Fulfilling Dreams: Car Wreck
Title: Fulfilling Dreams
Chapter: Car Wreck (2/?)
Author:
sasusc
Fandom: Twilight (by Stephenie Meyer)
Characters: Rosalie/Emmett, Carlisle, Sam Uley
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse (Nothing major)
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Angst
Word Count: 3020
Summary: Rosalie can never forget the one thing that was taken from her--her chance to be a mother.
Previous Chapters: Chpt. One: Mourning
It didn’t hurt as much as it did yesterday. She was sure Jasper had something to do with it. She felt a soft calming presence all last night while she lay curled in Emmett’s arms. She wished she could have fallen into a mind numbing sleep to help drown out her pain and sorrow. But she was a vampire, and vampires don’t sleep. Oh, she would pretend on occasions, but it was never the same as she remembered of her human life. There were no dreams.
“You’re back,” the woman Rosalie had met yesterday said softly in greeting. “How are you feeling?”
She gave her a weak smile. “A little better today. Thank you,” she said quietly. Remembering her manners, she quickly added, “I’m Rosalie Hale.” She didn’t offer her hand for a handshake.
“Nora Steinbeck.” Nora reached into the baby carriage and pulled out her son. “This is Harry. Would you like to hold him?”
Rosalie knew she shouldn’t, but she couldn’t resist the allure of holding a child. She hadn’t had a chance to hold a baby since her death. And how could she resist a baby boy name Harry when it sounded so familiar to Vera’s beloved Henry? How could she say no?
She fitted the human child carefully in her arms. It hurt how naturally he felt in her arms. She gently stroked the soft skin fully aware of how fragile he was especially in a vampire’s stone grip.
“That man yesterday… is he your…?”
“Husband?” Rosalie nodded. Never once did she take her eyes off of the child she held. “Emmett would do anything for me. I know it upsets him that he can’t give me the one thing I want the most.”
Nora patted her awkwardly. “You’re young. There are other options. A friend of my adopted a little girl three years ago and she are very happy with her choice.”
Rosalie sighed as she started to rock baby. “Adoption is not an option for us.”
“Adoption doesn’t have to be a bad thing.”
Harry giggled in her arms. She smiled down at him. “I know it’s not a bad thing. I’m adopted.” Rosalie avoided the mention of her siblings and Emmett’s own adoption by Carlisle and Esme Cullen. She didn’t want the woman to start asking more questions about her background. Forks was a small town, and it wouldn’t be long before the woman realized that she was part of the very private Cullen clan. Rosalie Hale of Forks wasn’t married to Emmett Cullen, her foster brother. She already slipped up when she mentioned she was married. One small slip shouldn’t complicate things.
She changed the subject. “He’s such a good baby.”
Nora smiled brightly as she allowed the subject change. “Oh, he is. My first one, Mark--he’s the one in blue on the swings--cried all the time. He wouldn’t shut up until he had a bottle or pacifier in his mouth. My husband, John, feared Harry would be just like him. Lucky for us, Harry is as quiet as an angel.”
* * * * *
Emmett stayed hidden as he watched his soul mate interact with the humans. Her joy of holding the baby was only partially overshadowed by her sadness. But this was helping her. It usually took several days to pull her from her depression to this level.
He didn’t acknowledge the human who pulled out the adjacent chair and sat down.
“Emmett, right?” the man spoke.
He turned to look at him as he recognized the voice. It was the police sheriff, Charlie Swan, Bella’s father. The man was in his uniform. His hat was held loosely in his hands on top of the table.
“What are you doing here? We received several concerned phone calls about a man hanging around the park watching the children.”
Emmett glanced around. He was sitting at one of the picnic tables away from the playground. It was hidden partially with trees. It was the perfect spot to keep an eye on Rosalie and still remind hidden from her. And it was downwind from her. She shouldn’t be able to pick of his scent.
He smiled as he rubbed the back of his head. “I didn’t mean to scare anyone. I was just keeping an eye out on Rosalie.” He nodded his head towards the bench Rosalie and the woman was sitting on. “She’s been a little depressed lately.”
“Oh.” Charlie remained silent for a little while as he studied the blonde woman. “Your sister?”
