Edward's POV:
My lips brushed over her perfectly smooth skin that felt like the finest silk under my touch. Slowly savouring every inch of her I kissed my way up from the small of her back, paying attention to each pearl of her spine on my way up to her delicate shoulders.
Egyptian cotton sheets nestled against my gorgeous wife as soft and sweet quiet moans and whimpers of pleasure were leaving her seductive lips. Her breathy cry caused the corners of my mouth to twitch before she arched her back underneath my body, pushing her bottom into my middle section.
I gasped and chuckled as my hands brushed over her arms, arriving at their destination I intertwined our fingers. I was kissing and nibbling on her shoulder loving how her frame shivered under mine.
"Edward," my name fell off her lips in a breathy moan.
"Mhm," I answered while continuing my assault.
"Edward," she whispered more firmly this time but I wasn't deterred in my mission. Hungrily my mouth caressed her delicate but now as well durable skin up to her neck.
"Edward," my beautiful wife sighed and with a couple of quick moves she had both of us rolled over and me pinned onto the mattress with her sitting on top of me.
My eyes roamed over the delicious curves of her prefect body while my hands grasped onto her hips and I arched my back pushing against her.
"Edward," she gasped, swatting my chest playfully.
Her brilliantly bright depths twinkled in amusement while she unsuccessfully tried to stifle her giggles before she placed both of her hands firmly on my chest, leaning over me, "stop it. We have to get up."
Pressing my lips together, to fight the grin that threatened to stretch across my face, I shook my head slightly while her ice blue pools narrowed and she pursed her lips.
"Five more minutes." I murmured as I lifted myself up enough to be able to touch her lips with mine.
"That's what you said the time before and before then in the shower and….." she mumbled against my mouth and I used the chance to slip my tongue passed her lips to slowly caress hers.
I was guilty as charged but what could I do seeing my gorgeous wife naked with all that water that was cascading down her delicious curves did unspeakable things to me. Besides I loved making love to my wife in the shower.
When I heard and felt her moan softly a victorious smile spread across my lips and I slung my arms around her back while easing back into the mattress holding onto my wife until she suddenly pushed back, separating us, and gracefully jumped out of bed.
"Hey!" I protested sitting up, pouting at her in disappointment and bewilderment but my eyes hungrily swept over her flawless back that was partly covered by her lush chocolate brown locks. My gaze lingered on her round, apple bottom before they continued to explore the well known and beloved territory that was her perfectly shaped legs.
"The others are going to be here any minute," she informed me trying to be stern but failed, "get dressed," she laughed and shook her head before she disappeared in the bathroom.
Sighing I let myself fall back into the pillows, throwing my arm above my head while my thumb was stroking over the platinum band on my left ring finger and a smile tugged at the corners of my mouth as I remembered the proposal.
I had planned it all out. Esme and Rosalie had kidnapped Anna for a spa day where she was being pampered, styled and dressed before a limousine brought her to the little café, which I had rented for the occasion. It was nestled next to a lake with a huge and beautiful marble patio.
I had gone all out and stole ideas from the cheesiest romantic movies existing. Emmett loved to tease me with that but I didn't care because I knew that Anna was secretly a huge romantic.
Twilight, the right decoration, countless yards of chains of lights and a little orchestra made the background perfect for the most important question I had ever asked in my existence.
Never before had I been this nervous as those endless hours where I waited for her to arrive or as happy when she beamed at me and whispered a breathless "yes".
Breaking our happy news to Charlie was another story altogether though.
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" I asked her doubtfully.
Anna sighed as she placed a steaming cup of coffee on the tray next to the other two, "I admit he won't be too happy at first but," she licked her lips, glancing briefly in the direction of the living room and whispered, "he thinks I'm his daughter …. if we have to stage my death he would be devastated when he finds out that we were married and he wasn't even invited."
Her big hazel eyes were pleading with me while she was biting on the inside of her bottom lip. I sighed before I dropped a kiss on her forehead. Anna had a heart of gold and was very compassionate it shouldn't have surprised me that she wanted to make things right by Charlie.
"Well, at least I'm bullet proved," I joked lamely, offering her a supportive smile.
"That's the spirit." Anna grinned at me and lifted the tray from the kitchen counter before we went back into the living room where the Chief was waiting for us.
"A condo? Carlisle and Esme paid for it?" He raised an eyebrow at me.
… I knew the Cullens had money but this ... a luxury condo for a college student ….. gotta be nice to live off your parents money… He thought pejoratively.
