I was surely surprised to dream of Nicholas, Hanna, and Alexander again after my previous dream that consisted of…nothing. I was in the sleeping bag in the tent where the sun was obvious through the screen. I turned over restlessly and saw Nicholas there, sitting a little ways away from me.
I yawned and grinned at him, "Morning."
"I've been waiting for you for a day," he murmured sadly, "What goes on in the real world, Bella?"
I jerked up and glanced at him wildly, "You waited a day for me?" I paused, taken off-guard, "Why? You don't have to wait."
"I was worried you would disappear. Heaven knows if you will and I won't or the other way around." He answered. He seemed sad that it was now I'd finally get to see him.
"I'm sorry. A lot happened," I said. He glanced at me as if he wanted me to continue, "Let's just say that I was endangered." I summarized, not wanting to launch into the subject of my baby's possible death.
"How?" He asked, interested.
"It's honestly not a big deal, Nicholas. I'm fine and all in one piece, as always." I answered, really wanting to avoid the questions of my actual life outside of my dream world.
"If you're certain…"
I nodded anxiously, "Really. Now, when will those three other vampires get here?"
Nicholas shrugged, uninterested, "Probably today. I've had Alexander and Hanna be on and off with checking for new scents."
I nodded and looked away. I had to admit, I was anxious to meet other characters I had made up but locked away in the back of my mind. At least I assumed I had locked them up. I looked down at what I was wearing and saw skinny jeans, Sneakers, a plain white T-shirt, and a blue plaid button-down shirt. I hadn't gotten to wear this stuff in real life –that wardrobe was mainly set on sweatshirts and sweat pants. I was cold in real life, always cold. I needed Jacob to be warm because blankets didn't always do the trick.
I stood up and walked out of the tent, Nicholas following me out. Hanna and Alexander sat by a campfire where they were talking amongst themselves. Hanna turned her head and shot us a glare but Alexander got up and walked towards me.
He was taller than me, built well, of course –he had to be to be an Emmett slash Jasper. He leaned down and whispered in my ear, "Thank you for saving us. Nicholas has always been rude and when you came along…you brightened up his world. He loves you, Bella, no matter real or fake."
I nodded. It instantly reminded me of Esme telling me a long time ago that Edward finding me changed his life the most. She had said that she was happy that he was finally happy. It was a win-win for all of us.
Alexander leaned away and announced, "No new scents were detected, Nicholas. Hanna and I, though, still have the feeling that they'll be here today."
Nicholas nodded and wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me into his side, "Same here, Alex. I think they'll be here by night-fall."
Hanna growled and snapped, "They could at least please us by being early for once. We still have to run over technique."
Nicholas nodded, "But they're practically our elders. We should honor them just for coming to help us out."
Hanna rolled her eyes and turned back to the fire.
Nicholas turned his head to me and whispered, "What do you want to do?"
I grinned as we flew through the forest. I had told Nicholas I wanted to go some place private to talk and he had grinned, sweeping my up onto his back as he ran gracefully through the forest.
Yes, Nicholas was my Edward in many more ways than one alone.
He turned through the large trees and, before I knew it, stopped before a cave covered by ferns and tall grass guarding its entrance. He grabbed me from his back and cradled me in his arms as he went into the cave.
He sat down with me still in his arms and we sat in content silence for a while. He spoke after a moment and asked, "Only if I were real."
"That's the thing, though, you are real. Hanna, Alexander, and you are real."
"But you said—"
"I hadn't completely thought it through then," I admitted, "I thought you were just people in my dreams. The thing with that is, though, that you're so much more than that. You're figments from my imagination that I took out of people I know. You're my husband, Edward. Hanna's my sister-in-law, Rosalie. Alexander is my brothers-in-law, Emmett and Jasper. I created you guys some time a long time ago. I don't know exactly when. In that time I must've locked you guys away in the back of my mind. Basically, you're real, just in the people I know and love." I answered.
He nodded and digested this.
"Is that okay?" I asked.
He turned to me and kissed my forehead for a moment before pulling away to look me in the eyes, "It's perfect." He leaned down and gave me a kiss just like the ones Edward would give me.
I locked my arms around his neck and he pulled away a few moments later, "I'm just happy to know that I'm real."
I laughed and he chuckled along with me.
"So, where exactly are we?" I asked.
"Outside of Volterra." He answered.
"And…I assume you drink from animal's."
"Yes. Is that what Edward does?"
"Yes; his whole family. They call themselves 'vegetarians.'"
He puzzled over this then admitted, "I guess that does suite what our diet is. I like that."
