AN: Thank you all for your support for this story! It really warms my heart.

Daily Affirmations, maybe even Forks and Ugly Duckling Bakery are being posted today too!

This chapter is a mix of everything, so please fill free to let me know what you think! Reviews make my day!

Chapter 8

Bella and her children returned home, with Edward running to his parents' house to shower. He left with the promise to return with a package of what he considered the culinary greatness of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. Bella had informed him that she had a cabinet full of the kids' favorite brand of bunny shaped organic pasta with cheese sauce, but Edward scoffed, it was Kraft or nothing. Bella wondered how he ever became a doctor when he was obsessed with junk food. Edward was concerned about the family's obsession of eating foods that were shaped like rabbits. What next? Would Matt start hunting, 'wabbits' in the backyard?

Bella grabbed her filthy children and rushed them to the bathroom. She felt a wave a panic engulf her with the realization that Edward was actually spending the evening with her. To be more specific, she had to add the children and their deplorable table manners to her worries. She kept reminding them that forks and spoons for eating, not brushing your hair. Bella blamed the Disney Animation Department for this occurrence. One viewing of Ariel the Mermaid brushing her hair with a fork and the children were acting out the scene daily. It was like the duo was raised in a barn.

Matt was plopped down into a playpen that stood near the tub, his pointer finger once again placed happily up his nose. Bella was not yet ready to become drenched by her youngest, so his bath would have to be second. Bella quickly got the warm water ready for Annie. Then, like the baboons that Bella used to enjoy watching on the nature documentaries on public television, she started to pick through Annie's hair looking for ticks. She thought she found one, but was overjoyed to be incorrect. "Thank goodness, it's just a piece of dirt! Isn't that super, Annie Girl?"

"Are you looking for their tiny legs, Momma?" Annie questioned, as Bella continued digging into her scalp.

"Yes, I am because tiny legs are the key to tick identification." Bella was sure there was more to it, but hoping that Annie would cease her questions concerning the creepy crawlies. All Bella knew that it was hit or miss on finding the different varieties of those horrid little buggers.

"Mommy, do you love my prince?" Annie asked giving her mommy a sour look.

"What?" Bella hadn't been expecting that question.

"If you do, you better be nice to him. He's pretty. I'll be watching you."

Bella started stammering and felt her face flush. Bella was hoping that she had a fever, because that would be a million times better than having to admit to her five year old that Mommy had a crush on a man.

Annie stood looking at her mommy whose face was the color of the red lobster stuffed animal that Aunt Jane brought her back from Maine. That thing was scary with its big red claws. Annie decided to be altruistic and give it to her brother. Of course, to reward herself she decided to take Matt's gift from Jane, a small bear with a tee shirt that read, Maine Lobstermen are the Catch of the Day. Mommy was not so nice about Aunt Jane's gift to Matt. She was also not so nice about giving Annie a time out about taking Matt's gift. Obviously, Mommy was not the best person to discuss how it was a trade with all of Matt's screams in the background. That was a day that Mommy's face also turned quite red.

This red face of mommy's was different then that day. Annie was pondering this difference, because that day Mommy was angry. Today, Mommy was happy and her face turned strawberry color only when talking about the prince. Maybe, he could live with them. He could read to her, make her cheese sandwiches and sleep on a dog bed in her room. Having a prince would be the best pet ever.

"I need you to stick those little arms up! Ticks like armpits." Bella thought the best defense was completely ignoring the subject.

"Mommy, are you hot?"

"No, I'm doing fine," Bella replied. She did in fact feel warm, but she did realize it was most likely due to Edward and her daughter calling her out on any possible feelings. It didn't help that her stomach was flopping around like a fish on a dry dock. Bella's thoughts on the man with the crazy, copper hair was going above and beyond the fluttering of butterflies in her core. That was infinitely frightening to her.

"He isn't coming back is he?" Annie stepped in the bathtub solemnly. Matt stood quietly looking at his sister from his 'cage'. It had never ceased to amaze Bella how the duo held secret conversations with their eyes. Annie realized that Edward had not yet returned in the appropriate time frame for a young child, which meant in Annie's eyes that Edward was mad.

