Aren't you guys lucky? Two updates so close together! =] Inspiration knocked at my door, and I thought I'd post this one straight away to make up for the gap in between my posting Chapter 6 and Chapter 7.

For Those Who Want Edward Back: He will be back. But not right away. This story is more about Bella and her struggles. I'm trying to make this story different in that there is no quick fix to this situation. That's the point of the story. Please be patient, I know in most stories he would be back right now, but that's why you guys love me, isn't it? =P

He will be back! But in due time. There's a lot that has to happen before he returns, but I know exactly when he will return. Have faith! His return will be more special if it happens at the right time. =)

Thanks to all those who have reviewed. I'm trying to respond to them all, so if I've missed you, I'm very sorry. Thanks a bunch to those who have favourited, and added this story, and me to their alerts. Wow. At the moment; 105 reviews, 130 alerts, and 74 faves. You guys amaze me. =]

I've created a LJ community for this fic for those interested. It will contain things like graphics, deleted snippets, ect. Please check it out =]

http : // community . livejournal . com /newmoonaufic/ Delete the spaces, and this is the url. =)

Chapter 8

"Jasper and I are leaving for a while." Alice announced to her family as they sat at the dining table. Edward had been immediately curious when she had called this meeting.

She blocked her thoughts subtly, thinking intently that she wanted to spend time alone together as a married couple with Jasper. She hoped he would not delve further, and that her family would not grow suspicious. Jasper, Alice knew, was shocked. She hadn't actually filled him in yet. She knew he would go along with it - just as he knew, himself - her visions often preceded reality. Jasper was used to being told what was going to happen, rather than finding out for himself in due time.

"For how long?" Esme was the first to speak, looking towards Alice. Alice sat down next to Jasper, taking his hand in hers. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze, letting her know without words that he would support her choice.

"A few years, I think. We need some time to be alone together." She explained. He nodded dutifully, letting go of her hand, instead putting his arm around her lower back, drawing her closer to him.

Edward was the next to speak. He chose his words carefully.

"Why now, though? You lived together as a couple only about a decade ago?" It was obvious that Edward was really referring to the recent events as the reason for their leaving.

"We've been needing to reconnect for a while now. This is a sort of New Years' Resolution. After what happened a few months ago, we just need to get away for a while." It was Jasper who answered, now. Edward nodded.

"When do you leave?" Carlisle asked, playing along. The rest of the family could not know why or where they were going, or that Carlisle knew about this beforehand.

"In three days. We've already found a house, and a school to enrol in. We're going to enrol as seniors, and get married after graduation." Alice answered, the white lie rolling off her tongue easily. Of course, Carlisle already knew all of this, but this conversation was for the benefit of Rosalie, Emmett, Edward and Esme.

Edward was the last to say goodbye to Alice and Jasper. The three stood by Alice's new car, snow billowing around them and flowing to the ground, once again blanketing the recently shovelled driveway. Ice clung to the blades of dying grass, and the pine needles of the surrounding trees.

"I'll miss you. Both of you." Edward said softly as he embraced Alice in a hug. Her petite arms wrapped around his waist, squeezing once before releasing him.

"We'll miss you too. All of you. But this is something we need to do." Alice repeated, not unkindly. Jasper moved to hug Edward next. They shared a brotherly hug, patting each other's backs once before releasing each other. Jasper extended his hand to Edward's hair, ruffling it, and dislodging the still-frozen snow there. Edward laughed half-heartedly, doing the same to Jasper. They shared a final goodbye, and Alice and Jasper got into their car, speeding away from the house.

In the rear-view mirror, Alice could see Edward's sad gaze follow the car. She felt immensely guilty that he was as unhappy as he was. If he could just know what she did - he could have all he wanted and more. Alice knew this. As it was, he had just lost the love of his life, and two siblings. Alice knew he blamed himself for everything. There was so much she wanted to say to him, but nothing she rightly could. No secrets that were hers and hers alone to tell. Nothing helpful. That discussion would have to wait until he knew of Bella's situation. It would have to wait until things were resolved.

A redundant heart to heart it would be, when things were already repaired - if they repaired, at all.

"So where are we going?" Jasper questioned as he turned onto the highway, headed towards the Canadian border.

"Forks."

