I meant to get this posted sooner, but sometimes life just gets in the way. Sometimes I want to throat punch real life.
Anywhoo, beachcomberlc is a wonderful beta and cheerleader. She makes this shit pretty.
I don't own Twilight. In support of my bestie, Risbee, I have to say... Go Heels! (I'm Canadian. I couldn't give two shits about the NCAA tournament)
Chapter 15
By the next week, Edward has managed to get Carlisle to spend some time with Bella, and he too believes that she has some extraordinary ability to abstain from her desire for human blood. Together, they took Bella to Portland, Oregon and tested her ability to be around humans. They visited a shopping mall during the busy weekend hours and had no issues whatsoever. Bella and Edward were both proud of her achievement, but Carlisle was simply surprised. He had never encountered anyone who was like her.
Even now, as the family talks in the living room of the Cullen home, discussing Bella's ability to safely visit with her daughter, everyone is surprised by her skills and restraint.
"It's just so unusual," Jasper states, after listening to Carlisle describe her abilities in detail. "In all my years, I've never seen someone who has adjusted so easily to being a vampire. Has anyone here?" Everyone shakes their head, with the exception of Edward.
"This is exactly why I'm worried," Rosalie snaps loudly. Out of everyone, she has been the most vocal in her concern over Bella spending time with her daughter. It's not that Rosalie is against it per say, it's just that she refuses to be careless with Elizabeth's life.
"Well, maybe if you let her have some time with her daughter, you'd see it too," Edward chides her as Emmett rubs her shoulder sweetly in support. "We're not asking for Beth to move into the cottage with us. Hell, I don't even know where Bella wants to live with Beth, but she's her mother and I think you need to relax a bit, Rosalie."
The family has been arguing about this for the past half hour, while Beth sleeps soundly in her small room. Bella, on the other hand, is down at the cottage reading a book, as she is still not allowed in the main house if Elizabeth is there; Rosalie's rule, of course.
"I think we should give Bella the benefit of the doubt. After all, she's convinced Edward and Carlisle of her restraint," Esme explains softly. From the look on her face, Edward can tell that Esme wants to be supportive of him; however, she is also concerned about Beth's safety.
"If we were to agree to a trial perhaps, how do you suggest we go about it?" Emmett asks simply, buoying Edward's mood.
"The first step I think would be to let her hold her daughter, obviously." Edward knows that everyone is anxious about this, so he does his best to ease their concerns. "None of us are tempted by Beth, so why wouldn't it be the same for Bella? After all, if we hate the smell of the wolves, she will too. I think it's the best way to start and Bella would like to do it. I also think giving her the chance to feed her daughter would help."
"I hope you don't mean 'feed on her daughter'," Emmett pipes in, laughter clear in his voice as everyone else stares at him with no emotion. "Oh come on, it's what we were all thinking, right? Edward… prove me right."
"Regardless of what we were thinking, Emmett, your joke was distasteful," Carlisle laments before he turns to face his entire family. "Edward is going to bring Isabella up to the main house when it is time for Elizabeth's next feeding. We will all be here to ensure that things go well. Bella deserves the chance to be with her daughter."
"She didn't even want her at first," Rosalie argues as Carlisle snaps at her to be quiet. "You heard her tell Edward weeks ago that she didn't want her. Why should we trust her?"
"She's proven herself, Rosalie," Edward counters, his voice ripe with anger. "She regrets her previous thoughts about giving her daughter away and she is bound and determined to be the best mother she can. She has put up with all of your ridiculous rules, and sat on the deck for hours, just hoping for a glimpse of her daughter. I'm done with you thinking you know what's best. You're not Elizabeth's mother," Edward growls at her furiously as Rosalie stomps her way out of the house and jumps off the back deck before heading into the wilderness, desperate to get away from the house.
Emmett shakes his head in frustration at Edward, knowing full well that he hurt Rosalie with his statement. It's long been an issue for Rosalie that she is unable to be a mother; the choice having been taken away from her when Carlisle changed her back in Rochester decades earlier. However, the family had also decided not to discuss the issue with Rosalie, but Edward wanted her to realize that Bella is Elizabeth's mother, and not Rosalie. Even though Rosalie and Esme have been her primary caregivers, he can't allow it to go on forever. Emmett follows his wife into the forest, as Edward sits down on the couch and rubs his face with his hands.
"I know, it was the wrong thing to say," Edward sighs.
"True, but she needed to hear it. She acts like Elizabeth is hers, and I honestly think that the sooner we get Bella and Elizabeth together, the better it will be for Rose in the long run," Esme says reassuringly as she sits beside Edward and rubs her hand against his knee. "Why don't you go get Bella? We'll be fine with just the five of us here to watch over their meeting, alright?"
~*HOS*~
Bella is curled up on the couch, and is 150 pages into Wuthering Heights, when Edward comes through the front door of the cottage with a huge smile on his face. She doesn't want to get her hopes up, but Bella can't help the feeling of excitement that grows in her.
