Chapter Three
Poking and Prodding
Grace Cullen-Swan

Adding a bottle of blood a day to Bella's diet did absolute wonders for her. All of the life that she had lost during her depression, that we now knew was most likely her unknown pregnancy at the time, came rushing back into her. Her skin was glowing and healthy again, her mahogany hair healthier and shinier than ever, and she had actually gained back some of the weight she had lost on top of the baby weight. She was looking like herself again with the added benefits of a pregnancy glow.

I was thrilled with her progress at her next exam, about three weeks after the first one. I still couldn't get an ultrasound picture, but her measurements were starting to even out, so I had hope the baby was beginning to slow down it's growth some.

However, we were now at a point where loose jackets and sweaters were just barely covering her baby bump, which, led me to my current situation.

"So? What do you think?" I asked Charlie nervously, stepping out of the closet in a bodycon dress and trench-coat, my fake baby bump on display.

"Oh my god." Charlie muttered in surprise, coming over to immediately feel the bump. His hands not missing a single inch as he checked for inconsistencies. "That's so creepy." He shook his head, going to resume putting on his uniform.

"Creepy as in creepy accurate or creepy unrealistic?" I asked, beyond worried someone would see through the façade.

"Creepy accurate, definitely." He nodded. "Looks and feels just like a real baby. I'm officially freaked out." He chuckled, pulling on his boots.

"Good." I teased him, kissing his cheek before going across the hall to knock at Bella's door. "Sweetheart, are you up?" I called softly.

"I'm up." She laughed, opening the door to talk to me. "Got kinda freaked out when the bump suddenly disappeared." She chuckled.

I had been easing myself into covering her bump, so I felt more than ready to cover both her and myself simultaneously. My resolve was so strong with this illusion that it seemed easy to keep up with. I didn't feel nearly as tired as I usually did, which reminded me a lot of my days pre-Cullens when I moonlighted as a different nurse. I was thankful for the universe finally giving me a break.

"Sorry, should've warned you." I laughed, checking to make sure there was no flaw in the illusion.

"Oh my god!" Bella gasped, suddenly taking in the bump.

"Convincing?" I asked worriedly.

"So convincing!" She nodded. "It it even feels real." She shuddered, stopping her prodding of me and clutching her flat stomach instinctively. "Are you sure he's still there?" She asked me, a little freaked out by the disappearance.

"I promise, it's all in our heads. We don't see or feel the bump but it's still there. You look like your normal pre-pregnancy self to everyone, including me." I explained. "So, do you think people are going to notice right away?" I asked.

"Turn to the side again." She instructed and I did what she said. "Definitely, no way to get around that. Jessica can spot that a mile away."

"Great." I nodded. "We need to get the word spreading around if the baby is growing like I think it is."

"Thanks again, Grace." Bella said for the millionth time.

"Of course." I replied, kissing her cheek before heading downstairs to meet Charlie in the kitchen.

"That's going to take some getting used to." He laughed as I entered the room, struggling to figure out how to tie my coat without drawing a huge amount of attention to the bump.

"I know, but it's not for long." I promised him.

"So you really think it's only going to be two months?" Charlie asked me.

"Well, she's only been pregnant since her birthday, so she's only about nine weeks along. However, development wise, she's already around twenty-one weeks. So nearly five months worth of progress over nine weeks is a troubling sign. But, this past week her growth showed to be slowing down to a fraction of the amount she was at. Which means that she should be full term within the next month or two." I explained quickly. "I'm hoping we're at a good place to induce labor at over the winter break so we don't cause any suspicion."

"Sorry, that all just really hurt my brain." He chuckled. "But I think it makes sense, and that sounds like a good plan. Just, be careful today, please." He begged me and I quickly ran over and kissed him sweetly in reassurance.

"I'll be fine." I promised him. "I love you. Have a good day at work." I smiled at him as I got Bella's bottle of blood and met her at the base of the stairs.

