A/N: Throughout the entire Twilight saga, I always wished this part would magically be different (Some of New Moon too, but I have a one-shot I may be posting at some point there also) Although, I have done quite a bit of altering already.

Unexpected didn't seem to be an apt title.

Since we won't be switching into JPOV, I'm freeeee not spend 1/3rd of the story cringing.

I hope you like this version.

Some chunks from Breaking Dawn are included, at the beginning of this chapter, how could they not be?

Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer owns all of Twilight. I own the original characters. No copyright infringement intended.

Pieces of you Pieces of Me.

I jolted upright, shocked out of the dream, that I was not sure I wanted Edward to have seen, no I was sure I didn't want him to. I was a vampire this time, ready to fight the Volturi over a child.

The room was black. It was also steamy hot. Sweat matted my hair at the temples and rolled down my throat.

I groped the warm sheets and found them empty.

"Edward?"

Just then, my fingers encountered something smooth and flat and stiff. One sheet of paper, folded in half. I took the note with me and felt my way across the room to the light switch.

The note was addressed to Mrs. Cullen.

I'm hoping you won't wake and notice my absence, but, if you should, I'll be back very soon. I've just gone to the mainland to hunt. Go back to sleep, and I'll be here when you wake again.

I love you.

I sighed. I should have been expecting that Edward would have to leave, but I hadn't been thinking about time. We seemed to exist outside of time here, just drifting along in a perfect state. I wiped the sweat off my forehead. I felt wide awake, though the clock on the dresser said it was after one. I knew I would never be able to sleep as hot and sticky as I felt. Not to mention the fact that if I shut off the light and closed my eyes, I was sure to see those prowling black figures in my head.

I got up and wandered aimlessly through the dark house, flipping on lights. It felt so big and

empty without Edward there.

Different.

I ended up in the kitchen and decided that maybe comfort food was what I needed. I poked around in the fridge until I found all the ingredients for fried chicken. The popping and sizzling of the chicken in the pan had a nice, homey sound; I felt less nervous while it filled the silence.

It smelled so good that I started eating it right out of the pan, burning my tongue in the process. By the fifth or sixth bite, though, it had cooled enough for me to taste it. My chewing slowed. Was there something off about the flavor? I checked the meat, and it was white all the way through, but I wondered if it was completely done. I took another experimental bite; I chewed twice. Ugh— definitely bad. I jumped up to spit it into the sink. Suddenly, the chicken and- oil smell was revolting. I took the whole plate and shook it into the garbage, then opened the windows to chase away the scent.

A cool breeze had picked up outside. It felt good on my skin.

I opened more windows in the TV room and lay on the couch right beneath them. I turned on the same movie we'd watched the other day and quickly fell asleep to the bright opening song.

When I opened my eyes again, the sun was halfway up the sky, but it was not the light that woke me. Cold arms were around me, pulling me against him. At the same time, a sudden pain twisted in my stomach, almost like the aftershock of catching a punch in the gut.

What the hell was that?

"I'm sorry," Edward was murmuring as he wiped a cold hand across my clammy forehead. "So much for thoroughness. I didn't think about how hot you would get while I was away. I'll have an air conditioner installed before I leave again."

I couldn't concentrate on what he was saying. "Excuse me!" I gasped, struggling to get free of his arms.

He dropped his hold automatically. "Bella?"

I streaked for the bathroom with my hand clamped over my mouth. I felt so horrible that I didn't even care—at first—that he was with me while I crouched over the toilet and was violently sick.

"Bella? What's wrong?"

I couldn't answer yet. Edward held me anxiously, keeping my hair out of my face, waiting till I could breathe again.

"Damn rancid chicken," I moaned.

"Are you all right?" His voice was strained.

"Fine," I panted. "It's just food poisoning. You don't need to see this. Go away."

"Not likely, Bella."

"Go away," I moaned again, struggling to get up so I could rinse my mouth out.

He helped me gently, ignoring the weak shoves I aimed at him. After my mouth was clean, he carried me to the bed and sat me down carefully, supporting me with his arms.

"Food poisoning?"

"Yeah," I croaked. "I made some chicken last night. It tasted off, so I threw it out. But I ate a few bites first."

He put a cold hand on my forehead. It felt nice. "How do you feel now?"

I thought about that for a moment. Nausea had passed as suddenly as it had come, and I felt like I did any other morning. "Pretty normal. A little hungry, actually."

I felt perfectly normal, just a little tired from being up in the middle of the night. He put on CNN—we'd been so out of touch, world war three could have broken out, and we wouldn't have known—and I lounged drowsily across his lap, and had some fun at the same time. I got bored with the news and twisted around to kiss him. Just like this morning, a sharp pain hit my stomach when I moved. I lurched away from him, my hand tight over my mouth. I knew I'd never make it to the bathroom this time, so I ran to the kitchen sink. He held my hair again.