"No, my biological parents left me some money. It's more than enough to live comfortably." I answered.
Charlie grunted no-commentary, not feeling comfortable with trespassing into the dead-parents-territory, while Anna served him his black coffee and went to sit down next to me opposite the Chief.
"Have you though about living in a dorm? Like I said before if your scholarship does not cover…." He pressed holding Anna's gaze.
It was a thorn in Charlie's neck that Anna and I lived together. He didn't trust me, he didn't like me and I doubted that this would ever change.
"Thanks dad, but I am happy where I am right now." She cut him off and raised an eyebrow in challenge at him.
They had this particular conversation a couple of times over the past few weeks and it seemed like the Chief was still not about to give up on that matter.
Charlie exhaled displeased, deciding to delay this conversation until he would get her alone. "So how's college?" He changed the topic after clearing his throat awkwardly.
"It's great. The campus is awesome. I can give to you tour tomorrow … if you like? And the classes are fun ….. well some of them," Anna smiled enthusiastically at him even though she had called visiting the University of Vermont a waste of money since we wouldn't be able to continue after our first semester much less graduate but I wanted her to have that experience.
I wanted to have that experience with her by my side while she was still human.
Anna quickly came to like the college life and soon came up with a list of things she had always wanted to do but never tackled in her former life; like joining a dancing and a self-defence class.
After we left Forks it hadn't been easy the first few weeks. All the pressure, emotions and strain Anna had to keep locked up overwhelmed her leaving her raw and bleeding. It had been a challenging time for us, considering my role in all of this.
But slowly and gradually things became better, the pain, sorrow, grief and hurt lessened and we were both healing. It never ceased to amaze me that despite everything Anna remained at my side.
She began to smile more, enjoy life, just be happy …Her strength fascinated and baffled me … how she rose, like a phoenix, from the ashes of her painful past and ruins of her former life was nothing short of amazing.
….at least Anna seems to be happy and she does look a lot healthier than the last time I saw her … Suddenly an image of Bella, thin, unhealthily pale, with thick dark rings under her listless eyes passed his mind. It had been the last time he saw her before she left to live her mother.
Sadness. That was the feeling that washed over me when I saw her.
Having found my place in life I wished the same for Bella, despite everything that had happened. I knew first handed how stubborn she was but I hoped that she would soon realise then there was more out there for her than the possibility of a future which some author had written down.
"What exactly is it that you are studying anyway?" A deep male voice rang out bringing me back to the task at hand.
"I want to study psychology and Edward is studying business economics." Anna chirped.
"Not medicine like your father?" Charlie wondered.
"I'm not as good with blood as Carlisle." I answered and chuckled inwardly about the hidden truth in my words.
"Dad, there is something we've got to tell you." Anna murmured suddenly with a nervous smile on her face.
Charlie who was about to reach for the cup of coffee in front of him froze and looked up at us, his eyes narrowed with slight worry that was rapidly increasing.
….. oh god please don't tell me ….
"You're pregnant too, aren't you?" The Chief whispered breathlessly and horrified as his temper and ire at me began to rise. His angry eyes flew to mine, glaring murderously and accusingly at me.
"No, god, dad nooo," Anna denied immediately and Charlie began to relax, slowly.
"We're engaged." My fiancée happily dropped the bombshell as she pulled the extra long sleeve of her white cashmere sweater that was covering up half of her finger back, revealing the huge diamond ring from Tiffany which I had bought for her.
I would have loved to give my mother's ring to my future wife but given the history or future the ring had or could have had it would have been highly inappropriate.
Charlie opened and closed his mouth like a fish out of water staring motionlessly at Anna. Even his mind was silent with shock for a moment.
"I-Isn't …. that a little fast." he shuttered while he called me every name under the sun in his thoughts, "I mean you two are together just for a few months and already engaged?"
"I know that this seems to be a little hurried," Anna admitted and Charlie snorted indignant, "we ….. it feels right to the both of us."
The Chief crossed his arms over his chest and huffed angrily as his face was turning seven shades of red.
….what's with this little punk Proposal? Marriage? … is he trying to tie her down?... she deserves so much better…..
I couldn't argue with his last statement but there was no way I was going to let go of Anna. I loved her too much.
"And we are getting married in about two months. A week after out first semester ended to be exact." Anna informed him casually; ripping off the band aid so to say.
For a second I was afraid his eyes would pop out for his head as his face took on an unhealthy crimson colour.
