Chapter 31: Confirmation and Resolve

Faye POV

I was talking to the Cullens when suddenly I felt water on my back.

No.

Not water.

Tears.

Robyn was crying again.

"Robyn?" I said softly, turning my head slightly to the side to attempt to glance at her. No response. "Robyn?" I tried again, louder this time, and felt her body jolt slightly.

I thought we had talked about this already. I'd said everything I could think of to reassure her, to calm her fears, but none of it seemed to stick. Every time I thought we'd made progress, she would slip back into that spiral of doubt and insecurity. I didn't know what else to say, how else to show her that she was enough, that she was loved. But I had to try more.

Just when I was about to mind-link her, I was suddenly lifted from her lap at vampire speed, and placed gently on someone else's. Strong arms pulled me close, and the familiar scent of wood and campfires filled my senses.

Emmett.

I was on Emmett's lap.

I relaxed a little, sinking into his hold. I glanced up to find him looking down at me, his usual smile slipping into something more worried as he turned his gaze back across the room.

What was he looking at?

Then it hit me.

Robyn!

I quickly turned toward Robyn. She was on Rosalie's lap now, curled up, trembling as Rosalie rubbed her back in soothing circles. Rosalie must have moved me. As I continued to stare at Robyn and Rosalie, I realized something.

I couldn't fully reassure Robyn because what she really needed was our parents' comfort. Only they could ease her worries since it was their opinion she was most concerned about. I hope that she will talk to them though. I had a feeling that I might need to give a little push or nudge.

I looked back at Emmett. It seemed like he also wanted to help but wasn't sure how. I gently gripped his shirt grabbing his attention. Once I had it, I gave him what I hoped to be a reassuring smile which he returned with a greatful one. I glanced around and realized the rest of the Cullens had left, leaving only me, Robyn, Emmett, and Rosalie in the room.

Emmett and I looked over to see Robyn calming down. It seemed like she realized who she was sitting on, but before she could freak out, Rosalie gave her a tender look and gently wiped the tears from her cheeks, her voice soft and comforting.

"Are you okay, little bird?"

Oh my god, 'Little bird?' My heart twisted at the tenderness in Rosalie's voice. How could Robyn not see that they cared? That they wanted her? The look on Rosalie's face, the way she held Robyn, it was so clear. I hoped that they would get through to her that they wanted her too. I know they did.

When I told them that Robyn's string changed color, it was very obvious that they assumed that it hadn't changed for them. I could see the devastation and disappointment on their faces as they attempted to see Robyn who was hidden behind my back at the time.

Rosalie's voice broke through my thoughts. "Little bird?" she repeated softly. "Talk to me. It's okay."

Robyn seemed to freeze for a moment before bursting into tears again. She shakes her head before burying her face in Rosalie's shoulder again. Her sobs were muffled, but the anguish in her trembling body was impossible to miss. Rosalie continued to rub her back, her movements slow and deliberate, as if trying to will the pain away through touch alone.

"Shh, it's alright," Rosalie murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "Whatever you're feeling, we'll figure it out together, but I can't help unless you tell me what's going on. Talk to me, little bird."

I watched, helpless, my heart heavy. I wish I could take the doubt away. It is hard seeing her like this. Robyn always tries to help me with my problems but when it comes to hers, she tries to carry everything on her own. Sure, sometimes she leans on me but that's when everything is getting to her and she can't take it anymore and it all comes falling out. Like when you overstuff a closet with junk but one day everything falls out on top of you and you don't know what to do. She needs more people to lean on than just me and Ivy. I'm happy Rosalie and Emmett are her parental bonds, as well. Our parents, their support, that's what she truly needed right now.

Emmett squeezed me gently, his silent support grounding me. His arms were hard and solid but somehow there was some softness and comfort which made me curl into his arms.

Robyn's sobs quieted, turning into soft sniffles. She peeked up at Rosalie, her eyes swollen and red. "Sorry… I ruined your shirt," she whispered hoarsely.

Rosalie shook her head, her expression firm. "You didn't ruin anything. I have plenty of shirts." She tenderly wiped away the remaining tears. "Now, are you ready to talk?" Robyn looks down but hesitantly nods her head.

It was quiet for a moment. I could tell that no one knew how to start the conversation so I took it upon myself. However before I could, Robyn whispered a sentence that broke my heart.

