Chapter 28

Bella couldn't get the imagine of Carlisle out of her head. She felt so strongly for Edward, but neither of them had ever truly shed a tear for each other. Her thoughts began to wander and she made her way out onto the back porch, where Edward stood. He welcomed her with an arm around her shoulders.

"I just put Renesme to bed," she told him.

He kissed her forehead and stared off into the darkness at nothing in particular.

"Edward, how come we've never been able to cry for each other?"

He turned to her with a smile, "What you think I don't love you as much as Carlisle loves Esme?"

She shook her head, missing the joking part of his question, "No. I know you do, I know I do. It's just, I don't know." Bella didn't know where she was going with it.

Edward could tell she was deep in thought, "I wish I could read your mind," he laughed nervously, "I've never seen any one of us do that. It has to be because of Masen. Maybe he has a gift. He's so young, we may not have been able to pinpoint what it is yet."

Bella nodded her head, "I just feel like I felt what they were feeling for each other, and for Masen. They love each other so much," she looked around, "This sounds so stupid, but I want to cry for you."

Edward laughed, "Well you were human not too long ago. You had plenty of chances."

She smiled and Edward kissed her. He knew that there was hardly any privacy in the house, and he was sure that everyone could probably hear their conversation unless they chose to block them out. He chose to make light of the situation and said extra loudly, "Carlisle's just super, super sensitive."

Esme leaned over the balcony that hung above where they stood, "You might not believe it, but he actually just told you to shut up, Edward."

Edward and Bella both laughed, "Don't send Esme to fight your battles, Carlisle," he called up.

Carlisle joined Esme on the balcony, "You're lucky I'm not like Emmett or I'd have to come down there."

The mood had switched from super heavy to somewhat light over the course of the last half hour or so. Edward was glad to see his father in good spirits again, even if only for a short time.

"And Bella," Carlisle called down, "He loves you like no other."

She smiled, "I know Carlisle." Edward cuddled Bella close and they shard a series of kisses.

Carlisle and Esme returned to their room. Masen was standing by the foot of their bed, holding himself up with one hand. His back was to them and he let go, taking a few wobbly steps before making his way all the way to the door on his own. By the way everything happened so far, they assumed his first steps would be like that of other babies. He truly showed his immortality by continuing to walk around the room as if he had been doing it for months.

Masen's curious face at his new talent provided more than enough entertainment for his awe struck parents. Edward and Bella joined them in the room, coming in from the balcony.

"I just read your thoughts," Edward told them. He and Bella smiled and couldn't help but stare back and forth between Masen and the expressions on Carlisle and Esme's faces.

Masen pointed at Esme, "Ma ma."

She waved her arms toward herself, "Come to me, Masen."

He charged at her at a pace between a walk and a run, then gave one of his cute baby giggles as she swooped him up. She put him back down almost immediately so he could get used to his legs.

"Alice, Rose!" Edward called, "Come up here. Everyone."

The rest of their family entered the room and knew right away what the big deal was.

Renesme was the last into the room, rubbing her eyes, "Masen's walking!"

Bella joined her daughter and gave her a huge hug, "Yeah, honey. Look." She watched her daughter glow from the show Masen was putting on for all of them. "Hey Nessy," she said.

Renesme glanced back to her mother, "Yeah, mom?"

"I love you. You know that?"

She nodded and put her cheek up to Bella's, "I love you, too."

Masen made his way to Rosalie, smiling as he did. She looked thrilled by the fact that he went to her first out of the kids. She pretended to chase after him and he ran away, glancing once behind him at her. When he realized he was safe, he braced himself against the bed again where he started.

"You guys got yourself a cool kid," Emmett told them.

Everyone was all smiles. It was impossible not to. They couldn't wait to see what he would do next, and how fast he would develop to the each of the next few stages of life. It was amazing and new to everyone. It wasn't long ago that Masen was a small fit in Esme and Carlisle's arms. Now he was whipping around the room.

"He's going to charge you again Rose," Edward warned her.

She smiled and as predicted, Masen's little legs moved swiftly across the floor at Rosalie, who this time hugged and kissed him all over. Emmett gave him a raspberry on his stomach, sending the child into a fit of belly laughs. When he was finally able to compose himself, and Emmett was done having his fun, Masen reached out for Esme again and just as quickly as the tornado started, found a relaxing spot for his head on her shoulder.

"I can't believe he just did all that," Carlisle told her.

"Me either," she laughed. She looked into his eyes, which were blackening.

"Can you go get him some food, Carlisle? He needs to feed."

"Of course."

Everyone made their way back to whatever they had been doing. Esme cuddled up with Masen for some one on one time as Carlisle left to hunt down a deer.

"No one is going to hurt you. I love you, my baby." She stroked his face. "I love you, Masen." She repeated it, trying to get him to say it back. His words were a little mumbled, but he almost had it. She knew what he meant. She blew him kisses. He returned the gesture, kissing his hand and then letting the kiss fly. Esme pulled him to her. No one, not even the Volturi, would come between her and her child.