Disclaimer: All the Twilight stuff belongs to Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended. I'm just playing in her sandbox.

Chapter 43 Christmas Eve

Esme POV

Christmas in Highlands. It really did feel like Christmas this year with my entire family together. We had not even known where Edward was last year at this time, his room filled with the odd scattered box and Alice unable to see him. We had a tree and we decorated last year, of course, secretly hoping my son would miraculously show up to be with us. I knew better, I knew that it was not that he didn't want to, that he didn't love us. He couldn't come, he just could not bear to be around anything that reminded him of Bella.

If we had only known, only suspected how hard it would be on either of them, Carlisle and I would never have allowed it. We would never have left Forks in the first place, regardless of Edward's wishes. But then, who is to say that things would have turned out so happily, that if they had not felt the indescribable loss of each other perhaps they would not cherish their time together as fully as they did. Edward might not have been able to be with her the way he is, the way they make love all the time. She might not be carrying my grandson right now. We would never know if the restraint he now has would have been there without his suffering the excruciating loss of her for the better part of a year.

I stared out the back window towards the valley and the National Park there as I prepared some of the ingredients for tomorrows dinner. Bella would be up here later to help, as I had no idea how to prepare and stuff a turkey and she was going to drop by to show me.

Bella.

My newest daughter and the completion of our family. I remember the objection we had at first, really, our son falling in love with a human. Carlisle and I had no idea how it would ever end well, but I kept urging Carlisle to trust Edward. Edward had never been interested in anyone in the over 90 years that I had known him. He was a truly brilliant young man and I had every confidence that if he saw something in this little human girl, that she must really be something special. He was right.

She was just what Edward needed . . . she truly completed him in every way. She knew how to comfort him when he needed it yet she could put him in his place on a dime. I had seen him literally ready to kill, ready and able to rip someone apart with his bare hands only to have her stroke his face and speak softly to him, calming him. She had irrevocably changed him, of that there was no doubt. The up tight, prudish attitude had been replaced with a soft, loving demeanor, capable of showing affection even publicly. He loved her beyond all reason, as she did him and they had no reservations about showing it.

His room here was now filled with the furnishings they used while she recuperated from her accident and we had just ordered new baby furniture to turn it into a nursery. A nursery for a baby, here, in our home. Just imagine!

I heard him come up the drive and enter the house, so it was no surprise when my husband greeted me.

"Petal, it's so good to be here with everyone, isn't it?", Carlisle said as he stood behind me and softly whispered in my ear, his arms around my waist as I stood at the sink.

"I was just thinking that, dear", I told him as I turned and kissed his lips, playing with his soft hair.

"I'm just so happy that he has her Carlisle, that we have Edward back", I said.

"I know. Edward has always had a large place in my heart as my first and it does me good to see him so happy", Carlisle agreed.

"Is it really possible that they might be able to have this baby, Carlisle? Does Masen stand a chance of being born, of surviving?", I asked him quietly.

"He has a chance, Petal. He has an even better chance since Edward can read his thoughts. The baby is obviously intelligent, so we don't have to worry that they created a monster of some sort that is incapable of learning. We just have to hope . . . and pray. Bella is the top priority. Though they want the baby, they have both said that she is the priority. I'm not sure what it would do to them though if I had to take the baby, if he doesn't make it. You know better than any of us how that would be, I'm sure", he said to me.

"I know. I just hope it doesn't come to that. They have both been through enough", I said.

It seemed as though all I had to do was think about them today and people would appear. I listened as Edward and Bella took those last steps toward my front door as I continued to pay attention to my husband.

"Anyone home?", Bella called as she came through the front door with Edward close behind.

"Your father and I are in the kitchen", I answered, smirking to Carlisle and giving him a last kiss before the kids entered the room.

"Wow, Mom, we didn't mean to interrupt", Emmett said as he followed them in from the den.

"Emmett, really! You and Rose don't kiss all the time in front of me and think nothing of it", I scoffed, holding Carlisle tight to me.

"Yes but Mom, you're the Mom. Mom's do not do that sort of thing", Emmett insisted.

