I forgot Bella already knew Victoria was around, because of the “flowers” in the hospital. No wonder she was able to recognize the flash of red hair so quickly.

She must have convinced herself when Edward appeared in the hospital - that first night when Sarah stopped breathing – that she imagined him. Or just refused to deal with the possibility. Because now she’s still thinking “the ghost on her porch” and “the apparition”. Good thing Alice is also there.

Good job on how the shock of Victoria, followed by the sudden presence of Alice and Edward, followed by the frantic run to the Cullens’ house, combined to unsettle Bella’s state of mind. And during all of that she has a fragile newborn to think of, not just her own safety.

Vivid: ‘He wanted to destroy something. Burn it. Make it ash. Explode each particle into nothingness.’

I liked this description of how Jasper’s gift might feel: ‘…feeling the needling of Jasper's influence prickling at his anger and despair, like having pins and needles in his heart.’

Excellent:
‘"YOU GAVE UP THE RIGHT TO TELL ME WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU LEFT!" she bellowed.
Then she looked at him, directly.
He was real all right.
She was glad she was angry. She wouldn't trust herself to lay eyes on him otherwise.’

Yes: ‘And while she might have once been cavalier with her own life, she wouldn't be with Sarah's.’

This must be sooo annoying:
‘Everyone seemed to have unwanted advice for new mothers. Even childless Vampires.’

Ha ha, ‘he-who-must-not-be-named’. Well, he deserves it.

Very good:
‘Esme looked at Edward with narrowed eyes. Don't, she thought. She's doing fine.
Edward could tell she meant it. She'd seen a century of the medical profession interfering with what women knew was best.’
Rosalie is rightly all over his case too.

At least he makes it a request: "Please stay," he said. "It's not safe there."
But what he’s thinking is ‘ He knew where Bella and Sarah were safest.’ He always thinks he knows! And safety isn't the only criteria. She gets to choose greater peace of mind.

Sigh, he was just trying to be kind: "She loves you. She was happy just to be with you when you fed her the formula."
But I’m glad he shut up for the rest of the drive.

‘…she let herself drift back into processing what had happened. Or what was still happening. Edward was here in front of her. She was inches from him. The reality of the morning and his present proximity very nearly eclipsed the possibilities for logical thought.’
I appreciate your clarity that she’s as rattled by Edward’s presence as by the shocking appearance of Victoria.
I loved the last two paragraphs:
‘Words were not a currency she would exchange with him. She wanted no part of the economy he was offering and only nodded, taking the satchel from the vibrant touch of his hand, walking away to join Leah.
Sitting in the passenger seat, driving west, she pressed her arms tightly to her chest, trying to staunch the flow of milk and the feeling that Edward's touch had unlocked.’

Yeah, it seems like she could use at least a week to process how the foundation of her life has shifted in those few hours.

WOW! ;)

This is fantastic! ;)

There’s always satisfaction in seeing Edward endure this: ‘It was its own, particular torture to have to be around the people who knew Bella well.’ He so deserves it, and most incarnations of Bella (including yours) would minimize or otherwise choose not to tell him how bad it was.

I snickered at Bella probably not approving of the fancy new baby car seat.

Oh my gosh his assignment was a full week’s grocery shopping. Takes lots of time, encounters lots of people, maximizes his exposure to people’s thoughts about him.

Well said – when they were at Forks High Edward was well liked, so retrieving the laptop should be no problem. Except:
‘Had been liked. Yes.
Then they'd left.’
And that’s without people even knowing the leaving was all his doing!

Terrific sentence, re Mrs. Cope: ‘He was not spared in present judgment or recent memory.’

Hmm, what is he thinking about doing that Alice is forbidding?

OH MY!I love this story! It is so FANTASTIC! I love how you worked Leah into that roll! ;) :D

I love this! ;)

Love this story! ;)

OMG! Sam is an a**! I am so glad that Edward made it to her! I can't believe that Victoria got to her! :(

HOLYSH*T! She knew they couldn't see Bella with the Wolves! O.O OMG! I am freaking out now! OH MY! I hope that Edward figures it out and gets to Bella and Sarah!

Well, I hop

I absolutely love this! ;)

oh my! WOW! I love this! Things are happening! Plans are being made! ;)

OMG! LOVE! ;)

I think things went well with the talk with Charlie! ;)

I love this story so much! ;)