Chapter 16: Holidays

~Bella~

Sitting in my last final, I reviewed the five essay length answers I'd given to the questions wrapping up my half year in English Literature. I made sure I had everything the way it needed to be grammatically, and by the time the teacher told us to put our pens down I was fairly certain I would make a good grade. It felt strange as I gathered my things that my first semester of college was over, and that for a few weeks I wouldn't have to worry about things like homework and papers to write. My thoughts turned to my family as I left the room pulling on my coat and gloves. These past few weeks I had barely gotten a chance to see Renesmee. I saw her in the morning when she first woke up to nurse, but other than that she had been spending time with Grandpa and Grandma, and her Aunts and Uncles. Opening the door to the building sent a gust of bitter cold air blowing in my face. I shuttered pulling my cream colored knit scarf over my face, hearing the cold ground crunching as I made my way across campus.

By the time I reached the parking lot where Edward was waiting my teeth were chattering. He opened my door without hugging me, something I missed but knew we could do once I was warmer. The inside of the car was toasty warm, and by the time we were out of town heading toward the house I was able to take my scarf off and hold the hand my husband offered to me. "How cold is it?"

"Fifteen degrees," he answered causing me to shudder. It reminded me of that night I spent in the tent freezing until Jacob crawled into my sleeping bag. That time in my life had been so confusing, and made me wonder why it took so long to realize where my place was.

"I love you," I told my husband, wondering if I would ever be able to make up for all I put us through during that time.

"I love you to," he answered giving my hand a gently squeeze before rubbing his thumb along the back of mine.

When we arrived home I was preparing for the ice cold when Edward opened my door. In a second I was inside smelling the spice candles I had gotten that reminded me of Christmas. After Edward helped me with my coat, we walked together into our kitchen. Esme was there drying dishes while Carlisle put them away. My mother-in-law came and gave me a hug, "Are you happy to be finished with school?"

"Yes. I'm ready to spend all my time with you guys and with my daughter."

Esme smiled at me, "We laid her down a little over an our ago, but I think she's still awake."

I told them goodnight before heading upstairs, wanting to see my baby even though I knew I should leave her alone so she could sleep. As I approached her crib a floor board creaked, and my daughter sat up. When she saw me she grasped the bars of her crib and pulled herself up. "Hi baby," I said as I lowered the guard rail, careful not to cause her to fall backward. She laughed as I picked her up, bouncing in my arms as I carried her over to the light blue recliner. I sat down and put her on my lap just wanting to look at her beautiful little face. Over the past few months she had really begun to grow, catching up with the weight and size she needed to be at eight months old. She could pull herself up now and had tried a few times to take a step.

For a few minutes we played peek-a-boo, before she yawned reminding me that I needed to get her to go to sleep. I cradled her against me and rocked her while I let her nurse, something she was doing less of since she was so active now, and since her mommy was always away. She finished before she was ready to go to sleep, and as I sat her up she struggled in my arms. "Where do you want to go?" I leaned over and put her down, watching as she crawled over to her rocking horse. I got up and went to her holding her once again. "You need to go to bed," I told her as she struggled to be let down again.

Moving over to her crib I got her soft red polar fleece blanket and draped that over my shoulder. My baby cuddled against the blanket and me for a moment before she leaned away.

"Would you like a hand?"

I turned looking at my husband as he came into our baby's room, "Yes, she doesn't seem to want to go down."

"We've been putting her in bed with a few toys, and she's been getting to sleep on her own," he said, which was a big change, but then again I had been busy with school.

After Edward had her, he kissed her cradling her in his arms before he leaned over the crib and put her down. He took her Dumbo and wound him up placing him in her arms as she reached for him. Once the guard rail was back up Edward took my hand and we left her so she could fall asleep.

In our room, I felt a pang of sadness at knowing that our baby was starting to become independent on some things, but didn't voice any of that as I started toward the bathroom. Edward wrapped his arm around my waist stopping me and turned me around, "You're very quiet," he observed and sometimes I hated that he could see through me so well.

