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Epilogue: Collide

Even the best fall down sometimes
Even the wrong words seem to rhyme
Out of the doubt that fills your mind
You finally find you and I collide
http:/www .youtube .com/watch?v=ca9ub9rpNK4

I sat on the same bench where, a year to the day earlier, my world changed. The cool air, the smell of afternoon rain, the dark sky. It was almost exactly the same. I was just missing one very important thing.

The sweet, delicious scent reached me before I heard her soft footsteps. Fabric rustled, and I felt her next to me. I snaked my arm around her waist and pulled her close.

"Hey there," I whispered.

"Hey," she whispered back as she lay her head on my shoulder.

"I missed you."

Bella giggled, that infernal sexy giggle that wrapped me around her finger and made me hers. "It was only one night, you big baby. It seems pretty inconsequential in the big scheme of things, don't you think?"

"A night without you is never inconsequential." I sighed and hugged her closer. "I always miss you when we're apart. Your hot chocolate eyes and dark chestnut hair."

"I can't believe you remember that."

"Oh, I remember everything about that night. It's not every day you get seduced by a co-worker."

That earned me one of her full, lusty laughs. "Well, if I waited for you to make a move, I'd have been an old maid."

She was right. I was forever waiting for my life to happen to me until she happened. Now, I knew where I was going and who was going to be by my side.

We sat in silence for a little while, and I just enjoyed the weight of her in my arms and the sounds of her breathing. I felt the air begin to warm, and the world around me seemed a little lighter.

"Is that the sunrise?" I asked hopefully.

She stood and took my hand. "Yes it is. Are you ready?"

"I was born ready." I rose to my feet and gently pulled her back to me. "One question, though. What color is your dress?"

Ah, a giggle. Just what I wanted to hear.

"Don't be silly. You know it's white."

A hand clasped over my shoulder and I jumped. I'd been so engrossed in telling my story, I hadn't heard her come into the room.

"Good grief, Edward," Bella whisper-yelled. "It's 3AM. What are you doing up?"

"Well, I was just telling …" I gently rubbed my thumb over the right earlobe of the cooing baby in my lap and found the tiny confirming earring. "Renee. I was just telling Renee about our wedding day. She was a little fussy and missed her daddy."

Just then, a tiny cry sounded from across the room.

Bella laughed. "Well, sounds like Esme wants to get in on the action, too."

I shifted Renee until she was secure in the crook of my left arm. "Could you bring her here? I should have known she wouldn't stay asleep without her sister for very long."

"Okay, but just remember the entire Cullen and Clearwater-Swan clans will be here at noon for Christmas dinner. You can't stay up all night holding them." She kissed my cheek. "You're spoiling them rotten, Daddy."

Soon, my second daughter, younger by only five minutes, was nestled in the crook of my right arm. Both girls began wiggling and baby talking back and forth. Bella sat at my feet, her head resting on my knees.

Surrounded by my three favorite women in the world. Right where I belonged.

I kissed each tiny girl on the top of her head, and their fuzzy hair tickled my lips. Taking a deep breath, I filled my lungs with the sweet, clean scent of baby girl. Their cousin Emmett never smelled this wonderful, although Mom and Dad were constantly telling me otherwise. As grandparents, they had to be impartial. As Daddy, I didn't.

Their exchange of coos and gasps made me smile. "What do you think they're talking about?"

"I don't know, but, just like her namesake, Renee is doing most of the talking." Bella sighed. "Damn, I wish Mom was around to see this." She wrapped her arms around my legs and hugged me. She always missed her mother, who'd passed away when she was in high school, but it was more acute since the girls were born.

"I know, baby." I brushed my toes against her leg, not knowing what else to say.

After a few minutes of silence, the girls were asleep in my arms. Bella slowly lifted each one and placed them back into their shared crib. When they were settled, my wife sat in my lap and curled around me.

Our lips touched. The kiss was electric, delicious, bone-melting. I cradled the back of her head, burying my fingers in her soft, messy hair. Our tongues met, sliding slowly against each other. When I pulled away, she moaned.

"My, my, Mrs. Cullen," I chided. "Aren't you the wanton one this morning?"

She nibbled my earlobe. "I can't help it. You turn me on like crazy. You're such a DILF."

I groaned. "Jesus, Bella, we're in the nursery."

She giggled, and it was as if we were back at the beginning, sitting on a bench under the full moon. Both nervous and wanting and crazy in love, even if we didn't know it then. Five years together and twin girls hadn't done anything to temper the overwhelming need we had for each other.

I held her body tight against mine and stood. "I'm taking you to bed, Mrs. Cullen. Just watch out for doorways and inanimate objects. I'd hate to knock you out before I get you naked."

The trip took five times as long as it should have, and Bella was likely covered in bruises by the time we got there. But we laughed the entire time and made it in one piece. Then we made love until the sun rose.

A/N:

Thank you to erikasbuddy for the original prompt that led to this story.

Thank you to my awesome beta and plot bunny wrangler zonagirlie.

Thank you to all the TBW fans who reviewed, rec'd, and read this story.

Thank you to the Chicago Ladies, who encouraged me to try my hand at creating my own characters.

Last but never least, thank you to my husband, who has supported and taken care of me throughout this difficult year.