Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns Twilight, but not Merged Souls

Authors Note: Thanks P!

Chapter 18

EPOV

I would have loved to say that time marched on, but that would have meant that life was normal and sweet. The only thing normal that happened over the next while was my lovely wife receiving her High School diploma through the mail. She had completed her senior year through home schooling in short order, but had to stagger the submission of her assignments, in order to appear human. And despite my attempts to interfere and distract her she still graduated with honours.

The Italians would be converging on Forks over the next 24 hours. Demetri was due to arrive later today, he was the only Italian that had fled to North America. He was driving here from Kelowna, British Columbia. Alec, Chelsea and Jane would arrive tomorrow, from Russia, and Heidi was flying in from London, on the red eye after a layover in New York.

Alice and Jasper had come home, in order to greet the guests and spend some time with the family. They would be returning to the Seattle property, once the initial indoctrination of our new friends had taken place. Kate, Irina, Sara and Tebryn had stayed in Seattle, and Joham was leaving today to join his mate.

Sabina had been looking for properties in Canada and the states adjacent too our area. She would not be returning to Rio, now that Tebryn had found his true mate in Irina. But she was still hoping that Marcus would ask her to join him in Seattle. Her attraction for him was out of loneliness, the vague memories of her human feelings of love and a shared history, though it was not a mating bond it was still strong.

Simon had expressed a desire to stay in North America and to attend University. That decision I believe was driven by a desire to remain close to Beth. It was unclear whether we would be having a permanent house guest, or if he would live with his foster mother Sabina or Marcus. Ruby would be staying with us for the foreseeable future, possibly attending Hugh School as a senior. But nothing was carved in stone. Decisions made now might have to change depending on what happens in the future.

Charlie and Carol had finally decided that there was more to their relationship then just being friends with benefits. And since Charlie would be ready to return to work, probably in the next month, he had decided to take Carol away for a short vacation. Esme had offered them Isle Esme, but they didn't want to be that far away. Instead Carlisle gave them the keys to our mountain home in Montana just outside of Yellowstone when they dropped by to have dinner with the triplets before leaving. Charlie had stayed out of the way through all the Tanya drama and when the South Americans had arrived, not that they would have hurt him but he said that their eyes really creeped him out. He did get to meet Simon when he went fly fishing with us while Bella sat her exams with Esme.

We had been fishing about three hours, when Charlie decided to take a break and we all waded back to the bank of the river, to sit for awhile with him. So I was surprised when Charlie asked me. "Have you checked him out yet Edward? He seems like a good catch and Beth won't be a baby for long, still your family has a substantial fortune and interests worldwide, I wouldn't want her to marry a gold digger." Then he had the nerve to snigger, when I looked askance at him he said: "I'm just looking out for my granddaughter, after all its better the devil you know Edward, than the devil you don't...took me awhile to learn that lesson myself. But maybe in my case it should have been the other way around, because it turned out the devil was the one I'd known all his life."

"Now Charlie, do you really think any amount of my checking him out and giving my seal of approval would count with my daughter?"

He shook his head. "Nah your right she's too much like Bella, she'll make up her own mind. Not to mention both her and Bella would probably bitch slap you."

I looked him in the eye and winked. "Ah Charlie, that would be bitch slap us, cause I would definitely credit you with the idea and you know Bella would believe me."

We chuckled companionably. Simon came over after putting his tackle aside to join Charlie for lunch. "Ah Mr. Cullen, Chief Swan, I'm sorry but I couldn't help but over hear you."

"I think that was my father-in-law's intent, Simon."

"I would be happy to show you my financial portfolio. I'm more than able to support Beth in a similar fashion to what she currently enjoys, when the time comes. And I do intend to ask her to marry me when the time is right and with your permission Mr. Cullen."

Both Charlie and I laughed at that one. "While I appreciate the sentiment Simon, neither will be necessary, as I said my opinion will mean little to my daughter once she has made up her mind. And I assure you her mother would as Charlie said bitch slap me if I tried to interfere."

Simon sat on the log beside Charlie and picked up a stick and started drawing on the ground. Then he paused and looked up at me. "I love your daughter Mr. Cullen, but I would prefer it, if you don't mind, that my intentions not being shared with anyone else who might try to unduly influence Beth. She is hardly at an age to be courting and I would rather have her feelings grow for me naturally, than through an expectation on my part or anyone else's." Charlie bristled a bit, but I knew, from Simon thoughts, that this was not false bravado or vanity. He simply knew what he wanted, and was willing to wait.

Simon decided that he needed to expand on his statement. "If I may say so, without intent to insult you, I am aware of your and Mrs. Cullen's love story and would like to avoid the same mistakes and pitfalls. I also realize that your daughter is very much like your wife, and hence cannot be pushed or cajoled into making decisions." He smiled to himself, "She has a good heart, Mr. Cullen, and I believe her current affection for me will blossom into something as beautiful as what you share with your wife. I just hope we avoid the angst that you two have suffered. And if I may dare draw any comparison that you will sympathize with, I have waited almost five hundred years to find a mate, another decade or more will not hurt me."

Charlie bent over double laughing. "Well son, I applaud your courage talking to Edward Cullen like that, he can be extremely opinionated and single minded in his convictions. I ought to know, but it looks like you've left him speechless and that's not something I've seen too often."

Charlie was still chuckling to himself, looking back and forth between Simon and me, so I asked in a rather exasperated tone: "What now?"

"Oh nothing Edward...nothing at all." Charlie had the biggest grin plastered on his face.

"Simon, you should never trust a man when he says that. Out with it Charlie, you look like you're about ready to explode."

"Okay! But I was just wondering if either of you see the irony here..." He pointed at the three of us. "No? Well just think about it, the suitor is older than the father and the father is older than the grandfather, yet the grandfather has more experience than either of them!"

I gave Charlie the stink eye, smiled at Simon and then we both looked back at Charlie deadpanning: "Very droll, Charlie."

