Hello Everyone! Welcome to another posting of Heaven Sent. The usual disclaimers apply to the characters, but the plot is all mine.
Thanks go to Pienuniek for her help, support and friendship and to Chandra for finding time to fit in the beta'ing of this chapter. Thank you ladies.
See you at the bottom!
Chapter 14 – Family Surprises
It was a big relief when we arrived back at Eden, although I felt guilty for a fraction of a second even thinking it. Judging by the big gust of air Bella let out when we got there, though, let me know she felt the same. She even went as far as giving me a sheepish smile when I looked over at her.
When we got back to the house, Bella said she wanted to go lie down for a nap; she was exhausted and just wanted to relax for a little bit. I gave her a kiss at the bottom of the stairs, sending her on her way. I wanted to get to work combining the Soul Projector and a mobile phone.
Renee, Alison, and Mikail were making some arrangements for our upcoming Mating Ceremony, while Amos, Seth, and Charlie were out tossing a football around in the backyard. Samail said he had something important to do and he couldn't stay for the afternoon.
Placing all my things down on the dining room table, I got to work.
Several hours later, Bella interrupted me as she came down the stairs. She was a vision and I'm glad she was mine.
"How's it going in here my love?" she asked.
"Hmmm. Oh, it's going well. I have several working prototypes for us to test so we can get all the kinks out of it."
"I like getting the kinks out with you," Bella breathed into my ear as she sat down next to me.
I growled playfully at her. "Naughty girl. Later." She giggled. "Now let me explain my idea."
"Okay, Edward, you have me really intrigued."
"Right, well, since the Soul Projector is a fascinating piece of technology, I decided to incorporate it into a mobile phone device; this way it will work like the projector and your pigeons, but without the long distance charges of a phone.
"So what I have here is essentially a projection bracelet similar to the projector, but it can connect to more than one bracelet. So, say I wanted to talk to Esme and then Renee; before we'd have to have two different projectors. This way you can call and talk to one, then hang up and talk to the next. Just like a cell phone. The difference being is that instead of talking into the device, like the cell phone, it's more like the Soul Projector. A little projected image of the person comes out of this shape right here on top.
"All you have to do is think of the person and it'll call them right up. To answer, you push the green button on the right side. If this doesn't work I have another thought in mind, which is why I need testing. I have one for every person in the family here in Eden to try out for me over the next week, while we prepare for the Mating Ceremony," I explained.
"Cool," Bella breathed. "Let's test one right now. I'll go into the living room with one on and you stay in here."
Bella picked one up, attaching it to her wrist and walking away. Not a minute later my wrist band was ringing a generic ring tone. There was one thing I had to fix.
Pressing the green button, I answered, getting a little projected image of Bella.
"Edward, this is so cool," she exclaimed. "We're going to have to test distance too, make sure that it does work with one on Earth and the other in Eden."
"Yes, baby, I know. We'll have Charlie and Renee wear them when they leave for their duties on Earth." As I was talking to Bella, Seth ran inside to see if I could come and play with them.
"Edward, Edward, can you come… Wow, that is awesome!" he crowed, seeing the miniature Bella projected from my wrist. "Where is she?"
"I'm in the living room, Seth," the projection answered. "Meet me outside and we'll show Daddy and Poppa."
"Okay!" Seth said with excitement.
I watched as Bella walked through the house and down to the garden; I could see when they all came into view of the bracelet.
"Daddy, Poppa, look what Edward has made for us, to make communication easier." Bella showed them.
"This is a really fabulous idea, Edward. How did you come up with it?" Amos asked.
"I combined the technology you have with your Soul Projectors with that of a cell phone and I got this," I explained.
"The good thing about these is that we won't have to rely on several Soul Projectors, Poppa. They can connect to more than one, like the cell phone. As long as we wear one we can contact whoever we like. Edward says we need some testing done on them to work out the kinks," Bella continued.
"And Bella suggested that we do some distance testing too. To make sure that they can reach between Eden and Earth without a problem."
"She's right, we will need to do that testing," Charlie murmured, looking at Bella's wrist.
"Yes, I agree, which is why if you come inside I can give you all one so that we can test them. To hang up, Bella, just push the green button, okay?"
"Okay, Edward. See you in a minute," she replied before reaching for the button.
Renee, Alison, and Mikail came through the front door, followed by Samail, as Bella and the others came through the back door.
I spent a few more minutes going through the bracelets again before handing them all out for testing. They were all very impressed with my ingenuity. Samail thought they could come in very handy for the heads of each department, especially with those already on Earth who had another assignment come in.
For tonight, though, we decided to just be.
~*~HS~*~
The next morning after breakfast we all put on our communication devices - I was going to have to come up with a better name – for testing throughout the day. I expected there to be quite a few kinks seeing as I was mixing angel technology and human technology, but the test run yesterday held many promises.
It was going to be a good day for testing. Samail and Mikail were going to a council meeting and Samail said he was planning on showing it there. Charlie had a couple of people to help over today, so he was going to test it from Earth several times throughout the day. Seth had school, so we were hoping that his would keep quiet while he'd be there.
Renee and Alison were without charges today, so they were heading out all over Eden to prepare for our Mating Ceremony this coming Saturday. It was their duty as the women who were mated before us to set up for the ceremony. They were beyond excited.
Amos was the only one not doing anything special today so he was just going to wander around Eden enjoying his time off.
Bella and I were going to sit and write some vows for both of our ceremonies. We wanted them to be different from each other.
It didn't take long for the others to start checking in. Charlie checked in when he reached Earth, Samail when he reached the council chambers, Alison as they reached their first stop, and Seth as he reached the school.
Throughout the day it became obvious that just having to think about someone to call them was going to be a problem, mostly because Renee thought about her kids a lot. The first couple of times it was funny, but by lunch Renee had thought-called Bella sixteen times. The school had also sent home a pigeon with the bracelet attached because it kept calling in class. Everyone else had managed not to call without intent, unlike Renee.
By the time everyone had gotten home, Bella and I had tweaked hers, mine, and Seth's.
"Okay, everyone," I called. "It seems someone…" looking towards Renee, "thinks about her family a little too much." They all laughed. "So I'm going to tweak all of our bracelets so that to make a call you hold down the green button, think of that person, and then it connects. That way your thoughts stay your own."
They laughed again, handing them over to me so I could tweak them all before dinner.
After dinner we again sat around as a family, just being. It was a wonderful experience and I wondered, if my family ate due to this tattoo, would we be the same way?
~*~HS~*~
We spend the next few days testing, adjusting, and retesting the bracelets every which way. I managed to make changes so that you could change the type of ringtone. We can't have a different one for every person, but we can at least have all different ones. Seth has had the most fun with this, and he isn't getting in trouble with the school now that Renee can't accidentally thought dial him.
Wednesday another problem arose when Charlie needed to talk to both Samail and Amos at the same time but had to make different calls. He'd called me after it had all gone down, wondering if we could have a conference button or something similar.
Bella and I brainstormed all afternoon, but we kept coming up with more and more absurd ideas on how to make a conference call. We were too busy cracking each other up to take it as serious as we should have been. It wasn't until Alison came over to talk to us that she knocked our heads together by telling us to 'Keep it simple stupid.' She suggested that we hold the green button until it beeps once for one person then hold it down until it beeps twice for more than one person. After the beep or beeps you think of who you need to call.
So when everyone came home that day I tweaked it again. Charlie wanted to be the one to test it this time. He went outside while Bella went upstairs and I stayed in the dining room with everyone else. Not one minute later I heard Bella's ringtone from upstairs as mine started to play. I had set hers and she had set mine. Hers was Just The Way You Are by Bruno Mars and mine was Thank You For Loving Me by Bon Jovi.
I answered by pushing the green button, hoping this was going to work. And it did, flawlessly. Two little images were projected side by side, almost like they were standing together.
"Hello, Charlie and Bella. It seems to be working on this end okay."
"Mine is too, Edward. These are fabulous, baby," Bella agreed.
"Ah, this is so much better. This addition will be most helpful, I think. Don't you, Samail?" Charlie asked.
I looked over at Samail, who had a slight smile on his face. "Yes, Charlie, I do believe these will be most helpful. In fact, the council has already decided that they are needed. Come back into the dining room and I'll explain."
Both Charlie and Bella hung up on their ends before coming inside. Samail and Mikail were watching me with proud expressions on their faces. I'm not sure that I've seen that look directed at me in the last few decades and it made me a little uncomfortable.
"Edward," Mikail soothed, coming over and sitting next to me, patting my hand. "It's fine and we cannot wait to tell you this news. It's very good, I promise you. I think, though, that your parents would like to hear it too, okay?"
I nodded, wondering what was going on because I was still not reading their thoughts. I pulled the ball from my bag as Bella sat next to me with a confused look on her face.
"Oh, Edward!" Seth suddenly exclaimed. "Before you make that call I have something I wanted to give you."
He ran out of the room and then back down with a wrapped gift in his hands.
"Like on Earth, we have classes at school similar to shop. Well, I know how annoying it can be to carry around all of these things and not have them on hand. Especially when you need them. I can't do anything about your cuffs, but I did make this for you in our leather class over the last couple of weeks." With that he shoved the present in my face, giving everyone a small laugh at his expense, to which he blushed like his sister.
Opening the gift I found a leather sleeve, long enough that it would cover my whole forearm but thin enough that I could disguise it under a long sleeved shirt, jacket or jumper. Looking up at Seth, I could see he was really excited.
"Turn it over," he pleaded.
Turning it over, what I found was very different. It looked like a phantom blade brace from the medieval times when assassins were hired more often than not. I couldn't believe it; I'd only ever seen these things in museums.
"Seth, this is fantastic!" I exclaimed. "But what do I need a phantom blade for?"
He hopped up and down on the spot. "Oh good, you know what it is. But this one hasn't got the blade in it. I made it especially to fit your Angel Blade; you'll never have to be without it. I know there are dangers out there—I'm not blind to that fact—but I wanted you to have every protection available for both you and Bella."
Seth reached down into my bag, pulling out my Angel Blade. Reaching over for the brace that he gave me, he slipped the blade into the slot where the Phantom Blade is placed. He helped me put the sleeve on my right arm, showing me how to do it up.
'Hmmm. That is extremely sexy, my love,' Bella purred in my mind.
Looking over I could see her hooded eyes fixated on my arm. I could smell her, so intoxicating.
"Not now, Bella." Alison laughed. "We haven't finished yet. And Seth needs to tell Edward how to use it."
Bella smiled sheepishly at everyone. "Sorry. I just find that uh…"
"We know," the women all chimed in.
Seth was looking around at everyone. "What does she mean?"
"Never mind," I told him. "I'll explain when you're older. Now how does this work?"
"All you need to do is give a subtle flick of your wrist. I've installed a mechanism in it that when you flick your wrist, the blade will extend out, and quite quickly. After that there is a button at your inner elbow that will retract it. Give it a shot."
Standing, I held my arm upside down out in front of me but pointed away from everyone. Flicking my wrist down, the blade shot out until it hit the small hilt on it. Seth was right, it was quick. But in a life or death situation you'd want it to be. Finding the button at the elbow was easy; once pressed it retracted just as quick.
I tried it a few more times when Bella's thoughts interrupted me.
'Oh dear gods,' she groaned. 'I can't wait much longer. I need you, Edward. It's an ache now. A constant one.'
I shot to her side to try and calm her down. "I know, my Bella," I soothed. "Saturday is only a few days away."
"Yes it is." Renee clapped excitedly. "Tomorrow, Bella, you go with your father to pick out Edward's attire, and Edward, you'll come with me to choose Bella's. We figured that you'd have to have some sort of royal wear for the one on Earth, so we thought that you'd like to wear something more relaxed for this one. It's also tradition for the bride and groom to choose each other's."
"Yes, we will for the one in Volterra. Although Bella will be able to choose her gown, I'll have to wear the royal garb I have there. Now let me call my parents for this news before Samail and Mikail get impatient." I laughed, looking at them because they were far from impatient.
Sitting next to my Bella and twisting the top of the ball, I called up my parents.
"Edward, my boy!" my father answered. "And the beautiful Bella. How are you, dear, is he behaving?"
"Nice, Dad. Thanks, love you too."
"Hello, Edward. Bella, how are you?" he asked again.
She giggled, looking up at me. "I'm fine, Dad. Is Mom available? My Mimi and Papa have some news to share with us all."
"Yes, yes. She's just reading out in the garden. Hold on a minute," he replied, starting to walk out there. "Elizabeth, dear. Our extended family is on the projector wanting to talk to us."
Mom got up from her chair, walking over to Dad. "Hello, everyone. How are we today? I'm looking forward to Saturday."
"We're well, Mom. Mikail and Samail have some news for us. And I can't wait either," I replied. "So, what is this news?"
Turning the ball around, we all looked to them for the answer.
Mikail smiled that proud smile again. "You have a very precious and wonderful son, Elizabeth and Ed. He's smart and will go far here in Eden."
"Yes," Samail continued. "In fact, the Elder Council is seeing fit to give Edward his own small factory and workers to continue on building something he has built for us, but will extend to all those working on, in, or for Eden."
Bella and Mother gasped; my mouth dropped open, I didn't understand what I was hearing.
"What for, Samail? Only those that have done good for Eden are awarded a place to continue their work, and workers to boot," Father asked.
The others were all a little surprised, but most were giving me that proud look again.
"In fact, the last person given that honor was you, Amos, when you created the Soul Projectors," Father continued.
Amos laughed. "Yes, that was the cusp of technology for us back then, waaaaaaaay back then."
I was completely dumbfounded. Amos had made the Soul Projectors? Why would he let me tinker with them then?
He must have seen the question on my face. "Yes, I created them, Edward. I let you do what you did because it was time for it to happen. The Soul Projectors are a great invention, but yours takes that a step further.
"Elizabeth, Ed, Edward took today's technology on Earth, the cell phone, and combined it with the Soul Projectors, making a bracelet that connects like a phone but projects like the projectors and can work both here and in Eden. In fact, we can contact those on Earth while here in Eden and vice versa."
"Oh, Edward," Mother exclaimed in a soft voice. "I am so proud of you, my son. You have… you've made life easier for those that need it. You will be taken care of when in Eden, of that I have no doubt."
"He will be, Elizabeth, I don't doubt that," Mikail murmured. "That is why I would like you now to follow me out through the garden and down to the back of Charlie's yard, behind the tree line. Stay on the line, guys."
Bella linked her hand with mine, smiling proudly but sniffling at the same time, and we followed Mikail through the garden.
'I am so, so proud of you, Edward. To be recognized like that by the Elder Council, and to be gifted a business to continue to make your communication devices is a huge honor. We will never want for anything, our children will never want for anything,' she thought, sniffling again. 'You are bringing honor to our family name, Edward. There has been a tarnish on it for years, since before Didy was born.'
I felt overwhelmed. I didn't do this for honor. I would have taken care of Bella and our children regardless. I wasn't sure…
My thoughts cut off as we passed through the copse of trees. There, by a little lake, away from everything but still close to home was the most beautiful little house I had ever seen.
It was a little square house, with a wraparound porch, glass sliding doors, and thatched tiles for the roof. There was an upstairs from what I could see from the outside, and it was stunning. Made out of nothing but bamboo with a small garden off to the side, I knew this was a house that Bella and I would be very happy in.
My Bella was silent, so I looked over to see her gazing at the house with an open mouth. I wanted to know what she was thinking.
'Oh. Oh, this is beautiful. I would have built this mys…' Her thoughts cut off before she started speaking in a whisper. "Daddy? Is this?"
Charlie looked over to her. "Of course, baby. You've been dreaming of this house and drawing it since you were little. When you became mated to Edward and left to find him all those years ago, Samail, Amos, and I started to have this built. We finished it not long before you called us to Earth. We were going to give it to you on Saturday, but when Samail called me earlier and told me, we decided that now was the time.
"You can't stay in it until Saturday night but consider this our mating gift to you, and a congratulations to Edward for making a permanent place here in Eden."
"Oh, Daddy." Bella sobbed running into his arms. "Thank you, thank you."
"Edward, son? How are you feeling about all of this?" my father asked, making everyone, bar Bella and Charlie, look over at me.
"I'm kind of feeling like I did when I came to Eden. Completely and totally overwhelmed." My legs gave out and I found myself sitting on the ground. "I didn't make these for the recognition or any of this, surely someone else would have done it…"
"No, Edward." Alison sat next to me, placing her arm around my shoulders. "No. This was obviously your purpose here in Eden, and not just mating with our Bella. Everyone in Eden has a purpose, all of those being angels. Since you can't be an angel because you are a vampire, there had to be something for you to become."
"Besides," Renee took up the mantel after sitting on the other side of me. "Who here in Eden would have a need for a cell phone or to know how they work? We don't use them, Edward. For centuries it was doves, then it was the Soul Projectors as well. This invention of yours has brought us up to date; it will make things easier for us."
I hadn't felt this connected to a family in a long time. My real parents were probably the last time. The Cullens were my family, but I wasn't connected to them like this, and they never really accepted me for who I was like all those around me.
I broke out into a dry sob, collapsing into Alison's and Renee's arms, Seth having taken the projector. I was finally part of a real family again and I hadn't realized how much I'd missed these connections.
Bella was next to me in a flash, trying to determine what was wrong with me. I stuttered out my epiphany as every woman around me took me into their arms and told me that I was right. They loved me and accepted me for who I am and not what I could be for them. It wasn't even about Bella, although she is how we met. Everyone assured me that they would have loved me regardless, because of the type of person I am.
After a while I calmed down, and I looked around at everyone. "I love you. All of you. Thank you for letting me be who I am, both as a vampire and as a man."
"You're welcome, Edward," Bella supplied for them all. "We love you too. Now how about you say goodbye to your parents? I'll take you back to the house and feed you dinner in bed. It's been an emotional day and I think you need to rest for a bit."
I nodded. I wanted to process everything that had happened this afternoon. "Yes, I think that might be a good idea. Mother, Father, I love you. I'll see you on Saturday."
"Goodnight, Edward," they said together. "We love you, son. Congratulations, we'll see you then," Father continued.
After Seth closed the projector, we headed back to the house. Bella did indeed frog march me up stairs to relax. She brought me dinner and soothed me until she fell asleep.
I was grateful when sleep found me that night. It was the perfect time for my subconscious to process everything.
Both of my recs come from 2brown-eyes and are Christmas Stories. The first is:
The Mistletoe Project. FFN ID: 10904229. - When the school-labeled dork wears a Santa's hat with mistletoe that says 'kiss me' to school; one girl does just that in front of the whole cafeteria. She has seen past his label and wants the rest of the school to too. But, what if there is more to it than she thought?
The second and it's Sequel are:
A Twilight Carol. FFN ID: 7598331 - Set after Edward left in NM. A letter to Santa prompts an intervention Dickens' style to step in. After being visited by ghosts separately, both Bella and Edward going on journeys through the others' past, present and future. They will not make the journey alone. Will Edward learn anything? Bella? What about Miss Rose? Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol with a Twilight twist.
Resolutions. FFN ID: 7700313 - Sequel to A Twilight Carol. Edward's New Years Resolution is convincing Bella to marry him. Bella's resolutions are to get Edward to change her and convince him that he has a soul. Who will succeed? Each chapter is going to be a month in a year.
Thank you for reading!