Disclaimer: Not mine.
A/N: You all hate me, I know, but I'm going to make this one long to make up for it, just like with Recover Together, my other Twilight fic. I really hope you all forgive me! Oh, and by the way, Edward and Bella just cuddled in the last chapter, nothing more. Passionate cuddling, but cuddling none the less.
The next day, Edward and I decided to plan out the wedding, and decide where we wanted to build our house. I had made it clear that I would be just fine with a house that was already built, but Edward wouldn't hear of it.
Charlie and my mother took the news of our marriage well, and Mom said she'd come out a few days before the wedding, to help whenever she was needed. I was glad that that my parents weren't the, "You're so young, wait a few years," or the, "No! He says he loves you, but he has hidden motives; and once he accomplishes those motives he'll leave you," types. Mom put up some mild protests, but finally calmed down when I said I wouldn't rush into things, and we'd have a long engagement, and yes I'd invite Aunt Hester, from Milwaukee, (even though she's done nothing but disparage me).
Edward and I were just leaving a home builder, where we were having our house put into an artistic conception, and were driving along the road, when I heard something. It sounded like a baby…
"Edward, pull over!" I shouted urgently.
"Why?" He asked, and then I saw realization register on his features as he heard it too. He pulled on the shoulder of the road, and I bolted out just as he stopped. I followed my ears to the baby, getting more and more worried. How long had it been out here? I hear two different cries. Not it; they.
"Oh my god, Edward, I found them!" I said franticly. At my feet were two babies that couldn't be more than 8 months old; from the looks of it, fraternal twins. There was one wrapped in a pink blanket, and the other in a blue blanket, clearly showing what their genders were.
I tended to the boy first, who had a gash on his forehead and his lips were easily the same color as his blanket. I took my jacket, bundled him in it, and cradled him to me, trying to shush him. Edward was beside me in and instant, cradling the little girl.
"We have to get them to Carlisle," He said, darting to the Volvo, with me not to far behind. Somehow, the baby became warmer in my arms, his lips slowly turning a normal color. When I had sat down and shut the door, Edward spun around and the Volvo shot to the hospital. I glanced at the speedometer: 160. Somehow, I was so consumed by the babies' health, I didn't have any room to worry about the speed we were flying by the trees. After what seemed like an eternity, we finally reached the hospital, both of us bolted out faster than we should have, considering this was a human environment. We didn't care though, as we rushed through to Carlisle's office. He was sitting at his desk, reviewing a chart, as we busted through the office.
"Carlisle, we need your help!" we shouted in unison. He took us both in, noticing the babies in our arms, and ran (at human speed) to get the pediatrician. I looked down helplessly at the baby in my arms, as he looked up at me with trust and dependency in his blue eyes. They were as blue as the ocean I'd seen when my mom and I had taken a trip to the Caribbean. They were beautiful.
"Edward, Bella, this is Dr. Martin, she's a pediatrician," Carlisle's voice cut through my thoughts as I snapped my head up. Next to him was a tall red headed woman that couldn't be more than 26, with green eyes and freckles that dusted her nose. She looked like she was just out of med school, with the text book committed to memory, ready for her to flip through. She extended her arms for Edward and me to slip the twins into. We reluctantly agreed, worry etched in both our faces.
"I'm going to do a total check up, clean up this one's gash," she said, referring to the boy, "and come back to you with the results in about 15 minutes." With that, she exited the room with a flourish, and I collapsed into Edward's arms.
"How is it Edward?" I asked.
"How is what love?"
"How is it that I've only just met this baby, but I love him almost as much as you?"
"I know what you mean. That little girl…" He trailed off with a sigh, "We have to keep them." He said rubbing his hands lightly up and down my back. I nodded and it was quiet for a while, both of us absorbed in our thoughts, when we heard a throat clear. I looked up to see Dr. Martin standing there, empty handed.
"Mr. and Mrs. Cullen?" she asked; Carlisle had obviously told her we were engaged. I smiled faintly at this, and then responded.
"How are they?" I asked; my tone sounding almost like that of a concerned mother.
"Well, they're both recovering. They've been on the side of the road for a while, so they were both under nourished, but we have nurses feeding them right now. The gash on the boy's forehead wasn't as deep as it appeared, just a cut that bled a lot. We'll have to keep them overnight, but they should be able to be discharged tomorrow. Dr. Cullen and I talked to the police about the matter, and they made a decision." I was waiting anxiously to know if Edward and I were allowed to keep them. "Because they were abandoned and whosever parents clearly didn't want them, they decided to give both of you custody." I'd never been so relieved in my life.
"May we see them?" I asked, failing to hide the hopefulness in my voice.
