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

Chapter 45 Presents

BPOV

We all headed back into the house and Edward excused himself to ready the presents for Jacob and my parents. I hoped we were not making a mistake in being so extravagant. I wasn't sure how my transformation would go after the baby was born and we had no idea how long I would need to stay away from humans as a newborn. This might be my last Christmas with my parents, so there were things we wanted them to have, things that money could buy for them that they might enjoy and we could easily provide them and Edward was all for it.

I finished my breakfast just as Edward came in the front door.

"Ready for stockings, sweetheart?", I asked from the kitchen.

"Soon as you get in here, love", he said and went to sit on the hearth in front of the fireplace where the stockings were hung.

I handed each person their stocking from Santa and we opened them one at a time so that all could see. They were filled with Swiss chocolates and peppermints mostly, but each one seemed to have a surprise in it. Interesting since I had been Santa last night, that these stocking had some things in them that I had never seen before.

Jacob's stocking had an astounding amount of candy in it, probably to match his appetite. There was also a gift certificate for Snap-on tools so that he could purchase any items that he needed. He was really excited about it

Charlie's stocking contained candy as well, though not as much. The gift that was left in the stocking for Charlie was four season passes to all the Mariners games - really good seats in boxes with club level access and a parking pass for the year. He was thrilled.

Phil received a new cell phone in his stocking and Renee opened a jewelry box to find the most beautiful diamond pendant necklace with a B inscribed on the back of the setting.

"Well, Santa must have known that I would always like to be reminded of my daughter", Renee said with tears in her eyes.

Edward was next with the usual candies emptying from his stocking, but there was also a box that contained a wrist watch. As he turned the watch over, I saw the engraving on the back that said

Welcome to the family, Son.

Charlie

I beamed at my Dad, who averted his eyes. He really did avoid any display of emotion. Edward offered his thanks to Santa and a comment about what good taste Santa had as I spilled the contents of my stocking into my lap.

There in the chocolates and candies was a box similar to the one that Edward's watch had been in. I opened it to find the ladie's version of the watch Edward had gotten with an inscription on the back as well saying

I love you

Always have . . . always will

Dad

My eyes started overflowing with tears as I flew to put my arms around Charlie's neck. He was forced to face the emotion that he was feeling and I saw his eyes fill as well, though he tried his best to hide it.

As we opened presents, I was thrilled at the thought my parents had put into gifts for Edward. Mom had made him an album of photos of me from when I was born and I knew I would be teased relentlessly about some of them! Though she had no way of knowing it, the album would help me to remember my human years, years that would supposedly become dim and distant to me after my transformation into a vampire. Mom and I could look over the photos now and tell the stories related to them and Edward's photographic memory would recall each and every one of them to me later, when I also had perfect recall, enabling me to keep my memories. I knew my Mom was intuitive, but this gift was perfect.

The watch that Charlie had given him via Santa was important in that it represented his acceptance of Edward into the family and the ipad from Phil would enable Edward to trade more easily in the market, even if he was away from his laptop!

Jacob had given Edward a beautiful rifle for hunting, having overheard me refer to Edward as being out hunting at some point and I saw the amusement in Edwards eyes as he enthusiastically accepted the gift along with a box of rounds and went on about how anxious he was to try it out! Charlie eyes it and started talking about gun safety! Dad was always going to act like that I suppose.

It continued to amaze me how in tune my family was with each other or perhaps the situation this year. Jake handed me a small box to open, smaller than the one Edward had given me earlier in our room. Inside the small leather pouch in the box was a tiny carving of a russet colored wolf, intricately carved from wood.

"Jake, how did you know that Edward gave me a charm bracelet for Christmas?", I asked excitedly.

"I didn't, Chica. My Dad taught me how to make those before he died and I wanted the first one I completed to be for you. Guess it's just a bonus that you already have a bracelet to attach it to!", he said as I hugged him close.

My Dad gave me a camera as well, requesting that he have photos of the baby sent to him on a regular basis if we insisted on living so damned far from him and Phil gave me a day planner with all his upcoming games clearly marked, suggesting that we could meet at some of them and that the calendar would let me know if my Mom was home or not as far as scheduled events went.

