A/N: Ready for my big sappy author's note?

You…you wonderful, supportive readers have made this my most reviewed story. You have stuck by me when I made Seth a bad guy and Charlie an asshole. Your words motivated me and made me cry. And I hope to see you along for the ride with my other stories.

This story is by far the most important to me for one reason…It brought me Melanie. When she first sent me a review and told me she would beta for me, she actually offered me references. Umm…hello, the girl betas for Sheviking…references were not needed. She has become a friend, a shoulder to cry on and I would NEVER post a chapter without her going through it first. Melanie…*cry*…you know.

My best bud Dalloway5906 joined us late, but none the less, used her expert eyes and cunning mind to help make this journey as smooth as possible. She held my hand when I got bad reviews and got me drunk when I needed it. Kisses Dally, big kisses.

I'll shut up now. Here is a bit of Emmett and Rose to help wrap things up.

"Rose, you need to come out sometime." Emmett whispered through the closed bathroom door. They needed to get out to the cabin to help celebrate Hope's birthday and get the plans finalized for Edward and Bella's wedding. He knew it was hard for his girl to be around his brother's precocious one year old, but he wanted to be there to celebrate her birthday.

"I don't think I can do this Emmett." Rose answered back through the closed door and his heart nearly broke in his chest.

"I know baby, but you can. We can do this together." He answered back, his hand flat on the door as if willing her to let him help her. She slowly opened the door and looked down at him as he sat on the floor.

"This is killing you." She breathed as she plopped down into his lap and buried her face in his shoulder.

"Yes." He said without regret. He promised never to hide his feelings from her as long as she did the same for him. Although he knew she had been breaking that promise as of late.

"I love you." She whispered brokenly, and he answered immediately because there was no way he would let her doubt his feelings, even for a moment.

"I love you. Now let's get your ass dressed so we can go get some cake." He joked and helped her to her feet and into some clothes. He hated the dead look she had in her eyes, but knew there was nothing he could do to change it.

**()*()**

Rose held Hope in her arms as she rocked back and forth on the porch. The party had been wonderful and Hope had eaten her fair share of cake and had crashed soon after. While everyone was inside cleaning up, Rose took the opportunity to just enjoy the little one in her arms. She felt the warmth of Emmett's large body behind her before he spoke.

"You okay?" He asked quietly, putting one arm around her shoulders while the other tangled in Hope's wild curls. Rose relaxed into his embrace and tried to keep her tears from falling. She promised him she would never lie or keep her feelings to herself, but she knew it would kill him to know what was going on in her head…and her heart.

"I'm fine."

**()*()**

To the causal observer, the mismatched wedding party that stood in the Sedro-Woolley courthouse would be glanced over and ignored. But as Rose watched Bella reach up to straighten Edward's tie, and Billy tug Charlie's wig down over his ear, she knew there was no way you could ignore the amount of love and devotion displayed on the faces of her friends and family. She stood back from the crowd as they waited for the stretch SUV limos to arrive so that they could start their journey to Esme and Carlisle's house for the reception. The glow on Bella's face said it all…she finally had everything she had ever wanted. Hope ran wildly around the marble entrance and laughed as her Uncle Jasper and Uncle Emmett tried to catch her. Alice had already confided in her that she was pregnant and due in December. Although it killed her, she hid her pain and congratulated her friend and sister, hugging her tight enough to stop her breath. She knew Alice was not fooled when she reached for a tissue, but she passed off the tears as happiness and not as her soul slowly dying.

Jasper would make a wonderful father, but not as good as Emmett would be. He was such a giant teddy bear and she felt like she was failing him every month that the tests were negative.

She had found an engagement ring in the pocket of his jacket a few months ago and for a moment thought about ending things with him. He deserved someone whole, someone who could give him everything he wanted, but she was not that selfless. Without Emmett in her life, she was nothing.

**()*()**

Everyone was asleep. Bella and Edward had taken one of the limos to their new house in Sedro-Woolley to spend their wedding night and Hope was fast asleep in one of the guest rooms. Rose and Emmett had decided to spend the night at Esme and Carlisle's, but she could not sleep. She wandered out to the back yard, the twinkling lights still hanging from the trees and the stars giving her enough light to see. She wrapped her arms around herself as she looked up at the sky, praying once again that she might have the strength to make it through another month. She could feel him before she heard him and spun around. Emmett stood at the edge of the grass in just his flannel sleep pants, the ones she had gotten him for Christmas with the frogs on them. She smiled as she remembered thinking that their children would find them so funny in the coming years and the smile fell just as quickly.

"What's up baby?" He asked as he crossed the grass and held his arms out to her. She did not hesitate to go into his embrace and snuggled down into the warmth of his skin.

