Saving Grace
Chapter 2-Cha-cha-changes
Summary: part two. Grace decided to join the vampire world…and trouble ensues. How does the family fit in?
Several hours later, Grace is awake, Esme and Carlisle have told Alice and Jasper about the problems that have surfaced with the child, and Esme has talked with Emmett. He has told her that Grace reminds him of his sister from his first life, and that it's hard for him to deal with the memory. She has reassured him, and told him that if he wants to talk, they were available. He was thankful, and he promised to try to be a little nicer to the child. Now, Esme, Carlisle, Jasper, Alice, and Edward were gathered in the den with Grace, who was sitting at the piano, playing jazz music. It is Carlisle who interrupts her.
"Grace, would you mind sitting with Alice and Jasper for a little while? Dinah Shore is great, but things have changed." She nods, and walks to the couch and settles herself next to Alice, who takes her hand. Alice clears her throat and opens her mouth to speak, but is interrupted by Grace.
"It's OK, Alice. I know already. I'm getting worse, and if I am going to become…a vampire, it needs to happen soon. I had an idea this afternoon about that, actually. I think we should do it tomorrow night, since it takes three days, and then you can go back to school Monday with everything squared away." Jasper shrugs, and looks at Alice, who nods once.
"I think that would work. Carlisle, Esme, does Friday afternoon work for you guys? Maybe after Nessie goes to bed." Esme looks at Carlisle, who nods. Carlisle speaks for the two.
"That sounds fine. I would like your blood today, and I want to x-ray your head, too. Let's do that now, then Alice can explain to you what the actual process will be." Grace nods, and the three vampires stand and proceed downstairs. After Carlisle had taken the necessary tests and blood, and Grace had been settled in the den with Esme for her first lesson, Alice and Jasper begin to prepare themselves for the change. Jasper is afraid; he knows his limits, and he knows that his mate can get a bit ahead of herself. They have excused themselves to their room, and are sitting on their bed, facing each other, talking.
"I just don't know if I can be in the room, Alice. It will be bloody. I know you've never killed before, so you'll have to take my word for it. It's not a pretty sight overall." Alice nods.
"I remember when Carlisle changed Emmett for Rosalie. And I remember when Bella was bit by James. I think you'd be OK." He sighs, loudly.
"Look, I promise to try, OK? That's the best I have to offer right now." Alice shrugs.
"Ok, Jasper. I understand. Thank you, honey. So, what I am thinking is this: I will try to bite Grace myself, since I got us all into this mess, and Esme wants to be there, and hopefully Carlisle can help me if I need it." Jasper nods.
"That all sounds great. Remember to run it by Carlisle later tonight." Alice nods, and leans in for his kiss. He obliges, and when they finish, he smiles at her.
"So, Randy called me earlier. I told him about Grace. He offered to come with Mary if we need them." Alice grimaces.
"Why did you tell him?"
"Well, he'd have found out anyway, Alice. Be reasonable, OK?" She relaxes a little, but still looks annoyed.
"Well, it was nice of him to offer, but I don't think we'll need him." Jasper nods, but raises his eyebrows at her.
"No movement from Volterra, then?" Alice gazes at him.
"No, I would've seen something. Why?"
"I don't know. I just think they're watching us closely since Nessie was born, is all. Edward and Carlisle think so, too."
"Really? Well, like I said, I'd have seen it, I think." He nods.
"Yeah, you're probably right. Let's finish our homework, and then go put Grace to bed. Just think, in three days time, we'll have a newborn of our very own," he said, with a hint of sarcasm that causes Alice to swat at him. They pull out their books, and study until the hear the piano start up in the living room, and Grace sings a sweet lullaby to Esme, Nessie, and Bella. They stand and troop downstairs to collect their charge, and are surprised to find Emmett sitting near the piano, smiling at Grace and enjoying the music with the family. When Grace is finished, the three excuse themselves into the den and Alice tells Grace about the events that will transpire the following evening. The girl seems oddly excited, and Alice shrugs at Jasper, before shooing him out so Grace can change, and they can have some girl talk. Grace pulls some flannel pajamas on, and puts her pretty brown hair into a braid. She climbs into the pullout bed that Esme had set up for her, and Alice climbs in next to her, as is their nightly ritual. Grace pulls the blankets over their heads, and Grace faces Alice. Alice smiles, and touches her face. Grace smiles back, and Alice giggles.
"So, is there anything you want to do for your last day as a mortal?" Grace shrugs.
"Well, I am just sad that I never did get to kiss a boy. And there's the minor problem of the makeover I never got, too. But not really. Esme always does stuff with Nessie and me, so I think it'll be a good day." Alice smiles.
"Well, Jasper has some single friends, so maybe we find one for you to kiss. But probably not for awhile. When you are a newborn, it can be dangerous to be around too many other vampires. As for your makeover, I think you'll find you won't need one after you're changed." Grace nods, but looks serious.
"Are you OK, Alice? I mean, I'm sure it's not fun having to face the prospect of biting me. If you can't do it, it's OK. I'll totally understand." Alice smiles.
"I think I'll be OK. Carlisle and Esme will be there, and Jasper, too. Carlisle will give you some morphine for the pain; it seemed to help with Bella, and then I'll bite you and inject you with venom, and it'll be really painful and it'll burn, but after two or three days, you'll awake, and you'll be one of us. By the way, how did you know that it takes three days?" Grace shrugs again.
"I asked Emmett. He didn't tell me too much, but he told me it took him three days to come to, but about a week to feel OK again." Alice considers.
"I didn't know that. He seemed OK right away, but then, Rosalie kept a vigil for awhile with him. They love each other, that much is for sure."
"Yeah, they seem to. You all are so lucky, having partners that will love you for eternity. Will I have that someday?" She looks faraway; the same look on her face as when the two girls had seen the babies at the Nursery.
"Maybe. Probably. You're pretty and smart, but you should finish school first. Carlisle'd have a heart attack if the first thing you do when you become a vampire is start bringing home boys." Grace laughs.
"I guess. I promise to get my diploma, OK?" Alice nods, but notices that Grace is falling asleep. Alice reaches over and pats Grace's back, whispering.
"You should sleep now. You have a big weekend coming up. Dream big, OK?" Grace smiles lightly and nods as she drifts off. She whispers to Alice as she falls into sleep.
"Good night, Alice. I love you." Alice smiles, and climbs out of the bed, and lets in Jasper, who'd been standing outside the door, waiting for Grace to fall asleep so they could work on their emotional exchanges. Alice wonders if it would work while Grace was awake, and suggests that they stay home from school tomorrow, and try it out. Jasper agrees, so they pass the night, Alice sitting patiently in her chair, Jasper and Grace exchanging various emotions. As day broke, and Grace stirred awake, they told her about their plan to stay home and prepare for the change. Jasper confessed that he'd been tweaking her emotions as she'd slept, but Grace only nodded.
"Yeah, I figured it was funny business. I would be dreaming of something great, but all of a sudden, I'd want to cry. Or the opposite; I'd be having a bad dream, and all of sudden, I'd be immensely happy. So, what does that mean?" Jasper shrugs.