Mom handed me a rather large box and I eyed her suspiciously. I opened it to find a quilt that she had made out of all the t shirts we had purchased from places we had been.

"I thought it would keep you warm, sweetie and remind you of all the fun we had together", Mom said. I loved it. It was perfect . . . a piece of her and our time together that I could keep with me, always. I was in tears, Edward's arms around me as we sat on the hearth in our home, my

family surrounding us. I loved her gift.

"I have one more gift for Edward and Jacob both", I said as I pulled two large boxes from behind the tree. I want you to open them at the same time.

Jake and Edward both looked at the boxes, then at each other. Edward shrugged his shoulders, then ripped into the box, making short work of the beautiful wrapping job. They both pulled their gifts free at about the same time, standing to put on the Hard Rock leather riding jackets that I had bought for each of them. I wasn't as good as Alice, of course, but the jackets did fit them!

"Thank you love", Edward said as he leaned in to kiss me, "I love it!"

"Yea, Chica, so do I . . . even though it means that we match", he said gesturing to Edward.

"Don't worry about that guys, everyone with a bike will match before the day is over!", I said with a smile.

Edward looked at me inquisitively and I squeezed his hand. It was time to give them our gifts and I knew that Edward would be better at explaining them than I would. He stood from where he was seated by me on the hearth and asked for their attention.

"Bella and I would like to thank all of you for being here with us to celebrate our first Christmas together. It has been a difficult year in many ways for all of us. I caused a lot of hurt when I left Bella last year and I want to thank all of you for accepting me back into your lives, but most especially I want to thank my wife for trusting me again and believing in us."

I stood beside him and threw my arms around him, hugging him to me.

"I love you Edward and I could never be happy without you. Thank you for finding me!", I told him just before kissing him right there in front of everyone.

My Dad cleared his throat and Renee giggled as I finally released my husband from my vice grip. He kept his arm around me, both of us facing our guests together as he continued to speak.

"You may find the gifts that Bella and I have selected for each of you to be somewhat unsettling."

He looked at me as he continued to speak.

"We want you to know that the gifts are from both of us and a lot of thought went into each one. I know we're young, but I have invested and worked in the market for almost 10 years now, since I was a small boy and I have done rather well. Because of this, we can do whatever we want, go wherever we want and have no worry over finances . . . ever. We want to share some of that with each of you, so please accept these gifts in the spirit in which they are given. We both really do love all of you."

"Well", I said, "they're parked out front! Race you to the door, Jake!", I said as I shot across the room to the front door and out onto the porch.

My family followed. They stood stone dead in their tracks, each one holding onto the porch railing and looking out to the front yard.

"Dad, the boat is for you, the truck is for Jake and the car is for Mom and Phil. Merry Christmas!"

Edward slipped my jacket over my shoulders, he was so fast no one had noticed him ducking back inside to get it for me. No one moved, my Mom stood with her hand over her mouth, Jake threw me a sly grin and my father was turning four shades of white as we all remained pretty much motionless.

Edward and I took a few steps down the stairs into the yard and turned to them, "Don't you like them?", I asked.

Jake was the first to move.

He walked with us over to his black, Harley Davidson edition Ford truck and ran his hand appreciatively along the hood.

"We didn't know exactly what you would like, Jacob, so we ordered it with everything on it, I hope it's alright", Edward told him.

"Dude, it's amazing. I have no words", Jake said as he shook Edward's hand and pulled him into that strange guy type one armed hug that they do.

Charlie was just standing in front of his boat, looking at it in disbelief.

"This is exactly the one I have always imagined, right down to the make and color. How could you possibly have known?", he looked at me with a grin on his face, somewhat astounded.

Edward. That's how I knew. Edward had pulled it out of his thoughts and ordered exactly the boat Charlie had always wanted. I wanted to get him a car so that he could leave the police cruiser at home, but Edward insisted that Charlie liked driving around town in the police cruiser, and that what he really had always wanted was a boat . . . this boat.

"I'm so glad you like it, Dad. We can have it shipped home to you after Christmas!", I told him.

"Well that's just . . . that's just something that is", he said as he ran his hand along the side and stepped on the fender of the trailer so that he could climb into the boat and check it out.

Renee was sitting in the passenger seat of the silver Mercedes, running her hand along it's soft leather contours.

