It was amazing how quickly Bella could go from being furiously angry to being completely and utterly speechless. While she was still pissed off with Edward's reference to Jacob as being a dog and his unjustified disgust in knowing that she had sex with someone, the moment that Edward acknowledged that he could hear the baby, she froze.
It suddenly became real. She was pregnant.
"What? You mean, you can hear it?"
Edward sighed and nodded weakly. "The heartbeat - It's like...a whisper, hidden behind your heartbeat."
A smile slowly appeared on Bella's face, her hand resting protectively over her stomach. As freaked out and overwhelmed as she was to find out that she was pregnant at a time when she was in hiding from Victoria, to have a part of Jacob with her brought a smile to her face.
Being pregnant at 18 was never something Bella dreamed about. Up until recently, she never considered that she'd still be human at her age, let alone have a relationship with someone where she'd have the chance to have that experience - to become a Mom. Bella only wished that she could be in Forks to tell Jacob the news, and to tell her Dad and then Billy that they were going to be grandparents. And then there was her Mom; Renee would be over the moon to know that she was going to be a grandmother.
As she considered calling Jacob, if only to let him know, Edward was always quick to discourage her, citing that it would only provoke him to come searching for her. According to Edward, Victoria was proving to be tough to track down.
While Bella's stomach grew with the life growing inside of her, Edward seemed to distance himself from anything that had to do with the baby. Edward made it no secret that he wasn't pleased with her being pregnant with Jacob's child; often changing the subject when Bella would suck in a breath, stating that she felt the baby move within her. He'd drive her into town whenever she asked and accompany her into stores, appearing as a loving and doting husband and father-to-be, except he chose to wait in the car whenever they made a trip into nearby Yarmouth for a doctor's appointment. The arrangement suited Bella just fine. In fact, she wished that he'd stay in the car for every trip into town. To hear him call her, 'love' and 'darling' as she'd pushed the shopping cart through the store, it made her bite her tongue on more than one occasion. She'd snap at him quietly, smiling through her teeth as he reminded her that that wasn't the way to speak to your husband. To emphasize his words and appease any gawkers to their conversation, Edward would lean in and kiss her cheek, his lips resting longer on her skin than normal before he quickly held his breath.
Bella's scent had gotten stronger with pregnancy. Edward quickly deduced it to the fact that her blood volume had increased to accomodate the growing fetus. As much as Edward found it intoxicating before, he discovered that he needed to hunt on a more regular basis for Bella's safety.
During one of the those times when Edward was away, Bella would walk to the diner at the end of the fishing wharf and use the pay phone to try to call both Charlie and Jacob. The life within her was a constant reminder of what she had left behind and if she could simply let them know that she was all right and about the baby, she would.
Unfortunately, Bella had yet to get an answer at home and she didn't have any better luck at the Black's house. To her disappointment, Billy had answered once, saying that Jacob wasn't interested in hearing anything that she had to say and he made it clear that she was never welcome to come to La Push. Bella didn't even have a chance to say more than two words before he'd hang up on her. After that, her calls went unanswered. She didn't blame Billy. Bella would do the same to someone who would ever break her own child's heart. With that thought in mind, she ran her hand over her growing stomach.
As the weeks turned into months, Bella would watch the tides go in and out, thinking about her Dad and Jacob quite often in La Push; what they were doing, if they were well. On one earlier trip into Yarmouth, Edward brought her to the library. Bella had spent a good hour on the internet, scouring through newspaper articles from Forks. She had hoped that it was possible to see what was going on back home, to possibly get news of her Dad, being that he was the chief of police.
While Bella had fumbled through multiple articles about the continual bear sightings and the numerous deaths of hikers and hunters around Forks, her heart sank when she stumbled upon an obituary for Harry Clearwater. Quickly checking the date, she found that he had passed away shortly after she had left Forks. Bella couldn't imagine how his wife, Sue and his kids, Seth and Leah must have been feeling, losing a husband and father at such a young age. She realized that must have been equally devastating for Charlie, to loose a good friend. Bella wished that she could have been there for him at that time. Thinking of them made her heart ache for Jacob. She missed him terribly, and she couldn't think of never seeing him again. She had to believe that staying away from Forks while the Cullen's searched for Victoria would undoubtedly keep him safe. Bella had to believe that in time, she'd be able to return home. She simply never thought that it would take this long.
