Chapter 16: A Family Again

Edward's POV

I deserved everything that happened to me. I understood that. I understood it perfectly. I was fully prepared for Bella not wanting anything to do with me after what I had done. I had put my own family in danger and now Bella wanted nothing to do with me. She'd threatened to kill me if I even dared to get close to our children. I understood and respected my wife's wishes. After all I was the one who tried to force an abortion on her. I was the one who so stupidly left two babies by themselves in a mall. I was a lot more trouble than I was worth.

The separation though was so much more painful than I could have possibly imagined. I longed to be with Bella and our children once again. I so desperately wanted to be a family again. Several times in the past two days since I have seen them I have had to resist the urge to run back and see them. To beg for forgiveness that I did not deserve. I couldn't do it though. I loved and respected Bella too much to go against her wishes once again. I had disregarded Bella's wants and needs way too many times already. I couldn't keep doing that anymore.

So I've been here wondering the outskirts of Orlando not quite sure what I should do anymore. I couldn't go back to Forks. I couldn't go back to my family either. I was just stuck there in limbo.

I was surprised when my phone rang. Nobody had called me in the last two days. It was Alice. A million thoughts ran through my mind at the same time. Had something happened back home? Was something about to happen? Was it the Volturi? Had they decided to come for my family?

"Alice what's going on? Did you see something?"

"Bella is not going to like this but Edward you need to come home," she said urgently. "It's about E.J,"

"What about him?!" I shouted louder than I meant to. Had something happened to my son? I couldn't bear the very thought of anything bad befalling either of my babies,"

"He's been crying non-stop since yesterday. We don't know what's wrong with him. Carlisle checked and he's fine but he won't stop crying. Bella is at her wits end trying to calm him down but nothing is working. Bella is not going to like that I called you for this but she needs you. They both do,"

"I'll be right over," I ended the phone call quickly. I didn't care about the consequences of going back. I had to figure out what was wrong with my baby. I walked back home as fast as I could do so. Thankfully today was a cloudy day and I was able to walk freely in the daylight.

I could hear E.J's wailing before I could even see the building where my family was staying. I cpuld also hear Lizzie screaming as she underwent her vampire transformation. Her family and my family were watching over her baby girl. Damien had changed his mind about his daughter the way I'd changed my mind about Nessie and E.J. He was rocking her to sleep when I entered the building.

I rushed upstairs where E.J's cries were coming from. I slowed down when I heard Bella. I hoped that Alice had forewarned her that I was coming. I hoped that Bella wouldn't try to kill me. I opened the door slowly. The first thing that I saw was Bella fervently trying to calm our son down.

"Daddy!" E.J held out his arms toward me in desperation. His red tear stained face broke my heart into a million little pieces. I carefully walked toward Bella who stood there in shock. She wasn't trying to kill me so maybe that was a good sign. I could see E.J squirming in her arms. He'd grown a little since I last saw him.

Bella didn't even try to stop me when I took E.J from her. As soon as he was in my arms he started to calm down. His cries had turned into sobs.

"Shh it's okay. You're okay," I rocked him gently. "What's wrong son?"

"Don't leave me daddy. Don't leave me. Want you and mommy. Love you daddy,"

If I could cry I certainly would have. My son missed me. My son loved me and he wanted me. That was the problem. He wanted me back. I couldn't give him what he wanted though. It wasn't up to me. It was up to Bella and didn't want me here.

"Mommy doesn't want daddy?" I held my son close to my chest before he could start crying again. I had to watch my thoughts carefully. The last thing I wanted was for my son to hate his mother for her decision. I had to be careful about this.

"Mommy is just mad at daddy right now. That's all baby,"

My breath got caught in my throat when I noticed that Bella was watching us. My love for her burned stronger than ever before. I didn't want to be apart from her ever again and I didn't want to be apart from my children ever again. I had to try.

Bella I'm so sorry," I began. "I know that no amount of apologizing can make up for everything that I have done but I really am sorry for everything. I have made a lot of mistakes lately and I just-" I didn't know what to say. No words could accurately describe how sorry I was.

"You did make a lot of mistakes Edward. And yes I was extremlg angry at you a few days ago when id found out that you'd left our children unattended at a mall. I was extremely angry that because of your actions our children were kidnapped and because of that the Volturi found out about them. But I love you Edward. I love you. I know you've made a lot of mistakes but I also know that you regret them deeply. I forgive you Edward,"

I was shocked since she'd seemed so angry two days ago. "You do?" I didn't think she'd ever forgive me. But then again Bella was always doing the exact opposite of what I expected her to do. She made my life interesting with all of her constant surprises.

"I do. Forget what I said two days ago also. I never want you to leave ever again," she said.

Without saying a single word I walked over to me quickly and hugged my wife as tight as I could do so safely with our son wedged between us.

"I won't let you or my children down anymore Bella. I swear. I'm going to make things right again. You, Nessie, and E.J will be safe again. I promise," if it were the last thing I ever did I would make sure my family was safe again.

She nodded. "We'll figure it out. Right now I'm just glad you're back. So is E.J I imagine,"

"He missed me as much as I missed him, Nessie, and you Bella. I never want to be apart from you three ever again. These last few days have been pure hell,"

"Daddy not leaving?"

I smiled at my son and this time I spoke aloud for Bella to hear. "No son. I'm not leaving again,"

"You can read his mind?"

"Of course. He can also read mine as well. He inherited my gift. We can have our own private conversation in our minds. It's sort of our thing now really," It really was. Communicating with my son through the gift I had passed down to him was a gift in itself.

"Nobody told me he was gifted," she lamented.

"Not even Carlisle? He knew," Why hadn't Carlisle told her?

She shook her head no.

"Where is Nessie?" I asked her.

"Jacob has her. I let him take her to the park for fresh air while I stayed here with E.J. He hasn't eaten since yesterday,"

Jacob was with my daughter? Ever since I'd found out about the imprinting I wanted to kill him. But killing him would hurt Bella. Besides we had more pressing matters right now.

Wait did Bella say? That E.J hadn't eaten since yesterday? "Hand me a bottle and I'll see if I can get him to eat,"

She picked up the bottle that had been knocked to the floor. "Edward you can just give him to me and I'll do it,"

"No I want to do it," I insisted.

"I'm surprised," she said as she handed me the bottle of fresh human blood. I tried not to think about that to much. As soon as I'd gotten the bottle nipple into his mouth he began to drink fast. He was starving. He'd been so upset that he'd lost his appetite completely.

"You're surprised that I want to feed my own son? Why?"

"Because you're very old fashioned. Being born in 1901 after all. Wasn't child care considered a woman's duty only back when you were human?"

I was surprised by the sudden turn the conversation had taken. She was right though. During my human years in the early 1900s it was considered a woman's duty to take care of the children. In those times I would've been seen as less of a man simply for feeding my own child or changing a diaper. In those years I would've been inclined to agree with that thinking but not anymore. I was blessed with something considered impossible by most of our species. Children. Not one but two beautiful babies. I loved being their father and I would take care of their every need physical and emotional for as long as I lived.

"You're right. Back then it was the woman's sole responsibility to take care of the babies. But times have changed. Why should you have to do all the work when it comes to caring for our babies? That doesn't seem fair at all. Besides I love taking care of our babies. Although I could do without getting peed on," I laughed at the memory.

Bella laughed with me. E.J giggled as the memory crossed through his mind. For now I was happy.

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