Author's Notes:

Thank you to everyone who is reading and reviewing this story! I appreciate you taking the time to let me know what you think. I apologize for taking so long to get this update out, but real life has not been so kind to either my beta or myself!

Thanks to my awesome beta Skyeblue0610 for her kick-ass beta skills!

Thanks to gossip-bangkok for including me in a list of underappreciated stories.

Okay, so thanks to my new friend RCD-Alice, I am on Twitter now. She very graciously walked me through the process and I am grateful to her for her assistance. The only problem is, I'm lonely. I need some people to follow, and I need some people to follow me. So if you're interested, you can follow me MisGatosLocos, and I would love to follow you, too! Just let me know where to find you, lol!

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.

Chapter 28: Christmas with the Cullen's - Part 1

BPOV

I stared out the window of the Citation at the runway below us as the aircraft slowly descended to the ground. This was it. The time was finally upon us. Edward and I were about to land on Kelly's Island in the state of Ohio and we were going to spend Christmas with his family.

I felt Edward nudge my inner thigh with his knee. He sat directly across from me, his left leg resting comfortably between my own.

"Penny for your thoughts," he murmured softly. I looked up at him, into his beautifully soft and serene eyes, and I couldn't help but smile.

"Sorry," I said, reaching out to squeeze his knee with my hand. "I kind of got lost in thought there for a moment." Edward furrowed his brows, moving his hand to cover mine.

"Is everything all right?" He asked warily. He was staring at me intently, and I could see that he was concerned.

"Of course it is, baby," I assured him. I began to rub tiny circles on the inside of his knee and he visibly relaxed, smiling lazily at me and squeezing my hand in return. "I'm just a little bit nervous, is all."

"Nervous?" Edward seemed genuinely surprised. "Whatever for, love?"

I felt the plane touch down on the runway and I cast a glance out the window at the snow-covered fields that flanked the tiny strip of concrete.

"Wow…there's so much snow," I observed quietly. "It's so pristine…it's beautiful, Edward."

"It is," he agreed, reaching across to touch my cheek with the fingers of his right hand. "But you still haven't told me why you're nervous," he gently chided. I sighed.

How could I explain to Edward why I was feeling nervous when I wasn't even sure myself?

"Does the thought of meeting my family make you uncomfortable?" He wondered and I immediately shook my head.

"No, no. Not at all. Quite the opposite, actually. I'm really looking forward to it. I guess I'm just not certain how it's going to be for me, spending Christmas with your mother and your brother…" I looked away, ashamed. I wanted so badly for this Christmas to be perfect. It was our first Christmas together and I wanted it to be one we remembered fondly. But I couldn't pretend that spending Christmas with Esme and Emmett wasn't going to be difficult for me. Already, I was acutely aware of the absence of my own mother and brother.

"Hey." Edward unbuckled his seatbelt as the plane taxied down the runway and slid into my seat next to me. He pulled me onto his lap, resting his chin atop my head, and began soothing his hand down the length of my hair.

"I understand, Bella. And I think you'll find that my family does, too. They know about the accident, and they also know that this is your first Christmas away from Charlie. So they'll understand if you're a little moody or you need to slip away for a bit, okay? And remember, I'll be there with you. Any time you're feeling overwhelmed, just say the word and we'll retreat to our room for a bit." I nodded gratefully against Edward's chest. His words comforted me and helped ease some of my anxiety.

Edward continued speaking. "Can I ask something of you, though? Can I ask that you try not to let the sad outweigh the happy? I know it will be a challenge, but…"

I reached up and trailed my hand down Edward's cheek, tenderly cupping the side of his face in my right hand.

"It won't be a challenge, baby. I love you and I'm so happy to be spending Christmas with you and your family. Okay? Don't doubt that. It's just…it's a lot for me to process. Meeting your family…especially your father…"

Edward held me close to him.

"I know," he murmured against my hair. "I think it's going to be emotional for all of us."

Twenty minutes later Edward and I sat huddled together in the back seat of an old pick-up truck driven by a man named Sam, who just happened to be a long time family friend as well as the sole air traffic controller at the airport. Seeing as that we were the only flight due in that day, Sam had graciously offered to drive us to the Cullen's cottage so that Carlisle or Emmett would not have to venture out into the cold. And cold it most definitely was, piercingly so. I snuggled closer to Edward and he wrapped his arm more tightly around my shoulders, bending down to place a soft kiss to the top of my head.

"So tell me, Sam, how many residents are on island for Christmas this year?" Edward queried from the back. It was snowing heavily, so it was hard to tell much of anything about the island as we drove slowly through what appeared to be the main part of town. But it was readily apparent that the island was sparsely populated.

"Oh, I venture a guess about two hundred or so, maybe a little less. It seems many folks headed to the mainland this Christmas," Sam called over his shoulder.

Two hundred people? That was hard for me to believe. Coming from a city of over 8 million to a village of less than two hundred was a little bit disorienting for me. But I knew for Edward it was a relief. Edward had all but grown up here, spending his summers and Christmases tucked safely away on this tiny speck of land in the middle of Lake Erie. He'd said before that this was his safe haven, a place where everybody had known him long before he was famous and where he didn't have to contend with screaming fans or paparazzi.

We turned up a small street lined with snow capped juniper trees and I smiled at the quaint cottages tucked back in the woods. Some lay quiet and still, asleep for the winter until summer's start. Others stood proud and tall, handsomely displaying their twinkling lights while ghostly plumes of smoke billowed softly from their chimneys. We pulled around a bend then and onto a short drive that led to an old Victorian style cottage situated right on the lake.

"We're here, love," Edward bent to whisper in my year, a hint of irrepressible excitement to his voice.

