Chapter 90

Masen smiled, letting his family and friends shower him with gifts. After a close-knit Christmas with lots of stories, movies and hot chocolate for the wolves and Renesme, they took the time to throw Masen a one year celebration.

Alice handed him a stack of boxes, making him the center of attention, somewhat against his will. Masen smiled, opening each gift in the stack, which were all label with Alice and Jasper's name, and had a different stylish outfit in each one.

"Thanks Alice," Masen said, "And Jasper."

"You're welcome," they said in unison.

"Yeah, now you're all set to model at Banana Republic," Emmett told him. He smiled at Alice.

Zafrina and Senna stepped forward with beautiful home made bracelets that looked like they would have taken days, or even weeks, to perfect and finish. Each of them displayed a different symbol.

"We didn't feel comfortable making a trip into town," Senna explained, "So we decided to make you something."

Zafrina flipped hers around and showed him the symbol on hers, "This means peace," she took Senna's, "And this one means safety."

"Wow, thank you," Masen said, "You didn't have to do that."

"Do you like them?" Senna asked.

"Yeah. They're great," he carefully slid each one onto his left wrist.

"They'll protect you," Zafrina told him with a small smile.

Masen stood up and hugged his new amazon friends.

"You didn't have to do that," Esme said, repeated her son's words, "No one had to get anything."

"Well, we came all the way from Ireland at the risk of dying," Liam laughed, "A gift is hardly a thorn in my side." He stepped forward with a flask and handed it to Masen, "This isn't for Irish Whiskey," he started. Everyone laughed, "It's more of a token, or perhaps if you can't quite finish a deer and you're in desperate need of a... drink, you could fill this up and keep it in your coat pocket."

Masen looked at Emmett with a smile and accepted the flask, "Thank you," he said again.

"We got your name and birthday engraved on the bottom," Siobhan explained.

Masen turned the flask upside down, "That's awesome. Thanks."

Maggie leaned forward and kissed his cheek with a friendly smile.

Everyone took their turn giving Masen a special gift of their own before settling again in their own area of the house, or out in the woods.

Leah pulled Masen aside with a few gifts of her own, "You can open mine now."

He smiled.

"You didn't think I forgot about you, did you?"

"You didn't have to get me anything," Masen told her, "Just being here is enough."

She handed him a small, white box wrapped in a single blue ribbon. He opened it, pulling the ribbon carefully and found a necklace with two dog tags hanging from it.

"Read what they say," Leah urged.

Masen flipped one over, that had an engraved outline of a wolf in the silver, "My heart."

"Some of the boys said it was cheesy," she looked down, "But it's suppose to mean you'll have my heart next to yours."

"It's perfect," he told her.

"The other one is a quote. Me and my mom saw it written somewhere and it reminded me of you. Of all of us really."

"I am not bound for any public place, but for ground of my own where I have planted vines and orchard trees, and in the heat of the day climbed up into the healing shadows of the woods."

"I mean, you can't go in the sunlight in front of people so-" Leah was cut off in trying to explain herself as Masen pulled her in for an appreciative kiss.

"I've never received anything so beautiful," he told her, pulling the necklace on. "I love it."

"I love you." Leah told him flat out for the first time.

Masen's eyes filled with appreciation, and a hint of surprise, "I love you, too, Leah. I've been thinking something's been missing in our conversations, and our nightly goodbyes."

She kissed him once more and he hugged her, as the two of them struggled for a minute or two of privacy in the dark hallway.

"Sorry," Eleazar said, as he and Carmen made their way past them. The two of them smiled and continued to where ever they were headed.

"You're going out with Emmett tonight right?" Leah asked.

He nodded, "Yeah. He's taking me to check out Canada. Maybe Alaska."

"Be careful," she hugged him again, "When will you be back?"

Masen suddenly realized how much he would miss Leah. He was used to seeing her every day, and wasn't sure how many days their trip would be. "Not any longer than a few days."

"Okay," she nodded, "Have fun."

"I'll call you every couple hours," he assured her, and put a hand over his chest where the necklace hung, "And I'll have your heart with me." He leaned in to kiss her again.

