I AM SO SORRY FOR TAKING SO LONG!!!! I truly am. Things in life have been crazy and hectic with school and finals and homework and blah, blah, blah. I know I've been away for a while, and I hated to keep you all waiting. I take the time right now to thank the two people who checked up on me : Little-Pooh-Bear and 13stars. If it weren't for you two, I probably would have taken a lot longer. So if anyone else knows these two, and you love my story, be sure to thank them. I know I sure do!

Another night of successfully keeping the pup secret passed easily. When the sun rose the next morning, Carlisle and Esme left simultaneously with Esme in the Volvo. Carlisle's plan was put into action, and Esme was more than happy to take her beloved dog for the day. The pup eagerly followed the woman into the different vehicle and made herself comfortable on the back seat.

Esme's plans for the day were to drive to Seattle to bring her pet to the groomer's for cleaning, then to the pet store for a collar and maybe a few toys, and to the dog park for playtime, and finally back home for rest and respite. She would have the dog tomorrow as well, but she was undecided about the agenda. She'd think of something before the day was over.

She took the Volvo and made it to Seattle in record time. Normally, Esme was not one to drive quickly, but she needed to get to the groomer's before it became too busy to accept a walk-in. The dog didn't look as horrible as some dogs that roamed the streets, but a bath and a trim wouldn't hurt.

The place was named Great Dog Grooming. (A/N: This IS a real place. I looked it up.) The woman behind the desk flashed Esme a friendly smile and let her eyes drift down to the leashless husky. It wasn't like many dogs to waltz so willingly into the groomer's place without being dragged in. Only a certain handful came in with wagging tails. To Esme's relief, the facility was not swarming with dogs so there was a good chance she'd get in and out quickly.

The pup didn't whine as she was given a bath. She didn't growl or snap at the groomer when he gave her fur a touch up. Esme realized that Carlisle had been right about the dog being special. Christmas couldn't arrive soon enough.

After the grooming was finished, she drove to the pet store, rolling down the back window to let her pet stick her head out. When they went inside, Esme approached the wall where the dog accessories were hanging. There were simple collars and leashes, but Esme wanted the very best for her pup so she chose a supple, brown leather collar with aquamarine jewels on silver circles and a royal blue leash. The canine accepted the collar eagerly, holding her head high to allow Esme to hook it. Her tail wagged happily, and she rubbed against Esme's hand in thanks.

"Oh, that's my pretty girl," the female vampire cooed, bending down to her pet's level. She stroked her head tenderly. "Yeah, you're my pretty girl."

The dog pulled away from her then nosed a white discus that hung on the rack. When Esme picked it up, she also grabbed a rope toy and a tennis ball as extras. Hopefully the pup would enjoy them.

The rest of the day was nothing too exciting. Carlisle called around 2:00 Esme to check on her progress. At the dog park, people couldn't help but stop to pet the husky, and she seemed to adore all the attention. It was only when a Dalmatian barked at her did she show interest in leaving Esme's side. The woman unhooked the leash, and she darted off to join the spotted dog.

(Yes, this is now a dog-to-dog conversation.)

"Hey, husky," he greeted, sniffing her.

"Hey, yourself, Spots," she joked as she sat down next to him. She absentmindedly scratched her right ear. "So…which one's yours?"

The Dalmatian pointed his nose toward a family of four sitting on a bench. The man had an arm wrapped around the woman lovingly. She was holding a baby in her arms, and a boy that appeared to be six years old was standing in front of them.

"Those over there," he stated, his tail wagging at the sight.

The husky nodded. "And they call you…?"

"Domino. What about you?"

She looked over her shoulder at Esme who was chatting away excitedly on her cell phone. "Her and her mate, but he's not here."

"And your name is?"

"Uhh… " Her name? She had one, but that was long ago, and she couldn't remember it. What did the woman call her before? 'Oh, that's my pretty girl…' No, not name in that sentence.

Suddenly, there was a short, high-pitched whistle, and the husky's ears perked up. She twisted her head around, and the woman was standing up.

"Here, pup!" she called.

She bid farewell to the Dalmatian and trotted away to join her owner. The canine felt troubled though. She did not know her name, and she wanted to know very badly. When was she going to find out?

The next day when Esme and Carlisle disappeared in the morning, Alice rushed to the garage without hesitation. It was her job to find any trace of the mysterious gift. Edward was in Carlisle's room checking for information on the computer just in case he looked up anything unusual. Emmett was searching the closets, and Jasper scrutinized the cabinets and drawers. Even Rosalie took an interest in their work and agreed to look into anything not already taken.

"Guys, I found something!" Alice yelled, which made the rest of the family come running.

They gathered around the smallest vampire as she stood from her squatting position. In her fingers was a small piece of black hair. The others drew in closer, and Jasper took it gingerly.

"Could be one of your split ends," joked Emmett as he laughed. Alice glared and slapped his arm.

She turned her head away and said, "I don't get split ends."

"Denial." Emmett then brushed something off of his shoulder.

"No," interjected Jasper. "This isn't Alice's. Edward, did you find anything on the computer?"

"Nothing," he answered.

