Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction intended for entertainment purposes only. The characters and world belong to Stephenie Meyer, I just like playing with them.

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Panthalassa: High Tide

Chapter 29 – What He Can Do

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They let me sleep as long as I needed, which ended up being nearly 12 hours. What woke me was a small sound of slurping and sucking. I found myself still in the hospital room, my bed partially shifted so that light from the windows fell over the foot of my bed.

"How do you feel?" a warm voice asked, and I turned to see Ichiro standing behind a rocking chair, and it took a moment for my eyes to adjust to see that Kenji was holding Adam in his arms and rocking slowly back and forth.

"Exhausted, gross and… hungry." The list I gave them was in no particular order.

"This little guy had at least two of the same problems earlier." Ichiro's smile was bright and that of someone completely at ease.

"How was your first meal in over three weeks?" I asked him trying to sit up more. Ichiro moved to help me, while Kenji stood shifting Adam who had forgotten about his special hybrid capable bottle to smile at me. It was a little eerie how it could be cute with a tiny baby smiling at you and a little bit of blood dribbling out of its mouth. I had a feeling Adam could do anything at this point and it would be adorable.

"The best meal of my long life I think." Ichiro moved two chairs next to my bed and both men sat down, Kenji nearing my head.

Kenji proceeded to tell me what I'd missed while I slept.

Immediately after I fell unconscious, the Team made sure my vitals were all safe, dad covered me up and then they each got to hold little Adam for a bit. Eventually Ren went down stairs to the waiting family and friends to replay the whole birth for them. Kenji allowed Rosalie to bathe Adam, and after Edward came back with a bottle of blood for him everyone but Kenji and Adam left the room. Adam apparently liked the blood, but according to Edward he wanted something else.

Rosalie had the idea to see if my breast milk would be something Adam liked. So while I was unconscious they pumped me. I was so horrified over that act I couldn't articulate how violated I felt, until Kenji mentioned Adam drinking the breast milk. Something Ren refused to even try. Then the violated feeling was replaced with curiosity.

"He is definitely throwing all of our knowledge on what Hybrids are supposed to be like out the window." Kenji cooed happily bending over to quickly run his nose over Adam's tiny head.

"He likes human food?" My question was met with a turn of the little head and blue eyes eagerly looking for mine after Kenji'd shifted him.

"Edward says he tolerated it, and prefers breast milk to blood at this point."

"But he's…" My question fell short seeing that Adam was happily slurping and sucking away on the bottle still filled with blood.

"You are still a bit under weight, and although your body is able to produce as much milk Adam would need, it would take further nutrients away you need right now to regain your strength."

It was impossible for me to look away from the tiny face, when Kenji explained himself. Adam gave a smile again looking like he wanted something from me. The long drawn out labored sigh came from me as the pain started to return. Was my medication due?

Kenji inquired what the matter was, after I explained it he nodded and without asking he put the baby in my arms and went to adjust the drip. Adam didn't make any noise of protest at his feeding suddenly being halted, but instead wiggled in my arms as if to get as close to me as possible.

"He missed you," Ichiro said with a doting type tone.

"I was right here…" I murmured looking from Ichiro to Adam. Kenji had fixed my meds and was about to lean in to scoop Adam back up when he gave a small cry of protest that tugged at my heart.

"Alright, son, just remember what I told you about not biting her." Kenji cherishingly told his baby. Ichiro must have thought this moment needed some privacy and he made a casual exit from my room but not before he gently leaned down to kiss his little brother on the head.

The pain was fading again and I took the hand Adam had freed from his blanket in one of mine. His tiny fingers already felt as strong as my own. Twelve hours old and I bet he could easily break my hand if he wanted.

"Ren tells me that it will not take you long to understand everything we say. And the more we talk the more you'll understand…" I told him. He blinked and his head gave a sort of wobble, as if he was trying to nod. This, although I knew was not unbelievable for a hybrid to do, amazed me.

"How long till he's speaking?" I asked the room without looking or away from my baby's face.

"A little more than two weeks." Kenji answered.

Adam's eyes seemed to droop slightly and then an instant later they stayed closed.

Kenji didn't take him from my arms and sat next to me again.

"He looks just like you," I whispered to Kenji, not wanting to wake Adam.

"He does… but I am thankful the theory on eye color stands true… to lose such beautiful eyes to vampirism would have been a shame." My body was too run down to produce the blush that should have come after that statement.

Moments later during which Kenji and I just watched as little Adam slept peacefully in my arms, a knock gently tapped at the door. Without needing to give them permission, the door opened and mum came in carrying a tray.

"Mum," I laxly smiled, making sure to whisper lightly. The look of pure love and elation filled her face as she came to the bed looking down at her grandson.

"He's even more precious than in Ness's memory." She quietly whispered back to me moving to sit on my other side.

