Chapter 12 is out! Thank you so much for your wonderful reviews. Keep them coming. I'm not very sure about this chapter, so if you don't like it fell free to say it. I'd really love to hear your opinion. Looking forward to your next reviews. For those who care my father didn't tell my mom how late it was when I update the last time so I'm still alive and I'll be able to keep telling you this story. Today is even later so I hope they don't decide to wake up.
Disclaimer: Stephenie Meyers own all the Characters except Luke and the triplets.
Chapter 12
Bella's POV
Everything was better this afternoon. I was relieved and happy the kids were starting to accept the Cullens. They were so tired they fell asleep while I talked with the Cullens. I asked Edward to help me to get them in the car. He looked surprised but eager at the same time. I know it must be hard for him not to be able to hug his kids whenever he wants. He had never got the chance to hold them when they were babies and now they kept their distance and he respected it. I wanted to believe the kids would feel comfortable with the Cullens soon.
It hurt to see Edward suffer because of this. Even if he doesn't love me, I love him and I see how much pain it causes him to have to stay away from his children. We were almost arriving home so I called Luke.
"Bella?"
"Yeah. Are you at home?" I asked.
"Yes. Why?"
"I'm almost there and I need help to carry the kids inside. They fell asleep."
"Sure. I'll be waiting for you."
"Thanks."
Two minutes later we arrived. Luke was waiting in the porch steps. I parked the car in the driveway and got out.
"So… they fell asleep."
"Yes. They were practicing their powers at the Cullens and then fell asleep."
"Who helped you to put them in the car there?" He asked while carrying Luke and Lizzie, while I took Lilly, inside.
"I asked Edward to help me. You should have seen his face. He was so happy. He's suffering a lot with this."
"He's only suffering the consequences of his mistakes Bella, whether you want it or not." We laid the kids in their beds and went to the living room.
"Are you going to the hospital tomorrow afternoon?"
"No. My friend will do the night shift so I'll only go at night. Why?"
"Well I was thinking about going to hunt tomorrow afternoon, and Alice suggested that I left the kids there but I know they won't stay there alone so I was hopping you could stay with them. Besides the Cullens want to meet you. What do you say?"
"It's fine for me. After all, before I saved you, my main goal was to find them and meet them. Now I just have more things to talk about with them." He said smiling.
"Please don't give them a hard time because of what happened with me. They are already suffering a lot." I asked.
"Don't worry Bells. I'll behave. Is there something you're not telling me Bells?" Dang! How did he know? I thought I would be able to hide my conversation with Edward.
"No. Why do you ask?" I tried. Maybe I could still avoid this. I didn't want to talk about that. I just want to forget. God knows I want to believe in Edward but I don't want to get hurt again. His feelings can't change so drastically. Five years ago he didn't love me and now he does?
"I'm not a fool Bella. Something happened and you're not telling me. What happened? You're not very good at lying and you know it."
"Edward tried to talk to me again today. He told me he was sorry for what he did and he said he loved me, that he has always loved me but I know he doesn't."
"What do you mean with he tried?"
"We didn't have time to finish. Luke wanted to show me something." I quickly explained.
"Why don't you believe him? Did he sound insincere?"
"No. No. He sounded very genuine, I want to believe him. In the past five years all I ever wanted was to hear him say that he loves me but it doesn't make sense."
"I didn't know that Love was supposed to make sense."
"Not Love. Edward, Edward doesn't make sense. First he loves me, then he doesn't so he leaves and now we meet again, he finds out we have kids and he loves me again? It's insane. I'm sure he's just afraid of what will happen when we go home. He doesn't want to stay away from the kids. I understand that but I don't want to suffer more and I don't want him to be unhappy. So it's not important. I just have to forget what he said and I'll be fine."
"Will you?"
***
Edward's POV
Bella and Luke must be almost arriving with the kids. Everyone is really excited and curious about Luke. We all feel grateful towards him. After what he did for Bella and the kids, how couldn't we? Especially me. Bella herself said she would have died if it wasn't for him.
"They're here." I heard Alice call. I was so distracted I didn't hear the car pull in. I quickly made my way downstairs.
"Hey." Bella greeted us. She was wearing dark grey yoga wrap waist pants and a white halter top.
"Where's Luke? Isn't he coming?" Alice asked disappointed.
"He's going to meet us here. He had to go to the hospital just to check something with his friend's patient. His friend is going to do the night shift so he'll only have to go at night." She explained.
"Where do you think you're going dressed like that?" Alice asked horrified.