Robyn peeked up at Rosalie, her voice small and fragile. "Are you disappointed in me?"

Rosalie blinked, her expression shifting to shock. "Disappointed?" she repeated, quickly shaking her head. "No! How could I ever be disappointed in you? What makes you think that? Because you cried?" Her tone softened, gentle but firm. "Everyone cries, Robyn. It's okay."

Robyn dropped her gaze, shaking her head slightly. "No… not because I cried." She hesitated, her voice trembling. "When Faye said my string changed color. You and Emmett—you both looked so… devastated. I thought maybe you hated me. I—I've been so scared that I ruined everything before I even said a word. My head just… filled with anxious thoughts."

Rosalie's face softened with understanding, but she shook her head more firmly this time, leaning closer.

"No, sweetheart, I'm not disappointed in you." She looks over to Emmett and they share a sad look. "Emmett and I were disappointed in something else, not you." I could see the tension from Robyn's shoulders relax.

Are you going to tell them? I asked gently.

Robyn flinched at the question, her body tensing, but Rosalie's hand moved in soothing circles on her back, calming her again.

"I want to," Robyn whispered, her voice shaky in my mind. "But how do you even begin to tell someone something like this? How do I start that conversation?"

Do you want help? I offered. I can start it for you, but the rest will have to come from you. Let me know when you're ready. No rush.

Robyn waited for a moment, then gave me a small, tentative nod, indicating that she was ready.

I took a deep breath, trying to find the right words to say.

This was it.

"Um, Rosalie? Emmett?" My voice was soft and quiet but they still heard me as their heads turned towards me. I felt myself become nervous but I held strong.

For Robyn.

"Robyn wants to tell you something," I began, my voice steady but soft. Both Rosalie and Emmett immediately shifted their attention to Robyn, their expressions filled with concern and curiosity. I could feel the tension rolling off Robyn, her body rigid against Rosalie's embrace before Rosalie rubbed her back making her relax.

I swallowed and continued, giving Robyn a reassuring glance. "She's worried about how you'll react when she tells you. It's about her string."

Rosalie's brows furrowed in confusion, and Emmett shuffled forward slightly, his eyes flickering with a mix of worry and protectiveness. The room grew quiet, the weight of the moment settling in.

Robyn shifted anxiously, her eyes glued to the couch. "I—I don't know how to say this," she whispered.

"Take your time, it's okay," Rosalie replied softly. "There's no rush." Robyn nodded her head before closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. When she exhaled, she still seemed nervous but more determined. That's when I knew she was ready.

Rosalie POV

When we learned that Robyn was Faye's bond sister and that Faye was our bond child, everything clicked into place. A part of me had claimed them as ours before I could even understand why. I wanted—both of them. I wanted both of them so desperately.

I could still remember the wave of devastation that Emmett and I felt when we first heard about her string gaining color. It felt as though the ground had shifted beneath us as if the universe itself was revealing a truth we weren't prepared to confront.

What if she didn't belong to us? What if she belonged to someone else?

I didn't think I could handle that. I already felt a connection to Robyn, a deep connection to her—a bond I couldn't quite explain. When Robyn sassed back at me, I felt a mix of amusement and pride. It was like looking at a younger version of myself, and I couldn't help but almost smile.

I was relieved—happy even—that she wasn't afraid of me anymore, she was different from how she used to act around us.

She's changed.

When she acted like "Bella," she was so quiet, so meek, always with her head down. But in the past, every now and then, I could've sworn I caught her rolling her eyes whenever Edward wasn't looking. It was subtle—so quick that I often second-guessed myself, wondering if I'd imagined it. The moment would vanish as soon as it appeared, and she'd slip back into her usual self, leaving me unsure if I'd really seen that spark of rebellion.

Now I know why, that was Robyn not "Bella."

I could still feel the memory of Carlisle raising his voice, making Faye and Robyn jump. I'd nearly leaped up to confront him right then and there, but Emmett's hand closed around mine, grounding me before I did something rash. Instead, I shot Carlisle a glare that could have burned through stone.

When I saw her cry and start to tremble hiding behind Faye, I couldn't help but want to comfort her. I knew Emmett felt the same, but I acted first. I picked up Faye and gently placed her on Emmett's lap before she knew what was happening.

Hearing Robyn let out a whimper, I quickly went back to the couch and gently pulled Robyn onto my lap, as soon as I did she tucked her head into my shoulder while gripping the sides of my shirt as if it were her lifeline. I began to rub soothing circles on her back, doing everything I could to offer her the comfort she needed.