"Don't know. It never worked on a sleeping mortal before. I want to try it this morning, now that you're awake." Grace nods, but holds up her hand. She had been sitting upright in the bed, the blankets still pulled up to her shoulders, as it was cold in the house.
"That sounds great. But can I pee and eat first? I should change, too." Jasper nods, and leaves as Grace stands up and strides into the bathroom down the hall. When she returns, she dresses quickly and comfortably, and let's Alice brush her hair. They troop into the kitchen, where Esme is standing, talking to Jasper, and looking concerned.
"Are you sure it's a good idea to miss school? We'll be fine here, today." Jasper nods.
"Yes, Esme. Besides, I know Alice, and she'll worry too much. It's better that we're here, where we can actually talk about it, then at school with her driving me crazy and not being able to say anything." Alice, who was standing behind her mate, rolled her eyes. He turns and smiles, and ducks before she can swat him.
"I heard that, I'll have you know. Es, I just wanted to make sure I was around to make sure that Grace didn't need or want anything on her last day as a mortal." Esme sighs, but nods.
"Ok, fine. I'll be upstairs getting Nessie ready for her Tot's Swim class. Grace, there's some oatmeal in the cupboard; help yourself. I think Carlisle brought home some banana's yesterday, too." Grace nods.
"Do you have any rum? I could go for some bananas Foster right now." Esme shakes her head.
"Sorry. Plain bananas is what you get. Please, excuse me, everyone." She turns and flies upstairs as Grace hurries around the kitchen, handing Alice a bowl, spoon, packet of instant oats, and the honey.
"Aren't you supposed to cook it or something?" Alice asks her, setting the things on the table and taking a seat. Jasper is still standing, amused, in a corner of the kitchen. Grace shakes her head.
"I am going to boil some milk in the microwave. Just don't tell Esme; she doesn't like me to use it. Something about radio waves and brain tumors." Alice shrugs, but watches as the girl pours a half-cup of milk into a mug, zaps it for a minute in the microwave, and dumps it into the oatmeal she's poured into the bowl. She adds some honey to the mix, and stirs it all up. She eats it slowly, and Alice talks to her about school.
"Will I go to school with you guys?"
"Probably." Grace nods, then looks up again.
"Do they have a music class?"
"Yes."
"Would Carlisle let me take it?"
"I don't see why not."
"Could I play sports?"
"As long as they're not outdoor sports. It's not a good idea for vampires to be seen in the sunshine."
"Yeah, Esme said that once. Why? Will you show me?" Alice shrugs.
"Sure. Hurry and eat, and we'll go outside. Then Jasper can experiment on you."
"You make me sound like a lab monkey. Can you get me a banana while I wash this bowl out?" Alice stands, and Grace washes her bowl and spoon, and dries them and puts them away. Then she eats the banana in three bites, with Alice clucking at her not to be rude. She tosses the peel in the trash, grabs a juice box from the fridge, and gestures for Alice to go outside. Alice pulls her into some trees.
"Grace, I'll show you what we're talking about, but it might freak you out a bit, OK? If you get scared, I'll stop." Grace nods, and Alice takes a deep breath and steps into a patch of light. Grace smiles as Alice starts to glitter and glow. Alice shrugs and moves closer to Grace.
"That is really cool. A little bit concerning; I see what you mean about not doing it in public. But it's really breathtaking. Gorgeous." Alice nods, and reenters the shadows.
"So that is what Esme meant. We don't die in the sunlight." Grace just nods, seriously. They wander back towards the house, Grace silent and Alice thoughtful. She was suddenly very worried about changing the young child, and her ability to stop biting when the time was up before Alice killed her. All of a sudden, Grace picked up her hand, and Jasper appeared on the back porch. He could feel the sudden discomfort from his mate, and came to investigate. All he could see was Alice being led towards the house by Grace, who smiled and waved at him. He flew to where they girls were at, and Grace stopped pulling Alice.
"She just kind of stopped and got this fearful look on her face, Jasper. I was scared for a minute, but then she kind of went back to normal." Jasper nods, but embraces Alice.
"What's wrong, honey?" Alice looks up at him, sadly, as they part. Alice asks Grace to excuse them, and the girl nods and walks quietly and slowly into the house. Alice lets Jasper pull her into his arms and they sit at the outside table to talk.
"I just got a really scary feeling that I won't be able to change Grace. What if I can't stop once I have tasted her blood? What if I kill her? I mean, it'd be an accident, but I would feel SO terrible. But I can't ask her to change her mind now, can I? Do you think Carlisle would do it for me?" She speaks fast, her voice full of sobs. Jasper squeezes her tighter, and murmurs to her his answers.
"Baby. It'll be OK; honestly, I think you can do it. Just remember that biting Grace has an end goal: to change her. She's not dinner, she's family. OK? And I'll be there, and so will Esme and Carlisle. Carlisle will pull you off, I'm sure, if he feels like you're crossing the line and can't pull yourself back. He knows what to expect. As for asking Grace to change her mind, you're right; you can't ask her, but she WOULD do it, I believe, if she felt that you were hurting. Carlisle probably won't do it FOR you; I heard him talking to Edward and Esme last night; he believes that you and Esme are the best possible people to change her, since you have similar genes. Esme is the most ideal, but she won't stand in your way, because she loves you like her daughter and wants you to be happy. But I think Carlisle wants her to be around; he thinks that you may have to both bite Grace because her body is so sensitive to stuff." Alice has calmed down a bit, and is now nodding seriously at Jasper.
"Ok, you're right. I hate that Esme is feeling left out. What do you think I should do?"
"Just let it be. Esme is strong, and Grace is very self-assured. If she decides to see Esme more in a parental role than you, she will. Edward says that Grace is desperate for a mother's love, and a family to care for her. So that's what you should do-just love her, OK?" Alice smiles.
"Ok. You're right. How come you know all this?"
"I've been around awhile, remember?" Alice giggles.
"Yes, I remember. You are kind of a pervy old man, aren't you? Falling for a child like me?" He smiles at her.
"Oh, I see what you think of me. May I remind you, dear, that it was YOU who waited for ME, and not the other way around?"
"Sins of the father and all that." They were both laughing now, and Jasper kisses her deeply.
"I love you, silly girl. Let's go in; I want to work with Grace some, and Carlisle wants her blood." They stand and go inside, and see Grace racing away from the back door, where she'd been spying. Alice giggles, but then turns serious and yells for her not to run as Grace doubles over in a coughing fit.
"Sorry, Alice." She settles herself onto an armchair in the living room, and gasps for air. After a few seconds, her raspy breathing evens out, and Jasper is sitting across from her. Alice sits next to Grace, watching.
"Ok, Grace. What I'm going to do is just put out waves, and I want you to tell me what you feel. And then I want you to do it. OK?" Grace nods.
"Shoot." Jasper nods, inhales sharply, and sends out a happy vibe. Grace smiles.
"Happy." Jasper nods, and points to Grace. Grace closes her eyes, searching for something. She sends out a sympathy vibe, and Jasper raises his eyebrow. It is Alice who speaks.
