Disclaimer: I am NOT Stephenie Meyer and I don't own any of the Twilight series' characters or stories. I borrowed the dialogue and storyline from Breaking Dawn, but the rest is my own take on the story, as seen through Edward's eyes.

Chapter 26

Awakening

Bella's eyes opened slowly, the once chocolate brown now replaced by a vibrant ruby.

She's awake.

See, Edward. I told you she would be perfect.

Jasper was on high alert, watching vigilantly for any movement while exuding as much calm throughout the room as he could manage. I, on the other hand, felt my body relax fully for the first time in weeks – the concerning weight on my mind disappearing the instant her eyes opened.

She stared above her, perfectly still, yet her eyes gazed above her in wonder. She inhaled a gasping breath, followed by another, her nostrils flaring as she took in the varied scents in the room. I remembered the disorientation of my first days of this life – everything was heightened to an almost unbearably intense degree. I had hoped that the transition might correct whatever anomaly in her mind kept me from hearing her thoughts. I longed to share this experience with her and see this new world through her eyes, but regrettably, her mind remained just as silent as it had been while she was human.

I squeezed her hand lightly, hoping to reassure her that she was not alone.

Her fingers stiffened and a low growl emanated through her clenched teeth as she leapt from the table, pressing her back against the wall in a defensive posture.

Careful. Calm, Jasper thought.

She stared back at me and her expression changed from anxious to confused. Her reaction was not unusual for a newborn. It was understandable that she would be disoriented and it could take some time before she began to feel like herself again – or at least this new version of herself. It was ridiculous, but I admit that it hurt to have her run from me. I extended my hand to her, demonstrating that I meant no harm.

Bella's eyes scanned the room, her newborn senses assessing the level of danger, her eyes lingering nervously on Jasper. Her gaze shifted to my outstretched hand and then her eyes met mine, widening with a mixture of recognition and awe. Her stance relaxed as she stared at me, our eyes locked as though we were seeing each other for the first time. I could feel the electricity sparking between us and absently wondered if the rest of our family could feel the charge as well.

I took a cautious step toward her, listening to Jasper's assessment of her emotions and keeping a wary eye on her body language. I did not expect that Bella would do anything to harm me, but newborns were often unpredictable and the disorientation could cause them to do things they wouldn't purposely do.

Careful, Edward.

"Bella?" I whispered.

She continued to stare at me as I gradually advanced. Her muscles tensed marginally, eliciting a new bout of calm from Jasper, though it was a struggle for him to maintain while the level of tension in the room was so palpable.

"Bella, love?" I continued. "I'm sorry, I know it's disorienting. But you're all right. Everything is fine."

The corners of her eyes pinched as they darted from face to face, as though she was searching for something. I took another cautious step toward her, reaching out a tentative hand. Jasper and Emmett tensed as my fingers glided across the smooth surface of her cheek. I marveled at the softness of it, now the same temperature as my own. The same familiar current of electricity hummed in my fingers and, though the warmth of her skin and the blush of her cheeks had vanished, she was still my Bella.

Her eyes searched mine. I wasn't sure what she was looking for. Reassurance? Answers to questions about this new life? I cupped her cheek, taking another step forward until we were nearly flush with one another. She inhaled abruptly and I saw a spark of recognition in her eyes, a look of devotion that I hadn't expected to see quite to soon into this new life. She stared at me, silent and breathtaking. She hadn't spoken a word since she awoke and I longed to hear how the change had altered her voice, if that too was something I would mourn the loss of.

And then I was home, wrapped in her embrace. She pressed herself against me, wrapping her arms around my neck and nuzzling her cheek against my chest. Jasper advanced, cautious and prepared to restrain her. I glanced over to him and shook my head infinitesimally. This was what I had waited for – the days of agony, the weeks of waiting as she slowly withered away before my eyes – she was finally whole again.

She wrapped her arms more tightly around me and I could feel the strength of her newborn muscles, like coiled steel cables holding me prisoner. I would gladly stay in the imprisonment of her arms, but admittedly, now that her strength was greater than my own, the only sensation more prevalent than the contentment of her embrace was the pain of it. Reluctantly, I shifted, attempting to lessen her grip, to ease the discomfort. She looked up at me, her eyes concerned and confused.

"Um…carefully, Bella," I whispered. "Ow."

