A/N: Thanks to Sara for your awesome reviews. Hehe. Mollee, hmmm. I wonder what day you'll be reading this... It'll be a while! ROFL! Last chapter, Emma's POV again. I'm going to rewrite this so it's all in Emma's and all in Matt's, two versions. I want to try to get this published... Maybe...

Falling

Chapter 20: Final Chapter

My life had played out ever so beautifully. If I framed it out, I would realize how lucky I was. How lucky I was to have a loving guy beside me to completely support me in everything I do. Even though we'd been through everything... I was a murdered and everything, the whole time you've been supporting me and holding me close.

That's the reason I started to scrapbook my life, to remember every little event. You had went out and spent a lot more on me, a new engagement ring that I'd tried to refuse, a bear with a sewed on head, and millions of scrapbooks. You wouldn't let me do anything with them. I had to keep them and you made sure of that.

It was 3 days after I'd killed Jake. Three long, harsh days. Days where I felt so guilty, so guilty and sad. I hadn't got questioned for it yet, but it was to come. And it turned out that you had escaped from jail to come and save me so we'd be in a lot of trouble soon. The two of us were fugitives... together. It was kind of fun actually, the two of us together and having the time of our lives, millions of pictures taken so it could be framed.

Jake had gotten an autopsy, I'd seen an obituary for him in the newspaper. It had said that he had been murdered, Jacob Kirk, and had supposedly in jail. He had escaped before that, so the police were investigating the murder. They were searching for me and you as well. We were the two people that they suspected for the murder. The good thing was, that you was no longer in trouble for escaping from jail. Now you was in trouble for attempted murder. All because of me.

I'd asked you countless times if you wanted to leave and I would take all of the blame. You would always refuse. You refused me and made me mad. I didn't want you to leave me, but I did want you to be pain free. Basically meaning that you weren't near me.

What a harsh, cruel, sick, merciless, relentless, vicious world that we all live on.

"Matt?" I asked you and you turned to stare deeply into my right now blue eyes. We were sitting on a hotel couch together, me placed on your lap, leaning on you. You had your hand placed softly on my abdomen, caressing me and holding me close. We were watching some stupid romantic movies on TV and had been for a really long time. But just being with you, made it all worth it.

"Hmmm?" You asked me. I didn't have anything to say, just wanted to hear your voice.

"Are you sure you-" I said, but you interrupted me.

"No, Emma, I'm staying no matter what you say." There was a grin on your face like you were amused at me. I just spit out my tongue.

"So... think everything is over? Can we go back to living the normal lives that we want to?"

You kissed my forehead. "Yeah, we can go whenever you're ready."

"I'm ready. Let's go tomorrow."

"Em?" you asked, pushing my bangs out of my face. "Where do you want to go? I don't think that we;kk be going back to school anytime soon."

"Let's get an apartment and start saving for a house and the wedding."

"Sounds good. Where do you want to live?" You asked me.

"Somewhere quiet, not too big, calm and a good place to raise a child."

"Country?" You asked, with a slight grin on your face.

"No, not the country... I want to live in... how about..." I thought about it long and hard. "How about Washington?" Washington rained a lot and I absolutely loved it when it rained, the smell, the feel. "We could live in a small town... I read about it in a book once. It's called Forks! It's small, but not too far from a bigger town called Port Angeles. It's beautiful, and seems so scenic." I sighed as you gave me a strange look.

"We'll see..." You kissed me and all my fears seriously melted away, never to return again.

"You can do it Emma," you say to me. "Push!"

"Why don't you try getting in my fucking shoes and why don't YOU push?" I thundered, now pissed off. This really hurt. This kid was really starting to piss me off and it wasn't even out yet.

I screamed as the contraction tightened and I pulled on your hand so hard that it could have fallen off.

I heard crying and then the doctor placed a warm bundle into my arms after a few moments. The pain had stopped at least.

"Congrats, proud parents, it's a girl." I didn't hear much more after that. I had fallen asleep through the thick crying of the baby that now sat in my arms.

"What should we name her?" I asked you later that day. She was sleeping peacefully in my arms.

"I don't know," you said, reaching your hands out to take the sleeping bundle from my arms.

She was so beautiful, she looks so much like her daddy. Her brown locks are exactly the same color and she's got your dark skin. Her eyes are the same color as yours. I have her lip and nose shape and that's about it. You dominated most of the chromosomes. I always thought it was going to be equal, but I guess not.

"Any ideas at all?" I ask.

"How about... Tara."

The name stayed with me, I don't know why but that was now her name.

"Yeah," I said. "That's her name!"

"What about her middle? We need a middle name." We both pondered this for a few seconds. "Nicole, we name her after you."

"Why me?" I asked, feeling weird. I didn't want her to be named after me, I wasn't worth it.

"Because of everything you went through, this past year and a half, you've had so much pain, baby. You deserve it, you deserve for her to be named after you."

I blushed crimson, that made my self pride go way up. This was really what I wanted. To be loved and that was what I was getting.

