Places| A Twilight Fan Fiction|

Chapter 20

"How far along am I?" My Mate asked, twiddling her thumbs as Carlisle took a measuring tape around the circumference of her belly, which had obviously expanded even since the morning.

"Your growth rate appears to have increased again. I would say 25 weeks. Give or take a week. You're going to be close to delivery by the end of the month I'd guess, though you have to remember that this is all just speculation on my end."

"But she's healthy?" Emmett clarified, gripping my hand and Marley's shoulder. "Both of them."

"Yes. So far everything appears to be going smoothly. Healthy blood pressure, strong and steady heart rates. No signs of preeclampsia or gestational diabetes. Have you been taking your vitamins?"

"Religiously," Marley said. "As if Rosie would let me forget."

"Another thing." As if nervous, Carlisle began wiping down and sanitizing his equipment, his hands. "You're going to have to slow down with the sex."

"Ah, doc," Marley whined, pouting. "No fair!"

"I said slow down, not stop. My goodness." Rolling his eyes, he gave Marley an affectionate pat on the arm. "Haven't you all ever heard of reading? Board games, puzzles, cards? I'll teach you to play cribbage."

"Oh, so now you have a sense of humor," Marley grumbled, scowling at her bare feet. Her lower lip jutted out in a kissable pout.

"I just mean take it easy. Nothing too...strenuous." He told her as he finished packing his loose equipment into his expensive leather bag. The monitor he'd have to just carry.

"Have you ever had sex?" she retorted dryly. "Strenuous is the best part." Jasper snorted from his seat on the arm of the sofa. Alice and Bella let out equally girlish giggles.

"We're raising sexual deviants," Carlisle said to Esme, making his wife smile.

"Don't act like you didn't—"

"Alright, alright." He interrupted her with a raised hand. He might've blushed had he been human. I knew he and Esme had sex often; there were no secrets in vampire households. "Just take it easy, Marley. Doctor's orders."

"Fine, fine." Subdued, but still obviously upset, Marley crossed her arms over her chest. "Have you spoken to the Denalis at all?" The room fell into hushed and tense silence. Carlisle rubbed the back of his neck.

"Eleazar called to warn me that Tanya and Irina were still stewing over the situation. It's hard to say whether or not they'll lick their wounds and leave us be or report us to the Volturi."

"And what laws have we broke?" Edward asked, frowning. "Other than human exposure, which is null and void as Bella and Marley will be turned soon."

"It's hard to say what Aro will take into consideration. Marley's pregnancy is unprecedented. They could take interest." Emmett and I both snarled even as Jasper surged to his feet and paced to the wall, angrily. Bella and Alice crossed to hold Marley's hands.

"I'm watching, but so far no one has made any concrete decisions," Alice promised soothingly. "I'm just getting flickers of possibilities. I'll let you know if that changes." Marley leaned into her arm.

"Thanks, Allie." Emmett started pacing alongside Jasper.

"What can we do? If Aro decides to come?" he asked. I watched the muscles in his biceps flex as he clenched and unclenched his fists. I crossed to him and rested my hand delicately on his forearm. He calmed, but only slightly.

"Fight them off," Jasper bit out with a hiss. "They're not getting near Marley."

"It won't come to that. I've been friends with Aro for decades," Carlisle insisted smoothly. Jasper whirled on him.