IMPORTANT. PLEASE READ: I've just started a new full-time job in a busy hotel kitchen, so far I haven't had a single day off, hence the delay in this chapter, and also why, from now on, the chapters will be a lot shorter, to help me update more often. I'm hoping 1 update every week-two weeks, but it all depends on my schedule. Thank you for being so patient and I'm sorry to keep you all waiting. Cooper is running wild in my head, begging me to write ;)

Chapter 5
Bella.

5 months pregnant.

"Where is Baby One, again?"

Cooper kneeled at my side on the couch and cupped my stomach with both hands. It was so large, however, that his little fingers were far apart. I guided his hand to the right of the bump and pressed his fingers in.

"Here is Baby One, and Baby Two is right…" I took his hand to the left side, right next to Baby One, "here."

His whole face glowed in delight. "It's exciting to think there are babies in there, right?"

"It sure is. Try talking to them, Coop; they can hear you now."

He turned very shy, "okay… Um… Hi, babies, it's me – Coop! I'm your big brother y'know. My real name is Cooper Michael Cullen, but 'cause you're gonna be my friends, you can call me Coop. I'm real excited to meet you and we're gonna have lots-a-lots-a fun together! We'll be superheroes together, fight crime together and play lots-a-lots-a games with Padre and Bella! And don't forget Flash! He's our dog but he's such a gentle dog and he's one of my best friends."

As I heard him speak open and freely to the twins, two things happened at once. First, I started to cry – he loves the twins so much already, it was a challenge not too. Secondly, in response to Cooper's story, my stomach erupted in a serious case of the kicks! Both babies went wild for their brother's voice, and kicked the ever-loving crap out of me.

With both our hands cradling their cage, we laughed, smiled and, in my case, cried at the strange, strange, sensation. I have two pairs of feet kicking me from inside my body. Even if I had five more babies after these two, I still wouldn't have managed to wrap my head around that concept.

"Do they like me, or are they telling me to shut up?"

"Oh, Cooper, you funny, funny boy; of course they like you! They're kicking because they want to hear your voice again. Go on, Sweetheart, give them what they want."

"Yay! That's really good, 'cause, y'know, I like to talk to them too! So, Twins, if you are going to be a real Cullen, you'll need to like superheroes. Now, I know you don't know what superheroes are right now, but that's okay, 'cause I'll teach you all about them. Now, the first one you need to know is Iron Man – technically, I am Iron Man, but I'll tell you that story later. Well, Iron Man is really known as Tony Stark and he was kidnapped by these bad guys so he could make them a weapon of mass destruction…"

For the rest of that hour I listened intently to Cooper's every word – he explained the back-stories of every hero he knew, mentioned the Avengers, and helped the babies understand why we 'shouldn't be friends with supervillains.'

I dozed off to sleep, but the twins jolted me awake more often than not with applaud for their brother.

I woke up to the faint cry of soldiers in battle coming from Cooper's Captain America DVD, but just like always, the movie had been abandoned to play to no-one. I arched myself off the couch (finding movement trickier with each passing day) and went on my search to find him.

"Cooper?" I called up the stairs and waited in silence for his reply.

"Yeah?" It sounded as though he was in his room, but it was hard to tell.

"Are you okay up there?"

"Yeah. I'm just… just…" he sprinted down the hallway – I heard him before I saw him – and came to a halt at the top of the stairs. "I'm busy thinking of baby names! Can I tell you my ideas, Bella?" He had a sheet of paper clutched in his hand.

"Of course you can – let's go back into the living room and we can talk about them."

Once settled with Captain America paused, Cooper started his list of names.

"My names for boys are: Edward Junior, Cooper Junior, Tony, Peter (y'know, Spiderman), Bruce, Marlin, Frank, Simon, Jack and Kevin."

Cooper Junior… Oh, what a funny boy.

"That's a very interesting selection of names."

"Yep. And for girls I chose: Bella Junior, Pepper, Lois, Natasha, Peggy, Gwen, and Boo."

"Boo?"

"Yeah, from Monsters Inc."

"Boo Cullen…" I thought allowed. "And all the other names are they to do with superheroes, too?"

"Yeah! Pepper is Iron Man's girlfriend, Lois is Superman's, Natasha is Black Widow, Peggy is Captain America's and Gwen is Spiderman's. But she dies, it's really sad, Bella."

"Oh, that is sad. How does she die?"

"Spiderman kills her." He shrugged as if he thought nothing of it.

"Nice… well thank you for these names, Coop; I'll talk to dad about them and see what he says."

Edward was on a work excursion to Portland – he had left the day before. Edward had told his management that he wasn't going anywhere overseas until the Twins are at least six months old, and once I reach the seven month mark, he'll go to work in the morning and return in the evening – that is all. We're cautious about my pregnancy already, and there's double the concern with double the babies.