As I held her close, I noticed that she smelt similar to Faye who smelled like the wilderness and old books like a library. Robyn also smelled like the forest but instead of a library, she smelt like vanilla, both were warm and comforting.

God, I wanted her to belong to us so badly. I silently begged the universe—Liam, anyone who would listen—pleading for her to stay, to be ours, to be part of our family.

I knew I was being selfish, but at that moment, I couldn't bring myself to care. I already had Faye, our bond daughter, but I wanted Robyn too. Deep down, in my bones, I felt that it was meant to be—that she belonged with us, just as much as Faye did.

When I called her "little bird," it was pure instinct. I didn't regret it. It suited her perfectly, and the way she responded to it told me everything I needed to know. She didn't mind—it was her name now.

I knew Emmett would start throwing nicknames at her soon. Robyn would have to brace herself for the onslaught of endearing names that he would create, though I was certain she'd handle it just fine.

But then, when she looked up at me with those wide, uncertain eyes and asked if we were disappointed in her, it nearly broke me. I thought it was because she had been crying, so I quickly reassured her that it was okay to cry and that we weren't disappointed in her for that. But she shook her head and explained that she saw the disappointment on our faces and assumed she had ruined everything.

I quickly reassured her that we were disappointed but for different reasons. The weight of those words seemed to ease the tension in her body, and I watched as she slowly relaxed in my arms.

Suddenly, Faye told us that Robyn wanted to tell us something. Something about her string. I looked down at Robyn in my lap. I was curious about what she was going to say about her string. My curiosity gnawed at me. I hoped she would say what I was thinking but I didn't want to get my hopes up. I wasn't sure if I was ready to hear that she wasn't ours, but when I saw Robyn tense up again, my worries faded into the background.

"I—I don't know how to say this," she whispered. I gently rubbed her back, my touch slow and reassuring, whispering, "Take your time, there's no rush." She gave a small nod, drawing in a deep breath. Her eyes flicked up briefly, meeting Emmett's and mine, before dropping back down towards the couch as she tried to steady herself.

"Well… when I was explaining the different types of bonds—the pink for mate bonds, yellow for sibling bonds, and blue for parental bonds—I realized something," she hesitated for a moment, glancing at us nervously. "The string that connects me to you and Emmett... it wasn't colorless anymore. It had a color."

A string connecting us? I felt a surge of hope and excitement. I quickly glanced over at Emmett, and the look in his eyes mirrored my own. Could this mean what I think it means?!

No. Don't get ahead of yourself. You need to be sure.

I need get all the information before I start celebrating.

I took a deep breath before asking. "A string that connects the three of us?" She nods. "It didn't have color before? What color is it now?"

Robyn's hands fidgeted nervously. "Blue. It's blue now," she whispered.

?!

Blue. Parental bond. I felt the realization hit me all at once, and without thinking, I pulled Robyn into a tight hug. I could see Emmett's face light up with joy, understanding what that color meant.

I closed my eyes, relief washing over me like a tide finally retreating. This was it. This was what we had feared might never happen, and yet it felt like it had been inevitable from the start. She was ours—truly, undeniably ours. In my mind, I sent a silent thanks to the universe, to Liam, to whatever force had made this possible.

Thank you universe, Liam, whoever made this happen, thank you!

I felt Robyn shuffle around to glance up at me. When I looked at her, I could see the confusion in her eyes. "Y-you're not mad?"

Mad? Why would I be mad?

"Mad? No, sweetheart. Why would we be mad? This is everything we've been hoping for. Ever since we found out your string changed color, we've wanted this. We were so afraid it might've been for someone else."

Robyn's lip trembled, her eyes welling with fresh tears. "You… you guys really want me? For real?"

I smiled softly, brushing a stray strand of hair behind Robyn's ear. "Always, little bird. You're ours, and you always will be."

At that, she buried her face into the crook of my neck, and her warm tears hit my shirt. Her hands trembling gripped the sides of my shirt. I attempted to soothe her by rubbing circles on her back.

"I'm sorry I didn't say anything sooner," she mumbled, her voice muffled against my shirt. "I was scared you wouldn't want me, or that you'd keep me away from Faye."

