Author's Note: This is it! Again, thank you so much for reading!

Nice reviews are better than chocolate, unless maybe you're licking that chocolate off someone.

Epilogue

One Year Later

"They eloped?" My eyes widened; that was something I hadn't been expecting to hear that morning.

Edward nodded, "in Vegas last night. He called while you were in the shower; he wanted to tell me before the news outlets found out."

"I never pictured Rosalie as the drive thru chapel kind of girl." She and I had never become close, but Emmett and Edward had taken an almost immediate liking to each other; his eternal frat boy balanced well with Edward's older than his years maturity.

Edward shrugged, his attention for the topic of conversation waning.

"So…" I began. He's trying to distract you, I thought to myself. Well, maybe I'll let him…just for a minute. I was sitting on the kitchen counter with Edward standing between my legs, his mouth making his way down my neck. "So, we need to be…at the airport…by noon," I managed.

I heard a mumbled "mm-hmm" from him.

I pulled back a little, "which means we have to leave in five minutes."

His hands were skimming up my legs and under my sundress, "I'm game if you are," he grinned mischievously.

"Edward."

"What?" He asked, feigning innocence. "They're going to be here for a week, we'll have to be good."

"This house has five bedrooms; we don't have to put them right next to us."

"When was the last time we had sex in the kitchen?" He thought this was a good argument.

"A week ago."

"Oh, that's right." He looked a little dejected as he stepped back and set me back down on the floor.

I put my arms around his neck, "I promise I'll make it up to you," I smiled for effect.

"How?"

"You'll just have to wait and find out."

He grinned at me crookedly.

We made it to the airport a little late; I could see them sitting outside the baggage claim area as we pulled up. Alice spotted us first; she jumped down from where she'd been perched on her absolutely massive suitcase and ran up to our SUV. I jumped out as soon as we were stopped to hug her and then everyone else in turn. Jasper looked happier than I'd ever seen him, his standoffishness absent as he smiled in greeting; Angela and Ben said hello last, still endearingly shy.

"Let me see it!" Alice exclaimed once we were all finished saying hello.

Edward came over to me and put an arm around my waist; he lifted my left hand to show to Alice proudly.

She gasped, "it's beautiful, Edward you've outdone yourself."

He kissed my head, knowing this was probably embarrassing for me. He'd proposed the month before and as soon as I told Alice, she insisted on planning everything. I was admittedly lost and only slightly grudgingly turned the reigns over to her, with full veto power on everything of course. They were here for the engagement party which was the next day on our property. We figured we'd have the most privacy there; the press had had a field day when they discovered our engagement. To my dismay, I kept being referred to as Cinderella.

Our house sat on a very private stretch of land on the Southern California coastline. It was quiet and picturesque and we loved it. Edward could usually find me on our front deck reading or studying. I was part way through a teaching degree; it was something I never thought I'd get into, but always secretly wanted to do. Edward was ecstatic, but repeated that it wouldn't matter to him if I didn't work. I had gotten very comfortable in California, but I knew teaching was something I wanted to do for myself.

I thought about everything that had led me to where I was now during the drive back to our house. Edward held my hand and I caught him glancing in my direction now and then. I still didn't know how I'd gotten so lucky, how I'd been able to make a life for myself where I had everyone I loved within reach. But I had stopped asking questions.

I squeezed Edward's hand.

It was a good life.

end

Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed the story; it was a lot of fun for me to write. Anyone interested in a sequel? I've spent an inordinate amount of time searching for pictures of Edward and Bella's house and I keep getting plot ideas at random times; it's beginning to take over my thought processes.