Emma and Jack Outtake

 

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Emma and Jack Outtake ~Fandom4Tsunami Submission

"Edward, man, are you sure you're up for this?" Emmett asked as he threw the bags Rose had packed for Jack and Emma into the back of the Escalade.

Edward rolled his eyes for the hundredth time and shook his head. "Why does everyone keep asking me that question? Of course I'm up for this. Isabella and I love spending time with Jack and Emma, and you and Rose deserve to get away for the weekend. What are you so worried about anyway?" Edward asked as he shut the back door once everything had been put inside.

He would never say it out loud, but he sort of shivered at how much stuff the kids needed just for a weekend trip. He couldn't even begin to imagine how much more it would have been had Jack and Emma been babies instead of five and three. Of course the next thought he had was that he couldn't wait until it was his and Isabella's baby they were packing the car for.

Emmett climbed out of the backseat where he'd been buckling in the car seats and smirked at his brother. "Brother, it's a whole different ball game when you're with them twenty-four seven versus just a few hours. Don't get me wrong, I can't wait to have some quality alone time with Rosie," he said with a waggle of his eyebrows and Edward groaned.

"Em, damn it, I don't need to know what you plan on doing with my sister-in-law," Edward told him while he closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.

Emmett couldn't help but laugh at him and then slapped him on the back. "Ed, chill, man. It's not like I'm going to give you a play by play of what I plan to do to my wife this weekend, unless you need some pointers?" he teased.

"Shut the fuck up," Edward growled, though it was with a smile.

"In all seriousness, thanks so much for offering to keep the kids. I think it will be good practice for you," Emmett nudged him, "and Rose and I really do need some time away."

"I hope you guys have a great time," Edward told him sincerely right before the front door opened and Rose, Isabella, and the kids walked out.

"Uncle Ebbard!" Emma squealed when she looked up and saw him.

Edward broke out into a huge smile and instantly thought of how sad he would be when Emma finally learned how to say her 'w's'. Really, really sad actually.

"There's my pretty girl," he laughed when she threw herself at him and he scooped her up in his arms as per usual.

"I gets to spend the nights wif you," she told him in that breathy, hyper voice that only little kids used.

He kissed her on the forehead and then gave her an Eskimo kiss, which of course resulted in the sweetest giggle, before he said, "I know! I'm so excited. I've been looking forward to this all week."

And he had, too.

When he had walked into Emmett's office and overheard him and Rose having a somewhat tense discussion, one which was totally unlike them, Edward realized how much strain his brother had been under. Ever since Emmett and Isabella had started on their project, Emmett had been working longer hours and pretty much nonstop. He only intensified that after the dinner where Edward had told his family everything. It was almost as if he was trying to prove something to Edward or make up for some unknown slight, and to be honest, Edward was getting a bit worried about him. He knew Em was still struggling with everything that he had told them all and coupled with the longer hours he was working at CP...well, it was no wonder he needed a few days away to recharge his batteries and get some much needed perspective.

It didn't go unnoticed that for once, it was someone other than Edward that was spending too much time at the office. It also didn't take much prodding on his part to convince Emmett that he should take Rose away for the weekend and let him and Isabella keep the kids. He had a moment's hesitation wondering if he should have asked Isabella first, but when Emmett's eyes lit up and he let out a long, cleansing breath, he knew he'd done the right thing.

Besides, like Emmett had said, it would be great practice for them.

"Do we have everything?" Edward asked Rose after she'd kissed Jack goodbye.

"I sure as heck hope so, if not, you're in big trouble," she laughed at him and then stepped forward. "Thanks so much for doing this. It really means a lot," she told him quietly.

Shifting Emma in his arms so he was able to let go of her with one of his, he wrapped his free arm around Rose and kissed her cheek quickly before straightening up again. "Anytime, sis, besides, we're going to have so much fun this weekend, Jack and Emma may never want to go home again. Isn't that right, pretty girl?"

"You can'ts keep me, Uncle Ebbard," she scolded him with all the seriousness a three-year-old could possess.

"I can't?" Edward said with an exaggerated pouty face. "Well, then I guess we better get to having fun seeing as we don't have long. Kiss your mommy and let's get going."

He leaned her over so Rose could kiss her and smiled when he got one from her, too. "You and Em enjoy yourselves and we'll see you both at Carlisle and Esme's."

Rose gave him an extra hug, partly in thanks for what he and Isabella were doing, but also to let him know how nice it was to see him say Carlisle and Esme's names, Carlisle's especially, without the usual frown on his face. He'd come such a long way and she was so happy to see it.

After another round of hugs and kisses, the kids got buckled into their car seats and they were on their way.

"Hey, Uncle Edward, what are we gonna do today?" Jack asked once they'd left his neighborhood.

It was a gorgeous Fall day, and even though it was just barely past nine o'clock in the morning, the sun was bright and the weather promised to be perfect.

"Well, Aunt Isabella and I," he said as he looked in the rearview mirror and squeezed her hand at the same time, "thought we'd head to the corn maze and do that, and then let you guys help pick out some pumpkins. Then we'll eat lunch and after that we'll go play putt-putt, pick up some pizza, and then go home and watch movies until you both pass out."

Emma clapped her hands at the thought of picking out pumpkins and Jack gave Edward a trademark Cullen smirk when he said, "Do you think you can beat me at putt-putt, Uncle Edward? It's not a video game, so you might have a shot."

"Kid, you just wait," Edward tried to say with a straight face but failed miserably. "Besides, your Aunt Bella is going to kick both our butts."

He chuckled when he heard her giggle and noted she didn't dispute what he'd said.

Isabella looked at him out of the corner of her eye and let out a very contented sigh. Ever since he'd told her he offered to keep the kids for the weekend, she had been beyond excited. She had to admit she'd been a tad nervous when he'd first told her, but as the weekend got closer and closer and he got more and more excited, so did she. He was so...happy...and there really wasn't a plainer way to say it.

A few months ago she never would have dreamed she and Edward would be at this place in their marriage, though it was what she'd always wanted. She couldn't imagine being any happier than she was right at the moment, unless she pictured their baby along with Jack and Emma. Every night when she went to bed the last thought she had before falling asleep was to say a quick prayer hoping that she and Edward were blessed with a baby before too long. She would never be so presumptuous as to demand, but sooner rather than later would be most welcome.

She knew he wanted it just as much as she did, and at times perhaps even more so; a fact of which made her as giddy as a schoolgirl. She couldn't count the number of times she'd let her mind wander as she tried to picture what their baby would look like, which mannerisms of theirs it would adopt, whose temperament it would most likely have. She tried to picture Charlie and Renée with their grandchild, knowing full well that the moment it was born, the child was liable to be spoiled beyond belief. Not with things, though she was sure there would be plenty of gifts, but with so much love it wouldn't even be funny.

"You okay, Beautiful?" Edward asked her when she'd been quiet for a few minutes.

He'd been listening to Jack and Emma chatter excitedly back and forth while they debated about what they wanted to do first when they got to their first stop. Emma of course wanted to pick out pumpkins, while Jack was itching to head into the corn maze. Edward hadn't told either of them that while they were there they'd also go on a hayride and for Jack, there was even the chance to shoot an air gun that shot corn cobs out of it. He had to admit, he was kind of looking forward to that, too.

"I'm great, sweetheart. I'm so excited about today and the fact that the weather is absolutely perfect," she said sweetly when she turned and looked at him.

He sure was dressed for Fall in a plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up, a pair of faded blue jeans that when she first saw them on him and the way they'd hugged his perfect ass, made her mouth water. To complete the casually sexy look that only he had was a pair of well-worn Doc Marten's and a pair of sunglasses.

In a word, he was hot.

Very, very...very hot.

And hers.

He nodded as he tapped his fingers against the steering wheel. "It's going to be a great day, and we're going to have so much fun," he told her and flashed her her smile.

They arrived at the corn maze and because it was so early in the morning, there were relatively few people there.

Emma squealed in the backseat and bounced in her chair, clapping her hands over and over again. "Hurry, Uncle Ebbard! I wanna sees everyfing!"

"You heard her, Edward. You'd better hurry before she bounces right out of the car," Isabella laughed at him when he'd turned the car off.

Once Emma was unbuckled, she was out of the car like a shot and Jack was right behind her. After a vigorous debate, it was decided that the pumpkin patch would be first so that once they'd picked out the pumpkins, they could load them in the car and then spend the rest of their time doing everything else.

"Uncle Edward, what about this one?" Jack asked a short time later as he stood in front of what had to be the ugliest, most deformed-looking pumpkin Edward had ever seen in his life.

"Buddy...um...that is just..." Edward tried to be diplomatic, but was having the hardest damn time coming up with anything nice to say about the monstrosity.

"I say we get it and bring it home to show Dad," Jack said with a smirk and he reminded Edward so much of Emmett it was scary.

Edward threw his head back and laughed before he nodded his head in agreement. "He's going to flip when he sees this," he told Jack a few minutes later as they walked to the car to put up their pumpkins.

Of course, Miss Emma managed to pick out the most perfect pumpkin ever: perfectly proportioned, round, with no flaws at all. Her little arms were also full of gourds of every shape, size, and color as well as a few miniature pumpkins, too. Apparently his lovely wife had as hard a time telling her 'no' as he did.

Once everything was put away in the back of the car, they headed for the maze. It actually had two entrances and they decided to split up to see who could get to the end first. Edward and Emma were on one team and Isabella was with Jack and after many wrong turns Edward and Emma found their way out of the end only to be met with a very smug-looking Jack and Isabella.

"You didn't get lost, did you?" Isabella asked with a grin and Edward tried to glare at her but couldn't hide the fact that the corner of his lips lifted in a smile.

"Pshhh, we let you two win. Didn't we, Emma?" Edward asked and laughed when she nodded her head in enthusiastic agreement.

Isabella and Jack shared a look and then she said, "Why don't Emma and I check out the petting zoo and you and Jack go do your guy stuff and we'll meet you two when it's time for the hayride."

