It's been a year since my last update to this fic, but it is not at all abandoned!

I just did a full update/slight rewrite to the story (if you haven't read the whole thing in a while I recommend going back - there are new details, scenes, lemons, etc) and found the motivation to continue on with it.

I hope you like the update!

I slept fitfully that night. My dreams were filled with unwanted visions - nightmares. There were flashes of Carlisle and Edward fighting, of Edward's hand reaching toward me, or of strange chocolate brown eyes flecked with gold staring at me. The last one unsettled me the most. The eyes were so like mine, so familiar, and yet entirely alien.

When I jumped up gasping for air, after a particularly brutal scene of Edward snapping Carlisle's neck, I found him already holding a glass of water out for me. Sunrise was peaking through the windows, illuminating the bright gold of his eyes. Were the eyes in the dream mine? Was my subconscious attempting to imagine my eyes with the same ethereal gold he had? I willed the images away as I gulped down the water.

"Are you okay, love? You've been thrashing about all night." Carlisle's eyes were full of concern.

"Yeah - just some stress dreams."

His cool, stone arms slid around me and I leaned back into his chest. I hadn't realized that I was drenched - completely covered in sweat - until now. My skin felt clammy. I couldn't remember ever having night sweats before.

"I tried to wake you a few times, but you were dead to the world," he kissed my neck, "I think you have a slight fever as well - are you feeling ill?"

I shook my head, "No, I feel okay, I-"

A wave of nausea hit me so suddenly, I had to jump off of the bed and run to the small bathroom connected to Carlisle's room. He was beside me in an instant, holding my hair back, and running a hand over my back in soothing circles. I had a second of feeling self conscious that he was seeing me in this state, then the next wave of nausea hit.

When the contents of my stomach seemed to have been entirely emptied, he lifted me into his arms, and carried me back to the large bed. He pulled the comforter over me and brought me another glass of water. He pressed a cool hand to my forehead.

"Hmm…" he frowned, "I'd like to run a couple tests if you don't mind, love. It's possible you picked up a bug at the hospital - and since it is nearly flu season, I'd rather get a diagnosis sooner than later."

I groaned, "I really don't want to go into the hospital right now. It's supposed to be our day of just being alone together. Plus, I'm already feeling better. Maybe I just ate something bad."

Though I said the words mostly to appease him, I realized that I was already feeling better. My skin was feeling less clammy and my stomach even growled. I gulped down the new glass of water he'd brought.

"All the same, love," he gave me a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, "I'll feel much better knowing you're okay. I can get a few samples from you here and run them to the hospital myself. I'll only be gone an hour."

Even with me grumbling that I was fine, Carlisle took some samples - swabs from my nose and throat. He refused to let me lift a finger, bringing me a breakfast of eggs, oatmeal, and bacon in bed. I ate it eagerly and gulped down another glass of water before he left, then fell back into a deep sleep.

This time, my dreams were peaceful, even serene. I dreamt I was laying on the beach, watching the tide slowly roll in, with my skin glistening in the soft light of the sunset. A hand, too small to be Carlisle's, grabbed my shoulder. I was not frightened by the unknown presence. I smiled, turning my head to look in the strangers direction, but the dream shifted. I was now sitting in a field of wildflowers, making a small crown out of daisies. A melodic, high pitched, humming came from behind me. My vision whirled again and I was looking into a mirror, but I wasn't myself. My stomach was large, swollen. White, marble arms wrapped around me from behind. Carlisle smiled down at the lump.

I jumped awake and ran for the toilet again. Maybe I do have the flu. When I finally seemed to be done, I sluggishly pulled myself up to brush my teeth. Somehow, I was already feeling better.

Right as I was spitting out my mouthwash, I felt a sharp twinge inside my stomach. It didn't quite feel like a cramp, it was more like my muscles were contracting. Or something was moving. I put my hand on my stomach and yelled as the sharp twinge went through me again - this time more painfully. It definitely felt like something was moving.

I caught my reflection in the large bathroom mirror and was struck at the image of me standing with my hand on my stomach. No way. No. There's absolutely no way in hell… I thought of my dream - of Carlisle wrapping his arms around the large bulge - and fainted.

"Bella?!" Cold fingers were on my head, my neck, checking my pulse, "Bella? What happened?!"

With a little force, I opened my eyes and saw Carlisle hovering over me. His eyes were full of panic. I was still laying on the bathroom floor. I tried to mentally tabulate the days - the weeks - that had passed since my last period, but came up short. I'd been living in such a blur of happiness.

"Carlisle…" My voice was hoarse, I struggled to get the words - the question - out.

"Oh, Bella! What happened?" He lifted me up slightly to kiss my forehead, "I think I need to take you in, love. I tested you for multiple strains of influenza, bronchitis, and did full cultures with everything coming up negative. I was thinking it may be food poisoning or a stomach bug, but finding you unconscious points to something much more serious. Bella I do-"

"What day is it?" I cut him off with a whisper.

He looked at me incredulously, "Saturday."

"No, what's the date?"

