Bella and the Baby

By MistyriousCharades

Disclaimer: This is a fan inspired work based on a fictional piece created by Stephenie Meyer. I do not own or claim any and all entities belonging to Stephenie Meyer and all other parties involved. No money is being made and no copyright infringement intended.

A/N: Wow I left this story for a week thinking no one would read it! Well, majority rules and no worries it looks like I'm going to continue on! Thanks for all your comments!

Chapter Two

I had never been into designer clothes but I really felt at the bottom of the ladder when Alice revealed there were baby's designer's lines as well.

"Wow this is all really cute but don't you think it's all just a little expensive?" Yes, Jessica had gone all out for Robinson but even she had her limits.

Angela laughed, "It's just for fun, Jessica! I don't think Alice really intends to buy all this for Sunny!"

I felt Edward's sister secretly cringe guiltily besides me as her fist clutched just that little more tightly around her black Amex credit card.

Fascinated by Esme's exquisite embroidery, Jessica and Angela had gone for a more 'homey' look on their infant's clothes and were in a shop where they had been handmade by local mothers, affordable prices and all. Jessica picked out a jean tracksuit and blue woollen t-shirt for Robinson and Angela had picked out a lovely dark blue jumpsuit for Benjy Jr. I watched Alice rummage through several knitted dresses. "Hmm, I really think yellow is Sunny's colour don't you Bella?"

I wanted to shrug but I didn't want to ruin the moment for her, "Yeah, er, lemon seems to suit her nicely." She smiled warmly and Sunny, who was awake but quiet, giggled gently. It didn't mean anything. She was programmed to do that every so often if she was content.

As we scrimmaged through every ideal shop, we also picked out several unnecessary items which Jessica had insisted we all buy because they were "cute." I didn't understand the concept that involved buying toys for something that wasn't even alive. Alice had forced me to pick out Sunny's first plush teddy bear to add to the growing pile of rattles and musical teethers that she had already stocked up on. I didn't think it was possible but I was sure her credit card was going to max out soon. I kept expecting the shopkeeper to tell us it had, especially when she bought the two hundred dollar Angelcare baby monitor (complete with night light and heart monitor).

"Alice..." I said, when we had definitely spent well over what I would have liked, half of which I was sure she hadn't quoted me any prices and the other half misquoted them purposely. Of course this was all disregarding the fact that I had not wanted her to spend anything. "This really isn't necessary..."

But she placed Sunny back into my arms, after holding her for ten minutes, and continued with Jess and Angela on the spree.

I looked down at the doll. She was blinking her eyes and making weird movements with her nose and then she gently sneezed. I had to admit they had done well with the dolls... but what if the sneeze meant she was getting sick? After all this effort, I couldn't afford to lose marks now. Or my bet to Charlie! I placed her back into the pram underneath the blankets and hoped she was cosy.

"Having fun there?"

I turned around and there was Alice again, quick as ever, with another three shopping bags in hand. I sighed but Alice stood her ground firmly when she noticed my expression. "One of them is full of cloth nappies, I swear!"

I just shook my head. At least that was something, we could use. "Where are Angela and Jessica?"

"They're going to meet us in the food court again. Mike got bored and insisted he help on the project because he didn't want Jessica to have to do all the work alone."

"Well, we might as well head there ourselves too. It will distract you from buying anything else that Sunny doesn't really need!"

I was waiting for Alice to move towards the pram's handles but she just looked at me. "Bella, it's about time you started pushing Sunny around, everyone's going to think I'm her mother!"

"You say that like it's a bad thing." I mumbled, but she just nudged me playfully.

I sighed. I had been avoiding this long enough, scared that doing anything 'normal' with Sunny would make me feel attached or close to the doll as if it were real. Speaking of which, it did feel very unreal pushing the pram, knowing that I would never ever do this later on in life. Not if I intended to stay with Edward at the very least which I had no intention of not doing. It also made me realise that I had never really discussed this with him – not properly at least – and I wondered if he was feeling the same as I was.

When we arrived, Mike was already there with the girls. He was carrying Robinson and rocking him gently. "He takes after me!" he said jokingly. Jessica rolled her eyes in mock expression but I secretly felt that she liked his doting.

Alice's phone started ringing and she picked it up within the first beat.

"Hello?" she asked. "Well of course you can!... No, not at all, it really isn't like that... yeah okay then!"

She had hung up before I could turn my head to ask her what was going on.

"That was Edward," she confirmed, my suspicions at rest, "He knows Mike is here so he wants to show off his paternal instincts."

That wasn't very like Edward, though even if he was turning up for the sake of competition, I was glad he was going to be here – though I was curious about one thing.

"Whose car is he taking? Since you've got the Volvo, I mean?"

Alice smiled and then whispered into my ear so that only I could hear. "There are other ways for us to travel that don't involve cars..."

And before I knew it, Edward was right beside me, reaching into the pram for Sunny, her blue eyes wide with curiosity. "This one definitely takes after her mother," he said to Mike who smiled back, however, it was easy to read from his expression that there was now a certain frustration that existed with Edward's arrival.

"Bella, I think I'm going to go home." Alice told me, "You know get rid of all of Sunny's shopping."

I knew she was hinting alone time for me, Edward and Sunny but I wasn't sure if I was ready for that. It wasn't that I didn't want to be alone with Edward, that I could handle twenty four seven if it were possible. It was the fact that it was going to include this third edition. I hadn't wanted a chance of attachment to take place and I was sure that being alone with Edward, who was so gloriously perfect and possibly the only seventeen year old ever mature or ready enough to raise a baby, was going to help that situation from not taking place. Alice however, didn't leave me a choice for that especially when she asked Angela if she wanted a lift home. Mike didn't waste a chance either and quickly left with Jessica and Robinson. This mean that 'family time' had well started before my worrying even had time to comprehend itself.

"Have you eaten?" Edward asked me.

I shook my head, "No, but Sunny has."

"Delighted to hear it!" he said a hint of suspicious triumph in his voice. I meant to question him about it but he gave me no opportunity to do so. "No, please, hear me out," he asked politely. "What would you say if I proposed a family picnic event in our meadow?"

I stared at him with incredulous wide eyes, shaking my head and begging for anything but family notions.

"Bella? Is something wrong? You've been extremely hostile about this project ever since we received it, but it contradicts you wanting to do well, which I know you do want to achieve because of your determination against Charlie. He doesn't think we're going to last. Don't you want to prove him wrong? Don't you want to tell him that you're enjoying this if only to throw him off?"

"I do want to prove a point to Charlie," I admitted, "but I'm scared I'm going to get attached to the baby - and I'm scared you're going to get attached to the baby too. And I can't have us both get attached unnecessarily because... I choose you Edward. And I know what sacrifices that entails and yet that doesn't change my decision... so I guess all I'm really asking is - why do we need this... obstacle? Why should we make it harder for ourselves?"

He placed Sunny back into her pram and took my hands. "Bella love, I have had over eighty years to get over the fact that I'm never going to get to be a father and I've learned to live with it even if at times I don't like the idea. Sometimes I do wish I might've had the experience but right now I'm just honoured to have this project because I get to share this assignment with you. The only thing I should be worried about now is, if you were to leave me because I could never get you pregnant. But I really don't think I should be worried about that all just yet... unless you do plan to leave me so you can have a baby at seventeen?"

I smiled, "No most definitely not. I don't like babies." My expression softened, "But I do love you. And I can live with never having a child. So if you think the best choice is to make most of this short time we have with one now then... I suggest we take good on your offer and head over to the meadow..."