Chapter 38

The blood takes mere seconds to infuse itself into my system as my family watches me. I look around and notice that, although I heard my children's thoughts they were not in the room with me… Not only that, but the whole family had seemed to see the vision that T J sent to Jasper.

I manipulate my shield, so the Edward can hear me again and watch his face as I do. *Where are the babies, Edward?*

His face lights up as he turns and kisses me. "Bella-love, I'll never get tired of hearing your thoughts!"

I smile. *I want to talk but I don't want to worry the little ones.*

He just nods.

*You said it's been four days?*

He nods again.

*In the vision, Rosabeth didn't look 4 days old… she looked at least 3 months or so…*

"They're growing rapidly…" Edward says, alerting our family that we're having a conversation that doesn't include them.

Emmett grumbles.

Rose glares knowing that we're talking about the babies.

Alice and Jasper smirk at us, knowing that we're enjoying the ability to speak somewhat privately.

*…and speaking of 4 days…that makes today, Thanksgiving Day! How the heck am I supposed to be in a room with Leah and Seth, let alone my father and Sue? *

"Jake had an idea about that, love…"

"Jake… What does he have to do with anything?" I ask aloud.

"I ran across him and Seth, while I was hunting, and mentioned to him that you'd given birth and had to be changed." Edward answers. "He was as concerned as you are about the whole holiday thing, but he had an idea and we decided to try it. If it works, you'll be able to see the babies and your father along with Sue and Valerie."

"So, what's the idea and when do we try it out?" I ask.

"Jake has volunteered the pack as guinea pigs to see if you could handle the scent of humans." He says.

*But uhmmm…they're not human… * I say in my thoughts.

Edward bursts out laughing. "Yes, love…you're right…but it's the closest we can come without risking human lives, and Billy has volunteered to be the first full human scent you are exposed to. To protect Charlie, Sue and Valerie…"

I nod. *Ok… When…? *

The doorbell rings. Edward looks that way and says, "Now…Come out this window with me, love."

*I don't know if I can do that, Edward…What if I fall on my face? Emmett would never let me live it down! *

"Hold my hand, love. Jump with me." He offers as if it's his idea.

I take his hand and we jump together, landing side by side. I hug Edward and he hugs back, picking me up and spinning me around. I don't get dizzy or sick…I don't even get nervous! I laugh out loud.

"Ok, love, it's time to play 'what's that scent'. Carlisle and the others have thermoses with different types of blood in them. The wolves are in the house, for the second part of the game." He says.

Rose opens her thermos.

I sniff the air. "Deer…?"

They all nod.

Emmett opens his thermos and as I sniff to catch the scent he pours it down his throat.

I giggle. "That had to be grizzly bear!"

Emmett looks surprised and laughs with me.

Esme's has elk.

Alice's has mountain lion.

Jasper's has squirrel.

Carlisle, now, opens his thermos.

I move closer to him involuntarily but feel a dull burn in my throat. Stopping quickly, I ask. "Is that human blood? It smells amazing…"

He nods and smiles. "You didn't attack me to get it, Bella! That's good!"

"I'm so proud of you, love!" Edward says. "Round 2 is now beginning… My thermos has a tiny amount of Jacob's blood." He opens it.

I lean close and sniff. Coughing, I hold my nose and say, "That's gross! No way is that Jake's blood!"

"Jacob, send someone out!" Edward yells.

Sam comes out of the house and stands a few feet away from me.

I sense him watching me. *He smells like a wet dog… *

"So tell them that…"

*But it's a rude thing to say to someone who's trying to help you! *

He laughs. "She says you smell like a wet dog, Sam. Bella, they need to know your reactions. It's not your fault if they don't like what they hear! Seth, it's your turn."

He comes out and his scent is just as bad as Sam's.

I wrinkle my nose and say, "Do you all smell like this? It's like moldy old gym socks and stuff!"

Jacob runs out and stops in front of me. "How about me, Bells?"

"You smell like a dog too but not a wet one…not too bad, anyway." I answer.

