Here we are again ... I'm embarking on a new journey of a fanfiction story. This time, we're going with a post-apocalyptic vibe. I recently watched The 100 on Netflix. I'd been intrigued to write a story based off that show/series of novels. I decided to write it for NaNoWriMo. I'd starting almost halfway through the month, but I'm determined to, at least, get something going. My goal is to finish the story for NaNoWriMo July Camp ...
Chapter Twenty-Seven: Epilogue
Ten Years Later ...
Bella
I wiped my hands on a dishcloth, looking around my humble, but warm home. It had couches with woven blankets and furs atop them. Edward had made us matching rocking chairs, along with a kitchen table and stools. It was rustic and simple, but it was ours.
All ours.
After that first year on the ground, we started building homes surrounding the mountain. They were log cabins and with Amun's resources, we'd built cast-iron stoves to heat the cabins. With each passing year, the homes became more intricate. By the time Edward and I left the mountain, having completed our three-year tenure as the leaders, we had a three-bedroom cabin built about a mile away from the mountain. At that point in time, Edward and I were pregnant with our first baby.
"Momma," came the sweet voice of my youngest child. She toddled toward me, holding her arms up. "Want daddy."
I scooped up my baby girl, our little Marie, into my arms. "Daddy is with your brothers in the fields," I said. "You get to come with me to the clinic."
"No, go with Daddy," Marie frowned. Her green eyes welled with tears, and she wriggled in my arms. She looked like a mirror image of me, except she had her father's green eyes.
I pressed a kiss to Marie's forehead, walking out the back of our home. I saw Edward working on our farm with our oldest boys, Masen, and Nathan. Edward was watering the crops while the boys were pulling weeds. "Look, Marie, it's Daddy," I said, pointing at my handsome mate and husband.
"Daddy," she yelled, waving at him excitedly.
He looked up, grinning widely. He called out to our oldest, Masen, who was a perfect combination of the two of us. He had my chocolate hair, but it stuck up like Edward's. He was also going to be tall like his father. At seven, he was already to my shoulder and would probably pass me within the next year. He handed the hose to Masen, ruffling his hair. Jogging toward us, he reached for Marie. "What is it, little bug?" he asked, throwing her into the air and making her squeal.
"She wants her daddy," I chuckled, pressing a kiss to Edward's sweaty cheek. "I have a shift at the clinic."
"I can keep her," Edward said. "I'm just watering, and the boys are competing against each other to see who can pick the most weeds."
"What's the prize?" I asked.
"Story time with Daddy," he answered. "I got a new book from the library."
"Oooh, who's going to win?" I shouted to our boys.
"Me!" Nathan, our middle son, shouted, throwing his hands up in the air. "I get the most weeds and I get Daddy's story!"
"After a bath," I snickered. "When I get home from the clinic, all three of you are getting scrubbed down."
"Does that mean we get to share a bath after our kiddos are asleep?" Edward asked, nipping at my neck. I giggled, stepping out of his reach. I arched a brow, nodding slowly. "Hmmmm, can't wait, Princess." His arm wrapped around my waist, and he kissed me. "Take the bike to the clinic if you're not bringing Marie. Please?"
"Okay," I answered. "Love you, baby."
"Love you, more, Bella," he breathed, pressing his forehead to mine. "Be safe."
I kissed his lips once more, darting into the house to pick up the keys for the motorcycle. I slipped my bag over my head and put on my helmet. With kickstart, the bike jumped to life. I drove to the clinic, parking in the back. I walked into the clinic, smiling at Kebi. "Sorry, I'm late," I said. "Marie was being clingy and only wanted Edward."
"It's all good," Kebi replied. "I'm just doing inventory. I have to go on a supply run soon."
"And, Austin?" I asked.
"He left about ten minutes ago," Kebi answered. "He could barely keep his eyes open. The baby kept him up most the night. I think Charlotte is struggling with breast feeding."
