Insert redundant disclaimer here.

Woo-hoo! Another chapter done without an absurd amount of time in between!!!! And please, before anyone complains, I wanted to get right to the fun stuff, but Edward just wouldn't leave me alone until I wrote what he wanted!!! lol

And even though I'm thoroughly disgusted with commercialized holidays, I know that they are usually the only time of year a lot of people get to see their families so Happy Thanksgiving!

Black Swan

Chapter 14

Edward Cullen

I hadn't been able to shake the feeling all night that something was wrong at Bella's and, much to my chagrin, Jake's frequent involvement in Bella, Leah, and Seth's life makes seeing their futures extremely difficult.

The second problem of the night was a pregnant spaniel that had been brought in after her owner came home to a bloody kitchen and two dead pups. I had to do an emergency Cesarean because the mother was fading quickly and any chance of the puppies surviving was dwindling rapidly. I'd ended up losing the mother during the surgery, but managed to safely deliver the remaining six pups. Two of them weren't doing well and Alice didn't see them living through the night, so I had to stay and see what I could do for the other four.

After changing out of my bloodied scrubs and yanking on clean ones in my office, I quickly send a text to Bella, hoping she was near her phone.

Love, can't make it tonight, had to perform emergency c-section. 2 pups didn't make it and 2 more may not survive the night. Hopefully can be home by noon. Miss you. Call you when I can. I Love You -E

I glance at the clock and frown when I see that I have less than thirty seconds before I have to go back out. Just as I set the phone down, it alerts me to a new message. I grab it like it's my lifeline to my beloved, because right now, it is.

Take your time, make sure the pups are going to be okay. Kids are at A & M's tonight so most likely going to stay home and do laundry. Can't wait till tomorrow though, miss you too :-) I love you -B

Shit. She's going to be home alone. With the trouble she's been having with Jake lately, I'm not so sure that's a good idea. Wait, Jasper and Emmett were heading out for a hunting trip when I was getting ready for work, maybe they're close enough to stop in and make sure she's okay. I hit the speed dial for Jasper.

"How's work?" my brother's Texas accent immediately answers.

"Where did you and Emmett end up hunting?" I ask, ignoring his question.

"Just on the western side of the mountain range, why?"

"Bella's home alone tonight and I was wondering--"

He cuts me off, "Em was whining about stopping to see her anyways so yeah, we'll go check on her. Alice see something?"

I shake my head even though he can't see it, "No. Jake was supposed to pick the kids up for the weekend so she didn't even try. Thanks Jazz, I owe you one."

His laughter floats out of the receiver, "Whatever hoss. You're not the only one who loves Bella and those overgrown ankle biters, so this one's a free-bee. What time are you leaving?"

"Not till Dr. Berger gets here in the morning," I confess, guilt ridden once more for failing my girl, "There was an emergency and I've got six premature pups I'm trying keep alive. Hey, could you do me a favor and not tell Bella that I asked you to come and check on her? You know how she hates anyone going out of their way for her."

"No problem. We'll be there in under an hour, less if Emmett gets his way," Jasper answers, "He wants to challenge Bella to a rematch on Tekken. See you tomorrow dude."

"Tomorrow," I promise and flip the phone closed before heading back out.

She's going to be fine Alice's mind whispers from across the room while she dutifully checks on a tabby that had been spayed earlier in the day Jazz and Em will take good care of her Edward.

"I can't help it Alice," I defend myself in a whisper too low for human ears while flipping through charts, "Bella and those kids mean more to me than anything. I can't stand only being able to see them a few days a week. If something would happen to them while I'm so far away, I'd go crazy."

It's all part of being a parent and having a mate Edward my sister chuckles in her mind Now you finally understand why the rest of us are insane. What bits of our brains that the kids didn't manage to scramble, our spouses did for them.

I grab my stethoscope, pen, and clipboard to start doing the hourly vitals check, making sure to scribble down my findings each time. "Does it get any easier? The constant worrying and such?"

