Part II 'The Aftermath of Hell'
Chapter 6
The Cullens raced for their lives, they just made it out the front door as the house exploded with them dodging flames and debris as they sprinted to outside the blast radius. As the debris reigned down in front of them they stood stunned as they took in the utter destruction. Esme and Alice looked like they were on the verge of tears if it was possible thinking the worst in regards to Bella's fate. Rosalie held Emmett tightly, her face buried in his chest. Edward stood frozen, unable to move, while Carlisle and Jasper tried to make sense of what had happened.
As the smoke started to blow away and debris continued to fall, Jasper's eagle eyes caught something he couldn't believe. "Look!" he yelled, pointing up towards where the third floor of their house had been. Everyone turned to look. Despite the smoke and dust still swirling in the air, they could see Bella's figure, suspended in mid-air, her eyes closed.
The Cullens gasped, stunned and speechless. Edward screamed Bella's name in either worry or relief; it was hard to tell. As she opened her eyes and locked gazes with Edward, she started to float down to the ground effortlessly, landing near them she made no other movements.
Edward rushed towards her, likely to hug her, but it set off Bella's newborn instincts, before Bella could attack Edward or for Edward to reach Bella there was a load bang and Edward was thrown backward through the air at a fast clip and hit a tree on the other side of the clearing, knocking it down with him.
Jasper knew he had to act fast to calm Bella down. "Bella, everything is okay. I know it's confusing. I want you to close your eyes and listen to my voice," he said calmly. Bella looked at him and closed her eyes, listening carefully to Jasper's voice.
"You are safe, you are with your family, and no one will harm you. Breathe deeply and try to relax. When you're ready to speak with us, let us know," Jasper continued.
After about 10 minutes of deep breathing, Bella opened her eyes, looking at them cautiously. "Hi, guys," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Jasper spoke slowly. "Bella, how is your memory? Do you know us? Do you understand what has happened to you?"
Bella looked at Jasper, puzzled. "Of course, I remember all of you. You're my family, and hopefully, after all that pain, I'm a vampire." She smiled weakly, but her expression turned serious as she looked around. "What happened to the house? What happened to Edward?"
Carlisle spoke up. "We're not sure, Bella, but it seems that you're gifted, we just need to figure out what type of power you have."
Bella looked around nervously and her words came out in a stutter: "I-I destroyed your home?"
Bella looked like she was about to go into a panic but before that happened Esme stepped in, placing a gentle hand on Bella's shoulder. "The house doesn't matter, Bella. You're what matters. You're part of our family. We can rebuild the house. You're what's important."
Bella's breathing evened out as she took in Esme's words. Carlisle, seeing that she was calm now, suggested they go hunt for her first meal. Bella thought about it for a moment. She didn't feel hungry, but she knew that if Carlisle suggested it, it must be the right thing to do. She agreed, and they took off into the forest, with Bella following closely behind, slowly getting the hang of vampire travel.
As they heard the first heartbeats of animals in the distance, Carlisle's mind was filled with concern for Bella's upcoming year as a newborn vampire. He knew that the first year was always the most difficult, especially for those who possessed unusual abilities like Bella. Her power was so immense that it had already destroyed their house upon her awakening, leaving Carlisle to wonder what else she was capable of. He couldn't help but worry about the potential danger that she posed to both herself and those around her. Although he trusted her to be careful, he knew that newborns were notorious for their lack of control. He hoped that Bella would be an exception to the rule and gain mastery over her power quickly. He knew that it was crucial for their family's survival and for Bella's own safety. He vowed to be there for her every step of the way and guide her through this challenging time, no matter what it took. Only time would tell.
