AN: I don't own Twilight (don't I wish) and all the errors here are my own.

This chapter may seem like fluff, but there are some important bits in here. We'll get back to Edward and Bella shortly. There will eventually be some lemons, but not for a while. The Cullens have a number of things to sort through and Edward and Bella don't need to rush anything. They are still young!

Chapter 9

Carlisle POV

When I first injected Edward I wasn't sure what to expect. I had never prescribed medication to any patient without having gone through the proper steps of a medical trial. Skipping some phases was a huge risk, but those risks far outweighed the benefits.

I was anticipating a similar reaction to this change as to there was in the change from human to vampire. Needless to say, I was blown away when the only response Edward had to the antidote was to fall asleep. He looked so peaceful. I suddenly understood how every parent felt as they watched their on sleeping child. Then, twenty hours after the injection, he took his first real breath. If I could have cried, tears of joy would have been pouring down my cheeks.

I had taken several vials of blood from Edward's now full veins to run tests. So far, I had completed all the regular tests, (CBC, lipids, thyroid, etc.) and everything was perfect. Now, all I had left was to examine his DNA and look at genetic markers. It was a fascinating to see that Edward's body had reverted to the healthiest version of his human self. It was as if his body had been cryopreserved.

Just as I finished putting the remaining vial of Edward's blood into the laboratory refrigerator, Esme came bouncing into the room with a smile that went straight to her eyes. "Carlisle, he's perfect! It's amazing."

"Where is he now?"

"He is in the kitchen being forced to eat a five course meal while the rest of the kids stand around and stare. Jasper looks as if he could vomit and the girls keep piling his plate with more and more food. Emmett is sitting across from him throwing question after question at him about the taste, texture, and smell of every bite. I thought if I moved away, maybe they would all get the hint and let him eat in peace."

I had to laugh at the image she painted. "Not likely."

She looked at the table and saw my notes. "Are you happy with the results of his blood work?"

"Yes, it's all perfect!"

"So does that mean we can all take the injection any time?"

I looked up at Esme and saw the look in her eyes. She wanted to change now, today. "I will leave that up to each one of you. I have a lot to do before I make the change though. I need to talk to our friends and our family in Alaska. Also, I will need to make a trip to the Volturi to explain."

"When will you make the calls?"

"Soon. I have a feeling you are anxious to move onto the next phase of our lives, and I want to be able to join you quickly."

"I won't change until you do, Carlisle. Actually, maybe I should go with you to see the Volturi. I don't like the idea of you presenting this to them on your own."

"If you would like to come I won't stop you, though I wish you wouldn't. Despite Alice's vision, I don't know exactly how they will react."

"Well, we'll discuss it when the time comes. In the meantime, shall we start a bit closer to home? I think our children would like to experience a new type of lifestyle."

Our children—would I still be able to consider them my children once we were all human. Our ages were all so close; Esme was 26, I was 23, Emmett and Jasper were both 20, Alice was 19, Rosalie was 18, and Edward was the baby at 17. We would more than likely be viewed as siblings in the "real" world now. That will be an adjustment on my part, but I think I might enjoy being the big brother.

Esme must have read the worried expression on my face. She reached out, held my hand, and asked "Penny for your thoughts, Love?"

"We won't be 'parents' anymore. The world will view us as their siblings or cousins. But there is no way anyone will buy that these are our children. How strange."

"We can still be parents, Carlisle. We can always have children. If we revert back to the age we were when we changed, I was only 26. We still have lots of time to have children—and I want a whole house full."

A grin crept across my face at that thought. Children that are part Esme and part me. "I can't wait to get started."

"You know, until then, we can always practice!" My wife glanced at me from under her lashes with a familiar look. There was nothing more beautiful in the world than this woman. I felt a stirring in my groin so before it got too pronounced, I picked her up and raced up the stairs to our bedroom. I might feel the need to practice quite a bit between now and then!

Edward POV

Oh my God, this is amazing! My sisters wasted no time in making me a full five-course meal. Alice prepared a gorgonzola polenta, wild mushroom soup, and an apple and goat cheese salad. Rosalie added an almond crusted chicken with asparagus, and a warm apple and cinnamon turnover. I was able to take about two bites of each, but with every food I try, I find a new favorite.

Jasper and Emmett sat and stared. I couldn't take it anymore. "What?!"

"What's it like?" Emmett looked both disgusted and intrigued at my new diet.

"What do you mean? Don't you remember eating?"

"Not really. It's all a blur."

"Well, it's all amazing. Thanks, Alice. Thanks, Rose. But really, I can't eat anymore. I'm stuffed."

I had not felt this completely satisfied in decades. The water I drank with the meal actually quenched my thirst and the food satisfied my hunger and then some.

I spent the rest of the day testing my "new" body. I discovered that speed and agility left with the venom. Emmett took great pleasure in throwing things toward shouting "think fast" only to have me miss most of the objects. It was funny when it was small objects like pens and DVD cases, but it started getting old when he began throwing plates and glasses. When he picked up the Waterford crystal vase, he received a blow on the back of his head from Esme followed by Rosalie.

Around 11 o'clock at night, my eyes were closing so I excused myself and climbed into my new bed. It felt like a little piece of heaven on earth. My next first was one I hadn't realized how much I missed. That night, I dreamed.

By Monday morning, I was excited to go to school. I had spent some time alone yesterday, walking in the forest. It was time when I was able to get my thoughts together and I had come to some conclusions.

First: this would be the last time I sat through high school. Not that I was sorry, but I decided I was going to embrace the experience this time. That meant participating in some of the extracurricular activities, making friends outside of my family, and making sure that I was challenging myself academically.

Second: I only had one more shot at college. I would have to choose a major that would translate into a job in the long run. I would have to really think about how I wanted to spend my adult years. That would be new for me.

Last: Bella. I knew I was irrevocably in love with Bella and I wanted to share my life with her. In order to do that, I had to be able share my history with her. I had to figure out a way to tell her about the all of this.

My first morning back had gone well. I participated in class more so than I used to and even learned a few new facts in my math class. Gym was the class I feared. My physical abilities were a lot less now, but it turns out, I was able to keep up with the humans quite well. I actually still excelled athletically. Maybe I would go out for a sport.

By the time I reached the lunchroom I was starved for two things: lunch and Bella.

Lunch was easily taken care of with a sandwich and salad. Alice had taken it upon herself to make sure my diet was healthy no that I was no longer immortal so I knew better than to show up at the table without something green on my plate.

It wasn't until I settled into my seat and tucked into my salad that Bella appeared. She sat down in the seat next to mine and laid down her tray. She turned to me and smiled "Hey, welcome back. How was Alaska?"

"Err, Alaska was OK. Cold, you know. I'm just happy to be back. How was your week?"

"Slow. You didn't miss much in biology."

That was all it took to get the conversation rolling. By the time the bell rang, I had caught up on the time we were apart and was ready to move to the next level. "So Bella, are you free Friday night?"

AN: Up next, the date!

As I go through this story, if there is any human experience in particular you would like to see the vampires doing, let me know!

I would love to know what you all think of this story. Review are really appreciated!