Double chapter!

Bella

Dreams. Such horrible and scary dreams. They flowed into one another, painful and black. They seemed so real and yet, not, all at the same time. I was an outsider in them. Watching them happen, over and over again. Flames, pain, blood. It was all mixed painfully together. But honestly, as I woke I could not tell you exactly what I had dreamed about. The images faded as soon as they came onto my mental screen.

I felt a bright light burning against my eyelids. My eyelashes fluttered, willing it away. If it would have gone away I would have gone back to sleep. But then I heard his voice.

"Bella?" Edward asked, excited and strained all the same time. I couldn't imagine what he had to be worried about at that moment. I had just fallen asleep. And then I remembered the previous day.

Ah, that's why.

I tried to open my mouth to answer, but it felt altogether too dry. Like there was a desert in my mouth. So, I decided to open my eyes instead to show him that I was awake. But, when they opened, they closed again in shock. It hurt.

Where was I? I thought to myself. The room was all wrong. It was not my bedroom or even a hotel room. Then the answer slowly became clear. It was a hospital room.

"Bella?" Edward said again. His palm which was warm from being clinched touched my own. I tried to move it, to grasp his fingers, but I felt something uncomfortable in my arm. It pinched every time I flinched or moved, pulling at the center part of the inside of my arm. I opened my eyes again, trying to see what was making the uncomfortable tugging.

It was an IV. Of course, that made sense.

"Bella?" Edward said a final time. I gazed at him, my eyes narrowing in confusion. "How are you feeling?"

"My mouth is dry," I answered. I realized then that, though my mouth was dry as a bone, I was not really thirsty. I ran my tongue over my lips, trying to moisten them. I must have slept with my mouth open because they were cracked as well. I frowned slightly.

Edward's hands worked quickly, pouring me a glass of water from the ugly Pepto pink colored pitcher. He stood, handing it to me. Loving he ran a hand over my hair, kissing the top of my head afterward.

"You scared me," he whispered into my locks.

"I'm sorry," I muttered. "Why am I here?" Then I remembered something and my heart twisted. "Is the baby okay?"

My husband looked at me for a moment, his expression changing. I couldn't understand it. It was a mixture of shock, surprised, and excited. Maybe even anticipation.

"They're fine."

"What?" I began to ask, but there was a knock on the door.

A tall young woman entered. She had blond hair in a ponytail at the top of her head. "Well, look who's awake!" She said brightly. "I'm Dr. Stone. How are you feeling?"

"Confused," I said in a sigh as the woman pulled the white blanket from my legs and began to rub my ankles, squeezing them. I couldn't understand what she was doing. I wasn't about to ask either.

"That's not surprising. You've been asleep for almost two days."

"Two days?" I asked in shock. I turned to Edward. "What happened?" I wasn't asking now. I was demanding.

"You were brought to the hospital after fainting and failing to awaken. You were suffering from exhaustion and dehydration. Your husband explained about your day and we felt it was best to simply let you rest. After making sure you could be awoken, of course. Do you remember?"

I shook my head, my eyes still on Edward's face. "No." I didn't remember a damn thing.

"Not surprising," she said, replacing the blanket. The doctor pulled the stethoscope from her neck and placed it in her ears. She patted my shoulder and I sat up so she could listen to my breathing. After she finished, she began to speak again. "We gave you something to help you rest more comfortably. We thought that it would be best for you and your babies."

"Babies?" I asked in confusion, my eyes turning towards the doctor's now.

"Yes. We did an ultrasound and they both seem to be healthy and normal eleven-week olds."

"Both of them?" I said in a soft tone, feeling myself become dizzy. I looked at Edward. "Both of them?" I repeated.

"Twins," he whispered softly as he leaned over and lightly kissed my temple.

"Oh my," I breathed.

"We're going to keep you overnight tonight, just to make sure. Before you leave in the morning we're going to do another ultrasound. Just to let you know though... No more marathon flying until after the pregnancy is over," the doctor said, patting my hand. She then turned her gaze to Edward. "Would you like us to have someone send something up or would you like to get her something to eat? I'd like her to eat, at least a little."

"I'll get her something," he replied, his eyes locked on mine. They were searching for some sort of expression, I think. But, I had none to give him other than shock. Total and utter shock. My face and my mind were both shockingly blank.

Two? Twins?