"This is so cool," Jack said a bit later as he aimed the air gun at the target in the middle of the field. "Hey, Uncle Edward," he said after he'd shot his last ear of corn out of the gun.

Worried about the soft, hesitant tone of voice Jack was using Edward pushed his sunglasses up on top of his head and looked down at him.

"Thanks for letting us spend the weekend with you," Jack said quietly. "It's...well...really cool to hang out with you."

Edward laid his arm across his shoulder and pulled him close. Bending down he kissed him quickly on top of the head, not wanting to embarrass him by being overly affectionate out in public. "I love hanging out with you and Emma, Jack. I'm just sorry it took me a while to get my act together."

"Um," Jack said in an even quieter voice. "Are you going to be Emma's godfather again now? I mean we both love Jasper, but well...we love you more...and I know...I mean...she's too little to understand...but she loves you so much...." he stumbled over his words.

"Jack, oh," Edward practically groaned then had to take a deep breath to keep his voice from shaking. "Yes, of course I will. I want to. I love both of you, so much."

Jack wrapped his arms around his waist and gave him a quick hug before stepping backward.

Edward chuckled at the very typical little boy reaction and then looked up and noticed that Isabella and Emma were waiting for them by the tractor that would pull the trailer for the hayride. He and Jack made their way to them and then climbed into the back and found their seats on the soft hay.

Once the tractor started and Emma jumped when it started moving, everyone settled against the bales of hay. Edward laughed quietly as he listened to Emma prattle on and on in surprising detail for a three-year-old about every animal she saw in the small pen. There weren't many, but you would never be able to tell that from the way she talked.

"What are you thinking about, love?" he bent down and whispered in Isabella's ear when he saw a dreamy, sweet smile on her face.

She snuggled closer to him, forgetting for a moment that they weren't alone and said, "How nice this is, and how I can't wait until we get to do this as Mom and Dad and not Aunt Bella and Uncle Edward."

"Ah, my sweet girl, it'll come. We just have to be patient," he told her, hoping beyond hope he wasn't making promises he couldn't keep.

Somehow, someway, he knew that no matter what his fate was, no matter how long it was until his time was up, he was sure that this one wish they both hoped for would be granted. The rest, well, he'd learned from the annoying angel person, was out of his hands.

"Edward," she began then quickly closed her mouth and tried to burrow even further into his shoulder.

"Ah, ah, ah," he prodded her as he reached with his other hand and grabbed her chin with his finger and thumb, tipping her face up to his. "You know there is no way in hell you're getting away with that move, Beautiful. What is it?" he asked softly.

She gripped his bicep, reveling for just a moment the way the muscle coiled and flexed beneath her fingers. "I don't want you to think I'm not happy, Edward, because I am...insanely so. The way things are with us now is all I've ever wanted and if that is all I'll ever have, I won't mind, I promise. As much as I want to have your child and have us be a family, I want and need you even more. I hope you understand that," she told him with all the sincerity she possessed.

"Oh, Isabella," he muttered with so much emotion he felt like he could fall apart. He picked up his hands and then ran his fingers over her cheeks before he brushed his lips against hers in the sweetest, most tender kiss ever. It wasn't a long kiss because he was aware of little eyes and ears, but it conveyed everything he wanted it to. "I love you, baby, so damn much," he whispered and pecked her lips once more before settling her against him again. "All I need is you, too. As long as I have that, I have everything."

~~~~OOO~~~~OOO~~~~

"Uncle Edward," Jack grinned almost maniacally, "you know the point of this whole thing is to get the ball in the hole, right?"

"Kid, you are really pushing your luck right about now," Edward grumbled and then turned around to glare at his very smug wife and his equally amused niece and nephew.
The rest of the day had gone just as well as the beginning. After the hayride, they stopped by the concession stand for a glass of lemonade and a caramel apple...and then a trip to the bathroom where Isabella had to change poor Emma's clothes. Apparently little girl and warm, gooey caramel does not a good match make.

The drive to the pizza place was full of laughter and some very off-key singing on Edward's part. He gave it a valiant try of course, but singing was definitely not his forte. In between the corn maze and the restaurant, they made a detour to the toy store because Jack made the mistake of telling Edward he could beat him in the game of Battleship and Edward was never one to back down from a challenge, even from a five-year-old. Of course Emma didn't leave empty-handed either, having sweet-talked her very willing uncle into buying her the biggest stuffed cow he had ever seen. When he asked her why a cow, she simply and very sweetly said, "Because it reminds me of spending time with you," so he bought her a stuffed pig, pony, and lamb to go along with it.

Although he was half-tempted to second-guess buying any of them anything considering each of them seemed to delight so much in his inability to putt a little ball through the opening of a windmill.

"Awww, Uncle Ebbard, don't bes mad at us," Emma said and she looked like she was about to cry.

There was absolutely no question at all on whose head that little girl thought the sun rose and set on. She loved her daddy for sure, but her uncle, well, he was her hero and her most favorite person in the whole world.

He broke out the big guns and flashed her a huge smile and said, "I'm not mad, pretty girl, I promise. Why don't you come over here and help me get this da...darn ball through this silly windmill?"

She skipped over to him, well as much as a little girl with adorably chubby legs can skip, and very seriously said, "Steps back and watch me."

And without missing a beat she proceeded to hit the little blue ball right through the door and straight into the hole...on the first try no less.

"I'll be...thanks, Emma, you saved me," he told her as he grabbed her and then spun her around in a circle.

The rest of the game passed in much the same fashion much to Edward's supreme displeasure. Even letting Isabella help him a time or two didn't help much. Although, he did rather enjoy the feel of her body pressed tightly against his of course. He'd even be willing to suffer the embarrassment at being a total failure at the nuances of putt-putt golf if he got to feel that again.

Oh, who was he kidding? As much as he enjoyed the feel of his wife's body, he did not enjoy losing...at all. And he disliked not being good at something even more.

Too bad poor Edward wasn't any better at Battleship than he was at Wii bowling or putt-putt.

"D 5," Jack said with huge, and if he was older, Edward would have said shit-eating grin. As it was Jack had thrown himself backward, landing on a pillow while he laughed so hard tears were streaming down his face.

"Hit," Edward huffed and then couldn't help but laugh, too.

The rest of the game was a foregone conclusion of course and after the game was over, he sent Jack upstairs to get ready for bed.

He wandered into the kitchen and pulled a beer out and then carried it to the back door where he looked out over the garden. For half a minute he wondered where the angel had been all day, but he figured Seth was enjoying watching, from wherever he was, him get his ass handed to him all day long.

Yeah, there was no question the know-it-all being enjoyed his humiliation.

"Damn angel," Edward muttered, though it was done with a smile.

He finished his beer while he thought back over the day. Even with all the laughing, most done at his expense, he couldn't deny it had been about the most perfect day he'd ever spent. Like Emmett told him, being around the kids nonstop all day long had been very different than only having them for an hour or two, but he'd loved every minute of it.

After he'd thrown away the bottle in the recycling bin, he made sure the doors were locked and the alarm was set before making his way upstairs. He found his wife where he knew he would, laying on the bed in the guest bedroom between Jack and Emma reading them a story. He stood in the doorway, leaning against the frame, and just watched as she told of a world of dragons and princesses. Each of the kids was hanging on to her every word and though poor Emma could barely keep her eyes open, she kept begging Isabella to read just one more page.

He was struck with the most intense feeling of peace and contentment as he continued to watch, not to mention the urge to make love to his wife was like a smoldering fire just waiting to to burst into flames. She had no idea what it did to him to watch her with Jack and Emma. She was the epitome of gentleness and grace, though he was fully aware of the feisty Italian siren that came out to play from time to time. He loved and adored both equally because both were the essence of who she was.

Another few minutes passed and the sounds of soft snoring filled the air as both children fell into an exhausted slumber. He smiled at her when she looked up at him and pushed off the doorway without saying a word. Holding his hand out to her, he took the book and then helped her up before kissing Jack and Emma on the forehead. He led her from the room, still without speaking, until he closed the door behind them.

"I plan on making love to you all night long, Beautiful. A perfect ending to a perfect day, wouldn't you say?" he asked before claiming her lips and tumbling her down to their bed where he proceeded to do just as he'd said.

~~~~OOO~~~~OOO~~~~

The Greatest Gift - Epilogue

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Epilogue

"Seth, my friend," Gideon chuckled and then had to clear his throat to keep his composure. 

It wasn't often that angels were flustered, but Gideon was perilously close to losing it, and getting closer by the second.
Coughing once more, he tried again. "Seth, what in the world are you doing?"

For the past few days, or days in the human sense at any rate, Seth had been, for lack of a better word, on a tear. If he didn't have some inkling of what was bothering his young charge, Gideon might have been tempted to be worried, but seeing as he knew Seth better than anyone, he had a fairly good idea of the problem.

"None of these prospects are good enough," Seth told him without even turning in his direction.

"Seth," Gideon admonished though he couldn't help but laugh just a bit, too.

Yep, it was just as he thought.

He wasn't one of the head angels for nothing.

"What?" Seth questioned with a perfectly straight face. "You've seen them! Whoever gets this assignment has to be perfect...nothing else will do!"

"Aren't you being a tad bit...premature" Gideon asked carefully.

Seth having a meltdown was not something he wanted to see...no, sir.

When Seth turned and finally looked at him, his ice blue eyes were as troubled as Gideon had ever seen them and considering who his current charge was, that was saying something. A whole lot of something.

Gideon floated to where Seth was furiously going through the list of new angels as he tried to pick out the perfect one. "Seth, come now," he said in a soft but steady tone of voice. The pages of The Book ruffled due to the deep sigh that followed. "You've already seen that the twins' birth is completely successful. Isabella has had an easy a time with this pregnancy as she had with your namesake's. If anything, you should be sharpening your skills...Edward is going to need them before all is said and done. Poor man has worked himself into quite the tizzy over the prospect of having daughters." 

This time Seth's ice blue eyes twinkled gleefully. "Isn't that the truth? Twins?" he chuckled loudly. "Serves him right for all the trouble he's caused me."
Gideon could only roll his eyes at that statement. As far as he was concerned, it was a complete toss up as to who drove the other crazier at any given point in time.

