Pleasures of Working(OPEN)

[renea]

ESME ANNE CULLEN

Finally... She was able to stop working on the homes. The inside had been completely cleaned, all the dust was away from the surfaces in the home, the furniture had all been set up perfectly in the home and she smiled. She moved into her office on the second floor where Carlisle's own office was and began to thumb through some old homes that needed work in the area. Finally, she came to the one that she had found recently... Charlie Swan's old home... They had stayed in touch with the man for many years, he was in on the secret slightly and when Renesmee was around sixteen years old, he was able to see her for who she really was.

The home needed work and she was sure that it would sell to a lovely family in the area. She went over blueprints of the home that she had recently made and marked the load bearing walls and marked how she could open the home up into a more modern style. She noted the idea for landscaping as well and wrote a few notes along the side so that she would be sure that things went perfectly.

"I wonder if the boys will help me on this project. I am sure Rosalie and Alice would enjoy decorating."

[/color] She said to herself as she wrote in her I-Pad a reminder to ask them when they were home. She lounged in her desk chair, thinking over a few things before moving on to another home in the area that was on the neutral zone for the pack and the coven. She would have to work carefully there, as she did not want to bother the werewolves and their families. As she made more notes on this one, she finished and placed all the items back in their drawers before standing and looking out one of the window.

The outside of the home still needed some work and she decided she would ask Edward, Emmett, and Jasper to help her get it done quickly and besides, they worked fast together, though most the time it turned into a who is better game.
[/blockquote]
WORD COUNT: three hundred & sixty
TAGGED: no one
COMMENT: first post, open to anyone
STATUS: finished
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[Bella Cullen]

The vampire had been busy, she had been out on a hunt—as it had been a bit before her last feeding and she needed to make sure she wasn’t thirsty as just being back in Forks brought back some fond memories. Running through the woods, she felt a certain relaxation that she hadn’t had in a while. She didn’t know where the rest of her family was, and so she was enjoying a moment just to herself. After feeding, she knew she needed to return home. She’d been gone a little over an hour and a half. She recalled how she didn’t want to move here—how hesitant she had been even when she had told Renee that she was happy to do it. It had brought her to the life she was living now, although it had changed her life entirely. She became a vampire—and although that put a distance with her and her mother’s relationship, it had brought her and her father closer together.

Renee would not have had the same kind of understanding that Charlie had, because he knew what was out there. Knowing she could stay in touch with her father had only made her life better, especially given the fact that she hadn’t been close with him growing up. Her childhood had been for Renee, her adult life had been with Charlie. She remained close with Charlie and she was quite happy when he was able to see her daughter, Renesmee, with a certain understanding of who she—who they all were.

Knowing of course that now, Esme was taking apart her old home, also made an impact on her. It was where she had spent her summers as a kid, and some holidays. Though even with time, it also reminded her of the time she could have had with Charlie that she had missed out on simply because of her lack of distaste towards Forks at the time. She wanted to come see how her mother in law was coming along with the project. She wanted to be a part of it at least on some level, though she wasn’t quite the designer that Alice and Rosalie were. Of course where her old home was, it was in a neutral area, one that the shifters could see for themselves, and the fact remained they didn’t want to bother the shifters if they could help it. She knew that too.

She couldn’t help but smile but think that they would work together as a family to get her old house ready to sell. Part of her wanted to sell it obviously but part of her didn’t. Perhaps it was just the attachment to the place that was finally coming to the surface. Smiling she couldn’t help but sense Esme was at her desk as she entered the family’s home.

Entering the room in question, she smiled at her mother in law. “Hello Esme, hard at work are we?” She asked, teasing her. The two always had a good bond, and it was a strong one at that. Esme was the only mother figure she had left in her life and so she was protective of her, just like the rest of her family was.

[renea]

ESME ANNE CULLEN

Silence moved through the home of the vampires that had only recently come back and she smiled slightly as she looked out one of the windows. She had not seen Edward today, but she knew Isabella had gone out hunting since they had been back in Forks. Esme had noticed that being back in Forks had brought a level of excitement to Isabella, a level of relief to be back home. She knew it was also sadness as he father had passed away as well as Leah and Seth’s own mother who had been with Charlie when they had left Forks. Carlisle, Esme, Edward, and Isabella had been able to keep in touch with Charlie over the years and finding out he had passed away had been terrible. They had all attended his funeral, though they had stayed back and away until most the humans left. Esme was so upset, just like most the family, but she should have been used to losing human friends and family. It was a terrible curse of being vampire, which was why it was nice to have vampire family to stay close to. Esme knew it could not be easy for Isabella to have her father pass away

Esme glanced at the properties again, making mental notes as well as grabbing a pen and writing things on some of them. One of the ones she had was already owned by a family in Forks, they just needed it restored. Then their was Isabella’s old home, the Swan house… And then a few others, one that was in the neutral zone. Oh, she hoped people liked her work, she had not had a customer not like her work. She wondered if Renesmee would like to help with the projects as well, as she had been there during her childhood, even though it was very short.

Eyes moved back to the Swan home blue print, noticing each room needed a little bit of work. It would not be hard, she just needed to make it a open concept. People liked the open concept… She hoped that Isabella would be okay with all this, she did not want to upset her daughter-in-law. As she moved on to another property she swore she heard another person come into her home. She took in a deep breath and smiled when she smelt that it was Isabella who had come into the home. Esme smiled as she wrote on another property and could hear her daughter-in-law coming up the stairs. Even though to humans, it would barely be noticed, to a vampire the sound could be heard like anyone else moving up the stairs.

“Hello Esme, hard at work are we?” Esme glanced up at Isabella as she came into the office are and smiled. "Hello Bella. Just finishing up some minor details to make sure everything goes smoothly. Would you like to see?"

