Another new story. As I begin this, I'm thinking it's going to be a one-shot. But we'll see how it progresses and I'll get back to you on that. Before you ask, I've actually had this story written for a while. But things got in the way and I didn't find the right time to post…I guess that time is now.

Please review, and tell me what you think. Feedback is always appreciated in any way, shape, or form.

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BPOV, Christmas of 1999:

Both hands on the chest, extending outwards twice. Make a 'C ' with the right hand. Rest both arms over each other, lift right hand at a ninety degree angle. Then, pinky, index finger, and thumb up on the left hand.

"Merry Christmas, love."

I awkwardly made the same gestures back, mirroring Edward's expert movements. He smiled and cupped my cheek, shaking his head before moving his hand to mine and pulling me deeper into the house.

"My parents are very excited to meet you." He signed, his hands and long fingers moving with precision. He had been doing this for 17 years, after all. He had to make the gestures twice before I finally caught on. I smiled nervously, my stomach in knots.

I had met Edward Cullen six months ago, when I had been at my friend Jasper's house with a couple of his friends from the neighboring town. Jasper's girlfriend, Alice, was Edward's twin sister, and when he had come to pick her up that fateful June afternoon, it all fell perfectly into place.

It didn't matter to me that Edward had been deaf since birth, and that he couldn't hear me whenever I said 'I love you'. Our relationship was so much deeper than that; so much more spiritual and emotional. I did love him. For me, it had been love at first sight. For Edward…not so much. He had attempted to explain his first opinions of me through signing, but his fingers moved to fast for my unskilled eyes and we had both soon grown frustrated; each of us unable to realize what the other was trying to say. So he had written it down for me, letting me have a view into his heart.

I thought you were like everyone else, Bella. I thought you were one of those people who would talk about me while I was standing right in front of them, reading their lips. When I saw you that day on Jasper's porch, I concluded that you were just like the rest of them. Nosey, arrogant, and full of yourself. But you made attempt after attempt to break my shell, I realized that you were different. You cared, and that meant the world to me. Nobody, save for my parents and Alice, has ever cared the way you do. I love that you listen to me, not with your ears, but with your heart. You're the first person to ever make that kind of connection with me, and for that I am eternally grateful.

I imagined that if Edward could speak, his voice would be smooth and velvety; beautiful just like the rest of him. He had tousled bronze-tinted hair and piercing emerald green eyes, with a perfectly toned body and a heartwarming crooked smile. No one had ever given Edward a chance before; I was the only one that reached out to him. And that in itself made him care for me as much as I cared for him.

Being with Edward kept me in a near constant state of euphoria. On our first date, we sat in a nearly deserted restaurant, neither one of us speaking. Edward, because he couldn't, and I, because I wanted him to teach me how to communicate the way he did.

His fingers truly moved with speed and precision that seemed inhuman. The way he could control his fingers like that, so effortlessly, was truly an art form. He laughed at me during my first few feeble attempts, but I soon was able to sign one simple phrase.

"I'm having fun with you."

To that his cheeks had flushed the slightest of pinks, and he had made the identical gesture, his eyes lighting up beautifully. Edward then had held up his index finger, indicating he had one for thing to teach me before he called it a night. He had taken my right hand in his, his hands warm and soft against mine. I never wanted to let go.

"Thank you." He mouthed, moving my hands tenderly to form the correct gestures. Then his soft lips had touched each of my small fingers, trailing featherlike kisses on each one. And right then, I knew that I was going to love Edward Cullen for the rest of my life, no matter what.

And that was our first date.

Now, it's Christmas time, and Edward invited me over to meet his parents on Christmas Eve and have lunch with the entire Cullen family; including his parents, Carlisle and Esme, his sister Alice, his cousin Rosalie Hale, and her fiancée Emmett McCarty. Needless to say, I was scared out of my mind.

I knew Alice, of course. She had been dating my best friend Jasper for over a year, and we had become friends of some sort. Alice and Edward were both very attractive, although I couldn't see the resemblance between them.

Alice was tiny and petite, with inky black hair and vivid blue eyes. Her features were all very sharp and angular, down to the spikes in her hair. Edward was a softer version of his twin sister, but over a foot taller and more muscular. Alice talked enough to make up for the silence he had been born with, and I had a feeling the rest of the Cullen family would be just as…enthusiastic.

Edward stopped in a doorway, his hand hovering on the doorknob. I could hear voices and laughter coming from within the room, and even though I knew he couldn't, the expression on his face told me knew he his family members were in there.

"I love you." He signed, leaning down and kissing me tenderly on the lips. When we broke apart, I smiled in my usual post-kissing-Edward fashion, with my eyes lidded and dreamy and my smile lazy. I made the same hand gestures he had before, mouthing the words along with it, knowing he could read my lips.

He turned the doorknob and gently pushed the door open, then took my hand and led me into the room.

It was beautiful; the entire wall was made of glass, overlooking the serene lake only several hundred feet away from the mansion the Cullen family lived in. The large room was all decorated for Christmas, with elegant lights, a fire roaring in the large fireplace, and a positively huge Christmas tree in one corner of the room. The ceilings were extremely tall, but the tree's impressive gold star nearly touched.

Edward tugging gently on my hand brought me back to reality, and I caught sight of the five people seated around the warm, inviting fire.

