A/N: Sooooo… I apologize for not replying to reviews (which…holy crap guys… just GAH). This chapter flowed like water and I admit to have absolutely zero patience. Yoda would be ashamed.

~5 Months Ago~

"Think she's going to go for it?" Jasper asked, sliding his sunglasses down to the tip of his nose as he watched Jacob Black's car pull up.

"She'll go for it," Edward murmured, his eyes on the brunette who got out of the passenger seat looking severely irritated. Despite the fact that this latest development had every potential to throw a giant wrench in a months long investigation, he couldn't help but be pleased. Though he'd kept his opinion to himself, Edward had long thought that Jacob was mismatched with his girlfriend, Isabella Swan. He couldn't say he was surprised when Jacob called to say that Bella wanted to break up.

It did, however, leave them with a problem. Without Bella, their goal would be put off for months. The only choice then was to let her in on the undercover operation. That was why Edward and Jasper agreed to meet with Jacob and Bella.

"Bella," Jacob began, obviously uncomfortable. "This is-"

"Edward Cullen," Bella said, startled. She looked from Jacob to Edward and back again. "What's going on here? You are the absolute last person I expected to see."

Edward's lips quirked because he'd thought the exact same thing several months before when they started this whole endeavor.

"It's a small world, Miss Swan," he allowed. "But I'm afraid this is quite a bit more serious than a high school reunion." As he spoke, he reached into the inner pocket of his suit jacket and pulled out his badge.

Bella's eyes widened and she looked at all three of them. "FBI? Okay, you guys are seriously freaking me out. What's going on?"

Taking off their sunglasses so they could look her in the eye, Edward and Jasper had done most of the talking, revealing that Jacob had turned whistle blower about six months previous when he found out that the company he worked for - Imprint Inc. - was conducting a lot of shady business. Edward and Jasper, part of the White Collar Crime division of the FBI, had begun an investigation, during which Jacob had befriended the company's CEO, Sam Uley. For the better part of eight months, he'd been wearing a wire during private functions.

"I don't understand what this has to do with my relationship. Are you actually forbidding me to break up with Jacob?" she asked, stunned and incredulous.

"We don't have that kind of power, Miss Swan," Edward assured.

"See, the thing is, you're Jacob's ticket to Uley's private life," Jasper said slowly. "The reason you and Jacob are invited to his home as often as you are is because Mrs. Uley likes you. Now, you know what's likely to happen if you and Jacob break up. She's not going to want to invite him over."

Her lips quirked at that. "That's true," she said with a sigh. "She'd have his balls at the mere thought that he hurt me."

Edward and Jasper glanced at each other, knowing they had her. It would just take a little bit of charm to seal the deal.

"Miss Swan-" Edward began, but she leveled a glare at him.

"Can you cut that out? Bella. Please."

He smiled gently, reaching out and putting a hand on her arm. "Bella, I know it's not fair to ask this of you, but if you could keep up even a facade of your relationship with Jacob for just a while longer, you would be helping bring down a group of men who have defrauded their customers and community out of a great deal of money."

She growled, frustrated, and rolled her eyes skyward. "I guess I'm not really looking to start dating right away anyway," she muttered under her breath. She looked directly at Edward then, and he realized belatedly that he still had his hand on her arm. He withdrew it quickly. "How dangerous is this?"

"Come on, Bells," Jacob said with a sigh. "You know I never would have let you around Sam if I thought he was dangerous."

"This isn't the mafia, or anything like that," Jasper answered first. "Uley doesn't even own more than a paint ball gun."

"Believe me, Mis... Bella. Neither you nor Jacob have ever been in any danger," Edward added.

~Now~

"I don't know. I don't know what to do," Edward groaned, sitting on the edge of the hospital bed.

Numb and confused, he'd found himself wandering back to his own hospital room without saying anything to Bella's father. In retrospect, it was a good plan. It had taken him a full ten minutes to explain everything to Jasper - he was that shaken and shocked.

"Edward..." Jasper started, and under different circumstances, his tone would have made Edward automatically wary. "I really hate to be the one to ask this, but are you sure it's your kid?"

"You were there when they broke up," Edward said with a growl, narrowing his eyes at his partner.

"Yeah, I was there. I've also been through enough of my own break-ups to know that sometimes, when you see your ex, you have sex with them," Jasper returned, his tone steady. "And they've been living together this whole time."

"In separate rooms," Edward snapped.

"Take it easy," Jasper said, holding his palms up in a peacemaking gesture. "You know I had to say it." He wiped a hand over his eyes.

"What do I do?" Edward whispered.

It was a testament to how out of sorts he felt that he was so desperate for help. Typically, Edward was as stubborn as all get out, not listening to anyone.

