A/N: Hi everyone. Thanks so much for your lovely reviews. I'm glad you enjoyed the wedding (and the wedding night!).

I'm not exactly sure, but there's only about 3 chapters left as well as an epilogue. I'm thinking of adding outtakes on Alice & Jasper, Jacob & Victoria, Charlie & Kara - expand a little on them if there's any interest in reading that. Let me know.

Anyway, we finally meet one of our babies this chapter. Enjoy!

o-o-o-o-o-o

Chapter 29

The pale light of morning roused Edward from his deep sleep. He was curled around Bella, arm around her waist, his hand resting on her stomach. He breathed in deeply, luxuriating in her scent, which he would know anywhere. With a smile, he nuzzled into her hair, various strands of which clung to his chest like a lover's caress.

He thought about the previous day, still finding it hard to believe Bella was now his wife. How much his life had changed in less than a year. A year ago, he was struggling to find any joy in his life as he dealt with Tanya's heinous accusations. Edward could admit to himself now that he was close to just giving it all away, for a while at least. Even before the Tanya debacle, he was feeling a discontentment with his life that he was trying to suppress. And although he loved his work, his heart wasn't totally in it. He was functioning on autopilot, doing all the right things but not really there.

Edward realised now, in hindsight, that he was lonely. And that loneliness was pervading both his professional and personal life. He could feel a bitterness creeping over him. Bitterness at his misfortune at getting cancer at a young age. Bitterness that the cancer had stolen something so precious from him. And bitterness that due to the results of the cancer he felt he couldn't allow himself to have a lasting relationship with a woman.

During his early twenties, after he'd recovered from the testicular cancer, he'd done what most young men do. He'd partied hard and slept with more than his fair share of women. He knew he was attractive to women and he'd never had any trouble enticing them into his bed. He wasn't a lothario by any means, but he'd certainly enjoyed himself, in between studying and working.

Then, as is often the case, one by one, his friends began pairing off with their partners as they moved into another phase of their lives. More and more, they preferred to spend their free time with each other, the party lifestyle no longer appealing. Edward himself was tired of that lifestyle but he was too afraid to take the risk of entering a long term relationship. He didn't know if he could bear the rejection if the woman in his life decided he wasn't enough for her anymore and left to find a man that could give her children without the intrusive and risky path of IVF.

For the next few years he basically concentrated on his work and obtaining his qualifications. His residency was arduous and he didn't have much time for going out anyway. He preferred to spend his free time catching up on lost sleep. When his need for companionship became too much he would find a willing female who understood from the outset that he wasn't looking for anything permanent.

Something twisted inside him when the first of his friends became a father. He smiled and congratulated the happy parents but inside, he felt empty. He wouldn't ever have the joy of holding his child in his arms, of watching it grow. Of having a family of his own. Carlisle had assured him several times that his chances of becoming a father got better with every advancement made in IVF technology but Edward couldn't accept it. It was one thing for a couple to find out they were infertile after they were in a relationship and to explore their options; it was another for him to enter a relationship knowing full well that the woman would have to endure the gruelling IVF process in order to conceive.

Needing to get away for a while, he volunteered to go to Africa for six months to work at a women's hospital that was desperate for doctors. And it was an eye opener. There was so much poverty and disease that he learned to live day by day in order to cope. Equipment was basic and often several years old, and supplies were patchy at best. He had to learn to use whatever resources were available to him. His first neonatal death shattered him, the first of many. In those six months, he saw more women and children die than he ever imagined possible. With poor nutrition and next to no pre-natal care, scores of the babies he delivered barely clung to life. He did his absolute best but it was inevitable that he lost babies and mothers. The experience was soul destroying in many ways but it also gave him a sense of purpose and a gratitude for what he had. He was never going to take the blessings in his life for granted again. Not being able to father children was minor compared to the struggle these people went through just to survive.

