All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc are the intellectual property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of Stephenie Meyer. No copyright infringement is intended.
A/N: Don't know where that came from, they weren't supposed to get there for a while. These characters had other ideas though, I guess!
Chapter 9
That night Bella laid in bed reliving that kiss. That kiss. She had not known it was possible to feel the all consuming passion laced with tenderness that his kiss had inspired. It stirred her in ways she had not thought herself capable of experiencing.
He drew back after an endless moment, breathing deeply, cupping her face gently between his two callused palms. He studied her face carefully before he spoke. "I'm not sure where that came from, but should I be sorry it happened?"
She shook her head vehemently, "No, please don't be sorry, don't regret it," she begged, "that was my first real kiss."
His thumbs stroked softly across her cheeks, then he kissed her forehead. She tucked her face against his neck as he wrapped one arm around her shoulder, while holding her against him with his other hand, his long fingers woven through her short blonde locks.
"Mine, too, beautiful girl, mine, too."
Now, her fingertips tracing her lips as if to hold in the sensation, she wondered if it would always be like that, and if the depth of emotion he felt had matched hers. From what she could tell, it had. Would he kiss her again? Would she let him? She had to admit to herself, she had no idea how to be with someone, to trust in the way required to have and maintain a relationship. Did he, she wondered? She very much doubted that it would come easily to him, after having such an inauspicious first experience.
She, on the other hand, had never had a romantic attachment to anyone. She thought about Riley, the only 'relationship' she'd had that was voluntary on her part. That was the closest to normal she'd known, as she perceived normal from books and observation of others, and theirs had been that of...well, it was hard to label. He had been a friend, but there was more to it than that, he had been more like a big brother, or uncle. He was there for her in the way a family member would have been; there was no physical attraction between them. With Edward there were intense feelings of attraction, as well as friendship.
She finally drifted off to sleep, still enveloped in the warm memory of his kiss.
BR
"So, um, I won't be here for supper tonight," Jake informed Bella at lunch the next day. I've uh, I'm going to," he stumbled over his words, his eyes on the floor, rubbing the back of his neck, the tips of his ears and his cheeks bright red. "I'm going over to Sue's to help with her tractor, and she wants me to stay for supper," he finally got out.
Bella laughed lightly, "I think that's great, Jake. I'll make something for Edward and me. So," she couldn't help but tease, "think you'll be spending the night?"
"Spendin' the night? What in tarnation are you gettin' at? You're as bad as that young whippersnapper!" Jake blustered, turning even more red faced. "No, I won't be spendin' the night anywhere but my own bed," he declared, stomping off.
"Those pink cheeks tell a different story!" she called out after him. He continued grumbling until out of ear shot. Bella's laughter abruptly ended when another bout of the flyin' miseries hit, turning her chortles to groans. She breathed through it as the pamphlet Doc Banner supplied suggested, and it did seem to help.
She finished her lunch, fixed a plate for Edward and cleaned the kitchen back up, wondering when he would be coming in to eat. She gazed dreamily out the window as she rinsed her dishes, seeing nothing of the scene outside, only his delicious smile in her mind's eye. Her face was sporting a smile of its own, and she decided at that moment to live in the now, and not think ahead, at least for today.
A little later, she was sitting on the front porch steps basking in the warmth of the sun while waiting for Edward. She chuckled again at the look on Jake's face when she suggested he might spend the night at his lady friend's house. She hoped he would let himself have that closeness, if she was the right person.
Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and reveled in the aromas carried on the soft breeze. A city girl by upbringing, she couldn't help but wonder how hard it would be to adjust to life on farm. Edward and Jake made her feel as if she belonged here, already. Negative thoughts of the limited time she could spend with them started to creep in, but she deliberately ignored them and let her mind drift.
After a few moments she realized that, although the sun's rays were still warm on her face, something had changed. She opened her eyes and turned away from the light, noting with surprise that on the western horizon a large bank of ominously dark clouds was rolling in over the treeline. Her mind finally registered that the breeze was no longer soft, but was kicking up dirt devils in the dusty driveway.
She watched the advance for several minutes as the sky seemed to boil and twist in on itself. Strangely, the sun was still shining overhead, enhancing the blackness of the impending storm clouds.
