The Experiment

Chp 18 (The Breath of Life)

Esme held Carlisle's face in her hands as if willing him to open up his eyes again. She began sucking in deep breaths out of horror. I could tell she would soon break into hysterics down and I very much wanted to avoid that if at all possible.

I was going to need help and I was going to need it quickly. Even if it was against Carlisle's wishes someone else would have to be in this room with us now in order to control and comfort Esme while I attempted to work on Carlisle. I figured that Emmett was probably having enough trouble as it was controlling Rosalie from running up here and attempting do what Carlisle had just done to herself. I also knew that my other brother would be much better suited at managing an emotional climate such as this. I craved his soothing presence myself at the moment.

I knew that I didn't need to shout for him but it came out that way just the same.

" Jasper! We need you in here now !"

He was halfway up the stairs before I had even finished my sentence. I was grateful that like Alice he had enough foresight to pick up quickly on what the situation was at the moment.

He made he way over to Esme removing her grasp from Carlisle and turning her into his strong comforting arms.

I hovered now with fear and trepidation over the body of my long loving father. The paddles were charged and I used as much force as I dared shocking electricity through Carlisle's body in one strong jolt.

I waited and prayed looking to my right at the EKG monitor even though I did not want to believe it. It was still flat lined showing no signs of any response.

I waited for the paddles to charge up again almost numb to what it was I was actually doing at this point. I pressed down slightly harder this time. Carlisle's body jumped into the air ever so slightly as the jolt hit his chest. He then he landed softly back onto the portable hospital bed. I turned back to the EKG machine and nearly dropped the defibrillator paddles in surprise. A small and weak heartbeat was showing up on the monitor.

After more than 300 years the heart of Carlisle Cullen was attempting to pump blood around his circulatory system once more. I lowered the defibrillator paddles into their case and turned my attention to Carlisle now.

The next task was to get him breathing again .He would now need oxygen not only to bring nutrients to his blood supply but also to help the rest of his body function properly. I reached into the medical bag and pulled out a plastic breathing CPR aid and began to pump air into Carlisle's lungs manually breathing for him.

It took around 5 minuets or so before this had real effect. I was taken aback as he suddenly begin to suck in air on his own. Carlisle was breathing like I had never seen him do before. I knew in that instant that these were the breaths of life.

Carlisle had left various notes and instructions about what to do next. Although I was nervous to even try I started an IV drip of nutrients and other essentials flowing into his body.

I stood back from him now and on some level I was pleased with had I had done. He seemed to be living some how. As amazing as it was to even fathom in my mind Carlisle looked so much the same and yet so very different as well. His face and skin held real colour and his brow was beginning to wet now with perspiration. Though he was still unconscious I had real hope that in time he would wake up. He would still be slightly weak of course but so very much more alive than I had ever seen him before.

I turned now to Esme who stood stock-still with her jaw nearly reaching to the ground.

" He's okay……. I don't even know how Esme but I promise you that he's going to make it through."

Again I knew if she could cry at this point the tears would be spilling. However they would not be tears of sadness or fear, but tears of great relief and overwhelming joy. I felt it myself as well it was beginning to sink in to every fibre of my being. Carlisle's experiment was a success. I had always known he was truly a great man, but now to have seen him make the impossible into reality. I was in nothing short of awe.

Esme, Jasper, and I went downstairs to let the rest of the family know that Carlisle would be able to keep the promise he had made to them. He was going to be just fine. As I stood now surrounded by Bella and the rest of my family I knew for the first time in a long time that were all going to be just fine.

Epilogue ( Bitter Sweet Moments)

Over one year later………..

"Emmett Cullen how many times have I told you not to take them out of the car seats until their hats and gloves have been all put on! "

I could see Emmett roll his eyes behind Rosalie's back at her slightly over protective and nagging remarks.

Rosalie and Emmett we're visiting for the holiday weekend and they had brought the twins with them of course.

