Echoes of Panic, Whispers of Peace

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc., associated with the Twilight Saga are the property of Stephenie Meyer. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this story. This work is created solely for entertainment purposes and is not intended for profit. No copyright infringement is intended.

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As time passed the more we grew, the less space was available in our little home. It had gotten so bad that my sister and I were practically on top of each other, not that we minded. We didn't complain much because we found it easier to give each other hugs and comfort.

The voices of our family were getting more panicked, confused, concerned, and jumbled as time went on. Which, much to my dismay, caused my mom's voice to be drowned out. It was truly distressing. I didn't even notice how reliant I have become on hearing her voice, and now, without hearing her has filled me with a near-endless stream of anxiety and panic.

My sister had taken it upon herself to wrap her arms around me in protection. However, trying to protect me from my own emotions wasn't doing us much good. But my mom was the constant that helped me stay sane, and with her missing, well, my sanity was starting to be chipped away by my emotions.

*Where is she?* I asked my sister in desperation…I knew it was useless, but I had to try.

*I don't know, but it's okay! She will be back soon, I promise.* She answered optimistically, but two voices that didn't belong to my mother interrupted us. They were my sister's parents; the woman who carried us and the man we both assumed was her father.

We finally discussed our parents. We discussed the things he would spew about us, the way they all assumed we would be monstrous children who hurt innocents. While my sister held nothing against him regarding this, I, unfortunately, do.

I'm sure it helped that her mother fought for her the same way my mom fought for me. Though they still had no idea that we were twins, no idea that we had different mothers, we know, and that's all that matters.

They were close. My sister's parents, that is. We could hear them as clearly as an unborn child could. They were finally making up after so much arguing. I was happy for once. I was truly afraid that they would have been contemplating getting a divorce. If that happened, then I know just how much my sister would have blamed herself for it.

However, the discussion did not last long, and we soon fell into silence. My sister took it upon herself to send some of her positive emotions to me through our bond in hopes of countering my negative emotions… This was probably the first time I felt a semblance of peace.

But luck was not on my side today. It was a snap that ruined our bit of peace. For a second, nothing happened, but then all hell broke loose. A bloodcurdling scream ripped through the air, pursued by the horror-filled voices of the others.

However, we couldn't focus on anything or anyone as all the air was being sucked out of our home - we could no longer breathe. Instinctively, both my sister and I tried to take in a gasping breath, but no matter how much we tried, nothing was working. No air was coming in, and no air was going out.

My lungs were burning from the lack of oxygen, and I couldn't help but let out a silent scream for help, help that I wasn't sure was coming. I thought I was going to die again, and I didn't believe I would experience another reincarnation.

My sister was gripping my arm so tightly that I was ever so slightly afraid that she would break my arm, but the burning in my throat and lungs overpowered anything and everything I could have felt. This was worse than my first death…this was torture, plain and simple.

*MOM! Help*

We screamed as one when another instinct took hold, the need for our mother. But we knew that they could not hear us. The screaming outside got so loud that at one moment, I thought I would go deaf. I squeezed my eyes shut, just as I did the first time I went through death.

*Are you-* My sister started only to be ripped away from me? I cried out in alarm, not ready to be separated from her.

Panic gripped my heart as I heard her scream for…we were finally being born. It is a terrifying birth, but a birth nonetheless. I need to wait for my turn.

*I'm alright! I am okay!* I quickly rushed out through our bond, hoping to help calm her just a little. *I'll join you in a few minutes.*

That seemed to help her just a bit as her crying settled, for now at least.

"Renesmee," her father whispered. I inhaled sharply when I heard my twin sister being named Renesmee. Am I destined for a family that is obsessed with Twilight, or is it something else? Have I been reborn in Twilight, like some of my favorite fan fiction?

"I can take her, Edward." A high-pitched, fairy-like voice said as she took Renesmee from her father's arms before going out of the room. However, Renesmee was more focused on me. I could feel her anxiety through our bond increase the further she got from me. I carefully monitored my emotions, ensuring she knew I was okay without her in the same room.

I tried to hide my emotions from my sister, but I was unsuccessful, as I felt an unending pain hit me all at once. I felt her register my pain as she shook in panic and fright. Renesmee started to wail as she tried to get them to realize that I was still in her mother's womb. That I was hurt, and that I needed help.

I wasn't sure if it worked, or if they finally realized that there were two of us, but I was being pulled free from the place that had become a tomb. "Another one…" Edward breathed out in shock. The pain of this terrifying birth was slowly ending. The hands on me were ice cold but soothing to my overheating skin. My small body trembled as I slowly caught my breath.

"Give her to me, Edward. I swear I'm fine." My mom has finally arrived. The next thing I knew, Edward all but shoved me into my mom's arms.

