Here we are with the second half of the last chapter. Hot off the presses for you! I know it's been a while, but I'm always working on this one. It's my baby, honestly.
Lots of things happen here I don't know if anyone will be expecting, but I think they would call this a set up. More is on the way.
I don't own Twilight, but all the crazy kids I made up are, so be nice to them.
This is unbeta'd, but I fine-tooth comb everything before posting. Anything left behind is all on me.
Recovering & Discovering
December, 1945
Keira
The first time I was able to do anything without feeling pain through my whole body, I needed to go to the bathroom. I didn't want to say anything to Fisher or Kyle, but Edward left as the thought passed through my head. He returned with Esme, and it was at this point that I announced my need to have a woman walk me to the bathroom. If Edward hadn't brought Esme, I was sure Fisher or Kyle would've insisted helping me. I was glad for the consideration Edward showed. I knew it couldn't be easy to relinquish control to my brother, but he never complained.
I had to walk slow, and it took longer to get to the door of the bedroom even with Esme helping me than it would have any other time. It didn't hurt to walk or move, but my chest was tight and sluggish at the same time. My lungs worked harder to get oxygen to my limbs, and the tips of my toes and fingers tingled as I walked beside Esme to the bathroom.
"I can get Carlisle if you need something for your pain," Esme said softly.
She opened the door to the bathroom, helping me inside.
"I'm fine," I assured her. "Just don't leave me alone. Fisher might try to replace you."
She smiled slightly, sitting me on a stool next to the bathtub and then closing the door. "We might try to get you a bath," she suggested. "If you're feeling up for it."
The idea of a warm bath sounded more inviting and welcome than anything had been in months, and I nodded. "I'd like that."
She moved to a cupboard instantly, pulling out two towels and a washcloth. A couple of months earlier, I'd been so furiously embarrassed about being naked in anyone else's presence, but given the last twenty-four hours, it no longer bothered me for Esme to remove the robe I was wearing before she turned on the water to fill the bathtub. Steam filled the bathroom, but Esme let me check the temperature before she helped me sit down in the tub. The warm-bordering-hot water felt exquisite on my skin, but when Esme took a wash cloth from the cupboard and began easing it over my chest, I pulled away instantly as a sharp pain struck through my body to my back. My abrupt intake of breath stopped her, and the door opened instantly to let Rosalie and Edward inside.
Before either of them could say anything, Esme spoke. "Everything's all right."
I looked over my shoulder at Edward and Rosalie, seeing similar expressions of concern over their faces — Edward's much more intense than Rosalie's though hers was extremely noticeable.
"I'll find clothes," Rosalie offered, leaving Edward alone as he stared at me.
I knew he was looking at my bruises, but he was also listening — to the way I was breathing and how my heart was pumping blood to the damaged flesh over my back and chest. I wasn't worried about him looking at me naked. The exhaustion in my body prevented me from caring.
"Edward," Esme said. "She's all right. Go help Rosalie and your father."
His eyes found mine, and I bit my lip as I nodded. After probably half a minute, he bowed his head and turned to leave.
"He's so worried about you," Esme whispered softly once he was gone. "This has caught him so off-guard. He cares for you so much. I'm not sure what he would've done if he'd lost you."
Her words surprised me, but given what had happened to me, I could understand how none of them had expected anything like this. I hadn't expected this, but I was no less grateful. I wasn't ready to die, and more than that, I wasn't ready to leave Edward or his family. They'd become such a good part of my life. I wasn't ready to let them go.
A smile crossed my face as the thought passed through my head, and I wondered if Edward was still listening.
My bath was short-lived, but only because I was still so weak. Esme gently washed my hair and made a point of cleaning off whatever blood she could still see before she helped me stand up to wrap a towel around me.
"You'll be healed in no time," Esme marveled as she dried me off and then helped me into the knit cotton pants and t-shirt Rosalie had found for me. "And no matter what you need, we'll all be here to help you through it. It's a promise I would swear in blood if I could."
I smiled again, and she draped the towel over my shoulder before she began brushing my hair.
