9. HOMECOMING
"I thought that was our last plane," I said as I followed Edward through the throng of people in the busy terminal of Seattle-Tacoma Airport. Even at four in the morning, it was packed. But, of course that was to be expected in an international airport.
"We're flying into Port Angeles," he replied, grabbing my hand and pulling me through the stampede. "Carlisle will pick us up there and drive us back home."
"Home." I smiled, even though he couldn't see. "That's right; your house is my real home now." My heart fluttered at the thought.
He turned back to glance at me, and smiled when he saw the contentment on my face. "It always has been, Bella. Ever since I first brought you there."
"Well, now it's official."
"Yes, Mrs. Cullen, it is indeed."
My smile was radiant; I still wasn't used to my new name, and still felt the overwhelming rush of pleasure and adrenaline when he called me by it. I tightened my fingers around his. My other hand was gripped on the handle of the bulbous suitcase Alice had packed for me; Edward dragged his suitcase in addition to another of my bags with his other hand.
While I had come to grow used to the silks and laces that had made up the majority of my wardrobe on Isle Esme – I was still going to have to talk to Alice about that – I was enormously looking forward to slipping on my favorite pair of sweats the minute we were through the door. But, of course, I doubted that I would be able to do that easily. A light kick from my nudger reminded me that I had far more enormous things to worry about than comfortable clothes.
We were silent for the rest of the distance to our final terminal. I was deep in thought; and I suspected that Edward was, too, as he never glanced back at me again. It wasn't until we were on the plane, settling into our seats, that he broke the silence. There had just been nothing important to say, and of course I wasn't exactly great at coming up with things to talk about.
"Bella," he started in a somber voice. "This is very important, so please pay attention."
I didn't like his dark mood; I gave him a lopsided grin and replied, "I can do that."
He rolled his eyes and chuckled quietly. "I'm serious, Bella."
"Alright, fine. I'm listening."
"First things first, make sure that you have everything ready when we land. I don't want to waste any time; we need to get to Carlisle as quickly as possible."
"Edward, you do realize that the plane hasn't even taken off yet, right?"
He sighed. "Yes, I know. But this is a short flight. It will be over before you know it."
I nodded. "I know. This was one of my flights when I was moving up to Forks last year."
"The start of it all…" He grinned and shook his head. I had to smile, too.
"Anyway, keep going," I prompted.
"Alright, so, you realize that Carlisle is the only one that knows about…" He didn't finish, but I knew what he meant. I thought of Rosalie, and felt a brief twinge of guilt.
"Yes. But the others are going to have to find out sooner or later."
He sighed again. "Oh, believe me. They'll know within minutes. Nothing stays a secret long in our house."
"But that's a good thing," I concluded. "We don't want them freaking out about it for a long time."
"They won't have the chance to." His voice was confident. "As I said, as soon as we get home, Carlisle and I will take care of everything. You won't have to worry about that thing harming you ever again."
"Edward!" I was appalled. "Don't say that."
"I'm sorry, but I told you I can't keep an open mind. I'm not going to take risks with you, Bella. The ones we took during the past two weeks were by far enough."
"It was worth it," I mumbled under my breath.
His expression instantly softened, and he reached out to lightly stroke my cheek.
"Of course it was," he murmured. "It was the most amazing experience I've had in my entire life." He dropped his hand. "But it was irresponsible, and wrong. We still should have waited."
"We were married," I said, reminding him in case he'd forgotten.
"That's not what I meant. You're still human; it was incredibly selfish of me to take you as I did. I could have killed you so easily."
"But you didn't," I replied quickly, narrowing my eyes. We'd had this conversation far too many times, and it always ended the same way; him feeling remorse for the nonexistent consequences that could have, but didn't occur. We had sex. I survived. And, more than that, I was pregnant now. Everything had turned out fine. End of story.
He sighed, seeing in my expression that I was done having this conversation. He looked away, out the window, as the plane accelerated down the runway, rearing for takeoff.
I yawned; still exhausted despite the five hours of sleep I'd managed on our previous flight. It really had been stupid of me not to take advantage of the long fourteen hour flight from Rio. Edward should have pushed me harder.
I leaned my head against his shoulder now, letting my eyes close as the plane left the ground. I didn't mind flying, on the contrary I rather liked it, but the takeoffs and landings always gave me a bit of a headache.
