Yeah!  He speaks!  How heartbreaking is that though?  I am surprised Bella didn't go into full emotional overload.  I would have.....

Great chapter!  I can't wait for more...

I'm really enjoying this story.  I like seeing Bella as the caretaker, and I like the slow road to recovery that we get to watch.

 

I also appreciate the realistic language and dialgoue.  It's comfortable, familiar.

 

As for the author's note....I always think it's funny when a/ns take the position that the author doesn't actually know what's coming..... ;)

Author's Response:

Starting at the bottom and working my way up: I have no idea why i do that. But it comes naturally to me. Often, when I'm responding to the reviews, I find myself saying things like "we'll find out..." or "I'm so excited to see..." like, I really.. just don't know why my brain acts up sometimes :D

I'm glad you enjoy the lack of big words ;) I try to keep it clean and simple but still convey what I need to... yanno?

And lastly, I'm glad you're enjoying it!

Thanks for the review

- Michelle

Ah finally somthin mor than blankness and fear from him, YES, Thank u so much, u r a fabulous writer. Update reeely soon pls. lol

Awesome chapter!  This story is so completely original!  And completely spellbinding!  I'm loving it. :D

I'm so glad the vamp is getting better....and that he is attached to Bella!!  I can't wait to find out what happened to him!

I loved this chapter so much I don't even know where to begin with my review! This story has officially been promoted to my top very favorite Twilight fan fic! If I knew my family wouldn't have me committed, I'd be running around the house jumping and screaming in glee right now. Happy is too light a word for how this chapter made me feel, lol. Even though my favorite part was at the end (I'm sure it'll be will hard to figure out which part that was) I'll start by talking about the beginning.

The growing connection between him and Bella, him almost speaking, Alice's vision and him picking up on it, perfect. Especially having him almost speak, you did the tension and mounting anticipation of that soooo brilliantly! I had previously wondered if perhaps he could read minds (and that would be one reason why he was able to connect with Bella because hers is the only mind he cannot read) and I really thought that after Alice came to get Bella from her room. I'm not quite sure but I felt like Alice had had a vision of him speaking to Bella and that he saw it in her head, but at the last moment he couldn't quite speak.

Emmett's excitement over Alice's revelation about Edward's power was contagious and humorous. I especially loved at the end of the segment, where he somewhat poutily repeats that he thinks it's cool. And I can understand Carlisle's frustration here because I also found myself knowing that Alice is being untruthful and hiding things, and even though I don't fault her for that I do want to know just what she's hiding! Just when I think I have things figured out Alice makes a cryptic comment and Jasper snickers and I sitting there thinking what the heck is going on, lol. I'm wondering if Alice has told Jasper her visions or if he is just picking up on B & E's emotions and figuring it out for himself.

And I'm definitely wondering what Rose and Emmett were fighting about, but I do think Carlisle was smart in escaping and not getting involved whatever it was. And I loved, loved, loved it when Edward looked at the door when Carlisle thought about Bella. He was looking for Bella, wasn't he! Yay, yay, yay!

And Charlie...now I love Charlie and totally understand his view as a parent about Bella's recent change in behavior and how she's never home and not caring about the same stuff anymore and seems to be pulling away from him and Renee....totally understandable how come he's concerned and is trying to get through to her. But it drives me insane with fear that he's going to keep her away from Edward somehow! I think my reaction was much like Bella's when he mentioned her visiting Renee. NO NO NO NO NO NO- she can't leave Edward! NO!  or something like that.

Then Bella gets back to the Cullens and Jasper is grumpy and arguing with Alice....see that's another one of those things that I just can't quite put my finger on what's going on with that. But any frustration about my lack of visions of the future of this story were totally forgotten when Bella gives Edward his bath! Completely perfect! But even before that happened I was so thrilled when he was trying to read her mind (frustrated look after she explained that Alice said he could read minds) and that he liked her blush (softened look after her blush)....I'm pretty sure I'm interpreting that right and squealing about it all at an appropriate volume! And he responded to her question in the bath! YAYx1000!

