A/N: Jasper's point of view. Seven years later.

Disclaimer: Anything recognizable belongs to its rightful owner.

EPILOGUE

Seven Years Later

"Dad, that's embarrassing," Annabelle grumbled, folding her arms over her chest and staring out the car window. I rolled my eyes. Wasn't this supposed to happen when she was a teenager? She was eleven, already past the age of daddy's little girl—or so she thought. It still bothered me that she was already past the birds and the bees' talk. She knew where babies came from; she knew Santa, the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny were all fabricated. Yes, definitely past daddy's little girl. Although, she still curled up to me after a nightmare, something she still never went to Alice for. Of course I would come home and see them sprawled out with make-up, costume jewelry, and nail polish, frolicking around while watching a classic chick flick. I was thankful I had Alice—I don't think I'd be able to help my daughter in that department.

We were driving to the airport to pick up Edward, Bella, and their new one-year-old addition, Sam. Their five-year-old, Jacob, wouldn't join us this time around. They were a little worried that he wouldn't handle the flight well and so for five days, he would stay at Carlisle and Esme's humble abode. From the pictures I had seen in e-mails, Sam was the spitting image of his father. Alice grew a bit uneasy after her nephew's birth. I knew she wanted a child of her own and we had tried—for the past seven years we've tried, but nothing seemed to work. The doctor had no explanations and so she settled on trying to convince me that Annabelle was enough and she was happy. But she was never really happy and who could blame her. Annabelle wasn't her daughter and Maria made that clear.

A year after Alice and I got married, Maria came back into the picture. She knocked on the door and handed me a letter that gave me divorce papers and a court date—thus began the custody battle. I didn't have the money to fight, but I knew Annabelle didn't need the toxic environment. Begrudgingly, I took the financial aid offered by Alice's parents and hired a decent lawyer and, long story short, I was granted full custody. Come to find out, Maria had been involved in a handful of illegal misdemeanors that were severe enough to label her as an unfit mother. She couldn't even have supervised visitations. She'd fight again, but for now, Annabelle remained untouched. But I digress…

Back to the Cullen family: Alice had gone to visit New York when Sam was first born, but Annabelle and I stayed behind. She caught the flu; I had work I couldn't get out of, blah, blah. Speaking of work, I had finally gotten a job at a small liberal arts college as a history professor. Thanks to the flexibility of the college, I was able to make my own seminar based around my favorite subject: the Civil War.

Unfortunately Alice's work dreams hadn't worked out. Instead of owning her own shop, she began a recent business with Demetri. The two began an event planning business on opposite coasts. Only a year old, they had already attracted quite a bit of business from all of Demetri's contacts. Alice was ecstatic, which was refreshing to see. Of course there was a bit of a down turn when she caught the stomach virus just three days ago—first Annabelle got it at school and now Alice seemed to have caught it. Cooped up in bed, Alice was too sick to get up. She was bummed that she was sick just when she had company coming, but they couldn't switch flights. Thankfully Vera was able to take her to the doctor today; I hated that I couldn't, but I knew I had to get her brother and family from the airport. And so I sat in the driver's seat biding my time by apparently embarrassing the girl whose diapers I changed just a couple years ago.

"Did Alice make you that dress?" I asked, changing the subject as I noticed her pink dress. I remembered Alice staying up all night sketching that same dress just a month ago. She would always make clothes for Annabelle, ever since she was four years old.

"Duh," Annabelle rolled her eyes and I decided to shut my mouth for the rest of the ride. Her attitude was annoying, but I wasn't in the mood to be the bad guy, so I let it slide—for now. Pulling into a parking space, I hopped out of the car and—with Annabelle at my side—I went into the airport by baggage claim. She still seemed a bit moody, so I decided to bother her with a puff of air at her ear. Leaning down to her level, I met her gaze and she sighed, ready to confess.

"They're going to say 'look at how much you've grown!' or 'you've gotten so big!' or something. I hate when people baby me," she grumbled with a pout.

"There will be another baby around. No one is going to treat an eleven-year-old like a kid. I don't know what gave you that impression," I teased and she stuck her tongue out at me, crossing her arms and stomping her foot once. One stern glance from me and she stopped a tantrum midstride. Good.

In just ten minutes, Edward emerged with Bella in tow, cradling their baby boy. "Look at how much you've grown!" Bella exclaimed when she saw Annabelle, who threw me a knowing glance. I smirked a bit: she was right, but so what? She had gotten old fast… stay young.

Hugs were exchanged before Edward and I grabbed their luggage—one suitcase for the parents and two others for the baby because Bella claimed there's no such thing as over-packing for him—and Bella, Annabelle, and Sam waited until I brought the car around. The girls sat in the back seat, cooing over Sam, who had just woken from his nap. Edward stayed silent in the passenger seat for a while before he finally spoke.

