A/N: I am sorry that this has taken so long to get done. I have been super busy and well the holidays sucked. That about sums it up, this has been sitting in my inbox, beta'd by the lovely, fuzyltlwingedthing, since December 26th. I'm just a slacker.

Not for Now, but For Eternity

Chapter Six: All I want for Christmas is a Boyfriend.

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"Dr. Swan, Dr. Green will see you now," Rosalie and I stood up and followed the nurse into an examination room.

"Bells," Peter Green, a guy I had been friends with since the first day of medical school, gave me a big hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"Peter, it's nice to see you." I hugged him back.

"Hop up on the table and we'll chat. Who's this lovely lady?" He said, turning towards Rosalie.

"Rosalie McCarty, Bella's sister in law." She extended her hand and he shook it.

"Nice to meet you," he replied.

"It's nice to meet you," Rose replied.

I was sitting on the table when the door opened and a nurse slipped in.

"Dr. Swan, there's a woman here to see you….." she looked nervous; she was chewing on her lip and playing with the hem of her scrub top.

"Is it Esme?" I had invited her to come to the appointment, but didn't tell her why.

"It's a Mrs. Cullen," she replied, still chewing on her lip.

"She can come in," I replied. Esme walked in and I motioned for her to have a seat next to me. Rose stood at my side.

"I'm Dr. Green," Peter said, reaching his hand out to Esme.

"Esme Cullen," she replied, grasping Peter's hand gently.

"So," Peter said, "Now that everyone is here I'll go over your lab results, but I'm sure you know most of it already. Then we'll get to the fun part, ultrasound."

"Your HCG levels show that your about 13 weeks along. You wrote down that you thought you conceived in September. That was only ten weeks ago. Either you have your dates wrong, you have a lot of HCG floating around in your body, or there is more than one baby in there."

"You're pregnant?" Esme said gasping and putting her hands to her mouth.

"You didn't tell her?" Rose whisper yelled and put her hands on her hips. I may have told Rosalie that I had told Esme the news. Oops.

"She's having twins?" Were the next words out of Esme's mouth?

"No, I didn't say that. I just said that her HCG levels are elevated, and there are multiple reasons for that, one of them is twins."

"I'm not having twins," I said. "There is not enough space in this body for two 'Edward-sized' babies.

"You'd be surprised Bella, I've seen—

I interrupted Peter, "Can we just do that ultrasound?"

"Sure, slip this gown on, take your panties off; we're going to have to do a transvaginal ultrasound."

Peter got up and walked out the door and I slipped my shirt off and put the gown on.

"Why didn't you tell me earlier, Bella?" Esme asked. "Does Edward know?"

"No, Edward doesn't know. And I had to figure out what to do."

"What do you mean, 'figure out what to do'?" Esme asked, using air quotes.

"She wasn't sure if she—"

"Shut up, Rose." I said. "I had just found out that Edward was injured. I just started a new career. I wasn't sure if I was ready to be a parent, especially when my partner is all over the place. I just—I didn't want to do this by myself."

"A new career? Carlisle and I tried for years to have children. We had all but given up. And then I got pregnant, and had Edward. And you couldn't decide what you wanted to do? Really? For your damn career!"

"It wasn't like that—"

"Then what was it Bella?"

"He's never home. He never puts me first. It's always the damn Navy. We would never be 'first,' we'd always be an afterthought. I love him, a lot. But it's hard loving him. It's hard being alone when he always has to go places. I don't want to be a single parent."

"Puts you first? He's defending our country, your country. Keeping you safe! So you have the damn right to make a decision about killing children. And working. And having a career. He got hurt because you turned him down, again. Because you're too stubborn and self-centered to think about anyone but yourself. Edward has turned down assignments for you. Declined promotions so he could stay on the East Coast, with you. He did that for you. He loves you Bella, more than he should—"

"Can I come in?" I heard Peter say as he knocked on the door.

"No," Esme said while I said, "yes."

"You ready Bella?"

"Yes," I replied. He pushed a machine in and a woman followed behind. Esme found a seat in the corner and steamed a little.

"This is Jessica, the ultrasound tech, she's going to help me out."