"It's the fourteenth."

No. It can't be. It's not possible. If today was November fourteenth, then that meant my last cycle was over six weeks ago. No no no no no no no.

"Why? What is it?"

As if in answer to him, the painful twinge returned. I let out a harsh gasp and my hands went over my stomach. How? This isn't supposed to happen. I felt tears falling down my cheeks. Whether in fearful anxiety or pure bewilderment, I didn't know.

"Bella?! Where does it hurt? Please talk to me, love."

Unable to speak, I grabbed his hand and pulled it over my stomach. His eyes narrowed, then widened in horror as there was, not a twinge, but a distinct kick. He gasped, then used both hands to gently push on various areas of my lower abdomen.

"Carlisle… Is it… It's not possible. Right?"

His bright gold eyes met mine.

"It's not supposed to be - it's assumed not to be - but… The only true relations I know of between vampires and humans exist between vampire females and mortal males. Maybe… Maybe if it's reversed, with a woman capable of ovulating…"

There was another sharp kick and he flinched.

"Carlisle," my voice broke, "I-I don't know how to… I didn't ever think this would happen."

Leaving one hand on my stomach, he brought another under my shoulders, and lifted my torso up so he could pull me against his chest. I buried my head in his neck, trying to sooth myself with his comforting scent. He kissed my forehead.

"I'm so sorry, Bella." His voice was a whisper against my ear, "I promise I'll make this right. I'll bring some equipment home and we'll get it out of you as soon as pos-"

"No!" I sat up and pulled away from him at once, horrorstruck. "Carlisle - no. I'm not going to… No."

I thought of my dreams. The small hand on my shoulder, the melodic harmony in the meadow, the image of me fully pregnant and happy. I protectively wrapped both my arms around my stomach. I had never, ever thought I wanted to have a child. But, now that it was here, I could see it clearly. I could see it's small hands wrapped around my finger, singing it to sleep while sitting on the old rocking chair that was in my room at Charlie's, and I could even see Carlisle laughing while spinning a little blonde haired bundle around in his arms.

His voice was calm, the steady voice of a practiced doctor, "Bella… I - I don't… I have no idea what it is. A half human, half vampire… It could be a monster. It could kill you."

"What it is, is a baby, Carlisle. Our baby."

"Bella, love…" his calm mask slipped. I saw the terror - the anxiety - running through his gold eyes, "I didn't think… If that was something you wanted, something you felt you needed…"

I could see the pain, the fear, of his half question.

"Carlisle… It wasn't. I didn't ever consider or have any type of yearning of being a - a mother." The word felt forgein on my tongue, "But now that I… Now that I'm…"

"Pregnant." He whispered.

"Yes. Now that I'm pregnant with our baby… I can see it, Carlisle. I can feel it. It's not a monster, it's a child. It will be one of a kind, unique, but it will be ours. It already is ours."

He looked into my eyes for a long moment, then down to my arms still wrapped around my stomach.

"Okay. I - okay." He slowly, hesitantly, reached his hand back out. I unwrapped mine enough for him to slide his hand under them and felt another kick. "I promise you, love, I will do everything I can to ensure you get through this okay." Another kick. "That you both do."

Tears flowed freely down my cheeks again, only this time they weren't from fear - though I still had plenty of it - but from happiness. I knew that, no matter what happened, with Carlisle by my side I would be okay. Our baby would be okay. We would be a family.

"Bella?! Carlisle?!" Alice appeared in the doorway of the small bathroom, "Oh my God! You're alive!"

"What? Of course we're alive." I gingerly wiped my eyes with one hand, the other was still holding Carlisle's over my stomach.

"I was out hunting when you both completely disappeared. Both of your futures - all gone. I can't see them. I thought… Thought it meant you died."

I caught Carlisle's eyes. Was this because of our baby? Could it be possible that Alice wasn't able to see it?

"Alice," the calm had returned to Carlisle's voice, "have you ever been able to view anything else? Any of the shape shifters or werewolves that walk the earth?"

"No? Why would I ever have needed to, though?" She looked at our hands then, at the tears soaked smile on my face, at Carlisle's tentative one, "What's going on?"

I spent the next few hours being poked and prodded while Carlisle ran every test imaginable. He'd brought some equipment from the hospital home and was doing everything he could to find out more about the baby. I couldn't be further along than six or seven weeks, but apparently a half vampire baby grew much faster than a normal human one.

"If this were a normal pregnancy, I'd place you somewhere around the fourteenth week, but the movement of it is closer to the eighteenth. This rate of growth is unprecedented. It seems as if it's grown even since the first scan."

"What does that mean for her?" Esme was holding my right hand.

"I honestly don't know," Carlisle's brow furrowed, "I'll have to track exactly what changes over the next few days to establish a timeline - but I wouldn't be surprised if by next week you appeared to be over twenty weeks, love."

Alice's grip tightened around my left hand, "I hate being so - so blind. I can't see a single thing about it."

