Kiss Me Now, Kiss Me Never

Epilogue

Carlisle

My heart plummeted to my stomach as they hit the ground. Esme cried out as she started toward them, with me following closely behind her. I shifted her aside and had her help me move them into more comfortable positions. As she held Bella's head in her lap, I lightly tapped Edward's cheek in the hope of reviving him.

His breathing and pulse were normal, but it was the fact there was a great deal of rapid eye movement beneath his lids that concerned me. He was in essence dreaming. I removed the pen light I often kept on hand from my pant pocket and could see his pupils were slightly dilated.

"Is he all right?" Esme asked.

"He's asleep. I think."

"And Bella."

I carefully examined her as I had Edward and found her in the same state. From the corner of my eye, I could see Angela as she snuck in the room, considering she had left before, that could not be a good thing.

Before I could stop her, Bella gasped, "Beverly. Anthony."

The temperature of the room had dropped considerably once the spell had been broken, and more so when Bella and Edward had collapsed. I felt Esme's hand creep up my arm as I continued to look Edward over. Then suddenly, I felt the bite of her nails.

"Carlisle!" she gasped. When my gaze rose to hers, I found her looking up instead. I followed to where she was looking, startled and fell back on my ass.

There, standing at the feet of Edward and Bella were none other than the ghostly apparitions of Beverly Weatherby and Anthony Masen.

Edward

"Bella," I called out for her as I tried to open my eyes. I heard her moan and felt her shift from where we were sprawled on the floor. I groaned, checking to make sure everything was intact. My head still felt fuzzy, but other than that, I seemed fine.

"What happened?" Bella asked.

"We apologize," a soft female voice said overhead. Immediately, I snapped up and my head spun again.

"Careful there."

"Oh God," Bella murmured as her hand clasped mine. She sat up but her gaze remained on something in front of her. "Beverly. Anthony."

I looked up to see two people standing nearby, smiling down at us. Neither said a word, only waited as Bella and I rose to our feet. From what I could see, we were still in the dining room of our house.

Growling, I faced them. "We better not be dead," I hissed.

Anthony shook his head. "We needed a way to speak to you both."

"For what?" Bella murmured beside me. Squeezing my hand, she held onto it for dear life. Not that blamed her; it was strange to come face to face with the two people we'd dreamed of for half our lives. They were the same people that started everything and ultimately changed many lives.

Beverly, who I had originally thought looked very much like Bella, stepped forward. There was a resemblance around the eyes and their hair color. But Bella's nose was more petite and her lips were fuller, Beverly's face was rounder since she would've been about nineteen years of age when she died.

"To thank you," Beverly said with a small smile on her face. "We can move on, in peace," she turned toward Anthony, who held out his hand for hers, "Together."

Bella's brow furrowed and then her eyes widened. "You couldn't be together until the curse was broken?"

"No," Beverly replied. "But thanks to you two, we can, now."

"And for that, we are indebted to you," Anthony said with a slight bow. "For decades, we have wandered so close to each other, but never enough to see or touch. It was a terrible fate."

"You're not mad at her? For casting the spell in the first place," I asked.

Anthony looked down at Beverly. "I had given her every reason to, after breaking promises, hurting her in such a way. I deserved my love for her to be tested. I would gladly endure more, if she requested it."

Beverly shook her head, smiling softly. "I knew how you felt before you kissed me that night. It was foolish to think otherwise. I allowed the words of another to put doubts in my head, accompanied with what you had done…" Shame seemed to flush her face, forcing her eyes to her feet. "Again, I am sorry, not only to you and yours, but to you, Anthony."

Anthony cupped Beverly's face in his large hands, his thumbs brushing away the tears that lingered under her eyes. Their third kiss was more tentative and sweet all the same. Bella tugged on my hand, making me turn.

"A little privacy," she whispered.

"It's a dream, Bella."

She laughed and at the clearing of Anthony's throat, we turned back to them. They both smiled shyly at us and each other.

Bella stirred and sighed. "There's something I have to know."

Beverly replied softly, "That is the other reason we came to you. We wanted to alleviate your doubts and worries, those that have been said and unsaid."

"Doubts?" I asked, turning to look at Bella. She bit her lip, cringing and nodding. "What doubts?"

She sighed and met my eyes with a tight smile on her face. "I love you, Edward. There is no doubt about that. But I have to admit that I was curious if they influenced us."

I'd had the same thoughts, too, but had forgotten them or chose not to dwell on them. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because I was afraid you'd be upset. I know for a fact that fate brought us together. That I love you and you feel the same for me, but there is a tiny part of me that wonders if they did anything to push us a little faster."

