A/N: From the safety of my rowboat in my basement, I am happy to provide you with the next chapter of our little tale. Thank you for your well wishes and your reviews. I'm extremely grateful Hurricane Sandy didn't do as much damage to my area as it did to our friends in other cities. My thoughts and prayers are with them.

Scorpio11 – Great beta and wonderful supporter!

SMeyer owns Twilight characters. I own this little story, but I definitely didn't infringe.

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4.

BELLA

"Sissy, I'm off to work," Emmett called down the stairs to let me know he was coming in. God, he was an overprotective pain in my ass.

"First, quit calling me that. It was one fucking spider, and it was huge. Even you cringed, you pussy. Second, I've got class today, so I have to maneuver stairs anyway," I chastised as he tried to pick me up. I wanted to clock him with a crutch.

"Fine, bitchy. I'm taking your car in on Saturday for an oil change. I'm going to try to get Cullen to play squash with me today after work, so I'll be late. Rose is working late. You got food here?" Emmett asked as I hobbled up the stairs after him.

Once I reached the top, I was sorry I hadn't let him carry me up because it was a fucking struggle. "Is there casserole left?" I asked. Rosalie had frozen half of it for me, and as far as I knew it was still in the freezer untouched. If Emmett hadn't gotten to it, I would definitely have my way with it. Something about it settled my stomach, and I was planning to get Emmett to ask the guy for the recipe. I could live on it for the duration if necessary. Hell, if I added chicken, it could quite possibly be the perfect food.

"A little. You've got cash in case my boys want food, right?" he joked. I laughed because he was so certain that the twins were boys, and I secretly prayed they were girls. That would serve his sexist ass right.

Rosalie appeared at the door of the kitchen looking as perfect as always. "Bella, seriously? You're going to class in sweats?" she bitched. Some things never change…

"Rose, these are yoga pants, and I'll remind you that you bought them for me for Christmas last year. Hey, your big-headed kids have put me out of all of my clothes, so quit bitching," I replied feeling quite smug.

"Gah! Saturday, we're going maternity shopping. You need clothes," Rosalie complained as I ate my cereal with the skim milk she'd insisted on. She claimed it was for me and the babies. It was full of vitamins and not fat, but it tasted like watered down, well, milk.

After they left with a kiss to each cheek and then a kiss to my burgeoning belly, I suddenly had the overwhelming desire to return my breakfast, which I did, swearing off dairy…except cheese. I'd come to love cheese.

Forensic Accounting was dull. Business Management was even duller. When a jackass in my pottery class asked what kind of diet I was on because it didn't seem to be working, I threw the pot I was spinning rather poorly at him. The comment reminded me too much of grade and high school, and suddenly all of the insecurity I'd fought for years came flooding back. Consequently, the day had sucked.

When I got home from class, I took a shower and put on a pair of Emmett's sweats, which were quite loose, and a t-shirt. Sometime over the weekend Emmett had snuck me a box of Creamsicles I was sure Rosalie would have a cow about, and I was enjoying one as I settled in to do homework. There was a knock at my back door…or maybe it was my front door. When I opened it, there was an older woman standing there with a smile. If she was a Mormon or even an Avon lady, they had the perfect spokesperson because she had the most welcoming smile in the world.

When Mr. Beautiful stepped into view, I nearly swallowed my damn tongue. He looked quite worried, which worried me, and after several cryptic comments, I figured out they were on a date and for whatever reason wanted me to go along with them. When they mentioned dinner, all I could think about was a Big Mac. I'd probably throw it up, but "special sauce" kept going through my head.

We drove to a McDonald's I'd never been to, but hell, I didn't care. Em and Rose were out, and the house got lonely when I was there by myself. After Edward…oh, the gorgeous Edward…ordered for me and we sat down, I was so completely confused, but I chalked it up to the fact the burger had my attention. As gorgeous as the man was, he simply couldn't compete with the Big Mac and fries I was lusting after because anything from McDonald's was taboo according to Rosalie. Again, some things never change…

When he wrapped his arm around my shoulder and kissed my temple, I was in shock. He was gorgeous, and maybe he was hitting on me, which I would totally go along with regardless of Emmett's determination I couldn't date while I was carrying his kids. When I turned to look into his eyes, he smiled at me. "Bella, we're not on a date. We're here to help you. We're here to help you get out of…" he started and stopped with a groan, not offering another word.

