A/N: First of all I would like to thank everyone who has gone on this crazy Bella/Edward journey with me. It's been a long one, and hopefully it was worth it. I would love to throw out a million and two thanks, hugs and "Awesome jobs!" to Adrena, my fabulous beta, and of course to Blynn who pushed me even when I was on the verge of giving up. Thank you both so much! I can't believe this is it. The end. The part where all of the loose ends are tied up. Are any of you as nervous to read it as I was to write it? Perhaps there will be questions left unanswered, but isn't that how life goes? Nothing is ever really complete. I'll hopefully answer the most important ones, and leave you to make up the rest. And so, without further ado, let me end this note, and with that, end this story. EPILOGUE – Ten Years Later
Bella stood in the kitchen of the two story town house, absentmindedly piling clean dishes as she took them from the dishwasher. She wasn't sure what to expect, but her mind was flying through the possibilities. She heard a knock on the door and Alice's voice shrill, so much like her mother's, as she scolded the little boy already running towards the kitchen.
"Elliot! Were you born in a barn? Take off your boots!" Bella laughed as the little boy rounded the corner of the counter, muddy foot prints behind him, and hugged her around the thigh.
"Bella, I'm sorry," Alice practically wailed as she pried the little boy off of her sister-in-law's leg.
Bella only shrugged. "It happens, Al," she told her, wiping her hands on the dishtowel and stacking the plates in the cupboard, out of harm's way. "Hi Elliot," she greeted Alice's three year old. "Think you could go with your mom and take those muddy boots off?" She smiled at the little boy and he nodded solemnly.
"Hey Bella," Jasper greeted her. He gave her a one armed hug and put the wine he'd brought down on the counter.
"Hi Jas," she replied, returning the hug and looking around him to find the little girl standing behind him. "Hi Molly, do you want a drink?" The little, dark haired girl shook her head silently and headed off in the direction of the living room.
"They're getting so big," Bella said as she poured Jasper and Alice drinks and took them to sit in the living room with Molly.
"I can't believe Molly starts grade one in the fall," Alice sighed with a shake of her head. It was incredible how much Alice
hadn't changed in the ten years since Bella had known her. Jasper had made the usual changes, a tiny bit of grey mixing in with the blond at his temples, a few more laugh lines around his bright, blue eyes. But apart from growing her hair out a bit, and putting on that tiny bit of post baby weight, Alice looked exactly the same as she had at twenty.
"Where's Eric?" Jasper asked. Bella gave a tired smile before answering.
"Sleeping," she replied. "I wish he'd do that at night."
Alice took another sip of her drink. "He's still not sleeping through the night?"
Bella laughed. "It's just getting him to sleep. Once he's down, he sleeps. I didn't know two year olds could be such night owls."
"What time is Edward picking up Rose and Emmett?"
"They should be back just about any time," Bella replied. "I'm so happy for them!"
"They've waited a long time for this," Alice agreed, obviously having a hard time keeping still. Jasper grinned and put his hand on her leg. "I'm still upset they haven't sent any pictures!"
"I can't think of two better parents," Jasper agreed. "And after everything, and finally making the decision, I'm sure they're both glad the waiting game is over."
Rosalie ended up making a very mature decision. She and Emmett decided to wait, to not get married until after Emmett had finished grad school, and after that, they would begin trying to get pregnant. She was aware that because she waited, the chances were greatly decreased that she would ever conceive. They had tried for a while before they decided to put their name on a list with various adoption agencies, both in the States and overseas. Quite recently they had been selected to adopt a little girl from China.
Alexis had only been in America for a few weeks. Currently Rosalie and Emmett were living near Baltimore, where Emmett had gotten fantastic job opportunity, but Edward was picking the new family up from the airport where they were coming to stay after a visit with Carlisle and Esme.
"That poor child will never want to fly again," Alice commented, setting her drink on the table and pulling Elliot onto her lap. He giggled and squirmed as she placed a kiss on the top of his head.
"I like planes," he told his mother happily.
"I know you do," Alice replied with a chuckle.
"I want to go on a plane soon," he informed her.
"We're going to visit Grandma and Grandpa Whitlock in June," she told him. "We'll go on a plane then."
"Okay!" the little boy said happily, sliding from his mother's lap to join his sister in front of the television once more.
"That would be Eric," Bella sighed at the soft cry coming over the baby monitor.
"You look tired, Bell," Alice commented. Bella only nodded and pushed herself up off the couch.
"He's high maintenance, just like his father," Bella said with a smirk. Alice and Jasper both laughed loudly.
"You pull no punches, Bella Cullen," Alice said with a grin.
Bella emerged a few moments later with a sleepy, auburn haired little boy on her hip. "Daddy will be home soon," she whispered in his little ear, and he snuggled further into her shoulder. "Thanks for refilling the drinks, Al." Alice only smiled in return.
Conversation flowed between the three adults, and eventually the three children were playing loudly on the floor behind them. The tension was thick as they all waited for Edward, Rosalie and Emmett to arrive, so when the sound of tires crunched over the asphalt outside, every eye in the room went to the window.
"They're here!" Alice squealed, jumping up and hurrying for the front door. She yanked it open to the grey, March afternoon in Seattle and stepped out onto the front step. Bella, with Eric, and Jasper, carrying a protesting Elliot were close behind. Edward and Emmett pulled the bags from the back of Edward's SUV and waited while Rosalie unbuckled the baby.
"Emmett!" Alice cried, running out and jumping on her big brother like they were still kids.
"Hey Al!" He greeted her back, dropping the bags to hug her tightly. "It's so much drearier here than in Baltimore. You should all move east," he announced, reaching around to hug Bella and shake Jasper's hand. Rose slammed the car door closed and came around the side of the vehicle. She was as lovely as ever, long blonde hair tied in a loose knot at the base of her neck, stylish glasses adorning her face, and a smile the size of Texas that lit her up like a Christmas tree.
"Everyone, meet Alexis," she said quietly, carrying the groggy, little, dark haired girl towards the group of people. Bella greeted Edward with a quick kiss on the cheek, and Alice looked back at her with a grin before lifting Eric into her own arms.
"You come with Aunt Alice and meet your new cousin," she told him. Rose and Emmett followed Alice and Jasper into the house, Alice chatting animatedly to Rose and her new baby.
"She's fifteen months old," Edward told Bella, wrapping his arm around her waist. "I think Eric was twice her size at that age." Bella giggled and nodded.
"I'm so happy for them," Bella told him, leaning into his side as he closed the door behind them.
"Me too," he told her, turning her face to kiss her softly on the mouth. "I am so lucky to have found you. And we are so lucky to have Eric, and such an amazing family. "
She smiled up at him adoringly. "I love you too, even that bad parts," she said with a smirk.
He laughed. "I love all your parts; Crazy Bella, Mommy Bella, Good Bella….even Bad Bella." He stopped and looked at her for a moment, as if contemplating something very serious. "Especially Bad Bella," he decided.
She smacked his hand and laughed. "Go upstairs. We have guests."