She helped me back to her room where Fisher and Kyle were pacing restlessly. Edward was again sitting in his chair, and he chanced smiling at me as Esme helped me sit back down on the bed. I returned his smile, but Fisher sat in front of me almost as soon as Esme moved away.
"We can take you home where you're more comfortable," my brother said to me despite Carlisle's offer for him and Kyle to stay at the house until I was completely healed.
"I'm comfortable here," I assured him. "Please relax. I'll be fine."
The worry creasing his forehead refused to dissipate, but he didn't say anything else.
"Would you like anything else?" Esme asked softly.
I thought maybe I could read until I got sleepy again, and Edward rose without saying anything. He returned with a handful of books, doing nothing to mask his actions as he stepped closer to the bed.
"You can read these," he said as he laid the books in my waiting hands.
Among them were Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and 20,000 Leagues under the Sea. They were all in extraordinary condition, and I was sure they were all first editions. I would have to do my best to keep Fisher and Kyle from seeing the publication dates.
"Thank you," I said to Edward.
"Yes, Edward," Kyle said sarcastically. "You can go now."
Though I was annoyed by my brother's rudeness, and though I wanted to argue, Edward turned to leave before I could.
"Carlisle will come check on you after you've rested," he assured me, bowing his head and stepping out of the room quietly.
The door closed, and I glared at Kyle. "That was rude," I griped.
"You're my sister," he griped back. "And it's probably his fault this happened."
"It's no one's fault," I argued. "Edward and Carlisle saved me. If you want someone or something to blame, then why don't you blame the stupid bird?"
Confused, Kyle shook his head.
I refused to look at him or Fisher, wanting to read the books Edward had brought me but now so upset that I couldn't concentrate on anything other than how impossibly stupid my brothers were behaving.
This wasn't going to be as easy as I thought.
I was only able to read one of the books Edward brought me before I got sleepy, and I begged Fisher and Kyle to let Carlisle and Edward check my wounds at least one more time before I fell asleep. They gave no indication that they trusted either Carlisle or Edward with me at that point, but Fisher seemed to understand that I did. He convinced Kyle to step out of the room only a moment before my attendants appeared on the other side of the door.
I knew by the expression on Kyle's face that he was surprised to see Carlisle and Edward there, but Fisher looked nearly as determined to give them the space they needed to make sure I was okay. Edward nodded to Fisher, silently thanking him, and Carlisle eased into the room slowly, sitting next to me with a gentle smile on his face.
"You haven't had much to eat today," he said as he took my pulse and laid the back of his hand against my forehead. "Are you hungry at all?"
Shaking my head, I lifted my eyes to Edward. "I'm just really tired. Is that good or bad?"
Carlisle sighed softly, glancing at Edward. "I'm uncertain," he admitted. "Usually, if you're tired, you need to rest. It's how the body replenishes itself when it's worn down. But in this instance, I have no frame of reference for any of your symptoms. The only thing I know to do is to keep an eye on you and your progress. Do you feel like anything's wrong?"
I thought about how frustrating it was to still feel a weight sitting on my chest, and even though I could breathe fine and didn't feel sick, I knew there was something still wrong with me. On the surface, I understood that it was because of what had happened to me. I'd fallen so far and had a large hole in my chest for the better part of a day. Nothing like this had ever happened to me before, and it was just as difficult for me to gauge what was right or wrong about anything I was feeling.
All I knew was that I had to sleep, or I would probably start bleeding again.
"Sleep would probably do more good than remaining awake," Edward said from behind Carlisle. "I think I understand some of this now."
Curiously, I stared at him, and after half a minute, Carlisle turned around completely to face him.
"What are you thinking?" he asked, meaning to hear Edward's theories of our current situation.
"Well, she healed the most last night while she was sleeping," he deduced. "While her body is still, it won't exert as much energy, and therefore it can focus on the most pressing matter it's facing — her injury. The instant she wakes, every molecule in her body working to heal her begins moving to other parts of her system to keep her alert and on her feet." He glanced behind him at the open door, and I knew he wanted to close us into the bedroom so he could say what he really wanted to say.
"That makes sense," Carlisle agreed. "It's been almost twenty-four hours since her accident. Another twelve will probably complete her healing process. I just wish there was a way to discover how this is even possible."
