Stephenie Meyer owns all

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Three Hours Later

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Just as dawn was impacting the world, I walked into the waiting room, tired but relieved. Bella had fully stabilized with her heartbeat, and breathing fully regulated. Her leg was now set in a plaster cast. Tape secured her four bruised, and one cracked rib.

I had to tell my family the news I had found out just minutes before. Edward in particular was going to take some of the news hard.

"Is she okay? Why didn't someone call Charlie?" Alice, and Esme raced to my side. I pulled both of them in for a hug. It felt good to be back among my family. The other's walked nearer, even Rosalie.

"Bella, and her daughter are stable. Unfortunately, Charlie Swan died four and a half years ago. Mike Newton, Bella's husband, and the elder Newton's, died in the crash." I saw Edward tense up at the mention of Mike Newton's name. For more than an instant I wondered if the waiting room could handle his wrath.

Edward turned, storming toward the door, and out into the early morning mist. The rest of the family sighed, they had enough of Edward's moves over the last five years.

"Meet us all at home in fifteen minutes Edward. There is a matter that we must discuss as it affects us all."

He turned his face toward me, nodding his yes to the reply then left.

Esme, Jasper, Alice, and I made the short trip home in the Mercedes. Emmett and Rosalie went on foot. We beat them by only a few seconds.

From outside we could hear the music. It had been so long since he had played, too long. Slowly we went inside. He stopped immediately. We convened in the living room and while the ladies chose to sit, the men in the family tended to prowl. Edward stared out into the window as dawn's light bathed his face. There was never going to be a time to tell them this news, but it needed attention. A feeling of serenity washed over me. I looked at Jasper, mouthing my thanks.

"Bella is, and will be this family's main concern from this point on. While at the hospital, I found out some interesting news. Charlie Swan died during a traffic stop in February of the next year after our leaving. One day before graduation, Bella, married Mike Newton in a small ceremony at his parent's church, they became engaged the previous Christmas."

There was a hush in the room. Even Alice couldn't believe that Bella had fallen for someone so quickly after we had left. Edward turned toward me, his face was full of rage and his eyes were turning black.

"I don't have to stay here, listening to this." He turned to stride off. Tired of his temper tantrums over the years, I felt my own anger flare hot. Grabbing him I forced him into the stone of the fireplace leaving a foot long crack in the marble.

"Yes you do. As the patriarch of this family, and your maker, you will do as you're told."

I flung him down onto the floor where the hardwood and the concrete below caved. Turning to Esme I mouthed the words of an apology. She shook her head at me, understanding.

The rest of the family looked at me with new eyes, Jasper's, and Rosalie's, especially held new respect.

"Ten days after graduation, Bella Newton delivered prematurely, a five-pound three-ounce baby boy. The chart said that her date of conception was at or around September the 13th."

A hush came over Edward, who looked like he would sink into the floor.

"Would you like to explain? Just what the hell happened between the two of you that she wouldn't call us? Why would Bella not call to tell us that she was having your child?"

I was daring Edward to rise again so I could put him back in his place. Edward had much explaining to do to our family.

"It's partially my fault." Alice stood, trying hard not to contain her sadness.

She alone had known. It was one of the visions I had asked her to keep from me. She had tried to tell me once after a powerful vision. I had told her to keep it to her until I could fully block Edward.

"I got Bella lingerie for her birthday. I'd had a vision of her, and Edward together, with him keeping control. I left them in her bathroom for her. I didn't know anything else would happen." Turning she went to her husband who gathered her in his arms.

"Did you know about this? Did you know that I had fathered a child?"

Edward was to his feet and stalking toward Alice leaving Jasper to jump in front to defend his wife.

One word stopped him in his tracks. "Yes."

"That's why you've blocked me from your mind. You didn't want me to know. You bitch!" Edward's hands were clenching, and unclenching. Venom was dripping from his mouth.