Seth had been quite busy as of late; especially since little Cameron Seth made his appearance to the world a little more than three years ago. He had other assignments of course, mostly because Edward just didn't need him as much as he used to, but Gideon and the others were all well aware of the fact that Edward had never been just an assignment to Seth and no one expected him to treat him as such. That went double when Isabella was added to the mix not to mention once little Cameron came along.

But, Seth was an angel and he had a job to do, so Edward, Isabella, and Cameron couldn't be his only responsibility. When Isabella became pregnant with the twins, Gideon had wasted no time in telling Seth that part of his duties would be to pick out the angel that would watch over the little girls...Ava and Chloe if what he'd seen of the future held true. Angels could do many things, but even they couldn't be in two places at one time, so it was up to Seth to appoint the little girls' guardian angel.

It went without saying that these weren't just any ordinary little girls either. That was not to say that they were more important than anyone else, because they weren't, but because they were Edward and Isabella's they meant a lot to everyone. Gideon didn't expect any less.

He had a feeling Seth was getting close to making a decision though, and it wouldn't come a moment too soon. Isabella's pregnancy had gone exceptionally well thus far, but there was no telling when biology would trump fate and allow the twins to make their entrance to the world early.

As children of Edward Cullen, there really was no telling which way things would go.

Seth's ice blue eyes quickly scanned the many, many pages of potential guardians for the newest members of the Cullen family and when they alighted on one specifically, a huge smile broke out over his young friend's face and Gideon knew the die had been cast. In his not so humble opinion, there wasn't a better choice Seth could have made.

"She'll be perfect, Seth," Gideon praised and didn't try to hide his distinct pleasure at the potential choice to watch over Ava and Chloe.

A look of intense relief and supreme satisfaction washed over Seth and his white wings unfurled to their impressive maximum. He floated in the air and he let out a laugh that rumbled as far as the ear could go.

"I'm going to go tell her now. There isn't any time to waste," he said excitedly and before Gideon could even give him any advice on what to tell the newest member of Team Cullen, he was gone.

Gideon chuckled and shook his head saying a quick prayer that his exuberant and quite impetuous young friend remembered what he needed to tell her.

A few minutes later, or minutes in the human sense, Seth found himself approaching a group of the others and when he stopped he was practically shaking he was so excited.

As angels there was nothing greater than getting your assignment. It was what they were meant for: to love, guide, and protect their charges. Even though, as he well knew, there were times their humans made them want to pull their hair out and scream and yes, even cry, ultimately, their joy came from watching as they became the people they were destined to become.

Seth knew that better than anyone. Edward had been, and still was, the most difficult assignment he'd ever had or would have, but every heartache, every time he felt like he'd failed, every anguished talk he'd had with Gideon had been worth it to watch Edward now live and love and be happy. There would never be another like Edward, and for that he couldn't help but say a prayer of thanks.

Like he'd said time and again, he was an angel...he wasn't a saint after all.

Miriam looked up and noticed Seth and felt a tingle of excitement race through her body. Everyone knew Seth was one of the favored angels as well as what he was in the process of doing. Like all of the others, she'd watched Edward and Isabella's love story and felt pain when they hurt and felt joy when they were happy. She'd watched as little Cameron Seth came into the world and she knew that the twins were on the way, which meant that they were in need of someone. Someone like her if she had her wish.

"Miriam, can I have a word with you please?" she heard Seth ask and she felt her smile spread across her face.

Seth chuckled at her because he knew she knew what he was about to offer her and the look on her face told him everything he needed to know. She would indeed be perfect to watch over Ava and Chloe...Lord help her. Those two girls were going to keep her busy for many, many...many years. It was a good thing angels didn't age or anything like that because the twins...they were going to give her a run for her money.

Gleefully, he admitted silently, he couldn't wait to watch someone else be driven as crazy by a Cullen as he had been...and continued to be daily.

"Yes?" she practically squealed when she was in front of him.

"Do I even need to ask?" Seth grinned at the fact she was already nodding her head.

"No! I want it! I'll do it!!" she told him with a loud clap of her hands.

He wanted to tease her about her enthusiasm, but he couldn't really do it seeing as how he acted the same way, most especially when it concerned Edward...or more accurately Isabella and Cameron Seth.

"You do realize what this means, yes?" he tried to ask with a straight face. "I hope you know that being on Team Cullen is no easy task. With those two, especially Ava Grace, who I will swear is Edward's punishment for being such a pain in my ass, they are quite likely to make you question your sanity on more than one occasion...trust me."

Miriam wouldn't be deterred and she knew that even though Seth liked to talk a big game, there wasn't anyone, perhaps not even the lovely Isabella, that loved Edward as much as he did.

"I do know and I want it. I promise I do," she told him with as much feeling as her otherworldly body possessed.

"Okay, then, welcome to Team Cullen," Seth said with a smirk.

He went over a few things with her, not that all angels didn't know how to perform their duties to begin with. It was a good thing he picked her when he did, because as he expected, Isabella wound up being rushed to the hospital a good two weeks ahead of schedule.

As the angels watched with bated breath, little Ava Grace made her entrance into the world loudly, demanding attention right from the get-go while her sister, Chloe Abigail, merely looked around and tried to figure out what all the fuss was about.

Edward handled the delivery even better than Seth expected and when he, Isabella, and Cameron held the two little bundles between them on the bed, Seth and Miriam looked at each other and smiled knowingly.