Jasper almost stopped the car.

"Forks?! Alice, you know what Edward said. He'll be furious if he finds out we've meddled." He tried to reason with her. Alice shook her head. There was a justified reason, even if Jasper did not know yet.

"Jas, this is way beyond meddling. Edward doesn't matter now, this is over his head." She answered cryptically.

"Is Bella in trouble? Vampires again?" Jasper increased the speed of the car subconsciously.

"No. Jas," Alice sighed, deciding to put it bluntly, "Edward got her pregnant. He doesn't know." Jasper almost lost grip of the steering wheel. He shot Alice a look of incredulity.

"It's not possible. How..? So that's where you and Carlisle disappeared to that time." Jasper realised. Alice nodded. Jasper's facial expression changed from one of disbelief to one in righteousness.

"Edward should know! He's suffering. He doesn't realise how much he needs her. He should be told, so he can be with her and their child." Jasper argued, remembering the emotions he had been feeling from Edward in the past months.

"Bella is suffering a lot more than Edward, Jas. She's in a much more fragile state than Edward right now. It was his choice to leave, exactly as it is Bella's choice to keep this from him for the time being. It's her secret, up to her to tell." The car was silent for a few minutes, tense from their disagreement.

"Bella found Carlisle via Google." She said dryly, to break the tension. Jasper cracked a grin.

"After all the hours Edward spent trying to find a town where Bella couldn't track us to, she Googles us?!" He laughed.

"I know. She was desperate, and got lucky finding us." Alice smiled wryly.

"How did it happen though? It's not possible?" Jasper ran a hand through his dirty blonde hair.

"James' attack. When her implanon snapped, it overdosed her and her hormones went haywire. It produced a fake pregnancy. But when Edward kissed her, his venom reacted with the hormones inside of her. It produced Edward's DNA. Her egg fertilised." Alice explained as best as she could. She wasn't the biology or medical expert in her family, but she had enough knowledge to explain it to others.

"This is my fault." Jasper uttered. Alice looked at him sharply.

"How? Unless you kissed her, you're not to blame." Alice said firmly.

"It's my fault we left. If I had have controlled myself on her birthday, then we never would have left, and Edward could be there for Bella." Jasper argued.

"Jas, I saw us leaving anyway. Edward's 'moral' side was going to step in soon and we would have left. As it is, nobody blames you, Jas." Alice said, grasping his forearm in her small hand and moving her thumb in a soothing circular motion to comfort him.

"I still shouldn't have lost control like that." Jasper grimaced, hands tightening minutely on the steering wheel. Alice rested her head on his shoulder, giving his cheek a quick peck. She hated to see the man she loved in such a depression.

"You didn't bite her. And she doesn't blame you for anything. She's actually looking forward to seeing you." She reinforced.

"She really doesn't blame me?" Jasper's resolve was wavering. She could tell that he wanted so much to believe that Bella was not angry with him.

"Not one bit." They had reached the border by now; they had to enter Canada and travel south to Washington, crossing the US border on their way in. Alice fished their passports out of the glove box as they slowed to the booth. She handed them to Jasper, who passed them to the aging man in the run down, decrepit booth. He inspected them closely, before passing them back, a bored air about him.

"Welcome to Canada." The man droned, pressing the button that raised the boom gate. Jasper smiled politely in thanks, driving through the gate.

It should only take them about a day to get to Forks - they did not need to make pit stops for anything but gas, so they could drive almost constantly.

Bella and Renee were in Port Angeles, shopping for maternity clothes and baby necessities at Renee's insistence. Renee and Phil were leaving tomorrow - Phil had an audition to play for one of Jacksonville's top baseball teams - so Bella was spending the day with her mother.

Bella plucked a royal blue sweater from the rack of clothing she was browsing, holding it up against her chest.

"What do you think, mom?" She asked, turning towards her. Renee looked up from the rack of clothing she was perusing, smiling softly.

"It's nice, but I don't think you'll need any sweaters." Renee answered, confusing Bella.

"What? Of course I need sweaters, mom. It's mid-winter. It's freezing." Bella responded, hanging the sweater on her arm with a pile of clothes she had already selected.

"Not in Jacksonville, baby. You're coming home with me." Renee said simply.

Bella dropped the pile of clothes she had been holding.