Disclaimer: This chapter contains dialogue from Breaking Dawn, by Stephenie Meyer (Chapter 19). No copyright infringement intended. I do not profit from this.

Acknowledgements: Loads of thanks to palmofafreezinghand. This chapter was a mess before she workshopped it with me. Have you read her fics yet? She's an engrossing storyteller ~ check out her Carlesme origin story with a nice helping of Edward, For Appearance's Sake, actively updating on AO3.

Where would my sentence structure and conversational grammar be without Alice's White Rabbit's red pen? A whopping load of thanks for her too. Love you ladies.

Note re Jasper POV racism: To the reviewer who anonymously asked about Jasper's blatant racism in the last chapter, yes, it is a character choice, and yes, you are supposed to feel uncomfortable. I had hoped readers would pick up on the hints I've been dropping in each chapter about Jasper's true character. This Jasper isn't the popular version of Jasper. This one is highly problematic, and I am highlighting all the things wrong with his character. If you want a sanitized version of Jasper, you are in the wrong place, my friend. I wish you were brave enough to just ask outright, anon, so we could discuss it in PM, but if you are thinking this way, others may be as well, so here we are. Also, please heed all of the warnings I tagged this story with, and buckle up for when they go abroad, his racism against Native Americans was a preview. If you have read any of my other stories, you know where my head and heart is at.

Visions Interrupted: Chapter 10 - Dressed to the Nines

At first, I thought it was a sick joke.

Why would Jasper tell me to check Bella's future? She was dead. Why was he being cruel and trying to make me hurt more? Attempting to see a future would lead to nothing but heartache.

Nevertheless, when Jasper asked, it triggered my brain to look. Whenever someone asked me about the future, my brain automatically disassociated, my eyes would unfocus, and I would see. And there she was, a beautiful vampire, racing through the woods with Edward. She was wearing a sleek blue dress; in fact, I knew that dress. I'd bought it for Esme for a charity benefit she'd attended with Carlisle, but it could be altered to fit Bella. Yes, I could make it work. My dear friend needed to start trusting me when it came to fashion; I would make her as beautiful as she always could have been if only she'd have let me do it! The only chance she gave me was for the wedding, and even then, it was a struggle. But I digress! My best friend wasn't going to die after all; she was going to live on forever. Relief like I'd never known before washed over me, and my body sagged with the release of tension I'd been carrying around for weeks.

"I've got to tell Edward," I informed Jasper, and he nodded, waving me off. I'm sure he needed some relief from our combined misery.

I rushed into the room where Edward knelt on the floor next to Bella's bed, her lifeless body clutched in his arms as he wept over her broken frame, so consumed with grief my presence was completely ignored. Edward, look! I demanded in my mind, and I showed him the vision. He didn't react though, too lost in his mourning, so I flashed over to him, shaking his shoulders as I replayed the vision over and over until it finally sank in. He gasped, trying to regulate himself, rising from the floor and staring down at her motionless body for several long moments.

"She's really going to be okay," he whispered. It wasn't a question; he'd seen my vision as clearly as I had. It was just strange and difficult to reconcile the image of a frolicking, happy Bella with the body in front of us. But the quiet thud of her heartbeat was there; we'd just been too aggrieved to notice, I guess. We'd all been so sure of her death.

Moving to stand beside him, we both gazed down at Bella's still form.

I've never been so happy to be wrong in my life.

Edward smiled ruefully, and I leaned into him for a side hug. We stood holding each other, an arm slung around the other's waist, and I felt all the tension and uncertainty of the last few weeks just melt away. Bella wasn't going to die. Although she certainly looked that way at the moment. Her midsection was a mess. Although Edward had attempted to make the wound look better by folding the flaps of skin back into place, it still looked like a horror show. There was a large bruise over her sternum at the venom injection site, and there were clear bite marks on her wrists, the insides of her elbows, her inner thighs, knees, ankles—he'd really done everything to try to turn her. She would bear many scars, but judging from my visions, that wouldn't matter to her. More disturbing than her injuries were her complete silence and comatose state.

