I posted on my tumblr page two people who you think would make a better Caleb (when he gets older). Tell me who you think is better on here, or on tumblr. I know it's kind of corny, but I can kind of see it both ways. What do you think? I have is eventual pairing picked out for way later in the story, too btw. I'm trying not to make him grow up too fast. :)

Chapter 10

Edward had been sitting next to Carlisle at the party for awhile before he finally nudged him with his elbow. "Want to take a quick walk?"

"Sure." Carlisle whispered to Esme that he would be right back and looked at Caleb, who was still happy as ever in Alice's arms as the DJ played some fast, upbeat music for them to dance to. He accompanied Edward, who led them down just fifty yards or so toward the water.

"Thanks for putting all of this together," Carlisle said again, "You guys didn't have to do this, you know."

"I know," Edward told him. "I just want to say thank you for always being there for me. You've been the best father figure I could ever ask for and I'm so happy that you and Esme have been able to have kids of your own. It always bothered me that you weren't able to, or thought you weren't able to for so long. You guys deserve to be happy."

Carlisle gave him a smile and pulled him in for a hug, "Well, thanks to Bella, we found out that it was possible. Everything happens for a reason and things have kind of come full circle and fell into place."

"You and Esme have always been very open minded regarding my choices," Edward told him, "You let me love Bella regardless of whether she was human or not. If it wasn't for your acceptance and tolerance, who knows what would have come of it."

"We all deserve to be happy," he said, "All of us live a rather unorthodox life than we once did. It's not up to anyone to say who you should love. That's one of those things that's pretty uncontrollable."

Edward nodded. "And I've been thinking," he went on, "It's obviously up to you, but I've changed my mind on the whole wish thing. I've actually been meaning to talk to Rosalie about it myself but she's still been giving me the glare on a regular basis.

The two of the shared a quick, quiet laugh.

"I don't think you should take the wish back. I think you should just let things stay how they are. Without Masen and Leah wishing that, Caleb wouldn't be here and honestly..." he paused, "Neither would Masen. When he was sick, he only survived because Caleb healed him."

"I know," Carlisle said with a nod. He thought back on the moment, nearly shuddering from the vision of Masen coughing up blood and shaking.

"I don't want to go down that road," Edward told him apologetically, "It's your party and I don't want to bring up bad memories. I just think that things happen for a reason, that's all. And as much as I hate to admit it," he smirked, "Rosalie is a great mother, too, like Esme."

He grinned, "As are Bella and Alice."

"What do you think about Renesme?" Edward asked, "I try not to pry into her mind, but I have seen her fears in having children of her own. I would never want to try to deny her that and I know it's a real possibility that it could happen in the near future."

"We can't possibly know for sure," Carlisle told him, looking out toward the water, "But I do think she'll make it through just fine. I can't see any complications going along with her having a child. The main concern in my mind, and Renesme has said this as well, is that the child wouldn't be immortal. It would be three quarters human and one quarter immortal."

Edward nodded, "I would imagine the immortal side would overtake the human side."

"It was the case with Renesme," he agreed, "It could be just enough for the child not to age past a certain point."

"Could we use Nicole's visions?"

"She could be of great help, I think," Carlisle told him, "I think they just have to make the decision to go through with it first so her visions will be concrete."

Edward nodded and sighed, "Yeah."

Carlisle patted him once on the back, "Things will turn out fine."

A slow smile spread across his face, "Bella and I would be grandparents." He snickered.

Carlisle, too, began to laugh at the thought, especially considering that Bella, in human years, wouldn't be nearly old enough to be a grandmother. "Such a crazy world we're all a part of."

"Yeah," he continued to smile, "But I doubt any of us would have found the happiness we all have now in our 'normal' lives."

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair as a big gust of wind sent leaves scattering around them, "I can fully agree with that."

The two of them turned and looked back toward the pavilion. Jasper and Emmett began walking down toward where the they stood, each with smiles.

"Can we join your romantic stroll?" Emmett asked with a laugh.

Carlisle and Edward both smiled.

"You know, Carlisle," Jasper said, "Caleb is sizing me up in there. He's trying to steal Alice away from me."

He laughed, "You can put him in his place, Jasper."

The boys all chuckled at the thought before Emmett held his hand out in front of him. Carlisle gave him a quick high five before Emmett pulled him in for a hug. "Sorry to lie to you about where we were going."

Carlisle grinned, "I think you're off the hook for lying. This was very nice of all of you." He reached over and hugged Jasper quickly. "Do William and Madison really want that deck outside?"

"Yeah," Emmett said with a laugh, "So we figured it would be a good way to get you two out of the house so you wouldn't get suspicious when everyone began leaving one by one."

"They were the distractions," Jasper told him, grinning.

"Well, you picked the right people," Carlisle said.

Edward nodded in agreement, "Yeah."

"Alice and I were thinking while we were all putting this together," Jasper said seriously, "We really are grateful that you guys accepted us way back when. Who knows what would have become of us if you hadn't done that. Alice came from a very rough background, and she never had the love of a true family until we found you. We had each other, and while that could have been enough, we couldn't picture our lives without you and Esme," he looked toward his brothers, "Or everyone."

