Alice had managed to push Bella into the bridal suite while Katie would round up some guests via mobile, and James would be checking on the boys. It absolutely mortified Bella that Edward had seemed to all but throw a wedding together behind her back—and it was their wedding! That was something that Bella just couldn't believe.

"First Jacksonville, now this!" vented Bella to Alice. "I just don't get it!"

Alice was perched in the window sill, her legs tucked underneath her, so as Bella wouldn't accidentally trample them as she paced. "Maybe Edward honestly and truly thought he was doing something right..."

Bella sighed. "I don't know. I mean...what about a wedding dress? I won't get married in anything else."

Alice grinned and put up a perfectly-manicured finger. She sashayed into the closet of the room and came out with a rather large black garment bag. She placed it on the bed and stood back, her hands spread out in excitement. "There!" she cried.

Bella blinked and looked at Alice.

"Come on!" she said, clapping her hands. "I picked it out with James."

"Edward didn't see it, did he?" asked Bella, cautiously approaching the garment bag and touching it lightly. "It's bad luck, you know."

"Of course we know," Alice said. "And Edward most certainly did not."

Bella sighed. "Okay," she said. She reached out and carefully unzipped the bag and Alice helped her lift it out of there. It was a lovely piece of work, but Bella turned to Alice.

"It's a strapless tulle ball gown with satin bodice," Alice said. "James and I got it from David's Bridal. That's where Alejandro works."

"And...how much...?"

Alice sighed. "Seven fifty," she whispered.

"Thousand?!" cried Bella.

Alice laughed. "No, hundred," she replied.

Bella sighed. "I mean, god, this is gorgeous. But what about...hair and makeup and stuff like that?"

There was a knock at the door and Bella gave Alice a perplexed look. Bella crossed the room and opened the door.

"Hi!" she cried. "What are you doing here?!"

"We couldn't let you get married alone, not now or ever," said Angela, coming into the room and looking around. "Cool digs..."

"And besides," Jessica continued, grinning, "we knew you needed hair and makeup and stuff like that."

Alice crossed her arms. "You know I could have done it."

"Not without my help," said James, entering the room with a dashing man on his arm that looked to be in his twenties. "Everyone, this is Alejandro, my new man candy."

"Hola," said Alejandro. "Hola. Es muy agradable parasatisfacer a todos. ¿Cuál de ustedes es la novia?"

"What did he say?" asked Bella.

"I said it was nice to meet you," replied Alejandro with a smile. "And I asked who the bride was."

"That's me," said Bella.

"Hola!" cried Alejandro, crossing the room and taking Bella's hands. "James has told me many wonderful things about you."

"How nice," said Bella with a smile. "James said you were from Spain?"

"Barcelona," replied Alejandro. He wore a dress shirt with green and white stripes which outlined his arms and chest. "It is very hot there."

"And in here," said James, coming up behind Alejandro and grabbing him. "My god, it's downright steamy!"

Alejandro smiled and took James in his arms. "Haremos un descanso de la Red Rose Suite para hacer el amor?" he asked.

James giggled like a girl at what his new 'man candy' had said. "Okay," he said by means of response, and they literally ran out of there.

"Who got any of that?" asked Bella.

"They're going to bang or something," said Angela offhandedly, shrugging her shoulders and looking around. "Is that the dress?!" she cried.

Bella nodded. "Yep," she said proudly.

Jessica was already picking up Bella's hair. "Why do you insist on wearing it like this?" she asked. "It's...I don't know. Boring."

"Thanks," said Bella, pulling away. "It's nice to see you too. How did you get here from Spokane so fast?"

Jessica smiled. "Edward told us everything a week ago," she replied. "And besides, these things take time to plan." Jessica crossed the room and set her bag onto the vanity table. She wasted no time in taking Bella by the arm. "Angela, close the door," Jessica said. "Alice, get me a bowl—wait, three bowls—of hot water. Have someone get them for us, on second thought, I need you here."

"Okay," said Alice, unsure of what to do.

"Call the front desk," said Jessica as she began fussing with Bella's hair. "On second thought ...Bella, take a shower."

"What?" Bella cried.

She tapped her perfectly polished fingers delicately on the table. "I know you heard me, Isabella Swan," Jessica replied. "Angela, please go and check what the hell the bathing status is in the water closet," Jessica said, looking through her things for something that was apparently important at this point in time. "Alice, have you gotten ahold of the front desk yet?"

