A/N: I was honestly surprised at how many of you immediately wanted Edward to be the baby daddy. Let's see what they decide …

Chapter 16

"What about doing it with me?"

Her eyes widen at my question, so I continue on with my explanation. "Look, this is obviously a big deal and something I'd have to think about—we'd both have to think about. But I guess I'm just curious to know if you'd even consider it. If you're set on doing this alone, I'd understand, but it's hard for me to figure out where I fit in this equation if you don't tell me where you want me."

Although we've definitely grown closer over the last two months of living together, I'm still following Bella's lead on the pace of our relationship. I think now would be an appropriate time to discuss things in a bit more detail since she tossed this out there.

She shifts off my lap and returns to her spot next to me. "I don't really know," she admits with a shrug. "I only thought far enough to figure that you probably wouldn't be interested at your age, and then moved on to other options."

"Don't you think that should be my choice?" My words may be harsh, but I try to keep my tone gentle. I have to admit that it hurts that she would dismiss me so easily, as if our relationship doesn't mean very much to her. "I've been following your lead in this relationship because I knew you needed to go slow. But, maybe it's time for you to figure out what you really want. You were the one to point out to Esme that I'm an adult and can make my own decisions. So, please, take some time to think about it and then let me be the one to decide what I want for my life."

She's looking down and hiding behind her hair by the time I'm finished speaking. "I'm sorry." I hear a small sniffle after she speaks.

"Bella, I'm not mad at you." I try to lift her face, but she keeps it angled down, hidden behind her hair. "Look at me, please," I beg. When she finally looks up, I see her eyes are red and glassy. "I stand by my promise that I'll be here for you, no matter where our relationship goes, okay? I need you to remember that."

At her slight nod, I continue. "I just don't think it's fair for you to make decisions for me, just as I wouldn't make them for you. Please, take some time to think about what you want, not what you think I'll want. Let me do that. And then we'll figure out where we go from there, together."

With a watery smile, she nods again. "Okay."

The discussion ends there and we both go our separate ways for the night. I spend some time in my room, just thinking, and hoping that Bella is as serious about me as I am about her.

It doesn't take me long to come to an important conclusion: I'd rather have Bella in my life than not in it.

Any way I look at it, that's what it boils down to.

Do I love her? Yes, with all my heart. Do I want to see her happy, even if it's not with me? Absolutely.

Throwing a child into that equation doesn't change things much. I want to be the one by her side in every situation. I want to be the one holding her hand, comforting her when things are tough, and sharing in the joys of life.

Am I ready to settle down and have kids right now? I don't know the answer to that instinctively, but when I think of the various scenarios in my head, I constantly come up with the same response. I want to be with Bella and I want to give her the world. I love her and would love any child that she has, whether it's part of me or not. So, why not make it part of me in the first place?

I can't find a good reason not to.

Except … if that's not what she wants.

The next few days pass with some tension in the air. I kiss her the first morning and tell her to let me know when she's ready to talk. She agrees, and we go our separate ways to work. We still spend time hanging out in the evenings, but there's definitely a strain between us.

Finally, on the third night after our discussion, I can't take it anymore and decide to talk to her over dinner.

"I know I said I'd give you some time to think about everything, but I can't stand that it's coming between us like this already."

She looks up from her plate with wide eyes, probably not expecting me to jump right in like that.

I set my fork down and plow on, undeterred. "Whatever you want to do, it won't be for a few months, right?" When she nods, I continue. "So, there's no reason we have to make any hard and fast decisions today."

I pick her hand up from the table and thread our fingers together.

"I thought you wanted a decision so you can figure things out," she says timidly.

"I do, but not at the expense of ruining what we have right now." I grip my hair with my free hand in frustration and then rest my elbow on the table. "I do need to know what you want out of this … us," I say, waving my hand between the two of us. But I don't want us to pull away from each other while you think about it."

And then, it dawns on me.

