Chapter Seven
Edward
Alice came in once they'd left and sat beside me for once looking grave,
"Are you OK Edward?"
"No Alice, I don't think I'll ever be OK again. How can this be happening? I had no idea there was any risk of Bella becoming pregnant, I'm a vampire for Gods sake! What's going to happen?"
She patted my arm,
"Edward I'm sure it will all work out but how would you feel about becoming a father?"
"What? I don't want a child, its just an added complication and what would the Volturi think if they heard?"
"Well lets wait and see what Carlisle says but you know how stubborn Bella can be. I think you have to consider the fact she might refuse to get rid of the baby."
"Alice its not a baby, its some kind of hybrid monster and what if I lose Bella? I wont allow her to put her life at risk."
She smiled faintly then looked up as Esme walked back in the room,
"I understand your concern Edward and we don't know what Bella is carrying if she is pregnant but we have to consider Bella's life first. She's newly married and she must at least consider Edward's feelings on the matter, that's what being married is all about, compromise."
Esme was correct, it was about compromise, joint decision making, all those things, and I would not allow Bella to risk death for this... thing.
Alice
This was going to be difficult all round but I thought I knew what Bella would choose to do, once she made her mind up she was difficult to move. It was a good outcome and I wondered what Carlisle would say to her, would he suggest she allow him to operate or would he leave the decision to her? I went upstairs so I could hear more clearly.
"Bella you were right, you are definitely pregnant but I can't tell you what it is, Edward could be right, you may be carrying a monster, some kind of half vampire creature."
"I know its a baby Carlisle, I can feel it and I wont let you or anyone else take it from me. Edward will come round and you are the best doctor I could have under the circumstances."
"You should understand there is no guarantee you can carry this...child, your human body isn't designed to carry a vampire hybrid."
"If my body accepted the challenge then I can do this"
"What about Edward and his feelings? He is your husband after all, and the...child's father."
"He'll come round once he gets over the shock Carlisle, reassure him that I can do this."
"And if he doesn't?"
There was a long silence and I wondered if she might be wavering, my knuckles aching with the tension,
"He will, he has to"
I allowed the breath from my lungs and smiled, she had made up her mind and wild horses wouldn't change her direction now. Edward was in for a fight.
Bella
I knew Carlisle was frightened of this pregnancy but I wasn't, I loved Edward and if we had created a life with our love then I was going to give it every chance to grow and survive. When I came downstairs behind Carlisle I could see Edwards face, he didn't look any happier than he had on the flight home so it was up to me to reassure him that everything would be OK.
"Edward, come for a walk with me please"
He got up slowly and came to take my outstretched hand but I could feel his disapproval even before we left the house. Once outside we walked along the driveway in the evening light stopping to watch the setting sun.
"So, I assume you brought me out here so we could talk in private. What did Carlisle say?"
"We're going to have a baby."
He looked at me half angry half exasperated,
"Bella you can't do this, you have no idea what's growing inside you."
"I know it was created by our love for each other, isn't that enough?"
"No, its not. I wont lose you, not for some fanciful dream you have of motherhood. There was never any talk of a child, you knew it couldn't be"
"Yes I did and I accepted that but a miracle has happened Edward and I wont turn my back on it. Killing this child would be like killing our love for each other. I love you and I want this baby, please don't fight me on this, I need your support."
He looked at me then a shadow of pain crossed his face, what was so terrible?
"Bella, I'm your husband and I don't want this baby. It will kill you and I wont lose you for some fancy of yours. I want you to go back inside and make arrangements with Carlisle to get rid of it or I'll force you."
I was shocked at his cold tone,
"Force me Edward? How? Its my body, my baby, and I will do what I think is right. Rose agrees and she wont let any of you force me into anything."
He scowled,
"Oh yes Rose can't see beyond her hormones or ghost of them, she wouldn't see it as anything but a baby if it were born with two heads and a forked tail."
"It? This is a baby, our baby"
I held a hand protectively over my stomach which was swelling already.
Edward
There was no point I trying to speak to her further, I would have words with Carlisle, surely he could drug her and perform the operation then when she woke up it would be over. She might hate us for a while but she would understand we only did it to keep her safe. As we came back to the house Rose was waiting and whisked her inside while I called Carlisle outside to talk without Bella or Rose hearing us. He shook his head at my unasked question but reading his mind I already knew what her decision was. Sometimes Carlisle was very hard to read, he always seemed to be thinking of his work at the clinic but I was able to pick up this conversation clearly for which I was grateful.
"Can she do this Carlisle?"
"In all honesty I don't know Edward but I would be very cautious in saying yes. I think it depends on how the baby grows and how many of its genes are vampire."
"Can she survive it Carlisle? I need an answer."
"Then I would have to say its less than 50/50 but I'll know more as the pregnancy develops."
"No way, its not going to develop Carlisle. I want you to perform the operation, with or without her consent."
"I can't do that Edward, its against my oath as a doctor. If Bella refuses a termination then I cannot go against her will."
I turned away cursing and looking for something to hit but there was nothing,
"How could she do this to me Carlisle? She says she loves me so how can she put her life at risk? Even think about leaving me here alone with her gone?"
"I'm not sure she sees it that way Edward but I will do all I can to save her...except what you ask of me I'm sorry son"
Bella
Rose had made me something to eat and some coffee and I was busy eating when Edward came back in. I smiled at him encouragingly but he looked at me like a puppy I had just kicked and I knew he wasn't happy but I just couldn't lose this little miracle, proof of our love for one another and I knew he would come round eventually. Once I'd eaten I went to sit in the lounge but Emmett who was playing on his computer game looked unhappy too, did no one except Rose understand my decision? Then Edward came back and sat down at my side with a smile, taking my hand,
"Bella love we really should discuss this. I wont let you die for a baby."
"Its our baby and I wont die, I have Carlisle"
"Bella just listen to reason"
His voice rose a few octaves and Emmett got up and walked out leaving us alone.
"Look everyone feels the way I do, its not worth your life. If you want a child we can adopt one but don't insist on going through with this stupidity."
"Stupidity? This is our baby Edward, I have been given a chance to be a mother and you a father. We made this baby from our love"
"For God's sake Bella its not a baby, its some monster thing growing inside you and I wont let it kill you if I have to rip it out myself"
I gasped in horror and moved away from him as he grabbed at my arms.
"Edward you're hurting me, let go please"
I tried to break free but his hold was too tight and as the fear filled me I felt another presence and Jasper's hands grasped Edward's wrists,
"Let go Edward, you're hurting Bella"
Edward snarled but broke his grip on me and I curled up as far from him on the couch as I could, crying with shock as Jasper pulled him up and marched him out of the room leaving Rose who had run in to comfort me.
