Author's Note: I'm not Stephenie Meyer.:( So none of these characters belong to me!
Age 2:
Outsiders couldn't possible understand. I didn't have a choice in the matter; it was magnetic. My pull to Claire wasn't inappropriate or creepy, I just wanted the best for her. Her safety and happiness is the only concern that I have in life.
Telling her parents about the imprinting was an interesting experience. It took them a long time to accept it as fate, and to realize I would never—COULD never—do anything to harm her in any way. Those several weeks that I could barely see her were the worst torture I could ever possibly endure. Imagine being locked away in a room with no windows, no light, no food, no water. That was my life without her—completely devoid of all meaning.
As Claire slept quietly in my arms, I could feel her tiny torso expand and contract with each breath. I stroked her glossy black hair as she sucked her thumb on one hand, and then reached out and held onto my arm with the other. I smiled, knowing that at this moment, she was perfectly safe.