"You haven't seen him for yourself?" I asked eying the food she brought. It looked like warm soup broth and some crackers. Instantly I was disappointed at the meager meal but that was a fleeting feeling as my hunger had me desiring it eagerly.

She shook her head slightly, her glorious smile still etched on her face. She carefully spoon fed me as the three of us seemed content in just watching the baby sleep.

"We wanted to wait till you were awake so that you could show him off to everyone yourself." Kenji informed me.

The surprising thing about his statement was that I was pleased. I didn't expect to care if everyone had seen baby Adam yet or not. But after the almost seven weeks of constant observation and zero privacy I found myself liking the idea the little baby in my arms was still just mine… and Kenji's. Mum was effortlessly spoon feeding me the broth while her eyes stayed glued to the tiny face at my chest. I was running my thumb rhythmically over his tiny hand that was still holding tightly to my forefinger.

"When he wakes up we should introduce him to everyone," the suggestion was more for my family's sake than for my own desires. Of course this was completely up to Kenji.

"Sounds like a good plan, perhaps after you are done eating you'd like to have Ren or Rosalie give you a sponge bath."

My frown was instant, and the distinct grimy feeling was not something I was aiming to keep for long, I knew my stitches on my abdomen wouldn't allow for me to have a bath or shower.

I agreed to the sponge bath for after my meal, but when I'd finished with my broth I closed my eyes and felt myself humming lightly.

Was it like this for every woman after having a baby? Had I just been too broken and too young to care about my first child? I felt, surprisingly, like my happiness was no longer in my own control. That Adam, tiny impossible baby that he was, had my happiness all wrapped up in his little body. It was scary, different and such a sudden change from how I felt not even three days ago I was debating the possibility that my hormones were driving me off the deep maternal end.

.~.

Freshly bathed, and carried down by Kenji, while I held a now wide awake hybrid baby boy, we made our first appearance down stairs. The whole living room was crowded with faces, hybrid, Quiluete and Vampire mixed among one another easily. Seth smiled painfully if not sincerely happily for me, and relief sprang into my mind seeing him. He hadn't said anything, but I knew he'd been terrified of the unlikely situation that I'd be killed by the baby.

Everyone was quiet when we came down, the room was humming with the excitement and jubilation expected of a family meeting a new member.

Adam's thick patch of black hair was shiny and soft as I looked down at him while he was taking in the family gathered. Ichiro was standing far off to the side so that everyone's abilities would work normally.

"Adam Carlisle Shirokawa, this is your family," Kenji said smoothly. The capable little head steadily surveyed the room. I couldn't see his face from the angle I was holding him, I wanted to know what his expression looked like. Tia had her hands to her face while she was wrapped up in Benjamin's arms. Her face reflected the emotion everyone seemed to be feeling as they studied him. Awe.

A tiny arm wiggled free of my hold and pointed directly at Ren. When he made a noise that had an infant's urgency and interest conveyed I smiled brightly. Edward put a balled up fist to his mouth and looked away from Adam to his daughter. What was this Adam thinking? I wondered while Kenji moved to set the two of us down on the couch.

"Can I feed him?" Alice asked before anyone else could say anything. She stepped forward and bounced on the balls of her feet beaming at Adam. He waved his hand at her, and her bright smile after had him squealing merrily.

Kenji made introductions to the various members as they came by to meet him, or in Tia's case hold him and smell him. Jenny was appraising Adam from the back of the group, and I wasn't sure if and how a hybrid chose their mate. Jake imprinted on Ren. Ichiro had been changed into a vampire, and Nahuel didn't have a mate.

Alice did indeed get to feed him a bottle of blood, which he sucked down with a look on his expressive face that said "if I must" clearly. Dad held him after that for a long time, and I think I've never truly seen more pride exuded from my dad towards anyone like he was when he glanced at me.

"Eva, I am…" Edward began tilting his head slightly looking at Adam. "I can understand the thoughts you have Adam." A pause. "That was her… singing. Your mother is a beautiful singer." And from dad's arms Adam turned his head towards me, eyes emoting exactly the same way I did, so I recognized the plea in them instantly.

"You want me to sing?" I asked softly, a tender smile playing at the corner of my lips. I felt so exhausted already, and I had only been awake for a couple hours. Adam had been measured by Kenji every hour since his birth, and I'd seen him struggle to get away from the measuring tape Kenji held out the last time.

Dad passed Adam to mum who was sitting across from me while Kenji put an arm behind my back. Seth gave me some water and I sipped. Jasper, who hadn't stopped smiling since I came down to the living room had his guitar ready, Garrett too had one and they looked at me expectantly.

I realized they wanted me to pick the song to sing to my little baby. My brows scrunched up and I had to think on it. Adam entertained himself by playing with Esme's hair and making a noise that would eventually be a laugh, but he was still too young.

