Chapter 25: Welcome to the World

A/N: Good news. Early chapter. Bad news. I didn't do my review replies. AND I hit 3000 reviews. I'm a bastard. I love and appreciate each and every single one. I've just been a writing machine as of late. *sigh* I'm sorry. Ily.

Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer I am not. I'm just playing with these kids for fun.

~9 P.M. November 16th~

Edward was trying his damndest not to show his total and utter frustration with the woman who sat across the table from him. She was in pain and uncomfortable. She got frustrated to the point of tears several times a day just dealing with her hugely pregnant body. Still, at her last appointment, Bella had refused to let the doctor induce her. To her logic, many first pregnancies went over the traditional 40 weeks. She wanted nature to take its course as much as possible. She was as stubborn as their daughter.

Everyone had a different remedy, and Bella had dutifully tried everything to jump start her labor from castor oil to eating spicy foods and everything in between. Jacob had even brought over a picture of something called the Fiji Mermaid. He said that P.T. Barnum had shown the hideously ugly looking thing in his freakshow, and pregnant women were warned not to view lest they go into early labor. Bella had looked at him like he was an idiot, crossing her arms and commenting dryly that she wasn't one of those suckers who was born every minute.

Blowing out a long breath of air, Edward made himself calm down so he could smile at her. "I know this is hard on you, Bella."

She rubbed her forehead, her skin pinching between her eyebrows as she breathed deeply. She wiped away a tear that escaped anyway. "I'm sorry. I hate being like this. I just... I want her out."

He stood and went to her, pulling her head gently until it was laying against his stomach. He stroked her hair. "Shh, don't apologize." She wrapped an arm around his waist, turning into his shirt while her shoulders shook lightly with silent tears. "It's okay," he soothed.

It took a minute, but Bella calmed again, straightening up and wiping her tear-stained cheeks. "I'm sorry." She sniffled and breathed in. "I'm a mess."

Edward said nothing, his heart aching for her. He couldn't stand to see her like this. He knelt by her side and bent his head until he was face to face with her belly, peaking out from under the shirt she wore. He cleared his throat. "Boo!" he said to his daughter.

Her stomach rocked as Bella chuckled. "Nice try." Her hand petted his hair tenderly.

"Boo, dammit!" he said with authority. Her laughter was music to his ears. He leaned forward and kissed the skin of her belly tenderly. "Come on, little girl. We can't wait to meet you." He put his ear against her, listening. Then sighed. "No such luck," he said, standing.

He bent again, hooking his arm under her legs where she had them propped up on another chair. Instantly, Bella's arms circled his neck as he lifted her. It was a testament to how tired she was that she didn't protest him carrying her around like a rag doll. "Bed?" he asked.

She nodded, laying her head on his shoulder as he carried her to her room. There wasn't a question any more of whether he would stay. Weeks before, he'd camped out on her couch only to have Bella come retrieve him, bringing him to her bed. Now he didn't question, he just got in with her, spooning her back against him so he could rub her shoulders.

"Bella," he said quietly, kissing her neck gently, "will you please consider letting the doctor induce you?"

She let out a long, slow sigh. "Fine. You win. If I have to choose between that and being pregnant until the end of time, I suppose it's the better option."

Relieved beyond belief, Edward kissed her neck again. "Thank you."

~2 A.M. November 17th~

Bella couldn't remember the last time she'd been able to sleep for a decent period of time. If she wasn't desperately uncomfortable, she was desperate to pee. Her feet were in a constant state of swollen. Everything ached. Her daughter's movements often caused her physical pain. You and I are going to have a talk about violence soon, she thought wryly to her baby.

As she did every night, Bella tried to be as quiet as possible as she shifted and twisted and turned and got up throughout the night, trying to be considerate of Edward, sleeping peacefully beside her.

But, at two in the morning, Bella was angry at his ability to sleep like the dead. She shoved him out of irritation. It was his baby, too, and if she was forced to be awake, dammit, so should he be.

"Wha…" Edward came awake in surprise. His bleary eyes focused on her. Then he shot up straight instantly awake. "Is it time? Are you okay?"

Despite herself Bella smirked at his panicked expression. "No," she said ruefully, answering both questions. She sat up against the headboard and cradled her belly. She sighed. "I can't sleep. Everything hurts. There is no such thing as a comfortable position."