“Hell no!” Emmett laughed after giving him a horrified look. “We’re engaged. I’m just waiting for her and Alice to figure out the details of the wedding. I have plans to take her to Africa on our honeymoon.” He grinned as he thought about feeding on lions and cheetahs. This honeymoon was going to fun. Rosalie had allowed him to pick the location this time. She just rolled her eyes as he blurted out Africa.
“Africa?”
Emmett shrugged. “It’ll be fun.”
“Hmm.” Charlie drummed his fingers on the wooden table. “I’ve been meaning to call your dad about having you all over for dinner. Renee--Bella’s mom--will be coming into town soon for Bella’s wedding. It’ll be…nice to have both of our families over for dinner and getting to know each other.”
“I’ll pass it along to Carlisle and Esme.”
Charlie stood up. He replaced his hat back on his head even through he really didn’t need it. The sun wasn’t shining today. “You be careful driving back home later. The weatherman said a huge storm will be coming later. The roads might be usually slick tonight.”
“Don’t worry about me, Chief Swan.” Emmett pointed towards a huge jeep. “My jeep was made for it.”
“Don’t drive too fast. I know how fast all you Cullens like to drive.”
Emmett snickered. “I’ll be careful.”
* * * * *
He had gotten there as fast as he could. Even in his werewolf form he still wasn’t fast enough to reach his sister in time. Sara was dead, as was her husband Daniel. But little Mary… she was barely holding on. There was no way for him to carry her to the hospital in his wolf form, and he wasn’t fast enough to get there in his human form. The rest of the pack had been informed and one of them had sent for an ambulance to come. But it would be too late. He knew this with a certainty. Mary was losing too much blood. He couldn’t stop it. He didn’t know how to help her.
It took him a few seconds to recognize the strange stench. The rain was pouring down and it washed most of the scents away. He turned his eyes to glare at the newcomer. He hadn’t noticed the car that had stopped several yards away.
“They’re dead,” he snared at the vampire. He wasn’t sure which one stood in front of him. He didn’t care. He wanted him gone.
Carlisle nodded as he stepped closer. He was careful to keep an appropriate distance between himself and the grieving werewolf. “There is nothing I can do for the woman and the man, but the little one still has a heartbeat. Let me look at her.”
“Don’t touch her!”
“I’m a doctor,” he gently reminded the man. “I’ll do everything humanly possible to save her life.”
Sam Uley recognized the vampire now. Dr. Carlisle Cullen, the leader of the vampires. He worked in the local hospital as a doctor--a pretty good one at that. How could he just hand over his niece to this monster? What guarantee did he have that the vampire wouldn’t just take a bite out of her?
“Anything humanly possible,” Carlisle promised again. “There might be something I can do to save her life.”
If there was a chance…one slightest chance that Mary could be saved… He reluctantly allowed the vampire to come closer. He couldn’t bring himself to completely let go of her as Carlisle checked her over. He kept his eyes alert on the fingers that slid and touched his niece’s coppery skin.
Carlisle dropped his hands to his sides as he finished the exam. He took a deep breath, bracing himself for the anger and grief the man in front of him was sure to sprout at his conclusion. “I’m sorry. Her injuries are too severe. There’s nothing I can do for her now. I’m not even sure if I have anything to help make her more comfortable.”
Sam hugged Mary closer. He didn’t have much family left besides the pack and Emily. It was just his older sister, Sara, and their dad. Their mother had passed away when he was five. Sara had raised him when their father was too heartbroken to do so. She was just nine years old. She didn’t have to take over the responsibility of raising him, but she did. Sara was much more then a sister. She was practically his mother. Now Sara and her husband were dead, and Mary was dying. He cried into her dark hair. He couldn’t lose her. Mary was all that remained of his sister.
There was nothing anyone could do and it was ripping his heart out. Mary was dying. Dr. Cullen… He raised his eyes to the vampire sitting just a few short distances away. Dr. Cullen was a vampire. Vampires were the werewolves’ enemy. It was always an unpleasant experience to be close to a vampire. Something about their scent made his skin itch. But the Cullens had a different lifestyle then the others of their kind. They lived off of animal’s blood. They could survive without taking a human’s life. They were proof of that--although he wasn’t sure how well they stuck to their diet when they weren’t in this area.
Carlisle Cullen had to power to save Mary. He didn’t have to let Mary die in his arms. She could smile again, laugh.
