Waxing Gibbous

Fitting In (A)

When I got back to the house, Rosalie was sitting on the porch. She had a pair of clothes in her hand, obviously watching me shred my previous clothing.

I walked up slowly and took then carefully. My hearing was so much greater now than it was when I was a human. I tilted my head when I heard the heartbeat, it was stronger, louder. Rosalie laughed at me as I barely nudged the small belly with my nose. I let the others hear the heartbeat and I could sense the excitement and happiness from them.

After a moment I walked back to change, thankful that I had a pile of clothes here. Or rather that Rosalie liked to shop, and I happened to be one of her subjects.

Exhausted, I walked slowly up the porch steps to sit next to Rosalie. "we should get you inside" she murmured. I nodded and followed her into the house.

More changes. The room had shifted back to normal—almost—in the last twenty minutes. The big flat screen was on, low volume, showing some chick flick that no one seemed to be watching.

Carlisle and Esme stood by the back windows, which were open to the river again. Alice, Jasper, Lucia, and Emmett were out of sight, but I heard them murmuring upstairs. Bella was on the couch like yesterday, with just one tube still hooked into her, and an IV hanging behind the back of the sofa. She was wrapped up like a burrito in a couple of thick quilts.

Edward caught my eyes; it was amazing to see he was just as exhausted as I was, and he didn't need sleep. I saw him smirk a little.

"They just wanted to talk," I mumbled, my voice dragging with exhaustion. "No attack on the horizon."

"Yes," Edward answered. "I heard most of it."

That woke me up a little. We'd been a good three miles out. "How?"

"I'm hearing you more clearly—it's a matter of familiarity and concentration. And you're pretty open recently. So, I caught most of what passed out there."

"well, that's good. But don't get used to it... it's getting harder to keep the walls down. Like something pulling at the back of my mind." I shook my head.

"it's okay... you should sleep" he replied. I nodded and Rosalie led me upstairs to her room or could I call it our room? It didn't matter, there was a bed.

Before I laid down Rosalie helped me shower then she spoke. "Esme, would like me to tell you that Seth and Leah are welcome to the amenities of our home." I looked at her my foggy brain not quite following. She smiled softly seeming to understand.

"showers, food, extra clothes. I'm sure we have some mattress pads if you guys prefer to sleep outside."

I nodded "I'll tell them... I promise"

I heard the soft chuckle before I closed my eyes.

When I woke up Rosalie was gone but I wasn't alone. I looked around to see the pixie form of Alice. She was sitting like she was meditating, which was weird, but it made me think they would make great Buddhist.

"hey Alice"

"Good morning Alex..." she replied quietly, seemingly relaxed.

"why aren't you with the others?" I asked stretching my limbs. I searched the air for the scent of Rosalie and focused until I could find her in the kitchen with the others.

"Headache," she answered.

"Vampires get headaches?"

"Not the normal ones."

I furrowed my brows "is that why you're avoiding Bella?"

"Yes."

"how?"