Disclaimer – anything you recognise doesn't belong to me
"Show me" Edward insisted, giving me the smouldering look that made me give in 99.9% of the time as I hid my face behind a pillow in embarrassment.
"Shh, no!" I said, playfully swatting his now roaming hands, "Renesmee and Jacob are right next door, and there is no way you will be able to restrain yourself if I show you what I was picturing." I was or once grateful that there was a prevention to our lovemaking; his was one daydream that I didn't want my gorgeous husband to see... somehow I thought the image of us having passionate sex in a pile of mud, surrounded by drained mountain lion carcasses would offend his Victorian mannerisms.
"Please" he sulked. I considered imagining a different scene while removing my shield. But Edward could always tell when I was lying, even without my human blush. "I know it was a good daydream; you had the sexiest look in your eyes..." he continued "I promise I'll be good."
"No you won't!" I said.
"I was the model of restraint when you you were human, as proven by the fact that you are not dead" he reasoned with a crooked grin on his perfect face.
One more look from his beautiful eyes was all it took for him to get his way. I cringed slightly to myself as I removed my shield completely from my mind to allow him to see, and imagined our naked mud wrestle. I saw his eyes widen in surprise for an instant before they darkened with desire as my fantasy flooding his mind.
"Well well...who knew?! Isabella Marie Cullen likes it dirty!" He leant over towards me with a look in his eyes that I rarely saw during daylight.
"Edward! I'm serious; I don't want Nessie seeing that!" I admonished him.
"Fine," he said, pouting slightly, then a cunning gleam came into his eyes "Would you care to accompany me on a hunting trip my beautiful wife?"
I laughed out loud at this "I don't think that would be wise... we're supposed to be going to the house on Alice's orders soon, remember? I don't think she'd appreciate me being late for my own party."
Edward sighed in defeat, knowing no one in the world could come up with an excuse that Alice would believe or accept for missing their own party. Yes, it was my birthday. I was 20 years old, although I hadn't changed since I woke up from my vampire change one year ago today; handy really that both birthdays occurred on the same day – it gave Alice one less excuse for a party. It had been Renesmee's first birthday 3 days before, and I have literally never seen anything like it. Both the main house and our little cottage in the woods had been covered in pink fabric – the walls, the furniture, the floors... there was a gift hidden in every room and it took our daughter all day to find them. The final one was a cake that was taller than she was, which was ridiculous since only her and Jacob actually ate any of it.
I went into Nessie's bedroom and smiled at the sight of her and Jacob playing on her Xbox whilst laughing uncontrollably- he was such a good friend for her to have, I knew she'd always be safe and happy with him.
"Come on missy" I said, scooping her warm body into my arms and perching her on my hip, "It's nearly time to go into the main house to what torture Aunty Alice has planned for me!"
Renesmee grinned toothily at the mention of Alice's name. Alice had spent a ridiculous amount of time after the Voluturi's 'visit', making up her absence up to my daughter. This mainly included shopping and playing dress-up, which I was happy about for two reasons – firstly, Nessie had physically become an 8 year old and grew out of her clothes at an alarming rate so constantly needed new ones, and secondly, it diverted some of Alice's attention away from playing Bella Barbie with me: and activity I loathed beyond belief.
"Am I coming? Staying here? Going home?" Jacob asked me, still not 100% sure of his position in the family as Nessie's imprint.
"Come with us!" Nessie demanded, bouncing excitably in my arms. She pressed her hand to my cheek and showed an image of her Jacob in the main house together. As she got older she was using her gift less and less as a means of communication and more often just if she needed to show us something rather than tell us.
"You're welcome as far as I'm concerned Jake, but I have no idea what Alice has planned. But whatever it is, it is likely to go on for a long time, so waiting here would probably be silly" I reasoned.
"Fair enough, I'll go home." He got up and stretched, his hands hitting the ceiling of our little cottage with his massive reach "By Squirt", he hugged Nessie briefly, "see ya tomorrow, oh and Happy Birthday Bells".