"We can supplement with goat's milk. We also have some powdered formula," I said, walking to the back closet where we kept our supplies. "Breast feeds are a struggle. I had difficulty with Marie. But, your homeopathic remedy helped a great deal when it came to the sore nipples."
"I do try," Kebi snickered. "Rosalie and Emmett are coming for a pregnancy checkup. That's the only appointment we have."
"Sounds good," I nodded. "I'm going to work on doing some charting. I'll also make a list of supplies we need from the mountain."
"Good call," Kebi said.
I sat down at my desk in my office, working on charting. It was tedious work, copying down all the notes onto our files, but it was quiet. An hour after I sat down, the bell of our front door rang. I heard Rose's voice and Emmett's laughter. Closing the files I was working on, I stepped out into the main waiting area. My best friend was heavily pregnant, rubbing her belly. She looked miserable. "Rose," I said, walking to her and hugging her as best I could.
"Get this kid out of me," she moaned. "I've been having contractions all morning."
I blinked to Emmett. "Have they been coming at regular intervals?" I asked, taking Rose's arm, and leading her to one of the exam rooms.
"No," Emmett answered. "I think they're Brixton Hacks, or whatever they're called."
"Braxton Hicks contractions," I corrected. "Let me check the baby and see if you're dilated."
Emmett took his spot at the head of the exam table while I lifted her dress to check her belly. I was concerned that the baby hadn't moved. At their last appointment, the baby was breech. I smiled when I felt the baby. "Your nugget has moved. Their head where it should be. I won't have to perform a C-section."
"Oh, thank God," Rose breathed. "Don't get me wrong. I know you're a great surgeon, but the drugs here in the clinic are nowhere near as good as the shit in the mountain."
"You're full of it," I deadpanned. "I have the same meds as my mom and Carlisle."
"But, they have air conditioning," Rose huffed. "Being pregnant in this heat? I want to die."
"You're not going to die," I chided, doing a pelvic exam. "And, you're not giving birth today either. You're about three centimeters dilated. Once your water has broken and your contractions come at regular intervals, then you're in labor."
"Can you give me a guess as to when this baby is coming? Tomorrow? In a week? A month?" Rose grumped. "I want to see my feet again."
"I can say that you will not have this baby in a month," I said, walking to the sink and washing my hands. "Probably within in the next two weeks. I do want you to take it easy. Keep your feet up. Let Emmett take care of you. We'll help you if you need it."
"What if the baby comes at night?" Emmett asked. "The clinic's closed."
"We'll come to you," I answered. "You live less than a mile away from us." I looked at him, giving him a soft smile. "Now, if you can step out. I want to speak to Rose privately."
"I'll be right outside, Rosie," Emmett said, pressing a kiss to her lips.
He left the room, and I sat down next to her. "Are you okay? Other than the swollen feet and heat?"
"This is the first and last baby I'm having," Rose harrumphed. "I know that we're trying to repopulate the planet and all that jazz, but some women are not designed to be pregnant. You? You fucking glowed. Alice and Jasper? They have a litter of kids. Me? One is fine." She looked at me. "I want you to put the implant back in, Bells."
"I'll put the implant back in you after you give birth," I said.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
"Why are you apologizing?" I asked. "Rosalie, you had a hell of a time getting pregnant. It's your body."
"I feel like I'm letting you down. Like, I'm letting Emmett down," she huffed. "I love kids. I just can't take this. I'm not made to be pregnant."
"Emmett loves you, Rose," I breathed, taking her hand. "He'll love this little one, as well." I hugged her and she gripped me tightly. "It take a village to raise a child. I'm here for you. So is Edward and the rest of our people. We're a family."
She pulled back, pressing her hand to her belly. "Thank you, Bella. You always know what to say." She slid off the examination table, grimacing as she put weight on her feet. I wrapped my arm around her shoulders, helping her to the waiting room. Emmett shot to his feet, walking to his mate. "I'm okay, Emmett. I want to go home, and I want a glass of lemonade."
