Capítulo 7: Bella is here .....
"Telekinesis," Carlisle breathed, writing notes faster than I could keep up with my eyes while mom continued to soothe my irritation with affection. "The first recorded case!"
"Like being able to move things with her mind?" Jacob questioned, watching as Edward picked himself slowly off the floor and the cracks littering his skin healed; albeit slowly.
"Telekinesis is connected to the mind. It can be activated and controlled through conscious effort and concentration, willpower and emotion on a particular level of intensity, or through discipline and serenity."
Dad snorted, "I'd say that display was pure emotion and willpower." He smirked eyeing the still destroyed wall.
"Her eyes." Uncle Jasper narrowed his as he studied me. "The violet in them...they were glowing?"
"Our own eye color changes based on our emotions... the potency of the violet in her eyes must signify she is tapping into one of her 'gifts'."
"One of them?" Alice questioned.
"According to the myths, they possess multiple 'gifts'. The potential is unlimited after witnessing Graciela possessing Telekinesis. They could get all the collective powers or only a few of them. Tactile thought projection is their other 'gift'. The ability to project his or her thoughts into another person's mind in the form of vivid pictures, thoughts or feeling through physical touch." At this point I was sure he was more muttering to himself more than he was to any of us. Suddenly he stood, only to disappear and reappear with a tape measure in his hands.
"I want to keep track of their growth, since we have no other way to know which potential growth pattern they will follow." I remembered this from the books and movies; Renesmee hated this process.
Edward grabbed Renesmee from Jacob while Mom nodded slowly and followed him into the kitchen. Sensing mom's hesitance at the situation, Carlisle motioned for Edward to go first. Edward laid Renesmee on the dining room table while Esme held her still.
"Okay Renesmee," Carlisle spoke softly when he noticed her unease. 'Uncomfortable. Apprehension.' I could feel Renesmee's emotions despite Carlisle's attempts to calm her. "I need you to stay very still, okay? I just need to use this tape measure to see how big you are."
It did soothe her some that he had taken the time to explain what was happening, but she was quickly getting agitated. Especially when Carlisle would manipulate her legs and arms to stretch as far as they could. It didn't help that, in an effort to be extra thorough, Carlisle was working at a human pace.
{Gracie!} She whined at me, turning pleading chocolate eyes onto me. {Throw him too.}
I couldn't contain the surprise snort that left me. I just held myself back from calling her out on her hypocrisy. {I'm not going to throw him for measuring you!}
{But whyyyyyyyyyyyy?} She continued to whine, though this time annoyed grunts left her lips.
{Because it isn't hurting you. Besides, I'll be going next.}
That caused her to still and look at me with her head tilted. Whatever she was going to say was interrupted by Carlisle.
"Alright. Now, Rosalie, if you will." He motioned to the table while Esme lifted Renesmee. Mom reluctantly laid me down on the table and held me down instead of Esme. The entire time she whispered soft words of encouragement and support in my ear while he took his time with me.
When he signaled, he was finished and turned his attention back to his notebook; mom lifted me again and we waited, impatiently, for the results. That's to say, mom and Jacob were waiting impatiently. Jacob was staring a hole through Carlisle's head; Mom's eyes were slowly getting darker with her 'irritation. Impatience. Nervousness.'
"Renesmee..." Carlisle mumbled mostly to himself, earning a low but irritated growl from deep in Jacob's chest. Carlisle either didn't hear him or chose to ignore him. He turned toward Renesmee with a gentle caress of her head almost like he was explaining it to her instead of to anyone else. " – Renesmee is roughly the size of a three-month-old though is already beginning to sprout several teeth." The irritated shifter nodded once at the information with a furrow in his brow. Surprisingly, or not, Edward stayed in the room but allowed Jacob to hold Renesmee.