"Hi," we all mumbled.

"Mrs. Swan, if you'll just scoot down until your feet are in the stirrups," I scooted my butt down until I was practically falling off the table and put my feet into the stirrups. I saw the ultrasound tech slip what looked like a condom onto the probe and bathed it in a clear ultrasound jelly.

"We try to keep it warm, but it may be cold." She slipped the probe in and I looked towards Esme. She had her eyes fixated on the TV screen.

"Is that the baby?" Esme asked, looking at the screen.

"No, that's an ovary. We're going to look at both Bella's reproductive organs and the baby, to make sure that everything is ok." She maneuvered the probe around and pointed with her other hand.

"That's the gestational sac," I looked at the screen and saw what the ultrasound tech was pointing at. "And there's the heartbeat." She turned the volume up so we could hear it's little heart beating and I think that my own heart stopped.

"Why does it sound it like that?" I asked, "like a gallop, shouldn't it be a swishing noise?" I wasn't an obstetrician, but I had done an OBGYN rotation and knew it was supposed to be a swishing noise.

The ultrasound tech was quiet for another minute, not answering the question that I had asked her.

She was making me nervous.

"And here's the other—"

"I swear to God, if you tell me I'm having twins I will slap you," I said, looking at the screen, not wanting to believe what I was seeing. I was going to beat the crap out of Edward.

"Bella," Peter said in a warning voice. He grabbed for my hand and squeezed it.

"Um," Jessica said, clearing her throat, "you're having twins," she said quietly.

I had seen it on the screen. Seen the two sacs and two heartbeats.

"Twins?" Esme said, looking between Mike and I. "I'm getting two grandbabies at once?"

Jessica nodded her head as I just sat there, staring at the screen. My ears were ringing and my mouth was dry.

I was having twins.

I had a sudden wave of nausea and before I could warn anyone, or control it, I vomited all over Jessica.

"I'm sorry," I said wiping my mouth off. I handed her the paper sheet that had been covering my legs and then realized that she probably didn't want something that had been near my hooha.

"I'm sorry," I said again, not sure what to do. Jessica was just sitting there, covered in vomit, not moving.

I was having twins.

Now I really needed to tell Edward and fast.

******Two Weeks Later*****

Edward

"Hey baby," I said into the phone. The doctor had told me that I would be able to come home right before Christmas.

I couldn't wait to be back with Bella.

"Hey honey," Bella replied.

"I'm coming home soon," I said. I ran my hand through my hair, it had gotten long since I'd been in the hospital and it desperately needed a trim.

"I need to tell you something," Bella said. I could see her chewing on her fingers, a nervous habit of hers. She sounded extremely nervous. I didn't know why.

"Ok." I replied.

"We had a fight," she said. "Before you left. We had a huge fight. I told you not to come back. And then you left. And got hurt. It's my fault you're hurt. I'm so sorry Edward."

"It's not your fault, Bella." I knew about the fight. I had listened to all my voice mail messages the week before. They had started out kinda mean:

"Edward, its Bella. This is ridiculous. You better call me. Don't expect to come back into this house unless you call me. I mean it Edward."

There had been a few like that, I could tell that Bella was mad, and confused as to where I had gone.

"Edward, its Bella. Please call me. I'm worried. I hope you didn't go on a mission mad at me. I'm sorry. Please, please call me."

That was voicemail number six. I got a few of those too.

"Edward, it's me. Please call me. I love you. I know you love me. I'm sorry for saying what I did and I hope that you're ok. Please call me. I'm not going to beg. But, please, please. I love you. Call me. I'm worried. I love you and I miss you. Bye baby."

That had been the last one she left. The day before the accident.

"I know about the argument, Bella. It's not your fault. It's my job."

"How do you know?" she asked. She blew out a breath and I heard it vibrate into the phone.

"I listened to the 50 voicemail messages you left," I replied simply.

"And you're not mad at me?" she asked in a quiet voice.

"I was, initially. But Bella, that's us. We fight. Everyone does. No couple is completely happy. They argue. And people who say they don't are full of shit. Or leaving in some alternate reality. Love is passionate. And with passion comes disagreement."