"What? Why? You can't be serious! This is outrageous!" He all but yelled at us from across the coffee table.
"Anna, please think about this! You are still so young barely eighteen …. marriage and then with this," he pointed his finger at me as images of how badly he wanted to kill me in this moment went through his mind.
"Chief Swan I know that…."
"Don't!" He warned in a low and dark voice, "I don't want to hear anything from you."
"Be that as it may, dad, but I will marry Edward in a few weeks and nothing is going to change my mind about that. It would mean a lot to me if you would be there and walk me down the aisle but I understand if you don't." Anna explained in a strong and firm voice.
"Dad," Anna said before she sighed and left my side to join Charlie, touching his arm after she sat down next to him.
"I know you have your reservations regarding Edward and that you don't like him given the history ….." her voice became quieter at the end and she looked down briefly, "but you always trusted my judgement. I'm asking you not to lose faith in me now. I know what I am doing. I know what I want." She looked hopefully at him.
The Chief huffed and shook his head being overwhelmed with the situation as suddenly and unexpectedly an unwelcome suspicion occurred to him.
….she wouldn't possibly be doing this to hurt ….
I was appalled at the thought that had suddenly crossed Charlie's mind. My fingers dug into my palms as all my muscles tensed to prevent me from commenting his thoughts.
Unfortunately what he thought was pretty plain written on his face and Anna quickly picked up on that.
"I'm not doing this to hurt her," I could hear the hurt in her voice and so could Charlie. Embarrassed and ashamed his eyes fell from hers.
"This has nothing to do with her. This is about what I want, what Edward and I want. And I think for the sake of the baby it's better if she doesn't know."
Charlie's eyes snapped back to hers.
"But how? What about your mother? Does she even know?"
Anna sighed heavily and shook her head, "the last time I had any kind of contact with her was when she was throwing false accusations at Edward. And I can imagine her reaction to this news. I don't want to fight, dad. Neither over nor on my wedding."
It had been a delicate situation we had put Charlie in. On one hand he did not want to go behind Bella's back on the other he wanted to be there for Anna. But Anna had been right denying him his "own" daughter's wedding would have also been wrong.
Anna had wanted to a big, traditional, princess-like wedding and I was all to eager to fulfil her wish. Our wedding took place in a beautiful old church I had discovered on one of my hunting trips before we attended our wedding reception at the Hilton in Burlington.
My breath still hitched when the image of my gorgeous bride in her wedding dress as Charlie walked her down the aisle crossed my mind. She had been a stunning vision and the huge, honest smile on her face and her with happiness sparkling eyes that day made my heart swell.
My own smile flattered as my mind switched from one of the happiest moments in my life to the most horrible; my wife's transition.
After my venom hit her bloodstream quiet whimpers of pain made their way past her tightly pressed lips for about two hours and then nothing….
"I'm so sorry," I apologised to my wife once again as her quiet whimpers of agonising pain rang loudly in my ears while she was lying in front of me on our bed.
In my right hand I held hers and pressed a kiss against the back of her hand while my left thumb stroked tenderly over her already sweaty forehead before my fingers brushed through her silky hair.
"It is all looking good," Carlisle assessed after he checked over Anna's in torment writhing body while my venom was burning her alive from inside out.
She tried at first to stay as still as possible but soon failed. Screams died in her throat while her body was trembling and convulsing in the mind-numbing fire.
Screwing my eyes tightly together I pressed my forehead against the back of her agitated hand until I noticed that the shaking had stopped.
Pulling away slowly I watched as her body ceased moving all together and relaxed entirely. Her racing pulse and wildly beating heart decelerated until they were barely detectable even for my senses and her breathing went shallow.
"Carlisle?" I cried out in naked panic and terror, briefly glancing at him to convey my deepest fears with my eyes only to be met with bewilderment, lack of understanding and horror which flashed up behind his widened eyes before he could hide his true feelings from me. Fear and terror tore at my sanity and crush and crumble my dead heart…...
Those one hundred and three hours, forty-two minutes and twenty-seven seconds until she opened her eyes again ….. even years after this hell I still lacked the words to express the horrors and anguish I had been going through.
Anna was just as strong, agile and fast as any other of our kind, her senses were just as accurate as mine but there were also some things in which she differed from any other Vampire.
When she opened her eyes after the transition was finally over I was not greeted by the brilliant crimson we all had expected but an unbelievable shade of violet. A few months later we knew why. Her eyes were not golden in colour like it was for the rest of us but hers were an eternal ice blue.