"So I gathered," I teased, gently poking his side before looking up into eyes so brilliant and alive I couldn't help but be excited, too.

"I'll bring your bags inside for you. You kids just get yourselves indoors before the two of you catch cold," Sam said as Edward stepped from the car. He extended his hand to me, pulling me snugly against his side before thanking Sam and walking the two of us forward.

"Th…th…this seems much colder than New York," I managed to say through chattering teeth as the wind howled all around us.

"It's because we're right on the lake," Edward explained as he pulled me closer to his side.

Trudging slowly through the snow, we finally made it to the front door. I stood nervously by as Edward reached out to depress the handle, but before his hand even made contact the door flung wide open and there, standing before us, was quite possibly the largest, most well sculpted and muscular man I'd ever seen.

"Hey everybody, they're here!" The man whom I could only assume was Emmett excitedly called out before grabbing Edward and pulling him into a strong embrace. I heard Edward gasp as his lean form smacked solidly against Emmett's and I couldn't help the tiny giggle that escaped my throat. Emmett heard, and he raised a brow at me from over Edward's shoulder, his eyes positively twinkling with delight. He quickly released Edward, turning his attention to me.

"And you could be none other than the Bella," Emmett beamed as he extended his hand forward. His smile was so genuine and bright that I couldn't help but smile at him in return. I held out my hand to him fully expecting to shake his, but instead he grabbed mine and pulled me straight into his arms. "It's so nice to finally meet the girl that's managed to whip my little brother's ass," Emmett said as he clutched me tightly to his chest.

"It's nice to meet you too," I squeaked before audibly gasping for air. It was Edward's turn to chuckle.

"Now now, Emmett, you're going to crush the poor thing. Bring her inside and put her down please so we can all have a chance to meet her," A soft voice called from the foyer.

"Mom!" Edward's eyes lit up as they fell upon his mother waiting patiently for us to enter the cottage. Emmett reluctantly set me down and Edward grabbed my hand as we walked through the door together. Within moments Esme had drawn her youngest son into a warm embrace, but Edward quickly pulled away.

"Mom, I'd like for you to meet Bella," he said, and the manner in which he said my name, spoken with such reverence and pride, made my heart thrum wildly in my chest. "Bella, this is my mother, Esme."

"May I?" Esme asked as she walked towards me with outstretched arms, clearly desiring to embrace me. I nodded shyly, moving quietly, effortlessly into her arms.

"Oh, Bella," she cooed, pulling me close and smoothing her hand through my hair as if she'd done it a thousand times before. I found myself melting into her, relishing in the feeling of a mother's protective arms for the first time in a very long time. "It's so good to have you home."

And with those simple words, I fell apart. She hadn't said to me 'it's nice to finally meet you' or 'welcome to our home'…she'd said to me it's good to have you home, as if this already was my home, as if I already was a member of her family. I squeezed her tightly to me, burying my face in her hair that hung loosely about her shoulders.

"It's good to be home," I whispered, willing back the tears, but it wasn't necessary. Esme was already crying and so was Edward.

I was so caught up in the profound and unexpected intimacy of the moment, of finally meeting and being so willingly accepted by Edward's family, that I didn't notice the tall figure standing quietly by, watching the scene before him. A deafening hush fell across the room as Esme gently pulled away from me and I was suddenly left standing in the center of the foyer, staring straight into the eyes of the man that had once saved my life.

I was at once transfixed, completely unable to move, a bevy of emotions assaulting me all at once. I was alive because of this person…Carlisle Cullen, the father of the man I so desperately loved. There is no such thing as coincidences…Edward's words from not so long ago filtered back to me, and I was immediately overcome by the significance of the moment. I felt my breath hitch in my throat and tears collect in my eyes as I slowly walked towards him.

"Bella," he breathed, staring at me in wide-eyed wonder, his expression welcoming and warm.

"Thank you," I cried as I closed the short distance between the two of us and flung myself into his arms. My words were woefully inadequate, I knew, but I didn't know any other means by which to express my deep-felt gratitude. Carlisle held me close, comforting me as I wept against his chest. I was faintly aware that others were crying too, no doubt as overwhelmed by the moment as I was, but all I could think about was how truly grateful I was that Carlisle had saved my life. Never since the accident had I ever been so grateful to be alive as I was in that moment.

Presently, I pulled back, feeling more than a little bit self-conscious. All eyes were on me and I felt my face flush in embarrassment at my overt display of emotion. Thankfully Emmett interjected, breaking the awkward silence by clearing his throat.

"Bella, I'd like for you to meet Rosalie and Genevieve," he said as he pulled his gorgeous wife and daughter to his side. Rosalie offered me a smile and Genevieve cooed, and the atmosphere surrounding us immediately relaxed, each of us laughing as we dabbed at our eyes to dry our tears. Edward appeared by my side then, pulling me close and kissing the top of my head as he gazed down at his baby niece. With all the introductions being made, Edward had not yet had a chance to meet her.

"She's perfect, absolutely perfect," Edward murmured while reaching out to stroke her adorably plump cheek. She turned toward his touch, emitting an unidentifiable gurgling sound which seemed to indicate that she liked him touching her.

"Would you like to hold her?" Rosalie asked.

Edward hesitated, surprising me. He'd been so anxious to meet Genevieve. But I could understand his apprehension. She was so tiny. It was almost more satisfying to admire her nestled snug in her mother's arms than it was to try and hold her.

"I would, although I'm not sure I know how to," Edward answered somewhat nervously. Emmett chuckled softly by Rosalie's side.

