Bella's fingers tightened their grasp on my hand, and then her whole hand went limp in mine. Her face was pale and it was clear that Carlisle's words had frightened her and made her think the worst. I'm pretty sure all of us were thinking the worst. No one spoke or even moved. Even peppy, chatty Alice kept quiet. The room was silent and still until Carlisle's soft voice broke the silence.

"Relax Edward", Carlisle said, placing a gentle hand on my tense shoulder.

"You too Bella", he added, throwing a friendly smile at her like everything was perfectly fine. He had just said that there was something he had to tell us, and we were all preparing ourselves for bad news, so why is he telling us to relax? Nothing was making sense to me. Did that mean that everything was fine and we really had just assumed the worst?

Bella's face brightened a little as the color returned to her cheeks and a glimmer of hope twinkled in her beautiful brown eyes. Alice too, unfroze and began to tap her dainty little foot on the tile. She let out sort of a relieved sigh and even smiled a little. She was very impatient and wanted Carlisle to hurry up and spit out what he had to tell us. That's what we were all waiting for, but Bella and I are little more patient that Alice Brandon.

"So what's wrong?" Alice questioned. She continued tapping her foot and had her arms crossed.

Carlisle Chuckled smiled and shook his head. Bella, Alice and I shared a confused look. Why the hell was he smiling and laughing?

"Wait why are you laughing?" Alice questioned. It was a question I'm sure Bella was wondering too, but only Alice would ever actually ask. That little ninety pound midget was full of questions, and at times it was annoying, but at others, such as today, it was useful.

Carlisle chuckled again and moved closer to where Bella was sprawled out on the white hospital bed. He smiled at her sweetly and stroked her wavy, brown hair gently.

"Bella sweetie, relax. Nothing is wrong. Both you and your baby girls are fine." he explained and a smile appeared on Bella's face but was quickly replaced by a shocked expression. If I could see my own face, I'm pretty sure it would have looked something like Bella's. Alice stopped tapping her foot and her jaw dropped open. I couldn't recall a moment when Alice's mouth had been open but she was totally quiet. Alice talked all the time, even in her sleep, so I was actually kind of enjoying the quiet even if I was entirely confused about what my father had just said.

Did he say babies, as in plural, as in more than one? Did he know he said babies, or was it a mistake? My mind was cluttered with a million different thoughts and I began to feel like I couldn't breathe. What the hell was going on? Was I really going to be a father to more than one baby?

Alice closed her mouth but then opened it again, allowing words to actually come out this time.

"Are you saying that Bella is having more than one baby?" Alice blurted out. Bella glared at her, but I knew that deep down she actually appreciated Alice's constant questioning because it provided her with answers without actually having to ask the questions herself.

Carlisle chuckled and bobbed his head up and down like a ship stuck in a storm. "Bella you are having triplets", he confirmed.

Bella froze and her hand went limp in mine again, tears beginning to stream down her face. I began to wonder why she was crying, but i didn't ask. I had learned over the years that with Bella it was better not to ask. She would tell me when she was ready, so I would just have to wait. I lifted her hand up to my lips and kissed slow and gently to let her know that I would be here for her when she needed me to be. I had guessed that the tears were a result of fear. The thought of having to mother three children at once frightened her is what I had assumed and it's what my father assumed as well.

The smiled faded from Carlisle's face and he placed a hand on Bella's shoulder, who was just staring off into space, tears still running down her face. Poor love, the news of the three babies must have been too much to handle. She had barely convinced herself that she would be able to mother one child and now there are three babies to take care of.

"Bella sweetie, don't cry. I know three babies may seem like too much to handle, but there are options available to you. You don't have to be responsible for all three babies", he explained and my expression hardened. How could he even suggest that we only keep one or two of the babies? Yes, raising three babies is probably going to be hell especially since Bella and I are so young, but I promised to stay by her side no matter what, and I intend to keep that promise. It won't be easy, but if Bella is willing to try so am I, and if I know Bella, which I do, she will be. She may seem a little overwhelmed and scared right now, but there is no way she would ever be able to give up even one of our babies.

A look of horror appeared on Bella's face and she shook off Carlisle's hand, clutching mine tighter, and smiling meekly at Alice who for some unknown reason had been smiling the whole time. At first I couldn't understand how she could appear to be so happy when her best friend, pregnant with triplets was laying on a hospital bed crying, but then it became clear to me. She was smiling because she knew Bella better than anyone in the world, even better than me. She understood why Bella was crying, and Carlisle and I had been way off.

Alice smiled smugly at my father and me and rushed to her best friend's side, maneuvering past Carlisle. She cleared her throat and shook her head back and forth, fighting back giggles.

"Oh no Doctor Cullen, I think you are mistaken. Bella isn't crying because she's scared or doesn't want all three babies. Her tears are happy tears. She's happy she's having three babies even though she knows it won't be easy." Alice explained.

Bella pulled down her dress, threw off the sheet, and hopped off the bed, embracing an awaiting Alice in a giant hug. Bella smiled and nodded slowly which told me that Alice had been correct.

I chuckled and grabbed ahold of her, wrapping her in my arms and then kissing her belly.

"So then you do wish to keep all three babies?" Carlisle asked, switching his gaze from me to Bella to emphasize that the question was directed toward the both of us.

"Yes", we said in unison.

"Well then congratulations", Carlisle said, embracing both of us in a hug.

"Thank you", Bella replied.

"So all three babies are girls?" Alice asked with her bony fingers crossed.

Carlisle nodded and Alice rejoiced, jumping up and down and smiling. I could all ready tell that she was going to have entirely too much fun playing Barbie with my babies, and I had no idea how she was going to be able to afford it. She would probably have to rob a few banks or start selling drugs, and that's just for one baby.

"Ha! Not only had Edward and I been right about you having a girl, but now you are having three girls!" Alice gloated, sticking her tongue out at Bella.

Bella glared at Alice playfully and kicked her meekly, it probably didn't affect the midget much considering that she was a black belt in karate.

"Yeah, Yeah, Whatever. You better hush little Mary Alice unless you want to walk all the way back home" Bella threatened.

Carlisle and I chuckled while Alice crossed her arms and began to pout.

Bella looked up at me with her sparkling brown eyes, smiled sweetly, and rubbed her Belly. I knew what that translated into. She was hungry.

I chuckled and we said our goodbyes to my father. I carried her out to the car and promised her we would stop for a bite to eat, but she had no idea what Alice and I had planned.