Yes people, I'm back. Tribulation=cause of suffering; something that causes great affliction, difficulty or distress. I hope this definition gives you insight on the ride you're about to take. ~smooches~ LRC
1. Catching Up
Edward
Jazz and I ran quickly toward the house.
"Hey, you headed to Mom and Dad's?" I asked him as we reached my property line.
"Not yet, I wanted to see the kids. They up?"
I nodded. I could 'hear' them fighting over what game to play next on whatever video game system they had recently talked Skye into buying for them.
"I think they're a little pissed that we hunted without them," he said as we got closer.
I smiled.
"They'll be alright. I'll take them next time."
I placed my hand on the knob, but before I could even turn it the kids were opening the door.
"Daddy, you left us!" JR said, as he launched himself into my arms.
"You were sleeping, Edward." I defended.
"We would've gotten up." EJ complained.
"Are you trying to get me in trouble? You know your mother doesn't like it when I do that." I stood JR up. "I'll take you the next time. We'll go at night. That will be more fun won't it?" I winked.
They considered this then nodded in unison.
They were only seven years old, but could easily pass for nine or ten. They were tall, but if you looked close enough and could get pass their height; you'd notice the baby faces that told of their true ages. They had changed a lot over the years, and even with Skye's unruly curls and slightly bronzed skin, they still looked like I alone had created them. Their little faces, bright green eyes, and coppery hair all reminiscent of me as child.
I walked further into the room and noticed Lisette sitting on the sofa with her lip pouted out.
"Where's daddy's kiss, Princess?" I lifted her up.
She was as light as a feather. And she, unlike the twins, looked her age of six. She was petite, feminine, graceful and beautiful. Unnaturally beautiful, like someone had imagined her up and then painted her into reality. She reminded me so much of my mother, her namesake.
"I'm angry." She pouted.
"What are you angry about?" I asked as I ran my fingers through her baby soft and lightly tinted strawberry blonde waves that now reached the middle of her back.
"I want to play the game too, but they won't let me." She pointed toward the ceiling. Her eyes, like her mother's, were crystal blue and glistening in the morning sunlight that filtered through the window.
I looked up and then at the boys. The game controllers were floating near the ceiling.
"You two know the rules. If your sister can't play, neither can you."
"But dad…" they groaned in unison.
"Turn it off then." I commanded.
Just then the controllers floated toward the floor. She reached up and grabbed one.
"Thanks, daddy." She smiled.
"You're welcome." I pointed to my lips and she kissed me quickly before squirming down.
"Uncle Jazz, you want to play?" JR asked waving a controller at him.
"Sure, but only one game then I need to go. Besides you guys have school work you need to finish."
"Aww…" they all groaned.
Jazz looked at me and winked. They, like most kids their age hated doing their school work. But they were all very intelligent beyond their years. Jazz had been home schooling them since they were babies.
I watched silently as Lisette climbed into his lap and he kissed her hair. Over the years she and Jazz had formed a special bond. So not only was he attached to my wife, he was now attached to my daughter as well. And it rubbed me in all the wrong ways when I thought about why that could be. I mean it had been years since all that shit with him and Skye. And I was one hundred percent sure that Elisabeth was mine. But it is hard for me to forget shit, literally. It also doesn't help that Skye was way too comfortable around him. I know that I shouldn't have been but I couldn't help being a little jealous when I saw him with two of the most precious women in my life and feeling the love radiating off of him. It drove me crazy.
"You alright?" Jasper asked, no doubt feeling my vibes.
I looked at him and nodded.
"You sure?"
I looked at my children all piled around him and laughing. They loved their Uncle Jazz, and he loved them.
"Yeah, I'm sure," I said as I turned to leave.
"We cool?"
"Yeah. We're cool." I nodded.
