A/N: Sorry this took a month. I've been really busy, and I had writers block. This was a hard chapter, and I don't know how I feel about it.

Happy reading!

Chapter Twenty One

A baby. A baby?

Visions of dirty diapers and bald heads filled my mind. Spit up and crying…

Green eyes and bronze hair…

And then I was happy. The second of dread was gone, and I was instantly…excited. Terrified, yes, but excited.

I looked over at Edward, who was standing next to my bed, holding my hand. He didn't even look surprised, just…happy. Dr. Gerandy was still talking, and Edward smiled at me before motioning towards him, telling me to listen because when he was saying was important. I looked back at Dr. Gerandy.

"I suggest you get an obstetrician soon; we have a great one here named Dr. Victoria Gray. I can arrange a meeting between the two of you if you'd like. You're still very early in your pregnancy, which is lucky because the anesthesia needed for your surgery puts pregnant women at risk for early labor in the second and third trimesters, but since you're only in your first, I wouldn't be too concerned. There's no reason to avoid general anesthesia in the first trimester. I don't ever recommend taking x-rays on pregnant patients, but we've already done yours and everything looks fine."

Dr. Gerandy smiled at us again. Lord only knows what must have been going through his head. I tried to think of something to say to clear the awkwardness.

"So when am I going to have surgery?" I asked in a detached voice.

"Very early tomorrow morning. 6:00 was the only time available, so I slotted you in there," Dr. Gerandy said. I nodded in understanding, and he bid Edward and I goodbye.

I blinked a few times, trying to get my head cleared. I was staring at the wall, and I could feel Edward staring at me. Deciding to just grow some balls, I faced him slowly.

"I think you would make a great father," I whispered to him. "A handsome one, too." He smiled at me sweetly and sat down on the bed.

He bit his lip and leaned forward, touching his forehead to mine and closing his eyes. "I want this, Bella. I mean, I wanted it before, considered it a few times and hoped for it, maybe not this soon, but definitely someday. Please tell me we're on the same page, that you want this too, and that this doesn't change your mind about moving to Chicago with me." He opened his eyes against mine; I could feel his eyelashes brushing against my own.

"I do, a thousand times, I do. For a second I didn't, but I think I should be allowed one second of being crazy after all that information." Edward chuckled and nodded before motioning for me to go on. "And I'll still move with you to Chicago." I ran a hand through his hair. "You know me, Baby. Once I make a decision, nothing changes my mind."

He looked really happy, his eyes twinkling with hope and happiness. "I love you."

"And I love you," I said. I kissed him deeply, and when we pulled away from each other, he looked down at my midsection.

"Fourteen days, huh?" he asked.

"Yeah. It seems like we're always counting down to something," I replied, thinking of how we had counted the days on the island.

"Nothing wrong with that," he said, smirking. He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "I guess it was likely to happen, wasn't it?"

I smiled, holding back a laugh. "Yeah, with all that sex. You're damn right it was bound to happen!" I said. He chuckled.

"I just can't keep my hands off you, Bella Swan."

A little while later, Edward did have to leave because it was past visiting hours.

"What are you going to tell your mom?" he asked me. I looked down, realizing I had no idea how to go about this. My parents could never be disappointed in me, and I wasn't worried about that. It's just that they had just gotten me back and were still getting over the shock of it. I didn't want to add anymore on them. And I sort of wanted to share this little secret with Edward alone for a while. I wanted to celebrate together before telling anyone.

"I'm going to tell her that I'm moving to Chicago with you after my surgery," I told Edward.

"What about the…baby?" he asked. It was the first time either of us said the word, and I felt a strange twinge in my stomach, a little tingle caused by his words.

"I think that can wait. What do you think?"

He nodded. "Sure. I mean, we have a bunch of time; most women with an unplanned pregnancy don't find out until they're already two months along," he said. "I won't tell my folks, either." He made a face, and I guessed it was because he was thinking about what his family would do when they did find out.

Edward took a deep breath. "Guess I gotta go now before they throw me out," he said. He leaned down and kissed my lips sweetly, smiling against them.

I hummed in happiness, wishing he wouldn't have to leave. "I love you, Edward."

"I love you, too, Bella. Part of me wishes we were still on the island where we wouldn't have to answer to people and could just be together all the time. But then another part of me wants to be a caveman and show you off to the world. And another part of me just wants whatever you want." I laughed at his rant and pulled him down for another kiss before shooing him toward the door.

"I'll be here tomorrow morning at five," were his parting words, and I watched him walk out with tears forming in my eyes.

I sat back in my bed and let my thoughts take me, smelling the spot on my pillow where Edward had laid his head.

