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Chapter 52

Gifts

BPOV

Elazar was tall and thin with dark hair, golden eyes, and a pleasant smile. He had a hint of an accent though it was so minor it was nearly unnoticeable. He arrived late in the evening, well after dinnertime but of course in a home full of vampires time of day really wasn't an issue, especially when you didn't have to sleep. I on the other hand did and was already feeling tired by the time he arrived.

Charlie had grinned and shook his hand, eager to meet another veggie vampire. When he released it however Elazar rubbed one hand with the other and gave a small chuckle, "Quite a grip you have their Charlie."

"Sorry," Charlie apologized, "I'm still getting used to my strength."

"That's quite alright, it's to be expected."

"Yes, that's what Esme keeps telling me every time I accidently break something," He said with a boisterous laugh.

I found it incredibly ironic how my mild mannered father seemed to have a complete personality change since becoming a member of the undead. He's still good ol' Charlie however as Esme put it, "He's come out of his human shell." It's really an incredible transformation. Of course Charlie's change has overall been far from typical, or so I've been told.

As we all sat I noticed Elazars gaze shift from myself to Charlie and then back to me again.

"Well, I suppose that makes sense." He spoke quietly.

"What makes sense?" Charlie asked draping his arm over the back of the sofa as he leaned into the cushions.

"You and your daughter," Elazar answered. "You both have very similar… well aura's I suppose is a good way to put it. It wouldn't surprise me if you and Bella's gifts are similar."

"You believe Isabella has a gift as well?" Carlisle asked, his brow rising in curiosity.

Elazar nodded, "Most defiantly, most likely a shield of some kind. From what you have told me about how Charlie was as human and the behavior he displayed since becoming a vampire, plus what I can read from him I would say he's most certainly a shield. Most likely it's more of an intrinsic ability, so he is able to shield himself from fear, frustration, stress, blood-lust. Bella on the other hand…while Charlie's gift seems to reside mostly within, Bella's sort of spreads out as it were, starting within and expanding to a more exterior physical shield."

I had a gift, a shield. That was well, pretty friggin awesome!

"I wonder if Bella's shield is part of the reason she healed so quickly from her injuries." Carlisle pondered. "Perhaps the conception of the baby triggered it somehow."

"I agree," Elazar said, "It's highly likely. In truth I had been curious about the possibility of her having a gift since you told me about her pregnancy and how it had been progressing so normally."

"Why is that?" Esme asked. "Bella's situation is unique, granted, but why would you think her pregnancy would indicate a gift?"

Elazar sighed as he folded his hands in his lap and leaned back in his chair, "While her situation is rare it's not unique. I know a young man, though I have not seem him in many years, that while his mother was human, his father was a vampire. The pregnancy lasted a whole of two months and the birth of the child killed the mother. Bella's pregnancy is obviously quite different. My guess is that her shield is protecting her body by going about the pregnancy relatively normally biologically."

"Two months?" I was shocked. I was already nearly four and barely showing.

"Why did you not tell me this before," Carlisle asked, his brow furrowed with concern.

"I didn't see the point in worrying you needlessly. Clearly Bella is doing just fine and in fact seems to gradually be turning into a hybrid, just as your child will be."

The room was dead silent for quite some time, all of us clearly in shock at what he was implicating. Me most of all. It was my dad who eventually broke the silence.

"So, you don't think Bella will need to be changed like I was, that she'll always be at least somewhat human?"

Elazar gave a small smile and nodded, "I do. Alice said she has seen Bella, with her child, both look as human as can be on the outside, but they possess the speed, strength and mental abilities of a vampire."

Now I was annoyed. If Alice saw this why hadn't she told me? "That annoying little Tinker Bell! Why the hell didn't she say anything?"

Elazar laughed as he leaned back in his seat, "I think she wanted to leave some of it a surprise, which makes since. It's your first child it should be a happy and joyous occasion for both of you. Giving away all the details may ruin the wonderment of it all."

I suppose he had a point, but there was something specifically that he said that caught me attention, "Did you say our "1st child?" Did that mean we would have more, that we are capable of having more? Or was I just reading too much into his words.

Elazar's golden eyes seemed to light up, his small smile stretched into a grin, "Alice made me promise not to divulge too much, but I can honestly say it is possible for your son to have siblings."

I felt Carlisle slide his hand into mine; looking up at me I could see the joy in his eyes. My sweet, amazing husband who had spent centuries alone, doing whatever he could do make the world a better place; but now, now we had each other and not only are we going to have a child, something he never thought possible, we would be able to make our family as small or as large as we so desire and we would have eternity to do it.

Our future never looked so bright, so amazing then it did at that moment.

XXX

EPOV

As happy as I was for Bella and Carlisle, the news of possibility expanding their family brought up some deep seeded wounds. The only child I would ever have died when he was only two days old. My sweet, little, David. Carlisle and Bella would have their son, but I never would. I had Charlie, and he had filled a deep void in my soul, but I don't think the loss of my baby boy will ever get easier. Not in a decade or even a century.

"Esme," I felt my husbands strong arms gently wrap around me. Pressing his front to my back he softly kissed the top of my head. "You okay?"

Turning in his arms, I managed to give him a small smile. "I'm fine," Pecking him on the lips, "Just… lost in thought."

"Hum, well how would you like to go for a hunt? You can focus your mind on tracking down a bear for me."