"You too, I love you." He called after me. "Love you too Bella! Have a good day!" He called out to her as she followed me to the door

"Love you too, Dad!" She called back before shutting the door behind us.

"That's so crazy to see." Bella shook her head, watching me struggle to maneuver my purse in a way that it blocked the bump from view. I didn't feel like the rumor mill spreading around that I was pregnant before I even got to my classroom.

"It's crazy for me to see it too." I giggled, finally figuring it out and going to get in my car. I didn't trust Bella's disaster of a truck to carry my stepdaughter and unborn grandchild. "You know, I've never even had the choice of becoming pregnant. As a human, I was forced into being a sort of nun within my father's church. A civil servant devoted to God and not mortal men, that's what my father used to say anyway, but I think he only wanted to keep me away from marriage." I told her as I started the car and eased out of the driveway.

"Why would he want to do that?" Bella asked.

"Well, getting married and having children was different back then. I would've been married off to the highest bidder and forced into motherhood at the earliest age possible. The idea of that scared my father, I think. Our mother died during childbirth with Carlisle and I and so I think my father was just worried that he and my brother would lose another important woman in their lives." I explained to her.

"That's so sad." She sighed deeply.

"I think he also knew that Carlisle and I wouldn't do well apart. If something happened to me, his prized and only son would've wasted away. Who would be left to continue on his legacy then?" I mused. "Well, I suppose it was all for nothing in the end, seeing that Carlisle and I both were taken from our father early and left no Cullen name for him."

"Carlisle has two daughters and a son while you have two boys and now a new daughter, I think you've both left a legacy your father would be proud of. Peace in a life of otherwise violence." Bella spoke truthfully.

"Thank you." I smiled at her, reaching over to squeeze her hand tightly as I pulled into my teacher parking spot before getting out and walking towards the main office to sign in. After signing in without any attention brought to the bump, I went to my classroom and got set up for the beginning of class. I decided not to stand outside and greet students, since I didn't want someone to scream I was pregnant in the hallway this early in the day.

I untied my coat and draped it over my desk chair, suddenly feeling entirely too self conscious about my midsection as I began to write lesson plans on the board. Students began to file in and it was a minuet or two after the bell before I was done writing and was ready to turn around and face them.

"Mrs. Swan!" Jessica screamed out. "Are you pregnant?!" She squealed excitedly and all of the girls, and some guys, started talking animatedly.

"Yes!" I smiled, trying to look as happy as possible. "I've had problems in the past, so we were waiting until we knew everything was going to be okay before telling people." I explained the cover story easily. "Which brings me to my next topic." I pointed to the board. "Here is everything we have left to cover before winter break. Now, I'm actually due late December, so I most likely will not be returning back after the break. I'll be on maternity leave until March."

"March? But our exams-"

"Will be lenient." I smiled at Angela Webber. "The final exams will only have topics I've covered personally with you all on them. So, everything this semester and then whatever we can squeeze in at the end. I'm hopeful I can get a good substitute while I'm gone, so you'll still get a beneficial lesson out of the novels you'll be reading without me." I tried to calm the students worries.

"Okay, yeah, schools important and everything, but we want to know more about the baby!" Jessica squealed and her gang of girls echoed her.

Bella sent me a pointed look, and I knew it had been the right choice to cover for her. She wouldn't be able to handle this amount of attention, especially when it would've been negative towards her for being a teenager mother.

"Well, we don't know much." I laughed. "Everything's healthy, we don't know the gender, and I'm doing great. That's about it." I giggled, trying to act the part of an excited new mom.

"I'm betting on a boy." Bella spoke up, causing me to smile at the inside joke, and Jessica and her girl gang dissolved into a fit laughter.

The school day went on, each class had something to say and questions about the pregnancy, and a handful of teachers even stopped by my room to see if the rumors the students were spreading around were true or not. After being poked and prodded and questioned all day, I was more than glad when Bella and I got to the safety of the car after school.