My cell phone started ringing, with Alice's name on the caller ID. I sighed and handed it to Nessie.
"If this is her telling me what to wear to the party, you can talk to her."
Nessie giggled and casually flipped the phone open "Hi Aunty Allie!" she sang playfully into the phone then giggled "OK, see you soon".
I raised an eyebrow as she gazed innocently up at me "She said to tell you: third closet on the left, top drawer, silver boxes" she repeated dutifully "Oh and she said 'Or else'"
Not wanting to risk whatever 'else' might be, I carried Nessie into mine and Edwards' bedroom and lightly tossed her onto the massive bed before striding into the closet and going to the designated place. There were six silver boxes... SIX! I sighed, spread them on the bed and opened them one by one. The first two contained an emerald green dress shirt, black trousers and a pair of expensive looking Italian shoes.
"Edward" I said, not bothering to shout, knowing he would have heard me whisper. He came into the room and smiled when he saw he boxes.
"Alice?" he guessed.
I nodded grimly and continued opening boxes. The next were for Nessie – a gorgeously cute ruby coloured dress with a bow around the middle, with matching shoes. I was relieved that Alice was sticking to my request of only buying my daughter clothing appropriate for her apparent age... I didn't need her in mini-skirts or lacy bras just yet, I wanted to preserve the little childhood time she had instead of her acting older. In my box was a sapphire blue dress. It was full length with a sweetheart neckline, a low back and a long slit up the side (picture on profile). Of course Alice had included shoes with a heel that would have easily caused me to break my ankle a year and a bit ago.
"Right, I suppose we had better get dressed before the little pixie comes and does it for us" I muttered.
"'Kay Mama" Nessie said as she grabbed her boxes and bounded into her room.
Ten minutes later we congregated in front of the cottage in our new outfits, Nessie and I sporting matching up dos in our hair.
"Well don't we look colourful?" Edward chuckled looking at out outfits. "I wonder what she's got the rest dressed in"
We ran slowly (for us) to the big house, which looked strangely dark. I pushed the front door open hesitantly and turned to the living room entrance.
"SURPRISE!"
"ALICE!" I yelled, recovering quickly from the shock, "you told me there was a party, it isn't a surprise!"
"I know, I know" she giggled, "but surprise parties are so much more fun, dontcha think?"
I shook my head in disbelief and looked around to see the rest of the family. Esme was dressed in a deep burnt orange dress, Carlisle in a pale yellow shirt, Alice and Jasper were both in different shades of purple, with Emmett in a white shirt and Rosalie in a stunning black gown. Edward chuckled quietly "And why exactly did you decide to dress us as a rainbow Alice?" he asked.
"Bored" she replied, skipping over to me before throwing herself at me "Happy Birthday Bella!" she cried, hugging me tightly.
"Thanks Alice, although this is too much!" I gestured around the room which had been swathed in black chiffon – it covered all the windows and walls and draped beautifully from the centre of the ceiling to the edges giving the illusion of being in a large tent. There were twinkling fairy lights poked through the fabric, and all the furniture had been removed apart from Edward's piano and a few silver chairs that I had never seen before. I'm sure my face mirrored the look of amazement I saw on Renesmee's small face
"Well since you insisted on no guests, I had to go overboard somewhere, and voila!" she twirled on the spot and everybody laughed again. "Rosalie! Position please?"
Rosalie gracefully sat down at the piano and began to play the lullaby the Edward composed for me. I smiled as he swept me into a dance. I rested my head lightly against his firm chest as we swayed gently to the melody. Taking our lead, Carlisle led Esme out into an elegant waltz. Alice skipped out into the middle of the room and crooked her finger at a grinning Jasper who joined her in an instant. I beamed when I saw Emmett dancing with Renesmee; he had lifted her clean off the ground and was performing an overly dramatic tango with her dangling about three feet in the air. Edward looked at my smile with an intrigued look on his face. I cocked my head in our daughter's direction, then though back to the prom when Edward danced with me on his feet. I pushed my shield away and Edward grinned as broadly as I did as he remembered what I was thinking about.
