Chapter 2

EDWARD'S POV

The week passed by rather quickly. Bella and I hadn't seen anything suspicious, and Father Ernest hadn't popped up anywhere.

Soon it was time to go. Bella and I packed up, and said goodbye to the cabin.

"Now that," Bella stretched out, "was a honeymoon."

I smiled. "I'm glad you had fun."

"Did you?"

"Of course."

I reached over and traced my thumb underneath her eye.

"It seems as though our lives are back on track."

Bella smiled. "Finally."

Rosalie and Alice were excited to see Bella when we pulled up.

"Bella! How was it? Did you like your outfits?" Alice hugged Bella tightly.

"It was great, and yes I loved the outfits…and Edward is going to let me pay for the next clothes I get."

Rosalie and Alice looked at me, and I threw my arms up.

"She wanted it that way."

"Edward is going to go and ask Carlisle about something, so we can hang out." Bella smiled in my direction.

Alice's face went from happy, to concerned. While Rosalie and Bella went inside, she came to me.

"Edward…"

"Alice, don't tell me. I want to find out for myself." I turned, and got into the Volvo.

Carlisle was taking a short break with Esme.

"Carlisle, I need to speak with you." I touched Esme's shoulder, and sat down.

"I'll go take a walk." Esme smiled, and left the room.

"What is it Edward?" Carlisle folded his hands.

"It's about Bella and I. Can we…is there any way that we…can conceive?"

"Edward, I thought you knew the answer to that."

I covered my eyes with my hand. "I just hoped that there was a way."

"Edward," Carlisle stood behind me, taking my shoulders, "I'm sorry. You and Bella cannot get pregnant."

I stood. "I understand."

Carlisle patted me on the back as I left.

Why did I feel like I had just taken something from Bella?

BELLA'S POV

I knew the answer, even before Edward got home. I had heard his thoughts.

Rosalie and Alice tried to console me, but there was no need for it. There would be a way to have a kid, even if it meant adopting. But the only way that could happen, was if a kid got hurt badly enough to be changed. I didn't want a kid to have to practically die for us to have one.

"Bella, I forgot." Alice left the room, and returned a second later with an envelope.

"What's this?" I took it from her.

"A letter. It came a few days after you and Edward left."

I opened it up, and read the four haunting words.

I'm coming for you.

"Oh my God." I dropped the letter.

Rosalie read it, and handed it to Alice.

"Someone us after us for what we did to Lucas and Amber."

"Who could be after you?" Rosalie took the letter back from Alice.

"Who could possibly know?"

"I don't know." I bit my lip.

Edward pulled in, and joined us upstairs.

"What's going on?" He asked, sitting on the bed.

"Read this." I handed him the letter.

He read it, and looked at all of us.

"What should we do?"

"Research. We could research Lucas and Amber's family history." Rosalie piped up.

"I already did that. Amber's dad has been dead for a few years, and she was emancipated from her mom – so I doubt she would care. She was an only child, so any siblings are out."

"What about Lucas?"

"All that I got to read about him was that his mom is still alive." I remembered getting rid of the papers.

"Alright, so let's look his mom up." Rosalie stood.

"And what? Go to her house and say, 'Hey, I killed your son, are you trying to kill me?'" Edward asked.

"No." Rosalie snapped.

"Stop it! This is getting us nowhere." I stood up too. "Now let's think of something."

"What if we went by her house, and faked car trouble…or something…and while we're there, we can ask questions." Alice suggested.

"That could work."

"Yeah, but who should go?" Edward asked.

"I'll go, and Rosalie can come with me. If she is after you, she could recognize you and kill you right there." Alice stood.

"Here, I can give you the address…I think I remember it." I scribbled it on a sheet of paper, and handed it to Rosalie.

"We should be back later on."

I sat down again.

"Bella, I'm sure you heard Carlisle." Edward sat next to me.

"I did."

"Are you…okay?" He rubbed my arms.

"I'm fine. Why shouldn't I be?" I looked at him.

"Oh Bella." He pressed his cheek against my hair.

EDWARD'S POV

"Edward!" Emmett and Jasper waltzed into the room.

"Ever heard of knocking?" I asked, pulling Bella closer.

"We're going to go feed; do you guys want to join?"

"No, we've already fed." I replied icily.

"Well we should be back later tonight."

Just as quickly as they had come in, they were gone.

"Bella, are you sure that you'll be okay?" I traced a circle on her arm.

