Adult-FanFiction.org : Books

The Newborn
By : belladonnacullen
Category: Twilight Series > Het
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Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or make any money from this story.
Chapter List
- 19
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- 21
Weddings were relatively rare occurrences in the vampire world. Rosalie and Emmett’s would be the second one I’d attended in my eighteen years since I was changed.

Carlisle and Esme’s wedding had been a quiet affair at the local city hall. The significance and holiness with which they regarded the quick ceremony made an indelible impression on my young mind. Until that day, I thought I’d understood everything about Carlisle, but something changed in the man after he married Esme. There was a subtle shift in the way he saw himself in the world, as if he looked at it through a new lens, one that always took Esme into account. And that lens made everything brighter and more hopeful, and brought him closer to his god.

Carlisle and Esme were both excited yet somber on their wedding day. Well, Esme was as somber as a newborn could ever be, I suppose. She was quite young, and her thoughts flitted between her overwhelming love for Carlisle and her desire to take down all of the humans in the room. But Esme knew what she wanted, and saw marriage as something necessary and important, something she desired with all of her heart. So she stood quiet and still, and managed to smile and to say, “I do.”

Carlisle had contemplated marrying Esme from the moment he found her in the hospital morgue, but he would scarcely admit it to himself, let alone to me. He focused instead on doctorly concerns about how well Esme was tolerating her transformation, and civic-minded concerns about how we would protect the neighboring humans from Esme when she awoke.

But in the dark hours of night, when he sat by her side holding her hand, his thoughts strayed in a way they never had in the two years I’d been with him. His daydreams floated up to me as I sat reading in my room: the two of them smiling hand in hand, lying next to one another and speaking in whispers, travelling, reading to one another; sharing a life.

I know these feelings would have remained buried, fleeting things if it wasn’t for the way Esme looked at Carlisle upon reawakening. Like all newborns, she was confused and overwhelmed and ready to fight everyone in the room when she woke from her transformation. But when Esme’s eyes met Carlisle’s, all of that dissolved like grains of salt in the sea.

“Doctor Cullen.”

Carlisle trembled. “Esme Platt.”

“What… who… you?”

And in a tender and low voice, Carlisle explained everything to Esme once more. She slowly walked toward him, and held out her hand. I watched Carlisle shake as he took her small hand in his, and I listened to Carlisle’s thoughts change from words to images, (actually to one image: Esme), as they stared into one another’s eyes. All the while, Carlisle recited the story of our existence from memory, a low rhythmic lullaby, keeping Esme calm.

“You?” she smiled, her bright red eyes flickering as if they were on fire, and Carlisle’s heart took flight. He’d asked me to stay to help him with the newborn, but I knew I wasn’t needed, and slipped out of the room.

I’d be hard pressed to find a time over the next few weeks where Carlisle wasn’t holding Esme’s hand. Even as he worried about propriety, he couldn’t bring himself to let her go. He battled within himself about which was more reprehensible: regarding her the way he did without proposing marriage, or proposing marriage when she could scarcely string two sentences together or sit in one spot for more than thirty seconds. In the end, Esme made the decision for him.

One day as we’d made our way through the sparse trees that lined Lake Ontario, Esme surprised Carlisle and I. She’d just drank from her third deer. Carlisle had taken another one down for her while she was feeding, and presented it to her as she raised her head from the doe’s throat. Her eyes lit with gratitude and she ran at Carlisle, flinging her arms around his neck and knocking him to the ground in the process.

“I love you, Carlisle Cullen,” she murmured in his ear. And with her small body pressed on top of his, Carlisle knew he couldn’t wait any longer. Three weeks after Esme was changed, they were engaged.

Afterwards, Carlisle was overly gentle and cautious, filled with subtle guilt that he’d married Esme before she had completely mastered her ability to focus her thoughts or her actions. So, they settled into their marriage in a careful manner, Carlisle ever mindful that he not take advantage of his wife. It wasn’t until our trip to Denali when things began changing between the two. I’d felt something different building between them, and I saw flashes from Esme’s newborn mind that she wasn’t able to control. I let them know that I wanted to go off and hunt on my own, and we set up a place and time to meet further on the road toward Denali.

When we met again, everything had changed between them and nothing had at all. It was something that was impossible to explain to one as uninitiated as I. The only somewhat tangible proof I had of the difference was the way they could communicate sometimes after that; without words, without thoughts, just through one another’s eyes. For someone like me who could read minds, this was disarming and captivating all at once. It was only afterwards that I learned the name for the phenomenon. They were mated, or bound, changed forever together, permanently.

*****

Rosalie and Emmett were something entirely different. It almost hurt my brain when I tried to classify the two separate relationships under the same heading of marriage. While the fact that Rosalie and Emmett cared about one another and desired one another was always on display for whomever happened to be near, their attitude about matrimony was shockingly different from my parents’.

Rosalie was focused on the wedding as if it were an event where she might be universally admired, and my cousins seemed to wholeheartedly support her vision. For Tanya’s family, the event was as novel as seeing the Alaska sun on the winter solstice. In over one thousand years on this earth, none of them had ever been wed. Eleazar and Carmen were mated, but were never formally married in the institutional sense of the word. And as far as I knew, Tanya, Irina and Katrina were constitutionally disinclined to monogamy, let alone marriage.

So, this unique experience was something everyone could focus their attention on, and that is exactly how Rosalie wanted it. Finally, her vanity had a legitimate outlet, and she spent every moment that she wasn’t attached to Emmett contemplating an elaborate event resplendent with tropical flowers and the release of white doves.

And then there was Emmett. While I had my suspicions about Rosalie’s motivations to wed, I wasn’t sure that Emmett wanted to marry Rosalie at all. He would laugh dismissively whenever the subject was raised in his presence, and he couldn’t be bothered to care about any of the details that Rosalie spent long hours worrying over.

But this wedding hinged on Emmett more than anyone else. His commitment was necessary before we could even dream of finding a minister to perform the ceremony. Carlisle and I were finally able to speak with him about the matter two weeks after Rosalie coerced him into a marriage proposal. That morning, Katrina and Tanya managed to pry Rosalie from Emmett’s arms with the prospect of a trip to Anchorage to begin the wedding preparations. Emmett would only let her go after they told him that the rest of the family would take him to the shore on a trek for polar bear, a delicacy I knew Emmett dreamed of sampling.

