A/N: Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight. The plot and story herein is property of the author.

As always a huge thank you, really more than I can even express, to Jessica1971. Over the course of this journey she has become much, much more to me than the beta for MMB. I'm proud to say that she is my friend. Thank you darlin' for all that you do for me. *hugs*

So here it is the epilogue for Make Me Believe. I'm not going to take up space here and I'll let you get on with the story but please check out the A/N at the bottom.

Epilogue

Seven years later…

EPOV

"Bella," I called, not receiving an answer as I made my way out of the kitchen and headed down the hallway toward Johnathan's room.

As I pushed the door to his room open and stuck my head inside, a breath caught in my chest at the sight that greeted me.

In all the years Bella and I had been together, there was no point of reference for comparison of the level of joy which rushed through my system at seeing my wife curled up in bed with our little boy. Johnathan was snuggled in close to her side, both of them sound asleep.

Crossing the room and trying not to wake her, I gently removed the book Bella had been reading to Johnathan from her hand. I smiled as I sat it on the bedside table. The story of Ferdinand was Johnathan's favorite book. No matter how many times he heard it, he always wanted to read it again. I turned back to the bed and bent to kiss Bella on the forehead.

Pulling back, I leaned over and took a deep breath as I pressed my nose into my little boy's hair and kissed him as well.

There were no words to describe how precious these two people were to me.

There was something about the whole scene that brought me an immeasurable amount of peace; though it felt a bit voyeuristic at times, I couldn't find it in me to not do it often.

I always enjoyed watching Bella sleep, and now to do that with my son as well was simply indescribable. The two of them were so much alike and, seeing them in sleep, the similarities were stunning.

Though Johnathan's hair was not quite as dark as Bella's, it was similar. The shape of his eyes and brow were Bella's, although the color was exactly the same green as mine.

It warmed my heart as I watched Johnathan to see the resemblance to his mother while he lay there sleeping. I brushed a gentle finger over his rounded little cheek and felt the same burning in my chest that occurred every time I looked at my son.

I stood and rounded the bed to settle in the rocking chair where Bella and I had spent more nights than I could count rocking Johnathan as an infant. He still liked to sit and rock as we told him stories or read books to him, but said he was too big to be rocked to sleep because 'that was baby stuff'.

Stretching my legs out in front of me, I smiled as I laced my fingers behind my head and leaned back in the chair to watch them sleep for a little while.

Today was Johnathan's third birthday. The party Bella put together was a rousing success and, to my chagrin, the boy received more toys than it would ever be possible to actually use. The sheer number of Matchbox cars and Breyer horses was enough to fill our life with the horrors of stepping on the damn things in the middle of the night for years to come.

The memories of how we fought to bring Johnathan into the world began flipping through my mind, and I felt the smile pull even wider across my face.

I would like to say it had all been a piece of cake, but it was far from it. Bella and I decided soon after our wedding that we wanted to try to find a surrogate and start our family. Bella began the search by contacting Connie at Dr. Gonzalez's office to get the name of reputable surrogate services.

After calling a few of the companies Connie provided contacts for, Bella was more than frustrated with the information she gathered. The legal jargon mumbo jumbo and red tape hoops you had to jump through were much more than we ever realized. Honestly, it was more than a bit overwhelming.

The fact that the baby would be ours biologically but that Bella would still be required to adopt the child after it was born was somewhat frightening, though the surrogate was technically no relation at all.

It was a very real fear that by using a stranger to carry our child, we would have to fight for custody after everything was said and done. Just the thought of going through everything to bring a baby into the world, only to have it possibly ripped away from us, almost convinced me that we needed to revisit the option of possibly adopting an older child and not an infant.

Even with the fear and frustrations, we made appointments with two different companies to meet surrogates.

Before either of those appointments could be kept, we received a phone call from Rosalie asking if she and Emmett could come over to talk.

Bella and I were both shocked when Rosalie volunteered to be our surrogate.

Rosalie assured us that she had already discussed the possibility with Dr. Gonzalez and he had given her the green light. Her pregnancy with Garrett had been less than stellar, but Abbey had been a breeze for all intents and purposes. She was only a year older than Bella, so her age didn't put her at any higher risk than if Bella were carrying the child herself.

Though we were hesitant to agree, I couldn't deny the thrill that shot through me knowing that all the fears Bella and I shared about losing our child in the court system would be completely alleviated if Rosalie was our surrogate.

Bella called and made an appointment with Dr. Gonzalez for the four of us to meet with him to discuss the risks and what the procedures entailed.