Another chapter in the life of Edward and Isabella Cullen had begun.

~~~~OOO~~~~OOO~~~~

5 years later

"Dad," Cameron called for Edward as he ran toward the field with his glove in his hand. "Hurry up! We're already late," he hollered as he looked back over his shoulder and rolled his eyes at his dad.

Edward closed the back of the SUV and pulled the equipment bag up on his shoulder. He may have let out a grunt as his body protested just a bit, but he'd never admit it.

He squinted his eyes and noticed that as his son said, they were indeed late, but it wasn't anything new. Between Ava and Chloe it was a wonder they ever made it out of the house at all.

"Hey, Ed, have trouble finding your way out of the house?" Emmett taunted as he got closer.

"You know, Emmett, you've been a father a hell of a lot longer than I have so cut me a break why don't you?" Edward grunted as he dropped the bag of bats onto the ground with a thump. "Besides," he smirked at his brother, "Isabella and I are done and you...aren't." Like the smartass he was, he pulled his sunglasses off his baseball cap and put them on and then slapped his brother good-naturedly on the back. It seemed to snap Emmett out of the stupor he was suddenly in at the mention of their impending fourth kid.

It was a good thing Rose and Emmett were the epitome of the perfect parents because the thought of another baby, at his age and after having made it past the terrible twos and the terrifying threes only to now be firmly ensconced in the frenzied fives, made him positively quake in his tennis shoes. Not that Edward didn't wake up every morning thinking he was the luckiest man on the face of the planet, because he most certainly did, but he couldn't imagine having any fuller of a life than he had right now.

"Daddy!" came the sweet high-pitched squeal from his mini-me, Ava Grace.

Long brownish-red hair that had highlights of gold streaked throughout, eyes as green as the baseball field Cameron was currently standing in and the trademark Cullen smirk were the dead giveaway as to which parent she took after. Her sister, Chloe Abigail, looked exactly like her mother, though her hair was styled in an adorable pixie cut and her eyes weren't quite as brown as Isabella's were. She had the same gentle demeanor, the same loving, tender heart and in turn the same fiery temper as well. The two girls couldn't be any more different and Edward couldn't love them any more if he tried.

His kids were his pride and joy and there wasn't a minute that went by that he didn't realize how lucky he was; especially when at the end of the day, there was his wife waiting for him in their bed.

Speaking of...

"Hey, Beautiful," he smiled at her when she walked up.

He wasted no time wrapping his arms around her and diving in for a quick but always necessary kiss. Letting his tongue swirl with hers for just a moment he pulled her even closer to him. Ever mindful of their audience he kept it short, but like it did every time, it only made him want to keep on kissing her.

He kissed her quickly one more time on the lips and then stepped backward and gave her her smile. Even after giving birth to three kids, she'd only gotten more beautiful.

"Next time I'm taking Cam and you can take the TwinTerrors," she told him with a huff but then couldn't help but grin at him when his eyes got so big his eyebrows disappeared beneath his hat.

"Doodlebug, you didn't give your mommy any trouble did you?" he asked Ava with an exaggerated look of surprise on his face as he swung her up in his arms, thinking he really was getting too old to be doing such a thing or his daughter was getting too big.

Neither thought was particularly welcome.

Ava shook her head, her pigtails whipping around her face, and looked from her daddy to her mommy and said in a most serious tone of voice, "Noooo, Daddy. Promise."

Edward, who knew better than anyone what that tone, coupled with that word meant, tried to scowl at his daughter, but as per usual, wound up just smiling at her while ignoring the scoff of his wife and his other daughter rolled her big brown eyes and looked like the spitting image of her mother.

Asking Ava that question was like asking someone if the sun was going to rise in the morning. The answer was always yes.

The twins didn't misbehave per se, but Lord were they ever a rambunctious duo; Ava way more than her less rowdy sister. Put Ava, her cousin, Gavin, and Jasper's six-year-old son, Logan, together, and Edward, Emmett, and Jasper were ducking for cover for sure. Gavin might be a little older than the other three, but the younger ones had no trouble whatsoever keeping up with him...and finding enough mischief to get into. Throw in Alec's son, Ethan, who was the same age as Logan into the mix, and it was a disaster just waiting to happen.

Thankfully for the grownups, parents and grandparents alike, the rest of the kids were not as apt to find trouble around every corner. Max and Sophie's four-year-old daughter, Evie, and Alec and Alessandra's daughter, Riley, who was also four, along with Chloe were like three peas in a pod and spent as much time together as they could. Blessedly, most of that time was spent quietly playing or talking amongst themselves, though as kids were apt to do...they had their moments of naughtiness as well.

The older kids, Jack, who was now fourteen, Emma who was eleven, Cameron, and Jasper and Alice's daughter, Amelia, who was the same age as Cam, hung out without the younger ones underfoot and whenever Jack decided he wasn't too cool to be seen with the others. That left poor Noah, Max and Sophie's two-year-old as the odd man out, but with Rose expecting, he'd have his own playmate before too long.

The Cullens and their extended family certainly kept Seth and the others plenty busy, no doubt about it. As Seth had told Edward on more than one occasion, they were all a part of the same package, however, when Seth told him that the package wasn't quite as large as it was now!

Today, everywhere you looked, there was a Cullen or a pseudo-Cullen because Gavin and Cameron had a baseball game. It was the last game of the season and afterward there was going to be a team picnic. Edward and Emmett were the coaches and neither Papa Charlie nor Grandpa Carlisle ever missed a game. Grandmas Esme and Renée were always on hand to keep an eye on the younger children, though between all the other adults who never missed a chance to get together, there were plenty of people to keep the ratio of adult to kid to a manageable level. The same held true whenever Jasper and Edward coached the soccer team Ava, Logan, and Ethan played on or when Chloe, Evie, and Riley had a ballet recital. No one missed one of Jack's baseball games either, or even Amelia's tennis matches, though no one was particularly fond of tennis truth be told. The hardest was when Emma had a golf match because keeping that many people quiet was difficult, especially Emmett, but they did the best they could, much to Emma's mortification most of the time.

Emma still thought her Uncle Edward was the most awesome thing ever and one of Edward's favorite things to do was to take his pretty girl out for the day so they could play golf and talk. It was a relationship they both treasured and nurtured and one that had only deepened as Emma got older. Emmett did the same with Cameron and Gavin and Isabella and Jack could be found more often than not huddled in a corner and discussing the latest bestseller or some autobiography that Jack stumbled upon. If Rose wasn't busy with her own family, it was assured that you could find her with Ava and Chloe at Renée's art studio.

Their lives were so full of family and love and happiness that it was hard to imagine what things might have been like without the appearance of a very annoying but very happy angel.

"Dad, come on, it's time to warm-up," Cameron yelled out and waved at his mother and sisters before putting his game face on.

"I've been paged. Wish us luck," Edward smirked at Isabella and then bent down to kiss Ava on the forehead. "Keep score, Doodlebug, okay? Papa Charlie always messes up and you know Cam likes to look at all the stats when he's done playing."

"Kay, Daddy," she answered him sweetly and giggled when she thought about her Papa Charlie, because he really did mess up every time.

Edward stood up and was going to get one more kiss from his other daughter but found Chloe pulling Alec by the hand toward the concession stand. He could only shake his head at that because if it was possible, and he wasn't sure how she'd managed it, little Chloe had her "Uncle" Alec even more wrapped around her finger than her mother did and Alec ate it up every chance he could.

With one last kiss and wave, Edward made his way to the dugout, grabbed his glove, then went to go help his son warm-up before the game.

"Papa, you're doing it wrong," Ava scolded Charlie a short time later when they were sitting in the bleachers watching the game.

Charlie snorted and erased the box Ava was pointing at and made sure to put the correct symbol there. "Ava Grace, you know it's not nice to make fun of your elders," he told her when she giggled at him and shook her head.

Ava bestowed him with a brilliant smile and kiss to boot, mostly because her Papa was the only one that ever called her Ava Grace, even though it was because, as he told her time and time again, it was only through the grace of God she didn't wind up in the emergency room on a daily basis.

"You are not old, Papa," she told him sternly and then patted him on the head.

"Good to know, squirt. Besides, who could afford to be old with all you hooligans running around all the time?" he asked with a smirk.

She huffed at him and gave him a look that was very much like her mother's when she got annoyed with him or Edward and crossed her arms across her chest. "I am not a hooligan," she told him in as haughty a voice as she could muster especially because she wasn't quite sure what it meant but the way her Papa laughed at her, she had a feeling she knew.

"Of course not," he chuckled at her and then handed her some money to go get a hot dog.

Charlie watched her scamper off, dragging Chloe, Logan, and Evie along the way. It amazed him every single day how blessed and rich his life was and he never, ever, for a moment took it for granted. He'd spent years hoping and wishing to be in the position he was now, surrounded by family and grandchildren and though only three of them were his flesh and blood, he loved all of them as much as if they were his own. He hadn't missed a baseball game of Jack's in over eight years, had been to every one of Emma's programs at school, and he'd endured every one of Amelia's tennis matches with a smile on his face.

He spent less time working and more time living and loving and enjoying his family and judging from the enthusiastic reception he got every day when he got home from his gorgeous wife, not to mention the fact that she seemed every bit as happy as he did with the way their life was, he couldn't imagine there was a man alive that was as lucky as he was.

Well, except for his amazing son-in-law he supposed.

The crack of the bat caught his attention and he whooped and hollered when Cameron hit the ball to the outfield. When he sat down again, his daughter was beside him.

"Hi, Dad," she told him when he grinned at her.

"Bambola," he said as he leaned over and kissed her cheek. "That was some hit, huh?" he asked proudly.

She nodded at him and no one could ever doubt how much his daughter loved her children...or her husband. Charlie had watched over the years as the love between his son-in-law and daughter grew, blossomed, and strengthened.

The entire family, Swans, Cullens, and the rest that were loved as much as if they had the same blood, only got stronger the more time that passed. Charlie had watched, with awe and pride as Edward, Carlisle, and Esme put all the ghosts of their past behind them and was put on display for all the world to see when they had been named Cameron's godparents along with Emmett and Rose. The boy didn't need two sets of godparents, but the symbolism of having them all be wasn't lost on anyone.

He looked to his left and saw Renée, Nonna, Carlisle and Esme smiling and laughing at something little Noah did while Sophie held him and he felt his heart fill even more.

Charlie knew he was a very, very lucky and blessed man.

A loud shriek of excitement came from the direction of the playground and when Charlie turned to look, Alec, Max, Marcus, and Jasper were playing tag with all the kids and he heard his daughter groan beside him.

"What's the matter, Bella?" he asked her as he threw an arm around her.

She sighed, somewhat dramatically he thought, and said, "I don't know why I even bother getting Ava dressed in anything but shorts and a t-shirt. You'd think I would know better by now."

"Well, look at it this way, Bambola," Charlie said as he kissed the top of her head. "At least you have Chloe to even it out a bit. Not only that," he said in a conspiratorial whisper, "imagine what it would have been like if the girls had been...boys."

Isabella shuddered and then giggled at her dad. "You don't fool me for a minute, Papa, those girls have you so totally wrapped around their little fingers it's a wonder Mama ever lets you out of the house without taking your debit card first."

Charlie merely shrugged because there was no way he could argue with that very true statement.

Isabella stood up and kissed her dad before making her way to the playground to check on the kids and help set up for the picnic. She watched as Edward congratulated Cameron on his hit and then gestured with his hands how far the ball went. It was so incredible to watch Edward and Cameron bond over the game that had caused him so much grief and heartache when he was a young boy and it made her love her husband even more if it was possible.

A feat she thought was surely unlikely.

"Bella, stop staring at your man and come play with me," Alec called to her and waggled his eyebrows suggestively at her.

Yes, some things never changed.

She rolled her eyes at him and giggled at his obnoxious but still totally harmless flirting and made her way over to him, anticipating being swept up in a huge hug, which she was.

Once she was back on the ground again, she slapped him playfully on the arm. "Alec, one of these days you'll remember that I'm a forty-year-old woman and not a teenager...not that you even knew me when I was a teenager," she teased him.

"Bella, you wound me," he cried and placed his hand over his heart...a move that caused everyone in the immediate vicinity to laugh at his antics. "You, my dear, don't look a day over...thirty-nine," he tried to say with a straight face only to burst out laughing when she scowled at him, or tried to anyway.

After all the years they'd been friends, she still couldn't give him a dirty look if her life depended on it.

"You are such a butt-head," she told him and then laughed when he sputtered at her with wide eyes.

The Greatest Gift - Honeymoon Outtake

~~~~OOO~~~~OOO~~~~

Honeymoon Outtake~ Fandom4Floods Submission

"Mr. Cullen, do you or your wife need anything?" the flight attendant asked with a slight blush on her cheeks.

She knew that he was on his honeymoon but she couldn't help but stare at him. He was so good-looking it was impossible not to, even though she knew she shouldn't. She glanced quickly at the sleeping form of his wife and sighed. She sure was a lucky woman.

"No, thank you," Edward said, a bit abruptly, but only because he was uncomfortable with her blatant perusal of himself and Isabella.

She could tell she'd upset him and she pulled back quickly. She'd flown on enough flights with him to know that for the most part, he liked to be left alone. It was a rather easy job working for Cullen Publishing as one of the flight crew for the private jet that Edward, his brother Emmett, and the other executives used. However, whenever Edward Cullen was on board no one knew quite what to expect. It wasn't that he was rude or obnoxious, but more that he was curt and gave off a vibe that he wanted only to be left alone.

She gave him a quick nod and went back to her seat. It was going to be a long flight to Italy. She pulled out her iPod and her book and got comfortable. It didn't seem likely that the newly-married couple would need her services for quite some time.

Edward sighed when the flight attendant walked away. He supposed he'd been rude and more than likely should apologize sometime between now and the more than twelve hours it would take before they arrived in Italy. Whether he would or not remained to be seen.

He lifted his hand and adjusted the soft blanket that covered his wife. She fell asleep as soon as the pilot had turned off the fasten seat belt light though his other hand was still firmly gripped by hers. Isabella didn't like flying; well, she didn't like taking off and landing, and had reached for his hand as soon as the plane started taxiing down the runway for take-off. Normally Edward wasn't much for holding hands, but in this case he found not only didn't he mind, he didn't want to let go, either.