Emmett was crestfallen when he walked into the sitting room only to find Carlisle and I. He knew we would never let him hunt with only two accompanying vampires.

“What gives?” he asked. “No hunt?”

“Not yet, Emmett. The others will be by later. But first I thought we should talk.” Carlisle patted a seat besides him.

Emmett sighed and threw himself into the chair, snapping three of the legs in two in the process. I couldn’t help snickering. “Whoa, uh, sorry.”

“Edward, this is not the time for making fun,” Carlisle thought, peering at me reproachfully. I worked to make my facial features appear serious, concerned.

Carlisle turned back to Emmett. “You’ll get the hang of it, my boy. Eventually.”

Emmett’s mind had turned back to thoughts of bears, though, wondering if cold water fish would change the texture of a polar bear’s blood as compared with a brown bear or grizzly. He nodded absently at Carlisle. This would be a difficult discussion.

“So, my boy, about you and Rosalie…”

Emmett looked suddenly nervous. His mind ranged through a long series of improper and rather public displays of affection between himself and his mate. I turned away with disgust, trying to block it out.

“Uh, yeah. Umm, sorry?” Emmett stammered.

“I’m referring your engagement,” Carlisle clarified with haste.

Emmett laughed, his face awash with happy relief. “Right… the wedding,” he chuckled.

“Emmett, this is serious business.”

“It is?” Emmett looked startled. All of my suspicions were confirmed with those two words. Obviously, he thought this wedding was some kind of joke.

“Marriage requires a minister,” Carlisle explained.

“Well, yeah.”

“Ministers are human, Emmett.” Understanding and burning desire simultaneously consumed the large man, and his mind quickly played through a number of scenarios that ended with his mouth at a minister’s neck. To his credit, he struggled to contain his thoughts, possibly the first time I’d ever seen him try to reign himself in.

“Without your cooperation the wedding cannot take place.”

Emmett cursed under his breath. “Well then, I don’t think I can do it. I mean, I’d love you to bring me a human, but he sure as hell wouldn’t last long. Not long enough for me to say ‘I do.’”

“I suspected as much, son. There are many reasons to wait before you and Rosalie are wed. First of all, it’s impossible to bring a human out to our home in the wintertime; the route to the house is impassable for them this time of the year. It would also be prudent to wait until your eyes change color. There’s no need to alarm the man. Waiting until the snow begins to thaw in late spring will allow us time to practice on your restraint.”

Emmett looked thoughtful, and I listened to Carlisle’s words replaying themselves in Emmett’s mind. “For my eyes to change, I’d have to give up human blood.”

“You have to give up human blood in order to live with us, Emmett.”

“Right.”

“I thought I’d made that clear.”

“I know. But, Carlisle, it tastes perfect. When I smell a human my body just takes over. I want it more than I want anything else. Except maybe Rosalie. And polar bear. When are we going hunting again?”

Carlisle sighed and tried to bring the conversation back on topic. “If you want Rosalie and the comfort of this family, you cannot feed from humans. It’s a decision we have each come to for different reasons. You have nine vampires to question on the matter, if you care to. I’m sure each of us would be happy to council you on their decision to abstain, if you asked.

“And I recommend daily practice. You and myself, along with various family members should practice getting closer to humans, until you are able to stand next to one at an altar.”

Carlisle made the mistake of stringing six sentences together. Emmett was lost in consideration of an eagle that was circling in the distance.

“Easily, Emmett,” I answered his unspoken question.

“I knew it!” he grinned.

Carlisle gave me a questioning look. “He was wondering if he could take on a bevy of eagles.”

I watched Carlisle try to suppress a scowl, mollified that Emmett could even evoke annoyance in one as calm and compassionate as Carlisle. “Emmett, you have much to consider. If you have no compunction to avoid feeding from humans you will have to leave, and I believe Rosalie will be extremely disappointed.”

“Edward, perhaps you could take over for me here. I need some air. I’ll be outside, in case he makes a break for it.”

Carlisle quickly strode out of the room, shaking his head. “I’m trying to explain the value of human life, and he thinks about eagles…”

Carlisle’s quick exit seemed to have more of an impact on Emmett than his words had. “She really wants to get married,” Emmett practically whined.

“She does,” I agreed.

“And I have to stand next to a human to do it!”

“And speak with him,” I added.

“Incredible,” Emmett muttered to himself. I couldn’t help chuckling.

“And you’re here to tell me why drinking human blood is wrong. How I can stop. Cause you did it, so you know. Am I right?”

Emmett managed to stun me into momentary silence. I was shocked by his insight. “It’s murder. You know, ‘Thou shalt not kill,’” I began.

“But the way I understand things, Edward, heaven’s out of the question for me at this point.”

I’d had much more of an argument in mind, but Emmett’s easy acceptance of his damnation had taken me by surprise. It was a concept I’d struggled with for eighteen years. To hear it laid on the line like that, so matter-of-factly, took away some of the sting, somehow. “Yes, that’s my understanding,” I agreed.

“Well, then, what’s the point?”

“The point is that you should respect the lives of others, and you should respect yourself.”

“But where’s the fun in that? And why should I keep myself from drinking humans if I ain’t going to heaven?”

“It’s not about being rewarded, Emmett. It’s something bigger than that.”

“It sure is. But we were cut out of the running. Why the hell should we keep doing what God asks?”

“For yourself. For those whose lives you would otherwise steal.”

“Well if it’s not me killing them, it’s going to be something else down the line. Humans don’t live forever.”

“Perhaps this life isn’t for you, then.”

“But Rosalie, that girl’s for me, and she wants to live like this. God, she’s like no one I’ve ever been with. It’s like she shines, and I don’t mean the way her skin sparkles, like she just glows from inside. And when we’re together --”

“You can stop there, Emmett. I know enough about when you two are together. Much more than I’d like to.”

Emmett’s thoughts grew dark and I edged away from him. “Jealous?” he rumbled.

“Ha! Disgusted is more like it.”

“So, you and her never…” Emmett let his voice trail off, but he let his body do the talking for him.

“Hardly,” I answered, pressing my eyelids together to block out the image.