The room became quiet as we all processed what Edward had said. I wasn't sure I completely understood, but I knew I felt better after sleeping. And when I'd woken this morning, it had been a much more pleasant experience than it was the night before — whether it was because I was better or because Edward had been there, I still I wasn't sure.
He laughed softly at that thought, and even though Carlisle couldn't hear what was going on in my head, he still knew what Edward was doing.
"We have a lot of research to do if she's almost healed," he decided. "And it's going to take more than just me and the library to do it."
The smile on Edward's face faded slightly. "You're thinking perhaps someone else in her family has developed this ability at some point," he stated, obviously answering a silent question.
"It's the only thing that makes sense about the way it was triggered," Carlisle said. "And in order to find out where it began, we'll need to go back as far as we can."
The way they were speaking caused me to become curious. "As far back as you can into what?" I asked.
Slowly, Carlisle looked at me. "Your family," he said simply. "If anyone else has ever developed an ability like this, that's more than likely where we'll find them. But for now, you should rest. Your pulse and your breathing are improving, and your temperature is holding steady. Another night of rest should be all you need to heal completely. We'll talk more in the morning."
He gently laid my hands over my chest, bowing his head and rising from the bed. Edward moved to replace him quickly, leaning in and kissing my forehead.
"I'll be just downstairs," he whispered gently. "If you need anything, I'm only a thought away."
At that, I smiled, and he stood up to leave.
Just before Edward stepped out of the room, Fisher stopped him.
"Can you really find out how this is possible?" he asked.
Edward didn't hesitate. "Yes."
Fisher glanced at me and then Kyle before he looked at Edward. "Then I'll help you."
It was the last thing I heard before I fell asleep again. I guess I really did need the rest after all.
Gentle, cool finger caressing my cheek woke me after what felt like only a few minutes, but when I opened my eyes and saw Edward there illuminated by the soft golden lamp light, I somehow knew it was well past dusk.
The rest of the room was dark. The first thing I noticed was the absence of my brothers.
"Esme convinced them to return home for the night, but they'll be back in the morning," Edward explained softly, still caressing my cheek and then my brow. "Do you need anything?"
I lifted my hand to his, noticing the crease in his forehead and the generally pinched appearance of his face. Something was wrong.
A small, strained grin creased his cheek, and when I moved to sit up, he automatically reached out to help me. "The truth," he said, "is that Emmett and I left to hunt once you were asleep. While we were out, the wolves found us. I'm uncertain how. We were nowhere near their territory. The only thing Carlisle can figure is they came for you — to see you."
Though I tried to stay calm, my pulse immediately sped up until I could feel it in my throat. Edward moved a few inches closer, moving both his hands to my face.
"We won't let them hurt you," he swore. "But we were expecting this. Not so soon, but even still."
"What are you going to do?" I asked quietly.
The door to the room opened then, allowing Carlisle and Rosalie into the room.
"They're here," Carlisle said, glancing at Rosalie and bowing his head.
She stepped further into the room, and I looked at Edward.
"What's happening?" I pleaded, more afraid now despite his reassurances.
The crease of his forehead and the pinch of his face intensified as he spoke. "They wouldn't let Emmett or me leave unless we agreed to show them you were still human. We tried to explain that you were weak and needed at least the remainder of the night to recuperate. They wouldn't listen. After we swore to let them see you, we left. When I was close enough, I called for Esme and told her. I had to make sure Fisher and Kyle were away from the house before I told Carlisle. Once they were gone, we only had to wait. That was a couple of hours ago."
"We shouldn't keep them waiting," Carlisle said.
Rosalie stepped up behind Edward, and though he hesitated, he still stood and allowed her to sit in front of me.
"Everything's going to be all right," Rosalie said as confidently as she could. "You'll be safe the entire time. I swear it."
"There are only three of them," Edward said to me. "They won't hurt you."
He turned and left with Carlisle slowly, and Rosalie moved to the closet across the room. She found clothes without saying anything, and when she came back, she took my hands to help me stand up.
I was understandably stiff, and she supported me against her for half a minute before I was able to do it on my own. It wasn't as difficult now as it had been earlier. My chest wasn't as tight, nor was my body any longer slow to respond to the commands being given by my brain.
