Chapter 19: First

~Edward~

When I heard my wife's frustrated grumbling, I set down the first edition copy of King Arthur Bella had gotten me for our first Christmas as a couple and silently made my way to the third floor office. Bella was seated at the computer going over one of her online courses. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

My wife grumbled again, "It's not the work, it's this stupid connection. I can't get it to send." She started to get up but I laid my hand against her shoulder.

"We can figure this out together," I offered and she nodded looking back at the screen.

Reaching past her I clicked on the computer icon and went in to the internet connection finding the problem almost instantly. "The new firewall we installed is interfering. Click on the reconnect button," I told her.

Bella did as I said and the connection still didn't form properly. "Click on the start button. Now run." Once she had done that I typed in something and had her click run again. The screen came up with a few things she wouldn't understand until I explained them to her.

"You should sit down,"Bella offered.

I nodded and took her place, reaching out to gently pull her on my lap. "I think we managed to get a virus of some sort."

Bella sat on my lap watching me dig in to the files. I turned the computer off and after restarting it, went into the start up menu working as fast as I could. When I rebooted the computer I was able to isolate the problem and get rid of the virus thus fixing the connection.

"How did you learn all of that?" my wife asked.

"Not having to sleep has it's advantages," I told her getting Bella back into her work file. She sent it on it's way and leaned into my embrace.

"Charlie emailed me wanting to know if we were going to have a big celebration for Renesmee's birthday."

I tilted my head to the left brushing her hair out of the way before kissing her neck, "We need to discuss that," I breathed nuzzling her neck with my lips. I pushed away from the desk and Bella got up turning so that she was straddling my lap. Her lips were on mine in a demanding kiss and I parted her lips with my tongue while pushing my hands up her shirt to cup them around her breasts.

My wife moaned into our kiss shifting her hips against me as I reached behind her and unclasped her bra. As she pulled away from my lips gasping for breath, I watched her expression as I moved my hands against the fullness of her bare breasts. Her lids slid almost all the way shut as she leaned her head back, and I felt my length hardening as a result of her reaction and my own needs. Bringing my lips back against her neck I lightly nipped on the left side. Bella gasped out my name and I pushed my hand against the small of her back grinding in to her. For a brief moment I thought of our daughter, glad that she was with Carlisle and Esme as I reached down and pulled Bella's shirt up over her head while in the same moment watching as her bra dropped between us.

Leaning forward I nuzzled my lips against the hollow of her neck nipping lightly before I moved lower kissing the area above her right breast.

I felt my wife's hand pressing between us cupping around my hardened length. Her touch caused me to growl and at the same time I swirled my tongue around her nipple before drawing it into my mouth.

"Edward," Bella panted as her hands worked to get my pants undone. Once they were I lifted her away from me long enough to get those and my boxers out of the way. Bella took care of her jeans before she was straddling me once more. She grasped around my thickened member rubbing me at her entrance.

Not able to take another moment of being separated from her I flexed my hips while pushing my hand against Bella's bottom lifting her as I moved in to her. We both moaned and I held on to her hips helping my wife move against me while bringing my mouth back down to her breasts.

"Get your shirt," Bella breathed against me moving her hands to pull it over my head. Once she did her hands were all over my chest rubbing in circles as I shut my eyes focusing on moving in and out of her wanting to make this time last as long as possible. We had so little time without our daughter that when we did have time alone we needed to find a way to release the passion that was never far from the surface.,

When Bella rubbed her cheek against my chest I stilled my in and out movements cradling the back of her head with my hand. "Why did I take so long to allow this between us?" I whispered to myself more so than Bella.

"You had to find the strength to trust," she breathed kissing my chest, moving to the right until her hot tongue brushed across my left nipple. A growl formed low in my chest and I flexed my hips pulling her hard against me when she bit down. My Bella could never hurt me but what she was doing was driving me mad. I stood us up and she latched her legs around me as I stepped the rest of the way out of my jeans. Keeping my hands cupped at her bottom I pushed my wife up against the wall next to the computer shifting my hips away from her so that I was barely inside of her. I moved back in to my wife slowly, feeling her walls as they contracted around me pulling me back inside where I belonged. I kept that slow pace until I knew how close to the edge Bella was.

"Bella," I whispered as I kissed her lips once more. I thrust into her faster, moving all the way in and back out again. My wife cried out my name and her orgasm drove me to my own. I held her against the wall buried within her as her walls continued to contract around me. "I love you," I whispered over and over, kissing her lips tenderly before moving them to her left cheek and then her right.

