Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. Twilight belongs to the great Stephenie Meyer.

Authors Notes: Thanks so much for all the wonderful reviews – I'm so sorry that I've been a fail at replying lately, things have been so busy around here. I read and treasure each, and every one of them. The positive and kind words make my day, so thanks a million.

Thanks to TammyGrrl for getting first look at making this look prettier for me and of course to my wonderful ficwife, LisaDawn75 for just being amazing.

This story is now also on Twilighted – it's going up a chapter a week, so if you fancy a re-read then please head on over. There is also a thread on the forums which no one has ever posted in. I'd love to know your thoughts seeing as we're SO close to the end now.

Chapter 38

BPOV

"Okay baby, just lie back for me and relax," he tells me as he gently lifts the paper-thin hospital gown and pushes it up and out of the way. He grabs some blue paper towel and tucks it into the waistband of my panties. "This will be a little cold, sorry." He apologises as he squeezes the thick ultrasound gel onto my stomach. "We'll try this way first, but it might not work... I might have to get a sonographer to come and... use a more... invasive method."

I nod and chew on my lip, trying to relax a little as Edward moves the transducer probe across the lower part of my abdomen, pressing down lightly so that I could feel some pressure... pressure from my bladder, due to the fact that he had pretty much insisted that I drink almost a liter of water beforehand.

I look at the screen, which to the left of his head. A mass of grays, blacks and white fill the small screen. Edward slows and angles the probe and then stills it, a look of concentration on his face as he examines the screen.

"Bella, look," he whispers, a beautiful smile gracing his face. He points to the screen and I squint. There, on the screen in front of me is a wriggling little... bean. I can see its tiny little limbs waving around, the screen is flickering... but I can see it. Our baby. Edward is grinning like an idiot as he presses the probe onto me, searching out a new angle. "Look, our perfect little baby. I'll get someone to check, but I think you are around ten weeks."

My mouth drops open. "I... we must... it must have happened the first time we..."

He looks at me, his soft eyes darkening. "Or sometime that week... I seem to recall we didn't spend much of it dressed."

I flush, beat red. Oh yes, I remember, I remember it very clearly. It's no wonder I forgot to go for my shot.

"Bella?"

"Yeah?" I can't stop staring at the wriggling little person on the screen.

"Are you happy about this? I mean... are you okay?"

Is he serious?

"Oh, Edward... this is amazing... I am so happy. I want this more than anything. I know that it's fast, and people are going to judge, but it seems... it seems so right for us. After today... I was so afraid... but then you came, and I knew that this was what I wanted. Something that's just ours."

He presses a button on the ultrasound machine and the screen freezes with the perfect image of our tiny creation on it. He rests the probe and wipes away at the sticky gel, before leaning his lips onto my stomach and pressing a soft kiss below my bellybutton. The sweet and loving gesture sends shivers down my spine.

"Good, I'm so glad you want this. I don't think there would have ever been a bad time for us. But with everything you have had to deal with the past couple of months – there couldn't be a more perfect time. "

His hand brushes the spot where his lips were and I sit myself up, swinging my legs off the hospital bed and bringing myself closer to him.

"You don't mind having a pregnant bride? – You know that will get them talking... you know what people will say, don't you?"

He kisses me gently, sucking my lower lip into his mouth for just a second.

"I don't care, let them think what they want. And I would love nothing more than to see you, swelled with my child, walking down the aisle towards me... but, if you want to wait until after, that's fine too. Whatever makes you happy."

Oh God, he's sweet... why does he have to be so sweet?

"Marrying you will make me happy. I don't want to wait any longer." I tell him. Edward leans in and kisses me. I quickly twist my fingers into his hair and pull him closer. It only takes seconds for this to become heated and I whimper when he pulls away and pulls the shirt of his scrubs down. Somehow, during our kiss, my hands may have just started to roam under the blue cotton.

"We should go," he mutters, standing up and offering me his hand. I take a quick glance down at the obvious bulge in his pants and stifle a giggle.

"You might want a couple of minutes to... calm down. Why don't you... sit... and I'll go see if there is any news on Jake?"

Edward nods and turns off the ultrasound; he picks something up from under it and plops down into the hospital chair. I turn my back to him and slip off the hospital gown and put on the smaller pair of scrubs that a kind nurse handed me earlier, seeing as my clothes are covered in Jake's blood.

I blush as I feel Edward's eyes on me, but I try not to look at him when he is supposed to be... calming his... situation.

I wander to the nurses' station to see if they can tell me anything on Jake – typical, that because I'm not family, they can't tell me anything apart from the fact that he is out of surgery. That's a good sign... out of surgery. I make a note to call my father.

As I'm about to leave the desk and go back and get Edward, his hand finds mine. He is holding my purse and has our clothing in a yellow plastic bag. "You ready?"

I nod.

"Any news on Jacob?"

"They won't tell me anything, other than he's out of surgery." I tell him, hanging my head a little. I am so grateful to him... what he has done, saved my life and put his own in so much danger... that is the single most amazing thing that anyone has ever done for me before. How on earth am I going to repay him?

Edward leans his forearms on the desk and smiled at the nurse. "Hi," I see him casually peer over at the nurse's nametag. "Sarah," he flashes her his award-winning smile and fishes his hospital ID from his pocket. "I'm Dr Edward Cullen, from paediatrics. I don't suppose you could find out for me how a patient is doing? Jacob Black, he was brought in earlier, gunshot wound to the chest."

Sarah blushes profusely and bats her eyelashes. I fight the need to roll my eyes. "Oh... yes, certainly Dr Cullen, let me just check for you." She taps quickly away at her computer. "He's out of surgery now and he's stable, in the ICU. His next-of-kin has been informed and is apparently on his way. "

I don't want to tell her that my father, Chief Swan is the one going to collect Jake's dad. I guess we are lucky that Sarah has decided to be so accommodating towards Edward.

Edward grins at the nurse. "Thank you so much," he tells her politely, which causes her to blush wildly once again.

"It's a pleasure, Dr Cullen, anytime you need anything, please, don't hesitate to ask."

He places a clipboard with a wad of papers onto the desk. "Actually, if you don't mind, I'm going to be taking my fiancée home now. She was brought in along with Mr Black. I've signed her discharge forms and I'll be taking care of her at home. If you could sort those out, I will be eternally grateful."

He cocks his head to the side, still smiling as he pushes the papers across to Sarah. I fight the urge to elbow him hard in the ribs.

"But of course... not a problem. I'll have those put into the right hands for you."

"Thank you. Goodnight, Sarah."

And with that, Edward wrapped a protective arm around me and began to lead me away.

"Edward Cullen, " I scold playfully. "That was so mean" I hiss.

Edward looks at me, his eyes wide, feigning innocence. "I don't know what you are talking about."

"Talking to that poor girl like that... you made her nervous... and blush... and... well, it's just cruel. Let me guess, is that how you get all the girls fawning all over you?"

He winked at me. Fucking WINKED at me. "It got you didn't it, babe?"

I slug him across the bicep and he rubs it playfully. He stops just before the elevator. "Jake is going to be out for a while yet, I can take you up to see him now, or we can come back tomorrow when he's likely to be awake. It's up to you."

As much as I'd like to go see Jake, I'm afraid... worried about what I might see. I don't want to see him fresh from surgery, with possible breathing tubes... and more blood. "Is he ... is he ok?"

Edward nods. "I am sure he is going to be fine. The surgery didn't take too long and from what I saw of the wound, it was a clean entry, and it didn't hit any major organs – he just lost a lot of blood. It might take him a while to be back on his feet and running lengths of the football field at the school again, but I'm certain that he will be fine." He smiles at me reassuringly.

"I guess it means that I have to be extra nice to him now." I joke sadly.

"I think he gets it now, Bella. When he thought that he was... well, he said some things to me – as well as threatening my life – and genitals- he gets that we are together and accepts it."

Edward's eyes are soft and I know he's telling the truth. Jacob is happy for us.. .plus, he saved my life. If he'd not been there, Edward might have been too late. I can't even begin to think about that. I take a moment to deliberate. I'm exhausted, and all I want to do is lie with Edward. So much has happened today – plus, Charlie is on his way back with Billy, so it's not like Jake is going to be alone.

"Take me home, please." I whisper. Edward answers with a quick nod and leads me towards the door. He's made the use of the doctor priority parking right out of the front of the building, and he helps me into the car.

The ride back home is quiet. I slip off my shoes and pull my feet up onto the seat, curling my arms around them. "You ok?" he murmurs to me, glancing at me before turning his attention back onto the road. I nod, suddenly feeling rather numb. It finally occurs to me that I really got off lucky today. James and Tanya had come to kill me. I don't understand why they would consider taking my life, or even think of causing me harm... but I could have died.

I don't move once we've pulled up on our driveway. Edward comes around to my side of the car and pulls me out gently, and then he's picking me up and taking me into his arms bridal style and carrying me into the house.

"Lock the door." I whisper as I cling on around his neck. Edward doesn't say a word, but he double locks the door. He sets me down on the couch and closes all the curtains, containing us safely within our home.

"You hungry?"

"No."

"Baby, you have to eat something, especially now." His eyes move from mine and rake down my body until they come to rest on my stomach.

"I... I don't think I can. I feel sick." I tell him, my voice shaking.

"Then a drink. Let me get you a drink."

I nod and this seems to satisfy him for now. He's gone a couple of minutes, but he returns with a large mug full of steaming hot chocolate, complete with whipped cream and mini marshmallows. Yum. It's just the right temperature. Hot, but not scalding. I am able to drink it pretty quickly.

I look at the clock and it's past midnight. "It's late." I observe. Edward scoots closer to me and wraps his arms around me, pulling me into his lap. I relax my tired body and lean into him, wanting and needing the extra closeness. "What do you want to do? Do you want to go to bed?"

"I'm so tired, but... I don't know if I'm going to be able to sleep... my mind is so busy tonight."

"I'm not surprised... Oh, Bella, I was so afraid... when you didn't come home, and then when you wouldn't answer your phone... there was something inside of me that told me that something was horribly wrong... I honestly don't know what I'd do without you."

I sniff loudly. "Please, don't talk like that, I was afraid too; I was scared that I'd never see you again, scared that James would realize that I was pregnant and... do something... I was so scared that something would happen and that you wouldn't want me anymore."

The tears are flowing freely now.

"All I know now is that I want to marry you even more than before. I don't want to wait any longer, Edward. I need us to be together. Screw August. I want it now. I want us to be together."

He presses a long finger to my lips to silence me. A beautiful smile graces his perfect face and his eyes are glistening slightly. "I can wait for you sweetheart, I want your day to be perfect. I want you to have the wedding day you deserve. The day that you, your mother, Alice and my mom have been organizing."

"But I don't want all that, not really. I don't care about that anymore. I don't want to be Bella Swan anymore, I want to be Mrs. Cullen... the dress, the stupidly overpriced flowers, the dinner, the wine... the fucking ice sculptures... that's all material, Edward. It means nothing to me. All I want out of that day is you... you and I, making our promises. I just want you."

Edward suddenly looks elated; he blinks several times and smiles brightly, and beautifully. "You mean that?"

"Every single word of it. I want to do this right, I want our baby to have your name; I want to have your name. Today has made me realize that life is so short, and now, more than ever, I want to tie myself to you, in every single way possible. "

"So you will marry me sooner?"

"Sooner isn't good enough. I want to marry you tomorrow Edward."

Okies - a few fic recs for you now! I've been reading quite a lot this week, trying to get over the excitement that MOTU is going to be a book in a couple of months...

I'm currently reading "The Harder They Fall" By IronicTwist - It's a WIP but 50-something chapters in. It's a fantastic Bella/Edward AH story. I'm LOVING it.

Go read "The Chimera Project" by my fic-wife, LisaDawn75 - It's canon based, AU story, set after Bella and Edward get married, and Bella chooses to remain human for a little while longer.

You might be interested in a little collaboration between LisaDawn75 and myself. It's Twilight AU - angst-filled with a very smart Bella. We are having a blast writing this together - so check out my other stories and read "Eyes, Look Your Last"

All the other rec's can be found in my favorites list - so please check them out and leave the authors some love - let them know who sent you :-)