At the end of his six months, he returned to New York with a sense of relief and sadness. Sadness that his contribution was only a drop in the ocean; that these lovely people needed so much more than he could give and relief at being able to return to his world. His first hamburger after his return tasted like the finest offering by the finest chef.

On his return he tried to put any dissatisfaction with his life to the back of his mind. He didn't feel justified at having these feelings when he had so much. He tried to accept the way things were. He purposely chose not to have any affairs with women, and lived a celibate life, concentrating on his work. And yet, over the next 18 months his loneliness and discontentment grew, culminating in the business with Tanya.

When his life seemed to be imploding around him, Edward contemplated simply walking away. He had plenty of money; he could do whatever he wanted for a while. He could travel, get a hobby, anything. Suddenly, all those years of work and study seemed like a waste.

Getting that call from Carlisle was his saviour. As Carlisle expounded on the virtues of life in Forks, Edward began to see the benefits. Firstly, he would be able to see his family all the time. He'd missed his parents and Alice so much. Alice had been to visit with her new husband shortly after he returned from Africa and when they'd left, the loneliness had been even more acute. Secondly, he liked the thought of living life at a slower pace, actually getting to know his patients, not just seeing them fleetingly when they gave birth. Making some meaningful friendships to make up for the family he wouldn't have. Or at least being a proper uncle to Alice's future children, not just a name.

The more he thought about it, the more he wanted to go. He decided that if he wasn't released from his contract, he was going to go to Forks anyway and just wait out his time. Luckily his threat worked and he drove from one side of the country to the other, enjoying himself for the first time in a long time. He felt deep inside that he'd made the right choice.

Then he'd crashed into the softest body imaginable, and looked into the depths of those endless brown eyes and his world had undergone a seismic shift. He'd felt like his heart stopped and had restarted with her at its centre. And though he tried to fight it at first, he could no more resist the lure of Bella than the tides could resist the pull of the moon.

With every word, every look, every touch, he fell further under her spell and for the first time felt brave enough to take the risk of letting her know about his past. He knew that if she walked away, he'd probably never recover but he had to try. His heart compelled him to try.

Bella brought him the greatest happiness he'd ever known. He felt complete, all loneliness banished in the warmth of her love. Because of her, he rediscovered his love of his work and when they worked together, he was fulfilled. And none of his encounters with women in the past, none of them, could compare with the way he felt when he made love with his beloved Bella. She gave him ecstasy beyond belief. It was like their bodies were designed to fit together in the most perfect way imaginable. He couldn't imagine being with anyone else, ever, after being with Bella.

Looking back, he probably shouldn't have been so surprised that they had created a new life together. Meeting Bella had been a miracle in itself, the baby an extension of that miracle. He hadn't been able to contain his utter joy at knowing that his baby, his child, was growing inside her. Every unspoken prayer had been answered and he would be forever grateful to whatever generous god had given them this gift.

Now, here he lay, with the love of his life in his arms. His wife. The words still gave him a thrill to think them. Gently, he lifted her hand and stared at the two rings on her ring finger. His rings, a symbol of endless love. A love and a marriage that they'd consummated last night in the most perfect way possible. Edward could feel himself getting hard as he thought about their lovemaking, his erection rubbing along her bare backside which was pressed up tightly against him. He swallowed the moan threatening to erupt but couldn't help himself pressing into her just a little.

He let her hand go and moved his to cover her breast, now large enough to fill his hand. He absolutely revelled in the changes to her body. Her breasts were so tempting now, and he loved burying his face between them before taking an engorged nipple in his mouth. Bella's pregnancy was making her even more responsive and he'd been able to bring her to orgasm by simply playing with her breasts. Further down, her softly rounded stomach was a delight to stroke. He felt a reverence when he stroked her, in awe of how her body was nurturing their baby, until it was ready to survive on its own. Even as an obstetrician, the miracle of life was awe inspiring to him, even more so when he tried to imagine what their baby would look like.

