Okay, so this is the first chapter after a bit of a time jump. I've never really liked it in stories when authors skip months at a time - but I feel like I really needed to get myself back on pace. So there was a small 1-2 month grace period.

I know its passed the holidays right now, but hopefully the festive nature of the next couple of chapters is still interesting :D

And at Biomedwiz, you can expect a more traditional date between Nate and Edward in a couple of chapters! Definitely more fluff coming up.

Enjoy !

Nathan

Christmas eve at the Cullen's.

Alice went to town on the decorations. That's really all that I can use to describe how absolutely and frighteningly festive the Cullen's house looked. Gargantuan silk-organza bows were tied across nearly all of the trees surrounding their home. There were mistle-toes at every possible corridor; Edward had been taking advantage of those…they were definitely my favorite addition of Alice's. The actual Christmas tree was…just like most things at the Cullens…over the top, perfect, and shockingly beautiful.

I'd been spending enough time here that it was quickly feeling more like home than my Aunt's house. I would have never guessed this place could have such a warm atmosphere from my first visit. Of course that was under very different circumstances…being tied to the medical table probably didn't help my opinion of this place either.

It had been nearly two months since Edward and I met , but in this very short period my life has been changed immeasurably. These past couple of months were perfect in every way. The reason they were perfect? I spent as much time as inhumanly possible with Edward.

Even though it hasn't been very long – we have a connection that sings with s sort of permanence. I really can't explain it, the only practical reasoning I can muster is that both Vampires and Sidhe very rarely fall in love, so maybe things were just more powerful when that did actually occur. Was this what happened to all…non-humans? I had no idea. If I wasn't so absolutely terrified of what my mother would think of Edward I would have asked her by now.

Speaking of my mother, we were going to be seeing her very soon. Yes… we.

I guess the Cullens didn't normally celebrate anything Christmas related with the exception of gift-giving. Of course the entire family relished any possible opportunity to give each other things, although I have no idea how they did it. How do you buy a present for someone who already has everything? However they all seem genuinely excited about Christmas this year. Edward said that I was kind of an excuse to be so festive. A new addition to the family they'd explained. I liked the sound of that.

I was both excited and a little uncomfortable being the catalyst for their break of routine. Every time I whined about the trouble that they were going through Edward reminded me that it was just as much for them as it was for me. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves; even Rosalie.

I begged them not to buy me anything. As far as I was concerned they'd done enough for me by simply allowing me into their world. Edward…I had to admit…I was eager to see what he'd get. He asked several times and I just replied 'Something simple and intimate'

Being the son of a fashion legend – I was more than acquainted with the world of tangible objects. Maybe because I lived in such a vain and petty realm, sentimental and made gifts seemed so much more appealing. I'd probably spent around 10,000 dollars on gifts between all of them which wasn't breaking my bank by any means…but I was willing to guess it was an astronomical number for most of Forks; especially on people I'd known only for months.

Edward's gift…a trip to Hong Kong with me to meet my mother. Edward was resilient in his quest to meet her. I'd said no a number of times but eventually he got to me – I hated seeing the disappointment in his eyes when I told him I wasn't ready, even though he'd never intentionally make me feel guilty. So even if I would be terribly uncomfortable and somewhat mortified for the bulk of the trip – it made him happy so it was well worth it. Plus, after meeting my mother, we had several days all alone. I could think of a couple things we could do that that time…

If it was up to me I would spend every living, waking moment with Edward. In fact I tried to cut my usual sleep time down so there was more time to spend with him. Unfortunately, that didn't last very long. He was quite adamant about me getting a minimum of seven hours of sleep a night. No one could sleep that long with the temptation of perfection next to them while they slept.

The two of us developed a schedule. My aunt spent the night at her boyfriend's several nights a week – so I spent those nights here at the Cullen's. At first Edward seemed reluctant about the idea, using the excuse that he didn't have a bed in his room as practical reasoning. In the end I'd won – because regardless of what happened here we wouldn't need to hide. Something that up until this point – seemed like an impossibility for me.

