4.

Hands covered me, trying to comfort me. I let a soft wail escape my lips as my heart broke once again for my husband and child.

I didn't ask for this!

"I know," Edward replied in a soft voice. "But maybe one day you can see them again."

I let this sink into my mind. "How?"

"Once you become more controlled over yourself, we can track down your husband."

I looked around at all the faces. They all looked like angels. Do I look like them, I wondered. Pale skin and golden eyes? Strikingly beautiful?

And for a second I thought I could hear Edward's voice inside my head before he spoke up, but I pushed it aside, telling myself I was only going crazy. "Yes, except for the eyes. Your eyes are red, like all newborns. They'll stay that way for about two or three years, until you become used to our animal diet."

Again, the repulsion I felt by the idea of drinking blood, any blood, and wished more than anything that this burning in my throat would just simply go away. But my mind stayed on my husband and baby girl.

"And what about my baby?"

I noticed the short glance Edward and Dr. Cullen exchanged. Dr. Cullen answered my question this time. "We're not sure how she is. They moved her to a hospital closer to your old home."

I did not want to dwell on the fact that my baby might be hurt. I wanted to know something else.

"What will I tell my husband? Will he even recognize me?"

Alice replied to these questions with a shrug. "Once we get closer to the time when you will see him again, perhaps I can tell you."

I looked at her, confusion written all over my face. "How will you know?" An image flashed before my eyes, and I saw my husband. But the picture was gone before I could think.

Dr. Cullen interrupted me with a remark, though it seemed he spoke mostly to himself. "It's amazing that you are worried about your husband and child. Most newborns want only to drink. You seem to be very controlled, much like Bella was, maybe even more so. It's quite amazing." He looked at Edward, again loosing himself in his thoughts.

I turned back to Alice and asked her my question again.

Alice hesitated before answering. "I'm sure by now you have figured out that Edward can read thoughts." So it was true, then. "Well, I have a different type of gift. I see into the future."

I tried to wrap my mind around this. I gave up when I realized everything about this was just stuff I would have to get used to over time, if I ever did. "Did you see me?"

"No, because I didn't know you yet. My gift is limited in some aspects."

I nodded as if I understood, though I was far from it. "Do any of the others have gifts?" I looked at the faces around me again.

"Yes," Alice answered. "Bella can guard her mind and others from things like Edward's gift." And then she pulled the hand of the boy with the blonde hair and he came to sit next to her. "This is Jasper. I suppose you could call him my boyfriend," she said with a wink. "He can sense people's moods and feelings and alter them. For instance, making you feel calm when you're stressed or happy when you're angry."

"But the feelings aren't real?"

"Well, no, I suppose not. The minute you walk away from Jasper, the feeling fades."

I nod again.

"And that's it?"

Alice seemed hesitant. "And Renesme," she says in a small voice, seeming hesitant to bring up the subject again.

I just nodded, trying to act nonchalant. "What can she do?"

"It's hard to describe. She touches you and shows you something, like a memory. When she was a baby, she used it to communicate and ask for things."

"Huh," was all I could manage.

Edward must have sensed that I was beginning to feel overwhelmed, because he stood and suggested that they discuss more later. He looked at me.

"Are you thirsty?"

I tried to swallow, but the burning in my throat told me to drink something. "Yes. Some water, maybe?"

Edward smiled slightly and the big one chuckled. "I don't think you'll like water."

I knew what I should want, but I could not get over the repulsive feeling. Though every part of my being went into a tizzy at the mention or smell of blood and the burning in my throat became almost unbearable, there was still that tiny voice in the back of my head that begged me not to do it, that was telling me I had become a disgusting creature. "How can I drink it when the thought makes me want to vomit?"

Everyone just stared at me. "That's so…weird," muttered the big one.

I didn't mean to be rude but I wanted to know his name and wondered if I should just ask him. I tried to decide how to phrase it. Edward saved me from having to decide and perhaps humiliate myself.

"I'm sorry. That is Emmett." A blonde girl I hadn't really noticed before stepped up to Emmett's side and looked meaningfully at Edward, seemingly annoyed that he had forgotten her. "And Rosalie, his…wife." A small smile lit up Edward's eyes. I noticed the pause in his voice but decided not to ask about it. I would find out later. If the… stories about vampires living forever were true, I would surely have plenty of time to figure this all out.

Hoping to distract them from another round of questions about my disgust with blood, I spit out a question. "How do you live together? I mean, what do you tell people?"

Esme spoke up. "It's not just what we tell people. Carlisle and I have always seen ourselves as parents. We live as a family."

"But you look so much… younger. If you don't mind my asking, how old are all of you?"

Emmett laughed. "Well, that depends on which age you're referring to."

I raised my eyebrow in question.

"There's the age we were when we were changed, which is what most of us go by among the humans, and then there's how long we've been vampires."

I nodded slowly.

"Carlisle is the oldest among us in vampire, though Esme is the oldest at the human age of 26. Edward, 17, is second in vampire years and Esme third." Emmett looked around. "All the rest of us are about the same age, 18 to 20."

I nodded again, and then realized how stupid I must look, simply nodding all the time. So I said hoarsely, ignoring my dry throat, "Ok."

There was a small pause as I scrambled for another question, but Edward beat me at my game. "Now, let's try and go hunting, shall we?"

I looked at him. It was becoming almost unbearable to wait any longer, because I knew I was dreadfully thirsty, so I decided to give in and at least… try. "I don't know…how."

I was dumbfounded as to what I was supposed to do, how I was supposed to react.

"Don't worry, it should come naturally."

I cringed at the word 'naturally', though I was beginning to realize that this was not something I could run away from. This would be how I was for the rest of my life, for the rest of eternity.

Dr. Cullen looked at me with what seemed almost like pity. "Maybe once you taste the blood, you won't find it so repulsing."

"Ok," I said, mostly to myself.

"Alright," said Alice. "Who'll go with her?"

"Maybe we all should go?" asked Esme. Fear and dread washed over me. What if I messed up? They all would see.

"No, it would be too overwhelming, I think." It was Edward who, again, came to my rescue. "Jasper, Emmett, and I will go."

Alice stood and looked at Edward, almost begging.

"Alice, if you want, you may come along."

"Thank you, Edward!" She smiled a brilliantly white smile and hugged her… brother.

Alice turned to me again and held out her hand. I put my hand in hers and she slowly helped me up. "I must warn you that we move a lot faster than humans. Everything you did as a human was slow compared to us."

"So I can run like the wind?"

Alice nodded, smiling. "And without a single sound."

I smiled at Alice. I liked her.

"Well, let's go, then?"
And everyone nodded, smiling encouragement at me. Alice squeezed my hand and whispered, "I'll be right beside you. Don't be afraid to ask for help." Then she looked at me and winked. "You'll do amazing."