"I feel it. Sympathy, right?" Grace nods, but stares at Alice.
"You can feel them, too?" Alice shrugs.
"Just that one. So far. Keep going, this is interesting." So Jasper and Grace go back and forth, with Alice picking up on Grace's more intense emotions: anger, fear, and pain, and less on the one's that the child doesn't feel as deeply or hasn't experienced yet: lust, relief, sadness. Jasper finishes off with a calm vibe, and Grace responds with envy. When Alice picks that up, they all laugh.
"That was cool. Let's do it again, later. I'm getting sleepy. I should nap before Esme catches me, and has a heart attack." Alice and Jasper nod as the girl excuses herself to the den. A few minutes later, they hear her even breathing, and Alice rises to sit in her room, as is her daily ritual. Jasper follows her, settling himself in a chair he hauls in from the library. He tells Alice that he can sense the intensity-or not-of each of Grace's emotions, and that it was the first time he'd felt that a mortal was reacting deeply to his powers. She smiles.
"Grace is powerful in her own right. I can't wait to find out what her abilities will be. I know she will have them; I have a feeling about it." Jasper nods.
"Me, too." They watch Grace sleep for a few minutes, until Jasper excuses himself to watch some TV before the craziness begins. Alice remains in the girl's room, thinking to herself, wondering what it was that Grace was envious of. A half-hour later, Jasper and Edward, who'd returned home from his morning class with Bella, both poke their heads around the door as Grace starts to murmur and toss in her sleep. Alice looks up at them. Edward looks at Alice.
"She's dreaming. I think she's dreaming of the Volturi; she saw the picture in the hallway the other day and asked Bella about it." Alice looks worried.
"Jazz?"
"She's not scared, yet. Just worried and annoyed. Do you want me to sit with you?" Alice nods.
"I can't believe she's dreaming of the Volturi. Edward, can you see what she's dreaming about specifically?"
"Yeah. Right after she's changed, they come and we meet them in a meadow. I can't tell if it's a vision like you have, or just a dream, but either way, it's a little freaky. Bella only told her the standard story: that they are the figurehead ruling family of Vampires, and that Carlisle once was a part of their Coven." Jasper looks at Alice.
"See what I meant last night?" Alice nods miserably, and Grace stirs awake, as Jasper looks over at the child. He speaks before she can.
"It's OK, Grace. It's OK to be afraid. It's just a dream. Calm down now." He spoke as soothingly as he knew how, and squeezes Alice's hand. Grace smiles serenely at him.
"That was a bad dream. Scary. Glad I woke up. I dreamed of those men that Bella told me about yesterday. It was creepy. They're not good vampires like you guys, are they?" Jasper and Alice shake their heads, and Edward chuckles lightly.
"That's one way to put it." Grace shrugs, and stands up.
"I'm hungry. Let's go eat some lunch. Well, I guess I'll eat lunch, and you all can hang out with me." Grace ate lunch and the three vampires sat and chatted with her. Carlisle took her blood again, a final x-ray, and some measurements, and then the others came home from school. Nessie and Grace took some time to do their lesson, and then Bella came to put Nessie to bed. Grace was left alone in the living room, and took the moment to breathe and reflect. Her life had been generally hard, but she had made it on her own. She was proud of herself, but still a little unsure if the Cullen's would accept her fully once she was a vampire. She said a little prayer to the universe asking them to please, oh, please let her be good at the vampire thing. Alice came in a moment later, and smiled at the girl sitting on the couch, staring straight ahead.
"It's time." Grace nods, and stands.
"Everyone is meeting us in the den. Carlisle wanted you to be as comfortable as possible, so you should change into sweats or pajamas or something, and then we will do this." She sighed, and followed Grace into the den. Carlisle and Esme smiled as they entered.
"Are you girls ready?" They nodded in sync, and Grace smiles at Carlisle.
"Wait. I gotta change; I don't want to be lying around for three days in my jeans and blouse. Can you wait a minute for me to change?" They nod, and Grace grabs her sweats and a t-shirt and changes in the downstairs bathroom. When she pads back into the den, they are waiting. Carlisle has set up a table with some morphine, an IV drip, and Grace's medical files, just in case. She settles herself, sitting Indian style on the bed. It is silent for a few moments before Alice speaks up.
"How do we do this, Carlisle? Do you want to give Grace the morphine first?" He nods. Grace inhales, and smiles tentatively.
"Wait, where's my bunny?" Esme hands the girl the stuffed rabbit that had fallen to the floor. She inhales again, and lies back, extending her forearm to Carlisle.
"Morphine makes me sleepy. Is that problematic?" Carlisle shakes his head.
"No, if you can actually sleep a bit, it might help. Alice, whenever you're ready, it's your turn. Remember, we're all here, OK?" Grace smiles up at him, and then at Alice as she comes into view.
"It'll be OK, Alice. You'll do fine." Everyone nods, and Alice smiles lightly. Carlisle speaks in low tones.
"Just suck her blood out until it tastes clean, and then continue for a few moments. No more than that." Alice nods, and prepares herself, as Grace's eyes flutter closed. She inhales, and lowers her head to the spot at Grace's collarbone that Carlisle had indicated would be the closest vein, and begins to bite the child. She can feel Grace tense for a moment, but then the child relaxes, and she can hear the others murmuring and whispering that she's doing great. Halfway through, Grace begins to shake violently, and Alice stops suddenly, and looks up at Carlisle.
"She's rejecting. I thought this might happen." Alice, who had wiped her face, stands, almost in tears as she faces Carlisle. Grace turns to her side, and heaves. Carlisle speaks soothingly to her, and Jasper sends calming vibes to her.
"Grace, you seem to be having trouble accepting Alice's venom. We are going to figure out what's going on, OK? Can you hang on for just a little longer?" Grace has opened her eyes, and was struggling to breathe. She nods miserably, and tries to smile at Alice. She takes Alice's hands in hers, and squeezes it lightly. Alice is still upset, but she squeezes back. Carlisle is in deep conversation with Jasper and Alice. Esme speaks quietly, and it is a moment before anyone realizes that she spoke.
"I'll do it." Carlisle looks at his wife, trying to read her expression. She appeared a little hesitant, but otherwise, OK.
"Are you sure, Esme?" She nods once, firmly. She answers, matter-of-fact.
"Yes. I have seen you do it enough; I think I can do it. My genes are closest to hers; it's less likely that she will reject my venom." He looks at her a moment longer, and then nods.
"You're right. It's less likely. Alice?" Alice, who had been staring horrifically at Esme, just sighs and nods.
"Ok, Esme. I'm sorry, Carlisle." He shakes his head, and raises a hand.
"Alice, it's not your fault; you did brilliantly. You stopped at the perfect time, and you communicated exactly what was happening. There's nothing more or less you could have done." She nods, miserably, and moves out of the way to let Esme stand over the child. Esme whispers to her, and touches her face.