"Oh come on now, that was funny, sheesss don't you vampire types have any appreciation for self deprecating humour?"

I turned back to Simon and ignored Charlie. "I guess we'll both have to wait and see what happens then Simon. But so far you're lucky, I like you. But I would like to review your portfolio, and discuss where and how you intend to live now that you've decided to stay in North America."

Simon looked somewhat uncomfortable. "Ah, shouldn't we be discussing this with your wife as well sir?"

I grimaced at the use of sir, and the Mr. Cullen crap was getting on my nerves. "Simon, for starters you are several centuries older than I am, even by your apparent physical appearance you look to be a year or two older than me, so I would feel better if you just called me Edward. As to discussing these issues in front of my wife she has never been interested in finances, and there may be some things I'll ask you that she'd say are none of my business."

Charlie was still chuckling and I turned to him. "Anything you'd like to add grandpa."

"Nope, you're doing just fine. But can I suggest moving it along by playing twenty questions. Simon seems to have the low down on you and Bella..." Charlie stopped chuckling and whispered to himself forgetting that we can hear him, "And I can do without rehashing that right now...even if I still have questions about all that...but later...much later."

I turned and cocked an eye at Simon, he shrugged and Charlie got up to close his tackle box. Then he sat back with a Vitamin R to watch the proceedings, he offered a beer to Simon who took one sniff, grimaced and gracefully declined.

"Why don't we begin with you just telling us a bit about yourself Simon?"

Simon settled down onto the grass and leaned against the log he had been sitting on. "Well you know about my parentage and subsequent fostering, my interests and my education to date, so I'm at a loss as to where to begin. That is unless you have burning need to know my favourite colour or flower."

Charlie choked on his beer and laughed out loud.

I smiled and took a seat on a fallen tree nearby leaning my forearms on my knees, "Fair enough, how about we just ask you a few random questions?" I pointed at Charlie and I, Simon nodded and Charlie saluted with his beer can.

Then Charlie snapped out with, "Net worth?"

"1.1 billion U.S.".

Charlie whistled.

I shook my head at Charlie since when did he become so mercenary. Then I asked Simon. "You've been raised by traditionals, my family are vegetarians are you willing to change?"

"Yes, and I have already begun my indoctrination with Carlisle."

Charlie frowned then sucked in a breath I think I knew what was coming when he opened his mouth. "Have you ever been physically intimate with anyone or had a girlfriend?"

I buried my face in my hands, god, and I thought I would be the one asking questions Bella wouldn't approved of. Simon actually blushed and rushed into his answer "No, never! At one point I even considered taking religious vows. I thought I was destined to never find anyone to love."

Charlie smiled then looked at me. "And I bet you thought you had the worst case of blue balls ever... ha-ha!"

"Charlie!"

"Hell Edward, if I had asked you these things when you were first dating Bella maybe I would have liked you more."

"Chief, it wouldn't have made any difference because you wouldn't have believed me."

Charlie took another swallow of beer. "Yeah, you're probably right."

I rolled my eyes at Charlie and shrugged, Simon looked perplexed, "I'll explain the concept of blue balls later, but whatever you do don't ask Emmett. Actually don't ever ask for or take any sexual advice from Emmett."

Simon just nodded and blushed. Apparently I was too late with that bit of advice.

Charlie was still chuckling so I asked. "What is your problem?"

Charlie rose stretched and started to pack up, "Nothing, Edward. But you do realize that this whole conversation is totally irrelevant right. You both like each other, you both love Beth and you would both kill the other if she was ever hurt by the other's actions. Wait a minute, I take that back, Bella would kill you first. But as the youngest guy here can I give you both a piece of advice which my daughter told me came from a very wise man..." Charlie made eye contact with me and gave me a very fatherly smile. "'Love will not be denied'. So boys, if you are going to have a pissing contest just get on with it, and when Beth comes of age she'll make up her own mind. And trust me I know from experience that all this bullshit," Charlie pointed at the three of us "... it doesn't mean a damn thing when it comes to the ladies in this family."

Charlie stretched again and packed away his empties. "Well guys, Carol and I want to be on the road early tomorrow, so good luck with the ladies and I'll catch up with you in a few weeks. And Edward, if things get serious around here or you need me, you'll let me know right? And if you have to disappear you'll keep in touch. Right?"

I went over and gave Charlie a manly hug and shook his hand. "Charlie, I promise we'll keep you informed as much as we can without compromising your safety. But if we do lose touch, go to the pack. Okay?" He nodded and patted my back, then shook Simon's hand and walked away leaving Simon and me standing by the river.

BPOV

Edward had taken a day with Charlie before he left for Montana and went fly fishing with him. They had even been joined by Simon. I noticed that after that day Edward and Simon seemed to be more comfortable in each other's company. But I was sure Edward had put him through the wringer over his attraction to Beth. The kids and I had already said our goodbyes to Charlie. I knew he was worried for us without knowing the particulars of what was going on, but I also knew Edward would have tried to put him at ease. Edward and Simon were down at the garage today, helping with the rebuild along with Emmett, Jazz, Eleazar and the pack members not on patrol, they had been hard at it all day and the progress was phenomenal.

Emmett had made an offer to Sam, to help set up a Quileute construction company through the NorthWest Trust, using the skilled craftsmen from the reserve. It was something that was very attractive to Sam, and a vocation he could stay with after he stopped phasing, so he was going to make the proposal at the next council meeting.

The new garage was going to be three times the size of the previous one. Rose wanted space to work on special projects, and to use it as a classroom for the pack members interested in automotive engineering. The sleeping quarters would be larger, but more utilitarian since none of the pack would be living on our property any longer. It would be used strictly as a crash pad while they were assigned patrol duties in our area. Rose however had let it been known that she was actually setting the garage up to become a working business for Jared. She even had an access road built that bypassed the house. The garage was tricked out with everything, like a top notch garage for those interested in customization and design. Leah she had accepted our offer of an apartment over the garage, and our help to get her GPA up for university admission. And since she wanted to work for our business concerns, she felt it was better to stick close to us and learn from the ground up, while going to school. Since she had good ear for languages, a real asset when working for our multinational concern, it was felt that that she could learn faster taking language lessons along with me from the various family members.

