So, the time has finally come! I think many of you have been eagerly waiting for this chapter. Bella and Edward's baby is born. What will it be? Boy or girl? Will Bella survive the birth, or will she have to be turned?
All these answers in this chapter. I wish you a lot of fun!
Chapter 150
... Holy Night
Edward
Rather delayed - held up by her scent and sweet lips - her words trickled into my currently unusable mind.
"We are having our baby ... Now!" she reminded me again.
More demanding than before. When Bella slumped and tensed in my arms only a blink of an eye later, I understood her words in their entire scope.
"We are having a child!" I expressed.
Bella nodded.
I hugged my angel joyfully and laughed together with her.
Then it slipped into my consciousness that it was not the right moment to rejoice. First it was important that Bella survived the birth.
My eyes widened in panic.
Cautiously, I lifted Bella in my arms and carried her upstairs. I walked quite slowly and carefully, and David followed us.
She should not be able to complain about anything. For example, too fast movements, which I did not know how she reacted to in this state.
Almost at the end of the stairs, Bella tensed up.
I stopped and set her down on the top step so she could move around as she pleased.
Maybe I had moved her wrong?
A pain-distorted moan came through her clenched teeth. She turned to the side, fell against me, squeezed my hand, and pulled her legs up against her stomach. Sweat formed on her forehead.
I felt completely overwhelmed. My studies were mere theory! How was I supposed to know what was normal and what was not. Of course, giving birth was painful, but how was I supposed to know if it was because of the process as such or because it was my baby? Maybe something was already wrong, and Bella's life was already in danger!
"Inform Carlisle," I said to David.
He was kneeling two stairs below Bella, his hands resting against her knees to hold her if necessary, in case I went berserk unexpectedly.
With that, apparently I would not be the first expectant father, but I held my angel.
Now he quickly ran past us.
With respect to my own medical degrees - they were worth absolutely nothing now and Carlisle was the best doctor there was. The cramping didn't stop, only seemed to get worse. What had I done to her?
"Ed ... ward," Bella stammered after what felt like an eternity that I could only watch while she suffered.
In fact, not a minute had passed before the pain seemed to subside.
She lifted her head and looked at me.
"Don't leave me alone!"
"I'm here, dearest!" I replied, suppressing the restlessness in my voice.
She smiled.
Powerless, but it was a smile.
It calmed me and so I continued my way with her.
Carlisle and Esmé came running while they were still putting on their last pieces of clothing as they walked.
Must have been an inopportune time.
Bella noticed it too and smirked.
"I'm sorry to bother you," she said sheepishly, and blushed sweet-heart.
"Don't be silly, Bella! Nothing is more important than you and the baby right now," Carlisle countered, laughing.
The fact that Bella still had an eye for such trivialities was a very good sign for him and his cheerfulness even rubbed off a little on me.
I put Bella down on the prepared lounger, whose backrest Esmé immediately put upright a bit.
Bella fiddled with her pants.
Inwardly, I shook my head.
That was typical again. Just don't cause any trouble and do everything alone.
I took her hands and kissed her fingers.
My angel needed all her strength for what she was about to face. However it would go, none of our options was easy for her. A circumstance that did not suit me in any way!
Carlisle drew the ultrasound machine over while I stripped Bella of her clothes and Esmé wrapped her in some sheets for the purpose.
She should not be lying around here naked, but still some not insignificant body parts had to remain accessible.
"Contractions?" asked Carlisle as he placed the sensor on her lower abdomen.
"I think so," Bella muttered, and immediately tensed up again.
She clawed at my hand with which I held hers.
I was amazed at the strength her fingers had around mine.
As expected, there were no usable images and Carlisle pushed the device back.
"I thought it was gas at first, but then it got more violent," Bella explained after she relaxed again.
She tried to breathe consciously. She already seemed quite exhausted now. After the second contraction! God, help us!
"You'll allow me to examine you?" asked Carlisle.
He smirked, while Bella widened her eyes, slightly startled.
She had successfully suppressed Carlisle's part as an obstetrician. I too was a little amused by this.
Bella had become anything but accustomed to being examined by Carlisle after the past weeks, and each time he asked her beforehand. That he even thought about it at that moment, and could spare the time for it, surprised me.
Bella just nodded surrendering.
She knew there was no one better than Carlisle and passed over for herself the embarrassment of him being her father-in-law. Like every time.
And Carlisle was very careful. Without lacking care, he hurried to avoid exposing Bella to this unpleasant situation for longer than absolutely necessary.
