"What is being awake if not interpreting our dreams, or dreaming if not interpreting our wake." ~Jonathan Safran Foer
Chapter 127- Awake
I sat with Bella for a good portion of the night. I changed her out of the bloody clothes she had been in, and cleaned her up while I was at it.
"Why a dress?" Edward asked when he saw it. "We'll be hunting right after she wakes up.
Just in case, I said, eying him closely.
He didn't say anything. He just nodded.
Carlisle came up to me. Edward had heard of my idea of fixing the cottage in the woods up for the two of them. He was very fond of the idea, and so was Carlisle.
"We can send Esme into the city," Carlisle said. "Get her to pick up everything you need and she can help you with the project. Then we can definitely stay until you and Jasper leave."
"And Teddy? Did he hear the part about Teddy?"
"He did," Carlisle said. "If you feel that he is safe here, then he can stay. We'll just make sure that Bella is well fed and well rested."
"Thank you."
"What's she thinking about?" he asked, nodding his head at Bella.
I focused on her.
"She can't move. The morphine seemed to have paralyzed her rather than help her. She says that when the three of you first discussed having morphine in her bloodstream while she was changed, she knew it wouldn't have worked. It still hurts."
"How could she know such a thing?" Edward demanded.
"James."
The three of us watched her face for a moment.
"She wants to die now," I said, quietly.
Alice, she thought suddenly. Can Alice hear me?
I leaned down next to her ear.
"Yes," I said. "I can hear you. Can you hear me?"
Yes, she hissed in relief. Alice, I've never been more glad to hear your voice.
"What?" Edward asked.
"She's realized I can hear her," I told Edward, still at Bella's ear.
Alice, don't make this any harder for him, Bella said.
"I'm not making it harder," I frowned. "They want to know what you're thinking. I'm only telling them."
How long have I been like this?
"About a day."
It's only felt like a few seconds.
"The sense of time will come back soon."
Edward. Is he here?
"Yes."
And Renesmee?
"Downstairs with Rosalie."
You haven't touched her?
"No," I said, although it wasn't the complete truth. "I have no desire to hurt her."
Good, Bella said. You're starting to see things clearly then.
"Definitely not. I still despise the bugger. But there's nothing I can do now."
Why? She demanded.
"Not my place to say."
I looked up to Carlisle and Edward.
"I'm going to go for a walk."
I'm going to go look at the cottage, I added to Edward. See what needs to be done.
Thank you, Edward said, with a soft smile. He reached out to touch my arm, but I jerked it back from him and headed from the room.
Jacob was downstairs when I made it down there. He was holding Renesmee tightly in his arms, but not too tight to crush her. Jasper was waiting by the door, bag and wand in hand.
"Want some company?" he asked.
"Sure," I grinned.
"Where are we going?" he asked as we took off into the trees.
"That cottage. I need to see what needs to be done so I can make a list for Esme."
"Do you have practice tonight?"
I shook my head.
"I won't until Bella wakes up."
"So you talked to Carlisle?"
I nodded.
"As long as we feel safe having Teddy here, he's allowed here. So the sooner we can get Edward and Bella moved in here, the better."
"Do you have all her clothes from Charlie's?"
"And the ones I bought leading up to the wedding."
We made it to the cottage. It looked like it had been falling apart for a while. It looked in similar condition to what mine and Remus's had.
"It almost looks like your's and Remus's cottage," Jasper commented, almost as if he could read my thoughts.
"It does, doesn't it?" I asked, slowly approaching the door. "The outside won't need much. Just some new roof shingles, I can tear out the windows and put in some new ones. Those look to be cracked."
Jasper pulled out a notepad from his pocket and began to write down what I was saying.
"What about the ivy?" he asked.
"I say leave it. It gives it the feeling that it's stuck in time."
"Is that all on the outside?"
"I might put in some new plants," I said, looking around. "I would love to put some magical plants…oh but that wouldn't go over well with them if it could hurt the child…" I trailed off.
"Esme can pick out the plants for here, and then you and I can start a garden back home," Jasper said, putting an arm around my shoulders. "How does that sound?"
I grinned, and kissed his cheek.
"Brilliant idea. Come on. Let's check out the inside."
I waved a hand and the key appeared.
"I thought the key was lost," Jasper frowned.
"It was. But magic found it again," I said, putting it in the door.
We looked around and Jasper took notes. The inside didn't need much. New flooring maybe, and some fresh paint. New furniture was a must as well. The foundation of the cottage was sturdy which helped things.
"I remember being in Remus's cottage back home," I said, looking at the crystal clear night sky through a hole in the ceiling. "I had started getting a hole in the roof…Instead of fixing it, we put charms up that would keep the rain and the cold out so I could look at the stars."
