A/N: for any confusion in timeline, this is now September 23, 2005. A Friday. I like to keep my timelines clear. Lol. Then by the end of the chapter, it's almost the twenty ninth.

I Hope Alice's POV helps you understand how Peter and Garrett could have been so stupid last chapter. Remember that noone is infallible. Not even Jasper. So even seasoned warriors like Peter and Garrett can make mistakes.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Alice

Bella's pregnancy has flown by it seems, though it's only been a week. She looks about seven and a half months now. Peter's little moment of idiocy, seriously how dumb could he be, and Jasper handing him his ass was over quickly- both shaking hands the day after and forgiving and forgetting it for the sake of Bella. I mean, I get Jasper's anger. What they did was sheer stupidity. But we all make mistakes right. They figured since I hadn't called a warning or anything in the two hours Bella was out there, they were safe to separate and test Peter's theory. They were only going to be gone thirty minutes. Obviously it wound up being thirty minutes too many, but they seriously had no reason to believe there was any danger.

They had no idea I wouldn't be able to reach them in case Edward headed their way and I didn't know Bella had run out of the house in anger after a fight with Jazz. So they decided to be idiots and test a theory trying to get this whole mess over with, whih even Carlisle wants and he's one of the most patient people I've ever met. Besides, even seasoned warriors make mistakes from time to time. Like Jasper and his moment of stupidity with the cell phone. No matter what, our guard will never be let down again.

Jasper had been right too, when he sat us all down and mentioned we'd come to rely on my gift far too much. Peter and Garrett relied on it and we almost lost Bella and the babies we didn't know she was carrying at the time. Either way, the moment of stupidity has been forgotten, we've rallied around each other and the needed research has been done as a family, that's what they've become- a second family to Felix and I. Jasper is too busy hovering over Bella like she is some delicate piece of china, so most of the research we've done has been without him. He's driving her nuts, but she also understands.

Our research has been fruitful. When Carlisle called the brothers their first concern was her health, but when they found out she was fine they then worried about what it meant. Marcus immediately went looking through the archives to see if there was anything on human/vampire pregnancies. What he found was the same thing we did, a book on Incubi. Apparently these particular vampires liked to have sex with their prey before killing them, but a pregnancy hasn't ever been noted since the subject died soon after the sex.

In all cases, with one exception. Among the shelves next to the book on Incubi he found a journal from the early nineteen hundreds. A case they had dealt with and covered up that had been forgotten until now. In the journal, written by Caius, word had been traveling through the human world about a man, ripping out young women's throats- their blood drained from their bodies. They were calling him the Ripper of Rome. This was far too close to home for the brothers to ignore. Most of the information was gotten from the vampire after he was apprehended by Santiago. Felix had been on another assignment apparently so he wasnt there when the vamp was apprehended and brought in. He learned that a vampire was executed for nearly bringing the existence of vampires to human attention, but that was it. He wasn't aware of why exactly.

The Incubus was noted to like playing with his prey. He would seduce them, get them to trust him, have sex with them over the course of a few days or so and then revel in their fear when he finally killed them. He was an absolute sadist. He tortured the poor girls before he killed them. The brothers weren't so merciful in his execution. Jane apparently had a lot of fun with that one. They cleaned up his little spree, making sure humans didn't become aware of vampires, by blaming this particular event on a cult who drained the girls in sacrifice.

They also confiscated a medical journal from the medical examiner involved in the girl's autopsies. Stole them really. The journal revealed each woman was at the very early stage of pregnancy- not more than a week or two pregnant at least. The evidence was gruesome and we were all saddened by the death of the girls, but it is proof male vampires can indeed get human women pregnant.

Then we got a call from Demetri who had made contact with a local in Argentina while on his search to verify the rumors he was sent there to track down. The local gave him a journal about a tribe there that spoke about a vampire seducing one of their women and impregnating her- the Volturi never heard about that one because the tribe kept to themselves and the journal was only discovered recently in some archives at a museum. The girl spoken of was found a month after she and her sister left the tribe out in the forest, her womb ripped open by the baby that clawed its way out. The baby was never seen nor was the girl's sister ever seen again. But that's all he's found so far.

