Chapter 9

"Well, well, well. Who do we have here?" Emmett led a very pregnant Rose into my small flat while looking at Edward who had come up behind me to greet everyone. I ushered them all inside before I made any introductions.

"Emmett, be nice." I whispered as I helped him cart in Rosalie.

"Aren't I always?" He insisted back in a hushed tone. Alice had already started in on Edward, much to Jasper's dismay. Alice was already asking him where he had gotten his clothes, and by her squeal of delight I could only guess it was some remote brand name. Jasper was looking on, apprising Edward with a critical eye.

"Edward," I walked up next to him, grabbing his hand and bringing him forward. "This is Emmett, Rosalie, Jasper and Alice ." I pointed them each out in turn. He shook their hands casually. "Em, Rose, Jazz, Ali, this is Edward. Eddie." I smiled up at him. He gave me sort of a grimace in return.

"Please don't call me that." He asked. That was all the persuasion Emmett needed.

"Don't like that name Eddie Bear?" Emmett asked, causing us all to laugh. I saw Edward wasn't having fun so I quickly got Emmett to shut it.

"Sorry Edward," I told him. He shrugged, playing it off. Emmett walked over to me and gave me a wink.

"Bella, how about some drinks? Thirsty baby?" he asked over his shoulder. Rose stopped her conversation with Alice long enough to give him a look.

"What do you have? And I swear if there is any alcohol in this house you will all suffer." She glared at Emmett.

"You were with me the whole time! I don't have anything." He defended. She just rolled her eyes.

"I have Root Beer," I told her, watching as she made a disgusted face, "or orange juice, milk, water."

"Plain old water will be fine." She pouted before Alice grabbed her in another conversation, about fashion no doubt.

"Jasper, what about you and the little pixie?" Alice gave me a birdie, not even stopping her speech. "Root Beer?"

"Root Beer for me," He answered, giving Alice a quick look. "How about water for her?" He got up and followed Emmett and I into the small kitchen area. "Edward?" I asked as he stood there.

"I'm coming." He told me, abandoning trying to understand Alice . When she talked as fast as she did you have to have known her for years to understand.

I waited until we were out of hearing distance to tell them all what each drink was. "If Rose finds out she'll kill us, so you guys better keep it quiet." I glared at Jasper.

"What?" he asked all innocently. I handed Edward his selected drink, watching him lean against the counter before I answered him.

"You know as well as I do that you'll cave if Alice finds out and asks. Then she'll tell Rose."

"I won't say anything." He promised.

"You won't have to. You know how Alice is. She can sense it!" I hissed through my teeth. I peered around the corner to see that they were both very deep into whatever conversation was going on between them. I grabbed two bottles of water from the fridge and took them to the girls, leaving the guys alone for a brief moment. I gave one to each of them and walked back to get my own drink when I heard Emmett talking to Edward. I froze out of sight and listened.

"So, Edward, how long have you been seeing Bella?" Emmett asked casually. Jasper took a pull on his bottle before mimicking Edward's pose, leaning against the counter. This could not be happening. Instead of interfering I let Emmett have his moment, letting him interrogate Edward like he had done Jasper not too long ago when he and Alice began seeing each other.

"We've been out three times or so, I've been seeing her for a week or so." He told them carefully, taking a small swig of his drink. He didn't look too uncomfortable from where I was sitting, so I let them continue, deciding Edward didn't need rescuing right now.

"How much do you like her? What do you intend for the relationship to grow to?" Jasper asked, joining in.

"Well, I like her very much. She's a remarkable woman, to say the least. For right now I'm just hoping we'll continue seeing each other, getting to know each other more. I like the idea of her being a long time relationship, but it is up to her, in the long run."

He wanted a long term relationship? With me?

"She told you about her past?" Emmett asked lowly. I flinched, not liking to remember.

"She's only told me as much as she wants me to know, but if you are referring to Jacob, then yes. She told me about him, and what he did to her." His voice was low and rough as well. I could only imagine the fire behind those emerald green eyes.