"Your body is responding to the contractions. The cervix is opening," he nodded with satisfaction, although quite surprised.
We had not necessarily expected that! The most diverse instruments were laid out disinfected in the drawers. We would be able to get the baby out of her belly immediately. If necessary, including the uterus, if it could not be done any other way. The fact that we would have to open the baby's protective shell with our teeth to retrieve it was also part of our far-reaching considerations. Even my venom lay prepared in a syringe in a drawer so that it could be injected directly into her heart.
"I see no compelling reason for surgical intervention. Your vitals are right within the norm and your body is responding to the birthing process. So if you still value natural childbirth, there's nothing that speaks to me against it at this point," Carlisle said.
Bella nodded decisively.
It was her wish, as far as it was possible, to let everything take its natural course. That was how she had explicitly voiced it. I was of another opinion and had also expressed that quite decidedly! I did not want to see my angel suffer! Apparently my opinion was irrelevant at the moment.
"What about the amniotic sac?" I asked skeptically.
Neither ultrasound had passed through it before, nor a small fine needle for amniocentesis.
"Your baby is searching for a way into life, and it is following the evolutionary path. Your baby will find a solution for that too," he tried to reassure me.
He did not succeed.
I ran my hands through my hair erratically.
My agitation did not go unnoticed.
'Take it easy, Edward. Bella is doing great for this stage of the birth. We can get your baby in less than five seconds, as soon as I have the slightest suspicion that anything is wrong. But until then, we should let her try. Natural childbirth is always best, both for the child and the mother!' declared Carlisle in his thoughts.
'Bella is stronger than you give her credit for. You'll be amazed at what she can endure!' Esmé also thought placatingly.
"It's going to be okay. We've come this far," Bella murmured encouragingly, smiling gently but nodding toward the hallway.
David was back again.
I left Bella to my parents and went to him for a moment.
"Now don't tell me to go to bed!" he gasped, and I couldn't help but chuckle.
He was visibly out of breath. My parents' bedroom was in another part of the building.
He braced his hands against the wall and strained his lungs into a normal rhythm.
"You should. We have no idea what's going to happen and how long it may take!" I replied.
"And you think I could go to bed with peace of mind if I don't know if Bella will still be here tomorrow?" I heard considerably clearer.
David slid with his back against the wall toward the floor.
I was not sure if he did it consciously or out of weakness. Immediately I was at his side, but he struck out at me.
So to speak. He had not been able to spare very much strength for it.
"Don't worry about me. Go to Bella," he urged, looking at me.
I didn't say a word, but he seemed to see something in my gaze.
Something I tried to hide. I was actually helpless. I didn't know what I could do. How I could help Bella in any way. But he knew. He was a father of four and had always been present.
He grabbed me by the collar.
"You can't really do anything for her except not leave her alone and talk to her. She'll hate you for every word you say because you have no idea what she's going through, so she'll think your words are pure hypocrisy. But the fact that you're there, that you won't leave her alone no matter what happens , will be a valuable support to her. Bella is your life. You can do no wrong!" he said emphatically.
"Thank you!" I whispered ardently and quickly went back to my angel.
Esmé had put the contraction recorder on her, and our baby's heartbeat could be heard in the room. It was accompanied by my music, which Esmé had also turned on to help calm the mood. The music had been Sue's idea to help Bella relax.
Bella was lying on her side as she had been at the stairs, but she was smiling at me.
At least until the next contraction came.
She tensed so that veins stood out on her neck and arms.
How long would all this last? "I am with you, my angel," I whispered to her and kissed her hands when the pain subsided.
"Now, unfortunately, all we can do is wait," Carlisle sat down on a stool.
Was that all he had to say about it? I thought, growling.
"It's so hot," Bella mumbled weakly.
"That's exactly what I'm here for," I smiled lecturingly and put my cool hands to her neck.
She chuckled a little, but said that wouldn't be enough.
I sat down behind Bella on the lounger, but that wasn't refreshing enough for my angel. So I also took off my shirt and T-shirt and Esmé straightened the sheets around both of us. I helped Bella get into a position that was comfortable for her until Bella was leaning completely against my upper body. Under the contractions, her skin seemed to have literally blazed up, which I could now cool with my body.
"Better," Bella murmured with her head on my shoulder and sighed.
Almost comfortable. This small casual sign was enough for me. Maybe I couldn't take away her pain, but I could give my angel relief and relaxation between contractions, so that they might not hit my tender angel with their full force.