So I was carrying a life in my body…A piece of Edward and me growing and forming as I simply sat here. What a strange feeling… Something—someone—was depending on me for survival. I was also hit with a slight feeling of sadness. Edward and I had not planned this. That didn't make this wrong, per se, but I thought about what a normal couple would be doing in these shoes—well, technically, these ovaries.

A normal couple would have started trying. They would have put smiley faces on all the days they had "tried" on a calendar. They would have waited until a missed menstrual cycle and jumped for joy when it didn't come one month. Then they would have bought a bunch of cheap home pregnancy tests. I could imagine Edward handing me glass after glass of water just so I could keep peeing and trying the tests. I could see us attacking each other after seeing a bunch of plus signs and "celebrating" until dawn.

But Edward and I weren't going to have that, and it made me sad. I wouldn't discuss that with him, though, because I really didn't want him to think I was disappointed about the baby.

My whole life had just changed. Again. I had been a different person when I got on that plane two months ago, and now that I was off the island, I had to change again. Edward and I were going to live together and raise a family in Chicago, or at least that's where we would start. This was certainly not what I was expecting when I would be rescued.

I thought back to my life before the island. If someone had told me three months ago what was going to happen to me and that I was going to fall in love and get pregnant in the strangest way possible, I would have laughed in his or her face.

And having surgery tomorrow…I wasn't even scared about that. A few days ago it was the most of my worries, and now it had jumped to the last of the list. Every time I tried changing my train of thought, I was unsuccessful. All I could think of was, "There's something growing in my body." I wondered how long it would take me to get over the shock of all this. Probably after our child is out, I thought, wincing. That's going to hurt.

After a while, I was finally able to get my mind back on track. I wondered why type of car Edward drove. We hadn't talked about that. Would he have to trade it in for something bigger and more child friendly? Maybe if he had a sports car—which I was sure he did, because he's Edward—I could just get a nice, smart car and we could share it. He would have to start interning again next semester. I had no idea how hard this was going to be, but I knew it wasn't going to be easy.

He would have a whole family there in Chicago, and I'll have no one but him. And as much as I hated to be a mooch, I just knew I couldn't work now. What would be the point and who would hire me? It would take me a while to heal after my surgery and I would be going on maternity leave in several months. I rubbed my palms over my face in frustration. They were calloused from the island and the very though brought a smile to my face. It was so strange being in air-condition, too. My toes were cold, and I felt like a babe in the woods. It was a good thing we weren't on the island longer, otherwise I'd have turned into a savage.

What if Edward's family hated me? What if I grew to hate this life I'd chosen? I knew I could never hate Edward, but there were so many questions when it came to us. And my mom…that was going to be a tough one. She wasn't going to like my telling her about moving. Perhaps I could have a going away party before I left to satisfy her, as much as I hated the idea of a party. I groaned and slid under my covers.

The next morning I was awoken by Edward at five, and not even a minute later my parents arrived. We had been in the middle of a quick makeout session, and I knew they knew what had been going on. They were surprised to see Edward there before them.

A while later an anesthesiologist came in and I started to grow slightly afraid even though I'd had many fractures before with many surgeries. My mom kissed my forehead and my dad hugged me. A quiet awkwardness fell over the room when I looked at Edward. I begged him with my eyes, and he got what I wanted right away. We said nothing as he sat on the bed with me and kissed me softly, right in front of my parents. We smiled at each other when our lips parted and our eyes opened, and Edward moved so that the anesthesiologist could get to my drip. Her name was Kate and she quickly explained to me how I would fall asleep right away and be out for a few hours.

A few seconds later I was aware that I was being rolled away, the people rolling my bed looking down at me and laughing. I felt a smile on my face, giddiness taking over as my eyes started to close.

"There she goes…"

Edward

We sat in the waiting room, me between Renee and Charlie, for two hours. I'd already gone through two bags of pretzels and a Coke before a nurse came to tell us we could see Bella. We followed her to the room Bella was held in. She was lying peacefully on the bed, still sleeping.

"She should be awake in a few minutes," the nurse said before leaving. Renee took a seat next to the bed in the only chair, and Charlie stood next to her. I stood next to Bella's sleeping form and just watched as her eyes fluttered open. I was the first person she saw, and it made me extremely happy.

She smiled softly and looked around for her parents. They surrounded us and asked how her ankle felt.

"It hurts," she replied, "but not as bad as that time I broke my leg."

Renee laughed and said, "I can't believe you remember that! You were seven!" Bella shrugged and grinned sheepishly. She looked back at me, and I could tell by the look she gave me that she was thinking about the secret we shared.

