o. just maybe

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EPILOGUE:
JUST MAYBE

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THE STREETS OF VOLTERRA were busy and bursting with life the morning that Verona Hale arrived in the tiny Italian town. Every street was packed with tourists eager to see the sights, their cameras at the ready as they explored everything the city had to offer. Verona navigated the crowds with ease, her mother and three sisters a step behind her as she breathed in the cool Italian air, a fresh breeze cooling her skin under the sundress and shawl that Alice had forced her into. 

"I can't believe I let you talk me into this," Bella groaned as she tugged at the skirt of the ankle-length sundress she was wearing, though her complaints were weak, as she too was enjoying the family's time abroad.

The trip to Italy had been Alice's idea. She'd come downstairs one day while Verona was on the phone with Alec, snatching the device from her best friend's hand and disappearing outside before Verona could stop her. When she returned, she didn't say much other than when they'd be leaving and how much to pack. And no matter how hard she tried, Verona couldn't get another word out of her sister, or Alec for that matter. Edward was also in on the secret, for he wore a smirk every time he saw her, but he also refused to utter a word. 

Verona would've been more annoyed if she wasn't going to see Alec. The last time she'd been with him in person, he'd come to Forks to help the family pack and move to a new town. That was almost two years ago now, and while they'd spoken plenty over the phone, she missed him more than she could possibly put into words. So for the moment, she bit her tongue and kept her complaints quiet, eager just to see him again.

"Are we almost there?" Rosalie whined, annoyed as she bumped into yet another tourist who was too busy staring at an old building to watch where she was going. 

"Oh, quit complaining, Rose," Alice scoffed, linking her arm with Verona's as she hung back to wait for them, bouncing up and down with impatience. "This day's about Verona, lighten up a little."

The Cullens had been in Italy for two days, but Verona was yet to meet with her mate. Once again, Alice was incredibly secretive as to why Verona couldn't go and see him, but the girl in question was quickly distracted by settling in and spending time with the others to argue with her. Until today, the day that marked four years since Verona and Alec reunited. That morning, Alice burst into her room with a dress and a shawl, the rest of the girls in the family (minus Renesmee, who'd convinced Jacob to take her sight-seeing) right behind her. They spent the morning getting dressed up for some 'luncheon' Alec was putting on for them, a bit odd since they didn't eat, but it was more or less an opportunity to spend some time together, get to know him a little more. As Alice pointed out, the Cullens had only interacted with Alec once since he and Verona began to patch up their relationship, and while they were wary of him, they did want to make sure he was treating Verona right, taking their fresh start seriously.

"Here we are," Alice giggled, skipping over to a restaurant that overlooked a valley of hills and trees. She sent Verona a wide grin, opening the door and gesturing for her to head inside. "After you, Vee."

Verona didn't understand why her sister was so excited, but she assumed it had something to do with their 'bonding time' with Alec, so she brushed her confusion aside, the sound of her mate's voice coming from inside the building encouraging her to head inside. The restaurant, she was quick to realise, was completely empty. No human customers, no employees working. Out on the balcony, she could hear Alec talking with Verona's brothers and Carlisle, but other than them, there was no one else around. The moment she stepped inside, the chatter outside went quiet. Verona frowned at the silence, shooting the girls behind her a confused glance. But they simply shrugged their shoulders, Alice ushering her forward when she sensed Verona's hesitance.

She slowly stepped outside, the sight she was met with stopping her in her tracks. Carlisle and her brothers were standing by the open door, sharing mischevious grins as Verona stared at the scene before her with wide eyes. She supposed she should've seen it coming, with how secretive Alice and Edward were being around her and with how nervous Alec sounded every time she'd called him in the days leading up to that moment. But Verona, in all her oblivious glory, had no clue that Alec was planning to propose.

"What the fu-"

She heard Alice giggling behind her, and she turned to shoot her best friend a glare, to which Alice gave an innocent shrug. Verona rolled her eyes at her before stepping forward on shaky legs, accepting Alec's hand as he kneeled before her, one hand intertwined with her own and the other clutching a glistening ring in a box as he too shook with nerves.

"You have no idea how long I've thought about doing this," Alec muttered, shooting her family a hesitant glance over her shoulder. "I'll admit, it wasn't my first idea to have your entire family here watching me be vulnerable with you, but Alice can be pretty persuasive when she wants to be."

"You're telling me," Verona chuckled, though her stomach was fluttering like butterfly wings and she still seemed a lost for words as tears burned behind her eyes, a shy smile tugging at her lips.

"Our relationship's had its ups and downs, a lot of them actually," Alec said, clinging to her hand for dear life. He was so nervous, so out of his comfort zone, Verona could see the anxiety as clear as day written across his facd. "For the longest time, I didn't think we'd work, I thought for sure our covens would pull us apart. But by some miracle, we made it through, and I'm so lucky to be kneeling here holding your hand. I'm so lucky you want to love me after all the mistakes I made."

"That we made," she corrected on instinct, for she'd made her fair share of poor decisions too, though upon seeing the disgruntled look on his face, she fell quiet again.  "Uh, never mind, c-continue."

"Our lives aren't easy, but we've been through a lot to repair our relationship, and there's nothing that I want more than to spend forever with you as my wife," he declared, holding the box out to her. If Alec was human, his face would be burning bright in embarrassment as Verona's family stared at them, at the big bad witch twin who's stone cold heart was open only to their Verona. "So what do you say, Mi Amor? You wanna marry me?"

"Do you even have to ask? Of course I do," she whispered, her smile bright and blinding. In an instant, he was up on his feet, twisting the ring onto her finger and kissing her as Alice lead the Cullens in a round of cheers. Emmett's voice was the loudest of all, his booming shouts echoing along the restraunt's walls. It brought another smile to Verona's lips as she leaned into Alec's embrace.

"I'm so glad that's over," he sighed once they pulled apart, to which Verona frowned teasingly at him. His face went pale, and he was quick to add, "Oh, you know what I mean. I'm not normally so sappy."

She smirked, wrapping an arm around his waist and leading him over to the others. It would've taken a lot for Alec to get down on one knee in front of everyone Verona loved, opening up about his feelings for her. To be honest, she never thought they'd get married, and she'd been more than content to spend the rest of her life by his side simply as his girlfriend. But clearly, Alice had other plans.

Verona Hale watched as Alec and her family laughed together, their differences set aside. She was finally getting the happy ending she'd always wanted out of her immortal existence, and while there was a long eternity ahead, she had a good feeling that everything would be okay.

THE END.

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