She recoiled, taking a step back and placing her arms behind her. She looked up at me with a sheepish expression. "Oops," she mouthed.

So controlled. Very out of character for a newborn. Though her emotions are everywhere…

I smiled, both at her reaction and Jasper's assessment. "Don't panic, love," I reassured her. I reached out, eager to reestablish physical contact. "You're just a bit stronger than I am for the moment."

The space between her eyebrows puckered and I could hear a bit of satisfaction in her thoughts through Jasper's ability. I'd venture to guess that, after being the weak, human, link for so long, it was gratifying to know that we were now on more equal footing. Bolstered by her display of control and emotion, I ran my fingers across her cheek again, awestruck by the beauty that had given so much for me. How had I been so lucky? After believing so completely that I had lost everything, to have my love stand before me with a look of such devotion in her eyes, I was overwhelmed with joy.

Her emotions were torn and scattered, flitting from one to the next, but the overall emotion dominating them all was love. I smiled as her hand reached up and her fingers slid delicately across my cheek. Her eyes met mine with a look so piercing, it was as though she could see into the depths of the soul she always believed still resided within me.

"I love you," she spoke. Her voice now had a musical lilt to it, a beautiful chorus of tone, and her first words of this new life couldn't have been more perfect. A wide smile broke across my face.

"As I love you," I replied.

I cupped her face in my hands and hesitantly moved closer, my lips eagerly searching for hers. It was reminiscent of our first kiss, though in that instance, it was I who needed to be careful not to harm her. Our lips touched and the humming electricity sparked, sending a current straight to my heart. Unable to contain my fervor, I pressed my lips more forcefully to hers. It was, for all intents and purposes, our first real kiss. The years of restraint had built up within me and, to be able to display every ounce of my true passion for her, was a welcome relief.

She wrapped her arms around me, deepening the kiss. Her breath quickened and I could swear that Jasper was blushing from the emotional climate Bella was exuding. Judging by the other thoughts in the room, Jasper was having difficulty containing the emotions and they were beginning to seep out and affect everyone.

Okay, okay, get a room! Emmett cleared his throat.

Bella's lips stilled against mine and she immediately released me, taking a step back. Her eyes were cast downward, though the telltale blush I had come to love was absent. I chuckled at her reaction. Unwilling to let her go, I stepped with her, keeping her in my embrace.

She blew out a slow breath and looked up at me. "You've been holding out on me," she teased, arching an eyebrow.

I laughed at her response. "It was sort of necessary at the time," I reminded her. "Now it's your turn not to break me."

She frowned, eliciting a bout of laughter from everyone.

So different, but still so Bella.

She's so controlled. I don't understand it.

Uncharacteristic of a newborn – perhaps it was her preparation…

Carlisle moved closer, eager to ask about her transition, about her current state. Everything about her change and her reactions since she awoke had his mind reeling with theories and postulations. Perhaps everything we knew about what we are and how we came into this life was based on incorrect assumptions. He was enthusiastic about the prospect of examining Bella and questioning every aspect of her experience.

Jasper followed closely behind.

"How do you feel, Bella?" Carlisle asked.

She blew out a puff of air. "Overwhelmed. There's so much…"

He nodded. "Yes, it can be quite confusing."

She nodded emphatically in agreement. "But I feel like me. Sort of, I didn't expect that."

I squeezed her to me. I had tried to reassure her that she would still be herself after the transition, though even I was surprised that she seemed so much like her human self so quickly after her change. "I told you so," I whispered in her ear.

"You are quite controlled." Carlisle nodded. "More so than I expected, even with the time you had to prepare yourself mentally for this." It is quite astonishing…

The corners of her eyes pinched as she thought briefly over Carlisle's comments. "I'm not sure about that," she hedged.

He nodded. The morphine…I wonder. "It seems like we did something right with the morphine this time. Tell me, what do you remember of the transformation process?"

"Everything was…very dim before. I remember the baby couldn't breathe…" Her gaze nervously turned to me, the question evident in her eyes.

"Renesmee is healthy and well," I assured her. "What do you remember after that?"

The space between her brows puckered, as though she were struggling to find the memory. "It's hard to remember. It was so dark before. And then…I opened my eyes and I could see everything."