The appointment was overwhelming as he described that Bella and Rosalie would both be put on hormone therapy. Bella would have to endure a painful procedure to harvest the eggs to be used for the in-vitro. The eggs would be fertilized, and after a few days growth inside a petri dish, the embryo would be implanted inside Rosalie's womb.

Rosalie had to endure a similar hormone therapy to ready her body for the implantation, as it wouldn't happen as a normal pregnancy would have occurred.

After making it through the first attempt, they began the procedure hoping to have at least a few embryos after fertilization that would be viable. The more that were implanted, the greater the likelihood that one would actually take root and become our baby, for lack of a better term.

It made me somewhat queasy realizing how similar the procedures were to what I did with our mares on the ranch.

When we found out Rosalie wasn't pregnant after the first procedure, it was devastating, but we were resolved to try again. After the second failed implantation, Bella fell apart and it took everything in me not to follow right along with her.

If the months of being on an emotional rollercoaster ride from the hormone injections weren't enough to drive her over the edge, the initial failed attempts to harvest viable eggs for the in-vitro procedure, then finally having embryos that would be implanted followed by Rosalie not becoming pregnant even after the second procedure, finally sent Bella careening into the abyss.

We were both a mess when we returned home from the meeting with Dr. Gonzalez, Rose and Emmett.

It took a few hours before Bella calmed down so we could discuss what had happened and whether we wanted to continue trying to have a baby.

I wasn't sure putting Rosalie and Bella through yet another round of injections and painful procedures was worth the heartache. As much as I wanted a child, I didn't know if I could see Bella get her hopes up, or myself for that matter, just to feel the crushing disappointment yet again when the results came back weeks later that it was unsuccessful.

Adoption was very much an option that both of us were willing to pursue and we discussed at least checking into the requirements. But a decision about whether to continue with one more in-vitro procedure still loomed over us.

The decision was made for us when Rosalie and Emmett showed up at our house later that same night.

I sat in my chair holding Bella in my lap as Emmett and Rosalie entered the family room. Emmett had called my cell shortly before to let me know they were coming over and wanted to talk.

"Listen," Rosalie said, taking a seat next to Emmett on the sofa as he wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders. "I know what you're thinking, Bella, and you can just cut that shit out right now. I told you when we went into this thing that we were going to get you a baby. We're both perfectly healthy and there's no reason-," Bella cut her off before she could finish.

"Rosalie, we can't keep asking you to put your body through this…." Bella trailed off as a strangled sob shook her shoulders.

I tightened my arms around her, pulling her more firmly into my chest and pressing my lips to the top of her head.

"Bella, that's just ridiculous. You're going through it, as well, and are you ready to stop doing it?" Rosalie asked, nailing Bella with a determined look.

"No," she sighed into my chest.

"Okay, then. We do it again and it's going to work this time. I know it," Rosalie smiled at me and then looked back at Bella. "It's going to work."

Thankfully, Rosalie was right and the third procedure was a success. I laughed quietly as I thought about how no matter which way you looked at the situation, on some level the whole thing sounded like an episode of Jerry Springer. My sister-in-law was carrying my child. I mean, really? Regardless of the logistics of the situation, it was weird.

Though it struck me as a bit strange that my child was conceived in a petri dish, I was simply honored that Rosalie, and Emmett for that matter, was willing to go to such lengths to give us the gift of our child.

Bella's voice brought me back to the present and I smiled as Bella looked at me over the sleeping form of our son.

"Hi," she said, shifting slightly on the bed as Johnathan snuggled deeper into her body.

"Hi," I smiled, moving to lie down behind Johnathan.

Thank God we put a full size bed in his room instead of the toddler bed we considered.

I reached over to tuck a lock of Bella's hair behind her ear. She sighed, closing her eyes for a moment as I curled my hand around her neck, threading my fingers into her hair.

"What were you thinking about?" she asked, smiling sleepily as she ran her fingers through Johnathan's hair.

"Lots of things," I said, shifting onto my elbow and leaning across Johnathan's body so I could bring my lips to hers. "Mostly I was thinking about how very blessed I am to have you and this little boy in my life."

Bella smiled, looking deep into my eyes.

"I love you," she breathed and pressed her lips to mine again.

"Mmm, I love you, too, sweetheart," I murmured against her lips as I pulled back slightly.

"He's a special little boy," Bella said, looking back at Johnathan's sleeping form. "I can't believe he's already three. It seems like just yesterday he was born."

I chuckled, "I know, he's getting so big."