"Our little Gracie on the other hand." Carlisle smiled a kind smile in my direction, reaching out to bop my tiny nose with his larger finger. I couldn't help the giggle that arose at the action. Moms 'Impatience.' Hadn't left but it did manage to soothe some of her irritation. It was replaced with 'adoration. affection.' "She is growing much slower; along with the absence of teeth, she is the size of a week-old newborn. That doesn't account for her advanced features which we can pass off as a result of her vampiric side."
"Why are they growing separately?" Jacob asked; nee demanded, at the exact same time mom asked. "Should we be concerned about their growth patterns?" They exchanged a slightly hostile glare afterward that caused Dad and Uncle Jasper to snicker in amusement. Even Esme and Alice smirked at each other. I wanted to join but my instincts still didn't trust Jacob enough for that, I instead watched his every move like a hawk. If he went for anything more substantial to show his hostility, I was sure that I could intervene and this time someone would be walking away with broken bones.
"I don't know why they are growing separately." Carlisle sat his notebook down, choosing instead to lean against the table. His arms crossed over his chest with a furrow of concentration in his brow. He didn't seem to enjoy the fact that he didn't know something. "Renesmee is growing much like the Dhampir myths depiction." For whatever reason Carlisle chose to answer Jacob first and I pushed all the 'Love. Affection. Patience.' I could hold in my 'week old' body when mom showed just a hint of baring her teeth at the shifter because of it. "As I said before; full maturity should be reached seven to eight years after her birth – though it will dramatically speed up and then slow down, again. In a perfect world she would age 2 years per one, but I imagine it will be a bit more substantial than that and then taper off toward the end."
Jacob didn't look pleased at having such a shifty answer full of ifs and maybes. While Carlisle had a lot more information than he did in canon, they still had no guarantees. Everything was myth and legend - happenstance and speculation. They had no experience with hybrids and that hindered them, greatly, even now.
"As for it being a cause for concern." Carlisle turned his attention onto mom, a slight apologetic smile when he saw her scowl. "Graciela, unsurprisingly, is leaning more toward the Nephilim depiction. If she continues on this path she will grow fairly naturally until she reaches maturity. Somewhere between 18 and 21. After that she should simply stop. I don't think we should be concerned about either of their growth until we have more information."
Mom was pacified by that and the hope that bloomed in her chest easily matched mine.
******
As a collective we all seemed to gravitate back toward the living room. Esme carrying two bottles as we went. I had seen a bit of the process; half parts milk and half parts human blood (from a blood bag) and then put into a machine that I assumed warmed it to the proper temperature for a newborn. My mouth was watering before the timer had even gone off. I couldn't help but stare in the direction of it. I was ravenous. Was this how newborn vampires felt when they got hungry? It was very much like a switch. One second, I was fine; the very next, I could drain several humans... literally.
"Can .... " Alice faltered, fidgeting uncharacteristically in the doorway between the living room and the dining room. Esme handed mom my bottle with a few of her fingers running through my hair as she did so before she moved onto Renesmee and then averted her eyes toward the cracked wall. Carlisle joined her a second later and they took to hushed whispers that I assumed was more to give Alice a semblance of solitude than anything else.
Uncle Jasper gave Alice's shoulder a reassuring squeeze before he moved to stand beside Dad who was setting up what looked to be a ps3. They had each turned their back to us; again, to give the allusion of privacy. To my surprise, it was Jacob who stood back but chose to watch the interaction.
"Can I hold Gracie, Rose?" Her voice was smaller and hesitant, her subdued golden eyes shifting this way and that; unable to remain eye contact for longer than a few seconds.
Mom stared one of her unnerving, unblinking stares. Some sort of unspoken war going on inside of her between herself and her beast. She gently removed my hand from her neck, as she usually did when she broke our connection prematurely; she placed a gentle kiss on the back. While I wanted to know just what she was feeling, I didn't want to push.
What had sleep caused me to miss this time?
It was my stomach growling that caused Mom to break out of her internal struggle. With a soft huff and a slight frown, she reluctantly handed me to Alice and gave her my bottle. She moved to the rocking chair she usually sat with me in and crossed her legs while her fingers tapped restlessly against the wooden arms. She clearly wasn't happy or comfortable with her own decision; so why did she do it? I hated the loss of access to her emotions; the cheat sheet I had to always know how to make her feel better.