Therefore, I pushed my hands purposefully over her bare skin.
I positioned one on her sacrum and massaged it with gentle pressure. This was the point that I had already cooled and massaged over and over again in the last few days, because it hurt her.
The spot where she directly felt the weight of our baby.
With the other I drove leisurely and tenderly over her belly. In addition, I hummed the melody of her lullaby.
"That feels good," she confirmed, and I heard a relaxed smile under her words, which triggered real feelings of happiness in me.
I was no longer helpless!
When the next contraction came, I increased the pressure on the sacrum. I also put my hand on my baby a little more firmly, who, like his mother, was noticeably tense. So I spoke gently to both of them, hoping that the sound would calm them both down.
It truly seemed to work, although I really had to force myself to have composure in my voice.
The contraction left Bella's body faster and she relaxed again.
"Thank you, Edward," Bella whispered managed.
"For what, my heart?" I inquired. I wasn't really doing anything when compared to what she was experiencing.
"That you're there."
"I didn't have anything else planned just now," I said tartly, earning a stuck-out tongue in return.
She chuckled, which brought lively relief to her mood.
"Where else would I be!" I gently stated.
"You're helping me more than you probably realize," she murmured.
And my heart seemed to give an enthusiastic thump. Warmth flooded through me. I was really helping her!
I didn't get around to saying anything appropriate in response, but I wasn't sure I could come up with anything fitting either.
The next contraction came.
My parents had also smirked in the background because of my answer that I had nothing better to do right now. They were completely restrained at the moment. They sat at the side and did not say a word. Not even a clearing of the throat or a breath could be heard from them. Bella had probably long forgotten that we were not alone.
And they did it consciously, since they could do nothing at the moment anyway, as I gathered from their thoughts. During this so-called opening phase, apparently all they could do was wait, keep an eye on the spacing of the contractions and check the cervix. They gifted us this moment of experience. A torturous experience that would weld us together emotionally as a couple and would be rewarded with the sweetest gift. I was still not convinced about the subsequent gift, but as far as this connection between Bella and me was concerned, I did not doubt her thoughts. I felt closer to Bella than ever before. And with each contraction, this feeling only grew stronger.
In the meantime, my siblings arrived.
Alice had received a vision without any proceeding content from Carlisle, but still realized that there was a medical emergency in the house. Thereupon she had informed Rose and Emmett and they had come here.
Bella smiled as Emmett cautiously peeked around the door. Her laughter died immediately as soon as Emmett opened his mouth.
"How's the puffer fish?" he asked with a grin.
Esmé was already rebuking him, but as usual, he was not interested.
"Which one of you is having the baby?" he then asked mockingly as he saw us both lying there like that.
Rose also gave him in entering already a strong blow against the shoulder for his not existing subtlety. She asked Bella how she was doing and put a hand on her shoulder.
"I'm fine, Rose," Bella nodded, and Rose let Carlisle bring her up-to-date on the medical situation.
She would stay close by in case she could help. Even if she only held Bella's hand, she would gladly stand by her.
Alice came through the door next, jittery. She, too, asked how Bella was doing.
"Great. Shall we go shopping right away?" asked Bella and it even sounded almost convincing.
Alice already imagined it, however, 'right away' was a holiday. So her thoughts went in the direction that they would both go shopping lying on the sofa - with laptops on their legs.
"That was sarcasm, Alice!", I rolled my eyes, but she was just trying to annoy me with her reasoning. As if I wasn't nervous enough already!
Alice still clearly indicated to Bella, if she wanted something, that all she had to do was call out.
Jazz came in next.
"If it's all right with you, Bella, I'll take some of the pain away," he said in a soothing tone, and I could already feel a wave of calm and confidence sliding through my body.
This was closely followed by a contraction that destroyed all confidence, with Bella clawing into my shoulder. I still saw how Jasper tore open his eyes in disbelief and grabbed against his chest, before I concentrated completely on Bella.
"Thank you, Jazz," Bella murmured afterwards.
Well, I hadn't noticed now that it could have hurt less. Why had we actually taken Jazz in with us with this annoying whirlwind at his side?
"You're more excited than she is!" Jazz taunted me, trying to shake off the absorbed pain and lighten the mood again.
"This is my first child, but her third!" I just replied irritably.
Bella chuckled softly.
