I don't own any of Stephanie meyer's wonderful characters or anything else within this incredible universe she's created.

Chapter 3: Edward POV

It feels as though it's been an eternity of waiting. Of course, consciously I'm aware that it hasn't even been two full days. Unless you count the week before, when we were fruitlessly tracking James. Or the 80 odd years before that when I was wandering aimlessly through my non life before Bella lit up my starless sky. The aching in my chest was both easing and intensifying if that were even possible. On the one hand, Bella's transformation was almost complete. The waiting would end and I could finally hold her in my arms again! Yet, on the other hand I still did not know how she would react to this transformation. Would she be angry, furious that we had taken this decision away from her? Would she be resentful and bitter, the way Rosalie had been, the way Rosalie still was? Would she be fearful? Surely she would be. How could she not be? But then again she never reacted the way I expected her to.

"It's time!" Alice called from the top of the stairs. Everyone in the house was moving in an instant. I heard the quick soft saunter of 6 vampires running at their most comfortable pace. I was the fastest, as per usual, and was at Bella's side within a quarter of a second. Alice stood so close behind me I could feel her breath on my neck. "Alice, why isn't she moving?" I spoke so quickly that a human's ears wouldn't even have been able to hear it.

"I've never seen a transition like this!" I didn't expect her to answer.

"It must be the morphine!" Carlisle cheered. Before I could respond to him, Alice was overtaken by visions. 1,000 different possibilities of the interaction that was about to take place.

"I can't see what will happen." Alice thought in my direction. "She hasn't decided what she will do, her emotions are changing too quickly. Nothing will settle into place. You aren't helping either! Someone just needs to decide already!" I could hear Alice's anxiety in her mental shriek. She was not used to not knowing. She was just as at the mercy of fate as the rest of us were. "96,000 seconds" Alice thought suddenly. Before I could even think to question what that could mean, Bella's eyes flashed open. She blinked, once, twice, then her eyes refocused. She sat up at vampire speed, and seemed disoriented. She hadn't expected the speed. She had been more prepared than anyone for this, for all of this, and yet nothing could have prepared her. She knew all of the symptoms, all of the qualities she would possess. Though, even knowing what would come, it would still be a shock. It was an impossibility after all. Bella began looking around, her eyes focusing on something very far away. Then she reached out her hand. She closed her fist and uncurled her index finger, as if she was about to beckon someone. Then I saw what she was seeing. A tiny dust particle, just a speck, invisible to the naked eye, a human naked eye, was landing on her outstretched index finger. Ahh yes. The clarity, Bella's new eyes could see perfectly. I reach out to touch the hand that she still has resting lightly on the gurney next to her. I carefully trace the back of her hand with one finger. It was no longer the lovely feverish heat it used to be. Her skin was now the exact same temperature as mine. Her head whipped around to see who had touched her, and her eyes met mine with a slightly bewildered gaze. "Edward?" Bella said my name as though she were asking a question. Her voice sounded high and musical. The melody of her voice was a greater masterpiece than any famed composer could ever dare to compete with. She gasped. She seemed as shocked by the sound as I had been. Instantaneously, she ripped her hand from underneath mine and touched her lips. I wanted to comfort her, but I was at a loss for words.

"It's okay Bella, you're okay." Alice said in her most soothing voice.

"I'm okay." Bella repeated, her voice chiming like a church bell.

"Do you remember what happened?" Alice asked slowly and calmly, not wanting to startle or upset Bella. Bella only nodded solemnly. I cringed, remembering the horror myself. Bella looked at me again with incredulous eyes. I look down, too ashamed to meet her gaze. "

Well, we can talk about that later." Alice said simply, patting Bella's leg softly."First things first, you need to hunt." Bella gasped again, both hands flying to her throat. She huffed an exasperated breath, as if she had not registered her thirst until this exact moment.

"Come on, I'll go with you." Alice said easily. "

No!" Bella's beautiful voice rang out with indignation. "I'm sorry," Bella apologized quietly, as though she frightened herself with her outburst.

"Can't… won't you come with me, Edward?" She turned to me as she said my name, looking at me with expectant eyes.

