"UNCLE EDWARD!"
"PRINCESS!"
Bella laughed in delight as a tiny little blonde beauty screamed her way across the lawn as fast as she could, and was immediately picked up and twirled around in the air by her unfairly handsome boyfriend.
It was not at all the greeting she was expecting, especially considering they had managed to pull up and find their way to Edward's childhood bedroom suite to wash up, before coming across anyone.
But she couldn't deny that it was quite possibly the most adorable ice breaker that they could have hoped for.
"I missed your head Uncle Edward! Mom said I wasn't allowed to come visit because Papa Carlisle said no one was allowed to meet your girlfriend before he could!" The little girl cupped Edward's cheeks in her hands and pouted at him adorably.
"I missed your head too, My Princess! I think your bedroom at my place even has a layer of dust, it's been so long since you come to stay!" Edward whined dramatically.
"Mmhmm!" She pouted even harder.
Bella bit her lip against a laugh as Edward pushed the girls protruding lip back in with his finger.
"You know what though? We can get pay back for them being so silly, because do you see that pretty lady beside me with the brown hair?" Edward whispered to her and winked at Bella, making her huff a small laugh.
"A princess, Uncle." The girl rolled her eyes with so much sass.
"Yes! Well, this is my girlfriend who I say you can meet right now - before Papa Carlisle! What do you say?" He asked. "Sweetheart, this is Bella, Bella, this is My Princess and my best friend in the whole world, Lily."
Bella held her hand out with a grin as the little girl shrieked with laughter, and darted a quick daring look over her shoulder at a rather handsome and arrogant looking older gentleman, who could be none other than Carlisle.
"Hello." She whispered almost shyly, with a big toothy grin.
"Hello Princess Lily, I have heard a lot of wonderful things about you!" She exclaimed, shaking the girls little hand properly.
"Have you? That's good, because I want us to be friends, because Mom says that Uncle Edward hasn't ever had a girlfriend before, and it's about damned time he settled his stupid ass down... So you are going to be my Aunty now, right? I like all my other Aunties, and Uncle Jasper said that you like Uncle Edward a lot and always have sleep overs now too. I miss my sleepovers at Uncle Edward's. He knows all the words to my Princess movies, and no one else does!"
"Lily, breathe sweetheart... And don't curse!"
Edward interrupted her with a laugh and earned himself yet another adorable eye roll.
Bella couldn't do anything but laugh.
She leaned in close to the little girl and grinned conspiratorially. "I know all the words too, and I love the Princess movies."
"YOU DO?" She shrieked loudly.
Bella laughed uproariously at the girls obvious astonishment and excitement and nodded deftly.
Her nerves about meeting Edward's family were well and truly settled within five minutes because of the bright shining light, that was Lily, with her wide smile and happy chatter, and her childish adoration for her favourite uncle and best friend.
Edward adjusted his niece on his hip and turned, pressing a hand to Bella's lower back to get them moving as they chatted animatedly to each other.
He shot his Father a smug look and was rewarded with a not unexpected, arrogantly cocked brow.
He knew it wouldn't actually piss him off, that he introduced Lily first. If it had been a risk, he wouldn't have put Lil in the middle of it.
Anyone else, it might have.
But Lily was as much his Fathers little Princess as she was his. In fact he was the only one he really had to compete with for the little girls attention, much to his present annoyance.
"Here, you look like you could use this."
Edward blinked in surprise at the tumbler of scotch being held out before his nose, where he had slumped down at one of the garden tables to watch his girlfriend captivate and enchant his Parents and siblings, alongside her own Dad.
The introductions had gone about as awkwardly as he had expected them to. Though thankfully he had already met Charlie and Renee via video call, and had a bit of a chance to get to know them. So they seemed content to let his family steal Bella away for themselves after they all greeted her quickly.
He wasn't being rude either, he had done the rounds already, and he wasn't being uninviting to anyone who wished to approach him.
He was simply enjoying watching the woman he loved so desperately, weave her magic around the Cullens with such ease. And trying to calm himself in the face of having to share her with them.
He took the glass gratefully and smiled in thanks up at the other brunette beauty, waving to the seat beside him in invitation as he did.
