I slip my jacket on as Jasper goes over to Esme and kisses her cheek. She says something to him and he doesn't reply, just turns to look at me as I close the car door.
I walk around the car and into full view, making Esme gasp and cover her mouth. I play with my fingers and slowly walk over, obviously too slow for her liking because she's suddenly got her arms around me. "Oh baby where have you been!"
"Hi mom." I whisper and smile small, wrapping my arms around her.
She cups my face and looks at every inch of me. "Are you okay, are you hurt?!"
"I'm fine. We're fine.." I smile and touch my tummy absentmindedly.
"This is why you left?" She whispers, frowning. I don't like her frowning... and I don't like that she clearly hasn't hunted much either.
"Sort of. I mean, yeah I guess. When Seth.." I scratch my left arm nervously "I thought it was all over. He didn't want us and I thought you wouldn't."
"Don't be so silly. You're my daughter." She hugs me again and I close my eyes.
I hear someone approach and turn to see Rosalie appear from the trees, Emmett just behind her. Her eyes are wide and she looks at me. "Adley!?"
I smile warmly. "Rose."
Just like with Esme, she's suddenly holding me close to her. "Where were you!!"
"I was exploring." I whisper.
"This isn't a joke! I've been worried sick!" She eyes my tummy with wide eyes.
"He did this didn't he! He went for you so you would lose the baby!" Emmett thunders, his fist colliding thunderously against a poor tree.
"No!" I scowl. "He didn't mean to go for me. It was my fault, I went to comfort him but I didn't see he was phasing. I swear, Em." I whimper.
He doesn't look convinced, he looks pissed. I really messed them all up, didn't I?
"Em, please trust me." I whisper and hold my hand out.
It takes a moment but he comes and take a it, placing a kiss on my head. I think he'd hug me but Rose hasn't stopped her hug so he can't.
"Let's get you inside." She says and wraps an arm around me.
I nod and follow her inside, the house seeming too cold and quiet, leaving it feeling empty. I look around and sigh as I sit down, tucking my hair behind my ear.
"Show me." Emmett whispers as he stands in the corner.
I look at him confused but notice his gaze fixed on my arm. I sigh and unzip my jacket slowly pulling it off. I show him the 4, angry looking lines on my skin. "What does this achieve, Em? I'm not mad at Seth. I forgive him."
"How!!! He could have killed you, killed the baby!" He yells.
"That wasn't his plan! He didn't mean to do it Emmett!"
"Enough." Rose scowls. "Don't you think we've all been under enough pressure for a life time!? Quit bickering, Ady had only been back 5 minutes."
I sigh and rub my head, it throbbing with every best of my heart. "Can someone get me a glass of water?"
Rose looks worried. "What's wrong?"
"I'm fine I'm just tired and have a headache."
"Carlisle will be home soon-"
"I don't need a doctor to examine me, I just want my dad." I snap quickly.
"You really should-" she stops talking when I shoot her a look.
I thank Esme for the glass and sip it slowly, sitting back. "Stop staring." I mutter as I look out of the window in annoyance.
"We just missed you, sweetheart." Esme frowns and strokes my hair, placing a gentle kiss on my forehead.
I sip the water more and see Carlisle's car pull up, making me sit up. I set the glass on the table and go to meet him, pausing to look at my family. "Let me talk to him alone."
They all slowly nod and I go downstairs, reaching the bottom as he walks through the door. He exhales slowly. "It's really you."
I smile. "Hi daddy." I whisper and he drops his bag, quickly picking me up. He lifts my feet off the ground and I wrap my arms and legs around him, closing my eyes. "I missed you."
"I can't even begin to explain how sorry I am, Adley."
I shake my head. "Don't. I'm sorry for losing it with you, I was scared a-and shocked.. I'd just found out."
He sighs and sets me down, stroking my arm. "And you're okay? The baby is okay?"
I smile and nod. "Yeah, he or she is amazing." I whisper and blush.
He sighs and hugs me one more time. "Jas said you crashed. You're okay, nothing hurts?"
I shake my head. "I promise. I'm fine."
He takes my hand and we go back to everyone else, Carlisle pleased to see his children are all slowly coming back. Rose hugs him tightly and I smile as I sit down, running my hand through my hair.
I gasp and hold my tummy quickly. All eyes turn to me as Carlisle quickly kneels. "Adley? Everything okay?"
I exhale slowly, my eyebrows raised. "Um yeah yeah. I think she kicked." I laugh nervously.
Rose smiles wide. "She?"
"I keep dreaming of a daughter." I blush as I feel the flutter again.