"I didn't see a hole when we went," Jasper said, quietly.
"That's because we renovated the place the year that Dad broke out of Azkaban. I ended up fixing the hole and charming the ceiling of mine and Remus's room. I guess Tonks took the charm off when she moved in."
I sighed and looked back at his face.
"We should renovate the house," I said. "Some charms, gardening, painting."
Jasper nodded.
"Of course. When do you want to start?"
"When we get back to the house, why don't we make a list."
Jasper nodded.
"Make a list of the plants that you want and I can talk to Professor Sprout when I go to Hogwarts in a few weeks."
I nodded.
"Thanks, Jazz."
We headed back to the house, and gave Esme the list of supplies.
"Do you want me to get that paint for Teddy's room?" she asked, as she made herself a shopping list.
"Please," I said. "Tell me what I owe, and I'll stop by Gringotts before I come home."
"You owe me nothing," Esme said. "I'll use that money that you gave us. We barely put a dent in it for the wedding."
"Thank you," I said.
She nodded.
"Sure."
Only a short while later, Jasper and I headed back to England to start opening up the shop for the day. We made it there before George, and while Jasper started straightening up the shop while I collected the orders that we had received last night.
"I'm going to run down the street," I said, "see if there's anything that came in overnight."
Jasper nodded.
"George should be here by the time you get back."
I sighed, and headed out the door.
I hadn't quite figured out what I would do about George. I hadn't even thought about it. When I returned though, he was waiting for me, leaning against the counter.
"Well, well, well," George said, watching me carefully. "Look who decided to show up."
"Of course I showed up," I said, setting the orders on the counter with the rest. "Do I not still work here? I can go if I don't."
"Don't be stupid," George said, rolling his eyes at me. "We had a fight. I'm not going to fire you over it."
"I don't think you can fire me. Not legally anyways," I said.
"No, probably not."
Things were quiet for a moment as I went to get boxes and bags from the back.
"So you want to talk about yesterday?" George asked.
"Not particularly, but I have a feeling that we're going to anyway."
"You're right," George said. "We're going to have to talk about it sooner or later."
I sighed.
"You know, some Muggles don't talk about their problems at all. They just drop it, and forget that it ever happened."
"Well unfortunately for you, darlin', the two of you aren't Muggles," Jasper pitched in from the back.
"Jasper!" I exclaimed. "You're meant to be on my side."
"I am on your side," he said. "But I'm on George's side too, and the two of you need to work it out."
"Thanks, mate," George grinned before turning to me.
"We have work to do," I said, shaking my head. I hoped I could delay having this discussion.
"We can talk and work."
"Not with us helping out customers."
"Look ahead. Do you see much business?"
I looked ahead, and I didn't see much. One or two people would buy something around lunch, and a few before closing but that was the most I could see.
I sighed.
"Fine."
"You act so childish sometimes," George said. "What would you do if it were Teddy and his best friend fighting?"
"Are we fighting?"
"I don't know, are we?" George asked, watching me carefully for a moment.
"I'd say that the two of you are in an argument right now," Jasper said.
"What's the difference?"
"A fight is something where one is intentionally trying to hurt the other's feelings. Focusing on being right rather than resolving the conflict. Arguing is where you are disagreeing about opinions, but you still care about the other person and their feelings."
I frowned.
"I never knew there was a difference."
"We talked about it in philosophy," Jasper shrugged, coming out of the back room with a new box of acid pops to stock. "The next step is to resolve the conflict so that it doesn't evolve into a fight."
"Well you said we won't have a customer until what, lunch?"
"About then. Some will come in and browse, but none will check out before then."
"Then we have plenty of time to talk while we fill out the owl orders."
Much like we had done many times before, George and I talked about the problem at hand, we talked about each other's opinions, and the issues that the other saw in them. We talked about Angelina, about her issues with me, and what we could do to resolve them. George still held the opinion of what we did was none of her concern, and we couldn't avoid each other forever. We had a store to run, and at the end of the day, we were family.
"So what do you think we should do?" George asked Jasper after lunch.
"I think that you two should go about life the way you are supposed to. You're both going to be terribly upset if you decide to stop being friends."
"And Angelina?" I prompted.
"Stick with your original plan. To hell with her and her opinions."
"Her opinions matter, Jasper," I frowned. "And what if that hurts her feelings?"
"Of course her opinions matter," Jasper said. "I just mean that you shouldn't care about them."
"He's got a point, Alice," George said. "She sure as hell doesn't care about our opinions."
"She cares about your opinions. Otherwise she would have divorced you."
George shrugged.
"Well either way. You're my best friend, and that's not going to change. I made my choice. Get over yourself."
"I have a feeling this is an argument that I'm not going to win," I grumbled under my breath. Jasper grinned and kiss my cheek.
