Chapter One
"We're loosing her." Carlisle whispered gravely from his stance above the dying patient.
She had tubes coming out of her nose and mouth. At least three needles were injected into each arm. Four of them gave blood to the sleeping form. Two others gave fluids.
Bella took a deep and shuddering breath that she didn't need, it was only habit. Edward put his arms around her in a comporting gesture.
Renesmee danced over to her parents from Jacob's lap, party dress swishing sweetly, and put a trembling hand on Bella's cheek.
The picture she showed her mother was of Bella's mom, lying in the hospital bed –though in the Cullen's house-, pale, white and barely breathing.
She wanted to know what was happening.
When Bella didn't respond, she flounced over to Alice and thrust her hand in Alice's face, demanding this time, to know what was going on.
Edward's eyes darkened as Alice seemed to space out for a moment, Renesmee forgotten. Renesmee stormed back to Jacob who took her in his arms.
"Mom's dying." Bella said, her voice cracking. Everyone looked at her. She turned to Renesmee, "I'm sorry."
Jacob held Renesmee as she started to cry.
Edward turned to Bella and whispered something to her. All of the eyes in his family, Renesmee, Carlisle and Esme, Rosalie and Emmett, Alice and Jasper, as well as Jacob and Seth, flicked toward him for a moment -with inhuman speed- hoping to catch something, then back to Bella, who's breathing had accelerated with fear.
She looked down at her own party dress still spattered with blood from her Mom's gashes.
Edward let go of Bella long enough to flit over to Alice to ask a hushed question.
He was also dressed in fancy clothes, as was the rest of the room. They had all been at a celebration for Renesmee's first birthday, when Seth came galloping in as a wolf, gasping for air. He had found a woman, unconscious, at the edge of their property and rushed to inform everyone. She had obviously been on her way to the party, as she was dressed for it, and had a near fatal encounter with a bear.
Alice whispered something to him quietly, too quietly for anyone else to hear. Even the Vampires.
"NO!" Edward glared, blanched and almost shouted the word.
Alice shrugged helplessly. Esme beckoned Jasper over from where he was talking to Emmett.
"It's the only thing we can do Edward. The only thing." Alice whispered as Jasper took her in his arms. She buried her face in his chest. Breathing in his familiar sent. That alone would have calmed her if he hadn't started soothing her with his extra sense.
Edward looked from Bella to Renee then Carlisle. A look of understanding passed between them.
Everyone caught on quickly what Alice saw and suggested. There was a moment of chaos when everyone tried to voice there opinion on the matter at the same time.
Jasper tried in vain to calm them down. Everyone felt the cooling and calming effects, but they brushed them off like leaves from a tree.
Carlisle murmured a quiet but forceful, "Silence, it's up to Bella to decide."
They looked at her, then, as they saw that she was still thinking, glanced around at random objects. They started conversing quietly with each-other, not wanting to disturb her.
The only thing…the words reverberated in Bella's head…the only thing…the only th—If it could save her Mom…would she be willing? Would she turn her immortal forever? Could she?
Bella took a deep breath. Everyone was looking at Renee now, Jasper felt the anticipation from his end of the room, and determination from Bella.
"I'll do it." She whispered. "I'll turn her into a vampire."
All eyes turned to her.
"Are you sure Bella?" Edward asked hesitantly. "I mean, do you, really—"
"Yes!" Bella snapped. "I really want to do this."
Edward nodded. "If you're sure. Then I'll stay with you."
Bella smiled tightly. She knew he was there to make sure she didn't suck Renee dry as well as for moral support.
Nobody else tried to talk her out of it. They all just nodded and placed hands on her shoulders as they walked out of the room. Renesmee hugged her. Alice was last.
"I looked." She said softly.
Bella's head snapped up.
"And?" She gasped.
"You'll do fine." Alice said soothingly. "Doubly so, with Edward here. She'll survive."
Her face twisted at the irony but didn't say any more before she walked out.
Edward looked up from Renee as the door closed.
"I've injected her with morphine, she should be fine now." He said, putting away the needle.
Bella nodded, preparing herself.