September had long passed, marking her 19th birthday. Soon after, Christmas went by and Bella couldn't help but wish for home. Once January hit, Bella made special note of Jacob's 18th birthday, thinking of him and how he'd be celebrating such a milestone. After that, the weeks raced by. February was quickly approaching. Knowing that she was approaching her due date, Edward would be away more often, not wanting to take any chances with Bella's life when she gave birth. Bella woke up earlier that morning, feeling even more uncomfortable than usual. She sat alone in the living room and watched the flickering lights on the lobster boats as they headed out from the wharf and out to the North Atlantic. Bella had no idea that when those boats would return with their hull's full of lobster, she'd be experiencing the most pain that she'd ever feel in her life.
Labour seemed to come on very gradually, to the point that she didn't even notice it until early evening when she had to stop to breath through them. As much as she came to enjoy the time when Edward was away from home, now she wished that he'd quickly return from hunting. Frankly, Bella was scared to death and considered the reality that she may have to deliver her baby, herself.
When Edward did return, he walked into the house to hear Bella groaning in her room. Worried, he raced into the room, pushing open the door a little too roughly, breaking the hinges right off. Bella glared up at him as she laid on her side on her bed, her hands fisting themselves into her comforter as she cried out in pain.
"Where the hell have you been!?" She shouted at him, her eyes wild and a sheen of sweat on her forehead.
"You know where I've been!" Her constant sharp tongue had started to aggrevate him. But seeing her in obvious pain, his eyes softened. He reached out and touched her arm. "I'm sorry for yelling. I'm here now. Don't worry, I'll bring you to the hospital."
"Don't touch me! Damn it, this hurts like a sonofabitch!"
"Bella?! Edward!?"
Alice's voice suddenly filled the house. They hadn't heard from her in months so to hear her voice was a surprise. Edward and Bella's eyes met briefly before Alice swiftly came into the room, with Carlisle right behind her.
It was obvious by the expression on his face when he saw a pregnant Bella Swan in active labour that he had no idea that he was being brought here for this.
"Oh...oh my, Bella?!" Carlisle said in shock, realizing now that both Alice and Edward hadn't been as forthcoming with what they had been up to while in Nova Scotia. All he had been aware of from the pair, was that Bella had chosen to spend her life with Edward and they were going to spend their time on the east coast before he changed her. Nothing was ever mentioned about a pregnancy being involved.
As questions flew into his head, he quickly moved to Bella as she moaned in pain, a little ticked that Alice hadn't informed him about Bella before he arrived.
Glancing quickly over at Bella, Alice came to Edward's side and smiled proudly.
"I had a vision of you this morning. I doubt that you would want to deliver a baby on your own in the backseat of your car."
Alice's attention was brought back to Bella as she gasped while Carlisle gently palpated her stomach, feeling for the baby's position with his ice cold hands.
Carlisle looked at Bella's face, grabbing her wrist to check her pulse while he watched her have another contraction. He spoke softly to her, watching her expression as he coached her in breathing deeply; something that Bella wasn't doing well enough and was having an affect on her oxygen levels.
"I'll bring the car around," Edward told him.
Carlisle shook his head.
"She wont make it in time. Like Alice said, Bella would most likely deliver in the car. She's better off just staying put."
Edward swallowed, watching Bella as she slowly breathed with Carlisle's calming words. He was relieved that Alice had found it prudent to bring their 'father' to Nova Scotia, even if he did discover that they had been keeping things from the rest of the family.
"What can I do?"
"You, sit behind her and give her back some support," Carlisle said firmly before he looked over at Alice who hovered by the doorway.
"Get me some clean towels, water and blankets."
