A/N: So, here's the extremely long chapter one! I don't know if I could quite summarize it right in the description, but this story will cover a little bit of the immediate post-Breaking Dawn world, and then move on to six years in the future. Just a warning, I started this story years ago (when I was 11), and I've been slowly reworking it and making some major plot changes, so if some bits are confusing... that's why.

There are also going to be some POV changes, though not in this chapter. Enjoy! Review!


The morning after our confrontation with the Volturi, I could barely release my grip on Edward to get a hold on reality. My new vampire mind—usually so spacious and quick—seemed now to be worse than a human's. I could only think of and understand the meaning of three words: We are safe.

Edward seemed to notice my distracted mood. He watched me carefully as I sniffed out a pair of artificially worn jeans and a long sleeved T-shirt I hoped Alice would find acceptable. Finally, he couldn't bear it any longer and asked me, "What's wrong, love? You seem distracted. Are you all right?"

"I'm fine, Edward. I just… I can't believe we won. Renesmee is going to live to see another day!" I replied with a smile, deciding to tell him the truth. He'd noticed my mood; it was no good lying to him now.

Edward sighed as he pulled on a pair of khaki shorts and burgundy pullover, although he was smiling softly. "I must say I feel the same way."

We dressed silently. I moved slower than I'd ever moved before as a vampire, listening to the sounds of our perfect little cottage. I could hear the faint popping of the dying fire downstairs in the fireplace and the sound of even, soft breathing and an almost wildly thrumming heart that belonged to my perfect daughter. Renesmee.

"Nessie should be up soon," Edward noted quietly as he slipped on a pair of shoes. "Her dreams have ceased."

I looked up at him, and suddenly I was choked up with emotion. It wasn't—surprisingly—the desire that I usually experienced. It was a sort of realization that no matter what, he was mine. I blew to his side and with a force that made him stumble backward, hugged him hard.

"Bella!" he said, a little surprised. But his marble arms cradled me all the same.

"I love you, Edward," I murmured, burying myself in the soft fabric of his shirt.

"As I love you," he replied, bemused, kissing the top of my head. Now, of course, the desire rippled through me.

"I'm going to wake Nessie," I told him, pulling away grudgingly. "Jacob's bound to be anxious to see her and Emmett's going to get a kick out of how late we are."

Edward chuckled, putting his hands around my waist as he followed me to our daughter's room.

Only a wrought-iron crib stood, lonely, in the room Renesmee called hers. We hadn't had time to decorate, as we'd been all wrapped up in the possibility of annihilation. Though now that the threat had passed, Alice and Esme were sure to be all over decorating Nessie's room.

Curled up under two fuzzy blankets, my daughter lay asleep. Her bronze ringlets were splayed carelessly across her perfect face and her full, pink lips were open very slightly in a squished O. Her breathing was already speeding up very slightly, and her eyes moved in uneven intervals under her pale violet eyelids. She was perfect, as usual.

I leaned down, lifted her from her small sanctuary of sleep. Renesmee breathed in deeply and her eyes fluttered open just the tiniest bit. "Momma?" she whispered, and when the fact that I was holding her registered, she surprised me by suddenly stiffening and opening her eyes wide. In the next moment, she was sitting up in my arms, her arms locked around my neck in a terrified embrace. "Momma, are they gone? Is everyone okay?" She looked confused and frightened.

I was alarmed for an eighty-fifth of a second, but recovered enough to say, "Oh, Renesmee, yes, they're gone. They won't be back, I promise." She must be in shock, too.

Edward exchanged looks with me. It was obvious on his face that he was reading her mind to try to figure out any other questions that might be bothering her. "And Ness—," he added, "Jacob is just fine, too."

If she had been comforted at my words, she was relieved at his. My daughter's whole face relaxed as she reached up and gently touched my cheek. She showed me a picture of the entire group of vampires we'd assembled, our hands twined, a team working against a common enemy.

I hugged her tightly against my chest and wished that the moment would continue forever. Edward's arms soon locked around us, pulling our family together.

Renesmee looked up at me meaningfully, her large, chocolate brown eyes boring into my own dull scarlet ones. Her hand, still on my cheek, transmitted a picture of us sprinting to the main house, to Rose, Emmett, Alice, Jasper, Carlisle, Esme, and especially Jacob, all of whom were at the windows, smiling.

I chuckled and blew over to her dresser to pick out clothes, knowing Alice would be disappointed I'd done it. Renesmee showed me the image again, although it was sharper and more defined, not to mention laced with anticipation.

