Bella
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I tried not to wince as the baby gave another strong kick. He kicked me in the center of my stomach and I knew there was going to be a bruise I would have to try and fail to hide. I glanced through the corners of my eyes to see if Edward noticed, but his eyes were on the television, as if if he looked away he would miss something crucial. I sighed to myself, thinking I had gotten away with it until his hand came over mine and gave it a squeeze. I should have known better. Edward didn't miss anything.
But whatever happened to me, it didn't matter. I was carrying our child, something we both thought would never happen.
I put my unoccupied hand across my belly and rubbed my baby through my skin. He shifted toward my hand as though he knew what I was doing and I smiled. Then he fidgeted right under my ribs, pressing them in an awkward position and I gasped.
The entire family flocked and Edward's eyes were on me instantly.
"Are you all right, Bella?"
"What did he do?"
"Is anything broken?"
"Is the baby all right?"
"He's fine, Rose," I answered. "He's just restless today." Rose smiled radiently and settled back onto the arm chair she had perched on with Emmett.
"Did he break anything?" Carlisle asked again, getting down to my eye level on the couch and gently fingering my belly.
"No, not this time." I tried to joke. Edward stiffened beside me. "He just... moved. He's fine."
"But are you?"
"Yes."
Carlisle paused and barely nodded before he went back to his place with Esme on the couch, giving me only one glance before he turned his attention to the televsion too. I noticed Alice's face was in a pained expression as she studied ahead and I wondered what she saw. Then she got up and left, rubbing her temples with her eyes closed. Jasper followed right behind her.
With the family still again, I sneaked a glance at Edward, but he had not turned his attention back to the television. Instead, his eyes were flicking across the room, unable to settle on one place. I gave his hand a squeeze and his eyes were immediately on mine.
"What are you thinking about?"
It took him a moment to answer, I suspected he was trying to come up with an appropriate answer for me. "The wolves are patroling close to the house." He gave me a smile that didn't reach his eyes. I gave him a feeble one back and went back to rubbing our child in my stomach.
What would he look like? I pictured the perfect child from my dreams, with the copper hair he inherited from his father and beautiful green eyes. My heart swelled with the thought.
I stretched as I yawned and hid the grimace as the baby stretched with me. I hadn't been getting enough sleep lately because the baby was moving almost all the time now. I leaned over and used Edward's cold shoulder as a pillow. I moved my hand out from under his so I could lace our fingers together and sighed again.
I felt him turn his head to look at me. "Are you tired?"
I nodded sleepily. "A little." With graceful ease he was out from under me and had me in his arms before I could move. I wrapped my arms around his neck and inhaled his scent, letting it sweep over me like perfume.