"Anything, Rosie," Emmett smiled. He slid his arm around her waist, shooting me a grin. "Thanks, Bella." They walked out of the clinic. I went back into the examination room and began cleaning it. I heard a radio crackle, with worried voices carrying into the room.
Walking into the waiting room, I caught Kebi's eyes. "What is it?"
"Accident," she answered. "Jasper fell off his horse, riding back from the fields in the mountain and the horse stomped on his leg."
"Are they bringing them to the mountain or to here?" I asked. "Do they need me to go to the mountain?"
"Peter and Mike are bringing him here. We're closer," Kebi answered.
We both flew into action. The procedure room was prepped. Five minutes later, Peter and Mike came with Jasper on a cart. He was unconscious, probably due the level of his pain. His right leg was smashed, along with his left hand. I ushered Peter and Mike out of the procedure room, asking them to get Alice. I began cutting off his clothes. Kebi set up an IV, giving Jasper some pain killers. I pulled over the x-ray machine, taking several films of Jasper's leg and hand. As I was maneuvering his leg, Jasper woke up.
"Jasper, you're okay," I said, moving to take his good hand. "Look at me, Jas."
"The horse used me as a trampoline," he groaned. "It hurts, Bella."
"You've got morphine in you," I explained. "I need to finish taking these x-rays. I may need to surgically assess your hand, but your leg appears to be a clean break."
"I need Alice," Jasper whispered.
"I sent Peter and Mike to get her for you," I nodded.
"Will I lose the leg? My hand?" he asked, tears welling in his eyes. "I can't ... my wife, my kids ... they need me."
"Trust me," I vowed. After taking the x-ray of his hand, I examined the images on my tablet. Frowning, I did see that I'd have to perform surgery to set the bones in his hand and wrist. As I was setting my surgical tray, Alice came into the clinic. She was holding her youngest, a baby girl named Hailey. Her blue eyes were wild with worry. "He's in here," I said, guiding her into the surgical suite.
"Jasper," she breathed, running her fingers through his hair. "Are you okay?"
"I'll be fine, darlin'," he breathed. "Harrison got spooked and I fell off. He ran over my leg and hand. Dr. Swan, Bella, she's going to fix me up." He grimaced at her, reaching up to cup her cheek. "I'll be okay. I love you, Ali."
"I love you, Jas," she sniffled, brushing her lips over his.
"Kebi, can you get him sedated and intubated?" I asked. "I need to speak to Alice about Jasper's injuries and recovery." I led her out of the procedure room and into my office. "Please sit, Alice."
"Tell me the truth. Will he be okay?" she choked out. "He's my everything."
"His leg injury is not severe. It'll be about six weeks in a cast, non-weight bearing. My concern is hand. It was completely smashed by Harrison's hoof. I will need some help to perform that surgery. My specialty is not orthopedic surgery. I'll have to call in Carlisle."
"But, you can fix his hand," she whimpered.
"I'll try," I said. "I'm going to radio Carlisle. He can be here in a half hour. Do you want to go back to my place? Or have Edward come up to the clinic?"
"I left the kids with Chelsea," Alice explained. "I know that five kids are a lot. Well, four kids since I have Hailey." She gripped my hand. "Please make sure he's okay."
"I will, Ali," I vowed, hugging her tightly. Ducking out of her embrace, I went to the radio. Our machines and computers all ran on solar energy with a backup generator that ran on modified ethanol. I contacted Lauren, who was the head of the command center, asking for Carlisle. A few moments later, he came onto the radio, and he said he'd get to the clinic as soon as he can.
Alice was sitting in the waiting room; nursing Hailey and I went into the procedure room. Tying my hair back, I scrubbed my skin and put on a surgical gown. Kebi helped me put on surgical gloves before going to scrub in herself. I checked Jasper's vitals after looking at his x-ray images. I first set his leg and putting it into a removable cast. Carlisle arrived a half hour later. We spent hours working on reconstructing Jasper's hand, but we eventually decided to wrap it up and have the surgery at the mountain.