And of course we still had the journal, but with Marcus here it was on the back burner, since we had bigger fish to fry. He wasn't convinced that we would find it to be of much help but was willing to translate it for us.

My life was good right now, and normal...well as normal for a family of supernatural beings, waiting for additional vampires to arrive and turn our world on its ear once again.

We had heard from Ireland. Tanya was the first inmate in the new high security ward. Apparently, shortly after she arrived she had what humans would call a psychotic break, she totally disconnected from reality and thought she was still human. She had even reverted to speaking only in an ancient form of Ruthenian a Slavic dialect. Garrett said meal times were interesting, Tanya had a first insisted on human food, which they had supplied and she promptly regurgitated. Now she seemed to be catatonic, except at feeding time she would always drink the blood supplied. Maggie, Shawn and the therapists weren't sure that this wasn't just and act but they decided to let her play her game and see where it led.

Edward had decided to celebrate my graduation by taking me out for dinner, vampire style. We left the kids at home with Emmett and Rose. The pack were dropping by today, to put the finishing touches on the apartment for Leah. The actual garage had been finished for days now and Rose was hard at it fine tuning the new vehicles and lamenting the loss of so many of her old tools. Emmett and Rose were our babysitters for the day, they always looked forward to the time they spent with our children and for some reason, whether it was Rose's influence or not, they rarely seemed to get into trouble. We suspected that we didn't hear half of what actually went on, after all Emmett was half of that duo and he was just a big kid at heart.

We had driven to Mount Baker, in the Northern Cascades, to dine on mountain lions, that had over populated the area. We shared our last lion, something we did on most hunts, and were now both comfortably sloshy. Once we were done, Edward was ready for dessert, as he called it. The man was insatiable but I wasn't much better. Dessert consisted of stripping off our clothing and having wild vampire sex. We both loved dessert! Our stamina was now unprecedented, and I think we gave Em and Rose a run for their money.

He had stripped me yet again, of my last set of clothes, to begin round four. It was two hours later when my phone rang. "Mommy, are you and daddy done hiking yet? Cause Uncle Em says he's going to find you, even if you are still practicing going down on each other. But I told him that you weren't hiking, that you were hunting kitty cats and chickens in the mountains. And Seth said that the old cock in those mountains was probably pretty tough and dried up, but he bet the pussy was warm and soft. I don`t get it, do you?"

I was mortified, here my son was calling and asking if we were done having sex...well he didn't really know that, but the implication was there, so everyone else would know. Edward could hear the whole conversation and was laughing his head off and asked me, "Which one?" I smiled and mouthed 'Masen', which just sent him into greater fits of laughter. I pushed my husband off me and punched him in the arm. I told Masen that we were on our way home and would see him in a few hours. When I got off the phone I looked deadpan at my husband, "Edward, that was your clone, you know our son Masen? Edward, his Uncle Emmett and Seth must die." We dressed in what was left of Edwards clothes and started for home.

Rose and Emmett had the kids in the garage when we arrived. The kids were under the chassis of the Tesla with Rose. She was explaining the internal combustion engine to them while Emmett was translating in Italian, Bella scrunched up her nose and looked puzzled. Emmett grinned and said: "Killing two birds with one stone, their learning Italian and basic engine mechanics at the same time...and before you ask it was my idea, the rug rats get feisty if you don't challenge them." Bella still had a perplexed look on her face, "Look Bells, I had to pull Beth and Masen out of Carlisle's study, they were into the hand illuminated shit while eating Oreos. And by the way, who the hell invented that damn cookie it's disgusting! We really need to build them a library. So in the mean time Alice has ordered each of them their own Kindle." Emmett was rambling he was probably hoping that Bella would forget the phone call.

Bella sighed and looked perturbed. "Emmett, I want them to learn a respect for literature and books by handling them, not just downloading them." Rose chuckled but didn't stop her lesson.

Emmett stood up and said. "Yeah little sis, I know that! Hence the need for another library to be built, but the Kindle offers them and us portability and zero chance of damage to first editions and rare books. And Bella, best of all they're really cost effective, the books are often up to fifty percent less than the bound book." I could see Emmett was moving in for the kill. "And some are even free!" That is until he added. "This should really appeal to your penny pinching scrooge gene." She was always worried about the amount of money we spent, so her eyes lit up when he said those two little words 'cost effective'. She then whispered that maybe Alice should order a few more for the family, there was the tinkle of laughter from inside the house, and the pixie was already on it. But Bella still hit him for the scrooge remark.

My wife bent down beside the car giving me a superb view of her ass and asked the kids if they were done helping Auntie Rose, cause it would be time for dinner soon. Meal times had been erratic, because of everything going on, but this had changed recently and a routine had finally been established for the kids. Masen was easy to convince to come in and eat, but the other two, well I had a feeling they would always challenge Bella and I. After five minutes she pulled them out by their ankles, much to Masen's delight, stood them upright, and marched them into the kitchen. As she passed Emmett she hit him in the back of the head he yelled: "What was that for?"

"If you have to ask, Emmett, maybe you need another one to jog your memory." He had the good sense to look sheepish and said: "Sorry."

Then he looked at me and mouthed 'the phone call?' I nodded, he started to chuckle, so I clotheslined him as I walked past, leaving him choking and on the floor, with Rose laughing her ass off but she barked out between laughs. "I told you Emmett, never get the kids involved, because they are always on the same page when it comes to them." And she finished it off by clipping him on the back of the head as well.

As their father I'm not sure what was expected of me at meal times. Bella seemed to have Beth and Anthony under control, so I took Masen's hand and walked into the house with him. Before we crossed over into the kitchen he paused and looked at me very seriously, "Daddy, you better ask mommy if you can be the boss of us sometimes too."

