Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
I do not like this chapter, in fact I pretty much hate it, but it is 1am and I can't change it. Sorry if there are mistakes.
I was completely blown away by the response to the last chapter, the most review of the whole story. Thanks to ZooeyD, MidnightSun03, chihuahuamama, tuckerjnp1, queenyus, allison, CharmLightLove, sober alcoholic, makki, Flora73, tbonemom0512, Twilight-ObsessedDiva, kayla paige, mommytwilight, darkwildrose, Troyis, berdb, Lizzie, winternow, elliemay101287, ConfusionPixie, tidyKat, jerseyhalliwell, livvi84, cullengirl08, flock6, klcivinski, vampgirl138, Akaalias, p, krazzy hopeless romantic, cademan24, gabzCoatz, mommyof3boys and Gabriels-girl5035 for all your lovely review. Thanks also to everyone who put this on alert and in their favourites.
Hope you enjoy this chapter.
Forever Bound
Chapter Ten – Broken Strings
Edward felt weak at the knees, "What do you mean there is nothing you can do father? Please tell me you're lying!"
"Edward, please allow me to finish. There is nothing I can do to stop the sickness each day." Carlisle tried to soothe his son. It did not appear to be working.
"But why? Why can the sickness not be stopped? Is she...dying?" Edward hated even thinking the last word of his sentence.
"Edward, calm yourself. There is nothing I can do to stop it because it is part of nature. Edward, Bella is pregnant."
Edward stood there in stunned silence. "What?" he asked hoarsely, his voice apparently gone.
"I will of course have to ask a midwife to come and check her to confirm my suspicions, but I am almost certain that your wife is with child." Carlisle smiled at Edward.
"Bella is with child?" Edward needed confirmation.
"Yes, Edward. She is with child. Have you heard it enough now?" Carlisle laughed. Edward just shook his head. "I have not told her what I discovered; I thought you should have the honour." Edward did not move, "Go in son," Carlisle pushed Edward towards the door.
Edward stumbled forward and placed his hand on the door handle. Before he pulled it fro, he glanced back once more at Carlisle, who gave him an encouraging smile. Slowly, Edward opened the door and entered the chamber.
Bella was lying on her back, staring into space. Edward moved closer to her and cleared his throat. She did not move a muscle. He tried again; nothing. Edward walked over to the side of the bed and took his place in the chair once more. Slowly, he reached out for her hand and held it in his. Bella did not resist.
"Bella, as you are aware, you have not been in good health for the past few weeks." Edward began, wondering how to approach the subject, "I had been unable to diagnose you myself, so I asked father to examine you, as you will know. He has informed me—that is to say he believes, that, that you are with child." Edward rushed out, stumbling over his words. He held his breath for Bella's reaction.
Bella did not speak at all; she did not even acknowledge that she had heard what Edward had told her.
"Bella? Did you hear what I said?" Edward asked, a little bemused at Bella's lack of reaction. "Bella, you are pregnant. With our child."
For the first time in two weeks, Edward heard Bella's voice. It was raspy and low due to lack of use. "You can go back to your mistress now. You're job is done." Bella pulled her hand out of Edward's grasp and turned onto her side; facing away from him.
"Bella please. Let us not speak of that right now. I need to know how you are feeling." Edward tried. Bella ignored him. He sat there for half an hour, trying to observe any type of reaction from Bella yet none came.
Giving up, Edward rose from his position and quietly left the room. He glanced at Bella's face before he left and saw she was in a slumber, although it did not look like a peaceful one.
Slowly making his way downstairs, Edward tried to gather his thoughts. Bella was pregnant. He was going to be a father. Bella was pregnant. He would soon have an heir. Bella was pregnant. In nine months he would be able to enter the comfort of Tanya's arms once more. Bella was pregnant. Blindly, Edward had made his way to the living room, not even realising where his feet where propelling him.
As he entered the room, he collapsed onto the settee in a daze. He only noticed the presence of his parents and Jacob in the room as Carlisle cleared his throat. He gazed around the room; Esme seemed concerned at the look on Edward's face, while Jacob looked bored.
"Edward, what is wrong?" Esme asked. Edward looked towards his father, who shook his head. This was Edward's news to tell.
"Bella is pregnant," Edward whispered. For a moment there was silence.
"What was that? I think I misheard," Jacob asked, sounding a little shocked.
"You did not. Bella is pregnant." Edward repeated.
Jacob quickly rose from his place and left the room. They could hear his hurried, heavy steps all the way up the stairs.
"Are you sure?" Esme enquired, trying to repress a smile.
Edward nodded. "Father is almost certain."
Carlisle entered the conversation, "I will ride into town this afternoon and request the presence of a midwife tomorrow morning." Edward nodded.
Esme could no longer contain her glee, "Oh my first grandchild! Isn't this exciting Carlisle?" She cried.
"Immensely so my dear," Carlisle smiled at his wife, who appear to be having trouble staying still. He turned towards his son, who had a morose look all over his face, "Why are you not happy with the news Edward? You are going to become a father. Does that not excite you just a little?"
"To be honest father, it has not sunk in yet. I'm sure once it has I shall be as excited as mother. However, currently I am concerned for Bella."
"Why ever for? She is healthy and strong. We've all seen her spirit." Carlisle argued.
"What spirit? Her spirit has been gone for two weeks. I told her she was with child and she did not react. At all. I had to push for her to even acknowledge the news, and all she could say was that I had done my job." Edward sounded defeated.
"Edward, can you blame her?" Carlisle's voice became pessimistic, "'The day after your marriage, you inform her that you do not even want to try and make the marriage work; that as soon as she has given you a child you will begin extra marital affairs. She hears you insult her in the worst possible way and runs out into the middle of a storm. She comes back only to find out she is pregnant. How did you expect her to react?"
Quietly, Esme slipped out of the room, no doubt to congratulate Bella.
"I do not know! I just wanted her to have a reaction, any reaction. Women are supposed to be overjoyed at being pregnant are they not?" Edward asked his father.
"Yes, in usual circumstances they are. However, think of the position you have placed Bella in. You have told her that as soon as she is pregnant, it is the beginning of the end of her marriage. You break the news to her when she has just been through a traumatic experience, and you expect her to be happy about the information?"
Edward had no answer.
Edward was making his way up to his current chamber an hour later just as Esme exited. He was about to walk past his mother and enter but she placed her hand on his arm to stop him.
"What is it mother?" he asked, a little confused.
"Edward, Bella does not wish for you to go in there again tonight." Esme told her son softly.
"What? Why ever not?" Edward asked, displeased.
"That is for Bella to know. I am not aware of her reasons. However, she has requested that you do not enter her chambers again until either Jacob or I tell you that you may."
"Jacob is in there?" Edward exploded, "So I, her husband, am not, but that dog is?"
"Yes Edward, and to be honest, I believe that is a fair judgment. Jacob has been nothing but supportive and you have been the exact opposite." Esme jumped to her daughter's defence.
"How can I be supportive when she will not tell me how she is feeling?" Edward asked, enraged.
"By reassuring her that everything will run smoothly. That you will be there for her. And it is not just about the pregnancy and you know it." With that Esme walked down the stairs, leaving her son alone to control his anger.
That night, Edward lay in his normal chambers alone. And he found that he could not sleep a wink.
-o-
The next morning, at nine hours past midnight, there was a loud knock on Edward's front door. As Edward opened it he was at loss as to why this woman was at his door; he had never seen her before and he knew almost everyone in the village.
"Excuse me, may I help you?" he asked as politely as he could.
"Good morning. I am the midwife Lord Cullen requested examine your wife." The lady told him.
"But you're not from this village are you? I am sure I have never laid eyes on you before." Edward confessed as he looked the woman over. She appeared to be in her mid twenties, with dark hair and olive skin.
"That is correct. My name is Aurora and I am from the neighbouring village. Carlisle requested that I service your family." The woman, Aurora, explained.
"But why? I mean you no offence, but surely there are perfectly good midwives in our village." Edward asked, a little confused as to why Carlisle would take such a long journey, when the midwife who delivered Edward was still alive, living in the town and providing her services.
"No offence taken Sir Cullen. I believe your father requested me because every baby I have delivered has survived and remained healthy during infancy." Aurora clarified.
"Oh," Edward nodded dumbly. Of course everyone would want this baby delivered safely. "Please do come in." Edward moved back and allowed her into his house.
"Thank you Sir. Where is Mrs, Cullen?"
"This way," Edward motioned towards the stairs and led her up them.
Knocking to Bella's chamber door, Edward waited a moment before opening it for the Aurora, allowing her to enter first before he swiftly followed. He was not too pleased with the sight that met him. Jacob had taken up Edward's chair and held Bella's hand in his own; rubbing soothing circles on her palm with his finger. However, as soon as he noticed Edward in the room, he rose from the chair, grabbed Edward by the front of his shirt and pulled him from the room.
"What on earth did you do that for Black? I want to be in there with my wife." Edward fumed.
"I believe Esme made it clear last night Cullen. Bella does not wish to see you. You are only permitted to enter her chambers if Esme or I specifically tell you that you may, and as you are aware, neither of us has. So you are not to enter." Jacob spat at Edward.
"It is my child! I wish to be in there!" Edward yelled.