"I think it would be better if you just, you know…did it." He whispered.
Bella glared. Edward backed up, his hands in a surrendering gesture. Bella cracked a small grin at his theatrics.
She walked forward, her mind whirling with questions and doubts. She stopped and looked at Edward. He nodded. He was watching her carefully. Not wanting to do anything that would startle her, or make her change her mind.
Bella started walking forward again. She stopped when she reached her Mother's side.
"I'm sorry Mom." She whispered before sinking her venomous teeth into Renee's neck, her Mom whimpered.
Bella winced, her teeth found Renee's heart and her Mom shuddered. Bella waited a few more seconds to let the venom spread and her teeth bit her wrist, her neck, her arm.
Renee screamed, if Bella could cry, she would be sobbing by now, her Mom's blood tasted delicious. One last time, she sunk her teeth into her neck and started sucking. Edward pulled her back gently, he didn't want to startle her and have her attack him but she was going to kill her Mom if she didn't stop now.
She resisted for only a few seconds before turning and folding herself into his arms, trying in vain to drown out her Mom's screams of pain.
**
The pain was unbearable. It was everywhere. It felt like a fire was eating me alive. But if what I heard was true, it wasn't fire, it was venom.
**
"Will you be alright Renee?" Charlie asked, "I'm sorry I couldn't make it but, it's dark. There are bears."
"I'll be fine Charlie; I know you have to be on duty tonight. Besides, once I get out of the car, there's only a short walk to the Cullen's house, don't worry about me, we aren't married anymore." She smiled slightly.
Charlie laughed gruffly. "You're right, I do worry too much, just…be safe alright? Bella would never forgive me if you got hurt."
"Yesser!" I said, mockingly saluting him.
He shook his head and laughed, turning to go back into the house.
"Oh! Renee," He said. Turning around hurriedly before I got too far away.
"Yes?" I raised my eyebrows, though he couldn't see. I was getting cold; I wish he'd hurry up.
"Say Happy Birthday to Renesmee for me, Okay?"
My face softened and I smiled. "Of course."
He waved from the doorway as I got into the car, then he turned around and disappeared, closing the door. I drove away, gravel crunching under the tires until I hit the smooth road and sped up. I was late.
I was walking from the car and up the driveway, present under my arm, when I heard a noise to my right. I frightened me a little so I sped up. The noise got louder. Finally, when the house was just barely in sight, the noise stopped. I turned around curiously, screamed and tried to run.
Behind me, the large black bear reached out and swiped me to the ground. I screamed again as the bears claws sunk into my torso and ripped down, all the way to my thigh. My vision was getting blurry as I shrieked again, hoping someone would hear me. Something crashed though the bushes and I hoped it was someone coming to help me. Out walked a wolf larger then the bear. It chased the bear away then came closer to me. Sniffing. I screamed again and passed out.
Next thing I knew, I was lying somewhere clean. It smelled nice. I tried to wake up but I found that I couldn't. I didn't mind though. Maybe I was in Heaven, maybe this was a test. Yes, that's it. I'll sit here quietly until someone—I whimpered. The pain was coming back, it was all over again. Too much.
The pain started to recede at about ten o'clock in the morning three days later. My daughter Bella was telling me the time every thirty minutes, even when I couldn't hear her over my own screams of pain.
At about six o'clock I was more aware of what was going on, I could tell that people were taking turns watching me. Except Bella. She was there the whole time, comporting me, holding my hand, as she muttered the time. Talking to me. I was gradually getting more aware of my surroundings when the pain got worse. I screamed again. Someone came running in.
I didn't want her to let go of my hand. I squeezed hers and she stopped getting up.
Carlisle murmured something to her that I couldn't hear. And she squeezed back.
"Did you hear that Mom? It's almost over! The pain. You'll wake up soon."
I believed her, and sure enough, one hour later. I woke up.
**
"Bella?" She turned and looked at me.
"Mom!"
"What is this?" I hissed, gesturing towards my throat. "Is heaven always this…this, detailed, and, and, painful?"
Bella gulped. "Mom," She said tentatively, "This isn't Heaven."