Author's Note:

I'm so sorry it's taken me so long to get this posted! I actually thought I already had, and between life and computer issues it's taken me forever to get back here. Without any further delay, here's a peek into the future for our fave couple!

Thank you all so much for reading!

Future Take:

5 Years Later

BPOV

"Maggie! Liam! Let's go!" I shouted up the stairs, then grabbed another stack of gifts and carried them toward the car. I passed Edward on the way and giggled at the squealing, squirming toddler dangling upside down from his arms.

"Mommy, help! Daddy's gonna frow me away!" she screamed as I walked into the kitchen toward the garage. I dropped the gifts I was carrying on the island and turned to them with my hands on my hips.

"What did you do?" I asked with wink to Edward as he pulled her to sit upright on his hip.

"I peeked at a present," she giggled and I rolled my eyes toward Edward, who was grinning my favorite crooked grin at our baby girl.

I reached out and pulled her from his arms and set her on the floor. "Little girls who peek at their presents don't get any. Now, run upstairs and get your brother and sister," I told her with a mock scowl. It was damn near impossible to be mad at the tiny fairy with my chocolate curls and her daddy's green eyes.

As our youngest scamped off, screaming for her siblings, I turned to my husband and sagged against him, the gifts momentarily forgotten.

"That one's going to be the death of us," I quipped and felt Edward laugh and press and kiss to my head.

"That she is. I knew we got off too easy with Maggie and Liam," he chuckled. "I wouldn't trade it for anything, though."

I murmured my agreement as I looked up into Edward's green eyes. He had only grown more handsome with time, and I would never have thought it possible when we married five years before, but I loved him more every single day. He may have a few more lines that crinkled around his eyes when he smiled and there may be a dash of gray beginning at his temples, but his bronze hair was still as wild and sexy as it had always been, and I still had just as hard time keeping my hands off him as I ever had. He leaned down and kissed me softly before he released me to continue loading the car.

"Let's get this show on the road, baby. The sooner Christmas is done, the sooner the kids are Nana and Papa's problem and I have you all to myself," he growled. I smacked him on the rear end as he grabbed the gifts off the island and walked out into the garage. I shivered a little in anticipation, then turned to round up the kids.

Finally, a half an hour later, we were in our large SUV on our way to Carlisle and Esme's house for Christmas afternoon with the family. I turned and looked behind me and smiled at my babies in the back seat, and my not so little baby in the third row. The last five years had been a complete whirlwind, but I loved every second of it. Edward and I had enjoyed a magical honeymoon in Paris, then started preparing for our sweet baby when we got home. Liam Anthony had arrived six months after we married, and we'd been thrilled that our family had been rounded out with a sweet baby boy. And sweet he was. He'd been a very easy baby, and even as a four-year-old, he was remarkably laid back. He looked just like his daddy and had been doted on by the entire family from day one. Especially his big sister, Maggie, who'd been the most amazing sister we could imagine. She'd never once been jealous or gotten annoyed at the chaos a baby inevitably brings to any family. Edward and I had agreed shortly after Liam was born that our family was complete. We had just felt like we had the perfect balance and couldn't imagine being any happier than we were with our little family, so we'd settled into our routine and looked forward to our future.

Apparently, the universe had other plans, though. When Liam was just a few months old, I'd discovered I was pregnant again, despite the birth control I'd begun using again after his birth. Edward and I had been shocked, but when Charlotte Elizabeth, or Charlie as we called her, had come along, we had quickly realized she was the piece of the puzzle we hadn't known we were missing. Charlie was the complete opposite of her siblings. Both Maggie and Liam looked just like Edward, while Charlie looked like me, only with her daddy's eyes. Maggie and Liam were both well behaved and mild-tempered, while Charlie was a holy terror most of the time. At only three years old, she knew exactly how to push our buttons, but also knew how to turn on the charm when needed. She was our wild child, always into something, but smart enough to stay out of any major trouble most of the time. Charlie also officially completed our family, and I'd had my tubes tied when she was born. Edward and I weren't getting any younger after all, and our decision had proven to be a good one when we'd gotten her home and realized just how much our lives had changed with our new little spitfire.

I was pulled from my memories as we pulled up to my in-law's home, and the kids clambered out of the car to run inside and tell their grandparents all about the goodies they'd gotten from Santa earlier that morning. The Cullen family tradition was that each individual family had their own celebration and opened Santa gifts and a few others at home, then we all gathered at Esme and Carlisle's for Christmas dinner and the rest of the gifts. I looked around and noticed the other vehicles already in the driveway and saw that we were the last to arrive. We weren't late, but getting anywhere too early was a thing of the past. The kids had already rushed into the house, so Edward and I met at the back of the vehicle and started gathering an armful to carry inside.

When I got in the house with the first load into the house, I sent Emmett and Jasper out to the car to help Edward with the rest. I deposited the gifts under the tree, then turned and dropped down on the arm of the chair where Charlie was watching television with Carlisle.