Further more was her skin considerably warmer than it should have been - nearly as warm as a human's - but aside from those deviations she was a perfectly "healthy" Vampire. I snorted at my own thoughts.
"What's so funny?" Anna stood next to my side of our bed - to my disappointment already dressed - and looked curiously at me as she cocked her head to the side.
I offered her a crooked smile while I was slowly sitting up.
"Edward!" She said in a warning tone about to take a step back but I was faster.
My hands grabbed her hips and I pulled her body flush against my own, circling my arms around her delicious frame to hold her prisoner in my embrace.
"Don't be dif….." Anna sighed defeated but I cut her off with a kiss.
Our lips brushed gently against one another as I placed tender butterfly kisses against her mouth before I pressed my forehead against hers.
"I love you," I whispered.
My wife giggled before she responded. "I love you, too."
A soft perk on my lips followed her words before she returned my embrace while happiness, joy and love exploded inside me like the fireworks in the sky on the forth of July.
It had always been like this, the tornado of emotions that raged in my chest whenever those words fell from her lips. The day I heard her utter them for the first time was one of my happiest memories.
"Yeahy, well done," Anna cheered when our one year old scored a goal.
Ethan giggled and threw himself into his mom's arms receiving a kiss on his chubby cheek as a reward. Watching my wife and my son together made my heart sore.
I really had no idea that someone could ever receive something so precious …. That one day such heartbreaking happiness would be mine to protect, care for and nurture.
In moments like this I couldn't help but to wonder who I had been before Anna stepped into my life and blessed me with the two most valuable gifts one could ask for; her love and our son.
Taking a deep breath my chest constricted with the happiness and love.
"Wait up little guy this time … you are not gonna be this lucky," Emmett threatened playfully after he retrieved the ball.
Ethan laughed and squeaked joyfully when he saw the red rubber ball in Emmett's hands and struggled out of his mother's embrace, wanting to continue "playing" soccer with his uncle.
Emmett carefully rolled the ball, over the soft, green grass in our backyard, to Ethan who caught the red orb with both of his hands nearly falling over in the process but he managed to scramble back into standing position before he let the ball fall onto the ground and stretched his plump leg out to kick the rubber globe.
"Seems to me that your nephew needs to teach you how to play soccer." I teased Emmett, setting him up.
His head jerked up and he raised an eyebrow at me.
"Do I …."
"Emmett language!" Two female voices admonished in union.
"Hey! I haven't even said anything." Emmett protested while I heard Jasper chuckle from inside our house.
Especially Esme and Rosalie were having an eye on Emmett's swearing, not wanting a foul expression to be one of Ethan's first words.
It had been bad enough that for a month after he was born he would constantly show everyone "the finger"! Nearly every time he clenched his tiny right hand into a fist his middle finger would not cooperate much to the amusement of the others while Esme and I had been horrified.
Laughing Anna ambled over to where I was sitting leaned back against a tree trunk and eased herself down between my outstretched legs. My arms immediately encircled her waist and I pressed her tightly against my body before I buried my nose in the crook of her neck and she cocked her head to the side to grant me better access to be able to inhale her intoxicating scent.
Pulling back I caught the sight of the spot that before Anna's transition had held a tiny scar from the operation she had after we returned from Volterra in the first timeline. Leaning forward I kissed the spot above her ear.
After all the obstacles we had faced, the pain and sorrow we had gone through, all drawbacks we that had crossed on our way I came to appreciate our time together even more.
"He was not going to swear, was he?" Anna twisted a little in my embrace before she whispered the question into my ear, making sure it was quiet enough that no one but me would hear.
"No," I shook my head and chuckled evilly … sweet poetic justice for all the years of merciless jabs and tedious teasing ….
"You are so mean," she accused me mockingly, shaking her head slightly as her bell like laughter rang in the air around us and my eyes hungrily roamed over the outline of her full lips.
A strangled whimper left my throat before I crashed my mouth onto hers. My tongue traced along her soft and warm bottom lip, begging her for entrance while my wife twisted in my arms to get more comfortable. Her left hand ran up my upper arm onto my shoulder before her fingers vowed into the messy mop on my head.
Anna tugged at my hair, drawing a quiet moan out of my throat what made her giggle. Our mouths were slowly moving against each other, caressing tenderly while I held her cradled to my chest.
I love those moments we had, when the whole world around us disappeared and nothing but the two of us existed for a little while. When all my senses were enchanted by my wife and my heart was so full of love and adoration it felt like it would explode as my skin tingled from her touch.
