*If you're interested, *covers face and peeks between fingers*, I made a trailer video for this and posted it on YouTube. Search for my penname there and my account should come up.

16.

"And yet, remarkably, he left no trace of venom when he did," Carlisle murmurs. "Otherwise, you would have also changed."

The revelation silences the room.

"I may be able to help," Alice says, hesitant. "You see, some of us have … gifts."

"Gifts?" My eyes flit around the room before returning to Alice.

She nods. "I can see the future." A pause. "Well—"

My spine straightens. My skin tingles. Possibilities of how to use her gift to find Edward flood my mind. "The future?"

"Yes, but it's limited. I can only see what will happen after someone makes a decision. And unless I know the person, my visions are … cloudy in a way. Like you," she says with a soft smile. "I could see you, or a version of you, coming to our home, meeting with us. But I didn't know why until I met you. And since I don't know Edward, my visions of what he may do will be unclear, as well."

Jasper steps up behind his wife. "And as a newborn—"

"A newborn?" I ask, confused.

"It's what we call vampires who were just turned. Newborns are very instinctual in the early days. They have a singular focus. It's why I'm amazed he was able to stop himself from draining you. They're driven almost solely by their thirst."

"Blood," I whisper.

He nods. "Edward is new to this life, and we don't know how he's been led into it. He may have stayed with his sire, or he may have left to find his own way. As a newborn, his decisions aren't going to be thought out. He's going to be impulsive. So, not having a basic read on him to begin with, it may be close to impossible for Alice to see what he'll do. I don't want you to get your hopes up."

"I understand."

And I do.

"After all," Alice says, "you need to be ready for when he comes home. And you can't do that if you're curled up in bed, thinking the worst."

Instead of dwelling on the what-ifs, I focus on myself. With the Cullens now in my life, I'm constantly reminded to take care of myself. So, instead of continuing to wallow, I make an effort to live my life. I get up every morning and get dressed. Alice visits almost daily. She takes it upon herself to plan my maternity wardrobe, too. Esme prepares meals and makes sure I'm eating. Jasper checks in with me daily and lets me talk about whatever's weighing on my mind. Even Carlisle is there, checking the baby every time I see him.

I'm rarely alone.

I become a regular fixture at the Cullens' home. Carlisle and Jasper spend all of their free time searching—calling, emailing, and even visiting friends and acquaintances—for Edward. I've found a good friend in Alice and a motherly figure in Esme.

All of them are exactly what I need right now.

But they're not who I really want.