Alice walked to the couch, slowly and carefully. She sat directly across from Mom, ensuring that she could see me. It took her a few seconds to get into a position that was comfortable for both of us and when my eyes found Moms' again – something was different.
She no longer fidgeted. No longer moved restlessly. Instead, she was as still as a statue, her face such a hard mask of severity, a terrifyingly beautiful porcelain doll. A hauntingly stunning guardian angel. Smoldering and piercing golden eyes, that seemed to burn as bright as the embers of an unforgiving fire, stared at my aunt with a blazing passion and fierce intensity. They almost seemed to dare the pixie to make a move she didn't approve of.
From the subtle but shaky intake of breath Alice took; I knew without needing anyone to tell me she was afraid of my mom. I didn't blame her. If I didn't know that look was aimed at Alice because of me. To protect me. Because Mom didn't trust her with me. I would have been terrified too.
It was just as I was falling asleep that I realized it wasn't Mom that was watching us at all; but the vampire inside of her.
**********
When I woke once more, I was surprised to find that I wasn't actually in anyone's arms. I was under the impression that they all just took turns holding us; though judging by the restlessness I could practically taste on my tongue....we had missed something, again. We were lying in a pink sheer organza basinet with a bold black trim. A veil flowed from the hood and an overly large pink bow finished off the look – placed directly in the front.
It was almost comforting. The tranquility and quietude of the forest that lingered on the edge of the property. It must have been why they faced us this way; I could feel Renesmee's soft puffs of breath on the back of my neck from where her body was curled around mine. An attempt to protect us from what lingered just behind us.
The quiet extended just a little too long. Long enough to feel demoralizing; until with a shuttered sigh I heard Alice whisper... "I'm sorry." Her voice was as gruff and hoarse as I imagined a vampire's voice could get. "I don't – I." A choked exhale and a shuttered breath. "I have no true excuse, do I?"
My mom sighed. A long, suffering, and drawn-out sound. She sounded much too tired for someone who couldn't sleep and I ached to take that away from her. My heart stuttering just a bit. "It's fine." Curt. Cold. Aloof. Distant. I didn't need to read her emotions to hear them in her voice.
"It's not. I know – I alienated you; Jasper says Gracie isn't even comfortable around me anymore." A choked sob. A sniff and clearing of her throat with a deep breath. "I didn't mean too... I – I was so sure that Graciela would – "
A low and slightly threatening growl had Alice stopping abruptly. "I get it." It was snarled, forced out between grit teeth. A warning. An out.
A beat of stillness. "Just let me apologize, damn it!" Alice hissed with a barely concealed snarl. Her voice filled with vexation and misplaced rage.
A non-existent breeze caused the bow to sway and I knew the room was now, full. The house moving in closer; anticipating what? A fight? Had they already fought?
"I fucking get it, Alice!" A much louder snarl; the windows shaking a bit due to its force. I didn't need our connection to know just how angry my mom was. "I do! I got my dream at the expanse of your precious, Bella." I could hear the sneer in her voice and I was sure whatever relationship they had built prior to my existence would likely no longer exist. "But she's mine. Not yours, not Edwards and absolutely not Bella's!" Another growl. This one territorial and possessive. My fingers twitched with the need to reach out for her but I felt like they needed this.
More Silence. A pin could drop and I was sure I'd be able to hear it; and not just because of my advanced hearing.
"I know. I do. I understand now." Pleading. For... forgiveness, maybe?
A humorless chuckle. "Do you? Can you even begin to sympathize? Can you imagine what it was like to see Bella living out my dream? To know that human – that human who was willing to throw everything a human life could give her away; was going to get something she didn't even want." That same pain was present in my mother's voice and my chest once again, ached. "Do you know what it was like to see her? To see my baby look at me like I personally created the earth? Like I hung the moon from the stars? With this twinkling devotion in her eyes that I craved but feared? How horribly it was going to hurt when that look was directed toward Bella and no longer me..." A whispered admission. One I nearly snarled at. As if I would ever look at anyone like that aside from my mom!
