Epilogue

Bella

We stayed until Charlie woke after his transformation, unlike Renee and I he was quite a handful but Peter and Charlotte volunteered to stay with him until he was calm and then start the work to police the vampire world more fairly. I knew it wouldn't be long before he was back to normal, or as normal as a vampires life could be. Renee and Felix were married and it was good to see her so happy. He was the best thing that ever happened to her, she had really grown up and found her place in a society that she seemed to understand better than the human one. She and Felix saw us off at the airstrip, the Volturi jet was at our disposal for the trip home. I was looking forward to this, to seeing Jake and Angela finally married. Our invitation had turned up in Volterra and that made me smile, the wolves sending a wedding invitation to us in the vampire capital.

The morning of the wedding the sun came out and I wondered if it would mean us missing the ceremony but then as usual in Forks the clouds rolled over and a light drizzle fell. We drove to the Treaty line where Sam and Seth waited to escort us into the village. To my surprise they were in human form, an acknowledgement that they saw us as friends not a threat. Angela looked beautiful in a white dress and veil, uncaring of the light rain which beaded like pearls on the material. Her parents looked a little nervous and Mrs Webber came over to me with relief.

"Bella, you came back. Where an earth did you go? Your father was devastated, does he know?"

"Yes. I'm afraid I eloped with Jasper, my husband"

She smiled at Jasper then looked at him again,

"Weren't you one of Dr Cullens foster children?"

"Yes I was Mrs Webber. Angela looks radiant."

"Thank you. She and Jake are a lovely couple. He's very different from the kind of boy we expected Angela to marry but there, you can't choose your children's partners can you."

She looked around,

"Your father not here? I thought he was a good friend of Jacobs father. That was such a tragedy."

"Yes it was. My father wont come back, too many memories I guess."

"Well lets hope his deputy makes a good job as new police chief although I have my doubts. The past few weeks there's been a lot of wolf sightings and last night we heard howling, a lot of howling."

I found it difficult to keep a straight face and was only saved by Angela calling her mother over for photographs.

"Do you regret not having a wedding?"

I looked up at Jasper and shook my head,

"No. I don't need a ceremony. I have you and that's all that matters, I think I'm the luckiest woman alive.

He smiled at me and bent to kiss me as Jake came over.

"Good to see you Bells, Jasper. How's Charlie?"

"Almost ready to kick some vampire ass."

He nodded a little sadly,

"It would have been nice to see him here. Without Billy there's a big hole in my life"

"Here"

I handed him a can of beer and a note which he unfolded then laughed, but I could see tears collecting in his eyes.

"Have one on me Jake but no driving after. Charlie

PS Billy would be proud of you."

As Jasper and I drove away from the wedding a full moon lit up the surrounding woods and we could hear wolves howling in celebration. Pulling off the road a short way from the res Jasper reached in his pocket and took out an envelope which he handed to me,

"What's this?"

"It arrived this morning, read it"

I took out the single sheet of paper and read the letter which was addresses to Jasper.

Jasper,

It seems the best man won in the end. Bella is a remarkable woman and my biggest regret will always be that I walked away from her. I will always love her, that I can't change but I wont contact you again. I just wanted to wish you every happiness in your life with her. Please tell her that I am now married to Tanya and living in Denali. If you are ever in Alaska be sure to look us up.

Your brother Edward.

PS Esme, Rose, and Emmett moved up here recently so the family is together again.

I folded it back up and passed it back to Jasper.

"So he married Tanya? I hope he'll be happy with her."

"He'll make her happy, she's always had a thing about him."

"But does he love her?"

"Yes, I'm sure he does just not as much as he loves you"

"So we wont be going to Alaska then?"

"I don't think so, it would make him feel worse to see how happy we are."

"And we are. I love you Jasper, take me back to the hotel and make love to me"

"You wish is my command."

He put the car in gear and we drove away from Forks for the very last time.