Yeah, I have no excuse. But I will still finish this goddamn story if it's the last thing I do.

Sixteen: A Rose's Thorn

Bella awoke, as she had for the past few months, to the feeling of darkness. It had been early morning that she and Edward finally fell into a deep, restful sleep. One that both of them highly deserved. Bella, thankfully, was devoid of nightmares. Though that made her wonder: did vampires even dream? Edward showed no sign of it, thinking back to their mornings together. Oh well. One less thing to weigh her down. Turning, she saw the profile of her... well, perhaps it would be easier to just label him as her husband. After all, they were having a baby.

Yes... They were having a baby. A child.

Perhaps it was Carlisle's little spark of insight that brought her to this conclusion. As if those simple questions were enough to find the happiness she had lost in those dark days. This child might have been conceived through rape by another man, but Edward would be its father, and Bella its mother. They would be a family, and raise it together. It would not be a product of the thing that sired it, she decided. If this was the life she was given, then she would damn well live it the way she wanted to.

Edward's lashes twitched as the vampire beside him began to stir. His pale lips moved as his eyes fluttered open. The two caught sight of each other and smiled. Reaching out, his arms wrapped securely around Bella's waist, bringing her in close (though with an obvious block around her mid-section keeping them apart). "Good morning."

"Good evening," Bella corrected with a smile. They were still naked from that morning. That might have been part of her depression. Alec's rape had caused her to lose herself so thoroughly that she had forgotten what it was like to feel true love. Edward wasted no time in reminding her. After a shared kiss, Edward propped his head in his hand, his other fondly stroking her belly.

"You feeling ok?"

"Ok enough, I guess."

"Good. It's going to be one hell of a transition for you, but I'll be with you every step of the way. Alright?"

That made Bella's smile stretch further. "I know." Their fingers intertwined and the two of them cuddled up close for a good hour or two. But finally, they were drawn from bed and dressed for the evening. Esme had been kind enough to make some fitting clothes for her in the later stages of her maternity. Bella had yet to thank her. She should do that. Hand in hand, the couple walked out to the living room (oh the irony) and spied the Cullen family all loitering around it already. All eyes went to Bella in question. Her smile answered it with ease. Emmett was the first one to speak.

"See, what I tell you guys? Our little Bell's a trouper, ain'tchya, kiddo?" The ex-boxer came over and ruffled her hair. "Say, you look mighty fine as one of us, kid. Though those eyes are a little dark. What, your hubby not taking care of you? Want me to slap him around a bit?" Edward huffed at his brother, his hand on Bella's shoulder. But all Emmett's little speech did was make Bella laugh outright before hugging the muscle head tight around the chest. That, if anything, loosened up the atmosphere.

Bella was helped to the couch by Esme, where Rosalie and Jasper already sat. Across from them, Carlisle and Alice watched with concerned eyes (well, more curious on Alice's part). "You're not feeling light headed?" the good doctor asked. "Nauseous? Dizzy?"

"Nope," Bella answered, her hand still in Edward's. "Actually, I feel pretty good, considering." Being undead didn't seem like such a bad prospect after all. "It's weird though. It kinda feels like I'm lighter than before."

"That happens," Carlisle nodded. "From now on, all of your senses will be different, your sense of smell most importantly. But reality itself has changed for you. What you considered heavy or fast as a human is of no consequence now that you're a vampire. Lifting a tree or a car will be like lifting a book for you."

"But you must be careful not to exhaust yourself," Esme butt in. "As much power as you have now, it can be expended very quickly. I believe Edward told you about our temperatures...?"

"Hot on the inside, cold on the outside." Most of the time, Bella added pervertedly in her head. "And I think all I have now is spit and sweat, right?"

"And blood, of course," Rosalie added.

"Your internal organs, except your womb for obvious reasons, have dried up. As of this point, the only reason they're still there is to fill space in your skin."

"But that doesn't mean they're not important." Emmett now decided to get back into the conversation. "We got blood in our veins to keep us going, and the organs are still part of those veins. Any real damage to 'em and that's a KO. So remember that, kid."

That surprised Bella. "So it's not just the heart?"

A grim chuckle was drawn out from Alice. "Hunters only go for the heart because it's profound," she said dryly. "And there will be hunters. Especially if word gets out that you've got a genetic baby on your teet-"

That earned Alice a scornful look from a few of the others, but Bella wasn't as affronted as she might have been. After learning Alice's story, she and her were on better terms. Besides, she'd dealt with hunters before. Compared to the Volturi, they were a cake walk. "Don't you worry about them," Emmett continued. "We'll keep you and that baby safe as can be, kiddo."

"However," Carlisle this time, "we may have to leave after the birth. I have spoken to the Blacks, and they will call for us if needed. But Alice is right. Because of how rare as this baby is, if word gets out that it exists, every hunter and nomad within a hundred miles is going to want to either kill it or keep it for themselves. There's a small group of allies up in Yellowknife that can give us a place to live for a while. Besides, Canadian weather will probably agree with you more now."