"At last," said Alice. "Hi, I'm the Maid of Honor for the wedding happening this afternoon. Yes, I am Alice. Yes, everything is wonderful. Yes, we actually do need a little something. Three bowls of water—"

"Hot water!" barked Jessica.

"Hot water—"

"In half an hour," Jessica continued.

"In half an hour," Alice said politely into the phone. "Yes. Yes. No. Thank you so much," she went on. "And you have a good day, too."

"What did they say?" asked Jessica, beginning to put some expensive-looking makeup down onto the vanity table.

"They'll have it ready," said Alice.

"Good," said Jessica. "Angela! What's the news on the bathroom?"

"No shower," Angela replied.

"Damn," said Jessica.

"There is a Jacuzzi tub," Angela said quickly.

"Perfect!" cried Jessica, and pushed Bella into the room. "Well, go on."

"With what?" asked Bella.

"Oh, god, she's forgotten how to wash herself," said Jessica as Angela stepped in to fill up the tub. "Come on, Ang. Let's wash her."

"No!" cried Bella, pulling away. "I...I'll do it." She pushed them out of there and locked the door. She undressed and got into the tub, the warm water feeling absolutely wonderful on her skin. She put her head back into it, and just lay there for a good five minutes. Then, as if somehow remembering the wedding, she quickly sat up and scrubbed—hair twice because of shampoo and conditioner—and got out after she'd rinsed off.

Bella left the bathroom wrapped in a towel, unsure of what to do next.

"Good," said Jessica, grabbing her towel away from her.

"Hey!" cried Bella as Angela averted her eyes and Jessica swept back to the table in haste. Alice considerately draped a warm robe around her shoulders as Jessica came back and pushed Bella into a chair. She put her feet in a large bowl of water, and her hands into smaller bowls. "What's happening?" asked Bella.

"Why, a mani-pedi, of course," said Jessica.

Bella sighed. "Of course," she said as Jessica and Angela got out nail files and began to file down her fingernails. Alice sat on the floor and set to work on her feet. She scrubbed them as Angela and Jessica removed her hands from the water and began spreading expensive-looking lotion onto them.

"The fingernails will be Scarlet Madness," Jessica explained.

"Why?" asked Bella.

"Because you want a red rose bouquet," explained Angela.

"Right," said Bella. "And my feet?"

"Lovely Lilac," replied Alice, "because it's beautiful."

Bella nodded and said nothing, but simply watched them. She saw Alice file down her toenails and rub lotion on her feet, making them smooth. She saw Angela and Jessica massaging her hands, and even managing to make sure her knuckles didn't look so wrinkled. She watched as Jessica dried her hair and straightened it, then put curlers into it.

"This will give it an awesome wavy effect," she explained.

Bella nodded and soon her feet, hands, and hair were completed.

Jessica clapped her hands. "Now, your face," she said. She took out lotion and rubbed her right cheek. Angela did the left cheeks as Alice sliced a cucumber from across the room. They made her arch her neck so as she stared up at the ceiling, but her vision was all too soon obliterated by the aforementioned cucumbers.

Angela and Jessica kept at it with the lotion, until her skin even began to feel soft—even without her touching it. Bella smelled something else and soon became aware of a warm, scented wash cloth. Jessica was making sure the lotion texture remained, but that the smell itself would be more appealing. Bella was then exfoliated, and her eyebrows, legs, and...other parts were waxed. Bella flinched and felt her eyes filling with tears at the pain, but was especially thankful for the cucumbers for saving her.

Alice rubbed some sweet-smelling oil on her legs which made them smooth and not so ragged looking. She then did the same treatment to her arms, feet, hands, hips, and shoulders. Once that was completed, the cucumbers were removed and Jessica set to work on putting eye shadow and eyeliner onto her eyes, which were still adjusting to the light.

"A golden brown is perfect," Jessica said aloud, handing Angela a second brush so as she could get her other eye. "Black eyeliner...so classic," Jessica went on to herself melodically.

Alice set to work on putting some pale pink blush onto her cheeks. Then, Jessica put on some lip-liner—which had always confused Bella—and then some lovely red lipstick.

Jessica added a swift touch of mascara, and then told Bella to open her eyes, which she did. It was indeed a shocking transformation, and Bella was indeed impressed. The next step was to remove the curlers, which Jessica did expertly. Her hair fell softly and framed her face, making Bella smile.