I very much loved my new nieces with all of my heart. I was hopeful that they wouldn't pick up to many of their mothers slightly obnoxious personality traits. Still Ella and Eva were both every degree as beautiful as their mother was. They were doubly blessed with a most loving and doting father in Emmett.

It was sweet to watch my sister's dream of wanting to play house finally be able to come true. Interestingly enough I was getting ready to take one step closer to the fair tale ending myself as well. Three weeks after my transformation to celebrate our first real meal together as couple. I had taken Bella out on a midnight picnic just the two of us and proposed under the starlight. I had to hand it to myself it had actually worked out for once, I was finally able to be dead romantic.

My bride to be tore me now from my musings with her sweet loving tones.

" Edward we'd better hurry back inside, Rosalie is right it is freezing out here. Come on Esme's got a whole Thanksgiving feast waiting on the table for us."

I was actually getting cold myself and it almost made me laugh as I shivered following Bella back inside the house and towards the dining room. It was strange to readjust to sensations that had almost nearly left my memory altogether.

I was loving ever second of it though, from the ability to taste food again to the sensation of a fire in the fireplace on a cold winters night with Bella warped in my arms and nestled up against my warming chest.

Making my way to my seat at the table next to Bella I smiled at Jasper and Alice who sat side by side across from us whispering far to quietly for any of us to hear. Although I could still make out through there thoughts. They we're sharing a good joke at Emmett's unfortunate mistake of seating his twins next to the pudding.

Carlisle wasn't sure how to explain it, but as it turned out I was still able to hear everyone's thoughts. None of use we're sure why we each had maintained some of our vampire given talents and abilities. We we're no longer able to run as fast as we had been. Nor could we see or hear with as much detail as we had in our state of immortality, but Emmett was still incredibly strong and Rosalie as unbearably pretty as ever. We were happy to keep these things though. Our powers had never been problem in the way that the burning thirst had been for us. Alice and Jasper had yet to test the waters of mortality. They hadn't said never just when Alice was ready for it.

Mostly our family was happy and continent with the way things had turned out. Becoming grand parents although had been a bittersweet experience for both Esme and Carlisle. This was because conceiving a child was unexpectedly harder for them than they had originally hoped. Carlisle was working with a specialist fertility doctor that he knew at the moment but both were happy enough with the joy that humanity had brought to they're adoptive children. I watched them at the front of the table smiling at each other and taking in each precious moment of our first holiday meal together.

It was comforting still to think that in many ways there had been a happy ending to the events that had transpired in our family both in the last year and so very long ago. I did not hold my time spent as a vampire against my father. Neither did Rosalie now that he had been the one to give her all she had ever wanted in life. I smiled at her across the table watching her laugh as she wiped Emmett's face for him now, as if he were one of the twins. It was so very deserving and right that Rosalie who had suffered through such a horrible past was now able to end up the way that she had. She was now blessed with the comfort of a devoted husband, two gorgeous twin daughters and the support of a loving family, Rosalie was truly at peace at last.

I also felt that my own life was now overflowing with so much joy and contentment. I had found the love of my life and I would stand by her side until the day we both left this earth for good. I also had with me the perspective of one hundred plus years. In their thoughts it shocked me how so many humans wished that they could simply stay here on this earth forever. However I knew that Bella and I we're meant to be together this way and no other. No matter what Alice had once seen this was the path for us now. My shift from immortality back to humanity had not left me with any sense of a fear of my death. Quite on the contrary in fact. When the time came I felt I would surly die knowing that I was the happiest man that had ever lived, twice.

THE END……………

Okay well it looks like that's all she wrote!

I really want to thank all of you who stuck with me through this all. It's really been such a joy to write

I'm pleased with the finish and I hope you are too! Let me know what you think though, I always love to read your REVIEWS!

I have soooooo many other crazy massive writing projects going on at the moment that I may not have time to do another twilight story for a while. It would take a really good idea to draw me away from my other current project, but I will never say never though.

Without any more ado

XXXX

Ashkey