"I love you," Bella replied. "But I have something else that I need to tell you."

"What? I asked.

"Remember how I told you that I wasn't feeling well? That I thought that I had food poisoning?"

"Yes," I replied. I didn't think that Bella had food poisoning. I had a sneaking suspicion that she was pregnant, but I wasn't sure. There was something in her voice, and her temperament over the phone, and all the other 'illnesses' that she had told me about over the past few weeks, that made me think she was pregnant.

"I didn't have food poisoning. I'm pregnant." She didn't say anything for a minute and neither did I.

"Please don't be mad," she said after a while. "I know that it wasn't planned and you're hurt and in a foreign country. But, it's happening. I love them already."

"Them?" I swallowed audibly, my mouth suddenly very dry.

"I'm having twins. I went to the doctor two weeks ago. I know that I should've told you sooner. I was trying to work up the nerve and well I had to get used to the idea that I was having two babies and I'm concerned because Esme told me that you were nine pounds and Edward I can't handle two nine pound babies, and I know that the chance of twins being nine pounds is unlikely, but I really don't want to have a natural delivery because I saw that when I was in medical school and almost vomited from-,"

"Bella," I yelled into the phone. "Stop talking and breathe. You're rambling. Start from the beginning."

"I got sick, the day I found out that you were injured. Well, I assumed it was because you were injured. And then I remembered that I was in the process of changing the birth control pill that I was on and that I hadn't taken a pill in over a month when you came home. And we had sex. And that got me to thinking that maybe I was pregnant."

She took a deep breath and exhaled into the phone.

"And then I called Rose because I couldn't call you. I bought a test and went to her house. That test was positive. So then I made an appointment with Peter Green—your remember Peter, right? You met him once at a party that we went to when I was in medical school. We started together. He's my obstetrician. Well then I went to him to confirm that I was indeed pregnant. And my blood test was positive. And he wanted to do an ultrasound then, but I wanted to tell you and Esme. So I waited another week."

"So, Mom knows?" I said. I hoped that she wasn't upset with me.

"Yeah. She was there when I had the ultrasound. The heartbeat sounded funny to me. It was because the babies are practically in sync and instead of a swishing sound we were hearing a gallop noise, their hearts are beating one right after the other."

"But they're ok?" I asked, I was concerned for my unborn children.

"Yes. You can't see much. But they are beautiful already."

"Are you ok with this?" I asked. Bella had told me once that she never wanted children. That she didn't have that parenting instinct.

"Yes," she replied. "I want this. I'm just so nervous. I don't want to screw this up."

"You won't screw this up. You're going to be a great mom."

"When are you coming home? The doctor said by Christmas and that's like three weeks away."

"Soon. I'll have to go to outpatient rehab. They took the chest tube out and I feel so much better. My memory is still spotty and I have no recollection of the incident. But I remember everything up to the accident."

"That's good baby. I miss you so much."

"Me too, Bella. Me too."

***Christmas Eve 2011***

Bella—15 weeks pregnant.

I was nervous. Edward would be here any minute.

I was getting fat. I could only assume that the babies were getting big. I was so happy to be in the second trimester, my morning sickness had ended about a month ago. In exchange, I was really flipping hungry all the time.

And that's how Edward and his entourage found me.

Stuffing a soft pretzel, loaded with mustard, into my mouth.

It took both hands to shove that thing into my mouth.

But it was so worth it.

I had just gulped down a gallon of water and I knew that I would have to pee sooner than later.

"Bella," Edward yelled. I was midswallow. I could see him just beyond the security gate.

Esme and I got up and waited patiently for him to come through security.

He was being pushed by a Navy Corpsman and his legs were in some sort of bendable casts.

I ran to him and hugged him as soon as he was through that gate. If his legs hadn't been broken, I would've sat on his lap and stayed there all day.

But I didn't want to reinjure his legs.

I was, after all, the size of a small mule.

"Baby," I said, kissing him gently. I heard someone clear their throat and for a minute, forgot that Esme was there.

"Mom," Edward said. Esme walked over and gave Edward a hug.

"I'm so ready to go home," he said, looking at the two of us.