With a call to the mountain, a Rover was driven to the clinic with a full medical team to transport Jasper to the mountain. Once Carlisle and the team left, I closed the clinic and drove to Alice and Jasper's home. I explained to Alice that he'd been transported to the mountain. A Rover would come for her in the morning to drive her to the mountain.
Hopping on the bike, I rode back to my home and parked it. Walking into the house, I was greeted by my family. "Mommy!" Marie squealed from her highchair.
I walked over to her, kissing her chubby cheeks. "Were you good for Daddy and your brothers?"
"Yeah," she answered, picking up a chunk of apple.
I ran my fingers through her curls before walking to Edward. He was cooking dinner. Turning to me, he gave me a soft smile. "I missed you today, Dr. Cullen."
"I always miss you," I said, trailing my fingers down his scruffy cheek. "Who won the weed pulling contest?"
"Nathan won by a nose," Edward laughed. "They're washing their hands and faces." Looking at me, he had his brow furrowed. "What is it, Princess?"
"There was an accident," I said. "Jasper was run over by his horse, breaking his leg, and completely shattering his hand. We'll need to band together, helping them out as Jasper recovers."
As we worked together in the kitchen, making dinner for our family, we talked about how we could help Alice and Jasper, along with their five kids. I also told him about Rosalie and her impending birth. What started as an easy day, turned out to be pretty stressful.
Dinner was served and I gave my three children a bath while Edward cleaned up from dinner. I was filling up the bathtub with fresh water after pulling the kids asleep when Edward came into our bathroom with fresh towels. He helped remove my clothes and we both settled into the tub. I sighed as the hot water swirled around us. "I needed this tonight," I muttered. I settled between his legs, picking up his hand and threading our fingers together.
"Talk to me, Princess," he murmured.
"Just overwhelmed with Jasper's hand injury and not being able to fix it," I shrugged. I bit my lip, leaning my head back. He kissed my temple. "I'm also missing Dad. I know he wasn't your favorite person, but ..."
"I may not have liked your father, but it was still a loss," Edward said.
I was at the mountain, getting a pregnancy check up with Carlisle when my father was brought in, unresponsive. I was six months pregnant with Marie and I waddled to help out. My father was too skinny, and he looked sick. Carlisle worked tirelessly to revive him, but it was too late. When I asked Carlisle what happened, he explained that Charlie was diagnosed with skin cancer. They tried to treat him, but it was too advanced, and it had spread to other parts of his body.
My heart shattered. I was never told, and I was there when my father died. I felt so helpless.
Just like I felt helpless in the inability to fix Jasper's hand. It wasn't the same as my father, but that helpless feeling was all encompassing.
Edward and I spoke about my helpless feeling and stress. Edward, being the awesome man he was, told me that it wasn't my fault. And we destressed ... once in the tub and again in our bed.
xx MWMA xx
Edward
A month had passed since Jasper's accident. He was recuperating in the mountain, working with my father and one of the healers from Amun's tribe. Bella and my father fixed his hand, but he needed physical therapy to relearn how to use his hand. Rosalie also had her baby ... a little girl. They named her Danielle Lily, after her parents.
Our little cooperative worked around the clock to help Emmett and Rose as they adjusted to having a new baby, as well as minding Jasper's ginormous farm. I was on Harrison, Jasper's horse, checking on the crops with Peter and Mike.
"Cullen," Mike called from his spot on his horse. "Do you see that?" He pointed in the distance.
I took out the binoculars, trying to focus on what Mike was pointing to. Even with the binoculars, all I noticed was a black speck. "It's probably nothing." I tucked the binoculars back into my pack. I yawned, moving the horse forward in the fields. "I'm going to water Harrison and eat some lunch."
