Chapter 7 – Unexpected

Bella kept herself locked in the bathroom for more than two hours. It would have been all too easy to open the door to get to her, but she didn't want me near her. Her sobs came from behind the door and every one of them tore into me. She was sick again and I had to control myself from breaking the door down. After another hour, I heard Bella's deep breathing. Her heartbeat was steady and there was no movement.

Picking the lock, I found her lying on the carpet, fast asleep. Sighing with relief, she was alright and calm, I gently picked her up and placed her in bed. I tucked the covers over her and went into the common room. My body slumped down on the couch and wished for death. I was completely stupid. I told Bella what I was and she hates me. Mercifully, Demetri wouldn't be able to track her down. Neither Aro nor myself could hear her mind, so she was safe.

I could send her home, but they knew she lived in Phoenix, Arizona. They knew exactly where she lived. She could go home, but she would be killed and who's to say they wouldn't kill her family as well. This was a complete mess. I was left with very few options, one worse than the last.

The first is I could let her go and not return to Volterra. Second, I could change her and deal with her anger. Last and worse of all, I could just do what I wanted in the first place and drink her blood, leaving her dead. That last thought tore through me, making me double over in pain. She was my wife and I couldn't lose her. I've seen what losing the one you love has done to our kind. I've heard it in Marcus' mind and, for as long as I've been with the Volturi; part of his mind was always on his wife, Didimye.

She was killed over 2000 years ago and he still mourned her. If Bella died, I would want to die. I know Marcus has felt this way, but Aro won't let him. I knew Aro wouldn't let me die either, my ability was too valuable to him. I would have to go with the plan that would most likely fail, but it would be the one I could live with.

Let Bella go, but keep a constant eye on her from a distant. If any of my kind tried to go after her, I would take care of them immediately. But then again, she is my wife, how could I just let her go?

Because it was the right thing. Mustering up the last of my strength, I gathered our travel information. I'll have to return my ticket. I would still be on the plane, but not as a passenger. I would watch her through the minds of the other humans. She slept for a few more hours and I sat by the door, trying to be as close to her as possible. She exhaled and turned over in the bed, "Huh?" Her breathing picked up and her feet move quickly across the floor.

She didn't run into the bathroom. My will crumbled as I opened the door and found her looking at herself in the mirror. She was looking at her neck and wrists. Her hands grazed the skin of her neck and she sighed in relief. "Did you think I would bite you will you were sleeping?" She spun around and a look of horror was on her face. "Bella, the stories you have heard about vampires are mostly legend. We don't die by being staked in the heart or burn in the sunlight. We don't sleep in coffins, we don't sleep at all. All those times when I laid in bed with you, it was because I wanted to."

She stared at me, not saying a word. "Also, if I had bitten you, you would've felt immediate pain, because we're changed by our venom. The venom spreads through the body, changing it and it takes three days, depending on how much venom is in the body."

Her lip trembled and she bit down on it. I closed my eyes, what I was about to do was the most difficult thing I could ever do. "Bella, I'm sending you home. I was wrong for doing all this and leading you on. Your flight to Phoenix is tomorrow morning. You'll never hear from me again." She blinked, "You're just letting me go?" her voice trembled. "Yes. I just have to ask that you not tell anyone what I am or the fact that vampires exist." She looked down at the floor, then back to me, "That's all?" She squeezed one hand in the other.

She didn't say anything for a long moment, "But what about our marriage?" I sighed, "I'll have the annulment papers sent to your home. Besides, I don't think the vows were binding. We vowed 'until death do us part' and death has already parted us." Her eyes closed slowly and she nodded, "Thank you. And I promise, I won't say anything." I nodded and went back into the common room, leaving her alone.

Once I closed the door, I crumpled to the floor. This was harder than I thought. Yes, she would be alive, but she wouldn't be with me; she wouldn't be mine. One day, she'll find someone she would love and marry him. Bella will die an old woman and that is when I will return to the Volturi. Until then, I would watch my wife. Our union would be over, but she'll always be my bride.

Water began to run in the shower. My mind wandered to our last time in the shower. I thought about how the beads of water cascaded down her skin. The scent of her hair would permeate the room and how all I wanted to do was kiss her. The water ran and was suddenly cut off. The shower curtain was pulled back and her footsteps on the floor. She gasped, "This is impossible!" The bathroom door flew open and slammed against the wall. After another moment, the bedroom door flew open and Bella's face was vivid. "You! You monster!"

