"Hello?"
"Rosalie…help me."
-----------------------------------------------I was on my way to the airport with Esme and Alice; Carlisle, Jasper and Emmett were home getting our home prepared for Bella and Edward's return. I still could not believe Bella had called me…before Alice, even before Esme…she called me. But then, she did know my story…I had relived my horrible human death and told Bella the story in a futile attempt to change her mind…to try and make her see how very much she would be giving up…her mom, dad, her future children…her humanity.
I know how much it must have cost her to call me – she feared me more than anyone else in the family (which is rather ironic if you think about it – I wasn't the one who attempted to make a meal of her over a paper cut – yet she was more comfortable with Jasper than I). But I digress…Bella had asked for my help and I had promised I would – and I fully intended making good on that promise. It didn't take Edward's ability to figure out his plan…anything that had the slightest chance of harming Bella must be destroyed – even if it meant killing his own child…and Carlisle was on his side. The predicament was unheard of – who could have guessed that vampire men were able to procreate with human women (well, in all fairness, it's not like many humans would volunteer for this…I was shocked Edward had managed it without killing Bella).
"Rosalie…I need you to help me."
"Bella? What are you talking about? What could you possibly need my help with?"
"I'm…pregnant…I think Edward is in shock and he won't talk to me…he's already spoken with Carlisle and Alice…he's going to kill our baby! Please, you're the only one who can possibly understand…they can't hurt him Rose – I will die! Please – I'll do anything you ask of me – just please help me save my baby!"
The fear and desperation in her voice as she begged for my help is something I will never forget…and as soon as she told me why, feelings and memories I thought I had lost forever stirred. I remember touching my own stomach with a jealous longing as Vera's gew larger and larger. I remember cooing over a beautiful baby boy with curly brown hair. I remember how I felt when he clapped his chubby hands to my cheeks. I remember the stirrings in my own stomach as I held the beautiful baby. I remember running through lists of baby names to find the perfect name for my own future children…children that I never had…children that were robbed of me because of one man's selfish and disgusting brutality.
"Bella…breathe…calm down…I promise I will help you…I won't let them take your baby…I'll talk to Esme and Emmett…we'll meet you at the airport. Just breathe – stress is bad for the baby – you have to take care of yourself – it will all work out, trust me. We will do this – Edward is just going to resign himself to the fact he is going to be a father. Don't let him know you spoke to me or he won't bring you here…he'll ask Alice what she sees and he'll keep you away from me. Please Bella, you have to act normal or we don't have a chance."
Bella hung up the phone…and all I could see was a beautiful baby. A sweet and beautiful baby…with Edward's copper hair and Bella's brown eyes…a baby to feed and to hold and to rock to sleep…and to watch grow up…a deep feeling of longing filled me. My eyes narrowed and I clenched my jaw…no one would hurt this baby…and I would kill anyone who attempted to rob us of this joy.
Alice kept stealing glances at me during the ride to the airport. I kept my face straight ahead and blank as we drove. "I can't see you anymore you know," she stated. I looked at my sister in surprise, "what do you mean you can't see me anymore?" "You made a decision about that baby – so has Bella – and for some reason you both have disappeared…I must not be able to see half vampires any better than I can see the dogs. You do realize that if you made a promise or decision about that baby that results in Bella's death, Edward is going to kill you, right?" I gave Alice the haughtiest look I could manage, "I have no idea what you are talking about – the only decision I have made is the one to support Bella in any decision she makes…which is what any good sister would do." I was rewarded with a glare from my tiny sister. I heaved a deep sigh, "Alice, while I might disagree with Bella's decision in wanting to become a monster like one of us, I don't wish her harm…I know what that would do to Edward…and despite the fact he drives me insane, I still love him and I will protect his wife." Alice gave me another searching look. "Alice, do you still see Bella becoming one of us?" "I think so…her future is so fuzzy now because of the baby…all of her decisions are being made around it so I can't get a clear picture," her irritation with this lapse in her sight was obvious on her face. Esme looked at us and interjected, "Bella must knows the danger she is in…I'm sure Edward told her and you know as well as I do he is trying to talk her out of keeping the baby and will do anything he can to save her life." Esme hesitated, "But a baby – I never imagined such a thing…I wonder who it will look like," she murmured as a smile slipped through. I knew she was imagining her favorite son's face on an infant…and then I realized I had found my biggest supporter. Alice favored us both with sour looks.