I thought she was supposed to be screaming and thrashing?

"She should be."

I didn't know from experience, only from what the others had said. I'd never seen someone transform before and didn't remember my own, but apparently, it was supposed to be quite painful. Either Bella had a unique ability to compartmentalize the supposed pain or all the rest of my family were exaggerating. I very much doubted the latter.

Well, we already knew Bella was strong and determined just by seeing her tough out that pregnancy and, even before, going to Italy to save Edward, despite thinking he didn't care for her. Edward frowned when I thought of that, and I quickly changed my thought pattern, not wanting to disturb his newfound peace.

So what the hell is Ren-esmay?

He stifled a chuckle. "Bella chose it."

"Chose what."

"The name."

"It's a name? The mons—baby's name?"

Edward didn't mention my near-slip. "Yes, it's her mother and ours, combined."

Renee and Esme. Ren-esmay. Huh.

Edward stiffened suddenly. "Please stay with Bella," he bit out before he stormed out of the room and down the stairs. Some kind of altercation between Edward and Jacob was happening, and I was so curious, but when I attempted to see what was going on, I remembered Jacob was a blind spot. With a sigh of frustration, I looked into Bella's future instead, this time seeing her gazing into a long mirror at her new body. And she was wearing that beautiful blue dress. I was certain I could easily alter it right now. That ought to give Bella's body some time to knit back together, and then I would help Edward clean and dress her. I chatted to her motionless body about my plans for her waking-up outfit while I waited for him to return in the off chance she could hear me.

"I'll be back soon, Bella," I told her as I heard Edward coming back up the stairs. When he came into the room, I flitted out but not before I caught his eyes rolling. Guess he heard my thoughts about the dress. I tittered to myself as I went down the hall to my room and set out my sewing machine. Then I went into Esme's room, easily found the dress in her closet, and brought it back to my room to be altered.

I was just finishing my alterations when Jasper came up to our room and filled me in on the imprint business with Jacob and his new ties to our family. I guess my visions would forever have a blind spot—actually, two blind spots now. How maddening for me to never be able to use my gift at full capacity as long as I stayed near the two of them. What was this going to mean for my future with my family? My headaches were gone now—the static had been a product of an unknown entity mixing with one known to me—but would I ever be able to function the way I always had again? Would I grow used to the blank spaces and learn to work around them? I certainly hoped so. The last thing I wanted was to leave the family I was destined to belong to.

Jasper told me about Ren-esmay's gift of planting thoughts and images in your mind and her natural power to compel people toward her. It was terrifying, what that thing could do. Her siren call appeared to be irresistible to the uninformed. (And that name? Heinous. It's fitting though, isn't it? Unnatural, just like the creature it christened.)

Jasper's recap was cut short as we listened to Rosalie climb the stairs, bringing the thing to meet its father. She introduced it to Edward and left them together so father and 'daughter' could get acquainted without him having to leave Bella's side. We listened as Edward cooed at the demon, the rocking chair creaking as he softly sang it a lullaby. I could feel the waves of adoration and love rolling out of Jasper. Edward had been taken in, just like everyone else who touched her.

My mate's smile was huge, no doubt feeling all of Edward's elation, but I could tell he didn't want to be feeling that way because when he spoke to me, it was through gritted teeth. "It can't be done now. It's too loved." He was whispering so low his words were barely dust in the wind. He must have felt very confident that Edward wouldn't be focused on our minds, instead enraptured by his spawn. "Edward, Jacob, Rosalie, Esme, certainly Bella when she wakes—they've all been taken in by it. As soon as it touched them … I didn't let it touch me. You shouldn't either."

"How can I avoid that?" I hissed. "It'll be weird if I never touch her. You can get away with that, but I can't. And you really need to stop with the 'it'. They all think it's a normal little girl."

