A/N: Connecting the dots before the time jump. This has been a very long day for Bella. Well worth it. Zero Angst here!

Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyer is the sole owner of Twilight. I own the rights to the original characters. No copyright infringement intended.

Thorough

(BPOV)

Edward and I walked into the Cullen's house again, just now noticing that this was also their new home, I hadn't even checked it out. Of course, I was with Esme while she designed it. I was suddenly thankful for the panic room (floor?) that Gabe and Edward had installed in our new house, one I had yet to see.

Because there were more important things at hand, I heard Lydia and Carlisle talking, agreeing to 'terms.' Lydia and Carlisle were in total agreement.

What I had not informed my new family was although not a powerful healer, before joining the council, and my mother dying, and dealing with all the wedding and house and vampire dramatics: Lydia was a midwife.

Witch midwives are very different from human midwives. They play a crucial role; healing was not the most valued gift, as they usually had assistants just for that purpose. It was strange, but my aunt could answer much of what human women could only wish to know but could not explain things a human woman would learn from doctors. Working with Carlisle was a perfect combination of all of this. She was gifted in so many ways that human women, really could use. Therefore, I chose her to look at me first.

Carlisle had already turned his office into an actual doctor's office; it was a little too… sterile for Lydia's liking, but she agreed to it.

"Honey, I'm going to confirm that you are pregnant first. Carlisle would do the same."

He nodded.

"Just not the same way."

I nodded.

She held a talisman over my stomach. It was a gold cone, something close to what we used for scrying. Inside was crystal.

Lydia closed her eyes as she repeated the incantation three times, each time the talisman swung around and around a little bit more forcefully. Eventually, she went quiet as the talisman continued to swing.

She opened her eyes, and it stopped.

She smiled, "You are indeed pregnant, with twins." She winked.

"That was quite interesting. Edward put your ear up to Bella's stomach. I know this is so early, and it just seems crazy that we are even doing this, but given today's event, when I heard this. I wasn't surprised. I need everyone to be quiet. Edward, listen close, and not to Bella's heart. Tell me what you hear."

Edward laid his ear on my stomach and concentrated intensely but looked up confused, "All I heard was something resembling a hummingbird. I can't tell what that is."

"That is the sound of two beating hearts, Edward. You just heard your children's heartbeat."

I gasped, and I wasn't the only one.

I concentrated on hearing Edward's thoughts as he focused, but it was true. He was having a hard time believing it and having a moment of awestruck fatherly happiness. Our babies had blood coursing through their veins and hearts that beat, not like mine, obviously not like his. Despite that, we knew this was profound, some part of them, an essential part of their anatomy was human… witch… whatever.

Edward looked up at me, his eyes smoldering and nodded, "I heard their hearts beating. They are human, well not …"

"Dead…?" I asked the obvious.

"No, undead." He corrected, lightly snickering.

"What do you think? Identical? Fraternal Twins?"

"That, I'm afraid, I do not know." She sighed,

"I must caution you; the vampire species may not know about magical objects and what they are used for, but witches do. It is possible not only will the Volturi covet them, but our own as well. Because they are so rare, beyond rare, someone could channel them and create a new species, if you understand what I mean." That caught my attention.

"Isabella will become one as well when her transformation is complete. The is the power you are feeling; has not manifested into single or multiple gifts or specific active abilities, yet."

"Like the Original Witch did?" I asked, scared.

"If your mother was correct. Well, It seems as if her magical intention gone wrong, the one that is responsible for almost everyone in this house, came to be on its own, naturally." Lydia smiled, thinking of the woman who was responsible for my husband, his family, and my children.

It was dizzying.