"Maybe we should go back to Rio, see a doctor," he suggested anxiously, as I rinsed my mouth afterward. I shook my head and edged toward the hallway. I'd had enough doctors for a lifetime.

"I'll be fine right after I brush my teeth."

When my mouth tasted better, I searched through my suitcase for the little first-aid kit Alice had packed for me, full of human things like bandages and painkillers and—my object now— Pepto-Bismol. Maybe I could settle my stomach and calm Edward down. But as I found the Pepto, I happened across something else that Alice had packed for me. I picked up the small blue box and stared at it in my hand for a long moment, forgetting everything else.

Then I started counting in my head. Once. Twice. Again.

The knock startled me; the little box fell back into the suitcase.

"Are you well?" Edward asked through the door. "Did you get sick again?"

"Yes"

"Bella? Can I please come in?" Worriedly now.

"O… kay?"

He came in and appraised my position, sitting cross-legged on the floor by the suitcase, and my expression, blank and staring. He sat next to me, his hand going to my forehead at once.

"What's wrong?"

"How many days has it been since the wedding?" I whispered.

"Seventeen," he answered automatically. "Bella, what is it?"

I was counting again. I held up a finger, cautioning him to wait, and mouthed the numbers to myself. I'd been wrong about the days before. We'd been here longer than I'd thought. I started over again.

Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit!

"I was just curious," I laughed nervously.

He did not believe me, but I knew my husband well. I needed to think about something… impossible…and right away… I'd deal with him after… I HATED, HATED that I had to do this to Edward, but it was just as much for his sake as mine.

"I'm fine, Edward. Alice packed Pepto! See? I need to get some air. I'll be back."

I tried not to run out of the house, but I was out of there before I could even get an answer and across the island for good measure, back to my cave.

SHIT!

I knew my body well enough to know that there was absolutely something wrong with me; there had been almost since our second night. I thought it was the island (I'd never been on a deserted Island before.)

Impossible!

I had no experience with pregnancy or babies or any part of that world, but I wasn't an idiot. I'd seen enough movies and TV shows to know that this wasn't how it worked. I was only five days late. If I was pregnant, my body wouldn't even have registered that fact. I would not have morning sickness. I would not have changed my eating or sleeping habits. Reflexively, almost involuntarily, my hand dropped to my stomach. I most definitely would not have a small but defined bump sticking out between my hips.

"Oh!" I squeaked.

I ran my fingers over the subtle bulge, surprised by how rock hard it felt under my skin.

"Impossible," I said again, because, bulge or no bulge, period or no period (and there was no period, though I'd never been late a day in my life), there was no way I could be pregnant. The only person I'd ever had sex with was a vampire for crying out loud. So there had to be some other explanation, then. Something wrong with me. A strange South American disease, with all the signs of pregnancy, only accelerated…

And then as if I pushed a 'remember button' in my head, all of my schoolings came flooding back— it seemed a lifetime ago now… and some of Carlisle's stories. It seemed to me that the Volturi liked to control the narrative of what their kind knew of the other. I knew better. The Filipino Danag, the Hebrew Estrie, the Romanian Varacolaci, the Italian Stregoni benefici (a legend based on my new father-in-law's early exploits with the Volturi, not that I'd known anything about that at the time.)

The incubus. They hypnotized women with their mystical vampire powers.… part of the definition of the incubus—the ability to father children with his hapless prey. I shook my head, dazed.

But… I thought of Esme and especially Rosalie. Vampires couldn't have children. If it were possible, Rosalie would have found a way by now.

The incubus myth in the vampire world was nothing but a fable. In my world all things were possible... Yet…we did not precisely have sex education for vampires and witches but thinking it through…Of course, Rosalie could not conceive a child, because she was frozen in the state in which she passed from human to inhuman.

Unchanging.

And human women's bodies had to change to bear children. The average human part of me was no different. The constant change of a monthly cycle for one thing, and then the more significant changes needed to accommodate a growing child. My body, was especially fertile, as perpetuating our species was of top importance.

Rosalie's body couldn't change.

But mine could.

Mine did.

I touched the bump on my stomach that had not been there yesterday.

How would anyone know if vampire men could father children when their partners could not? What vampire on earth would have the restraint necessary to test the theory? With a human woman or a witch? Or even be inclined to?

I could think of only one.

Part of my head was sorting through fact and memory and speculation, while the other half— The part that controlled the ability to move even the smallest muscles was stunned beyond the capacity for normal operations. I couldn't move. I wanted to go back, and I wanted to ask Edward to please explain to me what was going on. I knew he wouldn't know, and god almighty the way he reacted to a bruise… I needed to go back to where he sat, to touch him, but my body wouldn't follow instructions, my fingers gingerly pressed against the swelling on my torso. And then, like in my vivid nightmare last night, the scene abruptly transformed.