"Of course," She said, smiling in a knowing way. I practically flew to the children's ward after she told me the room they were in. When we found the room, there were 2 nurses feeding them, just as Dr. Martin had said. I held my arms out to the nurse holding the little boy expectantly. He complied, and carefully slid him into my arms, then left the room. I looked over and saw Edward with the little girl in his arms. We sat on the two chairs in the room and stayed quiet for a while, just watching.
"They need names don't they Edward?" I said after a while.
"Yes, I suppose they do," he sighed, still not tearing his eyes from the baby. More silence while we both thought, when he said suddenly, "Belinda."
I nodded then replied, "Edan."
When we arrived home the next day with Edan Anthony and Belinda Rose Cullen, the others were ecstatic, Esme and Alice especially. They had an entire party for us, with gifts for the babies and decorations. Alice and Jasper bought clothes (as expensive as physically possible, of course), Rosalie and Emmett bought little things, like various versions of playing balls and different types of dolls for them to play with when they got older, and Carlisle and Esme bought the cribs, changing tables, bath tubs, and strollers. Needless to say, the entire time, Edward and I were glowing like over-done Christmas trees. About an hour later, when Edward had assembled all necessary things, and I had fed the Edan and Belinda and put them to sleep, I collapsed on our bed. Edward had gone out to "buy a few things" or so he said. I laid there in complete giddy joy, until I felt someone watching me.
"Edward?" I whisper shouted; I wasn't about to wake the babies.
"How are the little bundles of joy?" My head shot up at the sound of the voice. I saw Aerin leaning over the crib the babies were in; if I separated them when it was time for them to sleep, they would cry until I put them together. I ran over to them defensively putting myself between Aerin and the crib. "Don't you dare even look at them." I whispered venomously.
"And why not? You let everyone else," He said in mock sadness.
"If you ever touch them, I swear," I trailed off furiously.
"And what would you do baby?" He said, reaching up to stroke my cheek. I flinched away in disgust. As my face pulled away, he pushed it back so I'd be facing him. He went back to stroking my cheek when he asked, "How do you still manage to be so warm? I wonder…" he trailed off, and then looked at me thoughtfully before pressing his lips to mine, hard. I clenched my jaw while tears of anger had begun to fall from my eyes as he continued to kiss me and touch my collarbone, trailing down but I refused to move, praying for Edward to come soon. I got what was second best as the door burst open and Emmett pulled Aerin off me and into a wall. This woke up the babies, who began to cry and fuss. I tried to shush them while they were still in the crib, not wanting them to see, as tears fell from my eyes onto their innocent faces.
My angel burst into the room just then, and pulled me to him comfortingly. "Oh Bella, oh sweetheart…" he cooed as I cried into his chest and my legs buckled as I fell to the floor.
"I didn't d-d-do an-ny-nything, I swear Edward! It's just he was g-g-g-going to touch Edan and Beli-Beli-Belinda and-"
"I know, my darling, I know. This isn't your fault," he interrupted, rocking me back and forth in his arms. "I would never think this was your fault." He was also crying, but his were tearless sobs. He pulled me back and asked now slightly enraged, "Did he touch you?" I nodded and he let out a roar that was identical to the one I'd heard two days prior. He ripped himself from my arms and launched at Aerin. "You bastard, how dare you touch her!" He shouted, throwing punch after punch, one blending into the next. I watched in horror, and secret relief as Edward beat Aerin to no end. Aerin finally managed to escape, darting out the room and out the front door. Edward started to go after him, when Emmett and Jasper, who'd appeared out of no where, held him back.
"Let me go! I'm going to kill that-"
"Edward, let him go," Jasper interrupted pleadingly.
"Yeah, Ed," Emmett said, "We scared the hell out of him. He'd probably not coming back."
"And if he does…" Jasper trailed off, his voice thick with implications. Edward was still panting and struggling, when he saw me. He ran at me, Jasper and Emmett no longer restraining him, and practically flew into my open arms.
He sobbed into my lap, saying things like, "Oh God, Bella, I'm so sorry," and "I shouldn't have left you, I knew better." I shushed him, and eventually raised his head to meet mine. I kissed his forehead, then under his eyes where, if he'd been human, tears would have been. The babies, as I had just noticed, were still crying in their crib. I shot Edward an apologetic look, and then went to go calm them down. I put them in my arms, rocking them back and forth as I walked over to Edward. I sat on the floor across from him, handing him Belinda. After a few minutes calming the babies I looked up at Edward and saw a peculiar expression on his face.
"What is it?" I asked quietly.
"Nothing, she just…" he trailed off then whispered so softly that I could barely hear as a vampire, "She just looks a lot like you did, when you were this little." I remember showing Edward a photo album of my baby pictures and him commenting on one of me when I was two months old. Confused, I moved next to Edward so I could see her better. After much scrutiny, I noticed her facial structure, the shape of her eyes, the way she held concentration on Edward's eyes, were all undeniably me. In fact, the only real difference was that her eyes were the same Caribbean blue as her brother's. I sat in awe as I watched Edan, who was fighting sleep hard, unsure of me still. I stroked my hand over his face gently, when his tiny hand slowly came out from under the blanket, clasping onto my index finger.
I laughed and cooed quietly, "Yes Edan, mommy loves you too." Reassured, he finally let sleep take him. I got up carefully so not to wake him, and then put him into the crib gently. I'd never pictured myself as the motherly type; not the girl among my few grade school friends who treated her dolls like children. Parenting, I had thought, wasn't for me. But now, I saw why Esme tried to kill herself because she lost her child. It wasn't admirable, but it was understandable. If anything ever happened to Edan and Belinda, well, I'd probably beg to die. I sighed as Edward put and arm around me, put Belinda in with Edan, and then wrapped his other arm around me.
"Bella, we're going to have to move, and soon, before Aerin comes back." I nodded as he spoke; I wasn't about to let Aerin within 900,000 miles of Edan and Belinda.
"As long as I'm with you and the twins, I'll be fine," I said honestly.
"But Bella, you won't be able to have a big picturesque wedding. It will just have to be our parents, and the family," he said sadly.
"I have an eternity to have a picturesque wedding. It will be fine," I reassured him. "As long as we get married, it's all that matters to me."
"That reminds me," he said as if it had suddenly just occurred to him. I knew he'd been planning this from the moment I told him I'd marry him. "I got something for you today," he said timidly.
"Oh?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "How unlike you. Edward, are you feeling well?"
He chuckled nervously, as he reached into his back pocket, retrieving a small, black, velvet box. He opened it for me, revealing an eighteen karat, white gold engagement ring. It had two small diamonds on the side of the band, with a slightly larger, oval shaped blue gem. The same color as the twin's eyes.
"It's blue topaz," he said quietly. I started to put it on my finger when he stopped me. "Read the inscription." I did as I was told. The inscription was written in a fancy font that said,
"Forever and always, my angel."
I just about melted into a puddle right there. "Why are you so perfect?" I asked quietly, throwing my arms around him after I slipped the ring on my finger. I was just about to kiss him, when Alice burst into the room.
"You have to leave in 15 minutes Edward. He'll be here in 30," She said franticly. Faster than possible, Edward and I got our things together, and were out the door with Edan and Belinda in 8 minutes. As Alice pushed us out the door, she said, "I'm coming with you. And don't argue Edward, it's safer this way." He growled but said nothing. Edward peeled out the second our doors were closed. We drove in silence for a while, him holding my hand with a death grip, me clinging on with just as much force. I glanced worriedly back at Belinda and Edan to find them fast asleep, heads together.
"Where are we going Edward?" I asked anxiously.
"Binghamton, New York," he said glumly, "The seventh most cloudy city in the United States." He glared at the road, and I took my hand from his to get his attention. Once I did, I stroked his jaw and kissed the hollow of his neck, like he did to get me to calm down. Not only did he calm down, he moaned in delight. I broke into a mischievous grin at my effect.
"Alice, do you think you can drive?" He asked. She shot up an eyebrow, but nodded and said nothing. He pulled over and let Alice into the driver's seat, setting me on top of him. He proceeded to work out his aggression by kissing me roughly and passionately. I was embarrassed Alice had to see this.
"Edward," I said between kisses.
"Hmm?" he asked, not even bothering to use words.
"Don't you think," I started, got side tracked, then started up again, "that, given the company," sidetracked again, "we should put our activities on standby? Until we're in a hotel?"
He groaned then said in a needy tone, "But Bella…" I gasped and said his name in outrage. "What?" he asked, oblivious to his sister.
"Edward," I scolded.
"She'll be fine, won't you Alice?" he acknowledged her for the first time.
"Only emotionally scarred for the rest of my unnatural life; other than that, just dandy," she said cheerfully.
"See?" he said, as if that proved his point. "She'll be just dandy, now stop worrying about Alice." He started to kiss me again, making me angry. "Ow! Bella!" he shouted.
"What?" I asked thoroughly confused.
"You burnt me!" he said in shock.
"I what?"
"You burnt my lips! When I went to kiss you just now!"
"Well I got angry and…" It suddenly dawned on me. "My power! I completely forgot!" (A/N: Bella's not the only one. Sorry it took me so long to bring it back. I'll try to use it more in the next chapter.)
"We all did. Even Carlisle," Alice said. "I saw this coming."
"Why didn't you warn me?" Edward asked in annoyance.
"Why would I warn you?" she asked through giggles, "You got what you deserved." He glared at her, but I just pulled him away with a kiss. He started to deepen it, when I pulled away; I couldn't resist teasing him. He growled as I set my head on his collarbone.
"Bella," He warned, trying to pull my head back up.
"Company," I shot back. He ignored than and I said pointedly, "Little eyes." That caught his attention.
"You win. Alice, when we get to the hotel in New York, you will be responsible for Edan and Belinda for the rest of the day." I smiled and kissed his collar bone, annoying him more.
"Thank you Edward," I said sweetly, batting my eyelashes. He grumbled in response, disappointed. "Hey," I said, "We have an eternity. What difference will this one time make?" He sighed and refused to answer, burying his head in my chest. I shot a glance at Alice, who had been watching us. I mouthed, "he's impatient," and she mouthed back, "Suck it up." I giggled lightly, causing Edward to shoot his head up and glare back and forth suspiciously between the two of us. He looked at me, suddenly getting a mischievous glint in his eyes. I raised an eyebrow, but before I could protest (intended, I'm sure of it), he had switched places with me. He had both hands beside my head on the headrest, leaning over me, our foreheads touching.
"What were you giggling about?" he was making his eyes smolder, and blew his breath in my face intentionally. I fought the mental fog that was begging to take over.
"Nothing," I said breathily, trying to sound innocent. "Just something Alice and I saw on TV."
He looked slightly bemused, then brushed his lips against mine, and asked, "Is that all?"
Two can play that game. I put an arm around his back and pulled him closer, quickly switching places, then wrapped my legs around his waist. I draped an arm over his neck, putting pressure on his head and pulling his lips closer, brushed hair from his eyes with the other hand, and then said innocently, "That's all." He was itching to kiss me, his hands similarly placed, with the exception of one arm around my waist. I got as close to his face as possible without kissing him, looking him straight in the eye an said, "Now I know you'll be good for the next 12 hours, won't you?" I made my voice sound as seductive as possible. He groaned, banging his head against the headrest.
"You're trying to torture me aren't you?" he asked miserably.
I ran my tongue over his teeth a few times then said, "Only a little." He gave a frustrated sigh at this, trying his best to turn away from me. "Now are you going to be good?" he nodded, his eyes filled with longing. I kissed his forehead, ruffled his hair and said, "Good boy," as I got into the backseat. He growled under his breath clearly not amused by my teasing. I sat next to the twins, who had woken up. Belinda was reaching out to Edward to be held, so I took her out of her car seat and placed her in Edward's arms. She relaxed instantly. I looked at the clock, which said it was 6 o'clock. We'd been in the car two hours already. Regardless, Edan should be hungry; I'd fed him 4 hours ago almost. I prepared his bottle and set to work feeding him.
When we finally got to the hotel, Edward was absorbed in every little thing Belinda did.
"Look at that! She blinked!" He said excitedly. You'd think after watching her for the past 12 hours, he'd have noticed this already.
"Nothing escapes you sweetheart," I said sarcastically, rolling my eyes at Alice. He looked up to glare at me, noticed we were at the hotel, and had Belinda and Edan in Alice's arms before I had the chance to notice what was happening. "Edward put me down!" I shrieked playfully, for he'd thrown me over his shoulder like a sack of flour. I beat against his back and kept up my protests when he stopped suddenly. I turned my head as far as I could, given my position, to see a bellhop standing in front of Edward.
"I suggest you put her down," he said, trying to be brave.
"Or what?" Edward asked. The bellhop raised his shaking fists. Edward snorted and adjusted me on his shoulder so I was sitting on it, rather than being slung over. I giggled when the bellhop tensed and was about to strike. He looked up at me, widened his eyes, and then looked even more determined. I could feel Edward tense under me; he was listening to the bellhop's mind. I jumped down in between Edward and the bellhop; if you wanted something done right, you have to get a woman to settle it.
"Listen," I read his nametag, "John. Its fine, we were just checking in." He looked awed that I'd said his name.
"My fiancé and I were just joking around," Edward threw in defensively. I sighed and showed him my ring. "Now if you'll excuse us." Edward said, lifting me in his arms again, bringing me toward the check in counter. Alice was there, gesturing with her head to the key on the counter. Edward took it and our luggage saying over his shoulder, "See you tonight Alice."
A/N: Ta da! A little more than nine pages for you, as a peace offering. Who was Alice talking about when she said, "He'll be here in 30"? Any guesses? If you think everything is just dandy, you're dead wrong. REVIEW! I'm glad to answer any questions, so please, don't hesitate to ask. I'd also like to here some theories about where you think the story's going.
XOXO
Boho Bella
