Title: A Cullentastic Christmas

Chapter 12: Silent Night

Rating: T

Summary: Stories of Cullen Christmases based on the songs on a Christmas Mix CD that Bella brings home.

Type: AU OOC; Pairing: Bella/Edward, Other Canon Pairings. After Breaking Dawn. All Vamps.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters. They all belong to the wonderful Stephenie Meyer. I just grabbed them and drove them crazy for my own entertainment. I do not own any of the songs mentioned. They belong to their respective owners.

A/N: This may be a sad chapter, but it's okay. Again, I am changing facts of Twilightdom to fit. If you stick with me, it'll get happy again. The chapter after this is funny. Please look at the poll for this story on my profile, as well. Read on. I also noticed I seem to have a thing with posting at 1 a.m. Lol. I had this done in the wee hours of Friday morning, but I was having connection issues, as well as already getting started on chapter 13, so you guys can have your happy chapter. I also started working on IWYF and am halfway through my contest entry. Be prepared! :D

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BPOV

We walked through the front door. I walked over to the kitchen to check on Renesmee's egg.

It looked warm enough and was wobbling infinitesimally. I smiled at the idea that it would soon hatch. Renesmee would be so happy.

The plate next to the incubator, which had held the cookies for Santa, was now reduced to holding a pile of crumbs. Luckily, Jacob had finished off the cookies for us, since we didn't want to throw them away. It helped that Jacob wasn't one to say no to food.

I looked around the room, observing my family flitting around with last minute preparations. Esme was cleaning up the last few dishes I had missed from Jacob's midnight snacks. I brought the cookie plate over to her.

She looked up at me and her face held a tight smile. As if something was on her mind. She shook her head at me when I tried to hand her the plate.

"Renesmee will need the 'evidence' from Santa's visit." she said, her voice having a melancholy feel.

I nodded and placed it back on the counter. I was confused, as to how my new mother could be so sad on such a joyous holiday. I walked back over to her to try and figure it out.

"Esme. What's wrong? You shouldn't be so sad on Christmas..." I trailed off, giving her a concerned look.

"Oh, Bella. It's of the past. Sometimes, I mourn for ones lost near this holiday. Your CD reminded me of someone I missed dearly, though my memories are fuzzy of him." she said, sighing and wiping her hands on a dish towel.

She took hold of my arm and led me to the couch. She pulled out one of the albums we had been looking at earlier. It was all pictures of Esme from her childhood to current years.

She flipped to a page she seemed to know well. On the page was a large picture of her and a man I didn't recognize.

"You miss your human husband?" I asked, confused, as I ran my hand around the battered image.

"Not exactly. He was cruel. He used to abuse me. His name was Charles Evenson." she said, furrowing her brows at the image.

"He beat you?" I asked, terrified for her, though I knew I didn't have to now that she was safe and with us.

She nodded and turned to me. Her eyes shining with unshed tears.

"He went to war two years after we were married. A few months after he came back, I found out I was pregnant. I ran away to a cousin's house." she said, her face growing more grave with each word.

"Did he find you?" I asked, my hands at my mouth, as if I were to bite my nails.

"No. I had that baby on December 5th. He was my Christmas wish." she said, her shoulders now shaking with silent sobs.

I pulled her into a hug after I put the album back on the coffee table.

"Oh, Bella. A song. It came on earlier. I sang it as a lullaby to him. It's my favorite Christmas song. Silent Night." she said, her eyes lighting up when she mentioned the song.

"What was his name?" I asked in almost a whisper.

"Gregory Adam. He died not but one week after he was born. But, let's not grieve today." she said, taking a deep, unnecessary breath before continuing, "Will you play the song for me. In memory of my lost son?"

I could do nothing, but nod, as I glided over to the stereo and found the song on the play list. I turned it down low enough, so that we would not wake Jacob and Renesmee, but loud enough for us to appreciate it.

I found that everyone had left the room to give us privacy during Esme's and my talk. They slowly started filing in from assorted rooms of the first two floors. Alice began softly singing along with the song.

"Silent night, holy night. All is calm. All is bright." she sang.

"Round yon virgin, mother and child. Holy infant, so tender and mild." Rosalie followed suit.

"Sleep in heavenly peeeeaceeee. Sleeeep in heavenly peace." they harmonized together.

Esme beamed at them. I decided to join in for the next part, as Edward took a spot my side, wrapping an arm around both Esme and me.

"Silent night, holy night. Shepherds quake at the sight." I sang with them.

"Glories stream from heaven afar. Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia." Jasper joined in, stepping next to Alice.

"Christ the Saviour is born. Christ the Saviour is born." we all sang together.

For the last verse, Edward, Carlisle, Emmett, and Esme, all joined in.

"Silent night, holy night. Son of God. Love's pure light." Edward sang to his mother.

"Radiant beams from thy holy face. With the dawn of redeeming grace." Esme and Carlisle sang together.

"Jesus, Lord at Thy birth. Jesus, Lord at Thy birth." Emmett finished the song in a solo.

Esme looked much happier now that she was remembering her unforgotten son in beautiful remembrance with her adopted children.

"Thank you. All of you. I must say that I should thank Gregory. If I had not lost him, I would have never been with the family I know and love today, on this wondrous Christmas for our first and only grandchild." Esme said, her eyes shining with, I supposed, happy tears.

Carlisle gave her a tight squeeze and Edward kissed my cheek, before turning pointedly to the side window. It faced the eastern horizon. I could see the blue night sky, fading into pale blues, pinks, and oranges, signaling the breaking of the dawn on this beautiful Christmas morning.

I was just happy we could actually see the sun. Luckily, the window in Edward's room faced South, so the Jake and Renesmee would not be interrupted by the sun's bright rays.

"They'll be down in about an hour." Alice said.

"How do you know? I thought you couldn't see them." I said, confused.

"I can't. I saw myself getting really excited about presents in about an hour. And since we can't do presents without them, it means they'll be just getting up by then. Especially since if they had been up, my presents would have all been open." she said, in a matter-of-fact tone.

I just shrugged and made sure to grab Renesmee's last present from my secret hiding place of behind the stereo.

Now it was just time to wait.

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A/N: Okay. Some important information regarding this chapter. I made up the name of Esme's baby, but all the information about her husband and pregnancy that I used was from Twilight Lexicon. The only thing I changed was how long the baby lived, when she found out she was pregnant, and when she had the baby. If you want to know the real details or more about any of the characters, go to the character bio area in Twilight Lexicon's News Blog. Hope you guys still stay with me after that chapter. It was kinda sad. But next chapter is opening presents! So it'll be happy again! Also, again I ask for help with ideas for gifts Edward can give Renesmee and Bella? Thanks. R&R my pretties. :D

-DL