"I'm fine Dad, please don't worry," Bella tried to assure him.

"You sound funny," he said, "you sure you're getting over that flu?"

"Yeah, just taking me a while. That's all. And I really don't want to get you sick."

"Can't say I want to either, but miss you, that's all."

She redirected the questions, asking about his therapy.

"Hurts like hell, so it must be working," Charlie muttered. He was starting to get up and take a few steps with support, still a long ways away from being able to go home.

Satisfied that he was well, and that her absence was beyond suspicion, she wrapped up their phone call, trying to get comfortable in the chair.

She felt like she couldn't get any bigger, her skin taut across her belly.

In the last days, everything about her had become more vibrant. Her cheeks flamed brighter than before, and Emmett joked he could see the blush coming before she was even thinking about it.

She ate, but with increasing distaste for most food, the flavours muted. The juices of the raw steaks appealed more than the flesh itself, but she ate them, knowing, somehow, she still needed them.

"Sore back?" Edward asked, watching her stand and stretch.

"Yeah," she said, wincing, leaning forward on her hands, pushing down onto the chair as she worked her legs.

She made a low, guttural moan, as he dug his fingers into her flesh.

It was a sound Carlisle knew well, and hearing it, slipped into his study, gathering things.

Hearing the scurry of his thoughts, Edward's hands paused momentarily.

"Gngg," Bella pushed out, "don't stop!"

He began moving them again, only to be met with a sound he could only describe as a growl, boiling out of her throat.

"Bella?"

"What?" she asked, stopping the sound abruptly.

"You're...growling," he said, smiling.

"No I'm not." She stood up, as if to prove it.

He chuckled. "You were. Don't stop on my account." Then he pulled her close to him, sideways, avoiding the distance imposed by the pregnancy, and kissed her cheek.

The happy curve of her lips was abruptly interrupted by a sudden and painful ripple around her midsection.

"Oh!" she pushed out. Her startled glance told him she'd reached the same conclusion he had.

"It's OK," he said, "just breathe through it, OK?"

That had all seemed fine, theoretically, when they'd talked about it in the days beforehand, but now there was a fire sliding through her back.

Carlisle was listening, knowing he wasn't needed yet, thinking purposefully at Edward.

Squeezing his fists into her hips, she gasped in relief. When he went to stop, she snapped, "keep going!" and made a long guttural buzz in her throat.

Like the pregnancy, the labour was clearly moving quickly, and he called audibly for Carlisle.

"You're doing fine, Bella," Carlisle said, coming to the door, counting the small spaces between contractions. He pulled towels from the bathroom, setting them on the bed, handing Bella one when he heard the tell-tale pop, and gush.

The liquid that seeped through her jeans had a silvery sheen to it, and she barely had time to notice before another contraction made her curl over onto Edward's chest.

When it ended, her eyes were watering. "I thought this was supposed to start slowly. Easily."

"I'm sorry," Edward murmured. "I know this is hard."

"It's different for everyone, Bella," Carlisle said softly, watching her movements. Watching the squirm inside of her. Both heartbeats remained steady.

Rose and Esme knocked quietly. They'd asked, a few days prior, if they could be present at the birth. Edward had been opening his mouth to say no, but Bella had beat him to it with a happy "of course!" Alice hadn't wanted to crowd the room, and had elected to wait with Jasper, and Emmett.

"Can we help you change?" Esme asked. A soft gown was folded over her arm. Rose's arms were full of bedding, towels and baby items.

Edward looked worriedly at Bella.

"Just for a minute," she breathed, hand on his chest.

He and Carlisle made a silent exit, Esme and Rose helped Bella pull off the soiled clothing. The short, and loose dress hung comfortably.

She's doing fine, Carlisle thought to Edward, who waited with him, anxiously. This is the only birth they'll ever attend for our family. Let them have a few minutes.

He wanted to say that it was the only one he'd ever attend either, and he still had no idea how his wife would fare through it. He was not inclined to be generous with her time.

When her next contraction started, she rested on Esme's shoulders, and it was Rose's turn to dig her fists into Bella's hips.

It helped that Esme had experience to speak from. "Breathe out," she said gently as the spasm lessened. "Good. You're doing fine."

"This does not feel fine," Bella huffed out, shuffling to the bed. "Edward?"

He was there instantly.

"Help me walk?"

He slipped his arm around her, and they circled the space of the room, pausing at the window when the next tightening began.

This one squeezed all the meaningful words from her.

Yes, Carlisle thought, seeing Edward's face pinch in concern. She's close.

The next urge sent Bella scrambling for the waste basket.

"It's OK," Esme murmured, "totally normal." It was her turn to look at Carlisle.

Yes, they all knew it was getting close to time.

Carlisle said nothing, watching. He'd attended enough births to know to wait. Women knew what they were doing.