"Baby bro, it's not that hard," he teased, scooping up Genevieve's tiny form with unexpected grace and gently placing her in the crook of Edward's left arm. And though it was awkward at first, Edward quickly adjusted her so that she was huddled tightly against his chest, her wide blue eyes staring up into his green. He smiled broadly, completely awed by his tiny niece. And for the very first time in my life I felt an unfamiliar tug at my heart. Seeing Edward, so tender and loving with Genevieve, I couldn't help but wonder how he'd be with a child of his own…of our own.

Several hours later, we had all eaten a hearty lunch and were sitting in the family room, each of us engaged in a different activity. Rosalie was tucked snugly into an oversized lazy boy chair nursing Genevieve while Emmett and Edward squared off in a rather intense game of chess. Carlisle sat on the couch reading the local newspaper while Esme flipped through her recipe file, pulling out several ones for Christmas cookies. For my part, I sat on the floor in front of the fireplace, just enjoying the feeling of being together with family at Christmas time. It had been so long…

"Well, that ought to do it. I'll bake date pinwheels, gingerbread cookies and snowballs for Christmas Eve, if that sounds all right with everybody," Esme said as she stood from where she sat beside Carlisle on the couch. Nobody but Emmett bothered to respond.

"What, no sugar cookies this year?" He asked dejectedly. Edward reached across and swatted Emmett on his shoulder.

"Go easy on mom, big bro. She doesn't have time to cater to our every request. She's entertaining a house full of guests this year," he teased, before turning to wink at me.

"Don't worry dear, if you'd like me to bake a batch of sugar cookies for you, I will." Esme smiled indulgently at Emmett as she headed in the direction of the kitchen.

"I could help," I offered. "If it's okay…I love to bake."

It didn't look as if Edward and Emmett's game of chess would be ending any time soon, and even when it did, I was sure there would be a rematch. Besides, I figured baking cookies with Esme would be a good way for the two of us to spend some time together. I was eager to get to know her better. Edward beamed at me from across the room.

"I think that's a wonderful idea, love," he said just as Esme walked to my side.

"Of course it is," she murmured as she wrapped her right arm around my shoulders and gave me a light squeeze.

I turned to Rosalie, not wanting to leave her out.

"Rosalie, did you want to join us?" I asked tentatively. For whatever reason, Rosalie seemed somewhat standoffish. I was trying not to take it too personally, but she hadn't said much of anything to me since I'd arrived that morning. Rosalie chuckled softly.

"No thanks, Bella. I prefer to spend my time under a car and not over a stove."

What? That didn't make any sense to me at all.

"Oh," I said, feeling somewhat excluded as the entire family laughed at Rosalie's joke. I didn't understand what was so funny. Thankfully Emmett came to my rescue.

"I guess Edward didn't tell you that Rose is a mechanic," he said, smiling proudly in his wife's direction.

"A…mechanic?" I shook my head. "As in, she fixes cars?"

Okay. Really. Of course I knew what a mechanic was, but I was just so stunned to find that Rosalie…this mind bogglingly beautiful woman…was in fact a mechanic.

"Yes love, Rosalie owns her own shop, believe it or not," Edward said while trying hard not to laugh at my shocked expression.

"Suffice to say I'm much better with a wrench than I am with a mixer, Bella," Rosalie quipped. "But thank you for asking me to join you. That was very thoughtful of you."

"Of course," I replied somewhat distractedly as Esme guided us both towards the kitchen. I was still trying to reconcile this angelic mother with child, with a down and dirty mechanic. Apparently the others were entertained by my astonishment, because I heard them chuckling softly as I disappeared from the room into the kitchen.

"Do you normally bake cookies at Christmas?" Esme asked once we were both inside the kitchen. She had opened one of the old oak cupboards and was removing an assortment of spices as she spoke.

"My mother and I used to, but to be perfectly honest it isn't something I've had the inclination to do since she passed away. My father isn't much into sweets, so I normally don't bother. I did bake some gingerbread cookies for Edward yesterday, but that was the first time in a long time that I'd actually baked Christmas cookies," I said as I took a seat at the large round table situated at the back of the kitchen.

"Edward told me," Esme said, looking over her shoulder at me and smiling warmly. "He also said they were much better than mine, so maybe you'd like to make the gingerbread dough?" My face flushed red in embarrassment at Edward's words, but Esme only laughed. Clearly she wasn't offended.

"Don't worry, dear. I've no problem handing over the gingerbread baking duties to another member of the family. I have plenty to do, what with accommodating Emmett's request for sugar cookies and baking the pinwheels and snowballs. I'm relieved you offered to help!"

I smiled shyly at Esme. It didn't escape my notice that she'd just referred to me as a member of the family. The thought warmed me through.

Esme and I spent the next several hours sequestered in the kitchen. I wasn't sure whether or not it was on purpose, but nobody bothered us the entire time we were in there, which gave Esme and I a chance to get to know one another better. And if I'd felt immediately at ease when I first walked through the door earlier in the day, I now felt a genuine camaraderie with her. Over the course of only a few hours I felt as if we'd truly become friends. She was an easy person to be around; she was thoughtful and funny and had an endless amount of engaging tales to share, particularly of Edward's childhood. Many of them had me practically rolling on the floor with laughter. I could see that both Edward and Emmett had kept Esme on her toes.

While the last batch of cookies was baking in the oven, Esme came to sit with me at the table.

"Do you care for cream or sugar?" She asked as she placed both on the table beside our two cups of tea.

"Neither, thank you," I replied as I brought the steaming mug to my lips. I breathed deeply, inhaling the sweet smell of the chamomile before taking a small sip.