I sighed, "I feel like I've missed so much with her over these past few weeks. I love school, I'm just glad I get a little bit of a break. Do you think you will try and come next semester?"

"I haven't decided quite yet," he answered as he brushed my left cheek with the back of his hand.

My body responded to that touch and I felt my cheeks warming and also the heat associated with his touch that began in my center and radiated out. "Kiss me," I whispered.

Without hesitation my husband complied, brushing my lips with his cool ones. I reached behind him pulling him closer, wanting more than just the fleeting touch of his lips. It felt like months instead of just a few days since we had been together in this way and I wanted his touch, all of it. Soon, I found myself in our bed pressed against the mattress as Edward hovered over me, our bodies fully unclothed. I reached out taking his hand kissing it before I put it below my breast wanting his touch there. He ran his fingers over my skin moving them up my left breast before leaning his head down. I shut my eyes groaning as he kissed my nipple before nuzzling it with his nose. "I need you," I breathed.

Carefully, he settled on top of me and I felt the coldness of his body above me and the warmth of the electric blanket against my back. He reached between us rubbing his rock hard member against my wet folds. The simple act of breathing became difficult for me as he slid inside of me.

Reaching up, I grasped at his shoulders wrapping my arms around him as he began to move within me pulling out almost completely before he thrust back in to me. I lifted my legs, wrapping them around his waist, groaning as he sank deeper inside of me. His cold breath was against my neck, followed by his tongue as he trailed that to my ear. I gasped out his name as he gently bit my lobe feeling myself contracting around his thick member.

As the contractions grew stronger, he moved his lips back down my neck lifting his head away from me to look into my eyes. I reached up and traced my fingers over his lips gasping as my body reached completion. He sped up the in and out movement of his hips. Reaching down between our bodies his fingers began to work my clit flicking it and pulling on it until my body began to contract around him again. Before I could scream, his lips were covering me and we shared our release before he grasped his arms around me pulling me off the bed. Before my body could get too cold we were under the covers, his length still pulsing inside of me. At some point he slipped out from within me but by then I was half asleep and content to be just where I was.

~*~

The next morning, we were all up early and as I sat in front of Renesmee's highchair feeding her rice cereal, Edward was packing the things we would need on the trip to Boston to get Charlie from the airport. "Grandpa is coming to see you," I said hating that the last time Charlie had seen her was the time we were in Washington for Ben and Angela's wedding. He was planning to come on Thanksgiving but had to choose between that or now, and I was kind of glad he would be here for Renesmee's first Christmas. My baby screeched when I couldn't get her food into her fast enough.

"I can't believe how much she's liking table food," I said as her mouth opened ready for another bite. I spooned one in and scraped the small bowl for the last bite while Edward brought a small plastic sippy cup with handles on both sides.

"She's really doing well with all we've introduced," he agreed.

I helped her hold the cup while she drank from it again amazed at how much she was learning. Charlie wouldn't recognize her. Once Renesmee was finished, including getting her hands and face wiped off, I lifted her out and carried her into our den gently putting her down in her exersaucer. We still had a little time left before we needed to leave and I wanted her to be able to stretch her legs before we headed out.

Back in the kitchen, I sat down to my own breakfast, scrambled eggs and bacon. My mind was on last night and on something I had been thinking about for a while now, but hadn't shared with Edward. We were so limited by what we could share physically, that I sometimes still felt inadequate. I wanted to give him more than what I was now, but I also wanted to be close to him in age. Now that Renesmee was getting older maybe we could try and figure out when I could be turned.

Once we were in the car heading out of town, I decided to test the waters, "Edward, I know this may seem sudden, but I've been doing some thinking about becoming a vampire."

His hand in mine tightened just a little and he sighed, "I thought you were happy with how things were," he said softly, calmly.