Never, you just learn to live with it and do your best not to overreact when something unexpected happens. Not what I wanted to hear. Just wait until the holidays come around and every gift idea you consider makes you feel as inadequate as wings on an ostrich.

Oh crap. Seth and Leah's birthday is tomorrow and they'll be at their father's house all weekend. Bella is going to be miserable. I have to think of something to keep her occupied. Maybe Alice could help me.

She wants to get another tattoo Alice immediately answers my unspoken question You could finally bring her here to visit and Ben could do it. He'd be honored to ink his aunt. Tia won't be a problem, she went shopping in Tacoma with mom.

Another tattoo? How many does-- Three total the sprite interrupts They're all sentimental too. She's not stupid enough to mark herself permanently with worthless images. One might upset you though. It's a pair of mated wolves with two pups in front of them. She got it done right after Seth and Leah's first birthday.

"What are the other two?" My curiosity is getting the better of me. Bella never told me that she had a tattoo, let alone multiple ones.

She has asters tattooed on her right foot, they're the flower for September Alice thinks to me And she has blue daisies on her left foot because daisies are April's flower.

"I didn't know she had tattoos on her feet," I confess, shamefaced, "And I've been over there dozens of times."

Have you seen her barefoot in all this time? I shake my head no. She's always had slippers, socks, or shoes on every time. I thought not loverboy. You'll get your chance to see them this weekend.

"Any idea of what her next tattoo is going to be?"

Bella wants roses with some tribal work with them. Don't ask me why, it's not for me to tell she answers with a devilish smirk.

"My girl certainly has a thing for flowers, doesn't she?" I ponder aloud to myself, mostly. Maybe I should get her a few plants for around the house.

Just make sure that they are the flowering kind, otherwise she will feel like you're just trying to bring the overabundant greenery inside the evil pixie suggests.

"I'll keep that in mind," I murmur as I push the door open to check on the newborn pups.

Things are relatively quiet, with the exception of Alice's vision of Bella, Emmett, and Jasper playing video games and throwing popcorn at each other in the family room of the Forks house. I replay the scene in my head all night, unable to suppress the smile that ghosts across my face every time Bella's own mirthful smirk flits through my head.

The only damper on the night, other than missing time with Bella, is that the two pups Alice had pointed out earlier didn't make it after all. On the plus side, the other four were growing stronger every hour.

I'm finishing up the night's paperwork when Alice's cheery thoughts invade my mind as she sashays towards the parking lot. Take a shower before you leave, wear your coat and a towel over your wet hair until you get to the car. It's going to be sunny until you're halfway to Forks. I'm stopping to pick up Rose and we will meet you there.

"Why a towel?" I barely move my lips because there's no real need to.

Because you got blood on your hooded sweatshirt and it wouldn't be prudent to wear it after showering. I don't have to be in the same room with her to know that she rolled her eyes as she projected her answer.

I finish the rest of the work at my speed before grabbing my bag and going to the employee shower. We had two installed when we purchased the building so the employees had a way to wash off the blood from accidents or surgeries, thus removing temptation. It also helps when you don't feel like driving twenty miles out of your way to get a shower at home before racing to get to the love of your life. Emmett would have a field day if he heard me talking like such a sap.

I roll my eyes internally as I strip and step into the hot shower. I don't bother with the cold water at all this time, which is what I usually use. I always take the hottest shower possible before visiting Bella and the kids so I can be the warmest temperature possible when I touch any of them. Running the heater on high during the long drive helps exponentially as well.

After scrubbing off and rinsing, I quickly dry off and dress, purposely leaving my hair slightly damp for appearances. Unwilling to deal with a wet towel on my head, I pull out a spare from the cabinet and unfold it over my head before putting on my sunglasses and making my way to the car.