"Edward, after showing me stocks and the tip you gave us, I feel like it's us that should be buying you a car, not the other way around!", Phil said.

"You need a comfortable way for Renee to travel to games with you, Phil and to come visit Bella and the baby. You seemed to like the rental car I had when we were down there, so we thought you might like to have one of your own", Edward explained.

"You were right, Edward. I love the car. Renee kept going on about how comfortable it was and how all the bags fit into the trunk when you guys went shopping at Thanksgiving.

Edward and I exchanged a few sentences with my family before claiming to be cold and retreating back into the house to sit on the sofa in front of the fire.

"That went over better than I expected so far", Edward said as he put his arms around me, "and hopefully when they have time to think about it they'll still be accepting of our gifts."

It was barely eleven o'clock and we weren't due at Edward's Mom's till around two. I leaned over and gently kissed his lips as we sat here in front of the fire and his arms tightened around me as he kissed me back, deepening the kiss and holding me tightly to him. I wasn't sure if it was minutes or hours that passed, Edward was half on top of me as we continued to kiss and make out passionately on the sofa like the teenagers we were. My hands grabbed his hair as his lips consumed me, his tongue exultant against mine. I could have kissed him for days without stopping, but the loud 'ahem' coming from Jake as he stood above us interrupted the moment.

"Do you guys do that all the time?", Jake asked.

"What? . . . Kiss? . . . ", I asked, righting myself on the sofa.

"Yea. Kiss, hug, all this kind of stuff", he said gesturing to our position next to each other.

"We do, Jake", I answered him, and remembering the talk we were having last night I added, "and obviously he doesn't hurt me."

"I still don't know how you are with her like that, Edward. You're not supposed to be able to even be near humans, much less all over them like that", Jacob said as he sat in the chair next to us, "It just doesn't make any sense."

"I love her, Jacob. I know the pain of being away from her and I would never do anything that might cause me that type of pain again. I could never hurt her", Edward told him.

"Well if a vampire can sit there kissing and fondling his natural food source, then I guess a werewolf can be friends with him", Jacob snickered, rising to punch Edward in the shoulder.

I didn't know how he did that without hurting himself, I would have broken my hand doing the same thing to Edwards hard shoulder.

I was kind of glad Jake had interrupted us, though, as Phil, Mom and Charlie filed back into the house, and their finding us necking would have been even more embarrassing!

Mom and I picked up all the papers and discarded boxes and Charlie sat at the fireplace burning them for us, until the room was straightened up again and there weren't gifts scattered everywhere.

"We have some gifts we need to bring down to take up to your parent's house, Edward", Renee said.

"That reminds me, so do I", said Charlie as they all headed off to retrieve their packages and get them ready to take to the other house.

"Do you want me to go help Rose get the other 'gifts' ready, Chiva?", Jake asked me.

I saw from the expression on Edward's face that he had read Jake's mind and knew what Rose and I had done. "That would be great, Jacob. She might need some help sneaking all of them out and putting them in order of who they are for", I said and he turned and headed out the door.

"You and Rose really bought all of us motorcycles?", Edward asked me with an eyebrow lifted as he tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.

"Yea, we ordered them a month ago", I said uneasily. I was beginning to question spending all that money. "I hope you're not angry with me because I just . . ."

I was cut off from speaking by his lips pressed hard to mine. My husband continued kissing me for a long moment, not allowing me up for air or talking. When he finally had to allow me to breath, I pulled slightly away from him so that I could look at his face, so that I could look into his eyes and I saw only love there. He looked . . . happy!

"I hope you're okay with me spending the money for the bikes. Rose and I went in half on all of them and she is building a garage and storage area for them by your parent's garage", I told him.

"Baby, I couldn't be happier. I love that you spent money and bought gifts! I told you before, half of everything is yours to do with as you will. I love the bikes and I love that you put a seat for two on mine", he told me. "I don't want you to give up riding, Bella. I just want you to wait till you are a little more . . . durable, to ride by yourself. You don't have to ride behind me, I'll ride behind you if you like, I just need to be close enough to save you if there is any problem", he said shyly.

I stated kissing him again, only to be interrupted this time by my father coming down the stairs with an arm full of gifts to bring to the other house.