I bit my lip looking at the baby, much too developed looking for a day old infant, but still so much smaller than even Ren had been when she was born. What to sing to him? His name, the name Kenji gave him, it was something I didn't realize I had wanted until he'd gave it to him. I only had moments with my own father, a blip in the timeline of my life, but he had loved me. My father Adam had truly loved me; he'd fought off almost certain death for me. Suddenly the song that had become his epitaph, a song sung at the end of his long and painful life seemed uniquely appropriate for my son.

It would be my promise to him, and my family that I would ensure their safety would always be my priority. Edward kissed Bella lightly before going to the piano in the other room. Emmett understood instantly and went to help him move it into the living room. Adam tried to watch what was going on but it took Esme turning her body so he could see.

Once the piano was in the room Edward, instead of sitting behind it, knelt down in front of Adam ran a long finger down his round face and whispered something to him. I felt a little bit of bitterness rise in me for being the only one in the room who couldn't hear what he'd said. But my brother would tell me later, so I frustratedly let out a sigh and let it go for a moment, and I hummed slightly to warm my voice up. It was still slightly sore from all the screaming I had done when they cut me open half a day ago.

Edward did a couple scales to help me get ready but soon as that was over he started the song that was simply becoming "Adam's" song in my head. When I sang it back in Volterra I had been infused with anger at the cruel way Aro manipulated me, making me perform such a personal song at such a strenuous moment. Now that Adam was here I felt like a weight off of my mind was lifted. I would soon be a vampire, be strong and able to protect myself. I wouldn't be left behind in this battle, or made to give up my privacy so they could protect me. I would and could protect them all when I was an immortal. This song was a bald faced reminder of what I still had to protect, and what I'd lost.

Veni Veni Emmanuel was sung all the way through; my voice was not nearly up to par as it had been when I first sang the song for the Christmas concert in school. In fact that had been the only time I'd ever sung it without some tremendously difficult emotions weighing me down.

Tiny bright blue eyes set on a tan face were wide with wonder as he heard me sing from the outside for the first time.

When I finished and everyone was clapping, I casually shrugged Kenji's arm from off my shoulders, and gave Adam a wide grin as Esme clapped his hands together for him.

.~.

I went to bed after that, as my body needed rest. Rosalie did a brief exam of my stitches and gave me a little morphine for the constant pain I was in; it helped me ease in to sleep. Before I completely drifted away I heard the voices of Edward, Jasper and Kenji by my bed. They all knew I was still awake of course.

"No, we do not sleep like you or your mother does." Edward answered what must have been Adam's thoughts. "She is still very weak from carrying you Adam-no it's nothing to worry about; we are taking good care of her." Edward kept talking, answering Adam's thoughts, and I could hear someone shuffling next to me. I cracked an eye open, and in the semi darkness of the mid afternoon light bleaky creeping in through the curtains I could see Jasper holding the baby and playing with his hands. Jasper looked so animated making odd faces for Adam to analyze. It looked to me the epitome of a doting uncle.

"You can sleep next to her. Eva," Edward called gently, and I shifted over on the bed, my abdomen gently reminding me that it was tender and without the drugs I'd be in pain. Someone put a pillow under one shoulder and my back so I would be tilted slightly, as Jasper gently put Adam in the crook of my right arm. Adam's eyes reflected the sleepiness I felt, and his mouth formed a lopsided smile that reminded me a bit of Edward.

Adam fell asleep almost as soon as his eyes shut. He made a sighing noise and pushed closer to me.

My body felt… better with him tucked so close to me. It was seriously messing with my mind at how this baby, one I wasn't sure I'd even want to be around when it was born, so instantly made me feel better, mind body and soul, just by being close to me. Had I been a horrible person for feeling the way I did before he'd been born? I hoped not.

By time I woke several hours later, it must have been after midnight on the 2st of November. Adam was a Halloween baby, and I was sure my entire family thought it was a pretty fun coincidence.

For the first time in weeks I felt relaxed fully, both mentally and physically. I didn't think I dreamed while I was asleep and that fact put me in a good mood. I wondered who have given me more drugs as I stretched me arms lightly over my head, Adam must have been taken by someone while I was sleeping.

It wasn't long till I realized I was alone in my hospital room. There was a brief flickering of the feeling of abandonment. Then the old me surfaced and relished in the private moment. They could still hear me, and I was likely just in a between moment when someone had left and another person was going to watch me. Absentmindedly I scratched my arm, then my temple, simply laying there. After a big yawn where I was scratching my hands slightly there was a small knock at the door.

"Good morning," Bella said from the door. I smiled in her direction, she opened the curtains fully and turned back to look at me.

"Morning. It is morning right?" Being unsure of the day and time really threw me for a moment.