"Have you forgotten that I'm going to hunt? I don't think the animals I'll hunt need me to be all dressed up, do they?" Alice thought for about a minute.
"No. I don't think they do." She finally answered. Seriously, Alice was crazy.
"Dang it." Luke exclaimed. Then he handed Lizzie some candies. "I actually thought she was going to say yes." He mumbled.
"Betting again?" Bella asked disapprovingly.
"They bet? Definitely Cullens." Emmett laughed. Five minutes later the doorbell rang again. This time Carlisle was the one to open the door.
"Welcome to our house. Please come in." A few seconds later they were in the living room. Next to Carlisle was a tall young man. Didn't seem to be older than twenty five. He had curly brown hair and golden eyes.
"Hello. My name is Luke and I'm Bella's brother."
"It's very nice to meet you."Esme said hugging him.
"This is Esme and Carlisle." Bella introduced. "Rosalie and Emmet, Alice and Jasper and Edward."
"It's very good to meet you." He said.
"Now that you're here, I'll be going." Bella turned to the kids. "Mommy is going to hunt and you stay here with uncle Luke and the Cullens okay?"
"Why can't we go with you?" Lizzie asked.
"Because you're not thirsty yet. I promise I'll take you next time. Be good." She turned to Luke. "In that bag there are clothes so that I can change but also fruit and yogurts for them. I'll take my cell with me so if you need anything call." She said pointing to a blue bag that was next to the couch.
"Relax Bells. Everything will be fine. Don't worry."
"Behave." She told him before leaving. What was that supposed to mean?
"Please take a seat." Carlisle offered.
"Oh, Oh. Uncle Luke can you give us the knives Uncle Jacob offered us so that we can make some charms to mommy's bracelet?" Lillian asked excited.
"Here." He handed them small knives. "Be careful."
"Okay." They ran outside excited. I was worried and I was not the only one. They could get hurt. Luke seemed to notice our concern.
"Don't worry. Those knives aren't strong enough to pierce their skin and they are very well trained. Jacob taught them an old technique of his tribe that allows them to sculpt very small figures but with great detail. He gave Bella a bracelet with a few charms made by him, after the triplets born; now every now and then the kids sculpt some charms to the bracelet. They are quite talented." He explained. "So… finally I meet the Cullen family."
"Bella told us that when you found her you were looking for us." Carlisle stated.
"Yes. I had found the Denali clan and they told me about you. Then when I went to Forks to look for you, I found Bella and I had to help her. I'm glad I decided to do it." I'm glad too. To think that Bella could be dead now…
"Her pregnancy must have been very difficult and dangerous. We all want to thank you for everything you did for Bella. She's very important to our family."
"I wouldn't say. I don't mean to offend you but you have no idea of how much Bella needed you, what she went through."
"I only did what I though was best for her. I was just trying to protect her. I never stopped loving her but it wasn't safe for her to be around me and my family." I said.
"When I found Bella she was not only emotionally hurt but also physically weakened. Her health was rapidly deteriorating and the pregnancy was not helping. I had to take her away from Charlie before things got worse. He could notice something was different, besides she needed to get out of Forks. Too many memories… "It hurt to hear him say that but it was true.
"How was her pregnancy?" I asked.
"As I said Bella was very weak; she barely ate, she didn't went to the street, and she had nightmares every nights, so she almost didn't sleep. That's the state I found her in. After she told me she was pregnant I told her how dangerous it would be. She still wanted to have the babies so I told her that she had to be more careful with her health. I used to spent almost the entire day with her, making sure she ate and slept but she was still very weak. When she moved in with me I was by her side 24/7."
"How long did her pregnancy last?" Carlisle asked.
"Seven months but the kids were completed developed. I had no idea of what I was doing, I had never seen anything like that happening: a human pregnant with half-vampires; but I knew it would be dangerous. When she reached the fourth month she could barely move. Her legs were too weak and if the babies moved a lot she could get seriously injured or even die. She started getting too weak again, she said she wasn't hungry and most of what she ate was to feed the babies. I thought she wasn't going to survive. I knew I would have to change her right after the babies were born, if she made that long. The last month was the worst. She looked like a ghost. She was paler than now; she didn't move at all, a small movement was painful. The babies were too strong but I'm glad she didn't give up. She kept fighting.
I have never seen anyone like her."
"Is that why she's so thin? Because she wouldn't eat?" Alice asked horrified.
