A/N Hello and welcome to Chapter 17!
The journey is nowhere near complete, so fasten your seatbelt and try to enjoy the road ahead.
Apology: I'm going to go ahead and make a preemptive apology for what you are about to read, based solely on content, not grammar/punctuation/etc. I hope I don't lose any of you after you read this chapter… It's probably going to make a few people unhappy. I promise, this has been the plan all along, and it's necessary for this story.
Disclaimer: I ain't Stephanie Meyer. And ain't ain't a word, so I ain't gonna use it to tell you that Edward, Bella, Alice, Carlisle, Emmett, Jasper, Rosalie, and all of our favorite characters, well they just ain't mine. And the whole vampire plot? Yep you guessed it, I borrowed that as well. Tragic.
On to the story: (Sorry I get so carried away with these A/N's I know nobody really cares lol)
Chapter 17 – EPOV
"Alice!" I shouted, much louder than necessary. Still she came running, a perturbed look plastered on her perfectly featured face, I'd hardly spoken to anyone lately since the night we brought Bella home.
"Edward what is it?" she asked, "Is something happening?"
"No Alice, nothing is happening," I scowled, "But why?" I asked, hoping beyond hope she had an answer, "Why is nothing happening, it's been over three days since we changed her, but not a peep has escaped her lips, she hasn't even moved, why?" It wasn't the first time I had demanded these answers, but it was the first time I had demanded them of Alice. I was beyond desperate because it was Saturday night, and Bella had been as unmoving as a statue since I placed her here in this bed.
As for the other members of my family, Carlisle had suggested that perhaps, the painkillers had been effective, and Bella was actually not feeling any pain. I heard the doubt in his mind before he had even finished speaking, though. He as well as I knew that there were no more drugs in Bella's blood stream. Jasper was no help either. He had never heard of such a silent change, nor one that lasted over three days.
Wearily, Alice focused on Bella, and her eyes glazed over as she began searching the future. The same vision of Bella waking up played through her mind, and I tried to take comfort in it, the way I had Wednesday night. The future hadn't changed at all, and that was a good thing, because Bella would be fine, but there were still so many questions left unanswered.
"When?" I asked, "This should have happened already," I added.
Yeah, and the Denali's should have arrived by now as well, but I only see the future, I can't control when it happens, she thought to herself, before giving me an answer, "Soon, at sunrise I think."
"I nearly forgot the Denali's were coming," I said remotely. It was 9 hours and 34 minutes until sunrise, and Bella would be in pain until then, because of me. She would probably hate me, and why did the Denali's have to come now? And now I was calling them the Denali's, they hadn't lived in Denali in decades, my thoughts froze for a moment, as I realized another unhappy thought, "Tanya's coming?"
"They all are," she responded, another vision of their arrival filling both of our minds, "Tanya, Irina, Kate, and her new 'friend' Garrett, Carmen, and Eleazar," she finished, I heard the emphasis her mind put on Eleazar's name, which her voice did not.
"Alice?" I questioned, staring at her pointedly, "Eleazar?" I asked, knowing she would understand my question, all thoughts of having to face Tanya again forgotten.
"What about him?" she questioned, a bit too innocently.
"You tell me," I answered.
"It's just, you can't read Bella's mind," she stated lamely, maybe she has some sort of gift which was already manifesting itself while she was human.
"You think Eleazar will be able to tell us if Bella has a gift?" I asked, a new curiosity filling me. What if Bella was gifted? What could her gift be?
"Well," she deliberated, "He's able to tell if everybody else has a gift, I don't see why not."
"Interesting," was all I managed to say, as a tiny flick in one of Bella's fingers grabbed my attention. "Bella?" I called, flitting to her side and cradling the once again immobile hand. "Bella, honey, it's alright. Everything will be okay soon," I said, hoping I was right. "Bella can you hear me?" I asked. She didn't move or acknowledge me at all.
Alice stood by my side, equally enthralled by the movement. She looks different already, Alice thought to herself, as she catalogued the differences in Bella's appearance. Somehow, I hadn't noticed the change, perhaps it was because I was watching her the whole time, but as I pictured Bella's human form and compared it to her appearance now, I gasped.