Jasper chuffed. "There are two things you need to do. You either need to come clean right now - which might not be a bad idea. Think about this - Billy Black's one hope is that baby. Better you break his heart again right now, rather than wait."

Edward groaned, laying back on the bed and throwing his arms over his eyes. "What's my other option?" he muttered.

It wasn't that he was ashamed of his actions, and he definitely wasn't ashamed of Bella. He was just running close to empty, unable to feel anything besides the terror that Bella was going to die, taking the baby - the life he could barely wrap his mind around - with her.

"We still need to do our job," Jasper grunted. "While you were down getting your head examined, a nurse came by." He squirmed, a little smile appearing at the corner of his mouth. "And not that hot little nurse from earlier, Miss Brandon. How do you know her anyway?"

"Jasper, focus," Edward said, losing his patience.

"Right. Well, Charlie Swan wants to talk to us," Jasper said slowly. "He wants to know what happened. He's down in Bella's room. Billy Black is with him."

Edward sat up, crossing his legs as he leaned forward.

This was not supposed to be his life. Though he had gone into the FBI with visions of chasing bad guys and brandishing his gun, by the time he graduated from the academy, he'd grown up considerably. The criminals of the business world were no less infuriating to him, and though the job could be boring, he felt the work he did was important.

But people weren't supposed to die. Speaking to two bereft fathers wasn't something he should have had to face.

Then again, there was an upside. He would at least get to see Bella, see with his own eyes that she was still breathing.

"Okay," he muttered, getting to his feet again. "I'm as a ready for that as I'm ever going to be."

"I hear you there," Jasper said, looking a little green. "Let's do it"

The walk to the ICU was silent. Edward was lost in his own world, vacillating between the need to do the right thing, - admitting to his relationship with Bella, - and the need to just stop his world from spinning so wildly. He couldn't think straight at all.

As they got closer, though, his shame and guilt came secondary to his need to see her. He felt her presence like a beacon calling to him and his step got quicker.

"Steady," Jasper said, putting a hand on his arm.

Edward nodded, taking a deep breath before he stepped inside the room.

Automatically, Edward's eyes skipped over the older man who sat at Bella's side, staring intently at his daughter as if he expected she would sit up just to argue with him. Edward was half expecting that himself.

For a woman who was always so full of life, seeing her in such a state was beyond startling, completely robbing him of thought and words. Edward could hardly breathe past the the lump in his throat, let alone speak.

There were so many wires, each of them hooked to something that was keeping her alive, since her body wasn't capable. Her lips, usually so perfectly pink, wrapped around the tube pumping air into her with a mechanical snap-hiss. Part of her hair had been shaved, revealing the cut he'd only glimpsed before where it arced back to her crown. The bandage that covered it was wrapped around her head.

Jasper elbowing him not so lightly was the only reason Edward started breathing again. He nodded once more that he was ready and Jasper cleared his throat.

Charlie craned his head in his seat. He turned back to his daughter, squeezing her hand once more before he stood.

"Mr. Swan? I'm Agent Whitlock, this is my partner Agent Cullen," Jasper said, nodding at Edward. He offered his hand which Charlie reluctantly shook. "Please let us say first and foremost that we regret what's happened here."

"You should tell that to Billy Black," Charlie said flatly.

"We were told he was here with you," Edward said gently.

The older man nodded brusquely. "He went to check on Emily. They're friends." He shifted again, crossing his arms.

Edward's eyes had strayed again to Bella, and Charlie noticed. "She's pregnant, you know," Charlie bit out. "Six weeks."

"Six?" Edward repeated, feeling like he'd been slapped in the face. "You're certain, six?" He saw Jasper give him a sidelong glance, but couldn't bring himself to care.

Charlie's eyes narrowed. "That's what Doctor Snow said, not that it's any of your business. Now are you going to tell me how this happened? How did my daughter get mixed up in all this?"

Edward let Jasper take over, still staggering over the latest bit of information Charlie had handed him. Between that shock and trying to accept the limp, sickly-pale form on the bed who had to have machines breathe for her, feed her and everything else, was his bright, vibrant Bella, Edward simply couldn't concentrate.

By the time Jasper had caught Charlie up to the current date, Edward had regained his composure.

"What happened today was a complete fluke," he said, jumping in where Jasper had left off. "Both... couples were gathered in the living room when Mr. Uley happened to trip. As he fell, he grabbed Mr. Black's shirt, ripping it and exposing the wire he was wearing.

"We have no visual confirmation, but from the investigation so far, it would seem that when they started to argue, Mr. Uley pushed Mr. Black into the glass." Edward paused as Charlie became visibly upset, looking down at his feet and breathing hard. "Mr. Swan-"

"Chief Swan," Charlie bit out. "I'm a police chief, and you will respect that."