"Edward, I swear. You have another daughter, and this is how you treat her?" My mom said, shocked, as she placed me gently against her chest. One of her hands cradled my bottom, holding a blanket close against my small body.

"I don't care." He snapped as he plunged something directly into my sister's mother's heart. "Bella, she isn't responding. That thing stopped me from saving Bella. I could have saved her after my daughter was born, but that thing being in her stopped me! If my Bella dies, then I'll kill her!"

"Edward!" the pixie-like fairy snapped as she came into the room while holding Renesmee. "Don't say that and don't call your child a thing. She's just an innocent baby."

Through our fading connection, I couldn't sense anything from Bella- no flicker of emotion, no awareness of the chaos surrounding her.

"She's not innocent if she kills Bella, Alice," Edward growled before continuing. "But if Bella dies…I will never see her as mine…only as an abomination."

"I cannot believe you right now, Edward," Alice said, stunned. "You are rejecting her just because she was a moment too long within Bella? Bella isn't dead, Edward! Her heart still beats."

I could not believe what I was hearing. First, I have finally concluded that I was reborn in Twilight. Second, Edward is rather vicious. Finally, I am truly happy that I do not see him as my father. Good. He doesn't deserve to be. Not after what he said.

And yet…

Edward calling me an abomination and rejecting me right off the bat still hurt.

*Are you okay, sis?* Renesmee asked worriedly as she felt my pain and despair through our bond.

*I…ah, no. But I will be once Mom fully accepts me as hers.* I replied truthfully.

*I will speak to my dad soon, sis.* Renesmee stated; a wave of confusion and worry washed over me through our bond as she felt my distress. She didn't understand the darkness in his words, only that they caused me pain.

"That's enough!" My mom snapped. "I will not have you denigrate an innocent baby, Edward, especially in front of her sister."

There was silence for a few moments. Edward's fists clenched and unclenched as he tried to regain his temper. My mom stood calmly, waiting for him to speak and apologize.

When he didn't respond, she decided to move on and began to explain as she gently rocked me back and forth. "Edward, I can understand your anger and desperation. You love Bella and will come to love and accept Renesmee as your daughter. But what I cannot understand is why you cannot give this baby the same courtesy as you did for Renesmee. She is just as innocent as Renesmee is."

I was grateful to hear this…I know she meant well. But still…I couldn't stop my tears from leaking onto my mom's shoulder. It hurt so badly how she was trying to get Edward to accept me as his daughter still. It was awful. Didn't she see? His rejection was clear. Why was she still hoping? Did I even want his acceptance after what he said?

Silence stretched, thick and heavy. I could sense the storm warring within the man who had rejected me. His hands clenched and unclenched at his sides, the knuckles white. He glanced sharply towards the still form of my sister's mother, then back towards me, his golden eyes flickered with a mixture of fury, guilt, and perhaps…reluctant understanding? Renesmee sent a sharp pulse of disapproval through our bond, aimed squarely at her father, a feeling so strong I flinched.

He took a deep, unnecessary breath, the sound harsh in the quiet room. Finally, he sighed, the sound ragged. "Alright…Alright, you win. But as far as I am concerned, you are now the baby's mother, and Emmett is her father. Renesmee is mine and Bella's. The girls are advanced mentally, and Renesmee has kindly informed me that even if I accepted her sister as my daughter now, she will not accept me as her father, nor will she accept Bella as her mother."

"I am not saying I won't accept her, Edward," my mom stated, sighing heavily as she held me tightly against her chest. "But I do want to know where this sudden change of attitude is coming from."

"The twins are very sensitive and very intelligent, from what I can tell. Renesmee is open to me, but her sister is closed, much like Bella is to me." Edward sighed. "I was angry because I could not read her. I was certain she was a soulless monster sent to kill the innocent. I blamed her for the first thing I could think of, and that was the delay in Bella's change."

"And now?" My mom questioned.

"Why is it so important for you to know, Rosalie?" Edward deflected, ashamed at how he was acting towards the youngest twin.

"Because I need to know that you are no longer a danger to my little one, Edward," Rosalie explained, exasperated.

"Fine," Edward conceded. "I lost control of my emotions and took it out on an innocent baby…I will agree to that. Renesmee… she hasn't stopped projecting her fury about how I treated her sister since Alice pointed out my error. It seems my own daughter knew better than I. I broke any parental connection I had with your daughter the moment I treated her as an abomination. I am sorry…I will ensure it will not happen again. I will be her uncle from now on… Now I just have to find a way to explain what I did to Bella…I hope she will forgive me and accept that the little one is now your daughter."

My mom nodded, looking a lot happier than earlier. "She will forgive you…just be glad you didn't do the same with Renesmee…I doubt that she would have forgiven you then."

