Hey everyone! So during the past week, I've caught up on a few of my movies... Saw Thor later than everyone else but... whew... I'll tell you one thing. I want Chris Hemsworth for my birthday X3

Eight: Life As We Know It

For a week or so, Bella was kept to bed rest in the Cullen household. She was fed often enough, and only had a concept of night and day through the sleep schedules of the others. It vaguely reminded Bella of when she was kidnapped by Victoria, though far less hostile. She was visited often, checked up on, helped to the bathroom and so on (why they even had a bathroom was strange enough, but Bella didn't complain). Half way through the week, Bella was strong enough to sit up. By the end, she was able to stand and move without assistance. Though not without pain. It would come in small, short bursts at random intervals. Sharp at first, but duller later on. They would throb from between her legs up into her stomach and lower stomach, making her clench her teeth until it was over. Thankfully, Carlisle had plenty of pain medication to spare, and there was always Esme's abilities, just incase. She was a constant visiter to her bedside, as well as Jasper, who barely left it. Emmett often brought her books or snuck her in sweets, and Carlisle and Rosalie came in to check her vitals. Even Alice's gaunt face was seen peeking through the door from time to time, silently watching the human girl in a house full of vampires.

The only one who never came to her side was Edward.

Of all the times she needed him, all the times she just wanted him to be there for her, he was gone. Absent. Whenever she asked for him, it was one lie after another. He was hunting. He was scouting. He was making sure that the house was safe. When Bella finally demanded to see him, it was confessed to her that Edward wasn't even in the house. The day after Bella was found, he had left. To find Alec. This added a whole new layer of worry onto her already stressed body. It was enough to actually make her sick, and did a couple of times. What if he tried to do something drastic? What if he failed and wound up dead because of her? She could only imagine what the Volturi would do to him if he was caught. Victoria's death flew through her mind and she clutched the blankets to her chest.

Outside the Cullen home, things weren't much better. She had convinced Alice to tell her what was going on in town, and the answer was something Bella wasn't ready for in the slightest. Bella had been labeled as a missing person. Charlie and a group of others were working tirelessly to try and find her, including working with the railroad company and the California state police. Bella felt an undying and unrelenting sadness for her father. With how many times Bella either had gone completely missing, had been hurt, or nearly died, she was shocked that Charlie's hair wasn't completely white. She could just imagine her father, up every night, fruitlessly searching for his daughter, all the while Bella was being kept just out of reach, and just under Charlie's nose. But no matter how much she pleaded, Carlisle would not allow her to return home. Not yet.

This brought her to her other underlying fear. The fact that she could be pregnant with Alec's baby. The idea that a rapist could have impregnated her was bad enough, but a vampire rapist? What kind of baby would that even be? Horrible images went through her mind. Vile and gruesome images of some half demon, born with it's father's evil eyes. Piercing into her every day of its life... No. No, Bella would not let it get that far. If it turned out that she was pregnant, she would have it removed. Immediately.

If only she had Edward to lean on. It was bad enough that she had to go through this, but having to go through this practically alone? She had the rest of the family, yes. But Edward was her love. Her dear heart... If only he was here, then a little bit of pain might wash away from it all. Not everything, but something.

Because the others were awake during the night, Bella found herself sleeping during the day. But nearing the end of the first week, she found that she couldn't sleep. She tossed and turned, even stood to pace her room. Her body did not become tired. Outside, she could hear the pitter patter of rain against the old, wooden house. Her footsteps echoed off the hallow walls, being the only noise throughout the manor. A chill ran up her arms and she clutched them, keeping her eyes on the dark wood around her. That's when she heard a stumbling at the front door.

Quick as she could, she went out into the hall just as the front door closed. A weak and sopping Edward stumbled inside, gripping his arm and leaning against the wall. Bella paused, watching him. He was exhausted. He needed sleep. He was starting to make his way to his room, when he stopped and chanced a look up. They made eye contact. Through the dark corridor, Bella could see that regret and shame lingering in his dark gaze (had he not been feeding?). His face twisted into one of sorrow and he let his head hang. Bella turned and went into her room. When she came back out, she wrapped a blanket around his wet shoulders. Edward nearly withdrew from her, but did not, and instead allowed himself to be lead back to her room, where the two sat together. The bags beneath his eyes were deeper now, his face even more worn and tarnished than before. He leaned against her as she dried his hair with her blanket. Bits of water dropped to the floor, silently.

"I tried," he said after a while. "I tried so hard... That... that rat bastard... he fled..."

"I know," came Bella's response. A tense silence filled the room. "Did you follow him out to sea?"

Edward hesitated, but nodded. "Vampires are weak when they're over large bodies of water... I didn't stand a chance..." Yet another silence followed this. Unable to look Bella in the eye, Edward curled forward, putting his forehead in his hand in misery. Bella could do nothing but curl up against him, gripping his arm. He let himself wade in agony for a moment longer before lifting himself up and embracing Bella with his wet arms.

"Tell me if you get cold," he muttered. Indeed, his already chilled body was ten times colder now that he was wet. Still, Bella said nothing. The fact that he was hear was enough to make her put up with the chilly embrace. But Edward could tell that his hug did more bad than good and laid her down, removing himself and leaving to dry himself off and get another blanket for Bella. After changing himself and wrapping her up in a comforter, Edward started a fire (she hadn't noticed the hearth until a couple days in) before sitting beside her. Bella watched the orange flames dance about, making the room seem warm and comforting. As she laid like a cocooned caterpillar, Edward laid behind her, wrapping his arms around her middle, the blanket between them. She could hear his slow breath behind her, feeling the regret waft up from his body. Bella sighed.