"Let's go," I said, smiling.

"What are you wearing?" Alice demanded, flitting down the stairs. She had her dark gold eyes fixed on me. "I still need to show you how to use your closet. We'll do that when we fix up Nessie's room, right?"

"Right…" I half-heartedly agreed. Alice would take no other answer, undoubtedly.

My sister-in-law pulled out a small, pink dress. "Where is the little angel, anyway?"

Edward's lips twitched, fighting a smile. "We've already taken that load off your shoulders, Alice, dear."

The look of horror that crossed Alice's face was more than apparent as she crossed her arms.

"They didn't do such a bad job, actually," Rosalie complimented, coming into the room with Renesmee in hand. My daughter was greedily sucking down a cup of blood. My throat burned uncomfortably, although it was easy to handle.

Flipping her blonde hair out of the way, Rose smiled adoringly at Renesmee.

Edward chuckled. "Get used to it, Alice. We are her parents, after all. And pretty soon, Nessie will be making her own clothing decisions."

"I know," Alice replied, sighing as if the idea of Renesmee's clothing independence was bothersome. Her eyes glazed over and she frowned. "Well, I can't see anymore, so I'm assuming Jacob's coming over."

Renesmee smiled in Rose's arms, dimpling. She, at least, was happy. I felt annoyed because Jacob hadn't not come since the day of my daughter's birth, yet happy because he was my friend and I was used to his coming over every day, even if it was mostly to see Renesmee. It was an awkward balance.

Jasper, half-lurking near Alice, looked up at me. Our eyes met and I smiled wryly. He knew how I felt. He knew how everyone felt.

When Renesmee was done with her breakfast, I took her from Rosalie and she sat in my arms, excitedly waiting for Jacob. Alice did a quick assessment of her clothing—a simple ivory tunic and leggings—and grudgingly allowed it to be worn as long as she got to do her hair. She then brushed my daughter's hair until it gleamed and wove a braid across the crown of her head.

When Alice was done, Renesmee beamed at her and placed a hand on her cheek.

"You look beautiful," Edward told her immediately in answer to her question. She smiled at him. "And Jacob should be here any minute, don't you worry."

Once again, my daughter smiled. Jacob was hers, in Nessie's mind, and Jacob thought that she was the most wonderful thing in the world, the thing that tied him to reality. Thinking too much on the subject made me wrinkle my nose, though I knew without a doubt that Jacob was only concerned about Nessie's happiness—until she grew older, which would be a different story.

For now, though, she was just my perfect little daughter, the one that I would do anything for. Jacob knew that the imprinting thing had left me speechless with anger. I remembered vividly how I'd felt: Betrayed. Sick. Hurt. Jealous. I had felt anger that I never thought I'd feel toward him… toward anyone.

But I always kept my happy face on for Renesmee's sake and danced around the room with her, making her giggle. "More!" she laughed, her high soprano like music to my ears. I could just imagine Jake's face if he walked in on us right now.

Alice joined in, popping a CD into the stereo and twirling around the room with complicated moves. Soon, Rosalie was dancing, too, matching Alice's pace. Emmett was in the background, betting with Jasper about something random while he watched a Texas Longhorns game at the same time. Dancing was obviously below them. Edward leaned against the glass wall and smiled widely.

I twirled my daughter all the way up the stairs and tickled her until the rose coloring on her cheeks was absolutely scarlet.

"Do you like dancing?" Rosalie asked her, smiling broadly at both Renesmee and me. I knew that she considered Renesmee more than just a niece. Rosalie had never really been satisfied with the fact that she could never have a baby that she could call her very own, and cared for Renesmee like she was her daughter. However, Rose would probably never know the true bond of mother and child.

Renesmee beamed, dimpling again, and touched Rose's cheek. Rose laughed at whatever she was showing her.

Alice smiled at all of us but soon drifted off into her room, Jasper automatically trailing after her. I could tell she was still taking reality in like the rest of us—she was simply glad for us to be alive.

Rosalie held out her arms and I surrendered Renesmee to her.

"Mm. At least I get to hold you until the mangy dog gets here."

I snorted. Renesmee sighed and touched Rose's cheek.

"I'm sorry, Nessie, but haven't I told you?" Rosalie responded, smiling dryly. "I hate Jacob Black."

"Jake's here," Edward called from downstairs. "And he's looking forward to seeing Ness."

Rosalie sighed and kissed Nessie's forehead. She knew her time was almost up.

