Thank you to everyone for your thoughts, prayers and messages over the last week or so. I really appreciate it all. My beta is safe, she was just out of contact for a few days. My family is all safe and we are home now. Our home only had minor water damage so we are so lucky. My workplace has a fair amount of damage so I have a few weeks off which will be good to concentrate on things on the home front and my family. (And of course, I know its not as important but my writing too ;) )
So, speaking of which, back to it.
Thank you to deltagirl74, aurike, AliceD21BallerinaGypsy, yingyanggirl, Mabel Cullen, fallunder, zelgirl, xXJade-RoseXx, SakuraMaeda, Marshmellow, scarlettfire, Jessie Alice, ja4ever, Ninjababe09, MsJaliceforever, Carmen, Ashleyrheana, somerled ryoo, Greenfairyrose, Twilightgirl1724, oh caroline, Alex the Elite Shadow, BritannyJenAnn, Lindsabelle, Jalice Whitlock Hale, and meghan0095 for your reviews.
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Esme, Bella and Rosalie were sitting like stones as they stared at Carlisle's closed study door worriedly when they heard the screech of car tyres pulling off the road and into their driveway.
"That will be the guys," Rosalie murmured.
"What did you tell Jasper?" Bella asked as she moved her eyes to Esme.
"I just told him that Carlisle wanted him home," Esme murmured. "But his first question was if Alice was okay. I think he suspects something."
"He would," Rosalie nodded surely. A few moments later they heard the screech of tyres as Edward's car pulled up out the front and only a few seconds later the front door slammed open and Jasper raced in, Emmett and Edward only a few paces behind him.
"Where's Alice?" Jasper demanded.
"In with Carlisle," Esme answered quickly. Jasper nodded his head but he had barely moved towards the study door when it flew open and Alice raced out of the room.
"Jazz," she gasped excitedly.
"Sweetheart, are you okay?" Jasper asked instantly.
"I'm great," Alice grinned and Carlisle stepped out of the room behind her with a smile on his own face.
"Then what is going on?" Jasper frowned and Carlisle glanced at Alice and nodded his head slowly.
"Maybe we should all give Jasper and Alice some privacy?" Carlisle suggested.
"I'm pregnant Jazz," Alice squealed before anyone could move, unable to contain her news any longer. "We're having our baby."
"What?" Jasper gasped in shock.
"We're having a baby," Alice giggled and raced over and threw herself towards him. He caught her easily and lifted her into his arms as he spun her around before drawing her closer to him.
"We're having a baby," Jasper murmured as a flood of happiness and excitement spread through the room.
"Yeah, our own baby Jazz," Alice whispered as she wrapped her arms around his neck tightly and he kept his arms wrapped around her as he buried his face on her neck in utter amazement.
"Oh congratulations," Esme gasped and her voice pulled them from their haze and they turned to look at their family, both of them with huge grins on their faces.
For the next few moments there was a wave of hugs and congratulations and then the family all moved to sit on the couch. As soon as they had all sat down Jasper moved his arm carefully around Alice's shoulders and she snuggled into him happily. He glanced down at her for a moment and then he lifted his eyes and looked between her and Carlisle.
"How do we know this for sure?" he asked. "Did you see it sweetheart?"
"No," Alice pouted softly. "I can't see a thing."
"What?" Jasper frowned.
"Alice and I just talked about this," Carlisle explained. "I think its something similar to why Alice has trouble seeing when Nessie is around."
"But Nessie is part human," Bella commented. "With vampire parents wouldn't Alice's baby be full vampire."
"I don't think so," Carlisle replied. "We had to release her eggs, eggs that she produced while she was human and have been frozen since she was turned. Its pure speculation but I believe that Alice's baby will be similar to Renesmee. It will be part human, part vampire."
"Which is why you cannot see it," Jasper sighed.
"Exactly," Alice grinned. "I was worried because I couldn't see if this was going to work or not. Carlisle's theory makes sense. I haven't seen anything since the baby was conceived. This baby is definitely part human."
"Ahh, of course," Edward smirked.
"What is it?" Bella frowned.
"Shush, listen," Edward murmured and everyone went quiet and concentrated on the sounds around them. At the same moment they all seemed to be aware of a quick fluttering beating and Jasper turned to look at Alice, his eyes wide.
"Is that…" he gasped.