Now that she was in the second trimester, Bella wanted to make love even more than usual. He knew that hormones were part of it but he wasn't complaining in the least. The extra blood flowing through her body was making her super sensitive, making her climaxes more intense. Listening to her cry out in pleasure was so erotic Edward had lost it a few times, unable to control his body's reaction to her cries. Yes, he was loving her pregnancy.

The feel of his hands on her breast woke Bella from her sleep. She smiled as he kneaded it gently, his thumb softly rubbing her nipple. It felt heavenly and she could feel her sex get heavy with arousal. Bella seemed to feel arousal all the time, and she was determined to make the most of it while it lasted. Hormones were partly responsible, but Edward was even more so. He was just so damned sexy and knowing what he could do to her body made her instantly aroused. She swivelled her hips, grinding herself into him and smiled at his groan of pleasure.

His hand slowly moved to the other breast and teased the nipple, pulling it slightly. He kissed her shoulder as she gasped at the sensation. His lips moved up over her neck as his hand moved lower. Bella arched her neck, giving him greater access. His hand grazed over her skin, making her shiver delicately in reaction until he reached her hip. Wrapping his fingers over her hipbone, he pulled her back into him, his erection pulsing insistently against her backside.

With a small groan, Bella turned her head, allowing his lips to merge with hers in a deep, open-mouthed kiss. She gasped into his mouth when his fingers found their way between her legs, burying themselves in her wetness. Slowly, teasingly, he massaged her flesh, dipping his fingers into her and driving her insane.

"Oh god!" she moaned into the pillow as she bent her leg to allow him greater freedom. He was licking her neck and earlobe in tandem with his fingers and she began grinding into him as the pressure built.

Edward removed his fingers, to Bella's disappointment, but that didn't last long when she felt him place his erection between her legs, making him slick with her juices.

"Mmm, you feel so hot," he murmured against her ear as he thrust between her legs, making her squirm with pleasure.

"Feels good," she cooed, reaching behind her and pulling his lips back to hers. She lowered her leg, trapping him against her, her breathing becoming more laboured as he rubbed against her clit with each thrust. His fingers resumed pinching and pulling on her nipples and she could feel herself getting closer to her climax. She reached down between her legs and caressed him as he moved against her. His breath come in short gusts as her fingers played with him so he tangled his fingers with hers and rolled her nub around.

"Oohh!" moaned Bella as her orgasm raced through her, her hips grinding frantically.

Edward couldn't take any more and he lifted her leg back up and positioned himself at her entrance. "I love you," he breathed as he entered her honeyed warmth, hissing at the intense pleasure.

Her leg lowered and neither of them moved for a few moments as they savoured the feelings of him buried inside her at this angle. He was pulsing against her walls and he couldn't help thrusting. Bella thrust back and he bit his lip, trying to stop himself from coming straight away.

"Ahh...yes," breathed Bella, her hips swivelling against his, taking him as deeply into her body as she could.

"Oh god, baby!" he ground out, his movements getting quicker as he gripped her hip to anchor himself.

Soon, words were impossible as their bodies moved together urgently, Edward's hips pounding relentlessly against her, searching for release. The bed was shaking with their movements and their laboured breathing and bodies crashing together were the only sounds.

"I'm...I'm...coming," cried Bella, as she pushed back, taking him so deeply she felt consumed by him. His next thrust was enough to send her over the edge and she keened in pleasure as her climax washed over her, taking her breath. Her whole body shook in reaction, aftershocks running through her as Edward kept thrusting into her.

The sound and feel of Bella coming apart around him pushed him close to the edge and when Bella reached down between her legs and stroked his scrotum he tipped over and groaned gutturally into her shoulder as he poured himself into her, his arm pulling her back against his chest as slowly pumped into her, bringing them both back down.

They lay there for a few moments, struggling for breath, ripples of pleasure still running through them. Edward finally lifted his head, cupping her chin and pulling her mouth towards his. He gave her a deep, languorous kiss, his hand moving to rest on her belly.

"Good morning, Mrs Cullen," he smiled lazily. "How's my wife feeling this morning?"