"Aww," Emmett said. He messed up Jasper's hair, who pushed him back with one hand with a grin.

"This just as thankful for all of you," Carlisle told them, "I spent so many years on my own with absolutely no one." His eyes drifted again up toward the party, "Now look how many people there are in our family, and extended family... friends. It's unreal sometimes to think about."

Jasper nodded in agreement, "I never would have thought this was possible either a long time ago."

Emmett put a hand on Carlisle and Edward's shoulders and looked at Jasper, "We've got a hell of a family, huh?"

They all laughed at his choice of words.

"You said it right," Edward said with a sigh.

"Next time, we'll invite Aro," Emmett added, "He's kind of extended family now too."

Carlisle made a slightly disapproving face, though smiled at the thought. He still had very mixed feelings about the man who he was once considered a friends. The image of Caleb being rescued by the Volturi leader didn't completely take away the fact that he had almost killed Esme.

"No Volturi talks for the rest of the night," Edward said with a grin.

Carlisle sighed, "Why don't we go back up. This thing is probably going to wrap up soon."

The four of them headed back up under the pavilion, falling back under the fall themed lighting that seemed to illuminate their skin in a supernatural way. As they entered, Rosalie eyed the female bartender as she stared at Emmett for practically the fiftieth time that night.

Edward laughed, picking up his sister's jealous thoughts and a brief threat that lingered in her mind that she could snap the girl in half like a twig.

"What?" Carlisle and Emmett asked at the same time.

Edward shook his head, "The girl behind the bar has been checking you out and Rosalie's a bit jealous."

"Like I can't hear you," she mumbled quietly, knowing her brother had heard what she said.

He snickered again and Emmett walked over to her, picked her up a few inches off the ground and kissed her. Rosalie's face seemed to be glowing after his open public display of affection and a wide smile lingered on her face as she glanced up at the young woman who was working with a look as if to say, he's mine.

"Let's dance babe," he told her, dragging her by the arm toward the middle of the floor toward where William and Madison were wrapping up a fast dance.

When a slow song began to play, Jasper headed toward Alice, who was still with Caleb. "Care to dance, my lady?" he asked.

"Of course," she said with a smile, then looked at Caleb in her arms, "Can Jasper have this one dance, Caleb?"

Esme snickered as Carlisle joined her and gave her a kiss on the cheek, pointing to their son as Jasper was trying to get Alice to dance.

Caleb eyed Jasper, still holding onto Alice with one arm on her shoulder and the other around her neck.

"What do you say little man?" he asked.

Caleb still didn't say anything, and he looked back to Alice, shaking his head subtly, as if he was quiet enough maybe Jasper wouldn't see him.

Carlisle looked at Jasper and the two of them laughed. Esme tried not to laugh too loud, though her and Alice exchanged a humored glance.

"I think you've been replaced, Dad," Nicole said, joining them, "I'll dance with you."

He held out his hand with a smile, "Alright."

Alice whispered to Caleb and he looked at Jasper, doing as Alice had told him and made the motion with his fingers to his eyes that he was watching Jasper. She snickered when Jasper purposely let his jaw drop before he smiled. She continued to twirl Caleb around the dance floor next to them as the slow song continued.

Esme pulled Carlisle to her for the dance, both of them laughing at Caleb's progressing crush on Alice.

"He's a little jealous one, isn't he?" she asked, glancing over to where their son was now smiling.

"Takes after his mom," Carlisle joked with a wink.

Esme shook her head, "I'm not too bad."

"No, you're not so bad at all," he told her with a closed mouth grin.

She leaned in and kissed him once, causing Emmett to whistle nearby.

Carlisle started to laugh before his lips parted from hers and he looked over toward where he and Rosalie were laughing in each other's arms.

"Oh, these crazy kids of ours," Esme said to him, looking Carlisle in the eye.

He smiled again and pointed toward Masen and Leah where they danced closely, talking quietly.

"They're so happy," Esme said, "Edward tells me from time to time how blessed both of them feel for having each other, and for having Cassie."

"He's turned into a great young man," Carlisle told her with a nod, "Despite how quickly he got there."

"Where's Alex and Michael?"

Their eyes scanned the dance floor before finding them talking in the corner with Seth and Leah. The four of them were engaged in a conversation, not seeming to be phased by the music that was playing.

"The rebellious daughter of ours," he said with a laugh.

"She's not rebellious," Esme told him, smiling.

"Let's not forget their secret trip to Italy."

"I think she learned her lesson," she told him, "And Masen wasn't always the angel."

Carlisle grinned, "They're good kids."

Esme nodded, "Great kids."

"Caleb seems like the boldest baby, though, I have to say."

"He might be the one that breaks us," she laughed.

Carlisle snickered, "Only time will tell."

They looked at each other with genuine smiles before he put his lips up to her ear, "I love you. Thank you for being with me for all of these years."

Esme smiled, feeling almost like a girl with her first crush at his words, "I love you more," she told him, then added, "And thank you for making me yours forever."