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

Chapter 46 Plans

Charlie POV

Well, the Cullen's knew how to do Christmas up right, I'd give 'um that . . . cars, boats, motorcycles . . . and all because Edward was some kind of whiz kid genius with investments. Huh. I would have never guessed that about him. He didn't gloat or brag and he hid it well . . . just seemed like a doctor's kid. Except for the gifts he got for Bella, of course. An R8? Damn. That alone was more than I made in two years and he bought it for her like I would buy flowers for a girl to say I'm sorry. And that necklace he designed for her for her birthday, that was really something.

I had never been a very religious man, but I liked the fact that the Cullen's had gone to church together on Christmas Eve and out caroling with the Church choir. They said grace before meals, too. Maybe Edward was 'old school' like Bella had said . . . church with the family, didn't seem like he drank or smoked, never in trouble with the law and virgin till married. That was a big deal in this day and age, I'd give him that, and I liked that about him because God knows, Bella would have given in on a dime the way she doted over him.

I leaned against the door frame watching all the kids play with their new bikes. Carlisle seemed less than enthusiastic, but that Esme was all over the idea of riding a motorcycle. I kept my mouth shut, but I was definitely with Carlisle on this one. I had been a police officer too long and I had scraped up too many kids off the highway after they went too fast or drank and wrecked those things. Not enough left of them to even open the casket most of the time. Just no protection and no room for mistakes. I was surprised that Edward would let her back on one after what we had all gone through the last time she wrecked. Maybe he just realized something I had a hard time with . . . if she wanted to ride, he would not be able to stop her, no one would. The best he could do was probably just what he was doing, insisting that they ride together.

"Alice flitted over to me saying "Don't worry, Charlie, he would never let her get hurt on the bike." Guess I had been frowning at the damned motorcycles more than I thought. I was really going to have to work on this keeping my opinions to myself thing.

"Hey, if you guys don't mind, we need to feed the pregnant lady dessert. How about we all go back in the house and have some together?", Bella said as she and Edward made for the front door. He was laughing and teasing her about wanting dessert so badly, but he headed in the door with her none the less.

Jacob made it in the door first, anxious as ever for food. That boy sure could eat, didn't seem to matter that he was a little under the weather, what with that fever and all. I wondered how Billy had ever afforded to feed him. That made me think of Billy and how much I missed my friend. He had a hard life but he was always there with a smile and never complained. I guess we could all take a lesson from that.

Bella was right to herd us all inside, it seemed Esme had found time to be busy in there. I don't know how or when it got done, we had all been outside I had thought, but when we went back in the dining room table was completely reset, new tablecloth and all and the dinner food had been removed and replaced by the most delicious looking desserts I had ever seen. Seemed like the kitchen was all cleaned up as well. Huh. I must have been leaning against that door frame daydreaming a lot longer than I thought.

It was a good thing Jacob was here to eat because I had never seen so many desserts in one place other than a cafeteria or a bakery. There was everything from pumpkin pie to coconut cake, red velvet cake, rice pudding, bread pudding and an apple pie that had a crust laced on top that looked like a work of art. My favorite was sitting right next to a large chocolate cake. Berry cobbler. Bella must have told her it was my absolute favorite.

I guessed they had all those choices because they were, after all feeding that Emmett as well as Jacob. To be as big as he was, you would sure have thought that boy would eat more than he did and Jasper as well. I hardly saw Rosalie eat at all, but she seemed so excited about giving the bikes to everyone that it was no wonder she wasn't eating much. Bella ate enough to make up for her though.

"Dad, I made you some cobbler", Bella said with a smile as I grabbed a plate.

"When did you have time to do that, Bells? You didn't have to go to all that trouble", I told her, but I sure was glad she had. She took time to think of me in spite of all the shenanigans that were going on around us. It meant a lot to me.

"No trouble Dad, I love you and Edward helped me make it last week and we froze it", she told me.

I might have known. Damned if that boy wouldn't do anything she wanted, even down to cooking. I had to hand it to him, he was right there by her taking care of her all the time and he did it with the goofiest grin on his face, like he was actually enjoying just being there with her, whatever they were doing. It was only matched by the goofy grin on her face as well. Huh, guess Sue was right way back in September when she said that the boy might actually love her and want to take care of her. I would need to say something to him about the motorcycle though.

