The Promise
by Laura Spudzmom
Chapter 17:
Bella laid, curled tightly in Jasper’s arms during the ride to the Cullen house. He’d tried to put her in a seat and she’d protested the move. She didn’t know why but she, strangely, felt secure with him and she had to admit, she needed that right now. She was scared and lonely and wishing Pete was here with her…
“Jasper?”
“Yeah sugar?”
“I’m scared.”
He stroked a hand through her hair. “You’re gonna be just fine baby girl. Carlisle’s the best and he’s gonna take good care of ya and the little ‘un.”
“I wish Pete was here.”
He held her head against his chest as he rubbed her cheek with his thumb. “I know ya do doll, and if he ain’t here by the time ya have this baby, I’ll go get ‘im for ya.”
She glanced up at him. “Really?”
He smiled down at her sadly. “Yeah, really sugar. Y’all deserve to be together and happy and I don’t care how he feels about me, I’ll drag his ass here even if he doesn’t wanna listen to me.”
She laid her head back against his chest. “Jasper?”
“Yeah darlin?” He shushed her and kissed the top of her head when he heard her voice waver with tears.
“What if he doesn’t want me anymore? What if he doesn’t love me? Did he give up on me after all these years? Did he move on?”
Alice met her husbands tortured, guilt-filled gaze in the rear-view mirror as he held Bella just a little bit tighter and answered. “Ya know sugar, it’s been a very long time for him…”
She nodded and her shoulders shook with silent sobs as he continued speaking.
“One thing I know about Peter Whitlock is whatever he feels, he feels it deeply. He ain’t the least bit fickle sugar, ya understand what I’m sayin’?”
She gave a tiny shrug and he continued. “Baby doll, ya know I’m an expert on emotions, right?” She nodded. “Well, that boy has hated me since the day he awoke to this life with a depth and breadth that’ll take your breath away, but as vast as his hatred of me is, it’s nothing when compared to the love he felt for you Bella.” She looked up and he nodded. “He’s held onto that hate for me all these years sugar, so it doesn’t make a bit of sense to think that he’d let go of his love for you either.”
He ran his hand through her hair. “He still loves ya darlin’. Don’t ya doubt it.”
Alice pulled the car into the garage, cut the engine and met her husband’s gaze with a gentle smile as Bella whispered, “Thank you Jasper.”
“You’re welcome baby doll,” he said as his chest tightened, his voice choked with emotion. He didn’t deserve her gratitude, after all, but he’d meant what he’d said; he would do all that he could to fix what he’d done.
Reaching over, he popped the door open and stood from the car gracefully, Bella still held securely against his chest. “Ya wanna try walkin’ darlin’, or ya want me to carry ya?”
Right about then, her breathing changed and she curled up tighter. “Oh… it hurts…” She had his shirt fisted so tightly that Jasper heard some threads give way in the seam.
He glanced at Alice who opened the door for him. “I reckon that answers my question well enough,” he muttered as he walked into the house. He glanced down as he carried her. “Ya want me to help sugar?”
Her eyes were squeezed shut and he could feel the tension in her muscles. She gasped. “Yes, please, just don’t make me all goofy like you did before.”
He chuckled as he concentrated on relaxing her subtly. “Aw, but I thought ya enjoyed it.”
She glared up at him, “I’d like to get through this with as much dignity as possible. I can’t do that if I’m high as a kite.”
“Fair point,” he said with a nod.
He entered the living room and was joined by Carlisle and Esme, the latter stroking Bella’s cheek as her eyes glittered with emotion. “Bella, it’s so good to see you! It broke my heart to leave you.”
The pain finally eased and Bella gave her a small, teary smile. “I missed you Esme. I’m glad you guys are back.” She glanced at a softly smiling Carlisle and he saw his opportunity to speak.
“Hello Bella.”
She felt her tears spill over and glanced up at Jasper. “Can you put me down please?”
He placed her on her feet and she was engulfed in a hug by both Carlisle and Esme. “I missed you guys so much,” she sobbed, and Carlisle rocked her side to side as Esme stroked her hair.