"Bella, what Edward means is we understand you're in a bad situation, and you need help. Now, you might not even know it because as we understand, the McCartys drug you, but you can leave. You don't have to be there. We can keep you safe," Dr. Weber told me.

I looked between the two of them, and saw the concern, and then it hit me like a ton of bricks. I started laughing hysterically because they had it all wrong, but I couldn't tell them. I was sure I sounded like a hyena, but God knew I couldn't help myself. I felt Edward tighten his grip on my shoulders and hold me closer, rocking me a bit.

"Look, it's okay. We're here for you. You don't have to live that way," he whispered against the side of my head as he held me. Now, mind you, I liked being held by the man, but what he was saying kept me laughing. I was certain they thought me insane.

Finally, after what seemed to be an eternity, I collected myself. I looked at Dr. Weber, not ready to deal with Edward. "Dr. Weber, what's your specialty?" I asked as I took a slug from the bottle of water in front of me and closed up the rest of my sandwich, unable to finish it.

"I'm a psychiatrist, dear. Now, what's going on…you've done nothing wrong, you know. The McCartys have brainwashed you into thinking it's acceptable to treat you the way they do. It's not, dear. We can help you. We want to help you. Can you tell me what the pill looks like they make you take at night?" she asked. The pill was my prenatal vitamin which I had a better shot of keeping down at night than in the morning, but I wanted to have a bit of fun, having been so completely bored of late.

"It's big and it's pink," I responded with a soft voice as if I was scared.

"There's nothin' to be afraid of any longer. I'll take you to my place until we can get ya into treatment," Edward commented as he rubbed my shoulder. That was when the guilt hit me. He was actually worried about me and doing a selfless intervention for a girl he'd met once. I couldn't take advantage.

"Um, look, you two, I appreciate this, but you've got this all wrong," I began.

"I don't think you know what's right or wrong, dear. Is this the pill?" Dr. Weber asked as she turned her iPhone toward me with a look of absolute sincerity on her lovely face.

"Dr. Weber, the pill I take at night is my prenatal vitamin. I can't take them in the morning because I puke until about two in the afternoon. What do you two think is going on?" I asked as I took another gulp of water.

"Bella, I know Emmett and Rosalie have forced you to…" Edward began. I had to stop the poor bastard before he embarrassed himself any more. I was laughing so damn hard that I think I peed a little, but I just couldn't let it go any further.

"Stop! I'm carrying Emmett and Rosalie's twins as their surrogate. Rosalie can't carry them, so I agreed to carry them. I live with them, by choice, and they're paying for my school. What made you jump to the conclusion it was anything else?" I asked, curiosity spurring me on.

Edward highlighted things he'd heard me say, and after I explained "alone time" with Rose and Emmett meant they talked or read to my stomach where there babies were percolating, not that we were engaging in anything carnal, he blushed. When he mentioned some of the comments Emmett had made regarding how much I loved him and how I was his baby momma, I could see where a stranger could draw the conclusion it was something shady.

"So what about the comment Rosalie made to make sure the door was locked?" he asked.

"I have a horrible habit of leaving the backdoor open because I get hot. They get pissed about it, and we fight about it all the time. I can promise you…okay, look, let's go back to the house and talk to them. They should be home by now, and we can straighten this whole thing out, I swear," I suggested. The two of them nodded in agreement.

Unfortunately, when we got home, we all heard Rosalie and Em going at it. "And that's why I like a floor between us," I offered, seeing both of them trying not to laugh.

I took them into the kitchen, away from the echoing moans and groans, asking, "Can I get you anything?"

Edward smiled shyly. "I'd really like a beer." I went to the fridge and grabbed him the IPA I noticed he was drinking during his last visit.

I turned to the good doctor and saw her smile. "I'm going to take off because I've got a husband and three kids at home who are probably about to heat up a frozen pizza. Bella, here's my card. I admire the hell out of what you're doing for your sister, but after the babies come…well, if you need to talk, please call me. We'll get a coffee, or hell a margarita! I really like you, and I'm glad you're not being held hostage," she joked as she left. I walked her out and returned to the kitchen to face Edward Cullen.

"So, what were you planning to do with me after you rescued me?" I asked as I settled in with more water.

"Take you home with me and make you a broccoli-cheese-rice casserole, of course," he laughed. I was looking forward to getting to know him. He was the most compassionate, gorgeous man I'd ever met. God, if I wasn't pregnant…

##

"I smell bacon. Does that mean Bells is back?" I heard called from the stairs. Edward hadn't eaten, and I knew after the way Em and Rose had gone after each other, they'd be hungry, so I was making bacon and scrambled eggs. The mere fact I could tolerate the smell made me happy.