Bella nodded in agreement. The sooner she could leave this tragedy behind her, the better. The conversation was derailed when she felt Jasper scoot closer to her. "Um... Miss Bella?" His big eyes were inquisitive. "Think I can hear it?"

The question was so sweet and innocent, she could do nothing but agree to such a request. Leaning down, he placed his ear just below her breast, listening to the moving child inside her. He smiled and rose, face glowing. "I think it's gonna be a girl!" he proclaimed brightly.

"What makes you say that?"

"Cause Momma used to tell me 'bout babies," he said plainly. "She said that if it's a boy, it'll be right side up, ready to hit the ground runnin. But if it's a girl, it'll be upside down, ready to smile up at the world." Laughing as if she had no care in the world, Bella brought Jasper in for a tight, sisterly hug.

"Oh, that reminds me!" Esme stood and left the room, returning with a flat, brown box tied with twine. "I meant to give this to you after the birth, but now seems as good a time as ever. I know it's a bit old, but I've always dreamed of passing this down to my daughter, if I had one. I tried to fix it up as best I could." Bella undid the twine and opened the lid, staring at the thing below her. It was a soft, mink made baby blanket, warn and yellowed by time, but with very recent new frills sewn along the side, and patches and stitches to fix holes and rips. "It was mine when I was a child. My mother's before me. I had intended to use it on my own child but... well..." Her smile was as kind as any true mother's, and made Bella feel warm inside. "I've had it for God knows how long. It's time it got some use again."

Bella brought the blanket to her face. It smelled of generations before her. Each time she took in the scent, a new story came to mind. It was as if Esme was giving her a part of her life. Looking up, she kept it to her heart. "Thank you," she said sincerely. "Thank you, everybody. Really. I don't think I would have made it without you all." As if to add to the point, Edward squeezed her hand, snuggling up closer to her.

"Ah hell," said Emmett, swatting her thanks aside. "I have more trouble dealing with Rosie when she's in a bad mood." One of which she might quickly get into, judging by the glare she was giving Emmett right about then.

"Taking care of you is no trouble at all," Esme assured her. "Besides, even if it was, that's what family is for, isn't it?"

This tender, loving moment would have been absolutely perfect if not for one thing. As Bella relished in her slowly growing, new found happiness, she felt a tug in her stomach. At first, she thought it was one of her normal pains, but this was different. Much different. Gasping, she clutched her stomach, making the rest of the Cullens go on high alert. Before she knew it, hot liquid came cascading down from her dress to the floor. Liquid, she realized, that was vividly red and potent to all of them there. Blood acting as amniotic fluid from her womb. That could only mean one thing: the baby was ready.

Quickly, the Cullens acted. Bella was escorted back to her room, where things were cleared away and she was set along the bed. The pain she first experienced only grew worse, and in tighter, stricter contractions. Perching her against the pillows with her feet up, Carlisle began to get to work, while Esme and Edward went about comforting her in any way possible. While Edward spoke to her and held her hand, Esme used her powers to dull the pain as much as possible. But even a dark gift could not quell the pain of a genetic vampire birth. And if this was what she felt under Esme's influence, she couldn't possibly imagine what it was like on its own.

These pains went on for a few hours. Then, they only got worse. Bella's body grew hotter than the sun, and she sweated profusely to try and keep it cool. Her hair matted all around her head, and her new found fangs flashed and snared with each painful push of her body. At six hours in, she had started to scream. It was the only way to give release to herself. She was so focused on the pain that everything else around her was nothing more than a blur. The movement of the others, the voices, even the comforting words were lost to her as she tried to push out this thing inside her. Carlisle had to repeat himself quite a few times until she was able to actually hear her instructions. Breathe slower. Don't push yet. Now push. Push hard. Now calm down. Take a breath. Try pushing again. This went on for several hours more. By this time, she wouldn't have been surprised if Edward's hand was crushed to pieces. But if it was, he never complained, and never left her side. Through the hours of her screams, and her pain, he was right there beside her, kissing her sweaty forehead and wiping it clean. More hours proceeded. Even worse pain, if that was possible, tore through her body like thorns. She screamed so much her throat tore, and then she screamed again. Her back went rigid, and her fingernails actually tore holes into the bed.

"Ok, ok! We're almost there, Bella! Keep breathing, keep breathing... Now, take a big breath, stay with me now, and push!" Bella pushed. With all her might. The push turned into yet another scream. She could feel it moving from her stomach, down her body, and towards her legs. "One more time! Take a breath and push!" Again, she pushed. The instruction was given to her again and again and again. Her body felt as though it was being ripped in half on the inside. If she had known it would have been this painful, she might as well have just killed herself when she had the chance. "One last time! It's almost out, Bella! One... two... three! Push!"