Twenty minutes and a stop to fill the tank later, I'm on my way to my Bella and whatever trouble that my brothers have managed to get her in to. It's early enough that I manage to catch the ferry out of Edmonds, cutting almost an hour out of my normal driving time because this way I don't have to drive south around Olympia and back up. As soon as my tires touch the 104 West, I turn on my iPod and hit shuffle. By the time I reach the 101, the Mercedes is doing a cool 120mph.

Alice's earlier suggestion forces me to stop in Port Angeles, where I find a suitable store and peruse the available flower selections until I find a miniature hibiscus with canary yellow tipped petals that turn into a blushing violet the closer you get to the center. Beautiful and unique, just like my Bella.

God, what the hell is happening to me? I'm turning into such a girl.

But aside from them proving that you're whipped, the flowers will make her smile.

On that thought, I quickly pay for the flowers and get back on the road. Halfway to Forks, the little flowers sitting on the floor of the passenger side catch my eye and it makes me wonder how Bella will react to them. Oh shit, Emmett was right. I am so whipped.

And you don't give a damn or you'd be running away faster than Emmett did at that drag queen competition you and Jasper entered him into out in Vegas last year.

Oh, shut up. Great, now I'm arguing with myself and telling the voice in my head to shut up. I must be losing my damn mind.

I'm distracted from my internal argument when the hidden drive comes into view and I smoothly make the turn going a mere 70 mph. I ease my foot off the accelerator until I literally coast into the garage door that's been opened by Jasper.

Dude, you're early Emmett's thoughts are amused as I gingerly carry the potted plant into the house.

"Aw, you bought me flowers, you shouldn't have," he continues out loud with a wide grin, "Just to let you know, I don't put out on the first date."

"Yeah, you put out beforehand," I fire back as I place the hibiscus on the credenza by the entrance to the living room.

Edward, we need to talk before Bella wakes up Jasper silently informs me as he appears on the winding stairwell. Flashes of Bella in tears, fearfully clinging to Jasper flicker through his head.

"What happened?" I try to hold back the growl building in my chest.

Jasper explains what happened to Bella the day before. Emmett, the pain that he can be, falls off the couch laughing when Jasper gets to the part where Bella's neighbor, Allen, held a gun to Jacob Black's head and threatened to shoot him with a silver bullet. The only thing that keeps me from tearing into Emmett for his snickering is his deep concern for Bella's safety under everything. Jasper's thoughts are closer to mine, he wants to rip the mongrel to shreds for terrorizing the woman he loves as a younger sibling.

"That dog is probably going to do the predictable thing and attempt to get a restraining order against you now Edward," Emmett qualifies after his laughter dies out. Emmett has several law degrees despite his dumb jock appearance so I take his words to heart.

"What should I do then?" I ask him honestly, "I don't want to cause any more trouble for Bella and the kids if I can prevent it."

He scratches his jaw for a few seconds then shrugs, "Bella managed to get the restraining order with her father's help. I doubt that a judge would allow a restraining order against you without some kind of proof that you are a bad influence or a potential danger to either Bella or the runts. Bell's is running a real risk of the one against dog boy's girlfriend being overturned by Monday afternoon."

"Bella only needed it to survive the weekend to keep Jacob's imprint away from Seth and Leah," I confess to him, slightly guilty to be discussing Bella's private business without her permission even if it was with someone she trusts implicitly. Then another thought occurs to me, "With Jacob turning up uninvited multiple times to Bella's home and job, then all of these fights and more than one witness who can attest to him being physically violent with her, is there any way she can get one against him instead?"

Emmett nods an affirmative, "Yes, if that's what Bella wants. If you want, I can get ahold of Jenks, tell him to whip up some new license for me to practice law, and personally handle her case from here on out."

"I think we should run it passed Bella, but I believe that she would feel better about all of the legal stuff if she has a lawyer that she can trust," I tell him as Jasper's phone beeps from his back pocket.