I settled down into the pillow, curling my arm under my head and running my free hand down over Bella's shoulder to drape easily on her waist. I traced lazy circles on the skin of her lower back where her shirt had ridden up slightly as my mind drifted to the day I met the second love of my life.

"Edward…" Bella's voice floated to me from somewhere very far away.

"Edward," she said more insistently and I felt her hand on my shoulder.

I groaned, rolling over and slowly opening my eyes to be met by Bella's wide eyed stare, her lip trembling slightly and tears building quickly atop her bottom lid.

"It's time," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

I felt my brow furrow in confusion as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes.

"Time for what, baby? What are you talking about?" I asked, my voice thick with sleep as I blinked a few times slowly and rolled to turn on the lamp beside the bed.

I groaned and squeezed my eyes closed as the room was awash in light before turning back to see Bella seemingly frozen in time.

"Bella," I said, reaching out to cup her cheek. "Baby, what's wrong?"

"Edward," she squeaked. "It's time."

"Time?" I asked again. As the words left my mouth, I realized what she was saying and my eyes went wide with shock. "Oh, shit! Are you serious?"

Bella only nodded as I jumped out of bed, grabbing my jeans from the chair where I had thrown them before climbing into bed a few hours earlier.

Crossing to the dresser, I grabbed the first T-shirt I could find and threw it over my head before grabbing a pair of socks.

"Bella," I said, turning to see that she sat still as stone on the side of our bed, her feet dangling just above the floor, a completely blank look upon her face.

"Bella, honey, are you okay?" I asked as I crossed back to the bed.

I knelt between her thighs, reaching up to frame her face in the palms of my hands, but when she met my eyes it felt as though she were looking through me, not actually at me.

"Bella, baby, look at me," I said.

A tiny whimper escaped her as she finally seemed to focus on me and a large tear slid from the corner of her eye.

I jumped to my feet, pulling her into my arms and holding her as a sob racked her body.

"Oh God, Edward," she cried, her words muffled as she buried her face in my chest. "I'm so scared."

"Shh….it's okay, baby. Everything's going to be just fine. Shhh," I said, running a hand over her back soothingly.

The journey toward reaching this moment had taken its toll on Bella, and it was never more evident than at that moment. I felt the stinging of tears in my own eyes as I tightened my arms around her shaking body and buried my nose in her hair, taking a deep breath, struggling with the tenuous hold on my own emotions.

"I'm terrified, Edward," she whispered. "I'm so……excited, but, what if-"

"No," I cut her off. Pulling back, I grasped her shoulders and looked deep into her eyes. "Do not do that, Bella. Nothing is going to happen to our baby or to Rosalie. Do you hear me?"

Bella stared at me for a long moment, searching my face for any sign that I didn't fully believe the words I spoke. As she seemed to find the answer she was looking for, a smile began to spread across her beautiful face, replacing the look of utter terror that had been there only a moment ago.

I continued to hold her gaze until she whispered her acquiescence before she pressed her face into my chest once again.

I felt her arms snake around my waist, her hands curling in the fabric of my T-shirt at my back as she nodded and released a heavy sigh.

"Good girl," I said, pressing my lips to the top of her head and mumbling into her hair, "Now, get dressed mommy so we can go meet our son."

She pulled back suddenly, looking up into my eyes once again as if the term surprised her; the smile that spread across her face was like the dawning of the morning sun.

I smiled and felt my heart slam against my chest at the light that brightened her eyes as she realized that our little boy was about to enter the world. The sweetest little giggle fell from her lips.

"You're going to be a daddy," she said, tipping her head back to rest her chin in the center of my chest as she grinned up at me.

I blinked as the words washed over my body.

It wasn't possible for the smile on my face to get bigger than at that very moment and I nodded, "Yeah….I am."

I looked at the love of my life, my wife, and suddenly it dawned on me that we were still standing in our bedroom.

"Bella, baby…um, if you don't get dressed, we're going to miss the birth of our son," I said, smiling down at the beautiful woman in my arms.

"Oh my God!" Bella jumped out of my arms and streaked across the room, throwing off her pajamas as she made her way to the dresser.

Throwing on a pair of yoga pants and a tank top, she flew into the bathroom only to emerge a few moments later with her hair piled on top of her head and a bewildered look on her face.

"Edward, hurry up. Our baby is waiting, we have to go," she said breathlessly as she slipped on a pair of flip-flops and ran from the room.

I laughed, shaking my head as I followed close behind her.