"Should we maybe wake Jake and Leah up? I'm sure they'd want to be there when their sibling gets ready to arrive in time for Christmas," Jazz mused, but I shook my head in refusal.
"Let them sleep. What are they going to stand around here in the hallway, unsure how long. They're better off in bed and they can't worry either," I replied, and Bella agreed.
'What if something goes wrong and they lose their mother?' asked Jazz in his mind.
"Then we will get them soon enough," I said in a whisper so as not to frighten Bella.
I heard David discussing this just now with Rose out in the hallway as well, and he agreed with me.
But I got an idea. I talked to Bella.
With every single contraction, I encouraged her, told her how well she was doing, how much I loved her. But David was right. It was indeed hypocrisy. I had no idea what Bella was going through.
"Can you make me feel the pain?" therefore I asked Jazz.
"No," Bella objected, looking me in the eyes.
I kissed her about it.
"Your heroism is a credit to you, Edward, but you don't really want that!" Jazz wanted to make clear to me, but I only looked at my angel.
"I want to know the pain I imposed on you through our baby. For which I must apologize to you. I know that nothing and no one can take away your suffering, as much as I would like to, but at least let me go through it with you and understand it in its entirety," I begged my weak angel. I felt really guilty for this, just having to watch her idly.
"Suit yourself, but let go of Bella first," Jasper said, summoning Emmett to my other side.
Carlisle and Esmé also stepped up to the lounger and pulled Bella away from me a bit.
I bristled.
Surely it wouldn't be sooo intense! I mean, Bella was a human being. How much pain could a human being - or more precisely a woman - endure? And then also still voluntarily and sometimes several times. After all, there were not only single children in the world. Moreover, Jasper's ability did not lie in causing pain, but in empathy. Jazz was not able to fully transmit the feelings, which he absorbed in their entirety and could also vary.
"Ready?" Jazz asked me.
Uh ... I don't know? Yes ...
I was just a little confused because of the precaution that Em was standing next to me.
But I nodded while gritting my teeth in anticipation of pain.
And then it hit me like a wrecking ball out of nowhere. In my abdomen it pulled so beastly that all my muscles cramped. From my little toe to the back of my neck. I reared up to fight the torment, but my brothers held me tight. I heard a piercing scream, but I didn't know from whom. The agony found no end, only became more and more violent. I thought I was tearing apart. My center. My chest. My head. And then it was all gone again. I gasped and felt completely wiped out. I even felt the need to just sleep.
"Edward?" she purred from beside me.
I heard a chuckle under the quiet voice. From everywhere I heard it actually chuckle.
I opened my eyes.
The image in front of me rotated a bit and stars seemed to explode before the view quickly cleared.
"And that was just what I can take from Bella!" said Jazz.
My eyes widened in panic.
That was not all?!
Immediately I sat up.
Bella was still sitting in front of me, though a bit away from me, looking at me. Startled, though also somewhat amused at my reaction to her current situation.
Before I reacted to Bella, I heard Esmé's thoughts, however.
'And don't you dare start your C-section again! Just because you just realized that YOU belong to the weaker sex! Bella will be proud when she's done!' she warned me in advance.
I put an arm around Bella's back, one hand gently against her cheek, and kissed my incredible angel lovingly on the lips.
"Bella, my heart. I love you and there will not be enough days that I can apologize to you and thank you. For what you take upon yourself to give life to our baby," I said sincerely and humbly. How could I ever thank her enough for that?
"I want a turn!" I heard Emmett next to me enthusiastically as I cradled Bella tenderly in my arms and leaned back with her again.
Esmé then expelled all superfluous people from the room.
Jasper was also thrown out. He was still able to help Bella from the hallway with his gift.
Bella needed rest. So only Esmé and Carlisle stayed with us.
But in the hallway, Jasper's gift was apparently just becoming the new party gag. Everyone present wanted to know what labor felt like. Except for David, who was getting increasingly tired but wasn't ready to move from the door.
He kept watch over his best friends.
But for us, too, one painful contraction came after another.
More and more heavily and at shorter and shorter intervals. Was this pace normal? Bella became weaker, the cramps more intense, sweat beaded on her skin.
I dabbed or kissed it off her, talked to her constantly, alternately massaged over the small of her back or her back of the neck, and stroked her and our baby.
It was quite lively. It was moving around a lot more than usual. Even more than during our game so few hours ago. And all the movements were directed downwards. Under my fingers I felt what I had once learned theoretically in my studies. The baby positioned itself. This here, however, was much more exciting than the lessons back then.
