to put it simply, "thank you"

Awesome.  Almost flawless as usual. 

Love the angsty Edward, love the vengeful and vindicated Rose. Love the prepared Edward, and thoughtful Rose.  Love the Somber Carlise, and the relieved Charlie.  Love the spiritual, strong, yet mourning Martha.  Love the revenge on Clayton.  Love the response and rebuke by the Police.  Love the panic in Brady, and the determination of Rose.  Weirded out by the evidence, and impressed at it's reluctant inclusion.  Love the vigil of Bella.  Love the elation and trepidation associated with your last 2 lines.  She obviously has the power to hold herself up, ie use of muscles formerly unusabe... Hell fucking yes!; Trepidation, that ALL she is doing is sitting upright, not leaping gracefully to the corner to face a potatntial threat (ie Brady, the last conscious memory she had, maybe).  Crap, did it take fully?

I have only 2 reluctant critiques...

First: ""Water!" she croaks."  Thirsty as she is, screamed out though she is, I seriously doubt overuse of vocal cords would damage or swell them, particularly on a 13 min old Newborn.  Her voice should probably be as musical at this stage (ie fully changed), as will be her norm from here on.  imo, she should have sang that, not croaked it.

Second: I've had this one for some time, though I was simply reluctant to point it out, but at this point it is moot. We all know and agree, a fresh wound heals during the change, kind of a requirement when your species is born most often in the course of extreme violence, and remade so completely during the process.  Old scars and healed wounds may not always.  Um... Why not simply rip out the section of her lower spine during the initial beginings of the change, and allow the transformation to replace and heal anew the entire fresh wound, now sans dead scared spinal tissue; similar to her missing foot?

True you may have already adressed that second point and I simply have forgotten, if so I retract it with enthusiasim.

Again, awesome read.  Again, Thank you for taking the time to write and share it.  Again, I love this story, and it is still my number 1 favorite.  I look forward to your conclusion in the near future, it has been, up to now, a very enjoyable journey.

Author's Response:

Thank you!  To address your comments/questions/critiques.  On the first one, it may just be a different definition of "croak," but I don't think of something from swollen vocal chords so much as a type ofsound.  But I have, in general, sort of de-emphasized a lot of what seemed to me sort of *over*emphasis of how pretty/graceful/musical, etc., the Cullens sounded.  I thought a lot of that was mostly BELLA's fascination with them, particularly at her age.  As an older woman, she's not as enamored of the surface. :-)  Also, here, we're in Edward's head, and as a vampire, I assume/bet he hears more distinction in vampire vocal tones. :-)

Now, on the spine ... you are not the only one to ask, and I think a lot of the issue here is two-fold.  Yes, some of this was addressed before, but it's way back there so it's hardly a surprise if people forgot.  First, the neurons in the brain and spinal collumn are unique in the body.  They are about the ONLY cells that, once damaged, won't heal.  Can't heal, in fact.  That's why T-cells are so precious for healing any neurological ailment from SCI to Alzheimers and Parkinsons (or Lupis).  They make new cells.  By contrast, the foot isn't nearly as complex an organ, even with all those little bones.  So that's part of it.  Second, and resting ON that, Edward is extremely reluctant to take a chance.  The plain fact is they don't *know*, at this point, if she would heal.  They've never heard of a case of a vampire who'd been a previously healed paraletic, or amputee.  So Edward is hedging his bets.  He won't take the chance that just breaking her back or removing that part of her spine would result in it being healed.  So it's not just a matter of "would it," but a matter of "would he risk it"? :-)

I am really loving this story and so can't wait for the next chapter! I'm ready to see how your Bella takes to the change XD

So she is sitting I hope it is safe to assume she can walk, can't wait for the next part. Great writing I really enjoyed this chapter.

What another amazing and well-researched chapter! Your writing prowess has yet to cease to amaze me!

Update soon, I'm feeling very obsessive checking twilighted every five minutes, just to see YOUR update! :)

I just started reading this story and I love it!  

Author's Response:

Thank you!

Bella is sitting!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

so she made it! YES!

that_writr - glad you wrote about shaving ;-) recently i was thinking that problem through and was wondering about unshaved legs/hands/armpits from the past - or unshaved beards...

Volturi - not here - YET....? so Bella will be able to use her power won't she? :-)

thanks for that chapter... really important was that part where Edward felt he should let her die so she wouldn't suffer through the change...

Author's Response:

I'm thinking if they didn't shave in life, they'd need a diamond razor to take care of it later, so Rose was bound and determined to FIX THAT. Ha.

On the Volturi ... you'll see. Hee.

And I can't imagine standing by and watching somebody you love scream and hurt like that *and not be able to do anything*.  Even though he knows it'll be over soon, he *still* doesn't know yet at that point whether the T-cells will work.

I don't want this story to be over in a couple more chapters.  Please tell me your thinking a bunch of one-shots or a sequel.  I would love to see a lot more moments of Bellas vampire life and her future interactions with Martha, charlie, and Jacob as a vampire.  Alice also commented on the Volturi not coming YET which could imply they will in the future.  Sequel please please.  If not I can respect that it is your story.  A beautifully written story I might add.  I have loved this story.  I'll just be sad if there's no more after just the little that's left.

Author's Response:

Alas, no, no sequel.  I just don't have any story to tell.  Some of those loose ends will be wrapped up, and while as you'll see.  There will be a few loose ends, but not really.

I'm really a READER.  This was an oddity, for me to write fiction.  I'm actually quite ready to be done and get back to reading.  I don't see how the real writers keep it going.  I'm EXHAUSTED. Ha.

Holy crow, that was intense, but so, so  good.  And she's sitting, YAY!!!

Well, holy fucking shit! I was reading along quietly at my desk (at work) when I got to the end and said really loud, "Oh, for the love of all that's holy. Yes!!!!" Everyone looked at me, I blushed, stuttered and pretended I had a cramp in my leg. That's what I get for reading it at work. I couldn't wait though. This has been the most mind-boggling, heart-stopping, tender story I have ever read. Your ability to come up with this whole scenario just amazes me. I would love to peek inside your brain.

I am really, really looking forward to the end of this journey, not because it will be over but because I hope they will finally find happiness. This story has been really emotionally difficult to read at times. That is a good thing as a writer; painful as the reader. I have cried more over this story than any other story I've read of late. You are truly gifted and I wish nothing but  wonderful things for you.

Author's Response:

Oh, thank you!  And as I've said a few times, I'm really not a tragedy writer, although if there's not at least some *suggestion* that things might not work out, then the payoff is far less.  Although it'll be realistic.  I'm not done with them yet.

interesting... interesting..

 

cant wait till the end

but if you do wait till the 1 year mark im okay with that too

I KNEW THAT CHIP GUY WAS GOING TO DO SOMETHING STUPID!!!!!