A/N: And here we go… Your reactions to the last chapter were amazing, and I even got a good giggle out of several of them. So thank you so much for that. I wish I could sit down and reply to each and every one of you. You are all absolutely amazing.

As I said, I've finished writing this story already, and I'm giving the last two chapters a final read-though before I post them, but if all goes well *knocks on wood* the last two chapters after this should be posted by tomorrow, if not later tonight. Thank you all very much for reading and reviewing, and I'm so glad you are enjoying the story. Take care!


Chapter Eight—Delivery for Isabella Swan

The weeks that followed were long and torturous, for me and especially, for Edward. Within days of that phone call, we were told that Jasper had been served and submitted to the petition for a paternity test, and we needed to provide a sample from Carlie. From that point on, I watched the strain increase with Edward, which thankfully, didn't have much effect on our relationship.

However, my main concern was whether it would take a toll on the bond Edward and Carlie shared.

If anything, he only became more attached, to the point that I was almost worried that he was being overbearing.

He was hesitant to leave her, even to go to school the two days a week he still needed to. If he had to go to the store for so much as a gallon of milk, he'd take her with him for a "ride with Daddy". He started coming downstairs to my room again on the nights I still had her down there so he could study, even if she was sound asleep, just to stand beside her crib and look at her. He'd even taken to keeping her in the baby sling across his chest while he sat at his desk doing homework.

Edward simply could not bear to miss a moment with her, fearful of what would happen once the results inevitably confirmed that Jasper was her father. And then, it came a week later.

"Based on the DNA analysis, the alleged father, Jasper Whitlock, cannot be excluded as the biological father of the child, Carlie Cullen, because they share the same genetic markers. Probability percentile: 99.9938%."

That night, Edward took Carlie upstairs with him, and when I went to check on them an hour later, I found them both asleep on his bed, with her tiny body tucked against him and a pillow on the other side of her. I crossed the room slowly and moved it aside, carefully lying down next to them instead. He stirred awake when I touched his face and glanced over to me, and then down to Carlie, before closing his eyes again.

"Edward, what are you doing?" I whispered as I brushed his cheek lightly with the backs of my fingers. "She should be in her crib."

The arm he had around her tightened and he shook his head. "I just want her here with me for a little while."

"Baby, you're starting to worry me," I finally said, and his gaze returned to me. "She's not going to vanish. The worst that Jasper could do right now is come back to Washington for a hearing to contest it. He has no grounds to try taking her away from me, so you're not going to lose her, either. Do you understand?"

Edward's eyes closed again and his lips grew taut, but he nodded half-heartedly. "He didn't even want to admit that there was a possibility that she was his. He's doing it out of spite, not for her. Why?"

"I don't know. But no matter what, she does have one father who loves her. And we'll get through this," I said gently, trying to remain as calm and supportive as I could as I watched his face contort more with each word I spoke. "Now, I'm going to put her to bed so you can get some sleep."

Before I could move too far away, I felt his hand take mine to hold me there and I looked to him again to find him gazing back at me. "Please stay. Both of you."

I couldn't bring myself to refuse him and I rested my head back down onto the pillow, inches away from his face. He moved forward slowly, brushing his lips against mine as our hands came to rest on our child between us, and he murmured a soft "thank you" and closed his eyes. I turned my head over my shoulder to look to the door, making sure I left it open in case I fell asleep there beside them with the afternoon we'd had. And I was grateful I did, when Carlie began crying at three am, and all three of us were still in Edward's bed.

"I've got her," I whispered and began shifting off the bed, and he nodded as I took her into my arms.

"Wait," Edward's voice cracked sleepily behind me and I turned to find him standing up, stepping closer to me. He leaned down to kiss Carlie's forehead and then straightened to press his lips gently to mine as well. "It's my turn to thank you, Bella. I'm really sorry I've been so crazy lately."

I shook my head and offered him a smile. "Not really crazy. Just a daddy."

x-x-x

One week later, I woke up late after being awake a majority of the night before with Carlie, who'd been fussing an unusual amount. I walked out into the living room to find Edward with our daughter in one arm, and a large envelope in his other hand, staring at it blankly.

"Hey, what's up?" I mumbled groggily, still not completely awake, even when I looked to the clock above the television to see that it was nearly eleven.

Edward held the envelope out to me, drawing in a deep breath and letting it out slowly. "It's from the court."

My heart leapt into my throat and stilled, and I was suddenly wide awake. I took shaky steps toward the couch and sat down beside him, taking the envelope from his hand. My gaze moved over the "Isabella Swan" in crisp, bold letters across the address line and I glanced over to Edward to find his eyes closed and his lips pressed to the top of Carlie's head.

Turning back to the item in my hands, I flipped it over and slid my finger beneath the seal to open it. I extracted the enclosed document and took a breath as I unfolded it, reaching over to take hold of my baby girl's little hand as I began to read. "Petition for Voluntary Termination of Parental Rights. In the interest of minor child, Carlie Renee Cullen, date of birth, November 18, 2011… oh my God."

My gaze shot over to Edward again to find both of his arms around the baby and his glossy eyes had risen to the ceiling. "He signed?"

I turned the paper toward him to show the sweeping signature of Jasper Whitlock on the bottom of the page. "It's almost over, Edward. She's yours."

Tears slipped down Edward's face as he closed his eyes when my lips brushed his gently and our foreheads met. "Thank you, Bella. God, I love you. And you," he paused, turning his gaze back to Carlie and lifting her from his chest to hold her up in front of him. "I'm your daddy, baby girl."

I smiled and leaned my head on his shoulder, pressing my lips to his arm. "You always have been, Edward."

He lowered her back to his chest and wrapped his other arm around me and kissed my hair. "I don't know what changed his mind and I don't care. We can be a real family now."

"Me either. I just … wait a second."

"What?" Edward asked after a moment, but I didn't respond.

I rose from the couch quickly and made my way to the front door, stepping outside in my pajamas and ran over to my parents' house. Jasper was insistent on not signing over his rights if the paternity test confirmed he was the father; I needed to know why.

"Dad?" I called out as I walked straight in, spotting him down the hall when he moved into the kitchen doorway.

"Bella. What's going on?" he asked with a worried brow, his eyes taking inventory of me as I moved toward him.

"What did you do?" I asked with narrowed eyes, holding the court document up to him.

My father's gaze shifted from my face to the paper, and then his eyes rose to mine again with a quirky grin on his face. "I don't know what you mean, princess. But that's good."

I gaped at him as he walked back toward the kitchen table casually, sipping at his coffee and sitting down. "Dad? Where were you really for those two days after we got that call from Jasper? And what did you do? It wasn't your place."

"Nothing that any father wouldn't have done in the best interest of his daughter and grandbaby," my dad replied unapologetically, his features extremely serious. "I just went and had a little chat with Mr. Whitlock and cleared some things up."