There were also stories Aro remembered hearing whispers of, about three women with similar stories to the one in Argentina. Two were before and the other one after, but nothing was known about what happened to the babies. Aro had sent a lesser guard member out to see if there was danger of vampires being discovered- any rumors of vampires are followed up on- but nothing ever came of it. Just a few suspicions and superstitions. No danger of the vampire world being discovered, so he let it go and brought the guard home. The first two happened in two totally different parts of the world and ten years apart, the final was fairly recently. Nineteen ninety one in Ohio. The one in Argentina was in the eighteen fifties, thirty years after the second. There was nothing to connect them at all until now.

He did do a follow up, which is the norm in these cases, and remembers that with each one the woman had been found in the woods a month after their disappearance with their wombs ripped open and no sign of a baby. But since no one blamed it on more that a superstition or a murderer, Aro wrote the incidents off- never thinking a vampire could be impregnating women on purpose. But with this pregnancy, we have to wonder. Is there a vampire out there intentionally getting human women pregnant? And to what purpose? Now we just had one more thing to deal with, but Aro said it could wait until this thing with Edward and the bigger threat was over. After all, if it is the same vampire, he's only done this four times that we know of and it could be several different vampires as well.

But it raised more questions about hybrids, does the vampire come back for his offspring and raise them? Or are they left out in the world on their own and if that's the case, how do they take care of themselves? Does that mean they grew just as fast outside the womb? Did they die, live? How long do they live? Will they be immortal like their sire or sires? There were just too many unanswered questions. But we had four points of origin and Demetri was already looking for the one in Argentina. He just couldn't track them. He'd have to follow rumors.

The first meeting with Demetri helps him catch your 'flavor', then the more times he's in your proximity the easier it is for him to track you- like it's easier for Edward to hear your thoughts the further away you are by the amount of time he's around you. The longer he's around you the further away you can be. So, Demetri will just have to use his vampire magnetism to get people to help him.

Thankfully we know Bella drinking blood along with eating human food is the right track. Thanks to her reaction to the blood on Peter's jacket, I laughed so hard when I heard what happened. Carlisle is probably right about full term being four weeks and we set up a surgery in his study in order to get the babies out without killing her, when he tried to use the ultrasound machine it wouldn't penetrate whatever is around the babies, no needle will penetrate it either so we haven't a clue what's been happening in there. Which means it's safe to say she'll have to be cut open and then vampire teeth will need to be used to get the babies out completely. So many things can go wrong it pays to be totally prepared, so Jasper has filled a syringe with his venom as well- just in case.

Jake showed up not long after Bella and Jasper went off to be alone that day and just sort of stayed, he leaves for school in the morning but comes right back after classes are over. No one can figure out why and Sam is ready to give him an alpha command to leave. When we ask why though, he just shrugs and says he's just helping protect Bella, but with so many of us against one vampire he's not needed; and of course with his being a hybrid I can't see his future, or any futures pertaining to him. Though I did notice the more I'm around him and begin to understand his genetic make up and more about the pack through him, the more they've become less blank and more blur in my visions. I'm thinking before too long I may actually see them in my visions.

The babies and Bella are still static though and it hurts my head, unless I hang around Jake all the time when I'm in the house, so his staying is fine by me. It makes my mate mad sometimes though, so I decided to take him off somewhere today and let him claim me. There's nothing like rough sex in the woods. As he slams into me over and over again I moan my pleasure. Felix is a large man in all ways and I'm a lucky, lucky girl. It's not long before we both come and he rolls over to lay next to me. I roll over and lay my head on his chest. I'm so glad I don't have to be separated from him anymore.

"What do think about all this Alice?" I don't need to know exactly what he's talking about, the same thing has been on all our minds.

"I'm beginning to wonder if this wasn't meant to be, rather than a happy accident. What are the chances two gifts won't produce gifted children? Perhaps it's their gifts we need? Not Bella or Jasper's? Or maybe we need all of them? I'm just concerned, because if that's the case- they're just children Felix. Children shouldn't be involved in the violence we'll probably see if this whole thing comes to what I saw in my vision. They're innocents after all."