"Hold it, Emmett. I'm about to be a Mom. You don't really think I'm going to give up having Edward every chance I get, do you?", Bella asked.

"That's just gross. Not after you are a parent Bella, really. You guys better get all of that in now so you can give it up after the kid comes out", Emmett went on, "Besides, after he comes out won't that kind of stretch things anyway so that you won't want to?"

"EMMETT!", Carlisle, Bella, Edward and I all said at the same time. Rose even yelled his name from the other room!

"Inappropriate, son!", I told him, "And anyway, Carlisle is going to take the baby so that it will never come out the traditional way, regardless . . . not that that would make your statement true if it did! I had a baby the traditional way, you don't see Carlisle shying away from me do you?"

Edward was laughing, he just could not seem to help it. Bella was so red and had such a look that could kill on her face that it was not long till we were all in stitches. Emmett was just so totally ridiculous sometimes.

"What?", Emmett asked, a hurt, misunderstood look on his face.

"Come on out of here you big oaf," Rose said as she grabbed him by the ear and started to literally drag him back into the living room. "Edward, come beat this jackass at video games while Bella shows Mom how to do the turkey!", she added.

"Boys, sometimes they just have no manners at all", I said to Bella.

"I'm going upstairs to change, Petal", Carlisle said as he kissed me on the cheek as well and headed out of the room. "Edward", he said over his shoulder as he reached the stairs, please find me before you leave tonight, there is something I want to discuss with you."

Edward shrugged his shoulders, kissed Bella on the cheek and headed off to play video games with Emmett.

"Well Bella, now that the disruptions have left, how do I deal with this turkey?", I asked, handing her an apron as we both continued to laugh at our family.

~oooOooo~

EPOV

I knew what Carlisle wanted, of course. He had just returned from the hospital taking the sample of Jake's blood. I suspected, as he did, that Jake was not sick. Jacob was about to phase into a wolf for the first time. I had no idea how to handle it, the boy thought all the legends of his tribe were the ramblings of old men. I suspected that part of his dislike for me stemmed from the fact that we were natural enemies, he just didn't know it. I would have to find time in private to talk to him about it in the next few days. I had met his grandfather and Ephraim Black was a reasonable man, I was sure I could reason with Jacob. Especially since we had struck up somewhat of a friendship, in spite of our rivalry over Bella. This is one time I was glad Sue Clearwater would be here in a couple of days as she was one of the tribal Elders and would have answers for both of us.

It took only minutes to soundly whip Emmett at Call of Duty and just a few moments longer to run upstairs and share my concerns about Jacob with Carlisle and agree that I should talk to him. I just had to make sure that any alone time between he and Bella happened soon, as I could not allow her near him without me present if he phased. It was just too dangerous.

We headed back to the house to spend some time with Bella's parents and Jacob. They would be through with their wrapping and Jacob with his nap and ready for some dinner that Bella had warming in the oven. She was amazing at cooking and always had things prepared in advance, or was able to throw things together at a moments notice.

Dinner was uneventful, conversation about how beautiful it was here, what a good cook Bella was, how well Dale's team continued to do in the racing world and how excited everyone was for it to be Christmas Eve. Bella hadn't touched much of her dinner and as I took plates into the kitchen was glad to see her eating from a plate beside the sink, picking at it as she did the dishes. I put my arms around her as she stood there by the sink and kissed her neck. She didn't turn to kiss my lips like she usually did and it was then that I noticed. Bella was eating raw steak. Drippy raw steak that she had cut into smallish bites on the plate beside the sink.

"Are you alright, love?", I asked her as I turned her to face me.

"Fine sweetheart, why?", she asked.

"Because, you always seem anxious to kiss me, always till now, love. What's wrong?", I asked again as I quickly touched my lips to hers before she could turn away.

She said nothing.

"Bella, the taste of raw meat doesn't bother me in the least. In fact, it's way more pleasant than any of the other foods you eat, love", I told her.

"Edward", she said shyly, refusing to meet my eyes, "It's just so odd that I want it raw, that it tastes good to me. I have always liked meat well done because I hate the taste and sight of blood. I've never liked that before."