"You're healed so much," she marveled. "Surely, they'll look at you and see you're all right."
I said nothing to her proclamation, allowing her to help me change.
Esme's clothes felt a hundred times more refined than the ones I'd arrived in the day before, and I consequently felt like a little girl wearing them. The stockings meant to keep my legs warm were tight and thick, contrasted by the silk slip Rosalie pulled over my head. A deep blue wool dress with lace-up boots completed my ensemble, and Rosalie helped me from the room to the hallway.
Walking now was easier than it had been before, and I only needed Rosalie's hand to keep me steady as we slowly descended the stairs to the first floor of the house. Edward was waiting there alone with a coat on his arm, and as soon as I was close, he helped me pull the coat on before taking my hand and nodding only once to Rosalie. Then he looked at me.
"If at any point you feel uncomfortable," he said with a small measure of caution in his voice, "just let me know. We'll handle anything that happens without consideration to you."
I nodded and glanced at Rosalie as she followed us slowly.
A more prominent chill filled the air as we stepped outside onto the dim porch that surrounded the house. At first, I shivered, but I was surprised to discover that only the very edges of my fingertips and the tip of my nose truly felt the temperature. Even being next to Edward, I felt warmer than I should have. The coat I wore felt cumbersome, but I knew it was necessary.
"I was wondering about that," Edward whispered. "Very interesting. So staying close to me shouldn't be a problem."
I blushed as we walked slowly along a path that led to the woods around the house. Surprise overwhelmed me as I realized the path was lined with wooden spikes and illuminated by candles. Then I was confused.
"While we waited for Ephraim, I decided it would be best for you to walk this distance, as opposed to me carrying you. The less overwhelmed you are, the better, and also this way, you won't have too much of my scent around you."
"And that's important?" I asked.
He nodded. "For these men, yes. It's very important."
We walked to the edge of the defined yard around the house before I could see the outline of Carlisle and Emmett with three others in the distance illuminated by the candle light.
Once we were close enough for them all to see us, Carlisle turned his attention to me, allowing us close before he reached for me gently. Edward was reluctant to let me go, but after a few long seconds, he released my hand so Carlisle could pull me forward.
"You look much better now that you've rested," he whispered with a smile. "I wish you'd been given more time before this happened, but I assure you everything is all right. Rosalie, Emmett and Edward will remain close, but I'm afraid the proximity we have to you might inhibit their ability to ensure that you're still very human."
I understood his and Edward's words perfectly. In no uncertain terms, I would have to do this all on my own.
It was easy to remain steady on my feet right up to the moment the first unfamiliar man took his first step toward me. I stumbled, and Edward moved a little closer while still behind Carlisle. Instantly, Carlisle took my hand to keep me steady, and I lifted my gaze to the man in front of me.
His tall, muscled physique reminded me of Emmett, but his russet skin so greatly contrasted Edward's that I wasn't surprised by the small snort that came from Edward's direction.
"Ephraim Black," Carlisle said while still holding my hand. "This is Keira Jones. And as you can see, she's still very human."
"We'll be the judge of that," one of the others scoffed.
"Levi," Ephraim chastised.
Edward took another step, but Carlisle stopped him.
"It's all right, Edward. They won't harm her. Will you?" he asked Ephraim.
"That's not why we're here," he said, stepping closer to me slowly.
Finally, it registered that he wasn't wearing a shirt, and I blushed even though I didn't look away. His face was angular and weathered, but not unattractive, and his dark brown eyes were friendly and inquisitive. Had I met him under different circumstances, I would've actually thought he was kind of beautiful. I glanced passed him at Levi, almost stunned to see that he wasn't very friendly-looking at all.
"How old are you?" Ephraim asked me.
I glanced at Carlisle and then Edward before looking at him. "I'm fifteen. I'll be sixteen tomorrow."
"And you've known these people for how long?"
"Four months," I answered automatically.
He said nothing as he reached out and touched my face.