Lydia smiled, "I'm going to let Carlisle do his thing and finish up in the other room. I need to think some stuff through. I love you, Isabella. I do believe if you listen to us, in a few short weeks you will be parents. It's a lot to think about without even factoring in the mystical parts of this all. I am glad you two found your way back so quickly. You have not had it easy so far. Edward, it would be best if you worked on living in the moment's that you can control. Isabella, it would help if you learned that you aren't by yourself in life, and from this point on, you never will be. It doesn't stop at their eighteenth birthday, obviously. You two have already been confronted by so much in such a little time and in the foreseeable future it will continue to be that way. Deal with it together. It's the only way. You are going to be fine; you both will be…. All four of you will be."

Edward smirked, "Emmett is taking bets on the sex in the living room, he's ecstatic that this is the one time he might stand a chance betting against Alice."

"I may just get in on that pot!" Lydia rubbed her hands together.

She loved to gamble, but I wondered…

"Do you know?"

"Heaven's no! I'm no cheater like the rest of you! I'll see you in a bit, my love." Lydia kissed me on the cheek and made her way out of Carlisle's office.

Carlisle looked like Edward for a moment, and I wondered how many different emotions he was feeling at that moment, "don't feel bad, Carlisle, please." I guessed.

Edward looked at me, "how did you…"

"It's all over his face. I think we all…. including," I pointed at my stomach, "could have handled this better than we did. I would say this happens, but it doesn't. I trust you more than my father. Edward does as well, and you're their grandfather." I started crying, "dammit! Sorry! Go into doctor mode, we're good."

"Thank you, Bella. I don't want to make you uncomfortable with the exams I am going to have to give you, but …"

"If that's what a doctor would do… then you are the best for the job. Hold my hand, Edward."

And like every good expecting father he did, I knew he was communicating with Carlisle, I didn't listen in, and I never felt his attention slip.

The exam was done in relative silence, before giving any information, Carlisle and Lydia wanted to confer and agree on how to proceed going forward.

Carlisle did x-rays of my entire body, an internal exam, internal ultrasound, and external ultrasound, he took much blood, made me pee in a cup, and swabbed my cheeks for DNA purposes. I was done clinically, but I had two more procedures to go through with Lydia. First was a tarot card reading, I was terrified. Then, at some point-another inquisition. Lydia was thorough. That was what made her a brilliant midwife.

Lydia was in the dining room waiting for me shuffling her cards. I saw she had brought three decks. She wanted to be sure, and Lydia was deadly accurate in this area.

I swallowed.

Hard.

Three times I pulled the death card, and I thought Edward was going to have three strokes. Looking at the spread I could tell that the next two months would be hard, painful, emotional, but in the end, there would be extraordinary change—

Mine.

That was what the death card meant, and it was the only way for me to survive, to change.

I'd let them tell Edward that bit of news.

Beyond that, she was concerned because we would face even more obstacles. As a family, we were so intertwined it was impossible to know what exactly those obstacles were, and how many we would face, but we would face something. The end of each spread did have the tarot equivalent of a happily ever after; if we made it through all of this.

"Excuse me, sweetheart," Lydia got up and went into Carlisle's soundproofed office, and shut the door.

"Edward, the death card doesn't mean what you think; it just means change. Rebirth. My aunt is far better at this stuff, but I'm not going to die. Nothing is ever that literal."

"I figured so; you shouldn't be comforting me. I have a good idea of what they are coming up with, and you aren't going to like it… just… please…"

Edward was trying to find the words. This was a rare moment.

"I promised you that I would do what they told me to do. I meant it."

"Thank you, I love you, by the way."

"I think that's why we're here!" I giggled.

Emmett barked a laugh from the other room, and I jumped again.

"Emmett!" Edward growled, "learn to control your volume before they throw you at the wall."

I blushed but sent a silent thank you to Edward for that. I wasn't all too sure that he was wrong.

Lydia and Carlisle walked out of the office and asked us to join them in the living room with the entire family, who were quite eager, but behaving themselves.