"All right, all right. Well, don't worry. I'll keep you in line. Make sure to mitigate any attempt at coercing you she may project in her thoughts." He emphasized the pronouns with air quotes.

While I hoped I would be strong enough to resist on my own, I was so thankful to have Jasper to support me in preventing that, who could replace my gullibility with suspicion and keep me from coming under the dhampir's spell. Filling myself with gratitude, I cupped his cheeks before running my hands down his neck and shoulders, squeezing his biceps.

"Thank you, darlin'. I don't want to feel this well of devotion to this thing we still know nothing about. I need a distraction." He gritted his teeth in irritation against the unwanted emotions and squeezed his eyes shut. I could feel the exasperation and adulation clashing in the atmosphere directly surrounding my mate, and it was very confusing. I felt so bad for Jasper. If feeling these emotions peripherally was this effective, I couldn't imagine how it must impact him. Then, all reflective thoughts were wiped from my mind. I hadn't been feeling all that horny, but now it was all I could think about. When Jasper opened his eyes again, they were black, his gaze intense from him feeling my lust. Or was I feeling his lust? I wasn't really sure, but I didn't really care, despite the inappropriate circumstances. I just wanted his cock.

Jasper grinned lecherously and leaned in to purr in my ear. "What do you say we finish what we started in the woods, hummingbird?"

I responded by turning my head to meet his lips in a scorching kiss, our hands groping whatever we could reach. Jumping up into his arms, I wrapped my legs around his waist and rubbed against his burgeoning erection just like I had several hours ago. I felt him smile through our endless kiss as my lust skyrocketed. I needed him inside me right now.

Before I even realized what happened, Jasper had brought me into the closet, laying me down in the cocoon he'd built for himself. I started to wonder whose clothes we were lying on exactly, and it better not be one of my Givenchys. I didn't have time to get too distracted by that however because my desire surged, and I reattached my lips to Jasper's, trying to devour him.

Our lust surrounded us, and we were in so deep we didn't even take our clothes off. My skirt was lifted and my panties torn off, his pants and boxers were shoved down to his knees, and then he was inside me, thrusting with all of his power, my hips meeting his with just as much fervor. Was it wrong to be fucking like this so soon after what happened? I couldn't find it inside myself to care. We found our completion quickly after so many weeks of abstaining, and afterward, I felt mildly embarrassed that we'd just fucked so hedonistically just down the hall from my brother while he was trying to bond with his child.

"At least you were fast," Edward muttered from the other room, and Jasper and I both stifled a laugh. Seemed like Edward was a little more relaxed about this since he'd started getting some because before his honeymoon, he'd have been disgusted by us. Ren-esmay's breathing was slow, indicating she had probably fallen asleep lying on Edward's shoulder. Really, what on earth was that name? Jasper and I decided to go downstairs to see what everyone else was up to.

Emmett glanced over at us from where he sat on the couch. "Damn, kids, you just couldn't keep it in your pants anymore, couldya?" he teased.

Jasper flopped down on the opposite side of the couch next to him. "Please, if you could, you would too."

We all looked over at Rosalie. Her attention was solely on what was happening with Edward and the baby, face and body turned toward the upstairs room they were in, not wanting to miss a moment with the child and upset that she was being forced to, even if she had been the one to bring the baby to Edward in the first place. Jacob was at least attempting to hide his similar level of interest, but Rosalie did no such thing and was completely blatant about listening to the baby's every breath and heartbeat. She was so invested. I couldn't help but wonder if maybe it really was just a sweet, cute, harmless baby after all. I'd have to see it for myself. Uncertainty jolted through me, and my moment of weakness evaporated. No, the dhampir was using a harmless exterior to trick me into protecting it. The uncertainty eased off, and I felt sure of myself once again.