"Where are my grandbabies?" he asked immediately.

"Hi to you, too, Dad," I snorted. "I'm sure they are in the kitchen with Nana and Grammy. I'll send them this way in a minute."

"See that you do," Carlisle said from Charlie's other side. "Tell them Gramps and Papa have candy."

I laughed and rolled my eyes at my father-in-law. He and my dad had known each other for years, since the Cullens had moved to Forks so many years ago, but the minute they had grandkids in common, they'd become thick as thieves. Dad and Sue still lived in Forks but had been coming up to Seattle on Christmas day since Liam was born. They hadn't wanted to miss the magic of the holiday with him and Maggie, and the Cullens had happily invited them to join us each year. They would have happily included Sue's kids as well, but we'd found a routine that worked for us. Seth and Claire had gotten married a couple of years after Edward and I had and were living in Portland now. Leah had moved to California with her boyfriend and seemed as happy as I think she was capable of being. For Christmas, with all of us paired off, Charlie and Sue had just decided we would have the Swan celebration the next weekend over the New Year holiday. It worked beautifully for everyone.

I dropped a kiss on my dad's cheek, then continued on to the kitchen, where I found my kids begging for snacks from their grandmothers.

"Guys, we are going to be eating dinner in an hour, you do not need a snack. Go tell Gramps and Papa hello, then go find your cousins," I said as I walked into the room, sending them on their way.

"Hello, dear."

"Hi, sweetheart," Sue and Esme spoke at the same time.

"Hi, you need any help?" I asked as I peered over Esme's shoulder to see the goodness simmering on the stove.

"No, we have it under control," Esme said.

I shrugged, then sat at the island in case they needed me and chatted until it was time to gather up the kids for dinner.

Two hours later, we were all stuffed from the delicious meal and had gathered in the family room waiting on the older kids to pass out all the presents. Tyler was sitting near the tree pulling gifts out and handing them off to Kate and Maggie to deliver to the appropriate person. I was sitting cross-legged on the floor with Liam in my lap, while Edward was trying to contain Charlie who was bouncing on the floor in front of him. I shook my head and laughed at his futile efforts to calm her. I looked across the room at Rose and Emmett, sitting with their two little ones. Rose was sitting on the floor like I was, with Amelia waiting for her gifts in Rose's lap. Emmett was laying on his stomach next to her, with their youngest surprise, Kennedy, bouncing on his back. That girl was exactly like her daddy, in looks and behavior.

Just beyond them was the biggest shock of the last few years. Jasper and Alice were sitting on the loveseat, where Alice held a sleeping baby boy snuggled in a blanket. William Carlisle Whitlock was named after both of his grandfathers and had been a complete surprise to all who knew his mother. Alice had been adamant since we were all kids that she didn't want children of her own. She'd been a doting aunt since her first nephew had arrived, but she'd made no secret of the fact that she liked sending them home at the end of the day. I had known Jasper for so long, but I'd never realized he hadn't shared her feelings until they'd announced they were expecting. Apparently, having a child was one of the things Jasper had given up on for Alice, but after a couple of years of therapy, he had expressed his desire to Alice for a child of their own, and after some time, she had agreed. It had taken them almost three years to conceive, and I'll admit, I had been a little nervous about Alice becoming a mother, due to her tendency for drama and self-centeredness, but she had surprised us all. Alice was a beautiful mother, and baby Will had brought a sense of peace and calm that I'd never seen in her.

Alice and I still weren't quite as close as we had been when we were younger, but we had a good relationship, as did she and Edward. She had made great strides in regaining our trust over the years, and I now couldn't even remember the last time I'd feared some sort of out drama from her. The Cullen clan was as close as ever and I was grateful every day for my place in the family.

Opening gifts was just as chaotic as you'd expect with this crew of ten adults and eight kids. Especially when those kids were spoiled rotten. It was insane, but I couldn't be any happier if I tried.

"What are you smiling about?" Edward asked softly as we sat and watched the kids play with all their new things.

"Just thinking about how crazy this bunch is, and how much I love every second of it. Thank you for giving me this life," I said as I turned my head to press a kiss to his lips.

"You're the one that gave me life, Bella. I was just going through the motions until you, my love."

"I guess that means we're stuck with each other," I said with a grin.

"Absolutely, because I'll never let you go," Edward said, then kissed me softly.

I leaned back in his arms and turned back to watch our family all around us and looked forward to the years to come. I was content with the knowledge that we had forever to go, but I also knew forever would never be enough.

Author's Note:

This is it, officially! I still have an outtake or two in the works, but I've been struggling. I will post them separately when finished, and I'm going to mark this one complete. I have another story or three floating around in my brain as well, so I hope you'll leave me on alert and check them out when I start posting. Thank you all again for such a wonder welcome into this community!

bbeth