Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns 'Twilight', 'New Moon', and all characters.
A/N: I pretty much just got sick of waiting for the next books to come out. Takes place about two years after 'New Moon'. No plot, really.
Bella sat on the leather sofa that sat in the room she had shared with Edward for the last six months. The bedroom hadn't changed much; it had the same sofa, one of the walls was still covered completely with CD's, and there was still no bed. Now, however, there was a picture of Renee on a table next to the sofa, as well as Bella's photo album and her Forks High School yearbook, which all of Bella's friends had signed.
Bella remembered the last day of high school very well. She had gone to Graduation with Edward and Alice, done the group-hug thing, and went back to Charlie's house with her family (including Renee, who had flown into Washington to witness her daughter's graduation) and Edward. They had had cake and ice cream, and then Bella and Edward had gone back to the Cullen residence. They had a wedding to continue planning.
Edward had told Bella and his families when Bella had given him a definite answer on his proposal, a month after he had asked her. Charlie had, understandably, been furious, but Bella had somehow talked him around to the idea. Renee had also thrown a fit; her reaction was just as Bella had anticipated. After a while, however, both of Bella's parents had backed down off of their arguments. Apparently, they realized that since she was eighteen Bella was old enough to make decisions such as marriage on her own, and they found it simpler just to give the couple their blessing (although Charlie was known for telling Bella that she didn't have to go through with it). Edward's family was, predictably, overjoyed at the news. Even Rosalie had congratulated them.
The wedding was scheduled for July 27, almost two months after graduation and a month or so before Bella and the youngest Cullens started college (community college, as Bella continuously grumbled, though Edward didn't seem to mind). Bella and Edward already knew that it was going to be a small wedding, with only family and very close friends invited, and held in the late afternoon. Alice was Bella's maid-of-honor, and Charlie, of course, would be giving Bella away. Emmett was Edward's best man. Bella also knew which dress she was wearing; she, along with Alice and Rosalie, had picked out a beautiful (and pricy) wedding dress. That little shopping spree had been the first time Bella and Rosalie had really spent time together; Alice had given them plenty of space so that they could talk. Bella found that when she wasn't being a snob, Rosalie was actually a great person to be around.
The wedding itself was beautiful. The ceremony went perfectly (no accidents or deaths) and Jacob Black even showed up to congratulate her, although Billy didn't, understandably. The Cullens, Bella now included, headed back back to their house; Bella had moved in with them as of that morning.
Two days later, Bella had reminded Edward of his promise to her, although by the look on his face, he didn't need the reminder.
FLASHBACK
"I know I promised, Bella," Edward said, gritting his teeth slightly, "but I don't see how I can do it without killing you. I don't know if I can control myself."
Bella frowned at him then. "Edward, you've done it once before already. I honestly don't see how we're going to be married if we're not equals. It isn't fair." Edward was obviously still worried. He sighed.
"I went through two days of agony when I was changed. You think you can handle that?" Bella shivered slightly. She remembered the pain she had felt in her hand when she had been bitten. She had been screaming after only a few minutes; how was she going to deal with forty-eight hours ofthat kind of torture? Then she thought of the outcome: two days of gut-wrenching pain in order to have a few hundred years of bliss with Edward? Easy decision.
Bella nodded. "I can handle it." Edward glanced at her skeptically, and continued to look nervous.
Edward closed his eyes, then nodded and opened them. He looked at Bella, and she saw that he was scared for her. She slowly raised her hand to touch his face carefully, and he let her touch him, almost nuzzling her palm. He left the room after a moment to tell his family what he was up to.
He came back into their bedroom a few moments later, looking like he had just been told that Christmas was going to be cancelled for the rest of eternity. Bella stood up straight, and followed Edward to where he was beckoning her on the sofa. They sat down and Edward sighed heavily again.
"Are you ready for this?" he asked her warily. Bella bit he lip and nodded, once.
"You need to stay in here until it's finished. I'll just bite you on the arm. Then I'll stay with you. The entire time, I promise." Bella was grateful to hear that; she knew that this was a difficult on Edward has it was on her.
Bella nodded again, not really trusting herself to say anything. She tried not to let the terror and excitement show on her face too much. Edward nodded also.
