The Greatest of These…

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the authors. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.

A/N: Thanks to my betas – sillybella, be my escape, and Cocoa – for all your help and patience as I tried to 'get it right'. Special thanks to sillybella, my biggest advocate on this story. Without your encouragement this may have never seen anything more than the bottom of the wastebasket. And thanks to Marcy for understanding that coincidences happen.

Chapter 3: Faith

By bronzehairedgirl

I watched as understanding washed over Bella. I knew she would get it. In fact, I felt confident that she had known it all along. She just needed a little help to pull it into conscious thought. I believed Bella truly loved Edward. I even understood what it was like to love someone so exceptionally wonderful and have them love you in return. I never doubted the depth of Bella's love for Edward, even when Edward did.

A small grin turned up the corners of Bella's mouth. It continued to spread until a joyous smile consumed her face. She looked at me, her eyes sparkling. "I love him that much!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with awe.

I couldn't help it; I bellowed a deep, exuberant laugh. It was so good to not only see her smile, but to see her happy again. I had been so worried about her these last couple of days. Edward said she had been distant and withdrawn. Lord knows, she has plenty of things to worry about with the threat of Victoria and the Volturi. I had promised Edward I would try to get her to talk and I felt relieved that it turned out to be a benign problem, one relatively easy to solve.

"Shall we?" I asked and gestured in the direction of the house with a tilt of my head.

We walked through the thick forest in silence for a while, Bella lost in her thoughts. When she finally looked up at me, her eyes still danced with happiness, but her expression was serious. "Earlier…when I asked…" She trailed off, seemingly unsure whether to ask or not.

"If I ever wanted kids of my own," I finished for her. She nodded. I knew I would have to explain eventually. Bella wasn't one to let things go for very long. I thought for a moment before answering. My own feelings on the matter were tightly intertwined with what Rosalie wanted. Rose had to leave behind a family she loved deeply when she was changed. Even though we had a close, loving family now, I knew she yearned to have what was lost to her.

"One of the things Rose hates about being a vampire is no longer having the choice. If she were human she could decide if she wanted to have a child. But now, it doesn't matter what she wants, that choice has been taken away," I explained. I couldn't keep the sorrow from creeping into my voice.

I had seen the sadness in Rose's eyes many times. I would do anything to be able to remove it. I had pictured it in my mind often enough – Rose smiling as she held our child. My angel holding an angel of her own – a daughter. Someone she could pamper and spoil. A family that we created out of our love for one another.

"Believe me, if I could give her a child, our child, and it would make her happy, I wouldn't hesitate. So, in that regard I suppose the answer to your question is yes." Of course I would want it if that's what Rose wanted. Rose means the world to me and my greatest desire is to make her happy. But did I really have my own desire to have a child? I wasn't sure. I liked kids, but the idea of being wholly responsible for a helpless, fragile life was frightening. "I have also wondered if being a father would be the same as what I enjoyed with my nieces and nephews. Somehow, I don't think it would be quiet the same. As much as I loved it, playing with them was just that – me acting like a kid. I didn't have the responsibility that goes along with it."

She nodded, understanding. "You love her so much that her desire is your desire, too. But, if it were only up to you, you're not sure what you would want."

"Exactly." I smiled down at her. "It sounds like you really have figured things out."

"Well, it's very close to the way I feel. Except that I'm pretty sure I wouldn't choose to have a child for myself. But if it were something Edward wanted, and if it were possible, then I would want to give him that gift." The joy engulfed Bella's face again as she talked. "It's amazing isn't it? This love that makes your heart feel like it will burst."

We paused, and I took a few seconds to look Bella fully in the face. She was obviously someone very much in love. I reached down, careful not to crush her, and wrapped her in a bear hug, lifting her off her feet. "Yes, it is," I said cheerfully. She tilted her face toward mine and giggled, wiggling her feet. I chuckled and put her down. I put my arm around her shoulders and pulled her close as we began to walk again.

We were almost back to the house. Bella must have realized it, too. She stiffened and her movements became more rigid. Our pace had become very slow, even by Bella's standard.

"What's wrong?" I asked, concerned she was suddenly having second thoughts about talking to Edward. I could hear her heart pounding in her chest. I stopped, realizing she had continued to move only because I was pulling her along.

"I'm still not sure how to explain it. What if he won't listen? What if I can't make him understand just how much I love him?" she asked, her voice full of the anxiety from earlier. Her heart rate and breathing increased. I gripped her shoulders and bent to look her square in the eyes. The sheer panic I saw there startled me.

"Bella, calm down. Take some deep breathes before you pass out on me." I waited, breathing with her, while she did as I asked. When her heart rate began to decrease I spoke again. "You're getting too worked up over this. It's going to be okay. He'll understand."

Her eyes still betrayed her doubts. I sighed. "Do you trust him?"

"Yes," she replied without hesitation.

"Then explain it the same way you explained it to me. Trust him to listen and trust him to understand. He will listen because he loves you more than anything in his existence, even more than his own existence." She flinched at my reminder of Edward willing to end his existence because he thought she had died. I held her gaze and emphasized again, "Trust him." I stood straight and put my arm back around her shoulders as I pulled her toward the house. It was time for Bella to talk to Edward so they could both be happy.