"And that doesn't change you're opinion of her?" Emmett clarified.

"Of course not!" he sounded appalled. "As if I'm only interested in her for one thing. Bella is so much more than that." I smiled brightly, a clenching occurred in my heart and stomach, making me giddy. I quickly took a large gulp of my drink. Thankfully Alice and Rose still hadn't noticed me spying on the guys.

"So you haven't tried to get her in bed?" Emmett asked, holding back a grin. I felt it was my time to interfere.

"So, what have you guys been talking about?" I asked the room at large, noticing how Edward's face held a slight pink tint.

"Guy stuff honey, nothing to worry you're little head about." Emmett leaned down and kissed my cheek quickly.

"Mmhh, how is it I don't buy that?" I asked on a laugh.

"Because you know me." Jasper laughed before clasping Edward on the shoulder, gave him a sympathetic smile and followed Emmett out of the room.

"You alright?" I asked when the color slowly disappeared from his face. "I didn't mean to leave you alone with those two. Emmett can be…"

"Protective." He smiled down at me and kissed me quickly on the lips. "But that makes it all the better." He tapped my nose gently before grabbing his drink form the counter and lacing his fingers with mine. I took him into the living room where Alice and Rose had finally stopped talking to each other and were laughing at something Emmett had to say. I sat on the floor and Edward followed suit, pulling me back against his chest until I sat on his lap. I blushed slightly and took anther drink, listening as Jasper and Edward joined into a conversation together. They began talking about the different schools they had both gone to for college, noticing how they had been close by. I tuned them out and listened to Emmett talking to the girls. They both laughed at something he said. He took a sip from his bottle and Rose eyed it suspiciously. I tried to get up, opened my mouth to warn him, but she snatched it from his hands before I could get to him. She sniffed it and screeched, drawing everyone's attention.

"Emmett! What the hell is this?" she sniffed at it again. "I thought I told you no alcohol!" she slapped his head and he winced, moving away as she got up off the couch, with a struggle. Alice helped her before walking over to Jasper, who tried to hide his own bottle.

"Jazzy?" She asked curiously. "That's not alcohol, is it?" and he broke down.

" Alice I'm so sorry!" he pulled her into a hug.

I turned back to Edward, "And that's why we can never tell him any of our secrets." I told him right before I heard Emmett talking to Rose, including my name. I swung my head around, hitting Edward with my ponytail.

"It was Bella's idea! I swear baby, I didn't do it. I'm a victim!"

"Victim my ass you giant asshole!" she swung around to face me. "Bella how could you?" she cried, waving her arms around.

"Rose, it was Emmett. He brought all the alcohol earlier, I just put it together!" I lied flawlessly. Emmett's mouth gaped open. None of them knew I could lie this good, when it was my ass on the lie that is. "Rose, maybe you should sit. This can't be good for the baby." I told her. She ignored me, rounding on Emmett once more.

"You did this? How could you!" there was no way he was going to get out of this one. Rose would believe me over him any day. I smiled victoriously towards Emmett. He gave me a goofy grin, and I knew I was in for it.

"I'm sorry baby." Emmett pulled her into a hug. She tried to fight it, but eventually she forgave him.

"Forgive us too?" Jasper asked Alice, who was unresponsive in his arms, waiting for Rose's all clear.

"We'll forgive you," Rose began, "If you don't drink anymore." We all agreed and I got up to gather the bottles.

"I'll set this away." I told Rose. "Can you believe Emmett?" I asked, giving her a quick wink before walking into the kitchen. I quickly put the drinks on the counter, leaving them there till later and made my way back out to my friends, coming in just as Emmett was telling the room something.

"…and she goes and sneezes, squirting it out right there in the middle of the store!" He told Edward. I was horrified.

"Emmett! How could you?" Everyone else was laughing, and I could see Edward trying to remain polite.