Bella's head popped around the corner and said: "What?"

Masen repeated himself, I thought it was cute, but Bella not so much. She started to chew her lower lip which meant two things, she was thinking and my pants were about to get very tight. I walked by pulled her lip out from under her teeth and said: "We'll take care of it later", she smirked and said: "Which?" She knew that I meant that we would discuss what she was thinking about, and we'd take care of my hard on that I was trying to control at that moment.

Anthony and Masen were sticking their tongues out at each other, and Beth was pushing her plate around the table like she was at Le Mans, she paused and asked: "Daddy, will you and mommy give us our baths tonight so Uncle Em and Aunt Rose can read to us?" I knew this was Rose's idea, she loved snuggling with the kids and the best time to do that was just before bedtime.

I smiled and nodded, Emmett yelled from the garage, "Salem's Lot or Interview with a Vampire." There was a resounding smack, I assumed to the back of his head and Rose yelled: "You are not reading that cheesy vampire crap to our niece and nephews Emmett McCarty Cullen we are reading T.S. Elliot. It's going to be great having them curl up around us and fall asleep while we're reading to them. I can't wait to be surrounded by that sweet baby smell."

I think I realized then just how much my children meant to the rest of the family, we would have to find ways of keeping them all involved. Bella smiled and nodded like she knew what I was thinking, while she cut up apples, pears and carrots along with some cold chicken. I got their cups down for the blood. Bella held her breath, while I poured and warmed it, she could handle the smell once it was in the cups, something about the chemical smell of the warmed cups messed with her desire to drink it. The children were drinking only animal blood now, which we gathered on our hunting trips and which Carlisle preserved. But they would soon have enough size on them that we could start to teach them how to hunt. Emmett wanted to try them out on rabbits first, since there was a bunch that was chewing the hell out Esme's garden, Bella and I just rolled our eyes.

Simon, Ruby and Charlotte were all intrigued by human food. They had never really tried much, because of living on a traditional vampire diet, but they willingly sat at the table with our children and to sample the different foods. It was as much experimentation for us, as it was for them. Trying to determine what was appealing and what was not was a matter of trial and error Carlisle hoped to build a basic diet for hybrid children from our findings. And one that Shawn could adapt to local foods in the areas where other hybrids would be fostered. Or to at least, offer them something other than the trad diet, since all foster parents so far are traditionals. They all seemed to have an aversion to cooked meats, but fresh fruits and vegetables, whole wheat pasta with a plain sauce, whole grain breads and eggs they seemed to like, so it appeared that our children would truly be vegetarians to the human world. It was kind of amusing considering we already called ourselves that. However treats of any sugary persuasion were loved by all six of them, in particular chocolate and ice cream. This made me ecstatically happy! I would now be able to live a dream of taking my children out for ice cream, but not in Forks or even Port Angeles it would have to be in Seattle or Tacoma. I started to plan for our first family outing. Bella wrapped her arm around my waist, as we watched our children eating and interacted with Simon, Ruby and Charlotte. She let out a very contented sigh as I kissed the top of her head. Beth sat beside Simon and kept one hand on his arm as she ate. I guess her ownership had been established, and he made no effort to remove her hand at all. She ate while he spoke softly to her about Rio and South America in general.

Weeks had passed and the Italians were settled into a beautiful, two hundred acre property just outside of Seattle. The thought of indoctrinating them here in Forks had proved difficult to say the least. Demitri and Paul got into a pissing contest about the diet almost immediately. Demitri was adjusting well. He did however have a macabre sense of humour. Whenever he saw a human, he graded them as to potential tastiness, almost like a wine connoisseur. This led to name calling, pushing and then baiting each other as often as possible. Once it had broken out into a fully fledged, fur flying fight, with the Italians against the pack. Carlisle, Eleazar, and Marcus had to step in. Emmett and Jasper were very disappointed, they had bet heavily against Sabina and Sara on the outcome, and they lost to the ladies who had predicted an intervention would happen before the fight concluded.

So the plans changed, the Italian's education would take place in the backyard of their new home. Rose had purchased a fleet of black cars for the Italians, and who would have guessed, they had insisted on only Italian sports cars. When it came right down to it they're bigger car snobs than Rose and I have ever been…the prigs. Initially it was thought that the property in Seattle would be too large, after all there were only six of them counting Marcus, but he was sure that others would join them in the near future. He also wanted Simon to join him, or at least feel free to come and go, so that he could get to know his son. The triplets were sorry to see Marcus leave, but we promised to visit them, since Edward thought I would be able to handle large populations now.

Their home outside of Seattle was beautiful! Esme had really out done herself. It had its own woodlot, creek, small lake and cliffs that over looked Puget Sound. The house was immense with 10 bedrooms, 12 full bathes, restaurant quality kitchen, indoor pool, hot tub, music room, library, gym, great room and two sitting rooms. And Esme was having a blast working on the plans for improvements. It was perfect for her kind of decorating style, it was a modern steel and glass structure out in the woods but it was not quite finished, the owners had gone bankrupt trying to build their dream home, with cost overrides and the failing economy they had to dump it. Esme was packing to go to Seattle with Marcus and Sabina and start supervising the renovations, our family would be assisting the Italians with the changes. Emmett and Rose would also be going to give Jasper and Alice a break. The Italians transition to their new diet did not always go well. There had been many arguments and tense moments but no mistakes or slip ups so far. Jane was the most resistant and pouted like a child, until she had apparently come across a hiker that was studying erosion patterns in the area. She was very taken with him, and had been helping him with his work. Alice said Jane had finally seen a human, for the first time, as something other than a food source and that we had nothing to worry about it was just a friendship.