The image of the destruction from that vision when I was human invades my mind. So much death. Humans killed, Guardians slaughtered, the Volturi destroyed completely. It was a massacre. All perpetrated by an unknown enemy. The complete destruction of the world. Not just vampires, because once word gets out we exist, humans will become involved too. And the weapons they have now? I shudder just thinking about it. No, we have to keep Edward alive long enough to lead us to this threat. I just know it will happen. I can't explain why.

Felix pulls me from my thoughts with a hand on my cheek. I meet his eyes and smile. He always knows when I've gone off into my mind; and how to pull me from it. "I know what you mean. What about the pup? It's strange he keeps hanging around."

"Don't I know it. But I... No that's not possible, is it?" I've had a theory for a couple days now, but surely it can't happen. Right?

"What are you thinking il mio amore?"

"Could one of the babies be his imprint," I say, finally voicing the thoughts I've been having to someone. "I mean one or both could be a girl. And they aren't completely vampires or I would be able to see them in my visions right. So what if one is meant for him?"

"I never thought of that. That would also answer another question I had. If the pup imprints on one of the babies, then that would mean vampire/human hybrids can probably reproduce too. His genes wouldn't allow him to be with someone who couldn't provide strong wolves for the pack, especially the true alpha."

"Yes I think you're right about that. Maybe we should let Aro know so he can talk to Aster. As the Guardian leader he has the right to know. Or perhaps we shouldn't go over the pack alphas head and should talk to Sam. I mean there may be other guardian tribes, but they all came into being in separate ways. The only reason Aster is the supreme leader is because he's the oldest, as old as the Romanians. His pack came into being because of the Romanians right?"

"Yes. And I say we speak to Sam first, and Jasper. He has the right to know too."

Ohhh I don't know how well Jasper is going to take this. "Of course."

"Let us head back. That is after I get another taste of you." Needless to say, we didn't get back until several hours later.

Carlisle

Alice and Felix come in from wherever they've been, as if the smell of sex isn't a dead giveaway. They make their way to me first where I'm standing in the kitchen making Bella some popcorn and getting her hourly cup of blood- the rest of the family is in the great room setting up the DVD player so we can watch movies. I'm so glad she licked the blood from Peter's jacket that day- despite how red she got from us laughing over it. That and the fact that we used our brains to do some conductive reasoning, otherwise who knows what shape Bella might be in by now. That stuff about the other women sort of helped too, it gave us a time frame. Potentially. There's still just too much we need to know about the babies themselves though. For now however, Bella is more important since they don't survive if she doesn't.

As it is, she's healthy. She is uncomfortable, a given with how fast her body is changing and how big she's getting because of there being two babies. So far she's only had some bad bruising from where the babies have been moving around a lot, no broken bones thankfully. A small blessing. They had to completely cancel their trip of course and Jasper has been insufferable and hasn't let her out of his sight unless she puts her foot down and threatens him if he doesn't go hunt. The thought of not getting to be in the room for the birth of his children has him doing as he's told, albeit reluctantly.

Turning my attention back to the duo I ask them what they want. "We think we figured out why Jake's hanging around." At these words, though softly spoken, the whole family comes into the kitchen.

Vampire hearing at its finest, and wolf hearing since Jake's here too- he came over as soon as school let out as usual. Perhaps if we can determine why he has a compulsion to be here, we can help Sam understand too. He hasn't been happy with Jake this past week. Bella is between him and Jasper, a common occurrence of late. Jasper has been surprisingly good natured about Jake's presence. But it's probably due to not wanting to stress Bella out. She wasn't happy when she heard what he'd done to Peter.

He is the first to break the silence. "What is it Alice?"

"Well Jasper, it's just a hunch, a theory, but we think one or both of the babies is a girl and Jake is drawn to her. He didn't start hanging around until he found out Bella is pregnant."

"You think Bella's carrying his imprint?" The look on Jasper's face has Jake stepping out of reach, not that Jasper can't still get to him. Thankfully Bella will be able to keep that from happening just by her presence.

Alice bounces on her toes in amusement. "Yep!"

Jasper surprises us by his calm acceptance. Though it's clear he's still angry about it. But his time spent around the pack and learning things about them must help him remain calm- that and Bella who has her hand on his arm. He looks at her and nods once before turning back to Jake and speaking. "I don't know how I feel about that. I mean I get it's not something you can control Jake, but at the same time these are my babies. And they will be just that, babies."