I sighed. "Fine, I can see why you'd be concerned. It's still not going to change how I feel. I'll admit, I'm curious, too."

"Fate had indeed brought you two together," Anthony stated. "Much in the same way that Beverly and I had met. You may not know this but the dreams started on the same night for the both of you."

Bella looked as confused as I did. "Explain, please."

"You had crossed paths before, though you never met," Beverly replied. "Isabella worked at a little shop that your parents stopped by to pick up some equipment for your camping trip, I believe. She, unfortunately, was in the back room working when you and your family came inside. That night, the dreams started for the both of you. Your connection, though you had not come face to face that day, was that strong."

Bella whistled. "Wow. Where do the dreams come from?"

"I have been with you since you were a child, as I have been with every cursed woman in our family."

"And as I have been with Edward and those before him," Anthony added.

"It was the first time we had seen each other in so long," Beverly whispered, looking up at Anthony, who stood a head taller than her.

"That's why you started giving us the dreams," Bella murmured. "You wanted us to know why it happened and that there was something we could do to change it."

"Yes," Anthony said. "You two did the rest. You met and fell in love. We did nothing more than give you the dreams."

Bella smiled and stepped up to Beverly, wrapping her arms around her shoulders. "Thank you," she whispered. "You helped us save everyone."

Anthony looked down at them both, smiling. "Thank you for helping us." He held out his hand toward me, and I shook it. It was really fucking strange, since he looked a lot like Dad, though we seemed to have the same stubborn chin and nose.

"I hope this means you'll stay out of our heads from now on," I said firmly.

Anthony laughed. "I assure you, we may have been watching, but only in your dreams, nothing more."

I breathed a sigh of relief, because there are just some things a ghost shouldn't see, and that included me fucking my fiancée. I must have blushed because Bella giggled along with Beverly. Then again, my dreams weren't much better. I shook the thought away and smiled at Bella.

"We should probably get going before my parents freak out," I said.

"Before you go," Beverly said to Bella. "If you choose to embrace the knowledge you have been given, I must implore that you be careful. Magic can be a very potent ally or enemy."

Bella nodded as if she knew what she was talking about. I hoped I remembered all of that so I could ask her about it when we woke up.

"What will happen to you two now?" Bella asked as we stood together, waiting.

As they started to fade, yet shimmer around the edges. "We'll be together," they both answered in unison. "We hope you'll do the same."

"We will."

When they were gone, I turned to Bella and grinned. "Now that they're gone, what should we do in this dream we're sharing?" I kissed her softly, letting it linger for a bit. "Any chance you can clone yourself in your own dream? A threesome with two of you!" She laughed and pinched my ass hard.

I groaned and I felt Dad's arm as he helped me sit up. Fucking brat had pinched me awake.

"Did you really have to do that, baby?" I hissed, rubbing my ass. I heard her laugh and then moan as she sat up. "Damn, that was unreal."

"What happened?" Mom asked.

"We were visited by two ghosts from the past," I said, raising to my feet, helping Bella do the same.

"Beverly and Anthony?" Dad asked as he held up a penlight to check my eyes. I nodded and waited for his approval. "You look fine. You had us worried. You've been out for a few minutes."

"I'm surprised you didn't call an ambulance," Bella said softly.

"We would've if it were not for the two ghosts who stood at your feet when you two passed out," Mom stated with a shrug. "We both figured that they must've have done something to you."

It was Bella that told them what happened. "They wanted to thank us, for ending the curse and for allowing them to move on. They've been stuck here, apart all this time."

"Before I forget," I said, rubbing a tired hand over my face. I was drained. "What did Beverly mean by 'if you choose to embrace the knowledge you have been given?'"

She gave me a wary smile and explained. "That storm spell wasn't my first attempt. I tried some really simple ones when I was in Italy. The very first time, something happened after. I gained all the magical knowledge of my family."

"Everything?"

She nodded and shrugged. "I don't think I'll be taking up the practice, there are too many risks." That was something I could agree with, but was it safe for her not to "embrace it?"

Taking my hand, she stepped into my arms. "Now, how about we go relax for a while, it's been a long day," she said with a little purr. I smirked and bent down to kiss her. With a soft moan from Bella, despite my parents' presence, I was more than ready to take her on the table.

"That is our cue to go," Mom said with a laugh.

"And check on Alice and Jasper," Dad said, also chuckling. "Besides, they need to work on making us grandparents."