I held her tighter, my hand still rubbing soothing circles on her back. "Shh, you don't have to apologize, little bird. We would never keep you away from Faye. Never. She's your sister! You belong with us, both of you."

Emmett approached Faye, sleeping soundly in his arms. "Rosie's right," he said softly, his deep voice filled with warmth. "We've wanted you with us from the start. You're stuck with us now, kid. No running away, no escaping," he teased gently, though the sincerity behind his words was undeniable. "We're not letting you go."

A small laugh escaped her, muffled by my shoulder. Robyn's body relaxed a little more at that, and I felt her nod against my neck, her fingers slowly loosening their grip on my shirt. I could tell she was exhausted.

"Good," I whispered, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "Because we're never letting you go."

Emmett chuckled softly, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Now that that's settled, I'm going to have to come up with a dozen new nicknames for you, little bird. Gotta keep you on your toes."

Robyn lifted her head just enough to give him a mock glare, her lips twitching at the corners. "You better not."

"Oh, I will," Emmett grinned. "I can't keep calling you Swan girl anymore. Just you wait. I already have some in mind."

She rolled her eyes, but there was a softness in her expression now, a comfort in the way she leaned into me as if some of the weight she had been carrying had finally lifted. She was still scared—there was no denying that—but in this moment, she believed us. She believed she was ours.

And that was all I could ever ask for.

She let out a soft yawn, her eyes drooping as her head lolled against my shoulder, her effort to stay awake faltering. I glanced over at Emmett, and he met my eyes with a knowing nod, understanding passing between us without a word.

I gently brushed her hair out of her face, my fingers lingering for a moment. "Little bird," I murmured softly, "I think it's time for bed."

She gave a faint shake of her head, protesting without words, but her eyes stayed closed, betraying her exhaustion. Her grip on staying awake was slipping, even as she tried to resist. I let out a chuckle. "Robyn, sweetheart, you are obviously tired, why don't you want to go to sleep? Don't you want to sleep in a nice warm bed?"

She shook her head again, muttering softly, "What if I go to bed and you guys aren't here? What if I wake up and it's all a dream? I'm tired of waking up and no one being home."

At first, her words made me happy—knowing she wanted us close when she woke up—but when she said that last part, a pang of concern hit me.

Tired of waking up alone?

What does that mean?

I turned back to ask, but by then, she had already drifted off to sleep, her breathing steady and peaceful.

I exchanged a worried glance with Emmett. He shook his head and shrugged. "Nothing we can do right now. We can ask her in the morning. Right now, let's get these kids to sleep." He tilted his over to Faye who was drooling and looked like she was about to roll off his lap.

I let out a chuckle and nodded my head as I made a mental note to take her to get a haircut as I leaned over and moved some of Faye's bangs out of her face. I could see the light scar on her cheek from the fight with that redhead vampire. Thinking of that fight made me both proud and angry. I took a deep breath before standing up with Robyn in my arms as Emmett did the same with Faye. Robyn let out a small noise before she tucked her head into my shoulder. We walked up the stairs into our shared room and quickly tucked them into the bed.

As soon as we did, Robyn laid on her back and Faye immediately snuggled on top of her, resting her head on Robyn's chest. Robyn let out a soft, contented sigh, wrapping her arms around Faye and pulling her close with a small smile as Faye nuzzled into her, making herself perfectly cozy.

I held my hand up to my mouth as I felt like sobbing, tears welled up in my eyes that would never fall. Emmett pulled me into a hug.

I can't believe we had two daughters.

Two.

They are both adorable. Adorable and ours.

I don't care how old they were in their past lives. That doesn't change a thing. They're still our babies, and they always will be. It's clear they need love, and that's exactly what we'll give them. Always.

Thinking back to how I scoffed at Robyn when she first arrived with Faye, still in squirrel form, guilt washed over me. I had been in a foul mood with our bear gone for a week, and it was wearing me down. Without realizing it, I'd taken it out on her. She must have been so scared. I will have to apologize to her tomorrow.

Then Robyn's words about Edward watching her through window flashed through my mind, sparking a fierce resolve. My guilt shifted into a fierce, protective anger. I turned to Emmett, my expression hard with determination. He seemed to remember the same thing, giving me a firm nod. Together, we glanced back at our girls.

I won't let anything happen to them.

If Edward so much as breathes in their direction the wrong way...

My firm grip tightened on Emmett's shoulder.

Nothing will stop me—not even Carlisle.