Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. I do own Arianna and the Plastic Pink Horror. Thanks to my beta, Macy!
My Miracle, My Angel — Chapter Twenty-Six
Previously ...
Bella laughed at that, but I could see she was still concerned about me. So I forced all my worry, my concern, my uncertainty back, and left only the smile on my lips. I kissed her forehead gently. "Every thing's going to be fine, Bella. Trust me." She nodded. I only wished I could trust myself.
October 20th, 10:00 AM ( Unknown POV )
"It won't be long now."
A small smile stretched over my lips as I stared at the man before me — nervous eyes, restless legs. He was not meeting my gaze, though, and I found it the smallest bit irritating. I walked forward, and came to a stop just in front of him.
"Have you been watching them?"
"As you asked me to, Aro. It's almost time. Not much more than a month. "
"Will the child live?"
"I believe so. If she is born before the venom completely destroys the mother's system.
I nodded in satisfaction, and then turned my back on the man. A mere doctor, a human man, among us ... a human that knew our secret, a human I had no intentions of changing. I smiled and met Felix's gaze; he was eager, excited. I nodded, and motioned toward the human.
His cries of pain faded into the background as I continued walking forward.
November 7th, 5:00 PM ( Bella POV )
Twenty three weeks, three days and four hours — that was how long I'd been pregnant.
I was currently getting used to life in Volterra, Italy ... and it was hard. The obvious language barriers were a problem, and I couldn't go anywhere without Edward by my side, which was frustrating.
I sighed as I began chopping a tomato. I was cooking dinner.
And that was when it first happened.
The pain that ripped through my stomach left me breathless, and it hurt. It hurt a lot. But it was gone as quickly as it came.
It left me confused, and worried. Confused because it felt nothing like that Dr. Ciro said possible premature labor would, and worried not because it could have been premature labor, but worried for my baby — had she felt the pain? Was she all right? I took several deep breaths in, and then whispered Edward's name softly; I knew he would hear me, even though he was in the other room.
He came running, concerned.
"Bella? Are you all right?"
I didn't realize until he leaned down beside me that I had slipped to the floor. I nodded weakly, and took another deep breath in. The pain was completely gone, but I felt weak, tired ... sick almost. The after shock of the pain still burned in my stomach.
"Stomach ... hurt ... " I gasped out, trying to pull myself into a sitting position. Edward didn't let me; instead, he pushed me back down gently and reached for the phone that never seemed to be far away. He dialed quickly, and I immediately realized it wasn't the number of his father. No, instead, it was the number of our OB/GYN.
The phone rang four times, and while Edward was waiting impatiently for someone to pick it up, he smiled reassuringly at me, but I could see past his carefully fabricated façade as he took me into his arms and supported my weight. His free hand unconsciously rubbed my stomach softly, tenderly.
My breathing was beginning to slow when Edward finally got Dr. Ciro on the line. When asked to describe the pain, Edward turned to me.
"Sharp, quick, in my stomach. Burns a little," I said, letting my eyes flutter closed as I listened to Edward repeat the information to Ciro; he waited in silence while he listened.
"No; it's gone now, Bella says." He paused and listened to another question. His fingers were now running through my hair as he sat behind me on the floor and placed my head in his lap. Breathing was becoming easier every second. "She almost miscarried around ten weeks." Another pause, another question. I briefly wondered what they were talking about. "No, she hasn't had any problems since."
"Edward, my stomach feels weir—"
But I didn't get to finish, for another wave of pain shot through my body. I bit my lip — hard — to keep from screaming.
"Bella! Bella, are you all right?" Edward asked frantically, dropping the phone in his haste to comfort me. I nodded, and gasped, squeezing my eyes against the pain. It lasted only a few second, and then it, too, passed. Edward was still worried.
( - Edward POV - )
I'd watched her in pain before; she hurt herself often, and I was always there to help her through it. But this was different. I could tell it was taking all her might not to cry out from the pain of it, and as soon as it passed, she was too breathless to even speak. And it scared me. Was this what Alice had been seeing? Was Bella miscarrying again? Was Arianna ...
But I didn't allow myself to finish the thought. I shoved it to the back of my mind and concentrated on Bella. She was breathing evenly, slowly, trying to keep the grimace of pain off of her lips. I ran my fingers shakily through her hair.
"Hello? Mr. Cullen? Are you still there?"