Carlisle was at the computer, comparing numbers on his notepad to what looked like growth charts on the screen. His face was creased with concern, his eyes flicking between the room upstairs and the screen, like he couldn't decide what to worry about first. Esme seemed laser-focused on all things baby. At the moment, she was trying to test the temperature of the blood bottle she had heated up for the baby, and then sadly realized her skin couldn't really feel how hot or cold something is, only a generalized warmth.

Emmett was flipping through the channels on our state-of-the-art TV so fast that even a vampire couldn't keep track of what was on each channel. The TV wasn't quite up to the task either; it flickered and sparked, and I feared it might short out. Obviously, Emmett was still agitated by the high anxiety we'd all been going through these last few weeks. Despite the fact that everything seemed to have turned out okay, it didn't mean those feelings of desperation and fear just evaporated, well, not for anyone aside from Jacob. Esme and Rosalie hadn't felt those emotions for as long as the rest of us had, never having been too worried about what the fetus would turn out being, so they weren't quite as affected, but the rest of us were still a little shook by the whole experience.

When Emmett finally stopped flipping, thankfully before either ruining the TV or setting the house on fire, the channel he landed on was showing a Mariners game. I looked ahead and saw that the Mariners were going to lose and the Orioles were going to win, but Emmett wouldn't believe what I told him.

"I bet you my pick for movie night if the Orioles win," I said. (Family movie night was held every Tuesday, typically one of the days Carlisle takes as his mandatory two days off per week since, of course, he can't work seven days a week; he's only human after all, wink, wink. Anyway, the pick of the week rotates until everyone has had a chance to choose a movie, and then starts over. The winner of this bet would get to pick what movie we watched twice in this cycle.)

Emmett was suspicious of my wager, just as I had seen he would be. "No way; you're trying to trick me. It's gonna be the Mariners." Emmett was used to me feeding him false outcomes so I could win by misdirecting him. Easy win for me. "You're on," Emmett vowed.

I smiled at the back of his head when he turned back around to watch the game. No Jean Claude Van Damme movies for a while.

Carlisle turned off the monitor of the computer and sighed deeply. He was so used to the human façade it was like second nature to him.

"I've never seen someone in transition hold so still and remain silent," he said, shaking his head and sounding dumbfounded. "Jasper, have you seen this before with any of your newborns?"

"Can't say that I have."

"Can you ... feel anything from her?"

Jasper was silent for a few moments. I felt his reluctance to divulge Bella's emotional state seep through my palm as we held hands, and when he did speak, his response was purposefully vague. "She feels a heaviness I can't explain."

"I wonder if it's the morphine. Some people report a heaviness in their limbs, an inability to move. Is she in pain?"

Emmett and I looked to Jasper, who was hesitating but was saved from answering by Rosalie, whose attention had been solely focused on what was going on upstairs. "Esme, Renesmee's going to get thirsty again soon."

"Alice, why don't you send Edward down," Esme responded, waving the blood bottle toward me in emphasis. The sloshing blood made me tense, as it did for Jasper and Emmett too. It would be a trial by fire, getting used to a constant supply of blood in the house.

Jacob and Rosalie watched me leave eagerly. I took the stairs two at a time, grateful for a reprieve from their adoration of the thing. Their enthusiasm was so creepy; I was glad to get away from their saccharine happiness and sappy eyes.

Edward looked up from kissing the baby's head as I entered the room. Her head rested on his shoulder, and her face was nestled against his neck.

Come on, Edward. Esme wants you downstairs. Renesmee is due for a feeding. Esme already prepped a bottle for you, though you might have to fight Rosalie for the honors.

He scoffed at that, and the baby started to stir with the jarring movement of his chest. He glanced furtively at Bella's still form, clearly torn between bonding with his daughter and leaving his wife alone.

I'll take good care of her, get her cleaned up and dressed. I have the perfect thing for her to wear, Edward. "You have to promise me something though."

"And what is that?"

"I get to be there when she sees herself for the first time."

That made him chuckle. "Still smarting about the wedding?"