"You can win them all, my love."
"No, you can't," George said, smiling as he threw an arm around my shoulder. "I'm going to tell Angelina tonight to butt out of all business affairs."
"Speaking of business affairs, re you still going to look at Dominic Maestro's today?"
George nodded.
"Yeah, I'll write Mum, see if she can keep Fred until Angelina gets back from her father's."
"Sick again?"
"Yes."
The day went by quickly, and before long we were closing up shops.
"I'm going to use the fireplace and go wait at the Burrow," Jasper said.
I nodded.
"Sounds good. I'm sure that Teddy is there. Tell them that George and I are going to be along soon. We're going to check out the property, and find out who to get in contact with."
Jasper nodded and leaned over to kiss my cheek.
"Good luck."
"Thanks."
I took George's hand and in the next second, we were gone.
Dominic Maestro clapped his hands in delight when I stepped into the shop.
"Mrs. Whitlock! Welcome back! Mr. Weasley, how good to see you," he added to George.
"I've come to show George the shop," I said. "And maybe the flat above it?"
"Sure, sure," Dominic exclaimed. "I can trust you to show him around, yes? I have to close up shop."
He handed me a pair of keys.
"Thank you," I smiled before I tugged on George's hand. "Alright, Georgie. Want to start with the upstairs first?"
"Sure."
I nodded, and jerked my head towards the staircase.
"So the flat and offices are upstairs," I said.
"You say 'offices'," he said, putting emphasis on the plural.
"Yes. Two, conveniently enough."
I stepped through the first door on the left at the top of the stairs.
"Now, to get to one, you have to go through the other, but I don't see an issue with that. Dominic says that the office comes fully furnished. Desks, chairs, lamps. Each one has a bookshelf too. Works out pretty well if you ask me."
George took a walk through the offices. When he returned to my side, I pulled him across the hall to the apartment.
"Will the flat be big enough for the three of you?" George asked as we stepped inside. "I mean, you'll be here for the school year, right?"
I nodded.
"Yes to both. We'll be here for the school year excluding breaks, except for one that Jasper has to work. There's two bedrooms, one bathroom, a living area. Everything we need. Jasper and I will have to furnish it ourselves, but I don't imagine that'll be too difficult."
"And clearly painting the walls isn't an issue either," George said, pointing to the black wall.
"I don't guess it would be considering you and I would own it," I said.
"That's true."
"Come on. I'll show you the shop. Now storage is downstairs instead of up, but it's got more room than the shop in Diagon Alley."
George and I walked through the shop and the backroom and stopped there. We talked about the pros of the location, and the few cons. We talked for nearly an hour before I said: "So? What do you think?"
"I like it," George said. "I think it's better than Zonko's."
"So should we talk to Dominic?"
George nodded.
"Let's go."
We stepped back out into the store where Dominic was cleaning off a grand piano.
"Well?" he asked, turning to look at us. "What are we thinking?"
"Who do we talk to about buying?"
"That would be me," Dominic said, a grin spreading across his face. "I finished paying the place off in 1994. I've spent the time since then making a profit on the place."
"How much?"
"17,603 Galleons."
"How much is that in Muggle money?" George muttered to me. "In American Muggle money."
"A little under one hundred and twenty thousand dollars. Average price for a building."
"Are you willing to go any lower?" George asked.
I know we can afford it, George said, as I went to speak up. Just trust me.
Dominic thought for a moment.
"I can come down to 15,000 Galleons even, but that's the lowest I'll go."
I looked to George, and he watched me carefully for a moment.
"Deal," George said, extending his hand.
Dominic shook my hand and smiled.
"Fantastic."
"Why don't we meet over dinner?" Dominic said. "Friday. We can sign the paperwork then."
"Georgie?" I asked.
"Sure," he said. "Where at?"
"The restaurant that took over Zonko's. Aerwyna's Fine Eats."
I nodded.
"We'll be there. Say seven?"
Dominic nodded.
"We'll have the down payment then too," George added.
"Fantastic. I'll see you then. Leave the keys on the counter if you would."
I nodded, and dropped the keys on the counter.
"Ready to go, Georgie?
George nodded and took my hand.
Dominic Maestro's disappeared, and the living room of the Burrow took its place. Angelina, Molly, Jasper, and Teddy all sat in silence. The emotions of the room were thick: excitement and anticipation.
I dropped George's hand, and took a seat next to Jasper.
"When did you get here, Angie?" George asked, sitting down next to her, pulling Fred into his lap.
"About fifteen minutes ago. Your mum and Jasper told me that the two of you went to go look at Dominic Maestro's."
"Yes," I nodded. "We did."
"And?" Molly pressed.
I pulled Teddy into my lap and grinned.
"Looks like you and I will be closer to Papa during the school year, Ted."
