I walked up the steps to the home entering through the open door. Rosalie nor Bella were anywhere in sight. I looked around wildly, hoping I'd missed them somewhere, my heart squeezing against my ribs.

"They're all right," Edward whispered. "Or the same, I should say."

Edward was on the couch with his face in his hands; he hadn't looked up to speak. Esme was next to him, her arm wrapped tight around his shoulders.

"hello Alex" Esme spoke from her spot I smiled slightly and nodded.

"Hello Esme... where are they?" I asked seeking out both the girls. For different reasons of course, Bella as a sister and Rosalie as a mate. Either way I didn't want to lose either of them.

"Bathroom," Alice told me. "Mostly fluid diet, you know. Plus, the whole pregnancy thing does that to you, I hear."

"Ah. Yeah I don't know about that... the whole reproductive system thing. I mean I learned it in school but never experienced anything that comes with it."

"Really?" Carlisle asked as her moved to sit next to Esme

"Really, never had a period... or even grew body hair like normal people."

"fascinating..."

"glad I can help." I shrugged. I heard a door open and turned around to see Rosalie and Lucia helping Bella back to the couch.

"hey Alex" Bella breathed out.

"hey, heard you were looking for me"

Esme and Edward both got up. I watched how carefully Lucia laid Bella out on the couch. I watched how, despite that, Bella turned white and held her breath— like she was set on not making any noise no matter how much it hurt.

Edward brushed his hand across her forehead and then along her neck. He tried to make it look as if he was just sweeping her hair back, but it looked like a doctor's examination to me.

"Are you cold?" he murmured.

"I'm fine."

"Bella, you know what Carlisle told you," Rosalie said. "Don't downplay anything. It doesn't help us take care of either of you."

I agreed with Rosalie, looking over her. She smiled a me then moved towards me to embrace me. I carefully wrapped my arm around her rubbing her back.

"Okay, I'm a little cold. Edward, can you hand me that blanket?"

I looked at Edward "isn't that why Seth or I are here."

"You just walked in," Bella said. "After running all day, I'd bet. Put your feet up for a minute. I'll probably warm up again in no time."

I sighed, knowing it would be easier for me to help. Rosalie seemed to understand this and led me over towards the couch where I sat on the floor, I wasn't sure I could sit on the couch. Bella looked pretty brittle, and I was afraid to move her, even to put my arms around her. So, I just leaned carefully against her side.

"Thanks Alex" she shivered.

"don't mention it... personal heater remember" I mumbled remembering the battle. Rosalie sat next to me, my hand in her lap. Edward sat on the arm of the sofa by Bella's feet, his eyes always on her face. Alice was on the other side of the couch, I let my mind wander.

Would this be what it's like when Bella becomes one of them? Just all of us sitting around the living room. Even under these circumstances it felt right, all of us. It was unfortunate the peace was interrupted by the sound of my stomach. I sighed looking down at the offending organ.

Rosalie made a move to get up, but Lucia stopped her "I'll get it, you stay there Rose"

I saw the two exchange a smile before Rose leaned into me as if she were going to sleep. I relished the feel of her skin against mine. Lucia reappeared with a sandwich and some fruit.

"thank you, Lucia" I replied as I took the plate from her. She smiled then sat in one of the armchairs and flicking through channels on the big TV so fast that I could hardly tell what she was looking at. I ate the food slowly while Rosalie rubbed circles on my back.

"so..." Bela began "Jacob's really gone huh. The good guy"

I sighed "I'm sorry, I wish it was different... he's- he's not the same. I'm not entirely sure that if Sam wasn't holding him back that he would be launching an at..." I stopped; I didn't need to say it everyone knew what I was going to say. "I may have made things worse but they had it coming."

I could feel some of the others tense up at my comment, especially Esme.

"what'd you do?" Bella asked. I pursed my lips.

"it wasn't entirely my fault, but Sam, he used his alpha voice on Seth and me. And when an alpha does that you can't ignore it... it's quite painful actually, your whole body locks up and forces you to the ground."

Rose tensed beside me; I could hear Edward stiffen as he no doubt saw the exchange. "that's terrible" Bella replied. I nodded.

"yeah, so when that happened I had a break in my concentration. He was probing for an answer, and it was like the flood gates opened. They saw everything, every interaction with Rose, you, Leah. Then they saw some information that I was trying to keep hidden." I replied

"besides the obvious" I added.

"what?" Bella asked her attention completely on me.

"you remember how every one was worried about Embry's dad and how they thought it was my dad?"

I felt Bella nod "yeah, but it wasn't true, was it?"

I shook my head "no, the two months my dad was AWOL he phased for the first time. Then he ran because he was afraid to hurt my mom, they had gotten into a fight before. He went to Canada and then he and Hector went to the Makah tribe."

Bella gasped, I smiled a little though because ii knew the assumption was wrong. Rose smiled in my neck because she had already hear the story. "You see, Hector's mom relocated there, so they were visiting and he saw someone he shouldn't have"

"who?"

