Edward Cullen

"Edward," The voice came again. "Help me. Edward, please help me."

I took calming deep breaths, pulling my legs up to my chest with shaking hands. I couldn't be insane. I couldn't be. Why was this happening? "Rose?"

"It's me, Edward. Please understand."

"Rose..." I swallowed the sick feeling in my throat, looking around me for any sign of my dead sister. "I don't understand. Rose, I watched you die."

"I'm too weak to stay long, Edward. I can't explain. But I'm here. I've always been here. Please…help me."

"I don't know how." I cried softly, running the back of my hand over my eyes. I felt shaky and sick, and couldn't believe what was happening. If this was what being insane was like, then I would gladly welcome it. I had missed Rose so much.

There was no reasonable answer other than I was crazy. She couldn't be here…not unless she was some kind of spirit.

"Edward?" The voice that came to me next did not sound like Rose. It wasn't. Bella was heading up the stairs, and stopped short when she saw me in a shattered mess against the wall.

She rushed towards me and gently took my shaking, cold hands in her small, warm ones. "Baby? What's wrong?"

I stared at her numbly, silent tears dripping down my face and off my jaw. "Bella…I heard…I…"

"What did you hear baby?" She cupped my face in her hands with nothing but tenderness. Her big doe eyes stared at me sincerely with concern and love.

"Rose..." My voice cracked on her name, and a sob escaped my throat. "I heard Rose." My voice was barely a whisper, but then I began to shout. "But she's dead, Bella! She's dead!"

Bella's features contracted into a frown as she sunk down in front of me, pulling me into her arms. "I know, baby. I know. But, I heard her to. She's here, Edward. I know she is."

"Promise me I'm not nuts, Bella. Promise me. I can't be nuts…"

"You're not nuts, my precious baby. I'm right here. I'm always going to be right here. We'll do this together, alright?" She soothed me softly and we sat like that for what seemed like hours.

We only moved when the cries of our daughter shook us back to reality.

Bella sighed and rose to her feet. "I'll go see to her. Why don't you go take a shower for the moment? Then when you're done, we can snuggle up and watch films?"

She was about to head off, but I caught her by the wrist and drew her back. "She sees her, Bella. Renesmee sees Rose…That's why she hardly looks at us. It's not because she's ill. It's Rose. She can see Rose. They say babies have the 'sight'."

Bella nodded, reassuring me and then headed off to Renesmee's room.

I was about to head into the bathroom to take a shower like Bella had suggested, but Emmett and Carlisle were coming out of Carlisle's office.

Carlisle stared at me, Emmett slightly behind him. They were blocking my entry to the bathroom. "Edward, is everything alright, my son?"

"Yes, thank you." I tried to push past them, but Carlisle stopped me with his arm.

He raised one perfect, fair eyebrow at me. "Is that so? Then you would not mind showing me your wrists, Edward?"

My gaze slid to Emmett, remembering he had found me in the bathroom.

"If it's because I was in the bathroom earlier, it was because I was having a pee. Why can't people pee around here?" My tone was bitter, and Carlisle knew it. I tried to remain calm so that they wouldn't suspect anything, but my tone was defensive. They could tell.

"Then why is there any problem in showing me your wrists?" Carlisle asked me.

"Just because I'm your son doesn't mean you can strip me." I replied indignantly, as if he had excused me of stealing something of his. "Now please, I'm taking a shower."

"Dad, just leave it." Emmett interrupted from behind Carlisle. "I'll talk to him later. At least he's not breaking down." He moved around Carlisle to speak to me. "It's only because we care, Edward."

I nodded, and quickly rushed around them to the bathroom. I slid the lock in place before they could stop me. What was wrong with this family? It was like everyone wanted to gang up on me. As though I would break at any moment.

"I do hope you're not watching me shower, Rose." I muttered with a smile as I stripped and climbed into the shower. Bella always knew what was best. The hot water soothed my muscles and calmed my nerves.

I was in the shower for nearly 45 minutes before I decided that that was probably long enough. I quickly got dressed and headed into Bella and I's bedroom. She was lying on the bed, shaking a little toy in front of Renesmee's face. The balls inside the toy rattled against each other and a nursery rhyme erupted the silence.

Like always, Renesmee seemed impassive. Her eyes followed me as I entered the room and she stuck her thumb into her open mouth with what looked like a smile.

"Hey babygirl." I murmured with praise, lifting her up into the air. Keeping my arms firmly around her, I lifted her into the air as though I was throwing her. When I brought her back down, I gently nuzzled her button nose against mine. "Daddy loves you. Yes, he does."

She let out an approved gurgle and settled herself into my arms.

Bella smiled at the two of us. "She loves you so much. She's such a daddy's girl." She patted the space next to her on the bed and I joined her.

"Sure she is." I smiled softly, playing with her tiny little fingers and then reaching to tickle her toes. "I see Auntie Alice has made an appearance." I looked down at my daughter's pink and white stripped onsie with Minnie Mouse on and her bright yellow tutu and yellow flower headband. Alice was ever the stylish, and loved designing clothes or playing with Renesmee.

Bella laughed, pulling the tutu down so that it wasn't so far up Renesmee's chest. "You bet she did. This kid has more clothes than the two of us put together!"

I smiled softly. Bella was absolutely right. Renesmee did have more clothes than the two of us put together.

"Edward," Bella started, reaching for my hand. "I'll always be here for you."

"As will I." I murmured softly.