[/color] She asked Isabella as she moved the blue print to where her daughter-in-law could see.
[/blockquote]
WORD COUNT: four hundred and ninty nine
TAGGED: Isabella Marie Cullen
COMMENT: ^_^
STATUS: finished
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[Bella Cullen]

The only thing that being back in Forks reminded her of was that her father was no longer among the living, he and Sue Clearwater had died and the grief still affected her from time to time. She hadn’t seen her husband or anyone else, and so she had gone out to hunt alone. Though she preferred having others with her, mostly because it made the event better in her oppinion. There was always some kind of a competition in their family especially among the boys.

Being home though, it reminded her of so many wonderful memories, though there was grief with it. But like any vampire she had to accept that most if not all of the people who she had known in her human life were dead now. Or very old, and wouldn’t believe it if they saw her...looking as young as she did. It was exciting to be back home though, and a relief that one could not even begin to describe. She recalled in vivid detail the day of the funeral, how they had buried Charlie, and it was horrible. To know that she had lost him was just it was unreal. She had always viewed him to be the kind of man who could never die, and to know that he was actually dead was hard to grasp at first. Sure they had to stay back until after the humans had left, but it was reassuring to at least see his grave and to know that he was no longer in pain. She had taken great comfort in the fact she did still have family even if her biological family was no longer alive. It was the one thing about being a vampire, that terrible curse of watching everyone you had ever loved—as a human to watch as each of them slipped by into death’s embrace.

Esme was great at her job, and it was beneficial to see the work done first hand, as one house she had worked on had already sold but needed some slight remodling done. As far as her old house—she knew that Esme was working on it, and it was both a good thing and a bad thing. Good because she couldn’t imagine anyone having better taste in design then Esme, especially with Rosalie and Alice’s help. But it was bad, in the sense that it meant someone else was going to be purchasing her childhood home and that it was no longer hers to come and go from.

Even though it was located in the neutral zone of the area, she couldn’t help but think of it, but she knew that almost everyone she’d seen come to an open house of one of Esme’s, had been absolutely thrilled with the work that had been done. She would hope that this time, even though her father’s house was being sold that some fortunate customer would like what Esme would do to it, and it would sell to a great family, which is what she hoped for.

As difficult as it was to think about selling the property, she knew that she needed to, after all she wasn’t livng there anymore. It wouldn’t make sense to own it just for sentimental value. Of coruse she knew that each of the rooms in that house had needed quite a bit of work done, but she knew that Esme liked that kind of a challenge. It was fortunate that Esme had this kind of talent, as she couldn’t think of anyone better that she would want working on her father’s house...her house.

She watched as Esme moved the blueprint to where she could see it. “Sure Esme. I know you’ve been working very hard on this. I like the idea of an open concept, and I’m sure Charlie would too. And I appreciate you’re the one doing it, as I couldn’t even begin to think of trusting anyone else to remodel the house I grew up in so to speak. It’s still kind of strange that it’s happening. Seems like only yesterday I moved back into that house with Charlie....first attending Forks High for the first time...meeting Edward...and now, all this time has passed...I guess you could call me a sentimental old fool, but it’s strange to think that the house is going to be sold....that Charlie’s gone, Mom’s gone....that my human family is no longer alive....I’m just grateful that I’ve got you and Carlisle, and the rest of our family because I don’t know what I would do without you guys right now. But I'm glad to be home.” She replied to her mother in law and smiled warmly. She had to be honest, especially to her family.

[renea]

ESME ANNE CULLEN

As soon as Isabella had become a vampire and after her first good hunt, Esme had noticed that she was very competitive, far more than she had been as a human, though she still had that determination. Esme liked that about her daughter-in-law and it was something that everyone seemed to like about Isabella. She was also still very much the same, as she still worried about things and she still had her human moments. It was something Esme liked and was happy she had not changed much. Glancing out one of the windows in her office, she took in the outside world, knowing she was getting a bit bored now that she was done with the plans. She could go to the home and check out a few things. She needed to check on the low bearing walls and make sure they were in good locations so she could finalize the rooms.

Isabella had taken the loss of her father very well, as she understood what it meant to be a vampire far before she became one. It had helped her a lot in the first few months and even years as she had grown into being a vampire. It had also helped Renesmee, as without a stable mother, she would not of made it as far along as she had. Renesmee had needed Isabella more than anyone would have known and she needed a father that was no depressed. Isabella had been changed and it was a very good thing as it gave Renesmee a mother and a father, together.

Esme knew that Isabella had loved her father very much, had only spend a little bit of time with the man before she was changed into a vampire… Thanks to Jacob, he was able to keep in touch with Isabella, which was a good thing for the two of them. It had helped Isabella coop with being a vampire and Renesmee got to know her grandfather, which was always very nice.

Esme wondered if Isabella every thought about changing her father, so that she could always have him. Esme knew some vampires did that, just so they would have their own families with them for the rest of their lives. It had to of crossed someone’s mind, but she had never asked Isabella or Carlisle before… Maybe when Carlisle and her were alone, she would ask if he had ever thought about changing someone they cared about for more than just them dying. Esme had never really thought about it, because everyone who was close to her were already vampires and she had never gotten close to anyone else, but Carlisle had been around for a very long time.

The family they had were there for Isabella the following days, but she was quick to get back up on her own and it made everyone happy. She was so strong and it made Esme very proud of her and Edward.

Isabella seemed to like the idea of Esme working on the home, which brought her faith that she would be able to do it perfectly. She was not going to just do half ass work, no it was going to be done properly and staged properly. That house was going to look wonderful. She had some design ideas coming in, which was great for the house. It would either sell or stay in the family and be rented. She was sure the extra money would be nice in Isabella’s own pocket.

As Isabella looked over the blue print idea, Esme would be happy to start to computer programing to simulate everything, but she was going to do that tomorrow once she went to the home, found the load bearing wall and prepared for that. A beam would fix that problem… All she would have to do is put a long support beam if she wanted to take down a load bearing wall. It was all a matter of getting everything done and looking perfect for people to come in and take a look. She also was planning on some outside modeling… Maybe adding a sitting area out behind the home as well as a few other things, even a sitting area out from would be nice. Yes, she knew this was going to look like a wonderful home, she just knew it.