"Yes. Edward, even if we could have a baby...now probably isn't the best time. We have a lifetime to figure it out." She looked up and smiled at me.

I nodded. "Alright. As long as you're okay."

"You know what? Why don't we go to the hospital? We can visit with Carlisle and Esme."

Bella got up. "That would be nice, I haven't talked to Esme in a long time."

"Why don't you change your clothes, and I'll go bring our bags in."

"Okay, I'll be done in a few minutes." Bella began searching through the dresser drawers.

I went downstairs, and grabbed all of the bags from the Volvo. I looked over at the woods, and saw something moving.

"Hey Edward!" Bella called.

I turned to see her head out the window. "Yeah!"

"Can I borrow a pair of your jeans!"

I rolled my eyes. "You know you can!"

She smiled, and returned inside the window.

I turned back around, looking. But there was nothing there. Oh well, I was probably seeing something...or maybe it had been a bird.

Bella met me downstairs, wearing a pair of my jeans and a green sweatshirt that cut off right above her belly button.

"Why do you have to look so amazing all the time?" I asked, putting my arms around her waist.

"Now you know how I feel."

I bent down to her ear. "You looked amazing even before you were a vampire."

She kissed beneath my ear, and ruffled the hair on the back of my head.

"Are you sure we won't be bothering Carlisle?" Bella asked as we drove to the hospital.

"I already checked his thoughts, he and Esme weren't too busy."

We arrived at the hospital, and strode up to the front desk.

"Where is Dr. Carlisle Cullen? His son and daughter-in-law are here to see him." I put a hand on the desk.

"Dr. Cullen is with a patient right now, but his wife is in the lounge." The woman didn't even look up to acknowledge us.

"Thanks." I led Bella to the lounge.

"I'm going to go find Carlisle." I kissed Bella's cheek.

"Alright." I watched her go in, and hug Esme. When I knew everything was alright, I walked off to find Carlisle.

I looked into every room, and finally found him in the ICU ward.

"Carlisle?" I knocked on the doorframe.

"Edward, come in." Carlisle motioned for me to come in.

"Bella and I just came down to visit."

"How did she take the news?"

"I think she's lying to me. I think it upset her, but she doesn't want to admit it."

"Just give her time Edward. She'll be alright." Carlisle touched my shoulder.

"I hope so."

BELLA'S POV

"Don't worry Bella. You're right, you have a lifetime to figure out what to do about children." Esme smiled.

"I know. I'm worried about Edward."

"He'll be fine. Don't worry about him."

I nodded. "Edward is in ICU with Carlisle. Do you want to come?"

"Actually, I was about to run back to the house." Esme stood.

"I'll see you later then."

"Bye Bella." She kissed my forehead, and left.

I made my way up the stairs, and found my way to ICU. It was so quiet and depressing. I passed by windows, looking in at the different people.

I stopped at one, when I saw a little boy.

A nurse was just coming out.

"Excuse me, can you tell me what happened?" I asked, my eyes still on the boy.

"He fell from his bed, and cracked his head against the floor. He wasn't found until a few hours after it happened." The nurse shook her head.

"Where were his parents?" I snarled.

"He doesn't have any...he lives at the group home." She looked at my face. "You can go in if you want."

I nodded. "I think I will. What is his name?"

"Derek." She smiled, and patted my hand as she left.

I went inside, and sat down next to Derek's bed. The little boy didn't look much older than four. He had curly brown hair, and a few freckles were scattered on his nose and cheeks. His eyes were closed, and I assumed he was in a coma.

I reached for his hand, and held it in mine. Now I knew how Edward felt, when he touched me when I was human. The warmth was so nice.

I used my other hand to push back his hair, away from his eyes.

The beeping of the machines reminded me of being in the hospital.

"Derek." I smiled, looking at his face. "My name is Bella."

She looks so happy.

I turned to see Edward, watching me from the glass. He knew immediately that I had heard him.

He slowly opened the door, and joined me by Derek's bed. He stood behind me.

"Bella, what are you doing?" He asked gently.

"This little boy, Derek, was alone...so I just came in." I smiled up at him. "Isn't he sweet?"

Edward smiled, and reached out to touch a lock of his hair.

He kneeled down next to me.

"Bella, Alice and Rosalie are waiting for us at the house." He whispered.

"Do we have to go?" I asked.

"We can come back again tomorrow...if you want."

I nodded, smiling. "I'd like that."

Edward took my hand, and led me from Derek's room.

I turned one final time to see him, as his mouth twitched up into a smile.