Alice nodded before she disappeared while Edward slid in behind Bella's back. He was grateful that he had hunted just prior to coming back to the house. To be sitting so close to Bella would have taken more than a little restraint.
Bella didn't make any argument to Carlisle's direction to having Edward sit behind her; her focus was on the pain and the desire to end it as quickly as possible. For her, Carlisle had suddenly became her saving grace; his calming nature already having an affect on her pain level. Whatever he thought would help, she'd agree to.
When Carlisle told her that he was going to check to see how far along she was, Bella wasn't prepared for the pain that associated such a procedure. His cold hands were certainly appreciated despite the agony she felt. Bella continued to breath deeply, hearing Edward encouraging her softly from behind her.
"You're doing great, love," she heard him say, brushing her hair away from her clammy neck.
"Shut the hell up! I hate you," Bella snarled between her clenched teeth.
Carlisle glanced up, hearing the exchange curiously before he dismissed it as Bella simply being in overwhelming pain. He smiled at her.
"All I'm feeling here is a head. On the next contraction, I want you to give a light push against my hand."
Bella nodded silently, breathing deeply before her forehead creased and she began to push. Carlisle nodded happily, encouraging her that she was doing it and that the baby was moving down.
"Do that again, whenever you're ready."
This time, she pushed harder, determined to get that baby out of her one way or another. Carlisle chuckled, an unexplained excitement at seeing the baby's head emerge over his hand.
"Bella, your baby has quite a headful of black hair. Do you want to feel it?"
For a moment, Bella opened her eyes, a smile ghosting her lips before she nodded. She reached forward weakly before Carlisle took her wrist with his free hand and gently had her fingers touch the crown of the baby's head. Carlisle watched Bella's expression; a renewed strength visibly shown on her face to know that she was so close to delivering the baby.
"Okay, next contraction, push hard."
Bella nodded, once again grabbing ahold of her knees. She growled, an unearthly sound coming up from her throat as she pushed.
Alice returned with towels and passed them to Carlisle. She quickly caught sight of the baby's head emerging from Bella before she covered her nose, and rushed out of the room, saying the scent of blood was just too strong for her. While Carlisle made a inquisitive glance towards Edward, his mind asking him if he was all right with the smell, Edward nodded back.
Carlisle quickly tucked one towel between his hand and the baby's head as he supported it. After quickly checking to ensure the cord wasn't around the baby's neck, Bella began to push the rest of the body out. A sudden release of pressure and relief of pain swept over her.
"Bella, you did," Carlisle told her, a smile on his face.
The sound of a baby's cry echoed in the room before he quickly picked up the newborn with the towel underneath and placed the baby on Bella's stomach. Instinctively, Bella reached up and wrapped the edges of the towel around the baby to keep it warm. Carlisle's smile never left his face as he watched Bella with tears in her eyes as she placed a kiss on the baby's head. As the newborn's skin began to pink up, Carlisle couldn't get over the baby's light russet complexion, and the jet black hair; two things that Bella simply didn't have.
Carlisle wasn't the only one who couldn't take his eyes off the baby. Bella ran her hand lovingly over the baby's small clenched hand before she leaned over and placed a kiss on it. Edward was in awe, watching Bella display an instant maternal affection for the life resting agains her. To have seen her push another human out of her body that she had nourished for months made him all the more in love with her.
While Carlisle reached over to clamp off the umbilical cord and to quickly cut it, he smiled, hearing her whisper softly.
"Congratulations Bella," Carlisle told her. "Does he have a name?"
"He?"
Carlisle smirked, gesturing to where he had just cut the umbilical cord. "That's not another umbilical cord down there. You have a son."
Bella looked down to see that Carlisle had confirmed that she indeed had a son. She chuckled, her fingers gently touching her son's dark hair on his head. Tears came to her eyes as Carlisle once again covered the baby with a towel.
"Daniel Ja...," she whispered softly as she suddenly felt herself getting light headed. Bella winced, forcing herself to stay awake.