She was paler, that much was certain, but there was a new symmetry to her features which I hadn't noticed before. Her long eyelashes seemed even more pronounced, her upper lip, more pouty, her slight frame, more toned, and somehow she looked more graceful. She had always been the most beautiful thing I had ever seen, but now her beauty was different, it was much more obvious. Anyone who had missed how beautiful she was before would be unable to miss it now. Alice sighed, "Rose is going to be jealous, I think."
I couldn't help but smirk at that remark, "As she should be," I said, somewhat smugly. Alice was anxious and now just as unwilling to leave Bella's side as I was, so she stayed with me in the room as we waited out the nine and a half hours until Bella would awaken. We were mostly silent, each locked in our own thoughts as the time drug by, but occasionally we would talk about something that seemed important.
We discussed moving at one point, which would be inevitable once Bella woke up. It pained me to admit, but Bella would be at least somewhat of a crazed newborn, and humans would not be safe around her. Carlisle had already unregistered the rest of my siblings at Glen Ellyn Hills High School, citing a job opening at a hospital in California as the reason for our move. In reality we were looking for a place in Alaska or northern Canada, somewhere remote, possibly with a high population of polar bears and arctic wolves.
Alice proclaimed again and again that Bella would not hate me, that she would not even resent me, or Carlisle for that matter, just as none of us resented Carlisle for changing us. I tried to take comfort in her words, but I still had a hard time believing Bella would be happy with me after I stole her from Heaven's gates, out of my own selfishness.
I didn't let go of Bella's hand as the hours progressed slowly. I hoped that she was able to take some sort of comfort from my presence, the way I took comfort from hers. I hoped beyond hope that she would be alright, and I wished I could take away the pain I had inflicted upon her.
The continuous chant in the back of my head proceeded toward the front as I saw the blue hue of twilight outside. It's almost over, it's almost over, she's going to be fine, I repeated over and over in my head. It was nearly sunrise, which meant Bella would be awake soon, if Alice's vision was to come true.
"Edward, do you hear that?" Alice asked suddenly, breaking our latest period of silence.
I nodded, with wide eyes trained on Bella's face. Her breathing was heavy and her heart rate was beginning to speed faster than the rate of a normal human being. "Carlisle!" I called evenly, knowing he would hear me.
He was inside the room in less than a second, Jasper on his heels with a concerned expression on his face. "Listen," I commanded simply. As they ascertained the hyperactivity of her heart, realization hit them at nearly the same instant.
"It's almost over," Carlisle answered, stealing a line from my earlier chanting.
Alice's eyes glazed over momentarily, and the vision of Bella waking up became even more pronounced. "Soon," Alice agreed eagerly, "I'll go get the others," she sang as she leapt out of the chair she had been inhabiting for the past nine hours, then dashed down the stairs and outside.
Jasper's thoughts were much more wary than Carlisle's. He had seen too many uncontrolled newborns attack upon first waking up. "Do you think it's a good idea for everyone to be here when she wakes up?" he asked Carlisle pointedly.
Carlisle simply shrugged, "I think it will be fine," he answered, eyes on Bella's face as well. Her breathing had picked up as her heart rate continued to speed out of control.
Bella's back arched out of the bed, and I cried out for the pain she was surely feeling. I knew this was the worst part, the fire in her veins warring with her failing heart. As she slumped back down, her heart rate sped even more, it was almost an even sounding buzz. I grasped her hand even tighter.
I hardly took notice of the rest of my family as they entered the room. Jasper had Emmett positioned by his side in a protective stance, keeping the others behind. I was too absorbed with Bella's strife to allow my annoyance at their behavior to show.
The heart rate continued to speed for a few minutes as my family anxiously stood just inside the doorway waiting. With her heart beating too fast and too strong like a helicopter's blades, I was taken aback when there was an abrupt and hollow thud in Bella's chest. I felt relief begin swimming through my veins when I realized that the fire was finally extinguished. Her heart beat twice more before complete silence filled the room. Nobody was breathing, talking, or thinking. Everyone simply stared at her in anticipation.