While there was no denying the love she had for Charlie and Renee, The couple holding her at this moment had become just as dear to her in an amazingly short time and her heart had ached at their abrupt departure. They had been the parents she’d always dreamed of having; their solid, steady love and support filling a need that her absent father and flighty mother never could.
They held her a few moments more until she groaned and backed away, one hand clutching her belly as the other reached for Jasper who scooped her up again.
“Take her up to the room we’ve prepared Jasper,” Carlisle said as he headed for the stairs. “I just need to wash up and I’ll be there momentarily.”
Jasper climbed the stairs and Esme followed. “I’ll help her change dear. Just give us a few minutes.”
He laid her on the birthing bed they’d had brought in and turned to go when Bella grabbed his hand, fear clear in her eyes as she looked at him. “You’ll come back right?”
He nodded. “If ya want me to, I will.”
She looked down for a moment as she stared at her hands clenched in her lap. “I do. I feel safe with you.”
His brows rose at the surprise he felt and he gave her a small smile. “Then I’ll be here. For now though, I’m gonna go check out the ice cream situation.” He winked and left the room, warmed by the chuckle he got in reply.
Esme handed her a comfortable looking gown and knelt down to help her with her boots as she spoke. “Do you need help changing dear?”
“I can manage Esme, thank you. I just need to do it now during the lull between contractions.”
Esme placed the boots in the closet and turned to her, looking worried. “All right sweetie, but if you need any help at all, just call for me. I’ll be right outside.”
“Will do, thanks.”
The door closed and she sat there for a moment as panic took over when she glanced around at all the equipment in the room. There was a monitor, an ultrasound machine and a tray full of sterile instruments off to the side. Then her gaze fell on the plastic bassinet that had some sort of hood over it and fear shot through her. It really looked like a hospital room more than a bedroom at the Cullen’s and while that should have been comforting—it just wasn’t. ‘Oh god,’ she thought. ‘I can’t do this alone! Pete, I need you!” Out loud, she muttered, “Where the hell are you husband?”
With that thought, she rose from the bed, changed into the gown, and climbed under the light covers on the bed, a shaky sigh leaving her as she leaned back against the pillows in an effort to calm her racing heart.
Clenching her hands in her lap in an effort to still their shaking, she called out, “I’m done Esme.”
The door opened and Esme walked in, closely followed by a scrub-clad Carlisle and her heart really took off at the sight of him. She wasn’t sure why, but she was terrified. Well, perhaps she did know why; she’d been a virgin on her wedding night and Pete had been the only man who had ever seen, been around, touched… yeah. She’d never even been to that sort of doctor and just the thought of what was to come had her nearly ready to pass out.
Of course, both vampires in the room heard the change in her heart, and Esme sat on the bed, taking her hand. “Shh sweetheart,” she said as she patted her hand. “Try to calm down dear. Everything will be fine. There’s no need to panic.”
Carlisle perched on the bed opposite his wife and smoothed some hair away from Bella’s face. “Let’s just talk for a moment, okay?”
Bella nodded and let out a breath as she looked down at her lap. “Yeah, that would be good.”
He smiled. “Good, just try to relax and I’ll just ask some questions.” He dipped his head down to catch her gaze. “I don’t bite, you know?”
She let out a laugh that sounded a bit hysterical and shook her head as he smirked at her.
While checking her blood pressure and hooking up the monitor, he proceeded to ask all the standard questions to establish her due date and the level of care she’d had and whether there had been any problems so far in the pregnancy. When she’d answered all that, he nodded. “It’s as I thought it would be. Pre-natal care was pretty much non-existent in that time period. Since you’re not due for another 3 weeks, I need to see how far you’ve progressed and then I’d like to do an ultrasound to assess the baby. Depending upon those results, I may give you something to stop your labor since your membranes haven’t ruptured, to give the baby’s lungs more time to mature.”
She looked at him with wide eyes and he patted her hand. “It’s just a precaution. I’m sure he or she would be fine if delivered now, but an extra week in the womb is preferable.”
He stood and grabbed some gloves and Esme patted her hand as Bella paled. “Would you like me to stay sweetheart?”
