Chapter Three
Rosalie POV
The second the word 'baby' left Alice's mouth I was off like a shot. The poor thing got ditched on a freaking door step! There was a tiny heartbeat coming from inside a shoebox. I scooped the bundle of blankets up gently out of the box and a card fell out too. Cradling the precious bundle in one arm and cooing at the baby, I picked the card up with the other. Isabella Marie. That's all it said. I dropped it back in the shoebox and concentrated on the baby asleep in my arms. "Isabella. Aren't you a beautiful baby girl, precious baby. I'll look after you, I won't let anyone hurt you. Beautiful baby, my beautiful baby" I cooed at her. She was the tiniest human I had ever seen; even when I was alive I hadn't seen a baby this small. Was she sick? God I hope she was ok. Whoever the hell ditched her on the doorstep sure as hell didn't deserve her. I could tell it was a relation by the smell. No, she was mine now and I was going to look after her better than anyone else possibly could.
I heard my family approach and let out a low growl, warning them not to get too close. I honestly don't know what came over me. I knew none of them would hurt her but the protective instincts running through me were out of control. That and I didn't want them to take her from me. Esme had come up to me and had one hand rubbing small circles on my back calming me and one hand gently stroking Isabella's tiny face. I looked at my Mother figure and gave her a small smile. She knew how I felt. And she was already in love with Isabella too. I heard Emmett regarding my beautiful girl as an 'it', and telling me we couldn't keep her and another growl escaped me. Just try and take her off me oh husband of mine.
Gazing into the small face in my arms I registered a flurry of movement and realized Carlisle must have spoken. He was saying something about me taking Isabella up to his office. I suppose she did need to be checked and as a currently qualified doctor he was the best person for that job. My medical degree from the late seventies was a little outdated. I walked into his office and sat on the three seat sofa, laying Isabella on the middle cushion as I began to unwrap her from her blankets. Carlisle sat on the other cushion and Emmett knelt on the ground beside me, his arm around my shoulders. As Carlisle began his examination, she began to stir. Her perfectly formed tiny mouth opened in a yawn and her little eyes began to flutter as she wiggled her little arms and clenched and unclenched her tiny hands. She opened her eyes properly and they settled on Emmett. I shot a look at my husband, and my face softened immediately. He was looking at the baby girl with wonder; adoration in his eyes as she blinked up at him. I knew then that he felt it too, the need to never let her go.
Carlisle began his examination and not once did she cry or fuss. "Well" he said, "she appears to be a little malnourished, but we should be able to start sorting that out when Esme and Alice get back with the formula. It seems she is only about a week old." "Rosalie" he said softly "She may have family somewhere who are worried about her and want her back. She's not ours to keep." I sighed. Rationally I knew he was right, but emotionally I felt like she was mine. "I know, but can we at least keep her until we find them?" "Of course" he answered. "And if they don't find any family, can we talk about keeping her then?" I asked. "Do you think it's best for her to be raised by a coven of vampires?" he asked me. "No" I said firmly. "I think it's best for her to be raised by our family. By me" I answered.