Epilogue: One Year Later

Bella sighed as Alice fixed her makeup. "You look great," Alice said excitedly.

"You didn't put too much on did you?" Bella asked.

"No, no, just enough to enhance your already pretty face," Alice replied.

Letting out a sigh, Bella twisted her engagement ring on her finger. "Alice could you help me?" Rosalie asked. Alice stood up and walked behind Rosalie.

"The train just made it up the track Rose," Alice commented gently patting Rosalie's pregnant stomach.

Smiling, Rosalie rubbed her stomach. "I am very proud of this stomach," she answered.

"Rosalie you sure you can stand up at the wedding?" Bella asked standing up.

"Sure she will, little…" Alice started.

Rosalie covered her mouth. "She's been trying to hint to me what the baby's going be for the last two weeks," she commented.

"Mmmm mm mmmm," Alice could muffle from behind Rosalie's hand.

"I have been waiting for this for seventy-three years, don't ruin it," Rosalie told the petite girl before letting her go.

Alice rolled her eyes. "I was just going say the little guy OR girl won't be making his OR hers appearance for another week," she answered. Bella was laughing at the two of them.

"You know how to get rid of the wedding jitters," she commented.

Alice skipped over and fixed Bella's dress while announcing, "You are ready!" Bella laughed, shaking her head slowly. "Do you want to look in a mirror?" she asked.

"No, no, I'm okay," Bella replied.

There was a knock on the door, prompting the girls to look up. "Who is it?" Alice asked.

"It's just the father of the bride," Charlie answered chuckling.

Smiling Rosalie opened the door, letting Bella's father in. Charlie stood there in disbelief when he looked at his daughter. "Bella…you look stunning," he murmured. He rested his hand on his daughter's cheek with a smile.

"Thanks," she answered, letting out a deep breath.

Alice walked over to Bella, handing her a bouquet of white and blue roses. "You're ready," she announced excitedly.

"We have ten minutes Alice," Bella answered smiling a little.

"No reason to be late for your wedding," Alice insisted grinning.

She grabbed her smaller bouquet of flowers. "Annabelle's already downstairs waiting," she insisted grabbing onto Rosalie's arm.

"Hey I am nine months pregnant due any moment, don't grab on me," Rosalie warned her.

Charlie chuckled as the two girls left the room. "Nervous?" he asked his daughter.

"A little," she replied.

He brushed a stray hair from her eyes. "Hard to believe you're all grown up now," he commented. Biting her lower lip, she let out a deep breath. "You look beautiful Bells," he told her.

"Thanks," she answered.

Charlie offered Bella his arm and escorted her out of the room. "Ready to give me away?" she asked. Her father was silent for a little while before letting out a deep breath.

"No I'm not," he answered.

He kissed the top of her head. "But I'm happy if you're happy," he told her.

"I am dad," she answered.

They looked at the stairs they had to walk down. "Don't let me fall," she said quietly.

"I won't kiddo," he answered.

Edward stood under the arch, letting out a deep breath as he waited for his bride. Jasper chuckled lightly as he tried to get his brother to calm down a little. This was one of the rare moments where he was actually grateful Jasper had his powers of empathy.

After a few more moments of waiting, Alice walked down the aisle first followed by Annabelle and Rosalie. When Charlie escorted Bella down the aisle, all the air left Edward's lungs. She was so incredibly stunning she looked like she had walked right out of a fairytale. He let out a deep breath when Bella stood in front of the altar. "Who gives this woman to this man?" the minister asked.

"I do, Charles Thomas Swan," Charlie replied.

Charlie smiled at his daughter, kissing her cheek before taking her hand, placing it into Edward's waiting hand. Before they could stand in front of the minister, Charlie held onto their wrists. He smiled at both Bella and Edward, placing his hands over theirs. "Take care of each other and love each other until love is no longer in existent," he told them quietly. He patted Edward's back. "Take care of my little girl Edward," he added quietly.

"Promise," Edward answered smiling a little.

Bella gave his hand a gentle squeeze as they stood in front of the minister. The ceremony began and everyone was silent listening to the words. Bella was holding onto Edward's hands with a gentle smile on her face. Edward smiled back, moving his thumbs over the tops of her hands.

Letting out a shaky breath, Bella cleared her throat nervously. "The bride and groom have decided to write down their own vows," the minister informed. He looked over at Bella. "Isabella, you can say your vows," he informed. Smiling a little, Bella looked up into Edward's emerald green eyes with a smile.

"Edward…so many things to say…but it's hard to actually put it into words of how much you mean to me. You are my protector, my rock. You have been there for me from the moment we met, I have felt such a strong connection to you since that day in the biology lab and I just want to join you on this adventure. Wherever you go I go with you, I've loved you from the moment we met and I'll love you forever. You dazzle me and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you," she explained smiling.

Edward smiled, giving her hands a gentle squeeze. "Edward your vows?" the minister asked. Letting out a sigh, he entwined his fingers with hers.

"For a long time, I have felt nothing but loneliness. I thought I'd be living in this darkness for the rest of my life, for all of eternity. My heart aches when I'm not with you, I feel nothing but pain when you're away from me. When we're together…I just want to hold you close to me and never let you go. You…fascinate me, everything you do fascinates me. I too can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you and I'll love you forever," he explained smiling lightly.

Bella smiled softly when the sun actually broke through the dark clouds that usually hovered over Forks. They glanced up at the sky with smiles on their faces before looking at each other. "The rings please?" the minister asked. Jasper reached into his pocket and handed the minister the rings. After blessing the rings, Edward took one ring holding Bella's hand up.

"With this ring, I thee wed. I promise my heart, soul, my present, and my future to you," he vowed.

Bella smiled softly as she took the other ring and held Edward's hand. "With this ring, I thee wed. I promise my heart, soul, present, and my future to you," she vowed in return. The minister smiled as he finished the rest of the ceremony.

"By the powers vested in me in the state of Washington, I now pronounce you husband and wife, Edward you may kiss your bride," the minister informed.

Not having to be told twice, Edward chuckled lightly as he rested his hand on the side of Bella's neck, kissing her gently but deeply. Bella kissed him back, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Ladies and gentlemen I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Edward Anthony Cullen," the minister announced. The guests clapped for the newlyweds as they walked back down the aisle with huge smiles on their faces.

The reception was held in another part of the yard. Edward smiled as he held onto Bella's hand, pulling her onto the dance floor. "Edward I still can't dance," she said laughing a little. Chuckling he moved her onto his feet as they started dancing to Claire de Lune.

"I have waited for years to dance with you to this song," he said quietly.

Bella smiled, wrapping her arm around his neck as they swayed to the song together. "I love you," he whispered gently into her hair.

"I love you," she replied, closing her eyes.

She rested her head on his chest, closing her eyes. Edward smiled as he moved his hand over her back. "Ready for this future?" he asked.

"I'm ready when you are," she replied.

She kissed his shoulder with a smile. "Very ready," she replied. Edward moved her back against his arm, smiling softly at her. Bella smiled before he leaned forward kissing her tenderly. Bella kissed him back, her hand resting on his cheek. She couldn't wait to spend the rest of her life with him.

Edward smiled, resting his forehead against the side of her head. He had been waiting for this for over a hundred years and there was no way he was going to take his new life as a human for granted. As long as Bella was with him, life was worth living.

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Story is due: March 5th, 2010