"Ahh ...!", Bella suddenly groaned, rearing back a little and immediately falling back against me.
A bang rumbled in my ears.
"Bella?" I asked anxiously, but her eyelids remained closed.
"That was the amniotic sac," Carlisle said, about which he was obviously satisfied.
I felt the moisture spreading on the lounger.
Esmé mentally commanded me to get up with Bella so she could get rid of it. It would be unpleasant if she remained lying in it.
"Ed ... ward ... what is ... I'm ... sor ..." Bella mumbled.
"Shh ...," I cradled her gently. "All is well, dearest."
After the lounger was cleaned, I put Bella back - carefully wrapped in fresh sheets. I took off my cloth pants, which were sticking to my skin from the amniotic fluid, before I took up my position behind her again. She leaned against my torso again and I kissed across her forehead while cooling her neck.
But then everything went surprisingly fast ...
Two more contractions which we managed together, but then Bella started panting and tried to awkwardly turn forward. Carefully I pushed her so that she sat between my legs.
Immediately Carlisle sat with his stool in front of her and looked under the sheet that had covered her womanhood until now. He palpated her carefully. He nodded with satisfaction and pulled the sheet completely aside.
"Okay, Bella. Final spurt. The cervix is completely open. I can feel it already," he said driving enthusiastically, smiling encouragingly as Esmé removed the contraction recorder.
"What can I do?" I asked, lapsing back into my original helplessness.
"What your intuition tells you," was all I got in response.
Great!
Then came the first order to push.
Bella took two deep breaths and did it. As she did so, she continued to sit upright, tensed her entire body, clawed at my hands and began to scream with increasing pressing. Then, exhausted, she let herself fall back and wheezing gasped for air.
I heard my parents praising Bella, mentally as well as them saying it. Also, we three vampires paid very close attention to Bella's breathing, her heartbeat, reacted to her movements, but no one could really help her.
"You're doing great, dear!" opined Esmé.
"And again, Bella. You can do it!" Carlisle also confirmed.
While Bella sat up again this time, I repositioned myself a little. She had grabbed Esmé's hands this time, which were right in front of her. So I was able to kneel behind my angel so that she was sitting almost upright on my thighs and thus got a little support from gravity.
With every fiber I fevered with my angel.
Once again she fell back and gasped again.
"One more time, Bella, dear," Esmé said.
"The head is almost there!" cheered Carlisle, too, and I saw it in his thoughts.
That had to hurt!
Bella nodded, but continued to gasp for air now.
I pushed a hand to her forehead, and she still leaned against it.
Her head was glowing with exertion.
Bella drew in air sharply between her teeth, grabbed Esmé's hands again, and reared back once more.
Fiercer than before. Longer than before. More penetrating than before.
But my parents encouraged her to keep going.
"Good, Bella!"
"Go on, you can do it, Bella!"
"It's right there!"
"Just one more moment, Bella!"
I felt completely overstrained with all these cheers, encouragements, in between Bella's cries. So I only paid attention to Bella and blanked out the surroundings as much as possible. I was only concerned about doing the best for her. To adapt to her movements, or rather to accommodate her movements. To hold her so that she did not slip off my legs. I also continued to talk gently to Bella.
"There it is!" I heard Carlisle excitedly.
With all her might, Bella pushed our baby completely out!
Bella was screaming at the top of her lungs, tears were running down her cheeks, her entire body was tense and all I could do was coax her along.
I felt so inconsequential! But I was incredibly proud of my angel, how she let herself fall against me again, worn out. I immediately lay back with her properly against the lounger and held my brave strong angel. I was deeply impressed by Bella's strength, although she actually frightened me with it.
Carlisle gave our child, who I could already partially see, a little pat on the butt.
This was actually not done for a long time, as even I happened to know, but it seemed to be the easiest choice for him at the moment. Especially since he did not hurt the baby with the slap, and it was not a normal baby.
Immediately I heard the most beautiful thing that could exist in this world.
My baby screamed!
Completely overwhelmed, I watched as Carlisle placed the baby, such as it was, on Bella's belly. Hurriedly, my hands went to this little miracle, holding it securely on the belly so that it could not slip down.
The small rosy body was covered with the strange cheese goo, which I had once learned about. The amniotic fluid wetted the skin. It gave much less blood than I would have expected. Chocolate colored hair fluff covered the tiny head I was looking down on. It was so gorgeous!
Bella looked completely wiped out, but put her hands on our miracle as well.
