The Forgotten Child-Twilight

Chapter 7

Synopsis: The Cullens become attached to Christopher but guests arrive to take him away.

The Naming

Momentarily, Carlisle walked upstairs still wearing his doctor's uniform and holding a sack in his left hand and said to Esme, "I brought the boy some food, I hope he likes it."

Carlisle handed the sack of cafeteria food to Esme, then she and Rosalie took the child into the kitchen.

Edward had already entered the family room and was seated on a couch beside Bella. Carlisle seated himself in an easy chair across from Edward.

Edward knew Esme had partially explained about the boy, so he quickly filled Carlisle in with the details of his hunting trip that morning.

"So," Carlisle said, "nobody knows his name or where he's from?"

"No" Edward replied, "there's nothing in the news or online about a missing boy of his description."

"And we're reluctant to bring his presence to attention to the media," Jasper stated.

"Edward," began Carlisle, "You can't read the boy's mind for any information?"

Edward closed his eyes and sighed, "No, the only thing I was able to read from him was when I first saw him." Edward eyes lowered in shame admitting, "I saw myself through his eyes... how I can't stand to see myself... as a monster."

"Awww, cheer up bro," said Emmett, "We're all the same as you. In fact, I probably wouldn't have been able to stop myself like you did."

Carlisle nodded to Edward and said, "Very few of us could have stopped ourselves while in a hunting frenzy. I'm very proud of you Edward."

"I never saw any visions of him either," Alice said worriedly. "But I recognize him, he's the same boy we've seen and heard for the past couple of months."

"I recognized him too," added Carlisle.

Edward looked confused, "So you guys have heard him talk before?"

"No," Alice said, "We never heard him actually speak, but occasionally we'd hear music as if someone was singing."

Edward appeared puzzled at his thoughts. He finally spoke up, "Well, we can't just keep calling him 'kid', we need to either figure out his name, or just make something up." Edward grinned at Bella.

Bella replied teasingly to her husband saying, "I know, I know... I'm not the person to go around handing out names with my track record."

Finally Rosalie and Esme returned from the kitchen towing the boy along with them. Rosalie sat on the couch beside Edward and Bella, and placed the boy on her lap.

Edward smiled at the boy and asked, "Was he hungry? Did you get him to eat anything?"

"Yes," Esme said, "but he's apparently vegetarian... I mean a 'real' vegetarian. He wouldn't touch anything with meat. He was hungry, he scarfed down the mac-n-cheese."

"Okay," said Emmett, "So, what are we gonna call him 'til we figure out who and what he is?"

"Maybe we could just try out a few names until we find something that fits," said Alice.

She made her way over to Rosalie and knelt in front of the boy. She looked into the boy's dark blue eyes and placed her hand against her chest and said "Alice." Then she patted Edward's knee and said, "Edward."

The boy watched her with intense fascination. As Alice introduced each Cullen to the boy, he reached up and touched her mouth, then her throat. All eyes were on the boy as he opened his mouth mimicking Alice.

"Look!" Alice cried out, "He's trying to talk!" However no sound came from the boy.

Rosalie watched the boy for a few minutes then said, "I don't think this is going anywhere." She said her name aloud, then placed her hand against her chest. She then placed her hand gently over the boy's heart and asked him, "You?"

The boy just looked into Rosalie's golden eyes. Alice jumped up and ran to the bookshelf returning with a book of names.

"Ohh, that's the book of baby names you gave me when I was pregnant with Renesmee," stated Bella.

Emmett formed a crooked smile on his face, "Yeah, it did a heckofa lotta good back then too!" he snickered.

Alice sat down on the floor so everyone could see the names. Carlisle looked intensely at the child as names were read from the book... or someone said a favorite name. The child seemed to grow tired as time went by and he paid them no heed.

Suddenly Carlisle's face became animated; he looked at the boy and said, "Christopher?"

The boy suddenly looked at Carlisle almost as if he recognized him. The boy, Christopher, removed himself from Rosalie's hold and walked across the room and sat at Carlisle's feet, laying his head against Carlisle's leg.

Every vampire in the room gazed at Carlisle in surprise. Esme, who was seated on the arm of Carlisle's chair, began to rake her fingers through the boy's silky dark hair. "How did you know his name?" Esme asked in wonder.

"I really can't explain it," said Carlisle, "but when I was human, I was planning on naming my firstborn son, Christopher."

Carlisle looked at the boy who rested his head against his leg. Carefully laying his palm against the boy's cheek, he added, "It was only a wild guess."

"Should Jasper and I set up Renesmee's old room for him to sleep tonight?" questioned Alice.

"NO!" said Rosalie stunning her family with her severe tone of voice. She continued, "We don't even know if he sleeps... he could be like us and never lose consciousness."

"Then what exactly should we do with him then?" Bella asked.

"He's going to stay with Emmett and me tonight," Rose calmly answered.

Emmett gave her a severe look and said, "Uhhh...What?"

Rosalie's tone changed to one of pleading, "Please Emmett?" She then looked over at the boy beside Carlisle and said, "I'm afraid that he'll be afraid by himself."

Rosalie noticed that the boy had nodded off to sleep. She then looked down at her empty hands and confessed, "Okay, he sleeps, but I'm also afraid that he might leave."

Everyone in the room knew that Emmett would let Rosalie have her way... he always did. As her family began to talk, Rosalie strode straight to Carlisle and lifted the child into her arms. "I'm going on up to put Christopher to bed," Rosalie whispered never feeling happier in this second lifetime.