Maybe. I pursed my lips and frowned, which made him chuckle more, which in turn made the baby fuss more. "Now go."

I looked Bella over as Edward left the room with Ren-esmay, then swiftly went to fill a basin with water and grab a few towels and some soap. When I returned, Esme was waiting for me with shampoo and a brush. "I'll wash her hair," she said with a smile.

"Thanks!" I chirped, and we set to cleaning Bella. I scrubbed the blood off her torso and limbs, which were now more or less healed, while Esme worked on her hair. Even dried and crusty, Bella's blood still smelled divine, so I held my breath as I worked. It just wouldn't do to taste my best friend's blood, even if she wasn't in danger of me killing her. We worked quietly for a while, but soon, Esme broke our silence.

"You should meet her, Alice." When I gave no answer, Esme clarified, "Your niece."

The truth was I was scared to meet her. I couldn't see her in my visions; she was still a blank spot to me, though her blankness behaved more like Jacob's now that it was separate from Bella. No more painful, headache-inducing static but still an annoying hurdle. And she had successfully charmed everyone so far. If the dhampir was compelling enough to ensnare Jacob, who had hated her existence so thoroughly, she was scary powerful, and I didn't want to touch her and fall under her spell.

"I know, just haven't really had time yet. I will."

That seemed to satisfy her, but I knew she knew I was lying. Esme always knew when one of us was lying, but she never pressed us on the matter, always believing we had the best intentions for keeping things from her. In her mind, if we were lying about something, there had to be a good reason. She might even participate in the lie if it was something she deemed appropriate. As I thought, Esme didn't press me on the topic and, thankfully, changed the subject. "You must be so happy, Alice. Soon, you'll have your new, indestructible sister to do fun things with. Do you see any plans in your future?"

Her question triggered my brain into action. A few visions appeared that made me smile.

"Well, I can't see a lot because Bella has to make decisions too, but it looks like we'll be going to Milan! I'll have to slog through smelly old bookstores for her to agree to go to a runway show, but I see us in the audience of one or two! Surely, she'll be interested in fashion once she can see the clothes modeled in front of her, right?"

"Oh, yes, I'm sure," Esme placated me.

We set our minds back to the task at hand and finished cleaning Bella in silence. When she was all cleaned up, I zipped out of the room to grab the dress, and then ran it back in.

Esme smiled despite herself as she shook her head at the dress in my hands. "Really, Alice?"

"What's wrong with it?" I asked, glancing down at it and only seeing perfection.

"Well, nothing if you're Rosalie, or you, or me on a night out dancing. Hey, wait, isn't that the dress I wore to—"

"Come on, Esme, she'll love it! It's a Carolina Herrera."

"Whatever you say, Alice."

I huffed. "Well, Bella seemed to like her reflection in the vision I had. Pretty safe to say she at least likes the dress, if not loves it."

Laughing indulgently, Esme helped me slip the dress on Bella and fasten it into place. I had considered some sexy black underwear, but when I decided to do it, I saw they would just be torn to shreds. Which reminded me that I needed to do one last check at the cottage to make sure it looked perfect. A great excuse not to see much of the dhampir. Maybe Jasper would even come with me. As I grabbed the matching heels, Esme rolled her eyes. I paused after sliding the first shoe onto Bella's elegantly shaped foot, and we listened as Rosalie came up the stairs, cooing, "Come on, Renesmee, it's time for your first bath." Esme looked from Bella to the door and back again. I took pity on her. "Go, Esme. I'll finish up here."

"Okay, Alice, thank you. And then you'll come meet her?"

I smiled and nodded, and she flitted out to the bathroom while I finished tidying up the room so the bloody mess and scent wouldn't send Bella into a frenzy when she woke up. Could you imagine Bella sucking on a towel soaked in her own human blood? That's twisted, even to a blood drinker.

When Edward returned, I left him to admire my handiwork and took the bloody towels out to the firepit to burn. But my attention was drawn to the voices in the bathroom, and my feet automatically brought me to the wide open door.

