»—— act four. breaking dawn, part one
☽⋅── FIFTEEN ──night would bring ─⋅☾

He stopped just outside the doorway, taking another moment to calm his racing thoughts. He knew they would only have a few seconds before she picked up the scent and every fibre of his being wanted to protect his children.

Carlisle stepped into the room, his heart both warmed and pained by the sight of his wife. He took in her features, her eyes now red, her skin a tone similar to his own, and her heart no longer beating. Yet, seeing the smile on her lips reassured him.

"So, it's strange," Eve started, her voice filled with a mix of curiosity and wonder. "I mean, I had the hearing, speed, and strength before, but it's truly stronger now." She then glanced at the twins in his arms.

Despite the hint of humour in her joke, Carlisle's protective instincts were still on high alert. But seeing the apparent control she had over herself was reassuring. He took a step forward, the twins still held securely in his arms.

"So you don't... feel the pull?" he asked, his eyes never leaving hers. She seemed to have complete control over her urges, but he needed to make sure. The safety of their children was at stake.

Eve shook her head firmly, her smile growing more assured. Even now as their children lay in Carlisle's arms, her eyes did not waver, she did not falter.

"No," she responded, her voice firm. "The smell of human blood is revolting. It's not... appetizing, to say the least. Maybe hating it as a kid helped?"

Carlisle studied her face, looking for any sign of a lie, but he found none. The certainty in her eyes and the lack of desire in her voice were all the proof he needed. He let out a soft breath, finally letting some of his tension relax.

"May I please see Celeste and Ciel now?" she asked, her voice filled with anticipation.

Carlisle's eyes widened in surprise. "You already know?" he inquired.

Eve chuckled sheepishly, scratching her head as she responded, "I actually met them in a dream. They were older than they are now."

As Ciel began to fuss in Carlisle's arms, his small hands reaching out towards Eve, Celeste, seemingly aware of her brother's cues, joined in. She imitated his actions, extending her own tiny hands towards her mother.

Carlisle, watching the scene unfold before him, was amazed by how quickly their children recognized and responded to their mother. It was a sight both endearing and heartening. He couldn't help but smile as he shifted the twins in his arms, now holding them both out to Eve.

"Be careful with the strength," Carlisle reminded her, a hint of concern in his voice.

Eve nodded in agreement. "I will," she reassured him, her eyes never leaving the twins who were now stretching their hands towards her, yearning to be held by their mother.

Carlisle gently placed the twins in Eve's arms, watching as they reached out and grasped onto her, their small fingers clinging to their mother's clothes. However, there was a sense of hesitance in Carlisle's movements, still a bit weary of her newfound strength.

"Remember, they are very fragile," he reminded her, his voice a mix of concern and caution. The thought of the strength of her new body potentially harming their delicate children was a fear that echoed in his mind.

"Don't worry, I'll be careful," she reassured him once more, her voice filled with determination. She wanted to hold her children, to feel their warmth and love against her, but most of all, she wanted to prove to Carlisle that she could control her newfound strength around them.

"And our skin, will it be too cold for them?" Eve asked, her thoughts clearly still adjusting to her new condition.

Carlisle chuckled softly, amused by her question. "No, it will be fine," he replied, his own thoughts shifting to the countless other changes that would take time for her to get used to.

As Eve began humming a familiar melody from her childhood, she held the twins closely, rocking them gently in her arms. She placed tender kisses on their heads, a warm smile on her lips.

"They'll have your golden hair," she remarked, looking up at Carlisle.

Carlisle smiled in response, "Celeste has my eyes. It was almost surreal when I first saw them. I actually had forgotten the colour."

Eve chuckled, glancing down at Celeste who was reaching up towards her face. As her daughter's warm hand touched her, a feeling of protectiveness washed over Eve.

Carlisle observed the scene, noting the familiar instincts that seemed to bubble up in Eve. "Your strong instincts," he commented, "It seems like Celeste has inherited that gift."

Eve hummed in acknowledgement, a thoughtful look on her face. As the twins slept calmly against her, she turned her attention to the challenges and trials that lay ahead.

Her thoughts were briefly interrupted by a sense of certainty, a subtle message from Celeste, albeit vague and enigmatic, but reassuring enough.

"I think I know what's going to happen tomorrow," Eve murmured, her voice tinged with a hint of worry but also determination.

Carlisle, sensing her apprehension, stepped closer, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. "What did you see?" he asked, his own concern evident in his voice.

Eve gazed down at the sleeping twins, her voice soft as she explained, "It's a bit cloudy, but there's a strong sense of resilience. Something will happen, something we can overcome. And the twins and the family will be okay," she added the last part more to reassure herself than anything else.

Carlisle listened in silence, his hand firmly planted on her shoulder, providing a silent support. He wanted to say something, to assure that everything would be alright, but he held his tongue. Instead, he turned his attention back to the twins, their small forms sleeping peacefully against their mother.

"Are you ready to see the family?" Carlisle inquired.

Eve took a moment to respond. "Before that, do you have any stored animal blood?" she asked, her voice tinged with a hint of discomfort. "My throat is aching," she explained.

Carlisle nodded, "I have some, but it might not be enough. You'll need to hunt for more," he replied.

Eve hummed in understanding. "Yeah I had a feeling," she agreed, handing the twins over to Carlisle. "I'll go out hunting."

Carlisle looked at her with a hint of concern. "Do you want me to go with you?" he offered.

Eve shook her head, "No it's okay," she assured him. "I see a path I can take. It's narrow enough for me to slip past the pack. It would be safer if it was just me."

Carlisle's worry remained, but he nodded in agreement. "Be careful," he urged, his voice filled with caution.