Her hands were balled into fists, "What are you talking about?" Tears streamed down her face, "Don't act innocent. You knew this was going to happen. Asking if I was sure if I wanted this? I didn't know what I was really bargaining for. How could you?"

"Bella, I don't know what you are talking about? Please, calm down and tell me what you're talking about." Her teeth chattered, "THIS!" She pointed to her stomach, "I'm pregnant!" My eyes popped, "What?" She was taking long, deep breaths, "I am pregnant."

I blinked, "How did this happen?" She scoffed, "The old fashion way, we had sex! Stop acting like you didn't know that this was going to happen." I shook my head in disbelief, "I swear to you, Bella, I had no idea I could even get you pregnant." She bit her lip, "Right? I am not having this baby." I nodded, "Fine, whatever you want."

"Good, I'm calling a doctor." My hand caught hers, "Bella, no human doctor will know how to deal with this. Whatever this baby is, it's part vampire." She groaned and snatched her hand out of mine, "Then what am I going to do?" her voice broke. I ran my fingers through my hair, "I think I know. There's only one person I know who could help with this." She looked up at me, "Who?" The one person I hadn't spoken to in a very long time. The one who gave me life, when my former life was over.

"Carlisle. He's the one who changed me." Her eyes widened, "Another vampire?" Her hand fell to her stomach and her lips pursed shut. "Yes, he's over 300 years old and he has spent his life studying medicine. He knows everything about the human body and what treatments to use."

She folded her arms, "Why don't I believe you?" Bella was unbelievable stubborn. I sighed in exasperation, "What do you have to lose? We go see him and see what he can do for you or you have the baby?" She closed her eyes and pouted her lips, "Fine. I just want this thing out of me." I shared her sentiment. It was no telling what that thing will do to her. "I know. I'll call Carlisle and find out how soon we can leave." She exhaled, "Fine." She turned away from me to the bedroom and slammed the door. In the bedroom, she began to cry.

I crossed the room in an instant and my hand held the knob, but I didn't dare to open the door. I never knew there was a possibility to procreate with a human woman. This was a fascinating development. Aro would be interested in hearing this bit of information. But I'd worry about that later. I had to make sure Bella would be all right first. My cell phone suddenly rang. The display showed an unknown number, "Hello?" "Edward, we live in Ithaca, New York. I'll tell Carlisle you're coming." This was a voice I hadn't heard in a very long time, but it doesn't surprise me that she knew we were coming. "Thank you, Alice." "It's fine. Get the flight to LaGuardia Airport and I'll get you both. Don't worry, the family will be prepared and they know that you're bringing a human. I'll have everything ready for her."

It was so relieving that my family still was such a great help. "I saw when you two got married. Esme was very happy, but a little upset as well that she couldn't be at the wedding." My shoulders slumped a bit at the reminder of the wedding. "That doesn't matter anymore. Is Carlisle there?" "No," she answered, "but here's his number, so you can tell him what's going on." I memorized the number and thanked Alice again. I've only met Alice twice and yet, she's already being so helpful to me. I called Carlisle and told him about my situation and why I had to being Bella to see him.

"No, Carlisle, I cannot and will not take her back to Volterra. Aro would just study her and see what the baby will be like." The thought of the pain she would endure during the gestation period was unbearable, "Besides, Bella doesn't want the child." Carlisle was slight over the phone for a moment, "I understand, Edward. Bring her as soon as possible. I would love to meet my new daughter in law." I pinched the bridge of my nose, "Carlisle, after this is done, I'm letting her go home and getting an annulment. It was a mistake."

I could hear the disappointment in Carlisle's voice as our conversation ended. Next, the arrangements for our flight to New York had to be made. "Bella," I called through the bedroom door. She didn't answer for a moment. Soon the door opened and her eyes were red, "Yes?" she answered in a small voice. I couldn't control myself. I took her face in my hands, "Are you in pain?" She took her face from my hands slowly, "No. What did you want?"

My eyes closed, this pain was becoming too much to bear. "I contacted Carlisle. We're going to New York, but our flight is in two days." Her brow furrowed, "Two days?" Her voice wasn't higher than a whisper, but I could hear the pain in her voice. "I tried to get a flight sooner, but there was nothing I can do."

Her eyes drifted to the floor, "It's fine." She bit her lip, "I'm actually getting hungry." I ordered her dinner for her and she gave me a faint smile, the most I had gotten from her, in what seemed so long.