I Do Not Own Much, Please Do Not Sue!
________________________________________________________________________________
As glad as I was that the time had finally come, couldn't it have happened over the weekend! If only I hadn't made that stupid promise, this would probably be over and done with.
"Where the bloody hell is Jacob?" So I understood that the mutt had a long way to travel, but surely if he had phased he would be here already.
"Edward dear, you need to calm down, the stress isn't healthy." Esme was at my side, holding my hand and attempting to soothe me.
"I wouldn't need to stress . . . oooow . . . if he were here already. What . . . shh oh . . . did you tell him Carlisle?"
"Alice spoke to him, I believe she told him that he had to leave work immediately and get here as soon as possible."
"What!?! Why didn't she just tell him that the vampire he knocked up was going into labour?" I gritted my teeth as a particularly painful contraction seized me. I noticed Esme tense up, I was probably squeezing her hand too tight.
Jacob suddenly burst through the door, breathing hard and looking dishevelled. "Did I miss it?"
"Of all the inconsiderate, insensitive, cal ooo"
"Edward now is not the time to chastise Jacob! You are fully dilated, so I want you to push with the next contraction. Jacob take his other hand."
He had just taken my hand when the next contraction hit. Squeezing their hands I pushed with all my might, knowing that this wouldn't last much longer.
"That's good Edward! I can see the head, keep pushing."
The words were barely out of his mouth when the silence in the room was pierced by the sound of a baby crying. Alice rushed in and wrapped the little one in a blanket, she then held the baby for us to see. "Congratulations, it's a boy!" Smiling she left the room to clean him up.
"Edward, it'll all be over after the next contraction. One more good push and then you can hold your children."
I felt sorry for Jacob, the birthing process was not a very painful experience for me. But I'm sure having your hand crushed by one made out of marble was extremely painful. He seemed to be handling the pain quite well actually, although he was staring at the closed door. Smiling he whispered, "A son! A beautiful, healthy son!"
I was about to comment when the next contraction hit. After pushing as hard as I could, Carlisle exclaimed, "It's another boy!"
"Carlisle, is he alright?" Esme seemed worried and then it dawned on me, he wasn't crying. I started panicking, what if . . .
"He's fine, see for yourself." Rosalie had entered after Carlisle's exclamation and after wrapping the little one in a blanket she brought him closer, so that we could see him. His eyes were wide open and he was breathing, she then left to clean him up as well.
"Esme why don't you go check on our grandsons while I take care of Jacob's hand. Edward you know what happens next, I'll be back in a little while to check that everything is fine."
Not long after the three of them left the room, Alice and Rosalie came in holding my sons. I was very excited at the prospect of holding them, it would take my mind off the fact that my body was returning to it's normal state.
"I don't know what you did to deserve this Edward but congratulations." Rosalie muttered after handing me my son, then left.
"Oh don't mind here, she loves being an aunt to your children. Should I bring the girls up now?" Alice inquired after making sure the boys were comfortable in my arms.
"Maybe you should wait a bit, Jacob still has to meet his sons properly."
"Alright, just let me know when you're ready for them." With that she left me with my sons, who looked like miniature versions of Jacob.
---------- ----------
Standing in the doorway I watched Edward with our sons. Carlisle had had to break my hand again and then set it properly. Once he was done with that he had said that he would give Edward and I some time alone with the boys.
"They look just like you; black hair, russet skin and dark eyes. I just hope they haven't inherited your temper as well." Damn vampire was smirking. "Don't you want to hold them?"
"Of course I do! So uhm . . . have you thought about what we are going to name them?" I approached him, taking one of my sons from him. He was gorgeous, just like his father I chuckled to myself.
"What's so funny?" He was glaring at me. "Anyway in answer to your question, I think we should name them Zack and Zeke."
"Where'd you come on those names?" I asked curiously.
"I'm not sure, maybe the boys suggested it."
I growled at him, "My sons are going to be shapeshifters like me! So they cannot have special abilities."
"Is that so? What are you going to do if they take after me? Disown them?" He demanded angrily.