And just like that, the pain was gone. A wave of relief washed over her as she completely fell limp against the bed. It was over. It was finally over.

The caterwauling of the newborn caught Bella's attention. Lifting her eyes, she saw Carlisle pull up something squishy and red. Esme helped clean it off as he cut the umbilical chord. Edward, his hand still in hers, smiled against her face as they stared at it. "Look, Bella... you did so good." He kissed her tired cheek. Bella watched her baby being taken from her to the desk, which Rosalie quickly cleared for him. By the door, the rest of the Cullens were slowly peaking through the door frame, waiting for permission to step inside. As Carlisle cleaned it, Rosalie shooed them away before joining them and closing the door behind her. Bella laughed softly to herself, grateful for Rosalie's propriety.

When Carlisle came back, he held with him a slightly less reddish, but still very squished, creature in his arms, wrapped up in a towel. Slowly, he brought it over to her as Bella was being propped up on the pillows by Edward and Esme. The child was first laid in Edward's arms. "It's a girl," he announced.

Edward smiled at it. Or rather, her. "A girl," he repeated. He turned to Bella. "It's a girl. We have a baby girl."

That look of joy in his eyes brought a warm smile to Bella's tired face. A girl. Their daughter. A girl to raise and play with and teach. No longer was this baby some reminder of a far gone nightmare. Now, flesh and blood and in her father's arms – her real father – this baby was material, and very much real. Slowly. Edward placed her in Bella's arms. She was as light as a feather as she rested against her mother's breast. Bald and pink, her face still smooshed together charmingly. The tiniest hand opened and closed above the hem of her towel wrap, as though she was testing it out. And then, her eyes. Her eyes opened slowly at first, but then all the way, looking up to her mother. All the warmth Bella felt suddenly was sucked away from her.

Red. The child was born with red eyes. Red as the blood she would soon make her diet. Red as the beast that gave her life. They were Alec's eyes. Her resolve to love this child suddenly were blown away, as if a strong wind had taken them from her. Alec's eyes. Her rapist was staring at her from the mask of an innocent babe.

"Bella?" Edward's soft voice tore her from the child to look at him. His fingers gently stroked her cheek. "Are you all right? Do you want me to take her for a bit?" The concern was clear on his face. Clearly, he saw the exact same thing she did. Taking a moment to pause, she turned back to the child. Those red orbs had not looked away from her, fascinated by the woman who gave her birth. Bella forced herself to see passed those eyes and instead touched her nose. That made the baby twitch and close them again. Her worries were calmed. For now.

"They're not that bad, are they?" she asked suddenly. Again, she turned to Edward. "Kind of like... a couple of cherries. Don't you think?"

There was a moment of silence. After which, Edward forced a smile and then laid a kiss in between Bella's brow. "Right. Cherries."

"Ahem?" They all turned to see the door slowly creak open, and a slew of gold eyes glowing from the shadow of it. "Um... mind if we...?" Despite her insistence to give them privacy, Rosalie was the one who seemed most curious about the baby.

Nodding, Bella allowed them in. The remaining four Cullens clamored around the bedside, peeking at the new born child. Even Alice took a speck of interest in seeing the girl. Jasper, who had no doubt heard the conversation from earlier, poked his head up with a grin. "Toldjya it'd be a girl!" he said proudly.

"She looks healthy," Emmett said with a nod. "And just as good lookin' as her momma. So, what are you gonna name her, Bells?"

Another name question. Bella and Edward looked at one another. Despite her intentions to talk about a name the morning before, it never exactly came up. Bella's eyes went from Edward to Rosalie and paused. The story Rosalie told her in her darkest time. That moment between them that they had both shared was something Bella held dear to her. Rosalie had opened up to her that day in hopes that Bella would understand that she wasn't alone. And that was right. She wasn't alone. She never had been.

"Rosemary." The name came out naturally. It seemed to fit her just right, but she turned to Edward just in case. "Rosemary's her name. Yeah?"

Edward beamed. "Rosemary it is."

"Might fine name, Miss Bella."

"It's a beautiful name!"

"Wait, so we'll have two Rosies? Won't that get confusing?"

"Oh shush. For the record, only you call me Rosie."

The chatter went on like that for some time. That is, until Esme decided that the new parents needed time alone with their baby. She ushered them out of the room and closed the door. By now, it was probably well into the daylight hours. But as tired as she was, she didn't feel the need to sleep just yet. With Edward's arms around her, the small family stared at this new life brought into the world in awe. Leaning in, Bella kissed her bald head.

"Welcome to the family, Rosemary Cullen."

Yup, I just changed the name. Why? Because a combination of "Renee" and "Esme" into "Renesme," is quite possibly the dumbest baby name I've ever heard of. And I've heard a girl talk about "Precious Diamond" as a potential baby name. This way, there's meaning behind it and it's an actual fucking name. Now, I'm gonna go heal my sunburn and pass out. I'll try to update again soon, but no promises.

~T.