Future Take: Finding Home: Tying Up the Loose Ends

Okay, too many loose ends dangling. I promise to remedy the who, the what, the where, the when and the why. This is the only outtake and it will cover everything.

Five years later...
It's early morning and the house is quiet. It's rare to be alone, even for a few minutes. I climb the stairs slowly and carefully, juggling fabric swatches in my hands. I get to the door at the end of the hallway and push it open with my hip and struggle to find the light switch. Ooo, then there is light.

I walk to the window, open the curtain and let the daylight in. Edward is nowhere in sight, but I can hear him chant, "Lizzie, c'mon girl".

I'm a little out of breath. I sink into the high back, blond wooden rocker in the corner and breathe slowly, in through my nose and out through my mouth. I know my feet and ankles are swollen and throb with pressure, despite the fact that I can't look beyond the mountainous stomach that protrudes from my center. The sharp kick to my ribcage makes me grimace in shock. I swear she did a round house. I blow out, hissing through my tightly clenched teeth and gripe, "Strong little shit!"

The door whines open, as a wagging tail slinks through. With a high-pitch, baby bark, Lizzie, Gran's first namesake, prances in. Our little four-month old Golden Retriever with the perpetual smile and sweet puppy breath places her paws on my knees, begging for some loving and licking my hands. After a quick rub to her head, I give it all of three seconds... one... two... three.. And the second face peers through the door. Oh, those emerald orbs.

And he scolds, "I thought we discussed that you weren't to climb the stairs alone?" He stares at the swatches in my hands.

Lizzie moves to the corner of the room and curls up into a ball, her eyes on Edward, then on me.

I moan, "Oh Edward, I'm not an invalid. I'm just pregnant."

"Due any day, Bella." He quickly reminds me. "I take the dog out for three minutes and..."

I interrupt, "Oh my God, I went up the stairs. I just wanted to look at these swatches."

His face softens with a slight smirk. He walks over to me, kisses my head and kneels on one knee in front of me. "I'm sorry. Mrs. Cullen."

I shake my head. "It's okay, Mr. Cullen." I smile at him, running my hand over his jaw. "You want to sit down?"

"Yeah."

I stand, as Edward sits in the rocker, and I mold myself comfortably onto his lap, sitting sideways, with my head on his shoulder. He wraps his arms around my belly and gently rubs. "Hmmm, that feels so good. She's been kicking."

I talk to my belly. "You like it, when daddy touches Mommy."

Edward chuckles, "Daddylikes it, when he touches Mommy." He does a quick grope to my breasts, over my silk robe.

I stare into his eyes. "You're such a sex maniac. Any excuse to grope me."

He laughs hard, "But you like it." I rest back down.

I say nothing, because (dammit) he is right. His long fingers probe and dig into my flesh firmly, soothing the soreness of my bulging boobs. They are so tender to the touch, but Edward alleviates the nagging pressure. He arouses my sexual lust with one quick rub over my knubby nipples. I moan. Well, whine.

"Feel good, baby," Edward whispers in my ear.

I whisper a long, "yeaaaaah".

He loosens the tie of my robe and cups my bare breasts in his hands, massaging carefully. "Not cold?"

"No, not cold. Just enjoying this." I fully sigh. "It may be arousing, but it really does soothe the aches and pains."

"Good. Just lie back. I love groping your big girls." I snort, while he rubs my sides, my belly and my back. All the tension leaves my body.

"Your dad called, while you were napping, after your shower," he chuckles into my neck. "Apparently, the lead he had on Phil was a fake. He's back to square one."

"I wish he would drop this already. After five years, we can honestly assess that Phil does not want to be found."

"You and I know that, but the Chief is a pitbull and won't let go," Edward huffs.

"I would think he would be happy about linking James to Sybil. Who would have thought that she and her band of pirates were the missing accomplices? All the trips we made to London, when I was a kid and I never saw Renee backtrack to Cornwall. I just don't understand my mother. She's the kind of person who reveled in the wealth and honor. But to deny her blue blood? Well, something was rotten in Denmark!" I laugh, "Or Cornwall!" I shake my head. "James had my mother so wrapped around his pinky that she gave up my dad and Phil. How convoluted was her thinking?"

"Well, she is in a state mental institution, Bella.," Edward mumbles.

"Still? We just thought she was spoiled and selfish. Who knew the extent of her mental illness? Gran certainly didn't." I sigh and blow out a breath. "Edward, I'm just glad they're all put away."

"And for a long time," Edwards whispers into my ear. His warm breath makes me tingle all over.

I hiss, "Oh please, don't stop rubbing there, Edward." A little moan of complaint, "My spine aches."

Edward palms my tail bone and rubs up and down. "That better?"

I grin and coo. "Much."

He slides his fingers over each cheek, squeezing gently. "I could..." He moves his fingers and I still.