Emmett skidded in and stopped cold. "Cullen? I thought you had a date," Emmett stated.

"I'm on it," Edward responded with a smile. Oh god, please don't let him tease me.

"On it? Wait, you're trying…no. You're not going to date Bella," Emmett ordered as he sat down at the table with a beer of his own.

"Oh, but I am," Edward replied, apparently without any regard for his safety.

Rosalie sashayed in and kissed my cheek, her hair wet from the shower and pulled up in a messy bun. "Hey, Edward. Wait, how long have you guys…?" she asked.

"Oh, long enough," I responded as I dumped the rest of the eggs on a plate for her. She opened the salsa and dumped it on her eggs, which caused me to laugh. She'd take scrambled eggs and smother them in salsa, but wrap that shit in a tortilla like I made the mistake of doing once, she'd rip you open. Carbs weren't her friend, and she'd extolled their evilness to me at every opportunity nearly my whole life.

"You're not going to date Bells. Sorry, but that's not in the cards," Emmett announced. Before I could open my mouth, Rosalie dropped her fork and pulled Emmett's plate away.

"You have absolutely no say in who my sister does or doesn't date, do you understand me?" Rosalie ordered. I motioned to Edward to grab his plate, and we slipped down the stairs to my place, which was where we should have gone anyway. I could tell they were just getting wound up, and after the day Edward Cullen had, I knew I had to spare him from the fight.

"You know how to rile him up, telling him that we were on a date. That'll keep him going for days," I remarked as I walked to my kitchen, suddenly craving a banana. I grabbed a dark one from the bunch I'd purchased and peeled it, sitting down at my table next to Edward.

He turned to look at me and dropped his fork as I bit into the banana. I knew we weren't really on a date, but I also knew I'd hear about it from Emmett every time I left the house, so I wanted to know how much shit he wanted to take from my brother-in-law. I was all for winding Emmett up because he drove me insane on a good day. If I had a partner in crime, I was more than happy about it.

##

The next morning, I was just out of the shower and dressing when I heard the knock on my door at the top of the stairs. There was a simultaneous knock at my back door, so the decision of which door to open was easy. I knew who was at the top of the stairs. He could damn well wait.

I pulled my t-shirt down and saw how tight it was around my abdomen, so I pulled on a sweater and buttoned it. It would be hot as hell, but my clothes weren't exactly fitting me too well. I didn't make a habit of wearing yoga pants to class, but until Rose and I went shopping, I had no choice.

When I opened the door and saw Edward Cullen standing there with a smile, I stepped aside and allowed him in, ignoring the pounding at the top of the stairs.

"I have a vanilla soy decaf latte and an herbal tea. Lady's choice," he offered with a killer smile.

"Oh, God, can I have the latte? That sounds so good," I begged. He offered it and closed the door behind him.

"Who, um, who's poundin' at the door, sugar?" he asked as I showed him in, hearing just a little twang from him which caused all of my lady parts to clench a little. It was sexy as hell. The term "sugar" nearly made me faint.

"Oh, that's just Emmett. If you want to get your ass kicked at 7:30 on a Tuesday morning, feel free to let him in. The door locks from this side, and Rosalie hid the other key," I informed. He laughed as he took off his suit jacket and draped it across one of my dining room chairs. He was so fucking perfect I had to fight the urge to bite my knuckles.

"So, how're ya…you feeling?" he asked as he sipped the herbal tea.

"Well, today's a good day because I don't feel like I wanna turn my stomach inside out. How are you?" I asked as I went to the cabinet in my galley kitchen suddenly craving salt. When I looked around, I had nothing salty in the cabinet or refrigerator. All I had was a salt shaker, which I took with me to the table. I sat down and smiled at the gorgeous man drinking herbal tea I was pretty sure he didn't really want.

"I might have some real coffee down here, but you can't tell anyone. I don't drink it, but if they found out I was hiding it…well, it wouldn't be pretty," I teased as I licked the top of my hand and sprinkled salt on it.

When I licked it off and took a drink of my latte, I heard him laugh. I opened my eyes, which I didn't know had closed, and saw him with a look on his face of disbelief. "What exactly is that move?" he asked. Fuck if he isn't adorable.

