Bella shifted uncomfortably in the hard plastic seat. She looked around the waiting room, taking it all in. It was still kind of surreal.

Carlisle had driven to the hospital. Esme sat in the front seat, her cell phone glued to her ear. Despite the hour, she had called the family lawyer, who happened to be a close friend of Carlisle's. Bella sat in the middle of the backseat, crammed between Alice and Edward.

Edward held her hand the entire way. His sweaty, tight grip was the only indication of his anxiety.

When they parked the car, Edward gave her a fierce, quick kiss. The troubled look in his eyes tugged on her heart, and Bella understood what he was silently trying to communicate. He was sorry.

She didn't want to speak with his family so close, so Bella simply hugged him. She squeezed him tightly, and the way he buried his face in her neck made Bella want to cry. That wasn't an option, though, so Bella brushed her lips over the top of his head and pulled away.

Edward took her hand again as they walked into the hospital.

All they knew was that Jessica was in labor. She refused to let Edward or Carlisle into her room, and the hospital was backing up her decision. They stood down the hall, right outside of Jessica's door.

Bella watched Carlisle put his hand on Edward's shoulder, gesturing dramatically with his other. Then he motioned for them to take a walk. Edward looked up at her, catching her eye, and Bella merely nodded. The two men walked down the hallway and disappeared.

Esme was pacing back and forth in front of the nurse's station. She knew a couple of the nurses by name from her frequent visits to the hospital. Bella knew she was relying on those tentative friendships to milk some information out of them.

Alice snoozed softly next to her. Bella glanced at her enviously. She wished that she could sleep, but her stomach was knotted up tighter than anything.

Her eyes returned to the door of Jessica's room. Bella wondered if her mother was in there with her. Maybe Lauren was, too.

The door suddenly opened, and a weary-looking Emma Stanley stepped outside. Bella watched her dig into the pocket of her jeans and pull out some bills. She counted them and then walked over to the elevator, hitting the button. Twenty seconds later, she was gone.

Bella looked around quickly. Esme was still chatting up the nurses, and Alice was still sleeping. Suddenly she was up and moving down the hallway, getting closer and closer to that door. The sound of her own heart racing was all she could hear.

Not really sure of what she hoped to accomplish, Bella knocked on the door and stepped inside before anyone could see her.

"Mom?" Jessica called out, her voice curious. "Did you forget…"

She trailed off as Bella stepped into view. Her expression changed into one that was more guarded, ready to defend herself.

"Hi," Bella said quietly.

The sight of Jessica lying in the hospital bed affected her more than she expected. Bella felt vaguely nauseous, recalling with perfect clarity her own visit to Forks Hospital. Jessica looked pale and washed out, and altogether too tiny in the big bed.

"You're not allowed in here," Jessica responded, but her voice was void of any real emotion.

"I just wanted to make sure you were okay," Bella shrugged. She took a minute to look around the room. No Lauren. Just an overnight bag, presumably packed by her mother.

Jessica's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "I'm not stupid. Did Edward send you in here to try to get some information or something?"

Bella approached the bed cautiously. She sat down in a chair next to the bed and twisted her hands together. "No. Edward went with his dad on a walk. Maybe a pep talk or something. No one knows I'm in here."

"Well, what do you want?" she demanded.

"I just…I guess I just…wanted to check on you," Bella finished lamely. "It's exciting, isn't it? I mean, in a little while you'll be a mother. You'll have a baby."

Jessica looked at her like she was insane, then shook her head and dropped her gaze to her lap. She frowned a little. "It's hard to understand, sometimes. I can't believe there's a person inside of me. I – I don't know how to do this."

Bella's throat tightened and she had to look away, but she couldn't look anywhere except for Jessica's stomach. When she spoke, her voice was little more than a whisper. "You'll figure it out. And you'll have help."

This time, Jessica looked right at her. Her eyes were wide and panicked. "No, I don't know what to do. I can't do this. I can't handle it."

Bella stood up and reached for Jessica's hand, covering it with her own. "Jessica, you'll be fine. It's scary, but you'll just know what to do. It'll come to you."

"Why are you being so nice to me?" Jessica asked tearfully. She pulled her hand out from under Bella's to wipe at her eyes.