I was vaguely aware of a soft growl coming from behind me and the sound of a hand clasping around a flexed arm, but I couldn't look away from Ephraim as he eased his fingertips down my neck to feel my pulse. Right now, I could feel it still hammering inside my chest.
"I'm not going to hurt you," he promised. "Tell me what happened to you."
The details were still a little disjointed, but I remembered nearly every moment I'd experienced when I'd been awake. With that in mind, I glanced at Carlisle again and spoke as steadily as I could.
"We were out in the woods," I said of me and Edward. "We were just going to spend the day together. We climbed a tree, and we kissed. I lost my balance, and he tried to catch me. But I fell. It's mostly black and painful after that, but when I woke up, he was there. It hurt to breathe, and I couldn't clear whatever was in my throat. It took me almost all day to realize that it was my own blood. I had a wound so large I could feel it every time I moved. I was so tired, but they took care of me. They helped me. They would never hurt me."
It was silent for a few minutes after that, and I thought that was all I would have to do. Then Ephraim spoke again.
"We're not here to dispute whether they have hurt you," he said. "If they had, the peace between us would be over. We're here to ensure they keep up their part of our treaty with them. Do you know what they are?"
"I do," I nodded.
"And you still wish to remain with them?"
"Yes."
"How is this possible?" he asked, but he wasn't speaking to me.
"We're uncertain of that ourselves," Carlisle said, stepping a small distance closer until he was standing next to me still holding my hand to keep me steady. "We haven't had a fair amount of time to adequately research this occurrence, but we have many theories we're meaning to study once I've returned to work where I'll have access to more information. Right now, all we know is that Keira came very close to dying yesterday. She's still in need of rest, and the longer we keep her out here, the less her body will be capable of completely healing."
"Her wound still exists?" Ephraim asked, his eyes unfocused over my shoulder in Edward's direction.
"Yes," Carlisle said softly, "though not as much as it was when it was first inflicted."
Probably half a minute of silence followed, and Edward suddenly yelled.
"That's not necessary! She's alive, and she's human. You have no need to see any part of her."
"What is it?" Rosalie asked, the panic in her voice as obvious as his anger.
Edward huffed loudly, clenching his teeth. "He wants to see her wound."
Carlisle's presence next to me became more prominent as he attempted to keep some semblance of control over the tense meeting. "Ephraim, please. She's only a child. It wouldn't be right to expose her like that. You've felt her pulse, and as you can see, she's still breathing. I swear to you, she's safe with us."
Despite Carlisle's plea, the intensity on Ephraim's face increased, and I realized exactly what he was wanting. He wanted to see it for himself that I could heal the way Carlisle and Edward had claimed. Almost immediately after this thought filled my head, Edward moved closer to me, pulling his arm from Emmett's hand.
"You don't have to do that, Keira," he said. "It's not your responsibility to satisfy his curiosity."
He grit his teeth together as he said this, his brilliant green eyes indicative of the success of his hunt. But it wasn't only Ephraim's curiosity I wanted to satisfy. I knew then as I stood there flanked by Carlisle and Edward that I also wanted to satisfy my own.
Edward looked at me, astonishment filling his eyes. But he didn't question me, turning his attention to Ephraim. "Give me your knife," he demanded, his nostrils flaring slightly.
Hesitation followed as Ephraim looked at Carlisle and then me. After probably a minute, he pulled a small silver knife from a sheath on his waist and handed it to Edward slowly.
"Edward, what are you doing?" Carlisle pleaded.
"It's all right. He wants to see it for himself, and so does she. We need to know as well. Emmett," he called.
The soft crunch of brush behind me caused me to look in time to see Emmett and Rosalie stepping away from the immediate area where I was, and I lifted my eyes to Edward's as he took my hand in his so that my palm was turned upward.
He paused before laying the blade of Ephraim's knife over my skin, sighing softly and grasping the hilt of the knife. Carlisle's hands claimed my arms to hold me still, and I saw a pleading in Edward's eyes before I nodded that I was ready.
"I'm sorry," he whispered gently.