I heard her crying and laughing at the same time, and I truly did the same. I laughed a tearless sob, my eyes burned and threatened to tear, my heart was on fire, and my whole body was shaking.
From pure happiness and boundless enthusiasm! I held my baby! In my hands! I was incapable of even a clear thought. To perceive anything other than the heartbeats of my wife and child. My biological child! Our common blood-related child! And Bella was alive! There was also no sign that this would change anytime soon, as her vital functions were already calming down. Now I was really a father. A Daddy. Everything in me rejoiced ecstatically.
"Congratulations, it's a boy!" smiled Carlisle beaming with joy, not ten seconds after placing the baby on Bella's belly.
My gaze went to him in surprise.
A boy?! Somehow this information hit me unexpectedly. I had listened to him and Esmé by chance two days ago. Because of Bella's belly, that he stretched forward and could hardly be guessed from behind, they had speculated on a girl. I still knew how silly I felt this assumption from housewives' wisdom, which had absolutely nothing in common with medically sound facts, but nevertheless I had made friends with this thought.
"My son," I repeated incredulously.
Tentatively, my fingertips stroked over this new life.
I felt how the rapid heartbeat made the skin pulsate. How the powerful screaming demanded the lungs. My direct descendant. My own flesh and blood. This was nothing short of phenomenal! The enchanting screaming became calmer, until it was finally completely quiet.
I turned the little body a little bit.
I wanted to look my boy in the face. Was he asleep?
"He's got your snub nose," I whispered, gripped, but he wasn't asleep.
He looked around. And then his gaze met ours. He had my eyes, as I realized with surprise. Green ... and they really shone and sparkled. He was so handsome. Like his mother.
"He's beautiful ... An angel," Bella murmured.
She turned her head in my direction and raised a hand to my face. Her eyes, wet with tears, shone with exhaustion, but completely enraptured.
"... like his father," she continued, and I kissed her lovingly on the temple.
How much I loved my Bella! How much I already loved my son! I cradled my two angels in my arms and hummed a new melody in front of us. This moment was so incredible.
"Edward, you certainly want to cut the umbilical cord?" my father broke through the comfort after a while, when he could no longer justify leaving us undisturbed.
With the question he startled me a bit and my son also began to whimper.
Nah, not necessarily! would have been my spontaneous answer to his question. Didn't thathurt? But it probably had to be, I quickly explained to myself based on my past studies. It wasnot in the nature of things that you could cut something carefully, so I decided to do the opposite. With a quick cut.
I hesitated with the scissors in my hand.
With them, I severed the sacred inviolable bond between mother and child. I had respect for this bond, which I now had to destroy wantonly.
"Don't worry, Edward. He won't feel a thing," Carlisle whispered, and smirked thereby.
I was willing to believe him on this and made a quick cut. It seemed that my son really hadn't noticed. That was when a huge stone fell from my heart.
"Maybe he already wants to drink?" pondered Esmé as the whimpering became a little more insistent.
'Maybe he's venomous!' immediately ran through Carlisle's mind.
"Let's find out!" shrugged Bella.
I wanted to disagree, but I was too slow.
Bella had already pushed our baby into position, and he immediately sucked vigorously on her breast as if he had only been waiting for it.
How did my son know where to get something to drink?
I was fascinated by this pure instinct and watched him, beaming with happiness. Until Bella's head fell back against my shoulder.
"Bella?" Esmé addressed her.
"Bella!" said Carlisle, a touch more perturbed.
"Bella!" I interfered as well, lifting her face in my direction.
I did not like her expression. She looked so unconcerned, and an inner panic gripped me.
In a flash, I climbed off the lounger behind her, pulled my son back from her breast, and sucked on it myself while my son started screaming anew.
Poison! My son was indeed poisonous. But it was not pure venom. Of course, I just drank mother's milk at the same time, but still, the concentration of the poison was weaker as such. Whether it was enough to turn a human, I couldn't tell, but I sucked until Bella's blood tasted clear again. Clear and breathtaking. But the urge to drink her blood, the blood of my son's mother, was finally extinguished in me.
"Edward ... it's ... so hot," Bella mumbled not a minute later, as if nothing had happened.
I smiled over the situation away.
I could explain that to her later, when she had rested and was able to make sense of important information again.
So I retook my position behind her, and she snuggled up against me with our son.
"I'm sorry, Bella, but I'm afraid we're not done yet," Carlisle said apologetically under his smile as Bella's body began to tense up again.