Bella took a step back, feeling ridiculous now. She felt her face heat up. "I don't think you should go through this alone, that's all. And…I guess….I'm kind of jealous."

Jessica huffed. "Yeah, right. You're jealous of me. Knocked up at seventeen, no job, no boyfriend, broke, and an alkie mom to boot."

As soon as the words left her mouth, Jessica looked sick, as if she regretted being so honest.

Bella was shocked; she didn't know what to say or how to respond. She wanted to tell her it was okay, that she knew what she was going through, but everything sounded clichéd and hollow.

As Bella opened her mouth to reply, there was a quick knock on the door and then it opened. A nurse came in, clipboard in hand, with a big smile.

"Hi, Jessica," she gushed. "My name is Gianna and I'm taking over for Jane. I'll be with you for the rest of the night, or until we pop that cute little sucker out of you."

"Okay," Jessica replied faintly.

Gianna studied her clipboard for a moment, then checked the stats written on the whiteboard opposite Jessica's bed. "Okay. So. The doctor should be by shortly to talk to you about the results of the tests, but I believe you're actually a bit further along than you originally thought. Of course, she'll let us know for sure, but if that's the case then we may be able to proceed with the labor naturally."

Gianna asked something else, but Bella's mind went blank. Further along than she thought? What did that mean? Her gaze shot over to Jessica, who was staring back at her with a terrified expression on her face.

Jessica's eyes welled up with tears. Bella bit her tongue, trying to keep her mouth shut.

"Babies born in the eighth month are usually fine. Our main concern is her lung function, and that's what the doctor is going to talk to you about. Just try and relax," Gianna said reprovingly, frowning at Bella. She felt the sudden animosity in the room and didn't appreciate someone upsetting her patient.

"Is it Edward's?" Bella asked, her heart twisting painfully. She leaned forward, holding her breath, wanting – needing – an answer.

"I – I…I don't," Jessica stammered. She flushed pink and looked at Gianna for help, who rounded on Bella with a scowl.

"Whatever you're talking about needs to be dealt with later," she said firmly. "Why don't you wait out in the waiting room? I need to speak with Jessica privately."

"Jessica, please," Bella pleaded.

Jessica looked torn, visibly upset. Gianna put her hand on Bella's arm and led her to the door.

"Later, okay?" she said, her voice not very kind.

Bella watched the door shut in her face, staring at Jessica's stricken expression until there was nothing left to see.

"Bella?"

She heard Edward's incredulous voice and turned as he jogged down the hallway. He looked from her to the door and back. "Are you…are you okay? What were you doing in there?"

Carlisle and Esme were hot on his heels, wearing identical expressions of concern.

Bella blinked and tried to process the information she just received. "Ummm. I guess Jessica is further along than she thought. And the doctor already did some testing on her."

"Further along than she thought," Carlisle muttered. They could practically see the wheels in his head turning. "I'll see if I can find anything out."

"Testing?" Edward repeated. "What kind of testing? Will my – will the baby be okay?"

Bella flinched at his words but no one seemed to notice. My baby.

"I'm sure everything is fine," Carlisle responded strongly. "There are plenty of tests that the doctor could be doing; some routine checks, even. It's nothing to worry about."

Edward sighed and raked a hand through his hair, visibly agitated.

"Why don't you guys go have a seat? It could be a while," Carlisle told them. "I'm going to try to get a word in with the obstetrician on call."

"Tanya should be here soon," Esme said softly, looking at Carlisle.

He shook his head. "She didn't have to come all the way out here. The paternity test could wait until the morning. We'll have to wait on the courts, anyway."

Esme shrugged and arched an eyebrow. "She cares, I suppose."

Carlisle nodded and sighed heavily. "Okay. Have them page me if she arrives before I get back. If you guys want anything from the cafeteria, just tell them to put it on my account."

Bella trudged down the hallway with a heavy heart. Edward walked next to her, silent and brooding. By the time they returned to the waiting room, Alice was awake and flipping through a glossy fashion magazine.

The small waiting room had also filled up with some of Jessica's friends. Lauren, Mike and Tyler sat together on the opposite side of the room. They all had balloons and a plethora of wrapped gifts.

"Maybe we should get her something from the gift shop," Alice whispered, nodding at the crew.

Edward shrugged but didn't say anything, so Alice looked at Bella.