"Chief Swan," Edward amended. "I don't believe that Mr. Uley meant to hurt him." His words were tight. He didn't give a good g'damn what Sam Uley meant to do. The fact of the matter was that Bella would be completely fine if it weren't for him. But Charlie didn't need to hear Edward's venom. "He was in a state of shock when he chased after Bella." His throat threatened to close. "By that time, I'd gotten to the house. I went after them... I saw Bella fall. Mr. Uley was chasing her across a very narrow path along the cliffs, and she fell."

"Agent Cullen pulled your daughter from the water," Jasper added, his voice unassuming.

"You resuscitated her," Edward said, remembering suddenly.

Jasper nodded shortly. "Sam Uley is in custody at your station, as I'm sure you know."

They all stood in silence, waiting while Charlie studied his shoelaces and the specked title beneath his feet. "Well, thank you for what you've done. And thank you for letting me know. It makes sense. Bella never could stand injustice."

"If I might, Chief Swan... I've come to know Bella a little in the time we've been... working together. If there's anyone who can pull through this, it's her," Edward said, his tone fervent. He was trying to convince himself as much as Charlie.

Charlie only nodded, and Jasper's hand on his arm got Edward moving again. They made it halfway back to the main part of the hospital before Edward had to stop. He leaned against the wall, putting his hands on his knees and leaning forward.

Jasper squatted in front of him. "What is it?"

"I don't know. I don't fucking know," Edward growled. "Seeing her like that... it should be all I can think about."

"And what are you thinking about?"

Edward laughed somewhat hysterically. "Six fucking weeks..."

"I don't understand, Edward," Jasper said when he didn't continue.

"We weren't ... together like that until four weeks ago," Edward spat, too loud.

Jasper sighed. "Edward..."

"Don't," Edward warned. "It doesn't make sense. It just... doesn't."

~5 Months Ago~

Edward furrowed his eyebrows at his phone, not recognizing the number that popped up there. "Cullen," he answered.

There was a scoff on the other end. "God. I thought that was some television cliche."

"Bella?" he asked, shocked because she was the last person he would have expected to hear from.

She sighed. "Yeah, it's me. I got this number from Jake. I just..." She huffed. "This sounds stupid now, but technically I'm going through a break up and I have no one else to talk to. Since you're the one who forbade me to talk about it, I think that means you're obligated to listen to me vent."

Edward's mouth quirked up and down, like he couldn't decide if it was okay to smile. "Why me?" he asked, honestly curious. "Why not Jasper."

"Because I didn't go to high school with Jasper. This way I can pretend you're just the kid I grew up with instead of an FBI agent," she pointed out.

"Do you understand how entirely bizarre my life is right now?" Bella asked about an hour later. To avoid anyone seeing them who shouldn't, Edward had allowed Bella to come to his apartment. "I mean, all of a sudden I'm part of an undercover operation. Who am I? A mob wife?"

She looked around his mildly untidy apartment. "That's funny. You struck me as anal retentive."

Edward did smile at that. "It's the suit. It makes me seem efficient."

"Is this kosher by the way?" she asked, as if suddenly shy. "I mean, we're not breaking any rules, are we?"

"Well," Edward hedged. "Technically I'm walking a thin line," he said honestly. "Any personal relationship I have with someone near the case is a potential for the defense to get evidence thrown out when this whole thing goes to trial. But technically speaking, Jacob is our informant, not you. And I'm not consorting with an informant but chatting with an old friend from high school." He grinned at her.

Bella smiled down at her hands. "Good thing they don't know... we weren't really great friends in high school," she joked and then sighed.

"Well, you were a Freshman when I was a Senior," he pointed out. "I really am sorry. I know break ups are never easy, and asking you to stay..."

"It's fine, really," Bella interrupted. "I mean, I get it. You're close to getting what you need to nail him, and I'm all for that.

"And it's not like it's traumatizing. The thing about Jake and me... We're just friends, that's all," Bella said with a shrug. She looked up, her cheeks flushing suddenly. "I'm going to be blatantly honest here. It just occurred to me one day that we hadn't had sex in so long and neither of us cared. I mean... I'm 24 years old. I should feel more passion for my boyfriend, shouldn't I?"

"Um," Edward said, readjusting the way he was sitting because his pants felt suddenly, inexplicably tighter. "That would make sense, yes."

"I love Jacob. I do. Being with him is as easy as breathing," she said with a sigh. "But to me, that defines friendship, not a relationship." She played with her fingers a moment before looking up at him. "Is that childish?"

"I don't think so," Edward answered honestly. "I think you deserve passion. I mean..." he looked down quickly. "I think everyone deserves to be loved passionately by their significant other. Everyone deserves one person that makes them the most important person on the planet."