"Did Sam never explain the imprint thing to you?" Jake looks at Jasper expectantly, probably hoping he'll maintain logic and not go on instict.

"Not really no, just the basics."

"We will be whatever our imprint needs us to be. She is the center of our universe. We will never hurt her, intentionally, we will keep her safe and do whatever she wants. If one of the babies is a girl and my imprint my first role to her would be brother, protector. Then when she got older, confidant, then possibly lover. But not until she's of age and it becomes what she wants."

Jasper thinks for a moment and then nods. "I see. Still doesn't mean I like it, but I get it. I get how hard it is to stay away from a mate. Bella is my life," he says as he gazes at her, bringing a smile to her face. I'm glad they've found each other. So glad.

"And my imprint would be mine."

"This could complicate things though Major. I mean, you don't stay in one place very long and it sounds as if Jake here would need to be with his imprint, he'd have to go with you. Which would leave the pack a wolf short." Peter makes a good point.

"Let's talk to Sam. Jake can give him a call and we'll see what he has to add. Who knows, maybe this is for the best. Jake is the true alpha and though he gave up his position it doesn't mean his instincts wouldn't eventually push him to challenge Sam." Jasper's point is also a good one.

"That's true," I say.

So Jake calls Sam while Jasper takes Bella back to the great room and gets her to drink her blood and eat her popcorn. After that she falls asleep and we never get to watch the movie. She's sleeping more often, not that it's unusual. But it does mean we leave her there on the couch, Jasper remaining in eyesight in the doorway, while he and I talk to Sam in the dining room after he shows up. Jake sits in as well.

He's of the same mind. That it will probably mean losing a pack mate. But he's willing to let Jake go if it comes to that. He will always be a part of the pack and Sam reserves the right to call on him if need be. But he has always been free to go whenever he felt the need. After all, they are only part of the pack so long as they keep phasing- which poses another issue. Jake will always have to phase if the babies end up being immortal like us. Otherwise he'll age and die. And what will any children be like? Will they be immortal too? Will they even be able to have them?

Of course Sam, and myself, insist Jake finish his schooling. That means this year and next we will have to remain here in Forks or another town close by. I guess only time will tell us the outcome of all this, and we have that in abundance.

Bella

I wake up on the couch, Jasper not in his usual spot beside me, and go in search of the others- finding Jasper standing in the doorway. I can hear the others talking about the possibility of one of the babies being Jake's imprint and what it might mean. It looks like we have a new family member now. Where we go Jake will go because, like me with Jasper, he wouldn't be able to stay away from his imprint, my daughter. I'm having a girl. At least one. Maybe two. I can't say I'm not weirded out by this, but I understand he doesn't have a choice.

I did notice no one said anything about Billy, but I'll address that later. For now, I'm starving, which everyone hears clearly when my stomach rumbles. The meeting is tabled and Esme heads into the kitchen to make me something to eat. Sam sticks around a while longer and I finally get to thank him, something I haven't had the chance to do since I haven't seen him in a while. Just Jake. They protected me just like they said they would.

After that Sam leaves and we finally watch the movie we had planned before I drift off to sleep again, my heater at my feet and my fan under my head. I've been fluctuating so much between hot and cold that it just became easier to have Jake and Jasper sit with me on the couch together. So far everything is right in my world and I'm content.

Carlisle

There hasn't been a whisper of Edward since that day nearly two weeks ago. With Bella's preganancy almost to its conclusion we can't help but feel this is a good thing. Every thing is ready for the c-section I've planned for tomorrow- the twenty seventh. Jasper will be the one to help me with the delivery. We're going to control how this happens. Hopefully.

Bella has taken this all in stride. She's still healthy from drinking the blood along with eating regularly and that's all we can ask for. Especially as we've avoided broken bones. They've been trying to think of names, but they can't agree on any girl names. They have come up with the boy names though- they decided on two just in case Alice is wrong and neither of the babies is a girl. Micah Carter Whitlock in honor of Jasper's father and brother and Alexander James Whitlock in honor of Charlie- whose middle name was Alexander. If it's just one boy they've decided on Micah Alexander in honor of both fathers.

