Hello everyone! Hope you are still with me. There are some interesting things going on this week. Please let me know what you think. Love it? Hate it? Enjoy the story, I will see you at the bottom.

As always Stephanie M. owns it, I don't.


"Hey, Jake. How are you these days?" Bella asks.

"I'm great. What's wrong?" Jake asks, suspicious of the random phone call.

"Nothing, I just need a friend right now and thought of you." Hearing this made him feel good for a minute.

"Okay, will you be stopping by for a visit?"

Bella is hesitant in asking, but knows she has no other choice. "Actually, I need a please to stay for a couple of days."

Jake can tell from the tone of her voice that something is not quite right. "Alright, but as soon as you get here you need to tell me what is going on."

Bella relays her destination to the cab driver, then sits back waiting to be able to let go. She arrives at his house, pays the cabbie, and heads to the front door.

Knock, Knock, Knock.

The door opens, Bella is about to run into her friends' arms when she realizes it's not her friend.

"Um, I'm here to see Jacob," Bella chokes out.

"You must be Bella. Come in, Jake is just cleaning up real quick." The mystery woman moves out of the way to let her pass."I'm sorry, I didn't introduce myself. I'm Kate," she informs her.

"Nice to meet you." Bella smiles at the girl and continues, "How long have you and Jake known each other?"

Right before Kate could say anything, Jacob enters the room. He walks over to Kate, wraps his arms around her waist, and gives her a kiss on the cheek.

"Hey there, Bells. I see you've met my girl Kate," Jake says.

"Yes, she was about to tell me how long you have been together." Bella can't help but smile at her friend.

"Well, she has put up with my sorry ass for three years," he tells her with all the love in his heart.

"That's great. I'm happy for you two. I don't mean to barge in here but I need a place to go." Bella felt like she is intruding on the happy couple, beginning to think a hotel is a better choice.

"Nonsense, we love having guests." Kate took off for the kitchen to get some drinks and snacks for their guest.

"She's really nice, Jake." Bella can't help but admit that she likes Kate.

"Thank you, sweet cheeks. Now let's sit down and you can explain to me why you are here." Jake leads her into the living room and sits down next to her.

"It's really complicated." Before she could go on Jake gave her the look that says, "Try me."

Bella begins telling Jake about the James situation. The information is making him uncomfortable, but he realizes that her brother wouldn't let her be hurt. Next, she starts to tell him about Edward and how they met. She goes into detail about their time together and where it all left off.

"He's such a money hugger and a complete ass. I can't believe I fell for his tricks," Bella spits out.

"Whoa, you just said he had an emergency. So what's the big deal?" She cocks an eyebrow and gives Jacob the death stare.

Jacob's nonchalant attitude is pissing her off more than she already is. She is quickly reconsidering staying with him.

"Jacob Black." At the sound of his name, both his and Bella's head turn toward the woman standing in the doorway. "If you ever pulled that shit with me, I would kick your ass."

"Okay, Bella, I'm sorry. So do you know what the emergency is?" Jake apologizes, hoping to soothe his friend.

"No, I won't take his calls. I'm not sure I want to hear the bullshit spill from his mouth," she says.

"Well sweetie, if it helps, it took forever to get this one to open up about anything personal. This may be the dilemma you are facing," Kate advises her.

"Thank you. I just really need a place to stay so I can clear my mind. Jasper and Alice will be leaving tomorrow for their trip. I don't really want to be left alone in case he comes by," she explains.

"No problem, you can take the guest room. If you need anything you just let me know and I will make sure you have it." Jake picks up her bag and takes it upstairs to the guest room.

On the other side of town, things are just as hectic. Edward is pacing the halls of the hospital with the hope that his girl will be released sooner rather than later. Jasper and Alice came for a visit, but left to get ready for their trip.

"Son, come sit down for a minute." Esme pats the chair next to her.

"Mom, how can this be happening? My world is in that room and I have another girl who hates me," Edward says, feeling nothing but defeat.

"I can't tell you what to feel, but I believe that we are brought certain people in our lives that help us through times of trouble. That is how I met your father. I think that you just need to open up that heart of yours and let her in." Esme rubs her son on the back as he leans over scrubbing his face.

"How can I do that? I don't know how to explain Maggie to her," Edward says quietly.

"Tell her the truth, that's how. If this girl loves you like Alice thinks she does, there won't be any problem when it comes to Maggie," Esme tells him.

Before the conversation could go any further, Carlisle comes out of Maggie's hospital room.