Carlisle looked at Bella's face, sensing that something was wrong. He could hear it; her blood pressure was dropping.
"Bella?" He asked, seeing her struggle to stay awake. To his horror, Carlisle saw bright red blood begin to hemorrhage from between Bella's legs, with the delivery of the placenta. "Dammit!"
"Carlisle?!" Edward exclaimed, seeing his hands suddenly covered in Bella's blood. "What's wrong?"
Carlisle ignored Edward, his focus completely on Bella.
"Bella, keep your eyes open!"
Bella's eyes momentarily opened upon hearing her name being called. She was soon oblivious to the chaos that suddenly erupted around her. Her name was being shouted before she felt the weight of the baby being taken off of her chest and Daniel's cries suddenly filled the room. She could feel cold hands pressing hard against her stomach. As she struggled to stay awake, she felt light and weightless before everything disappeared completely.
Edward watched Bella as she slept in her bed, the IV tube trailing from her wrist to the bag hanging from the hook above her. His ears listened carefully to her steady heartbeat and her rhythmic breathing. After being so close to losing her, Edward wasn't going to leave that room until she woke up.
With a sigh, he looked over at the newborn sleeping peacefully in the small basinette against the wall, his keen ears paying attention to his rapid heartbeat. Daniel had been the focus of Edward's bitterness ever since he had found out Bella had slept with Jacob. But as he had held Daniel in his arms while Carlisle worked hard to prevent Bella from bleeding to death, Edward saw not only the innocence within the child, but also Bella's eyes looking back up at him. Those eyes tore at his dead heart. It suddenly hit him - Bella was a part of that little baby that he had once detested.
Now, as much as he was worried about Bella, his attention was also on Daniel. Edward's head would turn whenever he'd hear Daniel stir within his basinette across the room. The loud noises that came from the newborn caused Edward to assume that Daniel wasn't asleep, but one glimpse into his mind put him at ease; he was dreaming. A small smile came to Edward's face before he heard Bella sigh.
Edward was on his feet in an instant, speaking softly to Bella, encouraging her to wake up. Slowly, her eyes opened, confusion glazing over them for a moment before they widened and she suddenly remembered everything.
"Where's Daniel?"
"He's here. He's fine," Edward replied, looking over at the basinette against the wall. "He's asleep."
Bella sighed in relief, seeing the small bundle swaddled tightly. "What happened?"
"You hemorrhaged and passed out from low blood pressure. Carlisle had to manually cause your uterus to contract to close off the blood vessels that opened after the placenta detached since your body wasn't doing it. He massaged your stomach for a while until the bleeding slowed to a stop. You lost a lot of blood. I don't know what I would have done if Carlisle wasn't here."
Bella looked around, eager to see Dr. Cullen, if only to ask how the search for Victoria was going. She was eager to get home.
"Where's Carlisle?"
"He left not too long ago to get back to Esme. I told him that I'd take care of you and Daniel while you recovered."
Bella snorted, her eyes on Daniel across the room as she pushed herself up.
"I don't need your help," she stated, pausing as a wave of lightheadedness washed over her. She closed her eyes just as Edward quickly moved to her side, urging her to stay where she was.
"You're still weak. Let me get him for you."
With the movement and cold touch from Edward's hand supporting his head, Daniel quickly woke up. The moment Bella had Daniel in her arms, she pulled him close to her and shifted her body protectively in between Edward and her son. Daniel fussed in her arms, now that he was not only awake but hungry.
"Bella, I wouldn't hurt you or Daniel."
"You made it quite clear when I was pregnant that you weren't fond of him."
Edward took a deep breath. "I guess you can say that I've had a change of heart. So much so, that I'd be willing to raise him as my own son and give him my human last name, Mason."
Bella scoffed. "Edward..."
"...Bella, I always wanted you to have a human life, to experience life as a human and having...sex and having the chance to be a Mom, are a part of that life that I wanted you to have. Once Daniel is weaned, I'd be willing to change you...and make you immortal. After seeing you nearly bleed to death, I realized some things - I can't live this existence without you."