"So, how did it go today?" Bella asked me nervously, probably seeing the tired expression on my face.

"Fine." I nodded, pulling the car on the main road towards the grocery store. "Did your stomach stay flat all day?"

"Yes." She nodded. "Did you stay pregnant all day?" She turned on me, laughing at the statement.

"Yes." I laughed with her. "I'm just glad to be away from all of the stares, comments, and touching." I giggled.

"What's up with people wanting to touch pregnant women all the time?" Bella grimaced and I couldn't help but laugh at her.

If I thought school was bad, then the grocery store was much, much worse.

Everyone in the town of Forks decided to come ambush me, knowing that I always go shopping Monday after school, and so the questions and looks were relentless. I'd turn the corner of an aisle and there'd be a crowd gathered to catch me. Finally, I decided to let Bella push the buggy behind me while I marched around the store getting my list. I was nearly too fast for her to keep up with.

I was not, however, too fast for Ashley Stanley. She caught me right before I could reach the check out lane I was headed for, and I internally screamed at the coming conversation.

"Congratulations!" She cheered excitedly. "Jessica called me at lunch to tell me you're expecting! How exciting!"

"Very." I smiled politely. "Now, if you'll excuse-"

"So what did Charlie think about it?" She asked me, blocking my path completely with her buggy.

"He's very excited as well." I answered, knowing she wasn't going to let me go.

"How old is he now? He was a few years behind me in school." She mused.

"Thirty six." I answered.

"Oh, that's right, he and his first wife had Bella super young. Didn't they?"

"I suppose so." I frowned, not liking where I thought this was headed. "Bella, sweetheart, I think I forgot tea. Why don't you go pick out a good one for me, hmm?" I urged her to go, not wanting her to hear anything hateful from Ashley.

"Sure." Bella nodded and walked off down the aisles out of earshot.

"So a new baby, wow, you both must be so thrilled. I know you have adopted sons and Charlie's one is grown, but one of your own is so much more special." She smiled widely.

"If you for one moment are implying that Bella is anything less than the center of my and Charlie's world then you are severely mistaken. We love that girl more than anything else in this world. This new baby is only adding to that love, not making it any less significant. I may have arrived late into her childhood, but she is in every way my daughter." I growled in her face, using the full influence of my vampiric fear factor. "Now, Ashley, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to get home and rest."

She immediately backed away and unblocked my path, fully scared into keeping my name out of her mouth as she took off down the aisle.

"What did you say to her?" Bella asked me quietly, catching up to me.

"I'm not going to let anyone mess with my kid." I smiled sweetly at her, taking a moment to tuck her hair back behind her ear. "I just made it very clear that you are my daughter and nothing is ever going to make me love you any less than I do." I explained, going to the check out.

"Here, let me, Mrs. Swan!" Reyna, a sweet senior student of mine, was suddenly in front of me and loading my groceries onto the conveyor belt. I realized then that she was the cashier of the empty checkout lane next to us.

"Oh, thank you." I smiled gratefully. "I had no idea you worked here, Reyna."

"Just started." She smiled back. "I know people have probably been bothering you all day, but I just want to say that I'm really happy for your family. Don't let all of the gossips get to you. There are still some genuinely good people around here that are excited for you all."

"Thank you, sweet girl." I cooed as she went back to her checkout lane and Bella and I headed out to the car after paying.

"I say we get home, what do you think?" I asked her as we settled into the car.

"That sounds amazing." She agreed.

The moment I stepped inside, I dropped the illusion, and wanted to rejoice as I flattened back to my usual gentle curves. At least for the night there would be no more poking and prodding.

"It's weird, but I kinda missed the bump today." Bella laughed at herself as we loaded groceries into the kitchen.

"It's not weird." I shook my head. "Even if you're not thrilled about it, it's still your baby. There's a huge amount of connection in that."

