Author's Note: I wrote a story called "She Has Your Eyes," which is an alternate version of Bella's transformation where Edward actually talks to her and pours out all his thoughts, fears, memories, hopes and love. One of my fanfic friends, Juliejuliejulie, suggested that other members of the family might also spend time with Bella while she transformed. Stephenie Meyer created the characters and the situation. I did the rest.


"You might as well come in," Edward said, as I hovered outside the door. Of course, he heard me.

"I want to talk to Bella." Not that he didn't know, but I wanted to state my request directly.

"Do you want me to leave?"

I didn't expect that. I thought he would refuse to let me speak to her or he'd at least insist on remaining. "Would you?" I blurted out.

"If that's what you want," he replied. "I know, I used to protect her from the family, and especially from you, Rosalie. I could have killed her many times over, and I'm sure you remember Jasper came close, but she was really only afraid of you. "

I opened my mouth to protest, defend myself, say something, but he shook his head.

"I can't do that anymore," he said. "Protect her? You had to protect her from me! I owe you, Rose, for making a better, harder choice than I did. Besides, she's a Cullen now. What she did, what the two of you did, made us more of a family than ever before. You don't sit in when I talk to Emmett, and I'm not going to put myself in between you and Bella. Those days are over."

"I didn't do anything. Only what she asked me. It's what the two of you did that made all this happen. And I don't mean, you know, the honeymoon. I mean you loved each other despite every possible obstacle, including myself."

He laughed quietly. "Don't flatter yourself, Rose," he said. "We all know the biggest obstacle to my relationship with Bella was me."

"Well, I didn't make it any easier for you."

"Well, I never expected you to." We smiled at each other. We'd been brother and sister for a very long time.

"Anyway, I don't want you to leave. I was just surprised that you offered." He nodded. I supposed he could hear that I was sincere. "What I have to say, you might as well hear it too." He stood up and went to lean against the wall. I sat down beside Bella's motionless body. I spent a few moments just looking at her. Then I took a deep breath and began.

"Bella, it's me. It's your sister. Rosalie. Edward's still here. He said I could talk to you for a little while. There are some things I need to tell you. I don't know if you can hear me. I'll probably have to say everything again when you're awake. I don't mind. This will be practice for me. Some of these things are hard for me to say. Since Edward's hearing it all, he can keep me honest." I heard him chuckle.

"Being here with you makes me remember my own change. So different from yours. I screamed in pain. It was torture. I couldn't stop screaming. You're so still, so quiet. I hope it's not hurting you. You know, Bella, if things had happened differently, I would be jealous of you right now. I'd be thinking, why is she always the lucky one? But I don't feel that way anymore. I'm glad that you don't have to suffer. You've suffered so much, too much already.

"Carlisle and Esme and Edward tried to talk to me during my transformation. They tried to explain, but I didn't understand. I was changing into something terrifying and unknown. Edward was upset by what Carlisle had done. I could hear it in his voice. I was starting a strange life, with strangers. I didn't want it. I just wanted everything to end. The pain and the memories. The last thing that happened to me as a human was an attack by someone I trusted. Someone who I thought cared about me.

"You already know what is happening. You chose this future. You're joining people who know you, a family who loves you. The last thing that happened to you was the birth of a miracle baby. Edward's child. My brother is a father. How can that be? It's all because of you. You are changing now, but you have already changed our family so much. We were the same for decades. We moved here and there, but we were exactly the same all the time. We couldn't change. We couldn't even imagine change. Our change had already happened. It was over, and there was no more possibility. Change, decay, birth, growth are for humans, not our kind.

"Bella, I have a lot to apologize to you for. I had no use for you. I thought you were nothing. I thought Edward was crazy to care for a human. I thought he'd get bored. I thought he'd get careless and hurt you, even kill you." I could hear Edward was growling at me, but I ignored him and kept going. "And that bothered me because I didn't want to have to move. God, I was selfish! I thought you were plain. I was wrong about everything. You're beautiful, Bella. Even before you change into one of us. I see it when you and Edward are together. I know it, because how else could you give birth to such a beautiful daughter? But you're more than that. You're beautiful inside." I sensed Edward relaxing. I shot him a quick glare. Did he think I came up here in order to insult his wife? I cleared my throat and continued.

"I think I knew it all along. If I had thought about it, but I didn't want to. I wanted to think that if Edward had no interest in me, he would never be interested in any woman. I should have realized that the woman who could captivate my brother would have to be very special. If he cared about the surface, he would have fallen in love with me. He cares about what's beneath the surface, and that's why he didn't fall in love with me. He was waiting for you. All of us were, because now our family is truly complete.

"I'm ashamed of the way I was. The only difficult thing I ever had to do was accept that Carlisle had saved me instead of letting those miserable excuses for men kill me. And yet I wouldn't do it. I spent decades not accepting it. You've had to endure so much, risk so much, ever since you met us. And you did it all and came back for more. I know you were willing to give up your own life for your baby. You did give up your life for her.

"I just didn't know how to feel good about myself unless I was comparing myself with someone else. Favorably, of course. Making them feel jealous made me feel superior, which meant I was worth something. Now I can see that was wrong. I'm not sure if I can explain. I still like looking at myself in the mirror. That hasn't changed. But being beautiful used to be the only thing I had going for me. I was beautiful, and I was a good wife to Emmett.

"Now I feel like maybe I can be more than that. I feel that I could have a real part to play in the family. I can help take care of Renesmee. I can love her. I can help bring her up. I can be a better daughter to Carlisle because I'm not angry at him for what he did anymore. I can be a good sister to Edward because I'm not trying to make him notice me. And I will be a good sister to you, because you're the reason for all of it."

I looked at Edward, trying to gauge his reaction.

"You are a good sister to me," he said gently. "Rose, I think there's something I should have said to you a long time ago. Everything you're accusing yourself of regarding Bella, that's how I treated you. I was unhappy when Carlisle changed you, because of the risk and inconvenience. Not because I had any real concern for you. I didn't make you feel welcome into the family. On the contrary, I was very resistant. So you and I are more alike than you think. I'm sorry for everything I put you through back then. Sometimes you know right away, like with you and Emmett or Bella and me. Sometimes it takes time, like with you and me or you and Bella. But we have plenty of time, right? We'll get there in the end."

"We will." I smiled at him.

He was looking at me intently. His voice was fervent. "Rosalie, I'm so grate—" I cut him off.

"You don't have to say it." He could get so emotional. It really wasn't my cup of tea. Which he knew.

"You can read my mind now?" His tone had changed to wry. A lot easier to take.

"I don't know. It's like the three of us went through a battle together. You, me and Bella. And we didn't all have the same information. But we were always on the same side."

"I was such an idiot," he moaned.

"You're a man, that's all." He laughed. "It was natural for you to worry."

"Worry!" he repeated, shaking his head. "I was out of my mind. I was completely unhinged. Until I heard the baby…."

"That's how men are," I said sagely.

"Are you trying to tell me my behavior, my insanity was normal?" He looked incredulous.

"Yeah, how could that be when you're so special," I said sardonically. "Seriously, yes. I read some pregnancy websites, you know. Lots of fathers feel like there's an alien taking over their wife's body and she'll never be the same." He was still staring at me in disbelief. "They don't feel any connection with the baby until they feel it kick or sometimes even until they hold it."

"Wow," he marveled.

"So you see, you were just a typical expectant father."

He laughed again, sounding more relaxed than he'd been since his wedding. "Rosalie, I will never believe that, but I really appreciate the reassurance."

Suddenly both of our heads turned toward the door. "Renesmee's starting to wake up," he said. I nodded. "Will you please take care of her for us?"

I smiled. "Thank you, Edward." I reached over and placed my hand on top of Bella's for a moment. "Thank you, Bella."

I was already downstairs, but of course I could hear his answer. "Thank you, Rosalie."


Author's Note: I never expected to write anything from Rosalie's POV, and it was very interesting to try to see Edward through her eyes. I think she thinks he's not very manly! I'd love to hear what YOU think-- please review! And please check out "She Has Your Eyes" if you haven't already.