Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.
AN: Sometimes life gets in the way, so I am sorry this update has taken so long. Now.. Brace yourselves. I have a few unexpected surprises for you...
On with the show..
Bella walked out of her room and was settling on the couch in the living room when the phone rang. Dammit! It was extremely hard for her to get up now. She was four weeks from her due date, but she looked like she should be having the baby at anytime.
"Don't worry Bella. I got it." Esme said, as she came around the corner. "Hello...Carlisle!"
"We are catching a flight. We should be home in about eleven hours. That is assuming that there are no delays or problems. We have to fly commercially, but we got a great deal. Hang on.."
Esme turned to her daughter-in-law. "Bella, they are coming home. Carlisle says that they should be home in about eleven or so hours."
"Thank God." Bella smiled and relaxed into the couch.
Esme turned her attention back to the phone. She listened for a few more minutes before passing the phone to Bella so that she could speak to Edward. She squeezed Bella's shoulder and walked to the kitchen to give them some privacy.
"Edward?"
"Hey beautiful. How are my favorite people right now? Are you feeling okay?" Edward asked.
"I feel huge. I can't wait to see you. "
"Me either sweetie.." Bella heard something in the background, "Babe, our flight is boarding. I'll see you soon. I love you."
"Love you too." Bella heard Edward hang up and ended the call, just as the doorbell rang. "Jeez, its rush hour around here."
"Don't move Bells. I got it." Esme giggled as she made her way to the door. She recognized the man on the other side but she wasn't sure what he wanted. "Can I help you?"
"Is Isabella Swan here?"
"No. Isabella Cullen is though."
"I need to speak with her please."
"I don't think that is a good idea. Bella is in a very delicate situation and cannot have any stress put on her."
"I understand that. I just want to talk to her."
Esme thought for a moment and decided to let him in. She would just make sure that she stayed close in case Bella needed her. She stepped aside and showed him to the living room. "Bella? You have a visitor."
Bella turned and looked into the eyes of Jacob Black. "Jake? What are you doing here?"
"I need to speak with you Bella. Alone." Jacob looked pointedly at Esme.
"I'll be just around the corner. I meant what I said Jacob." Esme warned.
Jacob took a seat next to Bella on the couch. "Bella, I need to ask you something. First though I need to apologize for my behavior the last couple of years."
"Thanks Jake. I appreciate it. Now what is your question?"
"I need to know if you are done with all of this foolishness? We belong together Bells. I know it and so do you. I think that this has gone on long enough. It's time to end this."
Bella was flabbergasted. "Excuse me? Are you serious with this shit right now? I am married and pregnant with my husbands baby. I am happy. What part of that is too hard for you to understand Jake?"
Jacob was shocked at her outburst. "Bella, calm down. You're deluding yourself. You need to.."
Bella held up her hand. "Stop right there, Jacob. I think you need to leave. You are disrespecting me and my husband. Get out."
"Bella, be reasonable."
Bella stood quicker than she thought possible. "I said get out!" She spoke more forceful than before.
"I think you should leave, Mr. Black. You have definitely worn out your welcome." Esme said as she came into the room.
"Whatever." Jacob said as he stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind him.
Esme turned to Bella. "Are you okay, sweetie?"
Bella smiled, "Can you get the car and my bag Esme? My water just broke." Bella watched as Esme's eyes widened and she immediately sprang into action.
"Are you alright?" She smiled when Bella just nodded.
Bella was calm all the way to the hospital. She called Alice who promised to call her brother. She spoke with Emmett and he promised to pick up Charlie and they would meet her at the hospital. They pulled into the hospital parking lot and Esme helped Bella out of the car and into the hospital. The nurse at the desk looked up and instructed the orderly beside her to get a wheel chair. Bella was wheeled to the elevator. One they reached labor and delivery, Bella was given a room and a gown to put on. Esme helped Bella into the bed and a nurse came in to attach the monitors to Bella's abdomen.
"Es, we have to get word to Edward." Bella said as a contraction hit. They were still thirty minutes apart, but Esme knew that they could change rapidly.
"I'll call the airline and see if they can message the pilot to let them know. I'm not sure they can do anything, but I'll try." Esme explained and pulled out her cell phone. She wasn't sure which airline they had chosen so she called them all. She finally got the correct flight and explained the situation to the operator, who said they would do what they could.
Carlisle looked out the window as the world passed below them. Edward was sleeping beside him and he hoped that he did for most of the flight. He leaned his head back against the seat and thought about the last six weeks. He was glad that he had been able to help. He just wished he had been able to do more. At least his son was alive. He just wished that he had been able to help PFC Newton.
He didn't know how Mike had gotten into the medicine locker, but he had. When Carlisle had come back from assisting a surgery, he had found Mike laying on his bed, staring unseeing at the ceiling. Not able to deal with his injury and the repercussions it had caused, he had taken his own life. By the time he had been found it was too late to save him. A search through his things had found a letter from his wife telling him that she was divorcing him and that she had been seeing someone else. What kind of woman does that?
As for the other man from Edward's unit, Sam Uley. He had made a quick recovery and had been home for Christmas. He had sent Edward a letter to tell him that he had proposed to his longtime girlfriend and that they were planning a spring wedding. He had realized just how short and precious life really was. He had decided not to waste any more time.
Edward stirred beside him and woke, shooting upright. "Calm down, son. You're fine and we are going home."
Edward nodded at his father and relaxed into the seat. He turned to say something to his father, just as the flight attendant approached their seats.
