Chapter 35: Delivery & Change

Esme POV

Rosalie had just gone hunting with Emmett, and I wondered if Bella might be hungry again or if she needed anything. I made my way to the living in time to hear Bella telling Marcus she was sure Didyme still loved him, wherever she might be. I slowed my steps as I placed my hand over my heart for a moment. I marveled again, at just what a beautiful heart and soul our Bella had.

When I turned the corner, I saw Marcus and her sitting facing each other on the couch. She had her hand above his on her cheek. He was smiling down at her affectionately, and I was glad Marcus could be counted on, as an ally.

In an instant, Bella gasped in what sounded like pain and moved her hands down and stared at her belly. I noticed Marcus go rigid, just as the smell of Bella's blood hit my nose. I was moving before I knew I was. I didn't think, I just reacted. I was behind Marcus, restraining him just as he was about to lunge. I saw Bella's terrified face, before she noticed me pulling Marcus away.

Marcus didn't seem to fight me as much as I expected, but he managed to get out of my grip. Instinctually, I moved to get in front of Bella and blocked her from him. He growled at me and I growled back. He was older, stronger and potentially a more skilled fighter than I was, but I would protect Bella and those babies, if it was the last thing I did. He didn't advance upon us, and I suspected he was warring with himself, so I tried to reason with him.

"Go Marcus! Leave at once!" I said forcefully, and after a growl, he stormed out in a blur.

Immediately, I turned back to assess Bella. She was frightened, and so was I when I saw the blood staining through her thighs.

Oh, heavens, no! – I mentally prayed, and yelled out for Edward and Carlisle.

"Esme, the babies… something's wrong!" She told me in agony as tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Bella!" Edward yelled frantically, coming down the hallway with Carlisle not far behind.

Edward rushed to Bella's side, so I moved to allow him to comfort her. Carlisle came to her other side and took her wrist in his hand.

"Edward, she's losing blood. Labor has started and we need to get the babies out before she loses too much more. Take her to the delivery room we set up, upstairs. I'm on my way, son. Go." Carlisle said seriously and Edward turned his face to stare at Carlisle for another moment.

I was sure Carlisle was mentally telling him something more. Edward nod gravely, agreeing to change her as soon as the babies were out, and then they were gone.

By then, everyone was surrounding us, asking what happened. I noticed Jasper's eyes flash to black, as did Jane, Alec and Felix, when they smelled Bella's blood. Alice apologized for not having seen it until it was too late, but I shook my head, waving away her worry. I asked that she text Rosalie and Emmett, asking them to return right away.

"They were talking, and everything was fine. Suddenly, Bella gasped out in pain and I smelled her blood, just as Marcus did. I know we're fast, but I was on him and pulling him away before I realized I had moved. I prevented Marcus from getting to her. Luckily, he didn't really fight me as I thought he could. I convinced him to leave, and he did. He's probably feeding somewhere." I explained the events, as best I could since I was still shook up.

"He didn't bite her? When I smelled the blood, I worried he might have lost control." Jane, of all people, said worriedly.

I saw Charlie place an arm around her slender shoulders, and reassured Jane that his Bella was the strongest girl he knows. Jane, for her part looked at his hand on her shoulder, still stunned at Charlie's show of affection. Then smiled sadly at him, agreeing with him. We were all worried and listening to Carlisle and Edward coaching Bella upstairs when Rosalie and Emmett rushed through the back door.

"What is it, what's happened? Why do I smell Bella's blood?" She questioned desperately.

Before anyone of us could answer, we heard Bella howl out a scream and I saw comprehension dawn on Rosalie's face. She moved to run upstairs, but Emmett held her arm and told her Carlisle and Edward could handle it. She nodded for a moment, but with Bella's next scream, she flew out of Emmett's hold.

"Bella would be there for me!" She exclaimed as she blurred upstairs.

I decided to try to being helpful down here, to pass the time while I worried for my daughter. Alice and I began organizing the furniture that had been misplaced, as Sue and Leah removed the two cushions from the couch that were still stained in Bella's blood. When they came back inside, I nodded gratefully at them, deciding to remove that couch entirely, so I moved it out of the way. Emmett and Jasper came back in, each with a love-seat in their hands, and they placed those where the original couch had been, so I thanked them. Then, Jake and Seth took the couch downstairs and came back.

After several minutes of waiting in silence, we heard it. A baby crying, and I felt my eyes tear up. I looked around and although we were all nervous, we were all smiling at the cries of the newest member of our family. Then, we heard the second baby crying. Their crying only lasted a few minutes before they calmed. But, our smiles quickly melted off our faces when we heard Edward yell out "No!" and yelling for Bella to stay with him. Charlie's eyes met mine for a second, and then we rushed upstairs as well.

When I burst through the door, the scene before me caused me to stop and gasp in horror. I heard Charlie cry out Bella's name as he ran in behind me. He came to a stop beside me, as his eyes took everything in. Then, he rushed to Bella, staying by her head whispering encouraging words and begging her not to leave him. I tore my eyes away from them, and I noticed Rosalie standing by the corner, with both babies in her arms. For the second time as a vampire, her venom tears spilling down her cheeks and neck as she stared at her sister.

I moved to stand by her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, while she held the babies. She turned her tear-stained face to me and mouthed Bella's name helplessly, and I knew it wasn't only my heart breaking. I looked back to see Edward was removing a huge syringe from Bella's chest and I smelled his venom strongly. I realized he'd injected it straight into her heart while Carlisle doing chest-compressions on Bella's chest with one hand, while removing the IV tubes from Bella's arm, with the other. Carlisle resumed CPR as Edward was biting into the artery on Bella's wrist, and then her thigh.