"You want some real coffee?" I asked, not really wanting to offer an explanation for my strange behavior. I didn't want to highlight I was carrying my sister's babies, but it was really a fact of life I couldn't get away from. Why I was avoiding it was ridiculous.

He nodded at me regarding the coffee, so I went to set it up, noticing the banging at the top of the stairs had stopped, thankfully. While the coffee brewed, I sat back down at the table with Edward. "So, the salt?" he asked.

"Oh, that. Well, they won't allow me any salt because of some bullshit about hypertension running in Emmett's family, but I'm craving it, so I stole a salt shaker from a diner on campus. Please don't rat me out," I begged quietly.

He laughed softly. "I'd never rat you out on anything. Is there any way the wardens would allow me to take ya out to a movie or for dinner?" he asked, catching me completely off guard.

I looked down at the lump and then back at him. "You do realize I'm not just fat. There are two babies in there, right? What man in his right mind would ask a pregnant woman out for a date?" I asked with what I'm sure was a stunned expression on my face.

Once again, he laughed. I didn't know what the fuck he found so damn funny, but he seemed to have a jovial sense of humor which I could appreciate. "You're cute, do you know that? I'll tell ya what type of man would take the opportunity to ask a beautiful, selfless woman out for a date. He'd have to be the smartest som-bitch on God's green earth. So?" he proffered which caused me to catch my breath.

It was the most incredible sentence…well, set of sentences…I'd ever heard in my entire twenty-one, nearly twenty-two years of walking the planet. He was a man like no other if he was willing to ask a woman on a date knowing she was carrying someone else's babies. Who did that?

##

"Why didn't you answer the door this morning? I noticed Cullen's car on the driveway. He didn't spend the night did he? You know the deal," Emmett complained as I watched a rerun of "Gilmore Girls" on the Soap Network. It was the one where Luke and Lorelai finally admitted their feelings for each other, and it was my favorite so his interruption wasn't welcomed.

I hit the mute and turned on him, ready to take him on. "Yes, I'm carrying your children, and yes, I agreed I wouldn't have sex with anyone while I was carrying said children, but I never fucking agreed to become a nun. The nice, handsome man asked me out for a movie or dinner, and I'll remind you that you are a fucking nutjob. You and Rosalie…you're making my life fucking miserable, which can't be good for the babies. I know…bed by ten, no salt, blah-blah-fucking-blah, but why in the name of St. Peter, can't I go to the goddamn movies with a man you brought into this house?" I ranted.

And I wasn't done either. "Just think of me as an apartment building, Emmett. You rented one unit…one fucking unit. You have no say what goes on in the rest of the building unless there is the potential to harm your unit," I continued, liking the analogy more as I rambled through it on my way to the kitchen with him hot on my trail.

I hadn't told them what had actually transpired with Edward that morning because I didn't want Emmett to shut him down if he was interested in me, and I was sure Em could…or would. It was one thing to take care of myself for the sake of their babies. It was another to become a fucking hostage, which was how I had started to feel long before Edward and Dr. Weber ever showed up at my door. I also hadn't mentioned the little fiasco at McDonald's because I didn't want to come in on myself about the Big Mac I'd eaten the night before. One battle at a time!

He blinked at me for a minute, and then he yelled, "Rosie." He had no answers, so he was calling in my sister for reinforcements. Oh, I was ready for both of them.

She strolled into the room looking less than happy. "What?" she snapped at him. I did a quick count in my head and knew she was PMS-ing, which to her, was God's way of punishing her every month by forcing her to endure a monthly shedding of her useless uterine lining. She took out the unfairness of the situation on anyone who crossed her path.

I felt sorry for her, but in that moment, I wasn't going to allow my empathy for her to steer me from my course. I didn't know if my argument about going out with Edward would go my way or not, but I'd sneak out if I had to…well, as long as the man was actually interested.

"Beckley Arms, here, wants to go out on a date," Emmett snapped as he pointed at me, obviously using my dynamic analogy against me. "Beckley Arms" was the name of the apartment building Em and Rose lived in when they first got married. My sister wasn't even fazed by his comment.

Rosalie, like the bi-polar woman she became five days a month, sat down at the table with her legs drawn up in front of her. "Oh, who? Is it that Mike guy in your business class?" Rosalie gushed, obviously remembering the story I'd told her about the over-gelled, gold chain wearing, douche and the bag he rode in on, who'd asked me out the first day of class.