He twisted their joined hands slightly and the movement caused the dimmed overhead cabin lights to shine on the ring that would adorn his finger from here on out. He felt his heart lurch at that thought, but it wasn't an altogether unpleasant one. He wasn't sure he believed in words like forever, but it didn't mean he couldn't hope, either. From the very first moment he laid eyes on the beautiful woman beside him, he'd wanted this. He wanted her, wanted her to be his, and he vowed to do anything within his power to make it so.

Edward picked up the glass of scotch the flight attendant had brought him earlier and took a long drink. He hoped the warm, soothing liquid would help calm his nerves, but he highly doubted it. Nervous was something Edward Cullen didn't do...ever...but he found himself completely unsure of what to expect once he and Isabella landed in Italy and began their honeymoon.

He actually shivered when he thought about making love to his wife for the first time. He'd thought about little else for weeks now it seemed. The fact that she was still a virgin was never, ever far from his mind and as today came closer and closer he felt himself grow more and more nervous until he was a jumbled mess of nerves. Saying 'I do' was nothing compared to what he felt like when he imagined making love to Isabella.

"Mmmm, Edward," Isabella mumbled in her sleep and he let out a low groan and felt himself grow uncomfortably hard in his pants.

Isabella shifted in her seat and he heard her legs move against each other. Immediately visions of those legs wrapped around his waist as he moved in and out of her flooded his mind.

"Fuck," he hissed quietly, leaned his head back against his seat, and closed his eyes.

It was going to be a really long fucking trip he was afraid.

He heard her breathing even back out again, thank God he thought, and let his mind wander. To say he never imagined he'd get married was an understatement, but he knew from the get-go that Isabella was different from any other woman he'd ever met. He hadn't been involved with that many before her; he never allowed himself to get close enough to anyone else to even think about taking this step. The moment she walked into his office to interview for the editor position, he was done for. No one had ever affected him the way she did and even though it scared the ever-living shit out of him, the thought of her belonging to anyone but him drove him to the brink of insanity. So, he did whatever was needed to make sure that didn't happen.

He loved her, God knew he did, but the feeling was foreign to him. It scared him in all honesty, only because he didn't know how to show her. He didn't know how to let her know how important she was to him and how happy she made him. He'd never been this close to anyone before and the fear of doing something to upset her paralyzed him.

He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, trying to keep the thoughts of his birth parents and Ireland away. He worked so hard on a daily basis to not think about them; he sure as hell wasn't going to let them ruin his day now. Instead he concentrated on Isabella.

Flashback~

"You nervous, Ed?" Emmett had asked him as they stood on the steps of the altar of Isabella's church.

Edward blew out a nervous breath but shook his head in answer to his brother and best man's question. "No," he told him.

Emmett chuckled beside him and said, "Yeah, sure you're not."

Edward grunted at Emmett but didn't say anything further. He shifted from foot to foot and curled his hands into tight fists before relaxing them. He was really fucking nervous, but there was no way in hell he would ever tell Emmett that. "You have her ring, right?" Edward demanded when he turned to look at Em.

"Yes, Edward. You've already asked me that like ten times at least. Could have fooled me you weren't nervous," Emmett needled again.

Edward rolled his eyes, but didn't say anything further. They both knew he was full of shit, no point in trying to say otherwise. He saw a movement out of the corner of his eye and turned to see Father O'Connor take his place in the middle of the altar. His stomach almost fell out of his ass as he realized it was time but he tried to give the priest what he hoped was a smile. He had a feeling it came out looking like a grimace, especially when the good-looking priest chuckled at him.

"Edward, my boy, are you going to be all right?" Father O'Connor asked him.

Edward took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair. He'd probably messed it up, but in all reality, it probably didn't look much different than it normally did. "Yes, sir," Edward answered him. He noticed that Father O'Connor didn't believe him anymore than Emmett had, especially when the older man chuckled at him.

"It's okay to be nervous, Edward. Today is a big step for you and Isabella," he told him kindly and Edward nodded in response.

Big step...well that was an understatement if he'd ever heard one.

He heard the music change and the guests situate themselves in their seats. He looked around the church and was again extremely thankful for his about-to-be wife's insistence on a small, intimate wedding. Being who he was, he was sure it had been expected that his wedding would be some elaborate affair, but Isabella being who she was, insisted that she didn't want anything lavish or ostentatious. She wanted to get married in the church she'd grown up attending, only wanted to invite family and friends, and wanted to have a simple reception afterward. He was more grateful for that than he could express. He would have given her whatever she wanted, but the fact that she somehow seemed to intuitively know that a big wedding would have been more than he could handle made him love her even more.

The doors opened and he saw Rosalie and he knew that behind her stood Isabella and Charlie. He chuckled when he heard Emmett whisper, "Damn," under his breath as Rose made her way up the center aisle. She did look very pretty, he had to admit. Isabella had let Rose chose her own dress because she was going to be the only person standing with her, just like Emmett was Edward's only groomsman. Rose had chosen a deep, dark red dress and she gave Emmett a big smile when she looked at him. The smile she gave Edward was a bit less enthusiastic, but it was a loving one at least.

The music changed again to Pachelbel's Canon and he swore every ounce of breath left his body in one fell swoop when he saw Isabella standing at the end of the aisle, her hand tightly wrapped around her father's arm. She was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen and he felt his eyes burn almost immediately with unshed tears; it almost hurt to look at her, she was such a vision. Her dress clung to her body and made her pale skin almost iridescent. It was elegant, but not plain by any stretch of the imagination, and it was exactly her. Understated, classic, with a hint of sexiness and he knew he would never, ever forget what she looked like as long as he lived.

Christ he loved her, so damn much.

He never expected to feel this way about anyone...ever...and the fact that she had the power to break him completely scared him more than he had words to describe. Of course he kept that realization to himself; there was no way he was telling her he was totally at her mercy. He'd seen what that had done and he was not going down that road, not ever.

As she reached the altar and Charlie placed her hand in his, he felt like he could finally breathe, like he was finally...home. The earrings he'd given her for a wedding present glittered in the candlelight from the candles on the altar. Her eyes were so bright, so clear, he swore he could get lost in them and not come out for days. She had minimal makeup on, not that he ever felt she needed any in the first place. She had the sweetest, warmest, most loving smile on her face and Edward felt his heart thump almost painfully in his chest as he squeezed her hand in his.

She was about to be his wife, be his forever, and he was so overwhelmed by all he was feeling, he couldn't think. The ceremony passed in a haze, though he somehow was able to speak when he needed to. Thankfully they'd chosen traditional vows to say to each other so he didn't have to worry too much about forgetting the words. When he finally spoke the words that would bind him to her forever, he was surprised when his voice didn't shake, but was instead confident and sure...as was hers. She pledged herself to him with a huge smile on her face and tears in her eyes, but there was no doubting how very much she loved him...everyone in the congregation could tell.

When he finally got to kiss the bride, he cupped her face in his hands and pressed his lips to hers. He hoped with all he had that she could feel everything he was too scared to tell her. That he loved her with all his heart, that he was every bit as much hers and she was his, that he hoped he could make her happy...that he was afraid he wouldn't be enough for her.

There were hugs, kisses, and pictures to take before they made their way to the reception. He barely remembered the limo ride from the church to the hotel, but he could recall with vivid clarity how happy Isabella had seemed. They talked about their impending trip to Italy and he was more pleased than he could say that she seemed so excited to go there. He hadn't been sure of where to take her on their honeymoon, but once he'd spent time with her family, Nonna especially, he knew without a doubt that going to Italy was perfect.

The reception passed quickly, though he enjoyed it much more than he thought he would. He danced with Esme, Rose, Alice, Reneé, and Nonna. When he held Isabella in his arms for the traditional first dance as husband and wife, he knew without a doubt that he was the luckiest man on the planet. He knew he didn't deserve her, but he'd be damned if he was going to let that make a difference. He knew he couldn't live without her and now he didn't have to.

They left the reception after Isabella had changed into travel clothes, and after another round of hugs and kisses. He was uncomfortable with all the displays of affection, but in all honesty, most of it was directed at his beautiful wife, who still hadn't stopped smiling. With promises to call from Italy, they finally headed toward the airport.

End of Flashback~

Edward groaned in his seat as he again imagined her in her wedding dress, the way she looked when they danced in front of their friends and family…how sweet she was when she thanked him for taking her on a fabulous honeymoon, even though they hadn't even taken off yet. She was so good, so tender and loving and with all he had, he hoped he would be able to be the man she needed.

He didn't pray; he'd stopped long ago after he'd been broken and scarred, but for her he did. He prayed that somehow, someway, he would find the strength within to allow himself to be happy. That he would have faith in her and her love and not shut her out...that he could find a way to let her see who he truly was.