”Sure Esme. I know you’ve been working very hard on this. I like the idea of an open concept, and I’m sure Charlie would too. And I appreciate you’re the one doing it, as I couldn’t even begin to think of trusting anyone else to remodel the house I grew up in so to speak. It’s still kind of strange that it’s happening. Seems like only yesterday I moved back into that house with Charlie....first attending Forks High for the first time...meeting Edward...and now, all this time has passed...I guess you could call me a sentimental old fool, but it’s strange to think that the house is going to be sold....that Charlie’s gone, Mom’s gone....that my human family is no longer alive....I’m just grateful that I’ve got you and Carlisle, and the rest of our family because I don’t know what I would do without you guys right now. But I'm glad to be home.” Esme smiled at Isabella and pulled the Blueprint back over carefully. ”Well, you don’t have to sell it… You could rent it out and still keep it in the family name.”

[/color] She said to Isabella, though she might not have someone living in it all the time, it was a thought.

”And we have always considered you family and will always be here for you, Edward, and Renesmess.”[/color] She said, touching Isabella’s hand which felt like a normal human’s touch since they were the same body temperature now.
[/blockquote]
WORD COUNT: nine hundred and sixty seven
TAGGED: Isabella Marie Cullen
COMMENT: ^_^
STATUS: finished
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[Bella Cullen]

Becoming a vampire, was something she had wanted ever since meeting Edward. She could recall that first hunt, and it made her far more competitive than she had ever thought she would be. It excelled her already competitive spirit. She had her strength and her determination, that she had had while as a human and it hadn’t caused her to change much. The only real differences was that she sparkled when sunlight hit her, and that she had to drink blood. As her personality had been almost the same. Hunting had become a routine, and she remembered how she felt both doing it on her own and having one of her family members with her. Tackling bears, deer, any animal could become her pray, and she loved it.

She recalled when Charlie had finally accepted that Edward was going to be a part of her life, he hadn’t ever let her fall, and she had promised that she would always be with him—that she’d not disappear on him. It was a promise she had kept. She recalled first meeting him as a vampie—that was interesting. Alice and the others had to prepare her how to act like a human. How she wore contacts, to disguise her eyes, and how they told her not to slouch, and to blink three times a minute. To move her shoulders occassionally so it looked like she was breathing.

She had been somewhat excited to see what Esme could do with her old house. Because it did need to be remodeled, no matter whether she sold it or rented it. Part of her just wanted to sell it, but then part of her didn’t. Because it was the last thing she had of Charlie. Charlie wanted her to have the house, and yet she didn’t need it, at least not in the way he had hoped for. So maybe renting it out was a good idea? That way she would still own it and could make a little bit of money off of it as long as they had renters. It was not hard to accept that Charlie was dead. She had understood that being a vampire, meant she would watch as the people she loved—the humans in her life, would one by one slip into death’s embrace. It was something she had prepared herself for, mentally anyway. Her knowledge of what a vampire was helped her transition through the first few weeks...months and even the first few years as a newborn. She had been stable—as stable as someone could be under the circumstances. But she had put all of her faith, all of herself into raising her daughter.

Being a parent was something she had never imagined she would be, let alone a wife and a vampire. And yet it had given her the stability that she had never known before. The one thing she had to remind herself, right after she was transformed, was that Nessie needed her, far more than Charlie had. She couldn’t be depressed, not when she had so much to look forward to. She had a new family now, she wasn’t alone. If she had died, she couldn’t imagine the life that Nessie or Edward would have had. It was one she didn’t even want to think about. She had loved Charlie, although she had never called him dad, it just never clicked with her. Charlie seemed to fit him better than her saying Dad when she talked to him. Although it was strange to think that she hadn’t spent much time with Charlie before becoming a vampire. Jacob had helped in that regard as he helped keep her and Charlie in contact, which without that, she would have been lost. She had been able to cope with being a vampire because she knew that Charlie wasn’t out of her life forever, even when her mother was. Charlie had been a good grandfather for Nessie, and it had made her smile thinking about that.

Honestly she had thought about changing Charlie herself but knew that he wouldn’t have wanted that. As much as she loved her father, she hadn’t wanted to have him live the kind of life she lived—that her new family lived, if he hadn’t wanted it for himself, and he hadn’t. He had always believed that life came and ended, the way that it was meant to. That life should end with death. Though he had been accepting of what her choice had been, and had loved Nessie with every fiber of his being. Although it had been sad that Charlie had died, Nessie had gotten to know him, to know that he was a good man that had a good heart, and was loving—despite his faults. Aside from Charlie, there had not been anyone else that she would have even somewhat thought to change...because aside from Charlie she hadn’t been close with anyone aside from her vampire family.

It wasn’t so much the fact that she was extremely strong after Charlie’s death as it had taken it’s toll on her, but she had to accept the words that Charlie had always told her. That everything had happened for a reason, and the fact that he had spent his entire career helping people—knowing he was gone, it made her realize that it wasn’t just her life that he had impacted so many people, had helped her feel at ease with his passing. She had accepted it without question, because that was how it was meant to be. He was gone—and although in her heart she would always miss him—even if her heart was no longer beating—the memory of him would remain. It didn’t mean that she didn’t have bad days when she thought of him, but Edward and her family had been there for that too and had helped get her through it. She had to get back up and on her feet the best way she knew how.

She knew that Esme was not going to just sit around and let the house fall apart on her behalf. No, Esme was a talented woman, and could design a home like no other. It was why she had wanted Esme to be a part of it after all. Yes the house was going to need some work done, but she knew that Esme would add her own special touch to it. That no matter what she did to it, that it would look just perfect. That some lucky family would be able to stay in the house and it would be able to still remain in her control. Part of her wanted that but she had never been a landlord before, so she had no idea the amount of work that would entail, but she was sure if she had any kind of questions Esme could easily help her with it. Should that be her choice, she knew that with her family—there was no doubt that the house would be as beautiful as the one she shared with her family.