Carlisle started his monologue, "17 days since the wedding minus 16 hours for travel, but let's just say you don't apply to the standard of when a conception date is calculated, because of the symptoms, you are close to two and a half weeks past conception and showing. Two hearts beating audibly, that doesn't happen until 12 weeks via doppler. They have been communicating with Bella not with their thoughts but moving according to Bella's thoughts and feelings, and they know who their parents are. That is remarkable intelligence and instinct.

So, you are past your first Trimester. In five days, I am going to start measuring the fundal height of your belly daily. It's not actually your belly I am measuring, but your uterus. I didn't learn much from the ultrasound, but thankfully I can give you this answer, but not much else. They are not sharing an amniotic sack, so you are having fraternal twins. They are encased in something that resembles…." Carlisle looked at Lydia.

"An Egg, a very hardened embryonic sack if you will. To free them, normally, would be a bit barbaric because only vampire teeth can penetrate this, well we don't know what it is."

Gabriel smiled.

"None of that will be necessary. We have tools at our disposal, or we can create them, no biting required." Lydia finished.

The undertone, we had weapons that could slice a vampire in half without putting in any extra effort. Only Carlisle and Edward got it, but they seemed relieved.

Carlisle cleared his throat and went on about my belly size, "thank you. As I was saying, pregnant bellies are measured in centimeters—starting around 20 weeks along – there is a simple formula for calculating how large your tummy should be at any given point at your pregnancy. Start with the number of weeks you're pregnant, then add two to that number and subtract two from that number, which will give you the range your belly should be within. For example, normally, if you're 30 weeks pregnant, your belly should be between 28 and 32 centimeters. If you are 25 weeks along, your belly should measure between 23 and 27 centimeters. With a typical pregnancy, 36-40 is when a woman will go into labor, naturally.

We need to get an idea if this method will work since you are showing now, you will be showing much more and very quickly because you are carrying twins. With Twins, we almost always deliver early because they run out of room, weeks early, and this is a concern for me. With twins around delivery is around 36 weeks. Fundal height-wise, when you hit 43 cm, it will be time to deliver them, and not push it much further. My guess is that in five days, you will be around 20 weeks, and we can test this out."

"I'll be halfway in 5 days?"

"More than half, so, it seems."

I nodded, holy shit.

"We will keep track of their growth via ultrasound as well, but I do believe, if the measuring works, that should be the first sign to start preparing, but it could be earlier. Edward is going to need to try to listen to them and from them. Bella, you are going to have to tap into knowing your body and registering your interactions. If you feel their intelligence grow beyond what you experienced today, tell us, and write it down. Jasper, we will need your assistance is trying to get a sense of things, if possible.

The very last thing we want is for you to go into spontaneous labor. After it's agreed that their brains are fully developed, we will need to deliver."

I nodded, getting a little scared.

I got a nudge, almost telling me it was going to be okay. It made me smile, despite the ludacris thought about being a mom in three weeks.

Carlisle gave me a once over to make sure I was ready to hear more, and I nodded.

"Bella, you will deliver via c-section. Your aunt will assist me, Rosalie you will assist with Anesthesia, we hope not to need Edward to help in any other way than to be there with you, but there are plenty of capable hands. You will be given an epidural and won't feel a thing. We will give you as much time together as possible, after. Full disclosure, I may have to do a hysterectomy to make sure all of the vampires after birth is gone, I do not think venom will be able to burn through it… and that leads me to the second part of the procedure."

Carlisle looked at Edward as he said it, "this is the only way to make sure everyone makes it through this, within a few hours, maybe less, when you are sewn back up… Edward is going to have to change you. We will administer morphine beforehand and I am hoping that with the epidural and morphine, it won't be as painful, but we don't know. We need to make sure your heart is nice and strong. So, get used to that idea, both of you."

I looked at Edward, and he smiled, "This was going to happen regardless, and I'm not going to leave your side, love. It will be worth it; I know it will be." He kissed me on the forehead.