Relaxing somewhat, Edward sat against the headboard next to her. "Honey, I wish I knew how to help. We've tried everything at this point except sex."

Her eyebrows furrowed, and she cocked her head toward him. "What do you mean sex?"

Edward ran a hand through his hair, looking inexplicably nervous, like a school boy talking to the girl he was crushing on. "It's probably just another old wives tale, but ... well, some people say that late term sex can help," he started, but cut himself off shaking his head. "It's a ridiculous theory, Bella. Forget I said anything."

Bella was silent, considering this. It made a weird sort of sense to her sleepy brain. Activity in that region should beget activity, shouldn't it?

Besides all that, more than once since she and Edward had slowly been working their way back toward each other, she'd had to stop herself from suggesting sex. She'd been conflicted, vacillating between being so horny she felt like humping the leg of the couch and feeling so undesirable, the thought of even the doctor seeing her naked made her feel ill. On top of that, the topic of sex and their fragile relationship felt taboo. Sex had complicated so much for them in the first place.

But…

She ached to have her baby in her arms, and sex was legions better than some of the options she'd already tried to bring on labor. Not to mention, an orgasm sounded fabulous.

"We could try it," she said timidly. When he looked over at her, she felt a furious blush light on her cheeks. "I'd try anything. I'm desperate at this point."

His smile was crooked. "Gee, thanks."

Bella smacked his arm lightly. "I'm serious. And..." she steeled herself, scared to admit this even though the past few weeks had been filled with tender touches and frequent kisses. "Edward, I want you. I mean, if you don't want to have sex with a whale, I'll understand-"

He shifted on the bed, his hand gripping her chin lightly. His eyes were softly furious as he stared her down. "Isabella Marie Swan. If I have to explain to you one more time how beautiful you are to me..."

Bella swallowed hard, her want for him growing. "You'll what?"

He smiled, leaning in and kissing her lips with the lightest of touches. "I will always want you," he whispered, his kisses becoming harder and more insistent.

She kissed him back, her hands starting at his shoulders before trailing up and down his back. She'd missed this so much – the intimacy, and his hands everywhere on her body.

He cupped her face. "Are you sure this is okay?" he asked, worry tingeing the lust in his eyes.

"I'm ungainly, but I think…" she trailed off, climbing awkwardly to her knees and turning around so she could lean against the headboard. She grabbed all the pillows her hands could touch, shoving them under her to support her body. Looking over her shoulder, Bella grinned at him. "Like this."

He just looked at her for a moment, his eyes traveling her body. Bella felt self conscious for all of a second before he was over her, his hands circling around to her front while he pressed kisses to her ear. "You are so incredibly sexy. Do you know that?"

She said nothing, just reveled in the way his hands, pushing her gown up, felt sweeping along her skin. But when his fingers found her center she moaned. "I love you," she said fervently.

He kissed up her back to her neck. "I love you, too."

Then Bella gasped, jerking away from him as she cried out in surprise and pain. "Oh, shit."

"Are you all right? Did I-"

"You didn't do anything. I think that was a contraction," Bella said, dazed.

"Like...a real one this time?" Edward asked cautiously.

She looked at him, her eyes expressing the millions of emotions that went through her. Terror, hope, awe, and joy all at once. "I think the baby's coming."

~3:42 A.M.~

"Edward," Bella protested for the billionth time, "first time labor usually takes forever. I don't want- Aghh!" She doubled over, one arm wrapped around her belly.

Edward was over to her in a heartbeat, his hand on her back. "Bella?"

"I'm fine," she hissed through clenched teeth. "This is what's supposed to happen, remember?" She breathed a little easier as the pain lessened. "I don't want to go to the hospital yet."

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Edward breathed in deeply, trying to understand where she was coming from. Logically, he knew Bella was right. She would probably be in labor for a long time. However, a lifetime full of television specials and movies where things went wrong or babies were born on the side of the road terrified him. Couple that with the trouble Bella had earlier in her pregnancy, and what had happened with Alice and Dash, and Edward was going out of his mind with worry.