Once we were both ready I helped Bella stand in front of me holding her against me until I realized she was too cold. That was the only thing about turning her that I would not miss.

"I think I'll try a shower," she said as we walked over to the clothes we had removed.

"I'll go and get Renesmee from my parents."

Before she left Bella turned and I lowered my head as we kissed briefly.

I went to the guest bathroom and had a quick shower before putting on a fresh set of clothes not needing to give Emmett any ammo.

When I arrived at the other house Renesmee was in the family room on the floor watching as her Uncle Jasper attempted to make a pyramid out of her building blocks. Upstairs I could hear Alice and Rosalie talking about something they were looking at, guessing that it had to do with Renesmee's birthday. I managed to make it to my daughter's side without distracting her, though as I knelt down she finally realized I was there and stood up coming into my arms. Her small hand went instantly to my cheek and she showed me an image of Bella. "Momma is at home, which is where we are going to go once I get your things gathered up," I said smiling as she watched me intently.

Since coming back from the Island she had perfected projecting images and that seemed to be her way of communication. It was rare she cried unless she was waking from a nap and we didn't get to her fast enough.

As I stood up Esme came with Renesmee's diaper bag smiling at both of us. "Give Grandma a kiss," I encouraged.

My daughter shook her head resting it against my shoulder. Something else that had started over the past few days was Renesmee's refusal to hug or kiss one of us when we were leaving.

Esme wasn't concerned and when she blew Renesmee a kiss, my daughter lifted her head and mimicked her, laughing as I draped a warm blanket over her.

It was chilly outside and I made my way back to the house as fast as I could wishing I would have brought the car. Half way back to the house my baby struggled to be let down. I knelt down and put her on her feet watching as she began to walk down the street on her own. This kind of cold didn't bother Renesmee, and in the safety of our property it didn't matter that she wasn't wearing anything other than her purple turtle-neck and her denim overalls. She made it farther than she ever had before she squatted down and began to grunt.

Realizing what she was doing I stood a little away from her, waiting for her to finish. Renesmee got back up and began to walk again lifting her legs a little higher up and out as she moved. We made it a few more steps before she turned around and held out her arms for me. "You walked a long way," I told her as I moved at a faster pace toward our house with her cradled in my arms.

Renesmee put her hand against my neck and showed me one of the many times she had been changed out of a messy diaper, reminding me of something Bella and I had discussed which was trying to potty train her. Esme recalled her past and said that as soon as a baby could walk the one's in her family were trained, but that it all depended on how much control she had.

Bella greeted us at the door taking our baby in her arms realizing why I had her cradled against me. I smiled as she left me at the door always marveling at what a great mother she was.

Much later after Renesmee had eaten dinner with Bella, and had a bath, we sat on the sofa sharing a story before bed time. Bella was holding her while she drank regular milk from her sippy, and my daughter's gaze never left my face as I read a chapter of Peter Pan. When I turned the page Renesmee lifted her arm holding her hand out for me to kiss. My baby responded with a smile before she began to drink again.

The chapter came to an end, and Renesmee pulled her sippy away almost tossing it to the floor before Bella caught it. She struggled to be put down and began to fuss when we stood up. Our baby leaned back from Bella and when I took her into my arms she struggled shaking her head back and forth. Since she was so worked up I carried Renesmee into the living room across the kitchen and once I was sitting at my piano she settled down. Bella sat beside us and once our daughter was cradled in her arms I began to play.

"Play Claire De Lune," Bella requested.

I smiled remembering the first time we discovered our similar tastes. As Renesmee began rubbing her eyes, I played softer watching as Bella began to rock her. I played through the song two times before our baby was fast asleep. Once she was we made our way to her room which was in the same place it had been in our first home. Bella laid her down without waking her and after tucking her in we moved to our own room.

"Do you remember how long we debated on having Esme make this house like our first one?" Bella asked seeming to be in tune with my thoughts.

"I do. Do you regret that?" I asked as Bella began to change into something for bed.

"No, this house works for us, and we have come a long way over the past few months haven't we?" Bella asked as she came over wrapping her arms around my chest.

"I think we have," I agreed as I lifted her until her bare feet were standing on my own.

