Alexander Anthony Cullen came into the world roaring his tiny little lion lungs out, in the middle of the night, only days after the first anniversary of his parents meeting.

Edward had been convinced that his baby was a girl, and one who would look exactly like a tiny version of her beautiful Mama. Just as they had discussed, and in his mind - jinxed themselves with - while they danced at The Manor as the clock ticked over midnight, on his twenty seventh birthday.

He had even wanted to have his suspicions confirmed during the scans that Bella had to have to check on the baby. But he'd been easily swayed by his beautiful pouting girlfriend, when she asked so prettily if they could just wait because she wanted a surprise.

He personally thought that they got enough of that, when they discovered she was pregnant.

But he was powerless to say no to her.

"So... Two lines is positive?" He asked again.

She had already told him it was, and he already knew before she had taken the little plastic stick and pee'd on it anyway.

But he still hadn't really been prepared to hear that he was going to be a Dad.

And he was the one more likely to be spontaneous out of the two of them, no matter the nature of how they come to be together.

Yet Bella has been oddly calm about it when he returned from ducking out to pick up the tests.

She had panicked, thrown up and cried when he gave hints to his suspicions and he had been terrified that he had genuinely fucked up, by potentially having knocked her up, a long, long time before she was ready for that particular step.

He had been more upset at the idea of her being upset, than the idea of a child they hadn't planned for.

But once she had the test in hand, a calm resolve and even a curious bit of excited and nervous energy had come over her.

"Yes, two lines is positive. Yes, I did both tests in the pack and they both say the same thing. Yes Edward, I'm pregnant and you are going to be a Daddy." She replied with no small amount of exasperation and sass.

Both of which she soothed away with an affectionate, lingering kiss to the top of his head, where she stood between his knees, as he sat staring at the test in his hand.

And he had smiled.

Because he was going to be a Daddy.

And it was all because his beautiful woman had randomly kissed him in the street one night, to save herself from the men following her.

Edward couldn't get enough of holding his son.

He still couldn't get over the shock of being handed a son.

He had genuinely expected a daughter.

He still couldn't get over the shock of seeing how tiny he was. Or how in love with him he was, within a single instant of seeing him, and hearing his pissed off yelling the moment he was free of his Mama's body...

And he thought he had known what it was to love Bella too. But he was in awe of just how much more he could be in love with Bella, as he watched her sob and hold his boy against her chest after battling so hard to bring him into the world.

She had never been more beautiful than she was in that single moment in time.

"Look at him Edward! He's so perfect. Our son."

Edward let out a rattling, painful breath as he met his beautiful girlfriends pretty blue, very wet eyes through his own tear soaked eyes. He was struck, his heart squeezing and exploding with love and pride and sheer awe.

She was beautiful and amazing, and his.

And she had given him a son, she had screamed and grunted and soaked the bed in tears and sweat. She had bled and fought harder than any warrior ever could. And it was all to bring their boy into the world.

"Do you like Alex? That's the name Lily wanted him to have if he was a boy?" She asked, only half teasing him with the idea of letting their niece name their child.

He stepped closer to his family, bending down to kiss her sweaty brow and rest a hand on the wrinkled and red and tiny form, almost aggressively attempting to latch on to his Mothers nipple.

"Alexander is actually a pretty good name. It's an old Cullen name too. He certainly looks pretty intent on getting what he wants from you, Mama." He replied, his voice cracking with emotion.

Bella huffed a tired laugh and then groaned as further pains and discomforts wracked her body, as she continued to labour through the last of the work her body needed to do, while trying to enjoy holding their baby for the first time.

Alexander Anthony Cullen... It's a good name, a strong and handsome name, fit for a tiny little lion cub." She whispered softly.

Bella lifted her face for a kiss which he gave easily, struck speechless and unwilling to deny her anything in that moment. She turned immediately to deliver one for the boy she had just named for him too.

Edward just wanted to watch him sleep for as long as he would, while his beautiful girlfriend got some much needed rest herself.

She had worked so hard, and she deserved to sleep. She had definitely earned it, while he stood around unable to do much at all.

He leaned in and pressed another kiss to the squishy skin of his baby boys hilariously wrinkly head, and breathed him in again, as he squirmed and whimpered in protest at his mean old Dad disturbing his slumber.

"Sorry Alex, but you'll need to get used to it... Daddy needs to get as many kisses and cuddles in now, because the second the hospital opens up for visiting hours, you - My Little Lion, will have to face the hordes of overbearing people who call themselves our family." Edward grinned as his tiny face scrunched up like he was annoyed at the world around him. "Feel free to let them hear you roar, so they give you back, My Son!" Edward smiled proudly at being able to call someone that. "Papa Carlisle and Mama Esme, I'm not too worried about yet - though the older you get, the more they will try to steal you off me! But it's Renee we need to watch from the get go! And maybe Grandpa Charlie too, he will be the silent stealthy one who steals you away for cuddles when no one is watching. He won't make it obvious like Papa Carlisle and Grandma Esme, so I'll need to watch him also I think."