“You could save her,” he whispered. “You could turn her into…” He swallowed the word ‘vampire’. He didn’t want think about what he was saying--what he wanted his niece to become to save her life. “You could save her.”
Carlisle shook his head. “She is too young. She will be stuck at this age forever. I don’t think she would be able to adjust to… our way of life. And she wouldn’t be able to stay with you.” Carlisle knew that was what the young man wanted: to keep the child alive and in his care. “We’ll have to keep her with us--try to train her. I’m not sure if she’s old enough to understand the concept of her new diet.”
Sam hugged her closer. “She’ll learn. She’s very smart for a four-year-old. You can’t just let her die. She’s just a baby!”
“I know. She’ll never grow up.”
That made Sam made. “She’ll never grow up if she dies.” He couldn’t believe he was begging a vampire to help him save his niece. “Please…save her.”
Carlisle closed his eyes in defeat. “I swore I wouldn’t change anyone after Rosalie…” He studied the young werewolf in front of him holding on to the little girl. “I’m not even sure if this will work. She is too young. She might not be able to survive the transformation…”
“She’s not surviving this!” His hand lashed out at the car wreck behind him.
Carlisle nodded. “I’ll have to bite her in several places. It’ll help to spread the venom and speed up the process.”
Sam nodded in understanding. “Go ahead. Do it quick.” He didn’t dare attach the remaining words to the sentence. “Do it quick before I change my mind” was what he wanted to say. He was afraid the vampire might change his mind if he doubted his.
Sam flinched each time Carlisle’s teeth bit into Mary’s soft skin. Mary started to scream louder. She kept asking for her mother and screaming about being on fire. This was killing him. He wanted her pain to end, not to continue.
Carlisle quickly wiped his mouth off with the back of his jacket sleeve. “This will take a few days. My own transformation took three days. She’s much young. It shouldn’t take the venom that long to pass through her entire body.” Sam didn’t move from his spot on the ground. He was staring blindly down at the girl. “I need to take her back home with me. We’ll look out for her. The ambulance and Chief Swan will be here soon. They can’t see her. They have to think she died with her parents.”
“I don’t want her to wake up alone to strangers. I want to be there.”
Carlisle didn’t comment. This was already a difficult decision for Sam, and he knew how hard it will be for him to let her go. They drove in silence. Sam held on to Mary, never once letting her go. He couldn’t. Holding her, being near her was all the comfort he could give her. It was all he could do for her now.
He stroked her hair and tried to remember all the fun things they used to do together. He was trying to block out what was waiting for him once they reached the house.
It was as if Carlisle had reading his mind. “She’ll be in good hands.”
“She’ll be in vampire hands.” He winced as Mary let out a whimper. This was agony. “I should have let her die.”
“It’s too late to regret it. It’s done. There’s no going back--only going forward.”
Sam didn’t have a reply to that. It was true. Mary was going to be a vampire for the rest of her life. How could a little girl adjust to that? How could she adjust to living off of blood instead of food?
He frowned as the car stopped. They were here. He glanced up at the front of the house, and there waiting for them was almost everyone. Bella and Edward were missing. He should have expected them to be gone. Bella was probably in her own home and Edward couldn’t leave her side for two minutes. He knew Bella. He liked her except he thought she was making the wrong choice about becoming a vampire. Maybe she’ll watch over Mary after she became a vampire.
“Carlisle?” a woman spoke. “Alice didn’t say, but she said we had a special visitor.”
Carlisle stared at his family. Alice was smiling and holding onto Rosalie’s hand. Rosalie looked indifferent to this rare event. Esme looked concerned. Both Jasper and Emmett frowned as they caught the scent of a werewolf. As Esme had said, Alice had kept her mouth shut about their arrival. He opened the car door and stepped back as Sam stepped out holding tightly to Mary.
Sam’s first instinct was to transform and fight them. He couldn’t do that. He didn’t want to leave Mary with them. It shouldn’t be too hard to raise a vampire child, should it? He could go hunt for an animal and bring it back to feed Mary. Emily would be happy to raise Mary as her child. It would give her something to do while he was out.
Rosalie gasped as she saw the child in the werewolf’s arms. She released Alice’s hand and came closer to the newcomers. The man flinched away from her and attempted to keep the girl out of her reach. Rosalie didn’t care. She reached out and caressed the girl’s cheek. The whimpering died down some at the cool contact.