Downstairs, I could hear the door fling open.

"Hey, bloodsuckers!" Jacob's husky voice felt good to hear after a while with my smooth-talking family. "Where's Nessie?" It was an automatic inquiry for him: almost instinctive, and because she wasn't in sight, it was laced with worrisome anxiety.

Renesmee leaned toward the stairs in Rose's arms. "Jacob," she called. I heard him shift his weight and walk a few steps in one direction.

"Upstairs," Edward conceded effortlessly. I could almost feel Jacob's need to be up here, to see Renesmee, so I sighed and came down the stairs with Rosalie, my ever-impatient daughter reaching out toward Jacob.

The visible relief on Jacob's face would have made me extremely irritated one or two months ago. Now, I simply stood by and watched as she was passed off to my friend.

"Hey, Bells," he greeted me, never taking his eyes off Renesmee.

"How are things in La Push today?" I asked as my daughter settled into Jake's arms.

Renesmee cuddled against his hot chest and put her hand to his cheek, but this didn't faze Jake. He snorted. "Seth is going on and on about how we beat that many vampires. I think the kid is on steroids or something, the way he's thinking… Even Leah's secretly pleased. I caught her thinking about it and she got pissed off, but she's happy it's all over."

"Jacob?" Esme said as she came into the room, smiling. Her pale face dimpled, just as Renesmee's did. "I've made some cinnamon rolls and a batch of pancakes. You can take those if you like."

"Sure. Thanks!" Jacob's stomach growled loudly.

Edward chuckled at whatever Jacob had thought.

I watched my family happily going on with life, and I couldn't suppress my grin. Everything was perfect. This was how life was supposed to be. Happy. Careless. Loving. The multi-colored blanket that was our life had lost the dull, gray, worried threads underneath, and now it was equally bright and cheerful. Because the 'worry strands' had disappeared, one single strand of this blanket of my life shone brightly: my daughter's. I guessed that it would look like a warm bronze, but that it was the only one that glinted when my blanket was thrown out into the sunlight. Renesmee shone. She was the thread that bound us together. Without her, there probably wouldn't be a comradeship between Rosalie and me, and Jacob would be our mortal enemy. Without her… I would not be whole.

Nessie patted Jake's cheek again, demanding his full attention, which he promptly gave her. Edward smiled imperceptibly.

"She's such a little attention grabber," Rosalie said, but the soft insult was lost in the enormity of her affection.

Jasper came down the stairs then, and went into the kitchen with Carlisle. I could hear him saying, "Alice and I are going on a hunting trip. Do you need us for anything here?"

"No," the doctor murmured. I heard his footsteps change direction. "Could Esme and I join you? Not to intrude, but…"

"Of course," Jasper agreed. As he left the kitchen, Emmett grinned from the couch.

"Hungry for some mountain lion, bro?"

"I'm completely starved," Jasper replied, his black eyes glinting hungrily. Jacob immediately took a step away, looking more than a little nervous.

"Oh, Jacob, calm yourself." Jacob did not relax.

Emmett sighed. "Too bad I went last week. I'd have come with you today…" He glanced over and I unconsciously confirmed his last words, as his eyes were a dull gold.

Rosalie darted over to the couch and was in his lap in under a quarter of a second. "Who's winning?" she asked in her bell-voice.

"Texas."

Alice's light footsteps coming down the stairs distracted me, and I turned to see her in her messy clothes, ready to hunt. Jasper turned as well and smiled—she returned the gesture.

"Are you ready, Jazz?" she asked.

"I asked Carlisle and Esme if they would come, too." He glanced questioningly at the two, and they nodded. Without further delay, the whole group turned and sprinted out.

Jacob let out an audible sigh, and Renesmee again put her hand to his cheek. "I'm glad he's gone," he answered to her silent question. "No, I don't dislike him. Hey now, Nessie!" He grinned.

Edward settled himself at the piano and began playing a song I'd never heard before; probably he had just made it up on the spot. It had a beautiful melody and drastic dynamics and it seemed to flow evenly with the air I was breathing. It fit naturally.

I walked over to the big window and stood there. Jacob sat down behind the stairs and began to play with Renesmee. Edward's composition changed from a song to a piano symphony of sorts. Rosalie and Emmett cuddled on the couch, absently watching the football game.

I needed time with my thoughts. Now was perfect. I watched my daughter intently. If my heart were not dead, it would be throbbing with love for her. The relief that she could never die pounded inside my head, permanently sticking there. Nahuel's story had erased all worry, all confusion. I loved him for that.