Bella pulled away and laughed. "Check on Angela, she's outside."

I looked at her curiously. "She took the bowl and dagger." She pointed to the table, and sure enough, the items were gone. "While your parents were distracted by us passing out, she came back and took them. I figured it was best to put another spell on my things earlier. If anyone tried to take the bowl from my presence, they would pass out before they could get too far."

"We'll take care of it," Mom said, leading Dad out the door.

When they left, I turned back to Bella, my arms still around her. "Do you think they'll be okay?"

"They have a lot to work through," she replied. "And tomorrow, I'll check with all my victims. I have a feeling some of them are very confused right now."

I nodded, kissing her again, because I could. There was nothing stopping me from showing her how I felt. Nothing. No more curses. As corny as it sounded, there was still magic in our kiss and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Spring, the following year

"I swear, Edward," Bella said, her breaths coming out nice and steady, where I was panting like a dog. "I thought you were in shape."

"I don't work out as much I'd like to," I growled. "What work out I do get is in bed with you."

She grinned over her shoulder. "Great cardiovascular, but not much for tone." There was no way she shouldn't be affected as I was. It was rather warm for March and considering the weather report indicated a chance for rain, I had worn a heavier jacket.

"I beg to differ," I said, wrapping an arm around her waist. I did that for a few reasons. One, I needed for us to stop for a bit to rest. Two, she looked irresistible in her outdoorsy clothes. Formfitting but soft looking pants accenting her lovely ass swaying as she hiked up the trail. And finally, I hadn't touched her for well over an hour, since she was always ahead of me.

"Why is that?" she asked, tilting her head to the side to give me more access to her neck.

"You're not actually light when I help lift you up," I murmured, stepping away when she tried to hit me. It took a few minutes of kissing her ass to make her talk to me again, but she forgave me as usual. She could never stay mad at me. "And you're cheating."

She shrugged, not even bothering the need to deny it. She was using magic, not only to affect the climate but her stamina. Not that I cared, with her around, I didn't think I'd ever need to resort to Viagra when I got older. She had denied ever using that spell to affect my performance in bed. In fact, she said she had to use it on herself; she couldn't keep up with me sometimes.

I patted myself on the back for that one.

When we finally reached our destination, I had to admit, it was worth the hike. Yosemite was fucking awesome in the spring. After all our troubles the previous year, Bella had surprised me with a week-long cabin stay, just outside the park. It was exactly what we needed, and we promised each other to visit as often as possible.

We'd been married for a little over nine months, choosing to have an extensive honeymoon instead of an extravagant wedding. For a month, we stayed in both Aro's villa and Bella's ancestral home, visiting the local wineries and countryside. The wedding took place not too far from the cabin we stayed at whenever we came to visit the park.

I loved the fact that Bella wasn't a woman that hated getting her hands dirty. What I hadn't expected was for her to be an outdoor kind of woman. When I suggested we try white water rafting, she wholeheartedly agreed. She always surprised me, keeping me on my toes, and I loved it.

We settled down, taking a break to drink and eat some of the things we had brought. Since it was a Tuesday, there weren't as many tourists as there usually had been when we would come on the weekends.

"We still on for tomorrow night?" I asked. "I'm on call."

Bella nodded and smiled up at me. She sat with her back to my chest, snuggling closer. "You don't have to come, baby. But I'm pretty sure you'll be there." The glimmer in her eyes told me, she'd make sure.

As if I'd miss a night out dancing. It wasn't something we did often, mainly because of my schedule at the hospital. But when we could, we enjoyed it. We both loved when we could have an evening alone at home, too. It had been a while, though, and the chance to feel her grinding against me, much as she was at the moment, wasn't something I wanted to pass up.

"I want to be there," I growled, stilling her hips. "Besides, we're celebrating."

Bella sighed. "I'm glad they're engaged now," she murmured. "It took a long time for them to heal."

Alice and Jasper had announced their engagement the previous week. Bella was right; it had taken time to heal, and not just them. Mom and Dad had yet to remarry, though, it was only a matter of time. All of Bella's victims didn't wake up confused from the fog the curse held over him, as we had originally thought, it was harder than that.

They had to deal with what they had done under the curse's influence. The people they'd hurt and those that did terrible things to Bella. Most would likely be in therapy for years to come because of it, too. Though they no longer had to have Bella's company, they still sought her out to make sense of what happened. She did what she could and still took their calls. Thankfully, though, she no longer felt threatened.