"Here's a shirt of Billy's. He's in the car and he'll join us in a minute." Jake says.

I take the shirt. "It smells more like the human blood in that thermos, than it does like you wolves, but I do get a bit of the wolf scent."

Jake lets out a loud whistle and points to the car.

I turn and see Leah get out. I hold my breath as she helps Billy into his chair and brings him over.

"Hey, there, Bella…" My ex-father-in-law says as he watches me carefully.

"Hi, Billy." I say softly.

"Well, breathe, girl! What are you waiting for?" He says.

I laugh and take in a breath. I close my eyes. "Well, Billy, you smell better then Jake and the boys but not as enticing as the human blood Carlisle has over there."

Jake pulls out his phone to make a call to Sue.

"Here, Bella, the game is over now…and we won…Drink up so you won't be tempted during dinner." Edward says handing me the thermos that Rosalie had been holding. "Part of your prize is on its way out of the house."

Rosalie comes out of the house with my daughter in her arms; Emmett follows her with T J.

I hold my little girl for the first time as I watch Edward take our son into his arms …Just minutes are left until Valerie, Katie, Sue and my father get here. I'll even have to pretend to eat…I wonder what they told Charlie about the last 4 days…?

Edward smirks at me. "Love, you know I'm still able to hear you, right?"

I look at him, startled. "Well, answer the question, then, silly."

He smiles. "Through the whole transformation, you laid very still, so we let Charlie visit. He was curious and so the story Carlisle and I came up with is that you and I were out for a short walk and you went into labor. I got you back to the house in time for Carlisle to safely deliver the babies, but due to complications, you lapsed into a coma afterward. We borrowed the equipment from the hospital and faked everything up so that he could see we were taking care of you. As for the babies' growth, Carlisle explained that the growth hormones that allowed you to accelerate your pregnancy had an unforeseen side-effect that is causing them to grow and develop faster then normal."

*I remember when we told my dad in medical jargon how my health wouldn't allow me to carry a baby to full term. He got frustrated that the explanation in laymen's terms wasn't much more coherent, so he'd just told us to give him the gist of things…instead of every tidbit of info; he now just wants what he needs to know. Some things never change. * I smile and shake my head as I follow the family inside.

Edward chuckles and sets T J into the arms of his grandmother.

"They're beautiful, Bella! I already love them so very much!" Esme says.

I grin and hold my little girl, who kisses my cheek. "Me too, Esme…"

Rosabeth reaches out for Edward, so I settle into his arms with her in mine but then I notice T J struggling so we shuffle around again. This puts T J in my arms for the first time, with Rosabeth in Edward's right arm and his left curled around me.

"What a pretty picture, guys! Let me capture it!" Alice squeals as she gets into position snapping away.

We pose just as a car is pulling up the driveway.

Carlisle quickly rolls out a wheelchair. "For the ruse, Bella…I'm sorry, but normally after a coma like yours, you wouldn't be up and walking yet."

I release my shield and nod, sitting as I'm supposed to. "Has my father met the kids yet?"

"Yes, love, but not after you named them, so he was calling them 'little princess' and 'little slugger'. It was adorable." Edward smiles at me. "He's at the door, Bella …Stay calm. Billy is proof that you can do this... Alice, open the door for Sue, Charlie, Katie and Valerie…as soon as you're ready."

The doorbell rings twice and as she lets them in, we hear her say, "Hi, Charlie, Happy Thanksgiving…Hi Sue… Hi girls…Everyone is in the living-room…"

"Everyone…?" I hear my father say. He sounds hopeful.

I can almost see Alice's face break into a grin. "Yes, Charlie, Bella's awake…she's named the babies, and she's been dying to see all of you. Now, please don't be sore, but Billy and the pack got here early, so they got to see her first."

"Awww, that's alright, he's practically her second father anyhow…" He says.

"…And before you go in there, Bella's still fragile after the coma… Be gentle and move slowly so she doesn't get nervous." Alice tells him.

A moment later, Charlie's head pops into the room. "Bells…is that you?"