"It's 7am on Monday the 2nd." She informed me. Ren came in carrying tray of food, and instantly my mouth began to water, not realizing how hungry I was.

"Eat slowly," Ren encouraged.

Sausage, fresh baked dutch style pancakes that were a specialty of Kate's, yogurt, apple slices, and a big glass of milk were finished in record time, even eating as slow as Ren wanted it felt like I'd inhaled the food.

"Dad, Grandpa, Kenji and Ichiro have taken Adam to meet Eleazar to see if they can find out if he has an ability." She informed me while taking the tray void of food off my lap.

"He hasn't demonstrated anything?" I asked, not exactly worried. It had been yet another theory about Hybrids that we were all hoping to see if it was true. Of the four hybrids personally known to the family now, two didn't have ability's and two did. Kaneyasu and Edward had produced children with abilities. Joham hadn't yet had a child beyond the typical hybrid. Bella let me know Kenji was rather anxious about it.

"He'll love Adam regardless," Ren reassured me when I frowned and looked to my palms resting on my lap.

My eyes widened slightly, and I heard Bella gasp, as maybe she noticed it when I had. My hands the branding marks, which had still been a sort of waxy red though they had stopped itching as much, were different. The redness was gone, and the raised area of the mark was not as pronounced. I ran my finger over it. Ren seeing what Bella and I had noticed snatched my hand away, while Bella blurred to my side and pulled the hair out of my face to look at my left temple.

"Rose! Go bring the boys back!" Bella said just barely above normal speaking level. Her golden eyes locked with mine and I felt the shiver of disbelief run through me. Ren seemingly had the same problem and without concern for my modesty or protest flung the blanket off my lap and lifted my hospital gown up.

Bella went to stand at her daughter's side, and I looked down. The stitches were still neatly sewn on my belly, but I wasn't sure if two day old stitches could close a wound that well. The line where I'd been cut open was not red and irritated looking, like it should have been. But it was glossy in between the black stitches. Bella ran a finger above the line. I winced slightly because it was tender, but it tickled more than anything.

The door burst open and I jumped. Dad instantly seeing what Bella and Ren were looking at came to inspect it as well.

Kenji was holding Adam, while Rose and Edward came in. My inclination to look at the Team was diverted when I saw Eleazar's figure slowly enter the room. His eyes looked a little more alive, if not still pained.

"Looks like we figured out what it is you can do," I said to my baby as Kenji handed him to me. Adam's little head wiggled and he made a gurgling sound.

"I don't think I understand," Bella said helping dad cover my lower half back up.

"He can heal people?" Rose asked Eleazar.

It was Kenji that answered, "Not exactly. It is the opposite of my ability in a way. In order for me to change the shape and size of things I need to break them at a molecular level and restructure them. Perhaps all Adam is doing is fixing things that are broken." His wise words did not hide his excitement.

Edward smiled at me. "Adam, were you fixing Evangeline up?" The dashing 'Edward' smile grew.

"He says it is just something he felt he needed to do; he didn't know it was wrong or special."

His little bright blue eyes met mine and I took his hand again, kissing it quickly.

"It wasn't wrong Adam… you made mummy feel better." I told him. And the instant I'd said it like that I knew what else his ability must have done.

Edward and I stared at each other, our mouths popping open.

Hurry, hand him to Jasper! I told Edward lifting little Adam up to my brother. Without a word Edward called Jasper into the room. Seconds later Jasper was standing next to my bed, and Edward gently put the baby in his arms.

We all waited. Jasper looked a little dubiously at his nephew, while Adam looked a little grumpy at being passed around.

"It's too much for him to do." Edward announced.

"He might just need to grow older, like Renessmee or Ichiro did; their ability's got stronger as they aged."

The room stood silently and Jasper didn't seem to want to hand Adam back at first, but after a long moment he put the bundle back in my arms.

"It's not just Kenji's ability," Eleazar murmured while his black eyes watched the infant. "Evangeline contributed something to him. Renessmee can break through Bella's shield easily. She breaks down all barriers, and that too is opposite of Bella's ability." That gave us all a pause. What was the opposite of my ability? We didn't even know exactly what it was I could do.

"We might not really know what that component could be until she is changed." Dad stated.

"So…" I turned to look at Kenji, "That could be… any day now." My brows rose, as if to say 'fulfill your part of the bargain.'

"We'll talk more later." Kenji dismissively said, and as soon as he did I was aware of something I hadn't noticed before. Kenji was hesitating. It'd been proved that I had survived the birth of a hybrid. What more did they want? Adam healing me didn't change the fact I'd survived, it just sped up the healing process. Narrowing my eyes at him as Adam touched my arm, almost like he was inspecting it, Kenji didn't seem to care to hold my stare.

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