JASPER POV

I walked up the porch steps of Bella and Edward's cottage, following the sound of Bella's breathing to their bedroom, where I knew they would be anyway.

Alice had been right, it was six weeks later, and Bella was still not better.

She was now over six months pregnant, her condition was not helping her husband worrying.

Edward was sat on the bed; Bella's head in his lap, his right hand was playing with her hair, the other resting on her stomach.

"How longs she been asleep?" I asked.

Carlisle had been here yesterday evening to check on her for the night, she had been asleep then.

I looked at the clock, but that was nearly fourteen hours ago...

"Yes." Edward breathed, touching her forehead once more and lifting her off his lap and putting her back in bed.

He touched her cheek and came to stand beside me.

"She's been asleep sixteen hours." He whispered, his eyes black with emotion.

"Is she still being sick?" I asked anxiously.

"No, but Carlisle wants to admit her to hospital, because she's still losing alot of water." He muttered.

"But you think she should stay here." I observed, he leant his head back against the wall and shut his eyes.

He laughed once without humour.

"I really don't know what to think anymore." He breathed and opened his eyes to look on the form of his wife, lying small and frail.

"Edward she'll be fine." I whispered.

"I hope so." He sighed.

"Edward if she doesn't get better..." I began and he froze, looking straight ahead, not even breathing.

"You can't go back to Italy, she wouldn't want that." I breathed.

He ignored me and remained as he was as I passed, walking back out into the night.

Bella was admitted to hospital that afternoon; she was sedated for the rest of the week, in a sort of coma, like sleeping. Renee could not come down to visit due to an airport staff strike, but she phoned Esme regularly to see how she was.

Edward never left her side; he stayed sat where he was, in the hard plastic chair by her bed, watching her chest rise and fall in a perfect pattern, her breathing.

EDWARD POV

'Day seven.' I thought to myself.

Part of me thought she was never going to wake up, but the more prominent side of me repeatedly shushed that part, praying to heaven that she would open her eyes and tell her how stupid I was being for worrying so much.

"Bella." I whispered, touching her cheek.

"Sweetheart if you can hear me I need you to be okay, and that's an order, not a request." I laughed gently and took a stuttering breath.

"Because I honestly don't know what I'm going to do if you don't wake up." I breathed.

I bent forwards to kiss her forehead, breathing in her scent, partly masked by the antibiotics.

Edward.

Carlisle's thought hit me.

I looked up to see him stood in the doorway.

He walked forwards and checked Bella's stats, his thoughts mulling over something on TV.

That did not help me at all.

"Carlisle." I breathed, my voice hoarse.

"Edward, you need to stay calm." He whispered.

"I am as calm as I can be." I hissed.

"Son she's not getting any better, there is a way to wake her up but..." He began but sighed.

"What?" I demanded, if there was a way to help her why would he not tell me?

"We could induce her into early labour, the contractions would bring her round, but we would not be able to reverse it, the baby would be born just over three months early." He told me.

I froze and collapsed backwards into my chair, my eyes focused on something far away.

"The baby may not survive Edward, but if we don't find a way t bring her round, you may loose both of them."

I blanked him, not breathing at all.

I can't help you with this one son, I'm sorry.

He thought and walked out.

I looked at Bella, her expression so peaceful.

How could I make a decision without her, I needed her, but I could not kill our baby...

Could I?

No I couldn't.

I went and sat on the bed facing her; I touched her cheek and dropped my head to face the bed covers.

I remembered when she had first told me she was pregnant.

I crouched beside Bella, her face pale and incoherent as she stared straight ahead.

She was sat on mine and her bed in Carlisle and Esme's house.

We had been married for just over three weeks and were very happy.

But as more tears rolled down Bella's frozen cheeks.

It was clear to me, that she wasn't.

"Bella talk to me." I breathed and sat on the bed facing her.

She continued to look straight ahead, her only movements her breathing and blinking.

"Edward." She whispered and looked at me anxiously.

"What's wrong Bella?" I asked worriedly.

She threw her arms around my neck and sobbed into my chest,

I rubbed her back and ran my fingers through her hair in an effort to calm her.

"Jasper." I breathed.

Bella's breathing slowed down and she relaxed in my hold. I kissed her hair and pulled back to look into her eyes.

"Talk to me Bella." I breathed.

"Edward... I... I ..." She began but her voice broke, she touched my cheek and looked deep into my eyes, hers swimming with tears.

She took a deep breath and brought her other hand around so she was holding my face.

"Edward I'm pregnant." She breathed and I froze.

How could she be?

Well of course I knew how she was... I mean I had two medical degrees for Christ sake.

But I was a vampire...

"Edward?" She asked anxiously, her thumbs caressing my cheek.

I looked back up at her from where I had been looking at my lap.

"I love you." I whispered.

She smiled and hooked her arms around my neck, gluing her lips to mine.

"I love you to." She whispered through tears.

I laughed and kissed her forehead.

"Edward." A voice croaked from in front of me, breaking me free from the all too painful memory.

"Bella." I gasped and looked up to see her chocolate eyes half open.

I picked up the glass of water I was 'drinking' and pressed it to her lips.

