Cassie rested a hand on her distended stomach, at fourteen months pregnant she looks as she should if she was six months. Looking over at her mate, Cassie only smiled gently despite their wonderings they had fit in with the Cullens just fine. She thought about how they would be moving soon as the slow progress and growth of their child was starting to rouse suspicion from others around them, when she felt a dip in the couch she leant into the weight by her side. Jasper gave her a kiss on the side of the head and placed his hand over hers.
"Have you thought of any names?" Jasper asked her.
That was something that they hadn't talked about, but they seemed to have reached an agreement that Jasper would give suggestions but Cassie would make the final decision after birth.
Cassie sighed slightly, "A little but I don't want to make any decisions until the little one is born."
"I'm sure that our little one will like any name you choose for them. Don't worry about it too much."
Jasper only felt his mate snuggle into his hold some more. "At the moment, I'm more worried about Edward and Alice. He seems to be ignoring the pull he has towards her." Her voice was muffled and it was times like this that Jasper was truly happy that Cassie could use her magic to make sure that their conversations were as well as stayed private.
Jasper knew what his mate was talking about. For the year that they had been with the Cullens, Jasper and Cassie saw how Alice entrapped everyone around her with wit and charm, everyone it seemed except Edward.
"I'm of the opinion that Carlisle changed him far too young, but I respect that it was to give a young man another chance at life," Jasper said softly.
Cassie only hummed, "even if he was, that is no reason to ignore your mate. I mean, take us for example, I jumped the pond to find you. Turning young isn't an excuse for him to blatantly ignore what is right in front of him."
There was silence for a few minutes as Jasper curled her thick hair around his finger, "I think he has done so because he has become obsessed with the idea of "hunting" for love and he wants to continue this fantasy by ignoring the fact that love landed on his door step."
Cassie didn't say anything to that statement as it was most likely true from the secret romance novels that she had accidentally found when she was cleaning the house with Esme. If it was in her nature then she would have probably coaxed him into seeing what is right in front of him, but love shouldn't work like that no matter how much she wanted to clonk her new "brother" on that hard head of his.
"Don't worry so much, everything will work out. We have forever. Right now we need to stay focused on moving with you only having four months left." Jasper's voice was soothing just as was his hand rubbing circles on her rounded middle.
Talking about moving got her thinking about her upcoming labor in a few months. With playing human, they would not be moving for another month to "take care of business" leaving her with three months till birth. Three months to scan and scout the area for all potential threats and predators to her in her soon-to-be weakened state and newborn babe when it happens. After scouting, she would need to find a secluded place to actually give birth and stock up on blood to feed herself as well as her child. Not to mention the nesting period that will no doubt come up at the beginning of her final month pregnant. So much she will need to do and even as an immortal she feels as if she didn't have enough time.
But she knew that she would have to be ready. Her little one would come if she was ready or not.
Thinking of all that she would need to do it reminded her that she still needed to speak with Jasper about her birthing process so that he didn't feel the need to excessively worry. He knew some of it, but not all. She felt the need to pinch her nose and rub at her temples, she didn't even know that vampires could get a headache but one was coming on and pounding in her head.
Honestly, she would rather go against seven rogue bludgers than deal with this. Jasper felt the aggravation weave off of her and simply kissed her temple while filtering feelings of calm and contentedness to help alleviate her headache. It seemed that she still had some characteristics from her childhood growth when she still had human blood in her veins. At least she wasn't getting physically exhausted and needing to sleep, though Jasper did enjoy relaxing, leaning against each other while running his hand over her stomach.
But she could tell that each time he did that he was slightly disappointed that they weren't able to feel the baby shifting around due to her hard diamond skin.
Resting her head against his shoulder as he lifted her to move into a position where he was lying against the arm of the couch beneath them with her cuddled into his side. His right hand spread out over her large stomach while his left hand reached out to thread his fingers with hers.
"How are you feeling about giving birth?" he couldn't help but ask. He knew that she would be off on her own when she did give birth but that was about it.
"I don't think it will be too bad, but I am a little worried that I won't cut deep enough."
She felt Jasper jerk in surprise, "cut?"
"Jasper my inner organs are just as frozen as yours with the exception of my fertile eggs before my inheritance which are what allowed me to get pregnant in the first place. My cervix won't thin and dilate properly so there is no chance of a natural birth through my birth canal. So I will need to go through a caesarean section to get our child out." She looked up at her mate when she felt him stiffen, "love, I will be fine but we will need to get a few things as I'm not sure if it will make it easier. But we both know that vampires cannot get infections."