Bella smiled back. "Very, very satisfied, Mr Cullen," she replied.

"That's good. I'd hate to get any complaints," he said, kissing her shoulder.

"Definitely no complaints here." She gave a small groan as pulled out of her then stretched. Edward watched her breasts bounce with her movements and couldn't help leaning down to flick her nipple with his tongue.

"Mmm, definitely my favourite breakfast," he teased as she pulled his head up for another kiss.

"Mine too, but bub and I need something a little more substantial," she smiled back.

With a quick kiss he rolled out of bed, Bella admiring the sight of his taut behind as he walked to the bathroom and returned wearing a bathrobe.

"Why don't you have a shower and I'll order breakfast," he suggested, helping her up. He wrapped his arms around her naked body and pulled her close. "I love you."

"I love you too," she replied between kisses. "I'm starving."

Edward chuckled. "Go, have your shower," he said, giving her a soft slap on her delicious backside, listening to her giggles as the water started.

After a leisurely breakfast, they headed down to the Pike Place Markets, strolling through the various stalls and shops hand in hand. They talked about what kind of house they wanted to build, Edward wisely deferring to Bella in most matters of style. Bella planned to consult Esme and Alice when it came to the interior decoration although she definitely wanted it to be a warm and welcoming home. Not for her a cold, show-room type of house.

That evening Edward took her out to one of Seattle's finest restaurants before returning to their hotel suite and taking a long, sensual bath in the huge tub. Later, wrapped tightly in each other's arms, they fell into a deep, contented sleep.

The ringing of Edward's phone woke them with a start. They knew that no-one would be ringing them unless it was an emergency and Edward quickly reached for it.

"Edward Cullen."

"Hi Edward. I'm really sorry to ring you on your honeymoon, but Alice looks like she's gone into labour," said a frazzled sounding Jasper.

"It's okay. Is she definitely in labour or could she be having Braxton-Hicks contractions?" asked Edward, needing to determine if Alice could be having false contractions which were common in late pregnancy. Alice wasn't due for another three weeks but she was close enough that he wasn't worried if she was in labour, the baby was mature enough to be born.

"No, it's definitely the real thing," replied Jasper. "She's had the other type and they usually disappeared within a short time. She's been having these for nearly two hours. She didn't want me to ring you but I need your advice."

"I'm glad you did. How often is she having the contractions?"

"Between ten and fifteen minutes at the moment."

"Okay, she's probably got a while to go. Bella and I will head back now. Being so early, traffic should be light and we'll probably make it within a couple of hours. If the contractions get down to five minutes apart before we get there, or if you're worried at all, go to the hospital. It's better to safe than sorry and we'll meet you there. If you have any concerns, ring me. Bella will be able to help you or I'll relay any information as I drive."

"Okay," said Jasper, audibly nervous.

"Relax. It'll be fine. Look after Alice and we'll see you soon."

Bella was already getting dressed as Edward hung up. "Good thing we weren't going away," said Bella ruefully as she began packing their bag.

"Babies have a way of making their appearances at the worst times, don't they?" chuckled Edward. "Ready?"

They drove quickly through the dark roads that gradually lightened as the sun rose. As predicted, traffic was very light and it only took them just under to two hours to arrive on the outskirts of Forks. Bella rang Jasper and asked him to meet them at the hospital.

"This baby's obviously taking after Alice," commented Bella.

"Why do you say that?"

"It's impatient, just like its mother."

Edward nodded in agreement. "Heaven help Jasper."

They arrived at Forks Hospital shortly before Jasper and Alice and got the delivery suite set up while they waited. A few staff members asked them about the wedding and Bella was describing the day's events, when Alice walked into Maternity, supported by Jasper.

"Alice!" cried Bella as she hugged her. "The big day's here."

Alice grimaced as a contraction started. "Sorry about ruining your honeymoon. Maybe I can just keep my legs crossed for another few days," she joked feebly.