To say I'm a little disappointed is an understatement but I've only been in Bella's life a short time and I am not her father. Nor am I Jasper's though you wouldn't know it. But the choice is theirs and I will respect it. Right now everyone is sitting around the great room watching a movie, again. Jake isn't where he usually is, at Bella's feet. He's abided by my and Sam's rules and has continued to go to school everyday except holidays. How Jasper hasn't killed that boy yet is beyond me. But I guess knowing that one of the babies might be a girl and Jake's imprint and also being aware that he's helping Bella a lot by being here has Jasper content to leave him.

I head off into my study to check for the umpteenth time that everything is in order, leaving the others to enjoy the movie.

Jasper

The movie ends and so I take this time to head into the kitchen to make Bella lunch, leaving her laying on the couch under a couple blankets. Esme follows along to help. Rose and the others have all gone hunting, Jake is at school- hence why she's wrapped up in the blankets. As I'm standing with my head in the fridge I hear Bella come into the room. I move to intercept her as walking on her own has become near impossible with her size. Looking at her face, I immediately know something is wrong. She looks and feels concerned.

"Bella darlin', what's wrong?" Her face has a look of extreme concentration mixed with the concern.

"Can you feel the babies Jazz?" I concentrate for a minute and then nod.

"Yes, they're uncomfortable. The space has gotten smaller and they can't move, I can feel their frustration. Why?"

Bella

I nod, relieved that I'm just being overly cautious and nothing is actually wrong. "It just didn't feel as if they were moving that much. Usually when it's time to eat they're shifting a little more."

When they started bruising my body- freaking Jasper out completely- is when he started feeling their emotions. He felt sorrow and shame. It's amazing that they're already cognizant of their surroundings. He told them they needed to not move around so much as they hurt me and it was that day that I've felt the occasional stretch but nothing too rough to break anything and the bruising hasn't been as bad. They just shift more when my belly rumbles. Like now. Not feeling that freaked me out a bit, but I guess I can understand. They're probably crowded in there. I can't wait for this to be over tomorrow.

I breathe a sigh of relief and smile up at my fiancé. Barring any complications in the delivery tomorrow, we've decided to wait to change me until after our wedding in June- like I want. That way I can hopefully be there for most of my kids growth and stick to my ideal of being almost nineteen when I become immortal. After all, I'll have to leave them for at least a year if they're to be safe from me. So that will give me nine months to watch them grow.

We still have to figure out how to explain why we suddenly have two small babies, especially ones who will grow so rapidly, but we have four days before my vacation time is over and I have to go back to work. We may even try to keep their presence hidden until we move. That would probably be best. Keep them here with the others and I come to see them every change I get. Of course these are just ideas we have. The choice doesn't have to be made for another few days yet and I still have to get through the delivery a human.

We figure once we move we can claim adoption like Carlisle claims the others are foster kids. It'll mean claiming an older age than they did this time, and probably moving sooner, but that's the price we'll have to pay. One I'm willing to. Either way, we'll cross that bridge when we get there. I'm broken from my reverie by Jasper's soft voice.

"Penny for your thoughts."

"What are they usually on?"

"The babies," we say in unison making me giggle.

"I love you cowboy."

"And I you Bella." Just then Peter's voice breaks into our solitude, Esme was no longer in the kitchen so I figure she left so we could have some privacy. Guess the others are back from their hunts. Peter and the others are sticking closer to home for their meals these days, taking criminals in Port Angeles.

"Ok ok ok, stop getting all mushy. Some of us would like to keep our meal where it belongs, in our stomachs. Sheesh."

"Fuck you Captain."

"Nah, I only like women. Sorry to burst you're bubble Major." We all laugh at the banter between Peter and Jazz. After the mistake he and Garrett made, I was afraid Jasper would never be ok with them again, but after kicking Peter's ass everything got back to normal.

With my mind at ease I get my knight to help me up the stairs to the bathroom. Jasper carries me as if I weigh nothing. I guess to him I don't. I'm so glad this pregnancy has been Edward free. Though I can't help the questions that invade my mind from time to time. Where is he? What is he planning? So far all Alice has seen is him laying low and thinking through different ways to get to me, but then vetoing each one because he knows they won't work. He's getting increasingly frustrated. All she can see is he's left Port Angeles and has moved to some cabin in the woods in Montana.