Esme voice rings up from the downstairs, "Kids, are you up there?"

I quickly stand and adjust my robe, as Edward laughs at me. "Yeah, Mom, we're in the nursery."

As Esme's footsteps make their way up the stairs, she calls out, "Wait til you see what I found."

As the door swings open, Esme carries the most adorable floor lamp of stained and blown glass flowers of pinks, purples and light green with a dark forest green rod iron that twists into the large stem and vines to the bottom base. There are smaller, wispy glass bulbs of yellow and pink that hang from the larger bloom. It is exquisite.

Esme's face glows with excitement. "Well, what do you think?"

"It's perfect. Oh my God, Mom, it's amazing!" I shout.

"When I saw it, I had to buy it. There's a new 24-hour, craft store in Port Angeles and I wanted to check it out. So, I got up at the crack of dawn, before Charlie. They have sculptures, paintings and all kinds of stained glass lamps and mirrors. Bella, once you give birth, we are going!"

Edward wraps his arms around my shoulders and stares at the lamp. "It's certainly interesting."

Esme frowns. "You don't like it, Edward?"

"It's girlie." He smiles broadly. "Not my thing."

"Oh, it will go great near the changing table. I love these dangling lights, Mom," I say, as I try to move the lamp over to the changing table. Edward grabs it from me. "It's not heavy!"

"Bella!" He stares.

"Okay. Okay." I moan. "So why the early shopping spree?"

"Well, your father has the painters redoing your old room and I didn't want to smell the paint. So, I left it for him." She giggles. "Have you kids eaten breakfast?" Esme asks.

"No, not yet. After my shower, I sort of pooped out back into bed. Edward took Lizzie out, so I ran downstairs to get the wallpaper swatches you brought by."

"I was going to meet your dad at the diner, after I got back. Maybe getting out for a bit would do you some good?" She lightly taps my rotund belly.

"You know, I'd like pancakes smothered in maple syrup and bacon." I salivate. "Maybe some hash browns and catsup."

"Good, that settles it. I'll run home and change these shoes. They are killing me. And get Mags. Then, we can go."

Esme exits the room, as she yells out, "Oh, Alice and Jasper should be be up. I'll have them meet us there, too."

I look at Edward. "I'll go get dressed.

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"Hey, hey, the gang's all here," shouts Charlie, as he enters the diner. He walks to our table, bends to kiss Esme on the cheek and sits down next to her with his arm around the back of her seat. "Bella, you're looking good, Honey."

With a slight smile, I grumble, "Dad, my cervix feels like my bottom lip is being pushed over my head. How good can I look?"

Charlie inspects the silverware and mumbles, "Sorry. But you look beautiful to me." He nods to Edward and whispers, "Not a good morning, huh?"

"I'm sorry, Dad. This waiting is killing me." I apologize.

"It's okay, kiddo, been a rough morning already for all of us," he grumbles.

"Yeah, Edward told me your lead fell through." I sympathize.

"I don't recall ever failing a case." Charlie forces a half smile.

"That's not true, Charlie Swan." Esme grabs his jaw to face her. "You have solved everything with that crazy case. That sicko baroness and her sidekick slash James' cousin, what's-his-name?" Esme rants.

"Angus. Who's very dead, Mom!" Alices adds.

"And Chief, you broke up an entire European drug and weapons smuggling ring headed by James Hunter. That man will never see the outside for a very long time, thanks to you." Jasper nods his head. "Like a mini-mob family in Forks."

I glare sarcastically at Jasper and point in his face. "Mini-mob? Where do you get these things?" Then, I look at Charlie. "Dad, you didn't fail." I grab his hand and squeeze, as Esme pats his face.

"Chief." Edward clears his throat. "We would never had known that my dad wasn't involved in business with James. He was protecting all of us from that maniac's threats, while James stole from him. One nightmare, after the other with that family."

"Charlie, you're talking nonsense, my boy," Mags scolds. "You brought things to justice." She giggles, "And you even married the girl!" She points to Esme, as Esme blushes.

We all laugh.

"Dad, okay, you can't find Phil. He doesn't want to be found. Look, he was probably embarrassed by being taken in by mom and he went into hiding. Besides, he doesn't know she's in custody," I quip.

"Yeah, she's pretty scary," Edwards mumbles.

Jasper moans, "You can say that again."

"Forks never saw so much action, because of Renee` Higginbotham Swan Dwyer" Charlie sighs.

"Well, she's put away with her good friend, Jane." Mags chuckles, "I'd like to be a fly on the wall to hear one of their prison chats."

"I just want to understand the blank bullets and Renee's belief she truly killed Phil," Charlie proclaims.

"Dad, that would take a rational mind." I twinge from a kick in the side. "Ouch!

Edward puts his arm around my waist. "You okay, Bella?"