A tiny husky moan escaped her when she finally relented to my pleas, opening up to me. My tongue quickly moved past her ripe lips and sought out hers while I withdrew my right hand from her back to cup her cheek.
I held her securely to me as my thumb brushed over her cheek slowly in long intervals. Our tongues were massaging and teasing each other as we swallowed the others groans and small cries of pleasure.
"Soon you two are going to scar a kid for life here." Emmett's booming voice broke the spell and we startled pulled away from each other only to witness my brother laugh his head off while our son was looking confused at his uncle as he covered his ears.
"Don't worry I doubt we are going to beat you to it." My wife replied flippantly.
Sometimes she had quite a sharp and wicked tongue.
Emmett rolled his eyes and shook his head before he crouched down in front of Ethan.
"Come on little guy. Your mom and dad are no fun at all today." He said and lifted his nephew off the ground straightening up and swung him around in the air.
"Emmett can you bring Ethan in, his lunch is ready." Esme called from the kitchen and Emmett set my son onto the ground "to race" him inside the house.
"Don't forget to wash your hands boys." She murmured when the both of them entered the kitchen.
"Come on, sweetie, let me help you," Rosalie cooed after she put the glass with juice next to the plate on the table and went to pick Ethan up into her arms.
Slipping out of the others minds I concentrated solidly on the feeling of Anna's fingers that were brushing circulating patterns over my arm.
My gaze fell into those big, open and deep ice blue eyes that were roaming over my face. A gentle breeze which carried the scents of the forest and plants around us moved her chocolate tresses while the laughter of our son, from inside the house, widened the smiles on our faces.
Suddenly Anna's expression turned serious and an unreadable light flashed up behind her breathtaking depths.
"Edward," she murmured my name.
"Mhm?" I asked curiously.
She nibbled on her bottom lip for a second before the next couple of words left her plump mouth.
"I love you." My wife said in a clear and gentle voice and I froze as the world literally stopped turning for a second.
I had been longing, yearning to hear her say those words to me, for her to tell me that she loved me. Of course she was showing her feelings for me ever day in her actions as well as the choices and decisions she made but still I wanted and needed to hear the words.
For her voice for give them life and her delicious lips to form them. I had imagined this moment so often but nothing could have ever compared to the real thing ….
"They are almost here," Anna said as she pulled back from our embrace and suddenly I heard Carlisle's new Mercedes coming closer to the house.
"You shut me off again," I laughed accusingly. I had been so distracted with "other stuff" that I did not even notice the complete silence around me.
"Well whose fault is that?" She taunted looking over her shoulder, offering me a teasing smile while she walked over to the closet.
My eyes roamed over her body, observing how her hips swayed with every step she took. I could feel a silly grin spread over my face as suddenly the entire spectrum of sounds that existed around us was assaulting my ears and mind.
Anna's force field was up all the time protecting her both mentally and physically, not letting anything touch her not even sound waves, as well as anyone else who was within that restricted area.
Just like mine her ability was there from day one and just like I she had to learn to control it.
A day after her change no one except of me could come within two feet of her. Anna's force field had build up around her keeping everyone away from her. Even Emmett with all of his strength couldn't pass the invisible barrier.
Carlisle, Jasper and I assumed that that condition was a consequence of the trauma, hurt and all the stress she had gone through ever since she entered our world. Anna had build up walls around herself to keep herself together, to be able to survive and that carried over into her new life.
It had gotten easier with time but she had to concentrate to keep the force field down. If she was distracted or lost in her thoughts the invisible walls were immediately back up, protecting her, shutting the outside world out…. trying to keep her away from pain.
My dormant heart felt heavy with sadness when I thought about this but the fact that I could access her "comfort area", as she liked to call it, gave me hope for the future.
"Hurry up," Anna smiled when she stepped out of the closet with my clothes in her hands and a split of a second later I was out of bed, standing in front of my wife.
"Mhm," I hummed holding a strain of her silken hair between my fingers, "won't you consider coming back to bed?" I teased her letting my breath wash over her face as my eyes were fixed on her luscious red lips.
"I will …. If you are going to be a good boy you might get a reward tonight," Anna murmured in a low voice that made me take a sharp breath and desire rush through my system before she pushed the fabrics in her hand against my chest and took off shutting the door of our bedroom on her way out.
