Chapter 37

My children were born November 21st 2010! A boy and a girl…they are the 2 most beautiful babies in existence. Vampire human hybrids…They are a uniquely gorgeous mix of both their parents. They both have Edward's color hair, but my curls. Our daughter, born 2 minutes before her brother, took her father's emerald green eyes, while our little boy has my chocolate brown eyes. Both are pale and in the sunlight their skin has a slightly mysterious glow, but its nothing like Edward and the rest of the family's. Our daughter weighed in at 5 pounds 4 ounces, while our son was just 4 pounds 7 ounces…

All this important information has been relayed to me through Edward…

I am currently lying in a coma waiting to awaken as his vampiric mate. It feels as if I'm floating in a void… I can't tell him, right now, how the fire that he told me to expect isn't affecting me at all…I can't tell him how his touch on my arm and his lips on my temple are the only things keeping me from the dark abyss of my own mind…I can't tell him how much I still love him…or that I hear every word he utters. The darkness seems to fold in on me but WAIT…! I hear his voice! My Edward is speaking to me…!

His lips touch my ear as he whispers to me. "Please come back to us, love… I love you and I miss you…so much! Is this how you felt when I left you? I feel so empty inside! Only our children and the memory of the dreams you had keep me from abandoning all hope. Our family wants me to name the babies, but I've decided to wait for you to awaken…I don't want to choose names which you may not like… Bella, please…You've been asleep for 4 days, my love… We're worried sick…and our children need you… Come back to me…" He trails off and holds me for a moment before allowing Rosalie to place one of the babies in his arms.

I drift a while longer before realizing that I now have a way to communicate with my family. I decide to make decisions…I decide that Alice is the one who can help me.

I hear her in the background. "Jazz, take her for a while… someone needs me…" She says. "Edward, did you see that quick vision? Someone made a decision…I think it's Bella."

I think back to the list of baby names. I decide to name my son, Charles Jacob…

Edward is silent for a few seconds and then speaks to me. "Bella…was that you? I thought you'd decided not to name any of our children after the dog…"

I change my mind to let him know that it really is me making contact.

"She can hear us! His true name is 'Thomas Joseph Cullen', and we can call him T J for short! Oh, this is so exciting!" Alice says, excitedly.

"Bella, I love you…Thank you for telling me our son's name…" He whispers pecking me on my cheek. "What about our daughter, love…what shall we name her…?"

Alice happily gives the news to the others. "She's chosen 'Rosabeth Mae Cullen' for our sweet green eyed girl! Oh, Bella, that's lovely!"

He kisses me lightly on my temple. "That was my favorite of the girl names you cobbled together, Bella-love."

Jasper speaks to my daughter. "Well, Rosabeth Mae…you think your healing touch will be able to wake Mommy up?"

"Let's give it a try, Little Rosie…" Edward says

I decide to be curious.

"I'm sorry; I forgot to tell you, my love, each child has multiple gifts…" Edward explains. "Our little princess, Rosabeth, can heal and T J, has visions…but he can only see what lies ahead for the 2 of them…you while they were still in-utero. Both of them can make their thoughts known to anyone, although, they could only get through to you in dreams. They can also hear each other's thoughts but not anyone else's."

I am awed by these little miracles.

Edward holds my hand as Jasper brings Rosabeth close enough to touch my head.

I feel the tiny hands as they touch my temples and I feel strange warmth from them. It seems to encompass me but nothing happens. The hands move away and the babies begin to cry.

My family consoles them…but it should be me.

I decided that we should just wait for me to awaken on my own. It will happen…

"Alright, love, we'll let it happen as it will…" My husband says.

Jasper's voice sounds close "She's tired, Edward, let her rest…"

I decide that Edward should go hunt.

Alice starts, "Edward, she wants you to…"

"…Hunt. I know, Alice, I saw your vision…"

"The girls and I will stay here with Bella and the babies, Edward…you'll feel better after you hunt…" Esme says. "…and Carlisle and the boys have missed having you with them…"

"I don't want to leave her, Esme…it's not that I don't think they'll be safe… I want to take her on her first hunt…I want to be here when she opens her new eyes to see the world as we do…I want to hear her say she still loves me before I leave her side." He says. "I want her to know I'll be coming back…"

"Edward, be reasonable." Alice says. "She decided that you should go hunt. That means that she loves you and knows you're coming back…doesn't it?"

"Alright, then I'll go… but not for long and not too far. If she starts to wake up or you get a vision of her waking up, promise you'll call me." Edward says.

I hear her promise as he places a lingering kiss on my lips. His footsteps fade down the hallway as my mind recalls the delivery of my children…

"So let's meet our newest family members…" Carlisle said.

I felt a massive pain as one or the other of my children kicked my left kidney. I cried out in pain. "Oh my god, Edward, this is so painful!"

"It's nothing compared to the fire you'll endure to become a vampire, Bella, suck it up." Esme said in the background.

I whimper and work through another contraction. "Oh my GOD! If vampires could have kids, Edward, you'd never get lucky again!"

I hear Rosalie say, "Maybe it's a good thing I never had kids…this sounds really painful."

"The babies are confused, love. They don't know what's going on. You're almost fully dilated, love, 8 cm… It shouldn't be long." Edward said, wincing as Emmett and Jasper are laughing in the background.

"So tell them! I'm a little busy here!" I yell at him.

"If you think it's funny, boys, you won't mind having a sex ban for a week…" Alice said menacingly.

"I think that sound's right, Alice. What do you think, Emmett?" Rose asked.

"Ok, I give! No more teasing Edward and Bella!" Emmett sounded afraid.

Jasper just apologized.

Edward whispered to my stomach a simple explanation that they were about to meet their family.