Molly, Jasper, and Angelina cheered. Angelina leaned over to kiss George while Jasper did the same to me.
"We've got dinner with Dominic Maestro on Friday at 7:00," George said. "We'll fill out paperwork, and pay the down payment."
"How much is it?" Molly asked.
"Originally it was 17,603 Galleons, but George talked him down to 15,000."
"Between the two of us, we can split it evenly down the middle and still have plenty of money to spare."
"How much are you putting on the down payment?"
George and I looked at each other.
"Well we haven't really discussed it," George said.
"How about you talk to Angelina tonight, and I'll talk to Jasper. See how much we can spare, and then we'll talk tomorrow," I suggested.
"Sounds good," George said, reaching his hand out to me.
I shook it and smiled before I rested my chin on Teddy's shoulder.
"Teddy wants to know if we can hang around a little longer," Jasper murmured to me.
"How about we stay until after dinner," I proposed.
"What about Bella?" Molly asked.
"I don't think there's been much change since we left last."
Jasper nodded.
"She probably won't wake up anytime before tomorrow."
"Which means we probably can't stop by tomorrow, love," I murmured to Teddy. "But Carlisle, Papa, and I are working something out so that you can stay with us for a bit. Deal?"
"Deal," Teddy said, shaking my hand in the same way that I had shook George's.
When Harry, Ginny, Arthur, Bill, Fleur, Ron, and Hermione came, George delivered the good news to them too.
"A toast!" Bill exclaimed, holding up his cup of water. "To Alice and George."
"To Alice and George!" everyone exclaimed.
Glasses clank together, and everyone dove into their food. Jasper and I didn't eat or drink of course, but we did join in on the conversations. Angelina and I were civil, and even laughed together.
After the meal was over, Jasper and I made our leave, and promised Teddy we'd see him tomorrow when he and Ginny came to Diagon Alley.
Back in Forks, there was no change. Bella was as still as ever, Rosalie and Jacob fought over the child, and Edward and Carlisle were stuck at Bella's side, observing her very closely.
"Anything change?" I asked, in case there was a change that wasn't so obvious.
"Not that we can tell," Carlisle said. "She's still very still."
Edward, are you going to step in and help settle the argument of who gets the child? Things seem to be rather heated between Jacob and Rosalie.
"No, I'm staying right here," Edward whispered. "They'll sort it out."
"An interesting situation. And I'd thought I'd seen just about everything."
"I'll deal with it later. We'll deal with it."
"Well, I'm sure, between the five of us, we can keep it from turning into bloodshed." I said.
"I don't know which side to take. I'd love to flog them both. Well, later."
"I wonder what Bella will think—whose side she'll take," Carlisle mused.
"I'm sure she'll surprise me. She always does."
Carlisle smiled, and patted Edward's shoulder before he took his leave.
Edward motioned for me to sit in the chair next to him.
"How was work? You're late. Big things happen when you're late."
"Right you are, Edward. Big things have happened today."
"Such as?"
"George and I are opening up another branch of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes."
"Well yeah, you guys have been talking about it for months."
"No, Edward, you don't understand. We've found a location! In Hogsmeade! It's bigger than the store in Diagon Alley, and it's got two offices instead of one. Oh! And it's got a flat that Teddy and I can stay in during the school year."
"Show it to me?"
I walked through the store, the offices, and the flat in my head. Edward watched closely and then smiled.
"It looks great, Alice."
"We go on Friday to sign the paperwork and put down a down payment. George and I are going to split the total cost in half, so we each owe 7,500 Galleons."
"Can you both afford that?"
"Oh I can definitely afford that."
"George?"
"George is good with money. He's saved a lot over the years. I'm sure he'll be just fine."
"That didn't sound like a yes."
"I don't know George's financial status, Edward. I know that if there is an amount that he can't afford, then I'll be happy to pay for it. Or, there's always the option of taking it out of the store funds." I paused and sat back against the chair. "Huh. Store funds."
"What is it?"
"George and I never talked about using the store's vault to open up a new location. We have more than enough money. We're making more than we're spending. I never thought about that."
"Could you write to George?"
"Well he and I made plans to meet up early tomorrow morning to go to Gringotts together to pull out the money for the down payment. We'll talk tomorrow."
Jasper thinks Bella could wake up tomorrow, I thought, glancing at Edward. It's been his experience where they're never under for more than seventy-two hours.
Well I guess that's the hope then. Will you be here tomorrow?
Yes. I want to be here when she wakes up.
You know, I'm still mad you didn't let her look at herself before the wedding, Edward said. She looked amazing, and she believed she looked ordinary.
Well this time that won't be an issue. Promise me you'll let me be there when she sees herself for the first time.
"I promise," he said out loud.