"How is she?" he asked, the overprotective brother shining through. I hadn't seen Edward since our wedding. I knew he missed Alice, although she had seen him a bit more recently.

"She's been sick for the past couple of days," I said honestly. "Annabelle came home with the stomach flu and Alice caught it. I think she'll be better in another day or two," that was a bit too hopeful. Three days of nausea and Annabelle had had seven. I hoped she was better in a day or so… Edward nodded, thinking for a minute or two to his own self. "She's really upset that she can't get out of bed especially with Sam coming," I said with a reminiscent smile. "Hopefully she came home from the doctor and is napping like I told her to, but I doubt it."

Edward laughed a bit at that and the rest of our conversation was brief. Small talk continued, while we'd pause to listen to Bella and Annabelle gab in the back, mewling at Sam, who just cooed and gurgled. I stopped at the pharmacy when Bella told me she forgot to pack a dire necessity: chocolate. Good old hormonal women needing their chocolate fix. Annabelle followed her into the local store and I decided against calling Alice. Ideally, she took my advice and went back to bed, but I doubt she was sleeping.

Finally pulling into the driveway, Edward and I were, again, left to take the bags while Bella, Annabelle, and now fussy Sam walked into the house. I passed the bedroom, which was empty and untouched. Alice was still out… Hmm…

I led Edward to the guest room, placing the bags on the floor. It was a regular sized bedroom and I had managed to find the old crib I had from when Annabelle was younger, placing it in the far corner of the room. Alice had hoped to make the guest room a baby room, but that had yet to—

"How are you both doing?" Edward asked, creating a bit of small talk once again.

"Good," I answered a bit too quickly. But we hadn't been good. From Alice being busy with her new business to her getting sick, I had barely seen or spoke to her. She was embarrassed of how she looked in the ill state she suffered. Yes, it was ridiculous, but Alice kept the lights off when I would come in the bedroom, the covers kept over her head, mumbling against the down comforter for crackers or more ginger ale. I had been sleeping on the couch for the past few nights to give her a bit of space, I wanted out so I wouldn't catch whatever it was; two parents sick wouldn't go over well for Annabelle. I would try to help her when she ran to the bathroom, but she would lock the door and make a big unnecessary fuss.

"That good, huh?" Edward asked, sitting at the end of the bed and turning a suitcase toward him as he searched for something within the bag.

"I—it's hard," I settled on and Edward looked up, obviously annoyed at my short answers. "With Annabelle's mother coming back into the picture, Annabelle growing up, school ending, her missing you, moving her here, and then my new job, her new business, now she's sick: it's been a rough couple of years. Plus now I'm the embarrassing dad, when did that happen?" I complained, sounding like a whiny child, but I didn't care. Edward laughed; I had succeeded on lightening the mood. "I wonder if she'll react well to Sam," I mused quietly, not really intending for Edward to hear.

"Why wouldn't she?" Edward asked, immediately defensive. Whoops. Edward and I were on good terms, but we were still a bit awkwardly dealing with one another. I married his sister, we were both protective over a woman we loved—in different ways—and we butted heads quite a bit. Now being one of those times.

"She wants kids," I explained and recognition dawned on Edward's face before he kept silent to let me finish. "We've been trying, but she's lost hope and I feel like that's another grand thing to add to the tension," I said with a cynical smile. Edward frowned, obviously contemplating how to react to the news.

"Well I can't say I'm not surprised," he began, finally finding the crocheted baby blue blanket for Sam in the suitcase before zipping it up. "She is my mother's daughter, she always said she was born to be a mother and that would explain her behavior last time she visited. She was a bit harsh in the small talk department. We thought she was just tired, but I guess envy—for lack of a better word—explains it."

"She's been bottling it up," I noted, looking down. "I should've talked to her about it rather than just sweeping it under the rug," I continued, now feeling guilty. Had inviting Edward and Bella here been a good idea? Why had Alice done it if she obviously put herself through pain when she saw such a happy family in front of her? Mother, father, and child, not father, daughter, and stepmother. Annabelle certainly didn't see Alice that way, but I'm sure Alice did.

Edward clasped a comforting hand on my shoulder before he and I walked into the kitchen to see Bella getting ready to feed Sam.

"Need help?" Edward asked, taking his hand off my shoulder to aid his wife. Bella seemed grateful, handing Sam over to him as she shook the bottle of formula and placed it in the microwave. Edward stood next to Annabelle; Edward leaned down so her curious eyes could get a better glimpse. Sam fussed, reaching his arms up and kicking in his blanket. "You'll get food soon, little guy," he promised.

Bella came back over with the bottle, testing it on the back of her hand. Edward offered to take the bottle and settled on feeding him to relieve her from holding him again, which she had probably done for six hours on the flight over here. Sam pushed the bottle away and Edward maneuvered his son carefully so he could gently rub and tap his back, burping him.