Edward

Her eyelashes were fluttering, over and over again, even after the doctor left. She said nothing. Bella didn't even move. She sat stock still on the mattress, her eyes in front of her motionless.

I knew I had already said it too many times that morning, but I didn't know what else to ask. "Bella?" She didn't move an inch. "Bella, love? Are you alright?"

"Two," she said quietly. I knew it wasn't a question.

"Yes," I smiled slightly. "Twins."

"How?"

I laughed at the question despite myself, pulling her out of her fog. My wife turned and looked at me curiously. I gave her my best innocent smile.

"I imagine the same way. I don't think there is a special technique or anything."

Bella laughed softly, a smile coming over her pale pink lips. "No. I guess not."

"Are you okay?" I said, not talking about her physical state at all. I knew she would be alright in that way. She just needed to rest. I was more worried about her emotionally right then.

"I was out for two days?" She asked softly, twisting her fingers in the blanket.

"Yes," I replied, sitting in the uncomfortable chair I had barely left. "All of our friends have been coming and going. Rosalie is mad at you though," I teased lightly.

"Why?" She scrunched up her eyebrows.

"Because she found out Alice knew first, of course." Bella rolled her eyes, giving me another smile. "Charlie was quite shocked, too. I should call him up. I know he would like to see you awake."

"Call him up?" Everything seemed to be a question.

"Yeah. He went down to the cafeteria for something to drink. We didn't expect you to wake up so suddenly."

"Wait? What? Charlie is here?" Her eyes moved side to side, going over that information. "Does that mean- I mean, is she..." She trailed off.

"No," I said, knowing exactly what she was asking. "No, Renee is not here. She knows though. Charlie said he'd have her arrested if she comes within a state of you right now. He told her that you didn't stay down there for a reason and that you obviously don't want her around right now. She was the problem, not the solution."

"I'm not sure how I feel about that," Bella muttered, pulling her knees up to her chest.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, "I didn't mean to-"

"No. You're right. She is the problem. Or rather, she has a problem." She looked up at me curiously. "Are you okay?"

I snorted. "How can you even think about me right now? You're the one in the hospital."

"But, I can't imagine... Having to be here, waiting for me. That must have been boring. At the very least."

"Boring would not be the word that I would use." I sighed, leaning forward. "Frustrating, painful, frightening, perhaps, but boring? Never."

"I'm sorry," she repeated. Bella ran her fingers over my eyes, tracing the purple circles underneath them. I had barely slept, barely moved, in days. "You look so tired," she whispered, her words heartbreakingly soft.

"No," I shook my head, not looking at her. I was, but I wasn't going to say that to her. Of course, she knew I was lying.

"Go get some sleep, Edward."

"I will not leave your side, not for that long anyway," I said solemnly. "You must be out of your mind or drugged still, to even think that was a possibility. Like I could now."

"Edward, I'm in a hospital. Nothing can happen. You should-"

I cut her off, quickly leaning forward and pressing my lips to hers.

"Bella, please, love. Don't argue with me about this. I'm not going anywhere. Ever."

My wife nodded her head slowly, her messy brown hair bobbing with the movement. She bit her bottom lip before she spoke again. Her expression was sweet and her words soft.

"Kiss me again, Edward."

Bella

Edward crawled onto the bed, on his hands and knees. I laid back slowly, letting his body hover over mine. It was comforting and strong. I ran my fingertips over his forearms, my eyes moving over his face. I was searching for something, but I wasn't sure what. I just wanted to make sure that he was okay.

His lips pressed against mine, soft and gentle. "Are you alright? Really?" I breathed as he pulled away. Instead of answering, he pressed his lips to mine more firmly. My fingers laced into his hair, pulling him closer to me. I moaned against his mouth, sighing with the tenderness of his lips.

Well, it was at least nice to know that he was not going to treat me like glass. At least for a moment. That was something good to know.

I heard a throat clear behind me. I turned my head quickly to see who was making the noise. I smiled as I saw my father. He was blushing, his face pointed downwards towards the brown floor.

"You know, that's what got you up here in the first place," he muttered sarcastically.

Edward scrambled off of me, flushing a bright red. I almost giggled at his expression. "Sorry," he mumbled.

Charlie waved his apology off. "It's fine. You're an old married couple now. It's to be expected," he replied quickly, looking rather uncomfortable. He cleared his throat again, changing the direction of the conversation. "So, how are you feeling, kiddo?"