"Bella, you've never been pregnant with the child of a vampire before," I whispered into her ear, "You are bound to have cravings and if the boy is anything like his father, he wants blood, love."

She looked at me as though I had slapped her.

"I never considered that, Edward. He would, wouldn't he. He would want his natural diet, he would not know any different. It would just be instinct for him, wouldn't it?", she asked.

"I don't know, love. It sounds feasible. We don't know how much he takes after me and how much of him is human. Don't worry about the meat, eat as much as you want. Just please never refuse to kiss me, I can't bear to think you don't want me, Bella."

"Edward! you know very well that wasn't anything to do with it, I was just embarrassed, that's all. Sometimes I forget the vampire side of you or of course I would have known that you wouldn't be grossed out. I'm sorry, baby. I always want to kiss you, you know that", she told me as her lips consumed mine and her tongue traced my lips, wanting my tongue to come out and play.

"With my parents here, I was just thinking human, that's all", she added when she released me so that she could breath.

"Hey guys, even in the kitchen?", Renee commented as she brought more plates in to be washed, helping us to clear off the table.

"Mom, ready to go caroling?", Bella asked her.

"Yes. Everyone, get your coats and hats and gloves and lets get to town! We don't want to be late!", Renee announced.

Phil grabbed his coat and Mom's as Charlie grumbled that he couldn't sing anyway. I grabbed Bella's and my coat and walked with her out the door to where my family was waiting in the driveway. They already had the cars warmed up for the humans and were bundled up in their unnecessary coats and hats to keep up the human facade. I chuckled as Jacob refused to get a coat, announcing that he was just naturally hot. Little did he know, of course he didn't need a jacket . . . he was a part of our mythical world, he just wasn't aware of it yet.

We all accompanied Carlisle and Esme to the 7 pm church service on the green in town. For the first time ever, after years of traveling the world, learning ancient languages and pouring over ancient manuscripts to discern meanings first hand, I accepted the fact that I had a soul. I stood behind her with my arms around her waist and thanked God for my Bella and all that she had shown me about myself and life. I had been around for 110 years, but a 19 year old human had schooled me when it came to seeing myself more clearly. She was my soul mate and I had seen the beauty of her soul. If she was my other half, then I did indeed have a soul, vampire or not, and a chance at heaven . . . if I ever died.

We all took candles and followed the masses as they split up and headed down the rows of houses near town to sing Christmas songs. The lights were twinkling, everything was decorated to the hilt and there was a crispness in the air . . . the smell of snow. I was betting we would have a white Christmas and I could not be happier. Right here in my arms was everything I would ever need, or want. Bella reached an arm around Jacob as we sang and I could not bring myself to be mad about it. He had saved her, taken care of her when I had failed to be there for her. I owed him everything and I realized that it also meant I would help him through what was about to happen to him, through bringing him into our world, letting him know what I was and what he was becoming. I owed him that.

~oooOooo~

"Oh God . . . Edward . . . don't ever stop, please baby . . . never stop . . .", Bella said almost incoherently.

It was her own fault, really. She knew if she wore that blue backless nightgown that I wouldn't be able to control myself. I only thought she was soft before, her body feeling so fragile to me, but now . . . now she was the softest cloud, the smoothest velvet . . . it was amazing. She was so beautiful.

I had to be sure and hold myself off her now, refusing to squish Masen or cause him discomfort in any way. I realized that one kick from him in protest could probably break a rib, as she already had a couple of bruises he had given her that showed on her belly. I laid by her side and nuzzled her neck as I stroked her breasts. I knew she wanted me, she wanted to feel my body pressing her into the mattress, but I would find a different way to satisfy her.

I settled between her legs, keeping my torso off her. She was just so beautiful, lying there with both me and my child inside her. I was overcome with emotion. I grabbed her knee and rolled us onto our sides so that I could kiss her while we made love. Her hands tangled in my hair as she tried to consume me, touching every possible inch of me to her.

"I love you, Bella", I told her as I kissed down her neck towards her shoulder, "I love you more than anything else in the world, sweetheart."

"I know you do, baby. I love you just as much, I just can't get enough of you Edward, I can't touch enough of you, can't hold enough of you to me. Please, please hold me close to you, baby", she insisted as she clung to me. I pulled her tight against me, pulling her leg tight around my hip.