And he finally spoke and it was perfect! I know you were kinda worried about that moment because of all the anticipation over his first words, but it completely lived up to my expectations and then some. You built up to the moment, had us all on the edge of our seats over whether he would speak or not....the build-up-perfect. The hestiation before he spoke and Bella's dwindling hope-perfect! His tone-almost a whisper, voice rough from not being used-perfect. It would have been a little unrealistic for his first words to be smooth or forceful. And what he actually said-perfect. Bella's tearful and emotional response to his words- perfect! And I was absolutely crying happily with her! But you were even better to us that that because we didn't just get the first words, we also got him wiping her tears away and cupping her cheek. PERFECT! I was crying, and smiling, and internally dancing at the end of it. Favorite chapter so far of my absolute favorite story!!!!

Author's Response:

I touched base with you a bit on the boards, but, as usual, I'll go through your points in order :)

First -- favorite fic ever?!! I am so AMAZINGLY happy and flattered and.. ah! THANK YOU (#1)

I've always seen this connection between Alice/Edward, and I was so happy to get a chance to play with it! And I love your theory on why he lets her near him, we'll see how it plays out :D

I think that putting in comic relief is getting more and more necessary, and while there wasn't a whole lot of it in this chapter, I think Emmett is a great place for stupid humor.  Haha, count on emmett for that! I think it's a safe guess that Alice might have told Jasper of her visions :) Jasper seems to understand what's going on so, yeah.. I'm gonna say it's safe to assume Jasper knows of her vision. I don't think alice hides things from jasper ever. And in the books, there were no secrets because of edward and alice -- without edward, I don't see why Alice couldn't keep a secret x)

Haha, I'm glad you enjoyed the door glance, it sort of set the fluff scene, yanno? snort.

We'll see how the charlie thing plays out, I'm sure we haven't heard the end of it x)

This review response sucks, as usual, because I just read and laugh and then.. yeah, make a pointless comment on it, because I don't want to ruin anything.. so I'll leave it at -- I hope your frustrations clear up! All of the questions you raise will be addressed in future chapters, so no worries :P

And THANK YOU AGAIN for this review and for loving the story and for loving his first words and.. everything! AND FOR COMING TO THE THREAD! Just.. thank you x1000!

Awwww.... poor baby. "don't leave me?" Awwwwwww.

omg.. this made me cry like a little girl.

jesus

i love this story so much.. thank you

He spoke. I loved it.

I'm so happy he's getting better! Guess he got used to her scent while the thought of blood made him sick? Either way its so sweet, Bella taking care of Edward.

Author's Response:

We'll see about how he deals with her blood ;) Glad you enjoyed it!

OMG, I just love this story!!!  Sadly, I'm following 25+ stories, but this is the one story I CANT WAIT to get an update for!  Your story is my FAVORITE by FAR!!  It's amazing and I've sent links to all of my fanfic friends.

"Don't leave me?"...those are some great first words!  I didn't quite expect those exact words, but how great is that??  I'm assuming that Edward can NOT hear Bella's thoughts??  Oh, and Emmett is so right, "dude...that's awesome".  Gotta luv Emmett! :)

Keep writing and updating, this story is awesome.  Thanks for the entertainment and the great read! :)  One of my all time FAV fanfics!  For me it's up there with B&W and Wide Awake! :)

Author's Response:

Wow, thank you SO MCUH! I'm so glad you're enjoying it so much and rec'ing it!

Haha, there was a LOT of speculation on the first words, a few people guessed but not a lot :D

And.. if it's edward.. it's probably a safe assumption that he might not be able to hear her thoughts x)

Thanks for the review!

- Michelle

HE SAID WORDS!
HE SAID WORDS AND MY HEART SKIPPED A BEAT!

Actually. It kind of did.  I felt lame for like 2 seconds.

But seriously, I love that something has finally started to happen between the two of them - and they found out about his ability.  I had initially thought (after Alice revealed he would start talking) that the first thing he would say would have something to do with not being able to hear Bella.  I mean, you never explicitly stated that he wouldn't be able to, but Edward and canon and idk where I was going with that.

I can't wait for the relationship between Edward and Bella to deepen, but I like how slowly they're moving - it makes sense for the way you're portraying both characters.

Author's Response:

Aww, I'm glad it worked for you! Things have certainly been happening for a while, but this was something that we have physical proof of, so I definitely get why it's a milestone!

And what in the WORLD would give you the idea that this is edward? pff x)

Thanks for the review!

- Michelle