"I would have to agree with Rosalie, Edward," Alice chimed in, already moving towards the door. "This incident might have taught you to be more careful with the way you act towards people and children, Edward. Your actions do have consequences… and you need to be aware of them."

Alice gave Rosalie a quick, sympathetic glance before hurrying out of the room, Renesmee's small form nestled securely in her arms. The sudden absence of Renesmee's immediate presence created a small pang of loneliness within me, even midst of the relief of being with Mom.

Edward broke the awkward silence as he looked away from Bella towards my mom. "So…what are you going to call the little one? She needs a name…fitting for a Hale, or will she be a Cullen?"

My mom chuckled softly as she glanced down at me. "She will be a Cullen. She is a Hale, but I will call her Phoebe Valerie Cullen."

"How did you come up with that? I get Phoebe, as you always thought if you had a girl, that's what you would call her and for a boy it would have been Phoibos, from Greek mythology, meaning 'bright, ' 'radiant,' or 'shining one.'" Edward asked, curiosity dripping from his voice.

"Well, yes, that too… but the true reason is my grandmother's name was Phoebe. I always wanted to honour her by naming my daughter after her, and well, Valerie was Emmett's little sister's name. He always protected her, and this is my way to honour him and what he lost."

"Oh, I think it suits her…" Edward murmured, looking awkward. "Also, did you know that Valerie means 'to be strong,' or 'healthy,' or 'valiant? '"

"I did, actually," Mom said with a slight eye roll at her brother's sudden awkwardness.

"She is my radiant warrior." Mom's voice was soft but fierce, her gaze on me filled with a protective intensity that spoke volumes more than the dictionary definitions.

With that, Mom turned towards the door and left the room with me securely in her arms. She was breathing me in, running her nose along my hair while she walked slowly down the stairs. I didn't open my eyes until I felt her move me away from her chest.

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"Hello, my little warrior," my mom cooed softly as we entered another room… a room far away from Edward and Bella. I was rather impressed by the beauty that is my mother. She looked angelic… Pale white skin, hair so blond it looked golden. Her lips were ruby red, her smile was bright and perfect. I knew she was a beautiful woman in the books and the movies, but seeing her in real life…well, this does not even compare to how beautiful she truly is.

Realizing that I was staring as she was analyzing me…I opened my mouth and gave my mom a toothless smile and gave her unintelligent babbling just to show her how happy I truly was.

Mom continued to watch me as she moved over to Alice and my sister, allowing my gaze to sweep through the room, noticing that we were in the Kitchen. An expensive one at that… custom-built with top-of-the-line appliances. A large center island, a breakfast bar, and, of course, a separate eating area.

Alice…my auntie was a very pixie-like vampire. She had short, wild, spikey black hair, and she was short…much shorter than my mom. She was holding Renesmee, who I saw finally breathe out a sigh of relief. Her tense form soon relaxed as she felt my contentment and happiness now that everything between Edward and Mom was sorted.

Mom set me carefully on the kitchen counter, where she gently removed the blanket that was wrapped around me. I shivered slightly from the sudden chilly air, causing Mom to coo at me. In one quick motion, Mom grabbed a warm washcloth and started wiping off the blood and fluids of childbirth.

It was while she was wiping me down that I finally took notice of her eye color; they were black. As in, pitch black… it felt out of place on her beautiful face.

When she finally finished, she smiled brightly at me before placing me back on the counter right next to Renesmee. A larger but soft blanket is underneath both of us. Renesmee's hand found mine, her fingers gripping my own. A small gesture of comfort and reassurance between the two of us…After everything that had happened since her mom went into labor.

Mom and Auntie Alice cooed lightly at us, their moments precise and gentle as they dressed us in warm and cozy onesies.

My onesie was so fluffy and soft, it felt like a cloud on my skin. On the front, it had a slogan stating 'Mama's little Princess!' in elegant purple font. The onesie fitted my tiny body perfectly, making me feel more protected and loved than ever before.

Renesmee's onesie was similar to mine, except her onesie had a slogan of 'Isn't she lovely?' in elegant pink font. We were then each wrapped in a blanket to match our outfits. Renesmee's was pink, while mine was purple.

Mom smiled down at us, satisfied with our outfits, before she gently picked me up and cradled me once again against her chest. I nuzzled my face against her throat, inhaling deeply. I loved it when my mom held me. It makes me feel protected and cared for. She never once failed to make me feel safe and calm, even when I was still in my sister's mother's womb.

Mom pressed a small kiss on the side of my head before whispering soothingly, "Welcome home, Phoebe Valerie Cullen… My bright, strong girl.. My little warrior." She rocked me into a soothing nap after I had my first meal in this new world.