Stunned for a second I needed a moment gather my bearing and probably an ice cold shower to squash my excitement. ….that plan backfired big time …
"You tease!" I called and heard her amused and victorious giggles in respond.
"You are going to regret this," I promised as I shook my head on my way to the bathroom.
Out of the corner of my eye, through the ajar doors of the walk in closet, I caught sight of my suitcase and all light and playful feelings vanished instantly.
For the first four years Aro had been sending Alice, Jasper, Anna and me on the most ridiculous and unnecessary missions. That was until rumours started to spread about the Olympic Coven secretly working for the Volturi.
Our involvement with them was not a well known circumstance in fact it had been mostly kept secret. Only the closest and most trusted guard members knew; besides of course the brothers and their wives.
Aro didn't want others to know about the factors which led us to be bound to them, not wanting for anyone else to discover the possibility of time/reality/dimension travelling and to be the first to find a way of actually being able to control it.
It had become even more of a juggling act when Aro came across his precious crown jewel; his most lethal weapon. Since then serving our sentence had become much more bearable due to the much lesser work load.
Though I didn't like it at all that my wife had become the only means of survival for Aro if his precious crown jewel should ever discover his vile scheming.
Despite all the recent developments it was not easy to deal with the guilt knowing that the situation we were all in was partly my fault and that my wife had to suffer the consequences of something she was not responsible for.
She had expressed her displeasure about the situation but she also didn't hold the punishment we had gotten against me which I was thankful for and promised myself to make everything I had put her through - as unintentionally as it had been on my side - up to her until my very last breath.
"Dad, look! Grandma and Grandpa bought me my truck!" My seven year old son squealed excitedly when I arrived in the living room as he was showing the toy truck he had been begging to get for weeks proudly to his mom and the rest of the family.
"Didn't they have a pink one?" Alice mocked teasingly as she cocked her head to the side, looking thoughtfully at the truck.
"What?" Ethan squeaked, shaking his head as he placed himself between his aunt and the toy stretching his arms out, shielded the toy with his little body.
Amused chuckles and laughter filled the room instantly.
The decision to have a child had not been an easy one neither for Anna nor me. We both were aware of the dangers that were looming in the shadows for our potential offspring. We couldn't ignore the threat that the Volturi presented in case he or she would be born with a powerful gift.
And even if that wasn't the case, it was one thing for us, adults, to have to murder for Aro and his minions or whatever else our orders were but the thought that my son or daughter would be forced to be tainted in such ways was unbearable to me.
Besides Jasper no one of us had any real experience in combat this was a state of affairs that needed to be fixed which also meant that the reality of our situation would require for Anna's and mine child to be trained in material arts early on, for their own protection.
Though all of those concerns were lying heavily on us we both also came to realise that we would forever regret it if we let the chance at parenthood slip through our fingers.
During the pregnancy the both of us as well as our family, we all, except of Rosalie of course, had our doubts about having made the right decision but once our little miracle arrived nothing else mattered except of him.
Unlike other Hybrids we had met Ethan was growing and developing at normal human pace. When he was born only a faint, sweet venom scent in his blood and a slightly faster heartbeat betrayed his origins.
He was a happy kid, and for that I was thankful, though with time passing the sweet venom scent of his blood was getting stronger and the percentage share of venom in his blood increased slowly but steady though his Vampire-side was developing at a slower pace than his human side.
For now it remained a mystery to us if once the process would be over he would be a Hybrid or if he would turn into a full Vampire. Only time could tell.
"That's great buddy. Have you thanked grandma and grandpa?" I asked crossing the room over to where my lovely wife was sitting on the couch, easing myself down beside her before throwing my arm around her shoulders and pressing a kiss against her temple.
Ethan was our little miracle and no one in our family could help but to pamper and spoil him rotten with anything money could buy but Anna soon put her foot down on that. She didn't want Ethan to become a spoiled brat that didn't know how to say thank you and took everything he had as a given.
It was really hard for me and my family not to simply buy him everything his little curious eyes saw and his heart desired but we couldn't argue with Anna's logic, too often had we been presented with the result of such upbringing.
It sometimes took me really by surprise what a natural Anna was as a mother; caring, loving, understanding, warm but also strict and unyielding when needed to be.
Every time I though I couldn't possibly love her more I was proven wrong. Every time I watched her with our son raising him to embrace the world and life, to speak his mind, teaching him to make the right decisions and guiding him with understanding and care I fell a little harder and deeper.
"Of course he has." Esme assured snapping me out of my musing while smiling at her precious grandson who was absorbed in freeing his new toy from the wrapping.