Though I'd cut myself before now, this time was very different as the blade made contact with my skin and almost instantly broke through, indicating that it was very sharp and meant to cut clean through the toughest material. Sharp, shallow pain blossomed over the palm over my hand from the outer edge next to my pinkie joint to the heel of my hand, and blood followed instantly. I tried not to move — tried not to breathe as the pain spread quickly. I wanted to close my hand and staunch the bleeding as soon as I saw it. Edward stepped closer to me and held me still as Carlisle took a handkerchief to wipe away the blood.
For a few minutes, nothing happened. I continued to bleed, and I became dizzy the way I should have from losing even the smallest amount of blood. I leaned into Edward for stability feeling lightheaded and wishing I'd asked to sit down. Then something amazing happened. I had to strain to see it, but slowly, the two ends of my new cut began to close.
Ephraim stepped closer as soon as Edward cut me, and I could see he was just as astonished as I was the moment it began. Carlisle dabbed the blood away until only a small red line replaced the cut, and after another few minutes, I couldn't tell I'd even been cut. Nothing had been done on my part, and I had no control over the length of time it had taken, but it seemed the smaller the injury, the shorter amount of time it took to heal.
"Yes," Edward whispered, agreeing with me.
"Ephraim," the third member of his group called. "How do we know this is not a trick? How can we know they'll keep their word?"
No words were said as we all stood there, and I looked at him to see what I hoped was understanding on his face.
"I've seen it with my own eyes, Quil," Ephraim said with a nod. "And she bleeds even with this unexpected ability."
"But we don't know how she came to have this ability," Levi argued. "We've only heard of such a thing among our own people, and no Quileute would ever allow these creatures near them."
"That's enough, Levi." Ephraim looked at me as Edward now held me in his arms, and then he looked at Carlisle. "It's clear this has surprised them as much as it has surprised us. And we'll need to be kept updated on this situation, but for now, I'm satisfied that none of this was the doing of a vampire. As long as they keep up their part of the treaty, so will we."
Slowly, Carlisle extended his hand to Ephraim, and after a few seconds, the tall, russet man reciprocated. "Thank you for understanding," Carlisle said.
"We'll be watching you," Ephraim warned, releasing Carlisle's hand and apparently ending the meeting as he backed away from us and nudged Levi and Quil away toward the north.
The strength I'd gained almost immediately dissipated, and my knees gave a split second before Edward lifted me in his arms.
"I've got you," he whispered, holding me close and beginning back down the path to the house.
"She needs to rest the remainder of the night if she's going to heal by morning," Carlisle said as he walked beside Edward.
I laid my head down on his shoulder, nuzzling my face into his neck and allowing the coolness of his skin to envelop mine. It was the last thing I knew before I closed my eyes again and welcomed the safe depths of exhaustion-induced dreams.
The smell of chocolate and coffee filled my senses and woke me from a strange dream about a shirtless Edward shape-shifting into a pure white wolf, and as soon as I opened my eyes, I saw the room around me illuminated by bright morning light. For the first time in a day and a half, I was able to take a long, deep breath with no pain, no discomfort, and I instinctively laid my hand over the right side of my chest.
When I felt the t-shirt covering me, I looked down to see I'd been changed, but I didn't remember doing it. I pulled the fabric away from my chest, smiling when I saw pink, unmarred skin now showing where my wound had been the night before. Carlisle had been right, and I felt a hundred times better than I had the previous morning.
Slowly, I moved to sit over the side of the bed, planting my feet on the cool hardwood floor and then rising as carefully as I could. The stiffness was still present, but it wasn't because of my injury. Curiously, I stretched, bowing my back and reaching above my head. A soft laugh reached my ears, and I looked at the door to see Fisher there with a grin on his face.
"Morning, sleepy head."
He eased into the room until we were facing each other, and he gazed over my shoulder before pulling me into his arms.
"You look so much better," he whispered.
"I feel so much better," I assured him.
He leaned back to look at me again, kissing my cheek and whispering still. "Hey, guess what?"
"What?" I giggled softly.
"It's your birthday."
Two thoughts became prominent in my mind as I stood there in my brother's arms. I suddenly remembered what I'd said to Ephraim the night before about how I would be sixteen today, and I also knew how very close I'd actually come to not making it to this day. And I couldn't believe how grateful I felt.