"The baby's heartbeat," Alice giggled as she nodded her head. "I can feel it inside me. It's kind of weird actually." She reached over and grabbed Jasper's hand and pressed it flat against her stomach and his eyes went wide again as he felt the flutter of their baby's heart against his fingertips.
"That's amazing," Jasper whispered in awe.
"Is there anything else you've worked out?" Esme asked with interest as she turned her attention back to Carlisle.
"Not yet," Carlisle smiled. "I'm going to examine Alice three times a day and keep a very close eye on her. I am estimating the baby will be full term in about a month if Bella's pregnancy with Nessie is anything to go on."
"And Alice won't have the problems I did will she?" Bella asked.
"Well I can't die," Alice giggled nervously.
"Alice," Jasper chided gently.
"We aren't sure what Alice will experience," Carlisle sighed. "That's why I will be keeping a close watch on her. This isn't like your pregnancy Bella, it is another first. A pregnant vampire has never existed before. We are flying blind here but I will be taking the best care of Alice I possibly can."
"Is there anything we should be doing?" Jasper asked worriedly. "Or avoiding?"
"I don't think so," Carlisle smiled. "Just relax and enjoy this time. We'll take it one day at a time."
"Honestly, all this stressing out isn't going to do anything," Alice grinned. "Can't we all just be happy and see what happens?"
"Of course we can sweetheart," Jasper smiled and with his words the conversation was immediately put to rest as he leaned over and kissed Alice's hair softly.
XXX
As the family started to drift from the room Alice looked up at Jasper and gave him a huge smile and he grinned back at her before leaning down and gently kissing her lips. Alice kissed him back softly and then he moved his lips to place light kisses along her jaw line. Alice giggled and pressed her face against his neck and then moved her lips to his ear.
"Come upstairs?" Alice whispered before placing a light kiss on his ear lobe.
"Of course," Jasper readily agreed and he quickly got to his feet and held his hand out to her. She placed her hand in his and he carefully pulled her to her feet and their hands stayed entwined as they walked upstairs together. They climbed all three levels in silence and it wasn't until they walked through the door of their attic room that Alice finally spoke.
"I can't believe this Jazz," she murmured softly.
"I know," Jasper nodded as he shut the door behind them and then led her over to the bed. He crawled onto the bed and rested his back against the wall before pulling her into his lap and she snuggled into him as he felt her contentment flow over him.
"It doesn't seem real does it?" Alice whispered. "We are finally going to have our own baby."
"It's like a dream," Jasper agreed and Alice felt a sliver of fear and worry slip from him.
"Jazz, what is it?" she asked as she turned to look at him.
"It isn't important," Jasper shrugged.
"It must be," Alice frowned. "Don't start keeping things from me Jazz. What is worrying you?"
"You, the baby, everything," Jasper sighed.
"We are both going to be fine Jazz," Alice smiled.
"We don't know that," Jasper sighed. "There is so much unknown surrounding this. What if this baby does to you what Nessie did to Bella? What if something happens to both of you? I can't lose you Alice."
"You won't," Alice whispered. "I can't die Jazz, Bella was only human. This baby cannot harm me like Nessie could with Bella. We finally have our own little one. I would never allow anything to happen to deprive me of raising our baby with you."
"You might not be able to do anything about it," Jasper pointed out.
"Jazz, stop, please," Alice begged. "Everything is going to be fine. And if it isn't then there is no point worrying about it. Please, can we just enjoy this and take things as they come."
"Of course sweetheart," Jasper nodded instantly and they lapsed into silence again for a while as Alice snuggled back into his arms.
They didn't notice it but they sat together that long that the room began to darken as the sun set outside and soon it was nearly pitch black. Finally, Alice let out a sigh and leaned over and snapped on the bedside lamp and then she looked up at Jasper and frowned when she saw the look of concentration on his face.
"Jazz?" Alice whispered.
"Yes sweetheart?" Jasper smiled instantly at her.
"Are you okay with this?" Alice murmured as she bit her lip softly.
"Why would you ask that?" Jasper gasped.
"We never really spoke about it beforehand," Alice sighed. "Whenever we did all you really said was you wanted whatever I wanted. You never actually said you wanted a baby with me. And the negative stuff you were saying before. Did you only go along with this because you knew it was what I wanted? Do you even want our baby?"