The baby was splashing in the tub, which was filled with bubbles. Who even had bubble bath on hand? Probably Rosalie. She liked to take luxurious baths, so this dhampir was likely soaking in some ridiculously expensive formula or another. Esme and Rosalie both had washcloths, and they took turns between splashing playfully with her and actually washing her. Automatically, my mind's eye sought their futures.

Esme stood in front of a mirror in her bedroom, clad only in her undergarments, softly caressing her slightly rounded belly, crying tearlessly. Carlisle appears from the background and holds her from behind, wrapping his arms around her waist and laying his hands over hers, looking just as devastated.

Rosalie rants at Emmett in the woods about Bella and Edward not being attentive enough to their daughter, that they didn't want a child as desperately as she did, that she and Emmett would be infinitely better parents to a child.

I returned to the present and observed the two of them. They were so happy, cooing at the dhampir and smiling so widely I thought their faces would split open, completely at odds with the visions of their futures. This was going to be painful for them both down the road, but for now, they were just enjoying the novelty of a baby in the house. Once they were used to its presence, they would remember their own unfulfilled desires for family and resent Bella for her luck in attaining it.

The baby was all smiles too, and I was disturbed to see it flashing a full set of teeth. She was only seven hours old, and she looked like a three-month-old. A three-month-old with teeth. Her eyes were focused, aware, comprehending, watching our every move and learning from it. I swore she had grown since I'd last seen her in Edward's arms.

Carlisle was also there, sitting on the closed toilet and making notes, pausing now and then to observe what Ren-esmay was doing, and then jotting down some more notes. He seemed concerned, which didn't surprise me. I mean, I was concerned. This thing was sitting up, smiling and splashing as if she hadn't just been born yesterday.

Jasper sidled up and joined me in the doorway, wrapping his arms around my waist. Leaning back, letting him bear my weight, we watched as Esme wrapped her up in a towel as Rosalie drained the tub. It was then that I truly saw her close up for the first time—Bella's eye color and Edward's hair, uncanny valley eyes, creepy little palm stretching to rest on the side of Esme's adoring face. Why did she want to touch her cheek? Easier access for a surprise decapitation? I held my breath as the dhampir laid her tiny hand on Esme's face, bracing for what it might do to my sweet mother figure, but my nerves were in vain. Esme's smile just grew wider, and the girl returned the smile, her bright white teeth glinting in the overhead lighting.

Finally acknowledging Jasper and me in the doorway, Rosalie reached for the baby and started to approach us with her. Rosalie told Jasper to hold his breath, to which my mate complied, but I felt his anxiety rise as the child drew nearer to us. The dhampir caught my gaze even though I tried to avoid it, and my resolve faltered as those chocolatey brown orbs drew me in, making me feel peaceful, content, and protective. As she reached for my face with her palm, I instinctively moved my cheek closer, to give her easier access to the skin she wanted to touch. Next to me, Jasper's anxiety spiked so sharply that it bled into me, disrupting my trance-like state and bringing me back to reality. It frightened me to think I'd almost fallen for it. Instead, I lifted my hand to hers and touched her palm to palm. The images she showed were her perspective of bath time, Esme and Rosalie's doting faces, and little hands playing and splashing in the bubbly water. She dropped her hand and smiled brightly, revealing the teeth she really shouldn't have yet. The images had seemed innocent enough, but that could have been on purpose. Jasper's doubt filled me and reminded me of my own doubts, and I couldn't help but feel a huge wave of relief as I realized he'd saved me from being taken in by her like the rest of them. I squeezed his hand in thanks, earning a wry smile.

The baby was touching Rosalie's cheek now, and concern and pity crossed my sister's features. "Poor baby, we have no clothes or diapers or anything for you!"

"Oh my, we were so wrapped up in the possible negative consequences that we didn't even think of what Renesmee might need," Carlisle deduced.

