only in love, without all anger and hurt that surrounded them for so long.

It was still, as Edward had said, one life beginning as another ended.

Their baby would not be here, neither of them would be here, if it wasn't for Esme. Her death had bought them a second chance at a life neither of them had fought hard enough for.

The baby squalled, ignoring her father's shushes.

"She's probably hungry." Her voice was scratchy with sleep. She winced as she sat up.

Edward raised his head, his grin widening. "No, I don't think so. We're just talking." He looked back down at the baby. "Aren't we, baby girl? You want to talk to your daddy, don't you?"

He was ridiculous. And adorable.

And hers.

This was hers. They were hers.

Bella's heart felt far too big to be contained by her chest right then.

Before she could speak, there was a noise at the door. "Hey," came a soft voice.

Bella and Edward both looked up to see Carlisle, Alice, and Jasper in the doorway. They peered in cautiously, but when they saw everyone was awake, they all came in.

"We got here as quick as we could," Carlisle said. His eyes were riveted on the bundle in his son's arms.

Edward rose. "She got the jump on us." He looked to his father. "Do you want to hold her?"

Carlisle's eyes brightened. He didn't answer, but he reached for the baby. Bella watched as Edward laid her in his arms. She watched her father-in-law's lips quiver as he looked over his first grandchild.

It was a bittersweet moment. Bella's heart ached. She wished with everything in her that Esme was there with them. She could picture perfectly the joyous way she would smile. She felt a pang of guilt. If only she had...

But no.

She was done with if onlys. She had a good life, and she wouldn't trade it for the world. Not even for whatever her life would have been if she hadn't broken Edward's heart and her own.

There was no such thing as a life without troubles, sorrow, and regret, after all.

"We named her Mae," Bella said. "Mae Serena Cullen."

Carlisle looked at her with shining eyes. His lips turned up in a smile, and his breath shook as he inhaled. "That's perfect." He raised the baby up to him so he could press a soft kiss to her forehead. "Welcome to the world, little one. I'm so happy to meet you."

Alice and Jasper slipped past Carlisle. Jasper offered Edward a congratulatory handshake and back slap while Alice gave Bella a hug.

Things were better between them, particularly since Alice had gotten back from Milan two months prior. Alice was a lot calmer. She'd found peace in the idea her mother would have wanted her to live a life without tethers, and since Edward was a pretty happy camper these days, she had no reason to be angry with Bella. They weren't friends yet, but it was on the horizon.

After Jasper had kissed her cheek and congratulated her, they all shifted. Alice and Jasper crowded around Carlisle and the baby. Edward migrated back to Bella's side. He took her hand and kissed her once, a soft, sweet, reverent kiss, and when he looked her in the eye, he was beaming. She was sure she was smiling back with the same huge grin.

He tilted his head against hers, sighing softly as he closed his eyes.

What an odd, surreal ride it had been getting here.

It struck Bella then that life wasn't meant to be figured out. Every time she tried, she failed miserably. Maybe what she needn't wasn't a plan but perspective.

Maybe she wasn't a college graduate, but she was a good daughter, a good friend.

Maybe she was staring twenty-eight in the face with a resume that labeled her as a short order cook, but she was also a wife and now a mother.

Maybe she'd stumbled getting there, but she had a beautiful daughter, a doting father-in-law, a second family, and a husband who was a true partner in life.

Turning her head, Bella caught Edward's lips in a kiss. "I love you," she whispered.

Edward grinned at her, a totally different man than the one who had knocked on her apartment door one year and some months before. Taking her hand, he rubbed his thumb over her ring. "Always," he promised.

And he sealed his promise with a kiss.

A/N: I think they're going to be okay, folks! Poor Bella. She never gets to school. Hah. We'll catch up with them in the epilogue.

Thanks to barburella and songster.

Hey, kids. What do you think?