Once we arrived at the hospital, we made our way to the labor and delivery unit and were directed to Rosalie's room.

Rosalie was hooked up to the fetal monitor, an IV, and, thankfully, an epidural since she was in full blown labor at that point.

Emmett was at her side, holding her hand as a contraction gripped her.

Bella rushed across the room to Rosalie's opposite side, taking her free hand in hers and whispering in her ear.

I made my way to the head of Rosalie's bed and stood back, watching the events play out as Doctor Gonzalez entered the room.

Following close behind was Connie, who smiled warmly at me with a wink as she started handing out gowns to everyone in the room and instructing us that if we were going to be standing around, we might as well be ready for the baby.

It was then that I realized just how close Rosalie was to delivering my son. My eyes widened as Dr. Gonzalez settled on a stool at the end of the bed and began giving Rosalie gentle instructions on what he needed her to do.

Though we had been at the hospital when Abbey was born, I wasn't in the room to witness the birth and I was suddenly overwhelmed with the magnitude of what was happening before me. I closed my eyes briefly as I felt the weight of the event settle across my shoulders and said a silent prayer for Rosalie and my baby.

I watched as Emmett and Bella supported Rosalie, speaking quietly to her as she worked through the contractions, pushing when she was told and stopping when asked.

The things that Bella and Rosalie endured over the last year were a testament to how strong they each truly were. Up to that moment I only thought I knew just how strong and capable they each were, but as I watched my son being born, any and all previous notions of my understanding were thrown completely out the window.

I developed a whole new respect for the sacrifices they each made to bring this child into the world. I was unashamed as I felt the warm tears falling down my cheeks when the cries of my little boy rang out in the room.

Rosalie relaxed back against Emmett as he held her, speaking to her in a voice that only she could hear.

"Oh, God," Bella said, sucking in a breath as Dr. Gonzalez held up a squirming, screaming infant.

I placed my hands on Bella's shoulders and pulled her back into my chest, wrapping my arms around her from behind as her body began to shake in a sob.

Dr. Gonzalez quickly laid the baby on Rosalie's abdomen before looking at me. "Would you like to cut the cord, daddy?"

My heart seized in my chest at the sight of my son. The realization that I truly was a father hit me full force, square in the chest.

I nodded mutely and made my way around Bella.

Reaching out with a shaking hand, I took the surgical scissors from a smiling Connie as Dr. Gonzalez placed the clamp around the base of the umbilical cord.

"Congratulations, all of you," Dr. Gonzalez said. As soon as I had cut through the cord, he handed off my son to another nurse who wrapped him in a blanket and whisked him over to a separate area to be weighed and cleaned up while he turned back to care for Rosalie.

When the nurse brought the baby back to us and placed him in Bella's arms, I literally felt my knees buckle at the sight of my wife holding our child.

Bella looked up at me with a brilliant smile on her face as the tears ran unchecked down her cheeks.

"Oh God, Edward, he's so beautiful," she whispered. "He's absolutely perfect."

I nodded, unable to speak with the emotions raging inside me at the moment. I wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her into my side and staring down at the face of our angel.

It was the same face I looked at now, a little more full, but still the face of an angel.

"That was one of the happiest days of my life," Bella whispered.

"Yeah… mine, too….outside of the day you finally became mine," I said.

Bella cupped my face in her palm and looked into my eyes. "I've always been yours, Edward."

Though I knew it was true, it didn't stop my breath from hitching in my chest at her declaration.

Bella and I had always belonged to one another. The day she walked down the aisle toward me and promised to always be mine was one of my most precious memories.

BPOV

I laid down with Johnathan to read his favorite book after getting him ready for bed.

Although we had read The Story of Ferdinand at least thirty times, he loved it, always giggling when Ferdinand sat on the bee and got stung on the behind.

We must have dozed off while reading, because I awoke sometime later to find Edward sitting in the rocking chair watching us sleep with a peaceful smile on his face.

Even after all the years we had been together, just one look from him could take my breath away. It wasn't just that he was stunningly handsome, because that was a given, but there was something more to his whole demeanor now. It wasn't the years that were starting to make their presence known in the slight lightening of his hair just at the temples; there was a peace Edward carried now which was never there before.

When we were younger, there was always something just under the surface. He was….restless - always searching and never truly at ease.

All that seemed to have changed in the years since we married, becoming even more pronounced after Johnathan was born.

I knew without a doubt that he would move heaven and earth to make sure Johnathan and I had everything we could possibly ever want or need. He had proven just how far he was willing to go during the time we were trying to conceive.