My wife rested her head against my chest as I began dancing us slowly around our room humming what I had so recently played on the piano. We ended our dance with a gently searching kiss before I helped my wife into our bed.

~Bella~

Just as I was starting to fix lunch for me and Renesmee, my phone went off. I looked at the caller id, not surprised to find Jessica on the other end. Since seeing her in forks we had been emailing one another. She had plenty of questions about baby things and had sent a few pictures of her little boy. "How did your doctor appointment go?" I asked as I finished peeling an apple and began to cut it in slices. My daughter was in her highchair eating pieces of sliced ham and cheese putting her five front teeth to use.

"It was so sad holding him while he got his shots."

That was one thing I couldn't really sympathize wit her about since my daughter didn't require them. "Did Mike go with you two?"

"Yeah, he held my hand while Jack got the shots. He's getting better about it all. We both are. I switched to bottle feeding, trying to nurse him and pump is too hard to do," Jessica admitted.

I knew how hard it was but never regretted doing that for my daughter. At that moment Renesmee chose to screech.

"Listen I need to go before she has a fit."

Once we hung up I put the sliced peeled apples on my daughter's tray but her head was shaking. There were times I wished she would talk, but right now she didn't seem prepared for that. I wiped her left hand and pressed it to my cheek seeing images of Rosalie in front of the highchair feeding her. Renesmee's aunts had her very spoiled, and most of the time I tried to get her to feed herself. Today however I was feeling tired, and hoped after my baby ate we could both have a nap. After I helped her eat, Renesmee was happy and laughed a few times as she held out pieces of ham for me to eat.

A little later we were in my bed and as I rested on my side I rubbed my hand over my baby's back. Renesmee was on her tummy blinking sleepily at me, fussing a little when she could no longer keep her eyes open. "Shh," I whispered humming softly to her. Finally she fell into a much needed rest and I smiled letting my own eyes slip closed as I joined her.

At some point I felt her small body snuggling in to my own and held her closer knowing she was safe. The one thing I still had trouble with since losing our first house was letting her be alone when Edward wasn't here with us. We hadn't had anymore trouble from the Werewolf and Carlisle had been unable to find a suitable explanation for what happened that day.

When I woke up Renesmee was still asleep in my arms and my husband was resting next to her smiling at me. "How was your hunt?" I whispered.

"Longer than I would have liked. Alice and Rosalie would like for you to go to the house so they can start planning Renesmee's birthday."

For a moment I focused my gaze down out our baby. There was that feeling of loss almost that she was getting so big and didn't need me to nurse her anymore, or carry her around all the time. Growing older and more independent was how it was supposed to go, but it wasn't easy to let that happen. "I can't believe she's going to be one next week," I finally said looking back at Edward.

He had his hand resting against her back, "They grow up very fast," he agreed.

"Too fast," I said softly trying not to feel the sadness at her getting older. The other part to this was my transformation. Edward and I had talked about doing that before my twentieth birthday. "Do you still think I will be able to have more control than most newborns?"

"I believe that since you know what to expect it won't be as much a struggle for you as it was for the rest of us," he answered reaching over our daughter to cup his hand against my cheek. I shut my eyes still feeling incredibly tired even though I had been asleep for an hour and a half. Knowing I would never sleep tonight if I didn't get up, I carefully moved away from our daughter hoping she would sleep her normal two hours before she woke up.

In the huge bathroom Edward and I shared I turned on the cold water and splashed some on my face trying to feel more energized. It did help a little and after pulling my hair back and getting my coat I left my daughter and husband home and headed for the other house on foot. Charlie wanted us to have Renesmee's party in Forks and I thought about that but also how much we seemed to be on the go. It would be nice to just stay here and have one. Carlisle and Esme already agreed to help my father with plane fare, not that Charlie would accept that, but it was worth a go.

When I got to the other house Alice was waiting and pulled me inside showing me on the computer all of the fancy decorations they had for a toddler party.

"There is enough room in our yard to have that bouncy toy delivered, though maybe not since it's just Renesmee. But we could invite Angela and Ben, and maybe Seth if Charlie brings Sue along."

I sat in front of the computer trying not to feel overwhelmed by it all. I hadn't thought of my baby as a toddler, but that was starting to apply.

Just before I was about to go into overload I heard crying and was on my feet and downstairs as Edward came inside with our distraught daughter.

"What happened?" I asked as I brought her into my arms. Instantly she quieted shutting her eyes.