My mouth erupted in a crabby groan once I woke up. My eyes were still heavy with sleep from the night before. What time was it? I opened my eyes, having to blink away the blurriness so that my phone was readable. 10 am, ugh. Edward reminded me that I would regret staying awake until 4 am last night – he was right. I curled up in a ball and tangled myself in the blankets even more so I could soak up as much warmth as possible.

Normally I had Edward next to me the second I awoke. But this morning he wasn't here on the very small (yet still preferable) futon that I was completely dominating right now. I always wondered how he managed to look graceful lying on the daybed while I took up literally as much space as possible. I've always been a greedy sleeper.

"We're going hunting tomorrow. Emmett and I will go early enough that I'll be here when you wake up." Edward's voice echoed in my memory.

Without Edward there seemed to be very little reason to actually get up from my crypt of covers. I grinned at my pun, how appropriate in a house of Vampires.

I stretched the sleep away from under blankets and let out a small moan while my muscles warmed up. I'd finally reached a point of familiarity with this room so that I didn't wake up with "Where the hell am I?" screaming in my head.

After getting up from the futon, I fumbled with my backpack until I pulled out a fresh pair of pants and a t-shirt. Although spending half of my week here was absolutely amazing, living out of a bag during it wasn't my favorite thing in the world. Oh well – it was more than worth this small sacrifice. I'd been very careful not to complain about this either; otherwise I'm sure I'd wake up to my own walk-in closet or something equally impossible.

Something that I'd noticed after spending more time in the Cullen's home was the ridiculous lack of mirrors. Then again, who needs a mirror when you look perfect 24/7? I wasn't about to walk halfway across the house to the nearest bathroom to make sure I looked alright, the Cullens felt like family, and you don't do that for family.

I tripped over my feet most of the way to Alice's room; the sensation of sleep still looming over me.

Alice's room was very similar to Edward's and the rest of the house. The design was clean, minimal, and timeless. The coloring was some shade of beige with navy highlights. As I walked into Alice's room I saw two large Louis Vuitton suitcases propped open while she went about choosing clothes at her super-human speed. I'd warned her not to go anywhere the next couple of days because of some plans I made – so why was she packing?

"Hey Alice." I yawned – plopping myself on the only part of her bed that wasn't littered with clothes.

"Morning" She beamed. "How did you sleep?"

"Not bad." I admitted, trying to hide the depression that curled inside me from not waking up next to Edward.

"They're on their way back" Alice addressed my worries as if she could hear my thoughts.

"Oh, good." Suddenly in higher spirits, I looked around the room innocently in hopes that I'd make some connection. No one knew about the trip besides Edward and Esme – and neither of them would ever relinquish such information. I'd threatened them with cloves of garlic and crucifixes. They weren't very effective, but neither of them would tattle regardless.

"Alice. What are you packing for?" Not keeping any suspicion out of my voice.

"Nothing" she lied calmly. Her voice was the same unnatural evenness that she always used when she wasn't telling the complete truth. Suddenly, no…conveniently, Alice became very absorbed in her packing. She stood there completely still with black dresses held in front of her; her eyes carefully examining each detail. With often as Alice revamped her wardrobe (no pun intended), I seriously wondered how much money they spent on clothes annually.

After all, I was well acquainted with the two dresses she held up. One was your classic Chanel 'little black dress' and the other was actually my mother's design. Both dresses were over 1500 Euro. I was betting that was on the cheaper end of the spectrum for Alice.

"Ditch the Chanel" I commented. She nodded in agreement and threw the Chanel dress in the 'out' pile.

"Do you like it?" I asked ambiguously – on the rare chance she really didn't know what I'd planned.

"Like what?"

"Alice, you're so caught." I teased.

Even though Edward constantly reminded me that I didn't need put stress on myself about gifts for him and his family I couldn't help Cullens have just about everything – so getting them anything was usually a task in itself.

Plus…they all meant a lot to me – so I wanted to exploit this holiday and give them something they would actually enjoy, which proved to be much more difficult than I'd originally thought.