"This has been fun, Bella," Esme said as she reached across the table and laid her hand atop mine. She gave it a gentle squeeze. "I'm so happy you're here with us this Christmas."

Esme's hand on mine felt warm and soft and her words warmed my heart. They were entirely sincere.

"Thank you. I've been looking forward to meeting everybody. You're obviously all very important to Edward and he's…he's everything to me," I said shyly, feeling suddenly self-conscious. Esme squeezed my hand again.

"You're everything to Edward, Bella," she added, smiling warmly at me. "Maybe I've no place to say this, but I've never seen my son happier than he is with you. These last few years have been very difficult for Edward. He's a very thoughtful, sensitive soul and the types of people he's met in Hollywood are generally anything but. He's felt lost and alone for a long time, but that changed when he met you. He changed. He's happier and more relaxed than I've seen him in years, and I attribute that solely to you."

I swallowed hard, overcome by emotion at Esme's heartfelt words.

"For as much as you say I've changed Edward, the truth of the matter is he has saved me," I whispered fervently. "I've lived a very long and lonely nine years since my mother and brother passed away, Esme, doing everything I possibly could to keep anyone that tried to get close to me at bay. I meant to protect myself…to shut myself off from ever loving again, until I met Edward. And in three short months, he's broken down every last barrier I worked so hard to build and flipped my world upside down so that now instead of avoiding love, I'm swimming in it."

I looked her soundly in the eye before continuing. "It's Edward who has changed me, Esme."

Esme nodded knowingly. "It's a powerful thing…love, that is. It has the ability to transform even the most guarded of hearts."

"It does," I agreed, reaching up to wipe at an errant tear that slid down my cheek. Soon the single tear became two and within a matter of moments, I was suddenly overcome by a torrent of emotions and the floodgates opened.

Both Esme and I knew my tears weren't shed for Edward.

"Bella," Esme called my name softly, reaching out to gently wipe the tears from my cheeks with the back of her hand. "I can only imagine how difficult the holidays must be for you and I want you to know that we all understand and we want to do whatever we can to make your stay here comfortable." And with that, Esme drew me close, enveloping me in a mother's love…a love that had been absent from my life for far too long.

"Thank you," I managed to say as I buried my head against her chest, losing myself in the long forgotten warmth of a mother's arms.

Esme held me tight for a long while, never making a move to let me go until my sobs had all but subsided. She pulled back from me then, reaching out to smooth my matted hair from my face before taking both of my hands in hers.

"Did Edward ever tell you about Ethan?" She asked quietly as I leaned back in my seat.

"Ethan?" I repeated the boy's name, her question taking me completely by surprise. "No," I answered her, shaking my head slowly. Esme smiled at me, a slight, sad smile which told of a precious memory rarely shared.

"Ethan was my third son, born two years after Edward. He was a beautiful baby…quiet and happy and favoring Edward in appearance."

I sat very still, completely stunned by Esme's words. Edward had never mentioned any other brother except Emmett.

Esme continued speaking.

"My precious son passed away of unknown causes when he was just six months old. The term they use today is SIDS," she said quietly, momentarily bowing her head, her deep sorrow in losing her son evident in her solemn expression. My heart lurched in my chest, saddened that, just like me, Esme knew what it felt like to bear the burden of unimaginable grief.

"I'm so sorry, Esme. I…I didn't know," I whispered quietly.

"Losing Ethan nearly killed me Bella," she said, bringing her head back up so that she was now looking me directly in the eye. "I…wanted to die. I didn't want to live my life after my beautiful baby boy had been taken from me. I completely fell apart and was unable to care for myself, let alone Emmett and Edward."

I nodded slowly in understanding. I knew precisely how she felt.

"For the longest time I was entirely unreachable, and a shadow of the woman I'd been before I lost my son. With each day that passed, I slipped further and further away until it wasn't uncommon for me to lay listless in bed for half the day, doing nothing more than question why my baby son had been stolen from me. It was at this lowest of points that Carlisle began to talk of separating. He said he couldn't continue with the way things were. He was grieving too, and he needed his wife and the mother of his two other children back. And so with my marriage on the brink of collapse and my sanity literally hanging by a thread, my grief counselor suggested that Carlisle and I attend a support group for parents who had lost children. She believed that it might be helpful to me to spend some time with others who had experienced a similar loss. I had my doubts as to whether or not this would be the case, but for the sake of my family, I decided to go. As it turns out, it was a turning point in my recovery."

"Carlisle and I went to our first support group four months after Ethan passed away. I'll never forget that night, sitting together in a small room surrounded by a circle of strangers, each of us sharing our stories of pain and loss. And while it was helpful to speak with people who had suffered a similar loss to my own, that wasn't what ultimately dragged me out of my stupor. It was an older man, in his fifties I believe, who was still actively mourning the loss of this five year old daughter twenty years later. This man had been totally incapacitated by his loss, to the point that he still struggled just to make it through each day. And it was a wakeup call for me, Bella. I realized that even though I had lost my precious Ethan, I still had a husband and two beautiful baby boys that needed me and that were worth living for. I realized that I didn't want to be like that man. I didn't want to be incapacitated by grief for the remainder of my days. I wanted to live, and love and be happy."

"That very night I went home, and for the first time since his passing, I went into Ethan's nursery. I spent all night there, rocking in his chair and praying to God that I find some solace. And you know what? The following morning, I felt a tremendous sense of relief. I realized I would be doing Ethan an injustice by not living each day of my life to its fullest, and from that point forward I made an effort to live again. I'm not saying the road to recovery was easy, because it wasn't. I had good days and I had bad days, but eventually I was able to put what had happened into perspective and I made my peace with it. I know you're only just beginning to confront your past Bella. Edward's shared the details of what happened with me, and my heart aches for the pain you feel. But I want you to know that it is possible to heal and to move on. It is possible to live life without regret and without the oppressive feeling of loss hanging over your head. I know, because I've managed to do this, and I believe you can too."

