A/N: Ninth chapter. Ninety reviews. Awesome, yes? Thank you all so much for being so incredible. I appreciate it. Here's the next chapter and I hope I was able to grasp it well. Rosella will not be growing at Renesmee's rate. It's no fun if she did. There's a surprise in this chapter. I hope you like. Flames ignored.
Disclaimer: I own not one twilight character. Only Stephenie Meyer does.
Leah's POV
Carlisle stared at the measuring tape confusedly. I frowned. This was day two and he was measuring Rosella for the third time. She hated this and was crying until Esme picked her up to soothe her. The smiles returned but I was looking at Carlisle who was still not believing what he saw.
"She's not growing," he muttered.
"Okay," I nodded. "I don't see the problem."
"Renesmee was growing at a constant rate for the first few days," he informed me.
"Rosie is half shapeshifter though," I stated in a matter-of-fact tone. "There's bound to be differences." At this point, nothing could surprise me anymore. Half vampire/half werewolf baby...okay. It's real. Trust me. I gave birth to it. Let's move on.
"I realize that," Carlisle looked at Rosella who reached out to him, gurgling with a smile. He held her hand amusedly for a moment and then turned back to his desk. He'd been keeping track of Rosella's status since she was born, just like Renesmee. However, as promised, there were significant differences between them.
Renesmee aged fast and quick while Rosella aged somewhat fast the first day and now it seemed to have halted completely. She depended only on human food but Carlisle suggested she might be able to digest blood. I hoped not. That was so disgusting. As for her other form, it got pretty interesting. She hated it when we left her to play on the floor alone where she couldn't move easily so it didn't take her long to realize she could use her puppy form to get around. Jasper left her to entertain herself and when he walked away, she was right behind in a clumsy puppy form.
"Maybe she'll grow like a regular baby," I said, stroking her cheek, earning me a toothless smile.
"I suspect it will be much slower than Renesmee," Carlisle stared at his notes. "But if phasing is your idea of regular, I'm sure." I shot him a scowl making him smile.
"Sarcasm doesn't suit you," I folded my arms. "In any case, are you worried?"
"Not particularly," Carlisle shook his head. "As long as she's healthy and does continue aging, I don't see any negativity." I glanced at Esme who was too busy making Rosella happy to care what we were talking about. It didn't take much to make my baby happy. All Nikolai had to do was look at her and she went into excited mode. Somebody was paying attention to her and that was the best thing ever.
"Then let's take things by stride," I said coolly. Esme handed me Rosella.
"Things should be fine," she agreed. "I'm going to go start cooking for Embry's and Quil's visit."
Those two had yet to meet Rosella. While I was giving birth, Jacob sent them out to guard the area while the Cullens were busy helping me. I followed Esme downstairs and turned into the living room where I stopped dead in my tracks. Nikolai was the only one in there which gave me a chance to ask him something that had been eating away at me.
"Hey, Nikolai." He looked up from the book in his hands. "Have you ever been in my mind?" His gaze darkened considerably giving me that feeling of someone breathing down my neck.
"Are you sure you want to know?" The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. Why the hell did he have to use that look and that tone!? It insinuated that he had and probably saw something I never wanted anyone to see.
"Yeah! I want to know if my private thoughts are known by someone other than Edward! I know he'll keep most of it to himself but I don't know what you'll do." He turned to his book with no sign of amusement.
"I've never been in your mind, Leah." I sighed with relief.
"Well, don't ever unless the occasion calls for it under dire circumstances." That's when Emmett appeared.
"Hey! I just had a great idea! We can solve the age-old mystery! What goes on in a woman's mind! You can do that, right Nick?"
"I can enter anyone's mind except Bella's," Nikolai nodded referring to Bella's shield. She had been able to perfect her ability to take it down and let Edward in but knowing her, she rarely let him in just to drive him crazy.
"And what do you expect to see inside a woman's mind?" I asked just for the heck of it. Nikolai seemed to be a moral guy for the most part. Only Emmett would come up with an idea so against privacy. Nikolai turned the page casually.
"Not much." My jaw dropped. Someone knew how to insult a woman in less than three syllables.
"You could be nice to the werewolf with the baby," I snapped.
"I was. I was implying for when I visit Miss Rosalie's mind." Emmett started cracking up. You'd think he'd defend his wife but nope. He was laughing at her expense but then again, so was I. Rosalie was inside that living room faster than light itself.
"Excuse you!" she scowled at Nikolai.
"Excuse me?" Nikolai looked at her quizzically. "I thought this English expression was used for when a human made a bodily noise. I did not make this noise, did you, Miss Rosalie?" Emmett was at that stage of laughter where you're laughing so hard, no sound is coming out. You could practically see the steam coming out of Rosalie's ears.
"Of course not! I'm a vampire, stupid! 'Excuse me' can be used to ask for forgiveness for a wrongdoing! In this case, mine was obviously used to say I was offended!" I wondered if she knew that he was doing this to her on purpose. Nikolai's eyes widened.
"Oh, then who offended you?"