He had no idea how good a response that was, "Okay," I croaked, "what else?" Like giving birth to twins and becoming a vampire in three weeks wasn't one hell of a life change right there. But Edward looked down as if he knew the worst was yet to come.

Carlisle gave me his doctor smile, Lydia looked away, my heart went into my stomach. What in god's name?

"Bella, if we had access to a hospital, you would be considered a high-risk patient and would be admitted, today. In a few hours, you are to be on one hundred percent bedrest. We'll get you something comfortable, big enough for all of you to lay down in, both in the living room and bedroom, but you are going to have to let go of some pride here. Wheelchair or better yet, let Edward carry you to the restroom, and he can help you bathe. I'm sorry, but this is non-negotiable.

During the days, you can entertain yourself out here, and we'll set something up a normal bedroom for you. Also, for the time being, you'll have an IV to keep you hydrated, as dehydration can send you into spontaneous labor, and you'll be getting nutrition supplements..."

My jaw dropped.

Edward looked nervous. Everything Carlisle had just said made sense. I was going to hate every single moment of it, and there was more to come, I knew it. I looked up at Edward and nodded, consenting to their demands. Edward kissed me lightly.

Lydia cleared her throat this time, "You are under no circumstance to do any physical training, and the only magic you should be working with is within you and the occasional moving things to you, around, etc. is acceptable and not considered personal gain. Nothing heavy. We just want them to be as calm as possible. I know you have an achieved an ability to meditate far beyond most experts can so continue to do so but focus on the twins."

Jasper smiled.

I nodded, pursing my lips together.

"Try to communicate with them, visualize, read to them, sing to them, both of you. This is about your health Bella, happiness, and serenity. What you feel, they will. It's life or death, dear, and this is not anything to take lightly."

She smiled and then looked at my brother, "Gabriel, clip her wings."

I went wide-eyed, "what did I do?"

"Nothing, except, soon you will be hormonal, massive, irrational at times, and stuck in bed. This is a precaution. If you need anything, ask for it. We are leaving nothing to chance.

We are both asking, for future generations, to write down everything. We will keep our personal account's in the vault at your house. An academic and anonymous version needs to be written in order to teach. This is a significant leap forward, and it needs to be documented. Your mother would insist you do the same thing."

She was right.

"There is more, and something we must figure out if you are going to live through the actual pregnancy part of this."

Edward went stiff; I squeezed his hand to make sure he was still with me.

"Bella, the next three weeks are about you—no underplaying the pain—anything. This is as much for your sake as for ours because under no means will you be pain-free." Lydia half-smiled

"We can keep this to a minimum should you follow our orders, but they are strong, you are too, but you are…slight. They will possibly crack or break bones." Carlisle added

Edward shuddered.

"So! That Doctor Strange spell we did in the hospital, will probably become something familiar. Get used to the brands, let's use the correct term, sigils, Edward. We hope that they share your mothers' gift for healing, since they are, powerful, so powerful, I wouldn't believe it if I had not felt it myself."

My heart started pounding; Edward looked at me with concern. This was so much I was getting overwhelmed. Everybody knew it, so I let myself cry into Edward's chest.

"She just needs a minute," he explained for me.

I sniffled and wiped the tears from my eyes, and quickly Rose extended a box of tissues for me, with an apologetic look on her face. She also had another look… admiration? I didn't know… I'd have to talk to her later.

"Bella?" Carlisle asked

"Are you agreeing to this?"

"Yes."

"Thank you. We all know that this is going to be miserable for you. We also know that you are strong enough to make it through. We will be here for you, no matter what. All of us."

"All of you?"

"Did you think that Nia and I were going to go kick it in New York? Hell no, we are part of the healing squad, little sis." Gabriel teased.

"Five minutes," I muttered and started laughing.

"This is almost over, but we saved the last for life or death, so I need you to mentally be sharp with me, Isabella." Lydia was ready to start the inquisition. "If you intend on meeting your children, we have to figure out this last piece of the puzzle."