He liked Renee, she was a fierce woman. And a kind and loving mother. He was also terrified of her, because there was an uncanny resemblance to his own sister in her, that told him she could and would be, a right vicious bitch if you crossed her.
Edward would like to not have to deal with that, if he could get away with it.
"Are you wondering if your Father is succeeding in scaring her off on you, or if mother's mentally taking her measurements for a wedding dress?"
Edward snorted rudely and hiss and coughed as the scotch that he had just taken a sip of burn the back of his throat and nasal passage as a result.
Thankfully he had kept it from actually shooting out his nose, but it was a near thing.
"I'm sorry!" She offered quickly.
The woman laughed and patted at his back while laughing with far too much amusement for him to truly believe she was actually sorry.
Edward coughed again and scrubbed at his face as he laughed himself, meeting eyes shining bright with repressed laughter, that were far too familiar for his comfort.
"I don't for a second believe you are sorry at all!" He chuckled darkly as she gave in and actually laughed. "And you already know the answer is both!"
"Indeed I do. So I'm going to advise that you stop worrying so much! Everyone here is supportive of you and Bella being together already. And you are both more than capable of putting of any... future talk, until you are ready." She raised a haughty, challenging brow, and Edward bowed a nod in understanding. "Now that that is sorted, I need some assistance."
"With what?" He asked curiously.
Renee slid a photograph that he hadn't noticed she held in her hand across the table towards him, and smiled uncomfortably.
Edward picked it up and frowned in confusion at the beautiful mansion set back into thick forest and surrounded by dozens of feet of pristine white snow.
He had no idea what it was about, or how he was supposed to be able to help. He had seen snow maybe a handful of times in his entire life, and never ever like what was in the picture. - It was pretty, he supposed.
And if he waited long enough, he was sure she'd explain.
"That is Hip Wood Lodge... It's a holiday home that has been in my husband's family for generations. It's up in the Far Northern region, in the Frost Mountain Range." He nodded in semi understanding, and waited for her to continue. "Charlie's brother Harry, and our nephew Seth live there on and off for around six months of the year. - During the summer, and over the ski season. In winter the slopes are closed because it's too cold, and prone to avalanches and blizzards. Plus there's only about a handful of daylight hours, if you're really lucky, so they live further South in Winter."
Renee paused and sipped at her mimosa quickly, waving at the image again.
Edward had no idea where this was going, but that was actually pretty fascinating to know.
"I have a newly discovered son in law who requires a birthday present. And being that he is twenty eight years old, and richer than most people baring only other members in his own family, in all of America. I was at a loss as to what to get him, that he can't just get for himself." Edward snorted a disbelieving laugh and shook his head.
"Do not tell me it's unnecessary." She cut him off and almost glared at him.
"We give gifts for birthdays in The Swan family, and you are now family. So!" She waved at the photo again. "Bella explained that you weren't terribly impressed about this weekends festivities. And I assumed, and I could be wrong, but I assumed that your objection is that you wanted to celebrate your birthday with only my daughter for company."
Edward smirked in amusement, not terribly sure what he was supposed to say. But impressed that she had read him so very easily too.
He was also a little touched that she had so readily claimed him as family.
He quite liked that title: Son in law.
"So, what I'm offering in lieu of not knowing what I am supposed to gift you, is time." She nodded at the photo again. "You give me a call when you want to organise a week or two away, and I'll see that the family ski chalet, is set and ready for you. I'll even have ski gear sorted for you, if you want to try the slopes. Else, you can rug up in front of the fire, completely removed from the world, but for my daughter's company... I only need notice to let Harry and Seth know to stock the place up and head to the winter cabin, which is much further South, to give you privacy."
Edward sat the photo down on the table and smiled at her before leaning in and hugging her quickly.
She was his mother in law apparently, hugging her seemed like an acceptable thing to do.
"Thanks Renee. It wasn't necessary, but I appreciate it." He pulled back and smiled again, slightly amused to find her blushing. "This actually might just be my second favourite gift ever! And you had a hand in the first one too, funnily enough!" He laughed at her for rolling her eyes. "But I'm sorry to tell you that it was fate that gave her to me!"
"Yes, fate and true loves kiss!" She laughed softly, clearly amused.
"I still can't believe she didn't tell me she approached you in such a manner because she was being followed like that!" She whispered darkly, obviously hurt and disappointed.