Carlisle adjusted the transducer on my stomach, "The sac appears to be made of our skin - I doubt I'd even be able to see through it with a full x-ray. But, as it's half human, I wonder if…"

He tapped a button on the monitor and the room filled with a soft whoosh. He continued moving the ultrasound device around until a tiny, fluttering pounding sound surrounded us. It was beautiful. Even though I'd come to terms with the irrevocably altered future before me, hearing that sound somehow solidified it.

"It has a heartbeat?" My voice was barely audible.

"It does," Carlisle smiled down at me, "a strong one."

I beamed back up into his bright golden eyes. I couldn't at all imagine what the baby was going to look like, but I hoped it had Carlisle's eyes. They were so much more interesting than my dull brown ones.

He wiped the blue goo from my stomach - which was already showing a tiny bulge - and bent down to kiss it.

"What the hell is going on here?"

Edward was standing in the doorway to Carlisle's study.

I groaned audibly. There was enough going on - enough to stress about - without worrying about Edward too. He was looking at all of us - no doubt reading the minds of the three vampires - and appeared almost frozen in shock.

"Please go, Edward," I shook my head, "I can't deal with you too right now."

Predictably, he ignored me, "How could you do this to her?"

Carlisle moved to stand protectively in front of me, "It obviously wasn't intentional."

"Then get that thing - that monster - out of her."

Carlisle, Esme, and even Alice all growled at him.

"It's not a monster," I tried to keep my tone calm, "it's a baby."

"A what?"

Rosalie and Emmett, who had been out hunting all morning, appeared behind Edward. My relationship with Rosalie had improved so much in the last few weeks, but I remembered the terrible story she'd told me of her human life. Would this turn her against me?

"A baby," Carlisle placed his hand over my stomach, "Bella and I - impossible as it may seem - are having a baby."

"No - no - you can't be serious," Edward's had that manic look in his eyes, "this cannot be happening - it's insane. Get it out of her."

"Edward, shut up." Rosalie's voice was terse. "This is a miracle."

He opened his mouth to snap back at her, but Emmett cut him off.

"Seriously bro - cool it."

Edward shook his head and disappeared.

Rosalie looked at me with adoration. She took a few steps toward me, holding out her hand as she approached, "May I?"

I nodded.

Carlisle moved his hand to the side, giving Rosalie room to feel.

"Do you know if it's a-," a sharp kick made her gasp, "Oh! It knows it's Auntie Rose."

Emmett joined her in cooing at my stomach.

"I'm sure he'll be a little slugger," Emmett slapped Carlisle's back.

Alice clicked her tongue, "Or she will be. Oh - Bella! We can go shopping at all of those adorable baby stores. I've always wanted a reason to go!"

"Alice," I whined, "we don't even know what it will be. We shouldn't go crazy with everything if we don't even kno-"

"We'll go gender-neutral for now," she cut me off, "we can do gray, green, and baby blues! Oh this is so exciting!"

She and Rosalie went on and on about plans for a nursery and shopping trips while Esme made me drink a protein shake - I wasn't keeping down any solid food. Carlisle had sent Emmett and Jasper out to procure some equipment not available at our small town hospital. I was leaning against his side on the couch as he went through page after page on his laptop looking for any myth, folktale, or legend that might be similar to our current situation. He was scrolling too fast for my eyes to keep up.

My phone buzzed. It was a text from Charlie.

Should we have dinner at the diner tomorrow?

I groaned. I knew I had to tell Charlie what was going on - but I'd hoped to have more time to wrap my own head around it first. With the way I was already growing though, there's no way I could keep it from him for long - especially with even the thought of diner food making me nauseous.

"What is it, love?" Carlisle kissed the top of my head.

"How do I explain this to Charlie? I mean, he's just barely getting used to the idea of me becoming one of you - that you even exist at all - and this completely derails every plan I had before."

"Hmm…" he traced little circles over my stomach, "I think we should talk to him together. Why don't you invite him to have dinner here tomorrow?"

I nodded - a little strained, I was suddenly feeling exhausted - and typed out my response.

Actually, why don't we do dinner at the Cullen's? Esme has been dying to have an excuse to use her pasta maker.

At least, if Charlie reacted horribly to the news, we would have Alice and Esme to run interference. No matter what he thought about the Cullen's as a whole, he absolutely adored them. He would probably have a better reign on his temper with them here.

Okay Bells, sounds good. What time?

Seven?

That works

I was struggling to keep my eyes open when I read his last response. I tossed my phone onto the coffee table and turned so my face was against Carlisle's chest. His smell was so calming. I placed a hand over the one he had on my stomach and felt a soft kick.

"I think he knows it's you."

"He?"

I didn't look up, but I could picture clearly the way his brow would be arched, "Yes, he. I could be wrong, but… It feels like a boy."

He laughed softly, "You think so? I've had the opposite feeling, actually. When I try to picture it, I see a girl."

I laughed along with him for a moment, then lost myself to a dreamless sleep.

Love it? Hate it?

To be clear - this pregnancy and baby will not be exactly like Renesmee's or use the same rules/lore.

Let me know your thoughts in a review!