"Fuck, Edward, this is all your fault!" I yelled through another contraction.

He actually smiled. "If this is anyone's fault, honey, it's yours…I didn't put it on your bucket list! I didn't even think it was possible! The babies are very excited to get to meet everyone."

Yet another contraction hits me as I answer. "Fuck you! I still say it's your fault and if you ever want to have sex again you'll just agree with me!"

I heard more laughter and an 'OW!'

Rosalie must have hit Emmett.

"Ok, love…I'm sorry…It's all my fault…but Bella, you're fully dilated...The babies are in position and ready to come out." My husband said.

Our eyes met over my stomach and as Carlisle started to take over, another contraction hit me. "Holy shit! I can't believe I wanted to go through this!"

Dr. Cullen is now in charge. "Bella, with the next contraction, I need you to push for me…can you do that?"

I just nodded and grasped Edward's hand. His eyes never left mine and as I felt the next spasm begin, I took a deep breath and pushed really hard, the whole time thinking, *FUCK-FUCK-FUCK! FUCK, this hurts!*

"Give us another push, Bella, I see the head!" Carlisle said excitedly.

I yelled and pushed.

"The head is stuck…I'll have to do an emergency C-section." He said as he reached for the proper implements.

My last conscious moment was when he made the incision, although I do recall a few disjointed scenes…my husband, taking one baby in his arms and saying 'It's a girl' …Rose helping Carlisle take the other baby out and telling everyone that this one was a boy...Carlisle telling Edward that I needed to be changed if I was going to recover fully…Edward's lips and teeth touching my throat and wrists and tiny pin-pricks at all of my major pressure points…

A tiny voice whispers, "Momma? Daddy, is Momma awake yet?"

It's not really a voice yet. I think it's one of the babies' thoughts…!

"No, little one…not yet."

That was Edward's voice…He's back from his hunt? Then it occurs to me… THIS IS MY DREAM!

"But it's been so long…why isn't she waking up?" The tiny thought says.

"Soon… She'll come back to us soon." Edward's answer confuses me.

"Can I go play with uncle Em?"

"Sure, have fun…I'm waiting for Momma…"

I hear the sound of footsteps in a hallway. Someone must've been holding which-ever child had just been here…It's the only way anything makes sense.

I hear things…someone playing in the next room…a car in the driveway…a wolf howl coming from the east…

I feel something hovering at the edge of my awareness…a kind of blanket, but it's clear…I can tell it's there but I can see through it. What is it…?

I poke at it with a mental finger. It bounces back at me. I shove it in one direction and when it does what I tell it to, I figure out what it is…It's my gift. I can't wait to tell Edward. I have a shield…

"Bella…Bella…Where are you? Can you hear me, Baby…I love you…Come back to me…Come back to us…" Edward pleads.

My eyes open slowly. I swallow against the dry ache in my throat. He sits at my side, holding my hand with his eyes closed. So I squeeze his hand lightly.

His eyes pop open and he sees me looking back at him. "Bella…My sweet beautiful Bella…!" He jumps up. "She's awake! Hey everyone…Bella just woke up!"

Alice runs into the room. "Bella! It's so good to see you awake again! Do you like the dress I helped Edward put you in? It's blue and I know you like that shade!"

I tense up and Jasper holds her back near the door. "We all know how much Bella loves us and how much we love Bella, but she just went through a major event…2 major events…we need to let this progress slowly so she can find her groove and get used to her strength. The little ones will have to wait … They have beating hearts and blood pumping through their veins. She needs to become accustomed to them slowly."

I hear a thought. "But Uncle Jazz… Look…" I see a vision of myself drinking from a thermos and holding my daughter.

Carlisle steps forward and comes close. "Why don't we ask her a few questions first? Bella, Edward told us what he's told you while you were asleep. Do you remember anything in particular about what you heard in the last few days?"

I clear my throat and look at my husband. "I heard it all…and now I can tell you everything I've wanted to! I heard every word you spoke to me, Edward. I didn't feel anything…the fire you all told me about didn't affect me at all! Every touch of your hand on my skin, I felt and they were a lifeline that kept my mind focused… and Edward…I have a shield! It's why you can't hear my thoughts and I think it shielded me from the fire too! I can push it and pull it and I think it may be able to shield others, too! Jasper are you trying to use your power on me?"

"Yes, I tried to make you sad…It doesn't seem to be working." He says.

Emmett comes close and pokes me.

"Hey…! What was that for?" I ask.

"Look…" He says, poking at Edward's arm.

Edward's skin gives a bit.

Emmett pokes me again.

My skin doesn't give at all.

They look at me with awe.

I close my eyes and push my shield out in Edward's direction. "Poke…

"…me again, Em." Edward says as I open my eyes.

Emmett obliges.

His skin won't give this time, but I notice something else. "Edward, you finished my thought… I started to say for Emmett to poke you again and you…"

"I heard you!" He gasps. "I'm under your shield so I hear your thoughts!" He stops. "I can't hear them! I'm shielded from their thoughts!"

I decide to try something and wonder if it'll work…

"It might…try it, love." He says.

"Try what?" Alice asks.

"Wow…that's going to take some getting used to…" I grin shaking my head. I close my eyes again and visualize my shield. I take the shield and close it into 2 compartments one around me and one around Edward. Opening my eyes, I ask, "What did that do if anything?"

He looks at me with shock and awe. "I'm closed off… Bella…I can't hear any thoughts!" He then turns to Jasper. "If she can do all of this as a newborn who hasn't even fed yet, I think she can handle our children."

"Maybe she can…but can we at least wait til she's not hungry? It'll make me feel better." Jasper says.

I nod and take the thermos from Esme…