"Please don't blame yourself for what happened," she finally said. "It's not your fault. You didn't do this to me."

Edward's arms tightened slightly. "No... But I could have strangled the one who did."

"There's nothing you can do."

"You've accepted that?"

Bella was silent, considering his question. After a moment, she brought his cool hand to her lips, kissing it. "No," she admitted. She turned to him, letting the tips of their noses touch. "Go to sleep," she said. "You need it." She touched part of his arm. Apparently, he was having a hard time healing. This made her frown. "Do you need blood?"

"I'll hunt tonight."

"But human blood will help you..."

"Bella, stop." His eyes were firm. "I'm not taking an ounce from you. Not a spec. You need every drop to heal yourself. I'll be fine with deer blood tonight." After a moment, he let out a sigh and closed his eyes, pushing his nose into her neck. The smell seemed to pacify him. "I'll go to sleep if you do." Bella considered this, but nodded, curling into his arms and chest. Slowly, the crackling of the fire and the soft breath passing his lips put her to sleep.

Her slumber was dreamless, thankfully, and she awoke feeling a great deal better, but still not exactly "good." Still, she awoke in the arms of her lover. That counted for something. Raising her finger, she pushed away a strand of hair from his face. Edward didn't so much as twitch. He must have been terribly tired. She could only imagine what Alec did to him. Sighing, she placed a kiss on the tip of his cold nose.

A knock came from the doorway. Bella looked up to see Carlisle standing in the shadow of her dwindling fire. His eyes lingered on the sleeping Edward before he turned back to Bella. He showed her a paper that he clutched in his hand. "I got your blood results back." Bella sat up, gripping the blanket tightly. Carlisle didn't continue right away. Instead, he walked forward and pulled up a chair to sit in. "I'd... show them to you but you wouldn't be able to make heads nor tails of them." He tilted his gold eyes upward. "Bella... I want you to know that despite the past's dangers, you have been considered family by many of us. Even me – "

"Just tell her already." Edward sat up, his eyes nervous, his hand around Bella's waist. So he hadn't been asleep then? Bella gripped his hand before turning back to Carlisle. Normally, Edward would have gotten a good lecture for snapping at his father, but this time, there was no room for such a scolding. Carlisle took a breath and flipped it open. As if he needed to see it again.

"You're carrying Alec's baby, Bella."

Bella felt a little bit of her crumble away inside. But she would not let this destroy her. Though her lip quivered and her throat clenched, she remained as strong as she could. "I want an abortion," she said immediately. "I don't want it, Carlisle. I want it out."

Carlisle closed his eyes, taking a long breath through his nose. "I'm sorry. I can't give you one."

Bella's face began to fall into desolation. Can't...? No... No, that wasn't right. This was her back up plan. Not all hope was lost, there was always an abortion! She didn't have to... carry this... this...! "Why?" she asked, her voice cracking.

He laced his fingers together. "This is not a normal, human fetus, Bella. This is a fetus with vampire blood. And it is determined to be born. It has attached itself to you so that..." His voice trailed off. Bella could feel Edward's hand tighten on hers. Carlisle continued. "If I were to kill it, I would kill you in the process."

Those words were like the floodgates. Once they had been said, Bella's whole world began to deteriorate. Her mouth gaped helplessly, her heart pounding in her head. This wasn't happening... This wasn't right! She needed to go back to school! She'd missed orientation, but she could talk to the dean and still get in! She needed to go back to her family! Charlie was worried sick! There had to be some other way out... But quickly, Bella realized that there was none. This caused her to let her tears fall, her body quake, and her emotions go. Hysterically, she began to sob, a hand going to her mouth. It was hopeless. Helpless. There was no way out of it. Not even a chance at this point. Edward hugged her around the shoulders, but that only made her sob louder, her mouth wide open. She was like this for a good ten minutes, until her body was tired, and her mind was foggy. Even after her screaming was over, Bella could do nothing but whimper into Edward's chest. His hand gently pet the back of her hair, saying nothing in the process.

"There's more," came Carlisle's voice.

Here, Edward did say something. "Oh goddamn it... Can't you see she's been through enough!"

"She needs to know." Edward clearly wanted to say something more, but was silenced. After a moment, Bella lifted her head up, her hand wiping at her puffy, red eyes. Carlisle sighed. "When the time comes... a human will not be able to withstand the birthing process."

That was a low blow at this point. She sniffed and rubbed her face. "S-so what? I'm damned if I do and d-damned if I don't?"

Carlisle rubbed his hands together. "Not necessarily. You see... There is a way for you to survive. But... In order for you to live, you would have to die."

At first, Bella had no idea what he meant. But Edward seemed to. "No," he snapped. "Absolutely not. Carlisle, that's... we can't – !"

"We must," said Carlisle sadly. "At the final stage of the pregnancy, you must become a vampire, Bella. Any sooner and the child will stop growing, and you will be perpetually pregnant. Any later, and you may die for good."

Bella felt her heart sink. As though it couldn't get any worse... Now she would have to leave humanity all together. Bella had no words for this. No begging and bartering, no helpless pleads. She was just... burned out. She laid her head against Edward's shoulder, crying and whimpering against him. He clutched her tightly, and Bella could tell he was trying to keep it together for her sake. At another time, she might have stopped crying so that he could feel better. But now... it little mattered. Edward kept her as comforted as he could, while Carlisle stood and left the room.

Bella's tears ran until there were no more left.

And here is how we put the original plot into motion in a dramatic and much more sensible way 8D

~T.