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Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns all the characters except Luke and the triplets.
Chapter 9
Bella's POV
I got the kids to go back inside and it was very awkward because I knew the Cullens had been able to hear everything Lillian said. Their faces showed it too. They were hurt, shocked, but I could see the love and adoration in their eyes when they looked at the triplets. I knew this was a phase but I hoped it would pass soon. I didn't want the Cullens to suffer because of this.
"C'mon!" I encouraged the kids to step forward and greet the Cullens. They looked at me as if asking if they had to. I nodded. Someday they would understand why this was important. "Please." Lizzie was the first one. Slowly she went to stand in front of Esme, who lowered herself in order to stay at the same level as her.
"Good afternoon." She politely said. Then she kissed Esme. Luke did the same and Esme was amazed.
"Lillian." I said firmly. First she hesitated but eventually did the same as her siblings. One by one they greeted all the Cullens, including Edward. I saw Edward's eyes sparkle when the kids greeted him. I just hoped that meant he wasn't going to leave again.
"Thank you Bella." Esme managed to say. I could clearly hear all the emotion in her voice; I knew she would be crying if she could.
"Mommy can we go outside?" Lilly asked. I knew they were nervous maybe it was best if I just let them go for a run, to calm down, besides I knew the Cullens would want answers.
"Sure but don't go too far. Call if you need something and be careful." I kissed them on the top of their heads and they left running.
"Thank you so much Bella. You can't imagine what this means to us." Esme said hugging me. When she released me I felt that I should say something about the talk I had had with my kids a minutes ago.
"I'm sorry. I never wanted them to react this way. I guess it's my fault, I should have insisted with them. Every time I tried to talk about you they would ignore me or change the subject. I should have insisted. I'm sorry…"
"It's not your fault Bella. They have every right to react like that. They are right. I can't blame them. I never was a father to them. I was never there and I'm truly sorry for that but I can't let you blame yourself for this. I have to deal with the consequences of my actions."
"Edward is right this is not your fault, Bella. C'mon sit here." Alice said pushing me to the couch.
"I guess you have some questions." I knew they wanted to know what had happened to me after they leave.
"What happened after we left? And how did the Volturi fit in this? We heard them call Aro…" Edward asked. The way he looked at me was strange; I couldn't name the emotions in his eyes. If I didn't know better I would say it was love but Edward didn't love me and I had to stop thinking about that. It would only make this harder.
"When I found out I was pregnant, two weeks after you left, I decided to look for your meadow. I was desperate and I needed to think about what I was going to do. I thought I was never going to find it but I did and then out of nothing Laurent appeared." The Cullens gasped in surprise. "He said he was working with Victoria but that he couldn't resist my blood. He attacked me and right before he sank his teeth into my neck someone threw him across the clearing. It was Luke. While Luke was fighting with Laurent a few huge wolves, that later I found were werewolves, appeared. They were going to attack Luke but I managed to say that he was helping me. They helped Luke to kill Laurent. While the wolves burned Laurent's body, Luke approached me and I saw his eyes were golden. He said he used to be a doctor when he was human and he wanted to know if I was alright. I told him I was pregnant. He picked me up from the ground and took me home. Charlie wasn't at home yet so we had time to talk. He said he had heard about your family and he wanted to meet you. I told him what had happened and that you had left. In the following month he kept visiting and I introduced him to Charlie. He helped me tell Charlie that I was pregnant. Then he decided that it was best if we left Forks. I agreed. The town held too many memories. Besides we didn't know how my pregnancy was going to be and we didn't want to raise suspicion. First Charlie didn't agree but I explained him I needed to leave and eventually he understood. I have been living with Luke since then. I would have never made it without his help." This was my story. I left out some details but I didn't want them to fell guiltier than they already felt.
"Mommy! Mommy!" Lizzie ran into the room calling. Did something happen? Maybe one of them got hurt…
"What is it Lizzie? Did any of you get hurt?" I asked worried.
"No. I need your help. Lilly wants to play hide and seek but Luke wants to play Red Light/Green Light and they said I have to choose. But if I chose hide and seek Luke will be mad at me and if I chose Luke's game Lilly will. I don't want them to be mad at me." She quickly explained. Thankfully it was nothing serious.
