AN: Sorry for taking so long, people. I've been busy. Someone pointed out that I am inconsistent in my writing so I'm sorry for that too. Also, I will be writing a JPOV as one of you suggested and that will be the next chapter. Enjoy!

Stressed?

God, I'd been feeling like shit lately. Well, not like shit but a little weird. And all of a sudden I've become quite moody this week and I didn't know why.

I was just about to take a massive bite out of the cupcake I was holding when Angela smacked it out of my fingers. I jerked my hand back quickly and rubbed the place where it stung. "Ow!" I exclaimed while shooting her a dirty look. "What the hell, Ang?"

"Bella, that's like the fifth cupcake you've had in the last five minutes. Don't you think you should slow down?"

I wrinkled my nose at her, glancing around the kitchen and hoping no-one else in the office heard as they all crowded around Tanya. "It is not my fifth cupcake. And there're really good!"

Just as I was about to reach for another cupcake, she smacked my hand again and ignored my protests as she led me away from the office kitchen and our co-workers. She took me to her desk and sat me down. "Bella, I don't think Tanya will appreciate you eating her entire going away party." Or the fact that I nearly soaked her white blouse in tears earlier. I was suddenly devastated to see her leave but I couldn't explain why. She was great and all but we weren't that close.

I rolled my eyes at her then slumped forward with my elbows on her desk and my cheeks in my hands. "Ang, I have no idea what is up with me these days. I've just been feeling so . . . bleh. And really tired, especially when I get home."

"Maybe you're just bloated from all that eating."

I shot her a serious glare and she laughed at me.

"I'm being serious. I don't feel sick but I don't feel right either. You should see me in the mornings!"

Angela, seated on her desk in front of me, patted my my head like I was a little kid. "I know what's going on with you, Bella. Or at least I think I might know." She thought about it for a moment then nodded to herself. "You're just stressed, my friend. Think about it. With every writer on this floor wrestling for Tanya's spot now that she's gone, you've had to work extra hard even though you're totally the best candidate in my opinion. You do want you're own column, right?"

I nodded my head under her hand.

"Right. So you're so tired all the time from working and you're munching out because, I mean, who doesn't feel better after junk food?"

That made sense, I guess. And I did want Tanya's place. She had her own advice column that I'd envied since my first day at La Donna magazine. Now, Tanya was setting off to start her own periodical and her column needed someone to write it. I wanted to write it. So ever since Tanya announced she was leaving three weeks ago, I've been busting my ass with work, hoping Aro would take note of my dedication to the magazine, not that it wasn't there before.

"You see!" Angela beamed the way she did whenever she felt she'd convinced anyone of anything. "You just need to relax for a bit. Tell you what; since it's a Friday why don't you crash at my place tonight? We could just hang out like we do. And there's a really good plot brewing on Sunset Drive today!"

I groaned loudly and let my head fall onto the desk. She was taking about that damned soap opera of hers with Embry Call, her supposed "future husband" as a lead character. I really hated that show. But I told her that I would be over there an hour after we knocked off.

At five we left the office and bumped into Mike Newton in the elevator. He was always so quite and shy and really adorable.

"Hi, Mike!" Angela greeted him and he sort of turned red as I smiled at him.

"Hello," he said shyly. "How are you."

"Well, thanks and you?"

"I'm doing okay."

Angela then had to be her loud self and make the poor guy blush. "Look at you two! So cute together!"

Mike went super red and I patted him on his arm, which probably made it a bit worse because he stiffened a little.

The elevator open on our floor and just as we were all walking out, Angela mentioned how we would be a good match together, making Mike turn a whole new shade of red, then walked off laughing.

I ran my hand through my hair and apologised to Mike before telling him to have a nice weekend.

I made my way to my car and just sat there with my face in my hands for a while. I was getting tired of this weirdness. I put on my hands-free ear piece then dialled my doctor as I started the car.

"Dr Jenks's office, how may I help you?" the familiar southern voice greeted politely.

"Hey, Mrs Cope, it's Bella. I need to make an appointment. I haven't been feeling very . . . normal lately."

"Hello, Bella dear, are you okay?" she asked with concern.

I shrugged as I turned the next corner even though she couldn't see me. "I don't think it's anything serious. I'm just feeling funny. I just want to make sure it's nothing serious."

There was a pause and I could hear the flipping of pages. Then, "Alright, sweetheart, how's Sunday afternoon?"

I thought about how hectic things were at work right now and how hard I'd been working. I'd been planning on working Sunday. But then I didn't want to put this off any longer than I already had and compromise my health.

"Tuesday afternoon will be fine, thanks. I'll call again if I need to make any changes."

"Alright, dear, you take care now, you hear?"

"I will, Mrs Cope. See you on Sunday."

"Bye now." And then the line went dead just as I pulled to a stop. Handbag and coat ready I get out and made my way into the ten storey apartment building I'd been calling home for the last five years. As I unlocked my door I felt the urge to just collapse onto my bed but reminded myself that I was spending the weekend at Angela's. I packed my for two nights and was out in a flash.

It had been a little over a month since the whole Jacob Black drama and since then I hadn't wanted to think about it much. Angela tried to comfort me after I told her I watched the video by making jokes.

"Knowing your stroke of bad luck, it was probably the greatest sex you'd ever had but you'd never know."

I hadn't found that funny and it made me want to watch the video again. The whole thing and from the beginning this time.

Then I remembered how flustered I'd felt while watching it the first time and lost my nerve. And so it was just sitting there on my laptop waiting for god knows what to be done about it.

Soon, I found myself taking the elevator to the seventh floor and knocking on door three-oh-five. When the door opened I was smacked in the face with the smell of my favourite take-out burgers and my best friend only stood there in her pyjamas and a smug grin.

"Well, don't just stand there! Come on in!" She moved aside to invite me in and I immediately flew over to the kitchen. The smell came from two plates occupied by double cheese burgers, fries and two cokes on the side. I licked my lips and rubbed my hands together, realising how hungry I was and popping two long fries into my mouth.

"Hey! Shower and change first! Sunset Drive is about to start."

I took another three fries before making for the bathroom. I made quick in the shower, though it was relaxing, and got into my Little Miss pyjamas. I tied my hair back as I made my way back to Angela's living room where she and the food and Sunset Drive were waiting for me. As I sat beside my bestie on her sofa the annoying theme song blared at us, Angela ready and anticipating.

I started eating the fries on my plate with a blanket over my lap and Angela quickly explaining what had been happening previously.

"So Amber had a miscarriage and didn't tell Michael so she bought a baby from a pregnant teenager and told Michael it's his baby. But now Hannah wants her baby back and Amber is fighting with her in the living room, not knowing Michael is about to walk in and hear their conversation!"

There was pure excitement as she recapped the last month of events in her favourite show. I could tell she was just bursting with anxiety and anticipation.

From then on I was hushed every time I tried to comment on something but when the commercials came on she'd set off about this and that and how absolutely dreamy Michael/Embry Call was.

At some point "Michael" found out that the baby in question was not his and Angela couldn't help but hold a pillow to her chest and stare intensely at the television screen.

"Michael, please! Let me explain!"

"No, Amber! It's too late for explanations. It's over between us," the voice was overly dramatic and angry. The acting was even more over the top. I'd learned early on that the show was greatly based on people crying at least once in every episode. It took some getting used to but now I was able to let out small snickers instead of having full force laughing fits. By the end of the show Angela seemed completely mind blown. I was just glad I didn't have that kind of drama in my life.

"Wow! Was that not amazing?"

I nodded carelessly, chewing the last bite of my burger. The best thing to was just agree to whatever she said.

We watched a few movies, most of them Angela rented out only because there were hot guys on the cover, and pretty soon we were half dead and went to bed.

The next day, Angela wanted to go to the mall or something but I didn't feel like walking around looking at stuff. So she took me to a beauty salon where I could just lay back in a chair while my nails and hair were made up. It felt good to just sit back and not do anything. It helped me forget the work related stress and the doctor's appointment tomorrow would only confirm that I was okay.

After the salon we went back to her place and rented more movies.

The next day, Angela and I went our separate ways and by the afternoon I was with Dr Jenks.

"So, Bella, what seems to be the problem?" Dr Jenks was a really short man with a balding patch at the top of his head but he was friendly and likable, which was why I stuck with him for so long. He was reliable.

"Well, I've just been feeling weird recently. My best friend thinks it's stress but I just want to be sure about it."

He nodded, putting on his doctor face and asking questions as he examined me. He took my blood pressure and listened to my heart and my temperature.

"So, am I okay doctor?" I asked when he stopped poking and probing at me and I jumped off the gurney.

"Nothing's wrong with you, exactly . . ." he said with a slight smile that made me

My forehead crinkled and my eyebrows knitted together. What did that mean? "But?"

"But you are pregnant." He beamed at me.

For some reason, I started laughing hysterically. Actually, it was because there was no way I could ever be pregnant. I couldn't even imagine me pregnant! At least not now!

"C'mon, doctor, I don't even have a boyfriend to have a baby with! Besides, you didn't take my blood or anything. How did you come to the conclusion that I was pregnant?"

He shook his head at me still smiling. "Your symptoms. Eating for two, always sleeping, sick in the morning. It's quite obvious."

Oh, my heart sank down to my stomach. "But I haven't been throwing up or anything like that."

"But you've felt nauseous, right?" And then my stomach sank to my feet.

I reluctantly nodded, my mind going to that one accidental night a month ago that I couldn't remember. "But still, maybe it's something else. You could be wrong."

"When is your cycle due?"

That's where he got me, because I wasn't completely sure. I guess I forgot to keep track of it oh so conveniently this month. Damn it!

I started counting on my finger from the last time I had my period and I recounted a second and third time before slouching my shoulders. "A week ago," I sighed in defeat, putting my face in my hands. "Oh god, this isn't happening."

I felt a hand patting my shoulder, and soon was accompanied by a voice. "Normally I would congratulate you but it seems like you're not too happy about it. Do you need someone to talk to?"

That nausea he was talking about? Yeah, I could feel it now as I looked up from my hands. My heart was pounding, pulsing now in my ears and my eyes saw white spots everywhere. I was so dizzy. I wanted to shake my head but instead I felt myself falling before I totally blacked out.

AN: Erm, your thoughts? I'm not too sure about this chapter. I didn't do a good job of building up to it, did I? Well, tell me what you think.