As a result of this friendship Jane was interested in pursuing a college education, she wanted to study geology. But she refused to go through high school, that was why it was determined that part of her cover story would be that she suffered from Turner Syndrome and hormone therapy had not been successful, it was a rare but plausible way to account for her unchanging and very youthful appearance. The others had no real concrete idea of what they wanted to do. Alec and Chelsea were interested in starting an internet interior design business, utilizing Alice and Esme's expertise and connections but weren't sure if they had the flare for it. Heidi was considering going out on her own as a nomad, at least for a while. After having been controlled by the Volturi for so long, she wanted the freedom to travel the world for no purpose other than her own pleasure. However, after talking to Jane, she thought she might also attend school and study archaeology, an occupation that would afford her the opportunity to travel while having a purpose of her own desire and making.

Things were progressing well for them. Kate was on her way to Ireland to join Garrett, and to visit with Tanya, then they would go back home to Alaska. Demitri was fascinated by the stories Eleazar told of Alaska, he was contemplating moving there, but felt he shouldn't leave his companions while Aro and Caius were still a threat. Demitri was a very strong male vampire, with the tendency to be domineering. But he was smart and patient with a wicked sense of humour. He had found the hybrids fascinating but was not interested in either of the ladies as mates. He quipped once to Emmett that once you had cold, you could never go back to warm, in reference to their temperature difference.

Sabina and Marcus had finally talked about her feelings. And they had decided to explore a relationship together. Marcus had been lonely for so long and he longed for the companionship and the physical satisfaction of a relationship. They had much in common, having both lost people they loved, so they were able to share their pain, and found comfort in trying to alleviate each other's solitude. Sabina had kept from us that she had met her mate and rejected him. He was a nomad and she was from a wealthy Roman family. They had parted when the wanderlust called him and he died at the hands of the guard when, in a fit of depression over his loss of Sabina, he had exposed his true nature to a crowd of humans. They both believed that their loved ones would be happy that they had finally found comfort with each other. Carlisle was truly amazed. He had always told me that vampires mate for life. It was a rare exception that another mate would ever be taken if one of a pair were to die.

Marcus informed us that it was not unheard of but it was indeed extremely rare because surviving mates usually would try to follow their lost mate into death. Those that do for some unforeseen reason survive their mate's demise may find a shadow mate, one that has also suffered the loss of a mate. This bond would be not as strong as a soul mate but the bond of friendship and the need to have someone to care for is almost as strong.

The Journal turned out to be of no help, Marcus and Didyme did not explore their joined power, because of their fear of what Aro and Caius might do if they discovered it. The journal was actually a diary, the musings of a couple in love, chronicling their relationship and their desire to have a child. The entries ended with Didyme's murder. There were occasional entries about when Didyme and Marcus would accidentally trigger their connection, but all they recorded was the end result and not what the trigger mechanism was, so we were on our own. Marcus found the task painful and we would not ask him to relive those moments with Didyme, now that he was trying to move on with Sabina.

Marcus asked Joham, Sara and Charlotte to stay with them in Seattle and they were considering it. Charlotte was enamoured with the idea of going to College and UDUB appealed to her. Marcus also found the idea of pretending to be Jane and Heidi's father amusing, and strangely satisfying now that they had decided to attend university along with Simon. Much to my delight, Simon would be studying music he was a gifted performer on the Piano and Viola, and had a deep desire to compose. I would often find him in our music room pouring over some of my books and texts, or simply playing, usually for Beth, Bella and Esme. He picked my brain about composing and we had some very heated discussions about contemporary music and music over the centuries. He was several hundred years older than me, but I had more practical experience. I had performed in pubic, had compositions actually published and played in concert halls worldwide, at various times in my life all under assumed names of course. Plus I was already in possession of a doctorate in music from Cornell and had studied at Julliard. He also had a keen interest in medicine and genetic research, which endeared him to Carlisle. I had to concede, that if he was going to be part of this family, it would be nice to have a future son-in-law that I could talk to. It was obvious to all that he would be our Beth's husband some day.

The triplets were the size of four year olds by the fall and had the intelligence of a high school graduate. They also acted very mature fro there age most of the time, except when they were just having fun and then the little kids came out in them. Bella and I were blessed with a loving family, now that all the Cullen's were home from Seattle we had plenty of help. Three children can be overwhelming even if you're a vampire. Bella and I were still adjusting to being married and mated and we needed a little alone time ...well a lot of alone time, but thankfully the triplets slept at least eight to ten hours a night. Their studies had resumed and it was a pleasure to teach them. That's not to say they behaved themselves, their uncles had been enough of an influence on them to preclude that. And we had to contend with their natural tendency to push the envelope, a trait Bella, Esme and Alice said they got from me...not likely! Their mother was far more likely to be the one to a test the boundaries, so I'm very sure they got it from her. Rose just rolled her eyes at all of us, and said the kids were twice cursed with equal parts of both parents.

The days moved along without any surprises, Bella and I took great delight in our children and in each other. Charlie and Carol would often come to the big house and babysit for us. When Bella tried to explain that the kids could be manipulative and sneaky he just laughed and said: "Yeah like you and Edward thought you were being sneaky with him climbing through your window every night?"

Bella and I just about lost our lunch… we had just come back from a hunt. "How did you know?"

Charlie sat back and smiled. "You know kids, I'm not the Chief of Police just because of my good looks. I'm a damn good cop too. My first clue was, why would someone who had lived most of her life in Phoenix sleep with her bedroom window wide open in Forks...I used to drive by when I was on the night shift Bella, and see your window open." We both looked at him like we were busted but I found it amusing and wondered why he had kept it to himself. "Then when I was cleaning the gutters I saw scuff marks on the ledge outside your window. And of course there were the heating bills because of that damn open window."

