This is my first attempt at a fic, more chapters to come. Big thanks to my wonderful beta - ElectricEvie!
Oh and I don't own Twilight.
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Prologue
I lay in a daze on the bed. My eyes still closed to the world. The drugs must still in my system. I recalled I'd begged enough for them. My hearing came back slowly, as if someone was turning up the volume on a stereo notch by notch.... I could hear voices, maybe it was the TV. They became clearer and clearer as I opened my eyes. I saw my father before me, grinning like a Cheshire Cat.
"Bella? Can you hear me sweetheart? Bella?" he asked, turning to face my mother and exclaimed "Look, she's finally awake! Bella? How do you feel?
That grin was still permanently placed on his face. I'd not seen him so happy in, well ever. My Dad wasn't great with emotions, unless his favorite team won or he caught a particularly impressive fish.
I turned to see my Mom, who gazed at me adoringly, stroking my hair "Bella honey, you did so good, we're so proud of you" The tears in her eyes were evident, tears of joy and elation.
There were my parents. In the same room as each other in more than 20 years. They rarely spoke on the phone and all of a sudden here they are. Together. Charlie & Renee together. It was hardly believable. Wait a minute. Where am I? Why am I here? The stark realization as to why, hit me like a tonne of bricks
My mouth felt dry, I coughed and spluttered trying to get the words out, but I couldn't. I was desperate to communicate. I became almost panicked in my execution to speak.
For some bizarre reason, my parents were calm in comparison. "Here honey, drink some water, you must be exhausted" My Mom handed me a plastic tumbler. I couldn't drink it fast enough. It wasn't enough, I felt my thirst wasn't even partially quenched.
My words came out in a barely audible whisper, "Where's.... where's". I cleared my throat to try and repeat myself
"Sshh Bella, it's fine, everything's okay" My Mom cooed. "You're at Forks General Hospital. I just can't believe you made it. They were really concerned at first, you lost a lot of blood, I've taken extended leave from work to help you out, you're going to need it" She smiled and stroked my cheek. I felt content for the first time in this past few minutes. As I closed my eyes, a wave of emotion fell over me. "Oh honey, don't cry. Everything will be fine" she continued
My Dad, feeling that now was not the time to intrude on mother-daughter time stood up from his chair. "I'm going to go and get a drink, leave you ladies to it. Really proud of you Bells" he winked at me, which made me smile weakly. He looked at my Mom "Renee, do you need anything?"
"No thanks Charlie, I'm fine" she replied. It was lovely to see them getting along. That in itself caused yet even more emotion to flood out of my frail tiny body, lying awkwardly in a hospital bed, watching my Father walk away. No, not walk, skip. My Dad skipped out of a hospital ward. Man, he must be really happy, I thought.
My Mom stood up and turned to a white cot on the left hand side of my bed and took out a small bundle, wrapped in a white towel. She grinned as she handed me, what would be, the absolute love of my life for the rest of my eternity.
"Bella, I'd like you to meet your daughter" My Mom beamed. "She was born at 5.38am, weighed 7lbs 2oz and she looks just like you did when you were born"
I stared at the crumpled face of a baby, all dark hair and fragility. I always wondered how people thought newborn babies were cute. To me, they always looked like ET. However this one, this baby, my baby, who had lived inside me for 9 months, 9 very long and arduous months, this one was special. She wasn't just cute. She was beautiful. I found my eyes filling with tears as I gazed upon the face of my creation. A daughter. A beautiful baby girl. My baby.
During those 9 months, I'd longed for this day. The day of release. My pregnancy had not been particularly easy. She made up for all the pain, all the sickness, all the pre-natal visits.
My Mom broke the beautiful silence "Have you thought of any names?" I could tell already just by her gaze towards my baby; she was in absolute love with her grand-daughter.
"I thought of a few.... I really like Charlotte or Emily or Eleanor, after Grandma" I replied "But I think Jacob has his own ideas, he wants to name her Sarah, after his mother" I sighed. I wasn't against the name Sarah, but it felt a bit old-fashioned. Jacob had explained that it meant "Princess" in Hebrew, and that if we had a girl, she'd be his princess. Still, as he wasn't here, I stubbornly told myself, it wasn't his decision to make.
"Charlotte is nice, she suits Charlotte" Mom replied, still gazing adoringly at my baby.
"Yeah" I replied "She does look like an Charlotte. Charlotte Renee has a lovely ring to it" I could tell from that instant, that my Mom was ecstatic.
"Oh Bella, that's just wonderful!" she threw her arms around me, minding carefully not to hit the sleeping babe in my hold. "I'm so touched, I mean I never expected you to name her after me" My lovely scatterbrained mother obviously didn't realize that Charlotte was a female variation of Charlie, I let her hold on to her happiness, I was sure she would figure it out.
My baby.
Charlotte.
Charlotte Renee.
Charlotte Renee Black.
Sarah Renee Black.
I felt my heart change course. As much as I despised Jacob right now, could I really deny him the opportunity to name his daughter after his deceased mother? Sarah wasn't an awful name, At least it wasn't Mavis. I chuckled to myself. I looked at my daughter and imagined her wedding day....
Do you, Charlotte Renee Black
Do you Sarah Renee Black
I decided to let her, my precious baby, decide. As I repeated each name over and over in my mind, I watched for a sign. A message from her that whatever she moved, or blinked, or wiggled at, that would be her name. A brief yawn from the tired bundle of joy told me everything I needed to know.
I looked around my ward, at all the other women, surrounded by family and friends, talking, laughing. Women with their husbands and boyfriends near them, enjoying the precious moment.
I felt a prickle of heat and a sting in my eyes. Where was my husband and why wasn't he here for the birth of our child?
Welcome to the world Sarah Renee Black.