I felt Edward wrap his arm around me, and I moved closer, dropping my head to his chest and snuggling into him. He rubbed my back soothingly, and I let out a content sigh.
"You must be so tired," he murmured a second later, kissing the top of my head.
"Mmmmm." I didn't feel like giving a full response; I knew he understood.
"I wish I could remember what it feels like to be truly and genuinely worn out. I always feel so bad for keeping you up so late."
"It's not your fault," I mumbled back. "It's my choice to stay up. And in this case…well, in this case I don't know if there's an alternative where I'm not sleep deprived."
He chuckled. "Isle Esme had a lot of different things to do. I wanted you to experience them all."
"Yeah, let's play the 'overwork Bella to the point of death with swimming and sightseeing and parading around on the beach for hours' game. What fun!" My sarcasm was pathetic; I could barely force even the slightest teasing malice into my tone.
He laughed again; shaking his head. "But wasn't it fun?"
"Stupid distractions," I answered. "I know the real reason you did all that to me."
He rolled his eyes. "It was only for the first week or so."
"Week," I scoffed.
"That's not even half of the time we were there. Stop complaining."
"I'm not complaining," I said through another yawn.
He paused to watch me, and then sighed. "I know. You can sleep a bit more, love. I'll wake you."
"No," I mumbled. "No point. Flight's too short."
"Alright. But you need to sleep more when we get home."
"Before you intend to massacre our child?" I glanced up at him with a hard expression.
He narrowed his eyes slightly and clenched his jaw, but a moment later he let it pass. His expression became almost remorseful, I noted with relief. With another sigh, he nodded. "Yes, Bella. Before."
I could live with that; I decided to let it pass as well, knowing that he wouldn't achieve his goal. I raised my eyebrows. "Do you still have that freakish gold bed in your room?"
He looked down, and noted my smirk. His face lightened considerably, and a teasing smile crossed his own lips.
"In our room, you mean?" His voice was instantly low, and darkly seductive, whether or not he intended it to be.
My heart pounded in my chest at his words, and a rush of adrenaline poured through me. And, of course, a blush lit up my face. With a stutter, I answered, "Yes, that's what I meant."
He chuckled quietly. "Of course I do."
I let my eyes slip closed as another sudden wave of exhaustion hit. "Good."
I felt his arm tighten around me, and allowed myself to sink deeper into him. While to most people, his hard, icy skin would be the most uncomfortable substance imaginable, it was a refuge to me. Never in my life did I feel more safe, more secure, and more content than when he held me.
"Edward," I murmured.
"Yes, love?"
"I love you."
I could almost feel his smile. "I know. And I love you more."
Impossible, I thought to myself. But I smiled back. "That's why we're here."
And with that, I brought his hand down to rest on my stomach, and despite his absolute hatred towards the child growing beneath my skin, he didn't pull his hand away. I laced my fingers around his, and smiled as our nudger gave the lightest kick, sending vibrations through our entwined hands. Whether he liked it or not, we were parents, and he had better get used to the idea. I knew what I wanted, and I wasn't giving up without a fight.
I must have fallen asleep sometime during the flight, because when I opened my eyes, I was in the backseat of Carlisle's black Mercedes, my head in Edward's lap. I faintly remembered him whispering that it was time for me to wake up, but of course that hadn't happened. I also remembered the loud noises of the busy airport, and feeling weightless as he carried me the entire way…
I blinked, trying to come back to reality. I looked up, and Edward smiled down at me.
"Good morning," he murmured, lightly running his fingers through my hair.
I groaned, and tried to sit up. I moved too fast; my head started spinning and I fell back against his marble legs with a thud. Ouch. I would probably have a bruise later.
He chuckled softly. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah. Head rush." I pressed my hand against my forehead and sighed. "Pregnancy is not helping my coordination at all."
He tensed slightly, but with effort, was able to relax. An amused smile played on his lips, though I wasn't quite sure how natural it really was. He was a very good actor. "Bella, you've been pregnant for about a day."
"Na-uh! More like seventeen…now eighteen days." I argued.
He rolled his eyes. "Either way, I don't think that has anything to do with your coordination. You've always been helplessly clumsy and prone to any sort of balance deficiency, even if just momentarily."
"Gee, thanks."
He grinned. "Not to worry, love. I've always found it incredibly attractive."