"God, no. Edward Cullen came by this morning to ask me out for a date. He brought me a soy decaf latte, as well," I told her as I sat down across from her. I was quite interested in her thoughts on the matter. She was a good judge of character, and I wanted to know what she thought. She dealt with people every day, being the manager of a car dealership…a very successful one…in Seattle, so I felt she had insight into people my inexperienced ass didn't.

She clapped and squealed. "That's so great. Oh, we'll have to go shopping tomorrow night after…fuck it. I'll take off tomorrow afternoon, and we'll go after your last class. There's this really cute boutique not far from your campus where we can get you some transitional clothes. You don't need actual maternity clothes yet, but you definitely can't go around like that," Rosalie responded as her eyes took in my pajama pants and sweatshirt that I'd changed into after class. I'd swapped out the yoga pants for my baggiest blue jeans after Edward left that morning, and I was so fucking uncomfortable all day I actually agreed to go shopping without a second thought.

"You don't mean to tell me…no. Rosie, she can't go," Emmett commanded, stomping his foot a little. He truly looked like he was five years old, not thirty-five.

Fortunately for me, but unfortunately for Emmett, Rosalie turned her steely gaze on him. "Emmett, Bella is carrying our babies without one thought for what she'd have to give up for the nearly ten months they're growing inside her. If the entire cast of 'Rent' shows up here to take her on a date and she wants to go, I'll be more than happy to FIX HER HAIR," she informed, her voice getting louder as she continued her tongue-lashing.

Emmett sat down in the empty chair between us and took my hand in both of his. "Look, I can never tell you enough how much I…how fucking grateful I am every day you've agreed to do this for us, but we don't know a damn thing about this guy. He could be some sick fuck who likes to molest pregnant women. I mean, no offense, Bella, but I'm suspicious of any guy who wants to date a pregnant woman if the baby isn't his," Emmett explained. I couldn't get mad about it because it wasn't something I hadn't thought myself and even mentioned to Edward, but I certainly didn't like hearing it from my brother-in-law.

Emmett's wife, my sister, didn't exactly agree with what her husband said, and the smack on the back of his head was a subtle reminder to him that he was notorious for opening his mouth and inserting his foot. It was the over-protective Rosalie of my childhood, and I actually felt sorry for Emmett. "You fucking moron. Just because she's pregnant doesn't mean she's not a beautiful, interesting, incredible woman. Edward Cullen is mature enough to see it for himself. Hell, you hired the guy. You know his background. Does he have a criminal record that would lead you to believe he has some pregnancy fetish?" Rosalie asked. Funny thing was, the words "beautiful," "interesting," or "incredible" had never been used by Rosalie to describe me. I think I was more in shock than Emmett.

As Emmett opened his mouth to probably dig the hole a little deeper, the house phone rang. Emmett was sitting close enough to it to answer without getting up. "Chicken ranch," he answered. The stupid ass.

"Just the person I want to talk to. I looked all over for your ass this morning. Where were you?" Emmett asked the caller.

"Oh, I forgot about that. Anyway, where the hell do you get off asking my little sister for a date?" he snapped. I knew then it was Edward Cullen, and I got up to grab the phone before Emmett said something stupid to the man to scare him off. Of course, all Emmett had to do to keep the phone from my reach was stand up and turn from me as I beat my fists against his back. It was likely as painful as a squirrel pounding on an oak tree.

"Uh-huh? Well, you called my house phone, so you're gonna talk to me. I can tell by the look on my wife's face I'm not gonna win the argument about you not dating Bella, so clear the decks tomorrow. You and I are going out for lunch because I've got a few ground rules. If, after you hear what I have to say, you still want to date Bella, then I won't give you any shit. Now, hold on," Emmett ordered, finally handing me the handset.

"Hello?" I greeted, my heart nearly pounding out of my chest.

"Hi, Bella. I'm sorry to call you on Emmett's phone, but I sorta forgot to get your number this morning when I left. If you'll give it to me, I can call you back on it," Edward explained.

I gave him the number and asked him to give me fifteen minutes. After I hung up the phone, I turned to my gorilla of a brother-in-law and issued my threat. "If that man calls me tomorrow night to cancel our date, I will never speak to you again."

He laughed. "Good. I could use some peace and quiet around here for once," he tossed out sarcastically. I wheeled around and limped back to my place, grateful he didn't try to pick me up and carry me. If I'd have gotten closer to his eyes, I'd have scratched them out.

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E/N: So, questions, comments, musings? Can't wait to hear from you!

Thanks for reading.

Till next time…xoxo