His Butterfly

xli. human practice

Early into the next day, Mariposa sits in the Cullen home, her head on Jasper's shoulder as he helps Carlisle with paperwork for the hospital. Jasper has an arm wrapped around his wife as he signs papers with one hand. Esme was typically the one who helps Carlisle with his work, but today she was busy making Jacob's small pack and her granddaughters' lunch. Emmett sits in the room as well, reading a newspaper. Bree sits beside him with her body leaning into his side as she clips on strands of colorful hair into her wavy hair. Due to her not having a regular and happy childhood, the Cullens have been trying to give Bree the one she deserved as a child. Jacob leans against one of the windows, keeping a close eye on Rosalie as she interacts with Renesmee outside on the forest floor.

The group of six all look up when footsteps grow closer to the room. Bella and Edward enter the room with small smiles on both of their faces. Mariposa shoots her bonded Moroi a smile before diverting her attention back to her husband. Jasper sends her a love filled expression, pressing a short kiss to her lips. The couple look away from each other when Sophia comes running into the room, her sock covered feet gliding around the polished floor. If it wasn't for Edward, who had gathered her into his arms, she would have definitely fallen. The little girl screeches with laughter as her uncle holds her in the air, playfully growling and tickling her before setting her back down on the floor. Sophia sticks her tongue out to Edward as she plops down beside her father.

Jasper smiles down at his child, pushing her hair away from her face, and pressing a kiss to her temple. "Wow, done already?" Emmett's voice breaks the semi quietness that lingers in the room. A teasing smirk rests on his face as he stops reading his newspaper.

Beside him, Bree makes a disgusted face as she looks at Carlisle, her father only smiles at her. Matei appears behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders, and grins down at her. She tilts her head back to give him a smile before he leans down to kiss her cheek. The two have been taking their relationship together slowly, not in a rush to do anything since they have eternity to do so.

"Where's Renesmee?" Bella asks, entirely ignoring Emmett's comment, bold eyes looking for her daughter. Behind her Edward just smiles down fondly at her as their hands are tangled together.

"Blondie stole her." Jacob responds, eyes never leaving the sight of Rosalie talking to Renesmee.

"Break a lot of stuff?" Emmett continues with his inappropriate comments, causing Mariposa to throw a cushion at him. The burly vampire immediately catches it as chuckles break out in the room from his comment and the brunette's action.

Mariposa suddenly groans out in disgust as she shakes her body in shivers. Her eyes snap towards Edward, the mind reader laughing at her reaction. "Your thoughts are so loud! God, I'm never going to get those words out of my head now."

Edward just chuckles, shaking his head. "Be glad you can't see into my mind, only hear." He reminds her teasingly. She flips him off after covering Sophia's eyes.

The phone starts ringing, and the sound makes the room silent. Everyone looks at the device as Bella walks towards it but never makes the move to pick it up and answer it—even though she wants to so badly. Frowns cover their faces at Bella's question; "Is that Charlie?" Her voice is soft and delicate.

Mariposa sighs gently at the mention of Charlie Swan. She feels bad enough that the poor man was in the dark about his daughter, and that his worry was getting to him. She knew about the plan the Cullens had set for themselves when they would tell Charlie that Bella was supposedly dead. She knew wholeheartedly that when they would break the news to Charlie, he would be in so much grief that not even words could be able to explain what he would be feeling, but she kept telling herself that they were doing this for the safety of her family and theirs. Even if it hurts others around them.

A silence covers the room once again after Bella gave Carlisle the confirmation that they would tell Charlie tomorrow that she was dead. There's a pained expression on the newborn's face with her decision but she doesn't say anything, just stays quiet. Jacob suddenly storms out of the living room and out of the house, much to everyone's confusion. Sophia pouts at the quietness coming from her family, and stands up from the couch. "I go outside and play with Rennie." She tells them before leaving.

Mariposa stands beside Edward, the two behind the couch. The rest of the family all stand in the room, trying to help Bella learn how to act human and how to act around them. The only reason why they were doing this is because Jacob had to go out and tell Charlie Swan that he was a werewolf, and the man was now coming over in a few minutes. Mariposa hands her daughter over to Jasper, the little girl wanting to be in her father's arms now. Sophia curiously and tiredly watches the scene in front of her.

"These will irritate your eyes at first." Alice states to Bella as she places brown contacts over Bella's creepy crimson eyes.

"The main thing is not to move too fast." Carlisle tells her with a gentle smile on his graceful face.

"Try taking a seat, crossing your legs." Esme suggests kindly. Bella does as she's told, only instead of going at a human pace, she uses her vampire speed. This results in Mariposa letting out an amused snort as the chair Bella chose to sit in, collides with the wall behind it. "Maybe a tad slower." Esme adds, Carlisle pinching his fingers together in emphasis.

"And blink at least three times a minute." Alice tells Bella. She once again does as she's told, only blinking a servera more times than asked to. "Good." Alice hums unsurely but hides it.

"For a cartoon character." Jacob speaks up with an amused expression as he leans into the couch.

"Hold your breath, it'll help with the thirst." Carlisle informs her. Bella listens to his words, and stops breathing, her body tensing up just the slightest bit but it would go unnoticed to human eyes.

"Just don't forget to move your shoulders so it looks like you're breathing." Edward and Mariposa both speak, and the two best friends give each other looks. "That isn't creepy at all." They add, whispering.

Everyone shake their heads at the two, focusing on Bella instead. "And don't sit so straight." Rosalie's delicate voice is heard as she looks at the now nervous newborn. "Humans don't do that."

Bella slouches, looking uncomfortable before quickly standing up and stuttering out her next words hastily. "Okay, I got it. Move around, blink, slouch." The Cullens and Mariposa all perk up when the sound of a car pulls up, the sound of it parking indicating the arrival of Charlie Swan.

"Good luck." Esme tells Bella with a soft smile before she and everyone but Carlisle, Edward, Bella, and Jacob start to leave the room. Jasper holds his wife's hand as he gently pulls her upstairs, towards his old room. The family of three enter the bedroom with Sophia immediately placing herself into the bed, and making herself comfortable to have her nap. Her parents lay on either side of her, their eyes closed as they relished their small moment of peace and quiet.

You really don't want to know how many times I rewrote this chapter because I couldn't get it right, and I still didn't. Anyways, if you did not get my announcement, I know post on Mondays or Fridays, depending on what I have done with the chapters.