Life

One year later...

"Bella, if you don't hurry up, things are going to get really ugly," my mom warned me from outside the bathroom door.

"I'm trying!" yelled back, a little more snappy than I intended.

"Oop, too late," I heard Renée say, and I knew exactly what she meant.

"Isabella Swan! You get your pretty butt out here before I have Emmett break down the door!" Alice yelled. "And you better not be taking off any of that makeup I put on you," she warned.

"Ok, ok, I'm ready," I said and opened the door slowly.

"Oh, Bella, you look…" Renée couldn't finish, she just started crying, unable to talk.

"Thanks," I said, trying to console her. It was my wedding day, and there I was, in my classic position of trying to console my mother. I guess some things never changed.

"Come on, Bella, I know you weren't in there pooping, so come clean. What did you take off?" Alice asked me accusingly.

"Nothing," I said, but she glared at me. "Okay, just a little foundation. It was caked on and making me feel itchy. Besides, you couldn't even tell," I defended myself.

She stared at me for a moment, and then sighed. "Okay, you're still beautiful. Let's go get you married."

My dad was outside the room waiting to walk me down the aisle, and when I approached him, he grabbed my hand and wove it through his arm. "Ready?"

"Definitely," I said without hesitation.

We stepped into the tiny elevator and my dad pulled the lever, so with a jolt we went up. When we got to the top, the door opened and I couldn't help but embarrassingly smile as all our family and friends stood and looked at me.

The roof garden never looked more beautiful than it did in that moment, but perhaps it had nothing to do with the flowers. As I began walking towards Edward, I could see Emmett out of the corner of my eye, and he was wearing the cheesiest grin I had ever seen. I locked eyes with each of the Cullens for a moment, and couldn't help but feel proud. Proud of how far they had come, proud of us for being able to help them, and just proud to have all them in our family.

…

After my talk with Edward at the police station, he thankfully decided he wasn't going to waste any more time with being angry. He may never fully recover from the pain of Carlisle's betrayal, but he sure as hell wasn't going to let it be in the forefront of his life or even his thoughts for a moment longer.

We immediately got to work on the enzymes, and put them into pill form so they could be taken every day. Once again, we were blessed. Our family was reunited and finally complete once and for all. It wasn't a real cure like Edward received from the stem cells, but it allowed them to lead normal, fulfilled lives.

When they were first brought back into awareness, it took a while for them to rehabilitate and adjust to their new lives. Other than their brief excursions, they had only ever really known the KRO compound, and losing Carlisle was a tough blow to each of them as well. Edward and I thought about not telling them the truth about his betrayal – he was dead, so perhaps keeping their memory of their father figure positive wouldn't be such a bad thing, however we ultimately decided to disclose everything. They weren't children, and they deserved to know what really happened. Of course they were all hurt, but like Edward, they decided their new lease on life was a gift they weren't willing to tarnish with anger.

We told them they could do whatever they wanted, go wherever, be whoever, but surprisingly, they all just wanted to go home. So, as soon as their physical therapy was complete, we took them back to Italy…. and one week after that, they were over it and ready to move back to Arizona.

We all lived in Phoenix together in a big seven bedroom house. We continued to legally research and do experiments to find cures for various diseases, but Edward and I also worked for a living at the hospital with Dr. El. It was great working with real patients, and it allowed us to earn money while doing what we loved.

The Cullens actually all got jobs as well. Rosalie volunteered at the hospital working with the children, Emmett followed my dad around the Phoenix police station, where he transferred to from Forks, and Alice opened a little boutique with my mother.

Jasper's parents finally came and visited him. They were beyond grateful, and as a thank you for helping their son, they offered to continue to fund our lab indefinitely so that others may possibly find cures for their loved ones as well. Jasper was friendly to his parents and wanted to keep in touch, but his life was with Alice, so he had no desire to move to Texas the way his father had hoped. Jazz spent his days painting, and he even sold a few for a rather large sum. He just loved color and nature, so any normal job would have been too confining for him.

Aro and Keller were arrested, and the KRO property was reconstructed into a large school of research, owned and operated by the Italian government. But as a special thank you for removing the 'corrupt company', as the officials called it, they promised to keep Edward's garden intact, and that's where we decided to get married. So much negative happened at that compound, but so much greatness happened there as well, and that garden was a perfect representation of those miracles.

…

After seeing all the Cullen's, I noticed Edward's parents sitting with my mother and Angela in the front row. Carmen was behind them, holding hands with Dr. El, and next to them were Kate, Garrett, and Amun. We left empty spots for Bree and Jessica, and although we'd always miss them, it was a happy day and we weren't going to let anything get in the way of that.

Last, and most importantly, at the end of the aisle, I saw Edward, who had the biggest smile I had ever seen on him.

God, he was beautiful.

Every tme I looked at him he just took my breath away, and that day was no different. I couldnt even tell what he was wearing because it was hard to peel my eyes off of his perfect face, and when I finally managed to do so, I saw our daughter.

Charlize was supposed to be the flower girl, but she was still such a daddy's girl that she refused to leave his side. He had been holding her, but when I got closer, he put her down so she clung to his leg.

Edward took my hands, and as the minister began the ceremony, everyone else disappeared. In that moment, it was just Edward and me…. and Charlize, of course, alone in our love. Everything we had been through to get there – every tear shed, every trying moment, every battle we lost - it had all been worth it.

I wasn't just marrying my best friend and father of my child, I was marrying my soul. He and I were always meant to be together. Even as children, when it seemed impossible because of the disease that separated us, he was always where my heart lived.

Whether miracles were gifts from god, or scientific anomalies, it didn't really matter. I was grateful, and I'd never take any of it for granted. With all of the world's questions and uncertainties, there was one thing I was absolutely sure of - Life, was the greatest miracle of all.

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***A/N: This story is now complete, but I may post additional scenes or outtakes in the future so please follow me if you haven't already. Thank you!