Esme and Alice each had unique design choices, as had Rosalie, and she admired their certain touch, that each could use in a specific location of the home. Whether she sold it or rented it, the extra money would be nice to have in her pocket. Not that she needed money—in order to survive but it was nice nevertheless in order to keep up appearances.

She didn’t need to see the blueprints to know that Esme had a plan in mind. After all she had loved the house the way that Esme had designed it thus far, just like she had done with their own home. Esme had a rare talent that most humans did not possess. But that was because Esme had something they didn’t—time to mature and grow—the way most humans never did. She thought about Charlie, wondering how he’d really feel about his house being modernized and open—compared to what it once was. She hoped he would have approved of the methods they both were thinking of. “I thought about it—but I have no idea what that would entail. I’ve never been a landlord—before, you know?” She smiled as she felt her mother in law touch her hand, which as vampires—they both were the same body temperature instead of it feeling as cold as ice.

“I know, Esme. You’ve always treated me so well, and what you have done for my husband and my daughter—especially for Nessie—I can’t thank you enough. I know we’re family and that’s what families do for eachother but even when I was a human you had always treated me incredibly well even when it was dangerous for you to do, since I was frail and fragile then.” She smiled warmly at her mother in law, happy to be with her just then.

[renea]

ESME ANNE CULLEN

Esme could remember that first moment that Isabella had woken and the moment and days prior to that. Edward had been so worried, Esme remembered so vividly how he worried because she was so still. Carlisle had assured him that it was from the morphine. She remembed Alice and Rosalie cleaning her body, removing the blood and brushing Isabella’s beautiful hair. He heart was beating, but she was not breathing. They put a beautiful blue dress and then they waited… Edward never moved from her side, only to check on Renesmee… Her body began to heal, the bite marks being removed from her skin and healing rapidly. Her body began to look like it did prior to her being pregnant and the sound of bones coming back together, snapping back into place could be heard through the whole house. Her hair went from dull to lush and beautiful.

Isabella’s transformation had been peaceful in the house other than that. No screaming or yelling in agony. Esme did not know if it was like that for Isabella, but for the house, the peace gave them comfort and hope… The heart beat had spotted finally and Esme and her husband, Carlisle had been in the kitchen, worry as well as anticipation could be felt. Jacob was in the hallway and everyone was quiet and waiting. Esme could hear the two of them walking, though it was low, she knew Isabella was awake from her last sleep and then they were gone. Esme was so happy that she made it through the transformation, to know she still had her daughter-in-law… No… Her daughter.

She returned from her past memories and focused on the here and now, even though she enjoyed remembering the past and the times before and after Isabella became a vampire. After, was beyond amazing, having seen Emmett defeated in an arm wrestling competition had been rather amusing to everyone, including his mother who had not expected anything else, though she had wanted to kill Emmett when he had tried to use her antique table that sat outside as a outside decorative peace. She was happy Alice had suggested otherwise… The first meeting with Charlie after the transformation… Everyone had been slightly upset with how Jacob had reviled the truth to Charlie, even though it was only about Jacob. The idea could of placed Charlie in so much danger, but it had not, luckily he never found out the real truth and he never asked.

The last will and testament of Charlie left Isabella the home and they had sent someone ahead to claim the deed to the home because sending Isabella or anyone from the family would of meet a bit of trouble, especially when none of them had aged. Esme had seen the toll of the death that Isabella had experience, but she was strong and it came out in her. Esme didn’t have that problem as everyone in her family thought she was dead from her accident and Esme had liked it that way. She didn’t need her ex-husband trying to find her after she had become a vampire. Isabella had turned into a wonderful mother and her maternal instincts were just as strong as Esme’s own instincts. Esme had had a child only days prior to her own transformation, she had brought that part of her with her.

As Isabella looked over the house, it seemed she was liking what she saw and it made Esme very happy. She knew that she could make it look great and that everyone in the family would love it. Isabella could even keep it, could allow Renesmee and Jacob to stay there if they really wanted to. It was in the neutral zone, so it was very well possible a good place for the two of them to live if they wanted to that was. Esme could see the sadness in her eyes, knew that it was possible about Charlie, but it was best that Esme didn’t say anything, she knew sometimes people and vampires, just needed to think about the old times without someone asking them questions about it. Charlie had been a good man and everyone in town had loved him, no matter who they were, they knew Chief Swan. Esme owed it to Charlie and Isabella… As well as Renee because they had come into her life and her own families lives. If Isabella had not come to Forks, Edward would of still be alone and Esme could not imagine him being sad and alone the rest of his life.

Esme wonder what Isabella thought about keeping the home to rent out. That way, it would stay in the family. ”I thought about it—but I have no idea what that would entail. I’ve never been a landlord—before, you know?” Esme smiled at her and nodded. ”Well, think about it. I am going to take the renovation slow… Since it is old, the humans around the neighborhood need to see it at human speed… It will take a month or two since I have a few other houses, so you have time to think about it.”

[/color] She said as she placed the blue prints into the folder that was labeled Family home and placed it in the shelf that had the word “Projects” on it as well.

