Title: Tessellate

Summary: Edward spends some time with a very-pregnant Bella and their unborn child. Dangerously fluffy. Set during BD.

A/N: I wrote this piece because I've been gone far too long from something I really love. So I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed pulling it from my keyboard. Feel free to leave a review and tell me what you think!

He has not left her side through the entire experience. Today proves to be no different as he curls up in front of the couch, sitting on the floor eye level to her. She smiles at him, grateful of his attention but she cannot help but worry.

"You haven't left the house in two weeks," she muses absentmindedly as he brushes his fingertips over her protruding stomach. Her breathing slows as she relishes in his gentle touch.

He smiles. "This worries you?"

"Vampires don't get stir-crazy?" she asks, amusement faintly coloring her voice.

"To think, you actually expect me to leave your side at a time like this."

She doesn't overlook the faint expression of guilt in his eyes. He still blames his self for the situation at hand, although she takes the pain gladly, knowing she is giving her unborn child life. The thought causes a slight smile to tug at her lips.

"You haven't hunted in days," she points out, and his deep, black eyes meet hers.

"It won't kill me."

"But it weakens you."

"I think it's only fair to live with that, don't you think?"

His words puzzle her; she senses a double meaning, but cannot interpret it. Instead, she gazes at the floor and idly runs her fingers over her cool stomach. The child shifts slightly, and she beams in response.

"You're happy, aren't you, baby?" she coos.

Edward thinks of the finest symphony in the world when he hears her soft-spoken words, angels in shining glory when he gazes upon her radiant face, and thousands of glowing stars when Baby thinks "yes" in agreement.

"She likes the sound of your voice," he muses.

"She?"

"Or he," he backtracks, hoping not to ruin the surprise. "It's impossible to tell.

She sighs in content and presses her cool palm to his cheek. He revels in her touch, for it is warm to his senses.

"Go hunt," she whispers.

"No."

It is not hostile, or ill-mannered. His no is simply spoken, and he can't help but smile at her annoyed facial expression.

"Then stop consuming your time by sitting on the floor," she reprimands. "Do something that makes you happy."

"You make me happy."

"You make me worried."

He takes her hand and kisses her palm slowly, tasting her warm-to-the-touch skin.

"I'm sorry," he murmurs, no trace of regret in his words.

Bella thinks of the gentle, whispering sound of a tropical wind when she listens to his voice, feathers floating from heaven in their fond nights in the blue room when she feels his gentle lips upon her hand, and the tinkling, beautiful melody of her lullaby on the grand piano when she knows her child feels his love and affection, too.

She places her elbows at her sides and attempts to sit up higher, struggling in her state of weakness. Edward immediately accomplishes the task for her, gently sitting her more upright, and she can't help but roll her eyes at his overly helpful nature.

"I know I'm just a mere human, but…"

"You're not exactly in a state of independence," he scolds, wondering why she is so stubborn at all the wrong times.

"I know," she admits. "but I think I can sit up on my own."

He reflects back on the beginning of her pregnancy, where she lay on the couch as mere skin and bones, and every shallow breath she took used a little bit more of the energy she barely had. Hollow cheeks, distant eyes, sallow skin…he hated himself for what he had done. A part of him still does, but he learns to love the thing his wife insisted on caring for.

"This is our child," she had told him. "our future. We can't give up on something so beautiful."

He forced himself to accept it, to see things the way she saw things. And although she was more optimistic at times than he would have liked her to be, he learned to care and love for their miracle child. It restarted his dead heart when he soon realized that he was going to be a father.

He is going to be a father.

"I actually enjoy taking care of you," he tells her, and she grimaces.

"I wish you didn't."

"If only you saw things the way I do…"

She peers at him from under her thick eyelashes, and he brushes a strand of hair from her beautiful face.

"You're going to be an amazing father, Edward," she tells him suddenly. "I really mean that."

He can't help but freeze in shock at her words. She had never really touched on the subject of parenthood before, and the discussions were put on permanent hold, with the stress of Carlisle trying to save his daughter's life, the bitter resentment of her best friend Jacob, and the burning jealousy of her unfriendly sister, Rosalie. Now that they had some private time alone- with the family out hunting and Jacob choosing not to stick around and be the only bitter one in the house- it gave them a chance to express their anxiety, fears and unbounded joy for what was soon to come.

It gives him another reason to try harder to be accepting and forgiving of his self, because she expects greatness from him. She asks much more from him than the average human couple expects, because he is more than average in her eyes. He is an angel. And she has been saved.

He wants to shed tears, but it is impossible.

"Thank you," he says simply, and she knows he means it.

"Go read a good book," she suggests. "Paint a picture. Play a song."

He eyed the glossy, black piano that sat at the right of the living room and couldn't help but enjoy her suggestion. After a quick debate in his head, he complies and decides to attempt to express his adoration for her in the form of music.

"For you, not for me," he states, and makes his way to the instrument, ignoring her 'give me a break' facial expression.

Brushing his fingers across the ivory keys for a brief moment, his hands hover above the undeclared notes, waiting for inspiration to come forth. He takes a moment to think before his fingers decide for him, and Bella's lullaby floats from the piano. She smiles in delight, stroking her stomach and thinking about the future with the person that was soon to arrive.

Bella hears a child's laughter in her head; her mind drifts off to swing sets, messy artwork and butterfly kisses while Edward's music gently plays in the background. One day, she will be a mother, and he will be a father. The thought is incredible, almost impossible, but it warms her heart anyways. Without realizing it, she hums a couple of notes.

His fingers stop, and he turns to look at his wife. He realizes the sweet humming came from her, and for a moment he is in awe. Her fingertips languidly trace circles in a familiar rhythm, and she continues to hum her lullaby under her breath. She had always been too self-conscious to sing, even when it was to herself. This is new for him, and he always suspected that her voice was musically endowed.

His silent heart flutters.

In an instant, he is at her side once again and plants light kisses over her stomach, over their child, and the thought of being a father makes him breathless. Her pink lips purse in wonder at his sudden affection, and he explains-

"I couldn't bear to be away from you much longer."

She beams, genuinely amazed at her luck in finding someone like him, and watches her husband embrace fatherhood, one kiss at a time.

A/N: Meh. I know this is pretty weak, but forgive me. The rust is slowly coming off. (: