Sorry this took so long. Real life needed a little attention. It feels a bit weird to write and post this chapter in the middle of the summer. You'll see why soon enough. And Bella is going to grow up a little faster from now on. Otherwise we'll never get to 18. ;)

Friendly warning: This chapter is not appropriate for anyone who knows Santa brings you presents.

Chapter 4 – Barbie

I awoke from the sound of Bella squealing. She was already standing next to the bed. Usually Renee had the ungrateful task of waking her up. To see Bella this alive, this early in the morning was definitely not normal. I briefly wondered if something scared her or if she was hurt. There could have been a spider in her bed or maybe she fell out. Often enough, I woke up to the wild twisting and turning of Bella having a nightmare, so it wasn't unimaginable that she rolled to the ground this time. But then I remembered what day it was.

"It's Christmas! It's Christmas! Wake up, Jacob and Ken! Let's go see if Santa brought presents!"

How could I have forgotten; it was Christmas morning. Bella had been talking about it for weeks now. Between those conversations and the early wake-up call, I should have realized it sooner. Only once before had I seen Bella this excited and it was on Christmas Day last year.

Last year's Christmas had been my first. I was a little nervous, because I didn't know what to expect. An old man with a beard and a red suit was supposed to land on the roof with his sleigh pulled by reindeer? Assuming that flying reindeer and sleighs were possible, surely the roof would collapse under the weight. After that the man, who they called Santa Claus, was supposed to climb through the narrow chimney and place gifts under a tree? A tree inside the house? Why didn't he just put the gifts under the tree in the garden out back? And how was he going to do all this without making a sound, at every house in the world, in only one night? It all sounded ridiculous and impossible in my mind. But Bella had repeatedly told everyone who would listen that it was her favorite holiday. And by the end of that day, I knew without a doubt that Christmas would be my favorite holiday too.

Bella had managed to struggle into her slippers and was now fumbling with her bathrobe. She was so nervous that she was even clumsier than usual. She had grown fast in the year that I had spent here already and it was fascinating to watch. Each day she would look infinitesimally older and taller. She got good grades at school and helped her mother around the house whenever her dad was working. Helping her mother out seemed like a necessity most of the time. I couldn't imagine how Renee had survived without her daughter. But Bella didn't mind doing it. She was proud of the things she could do and when her mother thanked her excessively with hugs and kisses once again, Bella's smile couldn't possibly get any bigger.

"Oh, never mind." She finally gave up on tying her bathrobe and picked us up of the bed. Tugging Jacob under her arm and with me in the other hand she ran across the hall and bounded down the stairs, the bathrobe swinging wildly behind her. She slipped on the last step and almost fell face forward on the carpet, but she caught herself on the banister.

"Slow down, sweetie! Are you alright?" Renee was already up, making breakfast in the kitchen. But Bella barely noticed as she started for the living room. As soon as the tree came into view, she squealed in delight. It was a huge tree, even bigger than last year. The star on top stood crooked against the ceiling. It was decorated in red and silver just like the rest of the room and several presents were partially hidden under its big branches. It was beautiful.

"Mommy, mommy! Santa brought me presents! Did you see?"

"Of course he did." Renee said as she came into the room and kissed Bella on the top of her head. "Merry Christmas, honey. Go and wake your father up so we can have breakfast. Afterwards you can open your presents."

An hour later Bella, Renee and Charlie gathered around the tree. The room smelled of hot chocolate and the sound of Christmas carols came from the radio. Jacob and I were sitting on the coffee table while Bella grabbed the first gift. Her hands were shaking from excitement and she fumbled with the wrapping paper for a while before she got it off. She gasped when she realized what it was.

"It's a Barbie! Santa gave me a Barbie! Look Ken, now you have a friend too!"

"Really Renee? You had to give her a doll again?" Charlie said as he rolled his eyes.

"Charlie..." Renee whispered.

"What? Fine, she can have the doll. But next year she's getting a baseball bat or something. At least you gave her a girl this time."

"Charlie!" Renee slapped Charlie's arm.

Bella was staring at her father with wide eyes. "Santa didn't give me this? Mommy did?"

"See what you did?" Renee scoffed. "Of course Santa gave you the doll, Bella."

"Oh, sorry. But don't you think it's time we just tell her, Renee? She's seven years old. She's going to figure it out sooner or later anyway."

"Tell me what?" Bella looked from her dad to her mom and back again like she was watching a tennis match, trying to figure out what they meant.

"Santa doesn't exist, Bells," Charlie said.

"Do you have to be so crude about it?" Renee scoffed. "Remember last year, Bells? When you came downstairs for a glass of water the night before Christmas? Daddy and I were wrapping a present and we told you that it had ripped open when Santa put it under the tree and that we were helping him by repairing it. Santa didn't really bring you that gift. We bought it for you. Just as we did with your new Barbie"

"O." It was all Bella said for a while. She seemed confused and deep in thought. After a few minutes silence she asked: "Why?"

"Because people give each other presents on Christmas, honey. To show them that you love them. And your dad and I love you very much, Bella. The story of Santa Claus is just a story that we tell children. Your daddy here apparently thinks you're a big girl now. Big enough to know the truth." Renee said with a disapproving look towards Charlie.

At least that part made sense to me now; there was no man in a sleigh with reindeer landing on the roof. A part of me felt relieved we would never be crushed by the ceiling because of flying reindeer.

After another short silence Bella said: "But I didn't buy you a present."

"You don't have to, Bells." Charlie said.

"But I love you too. I should buy you a present for Christmas, because I love you."

Renee sat Bella in her lap and gave her a kiss on her head. "Thank you, sweetie. Children don't have to buy their parents a present. At least not until you're older. If you want, you can make us something next year. Just go see what's in the other presents now, okay."

Bella looked back at the tree, but hesitated on her mother's lap. "Did you buy all of them? And I get to keep them? Even if I know that Santa didn't bring them?"

"Of course you can keep them. They're still for you. But the big one over there is actually from your grandmother."

"Really? Will she still come to visit today?"

"Yes, Bella. She'll still come over for Christmas every year. And she'll want to know what you think of her present. Go open it."

Bella went back to the presents. She didn't seem all that bothered with her parents' revelation anymore. If she was as smart as I gave her credit for, she must have suspected something was up ever since last year. She could be very perceptive sometimes.

The big present from her grandmother was a doll house for her new Barbie and me. She also got a new coloring book and crayons. The last gift contained a little tuxedo and a pink dress. Renee said that now Barbie and I could look nice for Christmas too. Charlie just shook his head and quickly changed my outfit while Bella got dressed. I would have been ashamed if it weren't for the fact that there was really nothing to see. The more humiliating fact was that Charlie apparently still didn't trust me with his daughter.

When he left to get dressed as well, Jake, Barbie and I were all sitting on the coffee table again. Jake was still ignoring me. He had been as often as he could, ever since the first night I spend in Bella's bed. But before I had time to introduce myself to the new girl, Bella was back and she had my car with her. She placed it on the table beside us and picked me and Barbie up.

"Ken, this is Barbie. Let's go to your new house in the car." She moved our arms to awkwardly shake hands.

"Hi, I'm Edward. How are you?" I said.

"I'm fine, thank you. But let's make one thing clear right away. I may be Barbie and you may be Ken, but that doesn't mean I have to like you."

"Alright… It's nice to meet you too."

Bella placed us in the car while the Barbie muttered: "I should have known. Stupid shiny Porsche owner."

"Hey, don't disrespect the car!" I said. But she just ignored me. I heard Jake snickering as Bella drove us to the dollhouse.

I had to admit that it was a fantastic dollhouse. It was a real wooden one and it was obviously handmade. It swung open on the side to reveal several excessively decorated rooms. Bella took her time exploring every room. We drank tea in the living room. Barbie cooked a meal that we ate at the wooden dining table. And just as we were reading a book in the comfortable plush sofa's of the library, Bella's grandmother arrived.

Bella apologized immediately for not getting her grandmother a Christmas present.

"That's alright, honey. I know you love me even without presents," her grandmother responded. She gave Renee a knowing look. Obviously, they had already told her about the events of this morning. "What do you think of the dollhouse? Did you know your mom used to play with it when she was little? I just found it in my attic last month."

"It's beautiful! Come see!" Bella grabbed her grandmother's hand and practically dragged her through the living room. "These are my Ken and Barbie. They already had tea and dinner and now they're reading a book."

"I see. Did they dance in the ballroom already? That was always your mother's favorite room to play with."

"There's a ballroom? I want them to dance! Will you play with me grandma?"

"Of course. Here, you take Ken and I'll take Barbie. Now, I think Ken is a real gentleman, so he should bow his head, reach out his hand and politely ask Barbie to dance with him."

Bella moved me into the position and said: "Dearest Barbie, will you dance with me?"

"I would love to." The annoyed sigh coming from Barbie told me that that wasn't really what she was thinking.

We were moved to the ballroom on the second floor of the dollhouse. Bella and her grandmother held us together as they guided us through the room, our stiff arms sticking out behind each others backs. Bella's grandmother sang Christmas songs as we danced. Slowly, I noticed Barbie relaxing a bit, until finally the sighs and huffs of irritation stopped.

"You're not that bad a dancer, you know," she said.

"Did you just give me a compliment?"

"No, I didn't!" She was quick to take her slip in composure back. "It was a compliment to Bella."

"Well, as they say: it's all in the leading. But thank you anyway, uhm… Do you have a real name?"

"Yes, of course I do. I'm Rosalie."

Did you see that one coming? I bet you did. ;) The link to a picture of the (un)happy couple will be in my profile.

Tell me what you think. I'd really appreciate it. Hopefully the next chapter will be up sooner. I can't guarantee anything though.