Edward's POV

Days passed, melting into weeks that couldn't go slower. I wanted to savour every moment with Bella; I wanted to stretch out each second we had together until the end of time.

"Chicken or lamb?" Bella asked.

I surveyed the two frozen meats in her small hands. "Isn't chicken the traditional holiday carcass?"

"Way to make it sound Christmassy," Bella said, rolling her eyes.

I grinned feebly. "Sorry. This is slightly bizarre."

We were food shopping for Bella and Charlie's holiday meal. My family and I still took part in the festivities, exchanging gifts and what not but food was beyond us. I hadn't been to a grocery store since I was human—there was no point.

"Chicken it is," Bella said, plopping it into the cart.

"What's next?" I asked as Bella came around and took my hand in her warm grasp.

"Um…" her heart was beating a little irregularly. I counted the beats, waiting for her heartrate to even out. I'd be lying if I said it wasn't still flattering. "Stuffing," she eventually said.

I kissed the top of her head as we carried on walking, me pushing the cart. The humans around us kept throwing us glances, sneaking looks when they thought we weren't looking. It was the usual drabble, thoughts that weren't worth paying attention to. But it was oddly nice to see us through their eyes today: a sweet couple doing their holiday shopping.

While Bella picked out the ingredients she needed for stuffing in the vegetable aisle, I had a twinge of regret that I wasn't able to digest human food. All food paled hideously in comparison to the taste of blood anyway but there were all these rituals I could only half-share with Bella.

Still, it was fun shopping all the same.

"These candles smell nice," Bella said as we passed some decorations.

"Get them," I said, picking up one. It smelt of pine and vanilla; and a lot of chemicals. I leaned in and kissed Bella's cheek to refresh my nasal palette, inhaling her heady floral scent that still sent a fire aching down my throat after all these months. I'd never get used to it. I didn't want to.

"Not a fan of the candle?" Bella mumbled, blushing.

I grinned. "Much bigger fan of you. So, will you be getting it?"

Bella nodded. "Yeah, I think it'd be nice. I might get some more tinsel too…"

"You know what'd be nice?" I asked quietly as Bella dug through streams of rainbow tinsel.

"Hmm?"

"Decorating our own place for the holidays."

Bella looked around, her face lit with surprise. She seemed to freeze for a moment and then suddenly was blinking very fast, looking away again.

"Bella?" I said, alarmed by the obvious watering of her eyes. I put my hand on the back of her waist, gently turning her towards me.

"Sorry, being overly-emotional," she said, wiping her eyes hastily.

"You okay?" I asked worriedly. Why was she crying? Was that an upsetting thought? Was she sad I couldn't eat food with her?

"I can't wait to do this for our own place too," she sniffed and leaned up to kiss me on the cheek.

Had we not been in public, I would have kissed her without restraint there and then. I kissed her forehead instead, hesitating a little longer.

We carried on shopping, filling the cart with a wagon load of food. It was astonishing what people could make out of all these ingredients. We headed to the check-out, Bella trying to stay ahead of me so that she could pay for the food before I did.

It had turned into a bit of a game for me, watching Bella try to put her money forward before me. Of course, it didn't help that I was a vampire who could move a million times faster than she could but it also didn't help that I was from a time where a man provided for his family. Bella had scoffed when I'd tried to explain why I had such a hard time letting her pay for anything.

"I want to take care of you. I don't want you to have to worry about anything."

Bella had rolled her eyes and kissed me soon after. I thought that meant she'd let me have this but no, as always, she was trying to get to the cashier before me.

"Charlie gave me the money," Bella insisted as I snaked my arm around her waist and held her to me.

I sighed unhappily. "Yes, well, I'm here."

"So is my dad's cash."

I continued to look at her unhappily. "Bella."

"Edward, it's the holidays. Be a sport, okay? It's not the end of the world if you don't buy me a chicken."

"You mean the entire grocery store," I said, looking at the overflowing cart. "How much can you even eat?"

"You'd be surprised how much Charlie can put away. And this isn't all for Christmas day, of course."

"Of course," I said, beyond my limit.

"How can I help?" the cashier said to us as the customers before us departed with their loaded bags. Thankfully he was a guy so I was safe, although that didn't stop him from eyeing Bella curiously.

