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CHAPTER 22

"Edward, stop," Bella half moaned, half groaned. "I'm trying to sleep."

"Hmm, is that so?" I retorted, slipping my hand between her bare thighs. She let out a whimper and shifted to give me better access as I glided my fingers between her wet folds. "So, then tell me, my love, what were you dreaming about?" She moaned, bucking her hips when I slid two fingers into her hot center.

"I … oh, God …" Bella groaned while I rolled us more, giving me better access to her breast.

I gently palmed her tit while attaching my mouth to her neck—my fingers pumping rapidly in and out of her, making my girl arch her back as a throaty moan escaped her—her legs bent at the knee and spread wide as they quivered with need.

"Edward … pleeese, baby …."

I pumped my fingers harder and faster as I licked, nipped, and sucked at her neck. It wasn't long before I felt her starting to contract around my fingers, so I bit her neck, pressing firmly onto her clit—making my girl scream out with her release.

I lay there with my arm wrapped around her, holding her firmly against me, placing gentle kisses on her as she struggled to get her breathing under control—my fingers still stroking languidly between her wet folds.

"Make love to me, Edward …" she whimpered, turning her mouth in search of mine.

I gladly met her lips with a loving kiss as I shifted us both back to our sides, using the hand that was just between her silky thighs to line my cock with her warm wet opening. I stroked the head between her folds, coating myself with her juices when she broke this kiss.

"Edward …." I thrust into her in one swift motion, causing her to gasp—though it was quickly replaced with a moan when I started moving inside of her.

"Is that what you wanted, baby?" I cooed, pulling her earlobe into my mouth.

"Yes!" she bellowed, thrusting her ass back to meet my thrust. "Oh, God … yeeesss…."

I gently nipped and sucked at her neck, shoulder, and back while my hand moved to her perfectly round, though larger, breast, gently kneading it as my cock continued to move wildly inside her. The only sounds were the moans and groans coming from us, with the occasional whimper from her.

"Fuck, baby," I grunted, bring my mouth back to her ear. "You feel so good …. I'm … Fuck, Bella! I'm not gonna last, baby girl …."

"Then let it go, Edward," she panted arching her back. "I'm … oh … just let it go …." I thrusted twice more then brought my hand down and pinched her clit. She screamed out my name, while I grunted hers into her neck as we came together.

I pulled her flush against me, burying my face in her hair—just breathing her in—while our breathing returned to normal. It felt so good having her close to me, holding her in my arms as we both came down from the aftermath of our lovemaking.

"What time do you have to be there?" she finally asked, wiggling closer.

I glanced to the clock – 8:56. "Ten. I should probably get in the shower."

She rolled over to look at me with her lip tucked securely between her teeth. I waited for her to say something, but she never did. She just lay there, staring at me.

"Hey," I whispered, rubbing my thumb over her bottom lip soothingly. "What happens today doesn't matter. Regardless of where we end up, we are going to be fine." She nodded but didn't say anything. "I love you. You know that, right?"

Bella nodded, tears welling up in her eyes. "I know you love me, Edward—"

"Then that's all that matters," I interrupted. "What happens today doesn't mean anything. Okay?"

"Okay," she whispered, though she really didn't sound all that convinced. I wanted to stay there with her, to hold her, convince her I would do anything to make her happy. That no matter what, she and our kids were the most important part of my life. Without them, I had no life, but unfortunately, I had to get up and get around, so reluctantly, I placed a kiss on her lips and got out of bed. I was almost to the bathroom when her voice rang out behind me.

"Do you want me to go with you?" she asked.

I turned around to look at her, shaking my head. "No, I'll only be gone a couple of hours. There's a book store just up the road … by the McDonald's?" She nodded, affirming she knew where I was talking about, so I continued. "I doubt you'll have a problem wasting a couple hours in there?"

She blushed a beautiful shade of pink, pulling that bottom lip between her teeth again, as she shook her head saying "nope".

"I didn't think so."