The three of us looked at one another as we heard Bella and Edward's arrival announced. We stood up and made our way to the gate; as Bella and Edward walked towards us our jaws dropped. Two weeks ago, a slender and ecstatically happy Bella had left our home; the Bella returning had a drawn face…and a belly! A belly that looked to be at least 3 to 4 pregnant. She looked into my face, broke from Edward's protecting arms, ran into my outstretched ones and began to cry. As I wrapped one arm around her shoulders, my other hand stole to touch her abdomen…and my resolved strengthened. I wrapped both arms around her and steered her towards the car murmuring words of comfort into her ear, "It's going to be okay. Carlisle will figure this out and we will take care of this little one, no one is going to touch him or harm him…I will protect you."
As hard as I tried, I couldn't help the thoughts flying through my mind. Images of me bringing Bella food trays…me holding her hand as we looked at the ultrasound pictures…me helping her breath as she gave birth…me holding a flesh and blood baby…with Edward's copper curls and Bella's warm brown eyes. Edward stared at us (well, more at me) in horror with his mouth agape…a low growl rumbled from his chest. No doubt he was seeing the images in my mind. For good measure, I let one final thought flit through my mind…a beautiful toddler smiling at ME with love in his eyes.
Bella looked at me with gratitude in her eyes…she stole a glance at Edward and shivered at the look on his face…she burrowed deeper into my arms. I looked my brother in the eye, "Don't bother giving me that look Edward, it's not going to work…and get out of my head…this is a woman thing and you have no idea." He growled at me and tried to take Bella back into his arms…I hissed at him and pulled her closer. All the while the smile on my face grew larger and larger and his face grew darker and darker. I saw the dark look he exchanged with Alice. I felt one moment of pain as I saw the burning in her face; Alice truly loved Bella and this had to be hurting her as much as it was Edward. I pushed the thought out of my head…it would all work out and I would finally get my happy ending.
I steered Bella to the car and helped her into the backseat. I got in and pulled her into my lap and cradled her as if she were an infant herself; she fell asleep as soon as the car started to move. I gave Edward another glare for allowing her to get this tired. In a low voice I hissed, "Don't you realize pregnant women need their rest? She looks terrible – what have you been doing – listing every reason you can think of for her to not have this baby?" Edward glared back, "Well Rosalie, or should I call you bodyguard? Since when have you cared one way or the other about Bella…don't think I can't hear what you're really thinking…you could care less if anything happens to Bella…you just want to get your claws on that baby."
I rolled my eyes. "You're right Edward…I'm not that concerned about Bella…I mean, call me crazy, but wasn't she pretty much planning on turning into one of us anyway? There is no reason she won't be able to last long enough to carry the baby until he can be born…she's not going to die – and if she gets that close to death…just change her…it worked for the rest of us…Bella can manage to stay alive long enough to let the baby grow and then all you have to do is change her…what is the big deal? I thought that was the plan all along anyway…all we have to do is keep her heart beating until he's big enough to come out."
Alice and Esme stared with their mouths agape at our exchange. "It is her body, her baby, and her decision…and I swear Edward Cullen…if you try anything, and I mean anything, to hurt this baby…you will be flying to Italy to beg the Volturi for mercy." He glared daggers at me and refused to speak another word…to me at least. It was fairly obvious by the way he and Alice were looking at one another they were having one hell of a conversation. I leaned back against the car seat and hummed quietly as I stroked Bella's head.