"Tara Nicole Howe," I muttered. "I like it!" I grinned and I noticed that the little girl smiled. It was slight, but it was there. The little girl was happy with her name.

We indeed had moved to Forks, Washington, just like I'd hoped. It was a small town, without lots of crime, and we were free to do whatever we wanted. It was quaint, but a very nice town. Tara seemed to like it. She was now 3 months old and loved the rain, just like I did. In Forks, it rained quite a bit.

You still haven't full adjusted. You aren't used to the whole, rain and snow every single day of the year. But you adjusted, for me and the better life of Tara. And it really was a better life. You had to get a job, and there wasn't much, so you created your own business. I remember the day that you created it. It is a rape center, where people who have been raped or sexually abused come there for safety. It's a small town, so everyone loves the atmosphere.

Tara was growing up really well, she was still stubborn, I knew that right now, a trait that she inherited from the both of us. She smiled a lot, something that went on from her first days. She was perfect, everything I wanted in a little girl.

Lynne had went on and gotten engaged with Kyle. The two of them had relocated colleges to somewhere that wasn't military like. Maddie and Zach had followed. They weren't engaged, yet, but I knew it was coming soon. They were actually in a Washington college. It really touched me how they had moved so they could be closer to you and I.

Matt had made a friend in jail and now he was near us too. The guy was only in jail for stealing his mother's car. His name was Ryan Davis and he was so much fun to be around. He was up here in Washington too, with us.

They were actually here, today.

"Emma, come on!" Lynne yelled to me. I was standing there, mortified. I was in a white silk dress that hung down really low, reaching down to my ankles. It was a halter top and had lace that rimmed the edges around my chest. I had a blue necklace on around my neck and I was wearing Lynne's hairpiece. My hair was put up into a messy bun. It was my wedding day.

"Quit being so nervous!" Maddie said, giggling at me. She held a sleeping Tara in her arms. Kelly was there too. She was my best friend from high school.

"Emma, come on. Remember when you and me used to dream about this day? And now you're too scared to do anything." Kelly pouted her lips at me. "Remember when the two of us drew the whole plan out? Remember?" She grinned as I smiled my 'nervous' smile.

"Emma," Maddie said, trying to encourage me. "You look beautiful, you are ready for this. The weeding starts in 30 minutes. We have to get going." The other two started to push me toward the door.

"I'm scared," I muttered.

"Why?" Lynne asked. "You're with a simply gorgeous guy, you have a nice house, Matt has a nice job, you have an adorable baby... everything is fanning out in your favor..."

"But, my parents," I argued.

It was true. When my parents had learned that I was pregnant for a second time, they had totally abandoned me. They said that they had adopted me, trying to give me the best life that was possible. But I had ruined that a long time ago. They didn't disown me though. I don't think they had the heart to do that. That was one of the factors that almost made me get an abortion, but it didn't.

I had sent them picture after picture of Tara, but never getting a response. I bet they just delete on the emails, so I sent them snail mail, but they still never responded. I called once a week and got no answer. They really hated me. Just because I'd gone off and ruined my life. Had I really? I had a beautiful baby, my soon to be husband had a great job, we were saving for the two of us to go to a community college, we had a nice house... Did I really ruin my life? Here I was, sitting on my wedding day... Happy. Well, almost. If only they were here.

"Emma, why don't we worry about that later?" Kelly urged, looking at the watch she had placed on her arm.

I walked out of the room that I was out in the yard where we were having it. My plan was to have you already down when I came out and that he was. You were talking with someone or other. Then you would start by walking down. Your little sister, Khalla, was the flower girl and your other sister Camryn was going with her to make sure she didn't mess up, and to push the stroller. Then Ryan and Kelly, the newest couple that we knew, would walk down. Lynne and Kyle would follow. Then Maddie and Zach. Your father, who loved me a ton, would then take me down.

I met up with everyone, except for you, and good thing. You haven't seen me all day.

"Sissy look very perdy!" Khalla said, blushing. She'd called me Sissy since the first day I'd met her. She was six and so adorable.

"Why thank you Khalla, you look very perdy yourself." She blushed and giggled.

"Not as perdy as you. I wanna be just like you Sissy!"

"Oh, no you don't, I'm not a very good girl. I'm naughty!" I grinned and winked at the little girl who giggled.

She ran up and gave me a hug as Camryn rolled her eyes. She's in her obnoxious, 'I'm a teenager now and ain't gotta listen to any of your shit' mood.

"Ready?" Maddie asked, putting the still sleeping Tara into the stroller in front of Camryn. I nodded, hesitantly and the music started. Everyone started walking and Scott locked his arm with mine.

"Mind if I cut in?" the voice was so familiar and I spun around to see my father standing there. My face turned into a shocked as I wrapped my arms around him.

"Daddy," I muttered. "Why have you been ignoring my emails?"

"Talk about that later, baby, we have to go."