“She turned you down, then?”

“The feeling was mutual, Emmett.”

“Huh. Really?” “I don’t believe that for a minute,” he thought to himself.

I made sure to look Emmett square in the eye, my own eyes unblinking for emphasis. “You can believe it. Rosalie is like a sister to me.” I held his stare and didn’t back down. Emmett was the first to look away.

“Well, I’m glad, then. Didn’t want to have to kick your ass.”

I chuckled. “And why would you want to try to do that?”

“For gettin’ with my girl.”

“But you’re speaking of a time when you didn’t even know Rosalie existed.”

“She was always my girl,” Emmett stated sternly.

“So, then you’re serious about marrying her?” I asked. I couldn’t figure him out.

“Guess so,” Emmett grinned. “Seriously considering how a minister might taste, anyway,” he added silently.

“For a man engaged to my sister, you’re taking this very lightly. This isn’t a game. Rosalie cares for you.”

“Excuse me?”

“I’m just looking out for her. She’s been hurt before.”

Emmett’s eyes flared redder, his mouth twisted in a grimace, his hands balled into fists, and I was quickly on my feet and out of his arms’ reach. I watched as the newborn tried to regain his composure.

“You just don’t get it, do you?” he fumed.

“Get what? That marrying my sister is some kind of joke to you?”

“I’ve seen people get married, Edward. Had a few buddies when I was human that knocked their girls up and married ‘em. I’m pretty sure my mom and pop got married ‘cause their parents told ‘em to. What Rose and I got is so much bigger than any of that. I knew from the moment I laid eyes on her that she was all I’d ever need, that she was part of me that I never knew I was missing.

“I will never let that girl go. I’ll do whatever I can to keep her with me forever. If she wants to get married, well hell, I’ll get married. But marriage doesn’t mean a thing to me. It’s got nothing on my Rose.

“It’s sweet you’re looking out for her, Edward. But from here on in, you don’t have to. That’s my job now.”

So in the end, Emmett agreed to Carlisle’s plan. I don’t think he had any personal misgivings about feeding from humans. But his desire to make Rosalie happy, combined with his desire to let everyone else know how seriously he took their relationship, was motivation enough. We set out with Carmen, Eleazar and Irina later that day, in search of polar bear and the faint scent of humans.

*****

TPOV
The prospect of a wedding for Emmett and Rosalie threw my sisters into a giddy frenzy they often reserved for their pursuit of men. I sat back and observed, content to busy myself with the manufacture of the girl’s wedding dress. It was something that I could allow myself to be consumed by without unnecessary reflection on the Cullens’ love lives, or more accurately, the one Cullen left without one.

The family fairly drilled the newborn, in an attempt to reign in his thirst by late spring. Rosalie had agreed to marry on the summer solstice. The date had been suggested by one of my sisters, although the ancient implications of that day were lost on the young woman. She was simply happy that it fell on a Saturday, so it was done.

Rosalie and I developed something of a friendship. I was relieved to finally relate to at least one of the Cullens with regard to the opposite sex. Her uninhibited love for her man was refreshing. And I had the feeling that I was the first person she’d been able to talk to openly about matters of the bedroom. So, she would often stop by to admire my progress on her gown and to chat. It was an amusing way to pass the time.

“I dare say there’s no undue anticipation for the wedding night,” I quipped one afternoon as Rosalie watched me embroider small crystals around the neckline of her gown.

Rosalie tried to suppress a grin. “Actually, I’m looking forward to that night a lot.”

“Please, we’ve each taken turns supervising Emmett. Every night is a wedding night for you, as well as each day, more than not.”

“Tanya!” Rosalie scolded, playfully swatting at my hand. I gave her a look that warned that further slaps, playful or not, would not be welcomed.

”I see no reason to beat about the bush, Rosalie.”

“Yes, you’re right. But I can’t wait to see what its like to be married to Emmett, to someone I actually love. Once, a long time ago, I thought that I felt this way for a man --”

“E --”

“What?” she asked, looking at me curiously. I’d caught myself just before I’d given anything away.

“Nothing,” I said, suddenly extremely intent on the detailing in front of me.

“But I didn’t actually love him, or really want him, even,” she continued. “Emmett, though, Emmett is the opposite of Royce. He’s strong and physical and speaks his mind. I know his heart, because he wears it on his sleeve.”

My body relaxed. She wasn’t speaking of Edward. “And Emmett loves you as well,” I added, trying to contain my jealousy. I was happy for the girl. In my estimation, her relationship with the boy was a healthy one. That is, if they could navigate his newborn tendencies.

“He does,” Rosalie murmured, nearly melting before my eyes. She turned to me, still smiling. “And what about you, Tanya? We never talk about you.”

“What about me?”

“About men. Love?”

“What have you heard?” I challenged.

“Nothing, actually,” she admitted. Of course, the Cullens were so decent and circumspect. They wouldn’t have mentioned anything. When Edward was young, he’d only found out about us only through the thoughts of others.

I put down my sewing and wondered how much to tell the girl. Technically, I still enjoyed the company of humans. I quickly decided that I wouldn’t tell more than that. “My sisters and I prefer humans.”

“Human men?” Rosalie asked, wide-eyed.

“Yes,” I said, nodding for emphasis.

“And you…?”

“Yes,” I agreed, guessing her question.

“But, I mean, you actually…?” Rosalie, sure that she must have misunderstood me, couldn’t quite bring herself to finish the question.

“I take them to bed, much like you do with Emmett. Would you like a picture, Rosalie?”

I watched emotions quickly play across Rosalie’s pretty face: annoyance at my outburst, curiosity, and then something akin to conspiratorial self-assurance.

“There was a human boy in Tennessee, before I met Emmett,” she admitted, looking to me for support. “His name was Wayne, and I liked him a little. We almost kissed once. Edward was aghast, though. He was completely against it from the start. It was one of our biggest arguments.”

With mention of Edward, my lungs ceased their regular movement. I studied the beadwork at my fingertips. “Was he jealous?” I asked in what I hoped was a very offhanded manner.

“Of course not,” Rosalie laughed. “ He was concerned for the human, I think. I supposed I was using Wayne to make myself feel normal. And then Wayne scraped his arm one afternoon. I came so close to ending that boy’s life.”