"When she woke up and you weren't there she became quite upset," he said.

"I'm sorry, baby," I whispered sitting down on the sofa as Renesmee snuggled against me.

Edward sat with us and I leaned into his arms needing him to hold me as I tried not to think about this party for our daughter and the stupid ache in my heart.

A moment later Rosalie arrived with a sippy cup and a small bowl of Cheerios. Renesmee sat up and began eating them but stayed huddled close to my body, and I began to wonder if she was picking up on my melancholy.

After she had eaten her snack, she joined Emmett, Rosalie, and Jasper on the floor glancing at me a few times as they worked on a puzzle with her. The pieces of the puzzle were giant in size and my baby liked to work on that sort as well as the peg kind.

"Do you want to go back and look at more ideas?" Alice asked.

"Not right now," I said content to stay where I was watching my baby. Alice smiled and joined the rest of them.

~Edward~

As Renesmee's birthday drew closer, I noticed how much quieter and withdrawn my wife was becoming. At night when we would lay in bed, I tried to get Bella to tell me what she was feeling, but she kept telling me it was nothing to be concerned about. Now as we prepared for bed, my thoughts were on this evening and how Bella had snapped at Alice about the party plans. What surprised me was that Alice hadn't seen this in a vision, and after it happened my wife had run out of the house again not talking to me when I caught up with her. She wasn't any happier now since I asked Esme and Carlisle to keep Renesmee over night and I was determined to get Bella to talk to me.

Once she was dressed for bed she laid down and I moved to join her but she rolled away from me. "I just need to be alone," she whispered.

"You have been needing that for a week and a half," I said.

I heard her heart rate pick up but she didn't say anything.

"Is it because of the party? We don't have to make this so big."

"I don't know what it is Edward," she said as she rolled over finally looking at me. I settled beside my love, reaching out to tuck her hair away from her face.

"I keep thinking about Renesmee growing up into an adult. I keep seeing her aging while we stay young," Bella took in a few deep breaths and I pulled her into my arms. "I'm so stupid. We don't know what her future will be like, and here I am just freaking out," Bella whispered her voice shaking as I felt her tears against my chest.

For a few minutes I just held her letting her work her way through the storm of emotions she was dealing with. When Bella was calm again I kissed the top of her head. "Why don't you and I celebrate Renesmee's birthday alone on that day, and let our family have their party for her the following weekend."

I felt her head nod and shut my eyes.

"How do you feel about her future? I know we discussed this before she was born but I want to support you the same way you do me."

"Sometimes I'm terrified to let her grow up wondering what kind of world she will be a part of. I wonder if she will be able to function in the world better than one of us, and sometimes imagine the day when she no longer needs us because she wants to do it all on her own," my wife's lips pressed against my neck and when she lifted her head I leaned in and took her lips gently with my own.

"I worry about her not wanting to go away from us because we all shelter her. I don't want her to not need us but I also want her to have the courage to want to explore her world."

I kissed her again, "She already has your courage. Today when I was bringing her home she walked most of the way in front of me excited because she was doing it all on her own."

My wife smiled at me and I reached out stroking the backs of my fingers over her cheeks, "We just have to take it one day at a time as we have been."

Bella nodded resting her cheek back against my chest. "Thank you for helping me see that this isn't so bad, her growing up."

"Thank you for being my best friend and giving me the courage to love you with all that I am."

~*~

As my family and our friends gathered around the large dining room table, Renesmee hid her face against my neck. They all began to sing but very quietly and after a moment Renesmee peeped out every now and again smiling at different people before she would hide again. After we sang to her I rubbed my hand over her back. "Look at the cake Grandma made for you," I whispered seeing everyone's faces playing over in her mind. I felt suddenly calm and was grateful for my brother and his ability. Once Renesmee felt that, she looked at the cake and Bella helped her blow out the single candle.

Again everyone was quiet as they cheered for her, and once Alice put a special birthday bib around her neck I reached out and dipped my finger in some of the vanilla frosting offering that to my daughter.

Renesmee furrowed her brows looking at me before she leaned forward and took her first taste.

When she reached out for the entire cake we all laughed and she smiled wanting to try more.

Charlie and Sue had come with Seth, and Ben and Angela had also come in for our celebration. They were the only one's aside from the rest of my family here and that was plenty. As Renesmee sat on my lap eating the cake Rosalie was feeding her, Seth told me about how dull life was now that there weren't any vampires around. "Jacob and Sam still make us run around nightly to check things out," Seth said softly.