Jasper took a deep unnecessary breath and held it in his rock solid lungs that barely expanded with the inhale, "what would we need to get?"
"Well, antiseptic soap would be needed so that I can clean off my stomach. Just because I can't get an infection doesn't mean I want to risk our child which will have a bit a human blood in them and I don't know how that will affect them," he nodded in understanding, "I think that will be all. Anesthesia doesn't work on us and I wouldn't be needing an IV for fluids."
She hesitated a second, she didn't know if he wanted to know or not but she should at least ask him, "Would you like to know how the c-section will go?"
He seemed vacillate about it before nodding his head and concentrated on rubbing his hand in circles on her abdomen.
"I'll first make an incision at the bottom of my stomach horizontal to my pubic area. Then I'll start making a deep and careful vertical cut from below my belly button to the horizontal cut, it will have to cut through all the cold and frozen tissue and connective tissue and then I will have to separate the area to get to my womb. When I get to the area where my womb is located I'll have to make another careful cut horizontally across the lower part.
I will reach in and root around for the neck that way there is some support on the head and body and pull our child out. After doing that I will clean the baby up making sure that its mouth and nose if clear and then clamp and cut the cord before going back in and yank out the placenta. Oh yes, we will need to ask Carlisle if he could pick up some clamps from the hospital."
Jasper didn't know if he really wanted to know when he asked her to tell him, but now he was a little relieved that when the time comes he will know what is happening with each scream that no doubt will come out of her pretty mouth. He will still probably be worried if everything is going okay. But at the moment he just laid there, thinking about all of what Cassie had told him, "of course we will ask him. I won't be seeing much of you when we get there since you have to find somewhere to give birth, will I."
His question was rhetorical as well as sounded more like a statement anyway. Cassie burrowed herself further into his chest,
"I'll mainly do everything I need to, to prepare while you are in school. So you might see me more often than you think."
She giggled when her mated pulled a face at the reminder that he would be going to school with a bunch of hormonally driven human teenagers, "I'd rather stay home with you and our child."
Jasper would deny it to the end of his existence that his voice sounded whiny.
"Just think while you sit through your science class, I'll be here waiting for you."
A soft smile pressed its way to the real world on his lips at the thought of coming home to his wife and child when they come, "that thought will be the only saving grace to keeping me from killing the insipid little humans that will no doubt want to get with the mysterious and new Cullens."
"It will be strange getting use to new humans just as we start getting use to these. Of course I've been indoors most of the time, so I haven't had any real interaction with them."
"Speaking of humans, Carlisle wished for me to ask how you would be around them after the birth."
Staring at him for a few minutes, she didn't respond right away, "I'll be worse than a newborn. I'll need to feed in large quantities just to heal the incisions and then even more to regain my strength after the birth as well as feeding the little one. So my diet will likely triple if not quadruple during that time period."
"How will you feed out little one? I don't think they will drink formula or milk, including the fact that your mammary glands no longer even produce milk."
Cassie flopped back against Jasper. How was she supposed to explain something that is almost unexplainable? It was something that she knew based on her instincts, but putting it into words was difficult. Although he was the father so he should know how his babe was going to get its nutrients.
Pulling on his finger tips of the hand still clasped with hers, "well you understand how the more we feed the less our cravings are because we are essentially storing the consumed blood in our bodies," when he nodded she continued.
"Well I will basically do the same thing, with large amounts of blood stored in my body, and when the little one is hungry, I could direct their mouth to my nipple and they'll latch on and suck the blood out like a human child drinking milk from its mother. That way it will help us blend in with the humans a little more. Or I will place a small puncture hole in the shoulder and push the blood into their body, it's a little hard to explain but my instincts know what to do."
Jasper only looked slightly confused before the expression cleared from his face and he nodded his head in understanding.
All that Cassie knew what that the upcoming months were going to be hectic and stressful for even them.
Well time flew a little faster then she had thought it would with them all having to play their roles as mortal. All of the boys had to move their boxes and belongings as all of the females looked far too delicate to do such a thing, especially one that was pregnant. But as her fifteenth month approached they were all preparing to leave. As she stood with Alice watching the men load everything to travel from Portland , Oregon to Forks, Washington, Cassie's eyes drifted over to Carlisle and reminisced that first night when he came home from work to find three basically strangers and one of them just happened to be a pregnant vampire.