Bella stared at him as though he had grown another head. There was nothing that led her to believe that Edward could have suddenly decided that he cared at all about Daniel, especially when he was offering to change her, leaving Daniel with a vampire as a mother. But the expression on his face, led Bella to believe contrary.
"You're serious."
Edward nodded, sitting down on the bed beside Bella. He looked over at Daniel as he rooted at the blanket around his face. A smile pulled at Edward's mouth as he watched him.
"I've never considered having a son of my own until I held him in my arms. Daniel is a part of you. And since I love you, I've found myself loving him. We could raise him together...you and I."
Bella shook her head.
"Just like that, huh? Did you forget that although Daniel's a part of me, he's also a part of someone else? And like it or not, I'm still in love with Jacob. While I appreciate everything you've done for me, when this whole thing with Victoria is over, Daniel and I are going to go back to Forks." She paused for a moment, staring firmly at Edward.
"And his name is Daniel Jacob Swan, not Mason."
Daniel took that moment to wail loudly, his mouth wide open as he rooted desperately at Bella's shirt. He suddenly found his fist by his face and sucked on it for a few seconds before crying once again. Bella shushed him softly, rocking slightly hoping to comfort him.
"He's hungry. You're going to want to feed him," Edward told her, sounding defeated before he stood up. Without saying anything more, Edward left the room.
Bella looked down at the baby in her arms before she carefully pulled her arm from inside her shirt. Glancing out the open door to ensure that Edward wasn't nearby, she sighed.
"Okay, Daniel, it's just you and me," she told Daniel as he continued to root, almost sensing that food was nearby. She tipped Daniel's mouth towards her breast, as she had seen in books that she had read in the library over the past few months.
It had taken them a few tries, but suddenly Bella smiled when she noticed Daniel was properly latched on. She watched him, seeing his jaw move as he sucked on her breast. Pulling her knees up, she reclined slightly, holding Daniel carefully in place.
"I wont let him hurt you."
In the other room, Edward could hear as Bella would talk to Daniel about Jacob, how glad she was that he had his mouth and dark hair and how she couldn't wait for Daniel to meet him. Bella would do this everytime she sat down to nurse him. Even as the months passed, she continued to speak the same words to him. Daniel would look up at her, his small hands reaching up to play with Bella's hair as it fell over her shoulder, content to hear his Mom speak to him; milk dripping from the corner of his mouth and over her breast when he'd smile. Edward could see Jacob in that smile and it still killed him everytime he saw it.
While he knew that it was impossible for Daniel to ever be his biological son, Edward was determined to prove to Bella that he could be that father figure in Daniel's life. Except, Bella refused to allow Edward to be alone with Daniel. She simply couldn't trust him.
When Edward had returned one evening from hunting to find Bella in the shower and Daniel smiling at him from his playpen by the television, he scooped him up and headed down to the beach to play. Edward knew how much Daniel enjoyed the beach. When Bella had found out that her son was missing, she was on the verge of a panic attack until she saw him with Edward happily playing in the sand with a toy dump truck.
Bella had been shaking with anger by the time she reached the beach. Without saying a word, she picked up Daniel, who proceeded to throw a fit before she carried him back towards the house.
"Bella, it's no big deal!" Edward called out after her, promptly getting up off the sand. "We were just having a father and son time."
Bella paused, turned in the sand and glared at him, holding Daniel close to her chest. "You are not his father."
From that day on, Edward had tried his best to reconcile with her. He'd bring her flowers and make her meals; anything to win her heart and gain her trust once again. The only time Bella would speak to him was if she would inquire about the search for Victoria; it seemed to always be on her mind and it frustrated Edward that even after being away from Forks for over 22 months, she was still determined to go back. After all this time, Edward had hoped that she would have reconsidered and remembered how much she was in love with him.