"Yeah, just a..." And another kick slams into me. "Whooo." I catch my breath.

Edward rubs my lower back in circles and softly soothes, "Just breathe slowly, Baby. Relax. Focus on something."

I stare at my father's mustache and breathe slowly. "Dad..." Another slam and I push forward. "That was a strong one."

"Edward, you may want to take Bella to the hospital." Esme quietly instructs.

"I don't want to move her right now, Mom," Edward pleads with Esme.

"Honey, she's in labor. You either take her or call an ambulance." Esme insists.

"Edward, her chair is dripping. I think Bella sprung a leak," Mags shouts out.

"Oh my God. Oh my God." Alice jumps up and orders, "Edward, go get the car." She screams, "Go! And Jasper go with him!"

Edward looks at me and I nod. He runs out the front door with Jasper close behind. Another slam and I grab the table, "Holy shit!" And I breathe in and out, no direction or focus point. I panic.

Esme grabs my shoulders and stares me in the eyes. "Bella, just slow down, Honey. You need to focus. Edward's getting the car. You aren't alone. We are with you."

I can't speak. I just nod my head, while another blow rips at my cervix. God, how far can this thing stretch?

"Bells, we're right here. You hold on," Charlie's shaky voice pleads.

A loud screech of tires and Edward's car quickly stops at the front door of the diner. Edward comes running in, lifts me up from the chair and runs to the car with me. Like Gretel, I leave a trail of water droplets. Jasper follows with Alice over his shoulders.

Alice screams, "You don't have to carry me, Jazz. I'm not dripping amniotic fluid. Put me down."

Charlie runs holding Esme's hand to his cruiser. "I'll lead the way with my siren on. Just follow me."

And Mags still sits at the table, as the waitress walks up to her. "Can I get food to go?"

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Okay, I take a breath in and I exhale a breath out. I focus on Edward's green eyes that match his skin right about now. He holds my hand quietly. No words to sooth me. No words to encourage me. Hmmm, I think he turns a shade lighter.

I huff and puff. "Edward, are you okay?"

From his daze, he finally shakes his head, looks at me and swallows dryly. "You're the one giving birth. I should be asking you."

"Well, you look like you were a bit out of it, Sparky," I sarcastically chuckle. I yawn and take a huge breath. "Well, that was fun."

Dr. Rosen peaks his head from between my legs in the stirrups. "You got a few seconds reprieve, Bella. Be prepared to push, kiddo."

Before I can utter a word, the pain intensifies. "Oh my God, this is..." And I scream. Just scream.

"We got the head peaking, Bella. C'mon, give me a good push," Doctor Rosen urges me on.

I yell, "I'll give you a good push!"

"Someone up the stereo. We need some music," Dr. Rosen bellows. "The mother is a little tense."

As I push, I strain, "Have you ever tried to push a watermelon through a sewing needle's eye?"

He looks up at me and seriously answers, "Can't say that I have."

"I can't do this!" I cry.

And Edwards crawls up onto the bed and sits behind me, as I lean against him. He holds my shoulders, rubbing my arms, and whispers in my ear, sweetly, "I know you can do this, Baby. I'm sorry you have to be the one in pain, but I promise I will make this up to you." He gently pushes me forward.

I whine, "I'm so sorry to be a mess..."

And the music blares:

"All you need is love, all you need is love,
All you need is love, love, love is all you need."

Edward holds my hands, as I start to push harder.

"Love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love.
There's nothing you can do that can't be done."

The monitor beeps, beeps beeps very quickly.

"Nothing you can sing that can't be sung."

Everything is out of our hands.

"Nothing you can say but you can learn how to play the game
It's easy."

This is not easy. I push harder.

"There's nothing you can make that can't be made.
No one you can save that can't be saved."

I cry and Edward wipes my tears with his thumb.

"Nothing you can do but you can learn how to be you
in time - It's easy."

And I hear a cry, a small wail.

"All you need is love, all you need is love,
All you need is love, love, love is all you need."

I watch, as the nurse takes the little bundle from Dr. Rosen's hands, walks to the other side of the room and cleans up my, our little girl.

Dr. Rosen gently moves my legs out of the stirrups and another nurse gives me a quick clean up and covers me with a clean blanket.

Edward kisses my temple. "You did it, Bella. I knew you could."

I just lean back into him, as the Beatles fade to silence. Well, not silent.
Our baby sings her own tune.

The nurse returns and hands over our screaming daughter. Once in my arms, she calms down to a whimper.

Edward wraps his arms around the both of us with his head next to mine. "She's beautiful," he whispers.

I snidely mumble, "She looks like Winston Churchill."

"Bella?" Edward nudges me.

"Well, all newborns are pretty wrinkly," I quip.