We'd made it past the hardest part of what happened. And after the trial we started working on being brothers again. I'm not going to lie. We're still working on it, because it is one of the hardest things I think that I've ever had to deal with. But he was trying really hard to make things right between us. And it's hard being mad at him when he was willing to take care of my family in my absence if the trial had not gone as I'd hoped. For that I was eternally grateful and willing to give him and our brotherhood a second chance.
"I'm going to check on Skye." I headed up the stairs.
0~~~~~~~~~~~~0
I opened the door to the bedroom and found Skye laying in bed with her eyes closed and Etienne attached to her breast. I sat on the bed softly but both perked up.
"Good morning, beautiful. I didn't mean to wake you." I smiled stroking her hair back.
"Mornin'..." she smiled, "...I wasn't asleep."
"You should be resting."
"I know, but your son doesn't like to sleep." She shook her head.
"Etienne, you have to let your mother rest, son." I brushed his fat cheek gently.
He closed his eyes and began to leisurely suckle at Skye's breast.
"He's greedy. He can't sleep because he's always attached to me." She smiled kissing his chubby fingers.
Etienne Pierre Masen-Cullen, or 'Stevie' as we called him, was born the first of January and was now a little over a month old. We had waited six years to have him because Skye wanted to go to back school before we tried again. She was officially Dr. Angelique Skye Masen-Cullen and I couldn't have been more proud of her.
After Stevie drifted off Skye handed him to me. I looked at my son and kissed his tiny face. He was beautiful and I was more in love with and amazed by Skye each time she blessed me with another child.
I ran my fingers through his hair. It wasn't curly like his siblings. It was more like mine, wild and unruly with only a slight wisp of a curl on the end. But he, unlike the others looked more like Skye and her family. He had her father Pierre's, masculine facial structure, blue eyes, and blonde hair. But my genes had a tendency to be the more dominate probably because they were heightened by my venom. So we'd see how much he too would change as he aged.
"He's beautiful, Skye. I can never thank you enough for him. For all of my children."
She sat up and smiled. "You don't have to. I didn't make them by myself."
"Yes I know, I remember each and every conception." I smiled crookedly.
"Edward..." she laughed shaking her head, "...what am I gonna do with you?"
"Well... I can think of a few things," I said flicking her nipple softly.
"Stop that!" She shoved my hand. "Now I'm going to take a long, hot bath and relax. You can handle the kids, right?"
She got up off the bed and headed toward the bathroom. Then water came on.
"Of course I can. But Jazz is downstairs with them now playing video games."
"I thought I heard him come in with you." She called from the bathroom. "By the way, Colin called. Something about it being warmer today and playing golf this afternoon."
"I'll call him." I called back as I pat Stevie's back.
"Are you going to let him win this time? He's not going to want to play with you if you keep beating him."
"I don't know. He talks a lot of shit afterward. I have to hear it all night at work. He's worst than Emmett."
"I didn't think that was possible." She chuckled.
"Trust me it is." I assured her.
"Well if you let him win more often he wouldn't feel like he's accomplished such a big feat."
I cocked a brow. She may have been on to something with that idea.
"So are you off tonight?" She asked walking back into the bedroom completely naked and taking her hair down. It had grown out again and hung to her behind.
"On call," I replied, my jeans feeling tighter.
I adjusted myself to make room.
She watched my hand but continued talking.
"Then I guess I'd better take a nap. You know, just in case you get called in."
"I can get Colin to cover me if you need me to stay and help with Stevie."
"It's alright, I can call Rose. She'll come and sit with him."
"Or I can call off. I have plenty of vacation time."
"I know, but you can't impose on Colin all the time. He needs his off days too. Rosie won't mind."
"You guys are not her responsibility. You're mine. Both of you." I stood up and went to her. "Maybe I should've taken more time off after his birth."
She shrugged. "We'll be fine."
"Are you sure?" I groaned wrapping my arm around her.
"Yes, Rose will come. Everything will work out."
"I don't know, if you don't look better in the next few days I'm going to take another month or something." I pulled her closer.
"You don't have to do that."
"I know. I want to." I smiled.
She nodded. "Alright."
