I stared at her in wonderment. She was still my wife, the girl I was hopelessly in love with, but the changes were noticeable, even to me.
She sat up quickly and grasped her forehead, her eyes looked pained.
"Bella?" Carlisle moved slowly towards her. "The transformation is over, how are you feeling?"
She didn't answer for a moment but looked around as if trying to find the source of the voice.
"It's over?" she asked in a smooth tone gazing back at Carlisle.
"Yes," he replied cautiously, "How are you feeling Bella?"
She flexed her hands in front of her face, eyes wide with wonderment. "Different," she replied finally, sitting up more fully on the bed. She was blinking rapidly, as if seeing the world for the first time. "Very different."
"Edward?" she called in a nervous voice, searching for me. I sincerely hoped she knew that I could never leave her, that I was by her bedside the whole time. I walked toward her slowly, grateful to hear her voice. I couldn't help myself as I wrapped my arms around her. Her skin was so different, firm but smooth under my hands. I held her tighter than I ever had, relieved that she was back. She held me close, breathing me in. I wanted to tell her that I had stayed with her the whole time, that I was terrified every single moment watching her suffer.
"I knew you were here," she answered me. "I-I could hear you and Alice the whole time, but I couldn't answer…I wanted to."
I pulled back and looked into her face, confused because I knew I hadn't spoken those words out loud. Before I could ask her, she abruptly jerked her head around the room.
"Mom?!" she called, straining her neck around the sea of faces surrounding her bed. She turned back to me nervously, "Why is Renee here Edward?"
"Renee? She's not here Bella?" I looked at her curiously.
She opened her mouth to speak, but instead she jerked her head around the room again. "Edward, I hear her, she's here."
"Bella?" Carlisle sat down beside her. "What is Renee saying?"
She became silent for a second, taking her time with the answer. "She's talking to Phil?" she replied in a strangled voice. "They are on a plane back to Jacksonville." She looked me nervously, "What's wrong with me Edward??"
"Bella, I don't know, I-" I stopped, the wheels started turning in my head.
"Her power," I turned to Carlisle, "It has to be."
"Bella, how about Charlie, think about him, can you hear him?" Carlisle stood beside her placing a hand on her shoulder.
She closed her eyes again but immediately popped them open. "He is playing cards with Lou at work, he's…Edward?" She turned to me for answers.
Alice ran forward to give her a hug, "Bella, I've missed you." Bella returned the hug, but her face revealed that she was extremely troubled.
Carlisle stood in deep thought, examining Bella. I was scared, I had to know the extent of her power, she was new to this life and I wanted to help her in every way that I could. After Alice finally let her go, the whole family including Rosalie took their turns on greeting her into the coven.
"How about…you're friend Jessica," said Carlisle, "How about her? What is she saying?" Everyone looked at Bella who closed her eyes again.
"Mike," she answered with a slight smile, "She's thinking about Mike Newton. She's in her room, I think, she just woke up."
"Can you see her?" Esme asked.
"Yes… I can see her, but it's like, it's like I'm inside her head because I hear what she's thinking. And with Renee, I could hear what she was saying…" she trailed off, "Am I like you Edward?"
"No," Carlisle answered, still skeptical. "One more Bella, how about…Aro? What is he doing?" The room went deathly silent as Bella closed her eyes once again. Her face strained a bit, but she answered just as quickly as before.
"A meeting of some sort, I see Alec and Jane, they are gathered together talking, planning." she replied.
"Whoa," called Emmett from across the room.
"Whoa is right," Carlisle said firmly. "How about Edward, what is he thinking?"
She turned her beautiful eyes toward me. I concentrated on how much I loved her and how happy I was that she was awake, just in case she could hear me.
I opened my eyes to find her beaming at me. "I love you too," she answered, flying into my arms.
"Wow," I said, "You can hear my thoughts."
"Only when I decided I wanted to," she turned to face Carlisle. "Is it? Is it, if I think about someone, I can see and hear what their doing? Exactly at that moment?"
"That seems about right," he said. He looked troubled.
Alice hugged her again, "Wow, this is great! With Edward hearing everyone's thoughts at once, Jasper in control of their emotions, me being able to see the future, and you being the most incredible spy in history, we pretty much have everything covered!"
"It also makes us the most dangerous coven in history," interrupted Carlisle with a nervous look on his face. "Once the Volturi get wind of Bella's power, they are going to see her as just that. A spy." He focused his eyes on me.
"But between Alice and Bella, it's going to be impossible for them to do anything. We will always be three steps ahead," said Emmett confidently.
"This is true, but the Volturi have their ways." Carlisle grabbed Esme's hand and started to leave the room. "We're so happy to have you back Bella," he said proudly. "I want to spend more time with you, but I really need to study this situation carefully, I'll be back."