Renesmee playfully pulled Jacob's shaggy hair, making him yelp in fake surprise and pain. She giggled her high soprano giggle and grinned up at him, her rosy cheeks flushing—just like the old me.

I smiled at her. She looked up at me and winked.

After about half an hour, I settled on the couch next to Rosalie and Emmett. They looked more preoccupied with themselves than the game, which was now tied. I watched absently as the human football players struggled to get a goal. I raised my eyebrows and smiled slightly. The undeniable truth was that I could take on a whole professional football team—perhaps two or even more—and quite easily win.

Then, in the middle of a particularly pretty part, Edward's piano playing stopped abruptly. I was on my feet immediately; my senses doubled with alert, and watched him dart over to Renesmee's side.

Jacob looked alarmed. "What's wrong? Edward, don't mess with me, please!"

I was at my husband and daughter's side instantly, and Edward automatically surrendered her to me. "She feels ill," Edward murmured.

Nessie's cheeks were pale and she looked confused. Her carefree expression had been replaced by the dull look of sickness. I was shocked it had come on so quickly, with no warning. "Renesmee? How do you feel?"

It surprised me when she chose to speak, rather than use her usual means of communication. "I feel nauseous. And I feel cold… very cold." Her soprano voice was thick and tight. This was not the happy daughter I knew.

Jacob started hyperventilating, stepping close to us to warm her. "Crap! Bella, someone, call Carlisle. We've got to get him back here!" When no one reached for their phone, Jacob pulled out his cell phone and almost started dialing.

"Jacob," Edward interrupted firmly, a crease between his brows. "Renesmee is going to be perfectly fine. I am fully capable of taking care of her until Carlisle is done hunting. I do have two degrees in medicine, do I not?"

Jacob put down the phone, and there was no mistaking the panic in his eyes. It was a packaged deal, this imprinting. I got to have my best friend with me, but he was also a total nut when it came to my daughter's safety and health.

"Jacob, did I not safely deliver Renesmee while Carlisle was gone? That situation was a matter of life and death. This is nothing compared to that," Edward said smoothly, yet there was a certain look in his eyes, a certain worry I couldn't place…

I wasn't convinced, either. "Do you want some blankets?" I asked.

Renesmee nodded pitifully and had only begun to shiver when suddenly Rose had a thick blanket across her shoulders. I hadn't realized she'd gotten up, but of course my sister-in-law would be all over Nessie.

Renesmee curled up in my arms, her head resting in the crook of my right elbow, and her eyes fluttered. "Momma, am I going to die?"

The room was dead silent for a full second. It felt like years to me. Then four voices shouted out at once:

"Nessie, of course not!"

"Don't be ridiculous!"

"No!"

"Renesmee, you are not going to die."

She shakily put her hand to my neck, showing me a picture of all of our faces, worried. She especially showed Jacob's face, because he looked like we'd all gone into cardiac arrest.

"We're just concerned. This is your first time being sick, correct?" Edward asked.

"Yes," she confirmed.

"That's right. Since you haven't been sick before, we want to know all of the details. We have no idea how you are feeling right now. We're just worried, that's all. We love you so much," Edward said soothingly.

I handed her off to him and took a deep breath. "I think it's a good idea if I try to contact Nahuel. Maybe he has some advice." With that, I zoomed to the computer and logged into my email account to search for his name. There was only one match, and I prayed it was Nahuel.

Dear Nahuel:

This is Bella Cullen, Renesmee's mother. I'm contacting you because she's sick. It came on suddenly, and she says she feels nauseated and cold. I wonder if she caught something with all the vampires here these past few days. Is it normal for half bloods to get sick like humans and recover? Or is this something we should be worried about? Please email back as quickly as you can. Thank you so much. –Bella

I was surprised when I got a response within five minutes.

Bella:

Yes, it is what you would call "normal" for half bloods to get ill. Being half human, we are susceptible to sickness, but the vampire blood also means that getting sick only happens once in a blue moon. Your symptoms sound like a case of the flu. Don't worry—I have come down with much worse. Just feed her some blood—the best antidote—and make sure she's warm and comfortable. You're welcome.

—N.

I sighed, very much relieved and yet not so at all, and went back to the living room. Edward, Renesmee, and Jacob were all gone. Rosalie glanced up. "They went to the cottage to put her to bed." She was stiff with anxiety.

"Thanks," I breathed, and flew out of the house, making what I believe was a spectacular jump across the river before flying between snow-covered trees to our front door.