“I know, Esme. You’ve always treated me so well, and what you have done for my husband and my daughter—especially for Nessie—I can’t thank you enough. I know we’re family and that’s what families do for each other but even when I was a human you had always treated me incredibly well even when it was dangerous for you to do, since I was frail and fragile then.” Esme smiled at Isabella and looked her dead in the eyes. ”You made Edward smile when I had not seen him smile in a long time… Or rarely…”[/color] She knew that first week after she had come had been touch on Edward, but he had faced it head on, he had done well and now, Esme had a new daughter and a granddaughter. It was something she would have never imagined. smiled warmly at her mother in law, happy to be with her just then.
[/blockquote]
WORD COUNT: one thousand & forty four
TAGGED: Isabella Marie Cullen
COMMENT: ^_^
STATUS: finished
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[Bella Cullen]

She had known that the transition would take it’s own time. But she didn’t know if Edward had made it—had the bites and the venom actually taken it’s effect as she passed out into the unconsious state. She had seen her daughter it was the last thing she had visably seen. To know that her baby was alive—that the baby would have the loving support of their family—it was something she was okay with should she die, it was something that she had told Edward more than once upon learning she was in fact pregnant. She hadn’t known the extent to what her family had gone through in the minutes—the days when she lay there, not breathing, not doing anything, but lying there.

She knew however they would worry, and they had. There were no breaths out of her—in the moments that followed as she lay in near death—moments after her daughter was born. It was somethng she had never known before. As she could hear what the others were saying and feel them touching her, but she wasn’t able to move, or to speak in the way that they were accustomed to seeing from her.

The transition was an easy one—surprisingly. Sure it felt funny the bones healing back into place, with everything reconnecting itself. Once her heartbeat had taken it’s last beat, everything changed. It was a waiting game. The moment her eyes opened, everything looked like it was in 3D, everything was enlightened. It was the best vison she had ever had before. Everything she was, was now better than it had ever been before, which is how she had been told that it would be but to experiance it first hand was something else entirely.

It was comforting and hopeful—when her transformation had finally occured as everyone had been so worried and were anticipating about when it would finally happen, when she’d finally wake up. When she had, everyone had been so quiet, and had been waiting. It was reassuring. Waking up, from wht would have been her last actual dream—was something she had never forgotten. She was finally a vampire—the very thing she had dreamed of. Waking up in that moment she was happy that she had made it—that she was alive—in every sense of the word except by having an actual heartbeat. She was back, better than ever with a new family that she would never lose. Esme and Carlisle were good parents—and they had treated her like a daughter even before she and Edward had gotten engaged. It was refreshing to know that she would be joining a very loving but tight knit family unit. The first moments after she had woken up, she had been reconnected with Edward, and she had been so strong—and her first instinct was to ask about her daughter, Renesmee. She wasn’t reconnected with her daughter until after she had hunted for the first time which was an amazing experiance. The fun part came after her transition into becoming a vampire. She had defeated Emmett—who to her was the strongest in the house—at an arm wrestling competition, although she thought Esme was going to kill Emmett when he had wanted to use one of her antique tables that sat outside as a decorative piece. Luckily they ended up using something else. Seeing Charlie as a vampire was something else entirely. It was definitely different. She wanted to kick Jacob when she had learned that Jacob had told Charlie about what he was, and had shifted in front of him. It had put Charlie in danger, although nothing bad had never happened to him, thank goodness. Charlie had never been one to ask those kinds of questions, thankfully, but from that point on, she had thought to keep an eye on Charlie.

Knowing of course that Charlie had left her the house, it had been both difficult but reassuring. The family had sent someone else to collect the deed especially because it was far too dangerous for her to collect the deed herself since they hadn’t aged a bit in over fifty years. With his death—there was no one left of her human life. Her mother had died not long before and so had her stepfather. There had been no other human family left—as neither of her parents had any other children. It was difficult but she had accepted it in stride, with a strength that she didn’t know where it had come from. Becoming a mother had opened her eyes to a new world. Not only was she responsible for herself but now she had this little tiny baby to take care of, and she had promised her daughter that she would never let anyone hurt her. And thus far no one had, not even the Volturi had been able to hurt her. Thanks in part to her sister Alice’s vision, which had ensured that no one h ad to pay such a high cost. As Alice had described who would have died, they would have lost a brother and a father all at once, and they would have lost Seth and Leah who were friendly towards them now.

She had wondered what she would do with the house should the time come for it. But she’d make that decision once the house was completed. It would also serve a purpose to have Jacob possibly move in there, with Nessie when the time came for it, should they want to, as it was neutral territory for both sides and that way she could see her daughter and Jacob without the fear of the treaty being nearly broken once more. It was something she didn’t want even now. Of course moments of saddness did seep into her mind and into her unbeating heart when she thought about Charlie and her mom. Charlie had been a better man than she had ever taken into account when she had been just an ordinary girl. He’d been a good father—even when she first came home as he never hovered over her the way that her mom had. Charlie had been a hero in her mind, because he had dedicated his life to saving people—to helping people even in an area where vampires and shifters resided—he never knew the truth and if he had, he might have taken a different approach in his own life. She had loved him, not only because he was her father—even if she never called him that—but because of what he had meant to her—and to their town. The town she had grown to love—surprisingly as a late teenager.

As a kid she had hated Forks had hated spending the time there because it was cloudy and gloomy, but at seventeen she had made the willing choice to return. To do this on her own because she had wanted to see her mom happy, and to travel with Phil would have made her happy. Charlie and her mom had come into the Cullens lives, although briefly, but it had meant everything because both of her parents had supported her in her marriage to Edward even if they hadn’t understood the bond between them.

She firmly believed that everything happened the way it did for a reason even if the reason wasn’t understood. She knew that she was meant to be in Forks when she had come, that she was meant to meet and fall in love with Edward and to be the mother of their daughter. She had known that his world—was meant to be hers too, and that it made her stronger. But now, to think of being a wife and mother—it made a smile appear on her face.

She had never thought of being married or being a parent—when she had been human prior to meeting Edward but that was because of how nervous she got—of how she hadn’t had anyone to really look at who was in a good but stable marriage. Aside from what she saw on t.v. there wasn’t one in her life. Coming out of her thoughts she realized she’d been quiet a while. A grin appeard on her face as she heard the woman talk about how she was going to take the renovation slowly.