"I didn't see much in the dresser in their room or hidden under the tree," said Rosalie.

Emmett added, "And there wasn't anything in the closets."

They sighed in unison. Carlisle and Esme were doing an impressive job of hiding the present. It was like someone being told about an amazing surprise but then being forced to wait for it. On the bright side, tonight was Christmas Eve, and the Cullen family would open just a few of their gifts and leave the rest for Christmas morning when the Denali clan visited.

Through the rest of the day as the Cullens tried to busy themselves with meaningless activities, every one of them found himself or herself glancing anxiously at the clock. They played in the snow outside and had a snowball fight. Afterwards, Alice unnecessarily hung more ornaments on the tree while Jasper tried to adjust the string of lights. Emmett channel flipped, and Rosalie was buried in a Cosmopolitan magazine. Edward cleaned anything that seemed to need it. When time finally escaped them, Esme and Carlisle came home before they realized it.

Emmett couldn't help but grin widely as Esme walked through the door to the den. Alice bounced excitedly in her place a few times, and Jasper picked up on her happiness. Edward went to put away the broom and quickly returned to the rest of the family; Rosalie shared a warm smile.

"All right, all of you," began Esme, "Carlisle and I have been talking and--" The "kids" sucked in a deep breath "—we decided to make you wait until tomorrow."

"Aww, no!"

"Esme!"

"Not fair!"

"Come on!"

"It's been forever!"

Their protests mixed together in one big objection. Esme started to laugh, and she held up her hand to silence them.

"Whoa, whoa. Relax, you all," she said calmly.

That started up an entirely new ruckus.

"Quiet!" she commanded in that motherly tone, and they instantly shut their mouths. "You all want to see what we got you?"

"YES!" was the unanimous reply.

"Did you hear that Carlisle?"

"I heard. I have it. I'm coming. I'm coming," said the doctor.

The young vampires cheered, and their excitement built. The strange scent that had lingered in the house for three days became stronger with every step Carlisle took. Alice's bouncing increased, and the transferred motion moved Jasper up and down as well. Rose gripped Emmett's arm while he placed his hand over hers, and Edward sat up eagerly in his chair.

Carlisle appeared under the arcing entrance to the den with a blue leash in his hand, exactly as Alice had foreseen. Esme stepped off to the side wearing a bright smile. The doctor tugged on the leash a few times and whistled shortly. Edward's jaw dropped before anyone else's reaction could be made because Carlisle had let the image enter his mind for a brief second. Then, the full group saw it. Standing at Carlisle's side with a big, red bow on its head was the black and white husky with beautiful, blue eyes. Her tail wagged happily as she seemed to smile at the sight.

Alice screamed enthusiastically, "You got us a dog!?"

"She's all ours," confirmed Esme.

Each one of them ran to pet the canine laughing and talking. Carlisle couldn't help but tense because his fear had reemerged. Edward looked up at him and shook his head comfortingly, a sign that no one was thinking of that. He released a sigh of relief and unhooked the dog. She licked Emmett's face, which he accepted, and she rolled over for a belly rub from anyone who would give it to her.

"So what's her name?" questioned Rosalie.

"That's what we haven't decided yet," Carlisle answered. "We wanted you all to choose a name."

After the dog had rolled back over and sat on her haunches, everyone backed away. It was as though looking at her would spark an idea for a name.

Alice piped up, "What about Angel? She's just as sweet as one."

To their surprise, the pup shook her head from side to side.

"Whoa! Did you see that? Tell me I'm not the only one that saw that!" Emmett exclaimed.

"I think you'll learn that she shows more intelligence than an average dog," Carlisle said.

"So… we should just rattle off names until she likes one of them?"

"I would believe so."

"Lyla," suggested Esme. The name received another headshake.

"Crystal," Alice said, but she got the same result.

"How about Picky?" Rosalie scoffed. That earned her a growl. "Well, you are!"

Salem.

"Pepper." Emmett's idea was rejected, too.

Salem.

Edward kept hearing the same voice over and over in his head. Someone was thinking of a name, but they weren't saying it.

"Isis." Jasper didn't succeed.

Salem!

This was a feminine voice so it couldn't have been Carlisle. It wasn't Rosalie's, and it was a slightly lower pitch than Alice's. Before he could think about it any longer, six pairs of topaz eyes were on his face, waiting for a suggestion. He hesitated.

"Salem," he said after his pause. The husky barked in agreement and stood to her full height.

"Well, that's it. Salem it is then," verified Carlisle.

Salem barked again and spun around in a circle. She had a name again, and it was a good one, too. Her tail was moving back and forth madly as she stared into the golden eyes of the vampires. Of course, she could tell that these were not normal people. They didn't even seem like people at all, but that didn't matter. They were her owners… her family.

So...how was it? Think Salem is a good name? Well, at least I can stop calling her "the dog" or "the canine" or other things like that. It was starting to get on my nerves.
Anyways, now that the Cullens have a new puppy, how will that affect their lives? What sort of surprises does Salem have for them? Tune into chapter 5 for more information. Also, you'll get to see the Denalis' reactions to our four-legged friend.