Edward barreled in a few moments later and jumped from the van, his eyes on the sky.
"Sorry it took so long, there's a big one brewing, had to get the hatches battened down," he supplied as he approached. "Did Jake leave to go to Sue's?"
"Yes, he's been gone an hour or so. I couldn't help but tease him a little," she told him, grinning.
His answering smile was even bigger. "He'll get over it. She's good for him, he just won't admit it. We should introduce the two of you soon, you'll like her. She's someone else we can trust."
"I look forward to meeting her," she agreed, reaching out for him to help her up. "Are you hungry? I made you a plate."
"I am, thanks," he said, as he took her offered hand and assisted her in levering her off-center-of-gravity body from the porch.
Another spasm of pain gripped her as she tried to stand, and Edward knew from her grimace that it was stronger than the ones she had been experiencing. "How're we doing?" he asked, gently pulling her bottom lip from between her small, white teeth.
"I'm fine, but I have to admit, that one was intense. It's gone now, though," she sighed in relief. "Let's get you fed."
"OK, but please don't spring anything on me, let me know in plenty of time if we need to get you to the Doctor, especially with the storm that's blowing in."
"I will," she promised.
BR
"That hit the spot, thanks," Edward said a while later. "You're the best cook I know."
"How do you know Jake didn't cook that?" she teased, standing and grabbing his now empty plate before he could.
He snorted. "Seriously?"
"OK, he didn't," she giggled, turning to walk to the sink, before suddenly gasping and dropping the plate.
Edward was at her side, holding her up before she could blink. "Bella, no more waiting, I'm calling the Doc, and Jake."
Her knee-jerk denial of the need to place those phone calls was halted by the sudden gush of liquid down her legs.
"OK, I'll get my bag."
"No, I'll get your bag, you, sit!" he barked, frowning and pointing at the chair.
She opened her mouth to argue, but his expression stopped her cold.
"OK."
She sat, as instructed, and he was back, bag in hand, within moments.
"I can't stand these wet clothes, will you give me a minute to put on some dry pants?"
"Of course, Bella. Do you need any help?"
"No, I'm good."
"Alright then, just stay right here and change while I go call, and don't worry about the mess," he commanded, reading her mind.
"Are you decent?" he called out when he came back a few minutes later, pausing at the door to the kitchen.
"Yes, come on in."
He did so, his arms full of blankets and pillows. "I was able to get Doc Banner on the phone, he'll meet us at his office. No one answered at Sue's, I'm sure they're out getting ready for the storm. I left a message on her machine," he informed her. "Will you stay put here another few minutes? I think you would be more comfortable in the back so I'm going to get it ready," he said, holding up the arm load of bedding.
"Okay," she agreed, meekly.
After he had arranged the the van to his satisfaction, he helped her out the door and down the steps. She noticed he was limping even more than usual, so her objections were loud and strenuous when he swept her up and carefully deposited her into the back. He ignored her protests, made sure she was as comfortable as possible, and then they were off.
The storm had picked up and now the entire sky was dark. It had not yet started to rain, but the air was heavy with the impending downpour and the wind battered the van so hard it felt like it was going to toss it off the pavement into the trees.
Both saw it at the same time, but there nothing to be done. Thankfully, they weren't going very fast when Edward slammed on the brakes, even so it threw Bella forward; she would have been projected into the floor board between the captain's chairs if she had not been able to brace herself against the headrest with both hands. A scream was trying to tear its way from her chest, but the only sound was the grinding of metal and crackle and pop of glass as a huge tree came crashing down, taking out the front of the van. The back end came off the ground and then slammed down, blowing out both tires. Bella was thrown around, but thanks to the nest of pillows and blankets packed around her, she was unhurt.
In the abrupt stillness that followed, Edward sat stunned and shaking, the right side of his face tingling painfully, as though from a dozen bee stings. He looked to the right, only to see that a limb had stabbed through the windshield, sending glass flying everywhere, before plunging straight into the passenger seat. He shuddered and closed his eyes, desperately hoping Bella would answer when he spoke. "Bella?"