I ran my free hand down her back, and over her bottom before cupping it gently.
"You need me to wash your back or something?" I asked as I placed my nose in her hair.
She giggled as it tickled her neck. "Lay him down in the nursery."
I walked Stevie to the nursery and kissed his forehead before placing him gently in the crib. He smiled in his sleep and I watched for a few minutes as he dreamed.
0~~~~~~~~~~~~0
When I walked into the bathroom Skye was under the water with shampoo foam surrounding her head. I undressed quickly and shut the door before joining her in the tub.
She came up and crawled over to me. I held my hand out for her and she straddled my lap.
"So...how was hunting this morning? Catch anything interesting?" She asked, kissing my nose.
"No. Nothing exciting. Just a couple of deer."
"What's wrong?" She asked laying her head on my shoulder.
"Nothing." I rubbed small circles on her back.
"The boys were so upset with themselves for oversleeping."
"I know, I spoke with them." I sighed.
"Edward, it's a part of who they are too."
"I know, but I don't want them to like hunting as much as they seem to. I want them to learn that their main food source should be human food."
She sat up and ran her fingers through my hair. It felt good and I closed my eyes. "I think they understand that better than you think they do. I think you need to understand that this isn't just fun for them. It is a necessity. I know it's not what you want, but they are your children. They need blood just as you do."
"I know..." I sighed heavily.
She kissed my chest. "You have to know that the real reason they like to hunt is because they like spending time with their father. They love watching you. You should hear the stories they tell me. You're their hero. It's like, who needs Superman when they have Daddy?"
I laughed.
"Seriously, they think that you could hold up the moon if you were so inclined."
"Really?"
This was news to me. I always thought my kids admired Jazz more. He was the cool Uncle who rode motorbikes, taught them to fight and was fun. I was the one that had to be the disciplinarian and make them stop all the fun when I felt that things were getting a little out of hand.
She smiled. "Yes really. And you know what?"
I pulled her closer. "What?"
"Our children have all of the best parts of you. And if our boys turn out to be half the man you are, Edward, I'd feel like we've done our job properly as parents. And while I know that you can't hold up the moon, you should know that you are my hero as well."
I smiled wide.
"Am I now?"
"Yes," she answered slowly.
"Come here." I kissed her softly on the lips. "Do you know how lucky I feel to have you?" I kissed her again. This time longer, deeper. "I'm sorry I ruined the mood. Let me see if I can make you feel as good as you make me feel."
0~~~~~~~~~~~0
I lifted her by the hips and she slowly slid herself down my length. I couldn't help the moan that slipped from my lips as my coolness filled her heat. When her head fell back I covered her neck with soft, chaste kisses.
"Better?" I moaned into her breasts.
"Yes, Edward. All better," she sighed, lifting my mouth to hers.
As we kissed I urged her to move her hips. She complied, with a slow, torturous, grind that drove me crazy.
"Hmm… Angelique, I love you," I whispered into her ear, taking her lobe between my lips.
"And I you," she whimpered.
I pushed up into her and she gasped out grabbing my hair in both hands.
"Ungh…God!"
I grabbed her hips and moved them faster over mine until she began to breath harder. The water in the tub threatened to spill over the sides.
I cursed and gripped her thighs when she spread them wider. She wanted me deeper and I would give her what she wanted.
"I'm so close…please...don't stop..." she begged swiveling her hips in fast, tiny circles. Her entire body tightening around mine.
I grabbed one of her legs and hooked it over my arm. Then I took my free hand and grabbed an ass cheek as I pulled her into my cock.
"Oh god! Right there! Right there!" She repeated as I gave it to her a little harder.
"I want to see you blush, ma beaute (my beauty)," I said when our eyes met.
"Oui… Edward… Oui!"
I wanted her to cum all over me. The power I always felt knowing that I was the one who cause her body to react so wonderfully was addicting. And watching her ride me while she did was passionate, heathenistic, sexy, and truly beautiful.