"You did!"
"I see. I was merely stating the truth. I believe you call it 'Brutal Honesty'."
"You are this close, Nikolai," she emphasized with her fingers. "This close to getting your arms torn off and hidden for a very long time." Nikolai tsked at her comment.
"That won't do, Miss Rosalie," he shook his head. "I need my arm. Perhaps you would be satisfied with my little toe instead? I don't use it as much." I didn't stick around to see how it ended because it couldn't be good.
I made my way outside to the porch to see Jasper, Jacob and Seth. They'd been waiting for the results of Rosella's most recent check-up. Out in the yard a ways, I spotted Edward letting Renesmee try and attack him. Only this morning, she expressed an interest in combat. Bella attempted to throw it off with the excuse of it not being ladylike. It didn't work. Nessie made the argument that all three of her aunts fought all the time and that included me. In the end, Edward agreed to teach her and Bella finally allowed it. Watching them now, it seemed more like a game of tag. Both were laughing and just having a good time.
"Your daughter isn't growing," I said while sitting down beside Jasper. Seth was laying on his back so I sat Rosella on his chest. Jasper reached over and stroked down her hair which still stood on end.
"Then I get my little girl for a long time," he said. He had mentioned to me how he dreaded her growing up. Personally, I did, too.
"Hey, Leah," Seth grinned. "I bet with a little bit of hair gel, you can make this all look like those sharp spikes on those dog collars."
"I was thinking you take all of it into one big spike," Jacob said, forming Rosella's hair to demonstrate it. "It's like an upside down nail."
"Hey! Hey! Hey!" Alice rushed up from the cars which meant she just got home from her shopping trip. "Don't terroize a girl's hair! I found the perfect cure at a little hair salon in the mall." We all watched as she took several little pink butterfly clips and pinned down Rosella's hair. "See? Now isn't that adorable?"
"How boring," Jacob turned away. "I wanted a spike." Alice flicked his ear.
"You be nice," she shook a finger. "Remember. She's gonna be running with your pack and if you continue this, she'll give you hell. She'll be a rabid monster." Jacob stared at Alice for a moment and then at Rosella who was eating her foot. Rabid indeed.
"She's so deadly," Jacob said sarcastically. "Oh no. Her drool is infecting Seth with Cute Syndrome. We're doomed! Pshaw! We all know he needs it."
"Hey!" Seth hit him and sat up, holding Rosella closer, muttering under his breath. I snickered when I caught the words 'Jake needs a dose of cute most of all'. Edward came up with Renesmee who went straight to sit by Seth and look at Rosella.
"Embry and Quil are right in the bushes," Edward spoke. "They're getting dressed."
"Great," Seth smiled, handing me Rosella. "It's about time they got here. Hey! What took you so long?!" Embry and Quil stepped out nonchalantly.
"We had to help Emily move some furniture," Quil yawned. "Plus Claire got a new game she wanted to try out." Typical. He was always with Claire. I was so lucky Rosella didn't...oh no.
Embry had stopped and was staring at Rosella. That strong look that Jacob gave Renesmee or I gave Jasper. Said empath frowned in confusion. I suspected he was drowned in the emotion of the bond that had just formed. His eyes went black.
"Shit." Edward shielded Renesmee, Rosella and myself as Jasper shot off the porch, making wood planks fly up. Emmett had appeared out of nowhere and was holding Jasper back as best he could. Jasper wanted blood and it was Embry's blood he wanted most. Embry, who was in a daze, just stood there, his eyes glued to my daughter, seemingly unaware of the danger not three feet away. Alice was trying to snap him out of it.
"What just happened?" Seth looked puzzled.
"Embry just imprinted," Jacob said going over to help.
"WHAT?!" My eyes widened as Seth exploded into a wolf, his jaws aiming for Embry's throat. He was caught by Nikolai in midair, and Embry finall came back to earth and ran to the woods as Seth escaped the Russian's grasp.
"Seth!" I called.
"Jacob will take care of it," Edward said helping me stand. "Renesmee. Inside." Nessie scurried in and I couldn't help but look back at Jasper who was in a state of blood thirsty fury. I gave Rosella to Edward.
"Take her in. I'll handle Jasper."
I had to fix this. I didn't mind that Embry imprinted. I was annoyed that it was my baby, sure, but I knew one thing. She'd be the most loved and protected baby in the world. Embry wouldn't let anything harm her nor would Jasper, Seth or myself. Seth's reaction had surprised me but he wasn't the one I was worried about right now. Jasper needed to be reassured that it was a good thing and I was the only person he'd listen to.
A/N: So, Embry. I hope you all approve. I know I do. He was all alone in Breaking Dawn. He needs happiness, too, you know? That's why I like Embry/Leah stories. Killing two birds with one stone.
Well? Comments? Remarks? Spelling mistakes? Be nice. My mom was coming out of the garage and she accidentally slammed the door into my face. Poor me. It was funny though. (This is a symapthy act. Author expects you all to be hypnotized and fall for it so you review. She is not held liable for any permanent pity.)
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