We were both glaring to each other when Carlisle entered the room. "I hope the two of you are not fighting because you made a promise to me that all conflict would be resolved calmly and in a mature manner. Now Edward, lets see if everything is in order."
Carlisle lifted the sheet that was over Edward's legs, not wanting to witness what he was about to do, I turned my attention to my sons. Zeke, whom I was holding, was watching me intently while Zack appeared to be asleep. Edward looked uncomfortable, I didn't blame him.
"Everything seems in order here Edward." After covering Edward again, he looked between the two of us. "Have you decided on names yet?"
"I suggested Zack and Zeke but Jacob hasn't come up with anything yet." They both turned to look at me, Edward with an eyebrow raised in question.
"I have no suggestions and quite like Zack and Zeke."
"Well then which one is which?" Carlisle wanted to know.
Edward seemed stumped by the question, I couldn't believe that he didn't know. "If we do it alphabetically, this is Zeke and that is Zack."
"How can you tell?" He asked incredulously.
"Zeke came out quiet and curious while Zack on the other hand came out screaming, which obviously made him tired."
"They also have identical birthmarks," Carlisle informed us. "Except Zack's is on his right shoulder and Zeke's is on his left."
Curious to see if I was right, I moved the blanket out of the way and peeked at his birthmark. It looked like a spot a dalmatian would have but instead of it being black, it was as pale as Edward's skin. "Would you look at that, I was right!" It was kinda cute, so I kissed it. I looked up to find Edward watching me with an unreadable look on his face and in his eyes.
"The girls are anxious to meet their brothers. Why don't you move to the spare room while I fetch them?" Carlisle waited for Edward to agree, then left.
"Why don't you go ahead, I'm still half naked." He held Zack out to me.
"Way too much info dude." I said as I walked out.
Alice had replaced the double bed in the spare room with a king sized bed, so that it would accommodate us all. I'd prefer to take the boys home and let them sleep in their cribs, but Carlisle said they couldn't be moved yet. What is the point of having a house if no one is living in it?
"You were the one that refused to live there after Carlisle declared that I was to remain in this house until after the twins were born."
'Damn bloodsucker, always in my head!'
"That's not true, your mind is a very scary place mutt! I try to stay out of it as much as I can."
"Whatever! So how are we going to know what to feed them?" I was sitting in the middle of the bed; the boys snuggled close to my chest, safe in my arms.
"Guess we will have to experiment to see what they prefer, milk or blood. May I?" He had sat next to me, his arms held out, ready to accept one of the boys from me.
"You don't need to ask!" He gently took Zeke and held him close. "Obviously I love Sarah but as the alpha, it would be nice if my sons were shapeshifters as well."
Before he could reply, Sarah and Eva came bounding into the room; closely followed by Carlisle, who stayed long enough to help them up onto the bed. "Daddy wanna see!" We need to teach them to be quiet if the little ones are going to get enough sleep.
Edward leaned closer to the girls and introduced them to Zeke. When he was done I did the same with Zack. The girls just stared at them in fascination, unable to get over the fact that they looked exactly the same.
Eventually we put them down on the bed to sleep properly. Edward left to hunt and I now sat at the foot of the bed with the girls on either side and leaning against me. Looking at my children, I felt my heart swell with happiness.
---------- ----------
It was dark when I returned from hunting, so I wasn't that surprised to find them all asleep. Jacob lay in the middle of the bed, the girls to his right and the boys to his left. There were pillows on either end of the bed and one in between the boys, although I doubt they can roll yet.
I stood for a long time at the foot of the bed watching them sleep but my eyes kept wandering back to the sleeping man. I had loved Bella with all my heart, Renesmee too but what I feel for Jacob is different. I know it's the imprint and that once its gone we'll be back to hating one another. But right now, this feeling is unlike anything I have ever felt. And I know, from their thoughts, that my family's love for their respective mate does not compare to it either.
Hopefully once I am free of this imprint I will forget this feeling and mourn the deaths of my wife and child the way I should have in the beginning.
________________________________________________________________________________