Edward smiled sadly and reached out to squeeze her hand in comfort at that.
He couldn't imagine how scary it would be for a mother to learn of such a horrible situation that her child had been in, so long after the fact.
Bella hadn't told them that she had been followed that night, only that she had wound up lost from being on the wrong bus, and scared. And that was why she approached him as she had.
Which wasn't untrue, it just wasn't the whole truth, and he knew she had done it to save their fears for her safety in the city.
Emmett, had accidentally let that cat out of the bag earlier in the day, when discussing how he and Bella met. And rightfully, Renee had been rather upset about it.
"She just didn't want to worry you further. Those men have been arrested. Emmett and I had the CCTV footage pulled and we looked into them, the police had open cases of similar incidents with descriptions matching theirs, so you don't need to fear them following her again. Last I heard, they were already locked up... And I was there that night, so she was safe anyway." He explained.
He was not about to tell her what else those three men were suspected of being involved in, with some of the open cases they had been linked to. He had skirted those details with Bella too, because she had already moved well beyond it, and didn't need to grapple with 'what ifs'.
He wished he didn't know himself, if he was honest.
"I know. And I understand why she didn't want to tell us that too, but I'll be honest-" She paused and smiled tightly at him. "I feel a lot better knowing she is with you on the weekends at least. And that she now gets a lift home with her friends if she's working late. - I don't like her living alone in The City." She huffed a laugh and patted his hand with her free one before letting him go completely, and sinking the last of her mimosa glass. "I didn't like the idea of her moving there on her own at all. But I relaxed quite a bit about it after she met you, and I'll feel even better about it when she just moves in with you full time!" She laughed darkly, likely at his obviously shocked look. "And there's something I never thought I'd hear myself say to my daughters much older boyfriend."
Edward gaped at her openly, as she stood and strolled away without either speaking further, or giving him opportunity to reply.
He was going to need quite a bit of time to process the fact that his girlfriends mother had just claimed him as family, informed him that she wanted him to hurry up and ask her daughter to move in - basically. And that she had offered to organise what was quite possibly one of the most romantic holidays possible for them, for his birthday present.
And there certainly wasn't enough scotch in his mostly empty glass to give him the clarity he needed for that.
Or perhaps it was that there wasn't enough to wash it all away from his mind until a much later, and more opportune time?
"I'm not normally one to indulge my children's dramatics My Dear, but if you would be so kind-" Carlisle Cullen waved an elegant hand towards where Edward was lazing into a bench at the edge of the garden, trying to appear as though he was simply indulgently watching Lily play. While quite obviously brooding, to her knowing eyes, and his Fathers also. "I fear if I don't give you back to him before it comes time to prepare for this evening, he may well decide he isn't coming to dinner at all."
Bella smiled wryly at her boyfriends handsome and exceedingly astute Father.
Edward would go, because he knew how excited she was over it. But she had a sneaking suspicion that he wouldn't even be there that weekend if it wasn't for her.
He loved his family, that was obvious. It was in every word and nuance when he spoke of them. He just didn't appreciate their interference in his personal life.
Bella gripped Carlisle's arm gently in understanding and stepped off towards her grumpy looking lion.
"Hi Honey."
She smiled widely in greeting and slipped into his lap quickly.
Edward's hand automatically slipped around her hips where she sat on his thigh, as he smiled back and sat up to steal a kiss.
"Hello Beautiful." He winked.
Edward rearranged himself, shuffling them both momentarily, until he was sitting straighter and able to hug around her fully. His chin coming to rest on her shoulder, and both arms draped possessively around her middle.
"You okay?" She whispered low so that there was no chance her words would carry.
Edward presses a kiss to her shoulder in answer.
"I'm fine My Love. Have you had fun? Do you need to advise me of our upcoming wedding? And are you feeling fertile after so much exposure to my Dads iron will?" He asked.
The sarcasm was dripping from his tongue, but only partly in amusement.
Bella turned enough to wrap her arms around his neck and rest her forehead gently against his.
She was mildly amused. But more than that she was actually concerned about him. He hadn't been himself all day just about, and he had dreaded this whole weekend since it was first mentioned.
Personally she couldn't understand it. She was having a good time.