"Yes. When you left Edward, Bella stopped living, she gave up. The only reason why she survived was her kids. She didn't give up because she didn't want them to lose their mother too."
"I had no idea. I didn't know she was pregnant." I buried my face in my hands. If regret could kill, I would be dead. To imagine what Bella had gone through was one thing. To know what really happened was another completely different. We were all shocked. Rosalie, Alice and Esme would be crying right now, if they could. How could I do this to Bella? My Bella! My angel, she didn't deserve this.
"It's no use to blame yourself now Edward. It won't change what happened. It was hard, difficult and dangerous but it's over. You weren't there. You should have but you weren't. Deal with it." His voice was harsh and cold.
"I want to make things right. I want to be a father to my kids and I want Bella. I need her. I can't live without her. I left. It was wrong and I regret it more than anyone can imagine. Hear you talk about what happened hurts more than any of you can imagine because none of you knows how much I love her. I'm desperate. I want to tell her but she doesn't let me. I want to end with her suffering. I want her to know that I love her, that I never stopped loving her. That's the truth. Please do not make me suffer more. I know I deserve it for all the pain that I caused her, but I can't take it anymore. Before Bella I was empty, when I found her I told myself I couldn't lose her because she meant the world to me but I left. I felt even worse than before because I knew what was missing and now… Now I look at her, I see her everyday but I know she will never take me back because I left her alone when she most needed me."
"But you also gave her what she treasures the most. Bella looks at what happened and says it was all worth it. If she had given up, those beautiful and brilliant children wouldn't be outside right now." I understand what he meant but it didn't change the guilt that was burning me inside. "I didn't say this to make you feel bad but so that you understand that Bella went through a lot, she suffered too much and she's only trying to protect herself and her kids."
"What exactly are you talking about?"
"In the day Bella found Alice and Jasper in the supermarket she freaked out. She wasn't ready to meet you again. She got scared. She hasn't healed yet. The day you told her you didn't loved her is still very present in her memory. She never forgets, she never will. Now I ask do you love her Edward Cullen?"
"More than anything."
"I'm going to say the truth, I don't like you! You've made Bella suffer too much. You made your kids suffer too much. They try not to show but I know them. That's why they are so mad at you. They hate you for what you put them and their mother through. It's not easy to take your uncle instead of your father to your class on father's day, but they will forgive you."
"I hope so."
"But if you love Bella as much as you say you do, you're not being fair to her. You're hurting her by hiding the truth from her and not controlling your instincts. Bella told me that you kissed her; she thought you were playing with her feelings because she doesn't believe you love her. Tell her the truth or else you have to stop doing that kind of things. I won't be happy if you stay with Bella but I won't oppose if that's what she wants. I just want her to be happy. This is the only help I can give you."
"Thank you." It had passed almost an hour. Bella would be arriving soon. I would have to find a place where I could talk to her without being interrupted. Luke was right! She needed to know the truth and I couldn't spend one more day without being able to be close to her.
"She said Luke is going to be in the hospital tonight. You should go to their place when the kids are asleep and talk to her."Alice thought. It was actually a good idea.
"We finished!" Luke shouted entering the living room followed by his sisters.
"Let me see." Luke (Sr) asked. Each one of them held a tiny figure in the hand.
"When will mommy arrive? I miss her and I want to give her her present." Elizabeth whined.
"She must be here soon princess." He said. Right after he said that I heard steps outside. Two seconds after Bella entered in the living room. Her clothes and arms were dirty with mud, but she still looked beautiful.
"Hey." She spoke.
"Mommy! We made presents for you." Lillian said.
"I'm really curious but I think I should change first don't you?"
"I'll show you the bathroom. You can shower if you want." Alice offered.
"Thank you Alice. I would like that." Bella grabbed her bag and followed Alice upstairs. Alice returned to the living room, ten seconds after and ten minutes later Bella came down.
I couldn't believe in what my eyes were seeing. Bella was wearing a beautiful royal blue, white and black dress with a floral print and a blue ribbon in the waist and white ballet flats. Her hair was dry and loose forming curls at the end. She was gorgeous. I doubt I would be able to get my eyes off of her. She was my angel.
So what did you think? Review and let me know. I'll post on my profile pictures of Bella's outfit for the hunt and the dress. Please review. I'd be really happy if you did. I'll try to post next chapter as soon as possible. I'm sorry if I didn't see some mistakes but it's late and I'm tired. I just wanted to keep what I said and update today. Please tell me what you think! If you have questions, just ask. I'll be glad to answer.