"That sounds great." And so together we left out the back door and rushed into the woods behind our house.

XXX

Five months later.

CPOV

As I gently rocked my newborn son in my arms, my eyes drifted to my beautiful wife who lay sleeping, exhausted from giving birth to our son. Edward was born a strapping 9 pounds, 6 ounces, 21 inches long. He was by most measures completely human, though he was certainly made of sturdier stuff. Bella had breast fed him, yet my little guy had quite an appetite and so at the suggest of a text message from Alice, we gave him a bottle of warm deer blood, he finished the entire thing and fell asleep soon after.

The birth for all intensive purposes went completely as expected. Bella exhibited the usual pain associated with giving birth; she had been extremely disappointed by this. "I'm half-vampire, why does this hurt so damn much!" she has grumbled. Of course I knew at that moment nothing I could say would make her feel any better so I simply apologized and continued to coach her through the process.

The labor had been relatively short, only around eight hours, pushing him out however was a different story completely. Two hours into it I was actually considering doing an C-section, but thankfully it was not necessary and with a final push we welcomed our little miracle into the world.

He looked a lot like me, we had the same nose, chin and ears, though his eyes were already showing signs of his mommy's chocolate brown color. I never thought I would see this day. I had given up hope of any resemblance of a normal life and family long ago, to have a beautiful wife and perfect little baby boy in my arms almost feels surreal.

At the sound of Esme whispering my name from down stairs, I slowly stood from the rocking chair where I had been sitting, and of so gently placed Edward in his cradle, which rested beside our bed. I then as quietly as I could left our bedroom and made my way downstairs.

Esme gave me a smile as she motioned towards the front door. "You need to hunt."

I shook me head, "I'm fine." I wasn't really, but I didn't want to leave my wife and son.

"No your not, your eyes are pitch black. Charlie could do with some food as well; you can swing by my house and pick him up. Don't worry Carlisle, I'll keep and eye on them."

Reluctantly I agreed. I really didn't want to leave by my throat was quite irritated and it had been over a week since I last went hunting.

"Very well, but I'll have my phone, if you need me-"

"I will call you, now go."

XXX

EPOV

While I wasn't at the house for the birth I was on call. I didn't know if I could handle the blood associated with it, however if Carlisle needed me, I would have been there for him in a heartbeat, even if I had to hold my breath the entire time. Charlie and I had been the first people they called after he was born. Charlie was over the moon! He still hasn't seen little Eddie, we wanted to give the little family a chance to bond, I only came over because Bella had text me that Carlisle was in serious need of a break and a meal.

I slowly and quietly walked up the stairs and to their room. Peeking in the crack in the door I could see that poor exhausted Bella was still fast asleep. Pushing open the door I walked inside the dimly lit room and over to the bed. A smile slipped to my lips as I peered over the cradle at the sleeping infant.

Lord he looked like Carlisle. He smelled like him to. Any vampire to smelled little Eddie would know he was one of us; there was no denying it. Inside he was like Bella but on the outside he was very much like Carlisle.

I watched as his eyelids fluttered open, his brownish, grey eyes focused on me almost immediately and then… he smiled. That was more then a little surprising, he wasn't even a day old yet and he was smiling.

"Well Hello little one," I whispered. Unable to stop myself I reached down and took him into my arms.

It had been so long since I had held an infant in my arms yet it felt so natural.

"You look just like you daddy, you know." I told him.

"He really does." I turned at the sound of Bella's tired voice. She gave me a small smile and held out her arms, I delicately handed him to his mother.

"How are you feeling?" I asked her sitting down in the rocking chair beside the bed.

"Good. Happy. He's perfect isn't he?"

"Without a doubt."

"Do you remember giving birth, Esme?"

I was more then a little caught off guard by her question, but I suppose considering the circumstances it was understandable.

"Vaguely," I said with a shrug. I remembered David, though. I remember him as if I had him yesterday.

"It was a lot like the books explained it to be, long and painful, though I'm not really sore anymore. Carlisle said my body has already healed itself."

"Well, that's good."

Bella nodded her gaze going back down to her son. "If someone had told me a year ago I would be married and have a baby at 18 I would have told them they were off their rocker, but now… I can't imagine my life any other way."

Why would she? Her life was utterly perfect. She had the best of both human and Immortal worlds.

"Esme."

"Yes, Bella."

"I know, technically your Edwards grandmother but, Carlisle and I were talking and we were hoping you would consent to be his godmother as well."

I was beyond touched, had I been human I know I would have had tears of joy in my eyes. "Are you sure?" As much as I loved the idea of being his godmother I figured she would have picked someone else. We were getting along well now but our first impressions of each other weren't exactly wonderful. "Are you sure you don't want Alice? Or even your friend Angela?"

Bella shook her head, "No, Alice is my best friend but… I think had you had the chance to raise your son you would have been an amazing mom."

"Thank you," Again I was touched by her words. Though in truth, while I want to believe I would have been an amazing mother, I was, deep down, a rather selfish person; at least, I am now.

"As much as I love Alice," She went on, "She's not exactly the maternal type, if you know what I mean. She'd probably be more interested in dressing him up in the latest fashion then anything else."

I chuckled at the utter truth in her statement.

"So will you?"

With a nod I replied, "I would be honored."

N/A: Okay everyone. Little Eddie is born and all is well. Next up is the epilog, which will show a bit more of Bella's power and their family and friends a few years down the line!