"Amazing," Carlisle breathed. Simply fascinating. If only we had known this sooner…I could have saved you all the pain of transformation.

Fueled by intrigue, Carlisle pressed on. "I want you to think – to tell me everything you remember." Her expression fell, displaying some level of discomfort.

She's a newly awakened newborn. She needs to feed. Jasper edged toward us half a step.

Carlisle also noted her uneasiness. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Bella," he apologized. "Of course your thirst must be very uncomfortable. This conversation can wait."

Her eyes pinched and her hand pressed against her throat as she swallowed reflexively. I reached for her hand and began pulling her toward the open window. Then I said three words that I never imagined I would say to her. "Let's hunt, Bella."

A shocked expression flickered across her face.

"It's quite easy, love," I assured her. "Instinctual. Don't worry, I'll show you."

She was frozen in place. Though I was gently pulling her toward me, her muscles were locked in place. I looked at her expectantly. "I was under the impression that you'd always wanted to see me hunt," I teased.

A peal of laughter bubbled up from her lips, but she stifled it with her hand before replacing it on her neck.

"Shall we?" I reached up and took her other hand so that I held both her hands in mine. "I don't want you to be hurting," I whispered.

She shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm fine…." She hesitated, her brow furrowing in concentration. "Wait. First."

The pain should be unbearable. I don't understand how she's so calm, so rational.

She needs to hunt. What is she waiting for?

Isn't she supposed to be a newborn?

Our family had a running commentary in their minds, but it was Carlisle who answered her. "Yes?"

Her eyes opened widely. "I want to see her. Renesmee." She pulled her hands away, resting them on her flattened stomach. Her eyes pinched and the fabric of her gown protested as she tugged it in her fists.

It's not safe…not yet. We don't know how long it will be before Bella can see Renesmee. It's too soon to test her control.

I nodded in agreement with Carlisle's thoughts.

Bella looked up, glaring at the two of us. "What?"

I reached for her hand again. "Bella…that's not really a good idea. She's half human, love. Her heart beats, and blood runs in her veins. Until your thirst is positively under control…You don't want to put her in danger, do you?"

The space between her brows puckered, but as the seconds passed, she seemed to relax marginally.

"Where is she?" she asked. "Is Rosalie with her?"

Rosalie…and the dog. "Yes." I reached for her other hand and again started to tug her toward the window.

She resisted. "Wait. What about Jacob? And Charlie? Tell me everything that I missed. How long was I…unconscious?"

Poor Charlie…he's been so worried.

I can't wait 'til she hears the news…she's gonna rip Jacob to shreds.

We need to handle this delicately. It's an unusual predicament we find ourselves in.

I nodded, once again in agreement with Carlisle's thoughts. I was already on the verge of killing Jacob myself – when Bella found out about the imprint on our daughter, I wasn't sure what she might do, but the volatility of her newborn emotions did not bode well for Jacob.

Bella glanced nervously between us. "What's wrong?" she whispered.

"Nothing is wrong," Carlisle replied. "Nothing has changed much, actually – you were only unaware for just over two days. It was very fast, as these things go. Edward did an excellent job. Quite innovative – the venom injection straight to your heart was his idea." And a brilliant idea it was. We have much to be thankful for, though there are still troubles awaiting you. "Jacob is still here, and Charlie still believes that you are sick. He thinks you're in Atlanta right now, undergoing tests at the CDC. We gave him a bad number and he's frustrated. He's been speaking to Esme."

Bella lowered her eyes. "I should call him…" she whispered. I could see the sadness on her face as she thought of her father and all the worry this had put him through. A moment later her expression changed. "Hold on – Jacob is still here?"

Unfortunately. I shot Carlisle a glare, warning him that now may not be the best time to explain to her exactly why Jacob was still here.

He nodded. Let's not explain that to her just yet. First and foremost, she needs to feed.

"Bella," I urged. "There's much to discuss, but we should take care of you first. You have to be in pain…"

She swallowed. "But Jacob –"

"We have all the time in the world for explanations, love."

She thought for a moment, but finally nodded. "Okay."

Oh no, not yet! "Wait, wait, wait," Alice exclaimed as she moved to our side. "You promised I could be there the first time! What if you two run past something reflective?"

"Alice –" I groaned.

"It will only take a second!" she insisted as she ran from the room.

"What is she talking about?" Bella asked.

Before I could answer, Alice was coming through the door carrying a mirror twice her size. Jasper followed closely behind, wary of Alice's proximity to Bella.

"Edward gave me grief for not getting you to a mirror before the wedding," Alice explained. "I'm not going to be chewed out again."

"Chewed out?" Really, Alice?

She casually tossed a hand in the air. "Maybe I'm overstating things." She turned the mirror so that Bella could see her reflection.

"And maybe this had solely to do with your own voyeuristic gratification," I teased, eliciting a wink from Alice.

Bella stared at her new reflection and I listened with rapt interest to the play of her emotions through Jasper's thoughts. Perhaps now she would finally believe what I had been trying to convince her of all this time – that she was the most ravishing creature I had ever met, beautiful both inside and out.

"The eyes?" she whispered. Her stare didn't shift as she asked her question. She seemed trapped within her own gaze. "How long?"

"They'll darken up in a few months," I answered. "Animal blood dilutes the color more quickly than a diet of human blood. They'll turn amber first, then gold." Though they would never again be the chocolate brown I had come to love. Thankfully, that trait would be preserved in the eyes of our daughter.

Her emotions were on edge, her voice anxious. "Months?"

Careful – she's about to snap. Jasper stepped forward, sensing the sudden stress in Bella's emotional climate. The urge to grab Alice and move her out of the threat of harm was in the forefront of his mind. But Alice remained calm, not seeing any danger in her immediate future.

Bella turned from her reflection and looked from me to Alice, seeming confused by Jasper's reaction and the fact that her question had gone unanswered. She took a deep breath and shook her head slightly. "No, I'm fine. It's just…a lot to take in."

Jasper took a startled step back. Impossible! I've never seen this kind of control in a newborn. How is she doing this – controlling her emotions?

Fascinating. A product of her preparation…or something more? Some unforeseen ability?

"I don't know," I murmured, answering his unspoken question.

"What question did I miss?" Bella asked.

I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. Bella always did the unexpected and, it seemed, the trend would continue in this new life as well. "Jasper wonders how you're doing it."

She frowned. "Doing what?"

"Controlling your emotions, Bella," Jasper answered. "I've never seen a newborn do that – stop an emotion in its tracks that way. You were upset, but when you saw our concern, you reined it in, regained power over yourself. I was prepared to help, but you didn't need it."

A concerned look crossed Bella's features. "Is that wrong?" she asked.

Not exactly… "No," he replied.

"It's very impressive, Bella," I reassured her, "but we don't understand it. We don't know how long it can hold."

Come on, give the girl some credit. Alice tapped her foot impatiently. "But what do you think?" she asked, gesturing to the mirror.

Bella looked back at her reflection, tilting her head to the side as she examined her new self. "I'm not sure," she hesitated. She stared at her face in the mirror and I longed to hear what she was thinking. She raised her hand, as though she expected that her reflection was a trick and not the mirror image of herself.

I sighed, considering the improbable notion that she still didn't seem to see herself clearly.

She turned to look at me, raising a questioning eyebrow. "Disappointed?" she asked.

I laughed. "Yes."

Edward!

He should know better than to antagonize her.

Bella's face fell and I immediately regretted my joke. Alice and Jasper reacted even more strongly to my reply than Bella herself.

I stepped forward, wrapping my arms around her and kissing her cheek. "I was rather hoping that I'd be able to hear your mind, now that it is more similar to my own. And here I am, frustrated as ever, wondering what could possibly be going on inside your head."

The corner of her mouth twitched upward. "Oh well, I guess my brain will never work right. At least I'm pretty."

"Bella, you have never been merely pretty," I growled in her ear.

It's preposterous to keep delaying – she needs to hunt. This is highly dangerous.

"All right, all right," I groaned.

"What?" she asked.

"You're making Jasper more edgy by the second. He may relax a little when you've hunted."

Bella looked over at Jasper and nodded. "Okay. Let's hunt."

I smiled, taking her hand in mine and leading her toward the open window.

She looked at me skeptically and then looked down at the ground below.

"The window?" she asked, looking nervous.

"It's the most convenient exit," I explained. "If you're frightened, I can carry you." Not that I would mind having the chance to cradle her against me. It had been so long that it felt painful when some part of me wasn't touching her.