"Pinkie?" I asked, holding up my pinkie.
"Pinkie," he agreed, wrapping his pinkie around mine.
I smiled and sighed, and the two of us went back to silently waiting. Jasper came up at one point, but he didn't stay long. Half an hour at most to talk about the amount of money I would put down.
I left an hour earlier than normal. Nothing had changed. Before I left, Edward grabbed my hand.
"Ali, "How much longer?" Edward asked.
"It won't be long now. See how clear she's becoming? I can see her so much better."
Bella had become more and more clear as time passed. Without Renesmee in my way, I could see the future itself much clearer. Or at least the things that she had no immediate involvement in.
"Still feeling a little bitter?"
"Yes, thanks so much for bringing it up. You would be mortified, too, if you realized that you were handcuffed by your own nature. I see vampires best, because I am one; I see humans okay, because I was one. But I can't see these odd half breeds at all because they're nothing I've experienced. Bah!"
"Focus, Alice."
"Right. Bella's almost too easy to see now."
I showed Edward the vision I saw of her waking up.
"She's really going to be fine," he breathed.
"Of course she is."
"You weren't so sanguine two days ago."
"I couldn't see right two days ago. But now that she's free of all the blind spots, it's a piece of cake."
"Could you concentrate for me? On the clock—give me an estimate."
"So impatient. Fine. Give me a sec—"
I focused on the clock in the back of the room when I saw Bella opening her eyes. It would be roughly half an hour after I got home.
"Thank you, Alice."
"She's going to be dazzling," I commented.
"She always has been."
"You know what I mean. Look at her. Anyways, I got to go. George is waiting for me."
"Have a good day."
"You too."
George was waiting for Jasper and I outside of Gringotts.
"Morning, Ali. Morning, Jasper."
"Good morning, Georgie. I had a thought last night."
"That's never good."
"I made a budget for opening up a new store. Why don't we pay for the downpayment ourselves, but then pay the rest with money from the store's vaults?"
George paused.
"I had completely forgotten about that."
"So had I. How much are you taking out for the down payment?"
"Angelina agreed on a thousand Galleons."
"Great. Jasper and I settled on fifteen hundred."
"And you're positive that it won't hurt the store?"
"I'll show you the books when we get there."
"Jasper, do you think you could handle the store on your own for a bit? Alice and I have some business matters to take care of."
"Sure," Jasper nodded.
Overall, the day went extremely well. George and I got the money out of our vaults and combined it into one pouch. After that Jasper opened up shop while George and I headed to our office to start making plans for the new store, the expansion testing, and hiring testers.
Teddy and Ginny came right after George got back from lunch, and as excited as he was to see us, he expressed the disappointment he had for us not being to come to the Burrow.
"I wish you could come, Mama. Molly's making corned beef!"
"We'll be there tomorrow, my love," I said. "Here. I've got something for you."
I reached behind the counter and pulled out an acid pop and a sugar quill. Teddy's face lit up as he accepted them. I dropped the coins needed into the register, and George turned and frowned at me.
"You know you didn't have to pay for them, right? You just have to write them off."
"It was ten knuts, George. I'll live."
"Is Bella awake?" Ginny asked.
"No, but she'll wake up not long after I get home. That's why I can't come to the Burrow tonight."
"How's the place for her, Edward, and the child coming along?"
"Esme went to the store and got everything I needed, so I'll start on it as soon as I get home. She even got the paint for Teddy's room at the house."
"And for the flat?" George asked.
"I'm going to get Teddy to look at the swatches again and pick one for there."
"What about the blue one he liked?" Jasper asked.
"We'll get him to look at them again to make sure it's the one he really wants."
Teddy and Ginny left about an hour and a half after they had come in. Teddy was extraordinarily pleased, and happier than I had seen him in weeks.
When we went home, I went straight upstairs to where Edward was.
What are they fighting about? Edward asked, referring to Jacob and Rosalie downstairs.
Over who will feed Renesmee.
Someone hissed downstairs, and I settled into the chair next to Edward.
They were doing it earlier too. Emmett was trying to watch baseball, and ended up having to turn it off to keep Rose from tearing Jacob's head off.
I turned back to the door and looked at Bella.
"How's Teddy?" Edward asked out loud.
"He's good. Very good. He came to the shop today. He's a little disappointed that Jasper and I can't come to the Burrow, but I think he'll do a lot better once he can come here."
Edward squeezed my hand, and we watched Bella in silence.
Sometime later, I heard Bella's heart take off at an unnatural speed. I watched her carefully and Edward and I both raised from our chairs.
"Carlise!" Edward said eagerly.
Carlisle was at our side in a flash and Edward lifted a finger.
"Listen."
"Ah," Carlisle said. "It's almost over."