We all helped ourselves to the desserts and the ice cream that Esme brought in, syrup and all to put on it and the desserts slowly disappeared. I hadn't been so stuffed in a long time, but I went back for just one more dish of the cobbler.

"Ahem. Everyone, if you could all come into the living room, please", Carlisle requested.

He and Esme were standing in front of the fireplace and Esme was holding a small box in her hands. Looked like present time wasn't over quite yet and they were all acting like this one was something special.

"First, I would like to welcome Bella's family, Charlie, Renee and her husband Phil to our home this Christmas. We also have the honor of welcoming Bella's best friend, Jacob. Hopefully our friend as well now that we have spent some time together", Carlisle said as he looked fondly at Jacob who nodded in reply. Everyone muttered their enthusiasm for us being with them and their acceptance of Jacob, slapping him on the back and taunting him as Carlisle continued,

"Esme and I have been blessed over the years with the opportunity of adopting five amazing children and watching them grow into the men and women they are today. We are proud of each and every one of you and can not begin to tell you how glad we are that you came into our lives and have chosen to remain close to us, even as adults. The Cullen family can be traced back in time to England in the 1500's and for all that time there has been a coat of arms, a family crest if you will."

Seemed like all their kids touched the necklace they were wearing or a wrist cuff as he was explaining this, fingering the ring on his own hand. He held up his hand to show the ring, as if in explanation to all of his guests.

"It has been a tradition in my family for each child, as they came of age, to have a crest of their own to wear. This crest represents a commitment, each of us to the other and to the family as a whole. A promise, if you will, to uphold the values that make us a family. Edward, Bella, would you stand and come up here with me, please?"

Edward stood up off of the floor where he had been sitting in front of her and offered her his hand to help her out of the overstuffed chair. His face was covered in a smile while she looked like she was in awe of what was going on. The room got real quiet, as if everyone realized that something really important was about to happen. It was almost as if none of them were even breathing.

"Bella, I have given this crest to my wife as well as all five children", Carlisle said as Esme handed him a necklace from the box she had been holding, "but it is not my right to give it to you. Though I am thrilled to call you my daughter, my son brought you to us and the honor belongs to him. Edward", he said handing the necklace to him, "would you do the honors?" The boy took the necklace from Carlisle like it was the holy grail.

He turned to my daughter with the most brilliant look on his face. "Isabella Cullen, would you accept this family crest as a sign of your commitment and devotion to this family and to the ideals we hold, and to me as your husband?", he asked her.

Tears were running down her face, real waterworks. She nodded slightly and grabbed up her hair with one hand into a ponytail as she said 'I will' and turned her back to him so that he could put it on her neck. Damn. They were really serious about family and you had to admire that. She turned back to him and he put both hands on her cheeks as she grabbed his wrists and he kissed her right here in front of everyone. When he let go of her face, he moved one of his hands to his lips and kissed the fingers, then lightly touched them to her necklace.

Carlisle moved towards her to hug her, welcoming her into the family just before Esme got her arms around her. The Cullens seemed to all stand there in one huddle like we were in the middle of a football game. It was nice though. Renee was crying and I had to admit it was a really touching gesture to accept my daughter into their family that way. Made me feel like they would all help take care of her and look out for her, but they had already shown me lots of times that that was what they would always do for each other.

Just look at the way that Alice and Jasper had come to Forks to be with Edward when he decided to come looking for Bella. Esme and Carlisle had used his vacation time to join in the search. And that Edward, four full time private eyes in addition to I don't know what all else. The boy was determined to find her, I'll give him that. And Alice, boy she had jumped on me big time when I suggested that Edward hadn't even given Bella a second thought when he left her. She sure set me straight in a New York minute, fiery little thing when it came to defending her family. I liked that. I had to admit, Bela had married into a fine family, even if I hadn't liked Edward at first. Guess he kinda grew on you after awhile.

Even Jacob seemed to like the family. . . and Edward. In fact, he and Edward seemed to have become best friends. I looked over to Jacob who stood staring at Bella. I knew how he felt about her, he had for years. I had to hand it to him, he had grown up a lot to accept her choice and still be there for her and a friend to Edward. They were even going out hunting on Monday and had invited me to come along. Guess Edward needed to learn a thing or two about that new rifle Jake had given him.

