One year later.

Bella's year of being a newborn vampire came and went. She was rather calm and disciplined in those early months. Despite living in the big city of Chicago, she never gave into bloodlust. She was quick to tell me when we were out in public, if the aroma of humans became too much for her, I would safely take her away from the temptation.

She was the most composed newborn I ever met, but why should that surprise me? From the start, when she woke up in the forest, she had amazed me.

My theory that I came up with during a phone conversation with my father, was that she took to vampire life so well because she had been preparing for it. But still, I took each new experience slowly. I even made sure that both of us switched from in person classes, to online classes, since she wanted to continue with her college education.

I did little things like that. Trying to make her new life easy while she adjusted. With my habit of over thinking I left little room for accidents.

Bella often let me know her opinion about my overprotective behavior, she didn't care for it, but I did what I thought was best. In all honesty, I wasn't trying to be overbearing, just trying to emulate how Carlisle was with me during my first year. He rarely let me out of his sight and for that reason I never tasted human blood in my early days. Which was something I was very adamant that I didn't want Bell to know the flavor of.

Which was why I held her hand tightly, keeping her close to me as we got off the plane and walked through the Swedish airport. It was crowded and decorated for the Christmas season.

"Edward, I'm doing fine. You can let go of my hand now." Bella mumbled in a fast-pace tone, holding tightly to her carry-on item in her left arm. Which was a wrapped box with Emmett's handcrafted Christmas gifts, she made him.

I wanted to roll my eyes at the box she held. Or better yet, light it on fire. But instead, I chose to be mature and embrace what I could not change, which is what I had been learning in anger management class. I had been going to that for a little only a month. As much as I protested about attending in the beginning I had to admit, I was learning some useful habits.

"Sorry love, the airport is too crowded for me to feel comfortable." I simply explained as we walked over to retrieve our luggage.

Bella didn't say anything, she only shook the box that held Emmett's presents. Though the items didn't make a sound since they were wrapped in bubble wrap, I knew they were bumping into each other inside the box. My dead heart broke a little. But I didn't complain, I deserved my punishment. I tested her, going against what she said, not once, but six times. The proof was in the box she held.

She and I quickly gathered up our luggage and walked out of the airport. We hopped into a Taxi that was waiting parked outside with a bunch of other yellow cabs. From the airport we went to my parents' house in Falun. Since Bella was now fluent in Swedish, she gave the directions.

Wearing our big puffy coats, we sat in the back of the cab, enjoying our ride. Every now and then, she would gaze lovely at me. Her eyes that had cooled from a brilliant crimson to a mellow amber, bore so much love and devotion for me.

I stole a kiss from the most beautiful girl in the world before she looked out the window. She was anxious to see the streets of Sweden since this was her first time here.

Smiling, I held her hand as the taxi driver drove us to our destination.

About four months ago Carlisle and Esme moved to a little town in Sweden since it was time for them to leave Forks. They really enjoyed their new home even though all of us kids were still living on our own, with our mates in the states. Which all of us planned on doing for a few more years before we would reunite with our parents and go back to high school… again.

Carlisle and Esme respected the wishes of all of us for living on our own. Though they made all six of us promise to make an effort to visit on holidays. All of us were keeping that promise this year.

The car slowed to a stop. The taxi driver's mind was now very loud, and I found myself no longer able to concentrate on my thoughts.

"Is this the right place?" The taxi driver asked with a thick Swedish accent. 'Or did an IKEA go out of business and get dumped here?'

His thoughts seemed odd, but once I took one look at my parents' front yard, I understood what he meant. The yard had a wide assortment of Christmas decorations, including plastic candy canes and a Santa that danced in place. Not to mention a sleigh and reindeer on the roof, with lights strung on every inch of the house and walkway. There was also, what appeared to be an army of inflatable snowmen and Disney characters.

I'm quite sure that the astronauts could see my parents' house from space.

"Wow." Bella spoke before I could. "Alice said she was going to decorate when she and Jasper arrived here three days ago. But wow. She went overboard."

"Sure, seems that way." I said to my wife, and to the taxi driver, I said. "Yes, this is the correct house." I paid him as I thanked him.

While Bella and I were collecting our belongings from the trunk, our family popped out of the house. At a slow speed, all of them came to 'help' us with our suitcases and greet us. All of them had been waiting for our arrival since we were the last to get here.

