Jasper's POV:
Bella and I had just finished climbing the countless stairs of Paris' famed tower and I knew she was exhausted.
Together we moved to face one of the big windows overlooking the bustling city of Paris.
"Thank you," She said quietly and leaned against my chest as I wrapped my arms protectively around her waist.
"For?" I asked leaning down to rest my chin on her head contently.
I barely heard her respond "For being mine," as she took a few deep breaths and I grew worried as she started hyperventilating,
"Bella, are you okay?" I asked standing straighter as she suddenly went limp in my arms.
"Bella!" I shouted holding her tightly as I lowered her now limp form onto the floor.
"Is she okay sir?" A man asked.
I had to bite my tongue from responding to the rather stupid question in a snarky manner.
"I don't know what's wrong," I admitted trying to stay calm for my wife's sake.
"Someone's called for help," another voice said from the small crowd "They asked us to try to bring her down. Do you need help?"
"Just get the elevator up here and I'll be fine," I said while trying to control the panic bubbling up inside of me. I checked Bella's pulse and breathing and while her breathing was shallow and her pulse was slightly weaker than I would have liked I knew she'd be okay until we got help.
It took a few moments for an elevator to arrive and when it did I scooped Bella, who was basically a rag doll at this point, into my arms and made my way through the crowd that had formed around us.
I heard sirens as the second elevator neared the bottom of the famous tower and felt the feeling of dread and worry lift slightly.
An EMT with a stretcher met us at the elevator and I gingerly laid her down and the EMT strapped her down and without a word transferred her to the waiting ambulance.
I followed close on his heels. It would do Bella no good for me to stay here and not have any idea where in the hell she was.
The paramedics spoke in rapid fire French and by the time we got to the foreign hospital I had joked about on the plane Bella was connected to both oxygen and an IV and I was still being completely ignored. That was perfectly fine with me as long as Bella was getting help.
For the first time since Bella passed out I felt completely lost and scared as a nurse gestured to a sitting room and Bella disappeared behind a set of swinging doors.
J&BJ&BJ&BJ&B
"Monsieur Whitlock?" The nurse who had sent me to the sitting room broke me out of my reverie.
I had been in this dreary room for close to two hours wringing my hands, worrying about my wife and alternating between looking at pictures in the French magazines and attempting to understand what was being said on the French news program.
"Yes," I stood quickly "That's me! Is my wife okay?" It didn't even cross my mind as I towered over the nurse that she may not have a freakin' clue as to what I was saying.
Luckily, she did. "Your wife iz fine. She iz asking for you. Zee doctor wishes to speak to you both." She gave me a comforting smile and led me to where Bella had been placed.
When we reached the room I raced in feeling so much lighter than before and went directly to Bella's side.
She looked petrified but visibly relaxed when I reached her and gingerly took the hand without the IV tubing in mine.
"Don't you dare scare me like that again darlin'" I tried to keep the mood light "Near gave me a heart attack."
I gave her a weak smile which she returned and leaned down to kiss her softly.
"I'm sorry," she whispered and I noted tears welling in her eyes.
"It's not your fault sweetheart," I comforted her and tried to give her a broader smile.
She gave me a small smile and was making to speak when a middle aged man rolled an ultrasound machine into the room.
"Bonjour," He said jovially and thankfully continued on in English "Zee doctor wishes me to check zee health of your bebe."
I'm sure my expression matched Bella's- utter shock and confusion.
"Baby?" I regained my voice first just as the man was pulling back the coverlet on Bella.
"Oui monsieur- baby," He nodded "Zee doctor wishes to know zee gestation of zee fetus."
I looked down at my wife and tried not to let the urge to smile overcome me at least until she reacted.
"Pregnant?" She asked "I'm pregnant?"
"Oui," he said simply and Bella tightened her grip on my hand as if I were going to disappear in a flash of smoke.
As he put some blue gel on her creamy white abdomen I bent to whisper in Bella's ear "Well I must admit I never expected this to happen so soon but it'll work out."
She nodded and stared at the screen.
The technician pointed out the amniotic sac that was housing and protecting our child and told us that the brief fluttering we saw was in fact its heartbeat which I found absolutely miraculous.
We were having a baby. The woman, that if you'd asked me two years ago I would have sworn up and down I would never have a chance with, was carrying my baby. I was having a hard time wrapping my head around it as it seemed so surreal.
"I shall send zee doctor in shortly," The man said as he wiped Bella's abdomen clean and started rounding up his equipment.
