Fire of Your Soul Update

FOYS Epilogue on FFn

FOYS Epilogue on AO3

FOYS Epilogue on HeartForTwilight's Blog

FOYS Epilogue on Stars

FOYS Epilogue on fanfiction.online

FOYS Epilogue on Wattpad

“Bella, are you ready?” Edward called up to his wife. “We need to get to the symphony center.”

“I’m coming,” Bella replied, darting down the stairs. She was dressed in a beautiful, deep plum dress that accentuated her curvy figure. Curves that had become more pronounced after pregnancy and that made her so beautiful, perfect. “I couldn’t find my other shoe. I’m sorry!”

“It’s all good, love,” Edward said, holding out his hand to Bella. “I wouldn’t be so anxious to leave, but I overheard that there’s an accident on the highway. We have to take the long way to the Benaroya Symphony Center. The kids are already in the car.”

“I could have met you there. My meeting at the hospital took too long and I had something appropriate to wear to the concert in my office,” she explained, getting into the Range Rover they’d purchased when they discovered Bella was pregnant about a year after they got married. Their nine-year-old fraternal twins were strapped into their booster seats, looking like miniature adults in their concert attire. Sophia wore a floor-length black dress with a simple bow at the back of her gown. Benjamin, or Benny, had on a tuxedo.

After Edward proposed, they decided that they didn’t want a huge to-do for a wedding. Despite the fact that Edward and Bella were recognized in Seattle society as being the children of the mayor and prominent member of the Seattle Fire Department, neither of them were extremely public people. So, a small and intimate wedding was planned. Their vows were exchanged at the church both of their parents attended, with the reception being held in Carlisle and Esme’s backyard, late in the spring. The wedding may have been small, but it was exquisitely perfect and a lot of fun. It was even more poignant as it was the year anniversary of Bella saying that she loved Edward.

Rose and Alice were Bella’s co-maids of honor. Edward had his brothers as his best men. The day was perfect, if not bittersweet. Bella never imagined getting married in the first place. But, getting married without her identical twin sister in attendance? It pulled at her heart. While her hair was pinned, curled and twisted up, Bella had an emotional breakdown. Renee knew why her daughter was crying and she held her daughter as she sobbed because of the absence of her sister. No words of comfort were shared. This raw pain was something that couldn’t be willed away with empty platitudes. So, Renee gave her daughter love and support until she eventually calmed down.

After Bella’s emotional breakdown, she was soothed and knew that Angela wouldn’t want her to focus on what was missing, but on the happiness of the day. So, she didn’t. The day was perfect. Their vows were simple, but filled with love. Their all-encompassing love was a palpable entity at their wedding. Edward and Bella shared one soul and it was evident as they exchanged their vows.

Happily Ever After Update

Happy New Year, everyone! One final update before the year is done. And, with that, I'm marking this as complete, as well! 

HEA Chapter 5 on FFn

HEA Chapter 5 on AO3

HEA Chapter 5 on Fanfiction.Online

HEA Chapter 5 on Stars

HEA Chapter 5 on Wattpad

I bounced my infant son in my arms, but to no avail. He was screaming his head off. He was missing his mother and I didn’t have the necessary materials to calm him. He needed to be fed and my stubborn second-born child, Anthony Carlisle Emmett, would not take the bottle.

“Cut Daddy some slack, little man,” I groaned, shifting my six-month old son in my arms as I tried to encourage him to take the bottle. “Maman will be back soon. She can’t be at your beckoned call all the time.”

My wife, she needed and deserved some self-care. So, Emmett and I arranged for our wives for a day of complete relaxation. They were getting massages, hair color and haircut, and anything else they wanted. They deserved a day away from dirty nappies, crying babies and feeling like a human milk dispensary. She was a zombie most of the time, even with a full-time nanny. Anthony was not an easy baby. He had colic and would only calm down for Bella or Charlotte. Rarely did he sleep through the night and when he did, we wouldn’t get any sleep for nearly three days after that.

Don’t get me wrong … I adore my son, more than words can describe. He was just so different compared to Charlotte, who was a dream baby.

“Try giving him a bath, Daddy,” Charlotte said, blinking up at me. “That’s not his hungry cry. That’s his dirty diaper cry.”

“The fact that you know his different cries says something,” I deadpanned.

“That’s because I wanted to help you and Maman,” Charlotte giggled. “Once you get him clean, he’ll take the bottle.”