The voice coming from the phone snapped me from my thoughts, and I picked it up once more.
"I'm here," I said weakly. "It happened again, but it, too, passed."
Dr. Ciro, on the other end, paused and took in a deep breath. I could hear the rustling of paper as he looked over our file.
"Bella is twenty-three weeks along, correct?"
"Yes," I answered, kissing Bella's sweaty forehead softly. "Should I bring her to the emergency room? Is something wrong?"
I didn't know what to do. And it was driving me insane. I'd never felt so helpless as I had in the past few months; it was a new feeling, a horrible one. I wanted to do something, anything, but I didn't know what to do.
Dr. Ciro paused once more before continuing. "I'm fairly certain that she's just experiencing Braxton Hicks — pre-labor contractions, that help prepare a woman's body for labor. They're usually not intense, but they can be — in rare cases, extremely so — and from what you're describing, I'm almost completely positive that's what happening. It's nothing to worry about."
I breathed a sigh of relief, and I could feel the worry seeping out of my body. This was normal ... everything was fine ...
"Should I bring her in anyway?" I asked, and as I did, I caught Bella's eye, and I smiled softly at her. Her answering smile was tired, and just as soft.
"No. But if they get worse, or continue for a long period of time, then yes. Try letting her walk around, or have her take a warm bath. That should help relieve the pain, and even stop them for a period of time. She might experience Braxton Hicks once or twice a month through the remainder of her pregnancy, or not at all. Keep a close eye on her, and come in at the first sign of trouble, all right? If she feels more than four complete contractions in an hour, or if the pain gets worse than it is now, call me again."
I nodded, and then said, "Of course. Thank you, Dr. Ciro." I paused, and then asked, "Is there anything I can do to help her?"
"You can be there for her, and help her get comfortable. Other than that, no."
I nodded, thanked him again, and hung up. Bella was resting on my lap, her eyes closed and her breathing even. She bit her lip every now and again against the pain, and the feeling of helplessness intensified as I took her up in my arms and began to carry her into our bedroom. I sat her gently on the bed and whispered softly to her as I changed her out of her warm clothes into a pair of light pajamas. I told her everything Dr. Ciro had told me; I reassured her that our baby was fine, and that she was fine, and that I wished more than anything that I could take her pain away.
"It hurts, Edward," she whimpered, and I felt like hitting something. Why couldn't I help her? Why? I felt so useless! It was maddening.
But I smiled sweetly and held her in my arms, rocking her back and forth gently.
"I know, love, I know. I wish I could make it go away, but the doctor said this was normal, that this happens to every one."
"It hurts ... it burns ... " she whimpered, and I nodded, kissing her neck softly. She pressed back into me, laying her head on my shoulder. I held her tighter.
"The doctor said taking a warm bath might help. Do you want to try?" I asked, my breath caressing her soft skin. She nodded, and I gently picked her up in my arms once more. I made sure the water was warm, and after undressing us both, I climbed into the tub and held her in my arms once again as the water washed over our bodies. I could feel Bella relaxing in my embrace, and I breathed a deep sigh of relief.
"Feeling better?" I asked after several moments, and I had to work to make my voice as soft as it was; I was repressing the emotion I didn't want her to see in my eyes — black now, it had been so long since I'd left her after Alice's visions.
Alice's visions ... Oh, God, had she seen this coming? Was this ...? No! I screamed silently, clenching my teeth tightly as I began to run my hands up and down Bella's back. The doctor said this was normal. He said this happens to everyone.
I sucked in a deep breath as Bella nodded in answer to my question. She laid her head on my chest as she whispered, "Still hurts a little."
I kissed her forehead as I ran my hands tenderly along her arms, over her stomach, along her collarbone. She breathed out an unsteady breath as she whispered, "But it's better now."
"Mmm," I whispered, and we sat there for a long time — until the water got cold — simply holding each other, being with each other. Her pain was gone, and she fell asleep in my lap, her tummy pressed against mine. I smiled as I climbed slowly, gracefully, out of the water and picked her up gently, trying not to wake her; I didn't, and I quickly dressed her in a soft pair of pajamas before laying her down on our bed and covering her lightly with an afghan. I kissed her forehead and whispered softly.
"I love you, Bella ... so much."
