(Thomas POV)
We went upstairs to leave Carlisle to his tests without us hovering and asking questions he didn't have answers for. When we exited the basement doors to the main floor, it was no surprise to see a crowd of vampires acting like there was no reason they were all sitting in the living room with the TV off.
I heard Leah sigh in resignation. I wouldn't say she was used to the Cullen Coven yet, but she knew there was no danger.
"Okay, since my big mouth started this… Yes, it is confirmed that I am pregnant. Thomas, Edythe, and I are having a… baby."
Her last word was almost a whisper. Saying it out loud like this had obviously hit her deeper than she expected.
Alice jumped up from her chair, face full of excitement.
"I finally get to shop for a baby… I can't believe it! Dibs on favorite Auntie. I am so going to spoil it."
Alice's excitement nearly covered Rosalie's look of utter jealousy, before she smoothed it out and gave a half-hearted smile.
Esme, on the other hand, didn't bother smoothing anything. She was already on her feet, already moving, hands lifted like she was trying to decide whether she was allowed to touch Leah or if that would send her running.
She chose the safest option, and she wrapped Leah in a gentle hug that didn't trap her. Just warmth. Just welcome.
"Oh, Leah," Esme breathed. "Congratulations. I'm so happy for you."
Leah's shoulders stiffened on instinct… then, slowly, they loosened. She hugged back, brief and awkward…honest.
"Thanks," Leah said, voice quieter than it had been a minute ago. "I… still don't know what to do with this."
"You don't have to know yet," Esme said firmly. "You just have to be. We all do the rest as we learn."
Edythe made a small sound that might have been a laugh if it hadn't been edged with relief. She stayed close to Leah's side, not crowding, just present.
Emmett's grin widened. "So. We're calling it a baby? Or are we calling it a tiny wolf-tiger-vampire super soldier?"
Esme's eyes flashed. "Emmett."
"What?" he protested. "I'm being supportive."
Jasper drifted closer, expression sober but bright behind the calm. "Whatever you call it, we'll handle it. All of us." His gaze flicked over Leah, careful, respectful. "If you need space, you'll get space. If you need help, you'll get help."
Leah nodded once.
Alice was already pacing in a tight little circle like a wind-up toy. "Okay. Okay. So. Timeline…no, Carlisle said tomorrow. Fine. Fine. But I need…" She stopped, eyes going distant for half a second, then snapped back with a frustrated huff. "Ugh. I can't see it. I can't see anything. This is so unfair."
"That," Rosalie said, too smooth, too quick, "is probably for the best. Less pressure."
Her smile looked perfect.
It didn't reach her eyes.
Leah didn't miss it. Neither did I.
I shifted my weight, trying to keep my own face neutral. I wasn't doing a great job. Every time someone said baby, something in my chest tightened and warmed at the same time.
Rosalie's jealousy wasn't gone. She'd just… tucked it away the way she tucked everything sharp away. But I saw it. We all did. And I saw the way she looked at Leah's stomach like it was something she wanted so badly it hurt to breathe.
Then Rosalie surprised me. She looked away first, like she was refusing to let herself stare, and said, clipped but not cruel, "Congratulations."
Leah blinked at her. "Thanks."
Rosalie nodded once and stepped back, like that was all she could give without breaking.
Edythe's arm slid behind Leah, light contact at her lower back, and her expression softened for a moment before it hardened into something else: purpose.
"Okay," Edythe said. "We're moving in."
Leah blinked. "We already agreed to that."
"Yes," Edythe said sweetly. "But now I'm saying it like a decree."
I choked on a laugh. Leah didn't.
"Edythe," Leah warned.
Edythe held up both hands. "I am not going to hover. I am not going to smother. I am going to be a perfectly sane, reasonable senior wife."
Emmett leaned toward Jasper. "Ten bucks says she's making a schedule."
Jasper offered his hand. "Twenty bucks says you're included on it."
Emmett brightened. "I'll take it." Then he shook his hand
Leah's mouth twitched like she didn't want to smile, but her face didn't get the memo.
I glanced toward the basement door, toward Carlisle, down there in his lab, running tests that felt like they were deciding the shape of our next year. Then I looked back at Leah.
"Hey," I said quietly, "do you want to tell your mom today? Or wait for Carlisle's timeline tomorrow?"
Leah's expression tightened. "I want to tell her in person."
Edythe nodded immediately. "Good. We'll go now."
Leah's eyes slid to Edythe in flat disbelief. "You…"
Edythe froze for half a second.
Right.
The treaty.
The border.
The line everyone pretended wasn't there until it mattered.
Edythe's jaw set, not angry, just frustrated that the world still had rules she couldn't break without consequences.
Leah's voice turned gentler, unexpectedly. "I want you there when I tell her."
Edythe's gaze softened. "Then we'll do it a different way."
I stepped in before the conversation turned into another argument about land and lines and who belonged where.
"We have to go back to our house anyway," I said. "Essentials. Clothes. Stuff Leah likes. Stuff Edythe likes." I glanced at Leah. "We invite Sue over. Dinner. We tell her at our place."
Leah paused, weighing it.
Edythe watched her like she was holding her breath.
Leah exhaled. "Yeah. Okay." Then her eyes narrowed on me. "But you're cooking."
"Deal."
Edythe's hand slid into Leah's, quick and firm.
"That works," Edythe said, and she sounded relieved enough that it made my throat tighten.
Esme smiled softly. "I'll come with you to pack, if you want. I know what tends to get forgotten when people are… overwhelmed."
Leah looked like she might protest.