I felt a smile spread across my face as our eyes met.

My smile only widened when Edward joined us on the bed, scooting in behind Johnathan and running a gentle hand over my shoulder down to rest comfortably on my waist.

My eyes fluttered closed as he gently traced a pattern over the skin of my lower back.

Running my fingers absently through my baby's hair, I opened my eyes to met Edward's gaze. I could see he had something on his mind and had thought about whatever it was while he watched us sleep. When I asked him about it, my heart skipped a beat when he told me he was remembering the day Johnathan was born.

It was hard to believe he was already three years old.

There were very few days in my life that I could say I was as happy as the day my little boy graced us with his beautiful presence.

The battle to get Johnathan here wasn't an easy one, but thank God for Rosalie and the fact that she was as tenacious as a pit-bull and doggedly refused to give up, especially when I was on the verge of throwing in the towel. She pulled me out of my pity party and steeled my resolve with her determination to help us.

"That was one of the happiest days of my life," I said, my voice barely a whisper, not wanting to wake Johnathan.

"Yeah… mine, too….outside of the day you finally became mine," Edward murmured, his eyes burning with their intensity.

My heart stuttered in my chest at his words and I reached out to caress his cheek, reminding him that I was always his. There was absolutely nowhere else I ever wanted to be.

"I had never seen anything so beautiful in my life as when I saw you walking toward me that day," he said, closing his eyes briefly as if he were reliving the moment.

"Well, I have to tell you, you looked pretty handsome yourself," I said, smiling as he shifted to lean over Johnathan once more and pressing his lips to mine.

"Yeah, whatever," he snorted. "That suit was hot as he-" I quirked an eyebrow at him and he stopped the curse word that was about to come out of his mouth and smirked at me. "You know what I meant."

I covered my mouth, trying not to laugh out loud.

We had recently had a discussion about our language around Johnathan, not that either of us cursed that much. I just had no desire for my child's vocabulary to be that of a miniature sailor, so we made a deal to be as careful as possible and for each slip we put a dollar in a jar.

It irked Edward to no end that the large majority of the money in the half filled jar at the present moment was from him.

"And you made sure everybody knew you weren't happy about wearing it," I teased.

He rolled his eyes but smiled despite himself.

The images from Edward's proposal and our wedding a few months later were as vivid in my memory as they were the day they happened.

After returning from Italy, we made the official engagement announcement to the family. It seemed I was the only one who wasn't aware Edward planned on proposing while we were on vacation.

Edward had said numerous times over the months after he came home to me and we reunited that he was going ask me to marry him. I knew eventually he would get around to it, but when he did…..it simply stunned me with its intensity and beauty.

The sweetness of his words as we stood on what felt like the top of the world, surrounded by the majesty of the Dolomite Mountains, at the banks of that lake, were more than I could have even possibly dreamed of receiving. His promises and acknowledgements melted me to the core. He laid his heart bare and, as if he didn't already own every part of me, my very soul called out to his as he looked up at me from bended knee. There was no way I could have ever given him any answer except yes.

I snickered quietly and Edward looked at me, quirking an eyebrow questioningly.

I shook my head, trying to choke back the giggles. "I was just thinking about how mad Alice was that I refused to have some huge soiree for our wedding."

Edward closed his eyes and groaned, but my favorite crooked grin was fully on his face.

"Oh lord, I don't think I've ever seen her turn that particular shade of red," he chuckled.

I shook my head as I thought about the fight Alice and I had over that very subject, especially when I found out she had already begun planning everything while we were in Italy.

I loved the little squirt, but there were times when she put the cart before a whole herd of horses.

Having already done the big traditional wedding when Tyler and I got married, I had no desire to do that again, though the type of ceremony had nothing to do with how wrong everything about that marriage was.

I wanted to keep things small and very simple, nothing more than our closest friends and family in attendance. Most importantly I wanted it to be held at our home.

There was nowhere I wanted to be joined with Edward forever more than in our backyard under the big oak tree.

The shade of that tree was one of the very few places I had found peace and solace when my first marriage was in shambles. It was where I had gone to pray or just empty my mind after I lost Carlie. It was also the place where Edward came to me when I was falling apart after finding out Rosalie was pregnant with Abbey.

It was the one place which had been a constant when I felt like my life was spinning out of control. I wanted to hold the ceremony in that spot… for it to be where Edward and I finally became one.

Edward and I knew we didn't want a long engagement. Honestly, if it had been possible, and if our families wouldn't have killed us for doing so, I would have dragged him to the nearest official we could find and married him right there in Cortina the day he proposed.