"I am, but I, well, I sometimes feel like I don't give you enough. We can't make love as much as we want. I'm getting older everyday. Renesmee is happy and healthy and getting used to a busier life style. I think when we do this, we need to take her into consideration. If we wait until she's older how is she going to handle things when I'm turned?"

"First, let me assure you that you give me everything when we make love. I've never felt that I needed more from you. Second, you know age doesn't count for much with me. Renesmee is doing very well, but what is it going to be like for her when you are turned? I don't think there is any age that it won't affect her greatly. Bella, love, you don't need to be turned simply to be closer to me. I love you for all that you are now."

That was the trouble, I was happy, but there were times when I felt the pull to be more than I could be, to be someone who could protect her baby if that need arose, or help protect the other members of the family. Not wanting to cause any arguments between us I left it at that smiling as I heard our baby laughing.

It was noon by the time we got to the airport and Renesmee was not in a happy mood. I had crawled in the back an hour ago trying to settled her down, but her cries grew in volume and length. Once we were parked I quickly got her out and it only took a few seconds for her to settle down as she snuggled in my arms sucking on her fingers as she shut her eyes.

Edward opened our door and I let him take her, handing him a warm knit blanket which he wrapped around her as she drifted into a much needed rest.

The walk through the airport was really busy, but Renesmee stayed asleep as Edward carried her. We arrived at baggage claim as Charlie's flight landed, waiting thirty minutes before he was finally able to get to us. It was Renesmee he gave his attention to first and I just stood by my husband smiling. She didn't even wake up as Edward settled her in Charlie's arms.

"She's so much bigger," he said softly gently swaying her back and forth as Edward went to get his luggage.

"I know, she's finally catching up."

When we got to the car, I let Charlie sit in front with Edward in case Renesmee woke up again. He was staying with us until the twenty- seventh and I already had the guest room ready for his use. I listened as my dad told Edward about them starting to use tazers, and about more security measures they had put in place. It was nice to see him more comfortable being around my husband.

~Charlie~

Watching my granddaughter as she pulled herself up using her exersaucer amazed me, making me feel proud of such a big accomplishment. She was a strong little lady, and my nose was still hurting from where she had pinched it. I guessed that her doing that to the other members of the family didn't affect them the way it did me. I was babysitting while Bella and Edward did some shopping, and so far Renesmee was happy to have me around. She sat down on her bottom before getting on all fours, crawling over to the sofa I was sitting on. I held out my hands letting her grasp to them as she stood up again. "You are a big girl now aren't you?"

She smiled at me before stepping forward grasping the sofa instead of my hands as she began to chew on the edge. "Here, let's try and find something better," I said as I lifted her onto my lap. Instantly she began to struggle, so I put her back down before she could make a fuss.

"Anyone home?"

Alice walked into the den and when my granddaughter saw her I seemed to be forgotten. I stood and hugged Alice around the baby. "So, you've come to check up on us?"

"Not at all, I just wanted to say hello and see how you were doing. You know, we are all really happy you could come for a visit."

I sat down while Alice tickled the squirming baby in her arms. Renesmee laughed then turned wanting to be back on the floor. Once she was, she crawled over to her activity blanket and sat playing with a butterfly hanging from a soft loop.

"So whats new, Alice?" I had gotten used to the family my daughter had joined thanks to Billy and Jacob's support, though now I was privy to another secret, and felt like my world was shrinking. Jacob and the other boys on the reservation morphed into giant wolves, the same ones we had once hunted, though now their presence made sense, as did Jacob finding me the night I got shot.

"You know how glad I am that she's finally found a way to be happy," I said as Alice and I talked about Bella. Even so I worried for her. "Do you have any idea when she will become like one of you?"

"No, she hasn't been able to decide that fully for herself, and until she does I won't be able to see that future for her."

I nodded, "But you do see that coming?"

