Waxing Gibbous

Return (A)

I kissed Rosalie's hand as we crossed the border back into Forks. The last month we had been traveling just the two of us. The beginning of the summer Leah and I decided to take Seth for his spirit quest.

Korinna welcomed him with open arms and was happy to see Leah and I again. She was even more thrilled to hear that my mate and I worked things out.

Seth's spirit animal was the otter; joy, helpfulness, and loyal friendships. Then he got his tattoos. The tribe, family, and spirit animal. Leah added another tattoo by killing a bear, but Seth didn't want to do that, I think he wanted Leah to have something special.

The roar of the engine thrummed silently as I pushed my car faster. The last few months were wonderful, everything was perfect. I had a new family, a wonderful mate who was not only accepted by my family but also excepted them.

"it's strange to be back" Rosalie muttered looking at the green foliage. Bella finally accepted Edwards proposal, she finally finalized it. Which is why Rosalie, and I were back – we had a wedding to help prepare for and attend.

"yeah, but our family is here. And we could still spend the nights together"

Rose smirked, since I had gotten stronger our nightly escapades have been more intense, like we could fully let go. And so intense that some things have happened that I had never experienced before with others. Explosive responses – Rosalie was always so smug afterwards, but I had easily shut it down by getting the same reaction out of her.

I smiled as we rolled into town.

As we turned down main street I saw several missing persons posters. Charlie's idea when Jacob disappeared or rather run away. He couldn't handle the marriage announcement. It was better than him trying to ruin the relationship, I guess this was his acceptance. I hoped it was.

Instead of pulling up to the Cullen house Rosalie and I pulled into the drive of my home. Eve and Mark were in the process of moving in together, she didn't have to worry about me anymore. It was time for her to be happy.

They made a compromise, Eve would move into Marks log Cabin, and he promised that once a month they would do something fun and adventurous, even if that was just a weekend trip.

My mom still lived in our home, but she was spending a lot of time with Charlie, I don't know what they planned to do, if they planned to move into Charlies home or my families.

Rosalie looked at me a smile on her face "welcome home"

I smiled brightly "home is where you are"

The two of us shared a passionate kissed before entering the home. My mom was flipping through some sort of magazine that I've seen Alice read a million times. Eve was standing next to her examining the pictures as they continued flipping through pages.

"what are you guys up to?" I asked as I carried mine and Rosalie's suitcases inside.

"Al!" Eve smiled looking at me before glancing back at the pictures. My mom lets out a laugh.

"we're looking at dressed for the wedding. Or Eve's looking at them, waiting till the last minute. As usual"

"I'm not that bad" Eve protested.

My face blanched, dresses. I had not yet gotten something for the wedding. I couldn't wear my graduation dress, it revealed too much skin.

Rosalie chuckled "don't worry, I already got you a dress"

I let out a sigh. Before dragging Rosalie over to spend some time with my family. She easily fit in with the two, talking animatedly with Eve about the clothes.

If only we were humans, if we could grow old together, to have a family. She was so perfect. After catching up with my family Rosalie dragged me to her home to help Alice finish setting up for the wedding.

She had us all working like dogs, figuratively of course.

"Where do you want them boss?" Emmett asked as he carried a large log across his shoulder, Carlisle, Esme, Jasper and Lucia were exactly the same. Rosalie was carrying, well I wasn't sure what it was if we were being honest, and I had a plethora of chairs.

"on the other side of the aisle" Alice responded, watching as we walked past.

"what aisle?" Rosalie asked looking at her sister. My eyes caught Bella's and she watching on incredulously as Alice descended the stairs after us.

"does no one have vision"

"still think it's a good idea to let her plan ours?" Rosalie looked back at me. I only chuckled when Alice protested.

"it will be great; I already have ideas"

"as long as its what you want I am happy" I told Rosalie. We had been discussing it a little more recently, though we wanted to wait a little while – at least until Bella was no longer a newborn. Since the two of us have become better friends.

Once we got everything down where Alice wanted them she turned towards me "now, you go get some sleep and be back bright tomorrow bright and early"

"I'm worried... should I be worried..." I looked at the other females of the group. All who had matching smirks.

"Don't worry, I wont let her go overboard" Rosalie added kissing my cheek.

As I laid down after the long day I began thinking about some things. Tomorrow would be hectic, there would be more vampires.

Specifically, the Denali Coven. They had a big family now, almost as big as the Cullens. There were five of them; Tanya, Kate, and Irina had been joined by Carmen and Eleazar much the same way the Cullens had been joined by Alice and Jasper, all of them bonded by their desire to live more compassionately than normal vampires did.

For all the company, though, Tanya and her sisters were still alone in one way. Still in mourning. Because a very long time ago, they'd had a mother, too. I could imagine the hole that loss would leave, even after a thousand years; I tried to visualize the Cullen family without their creator, their center, and their guide - their father, Carlisle. I couldn't see it.

Carlisle had explained Tanya's history during one of the many nights I'd stayed late at the Cullens' home, learning as much as I could, preparing as much as was possible for the future I'd chosen. Tanya's mother's story was one among many, a cautionary tale illustrating just one of the rules I would need to be aware of when I joined the immortal world. Only one rule, actually - one law that broke down into a thousand different facets: Keep the secret.

Keeping the secret meant a lot of things - living inconspicuously like the Cullens, moving on before humans could suspect they weren't aging. Or keeping clear of humans altogether - except at mealtime - the way nomads like James and Victoria had lived; the way Jasper's friends, Peter and Charlotte, still lived. It meant keeping control of whatever new vampires you created, like Jasper and Lucia had done when he'd lived with Maria. Like Victoria had failed to do with her newborns.

And it meant not creating some things in the first place, because some creations were uncontrollable. Their creator created something forbidden, something that would risk the entire supernatural.

Immortal children.