"Billy"

"no" Bella replied, "You were right Edward. It is like a soap opera"

"yeah, so when Sam forced me to kneel and reveal everything that was a part of it. I'm not sure what else is happening but I know Jacob hates me... very much."

Silence then enveloped us as I finished eating. I could hear Bella's labored breathing even out letting me know she was asleep.

"how long do you think it is before the baby is born?" I asked no one in particular, I wasn't sure when Rosalie would show signs that she was going into labor.

Lucia was the one to answer "the journals don't have any information about that... the least we know is she'll give birth like any human would. Carlisle's been keeping tabs just in case. Nothing has changed though."

I looked down at Rosalie who was content with her head on my shoulder, her hand playing with my fingers. I looked at Edward "and Bella?"

"Carlisle thinks four days..."

If Bella's ready to deliver this soon it's possible Rosalie was too. She did seem more exhausted lately...

"it's possible" Edward answered I nodded looking down at Rosalie.

"Then what?"

"What do you mean, exactly?"

I thought about what Carlisle said, about the baby being in a very secure uterus. He couldn't see through it with an x-ray or pierce it with a needle.

"how do you deliver it?"

"From what little research we've been able to do, it would appear the creatures use their own teeth to escape the womb," he whispered. I had to pause to swallow back the bile.

"Research?" I asked weakly.

"That's why you haven't seen Jasper and Emmett around. That's what Carlisle is doing now. Trying to decipher ancient stories and myths, as much as we can with what we have to work with here, looking for anything that might help us predict the creature's behavior."

Stories? If there were myths, then...

"Then is this thing not the first of its kind?" Edward asked, anticipating my question. "Maybe. It's all very sketchy. The myths could easily be the products of fear and imagination. Though . . ."—he hesitated— "your myths are true, are they not? Perhaps these are, too. They do seem to be localized, linked. . .."

"How did you find... ?"

"the Amarok documented instances of Vampires and humans... nothing in detail but they said it was possible"

"There was a woman we encountered in South America. She'd been raised in the traditions of her people. She'd heard warnings about such creatures, old stories that had been passed down."

"What were the warnings?" I whispered.

"That the creature must be killed immediately. Before it could gain too much strength"

Just like Sam thought. Was he right? Is this child going to be like the legends? A danger?

"Of course, their legends say the same of us. That we must be destroyed. That we are soulless murderers."

"most the myths do...What did their stories say about the... mothers?"

Agony ripped across his face, and, as I flinched away from his pain, I knew he wasn't going to give me an answer. I doubted he could talk. It was Rosalie who had been so quite I would have thought she fell asleep that answered.

"it isn't a good outcome... but back then no birth was. None of them had the care that Bella has." She looked up at Edward, I couldn't tell what she was thinking but it had to be something reassuring as he nodded. It was nice to see everyone getting along, even Rosalie who had previously held anger and resentment towards Bella was hoping for the best. Perhaps it was because Bella was already a part of the family or maybe because she was too tired to do anything else.

Bella woke up suddenly and sucked in a sharp breath. In the same second, Edward was leaning over the top of me, ripping the blanket out of the way. She seemed to convulse, her back arching off the sofa.

Rosalie and I turned to look at Bella.

"He's just," she panted, "stretching."

Her lips were white, and she had her teeth locked together like she was trying to hold back a scream. Edward put both hands on either side of her face.

"Carlisle?" he called in a tense, low voice.

"Right here," the doctor said. I hadn't heard him come in.

"Okay," Bella said, still breathing hard and shallow. "Think it's over. Poor kid doesn't have enough room, that's all. He's getting so big."

Everyone looked around at each other the atmosphere tense.

"You know, he reminds me of you, Alex," she said—affectionate tone—still gasping. I raised an eyebrow. "you're growth spurt, it was so sudden one minute you were just a little bit taller than me then you were towering over me"

I shook my head if it grew anymore it would rip her apart. Edward kept his eyes on Bella, so he didn't hear what I said, thankfully. I don't think I could handle his pained expression anymore.

"basketball player? Huh?" I smiled slightly to which Bella returned.

"Hmm," Carlisle murmured. I looked up, and his eyes were on me.

"what?" Edward's head leaned to one side as he reflected on whatever was in Carlisle's

"You know that I was wondering about the fetus's genetic makeup, Alex. About his chromosomes."

"What of it?"

"Well, taking your similarities into consideration "The accelerated growth, and the fact that Alice cannot see either of you."

I felt my face go blank. I'd forgotten about that other one.

"Well, I wonder if that means that we have an answer. If the similarities are genedeep."

"Twenty-four pairs," Edward muttered under his breath. I looked at them, I wasn't sure why the chromosomal count mattered but it was clear they were figuring things out.

I tried to focus on Rosalie hearing brief snip-its of their genetics conversation. Alice joined in, commenting now and then in her chirpy bird voice. There were a few facts that I focused on though.

Fact one, Bella said that the creature was protected by something as strong as vampire skin, something that was too impenetrable for ultrasounds, too tough for needles. Fact two, Rosalie and Carlisle had said they had a plan to deliver the creature safely. I was assuming that meant for Rosalie too, though secretly I hoped it would involve a real delivery because that was easier than the other option.