We got to the stream toward the rear of Jasper's farm, letting the horses drink from the stream while we sat in the shade of a nearby tree, eating our lunch. We were planning how to handle the harvest, discussing the schedule and locations of where we'd put the harvested crops.
We were packing our lunches when we heard the rustling of leaves. Peter pulled out his gun, as did I. Mike called out. "Who's there?"
"Help," came a weak male voice. I holstered my gun, walking toward the voice and found a man with long black hair and a scraggly black beard. He was leaning against a tree, covered in bite marks, claw marks and open wounds. He looked up at me, panting heavily and was clearly in pain. "Please ... I need ..."
Picking up my radio, "Cullen to Med Clinic One," I barked.
"This is Bella," came the sweet voice of my mate. "Is everything okay? Did someone get injured?"
"We do have someone injured, but they're not a part of our group," I said. "We're going to bring him in. It looks like he was attacked by an animal."
"Understood," Bella replied. "Be safe, Edward. The animal may still be out there and dangerous."
"No, it's gone," said the man. "I killed it." He groaned, laying on his side.
"Can you stand?" Mike asked, reaching for him. "It's a couple miles to our clinic. You'll have to ride with one of us." The man took Mike's hand and stood up. "Come on. You can ride with me. Harrison, the horse that Cullen's riding, is easily spooked."
We helped him onto Mike's horse, and we rode to the clinic. Bella, Austin, and Charlotte were waiting outside. Austin, Mike, Peter, and I worked to help the man off Mike's horse. "Oh my God, he's eviscerated," Bella said, cutting open his shirt and pressing her gloved hands into his belly. "Bring him into the procedure room."
They rolled him into the procedure room, closing the door behind them. "I'll stay here," I said. "Can I trust you to handle Jasper's fields?"
"Yeah," Mike nodded. "Edward, that guy seems familiar. Like, we've met him before."
"I agree," Peter added. "He looks a little like Jacob Black."
"Jacob's dead," I responded flatly. "We killed him, and he was burned." I narrowed my eyes at the closed door. "You guys go. I'll get to the bottom of this medical mystery." They left the clinic, heading back to the fields. I picked up a mask outside the procedure room, letting myself inside.
"What are you doing?" Bella asked, looking up at me with wide eyes. "He's open on the table."
"I won't come any closer," I said. "Look at his face. Does he look familiar?"
Austin was closer to his head, peering at the man's face. "I don't recognize him," he answered.
Bella tore her eyes away from his stomach. She did a double take. "It's Quil Ateara," she responded coldly. Her hands stopped momentarily, but she continued working on repairing Quil's wounds. "We're probably going to be working on this for hours."
I nodded, "I'm going to work with Peter and Mike, but I'll be back here once we're done," I said.
"Can you check on the kids?" Bella asked.
"I will, Princess. I love you," I said.
"I love you, too," she whispered, looking up at me with tears in her eyes. Fear was also swirling in her chocolate gaze. It twisted in my belly, as well. I stared at Bella for a few moments longer before leaving the clinic. I got onto the horse and checked on our kids at school before heading back to the fields.
I was distracted, not really paying attention go my work. Peter and Mike were understanding. They remembered how terrified I was when Bella was taken. Quil may not have been the one to take her, but he was involved with Jacob's insanity.
When we were finished with the day, I rode back home, picking up our kids on the way. I carried Marie while Nathan and Masen rode on Harrison's saddle. When we got back to the house, I made dinner and heard all about the kids' day at school. After they ate, I read a story to Marie, tucking her into bed. I played with the boys for an hour, smiling at their giggles and laughter.
After they went to bed, I sat outside on our porch and listened to the sounds of the late summer night. In the distance, I heard the sound of a motorcycle. The headlight swept over the porch and Bella stopped the bike. Turning it off, she carried the helmet in her hand, trudging up the steps. I opened my arms to her. She put the helmet on the empty chair and sat down on my lap. She buried her nose into my neck, curling into my arms. "Are you okay, Princess?"