Emmett's voice from another room interrupted their moment, "Someone's been hanging with Edward a little too much," he joked.

Leah and Masen both looked at each other and laughed.

"I think your mom and dad wanted to give you a few gifts on their own, too," Leah told him, "Maybe you should go find them."

He nodded, "Okay." They left their semi secret place and Masen tossed a wrapper at the back of Emmett's head, that bounced and hit Rosalie in the process.

"Hey!" they both called out.

Masen smirked, "Sorry Rose. That was just meant for Emmett." He hurried upstairs to avoid any backlash, calling out for his parents.

Esme and Carlisle smiled as he entered the room.

"You guys gave me gifts already," he told them, referring to a stack of video games, clothes and pair of sneakers he'd been eyeing for some time.

"Come with us," Carlisle told him. They lead him down to the garage where a shiny, black 2013 Volvo sat, nearly untouched.

Masen's eyes lit up, "Wow! That's awesome." He made his way around to look at the car from all angles.

"You have to get your liscence first," Esme explained, "But then the car is yours." She dangled the keys in the air with a smile.

Masen hugged both of them, "I can't believe you got me this."

Carlisle opened the driver's seat, "Get in. Adjust the seat, the mirrors. Make it yours."

He didn't hesitate, eagerly jumping behind the wheel. His face glowed with excitement.

"You've been doing a good job driving with us, and you've shown you're responsible," Carlisle told him.

Masen hopped back out and slammed the door, hugging them both again, "Thank you so much. You didn't have to-"

"We've gotten them for everyone," Esme interrupted, "It's your turn."

"Well, thank you."

Emmett peeked his head in, "Sweet right?"

"Yeah," Masen said back, "It's awesome."

"Now we can race," he raised his eyebrows at Esme.

"No," she said back with a smile. She turned to Masen, "If I find out there's any racing going on, the car will be mine."

"No worries," Masen assured her with a smile, looking back and forth between his parents and Emmett.

"We going or what?"

He nodded, "Yeah. I'm ready."

Carlisle looked at Esme, who he knew didn't want to see her son go. She returned a set of sad eyes to him, though held it back well as Masen and Emmett prepared to go. The two of them, as well as Rosalie and Leah, made their way to the far edge of the woods to see them off.

After a plether of goodbyes, Masen and Emmett were gone. Their laughter and talking could be heard for a minute or two, before their scents and voices faded into the night. Rosalie comforted Leah, sensing she seemed a little down.

"He's in good hands," she assured her, "And they won't be gone long."

Leah smiled and the two of them made their way back to the house.

Carlisle and Esme hung around outside together, deciding to take a walk and ending up by a cliff overlooking the Forks ocean.

"Let it out," Carlisle urged. No sooner than the words left his mouth, Esme's tears flowed from her eyes. He pulled her into a warm embrace, leaning his back against a tree. The emotions she had been feeling for awhile came out in the form of venom streaks on her face.

She sniffed in, trying to control a sob, "I am so sorry Carlisle."

"Esme. You have nothing to be sorry for," he told her, "It's me. I could tell you were upset."

"I've only been able to cry since Masen's come into our lives," she told him, "That has to be the reason."

He wiped a stray tear from her cheek and kissed the side of her face gently, "You don't have to explain anything to me. Let all of your tears out."

Esme finally forced a smile, "I think they're all out."

Carlisle kissed her forehead and stared across the water that had been illuminated by the moon. "He'll be fine," he whispered.

"I know," she took in a deep breath to intoxicate herself with his scent, "I don't want him to fight against the Volturi with us."

"I don't think you'll be able to talk him out of it."

"I'm his mother," she said with another forced laugh, "He has no choice but to listen to me."

Carlisle smiled down at his wife, "Can I have a kiss?"

Esme dried her eyes and smiled before slowly leaning in and kissing him softly. "You know, sometimes I think you might have the same gift as Jasper."

He smiled and pulled her into another long hug, trying to enjoy the moment of temporary peace and serenity with his wife.