Bella nodded.
"Rosie," whispered Bella, who immediately came through the door.
She beamed with delight that she had been chosen.
That's how she felt.
She gently took the baby and would take care of the newborn in the back of the room. Examine him, bathe him, and wrap him in the first designer clothes of his life.
Against the latter I was powerless. The clothing was already in a drawer.
The afterbirth was undramatic and with obviously much less pain. Bella reared up only once.
She was also spared a perineal tear or even an episiotomy. My angel was just exhausted and only wanted to sleep.
Carlisle examined the afterbirth for completeness and went to Rose and our son. The proud grandfather wanted to personally examine our youngest family member.
I felt a little torn. I wanted to stay with Bella, who had come through everything so bravely. I was so proud of her. On the other hand, I wanted to meet my son. But I stayed with Bella. I owed it to her, after the last ... eighty-four minutes? It really hadn't taken longer than that? I was surprised. It was 12:43 on Christmas morning.
"We received a Christmas baby," I gently stroked Bella's cheek.
She smiled faintly.
"Merry Christmas, Edward," she mumbled delightfully, and fell asleep.
With Esmé, I washed Bella as best as possible and dressed her in clothes that were also already housed here.
I smiled to myself.
Puerpera panties and postpartum pads. By now I was familiar with them, at least in theory.
I gave my angel a tender kiss on the lips and Esmé carried her to our bed.
And I finally went to my son.
He appeared quite tired after what Rose and Carlisle had done to him and seemed to want to defend himself against further examinations. I could not blame the little guy in any case. Weighing, measuring, muscle tone, reflexes, body proportions …
He was already bathed and diapered, but otherwise lay on the soft shelf, undressed, and wrapped in a towel.
Then I came into his field of vision, and he looked directly at me.
The gentle nagging about the undeniably harassing doctors died down and he held out his little hands to me.
As if he wanted to be saved.
"Hello, my little one. I'm your daddy!" I politely introduced myself, smiled at this adorable creature and offered him my fingers, around which the teeny sweet little fingers wrapped.
Suddenly I felt something that I could neither explain nor understand. Something that definitely did not belong to me, and I also perceived from no other thoughts. A transparent black veil of mist settled over my view. I saw images from a perspective unknown to me.
I lay on a warm and soft surface and screamed at the top of my lungs, although I was completely exhausted. Around me I felt both warm and cold hands holding me gently. A feeling of security spread. I calmed down. Then I was moved a little and looked into two incredibly beaming faces. Both seemed fatigued in their own way, but both could be seen to be blissfully happy. Bella and me. As if I was looking up at us.
It was my son's perspective!
I heard the voices that he had always heard - but until now only muffled. They were now clear and distinct and even more beautiful than he knew. A quiet melody that seemed strange and familiar to him at the same time. He knew that he belonged to the two faces and that no one could ever change that. Everything together brought an engaging feeling with it.
A feeling of security.
"My life is yours!" I vowed and gave my boy a kiss on the forehead.
Still gripping my fingers, I felt something that felt like deep affection, and he smiled gently at me. Suddenly it changed to discomfort, and he looked at me somehow careworn.
"Your son is amazing," Carlisle stood right next to me. "This was not a reflex smile, as would be normal in the early days. He smiled consciously. Newborns can actually only do that after a few weeks," he marveled, looking down at the little fellow with a delighted smile as he gently cuddled his little belly.
Something that did not seem to suit my son at all. He squirmed under his hand and pulled even more energetically on my fingers, as if it were a request to offer him protection. My son also showed me immediately through further pictures why he was in need of protection.
I smirked and, of course, gave him the protection he demanded, lifting him up very carefully onto my arms.
"He's afraid of you," I intimated to Carlisle.
He took two steps back and looked desperately into the eyes of the boy, who was still peeking at him suspiciously.
What facial expressions my son already displayed!
"But why?" he asked unhappily.
"Because you hit him!" I explained. Hit = the little slap on the butt to stimulate breathing. My son was apparently prone to dramatics. I wonder who he got that from?
Carlisle breathed a sigh of relief and exhilaration.
"So you finally hear his thoughts," Rosalie stated, chuckling.
Everyone knew how much it had bothered me that Bella was 'talking' to our child, and I noticed none of it.
"No. I don't," I replied, baffling myself with that. Right now I heard nothing from my son.
"Then how do you know why he's afraid of me?" asked Carlisle, musing.