“How could you Carlisle? How could you do this? She’s just a baby.”
Carlisle sighed. Rosalie would be the hardest to convince this was the right thing to do. If not the right, the only way for the girl to survive. “We had no choice. She was dying.”
“Let her die!”
“Rosalie!”
Sam’s eyes widen. He had met Rosalie earlier, but she never spoke to him. Now she was looking at him with hateful eyes. She was judging him and that was starting to make him angry. Who was she to judge him? He did want he thought was necessary to keep his niece alive. She would have done the same thing.
Rosalie ignored the warning tone in Carlisle’s voice. “Do you know what her fate is now? She’ll be a child. She can’t go play in the sunlight with the other children. She will never grow up and have a family of her own. She’ll never be the same carefree child again. She’ll have to think about her strength when she’s around humans. She’ll have to hunt to feed herself. She’ll have to worry about keeping her hungry in check around humans. Will she have the discipline necessary to stop from attacking humans?”
He hated the words coming out of her mouth. They were the same fears and worries he felt on the car ride here. How could he have allowed her to become a monster? How could she ever understand what was necessary to survive? But he needed faith that she would be okay here. Faith that they would teach her what they knew and keep her from harming anyone.
“She’ll learn.” It was the only reply he could think of.
Esme smiled slightly as she came forward. She didn’t stand as close as to the group as Rosalie had done. “Let’s clean her up and put her on a bed to rest.”
“Put her in Rosalie’s room,” Alice offered.
“No.”
Alice nodded. “Nobody but you and Edward have a bed. We can’t use Edward’s room. He’s not here. And it’s better that she gets use to your room. Rosalie,” she sighed. “Rosalie, she’ll be fine here. She’ll be happy with us.”
Rosalie wanted to scream. She didn’t care that she was going to fine and happy. She shouldn’t be here. She should have been able live her life as a human. She turned to glare at Carlisle. “She’s just a baby.”
“She was dying. There was nothing to be done for her.”
“This isn’t right.”
Nobody had an answer for that.
Thanks for reading, and comments = love
Chapter: Car Wreck (2/?)
Author:
sasusc
Fandom: Twilight (by Stephenie Meyer)
Characters: Rosalie/Emmett, Carlisle, Sam Uley
Rating: PG
Spoilers: Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse (Nothing major)
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Angst
Word Count: 3020
Summary: Rosalie can never forget the one thing that was taken from her--her chance to be a mother.
Previous Chapters: Chpt. One: Mourning
It didn’t hurt as much as it did yesterday. She was sure Jasper had something to do with it. She felt a soft calming presence all last night while she lay curled in Emmett’s arms. She wished she could have fallen into a mind numbing sleep to help drown out her pain and sorrow. But she was a vampire, and vampires don’t sleep. Oh, she would pretend on occasions, but it was never the same as she remembered of her human life. There were no dreams.
“You’re back,” the woman Rosalie had met yesterday said softly in greeting. “How are you feeling?”
She gave her a weak smile. “A little better today. Thank you,” she said quietly. Remembering her manners, she quickly added, “I’m Rosalie Hale.” She didn’t offer her hand for a handshake.
“Nora Steinbeck.” Nora reached into the baby carriage and pulled out her son. “This is Harry. Would you like to hold him?”
Rosalie knew she shouldn’t, but she couldn’t resist the allure of holding a child. She hadn’t had a chance to hold a baby since her death. And how could she resist a baby boy name Harry when it sounded so familiar to Vera’s beloved Henry? How could she say no?
She fitted the human child carefully in her arms. It hurt how naturally he felt in her arms. She gently stroked the soft skin fully aware of how fragile he was especially in a vampire’s stone grip.
“That man yesterday… is he your…?”
“Husband?” Rosalie nodded. Never once did she take her eyes off of the child she held. “Emmett would do anything for me. I know it upsets him that he can’t give me the one thing I want the most.”
Nora patted her awkwardly. “You’re young. There are other options. A friend of my adopted a little girl three years ago and she are very happy with her choice.”
Rosalie sighed as she started to rock baby. “Adoption is not an option for us.”
“Adoption doesn’t have to be a bad thing.”