"We'll figure this out, Grace. The pain will subside soon, OK? You're so brave, so young." Esme looks to Carlisle, then to Alice, and back to Carlisle, who nods lightly. She takes a breath, and bites a little lower than Alice did, and Grace tensed again for a moment, but then her eyes closed again, and she breathed deeply. Esme continued for a few minutes, stopping to whisper quietly to Carlisle.
"I can taste the morphine still. What should I do?"
"Just go another minute. I gave her quite a bit, so she might still have some in her system. She seems to respond well to you. Jasper, can you feel her?"
"Yeah, she's calm." Edward nods in agreement.
"She trusts you, Esme." Esme nods, and goes back to the blood, her yellow eyes flashing. Carlisle edges closer to his wife, and she raises her head again as the child coughs lightly, and then sighs deeply. Edward speaks.
"It's happening. Her brain is going foggy." Esme nods, and steps back, although she hesitates for a second. She melts into Carlisle, who quietly carries her out of the room and places her on the couch in the living room, and returns to Grace. Alice is now sitting on the foot of the bed, watching Grace's face screw up at the burning pain of the venom searing through her body.
"Leave her be awhile, OK?" Alice nods, and stands, stopping outside the door, refusing to go further away. She stands at the door, staring at the wall. Carlisle sighs, but goes into the living room to find Esme and comfort her. He finds her, still on the couch, although she is now sitting upright, staring out the back door. He sits quietly next to her, and takes her hand in his.
"I liked it, Carlisle. The blood."
"I know." She bites her lip, and looks at him, almost ashamed.
"You're a vampire, honey. It's your job to like blood. It's what makes us vampires as opposed to witches or werewolves or something." She nods.
"I know that, intellectually. But I'd like to believe that I am not driven just by blood, but also by a yearning to make our world better." He sighs, quietly.
"You don't have to try to be perfect, or even like me. Just be you. You're the best vampire mom, and the greatest wife. You did brilliantly in there."
"I could feel her tensing in pain. That's why I was talking to her."
"She seemed to respond to it. I have never seen anyone react so quietly. Even Bella was noisy at first. Grace is unique in that way."
"I also feel bad for Alice."
"Yes. I know. But it's not her fault, or yours, OK? You should talk to her." Esme nods; she was slowly coming around, he could see the yellow in her eyes dulling again.
"I was scared. But I did it, didn't I? I want to be there when her heart stops." Carlisle nods.
"I suspected that. You did do it, you stopped when you needed to. It was fine. Please, don't feel bad. Do you want me to sit with you?" She smiles, but shakes her head.
"No, thanks. Unless you want to. But I think this might be something that Alice and I need to do, alone, together." He nods in understanding.
"Ok. Well, I'm planning to work out here for the next few days, so if you need anything, I'm right here." She stands, and kisses his head.
"Thanks, sweetie. Is there anything that Grace will need?"
"Not really. Maybe a blanket later; the venom can cause chills sometimes. She'll need morphine, but I'll do that later. If anything seems even a tiny bit strange, call me." She says she will, and crosses to the den. She taps Alice on the arm, and they embrace.
"I'm sorry, Esme." Esme nods.
"Me, too, Alice. I wanted to be here when her heart stops, if that's OK."
"Of course. Let's go in. Carlisle is going to be in the living room if we need him. He told me to call him if anything was at all weird." Alice nods at her, and they enter and sit quietly in Grace's room. Her face was still screwed up, but she was still and silent. The women sat in silence for several hours, watching, but Grace never moved or changed her expression. Their mates came and went, Edward poked his head in, as did Bella, and soon, it was morning. Carlisle came in to check Grace's vitals, and gave her a morphine shot and looked her over. He declared her as progressing as normal, and excused himself. Alice asked Esme if she minded if Alice left to change her clothes, and the older woman said she didn't. Alice, usually perfectly dressed, tugged on an old pair of cargos and Jasper's shirt from the day before. She needed the scent of her mate as she found it comforting. When she returned to the den, Carlisle was there, and Esme left to change. She was as equally quick as Alice, returning to the den in a clean pair of jeans and an old pink sweater that was soft and comfortable. Carlisle held her close to him for awhile, and Jasper showed up to do the same with Alice, and then the men excused themselves to hunt. They resumed their vigil for the next several hours, until Grace started to whimper and moan a little. Esme hissed for Carlisle, and both women moved to the bed, taking a spot on either side of the child. Carlisle hurried in, and smiled lightly.
"Her heart is slowing down. It should be stopping soon." The women smile at him, and he scoots out. They each take one of Grace's hands, and her eyes open momentarily, and then close instantly. A few moments later, she gasps loudly, coughs, and then they feel her pulse stop. Grace's face screws up hard for a few moments, but then she relaxes deeply. Alice and Esme watch, entranced, as she begins to emit emotions. She falls silent and still again, and the women exhale. They giggle at each other.
"Oh, Esme. It's happening. It's really happening. You did it." Esme smiles at Alice.
"You started it."
"Yeah, I did. I was surprised you didn't have Carlisle check my head, actually."
"You are more mature and much stronger than you give yourself credit for, Alice. I knew you knew what was in your heart."
"Thank you, Esme." The women fall silent again, only this time it's not as intense, as they know now that they are only waiting for the venom to finish it's course through Grace's body, and then she'd come to.
It happened sooner than they expected; very early Sunday morning, Grace began to stir, and Carlisle, who'd come in to do his daily check of her vitals and give her morphine, and check up on his wife, noticed that she seemed restless.
"Esme, Alice? I think she may awaken sooner than we thought. Alice, go grab some of the blood from the fridge, please, and let's have it ready to go." Alice nods, and stands to leave. As she flies out of the room, Esme glances at Carlisle, who smiles and pats his wife's hand.
"I know, Es. You're not quite ready, but really, these things run their own course. Grace was already weak; her body probably soaked the venom up. I was actually surprised that she didn't require both you and Alice to bite her simultaneously. But we will make it work." Esme rises, stretches her body, and smiles at him.
"Ok, dear. Is there anything further we should prepare?"
"Maybe a change of clothes for Grace. You should probably change, too. I think we should give her the blood product, but we'll have to get her out for a hunt pretty quickly. You and Alice should take her, together. I can come, too, and Jasper. Rose and Emmett are back, too." Esme nods; she'd forgotten that Rose and Emmett had gone for a weekend hunt with some friends of theirs while the change was happening. Alice returned with the blood product in a closed plastic bottle, a glass, and a straw. She set it up on a tray she'd found, and placed it next to the bed on a side table. They resume their vigil again for a few more hours.
At about four in the afternoon, Grace startles awake, and sits bolt upright, and looks around. She gazes from Alice to Esme, who are staring at her, openmouthed. The girl had made it through the change, and came out looking like Esme's twin; slightly older, lighter hair than she'd started, though not blonde, but it was her eyes that haunted them. They were an odd shade of blue, darker than they'd been originally, and certainly not the traditional red shade of the newborn. She smiled at Esme, and spoke in a twinkling, serene voice.
"Wow, that was the weirdest thing ever. But the strangeness in my throat-is that the thirst?" Alice, who was still dumbfounded, just nodded. Grace turned to Esme.