"Maybe in a little while," Bella mumbled. She didn't really feel up to being alone with Alice. She'd want to talk, and then she'd know Bella was upset and feel obligated to cheer her up. Frankly, that just wasn't possible at the moment, and Bella didn't even want to try.

She was burning with envy. She wanted to be the one in that room. She wanted her family and friends here, waiting for her with presents and smiles. She wanted to know her entire life was going to change in just a few hours. But most of all, Bella wanted that baby. Edward's baby. Her baby.

Tears pricked her eyes as she thought of the unfairness of it all. She would never have her own baby. Sure, she could adopt, but it wasn't the same. She wanted to carry around that big belly and have that gorgeous glow. She wanted to feel her baby kick. She wanted it all.

"Alice, let's go to the gift shop," she whispered, her throat aching.

Alice nodded and tossed aside her magazine. "You want anything, Ed? I'm hungry. We'll probably eat down there but we can bring something back."

"No," he responded dismally. "I'm fine."

Alice held up her BlackBerry. "Call us if anything happens."

Bella picked at her soggy French fries. She was hungry, but she didn't really feel like eating. Her stomach was too unsettled.

Alice sucked up the rest of her chocolate milk through a straw, openly studying her. She placed the empty milk carton on the table. "I think Jessica is lying."

Bella resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Well, she's obviously really pregnant and no one believed that."

"I just mean…" Alice trailed off. She shrugged. "I don't know. It just doesn't feel like everything is about to change, ya know? The energy just isn't there."

"The energy," Bella echoed dryly. She began to respond to that, but thought better of it. "We've been gone for a while."

"Over an hour," Alice agreed. "It's not like anything happened, though."

They hung around for another half hour before tossing their garbage. Bella insisted on getting some food for Edward and his parents.

"And now to the gift shop?" Alice asked.

"Sure," Bella agreed.

More time was killed in the gift shop. Bella let Alice do the shopping, so they ended up with flowers, balloons and three stuffed dinosaurs in a rainbow of colors.

As soon as they got out of the basement, where both the cafeteria and the gift shop were located, both of their cell phones began to vibrate like crazy.

Alice whipped hers out, and her eyes widened almost immediately. "Oh, shit! I must not have had service down there! I have four voicemails!"

Bella's heart slammed into her throat and she whirled around, trying to calculate the quickest way back to the maternity ward. Alice, sensing her panic, grabbed her arm and dragged her down the hallway.

They were back upstairs, breathless and flushed, in minutes. Alice shoved the food at a frazzled Esme. Edward and Carlisle were nowhere to be seen.

"Where's Edward?" Bella asked frantically. The voice that came out of her was too high and shrill to be her own.

"They're waiting to see the baby," Esme said, her voice soft in an attempt to be soothing. She put the food down on an empty chair and grabbed Bella's hands.

"It's done? The baby is out? Is she okay?" she asked desperately. It felt like everyone was talking too slow – moving too slow – didn't they understand what was happening? This was it!

"Jessica is fine, and as far as we know, the baby is fine, too," Esme replied. She took Bella's hand and squeezed it tightly. "I was just waiting on you two. It's okay, Bella. We'll go together."

Esme began walking briskly down the hall, half hugging Bella to her side. Bella tried to gently shrug her off; she didn't want to hurt Esme's feelings but she was wired too tightly. She didn't want to be touched or coddled. She just needed to know what was going on.

They rounded the corner and spotted Carlisle and Edward. They were peering through the glass windows of the nursery, obviously still trying to get a look. Bella broke into a run.

Then the two men froze, and simultaneously leaned closer to the window. Bella faltered, watching as Edward snapped back into action. He grinned, his smile stretching from ear to ear, and let Carlisle pull him into a hug.

Carlisle, too, looked overjoyed…maybe even a bit teary-eyed.

Did she look like Edward? Did she have his crazy hair?

Bella wasn't aware that she had come to a stop until Edward turned and spotted her. His face somehow lit up even more, and her heart wrenched painfully. All the air whooshed out of her lungs as Bella realized she would never put that look on his face.

"Bella!" he shouted. Edward hurried over to her, holding out his hand. His cheeks were flushed and he looked happier than he had in months. "Come here. You need to see her."