Masen was awake and I questioned the five month pregnant status as he kicked at me, pressed up against his Mom. I knew Carlisle was making his best guess, based on size, but I somehow knew that Masen was developed far beyond what we thought, I would need to keep a close watch on him. We had to get him out before he decided to do it himself! I didn't want Bella's entry into my world to be because we had to use venom to save her life.

My mind settled back on his Mom. She was coming unglued again from our actions, our hips rocking into each other and my hands tracing pattens on her back. She screamed out before I could cover her mouth with mine and I knew the family heard. It wasn't late at night and they may have even still been up. It couldn't be helped. It was my house and my wife. I didn't want her embarrassed or her parents uncomfortable, but this was exactly where she belonged, in my bed. She was mine.

The last of the flames were dying out in the fireplace as I reached for the controls of the heating blanket. We were trying to be discrete and having our room at 85 degrees would have caused questions. It was easier just to turn on the electric blanket to warm my body up against hers and keep her teeth from chattering. She was fast asleep, spent after several hours of lovemaking with me.

I was content to lie beside her and have my hand on our child, feeling him moving and listening to his thoughts. He was developing quickly mentally. He knew who I was and when I was listening to his thoughts. It was as if he sensed my presence in his mind. I told him I was Daddy and that he needed to be careful not to hurt his Mom, that he was stronger than she was and he had to be gentle with her. I told him to tell me when he needed to come out, when the desire to escape overcame him and to let me get him out, not to try and do it himself as he would hurt his Mom. I planned on telling him this every night till he was born, every night until I was sure he understood me.

I heard a noise downstairs. A human was moving around in the living room. One of my siblings was outside my house, standing guard just in case. They would alternate, taking turns each night until we had taken care of Victoria and her friend. They would not leave Bella unguarded and they could never be sure if I had fallen asleep at night or not. We took no chances.

I went downstairs to check on whoever was up only to find Charlie adding things to my stocking as well as Bella's.

"Charlie. I heard something and just came down to check", I said as I entered the room.

"Yes, well, I heard something myself a little while ago, but I was smart enough not to check on it this time", he said with a snicker.

If I could have blushed, I would have. Instead, I guess I just grinned at him and ducked my eyes from his stare.

"Don't worry about it, son. This is your house and she's your wife. I have been giving it a lot of thought today. I know she's my daughter and it's hard for me to let go, but you have been nothing but good to her since you found her last summer and I believe you two have a real chance at being happy together, happily ever after that is. I suppose if I thought about it, I would be more worried if I didn't hear those noises coming from your room. You are after all a 19 year old male and my daughter loves you beyond all reason", Charlie told me.

I had to sit down. I couldn't believe what I was hearing from him verbally and his thoughts backed up his words.

"Thank you, Charlie. I love her more than anything else in the world and I promise I will never leave her and she will never want for anything. Ever. I have more money right now that we could spend in our lifetime and I can earn more if we want to. She can, literally, do anything she wants Charlie and I will support her in doing it. College, career, or stay at home parent. Anything that makes her happy, Charlie", I told him as I stared him in the face.

"I believe you, son . . . I believe you. You look at her like I used to look at Renee . . . and I never got over her", he added softly.

"Well, big day tomorrow. Better get some shut eye. I just need to drop a few Santa things off down here while no one was around", he said as he stood to go to bed. He turned before he reached the stairs and said, "Goodnight, Edward . . . and Merry Christmas, son."

Wow. He had come over to the dark side. Charlie liked me. Charlie actually liked me. He heard his daughter scream out as I made love to her and told me that it was a good thing that those noises came from our room, that he should probably be worried about it if he didn't hear it. I hoped I was awake and not dreaming.

My father stepped in the front door and sat beside me on the sofa.

"That was amazing, son. You actually won him over. I knew that you and Bella were kind of loud tonight, but he heard and was okay with it. That's huge. Congratulations son, you amaze me once again", Carlisle said as he stood to go back outside and keep watch.

"Are we due for another ultrasound soon, Dad?", I asked.