Alex yawned and stretched in the cradle of his arms and slowly blinked unfocused eyes open.

"Hi there, did Daddy wake you up? Hmm? Sorry to tell ya buddy, Mama's the one with the great tits, not me. And she's getting some sleep for now, so hush. - Just for a little longer alright, little Birthday baby."

Edward snickered to himself at calling him that and not getting into serious trouble for it. - Of course he could excuse it, because it was presently Alexander's birthday, of course she would know that wasn't what he meant at all. But it wasn't untrue!

"So I'm wondering, what do you plan on doing for my next birthday? How do you intend on topping my photo album, and lingerie, and moving in with me... And my birthday baby?" He teased.

They were laying naked but for the blankets they had pulled onto the floor before the fire, and soaking up their post sex bliss, as well as the silence of the secluded winter wonderland, that was her families ski chalet.

He had surprised her with a week long trip, just the two of them, for her twenty second birthday, which was just the day before. It was also kind of doubling as one of those ridiculously dubbed baby moons.

Being that she was rather rapidly rounding with his child, and the opportunities to get away for any length of time again before she had the baby were running thin. He had wanted to have this time for just them, and give her a good break where she could just relax and let him spoil her.

He rested his hand over the adorable bump that was home to his kicking baby and grinned.

"Birthday bab- Edward Anthony Cullen! Our child is not your birthday present!" She squeaked indignantly and slapped his shoulder.

"Of course he is. I put him in you on my birthday, so he's my birthday present! And I've gotta say Love, that's a hell of a gift to top!" He challenged her with a wicked smile.

"Oh stop it! You don't know that! It could have been any day in that week, and any number of different times we had sex in that timeframe! Besides! It's my birthday now - so how are you going to top it for me, hmm My Charming."

Edward huffed a breathy laugh, at her grumbling and at her obvious challenge, he leaned down to taste her pretty pink lips.

"Your birthday was yesterday, and I believe I spoiled you quite well! Breakfast in bed, candle lit dinner - and playing in the cold ass snow! Keys for the new car waiting for you at home, - I even let Angela take a few photos of me in return for your own! And she slapped my naked ass Bella! I endure assault for your birthday presents!" - He exclaimed in faux insult. Edward kissed her again as she giggled, distracting himself from his nerves and giving himself a minute to prepare. "But if you insist on me topping a birthday baby?"

He cleared his throat and pulled back enough to study her, while his hand shot out of their cocoon to dig in the pocket of his trousers blindly.

Edward licked his lips nervously as she stared at him curiously, and a bit suspiciously too, as his fingers found what he had been carrying around since the day before, when he had randomly decided to hold off until he had a more natural feeling opening instead of giving it to her on her birthday like he had planned.

"Maybe I can just ask you to marry me?" He sat the box holding his mother's engagement ring on her sternum, and smiled nervously at her wide eyes.

"Edward... I... Oh God! Really?" She asked excitedly through her tears.

Edward huffed a breathy, nervous laugh and nodded. "Really... I think I've known it since that very first kiss Bella... You are my everything, and I want to have everything with you... So, if you'll have me, I'd like to be your happily ever after."

Edward swallowed nervously and then startled as she rolled with far too much ease for someone six months pregnant. She pushed until he was on his back and she was straddling his belly, naked, round and full with his baby, and so very lovely to look up at.

She opened the box and beamed down at him before nodding shyly and handing it to him to slip on her finger.

"I want to be yours too... So yes... I will marry you!" She squeaked between huffing sobs.

She bit her lip and blushed beautifully as he laced their hands together and kissed her knuckle around his mothers - now her ring.

"You already are my happily ever after Baby."

Bella took in the sight of her husband to be, chatting softly to their beautiful baby boy.

Her heart was so full and so happy, that she couldn't help the stray tears that slipped free.

She had thought she was all cried out, and she had thought that she was exhausted and sore enough to sleep for days without end.

Yet there she was, wide awake and tearing up again, at being faced with the image of the love of her life cradling their son, and speaking to him so softly that she could barely hear it, as the sun started to lift into the sky on his very first day in the world.

She was simply overcome with how much love she could feel.

A year beforehand she had randomly kissed a complete stranger. She had been terrified, lost and desperately needing help.

And Edward had been there.

That kiss had led her to that very moment.

Engaged.

A brand new Mama.

Completely, irrevocably and unapologetically in love with her boys.

That single split second, crazy decision to approach him with a kiss, had given her her very own happily ever after.

And it was right in front of her eyes.

"Hi Love."

She whispered, and smiled widely at the look of sheer happiness on his face when he looked up at her.

"Hey there Beautiful."