I've always heard 'those that listen at keyholes never hear good things,' and I never believed it until now. It all started last week after the rumours and bitching, I had Angela over for a sleepover.
"Bella I bet everything would stop if you just said the truth!"
"I can't just say!" I was sitting my bed while Angela did my toes and a large box of malteasers were balanced safely on my growing bump. She shook her head.
"Yes you can, you told me! And anyway I bet you'd get off school," she smiled playfully.
"Angie you're the only one I can trust, and what would the teachers say? They'd call Charlie up and send in social services!"
"No they won't! Bells just listen to me," she took a malteaser and stroked my belly, the baby kicked out but I don't think she felt, "I am sure Edward is dying for you to come out clean, he loves you so much Bella and this is hurting him more than you think." I sighed, it was hurting Edward, a lot more.
I opened the front door to Edward's house (after finally attaining a key,) it was silent. I kicked off my shoes and went upstairs. I heard soft talking in Carlisle's study and went to investigate.
"Edward this is a serious matter," Carlisle's voice was unusually stern.
"I know, but are you sure I can do this? A baby is so delicate," they were talking about our baby; at the sound of Edward's voice the baby kicked out hard moving around excitedly, I placed a hand on it to calm her (I wanted a girl) down.
"Yes, of course I do; Edward the natural instincts you have are to be gentle, not to be a monster like you think. You can't leave Bella to this on her own, it would kill her and I mean it," Edward was planning on leaving? I bit my lip to stop from making any noise or crying as I listened on.
"Carlisle, I could help but there's no way round it, something will go wrong I can feel it."
"Edward you've lead her down a path that depends on you being there, if you leave she and your child have no future worth living for," I froze, tears sliding down my face. I ran down the stairs and away from them; Carlisle's words started to hit deep, if Edward left would I really let our baby die? I thought back, being without Edward was hard but graduation was in a month and the baby was due in just two, we could survive until then right?
When I got home I was shattered, my heart was torn and I recalled a poem I read 'and as he kissed for one last time, his eyes betrayed the evil of his crime. And her heart it shattered splintering her soul, the pain she felt we'll never know. And the water it stained as it fell, the tears of a fallen angel will always dwell'.
Edward's P.O.V
I heard a door click shut and Bella raced through my mind. My beautiful angel, could I be strong enough to do this? I wanted to run, I almost had but in Jessica's shallow, shallow mind I heard every word about Bella she thought. None of it was good. I loved Bella and I loved our child but could I raise a family? Every time the baby kicked, I remembered that it wasn't the dream I had been longing for for 100 years or so, it was reality. And that never lasted.
I had talked to everyone, even Rose out of desperation. Esme had just scolded me for even thinking that, Jasper decided I was insane, Emmet had told me not to be so "stupid, this is the only good thing that's happened in 100 years and you want to back out?" And Carlisle understood, until I said I was going, he got angry at that; I've rarely seen an angry Carlisle, ever. Were my family right? Would Bella, the only ray of light in the darkness die because of me - A monster? I couldn't bare the thought that our baby would grown up alone. I had already damned it to this, so there was no way I could do this to them.
I hadn't fed in a while so I took Jasper and Emmet and we set off on a ten-day trip to do some 'brotherly' bonding and maybe when we got back I would finally man up.
Bella's P.O.V
I felt so bad; I ate the entire contents of the fridge and just moped about the house. Would Edward really leave me? Leave us? The baby was agitated too, I hadn't been eating properly and she missed Edward just as much as I did. I rung his phone but it was dead, I rung his house but a very smug Rosalie just said "he's gone" and hung up. I cried a lot (although that's not much of a change) and on Monday morning made a very big decision, if Edward wanted me to tell everyone I would. I picked out a navy dress that Alice had bought for me a couple of weeks, it came down to my knees and really showed off my bump, I felt good in my house but with everyone staring at me I'm not sure. Angela was picking me up today and after breakfast she arrived, gaping when she saw me.
"Wow! Bella you look really great!" She saw my worried expression, "it will be fine! Trust me."
"I hope so," I slipped on some ballet pumps and got in the car after faking just enough smile to make Charlie let me out of the house.
I got out and it hit me, like an invisible force field. Every single pair of eyes were on me.
"Come on, you can do it. If you ignore it they'll stop," I hoped Angela was really as confident as she sounded. I walked to the school entrance and Lauren and Jessica blocked my path.
"OH MY GOD BELLA! Is this real?" Jessica looked amazed and not half as bitchy as thought she would.
"I bet it's not even Edward's," Lauren snorted, "where is he anyway?" She nodded towards Alice and Rosalie who had pulled up in the BMW.
"Of course it's Edward's, how could you say that? Bella doesn't sleep around like you lot," Angela's force surprised me. Lauren frowned
"Yeah well, what are you going to do Swan? Are you faking it, so Edward won't leave?" I didn't feel the need to cry anymore, I just felt angry.
"Hey Lauren, back off a bit!" Jessica snapped making Lauren jump, "I just meant why didn't you tell me before?"
"Because you never gave me a reason to trust you," I said bluntly. We stood in uncomfortable silence for a few long moments while others passed us and stared openly at the scene unfolding. "Come let's go in," I mumbled pushing Angela in front of me and disappearing into the school in hopes that I could just go to class.