"Who's not coming back?" Bella looked at Annie and was hoping they weren't about to have a hard conversation about Alec's disappearing act. She had been sugar coating the subject, even since long before divorce was evident solution. That was back when Bella thought that Alec was only a workaholic, not a connoisseur of buxom women. Yet, Bella shouldn't have been surprised, because Annie was bright and no matter how hard you try to hide the truth, the little girl was always able to ferret out the answers that were eluding her.

"The Prince isn't, Mommy. It was, because I was so naughty on the walk." Annie said quietly. She ran her fingers through the water, making circles and letters that disappeared like the adults in her life.

Bella sighed. "Annie, I do think he's coming back. Edward is pretty excited about the box of macaroni he's bringing over. I do need to have a talk with you about this afternoon though."

"Mommy, I said I was sorry! I am so sorry! I will stop! I mean that in real life!" Annie rambled loudly. She had the very childlike thought that if you say something very loud and very often that it would be taken as being honest. That would make any decided punishments by her mother, evaporate with the noise elevation. It never worked out to Annie's benefit though.

"Shush now, loud child, you are upsetting the neighborhood." This was true. A dog could be heard barking outside, as a summer breeze drifted through the window making the sheer, white curtain lazily move languidly through the air. "I don't like when you make a giant fuss when you have to do something you don't like. That's life, kiddo. I don't care for ironing, but I do it anyway."

"Actually, you stick it back in the dryer and hope for the best." Annie smiled at besting her mother.

Bella frowned at her child's ability to memorize everything and throw it back at her. She began to massage shampoo in Annie's wet hair. "That was a bad example, but listen up child, you were embarrassing today. It is a good thing that Edward seems to be the sort to shrug off such behavior, but most people won't. You have to try to be polite, Annie."

"I can do it! I know I can!" Annie said with a smile, and then she finished with a cry as Bella rinsed out her hair. "You hurt my eyes! The soap is in my eyes! I need a washcloth!"

Bella sighed and stuck a washcloth in the screaming girl's face.

Exactly, twenty minutes later, Annie Volturi was squeaky clean. Her hair was brushed and she was wearing her favorite tee shirt covered in obnoxious pink pigs. Its color was a perfect match to the outside of the house. Matt was still a filthy mess and growling at his mother. Bella was a bit concerned the boy was going to chomp her. Bath time and Matt was not a happy mix.

"Hey Bella, I'm back!" Edward yelled up the stairs. He was concerned that Bella's front door was unlocked. Did she not realize that a warped individual could just waltz in, like a serial killer or something worse, like Emmett? Edward was a huge fan of Law & Order, Criminal Minds and shows of the same ilk. He considered himself an expert on depraved individuals. Once again, he thought of Emmett for the usual cues of the criminally insane. Emmett's obsession with Sports Center, his grandiose sense of his accomplishments like winning football championships and an unhealthy attraction to mean, blonde hair women made him suspect in the younger Cullen brother's eyes. Edward decided that Bella needed some mace or, even better, a Doberman Pincher.

Bella returned his yell, "I just need to finish Matt's bath. Can I send Annie down to you? She would love somebody to read a book with."

Before Edward could answer Bella's request, Annie barreled down the stairs and propelled her small body onto her prince.

"You came, Prince, I didn't believe it, but you did! Can we read Fancy Nancy?" Annie squealed.

Edward had no clue who Fancy Nancy was, but he was willing to find out. "Sure, Princess, we can read anything you want. Let's just stick these groceries in the kitchen."

He followed a skipping Annie into the kitchen and as he plopped to cloth sacks onto the counter. "Do you like strawberry ice cream? It's pink."

"You are the best prince ever!" Annie pointed to the bags on the counter. "Mommy always gets the plastic ones."

"The plastic what?" Edward asked distractedly, as he emptied the bags. Two boxes of Kraft macaroni & cheese, juice boxes with some odd red puppet on them, a container of salad and one of Edward's favorite wines. He thought Bella would appreciate a relaxing glass after a busy day with her children. Edward hoped it wouldn't appear too forward, but he would turn down a little make out session on Bella's couch.

Annie climbed up on a stool and swung her legs. "Your bags for the grocery store aren't what Mommy uses. She got the plastic ones, because Aunt Jane's puppy, Stephen King always pooped in our yard."