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"Edward …." I heard the voice I wanted to hear the most. The soft, tenderness of it warmed my otherwise cold hart. Coldness surrounded me as if I were lying in a pool of ice water, leaving me shivering and in need of warmth. Nothing I did seemed to warm me in anyway … almost as if the coldness was coming from inside. Bella's voice was the only warmth I could sense coming from anywhere around me. She brought the sun.

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"Good afternoon, Dr. Cullen, thank you for coming in today," a man in his mid-fifties, with salt and pepper hair and glasses greeted pleasantly, extending his hand. "I'm Dr. Martin Fitzgerald."

I smiled shaking the man's hand but he didn't give me a chance to respond.

"Well, let me introduce you to a few people and then we can get started." He smiled, turning toward the large oval table that currently had four other people sitting at it. "Here to our left we have the Dean of Medicine, Dr. Meredith Robins …."

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"Please, Edward …." Her soft pleas were slowly drifting in and out of fragments of my life … nothing was making sense. Regardless of how much I tried to think of it, the coldness seeped deeper into my bones, capturing every last shred of my body.

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"Baby, what time did mom say they were going to be here?" I asked Bella walking into the kitchen. I was exhausted and really wanted to get a nap in before my house exploded with people.

"Around six," she replied pulling the brownies out of the oven—my girl was having a serious brownie craving, which was quite alright with me—Bella made some mean brownies.

I nodded, swiping my finger along the edge of the bowl before sticking it in my mouth and returning to the living room.

"Don't forget Emmett and Rosalie are going to be here about five," Bella called out behind me.

"I know, baby," I answered, finding my place on the couch once again.

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"Edward … I love … you …. Please?" Tears were heard in her voice … why tears for Emmett and Rose to come? Why did she sound so forlorn? What's going on? What did I miss? And why the hell is it so cold in here. No matter what I do, I can't get warm. I would have thought the brownies and oven would have helped, but it seems to have gotten worse.

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I woke up to what sounded like someone beating our door down. I wondered briefly, what the fuck was going on, then hurried off the couch to the front door. When I came around the corner, entering the open foyer, I came to a crashing stop. Bella was standing there talking to two police officers. When she turned to look at me, I knew it was something major.

Bella stepped out of the way to let the officers in—her hands holding … protecting, her very swollen abdomen while I came to a stop by her side.

"Doctor Edward Cullen?" one of the officers asked.

I nodded, looking at the officers curiously. "Yes ... is there a problem?"

"Doctor Cul—"

"Edward …" Bella whimpered.

I quickly turned my attention to her. She was clutching her stomach in her hands and a look of complete pain —

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Beep … beep … beep …. What is that?

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"Edward, honey …" I heard Bella whisper softly, though she sounded so far away.

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Beep… beep… beep …. I tried to look around to find the cause of the incessant beeping. Everything around me started to turn a hue of orange-ish-red. Where the fuck am I? Where is Bella? And what in the hell is that noise?

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"Edward, pleeese …" she whispered, again, though this time she sounded closer and I was fairly certain I heard sniffles.

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She squeezed my hand tightly. "Please, Edward …."

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"Edward, please come back to me …. I need you … we need you …." What does she mean? I'm standing right next to her. Why does she sound so broken? The babies …something has to be wrong with the babies, that's why she's holding her belly like that ….

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Beep… beep… beep

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"Damn it, Edward! You can't do this to me …. I love you. I … I can't do this without you, not again …. I … I know what it feels like to live without you and I can't do it again. Please, wake up. Come back to me …."

I felt the warmth of her lips as she kissed the corner of my mouth before her lips pressed against mine. They were hard and chapped. That wasn't my Bella. Her lips were always so soft and perfectly kissable. I reveled in the moments of warmth she offered.

Beep… beep… beep

"Edward," she whispered into my ear. "I wanna make you another deal, a better one …. Doctor Saunders released me to go back to work. I … I haven't been, yet, but, if … if you come back to me … to us … I won't go back. I'll stay home, Edward; I'll let you take care of us …. I'll never go back …. You just have to wake up. Please, baby … please, just wake up."

Beep… beep… beep

"Bella …" I murmured, my voice thick, my eyes blurry and unseeing. The cold was making me too tired to open them farther than slits, not that it allowed me to see anything anyways.

**Author's Note**

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