We all had coffee or beer or whatever and watched the sunset off the back deck. It seemed particularly colorful tonight as it set over the mountains on the far side of the valley. Nice way to end the day, really. It seemed like everyone had their fill of dessert as we gathered up the presents and said our thank you's and goodbyes.

"Jacob, Charlie . . . up for a round of fishing in the morning?", Carlisle asked as the last of the presents were loaded in the trunk.

"Fishing?", I said as I thought about it. "Well, may as well get some in before Sue gets here and wants to go sight seeing", I said as Carlisle put a hand on my shoulder and we both chuckled.

"Great. The boys and I will pick up up at 7, is that okay, Charlie?", Carlisle asked.

"Fine by me", I answered. "Are Phil and Edward coming with us?", I asked, not having seen Carlisle ask them.

"Phil is and so is Jacob, but Edward wants to sleep in tomorrow", Carlisle snickered, "actually Bella wants to sleep in and claims she can't sleep without him, so he's not coming fishing with us."

We both avoided looking at each other on that one, knowing that the honeymoon seemed to still be 'on' with those two and not wanting to embarrass each other with the admission.

"Edward and Bella want me to do another sonogram tomorrow, the baby seems to be really kicking Bella to the point of discomfort and I want to make sure everything is alright. They're probably nervous about it and want to spend some time together anyway, Charlie. You can understand that", Carlisle told me as we stood off to the side of the car, waiting for Renee and Phil.

"Everything is okay though, with Bella?", I asked, concerned at why they needed another one of those tests and wondering how the baby could be kicking so much at her stage of the pregnancy. It made me wonder if they had told us the truth about 'not being together' till they had moved into their house. Not that it mattered, They had been married for three months before that, it was just that she had so many broken ribs and she was healing. I knew he slept with her then, they were inseparable . . . but they had said they waited for her to recover. I just wanted them to be honest with me, that's all.

"I'm sure everything is fine, Charlie. First baby and all, and she is so small and thin. She's bound to be uncomfortable", he added nonchalantly.

That's right, I knew he was right. I remembered Renee when she was pregnant with Bella. Every little thing it seemed hurt her, but Bella was not nearly the wimp that Renee had been. Hell, Bella was used to routinely getting hurt just from being so clumsy. She did seem awful big for being just barely four months pregnant, but then she was so thin I guess everything showed on her. I could only imagine how huge she would be by the time the little guy was born. Masen Charles Cullen. Good name. I never thought of naming a baby before it was born. Renee and I had picked out names, of course, one for a boy and one for a girl. We changed it 4 times before we finally settled on Isabella Marie. I wondered how many times my daughter and Edward would change the name before they settled in on one. Maybe they would keep the one they had, they seemed pretty certain of it.

Edward and Bella came out with Jacob and Renee and Phil following closely behind.

"Well. Goodnight all and Merry Christmas to all!", I said as everyone murmured their goodbyes and we climbed in the car to leave, the Cullen's moving outside to continue looking at their new bikes, some of them never having taken off the leather jacket that Bella had given them.

~oooOooo~

Everyone took presents up to their rooms when we arrived back at the house and I guess I was the first one back downstairs. I flipped on the TV to catch the tale end of the news and see what scores they had for the weekend. It was Saturday night as well as Christmas, and they had to have something. I sat back in the recliner with the remote to check and see.

Bells joined me after making herself and me a cup of hot chocolate from the kitchen.

"You looked like you were enjoying yourself, Dad, did you have a good time?", she asked me.

"Yea, Bells. Real good. They're a nice family. I always said Dr. Cullen was a fine man back when he was the surgeon in Forks, remember. You asked me about them back then and I told you how his kids never gave me any trouble", I said looking a little sheepish.

"I remember that, Dad", she answered.

"Well, I should listen to myself more often, kiddo. I was right. You chose a fine young man, sweetheart, from a good family".

No sooner had I said the words than she sat her hot chocolate down and ran over, throwing her arms around me and almost squishing me with that belly of hers. I hugged her back, making sure I hugged her shoulders and not her middle as she buried her face on my shoulder and continued to tear up something terrible. Must be a pregnant thing.