“But you restrained yourself?” I asked in disbelief.

“Barely. But I must have looked like I was insane, or like a monster. I couldn’t handle what he must have thought of me, so I ran away.”

“Remarkable. You’re like --”

“Carlisle?” Rosalie asked, a self-satisfied smile on her face. It wasn’t quite the comparison I was about to make, but I let her go with it just the same. “Just about. I’ve never tasted human blood. If only I hadn’t murdered my-ex-fiancé and his friends, I think I might be just as good as Carlisle is.”

“Murder?” No one mentioned murder when they spoke about the girl.

“I’d rather not talk about it.”

“Another time, perhaps?”

“Maybe, we have forever, right?”

“We do.” Silence fell between us as we each considered what we’d learned about the other. Murder, a human boyfriend, and she’d never tasted human blood. She was more complex than I’d given her credit for. I’d assumed Rosalie was as shallow as the puddle outside my front doorstep.

Rosalie broke the silence first, of course. After living for centuries, I’d learned to sit with my thoughts. “But human men, Tanya? And Edward doesn’t give you all a hard time?”

“We’ve had our disagreements over the years, I suppose. First he would object to my morality, then the human’s. And I don’t think he understands the attraction at all.”

“It hardly seems any of his business. That was my point when we argued over Wayne.”

“It’s easy to think you know everything when you merely observe.”

“And that’s all he does, isn’t it? He just sits back and watches and judges.”

Her words of reproach for Edward stung as much as if they were directed at me. Possibly more so. “What you have to understand about Edward is the time he spent abroad changed him. Now it’s as if he’s frightened to act. He’s afraid of himself, I think. He’s changed since I saw him last.”

“You’re too nice, Tanya. He can be a giant pain in the ass!”

I laughed out loud at that. Edward certainly could be trying, and I loved him for it.

My thoughts shocked my body into stillness and I frantically worked to quiet my mind. I scarcely used the term ‘love’ to describe my feelings for Edward, even to myself. Especially now that he was in Denali. I hoped he hadn’t been close enough to hear.

“Is there a special human?” Rosalie asked. She noticed I was uncomfortable and tried to change the subject. I smiled at her, grateful to focus on humans. So inconsequential.

“I don’t believe there can be something such as a special human. They are delicate things that pass so easily from this world. We may have been human, but would a butterfly have a relationship with a caterpillar? Hardly. Humans and vampires are separate creatures, unsuited for one another.”

“Hmpf,” Rosalie replied, crossing her arms over her chest.

“What?”

“What about Emmett, or Esme?”

“Don’t misunderstand me, Rosalie. To see potential in a human, something that you love so much that you would like to see turned vampire: that I understand. But to perpetually play with a human, that is self-indulgent and selfish, if you ask me. The human will only get hurt; the relationship can go nowhere. That isn’t true love.”

“True love. It sounds so silly. Like a fairy tale.”

“For vampires, fairy tales happen all the time. When you are mated, you love perfectly and eternally. I believe it takes a vampire to master the human ideal of love.”

“You sound like you know so much about love, Tanya. But where’s your fairy tale?”

I couldn’t find the heart to answer, to make something up. Instead, I looked out the window at the gray winter horizon, allowing the barren beauty of the Arctic to seep under my skin. The snow glittered in the dim light, and the white sky joined the white terrain at the thin blue line of the horizon where I could almost make out our family returning with Emmett from their latest human acclimation drill.

“Tanya? I’m sorry. Did something happen to him? Was he killed, somehow?”

I could just make out Edward’s dark silhouette glittering against the snowy background. “He didn’t return my feelings.”

“Oh. I’m sorry. That’s horrible.”

“No, it would be horrible if he didn’t exist. As long as he is on this earth…”

“Maybe there’s a chance?” Rosalie finished the sentiment for me.

“A girl can dream. But, enough about me. Let’s try this gown on and get you married.”

*****

It was a particularly sunny day in early June when Carlisle met me on the back patio. I was late bringing out the roses his year, and hoped I hadn’t deprived them of the full benefit of spring cooped up in the hothouse. Without a word of greeting, Carlisle went to work and lent a hand toting the large pots outside. We worked for several minutes and I allowed the man his silence. In this existence there was always time for speech. There was no need to talk before one was ready. When all the pots had been removed from the greenhouse, though, there was nothing left to distract us from one another.

“Thank you,” I smiled, sitting on the flat stone that ringed the patio.

Carlisle nodded and took a seat two yards away.

“Nine days now. The flowers should be arriving in port today. And the birds are on the road to the house as we speak. Can you imagine? Doves? We’re lucky if the boy doesn’t sneak away and eat them in the night.”

A look of dread settled on Carlisle’s face and he quickly turned away from me.

“I wasn’t serious, Carlisle. Maybe when he was first turned, but no vampire would seriously consider drinking from a dove.”

“I don’t know if the boy is ready, Tanya,” Carlisle stated. His words came clear and easy, but I knew he was disappointed in himself because he couldn’t look me in the eye.

“He must be. The wedding is in nine days.”

“We lost another human, just a week ago.”

“What? No one said anything!”

“Emmett asked us not to. He was ashamed.”

“As well he should have been. And I should have been told! We live here, Carlisle. My clan lives here.”

“I’m sorry. It was on the other side of the mountains, though. It can hardly be traced back to you.”

Carlisle and I settled once again into silence, but this time the air was charged. He was still too lenient with the boy, agreeing to his request, keeping a human kill from me. “Then you simply have to redouble your efforts, Carlisle. It’s regrettable what happened to the human. But to sacrifice one human now in exchange for many over the man’s existence seems reasonable.”

“I came to ask if you would speak to Rosalie about postponing the wedding. You two have become remarkably close since we’ve been in Denali. She trusts you and confides in you. It would be better coming from your mouth.”

After all the work that my family put into this wedding, after I had set a deadline, I would not take it all back. “It would break her heart. Her mind is set on this. She has been dreaming of a wedding since before she was turned. You know this. The man owes this to his mate. You and he can make this happen.”

“You were the one that originally chastised me for being reckless. Now Rosalie’s whims take precedence over the life of a human minister?”

“I am surprised to hear you, of all vampires, refer to matrimony as a whim.”