After a very heated discussion and consulting calendars, including the ranch foaling schedule, we set the date of our wedding for mid April. This somewhat appeased Alice and also ensured the foaling season would be finished. Most of the foals were to be born by late March, so the April date gave us a few extra weeks just in case.

We had gone a tiny bit traditional in that Edward and I did not spend our last night before the wedding together. He stayed with his parents that night, which I remembered thinking it wasn't such a great idea when I woke up all alone that morning.

The day of the ceremony dawned a beautiful spring morning. The pinks and purples began to light up the horizon as I rolled over to check the clock at our bedside.

"Why exactly did I agree to send Edward to his parent's house last night," I groaned, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

"Because you wanted to give the allusion of tradition." A small voice rang out from behind me and I turned my head to see Alice's smiling face beaming back at me.

"Good morning, Alice," I said, returning her smile.

"Good morning, Bella," she said. "So how are you feeling this morning?"

"Mmmm," I sighed, stretching my arms high above my head and feeling the bones crack in my spine. "I just wish it were already over with. I've waited for this day for a long time."

"I know you have, Bella." Her smile never faltered, but a sad look flashed behind her eyes as she nodded before launching into full on organizer mode. "Okay, so we have an appointment at seven forty-five for hair and makeup, which should put us back here by nine-thirty. The photographer will be here at ten to begin doing the boys' pictures. He's not going to do your pictures until after the ceremony, but we need to get our butts in gear and get out of here."

We were both showered and heading out the door to meet Rosalie at the salon forty minutes later with coffee and pastries in hand, courtesy of my dear sweet fiancé who had gotten up early to go to the bakery and then had his mother bring them over to us.

I called Edward as I settled into the passenger seat of Alice's Porsche Cayenne.

"Good morning, darlin', did you sleep well?" I felt the familiar tug in my chest as Edward's voice, smooth as silk, slid over the line.

"Good morning to you, and yes I did, but I would have slept better had you been with me," I sighed, a smile spreading over my face.

"Mmm, well had I been there, you wouldn't have been sleeping," he growled.

I heard a deep, throaty chuckle when I whimpered at his words and I shot a look at Alice in the driver's seat as she raised an eyebrow.

"I suppose that's the reason for the whole not spending the night before our wedding together, huh?" he teased.

"Yeah, I guess so," I giggled. "Edward, thank you for the pastries, they're wonderful. Alice and I are scarfing them down as we speak."

"You're welcome, sweetheart. You guys on the way to the salon?" he asked.

"Mmhmm," I hummed around a huge bite of cheese danish. "We have to be there by seven-forty-five, I guess so they can work their magic and make me beautiful for you later this morning."

"Mmm, well they don't have to do a thing, baby, you're perfect. I love how you look when I wake in the morning with my kisses to your back and my hands on your body, your skin gets all flushed with the most beautiful shade of pink and your hair is all crazy. You have that sexy sleepy smile on your face. Those people can't improve on perfection, darlin'."

"Ungg…Edward, you need to stop that," I whispered into the phone, gaining another deep, sexy chuckle from him.

"Alright, baby, I'll see you in a few hours," he said, releasing a heavy sigh.

"Yeah, I'll see you at eleven, back yard, under the big oak tree. You'll know which one is me; I'll have the flowers and the dress."

Edward chuckled, "I'm pretty sure I'll be able to pick you out. I'll be the one in the god awful hot ass suit down front waiting for you."

I laughed as, once again, Edward didn't let an opportunity go by to let it be known how much he really didn't want to wear the particular suit that had been picked out for him.

"I love you," I said on a laugh.

"Love you, too, baby," he said before we said our good-byes and hung up.

The next few hours were a whirlwind of activity. By the time we returned to my house, it was like a completely different place than the one we had left just hours before. The entire area had been transformed into a page out of my most vivid fantasy of what I wanted for our wedding.

My mother and Esme were on site doling out instructions like General's leading their troops into battle. It really was amazing to watch those two pull everything together; even for a simple ceremony there was quite a bit to be accomplished.

I should have known everything would be exactly as I dreamed, but what I wasn't expecting was for it to be better than anything I could have hoped for.

Elegant white chairs with a wide aisle in the middle were set up in a semi-circle facing the big oak tree. Off to the side of the house were several long tables with white linens, a champagne colored silk runner laid along the center. The solid wood chairs were straight back and mismatched, lending a whimsical eclectic feel to the scene.