His helplessness was getting the better of him. After they called her mother so she could get on the first plane out of Jacksonville, and he helped Bella into the bath to ease her tense muscles, there was nothing left for him to do. Bella refused to let him call anyone else, saying it was way too early to wake them up, and she refused to let him drive her to the hospital, no matter how much she pleaded. If he thought it would go well, he would have gathered her up in his arms and carried her out of the house, protests be damned.

Instead, he sighed and tried, again, to reason with her. "I know you hate the hospital, but please? Wouldn't you feel better knowing that if anything even started to go wrong, there are doctors and nurses everywhere?"

Bella groaned, hiding her face behind her hands. "That's easy for you to say. They're not going to have their fingers all up in you all day."

"I will let them give me a rectal exam if you let me take you to the hospital. Now."

Grinning, Bella peeked out from behind her hands. "You don't play fair, Cullen." She sighed and groaned again. "Fine. You win. Again."

~6:57 A.M.~

"Walk, he said. That doctor is a pain in the ass. He knows I hate him. That's why he's making me do this," Bella muttered darkly. She was leaning on Edward as they walked the hospital hallways at her doctor's suggestion. Edward said nothing, just offered his support while she vented about the bastard doctor. "Well, he can stick it- fuuuuucccckkkk," she hissed, coming to a sudden stop. Her hand dug into his arm painfully, but Edward was sure to keep any discomfort off his face.

"Breathe through it, baby," Edward encouraged, his heart twisting like it did every time a contraction hit her. Why oh why couldn't she be one of those women who gave birth in fifteen minutes? With practically no pain?

"Talk to me," she begged him, stooped against the pain. "Please. Anything. Just distract me."

"Umm, umm... Well. You know those Deluxe Maternity Suites they have here that you made me swear not to reserve?" he blurted. He winced as Bella's hand squeezed again. It probably wasn't a wise thing to piss her off, but she was going to find out sooner or later.

"Oh, Edward," she groaned, her voice still more pained than angry. "You didn't."

"'Fraid so," he admitted.

Cedars Sinai offered several postpartum suites for an exorbitant amount of money. They were two to three room suites that offered accommodations for mother and partner and then some. There was a refrigerator, a flatscreen TV, and "deluxe" meals for Mom, as well as a celebratory meal for Mom and partner on one night of their stay. When they had pre-registered for delivery at the hospital, Edward wanted to reserve one of the suites. Bella put her foot down saying that the suites cost more per night than many people paid per month for an apartment.

"You are ridiculous," Bella seethed, standing up a little straighter. "How could you-"

"Whoa, whoa. What's going on here?"

The arguing couple turned to find Jasper staring at them, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Bella is upset that I reserved a Deluxe Maternity Suite for her," Edward explained.

"It's pretentious. And ostentatious. And more words that end with -ous," Bella grumbled. "And what are you doing here? I didn't call you." She glared at Edward again.

Jasper rolled his eyes. "Bella, are you seriously chewing Edward out because he called your best friend and he got you a huge, comfortable suite to recover in, that only vaguely resembles a hospital?"

Bella stared at him for about three seconds before her face crumpled, and she started crying. Jasper's face fell and he rushed forward to gather her in his arms. "Oh, Bella. I'm sorry. You're right. Edward is a horrible, horrible person." He made an apologetic face at Edward over her head, but Edward just waved, assuring him that he didn't take the other man's words seriously.

"I'm sorry. I'm just so tired. I'm glad you're here," Bella said, the words muffled because she was clinging to Jasper's shirt. Then her hand shot out and she reached for Edward. He let her tug him away from the wall and wrapped his arms around her. "Thank you for calling Jasper. I'm sorry I yelled at you."

"Bella," he said softly, tilting her chin up so that she could look at him, "you yell at me all you want." He leaned in and kissed her nose. "Today only. Free pass. Plus, I fully intend on doing many more bastard-type things of this nature in the future."

This earned him a genuine smile, and she hugged him again. "You should tell me now who else you called. My mood has swung to sleepy euphoria."

"Oh, sweetheart," he chuckled. "I called everyone."

She groaned. "You bastard."

~3:03 P.M.~

Panting, Bella sat back against the not-nearly-fluffy enough hospital pillows.

"They're getting stronger," Edward murmured, tucking a sweaty strand of hair back behind her ear.