“Do you want to help me, ma petite?” I asked. She nodded eagerly and we walked into the nursery, and into the bathroom. Charlotte gathered the shower gel and shampoo, along with a fresh outfit for Anthony. I removed his clothes and diaper, placing him in his bathtub. As soon as the warm water surrounded him, his screams stopped and he watched me with wide, bright eyes. “Better, mon fils?”

“Maman rubs his belly and it settles him,” Charlotte said, her fingers running through his light brown hair.

“You’re going to be a good maman,” I breathed, winking at my daughter.

“Not for a long time,” Charlotte snickered. “Didn’t you say I’m not allowed to get married until I’m fifty?”

“I would like to be a grandfather at some point,” I teased. “Perhaps we can adjust that age to thirty?”

“Whatever, Dad. I want to go to university and learn all I can before I get married,” Charlotte said. “That way, when I ascend to the throne, I’ll be a fair and just ruler, like you.”

“Charlotte, you have given me the greatest compliment,” I murmured, leaning over to kiss her forehead. “If you rule like you care for your little brother, you will be a better leader than me.”

“Thanks, Daddy,” Charlotte breathed. 

A Modern Day Fairy Tale Teaser

Five Years Later

Masen

“Your Highness, Her Majesty is on line one for you,” my new assistant, Renata, said from the doorway.

“Thank you, Renata,” I replied, picking up the phone. “Hello, Mother.”

“Hello, Masen,” she said. “Congratulations on getting that education reformation bill passed. Isabella must be so proud. With all of these changes, Gevalia is becoming one of the leaders in education. It’s all because of her.”

“She definitely was the catalyst for these reforms,” I chuckled. “But, she wasn’t the cause. She just pointed out the issues and we worked to make a change. How are you, Mother?”

“I’m very good. Planning a charity event for medical research,” she said. “Charlie’s helping, along with Linda.”

“More Parkinson’s funding?” I asked.

“Not just Parkinson’s, but other neurologic disorders,” she explained. “We’re finalizing details, but it will be after Emmett’s wedding to Rosalie. So, sometime in October. Anyway, I didn’t call you just to talk about the charity event. Can you and Bella come over for dinner after mass?”

“Everything okay?” I questioned.

“Everything’s fine, Masen,” she chuckled. “I just miss my oldest son and my daughter.”

“Okay, Mom. We’ll be there,” I nodded.

“Masen, I love you,” she whispered.

“Love you, too, Mom,” I replied, hanging up the phone and arching a brow. Shaking my head, I called for my assistant.

“Yes, Your Highness?” Renata chirped.

I’d hired Renata when Heidi expressed an interest to moving to Bella’s team as her publicist. I was sad to see her go, but my wife and Heidi had formed a close bond. They were more than just an employee and employer; they were friends and confidantes. With Angela living in New York with her now husband, Bella needed a close friend. She was close with Rosalie, but their relationship was different. They were friendly, but more akin to sisters than friends. In a way, Rosalie became the sister she’d lost in Alice.

“Prince Edward?” Renata prodded.

“My apologies, Renata,” I grinned. “Do I have any more appointments today?”

“No, Your Highness,” she said, checking her tablet. “Shall I call for your car?”

“Yes, please,” I said, packing up my laptop and sliding on my suit coat. I heard her call for Felix and I checked my diary for my schedule for the day following. I had a few meetings with the leaders of the various committees, but no full parliamentary proceedings until after Emmett and Rosalie’s wedding in October, about a month away.

“Have a good night, Your Highness,” Renata murmured.

“You, too, Renata. Say hello to your girlfriend for me and thank her for me for the book,” I grinned, sliding my bag over my shoulder. She waved at me as I slipped out of my office. My bodyguard in the parliament building, a fresh-faced man named Carter, followed me to the exit. I nodded at him as I slid into the bullet-proof Range Rover. “Hey, Felix.”

“Your Highness,” he replied. “Are you heading back to the palace?”

“Yes, I am. I want to surprise my wife,” I chuckled.

We’d lived in the apartment for another year after our wedding. However, when Emmett returned from his deployment with the air force, he needed a place to live. He didn’t want to live in the palace and Masen Manor was too big for him. After discussing it with Bella, we moved back into Masen Manor and Emmett moved into the apartment.