"Exactly," Bella nodded, and she smiled. "I just got the point where I thought, I let myself get sidetracked these last four years with 'good enough'. I'm just not willing to put any more of myself toward that. I'm done."

~Now~

"Edward!"

Edward was drawn out of his memories by his father's relieved voice. He looked down the hallway to see Carlisle coming toward him, still dressed in scrubs from the surgery room. "Dad," he sighed, letting himself be drawn into his father's hug.

"I heard you were here but couldn't leave," Carlisle said, releasing him after a long moment.

"I'm fine. How is Emily?" Edward deflected quickly.

"Well," Carlisle started, running a hand through his graying, blond hair. "There was quite a bit of, er, structural damage to her face, but we were able to save her eye. She's resting now."

"Good."

"Alice said you have a concussion?" Carlisle asked, reaching out to hold Edward's eye open so he could have a look.

"Dad!" Edward protested, feeling nine rather than twenty-nine. He had to force himself not to glare at his partner who was chortling behind his hands. "I'm fine. I'm just tired."

Carlisle studied him seriously for a moment. "Why don't you stay with your mother and me tonight, son?" He turned to Jasper. "You're welcome, too, Jasper. There's more than enough room. It's too late to be heading back to Seattle right now."

"And you can shine a penlight in my eyes every hour on the hour?" Edward finished for him. He sighed resignedly. "Yeah, Dad. Home actually sounds great right now." He turned to Jasper. "Fuck. Is Banner expecting anything from us?" he asked belatedly, remembering their boss for the first time that evening.

"Our statements first thing tomorrow morning and a shitload of paperwork," Jasper said gruffly. "It shouldn't be a problem though since he was on his way down here last I spoke to him about an hour ago."

It was a thorn in Bob Banner's side that while Sam's company was in Seattle, his main home - where Jacob and Bella were often invited and where Jacob had begun to glean Sam's secrets- was on the outskirts of La Push, where both he and Jacob had grown up.

Edward let Jasper drive him to his childhood home while he stared out at the encroaching green of the forest that surrounded them. He was mostly checked out, not listening to Jasper, who spent most of the drive going over and over the evidence they had, wondering if they had enough to bring Uley and his partners - brothers, Paul and Jared Wolfe - down.

When it was clear that Edward didn't care at that moment, Jasper tried to change the subject to something more benign. "So... you never did tell me how you knew that hot little nurse."

"Alice? Oh... last year at Christmas, my dad was cutting the ham and almost sliced off his finger," Edward said distractedly. "So I had to drive him to the hospital to get him it stitched up."

"That must have been embarrassing. A surgeon slicing up his own hand," Jasper snorted.

"Yeah. Anyway, Alice was his nurse. She's good people."

"I see," Jasper said, and on any other day, Edward would have called him on his feigned nonchalance. "Does she have a boyfriend?"

"Christ, Jasper. I don't know," Edward groused, really not wanting to talk about it.

Jasper knew him well enough to leave him alone then. Luckily, the drive wasn't long. It was no time before they were pulling up to his parents' house.

Esme was instantly all over him, ruffling his hair and looking him over for injuries. "You know, Edward. I have to say, I was relieved when you went into blue collar crime rather than the more violent crimes department," his mother said with a sigh. "It was supposed to keep you safe."

"Safe," Edward echoed, his tone bitter. "I'm fine, Mom."

And it was true - he was fine. But one of his charges was dead, and Bella...

Edward sank down on his bed in his old bedroom, pinching the bridge of his nose and trying to keep from crying again. Behind his closed eyelids, he saw Bella's lifeless form as Jasper leaned over her, blowing air into her mouth and pumping her chest. He saw her shorn hair and the stark red standing out against the bandage that was wrapped around her head.

It felt so wrong to be away from her, but he needed time to process what was happening, to get a grip on the situation he found himself in. He wasn't ready for the barrage of questions, especially the ones that would doubtless come up about the child Bella carried.

Had she known?

No, he had to believe she would tell him, even if it wasn't his.

But that didn't make sense either. Edward wasn't naive to the world. He knew that there was no such thing as a perfect relationship. Certainly, his and Bella's relationship was young. It wasn't out of the realm of possibility that her eyes wandered or, as Jasper had proposed, she had fallen into bed with Jacob.

Maybe it was stupid, but it felt impossible that Bella would do that to him. There had to be another explanation.

How had everything gone to hell so quickly?

In the end, Edward was glad that his father did indeed wake him every hour to check on him. It was the only thing that broke up the nightmares.

A/N: Thank you so much to Barburella and twitina for spoiling the ever loving hell out of me. And thanks to GinnyW for always letting me pester her about baby stuff.

Okay…for real…it might be a little bit before I update again (no more than two weeks).