Rebirth (Twilight Saga - Pregnant with the next generation)

Chapter 28: The End is Beginning (and an important A/N)

“Carlisle I can’t, I just can’t drink anymore” Esme pushed the glass away and lay back, her lips pursed obstinately despite the fire gagging her throat.

“Just try Es” he pleaded. “You’re not eating enough to sustain you and the baby or provide enough nourishment. You’ll be too weak for the birth to survive unless we can keep up your strength” he insisted, bringing the glass back to her lips which remained stubbornly closed.

“I can’t Carlisle; if I drink anymore I’ll be sick. I’m so full” Carlisle nodded dejectedly, “I know, the baby is pushing up on all your organs and compacting them so that your stomach’s capacity is only a half or a third of what it used to be”.

He noticed she had closed her eyes and was breathing shallowly, “What is it Esme? What’s wrong?”

Her eyes flew open, “oh no, oh no!” she moaned before pitching sharply upwards and vomiting noisily the contents of her stomach into the basin beside her bed.

She stayed resting on her side afterwards, breathing heavily as she tried to calm her roiling, distended belly. “I don’t need to tell you I told you so Carlisle, I know you’re only thinking of what’s best for the baby but…please go, just leave me alone for a while” she whispered as if it caused her pain to do so.

Carlisle re-tucked the blankets around her and laid a fresh damp washcloth on her forehead before slipping from the room.

“How’s she doing?” Rose met him at the door as he closed it with a muted thump. He just shook his head “she’s just getting weaker by the day because she’s not eating enough to provide nourishment for her or the baby. At this point I don’t know whether to pray she goes into labour while she still has some stamina or pray she doesn’t until we’ve found some way to strengthen her”.

Rosalie laid a comforting hand on his shoulder as she thought about this. “If her body is starving, surely any blood she does drink is used up fairly quickly – it is just the larger amounts that cause her to become ill. What if we had her drink only an ounce or so at a time but have her drink frequently so that she drinks enough to remain healthy without taxing her stomach with larger meals?”

“I’m willing to try anything at this point Rosalie, thank you” he smiled at her but it held no meaning, his eyes were empty – trying to rejoin his heart which stayed in the next room fighting for life. He watched her fall into a restless sleep on the tv monitor in his office and contemplated what their next options were until he saw her stir on the screen and rushed back towards the medical wing of the house.

He closed the door softly behind him and as he did, Esme slowly opened her eyes. “I’m sorry”.  

He just shook his head, “Never be sorry, Esme. Nothing you could say or do could ever make me stop loving you or be angry with you and I don’t give a damn if that makes me a fool because I love you”.

She smiled and shifted slightly before wincing and putting a hand to her back. “Back aching?” Carlisle asked and she nodded as he sat behind her and started kneading her shoulders.

She slumped a little, “Could you pass the blood?” she mumbled. He kissed the top of her head and reached over for it. She started to drink from the glass but he took it away after she had had only a few sips.

Seeing her confused expression he explained Rose’s theory. She nodded thoughtfully and stretched “Oh God, Carlisle – if this baby gets any bigger YOU won’t be able to see my feet nevertheless me” she groaned “Now I loved experiencing being pregnant, having your child grow in my belly but…I’m so tired, my belly gets in the way of everything and it just hurts, I don’t know how to describe it but it’s like someone is twisting my insides when I have the flu”.