"Do you want to go hold your daughter?" he asks, as Bella leaps off the couch and wraps her legs around his waist as he catches her. He's tempted to lean in and kiss her, something that has gone through his mind repeatedly over the past week, but he refrains, and sets her down on the ground with his grin still firmly in place.
"You're not kidding right? This isn't April first, is it?" Bella asks enthusiastically as Edward laughs at her.
"No, it's late February not April, and no, I'm not kidding. Come on." Edward grabs for her hand and they easily entwine their fingers as they head up to the main house together.
As they go, he explains to her that Rosalie and Emmett left because Rose doesn't agree that Bella should be entrusted to spend time with her daughter, but everyone else has faith in her. Needless to say, Bella now feels anxious about going up to the house knowing that Edward and Carlisle had to fight hard for her to get time with her daughter.
"Are you sure this is alright?"
"I'm positive, now stop wasting time. Beth is currently sleeping, but Carlisle wanted to see how you would handle going into her room first, and then when she wakes up we'll work on holding her, alright?" Bella nods her head and when they reach the house, she pauses briefly.
"Thank you, Edward," she whispers before she plants a soft kiss on his cheek just as Esme opens the patio door to welcome them in.
With Carlisle leading, Bella and Edward follow him into the room that has been Elizabeth's bedroom for the past few weeks. Bella can hardly believe that it's been almost two months since her daughter was born, but when she looks at her lying in her small crib, she can see how much she has grown. She stands beside Edward, watching her tiny doppelganger as she sleeps easily, but she can tell Carlisle, Alice and Jasper are all anxious about her proximity to her daughter. However, Bella stays still; wanting to appreciate the moment for what it is - her first real visit with her baby.
"You are having no reaction?" questions Jasper softly, not wanting to wake the baby. Bella motions for everyone to step outside the room, and when they do, Bella shakes her head.
"There's nothing. I want to hold her and snuggle her, but as for an urge to bite her… nope," Bella answers simply as they all follow her into the living room. Esme is sitting beside the baby monitor, listening for any sounds, and when Bella comes back into the room, Esme is pleased by the results.
"We'll try again when she wakes, alright?" Carlisle states, as everyone readily agrees.
They sit around for half an hour, Esme and Alice sharing stories about Beth so that Bella gets to learn more about her child. Though Edward has been visiting Beth every night and giving her frequent bottles, he doesn't get to truly see her in action like the rest of the family. Then again, it's not like she's very active at almost two months old. However, the rest of the family has watched Beth grow and change, something Bella now regrets missing, as Edward can tell. When Esme recounts Beth's first bath, Edward is certain that Bella would cry if she had the ability to, but instead she just seems distant.
Just as Esme finishes her story, Beth's cries are heard through the monitor. Esme and Alice immediately stand, both ready to rush to get the baby. "Why don't you go get Elizabeth, Esme?" Carlisle suggests, and she quickly leaves the room to fetch the child.
When she returns, Beth is clutching onto a small stuffed giraffe and making cooing noises. Needless to say, Bella is entranced. With Alice and Edward flanking her sides, and Jasper and Carlisle directly behind her, Esme tentatively lays Elizabeth into Bella's arms. Everyone breathes a sigh of relief when nothing happens, with the exception of Bella and Edward both smiling in excitement.
"I did it," Bella says quietly, as Edward brushes some of Elizabeth's soft hair from her forehead. Bella can't seem to get past just how adorable and precious her daughter is. Beth looks exactly like Bella did at her age, but they are complete opposites now. Beth is the soft to Bella's hard. The tiny to her large. The live to her dead. "I'm having no reaction at all. When I saw those hikers, I was thirsty, but there's nothing right now… just…"
"Just love," Esme states proudly as Bella looks up at her with an enormous smile. Bella nods and rocks Beth gently in her arms, unable to stop cooing and talking baby gibberish to the tiny girl. "I'm going to get her a bottle."
Esme steps away, but Carlisle takes her place in front of Bella, choosing to err on the side of caution. "I'm fine, I promise." Bella tries to ease their concern, but she knows that only time and continued exposure to her daughter will do that, and hopefully she will continue to see Beth regularly now.
"You are doing great," Edward offers proudly as Beth offers them a crooked smile and a small grunt. "Now, how about feeding her? Do you think you can handle that?"
Everyone pauses to sniff the now sour smelling air, and Jasper is the first to speak what they are all already thinking. "How about changing a diaper? Do you think you can handle that first? Please… handle that first."
One of the reasons I slacked on updating this story was because I was writing a one shot for the Let's Do Anal Contest. Yes... that's what it's called. You can find it on FFN as an author listed as LDA Anon TwiFic Contest. Risbee and beachcomberlc tell me it's very dirty. I can't tell you which one it is, but go enjoy all the entries.