"And now, the dress," said Alice.

Angela, Jessica, and Alice set to work on putting the dress onto Bella. To her surprise, it fit perfectly. It made her wonder whether or not Alice had—with Katie's help—measured her body and everything else in her sleep. It made her happy that it actually fit, but something seemed to be missing.

"What?" they all asked.

"Am I expected to go barefoot?" she asked.

"No," said Alice, holding up her finger and darting over to the closet again. "These are peep-toes," she explained proudly. "Aren't they cool?" she asked.

Bella pointed to them. "They have a heel..."

"You'll be fine," said Jessica, and set to work helping her into them. "Now, Alice, would you be a dear and get the veil?"

Alice playfully rolled her eyes and returned to the closet, and emerged with what she called a two-tier walking length veil with raw edge. In her other hand, was apparently a tiara for a Quinceanera, but Bella thought it was perfect for her wedding. The tiara was pinned first, then the veil, and then Alice came out of the closet for the last time with an amore fancy pearl necklace. Bella literally squealed and allowed Alice the honor of putting it on.

"Well, then," Bella said. "All you have to do is get ready, and find James—which means Alejandro, too—and Katie. Then, I'm getting married."

~*~

Bella and the girls assembled in the Sunken English Garden an hour later. They were apparently right on schedule, and Bella couldn't be happier. She had been informed by Katie that Edward had gotten them a Justice of the Peace for the ceremony much to her delight. As the wedding march began, Angela, Jessica, James, and Katie—the four bridesmaids, escorted by Ben, Alistair, Alejandro, and Tanya, respectively—walked down the aisle.

Next came Alice, the Maid of Honor, who was escorted by Jasper, of course, who was yet another Best Man to Edward. Edward had several best men—Mike, Jasper, Ben, Alistair, Alejandro, and Tanya. It was so wonderful to see people loved and cared about them all here, together. It made Bella doubly happy to see Mike and James being cordial to one another, despite the circumstances.

Once Alice and Jasper stood in their respective places, Bella slowly rounded the bend and came in full view of the crowd. At the front of the seated guests, on the left side, were her mother, father, stepfather, and stepmother. Bella pretended not to notice them. Not even they could ruin her wedding day. As she walked down the aisle, she remembered many things that had happened over the past year and a half, which ultimately brought her here, walking down the aisle, towards the man of her dreams.

James first starting at Olympic National Academy under the assumed name Victoria, and fooling the staff long enough to graduate. She remembered Lauren joining the group and then leaving so soon. More memories came up, like Angela, Jessica, Katie, and Alice finding out who they really were, as well as who they would eventually grow to love, on the way. She recalled finding out that James was dating Mike, and remembering how strange she felt about it.

She'd passed the halfway point; that much closer to a life forever with Edward. It was another memory that made her want to cry that crossed her mind then, and that was putting Geoffrey up for adoption. Even now she wondered if the choice was the right one. Maybe, she hoped, he was happy where he really was. Maybe, one day, she could finally see him again, and he would be hers.

Riding horses and meeting up with Edward continuously at the barn crossed her mind next. It was wonderful to meet him, and how hard she'd fallen for him. That feeling of realizing that she loved him she realized, for the first time, would never leave her. Even now, as she walked towards him—just a few inches from the top step where he stood— she realized how right this felt. She loved him, and, despite their differences over the past few weeks, and the impending birth of their twins, Bella was at peace.

She walked up the steps, and Edward was there to walk with her. They stood before the Justice of the Peace. Bella was, at last, ready.

"We are here today to celebrate the marriage vows of Edward Cullen and Bella Swan," said Barry, the hired Justice of the Peace. "Edward, please repeat after me. 'I, Edward, take you, Bella'..."

"I, Edward, take you, Bella," Edward began.

"...to be my lawfully wedded wife."

"...to be my lawfully wedded wife."

"To have and to hold," Barry continued.

"To have and to hold," Edward went on.

"...from this day forward..."

"...from this day forward..." he said.

"...as long as we both shall live." Barry finished.

"...as long as we both shall live."

Barry turned and looked at Bella. "Now, Bella, please repeat after me. 'I, Bella, take you, Edward'..."

Bella felt herself smiling. "I, Bella, take you, Edward," she went on.

"...to be my lawfully wedded husband."

"... to be my lawfully wedded husband."

"To have and to hold," Barry said.