Edward was there, standing by the chair in a flash, almost as though he had heard her start to cry from all the way upstairs. Huh. He looked at me as though he could tear me limb from limb, father or no father as he asked her what was wrong.

She raised her wrist to her nose and sniffed a time or two before she answered him. "Nothing is wrong, sweetheart. I was just talking to my Dad and he said something sweet, that's all", she told him as she took his hand to steady herself as she got to her feet. The glare on his face softened immediately.

"I'm so glad, love. I thought something was wrong", he told her as he put his arm around her. "Are you ready for bed?", he asked as he moved some strands of hair from her face.

"Dad, do you need anything?", she asked me.

"No, no. Your old man is just fine, me and the TV", I said. I looked Edward in the eye as I said, "You get some rest, Bells. It's been a long day. I know where the fridge is if I get hungry."

"Okay Dad. Goodnight", she said as they turned and headed toward the stairs.

It wasn't 10 minutes before Renee came into the living room and she looked like she wanted to talk. She sat on the sofa facing me. "It's good to see you again, Charlie. Much better than all the upsets and hard feelings that were going on back in September at her birthday", she said.

"Yep, Christmas has been great. I'm glad they want to see us on the holidays, anyway", I told her.

"It's exciting that we're going to be grandparents, don't you think?", she asked me.

"I guess, Renee. She is just so young. I'm glad for them that they can have kids, don't get me wrong, I just worry. I remember what she was like when he left her before, and I can only imagine what it would be like now", I looked her in the eye and recalled. "Having a baby seemed to be the kiss of death for us."

"Charlie! It wasn't the baby, that was just me. I flipped when I thought my life was set, that house and babies was what it would be like for me forever. I didn't know what I wanted and, if the truth be known, I was scared. It wasn't you, Charlie. It wasn't because I didn't love you. I just got scared", she said sadly.

I couldn't believe she was saying this. Why the hell hadn't she said it 18 years ago and we could have worked it out. Damn it, I had never stopped loving her. I should have gone after her, I shouldn't have just waited and hoped.

It was then that it hit me. Edward had gone after her. He had realized that a mistake was made, and he had done everything possible to find her and fix it. Sure enough, all it took was her seeing him for her to agree to marry him on the spot.

Maybe if I had gone after Renee, maybe if she was just scared I could have comforted her. I was never one for emotions, in fact I'd rather sever a finger than have to deal with it, but look where that had gotten me. I had been alone for years, many of them hoping she would miraculously just come back to me on her own. Damn. Bella wasn't so different. She was stronger than Renee and more certain of her decisions . . . not so flighty, but she constantly depended on Edward for reassurance, you could see that. If I had just stepped up to the plate, put my pride aside and . . .

I was interrupted from my musings by Renee.

"Charlie, she is so much stronger than I was. Even though she's scared, she is willing to stand and fight for what she wants . . . and what she wants is that boy upstairs", Renee said softly.

"Well anyone with eyes can see that. They look at each other like you and I used to look at each other, Renee. That's what scares me. We were just like that and it didn't work out. I don't want her to be hurt like that, like when he left her before. She should never have to hurt like that again", I told her.

"There are no guarantees, Charlie. Love doesn't come with 'money back guarantees'. They're filled with hope and plans and needs . . . needs that they meet for each other and I don't think either of them could exist without the other at this point, do you?", she asked.

"No. No I don't, and that's what scares me."

Renee moved to the edge of her seat, as if to emphasize what she was about to say.

"You just have to have faith, Charlie. Just blind faith. There are no guarantees in life, just promises and intentions and efforts . . . and they have all of those. They really love each other, that's as plain as the nose on your face. Edward wears his love for her on his sleeve. Let's just be happy for them and hope it's enough to get them through all the things that life will throw at them", Renee said.

"That's right, I know that's right, Renee", I told her as she patted me on the shoulder and headed upstairs, leaving me alone with my thoughts, and the TV.