"What have you been eating?"

"Eggs, and more eggs, meat, and milk," Edward answered.

"But you've been unable to keep anything down today?" She asked.

"Pretzels?"

"Not good enough." She retorted.

Carlisle tried to explain, "Cravings are not exactly a random thing. Your body, the babies, need something, and your mind comes up with the most enticing way to get this. I had a patient, for instance, very pregnant in the middle of august. Her husband was making fun of her because she wouldn't stop eating watermelon. The reason she craved watermelon was that she wasn't getting enough fluids, and the watermelon provided that for her."

"In this case, we will need to figure the root need." Lydia said next and asked, "tell me about the chicken."

"Why?" I asked, that seemed random, and I didn't exactly want to remember it.

"Did it taste good to you while it was cooking?"

"Yes."

"But bad when you noticed it was done, white meat through and through?"

"Yes."

Lydia smiled.

"So, you only consumed animal products that entire time. No fruit…"

"Yes and No, in that order."

I had not even thought of that.

"Did you change preference in how you liked your food cooked?"

"Yes, she started eating Eggs sunny side up," Edward answered, then HE looked at Lydia and Carlisle, and started to smile. Edward let go of my hand to whisper something into Esme's ear. She, in turn, smiled and left.

"Esme will be preparing food for you tonight, she's a great cook, so I've heard." He chuckled.

I felt like having a temper tantrum. I grabbed my pretzels and tried not to stomp my feet. They were all in on some secret. It wasn't fair.

Rose handed me a glass of milk.

"Thanks," I muttered.

"Get used to it, miss, I have to help everyone else but not myself. Get used to being spoiled. Remember what we talked about when it came to how you wanted things to be, before you change. Like not cutting your hair?"

"Uhm yeah!" I said, horrified. They weren't going to... no!

"Alice and I will consult with you about that stuff in a few days. I do think you should trim your hair, make it perfect, and by that, I mean, how you like it. This will be the last shot you have before the venom takes over and changes everything else. None of us had that opportunity, look at Edward." She looked me in the eyes, trying to make me understand.

I didn't want to have hairy armpits and legs and ….other bits … forever. This keeps getting better.

But hey, "I like the mussy hair!"

"It's a good thing because he's stuck with it, and so are you. Think about it. I don't want to add to your stress. I want you to wake up happy to start the next phase of your life. Sometimes, it's just the little things that make you sad about this life. It does come up every now and then. I want you to avoid as much sadness as possible. You have that opportunity, we did not, so please take it."

Each vampire nodded their head in agreement.

That was really sweet, and out of character for Rose to say.

"Fine."

"Good! So, most of us are going to hunt. Take this time before your bedrest starts to take in the sights, it's gorgeous around here."

I nodded in total agreement.

"We are going back to New York to get some important research, and I think you will like helping us with this while you have the time. We'll be back, my dear," Lydia kissed me on the cheek, and the witches were gone. I looked around, and so were all the Cullens, except for Edward.

"Do you want to go look at the house?" He asked.

I shook my head, "No, because I won't want to leave. It's not even finished. I guess we know what we are going to do with the bonus room we left empty. I'd rather plan that with Esme and see it in person. You can carry me over the threshold when I'm not huge and pregnant. Besides, everything from the Island Alice bought, and I probably won't even fit into my wardrobe as it is now, so another task for Alice, personal shopper."

"Be careful what you wish for."

"I'm not going to wear anything ridiculous; I want preggo yoga pants and big t-shirts and tank tops, and comfy pajamas. You can do that for me if you want."

Edward nodded, "Esme and Rose, perhaps? How about we let Alice loose on baby clothes?"

"Very smart Mr. Cullen! Let's go for a walk, though. I want to see the ocean."

"Agreed."

xxxxxx

It had been an exciting day, that's for sure, but I was exhausted. Edward had called Esme and asked her to pick up a few of the items I had requested. I was so tired, I wanted to eat and pass out, but I wasn't sure what was up with the food thing. I was so overwhelmed that I didn't care.

"You know, Bella, you are pretty amazing. I didn't know if you would jump out of there halfway through their demands, but you are going to see this through, aren't you?"

I smiled at him, "Of course! Isn't that what Moms do?"

"I am not sure you can compare yourself to other moms; not many have to do all of that." He put his hand on my stomach.

Warmth spread all over me.

"But I'm sure it will be worth it, all of it."

"Even the vampire part?" I wondered.

"Especially the vampire part," he winked. "I can sense them, you know, just not how I usually do. Kind of like Charlie when his mind is quiet or when yours is. I know it's there."

"That's good to know! They have brains!" I teased.

He barked a laugh, "you know what I mean. I feel so stupid for everything I said today. I know it must be a lot to realize you are going to be a mother. Not even once when I was human did I think about being a father. Never after because it supposedly wasn't possible. I do now, and when I heard their heart beating, it was like…"

"You were being changed again, a different emotion than you felt with me, but you felt like your heart grew two more sizes?"

"Pretty much." He laughed, "I should have guessed you would know."

"Eh, it happened earlier for you with me, and it happened earlier with me for them. It's okay, same day. What do you want a boy or a girl? And in which order? Seeing how me and my brother are?"

"What about your mother and your aunt?"

"My aunt is younger by a few minutes. They are identical twins though; they both act very young for their age. Different, yet the same in personalities. My Mom and I have the same sense of humor, sarcastic. You know I always thought I was more like Charlie, but I think I look more like him. My Mom and my Aunt are brave, cunning, smart asses, and my Mom was emotional like me. My brother is stoic, and he reminds me of Charlie in many ways. The more carefree he acts, the more he reminds me of Renee."

"He's getting there."

I nodded, "You didn't answer the question, Edward."

"Ten fingers… Ten toes… err… Twenty fingers… Twenty toes?"

"That wasn't the question, Edward; of course, you want them to be healthy."

"I have no idea how to raise a child, Bella. Looking at you and your brother, one of each, I suppose. I kind of like the dynamic you have, so I'd say the older brother."

"Figures," I muttered.

"You?"

"I've only been able to see a boy… bronze hair… green eyes…" I smiled at the vision that danced behind my eyelids earlier in the day.

"I hope they look like you." He groaned.

"You're insane."

"Well, you look like your Dad, your brother looks like your Mom. Maybe it'll work out that way or something."

"One of me, one of you?"

"I don't know, Bella. I'm flying blind here." He laughed, shaking his head at the ground.

"Well, If we have a girl, I want her to be just like Hermione, but I will not name her that. I know you have no idea what to do, and it means a lot to me that we are having this conversation. Look at this place! It's perfect. Our house is huge but well planned. I assume you boys are going to start building this up like Fort Knox soon enough."

"You remind me of her, you know, Hermoine. That makes sense, brave, smart, perfectionist, loyal, show off, good friend, kind, and funny. I wouldn't mind that at all either. Good call on the name. As for the security, that's the plan, and we don't want that bottom floor to be associated with fear. This is a day by day thing, and I'm doing what I can to protect my family. We'll all be here to guide them, help them learn, and make sure they are happy that we are all content. I got the feeling that we might need to build home number three on the property too."

"Gabe and Nia! Oh! Two more houses! Lydia doesn't like living with them."

"It's 20 Acres Bella. We are going to need them after they are born, and they aren't going to want to miss a thing, you know that. It's better that then have them living with us."

"Yeah, you should get on that one!" I immediately understood the implications of that! Or I hoped that was what he was implying.

"I'll put it on my list. We are probably going to need to build another garage."

I rolled my eyes, "Go figure."

"You are awfully casual about this all."

"Well, you are right. We are going to need them. They are going to want to be around us, and when Gabe and Nia have kids, I will want to be around them too. I want our huge space to be ours. We have our floor… sort of … and everything anyone could ask for. This is my dream house Edward, my dream life, and family. You guys are all I need and think of all that free babysitting."

Edward tilted his head back and laughed.

"We're going to be lucky if we even see them."

"Rose?" I asked.

Edward nodded, "She's excited but not in a motherly way, she's ecstatic to be an aunt, Esme, a grandmother. You know if you two had not bonded before, you would be now. She is so impressed with you. I've never, ever heard the thoughts that were coming from Rose today. She was grateful for this life. Happy that we found each other and excited about the future. She's changing. It's a domino effect!

We all thought that when you and I were married, that was the cap, we were evened off. Now we have Carlisle, Esme, Rose, Emmett, Alice, Jasper, Me, You, Nudger One, Nudger Two, Nia, Gabe, Lydia, and future offspring. We might want to start thinking about names."

"Ughngggg… Not Hermione" was all I could think to say.

"It's been a long day."

"I'm hungry and tired."

"Well, Mrs. Cullen, I do believe there is food, and everything is set up. You are easy to distract."

"Distract me for just a minute or two more. I don't know how long it will be until we have this silence and beauty around us to ourselves, or if we ever will again."

Edward nodded his head and grabbed me by my cheeks and kissed me intensely; my hands shot up into his hair, returning his kiss with fervor. This felt like kissing him on the dance floor during our wedding- we were in a world of our own. Time had no meaning. Even my toes tingled with warmth. I felt nothing but bliss at that moment."

But eventually, we broke apart, and I was dazzled. "Thank you, Mr. Cullen."

"Anytime, Wife."

xxxxxxx

When Edward and I walked back into the Cullen house, I suddenly wanted to disappear. I was being looked at as an experiment. I knew it was time for dinner, but the thought of eating like that in front of everyone made me sick.

"Rude! Vampires! It's not nice to stare! You've had your animal feast; now let us." Lydia shooed everyone away, including Edward.

"Esme prepared steak, asparagus, and baked potatoes for us. Beer for us… milk for you, my love." Lydia informed me.

I looked, and it smelled delicious, although the asparagus might not have been the best choice...

Steak… how long had it been since I had steak? I couldn't remember… but there was something very appealing about it now. I was so hungry I wolfed the whole thing down faster than I'd eaten anything in my life, and I wanted more. There had to be something special about it….

"Was there steak sauce on that?" I asked.

"No… why?"

"There was something… extra on it or in the steak that made it delicious…I could eat another…I think."

Soon there was another in front of me, again, without really looking, I took a bite and tried to figure it out. Food had never tasted so good.

"What is it? There's something different! I've never eaten anything so fantastic." I looked at my aunt, wanting to know what it was… what was it…what was it… dammit, what was it…

Nia, Gabe, and Lydia started laughing hysterically.

"Look at the Steak, Bella."

My eyes widened. Holy shit! Was this steak even cooked?

"I… don't… understand…"

"That, my love, is the rarest of steaks I've ever seen before. No sauce, we were specific, no extra spices… so, what do you think is calling to you…"?

My mouth started to water… it reminded me of when Edward told me about having to swallow back venom…

Ohhh… my... I had two half-vampires inside me… and they wanted …

…Blood...

"Blood. Animal Blood." My mouth started watering again.

Rose put down a silver cup with a silver lid and a silver straw… she shrugged, "Try this. What do you think?"

I took a sip registering the taste… before the stares… or well anything else…then took a much bigger drink… "Wow, that tastes good. What is it?"

I started to open the cup, and Edward took it, "I'm not sure you want to look at it…"

"Sure, I do!" I grabbed it back.

My cup!

It was blood! I just sucked down half a cup of blood, and all I could think was …mine!

