Disclaimer(s): 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. TY lovely Twilight ladies for the great sample, this disclaimer is also not mine.

Thanks to THE READERS (seriously you guys are AMAZING, even with the cliffie), Kassiah for pushing me to be better, my beta Kris, Teacher1209 for prereading, and Amber for always doing polyvore for me! Smooches girls! Would have had this out sooner, but with the FFn fail I decided to wait until today. Enjoy!


Previously

Standing from the bed I was a little bit dizzy, but decided I just needed some food in me. Grabbing a couple of leftover cookies from the table where we left them after our midnight snack machine run, I grabbed my robe and shower bag. Steam quickly filled the room as I started the shower and pulled out the things I would need. I decided to fore go shaving as I had just done that yesterday and it wasn't like I was trying to impress anybody. It was also becoming increasingly more difficult with my growing belly.

Stepping into the shower I didn't realize how slippery it was until it was too late.

BPOV

"Bella," a female voice whispered as I felt a light kiss on my forehead.

"I can't seem to get a hold of anybody. He's going to be devastated, Rose."

Rose must have been the one that kissed me, I thought as I tried to open my eyes. I wondered why I couldn't remember them coming back from getting coffee.

"You can try again later, Alice. The doctor said it shouldn't be long before she wakes up and she'll want our full attention when she does."

Doctor?

The word doctor kept repeating itself over and over in my head as I tried to listen for anymore of their conversation. When I heard nothing I assumed they left and I drifted back to sleep.

The lights were bright when I finally woke up and opened my eyes.

"Oh! I'm so happy you're awake." Relieved, Alice hugged me as she pulled out her phone and started fiddling with it.

"What do you mean?" If I thought my voice was raspy earlier, I sounded like an 80 year old smoker right about now.

"Well, Rose and I came back from getting coffee and you were still in the shower. We left you in there for a few minutes assuming you'd be out any minute. When you hadn't come out after about ten minutes, Rose went in to check on you and started screaming at me that you were bleeding. I've never been so scared in my life."

Life.

The baby!

My arms pressed against my swollen stomach and I breathed a sigh of relief as I felt the hard shell of my abdomen protecting the life of my precious baby boy inside of me.

"He's fine," Alice whispered as she grabbed my hand and placed her other one on my stomach. "They were a little worried when we first arrived, but as soon as they got the transfusion started and blood in you they assured us you were out of the woods."

"They had to give me a blood transfusion?"

"Yeah. Did you know you have a really rare type of blood that less than 10% of the population have? Rose and I were worried that they wouldn't have enough or something. I mean I know we're in a hospital and all but we couldn't help thinking worst case scenario." She rolled her eyes, realizing the absurdity of what she'd just said, especially since she was a nurse. I smiled, thankful her insane comment lightened the mood

"Anyway, it's not like we could donate blood since we're not matches. Then when we remembered your parents were on their way down here to surprise you at the hotel, we called them and they met us here at the hospital. When they got here, we thought for sure they would be able to help out and donate because you have such a rare type, but neither of them were a match."

I nodded as Alice continued to talk about all the ways blood types are configured and how at least one of my parents should match me. I lost track of what she was saying I didn't really know much about blood types, other than what we'd studied in high school Biology with Mr. Molina.

My parents came not too much later and the rest of the afternoon and into the evening was spent with an influx of nurses and staff members as word got around that my dad was in the hospital. They acted like he was a celebrity.

I was discharged late into the night as they decided I would be okay with lots of rest and fluids. My parents drove me back home and I was glad that we had at least made it through the first day of our girls weekend before the accident.

I felt bad about how the weekend ended so abruptly, but they assured me we'd do it again soon. The first few minutes of the drive, after saying goodbye to my friends I struggled with what and when I would tell Edward about what had happened. With him being so far away from home he didn't need any distractions. Distractions meant mistakes. And mistakes meant life or death when carrying a gun and fighting a war. With the situation we were in I didn't feel like he needed to know all of the gory details because he definitely would think it was a life or death situation and he would just worry.

I slept most of the way home and immediately went up to bed. For the rest of the weekend I kept pretty much the same routine. I'd wake up long enough to eat a few crackers or drink a few sips of water before I'd fall back to sleep. I could hear people talking while I dozed but never stayed awake long enough to make much of what was being said.

On Monday morning I woke up feeling much more like myself, but still had a bit of a headache. Probably from all of the sleep I had been getting and the fact that it felt like I hadn't moved in days, which was partly true.

My mom came into my room as I was heading into my bathroom.

"Hey, Mom."

"Are you feeling better, sweetheart?" she asked, coming up behind me and running her fingers through my hair.

I nodded and turned around to give her a hug.

"You look like you've got something on your mind, baby. What's got your forehead in a wrinkle?"

"I was just thinking about my blood type. Wasn't it totally weird that you and Dad's didn't match mine?"

"Yeah, baby. Totally weird," she said with a shrug as she picked up the blanket that had fallen on the floor and folded it up before placing it back on my bed. I didn't think much more of her response other than her use of the word totally. That was really out of character for her.

"Thanks for taking care of me, Mom. I think I'm ready to get back to the real world, now."

"Oh good, you ready to go shopping or something?"

"No offense, Mom," I laughed lightly. "But I meant like going back to work or going to the grocery store to pick up some of my organic milk. Not a shopping spree for clothes or anything like that."

"Oh, honey. Do you really think it's a good idea to go back to work already? Maybe you should think about taking the rest of the week off to rest up."

"Mom! It's not like I have that much sick leave left and I'm already going to be taking time off for maternity leave in a couple months so I really need to work as much as I can before then."

"You're right, have you thought about what you're going to tell Edward about what happened?"

"I don't really know much, other than I fell and banged up my arm and my head. Since nobody was with me when it happened we don't know what caused it and after some rest and fluids, I was discharged."

Of course I wasn't going to tell Edward at all if I had any say in the matter. That's exactly the kind of thing he didn't need. To be worried about me and the baby while he was half a world away and couldn't do a damn thing about it. If the doctor thought I was well enough to come home there wasn't a reason for Edward to know about it right now.

"Isabella. You know as well as I do that your father is one of the only reasons for your quick release. Knowing that we would be able to care for you put the doctor at ease, I'm sure. Why don't you go get ready and I'll see if your dad has plans for lunch. It'll be like when you were in college and we'd all get together when we'd come to visit you. How you like that?"

I nodded and hugged my mother. I didn't know what I would have done without them here with me through Edward's deployment. They had helped me so much and I was thankful to have such a loving supportive family. Of course, I knew one of the main reasons they were doing it was currently moving around and squishing my bladder. I swear they already loved their soon-to-be grandson more than me.

I drew myself a bath and threw in some of the bath salts that Edward had left for me in one of the many gifts. I was beginning to wonder if I had found and/or received them all because I couldn't think of a spot that I hadn't already searched. Sometimes it was hard to believe that he'd been gone for so long, especially when he kept himself front and center in my life with all the little things he had planned for me along the way.

Refreshed after the bath, I found a grey wrap dress in my closet that I hadn't noticed before and slipped it on. Hanging with it was a three-quarter sleeve jean jacket that had a cute little pocket in the front on both sides. Pairing it with flip-flops I deemed myself ready, I grabbed my bag and sunglasses and found myself giddy as I wandered downstairs to find my mother on her computer.

Turning around she gushed about how cute I looked and how she loved to see my little baby bump growing bigger each day.

"Have you thought about taking any more pictures of yourself to send to Edward?" she asked as we walked on the path along the water and waited for my father. She had brought her camera and was taking pictures of everything. Some of them included me and I wasn't the least bit pleased with this turn of events. I also wished she would put it away because people were starting to look at us like we were crazy tourists.