"Quil didn't make it," she muttered. "We got him through surgery and awake ..."
"Did he say anything?" I asked.
"He said that Paul and Sam were dead. They didn't learn anything," Bella huffed. "They joined Kachiri's group, living with them. Quil blended into the group as one of the hunters. Sam and Paul, on one of the first nights they were in the camp, tried to take what didn't belong to them. They were stoned to death."
"What about Quil? Why did he leave the group?"
"His mate died in childbirth," Bella frowned. "He couldn't be around his new family. So, he left and was attacked two days ago. We tried to save him, but he was already septic. We gave him medications to make him comfortable. We'll have a funeral pyre tomorrow."
"Are you okay, Princess?" I whispered. "Talk to me."
She blew out a breath. "Quil didn't deserve to die like how he did," she replied. "He turned his life around. My heart broke to hear how much he lost. He had a family, a mate, and a child. He lost all of it. He was too broken to be around happy families and he died ..."
"But, he didn't die alone," I argued. "He was with people who cared enough to try to save him."
"We said the prayer," Bella breathed. "It gave him solace as he died." She shifted on my lap, putting her head on my shoulder. "It pisses me off that Sam and Paul didn't learn anything."
"Karma kicked their ass," I snorted humorlessly. "But, they got what they deserved." I pressed a kiss to her forehead. "I'm proud of you, Bella. You're a better person than me."
"I hesitated when I realized who it was," she muttered. "I didn't want to help him because he was a part of our past that was ugly." She picked up my hand and threaded our fingers together, burrowing closer into my arms.
"I'm not going to let you go, love," I whispered.
"I just need to feel safe," she sighed. "With you, I feel safe. Your arms are the best place on the planet. Nothing can penetrate our little bubble of safety if I'm here." I tightened my arms around her slender body. She relaxed, muscle by muscle, until her breathing evened out. I picked her up, carrying her into our bedroom. She barely stirred as I removed her clothes and mine, crawling into bed. I curled around her, holding her in arms.
xx MWMA xx
Bella
After a long, snowy winter, things changed. In the mountain, I was overseeing the training of new doctors and nurses along with Carlisle. My mother decided to take a step back from medical, deciding to be grandma to my children. As a result, Edward and I had to move closer to the mountain. I missed our home and the clinic, but I was one of the most senior physicians. I had to pass my knowledge to the next generation.
"Alright everyone, you have homework," I said to my class. "Read the chapter about the endocrine system and be familiar with its functions, as well as identify the parts of the endocrine system. We'll also review suture techniques. Make sure you speak to Makenna for your schedule for your clinical hours. See you tomorrow."
The class left the conference room, and I packed up my belongings. I went down to medical, putting my stuff on my desk in my office. Now that I was back in the mountain, I shared leadership responsibilities with Carlisle. He was nowhere near ready to retire.
I went to the lab, working synthesizing medications until my shift was over. Edward worked in the command center, taking security shifts, but he patrolled the mountain and the surrounding housing. However, he refused to carry a gun. He kept one in our house near the clinic because of the possibility of bears or other dangerous animals. But, now? He never got over killing Jacob Black.
Yes, that monster deserved it. He'd broken every single tenet we held true in our culture.
And, yes, I was still pissed off that he'd gotten off so easy.
"Dr. Swan? There's a patient asking for you," said Levi, one of our doctors in training.
I stood up with a smile, heading into the examination room. Knocking on the door, I waited until I heard a quiet voice granting me entrance. Once inside, my smile grew wider as I saw Kebi. I walked over to her, hugging her tightly. "How are you doing?"
"I'm good," she answered. "But, I would like you to run a pregnancy test."
"Do you think you could be pregnant?" I asked, beaming brightly. "I didn't know that you and your mate, Matthias, were trying."