-jfhrifhfru Flashback jhjfjdhj-
Walking into the living room, Carlisle Cullen didn't think he would be coming home to his three children and wife, sitting in the living room with three others. His body became rigid and strung when he smelled that the three strangers were vampires before seeing his wife's excited face and relaxed. He placed his work briefcase by the coat rack and then knocked the dirt off of his shoes on the mat while removing his trench coat to walk into the living room.
"who are our guests?" he asked pleasantly, they didn't seem like enemies so he wouldn't do them the disservice of treating them as such until proving to be guilty of something.
Esme was at his side quickly enough to show her excitement, kissing him briefly she retreated to begin introductions, "Dear these are Alice, Jasper and his mate Cassiopeia Whitlock, their looking about joining the coven."
Carlisle looked over at them a little surprised, not many vampires wanted to give up the human diet for animal blood, "you know what the entails, correct?"
The blonde one, Jasper if Carlisle remembered, nodded his head while keeping an arm wrapped around his mate, "yes, we know. With my wife's change in condition we have already found that animal blood is better for her anyway."
That caught Carlisle's attention rather swiftly, "condition?"
The ebony haired girl looked up at him while placing a gentle hand on her stomach, "I'm pregnant, sir."
Carlisle was seated in front of them before they could even blink, if they had needed to, "it's Carlisle, dear one. Now about being pregnant, how did this happen? What caused this phenomenon? Will your child be able to reproduce as well? Are you experiencing any sort of symptoms like those of pregnant humans? How does a vampire pregnancy differ from a human one?"
Cassie simply giggled at the doctor's enthusiasm, even jasper had to crack a very tiny smile at his antics as well.
"well the easiest to the hardest why don't we?" Cassie took a minute to think about her answers, "well so far I haven't experienced any symptoms such as a human would. Depending on how much human blood my child has then yes it will be able to reproduce if it is a girl, but all male vampires are able to reproduce. How it happened should not be a question that needs an answer as I'm more than sure you partake of the same activities with your mate and wife as well."
From the look in his eyes, if he could Carlisle probably would have blushed.
"a difference is that I will be pregnant for a little more than eighteen months and the growth of my child with my slower than a humans by at least four months of development it's 8 months for every 1 year if they were human. And the last question is that I came into an active vampire inheritance when I turned eighteen, I was a witch before that transformation."
"a witch? So magic is real yes?"
"Carlisle, it was a magical vampire that bit a normal human which started…um…I suppose human-vampires."
Esme smiled at the look of awe on her husband's face before nudging him, "so can they stay?"
He looked over at her confused for a moment before remembering what was happening before he became fascinated with Cassiopeia, "yes yes of course they can."
-ajdhdjg End kdfjksd-
Yes, Carlisle was an amusing vampire. He wanted to know everything as she progressed in her pregnancy. But then again he never saw a pregnant female vampire before so it was probably ground breaking for them. Although right now she just wanted to leave and begin scouting out her future nesting area, this was important for her and her little one.
"Cassie, come on we're all ready to move now." Jasper wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed her temple.
She leaned into his hold and followed behind as he directed her to the car that they would be driving. He helped her into the passenger side of the car. Following behind Rosalie and Emmett who had Alice in the car with them and in front of them was the moving van that Carlisle was driving with Esme and Edward in the van with him, Jasper started the car before reaching out to hold Cassie's hand.
Cassie leaned on his shoulder and he kissed the top of her head, "close your eyes and at least pretend to sleep. It won't be long now, especially at the speed we're going."
"Don't go to fast remember that Carlisle and Esme have all the breakables and they're supposed to be leading us to Forks."
He warmly chuckled "I know love I know. Now rest."
"Makes me seem almost human again." Then she closed her eyes and set her body against the seat, limp and relaxed.
She would need to relax, with the trouble that seems to be coming their way.
Carlisle had just walked back into the kitchen where most of the family sat. Looking around her wanted to sigh a little, they had to go introduce the three new Cullens to the Quileute tribe and tell them of the treaty. It seemed that the pack only had three of them at the moment, but no doubt that the werewolves would think with them being back would increase the number of shifters now. Carlisle turned to the three newest members that this included. Alice was rambling off about something to Cassie who was leaning into a silent as ever Jasper with a cup of rabbit blood in her hand. He had to crack a smile at that as it seemed that rabbit was her craving at the moment but that would probably soon change as she continued, she only had three months left now. Looking over the calendar in his head, Carlisle discovered that the other teens would be in school by the end of Cassie's eighteenth month being that the month would be September as it was now June.
