Chapter 3
Meanwhile, Carlisle and Edward made their way down the stairs and into the living room. As Carlisle surveyed the room, he noticed the family waiting with bated breath. Jasper and Alice were huddled together on the sofa, with Jasper's arm wrapped around Alice's shoulder in a protective embrace. Emmett was engrossed in a game on his phone, seemingly trying to distract himself from the tension in the room. Rosalie, on the other hand, sat in a chair off to the side, her expression sour as she brooded over what had transpired. Carlisle hoped that Rosalie would come to see vampire Bella in a different light, something she had denied human Bella.
As Carlisle's gaze shifted to Esme, he could see the anguish etched on her face. She sat on the loveseat, wringing her hands together, as if willing herself to stay calm. He knew she wanted nothing more than to rush upstairs and make everything better for Bella, but she understood that this was something beyond her control.
With his arm still draped over Edward's shoulder, Carlisle gave him a small nudge to indicate they should join the rest of the family for the long wait ahead.
Esme stood up to greet Carlisle with a worried expression, giving him a tight hug before they sat down together on the sofa.
"What's going on, Carlisle? How is Bella?" she asked, her concern evident in her voice as she had heard Carlisle and Edwards conversation on the third floor.
"Bella has started the transformation, and she's handling the pain better than I've ever seen before. She's going to be just fine, my love," Carlisle said, reassuring her.
Emmett looked up from his phone, grinning widely. "I knew Bella was tough, but damn! Can't wait to wrestle with her when she wakes up."
Jasper shook his head, "Emmett, please be cautious. Newborns are notoriously uncontrollable, and I've seen new vampires rip off other vampires' heads when annoyed right after their transformation. Let's give Bella some time to adjust before we start making any demands of her."
Rosalie, who had been silent until now, spoke up with an angry tone. "You stay away from her, Emmett! I like your head right where it belongs," she said, emphasizing her words with a sharp glare.
Alice sat quietly, her usual bubbly nature dampened by her inability to see anything beyond Bella's imminent transformation. She chewed on her lower lip, a worried expression marring her usually serene features. "It's very strange," she finally said, breaking the silence. "I'm not getting any visions of Bella as a vampire. Everything in three days seems to be a blank right now. I'm getting worried, Jasper. Bella was fine in my visions yesterday."
Jasper placed a comforting hand on Alice's shoulder. "Alice, you know your visions are based on decisions. I know for a fact that a newborn can barely think a clear thought when they first wake up. I'm sure that's what's clouding what you see. Remember, you had visions of Bella as a vampire when we first met her. That should reassure you."
Alice looked down, a shadow of uncertainty crossing her face. "Those visions all changed over the years that we've known Bella. Our actions and decisions changed, and what I saw in those visions will never come to pass. The vampire Bella I saw in those visions was much younger than the 19 1/2-year-old Bella that we know today."
Carlisle spoke up, sensing the tension in the air. "Then it is this Bella that we will love and support as she makes her way into the world. Not many humans get the chance to know what is happening to them before the change. Bella is the most prepared person to become a vampire I have ever heard of, and she chose this outcome for herself. I think that will have a significant effect on her."
Jasper nodded in agreement, his eyes closing as he focused on Bella's emotions. "I can feel Bella's emotions right now. They're all over the place. She's spiraling constantly through the usual pain and fear, but I also feel other emotions like excitement and anticipation. It's like she's trying to constantly grab ahold and control how she feels during the change. I've never felt that before from one becoming a vampire."
Rosalie snorted, her face twisted in a scowl. "Typical Bella. Always eager to rush in without thinking of the consequences. She does not realize all she's giving up. I still don't understand why we had to do this."
Carlisle sighed patiently. "Because she wanted this, Rosalie. And don't forget, the Volturi demanded it as well. We got very lucky that their only condition was Bella had to become a vampire. We all know we broke the law when we left Bella. The outcome of our leaving could have been much graver for all of us."
Esme turned to Edward, noticing his downtrodden expression. "Edward, how are you feeling right now?"
Edward shook his head, worry evident in his expression. "I really don't know how to feel. Everyone's thoughts are bombarding me, and it's all mixed up. I'm trying to stay positive, thinking that we get Bella for eternity, but I can't stop thinking about her. Vampire life is not for everyone. What if she's unhappy? There are just so many things that could go wrong."
Carlisle placed a reassuring hand on Edward's shoulder. "We'll be here for her, Edward. We'll help her adjust and support her no matter what."
The Cullens continued to talk quietly amongst themselves, lost in their own thoughts about Bella's transformation. The day went by slowly, and they didn't hear a sound from upstairs.
As the second day dawned, the Cullens were startled by a sudden crash followed by music coming from upstairs. They exchanged curious glances before making their way up the stairs to check on Bella.
Edward's expression was clouded with concern as they entered the room. The radio on the desk had fallen to the floor, which had turned it on. It was playing the song "White Rabbit". Edward picked up the radio, studying it for any clues as to how it had fallen, before turning it off and placing it back on the desk. "How did this even happen?" he muttered to himself.
The rest of the Cullens turned their attention to Bella, who was still lying in bed, seemingly at peace. Although it had only been a day since her transformation, they could tell that she hadn't changed much physically, but they knew that the real transformation was happening internally.
"I feel a great amount of determination coming from Bella. It's like she's trying to drown out the pain. It's very impressive," Jasper commented, intrigued by Bella's resolve.
"She looks so peaceful. One might think that she's just sleeping," Alice observed.
Carlisle, noticing the concern etched on Edward's face, suggested they go downstairs and wait some more. "It's still early in her transformation, and we don't want to disturb her. Let's give her some more time." The Cullens nodded in agreement before quietly making their way back downstairs, leaving Bella to continue her transformation in peace.