There were beautiful crystal vases filled with red Gerbera Daisies set at equal intervals along the length of the table, with small tea light candles circling the centerpieces. The place settings were white china, silver, and crystal.

So, okay, there were a few areas that I agreed for there to be a bit more frills… and honestly, I couldn't have been more pleased with that decision.

I slipped into my dress, a very simple off-white silk chemise, and smiled as I stepped in front of the full length mirror in my room.

My hair hung down my back in large curls, and since I wouldn't be wearing any type of veil, one small section of bangs was pulled back with a crystal hair pin. The make-up artist had gone light with most everything, really only making my skin tone even out and hiding the freckles across my nose.

"Oh, goodness." I heard my mother's wispy voice and saw her reflection in the mirror as she stepped behind me, her hand over her mouth and tears shining in her eyes.

"Baby girl, you are truly a vision," she said, placing her hands on the top of both my arms.

A wide smile split my face as our eyes met in the mirror.

"Dear lord, child, that man is going to pass out cold when he sees you looking like this," she laughed.

The tears were burning behind my eyes and I fought to hold them back as my mother looked at me with so much love shining in her eyes.

"Bella, I am so happy for you. Edward has always been your destiny, and I can't tell you what it does for my heart that the two of you have finally made it to this day."

"Oh, momma," I said, turning to wrap her in a tight embrace.

"None of that, baby girl, you'll ruin your makeup," she said, pulling back and dabbing at my eyes with a lace handkerchief, a watery smile on her face.

Rosalie and Alice entered the room just then with similar looks on their faces.

"So, you ready to do this thing?" Rosalie asked, a wicked smile on her face.

There were many reasons I loved my sister-in-law, the fact that she could put everything into perspective with just a look was one of them.

I nodded and took my bouquet of white Gerbera Daisies from Alice before following the rest of them out of our room.

Stepping out the back door, I looked at my father, who waited on the last step to walk me down the aisle. I couldn't really say what happened over the next several seconds as everything blurred into one big hum once I took my father's arm.

As we reached the aisle that led to where Edward was waiting for me, I looked up and felt the breath catch in my chest. I had never seen Edward look more handsome - a bright white shirt and champagne colored tie stood out in stark contrast to the black three-piece suit.

I had to continue to remind myself to breathe as my father led me closer and closer to where Edward stood. It was as if all my senses were cut off suddenly, except for the tunnel vision I seemed to be suffering from. I could see no one else but Edward.

I could not hear the music which I knew was beautiful because Edward and I searched through more music than I knew existed looking for the perfect songs. There truly was nothing else in my world at that moment outside of the man standing before me.

My heart seized in my chest as my father kissed my cheek and placed my hand in Edward's.

Edward squeezed my hand and I could feel his shaking slightly as I stepped closer to him and the reverend began the ceremony we had chosen.

I didn't hear another thing until he got to the part about us writing our own vows to one another. I felt my heart slam against my ribs as I thought about all I wanted to say and knowing I would never get through it without losing my composure completely.

"Edward Anthony, you have the vows you prepared?" Reverend Samples asked, looking to Edward for confirmation.

"Yes, sir," Edward said without breaking eye contact with me.

"You can go ahead then, son," Reverend Samples chuckled lightly.

Edward cleared his throat and squeezed my hands a little tighter as he began to speak.

"Isabella Marie Swan, there are so many things that I want to share with you, so many things that I want to tell you, and there are not enough hours in a day to do all those things. Every day I find myself loving you more than the previous one. I know that there will be times in our future where you'll want to pull your hair out because of something I've done, rightly so because I have no doubt I'll drive you nuts at some point," he chuckled and there was a collective rumble of quiet laughter from our guests.

"But I swear to always do my very best to make you as happy as you make me. Bella, you are my best friend, my most trusted confidant, my lover, and everything good in my life," he paused, taking a deep breath. I could see the tears brimming in his eyes as I fought to hold onto a small amount of decorum, but I was losing the battle quickly. "From this day forward, I take you as my wife and I promise to hold you in my arms until I take my last breath. I thank you for bringing the light back into my life. I love you."

"I love you, too," I whispered around the tightening of my throat as the tears spilled over my lower lid.

Edward released my hands to reach up and wipe the tears from my face as he smiled brilliantly at me.

"Isabella Marie, have you prepared vows to share with Edward Anthony?" Reverend Samples asked, smiling as I turned to look at him briefly and nodding.

I took Edward's hands once again and looked back into his eyes, taking a deep breath as I tried to recall the vows I had spent the last couple of weeks perfecting.