The whole night I was in the hotel, I was thinking about our baby—what it would look like, what we would name it, what the gender would be. I didn't fall asleep until around three because I was so excited. I even forgot to breathe a few times. I winked at Bella, and she winked back.

It was another hour before Bella's doctor visited her and said he wanted to keep her one more night before letting her leave. She would be released the next morning, and a nagging voice in the back of my mind wondered whether she'd be coming with me or going with her parents.

Renee, Charlie, and I stayed the rest of the day until visiting hours were once again over. I kissed her goodbye and got a taxi to my hotel. When I got to my room, I called my mom from the hotel phone. It took a while for me to finally get through, and she answered, probably knowing it would be me. My family was coming home in two days, and as much as I wanted to stay here with Bella, I had promised my mom that I would be home to see her when they got back. I would have to fly to Chicago tomorrow, so that meant Bella would either have to stay with her parents for a while or come with me.

"Hello?" my mom asked.

"Hey, Mom," I said, "How is everything?"

"Oh, Edward, I'm so glad you called me. I can't wait to see you. I sent Mrs. Cope home to clean up your house and get it ready to live in again, but I think that you should stay with your father and me when we get back. Alice is going to come once her honeymoon is over so that we can spend time all together, doesn't that sound nice? I bet I can sweet talk Emmett into coming, too, maybe get everyone here for a week or so."

"Mom, slow down. We have a few days to figure everything out," I told her.

She sighed deeply, and I heard my father's voice in the background asking who she was talking to. "It's Edward, Dear."

"Oh, really? Tell him hi for me," my dad said. I chuckled when my mom relayed the message.

"So how was Bella's surgery? How is she?" Mom asked.

"She's fine. She gets to go home tomorrow morning," I said happily.

And we're having a baby. Isn't that nice, Mom? I thought. I cringed at the response I would get from her if I were to tell her. She would keep me on the phone for hours.

Exhaustion started to take over since I'd barely slept the night before, and I talked to my mom a bit longer before hanging up. I was going to get a flight late tomorrow after staying with Bella a while. I took a quick shower and went straight to bed, and I dreamed of small fingers and thick brown hair on a small, chubby head.

I woke up early again and I arrived just when Bella was leaving. She was being helped into a wheelchair by two nurses, and her parents were waiting outside the door.

"Hey, Edward," Bella told me when she saw me. Her face lit up and I noticed her complexion was much better today. She wasn't as pale, and her hair seemed to be a lot less lifeless.

"You can come home with us, Edward," Renee offered.

"Okay. That sounds good, I just have to catch my flight at six," I said. "I have to meet my parents tomorrow at the airport in Chicago because they're coming home from France."

"Well we can bring you to the airport, Hon."

Riding in the car with the Swans was awkward. Renee insisted that Bella sit in the front with her, so I had to sit in the backseat with Charlie. We didn't really talk much unless you counted Renee asking me about my family and secretively trying to find out things about me. Bella giggled a few times when our gazes met in the rearview mirror, and I couldn't help but laugh, too.

Charlie and Renee Swan lived in a one bedroom little house that overlooked the ocean, and I could tell that the house was meant for a vacation and not for someone to live in full time. I wondered where the hell Bella was going to sleep, especially with the new cast; she wouldn't fit on the couch. She seemed to figure this out, too, and told her mom she would just get a hotel.

"No, you won't," I interrupted. For God's sake, my girl had a broken ankle! And she wanted to stay alone in a hotel? She really was selfless, and I knew what her mom would say before she said it.

"No, Bella, you're going to stay here. Your father and I will give you our bedroom." Bella looked at me, frustrated. She didn't want to make her parents give up their bedroom just for her.

"And where will you sleep?" Bella asked, knowing her mom wouldn't have a good answer to that.

Renee paused, thinking. "We'll set up the air mattress." Bella rolled her eyes, and I came up with the perfect plan.

"You can come with me to Chicago…my house should be ready by tonight," I offered, hopeful. I hated and loved the idea of taking Bella from her parents already. I wanted her to spend time with them, but I wanted her to spend time with me, too.

Charlie didn't look pleased, but Renee looked like she didn't know what to say, shocked by my proposal. Bella just looked back and forth at us. She was thinking the same thing; Edward, parents, Edward, parents…

"My dad is a doctor, so he would see to it that she gets everything she needs. And I have an extra bedroom," I added, fully knowing if Bella came with me, we would never leave the bedroom, much less need another one. But I wasn't stupid enough to let her parents in on that little fact.

Renee looked at Bella carefully. "Is that what you want, Bells?" she asked.

Bella nodded. "I don't really see any other way. Edward will take care of me, and I'll see you guys soon. I promise I'll come back soon."

