Chapter 21: The Family's Reaction

I was so nervous I thought I was going to throw up. My face was pale by the time we walked in the door. I could hear my father yelling and Carlisle trying to calmly explain things to him. I walked in and they all stopped. For a moment, it seemed as if time had stopped completely. There was no turning back now…

Bella stayed at my side, Edward had to pull her away. "No Edward, I promised her!" she said as he gently tugged her away. I looked back at her and gave her a weak but reassuring smile. This doesn't involve Bella, please understand that Nadia.

I nodded "it was her idea to come with me…she's a good person."

"This isn't your fight Bella." He whispered to her as he took her to another part of the room and sat with her. Jasper got up from his spot on the couch and everyone froze. I thought honestly for a moment he was going to flip out on me but all he did was wrap his cold arms around me and place a kiss on my forehead.

"A baby huh?" he whispered against my forehead, a smile forming across his face.

"Jasper I swear, I was going to tell you…I promise I'm telling the truth" I suddenly started sobbing into his shirt. He pulled away and just stared into my eyes. I saw something in them I hadn't seen before…the love for someone else. Someone who was now growing inside of me. That was just a little bit overwhelming.

"I know angel. I know." He said gently, calming me down instantly.

"Look, her hormones are already all out of whack." Emmett said, a smile plastered on his face. I just eyed him and he stopped laughing real quickly.

"Nadia, you come here right now." My father said through gritted teeth. In all my existence with them, I had never seen him so upset with me. I gripped Jasper's hand for dear life as we crossed the living room and faced my father. Carlisle, obviously in dad mode, stepped a little in between us.

"This is between me and MY daughter." He snipped at Carlisle.

"And this also involves MY son…if you forget, it takes two people to make a child." Carlisle got back in my father's face. I had to fight the laugh that was rising in my throat. It was quite comical to see Carlisle, the man who broke my heart so long ago, actually defending me to my father.

"I knew this was a bad idea…every time my daughter is around you Carlisle, she ends up in these situations!" "Ha, situations? Oh God, he's right…one guy broke my heart and now I'm having his son's baby…this is like some sort of twisted soap opera!" I thought and I could hear Edward cough, trying to cover his laughing at my thoughts.

"It's not like I encouraged her to be with Jasper…they made that choice all on their own in case you've forgotten." God knows I didn't try. I warned them all those months ago that something bad might happen…and now look! My son has gotten Nadia pregnant…the one person who I thought I never see again in my existence is now bound to my family forever…the irony Carlisle…oh the irony.

"Carlisle!"

"Benjamin!" Both their heads snapped back to see both Esme and my mother standing there, looks of frustration on their faces as they saw their husbands bickering.

"But Rebecca…" my father began but with one look of her eyes, he shut it real fast. Both Jasper and I had couldn't contain smiles as he felt their emotions and as I heard their thoughts. They were both now elated and very excited. Especially at the thought of having a grandchild. They were planning a baby shower already…and even baby names they wanted to suggest.

"Actually, this involves the entire family." Jasper broke the silence. "Including my siblings." He looked back at the rest of them who were sitting on the couches. They all looked up and him with hopeful eyes.

"Oh please Jasper, please tell you you'll let me be around the child?" Rose stood excitedly. I had never seen her excited about anything besides shopping and her own reflection. He face was always so stern. The mere thought of a child made her giddy.

"Of course. As I hope ALL of you will be a part of our child's life." He said, looking over at Alice.

"Maybe." She sighed, looking back out the window. This was obviously something she wasn't expecting.

"How did you guys figure it out?" I asked, finally being able to say something.

"Alice had a vision." Edward spoke, as if I should have known that.

"But…I thought the visions didn't come until a decision had been made for certain?" I looked at her but she didn't say anything.

"You're right…and apparently at some point in your conversation with Bella, you decided that you wanted to keep the child." Edward smiled and I looked at Bella whose eyes widened in embarrassment.

"He already knew Nadia! So, I didn't really tell him anything he didn't already know." She held up her hands in defense.

"It's okay Bella…" I smiled.

"Carlisle?" my father called him "how is this even possible? I know I am not one of you, but I heard that your kind couldn't carry children."

"This is true…but, as we know, Nadia isn't one of us. She may be very similar to us but not exact. There are some things about her that are still human." He said softly. God, how many times did people need this to explain this to each other.