I thought about that for a minute. "Tired," I whispered. I had been tired for a while. I had been tired before all this happened. I was ready for a break. I very much needed a real vacation.

"I don't see how," Charlie chuckled. "You've been asleep since Friday night."

I bit my lip. I was still kind of confused. "Did I miss New Years?"

Edward took my hand, squeezing it gently. "No, love. That's tonight. I'm afraid we won't be going anywhere though," he replied, waving his hand around the room.

"Oh, I know that. It's just... Well, I didn't want to miss our first New Year's kiss as an old married couple." I smiled, using the phrase my father had used earlier. "Even if it's just in the hospital."

Edward chuckled, leaning in slowly. "No, you didn't miss that." He kissed me then lightly. I heard Charlie shuffle behind me and I knew we were making him uncomfortable again. Edward pulled back but not before pressing a firm kiss to my forehead.

"Well, you must be hungry, Bells. Want me to get you something?" My father offered.

I bit my lip again. Thinking about it, I was craving something. But, I wasn't sure if it was the right time of the day for it. It was hard to get a grip on time. "What time is it?" I asked, giving up after not really figuring it out on my own. I couldn't find a clock anywhere in the room.

Charlie looked at his watch. "A little after two in the afternoon."

"Oh," I said, feeling a bit disappointed. "No, that's okay. I'll just wait until dinner."

Edward sighed, rolling his eyes. "What is it that you want, Bella?"

"Eggs," I said sheepishly. I looked up as Edward chuckled. "What?"

"I think I can arrange that," he said as he stood up. "IHOP?" I nodded my head quickly in response.

"I can get it, Ed," Charlie commented as he went to stand. Edward put his hand up with a smile.

"No, I'll get it. Why don't you two spend some time together? What would you like, love?" He asked, turning his attention towards me.

I thought about it for a minute. "Breakfast sampler."

Edward rolled his eyes. I could almost see his thoughts to that answer. I was sure it had something to do with me running to the bathroom and throwing it all up, but he didn't say anything. Instead, he turned his eyes towards my father. "What about you, Charlie?"

"Same," he said with a smile.

Edward leaned in and lightly gave me a kiss on the forehead again. He whispered that he loved me in my ear, running a soft hand over my stomach. Before he left out the door he stopped abruptly and turned, "I'll just be a few minutes. I'm going to get you a toothbrush and such, too. I figured you might need it by now."

I giggled softly, "yeah. That's an understatement. Thank you."

"Of course," he called before shutting the door. I leaned back into the bed, smiling slightly. I had the sweetest husband.

My father's eyes focused on me. "So, kid, how are you really feeling?"

I looked at my dad for a few seconds, trying to figure out exactly what he meant by that question. "As I said, Dad, I'm just a bit tired." I decided to take the ignorant route. I wanted him to explain himself.

"No," he sighed, rolling his eyes. "With all this?" He waved his hand over my stomach.

"I am good about this," I said in a mocking tone, waving my hand over my stomach as he had done. He couldn't even say out loud that I was pregnant. "I wasn't expecting it, but it's not a bad thing."

"I'm just surprised. You're just normally so responsible..." He trailed off, muttering quietly to himself.

"I was on birth control," I told him a bit angrily. "I was being responsible."

"Oh."

"Besides, I'm married. There isn't anything wrong with me being pregnant now." I pointed out, trying to soothe my anger but it wasn't working. He had insulted me and my pride.

"I know that," he said, his tone embarrassed. "You're just so young, Bells."

"I know. I wasn't expecting it as I said, but I don't think this is a bad thing. It was meant to happen. Edward and I are meant to be parents." I stopped when I realized how true those words were. I smiled slightly, feeling a little bit lighter. "We weren't trying but I'm happy. We're both happy."

"You'll be a fine mother," Charlie said before patting my knee.

It was getting too emotional for both of us so I decided to change the subject. We needed something safe to talk about. Something that wouldn't cause tears. "So, how long you staying for?"

"I'm leaving on Monday," Charlie said with a yawn.

"You look tired," I commented. "You should get some sleep. Go back to the house and sleep on a real bed."

"I'm not going to leave you alone," he replied firmly until he yawned again. I rolled my eyes and opened my mouth. When he saw my expression he spoke more clearly. "I won't leave you alone."

"I'll keep her company, Charlie," I heard a familiar voice say. I smiled slightly to myself.

"Hi, Emmett!" I called, smiling at him brightly. He was the perfect friend to see at that moment.

"Hey there, girlie. It's nice to see you awake. You were really starting to worry us," my friend commented as he went to the end of the bed and tugged at one of my toes through the blanket. He turned his attention back to Charlie. "Seriously, I'll keep her company. I ain't got nothing better to do today."

"Ain't got nothing..." I snorted to myself. "Great grammar."

"Shut up," he teased, winking at me.

Charlie watched the exchange between us silently. He seemed concerned for some reason, but another yawn came from his lips. I gave him a pointed look and he sighed. "Alright, I'm going to get some sleep. You be a good girl and call me if you need anything."

My father gave me an awkward kiss before leaving me alone with my friend. With one easy movement he scooted me over to one edge of the bed and he sat beside me then put an arm around my shoulder.

"So, where's Rose?" I asked, poking his rib.

"She with her family. They have this traditional meal that they eat every New Years. It's disgusting, so I used you to get out of it."

"Gee, thanks. Glad to be of service," I muttered sarcastically.

"Hey! I should be thanking you! Black-eyed peas and cabbage are gross. At least the way they make it is."

"You know a veggie won't kill you," I shot back quickly, enjoying our banter.

"Sounding like a mother already," he laughed.

I sighed. "Do I really?"

"Yup, it's not a bad thing." He placed a kiss on my cheek. I sniffled, trying to hold in sudden tears. He pouted out his lips, giving me sad puppy dog eyes. "My baby is going to have babies!"

"Shut up," I laughed, a couple tears spilling down my eyes as I slapped him on the stomach. He huffed loudly before laughing, rubbing the side of my arm. "God, this is scary."

"I can imagine," he whispered. "You'll do fine, babe. You're going to be a fantastic mom. Edward, on the other hand..." He trailed off, breaking the tension in the heavy moment. I was grateful to him for that.

I poked his ribs and he laughed again, hugging me tightly to him. I set my head on his shoulder. "Thanks, Em."

"Anytime, baby. Anytime."

Edward

It only took me an hour to get all the things I need. I order the food on the phone before I went to Walmart. It was right next door so it would be ready by the time I got done. It didn't take me long to find all the things I need. What took the longest was the wait at the checkout.

Not a single noise was coming from Bella's room I realized as I walked down the hall. I wasn't surprised. Charlie was never one for chatting and I wouldn't be too surprised if Bella was sleeping again.

What I saw when I came in did surprise me though. In the bed was Bella and Emmett, his arm draped over her shoulder. She had her head on his chest, her fingers clutching his shirt. Em's head was tilted back, his mouth hanging open. They were both dead asleep. Charlie was nowhere in sight. I sat the bags down and walked to the bed and tapped my friend's shoulder.

"You know, this is probably the only time in the history of marriage that a man hasn't considered killing the man he found sleeping in the bed with his wife," I whispered, smirking.

He opened one eye and snorted before closing it again. He snuggled in closer to Bella. "Leave me and my sister alone."

"Oh, sister, huh?"

"Yup, she needs a big brother. I decided to take the position. The money is crap but it's well worth it."

"Well, that's good to know. Now, get the hell out of my wife's bed. She needs to eat a little something."

Emmett sighed, rolling his eyes dramatically. "Fine."

He leaned over and lightly kissed Bella's hair. "Hey kid, it's time to wake up. The man says you need to eat."

I laughed as Bella's eyes shot open. "Food?"

"Yup, scrambled eggs just the way you like it. I wasn't sure what you wanted to drink so I got you some milk and juice," I informed her as I started pulling the containers out. "Where's Charlie?"

"He was tired so I sent him home," Bella explained as she pulled open the butter package and smeared it over her pancakes. She looked extremely excited at the prospect. I hoped that something agreed with her stomach and stayed down.

"Oh, I got his food-" Before I could finish the sentence Emmett snatched the container from my hands.

"I'll take care of that," he said happily. "Mm, bacon."

I rolled my eyes, sitting beside Bella with my own food. She hummed in pleasure at a bite of sausage, laying her head on my shoulder. "You are amazing. Thank you."

"Just doing my duty, ma'am." I teased, kissing the tip of her nose.

"Gah, you guys are so mushy."

Bella and I ignored him, chowing down on her food. When Bella was about halfway done she noticed the couple other bags by the window sill. "What's all that?"

"Something to make your stay a bit better."

"I'm leaving tomorrow," she said with a raised eyebrow.

"Okay, make your New Year's better then," I corrected, offering her my piece of bacon since she already finished hers. She snatched it from my grasp, sticking it quickly in her mouth. She chewed a bit, putting the piece in her cheek as she spoke through clenched teeth.

"You know, it's okay. I don't mind it."

"Since we can't celebrate the way we want to," I wiggled my eyebrows at her, "this will have to do. Now, finish up. You need to finish that."

"Well, ladies and gentlemen, as much as I hate to eat and run, I need to hit the road. If I don't my woman will end up beating me and I'll end up in a bed next to you kiddo," Emmett interrupted as he stood, stretching his arms over his head.

Bella smiled, waving him over. She hugged him tightly before placing a big kiss on his cheek. "Thanks, Em. You're a good guy."

"Yeah, yeah..." He said in embarrassment, rubbing the back of his neck. "Feel better. You'll be home tomorrow?"

"Yeah, hopefully," she sighed heavily.

"I'll get the gang together on Wednesday and we'll have a little party. Jazz and Al should be back in time for that." He waved as he exited, giving a little wink to us. "Be good, kids."

"Like we have a choice," I muttered as he shut the door.

Bella

After Emmett left Edward and I sat around and watched television. The nurse hardly came in at all to bother us. After my dinner which I ate in a hurry even though it hadn't been that long since lunch, Edward held me as I fell asleep. He was whispering sweet and loving words in my ear the entire time.

When I woke up again I blinked furiously as I tried to refocus. There were several candles in the room, the lights dimmed. I realized that it was around eleven thirty at night. I laughed as I noticed that there was a bunch of ice in the sink and a bottle of something, along with two flutes. There was a box of chocolates beside my bed, along with a gift bag. Beside it was a note.

"Get dressed," it said in Edward's beautiful script.

I took the bag and went to the bathroom. Inside was a cute little nightgown, cotton and soft. It wasn't exactly sexy but it was comfortable. There was also a robe and a pair of socks. I brushed my teeth with the things that were in the bathroom. I actually brushed them twice. The last thing in the bag was a tiny stuffed lamb. I hugged it to my chest with a smile, padding out to the room to find Edward on the bed. In his hands were the two flutes filled with a sparkling clear liquid.

"Edward, I can't have champagne. I'm pregnant!"

He rolled his eyes as I stated the obvious. I was still half asleep and dopey. "It's sparkling apple cider, love. Come on, get in bed with me."

I grinned and climbed in beside him. He pulled the blanket over my legs and handed me a glass. Edward pulled a chocolate candy from the box and offered it to me. I took a tiny bite, savoring the caramel inside. I hummed quietly, leaning my head back.

"This is so nice. You didn't have to do all this."

"Yes, I did," my husband replied, leaning down to kiss some of the chocolate from my lips. "If you're going to be stuck in here, you might as well be comfortable and enjoy yourself."

"The nurses are gonna be mad at you for the candles." I pointed out with a laugh, taking a sip of the cold drink. I giggled as I remembered the ice. "Inventive use of the sink, by the way."

He flushed. "I forgot an ice bucket. And I cleared the candles with nurses. It's amazing what a couple dozen donuts can do to butter up ladies."

I laughed, wrapping my arms around his neck after setting down my drink. I leaned forward and lightly kissed his lips. "Thank you. This is too much."

"Not enough. Not nearly enough for you," he said, caressing my cheeks gently.

We gazed into each other's eyes for a long time. We traced each other's cheekbones, jaws, nose, lips, and earlobes with our fingertips, memorizing each other. After a few minutes, I lifted Edward's glasses off of his face. He blinked furiously, adjusting his eyes. I grinned, loving the way the bronze looked against his creamy skin. He didn't know how beautiful he was.

"I love you," I whispered softly, afraid to break the silence of the moment, "Daddy."

Edward chuckled, running a gentle hand over my stomach. "I love you too, Mommy."

We kissed then, gentle and soft. Nothing more and nothing less. I held tightly to him, enjoying the sensation of being so close to him. Not just physically, but emotionally.

We didn't even realize when it was midnight. It didn't matter. I got my kiss either way.

Twins…

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