Caught in the Flames

Chapter One Hundred Sixty-Two

As always, none of this is mine. I'm just the perv who want to make our beloved Twilight characters swear, drink, and go at it like horny rabbits. This story will be a combination of love, suspense, some violence and steamy, sweaty sex.

Chapter 162

BPOV

"Bella, we're taking you to the hospital," chided Angela, taking my blood pressure. "You need to get the baby checked out."

"Edward cushioned my fall," I grumped as Jessica wrapped my wrist in a makeshift sling. I looked at him and he was being cared for my Seth and Leah. The force of our tumble had aggravated his ribs. The smoke had also caused the damage to his lungs to resurface. He was grimacing in pain. I felt fine, but I think it was the shock of everything that caused me to push the pain I may or may not be feeling back.

"He's going. So, you're going," Jessica said. "On the gurney, Bella. Edward would kick my ass if anything happened to you." I moved so I was on the gurney, strapped in and attached to various monitors. Edward got in, groaning as he settled next to me. The gash on his head was hastily covered and he was wearing oxygen, wheezing from the exposure from the flames and smoke from the destruction of my office. "You should be on a gurney, too, Edward."

"I'm not pregnant," he said breathlessly. "I just need a nebulizer and to make sure that our peanut is okay."

"You two are so fucking stubborn," Leah grumbled, tightening the nasal cannula around Edward's head. "Go, Ang. The sooner we get to the hospital, the sooner we can get them settled." Jessica closed the doors and the ambulance pulled away, driving us to Northwestern Memorial Hospital. We were unloaded and brought to one of the examination rooms. Edward was in the bed next to me, his face and mouth covered with an oxygen mask. I was strapped to a fetal monitor. In addition to that, I started to wheeze. I got my own oxygen and some pain medication for my wrist.

Carlisle came into our room, with Dr. Popper, my obstetrician, on his heels. Carlisle checked on Edward while Dr. Popper assessed me. We were both poked and prodded. Dr. Popper frowned, looking at the printouts from the fetal monitor. "Bella, it appears that you are having contractions," she muttered, her eyes filled with concern.

"I'm not in pain. Well, not labor pain," I said. "My wrist hurts like a son of a bitch, but nothing here." I gestured to my belly.

"Well, it's still early. We can stop the labor but you will have to be on complete bed rest. Here, in labor and delivery," Dr. Popper said, her nose wrinkled.

"I can't go home?" I whimpered.

"I'm sorry, Bella. We'll give you medications to slow your labor and steroids to boost your baby's lung development, but you will stay here until Marie is born. You've only got six weeks," Dr. Popper said, trying to sound optimistic. In her eyes, there was something that she was hiding.

"I'm not going to make it, am I? The six weeks," I whispered.

"Probably not," Dr. Popper answered. "You're dilated, roughly three centimeters. Your water hasn't broken, but we need to try and prepare for the birth of your daughter."

"How soon?" Edward asked, his voice deep and rough. He coughed deeply, his father putting the oxygen mask back over his face. His coughing settled, but he was still panting heavily.

"I don't know. I'll order up the medications," Dr. Popper said, giving me a sad smile.

"Will I be able to have more children?" I asked, grabbing her hand.

"Again, I don't know, Bella," Dr. Popper replied. "This baby is a miracle. I can't honestly tell you if you will be able to have more." Dr. Popper gave me a hug, ducking out of the room and speaking briefly with our nurse. I closed my eyes, tears falling onto my cheeks. Edward got out of his hospital bed, against his father's advice and gathered me in his arms. I could hear the rattles in his chest as I sobbed brokenly, all of what happened raining down on me. Edward didn't say anything. He just held me as the torrent of confusion, pain and anger gripped me. When I calmed down, the nurse came back. She put an IV into my arm, beginning the medication to slow my impending labor and encourage the growth of my baby's lungs.

"Dad, can you go to our house and pack a bag for both me and Bella?" Edward asked, his fingers tracing down my cheek.

"I will do whatever you ask me to do, but get back into bed and on the oxygen," Carlisle chided, moving Edward back to his bed and covering his face with the oxygen mask. "You know, you're going to be admitted overnight for observation, Edward." He widened his eyes, shaking his head no fervently. "Yes, Edward. You need to be healthy for Bella and the baby. One night. I promise, one night."

"You can't promise that," I argued feebly.

"No, I will. I just want to make sure that you don't have more damage to you lungs," Carlisle said, taking Edward's hand. "If your lung function tests are normal, you'll be released." He looked back at me, his eyes swirling with concern for both of us. "Esme can stay with you in the labor and delivery while I take care of Edward. Alice can pack your belongings."

"Edward, please?" I asked, slightly mollified that Esme was going to be with me. "You need to take care of yourself."

"One night," Edward said behind his oxygen mask, not fighting anymore.

We stayed in that examination room until I was admitted to labor and delivery. Edward was able to come with me, getting me settled into my private suite. He sat with me, his handsome face covered with the oxygen mask, until Esme came with a bag with my stuff. Edward was rolled out of my room and was admitted to the medical floor. As promised, Edward did not have to stay for very long. He was released early the following morning. He had to come in for nebulizer treatments while I was in the hospital, but the damage was not as bad as Carlisle had feared, luckily.

The medications, thankfully, slowed my contractions and the progress of my labor, but Dr. Popper said that I may give birth relatively soon. I prayed that I'd be able to make it to term, but from the conversations I'd had with Dr. Popper and the residents who checked on me nearly every hour, it seemed unlikely.

I had to hold on. I had to keep Marie safe. I had to make sure that she was healthy for her daddy, for me. I would not let James take this baby from me. He already has taken so much. He was not taking away my happiness.

A/N: Up next, impromptu baby shower. Leave me some! And I'm thinking of updating daily until this is done. I'm working on the last three chapters now. So, I'll see you tomorrow!