Bella laid, curled tightly in Jasper’s arms during the ride to the Cullen house. He’d tried to put her in a seat and she’d protested the move. She didn’t know why but she, strangely, felt secure with him and she had to admit, she needed that right now. She was scared and lonely and wishing Pete was here with her…
“Jasper?”
“Yeah sugar?”
“I’m scared.”
He stroked a hand through her hair. “You’re gonna be just fine baby girl. Carlisle’s the best and he’s gonna take good care of ya and the little ‘un.”
“I wish Pete was here.”
He held her head against his chest as he rubbed her cheek with his thumb. “I know ya do doll, and if he ain’t here by the time ya have this baby, I’ll go get ‘im for ya.”
She glanced up at him. “Really?”
He smiled down at her sadly. “Yeah, really sugar. Y’all deserve to be together and happy and I don’t care how he feels about me, I’ll drag his ass here even if he doesn’t wanna listen to me.”
She laid her head back against his chest. “Jasper?”
“Yeah darlin?” He shushed her and kissed the top of her head when he heard her voice waver with tears.
“What if he doesn’t want me anymore? What if he doesn’t love me? Did he give up on me after all these years? Did he move on?”
Alice met her husbands tortured, guilt-filled gaze in the rear-view mirror as he held Bella just a little bit tighter and answered. “Ya know sugar, it’s been a very long time for him…”
She nodded and her shoulders shook with silent sobs as he continued speaking.
“One thing I know about Peter Whitlock is whatever he feels, he feels it deeply. He ain’t the least bit fickle sugar, ya understand what I’m sayin’?”
She gave a tiny shrug and he continued. “Baby doll, ya know I’m an expert on emotions, right?” She nodded. “Well, that boy has hated me since the day he awoke to this life with a depth and breadth that’ll take your breath away, but as vast as his hatred of me is, it’s nothing when compared to the love he felt for you Bella.” She looked up and he nodded. “He’s held onto that hate for me all these years sugar, so it doesn’t make a bit of sense to think that he’d let go of his love for you either.”
He ran his hand through her hair. “He still loves ya darlin’. Don’t ya doubt it.”
Alice pulled the car into the garage, cut the engine and met her husband’s gaze with a gentle smile as Bella whispered, “Thank you Jasper.”
“You’re welcome baby doll,” he said as his chest tightened, his voice choked with emotion. He didn’t deserve her gratitude, after all, but he’d meant what he’d said; he would do all that he could to fix what he’d done.
Reaching over, he popped the door open and stood from the car gracefully, Bella still held securely against his chest. “Ya wanna try walkin’ darlin’, or ya want me to carry ya?”
Right about then, her breathing changed and she curled up tighter. “Oh… it hurts…” She had his shirt fisted so tightly that Jasper heard some threads give way in the seam.
He glanced at Alice who opened the door for him. “I reckon that answers my question well enough,” he muttered as he walked into the house. He glanced down as he carried her. “Ya want me to help sugar?”
Her eyes were squeezed shut and he could feel the tension in her muscles. She gasped. “Yes, please, just don’t make me all goofy like you did before.”
He chuckled as he concentrated on relaxing her subtly. “Aw, but I thought ya enjoyed it.”
She glared up at him, “I’d like to get through this with as much dignity as possible. I can’t do that if I’m high as a kite.”
“Fair point,” he said with a nod.
He entered the living room and was joined by Carlisle and Esme, the latter stroking Bella’s cheek as her eyes glittered with emotion. “Bella, it’s so good to see you! It broke my heart to leave you.”
The pain finally eased and Bella gave her a small, teary smile. “I missed you Esme. I’m glad you guys are back.” She glanced at a softly smiling Carlisle and he saw his opportunity to speak.
“Hello Bella.”
She felt her tears spill over and glanced up at Jasper. “Can you put me down please?”
He placed her on her feet and she was engulfed in a hug by both Carlisle and Esme. “I missed you guys so much,” she sobbed, and Carlisle rocked her side to side as Esme stroked her hair.
While there was no denying the love she had for Charlie and Renee, The couple holding her at this moment had become just as dear to her in an amazingly short time and her heart had ached at their abrupt departure. They had been the parents she’d always dreamed of having; their solid, steady love and support filling a need that her absent father and flighty mother never could.