"And it gives you an excuse to pretty much save my life on a daily basis."
"Well, yes, there's always that." He laughed, and I had to smile.
I looked to the front of the car, where Carlisle was driving far too quickly down the empty road, shrouded by trees on both sides. I don't know why, but I always imagined him being a bit more of a cautious, reasonable driver. But he was just as bad as Edward, not that it bothered me anymore. I knew that they were all less likely to get in a car crash than anyone I'd ever known, especially with someone as fragile and weak and human as me as a passenger.
Carlisle noticed me staring from my reflection in the rearview mirror, and I saw him smile kindly.
"Hello Bella," he said in his soft quiet voice. Even when he was speaking casually, away from the hospital, he still had the subtle edge of authority to his tone.
"Hi Carlisle."
"How are you feeling?'
"Tired." I frowned as I tried to keep my eyes open. An unexpected wave of nausea hit me as I attempted to sit up again. "Ugh…and kind of sick."
Edward's hands clenched into hard fists around me. Automatically, my eyes flickered to his face. His jaw was clenched and his nostrils were flared, eyes narrowed.
I wanted to tell him that I was fine, but that wasn't the case. My stomach churned, and a low groan escaped my lips. I could feel the quick nausea building, and I fought to repress it.
"Bella?" Edward's voice was instantly alert, but still furious underneath his reaction. "Love, are you going to be sick?"
I nodded, keeping my mouth firmly shut.
"Carlisle," he ordered urgently, "pull over."
Half a second later, the Mercedes was parked on the side of the road, engine off and the doors unlocked. I sprang up and pushed my door open, stumbling out on shaky – for multiple reasons – legs.
Edward was right behind me as I doubled over toward the ground, holding my hair back with one hand and keeping the other locked firmly around my waist. I was too miserable to feel bad for throwing up in front of him…again. I knew he just wanted to help, and wouldn't leave my side even if I begged, but it made me feel so horrible. I didn't deserve this ridiculous degree of kindness; Edward truly was a gentleman among gentlemen.
When I had finished, I gulped at the clean air in hectic, shallow gasps, desperate to clear my mouth of the horrible bitter taste left on my tongue. Edward held me steady, helping me to my feet and turning me to face him. I couldn't meet his eyes as he pulled my hair back and took the sleeve of his shirt and wiped my mouth clean.
Gently, lovingly, he brushed his thumb across my cheek and tried to raise my frown into a smile, pressing his finger softly against my lips. A few tears slipped from my eyes.
"Sweetheart, what's wrong?" he asked, wiping my tears away, too.
I just shook my head, still unable to look at him, and unable to keep from crying. I felt so weak, so pathetic. I couldn't control myself at all. I reached up and grabbed a hold of him, burying my face into his shirt and wrapping my arms around him.
He responded automatically, pressing me as tightly against his iron body as possible without crushing me.
"Don't cry," he murmured, stroking my hair with a feather-light touch.
"I'm s-sorry," I mumbled back, purely annoyed. I didn't seem to have a very good grip – any grip - on my emotions lately. It was seriously starting to drive me crazy, not to mention what it must be doing to Edward. Damn stupid hormones.
"Don't be." He gently released me. "Are you going to be alright?"
I nodded, quickly wiping away the remainder of my tears with the back of my hand. "Yes, I'm fine."
I looked up at the sound of almost silent footsteps. I could only hear them because I'd grown so accustomed to the noiseless movements of my new family; anything normal and human now startled me with its volume. Carlisle had come down to where we stood, at the edge of the forest, his golden eyes creased with concern.
"Bella," he started.
"I'm fine," I repeated, not wanting the unnecessary worry and attention. I was already feeling normal again. "Just a minor episode. Mood swings and all. Nothing major."
He continued to gaze at me with obvious concern. I sighed.
"Carlisle, I'm really fine. It's just morning sickness." I shrugged. "I mean, that's all that it really is, right? You get sick for five minutes, and then you're okay."
"Yes, but you are definitely a rare case. Never before have I heard of a human carrying a vampire's child." He shook his head, his expression thoughtful. "We can't just assume that you'll follow the normal path of pregnancy; your supposed morning sickness could turn out to be something else entirely."
He noticed my startled expression and sighed. "But let's not worry about that right now. We'll discuss things when we get to the house; where I can properly run a few tests before we make any false assumptions."