Reality looked completely different, though nothing was different.

What happened to change everything was that a soft little nudge bumped my hand—from inside my body.

…And then another.

Twins.

I'm pregnant.

Edward was going to lose his shit; the only thing I could do was brace myself for his reaction. It wouldn't be good.

For the first time, through my wedding ring, I felt Edward calling for me.

Had Alice seen something?

Here goes nothing.

"Hey!" I tried to say casually, but my voice showed my nerves.

"Bella!" he whispered urgently. "I've been losing my mind over here."

"Sorry."

"Alice called." His tone was dark, ominous even.

"What did she say?"

"Your future disappeared."

"I don't understand what that means exactly? You rely on her for so much, and it's only going to make what I have to tell you so much worse."

This frustrated me! Nobody knew the limitations of Alice's visions. She couldn't see the dogs and so far, and I am not too impressed when it comes to her ability to see me. I knew that it didn't matter now. I was likely dead in my husband's head already.

Edward stared at me, blankly… waiting.

"I don't think I have food poisoning. I know I don't… Edward, I am 99.9% sure I am pregnant and with twins."

He didn't respond. He had turned into a sculpture. Edward's stare seemed glassy as if he couldn't see me anymore.

At the same moment, Edward's phone rang, shrill, and demanding.

DAMN, Edward's interfering family making this supposed best moment of a woman's life into a soap opera.

I tried to tune it out while I pressed my fingers to my stomach, waiting. In the mirror, my expression was no longer bewildered—it was wondering now. I barely noticed when the strange, silent tears started streaming down my cheeks. —I was having a moment — yep, possibly the biggest of my life.

Finally, the annoyance broke through everything else. I got down on my knees next to Edward —I found myself moving more carefully, a thousand times more aware of the way each motion felt—and patted his pockets until I found the phone. I half-expected him to thaw out and answer it himself, but he was perfectly still.

"Hi, Alice," I said. My voice wasn't much better than before. I cleared my throat.

"Bella? Bella, are you okay?"

"Yep, just a bit of morning sickness." I laughed internally, wishing I could see the look on her face. I didn't think Edward would appreciate that.

"What-Did-You-Just-Say?"

"Is Carlisle there?"

She called Carlisle's name away from the phone.

"Here's Carlisle," she finally said, the irritation in our voices matched.

While I waited through the split second it took for Carlisle to speak, the vision I'd imagined for Alice danced behind my lids. A tiny, beautiful baby, even more, beautiful than the boy in my dream—a small Edward in my arms.

Warmth shot through my veins.

"Bella, it's Carlisle. What's going on?"

"I—" I wasn't sure how to answer.

Would Carlisle laugh at my conclusions, tell me I was crazy? Did I have another colorful dream?

"I'm a little worried about Edward.… Can vampires go into shock?"

"Has he been harmed?" Carlisle's voice was suddenly urgent.

"No, no," I assured him. "Just… taken by surprise."

"I don't understand, Bella."

"I think… well, I think that… maybe… I might be . . ." I took a deep breath. "Pregnant."

As if to back me up, there were two more tiny nudges in my abdomen. My hand flew to my stomach.

After a long pause, Carlisle's medical training kicked in. "When was the first day of your last menstrual cycle?"

"Sixteen days before the wedding." I'd done the mental math thoroughly enough just before to be able to answer with certainty.

"How do you feel?"

"Weird," I told him, and my voice broke. Another trickle of tears dribbled down my cheeks. "This is going to sound crazy—look, I know it's way too early for any of this. Maybe I am insane. I'm having bizarre dreams, and eating all the time, and crying and throwing up and… and… I swear something moved inside me just now."

Edward snatched the phone out of my hand, his face white and hard. He pressed it to his ear. "Is it possible?" he whispered. Edward listened for a long time, staring blankly at nothing.

"And Bella?" he asked. His arm wrapped around me as he spoke, pulling me close into his side. He listened for what seemed like a long time and then said, "Yes. Yes, I will."

"What did Carlisle say?" I asked impatiently.

Edward answered in a lifeless voice. "He thinks you're pregnant."

The words sent a warm shiver down my spine. The little nudgers fluttered inside me.

"Who are you calling now?" I asked as he put the phone back to his ear.

"The airport. We're going home."

I watched Edward for a bit on the phone. I guessed that he was arranging our flight home, but I couldn't be sure because he wasn't speaking English. It sounded like he was arguing; he spoke through his teeth a lot. While he argued, he packed. He threw a set of my clothes on the bed without looking at them, so I assumed it was time for me to get dressed. Edward continued with his argument while I changed, gesturing with sudden, agitated movements.

