Waxing Gibbous

Waking Up (A)

"Carlisle," Edward called. His voice was low but clear.

We all paused listening to Bella's heart, it was beating furiously now, so much different than that of the two wolves and three hybrids (myself included). It was coming on day three and Bella should be waking up soon.

"Ah," Carlisle said. "It's almost over."

"Soon," Alice agreed eagerly. "I'll get the others. Should I have Seth...?"

"Yes—keep the baby away." Edward responded.

Though Renesmee was a hybrid she still had the human smell to her, we were worried it might be too much for Bella. We wanted to make sure she could handle being around her, but we also wanted to make sure she could be around Leah and Seth too.

We needed to assess her mindset.

Seth and I would be the test subjects. One because I was a hybrid but i wouldn't let Seth go out alone in case Bella got mad or something like that.

With a smile I sent my mate and son upstairs, Seth and Leah followed. I was glad that Seth and Leah were taking on a role of older siblings rather than maternal or paternal figure. They were always around but it didn't interfere with Rosalie or Edward being parents, and I was thankful. I could tell Edward was too.

I stood next to Esme, who was more and more like my mom than I realized, it was nice. Even nicer when she told Seth, Leah, and I that she sees us as her children just as much as the others, Carlisle agreed taking on the paternal role all of us were missing. With forever in our futures, we felt better knowing that we had a forever family.

Leah seemed okay with phasing constantly to be there for Demetri, until he was old enough to take care of himself or until she found her mate. There was always the thought that Seth and Renesmee might be mates in the future, the same with Leah and Demetri but we never discussed it.

I focused on Bella when I heard the door shut upstairs, indicating the others were safe just in case. I wasn't worried about her being 'thirsty' and hurting anyone, everyone in the house had an undesirable... well a scent that they wouldn't associate with food.

Renesmee had a human scent like her mother, floral somehow but the sweet vampiric scent that would make vampires think she was one of them. Demetri smelled like a vampire. His human side was hidden much like mine, but to me, Leah, and Seth he smelled like fresh foliage and strawberries. Rosalie could smell it too.

I think for Rosalie it was a maternal thing, Leah maybe an imprint but it could be because I could smell him and I shared it.

Bella's hand twitched suddenly, and everyone held their breath. The room went silent besides the jackhammering of Bella's heart, it was so loud that it completely outdid mine.

"Bella? Bella, love?" Edward spoke as he squeezed her hand. Her heart took off, beating like helicopter blades, the sound almost a single sustained note. It was almost too loud.

She had been cleaned up before, redressed so that she would wake up completely new. All the bites that Edward had placed on her were gone, Bella's hair took on a new shine, her previously broken chest (by me and Edward when performing CPR) inflated back to its normal position, her sickly frail body was replenished. Muscles grew and we could no longer see her skeleton, her skin was pale, with no sign of flush.

And then her heart stopped. The sign we had been waiting for. Everyone heard it or the lack of it as my heartbeat was the only sound in the room.

Then, Bella opened her eyes.

For a moment nothing happened, then Bella pulled in a breath of air. Edward squeezed her hand again, Bella hissed, spitting through her clenched teeth with a low, menacing sound like a swarm of bees.