Chapter Three - Namesake
I met up with Emmett. He had gone beyond being bored, but it changed to excitement when I filled him in on the plan. Our first stop was the facility where my great niece was under lock and key. My cell phone rang when we pulled into a parking lot across the street.
It was Alice of course. She asked me what the heck I was doing. I explained everything. When I finished, she was silent for several minutes. I waited as I thought she might be having another vision.
"And just when I thought you had no humanity," Alice said softly, "You go and do something so wonderful...for a human."
"Oh stop Alice," I began, "I need to get into see her and I was thinking the service entrance."
"Don't go that way," she said mechanically and then brightened, "Go up the fire escape it goes right by her window, and that is how you will get her out tonight. She is so pretty Rose. I can't believe she was in an accident."
"Focus Alice," I warned.
"Oh sorry," she replied, "Wait 10 minutes because there is a nurse with her now and the system password is PTC4588. And tonight go in at one twenty. Have Emmett bring a can of gas because you will have to use an ambulance. She will not do well in your car or you carrying her. Ambulance 54 is parked near the bottom of the fire escape. They think it broke down but it's only out of gas."
"Is that everything?" I asked.
"No, one more thing when you get a few blocks away pull the low jack," Alice said quickly, "I can't believe they have low jack on an ambulance what is this world coming to."
"Thanks Alice," I said sincerely, "You're the best."
She said, "I know" and then she was gone.
We waited the ten minutes and were able to slip into her room unnoticed. Emmett went with me; he had had enough boredom for the day. Alice was right she was lovely. My namesake looked like a sleeping angel. Emmett said that she looked like how he had imagined I looked in my human life. I told him he was just about right.
I checked her medical files on the computer that was in the room. I went through the hospital records and tests as well. Her brain scans did not look promising. She was breathing on her own and her reflexivity test was normal. At the hospital, she was getting physical therapy daily so her muscles would not atrophy. That had ended when she was moved to this facility. I noted how often she was being fed through her tube.
Emmett gasped. I turned to see Rosie had opened her eyes. He looked at me puzzled, and I told him that it was just reflexes. Her eyes were a prettier violet than mine had been. Emmett then pointed out that her blood smelled strange. It smelled a bit like rich soil. I again checked the list of drugs she had been given and nothing fit.
When we were back in the car, I started researching doctors on my mini laptop. Several in the US looked promising, but even more were in Europe and other countries. I had quite a list of doctors compiled when Alice called.
"Hey Rose," she began sadly, "I have some really bad news."
"What's changed?" I asked knowing how her visions can shift.
"The removal will still go off without a hitch," she explained still sad, "None of the doctors treatments are going to do anything."
"So I shouldn't even keep looking," I said more to myself, "What if I had Edward..."
"No, I see Edward confirming there is nothing-no flashes of color or light. He says only silent darkness," Alice replied quietly.
"Now I am wondering with a head injury this severe would she even take to the change? I know limbs won't grow back," I inquired, "Or you can't see that because Jason hasn't made a decision yet?"
"That's not it," she giggled, "Jason has already decided no matter what it takes. It's you Rose. You have not decided."
"Oh," I relented as my mind raced.
I quickly weighed the pros and cons. And when I made the conscious decision, Alice gasped. Her breathing was funny so I knew she was deep in a vision. I waited as patiently as I could and just when I was about to say something.
"Oh Rose," she choked out, "She…she will be everything… exquisite… talented…our savior… forever safe… This is a bit overwhelming."
"Are you okay?" I asked concerned, "So Rosie will be okay?"
"Oh yes," Alice beamed, "Better than okay. Our world will never be the same, and in the best way possible. Oh and the two of you are going to be so close."
"Now I'm a bit overwhelmed," I said slowly and then wondered, "Should I have Carlisle change her or should I?"
"If you brought her here the treaty with the wolves would be broken and they get involved because that future disappears," Alice said. "You change her in some cabin. You will not be gone long. She will have better control than Bella did. Of course, you had some great control as I understand. Oh Rose I wish you could see how amazing she is going to be."
"Okay. Thanks Alice," I said thoughtfully, "You're the best."