"It doesn't matter," Edward spoke up, his voice hard. "The thing will be dead soon, and Bella will be safe."
The outrage was clear on my face, and I felt a powerful urge to hit something. But before I could say anything, Carlisle reached out and put a firm hand on his shoulder.
"Edward," he said calmly. "Don't. Again, we'll discuss this later."
"What's to discuss?" He shrugged off his father's hand, and started back for the car. I hesitated, but ran after him. My foot caught a rock, of course, and I stumbled, nearly landing face-first in the dirt. Edward turned around and caught me, though, as I knew he would. And Carlisle was right behind me, arms outstretched. I sighed.
"Stupid balance deficiency," I grumbled.
Edward rolled his eyes, obviously trying to seem relaxed. I frowned, thoroughly annoyed.
"What?" he snapped, glaring at my critical expression.
"Oh, nothing." I stalked off towards the car, stomping my feet unnecessarily. I felt like a pouty five-year-old, but oh well. He wasn't exactly being mature about this, either. And we'd all been so fine and dandy five minutes ago…
He followed me into the back seat, and I scooted away from him, grabbing my sandals and continuing to glower at him. Why was I fueling the fire? I had no idea.
He stared at me for a long time, his frown deepening, and then he climbed back out and moved to slam the door. Well that was just fine. If he wanted to sit in the front, I wasn't going to stop him. I turned my head and crossed my arms over my chest. My current mood seemed to be fixed between stress and anxiety and nausea, which ultimately added together to equal quick and irrational anger, making me a very unlikable person at the moment.
I waited for the door to slam, but it never did. A second later I allowed myself a quick glance, and was stunned that Edward was sitting next to me, the door already closed. He was looking down at his hands, his expression almost depressed. It seemed his moods were changing almost as rapidly as mine.
And, speak of the devil, I gradually felt the anger fade from my face as he turned his head and I met his downcast eyes, brimming with regret. How could I be mad at him? This wasn't his fault, and I certainly wasn't treating him rightly about it.
I refused to be the first to speak, though, so I stared at him and waited. After a long pause, he sighed.
"I'm sorry, Bella. Please don't think that I'm angry with you, because that will never in a million years be the case."
"I know." Of course I knew that, though I still couldn't understand why. I did quite a lot of things worthy of temporary hatred. Or permanent.
"This is just very…"
"Stressful?" I interjected, seeing he was struggling for the right word.
He nodded once. "Yes. And, well…overwhelming."
I sighed. "Edward, I'm sorry, too, but I just can't step aside and allow you to kill our baby. I mean, you're the one that that had wished I could get pregnant, before we were even married. Haven't you ever heard of being careful for what you wish for?"
I saw Carlisle raise his eyebrows in the rearview mirror. Edward frowned, reading his thoughts no doubt. I blushed.
"No Carlisle, of course we didn't. How many times do I have to tell you?"
He shrugged, but I could almost see the relief on his face. "Of course, Edward. Of course. You know I trust you."
Edward rolled his eyes. "Can we just keep driving?"
"Yes, please?" I agreed. I was anxious to finally be back home, though I was dreading the welcoming committee that would greet us. But, the sooner it was over with, the sooner I could relax. And worry about the vampire child growing inside of me. Oh, how joyful life can be…
I leaned into Edward, wanting his support. The corners of his lips twisted up in a brief smile, and he tilted my chin up to kiss me lightly on my lips. He pulled away with a sigh, and I had just closed my eyes when I heard Carlisle say, "Don't you dare, Bella. There's only ten minutes left."
I laughed once, closing my eyes again anyway. "I won't fall asleep again. I promise."
My heart was hammering as we passed the sign officially welcoming us home to Forks. It was still early enough in the morning that no one was awake and outside, but I still felt as if the whole town was watching from their windows, whispering excitedly to each other. Look, it's the Cullens! The newlyweds are finally back home…
I shrank back into my seat, wishing I could magically disappear. Edward put his arm around my shoulder and I pressed into him, teeth chattering despite the fact that Carlisle had put the heater on for me. Summer or not, Northern Washington was always cold. But I was seriously freaked out; it had nothing to do with the temperature.
"Edward," I murmured. My stomach was in a tight knot from my anxiety, and it hurt. I felt like I was going to throw up again from the nervous pressure.