"I love you." She whispered against his flesh, the lump in her throat preventing her from saying anymore.

"I know you do baby. I love you too…so much. Will you spend the rest of your life with me?" He asked as he pushed her away and reached his hand into the waistband of his pants, pulling a beautifully simple ring from its hiding place.

"You kept my ring in your boxers?" She laughed as tears started to run down her cheeks.

"I didn't have a pocket." He said, unapologetically. She smiled up at him as he slid the solitaire onto her finger and kissed it.

"I'm not whole." She whispered as he raised his eyes to hers, his lips still on her finger.

"You are to me. You are all I need and together we will deal with whatever the future holds."

**()*()**

Rose knew she should have been there with Bella and Edward for Riley's birth, but this was the only appointment they could get with the fertility specialist and she knew it would be too hard to see the brand new baby anyway. Watching as both Bella and Alice's bellies got bigger as their unborn children thrived was like a hot knife through her chest, one that she avoided at all costs.

She and Emmett had been married in October with only Esme and Carlisle as their witnesses. They did not want anything big, just something simple to tie their lives together. She was excited to hear her new name called when the nurse popped her head out the door.

"Mrs. Cullen?" She called and Rose and Emmett stood on stiff legs and followed her back into the examination room. The usual tests were done; height, weight, blood pressure, heart rate. Rose sat still through all of them, but Emmett was a bundle of nerves. He had held Rose's hand through all of the invasive tests she had done over the past month and now they were going to get some answers. The nurse left with a promise that the doctor would be in with them in a few minutes. Rose watched as the man she loved tortured himself with worry in those few minutes. She could see his mind turning, trying to figure out what to do if the news was not what they wanted to hear. The door opened…and everything changed.

**()*()**

"Rose?" Emmett called as he came through the door, the cool September air following him in. He had gotten the frantic call from his wife a few minutes earlier and had beat feet to get to her as quick as he could. He raced from room to room, stopping when he found her sitting on the edge of the tub in their master bathroom. In her hand was a little white stick, the same kind that had been in their trash can for the last year.

"Rose?" He whispered as he collapsed down to his knees, trying to keep from getting too excited. His eyes did not leave her as she turned the stick to face him and he saw that one word that would change his future forever.

Pregnant

He pulled her into his arms and held her as he broke down, sobbing into her belly as she threaded her fingers into his hair. Sitting up stiffly, he rubbed his palms over his face before he turned to where the woman who had changed so many of their lives sat on the closed seat of the toilet. She had tears in her own eyes as she looked at her brother-in-law and his wife, one of her best friends.

"Bella." He choked out, but she raised her hand and stood, walking towards them and reaching for his hand, placing it over her belly.

"Say hello to your baby." She whispered and both Rose and Emmett put their hand over where their child would thrive and grow for the next nine months.

**()*()**

Bella had emerged from her cottage in the woods and changed more lives that she realized.

Her father, once a workaholic who had everything he ever thought he wanted, had come to realize that nothing was real without sharing it with the ones you loved.

Billy Black was able to let go the ghost of the woman he loved and opened himself up to the opportunities around him. He had brought a lovely woman named Sarah to Christmas Eve at the cabin and for the first time in a long time, really looked happy.

Esme and Carlisle were given another beautiful daughter and grandchildren to dote on. Bella had even managed to get through Carlisle's tough exterior and bring out a side of him no one even knew existed, the proud grandfather.

Alice and Jasper were able to look at Bella and Edward's relationship and know that even if things look bleak, there was always a light at the end of the tunnel.

Edward found his soul mate, the mother of his children and the love of his life who supported and comforted him through everything.

But it was Emmett and Rose who felt they had ended up getting the most from Bella…they got a child.

**()*()**

Faith Isabella was born June 9th in the same cabin where her cousin had been born. When she was placed in her mother's arms, there was not a dry eye in the house. The entire family had made the trip to the cabin to welcome her into the family, because her arrival was long overdue. Emmett stood behind his wife and looked down at his daughter, her dark eyes much like his, but her wavy blonde hair was all Rose.

"Hello my darling girl. Mommy and I waited a long time for you."

**()*()**

While the cottage had been Isabella's first home, she found her true home in the arms of her friends and family. And although she lived though many hardships and trials, at the end of the day it was all worth it. And as Edward had promised her so many years before, she was never alone again.

The End

A/N: *Hands everyone a tissue* Sappy enough for you? At least I did not kill anyone. Thank you…so much for joining me on this ride. I hit the complete button with a heavy heart.

For those of you reading 'The Bakery'…please stick with me. I promise we will get to sweet times like this for Bakerward and Bella.

Look for my new story: 'Search and Rescue' which will be out in a few weeks. I'll be sending a teaser for it with your review replies to this chapter.

Love you!