Scott smiled at us and went to go sit down. Then the two of us started to walk. Then I saw your face. You sat there, a smile forming onto you shocked face. My dad was there, and you knew how happy that made me.

"Do you give this woman to be wed?" The priest that was doing the ceremony asked my dad.

"I do," he said and went to go sit down next to my mom.

"You look... stunning," You whispered into my ear, as the ceremony began.

The vows; I had spent so much time considering what I was gonna say. I had thought about everything we'd been through together, this past time together. This was what I really felt.

I took your hands into my own, and started to talk. "Matt, we've been through just about everything together. You helped me find myself again. I was so lost, lost inside myself. And then you came and turned my world upside down, and you saved me. Time after time again. I always did seem to be a magnet for danger. Even through I deceived you, and made a bunch of mistakes, you still accepted me for who I was. Then, after I thought you would hate me for the millionth time in my life, you came back to me, and then the greatest thing that ever happened to me, besides today, happened." We both looked over toward the sleeping form of Tara. "You've changed me... so much. I will be with you forever, no matter what happens. I want to stay by your side forever."

I noticed that I'd had tears in my eyes the whole time. You just smiled and made your vows.

"Emma, when we met I didn't know how well things would work out between us. We were so different. I admit, we've had our rough times, but know one thing. I've never stopped loving you and never will. You are the love and joy of my life. I vow to protect you and Tara from every person and thing out there to harm you in the world. One thing I'm sorry for. I'm sorry for not being good enough before, not being good enough to protect you from him. Emmalia Nicole Lillith..." you paused, as a bigger smile came onto your face. "Howe... I love you and want you to be happy, and I'm glad you are."

"Matthew Howe, do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, in sickness and in health, for richer and for poorer, as long as you both shall live?" The priest asked.

"I do."

"Emmailia Lillith, do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, in sickness and in health, for richer and for poorer, as long as you both shall live?"

"I do."

Let's freeze. Freeze the time that now stood before me, one of my proudest moments.

Before everything played out, I thought about everything. Absolutely everything. My life before I met you, and how much it changed after I did. Changed for the better. Now I'm standing here, with you beside me, here on my wedding day.

Jake was finally gone. Event hough it wasn't the way that I'd hoped, he was gone. For good. He was no longer there to rape me and do everything else to me that he possibly could. I realized why I'd thought that I'd loved him the night you proposed... because I just couldn't get over the fact that he'd hurt me. My brain had trained me into thinking that the first person I'd liked, the first person I'd be serious with... I should love him, right? Now I now better.

In a way, I'm glad I lost the baby. I was sad at first, but the baby was Jake's and I didn't want to have to deal with that. Besides that, I wouldn't have the little bundle of joy that sat sleeping over there. That made me feel guilty, the fact that I was glad someone had died. But... I didn't know exactly what to think. But now I had Tara and my life was one step closer to becoming as perfect as it absolutely could be.

I'd found out that my parents weren't who I thought they were. It hurt that they'd lied to me, but it was also kind of comforting. I'd never gotten along with them so it was nice. I still loved them, but my love for them had grown a lot more, to respect that it wasn't their fault that I had been here like I'd thought. Now I knew that they just wanted best for me. And now they didn't hate me anymore. That really helped out a ton.

I was no longer falling. I'd gone from walking on two feet, stumbling, tripping, on my knees, to all the day down. Slowly, I was pulling myself back up out of that hole. Every day that went by pulled me one step closer from my life being back the way that it was. Days like this, my wedding day, the day I had Tara, well, those were the days were I pulled myself as high as I possibly could. I was almost back, just a few more steps. Once I kissed him, everything should be all better. I knew it would, that was one thing I was absolutely confident about.

He loved me, there was no denying it. I could not, not even in my dreams where they tried to fool me, even think of that as a possibility. He loved me. The thought brought tingles down my spine. He had to love me, if he was marrying me. We had done everything that we could ever want, all done together. Now I couldn't wait until the honeymoon, the two of us jetting off to Hawaii for a week in bliss. Tara was going to stay with Lynne and Maddie, who share an apartment in town.

I'm looking forward to what the future would bring us. I couldn't be any happier now. Would we end up having more kids? Would we live until we were 90, together, and get to see Tara grow up? Would everything fall into place? I had a feeling it would, no more suffering. I think we'd had enough of that in our lives.

So here I'm at, at the moment of my life. Ready to be made Emmalia Nicole Chrisman-Lillith Howe. I was sure I was ready... now. We could take whatever this bloodthirsty world wanted to throw at us. I knew we could do anything we wanted. We were now together forever. To be united as man and wife. We were really gonna be together forever.

We could beat those stupid fucking stars that wanted to end us.

Let's unfreeze now, and ignore my thoughts.

"You may now kiss the bride." You pulled me in for a loving and tender kiss and right then the rain started, soaking us from head to toe. I was out of the hole and gonna beat the stars.

End

A/N: Well there. November the month of hell is now officially over. Thank God. Review if you haven't already! I love you all, thanks for sticking by me until the end.

Savannah