I unwrap the pink-stripe, baby blanket and remove the matching cap, so we can check her out. Yup, she's a ginger. The little sprigs of her hair are a little darker than Edward's, but the red is there. Her eyes are shut tight, so we'll have to see about the eye color. Okay, ten fingers and ten toes. I peak in the diaper. No penis.

"So, are we still good with Carlie Elizabeth?" Edward asks.

"Yeah, I think she has two very strong people to live up to!" And a tear runs down my cheek.

Dr. Rosen stands at the edge of the bed and wiggles my toe. "We have your room ready for you, Bella. And your family is waiting to meet little Miss Carlie Elizabeth."

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The nurses settle me into my private room. There is another bed for Edward, since he insists on staying with us. And a bassinet for Carlie. Edward stands to the side with Carlie in his arms. He is in another world. He is so lost in her, talking into her ear. He coos. He laughs. From the seventeen year old boy to the twenty-two year old man, he is a father.

I watch him, as the nurses run a muck. Finally, they leave and the family pours in.

With flowers, balloons and stuffed animals, Alice's arm are full. Can't see her head, but she manages to place all her goodies throughout the room. She always knows how to make things better.

Jasper follows her with his own pile of bakery goods. Love that guy.He knows what I want, because Alice and he bake it. A & J Bakery creates the best sweets in all of Forks. I should know, they are Gran's recipes.

You see, the four of us have business degrees from U Dub. You can have a lot of money, but you have to know what to do with it without losing it.

Jasper figures people have to eat. People like the sweets. You have to roll in his head to get his idea... his logic... his reasonings... but they work.

Their wedding is in six weeks on Halloween. They want to share their vows in our house, a simple ceremony with only the family.

I have to giggle, when Esme literally grabs Carlie out of Edward's arms. She beams, as a true grandma should. Dad is right next to her, the grandpa extraordinaire. Did he gurgle and coo? I shake my head in disbelief. My father, the man of all men, a tough cop, a weekend fisherman and the devout fan of the Seahawks and Mariners is a babytalker. If he does it again, I will have to kill him.

Edward scoots into the bed next to me and hugs my shoulders and kisses my head. He whispers into my ear, "Your father talks baby talks."

I giggle, "I know I heard him." We laugh.

"Oh, I called Emmett and Rosalie. They were really happy you finally gave." We laugh, again. "And Emmett wanted to know if we ran his school into the ground, yet."

"What did you tell him?" I stare at his mouth. It really looks so good.

"I told him we got three new students, this week. And have arranged for tournaments for the winter," he spouts proudly.

"Does Rosalie still hate Oakland?" I ask.

"He said she got involved with a Mustang restoration group in San Francisco." He plays with my hair.

"Well, I'm sure she's not pleading to come back, now." I move closer and steal a kiss. "Hmmm," I moan.

"He also wanted to know if Alice and Jasper trashed his house."

"Did you tell them that Alice dug up the backyard for a pool, took out his "man cave" and repainted every wall?" I smell him.

"Did you just smell me?" he asks.

"Yeah. You smell so good." I really coo.

"You're weird Bella Cullen."

"You should know, Edward Cullen. You married me." I breathe him in some more and lick his jaw.

"Hey, that's what got us into trouble," he moans.

"I got trouble on my mind." I smile with wiggling my eyebrows.

"Don't do that. You remind me of Jasper," he gripes.

"Jasper wiggles his eyebrows at you?" I kid.

"No! He does it to Alice." He yelps, as I pinch his well formed, muscular ass.

"And you notice this?" I tease.

He smiles. "I notice everything."

Alice pipes up, "And they are looking for number two!"

Everyone laughs and we blush.

Through all the hoopla, Mags walks into the room, carrying takeout boxes from the diner. "Okay, who wants breakfast? I heard I got a great granddaughter to love!"

Mags strolls into the room, as Dad takes the boxes from Mags and places them on my hospital table. Esme brings Carlie to her. With one quick sweep, Mags holds Carlie close. "She's a Bella/Edward combo." She baby talks to Carlie, "And you're going to give us all a run for our money, aren't you?"

Edward and I roll our eyes.

I look around and poke Edward, "This is home." And I kiss him head on.

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Well, this is it. I started this story on a Wednesday with the loss of life in the first chapter and have ended it with the gain of a life in the last on a Wednesday.
Again, thanks for reading.

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Look for the new story, "Under My Nose", a romantic comedy. Coming Soon!
story summary: Edward Cullen turns thirty in six months & he wants to leave the dating scene to find his "Miss Right". Leaving his restaurant behind, he drives a carriage in the New Orleans French Quarter searching for the meaning of true love. But where is it? Who is it? Will he know, when he finds her? Or will she be right under his nose?
This story has a very different Bella. She's strong, resourceful, affectionate and open. Blonde and on the chubby side, but Bella is very happy with who she is and how she looks. A waitress for Cafe du Monde, she meets Edward. And the sparks fly.

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