After Forever (a Twilight Saga fanfiction: 10 years after Breaking Dawn)

45 ◦ Blood Drive (EPOV)

February 5th 2017

Carlisle was hosting a blood drive today, for Renesmee.

Of course, the hospital didn't know that.

Though Nessie's vampiric genetics make her capable of overcoming anything, Carlisle wants to take no risks, and Bella and I agree. Her pregnancy is our family's top priority.

It's already given her morning sickness. Who knows how else it'll affect her? Will it make her skin vulnerable? Will her body survive birth? Will she be as close to death as Bella was?

If only Alice could see her. Her future. Our future.

If Renesmee dies, so do we. So does Jacob. Our family will crumble. We can't let that happen.

"Are you sure it will be enough?" Bella asked Carlisle. "How did you get this to happen so quickly?"

I chuckled. "By suggesting it. Everyone at the hospital still thinks he walks on water."

"Don't we all?" I heard Emmett mumble from the floor above us.

Dad would be blushing if it were possible. "More people have volunteered this time around than when you were pregnant, Bella," he shared. "I'm certain it will be enough. I should get back to help. I'll be back tonight." He kissed Esme's cheek before returning to his car.

Bella intertwined her fingers in mine. "This will work," I promised her, my voice slightly faltering on half a syllable. "She will be just fine."

She nodded silently. My love hid it well, but I could see it in her eyes—she was beside herself with anguish. Overwhelmingly so. I knew I needed to keep it together for her, for our daughter.

Jacob was doing the same. He managed to keep Nessie smiling at all times, despite the raging war going on inside his head. All the ways he could protect her—protect them—from the worst, and simultaneously all the ways he would destroy himself after it would destroy her, was playing endlessly in his mind.

Jasper kept his distance most days because of this. Our pain magnified his pain. And since he was away, so was Alice, my own source of distraction.

It was hard times all around.

Bella sank down next to Renesmee. Jacob was on her other side, and Rosalie sat with Esme on the couch opposite of her. I stood with Emmett on the other end of the room.

"Have you thought much about names?" Bella asked them.

Nessie hummed in thought, glancing over at Jake. "I know what it'll be if it's a girl, but I'm totally lost on boy names."

I smiled when I heard the girl's name in her mind. I kept my mouth shut, wanting her to tell everyone in her own time.

"Care to share?" Jacob chuckled. Nessie didn't consult with him; I smiled wider.

She giggled. "No. You can decide the boy's name, then. I won't veto whatever you choose."

"Please don't pick Jacob Junior," Bella pleaded, half jokingly.

"Funny coming from you. You were gonna name her"—he pointed at his wife—"after me."

"Don't remind me." Bella's melodic laugh was mesmerizing. "How are you feeling, honey?"

Nessie smiled dreamily. "A little overwhelmed and a little out of breath, but it's a good feeling. I'm so excited."

"Have you thought about your scholarship and your job in Morrison's office?"

"Nope. I haven't told Kalona yet, either. I've kind of been putting them both off..." She adopted a somber expression and ran a hand over her swollen belly. "How am I supposed to do both? I never thought this could happen. I never planned for it. I didn't even want to start thinking about it until after I made a life for myself out in the world."

"Don't be silly, Renesmee," Bella put on her Mom-voice, as Emmett calls it. "You can absolutely do both. You can do anything you set your mind to."

"You also don't have a shortage of family members who will pitch in when you need to focus on one more than the other," I reminded her. "Besides, we have yet to find out how quickly or slowly your little one will grow, either. Don't stress over it. It does none of you three any good." I grinned to put her at ease.

Bella and I took off to give them some alone time. They had a lot of decisions to make about their future, and we had to accept that they were grown enough to do it on their own.

We spent most of the afternoon in our meadow after a short hunt. Feeling the sun on our skin, finding shapes in the clouds, peppering kisses on each other's faces, becoming one, always touching.

"How's Jasper?" Bella asked me on our way back.

I sighed. "Much the same. And he feels all the more guilt for it. He hates keeping his distance, especially at such a pivotal time in our family."

"I hope he knows we understand. I mean, we could never know exactly what it's like." She side-eyed me. "Other than you. But I can imagine how much it screams at him."

"He'll deal. It's not his first time."

As we neared closer to the house, I heard multiple heartbeats—four, in fact—but heard no minds yet.

How odd. Is Charlie here? I tugged slightly on Bella's hand and we ran a little faster. One was much stronger and much louder. Definitely Jacob's. One was significantly quick, hummingbird-like. That was Renesmee's.

The other two were soft but upbeat, and followed a distinct pattern. It reminded me of rumbling hoof beats.

I decided it wasn't Charlie's. His is uneven and reacts to his breathing in a very unique way.

But with the silent minds, who else could it be but a member of the Swan family?

A fraction of my thoughts resorted to a member of the Volturi, causing me to pull Bella even quicker. I was sure she heard it, too.

In the same instant the house was finally in view, we were already through the door. Laughter was heard upstairs. Still on the same couch, Jacob was leaning over Renesmee, his cheek pressed against her bump. They both raised their heads in alarm when we returned.

"What is it?" he asked, standing up now, a semi-protective stance in front of her.

"Who's here?" Bella asked. I couldn't yet. I was trying to make sense of the sound.

"What do you mean?"

I stared at him with scrunched eyebrows. "You don't hear that?"

He took a second. I heard the wheels turning in his head. Hear what? I only hear our voices. I hear Renesmee's breathing. I hear birds outside. I hear...

His lungs froze. Mine and Bella's already were. His expression hardened. I felt how confused he was. Angry. Scared.

How did I let my guard down? How didn't I hear something that significant?

His eyes slowly moved to Renesmee. She was listening intently, too, but I could tell she wasn't sure what to look for.

"Where is that coming from?" Ness wondered quietly, not wanting to believe it.

What I felt when Bella was dying was incomparable to what I felt now, for our child. The combination of sheer fear underneath inexplicable awe was soul-crushing.

Bella squeezed my hand; I felt my marble skin crack. "The heartbeat," she exulted.

"Heartbeats," I corrected.

Jake's panicked mind escalated for a moment before the floodgates opened. Relief, serenity, exaltation.

Nessie turned to him. "We're having twins," she sobbed.

They embraced each other with extreme force. Bella and I waited a second then wrapped our arms around them. Not able to actually cry, the venom coating our eyes stung.

Oh, the life we've made for ourselves... And it was only going to grow.