They were just as imposing as the rest of the room; all of them extremely attractive.

Edward's hands left mine as he signed something in the direction of the woman I was assumed was Esme Cullen, his mother. She responded with speed almost was quick as his, and I managed to catch what she was communicating with her son.

"She's beautiful, Edward."

He made the simple sign for 'yes' back, and then addressed the rest of the room with unhurried, measured gestures, all of which I was able to make out.

"This is Bella Swan, my girlfriend." He signed much slower than usual, probably for the sake of me and his cousins' fiancée. Neither of us could make our fingers move that fast.

Esme Cullen stood up first, her caramel brown hair swinging gracefully.

"Hi, Bella, it's so nice to finally meet you." She said warmly, immediately giving me a warm hug. "Edward has been telling us about you for months." Esme gave me one last squeeze then released me before moving on to her son and giving him a hug as well. "Bella, this is my husband Carlisle" she rested her hand on the shoulder of the man who had been sitting next to her. He smiled and stood up, shaking my hand.

"Thank you for coming, Bella." He said. "This means a lot to all of us." He added, releasing my hand and dropping back onto the loveseat he and his wife had been sitting on. Esme was now standing behind the other loveseat, her hands now resting on the shoulders of the two people that could only be Rosalie Hale and Emmett McCarty.

"This is my niece Rosalie." Esme said, and Rosalie nodded at me, a grin playing at her red lips. She had the same blue eyes as her cousin Alice, and blonde hair very similar to her uncles'. "And this is her fiancé, Emmett. They're both sophomores in college." Emmett had stood up to great me, shaking my hand firmly with a hand that reminded me of a grizzly bear. Everything about him reminded me of a grizzly bear, actually. He was very tall and muscular, with curly brown hair nearly as dark as mine and light brown eyes. Dimples dotted his cheeks.

"Thank you so much for inviting me over." I said as Esme ushered Edward and I onto the couch next to Alice, who waved and gave both Edward and I a peck on the cheek.

"It's our pleasure." Esme said, offering me and Edward each a cup of tea. I accepted, but Edward shook his head. "Edward has told us all about the famous Bella Swan, and we've just been dying to meet you!" Edward smirked at that, squeezing our intertwined fingers together tighter.

Edward quickly signed something to Esme, something I couldn't make out. She rolled her eyes and signed back slower than he had, so I was able to tell what she was telling him.

"Can she sign?"

Edward nodded and I puffed up with pride a little bit. I was honestly very proud of myself in the fact that I had managed to learn a great deal of sign language in six months while still maintaining my grades and participating in all my regular activities.

I was quiet as the conversation began to flow around me. They would include me in often, but I found it extremely amusing to watch and listen to them; all so animated and loud. Occasionally they would talk to fast and Edward would turn to me and slap his right index finger across his left palm.

"What?"

I would then try and catch him on the conversation with the bits and pieces of sign language I could get across.

The time spent at the Cullen's house was much more enjoyable than I could have ever imagined, and I was actually having fun. Emmett and Rosalie were both extremely funny, as well as Alice, while Carlisle and Esme were easily humored and had infectious laughs. I was thankful they didn't try and focus on me, because I honestly did not enjoy being at the center of attention.

The topic of school came up, and I thought about how much I hated going to a different school as Edward. I went to public school along with Jasper and Alice, while Esme homeschooled Edward. It was much easier for him, however, because large crowds made him increasingly uncomfortable and it has hard for him to make friends, given his situation.

I loved talking with the Cullen's, it was so easy to just let go of everything and live in the moment. Time was flying by, and before long, Edward was tapping the face of his watch and raising his eyebrows at me.

"Ready?" He signed, moving off the sofa before extending his hand out to me and helping me up as well. I nodded and he casually looped his arm around my shoulders.

I said my goodbyes to the family, promising to visit them all soon.

"So?" Edward's smile was expectant, and I couldn't help but smile back. I attempted to sign something, but couldn't remember the correct gestures. Edward chuckled as he walked me to the front gates of the Cullen mansion, where I had told my father to pick me up. "Just say it." He signed and then rubbed his forehead, his eyes tired. "Slow, please." He added before shoving his hands in his jean pockets.

"I had a lot of fun." I said in a careful, slow voice. "Thank you." Edward laughed again as we approached the gate. I could see the light from my father's truck and Edward kissed me softly on the lips.

"Have a great day. Can you come over tomorrow at three o'clock? My mother wants you over to open u[ presents." Edward signed rapidly, but I was still able to catch everything. His mother had actually invited me to be a part of their Christmas traditions. My dad honked the horn of his truck impatiently, and I nodded to Edward, turning on my heel towards the red pickup truck. I turned back just as I was getting the passengers' seat, and Edward quickly flashed a torrent of sign language.

"I love you Isabella. I can't wait to see you again tomorrow." I nodded and signed "I love you" just as I buckled up my seat belt and my dad pulled away from the Cullen's house. I watched in the rearview mirror as Edward watched our car near the end of the street, then he turned back inside with his grey coat wrapped tightly around him.

Yes, I was going to love Edward Cullen for the rest of my life, no matter what life throws or way.

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So, this isn't going to be a one-shot but a full-fledged chapter. I am feeling really really sick lately and need to get to the doctor ASAP. Anyhoo, please review and I will update ASAP.

Xoxo-Melodyella aka Mellie