"I guess so." She nodded, heading for the stairs

"Do you want some tea?" I chirped, going to the fridge and getting a thermos out.

"Yes please!" She called back from the top of the stairs.

I keep trying to convince her and her father that calling out like that isn't necessary with me, but it hasn't really stuck yet.

I was just about to head upstairs with her bottle of blood when Bella cried out. Panicked, I ran upstairs and threw open her door.

"What's wrong?" I cried out, finding her standing perfectly fine at the foot of her bed. A set of pyjamas were in front of her, like she got caught off guard before she could change. "Are you alright?"

"Something...moved." She stated, frozen in place like she was terrified of it happening again.

"Moved where?" I asked. "Is there a mouse or something?"

"No." She shook her head. "Inside." She grimaced, pointing to the bump.

"Oh! That's wonderful news!" I cheered excitedly. "You're just about 21 weeks along, a halfway point, so you should be feeling movement."

"That's so weird!" She shook her head. "That's a crazy feeling. It's doing it again."

"Can I feel?" I asked and she nodded her head. As soon as I put my hand against Bella's side, a sound kick hit my hand. "Oh my goodness." I cooed, my heart melting, and the baby kicked again.

"It must like the sound of your voice." Bella joked.

"This is amazing, Bella." I marveled at her. "I know it's not ideal or in anyway normal, but do you understand what a miracle this is?" I smiled widely.

"You would've been a really good mom, Grace. If you could have one of your own, I mean." Bella nodded soundly, and I couldn't help but hug her tightly, "I know you're an amazing mother to me."

"Thank you, Bella." I kissed her cheek before handing her her water bottle.

"Can I talk to you about something for a bit?" She asked, sitting on the side of her bed.

"Of course." I nodded, quickly sitting beside her and giving her my full attention. "What's on your mind?"

"Well, that day I first told you about the baby, when we were all sitting around talking through the plan, dad said that no matter what happened we weren't getting rid of the baby."

"That's right." I nodded in encouragement.

"I think we all know that I'm not anywhere stable enough mentally to take take care of a baby, especially not one that's half-vampire." She sighed deeply. "Mom, I know it's a lot to ask, but I think you and Dad should take full custody."

"Oh!" I startled. "Your dad and I have discussed it, but we both were hoping that you'd bond with the baby." I explained.

"I've been trying to be happy about this, but I just can't be." She shook her head. "I'm heartbroken and no matter what I try I can't get over the fact that Edward is gone and this is his kid inside of me. I feel like some incubator." She huffed. "Motherhood is not for me, at least not now and not soon anyway, and so I think the most responsible choice here is to let someone who's totally fit and an amazing mother take over." She stated soundly.

"Bella, are you absolutely sure?" I asked her seriously. "This is a very, very big thing we're discussing here."

"I'm sure." She nodded. "You and dad are the best chance for this kid to be loved and cared for like it should be. Who knows, it might be years before I get to a stable place again, and I just can't imagine myself struggling through with a baby relying on me."

"But what if you change your mind? Why don't I just help you all the time? Or until you decide you're okay again?" I offered.

"No, I'm not making you some glorified babysitter." She shook her head. "In any normal case, the grandparents would get custody. There's no 'just watch him for awhile until I get straightened out' here. Kids need stability. I didn't have a lot of that, and so I want this kid to know how much it's loved and have a stable set of parents. I don't want him to have a struggling single mother like I did."

"Him?" I pointed out her word choice. "Up until recently it's been 'it' or 'the baby'. You sounded so mature just then, Bella." I smiled proudly at her. "I'll talk about it with your dad again, but I think we would be honored to love this baby for you." I hugged her tightly.

"Thanks, Mom." She sighed in relief, hugging me just as tight.

"Of course, once the baby is born you might change your mind, so we'll wait and see." I told her, urging her to drink her 'tea' before it got cold. "Everything will work out in the end, one way or another." I promised her.