"Why would he want to see me like this mom? I'm not exactly looking beautiful especially right now. I look like I swallowed a basketball and I feel so fat."

While the thought of sending him a picture had crossed my mind and I was super glad I had sent him pictures of me a couple months ago when I wasn't so far along. I just couldn't bring myself to send him any now, I could just imagine his face when he pulled out pictures of me at my current weight.

"Sweetheart, I'm sure Edward's sad that he's missing out on this part of the pregnancy with you. Why do you think it was so important to him to make sure you have everything you need?"

"That's Edward, Mom. Always prepared. I'm sure this little guy will be a boy scout."

I laughed as I imagined Edward and our son taking camping trips when he got a little older. They'd sure look so cute in their Army issue camo. God, I missed him so much.

We still didn't have a date or even an estimate of when he'd be back home. It couldn't come soon enough for me, that's for sure. I hate the Army at times like this. But it's not like he doesn't want to be here right now. He's missing so much and I try not to think about it, because I know he feels just as bad for missing all the little things with our pregnancy. I just hope he makes it back and doesn't have to deploy again for a really long time once he returns and this little guy is here with us.

I hadn't even realized I was crying until the sob broke through from my throat. My sobbing caused my mom to stop her incessant picture taking as she turned to me and gathered me into her arms. She held me as I wallowed in my self pity. I knew some people would be saying to suck it up, but my mom just held me close to her and smoothed my hair. The tears slowed and I felt I was okay enough let her go and continue our walk.

"Mom," I whispered as she went to put her camera away. "You think you could take some shots of me for Edward?"

She gave me a sad smile before she got to work putting me in poses she said would bring out my best features. Later on, when my dad joined us, I talked them into letting me take a few shots of them and it turned into family picture day. With one very important member missing, of course. But we would make up for it when he returned.

It wasn't long before dad was home and he drove us to a restaurant just off the bay. The weather outside was so beautiful and the wait wasn't long so we were seated quickly. I noticed the conversation that had flowed in the car had become stagnant and my parents were glancing at each other, speaking with their eyes.

"What's going on?" I asked after another five minutes of their strange behavior and uncomfortable silence. The waiter had come and gone with our drinks and food order and still neither of them had said anything.

"Your father and I have something we need to tell you." My mother reached across the table and took my hand.

Are they getting a divorce? The tears started before I could even form a sentence.

"I can't believe it. You guys have always been the perfect couple." I certainly prayed it wasn't that but what else could they both have to tell me?

"Oh, honey. It's nothing like that," my mother assured me with a smile as she looked at my dad. Her smile was faint, but it was there.

"We know you had some questions the other day about your blood type because the girls brought it up and then your mother said you brought it up to her this morning. You mentioned that it is strange that neither one of us could be a match for you, Bella."

I shrugged. Well, yeah. I had wondered about that but I didn't think it needed to be a sit down family meeting to discuss my blood irregularities.

"Yeah, so. It's not like it's that big a deal, right? I'm sure it happens more often than one would think."

"It does," my father nodded. He had always been a straight-forward kind of guy. He had to be when his surgeries didn't go as planned and he was left to deal with the families of his patients. "It just usually isn't for the same reason that it is in our situation."

Situation?

"There's nothing wrong with me, is there?" I asked. They were starting to scare me. Maybe the first person I should have told about the accident was Edward because then I would be able to explain to him how this whole blood debacle got started. Then he would talk me down from the ledge I was now teetering on.

"No, dear."

My mother looked at my father one more time. He wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close as she looked back at me.

"You have the same rare blood type as my sister, your Aunt Renee."

Still not what I was expecting. They had the very serious expressions on their faces and I kept waiting for them to drop a bomb on me.

"Ok, so Aunt Renee and I have the same blood type. Is there something wrong with, her?"