Picking up the Pieces ~ Epilogue

Picking up the Pieces Epilogue on FicPad

Picking up the Pieces Epilogue on FFn

Picking up the Pieces Epilogue on Stars

Picking up the Pieces Epilogue on AO3

Picking up the Pieces Epilogue on Wattpad

JohnPOV

Eight Years Later … High School Graduation

“Seriously, John. Yellow is the worst color ever for graduation gowns,” Grace grumbled as she sat on my bed. Her legs were folded under her body and she looked pretty in a navy dress for my graduation. “At least, you can pull it off with the skin tone …”

“You’re not going to go all Aunt Alice with the fashionista talk, Grace,” I said, trying to put the mortar board on my head. Trying was the operative term. I was big. Like my dad. My biological dad … who was probably watching down from heaven. With a big body came a ginormous head. It made finding a helmet for football interesting, to be honest. “This thing is too damn small.”

“Don’t cuss,” Grace said, standing up and pulling out my desk chair. “It’ll fit, but your messy ‘do will be smushed.” Grace was petite like mom, with delicate features and half my size. She was also patient and loving like mom, but she’d adopted Dad’s calm demeanor, with a wry sense of humor. She stood on the desk chair, thrusting the mortar board onto my head. I grumbled. I’d worked hard on my hair. Now, it was plastered to my head. “Now who’s a fashionista, jackass?” she quipped. “Who are you trying to impress?”

“Don’t cuss,” I snorted. “And I wanted to look nice for Mom and Dad.”

“You suck at lying John Jacob Black-Cullen,” she snickered. “You blush. It’s your tell, brother bear.”

“I do not suck at lying,” I argued.

“And I’m a natural blonde,” Grace quipped, flipping her long, 

nearly black curls over her shoulder before hopping off my chair. “I also know that you’re trying to impress someone. Could it be Nessie? You’ve been with her forever!” My blush deepened and scowled at my sister. “I knew it!”

“Get out of here, brat,” I laughed. “I want to run through my speech one more time.”

“Well, Mom and Dad want to take pictures as a family. Aunt Leah will be here in ten minutes,” Grace said, sliding out of my bedroom. I blew out a harsh breath of air. I looked around my room, seeing memories of my previous life in Arizona, our renewed life here in Forks and glimpses of my future – a full-ride scholarship to University of Washington on a football scholarship.

When we’d moved here after Dad’s death, Mom was … she was a mess. She was so sad and lonely, unable to sleep in a bed and just broken. She went through the motions of life until my second dad came into her life. Edward was her friend first, making her realize that she wasn’t destined to have lonely life, subsisting for just her children. He made her smile when they began dating and found true happiness and true love for the second time when they got married, a couple of weeks before my ninth birthday.

Now, don’t get me wrong … I love Edward. He accepted me and my sister as if we were his biological children, loving us from the moment he entered our lives. He adored my mom more than words could say, but our lives were filled with ups and downs. More ups than downs, thankfully. The biggest downs were the deaths of Nana Esme and Aunt Rebecca. Nana died shortly after Mom and Dad got married. Dad was understandably sad, but he focused his sadness into making his old house into a new home for us and our new baby sister, Olivia Anne. The renovations were a gift from Nana Esme, leaving money to Dad and money in a trust for both Grace and me.

Aunt Rebecca died right before I got my driver’s license, in a drunk driving accident. We were never particularly close with her because she was not happy that Mom had remarried. It devastated Poppy, though. He fell into a deep depression and moved in with Aunt Rachel, Uncle Ryan and their three children, Tia, Jacob (named after my dad) and Quil (a tribal name). Aunt Rebecca’s accident made my mother very nervous and she refused for me to get my license until the summer following my sixteenth birthday.

Well, that’s what she believed.

Dad took me to Port Angeles and I had my license, but never drove until the summer just to give Mom peace of mind. Dad was adamant that I’d have that rite of passage when it came to the driver’s license.

Probably the biggest up was when shortly after Mom had her second baby with Edward when I was twelve. They had  another girl, Alison Marie, named for her godmother, Aunt Alice. I didn’t like that Grace and I weren’t Cullen’s like our baby sisters. It bugged Grace more than me, but I could understand why. After Alison’s christening, Grace and I approached Mom and Dad, asking to discuss adoption. When Mom first married Dad, I didn’t want to lose my last name, but after talking with Grace, we came up with a solution of hyphenating our names. On Dad’s forty-first birthday, we were legally and officially adopted as Cullen’s. When I was ready, I could still give my wife my name of ‘Black’, but I’d also be a Cullen. I was proud to be a ‘Black’, born into a strong, noble family. But, I was accepted as a ‘Cullen’ and I’m proud of that, too.

John Black-Cullen, HS Senior

Forks Graduation

Vanessa 'Nessie' Whiteclaw

Grace Black-Cullen, College

John Black-Cullen, College Graduate

Silas Morrison

Grace's Engagement Ring