She smiled past her sleepiness and breathed a sigh of contentment. I smiled and crawled into the bed beside her, taking her softly into my arms. She immediately curled around my body, and I let my lips fall to her neck as she whispered,
"Love you, too ... "
November 8th, 7:00 AM ( Bella POV )
I smiled as I poked at a piece of my toast. The pain in my stomach was gone — for now; Edward warned me that it might come back — and my husband was quite possibly the most caring, beautiful, thoughtful creature on the face of this Earth. How could my life get any better?
My smile grew as my caring, beautiful, thoughtful husband crawled onto the bed beside me. He was grinning from ear to ear, and I was sure we looked like a pair of smiling idiots right now. I didn't care. He spoke softly.
"Did I make everything all right?"
I nodded and took another bite of the blueberry pancakes he'd made for me.
"Every thing's perfect! Though I'm not sure if I can eat all of this ... "
I trailed off as Edward nodded happily, pleased at his accomplishment. He rested back against the front of the bed and simply watched as I continued to hungrily devour my breakfast — pancakes, toast, eggs, sausage, and a glass of milk.
"And no spaghetti sauce this morning!" he teased, poking me playfully. I turned to glare at him. He grinned back and quipped, "Imagine that."
"Shut up," I mumbled, pouting as I took another bit of my food.
It really wasn't that funny. So what if Arianna liked spaghetti sauce? I couldn't help that! I smiled as I chewed my pancakes. Spaghetti sauce was my favorite at the moment. I ate it with everything. Once, though, after Edward had refused to make me spaghetti for dinner — he claimed that so many tomatoes couldn't possibly be good for the baby — I had raided the fridge and smothered my chicken noodle soup in sauce, and them, my ice cream. Edward had gotten the point fairly quickly. The point, of course, being this: Bella gets what Bella wants.
"What are you thinking?" Edward questioned, kissing me softly on the cheek. I shrugged.
"Nothing much." I yawned and turned to look at my husband. "Hey, Edward ... I have a few questions."
Honestly, I'd been thinking about many things, constantly, and I had quite more than a few questions, but some were more important than others. Edward nodded, and smiled, silently telling me to continue.
"Will I ... be able to be around Arianna after I'm changed?"
My voice was but a whisper as I let the words slip past my lips. This question was the one that had weighed on my mind most heavily. I'd worried and worried about it, constantly, sometimes to the point of panic. But I'd never asked, because I'd worried too much about the answer. What if I could never see my daughter after she was born? What if I didn't get to see her first steps, because I wanted her blood too much?
But Edward's soft words melted my worry away.
"Don't worry, love. A newborn baby's blood doesn't even tempt the newest of vampires. There is too little of it, and it is too innocent; it doesn't ignite our blood lust."
I relaxed a little at his words, but I still had my doubts.
"What about as she grows?"
I bit my lip, but Edward reached up and gently but firmly pulled my lip away from my teeth. He smiled and kissed my forehead softly as he whispered, "By the time she is old enough that her blood will tempt you, you should have some control over your lust. That and you will be ... desensitized," he laughed as he used the word he'd used so long ago, right before I'd begged for him to stay the night with me. He continued, "Because she will have grown up around you, you probably won't even notice the change in her blood, for it will be so gradual."
"Oh."
We were silent for several moments as I took yet another bite of the amazing breakfast my angel had made for me. I smiled as I chewed on the sausage. I leaned back into Edward's chest and sighed happily. It was a wonderful feeling to know that I would pose no danger to my baby girl.
I decided to change the subject as another question popped into my mind. "So ... what are we going to be doing today?" I asked, biting back a yawn as I put my fork down; I was full.
Edward seemed deep in thought, but after what seemed like hours, he finally spoke, a tiny frown on his face. "I'm not sure. But I need to call Alice ... and Carlisle. Can you keep yourself occupied for a while, or should I wait until tonight to call?" he asked, and I shook my head and pointed to the large pile of books he'd bought me only days before.
"I can keep myself busy."
He smiled and kissed my forehead before moving off of the bed.
"Love you," he whispered against my skin, and his cool breath made my head swim.
"I love you, too," I whispered, and then he was gone. I sighed and picked up one of the books. This was going to be another long day.
( - Edward POV - )
I bit my lip — a habit I'd picked up from my Bella — as I dialed slowly. As the phone began ringing, I sighed and sat down on the couch, making sure I could still see Bella from my position. I smiled at her and waved, and she waved back, already completely engrossed in the book she was reading. Carlisle, all the way in Forks, Washington, picked up the phone.