The clout that both my mother and I had in the fashion industry had its benefits sometimes. Hong Kong Fashion week was in a couple of days; so I'd gotten both Rosalie and Alice front row seats in every possible show after during or after twilight. It was also supposed to rain one of the two days so they had free reign to go wherever they pleased. It seemed creative enough – and something that they haven't done before. Which for a family with unlimited resources , none of them under 60 years old, new experiences were few and far between.

Alice's expression told me everything. If that wasn't been enough she jumped on me and assaulted me with a very tight hug.

Once she pulled away she said enthusiastically

"I love it Nate!! I wanted to tell you earlier but Edward made me promise not to tell you! Hm…he's going to be upset that you know that I know." Her bottom lip extended while she considered the consequences for her mistake.

I smiled at Edward's gesture. Even thinking his name made even sitting difficult knowing his absence. I hoped he got home soon. I was helplessly addicted to Edward.

"Don't worry about him. Do you think Rosalie will like it?"

Things with Rosalie were…on thin ice. I'm pretty sure she didn't hate me. But she made very little attempt to hide the fact that she thought I was intruding on their life. And of course, putting them at great risk. Our friendship was slowly growing though – and she even smiled every so often in my presence. Progress.

"She will." Alice remarked with utmost confidence.

"You didn't tell her did you!?"

"Oh of course not. I saw it though, she's going to have fun, buy a ton of stuff too."

Oh god. Had she seen Edward's present?

"Uh…Alice…did you see what I got Edward?" I questioned her reluctantly. If she had seen it he certainly would have gotten a glimpse of it.

"Not entirely, I've been trying to avoid looking for you two. I caught a glimpse of it but I've been covering my tracks pretty well – he has no idea. He'll be thrilled to meet her."

"That makes one of us." I grimaced.

Alice continued to meticulously sort through her wardrobe while I curled myself up on the pillows of her small bed. There were still a couple of things I needed to finish before the day was over. Put the final details on the painting for Esme and Carlisle. I spent most of my time the past month either painting or melting over Edward. Usually simultaneously when I had the strength to look away from my love and focus on the canvas.

And then the other errand…I needed to call my Aunt and tell her I would be going to Hong Kong. Ugh, it seemed like such a draining and unnecessary task. All of the plans had already been made. This was one of the many times that I wished I lived with the Cullens every day. Most of Forks probably wouldn't even be surprised – Edward and I never left each other's presence even in the public eye. Except for those deplorable sunny days…I hated those days.

"I'll be back in a sec." I said, leaving Alice to pick out the plethora of shoes she intended on packing for the four-day trip while I went back to Edward's room to get my phone.

My foot tapped impatiently on its own accord while the dull ringing of the phone buzzed in my ear. 'Please don't pick up' I wished while it reached the 6th buzz. A voicemail would be so much simpler – I could avoid all of the unnecessary questions that she was bound to ask.

Thankyou, voicemail.

'This is Clarice. Leave a message and I mightget back to you!" her voicemail repeated to me in a flirtatious tone.

"Hi Clarice. I'm going to Hong Kong to see my mom, I'll be back in a week. Call Eliziah if you have any questions." And hung up.

I sighed for no particular reason and went to the kitchen to make myself some breakfast. The kitchen really was beautiful. Stocked with every possible kitchen appliance, and since I started spending more time here, was always stocked with a lot of fresh produce. I wanted to complain, explain to them that none of this was necessary. But if I've learned something…Esme especially…loves giving things. She does this just as much for herself as she does for me. Sometimes she felt more like a mother than my own.

When would Edward get here? I tapped the spoon to the edge of a bowl I'd just pulled out impatiently. I poured some cereal and took a seat at the kitchen table, walking a bit faster than normal, trying to sidestep the cold tile on my bare feet. The house was eerily empty for a Saturday. Maybe Carlisle went to work for over time…I hoped this had nothing to do with some top secret plan about tomorrow.