For too long she remained still, completely quiet on the bed, and I instantly felt my relief evaporate as more than ever I began to worry that something was wrong. "Bella?" I asked timidly, "Bella, honey, are you alright?"
Slowly her eyes opened and she stared straight above her at the ceiling. The look on her face was concentrated and I casually wondered if I could hear her thoughts. I tried listening, but I was greeted by nothing but silence. I had to know what she was thinking though, I had to know if she hated me.
"Bella?" I tried again. Her blood red eyes zipped over to meet mine in response to her name, the concentration faded and a more dazed look filled her features. Next she looked down at our still grasped hands, and a slight smile threatened her lips as she sat up on the bed. Oh Bella, please tell me you're alright, I pleaded in my head.
"It's ok Edward, I'm alright," she said, as if answering my thoughts. Her voice was so different, but still perfect. It sounded like wind chimes on a warm summer evening. "Does this mean—," she cut off as her red eyes travelled over to our family curiously.
"Oh Bella," I whispered, "I'm so sorry," I apologized desperately. I knew that I shouldn't have changed her, I never meant to put her through such pain.
Immediately, she whipped her hand away from mine and flipped out of bed with grace that surprised everyone in the family. She landed perfectly on the balls of her feet before allowing the high heels of her shoes to touch the ground. She turned to face me and almost glared at me, with hurt written all over her face. "You didn't have to do it," she whispered. My family looked on with as much confusion as I felt, "If you weren't sure you wanted me forever, you didn't have to change me," she continued, the pain on her face threatened to tear me apart. I reached out to her, but she stepped back.
Aghast and confused, I stared at her and willed myself to speak, "Bella, what are you talking about, of course I want you forever…" I trailed off, trying to comprehend her words, "Bella?" I asked again.
"You just said," she paused, confusion seeping through her red eyes as she finally turned to face the rest of my family, "You just said you shouldn't have changed me," she continued, eyes still on my family, particularly Jasper, "Do you really think I would attack?" she asked suddenly, further devastation ruling her features.
Jasper's bewildered thoughts shouted at me from the other side of the room, but he said nothing. "Bella, of course we don't think you will attack anybody, Jasper is just trying to be cautious. And what are you talking about, I never said—," I cut off as I further examined her tortured face. Oh how I longed to read her mind. Of all the minds on this planet, hers, the most confusing and interesting of all had to be the only one I couldn't read.
She stared at me with interest for a moment. It wasn't a long moment, but I knew it was time enough for thousands of thoughts to pass through the mind of a vampire. "Do you regret changing me because of Tanya?" she asked, completely throwing me for a loop.
"Excuse me?" I asked, I felt as though my head was hurting.
"I heard you and Alice talking about Tanya," she said defensively, "About how she used to be interested in you," she emphasized the word interested, and I almost fell over with the weight of my puzzlement.
"Bella," I tried to calm her once again, as she took a further step back, "What on Earth are you talking about?" That was all I could manage to say. Alice and I had never even mentioned that Tanya was interested in me, as Bella put it. I knew she would probably hate me for changing her, but her reaction was completely chaotic, she thought I didn't want her? How could she possibly think I didn't want her, of all the ridiculous things I had ever heard in my lifetime?
Slowly she tore her eyes away from mine, and she looked at my family again, "I feel so confused," she admitted.
Jasper was the one to answer this time, "Everybody does, I feel it," he said quietly.
"Me too, I feel confusion and anxiety like it's surrounding me!" she said desperately.
The pain on her face was heartbreaking, I reached out to her once again, "Bella," I choked, "Please, I'm so sorry, I know this is confusing. Please tell me what you feel," I begged. I felt Jasper trying to influence her emotions by releasing a wave of calm, but it was hard for him to find serenity himself. His usual calming technique was escaping him.
"What do you mean?" she asked suddenly, staring at Alice.
The rest of my family looked to Alice expectantly as well, as if she had said something we all couldn't hear. Bella turned to watch me as I replayed in my mind the thoughts which had been in Alice's head a few seconds ago. She had been wondering if Bella had some sort of gift like Jasper's, where she could feel other people's emotions.
"I didn't say anything," Alice finally said quietly. Did she hear me? Bella, can you hear me? She thought in her mind.
"Of course I can," Bella said evenly, bringing her gaze back to Alice as her eyebrows furrowed on her forehead.
Alice and I gasped at the same time. Bella? I asked silently.
She turned with new vampire speed to look at me questioningly, "Yes?" she said a little shakily.
"Bella!" I said a little more excitedly. So she was a mind reader as well?
"A mind reader?" she asked, and the rest of my family gasped. Theories were running crazily through Carlisle's mind as he understood what was happening. He quickly recalled my own birth into the vampire world and the discovery that I could read minds.
"Everybody is so excited," she asserted seriously, "I can feel it," she said as she turned to look at Jasper questioningly.
He nodded, "As can I," Empathetic as well? He wondered.
"That's what Alice thought," she answered Jasper. Emmet looked annoyed, and Rosalie was definitely annoyed with the amount of silent conversation happening in the room, but when Bella's eyes finally met her gaze, she momentarily forgot her annoyance. In its place there was only joy at the realization of her new sister's place in our family. I smiled a little as well, and I felt a wave of relief fill the room. I wasn't sure if it came from Bella or Jasper.
Emmett and Jasper had relaxed out of their protective poses, but the family hadn't moved from their positions behind them. The whirlwind of events and confusion which had just blown through this room had yet to settle.
Before Emmett could stop her, Rosalie was in front of their stone wall of protection and approaching Bella with arms outstretched. Esme looked on with pride as Rosalie crossed the room then wrapped her arms around Bella, I'm so glad you're okay, she thought before she spoke, "Welcome to the family," she teased.
Bella smiled an actual smile for the first time, then allowed her eyes to meet mine. I could physically feel the relief radiating off of myself, so if she really was an empathetic vampire, I was certain she would be able to feel it too. "I'm so glad you're alright as well," I was so worried that something might have gone wrong, I thought as I slowly walked around the edge of the bed and embraced her as well after Rose stepped back.
Enjoying my new ability to communicate with Bella without speaking, I allowed thought after thought to fill my mind, all directed at Bella. I'm so sorry that I put you through all of that. I hope you don't grow to regret it, or resent me. I just couldn't bear to lose you once again. It nearly destroyed me the first time, I had no desire to continue my lonely life upon this Earth.
I paused in my thoughts for a moment as I tried to decide how to explain to Bella that she was my beloved. Bella I love you more than a caged bird loves the sky, more than the Earth loves the Sun, more than a dried mouth loves a drop of rain. "And I need you all the more," I continued out loud breaking the silence which filled the room as my family watched our nearly silent exchange. "Bella, without you I am nothing, and before you I was nothing. I will never be the same, because you are a part of me, my other half," I finished softly. Her eyes never left mine as I held her, but her hands remained at her sides, as if she was deciding whether or not to believe me.
My family said nothing as they took their cue and silently filed out of the room. They would give us our moment, then return to discuss the situation later. "And now I must apologize," I continued, and she stiffened as if she had been waiting for this part. "Bella you don't know how sorry I am for what I've done to you. It was always my dream for you to have a normal human life because I wanted you to be happy." Apparently fate had other plans for you because again and again she denied you that life, whilst I did everything in my power to give it to you.
Tentatively her frozen figure began to melt as she leaned into me the smallest degree. I cherished the minute change in her posture and briefly considered some of the many reasons I loved her, knowing she would hear it. I of course began with the freesia scent which danced right off of her and filled my entire being, particularly with her so close.
"But alas I am a selfish being," I continued apologetically, "I always have been. Just like last time, I realized that I cannot live without you and I went running back to you. But this," I motioned down toward her new body, "This was inexcusable, you were at Heaven's gates and I ripped you back and forced you to face Hell's fires, then an eternal purgatory at my side, all so that I wouldn't lose you. Bella I would understand if you never forgave me, but know that I will always be here in case you do—," I stopped short with a new realization. What if Bella left me because she hated me so much? Would I be able to let her go then, if it was her will? I didn't think so, but how could I deny her what she wanted?