"What's wrong, Esme?"
"Just-your eyes. Usually, they start out deep red, blood red. But yours are blue. It's just so strange. I'm going to call in Carlisle." She rises, and opens the door to call for Carlisle, who'd been standing outside the door since that morning. He looked sheepishly at his wife, and smiled. He followed her back into the room.
"So, I hear that your eyes are blue. I'm pulling some of your venom; I want to check that out." He was speaking mostly to Esme and Alice, but stopped as he turned and faced Grace full on. He was silent for a moment, as he took in her visage and lighter hair. He smiled, and chuckled lightly.
"Well, Es. If this what you looked like at fifteen, I'm sorry I didn't find you sooner." The four vampires laugh, and Grace stands up, a little unsteady at first, but strong after two steps. She crosses to the mirror, and, looking at her reflection, smiles.
"Well, I guess I don't need that makeover, Alice." She stands quietly, staring, not really at her reflection, but at something further away. They follow her gaze, but see nothing there. Grace stands, and crosses to the spot near the corner she'd just been staring at. She raises her hand, and all of a sudden, a figure appeared out of nowhere. It was Alistair. The others gasp.
"Holy crap. I just imagined he was there, and look? Here he is," says Grace, and turning to Alistair, continues, "I'm sorry, I hope you weren't in the middle of something important. I didn't realize I could just conjure you up." He shook his head, and looks to Carlisle, who shrugs.
"Grace, it's really cool that you can do that, but can you try to not just conjure people, please? It's rude, firstly, and quite inconvenient." She bites her lip, but nods.
"I'm sorry. It was just a really intense need all of sudden, to see him." The others nod. Just as quickly as he'd arrived, he disappeared. Carlisle raised his eyebrow.
"Telekinesis. Interesting. I should probably phone Alistair and make sure he's not too upset; Alice, Esme, why don't see if you can get Grace to drink the blood, and then we'll talk about a hunt later. Grace, absolutely no more conjuring until we can work with you, OK?" She sighs, but nods. Carlisle leaves, and Grace giggles as he exits the room. She hugs Alice.
"Thank you, Alice. I feel sooo good. I could run a marathon, I swear. And look, my scar is gone," she said, lowering the collar of the t-shirt she was wearing. She used to have a scar running from the top of her breastbone to the top of her belly button, but it was now gone, as was the bruise on her hand from the I.V. Alice smiles and nods. Then, she embraces Esme.
"I hope this isn't totally weird for you. And thank you. I'm glad my body took your venom. And I'm sorry for my little shenanigan with Alistair. I promise not to do that without his permission." Esme nods, and they stand in silence for a few moments before Alice cracks up.
"It was too funny. I'm sorry, Esme, but the look on Carlisle's face was classic. I'll never forget that, ever. And poor Alistair, he looked completely shocked." The two other women laugh, and then Grace sits down on the bed, and Alice hands her the cup of blood, and, after a little back and forth about the grossness of blood in the first place, Grace drinks it reluctantly, and her blue eyes darken.
"Thanks, Alice. You're right; I feel better. So, what's next? I mean, I guess I can't go outside in case any tasty mortals walk by, but can I just hang out with the others, or am I doomed in here until Carlisle decides that I am really, truly a blue-eyed vampire? Just tell everyone I'm from a foreign country." Esme shrugs.
"I don't think it'd be a problem for you to see the others. You seem to be handling it well. Let Alice stay close to you, though, just in case. And take Jasper, too." Grace nods, and Alice and Grace troop into the living room while Esme goes off to find Carlisle. A little while later, the two older vampires come downstairs to find everyone gathered around Grace, who is showing off her powers to conjure, and also has discovered that she can tweak emotions like Jasper, and can see things, like Alice. She conjures a cheeseburger for Emmett, a ball for Nessie, and a pair of shoes for Alice, until Carlisle clears his throat. Grace looks sheepishly at the adults, and smiles lightly.
"Sorry. It's all Alice's fault. She made me." The others titter, but Carlisle looks serious. They stop, and disperse throughout the living room, taking seats on the floor or on the various chairs, couches, and the loveseat. Once they are all settled, and Grace looks around, confused, Carlisle speaks.
"Grace, welcome to our world, I guess. I called Alistair; he was surprised, but luckily, he wasn't angry. Just mentioned that he missed a pass in the Cricket game he was watching. But I spoke to him about you; he is intrigued and would like to check you out, too. So maybe you can conjure him up later this week. But I want to talk to you about the venom samples I pulled. Something interesting came up." Grace nods.
"Why don't you just share it here? I just realized that there isn't much that vampires can't hear anyway." Carlisle hesitated, looked to Esme, and then shrugged.
"It seems that the venom not only healed you, but apparently you already had some vampire blood in you, because you seem to be from a different line of vampires. I think you're what's known as "Fifollet," or a childlike vampire that are similar to Succubus." The others gasp, but Grace looks confused.
"What does that mean, exactly?"
"Well, the legends say that they only attack mortals, and that otherwise they're good spirits, a little mischievous, but good. And, being related to the succubus/incubus type of vampire, you can reproduce. But we will talk to you about that later. In the meantime, you, Alice, and Esme need to hunt, which the real reason I came downstairs. I am going to come along, Jasper, do you want to come, too?" Jasper nods, but Grace interrupts.
"Wait, hold the phone. You mean to tell me that I am not the same type of vampire as all of you?"
"Actually, you're a mixed blood. I don't know which part is more dominant, yet, but you can reproduce. Your growth hormone was through the roof."
"Holy shit." Emmett laughed, but Carlisle raised his eyebrows. Grace grimaced, but quickly apologized. "I'm sorry, that was very rude. I think that I am in a little bit of shock." Carlisle nods.
"That's to be expected. Everyone else, be nice. Jasper, Alice, get your hunting clothes on; Alice, help Grace find something suitable. It'll be cold. Meet back here in a half hour, OK?" The vampires nod, and Carlisle excuses everyone.
A half-hour later, Grace, Alice, and Jasper turn up, each dressed similarly, in sturdy jeans and hooded fleece sweatshirts. Grace's golden brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and, when Esme turned up wearing a similar outfit, they laughed about their similarities. The five vampires set out, Alice and Jasper taking the lead, and Grace trailing behind with Carlisle and Esme. She was talking loudly, animatedly with Esme about how good she felt, and her powers. Esme just laughed when appropriate, chided her gently when she said something silly, and encouraged her when she was being serious. Suddenly, Grace stiffened, and Alice was at her side in a flash, speaking to her in low tones.
"It's mortals. Do you want to check them out?" Grace shakes her head.
"No. But let's hurry and get away, OK?" The others were watching, and, after hearing her response, picked up their speed and flew into a deeper section of trees. A few moments later, Jasper and Carlisle picked up the scent of a herd of deer, and while the others went for the attack, Grace stood off to the side, shaking a little. Suddenly, Jasper laughed, but rolled his eyes.
"Grace, you have to do it. It's either that, or mortal blood," he turned to Carlisle, who had paused in his attack to watch the child, and continued, "Grace is having issues with biting animals." He sounded highly amused, but Grace narrowed her eyes and tossed her head at him.