"She will be okay. She has a broken wrist and some scrapes, but overall she is good to go." Carlisle slips into doctor mode. "I suggest that you take her back to your place and let her sleep it off. She's a bit groggy from the pain medication they gave her."

"Alright, what do I need to sign to get her out of here?" Edward couldn't move fast enough.

The two men made their way over to the nurses' station to check Maggie out. Once all the papers were signed, Carlisle, Esme, Edward, and Maggie left the hospital. As soon as Edward shut the car door his phone beeps, alerting him to a text message.

I don't know what you did to fuck up things with Bella. Fix it or I will! –J

You can't tell her anything. I need to deal with this on my own. –E

I will give you a couple of days, and then you need to explain who Maggie is to her. She is going insane over here. –J

She is with you? -E

I know what you are thinking, don't come here. She needs space to think as much as you do. –J

Take care of her. I need to get Maggie home safely. Thank you. –E

No problem. Tell Maggie I said hello and to get better.-J

Edward put his phone away and started the car. Once everyone arrives at his house, they disperse to their rooms to get ready for bed. After Maggie and the rest of Edward's family are asleep, he goes downstairs to think. He sits at his piano and begins to play lightly.

"What's wrong with me?" Edward says to no one in particular.

After a few hours of brooding over his piano, he heads upstairs to bed. He finds no comfort while he lies there. Finally, he decides to get up and do something about his situation.

"Good morning, sunshine. You want some breakfast?" Jake says to Bella.

"Since when do you cook?" she asks with a giggle.

"Hey now, I can cook. I just never had the need to before." Jake puts the eggs in the pan to get them cooking. "Besides, Kate likes when I'm domestic."

A laugh rings out in the kitchen, one that is strong and from down deep in the stomach. "You sound like my brother. Rose has him cook all the meals during the weekend since she cooks all week."

"How are you feeling this morning?" Jake inquires sincerely.

"Better, I'm trying to decide if I over reacted yesterday or not." Bella grabs a glass of juice and sits down at the bar.

"Well, Bells, I think that you need to hear him out. I'm sure he has a good excuse for why he needed to be there for h-," Jake stops speaking immediately.

Bella looks toward her friend, "What do you mean her? I never said anything about a girl."

"Uh, well, I mean it has to be over another woman if he is getting upset." Jake is hoping she buys his quick excuse.

"Bullshit, Jacob. I can see it in your face. What aren't you telling me?" she asks.

There is nothing but silence between them. Kate walks into the kitchen and sees them staring at each other. Right away she knows that something is not right.

"Jake, just tell her already."

"Kate, I said I wouldn't."

"Aha, I knew it. You are hiding something." At this point Bella is seething. "So help me, Jacob, you better tell me what you know."

Before Jacob could answer her, the doorbell rang and Kate left to answer it. As she came back into the kitchen she was holding a flower bouquet.

"Oh, babe you got my surprise. I love you." Jake is hoping to cover up so Bella doesn't ask questions.

"I love you too, but I know for a fact these are not for me." Kate levels Jacob with her words. "Bella, they are for you."

"Oh, maybe Alice sent them before they left for their trip." Bella grabs the card and looks at the message. "Holy Shit!"

Edward, never fell asleep during the night. When his guests came down for breakfast he is waiting for them.

"Morning, Edward. Sleep well?" Carlisle asks.

"No, I have a lot on my mind," Edward responds mechanically.

"She will understand. Just tell her." He pats his son on the back and walks over to the refrigerator.

"I know, I just need to make sure Maggie is okay first."

As if on cue, Maggie enters the kitchen and reacts when she hears her name. "What about me?"

"Nothing, sweetie. Just how much I love you." Edward goes over to her and hugs her tightly.

"Okay. I love you too," she says while he smothers her in his arms.

"I have taken care of saying sorry anyway," Edward says to his dad.

Right then his phone begins to ring. Without looking at the caller ID he picks it up on speaker.

"You have thirty seconds to explain yourself." Edward quickly realizes its Bella.

"I guess from this call you have the flowers."He is sweating bullets, not knowing what to do next.

"Who is she? That is all I need to know. Who is so important to cause you to treat me like this?"

Waiting to see if she's finished, he takes a breath and begins to speak.

"She's my daughter, Maggie."


So what did you think? Want more?

Now for some pimping:

Two awesome stories are up for The Emerging Swan Award:

Push and Pull by hmmille

Hedone Ranch by JenJadeEyes

emergingswanawards(dot)blogspot(dot)com Just replace the word dot and vote!