"Yes, it's just a matter of when at this point. Charlie, we think she is going to be able to handle being one of us better than any of the rest of us has, even Carlisle with what he told you. None of us had the choice. Since Bella is choosing this, it's likely going to be different for her."

I nodded again glancing at my granddaughter who was laying on her back chewing on her favorite Elephant toy. "What will Bella be like?" I had never asked this, not wanting to know until now.

"It may be simple for her, or it may take her while before she can be around you or another human."

"And the baby?"

"Renesmee is part of the reason Bella can't decide. We don't think she will hurt her because of the bond she has with her daughter, but we also have plans made if there is a threat."

I shut my eyes praying that my daughter wouldn't take that path.

Once Alice had gone, I put Renesmee in her highchair and got out the baby food Bella had written down for me to feed to her. "Alright, kiddo, lets see how you like this stuff."

I opened a jar of strained carrots and Renesmee had her mouth open before I could get the spoon in to get a bite for her. Bella was right, she really did seem to like eating solid foods.

~Bella~

Christmas Eve day was busy for us as we finished off wrapping all the presents we had gotten for Renesmee. Esme was already planning on clearing out her office to make a play room for my baby, and Alice was trying to convince us to use the third floor room for the same thing.

"Do you really need a whole room just to write a few papers?" Alice was saying as I sat on the sofa nursing my tired baby.

"I need someplace to focus, Alice, and I can't do that in the kitchen or my room," I said glancing down at my little girl. Her eyes were already shut, and I hoped she would take a good nap today. The past few days since Charlie's arrival her sleep schedule had been out of whack, though I figured it had more to do with the energy and excitement she was feeling from all of us.

"We could always build you one downstairs," Esme said and I had a feeling I wasn't going to win this one. "Alright, little girl, lets get you upstairs," I said pulling my shirt down as I stood up and settled my daughter against my shoulder. She opened her eyes briefly when we got to her room and fussed only a moment before she snuggled in to the mattress in her crib.

Back downstairs, I found Esme drawing up plans and smiled before going over to help Alice and Rosalie with the last of the presents. With their speed they had their stack done before mine, and helped me finish. "Where are we going to put all of this?"

Alice smiled at me and led me over to the huge tree. We were opening presents for the whole family here tonight. Tomorrow it would just be Edward, me, Renesmee and Charlie. A little later, I found myself in the kitchen helping Esme cook an entire Christmas dinner. I wasn't sure why we were going through all this. Charlie knew who they were, but Esme wanted this to be a special time and won me over when she said I could take home the leftovers.

That evening, after stuffing myself full of all the great food Esme had prepared and watching Charlie as he sat talking to Emmett about something, I didn't know if life could get any better than this. Renesmee was sitting on Rosalie's lap eating the sweet potatoes that Alice was feeding to her.

"What are you thinking?" Edward asked whispering in my ear.

"This feels like a dream," I admitted.

"Because you never imagined you would have Christmas dinner with a house full of vampires?"

I looked at him and smiled. We shared a kiss, pulling apart when Emmett began hooting and cheering us on. Edward politely got up went behind his brother and smacked his head before going over to get our daughter. We all followed him into the front room and while the rest of the family sat down on the sofas and chairs I sat with my husband and daughter in front of the Christmas tree among all the presents.

When they were all ready, I found a small present and held it in front of Renesmee. We all watched as she examined it and when she started to lose interest I ripped it a little bit. Renesmee looked at me and then the package pulling at the small piece I started for her. As it ripped a little more she giggled. "Give it another pull," I encouraged.

With my help we got the first present unwrapped. It was a small book with thick pages that would likely withstand her pulling and chewing on it, at least until she got a little bigger and stronger. "Look at this," I said letting her hold her new present. While she gave it a look over everyone else started giving each other gifts. While Edward held our baby I opened the one from Rosalie and Emmett and felt my face going red, glad Charlie was talking to Carlisle. It was another book on different ways to please your partner.