"Really? Do I really have to, you know, BITE it?" Carlisle nods, and Esme reaches out for Grace's hand, and shoos Jasper and Alice off. She speaks soothingly to the child.
"I know what you mean. I struggled with that at first, too. But you really must hunt, and this is the better way. You can try a mortal, if you want, we won't judge you for that, but the end result is that, no matter which path you choose, you either hunt, or you die. It's really that basic." Grace nods, looking serious.
"But does it have to be a deer? They're so cute. How about, like, an armadillo or something that no one will miss?" Esme chuckles lightly.
"This is New Hampshire, dear. There are no Armadillo. Why don't you try saying a little prayer or thought or something before you bite it? I find it helps me." Grace nods, and tentatively takes the attack position. Esme still has her hand in her grip, and, as a small doe enters their viewpoint, they spring up at the same time, and feast quickly. Carlisle, who seemed satisfied with his wife's explanation, has found a larger buck and, while the two females feed, he finishes up, and calls for Jasper and Alice. In a moment, the five vampires are heading back towards home; Grace and Esme still entwined, and Alice is quietly talking to them while Carlisle and Jasper lead.
"So, you did it, Grace?" The girl nods.
"I did it. How often do I have to do it, though?"
"We try for at least once a month. More or less, depending on our amount of interaction with mortals." Grace considers.
"I guess once a month isn't so bad. That's only twelve deer a year. I could handle that." Alice chuckles.
"There's more than just deer, though. There's bears, and wild cats, and sheep, and cows, and all kinds of stuff."
"Cows?"
"Well, Ok, not cows. But you know what I mean."
"Yes." They smelled the humans again, and Grace's blue eyes shone a twinkling yellow, and instantly, she disappeared, and became a ball of light, glowing bright gold, then took on a fairy form before reappearing as herself. The entire process took less than a minute, and she was back to her regular form, staring at Carlisle, afraid.. The others gasp, and Carlisle tells them that is the Fifolette in her.
"They appear as balls of light, or fireflies, or fairies. Sometimes as Jack-o' Lanterns. It's about light; helping mortals to find their way. But also, if mortals get to close to their "treasure", or whatever the vampire holds dear, they can be mischievous and kind of mean; and in some cases, it leads to the vampire killing the mortal. It's sort of like a child, actually." Grace nods.
"How can I control it, though? Because that is super-creepy. It feels weird, too. Does it only happen at night?" Carlisle shrugs.
"I don't really know. I talked to Alistair; apparently, Tanya-Grace, Tanya is the leader of a coven in Alaska, they're vegetarians, like us-knows a woman who is a Succubus, and knows a lot about Fifollete, and I phoned her. I'm just waiting for her to get back to me. But from what I understand, it's like any other power. With practice, patience, and self-awareness, you can control when it happens and how you use it." Everyone nods.
"I wonder if I get to change into something different every time. It'd be cool to be a firefly for a while." Alice giggles, and they continue home. When they arrive home, Esme takes Grace into the living room with Nessie for their lessons. Grace laughed.
"Oh, I still have to do this? I thought I could start school now." Esme shook her head.
"You did fantastically with the mortals, but it was your first time. It's far too dangerous for you to be out with mortals just yet. We'll see how you do, and maybe in not too long, you can start school with the others. But for now, you are stuck with me." Grace considers.
"But if I am two kinds of good vampire, then doesn't it make sense that I, in fact, won't be dangerous to mortals?" Esme sighs, slightly annoyed, and Carlisle, who'd walked past and heard Grace's logic, laughs. He sticks his head in.
"Grace, it's not about what type of vampire you are, OK? Just take it easy for a few weeks. Let's try two weeks, and then you can start being exposed to mortals, and we'll see how it goes, OK?" She nods, satisfied with that answer, and Esme smiles at her husband and shakes her head lightly. This child is still a handful, and now with her strength, and her powers coming so fast, it could be a liability. Esme knows that it will be difficult for Alice to help the child, who is both headstrong and physically strong, but also that the girl has a good head on her shoulders, and can be reasoned with. Her intelligence makes it harder, though, that much was for sure. As the children completed their lessons, and Grace starts on the piano, Esme excuses herself to talk with Alice and Carlisle. Once the three vampires are settled in Carlisle's study, Esme speaks.
"I am a little concerned about Grace. She's quite headstrong, and while we know she hides away from a lot through humor, I don't know how much she's actually in pain, and how that will manifest itself once she is exposed to mortals on a regular basis. Plus, this fairy light thing threw me for a loop, but I think I can handle that. I just hope it's OK with Nessie around. Alice, this is going to be tough for you; Jasper doesn't handle mortals well, either, and now with a newborn-I just want to impress upon you that it's never easy, OK? I can help, just tell me what you need, but I would prefer to not be alone in public with Grace at first. Carlisle, in the forest, you said that they protect treasure? What does that mean, exactly?" He looks from his daughter to his wife, and smiles lightly.
"Well, the legends started off with the fifollete being the spirit of an unbaptized child being buried with pirate treasure and riches in Louisiana. A lot of it is Santeria-based lore, but Fifollette are real. From what Tanya said she'd learned from her girlfriend is that Fifollette don't protect treasure in the sense of gold anymore, more like things that they treasure-whether material or immaterial. I think her intense, quick reaction to the mortals' closeness earlier means that she views US as her treasure-the family she's wanted-and frankly, needed-and so she will fight to protect us. She hasn't realized that mortals aren't really a threat to us, yet, and thankfully, she doesn't know much about "bad" vampires yet, but I imagine that you are perfectly safe, as are the rest of us. I don't know if she identifies just one person, or the family in general, as needing protection, but either way, it's a help. I, myself, am a little more worried about her other powers and the fact that she can reproduce. You and Jasper will need to speak with her about that soon." Alice looks startled.
"Um, OK. What do we say?" Carlisle looks at her for a moment.
"Alice, please think through what you just said. What do you tell a curious 15 year old about reproduction and safe intercourse?" Alice giggles, and stares at the ground. Esme and Carlisle share a look.
"Would you rather us do it?" Alice bites her lip, and considers.
"Let me talk to Jasper. I think we can be mature and talk about it." The two adults nod. Esme continues.
"Finally, I am a little concerned about her preoccupation with Alistair. I don't think that Alistair would try anything, but Grace likes to test limits, and so the sooner you talk to her, and she can understand the repercussions of her actions, the better I'll feel, OK?" Alice nods, and responds.
"Jasper said that he felt that Alistair was…interested in Grace. Romantically. But he also said that he respects Carlisle and is a little afraid of all of us to act on it. He's willing to wait. And I don't believe that Grace is interested in him romantically. Just that he's new. And a male, in the same sense that she might be piqued by a friend's older brother, but not really attracted like she might be to someone her own age or at least that she knows. Does that make sense?" Carlisle and Esme nod.
"So, Jasper and I will talk to Grace about, um, safe sex, and also about the appropriate time to use her powers. Anything else?" The two adult vampires shake their heads, and Alice excuses herself, putting her head in her hands as she leaves in mild embarrassment. She finds Jasper, fills him in, and they agree to talk to the girl that night, her first night as an immortal.