He still held onto her hand and closed his eyes, hoping that when he woke up, he could be the man she needed him to be.

~~~~OOO~~~~OOO~~~~

"Isabella, love, we're going to be landing soon," Edward said softly as he ran his fingers down his wife's cheek.

"Oh goodness," she exclaimed, embarrassed about sleeping so long. She'd woken periodically during the long flight, to use the bathroom and to eat, but most of it was spent sleeping. Between the chaos of wedding planning and getting their new house ready for when they returned from Italy, she had been going almost nonstop for weeks now. Work, planning, and ugh...shopping had kept her so busy she didn't know whether she was coming or going most of the time. Once the plane had leveled off and she could relax, she had been immediately lulled to sleep by the soft hum of the engine and the feel of Edward beside her.

During their short courtship, she'd spent the night with him a handful of times. He was very respectful, if a bit frustrated at times by her insistence to wait until they were married before they had sex. It was old-fashioned, she knew it was, but all her life she'd promised herself that she would save herself for the man she was going to marry and she'd held fast to that promise. Oh, there were plenty of times the urge to just give in almost overwhelmed her, but she was able to keep her promise. Edward was a very intense and passionate man and she knew it was difficult for him to adhere to her wishes. In all honesty, it made her love him all the more...if that was possible...that he made such an effort to respect what she wanted. There were many nights spent together where they each pushed the boundaries of restraint, but she arrived in Italy a virgin and that was what she wanted.

"What would you like to do when we land?" he asked her quietly as they fastened their seat belts.

She looked at him, her eyes dancing with excitement and wonder and said, "Everything!" She giggled and Edward felt a smile spread across his face at how happy she was. "I don't care, Edward. I just want to be with you. I would like to take a shower though, if that's okay?" she asked adorably and he couldn't help but chuckle at her.

"Of course, love. We do have two weeks you know. We can take it easy today, perhaps shower and change and then take a walk. I know it's been a busy few weeks for both of us and I know you'll be tired from the long trip. We can have a quiet dinner and then tomorrow we'll start working on the list Nonna gave us," he teased.

Oh yes, when Nonna Santoro had found out where Edward was taking her granddaughter on her honeymoon, she'd definitely been pleased and got to work right away on making sure Edward and Isabella knew all the important things to see and do while they were there. There was no way Edward was returning back to Chicago without having crossed everything off the list.

"I know, right?" she asked him with a shake of her head.

The plane began its descent and the landing gear was lowered. "Edward," she said in a shaky voice and immediately he took her hand in his.

"I'm here, love. I've got you," he told her softly.

"I love you," she told him once they'd landed safely. She knew it was foolish to be so scared about taking off and landing, but she couldn't help it. Having Edward next to her and holding her hand helped immensely. She wasn't scared of anything when he was beside her. "Thank you," she told him once the plane came to a complete stop.

"I'm your husband now, Isabella. It's my job to always keep you safe," he told her truthfully.

"Mmmm, husband. I really love the way that sounds, Mr. Cullen," she said with an impish grin.

He couldn't help himself when he leaned over and captured her lips in a scorching kiss. He held her face between his hands and he tilted it to the side as his tongue plunged deeply into her waiting and very willing mouth. It had been hours since he'd kissed her and he was almost frantic in his need for her. Between her words and knowing what the night was going to bring, he was close to losing control. Thankfully, the flight attendant made a noise and he restrained himself, though only barely, from attacking her right then and there.

"I like the way it sounds, too, Mrs. Cullen. Are you ready to begin our honeymoon?" he asked with a wink when he stood up and held his hand out to her.

"You bet I am," she said and Edward couldn't help but hope that meant she was looking forward to tonight.

Lord knew he sure as hell was.

The car he'd ordered was waiting when they disembarked from the plane, and he was extremely grateful to not have to worry about navigating his way from the airport to the hotel. It was late morning and the sun was high in the sky. The air was a bit cool, though comfortable. In all truthfulness, it was a perfect day and Edward could only hope it was an omen of how the next two weeks would go. Once the luggage was loaded in the trunk, they climbed into the backseat and he let out a deep sigh of contentment when Isabella snuggled up beside him and laid her head on his shoulder.

He kissed the top of her head and ran his hand up and down the top of her arm.

"I'm so happy," he heard Isabella softly whisper.

The words were spoken so quietly, but with so much love and joy, Edward was momentarily overcome. However, he answered her back truthfully, "I am, too."

He was terrified of what was to come, especially when they returned to Chicago, but there was no doubting how he felt about finally finding the person he would be with forever. He knew there was still so much she didn't know about him, so many things he'd not told her yet. He could only hope that he was able to find the will to tell her what she deserved to know. As afraid as he was of her rejecting him, he was even more afraid of losing her. It was something he didn't even want to think about.

They arrived at the Grand Hotel and he noted with amusement the way Isabella's eyes widened in surprise and wonderment as she looked around the opulent hotel. He was really excited to be here with her, to be able to show her all the things she'd talked about wanting to see, places she wanted to visit. If he could give her the world, he'd do it in a heartbeat, but he couldn't. He could give her the trip of a lifetime though, however in all honesty, he hoped it was just the first of many trips he would take her on.

The bellman helped get their luggage to their room and once he'd left, the newly-married couple stood and stared at each other.

Isabella couldn't believe she was finally here...with Edward...on her honeymoon. Their whole relationship thus far had felt like a whirlwind and like a dream, too, if she was being honest. It wasn't as if she had blinders on though, and she was well aware of how difficult and stubborn her new husband was. She'd already had to work hard to get through the few walls she'd managed thus far. Lord only knew how many more there were, but she had faith she could do so. She knew Edward loved her; she could feel it every time he kissed or touched her. She knew there were things he was hiding from her, too, and though she wished with all her heart he would trust her enough to share what those things were, she knew she had to be patient with him.

She also recognized how different he was with her when they were alone versus how he acted with others most of the time. Every now and then with Emmett, Jasper, Marcus or Alec, even with Esme and Rose or her parents, he'd let his guard down and be the Edward she knew and loved. It never took long before that mask went back on and those walls went back up, but she was certain that with time and lots of love and patience, he would learn that he was her whole world and she loved him with all her heart. If he didn't know it already, he'd surely learn that giving up was something she just didn't know how to do.

As she looked around the extravagant suite, her eyes fell on the bed and her stomach fluttered when she thought about what would be taking place on that bed later on in the evening. When she turned around and looked at Edward, he was looking at her with a look of longing, fear...and need.

She gasped and before she knew what was happening, he'd crossed the room and wrapped her tightly in his arms. His mouth found hers for a bruising kiss that was completely different from any other kiss he'd ever given her before. It wasn't gentle or hesitant the way it usually was, instead it was needy and demanding and Isabella felt a flood of heat between her legs immediately. He wound her hair around his hands; he pressed his waist against hers, and when his hand covered her ass and held her tightly against him, her entire body reacted.

"Damn, Isabella, I want you so bad," he whispered in a rough voice when he moved from her lips to the side of her neck.

He knew he was probably scaring her attacking her the way he did, but he couldn't help it. The instant he saw that look pass across her face when she looked at the bed, he was done for. All the pent up anxiety and nervousness coupled with how badly he wanted and needed her raced through him at one time and he felt like if he didn't touch her, he'd go out of his mind.

"Oh, Edward," she moaned when he sucked on the tender skin behind her ear. She wantonly ground herself against him and quite enjoying the way he reacted when she did so. When she slid her hands into his hair and ran her fingernails across his scalp, she smiled when she heard the low rumble in his chest. Her nipples were hard and she unabashedly pressed her chest tighter against his; she couldn't help herself.

Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on how he looked at it, he knew they had to stop. He wanted their first time as man and wife to be slow and gentle, not ripping her clothes off in the middle of the living room and then throwing her on the couch. There would be time for that later, at least he sure as hell hoped so. From the way her body reacted to his, he knew he could alleviate one worry that had been nagging at the back of his mind...his wife certainly didn't appear to be shy or hesitant when it came to being physical with him...a fact which caused him to grow uncomfortably hard in his pants.

"Love," he said very reluctantly. "As much as I hate the thought of stopping this, we really need to. There is no way in hell I'm making love to you for the first time like this. I plan on taking a very long time with you, and if we keep this up, that isn't happening. So," he said when he took a small step back from her but still held onto her hand. "Why don't you shower and change, we'll have some lunch, and take a walk and do a bit of sightseeing. I thought we could have dinner on the balcony and then, well, you know," he stammered a bit unsure of how to proceed.

Luckily, Isabella was more confident than he was and said, "That all sounds lovely, Edward, especially the well, you know." She giggled at him and then kissed his cheek. "I can't wait for the 'you know,'" she told him sassily and then went to the bedroom to shower and change.

He stared at the closed door and let out a long breath and whispered, "Neither can I."

The rest of the day passed in a blur as they did exactly what Edward suggested. There were lots of intimate touches and looks, plenty of passion igniting kisses, and more than a few gropes when they found themselves either alone or without anyone looking at them. They were madly in love with each other and there wasn't a person that looked at them that couldn't tell. Edward had never laughed or smiled so much and he positively knew he'd never been as happy as he was with her.

By the time they made it back to the hotel, both were exhausted and after a short nap, Edward ordered dinner to be sent up to the room. The atmosphere had changed between them, so much so you could almost see it, it was so palpable. Every time they would look at each other, the air that surrounded them crackled and sizzled. Isabella's heart started pounding in her chest and when he touched her hand while they ate, her skin felt like it was on fire. Edward could feel the hair on his arms and the back of his neck stand on end as he stared at his wife across the table. He watched her eat, shifting in his chair to keep the erection that threatened at bay. He groaned softly when her lips closed around her fork; he licked his lips when she took a drink of wine and she swallowed and then flicked at a drop on her bottom lip.

They finally finished their dinner and the second she laid her napkin on the table beside her plate, he'd pulled her into his arms.

"I love you, Isabella," he whispered after kissing her senseless...again.

He was so ready for her; ready to make her his in every way and he hoped she wouldn't make him wait any longer.

Thankfully, she must have felt the same way. "Um, I'll just go change," Isabella whispered as she stepped from his embrace. She kissed him tenderly, a lingering kiss full of promise for what was about to happen and then made her way to the en-suite bathroom.

