Bella:
The sun was starting to peek through the windows and shine upon my family. No matter how many mornings came and went, I never got over the view of watching the beams meet my family and highlight just how lucky I am. The first one to be embraced by the morning light was Alice, the one who was actively flitting about getting the house ready for the day to come. You wouldn't think we were had just moved given the fact that Alice and Esme walked through the doors and furnished the house perfectly but this morning was the start of the first sentence in our newest chapter. The rest of my family were scattered across the living room, each working in their own way to settle into the new place.
I remembered back to when Carlisle called the meeting to figure out where we would like to move. Originally, the plan had been to continue the cycle and go back to Maine but I had unintentionally thrown a wrench into those works. It wasn't just by having my daughter Renesmee or Jacob that threw off the plans. It was more complicated because while Jacob came with his pack and the rest of his reservation, I still had Charlie in my life and wasn't able to fully leave him. There was no end to my feeling of guilt as I knew it was time for us to move on, to avoid suspicion, but I just couldn't leave Charlie. I thought I would be able to, now that he was able to stay in my life but the thought of moving across country just seemed intolerable. Plus, I knew it would mean Jacob leaving his pack and family behind. Not to mention breaking up his friends, my friends. Those that had to stay on the reservation because that's where their lives were, and those that were looking forward to the next adventure.
Carlisle started the discussion off by alleviating any guilt by having Renesmee and Jacob join the family at the table and including them in the discussion. It seemed everyone understood the reason we wouldn't be leaving Washington because of so many reasons and now, all that was left to do was see where we would set up home base next. He smiled at me and opened the floor to the family. Ultimately it didn't matter to me where we were going so long as my family was with me. In fact, it seemed the only one who did have an interest in where we go was Alice. She wasn't able to say why exactly but Quinault was calling out to her as strongly as the Cullen's were when she first became a vampire. Somehow, she knew it was where we needed to be. Everyone was more than ok with this. The Cullen's had never been to Quinault so Esme was excited at the all the different possibilities. Carlisle was excited to work at the hospital. It seemed that despite being in another small town, a lot of energy was put into the hospital. They had a pediatric wing that was cutting edge and an impressive surgery record that thrilled Carlisle. Just like that, it was decided, we would be moving to Quinault.
So here we were, the Friday before our new lives started. Alice was focused on doing her part to make the rooms around us perfect. Edward was at the piano, slowly working out whatever music he was hearing in the world around him. Rosalie and Emmett were curled up under the table with tablet in hand. I think they were just watching whatever movie they were watching so they could be so close without having to take it up to their room. Jasper and Esme were in the kitchen, Esme telling Jasper where she wanted what, Jasper smiling as he placed it there. The only missing members were Carlisle and my children. Carlisle was getting ready, taking everything from his hospital orientation and placing it where he wanted it to go. He had a book of all the different letters offering work from over the years and now he was just adding pages. My daughter was with Jacob both asleep at the cottage. It was one of the last couple of nights they had before school started so Edward and I left them alone while we moved with the rest of the family, they would join us soon enough.
Everything seeming to be settling in, finding the place where it all fit together perfectly while Edward conducted the soundtrack to our lives. Then a soft ringing broke through the majesty. Carlisle's phone was charging near the front door and the screen lit up as the vibrations started. Carlisle came down the stairs as Jasper and Esme finished up in the kitchen. While Carlisle when straight to his phone, Jasper be lined to Alice.
"Good morning this is Dr. Cullen," Carlisle said as he answered the phone. Then at almost the exact same time Jasper spoke to Alice.
"It's ok Alice, sooner or later you will figure out what brought us here." Alice shook her head.
"Jazz, I don't do sooner or later. It's just not who I am"
They continued their discussion while Carlisle continued his. The hospital was calling him it seemed, I guessed so they could iron out his schedule. My attention had drifted however. Edward changed the notes and the music morphed into our hunting song. The song Edward composed during a hunting trip not that long ago reminded me of his beauty on the hunt. How he leapt with such grace and took down his prey while looking perfect. The time away from our cottage was not lost on me, nor him it seemed as we made eye contact across the room. I knew I had to balance my needs for my husband and the needs of my daughter.
"Yes we have moved in now and my wife, Esme is just started getting us settled in," Carlisle continued with his conversation.
Edward and I were giving living in the house a try because with the move, we didn't want to have a long commute to the cottage at the end of each day. It was difficult to lose that sanctuary and piece of paradise but we would be fine without it. It also allowed us to be with our family more which I think Edward missed slightly, even though he would never admit it. I remembered when we were figuring out who would be in what room, the blush that wanted to fly across my face when asked if we would be living with the rest of the Cullen's or if we should have a place of our own. Of course I said we didn't need our own place but now, as I looked at Edward and his fingers on the keys, I worried I had made a mistake.
"That's not a problem at all. I really don't mind covering today, sometimes these things just happen. I'll be in as soon as I can be." Carlisle ended his call and hung up just in time to see Alice straighten, dropping her arms.
It was then, at that exact same time Edward stopped playing, both Alice and he looking at some vision of the future that only they could see. At first I didn't think much about it, while not as common as other visions of Alice, there was still a few times when all activity stopped and she would focus on nothing else. The difference this time was that Edward also stopped what he was doing and then, at the same time they both let out a little "Oh." Alice looked to Jasper, Edward to Rosalie and then they switched. Both of them then turned to look at Carlisle and understanding lit up their face, brighter then even the shining sun.
"What is it?" asked Jasper.
"What did you see" asked Carlisle.
Emmet and Rosalie shot up, movie forgotten. Esme ran to Carlisle, fitting her hand in his as worry crossed her face. I shot across the room and was at Edward's side, shield up and covering my family. As I sent my shield out I counted the sparks making sure everyone was protected underneath it. Fear sank in as I felt the noticeable absence of my daughter's sparks and remembered that she was with Jacob, miles and miles from me. I pulled out my phone to call and check in on them.
"Alice, what's wrong?" Jasper pleaded. Alice's eyes came back to us and her and Edward broke out into a smile that took all of us aback. All I could think of was the last time Alice had such an all-consuming vision. Back to when we almost lost it all and were confronted with the very real possibility that our forever could be cut short.
"Nothing"
"Nothing"
Alice sighed with a look that bordered on euphoria as her eyes met Jasper's.
"Nothing is wrong Jazz, in fact…it looks like everything is going to be perfect. Even more perfect than it already is. Everything is going to be…. amazing"
I looked to Edward, what could they have seen that would place them in such a mood?
"It seems that our family is going to be growing" Edward explained while looking at Rosalie.
Growing? How could our family grow any larger than it already was? Were the Denali's coming to stay with us? Could it be that Jacob and Renesme….? I stopped that thought in its track. As much as I loved the relationship my daughter has and respected her wishes, selfishly I wasn't able to think about becoming a Grandmother just yet. I also realized, with a little burst of internal happiness, that Alice can't see Renesme and Jacob so how would she know they were pregnant?
"Growing, what do you mean growing?" I asked him.
"Carlisle is going to meet a young man at the hospital and we are going to love him!" Alice crooned as she looked to Carlisle. "Thank you Carlisle!" Carlisle looked taken aback. A look of questioning swept over his previously worried expression and I was sure I knew what he was asking. Why would he do that? What would cause him to do that? What would ever prompt him to take another human life and make him immortal.
"I don't think we will be turning him immortal Carlisle. His eyes are a beautiful almost jade green" Edward reassured Carlie, maybe answering one of those questions that the rest of us couldn't hear.
"His smile," Alice sighed. She jumped to Jasper. "just wait until you meet him!"