"I – "
"But she didn't. She won't. She's mine. She chose me." Mom continued as if Alice hadn't spoken a word. "She gave my immortal life a semblance of meaning. I have Emmett; I love Emmett, but there was still always this... this whispered voice in the back of my mind asking 'why'? Why was I saved. Why was I changed. What was the point. If this... If she – "and I knew without even being able to see that she was now looking in my direction. " – You, Alice, you are glass half full; you are fate and destiny; by your logic, if fate and destiny saw it fit to make me a vampire and they brought Edward and Bella together to bring Graciela and Renesmee into existence than surely, I was changed for this reason. To be here. To be her mom. She is my miracle."
"You're right – you're right. And you're my sister, Rose. My sister. I know that I haven't acted like one but I – I will from now on. I wasn't thinking about your feelings or Gracie's.... I was thinking about Bella, you're right. She's fragile ..." She let that trail off. Maybe expecting a sarcastic retort from mom or maybe searching for an apology that didn't sound like an excuse. Alice sighed again. "I don't want to ostracize you or Gracie anymore, Rosalie... please."
The room seemed to wait on bated breath. "One chance, Alice; just one, for you to do right by Graciela. She deserves more than you've given her."
"I promise. I'll do right by both of you."
Mom didn't answer and again, the room descended into a state of reticence. Renesmee had woken up sometime during the heated argument. Her arm wrapped tightly around my waist as if that would somehow protect me from hostility not even directed this way.
"Now that we're all one big happy family again – " Mom snorted derisively at that. Followed closely by two more that I found it hard to identify. Though Jacob paid them no mind. " – What are we going to do about Bella?"
Disquietude pervaded the air. Broken only by one deep and throaty chuckle; full of anticipation.
"She's going to try to kill you." I could hear the grin in Dad's voice. A little too wide. A little too amused. A little too predatory.
"It was out of my control." Jacob whined, sounding more distressed than I've ever heard him. "I had no choice in it. That has to account for something?"
"She won't care. Newborns are emotional, irrational. They act – they don't tend to think. They're driven by two things." Uncle Jasper explained patiently. "Hunger and instinct. Emotions for her will no longer be what they were; they'll be more, heightened to an overwhelming extent. They have the tendency of burying logic and thought – which is what makes a newborn so dangerous. Hunger, rage, lust, sorrow, bliss, passion; they feel it on a level of intensity their humanity could have never held a candle too." Even as he explained, his voice held just a tinge of amusement. I was sure that him and Dad were the ones who made a bet regarding Bella.
"So, what is she going to do when she realizes that Graciela isn't her daughter despite having given birth to her? I shouldn't be the only one concerned! If she's going to try to kill me, what is she going to do to Rosalie?"
"You aren't the only one concerned." Esme interrupted. "And we will handle it as it comes. As we always do; as a family."
A beat of solidarity.
"Besides, if she attacks Rosalie; well, Edward can only hope that my Angel hasn't figured out just how she kicked his ass the other day or else Bella will be in for it." Dad, always the comedic relief that no one truly asks for but we all somehow need.
{Who are they talking about?} Ren questioned.
{Your mother...} I hesitated, but in the end, I simply decided to answer her honestly. {She's waking up today. They're worried she'll be mad at Jacob and my mom.}
{Do you think she will be?}
Undoubtedly. {Newborn vampires are dangerous. More dangerous than anyone else in this room.}
{I don't want her to hurt anyone...}
{I won't let her hurt my mom.} I was making no assurances about Jacob. He lived despite Bella punching him a few times and if it got some of her rage and frustration out so she didn't turn it on my mom than it was a win – win in my book.
I felt her incredulous stare, causing me to look up into her chocolate brown eyes and smile innocently at her. She huffed but didn't comment further.