Feeling disheartened, Edward took off for a few days to hunt shortly before Daniel turned 14 months old. While he had been gone, Daniel came down with a cold that eventually developed into a deep cough with a high fever. As each day passed, Bella waited for Edward to return in order for her to bring him to a doctor. As much as she knew Edward would tell her that it was just a cold, something in her told her it was something more.
Daniel's fever was going on its second day when Bella heard a knock at the door. With Daniel dozing on her shoulder in only a light blue onesie and a diaper, she quickly opened it, expecting Edward. Instead, she was shocked when she saw Carlisle and Esme standing at her door, explaining that they had been in the area and were wondering how she and Edward were doing.
Regardless of her strange relationship with Edward, Carlisle and Esme had always been kind to her and meant well. Bella also would never forget what Carlisle had done for her the day that Daniel was born. She quickly invited them in, Esme's face smiling as she had only heard about the little boy from Carlisle. Taking one glance at the toddler with the pacifier in his mouth, she could tell that something was wrong.
"He's been sick for a few days now," Bella told them as she sat down on the couch with Daniel. Exchanging a look, Esme and Carlisle sat down on the couch on either side of her.
"And how are you doing? You look exhausted, dear," Esme said softly to Bella, before Daniel began to cough, his pacifier falling out of his mouth onto the couch.
It nearly tumbled to the ground, except Carlisle quickly moved his hand and caught it in the air.
Having seen the quick movement, Daniel raised his head, his eyes heavy from congestion and fever. When Carlisle held the pacifier out towards the toddler, his amber cornea's met Daniel's piercing brown eyes. With a coaxing smile from Carlisle, Daniel reached out and quickly took it from him before he stuck it back in his mouth, tucking his head shyly against Bella's chest.
"I'm fine," Bella insisted. "I would be better if Daniel would sleep more than a few minutes before waking up. He's been glued to me for the past two days. It's just not like him."
"I noticed that his cough sounded strange," Carlisle said, looking at Daniel as the toddler's sick eyes watched him carefully. Carlisle was about to reach out to touch Daniel but hesitated, and asked Bella for her permission. She nodded wholeheartedly before Carlisle's cool hand rested on the overheated toddler's back.
"I have found that over the years, my own senses are better at detecting small abnormal sounds than the technology I use."
He gently slid his hand over Daniel's back, the toddler not at all bothering the gesture and in fact, closed his eyes once again. Carlisle sighed, removing his hand.
"He has pneumonia."
"Are you sure?"
Carlisle nodded. "The infection is in his lower left lung. There's a distinct difference in the way his breathing feels against my hand. And his breathing is quite rapid for his age. It's important that he drinks a lot."
Bella smiled weakly. "I'm having a hard time getting him to like water. He still nurses though."
"No harm in nursing him more while he's sick. He could use the antibodies from you right now. I'll make sure to pick up a prescription for him before we leave."
Bella let out a sigh of relief, knowing that she wouldn't have to call a taxi and then sit in Yarmouth's ER for hours.
"Thank you. I appreciate this so much." She paused for a moment, as tears came to her eyes. "I appreciate everything you guys have done for me and for Daniel. I know that searching for Victoria has probably meant putting your own lives on hold. I don't know how I'll ever be able to repay you."
Carlisle glanced over at Esme, seeing that his wife was just as confused by Bella's words about Victoria.
"Uh, Bella, where's Edward?"
Bella scoffed, rubbing her nose with her free hand. "I have no idea. He's been gone for days, hunting I suppose. It's just as well. No offence, as I know he's family to you, but I don't want him anywhere near me or Daniel."
Both Esme and Carlisle were shocked by Bella's strong aversion of Edward. For as far as they were told, she and Edward were raising Daniel together as their son and Bella was in love with Edward. To hear such hatred in her voice, worried Carlisle.
"Has he harmed either of you?"
"No, nothing like that," Bella quickly replied. "I just can't trust him. When I left Forks, he and Alice left a note behind on my behalf that really hurt someone I loved. And then when I was pregnant, Edward despised Daniel just because he was Jacob's son and then after he was born, he claimed that he had a change of heart."