"Soon," I said. "I'll get the others. Should I have Rosalie… ?"
"Yes—keep the baby away."
"Bella? Bella, love?"
"I'll bring them right up," I said, turning on my heel and hurrying from the room.
Jasper, Emmett, Esme, Rosalie, and Jacob all looked at me when I made it downstairs, and I grinned.
"It's time," I smiled.
"Time," Jacob repeated.
"Yes. Bella is going to wake up. Jacob, you and Rosalie stay down here with Renesmee. Jazz, Esme, Emmett, follow me."
Renesmee fussed once and extended her hands to me. I looked at Rosalie, and she took Renesmee's hand.
"She wants to ask you a question."
I approached the child, and she pressed a hand against my face.
She showed me Bella, and I heard the words I had just said.
Why stay? The child demanded.
"It's not safe for you to be around her right now," I answered simply. "She'd never forgive herself if she hurt you."
She pressed her hand to my cheek once more.
Teddy. Who's Teddy?
"My son."
Where is he?
"He's at my brother's house in England."
I turned to Rosalie and Jacob before Jasper, Emmett, and I hurried up the stairs.
"Stay behind me, Alice," Jasper pleaded outside the door.
I sighed. I knew it would make him feel at ease.
"Fine," I said. "If it makes you feel better, I will."
Jasper and Emmett stood in front of Esme and I. I peeked around Jasper's elbow as Bella opened her eyes, looking around in wonder. I remembered the feeling. The shock of taking in everything around me.
Edward squeezed her hand, and I heard a snarl build up in her throat.
Jasper's hands flew to me instantly as he crouched in a protective position. Bella was crouched against a wall, and even after she stood straight back up, Jasper was cautious.
"Bella?" Edward said in a low voice, holding a hand stretched out to her. "Bella, love? I'm sorry, I know it's disorienting. But you're alright. Everything is fine."
A million questions raced through Bella's head. Her thoughts were loud, and desperate for an answer.
"In time," I said, speaking up quietly from behind Jasper, "your questions will be answered."
Edward reached out and cupped Bella's cheek. In the next second, she had flung herself around Edward's neck. He stood there for a minute before he gently pushed her away, leaning his neck back.
"Um… carefully, Bella. Ow."
Bella, who had still had her arms wrapped around him, jerked them back to her side in a second.
"Oops," she whispered.
"Don't panic, love. You're just a bit stronger than I am for the moment."
"I love you," Bella said, speaking out loud for the first time. Her voice sounded like bells.
"As I love you."
I grinned at the scene in front of me, hanging onto Jasper's neck. Bella and Edward kissed for several seconds, and I could see that it was being more and more private by the second.
Emmett saw where it was going, and he cleared his throat.
Bella stepped away from Edward, and he stepped with her.
"You've been holding out on me," Bella accused.
"It was sort of necessary at the time. Now it's your turn to not break me."
I laughed with Edward, and then Carlisle moved closer to them.
"How do you feel, Bella?" Carlisle asked.
"Overwhelmed. There's so much. . . ."
"Yes, it can be quite confusing."
"But I feel like me. Sort of. I didn't expect that."
"I told you so," Edward whispered.
"You are quite controlled. More so than I expected, even with the time you had to prepare yourself mentally for this."
"I'm not sure about that."
"It seems like we did something right with the morphine this time. Tell me, what do you remember of the transformation process?"
Bella hesitated for a moment.
"Everything was… very dim before. I remember the baby couldn't breathe. . . ."
"Renesmee is healthy and well," Edward said.
"What do you remember after that?" Carlisle asked.
"It's hard to remember. It was so dark before. And then… I opened my eyes and I could see everything."
"Amazing," Carlisle breathed, his eyes alight.
I briefly heard Bella's loud thoughts. She was thinking about how she couldn't lie, but how she was certain the transformation had changed that.
"She's lying," I said, attempting to step around Jasper. "She remembers more than she's letting on."
Jasper pulled me back into his arms, holding me tightly in place.
"I want you to think—to tell me everything you remember."
Bella was quiet for a moment. She knew that she couldn't continue to lie, especially since I could hear her. But she didn't want to relive the burning that she had felt.
If the Cruciatus Curse is more painful, Bella thought, watching me carefully, I'd hate to experience it.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, Bella," Carlisle said suddenly. "Of course your thirst must be very uncomfortable. This conversation can wait."
"Let's hunt, Bella," Edward said.
Her face turned to fear.
"It's quite easy, love. Instinctual. Don't worry, I'll show you. I was under the impression that you'd always wanted to see me hunt. Shall we? I don't want you to be hurting."
"I'm fine," Bella said before she turned and looked at us all. "Wait. First."
"Yes?" Carlisle asked.
"I want to see her. Renesmee."