In his opinion, I could have easily seen the fear itself in the eyes. But not the trigger of it.
"He showed me," I specified, recounting what I had seen, heard, and felt. And that none of it had felt like my own sensations. What it really was, however, I could not yet say.
My son was already diapered, so I dressed him.
It was a noble feeling to do this, even though I felt rather awkward. Fortunately, I had Esmé within reach, who apparently sensed my helplessness in this regard and therefore supported me mentally. I took him carefully in my arms, supporting the little head.
He was so tiny.
"It's time to introduce you to the others," I smiled.
Actually, I smiled without stopping.
Rose opened the door for me, and my siblings stood already waiting.
They greeted their little nephew affectionately, but kept a very low profile overall. They knew that the little one really just wanted his well-deserved rest. But there was one person I could not pass by without a word.
"David," I said softly, putting a hand on his shoulder.
He was still sitting on the floor, but had fallen asleep in the meantime. A pillow had been put behind his head and a blanket had been brought in, as he was not willing to vacate his seat until he knew how Bella was doing. The little Cookie who was resting on his lap lifted his head first and he sniffed curiously at the bundle I was holding.
However, I forbade the dog to lick my son.
"Mmm ... mmm ..." mumbled David, who was more asleep than awake.
"David ... Someone here wants to meet you," I said again.
"Mmm ... mmm ..." he mumbled again and seemed to want to snuggle comfortably against the doorframe, but then he wrenched his eyes open in fright. "Edward!?" he cried, almost in panic. "How's Bella?" he asked immediately afterwards.
"Worn out. She is already asleep. And is still human," I assured immediately.
He rubbed over his eyes and was reassured for the time being. Somewhat delayed, he noticed that I was not alone kneeling next to him. That there was one particular reason above all why he was leaning here on the hard and cold floor against the uncomfortable door frame. His gaze went to the small creature.
"David, may I introduce you to your godchild," I said.
David's eyes got big, and he seemed to be wide awake now.
Carefully I put my son in his arms.
"Ced," I smirked.
Rather indecisively he looked at me and I also heard discreetly dissatisfied and surprised murmuring behind me.
"Charles Edward David," I immediately explained.
We wanted to honor the grandfathers of the child, so we were looking for a name with C. Unfortunately, there were not very many pleasant and contemporary options, so I had talked to Esmé. Her husband from her human life was named Charles, a violent man, but this union no longer had any meaning for her. Bella had also still insisted on Edward. She argued that Jake was named after his father and so was I. She didn't want to break that tradition. Without really having talked about it, we had agreed on the further name, although a third first name was not necessarily common.
David was visibly moved. He gently stroked the little Ced over his cheek and kissed him on the forehead, while my son looked up at the stranger, rather crumpled and undecided. But he seemed to sense that this person was important when a tear ran down David's cheek. He reached out a little hand, stopped the tear, and David was startled.
Just like me. There had been something before my eyes. Only briefly.
David jerked his head back and my son peeked truly apologetic.
That a newborn was capable of such facial expressions?!
David shook his head and again approached the small hand that wanted to touch him.
This time he held still, but he looked like he was in another world. Completely out of it. And I saw what had surprised David so much.
Ced showed him the same thing he showed me so few minutes ago. The sense of security between Bella and me. In addition, I heard David's amazement at what he was experiencing. In stereo. I recorded it from both David and Ced. Then suddenly it was gone.
"What was that?" asked David, flabbergasted, as Ced yawned adorably, and his little arm fell back.
"My son seems to have a gift," I said, which was already indicated by that.
David just nodded, not yet sure what to do with this information.
I helped him up from the floor.
He wanted to see Bella.
Carefully he entered the room - with my son in his arms, whom he did not want to wake up.
Esmé was still in the room.
Bella should not remain unobserved for the time being. Due to the delivery, whether a human or vampire child was born, health after-effects could occur. But my angel was asleep. She looked truly weary, but a glow was over her pale face.
David sat down on the edge of the bed, put our baby in her arms and stroked both angels over the cheek. He gave them both a gentle kiss before rising.
He wanted to leave the young family alone. He was superfluous.
I smirked at this expression in his thoughts, because he was basically anything other than that.
He was the best friend Bella and I had. And he was my role model when it came to being a father.
"You really did it ... I'm very happy for you, Edward," he said honestly, and we hugged each other before he actually left.
I lay down on the bed with mine and could hardly comprehend this happiness for the rest of the night.
Thank you for reading!