The only objection she had was that the Gala Dinner event at The Manor was at eight o'clock that same night, and she would need plenty of time to get ready. So this time in the gardens was likely as relaxed as she was going to get to be, until she climbed into bed later.
She had understood that in coming here, she risked a small amount of possible judgment and scrutiny.
His family had every right to want to gauge what sort of woman he had let in his life. Yes, they should respect it as his choice entirely who he spends time with. But they cared about him, loved him. And they would protect him as best they could, if she wasn't worthy.
That was normal of most families. And she appreciated that they were curious about her, even more so now that it appeared that they liked her.
"Are you really so worried about that Edward? Because I'm not. Everyone has been very nice to me, especially your Dad... No questions about our future in any regard like that. " She offered.
Edward sighed heavily and shrugged, holding her a little tighter in his arms as he studied her eyes.
"I've never been serious about anyone but you Bella, and I've never brought someone home before. And-" He intoned a little more emphasis. "I've never loved anyone like I do you. So, yes, I am being a bit ridiculous and I am letting my unnecessary concerns get the better of me. I willingly admit that and apologise. But I also worry that I'm pushing you too fast, and that my Family and my Father in particular, might also start to push you at some point, because-"
"Because you're older than I am and you are maybe seeing things in our future that you think I might not be?" She interrupted and finished for him.
She didn't need him to actually speak it. The answer was written all over his handsome face. And it made her heart break and melt at the same time.
She hated that such things were playing on his mind, and she loved that he was consciously aware of her needs too.
She licked her lips and pushed her fingers into his hair and leaned over him a little, so that he was looking up into her eyes from where their foreheads were pressed together, instead of the other way around.
"I'm. Not. Going. Anywhere." She said it slowly, driving each word home fully. "No, I'm not ready yet for the 'when's the wedding' or 'how soon before you're ready for kids' questions. But I do see those things for us eventually Edward, that is what I meant in the car this morning. One day, I'm going to want those same things that you keep saying your Dad will. And those same things you admitted to wanting too." She begged him with her eyes, to understand that she was alright, maybe not ready, but there with him all the same. "I don't feel like you are pushing me into anything that I'm not ready for. For The Gods sake! It took you a month to give in and have sex with me, even though I'm sure I made it blatantly clear that I wanted you long before that!"
She used his own tactic against him and retreated back to humor, knowing he would jump at the opportunity to ease away from heavy talk, to focus on laughing himself, and making her laugh too.
It was a curious little quirk he had. But one that she loved, even when it infuriated her too.
Edward let out a dark, predatory laugh and stole a smacking kiss.
"You made life very hard for me most nights in our first month together, you beautiful little minx. " She giggled as he nipped at her nose playfully. "If I had known that you felt the same way I did, I might not have waited so long. But it was kind of perfect once we got there, love. "
"It was, because you made it perfect for me." She smiled softly and stroked at his hair affectionately as she pulled back enough to kiss the very tip of his nose. "You always make everything perfect for me. So please don't question yourself over where I'm at. - If you are worried, just talk to me Baby please?"
Edward nodded slowly against her lips as she leaned in and peppered him with soft, rapid presses.
And it was enough for now.
She hadn't said those things because Carlisle had asked her to settle his brooding down. She had said those things because they were true and because she loved him so much.
He was the one and only for her, she knew that. Now she had to make it clear to him so that he'd stop questioning if he was doing things too fast for her.
"You realise that I laughed at you calling me Baby when we met, because I thought it ridiculous that this beautiful little lady would call a man my age 'Baby'?" He laughed softly.
"Yes well, you're an idiot sometimes, I won't hold it against you." She shot back primly. "You are and have been my Baby, since that moment."
"I resent being called an idiot."
"Well, don't be an idiot and I won't call you one, and you won't have to resent it."
He slapped her ass for her cheek, right there where both of the families - including children and teenagers, could see.
"EDWARD!"
She shrieked in surprise and reprimand while he laughed so hard that she was forced to hang on lest he drop her on the grass.
This story features a different portrayal of Renee and Carlisle than in canon.
It's going to be short, maybe around 10 chapters, so expect a fast-paced read. I'm also planning to finish this up within the weekend.
Thank you! By the way, your comments are highly appreciated.