~1 Year On~

Edward blinked awake, pulled from a peaceful dream into the grey light of the very early dawn. He stretched a little, noting the morning air was cool. He pulled his arms back under the warmth of the covers rolling onto his side.

How could he help his smile at the sight that greeted him?

A year before, the Cullen family, along with Bella and Jasper, had traveled south to Virginia, settling in a small port town where the local doctor had taken ill and died. Happy to have their medical expertise, the town gladly gave over the doctor's old home, which Carlisle and Esme gave over to Edward and Bella as a wedding present.

Emmett and Carlisle had purchased a large farm house just outside of town. There was more than enough room to accommodate Emmett's growing family, the elder Cullens and the newlywed Whitlocks while they got on their own feet. Over the last year, Jasper had just about earned enough money to buy his own plot of land.

Always lingering in the back of Edward's mind was the fact that it could all be swept away so quickly. He sighed, pushing away the darker thoughts as he looked on his sleeping wife and smiled again.

As much as he worried for her safety, Bella also made him feel as though he could take on anything the world threw at them. She was his true match, a partner in his life, always there to support his needs and decisions. No matter what the topic, she was involved. They'd spent so many evenings holding hands over the table, talking through every issue from his losing a patient to what vegetables they should grow in their little garden.

The dawn would soon break and they would both have to be up and about their full days. Using that train of thought, he felt less guilty about pulling his body close to hers. Slowly, he began to kiss her, starting with the very tip of her nose, down across each cheek and lightly against her fluttering eyelashes.

"Mmm," she gave a soft moan as he kissed her awake. "Edward."

At that, his smile grew only wider. He would never tire of hearing his name fall from her lips. He would never be anything but thankful that he got to see her like this: angelic in her sleep. Once, it had been only a dream that he would get to hold her and kiss her, but now the life he'd thought could only be fantasy was his.

As Bella came more awake, her hands fluttered to his face before she opened her eyes. She began to return his kisses, stroking his cheek with one hand as she curled closer to him. Her sleepy smile was adoring. "My husband," she whispered softly, kissing the tip of chin.

"My wife," he returned, pressing forward so she was on her back and he leaning over her. He kissed her more thoroughly, delighting in the little, sighing noises he was able to elicit from her.

She laughed as he moved to her neck, his whiskers tickling her sensitive skin. "Hark, my love. The cock crows, and it is time to rise and greet a new day," she said, though her hands against his back only pulled him closer.

"You've mixed up your words, wife," he rumbled against her throat. "The cock rises and it is all the more reason to stay abed." As he spoke, he pressed his hips against her, in case she questioned what he wanted.

She groaned and laughed. "You are wicked, husband."

For long minutes there was only the sound of the creaking bed and the rustle of cloth being pushed up or discarded entirely. Soon they were skin to skin, and Edward was sliding inside of her. He stilled a moment, resting his head against hers while he reveled in the warmth and completeness he felt.

Then he began to move in her, his pace quick because she was right - a new day beckoned and it would not be the first time an early patient interrupted their intimacy. He took care to kiss her passionately, loving the way her moans and cries vibrated against his lips. Her legs wrapped around his waist, urging him deeper.

He released her lips and reached up to hold on to the bed post, thrusting hard and fast into her. Her hands were everywhere - in his hair, on his shoulders - her nails scraping along his back. Though the covers had long ago fallen down around them, Edward didn't feel the chill of the room.

Bella cried out first, biting into the skin of his shoulder as her small frame shuddered against his. Edward's grin then was smug. The first time this had happened to them, they were both worried, neither one of them ever having heard that a woman could experience such pleasure in the marital bed. After a somewhat embarrassing conversation with his father and brother, Edward had been reassured that it could be normal - and in Emmett's opinion should be normal. They'd collectively decided that the idea a woman could not experience the same pleasure they did was something invented by men who could not accomplish the feat.

Edward had an average that both he and Bella were pleased with.

With a few more thrusts, Edward cried out with his release. He collapsed against his wife, catching his breath as she drew her hands up and down the moist skin of his back. When he shivered, she clucked worriedly, drawing the blankets up around them.

Minutes later they were still cuddled together and the sun was growing more present outside their window. Edward grumbled. "You make me lazy, Bella," he teased, kissing her sweetly.

"Ha!" she said, smiling at him. "Get up, lazy husband. You've a family to provide for." She kissed him tenderly. "Go on, and I shall bring you some bread to break our fast."

He sighed, kissing her once more before he got up to face the day.

~Six Months On~

It was a relatively slow day until one of the little boys from the village burst into their clinic, yelling.

"Doc! Doc!"

Carlisle stooped to the boy's level, his hands on his shoulders. "Slow, Benjamin. What's wrong?"

The boy was breathing hard, having obviously run a long way. "A ship came in the harbor today. They've several on board suffering of a great fever. They bade me run and fetch you."

"Thank you, little one," Carlisle said gravely, standing. "Now hurry on. You needn't be around the sick."

Already, Edward was taking down the medicines they might need and throwing them quickly into their bags. Within a minute, they were both running out the door toward the docks.