Harry giggled in her arms. She smiled down at him. “I know it’s not a bad thing. I’m adopted.” Rosalie avoided the mention of her siblings and Emmett’s own adoption by Carlisle and Esme Cullen. She didn’t want the woman to start asking more questions about her background. Forks was a small town, and it wouldn’t be long before the woman realized that she was part of the very private Cullen clan. Rosalie Hale of Forks wasn’t married to Emmett Cullen, her foster brother. She already slipped up when she mentioned she was married. One small slip shouldn’t complicate things.
She changed the subject. “He’s such a good baby.”
Nora smiled brightly as she allowed the subject change. “Oh, he is. My first one, Mark--he’s the one in blue on the swings--cried all the time. He wouldn’t shut up until he had a bottle or pacifier in his mouth. My husband, John, feared Harry would be just like him. Lucky for us, Harry is as quiet as an angel.”
* * * * *
Emmett stayed hidden as he watched his soul mate interact with the humans. Her joy of holding the baby was only partially overshadowed by her sadness. But this was helping her. It usually took several days to pull her from her depression to this level.
He didn’t acknowledge the human who pulled out the adjacent chair and sat down.
“Emmett, right?” the man spoke.
He turned to look at him as he recognized the voice. It was the police sheriff, Charlie Swan, Bella’s father. The man was in his uniform. His hat was held loosely in his hands on top of the table.
“What are you doing here? We received several concerned phone calls about a man hanging around the park watching the children.”
Emmett glanced around. He was sitting at one of the picnic tables away from the playground. It was hidden partially with trees. It was the perfect spot to keep an eye on Rosalie and still remind hidden from her. And it was downwind from her. She shouldn’t be able to pick of his scent.
He smiled as he rubbed the back of his head. “I didn’t mean to scare anyone. I was just keeping an eye out on Rosalie.” He nodded his head towards the bench Rosalie and the woman was sitting on. “She’s been a little depressed lately.”
“Oh.” Charlie remained silent for a little while as he studied the blonde woman. “Your sister?”
“Hell no!” Emmett laughed after giving him a horrified look. “We’re engaged. I’m just waiting for her and Alice to figure out the details of the wedding. I have plans to take her to Africa on our honeymoon.” He grinned as he thought about feeding on lions and cheetahs. This honeymoon was going to fun. Rosalie had allowed him to pick the location this time. She just rolled her eyes as he blurted out Africa.
“Africa?”
Emmett shrugged. “It’ll be fun.”
“Hmm.” Charlie drummed his fingers on the wooden table. “I’ve been meaning to call your dad about having you all over for dinner. Renee--Bella’s mom--will be coming into town soon for Bella’s wedding. It’ll be…nice to have both of our families over for dinner and getting to know each other.”
“I’ll pass it along to Carlisle and Esme.”
Charlie stood up. He replaced his hat back on his head even through he really didn’t need it. The sun wasn’t shining today. “You be careful driving back home later. The weatherman said a huge storm will be coming later. The roads might be usually slick tonight.”
“Don’t worry about me, Chief Swan.” Emmett pointed towards a huge jeep. “My jeep was made for it.”
“Don’t drive too fast. I know how fast all you Cullens like to drive.”
Emmett snickered. “I’ll be careful.”
* * * * *
He had gotten there as fast as he could. Even in his werewolf form he still wasn’t fast enough to reach his sister in time. Sara was dead, as was her husband Daniel. But little Mary… she was barely holding on. There was no way for him to carry her to the hospital in his wolf form, and he wasn’t fast enough to get there in his human form. The rest of the pack had been informed and one of them had sent for an ambulance to come. But it would be too late. He knew this with a certainty. Mary was losing too much blood. He couldn’t stop it. He didn’t know how to help her.
It took him a few seconds to recognize the strange stench. The rain was pouring down and it washed most of the scents away. He turned his eyes to glare at the newcomer. He hadn’t noticed the car that had stopped several yards away.
“They’re dead,” he snared at the vampire. He wasn’t sure which one stood in front of him. He didn’t care. He wanted him gone.
Carlisle nodded as he stepped closer. He was careful to keep an appropriate distance between himself and the grieving werewolf. “There is nothing I can do for the woman and the man, but the little one still has a heartbeat. Let me look at her.”
