EPILOGUE: FOUR YEARS LATER

Renesmee Carlie Cullen

I WAS STANDING IN FRONT OF A FULL LENGTH MIRROR, TURNING AND blinking at the reflection. The girl in the mirror was different, she was older; full grown and beautiful beyond words. Her hair flowing in ringlets down her back, half of it pulled up into a jostled pile atop her head. Her skin was milky smooth with a hint of lavender and orchid; a light pink permanently etched on her cheeks.

She was anxious, nervous and excited beyond words, it showed in her smile, her stance and her blinking eyes. Today was a day to remember, to celebrate and for everyone to gather together again under much more contented conditions. Today is the day the girl in the mirror becomes Mrs. Jacob Black.

Today is my wedding day.

After my second birthday and after Jake proposed to me we decided to wait until after I was fully grown into my adult form to get married. That day was three months ago. Alice has been hard at work planning and sending out invitations to all of our friends and family. I didn't have much to do with it, I didn't care if it was just Jake and I; but Alice had other plans.

My mom was here with me, helping me get ready along with Aunt Rose and Aunt Alice. Alice was makeup, Rose hair, and mom was emotional support. I need them all because I had no idea what I was doing when it came to this. I was a mess. I couldn't wait to marry Jake, but it didn't stop the butterflies in my stomach or the lump in my throat from forming.

"Ness, will you stop tapping you foot." Aunt Alice demanded pushing down on my knee. "It's moving your entire body." "I'm sorry, I can't help it I'm nervous."

"What is there to be nervous about?" Mom asked kneeling down to my level. "You have been looking forward to this for years."

"I know I have and that's the point. It's all finally happening." I'm going to be Renesmee Carlie Cullen Black. Yes I decided to keep my last name, it means a lot to me and I'm very proud of it.

"That is who you were destined to be Nessie," mom cooed still at eye level. "Be excited." She joked.

"I am excited," I barked and crossed my arms, crumpling the front of my dress.

"Watch the dress," Alice nearly shrieked holding the eyeliner in one hand and the eye shadow in another.

"Sorry," I dropped my arms to my side and they all continued to make me perfect for the occasion. The only thing missing was my grandmothers. Yes, grandmothers, as in Esme and Renée.

My parents tried to keep our secret from Nana Renée but she was adamant about seeing mom. They talked on the phone all the time and Nana would always try and get her to come see her. Finally she was feed up with mom always saying no and coming up with excuses to why she couldn't. She was coming to Denali, period. She left that day, fed up with the lies and determined to find out the truth. She knew her daughter all too well.

When she first saw her she was confused, as we knew and were expecting her to be. She didn't think it possible for mom not to change at all since the last time she saw her, which in a way, she was right. For a human it would be impossible, but for our kind the impossible is a totally different concept. Forever 17; every woman's dream and every vampire's judgment. Mom explained everything to her and to everyone's complete and utter surprise she took it better than grandpa Charlie did.

My third birthday was the first birthday Renée attended and it was the second best birthday ever. Nothing could top my second but it was close. My whole family was together, Nana Renée and Phil were now included.

Grandma Esme and Grandpa Carlisle were at the airport waiting for them to arrive; they decided flying was more their style than blinking. They had done it once but it was not a good experience.

"Guests are arriving," Jasper said through the door. "I need you Alice," he sounded desperate.

"Okay Ness, I'll be back up before your entrance to touch you up." She ran the brush over my cheeks one last time, looked at me closely then started toward the door."Oh, no heavy crying you guys, I worked hard on her face," she slipped out the door.

I could hear the guests downstairs and my heart started to race when I finally heard Jake's beating heart. I would recognize his beat anywhere.

My dad, grandpa, Uncle Jazz, Uncle Em and the whole pack took him out last night for their idea of a bachelor party. When I heard they were throwing him one I was a little skeptical until mom explained to me how it would play out. Hunting, fighting, wrestling and of course some alcohol would be involved when it came to the wolves.

We are all of age now, well thanks to Zach. He helped us get all the documents we needed for this day to happen, getting Uncle Em a license to wed included.

"Jake's back," I said as I rose from the seat I had been sitting in all morning.

"Ness, you cannot move," Rose whaled when I yanked my hair from her hands. "Doing your hair takes time and perseverance, you moving does not make things easier."

"I want to see him," I knew they wouldn't let me but I had to try. My whole body gravitated toward him, it was the pull of his scent and it filled me like a meadow full of flowers. It was his soul; I could taste it, the atoms in his blood just by pure sense of it.

"Uh, uh! No way. It's bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the ceremony." Mom chided.

"Oh please, I'm his imprint; silly superstitions do not affect us in the least," I disputed with confidence.

"That's very true but you are doing this the old fashion way, the way it is supposed to be done. That's way I did it, your grandma Esme, Alice, Rose and your Nana Renée did it.

"Fine," I wasn't going to win this argument so I sat back down, shut my mouth and let the primping commence.

Two long, very painful hours later I was ready. Nana Renée arrived with Grandma Esme and I could hear them coming up the stairs. As soon as the door came open I was out of the bathroom and standing in front of Nana in the blink of an eye.

"Whoa, Ness you scared the bejesus out of me," she sighed then smiled. "Wow; are you sure you're only six? You look stunning."

We laughed, "I missed you Nana." She wrapped her arms around me and I did the same. It was so nice to have humans in my life to keep me humane, who knows how I would be if I was only surrounded by immortals.

"How was your flight?" Mom asked as they embraced.

"A lot better than the last one," she joked. Last time Liora and Aviva brought them and they ended up flying home.