"Your aunt has a dog named Stephen King?" Edward looked confused.

"Yes, she does, in real life! You aren't allowed to call him Steve or King. I called him Fluffy and Aunt Jane got really mad!" Annie was excited to finally tell this story. "Stephen King pooped in our yard all the time, because Aunt Jane said it was his favorite place. Mommy stepped in it every day! She called him a little Sheet."

"Why did your mom call it 'little sheet'? Is the dog white?"

"No, he's brown and has black spots. Mommy was spelling it. S. H. E, no it's I. The last letter was a T. Can you help me sound it out?" Annie just knew it was something bad, which meant it was exciting.

Edward dropped the box of macaroni that he was holding and started fumbling to catch it. "No, Annie that would not be a good idea. Maybe, if Bella spells something then you shouldn't try to spell it."

"Then how will I ever learn how to read?"

Well Edward had to give her that.

He was about to try to distract her from dissecting the spellings of every word that she ever heard. He thought he could make up a story about something. He looked at Annie's hideous pig shirt and started to say, "Once upon a time, there was a flying pig who..."

There was a scream upstairs and Edward jumped out of his skin. It was Bella! Was she hurt? Had someone snuck in and hurt her? Annie erupted into giggles.

"Annie, you need to stay here and call 911!" Edward grabbed a rolling pin that sat by the sink. "I am going to rescue your mommy and brother!"

Annie looked at him with a quizzical expression. "I'm not allowed to use the phone. Mommy makes that noise every time Matt has a bath."

"Why?" Edward heard more yelling up the stairs. He looked at the stairs with concern.

"Come see! It's so funny!" Annie grabbed Edward's hand and started to pull him up the stairs.

Edward tried to gently pull the little girl back, but she was surprisingly strong. He pleaded, "This probably isn't the best idea, Annie. You stay down here and let me check things out."

"You are so funny! We can go to my room and get my Barbies after you see Mommy and Matt."

They reached the bathroom and Annie pushed the door open with gusto. Edward was in shock at what appeared before his eyes. There crouched by the bathtub, was Bella Swan looking like a drowned rat in only a bra and a pair of soaking wet jeans. Matt sat in the tub and was cackling at his mother, as he shot water at her with a sprayer.

"See I told you," Annie said with her hands on her hips. This taught him for not believing her.

Matt aimed the spray of water at Edward and in return, the grown man let out a yelp. Bella turned around in surprise and gasped. She yelled at Annie, "Go to my room and grab a robe! Now!"

As Annie hustled to her mother's room, Edward couldn't stop staring at the beautiful, but drenched woman. He was in awe and very aware of her state of undress. He thought it was in poor taste to kiss her madly, his body pressed to her bare skin at this moment. It would traumatize the children.

"Why are you still in here, Edward?" Bella took her arms and wrapped them around herself. Edward thought he would have done anything to be her arms right now. Bella thought that it might have been in her best interest to do those dreaded sit-ups, instead of the times she ate cheddar cheese instead. She knew that Edward had to be appalled by her newly inquired rolls of flab courtesy of Annie, Matt and the siren song of dairy products. She reached over and quickly shut off the water, before Matt could have another round of Soak the Mommy. "You need to leav...why are you holding on to my rolling pin?"

"I am holding this rolling pin in order to protect you and the children!" Edward exclaimed. He continued his blatant gawking at Isabella. He could imagine standing with Bella under the hot streaming water of his shower with kissing, touching, licking...

"Boob!" Matt shouted, throwing a plastic whale at his Mother's chest, while she was attempting to wrap the two of them in a large, fluffy towel. Unfortunately, Matt had a squirming problem which led to Bella's breasts trying to flee from the confines of her brassiere.

Edward grinned at the lad. "Your mommy does have quite a nice pair."

"Could you please, for the love of all that is holy, turn around?" Bella was blushing all over. Edward liked it.

"Bella, the human body is nothing to feel ashamed of. Your curves are quite exquisite. Top notch, really..."

"Why are you still talking? Do you always have verbal diarrhea? Leave the room!" Bella was soaking wet, horribly embarrassed and being kicked in the face by a little boy who refused to be dried off. Her nerves were fried. "Annie Grace, where is that robe?"