“Don’t touch her!”
“I’m a doctor,” he gently reminded the man. “I’ll do everything humanly possible to save her life.”
Sam Uley recognized the vampire now. Dr. Carlisle Cullen, the leader of the vampires. He worked in the local hospital as a doctor--a pretty good one at that. How could he just hand over his niece to this monster? What guarantee did he have that the vampire wouldn’t just take a bite out of her?
“Anything humanly possible,” Carlisle promised again. “There might be something I can do to save her life.”
If there was a chance…one slightest chance that Mary could be saved… He reluctantly allowed the vampire to come closer. He couldn’t bring himself to completely let go of her as Carlisle checked her over. He kept his eyes alert on the fingers that slid and touched his niece’s coppery skin.
Carlisle dropped his hands to his sides as he finished the exam. He took a deep breath, bracing himself for the anger and grief the man in front of him was sure to sprout at his conclusion. “I’m sorry. Her injuries are too severe. There’s nothing I can do for her now. I’m not even sure if I have anything to help make her more comfortable.”
Sam hugged Mary closer. He didn’t have much family left besides the pack and Emily. It was just his older sister, Sara, and their dad. Their mother had passed away when he was five. Sara had raised him when their father was too heartbroken to do so. She was just nine years old. She didn’t have to take over the responsibility of raising him, but she did. Sara was much more then a sister. She was practically his mother. Now Sara and her husband were dead, and Mary was dying. He cried into her dark hair. He couldn’t lose her. Mary was all that remained of his sister.
There was nothing anyone could do and it was ripping his heart out. Mary was dying. Dr. Cullen… He raised his eyes to the vampire sitting just a few short distances away. Dr. Cullen was a vampire. Vampires were the werewolves’ enemy. It was always an unpleasant experience to be close to a vampire. Something about their scent made his skin itch. But the Cullens had a different lifestyle then the others of their kind. They lived off of animal’s blood. They could survive without taking a human’s life. They were proof of that--although he wasn’t sure how well they stuck to their diet when they weren’t in this area.
Carlisle Cullen had to power to save Mary. He didn’t have to let Mary die in his arms. She could smile again, laugh.
“You could save her,” he whispered. “You could turn her into…” He swallowed the word ‘vampire’. He didn’t want think about what he was saying--what he wanted his niece to become to save her life. “You could save her.”
Carlisle shook his head. “She is too young. She will be stuck at this age forever. I don’t think she would be able to adjust to… our way of life. And she wouldn’t be able to stay with you.” Carlisle knew that was what the young man wanted: to keep the child alive and in his care. “We’ll have to keep her with us--try to train her. I’m not sure if she’s old enough to understand the concept of her new diet.”
Sam hugged her closer. “She’ll learn. She’s very smart for a four-year-old. You can’t just let her die. She’s just a baby!”
“I know. She’ll never grow up.”
That made Sam made. “She’ll never grow up if she dies.” He couldn’t believe he was begging a vampire to help him save his niece. “Please…save her.”
Carlisle closed his eyes in defeat. “I swore I wouldn’t change anyone after Rosalie…” He studied the young werewolf in front of him holding on to the little girl. “I’m not even sure if this will work. She is too young. She might not be able to survive the transformation…”
“She’s not surviving this!” His hand lashed out at the car wreck behind him.
Carlisle nodded. “I’ll have to bite her in several places. It’ll help to spread the venom and speed up the process.”
Sam nodded in understanding. “Go ahead. Do it quick.” He didn’t dare attach the remaining words to the sentence. “Do it quick before I change my mind” was what he wanted to say. He was afraid the vampire might change his mind if he doubted his.
Sam flinched each time Carlisle’s teeth bit into Mary’s soft skin. Mary started to scream louder. She kept asking for her mother and screaming about being on fire. This was killing him. He wanted her pain to end, not to continue.
Carlisle quickly wiped his mouth off with the back of his jacket sleeve. “This will take a few days. My own transformation took three days. She’s much young. It shouldn’t take the venom that long to pass through her entire body.” Sam didn’t move from his spot on the ground. He was staring blindly down at the girl. “I need to take her back home with me. We’ll look out for her. The ambulance and Chief Swan will be here soon. They can’t see her. They have to think she died with her parents.”
“I don’t want her to wake up alone to strangers. I want to be there.”
Carlisle didn’t comment. This was already a difficult decision for Sam, and he knew how hard it will be for him to let her go. They drove in silence. Sam held on to Mary, never once letting her go. He couldn’t. Holding her, being near her was all the comfort he could give her. It was all he could do for her now.
He stroked her hair and tried to remember all the fun things they used to do together. He was trying to block out what was waiting for him once they reached the house.
It was as if Carlisle had reading his mind. “She’ll be in good hands.”
“She’ll be in vampire hands.” He winced as Mary let out a whimper. This was agony. “I should have let her die.”
“It’s too late to regret it. It’s done. There’s no going back--only going forward.”
Sam didn’t have a reply to that. It was true. Mary was going to be a vampire for the rest of her life. How could a little girl adjust to that? How could she adjust to living off of blood instead of food?
He frowned as the car stopped. They were here. He glanced up at the front of the house, and there waiting for them was almost everyone. Bella and Edward were missing. He should have expected them to be gone. Bella was probably in her own home and Edward couldn’t leave her side for two minutes. He knew Bella. He liked her except he thought she was making the wrong choice about becoming a vampire. Maybe she’ll watch over Mary after she became a vampire.
“Carlisle?” a woman spoke. “Alice didn’t say, but she said we had a special visitor.”
Carlisle stared at his family. Alice was smiling and holding onto Rosalie’s hand. Rosalie looked indifferent to this rare event. Esme looked concerned. Both Jasper and Emmett frowned as they caught the scent of a werewolf. As Esme had said, Alice had kept her mouth shut about their arrival. He opened the car door and stepped back as Sam stepped out holding tightly to Mary.
Sam’s first instinct was to transform and fight them. He couldn’t do that. He didn’t want to leave Mary with them. It shouldn’t be too hard to raise a vampire child, should it? He could go hunt for an animal and bring it back to feed Mary. Emily would be happy to raise Mary as her child. It would give her something to do while he was out.
Rosalie gasped as she saw the child in the werewolf’s arms. She released Alice’s hand and came closer to the newcomers. The man flinched away from her and attempted to keep the girl out of her reach. Rosalie didn’t care. She reached out and caressed the girl’s cheek. The whimpering died down some at the cool contact.
“How could you Carlisle? How could you do this? She’s just a baby.”
Carlisle sighed. Rosalie would be the hardest to convince this was the right thing to do. If not the right, the only way for the girl to survive. “We had no choice. She was dying.”
“Let her die!”
“Rosalie!”
Sam’s eyes widen. He had met Rosalie earlier, but she never spoke to him. Now she was looking at him with hateful eyes. She was judging him and that was starting to make him angry. Who was she to judge him? He did want he thought was necessary to keep his niece alive. She would have done the same thing.
Rosalie ignored the warning tone in Carlisle’s voice. “Do you know what her fate is now? She’ll be a child. She can’t go play in the sunlight with the other children. She will never grow up and have a family of her own. She’ll never be the same carefree child again. She’ll have to think about her strength when she’s around humans. She’ll have to hunt to feed herself. She’ll have to worry about keeping her hungry in check around humans. Will she have the discipline necessary to stop from attacking humans?”
He hated the words coming out of her mouth. They were the same fears and worries he felt on the car ride here. How could he have allowed her to become a monster? How could she ever understand what was necessary to survive? But he needed faith that she would be okay here. Faith that they would teach her what they knew and keep her from harming anyone.
“She’ll learn.” It was the only reply he could think of.
Esme smiled slightly as she came forward. She didn’t stand as close as to the group as Rosalie had done. “Let’s clean her up and put her on a bed to rest.”
“Put her in Rosalie’s room,” Alice offered.
“No.”
Alice nodded. “Nobody but you and Edward have a bed. We can’t use Edward’s room. He’s not here. And it’s better that she gets use to your room. Rosalie,” she sighed. “Rosalie, she’ll be fine here. She’ll be happy with us.”
Rosalie wanted to scream. She didn’t care that she was going to fine and happy. She shouldn’t be here. She should have been able live her life as a human. She turned to glare at Carlisle. “She’s just a baby.”
“She was dying. There was nothing to be done for her.”
“This isn’t right.”
Nobody had an answer for that.
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