A/N: Apologies about the delay in updating (thanks to not being able to log in!) here's the next chapter, thanks as always to everyone who's reading this, aswell as all those who review and favourite it, really does mean so much so please carry on :) This one's in Esme's POV, hope you enjoy.

It hurt us all to see Bella in so much pain, she tried to hide it from us, she'd bite her bottom lip and hold back whatever cry she wanted to release, just to stop us from worrying even more about her. I don't think I'd ever met a human as selfless as Bella, everything she had put herself since she'd met our family and discovered our secret was to make my son happy, and I would never be able to thank her enough for that. Before Bella arrived into Edward's life I was already consumed with worry that he would never find the soulmate that the rest of us had, it had been the topic of many conversations between Carlisle and myself, both of us worried that Edward had been changed too young, that he would never experience the type of love the rest of us took for granted. Then into his life walked Bella, and turned all of our lives upside down, not least Edwards. The smile that I loved in Edward once again returned to his lips, his sense of humour stronger than ever before and to my joy, he started playing the piano again. It was as if after decades of lying dormant he'd now been rejuvenated by Bella and the love and hope she gave him. That was why it hurt to see Bella in this pain, every moan and groan reminded us all that Bella was not as durable as we were, we were all aware there was a chance Bella may not survive this pregnancy. It tugged on my heartstrings to think that if this all went wrong we would lose Bella. Me and Carlisle would lose a girl we had come to think of as our third daughter, Emmett would lose the centre of all of his jokes, Jasper would lose the humanity he'd gained from being around Bella, Rosalie her competition, Alice her best friend, and Edward? Edward would lose his whole world.

I watched Bella submit herself to Carlisle's examinations, she hated these daily intrusions, especially if it was her second or third one of the day. She was still biting her bottom lip, definitely not a good sign. There was little Carlisle could do for her though, I'd already asked him if there was anything we could give her to ease the pain and he'd shook his head. It was too dangerous to give her any form of human medication as we didn't know the effect it would have on the child growing inside her. I was thanking the stars that Edward still on his hunting trip and wasn't here to witness this, this was destroying him as much as it was Bella. I only had to look into my son's eyes to see that he no longer saw himself as he should, but as the monster he tried to suppress within himself. Everytime he looked at Bella he visibly shuddered, the love was there still, if anything it was even stronger, but I knew that if anything were to happen he would never forgive himself for putting Bella through this, in his eyes the blame laid solely at his feet. We'd all tried telling him differently, but he wouldn't listen to anyone. It was when I looked into his eyes and saw all of this that I felt guilty for siding against him about the baby, I knew it was only because of what I had said to Carlisle that he had changed his mind, as a mother I should protect my children, and here I was exposing one of them to the purest kind of hurt because of my own actions.

When Carlisle first suggested Edward, Rosalie and Emmett posing as our adopted children I scoffed at the idea, up until now we'd posed with them as our brothers and sisters or husband and wives, but as our children? The idea of being referred to as "Mom" when the memories of my own baby were still so fresh in my mind tore me apart a little. But Carlisle reasoned with me that it made sense, and eventually over time I gave in, so we moved yet again and me and Carlisle became "Mom and Dad". I convinced myself I'd hate it, that it wouldn't sound right, how could I be a mother to these people who were just a few years younger than myself? Nothing I told myself could replace that little bundle of joy I'd held in my arms a few decades before, that feeling in me would never resurface like it had then. That maternal love had been born and buried with my son. But I found over time that the love was still there, the maternal instinct I had hidden deep within myself was still within me, growing even when Alice and Jasper joined us. If anything it was even stronger now due to my being a vampire, Carlisle later confided in me that he suspected that it was my gift that I had brought through to this life which was why it was so strong. It made sense I supposed.

Much like Rose my only hopes for my mortal life had been to marry, have children and live happily ever after, and I was lucky enough to have experience this in both my lives. My love for my adopted children had grown and grown over the years, and I could see the traits in each of them that they struggled to see in themselves. In Rose I could see the kindness and compassion she kept buried deep beneath her armour, in Emmett I could see the concern and love he felt for us all, in Alice the worry she felt if her predictions were not right, in Jasper the guilt as he struggled to adapt to our lifestyle and in Edward, I could see the guilt he felt for inflicting Bella on us and vice versa. Each of my children had come over the decades to mean the world to me, and had filled the aching hole in me my own child had left, so far four out of the five of them had had their happy ending but I knew that meant nothing unless Edward got his. Every day I would pray to whatever higher power existed to us and begged for this to work out for him, memories of Edward going to Italy were too strong from last time. When we'd found out where he'd gone it was the blackest feeling I'd ever known, for once it was as if time had stopped, nothing would matter again if we lost Edward, if I lost Edward. Carlisle had held me close to him as we waited for news from Alice and Bella, the last days of my human life swirled round my head, I couldn't do it again, I couldn't lose another son. When he walked back through the airport and he was there infront of me was the only time I could accept he was still here, I couldn't even be angry at him, I was too relieved that he was still here.