"Here, let me get the door for you and you can set those in the back of the car", Edward said as he hurried to get the door. I directed Renee and Phil out to the car with their gifts as well and we all decided to go on over, even though it was early. I could at least help Esme finish cooking dinner for all of us.

~oooOooo~

Alice POV

"I'm trying, Jasper. But she is my very best friend and it's so hard to stay away!", I told him.

"I know, darlin'. but they need this time by themselves. They already have so many interruptions and distractions. I was surprised to hear them this morning with her parents there, weren't you?"

"No. I saw. They stick to their routine of being together each morning and night regardless of where they are or who's around. Your stuffed shirt brother has really loosened up in the last six months."

"You're tellin' me", Jasper replied as he pulled me tighter against his hard body, "The lust coming off both of them has kept us busy almost everyday. I must say I enjoy the benefits . . . and so do you."

"That I do. That I do", I said as I kissed him just one more time before getting up to dress.

"They are going to keep up certain hours reserved for them to be alone once she is changed and I think we should do that as well. It's a great idea and it works well for them. Now hurry up, they're coming up here early and I want to see her", I said over my shoulder as I disappeared into our closet. "Your clothes are on the chair!", I called out to let him know.

I had everything perfect in the house, of course, from the garlands to the tree to the candles burning on the mantle. Rose and Emmett were watching a movie in the living room while Carlisle helped Esme with getting dinner ready. I had set the table in the dining room up as a buffet last night, complete with poinsettias and fir branches and all was ready.

I heard them drive up, Bella and Renee coming through the door first while the men brought the gifts from the trunk of the car into the house and placed them around the tree.

"I love the jackets!", Alice blurted out with a coy smile, as though she hadn't already seen the gifts to come. "Dude, you and your wife match! What's up with that, isn't that like something people do when they are really really old?". Emmett asked. Rose smacked him and we continued to greet the rest of our family.

There were hugs all round and murmurs of Merry Christmas as the last of the food was put into serving bowls and taken to the dining room. Esme was concerned that she hadn't cooked everything just right, but Bella convinced her that everything looked just as it should and smelled wonderful, something we would be unable to determine. Human food all smelled disgusting to all of us.

Carlisle asked us all to join hands as he prayed before we ate.

Merciful God,

Bless this food we are about to eat and the people who prepared it.

We give thanks to you for the family that surrounds us,

the health you have given them and for the food we are about to consume.

We ask for your continued blessings and for you to keep us all safe from harm,

Thine is the kingdom, the Power and the Glory

Amen

"Let's eat!", I said as I grabbed a plate and handed it to Charlie.

"You better get in line in front of me, Alice. You're so small you need to eat every bit as much as Bella does", Charlie told her as he reached for a plate and put it into her hands.

"She eats like crazy, Charlie", Jasper told him, "she is just so full of energy she burns the calories off instantly. Half the time she has to go hunting for food in the middle of the night!"

Rosalie nearly chocked on her own venom over that comment as Carlisle brought his hand to his mouth in a mock coughing gesture. I had to give it to him, my husband was a master at very dry humor.

I watched the room as everyone put food on their plates, my family seeming to pass through the kitchen often and the trash can in there filling as their plates emptied little by little. The humans seemed to love the food, Bella telling Esme that everything had turned out well. The amount of food consumed showed the truth in her statement. I saw Jacob go back to the table for thirds, as did Charlie, even before the deserts were brought out.

EPOV

My parents and siblings had opened their stockings this morning and exchanged gifts, much the same as I had done with Bella and her family at our house. It seemed somewhat strange not to have been here. Other than last year, when I simply could not endure the pain that being with out Bella had caused, I don't ever remember missing a Christmas morning with them.

I had no regrets, though. I would have Bella with me and my family for eternity, she would probably only have this Christmas with her family before she joined my world completely. We had yet to talk about the details, whether she would fake her death or try and stay connected in some long distance way for a few years. Regardless, it would only be a few years till the fact that she didn't age would be noticed and could never let that happen.

I shook off those thoughts and concentrated on the people around me. Everyone was genuinely enjoying themselves this Christmas. As I looked around the room, my mother's stare caught my eye. She walked towards me. pulling me into a hug and wished me a Merry Christmas. Her thoughts told another story.