"To have and to hold," Bella said quietly.

"...from this day forward," he went on.

"...from this day forward," she said.

"...as long as we both shall live."

"...as long as we both shall live." Bella finished.

"Do you have the rings?" asked Barry.

"I do," said Mike, coming forward and handing them over.

"Thank you," said Barry, with a wink to Mike, which said, I will definitely be seeing you in the Blue Room later. "Now, Edward, please put this ring on Bella's finger, and say to her, 'With this ring, I have you'."

"With this ring, I have you," Edward repeated.

"Now, Bella, please put this ring on Edward's finger, and say to him, 'With this ring, I take you'."

"With this ring, I take you," Bella said softly.

He nodded at them both, clearly pleased with himself and his line of work; and perhaps his ability to non-verbally pick up the brother of the groom. "You may kiss the bride," said Barry to Edward.

Edward pulled up Bella's veil and kissed her. Bella threw her arms around Edward and vowed never, never, would she let him go.

~*~

After hours of dancing and laughing and toasting in most of their cases the drink of choice was sparkling cider because of their age—Bella was happy. She and Edward were leaving for London that night, on her dream honeymoon, and would, of course, be getting first class. From London, they were going to Paris, and from Paris, to Palermo, and there to Barcelona, where they would meet up for a week with James and Alejandro.

They got into the limo—with Just Married taped to the back of it—and rolled their windows down to say goodbye to everyone. Alice walked towards the car to inform her that Jasper himself had proposed in the gardens during the reception. Bella threw her arms around her friend and wished her all the luck in the world.

They drove out of the Thornewood Castle property a few moments later, and Edward opened the sun roof so as they could watch the setting sun. As they drove closer and closer to the airport, the sun disappeared completely to make way for the stars. They shone brightly, and Bella and Edward saw two or three falling ones.

"Do you know what you're supposed to do when you see a falling star, Mrs. Cullen?" Edward asked.

Bella smiled. "Tell me," she replied.

"You're supposed to wish," Edward explained.

Bella smiled again. "Wish?" she asked. "Well, I don't know about that."

"Why don't you know?" Edward asked, smiling and putting his arm around her, gently pulling her closer to him. "It's all in fun. You don't even have to tell me what you wish for."

Bella shook her head. "That's not quite how it works."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not supposed to tell you what I wish for. If they had the official laws of wish making, that would be the first one."

Edward laughed. "But I'm your husband."

"So?" Bella asked playfully.

"You're supposed to tell me everything."

Bella kissed his cheek. "Then the truth of the matter is, I don't need a wish. In fact, I don't particularly want a wish."

"Oh, really?" asked Edward. "Even if you could wish for anything?"

"Even if I could wish for anything," Bella replied. "And do you want to know why I wouldn't wish for anything at all?"

"Yes," Edward answered.

Bella pushed herself closer, which was becoming more and more difficult because of the twins she carried. "Because," she said, smiling as the car became darker, "I have everything I could ever want. Right here, right now, with you. I don't want anything else. I love you, Edward Cullen. You're all I've ever wanted. Well...I'm pretty excited about the twins..."

Edward reached out and touched where one of the twins was. "Do you have any ideas for their names?" he asked her.

"Yes... That's Elizabeth, for your grandmother," Bella explained. "Elizabeth Helen."

"She's one of your grandmother's, right? Helen," Edward said.

Bella nodded. "Yes."

"And the other one?" Edward asked, moving his hand. "Is this our other one?"

Bella nodded. "Yes, I think so... For her I was thinking Anne Edwardine. For Esme's mother and for you," she said softly.

Edward grinned. "You can't seriously want to name one of our daughters after me..."

Bella mockingly huffed before grinning back. "All right. Is 'Anne' all right, then?"

Edward smiled. "I like 'Anne'."

"All right, then. What about her middle name, then?"

"Olivia," Edward said softly. "It means a symbol of peace."

Bella blinked. "Perhaps that's all we need a little of, Edward. Peace..." She turned to her husband and smiled at him. "I love it," she whispered. "And I love you."

"I love you, too, Isabella Cullen," Edward replied.

Bella reached out and took him by the hand. "Forever," she whispered.

Edward smiled as they left Lakewood behind. He reached out in the darkness for her and sighed, caressing her cheek and leaning in to kiss her. "Forever," he affirmed. And then they continued blissfully into that small and perfect piece of their forever.

THE END