~0~

Bella hummed to herself as she worked in the house, making a mental list. Summer was giving way to fall, and there was much to be done to prepare for the long winter months. There were fruits and vegetables to jar and -

A knock distracted her thought process. Wiping her hands on her apron, Bella went to see who was calling.

When she opened the door, her breath left her. She thought it must be some trick of the light, or perhaps she'd fallen asleep and was now dreaming. It appeared to her as if her father stood on her stoop, though she thought that had to be impossible.

"Isabella?" he whispered, his normally gruff, strong voice no more than a whisper.

"Fa?" she choked out, her eyes instantly filling with tears. She threw herself forward, into his arms without another moments hesitation. "Fa!" she cried again, hugging him as tightly and fiercely as she was able.

His arms wrapped around her instantly but only for a moment before he took a step back. He did not let go her shoulders, but looked down with wide eyes at her middle.

"Oh!" Bella exclaimed, realizing belatedly that of everything, her very pregnant belly must be the biggest shock. "Come in, Fa. There is much to talk about."

~0~

Evening found them all gathered at the Cullens' farm. It turned out that Charles was on the ship that had sailed from the north. He'd come to peddle his wares as well as to find out if Virginia could offer a better life for his family.

It seemed that after the Cullens' and Bella's disappearance, Charles had taken great solace in the company of a recently widowed woman named Susan. It was a good match, it seemed. Charles was not at all certain that the Cullens were as evil as the minister made them out. In any event, he had no choice but to hope that the minister's claims of their wickedness were severely exaggerated, else he would never sleep for imagining what his daughter might be suffering among the demons. Susan's deceased husband had died of a wound that was treatable had Forkshire not chased off their very skilled doctor and his son, and so they could commiserate on their wary attitude toward Aro.

The two had married quickly, and Susan brought with her two children - Leah and Seth. Charles admitted that he no longer felt his family was safe in Forkshire, the atmosphere of fear and suspicion having corrupted the town at the core.

When the doctors came running to the docks, Charles had been shocked to recognize Carlisle Cullen and his son. He'd grabbed Edward's arm, wild to know with certainty what had happened to his daughter.

Covering his own surprise quickly, Edward had looked at him with pleading eyes as he gave him directions to a house in the village. Charles had let him go, promising silently not to loose the Cullens' secret until he saw what was waiting at the house. Of course, he'd found his daughter there, not only alive but thriving and happy. She was no longer the little girl of his memories but a woman with a household of her own to run, her apron swelling out over the babe that grew in her belly.

It was hard for Charles to wrap his head around the truth of the matter - that witchcraft did exist and that his daughter lived among those that practiced it. But like his daughter, he was more prone to judge deeds before nature.

Carlisle graciously offered him Jasper and Alice's old room while he made preparations to bring his family South. Esme even suggested he stay long enough to see his first grandchild born.

"It seems so unjust," Charles said when all plans were settled. "Since your departure, the minister has put another woman and two young men to death." He shook his head. "He is a monster, but the town sees him as their deliverer."

"Rest easy, Charles," Alice soothed. She shifted her one month old baby girl into her husband's arms and stood, going to fetch her mirror. She laid it down on the table, waving her hand over it. The mirror clouded and an image of the future appeared in the mists.

It was the minister and two teens, a boy and a girl, in shackles, all looking bedraggled.

"Thanks to the minister, the citizens of Forkshire know the true signs of witchery. They will not be forgiving when they find out about the girl - Jane." Alice said in a flat tone. "He has succeeded in destroying his family. I believe it will spread to his brothers and Felix as well beefore it runs its course. Sometimes I see it going further - to their wives."

"Such needless waste of human life," Edward growled lowly. "I should have killed Aro and Felix alone while I still had the chance."

"Killing in revenge is not the same thing as killing in self defense," his father reminded. "It would only have caused more problems for us."

"You're needed here," Bella added, her hand on his arm.

The family was silent for a long moment at that. It was a sad sort of relief that settled over them. Relief that they at least needn't fear that shadow of their past but sadness that it would end with more death.

Carlisle cleared his throat, reaching out to take his wife's hand. At his other side, he clapped Charles's shoulder. "Thanks to God, that we know how precious life is, and that we are not among those who seek only its destruction. I cannot see that the lives of those who are so quick to judge are as full and bright as ours."

Bella reached out to take her father's hand as Edward wrapped his arm about her shoulders, his other hand splayed tenderly over their growing child. She bent her head toward her husband, agreeing with Carlisle's words entirely.

Their future was indeed bright, and any hardships that challenged them, they would weather the storm together, stronger because they were a family.

~The End~

A/N: Awww. That was fun! I'm glad you enjoyed it if you're still with me.

Thanks once again to jfka06, barburella, jadedandboring and albymangroves.

Quick note now that I have your attention.

I've signed up for the Fandom Gives Back auction which ends at midnight this Wednesday. If you're interested in bidding, I'm offering a o/s or outtake of your choice. Anything at all (though I have a hard limit when it comes to Carlisle or the Wolves in sexual situations :-p ). You can bid on me or any one of the talented authors offering up stories for a good cause.

thefandomgivesback.blogspot.com / 2011 / 11 / lyricalkris-ff-auction . html

Dear Fates - I hope you enjoyed. Thanks so much for the fun prompts!