"Let's see how this works." I murmured eying the instruction manual while reaching my hand out to pat Ethan's head first. He turned around to look and smiled up at me, his forest green eyes sparkled with happiness and excitement, before he returned to admiring the giant monster truck, as I picked the instruction manual up which had become victim to Ethan's enthusiasm and excitement.
"There is definitely room for improvement," Rosalie muttered after she snatched the instruction manual from my hands and thumbed through it.
"I'll help you to gas up." Jasper drawled as he entered the living room with a little gas can in his right hand.
"Can I do it?" Ethan asked eye wide marvelling.
"Sorry buddy," I chuckled, "but I doubt grandma would be happy if you spilled some of the gasoline on her carpet."
His head whirled around and his face fell into a sad and petulant pout.
"Tell you what. Uncle Jasper will show you how it's done and next time, when you are outside," Anna emphasised, "you can do it."
"Okaaaay," he sighed reluctantly acceptant of that compromise and observed every one of Jasper's movements with rapid attention while holding the distant control firmly in his little hands and clutching it to his chest, eagerly waiting to be allowed to finally play with the huge monster truck with the red flames on the side.
"Is it ready?" He whined impatiently.
"You need to press the button on the side of the distant control," I pointed at the little red spot.
He inspected he black coloured box in his hands with a diligence that boarded on comical before he looked interrogatively at me when he found said button.
"This?" Ethan questioned with a small, serious frown on his face.
He was much smarter than normal children his age. He learned things faster and always seemed to know more than expected but he was also far more serious than any seven year old I have ever come across. Which was why seeing him this excited and absorbed into a something – just acting like a child - was so endearing.
"Yes," I smiled, trying to suppress the chuckle that was fighting its way out of my throat, as he pushed the button with utmost concentration.
"It's ready to go," Jasper nodded after switching the power button on the toy car.
Ethan immediately shot to his feet with a huge smile on his face and excitement shining in his eyes.
Emmett suddenly stood in the living room grinning wildly, "I build a little track in the backyard." He said picking the monster truck up.
"Really!" Ethan yelled and ran to the French windows that led into the backyard.
"He's definitely inherited his fascination for cars from you," Anna laughed when the both of us rose from the couch and she bumped her shoulder against mine.
I smiled wildly at her and kissed the tip of her nose before I followed Emmett, Carlisle and Jasper outside while we heard the girls giggle about "boys and their toys".
"Dad, this truck is awesome!" Ethan squealed in delight as the monster truck bombed down the track.
"Seems like he didn't only inherit his fascination for cars from you but also your proclivity for speeding." Jasper drawled on the porch next to me as the both of us watched Ethan for a moment before joining him.
Third Person POV:
"Mom, Alec is going into town, can I go with him? Please!" Asked a bell like voice pleadingly as a head with long chocolate locks peeked through the sliver of the door into the bedroom of her mother.
A red eyed Vampire put her hand on her hip and raised a perfect eyebrow at her daughter before she sighed wistfully.
Her little girl was growing up so fast, though only four years on this planet she already looked like a twelve year old and behaved like a sixteen year old teenager despite her advanced mental maturity though her emotional one was another story.
"Please, mom. I promise I'll behave." The little girl slipped inside her mother's bedroom and flattened both her palms against each other in front of her chest when she stopped inches before her mother who wore a stern look on her porcelain face.
"Please," the girl, in the midnight blue sun dress and cute silver min heels, begged meekly pouting adorably.
"You know that sweet pout of yours is not the answer to everything," her mother chastised her amused as she reached out and waved her finger through her daughter's thick, silken hair.
Once she let go of them they gracefully fell back into place and the elder immortal's gaze snapped to the pleading chocolate pools of the younger one.
The silent heart melted just a little at the hopeful look in those big eyes. She had been told that her daughter's eyes looked exactly like hers had when she had been a human. Not that she remembered her past before she joined the immortal world.
She did not remember writing a heartbreaking letter to her husband in which she explained that though he had been nothing short of perfect and wonderful to her she couldn't stay because he deserved someone who would love him back just as honestly and fireclay as he did her or that she wanted to start a new life somewhere away from all the haunting memories of happier times or how she apologised for not being able to love Elizabeth the way she deserved. She had cut him free with that letter as painfully as that had been for the poor Quileute.
She also didn't remember that there had been a fleeing moment of guilt as she watched her daughter play happily with her dolls in her pink coloured room. A single tear had run down her cheek but it had not been enough to stop her from abandoning her own child.