When she fluttered her fingers at Edward, shoving his hands away, Carlisle flicked his gaze down to the tray of instruments he'd brought, and then back at Bella.

"Bella," he said in a low voice, watching her recover from the last contraction, "can I check?"

She'd consented to an exam in the last week, and he'd been reassured to see that everything looked as normal as any other human pregnancy, but he didn't want her trying to push in vain, if other interventions were required.

Edward grimaced, hearing the bent of this thoughts.

They'd discussed what those other interventions might be. And they were ugly possibilities they all hoped wouldn't be needed.

"OK," she said, and then looked nervously around the room.

Esme and Rose took their cue to leave, and Edward helped her onto the bed, sliding in behind her, letting her rest against him.

She'd tolerated the last time, but it'd recalled so much of the early days after the trauma, it'd been all she could do to endure it, retreating wordlessly to bed, and Edward's safe embrace afterwards.

Her breathing fluttered, feeling Carlisle's very careful touch, and she tensed her hands on Edward's.

Carlisle was efficient, and he finished quickly, happy with what he'd found.

"I think," he smiled, "you're going to meet your baby soon."

Bella's relieved smile flickered as Edward helped her sit all the way up, his own face marked with worry. There were so many complications still, that could come.

Another contraction pushed a startled 'O' out of her, crouching forward on the bed, and then a low growl.

"Do you want to be on the bed?" Carlisle asked.

She nodded, not able to talk, and then squished her eyes shut, kneeling and bearing down.

There were multiple sets of hands rubbing her back, soft voices murmuring encouragements.

And it was driving her nuts.

"OFF!" she barked.

The hands disappeared.

She was disappearing herself, inside, becoming muscle and ligament, flexed tendon and shifting bone, all these things conspiring together to extrude the life formed inside her.

The voices were softer now. Whispers of awe.

Edward knelt in front of her, their foreheads together, she using his hands to leverage herself through the next push.

The sensations had been painful, but manageable. Now they were just inexcusable. Her voice was a hoarse growl.

"There's the head," Carlisle said, coming closer.

Cradling her hand in his, Edward put her hand on the emerging crown.

Her own face broke open in emotion, feeling it, and she gasped, a stuttered and airy exclamation on her lips.

"One more push," Carlisle encouraged her.

Bella closed her eyes for the last growling shove, and felt her baby slip into the world.

Its solid cry left no question as to health.

"It's a girl!" Bella exclaimed, receiving her from Carlisle's hands. "Hi Claire!" she whispered.

There was a whisper in the room, as the name registered. Edward and Bella had refused to discuss the possibilities they'd considered in anyone's hearing, and if Alice had seen anything, she'd kept it to herself.

Claire was pale, wet and slippery, eyes wide open, taking in the world before her. Dark hair, almost auburn, curled around her face. Edward could hear everyone doing the same check he was. Ten fingers. Ten toes. No extra limbs. Her mouth featured what seemed to be a complete set of perfect, tiny, pearly teeth.

Edward's smile was so wide, he could barely loosen his lips to speak, but he pulled Bella back, settling her into the pillows, covering the baby in a blanket.

Carlisle was working, fingers pressing into Bella's abdomen, trying to see if the placenta had detached. He could only guess at its presence, but the umbilical cord was a good clue.

There'd been blood, but little of it, and even less now.

"Oh my God, she's perfect!" Bella choked out.

While Carlisle tended to Bella, Edward had finally begun his own part, running a careful finger over his...daughter. She was, as far as he could tell, perfect in shape, little heart fluttering with a healthy regularity. Her lips were working, head moving back and forth, searching.

"What's she doing?" Bella asked, looking at Edward.

"Babies look to nurse instinctively," he said, shrugging uncertainly.

Seeing her shift Claire purposefully in her arms, Carlisle put a warning hand on her shoulder. "I'd normally say it wouldn't hurt to try, but I'd rather be safe than sorry." His finger drifted over the tiny foot. "May I?" he asked, holding out his hands.

"Not yet," Edward said, smiling, and taking her first. The cord was still attached, so he and Bella shared her in their arms. Her little hand fluttered up to his cheek, and his sharp intake of breath made everyone in the room stop.

"What?" Bella asked, suddenly worried.

Edward just shook his head, staring at their daughter, not able to put words to it yet. After a moment, the little hand drifted back down to her body.

"She showed me something."

"Showed you—what—how—?"

He shook his head again. "Here," he said, and shifted aside to let Carlisle take her.

Leaning over Bella, Carlisle slipped his hand under Claire's back, working silently, carefully checking over her small body, smiling at the little eyes that seemed so clearly focused. Then her hand fluttered up again, and it was Carlisle's turn to blink.

"She—" he started.