Then I heard the distinct sound of the door opening. I rejoiced and started engulfing my cereal so fast I almost choked. I should have known by now, really. Edward was next to me before I heard the door swing shut. His eye color was always more intense right after he fed, when he looked at me I felt like I would melt just like the molten topaz in his eyes.

"Good morning." He grinned and kissed me. The taste of blood was still evident on his lips. Edward went to the seat next to mine and looked at me all smiles.

"Full?" I teased, taking another mouthful of cereal.

"Very. I feel like a glut."

"Good, You'll be ready for tomorrow then!" I said cheerfully.

He rolled his eyes. "Its been a very long month, you know. You haven't let me hear your thoughts even once."

"Hopefully it'll be worth it. It's incredibly difficult hiding things from you, you know." I fought back the grimace at the thought of my mother and Edward sitting and chatting over lunch. "By the way, I know that Alice knows about my gift." I added nonchalantly

Edward muttered something that I couldn't understand and suddenly looked irritated. "Its not her fault, I saw her packing. Its really okay." I smiled and leaned toward him for a kiss. He met me half way and I could feel my heart jump when the coolness of his breath hit me in the face – only to have the sensation of his lips against mine moments later.

The rest of the day was oddly relaxing considering we were planning a trip out of the country for the next day. Maybe I was just used to running amuck doing things last minute before a trip. Edward and I spent the entire day in his room with the door closed, just in case Esme or Carlisle wanted to come him, I didn't want them to risk them seeing their painting early. They must have had a vague idea of what I was doing – after all, a large draped object sitting complacently in the corner of Edward's room wasn't exactly inconspicuous.…I just hoped my good intentions paid off. Edward swore to me that they would like it; especially Esme, but you never know. It also wouldn't be the first time Edward said something simply to comfort me.

"What are you thinking?" Edward asked me with his silky voice that made me turn around to look at him. It was more of a stare really. I had a habit of just gazing in astonishment every time I saw him.

"A lot of things. How come?"

"Once I got used to hearing your thoughts I went right back to being in the dark." He pouted.

I turned around and went to the couch. At first I was just going to sit next to him; but straddling him seemed so much more appropriate. 'Remember Nate. Self Control.' I reminded myself. I never was very disciplined.

I grinned at him wickedly " What do you think I'm thinking?" My arms wrapped around his neck, my fingers idly brushing in skin.

"Nothing good, I'm sure." Returning my grin while he leaned me forward with no visible effort so that we were close enough to feel one another's breath. We sat there intertwined. I closed my eyes and focused on the sensation of our bodies touching. My head found its usual place and balanced perfectly in his clavicle. A smile touched my lips when his sweet scent reached my nose. No matter what was going on, I would always feel perfectly safe in his arms.

I'm not sure how much time passed as we lay there in silence – but we watched as the winter sun slowly faded into twilight – and then to complete darkness.

"This was an uneventful day." Edward whispered in my ear. He didn't sound upset about that fact. Actually, he seemed to be in a very good mood despite his choice of words.

"More like the perfect day. I had you to myself all day." I smiled.

"I'm pretty pleased with the results too. I should take you home though…Your Aunt is going to want you home for Christmas." Edward started to move me from our stagnant position before I had the chance to reply.

"She thinks I went to Hong Kong for Christmas." I added smugly.

"So you'll be spending the night again?"

"Only if you want me to." I couldn't help but ask him – a small part of me waited in fear for the time he said 'no.'

"You know I do. Esme will be happy you'll be here for the morning too."

"Is morning when you usually give your gifts then?"

"Not typically. This year we are though."

"What? Why?" I asked although I already knew the answer. I hate it when they changed things on my behalf.

"They figured it would be more traditional, you know waking up and opening gifts…And since we don't sleep we've opened them Christmas eve night in the past." Edward explained in a cold and analytical voice. There was also an air of finality to it, he'd expected me to argue.

"And me making a fuss about that will just make things more difficult."

Edward grinned at me in silent agreement.

I guess it didn't really matter. This was going to be the best Christmas ever. It didn't matter when we opened gifts, because I had Edward, and he was the best gift of all.