I grab Carlisle's hand and place it where she kicked. "Well we have an early kicker." He smiles and chuckles.
I smile wide. "It is so strange."
"For us, too. Bella was only pregnant for a few weeks. You're not even half way." Carlisle chuckles. "How far are you?"
"I'll be 17 weeks on Tuesday."
"Wow. I can't believe we never heard the heart beat those first few weeks." Esme shakes her head.
I smile. "Where is everyone else?"
"On their way. Alice should be here any minute and Bella and Edward will be here in the morning. Renesmee says she isn't sure you'd want to see her..."
I tense for a moment; I haven't considered that. She ratted me out, told Carlisle behind my back. She broke my trust... but she's family. "No.. it's fine. She can come." I whisper. "If she apologises."
×××××
Bella and Edward are stunned when they see me the next morning, just like everyone else was. Alice arrived shortly after Carlisle did and she's been sulking with me - she didn't say hello, how are you, she just went straight to Jasper and then her room.
I sit beside Bella on the couch and she feels my tummy. "Its so strange. Ness was so big and active, but I guess that pregnancy is no comparison." She laughs small.
I giggle. "Not entirely. The nausea sucks and I'm always tired." I sigh.
"I do remember that. I did hear that it will pass, though. Just let me know if you need anything." She pats my arm.
I smile and cuddle into her, thinking. "Is there an update.. on Seth?"
She smiles sadly. "No, I'm sorry. He was near New Mexico the last time I heard anything. Jacobs hoping he'll believe your home now."
I sigh and look at my tummy. "I want her to have a daddy. He will be so amazing with her, or him even."
"We'll get him home." She squeezes my hand.
I smile small and curl up into her, closing my eyes. I was serious about the tiredness - I'm exhausted. All the time. I close my eyes and end up falling asleep on her...
I wander the forest slowly and feel a little girl beside me, tanned skin and dark hair that falls in loose curls. Her beautiful dark eyes and button nose... she's the most beautiful little girl I've ever seen - because she looks like her father.
"Momma, where's daddy?" She asks as we wander, going who knows where. I recognise it as the forest by the cabin, probably in summer time because all the snow is melted.
"He's travelling, sweetheart." I smile and stop walking kneeling beside her and holding her hands.
"Does he want me, momma...?" She frowns.
Her frown makes me frown; I stroke her cheek trying to smooth it out. "He's does, sweetheart. Your daddy is special, like you are. Look, there he is." I smile and stand with a gasp, seeing the familiar wolf charging through the trees.
Only... he's angry. His usually soft eyes are empty and cold, his teeth exposed as he snarls. "Run sweetheart!" I yell as he lunges for me.
I gasp and sit up fast, my heart racing as I gasp in a few breaths. I'm on the couch still, but I'm alone, tucked under a blanket. I look around the room and calm a little, but I can't shake a familiar feeling. Seth's here, he's near by.
I quickly get up and look around, out the big window and towards the dark trees. My eyes widen as I see him - my world. I quickly run downstairs and out the door, no shoes or jacket on.
"Seth!?" I call and run towards the trees. "Baby!"
"Adley, wait. Stop." Edward says appearing a few feet away. "He's been phased too long, he's more wild and untamed."
The wolf snarls, eyeing Edward and me. "Seth... it's me. It's Adley." I whisper, ignoring him. I slowly raise my hand to him, showing I'm not going to hurt him.
I slowly edge forward, my eyes wide and my heart racing, as he moves forward a little. I smile slightly, my hand inches from his nose as he sniffs me. A whine escapes his chest as he realises it is me, he recognises my scent.
I smile and gently stroke my hand through his hair. "Hi... oh god, I missed you." I whisper as I stroke him.
He slowly nudges my tummy with his nose, another whine escaping. I sit down carefully and pull his head into my lap gently, letting him rest his ear against it. "That's our baby, Seth." I whisper. "I need you to phase back for me?" I kiss his head.
He whines and I look at Edward who frowns. "He can't remember how... it's been two months since he was last human."
"Its okay. You told me you focus on me, so do that. I'm here, I'm not leaving you. I'm here." I rest my head on his and feel him lay more on me, his heavy body giving me the warm I need right now. He keeps his head to my tummy so he can listen to our baby.
I sing go him, talk to him, tell him my adventures. He listens to me and I can't see him close his eyes sometimes to try and focus. "She kicked yesterday. Carlisle says she's an early mover." I smile. "She's hitting milestones before she's even supposed to - She's special, like her daddy. I cannot wait for you to meet her." I close my eyes and sigh.