"I'll get it after I change Doctor Barbie's dress! She's wearing Tiana's green dress and I can't let the prince see her in that one! He loves pink!"

Bella groaned as the realization that the inmates truly ran the asylum.

It took another two hours for the group to be settled at the kitchen table eating dinner. Bella had watched in amazement as Edward had Annie sitting on the counter to help him put together the ingredients. With infinite patience he helped the girl measure and pour, followed by mixing and stirring, then finishing with tasting and giggling. Matt had hopped over like a frog to Edward and was promptly scooped up and given a spoonful of macaroni. Matt's face had lit up like a light bulb in happiness. Bella was reminded at that moment that this joy her children were experiencing was one that should have been given freely by their father. It pained her that Alec, in his heartlessness, would never allow himself to cook with his kids.

Once dinner was at the table, Bella continued to dwell on her children's need for a positive male role model. Could Edward take that role or would he even want the responsibility? She feigned smiles, but Edward noticed that Bella's eyes were dim. Edward took Bella out of her melancholy thoughts. "I think Princess Annie has the precision of a surgeon. I feel like I have a future surgical prodigy in my midst. I have to get sharpen my skills to be able to mentor her."

"Both Annie and Matt can be whatever their hearts desire." Bella gave him a small smile and took a bite of salad. "You did a wonderful job with dinner, Edward."

"Mommy says I am going to be dictator. That is a person that tells everybody what to do. I'm very good at that. Matt, eat your food with a spoon! See, wasn't that a good job?" Annie asked proudly. Matt, in the meantime, piled macaroni and cheese onto his spoon using his fingers. Half of the macaroni tumbled on the floor leaving a pile of cheesy mess under the high chair. Edward was twitching to wipe it up. Annie continued, "Mommy says Matty is going to work in a zoo and probably live in one of the cages."

"Your mom says some wonderfully odd things, Princess." Edward couldn't help reaching over and giving the blushing Bella's hand a squeeze.

Annie's eyes widened as she took in Edward holding her Mommy's hand. She liked that it made her mommy smile. "Mommy likes hand holding, Prince!"

Bella blushed even more.

Dinner finished up on a high note, as Bella started to clean up pots and pans. Edward offered to make the kitchen spotless, but Bella could tell Annie had her sights on having game time with her favorite prince. The trio sat at the kitchen table scribbling away on a giant dinosaur coloring book. She was concentrating on scrubbing a particularly stubborn speck of cheese, when the phone rang.

"Hey, Edward, could you grab that? I am covered in suds."

Edward smiled to himself at the thought of Bella's body only draped in bubbles as he answered the phone. "Queen Isabella's residence. Who may ask is calling?"

Isabella, with a smile, mouthed to him, "Stop."

"Who the fuck is this?" A voice growled at him.

"I think you have the wrong number."

"Put Bella on the phone, asshole." The man was not talking to Bella in that tone.

Bella looked at Edward's tight face and knew who exactly was on the phone. She rushed over to Edward and held up her hand. "I can take the phone now."

"I am not going to let you talk to a jerk, Bella!"

"It's Alec, I can handle it," Bella whispered. She knew better then to get Annie and Matt's hopes up when it came to their father.

Unfortunately, Annie had ears like a bat. "Mommy, I want to talk to daddy! I can tell him about the snake!"

"Da da. Da da." Matt moved his little feet quickly holding his hand out for the phone.

Bella grabbed the phone from Edward. "Your children want to talk to you."

"I can't deal with them right now." At a certain point after Matt's birth, Alec decided he couldn't handle anything concerning his offspring. Bella guessed that included phone calls. He made her sick.

Behind her, Annie and Matt continued begging for the phone, their little voices reaching a fevered pitch. Bella hated begging him for anything, but she knew their little tears would do her in. "Alec, please, just say hi to them."

"Tell me how you miss having me touch you in front of that man that answered the phone and I will. That you miss my cock." Bella started shaking in anger and sadness. She remained mute in an attempt not to scream at him in front of the children. It would scare them.. "Bella, who the answered the phone? Are you a whore now? That sure as hell wasn't your dad that answered. Is he into belly flab?"