A physical burst of power hit the room and toppled those standing except for of its maker. Jasper still stood over his wife.

"If you're finished blaming Alice, maybe we need to look at the reasons we left in the first place."

Jasper's words were truer. With my anger, I could not have come up with a better question at the moment. He stood to help Alice to her feet. Emmett and I got to our own. Edward sat still before climbing to his feet. Thanks to Jasper's powers he now would at least be calm if not rational.

"Tell us what happened Edward, we can't understand if you don't tell us." Esme went to Edward laying her hand on his shoulder, offering her full support. He took it, squeezing her hand before letting it drop. With his back to us he once again faced the morning.

"I was at Bella's the night after her birthday party. One action led to another. We made love. That morning I came back here to change clothes. I went back to her house. She was just waking up when I got there. It was still dark outside. Feathers covered her. I had bitten a pillow to keep from biting her. We wound up making love again that morning. Just as the sunlight was coming through the window, I noticed the bruises. They were dark and purple all over her body, bruises that I had made with my hands. I don't know where else she hurt. I knew there were fresh, and old blood in the air. She was having a little trouble breathing because I had hurt her ribs. I could hear the muscles in her stomach contacting. I asked her how badly she hurt, she said not as badly as she had expected."

A sob tore at his throat and he pressed his head against the glass.

"She said that she knew that even if I lost control I could just turn her. She said it as if the bruises, the hurt I had caused to her body was nothing. I knew the moment she said the risk had been worth it that we needed to leave. If she wasn't going to protect herself then I would have to. I told her that I wouldn't stay to see her hurt by my hand ever again, that I loved her, but I was leaving. At her window I turned, kissed her one last time, then told her good-bye. She got angry. Before she walked out of the room, she said that if I left, not to bother coming back."

I watched as my son folded to the floor in grief and pain. Behind me Jasper went to his knees on the floor trying to keep it together. One motion to Emmett had him lifting Jasper to his feet, then racing them out of the house. Rosalie, and Alice followed knowing that Esme, and I needed to be alone with Edward.

"Oh Edward, I'm sure she didn't mean it." Esme was running her fingers through his hair as I watched my sons chest heave with dry sobs that had been building for five years.

"If she didn't Esme, then she would have called. I would not have spent the last five years of my life without knowing my son. Where is he Carlisle, where is my son?"

Little by little I could see Edward change right before my eyes and gain a maturity that had seemed forever lost to him. Gaining his feet, he looked at me now with the feel of a man instead of a perpetual teen.

"He's with Jacob Black, and his wife on La Push. They are the next of kin in Bella's file." It was hard for me to tell him that, knowing the treaty forbid up to enter La Push.

"What's our option?" Esme stood, ever the mother protecting her cubs.

"Right now, unfortunately we have none. Until we can talk to Bella personally, we wait. Afterward it still all depends on Bella. Without trying to force something legally, we don't have a choice. How this even happened, I have no clue. I've never heard of a human female giving birth to a normal child, let alone survive the pregnancy. The birth usually ends looking like a horror movie. Unless the mother is turned right away, she dies. I won't go into the other details because it's too gruesome. How Bella survived to have a healthy, and normal child, if his charts are anything to go by, then I don't know." I had to ask Edward the one question that was sure to drive him over the edge to fury.

"Edward, are you positive that Bella wasn't seeing someone else. We know that you both loved each other, but could it have been possible there was someone beside you in her life." I hoped for Edward's sake that my question was off base.

"No, there was no one else. Bella was a virgin the night of her birthday. So was I." Edward was sitting with his hands on his knees and his head bent. He looked beaten. For the first time I didn't know how to help.

Author's Note: I'm sorry about the delay in the new chapter. I have been working hard on Second Chances. Another chapter will be up this week as well. I can't not believe the response to this story. The reviews are incredible. Please keep the reviews flowing in. Reviews for me are better than being dazzled by hunky Cullen vampires.