I was at once overwhelmed by emotion, deeply moved by Esme's story and touched that she'd reached out to me. Esme understood how I felt. She understood how it felt to suffer a great loss. Yet she had chosen not to let her grief define her, and this had been her message to me. I would and could get past what happened if I was willing to do the same. And it happened without my even realizing it. I was out of my chair and in Esme's arms again in a matter of seconds, only this time each of us comforted the other as we each grieved over our respective losses.

"Bella!" I heard Edward cry my name from the entrance to the kitchen. He stood there, his face etched with worry, alarmed by the sight before him. "Is everything okay?"

Edward rushed to my side as Esme and I pulled away from each another, each of us smiling lightly and laughing as we wiped at our tears.

"I'm fine, baby," I said as Edward brought the pads of his thumbs to my cheeks to brush away my tears.

"What's going on?" He asked. He turned to Esme, staring at her in bewilderment. "Mom?" He questioned her softly, looking to her to provide him with an answer…any answer as to why both she and I were crying. Esme laughed a little, still wiping at her tears.

"We're fine, honey. Really. I don't know about Bella, but sometimes you just need a good cry. It cleanses the soul."

Esme looked to me to concur, and I nodded my head.

"It does…and it did. Thank you, Esme."

"Any time, honey. I hope you know that."

Edward continued to stand by, on guard against some unseen enemy. He was tense, and I felt badly about it, realizing how things must look. I turned to him and wound my arms around his waist, standing on my tip toes to gently kiss his lips in an effort to reassure him.

"Hey…I'm okay, really. Your mother and I were just talking." I hesitated a moment, glancing at Esme before turning my attention back to Edward. "She told me about Ethan," I said quietly.

Recognition dawned on Edward's face and slowly, he nodded his head in understanding.

"Oh."

"How come you never told me about him?" I asked. I wasn't in the least bit upset that Edward had never mentioned Ethan. Still, I was curious as to why. Edward just shrugged.

"It's not my story to tell, really. And besides, somehow I thought that Esme might like to be the one to tell you about him." Edward cast a sidelong glance in Esme's direction and she winked at him, as she brushed yet another tear from her cheek.

Edward turned his attention back to me then. "Bella, do you want to go upstairs with me for a little while? Remember what I said…"

I smiled at Edward, drying the last of my tears with my left hand while stroking his chest with my right one.

"No," I murmured, shaking my head. "I'm okay. I'm better than okay, actually."

And I meant every word I said.

A little while later, the cookies were baked and the kitchen was clean and Edward and I were lying together on an antiquated shag rug in front of the fireplace. I lay with my leg draped over his, my head resting squarely on his chest. He lay with his head propped up by a pillow, his right arm holding me close and his fingers running through my hair.

"This is nice," I murmured, running my hand up and down Edward's chest. I felt his lips brush across the side of my head before he placed a small kiss to my temple.

"It is. I was beginning to wonder if I'd ever get you alone. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to come to Kelly's Island for Christmas after all," Edward mused.

"What?" I lifted my head off of Edward's chest, propping myself up on my elbow at his side so that I could more clearly study his face. "Why do you say that?"

Edward rolled his eyes good-humoredly.

"I have to share you, of course, and I don't like to do that. Where you're concerned, I'm a very selfish man," he said, pulling me back down to him to capture my mouth with his. He kissed me hard, groaning as my tongue slid out to trace the contour of his lips. He moved to deepen the kiss, but I grudgingly pulled away.

"Easy, baby. If you're not careful I'll be forced to strip you naked and take you right here on this rug," I teased.

"Mmm…why on earth would I want to be careful when you make such delicious threats?" He murmured as he pulled my mouth back to his. He kissed me again, this time holding my face more forcefully to his own so that I could not pull away.

"Ed…Ed…Edward," I managed to mumble his name between kisses until finally he dragged his mouth from mine, kissing hungrily down my neck. "Ugh…you're killing me, baby. You know we can't do this here so would you please stop torturing me?"

Edward hesitated then, stopping his assault on my neck to look up into my eyes.

"Fine…let's head to bed then because if we spend any more time here it will be me stripping you naked and taking you with abandon on this rug."

I shivered at his threat, extremely turned on and equally as frustrated that we would in fact have to remain celibate while staying with his parents.

"Edward, I can't be with you like that while we're here," I said weakly and his eyes darkened.

"Not at all? Why not?" He growled softly before resuming his assault on my neck. To further weaken my defenses he hoisted me on top of him and ground his very firm erection against my belly.

"Edward, this is your parents' house!" I hissed.

Edward emitted an exasperated sigh, gently rolling me off of him and turning to face me on his side.

"Bella, need I remind you of what we did in your father's home? And we weren't even permitted to sleep in the same room." Edward reached out to trace the contour of my lips with a single forefinger and I groaned. His eyes were smoldering. There was no doubt he wanted me and fuck if I didn't want him, too.

"Okay…" I relented. There was no point in trying to put up a fight. Who was I kidding, anyway? The thought of Edward and I abstaining from sex for even a single day…let alone five…was utterly absurd. "But you have to be quiet. You can't go screaming my name in the throes of your orgasm," I teased. And at the mention of the word orgasm, Edward was off of the floor and scooping me up into his arms.

"Mmm…that's true for you too, my love," he murmured into my ear before flashing me a devilish grin and leading me upstairs.

