A/N: Woot! I'm ahead - it's a miracle! Thank you to those of you who read & reviewed. This chapter is a bit depressing, but no worries, it will start brightening up soon.

To Kris & Cella - You give me courage, make me smile daily and I love you both.

And to my Mel & Maria - You girls give me heart-on's (that's heart, not hard - pervs!), I love you.

Penname: Dizzygrl28

Original or Derivative (fanfiction): DERIVATIVE – Twilight

Rating/Warning(s)/Note(s): M

Disclaimer: All copyrights, trademarked items, or recognizable characters, plots, etc. mentioned herein belong to their respective owners. No copying or reproduction of this work is permitted without their express written authorization.

Prompt: Pride

Bella lay in bed for three days, only leaving it to use the restroom and try and force herself to eat. She had no appetite, but she knew starving herself was not in the best interest of the life growing inside of her.

James had not come home, nor had he called. Bella tried his cell phone repeatedly, but it always went straight to voicemail. When she called his office, his secretary, Victoria, always had an excuse why he wasn't available - he's in a meeting, he's at a work-site, he's on another call. Bella was baffled, wondering who this man was. Her husband was loving and kind; he brought her flowers every week and made love to her every night. Well, he used to make love to her every night; lately he'd had been working late nights trying to secure the strip mall contract. By the time he would make it home at night, he was too tired to do anything but shower and sleep.

But this man, the one who looked at her as if she was something foul when she revealed she was pregnant, who walked out the door, slamming it in her face and leaving her alone - he was not the man she'd fallen in love with and married.

On the fourth morning, Bella awoke and trudged to the bathroom. Turning on the faucet in the sink, she splashed water over her face and scrubbed her hands over her eyes, wincing at their tenderness. She'd cried so much she didn't think her body could physically produce another tear.

Using a hand towel she dried her face and looked into the mirror for the first time since James had left, horrified at the girl staring back at her. She was but a shell of herself, her eyes swollen, her nose red, her cheeks stained with tears and four day old mascara. Her hair was a tangled mess and greasy from lack of being washed, her skin oily. She was disgusted with herself, wondering when she had become so weak.

Undressing, she climbed in the shower, turning it on as hot as she could stand and allowed the water wash over her body. She quickly shampooed her hair and shaved her legs, then used the soap to clean the rest of her body. As she slid the soap bar over her stomach she paused, thinking about the baby who was no bigger than a tadpole right now. She wondered if the baby would be a boy or a girl, if it would have her dark hair or James' blond. Without even realizing it, Bella smiled for the first time since the day she learned of her baby.

She finished her shower and dressed in a pair of khaki's and a sweater, then went to the kitchen and began making herself breakfast. As she prepared her oatmeal, she thought of her baby again. Bella had always wanted to be a mother, and she hoped she would be a good one. She missed James terribly and wished he would have a change of heart. She wanted desperately for him to come home and be her husband and father to their baby, but it was becoming painfully evident to her that he might not come back.

Bella didn't know how James could not love something that was a part of her and of him, a testament to their love. The more she allowed herself to think about his reaction, the angrier she found herself becoming. She already loved this baby, and lying around crying and not taking care of herself was not how she wanted to bring this new life into the world. She would not allow James to tarnish her joy over her child, or destroy her spirit. She had more pride than that, and starting today, she would begin acting like it.

Kindly review and let me know your thoughts! Pretty please with a cherry on top.