“And I am surprised that you honor the institution at all.”

“I don’t have to honor something in order to suggest it.”

“Suggest it? You suggested this wedding take place?”

“I merely pointed out to Rosalie that if she asked Emmett for a wedding, he would acquiesce. I wasn’t the one that had them mated when he was hardly a day old.”

“You put this idea into her head? We have been pushing the boy, working with him day and night, attempting to preemptively save a human life. You did this?”

“I don’t know why you are upset. The entire family has been pushing the boy to tolerate humans. This wedding gave the boy a reason to work as hard as he has. This was all accomplished quite rapidly as a result of this wedding. I believe you should be thanking me.”

“If anything happens to this human, Tanya, I will lay the blame with you. Unfortunately, that’s not how the Volturi would see it. With this wedding idea, you’ve endangered Emmett and myself. You’ve put my family in harm’s way.”

“As you did mine when you brought the boy to the home I’ve kept for hundreds of years, Carlisle. I was happy to shelter Edward and Esme. But in bringing the new one here, you endangered us all.”

“Then you should have sent us away.”

“I considered it.”

“And why didn’t you, then?” Carlisle’s eyes flickered, lit with understanding, daring me to speak.

“Our two covens are the only ones on this earth that honor human life and live off the blood of animals. I couldn’t let you go in the state your family was in. It would have taken only months for the Volturi to track you and your wild newborn down.”

“But then you do this, Tanya? It makes no sense.” I had no answer. It didn’t make any sense, unless I admitted that I kept them here to be with Edward, and I married Rosalie off to make sure there was nothing between her and her brother. There was no way I would do that.

Carlisle took a full two minutes to compose himself before speaking. “I am sincerely grateful for the friendship and aid you have offered my family over the years, Tanya. The alliance between our two families is not something I take lightly. We need one another; you know that, as well as I do. But, in order for our families to remain on good terms, I believe we all need some time apart.

“I’ll continue to work with Emmett. But on the day of the wedding, I expect you and your family to guard the life of the human that will be in our midst, since the wedding was your suggestion in the first place. Afterwards, my family will move on. We’ll be our own best council. Perhaps we’ll make a place for ourselves as you have here, find a home of our own.”

“You don’t have to leave. I never asked for that.”

“You were right, Tanya. I have a large clan to manage now. I don’t need your help. I’m perfectly fit to do it on my own.”

*****

Word of our disagreement filtered down through the two families. Katrina and Eleazar each attempted to speak with me on the matter, but I gave them a look that let them know I was in no mood to talk about my feelings. Instead, my family talked the situation over in hushed tones that abruptly turned to silence whenever I entered the room.

After two days of walking on eggshells in my own home, I decided to put an end to the matter. As much as I hated to admit it, Carlisle was right. I owed him an apology. But when I repeatedly phoned their house, there was no answer on the other line. Could he have canceled the wedding and taken his family away already? What about Edward? Would he leave without saying goodbye? Without further thought, I ran out of the house in the direction of the Cullen residence.

One of the great tricks of the Arctic was to tempt humans to name a season spring. It may have been early June, but nature saw fit to bless the earth with one last storm. I silently cursed having brought my roses out from the greenhouse as I dashed into the blowing snow and ice. The wind whipped around my slender frame, my dress billowed in the blustery wind and my wet hair wrapped itself around my head. With my senses of sight and smell rendered useless in the squall, I relied on my sense of direction to get me to the Cullens’.

Blinded as I was by the storm, I almost didn’t see the two nearly naked figures wound around one another in the bushes until I was nearly on top of them. It was Rosalie and Emmett. I suppose the storm had given them the rare opportunity for privacy. I wondered if Emmett had mastered his restraint enough that the two were allowed out of the home on their own.

I certainly didn’t want to disturb them, and I quickly moved to change my course to the house. But I stopped short when something caught my attention. One word, actually…

“But, Edward --”

“Edward loves you, Rosalie.”

I clamped my hand over my mouth to stifle my gasp of surprise.

“He won’t play the wedding march. He’s doing it out of spite.”

“No, he really cares about you. I didn’t tell you. I was distracted about polar bear that day.” Emmett laughed a little and Rosalie sighed in response. “He spoke to me, to make sure I had nothing but good intentions.”

“He did? I could kill him!”

Emmett chuckled again. “I’d miss him if you did.”

“You would? I didn’t think you liked him. You’re always competing with one another.”

“No. Edward’s okay. Who else would I wrestle with? It’s not like I could beat up on Carlisle or Esme.”

“I’d let you wrestle me,” Rosalie growled playfully.

“I already do,” Emmett rumbled. I heard Rosalie shriek, and I moved on.

Edward wouldn’t play piano at the wedding. He loved Rosalie. My feet brought me through the Cullen’s front door and down the southern wing of the house before my mind had the chance to catch up to my body. Indeed, my mind seemed frozen. Edward loved Rosalie. Emmett knew it.
I threw open the door to Edward’s room.

“Why aren’t you playing piano for the wedding, Edward?”

“Because of my unrequited love for Rosalie.”

I stopped in my tracks, my breath caught in my throat. Edward’s laughter rang out through the air around me. He looked up from the book he was reading, a wide grin on his face.

“There isn’t enough drama in my family, Tanya? You have to go looking for more?”

“But you won’t play the piano.”

“I told you, Tanya. I don’t play anymore. That has nothing to do with my sister.”

“But the wedding. Who will play the processional?”

“We’re each and every one vampires. Any one among you should be capable of learning the piece in time.”

“It wouldn’t be the same.”

“What is this wedding to you? When did you suddenly become an advocate for wedded bliss?”

“I thought you knew me better, Edward. I was happy for Carlisle from the moment I heard he’d wed. Have I ever given you another impression? Why shouldn’t I feel the same for Rosalie?”

I felt suddenly off-balance and sat myself down. I’d come to apologize to Carlisle, but had been thrown by the idea that Edward harbored feelings for the girl, and now we were speaking of something else entirely. I worked to control my emotions, something that was so vital whenever I spoke to Edward. I felt his eyes on me and took three deep breaths before looking up at him. His eyes were full of contrition, and again I was taken by surprise.

