AN: I started this months ago but it took me forever to get it done, obviously. So sorry again for the delays and thanks for sticking with me. The last chapter should be out soon.

Chapter Forty-Four

Reunions

Quil's POV

They say time flies when you are having fun and they aren't lying. Before I knew it, Claire agreeing to marry me turned into expecting our first child. We almost missed the whole getting married part. That was a good day. Our normal quickly became a balance of work, kids and werewolf stuff. After a few years, you get used to it and its not so much work anymore. Sleeping in was never an option though.

I could hear Arlo start to sniffle before he cried sometime before sunrise. I didn't want to wake up Claire because she had been up with him before I got home from patrol. I crept out of bed and made my way to the bedroom Arlo shared with his big sister Eliza. Eliza slept like me and was passed out in her big girl bed, not going to be roused by anything less than an atomic bomb. Arlo was only nine-months old and we were trying to get him to sleep in the room with Eliza now. It was a slow process.

"Don't worry little man, I'm here." I whispered as I picked him up. It was nearly sunrise. I knew he wasn't hungry, he was just lonely.

I took him out to the living room and curled up with him on the couch. He was a fat baby, just like I was, and a heat box. So it didn't take much before we both fell back asleep. It was a normal morning on the weekend for us, try not to wake mom and sister up.

The sun was flooding the living room when Eliza came out and joined us. She was all energy in the morning though and just started bouncing around me. "Daddy," She whispered with excitement. She was going to be five soon, and was a beautiful as her mom, just a little darker.

"Morning Liza." I smiled back to her.

She stopped and leaned on my shoulder. "Can we get Mommy up now?" She asked quietly. She knew the rules, no waking the beast.

I looked at the clock on the wall, almost nine-o'clock. "Yeah, lets do it." I agreed with a grin.

We rushed into the other room and jumped on the bed. Arlo giggled as he flopped with me. Claire groaned and buried deep into the covers.

"No Mommy, no hiding!" Eliza laughed as she tried to root around the covers. When she found an opening Claire jumped out at her and started blowing raspberries on her neck, making Eliza break out in a hysterical laugh. Arlo started giggling with them. This was our morning routine and I loved it.

When Eliza settled Claire kneeled over me for a kiss and sat back down with Eliza in her lap. "What time is it?" She asked me as she played with Eliza's hair.

"Just about nine now." I answered as I looked out the window.

"You know what today is right?" Claire asked Eliza.

Eliza jumped out of her mothers lap and started jumping on the bed. "Auntie Nessies birthday!" She yelled.

Claire laughed and took Eliza's hands as she continued to jump. "It is and we still have to make her a present." She told her seriously. Nessie didn't like getting expensive presents, she preferred things we made her. She got a blanket every year from Emily that she would weave. Claire always painted something for her and after Eliza was born we started including them in it. Eliza was now the artist in charge. "When will they get here?" Claire asked me.

"They got in last night, we were part of the escort, that's why I was so late." I answered as I let Arlo get to his hands and knees.

"So they will probably want the party after nap time so all the kids are rested." Claire said as she tried to tickle Eliza while she jumped.

I nodded. This had been the way it was for several years. "They said show up any time after two."

"Well, first thing first. Its breakfast time." She said to Eliza, who hadn't stopped jumping the whole time.

We switched children. Arlo crawled across the bed to the waiting arms of his mother and Eliza jumped onto me. I pretended to be injured by her landing and she laughed. I picked her up and took her to the kitchen so she could help cook while Claire fed Arlo. She liked the bonding time with him and I liked the bonding time with Eliza.

Breakfast was a large affair on the weekend. This weekend it was at our house, so that meant Hannah and Jeff would be coming over. Seth and Willa were always invited but they never got out of the house early enough for it, sometimes they managed to but it was only on rare occasion and usually Jeff had to go get them himself. Eliza helped me scrabble enough eggs for everyone and started making toast. By the time Claire came out, Eliza's attention span was exhausted and she ran off to play with Arlo in his walker instead.

Hannah and Jeff arrived a few minutes later. Jeff took to playing with the kids and Hannah helped with finishing breakfast. After a dozen eggs, two pounds of bacon and a gallon of pancake batter, breakfast was done and we all sat at the dining room table and dug in. Jeff kept Arlo in his lap and Arlo had a little plate of eggs that he could eat or squeeze between his fingers, whatever he wanted.

"What time are you going to the Cullen's?" Jeff asked casually.

"After they wake up from naptime." Claire answered.

"I don't need a nap Mommy!" Eliza yelled.

"But what if I do?" Claire asked with a pout.