Hot girl… scary guy. Bet he's had work done on his face, clothes look expensive as hell…

I tried not to roll my eyes as we moved the scanned and bagged items back into the cart. When it came for the time to pay, Bella tried to move as fast as she could. It was cute.

"Edward," Bella warned as I reached into my jacket.

I sighed and stopped. "Fine."

Bella froze with surprise.

"Uh, miss?" the cashier prompted.

"Sorry," she said, turning away and handing him the cash in her purse.

I could practically hear Bella wondering why I'd not just moved faster than she had even though her mind was still its own secret vault. We loaded everything back into the car; this time I did move faster than Bella as no one was really paying as any attention.

"Are you sure this will be okay for the drive?" Bella said, looking worriedly at frozen goods.

"I can drive faster," I said easily. "We'll be back in half an hour, twenty if you let me really go for it."

Bella let out an exasperated breath. "Boys and their cars," she muttered.

I tried not to laugh at her disgruntled expression and put the cart away.

"So what was that about?" Bella asked when I'd returned to the car.

"What was what about?" I asked innocently, starting the car.

Bella gave me a hard look. "You never let me pay."

"I guess the holiday spirit has finally sunk into me," I said, smiling gracefully at her.

"Hmph," she grumbled, sinking back against her seat as I sped out of the lot and onto the road.

We'd driven to Olympia, close enough so the frozen food wouldn't get ruined or ruin my car but far enough it was unlikely we'd bump into anyone, Alice-verified.

"I may be trying to soften you up," I admitted after a few minutes.

Bella looked smug. "Knew it. What is it?"

"Well," I cleared my throat unnecessarily. Nerves. "How do you feel about coming to meet my family on Christmas?"

Bella gasped. "Really?"

Was that a good really or a bad really? Bella looked too surprised to tell. "If you'd like?"

"I would, yes!" she was near squealing point. "I finally get to see where you live!"

"I'm trusting you not to stalk me every minute of the day," I teased.

"That's rich coming from you," Bella chuckled.

I grinned. "All's fair in love and war."

"So is this dinner date your idea or your family's?" Bella asked, touching my cheek lightly.

I turned my face and kissed her fingertips. "They've been bugging me for a while."

"Edward, the road," Bella said, casting a worried look out the windshield.

"Bella," I sighed.

"I know, I know," she said. "Vampire senses. You don't need to look at the road. It'd just help my nerves if you did."

"I know," I said softly, looking back out the window.

"Will it be all the family?" Bella asked.

I nodded. "Rose and Em are back for the holidays."

I could sense her anxiety. "Oh, cool."

"It'll be fine. We're a boring bunch, really. Nothing to be worried about."

"What if they don't, you know…like me?" she asked.

"Alice already loves you. Esme and Carlisle are dying to meet you. You've got nothing to worry about."

"And the others?"

"Are just as eager to meet you, although more out of curiosity with Rose and Jasper. Emmet just wants to tease."

Bella smiled. "Well, that's comforting. I think."

"Really, it'll be fine," I said as reassuringly as I could. "You can pick what time you come and when you leave. If it gets too weird, I'll have you home before you can blink."

"You're not worried about me coming over are you?" Bella asked, eyeing me with a sly grin.

She didn't miss a thing. "No, of course not. What's there to be worried about? You're all going to love each other."

Bella took my hand. "We will. It'll be great. I'm so excited!"

I smiled at her. "Me too. Esme might be a little overbearing, though. Just letting you know."

Bella was laughing as she said, "sounds like my mom." But then her voice trailed off.

I squeezed her warm hand. Renée wasn't able to see Bella for the holidays; she and Phil were in Florida where he was based at the moment.

"How are you feeling?" I asked.

Bella smiled at me but her eyes were touched with sadness. "I love you."

"I love you more."

Bella rolled her eyes. "Debatable."

"Unquestionable."

"Our first dinner with the family," Bella mused quietly.

"What could possibly go wrong?"

Bella's POV

"This is great, Bells," Charlie said, shovelling down roast potatoes and Cajun chicken.

"Preview of what's to come," I replied cheerfully. I'd had a ball when I returned from shopping with Edward. Charlie had been so generous with money for food; I'd really gone to town.