"What?!" Bella asked, more insistently. Angrily.

"I saw things, when she touched me." Then he looked at Bella. "You, and Edward."

The room was abuzz with speculative thoughts, and Edward shook his head, trying to shut it out.

Then Claire gave a small, mewling cry, and arched her back, and Bella gasped.

Bella's gasp became a series of them, and then a desperate push, the placenta finally making its appearance. Her breathing didn't settle again, though, increasing into startled choking, breaths.

Seeing the change, Carlisle put Claire into Esme's arms, handing Edward the scissors and a clamp, palpating Bella's abdomen, checking for bleeding.

There was none.

Finishing with Claire, Edward handed her to the first set of arms that reached for her.

"Bella?" he called, "What's happening?"

"It hurts!"

"What hurts?" Carlisle asked, voice even. His thoughts were tinged with fear. This was all so unknown.

"Inside!" she shrieked. "It's burning!"

All of them collectively shuddered, knowing exactly what it was she was describing.

She was changing, and this time, it was not so gently as before.

Her next sound was a shriek that clawed at release, and found none, and began the scrabbling ascent for escape that only time would give.

- 0 -

"Anything else I can do for you Charlie?" Mike asked. He'd been by to check on the house. It was in excellent shape. Bella had called in a service to make sure everything was taken care of, and if anything, the lawn was better kept, and the fridge cleaner than Mike had ever seen it.

"I think Bella's got it in hand."

Charlie doubted very much Bella had had anything to do with it, but was grateful that one of the Cullen's had. He felt a guilty squirm for Bella's, and their kindness, after what he'd done, but then blew out a breath, remembering his promise to try to move past it.

Charlie also worried for her. She hadn't called in two days, and when he tried phoning, Esme or Alice answered, somehow massaging his worries away while they chatted, leaving him answerless and anxious once they hung up.

"Would you mind driving out to see Bella?" he asked Mike. "Take her some flowers for me? She's been down with something nasty. Can't see me until she's better."

"Sure," Mike said, pulling out his notebook to take down the address.

He was prompt in filling the request, and late that afternoon, found himself winding down the long gravel drive.

He had to wait a while after ringing the doorbell. Looking around, he took in the scene, as his training taught him to. A neat stack of recycling sat by the garage, several large boxes folded into the recycling bag. The image on one of them made him look twice. A diaper box. And one for a carseattoo. He looked closer. Newborn size. He frowned. He hadn't heard anything about that, and he couldn't help but think he would have. Surely Carlisle would have mentioned something about a baby arriving. Maybe another foster child? None of the women of the household had been obviously pregnant the last time they'd been in town.

Finally, he could see a shape approaching the door. One of the kids.

"Hi there," Jasper said, smiling at the deputy. "Can I help you, officer?"

"Oh, yeah, Charlie wanted me to drop these off for Bella. Asked if I could give them to her in person."

Then there was a roaring scream from upstairs.

A woman.

Suddenly, Mike felt very confused.

"You alright?" Jasper asked, most solicioustly.

"Yeah, fine. Um, can you give these to…" He felt completely disoriented.

"Bella?" Jasper supplied.

"That'd be great." He handed over the flowers, and turned to leave, now feeling very uncertain suddenly. Anxious. He got back into his car as fast as he could. By the time he hit the end of the driveway, he was trying to figure out why he hadn't stayed to see Bella, but thought it would be sufficiently strange to go back. And those boxes. Odd.

He puzzled over this on the way home, stopping at the store on the rez to pick up some things for dinner.

At the cashier, he was still frowning over what had happened at the Cullen's house, and barely answered the cashier's questions.

"Uh, Mr. Littlefoot?" the young man asked again.

"Sorry," he said, struggling for the cashier's name. They talked a fair bit when he came in.

"It's Seth," he said, setting the milk into a bag.

"Sorry Seth, I'm just...I had the weirdest thing happen. You know how some people just discombobulate you?"

"I do, actually," he said, punching in the amount for the ground chuck.

"Yeah, took Charlie's daughter some flowers. He asked me to go see her. Said she hadn't been feeling well."

"Uh-huh," Seth said, face sliding into a focused concentration.

"Anyway, I must be tired or something, didn't even remember to ask to go see her. Just handed over the flowers. Guess I'll go check on her another time."

"Mm," Seth said, eyebrows pushed together. "I'll ask my sister, see if she wants to visit Bella. Save you the trip."

"I'd appreciate it, Seth, thanks. Things have been busy at home, hey, with the little one?"

"Bet they are," Seth smiled.

Wrapping up their exchange of groceries for cash, Mike left, relieved to be spared the embarrassment of a second visit. How could he be so air-headed?

Behind him, Seth let wild, and then alarmed ruminations speculate as to the origin of an illness that would keep Bella from her very, very ill father.