When she fell apart in my arms, cursing in French, trembling in my hands, body glistening with sweet smelling sweat and pussy pulsating around my cock; I couldn't help the smirk on my face. She looked and felt amazing. But it was like sensory overload when that second orgasm hit her a few minutes later. It was too much for me to bear and I couldn't hold back any longer. I threw my head back, gripped her thigh and ass roughly, and finally allowed the lukewarm liquid to leave my body. It filled, marked, and gave her a sense of empowerment. It drained, weakened, and made me feel high. But I was smiling. Smiling and wondering how I had lived so long without this bliss before?
0~~~~~~~~~~0
Slowly I lowered her shaking leg and she lay on my chest trying to catch her breath. Once calm, she wrapped her body around mine. I stroked the globes of her ass and buried my face in her neck. I loved my wife more than life itself and every second I was with her my life became better. I became better, for her.
"Edward?"
"Hmmmm..." I rubbed her back.
"I need to tell you something," she said.
I opened my eyes and sat back so that I could see her face.
"You can tell me anything. You know this."
She took a deep breath.
"Well...I applied for and was offered a position at the hospital." She rushed out.
I stopped stroking then.
"Oh God Skye, not now. I don't want to fight with you." We had been over this already. And every time it came up a argument ensued.
"We're not fighting. We're discussing."
"There's nothing left to discuss because we've discussed this already."
"But I want to do this, Edward. It's important to me."
"More important than raising our children?" I asked sitting forward.
"That's not fair," she sat up to look at me. "You know that nothing is more important to me than our family."
"Good, then the discussion is over." I lay back again.
"Don't do that. Don't shut me down like that."
"Skye...please." I sighed.
"Why... Why can't you stay home and let me work?" She asked timidly.
I looked at her. "That's not going to happen."
"Why not?"
"Because I'm not going to send my wife to work so I can sit at home on my ass."
"Women work while their husbands stay home now a days."
"Not my wife. It's preposterous." Her place was at home with our children.
"Edward, this isn't the early 1900's. Why won't you just try and..."
"Why are you doing this? Are you trying to piss me off?" I asked.
"No, I just…"
"Stop." I lifted her off of me and stood up. She looked surprised. "I'm not doing this with you, Angelique. Call them and tell them you can't do it. Tell them you've decided to stay home with the children."
"I won't…"
"Fine. Then I'll tell them when I go in." I stepped out the tub.
"Don't do that!"
"Either you do it or I will!"
I watched her face melt and instantly felt bad. But this was something I felt very strongly about. Skye knew this. I told her this before she started med school.
I wrapped a towel around my waist and sat on the edge of the tub. I went to lift her face but she resisted.
"Please, look at me."
"You promised," she said softly.
"And so did you. Skye, amour, you know how I feel about this. I agreed to put our family on hold so you could finish school and your residency. You've done that. So please, give me this. Hold up your end of the bargain."
"I'm trying..."
"Are you? Because I don't think that you are."
"I just... I know that as soon as Etienne's old enough to allow me some time to work, you'll want another child. But you know what? I'm not giving you anymore children since you won't allow me any freedom to explore my life's possibilities!"
Was she serious? I wanted nothing more than to help her achieve everything she wanted.
"You know that's not true. How could you even fix your mouth to say that? I've been nothing but supportive to everything you've wanted to do. Give me this time. Give them this time. You can never get it back, Angel. They may be around for a very long time but they won't be young forever. Please, I just want you to enjoy this time with..." I reached for her but she slapped my hand away.
"Please don't…" she pulled away.
"Fine. I'm done. Do whatever you want." I shook my head and stood up. Then I left the room.
I wasn't going to fight about this anymore. She wanted a family, children, and I gave that to her. I'd give her anything within my power to give. But I didn't get her. How did she go from wanting nothing more than us and our children, to wanting to work and be apart from them? Was she bored with our life? Was being a wife and mother not what she wanted anymore?