But I knew looking down at Bella, that if she didn't make it through this, that neither would Edward. I wished it didn't have to be like that, and I wished I had the strength in me to be able to stop Edward if it came to that, but I knew I wouldn't be able to. We all knew from the myths and legends that there was no human who had ever lived through a delivery like Bella's, a fact we had concealed from the pair of them, just part of the pact we had made just before Edward had left to go hunting, he was sitting with Bella whilst she slept.

"We need to talk" Carlisle said, motioning for everyone to sit around the dining room table that was only used for occasions like this.

There was a serious look in his eyes mixed with sadness that made his expression unreadable, even to me.

We all sat down, I immediately put my hand over Carlisle's.

"We need to be quiet" he said continuing. "And try not to think about what it is we're going to discuss".

Emmett's face distorted into one of confusion

"But how-".

He was interrupted by Rose elbowing him in the ribs and pointing upstairs to where Edward was with Bella. He nodded understandingly.

"As you know we've been gathering all the stories we can, but I can tell you already from what we've discovered that Bella's chances aren't looking good. No woman pregnant with a half breed child has given birth successfully".

I looked round at my children, each of the couples were holding each others hands, comforting one another. I tried to give them each a brief smile as best as I could muster.

"But Carlisle, there has to be a way. These legends are old and look at the technology and expertise you have. There has to be a way!" came Rose's voice, almost shouting until Emmett pulled her into an embrace and muffled her voice with his shoulder.

"I don't think all the technology in the world will help Bella, Rose. Believe me I wish it could, I hate this as much as you all do. But her human body can only take so much and it's dealing with a force so much stronger than it's own, there will come a point where she can't take anymore" he said poignantly.

"You don't think she'll make it?" asked Alice sat as still and calmly as a statue.

"Nothing's known in this situation, but going with what information we do have, no Alice I don't. Which is why I called this meeting. I trust we all remember what happened the last time Edward thought he'd lost Bella?"

It was a rhetorical question, of course we all remembered, Alice shuddered, no doubt recollecting her last visit to Volterra until Jasper put his arm around her.

"I have no doubt that if Bella doesn't make it, neither will Edward" continued Carlisle. "He'll want to join her in whatever afterlife awaits us, and I don't think we should stop him".

The whole room fell silent with the weight of what Carlisle had just said, I felt suffocated, I didn't need to breathe but I felt as if I should just to get something into my body, which felt heavier by the minute. Carlisle's grasp on my hand grew tighter.

"You want us to let him die?" asked Emmett incredulously, his eyes widened in shock.

"I don't think any of us would be able to deny Edward if he truly lost Bella, he'd either do it by himself or do it with us, I'm not pretending either option is pleasant one but it's a reality we have to face up to" said Carlisle, his voice flat, trying to keep his emotions out of the equation. "He'll go to the Volturi whether we want him to or not".

I wanted to say something, I wanted to scream and shout at Carlisle to stop saying these dreadful things, but I couldn't, I had no voice, just grief, grief for something I hadn't even lost yet but I knew was looming larger and larger on the horizon.

"What do you want us to do?" asked Emmett, his voice as flat as Carlisle's.

"If" Carlisle paused, "If the worse happens and Bella doesn't make it, if Edward asks or we see him leaving." He motioned to Alice. "We go with him, whoever wants to accompany us, we'll take him to Volterra, it's the least we owe him after everything he's done for us. It shouldn't be like last time, he shouldn't be alone".

There was a series of nods around the table, it didn't matter how painful the idea was, I knew there wasn't a single person around this table who wouldn't deny Edward this last wish, even me I thought although the thought pained me. If Edward asked me I'd cradle him in my arms as he left us just as I had my baby all those years again.

"So we're agreed?" said Carlisle.

We all nodded for a second time.

I looked down at Bella, Carlisle had hooked her up to an IV to deliver her the nutrients and her body seemed to be accepting them. The odds were against her, but she had to get through this. Our whole family's future relied on her, if we lost Bella, we lost Edward and we would never be the same, but if she survived, so did Edward. It was dangerous and risky, there was a part of me that wanted to confide in Bella, tell her exactly what rode on her survival, but I knew that would make her hide the pain even more. I just begged yet again to whatever power there was to get my son and daughter through this, I couldn't lose another child, I wouldn't lose another child.