"Can I hold him?" Annabelle asked, bouncing up and down. Well her mood has changed. I handed Sam carefully back in his mother's arms before looking toward the hallway.

"Let Edward finish feeding him and then you can hold him," Bella said with a smile. Her warmth reminded me a bit of Esme. She was born to be a mother. Her awkwardness had faded with the new life she protected and it was replaced with an unmistakable grace. I remembered Edward's comment from earlier and wondered how much of an impact this had brought on Alice.

Perhaps she thought she was running out of time. Her brother had a family and she did too, but it wasn't exactly her own. Annabelle and Alice were best friends, telling each other secrets, gossiping, giggling, and indulging in feminine pleasures: chocolate, shopping, and sappy Lifetime movies. Still, Alice must have felt a barrier, especially when Maria had come back into the picture.

My gaze immediately snapped to the doorway when I heard the front door open. "Jazz?" Alice asked, her voice shaking with an unidentifiable emotion. Was she hurt? Was it a virus or something more? Had the doctor asked for a follow-up?

I immediately went toward her voice, but she met me in the foyer, throwing her arms around my neck and launching up to bury her face in my neck, knocking me back. Hesitantly, I returned the embrace, wrapping my arms around her waist; now not knowing it this was good news or bad news. Was she hugging me because she was upset or—She was shaking? Oh no, she was crying. Or radiating happiness… She squeezed tighter, lifting her feet off the ground.

Pulling back just an inch, Alice pressed her lips to mine in an urgent elated kiss. I struggled to grasp what was going on. She broke the kiss and threaded her fingers in my hair, tugging gently, a grin so large it looked almost painful. Had she not been sick just a few hours ago? She leaned her forehead against mine and looked lovingly into my eyes, her liquid hazel-topaz eyes boring into my soul as they had on so many occasions.

"You're going to hate it," she began and I remained dumbfounded, too consumed in her happiness to question it. "But you'll have a total of three women running your household in another six months," she continued, her voice shaking with excitement. Three women? Six months…

"You're—" I began, still numb from her euphoria. She nodded as my voice trailed off. A second went by before our lips met again and she clung to me, never seeming to loosen her grip. Hearing the commotion, I heard Bella clear her throat and realized she had entered the room. We pulled away from our embrace.

"Where's Annabelle?" Alice squealed, going into the kitchen. I heard Annabelle yelp and giggle, following their laughter into the next room. Bella followed behind me, obviously eager and curious. I walked in on Alice twirling Annabelle like a ballerina endlessly, never ceasing her pace. I leaned against the doorframe, watching them.

"Do you want to have a little sister?" Alice asked excitedly, beaming with glee. What a question—Annabelle had been asking for a little sister since Alice and I were first married. She wanted someone to mentor, to makeover, and to dress up. Naturally, she took after Alice in everyway possible.

Annabelle spun out of Alice's grasp and looked at her dizzily, confused. She looked over at me, then back at Alice before a grin spread across her face. Alice picked her up, hugging her and twirling around. I didn't remember our company; instead I watched the two wonderful women of my life twirl around the kitchen.

"How many months?" Annabelle asked as Alice set her down.

"Six, but I need you to help me paint the guest room and pick out all the clothes and the color schemes and the toys and the—" Alice continued, but as I walked over behind Alice, wrapping my arms around her waist to place my hands on her stomach, pressing a small kiss to her cheek, her voice died off. She leaned back in my arms, turned to face me with a perfect grin before nuzzling her nose with my own and placing her hands over mine. "I love you," she murmured.

"I love you," I echoed. She suddenly turned to look at Edward, Bella, and Sam. Jumping as if she hadn't realized they were here, she pried herself from my arms and darted over to see her nephew as her brother offered congratulations. Annabelle leaned against my side and I wrapped an arm around her shoulders as we watched Alice's energy only blossom.

Seven years—seven long years…

A/N: Hopefully you liked it! :) I am going to start my new story while still updating this one with out takes/deleted scenes, but I need your help again: what should the title be? I'm going to do a mix between a lot of high school soap opera type shows (Degrassi, Beautiful People, 90210, etc.) Should the title be: Miss Matched, Cherry Crush, Leave me Hypnotized, or His/Her Muse. Leave a review with your choice.

Thank you for following this story! It's been a milestone for me. Finally finished and yet I still have more to do. I am a bit disappointed in the way this epilogue came out, but hopefully you aren't. Love you all and thank you for reading. Don't expect an update on this too quickly, but I won't forget about it. So far I have two deleted scenes: Jasper at the Hampton house and the wedding. I may take requests, but for now, no. School's starting soon. Lame, I know.

Anyway, thank you again! Hope you enjoyed!