I heard her sigh and blow out a breath. I wanted to go back. Grab her out the tub, and kiss some sense into her. I wanted to hug her, tell her how much I loved her, and to trust me. That this was what was best for our family. But she was a stubborn woman, and spoiled. The latter totally my fault. I gave in to her every whim and she wasn't use to me saying 'no'. But I had to put my foot down on this for our children. They needed her. And she needed this time with them whether she realized it or not.
0~~~~~~~~~~0
I dressed and went down the stairs to see Jazz still playing with the kids.
"What happened to one game?" I asked.
He laughed.
"They keep beating me. I need to win at least one game. If for nothing but bragging rights and foolish pride."
I laughed, grabbed my cell off the table and began dialing Colin's number.
"What's up, Ed? Skye tell you that I wanted to whip your ass in some golf this afternoon?"
I could tell he was smiling.
"I don't know about that. More like getting that ass whipped." I teased back.
"Sounds like a challenge, Cullen. What do you say to a small wager?"
"Sounds good. How about two hundred a game?" I asked.
"That's cool with me."
"My brother's may want in. We could team up." I told him.
I looked at Jazz who nodded. "I'll call Em."
"They're in. Let's meet at three."
"Cool, see you then. And this time you and me play against them."
"Alright, but you better bring your A-game, C. I don't like to lose."
"For sure. Later, man." He hung up.
Jazz looked at me.
"We're not cutting you any slack because you got a human playing with you." He smiled.
"Yeah, I figured that."
I made my way to the kitchen to start lunch and about thirty minutes later Skye came in looking sexy in a pair of blue jean stretch pants and a low cut, soft pink, cashmere sweater. She was letting her hair air dry so it was wild and very curly. Just like I liked it.
She sat on the bar stool and watched my back as I plated up the food for the kids.
"You hungry?" I asked without turning around.
"Not really."
"You need to eat. You're nursing."
"I know."
I made her a plate anyway and placed it in front of her.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome," I said locking eyes with her. Waiting.
"I'm sorry... I didn't want to start a fight," she said.
I let out the breath and the tension I'd been holding in.
"I know you didn't." I flit to her, caressed her cheek and then said silently, "You have to know that I only want what's best for all of you, Angel. I'm not trying to hold you back, or hinder you in any way. I would never do that. I want you to be happy. I thought our family was what made you happy."
"It is…you do, make me happy."
"Then I don't understand." I stepped between her thighs. "What's wrong? Why don't you want to be here?"
"I do. I just... I feel like a part of me has gotten lost. In the mist of being your wife and being their mother I've lost me. I'm not the woman I used to be. I don't even feel like Angelique Skye Moreau anymore. What has happened to her?"
"Nothing, mon amour. She's still there. Along with Angelique Skye Masen-Cullen. My wife, the mother of my children, and the love of my life." I stroked her cheek.
"Is that all you see? Because that's not all that I am, Edward. And that's not all that I want to be. I'm not just your wife and their mother. What has happened to the girl who used to love skinny dipping, singing at Sid's, dancing the night away, and sunbathing in the nude? Don't you remember her? Don't you miss her?"
I smiled. I had missed her. My wildflower.
"Of course I remember. How could I ever forget. She was the one who taught me to love again. The one who's shown me that it's okay to be both man and vamp and to embrace both. And she's the one who tamed the beast inside of me and made me into a man who craves nothing but her love, body and touch. But she's also the one who's blessed me with four beautiful children. The greatest gifts and most precious beings in my life. She also the one who runs my bath water, washes my hair and cooks me dinner even though I don't eat after a hard days work. And she's also the one that I can fight with one minute and cuddle or make love to in the next. You see you are both and the 'old' you is still there. She's not lost to you. She just a little more settled and there's nothing wrong with that. I personally love both sides. You have to learn to love both as well. "
She closed her eyes and I stroked her face.
"I don't know how to do that. To love both, to be both." She finally said aloud.
