A/N All Twilight characters belong to Stephenie Meyer

"I can't remember anything…can't tell if this is true or dream…deep down inside I feel to scream…this terrible silence stops me"

(One, Metallica)

EPOV

For six days I sat by Carly's side while she moaned and writhed in agony.

There was nothing I could do once the venom took hold of her. I held her hand and tried to soothe her but it was all in vain.

The third morning when the sun rose I went to check on Carly; half expecting to see the blood red eyes of a newborn vamp staring back at me. What I saw instead would have made my heart stop; if I'd had a working on.

Carly still lay, writhing and moaning, on the bed that Carlisle and I had put her on three days ago. "Carly?" I said softly. She moaned at the sound of my voice.

"Edward," she groaned. "Oh Edward it hurts so bad. Make it stop, please make it stop hurting," she pleaded.

I stood there completely helpless. "Carly, honey, there's nothing I can do. I-I don't understand. The transformation should be complete; you shouldn't still be in pain. I am going to find Carlisle. Something's not right. I'll be right back."

I quickly rushed up the stairs to Carlisle's study. "Carlisle!" I practically shouted after bursting through the door.

He glanced up at me. "Edward."

"Carly…she's not…she's still not changed. Did I do something wrong?"

Carlisle pinched the bridge of his nose. "Edward," he said wearily. "I don't know how to tell you this."

"Tell me what?" I demanded.

"Because of Carly's heritage, she might not successfully change. Today is the third day. After today, well it's a waiting game. I will give her four more days to complete the change. If she hasn't successfully changed in that time we will have to…well it goes without saying I assume."

CPOV

They say that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. I sure as hell hoped that was the case because I wanted to die; that's how bad this hurt. It felt like every fiber, every nerve ending was on fire as the venom blazed across every inch of my body and no matter how much I cried or pleaded or begged it still hurt.

Even Edward couldn't make it stop. He sat by my side all hours of the day and night; his eyes growing perceptible darker as each day passed. On the fifth day he looked paler than usual; the bruises under his eyes were a deep eggplant color.

Carlisle would come into the room every so often and in murmured tones, he would beg Edward to go eat; to which Edward steadfastly refused and would return to my side and gently clasp my fevered hand in glacial one.

I had no idea how many days had passed; well if Edward hadn't told me each day how many days passed I wouldn't have known. It felt like an eternity longer than five days.

Together we sat; Edward sat still, never moving, while I laid there squirming and praying for a reprieve. As the sun set on the evening of the fifth day warm tears spilled down the side of my face and I screamed.

Edward flinched, moving for the first time in hours. I felt bad for putting him through this, which, all things considered, was crazy.

Carlisle came in and turned a light on in the corner. "Hi Carly," he said softly. "How are you?"

His cool fingers gently probed around the bite marks. I winced, it burned slightly and his fingers were warm; which surprised me.

"Okay Carly," he said. "That's all." Carlisle stopped at the doorway to the room and glanced at Edward. They had a silent exchange and Edward rose. I heard, as Edward crossed the room, a faint whisper even though neither man said a word.

What the hell was that? I wondered.

Two more days…not enough time…Carly…

I could clearly hear it, but I couldn't hear it. It was so strange.

Then the blackness washed over me.

* * *

Tweet, tweet, tweet

I opened my eyes, blinking against the sunlight. Why were there birds chirping? It was early February; too early for birds. What the hell was going on?

Then I realized that I could feel something besides pain. I wiggled my toes; there were achy from lack of use but they moved and it didn't make me want to scream bloody murder.

I could hear whispers of movement below me. And voices murmuring; but they weren't out loud; it was more in my head that I heard the voices.

I sat up slowly. Everything was so clear, it was like a veil had been lifted and the world was crystal clear now. Slowly and on unsure feet, I got out of the bed that I'd been lying in for the last six days and went to the door.

"Edward?" I called my voice raspy and my throat dry.

"Carly?" he said from downstairs.

I heard soft footsteps quickly ascending the stairs. Edward skidded to a stop in the door way and stared at me.

Seeing him for the first with new eyes was like staring at the sun. Edward was so beautiful it hurt my eyes to look directly at him.

"Carly!" he exclaimed.

"Edward," I responded. "Is this, am I supposed to, is it supposed to feel this way? Am I supposed to see so clearly and hear so well? I could hear birds chirping from somewhere and it had to be far because it's February and birds don't chirp now."

Edward chuckled softly and wrapped his arms around me. His skin, which was like warm ice before, was now comfortably the same. His long fingers traced a trail up and down my spine.

I can't believe this; I can't believe she's okay. Oh my god, I'm so relieved. Oh Jesus I have to tell Carlisle. He'll be relieved that we don't have to…

I pulled away from him and stared at him; shocked.

"What did you just say?" I asked him.

Edward stared at me, confused. "I didn't say anything Carly."

"But I heard you say…"

Edward grasped my shoulders. "You heard me say what?"

"I heard you say that you couldn't believe that I was okay, that you were relieved and you had to tell Carlisle."

"I didn't say that Carly."

"But I heard it."

Realization broke in Edwards pitch black eyes. "I didn't say it…but I, I thought it. Oh my god, can you hear what I'm thinking?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. I think so. Think of a number between, oh I don't know, one and a billion."

Edward scrunched his eyebrows, deep in thought.

"Five million, six hundred and seventy eight – nine –four; goddamnit will you stop changing your mind."

Edward's eyes bugged. "Oh my god you can hear my thoughts."

"Oh my god tell me about it. But right now I am freaking starving. My throat is burning too, is that normal?"

"You need to feed. How about a deer or five?"

I nodded in agreement and the two of us took off toward the woods.

EPOV

It was an amazing sight. Carly, standing before me, alive and healthy. Carlisle and I had a long conversation last night about her. He was afraid that she wasn't going to make it, that we were going to have to take her into the woods and basically murder her. I was so glad that it didn't come to that. And now here we were bounding through the forest in search of Fork's finest; deer on the run.

We got across the river and ran north. The wind ripped through Carly's curls sending it flying out behind her like a dark chocolate river. I was in awe of her beauty and grace as she ran through the forest.

The wind shifted, it whipped Carly's curls into her face and I caught the scent of humans. Carly stopped dead in her tracks and tilted her head perceptible. I knew she caught the scent and I knew I needed to act fast.

"What is that?" she murmured seductively. A shiver ran over my skin. "Carly, no," I warned but she chose to ignore my warning and took a step in the direction of the humans.

"Carly you can't go after them. They are people, you can't drink their blood. You have to ignore it, hold your breath and we'll go home."

She took yet another step in their direction. "No Edward, they smell too good."

Then she bolted south. I made chase and darted after her calling her name. Since she was a newborn, she was faster and stronger than me. I sped up and matched her pace. "Carly, stop!" I hissed and grabbed her arm and gave it a yank.

Carly slid on the wet leaves and skidded to a stop. "We're going home, now!"

I wrapped my arms around her and gripped her close to my chest. Carly hissed and struggled against me. I ran, as quickly as I could, home.

"Carlisle!" I called from the foyer. "Carlisle I need you. I need help."

Carlisle was there in a flash and helped me drag a snarling Carly into the house. Once he touched her she immediately calmed.

"I'm fine now, thank you," she said calmly.

I glanced at her. "Your fine?"

She nodded.

"Yes, I am fine. You can let me go, I'm not going to run off into the woods and slaughter unsuspecting hikers."

I blocked the doorway and Carlisle and I let her go. "How are you feeling?" he asked.

Carly shrugged. "Well I wanted to go and slaughter those hikers…they smelled sooo good." She smiled goofily. "But right now I'm okay. And oh, guess what? I can hear your thoughts."

Carlisle frowned. "You can hear what I'm thinking?"

I nodded. "Edward too."

Carlisle nodded. "That's impressive. We have to make travel arrangements for you two."

CPOV

Two days later Edward and I were in Maine. We flew on a private jet in the middle of the night to a small airport just outside the small town of Maine where the cabin was located. Alice and Esme met us at the airport. On the way to the cabin, I had this strange vision. My eyes rolled back in my head and I saw this strange glimpse of Edward and me in this strange tropical place.

When I opened my eyes Alice and Edward were staring at me. "What?" I asked.

"What just happened?"

"It looks like you had a…a vision," Alice said.

"How the hell is that possible?"

Edward shrugged. His brain was clicking away. "We need to see Jasper," he murmured.

"Why?" Alice asked.

"I think she, you Carly, can mimic our abilities. Think about it. She can hear thoughts, like me. She calmed herself and resisted the urge to go after the hikers when I took her to Carlisle; then just now, with you, she has a vision. If she can mimic jaspers ability, then that what it is."

"Hmpf," Alice said. "That's interesting."

I sat there next to Edward and wished that I could keep Edward out of my head. I brought up my doors and slammed them shut, effectively imposing radio silence. Edwards face showed confusion.

"What's wrong?" Alice asked.

"It just got real quiet in my head. All your thoughts, Esme's thoughts, even Carly's just stopped."

I stared at him. "I just shut my doors."

He stared at me. "You can suppress powers too? Well makes sense, seeing as how you could do it as a human. Hm, that's interesting."

I shrugged. "I guess so. Want me to open the doors again?"

Edward nodded. "If you don't mind. I'm not used to the silence."

At day break we arrived at the cabin. It was a quaint wooden cabin with a porch that over looked the mountains. I stood there as the sun peeked over the mountain tops setting the sky on fire. It was brilliant and beautiful, much like life now.