They held her a few moments more until she groaned and backed away, one hand clutching her belly as the other reached for Jasper who scooped her up again.
“Take her up to the room we’ve prepared Jasper,” Carlisle said as he headed for the stairs. “I just need to wash up and I’ll be there momentarily.”
Jasper climbed the stairs and Esme followed. “I’ll help her change dear. Just give us a few minutes.”
He laid her on the birthing bed they’d had brought in and turned to go when Bella grabbed his hand, fear clear in her eyes as she looked at him. “You’ll come back right?”
He nodded. “If ya want me to, I will.”
She looked down for a moment as she stared at her hands clenched in her lap. “I do. I feel safe with you.”
His brows rose at the surprise he felt and he gave her a small smile. “Then I’ll be here. For now though, I’m gonna go check out the ice cream situation.” He winked and left the room, warmed by the chuckle he got in reply.
Esme handed her a comfortable looking gown and knelt down to help her with her boots as she spoke. “Do you need help changing dear?”
“I can manage Esme, thank you. I just need to do it now during the lull between contractions.”
Esme placed the boots in the closet and turned to her, looking worried. “All right sweetie, but if you need any help at all, just call for me. I’ll be right outside.”
“Will do, thanks.”
The door closed and she sat there for a moment as panic took over when she glanced around at all the equipment in the room. There was a monitor, an ultrasound machine and a tray full of sterile instruments off to the side. Then her gaze fell on the plastic bassinet that had some sort of hood over it and fear shot through her. It really looked like a hospital room more than a bedroom at the Cullen’s and while that should have been comforting—it just wasn’t. ‘Oh god,’ she thought. ‘I can’t do this alone! Pete, I need you!” Out loud, she muttered, “Where the hell are you husband?”
With that thought, she rose from the bed, changed into the gown, and climbed under the light covers on the bed, a shaky sigh leaving her as she leaned back against the pillows in an effort to calm her racing heart.
Clenching her hands in her lap in an effort to still their shaking, she called out, “I’m done Esme.”
The door opened and Esme walked in, closely followed by a scrub-clad Carlisle and her heart really took off at the sight of him. She wasn’t sure why, but she was terrified. Well, perhaps she did know why; she’d been a virgin on her wedding night and Pete had been the only man who had ever seen, been around, touched… yeah. She’d never even been to that sort of doctor and just the thought of what was to come had her nearly ready to pass out.
Of course, both vampires in the room heard the change in her heart, and Esme sat on the bed, taking her hand. “Shh sweetheart,” she said as she patted her hand. “Try to calm down dear. Everything will be fine. There’s no need to panic.”
Carlisle perched on the bed opposite his wife and smoothed some hair away from Bella’s face. “Let’s just talk for a moment, okay?”
Bella nodded and let out a breath as she looked down at her lap. “Yeah, that would be good.”
He smiled. “Good, just try to relax and I’ll just ask some questions.” He dipped his head down to catch her gaze. “I don’t bite, you know?”
She let out a laugh that sounded a bit hysterical and shook her head as he smirked at her.
While checking her blood pressure and hooking up the monitor, he proceeded to ask all the standard questions to establish her due date and the level of care she’d had and whether there had been any problems so far in the pregnancy. When she’d answered all that, he nodded. “It’s as I thought it would be. Pre-natal care was pretty much non-existent in that time period. Since you’re not due for another 3 weeks, I need to see how far you’ve progressed and then I’d like to do an ultrasound to assess the baby. Depending upon those results, I may give you something to stop your labor since your membranes haven’t ruptured, to give the baby’s lungs more time to mature.”
She looked at him with wide eyes and he patted her hand. “It’s just a precaution. I’m sure he or she would be fine if delivered now, but an extra week in the womb is preferable.”
He stood and grabbed some gloves and Esme patted her hand as Bella paled. “Would you like me to stay sweetheart?”
DISCLAIMER: Twilight and its inclusive material is copyright to Stephenie Meyer. Original creation, including but not limited to plot and characters, is copyright to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.