"Hey, Bella, that will go great with the Kama Sutra," Emmett said loud enough for my father to hear. I held my hands in my face not wanting my father to know about any of this. In a moment, my baby was in my arms and I watched as Emmett tore out of the house with Edward chasing him. Taking a breath and letting it go, I got another present for Renesmee to open knowing it would be a while before we made any progress in the huge stack.

~Edward~

It was quiet as Bella and I sat in our own home looking at the lights on our tree. Charlie had gone to bed as soon as we got home and Renesmee had fallen asleep long before we left Carlisle and Esme's house. "I can't believe how many presents she got," Bella whispered as I pulled her a little closer.

"I know, I don't think she knew what to do with all of that. I'm glad Esme is keeping most of it with her," I admitted.

"I'm glad we only got her a few things for here. Do you think we should make a play room for her?"

"Not at this point. She has enough room down here and in her room to explore. When she gets older we might discuss that, but by then we will be living someplace else."

We were quiet for a long time after that. When I realized Bella had fallen asleep, I got up and lifted her into my arms cradling her against me as I carried her upstairs. After putting her in our bed, I went down the hall to our daughter's room finding her sound asleep hugging the new stuffed bear Alice had gotten for her. "Merry Christmas," I whispered kissing her forehead.

The next morning was a shorter affair of opening presents than what happened at my parents house. After Bella and I cleaned up, we sat on the sofa. My wife sipped a cup of decaff while we watched Charlie helping Renesmee on her new scooter toy. She was strong enough to sit up on it by herself and was enjoying being pushed slowly around the room. Charlie held on to her back as he did and was having as much fun with her as Renesmee was with him.

"He's such a big kid," Bella whispered.

"I think we all are when it comes to playing with her. Are you ready for breakfast?"

"I don't know I'm still trying to recover from last night," Bella said. "We have enough left overs to last me into next month. I still can't believe how much food Esme made.

I nodded, "She's just happy to have someone to cook for, and she knows she won't always be able to do that," I pointed out thinking of Bella's desire to become like me. I still wished she would reconsider even though I had promised after we married to turn her.

"Sometimes, that's what makes it so difficult."

Our attention was drawn away from our conversation when Charlie called over to us. We both watched Renesmee as she stood on her own without holding on to anything. She was a few steps away from us smiling at Bella who held out her arms. In the next moment our baby took her first wobbly step. She was unsteady and I wanted to get up and run to her but I stayed where I was.

"Come on, your such a big girl," Bella encouraged as Renesmee got her balance. She took another step and fell forward, but Bella was there to catch her before she cold hit the floor. "You walked," my wife was saying hugging our baby as she laughed.

We were all surprised by that because she was so small. When she leaned toward me I let her stand on my lap. "You are such a strong girl," I told her as she smiled more at me before wanting back down.

For the rest of that day she would take a few steps at a time on her own, and by the time Charlie was ready to go back to Forks, Renesmee was all about walking, including trying to crawl up the stairs.

~Bella~

Once Charlie was gone, and the tree was down, I started feeling a little sad. I knew it was because my baby was changing so much, not like the baby in my dreams, but enough so that I wasn't sure what I would do about school next semester. Up in the office I sat at the computer downloading all the pictures we had taken at Christmas while Renesmee took a nap and Edward was hunting with the rest of our family.

I'd gotten a card from Renee. It was a picture of her and Phil on a beach in Jamaica. She sent a small note saying she missed me but that was about it. It was difficult not to send anything back or tell her about the baby, but I'd long since let all of that go because I knew she would never understand what my life was like now.

With the pictures uploaded on the computer, I shut down the program and went downstairs looking in on my baby before going to fix myself something to eat.

I felt alone, and tried to shake that off, knowing it was just a result of life returning to its normal speed. As I sat down at the table and looked out of the bay window I saw a man standing a little away from the house as still as a statue. I dropped the sandwich I had just picked up and when I blinked the person was gone. My heart began to beat fast when I realized that the person was another vampire. I grabbed my cell as it began to ring.