"Alice," Jasper groaned. "Of course I do. How can you even think I wouldn't? I'm just the worrier out of the two of us, that's all. I want this baby as much as you do, I promise sweetheart. I'm sorry if my words made you think I didn't. It just all seems so surreal to me. I think I need time for it to sink in that this is really happening but I am happy about it Alice, so happy. Surely you can feel that."
"I can," Alice admitted. "And believe me, this is real. It becomes more real to me with every beat of the baby's heart."
She glanced up at him and smiled at him as she reached for his hands and entwined her fingers in his before leading their joined hands to her stomach. She moved her hands on top of his and pressed them onto her stomach and once again Jasper was amazed as the baby's tiny heartbeat pulsed underneath his hands.
"It seems a little quicker than before," Jasper commented.
"It speeds up and slows down," Alice smiled. "If you keep your hands there a while you'll notice."
"Can I?" Jasper asked with interest.
"Of course Jazz," Alice giggled. "It's your baby as much as mine. You can spend the entire pregnancy with your hands on my stomach if that's what you want. I want you and him bonding as much as me and him."
"Him?" Jasper grinned as he looked at her. "Have you seen something?"
"No," Alice admitted. "But I want a boy so much. I want you to have a son."
"I want a little girl," Jasper smirked. "A tiny little girl just like you."
"You wouldn't be able to handle a girl," Alice giggled. "Could you imagine how protective you would be? If she wanted to get married when she was older you would kill her prospective husband."
"Damn right I would," Jasper growled at the mere thought.
"See why I want a boy," Alice laughed.
"Point taken," Jasper smirked and turned his attention back to the baby lying hidden in Alice's stomach.
Alice watched him with a proud smile as he moved his hands under her shirt and began to lightly stroke his fingers on her skin. Alice relaxed back completely against Jasper as the baby inside her seemed to relax and settle like it knew its father was soothing it.
XXX
Later that night Alice was snuggled on the couch between Esme and Rosalie as the three women looked through baby catalogues, already planning a shopping trip to Seattle to get everything the baby would need. Jasper was sitting on the floor near Alice's feet as he concentrated on the game of chess he was playing with Emmett and the rest of the family sat around the room relaxing.
"Yes!" Emmett smirked suddenly and winked at Jasper. "Checkmate."
"What?" Jasper frowned and looked at the board.
"Your mind obviously isn't on the game bro," Emmett grinned.
"Can you blame me?" Jasper shrugged, a huge smile still firmly in place on his lips from the news they had got that day.
"Not really," Emmett laughed. "I kind of like it. That's three to me and none to you. Let's go again."
"All right," Jasper agreed and the two men began to set the board up again.
"Oh," Alice whispered suddenly and Jasper's head immediately snapped towards her.
"Sweetheart?" Jasper murmured. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm okay," Alice nodded as she started to sit forward but then she suddenly lifted her hands to her head. "Oh!"
"Alice?" Jasper gasped and moved quickly so he was kneeling in front of her, his hands over her fingers as they gripped her head. "What is it?"
"I need to get out of here," Alice whimpered and Jasper nodded his head and grabbed her arms and carefully pulled her to her feet.
"Alice, tell me what's happening?" Carlisle asked quickly.
"Later, I need to go," Alice gasped.
"Go, go where?" Esme asked.
"Jazz, need out, now, please," Alice groaned, not even able to form a sentence properly.
"Take her into my office," Carlisle murmured as he got to his feet and Jasper nodded his head and put his arm around Alice's shoulders and began to guide her towards the door of Carlisle's office. They had only taken a few steps when Alice suddenly froze and her eyes went wide as she looked up at Jasper.
"Alice?" Jasper gasped.
"The feelings, the emotions," Alice whimpered as she stumbled and her legs seemed to give way and she slumped towards Jasper. He caught her easily in his arms and she looked up at him with slightly glazed eyes. "Jazz, emotions."
"What, I don't understand?" Jasper frowned, quickly scanning her emotions but there seemed to be thousands pouring from her. "Alice?"
"Jazz," Alice whimpered again and then her body went stiff and rigid in his arms and she let out a blood curdling scream. A major wave of emotions flooded the room and everyone felt them moments before Alice slumped back against Jasper and then crumpled in his arms, her eyes shut and her body unresponsive.
"Alice!" Jasper screamed as he held her lifeless body in his arms and looked at her in horror.
