FORKS - carlisle cullen

N I N E T E E N

Three Months Later
Carlisle Cullen's POV

Despite the thrum of people and excitement all around me, she is all that I can focus on.

Even family members asking me questions, Alice fussing over my suit, and Rose repeatedly attempting to correct a pesky strand of hair that refused to stay in place can't take my mind off of my Eleanor. As tradition, I haven't seen her all day, but I feel as though I haven't left her side due to her pull to me all throughout the house.

The hours leading up to the ceremony seem to fly by as though they were minutes, time itself losing its concept even more than it already had. Guests mingle with each other, the tinkling of their voices being lost in the roar of their heartbeats and blood rushing through their veins. They move throughout the rows of chairs, unaware that I am gazing down upon them from the window of my study, finally finding a moment of solitude.

When it really sinks in that I am finally going to marry my mate after waiting nearly 3 and a half centuries, an uncontrollable smile spreads across my lips. I am sure that to anyone that could see me I would look like a madman, but I am far too exuberant to care what anybody thinks of me. I hear a knock at my door and I turn away from the window with one last look at the guests below.

"Come in." I call out softly, knowing that I will be heard.

"Carlisle," My youngest son opens the door, pausing on the threshold with a smile. "It's time."

"Thank you, Edward." I reply, approaching him and pausing before wrapping my arms tightly around him.

He returns the hug until dainty footsteps approach, Alice grabbing onto Edward by the ear and dragging him away from me.

"No touching the artwork!" She scolds, slapping him on the shoulder. "You'll wrinkle his suit!"

"Wrinkle his suit..." Edward mutters under his breath as he shakes his head and walks away, earning another smack from Alice, making me chuckle at their antics.

"You look wonderful, Carlisle," Alice smiles up at me sweetly. "Now let's go! It's finally the moment you've been waiting for your whole life!"

My smile turns into a beam as she pulls me through the house, the rest of my children waiting at the bottom of the stairs with grins on their own faces. Renesmee dances towards me, hugging my waist and looking up at me with her beautiful brown eyes.

"You look lovely, Renesmee," I kiss her forehead, careful not to mess up the delicate hairstyle that Rose and Alice had done for her. "You're the most beautiful flower-girl to ever walk the earth."

She twirls a bit, her dress fanning around her as she grows dizzy. Edward scoops her into his arms with a chuckle, making her shriek and giggle. On Alice's instruction, we begin to make our way outside, the long-awaited ceremony finally beginning.

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Eleanor Martin's POV

I hear Renesmee giggling downstairs after Carlisle compliments her, both of their voices making me smile. I look at myself in the mirror, trying to calm myself down.

I have never been so excited before in my life, and it is taking everything in me to not dance around the room laughing and singing. My golden eyes hold a sparkle that wasn't there before, happiness taking over my features. A massive smile spreads over my face as I make my way down the stairs.

"You look so beautiful, Honey." My uncle says with teary eyes, being serious for the first time in his life.

I thank him and gently grab onto his elbow as we walk to the door, ready to walk down the aisle. For a split second I am sorrowful that my father wasn't the one to walk me down the aisle, but all of my sorrow diminishes when I lay eyes on Carlisle.

He stands at the altar, his eyes glued onto me and his mouth slightly open as he stares at me, his amber eyes filled with love and affection and desire. I don't dare to blink, memorizing everything about his appearance at this moment so that I will never forget. He is absolutely stunning, and my attraction only grows stronger and stronger the closer I get to him.

Before I even realize, we are right up beside him. My uncle places my hand into Carlisle's and I latch onto it tightly, never wanting to let go. The two of us stop in front of the minister, the vows and the scriptures all melding into a blur as Carlisle is all that I can focus on. Our topaz eyes are mirrors as we look at each other, our gazes holding all of the same thoughts and feelings.

We are forced to pay attention to the minister when we exchange rings and say our "I do's", and we don't hesitate when we are instructed to consummate our marriage with a kiss.

"I love you, Mrs. Cullen." Carlisle whispers sweetly.

"And I love you 100 times more, Mr. Cullen." I reply and he pulls me in for another sweet kiss, the crowd cheering and making us smile against each other's lips.

And in this moment, I realize that Happily Ever After really does exist. I just never knew how much sacrifice was required to achieve it.