"Bella, are you alright?" Edward was saying.

"There was a vampire."

"It's not a vampire, love, I want you to go into Renesmee's room and lock the door and wait for us. We are on our way."

"Who is it?"

"Just go, love,"

I heard something break and screamed running up stairs as fast as I could. I slammed the door to our daughter's room and locked it not knowing why I was doing that. If it was a vampire or anything else for that matter, that door wouldn't hold them. Renesmee was already crying when I pulled her into my arms. I held her closer listening, but couldn't hear anything over her cries. The only thing I could think to do was to hide in her closet and once I was there I let her nurse so I could hear anything coming our way. There were more things being broken and Renesmee was whimpering. "Shh," I whispered trying not to panic.

I heard foot steps on the stairs and rocked my baby shutting my eyes praying that Edward would be here soon. Something began to bang against the door to Renesmee's' room but my baby remained quiet and I was grateful.

Suddenly, the banging stopped and I heard retreating foot steps on the stairs. There wasn't anymore noise but I was too afraid to move. Renesmee reached up and touched my face. "Shh," I told her, "We'll be okay. Your daddy will get here."

As I sat, I started to smell something burning and realized what it was. I walked out of the closet and smoke was coming in through the crack in the door. I knew not to open it and ran to Renesmee's window easily getting that open. I shouldn't panic, but I was as I tried to figure out what I needed to get. Edward was really far away and I knew I'd have to get me and the baby out on my own. Running back to her closet, I got the sling I hadn't used in forever and strapped it on before lowering her in. I got a few of her warm blankets and put those around her before running back to the window.

It was a clear sunny day, but bitter cold as I stepped out on the roof for once glad that we had a trellis not far from where we were. I sat on my butt ignoring how cold I was feeling and scooted my way down the roof while my baby began to scream.

"Bella," Edward shouted as he came out of the woods.

I felt a moment of relief before he was running toward the trellis. I got there as he arrived on the roof and he held on to me as I climbed down.

The rest of the family arrived as I looked at our house. It was going to burn to the ground and when I realized that I felt my knees giving out.

~*~

"Bella, love, can you hear me?"

Edward's voice drew me out of the blackness along with someone's fingers on my wrist. When I opened my eyes he was there along with Carlisle. We were in the guest room at his parents, and I couldn't for the life of me understand why we were here. "What's wrong?" Edward's eyes looked so sad, and it hit me. I sat up and felt the room spin, so I let my husband help me lay back down. "Where is Renesmee?"

"Esme has her."

"The house?" I asked feeling a huge lump in my throat.

"By the time the fire fighters got there it was to late," he whispered.

I bit my lip shutting my eyes, "Who?"

"It was a werewolf," Carlisle said and I opened my eyes again.

"Jake's pack?" I asked not wanting to believe that.

"No, love, a true Child of the Night. Alice was looking in on you and when she couldn't see you we knew something was wrong."

"But our house. All of our things. I know we can buy more but that was Renesmee's first home," I said through a sob. Edward held me rocking me back and forth and I held him trying to make sense out of this.

"Why would this person want to try and hurt me or the baby?"

"We don't know, love, but we are already making arrangements to leave," Edward explained and I heard the sadness and anger in his voice. This had to be a dream. I wanted to say that but the door opened and Esme walked in with our baby. I reached for her and in a moment she was in my arms. Edward wrapped his arms around us and I shut my eyes.

~*~*~

AN: As much as I love their family life, I felt it was time for things to start heating up again. I honestly didn't see this one coming but it just sort of worked itself out. So what's next??? I'll hopefully have another chapter up and ready for you guys before Monday though it might be Monday since I've got a long work week. Once again you all have made my day by sending out such great reviews. I'm so happy you like what I'm doing with this story. More soon.

~Ella~