Noel Ardnek asked me a very good question recently.
In Calling when all the vampires were human why didn't Rosalie take the chance to become pregnant when she could? And Alice and Esme? I totally understan if you don't reply. I just want to know.
My answer would be that Rose was afraid she might turn back, and that her baby might die. Alice doesn't really want kids, and Esme already adopted a whole family. Good question, Noel!
Chapter 24
Kris
(Four months later)
I had fun playing with the babies. They've already shown signs of intelligence, and Carlisle was very interested in their development. I was getting very close to Noel.
Alice was gone all day, buying supplies for Marigold to use and endless clothes. Noel was wearing an attitude one-piece that said, "I'm A RugBrat." Caleb was wearing what looked like Abercrombie for babies. I didn't bother asking.
One day, when I was at the Cullens', reading "Green Eggs and Ham" to the munchkins, I heard a scream from downstairs.
"Mai!" I heard Marigold yell from the rocking chair. She lifted up Caleb and I pulled Noel into my arms. We raced down to the living room.
Mai was hugging Collin, tears streaming down her cheeks. Collin was laughing, breathless, standing on one knee and trying to support Mai as he gently pried her off.
I saw a gold ring flash off of Mai's left ring finger. Marigold squealed.
"Oh, my God, you- and you- GAH!" she yelled, scaring Caleb. Embry appeared out of nowhere and took a wailing baby out of Marigold's arms so she could hug her best friend. There was a flash, and I saw Brady standing in the far corner of the room, holding a camera with a cheesy grin plastered on his face.
"I got a good one of the couple, and then one for me with Kris and her running mascara," he announced. I gasped and touched my cheek, looking at my fingers.
Damn, I'm crying! Noel looked at my blackening cheeks and I pulled her hand away before she tried to touch it. Brady laughed at my distress and came over with a tissue.
"I'm not taking the baby, but I'll help you with your make-up problems," Brady chuckled, wiping my cheeks. His joking face turned somber, and he leaned in to kiss me earnestly on the lips.
"What was all that?" I asked him.
"A promise," Brady said solemnly. I could tell he wasn't going to explain, so I reached and kissed him again.
Brady
It was very enjoyable to see Kris with running mascara. I couldn't help but take a picture of it. Kris looked up at the flash, eying me hiding in the corner. I grinned.
"I got a good one of the couple, and then one for me with Kris and her running mascara," I announced, laughing as Kris touched her cheeks and tried to keep Noel from doing the same. I grabbed a tissue and bounded over, chuckling.
"I'm not taking the baby, but I'll help you with your make-up problems," I laughed, wiping the black off of her cheek.
It was then that I had a small epiphany.
I loved Kris. That was it. I never said so before. Not truly. And now, seeing this scene unfold for someone else, I wanted- no, needed- that couple to be us. I leaned in and kissed Kris, a promise lingering, then passing through our lips like a secret message. Pulling away, I caught a hold of Kris' confused expression.
"What was all that?" she asked, a smile lingering.
"A promise," I answered, not really telling her much. Kris smiled to herself and stood on her toes to reach my lips, kissing me for a second time.
"Just be sure to explain to me later, okay?" Kris smiled, her hand holding my face. I nodded and smiled, kissing her for a third time.
"Get a room, you two," Marigold muttered. She lifted Noel out of Kris' arms and rolled her eyes. Noel grinned her little baby grin.
"Momma!" Noel squealed. We all froze.
"Oh. My. God. Did you all hear what I thought we heard?" Marigold asked, her eyes bugging out of her head. Beside her, Embry was mimicking her expression. Caleb looked ignorant.
"Noel, speak again, honey," Embry whispered, leaning over to the little girl.
Noel smiled innocently and busied herself with playing with Marigold's hair.
"Noel, listen to Mommy," Marigold said. "Can you talk again for us?"
Noel looked at Marigold with a sweet smile. She giggled and gnawed on her finger.
"WAH-shay-th-lee tick-thoh-oh-wah!" Collin yelled in Quileute. (AN: BTW, it's not really written like that. I'm writing it the way it's pronounced. This sentence means, "I'm going crazy!" in Quileute.)
Noel looked at Collin and turned back towards her mom, touching her skin. She pinched the material of Marigold's red sundress.
"PAY-chuh!" She screamed, tugging at the fabric. Collin froze again.
"Now I know I heard her talk," Collin said. "She just said 'red!'"
Marigold said something in Mahkcep. Mai translated for us.
"Can you speak Mahkcep, too?" Mai said, staring intently at Noel.
Noel screamed out Mahkcep, giggling. Marigold looked faint.
"She just said 'I love you' in Mahkcep," Marigold croaked, placing the baby girl in Mai's arms.
"Down!" Noel screamed.
"Carlisle?" Marigold yelled. The vampires all ran down.
"We heard what was happening," Carlisle said. "Can you speak, Noel?"
"Carlisle!" Noel laughed. Everyone looked shaken. She spoke perfectly. She didn't lisp or stumble on the words. She didn't even speak in baby talk!
"Non lo credo," Carlisle gasped.
"Voglio la mia bambola!" Noel shreiked. Carlisle picked up her Raggedy Ann and handed it to her. His face looked stricken.
"She can understand any language spoken to her," Carlisle said. "She just asked for her doll."
"Noel knows how to speak foreign languages?" I asked. Carlisle nodded.
Edward, who had been silent for a few seconds, spoke up.
"Maybe it's natural," he said. "Marigold is Mahkcep and the Chieftess. Her lineage..."
"Her lineage would give her some form of a power," Marigold finished. "But what about Caleb?"
"I don't think he'll have a power. I think he'll-" Edward paused and looked at all of the wolves in the room, including me.
"No!" Embry yelled. "I won't let that happen!"
"I'm sorry, Embry, but you're one of Ephriam's grandsons. Your lineage, Jacob's, and Caleb's will affect your lives," Edward murmured.
"What if we leave? What if all of our families leave? We can't give our children the same future we were cursed with," I said gravely.
"And... And Noel?" Marigold barely whispered.
"She might not phase. But given Leah's case..."
"You think there's a possibilty," Embry growled.
"I'm truly sorry, Embry."
Embry quivered with rage and soundlessly handed Caleb to Kris. Then he ran outside to phase.
And we all stood there, waiting for it to finally sink in.
AN: Yes, I can speak Quileute and Italian! Well, no, not really. I have special websites to do it for me. TEEHEE.