Jacob was pacing, in wolf form, back and forth in front of the cottage, creating a snow-free line. I assumed Edward had not let Jake in because I knew my friend would be in there if he had the chance. His hackles were raised in worry. He was stressed; even without Jasper's power I could tell that much.

"It's only a case of the flu, Jake. Haven't you ever been sick before?" I tried to keep my tone lighthearted but it came out as a strangled mess.

He grunted, not giving me a specific answer, so I left him and went inside, darting to my daughter's room at once.

Renesmee's ivory skin was paler than usual, and the rosy blush on her cheeks was now a flaming scarlet. She lay, in a burrito of blankets, in her wrought-iron crib.

Edward glanced over at me with a fatherly worry in his golden eyes and I told him what Nahuel had suggested.

"Even so, I'm going to call Carlisle to warn him." And he whipped out his cell phone and had dialed before half a second had even passed.

I could hear it ringing. "Hello? Carlisle? I'm so sorry to interrupt, but Renesmee's come down with the flu. No, it's nothing serious according to Nahuel—Bella spoke to him. He said to give her blood and to keep her comfortable; pretty much what you would do with a normal human…" He paused as Carlisle spoke quietly into the phone. "I can handle this, yes. You and Esme, Alice and Jasper take as long as you like." He said this to be polite, but I could tell by the look on his face that he, in fact, did want them to hurry. "Thank you."

He looked at me. "What do you think it is? Could it just be stress?"

I strode over to his side and hugged him tightly. "She's just got the flu," I repeated, more for myself than for him. "You and I are worried because she's our daughter, and Jacob…"

"Let's not worry about him right now," he muttered. "I'm going to get some blood for her. Will you stay—?"

"Of course," I replied immediately, darting to the crib. My daughter's wide brown eyes were half closed and had a glazed look. Edward sighed and blew out of the room. "How are you feeling, Ness?" My voice had withered to a whisper.

She lifted a hand—hotter than usual with her fever—and I leaned down so it touched my neck. She showed me a raging fire and a thermometer that read well over two hundred degrees. With that came a huge surge of nausea.

"Oh, Nessie. I'm sorry…" I said, patting her cheek. She immediately sighed. Her little hand, still planted firmly on my neck, projected an ice cube against a fire, and a feeling of deep refreshment washed over the image.

I put my hand back on her cheek and she grabbed it, holding it there and sighing deeply. Renesmee was just falling asleep when Edward was suddenly at the doorway with a bottle of blood.

"Our skin feels good to her," I murmured.

"Mm. She's very grateful for it."

Of course Edward would be on top of whatever she was thinking.

He knelt over Renesmee's crib and her eyes opened at the smell of blood. Edward smiled my favorite smile and laughed. "Of course, Ness." He handed her the bottle and she sucked greedily on it.

It took a minute, but the color began to return to her ivory skin, and the scarlet flames on her cheeks gently receded to her normal rosy glow. She smiled, and her milk-white teeth gleamed.

It was exactly what had happened to me when I had tried blood during my pregnancy. Blood strengthened her.

Her hand shot up with renewed energy and touched my arm. I laughed when I saw her thoughts. She felt as strong as Emmett.

Edward chuckled quietly. "So… do you feel better? Ah. Just cry out anytime you need us… you need your sleep right now." He glanced over at me and mouthed, She'll be okay, before leaning down and kissing her lightly on the forehead. She let go of me and wrapped her arms around his messy bronze hair—a perfect match to her own. The braid Alice had twined in her hair fell loose and began to become unraveled, but Edward snatched it up and quickly retied it.

In better spirits, I exited Renesmee's room. Looking out the window, I could see Jacob shaking violently, his bushy tail sticking straight out and his ears flattened against his skull.

"Jake!" I called, shutting the door behind me and darting to his side. His wide eyes bored into mine and he whined softly. "It's all right! Sh." I calmed him—or at least tried to—by gently stroking his thick russet fur. "Blood is the antidote… we gave her some and she feels so much better. She just needs to rest. You should see her now."

His sigh of relief was more than audible, and he quickly phased back into a regular, buff guy with torn up shorts. "Is she in her room?" he asked, pushing past me with urgency and not waiting for an answer.

I couldn't restrain a bell-like giggle. "Whoa, there," I called after him as he went into our cottage. I followed him, ready to defend my friend if Edward questioned him.