"I love you," he whispered softly to her. Then he carefully lifted her arm and bit her.
It was two or three minutes before she experienced real agony. She bit back her screams, knowing that it would be worse for Edward if she didn't. She simply cried, sobbing every once in a while. She forced herself to stop feeling the pain a while after that, focusing only on thoughts about the life she would soon share with Edward.
She remembered very little of those two days, the pain was so intense. She vaguely recalled Carlisle coming into the room to see how she was progressing. Alice also came in a few times, simply for moral support.
Bella felt the pain go away almost suddenly two days after she was bitten. The first thing she notices was that she was not tired at all, though she knew that after all of that pain she should probably be exhausted. She noticed that her body was tense, almost like a spring waiting to uncoil. She saw that she didn't need to breathe. She felt very alive. She had a mad craving as well.
Suddenly she heard an angelic voice next to her. "Bella?"
Bella turned her head, feeling a little disoriented. She saw Edward sitting next to her, looking at her apprehensively. Bella smiled.
"I'm fine Edward. Stuff is just . . . a little fuzzy."
Edward smiled knowingly and nodded. I remember the feeling. It goes away in a few hours. How the hunger?" he asked.
"I'm dying, I swear." Edward smirked.
"No, that's been going on for a few days now. Now you're just craving blood." Bella chuckled slightly at his lame joke—although it spooked her little to fully acknowledge the fact that for the past couple of days, her body had been dying.
"Emmett went and got you some blood. It isn't fresh, but it's better than having you attack some poor human." Edward got up and left. Bella got up as well, heading for the mirror on the back of the door.
She gasped when she saw her own reflection. She seemed paler somehow. Her eyes were a deep red color. Overall, she appeared . . . more beautiful. Not as gorgeous as Rosalie, of course, but better-looking somehow.
Edward came back into their bedroom, carrying a mug of red liquid.
"Here. Bear," he added with a grin. Bella smiled; she should have known. Emmett was, after all, the one who went and got it for her. Bella thought for a minute, then decided to ask him something that had been bothering her for the last few minutes.
"Are you still in love with me? Now that I've changed, I mean." Bella stared up at him.
"Of course, Bella," Edward said, staring at her as if she was insane.
Bella heard a voice that was exactly like Edward's. What kind of stupid question is that? As if I could stop loving her It sounded just like Edward's voice . . . but his mouth hadn't moved. I must have gone insane when I became a vampire, Bella thought. She shook her head slightly.
Is she okay? She looks a little weird . . .
"I don't look weird," Bella muttered. Edward looked down at her, surprised.
"I didn't say you did, Bella."
Bella looked at him closely. "Yes you did. I just heard you."
Is she losing it? Maybe I should go get Carlisle. Bella watched this time. His mouth hadnot moved.
"Okay, this is freaky," she said, looking around wildly. She then heard a voice like Alice's, wondering if it was too soon to come upstairs to check on her. Another voice sounded in her ears that sounded like Rosalie's, debating over how to fix her hair. She looked at Edward, scared now.
'Edward, this is really weird. I can hear everyone."
Edward's eyes became as round as dinner plates.
"Good Lord, Bella. You can hear thoughts!" he exclaimed. Then his eyes narrowed. "Wait a minute. Why can you hear my thought but I can't hear yours? That's not exactly fair . . ." he muttered to himself.
"Why can I hear voices at all?" Bella asked him. Edward shrugged.
Both Edward and Bella turned their heads toward the door when it opened. Alice walked in, grinning at Bella.
"Are you okay?" Alice asked. Whoa, she looks a little queasy. Better back off . . .
"I'm not gonna be sick," Bella snapped. Alice raised her eyebrows.
"Apparently, Bella can now read minds," Edward offered. Alice's eyebrows shot up even farther. She grinned after a moment.
"Nice," she said. Bella gave her a look. Alice shrugged.
"Hey, could you maybe let me know what Jazz is thinking from time to time? My darling brother over here refuses to let me in," Alice said, throwing a dirty look at Edward.
"It isn't fair to him," Edward said, sighing. Bella rolled her eyes and smiled slightly as Alice opened her mouth to argue with her sibling.
A/N: Read and review, please! Sorry about the lack of creativity involved in Bella's "power" lol.