“You’re right,” Edward conceded. “I’m sorry. You’ve been nothing but a friend to Rosalie. Perhaps it’s my own guilt because I don’t feel the same about this wedding as I did for Carlisle and Esme’s.”

I sighed. That was easy enough to explain. “Carlisle is the head of this family, Edward. Of course you don’t feel the same. Emmett is a newborn, but he’s taken the one single female in your clan. It’s natural that you would feel a loss. Even if you don’t love her, like that.”

Edward looked as if I’d just fed him human food. “That’s not it,” he choked. But I didn’t believe it. I’d been alive long enough to know a male vampire’s nature.

“I understood Carlisle and Esme. Their wedding was small and intimate and held more meaning for both of them than I could fathom. I was honored to be there with them, to see that. And one day, perhaps, if I weren’t such an unfeeling monster, that is what I would want. But this wedding mocks that ideal. Rosalie is in it for the spectacle, and Emmett couldn’t care one way or the other. Rosalie wants me to play piano because I play the best. But either way, they’re still outside rolling around in the snow as we speak.”

Edward stopped and laughed a little. “Murmuring about my undying love for Rosalie. Tipping off the neighbors.”

“She’s finally happy, Edward.”

“I know. And I’m happy for her. But her actions make it hard for me to show it.”

“Perhaps you two are more like siblings than anything else.”

Edward looked exasperated. “Perhaps? What else did you overhear? Or will I have to beat it out of Emmett?”

“I won’t say. Just so I can watch you two go at it.”

Edward stood to his feet and walked to the window, putting more space between the two of us.

“I haven’t seen you for a few days. I’ve come to make peace with Carlisle.”

“He’s in Anchorage with Esme. They have business to square away there.”

“Has he said anything to you?”

“Only that we’re leaving.”

“And you didn’t come to see me after you heard?”

“Tanya, he’s my father, the leader of my coven. I can’t sneak off to see you when you two have an altercation. I owe the man my existence. How would you feel if Katrina had snuck over to see Carlisle when she heard?”

I knew exactly what I’d say to Katrina if she tried a stunt like that. “You’re right,” I admitted.

“Will you stay until he returns?”

“Why?”

“To dry off and take shelter from the storm, of course.”

“Like Rosalie and Emmett did?”

“Tanya,” Edward warned

“Sorry.”

“Tudnánk gyakorlatban nyelven mint a régi szép idők.”

“But you already know Magyar.”

“De nem tudok beszélni Finn.”

“No, neither do I.”

“They say the two languages share the same root. Perhaps Finnish would come easily to us.”

“Everything comes easily to you, Edward.”

“Everything in books, perhaps.”

“And on a music sheet.”

“I suppose. But with life, with death, with love… I’m at a loss.”

“You’re not the only vampire I know that could say that. When you reach one thousand, if those words still hold true, come back to me and I’ll commiserate.”

“It’s a deal,” he said, a sad smile on his face.

“And perhaps if you’re still unmated at one thousand, maybe you would settle for me?”

“Don’t sell yourself short, Tanya. I would hardly be settling. I would only be giving in.”

My mind was so carefully contained in that moment that I felt I deserved an award for self-control. “If we are both unchanged in another thousand years, I imagine there will be many obstacles to surmount.”

“With your overly, err… loving nature, and my complete lack of desire. Thank goodness we have a thousand years to prepare for the inevitable disappointment we would surely face.”

“Yes. Certain disaster.”

“But, until then, we have our studies. Finnish?”

“Finnish.”

*****

EPOV
I attempted to give Carlisle and Tanya their privacy after my parents returned home from Anchorage. But with Rosalie and Emmett rolling around like tumbleweeds in the front yard, I felt confined to the house. I kept to my quarters to allow them the pretense of intimacy.

For some reason, Tanya’s mood had turned generous and humble since she’d first arrived at the house. She apologized to Carlisle for meddling in his family’s affairs and offered her family’s services to protect the minister at the wedding. Carlisle, ever the diplomat, admitted that they’d gotten Emmett under control quicker than he imagined possible given the wedding deadline, and that it may not have been such a bad idea after all.

“But you’re still leaving.”

“The day after the wedding, yes.”

“This wilderness is big enough for our two families. We’ve enjoyed your company.”

“I appreciate your words, Tanya. But I feel in my bones that it’s time to move on. I plan to take us down the coast. There are several parcels of land for sale throughout coastal British Columbia, Washington and Oregon. With the frequent cloud cover, the environment could be ideal for something of a permanent settlement.”

“Close enough that we might visit.”

“Tanya, the alliance is important to me and to my family. Right now I think we need some space. To keep it healthy.”

“I understand. Find your space in the world, Carlisle. We have all the time in the world to visit.”

“Thank you, Tanya.”

“You have a lovely family, Carlisle. I’ll miss them.”

And in their minds, I watched as they hugged one another closely, the way friends that have known each other for many hundreds of years might.

*****

The morning of the wedding dawned bright. Crystal blue cloudless skies offset the glistening pale green grass, and the coal black snowcapped mountains in the distance. Patches of snow dotted the landscape, the only reminder of the late spring gale that blew through less than a week ago.

Carlisle and Eleazar left well before dawn to fetch the minister. Katrina had asked me to move my piano out to the sitting room for the ceremony. I was polishing it when I heard a chorus of women’s voices from the direction of Rosalie and Emmett’s quarters.

Emmett stumbled into the common space, grinning. “Irina’s upset that Rose and I were together last night.”

“She’s the last one that should have a say in the matter,” I replied.

“I heard that, Edward! You better hope I’m not around before your wedding night!”

I chose to ignore her. I was certain that if I ever married, I wouldn’t act like Emmett before my wedding night.

“So me and the best man, huh?” Emmett asked. “What should we do for the next eight hours?” Emmett had asked me to stand up for him only a week ago. Honestly, there weren’t that many men to go around. With Carlisle walking Rosalie down the aisle, I was sure I was designated best man by default.

“Is there anything left to do?” I asked. But the answer was all around me. White satin chairs were arranged in a small semi-circle around an altar that had been erected against the back windows. Bouquets of pink and white roses spilled out of their vases, and a white satin runner ran from Rose and Emmett’s wing leading to the altar. I could hear frantic cooing and the frenzied flapping of wings from a cage that housed two-dozen doves near the front door. I wondered whether the terrified birds would make it to the wedding without their hearts beating out of their small chests.