When I could no longer bear the violent energy radiating out of him, I quietly left the room. His manic concentration made me sick to my stomach—not like the morning sickness, just uncomfortable. I would wait somewhere else for his mood to pass. I couldn't talk to this icy, focused Edward, who honestly frightened me a little. He whirled around the room like an angry tornado, leaving order rather than destruction in his path.

Once again, I ended up in the kitchen. There was a bag of pretzels in the cupboard. I started chewing on them absently, staring out the window at the sand and rocks and trees and ocean, everything was glittering in the sun.

Someone nudged me.

"I know," I said. "I don't want to go, either."

I stared out of the window for a moment, but the nudgers didn't respond.

Why was Edward so furious? I expected a reaction but not THIS reaction.

I tried to reason through it.

Maybe it wasn't so confusing that Edward wanted us to go home right away. He needed to see Carlisle, so he could check me out, and make sure my assumption was right—though there was absolutely no doubt in my head at this point. Probably they'd want to figure out why I was already so pregnant, with the bump and the nudging and all of that. That wasn't normal.

Once I thought of this, I was sure I had it. He must be so worried about the baby. I was still stuck marveling over the picture it had conjured up before the tiny child with Edward's eyes—green, precisely the same color from when he was human—lying fair and beautiful in my arms. I hoped he would have Edward's face with no interference from mine.

It was funny how, abruptly and entirely necessary, this vision had become. From that first little touch, the whole world had shifted. Where before there was just one thing I could not live without, now there were three. There was no division— my love was not split between them now; it wasn't like that. It was more like my heart had grown, swollen up to three times its size at that moment. All that extra space already filled. The increase was almost dizzying.

I'd never really understood Rosalie's pain and resentment before. I'd never imagined myself a Mother. I never wanted that. It had been a piece of cake to promise Edward that I didn't care about giving up children for him because I genuinely didn't. Children, in the abstract, had never appealed to me. It wasn't that I was an irresponsible person, but I would be responsible for raising a magical child with a dominant lineage. We all have the capacity for either good and evil, and I would have to dedicate 18 years of my life to make sure they turned out to be like Gabriel or Nia. Responsible, good people who did not abuse their gifts.

I'd always had my brother and Nia and Lydia. Phil and Renee guided us. Now, even without my mom, I had Edward and his family, I felt complete in this life I chose.

This child, Edward's child, was a whole different story. I wanted them like I wanted air to breathe — not a choice—a necessity.

Maybe I just had a limited imagination. Perhaps that was why I'd been unable to see that I would want a baby until after one was already coming.…

As I put my hand on my stomach, waiting for the next nudge, tears streaked down my cheeks again.

"Bella?"

I turned, made wary by the tone of his voice. It was too cold, too careful. His face matched his voice, empty and hard. And then he saw that I was crying.

"Bella!" He crossed the room in a flash and put his hands on my face. "Are you in pain?"

"No, no—"

He pulled me against his chest. "Don't be afraid. We'll be home in sixteen hours. You'll be fine. Carlisle will be ready when we get there. We'll take care of this, and you'll be fine, you'll be fine."

"Take care of this? What do you mean?"

He leaned away and looked me in the eye. "We're going to get that thing or things out before it can hurt any part of you. Don't be scared. I won't let it hurt you."

"That thing?" I gasped.

I clutched the counter for support. My knees were wobbly.

Edward had just called my little nudgers a thing.

He said Carlisle would get it out.

"No," I whispered.

I'd gotten it wrong before. Edward didn't care about the baby at all. He wanted to hurt them. The beautiful picture in my head shifted abruptly, changed into something dark. My pretty baby crying, my weak arms not enough to protect him.…What could I do? Would I be able to reason with them? Is that what Alice had seen? Edward and Carlisle killing my pale, perfect children before they could live?

"No," I whispered again, my voice stronger. That could not be. I would not allow it. Did Edward and Carlisle decide my fate… their fate?

Just because I never wanted kids before did not mean that this wasn't a gift, a miracle. But because he never really stopped believing that he was a monster, and they were half him, half me, they must be monsters as well. My "Edward married a monster" theory was no longer theory. Why would he say such things if he thought otherwise?

I knew Edward was not a monster, but right now, he was acting incredibly monstrous. He had returned to whatever the hell he was doing, hatred flowing from him freely.

I went outside and plopped on the sand, pulling my legs to my chin after I removed my wedding ring and put it on a necklace.

It had been a few hours…maybe less? Edward made an important choice for me, yet again, not asking me a damn thing. And when I told him that I was going to keep these babies, if past predicted the future. This was the preview of the horror film.

My little nudgers, that's right, mine to protect, even if it was from their father. I would need help, of course, and I could only think of two people I could count on for that. Sadly, not my husband and I was not sure about my brother.

Edward was on the phone again in Portuguese (Clearly not aware that I would not sit next to him for sixteen hours when I could be home in mere seconds… I'd wait for that.) I carefully walked to my purse and put my phone in the back pocket of my shorts. I walked back outside and traveled to a different part of the island. Edward would not be able to find me, and as freaked out as I knew he would be, I didn't care. His feelings were secondary to me right now. I didn't need to be near the pity party with the side of hostility he was having.

Knowing Edward, I knew how much he feared the unknown, and this was a major unknown. He was scared that I would get hurt. That I would die… they would kill me.

But I knew that wasn't true. There had to be others, maybe not witch/vampire hybrids but hybrids, nonetheless.

There had to be a secret.

There was a tentative little nudge in my womb.

It's okay. We're okay, I thought toward the bump.

I dialed the number, betraying my marriage two weeks in. It wasn't like it hadn't been already, vows broken.

"Hello, Rose? I need your help, Esme's as well."

(EPOV)

Where in the hell did Bella go?

I searched for her inside the house, and outside, I couldn't sense her either.

Of course, she must be upset with me. I did this to her… put Bella in danger again. She says I'm not a monster, but against my better judgment, I complied with Bella's wishes, and here we are. She probably has two monsters cooking in her womb when she didn't want kids in the first place, much less whatever the hell these were.

Her brother will want to kill me for killing his sister, and if that happens, I welcome his wrath.

I saw Bella walk through the door, and she stopped dead in her tracks, looking at me as she never has before, wide-eyed, hesitant, and scared. I went to grab her hand and she removed it.

"No, not now. I don't want to hear your thoughts, and I'd like to keep mine to myself for a while." Bella looked down and walked out of the room.

"Almost ready," I called out.

"K."

"Bella, are you okay?"

"Yep," she emphasized the p. "I don't want to fly back, so…. Just get our stuff. I'll be outside when you're ready."

"That's a good idea, Carlisle will be able to see you much sooner."

"Mmmhmmm," was all she said in return.

Bella grabbed a bag of pretzels as she walked back outside.

This wasn't angry or irritated Bella, I knew those moods, but she seemed to be… brooding? So was I… I shoved aside the promise I made, and there were always exceptions.

I couldn't see if she had her ring on or not, but I could see her, not sense her. Maybe the pregnancy made them malfunction, that was probably why she didn't want me in her head either.

I had to snap of it, Bella's life was in danger. I only hoped that Carlisle could deal with this mess as soon as possible. Bags were packed, and it was time to go.

"Bella?"

She didn't answer; she had headphones on, looking like she was meditating and singing to herself. Her eyes shot open and I could see she was texting someone, who in the world would she be talking to now?

"Who were you just texting?" My curiosity got the better of me.

"No one, I was just playing a game, waiting for you." Her voice was flat, but I knew she was lying.

"I'm sure everything is going to be just fine," I lied.

"You're losing your ability to be convincing with your lies, Edward," Bella mumbled almost to herself.

"Well…Carlisle."

"I KNOW!" Bella started screaming; She had never screamed at me before, not like this. "I GOT IT! HE'LL YANK THEM OUT AND HAPPILY EDWARD AFTER! I GOT IT THE FIRST TIME FOR FUCKS SAKE!"

I ran my hands through my hair, maybe not the most delicate of words to say. But that was what I wanted.

Didn't she?

"Let's just get this over with." I could feel the disdain in her voice.

Bella barely touched me, but there we were in front of our new home. A treasured first. I turned my head, but she was gone. I didn't need any locator to hear that she was at my family's house next door. Maybe she was more eager to see Carlisle than I thought. I dropped the suitcases at the door. I didn't want to see the house without her and ran next door.

I was not too fond of the thoughts and looks thrown my way as I entered. And I did not understand why was Rose standing in front of Bella.

"Bella," I walked toward her, only to be blocked by Rosalie.

"What's your problem?" I snarled.

"Edward, you are so FUCKING stupid sometimes. She doesn't want to be near you OR Carlisle."

I scowled in confusion and looked at Carlisle. He looked down, thinking, 'I am in just as much trouble with Esme.'

The pieces fell together. Bella was talking to Rose and Esme on the island. She is afraid of me. I closed my eyes; she wants to keep the monsters, even if they kill her, and that is why she didn't want me to hear her thoughts.

I looked around the room, seeing various faces of confusion, but it was time to pick sides.

Emmett was with Rose, of course, he was apologetic in his thoughts, but didn't agree with me. Alice was indecisive, but Jasper was not. This was a first.

'Edward, I can't see her, but she's always been hard to see. Haven't you noticed how many times I've been wrong or just forgetful when it comes to her?' Alice sighed, 'Jasper is her friend, one of her best, and he has way more faith in her than you do.'

Esme looked at me with condemnation and shook her head, 'how could you say such things to her? Did you not just vow to support her choices? You didn't even ask her what she was feeling?'

That meant Carlisle was not my ally.

I could fix this, I walked toward my wife, but Rose pushed me to a halt.

"She doesn't want either of you near her right now!"

As I pushed Rose out of the way, I saw fear in Bella's eyes.

"Stop Edward," She asked.

I continued walking toward her.

"Stop!" Bella begged this time.

Soon I found myself being thrown against the wall forcefully.

Bella's eyes went wide, "I didn't do that, I'm sorry."

Then she was gone.

"That was weird," Emmett failed at lightening up the room.

"Edward," Carlisle hesitated, looking a bit more optimistic, "that was a defensive move that Bella did not do. They did not hurt you, but they were protecting their mother. That's a sign of instinctive intelligence and love. Maybe it's not what you think."

"Maybe… maybe… not…" I muttered, wondering where the hell my wife went.

"Your babies are not monsters. She called us because she knew we would understand." Rose shook her head.

"I hate to tell you this, Edward, but this is much bigger than me and my ability to see. We should all do research, and oh… listen to her! As long as she is frightened of you… both of you … you won't be able to get near her." Alice added.

"There was no forethought in that, Edward. I understand Bella's protective mechanisms pretty well, as I can sense them. What I felt was an abundance of power and her fear increasing. It triggered something, maybe a shield of some sort, just like that day at school. They may not be developed enough to have rational thoughts, but, with her gifts, instinctual enough to defend the people they love." Jasper laughed, "it isn't just the babies that have changed her, she's changed, the power I feel radiating from her is unparalleled."

"Her power grew exponentially out there. It was almost frightening. New gifts were coming at her left and right. The first week we spent our days together, I would help her get them under control. Like the weather thing, but, my god, you have no idea. She's so scared of it all."

Jasper nodded, "That makes sense, in a way, she didn't want to hurt you, but she feared you. That I could tell. I wonder how much they can sense?"

"I cannot feel her at all."

Rose looked down, "look, Edward, she's coming back, she promised, but this was too overwhelming for her." Rose pulled Bella's wedding ring out of her pocket, "she said you can put it back on her when she returns. Can't you see how much Bella is already built within them? They threw you against the wall like when she threw me against the tree when I advanced toward her. Not wanting to hurt you, like when she put Jasper in a bubble."

I nodded, still trying to take the sting out of holding my wife's wedding ring in my hand.

"Edward, you are very protective of her and have vampire strength, so I see you in that move as well… it was a bit of an overreaction as well." Esme added.

Emmett and Jasper snorted.

"She's barely pregnant! How can her body sustain carrying something so strong, two of them!"

"They don't want her to be hurt."

"It's possible, and we've heard the stories!"

"Yes, I know, the mother dies every time!"

"Yes, but those unfortunate women did not have access to a doctor! You do! One who happens to be your father and a vampire!" Rose retorted.

"That's true!" Esme quipped.

"She said she didn't want kids!" I didn't understand what was going on. When did she change her mind?

Rose looked at Esme and they both shook their heads, "maybe," Rose said gravely, "just maybe if you hadn't gone all psychotic, she would have told you that because they are YOUR babies, not something in theory, but in all reality, a magical combination of you both. A product of the love you feel for each other. Jasper sensed it; they already changed her makeup; they are as much of an extension of her as you are. Those two babies are half the man she loves, whom she was destined to love. How could she want to kill them? That would be like killing her!"

I hated Rose at this moment because she was making too much sense and, in turn, making me feel like shit. I didn't think of these things. Rose knew more about what was going on inside Bella's head than I did.

Carlisle's mind was racing, "As hard as it may be; If you can calm down and be open to this possibility, have a real conversation with Bella. A talk where you listen and do not dismiss anything she has to say. She'll come back. I assure you; I would never do anything against her wishes. The sooner she knows not to fear us, I can look at her."

"She promised not to run again."

"And you vowed to respect her choices and do whatever possible to make life easier for her. You broke your marriage vows." Jasper sneered.

I mouthed 'FUCK.'

Esme was starting to take pity on me, "She's in Sleepy Hollow Edward. That is where she said she would go if she needed to leave. You are just going to have to take the opportunity to think as well. You might want to straighten up as well. You look, unwell."

"Like a mental patient," Emmett added, making everyone else chuckle.

"I don't want to see the new house without her."

"Then you stay here until she returns." Esme smiled, "she'll be back, she loves you too much not to. Get cleaned up and we'll continue with the research. Her confidence in this makes me think that she may know more than we do."

I smiled, "She always does."

I put the ring in my pocket and thought out, 'Bella, I'm sorry, please come home.'

(BPOV)

My decision to go to Sleepy Hollow wasn't such a brilliant move on my part. Staring off at the Hudson, It occurred to me that nothing could taint the fact that this was where we were married, despite Tanya wanting to kill me, and Charlie disappointing me for the last time. Marrying Edward was one of the best days of my life, and it always would be. Only the good came through when I thought about living here, spending almost every night in bed with him. That thought made me want to go to bed and not fight about this… but that was no longer a choice.

I gave my ring to Rosalie to give to Edward, but I still felt his tug, I knew he wanted me to come back. I just needed to be more than sure about something. I needed facts, and I needed help. There! That was the truth, I could not do this on faith or with Rose and Esme alone.

This WAS a big deal- whereas I could envision my beautiful green-eyed babies, the reality is, I knew nothing about the pregnancy, and as vampire hybrids, they would be magical objects themselves with potentially unlimited power, and the potential to cause unimaginable horror They would be the only of their kind and to keep them on the path, I would have to be like them, to help them control their magic as I learned to control my own. We would need Edward and his family to keep us on the proper vegetarian vampire path.

Suddenly I was feeling very overwhelmed.

Before I went through the medical, I would deal with the magical, and break the truth to my family. I couldn't keep lingering in the house of memories, and I didn't have the time to remain and feel sorry for myself.

I only hoped my brother wouldn't lose his mind.

New York, New York, here I come.

xxxxxx

"Isabella!" Lydia squealed, almost sprinting to hug me when I appeared in the living room.

She hugged me, pulled back, looked me up and down, and asked, "What happened to you?"

"Many things, of which are you referring to?"

"To start with, you look ill; you have new power and a lot of it, annndddd…. you don't look the same…"

Oh no

"You're pregnant!"

"Well…" I gulped, "Yes…"

"Oh! My! Congratulations! I wish your mother were here," she sighed, "Why are you alone? Why aren't you wearing your wedding ring?"

"Did you tap into a new power of perceptiveness while I was away."

"You're easy to read, talk!" She scolded

"Edward did not have the same reaction as you. He did not see this as a congratulations moment."

"So, are you punishing him?"

"He doesn't love them. He wanted Carlisle to rip them out of me! I told Esme and Rose so they would have my back.… it turns out I didn't need them. When he walked toward me, and I was frightened that he was going to try to do something…"

"That was an absurd fear, darling." Lydia interrupted.

"Yes, I see that now. When he walked towards me, I could feel something, not of my doing, something like my defense mechanisms, but I was being defended. Is it possible that these guys could throw him against the wall? I am hardly pregnant! Then I left."

"Again."

"yes, again." I mocked. I hated when she made sense. "I'm going back. I just needed space from the negativity."

"Sounds like an overreaction from you, him, and your children. What a lovely trait to share!" she cackled.

How did Lydia find this so funny?

But she was right! I laughed a little, putting my hand over my belly, "yeah, it seems so. I don't know what to do."

"About what?" Gabe asked, standing at the steps with Nia beside him.

"Shit."

"Well, you better tell us the whole story." Lydia snickered.

I told them everything, not the naughty bits, but they already knew our plans. Nia was my best friend, my brother was her fiancé, so there were no secrets in our family. But the end of the story had my brother fuming. He was more upset than I had seen him in a while, and I felt the same protective instinct form towards the thought of anyone hurting Edward and while that made me smile; I had something important to deal with at the moment.

"Gabriel! Leave him be. We have a lot to work out!" I warned

"Ella, I told him! I warned him!" Gabe was furious, and so was Nia.

My anxiety for Edward was boiling over.

"You stay out of this, Gabriel! I need advice, not hostility!"

He just stared at me, obviously not budging.

"He is my husband and the father of my children! Don't!"

He was gone.

Soon after, so was Nia.

Lydia rolled her eyes and sighed, "We will go, but I must gather some things, and I'll need your help. Besides, it is better if they have it out before you get there. Lord knows what the babies will do to your brother."

I nodded; I had a feeling it wouldn't be pretty. They loved their father; my heart grew a little bit more.

(EPOV)

It had been a few hours, I surveyed our new land and the water that surrounded it, seeing all of the natural beauty that I had never really looked at, even with the extra vision I had, it took Bella to point it all out.

Bella…

Bella hadn't come home yet.

Esme was hovering.

'She'll be back, Edward. You cannot blame her for not wanting to be in that atmosphere. Come inside; everyone is worried.'

I nodded, knowing I didn't have much of a choice.

I didn't want to deal with any of this, but if I didn't, and she did come back, she'll either leave again or move in with Rose and kick me to the curb.

'Edward, I know that the unknown has always been… terrifying when it comes to important things… you are a guardian of this family with your ability because of just that… and we have asked too much of you and Alice in that respect. You, in turn, have become too reliant upon her. She is so much the opposite of Bella. Bella doesn't see things as black or white as Alice does, that's why she doesn't listen to her. Since Alice is unable to comfort you in this situation, you must try to be optimistic.'

Was that the door?

Bella wouldn't ring the doorbell.

I listened to Carlisle answering the door.

"It's for you, Edward… I'm not so sure…"

Knew it.