Eliza let out a loud and dramatic sigh. "Okay Mommy." We all tried not to laugh.

After breakfast, I took the kids outside with Hannah to play while Jeff and Claire cleaned. It was strange being on such good terms with Hannah after years of hating her guts. But after Eliza was born any lingering angry feelings were let go. I couldn't hate my daughter's grandmother. She let go of any leftover notions of us being monsters as well, since that would mean her grandchildren were monsters too. She didn't even mind the Cullen's anymore.

We spent the rest of the afternoon playing with the kids. Claire had Eliza for a little over an hour painting a picture frame that had three places for pictures. Jeff already had a copy of a picture with Dana, Claire, Willa and Nessie all covered in mud from a jaunt in the rain when they were all young. Another picture of Eliza holding up Arlo dressed in doll clothes. Which left a final spot she was trying to fill.

When the picture frame was completed, as per Eliza. She was cleaned up and we played outside more. Claire fed Arlo lunch and put him to sleep for his first nap in time for grandma and grandpa to make lunch for Eliza because 'they made the best cheeses'. We didn't mind getting to relax for a few minutes.

Claire was still pouring through all our pictures trying to figure out what one to fill the empty spot with.

"Why don't you just leave it empty?" I offered since Claire was starting to stress out about it.

She looked almost horrified at the thought. "What?" she demanded.

I put my hand up to show a surrender. "Then she can put a picture in there she wants. Or put one of the hills or the ocean. It doesn't have to be another picture of her or the kids."

"That might not be a bad idea." She admitted as she picked up the album with all the pictures of the land.

"That's why you married me, I've got the good ideas." I said proudly with a puffed-out chest.

She glanced at me from the corner of her eye and tried not to laugh. "Lets not get hasty now, I married you for your looks." She said as she kissed me and we laughed.

Eliza jumped over the couch from the kitchen and Hannah tried to yell at her to not jump over the furniture but it was no good. "Mommy, Daddy what do you want on the cheeses?" She asked. Cheeses was what her and grandpa called grilled cheese.

"I want extra cheese and tomatoes." Claire said with a thoughtful look.

"Ew," Eliza said with a look of horror. Claire had liked her sandwiches that way ever since she was pregnant with Arlo.

I laughed and kissed Eliza's forehead. "Surprise me, sweetie."

She nodded and ran back to the kitchen. I had eaten her creations before and some were pretty gross but fathers did gross things for their kids. Claire settled on a nice picture of the cliffs from the beach and all was well.

When lunch was served we all ate together and Eliza was yawning between bites of food. I looked knowingly at Claire and she nodded. After we were finished with lunch Eliza said goodbye to her grandparents for at least a few hours and she helped us clean up. By the time the dishwasher was loaded she was swaying on her feet. I picked her up and carried her to her room.

"No, I'm not sleepy." Eliza tried to fight.

"You're lucky you aren't Pinocchio or your nose would be touching the ceiling." I whispered to her as I put her in her bed and kissed her head.

Eliza rolled over and tried to sit up but dropped back down and she was out. Arlo was still asleep in his crib. We had an hour before they would wake up. Claire and I creeped out of the bedroom, leaving the door open and went to our own bed for a nap. It was the only way we'd both be able to keep up with the kids and the party. As soon as we fell onto the bed, Claire's head on my chest and my arms around her, we were asleep.

Just like I had predicted a little over an hour later, I woke up to Arlo squealing and Eliza making gun noises. It was probably another space battle. I looked down and Claire was awake as well. "You take the little one?" She asked.

I smiled. "Deal."

We got up and picked up a child each and got to work on getting them ready and ourselves for the party. It wasn't formal but we wanted to look like we tried to appear put together for the party. I finished getting Arlo ready first, so I was tasked with wrapping the now dry picture frame. By half past two we were ready to go.

The twenty-minute car ride was filled with excited yelling. They hadn't seen Nessie or Jacob in months. Parking was a mess, we were probably last to arrive or close to it. We gathered the kids and present and made our way into the Cullen mansion. Eliza took off and ran full speed at the door and it opened just before she was about to collide with it and she was in Jasper's arms. She kissed his cheek and ran off to find the next Cullen family member.

"Hey Jasper," I said casually as my daughter bounced around the expensive home.

"Hello," He said in his usual southern drawl and calm demeanor. "This must be Arlo." He said looking to my son in Claires arms. Only Jacob and Nessie had met him, the other Cullen's hadn't been able to meet him yet.

"Here, get your affection in before Nessie steals him." Claire said passing Arlo to him. At the beginning, Jasper was the most awkward with the kids, but now that he was surrounded by them for so many years he was used to it. The shapeshifters were used to handing out children over to vampires now as well.