Several hours later, Jasper and Alice were sitting with Grace in the den, where she was still staying until she and Esme could get the upstairs bedroom set up for her again. They sat in the armchair, and Grace sat on the edge of the bed.
"It's so weird that I am not at all sleepy right now." Alice grins, and nods.
"Yeah, that was the weirdest thing I experienced, too. But we need to talk to you about something important, OK?" Grace nods, and looks seriously at them. Jasper looks at Alice, who shrugs.
"Ok, well, Carlisle and Esme wanted us to make sure that you understand, one hundred percent, that you cannot be sexually active with any males at this point in time. Firstly, you're far too young, and secondly, until you learn the ropes of the vampire world, it's just too dangerous." Grace giggles.
"Alice, I just want to kiss a boy. Not…sleep with him. I know what happens when you have sex; one of the female nurses went over it with me once, awhile ago. Besides, I'd NEED a male to have sex with, and those are very rare in my life right now. Thirdly, Carlisle has basically sentenced me to house arrest for the next two weeks, so any illusions of fun of ANY kind flew out the window."
"It's the safest way, Grace." Grace sighs.
"I know. I just thought that now that it happened, I would be given a longer leash. I still feel like the sick girl that everyone has to baby sit. It sucks to feel that way, and to feel like I'm interrupting everyone's life because they have to watch me." Alice looks at Jasper, who nods at her. Jasper speaks to Grace.
"I know you feel frustrated and annoyed, but really, Esme and Carlisle are worried, that's all, OK? It's not that they don't trust you, it's that you're young, a little mischievous, and quite headstrong. It just makes Esme worry that you will get yourself into a bind that you can't get yourself out of." Grace looks serious again.
"I didn't realize she cared so much. Can I still conjure Alistair, though? I like him, his accent is really cool."
"That's the other thing. Jasper will work with you on honing your powers. There are times it's OK to use them, like at home, and times it's not, like at school or the store or something, OK? And you can never, ever reveal that we are vampires. That is the number one rule." Grace nods hard.
"I understand. I really wish that I wasn't so powerful, though. It stinks having abilities to see things and not being able to use them. It's like knowing all the answers to a test, but not being able to take it." Alice laughs, as she gets that sentiment.
"I know. But I promise that you can use your powers all you want at home, OK?" Grace giggles.
"Ok, thanks, Alice. Are you and Jasper going to school today?" She nods.
"Unfortunately, yes. Esme is already annoyed at the amount of school we've missed. The school calls when we miss a lot, so she is having to resort to lies, and she doesn't like it." Grace shrugs.
"Ok, I guess I'll see you later, then. You'd better get a move on, it's almost dawn. I wonder what Esme is going to let me do all day. She never lets me just sit around and watch TV. I always have be doing something that I learn from. Was she a teacher before?" Alice shakes her head.
"No, but she was a mother." Grace winces.
"Wow, that was insensitive of me. I will try to be nicer; she is really great, and I guess since she is technically my aunt, she cares about me. I promise not to cause her too much grief, OK?" Alice sighs, and nods. Jasper smiles, and rises. He kisses Grace on her head.
"Thank you. Alice and I appreciate that. Do you want to hunt tonight?" Grace frowns.
"No. No more hunting for me. I am going to be a blood-free vampire. I am only going to eat lettuce." Jasper chuckles.
"Sorry, kid. No can do." She sighs again.
"Ok, fine. But no, I'm good. Thanks. Let's maybe go again later in the week. I need to recover first." Alice nods, stands, and follows Jasper out of the room. Before Alice left that morning, Grace asked her what time they took lunch, and Alice, not really paying attention, told her it was noon, for 45 minutes.
At 12 noon on the button, Alice suddenly appeared in the den at home. She immediately looks at Grace.
"Sorry, Alice. I'm just so bored, and I figured no one would miss you at lunch. But you have to be quiet, ok? Esme and Bella took Nessie to the park, but Edward is here." Alice shakes her head.
"You gotta send me back. Jasper will worry; we were just sitting down with Rose and Emmett." Grace nods.
"Just one thing. Can I bite Edward? He won't let me play rock music on the piano." Alice sighs.
"No. It's not funny even to joke like that, OK? I will speak to him tonight. I really have to go. Can you send me to the girl's bathroom?" Grace nods, and, instantly, Alice finds herself in a stall in the girl's lavatory near the cafeteria. When she arrives back in the cafeteria, she tells Jasper that Grace had conjured her home. The others titter, and Emmett suggests that Grace could conjure him during math class, the one he hated the most. Alice grimaces at him, and they continue with their lunch-hour antics. By the time they return home, Esme is waiting for them at the front door. She grabs Alice and pulls her around the corner.
"Grace is driving me crazy. Can you and Jasper take her outside?" Alice nods, and looks worried.
"What happened?" Esme sighs.
"She discovered more powers. It's not her fault, truly, but I am going crazy keeping track of a vampire who can go invisible AND a half-blood who is mad because I won't let her paint the back porch with her watercolors." Alice giggles, but hugs a frazzled Esme.
"We will take Grace out. Maybe Nessie would like to come along." She finds Jasper, who'd been putting their things away, and tells him that Esme asked if they could take Grace out because she's driving their mother crazy. Jasper nods, and the three vampires leave the house; Nessie declined to go because she was still mad.
They decide to teach Grace how to hone her powers, or at least to begin to work on taming them. Jasper sets up various scenarios, and faux battles, and the three vampires work for an hour. When they've had their fill, they return to the house, and Alice tells Grace that her and Jasper are going upstairs to finish homework.
Meanwhile, Grace heads for Esme's study and knocks softly on the door. When she is given permission to open the door, she finds Esme sitting in the dark, staring at a wall, breathing deeply. Grace stands in the doorway, looking concerned.
"Esme? Are you OK? I came to say that I am sorry for being such trouble today." Esme looks up at her and smiles.
"Come in and close the door, OK?" Grace nods, and quietly shuts the door behind her. She sits in an armchair across from the one that Esme is in, and looks to the older woman. She waits quietly as Esme begins to speak.
"You don't need to apologize, dear. It's not really your fault; the first few months are the most difficult when you have powers. I am sorry if I reacted strongly; I was just very frazzled earlier." Grace nods.
"It's OK. I worked with Alice and Jasper on my powers; I think I have figured out that if I can keep myself calm, I can control how often most of them manifest. I am sorry for frightening you by going invisible." Esme nods.
"Thank you. But you need to know that it's not your fault, truly. It just threw me for a loop; until Nessie was born, I was just your regular stay-at-home wife; I was used to quiet and privacy until the children got home from school. And then I got into a routine with the baby, and now adding you-it's just been so much. And Carlisle has been driving me crazy; apparently, he's busy at work and he doesn't talk about it much, but you really don't need to worry about that. I guess what I am trying to convey is that it's me, and I promise to try to give you a longer leash, OK? I know that I worry about you children, sometimes too much, and I just hope that you aren't annoyed by that." Esme looks surprised as Grace stands and embraces her.