Bella swallowed hard. What should she do? She didn't want to run away and ruin the moment – well, actually she did, but she couldn't. It would hurt Edward and she would look like a petulant child.

Could she pull it off? Walk over and gush over how cute the baby was, and pretend she was happy for him?

"Come on," he said breathlessly. He tugged her down the hallway and with each step, the dread in her stomach worsened.

"Look," Edward said, gently pushing her to the window. He stood behind her, so close that they were touching. His arm snaked around her, holding Bella steady against him. There were two nurses fussing over the baby, blocking the view.

Edward rapped his knuckles on the window and one of the nurses looked over her shoulder. She smiled at him and held up a finger, motioning for him to wait. Bella held her breath. The nurses paused and wheeled the baby incubator over to the window.

She was tiny. So, so tiny. Her eyes were closed and her skin was wrinkled up. A shock of dark, tight curls covered her head.

"She's so small," Bella whispered.

"Her skin, Bella," Edward murmured. "Look at her skin."

Her skin was a smooth caramel color. It was light, but when Bella looked at the other babies, with their translucent, extra fair skin, she could see a difference. This baby was definitely not a Cullen.

"What…"

"Her father likely has medium to dark skin," Carlisle beamed. "Edward is far too pale."

Bella turned around to look at Edward, and the elation on his face was unmistakable. He laughed and hugged her tightly, one hand tangling in her hair and pushing her face into his neck.

"Tyler has been in with Jessica since they brought the baby out. It's okay," he whispered into her hair, the relief evident in his voice. "We're okay. She's beautiful, but she's not mine."

"She's not your baby," Bella repeated dumbly. She was shocked; Bella had completely accepted the fact that there would soon be a newborn at the Cullen home.

Bella forced herself to inhale deeply and exhale slowly. She needed to calm her racing heart. Instead of smiling, like she was supposed to, a heavy weight sat on her chest. She glanced over her shoulder at the baby, who was blocked from view again.

She already had fantasies of rocking the baby to sleep in the nursery. That fresh, sweet baby smell – first smile, first laugh, first step…Bella had already imagined them all, and it pained her to know that she wouldn't be there for them.

Edward frowned, not anticipating this reaction from Bella. He released her and stepped closer to his father, dropping his voice even lower. "Can I have the keys? I want to get Bella out of here."

Carlisle hesitated, then pulled the keys out of his pocket. "Yeah. I'll have Tanya give us a lift home. Will you be there?"

"No," Edward hedged. "I think we might go back to Bella's. We just need some time alone. Talk it through."

Carlisle nodded, his eyes shifting over to Bella. "Call if you need me."

Edward broke the speed limit on the way to the Swans' house. He wasn't worried about being pulled over; he wasn't worried about anything except Bella, and the sad expression on her face.

"Do you have your keys?" he asked.

She barely looked at him. "There's a key to the back door under the flower pot in the backyard."

He took the lead. Bella followed him into the backyard and pointed to the flower pot. He brushed dirt off of the key before unlocking the door.

The house smelled musty. It had a deserted feel to it, and Bella felt slightly guilty that she hadn't been back even once since she moved to Edward's. She would need to clean up a bit and air it out before Charlie came home.

"Are you hungry?" he asked, moving around the kitchen. He turned the lights on, one by one.

"No. Alice and I ate at the hospital," she answered quietly.

There was a heavy pause and then Edward let out a frustrated noise. He stepped close to her. "Bella, I…I don't understand. I thought this was the best possible outcome for us, but you seem upset."

She sniffled and he watched two big fat tears roll down her cheeks. Bella looked away and wiped at them with the back of her hand. "I know. I mean, it is. I just…I guess I didn't realize how much I was looking forward to her."

"To the baby?" he asked softly. He reached up to smooth back her hair, then slipped his hands down to her waist. He pulled her into his arms.

Bella nodded. She shivered and he tightened his grip. The house was cold.

"We should turn the heat on," Edward muttered, voicing her thoughts. "Are you tired? Do you want to go to bed?"

"I don't think I can turn my brain off," Bella confessed. "But you must be tired. We can go to bed."

Edward paused at the thermostat on the way upstairs. Bella watched him fiddle with it, and then he looked up and caught her staring. He flashed her a huge, goofy grin and Bella couldn't stop her resulting smile.