“I will, Esme. Yeah well, it’ll be interesting to see you, improve it. I can’t wait to see the final results. I mean I kow you have to take it slowly because there’s alot of humans around—and strangely enough many of them are my old neighbors’ or at least the children of those neighbors. A month or two? You really think you can get it done at a human pace during that time?” She teased her mother in law. The woman was more of a mother now, than an inlaw but that was because their bond had grown stronger over the time that she had learned about her—and how they had bonded over being parents themselves. She watched as Esme put the blueprints in a folder that she had called “Family home” and then placed it on the shelf that had the word “Projects” on it.

She felt the connection between her and Edward from that first week, though it had left her with more questions than answers. “Yeah, I was glad to see that too, to see him smile. I mean I remember being new in the highschool, and I don’t know what it was that drew me to him, exactly. All I remember is watching Rosalie, Emmett, Alice and Jasper, followed by Edward enter the lunchroom and I asked a couple people who they were—and from that point on, I guess I was more curious than I ought to have been. I mean you could easily tell that Jasper was in pain....and of course it didn’t help how they described Carlisle as this matchmaker, you know, because you and Carlisle had all of the kids—who were couples, save for Edward. That alone got me curious. Because he didn’t seem the type to not have someone, like the others. Which to me was crazy because I thought someone who was as good looking as he was, would have had someone.” She chuckled as she thought about it. She shook her head as she continued to speak. “And then when I was nearly hit by the van—and he rescued me—it was just kind of one ordeal after another—as some of the girls would say. I was prone to life ending idiocy as Alice once said. And then when James came after me—I wasn’t sure what to think, but was relieved when he was killed. Then—when you guys left—I mean I know now why you did it, but at the time, I just I was so upset Esme. I couldn’t breathe—or think without feeling the pain—even though Edward had promised me that I’d forget in time. I never did. Even when he took the pictures of him away—when he took everything that was connected to you guys from the house—I never forgot.....it was the pain that was the only thing that reminded me that he was real that you all were. I became this shell of who I was—Charlie almost had me live in Jacksonville because he hated seeing me like that. If it hadn’t been for Jacob—I don’t know what I would have done....he kept me alive—he kept the pain away until you guys returned....I owe him so much for that.”

Edward had returned and once he had things went back to the way they used to be—between the two of them. He never let her out of his sight, and they’d faced Victoria head on. Once Victoria’s death came, they had made plans of what their future would become, and now, to think it had all played into fruition made her smile. “And now, here we are so many years later, I’m married—I never thought I would be....’cause it was never something I fanticized about. And on top of that—I’m mother. I remember being in a panic when I realized I was pregnant. The look on Edward’s face was priceless.” She chuckled as she looked from her mother in law down to her hand, where she glanced at her ring finger. She loved the ring that Edward had given her, it was truly one of a kind.

[renea]

ESME ANNE CULLEN

Once everyone had heard that heartbeat, even though they saw no pain coming from her, they knew the transformation was taking place, but it was hard to just stay put. It hard to know that maybe it didn’t work… She should of moved more, should have been more vocal. Esme had, she remembered the searing pain and she had moved, she remembered it… But not Isabella. She had been perfectly still, only thing that moved was a heartbeat that beat within’ her chest. Renesmee had helped speed the days on, but it was still so hard. Esme didn’t know what to do, so for the first day, she helped Rosalie with Isabella. Alice said that it had been fine, that she saw Isabella as one of them, but Esme still worried. Esme hated to think it, but Edward was her favorite son, her first son out of all of them and if she had died, he would have been gone forever. But once the heart stopped beating and Esme stood with Carlisle in their kitchen, it was like a wave of relief… She was a vampire and everyone knew it then and there. She was gone before any of them saw her, but Esme had seen her and Edward run into the forest and Esme smiled at this. Her daughter had returned to the living, even though her heart beat was no more, she was in the living and that was a good thing.

Like everyone else, Esme could not stop being giddy with excited meant and everyone was with Renesmee, smiling at her and talking to her. When they had returned from that first Hunt, they had all suggested that Jacob be the one to go out and it seemed that Isabella had taken it rather well. It didn’t take long for Jacob to come back into the house after a few moment and soon followed by her son and daughter. She let out a sigh as she remembered everything, as it was so nice to remember everything from the past, and everything from the past was still as vivid now as it was then. Esme smiled at her daughter, having loved her the moment that Edward loved her, not because it was her job as a mother but because Esme couldn’t help but love Isabella. She had this odd gift that no one really called a gift, it was that she had a deep compassion and a strong, kind heart that vampires never really possessed. It was nice that most of her family had that kind heart and maybe it was because they all actually were civil and respected human life.

Once Isabella had received the deed to the home and the small bit of land around the home, Esme had started working on plans for the home. She had called a place in Forks to have them send some blue prints up, that way she could begin the work on the home as soon as possible. Of course, it had been discussed first before they started any form of work on it. Isabella had to give Esme permission and that was natural because Esme didn’t want to do anything without her permission to the house. The lovely thing about Charlie knowing about the strange things in the world, even if he didn’t know exactly, allowed Isabella, Edward, and Renesmee to go to Forks some and help Charlie. They had to be careful as they could only arrive and leave at night and they always parked at the old Cullen home so that no one saw the cars. Once he was gone, Esme knew the sadness and had even felt it around the house some.

As they both looked over the home, the idea formed that this could be a home for Jacob and Renesmee if they wanted to move in, it could be used as a renters place since the Cullen family would have to leave and Jacob might not want to stay there, instead might want something else. It was nice that Jacob couldn’t age, though it was a odd mystery that the other imprintees had not aged either. Esme found it odd too, but she tried not to think about it too much. There had to be a reason for the imprintees to have stopped aging completely.