"Unless …" I gulp. "Unless that's what your decision is."

She looks at me with a pained expression before her eyes widen again. "Oh, god no, Edward!" She jumps out of her seat and moves around the table to sit next to me, our hands still twined together. "That's not it at all! I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were so worried about that."

I laugh without humor. "I wasn't, until a minute ago," I admit. "I wanted to give you some space, but I feel like we haven't connected since that conversation."

She quickly turns her chair to face mine and I do the same, close enough that our knees touch. "Do you want to know what I've been thinking?" she asks, and I nod. "I know you want me to think about what I want and not think about what is right for you, but I can't seem to get passed the fact that you'd be doing something for me that you wouldn't do otherwise. And I know you … you'd do it just because you care about me."

I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. I think we've hit the point of no return here.

"Bella," I say, scooting forward on my chair and releasing one of her hands so I can touch her face. "I wouldn't be doing it just because I care about you." I take a deep breath before continuing. "I'd be doing it because I'm in love with you."

Looking deep into her eyes, I plow on. "Every way I think about this, all I come back to is that I want to be with you. If you have a baby, I'd still want to be with you. If you never wanted to have kids, I'd still want to be with you then, too. And when I think about you having a baby and me standing by you, all I can think about is that although I'd love your child no matter what, I'd love for it to be a part of me as well."

Her mouth is open and I think I've stunned her, so I give her one last thing to think about. Running my thumb across her cheek, I tell her, "All you have to decide is if you want that part in your life to be filled by me."

Without giving her a chance to respond, I kiss her cheek gently and then quickly stand, taking my plate into the kitchen and dropping it in the sink. She's still sitting in the same position when I pass back through the dining room, so I leave her to her thoughts and head into my room. When she's ready, she can come talk to me.

I lose myself in music for a while, turning up the volume on my iPod so I can't hear or think about anything else. My eyes are closed as I lay on my bed with hands clasped behind my head and my ankles crossed. I'm not sure how long I've been in my room when I'm startled as something touches my elbow.

My eyes flash open to find Bella standing by the side of my bed looking nervous with her lip caught between her teeth.

"Sorry," she mutters as I pull the ear buds out of my ears. "I knocked, but you didn't hear me."

"That's okay," I tell her, scooting up to a sitting position with my back against the headboard. I pat the bed in front of me, inviting her to sit.

She sits down and crosses her legs, pushing some long hair behind her ear that has escaped her ponytail. We sit in silence for a few beats with Bella staring at the bedspread and me staring at her. She made the decision to come in here, so I give her the time she needs to gather her thoughts.

Still staring down at the bed, she speaks so quietly I almost have trouble hearing her. "Did you really mean it?"

I'm not exactly sure which part she's referring to, but it doesn't matter. "Every word," I tell her confidently.

She finally looks up at me with tears in her eyes. "Even the part about—"

I cut her off by putting my fingers up to her mouth. "All of it."

She takes a deep breath when I remove my fingers and nods, more to herself, I think, than to me. "I was worried about this being too much for you, tying you down when you're so young. I was afraid my feelings were too strong," she says before biting the inside of her cheek.

I know what she's not saying, and if she needs more time to actually say it, I can give her that.

"Bella, let me ask you something." She nods. "When you were twenty-two, did you know that you wanted to have kids?"

"Of course," she answers quickly.

"So do I. It may not be something I thought about becoming a reality just yet, but that was because before now, there wasn't anyone that I would have wanted to share it with." I finally grab her hand and pull her into my lap. "We've got some time to figure out the details. But, if you want me to be part of your life, then I'm all in."

I kiss her lips gently, wanting so much more but pulling back before things get out of control. When I look down at her, she's smiling.

"I want you to be part of my life. Nothing would make me happier."

I smile and close my eyes, leaning in to kiss her again. Just before our lips touch, I hear her whispered words. "I love you, too, Edward."

A/N: I hope that was what you were all hoping for! Leave me your thoughts.

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