"Edward, stop," she commanded as she lifted a finger and placed it over my lips. My lips tingled with the contact and I struggled to bring my attention back to her words. I should have focused on her eyes, but my gaze had trained itself on her lips, which twitched a bit as if she wanted to smile in response to my thoughts. "How could I ever hate you for giving me exactly what I wanted?" she questioned, and I froze as I listened to the glorious sound of wind chimes.
"Edward you are my Heaven, and I would walk through Hell's fires a thousand times if it meant I could spend eternity at your side. As for fate, perhaps she was trying to direct us onto this path for a reason," she mused. I smiled and hugged her small sturdy frame to mine and allowed the joy I felt to consume me.
When Bella finally tightened her grasp around me, it was a lot firmer than I could have imagined. Newborns were strong with the amount of blood still in their body, and it actually kind of hurt, though in the best way possible. I prevented myself from flinching, but she had already heard my thoughts. I frowned as she released me, her eyes were apologetic.
"I'm so sorry," she sang with her musical voice, "Did I hurt you?"
"Of course not, my Bella, you're just a bit stronger than I am right now. You're going to have to try and not break me," I explained lightheartedly. Oh the irony, it was her turn to be the cautious one, I realized selfishly that I could be as callous as I wanted, she was nearly indestructible now.
With that realization, I gripped her far more forcefully than I ever had and bent down to kiss her perfect lips. Her response was instantaneous. As I wrapped my arms around her lower back and neck, her fingers went straight for the hair on the back of my neck.
We wrapped ourselves together in a familiar way, at first. The tantalizing scent of her blood and the warmth of her human body which I had grown so accustomed to were gone, but I couldn't decide if I missed them. She still smelled appetizing, though in a far different way, and she was still warm, compared to my own temperature at least. I tried not to think about her newly absent chocolate brown eyes though, those I would miss.
As the moments ticked by, I kissed her far more deeply than I ever had before. Rather than trying to prevent her deepening of the kiss as was the usual, I pulled her deeper and deeper still until we were the only two people in the universe. I could feel Bella struggling not to grip me too tightly and I chuckled as I pulled her against me tighter in response.
The selfishness in me had complete and total control of my body as I gave in to its will and reveled in the moment. I tried to think of the reasons that I had ever possessed for keeping Bella human but came up with nothing. At that moment, there was nothing wrong with the world, because in that world were simply Bella and I, and nobody else.
Finally minutes or potentially hours later, Emmett's annoyed thoughts broke through my stream of consciousness. Apparently he had found it necessary to return and interrupt, Sheesh would you two get a room! He thought in our general direction, knowing we both would hear it. I had no idea how long we had been locked in our kiss, but I was not about to break it so I ignored him. Bella however, seemed to find it necessary to address Emmett, much to my chagrin.
"Emmett, this is our room!" she pointed out. My chagrin vanished and I thought I could die of sheer happiness right there, hearing Bella not only rebuke Emmett, but refer to this as our room.
I tried to kiss her again, but this time Jasper interrupted us with a slight cough, perhaps attempting to be a bit more polite than Emmett. "Edward, you have all the time in the world for that," he chided. Bella needs to hunt, her thirst is probably unbearable right now.
Bella and I straightened up immediately at that thought. I feeling like an utter fool for forgetting about Bella's needs and Bella clutching her throat.
"I feel foolishness, annoyance, and wariness," announced Bella, eyeing me, Emmett, then Jasper respectively.
"Your gift seems to work almost exactly like mine," responded Jasper curiously.
"And now curiosity," she whispered then grew silent, seemingly immersed in thoughts I would kill to hear for myself.
"So let me get this straight," demanded Emmett, "You can feel people's emotions and hear what they're thinking?" he asked. Can you shoot laser beams out of your eyes as well?
"Emmett, please," I scolded.
"I don't know," sighed Bella, "But I couldn't feel Edward's emotions when it was just the two of us in the room, and now I can feel them," she looked to me with confusion.