Carlisle's cold heart sank as he listened to Bella's side of the story; a stark contrast to the explanation of a happy home that Edward portrayed for them.
"Jacob - Daniel's father...where is he from?"
Bella smiled. "La Push. He and I were really close before...". She paused. "Well, then I found out that Victoria had finally decided to come after me and that changed things. I didn't want to leave but in order to protect him and Charlie, I had no other choice."
She paused and ran her hand over Daniel's dark hair as he rested against her. "I never thought I'd end up bringing a piece of Jacob with me."
Carlisle's mind was reeling over what Bella was telling him and taking a quick glance at Esme, she was just as confused. But she put a smile on her face and gently touched Bella's shoulder, her eyes on the sleeping toddler who was starting to snore through the congestion against Bella's chest.
"Bella, why don't you go and rest for a bit," Esme suggested. "We'd be glad to watch over Daniel for you."
Bella looked between Esme and Carlisle. "Are you sure?"
While Carlisle shrugged and gestured to Esme. "It would be our pleasure."
Not willing to neglect help when it was offered, Bella gently laid Daniel on the couch. The boy instantly turned on his side and tucked his head against the back of the cushions. Bella placed a blanket over his legs and ran her hand over his small head. After insisting they wake her if he become fussy or inconsolable, Bella went to her room.
Carlisle looked over at Esme and sighed, certain that the same thought had been shared between them. While Esme sat on the couch at Daniel's feet and watched over him as he slept, Carlisle walked over to the window, looking out at the water as the fog rolled in. He clenched his fists in anger.
"I can't believe that they did this to her," Carlisle mumbled. "And to that child."
"Carlisle, he's part Quileute," Esme added worriedly, watching the toddler sleep, his breathing audible and hindered by the congestion. "His father probably doesn't even know he exists."
Carlisle clenched his jaw. He was normally not a violent person but when it came to knowing that someone was purposely manipulating someone else, he couldn't help but get angry.
"When I questioned Edward about Daniel's complexion while Bella recovered from hemoragging after Daniel's birth, he told me that the father was a sperm donor. He told me that they were wanting to raise a baby together. That was obviously a lie."
"She believes that all this time, we've been searching for Victoria," Esme stated, overwhelmed. "Carlisle, what Alice and Edward have done, it's abuse. They've kept this baby from his father and his grandparents and convinced Bella that Victoria is after her."
"I've always been concerned about Edward's obsessive behaviour when it came to Bella, but this is crossing a line."
With a deep breath, he turned and headed towards the door.
"Where are you going?" Esme asked, slightly concerned given the dark expression on her husband's face.
"I'm going to drive into town and get that prescription for Daniel. And I'm going to make a few phone calls while I'm out. With the way I'm feeling, I wouldn't want to disturb Bella or Daniel while they slept."
No sooner had Carlisle was out of the driveway he had Alice's cheerful voice filling the inside of this car over the speakers.
"I just came from visiting Bella," he snapped bluntly, causing Alice's mood to suddenly change. "She told me some things that really surprised me. What the hell were you thinking lying to her about Victoria?!"
"Carlisle, you know how volitile those wolves can be. Her future disappeared and she wouldn't leave that mutt. We simply gave her a reason to leave."
"By convincing her that Victoria was after her and that our family was searching for her."
"It was the only way."
"Did you even know she was pregnant when you began this farce?"
"Not at first," Alice admitted, softly.
Carlisle sighed audibly.
"If the Quileute's ever find out that you have purposely kept Bella and her son from them, that will certainly make them rethink the treaty. Alice, you and Edward could have just put all of our lives in danger."
"They wont find out!"
"Alice, it's over," Carlisle told her decidedly. "I'm sending Bella and Daniel back to Forks. All these lies you've been telling her that Victoria has been searching for her...you've been manipulating her and using her fears for Charlie's safety against her. I'm not going to let you do it any longer."
"But Carlisle, Edward is in love with her. He's going to win her back. He just needs more time."