She opened her eyes, giving him a disparaging look. "No shit, Sherlock," she bit out, a little moody. She relaxed, turning her head slightly so her cheek nuzzled his palm. "Shouldn't I be screaming at you right now? You did this to me."

Edward chuckled. "You could. I didn't though," he pointed out mildly.

Tired as she was, Bella's lips quirked as she fought a smile. "That's true. I have no one to blame but myself."

He tightened his arms around her, holding her close. "You're incredible, you know that?" he asked quietly.

"I am incredibly exhausted is what I am," Bella said dryly. Exhausted was an understatement for how she felt. All and all, though, she couldn't complain. Being tired and in pain was nothing less than what she'd expected. Though it was hard to be thankful in the middle of a contraction, she knew that it could have been a lot worse.

Edward hadn't left her side in all the time they were at the hospital. He didn't lose his patience or complain when she squeezed his hand too tightly. He hadn't said a single word about food or sleep or taking a break.

Besides Edward, there had been a constant stream of friendly faces visiting her, and she knew the majority of them were spending a lot of time in the waiting room. Her father had been in and out all day. Tanya had even brought the twins around to cheer her up. They'd been fascinated by all the equipment and confused that the baby wasn't there yet.

"Bella?" a new voice inquired from the doorway.

"Mom!" Bella's face lit up as her mother came flying toward her.

"Oh, baby," her mother said, kissing her hair and her cheeks. "Look at you. My god! You're huge! Why on earth did you let yourself go to 42 weeks? After what you put me through giving birth to you, you know she's going to be a big little girl."

Despite the flicker of irritation that passed through her, Bella couldn't help but laugh. She'd wanted her mother so many times over the course of her pregnancy. Not that Renee was very maternal, as she was proving just then, but she had been right where Bella was now. "You're not helping, Mom," she admonished, still holding on to her mother.

Renee stood, putting her hands on her cheeks. "I'm sorry. What a thoughtless thing to say. I wasn't thinking."

Bella just shook her head. "Where's Phil?"

"He's getting acquainted with the legion of people out in the waiting room. My goodness, Bella. Is that the baby's father's family?"

Edward cleared his throat and Renee's head shot up. Obviously she hadn't even noticed he was there. "Oh! You must be Edward." Her eyes raked him up and down. "Good lord. This baby is going to be gorgeous," she blurted, and then turned as red as Bella so often had in Edward's presence.

~ 9:50 P.M. ~

"For the love of God," Edward exclaimed to the doctor. "Will you please give her something for the pain?"

Edward was stressed. Bella's contractions had been getting stronger while she had been noticeably weakening for hours now. They had an unspoken deal. She tried not to scream while he tried not to cry at how much pain she was in.

On Bella's other side, Jasper nodded vigorously in agreement, patting her hand consolingly as she panted.

The doctor agreed. Edward wasn't sure if it was because Bella was truly ready for the epidural or because he didn't want to get his ass kicked.

"Holy crow!" Bella exclaimed, just surprised to be without pain for once that day. She slumped against the pillows. "That is... heaven in a syringe." She tugged on Edward's arm. "I'm leaving you for the anesthesiologist."

"She's cuter," Edward said gravely. He had to fight the smile that she'd referred to them as a couple.

Bella smiled and then yawned. "God, I'm so tired."

"Nap if you can, sweetie," the nurse encouraged sweetly. "The big show is coming up soon."

All for Bella getting a little sleep, Edward began to stroke her hair and the side of her cheek. It didn't take long before her eyes were drooping. "Don't fight it, Bella."

"Edward?" Her voice was so soft and mumbled that Edward only barely heard her.

"Yes, sweetheart?" he asked quietly, bending down so his ear was near her lips.

"I love you," she said on a sigh, as she fell into an exhausted sleep.

Smiling, Edward straightened up, still stroking her cheek gently. "I love you too," he whispered, though she couldn't hear. "So much."

"I don't know how she's doing this," Jasper murmured after a moment, wiping his hand over his eyes. "Man, there's a reason why women carry the babies. They're stronger than I could ever be. And Bella's stronger than anyone I've ever known."

Not taking his eyes off Bella, Edward chuffed lightly and smiled, totally in awe of the sleeping woman in front of him. "Can't argue with that."

"How are you holding up?" Jasper asked.