Her bedroom was messy, exactly how she left it. Bella picked through her dresser for a pair of pajamas, and then realized Edward might need a pair. "Do you want a pair of shorts or…."

She looked over her shoulder and, upon seeing Edward, immediately lost her train of thought. He had kicked off his shoes and stripped down to just his boxers. He sat down on the edge of her bed and appeared deep in thought. She smiled, enjoying the feeling of possession that washed over her. He belonged to her.

"Bella, I know you're upset, but I think this is a good thing," he said earnestly. He looked up at her, oblivious to Bella's smoldering gaze. "It means we have time to be kids, you know? We can go to college and act irresponsible and have fun. And then, when we're ready, we can do the grownup thing. Get married and have a couple of kids."

She crossed the room and sat next to him. "Have you thought much about college? I know you were planning on staying local…"

Edward smirked. He leaned into her and angled his head for a kiss, but pulled away before it became too heated. "I thought we were headed to New York."

She uttered a cry of surprise. "What?"

"Vassar or Marist, right?" he asked. "Those were your top choices for college."

"Yes, but…"

"Wherever you go, I go," he said firmly.

"Oh, Edward," she whispered, throwing her arms around him. "You're just…you're awesome."

"I love you," he laughed, smiling against her throat. "Now, can we take these clothes off?"

"No way," Bella admonished. "It's way too cold in here."

Edward chuckled. "I'm sure I can find a way to warm you up."

And before Bella could take another breath, she was flat on her back with Edward hovering above her. He slanted his mouth over hers, kissing her until Bella wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him down on top of her.

"I love seeing you like this," he whispered. She gazed up at him, her long hair splayed out across her pillow. Bella smiled, her red lips glistening from his overzealous kisses. He traced a finger along her cheekbone. "You're so beautiful."

Edward kissed the base of her throat, rubbing against her gently as his hands drifted south. He unbuttoned her jeans and Bella raised her hips so he could pull them down.

Her clothing was peeled off in layers, tossed careless to the floor. The house was completely silent, save for the sounds of their heavy breathing. Bella's breathing quickened as the intensity of Edward's touches increased, until one breathy moan ran into the next. His skilled fingers knew exactly how to prepare her body for his entrance.

Edward shifted and took his weight off of her, holding his breath as he pushed inside of her. Bella closed her eyes, drunk with pleasure. She let him do the work and each thrust was deeper than the last, pushing her closer and closer to that moment of pure bliss.

Her hands rested on his shoulders, and soon, Bella could feel him trembling. His harsh breathing and half-moans signaled how close he was. Bella's stomach muscles began to tighten and she moved her hips, trying to reach her peak.

She bit her lip and the next time he thrust inside of her, throbbing and so hot, she grabbed his hips and forced him to stay buried deep inside. Her body jerked as her insides clenched and convulsed around him. "Oh, god, Edward!"

He let out a muffled noise, almost a growl, before pulling out and slamming into her one last time. His body went rigid and he groaned before collapsing on top of her.

"You're amazing," he murmured, kissing her throat. He reached over and turned off the bedside lamp.

"I love you," Bella said dreamily. The cover of night made everything much more intimate. She was completely content, and so relaxed. The drama and tension of the day had dissolved.

"Mmm, you too," Edward replied. "I love you, Bella."

She snuggled against him, and underneath the blankets it was warm and cozy. It felt so right to be next to Edward.

"So are you ready?" he asked, his voice thick and sleepy.

"For what?" Bella wondered.

She could feel his smile. Edward found her hand in the dark and laced their fingers together. "For the rest of our lives, Bella."

Bella laughed and felt a jolt of happiness race through her body. Yes, she was ready. The rest of her life was manageable with Edward by her side. In just six months, they would be done with high school. She would be able to leave behind Forks and all of the heartache she experienced there.

Best of all, Edward would be with her.

"Yes, I'm ready," she whispered, smiling.

THE END

*cries* that's it, folks! epilogue will be posted in the next couple days, followed by the outtakes. i'll wait until then to get sappy...but i do need to thank the beta extraordinaire, siouxchef, for her input with this chapter. lots of baby knowledge!!

i hope you guys like the ending. this is what i had planned out from day one...let me know? and yes, there were a bunch of you that guessed tyler was the actual father!

LUNA