"Edward? Is anything wrong?"
I smiled; it was good to hear a familiar voice. But then I frowned; why would he ask if something was wrong? Had Alice had another vision? Was something wrong? I took a deep breath in.
"No. Every thing's fine. Is something wrong back home? Has Alice seen any more visions of Bella? Has — "
But my frantic questions were cut off by laughter on the other end; Carlisle was chuckling softly as he spoke. "No, every thing's fine. Yes, Alice has had a few more visions ... but when she looks further into the future, everything remains the same — Arianna is alive and breathing, and Bella is a vampire. We're not sure what she's seeing — or when she's seeing — but as long as everyone pulls through, does it matter?"
I sighed and sank further into the couch.
"No, I suppose not. But I would like to know what's going on. What Alice said the other day scared me. Carlisle, I can't lose them." And my voice was soft, and quiet, and troubled; the longing, the pain, shone through my every word.
I could almost see Carlisle smiling softly, as he did when I was upset or troubled. It was the smile that a father would give his suffering child. I could almost see the tender expression shining in his eyes.
"Everything will be fine. Alice is still looking, Edward, but she can't make sense of the flashes she's getting. Please, do not be upset with her; she is trying very hard. But I promise you, if we discover something important, we will contact you immediately. So far, everything is fine. Believe me, Edward."
I took a deep breath in, and, glancing tenderly at Bella in the other room, I nodded and whispered, "I do trust you."
"Thank you."
"What exactly is Alice seeing?" I asked after a short pause, my anxiety not completely soothed. I wanted to know what was happening; everything. So, if her visions ever came true, if anything ever did happen, I would be able to recognize, to help. Carlisle paused before answering.
"She's seeing Bella's change ... we think. We can't be sure, of course. She only seeing flashes, snapshots. She's not seeing the whole thing; she can hear Bella's screams, and she can hear you trying to comfort Bella, but ... something's wrong. She says she can't place it, but something's not right."
"Couldn't she be seeing Bella in labor? I hear it's not ... exactly comfortable," I whispered, and I knew 'not comfortable' was an understatement. I winced. Carlisle answered slowly.
"No. She considered that at first, as well, but it doesn't fit. Not even a woman in labor screams like that."
I sighed, and then asked the question I didn't want to ask, but at the same time, needed the answer to. My voice was low and quiet.
"Has she had anymore visions of Arianna ... dying?"
I still had trouble saying the word. It was stupid, really.
"Three or four,"Carlisle answered, and I felt the anger rise again; if Alice had seen Arianna's death, why the hell hadn't she told me? Why!? But Carlisle spoke again before I could voice my rage. "But every vision of Arianna passing is immediately followed by a vision of the far future, and everyone is alive. I don't know what to make of it."
I was about to respond, to ask another question, when a second voice flooded over the phone. I immediately recognized it as Alice, but her tone was afraid, and more than afraid, exhausted. I realized with a pang of regret what these constant visions were doing to her; they were mentally exhausting her, and she was pushing herself beyond her limit, to try and see our future.
But more than the exhaustion I heard the naked fear.
And her words broke me.
"My visions,"she gasped. "In my visions, when Bella's screaming out ... Oh, God, she's still pregnant. I think she's still pregnant when she's changed."
Why yes, I did leave you on a cliffhanger. Never fear! Review, and a new chapter will be here! OH! And no, Alice is not seeing Bella in premature labor.
NOTE: Wow. Almost everyone guess premature labor. Buuut ... sadly, that's not it ... exactly. NO ONE got the right answer, but three people got veeery close. So, the winners are: browneyedbeauty4eva10, CaramelBoost and myst-notageekfreak. Ask your question, guys! I'll answer if I can!
NOTE 2: I might not be able to update until Wednsday. I usually have two-three chapters written in advance, waiting to be edited, but I was grounded for the weekend (My best writing time) so I'm behind. This is almost all I have written. I will update ASAP, though!!
Please Review! ( You know the deal. Review, and I'll update! )
NEXT CHAPTER:
"How can you be so calm!" I roared, and Bella screamed again. I was sobbing dry, tearless sobs now. My voice was quiet and torn as I spoke. "I'm going to lose them."