Nightmares
I dreamed that night about Edward being the ideal father for our child. It felt so real. For the first time, I saw our daughter Elizabeth Marie. I'd stolen Edward's mother's name from my subconscious and apparently used it now alongside my middle name.
Edward always smiled at her, showering her in kisses. Never once did this paragon shy away from her. Her tiny miniscule nub like fingers wrapped around Edward's perfect finger. As he cradled her in his arms she seemed perfectly apt to his temperature difference, holding fast to him as he sung her my lullaby.
Once I'd gotten close enough to the two her eyes; they were a deathly red color. Immediately, I took at a step back breaking into a cold sweat. They'd brought back frightening memories; Jane suddenly materialized into the room like fine dust.
"Hello," she said in her inky tenor dripping like bitter, cold ice water into my blood, sort of like Chinese water torture.
"I decided to stop for a visit." Her visage at once turned into speechless shock then into the remorseless humor.
"Is that a baby?" Her voice echoed in excitement. She continued, "Aro will be so pleased with my new plunder. I hope you don't mind." Her voice rang again.
Knowing that I would she'd given me a harsh smile, her eyebrows fixed in a grim furrow, but her eyes…they matched Elizabeth Marie's, a glistening reddish-purple that turned my stomach. She stood in front of the rocking chair. Edward sat completely unaware of her presence, singing to our precious baby.
She gathered Elizabeth Marie in her arms roughly and shattered the window on the southern wall of our room; I watched my child protest in her arms. As she jumped out Edward still rocked, singing to no one in his arms. His voice grew louder, echoing and clouding my mind with only his sweet serenade.
The scene was one of evil but Edward's lively vim threw the outlook off. My burst of tears stopped, my heart was satisfied playing along with the peace, with this on going horror, and Jane's shrill laughter at my pain. It wasn't right. I knew it wasn't right. I could feel the blood-curdling scream of pain building in my chest. I curled up in a ball on the floor afraid to move. I'd just lost my one and only daughter.
"Have a pleasant evening," she said with a final bound. My daughter cried and cried until I heard her desperation no more.
My body shook and turned cold then flaccid. I felt my heart rend at the pain ripping throughout my body.
I gasped, my eyes fluttering open. My chest heaved furiously. I could hear the sound of my heart pounding deafeningly in my ears. I rolled over. A pair of cold arms caught me as I almost tumbled off of the bed. The image of Jane disappeared and the sound of my weeping, frightened baby ceased. Edward hovered over me smoothing my hair with a frighteningly freezing hand. I shot up searching. He pushed me back down. I stared into the horror struck eyes of my husband.
"Edward, w-where is she? Where did Jane take her?"
He looked at me perplexed, shaking his head in confusion.
Elizabeth Marie had to be real. It couldn't have all been a dream. My mind rebelled against the truth. I couldn't let her go.
"Edward, I have to find her!" I shouted. He clamped a hand over my mouth as his arms wrapped securely around my waist. I fought Edward's arms. They held me fast to his rock hard body. His lips were next to my ear. His cold breath caused me to shiver. My baby. I had to find my baby, I thought frantically, thrashing.
"Please," I begged as slow tears of anguish ran down my cheeks. My arms grew limp with exhaustion. Edward took his hand off of my mouth, staring at me even more frightened. "I have to find her," I said brokenly looking into Edward's eyes.
His expression suddenly turned to one of compassion. "Bella, it's okay. Calm down," he said in a terrified whisper. "It's okay."
I cried, sobbing painfully into his chest. "She's gone! Isn't she?" My baby.
He didn't respond he only held me, and I wished he would never let go.
Something broke inside me, snapped, and the tears wouldn't stop.
"Shh, my love. I'm here. I'm right here," Edward comforted me simply with the sound of his voice.
He held me in his arms and rocked me tenderly, whispered sweet, soothing endearments that assuaged the pain. He started to hum quietly, my lullaby, which eased a perfect picture of him and my baby back into my mind. His now cool hands swept across the planes of my cheeks brushing away the hot tears. I stared fervently into his soft gold eyes. They rested on me with worry.
"Who's gone?" he asked in a hushed whisper.
"Eliz—" I looked away for only a moment. It wasn't that I didn't want to tell him; I didn't want to hurt him with the impossible. I knew having a child between the both of us could never happen. So, I couldn't bear to tell him about the sweet baby in my dreams.
"Bella, who were you talking about?"
He touched my face; I turned toward him.
"Isabella?"
"I-I don't want to talk about it. Please, Edward." I was kind of dazed and dizzy suddenly. I buried my face into his damp shirt.
I closed my eyes and was silent listening to Edward's hollow breathing. Jane's grim face flashed into my mind. I held Edward tighter, my face pressed against his chest, depicting Elizabeth Marie again and in Edward's arms. Safe.
I relaxed; his hands were rubbing my back and arms.
"I don't think I can sleep any more," I said, face still hidden in his soiled black shirt.
The lights flickered on. Edward's cool hand lifted my chin. I stared into his blazing gold eyes. He kissed me gently at first, and then with vehement, both of his hands positioned on my cheeks. My heart soared. The kiss was with passion but also with concern and I felt guilty for not telling him the entire truth.
"Maybe we should get out of the house for a little bit," he suggested, his voice warm and velvety.
I nodded in consent.
I dressed quickly in my blue sweater and jeans, ready to leave the house. Edward held my hand then abruptly pulled me up into his arms. He wanted to be alone.
We took off and fled into the encroaching forest.