"I'm going to run to Target and grab diapers and a package of those simple white onesies for now," Esme announced.

"Get a few different sizes," Carlisle advised. "She seems to be growing rather quickly."

Simple onesies? This would not stand. And it was the perfect excuse to get a breather from the dhampir's influence. "No niece of mine is going to be caught dead in basic clothing," I announced before turning on my heel and rushing down to the computer in the living room to purchase some designer duds for the girl. Now this—shopping for designer clothes at high-end kid-chic boutiques—I could get behind. It was a perfect and believable way for me to show interest but not get too close. I'd experienced its powerful pull firsthand now and knew I'd have to be constantly on my guard around her to resist her charms.

Esme came down and swiftly left for Target. Carlisle had followed her, and after kissing her goodbye, he came over to me and reminded me to get a wide range of sizes. He was very concerned about her rapid growth rate, and I did my best to match his level of worry. I then proceeded to go ahead and buy a full catalogue of clothing for Ren-esmay, having them overnight delivered so I wouldn't be subjected to the indignity of looking at a three-dollar onesie for too long. It was bad enough that Bella didn't know how to dress. I wasn't about to let her daughter start down that path, dhampir or no. If the thing was going to kill us all, it was going to be dressed well.

Eventually, Rose came down with the baby wrapped in a fresh towel, and she and Jacob argued because she wouldn't let him hold her until she had proper clothes. Emmett had to intervene. Jasper sat beside me and watched me binge shop. Soon Esme came home and Rosalie dressed the baby, finally giving it to Jacob, who let out a huge sigh of contented relief, which Jasper disturbingly mirrored. His internal fight against the dhampir was going to be infinitely harder for him than me, but if anyone could stick to his guns, it was Jasper.

The vision of Bella in the mirror came to me again, the picture much clearer this time. I could see Edward behind her, hands on her hips, both smiling at her image. The clarity of the vision told me she'd be waking to her new life as a vampire soon. That damned baby had distracted me from the fact that the girl I'd been so sure would permanently die was no longer in that danger and would walk by my side for the rest of eternity. I couldn't contain my excitement, clapping my hands and bouncing on the balls of my feet. I didn't even say anything to anyone before rushing up the stairs to show Edward. This miserable ordeal was finally coming to an end, and we would all be happy again.

I played the vision for him as I climbed the stairs, and when I opened the door, he was waiting for me with a big grin. Then the ingrate poked fun at my gift being thwarted and causing me weeks of pain. Although his 'playful' attitude irked me, I let it slide this time but only because he'd been through the trial of several lifetimes. He actually seemed contrite when I told him I would never see properly again where it involved Jacob or Ren-esmay, but it didn't stop him from needling me for more details on Bella's awakening.

Once again, I showed my brother the image of Bella frolicking beside him in the very dress she now wore. Then I also showed him the vision of Bella looking in the full-length mirror at her new perfection.

"She's really going to be fine," he breathed. Maybe now he would finally start to believe everything was going to work out after all.

"Of course she is," I scoffed.

"You weren't so sanguine two days ago."

"I couldn't see right two days ago," I pointed out sharply. "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?"

I sighed, rolling my eyes dramatically. "So impatient. Fine. Give me a sec."

I thought about the mirror vision and conjured the vision in my mind, this time exploring the smaller details I hadn't noticed in my excitement that she'd soon rise. I realized they were standing in this very room, although it didn't currently contain a mirror of that size. I stared at Bella's reflection and saw the reversed image of the clock that hung on the wall behind her. The hour hand was on the eleven but the minute hand was still fuzzy. Still, it was close enough to start planning, as it was only a few hours from now.

"Thank you, Alice."

My eyes swept over her elegant form. "She's going to be dazzling."

Edward growled defensively. "She always has been."

"You know what I mean. Look at her." I gestured to her fully healed and contoured body, perfectly filling out the Herrera. Her legs were going to look killer when she was standing in those heels.