It was nice though, to see that Isabella was doing okay with everything, the deaths and the life she had chosen. Once again, Esme returned her thoughts to what they had been speaking about and waited to see what Isabella thought about it all. “I will, Esme. Yeah well, it’ll be interesting to see you, improve it. I can’t wait to see the final results. I mean I know you have to take it slowly because there’s alot of humans around—and strangely enough many of them are my old neighbors’ or at least the children of those neighbors. A month or two? You really think you can get it done at a human pace during that time?” Esme smiled at her daughter and let a small laugh come from her mouth. ”Oh, I could have it done it less time at human speed. It all depends on just how much work needs to be done and what can be done.”

[/color] She said to her daughter as she put them up and then turned back towards her.

”Yeah, I was glad to see that too, to see him smile. I mean I remember being new in the high school, and I don’t know what it was that drew me to him, exactly. All I remember is watching Rosalie, Emmett, Alice and Jasper, followed by Edward enter the lunchroom and I asked a couple people who they were—and from that point on, I guess I was more curious than I ought to have been. I mean you could easily tell that Jasper was in pain... and of course it didn’t help how they described Carlisle as this matchmaker, you know, because you and Carlisle had all of the kids—who were couples, save for Edward. That alone got me curious. Because he didn’t seem the type to not have someone, like the others. Which to me was crazy because I thought someone who was as good looking as he was, would have had someone.” Esme smiled and looked down for a moment. She had remembered that day as well, how Alice and the others had come home quickly, how Alice was very worried and had come straight to Esme. Even though Esme knew what was going to happen, she hoped that Edward was gone before Carlisle got home.

Within’ hours of that, their cousins up north had called saying he was there with them and wondered what was wrong. Esme had not spoken to them and Carlisle did not tell them. ”I remember that day too… Alice had come home and told me that Edward was having a hard time being around you, that you drew him in like Emmett had been brought in by his own sweet scented blood… Edward left and headed North of Denali… It was not easy.”[/color] She said to Isabella, hoping that it did not hurt her feelings, but knowing she probably knew at this point.

”And then when I was nearly hit by the van—and he rescued me—it was just kind of one ordeal after another—as some of the girls would say. I was prone to life ending idiocy as Alice once said.” Again, Esme knew about that, as the whole family had had a family meeting. Esme wouldn’t say it, but Jasper and Rosalie were thinking about killing Isabella that day… It was Alice who had told Jasper that he couldn’t kill Isabella, that she was going to be her friend and that Edward was going to fall in love with her. Edward had been so against it, but finally… He let it happen. ”And then when James came after me—I wasn’t sure what to think, but was relieved when he was killed. Then—when you guys left—I mean I know now why you did it, but at the time, I just I was so upset Esme. I couldn’t breathe—or think without feeling the pain—even though Edward had promised me that I’d forget in time. I never did. Even when he took the pictures of him away—when he took everything that was connected to you guys from the house—I never forgot... it was the pain that was the only thing that reminded me that he was real that you all were. I became this shell of who I was—Charlie almost had me live in Jacksonville because he hated seeing me like that. If it hadn’t been for Jacob—I don’t know what I would have done....he kept me alive—he kept the pain away until you guys returned....I owe him so much for that.” Esme smiled at Isabella as she remembered all the good time. ”Jacob is a good boy, Bella. He has always been there for you, even after you were changed.”[/color] The older vampire also was protective over Jacob, Leah, and Seth, mostly because they were young, but also because they had helped them when they were needed.

It was just nice to have such a large, beautiful family and Esme could not help but like it. ”And now, here we are so many years later, I’m married—I never thought I would be....’cause it was never something I fanaticized about. And on top of that—I’m mother. I remember being in a panic when I realized I was pregnant. The look on Edward’s face was priceless.” Esme smiled at her and nodded. ”I don’t think anyone expect that miracle… And I am happy you two went with the wedding… It was beautiful Isabella… You know, Emmett and Rosalie have remarried a few times, you and Edward should be getting close to that…”[/color] It was a teasing voice and she was sure that if she gave Alice the idea, it would happen quickly.
[/blockquote]
WORD COUNT: one thousand six hundred and eighty four
TAGGED: Isabella Marie Cullen
COMMENT: ^_^
STATUS: finished
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[Bella Cullen]

The motion of her heartbeat had quickened at first and then slowly but surely disappeared as the days progressed. She didn’t know the worry that everyone was fearing. It had been a still—quiet event to take place as she went through the process. The silence, she knew now, had to have been hard on her family to witness. The not knowing if she had been saved from the death she would have had to endure—if Edward had been able to save her life. The last thing she had seen as a human was that of her daughter...and it was beautiful—peaceful. To say that it was like an out of body experiance was putting it lightly. She could feel and hear the others around her but she couldn’t see them—she couldn’t react to what they were saying or how they touched her. Though knowing her sister Alice, she would have probably said that eveything was fine and that the vision would come true—that it just had to. The moment she had awoken up—from her last sleep—it was something she had no words to truly explain it’s feeling. Edward had taken her straight out to the woods, and she couldn’t even remember the feeling that it came, being able to run as fast as he and the others could now. She was no longer this frail and fragile person she used to be. She was so much stronger than that now. She was back among the living—even without a heartbeat—she was still very much alive, well alive as vampires could get. It was a good thing.

Seeing Jacob then had been a blessing. He had come out to greet her as a vampire—which truth be told it was a different sort of encounter than the one she had ever anticipated. But when she moved into the house—her eyes looked upon the faces of the others, thrilled to be among them—to be like them now. Seeing them now—was a completely differnet experiance than it had been as a human. It created a stronger bond with them. Especially with Rosalie, the two of them had formed a unique bond while she was pregnant with Renesmee and it was something that had continued long after she had become a vampire.

Loving Edward wasn’t that hard, although as a human it had been complicated—but as a vampire—being the same temperature—she recalled the strength she had then. Oh how nice that was! It had made him be more vulnerable to her strength—than she had been to him as a human.

