I lay silently on the very edge of my bed, perfectly still, watching her intently. She stirred slightly. I sat up slightly, leaning back on my elbows, careful not to frighten her.

I didn't speak, I didn't make a single sound, I was afraid of startling her from her morphine induced stupor. She wasn't really asleep, sleep was impossible for my - our kind, I corrected myself with a slight grimace.

"Let her wake up by herself," Carlisle had warned me sternly a few days before. "The last thing we need is her scaring herself when she wakes up and accidentally destroying the house."

Indeed.

So I lay there, silent as the dead, just watching her. Willing sleep to return, I presumed with a sudden stab of guilt. I had my own reasons for letting her stay like this longer. Reasons for why I was strongly opposed to startling her, other than the fact that her newborn limbs could destroy the room before we could react. It would be the last time I ever lay beside her while she slept. I liked hearing her talk in her sleep, and she always looked so peaceful.

Not that her last few days in and out of sleep had been anything along the lines of peaceful. No talking this time, only screaming herself gradually hoarser. I cringed slightly, trying to block out the memories. She'd been in so much pain; she'd even asked me to kill her … numerous times. It wasn't something I was going to forget any time soon, that was for sure. Though I wished so much that I could. I wished I could erase it from her memory as well. Again, that was almost impossible.

I'd not moved from this spot in days, I'd stayed with her the whole time, despite the almost uncontrollable thirst that had taken me in its grip after I bit her. I was amazed I'd been able to stop.

The morphine had proved itself useless, doing nothing but spacing her out for long periods of time, lingering in her veins slightly longer than expected. Morphine had no effect on vampires, I expected her to come to fairly quickly now.

Suddenly Bella was upright, I'd almost missed her sitting up. She was fast.Her eyes were open wide, and I bit back another wave of guilt as I took in their color. Bright, vivid blood red, almost no pupil. She'd notice the thirst before long, I guessed. She shook her head quickly, and shock came over her. She lifted her hands, running her fingers through it. Her head turned towards me slightly, and she jumped, seeing me. She was almost in a crouch, I noted, slightly amused.

Again, her movement was so fast I almost missed it. Almost, I reminded myself with satisfaction.

I moved quickly to her side, one arm snaking around her waist. I missed the warmth already, I realized. My face was inches from her own, and I was struck by how different she was. I'd always thought her to be beautiful. But this was something else. I almost laughed out loud, there was no way she'd feel insignificant next to me now.

"Bella, love…" I said slowly, staring up into her face, trying to make her stay calm just by mere mind power.

"Edward?" He voice cracked, and I cringed again, drawing her in closer.

Somebody was coming up the stairs, I noticed indifferently. Alice, I quickly discovered, her slow eager thoughts betraying the deliberate slowness of her footsteps.

Bella had heard her, too.

"I'm here, love. I'm right here." I said, kissing the top of her head, and she focused her thoughts back into the room again, looking at me.

She sighed then, leaning into me, almost relaxing for a moment.

She was sniffing, I noticed, amused again. Her nostrils flared, and she winced slightly. I wondered if I smelled especially distinct to her. She still smelled different to me, I'd found that out when Carlisle had come to check on us the day before. I was glad that she was still special to me in a way. My Bella.

Bella gently brushed her lips along the collar of my shirt and up my neck, to my earlobe and along my jaw. I kissed her softly, and she pulled back, staring into my eyes, I could almost imagine what she was looking for in my face, she'd been so worried I wouldn't like her anymore, despite my insistent reassurances that she would always be my Bella, changed or not.

I felt a very faint feeling of gratitude and something else (anger?) running through me, and I was confused for a moment, but then she smiled at me, and I forgot what I was thinking about, looking into her face, trying to gauge some sort of reaction. Then I smiled back, in what I hoped was a reassuring way.

"How do I look?" she asked, suddenly fearful.

I chuckled, smiling, and jumped up. Of course that had to be the first thing she asked. I got a mirror from the other side of the room and returned quickly to her side. She smiled wider, and I chuckled inwardly, knowing she saw my every move for the first time. I handed her the mirror, encouraging her to look.

She glanced at me for a moment, and then looked into the mirror. She bit her lip and gasped. Her hands shook. She almost dropped the mirror.

She sniffed the air again, looking around. Her body trembled slightly. She stared at me.

"You're beautiful," I said.

She shook her head hard, and my forehead creased into a frown, not understanding. Was she not satisfied with the final result? And then I realized, a sliver of pain running through my still heart. I kept my face smooth, marble-like and emotionless, hoping to hide it from her. This was the part I'd dreaded, the thirst. I knew that she would slowly become harder to control as she grew more alert. I would take her away first thing tomorrow, and hope that she didn't ruin the car trying to break out when she got her first smell of human blood. I made a mental note to not leave going through town. Keep to the open road. Keep the temptation to a minimum.

Suddenly, a strong feeling of surprise was upon me. My mouth dropped open, non-comprehending.

"Bella?" I asked, startled. What was going on? My own surprise and confusion added to the feeling that was somehow already there.

"I … I think." She took a deep breath, composing myself. "Edward, I can feel your emotions."

If I was human, surely I would've burst with pride. I knew there was some sort of special talent awaiting her! Influenced by my emotions, she beamed at me, pleased with my reaction.

She stopped, stern suddenly, and I was forced to stop smiling. She didn't laugh, but I almost did, feeling her humor. I smiled at her.

"Wow," I said almost breathlessly. "I knew you'd have gifts Bella. But this? I didn't expect this at all."

She laughed, and relaxed slightly, moving from her half crouch like position to lean back on her arms, legs stretched out in front of her. Obviously, it did nothing to ease her trembling muscles, and she growled suddenly. A long, rumbling sound from her throat. I felt another swell of pride, hers this time. I could almost discern my own emotions from hers now. She looked at me, and I concealed my pride, but by the look on her face I could tell she knew what I was feeling.

There'll be no secrets from her now, I mused quietly.

But I was so proud of her for some reason. I hadn't realized how deep down I'd actually wanted to change her. The excitement of having her for eternity, a strong and much more durable, improved Bella had been overshadowed by fear of my own weakness. I'd been so scared I would kill her instead.

He ran a hand over her cold hard cheek, noting again absent-mindedly at her lack of warmth.

"Let's go show the family!"