Bella's POV

I looked around. Clearly, I wasn't in Forks anymore. But I knew this place. This was Isle Esme. It was clear to me almost immediately that I was dreaming. If it weren't for the bright hot sun that shone down on me, I would never believe it. It was so vivid. I looked down and noticed that my stomach was still huge, but there was no pain. I walked to the doors of my honeymoon house and looked at my reflection. I was in a white sundress. I unbuttoned it and saw that my bloated, pregnant belly was free from bruises and any other kind of mark. My skin was even better than it was when I was human.

When I was human . . .

I looked up at my face. No . . . I was human. Only, I looked a little better than I had the last time Rosalie put a mirror in front of me. My cheeks were a blush pink and my lips were shimmering and full. My skin practically glowed. My eyes were bright and vibrant with color. My hair was no longer weak and brittle, but the color was rich and the texture was thick and glossy. It hung loose, falling to my waist in long curls. I sighed. I was relatively pretty. I dare say, almost Cullen girl pretty.

I heard something from behind me and I turned to see Edward jogging up to me from the beach. He was in khaki pants and a white blouse, unbuttoned and exposing his perfect torso. He approached me and I was staring into his gorgeous amber eyes. His lips were rosy and his skin sparkled like a diamond in the sun. It felt entirely natural when he bent down and pressed his lips against my own. We walked down to the beach and sat on the sand in front of the water. The sand was golden and soft and the ocean breeze hit us. This wasn't the icy wind I had come to expect from Forks, but a nice, cool wind that rustled my hair and made me sigh.

Edward rubbed my stomach, something he would never do in real life, and smiled, looking up at me.

"Have you decided on a name?" he asked.

I was taken aback by his interest, but, since this was a dream, I figured I'd enjoy it while it lasted. Edward resented our baby. I knew it was because he didn't understand. I guess my subconscious is giving me what I want; Edward to love our child. To want to be a part of this.

"No," I shook my head. "I can never make up my mind."

"I'll tell you one thing," he boasted. "This is going to be the most beautiful baby in the whole world. He's going to take after you."

I laughed, something I hadn't done since I'd discovered I was pregnant. "I think he'll look like you," I told him, touching my huge belly. "My baby," I sighed. "My bronze-haired, green-eyed baby. He's going to be so special."

Then, everything shifted and I was sitting on a sofa in a house I'd never seen before. I looked down and I was not wearing my sundress, but jeans and a shirt covered with a blue apron.

"Edward Jacob Cullen!" I heard a voice that could only belong to Edward call.

I looked to my left and saw him standing over a pile of toys. Then a little boy skipped into the room and my heart stopped. He was so . . . beautiful. His face was round and his cheeks a rosy pink. His hair was shaggy and the same bronze as Edward. And his eyes! They were so green, they could be considered a new color altogether! This child could only be Edward's.

"Yes, Daddy," he said in a voice like syrup.

"You need to put away your toys. If I'd told you once I'd told you a thousand times!"

I sighed as I watched him pack them away.

"Momma," he suddenly said, turning to face me. My heart flooded with warmth at the name. "Do you want to play with me?"

"I'd love to, dear." The endearment felt so . . . right. It just rolled off y tongue without me even having to think about it.

Then it all changed again, and I watched in despair as my vision of my perfect family dissolved before me, replaced with something much more sinister. I looked around and I was in the woods. The same woods around the Cullen mansion. And I was holding something. I looked down and saw a baby in my arms. This must be the same child, because of the striking green eyes, but years younger. This child was so fragile. So dependent on me. I couldn't help but coo to comfort him when a small cry escaped his lips. He was frightened. So was I.

The something flashed in front of me. A brilliant orange, shimmering in the wind. She looked down at me with crimson eyes filled with hatred. Victoria. She'd come back for me.