"Edward Anthony Cullen," my voice broke and I paused, closing my eyes for a brief moment before beginning again. "You have been my every dream, my every wish, my every fantasy since I was a young girl. To find myself standing here with you today seems so surreal that I feel I need to pinch myself to make sure I'm actually awake and not dreaming, but if it were a dream, I wouldn't want to wake. Every day I thank God that you are in my life, that you came home to me. I thank him for the love that I feel for you, but also the love I feel returned from you. I think that when two people get married, they think that they have found their 'happily ever after', but I think you and I know as well as anyone that kind of future doesn't come with wishing and beautiful words. It comes from being together through the rough times just as strongly as through the easy times. It comes from trust and knowing that no matter what, the other person will be there if you fall, reminding you it's okay and then helping you to find your footing once again. Edward, from this day on, you will be my husband, but you have always been my best friend, my soul mate, my future, and you've made me believe in our 'happily ever after'. I love you."

Edward sucked in a deep breath as he tried to swallow the sob that shook his shoulders as a few tears rolled down his face.

The tears had flowed freely from my eyes as I poured my heart out to him, laying out everything I could to express how much I truly loved the man before me.

Edward held onto my hands tightly as Reverend Samples continued with the ceremony and we exchanged rings. A smile lit Edward's face as the reverend gave him permission to finally kiss me for the first time as his wife.

He tenderly framed my face with his hands, tilting my head toward his and staring into my eyes for a long moment before slowly bending to lightly brush his lips with mine. Whispering his love for me once again, he crushed his mouth to mine in a blinding kiss as his fingers threaded into my hair, holding me tighter to him as I wrapped my arms around his neck.

When we broke apart, our family and friends were on their feet clapping. I'm pretty sure there were a few wolf whistles as we made our way back down the aisle, arm in arm.

"Wake up, baby," Edward said, my eyes fluttering open as I looked up to see him smiling down at me, offering his hand.

"Did I fall asleep again?" I asked, blinking and yawning widely, stretching my arms over my head.

"Yeah, you did," he chuckled.

I placed my hand in his and allowed him to help me off the bed, then turned and bent quickly to press a kiss to Johnathan's cheek before bringing the blanket to tuck around his tiny body.

Turning back toward Edward, he wrapped his arms around my waist pulled me into him. I ran my hands up over his chest, linking my fingers behind his neck to play with the hair at his nape.

Standing on tip-toe, I pressed my lips to his in a slow kiss.

"I love you so much, Edward," I whispered, my lips brushing his as I spoke.

Edward's arms tightened around me as he looked into my eyes. "I love you more today than I did the day you married me. I didn't think that was even possible, but it's true."

We stood holding one another for a long moment before Edward pulled away to take my hand. As he led the way out of Johnathan's room and across the hall to our bedroom, it struck me that I would follow this man to the ends of the world and beyond, and I couldn't be happier about that prospect.

The End

A/N: Wow, typing 'The End' brought a tear to my eye. I really need to say thank you to all of you who have completed this journey with me. You all have made this story such a joy with your support and love. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Okay so a little business before I wrap this puppy up completely. There is an outtake that will be posting soon. It is a Seth and Angela outtake that I wrote for Jessica1971. She has requested this outtake since early on in MMB. Even before I knew that Seth would meet someone, she wanted him to have his HEA, so he got it and the outtake is a piece of their beginning.

The 2nd bit of business is about a story that I will begin posting soon for Cystic Fibrosis awareness month which is actually going on during the month of May. For those of you who don't know my daughter has cystic fibrosis. During the process of writing MMB those of you who have been with me from the beginning know there were times when I was off the grid for a time, my daughter's health issues were the reason. So to try to help raise awareness for Cystic Fibrosis I am writing a short multi-chapter story. I hope you will all check it out and hopefully learn a little about the 30,000 children and adults living with Cystic Fibrosis in the United States.

I have to send a thank you to Stavenger1 who encouraged me in the beginning to pursue the flicker of an idea that was bouncing around in my head. That little flicker turned out to be MMB and without Stav's encouragement I might not have had the courage to put myself out there. So thank you for helping me to see that I could do something with the words bouncing in my head.

One final note before I finish this story. To Jessica1971 for supporting me, holding my hand and kicking my arse when I needed it to keep this story on the straight and narrow, thank you. Like I've said before there are not words to express how much your love and support have meant to me. You have absolutely been my own personal Master Yoda.

Until next time....

xoxoxoxoxo

BUS