Chapter 46

Esme returned to the kitchen to finish helping Rosalie with dinner. Jacob and Renesme had come in and made themselves comfortable in the living room where most of the family had gathered, joining Masen, Leah and Emmett watching the tail end of Halloween. He was fully prepared to watch the sequel with every other commercial reminding him that it would be coming up next.

"William," Rosalie entered, giving a look to Edward and Bella as they slunk past her toward the couch, "Can you set up a few trays for Leah, Jake and Renesme?"

"Sure," he said with a smile, still brown nosing after her decision to let him and Maddy live together.

A minute or two later, Esme entered the living room with two bowls of stew, placing one in front of Leah and the other in front of Renesme, while Rosalie slowly walked over with Jacob's.

"Thanks blondie," he said with a grin, taking a big bite.

"The next plate may be in your lap," Rosalie smirked and flipped her hair as she walked away.

Emmett snickered and Esme shook her head as the two of them momentarily returned to the kitchen before joining everyone for the beginning of Emmett's next movie.

Alexandra and Michael joined, chatting with Alice and Jasper as they piled into the living room. Everyone was together, though there was a missing piece of the puzzle complex at Luciana and Seth's extended absence.

Bella looked over at Edward's parents as Carlisle used his thumb to lightly take a stray eyelash off of Esme's cheek, letting his hand linger on her face for a few seconds longer than he needed to.

Of all of the couples, who Bella knew all shared the same everlasting love, she grew to find from being around everyone that Carlisle and Esme were the most like her and Edward. She recognized the look on Esme's face at the moment his hand grazed her cheek. Her eyes fluttered shut for a moment before she opened them to meet his with a smile. It was a look of true happiness and ecstasy from something as innocent and simple as his thumb ridding an eyelash from her face. Bella still had that same feeling every time Edward spoke her name, and recognized the similarities in her husband and his father at Carlisle's reluctancy to break their brief moment of contact.

Esme leaned into him and he threw an arm around her as the theme for the movie began to play. He still looked at her as she began to pay attention to the television, though she quickly sensed his eyes on her and leaned in to give him a quick kiss.

Everyone sat closely with their significant other in the dark living room, illuminated only by the flatscreen.

Michael and Alexandra were the only two that sat slightly apart, every so often glancing over at the other. Their bodies looked equally tense, with Michael's arms folded neatly across his chest and Alexandra's hands placed between her knees as she leaned forward.

Bella found herself wondering what the two of them were thinking, though decided she wouldn't ask Edward for the good chance that they would hear her.

Jasper and Alice were sprawled comfortably on the floor, both on their stomachs with their heads closest to the television.

Rosalie sat between Emmett's legs on the floor. Her eyes were focused on William for a few minutes before she turned and looked up at her husband. He immediately noticed something was off by the helpless look she so rarely gave him.

He mouthed the words, 'what's wrong?' before she shrugged and he offered to take the conversation out of the room.

"Hey, I thought you wanted to watch this," Masen said, apparently not seeing their side conversation.

"I'll be right back," Emmett told him, guiding Rosalie out of the room.

There were looks all around, and Carlisle met Edward's eyes.

"It's nothing," he assured him, "They just need some privacy to talk."

"About what?" Bella asked in a whisper.

Edward looked down and smiled sheepishly, "William," he whispered in the quietest tone possible.

William's head snapped in his direction, "What?"

"Nothing," Edward said again.

"You said my name," he insisted. He went to get up.

Edward put up a hand, "Let them have a minute alone together. Your mom just needs to talk to your dad for a second. It's nothing bad. I promise."

William looked at Edward for a moment before nodded and sat back down next to Madison.

Carlisle continued to search his son's face for answers, though when he waved him off, he returned half of his focus back to the movie, and the other half to Esme as he began to rub the back of her neck.

Rosalie lead Emmett away from the house, and was still not sure what bothering her until they reached a point where she was sure they wouldn't be heard and broke down into tears.

"What's wrong?" he asked, cradling her into his large frame.

Rosalie buried her head into his chest. She hated feeling weak and vulnerable and was thankful that she had been able to get Emmett out of the house before her break down happened. He was the only one she ever let see her like this.

He waited patiently, hugging her tight as she cried before she regained her composure and stared up at him with damp eyes. "I don't want him to move," she said.

"William?" he asked.

She nodded, "Yes. I don't want him to go up somewhere in Canada where we'll never see him."

"We'll still see him," Emmett assured her, "We can make trips whenever you want."

"It's not the same," she said, feeling her throat tighten, "I want him here. I want him closer than that. I want to be able to put on a movie like tonight and all watch it together on a moment's notice."

Emmett continued to comfort her, knowing nothing he could really say to try to reason out the situation would be helpful.

"He's our baby, Em," she continued, "I don't want him to leave. I didn't get enough time with him."

"I know, Rose."

"You know why I haven't been bugging you for another one?" she asked, managing a laugh.

He pulled back and looked at her, allowing her to proceed.

"Because I feel like we'll be replacing him."

Emmett smiled, "That wouldn't be the case, Rose," he told her, shaking his head.

"I know," she said, wiping her eyes, "I know that. It's crazy. I just, I can't have him move away. But I know it's what he wants. It will make him happy."

He rubbed her back gently, "Maybe we can talk to Kate and Garrett. Maybe they won't mind letting Maddy live down this way with us."

"I can't do that to them, either," she said, "How selfish is that? And if Maddy wants to remain somewhat close to them, too."

They both sighed at the same time.

"We'll come up with something," Emmett told her, "Whatever it is, we'll make it work." He kissed her forehead and resumed rubbing her back.

A light growl left her throat and Emmett smiled, knowing her mood was transforming from overwhelming sadness, to a slightly edgier emotion, a combination of anger and embaressment. A small laugh ran through his torso.

"What?" she asked, pulling back slightly.

"This fierce Rose is coming out," he said, smiling wide.

Rosalie looked at his carefree smile and couldn't help but smile herself. It was something she loved so dearly about Emmett. He could always make her laugh.

"It's okay to cry in front of me," he assured her, "Don't hold back or be ashamed."

She sighed, "I know. I just hate being like this."

He touched her face and leaned in to give her a kiss. She quickly escalated it to a more intense make out session before Emmett swooped her up off the ground.

The rest of the family sat watching the movie that Emmett had so eagerly requested. Jasper and Alice looked mildly interested. Masen, William and Michael all had their eyes glued to the television with half smiles. Jacob and Renesme watched casually, not giving away anything from their body language, as did the rest of them.

Emmett and Rosalie returned halfway through the movie in time to see Jamie Lee Curtis running blindly around the seemingly abandoned hospital.

"There's no way that there would be no doctors or nurses on that floor," Carlisle commented.

"Cinematic effects," Alice told him.

"Stop analyzing it, Dad," Masen told him, "Just watch."

Esme glanced over at Carlisle with a smile and he let out a laugh.

Jasper quickly turned around upon hearing Emmett and Rosalie slouch back into their original places in the living room. "Well, well. You sure do know how to make a lady smile," he teased.

Both of them grinned, neither shyly, as Rosalie let her arms dangle on his knees from her seated position on the ground.

Madison smiled and looked at William, but he was too preoccupied in the movie's chase to scene to acknowledge Jasper's comment. She leaned a head on his shoulder.

Rosalie looked at them with a bittersweet smile, though suddenly felt a little silly for being so upset. She, nor Emmett, worked or went to school for the time being. They could easily visit William and Madison as much as they wanted to if they went through with moving in between Forks and Denali. She let out a sigh and Emmett squeezed her shoulder.

"Oh, the dessert," Rosalie said aloud.

"They had some already," Esme told her.

"Yeah," Edward chimed in, eager to tease his sister, "Esme had to take it upon herself to serve everyone in your absence." He grinned at her and narrowed his eyes.

"Well, if you were any bit of a good son, you would have offered to do it for her," Rosalie shot back.