Uncle Jasper peeked his head over the bassinet, having decided the tension and fighting was now over and we were safe to come out. "Good morning, Lil darlins'." Another bought of irrational jealousy hit me when he used my nickname on my sister, too. Maybe Bella wasn't the only one with emotions she couldn't really control.
A growl left my sisters chest. One that I felt vibrate through my entire body and I looked at her with an obvious question in my violet-blue eyes. {You good?}
She didn't answer aside from a stiff nod. Her emotions were erratic, a bought of 'jealousy.' that wasn't mine sitting heavy on my chest that was enough for me to know she was lying. One question ringing through my mind – why on earth was she jealous?
"Did she just growl? At you?" Jacob asked with a touch of amusement and incredulity in his bewildered voice. He stared down at a slightly glaring Renesmee; though I noted with even more confusion her glare stayed trained on Uncle Jasper.
{Seriously, what's your deal?}
{Nothing!} She denied but we both knew she was lying through her teeth.
"She is jealous." Uncle Jasper so plainly stated my sister's emotions into the room. "She is staking her own claim on Graciela." His voice became a bit subdued. "She's feeling a type of fragility in their bond due to the differences in their growth."
My eyes widened and then sought out Renesmee's only to see she was avoiding my gaze. Why was she questioning the strength of our twin bond? Even if she grew faster than I did – she was still my sister! That didn't change! Quick as lightening I forced my arms around my sister if only to soothe her erratic emotions.
{We're fine. Our bond is fine. We're sisters! You're the only sister I have – don't question just how much I love you just because you're bigger than me.} As I rambled, a little lost in my panic and rush to assure my sister; it was a balm to my heart when I felt her emotions settle. My reassurances actually succeeding in reassuring her.
{Promise?} Her voice was so small that I buried my face in her hair. Doing what I had previously forgotten to do; I scented her. A purr leaving my chest at the recognition of my sister; She smelled of sweet tea, lemon, and ripe summer peaches with a hint of something more woodsy.
{I promise. No matter what – nothing can replace the bond we share. I only have one sister.}
Renesmee pulled me so tight against her that the breath was nearly forced out of my chest, but I wasn't going to complain. She needed this from me, and I was nothing if not a dutiful sister. I felt more than I saw her scent me in return; her face buried in the crook of my neck; nose pressed directly against my scent gland.
"They're adorable." Mom sighed, a smile in her voice. I'm a little ashamed of how fast my head snapped up to look at her. Eyes lighting up to see her beautiful smiling face looking down at me. There was no describing the true beauty that was my mom. She had been incorrect before; she was my sun, my moon, and my stars. If this was how I felt from a soul bond ... how on earth was I going to feel when I eventually had a mate?
Shaking that confusing thought out of my mind, after confirming my sister was once more settled; I reached for my mom. Hands opening and closing in tiny, slightly desperate fists. I had given her plenty of time but now she was here; which meant it was my turn, right?
"Did someone miss me?" She teased with a laugh, but I could see the way her eyes literally sparkled as she watched me. I was hers.
"Mommy!" I nearly screamed my elation into the room; surprisingly it wasn't an unpleasant sound. It wasn't even shrill which is what I had been anticipating and prepared to apologize for. Instead, my voice sounded even more. My voice sang and shimmered like the softest jingle bells. It stunned me into near silence before I was distracted by my mom lifting me from my sister, who was lifted barely a second later by Jacob.
No one lingered after that. Everyone seemed to know exactly what they were doing, where they were supposed to be going. Mom didn't use a slow human speed to take us to their room this time; instead, they appeared frenzied and frantic. Mom had a warm washcloth waiting for us in the bathroom sink when we entered; some 'Baby Dove: Tip to Toe.' Body wash and Johnson's baby lotion.
When I was clean and lathered. My body wrapped in a towel with my hair slightly damp - I was carried into their bedroom and laid onto their bed. Mom disappeared and Dad took her place. His movements weren't awkward or inadequate. Despite having no practice, the grace of a vampire came in clutch and he was able to make something that most would struggle with look easy as he dressed me for the day.