A little after eight-thirty I tucked Cooper into bed and followed his night-time routine with him – saying goodnight to Tanya and watching the twinkling stars in silence. At ten-fifteen I shut up the house and sought out my own bed. It felt huge without Edward on the other side, and as I didn't expect him back until the following afternoon, I cuddled his cushion tight to my chest and drifted off to sleep.

0-0

At four-seventeen, I woke up on high alert to Flash barking downstairs. I had come to distinguish his different barks in the time I lived here and could identify a curious yelp from a warning growl. It's not a warning to us, but to what or whoever had disagreed with him. This bark was far from curious.

My heart was pounding, but somehow I found the strength to leave the comfort of my bed and creep across the hallway.

"Flash," I whispered loudly. His head cocked around to look at me. "Ssh. Good boy." He made a little whine and slumped back down on his bed.

Probably some damn cat. I thought and turned on my heel to retreat to bed.

But suddenly a loud clang came from the front yard. Flash jumped to his paws in defence and I gripped the banister to keep me from toppling over in fright. The barking started again and my heart stopped when a dark silhouette loomed through the glass of the front door.

I mentally worked out whether I could get to Cooper and get us safe before anything happened, but I wasn't quick enough in my movements. The door swung open and everything stopped.

Oh, my God.

Edward crept inside and hushed Flash's now-hyper yelps. He dropped his overnight bags on the base of the stairs and tip-toed up them. I still couldn't move – I hadn't ever been that scared and the pounding in my heart was a tell-tale sign.

"Bella?" He ran up the stairs two at a time and cupped my face in his hands. "Sweetheart, are you okay? What's wrong?" His hands left my face and went to the Twins.

"I… Flash was barking and… oh, God… I was so scared… but it was only you… it was only you."

"Shit. I'm so sorry, love. I wanted to surprise you; I never thought Flash would hear the car or that he'd wake you up. I never meant to scare you." We hugged each other tight and Edward kissed my shoulder lightly. "Are you okay now?"

I had no reason to be scared anymore – I knew I was safe in his arms. "Yeah."

"Good. I missed you, baby." He stepped back and then knelt on the floor, "and I missed you two, too," Edward kissed the Twins cage twice, "Daddy missed you very much."

0-0

"Are you excited, Coop?" We crossed the parking lot to my second scan at 23 weeks. It was the first time Cooper was going to see his siblings, other than just a small photo I showed him last time. Not only that, but we wanted to find out the genders, too.

"Yes! I can't wait to see the Twins!"

Just like last time, Nancy Bell was our technician who greeted us both like old friends. "Bella, Edward; it's great to see you again! How are you feeling?" She helped me up onto the bed to get comfortable. Edward snatched the spare seat and Cooper perched on his lap, dressed in his full Spiderman outfit.

"I'm tired, but other than that everything has been running smoothly and we haven't spotted any signs of concern."

Nancy washed her hands with disinfectant and dressed them in blue gloves. "That's excellent, and what is your name, cutie?"

Cooper fidgeted on his Padre's lap. "My name is Cooper, and those babies are my brothers or sisters."

"Are you excited about being a big brother?"

"Yes! I can't wait! Bella said I can help her look after them, but not when she's feeding them, 'cause I don't wanna see her boobies, y'know?"

Nancy didn't laugh, but you could tell she desperately wanted too. "That makes perfect sense. So, Cooper, shall we see your siblings?"

Twelve weeks ago we came for our first scan and all we saw on the screen was what looked like two kidney beans in vague surroundings, but now, when the scan popped to life, we saw two very clear human beings, cradling together with the heads pointing to my toes.

"Baby One is…" on screen a number chart covered Baby One from head to toe, "27 centimetres. And Baby Two is… 26."

"They are so tiny, but your tummy is so big, Bella!"

Yeah, thanks Coop.

Nancy did a few more tests on the Twins and seemed pleased with it all. "Everything seems great, I am pleased to announce, but Bella, because you have passed your half-way mark you will want to start taking things easy. As you are well aware, multiple births means a high risk level, and if you are every concerned don't hesitate to come in, okay?"

"Concerned of what?" Cooper took a real interest in the whole experience.

"Well, any unusual pains, or anything that Bella and Dad don't think are normal. And Cooper, maybe you could help? Do you think you could tell Bella to rest if she does too much around the house? Or unload the shopping so that she doesn't have to?"

"Yes, I can do that. My Nanny told me I'm a great helper, so I don't mind doing that for Bella and the Twins."

"Excellent! Now, I understand you're wanting to know the sex?"

A couple of clicks on the keyboard and moves of the camera and Nancy had somehow cut between the twins to get a view of both.

"Okay, here's the money shot…" I turned into a slobbering mess when it became obvious who I was carrying inside me. "So, Baby One is a boy…"

"I'm getting a brother! Yus!" Cooper slammed his tiny fist in the air.

"And Baby Two… is a little girl."

0-0

TWINS IN TWO CHAPTERS!

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Thoughts?