Once the trunk of the car was empty and our excited family began hugging us, not wanting to let us go. The taxicab drove down the road.

When all the hugging was done, and my mother finally let us go. All eight of us trooped into my parents' elegantly decorated house, where the sound of Elvis Presley's Blue Christmas was playing on the record player in the sitting room. The song along with the giant fir tree with lights and keepsake ornaments that Esme had collected throughout the years, and of course, presents neatly underneath. All of it really illuminated the Christmas spirit.

Bella walked in and sat on the loveseat with the gift in her lap. I sat next to her, but no sooner had I sat down than she sat on my lap. I smiled, putting my arms around her. With her close to me like this, everything felt right in the world. I pressed my nose to her hair, breathing in her scent that I love.

No sooner had I taken a deep breath of her delicious, non-edible aroma than our whole family entered the room. All of them sat among us. Alice was now seated next to Bella and me, blocking her thoughts from me by thinking about the ridiculous leg lamp from the Christmas story she likes so much. I didn't question her about it.

"Bella," Alice's windchime voice cut through the music. Bella turned to her. "What's in that box?"

"Oh!" Bella excitedly said.

"Looks like it's a gift of some sort." Jasper mused. Curiosity was radiating off of him.

Rosalie looked at Bella, they shared a smirk.

"I bet it's a box full of dildos." Emmett randomly said.

I rolled my eyes. Bella giggled in embarrassment while Rosalie elbowed him. Jasper snickered and Alice said nothing. She had already seen this and wasn't the least surprised.

"Emmett, not appropriate." Carlisle and Esme reprimand him in unison.

"Sorry. Just guessing what's in the box." Emmett shrugged his shoulders. 'So, Eddie boy, did I get it right? You guy's transport your personal massagers and power strokers in a box. That's wrapped in Christmas paper so no one questions it?'

Shaking my head no, I groaned. He wasn't even close.

Besides Bella and I, my sisters were the only other people that knew what was in the gift wrapped-box. I wish I could forget, but I had no one to blame but me.

"Here, Emmett, this is for you." Bella didn't move from my lap as she held the gift out to him. "I know it's not Christmas yet, but please open it now."

"Okay." Emmett grinned, accepting the gift.

"Go on, babe, open your early Christmas present." Rosalie encouraged him. Though, there was a part of her that was cringing at the thought of what was in the box.

"Yes, open it!" Alice was bouncing in place on the couch. She was so excited that she was actually vibrating.

"This must be something very exciting." Esme said, looking at Alice.

"It's probably a remote-control car or something." Carlisle said to Esme.

My father's prediction was close… kind of. But at the same time was far off the mark. I sat there with my arms around my wife while I was literally biting my tongue as my brother tore through his gift. In 2.5 seconds wrapping paper and bubble wrap littered the spot in the sitting room where Emmett stood as he revealed his gift.

"What is it?" Carlisle wondered.

"What did you get?" Esme asked.

"A set of six bowling balls." Emmett laughed, holding up a very skinny silver one.

Whimpering, I hide my face in the crook of Bella's neck. She patted my head, sympathetically.

"Hand crafted bowling balls." Bella pointed out. "I made them myself so we can go tree bowling."

Emmett erupted in a fit of laughter. In his mind, he knew exactly what happened since Bella had told everyone her plan of turning my cars into bowling balls if I tried to drive. Like a fool, I got behind the wheel of one too many cars and she did as promised, destroying my beloved vehicles. Though she no longer had her newborn strength, she was strong, and I had no plans to drive anytime soon.

Alice, Rosalie and Jasper gathered around Emmett. All three of them took a bowling ball in their hands and examined my wifes crafting skills. I could already tell that my sibling wanted to go tree bowling and I assumed my wife did too. I knew that she would want me to participate so I would have to grin and bear it, playing a made-up game with the cars I once drove.

But I could deal with that. After all, I had Bella by my side for the rest of eternity, along with my parents and siblings. The people I loved were what was really important, not the flashy toys I loved to indulge in.

Bella twisted in my lap at that very moment. Her lips met mine and I knew above everything, she loved me. As I love her.

Forever.

The End.

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Thanks for reading.

That is the end of this llittle story. Hope you enjoyed it. :)))

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