"No. Do you want to cause her to break out into a panic? It could lose you your precious heir!" Jacob yelled right back at him before entering the room once more and slamming to door shut.
Edward was angrier than he could ever remember being. Why did his wife allow that mongrel into the room and not him? Although they were not on the best of terms, he still had the right to be there and find about his child. Edward kicked the wall in anger, which caused a shooting pain to flood his foot. Ignoring it, Edward stomped downstairs and waited in the living room for Aurora to finish her exam.
Thirty minutes later, Edward heard the door to Bella's chamber close and light footsteps descend down the stairs. Rising, Edward walked out into the hallway to hear the midwife's results.
"So, is my wife pregnant?"
"Without a doubt," Aurora confirmed. "I believe she is just past the two month mark, meaning her due date is to be estimated at around the middle of June." Edward smiled; his child would be born near his birth date.
"Are there any concerns? Anything Bella must do? Anything I must do?" Edward asked, wanting to make this pregnancy as successful as possible.
Aurora nodded gravely. "Unfortunately, your wife is terribly malnourished. If she does not eat enough I am afraid to say that the child will not survive. In a healthy pregnancy, the expectant mother should gain almost twenty four pounds. Bella need to regain the weight she has already lost before she can do this. If she does not and the baby survives, I cannot guarantee that it will be healthy. You must be supportive and provide her with whatever she needs. Good day Sir Cullen." And with that she left the house. Edward was left alone in the lobby, pulling together all he had just been told.
It finally hit him; he was going to be a father.
-o-
At noon, once Jacob had ridden into town to post a letter to his wife, and he had checked that Esme was not anywhere in the house, Edward walked quietly up the stairs and along the corridor before stopping outside Bella's chamber.
Carefully balancing the tray of food he held in one hand, Edward slowly opened the door. Quickly moving over to the desk that rested against the back wall, Edward placed the tray down before he dropped it. He then took in the room.
The drapes were closed, the room was stuffy and the air had a musty smell about it. Bella lay fast asleep in a foetus position on the left side of the bed.
As quietly as he could, Edward made his way across the room and pulled the curtains open. The sun outside was beaming into the room and hit the exact place Bella was lying in. She did not stir. For the first time, Edward noticed the almost red streaks that highlighted Bella's hair, causing it to shine in the sun.
Slowly, sure not to make a sound, Edward eased open the windows to allow the fresh air to circulate the room before he finally made his way over to the left side of the bed. Crouching down, Edward quietly called Bella's name. Her eyes did not move. Gently, Edward began to shake her arm as he called her name. After a few seconds, her eyelids began to flutter open.
Before she could express any kind of dismay at Edward being in her room, he hurriedly got to his feet and practically ran across the room towards the tray of food he had prepared and brought it over to his still groggy wife.
"Bella, your midwife explained to me that you are malnourished. You need to eat this food," Edward explained gently, not wanting to cause her any distress. Bella shook her head. "Bella, please you must." She shook her head once more. "Please Bella," Edward began to beg. "If you do not gain weight and begin to regain your strength, our child will die. I know you are not happy with the news, and that I am to blame. I apologise, sincerely I do! However, I also know that deep down you do not want our child to die. So please Bella, please, eat this food." He pleaded.
Slowly, avoiding looking at her husband, Bella reached out her hand and picked up the raw carrot that was on the tray; just one of the many items to choose from. Edward watched her closely as she placed it by her lips, and for the first time in two weeks, finally took a bite of food.
Edward smiled."Thank you Bella." Bella, almost undetectably, nodded her head. "Now, which part of the gourmet meal do you wish to eat next?" Edward laughed, trying to bring some happiness into the room.
An hour later, Edward exited his wife's room. All though she had not uttered one word, and had not looked in his direction at all, Edward prayed that he was making head way with his wife. A headway towards forgiveness.
Just as Edward placed the dirty tray into the sink, there was a loud rap on the door. Sighing, Edward made his way into the lobby, preparing himself for another argument with Jacob.
It was not Jacob at the door.
Blocking up most the doorway with his bulky figure was a man Edward had never seen before, and never wished to see again; he was like a bear!
"Can I help you sir?" Edward asked, trying not to voice the fear he felt at the sight of this man.
"I hope so," the man boomed, "I am looking for Isabella Cullen."
"Why do you wish to see Mrs Cullen," Edward questioned, not wanting this man anywhere near his fragile wife.
"I'm Emmett Swan. Her brother."
---
So, as most of you guessed, BELLA IS PREGNANT!
Anyone got any names? ;) Tell me them if you do. Boy/Girl.
Emmett has made his apperance!
Did you like it? Tell me what you think.
Until next time. :)