I had the kids in the palm of my hand now they were squirming on the couch like live bait. "I will give you credit Edward, I never heard a peep from you, even when I'm sure you hid in the closet a few times. But Bella honey, honestly you talk in your sleep. That was cute when you were little. But then you started having erotic dreams I thought it was normal, I guess for a teenager. It seems I was wrong. And it appears now that there wasn't much dreaming going on. But I put two and two together and just when I was ready to put a stop to it all you informed me you were an adult, and a virgin. Bella, you just about stopped my heart that day! I thought you had found out that I knew. I have to admit at first I thought it was Jake, and I'm ashamed to say that that didn't bother me so much. When I asked him about it, he was dumbstruck and then livid saying he'd kill Cullen.

That was when I realized, Edward that you and I were going to have to have a very serious discussion some day. Then you left...and might I say son that was the dumbest thing you have ever done. And if you ever do it again I will enlist the aid of your brothers to rip you to pieces and bury one very important piece so deep you'll never find it." Charlie was either fearless or crazy, if he was willing to piss off a vampire, but I think at times like this he still saw me as a seventeen year old guy. So I wondered if this was the only lecture I would ever get from my father-in-law.

A few days after Charlie's visit Bella was acting very strange, she was irritable and our usual morning shower didn't happen. I mean it happened, but it was very short and rather cold. But I now understand the expression 'getting the cold shoulder'. I asked her what was worrying her, but she insisted it was nothing. I knew she was lying. I gave her a mental tap, thinking that she didn't want to talk out loud, but she just glared at me grabbed the keys to the Volvo and stormed out of the house. Everyone but the kids and Esme were in the great room when I turned and looked at them and shrugged. Rose came up to me, "What the hell did you do?"

"I don't know. She's been moody since Charlie's last visit."

Alice and Rose both said "Oh damn!" at the same time.

Alice then looked at me, "Edward, she's having a memory deluge. Remember how we told her that her human memories may be hard to recall but that sometimes ..."

"They might come rushing back with a trigger. But we told her that they wouldn't have any context or necessarily be chronological."

Alice's brow furrowed. "Yeah, Charlie's talk the other day made her drag up all those memories but she's only flashing on the bad. She's at Charlie's. She needed to talk to him to help her understand. I think your phone will be ringing shortly she needs to talk to you now...oh, no it's Charlie he needs to talk to both of you.

My phone rang and I answered. "I'll be right there, Yeah Alice saw. Tell her I'm coming"

CharPOV

Bella had come to me sobbing saying she didn't understand, that she needed to know what I wanted from her. What it had all meant, and what did she do wrong. I didn't want to do this to her but I had questions I wanted answered as well. We both needed answers about Bella's actions before and after Edward left. I had to understand where we all went wrong. Bella was sitting on the couch, she hadn't stopped sobbing. "I called Edward Bells, he's on his way. And before he gets here, I going to give you a little piece of advice, don't ever do that to him again. Do you understand? If you have to get away then you tell him and you tell him why. Don't ever walk out on him without an explanation. That leaves a mark on a relationship that doesn't go away Bells. Even when he left you he told you why. Yeah, it was lie but he at least talked to you. But you just walked out on him tonight, just like you used to when you'd sneak off to see Jake. That's wrong baby girl!"

Edward knocked and came in. Bella was in his arms so fast my eyes couldn't even register it.

"Bella, Edward, sit down we're going to talk, something we should have done before you two got married. We all have questions and we all need answers. Now maybe you two have already talked this out, but I haven't, so I'm sorry but I need my answers too. To tell you the truth I'd be surprised if you have talked it out. Edward, you always gave her whatever, she wanted. And you, Bella, thought by keeping things from him, you were saving him from being upset. Well you were both wrong! All you did was cause a world of pain and misunderstanding! I'm sorry to lash out like that, but I've been holding onto it for a while and I had to get it out." Bella had her face buried in Edward's chest but she wasn't sobbing as hard anymore. Now, I've had some time to think back on those days, and I'm sorry to ask you relive them but I need some answers in order to understand the whole mess we got ourselves into."

I grabbed my beer and took a swig then took a deep breath this was going to hurt her.

"Bella, whatever possessed you to take Jacob's side against Edward so many times? Why would you call bullshit on Edward when he tried to control things but never on Jacob? It was your attitude towards Jake, and the sneaking out behind Edwards back, that helped to convince me that you actually wanted Jake and you just needed me to push you in that direction." Bella was still curled into Edward's side and wouldn't look at me. "Bella, regardless of my part in this, what you did was unfair to the man you said you loved and to yourself. It's no wonder that Edward was able to talk himself into leaving. I bet Jasper snapping at you only gave him an excuse. You probably had the guy so confused that he didn't know which way was up. What else should he think when you'd sneak off to see Jacob and then throw it in his face?" Bella finally looked up and sat there with her mouth hanging open. Even though Edward had already told me why he had left Bella, I knew by looking at him that I was right. Deep down, he thought that Bella actually wanted Jake, and even though he didn't acknowledge it even now, his face spoke volumes. As Bella looked from him to me, she was forced to see how she had created some of the trouble. But more importantly she could see how truly generous and how deeply in love Edward was to forgive her time and again.

I could tell he was wondering how I had known about Jasper. "Jasper and Alice came to me just after I woke up in the hospital, I was still pretty angry with you Edward. But Jasper told me everything, he felt like he had caused this landslide of shit. I started to see what had been in front of me all the time. You loved her more than anything in this world and would do anything to protect her or make her happy, even sacrifice your own happiness." I hated hurting my baby girl but she had to see the mistakes that she had made so she wouldn't make them again. "Bella, a good marriage is based on about five percent mind blowing sex, and I'm pretty sure you guys have that covered. But the other ninety five percent is honest and open communication, you have a partner now and secrets are not an option."

Edward looked every inch the seventeen year old, but he had the guts to speak up. "You're right chief. I've been such a git."

I had to interrupt him, because I had no idea where he was going, and I was on a roll here. "Git, where the hell does a word like that come from? You must have picked that up from Carlisle, hell he's almost as old as dirt...or Marcus he's even older than dirt. "Anyway back to business." Edward and Bella were holding each other, she was looking at her feet but his eyes never left mine. I couldn't get a handle on what was what was behind those eyes, sometimes they were angry and sad but mostly I saw acceptance that what I said was right.