"Don't you know your own daughter, Chief Chuckles?" Billy calls out.

The pack sniggers at the nickname.

I nod eagerly. "Yes, dad, I'm here and I'm ok…"

"You look a heck of a lot better than the last time I saw you…" He says as Sue, Katie and Valerie come in.

I snort. "Yeah, a coma is hardly the best way a woman can be seen." A short silence follows that statement.

Esme and Rosalie go into the other room to set the table and finish the food, while some of the others start to trickle into the dining-room.

"So, would someone please introduce me to my grandchildren?" Charlie asks.

I chuckle. "Of course, dad…Your granddaughter, is Rosabeth Mae Cullen…"

He takes her from Edward. "My little Princess Rosie…!" She squeals as he tosses her into the air and catches her. "…And the little slugger's name is…?"

"Thomas Joseph…or T J for short…" I say, giggling as Charlie starts fussing over my son, this time.

Esme joins us and says, "Come and get it everyone! Dinner's ready!"

This is a joyous holiday. All the people at the table have so much to be thankful for. I'm looking forward to our tradition of going around the table and sharing what we're each thankful for… The turkey is on the table, and they all take their turns…

Soon only Edward and I are left…

He looks at me. "I'm thankful for forgiveness and second chances…for friends and family…my children…and I'm most thankful for the deep soul-changing love that has consumed me." He squeezes my hand and kisses it as he finishes.

"So much has happened since last Thanksgiving…" I look around nervously as I start to speak. "…I hardly know where to begin…I'm thankful for so very much this year. I guess I'll start with my life and the fact that Edward and his…I mean our… family is together again. I love you all, so much… I'm sorry; I know you're getting sick of hearing that."

My family members all smile and watch me intently as I say the things I feel in my heart. Jasper must've sensed that I'm nervous because he sends a wave of calm my way.

Nothing happens until I concentrate and let it through my shield. *That's cool, I can sense what's coming at me and choose to let things through or block them! * I continue with a slight burn in my throat. "I'm also thankful for our beautiful children. They are miracles and I'll love them and take care of them forever. I'm thankful for my mom; dad and Sue and also her children, Seth and Leah who helped me get through the last 9 years. I am very thankful for my teaching degree and the job at Dartmouth…Jacob and the pack as well as Valerie and my friend Janet back in New Hampshire." I look tenderly at Charlie and Jacob. "I'm thankful that my ardent protectors have forgiven Edward and the other Cullens for leaving the way they did and accepting that Edward and I are meant to be…Forever. For these blessings, I thank God…" I know I'll have the opportunity to tell the other's what I figured out about my shield later, but I want to tell my husband now, so I cover him in my shield and tell him. *I figured out that I can control my shield to let certain things through and block other things! Isn't that great, Edward?*

My husband smiles brightly at me and nods.

"Now, Bella, you are probably not too hungry. That's due to the feeding tube we had to use during your coma. If you want some then don't hesitate but you don't have to choke anything down for our sakes." Carlisle says.

"Thanks, Carlisle…maybe I'll just have the special shake… the one in the thermos you gave me this morning?" I request.

"Of course, Bella…Esme's bringing it out for you now. Well, Charlie would you like to carve?" My father-in-law offers.

"I'll do it." Jake says taking the knife amid snickers from the pack. They must remember last Thanksgiving…and all the ones before. Charlie shreds the turkey whenever he tries to carve it!

Esme brings me a thermos of blood and it soothes my throat in one sip. I watch the others in my family eat bits of turkey and cranberry sauce. I wonder how they're doing it…It smells ok to me but I don't want to try it. I remember Edward telling me that vampires had to choke the food back up if the ate anything and that sounded gross.

Renee calls, just as the humans and wolf pack are polishing off the last of the food and asks when she can visit to see her grandchildren.

Edward comes to the phone and tells her to plan for a Christmas trip. He'll send tickets as their gift. He spoils me rotten…

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AN: Yes, Bella is having an easier time in my version than in SM's version, but the next crisis may be on it's way and i wanted them to get in a little holiday fun. Please Review?