"Of course, my dear." Falling back on old habits, as always, I tried to sound casual and nonchalant. I was anything but that. I looked into Alice's mind and of course she had seen this coming, how she had kept it from me I did not know. And even further in her mind we're more visions. She had been holding out on me. I saw in Alice's mind visions of me and Bella hunting, mostly silent through the forest. Then suddenly we're back in the meadow. Our meadow. I felt Alice smirk. I didn't have to look at her to know it was there. There was another knot. Futures snarled and tangled together so tightly I couldn't even follow one timeline through to the other side. This knot was not as severe as the last one. The knot we had passed though the last time we were in that same meadow. This knot was not life and death as the other one has been but it was ardent and intense. This knot was entirely composed of passion and emotion, Bella's and my own. I knew, just as the last time, that we could get nowhere until we were through the knot. I might as well get on with it. I hold out my hand to Bella. She looked at it doubtfully for a moment, as though it were a mirage plotting to disappear the second she reached for it. She took a deep breath through her mouth and grabbed my hand. We walk silently past my family towards the wall of windows. I slide one window open and look at Bella again. She looked back at me intently, as though she was waiting for me to make the first move. Oh right, I was meant to be her teacher. Well she was a fast learner, she should have no problem with this part. I bend my knees to jump and she follows in one fluid motion. Then we launch ourselves together into the forest.

Bella's POV

As I open my eyes, I feel as though I'm seeing the world for the first time. I blink a few times, trying to get my eyes adjusted to the absolute precision of my vision. My old eyes were shrouded with such vagueness I can't believe I had ever truly seen anything. I sat up in one movement so swift, it might have been instantaneous. My body completed the action before I had even finished the thought, how strange. I look up and see…everything. The light that was reflecting through the windows covering the wall split into tiny fractals which bounced with rainbows. I could even see the air. Tiny dust motes fell from above and swirled around me like snowflakes. I hold out one finger to catch one. As it lands I notice the resemblance to a snowflake again, the dust is woven together in an abstract pattern so distinct I'm sure I could never find one that looks exactly the same. Instantly I notice a soft pressure on the back of my left hand. I rip it away, searching for the source of the pet. I am regretful at once. "Edward?" I said. Had I said it? The voice sounded high and musical like wind chimes or some other percussion instrument. My voice had never sounded like that before. This is going to take some getting used to. I knew I would have to relearn everything about the world. I expected my environment and the way I moved in it to change, I didn't know I would have to relearn myself too. I met Edward's gaze and he quickly looked down. His face was perfection. I mentally cursed my old, dull, lackluster eyes. How much time I'd wasted staring at his face with human eyes. They had not done him justice. He looked upset. Oh no, what had I done! I didn't mean to hurt him. I just wasn't expecting his touch. I will do better the next time if he would just touch me again.

"It's okay Bella, you're okay." Alice said in a subdued tone.

"I'm okay." I repeat, I meant to sound confident but it came out like a question.

"Do you remember what happened?" Alice asked slowly. I nod, trying carefully to keep my eyes tame. How could I not remember? I could only hope that I would somehow someday forget the wretched burning. I look at Edward again, expecting him to smirk as he often did when he knew I was trying to conceal information from him. I waited for the blush to warm my cheeks and give me away. The blush never came, as I now realized, it would never come again. Edward looked away from me again quickly. He looked… irritated? What was that about? Was he upset at me or… with me? Did he not want me now that we were equally yoked? I prayed with silent desperation that that was not the case.

"Well, we can talk about that later." Alice said softly, patting my leg.

"First things first, you need to hunt." I gasped again, and clutched my throat. Suddenly I was burning again, just as I had been moments earlier. But now the burning was just in my mouth. No, it was also on my tongue, and worst down my windpipe. How had I not noticed it immediately? It felt like every breath brought a fresh wave of flames into my lungs.

"Come on, I'll go with you." Alice said easily.

"No!" I nearly scream back at Alice.

"I'm sorry," I apologize to Alice, I don't know what came over me. These new emotions were so wild and intense. I felt like I was having mood swings.

"Can't… won't you come with me, Edward?" I turn to Edward, hoping he will finally meet my gaze.