Jasper chuckled and took Arlo over to the wall of windows overlooking the creek below the house and we walked into the party. On our way to the living room we passed Rosalie who gave us both a hug and commended us on Eliza's speed before heading off to acquire Arlo to take from Jasper. In the living room, we realized we were the last ones to arrive and Eliza was already being tossed between Alice and Nessie. It was her favorite game.

Claire and I were separated to continue catching up with everyone. We found Arlo with Esme half an hour later, he was asleep in her arms. Claire and I didn't have any urge to take him from her. The house was filled the kids, Nessie was in heaven. She loved having all the kids around. There was some food out and Esme made a beautiful cake for, like she did every year.

It was nice to have everyone back and celebrating. Even if it was so loud. Most of the noise was from my own daughter though, so I couldn't say much. We all caught up on what was going on in our lives, how businesses were doing, what the kids had learned, where they had been to recently. When everything settled down Jacob stood on a table and called attention to the dining room and we all gathered in and around them.

"Its time for cake." Jacob declared happily.

We all sang happy birthday to Nessie and the cake was served to pump up the kids with energy again only to force them to sit while Nessie opened her gifts. Everyone always followed her gift rules. Only things that were made and Jacob was always last because his were always the perfect gifts for her. I sat with Claire on my lap. Eliza was on the floor with Nessie and the other kids. Emmett now had Arlo in one hand, with his other wrapped around Rosalie.

Nessie opened her gifts and there were some tears but mostly laughing. She gave Eliza a hug for the picture frame and promised to hang it as soon as she got home and thanked Claire for the pictures. When it was time for Jacobs present everyone settled in to see what it was. Last year it had been a hunting cabin he fixed up for her in the tundra of Canada. We were all excited for what it would be this year.

But all he had in his hand was a manila envelope and everyone was a little confused except Esme and Carlisle. They were probably part of whatever the gift was.

"Jacob you are going to have a hard time beating last years gift if this is all you have." Nessie said with a smile.

"I think I can still beat it with whats in there." Jacob said confidently with a grin.

Nessie looked even more curious and looked at the papers in her hand and then started to cry. All the kids were very worried until she dropped the papers and launched herself at Jacob. One of Paul's kids picked up the papers. "Whats a declaration of adoption?" he asked confused.

Everyone started pouring in their congratulations.

"How?" Claire asked, excited as she held tight to Nessie's hand.

"When we were in Canada we came across a little boy who's village was wiped out and we've been trying to adopt him since. That's why my mom and dad aren't here, they are up in Ontario with him." Nessie tried to explain between happy cries.

"Whats his name?" Willa almost demanded.

The night was taken over by Heath, even though he was in another country. Everyone got pictures of him and promises to meet him as soon as he had his passport and the adoption was completed. Honestly, no one would be able to beat that present.

An hour or so later the kids were starting to fuss and it was time to leave. It was hard to say goodbye to the Cullens since we only got to see them once a year unless there was an emergency. But we were all glad that Nessie was going to be a mother, like she always wanted. The drive home Eliza was filled with questions and we answered them as best we could. She hadn't ever been exposed to adoption before so she had a lot. Arlo was already asleep so we put him to bed in our room and Claire showered with Eliza while I made myself a snack.

After they were showered I took my own and we were all cuddled in bed, Eliza laid between us while Arlo slept in his basinet. "So, you can be a mommy with no baby in your belly?" Eliza asked confused.

"You sure can." Claire answered.

"Oh good, cause I don't want to have a baby in my belly." Eliza said adamantly.

We both chuckled. Eliza was very set in her ways and I wouldn't be surprised if years down the road she still felt the same way. I was quite alright with her never having kids if she didn't want to either. It was strange to think there might be a day when she was on her own, with a husband or a wife thinking about kids. I didn't think about it too long before it took over my thoughts for the whole night and made it impossible to sleep.

We read Eliza a story and then put her to bed in her pink race car bed and Arlo in his crib in their room. She fought a little with it, but eventually gave up and fell asleep in her own bed. We got back to our own bed as quietly and quickly as possible and settled into the covers.

"You know, we are going to need more room eventually. I don't think they are going to share that room forever." Claire pointed out as she settled close.

"We'll worry about that another day." I muttered into her hair.

"Fine, but promise me for sure if we have another baby we will do something about it?" She asked.

I knew this was something stressing her out. "Okay, in two years I promise I'll put another level on this house for all the children you want." I swore.

She smiled and kissed me. "Thank you, I love you."

I held her tight to me. "I love you too."

AN: Review!