I was awake, though my eyes were still shut and my breathing still slow and even

I was awake, though my eyes were still shut and my breathing still slow and even. I could feel his cold arm around me as he lay next to me. Edward, the love of my life, my husband of sixteen years. I slowly opened my eyes to gaze at him. He smiled at me, taking hold of the back of my head and pushing me closer to him as we locked lips. I shivered at his touch.

"Good morning, beautiful," he said smoothly, brushing the hair out of my eyes, "did you have sweet dreams?"

I inhaled deeply, feeling dizzy from his scent. He was like a drug, calming, but leaving me lightheaded.

"Yes," I replied, nuzzling in closer to his glacial body, "all about you."

He laughed, stroking my back gently with his free hand.

"What time is it?" I asked. Glancing out the window, I could see the sun pushing itself up over the horizon.

"Nearly seven," he answered smoothly, keeping his eyes even with mine. Today they were growing darker. He would need to hunt soon.

I sighed and sat up, stretching my arms over my head and hearing my joints pop.

"I should get the kids up."

I draped my left leg over the side of the bed and felt the chilly wooden floors beneath me. As I headed into the bathroom to get myself ready for the day, Edward followed, and wrapped his arms around my hips, pulling me back.

"I love you," he kissed the back of my head, and I felt my face flush.

"I love you more."

More than he would ever know.

We have been together now for eighteen years total, and not a day goes by that I don't thank God for him. I knew from the moment I met him that I wanted to spend my life with him. Forever, no matter how much pain it caused me. Fifteen years ago, we accomplished what was believed to be impossible. I gave birth to a son. A human son, by the name of Edward Anthony Cullen III. This was amazing to us and to all of Edward's family. It was always believed that a human and a vampire couldn't have children. Heck, a vampire and a vampire couldn't reproduce, but somehow, we had proved that theory wrong. Two years later we had our first daughter, little Annabel Elizabeth, named after her paternal grandmother.

I made my way down the hallway to Ed's room, and knocked.

"Hey honey, time to wake up. I let you sleep in a little late, so don't be difficult."

I heard him groan in compliance and make his way across the room to get dressed, as I made my way to my daughter's room.

"Anna Banana, time to get up sweetie."

"Screw you."

I sighed.

"Anna, listen to your mother," Edward calmly stated from behind me.

I waited to make sure she was actually up. She emerged five minutes later, walked down the hallway, and slammed the bathroom door.

"Such a morning person, that girl," I called down to Edward.

He smiled at me from the bottom of the stairs, and I could tell he was laughing to himself.

I made my way down the stairs and found my son sitting at the table.

"I'm hungry," exclaimed Ed, staring at me with green eyes.

I ruffled his tangled, bronze hair.

"What would you like?"
He took a minute to think before deciding on scrambled eggs.

He was propping his head up with his right arm, obviously not awake yet.

"Alright, eggs for all."

I knew Anna would protest no matter what it was I offered her, so she would have to deal with scrambled eggs as well.

I heard her making her way down the stairs, and I kept my eyes on the eggs now beginning to bubble in the frying pan. Her steps were heavy. Something was obviously wrong.

"MOM!" she screamed once she was almost through the arch into the kitchen, "ED SNAPPED MY EYELINER IN HALF!"

She pointed an accusatory finger at her brother.

I rolled my eyes.

"Oh, trying to hide that face of yours again?" Ed interjected, smiling.

I placed the plates on the table and Ed cut into his, barely containing laughter.

"SHUT UP!"

Anna made a lunge for Ed. I stepped in front, grabbing her shoulders in my hands and pushing her backwards.

"That's quite enough."

I glared at the both of them. Ed snickered and Anna continued to give him a look of death.

Edward looked up from his paper and kissed Anna on the forehead as she sat down.

"I think you look especially beautiful this morning, my Annabel."

I sat down next to Edward and began eating my own breakfast, hoping that the worst had passed.

"So," I began, "how did you two sleep?"

They both nodded, mouths full of food.

We sat in silence for awhile, each enjoying their breakfast, excluding Edward.

Five minutes in, Anna screeched.

"ED!"

A plate flew across the table, shattering when it collided with the countertop.

Ed covered his mouth, trying to hide his laughter.

. "Annabel Elizabeth Cullen! Was that necessary?!" I exclaimed, standing up from my seat.

"HE PULLED MY HAIR!"

I sighed. That's one thing about having children with a vampire. While both of them are human, they have their special abilities. Ed was stronger than your average human, which we noticed at the age of two, when he lifted his grandparent's piano over his head. We found out that Annabel could see visions when she was four years old, and told me that I was pregnant before I even knew, and that she could move things with her mind when she chucked a rattle at me when she was just three months old without touching it. Unfortunately, the baby didn't make it. Both could run faster than any human could imagine.

That was why no one had noticed he had left his seat to pull Anna's hair.

"Was that still necessary?" I asked, frustrated.

"Why are you taking his side?!"

"I'm not. I'm asking you a question…"

"UGH!"

Anna got up from the table, threw her plate down in the sink and began to storm out of the room, when Edward caught her arm.

"I believe your mother was speaking to you."

He peered down into her chocolate brown eyes sternly, guiding her back to her seat. She obeyed her father and listened to her mother, even if against her will.

"Good girl." Edward said smiling. Anna glared at her father, but turned around quickly to face her mother.

"Now, was that necessary?"

"No…Ma'am."

Ed sneered at his younger sister.

"Now Ed, tell your sister you're sorry." Edward chimed in.

"Sorry Anna." He said with innocence. She stuck her tongue out at him and ran out of the room before any more could be said. Ed got up too and sped out into the living room and he and his sister loaded into his brand new black mustang. I was still red in the face, but Edward walked over and calmed me. He put his arms around me, nuzzling his head into the hallow of my neck. It sent chills down me, like always, his icy body pressed against me. He kissed me, gently, as if I was a mere porcelain doll.

"Don't always think that this will work to calm me down." I said.

"What?" He replied, as if he didn't know what I was talking about. He looked at me, his glimmering eyes staring into mine. "Ok, I've got to get to Carlisle's. He wants me to do some work for him. Just relax sweetie."

"Ok. I've got work to do around the house." He kissed me once more and walked out the front door to his Volvo, the kids following. The engine revved and he was off, going way past the speed limit like always.