I reached down and lifted her by the waist onto the counter top so that we were closer in eye level.
"Yes, you do. You just be you."
"I don't have time to be me. I'm too busy being your wife and a mom."
"I can help with that. I'll can do more here and with the kids." I told her.
"Edward..."
"No, let me. I'm here during the day and I don't have to sleep or get tired. So take some classes or something. Ride that death trap of yours or just soak in the tub. I don't care just do something for you because I don't like seeing you sad all the time. And I hate fighting with you."
She sighed softly.
"It's just a suggestion. You know that I would never force you to do anything you didn't want to. I would also never stop you from doing anything that made you happy. So if working is really what you need to feel...complete...then do it. "
"You'd really do that for me?" She asked.
I placed one hand on her thigh and the other in her hair.
"When have I ever denied you anything?" I asked shaking my head.
"Never..." she whispered.
"So why start now?" I moved closer. "Just promise me that you'll really think this through."
"I promise I will."
I lifted her mouth to mine.
"Good."
I leaned down and kissed her deeply. She tightened her legs around me and pulled me closer. I could feel the heat of her love against my groin. I moaned and fisted her hair.
"No more fighting?" I moaned.
She shook her head slightly before wrapping her arms about my neck.
"Round two?" I lifted her off the counter and started to walk out of the kitchen. She giggled in my neck after nodding in agreement.
"Dad! Mom! I'm hungry," EJ said stopping me in my tracks.
"Man, are you guys kissing again?" JR asked. "You're always kissing."
Skye laughed.
"I like kissing your mother." I smiled.
"Cause you looove herrr!" Lisette sang.
"Yes I do, Princess." I kissed Skye again and pat her behind before standing her up.
She straightened her clothes and poked out her lip at me. I leaned down and nibbled it.
"Later…" I whispered.
"What's happening later?" JR asked smirking.
I shook my head.
"Don't worry about it. Come and eat." I chuckled.
Skye grabbed her and Lisette's plate and sat at the table. I grabbed the boys plates and sat them down.
"Can we go over Mama and Papa's today?" Lisette asked.
"Not today, Elisabeth. Mommy's tired. Stevie kept me up all night." Skye told her.
"Aww…" they groaned.
"I'll take them with me. I'm sure Mom won't mind. And Ed can bring them back after our game. That way you can get some sleep," Jazz said walking into the kitchen. He went to Skye and kissed the top of her head. "Hello, Angel."
"Hey, Jazz." She smiled.
She looked at me.
"That alright with you? You'll bring them home with you after your game."
"Yes, I can do that."
"Oh, good. I'm going to take a nap after I eat then. Hopefully Stevie will still be sleep."
"The little one's giving you trouble?" Jazz asked.
"He doesn't like to sleep. He wants to sleep all day and be up all night."
"Well he is three quarters vamp." Jazz shrugged.
"So are these three, but they slept through the night. I think he's got his days and nights mixed up. Or maybe he's use to Eddie talking to him in the middle of the night. He did it all the time when I was pregnant."
It was true. I'd come home from work and talk to her belly while she slept.
"Tell you what. I'll come over and get the kids so Ed can get Stevie and try to keep him up. That way you can get some sleep, and we can get Stevie turned around."
"You'd do that?" Skye asked.
"Yep, it'll give me some time with the younguns' too." He smiled. "How about that? You guys wanna spend the next week hangin' with Uncle Jazz?"
The kids nodded furiously and smiled.
Jazz looked at me and I shrugged. I was cool as long as it made Skye feel better.
0~~~~~~~~~~0
AN: Okay so this was just an intro. I wanted to show how simple & 'human' the Cullens life had become and give you background on what has been going on over the last six yrs. Yes, Skye and Eddie have a new baby boy, Etienne, it's french for Stephen and that's why they call him Stevie. Lisette is a common nickname for the french name Elisabeth. New pics of the kids are on my profile under Tribulations. Check them out. Too cute!
Leave me some Luv, review...LRC.