"Don't be silly," soothed Edward, putting his arm around his sister. "Bella and I wouldn't miss this for anything."

"No Alice. We wouldn't. Come on, let's get you into the delivery room so Edward can see what's happening," urged Bella.

"I take it your water's haven't broken?" asked Edward as they helped Alice onto the bed.

"Not yet," replied Alice. "I got the first pain around 3am and at first I thought it was Braxton-Hicks contractions but when I kept having them over an hour later, I realised that this is the real thing."

"Ow, here comes another one," she gasped, grabbing her stomach. Bella placed her hand on Alice's stomach and felt the muscles contract. It didn't last very long so Bella guessed that Alice still had some time to go yet.

"Bella, can you take Alice's blood pressure while we have a listen to the baby and then I'll do an internal to see how far dilated you are," he said to Alice, who nodded, relieved that this contraction was over. Edward put the Doppler on Alice's stomach and they all listened to the rapid heartbeat. "Unfortunately, you are only 2 to 3 centimetres dilated so you've still got a long way to go."

"Damn," said Alice, gripping Jasper's hand. "I'm over it already. I don't like this bit about having babies."

Edward grinned at his sister in understanding. "Look, as it could be hours and you're not technically in established labour, Jasper can take you home for a while so you can be comfortable. When the contractions get closer and stronger you can come back. Or you can stay here but maybe go for some walks to see if that will speed things up."

Alice looked at Jasper. "What should I do, Jazz?"

Jasper shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever feels right for you, babe. Do you want to be at home for a while?"

Alice thought about it and nodded her head. "Okay, take me home."

"When the contractions get stronger or closer together, or even if you feel you need to be here, call me and we'll meet you back here," said Edward. "If your water's break, call me and come straight in."

Seeing them out to the car, Bella and Edward drove home. "Why don't you have a nap, baby?" suggested Edward, holding her close. "I'll wake you if I hear anything from Alice."

Bella nodded and kissed him. "Why don't you join me? It could be a long day."

Holding her close, they fell asleep, Edward's phone nearby. What seemed like minutes later, but was really close to three hours later, the phone woke them up abruptly.

"Alice's waters broke," came Jasper's audibly rattled voice on the phone.

"Okay, we'll meet you at the hospital. She won't be going home again until the baby's here," said Edward reassuringly.

For the second time that day, they arrived at the hospital ready to deliver Alice's baby. This time, Alice was holding her stomach, groaning in pain as Jasper almost carried her in.

"Come Alice, let's get you settled," said Bella soothingly as they entered the delivery suite again. "How often are the contractions now?"

Jasper was the one to answer. "Every four or five minutes. When her waters broke they seemed to speed up."

Bella nodded, as she went to listen to the heartbeat. As they listened, Alice had another contraction. At the peak of the contraction, the baby's heartbeat slowed down and didn't pick up again until the contraction passed. Bella looked at Edward and saw the frown on his face.

"I'm going to check your dilation, Al," said Edward. Several moments later, Edward straightened, the frown still on his face.

"What is it?" Alice.

"Unfortunately, you haven't dilated much more than you were before."

Alice groaned in frustration. "No!"

Jasper stroked her hair, trying to soothe her. "Why is it so slow? She's been in labour for hours."

"I'm not happy about it, particularly since your water's have broken. We'll have to monitor you closely as we can't leave it too long. Infection can set in if we wait too long." Edward looked at Bella. "Can we put a foetal heart monitor on? I want to keep a eye on the baby."

Bella nodded and proceeded to wrap a belt with a monitor attached onto Alice's stomach. A machine next to the bed printed out a continuous trace of the baby's heartbeat, as well as showing the beats per minute on a screen. Edward saw that in between contractions, the heartbeat was a normal 145 beats per minute but when a contraction started, it fell to around 80. This worried him as the drop was quite dramatic. A drop in beats was normal but this was excessive.

Alice was now effectively tied to the bed and unable to walk around. Bella reminded her that she could have painkillers, but Alice declined.