"If your mother and I had talked more and not assumed we knew what the other one was thinking, we might still be together. How else do you learn the strengths and weakness of those you love? How else can you determine when they need help or just your support and love? Bells, I know you have never thought you were good enough for anyone or anything Bells. You never tried to excel so you could never fail. The smartest thing you ever did was deciding to fight for this man after he left. But you should never have let him go in the first place! How you could listen to him tell you every day, that he loved you and not believe him, is beyond me. But Jacob, all he had to do was whisper a lie in the wind and you'd believe him." She flinched at my words but I had to get them out or they'd fester. "Tell me Bells, did you ever defend Edward to Jake, even when you knew Jake was wrong, or did you just let it slide. Were you afraid to upset that asshole? You don't need to answer. I can see it in your face. Shame on you Bells. You have to realize, that of all the people in this world, Edward can't read your mind. You have to talk to him baby girl." She finally looked up and made eye contact with me, she knew I was right.

I got up and got another can of liquid courage. Good old Vitamin R had helped me through many a lonely night. "Bells, you know how you like to take a lot of time to think things through. Well, it may go faster if you do it out loud. Take my advice and talk to this guy, in case you haven't noticed he's pretty smart. And baby, with the things I think are headed your way I'm not sure you'll have the luxury anymore to take your time with things."

"Oh, and Bells, just so you know he hasn't got a relationship rule book, any more than you do... no one does. But he's your husband and he deserves to be treated with respect and as an equal."

I took a huge swallow of my beer and looked at them both. Bella looked like she had the stuffing knock out of her and would be crying if she could. Edward had his lips pursed, like he was thinking and on the verge of saying something but thought better of it. I chuckled at his look. "Edward, I would love to lecture you about making decisions without discussing them with her. But I understand that the Cullen ladies took care of that for me before you returned, I don't imagine I could do any better. Okay you two you can breathe now I'm almost done. However I think you two need to sit down and talk about your mistakes, and what made each of you angry and why. No holding back because if you can't do it now you'll never be able to."

"Now, I have something else I want to talk to you about. I was going to come over tomorrow, but apparently Emmett and I have a date to pick out bathroom tile...like I care." Edward the little shit actually smirked at me. Yeah well I'll get him back one day for that look. "I'm concerned about what's headed your way. I have a creepy feeling that Marcus has brought a whole new level of trouble to the Cullen's doorstep." They both looked sick, okay so the next crisis was just around the corner. But I was on the need to know list, and apparently I didn't need to know yet, and that was just fine with me. "Okay, I get it need to know only, but you are my family and I'll do whatever I can to help, just let me know." They both smiled at me and nodded. Yeah well I can wait. After all, I had a date tomorrow to pick out bathroom tile with the biggest gossip in the Cullen family...

In order to deflect the fact that I saw their sick look I asked "So Bells are you and Edward still planning on going to Dartmouth? I'd really like to see you graduate from University."

CarPOV

I sat in my study musing about the changes to my family and my world recently. Carmen had come back from Ireland and had no great desire to return to Alaska right away, there were too many memories of Tanya there so she and Eleazar were going to be staying with Marcus and his followers for a time. They would continue to help the Italians adjust to their new home and way of life. And I suppose to also plot the overthrow of Aro and Caius. Edward had not agreed to anything, but as a family we had assured them that we would come to their aid if they needed us, as they would for us.

Joham and Sara preferred isolation and had purchased a property in nearby Tacoma, they had adjusted to the veggie diet without any trouble. They hoped that eventually they might be able to enter into academia as I often had or as guest lecturers on the Amazon Basin. They could see all kinds of possibilities, and were thrilled that all their centuries of research could now be put to good use, perhaps even to save the ecosystem that they loved so much. Charlotte would be going with them but promised to visit often a fact that made Masen very happy.

I must say I'm proud to know Charlie Swan. He is normally a man of few words but he was very succinct, the other day, when he talked to Bella and Edward. I'm happy to say that they took his advice to heart. They could often be found in silent conversation sometimes with shy smiles, sometimes with saddened eyes. But after a few weeks it looked like Jacob Black and the past had been purged but not forgotten, it's not in the nature of a vampire to forget. There didn't seem to be anymore secrets between them. And for the first time in quite a while they looked like teenagers without a care in the world. I only wished that was true.

We had already been in Forks a little longer than we had originally planned. It looked like we would have to start planning a move soon. We decided as a family to settle in New Hampshire, most of the family would be attending Dartmouth, including Bella. I had been offered a part time position in the ER at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Centre, which I intended to accept, and I planned to study advanced genetics at Dartmouth part time. I saw this as an opportunity to apply human knowledge to vampire, human and hybrid genetics. Though the kids all had previous undergraduate degrees they decided to start at a level playing field and all enroll as undergraduates. Emmett, Rosalie and Jasper would be a year ahead of Bella, Edward, Alice and Simon. Ruby would be attending High School. Charlotte was still debating about moving with us and acting as nanny to the triplets with Joham's blessing. Everyone was studying something different. I was surprised that Edward would not be following Bella into studying Comparative Literature. But she had convinced him to select a field of study that he wanted so he was enrolled in the Honours Biochemistry program to help me with my research. Alice was taking Anthropology, Rose and Emmett would both be both studying Engineering, Em was in Engineering Physics and Rose was in Engineering Sciences and Jasper was taking Environmental Earth Sciences. Esme had a contract position with a New York based architecture firm as a consultant for restoration projects in the New England area. Now that the decision had been made Esme was back east with Rose and Alice finding a home for us.