I was wearing a simple red dress with more ruffles around the bottom than I felt it needed, a pair of red sandals to match with a head band to push my hair out of my face; though Dad did an excellent job – Mom adjusted the headband so I had some bangs hanging down along my forehead and then showed me my reflection.
I hadn't grown; not much if at all – but I could see the subtle differences. I was beautiful, though no less and no more than my sister. Heart shaped face with high cheekbones and perfect eyebrows, a straight nose, and a strong jawline. My golden hair shined just a bit more than it had before; hung a bit more toward my waist in natural waves – despite my age it was already nearly to my mid back. My skin leaned more toward alabaster but was accompanied by a rosy, pink and permanent blush on my cheeks with shell pink and full lips; they appeared glossy as if they were covered in lip gloss, though they weren't. My eyes were more violet than they were before with a dark curtain of thick, black lashes covering them. I had never been particularly narcissistic but I don't think anyone could blame me for thinking that I was simply stunning.
My gaze looked to find my parents standing behind me; wide and proud smiles as they watched me watch myself. The Devotion in their eyes proved I wasn't the only one feeling the near god-like worship that accompanied our bond. Though true to Esme's words; I was a much smaller copy of my mother.
Our moment of peace and reverence was broken by a voice; filled with equal parts anticipation and disinclination. "It's time."
Both of my parents tensed, looking at me in the mirror with discomposure and trepidation. Dad didn't look away from my face as he whispered. "You remember the plan, right?" And I wasn't sure if he was actually doubting that a vampire with total recall – forgot or if it was for my benefit. "Esme, you, and Jacob will stay with Nessie and Gracie. The rest of us will be in the room when Bella wakes up. Edward will keep both the imprint and the soul bond a secret – " and a slight threatening growl accompanied his words, despite the mind reader not being in the room. " – and then he will take her hunting."
"Emmett." Carlisle. It was gentle at least. Clearly, they were aware that my goofball father couldn't always be the comedic relief. That this was stressful for him, even if he hid it so much better than I gave him credit for.
He gave me one last caress, a lingering kiss to my temple and another on Moms. "I love you both ... " He whispered before he was gone. My eyes immediately searched out moms; a reassuring smile plastered on her face that did not meet her eyes.
"Your daddy is going to be just fine. We all are." She consoled when I put my hand on her neck so she could feel my own worry; she just as quickly removed it so I couldn't feel hers. Once more I was reminded things are different and the reality that my future knowledge may not apply caused apprehension to grip my heart.
Slowly she walked down to the living room with me cradled against her chest; her grip was tight and she kept my hand in her own, if only to ensure that I couldn't feel her emotions through touch.
Esme was wringing her hands nervously as she sat on the couch. Jacob was holding Renesmee as tight as mom was holding me though instead of a reassuring (false) smile – his face was set in a grim determination.
Mom moved to sit next to Esme, bypassing our usual rocking chair and surprising the matriarch of the family; grabbed her hand while placing me on both of their legs. Both Mom and Esme took to rubbing soothingly against my back with their fingers absently.
When their unneeded breath stopped and all three of them tensed. Eyes unfocused as they listened to a conversation that we could not hear; leading to realization that Bella was much farther away than I anticipated. Even if the door leading to her was just off the side of the kitchen, I should have known they wouldn't have risked her being that close. Forcing myself to remember that they had jumped out of a window to hunt in the book; That door must have led to either the second or third floor of the house.
'Frustration' quickly flooded my veins when I realized that I could hear a 'thud' from above us but had no idea what caused it. Was my dad, alright? My tiny heart, that already beat so quick in my chest, seemed to beat just that much faster; followed quickly by my sisters' – though for very different reasons.
I could not find it in me to resent the excitement she held, not when it was accompanied by anxious fear for Jacob. Such conflicting emotions that I let her wallow in on her own while I tried to force my ears to hear anything to tell me that my father was safe, and I didn't need to find a way to kill my sister's mother before she even met her.
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