I covered my mouth with one hand and put a finger up with the other. I needed to process this.

One, I hoped that wasn't human blood.

Two, If I thought about it too much, I would talk myself out of how much it appealed to me and… whoa, the nudgers registered their opinion… They loved it!

Three, I felt … normal... like I could eat the baked potato without a problem, and so I did... and then the asparagus… I switched off between the milk and blood and holy crow I was about to pop from being so full! But felt oddly sated! This creeped me out.

Everyone was waiting for me to say something.

"Please tell me that it wasn't human blood."

Edward chuckled, "It wasn't, freshly poured cow, thanks to Emmett."

I pinched the bridge of my nose, "they liked it, a lot; my stomach started fluttering. Then I felt like I could eat regularly and since I haven't eaten anything today… now I'm full, and I feel… good so far…"

Weird. I HATED the smell of blood.

"Well, that answers that question. If you don't get sick and can keep liquids down, we can skip the IV and I'll give you prenatal vitamins instead." Carlisle finally walked in.

"Hmmm," I furrowed my brow, my eyelids started getting droopy. I didn't want to think about this too much. They had just found a way to keep me fed, give the babies what they wanted. Fed humans, witches, and vampires. I wasn't sure in what order; my thoughts were scrambling and slowing down.

"I'm tired…"

Edward chuckled and helped me up. I didn't want to think anymore. My brain was so done.

"Will every meal be like a lab experiment?" I whispered.

"No, they just needed your brain to register how much you liked what you ate before you realized what it was. I think the babies were giving you fluttering of encouragement. Did it work? I know the thought is…" Edward looked torn.

"Something I'm going to be used to in a few weeks," I assured Edward. "I'm okay with it. If it means less vomiting, and no IV's stuck to me, a less hospitaley pregnancy. It did taste good." I started to giggle. "This is the MOST absurd, unbelievable twisty… turny of days I've ever had. That is saying quite a lot." I couldn't stop giggling, especially when Edward was so amused. "So, where are the bedchambers?"

We walked down the hall a bit, Edward opened the door, and sitting on the bed were brand new, almost too comfortable looking pajamas, just for me.

I couldn't register anything other than Edward was undressing me. Yes, it was very nice, but he was helping me get into my PJs. I knew I wasn't allowed to go there…even though that's where my mind was… but I wouldn't have the energy if I tried... not that he'd let me… not that he wouldn't want to… damn my brain and its one-track sleepy mind.

I wasn't sure if I was going to make it… I didn't want to fall… I thought Edward might have to carry me to bed… and that is precisely what he did.

I was asleep in his arms before we hit a single pillow.

A/N And there we have it… with just a bit more thought and a lot less drama… things would have been so much easier.

In my world at least.

Also, before we do the time jump… I wanted to mention, as I have before there will be pop-culture references especially regarding films, books, and television shows, and their characters… this is very true in this story going forward.

This is not a crossover or anything like that.

I will let Bella explain in the next chapter but given I have put this in current time (2019,) and at Bella's current age, she would be a witch of the 'Harry Potter Generation.' I can only imagine how cool that would be. I can also say, with certainty, and I am not within the Harry Potter Fandom, I do think that Hermione is the true, ideal, Alpha Heroine. In my opinion, her character is more admirable than any other female protagonist that I can think of in any form of media. I see my version of Bella, very much like her, but with a few other character traits. (More violent, moodier, etc.)

But being a part of this generation is what sets her apart from the others in a lot of ways. That will play a bigger part in the story I am excited to tell. (The generation, not Harry Potter.)

In real life, Hermione is seen as a role model, and I think any parent would be lucky to have a child of such character. There are others, from everywhere that influence my writing and how I see my characters as I write them.

I have mentioned, Four from Divergent when it comes to Gabriel.

Thanks for reading. Happy Holidays and I hoped you enjoyed it. Reviews are always appreciated. They give me the fuel I need to post these chapters.