So we turned our energies to the Quileute, the infrastructure projects were proceeding on pace and the tourism board was now actively promoting the La Push area for recreation and show casing the local artisans. We needed to help the pack and make sure the council had a good financial manager and legal aid, at least until Leah ad Rachel finished school. As it turned out Paul had a great head for mathematics and business, he was cajoled by Rachel into going back to school and improve his grade point average in order to get into the business school at UDUB. Paul was really jazzed to find that he had an aptitude that would put him on an equal footing with Rachel. She was already challenging some of the pre-law classes. Sam wanted to marry Emily this summer and was to head up the construction company that Emmett had offered to help get off the ground. He was taking night courses in small business operations at the local community college. Emmett decided that he would take him under his wing, while he was still here, to get the business set up. He did this under the guise of being a silent partner in the business. Sam had insisted that they needed to have an office off the reserve, preferable half way between Port Angeles and Forks, in order to attract business from a wider area and it would be more accessible. The location he had selected was just about half way between, on the border of the reserve, so the office and the equipment yard would only be a few minutes from home for a wolf. The other boys still had varying amounts of time left to finish high school, tutors were arranged for those who needed, study plans were developed for those disciplined enough to do it on their own and Sue Clearwater was in charge of it all. Within the next year or so preparations would be made for some them to attend college. College funds had already been established for all those that worked for us and an endowment fund was established to provide full scholarships to the school of their choice for the La Push pack and any other children on the reserve that qualified.

Bella was heart sick at the thought of leaving Charlie and Renee, but Renee was happy in Jacksonville with Phil and Charlie had finally proposed to Carol. Charlie would finish out his current contract as Police Chief and then would take early retirement, compliments of a Cullen retirement package. He liked to call it his hush money, saying it was the only bribe he ever took. Esme and Emmett had finished the renovations on his house and it was very comfortable, he had toyed with the idea of selling it once he retired and following us. But then nixed that idea, thinking it was unreasonable to make the Cullen's constantly responsible for his safety because of his proximity to our world. At least here the pack would watch over him and we would have a home base as it were.

The triplets were the next question once the move was made. Though Bella and Edward were their parents, they wouldn't be able to continue that role in public. So it was decided that they would be siblings of Bella and Edward's. But since they were still so young, they would not be going out in public much, until they reached their physical maturity. I suspected from all the evidence we had from Shawn, Simon, Ruby and Charlotte and it would only be another six or seven years, then the real fun would begin, and believe me I say that with tongue in cheek.

EPOV

These final months in Forks were hectic! Bella and I had walked through the fires of hell that Charlie had lit. Prior to Charlie's talk we had discussed our past actions, but not to the gut wrenching soul baring level that Charlie said we needed. He was right, we felt more aligned now, we were a better couple, and better parents for having talked all of it out. There were no more Jacob Black secrets on either side.

Being lovers had never been a problem for us, but even that got better, hot vampire sex was great but we found that we equally enjoyed tender human love making. The triplets had finally figured out what the kitty cats and the chickens really were, and they were unmerciful at teasing Unca Emmett every time he and Rose ventured off. Everything was moving apace for our move and then that cosmic black cloud found us again. The call came at the same time Alice's vision hit. Heidi was missing, she had left campus early to hunt alone and had not returned, she wasn't answering her phone, and her car was found abandoned on the road half way between home and the university.

Carlisle put Eleazar on speaker, "Carlisle, it was Felix, Demitri is positive, he was able to follow him until in the middle of nowhere he just lost any sense of him."

"What does Marcus say, does he believe him?"

Carlisle was aghast that I would be so rude. "Edward!"

"No Carlisle, he's right to ask, but since their diet change he and Heidi have grown very close. Did you know that they came from the same region in the Alps? Mind you, there are many centuries difference in their ages. But they were both originally slaves just in different eras. They've bonded like brother and sister because they understood each other."

I was restless about what this meant for our family but Eleazar continued: "You have to understand, Edward, that when you're in the guard you sublimate your own personality, you don't make friends. Really it's no better than slavery. You don't get to know your fellow guardsmen on a personal level, that kind of information can be used against you. He's devastated and he can't understand what's happened to his gift, he can't feel Felix or Heidi."

Alice looked at me and I could see what she saw, "Eleazar! Alice can see her, Felix is with her and another man, very small and skittish, he's almost bald and keeps licking his lips but he doesn't look like one of us, he's not a vampire or a hybrid."

"Oh god Edward, you're right he isn't one of us! I know him, he's a shape shifter from the Russian steppes. His name is Anton! He only works for the highest bidder. His people were almost wiped out by Caius when he was hunting real werewolves. Anton survived by betraying his people and helping Caius hunt down the real Children of the Moon. But there has been a bounty on his head for centuries. I haven't heard of him coming out of hiding, he must be under Aro's protection again. But wait how can Alice seen him?"

"She isn't really. She seems to be seeing through someone else's eyes... Eleazar is Heidi gifted?

"I don't know. I've never spent any time with her. She hunts a lot with Demitri and studies with Jane otherwise she keeps to herself. She wasn't with the guard when I was."

"Eleazar, Alice doesn't think they're in the area any longer, but they haven't left the country either, she gets the feeling they're waiting for someone.

Unknown POV on a Cell Phone

"Sir, we've just had word that Felix has the fisherman but he doesn't seem to have been able to find the others or Marcus and the Cullens."

"Yes sir, I agree Demitri was always the brains when they were on assignment together."

"No, he seemed genuinely upset by her disappearance."

"Yes sir, he came across her totally by accident she was hunting outside of the city."

"No sir, she is proving to be difficult."

"Kill her... I would say yes?"

"If Felix gets any information out of her I'm sure they'll give him the order to kill her. Should we proceed then...oh you want us to wait?"

"Yes, if you think so sir...but sir, do you really believe that the Cullen's will try to rescue her?"

"Yes sir, sorry sir, no I wasn't questioning you at all sir."

"Go to Forks sir?"

"Yes but what about the children?"

"Yes ... dead, of course sir."

The cell phone snapped shut, "Fuck!"

"What is it?"

"He wants us in Forks tonight!"