Edward finally looked up at him. With Bella looking, for once, peaceful, he allowed himself to take a personal inventory. "Tired. Scared," he admitted. If he was being honest, he was as nervous as an elephant on ball bearings.

"She's doing great, Edward. Everything's going to be fine," Jasper assured him, reaching over the bed to pat him on the arm. "Why don't you take a walk or get something to eat? I'll call you if she wakes up."

Edward opened his mouth to protest, but yawned instead. He considered Jasper's request. It would be good to stretch, and he really did want to see his parents. He was trying to be strong for Bella, but he was a lot more frazzled than he was letting on. "You'll call me the second she wakes up? Even if she tells you not to?" he verified.

Jasper laughed lightly. "Scouts honor," he said, holding up two fingers. "Why don't you send Renee in here?"

Caressing Bella's cheek one last time, Edward stood from his chair and ambled out of the room.

In the waiting room, Edward was surprised to find most of his family. Alice and Tanya were home with the kids, but everyone else was there in addition to Renee, Phil, Charlie, Jacob and Lizzie. Peter, Edward knew, had gone home because he had an early shift the next morning.

Rosalie stood and crossed to meet him. She put both her hands on his shoulders, looking directly in his eyes. "Bella and the baby are going to be fine," she said firmly.

And for the first time that day, Edward's shoulders slumped. It was exactly what he needed to hear, and Rosalie must have known that. Edward knew his own overactive mind was his worst enemy. No one could silence his needless worries the way his twin could. He wrapped his arms around her waist hugging her. "Thanks," he whispered in her ear.

With that he turned to face the waiting eyes. "They finally gave her an epidural. She's napping," he explained, taking the vacant seat next to Emmett.

Esme clucked her tongue. "Poor girl."

"Dude," Emmett nudged him, "the epidural goes in her spine, right?"

Edward shuddered, feeling the blood drain from his face. "You should have seen the size of the needle." He shook his head. "I couldn't do this shit, man."

"Uch. I hate needles," Lizzie said. She smacked Jacob on the arm. "I don't care. We're finding a way to knock you up."

Jacob raised an eyebrow. "Fuck that."

Shaking his head, Edward looked to Renee who was sitting between Phil and Charlie. "Jasper said you should come chat."

"Good idea," Renee said, getting to her feet. "You know, Charlie fainted dead away when he saw the epidural needle," she said cheerfully, turning and disappearing down the hallway.

"Hey that's not... why do you spread such lies, woman?" Charlie called after her. He looked at Phil and Carlisle, "I didn't faint," he said gruffly. "I might have teetered a little, but I didn't faint."

Still chuckling, Carlisle turned to Edward. "If you need to eat or drink something, now's the time to do it. Just don't let Bella know you did." He glanced at his wife, smiling ruefully. "Trust me, you will regret it."

"I don't think I could eat right now," Edward said, absently rubbing his arm.

Emmett grabbed his hand and held it out, pushing up his shirt sleeve. "Whoa. What'd you do to deserve a beating, Bro?" he laughed, looking at the light, finger shaped bruised along Edward's arm.

"Nothing. Incidentally, Bella has a hell of a grip when she's in incredible amounts of pain. Why do you all think I'm going to do something stupid?" Edward groused, yanking his arm back. "I have Tweedle Dumb for a father and Tweedle Dumber for a brother. I learn from your mistakes."

"Ouch," said Carlisle, but he was laughing.

"Accurate," Esme pointed out.

"Seriously though," Rosalie said softly. "You look beat. As in tired."

"I'm surprised I'm not delirious," Edward admitted, rubbing his eyes.

Rosalie proffered her shoulder. "Catnap?"

At first, Edward was inclined to stay no. He was still on edge, his body waiting to spring into action when Bella needed him. He was still half fearful there would be a scene like in the movies where you see doctors and nurses run by yelling things that were beyond frightening.

He laid his head on Rosalie's shoulder and felt soothed. "I'm just going to close my eyes for a minute..."

~11:50 PM~

"Edward, wake up!"

Someone was shaking him. Edward snapped awake, all his conscious thoughts coming to him at once. Bella. Baby. "What's happening?" he asked, his eyes focusing in on Jasper's face. A quick, frantic glance around showed him that almost everyone was on their feet.

"Baby's coming. Now."

