Ch. 15 Birds Bees And Babies

Charlie was livid, almost appearing to be a vampire himself when he heard what had happened to me. He only calmed down when Edward explained what had happened to the guy. Edward stayed with me until Charlie came home, and Carlisle met him there after he left the hospital when his work-day was done to check on me again and reassure Charlie that I was alright. Carlisle had left mid-shift to treat me at the house earlier that evening, his way of trying to respect my wishes to stay out of the hospital after such a vulnerable time.

All of the Cullens and Charlie were amazing. Edward waited outside in the rain until he knew that Charlie was asleep, texting me goodnight on my fancy new Motorola Razr Charlie got me. Charlie had insisted on sleeping on the floor outside my room that night in case I needed anything. Alice came the next day to bring me breakfast and magazines before she left for school. I didn't go. I just wasn't feeling...up to it. Alice promised that she would tell me if she saw anything change at all. As of then, James's coven would still visit their house Wednesday afternoon. Esme brought me lunch and stayed with me until after the school day was done when Alice and Edward showed back up, and we watched a movie, choosing to forego my schoolwork. How the hell have I not been kicked out of school for absences yet?!

Rosalie even called when she arrived back at home to apologize to me after she heard about what had happened. Though her apology sounded more like her way of telling me to bug off, but I got it. I was making her life more stressful and separating her from her family. She did seem genuinely sorry about the potential attack by the asshole in the bathroom, though. She could relate, unfortunately...

But life goes on whether you wished it would pause for just a fucking minute so you could deal with your shit or not...Wow. Angry much, Iris? Deep calming breaths...

So the next morning rolled around and it was time to go back to school. I hid the stitches on the side of my head with a beanie and threw on a scarf and thick coat to brace against the cold. Surprise! It was raining again. I don't think I would have minded the weather so much in my other body, but this one didn't need any kind of increased risk for accidents.

But now was not the time to be miserable. I needed a new outlook on life. Edward didn't want me. I knew this. I was certain of this, and I was ok with it. But are you really ok with it, Iris? It didn't feel like it when you were silently crying all night every time Charlie would leave your sight for five freaking seconds. Were you ok with it then? Ok, fine, so I would be ok with it...eventually...maybe. I had to be.

I had never had so much free time in my life. I went from dodging my parents, to emancipating myself, and working as a nursing assistance sixty hours per week to pay my bills, to going to night school, to going to nursing school, to working as an RN, to going for my masters while still working in the hospital...and now? I just sat around waiting for my vampire buddies to come over to play. I needed a bigger village, something else to help pass the time. It was just so difficult to relate to seventeen year olds...except for one, but he didn't count since he was only seventeen by a technicality.

I grabbed my truck keys, and made my way out. And there was Edward, waiting patiently by his car, looking as gorgeous as ever. It was difficult to believe that it was just on Friday that I was apologizing to Edward for my rude behavior. So much had passed between us these last five days. No more lies or secrets. Well unless you counted the fact that I was helplessly, irrevocably in lo—hey! No more Twilight references!

"Good morning. Would you like a ride?" That and other things...

"Yes. Thanks. I wasn't really looking forward to driving that beast in the rain."

Edward chuckled. "You always drive in the rain. What's different about today?"

"I'm just convinced that my number is up. I've decided not to make it so easy for death, and me driving that death trap would be going against that promise to myself."

Edward threw his head back laughing. "I couldn't agree more." He held my door open for me.

"Shut up. I'm great in a Prius. That's what I used to drive."

"Very environmentally sensible of you." Edward approved with a smirk as he sat in the driver's side. He looked perfect behind the wheel, totally comfortable. Ugh, did we have to be alone in this car? His scent was driving me crazy. Think of something to say. You need to distract yourself.

"Bella loved the truck. She thought it was great, perfect for her even." I commented.

"Are you sure that I was really with her? It sounds like we had nothing in common."

He was laughing still, but I wanted to cry. Yes, you were with her, and you loved her...

"You had enough in common to have a baby with her." It was out of my mouth before I thought about the repercussions. Oh God. Use your Goddamned brain, Iris!

Edward made a choking noise, and slammed on the breaks, pulling off into the woods. If I hadn't have had my seatbelt on, I might have slammed into the dash.

"Easy! I'm a breakable human..." I attempted to distract him, but no such luck. Damn vampire brain.

"What? A baby? That's not possible. You mean that we adopted, correct? A human baby? Why would I agree to that?" He was firing off questions faster than I could answer them. Shit. I think I broke the vampire. Oops.

"Calm down. It's not real. Remember?"

"Explain. Now." So demanding...

"Well, you guys got married. Bella used her guileless wits to get you to do the deed with her—"

"What? While she was still human?!" I had a flashback of movie Jacob saying almost the same thing to Bella outside the wedding reception, and I snorted. A snort? Really nice, McGee.

"Yes. And, well, 1 plus 1 equals 3..." Gulp.

"No." He was in denial for sure.

"Yup." I popped the "p."

"No. It's not possible. Your book got it wrong." He was using his condescending kindergarten teacher voice again.

"Well, we could test the theory, but we'd have to find a willing participant..." I was blushing furiously. Me. Pick me. I'm all too willing...Whoa, need some water, Iris?

"That's sick." He tried to look at me disapprovingly, but the expression was still marred with disbelief and shock of what he was realizing.

"I was kidding, obviously." Of course I was...Kind of...no, I was, really. Right?

"So we...I..." He looked to be mentally solving a difficult math problem.

"You are fertile." I answered. "Congrats, dad." I chuckled awkwardly.

"How?" He still sounded incredulous.