"Admit that the alcohol wasn't my fault and I'll stop telling them about you're little accident, squirts."

"Don't call me that! I was five for Pete's sake! And I was sick!" I fumed, evading Edward when he tried to pull me back onto his lap.

"Admit it!" Emmett pointed at me, laughing along with the rest. Two could play at this game.

"So, Emmett," I began, thinking through my list of blackmail. He gave me a steely look, not knowing what I was about to pull. This was something neither of the girls knew. Something I wasn't even supposed to know, but had walked in on. "Remember, back in college," his eyes still held a confused look, Jasper was just as confused. "There was this one party, you remember." Slowly, the reality of it was coming clearer. "And I went with you and Jasper," cue the pale faces, "Remember what was happening behind closed doors? I sure do remember." This had been a party that neither Rose nor Alice knew about. They had each been dating their respective others, but were clueless. Emmett and Jasper both stood up, stalking towards me. I danced away and behind the couch, keeping it between us. Edward looked on in interest, the girls were glaring. "I opened the door, and it was dark and there were these sounds," Emmett lunged and I squealed, just escaping from Jasper watching them both fall flat on their faces on top of each other. "Oh how appropriate." I looked down on them. "Wasn't that what was happening back then as well?"

"What?" Alice and Rose both shrieked. Alice was up in a heartbeat. Rose stayed where she was, hand over her giant belly. Edward was lying backwards on the floor, howling with laughter. "You, and him, together…and…no. what?" Alice was scrambling over to Jasper and Emmett who were redder than I ever got even on my worst days. Luckily they had the good sense to back away from each other.

"We were drunk!" Jasper tried to defend their actions.

"And the only girls we could think about were you lovely ladies, who weren't there." Emmett pointed out.

"So you made out with each other?!" Rose screeched like a banshee. They got even redder. Alice was yelling at them, not even aware of the tension Rose just created. I was laughing my ass off, leaning against a just as happy Edward as I tried to catch my breath.

"Rose, they were doing more than that." I suddenly found myself under a combined three-hundred and fifty odd plus pounds as Jasper and Emmett jumped on top of me. I gasped as they lifted me off of Edward, each holding an arm and leg.

"Eww!" Alice cried, hanging her head in her hands.

"You had sex with each other?" Rose hollered, still restricted to the couch because of her condition.

"No!" they both shouted together. "We are not gay!" I continued to laugh hysterically.

"One step below that Rosy!" I blinked back tears as they dropped me on the couch. I landed a few inches from Rosalie. "Honestly Rose, you should have seen it. It was hilarious."

"I think I'll pass on that." Rose made some strangled noise before getting up and rushing to the bathroom. A few seconds later I heard her start throwing up and Emmett was gone in a flash, off to make sure she was okay. Alice also looked like she was going to be sick.

" Alice , darling, it was years ago. Nothing like that has ever happened again." Jasper tried to convince her. Now, seeing as I'm a girl I knew they wouldn't mind, because I knew for a fact the girls had done the same thing with each other, but just to keep up the charade she was keeping this little joke rolling.

"So, you aren't gay, right?" she asked hesitantly. I laughed my head off, falling backwards and into Edwards lap. He looked down at me and kissed me quickly before turning back to Alice and Jasper. I stayed where I was, listening intently.

"Of course not Ali! I love you." He kissed her and I knew all was forgiven. Rose and Emmett came back, holding hands, and I knew they were ok to.

"Next time don't mess around with me Emmett." I warned with a chuckled.

"Okay, Okay," Jasper said. "We've embarrassed the hell out of Emmett and I and Bella. How about you three? Anything you'd like to share?" I looked meaningfully at Edward. There was only one thing I knew about him, and it wasn't even a full description. Just a passing image.

"No way," Alice shook her spiky black hair, letting us know she didn't want to participate.

"Girls, you better start sharing before I do for you." They both knew what I was talking about.

"You wouldn't!" Rose glared at me, little Alice had her mouth wide open in surprise.