"Let do like this: first you'll play hide and seek and then you play Red Light/Green Light. Is that ok?"
"But how will we know we have to change the game?"
"I'll say."
"Good. Thank you mommy. You're the best!" She said hugging me and running outside again.
"What about the wolves? Did they create any problems?" Jasper asked.
"Luke and I talked to them. It wasn't easy to convince them but one of the wolves was Jacob, an old friend of mine. When Luke mentioned how dangerous my pregnancy could be they allowed him to watch me and change me when it was necessary. It was very difficult to convince them. Jacob moved closer to us after the babies born. We're still friends." I explained.
"You still haven't told us how the Volturi fit." Edward pointed out.
"Luke though it was best to tell the Volturi while I was pregnant to prove that we hadn't changed them and that the triplets were mine. So Aro came with Felix and Demetri to see me. After the triplets were born we spent almost a year in Italy." I explained.
"Why?" Alice questioned
"Aro offered and all the help we got was welcome, we didn't know how they were going to develop and Aro wanted to make sure they wouldn't become dangerous. He tried to convince me and Luke to join the Volturi but we refused and he agreed with us that that wasn't the most appropriated environment to raise three children. We usually visit them on holidays and they come to visit us too. That's why the kids are so close to them, especially after Charlie passed away two years ago."
"So you kept visiting Charlie and Renée even after you were changed? Don't they notice that you aren't aging?" Carlisle asked
"They knew I was pregnant they called a lot of times to know how I was, I couldn't just disappear or die, and I didn't want to. Anyway for now it's not something that draws a lot of attention. Most of the times they just have eyes for they grandchildren."
"But you are different!" Rosalie stated.
"I wear contact lenses so that they don't see that my eyes changed color and as I said they pay more attention to the kids then to me."
"You can't blame them Bella." Alice commented.
"Alice's right they are the most beautiful children I've ever met and you raised them very well. I wouldn't do a better job." Esme complimented.
"Bella… I was curious about what Lillian did to Emmett… Do they have the same powers? Because you asked Luke to help her…" Carlisle started.
"They don't have the same powers but they can share their powers between them. Lillian can move things with her mind, Luke can blow things up, and Lizzie can create and manipulate force fields."
"It must be difficult to raise them having those powers, I mean, when they fight with each other don't they use their powers? They could probably destroy a house!" Esme observed.
"I already took care of it." I said remembering the first and last time my kids used their powers against each other. The Cullens looked curiously at me. "A few years ago they started fighting with each other and decided to use their powers, to punish them I stopped them from talking and seeing each other for three days. It was enough to make them understand how important they were to each other. They never fought like that again. I also prohibit them from using their powers inside of the house. Time to play Red Light/Green Light." I said. I knew they could hear.
"Amazing Bella. I have to say you are a wonderful mother." Esme complimented.
"Thank you Esme but sometimes it's not easy and there is times when I'm not so sure of that." Sometimes I wasn't sure I was doing the right thing for my kids.
"Bella why did Luke changed you?" Edward asked. He seemed to be upset about that. I knew he didn't want to change me
"We had agreed that he would change me a few months after the triplets' birth but there were some complications during the delivery and he had to change me right after they born."
"But even if everything had gone alright he would change you! Why?"
"Because it would be very difficult to me to raise three half vampire kids when I was merely a fragile human." Why was he so against the idea of me being a vampire? God! I couldn't understand him!
"Bella how could you control your blood lust around your kids when you were still a newborn?" Jasper asked truly curious.
"I didn't have time to worry about that. My kids were alone, they needed me. Luke couldn't take care of them all by himself. First I thought it was out of need but later I found that I could easily resist human blood. It was not very appealing to me, maybe because I was so averse to it when I was human." I explained.
"Mommy can we leave" Lilly asked impatient. "Please."
"Okay. Call your brother and your sister."
"Are you already leaving Bella?" Alice questioned disappointed.
"I have to Alice. The kids are tired and I think it's enough for today."