"Are you drunk?" Belle hissed. Alec was a mean drunk.

Alec laughed into the receiver. "I just had a few, Belly my Belly. Dad's having another fuck you very much dinner. He's a mean bitch. You are the only one who understood what I was going through. I guess, you don't care about me or mine anymore."

"Alec, just go sober up. I'll talk to you tomorrow." Edward went over and kissed Bella's head. She gave him a tight smile in return.

"Are you having sexual relations with him, slut? I won't say fuck, because I know you hate crude language."

"Please just stop it," Bella pleaded, as her babies cried behind her.

More drunken laughter pierced her ears. "I will if you just please shut Annie and Matt up. They sound like spoiled monsters. You are doing a great job raising them if they sounds they are making are any indication."

"Don't you dare say anything bad about my children! You are the deadbeat who is making my babies suffer. You are a grade A ass…"

Edward saw the tears flood Bella's eyes, as she began to curse. He knew that she would feel terrible if the children saw her anger. He quickly took Annie and Matt into his arms and rushed them into the family room. He attempted to stay calm. "I beg the prince and princess to play with the cars for little bit. Your daddy isn't feeling well and doesn't want to talk until he can enjoy listening to all your adventures. Please, don't cry. It will be fine! I am just going to check on your mommy."

Edward rushed back to a trembling and furious Bella who was attempting to regain control.

He put his arms around her and in return Bella leaned into his strong embrace.

"Alec, why are you calling?"

"Maybe, I should take them away from you? They would be better off with a nanny than a dirty, little whore like you." Alec sounded like he was filling a glass.

"That will be over my dead body, Alec! Better yet, over yours! You can't even stay sober when you have to be around your daddy. You couldn't handle our children!"

Edward stated resolutely, "Hang up on him, Bella."

"I won't be around for the next month. Heidi wants to explore Paris. Remember how you always wanted to go there?" Alec snorted. "I'll try to call the kids while I'm there."

"I hope you eat bad crepes, you freak!" Bella snarled.

"Hey Bella, have sweet dreams of me tonight." The call cut off with a click.

Bella hated being weak and with one short phone call she fell off the wagon. It was as if the distance Bella put between them and the strength she developed could be stripped away in an instant. A drunken Alec was great at reducing her to tears and irrational behavior. She hated him. Bella began to weep.

Edward held tightly to the weeping Bella and made a decision. He swooped her upinto his arms and carried to her bedroom. She started to say, "The kids didn't hear me did they? Oh god… I need to get them ready for bed."

He put a finger to her lips and whispered, "I got them covered. I will check on you in a bit."

Children's bedtime rituals were an enigma to Edward, but Annie was a great help. It was as if the sweet, but complicated girl could read the situation better than most adults. Without complaint, she helped Matt brush his teeth and get him snuggled into bed. Next, she quickly performed her bedtime tasks alone. This would have been an amazing display if Bella witnessed it, because normally Annie would have you believe she needed help with everything. Finally, Annie had Edward read her one book and went to sleep without complaint.

Edward quickly returned to Bella's bedroom with a glass of water for her. He took in her tear stained face and drawn face, wanting to comfort her.

Bella looked at Edward, who was still such a mystery to her and held out her hand. "Come lay with me?"

Without a moment's hesitation, Edward crossed the room. He looked down at her, then at his jeans, wiggling his eyebrows. With a raspy voice, Bella laughed. "Stop being such a girl and take off your pants."

Edward returned her smile and removed his tee shirt and jeans, crawling under the covers. He wrapped his arms around Bella's torso. "Rest now, beautiful lady."

Bella was saddened by the night's turn of events, but did enjoy having Edward's bare chest against her back. It felt exciting, but comfortable. The best way, Bella thought she could describe it was that his body connected to hers felt like home.

It was perfectly clear as the night turned to day, sunbeams filtering through Bella's windows, that Edward Cullen would do anything to protect this woman and her children. He kissed her forehead gently and took in her lovely face, even with her eyes slightly crusty from sleep. The time had come to conquer the demons of his past to have this family for his future, because Edward couldn't think of anything that he wanted more.