"I knew you'd be the most powerful vampire ever!" teased Emmett. He walked over to Bella and pulled her into a bear hug. She laughed and tried to wriggle away, sending Emmett flying across the room in the process. He slammed into the far wall, causing a mirror to shatter in pieces.
"OH! I'm so sorry Emmett! I had no idea!" She rushed over to him, trying to help him up.
His eyes widened in shock, and allowed Bella to unnecessarily help him. "Newborn strength!" he shouted excitedly. From his thoughts, I could tell that he was thinking up dozens of ways to challenge her.
"No," I said immediately, "Bella needs to get used to it first before you go wrestling her into the ground."
I looked at Bella who was staring at herself in a piece of broken mirror. "Is that me?" she asked.
"Yes," Rosalie said speaking for the first time. "You're beautiful." I scowled, thinking it was a sarcastic jealous remark, but even Rosalie couldn't deny the extent of her new sister's beauty, her thoughts were genuine.
"Well at least I won't look so plain on you're arm now, huh Edward," she turned to me beaming. "And, I just wanted to say to everyone, thanks for welcoming me, and Edward doesn't have a choice, but I do. I'll give you your privacy, I won't go looking into everyone's thoughts..."
Alice laughed her tinkling laugh. "Oh, we're used to it, but thanks!" Alice was already imagining dozens of outfits that would look "fabulous" on Bella.
Jasper walked up to her and pulled her into a hug. "Wow," he exclaimed, "I can do this now." Bella laughed happily and hugged him back.
I had missed her so much, I felt a wave of possessiveness, and suddenly wanted her all to myself. I looked at her intently, trying to communicate with my eyes to reach into my thoughts. I knew I could ask myself, but I wasn't sure of what she wanted. Her eyes met mine and I knew she understood. I concentrated on filling my head with how much I wanted to spend alone time with her, and after a moment she nodded in agreement.
"Um, guys, do you mind if I talk to Edward a bit," she asked everyone.
"Fine, but don't hog her," whined Alice, a small pout forming on her face as she looked at me.
"Yeah," agreed Emmett crossing his arms over his chest.
Bella laughed, "I've got all the time in the world now."
Alice gave her another quick hug, and soon everyone was gone.
"Oh Bella," I grabbed her and pulled her into my arms. She was still weightless, but I was instinctively aware of the fact that she was stronger, I could feel it. We held each other for a moment, locked in an unbreakable embrace.
"Edward, this, everything, it's just…so much. My sight, my sense of hearing, even with you, I feel like we're finally equal."
"Well, this is the tightest I've ever held you," I said laughing. I had to admit to myself, that not having to hold back was going to be much easier. Not worrying that I was going to shatter her all the time was a great feeling. "And…" I sniffed her shoulder. "You smell the same!"
"Oh! I do? Oh Edward, I thought that problem would be solved…"
"It is!" I said pulling her back into a hug. "It's just you that smells that way. It's kind of like how I would smell to you when you were human. You were attracted to my scent, but you didn't want to eat me!" I couldn't help but swing her around, I was so relieved.
"Are you thirsty?" I asked putting her down, pointing to the bucket Emmett had brought in.
"Is that the itching in the back of my throat?" she asked, now eyeing the blood.
"Yes." I brought the bucket over to her, and watched her drain the entire thing within seconds.
"Now that," she said wiping her hand across her mouth, "Is definitely the most disturbing thing that has happened so far." She looked satiated and disconcerted at the same time. "I can't believe I just drank blood. What kind was that?"
"Bear," I answered, "Emmett wanted to give you his favorite meal."
"Oh," she said shortly, still looking a bit uneasy.
"You'll get used to it," I laughed. "You'll find your favorite. Although I'm surprised you didn't automatically react to that blood, newborns are usually ravenous."
"Well, I felt a pull towards it, but I don't know, it wasn't overwhelming or anything." She shrugged and climbed into my lap.
"I wonder how you would react to humans…"
"Let's find out," she said getting up, "I'd kind of like to know myself."
"No! No, no Bella. To be honest, you're stronger than everyone in this house right now; we're not going to expose you to humans the day you turn into a vampire."
"But I'm curious," she complained, nuzzling into my neck.
"Oh Bella," I sighed. "You really haven't changed a bit have you?"
"Pleaseee," she begged, looking up at me with eyes sparkling with sweetness. Her long eyelashes and her lips were calling to me, and all I could see in my mind was her. I felt my eyes close softly, leaning into her anxiously.
"Did I just dazzle you?!" she cried, her previous expression being exchanged for one of uninhibited glee.
My eyes snapped open in surprise. "No! That's impossible, I'm a vampire too, you can't," I said with confidence.
She clapped her hands excitedly, ignoring my statement. "And now," she said kissing my neck, "You can't push me off you either, no holding back…"
I growled in anticipation, eyeing her body, fully ready to give her whatever she wanted when we heard at knock at the door.