He swallowed convulsively, his mind immediately flooded with images of all the different pieces of lingerie she could be changing into...and how she would look as he undressed her. He got hard just thinking about it and groaned almost painfully as he undressed and put on a pair of pajama pants. Edward paced around the suite; a jumbled mess of nervousness and excitement...lust and want. He walked back toward the balcony and picked up his glass of champagne and quickly swallowed the whole thing in one long drink.

"Fuck, what the hell is the matter with me?" he asked himself out loud when he noticed his hands were shaking as he set the now empty flute on the table.

He leaned on the railing of the balcony and took a few deep breaths, hoping to calm his racing heart...and his growing erection. Isabella had to know how much he wanted her, how long he'd waited to get to this moment, but he didn't want to scare her either. He had no idea what to expect, and he supposed that was what was causing him the most distress. She'd always been receptive to his touches, his caresses, even when they became more heated than he'd intended.

He had never been promiscuous, even though there had been opportunities aplenty for him to choose from. During college there had been a few women, casual flings he'd had only to satisfy an urge when it had been too long, but that was it. Except for Anna, though he tried not to think of her, and Sophie, even though there was no sex involved in that relationship, there hadn't been any other women. He was too focused on work and his business to bother, and until Isabella came along, too afraid to even try again. Things with Anna had ended so abruptly...and painfully as much as he hated to admit that, and he hadn't been ready for Sophie when their paths crossed, so he kept himself occupied with work to avoid any and all distractions.

He'd tried, Lord knew he'd tried, to keep from getting too close, too invested with Isabella, but he couldn't help it. From that very first meeting, she'd consumed all his thoughts, both waking and when he was asleep. He was drawn to her in a way that was exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. He was plagued with the thought of not being enough for her, of not being able to love her enough, of not being able to show her how much she meant to him...almost to the point of paralysis. When he'd asked her to marry him, he swore he felt like he would be sick because he'd been so nervous...and afraid that she would reject him and he didn't know what he would have done if that had happened. Gone mad he supposed, but thankfully she'd said yes, and now here they were on their honeymoon and about to consummate their marriage in the most intimate of ways.

Isabella looked at herself in the mirror and took a deep breath. "You can do this," she whispered. God knew she'd dreamed about this moment often enough. In the years before Edward, it had always been some vague, faceless man, but from the moment she met him, she knew it had always been him...she just hadn't met him yet.

She knew, with a perception and wisdom that went far beyond her years, that she was taking a hell of a chance on Edward. He was cold, distant, and so emotionally stunted it was a wonder he'd made it through their vows without keeling over, but she couldn't help herself. She saw past all those flaws and saw the man she knew he was. The one that was loving and gentle, and the one that made her heart soar. He was different with her, but she knew that was the real Edward. Her heart and her body knew what they wanted...and they wanted him with a force too powerful for her to fight. She had no idea why she was so drawn to him, what it was about him that grabbed her and wouldn't let go, but whatever it was, she was in it for life now. She took her vows and her commitment to her husband very seriously, and when she pledged to love him forever, she meant it. She was young and inexperienced; she recognized that. She was very liable to get her heart broken, a fact which she didn't take lightly either, but she could no more fight her feelings for Edward than the sun could stop from rising every day.

She was his completely and irrevocably.

Isabella looked at herself one more time in the mirror of the luxurious bathroom. From the moment they'd arrived and she'd seen their hotel and then the suite, she'd been in awe of the lengths Edward had gone for her. She knew he was well-traveled and was used to such opulence, but it was a new experience for her. Oh, she'd known right from the beginning that their backgrounds were completely polar opposites, and while that bothered her at first, it sure as hell wasn't enough to stop her from falling in love with him...not that anything would have been able to do that to begin with.

She ran her hands through her hair in one last futile attempt to calm the butterflies in her stomach. She smiled at her reflection in the mirror. As nervous as she was, she was so excited to finally be able to share this experience with Edward. She knew, without question, that after tonight, nothing would ever be the same again.

Resolving herself that they'd waited long enough, she opened the door of the bathroom and walked into the bedroom.

Edward stood against the window and whipped his head in the direction of the door when he heard it open. While he was waiting for his wife in the bathroom he'd turned the lights off, save for one in the corner of the room by the sitting area. He'd thought about candles and music, but decided against it. In all honesty, he didn't want to concentrate on anything except for her, especially for their first time. He assumed there would be plenty of time for that later.

"Damn," he breathed out.

The sight before him was everything he'd ever dreamed of...and then some. He'd tried to picture what she'd look like but he hadn't even been close. She was fucking breathtaking; a vision of innocence and desire, of sin encased in white lace and satin...of unbridled sex personified.

He had never wanted anyone...anything as much as he wanted her right at that moment. Nothing...not one fucking thing mattered except feeling her beneath him, of being buried deep inside of her, of touching and tasting every inch of her body.

"Isabella," he said on a very uneven sigh. "You look, I don't have...there are no words," he stammered.

He hungrily drank her in as he stared at her, burning the image onto his brain so that he wouldn't ever forget how she looked. Her hair was piled high on her head in riot of soft brown curls that framed her face. She'd kept her diamond earrings in her ears and that fact touched Edward so deeply he couldn't even put it into words. The gown she'd chosen was pure white and he had to be honest and admit he didn't know whether it or her wedding dress looked more beautiful on her. It clung enticingly to every curve and dip of her body, and plunged almost obscenely low in the front...except nothing on his mesmerizing wife could ever look such a way. There were bits of lace strategically covering her breasts and her center, only hinting at the wonders that lay beneath. Her feet were bare and that turned him on more than if she'd had on shoes. Her cheeks were rosy, her eyes sparkled, and her lips shimmered with the bit of lip gloss she'd put on.

In a word she was magnificent.

She began to take another step and he held up his hand. "Wait. Don't move," he whispered in a husky voice. "Let me look at you."

He sauntered forward, gracefully and silently with his eyes focused solely on her. As much as he wanted to try to continue staring into the brown eyes that had captivated him for months now, he couldn't help but let his eyes wander. It was futile, really, to try to stop them.

He walked in a circle around her, doing all he could not to reach out and touch her. He was afraid if he did, he wouldn't be able to stop, and he didn't want to scare her. He was so overcome, so turned on he could hardly see straight and he needed a few moments to get himself together. She was a virgin for fuck's sake and he knew he was going to have to be gentle with her.

He only hoped he could.

Finally, when he felt like he had some semblance of control over all the emotions that were raging within him, he lifted a hand and pushed her hair over one shoulder. He stood behind her and pressed his warm, soft lips to her naked shoulder. He inhaled deeply, her skin smelling like warm honey mixed with some un-named exotic flower…something that was totally unique to her. "Never in my life, have I ever seen anything as beautiful as you, Isabella," he whispered in a voice that sounded like the world's smoothest whiskey combined with the most decadent melted dark chocolate. It was smoky, smooth, and full of unrestrained need.

"You have no idea how much I've dreamed of this night. To finally get to be with you fully. To finally get to experience loving you the way I've wanted to since the first moment I laid my eyes on you. I want you...so fucking much," he breathed in her ear when he moved his lips to her neck.

He couldn't wait any longer to touch her. Slowly, he lifted his shaking hands and ghosted them down her arms. He felt the goosebumps beneath his fingers, but he didn't still his movements. He couldn't. Slowly he turned her around so that she faced him. He looked deep into her eyes, searching for any hint of hesitation or fear, and thankfully he found none. He wouldn't push her if she decided she wasn't ready, but he hoped with all that he had she didn't tell him that.

Isabella stared into the green-black eyes of her husband and felt her entire being come alive beneath his intense gaze. Her heart pounded, her blood raced...she felt an aching throb between her legs, and she'd never felt so alive in her life. Her skin tingled, practically screaming for him to touch her. She moved closer to him, feeling the heat from his body seep through the thin material of her gown and that mixed with the cool air of the room caused her nipples to get almost painfully hard.

She lifted a tiny hand and laid it firmly over his chest and gasped softly when she felt his heart beating wildly beneath her fingers. It wasn't like she'd never felt it before, but somehow, feeling it thump because of her made her feel like she was a part of him. She used a feather-soft touch and slowly trailed just her fingertip along the ridges of each of his muscles. Her fingers moved across his chest, around each nipple which caused a surprised hiss to escape his lips. They traveled down to his abs where she followed the contours of each well-defined muscle and through the soft line of hair that disappeared beneath the loose waistband of his pants.

There wasn't a trace of nervousness to be found anywhere inside of her. She burned for her husband, wanted him desperately… ached to feel him inside of her.

He must have reached his limit as well and before she knew what was happening, he'd crushed her body to his and attacked her mouth in a ravenous frenzy. His large hands pressed firmly against her back, holding her tightly. His tongue plunged greedily into her mouth, dipping and twisting over and over again until they were both panting.

"Isabella, love...please. I can't wait any longer," Edward told her. He was wild in his need for her, his chest heaving as he looked at her.

"Take me, Edward. I'm yours; I'm ready to belong to you," she breathed out.

Her words hit him like a tsunami, flooding him with a force so powerful he almost dropped to his knees. "Oh, God, Isabella. Yes," he said with a shaking voice.

He closed the distance between them again and lifted his hands to her shoulders. With trembling fingers, he pushed the thin straps of her nightgown off her shoulders and watched as it floated to the ground in a diaphanous cloud around her dainty feet. For a moment he lost all touch with reality as he stared at her, naked in the pale moonlight that streamed into the room. The warm glow from the small lamp in the corner seemed to cast a golden shadow on her and he would have sworn she'd been sent straight from heaven she was so beautiful.

She was everlasting love, overwhelming need, and unquenchable desire all wrapped in a body that was his and his alone...and would only ever be his.

"Edward," she said and her voice went straight to his hardening erection.

"Oh, God," he said in voice laced with hunger. Hunger to feel her, touch her...taste her.

In an instant, he'd swept her up in his arms and carried her to the bed, laying her carefully in the center. He pushed his pants down, finally allowing his erection to spring free and he groaned in relief.

He crawled up her body and felt his skin ignite when he was finally able to feel all of her pressed against him. He bent his head down and caressed the side of her neck with his nose and then with his lips. "Isabella, my love, you feel so good beneath me. It's better than I ever imagined," he whispered when he moved his lips to her ear.

He slid his hands under her back and held her to him. His lips traveled from her ear, down her jaw, across her cheeks until they finally settled against her mouth. He used the barest of pressure, and whispered, "You're my wife." He spoke in a reverent, awed tone, as if he could hardly believe that what he spoke was the truth.