The night continued with everyone but Renesmee and I taking turns to the piano, and everyone swapping dance partners many times.
I was laughing as Emmett tried to convince me to break-dance with him to Jasper playing Beethoven when Renesmee let out a tiny yawn and tried to stifle when she saw eight vampires spin their heads towards her.
"I think that's our cue to get this one back o the cottage" Edward said as Nessie shook her head furiously.
"I'm fine!" she protested, but another yawn slipped out and we all laughed.
"OK, you can leave" Alice announced from her position lounging on her stomach on the piano, head in hands, feet waving in the air so she could gaze at Jasper as he played, "but first... PRESENTS!"
I groaned and slapped my hand to my head. Since normally Alice couldn't wait to hand out presents, I'd hoped that the lack of gifts being shoved at me the second I entered the door meant my new(ish) family had finally listened to me and stopped buying me presents. No such luck as I saw Alice jump from the piano and dash out of the room. She was back in an instant carrying a stack of gifts in the same type of silver boxes that the clothes were in earlier.
"Relax Bella," Edward whispered in my ear as he stood behind me and snaked his arms around my waist "it's because we all love you so much that we want to buy gifts for you." I'd had this argument with the Cullens more times than I could remember so I kept quiet as I was led over to the gifts that were now on a small table.
"Mine first" said Esme, and we all looked at her in shock, "what? I can't be demanding for once in my existence? Anyway, the gift from Carlisle and I is for both Bella and Edward, so I want to get it out of the way so the focus can go back to her alone"
She handed me a flat silver box which I opened to find 2 envelopes, one marked 'House', the other 'Holiday'. I looked up at her in confusion.
"That one contains plans for an extension to your cottage, if you want it, for two more rooms – a study-come-library and a spare room" she told me, indicating the first envelope.
"Yea since you guys somehow managed to fill the last one" Emmett boomed, nudging Nessie lightly with his elbow as she giggled.
Edward smiled and wrapped his arms around me and our daughter. "Thank you Esme, Carlisle, this is wonderful!"
"Anyway," Esme continued "if you like the plans I'm going to have the work done while you two are using the second envelope – return flights and boat hire for a second honeymoon on Isle Esme, plus babysitting services for as long as you are gone"
"Thanks you guys, this is amazing" I grinned at my parents in-law, and grabbed each of them into a hug that would have broken several bones in humans.
Edward smirked as I removed my shield and imagined the two of us covered in feathers.
"Hmm, well please try not to destroy any furniture this time you two," Carlisle said as everyone but Nessie sniggered, "or if that's too much to ask, at least leave the house standing"
I was still amazed at the gift when another was abruptly pushed towards me. I read the tag:
'To Bella,
I know this all interested you at the bonfire the other year so I asked Emily for what she wrote down, and I made copies.... Happy Birthday,
Love Jake
X
Ps this is the only copy of this book in existence, so don't burn it or anything'
I looked into the box to find a leather bound book with a full moon with a wolf silhouette embossed onto the cover beneath the words 'Quileute Legends". I was awestruck and opened the cover to start reading. Approximately half a second passed before the book was snatched from me and replaced with another box.
"That's from me and Emmett" Rosalie said, smiling at me. I opened the small box to find several tiny silver charms. "It's time you added more to that bracelet than just a wolf and a heart" she reasoned.
Emmett pulled my wrist towards him and in a few seconds the rest of the charms were on the bracelet. I looked at it and found a silver 'B' with a matching 'E' next to it, a tiny silver pacifier which I knew was to represent Nessie, and, in exquisite detail, a miniature Cullen family crest. I smiled broadly and thanked the couple.