Emmett regarded the scene in front of his eyes. “Oh shit,” he muttered. I spun around to face him. Aside of the occasional ‘damn’ and ‘hell’, Emmett hardly used strong language. “Shit,” he silently repeated to himself. His face was blank and his eyes were wide with shock.

“I’m getting married. Like, really married,” he thought as his eyes fixed on mine.

“It’s been all Rosalie has spoken about for the past six months, Emmett,” I reminded him.

“But still,” he whispered.

“I thought you said marriage meant nothing compared with --”

“Shit,” he repeated under his breath.

“Do you want to talk?” I asked. Emmett motioned towards his wing of the house and fervently shook his head. Esme and Rosalie were giggling over something, and Tanya was speaking with authority about something called a French twist.

Emmett paced the floor.

I looked around at all of the decorations. The cavernous house had never felt more like a cage. “Let’s get out of here,” I suggested.

“What?”

“I know what would make you feel better.”

“But… who else is there to go?”

“No one. Just you and I. Can you handle it, Emmett?”

“I’ll do anything to get out of here. Sure. Let’s go.”

Without another word Emmett and I raced through the front door, vaulted over the cage of doves, leapt over the stone wall surrounding the house and dashed into the trees. Emmett ran as hard as he could, but I was faster and sped past him, darting through the giant evergreens. But Emmett jumped and caught my ankle, taking me down, dragging my body across the damp pine needles littering the forest floor, and using me as a launching pad to spring ahead.

That’s when the frosty morning wind hit me in the face, bringing the scent of a large herd of caribou. A growl erupted from Emmett’s chest and he was off kicking up dirt in my face. With a roar of my own, I jumped from the ground and dashed in the direction of the scent. I caught up with Emmett, leapt through the air and tackled him to the ground. We tumbled down a steep incline, breaking through boulders and knocking down a succession of ancient cedars.

I disentangled myself from Emmett’s limbs and flew upwards, taking to the trees, leaping from branch to branch as Emmett cursed and jumped below me. He tried launching himself upwards, but simply knocked the tree to the ground in the process. I took advantage of Emmett’s distraction and sprang from the topmost branch, landing fifty feet ahead of him and racing in the direction of the herd. The herbivores didn’t hear me coming until it was too late.

I scanned the herd for the largest animal and spotted a regal stag with antlers that easily spanned six feet across. I had his neck broken in my hands in seconds. I made quick work with three other animals before the rest of the herd could scatter, and before Emmett arrived. He ran into the clearing seconds too late. The herd was already running off into the foothills and four caribou lay dead at my feet.

“Damn it,” Emmett cursed under his breath.

“I didn’t get you a wedding gift. I hope this makes up for it. Enjoy.”

Emmett spent half a second looking dazed and amazed before he was at the throat of the large male, tearing at the flesh with his finger tips as he sucked greedily from the large mammal’s jugular, his eyes rolled back into his head. He tossed the animal to the ground and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, glancing back and forth between the other caribou and me.

“Quickly, Emmett, before the blood goes cold,” I chided.

He made quick work of the remaining animals and came to sit beside me, grinning. “Thanks.”

“It’s the least I could do after showing you up like that.”

Emmett growled and went to push me, but I saw it coming in his mind and dodged out of the way just in time. He caught himself before he fell to the ground. “You know, it’s not fair that you do that.”

“Maybe I’m just too fast for you.”

“Like hell,” Emmett grinned.

“So, uh, Emmett, do you want to talk? I certainly have no experience with women or marriage. But, uh… I don’t know.” I suddenly realized that I was hopelessly ignorant. I couldn’t imagine that I had any advice to give to the man.

Emmett didn’t speak out loud, but his mental voice was unleashed with my offer.

“I don’t know how to be married. I’m barely twenty. I’m no husband. I can’t take care of Rosalie. I didn’t think about any of this. She likes nice things. Dresses, houses. I don’t have anything. Less than when I was human. Then I had a job, sometimes. What the hell am I doing? All I thought about was blood, and Rose. I never thought about any of this. God! I wish my pop was here. He’d tell me what to do. He’d tell Rose to run the other way, and he’d be right.”

“Rosalie wouldn’t go anywhere, though. She’d scare your human father away before she let him deter her from marrying you.”

“She’s stubborn,” Emmett agreed.

“Definitely… But Emmett, you don’t need anything. Carlisle will take care of you both.”

“That’s not what a husband does, Edward.”

“You seem to instinctually know what a husband does, Emmett.”

“That’s not what I mean,” Emmett growled, but he grinned just the same.

I was touched by Emmett’s concern, and staggered by his ability to focus and sit still. He’d come a long way in the past six months. “I’ll help.”

“What?”

“I’ll help you figure it out. Finance isn’t as hard as you might think, when you have the time to apply yourself.”

“I don’t know. I never had much when I was human, and now I don’t have anything.”

“Well, you have a wedding in a couple hours. That’s a start.”

“What do you mean?”

“There will be gifts. And we’ll work from there. Rosalie won’t have to worry, ever.” I knew Rosalie hadn’t even considered Emmett having support her financially. But at that moment, that wasn’t what Emmett needed to hear.

I watched Emmett’s posture relax and listened to his mind quiet. “Wow. Thanks.”

“That’s it, then? Besides that, you’re ready to get married?”

Emmett smiled in my direction. “I’m trying really hard not to think about how excited I am for everything else. For you.”

I couldn’t help grinning. “Thanks.”

*****

TPOV
My sisters, Esme and I swarmed around Rosalie, each of us more excited than the next. Rosalie was the embodiment of each of our personal brides, and we each saw ourselves in her bright amber eyes and irrepressible smile. Rosalie beamed under the warm glow of our attention, and she sat prettily as we each opined about her make-up and how she should wear her hair.

In the end it hardly mattered, because the girl was truly beauty incarnate. It would take considerable work to make her look ordinary, so there was very little for us all to do. Finally, Esme and I carefully helped Rosalie into her gown. The cream-colored silk showed off her flawless white skin and hugged her frame in all the right places. The neckline was modest, in line with the fashion of the day, but the gown’s silhouette favored her long lines and curves. As I’d promised, the sleeves were antique lace, and a long train swirled and tumbled behind her as she walked. And as a finishing touch, small crystal and pearl roses were embroidered along the neckline and at the hem of the gown.