I feel my family watching from the house, obviously nervous that something may happen. But I trust him - He wouldn't hurt me purposely. He never hurt me intentionally, it was my fault that time on the cliff.
"Please Seth... please." I sigh.
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I wake up in bed with Seth beside me, snoring. I giggle and stroke his fur gently, happy hes beside me again. He hasn't phased back... it's been 2 weeks and I know he really is trying but it must be hard for him. Edward told me about Jacob when this happened to him. It took a lot to phase back, to remember your humanity.
I sit up and rub my prominent tummy, my princess kicking gently. "Good morning, sweetheart." I whisper to her and stretch.
Seth stirs beside me and I scratch his ear giggling. "Get up lazy."
He stretches out across the whole bed and I laugh more, feeling him laugh too. "Hey, this is my bed, too!"
He moves his head to beside my tummy and I giggle, sighing happily. "You know you really should go for a run. You've been cooped up since you got here." I say gently. He whines and rolls his eyes. "Don't you roll your eyes at me. You need to let lose - Its not like I'm going anywhere."
He deliberates for a moment before huffing at me. I smile, knowing he agrees, and head downstairs and outside. I kiss his head and hug him for a moment. "Go on then. Don't be too long."
He looks back at me for a moment before taking off running and disappearing into the trees. I sigh and sit on the porch for a moment, already missing him.
"Go talk to her." Jasper whispers behind me.
"No! I have nothing to say!" Alice hisses in a low voice.
I roll my eyes and get up to walk away. I hear her sigh in annoyance. "Ady wait." She reluctantly says.
I turn around and fold my arms across my chest. "What? Do I know you?"
She scowls and delicately skips over. "Can we talk?"
"I thought you had nothing to say." I raise an eyebrow.
"Well I don't. But I do." She sighs. I roll my eyes but she does actually talk to me, surprising me. "I'm sorry... for being selfish. I was just upset that I couldn't see you, that I couldn't help you." She looks at the ground.
"Damn right you were selfish. It wasn't your fault." I sigh. "Now pull up your big girl pants and yet over it."
She giggles and sighs coming to give me a hug. "I missed you kiddo." She holds me close and I enjoy the feeling of her close to me again.
"Please don't ignore me for so long, ever again." I whisper.
She giggles small and takes my hand. "Deal. So I heard you needed a new car."
I raise an eyebrow. "Maybe..."
"How about we share the Porsche?"
My jaw drops. "Are you serious!?"
"Yeah I am... actually, you aren't going to crash it, too, are you?"
I shove her playfully, a blush creeping across my cheeks. "Rude. Can I have the key?"
"Why?" She raise an eyebrow as we walk inside.
"I want to go to the store." I giggle small. "Do a little shopping..."
"Baby shopping?!" Her eyes light up. "Oh my god please let me come, please pleasssse?" She begs.
"No. You won't let me choose anything." I stop walking and cross my arms over my chest.
She rolls her eyes. "Only because you have bad taste - okay I'm sorry, I take it back. You have.. your own taste." She smiles sweetly.
"You can come if you stay quiet. I drive, I choose things for the baby and I pay... no wait, you might have to pay..."
She giggles. "Deal. If I can choose just a few outfits."
I roll my eyes; this chick doesn't quit.
×××××
Alice stuck to her deal - if you count a few outfits as at least a dozen- and we bought the things up to my room. I'm so sure I'm having a girl that I bought a few pink things but Alice convinced me to remain neutral. She's pissed that she can't see what the baby is, so she's trying to remain unbiased.
Haa!
Alice?
Unbiased?
That's two words that don't often go together - or ever go together! I hear Edward laughing downstairs so he obviously agrees with my thoughts.
I giggle. "You stuck to your end of the deal. Thank you, Alice."
She smirks smugly. "Of course I did. Next time, though, I drive. And I'm going to spoil them rotten."
I groan as she skips away, flopping onto the bed once she's gone. I pull the small teddy out of the bag, it's white fluffy fur so soft and clean. I smile as I look at the button nose; my baby's first toy. I hug it gently closing my eyes.
It's scary - I'm going to be a mom. I'm going to have a life relying on me, someone who needs me in order to survive. How the hell am I going to keep them alive while keeping myself alive?!
And Seth. What if he doesn't phase back? What if he's never my Seth again? I can't raise a baby alone! She - or he - needs a father, someone who'll be there to pick them up when they fall, stand up for them and teach them how to defend themself if they ever need to... I sure wish I'd had that growing up.
My fingers absentmindedly stroke the bear as I breathe a small sigh - a sigh of pain, of longing. A sigh of defeat but also insistence of pulling myself together. I don't matter anymore; my sweet little life does.