She must have been really excited because she didn't say 'I know'. I had no doubt that she was already filling in Carlisle, Esme and Jasper. I never doubted Alice, but it was a lot to process.
Emmett was grinning at me as he had heard everything. He chatted excitedly all the way to the cabin. The last few miles were treacherous. The rally car did great, but the ambulance might not fare so well. Emmett of course saw that as a challenge. Our vampire vision allowed us to see the cabin immediately, but it was nestled into a foothill. It would be camouflaged to human eyes. It looked like it was part of the rock.
When we arrived, Jason was waiting and had much to tell us. He got a little nervous when he met Emmett, and my hubby's big toothy grin did not help one bit. He relaxed a little when he told us how chatty nurse had tried to put an APB out on me, and she was told that I broke no laws. She went on and on about how I had escaped. She was angry with Jason for not being more upset about my disappearance.
While he spoke, I noticed that Jason's blood smelled a little like Rosie's. I inquired about Jason's diet. I did not ask him if he ate dirt. I was more subtle than that. He said he was a vegan. He went onto explain that Rosie had turned him onto it. Rosie had never eaten meat or dairy her entire life. When Rosie was one year old, her mother tried to give her whole milk and she would not take it. She would not swallow any baby food that had meat or dairy in it. Jason went on to tell me that Rosie had converted her parents at a young age.
As I directed them what needed to be done, Emmett got to know Jason. He fired question after question at him about sports, hunting and other guy things. When Jason could get a word in edge wise, he asked me how I knew so much about the 'medical stuff'. Emmett answered and continued with the friendly interrogation.
After everything was ready, I explained to Jason the removal plan. He was in awe and sat silently. Then emotions began playing across his face as he looked between Emmett and me.
"How do you know the ambulance will be there?" he asked sheepishly.
"That would be Alice," I began slowly, "She sees visions of the future. Her visions got me in to see her earlier without being seen."
"And she is like you?" Jason asked but already seemed to know the answer.
"Yes," I said softly, "Her mortal life ended in 1920."
"When did yours end?" he directed to Emmett.
"1933. Rose here saved me after I was mauled by a bear," he said proudly.
"Alice has seen something else," I continued even softer, "No matter which doctor we take her to it will make no difference."
"Somehow," he sighed, "I already knew that."
"If you want to call this off w….." I almost faltered.
"No," he interrupted, "You said there was the 'if all else fails' plan."
"Yes but…" I began.
"I assume she will be like you. I don't care. I will do whatever it takes," he almost cried, "Save her."
"Okay," I relented, "The transformation takes three days, and you can't be anywhere near here for at least that long-maybe longer."
"I have the feeling this is a secret kind of thing," he quavered, "but how long could it be?"
"It took me over a year dude," Emmett grinned, "But Alice says your Rosie is going to have amazing control. So I'm thinking days or a few weeks."
"Control?" Jason feared the answer.
I looked at Emmett, and he nodded and answered, "Control over her bloodlust."
"Whoa," he said jumping to the correct conclusion immediately, "Rosie is nuts about vampires. She reads every book and sees every movie she can. I can't tell you how many she has drug me to see. This is crazy and so cool."
"Not cool when it wasn't your choice," I said coldly.
"How am I going to be with her?" he wondered aloud, "Can you change me at the same time?"
"We can't handle two newborns…new vampires at one time," I stated, "And Rosie will have a say. Although you know we exist now so you will have to be turned or killed. It's the law."
"Um how many laws are there?" he asked curiously.
"Just one," I said, "Keep our existence a secret."
"That makes sense," Jason whispered.
The next several hours Emmett spent trying to scare Jason with the nuisances of being a vampire. The human was as good with it as Bella—better. Blood did not make him squeamish. His eyes shined with excitement by the time we needed to leave.
When we were nearly to the city limits, Alice called. She had been trying to get a hold of us for about twenty minutes. Our phones had no service around the cabin and by the time she reached us, it was too late. Jason had been arrested. He decided he wanted to follow us, and was clocked at one hundred and twenty two miles an hour in a fifty-five mile an hour zone. She said that we could bail him out in the morning.