"Wolf," Edward said, drawing out the word. As I once again came into Renesmee's room, I saw the last millisecond of Edward's sigh. "I thought I told you that you shouldn't come in."

Jacob glanced pointedly at him and Edward looked at me. "Alright." He wasn't as angry and irritated at Jacob as he used to be. They shared a common goal: Keep Renesmee safe. And they both loved her.

Renesmee's cheeks flushed again when she saw Jacob and she let out a little giggle. "Jake! Jacob!" she called, drawing him instantly to her. He smiled broadly, showing all of his white teeth.

"You look miles better, Nessie. Is it the blood?"

She put her hand to his cheek and Jacob's eyes glazed over as he watched what she projected.

"I'm going back to the house, like I said before," I said, touching Edward's arm. "This will pass quickly, it seems, and I'm sure everyone will want to know about it."

"Bella…" he murmured, hugging me tightly. "I love you."

"You know I do as well," I replied, meaningfully, and danced out the door.

The two-second spring over the rushing river water cleared my head enough to put a reassured look on my face.

Rosalie was waiting for me in the middle of the yard. "Renesmee—?" she asked.

"Is doing fine," I assured her. "The blood rejuvenated her as it did me."

Rose smiled affectionately. "More vampire than human, huh?"

I returned the grin. "Definitely." And that was for the best, undoubtedly. I would never want to contaminate her perfection with any more of my mortal genes.

Emmett clicked off the TV with a huge grin on his face as Rosalie and I entered. "Texas won, babe," he said teasingly, elbowing Rose.

"Ugh," she grumbled, rolling her eyes. "Why is it never Boise State?"

"'Cause they suck." And Rosalie punched him so hard it sounded like a boulder snapping in half.

I chuckled, watching the two soul mates. I remembered, in one of my dim human memories, someone telling me that everyone expected Rosalie and Edward to be together. That was, until Rosalie met Emmett, and fate took its course.

"Hey, Emmett," I said, reminiscing. "We never did do that rematch…"

"Rematch? What—oh yeah." He grinned. "I did say I wanted one, didn't I?" He patted Rosalie's arm. "Don't worry. This time, my baby sister's dead meat." And his biceps flexed, enforcing his words. "We'll have to find a new boulder, though. You probably learned I don't like to lose." He led Rose and me outside to another enormous rock—twice the size of its predecessor—and set his elbow down, winking at me. He was already confident that he would win.

"Like I said, I don't wear off that quickly," I told him again, although it had been months, setting my elbow in place. "Three, two, one… go!"

Our hands met with the force of a train going well over seventy miles per hour. Once again, I was thrilled with the feeling of the raw energy that flowed through me. It helped release some of the tension my daughter's sickness had forced upon me. I decided to play with him, putting on a mask of effort and letting him push my hand almost all the way down. Then I grinned, said, "Sorry," and flexed—hard. His hand flew back and nearly smashed against the boulder, but he caught me at the last second. We struggled for a fraction of a second before I finally triumphed. His fist pulverized the rock, and cracks spider webbed from the point of impact.

"You lose."

Rosalie smiled, putting on a sympathizing face for her furious lover. I heard laughing—but it wasn't ours. Carlisle, Esme, Alice and Jasper launched themselves in synchronization across the river. Alice's thin face was lit up with a wide grin, complimenting the eight-color rainbow that it produced.

Esme landed first with a soft thump, and then Carlisle. He darted over to me. "How's Nessie?" he asked while Alice and Jasper went over to talk to Emmett and Rosalie. Jasper was smirking smugly at Emmett, clearly enjoying his frustration.

"The blood clearly helps. It did the same thing to her that it did to me when I was pregnant," I informed him. "It's nothing to get worked up over… though I do still worry."

"Good. We'll keep her under observation." He smiled, and I blinked. It was like looking straight into the shining sun.

Esme squeezed my shoulder. "I was worried it was something serious," she breathed. "My only granddaughter…" I felt a brief moment of surprise, as no normal person would ever view Esme—Esme—as a grandmother.

Alice, who had been talking with a now golden-eyed Jasper, gave him a quick hug and turned to me, eyeing my clothing again. "So… Nessie's okay?"

"More or less, I suppose."

"Bella. I can't read people's minds, remember? I need detail. Answers. And I'm so pissed that I couldn't see this coming!"

"Last I checked, she felt like she was improving," I said, rolling my eyes. "It seems was just a brief bout of some human disease—or even nausea. The blood cured it quickly, whatever it was."

And then we heard the blood-curdling scream.