The Cullen Project *Editing*

Chapter Twelve

He smiled at me slightly, turned to his gift, and took a deep breath.

As he tore through the paper and realized what it was he turned toward me.

"How did you get this?" He smiled.

"Well, being pretty intuitive has its advantages sometimes." I smirked and he threw his arms around me.

His gift was fairly simple, but I knew it would mean the world to him.

I got him a scrapbook, filled with pictures of mom, me, and even some very sweet pictures of our family provided by Grandma Esme. With the scrapbook came a complete collection of odd little things that came from moms room that I knew he would appreciate, like her cactus for example. But, there was also a very special and sacred box to me. A box that I had found under a floorboard in my mothers bedroom.

"How did you even know about this?" He asked, carefully picking up the box, treating it as if it were a fragile and precious thing.

I tapped my forehead in our normal gesture for my gift.

"Ahh." He nodded, and took the lid off.

His expression changed drastically seeing the picture of him and mom.

"This was the last picture we ever took together." He sighed and I rubbed his shoulder.

"Thank you Elizabeth." He wrapped his arms around me sweetly.

"Happy birthday Dad." I smiled, hugging him back.

"You are one of the greatest things that has ever happened to me." He whispered. Happy tears sprang to my eyes.

"Where is Elizabeth?! That child was supposed to be in training twenty minuets ago!" Eleazar came in complaining and dad started chuckling.

"That sounds like your cue." Grampa Carlisle smiled at me.

"We may want to get outside before Eleazar makes you run extra laps around town." Dad laughed, pulling me outside with him.

"Finally you decide to show up little one!" Eleazar laughed, spreading his arms open wide for a hug.

Apparently, I have a certain charm about me that makes everyone instantly like me. When Grampa Carlisle called the Denalies, they agreed to come down and train the newest Cullens gift immediately. When they saw me they all just couldn't stop cooing over me, especially Carmen.

"Okay, you know the drill Cullen. Give me ten laps for warmup." He smirked, slipping into trainer mode. I slipped off through the trees to the course he and Dad had marked with a smile on my face.

*

Edward POV

I'm smiling on the outside.

But on the inside I'm clawing out my heart.

I love Elizabeth so incredibly much and I haven't even known her a month yet. She's sweet and beautiful and her very soul is the light and warmth in my life, despite her own nightmarish life she smiles and allows strangers into her heart.

I just can't get Bella out of my head. Every time I look at Elizabeths heart shaped face, or her wide innocent eyes all I see is her mother.

Elizabeth thinks that I'm okay. She thinks that I'm perfectly content in spending her every waking hour with her, and I am! It's just...after she goes back to Charlie...

Ugh, I've been searching for any trace of Bella I can find.

I've become completely obsessed with finding Bella Swan. It's unhealthy I know, especially since there's a very real chance she could actually be dead somewhere, but I will try to find her for as long as I exist.

"Edward! There you are!" Tanya's deliriously happy voice she only gets around me called out from behind me.

Eleazar chuckled slightly, noticing my cringe at hearing her voice.

"Tanya." I regarded her plainly, trying to keep track of Elizabeths heartbeat as she ran.

"Happy Birthday!" She laughed.

"Thank you."

There was an awkward little silence while she tried to think of something to get my attention so I would talk with her.

"I just adore your little Elizabeth! It's such a shame she doesn't have a mother figure in her life though..." She sighed, stepping close to me.

"She is very precious to me. I think she handles everything quite well, even without her mother." I stepped back, trying to hint the fact that she would never be a mother figure to my Elizabeth. Only Bella.

"Honestly Edward, how long are you going to mourn that little human pet of yours? Why can't we just be happy together?" She whined.

Rage soared through me and I was about to start yelling at her idiocy when suddenly she wrapped her arms around my neck and crashed her lips into mine.

Just as I pushed her away Elizabeth ran up with tears streaming down her cheeks, anger flashed hard through her normally happy green eyes.

"What are you doing?!" She screamed.

I was upset to see her so angry, but my whole system shut down when I noticed her eyes. Her peridot colored eyes were a bright, and absolutely chilling...crimson red.