"I suppose we could. No one will be there tomorrow or Sunday, why don't we try for Sunday afternoon, that way there will be a week in between images", he said, "Why? Is something wrong, Edward?"

"No, no. Not wrong, I just think Masen is far more developed than we think. I almost sense that I can converse with him, that he understands me. I talk to him every night while Bella sleeps and I think he is beginning to understand me."

"Phenomenal. That is just absolutely fascinating, son. Let's get another image then. It won't hurt anything and perhaps a due date in March may be too far off. Perhaps your son is more anxious than that to get out here with us!", Carlisle allowed.

"Just so we get him out before he tries to do it himself, Dad. She already has a couple of bruises on her belly from his kicks and last night Bella was eating raw steak. The boy is definitely more than human", I told my Dad.

"Yes, that much is obvious", Carlisle agreed.

"What the hell does that mean?", Jacob said as he flipped on the light and entered the room with us.

"Jacob. I didn't hear you there", I told him.

"No kidding. Now, what the hell do you mean that the kid is more than human?", he asked again.

"Jacob, I suppose this is as good a time as any to have a talk with you", Carlisle said looking at me out of the corner of his eye. His mind was flying. He was going to explain the legends to Jacob, tell him that his tribe's old stories were in fact true. I hoped he knew what he was doing.

"Jacob, I was going to wait till Tuesday when Sue Clearwater was here to have this discussion with you, but it seems the time is now", Carlisle said as Jacob moved to sit in the recliner in front of us.

"Hear me out, Jacob. The legends your tribe speaks of, being descended from wolves . . . they are absolutely true", Carlisle told him. "I know they are true because Edward and I were there. We made the treaty with your grandfather, Ephraim Black some 70 years ago, Jacob. Your tribe is descended from wolves and we are the cold ones that your legends speak of, my family and I", Carlisle told him.

"That's not possible, Carlisle. I'm friends with Edward. I actually like him and that couldn't happen if we were natural enemies", Jacob said quietly, scoffing at the very idea.

"Jacob, you haven't phased yet into your wolf form. The process is just starting for you, that's what the increased temperature is all about and your irritability. Once you have phased a time or two your normal temperature will be 109 all the time. Haven't you noticed you don't get cold? Tonight, everyone had a coat but you, don't you think that strange?", I asked him.

"Edward, if all this is true, then that makes you a vampire", Jacob mused.

"Yes, Jacob", I said as I stared directly into his eyes, "I am a vampire".

He looked wildly around the room, his eyes as large as saucers.

"But you are married to a human . . . Bella is human! The legends say that isn't possible, that you would kill her if you even tried to be with her. What about that?", Jacob asked, his mind desperately trying to prove my words wrong.

"That is the reason I left her in the first place, Jacob. I wanted her to have a safe, human life and my world offered too many dangers for her. I left to keep her safe and it almost killed us both. You saw her after I left", I said, looking him straight in the eye.

"Yea, I saw her. But, how do you . . . you . . . I mean, she's pregnant for God's sake! If the legends are true, you should have had her for lunch or snapped her like a twig, not gotten her pregnant and taken care of her!", he almost growled as he said it, accused me really.

"Well, anyway, that's what I meant when I said the boy is more than human. We are not sure how much more, but he is definitely almost stronger than his mother even now", I said.

"This is just too much to take in. I want to talk to Sue about this. Is this why Sam has been so insistent that he needed to talk to me?", Jacob asked.

"Yes, I suppose so", I answered him, "But Jacob. I want you to understand, I consider you a friend. I refuse to consider you an enemy, you mean too much to Bella."

"Oh my God. . . Bella. Does she know, Edward? Does she know about all of this?", he asked, horrified that she might be in over her head and not even know it.

"She heard the legends from you, Jacob. She knows about me, but we have never discussed the wolves. I wasn't sure you would ever phase, after you left La Push, so we have never discussed it. Since she knows that our part of the legend is true, she must realize that the rest is true as well", I told him.

"Are you telling me she knowingly married a vampire, Edward?", Jacob asked, his mind reeling.

"Yes, Jake, I did.", Bella answered as she rounded the corner into the living room with us.