Nine months earlier, when our grandmother had passed away, I'd honestly believed that no place I ever went afterward would ever be a good place without her. While Fisher had been close to her, she and I had been nearly inseparable. Losing her had caused a void in my life I'd been so sure no one else would ever be able to fill, and it wasn't that Edward or any member of his family would ever be able to do that. I still missed her, but now, I knew everything was going to be all right. Her place in my heart was still there, but a newer, happier place had been created by Edward's presence — along with Carlisle, Esme, Emmett and even Rosalie. They were as much my family as my parents and my brothers. And I wouldn't want it any other way.
Clattering and clanking from downstairs reached my ears as we stood there, and Fisher stepped back to look at me.
"I have a surprise for you," he said, taking my hand and pulling me from the room slowly.
Curiosity flooded my body as we descended the stairs together, and the smells assailing my senses became stronger the closer we got to the dining room and kitchen. A new fire was burning in the living room parlor, and even though the Christmas tree was gone, the room looked and felt no less warm than it had a few days ago.
Finally, I smelled bacon and biscuits, along with the savory aroma of my mother's cinnamon pancakes wafting through the air. At first, I was confused. Then I saw my mother come from the kitchen with a platter of fresh pancakes. She smiled when she saw me, setting the platter on the dining room table and then hurrying to me.
"Oh, honey, you're awake," she gushed, pulling me into her arms to hug me tightly. I held onto her like she was lifeline. It seemed like so much time had passed since I'd seen her even though only a couple of days had gone by. "Your father was so worried about you," she said leaning back and lifting her hands to my face. "But I told him you would be just fine. And you look so good. I knew Carlisle and Esme would take care of you."
Tears filled my eyes for no reason, and I nodded. "They did," I assured her. "They all did."
"Walter," she called, "come into the dining room. Everybody, she's awake!"
Within a moment, the dining room was filled with the people I cared for most in my life. My father and Kyle arrived first, greeting me and lingering longer than either of them ever had, and Carlisle and Esme followed. Rosalie and Emmett wished me a happy birthday, and finally, Edward stepped into the dining room — with Abigail next to him.
I hurried to her immediately, embracing her tightly for the first time since we'd met four months earlier.
"What are you doing here?" I whispered.
"Fisher called me — not an easy feat considering where I was," she explained. "And there was no way I would miss your birthday, especially when he said you hadn't been feeling well. But you look just fine now."
I laughed softly. "I feel fine now," I insisted.
She and I moved around the table with everyone else, sitting together with Fisher and Edward at our sides while my family and Edward's sat for the feast my mother and Esme had apparently been cooking.
Astonishment continued to overwhelm me as I sat there eating my favorite breakfast, watching everyone around me talk and laugh. It was like Christmas all over. My father didn't look as upset as I'd imagined he was when Carlisle and Edward had told him I was ill, and for the first time, I noticed how engaged Kyle was with the meal we were sharing with Edward's family. He hadn't been this way since before our grandmother had passed away.
"You sound much better this morning," Edward said softly as we sat together.
"I wish I'd been able to change," I said.
Without pausing, he leaned closer and kissed the side of my face. "You look comfortable," he whispered against my skin. "Rested. And very beautiful."
As those of us who could continued to enjoy the food prepared, I realized something very important about what had happened the last couple of days — the last several months, actually. I hadn't expected to meet anyone like Edward or his family, but I was more grateful for their presence in my life than I imagined I would be. I'd never had a friend like Abigail in all my years at that prominent school in Seattle, and she was the best friend I'd ever had.
My life was so much more different now than I'd thought it would be, and it wasn't just because of this . . . gift I'd developed. I knew now that it was a gift, especially since if I hadn't healed two days ago, this event — sitting with Abigail and my family and Edward for my birthday — wouldn't have been possible. Everything in my life was so much better than it would've been had I never met Edward, and I knew we would face this newest development together.
I was looking forward to it.
Only two chapters remain for this part of the series of stories I have planned. I've got them mapped out, and I'll probably start working on them in the next few days. Ephraim will make one more appearance here before this part ends.
I know it's late, and for me, it's a weekday, but I hope you all have a good night and a great day tomorrow.
See you next time!