Quite remarkable really. The one reason she had loved the family—the Cullens as a whole was that they were strong and passionate, compassionate to others—others who had no idea of what they truly were. They were civil and respected human life and she was more than proud to be one of them—even if she had only married into the family, they were family nonetheless. Death wasn’t what she had ever truly expected, and now that she was a vampire—it was something she didn’t have to worry about. Yes she had died, to become a vampire, but that was different as her death then had not been permanent, because she had been able to wake up from it. Having gotten the deed to her and Charlie’s old home, gave her a bit of renewed hope. It gave her something to focus on, something that didn’t need to be done right away. Esme had asked her if things were okay with what she was doing—to the house—as it was her house now. Quite strange to think of it that way. Although Charlie had never known that she, Edward and their daughter, Renesmee were vampires, he had known enough of the supernatural life to allwo the three of them to come and go from Forks when necessary. They had done alot to help Charlie and it was nice to have their connection with him. The connection she had to Charlie had only grown stronger during these times. Even though they only could come at night—so they wouldn’t be seen—had made a difference on Charlie. He hadn’t lost her, which she knew that was a fear of his when he had walked her down the aisle toward Edward. Now of course things were still the same as the family parked their cars at home—at the old Cullen residence so that no one could see the cars—which would be sure to have people ask questions should they be seen. Although it was good to see the changes in the house—it was filled with sadness, and she hoped one day that the house would be filled with happiness, and the laughter she recalled having there as a young girl. Although it was a hard decision to make she wondered if her daughter would be happy in her old home, with Jacob. That thought would have to be discussed with Edward for sure, before she made a final decision, but she wasn’t about to tell Esme that.

If Edward agreed to it, she would allow her daughter and Jacob to set up their own home there. Both were old enough to be able to live on their own but as a mother, her maternal instincts were strong and she always worried about them. It was also possible that neither Jacob or Nessie would want to live there in which case she would rent the place out while they were gone. She knew that Jacob still looked like he had the last time she had seen him as a human...still as young even though in reality he’d be about her age, though he certainly didn’t look the part, and neither did the other shifters, or their imprints. It was something she couldn’t dare explain, but there was certainly a reason for it, but what was the question. She didn’t dare think about it too much, it would give her a headache.

Coping was the best way she could describe handling Charlie’s death and the deaths of the others had been. Sure many of her clasmates were alive, but their parents. The friends of her parents were long dead...but not many of her classmates had stayed in Forks when it was all said and done, which was refreshing. She heard her mother’s laugh and smiled, Esme had become her mother—with how she had treated her over the past fifty years, as she was now classified as her second mother. Sure she could never replace Renee, but Esme wouldn’t try....but her heart—despite the fact it wasn’t beating was open enough to accept Esme as her mother too. “Yes, I’m well aware of that, Esme. But we don’t want to surprise the humans, they may be well....unaware of us—but they’ll figure something is up if all of a sudden they see the work done faster than most are able to get done within two months.” She grinned at Esme.

When Edward had taken off that first day she didn’t know what to think, she wasn’t sure if he hated her—if she had said or did the wrong thing but then he was gone for weeks at a time—and it started to make her feel like she was the reason. Like was there something wrong with her? That was what had gone through her mind in the days that followed Edward’s disappearance. “I’m sorry I made it so difficult on him. But at least now I know where he was during those times where he was missing from class. I just I remember asking myself you know, if it was something I did or said, if there was something wrong with me....and that was why he was avoiding me. It only made me even more curious. I remember he wouldn’t even introduce himself. He seemed to hate me—and I never understood why until I found out what it was that he—was. Til I found out he was a vampire. Funny thing was he asked me if I was scared. And you know, most people in my situation probably would have been....but I didn’t view him as a threat. I remember he got a good laugh when he told me that I was going to be meeting you guys—for the first time...and instead of being afraid because I was going to be the only human in a house full of vampires. I was afraid that you guys wouldn’t like me.” She told Esme honestly, and it was good to remember it. To remember how it all started. All she had known was that Edward had hit her hard and fast, and from then on, her love for him just seemed to grow uncontrollably. She had known early on that there were a few of the Cullens who had been against her being around—mostly for the fact she knew what they were. Though it wasn’t Edward’s fault she had known the truth—she had done the research herself. Jasper himself had told her that he had wanted to kill her early on, and from the look on Rosalie’s face it was evident she felt the same. But Alice had mentioned to her that they were going to be friends. It was quite a shock at first, but then she realized that everything happened the way it was meant to—and it was why she was so relieved that they hadn’t killed her when they had the oppertunity to do so. Edward had finally given in—to what he was feeling and she was happy he had as she was about to give up.

“Yeah he is, I remember he got so angry with me, because he thought—we were going to end up together...he hoped for it, fought for it....but I just I didn’t see him that way. You know, he was family—still is, but to me he was kind of like a brother, had always been that way even before I met Edward. I was surprised to be honest when Jacob remained by my side after I was changed, especially because of what he had said, when he had found out that I was going to become one. He told me once that he thought it was better that I was truly dead than to be one of them—that was how he described vampires. But he—he helped us so much—him as well as Seth and Leah...they risked their lives to help save ours, and for that I will always be grateful. Especially when they were helping to save my daughter’s.” She took an unneeded breath. “No one did, but I’m glad that it happened, my only regret is that she’s an only child. You know like I was—and the only comfort I have with that, is that she is surrounded by people that truly love her and that she’s truly never alone. Because between our family and Jacob—she has more than enough people to love her. And yes, I know the wedding was beautiful—it was something I never expected. Alice did a good job. I know Rosalie and Emmett get married every chance they can! And don’t you dare give Alice any more ideas! She has too many as it is! Knowing her, she probably is already working on something like that!” She said as she knew that Esme was only teasing but she was very serious. She didn’t want the nerves to hit her again like that. As it had been overwhelming then—but she had been human, now of course it was different. Although it was quite romantic to renew one’s vows she knew that too.