"Dr. Swan?" I heard someone say and turned around to see a Navy Commander walking towards me.

"Commander LaHote, I believe we've spoken on the phone," he pushed his hand out to shake mine and I grasped it gently.

"Bella," I said.

"Paul," he replied. "You'll be taking the Commander home, correct?"

"Yes, I am." There was no way that he was going anywhere but home.

"I have here a list of his medications and his dressing change information. I also have his follow-up information, and what time he has to be at rehab on Monday. I'm sorry we couldn't get him home sooner, but it just wasn't a possibility."

"I'll look all this over and he'll be there Monday."

"Do you have someone to help you?" Paul asked looking at me, obviously realizing I was pregnant.

"Will I need help?" I asked.

"Well, Dr. Swan, you're obviously pregnant and Edward weighs a lot. I wouldn't want you to injure yourself or the baby. He'll need help getting out of his wheelchair, bathing, going to the bathroom, getting in the car and to his appointments. What happens if he falls?"

"His mom will help me. She lives close by."

He looked over towards Esme who was talking to Edward and the Navy Corpsman.

"She weighs what, 110 pounds soaking wet? She'd be able to get her 200 pound son off the ground? I don't think so. Let the Navy help you. We want to help you. We can send you help."

"I'm not sure how Edward would feel about that," he'd never been a fan of other people helping him. He always wanted to be the helper.

"He knows he's going to need help. That corpsman is already assigned to him. Just let him know when you need him to come and he will."

"Thank you," I knew I would need the help. I just didn't want to admit it.

They collected his bag and a few minutes later we were headed to my apartment, the corpsman and Edward seated in the back of Esme's Mercedes. Esme and the corpsman, who I found out was named Zack, helped Edward into the house and onto my bed.

"Do you need anything else, ma'am?" Zack asked.

"No, I'm fine. Thank you for all of your help."

"Can you call a cab for me?" he asked, "I haven't got a cell phone yet."

"Nonsense," Esme said, "I'll drive you. Where are you staying?"

"At the Holiday Inn. Until they can find me more permanent housing."

"Goodnight Bells. Call me if you need anything. And don't try to lift him or help him. If you need help, call me immediately. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Goodnight Esme," I hugged her and she patted my stomach.

"Bella," I was barely awake. Teetering on the edge of conscious and unconscious when I heard my name being called.

"Bella," I heard it again. I knew that voice.

It was Edward.

"I'm awake," I said, looking over at him. "What's wrong baby?"

"I have to pee," he said, " and I can't find my urinal. Can you find it?"

I knew where I had put it the night before and ran to get it. A minute later he had relieved his bladder and we were lying side by side in the bed. His hand resting on my slightly protruding stomach.

"Bella, why didn't you put your Christmas tree up?" Edward asked, quietly rubbing his hand back and forth.

"I tried," I replied, "but I couldn't get the damn thing to stay upright. You know I had issues with that last year."

"Yeah, I remember. I guess its ok. But next year, we're going to have a humongous tree."

"We can't fit a humongous tree in here, Edward. It's a one bedroom apartment. I haven't even figured out where I'm going to put the cribs yet."

"Here? No, we're not bringing them here. This place isn't big enough for four people, Bella. It's barely big enough for the two of us. We're going to have to find a house."

"A house?" I gulped. I hadn't lived in a house since I moved out of my parents' house almost a decade ago.

"Did you think we'd be living here?" he asked, chuckling.

"I thought I'd be living here, yes. I thought you'd be in the BOQ, and here on the weekends. Like always."

"I don't think I'm going back to the Navy, Bella," he said quietly.

"What?" I replied surprised he would say that.

"I don't think I'm going back to the Navy. Or rather, I don't think that the Navy is going to ask for me back. I was very badly injured, Bella. I can't be a SEAL anymore. I have metal in my leg. I won't be in the Navy if I can't be a SEAL. And besides, if I did stay in the Navy, we'd get a house on base, I have a housing allowance that I can use. I won't be separated from you or our future children again. As soon as I can walk, we're getting married. And I don't want to hear any arguments. You will be a Cullen before you have those children."

"But, Edward."