"I'm here, Edward, I'm alright," she assured him, stifling a groan as the pain in her arm and another contraction hit her at the same time.
His head fell forward onto the steering wheel in relief. "Oh my god. I can't believe this is happening."
"I know, Edward," she wailed. "Honestly, I think people need to stay away from me, my life just seems to be jinxed or something. Seriously. The things that keep happening to me aren't normal!"
He felt like laughing, or crying, hysterically. "Bella, I don't think you can take any blame for this."
He forced open the door and climbed out, offering thanks that no other branches had pierced the van. He went to the front, checking carefully to make sure there was no danger of fire. He then made his way around to the back doors and opened them, laying a hand gently on her ankle. "Are you sure you're alright?" he asked, observing her pale, damp skin and tightly clenched fist.
"Well, taking into account that I am apparently going to deliver this baby in the back of a smashed vehicle...," she trailed off.
"How far apart are your contractions?"
"They're very close, I'm starting to feel like I need to push." She gasped, reaching out to him as she noticed the cuts and bruises on his face. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," he told her, grabbing a pillow and shaking it out of its case. He then used it to wipe the blood from his eyes. "I'm a little nervous, though, I have to admit."
"About delivering the baby?"
He nodded.
"I'm nervous too, but I'm not the first woman to have a baby outside the hospital, you know. Women did this for thousands of years."
"Well, this is my first time, and these aren't exactly ideal conditions."
"You never delivered any of the animals on the farm?"
"Not without Jake, and besides, it's not the same, at all."
"I'll be OK, Edward," she assured him, grasping his hand and entwining their fingers.
"You have to be, I couldn't live with myself if anything happened to you."
They held hands for a moment, until another contraction swept over her.
"I have to push, Edward!"
"OK, let's get you laid down and see where we are." He climbed into the van and closed the door, shutting out the rushing wind.
BR
The first sound Bella heard from her daughter was a tiny sneeze, and it was the most beautiful sound she had ever heard. Edward took off his flannel work shirt and then pulled off his soft cotton Tee shirt. He wrapped the Tee shirt around the tiny, squirming mess before laying her on Bella's chest. She cradled the infant in her free arm and looked down into a pair of cobalt blue eyes and her whole life telescoped to that moment. The baby still had not cried, but as the most natural thing in the world began to nuzzle for food. Tears welled up and spilled down Bella's cheeks as she nursed her daughter for the first time. Everything else was forgotten as she and her baby fell in love.
"We'll need to cut the cord, now," Edward said, a little while later, reluctantly breaking the spell. "And, we need to take care of," he gestured toward her now somewhat deflated middle, "things."
"I know. Um, this van was not really equipped as a birthing suite, what are you going to use?" she asked, trusting he would come up with something.
He pondered her question briefly, his brow furrowed in thought. "A ha!" he exclaimed in triumph. The problem was then quickly dealt with, using one of his boot strings and pocketknife.
BR
The storm finally broke in earnest as the three of them huddled together in the pillows, wrapped up in layers of blankets, grateful that they were dry, at least. Rain, propelled by violent wind, lashed against the windows. Lightening flashed across the sky and thunder pounded against their ears.
"I have to tell you, this freaks me out, a lot," Bella confessed, nodding toward the crushed portion of the van. "If you hadn't slammed on the brakes when you did, or if you had put me in the front instead of back here, or if..." she stopped and shivered.
"Yeah, I know," he said, pulling her close to kiss the top of her head, "Don't think about it, we're OK, and you have your baby girl." She nodded and smiled, stroking the soft cheek nestled against her. "But," he continued, "we do need to think about whether we want to wait for the ambulance I'm sure Doc Banner will send, or do we need to take care of you, now?"
"Edward," she said, watching him with tears sparkling in her dark eyes, taking in his battered, bloody, beautiful face, "we need to take care of you, too."
"I'm fine, Bella, it looks much worse than it is, I promise. Please don't worry about me."
"Oh," she said, her eyes going wide as she felt a sudden clenching in her midsection, and she grasped his question. "Actually, I don't think that is up for debate, I think things are already happening, with or without my consent."
He sat up and removed his flannel shirt once more. "OK, Bella, just take a deep breath and lay back."