After I hung up, we went on. Everything went as expected. Alice was brilliant. The ambulance made it to the cabin, but Emmet had to push the vehicle when it was hung up on one area of the trail.
Emmett went on and on about how great it was going to be to have another brother. He thought Jason was cool especially after he was arrested. That had moved him up a few notches in Emmett's opinion. I told him they were both still little boys.
I decided to wait to change Rosie until after we could bail Jason out of jail. He would want to see that she was safe and comfortable. Emmett went out to hunt and I stayed with my namesake. I found myself talking to her even though I knew she could not hear me. I apologized for the burning to come. I thanked her for having blood that was unappetizing to me, and I told her how I had almost lost it with Bella. When Emmett returned, I was telling Rosie all about Renesmee.
"Maybe Rosie will be like a daughter to you," Emmett said and took me in his arms.
"Yeah," I sighed, "Maybe."
"You should hunt," he insisted, "It will take your mind off things. I can watch your little veggie."
"Don't call her that," I snapped.
"Whoa sorry babe," he apologized.
"No Em. I'm sorry," I said sincerely, "I am just so edgy about changing her. I just hope I can do it. I wish Carlisle were here"
"It's gonna be okay Angel," he hugged me tighter; "You'll be great. Now go hunt. It will do wonders."
"No I'm okay," I said not wanting to leave Rosie, "I will hunt tomorrow morning after I spring Jason."
"Oh," he said surprised, "I assumed I would go get him."
"No sweetie," I explained, "It's not that you can't do it, but you are so big and intimidating. You would scare those poor Montana cops to death. They'd have their hands on their pistols the whole time you were there."
"You're probably right," Emmett said and smiled, "Oh I pushed the ambulance into a lake I found when I was hunting."
"Good thinking," I praised and then gave him a long lingering kiss.
"Oh and I got all the supplies out first," he said and disappeared out the door and returned moments later with his arms full of things.
He handed me a large bag and said, "Here's all the drugs that were in there. You'll know what you need."
"Wow you are on a roll today," I beamed and started organizing, "This will save me from having to steal what I need."
"Will you need blood babe?" he asked, "Because the cooler was empty and it went swimming."
"I don't think so," I replied, "It might be hard for us to have it around anyway."
"Yeah," Emmett said absently.
After I went through everything, I went to stand next to Emmett. We stood silent and still in each other's arms. Watching her rest was very calming for me. I now knew why Edward had spent nearly every night with Bella. I loved her even though I did not even know her. I felt a mother's protectiveness coursing through me. It was like that day I came upon Emmett in that bear's jaws.
Before I knew, it was time to bail Jason out of jail. I told Emmett that Jason had the perfect alibi at the time of the kidnapping. He laughed a hearty laugh and kissed me goodbye. I pulled into the parking lot of an outlet mall. I intended to buy a wig just in case chatty nurse had planted a seed of suspicion in any detective's head. I had just turned off the engine when Alice called.
"Hey Rose," Alice began emotionlessly, "Well, don't bother going to bail out Jason. They are holding him for questioning, even though he has an airtight alibi. They probably would have questioned you too. His father was there with an attorney early this morning, and they are trying to question Jason's father as we speak."
"Okay," I replied not as upset as I should be because I could get back to Rosie that much sooner.
"The wig was a good idea by the way," Alice offered.
"Thanks," I sighed, "Can you see if I am going to change Jason?"
"No," Alice replied, "I can't see that yet, but my instinct tells m…"
Alice went silent. I waited quietly until she whimpered. I began calling her name repeatedly. I started out at a normal tone, but my volume and intensity grew. And just when I didn't think I could handle it any longer, Alice came back.
"Is there a pack of wolves in Montana?" Alice asked in a squeaky voice.
"Just the normal type wolves," I answered, "Why what's wrong?"
"Rosie just disappeared," she said in a small voice, "I can't see Emmett either."
I started the engine and said, "I'm going back."
"You just disappeared now," Alice said frustrated, "What the heck is happening? Jazz and I are on the way. We'll be there in a few hours."
"Okay," I said distracted, "I hope I see you when you get there."