A clearing lay out in front of me, the forest line visible up ahead, and I felt the rock of the cliff face pressed to my back as I sat leaning against it. I recognized the place immediately. This was the clearing Edward, Seth and I had encountered Victoria and Riley in months ago.

I turned my head sharply to the left at the sound of a growl. I watched Sam creep snarling towards something obscured in the trees, teeth bared, hackles raised, his black fur bristling. I stood up shakily, focusing intently on the spot Sam was so fixated on. Very tentatively, the green eyed little boy who I had become so familiar with shuffled cautiously into view, making his way towards me. He looked at me as he moved forward, stealing glances as Sam in unison with the loudest growls. It pierced my heart to see his face was a mask of fear and uncertainty.

Something streaked past me in a blur to my right and I realized it was Edward as I watched him materialize in a defensive stance before me, blocking the child's path. Edward's fierce hiss blended with Sam's growls to form a terrifying chorus and the child stumbled backwards in fright, tripping, and running to take cover behind the nearest tree trunk. His eyes became huge, as he peeked around the pine to peer at us. Sam stalked closer, licking his teeth, his rumbling growls reverberating off the trees.

"Don't!" I shouted, futilely attempting to push past Edward's outstretched arm and shield the vulnerable child. My eyes frantically met those of the boy. When my gaze came back to Edward, I saw Rosalie was suddenly standing in front of him, slightly to his right. She grabbed the arm blocking my path and twisted it back, allowing me to pass.

I sprinted towards the boy and knelt down in front of him, taking his cold, little hands into mine with sympathy and awe.

"I'm not going to let the wolf hurt you."

He gave me a small smile, and nodded. Then he frowned, tilting his head to the side, studying me, looking unsure.

"Mommy I'm thirsty," he whispered with big, pleading eyes in a precious whisper. "No one else can feed me-only you."

I frowned, looking into those emerald eyes with sympathy, yet deliberation. Thirsty? I glanced down at my chest. No, that couldn't be what he meant. A prominent blue vein on my wrist caught my eye. Ah. That was what he craved. I bit my lip and as my head dropped lower in grave acceptance. My gaze fell upon a jagged rock sticking out from under my right boot. Picking it up, I found it to be identical to the rock I had used to distract Victoria. My fate sealed, I sliced my arm and offered the wound to the child. He brought his lips to it and began to drink deeply. Vaguely, the thought flickered into my mind that I was dying as the world began to look hazy.

"Bella?"

I looked up from the drinking child at the sound of Carlisle's voice. Rosalie, Carlisle and Edward were standing there three feet in front of me, Rosalie in front, Edward and Carlisle standing side by side behind her. Carlisle walked forwards, inciting much hissing from Rosalie, and he knelt down directly behind the child, placing his hands on either side of the child's skull.

"I need your permission to terminate. It will be painless and instantaneous. It is the only way to save your life. Your body cannot continue to sustain the child's this way."

I stayed frozen in horror, unable to say a word. The world was starting to sway. Edward's hands gripped my shoulders and squeezed gently.

"Your permission Bella." he murmured urgently. "Now sweetheart."

The child turned his head so that his eyes met mine as he drank. His gaze paralyzed me. I couldn't think, couldn't say a word.

Then I was staring at the ceiling, Edward gently shaking my shoulders as I lay on the King matress in his bedroom.

"It was only a dream," he whispered soothingly, kissing my forehead and massaging my shoulders. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he pulled me into his arms, stroking my hair. After a few moments we shifted, laying down on the bed facing one another. He softly dabbed under my eyes. I was quite startled to realize he was wiping away moisture there. I nestled close to him, savoring the proximity as I thought about what I'd dreamt.

The image of the child's pleading gaze was seared into my mind. Two impossible choices...in the dream and in my reality. None of my options would leave everyone I loved unscathed. I hadn't given Carlisle permission in the dream. Was there a significance in that?

I sighed, getting as close as I could to Edward, putting aside my dream and attempting to calm my racing heart. Edward's hand found mine and our fingers intertwined.

That small, wordless gesture reminded me of the great gift we shared together, the bond of our love so very tangible to me. It was undeniably real, impossible to ignore, a crashing wave on the rocky shore, washing over us repeatedly, soaking into the core of our very being. Our love was not futile or immature. Alas, it was a vibrant force, as glorious as the sunrise, strong as titanium, sealed in our marital bond, sustained over time, perfected through struggles. In the depths of my soul I believed that our love would endure, survive as it had so many times before against adversaries, hostile circumstances, even Death Himself. How could I have lived through everything I did and not come to that conclusion? How and why our love had thrived I couldn't comprehend. Yet I believed in our love, and I held that belief in my thoughts, treasuring it in my heart, while nestled in the blissful haven of Edward's embrace.

As I treasured our love, I had an epiphany. I wasn't choosing between Edward and Little Nudger. Our Little Nudger was quite literally the incarnation of my love for Edward and his love for me. Not only was the child precious, defenseless and innocent-worthy of nurturing in his own right-but this child's life was intertwined with the ironclad bond I had forged with my husband. To harm the child would be to harm the bond, harm Edward, harm me. On some fundamental level it seemed our destinies were tied together-and why shouldn't they be? We were a family after all-father mother, child. And in that instant I made my final choice. I knew what I had to do, the only choice I could live with.

"I choose love," I whispered. I looked into Edward's face and his eyebrows furrowed in miscomprehension.

"What sweetheart?"

"I choose love." The declaration was fervent and rang with finality. "I know it's complicated and I know it's daunting, but I know what I can live with and what my heart is telling me. I choose to love..."-I moved my hand to gently caress Edward's face-"you"-my hand dropped to my abdomen-"and you."

I looked back into his hurting eyes.

"Whatever pain my loving our child might cause the rest of our family I am deeply sorry. I don't want to see any of you get hurt. Yet for me there isn't any other way. And I believe we will get through this-all of us. We will all get through this. I'll be beating Emmet at arm wrestling matches before you know it. And maybe Alice's fashion vision will shift away from me when she has a baby to dress. Rose and Esme will have a real baby to mother...Don't let the fear cause you to lose sight of the beauty here. Edward, you're a father, and this baby is our little miracle."

Edward sighed deeply, shaking his head. He looked at me with a lost expression for several moments before kissing my forehead again, his lips lingering against my skin.

"I'm not going to stop fighting for you Bella. Love, you are my whole existence. All that I am is yours. If the ship you're on is sinking, and I can't stop it, and I can't get you off it, I'm going down with you."

"We aren't going down. Neither one of us. I won't allow it."

Edward chuckled.

"Bella, if willpower is what kept hearts beating, I won't be worried. But we both know that's not how it works sweetheart."

"Just watch me."

"Always."

His lips found mine, and I sank into the depths of my personal paradise, everything forgotten but our passion and affection for one another.

This concludes The Untold Chapters of Breaking Dawn. I hope you enjoyed! The storyline continues with Chapter 8 of Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer. Thank you for reading, reviewing, favoriting and following!