Thirty minutes later, Alice was moaning in pain as each contraction was longer and stronger than before and Bella hoped that she was dilating. She and Edward were keeping a close eye on the monitor and could see that the baby's heartbeat still kept dropping during each contraction.

Another internal showed that Alice wasn't dilating despite the strength of her contractions. "Alice, I need to check the baby's oxygen levels to make sure its oxygen supply isn't being compromised," explained Edward as Bella got the instruments ready.

"How do you do that?" asked Jasper, his hair all askew from the number of times he'd run his hand through it.

"I need to insert this probe which will make a tiny cut, allowing me to collect a sample of blood which I can check for oxygen saturation."

"Will it hurt the baby?" asked Alice worriedly.

Edward shook his head. "It's just a tiny nick. Unfortunately, it's more uncomfortable for you."

With Bella's help, Alice had to put her legs up in stirrups while Edward collected the sample. He had to work quickly between contractions, and Alice moaned in further discomfort. Once he collected the sample, Bella helped her get as comfortable as possible again.

Edward walked over to the machine that analysed the blood sample, followed by Bella.

"I'm worried about her, Bella," he confided worriedly. "It's been too long, she's not dilating and she's tiring. If I let it go too long, she'll be too tired to push. The heartbeat's still dropping with each contraction."

"Should she have a caesarean?" asked Bella.

"I'll get the oxygen levels then make a decision but it's looking likely."

They looked at Alice, her hair matted, her face red and sweaty as she coped with another contraction. A contraction that was proving fruitless as it wasn't achieving its aim, to dilate her cervix enough to allow her to give birth. They could see the exhaustion and despair on her face.

Half an hour later, Edward saw the heartbeat drop alarmingly low and he knew they couldn't wait any longer.

"Alice, unfortunately your body is not co-operating with us today. You're just not dilating and the signs are that the baby is going into distress. The heart rate is dropping too much for my liking and you're just getting exhausted. We're going to have to take you to surgery for a c-section."

Alice burst into tears at the news. "Are you sure? Can't you wait a little longer?"

Bella took her hand. "Alice, we can't, for the baby's sake. A healthy baby is the most important thing, isn't it?"

"Baby, you're in so much pain and exhausted," said Jasper, holding his wife. "We don't have any choice. Do we?" he asked Edward.

Edward shook his head. "No. If we leave it longer, it will be too dangerous for the baby."

Alice, still crying nodded her head. "I know. That's the most important thing. I just want my baby born safely."

That seemed to be the catalyst for the frantic activity that followed. Edward asked Jasper to help Alice take off all her jewellery while Bella called the theatre to have it readied and to summon the anaesthetist.

The porters came in and transferred Alice to the surgery whilst Edward and Bella scrubbed up. Bella didn't usually assist but she wasn't going anywhere with this being Alice.

When they entered the theatre, the anaesthetist had given Alice an epidural and was waiting for it to take full effect. Alice had been changed into a theatre gown and a screen had been put up over her chest, shielding her from the goriest bits. Jasper had been gowned up as well and he sat at Alice's head, stroking her face in comfort.

Edward walked up to Alice and gave her a wink. "Ready Al?"

Alice nodded. "Let's get this show on the road. I need to see my baby." Now that the pain was gone, she was decidedly more relaxed and even able to make a joke.

With Bernard assisting, Edward made the initial incision, making sure Alice couldn't feel any pain. Alice assured him that she couldn't feel a thing.

It was only a few minutes later that Edward reached in an pulled out the slippery infant, covered in blood and fluids. He took a quick look and grinned widely.

"Congratulations you two. I have a new niece," he exclaimed as he quickly suctioned her mouth out.

"A girl! Jazz, we have a girl!" cried Alice, tears running down as Jasper leaned over and kissed her. "Let me see her Edward," she pleaded.

Giving his tiny niece a quick check, he was pleased with her condition. She was a healthy pink colour and she gave a few good yells of indignation as he handed her over to Bella so that he could finish with Alice.