I wasn't sure if it was because I was sleeping in an unfamiliar bed or if it was my excitement at finally having met Edward's family, but whatever the reason, I tossed and turned in bed all night, unable to sleep for more than twenty minutes at a time. Eventually I gave up, sitting up in bed and sighing heavily as I glanced at the clock on the bedside table. It was 2 a.m. and I was wide awake.

I looked down at Edward sleeping peacefully beside me. He lay on his stomach, his arms stretched out on either side of his head and his face resting comfortably in the middle of an oversized pillow. I reached out to stroke my fingertips against the stubble on his face, giggling softly when his eyelids fluttered in response. I longed to touch Edward more intimately, to press my lips to his and feel his body cover mine, but I wouldn't wake him. He needed his rest. He'd worked so hard these past few months, often times subsisting on less than five hours of sleep a night. And I knew it would be selfish of me to wake him now just because I couldn't sleep. Leaning down, I gently kissed his forehead before I stole away from bed.

I walked downstairs, doing my best to be quiet so as not to wake anybody. I was surprised when at the bottom of the landing I heard the faint sound of someone crying, and I wondered if maybe the television had inadvertently been left on. I moved towards the family room with the intention of turning the T.V. off, only to find Rosalie, sitting in the lazy boy nursing baby Genevieve, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Rosalie?" I called her name quietly from the threshold, not wanting to startle her. She looked up in surprise, obviously not expecting to see anybody downstairs at two in the morning. She looked embarrassed to have been caught crying and quickly wiped at her tears, doing her best to smile at me.

"Bella, what on earth are you doing up?" I shrugged, walking into the room and over to the couch that sat across from the lazy boy.

"I couldn't sleep. Do you mind if I join you?" I wasn't sure Rosalie wanted company, so I asked before sitting down.

"No. It's fine. I could stand a little company. You never realize how lonely the middle of the night can be until you're forced to spend your nights awake," she mused, and I watched carefully as she brushed her fingertips underneath her right eye, wiping at the dampness there.

"Rosalie, is everything okay?" I questioned her cautiously. Rosalie had hardly said anything to me yesterday, and I didn't want to intrude, but she was obviously upset about something.

"Everything's fine…" Rosalie started to speak, but her emotions got the best of her and she started to cry. Baby Genevieve roused at her breast, but Rosalie gently hushed her and she fell back asleep. "I'm sorry, Bella. You probably think I'm crazy…hell, even I think I'm crazy. You would not believe the roller coaster of emotions that run through your body after you give birth to a baby." Rosalie was laughing now…and crying…and I was thoroughly confused. I wanted to try and be supportive, but I had no idea what to do or say. Truth be told, I was scared to death of saying something that might set her off.

"Has it been very difficult for you?" I wasn't exactly sure this was the right question to ask, but I figured it might help her to talk about how she was feeling. God…I was starting to sound like my therapist already. Rosalie nodded, inhaling deeply in an attempt to regain control over herself.

"It has; more difficult than you can imagine, Bella. I guess I wasn't expecting it to be so hard, but she needs me constantly. She's a good baby, but that's only because she nurses all the time. When she's not nursing, she fusses a lot. So I've literally spent the last eight weeks with a baby attached to my breast. Don't get me wrong…I love her desperately. But taking care of a newborn is physically and emotionally exhausting, especially at two o'clock in the morning."

My heart went out to Rosalie. I could see how tired she was when we arrived yesterday. And now that she mentioned it, it did seem that with very few exceptions she had spent most of her time since we arrived, nursing Genevieve. I couldn't begin to imagine how difficult that must be for her.

"So she nurses all the time? Are you able to put her down at all?"

Rosalie shook her head.

"She generally fusses when I do, so I normally just hold her."

"Even when she's sleeping?" I asked, astonished, and Rosalie's eyes opened wide.

"Especially when she's sleeping. In fact, the only way she'll sleep is if she's nestled in somebody's arms! She'll have nothing to do with the crib," she said sadly.

I shook my head in utter disbelief.

"My God, Rosalie. No wonder you're so exhausted!"

Rosalie chuckled softly.

"Yeah…taking care of a newborn gives new meaning to the word sleep deprived. The upside is I've been able to watch the entire Little House on the Prairie series on late night television."

I laughed aloud at this, and Rosalie smiled at me.

"Thanks for keeping me company tonight, Bella." The sincerity with which Rosalie thanked me was unexpected, and slightly disarming.

"You're welcome. To be honest, I was having a hard time sleeping myself."

"Oh? Why?" Rosalie wondered, seeming genuinely interested.

"I don't know," I mused. "I guess I've just been so nervous about meeting everybody. I didn't exactly start out on the right foot," I said, offering a weak smile.

Rosalie looked somewhat confused by my admittedly cryptic comment, so I clarified what I meant.

"Melinda wasn't too keen on me to begin with," I said and Rosalie nodded in understanding.

"Oh…that little misunderstanding. I'm fairly certain Edward had some stern words with her over that. I'm not defending Melinda in the least because she was wrong to interfere in Edward's life like that, but she's incredibly protective of him. She always has been."

"Why is that?" I asked. Of course I understood that Edward was her godson and by that fact alone she had reason to care for him. But still, she hovered over him like a mother hen and I had to admit, it bothered me. Rosalie shrugged.

"I don't know, Bella. Melinda never got around to getting married or having any of her own children so I think she's always sort of thought of Edward as a surrogate son, if that makes sense. And believe me, it's easy to feel protective of Edward. He's such a kind, sensitive, trusting soul. There is nothing tough about him, yet he's made his bed in a den of lions. We were all afraid that Hollywood would chew him up and spit him out, and I kind of think it was doing just that…until he met you."