"Oh for God sakes!" I threw my hands up "okay we get it…Jasper and I slept together…and apparently I can carry children...how was I supposed to know!" I smirked. Jasper just shook his head and wrapped his arm around me, trying to calm me down.

"Shh. Nadia, don't get all upset about it…" he whispered against my temple.

"So, what will the baby be?" Emmett asked, joining our little group. I was tired of standing so I just sat down, Jasper never leaving my side.

"A boy or a girl?" Rose laughed.

"That's not what I meant babe." He shook his head.

"Can you tell Carlisle? You know, if you do one of those ultrasound things?"

"Possibly. I won't know for sure until we attempt it. But, I recommend we wait at least six weeks before we start to run any kind of tests on Nadia."

"Alright then…well Nadia." My dad turned and looked at me as if he was having a sudden change of heart "I can't believe this is happening. But, you are my daughter and if this is going to make you happy…then I will be happy for you. As long as he can keep his issues under control…"

"Dad." I eyed him.

"No, he has a point." Jasper nodded his head. Ugh, I hated it when Jasper was always so calm about things.

"Thanks Jasper. Anyways…as long as you stay healthy and alive…then things will work out just fine." He nodded, emphasizing on the "alive" part.

"Oh dad!" I beamed, getting up to hug him tightly.

"I love you so much." He said against me hair as he pulled away and then turned to Jasper, who was now standing.

"You take care of her okay Jasper? She's the only daughter I've ever known…even if she isn't my biological daughter, I love her all the same…and it seems that now she is going to be in your care." My dad said gently, and I could tell he wanted to cry. He was fighting the tears in his mind.

"Of course sir." He said, his accent slipping out more than usual. Next thing I knew, my dad had Jasper in a tight embrace. I walked over to Esme and my mother and embraced them as well.

"Let's not get too carried away with the whole baby shower okay?" I laughed.

"I can't promise anything Nadia, your mother has some fantastic ideas for it." Esme smiled.

"I can't believe my baby is having a baby." My mother wiped a tear away from her face and she kissed my cheek.

Are you moving in here now with the Cullens? My mother asked me as she stood before me.

"I don't know…I hadn't thought about that." I looked back at the rest of them, my dad still talking with Jasper, Carlisle listening to Esme ramble about babies, Emmett trying to watch the game but Rose still talking to him about the things she could do with the baby, Edward whispering things to Bella (things she obviously had missed), and then Alice who was still sitting by the window, just taking it all in. I walked over to her and sat beside her. I grabbed her hand and she looked up at me.

I've never seen Jasper so happy about anything before. She said sadly.

"I beg to differ…" I leaned in towards her "He personally told me once that he has eternal gratitude towards you Alice. That's something he will never forget. You really do have a special place in his heart…figuratively of course." I giggled. She squeezed my hand a little harder and smiled back at me.

I'm not promising that this will be easy…but I will eventually be happy for you two. And besides, who else will take you shopping for clothes! Her mind got excited at the thought.

"Of course Alice, I wouldn't ask anyone else to come with me." I stood and embraced her. We had come a little full circle now. I had gone from new girl, her best friend, the third wheel to her and Jasper, to me hurting her and now here were again, planning a shopping trip like old times.

You know if you move in here, Alice will not stop bugging you about going shopping almost every day. I heard Edward laugh and I turned and looked at him.

"I hope that your warning isn't still in effect?"

Of course not. I've never seen Jasper so…so in control. You have been able to reach him…on a level that any of us could never reach. Everything about you inspires him to want to be better…

"Okay, stop it Edward before I start crying again." I sighed, wiping my eyes with my sweater sleeve.

"okay." He laughed before standing to give me a tight embrace.

"Congratulations…I promise to try and not be so paranoid all the time around you." He whispered.

"That's good…because now that I'm pregnant, I just might snap at you more often if you start acting all weird on me." I smirked, pulling away from him.

"Wait…wait, I have a question." Bella stood, looking at me.

"What is it love?" Edward asked.

"Does this mean that you and Jasper are going to get married?" she asked hopefully. All conversations stopped and turned towards the center of the room. Most of the eyes fell on Jasper…as if…as if there was something going on that I didn't know about. Oh, here we go again….

*Thoughts?? I have to think about where I'm going to go with the next chapter…but I promise I'll make it a good one!*