Rosalie gave me a warm hug. “Thank you, Tanya. It’s perfect.”

“You look beautiful, Rosalie,” Esme whispered to the girl as they stared at her reflection in the mirror.

“I know,” Rosalie smiled back. “Thanks.”

“I’ve waited years to see you this happy.”

A short laugh escaped from Rosalie’s lips. “I know.”

We heard the steps in the hall well before the knock at the door.

I looked toward Rosalie and she nodded. “Come in, Carlisle,” I called.

“Rosalie, it’s time. Are you ready?” he asked.

Rosalie nodded her head, silent, smiling, and Carlisle held his arm out to her.

“Well, sisters, we should take our seats, then. Otherwise there won’t be much of an audience. But as we bustled out of the room I couldn’t help but overhear Rosalie whispering to Carlisle.

“I wouldn’t have this chance without you, Carlisle. Thank you. For my life, and for Emmett’s.”

“It’s the very least I could do, Rosalie.”

“And the most, all at once,” she added.

For all of the contention surrounding Rosalie and Emmett’s wedding, it was a very small affair. Irina and I took our seats next to Esme. Eleazar and Carmen were already seated, whispering to one another. I cleared my throat and four sets of eyes snapped to attention, focused intently on the one human in the room. A portly man dressed all in black stood on the altar, drenched in sweat. The poor human’s heart was beating a mile a minute as he tried to inconspicuously inch toward the far wall. As if that might save him.

I glanced over at the groom and noticed that Emmett was likely more nervous than the minister. Of course, Emmett had a much better idea than the human did of the threat he posed. But a vampire’s nerves show differently than a human’s. Emmett stood stone still, frozen in place, quite handsome in a dark suit and tie. Edward was at his side, with a tight grip on the man’s elbow, looking effortlessly suave as always. He whispered something in Emmett’s ear and I watched Emmett very purposefully blink and shift on his feet. The minister didn’t appear to be fooled, though. I hoped he wouldn’t lose his nerve and leave before the ceremony.

Katrina was perched on the bench at the piano. Much as Edward had suggested, a few hours was all it took for her to master Wagner’s march. With a nervous nod from the minister, Katrina launched into the triumphant melody, and all eyes swung in the direction of Carlisle and Rosalie’s footsteps.

Instead of watching Rosalie, though, I kept my eyes on the groom, in an effort to honor my promise to Carlisle to keep the minister safe. I watched the look in the newborn’s eyes as he gazed at his bride. His irises were more burnt orange than amber, and there was a movement there as he gazed at Rosalie, something slow and fluid like molten lava. He bit his lip and flexed his fingers, and I watched Edward tighten his grip on the boy’s elbow as Emmett strained to rush toward his bride.

When I turned to look at Rosalie, she was staring into Emmett’s eyes with a proud smile on her face. “You did it,” she mouthed. I knew that she was referring to the fact that he was standing at the human’s side. We all knew what a strain it was for Emmett, and that was proof enough of his love and dedication for us. We didn’t need to hear any vows. But that is what we were gathered for, after all.

Carlisle gently kissed Rosalie on the cheek, before placing her hand into Emmett’s and patting the boy’s back. He looked between Edward, Emmett and Rosalie, and I knew he was proud of his growing family, of those he considered his children. He had brought four fine vampires into the world. Despite all of my criticism, they were a fine clan, and I believed they were well suited to go far in the world.

I watched in astonishment as Emmett focused all of his attention on Rosalie, drinking her in, clasping her hand in his. He barely noticed when the minister began to speak, and only nodded absently when he noticed Rosalie doing the same. So Emmett was taken by complete surprise when the minister addressed him by name, and everyone gathered around him waited for an answer.

“Emmett,” Rosalie whispered, and Emmett’s smile was contagious. I watched the faces of everyone in attendance light up too.

“I do,” Emmett answered. A look of relief washed over the minister’s face and his eyes darted to the door. I tried not to chuckle. I knew he was thinking that he was that much closer to getting out of here.

The minister’s voice cracked as he asked, “Do you Rosalie Lillian Hale, take Emmett Ames McCarty, to be your lawfully wedded husband, to love and cherish, in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer, for better or for worse, and forsaking all others, keeping yourself only unto him, for so long as you both shall live?”

“I do,” Rosalie breathed. I watched as Emmett clutched Rosalie’s hands in his and pulled her closer. The minister jumped backwards, out of the way, bumping into one of the enormous flower arrangements, scattering roses on the floor.

His words were rough and hasty as he declared, “By the power vested in me by God and the state of Alaska, I now pronounce you man and wife. Emmett, now you may kiss the bride.”

Our little gathering erupted in a chorus of cheers as Emmett pulled Rosalie against him, and held her face in his hands before carefully and gently kissing her. The minister sighed and looked around for Carlisle, whom I suppose was the least threatening of all of us. Katrina scurried to the front door, and through the glass wall that served as a backdrop, twenty-four doves flapped frantically for the hills, squawking and crying in terror. The minister jumped and shrieked and I couldn’t help but giggle.

“You did it,” I heard Rosalie murmur again to her husband. I watched Emmett look quickly back and forth between his wife and the human, smiling with pride. He’d stood at the altar without murdering the man.

“I’d do anything for you,” he whispered, smiling. And we all knew it was true. Emmett kissed her again, and the kiss grew in intensity until there was no longer space for murmured words in their passionate embrace. The minister’s eyes went wide, and Carlisle appeared at his side to usher the man outside to a waiting vehicle. The rest of the family quickly followed their lead when we realized that the usual first wedding kiss was progressing quite rapidly to the wedding night, all before our

A/N: What happens when I get buried in five feet of snow? Answer number one: Wish for an Emmett of my own. There would be nothing to distract him from me, right? Answer number two: Write a fluffy wedding filled chapter to help keep me warm.

Thanks for all of your reviews, and for reading through this uber-long chapter.
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The Newborn	By : belladonnacullen Category: Twilight Series > Het Views: 3452 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or make any money from this story.

The Newborn