Unable to help himself, he smiled indulgently. Edward and I gazed at her for a few moments before I sighed and told him, "Well, I'll come back when it's nearly time," before going back down to the living room.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Everyone was looking at me expectantly when I went back downstairs, obviously having heard everything Edward and I had said.

"Bella's going to wake up in the eleven o'clock hour. The minute hand wasn't quite clear yet," I announced as I flitted over to sit beside Jasper on the couch. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders, and I fit myself into the crook of his arm, purring briefly with the contact.

Carlisle furrowed his brow, his features drawn with worry, staring at nothing as he seemed to search his own mind. "Too fast," he muttered eventually. "It's only been two days."

"And she still hasn't made a sound," Esme reminded us.

Jasper's face was arranged in an expression of concern, but I could feel some anticipation leaking into me at our touch points. "It seems that nothing is normal about Bella's transformation," he commented. "I think we need to be on our guard when she wakes. She may be more feral than most."

"You may be right, Jasper. You and Emmett should be ready to defend and subdue her if necessary," Carlisle said with contrition.

"Edward better not freak out if we have to hold her back." Emmett tried to play it off in a joking manner, but I could see his wariness.

"We have to think about the baby now," Esme reasoned. "Renesmee has blood. Edward will want her protected from Bella's newborn thirst."

"Bella will want what's best for Renesmee too. She'll understand," Rosalie added.

"If she remembers her level of devotion," Jasper warned.

"She'll remember," Rosalie and Esme said simultaneously.

Carlisle heaved a sigh. "Even so, I think it's best if Rosalie stays down here with Renesmee when Bella wakes, with Jacob ready to protect her as well."

The wolf's chest puffed up, and Jasper bit back a snicker, hiding it from the others, but I could feel his amusement.

"Alice," Carlisle addressed me, distracting me from Jasper, apparently thinking Jacob's lofty pridefulness was funny in some way. "Can you see if it will be enough?"

"I can't see anything involving those two," I grumbled, pointing at Jacob and the dhampir.

Carlisle looked like he wished he hadn't asked, if only to spare my feelings. "Sorry, I forgot for a moment."

I sighed. Everyone had relied on my gift for so long; the fact it was broken was going to take getting used to for all of them too, not just me. "For the record, I can see Bella now, and she seems happy and calm in my visions of her future. Nothing at all to worry about. Everything will turn out great."

Xxxxxxxx

For the next few hours, we tried to distract ourselves from the beating heart upstairs.

Rosalie and Jacob fought over whose turn it was to hold the baby. Esme intervened and gave the baby to Jacob since he wasn't allowed to hold her before she'd come back with clothes for her. Rosalie grumbled but conceded easier than I'd expected.

Emmett, Jasper, and I took bets on how Bella would react to Jacob's imprint when she woke up. For once, I didn't know the answer, but it seemed pretty obvious to me she wasn't going to be happy about it. It was too weird; that boy had been so into Bella, and now he was attached to her daughter? What? There was something gross about that. Surprisingly, Carlisle and Esme got in on the bet too. Jacob argued that she'd be happy Nessie—his dopey nickname for the girl—had a protector, which was wishful thinking, if you asked me. I think Esme and Carlisle joined in the bet to support Jacob's side and make him feel better since the rest of us were, rightfully, against him, assuming there would be some level of violence that resulted from this particular revelation.

Eventually, we heard Bella's heart begin to speed up. A brief vision flashed into my mind, minute hand clear this time. "Five minutes or so," I told them. Everyone was unsure what to expect when Bella awoke, and our eyes darted about with nerves. I heard Jasper's breath hitch, and the room was saturated with anticipation. Carlisle flashed up the stairs, and I was hot on his heels, not wanting to miss a moment.

Note: Chapter 11 will summarize much of what we know of the events following Bella's awakening up through Alice's vision of the Volturi. It's time to get to uncharted territory, don't you think?