~oooOooo~

Renee POV

There were moments in life, like now, when I regretted leaving that man. Times when I wondered why I hadn't run back to him when I realized that I had the same insecurities in Phoenix that I had in Forks. I had loved him, I was just too stupid and afraid to follow my better instincts, giving in to fear and uncertainty. I had paid for it for years.

As I headed upstairs towards my room, I couldn't help but notice the sounds coming from my daughter's room. I paused for a moment at the top of the stairs. They were making love. Again. I chuckled to myself remembering a joke I was once told -

Once a King, Always a King . . . But Once a Knight is Never Enough!

Perhaps we could all take a lesson from these two who seemed to love each other so unconditionally and were so unashamed of it. They had certainly been like that when they were at my house for Thanksgiving. We walked in on them, lying there under the covers on a bed they had just broken as they slowly slid down the mattress and instead of being embarrassed, they were laughing. Laughing! I wish I had the backbone to be so blatant about my love for someone, even now, and I was more than twice her age.

Hum. Perhaps I should take a lesson from my daughter. Never too late to change for the better, I thought as I headed for my bedroom.

~oooOooo~

Victoria POV

I slammed the door to the house as I entered, Riley waiting on me to go hunting.

"Well, did you get enough?", he asked.

"Enough what?", I spat angrily at him. He rose from the sofa and made his way over to me, encircling my waist roughly with his arms as he drew me to him.

"Enough of watching her", he said as he forcibly nuzzled my neck.

"They exchanged gifts, motorcycles, cars, trucks . . . even a damned boat", I said throwing my keys angrily onto the counter.

"So what", he said to me, "Let's just end her and get on with our lives. I'm getting tired of anything to do with them."

"Not to worry, my love", I told him as I received his unwanted advances, "I have plans."

"We are not only going to ruin his life forever, revenge for killing my first mate, but we are going to become filthy stinkin' rich in the process", I told him as I stroked him so that he would let me be about the human. I had made my plans and gone over them time and time again. I would be able to buy a house of my own, cars, clothing, jewelry . . .

"My plan will work, Riley. We have this house to keep her in so the little bitch won't freeze outside while we wait for the money to be delivered, just in case we need to let him talk to her to convince him she is still alive. We have never run here, so they will have no scent to follow to find us, and the cell phones I stole from that other house down in the valley have more than enough minutes left on them for what I need. We can get their numbers from her, or her cellphone, and she is so pregnant now, he will die from loosing her and the baby . . . a first for a vampire, and his family will suffer forever with the loss of him, as well as her."

It was all going to work. I would need to be a nomad no longer and then I could decide if I wanted to keep Riley as a toy, or end him. There were many to play with out there, why limit myself now that my true mate was gone. I had no need of him, except to help me with revenge, and of course . . . there was always the sex. He was young and in good shape when I turned him, and he was craving sex far more often than I could stomach having with him. I missed James. No one was like my James. Ummm . . . just remembering . . . it allowed me to deal with this new boy. I closed my eyes and remembered James with perfect recall. I just didn't get the incredible sex that I had with James and I guessed, really, I would be hard pressed to find a lover that knew exactly how to make me scream like he had.

I had spent the better part of my day in that damned tree, miles from the Cullen's, but with a view to both houses. I had seen their comings and goings and the presents they had exchanged in the yard. I could only imagine all the gifts they had unwrapped from each other in the house, away from my view. I wanted that, a Christmas like that with a house and tree and gifts of my own . . . and someone to share it with. Money was the least they could offer me for taking away my future, my someone to be with for all of eternity. It wasn't just him that had killed James, it was all of them that helped him as well. They all deserved to suffer . . . and they all would.

Every damned time I had seen the girl, he had been with her, his arm wrapped protectively around her as if she were something more than a meal. I just didn't get it. I had no trouble playing with humans, men that is, but I could only take the burn in my throat for a few minutes before I had to drink. How he actually managed to get her pregnant with his throat burning, much less avoiding breaking her, I had no idea. Perhaps I would ask her about what it was like to be with a vampire, it would pass the time and amuse me while I waited for the money. I would just have to resist drinking from her for a few days, a few days of keeping her alive as insurance, then I could have her all for myself and he would pay for eternity.

I had only to find the perfect place to snatch her from, someplace he would not be right with her. It would happen, I just had to be patient and wait for exactly the right time . . .