"Shh love. I know you're nervous."
I groaned. "More than that."
"Fine, terrified, but there's nothing to be afraid of," he assured me, his voice as soft and rich as velvet. "Remember, my family is your family now, and you know almost better than I do how much they love you. No one will judge you."
"And no one will judge you either, Edward," Carlisle said, glancing back at us quickly.
Edward released a deep sigh. "You know that's not true."
"Well, they will definitely react; we both know that as a sure fact. But judge? I don't think so. You have done nothing wrong, son."
He frowned. "Yeah, except get my wife of two weeks pregnant with something I couldn't even call a child."
I glared at him. "Edward…"
He rolled his eyes and sighed again. "Bella, relax. We're not going to argue any more about this until we're home."
"Which is now," Carlisle said, and I looked out the window just in time to watch the last stretch of open, un-shrouded road disappear as he turned onto the private lane leading to the Cullen house. I whimpered softly.
"Shh," Edward murmured again, pulling me tighter into him. I clutched his shirt with my hands, refusing to let go.
"Who should tell?" Carlisle asked. "Bella?"
I shook my head furiously. "No, please. Not me."
"Edward?"
He sighed, closing his eyes. When he opened them a minute later, the gold was hard; sharp. Determined. "Yes. I will."
Carlisle nodded. "Very well. I'll get out first, and leave the rest to you two."
My heart was pounding so furiously that it felt as if it might just explode out of my chest. Edward had to have heard it; he lowered his head to press his lips against my forehead, leaving them there for a long moment.
The large white house came into view, and within moments Carlisle killed the engine, stopping the Mercedes right in front of the front door.
I watched as the door opened, and my new family spilled out onto the porch, smiles on all of their perfect faces. I could almost feel the energy pulsating out of them, even through the metal frame of the car. My eyes immediately zoned in on Rosalie, staring right past the others.
She was gazing straight back at me, through the tinted windows, and with a slight jolt I realized she was the only one not smiling. My pulse doubled, if possible - it had to be far off the charts by now.
Carlisle climbed out of the car, and Esme rushed to embrace him, kissing him fondly on the cheek. I glanced over at Edward, and he stared back, patience radiating from his eyes. He was waiting for me to make the first move, and I knew he would let me take as long as I wanted or needed. I took a deep breath and released it slowly, my voice shaky. I felt like I was heading to my execution.
He kissed my hand, giving me strength. I gave the slightest nod, and the corners of his lips turned up in a brief smile. It disappeared the moment it touched his face, though, and the mask of seriousness quickly returned. I kept my hand locked tightly with his as he opened his door and got out.
He reached in with his other hand to help me out, and then I was standing next to him, facing our family. No, behind him – he kept his body curved in front of mine, shielding me from view. I squeezed his hand, and he gave me one last brief glance. I could almost hear him thinking, Well, this is it. Welcome to the end.
"Edward, is something wrong?"
I recognized Esme's soft breezy voice, and looked up at her. She was standing next to Carlisle, her eyebrows creased and a slight frown turning down her lips. Besides Jasper, she was always the first to recognize tension, and this was no exception. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Carlisle giving Edward a meaningful look.
He let out a deep sigh. "That's a matter of perspective, Esme."
"Edward?" It was Alice's voice this time. She too, looked concerned, but moreover, confused. It took me a minute to identify the emotion; things rarely confused Alice. She relied completely on her visions…surely she had seen this?
Edward closed his eyes, and I could feel his muscles tense. Well, here goes nothing…
"I," he began, voice raw, "no, we," – he gave me another fleeting look – "have something to tell you."
The drop in energy was almost tangible; suddenly all the smiles disappeared and they were staring at us intently, with an unmistakable balance of curiosity and worry evident in all of their eyes. Even Emmett looked serious; if I wasn't so nervous, his expression would have made me laugh. But I clung tighter to Edward, burying my face into his shoulder like a coward.
"Does this by any chance concern Bella more than you?" Rosalie's wind chime voice questioned coolly. Without moving I glanced up to see that her arms were crossed and she was giving Edward one of the darkest glares I'd seen. I couldn't understand why.
Edward, too, looked surprised by her reaction. He narrowed his eyes and returned her glower. "And why would you ask that, Rosalie?"
She shrugged, straightening up and taking a step forward. "Oh, I don't know. Just considering the fact that Bella is still obviously human. I mean, after almost three weeks, I would have expected her to come home with scarlet eyes and fresh blood dripping down her throat."
"Rosalie!" Esme exclaimed, aghast.
"What? It's the truth," she defended herself. "They've been gone eighteen days; surely you would have thought Bella would be a vampire by now."
"Well, yes, but…" Esme trailed off, struggling for words. "Maybe they were too busy…or perhaps Bella changed her mind?"
I frowned. It was almost like I wasn't there.
Suddenly Emmett snickered. Ha. I knew it; it was impossible for him to be even remotely serious for more than a minute, five at the most. Edward shot him a dark look, one that clearly told me the direction Emm's thoughts had taken him. Too busy. I blushed, disappearing even further into Edward's shoulder.
"About that," Edward began, his teeth grinding together in his fury. "I would very much appreciate it if you would get your head out of the gutter, Emmett."
He rolled his eyes. "You're too touchy, bro. Get over it."
But to my relief, Edward's muscles gradually loosened, and I knew that Emmett at least had the respect to honor his brother's wish.
Carlisle cleared his throat, and Edward's eyes flashed up to him. He nodded once, and then looked back to me. I could tell right away he was just as nervous about this as I was. Neither one of us wanted to reveal our dangerous secret. Of course, Carlisle and Rosalie already knew, but that still wasn't very comforting. In fact, Rosalie knowing made it worse. And Edward not knowing that she knew…I closed my eyes. Just get it over with.
"You said you had something to tell us," Alice chirped.
Edward sighed. "Yes, we do. And if you all will kindly be quiet…"
"Ah, just spit it out," Emmett demanded. "It can't be that bad."
"Fine, Emmett," Edward growled. "Not so bad? Well, here's the news. And you better listen, because I'm only going to say it once!"
Everyone was silent immediately. I suspected Jasper had used his calming effect to help alleviate the tension, but I knew the second the words were out of Edward's mouth everything would be chaos. I braced myself, and he took a deep breath.
"Bella's pregnant."
The following silence was unbearable. It stretched on and on; I didn't dare open my eyes to meet the gazes that were no doubt directed towards me. Edward wrapped himself more fully around my body, keeping me completely shielded. I bit down on my lip and waited for the pandemonium to begin.
"WHAT?!!" It was Emmett that spoke first. I allowed myself the briefest flicker of a glance; his mouth was hanging limply open, eyes as big as they come.
"Pregnant?" I could barely make out Esme's whisper, but the absolute disbelief was plain as day in her voice. "How can that be?"
"Bella?" I looked up to see that Alice was standing right beside me, one of her arms stretched slightly in front of her, not quite able to offer her hand. Her expression matched Esme's tone; a perfect balance of awe and complete incredulity. I flinched away from her closeness, something I would never normally do, and Edward growled, warning her to step back. I realized that he had no intention of letting anyone near me, as overprotective as he was. I pressed my face to the back of his neck, feeling his shirt collar brush my cheek.
"Carlisle, how can that be possible?" Jasper's voice was calm, collected, but I knew he was just as shocked as everyone else. It was definitely the unexpected.
Carlisle sighed. "I really don't know. I just don't get it." He glanced over at me. "Bella called early yesterday with her speculation, and it's just true. Everything matched up. Her symptoms – the mood swings, aggression, strange diet and sleeping patterns; all of it. And if Edward is willing to step down for one minute you can already see the swelling of her stomach. As hard as it is for me to say it – and believe it, most definitely – there's no arguing the point. Bella is indeed carrying Edward's child."
Esme shook her head, shocked into silence. "I just don't believe it," she mumbled. "I just…it sounds so dangerous. A vampire and a human…"
Carlisle put his arm around her shoulder and kissed her on the forehead. "Bella's going to be fine. Trust me."
"How do you know that?" Edward growled. "You can never know for sure; this thing could kill her at any second."
"Edward!" If Esme looked shocked before, now she was staggered.
Carlisle sighed again. "Edward is very insistent on the immediate removal of the child, before, as he presumes, it could harm Bella."
"An abortion?" Esme's face paled ever so slightly, leaving her the exact shade of paper. I wondered how my skin looked; surely more drained of color than usual.
"You can't do that!"