Jasper

I'm thinking about names for girls- since we still haven't thought of one we agree on. I can feel Carlisle's disappointment at not being part of the boy names. So I definitely want to use his name someway, but I also think it's only fair to honor Esme and Bella's mother Renee as well, but how? Not a combo of their first names that's for sure, Renesmee sounds so weird. I'm playing around with the names that are similar to Carlisle and different ways to use Esme or Renee's names- first and middle- when I hear a cry from Bella.

I rush into the bathroom to check on her. I shouldn't have left her alone! It's not like I don't still hear her peeing outside the door, she just doesn't like me in the room. When I get through the door she's bent over the sink where she was washing her hands, which are now over her belly. I can feel her pain. It's intense. I take some of it from her as I pick her up and start to run down the stairs. When I hit the bottom Carlisle is standing there, the others hovering in the background.

"We all heard her cry out, what's wrong!"

"I don't know! I walked in to find her bent at the waist in front of the sink clutching her belly."

"What do you feel?"

"Pain, I'm taking it from her. Other than that I wasn't really paying attention." So I concentrate and that's when I feel it. Distress.

"Something is wrong." My tone belies the way I feel. I'm panicking inside but I know that won't help a thing.

"Let's get her to the surgery. Quickly." When we get there I lay her on the bed and hold her hand tight. She's watching us intently, but she hasn't said a word. Too worried I guess. Carlisle pulls out the heartbeat monitor and stuff he got from the hospital so he could monitor the babies and Bella during the c-section. He straps the things around her and the room immediately fills with thumping. But it sounds different. It's not as fast as it has been.

"One of the babies is in distress, can you feel their exact emotions Jasper?" Concentrating again I really dig in. What I feel forces me into motion.

"One of them can't breathe Carlisle, we need to get them out. Now!"

And he shifts into Doctor mode. He grabs the morphine and shoots Bella up with it, then he grabs a scalpel and looks at me, his message clear. Since the morphine hasn't kicked in, I knock Bella out so she can't feel any pain and I can concentrate on helping. We work in tandem, me handing him each item he needs as he needs it. He cuts Bella's clothes off, revealing why she felt so much pain. There's a huge bruise forming on one side of her torso, the baby on that side must be the one in distress and kicked her- breaking bones for the first time. Carlisle makes a cut across her belly, then through the tissue.

Once he reaches the amniotic sac we see why we couldn't penetrate it. It's as hard as our skin. He begins biting through it and I monitor the babies and Bella. She's out completely and not feeling any pain, but the one baby is still in distress and we can see her belly undulating with it's attempts to free itself. I send some calm towards them and hope it works. Somehow it does and the baby calms down. Carlisle finally uses the Retractors to hold Bella open to pull the babies out.

Just as he pulls the now squalling infant out of Bella's womb, Rose walks in. I feel it, but can't get to her fast enough, Thankfully Jake, who must have gotten here just a few minutes after we moved to the study, followed behind her. He tackles her to the floor just as Alice and Kate walk in behind them. Carlisle yells at them to get her out and they forcefully drag a snarling Rose out of the room and Esme comes in and takes baby one. I watch in fascination as she moves off to the side where we set up everything for them and begins to clean the baby up.

Carlisle pulls my attention back to him with what he says next though. "Baby two's cord is wrapped around their neck. That is what's wrong."

He quickly does what's needed to fix the issue and then pulls the second baby from Bella. The baby is slightly blue from lack of oxygen, so I'm relieved beyond words when I hear a lusty cry of outrage and Kate comes back into the room to take baby two and clean them up. I have no idea what they are, but the glimpse I got showed me they're beautiful. Then everything goes haywire.

"Son of a bitch! She hemorrhaging! Jasper quick, I need your hands." I have never heard Carlisle curse and so I know it's serious. He places my hands where he needs them and works frantically to stop the bleeding, but it's no use.

"Bite her son. Now! I can't get it to stop! Changing her is her only hope now, but hurry! If she loses too much blood, not even venom can save her."