Jasper locked that tidbit of information away for further discussion with Carlisle. Could her empathy turn on and off?
"It's a lot to take in," she continued, "When I first woke up I heard so many voices and felt such strong emotions, along with mine. It was disorienting."
I wrapped my arm around her shoulder protectively as Alice, Carlisle, Esme, and Rosalie entered the room. Apparently we were going to have a family discussion now after all.
Alice was carrying the large vanity mirror from Rosalie's closet, intent on making sure Bella got a good idea of what she looked like. "So many thoughts," Bella mused, turning to me with a hint of appreciation, "I don't know how you manage."
"I'll teach you my love, it's all about focus."
"And so many emotions," she said timidly as well, looking to Jasper.
"And I would be honored to help you deal with that as well," he responded in his most gentlemanly voice.
"First things, first," tweeted Alice as she placed the mirror firmly on the ground, "Bella, come over here," she commanded.
Slowly Bella walked toward the mirror and stopped before it, eyeing the beautiful creature locked in the other side of the glass. Her mouth dropped, and I thought for a moment, it was out of appreciation for what she saw until I heard her speak, "The eyes?" she choked out, with horror beneath her perfect wind chimes.
"It will only be a few months, animal blood dilutes the color fairly quickly," Carlisle explained, trying to calm her.
"Months?" she asked with a much higher pitch, looking to Carlisle for verification.
Jasper tensed immediately feeling the change in her emotions. I could feel the horror radiating off of her as well as everybody else. We all froze.
"Sorry," she said softly as she relaxed.
What control, I've never seen a newborn correct themselves that way, thought Jasper eyeing Bella incredulously.
Carlisle was impressed as well. I, on the other hand, was a bit smug. My Bella was under much more control than they were giving her credit for.
"You are quite controlled," Carlisle mused, "How do you feel?" he asked, both concerned and curious.
It didn't seem like Bella took any time to consider, but her answer was very thought out, "Overwhelmed," she stated certainly, "There's so much to going on in my mind and body. So many new feelings and thoughts, my emotions are a thousand times stronger, and then sometimes I can feel everybody else's as well, and those are strong. And on top of that, there's everybody's thoughts, and my new strength, and Edward's remorse…" she trailed off, and I found that I missed the wind chimes filling the room with sweet sound.
Bella smiled and turned to face me. "I love you," she whispered. I was certain that my face had lit up, as if a white flame was burning beneath it.
"As I love you," I responded just as quietly.
"And I'm not so certain about being controlled," she added warily to Carlisle.
Carlisle took in this information thoughtfully, "You should probably hunt, your thirst must be very uncomfortable," he paused, "We can discuss this all later," particularly your gift, how interesting, he thought, and there were two mind readers listening this time instead of one.
Again Bella's fingers snaked around her slender neck as if trying to extinguish the flame within.
"Let's hunt, Bella," I said happily, as I dropped my arm from her shoulder to her hand.
Her eyes opened wide, alarm taking residence as the primary emotion behind those long lashes.
"It's quite simple, love. Instinctual," I smiled encouragingly, I'll show you if you want, I was under the impression you'd always wanted to see me hunt.
She laughed for the first time and I treasured the sweet sound of her voice. She closed her eyes for a moment as if trying to remember something, probably some vague human memory. When she opened her eyes though, they were completely glazed over, as if she was seeing something that wasn't there.
"Bella?" I questioned, she looked like Alice during a vision.
"Bella?" I tried again, finally she blinked and when she reopened her eyes their gaze went straight for Alice.
"I think the Denali's will be here when we return from our hunt," she said uncertainly. Alice gawked at her, Bella had never met the Denali's before. Alice's eyes focused on something as well and a vision of the Denali arrival preceded one of Bella's and my return from a hunt.
"That's the Denali's right?" Bella questioned, staring at Alice still.
"Yes," said Alice shakily, "How did you know that?" And how did you know they were coming?