She made a face. "We have all eternity, and you're worried about the time it would take to walk to the back door?"

Aww, is little Bella afraid of heights?

No, the baby…

I frowned. "Renesmee and Jacob are downstairs…"

"Oh." She looked out the window again, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth. "Is Renesmee…okay…with Jacob there? He doesn't like her much?"

Oh, I wouldn't say that. Can't wait until she finds out…that should be good.

The reminder of the wolf who imprinted on our daughter set me on edge. It was a conversation I was not looking forward to, though Emmett seemed to be looking forward to it with much anticipation.

"Trust me, she's perfectly safe. I know exactly what Jacob is thinking."

Those thoughts must be interesting.

"Of course," she murmured, looking out the window again. I stole a warning glance at Emmett when she wasn't looking and he shrugged, chuckling lightly.

Come on bro, you gotta admit, it is kindof funny.

I fought the urge to growl as I turned back to Bella. "Stalling?" I asked, anxious to get on with the hunt and away from the silent jibes from my brother.

"A little," Bella hedged. "I don't know how…"

"Watch me," I offered, stepping out into the open air and landing on the ground below. I looked up at the open window, waiting for her to follow. She stepped up to the edge, her face set in concentration. I fought the urge to reach out to catch her – the memories of her human self still so fresh in my mind.

She stepped out the window and seemed to float down to the ground until she landed gracefully on her feet. I watched in awe, seeing the transformation that had changed her from an awkward, stumbling human to such an elegant creature. She smiled. "Right. Easy."

Wow, would you look at that.

Looks like the venom changed a lot more than just her look.

"Bella?"

"Yes?"

"That was quite graceful – even for a vampire."

Her grin grew wider. "Thank you." If she were still human, I was sure her cheeks would be flushed. She looked down and removed her shoes, tossing them back up through the window. Jasper, who was closest to the window, caught them easily.

Seriously, Bella? Alice groaned. "Her fashion sense hasn't improved as much as her balance."

I took her hand and smiled as I began to run. She kept pace with me easily – a stark contrast from the way we had travelled together before. We crossed the back yard in seconds and stopped at the banks of the river.

She looked puzzled. "Are we swimming?"

"And ruin your pretty dress? No. We're jumping."

She looked across the river, seeming to judge the distance. She looked back at me. "You first."

I reached up and smiled, stroking her cheek. I took two steps back and then leaped across the river, feeling free as the air whizzed past my ears. I turned a flip just before I landed in the trees on the other side.

"Show-off," I heard her mutter under her breath.

I laughed and waited, watching for her to cross. I heard her footsteps, followed by the sound of tearing fabric. Confused, I listened and heard another sound of ripping fabric. I heard laughter from the house and could see through the eyes of my family that Bella had altered her dress, likely to make it easier for jumping. Only Alice would think to dress her in something as impractical as a gown for her first hunt, though Alice might not have considered that Bella would be hunting in the dress when she chose it for her.

I watched Bella through their eyes, waiting for her to join me on the other side of the river. She stood stock still and I wondered what she was waiting for. Was she afraid? "Bella?" I called. "Do you want to watch again?"

My voice seemed to snap her out of whatever stupor she had found herself in because the next moment she was flying through the air, just as graceful as before, and then she was gone. She was out of sight, though I could still hear her laughter. Her leap had been at least twice the distance of mine and I had to run to catch up.

She was still high in the air, standing on a branch above. She leaped from the branch and landed at my side, smiling widely.

"Was that good?" she asked.

I nodded. "Very good." Surprisingly good – this was going to take some getting used to.

"Can we do it again?" she asked with enthusiasm.

"Focus, Bella – we're on a hunting trip," I reminded her, still finding it odd how a newborn could think of anything else other than their thirst.

"Oh, right." She nodded. "Hunting."

"Follow me...if you can." We had never run together like this before. I smiled at the thought – excited to share this new experience with her. I broke into a sprint, running headlong into the deep forest. My focus was split between watching Bella as she ran to catch up with me and searching the forest around us for the presence of any humans. I led her deep into the wilderness where I was relatively certain we would be unlikely to encounter any temptations, and the wildlife was more plentiful the further we traveled from civilization as well.