"Of course, my dear." His voice was still just as beautiful as I had noted when my eyes were still closed, but it had a hint of despair in it now. Why was he being like this? Can't he understand how much better I am now? How much better suited I am for him? Edward held his hand out to me and I thanked whatever god would listen for the opportunity to touch him again. I grasped his hand gingerly, hoping it would not disappear, praying that I would never have to let it go again. We walked swiftly and silently to the window wall and Edward slid the window open. I look at him optimistically, I had run with him before, on his back, but never of my own fruition. I hope he will be patient with me, I have no idea what I'm doing after all. He bent his knees, posed to jump and I followed suit. Then, still with a firm grip on my hand he launched himself from the window and I followed closely behind. Just then I am flying through the air, landing on branches just long enough to push myself off into another flying stride. I am amazed at how easy and instinctual this is. I don't have to think about it. My body just does it with ease. I giggle to myself joyfully, I had never even been able to walk this mindlessly in my human form and now look at me! I may as well be levitating! I quickly dropped from my place in the trees, I was conscious of the sound of the babbling stream before we were upon it. It was probably 50 yards across and the current was strong. I look at Edward, I hadn't expected that swimming would be a part of this excursion. I look down at myself, clearly Alice hadn't planned for swimming either. I'm sure she had been the mastermind behind this outfit choice, I wore a mid length silk camisole dress that scooped below my collar bone and fit snugly on my waistline and had a long slit on one side. It was deep royal blue, Edward's favorite color on me. I looked over at him now, he seems to have noticed Alice's outfit choice as well. His face is stone cold as he appraises my outfit. It oddly reminded me of how he looked when he first told me we shouldn't be friends. Of course now I know he loves me even then, but still the total lack of emotion was unsettling. I sighed.

"So now what?" I asked, gesturing at the stream. He smirked with my favorite crooked smile, but even that was hollow.

"We jump it." He responded with a tint of humor in his tone, as if it should be obvious that we were about to clear half a football field in a single leap.

"JUMP??!!!" My voice squeaked much higher than I meant it too.

"Come on little coward" he said, an echo of something he once said to me in the meadow what felt to be 100 years ago. I could barely remember it, it was the best day of my human life and it was fading before my eyes. I quickly did my best to run though that entire day in my head, sure that if I thought of it hard enough it could live in my unyielding memory forever. My mind moved so quickly that I was already finished reliving my perfect day before Edward had even had time to get into position. "Watch and learn, Bella," Edward said, still trying to seem playful. I could hear the pain in his voice when he said my name. Perhaps I was just too different now. Maybe we would never be the same, but I can't think about that. I need to focus. Edward backed up a few feet to give himself a running start. He ran and leapt forward, twirling and gliding through the air like a well aimed missile, he flipped his body head over heels into a front tuck and landed on the other side of the stream. He was poised on the balls of his feet like a cat, and I remembered that I was finally going to get to see him hunt, he was the mountain lion after all. Okay, my turn. I prayed silently that I would not make a complete fool out of myself. I back up more than Edward had, I'm sure I will need more assistance from my newborn strength to make up for the nearly inescapable clumsiness. Thank god Emmett wasn't here to see this, I would never live it down. I ran hard and with all the balance I could muster leapt over the stream. I missed the bank by a few 100 feet and ended up landing on my tip toes like a ballerina in the middle of a very thickly wooded part of the forest. In no more than 2 seconds, Edward was in front of me, looking a little shook.

"Was that good?" I asked, already wary of the answer. "No." I felt instantly dejected.

"It was incredible! Very graceful, even for a vampire." I looked up doubtfully, if my blood still flowed my face would be beet red. His face, however, was lit up. The slight melancholy had melted from his expression and the warmth had returned to his eyes.

"Really?" I breathed.

"Yes, I suppose you won't be tripping over your own feet anymore. Emmett will be so disappointed." His face resettled into the slightly hard expression even though his voice was still playful. Okay this is getting on my nerves now. If he didn't let up with this mopey attitude I was going to snap. Before I could open my mouth to speak again, Edward redirected my attention. "There's a herd of Elk up ahead. Let's get you fed, shall we?" The fire raged in my throat again. It clouded my mind with a vengeful force that overwhelmed my every thought. I couldn't even speak. I just nodded once and started following Edward as he ran.