Then she didn't.
"Okay," she said, voice careful. "Thank you."
Alice bounced once, like she couldn't help it. "I'll help too. I'm excellent at essentials. Essentials are basically a form of shopping."
Edythe made a helpless sound. "We're doomed."
Esme smiled, "Alice and I will leave before Sue gets there, though. She shouldn't have an audience watching when she hears the news.
I was about to say something, something normal, something grounding, when Alice suddenly went still.
Not "thinking" still.
Not "planning" still.
Vision still.
Her smile dropped right off her face. Her eyes unfocused. Her entire posture sharpened like a knife being drawn.
Then she blinked.
Once.
Twice.
"No," Alice whispered. "No, no, no…"
Jasper was at her side instantly, his hand hovering, his face controlled in that way that meant his own fear was being locked down hard.
"Alice," Jasper said softly. "What did you see?"
"It's what I don't see anymore." She quickly pulled out her phone, her fingers a blur as they pushed buttons. As she lifted her phone to her ear, she raised her voice, "Carlisle, I need you… Now!"
The room went quiet enough that the ringing of the phone she called was audible to everyone as it kept ringing. Carlisle quickly made his way from the basement and stood next to Alice with his eyes looking at her questioningly.
"Come on, come on, come on… Pick up the phone." She began to pace, and I couldn't hear the phone ring any longer.
[Hi, Alice.]
"Bella? Bella, are you okay?"
[Yeah. Um. Is Carlisle there?]
"He is. What's the problem?"
[I'm not… one hundred percent…sure…?]
"Is Edward all right?" Alice asked warily… "Why didn't he pick up the phone?"
[I'm not sure.]
"Bella, what's going on? I just saw…"
[What did you see?] Bella asked, her tone urgent.
Alice quickly moved to Carlisle, "Here is Carlisle," she said as she handed him the phone.
Carlisle walked to the other side of the room, but my attention was focused on Alice.
"What's going on, Alice?"
Alice's eyes looked dazed, like she was trying to gather her thoughts. When they finally focused on me, she answered.
"I…I'm not entirely sure. I can't see Bella anymore. I feared the worst, that she had died a sudden death I didn't foresee, but she answered the phone. How come I can't see her anymore???" Her tone was questioning.
"Can you still see Edward?" I asked.
She looked away for a second, "Yes, but nothing specific, there are too many choices for him to make right now, so I don't see a solid path of his future."
I nodded, "Well, we all heard Bella's voice and know she is alive. Once Edward makes his choices, we can assume she will be with him all the way."
Carlisle's voice traveled to the group, tight with focus. "You say it's only been days, and she has a noticeable bump? She said she felt it…move?" He paused, listening. Then his voice softened. "Okay, son. Just get her here, we will be waiting at the airport for you." Then he ended the call before joining our group.
He had a worried look on his face when he handed Alice her phone.
"It appears that today is a day of surprises and wonders. Bella appears to be pregnant, and it's progressing at a visible rate."
Emmett laughed, "Bad joke. What's really going on?"
Carlisle looked at him. "I am being entirely honest with you, considering the information I have been given. They would have no reason to lie about this. I assure you, Edward is most distressed about the situation."
Edythe broke the momentary silence, "But vampires can't get pregnant." As if saying what everyone was thinking would sway him.
Carlisle nodded, "Indeed, but I said Bella was pregnant. She, as you know, is still human."
"But Edward…" Rosalie began, before stopping herself from stating the obvious.
Jasper was the one to answer, "Have we ever known anyone with the…control… necessary to have relations with a human without killing them? This could very well be the first situation of its kind."
We all paused to think for a moment.
Emmett was the first to speak, "Well, they do say that pregnancy is a group thing. One person in the group gets pregnant, and then their friends do." He had a wide smile on his face as he finished speaking.
Rosalie hit his arm with an open hand. "You" smack "Insensitive" smack "muscle-brained" smack "Jerk!" then she stormed away.
Esme gave him a withering glare, then turned to Leah, her face smiling wide again. "Let me know when you are ready to head home to get ready for Sue, child." Then she gave Leah another quick hug and went after Rosalie.
I asked, "How long until Bella and Edward are here?"
Carlisle thought for a moment, 'He has the jet on standby, so maybe fifteen hours…sixteen max."
"Plenty of time to do what we need to. Looks like you will be busy for the next long while, doc."
Carlisle smiled, "Nothing I can't handle. Edward is a great doctor as well, he will also be on hand."
I looked at Edythe, "Love, how about you go tell your mom we are headed home."
Alice broke in, "Oh, I'm so torn… I want to help you pack. But I also want to go shopping for you. Maternity clothes… Prenatal meds… There will be so much you may need. You and Bella."
"Let's hold off on any medication, Alice. I want to see what her body needs before she takes something unneeded or possibly harmful." Carlisle cautioned Alice.
"Well, that settles it then, I will go help you pack your essentials." She shot a look at Jasper and Emmett, "Why don't you two boys go buy a bed for Edythe's old room. Make sure it is comfortable and big enough for three." She gave a smile to Leah, "Make that three and a half."
It was about an hour and a half later that we were packing bags into Esme's Escalade when my head turned at a phone ringing. Rosalie, who came along to get away from Emmett, was looking at her phone in surprise.
"Why is he calling me?" she mumbled. I assumed it was Emmett and turned my focus away. Had I paid a bit more attention, I would have heard Bella's voice pleading with Rosalie for help.
It was only hours later that I learned I could indeed sweat. I started when I heard Sue knocking on the front door.