Oh. That comment was unexpected, especially from Rosalie, but it was heartwarming nonetheless.

"Thank you." It was all I could manage to say.

"Don't thank me Bella. I just call it like I see it. I love Edward dearly and I have to admit, I had my doubts about you to begin with, but I can see what the two of you mean to each other and I have to say, I'm thrilled for the both of you, and overjoyed that Edward has finally found somebody that appreciates him for who he is. But I'm warning you, if you break his heart…"

Rose broke off mid-sentence, her mouth curving up in a broad, teasing smile. And although I knew her comment was made in jest, there was an underlying tone of warning there. I chuckled softly, thinking to myself that Edward had one too many mother hens clucking about.

"Don't worry Rosalie. That isn't possible. I don't think I am physically capable of being without Edward now. He's that important to me." I spoke very seriously, and Rosalie's smile fell as she regarded me quietly.

"I know, Bella."

Rosalie and I sat together in companionable silence for a few minutes, neither one of us feeling the need to say anything more. Presently, I noticed Rosalie yawning. Her eyes were heavy, and I could see that she would soon fall asleep, sitting upright in a lazy boy cradling her baby in her arms. That couldn't be comfortable, I thought to myself. I stood from the couch and walked to her side.

"Rosalie, why don't you let me hold Genevieve for a few hours while you go upstairs and get some sleep." I couldn't really believe those particular words were actually leaving my mouth. I could count on one hand the number of times I'd ever held a newborn baby, and that included the two times I'd held Genevieve yesterday. Still, it was clear that Rosalie was tired and if I could offer her a few uninterrupted hours of sleep, then I would. Rosalie looked up at me, clearly taken by surprise by my offer, but also clearly grateful.

"Really?" She asked, as if my offer couldn't really be true.

"Of course. It can't be that hard to hold a sleeping baby, can it?" I teased.

"No, it's not all that difficult. And she's nursed well while I've been sitting here, so she shouldn't be hungry for a few hours. I really appreciate your offer, Bella. With the long trip from Dallas and visiting with family, I'm more tired than I care to admit," she said, yawning widely once again.

"It's no problem, Rosalie," I assured her and she smiled back at me appreciatively.

A few hours later I was snoozing on the couch with baby Genevieve cuddled up snug against my chest. She was deeply asleep and had been ever since Rosalie handed her over to me several hours before. I was feeling quite proud of myself, having been able to sit and hold baby Genevieve without her erupting into hysterics. And I'd been able to afford Rosalie a few precious hours of sleep. That was the most important thing of all.

I wasn't sure if I was dreaming or not, but I could have sworn I heard the creaking of stairs and the padding of feet in the hallway. As soon as he entered the room, his delicious, musky scent enveloped me and I knew that I hadn't been hearing things at all. Edward was awake.

"Bella?" He called softly into the dimly lit room, his eyes opening wide as I peeked at him from over the back of the couch.

"Hey you. I thought I left you sleeping. What are you doing up so early?" I asked as he walked over to where I was sitting.

"I woke up cold, and couldn't figure out why until I realized your body wasn't wrapped around mine. I was worried about you, so I came to look for you," he said, leaning over the arm of the couch to kiss me. He stopped before his lips touched mine.

"Bella…is…is that Genevieve?" Edward reached up to rub his eyes with both his hands, clearly thinking he was seeing things. Genevieve started to stir on my chest and I panicked.

"Yes!" I all but hissed, bringing my pointer finger to my lips to silence him. Edward grimaced when he saw Genevieve startle and smiled at me apologetically.

"Sorry," he whispered ever so softly as he tiptoed around the front of the ottoman where my legs lay stretched out and took a seat on the couch by my side. "Where's Rosalie?" He asked in a hushed tone as he stifled a small yawn with his hand.

"Sleeping," I whispered back. "I met her down here a few hours ago and she looked dog tired, so I offered to hold Genevieve for her so she could get a few hours of sleep." Edward looked on at me adoringly, and the sentiment on his face was enough to make me blush.

"That was very thoughtful of you," he murmured as he reached out to gently stroke the top of Genevieve's head with his hand. He laid his head on my shoulder for a moment, each of us gazing at the angelic little creature resting comfortably atop my chest. Edward sighed then, slipping down my side so that his head rested in my lap. He reached up and pulled the afghan from the back of the couch, covering himself before nestling closer against my body.

"What are you doing?" I half laughed. Edward reached out his hand from underneath the afghan and grabbed mine, placing it in his hair. He didn't need to ask, I knew precisely what he wanted me to do. I began scratching and kneading, and Edward sighed.

"Going back to sleep," he answered me in a drowsy, and disconcertingly sexy voice.

A little while later I sat with not one, but two snoozing souls pressed tightly against my body. I wasn't complaining. I had to admit, holding Genevieve unleashed certain feelings that unbeknownst to me, must have been lying dormant inside. She was soft and precious and smelled absolutely delicious, and I secretly loved every minute I spent with her. And then there was Edward, my sweet boy, curled up snug at my side. The moment could not have been more perfect if it weren't for the fact that I had to go to the bathroom.

In a bad way.

I didn't want to, but I knew I had to, so I reluctantly pulled my hand from Edward's hair and gently shook him by his shoulder. He didn't respond at first, so I shook him harder.

"Edward? Edward, baby, wake up! I really need to use the bathroom!" Just saying the word made me squirm a little and my efforts to awaken Edward became more urgent.

"Edward!" I called his name, this time tugging on his hair. I must have tugged too hard because in a moment's time, Edward was sitting up straight beside me, rubbing at his head with the palm of his left hand and grumbling nonsensical words.