"I really can't wait for Christmas now," Charlie chuckled, patting his slightly bulging stomach.

"Me either. Our first Christmas together!"

Charlie smiled, his eyes crinkling around the corner. "It's a real shame your mom and Phil can't make it."

"Yeah, it's a shame. Still, more food for us right?" I said with excessive cheer.

Charlie eyed me awkwardly. "You're okay? Your first Christmas without your mom?"

My heart sank a little when he said that. I'd been trying not to think about that fact. The miles between my mother and I were already too far; missing this holiday with her seemed to hammer home just how "grown up" I was becoming. The time was coming for me to leave the nest. I was already half out of it having left Renée and Phil. Gah, when did life get so serious?

"If you think so hard you might get a concussion," Charlie teased.

"Hey!" I protested.

He laughed. "Kidding, Bells. So, you're okay right? We can always get you a ticket to Florida."

"Dad, I'm not bailing on our first Christmas together here since I was like four."

Charlie went red and looked down. "Well, now. I'm glad."

I looked out of the window, snow falling quietly. It was sort of beautiful, all those soft snowflakes – even though it was horribly inconvenient for the clumsy.

"So, are you gonna bring this fella of yours around then?" Charlie asked.

I looked back at him. "What?"

"Why don't you invite him for lunch? Or are you—what was it?—not solid enough yet?" He was laughing.

I rolled my eyes. "I didn't invite him."

"Why not?"

I shrugged, looking down at my plate. "Oh, you know, still early days."

"You know, I'm beginning to think you're trying to hide him from me. Is he like tattooed all over and pierced?"

I looked up to see Charlie smiling playfully. I breathed an inward sigh of relief. "No, it's not that."

"So what is it? Not embarrassed of your old man, are you?" His tone was light but I could see the worry he was trying to mask on his face.

"Dad, of course not. I'd love for you two to meet and hit it off. I just…"

"Just what, Bells?" Charlie pressed.

"Mom will flip if she's last to meet him," I said suddenly. "He's my first…boyfriend." I cringed a little as I said the inadequate word. Charlie grinned. "If she misses this milestone, she'll be upset and I don't want her to feel bad or anything, you know?"

"Not easy watching your child grow up away from you," Charlie said quietly. "Yeah, I get it."

Guilt flooded me. "Dad, I didn't mean it like that—"

"No, Bells, I wasn't saying anything. I meant I just understand what you're saying. I know how she feels. And I get why you're holding off and it's fine with me." He gave me a warm smile to prove his words.

"Dad, did you ever…" I trailed off, uncertain.

"Hmm? What?"

I hesitated. "Were you angry with mom when she took me? And that I…stayed with her?"

Charlie looked at me in surprise. "Angry? Course not, Bells, why'd you think that?"

I shrugged helplessly. "Sometimes…it's just living here has made me realise how much we missed out on the years."

Charlie smiled sadly. "Life doesn't always work out the way you want."

"I'll say. So… were you?"

He sighed and looked out to the window. "I wasn't angry. I was mostly just sad. And confused. It all happened so fast, me and your mom, you and then the divorce. One minute we were fine and the next…"

"What exactly did go wrong?" I asked. Renée didn't broach the subject much; she just made me swear off marriage until I was thirty.

Charlie shrugged, looking back at me. "Your guess is as good as mine, Bells. Sometimes love just doesn't last on both sides."

"Did you ever feel like it'd happen when you were together—that you'd break up, I mean?" I asked.

Charlie shook his head. "I never saw it coming. You never really do."

A dreadful cold filled me. "Jeez."

"Yeah," Charlie let out a deep breath. "Anyway, enough of that. Don't let what happened between your mom and me affect your relationship though, Bella. No two relationships are the same."

I looked at him in surprise. Charlie rarely said such sage words.

"Anyhow, I'm gonna go catch the game," he said, getting up. "Thanks for dinner, sweetheart. Leave the dishes: I'll do them later."

"All right, dad."

I went up to my room and flopped down onto my bed, mulling over what Charlie had said. I'd never really stopped to consider what it was like for him when mom left –maybe in part because I knew deep down it'd be a painful story, a pain that I had a hand in.

Edward arrived soon after, kissing away my worries. As we settled in for the night, I held on a little tighter against the waves of the unknown future looming ahead of us.