Chapter 23

Mai

Kris was suffering, that much was evident. Emmett could do nothing to soothe her. Not even Brady, who willfully stayed by her side, despite the endless hours of silence, could get a response.

Kris has taken to carrying a picture of her and her sister around. Jasper told me that her pain was worse when she was holding it, and decided to take off for an "extended" hunting trip until Kris managed to get over it. Edward had impossible headaches because her mind was a black hole of pain. Rosalie and Alice didn't like the silence, and followed Jasper's example. Even Esme and Carlisle, who were the most compassionate and understanding souls I'd ever met, couldn't be near Kris. Only the wolves, Imprints, and Emmett remained. And I was getting fed up.

"That's it!" I screamed on the seventh day of silence. Brady, Collin, and Emmett jumped. I ignored their warning looks and stomped in front of Kris and slapped her. Kris didn't even put up a fight. Brady yelled at me in protest and tried to grab for my hands. I pushed him away.

"You're dead, Kris!" I screamed in her face. "Look at yourself! Look all around you! You drove out the Cullens! You're driving everyone insane! And I'm fed up with it! Wake up! Clara's funeral is in three days! Dillan's trial is in four! And you're not doing anything about it!"

Kris stared blankly at me. I screeched and started to pull the picture out of her arms.

That seemed to wake her up. Kris screamed bloody-murder and pulled it back.

"Give it to me!" I hissed.

"Don't! Please! You're hurting her!" Kris sobbed, breaking the frame loose from my grip and running out of the room. Emmett, Brady, and Collin chased after her.

"Leave me alone!" Kris screamed when I got close. Emmett had Kris' hands in an iron grip. Brady was holding her waist, trying to soothe her. Collin was in the middle of picking up a broken picture frame.

"Please! Don't take it away!" Kris begged. "I'll be good, I promise! Don't take my sister, too!"

I realized that she was flashing back to her past. She was imagining all the family members she loved dead.

"Kris, no, hon, we're not taking Clara away from you," Brady said, finally cracking under the pain. He looked up at me, asking for help.

"Kris, look at me," I said sternly. Kris flinched, as if I'd slap her again. "I'm not going to hurt you. But you need to calm down and live. Kris, I know you lost the dearest person to you, but so have I. I lost my boyfriend a year ago. He was murdered, too. And Marigold lost her mother, father, and older sister. She knows how you feel."

"It hurts," Kris sobbed. I knelt down and she did the same. Her arms wrapped around me tightly. I squeezed her back.

"We're going to help you get through this, Kris. Just live for us, okay?" I whispered.

I felt Kris nod against my shoulder and fresh tears soak into my shirt and hair.

"Guys!" Harry's voice cut through Kris' sobs. We looked up.

Harry's expression was urgent, but he paused to take in the scene.

"What happened here?" he asked.

"I freaked out and woke Kris up," I explained. Harry nodded.

"Um, Harry? What brings you here?" Brady asked. Harry's face became urgent again.

"Oh! Yeah! Marigold went into labor early! Carlisle's gone on a hunting trip, and Embry's rushing her to the hospital! Come quick!"

Kris' head snapped up.

"Clara was pregnant once; I'll be able to help Marigold."

"What happened to the baby?" Collin asked out of curiosity.

"He died minutes after he was born, the poor thing. Clara was messed up for a whole year. But anyways, let's go!"

It took us five minutes to run to the hospital. Harry rode on Collin's back with me. Kris kept urging Brady to run faster. Soon, we were bursting through the hospital doors.

"Marigold Call," I yelled at the startled receptionist.

"Room 507," she stammered out. "But only three are allowed in the room during birth!"

"Kris and I'll go," I hissed, pushing Kris ahead of me. "You guys go ahead, wait in the waiting room!"

I heard Marigold's muffled screams nearing the room.

"Goldie, you're doing fine, breathe," I heard Embry whisper desperately.

"You're doin' great, hon," a nurse said, in front of Goldie.

Kris rushed to Marigold's side.

"Marigold, listen to me. Let out a scream if you have to, but push when I say so," Kris ordered. Marigold screamed in response.

"You're gonna be okay," Embry said in encouragement.

"Shut up, you're not giving birth here," Marigold screamed. I muffled a giggle and took Marigold's hand.

"Now!" The nurse yelled.

"Okay, Marigold, I want you to push now, okay?"

Marigold's scream lasted exactly five seconds, and a new scream was heard. Looking over, I saw it was a small baby boy. The nurse handed him to me and I wrapped him in a blanket, not even caring about the bloodstains. I gingerly placed him in Embry's hands.

"Don't drop him," I warned, pointing a finger straight at the baby. Marigold's hand squeezed mine again.

"The girl is coming out," the nurse alerted us.

"You think?" Marigold yelled.

We repeated the process for half and hour. Eventually, a beautiful baby girl was born, and Marigold sighed, exhausted. The nurse smiled as she wrapped the girl into a pink blanket and placed her in Marigold's arms.

"We have to name them," Marigold laughed softly, kissing the girl's forehead.

"I was thinking about the name Caleb," Embry suggested. "For the boy, I mean."

"How about Noel?" Kris blurted. Marigold looked up in surprise.

"Noel?"

"Yeah. Clara wanted to name her baby girl- if she had one- Noel. Jimmy if it were a boy."

Marigold smiled and looked down at her tiny little baby.

"Noel it is, then."

Noel's eyes fluttered open, and she let out a small cry. Marigold smiled and rocked her gently. Caleb flat out bawled, which startled Noel, and caused them both to cry.

"Oh, shh..." Marigold shushed, rocking Noel some more.

I smiled and looked at the new additions to the family. Collin entered the room, and laughed when he saw the twins. It was a relieved laugh, full of happiness. He wrapped his arms around my waist and watched the new parents try to calm their children.

And I realized what I wanted.

AN: Okay, Noel Ardnek, your character is born! Yay! Too late to tell me you want her any different, 'cause frankly, I planned this since forever!

For those of you yahoos out there who say, "Noel is a boy name," it's pronounced No-ell. Not No-all.

I love y'all who review at least one per chapter. Noel Ardnek is my best reviewer and Fanfiction friend, so she earned a character. But this does not mean I'm handing out freebies! Noel deserved this character. Period.

Press that button thingie below to get a cookie. If you get a cookie, you'll also get a coupon for milk, napkins, and Pepto Bismol. And a fairy will dance around your head. And a unicorn will do your homework.

Oops, while you were too busy reading the benifits, I spent the coupons, my little brother swatted the fairy dead, and the unicorn ran away. And I ate the cookie.

But you can review anyways.

TEEHEE.