Esme came in after her and ohh'd and ahh'd at my appearance, just like everyone else did. I wasn't uncomfortable in the least; I just wanted to get it all over with. Jake and I didn't need some certificate to prove to the world that we loved each other, but it's what we are going to do.

Alice finally came up stairs to touch me up, even though I didn't need it, and dad came up with her.

"Nessie, you look so beautiful," My dad commented when he saw me. "I cannot believe how much you have grown."

"Stop with the gushy stuff dad, Alice just touched me up." I had already been through so many reactions; I wasn't ready to take dads too.

"Okay Nessie, we will see you downstairs." Mom kissed my head along with everyone else. Talk about your over dramatics.

Dad cleared his throat, "It looks like this is it. You aren't my little girl anymore." He took my shoulders in his hands and looked at my all white figure. "You have grown into a stunning young lady and I could not be prouder of you." He hugged me then and I felt the tears forming, threatening to ruin what Alice worked so hard to achieve. "I never imagined I would be someone's father, at least after the change I knew it was impossible. I never gave it a thought…you are truly a miracle." I think he would have crying right along with me if he were able.

"I love you daddy," I crushed myself to him in a hurry to show him that I would always be his little girl now and forever. "I love you Renesmee," he kissed the top of my head. "Now, are you ready to become Mrs. Jacob Black?"

"Cullen Black," I reminded him and I saw that little twinkle in his eye, the same way I did when I first told him I was keeping the family name.

"Right," he put his arm out for me to take it and I reached onto the table next to the door and grabbed my bouquet: This was it.

I held my breath as we stepped out the door and into the hallway. The stairs led right down to the altar, where Uncle Em stood, ready to marry us. White Lace and roses were hung all along the stair case and white rose pedals were strewn about all over the place. There were white chairs placed in rows along both sides of the stairs, all full of our family and close friends.

The scent of Jasmine and Lilac fragrances was abundant in the air and the beautiful Harmony being played drifted off into its Cadence when I emerged at the top of the stairs. On its cue, everyone looked up at me from their seats, 30 pairs of eyes all looking back at me…but I only saw one. Jake was standing at the altar in an all black very ravishing suite. He was looking at me with the most surprised look in his eyes I have ever seen. He probably thought I looked like such a girl, but it looked like he liked it.

Wagner's Bridal Chorus eliminated from the piano and we took our first step down the stairs, down to the altar and toward my future. Dad was holding my arm tight as we made our way to the ground level. I saw mom standing next to Alice, and Nana. Rose and Esme were there, too and Nana was crying.

Grandpa Charlie was standing opposite them along with Grandpa Carlisle, Phil, Jasper, Seth and Billy. Liora, Aviva and Leah were my bridesmaids and they were standing up front. Zaynn was Jake's best man and Paul, Quil and Embry were his groomsmen, they were also standing up front. The sun light was coming though the big bay windows that framed the opened double doors. It was like a beautiful painting and I could not have imagined a more ideal moment.

We arrived at the altar and dad took my hand in his and placed in Jake's symbolizing that he was giving me to him: Hence, giving away the bride. They exchanged a silent one-way conversation and my dad hugged him before joining the others.

Jake's hand held tightly onto mine while we made our way to Uncle Em. He was smiling blissfully because he was thrilled he would be the one to marry us. I would have thrown the mother of hissy fits if we had to be married by some random minister.

We stood face to face, hand in hand and began the ceremony. Uncle Em read the word that have been said for centuries and will continue to be said for centuries to come. When it came time to say our vows we had our own to pronounce. It made the butterflies stir inside of me but thankfully, Jake was going first.

"I didn't rehearse anything because what I feel for you can only come naturally," he was choking back tears; I could hear it in his voice as he spoke. "My heart is pounding, my hands are sweaty and I feel like I am going to combust from all the way I feel when you are close to me. Those are the ways in which you influence my being, and that is what I love about you. I love everything about you and I have been waiting six years to stand here beside you. I love you Renesmee Carlie and I cannot wait to spend an eternity next to you."

His eyes never left mine and he said it without hesitation, he said what came from his heart and I cherished every second of it. A tear fell down my cheek and Uncle Em said it was my turn to go.

"Jake," I was fighting back the tears, smiling widely to try and cover it up. "Jacob," I chuckled lightly. "I have loved you since the moment I saw you. You have been my best friend and my right hand man from the beginning. Every memory I have has you in it. You are always there for me when I need you the most. You make me laugh and you always do the sweetest things to show me how much you care." By this point I was crying and there was no avoiding it anymore.

"The way I feel when you are next to me cannot be explained in words. I get all happy and my body starts to tingle and that's just when I see you. When you touch is something else entirely which I won't say it here." Everyone laughed lightly, "And I have been waiting for six years too, so let's get on with it." I sucked back the tears and smiled at Jake who mouthed I love you.

"Do you Jacob Black; take Renesmee Cullen to be your wife?" Uncle Em asked.

"Forever," Jake replied.

"And do you, Renesmee Cullen; take Jacob Black to be your husband?"

"Always," I replied.

"You may kiss the bride," he bellowed in his baritone voice.

Wow, 7 months of writing and there is the end. That is so crazy to me. I never would have thought I would write a 500 page story. Never and I just finished one and working on another.

It has been a fun ride y'all and I'm so glad you held on with me. The epi was short I know...the preface to the follow up story should be posted and you can find it on my page...

Please leave me your thoughts on if I should continue it.

It's going to be different and I hope you will all follow me there.

Thanks,

ak

Please leave me your thoughts---for the last time on this story!!!! (*tear*)