"Don't argue with me, Bella. It's not up for debate."

"But, Edward, I mean—"

"Stop," Edward said putting his lips to mine.

"What will you do?" I was worried. I couldn't afford a house on my salary, in addition to my student loans, and if Edward wasn't in the Navy he wouldn't have a job.

"I was offered a job in 'security advising,' six months ago. I turned them down, but they told me if I reconsidered, to call them. They're located in Richmond. I'm going to look into that."

"Really?" I asked stunned.

"Really," he said, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me close. He started to kiss me, and I knew, before it went any farther, that he had to stop.

"We have to stop," I said between kisses.

"Why?" He asked, teasing my lips with his tongue

"Because you're not cleared to have sex yet and if we don't stop, that's what we'll be doing."

"Who says I can't have sex?" Edward asks, pulling my shirt up and attacking my breasts.

"Dr. Newton, and the US Navy," I replied. A moan escaped my lips and I knew I was about to break the first rule Commander LaHote had told me to follow.

"He's not here to stop me," Edward replied, still kissing my breasts.

An hour later, and after some very interesting positioning, I emerged from the bedroom to find Esme standing in my living room. I hoped she hadn't heard anything. I may have been a little loud. It had been months since I felt Edward. I couldn't help myself, and neither could Edward.

"Mornin'," I said, running my hands through my hair.

"Mornin'," she replied, taking her coat off and hanging it in the closet by the door.

"Jasper and Alice are right behind me," Esme replied.

"Fantastic. Can you help me with Edward?" I asked, he wanted to get up and come into the living room.

"Jasper is going to help," Alice replied, walking in with a handful of gift bags.

Jasper followed Esme into the bedroom just as my doorbell rang.

As least someone knew how to use the doorbell.

It was Rose.

"Good morning, Bella," she said cheerily as she carried in more gifts and placed them under the poinsettia I had put on the floor with a few decorations on it.

"Aunt Bella," Annaliese, EJ and Aaron all said simultaneously. They finished hugging me just as Edward rolled out of the bedroom.

"UNCLE EDWARD," they all yelled and ran towards him.

"Careful," I shouted. He embraced them and had a huge smile on his face.

He rolled over to the couch and I sat down next to him as close as I could.

We took turns opening gifts and soon, I was opening my first gift from Alice.

"I don't get it," I said, looking at super small t-shirt with the words, 'World's Greatest Aunt', on it.

"It's a onesie," she said smiling a big, cheesy smile at me.

"I know what it is. Why are you giving it to me?"

"Because you're the World's Greatest Aunt," she said, still smiling like the Cheshire cat at me.

"This won't fit me."

"Alice," Jasper said, looking from me to her and back to me. "Just tell her. Pregnancy brain is obviously affecting her critical thinking skills."

"I'm pregnant. Jasper and I found out a few weeks ago. Annaliese has been bursting to tell you, but we made her wait. I'm surprised she didn't spill. Or self-destruct."

"Congrats," I said walking over to hug her. Alice and Jasper had a long struggle with second child infertility and I was glad she was pregnant again.

"We're due about a month after you," she said.

"Congratulations guys," Edward said.

"My turn," Edward said. "Bella and I are getting married."

Rose and Alice and the kids seemed surprised. Jasper and Esme did not.

"Like, for real this time, or will this be like the other times?" Alice asked. I didn't blame her for her doubt.

"As soon as I can make it down the aisle, and before Bella gives birth."

"So, within the next five months? Probably sooner because of the twins?"

"Something like that," Edward replied.

We spent the rest of the day opening Christmas presents. There were a lot of gifts exchanged and by the end of the day, I was ready for a long night of sleep. Jasper and Esme helped me get Edward back to bed.

"I spoke to Zack earlier today, and he will meet us here in the morning with a vehicle to take Edward to rehab."

"Ok, that sounds good. I'll see you in the morning. I'm so tired and I'm sure Edward is already fast asleep."

"Good night Bella." I walked to the bathroom and after taking a long shower, slipped into bed next to Edward.

It was all going to be ok.

I just had to tell myself that.

Edward would walk.

I would deliver healthy babies.

We would survive.