Carlisle sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as he heard Alice plead to him. "It's clear that she doesn't love Edward. Alice, you can't make her fall in love with him."
"It's also still possible that Victoria will come for her someday," Alice stated, seeming to ignore Carlisle about his claim that Bella wasn't in love with Edward. "Edward tracked her scent around Forks a few months ago. He also read Laurent's mind when he helped us convince Bella to leave. Laurent may have been working with Victoria."
"Laurent - do you know that Irina has been worried sick about him? They haven't heard from him in months!"
"Then perhaps he did go back to Victoria. Either way, Carlisle, Bella is not safe in Forks. Victoria will come for her."
"You keeping claiming that Edward is the only one that can keep her safe," Carlisle snapped, clearly aggitated. "Yet, you forget that the father of her son has the capability of destroying our kind without a single thought! Wouldn't you think that the safest place for her would be with the wolves?!"
Alice growled.
"They are dangerous! You can't send her back!"
Not willing to continue the argument with Alice, he hung up on her, continuing his drive into Yarmouth. He stepped harder on the gas pedal, suddenly eager to get the antibiotic and get back to Pubnico. When Carlisle did return, he walked into the house to see Esme walking slowly around the small living room with Daniel asleep on her shoulder, his cheeks red.
"He woke up shortly after you left," she whispered. "He cried for a bit, but settled down soon after. I think his fever is rising again."
Carlisle reached forward and put his cool hand onto Daniel's forehead, feeling the heat radiating off of him. The toddler opened his eyes at the touch. With his hand, Daniel pulled his pacifier out of his mouth.
"Mam," he said weakly, his bottom pulling up to cry again while his eyes started to well up with tears. "Mammam."
"Mommy's sleeping," Carlisle told him softly. "She'll be up soon. You close your eyes."
While Daniel wasn't satisfied with his answer, he tucked the soother back into his mouth and put his head back onto Esme's shoulder.
Carlisle met his wife's eyes.
"I spoke with Alice." He began, before he sighed disappointedly and looked at Daniel as he stared back at him. "We're taking Bella and Daniel with us to the airport in Halifax. They're going back to Forks."
Esme nodded, agreeing wholeheartedly with the idea.
"When do we leave?"
Carlisle looked down at his watch. It was nearly 8pm. Bella had been asleep for less than two hours and it was still a 3 hour ride to the airport. With enough luck, he could have Bella and Daniel in Washington just as the sun rose over the west coast.
"This is important. I'll wake up Bella so we can leave right away."
"And tell her what? She's not going to leave if she thinks Victoria is searching for her."
Carlisle sighed. "Then we'll tell her that Alice managed to track her down and destroy her. I hate having to lie to Bella, but it's important that we get her out of here before Edward returns. I'm concerned about how he'll behave if he comes home to see her leaving. It may prove to be more dangerous for Bella and Daniel than Alice would have ever anticipated."
Esme gently ran her hand over Daniel's hand, feeling her own protective nature coming out on Bella's behalf.
Carlisle woke Bella up wiht the news. While Bella found it hard to believe that it was actually happening and she was returning home, she was overjoyed and relieved. To be sitting in the backseat of Carlisle's car with Daniel beside her in his car seat felt like a dream. She wasn't going to miss the white-sided house. It was never 'home'. She was finally going home.
A/N
Wow! What a response to the last chapter! You all just blew me away with the interest and comments. I'm really glad you're enjoying this. Thank you soooo much! Please keep reviewing as I update to know that you're still with me. :)
As for this chapter - we've had the time jump and Bella is heading home. It's been almost 2 years(going on 23 months) since she's been in Forks and it'll be an interesting coming home, especially considering what everyone has assumed has happened to her...and of course, that will vary between Charlie and the pack. We'll also see a bit of what's been going on while she's been gone.
I'll be away for the weekend, and then begins my vacay! I'll update a little less regularly, but I'll still aim for once to twice a week...not the every 2-3 days like I've been doing lately.
Until then...