"No, I am not. I know that I am sometimes a handful, though I don't mean to be. I am trying really hard to be a good vampire, and I am so thankful that you and Carlisle and Jasper and Alice have been so great. I like Nessie, and Edward and Bella are nice to me. Even Rosalie and Emmett are OK. I am trying, and just tell me what to do, and I'll try harder." Esme shakes her head.
"No one wants you to be perfect. Even Carlisle isn't perfect. But I appreciate that you are working with Jasper and Alice; Alice really cares for you, you know?" By now, Grace is sitting next to Esme in the chair, and has her head resting on Esme's shoulder.
"I know. But it's weird. I mean, I don't know what Alice expects of me; I know that I see her as an older mentor and a friend, but not really as a parent. I just don't want to hurt her feelings because I love her already. Carlisle was the first one of my doctors to treat me like an adult, instead of a five year old, and so I respected and liked him. Then I met all of you, and it's the same. But I see how the others look to you and Carlisle as their parents, and I feel like I should, too. But only if it's OK with everyone. It's just so…weird. Is it supposed to be weird?" Esme chuckles.
"Yes, at first. It's never perfect, and a lot of things in this life are silly or don't make a lot of sense, but it's for our protection." Grace sighs.
"Are mortals really that dangerous?"
"More like the other way around."
"That's what everyone says, but those mortals we met on the hunt-they didn't make me thirsty, just annoyed. I wanted them to stay away from all of you. I don't really understand my feelings sometimes, just that I get this protection instinct and then I react." Esme nods.
"I am glad that you are so aware of our safety, but like I said, we're more dangerous to them then they are to us. I am surprised you didn't feel the thirst; you were so calm. Has anything made you feel the thirst yet?" Grace shrugs, but shakes her head.
"No. But I really felt sick after the first hunt. Is that normal?"
"Yes. We're made to drink mortal blood, not animal. Your venom needs to adjust."
"Oh. So it'll go away, then?"
"Most likely."
"Can I hunt with you and Carlisle again? I liked that." Esme smiles into the girls hair.
"I don't think that would be a problem, but I will talk to Carlisle. We'll let you know. But in the meantime, are you ready for your lessons?"
"Yes." The two females stand, and walk together into the den, where Esme sets up a lesson for Grace, and reads to Nessie. Esme has been surprised by Grace's work; it seems like she is effortlessly intelligent, and writes essays about things that Esme didn't even know she knew. Like feminism, and the crisis in the Middle East. She had spoken about it some to Carlisle, who was impressed, and thought that if Alice and Edward enrolled with her, that Grace could start at school sooner than expected. She sent Grace off after the girls had finished, and by then, Carlisle had come home and settled himself in the study in their bedroom. Since Grace was no longer a looming figure in his work life, he felt a little bad that he'd all but ignored his other patients, and was now diligently working to restore his work with those patients. One man in particular, though, was driving him crazy; the man was a professor at the University, and had already had two major heart attacks. Of course, the man was in denial, and therefore, was unwilling to follow Carlisle's advice about his diet and exercise and lifestyle habits. He longed for the simplicity of Grace's care; even though it was technically difficult, she'd done as he'd asked, and watched her diet, and didn't run, etc. He smiled at his wife as Esme entered the room, and sighed with relief at the distraction.
"Hi, honey. How was today?" He grins up at his wife; Alice had told him she'd been distracted earlier, but now he sensed she was calm. She smiled back and settled herself into a chair she'd scooted close to him, and leaned in and kissed him.
"I'm better. I was really frazzled earlier; Grace has discovered yet another power, and Nessie and I were going at it about those damned watercolors that Rosalie just had to buy her. Anyway, I came to find you. How's work?" He grimaced at her.
"That's pretty strong language there, my dear. But work is work; I have one patient who is driving me crazy, but otherwise, all is well in the realm of Cardiology. Tell me about our newest child-what is this power?"
"Darn right it's strong language, sir. Your granddaughter will be the death of me yet." He laughs, and pulls her closer to him, finding comfort in her scent. She continues. "Grace has discovered that she can go invisible, and still do all the same things she does when she's visible. It scared me, Carlisle. You know I worry about the children, and I think I got a little frazzled. But I have to admit, I am beginning to care deeply for her. Do you know what she did? She came into my office, and apologized, and we chatted for a good long while." Carlisle smiled into his wife's hair; he couldn't picture Esme as anything other than perfectly calm and collected. He waited for her to continue, as he could tell that she wasn't finished speaking. "I think she called me Mom, though not in so many words, but I don't want to read too much into it. I don't know what to do, Carlisle. I don't want Alice to hate me, but at the same time, I just can't help but mother Grace. She so desperately needs it, and wants it, and I can give it to her. Help me here."
Carlisle nods, and sits straighter in his chair. He shuts the file folder in front of him, and picks up his wife, and settles her onto the bed next to him. She immediately snuggles deeply into his chest, and he wraps his arms around her. He'd been worried about her since the battle with the newborns back in Forks, and he'd tried to get her to tell him if she was upset or hurting from it, but she just steadfastly remained her calm, unshakable self. He sighed, and answered his wife, giving her the best answer he knew.
"I think that you should talk to Alice, one on one, without me or Jasper. Maybe go shopping or something, whatever it is that the two of you like to do together. Then tell her what Grace said. I think Alice will handle it well; she's been smashing so far. Frankly, I am surprised that Alice has devoted herself so much to this undertaking. I know that Alice is in no way stupid, but she can be a bit flighty, and gets ideas and drops them just as quickly. So that's what I think you should do about that. As for our disappearing daughter, I think it's time we sit Grace down, alone, and outline exactly what we expect." He feels his wife shift, and looks down at her scowl.
"What?"
"No, I think that's the wrong approach. She did work with Alice and Jasper today, and seems like she has figured out how to control her powers a little bit. Carlisle, when we were talking, she expressed to me that she feels inadequate, and I fear that she feels that if she messes up, we won't love her anymore. I can't let her feel that. Furthermore, she requested to hunt with you and me again. Alone." He sighs, but nods.
"Ok, I believe you. Then, let's take her out for a hunt and we'll talk to her then. We'll keep it casual, but I want her to understand that using powers has consequences outside of the immediate ones. I am worried that the Volturi catch wind of her powers, Grace will be no match in a battle. And neither do I want to expose her to them at all. I want one of our children to be untouched by their presence, at least for as long as is possible." Esme nods in agreement.
"I think that sounds like a great idea. When do you want to plan to hunt?"
"I have a surgery Friday, so I'll need the distraction that night. Let's the three of us go, and then we'll bring Grace back, and you and I can go back again, and get away for the night." Esme giggles.
"Ok, I like that plan. Let's schedule it with everyone, and I will check with Alice; perhaps I can ask Bella and Edward to keep an eye on the girls after school." Carlisle nods, and Esme stands and bounds out of the room, leaving her husband shaking his head behind her, amazed at her ability to bounce back from strife with both speed and grace.
End of Part 2