Everything seemed to be getting better, so I thought it was time to discuss what had been on my mind for a while. I shifted her to that she was straddling my lap. The look in her eyes made me shiver with need, but I stomped it down for the moment.

"I wanted to talk to you about something," I murmured, nibbling gently on her bottom lip.

"Oh, this sounds serious," she said as she played with my hair underneath the cap I wore. "What's up?"

I looked at her and brushed hair from face and behind her ear. There were times I wondered how I got so fucking lucky to have met her.

"Do you know your appointment next week?" I asked. "You know to get your refill on your pills?" She nodded and cocked an eyebrow in question. I swallowed, hoping she knew where I was going with my line of questioning. When she said nothing, I continued. "I was wondering if, you know…if you wouldn't get a refill."

For a moment, she said and did nothing. Then she smiled brightly. "You want babies?"

I nodded and kissed her softly. "I think we're ready. The renovations on the house are done, but it would mean that we'd have to get rid of the place in the city and for me to commute, because I refuse to stay at the apartment while you're pregnant or when we have kids. But yeah, I want babies."

She bounced a little in my lap as she wrapped her arms around my neck, hard. We laughed when I reacted as I usually did when she was so close. She squirmed and made me hiss. Pulling back, she looked up at me coyly. "Wanna practice?"

My eyes widened and my fingers dug into her hips. I looked around us, and remembered we hadn't seen anyone in well over an hour.

"Now?" I asked to be sure.

"Yes," she said against my mouth.

Fuck yeah.

~oOo~

I was called into the hospital during dinner with my family after all. They were leaving for the club while I worked on the sweetest little girl I'd ever seen. Though I should've been upset that I wasn't able to join Bella at the club, I felt pretty damn good to help that child.

She sat within her mother's arms, tears in her big hazel eyes. I couldn't help but imagine my own daughter some day. With Bella's dark curls, maybe that little dimple she had in her left cheek, pretty rosebud lips— damn, I'd have to lock away our daughter until she was twenty-five.

Our son, I would do everything to encourage sports, without pushing him to hate it. Dad wasn't much a sports kind of guy, so it wasn't something he really encouraged. If it hadn't been for Mom, I would've never played little league baseball. And I enjoyed it. I hoped it would be something Bella and I could do together with our children. I also hoped that it wouldn't too long for Bella and me to get pregnant.

What was unfortunate was the fact that I had to set the leg the little girl broke while wrestling with her bigger cousins. I hated the idea of seeing a child in pain and I worried about my own children someday. I wondered how Bella felt about bubble-wrapped corners and flooring.

After a few hours, I was able to leave and headed to the club. Bella had texted me earlier to tell me she was still there. She better not be fucking dancing with some asshole.

I didn't mind her dancing with Jake and her friends, but anyone else needed keep their damn hands off my wife.

I might have broken a few traffic records as I made my way to the club. At a stoplight, I idly played with my wedding band. It was something I always seemed to do and Bella said it was cute. Something about how I did it when I was thinking about her, which was often.

I still remembered the day she put it on my finger. She looked fucking beautiful in simple strapless white dress, her hair cascading down her back in big curls with a matching smile. It was a great wedding and with Charlie and her mother walking her down the aisle, it was perfect.

Like all the rest, it had taken time for Renee to fully recover from under the spell's curse, and for her and Charlie to work through their issues, like her infidelity. So, it had been surprise when she managed to be there for her daughter only three months after breaking the curse. Though Bella and Renee still had to work through their problems, it had meant a lot to my wife to see her mother there.

I pulled up to the club, waving at the valet and bouncer. I sent a text to Bella, but when she didn't answer, I sent one to Alice.

She's on the dance floor.

I growled. A second later, another text came from Alice.

ALONE.

She knew me too well.

I searched the floor and walked through the throng of gyrating bodies, looking for my wife. I felt a shiver go up my spine. Awareness prickled and I knew she was close. I turned to the right, already knowing she wasn't there. I looked over my shoulder, and under an overhead light, I found her near the bar.

Playing with a curl of her hair and licking her lush lips, she bit the corner of her mouth as her gaze found me, raking her eyes over my body. It felt like a touch. She cocked her toward the office with a little smirk on her pretty face. Oh, how the tables had turned from the night we'd finally come together.

She was waiting and she didn't have to tell me twice.

AN: Thanks to lisa89 and kyla713 for your help with these chapters. Thanks to quietruby for your help with the spell, you are all awesome. And last but certainly not least, thanks to all my readers who stuck with this story until its end.

Onto the next story, happy reading!

Erica