"Does that means you're coming back tomorrow with them?" Rosalie asked hopeful.
"I'll try." I still had a conversation to finish with them and I could only hope they understood my reasons. "C'mon kids say goodbye." I encouraged when they came into the room.
"Goodbye." They said in unison before leaving the room. Edward came closer to me.
"Thank you Bella. You don't know how grateful I am." He said taking my hands in his.
"I asked them to give you a chance, do not let them down. That's all I ask and don't hurt them."
"I won't Bella. I promise." Being so close to him made fell good but I couldn't let myself believe that something might happen. It will only hurt me more. Edward doesn't love me. I have to stop thinking about that. He's just being gentile and expressing his gratitude. I tried to convince myself. I carefully removed my hands from his.
"Bella!" Alice called coming closer. "You asked your kids to give us a chance. Won't you give us a second chance with you?"
"I already did Alice. My kids are the most important thing I have, bringing them today was the biggest proof of trust I could give you. This is your second chance with me." I told her.
"Bella…" Edward started. I put my hand in his lips stopping him before he could say anything else.
"Edward… I'm doing this for our kids. I don't want them to live without a father. I hope we can at least be friends. I don't want them to suffer because of our… indifferences." He looked surprised.
"But Bella, I…"
"Some things just aren't meant to be Edward. I just want to do what's best for them."
"Sure" He said with… disappointment? Why would he be disappointed? Maybe I was imagining. I picked the small backpack I had brought and left before any of them could say something else.
The triplets were already waiting by the car. I put them in their car seats and headed home.
Edward's POV
Bella had just left and I never felt worse in my entire life. First my kids practically said that they hate me and now Bella said she wanted to be friends with me? I can't be just her friend. I need more. I need to hear her say that she loves me. I need to kiss her and hold her. Without her I don't fell complete. She's the best part of me and without her I'm just a monster. I'm nothing.
"They hate me and Bella wants to be my friend. What am I going to do? I could have everything and because of a stupid mistake, because of a lie I lost everything I ever valued. I lost Bella, my Bella and I lost my kids. It hurts so much." I cried falling on the ground.
"You haven't lost anything yet Edward." Alice stated. "Your kids just need time to calm down. They just want to protect Bella. She's their mother and they don't want to see her suffer. They will accept you. And you certainly did not lose Bella. How many more times will I have to say you that she loves you?"
"Didn't you hear her?" I sobbed. Her words stung in my heart. We were meant to be. Bella is my true and only love. If I can't have her I won't have anyone else. She was my light, my sun, my world… She was everything to me.
"Edward, Bella thinks you don't love her and you insist in making her believe that. Why haven't you told her already that all you said was a lie? She needs to know!"
"Son, Alice is right. Bella needs to know. She's suffering because of a lie. You have already seen the extent of your mistake, what it took from you. Now you have to make it right and fight for your happiness, for your family's happiness. You'll do no good if you continue there mourning over what's not lost yet." Carlisle said.
"You're right. You are all right. I'll do it tomorrow. I'll start to fight tomorrow." Bella would be mine again and this time it would be forever.
Bella's POV
I got home with the triplets and made them sit on the couch. I had to finish the conversation we had started at the Cullens' house. Their future depended on that.
"You will never do the same you did today. The Cullen's are your family too. They love you. They want to spend time with you and meet you. "
"But…" Luke tried to talk.
"No. You have to understand something. Your father never knew I was pregnant. I only found out after he left. It's not his fault."
"But he shouldn't have left you! You loved him." Lillian said.
"He didn't love me. It happens. I wouldn't want him to stay with me if he didn't love me. Some things aren't meant to be but I don't regret anything because I have you. Please try to forgive him. Give him a chance. You have a wonderful father and I don't want you to regret not meeting him."
"We won't. We don't need him."
"You do. He is your father and no one can take is place. You will regret not meeting him and that's why I'm doing this. So please promise you'll give Edward and the Cullens a chance. For me."
"We'll try. But it's just for you." Lizzie agreed.
"Thank you."
The rest of the day went by calmly. Tomorrow would be a new start on my kids' lives, or so I hope.
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