My head jerked up. Rosalie was standing firmly on the porch, her eyes burning with her anger. The pure outrage was clear on her face, and in her voice. My heart started hammering again, but my strained muscles began to loosen. So, she hadn't abandoned me after all…
"Rosalie, this is not your decision," Edward spat. "You keep out of this!"
"No." She pulled her lips back, exposing her gleaming razor-sharp teeth. Her growl was almost as deadly as his; a shiver rolled down my spine as I listened to their heated dispute.
"Edward, Rosalie." Carlisle had stepped down from the porch, standing between them with his arms out. "Silence, both of you! This is no way to settle anything."
"Damn it! Why won't anyone listen?!" Edward had taken a step forward, leaving me slightly behind. At the moment, I welcomed the space; his rage startled me. "None of you get it; none of you can even try to understand it! So why don't you all just shut the hell up and LISTEN!"
Everything went quiet; all eyes were on Edward, expressions ranging from surprise to shock to anger. I cringed back.
"Edward," Alice murmured.
"Shut up, Alice," he hissed. "Just shut up! I knew this would happen, I knew none of you would side with me. None of you want to see Bella go through an abortion, but I don't want to SEE HER DIE!"
"And you think we want that?" Emmett questioned, his eyes narrowed. "None of us want to be making preparations for her funeral, either, bro. Don't be so selfish."
"How do you even know she's in danger?" Jasper raised his eyebrows. "I think you're overreacting. How do you know she won't be just fine?"
"And how do you know she will?"
He shrugged. "I don't."
"Exactly." Edward's voice was cold; flat. Deadly.
"Edward…" My voice shook; I could barely understand his name rolling off my tongue. I'd never been more terrified of him.
He turned around, his face instantly softening as he took in my startled and unsteady appearance. "Bella," he breathed, catching me as I collapsed in his arms.
"Edward, I'm scared," I whispered. I let out a shaky gasp.
He held me tighter, burying his face into my hair. "I am too, love. Very."
"We're not finished yet," Rosalie snarled. "Don't you go soften up to her. How dare you, you bastard! This is all your fault; you're the one that knocked her up, so don't you dare go to her! Take responsibility; leave her the hell alone!"
"Rosalie!" I gasped. "How can you say that?"
"We made a deal, Bella. A deal that means more than my life. Don't you tell me what the hell I can and can't do; I'm trying to save you!"
"Bella?" Edward looked down at me questionably. I frowned, my heart racing. Surely he would never forgive me for this.
"Edward, I can explain."
"Like hell you can," Rosalie spat. "Let me; I want him to get the message loud and clear."
I shrunk back into Edward's chest, horrified. I'd never seen Rosalie explode like this. I knew, in this case, that her intentions were pure, but her extreme anger also hinted at potentially dark motives, left a mystery to me. But I knew she couldn't be doing all of this just for me.
"Listen Edward," she began, pointing her index finger at him accursedly, "You have no right to tell Bella what she can and cannot do with your baby. If anything, she should be bossing you the hell around! And don't tell me to butt out; she contacted me and asked for my help. And I intend to give it to her, and I'm not going to let you stop me!"
"What are you talking about?" Edward asked, narrowing his eyes.
"She called me when you were packing up to leave." She set her mouth firmly, twisting her full lips into a hard scowl. "She begged me to help her save her baby, because all you wanted to do was kill him. We made a deal. And I promised her that I would fight until death for that child. And trust me, I will."
Edward opened his mouth to respond, but I never heard what he said. The stress must have gotten to me at last, or maybe just the overwhelming pressure and atmosphere had set its toll. Or perhaps Jasper was trying to help; giving me an escape with his unusual ability. But whatever the reason, I pressed my hand to my forehead as it burst with a fiery rage, and had fallen unconscious within seconds, freed from the nerve-wracking argument that might or might not cost me my life.
(A/N:) Woot! This one's a loooonnng chapter!!! Haha it's actually been done for weeks, but I wasn't sure if I should break it up into two...I need to make sure I have the exact right number of chapters to follow the book, you know. And of course it doesn't help much that my friend has had my copy of Breaking Dawn for the past three months...*le sigh* Oh well, I'm getting it back this weekend, so then things should kick up a bit. I hope you like this chapter; I LOVED writing it - seriously awesome! Please comment; comments are love, and I never get enough!!! :)
-Stephanie