It took no time at all for Bella to catch up with me. The strength in her newborn legs propelling her forward until her stride began to match my own. I glanced over and her smile was radiant. She gazed around her in wonder and light laughter pealed from her lips. I longed to see into her thoughts, to know what she was thinking. For most of us, we knew nothing of this life before it was thrust upon us. But for Bella, she was aware of so much more before she decided to take on this new life. She was privy to knowledge before her change that likely gave her a unique perspective, a comparison between how she viewed vampires as a human and how she experienced being one now.

Moments later, Bella was beginning to pull away with me, traveling much faster than I was. I had to push myself just to keep up which, admittedly, was a new experience for me. I was so accustomed to being the fastest; it was rare that I would be the one falling behind. We continued on for miles until I began to wonder if Bella had again forgotten why we were out here. I came to a halt and called out for her.

"Bella."

I heard a soft sigh in the distance and, a moment later, she was at my side, smiling angelically.

"Did you want to stay in the country?" I teased. "Or were you planning to continue on to Canada this afternoon?"

"This is fine." She paused, seeming briefly distracted. "What are we hunting?"

"Elk. I thought something easy for your first time..."

She seemed skeptical, but eager. "Where?" she asked, her eyes scanning the forest.

I reached up, placing my hands on her shoulders. "Hold still for a minute." She stopped, stone still. "Now close your eyes. Listen. What do you hear?"

I waited patiently. For a newborn that was only hours old, listening to the clamor of noises that her new heightened hearing allowed could be quite confusing. It could take some time for her to filter through all the noise to determine the sound she was looking for. I remembered Carlisle when he tried to teach me – we had to travel miles and miles away from civilization so that I could separate the sounds of the forest from the din of thoughts that normally filled my head.

"By the creek, to the northeast?" she asked.

Very good. "Yes. Now...wait for the breeze again and...what do you smell?"

A moment later, her nose wrinkled. The elk's blood would sate her thirst, but it was definitely not what her newborn body desired. It would be an acquired taste.

"I know," I laughed. "It takes some getting used to."

"Three?" she guessed.

"Five. There are two more in the trees behind them."

"What do I do now?" she asked, sounding nervous and unsure.

"What do you feel like doing?"

I watched as her nostrils flared and her head inclined toward the sounds of the elk nearby. Her fingers twitched with anxious energy as she opened her eyes.

"Don't think about it," I told her, dropping my hands. "Just follow your instincts."

She began moving, gracefully stalking her prey like the apex predator she was. The sound of rushing water grew louder as we neared. She crouched down as the elk came into view. I could see her eyes focused on the hunt. This was certainly not the Bella I remembered, the one I would never have dared allow on a hunt. As strange as this new experience must be for her, it was stranger still for me to witness such a disparity between her human self and this new lithe and dangerous creature.

She was motionless as she stalked her prey. The elk drank from the stream, utterly oblivious to our presence. I watched her dip slightly, her body coiling, preparing to strike. The wind changed, blowing stronger from the south. The elk looked up, the wind blowing our scent its way and makng it aware of our presence. But it wasn't just the scent of vampires on the currents of air. No, I could smell something else, something dangerous, and something out of place in the deep forest. A human.

Almost in slow motion, I watched Bella's demeanor change absolutely. She caught the new scent and her attention was immediately focused, the elk all but forgotten. And then, more quickly than I ever imagined, she disappeared from sight, running toward this new scent, toward something so much more mouth-watering than animal blood. Human blood. I took off after her, struggling to keep up. With her newborn strength and speed greater than my own and the call of human blood drawing her away, I could only push myself and pray that I caught up to her in time...before she did something we would both regret.

A/N: I hope that everyone had a wonderful and blessed holiday season. And I hope that everyone enjoyed watching the final Twilight movie as much as I did. I laughed, I gasped, I cried..and cried…and…you get the idea. It was great to see on the big screen (many times over) and it definitely gave me fuel to continue writing. I promise to do my best not to let the movies influence my writing and stick to the books as they were written.

Apologies for not updating sooner, but life was, as predicted, hectic. Thanks to my writing partner, misticbutterfly, I'm still sticking to my weekly writing schedule. So, even though I don't update as often as I'd like, I still continue to work on this story for at least a couple of hours every week. And thanks to my beta, Nellybear85, for sticking with me all these years. You gals are the best!