The smiles left Edward's and Carlisle's faces. Both faces filled with worry, and Jasper took a step back.
If they deny her, Jasper explained, feeling my confusion, and she turns angry, I don't want you to stand too close. Break it to her gently, he added to Edward.
"What?" Bella demanded.
"Bella, that's not really a good idea," Edward said. "She's half human. Her heart beats, and blood runs in her veins. Until your thirst is positively under control… You don't want to put her in danger, do you?"
"Where is she? Is Rosalie with her?"
"Yes."
"Wait. What about Jacob? And Charlie? Tell me everything that I missed. How long was I… unconscious?"
Carlisle and Edward turned to look at each other, and then they looked back at me.
What happens if we tell her now? Carlisle asked me.
A decision was made, and my eyes clouded over.
Not a good idea, I thought to Edward, shaking my head so that Carlisle could understand my disapproval too. She'll go after him. Won't focus on the hunt.
"What's wrong?" Bella whispered, looking between the three of us.
"Nothing is wrong. Nothing has changed much, actually—you were only unaware for just over two days, almost three. It was very fast, as these things go. Edward did an excellent job. Quite innovative—the venom injection straight to your heart, it was his idea." Carlisle paused to smile at Edward, but Edward's face turned sour.
"It was Alice's idea actually," Edward said. "Everything that took place, minus the morphine, was Alice's idea. She's who we have to thank for you still being here."
"Jacob and Charlie?" she pressed.
"Jacob is still here, and Charlie still believes that you are sick. He thinks you're in Atlanta right now, undergoing tests at the CDC. We gave him a bad number, and he's frustrated. He's been speaking to Esme."
"I should call him…," Bella murmured more to herself than to the others. Her head snapped up rather quickly after a second and she said: "Hold on—Jacob is still here?"
"Bella," Edward said quickly. "There's much to discuss, but we should take care of you first. You have to be in pain."
"But Jacob—"
"We have all the time in the world for explanations, love."
"Okay."
"Oh!" I exclaimed, shaking Jasper off of me. "Wait! Before you go! You promised I could be there the first time! What if you two run past something reflective?"
"Alice—," Edward protested.
"It will only take a second!"
I hurried from the room and into Rosalie's. I pulled her giant mirror from the wall, and pulled it with me. It was much taller than I was, and about three times as wide. It proved some difficulty in seeing, but I managed to get back to the room.
Jasper, who had moved next to Carlisle, quickly returned to my side. He hovered over me in a protective way.
How many vampires had tried to kill Jasper? Bella thought. Hundreds? Thousands?
"I don't have an exact number to answer that question," I said, as I sat the mirror down. Jasper came to hold it up. "But I can say that it's the same number that had died trying. Now, Edward gave me grief for not getting you to a mirror before the wedding. I'm not going to be chewed out again."
"Chewed out?" Edward asked, raising an eyebrow. "And what question?"
"Maybe I'm overstating things," I said, spinning the mirror under Jasper's hand so it would face Bella.
"And maybe this has solely to do with your own voyeuristic gratification," he countered.
I frowned at him, and shook my head. I turned my attention to Bella, who was stunned by the person she saw in the mirror.
"The eyes?" she whispered. "How long?
"They'll darken up in a few months. Animal blood dilutes the color more quickly than a diet of human blood. They'll turn amber first, then gold."
"Months?" Bella asked in a high voice.
Jasper stepped forward, almost dropping the mirror in the process. My eyes immediately went to the future, trying to find the decision that she had just made.
"No, I'm fine," Bella said. "It's just… a lot to take in."
Jasper frowned, and jerked his head to me.
How does she do it? He demanded.
"I don't know," Edward murmured.
"What question did I miss?"
"Jasper wonders how you're doing it," Edward said, seemingly pleased with Jasper's displeasure.
"Doing what?"
"Controlling your emotions, Bella. I've never seen a newborn do that—stop an emotion in its tracks that way."
"Not even Alice?" Bella asked.
Jasper winced.
"Well with Alice, magic was involved. A tiny slip in her emotions could have large impacts. But with you...You were upset, but when you saw our concern, you reined it in, regained power over yourself. I was prepared to help, but you didn't need it."
I huffed and Jasper turned to give me an apologetic look.
"Is that wrong?" Bella asked, looking between Jasper and I.
"No," Jasper said, returning to my side.
"It's very impressive, Bella, but we don't understand it. We don't know how long it can hold."
"But what do you think?" I asked, suddenly agitated by the way they all seemed to worry over an attack that wasn't coming.
"I'm not sure."
She was quiet for a moment, going over her new features in her head. Edward suddenly sighed, and began picking through mine.
"Disappointed?" Bella asked him.
"Yes," Edward said, after a small chuckle.