"Sip slowly love." I breathed.

She sighed and I put the glass back down, rubbing her hands in mine, she felt warm to me, but not blistering like she had done.

"You stayed." She croaked.

"Yeh." I sighed.

"I thought you would have left." She said and sobbed, reaching up with the hand that wasn't in mine to hold over her mouth as she cried.

"Oh Bella." I sighed and moved so I was sat next to her, pulling her gently into my side, being extra careful with her now.

"Sorry, hormones." She mumbled and stroked her stomach fondly.

I kissed her head and breathed in her hair.

"Are we going to be okay?" She asked anxiously as she looked at her stomach, more tears rolling down her cheeks and soaking her tone.

"I hope so love, I really do." I whispered.

She nodded and leant fully into my embrace, her breathing deep and even.

"You really scared me." I murmured.

"I'm sorry." She whispered and touched my knee.

I laughed quietly, but it sounded rather forced, "You'll just have to make it up to me by getting better."

"Deal." She laughed and leant her head against my chest.

I ran my fingers through her hair and kissed her temple.

"I feel so dirty." She complained.

"You've been in a coma for a week Bella." I informed her.

She sighed and leant further into my side.

"I know." She mumbled.

There was a gentle knock at the door and Carlisle walked in, his expression relieved.

"I'm pleased you awake Bella." He said, touching her arm.

She laughed quietly and I kissed her hair.

He looked pointedly at me.

She needs to know.

I shook my head, she did not need to know the decision he had asked me to make, it would only upset her.

Something she did not need in her already fragile state.

"Bella," Carlisle sighed, I looked at him evenly.

"If you had not woken up this afternoon on your own, we would have had to make Edward choose." He told her.

"Choose?" She asked through a tight throat.

"Yes, we could have induced you into early labour, which would have brought you around. But it could have killed the baby..." He began but Bella started to sob.

I looked at him anxiously and he sighed.

I'll give you a minute.

He thought and left.

I pulled Bella nearly all the way into my lap, her legs were ling on top of mine, her torso against my chest, her hands balled in fists to the side of her body against my shirt, the side closest to the IV.

"Bella sweetheart you've got to calm down." I whispered, touching her stomach gently.

"Its not good for our little one." I finished and kissed her temple.

"I'm so sorry." She sobbed.

"You have nothing to be sorry for." I told her firmly.

She shook her head and looked up at me with sad eyes.

"But you would have and to choose, had to lose one or both of us." She sniffed.

I touched her cheek.

"I know." I sighed and shut, my eyes, leaning my cheek against her hair.

"You really would do anything, to keep me safe." She breathed.

I nodded, "Anything."

JASPER POV

Edward had reluctantly agreed to go hunting this afternoon, so I and Alice had volunteered to stay behind, having gone the night before to quench our thirst.

I walked into the hospital room Bella was occupying to see Edward stood with his hands in his pockets, back to the door, looking down anxiously at his wife.

"You'll only be gone a couple of hours at the most." I assured him, going and sitting down on the other side of the bed in a plastic chair.

He nodded but didn't look at me, his eyes were ebony black, and I realised he wasn't breathing.

"Go Edward, the longer you stay the harder it will be." I told him.

He nodded and crouched to kiss Bella's cheek.

She moaned and pulled herself tighter into a ball.

He smiled and touched her neck, before leaving hastily.

Literally, as soon as he had been gone five minted Bella squirmed, her hand searching the edge of the bed for him.

Her heart beat monitor beeped loudly and I panicked.

Alice ran in and shook a distraught Bella gently, holding her shoulder and hand.

"Bella look at me." She demanded.

Bella snapped her eyes open and her breathing began to slow, Alice glanced thankfully at me and I smiled.

"Edwards gone hunting, he'll be back later." Alice told her.

Bella nodded and quickly fell back asleep again.

My wife came and sat in my lap, touching my cheek.

I kissed her gently and she leant her head on my shoulder as we watched Bella sleep.

"She'll really be okay?" I asked.

"Yes, but we're going to have to keep a close eye on Edward, he's putting of hunting far longer than is healthy." She said.

I nodded and Alice sighed.

"We can't loose any of them Jasper, because if something happens to Bella, that's what will happen." She whispered.

"but you said she was going to be fine." I reminded her.

"No, I mean..." She looked at me anxiously, "With Jacob and the wolves, anything could take her."

A sob rose in my loves voice and I pulled her into a hug, she dry sobbed into my shirt.

I knew how she felt, Bella was a sister to all of us, but she was also Alice's friend.

I sighed, knowing exactly what would happen if Bella left us.

Edward would as well, and it would break Esme's heart if it happened again.

Bella groaned and opened her eyes, blinking against the light, she sighed an covered them with her hands.

"You okay?" Alice asked anxiously.

"yeh." Bella muttered.

"here, I have something for you..." My wife said and hopped off my lap to sit next to her best friend.

Bella groaned as Alice handed her a large box with a pink bow on the top.

"It's not clothes." Alice said, her tone hurt. Me and Bella laughed.

Bella took the box and opened the lid, tears welling up in her eyes at what she saw.

BELLA POV

Jasper quietly slid out of the room as I stared teary eyes at my present.