I was close to her, she'd been around since I was born and while I couldn't imagine losing my parents, I also couldn't imagine not having her in my life.

"Nothing's wrong with her. What your mothe-, what Esme is trying...your mother and I aren't exactly your biological parents."

"I'm sorry? Can you repeat that?"

I wasn't deaf, but I wanted to be sure that I heard what he said. But really what he said didn't make any sense. Of course they were my parents. When he started to repeat himself I held up my finger, silently asking him to wait.

"What? Of course you are. You guys have everything...baby pictures, pictures of mom when she was pregnant with me. You can't just fake that kind of stuff. It's not like you could Photoshop pictures back them."

"Sweetheart, we have all of those things because your birth mother was very involved and has remained an important part of your life as you've grown into the young woman that you are. Renee, she didn't-"

"Aunt Renee is my birth mom? I don't understand. Wh-, why would she give me up?" How did I not know this? How? What? Why?

My over-active hormones were pushing me to cry but I couldn't seem to find the tears. I wasn't sad, just confused and a little angry that they weren't telling me this at home. At home I could have cried and maybe even thrown a fit or sulked up to my room for some alone time.

Memories filled my head of Aunt Renee, how caring she was when I was younger and how she's turned out to be such a great friend as I've entered my adult years. In my head I tried to convince myself that they couldn't possibly be telling me the truth, but they had no reason to lie about something like this. Nothing to gain except my lack of trust from here on out.

"You've seen her life. She wasn't and still isn't the family type. Your father and I had tried for years to conceive and when Renee found out she was pregnant we urged her to consider keeping it and letting us adopt you."

The tears came, then. Slow and steady. I didn't ask any more questions as I sat there and just stared out at the water. I couldn't talk to either of them until I'd had a chance to clear my head and gather my thoughts.

When the waiter brought us our food, my dad quietly requested that it be wrapped up and bagged for us to take with us. Wordlessly, I followed them to the car and the quietness remained even after we dropped my dad off at the hospital.

I was glad my mother drove us home in silence, leaving me alone with my thoughts. Was I still allowed to call her that? It felt weird referring to her as Esme. It had been a cool thing to do when I was in high school and I thought I was above calling them Mom and Dad, but that's what they were. My mom taught me to cook and how to iron Edward's uniform to a perfect crispness. My dad was there to kiss my boo-boo's and scare the monsters out of my closet when I couldn't go to sleep. He walked me down the aisle as I married the man of my dreams.

I realized we were both just sitting in the car even after she shut off the car. I leaned over and gave her a hug.

"I love you," I whispered as I kissed her on the cheek, knowing she needed to hear it just as much as I needed to say it. Getting out of the car I headed toward the beach behind the house while she walked inside. I just needed some time to be by myself.

I spent some much needed me time as I walked along the soft sandy beach. The waves crashing over my feet as I walked further into the water. I was thankful I had chosen a shorter dress so it didn't get wet as I ventured out a little deeper.

"Bella?" I turned when I heard my name being called. I wasn't surprised someone had come looking for me, I'd been gone a while.

"Aunt Renee?"


A/N - I'm not a doctor, and even with the research, no two cases are exactly alike. Creative license was used in the writing of this chapter. If you follow me on twitter or subscribe to my blog I posted a VERY interesting teaser within the polyvore this week. Be sure to check it out! (thanks to Amber for making them for me!)

Thanks for reading! As for what I'm reading and loving? Strange Brew by Magnolia822, Pros and Cons by SydneyAlice and Just One of the Boys by Tkegl...just a few suggestions if you aren't reading them already.

There are TWO contests I want to remind you about because I WANT/NEED to read some preggo Bella/daddyward fics!
-Beautiful Bellies Contest (www fanfiction net/~beautifulbellies) and Trying For A Baby Contest (www fanfiction net/~tryingforababycontest) are two contests going on this Spring. Please be checking them out and writing for them, I need babyfic!