"Edward!" Gabe yelled.

FUCK.

My brothers asked me if I wanted them to back me up, and I shook my head no. I would have to deal with this on my own. That didn't mean they weren't taking bets.

Gabe punched me in the face, and it hurt!

"I trusted you! How could you treat my sister the way you did! She's devastated!"

"You're not mad about…"

The monsters she was hell-bent on keeping.

"Edward, there isn't much that Ella doesn't confide in us. We knew about your honeymoon plans. I knew you wouldn't hurt her—not physically, at least. I thought we were on the same page."

"I went about this all wrong, okay, Gabriel? I know! I should have calmed down and talked to her before I shot off my mouth and made an asinine plan that was directly against her wishes. I am scared! I am scared that I will lose her, and I cannot live in a world where she does not exist!"

"So, you've made this all about you? Your fears? Do you think SHE feels any different? How about the fact she is carrying the load of two supernatural worlds worth of unknown? She's terrified!"

"She left!"

"To think about what to do!"

"She left her wedding ring with Rose."

"You want her to carry around your hostility towards her and them? I would have tossed it in the Hudson. But, from what I hear, they won't let you get close." Gabe bragged.

"No, not until I can accept this and calm down. How are you so calm?"

"Because- this is Ella we are talking about! She ALWAYS finds some path to succeed. She needed more answers before she came back. I think she should stay away. Not like she listens to me."

"I'm sorry!"

"Wrong person, Asshole!" Nia had joined us.

The entire family was watching from the porch, but Carlisle was concerned enough to check, 'Edward?'

"They know everything."

"I didn't come here just to punch you; I have to admit that was a bonus."

"You hit him?" Nia asked, her eyes bugging out.

"He deserved it."

"True."

"Stop it!" A beautiful voice screamed, but not at me for once. "I told you to back off, Gabriel!"

Bella stared down her brother and then looked and walked towards me. I prepared myself for another round of violence, but there was none. I was so happy to see her that I wrapped my arms around her, kissing the top of her forehead.

'I'm sorry.'

'Me too. I keep running; I knew I would come back, but this is my home… our home is wherever you are. I can prove that this is something special and that they have affection for us both.'

'I am not so sure about me.'

'They do, I promise.'

I heard gagging noises- Gabriel was still pissed and about to make a huge mistake, or I had the feeling he was going to. I had my arms around Bella as he stalked towards her, about to do what they always did when they fought, get in her face but he was angry about me. Bella was not afraid of him; she was fearful for me and when he got too close, Gabriel went flying across the yard.

'That was about you, all about you. I could feel their concern from the moment we started arguing at my Aunts house.'

I was dumbstruck as Bella replayed it through her eyes; she was right. They knew who I was and even from afar did not want any harm to come to me.

Their father.

The world started to shift for me; at that moment, I knew it would never be the same again.

"So, the Twins are 2 and 0 now, eh?" Lydia laughed, "You had to know that was coming, Gabe." She shook her head "Stupid men! Have we all learned the lesson here? Don't fuck with my niece or her husband or her unborn children will kick your ass." Lydia thought it was so funny that she was having a hard time breathing; eventually, we all joined in.

"Are you finished acting like cavemen? Do you think that we could come together, magical… medical and vampire alike to figure this out?" She asked me and then looked at Carlisle.

Carlisle responded with a relieved smile, "that sounds like the best idea I've heard so far. Edward? Gabriel?"

We both laughed; both families walked inside the house to try to put the emotion aside, as much as possible, and come up with a way to make this work.

Bella and I hung back, "I'm scared Bella," I admitted. "I am so terrified that I am going to lose you again. I can't and that thought alone drove how I acted this morning. I assumed you felt the same way. I should have known better than that. I can't promise you that I will always act like the normal, happy husband all the time, but I'm here for you, for them. For better, for worse, sickness and in health."

"I'm scared too! Edward, I vowed forever, and I meant it. I know somehow, we can figure this out. It is going to take a village. I do believe, with all the mystical and practical resources available to us, our story will be different. It always has been!"

"…Bella…" I knew I was pushing it with this one. "Will you please try to take the advice from Carlisle and your aunt. I want you to be okay, and I want them to be okay. This is the best shot we have at that."

She smiled broadly, "I promise. Do you have something to give back to me?"

I happily pulled out her wedding ring and slipped it back to where it belonged. We kissed sealing the deal.

Bella looked at our house, "let's do this first; I have a feeling we won't be seeing much of that house for a while."

I looked at her soberly; she meant it. She would stay by Carlisle, not even venturing next door if that was what he thought best. Bella would not live in her dream home to keep everyone safe. It was all I could ask for at this moment.

"We have a while," I responded.

"Forever." Bella agreed.

We laced our hands together and walked inside, ready to face the next part of our journey.

Together.