He pulls it out and flips it open, "Alice says that Bella is going to wake up in half an hour. She'll love the flowers and you should make her oatmeal with dried cranberries for breakfast. She also says that her and Rose will be here in ten." He looks up at me, "And it wouldn't be good to pull Allen Danford into court over the domestic issues. The gun isn't registered and he'd go to jail. Did I mention that Bella will be in a hurry to get out of here so that you guys can spend time with the kids before they go to their father's?"

"I kind of figured that one. Tell the shopicidal maniac to use her evil superpowers and find a suitable plane for us, with all of this back and forth from Seattle. And before she whines, the family jet is too damn wasteful for carrying two people on such a short jaunt," I answer as I start into the kitchen, "Rose is going to kill me for wracking up the mileage on the Mercedes if I don't do something soon."

"She said that renting one is cheaper in the short term, but buying one saves time and trouble in the long run," Jasper retorts, "It will be fueled and waiting at the Port Angeles airport by the time you and Bella are ready to leave. Your pilot's license and everything will be delivered by the wife when her and Rosalie arrive."

"How big is it?" I hear myself asking and cringing simultaneously while sifting through the cabinets to start Bella's breakfast. My sister is well known for her excesses.

"Only a seven passenger Learjet, no sweat," he calls back with a gleeful snicker.

"Wonderful," I grudgingly answer, but the truth is, I'm also a bit smug. I want Bella to see that I can take care of anything she, Seth, or Leah, might ever need. Hell, maybe after seeing the jet, she won't be that upset about the college funds that I had established for the kids as part of my birthday gift to them.

Just as the oatmeal is done cooking, Alice's work car aka her Mini-Cooper, rolls to a stop in front of the garage. "They're here, run for your lives boys," I snark while stirring in the dried fruit that Bella seems to favor into the grotesque glue-like substance.

You need laid Edward Rosalie's sharp thoughts hit me as they ascend the stairs to the house Maybe then you'd relax a little. Gonna have to have a little talk with Bella about putting you out of our collective misery.

"There are more things to a healthy relationship that sex Rose," I snap in annoyance, "And I'm not going to push Bella into any damn thing that she isn't ready for."

"You are such a fucking girl sometimes little brother, "Emmett guffaws just before scooping his wife into his tree trunk arms and giving her a sloppy kiss.

Jasper and Alice aren't as flamboyant about their affection. After readying a tray with Bella's food, I trudge passed my dainty sister and her mate who are standing quietly, linked only by their fingertips and loving gazes. Yes, they might be more subtle, but the emotions are infinitely magnified and it has nothing to do with Jasper being an empath.

The door to my room is slightly ajar and I nudge it open with my foot to be greeted with one of the most breathtaking sights ever. On my old bed is a true Sleeping Beauty. She's laying on her back, her long auburn tresses spilling over the pillows. Her head is tilted to the side, one pale hand tucked under her cheek while the other is tangled in her hair. A single curl has fallen down over her right eye, burning a burgundy ribbon across her flawless ivory skin.

The duvet has shifted down slightly, exposing her shoulders to the pale morning light flowing over her like a golden halo. Those perfectly kissable lips, looking like they've been stained by red wine, are pursed into a sinful pout. As I drink in her heavenly essence, her lips twitch upward and her cheeks flush to a beautiful rose hue. If not for her steady breathing, one would think that the angel before me had awakened from her slumber, on account of that blush.

As quiet as I can, I set the tray and flowers on the bedside table and ease myself on to the bed beside her, curling an arm under my head to more effectively gaze upon her face. The lock of hair over her eye draws my hand in until I can no longer resist stroking it gently and smoothing it away from the soulful mocha eyes that I'm counting down to see once more. I don't even care if Emmett makes fun of me for it. I guess love does that.

Reviews will never be as good as Edward buying you flowers or making you breakfast, but they make me feel almost as loved as I love you guys and gals :-)