"Excuse me? Are you Carlisle and Edward Cullen?"
"Yes."
"The captain received a message from air traffic control and asked that he pass it on to you gentleman." She handed Carlisle a piece of paper. "Is there anything I can get for you gentleman?"
"No thank you." Edward said politely and turned to his father who was opening the message.
Carlisle smiled when he read the message. "It's from your mom. When we land, we are to go to the hospital. Bella is in labor."
Edward felt as if his heart was going to beat out of his chest. "For sure?"
"Yes, Edward. Apparently her water broke about an hour after we called." That meant it had taken them almost five hours to get them the message.
"The baby could be here already dad. That was a little more than five hours ago." Edward rushed.
"Edward, calm down. It is quite possible that Bella has not had him yet. The first one never goes very fast. Relax, we'll be there before you know it." Carlisle assured him.
"Breathe, Bells." Emmett said as he held Bella's hand through another contraction. The women had stepped out to get something to drink and Charlie had gone with them, so he had stayed behind to keep Bella company.
Bella sucked in a breath and blew it out slowly. She watched the monitor with Emmett and knew that this one was ending. They were getting closer but she was still only dilated four centimeters.
This was going to take forever. She finally relaxed a little when it passed.
"Thanks Em. I hope I didn't hurt your hand."
"Not at all little one." Emmett laughed.
Bella leaned her head back against the pillow and looked at the clock by on the wall. She had been in labor for going on nine hours. And she wasn't progressing very far. The doctor had said that as long as the baby wasn't on distress that he would let her progress at her own rate. She hoped that Edward got to her in time.
Edward was fidgeting nervously. Carlisle couldn't help but laugh. They had been in the air for just over eleven hours and had been circling the runway for the last fifteen minutes waiting for the tower to clear them to land. The pilots had put in the seatbelt sign and then announced that they were waiting for some fog to clear.
"Fog! Really? This is California for Pete's sake." Edward complained.
"Edward will you calm down. We will be landing soon. And then we will head to the hospital."
"I just hope I haven't missed it." Edward explained.
Finally the grinding of the landing gear could be heard and they felt the plane start its decent. The plane jumped slightly as the pilot set it down and then leveled out. Once the plane came to a complete stop and the attendants had been given the okay, the doors were opened. It had been arranged with all the passengers that Edward and Carlisle be let off first since Edward's wife was in labor.
After they had disembarked, father and son headed for the baggage carousel and waiting for what felt like an eternity before Edwards duffel and Carlisle's suitcase appeared. Once they had all their stuff they ran to the exit, praying that security didn't try and stop them. Once outside, they hailed a cab and told the cabbie to take them to Bakersfield Memorial. What should have been a fifteen minute drive, turned into a half an hour.
Finally, they pulled in. Carlisle threw some money at the driver and followed Edward into the hospital. They headed to the elevators at a sprint. Edward just prayed that they weren't too late.
Bella was sweating and puffing. She had been fully dilated and had started pushing twenty minutes ago, but the baby was being stubborn.
"Okay, Bella, relax for a minute. On the next contraction I want you to bare down and give me a good push."
Esme wiped Bella's brow, "You are doing so well, sweetie."
"I want Edward." Bella moaned.
"You got me baby!" Edward said as he burst into the room.
"Edward!" Tears fell from Bella's eyes when she saw her husband.
Edward rushed to Bella's side and replace his mother as he kissed his wife. "I made it, babe."
"Okay Bella. Give me a good push." Edward helped Bella to sit up and counted with the nurse as Bella started to push their son into the world. "Stop Bella. Okay. The head is out."
The doctor and nurse chuckled. "I guess we just needed daddy to be here."
"One more big push Bella and this baby will be out." Bella pushed with all her might and with a pop, the baby was out. He let out a lusty cry and the nurse placed him on Bella's stomach. "Edward, would you like to cut the cord?"
Edward took the scissors that were offered and cut where the doctor instructed. He then looked at his son. Ten fingers and toes, he was perfect.
"Kids, lets give that baby to the nurse. Bella, you're not done yet." The doctor was back in position. "It looks like we've got another baby here folks."
"WHAT!" Everyone exclaimed at once.
Bella began pushing again and with another pop, she pushed her son's twin into the world. "It's a girl!"
Everyone was laughing and crying as Edward cut his daughter's cord as well. "Look what we did, Bells. We have two babies. Did you know we were having twins?"
Bella shook her head at Edward, "We only ever saw one baby on the ultra sounds. Is she okay?"
The babies were brought to their parents. "They are perfect." The nurse told them.
Esme and Carlisle approached the new family. "What are you going to name them?" Esme asked, looking at her grandchildren.
Bella and Edward smiled at each other. "Landon Jude and Antonia Grace Cullen."
The babies were taken to the nursery and the doctor cleaned Bella up. Once she was settled again, Edward kissed her lips. "Thank you."
"For what?" Bella asked sleepily.
"For loving me and giving me two beautiful babies. I love you, Bella."
"I love you too. Welcome home." Bella drifted to sleep.
Edward watched her sleep, while at the windows of the nursery his family cooed over the new additions.
AN: Thank you to all the readers who are sticking with this story. My job is going to be getting more hectic so I will update as I can. I am feeling an ending coming, but I think some amends need to be made (maybe). Thanks for all the reviews and the alerts. I hoped you all like your surprise...til next time, keep the reviews coming. I apologize for any typos, I tired to catch them all.