"It was time," she whispered, laying her hand on her flat stomach. "Senna struggled with her pregnancies." Her wistful smile turned sad. "What did you say she had?"
"Endometriosis," I frowned. "There was so much scar tissue that she couldn't carry a pregnancy to term." I took her hand. "Let me take some blood and run the test." I got the supplies and took the blood from Kebi. I ducked back into the lab. As I put the blood through the computer, I smirked at the response. Going back to the examination room, I rolled in the ultrasound. "Congratulations, Mom!"
"I am pregnant?" she breathed.
"According to the blood test, yes," I answered. "You want to see your baby?"
She nodded eagerly, laying back on the table. After maneuvering her clothes, I put the gel onto her belly. Running the probe over her skin, I found her baby. "Have you experienced any morning sickness? Fatigue?"
"I've been tired and certain smells make me nauseous, but I haven't thrown up," Kebi answered.
I turned the monitor toward her. "Here's the head, spine, arms, legs ..." I pointed out. "If I had to guess, you're about four months along."
"And, the baby is healthy?" Kebi whispered, reaching for the screen.
"As far as I can tell," I said, giving her a genuine grin. "Kebi, this is great news!" I printed off a few photos, giving them to her. "You need to eat more protein and green leafy vegetables. Come see me every two weeks, unless you want Austin to deliver your baby."
"I like Austin, but he's no you," Kebi laughed. "You have the gentle touch. And the new doctor that took over for you? She's sweet, but green. Very, very green."
"Come on. Let's eat some lunch," I said. "I want to get you nice and fat."
"Says the woman who's had three children and is still skinny," Kebi teased. I snorted out a laugh, leading us to the dining hall. I got a small meal while Kebi enjoyed a healthy meal. When she finished her meal, we brought our trays to the kitchen, and we went up to the garage. Matthias was waiting for her, loading up the Rover. He opened his arms to her, enfolding her into a hug as she showed him the photos of their baby. He spun her around, kissing her lips soundly.
I felt two strong arms around my waist and a tender brush of lips on my neck. "Good day, Princess?" came my favorite voice.
"Kebi's pregnant," I whispered. "Her sister struggled with pregnancies, and I know that Amun and Indra were worried ..." I turned in his arms, smiling up at his ruggedly handsome face. His bronze hair had some grey at the temples and wrinkles around his eyes, but he was still the same beautiful man I grew up despising at first, but turning to a deep, all-encompassing love. "I love you, Edward."
"Princess, I adore you," he breathed, kissing my lips.
"Ewww, Dad! Stop kissing Mom," Masen laughed.
We broke apart, seeing our three kids with Esme and my mom. Esme was holding Marie, who was chewing on a carrot. We walked to our children. I took Marie into my arms, tickling her belly. She laughed happily, wriggling in my arms. Edward flipped Nathan onto his shoulders with bright, happy smile. He ruffled Masen's hair before taking his hand.
Mom smiled at us, tears in her eyes. "I'm so grateful we're down here," she whispered. "No limits, only freedom." She kissed my cheek. "I miss your father and I always will, but the freedom of being on the ground is worth it."
I hugged my mom, wiping her tears away. "Do you want to come over for dinner, Mom? Spend more time with the kids?"
"We have the room in our home," Edward said. "If you want to stay for a couple of days ..."
"I won't be an imposition?" Mom asked.
"You're family," I sighed, looping my arm through hers. "I'm going to help her pack. Can you see if you can get a Rover?"
"I have some pull," Edward snickered. "Come on, boys!"
They got the keys for one of the Rovers while I went down to my mom's quarters with Esme. Gone were the sterile fixings of the mountain. Her suite was colorful, with woven blankets, fluffy pillows and a slew of toys and books. I put Marie down. "Pick one toy and one book from Grandma's room, okay?" I told her. I kissed Marie's forehead, walking to my mom's bedroom that she shared with my father. "Mom, why don't you stay with us? Permanently?"