"I am," she whispered back, though her voice was more sure. "Always yours," she told him. "I love you."

"I love you," he answered fervently.

He removed his hands from beneath her and glided them over her body. He watched, enraptured, as her body responded to his touch. Her nipples pebbled, her stomach clenched, he could smell her arousal emanate from between her legs with each passing movement.

She was more than he ever imagined. There was not a trace of hesitation, nor a hint of apprehension. Her body invited him to touch, to explore...to take.

And take, he did.

He slid off of her and laid beside her so he could see all of her. He touched every part of her. He ran his fingers through her hair, along her cheek, down over her neck and took a moment to chuckle when he felt her pulse beat erratically beneath them. "You're not scared of me are you?" he questioned teasingly.

God, he would die if she was scared of him but she'd given him no indication so far that she felt that way.

"Of course not, Edward. You'd never hurt me," she whispered back in an impassioned voice.

"Never," he vowed, though the promise made his heart clench. He knew better than to make that promise, especially with the litany of things he'd yet to share with her, but he couldn't take the words back now.

His fingers continued their tantalizing dance over her skin. He trailed them along her collarbones which he noted with a low grumble of appreciation, turned him on immensely. The path continued until he circled the dusty rose-colored skin of her breast. He took the hardened peak between his fingers and plucked and pulled until she writhed beside him.

"Edward, oh please," she begged and hearing that breathy plea made him throb almost painfully.

Lowering his head he flicked his tongue against her nipple. He sucked her into his mouth, curling his tongue around the tip and then, flattening his tongue, licked her over and over again. He moved from one breast to the other, using his fingers and his tongue to drive her wild.

Isabella thrashed her head back and forth across the soft pillows beneath her and arched her back, trying to find the friction her body so desperately craved.

Edward's tongue was wicked as he drove her closer and closer to the edge, but then would stop. She whimpered in the back of her throat and her eyes flashed. He ducked his head, peppering the swell of her breast and then her stomach with kisses.

"Patience, my love," he whispered against her fragrant skin. "I want you just as badly, make no mistake. But, I don't want to hurt you. Your body needs to prepare. I hate the thought of you being in pain because of me," he finished as he placed a kiss on her hip bone.

Isabella gasped and lowered her hand to run her fingers through his hair. "Edward, look at me," she implored and waited until he lifted his head to do as she asked. "I've waited for this moment for so long now, dreamed about it...about you. I want you; I want you to take what I've saved for you. Make love to me. Make me yours," she whispered urgently.

"God, yes," he hissed fiercely.

He kissed her again, and rolled on top of her once more. He slid his fingers through her slick folds and found her bundle of nerves. Rubbing her in a circular motion he coated his fingers and then lowered them further, gently pushing them inside of her.

She was so hot, so tight, and he moaned into her mouth as he continued to ravage her mouth with his. His need was building, climbing higher and higher and he rocked against her. Oh, how he wanted to sink into her, to move in and out of her with abandon, but he knew he had to be gentle and move slowly. As desperate as he was to be inside of her, the thought of hurting her pierced through the fog of lust he was in.

Isabella sunk deeper into the bed, giving herself over completely to her husband's talented, deliciously tortuous fingers. He'd touched her before, made her come with his fingers but it had never felt like this. Perhaps it was because they'd promised each other forever when they exchanged vows and rings; perhaps it was knowing that he would be the only man she would ever love and would ever share her body with...she didn't know and didn't care. All she did know, the only thing she was aware of, was that her body felt like it was a spring wound too tight and was about to explode.

"Oh, God, Edward...please, so close," she said between panting breaths.

"Spread your legs, Isabella," he commanded in a dark, silky voice. He picked his head up and watched, pushed almost to the brink, as she did what he asked. "Mmmm, yes," he praised her. "You should see how you look spread out beneath me, wanting and ready. So fucking beautiful."

His words mixed with his voice, not to mention the way his eyes burned with desire for her, sent her into a tailspin and she ground her dripping center wantonly against his hand.

"Fuck, yes...that's it love. Come for me," Edward ground out.

His nostrils flared as the scent of her need for him permeated the air around them. He stared into her eyes, losing himself in their bottomless depths. In them he saw her love for him, her need for him...her complete trust in him and what they shared. In that moment, he truly believed that he would be enough for her, that he would be able to love her and treat her as the treasure she was. He hoped with all he had that was true.

Faster and faster he moved his fingers as he pushed her closer and closer to the edge. The muscles deep inside of her clenched and squeezed his fingers. She arched her back, she bent her knees and pushed against the bed...she flung her arms around him and held on for all she was worth.

Edward was beside himself, desire to claim her burning hotly within him. "Yes, Isabella...yes! Come for me, let me feel you on my fingers. Come so I can take you, make you mine," he ordered in a raspy voice.

His words obliterated the last tenuous hold she had and she let go, coming with such a force it took them both by surprise. She shattered, screaming out an "Oh, God, yes!" on a long breath. The orgasm shook and rocked her to the core, spreading over her from head to toe.

He watched his fingers move in and out of her body, saw the light sheen of sweat that glistened on her chest, noticed the damp hair that stuck to her cheeks...stared at her red, swollen lips. Licking his own lips, he settled himself between her legs, and with an almost painful groan removed his fingers from her body.

Isabella responded in kind, missing the feel of him inside of her the moment he was gone. "Don't worry, love, I promise you won't be empty for long," he spoke against her lips. She tipped her head back so she could look into his eyes.

"Now, Edward. Don't make me wait any longer for you."

She gasped when the tip of him teased at her entrance. "Isabella, you have to relax, baby. I promise I'll go slow," he crooned in her ear. He felt her settle back against the bed, felt her legs open wider for him and he lowered himself to her.

Slowly, so very achingly, tantalizingly slowly he slid into her. He kept his eyes trained on hers, prepared to stop the moment he saw the slightest twinge on pain on her face. Seeing none, he pressed further until he could feel that thin barrier that would make her fully his.

"I'm okay," she whispered when he stopped.

"I love you, Isabella Marie Cullen," he choked out.

The gift she was about to give washed over him and threatened to carry him away. He had never realized, until just that moment, how truly special and sacred what they were about to share was. He'd had sex before, but he'd never...ever...made love.

And, Christ Almighty, he loved her.

Totally.

Completely.

Forever.

"I love you. Please, Edward," she begged and felt the hot sting of tears in her eyes.

"Shhh, my love. I've got you," he told her softly.

He ran his fingers through her hair and kissed each of her eyelids gently. He was so hard and he throbbed inside of her, but still he didn't push any farther.

"Look at me, Isabella," he said in an uneven but tender voice. When her brown eyes looked into his he swore they spoke to him. He'd never experienced anything like it, like their souls were speaking words neither could hear, but he understood anyway. They were a part of each other and always would be from then on. There would never be another day that passed when that wouldn't be true.

"It's always been you, Edward, even when I didn't know who you were. I saved myself for you," she told him and this time the tears spilled from the corners of her eyes.

"Oh God," he cried out and lowered himself fully against her, pressing through that barrier. "I'm sorry," he whispered and swallowed the gasp of pain that escaped her lips.

He held himself still once he'd filled her completely, waiting for her body to adjust to him. He felt her walls flutter and pulsate around him and he picked his head up and looked in her eyes.

Isabella didn't move as she waited for the sting to subside. It hurt, yes, but only for a moment. It was replaced by a sense of relief, of pleasure...of completeness.

"I'm okay, I'm okay," she said quickly to reassure him.

He began to move then, slowly in and out. She was so hot and completely engulfed him. He'd never felt anything so exquisite or pleasurable in his life and he knew immediately it was because, even though he was sure he didn't deserve her, she was his and always would be.

"Oh, Isabella, yes...so fucking good," he panted as his hips thrust faster and faster.

Isabella felt herself floating and free falling, getting closer and closer to her climax.

"Harder, Edward. Faster," she pleaded and he threw his head back and moaned loudly at her words.

He was so damn close, so close. He pressed his lips to hers, giving her a bruising kiss. "Together, Isabella. Come with me," he said.

"Yes...oh yes." She gripped his biceps, digging her fingers into the solid muscle. Her legs wrapped tightly around his waist and she raised her hips, meeting each of his thrusts.

The sound of their bodies moving against each other filled the room. Heavy breathing mixed with soft cries. Sweat dripped from his hair and Edward watched, mesmerized, as the drops slid across her chest, between her breasts.

"You're mine, Isabella," he rasped.

"Always, Edward, just as you are mine," she answered back.

"Let me feel you come."

She came as he instructed throwing her head back and stretching out beneath him. Her body shook and convulsed as she fell apart.

"Fuck! Isabella!" Edward roared and released in a powerful burst inside of her.

He felt her come again, pulling him deeper inside, milking every drop he had to give. Each of their orgasms seemed to go on forever, but after a few moments, Edward collapsed on her, unable to hold himself up any longer.

His arms burned, his legs ached, but he'd never felt more alive in his life.

"Are you okay?" he questioned immediately and grinned when Isabella had a radiant smile on her face.

"Oh, yes," she answered back in a sweet, loving voice.

He stayed inside of her as long as he could, but eventually he had to move. Each of them groaned when he did so, a fact of which caused them both to laugh softly. "I know you have to be sore and tired, love, wait here," he told her and then kissed her quickly on the lips.

He slid out of bed and Isabella stared at him in appreciation. Naked Edward Cullen was certainly a sight to behold, that was for damn sure. When Edward walked out of the bathroom with a steaming, wet washcloth for her, he crooked an eyebrow at her and gave her a smirk. "Were you checking me out, Isabella?" he teased as he sat on the edge of the bed.

"Mmmm hmmm," she answered without a hint of embarrassment. "You are quite sexy when you're naked, Edward."

"Good to know." He chuckled.

He gently placed the warm washcloth between her legs and grimaced when he saw the bit of blood, but she covered his hand with hers and said, "It was beautiful, Edward. Everything I ever hoped it would be."

"Yeah?" he asked, just needing to make sure.

"Absolutely," she answered back immediately. "In fact, we need to do that again, soon," she said, though she yawned before the words were out.

"No need to worry about that, my love," he told her as he climbed into the bed beside her. He pulled her against him and she went willingly. "I plan on making love to you over and over again, as many times as you'll let me. I've never felt anything so incredible in my life, Isabella. I can't even begin to tell you how much what you gave me means to me," he told her as he settled them in the bed.

"I love you, Edward," she whispered as she relaxed against him.

"I love you, Isabella," he answered back. She was asleep before his words reached her, but she smiled against his chest.

"Lord, please help me be good to her. She's my everything," Edward said quietly as he held his sleeping wife in his arms, and began counting down the minutes until he could make love to her again.

~~~~OOO~~~~OOO~~~~