Edward, I'm so very glad you found her again and brought her back into our lives. We missed you so very much last year . . . it didn't seem like a holiday with such a gaping hole in my family. She completes you in a way I had only dreamed of for you. You have everything you wanted and things you didn't even know to ask for.

"I know, Mom . . . I know", I said as I hugged her close and told her I loved her.

"If everyone is finished and stuffed like I know I am, let's settle into the living room and open presents, shall we", Carlisle said gesturing to the room that contained the Christmas tree and the gifts around it.

Everyone found seats facing the tree and got comfortable. Bella sat in the overstuffed chair and I sat on the floor at her heet so that I had my arm across her legs, stroking up and down the outside of her calf as we sat and waited for Alice to hand out the gifts.

It was the little pixie's job each year, partly because she was the most full of energy, and partly because she knew what the gifts were without ever looking, and orchestrated the event accordingly.

My siblings had gotten every fishing device known to man for Charlie - sonar, nets, poles, everything they could think of that he might possibly be able to use. Jasper and Emmett seemed interested in fishing along side him and were planning an excursion for the summer when they said they would visit him in Forks.

Alice, of course, got him a new sport coat claiming he needed some fashion in his life. She had gotten coats for all of the men and the latest designer fashions for the women claiming it was her responsibility to bring us into the 21st century with our clothing, and deliver us from the 80's that we all seemed to be stuck in!

Jacob was given tools for the most part, along with sweaters and boots from Bella's parents and a laptop from Carlisle and Esme, so that he could keep up with whatever business he chose and the expenses involved and manage it more effectively from the road.

Charlie bought books for my siblings and gift certificates for nights of dining out for my parents while Renee and Phil had gone the safe route of pretty sweaters for the kids and home decor for Esme and Carlisle.

I gave my customary silly plaques and tickets for vacations. I had no need to spend money on my family, unless there was a special gift that had come to mind. Bella had wrapped identical boxes for all my siblings as well as my parents and insisted that they all open them at the same time. On the card, she had included that they were from me as well. Just the simple inclusion of my name with hers made me smile.

"Hot Damn! I love this", Emmett declared as he stood to put on his leather Hard Rock jacket. Everyone looked at us in wonder as they all pulled out matching jackets and tried them on.

"Good! Now that we all match and won't freeze to death, come outside with me for a minute", Rosalie said excitedly, "Bella and I have gifts waiting for you!"

"She really managed to pull this off without you knowing about it?", Jacob asked as we walked to the back door and down the path to the side of the house.

"She sure did. I knew nothing until this morning when you saw me get the bike they bought for me. Since you already have a bike, I guess that means we can all go riding together before you have to leave", I told him.

My family stopped dead in their tracks when they saw 6 bikes lined up on the lawn. Their minds as well as the minds of the humans were silent. For a split second I heard nothing at all from any of my family. Then it started . . .

Bikes? You bought us motorcycles?

Damn, I hope the Fat Boy is mine.

I LOVE it! They had to know that yellow was my color, it matches my Porsche!

I hope they don't actually expect me to ride those! Head of Surgery, on a bike?

This should be interesting! Wonder if Carlisle will agree to have sex on it?

Huh. Two wheels, four wheels, water crafts . . . Bells knows not to spend like this . . .

Oh my . . . I hope she's careful riding those things.

I put my arms around my wife as we watched the reactions of our family. Bella explained that she had given me mine yesterday and since she and Jacob already had bikes, we could all go riding together!

"Carlisle, the black and red Road King is for you and the matching colored Low Rider Custom is for you, Esme", Bella told them. "The yellow Springer is for Alice and the black Night Rider is for Jasper", she continued.

"And the Red Fat Boy is for you, Emmett", Rosalie added. "It matches my Dino Glide!", she said as she moved to stand by her new Harley.

Emmett picked her up and swung her around, kissing her and thanking her, "You guys are awesome. I love having you as a little sister, Bella!"

The faces of our parents were the only ones that showed concern for the fact that we now all had motorcycles. Charlie looked the most worried, then Carlisle, Esme, Renee and Phil.

Bella spoke up to try and ease their concerns saying, "Don't worry you guys, I'm riding with Edward and he's indestructible!"