"It may be dull, but you have to consider that it also means that other young men your age won't endure that change," I reminded him as Alice called us all to join her in the family room.

"Present time," I said when Seth gave me a questioning look. He was quickly growing from the young boy who had stayed by Bella's tent and helped me with Victoria into a young man, and I felt proud that I could watch him make that transition.

In our family room I found Bella sitting on the floor and handed our baby to her before sitting beside her. Renesmee hid in my wife's arms and fussed a little until Jasper calmed us all again.

Charlie was the first one to offer his present one from he and Sue. I helped my daughter open it and pulled out a hand sewn quilt.

"Sue thought it would be nice for her on cold winter nights," Charlie said.

"Thank you," I told her as Bella said the same thing.

She smiled at us nodding once, and I was grateful that she was willing to be a part of this for Charlie's sake.

By the time all the presents were opened, Renesmee was more interested in the big box her power-wheels motorcycle had come in than anything else. Jasper and Emmett were trying to make a fort for her, but Renesmee had other ideas and my brothers soon had to give up.

Bella and I were sitting together on the sofa talking to Ben and Angela. They had gotten Renesmee a few of those giant puzzles she loved to work on.

"What do you have planned for the summer?" Bella asked Angela as Ben got up to get something to drink. He seemed edgy and Alice said he had worked out the same conclusion Angela had about our true nature, but that like Angela he respected us too much as friends to ever betray us. I followed him over to the little buffet table and he took a long drink of fruit punch before he looked at me.

"Sorry, I've been so quiet," he said.

"There is no need to be sorry. Bella and I were glad you and Angela could be here."

He nodded, "So is it safe?"

"You and Angela are in no danger here," I assured feeling more calm washing over me. After that Ben was more relaxed and talked about what he and Angela were going to do for the summer and his Internship with an architect firm in Seattle.

By the time we arrived home, well after Renesmee's bedtime, our daughter was still awake but in a pretty good mood. While Bella showed Sue and Charlie where they would be sleeping, in the guest bedroom downstairs, I took my daughter into her room and got out a soft light weight sleeper from her dresser along with a clean diaper before caring her over to the rocking chair.

When I laid her down on my lap, she smiled up at me reaching for me. I kissed her right hand before putting it to my cheek already seeing what she was going to show me. Her mind was overloaded with everything she had done today and she showed me some things twice before I moved her hand and began to get her undressed. "You had a big birthday today. You are a year old," I told her in effort to explain all of this to her.

Gently, I sat her up once her overalls were undone and eased her shirt over her head. As I lifted her up Bella came in and helped me get her overalls off of her.

My wife watched the images in our daughters mind as I got Renesmee into her clean diaper and pajamas.

"I thought maybe we could put her in bed with us," Bella said softly.

"I think given all she has been through that might be a very good idea. Why don't you get settled and I'll go get her sippy."

Downstairs, I prepared the blood warming it under water before putting it in Renesmee's sippy. In our room I found our daughter in Bella's arms rubbing her eyes as Bella rocked her. "Look what Daddy has for you," Bella said.

When she saw me Renesmee reached for me wanting me to hold her. I cradled her against my chest and settled in bed against the stack of pillows putting my free arm around Bella as our daughter drank from her purple cup. "Happy Birthday," Bella and I said at the same time once her eyes shut.

We gave her kisses and once she was asleep I settled back against the soft pillows holding the two most important people in my arms as they fell asleep. This first year with our daughter had been a long journey but one filled with joy and I was ready for the future where ever it may take us.

The End for Now..read below the squiggles

~*~

AN: Where to begin. First of all I want to once again send out my thanks to everyone who took the time to read this story and review it. I didn't intend for it to end here but this seems logical. I know Bella isn't a vampire and again I hope you guys don't flog me for this change. I'm doing a second story that goes with this called Family which if all goes well should be posted some time in the next few days. I didn't intend to take a certain route but once a few of you reviewed and liked a certain idea it took over so that's the reason for the sequel. Before you groan at me too much, that story is already a pretty big leap into their future. Renesmee is two and is much more her own person in that story already. Bella's going to be turned before she is past her twenty first birthday which isn't to much of a stretch between her and Edward's ages and won't be long in happening from the start of the story. Other than that if you are interested and willing be looking for Family.

~Ella~