Bella's face morphed into an expression of hurt, and Jasper leaned forward, prepared to calm an attack that hadn't been decided.
I huffed, although it sounded more like a snarl, and Jasper snapped his eyes back to me.
"I was rather hoping that I'd be able to hear your mind, now that it is more similar to my own," Edward explained to Bella, wrapping an arm around her. "And here I am, as frustrated as ever, wondering what could possibly be going on inside your head."
"Oh well," Bella grinned. "I guess my brain will never work right. My thoughts will always be my own. At least I'm pretty."
"Bella, you have never been merely pretty. And your thoughts will never be just yours." He paused and pointed to me. "Our favorite witch can still hear you."
Stay out of my head, Alice, Bella said.
"Sorry, Bella," I said. "I can't really turn it off anymore."
Bella huffed to, and Jasper glared at Edward.
She needs to hunt, Edward, Jasper snapped.
"All right, all right," Edward groaned.
"What?" Bella asked, confused.
"You're making Jasper more edgy by the second. He may relax a little when you've hunted."
"Okay. Let's hunt."
Edward motioned to the opened window, and jerked his head towards it.
"After you."
"The window?"
"It's the most convenient exit."
"If it makes you feel better, Bella," I pipped in, gaining her attention, "Tobias had me jump out of a window right after I was just changed too."
"If you're frightened, I can carry you," Edward said.
"We have all eternity, and you're worried about the time it would take to walk to the back door?"
"Renesmee and Jacob are downstairs," he said with a small frown.
"Oh."
"Is Renesmee… okay… with Jacob there? He doesn't like her much."
"Trust me, she is perfectly safe. I know exactly what Jacob is thinking."
"Of course."
"Stalling?" Edward asked Bella, smiling at her.
"A little. I don't know how—"
Bella was cut off by Emmett chuckling.
"Watch me," Edward suggested before he stepped off the ledge.
Bella mimicked him and she too fell to the ground.
"Right. Easy," Bella muttered to herself.
"Bella?"
"Yes?"
"That was quite graceful—even for a vampire."
I rolled my eyes and passed the mirror to Jasper.
"Thank you," Bella told him.
In the next second, I could hear the wind whooshing, and I reached forward to grab the shoes that Bella had just thrown at me. I caught them before they hit the ground and huffed.
"Her fashion sense hasn't improved as much as her balance," I told Jasper, showing him the shoes. "Ungrateful git."
"Alice!" Carlisle frowned. "Don't be rude."
"Carlisle, these shoes are from France. Veelas made them. Fleur got them for her as a wedding present."
"Sorry, Alice!" Bella called me.
"Just be careful with the dress please," I sighed. "Fleur got that for you too. I told her I'd send pictures."
Edward took Bella's hand and the two of them headed for the river. I sat at the window and listened carefully.
"Are we swimming?" Bella asked, her voice slightly more muffled than it had been
"And ruin your pretty dress from the Veelas of France? No. We're jumping."
"You first," Bella said. "Show-off," she muttered after a moment of silence.
Seconds later I heard a rip, and my eyes quickly scanned the forest. Another loud rip filled the air, and I gritted my teeth. Jacob and Emmett laughed and my eyes flashed.
"I guess I owe Fleur sixty Galleons," I said.
"How much is that in Muggle money?" Esme asked. "We'll pay you back."
"Nearly four hundred dollars."
"For that simple dress?" Emmett asked.
"Yes. Because that 'simple dress' was made by Veelas. They take pride in everything that they do."
"I don't know why it matters anyways," Rosalie said from downstairs. "We never wear anything more than once."
"That was a gift. And now it can't even be donated to shelters in the Wizarding World."
"Surely you can fix it," Esme said.
"Not the way that Veelas sew. It's very specific."
"Fleur then," Carlisle proposed.
I shook my head.
"It's ruined now."
Everybody was quiet for a moment, and I watched them all carefully for a moment before I sighed.
"I guess I'd better get started on the cottage," I said, picking the mirror back up.
"We'll come help," Esme offered. "We've already got everything there."
I shook my head.
"I'll be fine for now. I want to start it alone."
"Ali—" Jasper started.
I shook my head.
"Stay here. Please? They'll need you when Bella comes back."
"I'm going to come get you before they get back," Jasper said. "I don't expect that the imprinting can be kept a secret for much longer, and we'll need you back then."
I nodded and Disapperated away, ready to start my work.
Hey guys! I hope you all enjoyed your holiday season (whatever that holiday may be) and the New Year! I definitely got a lot of writing done over my winter holiday (not just for LIAB) and I am definitely proud of the work that I've done. One note that I can think of is I've just finished revising up to chapter nine, so chapters 1-9 have been revised and are hopefully (fingers crossed) error free.
So with that being said, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter, and I'll see you in the next one!
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