Bella took the baby, wrapped her in a blanket and carried her around to Alice. "Congratulations. She's gorgeous," said Bella as she gently placed the baby on Alice's chest.

Alice and Jasper looked at their daughter in wonder. She had wisps of black hair, like her mother's and it remained to be seen what colour her eyes would be. Her little head was slightly cone headed, her face red and scrunched up.

"Why is her head this shape?" asked Alice worriedly.

Bella was quick to reassure her. "It's okay Alice. It's just because she was in the birth canal for so long and the bones moved to allow her head to pass. It's normal and her head will return to normal within a few days."

Alice nodded in relief as she and Jasper crooned over their daughter before she needed to be taken to be properly checked over.

Edward finished closing Alice up and went to clean up while Bella performed the checks and pronouncing her a very healthy baby. Putting a pink cap on her, she wrapped her up and gave her a cuddle.

"Hello gorgeous. I'm you're Auntie Bella. I'm really happy to meet you at last. How about we get back to Mommy and Daddy who are anxious to be with you?" She carried her back to her parents and placed her in Jasper's arms. "Here you go, Daddy."

Jasper beamed as he held his daughter, her tiny body dwarfed in his arms. Alice was watching them, reaching out to touch her soft cheek. Jasper leaned down and kissed his wife gently. "I love you baby. I'm so proud of you."

Edward came back in the room as they waited for the porters to take Alice back to Maternity. "So, does my little niece have a name yet?" he asked, taking one of the baby's tiny hands in his.

"After lots of discussion…" began Alice.

"Fights," clarified Jasper with a grin.

"Discussion," insisted Alice. "We've decided to call her Alyssa Jane."

"It's similar to Alice but different enough not to get the two confused," explained Jasper, unable to take his eyes off the baby.

"It's lovely," said Bella.

"Have you contacted Mom and Dad?" asked Edward.

Jasper nodded. "I rang them when Alice was being moved here. They're probably waiting in maternity."

The porters arrived to transfer Alice, Jasper following with Alyssa. Edward found his parents in Carlisle's office and took them up to Alice's room. Esme cried as she held her first grandchild in her arms.

Before they left Alice and Jasper to spend time alone with their baby, Edward checked Alice's painkillers. He told her to make sure she asked for more if she required them. Giving his sister and niece a tender kiss he wished them a good night.

"Bye Alice. I'm so happy for you both," said Bella as she hugged Alice carefully. She gave Jasper a hug and had one last cuddle with Alyssa before they left.

As they lay in bed that night, tired but happy, Edward rubbed his hand over Bella's stomach. "I can't wait until it's us," he murmured into her hair. "Felt much movement?"

"A little. Mainly when I'm still. We have to be patient. Time will fly, Edward and before you know it, we'll be in the delivery suite."

"I know. Alice and Jasper were so happy, weren't they?" he mused with a smile.

Bella nodded. "A shame Alice couldn't deliver the way she wanted, but at least they're both well."

"I got worried for bit there, but all's well. It was really special delivering my own flesh and blood," he said. "Touching her as I reached in was weird. This was my sister and this baby was my niece or nephew. It was a rush," he admitted.

"Well, you looked so sweet holding the baby," she murmured into his neck before giving a big yawn.

Edward chuckled. "Goodnight my love. Good night little one," he said softly as Bella drifted off to sleep.

o-o-o-o-o-o

A/N: Now, I know that in reality Edward wouldn't be able to perform surgery on his sister, but I've taken creative licence with this one, okay.

I added a couple of my experiences in this chapter. With my first, I was sent home twice before I was allowed to stay because I dilated so damned slowly!

With my last, my son's heartbeat kept dropping dramatically with each contraction. They had to get a sample of his blood as described in the chapter. I came within a hair's breadth away from having a caesarian but delivered soon after, avoiding one. To this day, ten years later, my son still has a tiny spot on his head that won't grow hair - a reminder of his birth.

Anyway, let me know what you thought.