"What did you do that for?" He mumbled dejectedly. He turned to me, his beautifully sculpted lips turned down in an irritable frown.

"I'm sorry, baby. I didn't mean to hurt you but I really have to use the bathroom. I need you to hold Genevieve for me." Edward shifted uncomfortably beside me, appearing slightly unnerved by my request.

"Bella, I don't know…"

"What's the problem, Edward? You held her several times yesterday?"

"Yes, but I wasn't left alone."

"Oh for the love of God, Edward, I'm only going to use the restroom! What could possibly happen in that short amount of time?" I tried not to sound too exasperated, but I was seriously about to pee in my pants. Edward's little bout of self doubt was incredibly ill-timed.

"All right, all right, I'll hold her. Just try and be quick," he said weakly and I rolled my eyes, trying hard not to laugh at Edward as inch by painfully slow inch I shifted Genevieve from my chest onto his. I was more careful with her than I would have been with my grandmother's china. The last thing I wanted to do was wake her.

"There!" I declared triumphantly as she settled onto Edward's chest. Unfortunately, in my enthusiasm I forgot that I was supposed to speak quietly, and my loud booming voice did precisely what I'd been hoping to avoid…it woke little Genevieve up.

With a shrill cry, loud enough to shatter glass, Genevieve awoke. Edward looked horrified as Genevieve's tiny figure began flailing in his arms.

"Edward…I'm so sorry…but I have to…"

"Go!" He cried, laughing now and shaking his head at the sight of me jumping up and down in place. I had to pee that bad. "Just be quick about it!" He called over his shoulder as I sprinted to the bathroom, baby Genevieve screeching and howling in the background.

A few minutes later I returned to the family room expecting to find one angry baby and a thoroughly exasperated uncle, but instead, all was surprisingly quiet. I cautiously approached the couch, thinking that perhaps Genevieve had fallen back to sleep.

"Hey…what did you…" I stopped short in front of Edward, staring humorously at the picture before me.

"She quieted down," Edward said, looking proudly up at me as if he himself had just parted the Red Sea. "But for whatever reason she keeps dragging her mouth across my chest." My eyes grew wide as I focused on baby Genevieve moving restlessly on Edward's chest, her tiny mouth making telltale smacking sounds that even I recognized. Edward on the other hand was completely clueless…adorably so…but clueless none the less.

"Edward," I tried to address him seriously, but didn't have much luck with that. "She's rooting."

Edward stared at me impassively out of beautifully innocent, deep green eyes.

"Rooting? What in the hell does that mean?"

And I couldn't help it, I laughed.

"Edward, think about it. She's dragging her mouth across your chest…she's making smacking noises. She's looking for your nipple! She's hungry…she wants to nurse," I said, shaking my head in amusement. But what was even more amusing was the expression on Edward's face as the realization of what Genevieve was doing hit him full force. He immediately stood up, wide eyed and panicked, practically thrusting Genevieve into my arms.

I backed away.

"Bella, could you please take her?" He all but pleaded. And I considered his request, I really did. But I decided I rather enjoyed watching Edward squirm.

"Unh uh," I shook my head. "I'm no better equipped to feed her than you are. Men are physically capable of nursing you know." I teased Edward, my eyes twinkling with mirth, but his normally good sense of humor seemed to have escaped him because he just scowled at me.

"Bella, please, I'm begging you. Take the baby!" I looked at Edward, who admittedly looked very desperate, and I caved.

"All right," I said, smiling at him. He breathed a huge sigh of relief as I gently removed Genevieve from his arms and cradled her in my own.

"So, is this how it's going to be when we're married with children?" I teased good-naturedly before freezing in place.

Edward froze in place, too.

"Bella?" Edward gently called my name, and though my instinct was to look away and make light of the comment I'd just unwittingly made, deep down I knew this was one of those moments in which it was best just to be honest.

"I think about us like this," I said quietly, feeling incredibly self-conscious and bare for some reason, as if I were admitting to a secret fantasy that could never be fulfilled. That all changed the moment I peered up into Edward's amazed and unabashedly adoring eyes.

"I think about us like this too, love...all the time," he whispered back. And we shared a moment of silence then, when loving gazes and unspoken words meant more than anything either one of us could have said. Both he and I realized that this was where we wanted to be one day. I may not have known that before, but I knew it without a shadow of a doubt, now.

Genevieve continued to fuss, breaking both Edward and me out of our respective reveries. I moved by the lazy boy, where a pacifier lay on the adjacent table. I picked it up and popped it into Genevieve's mouth and by some miracle, she began to settle. Edward sat in the lazy boy then, pulling the handle on the side to release the footrest and stretching out his legs in front of him before pulling both me and Genevieve down onto his lap. I curled into him with Genevieve settled in the crook of my arm, and we each sat gazing down into the tiny baby's eyes. I began humming a tune, a nameless tune that just popped into my head, and Edward hummed along, providing a beautiful harmony to my improvised lullaby. Soon, Genevieve's droopy eyes fell closed. She was asleep once again.

"You're a natural," Edward whispered into my ear before tenderly kissing the side of my head. His strong arms encircled both me and Genevieve and I thought to myself there was no other place I'd rather be.

"We're naturals," I gently corrected as I turned my head to his to capture his lips with mine.

Endnotes:

Okay…so I was actually really nervous about posting this chapter. I know that this chapter might not have been written exactly the way you were expecting. And I apologize for that…but we all knew that the initial meeting was going to be intense. The next chapter will be more light-hearted and fun and will be written at least partially from EPOV.

Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to read my new story, The Preacher's Son. I hope to post chapter 3 in BPOV sometime within the next week.

Please take time to review!