Then, the pretty baby was gone from my arms and appeared in her own. She was suddenly comforting him, shushing him as he cried. No. This was wrong. Victoria couldn't do this. She couldn't take my baby. I cried out as she disappeared into the woods. I stumbled after her, knowing that I just had to find that child, and I was blinded by black and red robes. No. Not the Volturi too! Jane turned and looked at me. Then, my mysterious gift that protected me from her wicked powers was gone, and I was at her mercy. I cringed on the floor and clutched my stomach, the root of the pain. I cried out as my stomach was torn apart. I felt blood fill my hand. But all I could think of was my baby. Where was he? Where had Victoria taken him?

I had to find him. Nothing else mattered as long as I could find him. Then, horror beyond horror, something made me cry out louder than any sound physical pain could draw out of me.

Edward stood before me, clad in a red robe, with my baby – our baby – in his hands. I would have been relieved, had it not been for his horrific red irises. Then, before I could stop him, he shifted his arms, and used his hand to snap the child's tiny neck.

I screamed bloody murder.

"Bella!" I heard from beyond the blackness. "Bella!"

My eyes snapped open and I saw Rosalie leaning over me, wiping my sweaty forehead with a cloth. I looked around in terror ad sighed in relief. It was just a dream, I told myself. No need to panic.

"I'm fine, Rose." I sat up and felt my huge belly. I winced as I felt the bruises and knew I was back in reality. "Just give me a sec. I'll call if I need something."

She nodded and left the room. I waited alone for a few minutes, getting over the disturbing images, when someone knocked on the door.

"Yes?"

Edward walked in swiftly and sat down in front of me. "Are you alright? I heard screaming."

"I'm fine. Bad dream." I waited for him to leave but he didn't.

"Look, Bella, I wanted to apologize."

"Apologize?" I exclaimed in shock. "For what?!"

"For leaving you alone in all this." He refused to acknowledge the baby out loud until absolutely necessary.

"I understand why you would be upset," I said gently.

"No!" he said. "No, I don't want any excuses. I haven't been there for you, Bella. In the time you need me most. I . . . I want to be a part of this, if it makes you happy. I want to make you happy before . . ."

He didn't finish the sentence but I knew what he was talking about. He didn't think I would be alive that much longer. He wanted to be with me in the time we had left. I briefly considered telling him about my dream but decided not to ruin the moment.

"I love you, Edward," I whispered. "I want us to share this." I gestured to my stomach. "I want you to be a part of this future. Our future. I don't want you to leave me behind."

He blanched. "Is that what you thought? That I would leave you?"

I shrugged. He would never do that, I knew that, but his reasons for staying were what mattered to me.

"I want a family. No, I want this family. I know we can make this work," I insisted, sitting up further ad looking into his eyes. "Please, I want us to try."

He opened his mouth to argue, which seemed to be the only thing he did these days, but decided against it. "Alright. I want to be there. Do you remember my proposal?" he asked suddenly.

I nodded and looked down at the ring that hung loosely to my skinny finger. "What about it?"

"I promised I would love you every moment of forever." He looked down. "I guess I haven't been doing all I can to keep that promise, have I?"

I sighed. "I forgive you. But I didn't want to do this alone, Edward. That wasn't what I had in mind. I wanted us to work together."

"Is there still time to fix that?" he asked, leaning forward.

I nodded. "Of course, but not if you waste another second of it."

He sighed and his cool breath touched my lips as he kissed me. I had been waiting so many weeks for this kiss, a kiss we hadn't shared since the island. I pushed myself into it and kissed him back with as much force as I could muster. Then, I felt a pressure in my stomach and a sharp pain in my ribs. I cried out and broke away, more disappointed at having to lose out on the kiss than breaking another bone.

Carlisle rushed in and took me away to his office to work on me again. All the while, I clung to Edward's hand for dear life.

"Together," he whispered into my ear.

I sighed as the medication took me under. My sweet dreams of family were back and I knew, for the first time, that this could become a reality.