He was smaller than I expected him to be but weighed a fair bit. His skin was pink with a sprinkling of honey blonde hair on his head like his father. The deep blue eyes that squinted up at me were still sensitive even with the sun being blocked. He rubbed his little fist on his nose before dropping it and closing his eyes into slumber.

"Looks like Jasper. You would never guess that I birthed him," Alice chuckled. I looked over at her exhausted face. She had only brought him into the world a little over an hour ago, but she dismissed us with a wave of her hand when we all tried to convince her to get some rest. She followed him with her gray eyes, and a smile broke across her face every time he made a little noise. Pa and the midwife made sure he was healthy, and she left soon after with well wishes.

He was a perfect little human.

"If he looks like Jasper, he'll just have your personality." That could get interesting. I laughed at the look on his face. The thought scared me a little, too.

"So do I get to know his name yet?" He had been passed around to everyone, but most of us had been too excited to ask.

"Oh, it is Michael. Little Michael Whitlock." Alice's voice was so soft and motherly. I smiled at her before looking down at the sleeping baby.

Michael was perfect.

Isabella stepping up beside me finally brought my attention away from my nephew. Her slim hand came up and cupped the back of his head, brushing the tips of my fingers. I was a little disappointed to notice that she was not looking at me, but who could blame her with who was in my arms?

"Would you like to hold him again?" She looked to Ma and Pa, and they nodded their heads, indicating it was fine. Ma would steal him back later and then Alice and Jasper would have to wrestle her to get their son back.

She sat in the chair back in the corner. I lowered Michael into her arms and marveled at the way she so lovingly cradled his head and brought his body closer to hers. He kicked his legs out beneath the blanket, but calmed down in seconds and went back to sleep.

"How is your leg?" She glanced down at it and shrugged.

"It constantly throbs, a little worse when I walk on it. When I'm trying to sleep, it hurts the most."

"Pa can give you something for that," I said.

"I know, but I feel like I may be bothering him. I'm sure other people need it more than me." She didn't look up. The four at the bed behind us were talking quietly amongst themselves. Emmett and Rosalie had gone home again. I had a feeling she was dragging Emmett around, not wanting to be in the same room as Isabella.

"Isabella, please do not ever feel that way. If you ever need anything, please ask. I can do it, too." Knowing that she had been in pain these last few nights made it feel like a brick fell on my stomach. She had been just above me and could have easily gotten my attention. How frustrating.

I pinched the bridge of my nose and let out a harsh breath. Her eyes shot up to me, and she frowned.

"Edward, it is okay. I can live through it."

"That's not the point. I want you to be comfortable enough to ask for anything from us." I glanced over my shoulder. None of them were listening to us, but Ma kept flickering her eyes in our direction.

She scoffed, and a mocking grin came to her face. "Even Rosalie?"

Well…

"All right, maybe not her. You can ignore her; it's easy to do. I wish I could say she was amiable enough to help you out if she was ever the only one around." I would maybe have to talk to Emmett about that. He would be the one she would most likely listen to.

"Edward?"

"Yes?"

"I'll be okay, but I thank you for caring. Not many people did while I was growing up."

"Is it my turn again?" I looked at Ma as she came up from behind me. Isabella smiled, and I rolled my eyes. She sat forward and handed Michael off to his grandmother. Pa stood with her and stared down at the little bundle. His skin was dry in some places, and he had yet to have his first bath, but he would look and feel a lot better after he did.

I stuffed my hands into my pockets and turned back to Isabella. She quirked an eyebrow.

"So watching the birth; was it everything you thought it would be?" She laughed and leaned back, stretching out her leg.

She bit her lip, and my eyes had a mind of their own. I couldn't not look, but I was happy to see that she was not paying attention to where my eyes were trained.

"Bloody and slightly disturbing? Yes. Beautiful and amazing? Absolutely." She looked at Alice with a sweet smile on her face. My little sister was now asleep, the exhaustion taking over and pulling her into unconsciousness. Pa stroked his hand over her forehead a few times while continuing his quiet conversation with Jasper, who now held Michael.

"I'm happy that you got to have that experience. Most men would never even think of being there with their wives, but I definitely would. Perhaps I feel that way because I'm becoming a doctor and I will have to witness it many times as I go down that path."

"What is the process you have to go through to become a doctor?" It made me feel good to see and hear the genuine curiosity she had about it. I went out to the kitchen and came back with an old wooden chair. I sat in front of her and laced my fingers together on my lap.

"Anyone who wants to become a doctor must spend three to four years going on calls with someone who's already a physician. Since Pa is, I am still able to live here. Many young men have to leave their homes and stay with other families before coming back and going through a year of schooling, sometimes two. I am in my fourth year of training and in a short time, I'll be traveling every day to school for one year; two depending on how well it goes."

"Did Carlisle have to stay with someone?"

"He stayed with his grandfather for three years since he was in that profession. He and his father had a very strained relationship, and he never came back during that time until he had to enter the schooling part of the process. He married Ma before leaving and took her along with him."

"You're really passionate about this, huh?"

"Of course. I've always wanted to be like my father, and now I can. Knowing that, in a few short years, I will have the ability to help people the way he can is one of the best feelings. I've witnessed very sick people and what that does to their family. It is a horrible sight, and the feeling is even worse when you are not able to help. Children are the ones that end up perishing the most, and I will try my best to stop that from happening around me." My throat felt tight, and Isabella was nodding to show me she understood what I was saying. Seeing Ma hurting from losing children and not being able to help had kept me up at night. I, of course, could not understand that level of pain since I had no children, or any on the way.

I could know that pain someday, but at least I would be able to try and prevent it. I shook my head and chuckled to take away some of the tension. Isabella was a blur as I looked at her with tears threatening to fall.

She leaned toward me and gathered my much larger hands into hers. They were smooth and so feminine. If anyone had asked me to describe the feeling right then and there, I would have just stared at them because I couldn't even find the words to start a sentence.

However, I didn't have to … because she looked at me and said.

"Edward Cullen, you are one amazing person."