Chapter 17, Part 1: A New Addition
Bella's POV
Emmett left me.
He went back to California without me.
I wanted to go, and I guess I understood his reasoning, but I didn't care. I wanted to be with him, and we're supposed to do anything to be with the ones we love, right?
But it doesn't matter now. I realized that too late.
Emmett's back in L.A., and I'm still stuck here in New Hampshire.
I thought I'd be able to forget him, but a month and a half later, I'd knew that it would be impossible.
I was pregnant. I was going to have Shane's kid; something I only wanted to have with Emmett. The baby would remind me of that fact.
I didn't tell anyone besides Edward and Shane, only because I didn't want Emmett to know. I don't know why I didn't, maybe because I subconsciously did not want to rub it in his face.
I had attended six therapy sessions, and I already feel like a better person. I knew I needed to stop, and the child inside of me made me fully aware of that. Whenever I even looked at a razor now, it made me sick, knowing what I used to do with that and knowing the damage it could cause.
After seven more months of therapy sessions and a baby growing inside of me, I was ready. Ready to finally give up the razor and the damage, and ready to have the child.
Shane and Edward rushed me to the hospital, and I decided that I needed both of them in there for support. Three hours later, I was finally able to have the baby, and it shocked me when I saw the beautiful little boy.
He had medium brown hair, beautiful blue eyes, and dimples when he smiled. He looked nothing like Shane, but a lot like Emmett. Shane noticed this, too, and ran out of the room.
Edward just smiled down at the little bundle of joy he was holding and asked, "What are you going to name him?"
"I have a name in mind, but I don't know if he'll like it…" I whispered.
"I'm sure he will. What is it?"
"Heathcliff Alexander. We can call him Heath. What do you think?" I questioned nervously.
"I love it, and Emmett will, too." He smiled, then in a baby voice, he said, "Hi, little Heathcliff. Aren't you a handsome little boy?"
That was the last thing I heard before I passed out from exhaustion.
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I went home three days later with Heath.
Edward had stayed with me because Shane was terribly sad and heartbroken. I could understand his disposition; I probably wouldn't have come, either.
When we got to our house, I saw Shane waiting on the porch. "Hey, guys. Edward, can you watch…" He trailed off, not knowing the name.
"His name is Heath, and yeah, I'll watch him for you," Edward said, smiling.
We both sat down on the bench. "I'm really sorry I wasn't there for you, Bella."
"It's okay. If I was you, I would be pretty upset as well."
"But I still should've been there. Bella, I'm going to help you raise him until Emmett comes back. I want to, but when he does, I'm going to leave. I love you so much, but I don't think we can be together anymore. I can be your friend, like Edward, and do anything I can for you, but I can't handle my heart being continuously broken."
I felt a tear crawl down my cheek as I nodded. "I understand, and I love you, too, Shane. I completely agree with your decisions. I'm going to go inside with my child, now."
I stood up, kissed his forehead, and went into the kitchen to fix Heathcliff a bottle.
To be honest, though, I doubt Emmett was coming back. I talked to him on the phone at least once a month, but I hadn't seen him since Christmas.
I was taking a year off of school to take care of my baby. I could always go back later; it wasn't a big deal to me.
What was a big deal was that Heath's father was a thousand miles away, and I didn't think he'd ever meet him.
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Chapter 17, Part 2: A Ruined Career
Emmett's POV
I finished out my first year of college, and Alice did as well.
She came to live with me that summer. I was very happy that I had a friend I was extremely close to in California.
Alice broke up with Jasper right before she left, saying that she needed a break and that he wasn't the same person. She was completely devastated that she had to lose her one and only, the person she had devoted five years of her life to.
I bought her a new, yellow Porsche, and it made her feel better, but not enough to get her completely out of the dumps. She's not a shallow person, but usually materialistic things lifted her spirits.
She was sitting on my bed after I came home from Sonic. I got us both dinner because neither of us felt like cooking. I set down the food and ran to her.
"Oh, Alice, it's okay. I'm here. It'll be alright," I soothed.
She shook her head, tears falling furiously. "Jasper just called. He said he wanted me to come back, and I told him no. I told him that I liked it better here with you. He sounded so sad. I feel terrible. I'm a horrible person."
"No, you're not. You're one of the nicest people I've ever met, so don't ever say that." She nodded slightly. "Are you hungry? I got us food."
"No. You go ahead and eat. I'm just going to lay down."
"Then, I will, too," I smiled.
We curled up together in my bed, and it wasn't awkward. It was like she was meant to be comforted by me, like Bella and Rose.
Before we went to sleep, I heard a small, "I love you, Emmy…"
"I love you, too, Al…"
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It was August again, and I felt bad that I never made it back up to New Hampshire, but Alice needed me here.
Alice told me not to tell Bella, that no one else knew about her and Jasper. I simply nodded and promised her I wouldn't say a word.
Classes started, and it was like they never even stopped.
Football practice was becoming more difficult, and I couldn't be happier. I loved the thrill of the game. It was my safe haven.
Something happened, though, at the end of November. I was chosen to play in an NFL game. Me. Emmett. I was completely excited.
The game was tied. We only needed one more touchdown to win. My friend, Mertaugh, who was also chosen, threw me the ball. I caught it and was almost to the 100 yard line when…BAM.
I was hit and thrown twelve yards by the enormous linebacker.
I went to the hospital, barely aware of anything, and then, they put me under. All I knew was that I was going to have surgery.
They finally let me out on February 27th.
My leg had been broken in three different places, and two discs in my spine had been put out of line.
Needless to say, my football career had been ruined.
I never told Bella or anyone really. Only Carlisle, Esme, Rose, and Alice knew.
Actually, I wasn't really allowed to make any phone calls to anyone outside the family. Alice, the sneaky little pixie, told them we were going to become engaged just so that she could speak with me.
After the months I was incapable of phoning Bella, she completely stopped talking to me. She wouldn't answer my calls after I was finally released, and she never made an effort to call me back. I was completely disconnected from her life.
Alice and I had become closer, though. We began dating to see what it was like, and to our surprise, we enjoyed it. We were helping each other cope with losing the ones we loved, the ones who completed us. We weren't in love, but the bond we had between us long before that overrode that fact.
She began sleeping in my room, and after a few months, we started making love. Not fucking, not screwing, actually making love like Bella and I had that first time.
God, I loved Bella, but the sad thing is I'd probably never see her again.