"You and Edward were talking about the Denali's while I was still burning," Bella said softly. I cringed at the thought of Bella's pain, and she gripped my hand as if trying to reassure me. "Listening to you helped the time to pass more quickly," she said swiftly before returning to the discussion at hand, "And I just closed my eyes, and when I opened them I saw them at the house when Edward and I returned."
"That's not the vision Alice had," I said slowly. Carlisle's interest was very much engaged as he absorbed this new development.
"Bella had her own vision?" he wondered.
I nodded slowly, looking to Alice for confirmation. She had a huge smile on her face. "You can see the future too?" she marveled.
"What?" Emmett gaped at her. "Come on little sister, how many gifts do you have?"
I smiled proudly, "Bella must be the most gifted vampire I've ever met," I declared.
"Me too," added Carlisle, "I've never heard of a vampire having more than one gift, let alone three," he paused for a moment, speculations running wild in his head, "And these gifts operate exactly like the gifts of those around her?"
"Carlisle, there's something else," said Bella, "When Jasper's not in the room, I can't feel emotions. I know it's true, because as soon as he came back, I could feel them again."
"Amazing," breathed Carlisle. "Edward, if you don't mind…" he trailed off, his thoughts making it clear he wanted me to leave the room.
"Carlisle is this really necessary?" I protested.
"Please Edward, just for a minute," he bargained. I couldn't believe he actually expected me to leave her side. "Just run to the large oak tree halfway to the Southern end of our property and back, that should take about a minute," he suggested.
"Fine," I growled. I bent down and kissed Bella's perfect lips, hating to leave them. I was relieved to see she was none too pleased with the idea either. I'll be right back, I promised both her and myself.
I sprinted down the stairs and ran with blinding speed until I reached the oak Carlisle had been referring to. The wind whipped through my hair, clearing my head as I ran probably faster than I had ever run before. I was back to the room with 6 seconds to spare.
"Can I come in?" I asked petulantly, annoyed that I had to ask permission to enter my own room.
"Yes son, thank you," said Carlisle. I could actually hear the smile in his voice. It was the smile he always wore at the onslaught of new information, a new puzzle to solve.
"So what did we find out?" I wondered as I stepped through the door.
"It seems Bella can only read our minds when you are in the room," said Carlisle jovially.
"Really?" I said, completely interested, despite my prior unwillingness to test that theory.
"It seems she is able to tap into your gifts when you are nearby, but the further away you are the less she can use the gift," he explained.
"It's awesome," piped Emmett, always eager to contribute to a conversation. Rosalie was impressed as well, there was only the smallest hint of jealousy in her mind, and it mostly had to do with Bella's appearance, not her gift.
Esme had taken my place beside Bella, her arms wrapped tightly around Bella's shoulders. "I think it's high past time, Bella went to hunt," interjected Esme. Her throat must be burning her, and you all just wish to stay here discussing and testing her gift?
"You're absolutely right, Esme," I agreed, I grabbed Bella's hand once again and led her toward the door and down the stairs without another word to my siblings, Carlisle, or Esme.
Bella chuckled as I dragged her out to the front porch. "Do you still feel the electricity as well?" she wondered softly motioning toward our clasped hands.
I immediately imagined the wonderful feeling of her skin on mine and our hands hooked together, making us one. I stopped short just outside the house and turned to face her. "Of course I do, why wouldn't I?"
"It's just, I thought I would be different if I was ever a vampire," she mused, "I thought I wouldn't be myself, or that I would be too crazed with blood lust, but I'm not. I still feel like me. Everything is so disorienting, but I'm just glad that you're with me and now we'll be together forever," she paused for a moment, then added softly, "Thank you for that."
I reached over and trailed my finger down the smooth skin on her face, "Now nothing will bring us apart. Not fate, not life, not death, nothing," I vowed as I brought my lips down to meet hers once again.
Whatever fate's purposes, our love had overcome.
A/N Please don't hate me! I know people don't like when Bella has all sorts of super powers, etc. But it has to be that way for the story, I'm sorry…. I had no choice! (ha) Anyway, if you decide you're never going to read this story again because of it, please tell me. I'm curious to know how many people were discouraged by that.