Chapter 1

Only a few weeks had gone by, but everyone seemed to be adjusting back to their normal lives. Luciana found some days more difficult than others, but Jasper had taken her under his wing and more or less had her on the strait and narrow. She was in the beginning stages of controlling her thirst, and there had been a number of times that heand Alice had to restrain her. The two of them had been staying at the house that Carlisle and Esme had given them, taking care of Luciana in a more segregated place until she was up to speed with the rest of them, though they frequented the main house often.

Seth was constantly checking up Luciana and had moved in with his mother and Charlie, taking over Bella's old room as his own. Leah remained on the reservation at Sue's old house. She let Leah live there free of charge, as long as she continued to take care of it. Masen was frequently disappearing to see her for hours on end, which his siblings attempted to downplay to their parents.

Edward was constantly dodging them, especially Esme, because her questions were becoming more frequent about what her son was up to. He realized it was partially his fault for making his comment to both of them on their way home for the day they'd defeated the Volturi.

Carlisle and Esme met up with each other in the woods after each hunting down their own deer. Neither of them liked leaving the leftover blood of their pray on themselves, so they washed off their arms and faces quickly in a stream along their way home.

"You need to talk with Masen," Esme told her husband.

He turned to her, "Okay. What about?"

"Leah."

Carlisle snickered.

"I'm serious. It's different than the rest of them."

"I didn't mean to laugh," he explained, more seriously, "Why? Do you think he's.."

"Yes," she said before he finished.

Carlisle raised his eyebrows, "You really think so? Did Edward say something?"

Esme shook her head, "Edward has been avoiding me like crazy. And there's just something a little different about Masen and Leah's interaction. I can just tell."

"Different how?"

"They're very... comfortable. I can't explain it really."

"Hmm.." Carlisle looked around, "And what do you want me to say?"

"Well, first of all, there are risks involved between the two of them that doesn't exist with the other kids, or us."

"You mean, like, the risk of having a vampire-werewolf hybrid child?" he said with a laugh.

Esme stared back at him without smiling. He knew right away that she didn't find him at all funny.

"I'm sorry," he told her, "I'll speak with him."

"I know it'll be nearly impossible to keep them from being intimate," she said, "He has the mind and body of a twenty year old. You should talk to him about using, you know..."

Carlisle scratched his head and made a face, "Never thought I'd have to go down that road."

"Maybe have Emmett in your corner, too. He looks to him as a brother and a friend. It might be a different angle that he can relate to."

He still looked thoughtful about the situation.

"What are you thinking?" Esme asked.

"Down the road," he said, "What if they did end up with a child. And I do mean way way down the road. I wonder what would come of it. Would it be something like Bella's experience, or would Leah's womb be strong enough to hold a fetus that is half vampire?"

Esme put a hand on her forehead, "Carlisle, I can't think about that right now."

"Sorry," he said again, putting an arm around her.

"I just don't want them to be in a life threatening predicament again if something happened. Nevermind the fact that our son has only been alive for a year. I can continue to name things."

"I'll speak with him, Esme," Carlisle told her, "If you do one thing."

"What's that?"

"Stop asking Edward to read his thoughts."

She smiled and leaned into him, "Okay. Am I driving him that nuts?"

Carlisle held his thumb and finger about an inch apart, "Just a little."