I realized he was hoping to get as much of his venom into her while Carlisle kept her heart beating. Charlie didn't even bat an eye while Edward worked, be just brushed Bella's hair to the side, allowing Edward to bite her there, too. Finally, Carlisle eased off her chest and I could hear her heart beat increasing and we all let out a collective breath. When we filled Charlie on what we could hear of Bella's progress, he smiled and kissed her forehead saying he knew it. Still, I knew that none of us were likely to leave her side for a while.

I hadn't even occurred to me, until Charlie questioned why Bella didn't look to be in pain. While Edward held her hand, he replied that he heard her thoughts telling him Carlisle's morphine was helping, and Charlie nodded gratefully. Throughout the remainder of the day, Rosalie and I cleaned and dressed the babies, in the same room, near Bella.

She appeared to be sleeping, but Edward told us she needed to hear us and the babies, as a distraction. I thought about Alice bringing the camera, and within a few moments, she and Jared showed up. She took pictures while he video-taped Edward feeding the babies. We all took turns talking to Bella about the babies, and Edward would tell the babies, stories of Bella, while they drank their bottles. Rose and I took turns burping them and Charlie and Jared were put on diaper duty.

After several hours, we looked outside the widow to see the sun rising. I heard Charlie yawn and but he stopped us before we could tell him to get some rest. It took some prying but when Jared said he'd get Sue up here, he reluctantly agreed. He made Edward and myself promise that we'd get him if anything changed. After he kissed Bella's temple and caressed the cheeks of both babies sleeping in Edward's arms, then he and Jared left to get some sleep.

That was when Edward confessed the truth to us. He told us Bella was controlling her pain, to avoid hurting Edward, her family or scaring the babies. At his words, we marveled, yet again, at her strength. Then, Alice kissed each of the babies' foreheads, wishing them a Happy New Year's Eve, before saying she'd go give everyone an update. Carlisle began organizing his medical supplies while Rosalie cleaned Bella up, and I softly brushed Bella's hair. Then, Alice stopped at the door for a few seconds before leaving and Edward looked up at her astonished. She turned back around and told us it wouldn't be long now.

"By tonight!" Alice said, giggled and winked before leaving us.

I took note of just how rapidly her heart was beating and realized I could already detect how her scent had started changing, so I kissed her forehead.

Of course, she'd beat the odds – I smiled to myself.

"Yes, leave it to her." Edward agreed with my thoughts as he smiled.

The rest of New Year's Eve Day, was spent similar to the day before. We all spent the day cooing the babies and chatting with Bella, while she slept. We weren't surprised that Jane visited with her a few times, telling Bella about clothing that Alice was giving her. But we were surprised when Alec sat with her. They hadn't really spoken before Bella began going through the change. Still, he told her that he looked forward to getting to know the girl that made his sister smile again, and he chatted with her about his family during his youth.

Marcus had returned a while ago, horrified and apologetic of his behavior. He said he understood if he was no longer welcome, but we all told him we understood. Besides, I told them all, how he didn't put up much of a fight, and Edward told him he knew Bella would forgive him, just as she had Jasper. We asked him to stay, so Bella could tell him that for herself when she could.

A few hours after sunset found Rosalie and myself holding a baby each, while Edward stood by Bella with her hand in his. According to Alice, her change would be complete in in just a few hours. Jasper warned us to take precautions for the babies and the humans in the house, due to Bella's impending newborn status. So, it was agreed that the shifters would remain downstairs in the den, with Sue and Charlie, behind locked doors. Rose and I would take the babies downstairs with the rest of the family, including the Volturi that remained under our roof.

Just before eleven, Alice called out that it was time, and we all went to agreed places, although Alice kept telling us everything would be okay. We still wanted to be prepared for the possibility of any sudden changes. Then, we heard her heart stop, and we braced ourselves.

I felt the agonizing burn decreasing and I felt grateful for that. Never mind, that I felt like my heart would jump right out from my chest. I felt like I could handle that, a million times more than the excruciating burning, that I felt would never end. Throughout that ordeal, I felt I needed to remain perfectly still. I knew if I moved even a fraction of an inch, I'd lose control and give away just how much pain I was truly in.

As my heart beat, strongly, hammering against my ribs painfully, I recalled all that I could hear and paid attention to, while I burned. I remembered my father encouraging me to stay alive and kissing my cheek and ear. I remember my chest being pounded on heavily and rhythmically. I remember it hurt a lot, but nowhere near the pain of burning that followed. Suddenly, I remembered feeling the fire starting within my chest, and the feeling as the flames spread throughout my body, over every surface and crevice. I remember knowing Edward was there, that he hadn't left me at all. Just as I remember his desperate words demanding that I not leave him or my children.

My children – I recalled. They were beautiful from what I could recall. They were perfect, even in my blurry vision. I remember becoming aware of Edward's enthralling scent as he sat by me, holding my hand and murmuring sweet words into my ear. Sometimes, I heard Carlisle, Rosalie, Alice and Jared. Just as I remembered Jane, Alec and the rest of my family chatting with me numerous times. I remember their scents as well, although Jared's was a bit foul. I recalled that was the odor the Cullens complained about, when they joked between each other. While it wasn't a particularly good smell, I didn't find it horrible … just very earthy and woodsy. I could also remember noticing that ever so often, Edward's scent would be accompanied by one or two newer scents. Those filled me with incredible longing and peace, and I remembered Edward telling me about our children, so I associated those scents to his words.

A/N: Just one chapter left! I hope you've being enjoying the story (: