AN... Thanks once again to my pre-reader Prettyflour for catching my errors,
and keeping me IN CHARACTER! LOL i was totally rolling my eyes at myself
on that one... ;D

This is far and away the shortest chapter in this story.

F.Y.I. I have written an outtake for chapter 35. I may be posting it.
It is the conversation between Carlisle and Edward in the kitchen
after Leah handed his ass to him... I am considering writing some
more... so to that end I am asking you, my dear readers...
Is there anything in this story that you wanted to know more about,
or thought I should have added? If so, let me know either in your
review, or an IM, and I will consider writing it as an outtake!

~~..*..~~

Chapter 36

Ignorance is Bliss

Bella POV

I sat there on the couch, stunned. I could feel Jake tightening his arms around me as we absorbed all that Carlisle had laid out for us. So much information, and so much to consider. Something kept tugging at the back of my mind. I kept willing myself not to let the idea form itself into a coherent thought.

See, I took Advanced Biology, and I did well in the course. Even with Edward in the classroom as a distraction, I managed to pay enough attention to get a decent grasp of the material. There were things that stuck out to me, always. Strange shards of information that always glimmered in my memory as more interesting than the others… without rhyme or reason; some snippets grabbed my attention.

For instance: Did you know that a man does not start producing sperm until between the ages of ten and fourteen, while a woman is born with every egg she will ever produce? They are not matured yet, but the follicles are there from birth. It is amazing how the reproductive system works. Recent events had me thinking more about the process. I needed to talk to Carlisle. Again.

"Babe, I need to ask Carlisle a question... in private. Do you want to come with me? It kind of… involves you." I stammered quietly into Jacob's ear. He nodded once, with his eyebrows raised and worry creased on his brow. I smiled reassuringly, and tried to smooth the lines with my fingers.

"Carlisle, can I speak with you and Jacob in your office for a few moments?" I asked, not looking away from Jacob's eyes, still so laden with concern.

"Of course. Do you want to do this now?" Carlisle's voice was fully professional.

"Absolutely." I assured him, while smiling at my mate.

We rose, and made our way quickly to the office; Jake held onto my hand as if for dear life. I could feel the apprehension rolling off of him in waves.

"Relax, babe!" I tried to assure him once again.

"Yeah, easier said than done." He muttered. "If I had any idea why we were doing this, it might help."

"You'll understand soon enough." I squeezed his hand. "Relax! It's really nothing we have not already touched on between the two of us."

Carlisle closed the door behind us, and sat in his chair as I eased into the deep cushion of the luxurious leather loveseat in front of the desk. Jake sat reluctantly beside me. We sat silently for a few moments; Carlisle was watching us carefully, his head cocked and his eyes narrowed. Jacob stared at our joined hands.

"So…" I began. "I asked for this sit down because of what the tests revealed about Leah."

Carlisle nodded once, his expression urging me onward. I blew out a long breath before I launched into my thoughts.

"So, you think the only thing that would stand in the way of Leah's carrying a child is the ability of her uterus to expand through a pregnancy?" I clarified.

"Yes. Her uterus needs to be elastic enough to accommodate a growing fetus, but her ovaries must also be supple…" Carlisle was sitting back in his chair with his hands folded together as if in prayer, resting against his chin. He leaned forward, placing his elbows on the desk, and rested his chin atop his hands, now fisted together. "You're not asking this about Leah, are you?" He asked softly, his eyes astutely appraising me.

Jacob was listening carefully to the conversation, and had pulled me tightly to his side. I am not sure if it was a conscious decision, or an unconscious reaction to the conversation at hand, but I found Jake's arm wrapped around my small frame, and his hand resting on my stomach; his thumb was gently moving back and forth in a soothing fashion.

"No," I admitted softly.

"Out with it. What is it you are thinking? You tend to think things through very cautiously before you voice your thoughts; so tell me what your theory is now." Carlisle's voice held a depth of curiosity.

"I'm thinking that because venom turned me into a wolf, I am a freak." I said dryly. Carlisle's eyes widened.

"You are no freak, Bella!" he admonished gently.

"Jacob and I…" I stole a quick sideways glance at Jacob. "I know that I am still slowly changing. You said yourself that you don't know how much Leah and I will continue to change and evolve physically. Do you think there is any hope that I might be able to carry a child?" the question tumbled quickly out of my mouth.

"I suppose. Are you asking me to look into this for you?" Carlisle looked pointedly at Jacob. "Have you even discussed this together?"

Jacob nodded at Carlisle. "Bella is everything to me, Doc. I intend to spend all of my forever with her. Nothing would make me happier than to have a family with her."

Carlisle nodded, his eyes focused on his desk in thought.

"Let's plan on a procedure next week. I can get you in right away, and do a laparoscopy and a biopsy." He suddenly said. "You're right. Venom is what triggered your shift. We don't know how long it will take for it to cause more changes throughout your system. If you are serious about having children, we need to act quickly."

"I know it has only been a couple of days, but is there any way to know if she is already pregnant?" Jacob blurted out.

"Is there that possibility?" Carlisle's face and tone were incredulous. "I mean, I know you don't answer to me, in any way, but…." The disappointment in his now fatherly tone was clear.

"Carlisle, please don't be angry with us." I pleaded. "Yes, we had unprotected sex. We were unwise, but we both know the risks. We want a family. I want a family. I never thought I wanted children, but I do. I want them. With Jacob." I looked into Jake's eyes, reveling in the tender expression I found there.

"Well, I can do blood work. We can know before the day is out."

I rolled up my sleeve, and made a fist, looking pointedly at Carlisle. To my surprise, Jacob tensed beside me, pulled my arm back, and shook his head vehemently. "No!"

"Wha?" (Me)
"What?" (Carlisle)

"Let's not find out until after tomorrow. No good can come of knowing right now." Jacob reasoned.

" I agree. You are a wise young man." Carlisle mused. "So much more insightful than I had given you credit for. I am sorry for having underestimated you, Jacob." He stretched out his hand towards Jake as he arose out of his seat. Jacob stood, and shook his hand.

"I don't follow. How can knowing be a bad thing?" I inquired, lost.

"If you are, and you know it, you are more likely to be reckless in a fight. All of our attentions will be focused on keeping you and the baby safe, including your own. We all need to be at our strongest. We can't afford any weakness. The fact of the matter is, if you are pregnant right now, it is so early, the battle is unlikely to have any effect on the fetus." Carlisle looked at me with compassion. "Knowing right now can only make things more complicated. Tomorrow evening, after the dust clears; I promise that I will personally run the blood work."

"Okay." I breathed out. They made a good point, I had to admit.

~~...oOo...~

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