Clearing his throat, Carlisle realized that he already had their attention; he knew he would've blushed if he was able to, "we will need to go see the Quileute tribe and inform them about our return and the larger number this time."
He did release a small huff of air when he caught Rosalie's sneer. She wasn't only jealous of the fact that she wasn't able to have a child while a member of the coven was currently pregnant but she also couldn't stand the thought of going to see the "wet mangy dogs" as she calls them. He noticed that Jasper's arm tightened around Cassie and Carlisle could understand that. These wolves weren't like the ones back when the treaty was signed. They were more volatile and, at the young age they are at, rash.
"We will protect her if they make a move to harm Cassie or the little one alright, Jasper?"
Jasper never said much to them, the only one that Carlisle ever saw him talk to for long periods of time was Cassie and even then she didn't require him to talk, just cuddle with her. And this time was no different, he just stood up and held out a hand for his wife and then looked at them as if to say that they should lead the way. Beginning the trek to the treaty line, Carlisle only hoped that they were able to avoid any fighting.
Coming up on the border there as Carlisle predicted was the three shifters as well as some elders.
"We thought you left, blood-sucker." A man with a receding hairline and age lines barked out with a voice mightier and stronger than his appearance suggested.
Carlisle didn't say anything discriminating against them, but he could hear Rosalie snarl and Edward growl. He had always been able to keep a calm and indifferent face while handling a diplomatic about everything that might have a chance of turning ugly.
"We have come to inform you of both our return for the unforeseeable future and the expansion of the coven with three additions and another one soon."
"You leeches turned someone," one of the teens sneered in disgust.
"No, we do not change anyone unless they are dying."
Cassie stayed near the back away from the large men; she was petit and was easily hidden from view with Edward, Emmett and her husband where in front of her. Even Rosalie was standing in before her. Cassie knew that Rosalie would protect these children with her life, but that didn't mean that Rosalie liked her.
One of the teens, he was no bigger than 6'even and his hair was brown just as his eyes were and it was those brown eyes that locked onto Cassie. Cassie felt something tighten in her gut and it wasn't her child. It was something else, something she had never felt as a vampire…it was fear. She would have shivered if it was in her nature. Jasper could feel the anxiety and fear that came off of her and was at her side immediately even though it snatched and drawered their attention to her.
"A pregnant human?" His tone was clouded in disbelief.
That comment didn't have her shivering in fear again, no she was bristling in anger.
"Human, I haven't been human since 1860 thank you very much. You overgrown rug," Jasper would have chuckled if his mate, his pregnant mate, wasn't surrounded by three werewolves and their leaders.
One of the elders looked her over running their eyes up and down her body lingering on her extended abdomen. She growled dangerously when she saw the disgust enter their eyes. Her child was nothing to be disgusted about. Jasper's and her child would be born just as every other child in the world was and yet just because of its parents these elders hated an unborn baby.
"If you're not human explain your eyes, explain your pregnancy, is this what the head blood-sucker meant when he said an addition would be coming?"
Cassie place one hand protective over her stomach while stared back definitely, "your questions don't deserve an answer, Carlisle brought us here to inform you of the Cullens return and that the coven has expanded, that is all." She finished with a snarl.
The teen that stood at about 6'4" with black hair and brown eyes derided, "listen here you little vampire-whore…"
He was cut short when Jasper lunged at him, of course the blonde never got close to him because Emmett and Edward held him back. When Jasper actually spoke his voice was deep and gravelly,
"I don't care who the hell you are, I don't care how quick, how strong, how vicious you are if you speak like that to my wife again I will hunt you down and when I get you I will slit you throat, skin you, and then gut you. Am I clear?"
"Jazz, stop before you lose control and cross the treaty line," Cassie's voice was soft and soothing to him that Jasper immediately fell into a calm state and moved back over to his wife.
Carlisle, ever the diplomat, knew that they should leave before his new coven member broke the treaty, "we came and discussed all that we needed to. We informed you of everything that you needed to know and now we shall make our way back."
Since they knew that the wolves couldn't attack without guaranteed retaliation from the vampires, Carlisle felt confident to show them his back when he turned around to leave. With his family following behind, they could hear the elders scolding the black-haired teenager to stay quiet. Even though the wolves couldn't attack them didn't mean that Cassie thought this was over.