"Thank you," Bella and I said in unison. I wasn't really sure what Bella was thinking as she continued to stare at the space the ultrasound machine previously filled.
"Are you okay?" I asked my wife and smoothed her hair back soothingly.
She nodded but before she could respond a tall dark haired man wearing a white coat, grey slacks and yellow dress shirt walked into the room.
It became apparent the instant he started speaking that he was American like we were "Good afternoon Mr and Mrs Whitlock I'm Doctor Anderson and I'm going to go over some things with you and then we can write up some discharge papers for you."
Bella nodded and I sat on the edge of the bed pulling her a little bit into my lap. I wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pressed my lips against her head again.
"That sounds good to us!" I said, apparently I was going to have to do the speaking for both of us. I think she was still in shock over this life changing revelation and I really hoped she'd snap out of it soon.
"Bella it looks like you're about seven to eight weeks pregnant and everything looks right on track," He started "Of course when you get back to the States I want you to go straight to your OB/GYN and get another check up."
"What happened earlier?" I asked "Did she just overdo it? Will it affect the baby?"
"It was a mix of dehydration and over-heating," the doctor said "Definitely from overdoing it. We're giving you an IV drip of fluids and electrolytes to make sure you're hydrated and aside from that you are in perfect health. The baby will be just fine."
I breathed a sigh of relieve and gave Bella a gentle squeeze hoping to elicit a reaction but still nothing.
"You'll just have to make sure you drink lots of water and other liquids," He said as he filled out a form on her chart "Just to make sure another episode like this doesn't happen again."
"We'll make sure," I nodded vehemently "Won't we Bella?"
She didn't say anything but she did nod so that was progress.
"Here's her discharge papers all you need to do is visit Joy at the Nurse's Station and you can get back to enjoying your trip."
"Thank you," Bella finally regained her voice long enough to say.
"I'll get Pierre in here to take out your IV as soon as I leave." He said "Have a safe trip home and take good care of yourself and that little one."
I nodded and adjusted Bella back onto the bed as Doctor Anderson left the room.
I gathered Bella's belongings and looked over what I could read on her discharge sheet while the orderly Pierre came and removed Bella's IV.
She took her clothes into the bathroom and got dressed and I got her paperwork processed.
J&BJ&BJ&BJ&B
After we left the hospital we spent the next hour wandering hand in hand in silence.
Bella finally spoke "I can't believe that we're having a baby!"
I squeezed her hand but didn't say anything. I was worried that if I said something she may take it wrong and stop speaking again.
We were walking slowly down a side street near the Notre Dame Cathedral when Bella stopped and I noted it was in front of an old fashioned toy store.
"Are you happy?" She asked turning to face me. She looked worried but I could see her eyes sparkling.
"I'm ecstatic Bella," I admitting hugging her tiny frame to me "I'm so happy that we are going to be parents again."
"Me too," She said holding me tightly. "Can we eat and talk? I'm starving."
"Of course," I chuckled glad I was getting my normal, happy, bubbly wife back. We pulled apart and crossed the street to a small bistro that didn't appear to be very busy this mid afternoon.
As we waited for our beverage orders Bella finally voiced what was bothering her and what had kept her quiet for so long.
"I'm worried about Charlotte." She said fidgeting with her cutlery.
"What about her?" I asked to hear out her fears and try to assuage them.
"She's sick Jazz," She said "It could get to the point where she needs a transplant. It's not fair for a baby to have to fight for attention or for Charlotte to have to."
"Bella we have plenty of love," I soothed "Like you said it could get to the point that Char needs a transplant but so far the surgeries have been successful. Would you want to deny her the chance to have a sibling to play with, to love just because of something that may happen when both are five or ten or fifteen years old?"
She shook her head "I guess I was just really surprised. I didn't even realize I'd missed my period last month." She blushed at her oversight.
"I wouldn't have guessed either," I laughed "So far you've had no symptoms or no obvious ones at least."
"Poor Rose was so sick," Bella laughed at the memory of her sister-in-laws horrible morning sickness that ironically started at the beginning of her second trimester and was still on going.
We had a pleasant lunch and as we finished up Bella repeated herself and added to her earlier comment"I really can't believe this is happening but honestly I have never been happier"
"Me neither," I agreed "I have everything I have ever wanted- a beautiful, smart wife, an endearing, amazing daughter and a baby on the way. We can do this Bells."
"As long as I have you I know we can," She said smiling genuinely and I could tell for the first time since we found out that she was truly excited about the pregnancy and the prospect of being a parent again.