"What?" Edward was on his feet and sprinting toward the labor and delivery room with Jasper right on his heels. "What the hell time is it? She was barely at 5 centimeters a minute ago."

Jasper shook his head. "It's weird. She started progressing really quickly all of a sudden. You've been out for almost two hours."

Edward stopped short. "Say that again? No, don't," he continued moving. "Why didn't you come get me?"

"She told me not to."

"And you listened?" he roared. Shaking his head, Edward ran into the room.

Bella was awake, of course, and now there was a flurry of people in the room. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail and further held back in a headband. If looks could kill, there would have been roast fillet of Edward, extra crispy, on the floor the minute he walked in. "Where the hell have you been?"

He went to her side, putting on his contrite face and doing his best not to petulantly blame Jasper. "I'm sorry, Bella. I'm here now."

"You're an idiot," Bella snapped.

Edward frowned, remembering his earlier words. He guessed there was no escaping it.

It didn't matter, because in the next second the doctor was telling her it was time to push. With Edward on one side of her, Jasper on the other and her mother helping hold her legs back, Bella pushed.

There was the doctor's voice directing, Jasper, Renee and Edward encouraging, and Bella whimpering with effort. And then, just as the clock's arms stretched into a new day, there was the most beautiful cry Edward thought he'd ever heard: his newborn daughter, screaming in indignation that she'd been forced out into the bright light and cold air of the real world.

The instant she was free, the doctor placed the baby on Bella's chest. She was slimy and gross and unbearably exquisite, with a full head of dark hair matted to her head and chubby little cheeks. She was big for having passed through someone as little as Bella, but tiny set against the world she'd been brought into. And she owned him. Instantaneously and completely, that tiny creature owned him to the ends of the earth and the depths of his soul. The love that shook him then was so powerful that Edward inhaled sharply, his eyes pricking with tears as he stared at his little girl.

Bella was breathing in little gasps, giggling and sniffling as she patted the baby tentatively. "Hi," she said breathlessly. "Hi, baby girl." Bella looked up at Edward, her face the picture of tear-streaked awe. "She's so beautiful."

"She is," he agreed, leaning in to kiss Bella soundly. He leaned his forehead against hers, picking up his daughter's hand and counting her tiny fingers.

A nurse picked up the baby then. Edward tuned out Renee's babbling and whatever Jasper was saying as the doctor offered him a pair of surgical scissors. "Want to cut the cord?" he asked.

Edward was surprised at how his hand was shaking as he accepted the scissors, but he cut the cord. The baby was whisked a short distance away and handed back a few minutes later, quite a bit cleaner and wrapped tightly in a light green blanket. This time the doctor placed her in his arms, and Edward could swear that his heart stopped for two beats.

A profound joy he'd never known bubbled up, coming out as a laugh as he held his little girl for the first time. As if magnetized, Edward bent closer to Bella, their heads bumping lightly as they both gazed at their daughter. The baby yawned, seemingly underwhelmed now that all the pushing and pulling was over.

"What are you thinking?" Bella asked him.

What wasn't he thinking? "That … I was stupid for ever doubting this," he murmured. "I love her. Bella... I love her."

A breathtaking smile spread over Bella's face and she giggled again - a euphorically happy sound. They kissed one more time.

"And what's this beautiful girl's name?" Renee asked, breaking into the bubble that had surrounded the little family for a few precious minutes.

Bella looked at Edward questioningly and a silent conversation passed between them. He could see they were in agreement. Of all the names they had played with, one seemed to belong to this tiny perfect creature the way no other did.

~0~

Arianna Leigh Cullen

B: 11/18/2011 at 12:01 AM

Weight: 8 pounds 9 ounces

Length: 20 inches

~0~

A/N: Wow. What a journey, but the baby is here with us now. Named by my beautiful Josieswan before she disappeared from the internet. I misses her. Thank you so much again to Ginny W, Twitina, and TwilightMundi for letting me harass them with labor questions. Thank you to jadedandboring for betaing and barburella for prereading and all of you for being so good to me.

One more chapter. Then the epilogue. Wow. We're almost done.

Oh, I forgot to mention. The Jukebox contest is open for voting. I have a o/s in there. Have a looksee, ifn it pleases you. Some great stories in there.