The two of them stared in a playful battle against each other before they both simultaneously turned away with matching smiles. Bella laughed to herself at their authentic brother-sister like behavior and leaned up against Edward's chest. She glanced over at Carlisle and Esme again. His hand stroked her hair and he entwined a few strands in his fingers while she let her lips touch the side of his face closest to his ear in a light whisper.

Bella's cell phone went off in her pocket and she there was a text message from Edward. She hadn't even realized he had typed anything.

"Shhh!" Emmett said loudly, then looked at her with a closed mouth smile.

Bella smiled back and looked at her phone. The message from Edward read: Stop grilling my parents.

Her face tilted upward and she saw him smiling down at her before he laughed lightly into her neck.

"I'm not," she whispered, "I was just thinking... I'll tell you later. It's stupid."

"Spit it out," he whispered back.

"Watch the movie," she said with a laugh as he tickled her sides.

A loud scream from the television drew their attention back.

"Scared?" Edward joked.

"Oh yeah," Bella rolled her eyes.

Esme stood up and gathered the remaining dishes from Leah and Renesme's trays. Rosalie offered to help, though Esme's subtle hand up with a smile caused her to stay where she was.

Carlisle's eyes drifted toward her as she left the room and an unconscious sigh left his mouth before he fixed his eyes back on the movie.

"You scared?" Michael asked Alexandra with a smile.

"Please," she said, grinning over at him.

"I bet you Alex is at least a little scared," Jasper joked.

"Oh, you're all over the jokes tonight Jas," Emmett commented.

Jasper shot him a 'pretend mad' look before he turned back around. Alexandra smiled at their playful fighting antics and then found herself staring at Michael as he continued to lean forward on the couch, fully into the climax of the film.

Emmett signaled Edward, wanting to eavesdrop on Alex and Michael's thoughts, though he shook his head with a smile and mouthed the word 'later'. This seemed to satisfy him enough and he went back to rubbing Rosalie's shoulders.

Carlisle glanced at the clock, then quietly excused himself from the room, making eye contact as he passed by a grinning Edward on his way out of the living room. He placed a hand on his son's shoulder and squeezed down extra hard, making him wince, looking back with a smile as he raised his eyebrows.

Edward laughed out loud and looked at Bella, who was trying to get in on their private joke.

"You know, you're really lacking in the self control department these days," Jasper said, without turning around. Alice leaned an elbow on his back and turned around to grin at her father, then let a light snicker leave her mouth.

"That's our cue to leave," Masen said, looking at Leah.

Alexandra hadn't thought twice about their conversation, as it went completely over her head. Esme reappeared from somewhere in the house and stood next to Carlisle with her hands on her hips.

"Mom," Alexandra said, getting off the couch. She got a little closer, hoping no one would hear her, "I want to talk about something."

"Sure," Esme told her, taking her daughter by the hand. She gave Carlisle a helpless look, but was overly eager to know what was bothering Alex. "Upstairs?" she asked.

Alexandra nodded, "Sure."

The two of them left the room together and Carlisle found his original place on the couch.

Edward laughed again.

"That sucks," Emmett said aloud, causing more laughter from Edward.

A pillow suddenly flew across the room and wacked Emmett in the face. He instantly stopped laughing and sat with a stunned expression, making Edward's laughter hard and uncontrollable.

Bella laughed along with him and Rosalie, too, couldn't resist upon seeing Emmett's expression.

Emmett tossed the pillow back across the way at Carlisle with a smile.

He caught it before it could hit him, "You don't want to start this," he said with a rare provoked challenge.

"Ohhhh," Jasper said, flipping around immediately, "A challenge."

"Go outside if you're going to do that!" Esme's voice called from elsewhere in the house.

Carlisle and Emmett stared at each other for a minute before the both broke out in laughter and settled back down.

Edward slumped further into the couch and kissed Bella on the cheek, "This is how it's suppose to be. We've yet to have a calm year together. Hopefully the rest of our lives will be like this. "

She smiled up at him and looked at Renesme and Jacob, "Forever."