Once Seth Clearwater had arrived to baby-sit the little one in believe that the brunet had some errands to run - not knowing that he would be the last one to ever see Isabella again – the clumsy girl stepped out of her little house in La Push knowing she would never return.
The brunet knew that Alec was aware of her daughter's crush on him but he regarded her more of an annoying little sister he had a tiny soft spot for. Alec must have had a good day to allow Chiara to accompany him or she had bugged into submission.
The elder Vampire had been concerned at first how Jane would react since she was very territorial about her twin brother but she found the young Hybrid to be a great source of amusement. And she enjoyed seeing her brother squirm and roll his eyes in defeated annoyance whenever the half Vampire would be around.
The red eyed female sighed heavily and the girl squealed joyfully jumping up and throwing herself at her mother to draw her into a tight embrace.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you," the young girl chanted excited before she pulled back, rose on her tip toes and place a kiss on her mother's cheek.
"Don't be out too late, Chiara." The elder brunet commanded sternly.
"I promise I won't, mom." Chiara nodded giggling happily before she rushed out of the room.
Her mother shook her head at her enthusiastic daughter's retreating from.
…. first love …. She sighed as she thought to herself and a dull slightly painful tugging sensation appeared inside her chest. The Vampire rubbed her right hand over the spot over her dormant heart and wondered once again what that was.
She was very happy with her immortal life, content even, her daughter was her joy and pride but ever now and then this phantom pain would occur leaving the female utterly confused and conflicted.
"Isabella." A cheerful, low timber called.
"Yes, master," the brunet answered automatically with utmost respect ringing in her voice.
Aro smiled softly at the crimson eyed woman in front of him. He remembered the day when she had been brought into the secret palace underneath the busy city after being picked up by Felix and Demertri.
In Felix mind he saw her wandering around the streets in Volterra asking random people if they knew someone named Aro, Marcus or Caius successfully gaining the attention of the his guard.
She had wanted to become a Vampire, pleaded for them to end her human life and grant her another one, a better one.
Aro had been cautious about agreeing despite his desire to have her in his collection of gifted ones because once he addressed the matter of the Cullens and one male in particular it became painfully apparent how much she loved the mind reader and was still hung up on him.
If she became a Vampire she would have been ruled only by two desires; blood and the primeval urge to be with her mate.
It was then that Alice's past had become of use to Aro which was why he agreed to see if he could fulfil her wish.
The clumsy woman had exhaled in relief not knowing what was in store for her. Weeks of pain as she had been in "therapy"; drugged with substances to erase her memories like had happened with Alice.
Aro had not been convinced that her mind would be blank once she opened her eyes to her new life he wanted her to have been of use to him in case he had to kill her, which was why before she had been released out of the facility in which she had been treated the Doctor's there impregnated her with an immortal baby.
Luckily she had survived the pregnancy as well as the transition and to Aro's delight woken up without any knowledge to who she was or anything else.
What delighted him even more was the vile gift that the little girl had resting within her. About two years after her birth during a meal-hunt he witnessed what she could do for the first time.
Aro humoured himself by teaching the little child what it meant to be a Vampire. He organised meal-hunts as a playful way to show her how to take down a meal. He ordered his guard to bring a child just big enough for the hybrid's appetite down into the catacombs underneath the city and the gruesome game began.
Though on one particular day the hunt ended differently; when the tiny immortal was within a foot of her food she suddenly stopped and closed her eyes. The terrified human boy who pressed his trembling body into a wall began to become weaker by the second. His pulse and heart beat were slowing, all colour left his skin and then his breathing ceased before his body dehydrated to the point of mummification and dissolved into dust.
That was the day that Aro discovered her murderous gift. She could link herself into the minds of others and suck all life - all energy – out of any person – may it be a human, Vampire or Werewolf - she encountered.
The only reason why Aro did not separate his precious crown jewel and her mother - to be the only one to influence her - was because the brunet's shield was the only thing to set limits to her daughter's ability and offer protection from it.
"I have a new assignment for you," the ancient Vampire murmured as he held his hand out for her to join him.
"Of course, master Aro," Isabella nodded and crossed the room.
The head of the Volturi observed the graceful movements and smiled in satisfaction. The clumsy, broken human which had arrived years ago had developed into a strong and unscrupulous Vampire and as long as the Cullens and particularly Edward never crossed her way she would remain in the dark about her past and a valuable asset to his guard.