I nodded happily. Being here with Nicholas was like being here with Edward before things got complicated for him.
"So…in real life…you're still human?" He asked.
"Yes. I will be a vampire soon enough, though." I answered.
"Ah." He answered.
I leaned into him and trailed kisses down his jaw until he forced our lips to meet.
Like always, the dream ended like that. I guessed it was about time I left that dream to see what was going on in real life.
I was still on the couch, the tubes still in my arms. Edward was still there, my head still burrowed into his side. I stared up at his face as I got into a sitting position. He was staring straight forward and then I heard what he must've been.
Jake. Jake was back.
I could hardly here Carlisle and Jacob's voices because they sounded a little ways off. I leaned to my left a little because that's where their voices were coming from.
"S'okay, Doc. You didn't mean any harm." Jacob said.
"No, I promise you that I did not mean you any harm. It's just that…" He trailed on but it became low so I listened for it to hopefully become louder.
Jake then mumbled something and Carlisle laughed a weary laugh.
Edward shifted beside me and got up, "I'll be right back, Bella. I want to speak with Carlisle for a moment. Actually, Rosalie, would you mind accompanying me?" Edward sounded different then. There was a little life in his dead voice that he always maintained. A spark was there. It didn't sound like hope exactly, but maybe the desire to hope.
"What is it, Edward?" I asked hoarsely.
"Nothing you need to worry about, love. It will just take a second. Please, Rose?"
"Esme?" Rosalie called. "Can you mind Bella for me?"
I heard the sudden whisper of wind as Esme flitted down the stairs.
"Of course," she said.
Edward and Rosalie left, Rosalie right on his heels. Then a door shut and I realized that Carlisle and Jacob had been outside to begin with.
I stared after them in wonder. What happened? The conversation going on between Carlisle and Jacob was nothing frightening or in the least bit intriguing. Sure, I was curious to what they had been discussing, but it wasn't anything to get worked up over.
"Bella, dear, it's okay." Esme told me as she sat down next to me, combing her fingers through my hair softly.
I looked at her, my eyebrows narrowed in concentration, "Do you know what they're talking about?" I asked her weakly.
Sadly, she shook her head, "I'm sorry to say I don't. But they'll tell you in a second once they come back in."
Suddenly, the door opened and Rosalie came in first, Carlisle and Edward on her heels. Esme got up and stood by one of the chairs crowded by the wall. I heard squeaky shoes and then saw Jacob come in at a slow pace. I turned my gaze back to Edward as he took up his original position by my side.
"What's going on?" I demanded in a scratchy whisper.
"Jacob had an idea that might help you," Carlisle said, "It wouldn't be…pleasant, but—"
"It will help the baby," Rosalie interrupted eagerly, "We've though of a better way to feed him. Maybe."
I coughed out a weak chuckle, "Not pleasant?" I whispered. "Gosh, that'll be such a change." I eyed the tube stuck into my arm and coughed again.
Rosalie laughed with me.
"Bella, love, we're going to ask you to do something monstrous. Repulsive."
I took a shallow, fluttery breath, "How bad?"
Carlisle answered, "We think the fetus might have an appetite closer to ours than to yours. We think it's thirsty."
I blinked, "Oh. Oh."
"Your condition –both of your conditions—are deteriorating rapidly. We don't have time to waste, to come up with more palatable ways to do this. The fastest way to test the theory—"
"I've got to drink it," I whispered. I nodded slightly, "I can do that. Practice for the future, right?" I spared a grin to Edward who, in turn, didn't smile back.
"So, who's going to catch me a grizzly bear?" I whispered.
Carlisle and Edward exchanged a quick glance. Rosalie stood motionless.
"What?" I asked.
"It will probably be a more effective test if we don't cut corners, Bella." Carlisle said.
"If the fetus is craving blood," Edward explained, "it's not craving animal blood."
"It won't make a difference to you, Bella. Don't think about it." Rosalie encouraged.
I felt my eyes widen, "Who?" I breathed, my eyes flickering to Jacob you sat in a chair, hunched over with his elbows on his knees.
"I'm not here as a donor, Bells," he grumbled, "'Sides, it's human blood that thing's after, and I don't think mine applies—"
"We have blood on hand," Rosalie spoke over him, "For you—just in case. Don't worry about anything at all. It's going to be fine. I have a good feeling about this, Bella. I think the baby will be so much better."
I ran my hand across my stomach.
"Well," I rasped, "I'm starving, so I'll bet he is, too. Let's go for it. My first vampire act."