It was a photo album of me and Edward, some snaps from our wedding, and copies of some that were around mine and Edwards cottage.

After looking at it I put the lid back on the box and turned to hug Alice.

"Thank you so much." I whispered.

She patted my back, "No problem Bella, it's to help you get better quicker, because I swear to god Edwards going to go acrophobic he's in here so often."

She laughed and I rolled my eyes.

Carlisle walked back in and checked my stats, he smiled at me kindly.

"Bella, how much would you like me to take out your iV?" He asked.

I sighed, "So much Carlisle."

"Okay then, Alice if you..." He began but she held up a hand to stop him.

"I'm fine really." She told him.

After my IV was removed I brushed my teeth and bathed in the adjoining bathroom onto my room, because I was a special need patient, being pregnant, I had some perks.

Before changing into a clean pair of pyjamas and pulling my hair back of my face.

I felt tired after all the exercise, walking slowly with Alice back to my bed, only to see Emmet sat on the end of it, a tape in his hand.

He pushed it in the VCR at the end of the bed and hopped up beside me on the mattress.

"Enjoy!" He said and hit play.

I almost aged at what I saw.

I shut my eyes and covered my ears.

"Oh come on Bella, its not that gory, you're married to a vampire for Christ sake!" Emmet cheered, laughing as the woman screamed again.

"Emmet here the hell did you get this?" Alice demanded.

"The nurse recommended Bella watch it, with her husband..."

"So why are you here?" She continued.

Emmet shrugged, "Because Eddy boy isn't."

There was a sick tearing sound and I grabbed the bag Alice as handing me and was violently sick.

I heard a whoosh and someone couch down in front of me, stroking my cheek lovingly.
"What happened?" Edward demanded, taking the bag from me and wiping my mouth when I was done.

Emmet laughed, "Bella I can't believe you were sick, I mean, that's going to be you in a few months." He laughed,

I groaned and Edward, now realising I was IV free, picked me up and set me in his lap as he sat down, not before kicking Emmet so he would move.

"Turn it off." My husband growled.

Emmet lent around Edward to look at me.

"Bella that is only chapter one, there's still all the stuff about home birth, water birth and C-section." He continued.
"Enough Emmet." Edward hissed, stroking my cheek.

I tucked my head under his chin and he kissed my hair.

I relented eventually, and let Emmet put the stupid film in the TV. I leant against Edwards chest as we watched it, tucked safely under his arm. Rosalie and Alice watched with keen interest, I felt bad, because they were never going to experience it, and I was, and wasn't even looking forward to it.

Emmet and Jasper watched to, making sarcastic comments and gagging at intervals until Emmet growled and they shut up.

'At nine months the baby's head is nine to ten centimetres in diameter...'

The voice over woman told us. I gagged and Edward flinched as it showed the baby being born, Emmet cheered and laughed as I hid my face in Edward's shirt, who stroked my back softly.

"Jesus Bella, how are you gonna get that out then?" He asked.

"Enough!" Edward growled.

Emmet rolled his eyes and hit play again.

It was all varying degrees of awful, all involving blood, all horrific, and very painful, for me anyway.

Edward looked like he was in pain whilst watching it, I knew why, he was thinking about having to watch me go through that, and he hated to see me in pain at any time, least alone something he could do nothing about.

"Edward?" I asked quietly, as Emmet and Jasper played cards and Alice and Rosalie read magazines.

"Yes love?" He replied, touching my cheek and kissing my forehead, confirming he as listening, even though I already knew he was.

"Will you stay with me, when I go into labour?" I asked anxiously.

"Yes." He confirmed.

"Pervert." Emmet muttered.

Edward growled and I touched his chest to calm him.

He sighed and kissed the top of my head.

Carlisle came I and sighed, seeing the scene before him, I yawned, then realising it was half past ten at night.

"Right come on you four, Bella needs to sleep and Esme will be upset if you stress her out." He told his children.

Alice and Rosalie kissed my cheek and bounced Edwards shoulder before leaving.

Jasper just smiled and followed his wife.

Emmet came and bounced beside me, pulling me into a bear hug and kissing me on the forehead, smacking his lips.

I blushed and Edward pulled me back to him, feeling much more gentle and careful than Emmet had, which was exactly what he was.

"Come on Emmet." Carlisle warned, sensing Edwards black mood for anything that would involve me not resting.

Emmet left and Carlisle touched my shoulder.

"Try and get some rest," He said and turned to Edward.

"You'll have to at least get the bedding out Edward, even if you're not going to use it." He said and his lips turned up half heartedly at the thought of Edward sleeping.

Edward rolled his eyes, "Okay."

"I'll be back in the morning, get some sleep." He whispered and left.

I sighed and snuggled further down into Edwards embrace.

"You okay love?" He asked.

I nodded, "now you're back."

"I thought you would be asleep longer, that you wouldn't notice." He frowned.

I laughed and put his hand on my stomach, the baby kicked against it, recognising his touch.

"We always notice when you not here." I whispered, kissing his collarbone.

"You're going to be a great dad." I told him.

"And you're already a great mum." He breathed and kissed my hair.