"Are you looking for sex tips?" If he had ever wanted to murder me, I might have believed it in that moment. "Sorry." I pursed my lips tightly together. Geez, tough crowd.

"What was the explanation? I don't understand. If it were possible, wouldn't we know? Surely Carlisle and Esme...I mean Rosalie has been upset for so long..." He was worried about his mother and sister. Good God, he was a saint. I'm glad he wasn't interested in me. He was too good for anyone.

"Only male vampires and human females can...procreate. Apparently since human males are fertile their whole lives after puberty until death, you remain that way into vampirism. But how many human-vampire couples do you know of? Any? And if it were to happen, how many human women would survive long enough during or afterward to gestate? The Denali sisters sleep with human men, but obviously that wouldn't work the same way. Female vampires' bodies don't change the way that is required for the growth and development of an embryo and subsequent fetus."

Edward just nodded along with a blank face, staring a hole into the floorboard. Yup, I broke him.

"I think we should skip school. You should go home. You look pale...even for a vampire."

"No...I mean we can't skip school, and I'm not going home. I'm staying with you until the nomads are gone." He was still staring into space. His voice was kind of robotic. Why was he staying with me? I mean, it wasn't like I was going to argue...Wait, but shouldn't I argue? I had just told myself I was giving him up. Ugh I sounded like a relapsing addict, but isn't that exactly what I was? Edward was addictive. My own personal brand of heroine...ok, enough Twilight references from you, Iris.

"Earth to Edward!"

"Huh?" His uncharacteristically casual use of the non-word cracked us both, and we were laughing.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have told you that way. That's a huge thing to hear. After all of this is over, I promise to sit down with each family member, individually, and tell them everything I know."

"I'm over-reacting, clearly. It's just that I never thought that would be a possibility...for me to be a father one day."

"You were against it in the book. I can't believe you're being so cool about it now actually."

"Why was I against it? We were married, were we not?"

"Yes, but you were concerned because of it being half-vampire that something would happen to Bella. You wanted her to have an abortion, but she wanted to keep the baby. You and Carlisle had it all worked out, but Bella knew how to get her way. I told you she was resourceful when determined." I smiled to myself. The girl did know how to get things done..."She called Rosalie to be her bodyguard. It was the first time that Rosalie truly respected Bella for making a choice that she would have made herself." Sucks that Rosalie and I got to bond over a different kind of thing. Thank God it didn't happen to me like it did to Rosalie...I definitely owed Sam a big doggie bag.

"So what happened?"

I wasn't sure if I should tell him. I mean it was a happy ending I guess, but he just looked smitten with the possibility of being a dad, and I was pretty sure the truth of the horror scene that was the c-section...I shuddered...might ruin that for him.

"Was it that bad?" His brow furrowed.

"Bella had to be changed. It was...messy."

"Oh..." His face was unreadable.

"But the baby was perfect. She was—"

"She?" His eyes grew warm. Oh God. He wants to have a daughter now. I didn't see this coming...was he this happy about having a baby in the books? No, he wasn't...but it was mostly from Bella and Jacob's perspectives when she was pregnant...shit.

"Yes." I smiled tensely. "She has a gift that was kind of the reverse of what you and Bella could do."

"What could Bella do?"

"She was a shield, a mental shield. That's why you can't hear me."

"And the baby?"

"She could put her thoughts into anyone's mind with a single touch. No one could block her out."

Edward looked out the window. He appeared...wistful? Oh my God. This is it. He's missing Bella. He's feeling the loss now. He will hate me. You knew this was coming, Iris. Suck it up, buttercup.

"Iris, were you involved with anyone before you came here?" Wow. That's a subject change.

"Involved?" Where was this going?

"Yes. Were you married? Or did you have a boyfriend? Children?" What. The. Hell.

"Oh, no. I was really busy, and couldn't be bothered with someone else. I had just finished up grad school, and was studying for boards to be a nurse practitioner. Why?"

"Right." Was that disappointment in his voice? No. What the hell was he talking about this now for anyway?

"Did you ever want children?" Is he interviewing for an incubator? I might be secretly in love with the man, but this was pushing it.

"Well, I didn't stop to think about it at the time, but sure. Eventually." Where was this going? "Why?" I asked again.

"I always did. When I was human, that is. After the change, it was never possible, and without a mate, it didn't seem to matter."

"And now?" My heart was pounding wildly. Why are you happy about his answer, Iris. You didn't even want a baby three minutes ago.

"I couldn't put the one I love at risk like that. I suppose I understand why I wanted Bella to have a abortion in the book. A mate's well-being always comes first." A mate. He's taking about his mate. His future one. The one who is not me. Lucky bitch. Stop it, Iris. You were over him, remember? Turning over a new leaf and all that jazz.

"I'm sorry that I told you."

"Why?"

"Because I made you hope. I can see it in your eyes. You went from not caring about Bella, to missing her and the possibilities of her in one fell swoop. I'm so sorry."

"No. You misunderstand. I don't miss Bella. I told you. I can't miss what I never had, but..." He looked down through his lashes at me, and my breath hitched. I involuntarily leaned in.

"But what?" I spoke at just above a whisper.

"But..." Was I imagining the longing in his eyes? "We need to get to class before we're late." Oh. Yes I was imagining it all.

I was imagining things because I wanted him so desperately to notice me. I wanted him to say "screw Bella! I want you, Iris!" Or something along those lines. Obviously his turn of the century vernacular would allow him to word it more eloquently. No, Iris, you're friends with him. Friends is good. Friends get to hang out and talk about fun stuff, and not have to worry about the dramatics of love...I'm so screwed.

When we got to school, I thanked Edward and waved goodbye as we parted ways to go to our separate classes. Today was just not my day. Hell, this was just not my year.

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