Eve smiled, a reassurance in her gaze. "I will," she responded, her voice firm. And with that, she slipped away into the night, leaving Carlisle alone with their sleeping children.

When Carlisle stepped out of the room, he found the entire family gathered, waiting for him.

Rosalie, with lightning speed, quickly took the twins from his arms, barely giving him time to react.

Edward, who had been engaged in conversation with Eleanor, turned his attention to Carlisle. "She's already awake?" Edward asked.

Carlisle nodded in response. "Yeah, she went out to hunt," he explained.

Eleanor's face showed concern, "Isn't it dangerous to let her go alone?"

Carlisle chuckled, his own worry having been replaced by a sense of confidence. "She'll be fine," he assured them, a hint of pride in his voice.

Eleanor's concern persisted, her face reflecting scepticism. "Sure, I understand that you trust her," she said, her voice tinted with doubt. "But she is still a newborn, right? I worry that she might end up attacking a human."

Rosalie, holding the twins, couldn't help but chuckle as Celeste reached out, touching her face. "Celeste says it's okay," she reported.

Edward, sensing Eleanor's struggle with the idea of her mother's new nature, chimed in, "She has predetermined instincts."

Eleanor's confusion was clear in her expression as she processed the explanation. "Predetermined... instincts?" she echoed, still struggling to wrap her mind around the concept.

Rosalie nodded with certainty, reiterating the idea. "Yes, Eve has control because she was already half-vampire," she clarified. "Celeste said it was because of that."

As Celeste continued to curiously touch Rosalie, the blonde Cullen's smile widened further.

Eleanor nodded silently, keeping her thoughts about her mother's request to herself. She tucked those questions away, realizing she had many more to ask. But the most important thing for her was that her mother was alright.

Eleanor's curiosity led her to ask another question, one that she hoped would steer the conversation away from the more awkward topics.

"So Mom is half-vampire, right? Does that mean the twins are only a quarter human?" she inquired.

Carlisle considered her question, replying, "Yes, they should be. However, given the ambiguity of Eve's 'human' side, since her mother was a fallen goddess, her genetic makeup remains unclear."

Eleanor nodded in understanding, processing the new information. She glanced at the twins, her thoughts momentarily distracted by the unique circumstances of their heritage.

Everyone in the room could see it—the twins appeared slightly older than a day, despite having been born recently. The speed at which they grew while in Eve was already known, but witnessing it firsthand after they were born was a disturbing sight.

Eleanor turned her gaze towards the window, observing the pack outside. They were already aware of the twins' presence, but the family had yet to reveal that Eve had changed.

The matter at hand was the broken treaty—Carlisle's decision to change Eve transgressed the rule not to turn humans into vampires.

Eleanor pondered, wondering whether this rule still applied to Eve's situation, given her half-vampire heritage.

Regardless, Sam's pack was still expected to arrive the following night. The advance of the twins' arrival didn't alter the situation fundamentally. However, with Eve now a vampire, the complexities seemed to be increasing exponentially.

As everyone, including Alice who was initially apprehensive, showered the twins with attention, they suddenly tensed. They had detected Eve's arrival and turned around to find her walking in, her expression one of gentle calmness.

Eleanor's thoughts were abruptly interrupted as her gaze fell on her mother's red eyes. The sight of the crimson orbs stirred up memories of trauma, causing her to wince instinctively.

In a moment of perception, Eve seemed to sense Eleanor's involuntary wince, responding with an apologetic nod. Carlisle was already by her side, his arm around her shoulder as he inquired, "How was your hunt?"

"I managed to catch some rabbits," she replied, shifting her gaze to the twins in Rosalie's arms. A smile graced her lips as she turned to address the rest of the family.

Emmett chuckled, "It hasn't been a full day yet, so saying 'welcome back' feels a bit dramatic."

Eve chuckled in agreement.

As the family continued to interact around her, Eleanor's attention was divided between her thoughts and the scene unfolding before her. Her mind was a jumble of emotions—relief that her mother was there and the twins seemed comfortable, contrasted with the lingering unease at seeing her mother's transformation.

Jasper, sensitive to Eleanor's unease, turned his gaze in her direction. He recognized her need for comfort and used his gift to help soothe her emotions. Noticing this, Eleanor mouthed a silent 'thank you' to him, grateful for his intervention. Jasper acknowledged her thanks with a slight nod of his head.

Eve glanced through the window, catching sight of the pack gathered outside. The view from the second floor prevented them from seeing inside, but they could see out.

Eve's expression grew solemn as she turned to Carlisle. "Do they know?" she inquired.

Carlisle shook his head in response, "We hadn't informed them yet. We wanted you to make that decision."

Eve bit her lip, her fear palpable. She was apprehensive about telling them, particularly Leah, considering her full transformation into a vampire. Previously, when she was half-vampire, Leah had mentioned that she couldn't even sense Eve's vampire side. But now, the situation was vastly different.

An additional primary concern was the broken treaty. The entire pack was present, and despite the fractures within, the Cullens honoured the treaty.

However, Eve's transformation at the hands of Carlisle constituted a violation of the agreement.

Carlisle, keenly attuned to Eve's anxieties, gently leaned forward to tenderly kiss her forehead. Although he desperately wanted to assure her with words of reassurance, he also understood the unpredictability of the situation. He couldn't confidently declare, "Everything will be alright" for he himself was uncertain of what the following night would bring.

Despite hearing reassuring confirmation from Celeste, both Eve and Carlisle harbored lingering concerns. They believed things would turn out well, but what weighed heavier on Eve's mind was the possibility of losing her friendship with Leah.