She stopped folding her clothes, looking up at me. "I don't want to cramp your style, Bella."
"Please," I scoffed. "I know you're lonely."
"Well, not that lonely," Mom blushed. "Amun's uncle, Lincoln, and I have been talking. Lincoln works in the hydroponic farm and he's ..."
"Do you like him?" I asked, arching a brow.
"I do like him and he's unbearably sweet, but he's not Charlie," she sighed. "I feel like I'm cheating on him."
"Dad would have wanted you happy," I argued, picking up a photo of the two of them that was taken shortly before he was died. "Does Lincoln make you happy?"
"Other than my grandbabies, he makes me smile," Mom answered. "Maybe I can use this time away to think about Lincoln. Even if we're friends, it's better than nothing." Her gaze flickered to the picture in my hands. "But, nothing is as soothing as being held by your husband, your mate."
"Those arms are the epitome of safety and protection," I mused. "I sleep so well in Edward's arms." I blinked to her, giving her a sad smile. "That's what you miss."
"I don't want sex. I just miss the intimacy of sharing that safety with another person," Mom shrugged, sitting down, and picking up a pillow. "But, a few days at your place will be amazing."
We finished packing, lugging her bag up to the garage. Edward tossed it into the back of the Rover, helping my mom into the backseat with Masen and Nathan. I held Marie in my lap as Edward drove us back to the house. We unloaded and Edward drove the Rover back to the mountain, opting to use a motorcycle on the way back.
Mom ended up staying for a week, relishing in spending time with her grandchildren. She also reveled being in a house with Edward, who completely doted on her. Their relationship was special since they'd worked closely to get me down to the ground. He may not have been my dad's biggest supporter, but he adored my mother.
A couple of weeks passed, and our delegation traveled to Annapolis for the annual summit. Amun and Indra stopped by the mountain, clearly excited to be grandparents. I even did another ultrasound for them. Seeing our friends so happy made my heart burst with joy for them. Amun and Indra also made the decision to stay at the mountain after the summit, to be closer to Kebi as she progressed in her pregnancy.
While the summit was taking place, we prepared for our annual celebration of coming down to the ground. A week later, the delegation returned, and we met up with everyone. Music was playing, food stands were set up all around and people were happy.
Edward and I walked around the festival, enjoying the food and dancing to the music. Our kids ran around, laughing with other children their age.
I saw Mom, holding Lincoln's hand as they shared a quiet moment.
Rosalie and Emmett were laying in the sun, playing with their daughter.
Alice and Jasper, along with their gaggle of children, had a food tent, handing out bags of popcorn.
Kebi was snuggling with Matthias, pressing her mother's hand to belly to feel her baby move.
Lauren and Tyler were laughing with Jessica and Mike, sharing some lemonade. Lauren held her baby boy, nursing him in the shade of an old oak tree. Mike was sitting behind Jessica, rubbing her very pregnant belly.
Nathan and Masen were playing with some other boys as we carried Marie to a nearby table. She was passed out on her father's shoulder, drooling on his short-sleeve shirt. I crossed my legs, putting my head on his other shoulder. "Did you think that when came down here ten years ago, our lives would be this?" I asked. "This is what I always wanted life on the Ark to be. You know?"
"I remember when I was younger, we had celebrations like this," Edward said, running his hand down Marie's back. "Unity Day ..."
"Unity Day was pretty awesome, but not this," I countered, waving my hand to festival in front of us. "We've created this civilization and culture ... it's been cultivated into this." I moved to look at him, smiling softly. I took his hand, pressing it to my belly. His eyes widened.
"Are you?" he whispered.
"Three months along," I breathed. "Conceived on our anniversary, Mr. Cullen."
He leaned over, brushing his lips over mine. "I love you, Dr. Cullen. We built a new world for our future. It seems fitting we get our happily ever after."
"We didn't get the ever after, we just got the happy, Edward. We got the happy."
Fin