"Now mine and Jazz's" Alice squealed, and thrusted a heavy square box at me that contained a large black book, covered in silk with diamantes spelling "Bella's 20th & 1st Birthday Album" on it.
I opened it up and gasped a the photograph on the first page of Edward and I at the prom, gazing into each other's eyes as we stood by the punch bowl.
"I didn't know anyone took our photo that night" Edward said, confused.
Alice gave her tinkling music box laugh "I'm just sneaky like that".
I flicked through the album, seeing a photo of Edward with his arm around me as I curled in his lap watching TV, one of Rosalie doing my hair, lots from our wedding, one of me hugging Charlie, me with Renee and Phil...
I looked at Alice in disbelief, not knowing that any of these photos even existed until now. "Keep going!" she told me.
Then there was one of Renesmee, she was so tiny, newborn. I'd only seen her that small for a few moments before I lost consciousness. She was only like it for a day or so. The rest of the album was filled with photos of my daughter, and ones of her with Edward, or me, or both of us. Finally there was one of the whole Cullen family, minus me. I felt so happy looking at the album. Alice hugged me quickly and said "I knew you'd like it"
"I love it! Thank you so much! And you, Jasper!"
"Can I give you my present now Mama?" Renesmee asked quietly.
"Oh, Nessie! You shouldn't have got me anything"
"Daddy helped me" she smiled shyly and handed me a small silver box. It was a CD, which Edward took from me and placed in the stereo behind one of the black curtains. The room was filled with a gentle piano melody that I was sure I had never heard before, but it still felt strangely familiar.
"It's her playing" Edward whispered to me. I looked in shock at my daughter who, to my knowledge, didn't play the piano. Edward continued proudly "she wrote this piece for you". He smiled at Nessie who I now had locked in a hug and was smothering her face in kisses.
"Ew, Mama, leave it out!" she playfully fought me off, grinning broadly; looking so much like her father it was incredible.
After many more 'thank you's and 'happy birthday's and with Nessie nearly asleep on her feet, Edward picked her up and we ran back o the cottage and put her to bed before going into our room.
"Happy, love?" Edward asked me.
"Very," I smiled "tonight was perfect, and I can't believe what amazing gifts I got!"
"Well there's still one more" he said slyly, pulling a silver jewellery box from the nightstand.
"Edward!" I said warningly, recognising the type of box.
"Don't worry, love, I swear the box is the only thing I spent money on, and that was only because Alice insisted that my gift matched all of the others" he told me, staring deep into my eyes, which were now just a shade different to his; no longer the frightening red they had been a year ago.
I took the box from his proffered hand and opened it up. Inside was an antique silver locket. I picked it up and allowed the thin chain to slide through my fingers.
"It was my mother's." Edward told me solemnly, opening it to show two photographs. One was another of Alice's candid shots showing Edward, Renesmee and myself hugging and laughing in the snow. The other was an aged sepia picture of a formal looking trio – one of whom I recognised instantly. "That is the only photograph of me with my parents" I looked up at him, wide-eyed "so I'm giving it to you to keep safe... do you like it?"
I couldn't find the words I was looking for o show my gratitude and emotion, so I removed my shield so he could hear how confused but joyous my thoughts were. He laughed lightly and took the locket and box away from me and placed them back on the nightstand. He took my hand in his and grazed my cheek with his free hand.
"I love you." He said simply. I was still speechless from his gift, so all I could do was grab him and kiss him as if my life depended on it. He pressed himself against me harder and I held back a moan. "Nessie's asleep now..." he hinted with a crooked smile. As a response I reached behind myself and unzipped my dress, slipped the straps off of my shoulders and let the blue fabric pool around my feet, my lips never leaving his.
It was without doubt an amazing birthday.
A/N. So what do we think? Longish introductory chapter, the plot starts in the next chapter. Will be leaving it as a one shot unless I get some reviews....