However the rest of the day was a blur of whispers, question and flames, then came the teachers. I wasn't ready for this, I tried to take Angela with me but the deputy refused in a soft patronising voice that was laced with judgement. I sat down in the head office in front of principle Harrison feeling less nervous then I thought I would.
"Miss Swan, I believe I am correct in saying that the rumours are you are pregnant?" I nodded totally slowly, "so they are true?" I swallowed.
"It's due in July," she nodded slowly. "And everything is… OK?" I was surprised but nodded again, "at home? With the father?" I tensed slightly but tried not to show that I was uncomfortable, I guessed it failed. "Oh right, may I ask who?"
"Edward Cullen," I said hoarsely and her eyes widened.
"The doctor's son? Well I thought he was a proper little gentlemen but I see…"
"He is!" I exclaimed at her tone, "he's been with me all the way, he's just… scared about if he can get it right," I panted having talked so quickly and suddenly realised what I had said.
"I see, it happens to us all, he'll be back you can bet on that," she smiled sympathetically at me and I wished I could read minds, know what she was really thinking.
"I hope so," I grumbled.
"Charlie knows right? And Edward's family?" She asked and I nodded, "good, now you go home and get some rest today must have been stressful." I said goodbye and ran to meet Angela to explain what had been said and let her take me home where I whipped up a sandwich and checked my messages; there was one from Edward I listened carefully to his perfect voice at the end of the phone.
"Hello Bella, I am sorry I didn't say goodbye since I left quite suddenly to go hunting. Alice told me about what you did, I'm so proud of you but I wish I could have been there to protect you... Everything's going to be fine I promise. I'll be back soon, I love you." I smiled, he was away hunting and I, like an idiot, thought he had left me? Maybe hormones really were getting the best of me.
Edward arrived at my house tapping on the window softly around 11. I crawled over and swung it open and a second later I was on the bed again; cold hard lips crushed mine.
"I'm guessing you missed me?" He laughed musically and kissed my tummy, sending the baby into a frenzy. "What's up with you?" I asked suspiciously as he couldn't stop smiling.
"Why?" He asked with that half-smile I couldn't resist.
"Just you seem happier, you're practically radiating it in fact," he paused thoughtfully for awhile he then kissed me again and squeezed me as tight as he dared.
"I just missed you so much, and while I was away I did a lot of thinking. I'm going to be happy and not care, if something happens that's fate." I looked at him my jaw hanging open, "well of course if I can stop it I will, I just mean I won't ever leave or worry if I can help it." His chnage of heart left me silent and I lay back and let him trace patterns on my tummy; thank God that stuff Alice bought had worked and I didn't have any stretch marks, well tiny ones here and there but they didn't show very much. I closed me eyes and fell into a beautiful dream.
A couple days later I was at the hospital in Carlisle's office; he wanted to find out how everything was going on.
"Bella, I presume everything's been fine?" I raised one eyebrow in exasperation.
"You see me everyday Carlisle, why am I here? Angela and Jess wanted me to come over-" I stopped and sighed, Jess had apologise and we were on a lot better terms now even if she still hung out with Lauren.
"I know but here I have access to all equipment I need, now this is quite extraordinary. A vampire and human have never conceived before so I'm not sure what the baby will be, in a matter of saying," he added quickly before flipping through paperwork and files; I yawned and lay on the bed impatiently. I wasn't allowed my phone and the fact was Carlisle only wanted me here so he could poke and prod a bit more to satisfy a medical fascination. It was so boring, I picked up Wuthering Heights which I had brought with me for some entertainment and began to read but soon lost interest, I frowned at Carlisle who was working busily with his hands and eyes trying to read some old file about a young girl who was apparently pregnant with a mysteriously handsome man named, Barrolynn Outen-Datch. According to Aro he was a rebellious vampire who lived for an awful long time before Jasper came along and ripped him to shreds in 1876 because he was being a real dick-head and almost got Jasper killed... Or at least that's how Emmett explained it to me.
"It says here that she died because of hyperoverlating coliopierus, but of course that infection has long since been eliminated," a puzzled look came over his face, I propped myself on my arm and stared at him. I never really notice how beautiful Carlisle really was, a carefully fashioned blonde quiff made up his hair, bright gold eyes were framed with thick lashes that made me jealous. He held himself perfectly for his body shape, which was much like Jasper's or Edward's, tall and slender but with wide, manly shoulders. He caught me gawping and I blushed hard, he just smiled at me. "From these documents the child grew up normally with the exception of only having one set of 'perfect pearls, that were sharp and beautifully straight with no need of a assistance,'" he paused for a moment, "it also says here when the boy was 13 he developed a taste in raw meat and at 18 he suffered extreme pain screaming out things like "my body's on fire!", but after 3 days it calmed down and he disappeared. That's when the Bordeaux killings happened, 12 people went missing..." He trailed off and I put the pieces together: he turned 18 he became a man, so to speak, and it caused the change.
"So..." I began slowly, "it will be normal until they're 18?" He nodded emotionlessly. "They'll be older than Edward," I laughed, Carlisle nodded, finally smiling now he knew how I had taken this information and I left with the promise of coming round tomorrow for 'dinner.'