"Are you sure you can even fly?" Charlie asked.

"Yeah, I mean, I'll just take my paid meds," Bella said.

"That's not what I meant."

"I'll be fine, Dad."

"I shouldn't have sold your house so soon, Baby, I'm sorry. We wouldn't be going through this if I hadn't," Renee said sadly.

Renee cooked spaghetti for lunch and talked about Bella's younger years to me; she even showed me Bella's baby book, which was ironic since we were secretly both thinking about our own child. Bella and I barely got a minute to ourselves until it was time to go. Bella had a pair of crutches and insisted that she use them instead of let me roll her around in the wheelchair.

Charlie and Renee brought us to the airport, and I bought Bella's ticket. The goodbyes were teary for all of them when it was time to go, and I would have felt like a douche had it not been for the fact that I was on a high. Bella was coming home with me. I honestly couldn't wait to get her in that big tub and—

"You take care of my little girl," Charlie interrupted my thoughts.

"I—I will," I stuttered, sounding like a complete moron. I shook his hand and hugged Renee before wrapping an arm around Bella and walking to the boarding area. She waved back to her parents, stopping once to free a hand from her crutches to wipe her tears.

"Hey," I said to her softly. I pushed her hair out of her face. "I love you."

"I love you, too," she said.

Bella's seat was set in the back, but I the guy next to me agreed to switch seats with her so we could sit together. She took her pain medication and it knocked her out for the two hour flight, and I had to wake her up once we arrived in Evanston.

"How are you feeling?" I asked her.

She shrugged. "Numb, I guess. But happy. I get to see where you live."

Mrs. Cope came to pick us up, and I hadn't told her Bella was coming. I wanted it to be a surprise, and I wanted to surprise my parents the next day. She would have to wait at the house, though, because the doctor didn't want her on her feet much.

When Mrs. Cope saw us, she just about screamed. I introduced the two of them and we left in Mrs. Cope's van, headed for my house. The place was a mess when we walked inside, dusty and lifeless.

"I didn't get to do the downstairs, I've been working on your room and the bathroom all day," Mrs. Cope explained. "At least it's clean in there. I swear, there was an inch of dust everywhere. No one's been here since…" she trailed off and I nodded to show her I got it.

A few minutes later she left, and I had Bella all to myself. It was strange, mostly because we'd never experienced any sort of normalcy.

"What do you want to do?" I asked her, trying to break the awkward silence.

"I'm still tired…" she said. She wobbled over to me and trailed a hot finger down my chest. "But I'd like a bath, Mr. Cullen, if you don't mind."

I smiled mischievously. "I certainly don't, Miss Swan." I picked her up bridal style and quickly brought her up the stairs. I lit candles and turned off all the lights. In five minutes flat the tub was filled and we were naked except for Bella's cast. I wrapped it in plastic bags before setting her in the bath and crawling in behind her.

She leaned back against me and sighed happily as I washed her hair. "Your house is beautiful, Edward."

"It's kind of yours now, too." She looked back at me and puckered her lips, wanting a kiss. I obliged, of course.

"It's so weird to look at you without the beard," she said. I chuckled.

I washed her from head to toe, sans the ankle. She hadn't had a full bath yet, so there was still dirt from the island, and she said it felt like Heaven. I even helped her shave her legs, and she moaned at the feeling of having them bare.

Her hands, holding mine, drifted to her midsection and we both held the budding child in her womb.

"We were saved just in time," she whispered. I didn't respond, thinking about what would have happened had we not been saved. She could have had complications with the pregnancy, and she wouldn't have gotten the help required. The baby's life and Bella's could have been up in the air, and the thought terrified me. I buried my face in her wet hair and agreed with her.

"I would do anything for the two of you. It's so strange…not knowing someone and already loving him," I said.

"Or her," Bella corrected me.

"Or her," I laughed.

"What do you want? Or have you not really thought about it?" she asked me.

"Oh, Bella, I've thought about it, believe me, I've thought of everything already."

"Really? And what about names? Have any suggestions yet?"

"Yes," I lied.

"You're lying."

"Sorry."

"I want a girl."

"I want a girl, too."

"You hear that, baby?" Bella said to her stomach. "Can you grow a vagina for Mommy and Daddy?"

I gave Bella a look, and we both burst in hysterics.

A/N: So, it's Stranded's anniversary! Happy first birthday to my special baby! Also, I've started a few new fics, but I won't put them up until I have five chapters written. I will be continuing Perfect Enemy, so yall might want to check that one out, too.

I think this story has about five/six chaps to go. Kind of saddening, really.

So tell me how you liked the chapter! REVIEW PLEASE!