"Oh, I would. Come on, share something!" I was just giving them meaningless threats. I would never do that to them. Em and Jazz were different. I could embarrass them. It was fun.

"Ok, ok." Alice started. "I was living with those two girls I couldn't stand. Lauren and Jessica, remember them?" At Rose and my nod, she continued. "Well one night I had told them I was leaving, and they were going to have to find a new roommate to keep the rent and the house. They begged me to stay, but I told them I didn't like them. Plus I wanted a place of my own. So I told them that the next morning I planned to go shopping, spend my rent money since I was leaving. They didn't like that, and mysteriously all the mirrors were broken or gone the next day. I didn't think anything of it and just got ready without one. Well, on the way to the mall a lot of people were giving me these curious stares. I finally couldn't take it and walked into a little dinner to use their mirror." She paused and we all waited while she continued. "They had messed up my eyebrows and drew indecent things on my face in a permanent marker while I slept. It wouldn't come off for a week! I had to wear a scarf and sunglasses to go shopping!" she whined, burying her face. There was silence for a few beats before we laughed boisterously.

When we quieted down some, giving her the appropriate jokes for such an occasion we waited for Rosalie. "Okay, alright." Rose huffed, leaning back against the couch. "It's probably not that funny though," she thought back. "Hhmm, well before," she waved a hand over her stomach, "this wonderful miracle," she smiled affectionately and I had to hide my wince. I noticed Edward put his hands to my shoulders and smoother the tension. No one else paid us any attention. "I dressed fashionably. Well, I was getting Em a gift for his birthday, and the only store he wanted something from was this football fanatic's store. Now I wouldn't be caught dead in a store like that, so I borrowed some of Em's clothes, trying to blend in, wore a baseball cap, anything, and when I was done I looked like a genuine weirdo." We laughed at that. "So I walk in, and here I am, not the only one dressed the way I am. Apparently there's a freaking convention of weirdoes and they come on up and start hitting on me! I swear to God they were transvestites."

I burst out laughing at that. Rosalie, getting hit on by girls who looked and dressed like boys, Rose dressing like one. It was just so funny I couldn't help myself. If you knew Rose at all, that would be the most absurd thing ever.

"Edward's turn!" Emmett cried once he got over the horror of his Rosy dressing like a guy and being hit on by them and girls alike.

"Honestly, I have nothing that weird about me. " He tried to play it off.

"Liar, liar, pants on fire." I told him with a smile. I saw his eyes narrow as he tried to remember what exactly it was he had told me.

"Come on Edward," Jazz encouraged. They were all looking at him. I was staring up at him. I could tell he was having trouble so I held him out.

"Remember the dress incident," he clapped a hand over my mouth, but it was too late. They had heard me.

"Dress?" Alice sounded intrigued. Emmett was trying hard not to laugh.

"You mean you wore it?" Em spit out, his face red.

"Well," he paused, not sure how to proceed.

"Go ahead, we won't laugh till the end." I promised, kissing his cheek. He sighed and began telling his story.

"I was three, so I didn't know any better," he began. Emmett waved with his hands for him to continue. Another sigh passed his gorgeous lips before he continued. "My mother had her niece over, she was five. She brought along… a tea set and attire. She was fun to play with, and ended up dressing me up, like her own personal life sized doll. " I knew how annoying that could be; on account of Rose and Alice did that to me weekly. I gave them both a glare and they smiled shamelessly. "Well, when she left she ended up leaving the dresses, so I put it on, walking around the house. For a while there I wasn't sure if it was wrong. I felt...pretty." he confessed. I saw a light blush, but he broke into a smile when everyone started laughing. They started talking among themselves and I couldn't stop myself from kissing him soundly on the mouth.

"Now that wasn't so hard, was it?" I laughed, tapping his nose.

"You so owe me," he winked and moved his hands lower to my hips, giving me a hint of how I was going to have to pay up.