Sorry for the delay on this! I had two out-of-town trips kind of on top of each other, and things have been hectic!

Big thanks to Lellabeth, Twilightladies, LyricalKris, and Twilly! These ladies are amazeballs.

SM owns all things Twilight.

All mistakes are mine.

Thank you all for your thoughtful reviews on last chapter! Let's see how these kids handle the aftermath...

Chapter 10 - Hi

BPOV

Stupid.

I'm so fucking stupid.

I don't know what, besides raging hormones, could have possibly made me think it was a good idea to sleep with Edward. I obviously wasn't thinking at all.

But it was incredible. Being close to him. Feeling him inside me again.

Our physical chemistry was never the problem, though.

It can't happen again. That's all there is to it. I have to be strong and try to distance myself from him as much as can be possible right now. Surely I can manage that. We'll go to the adoption agency together, but that's it.

Maybe finally hearing him say he'll cooperate just softened me too much toward him. That kind of intense relief washes over you and relaxes everything. It lifts a heavy weight off your chest and helps you breathe a little easier.

Shaking my head at myself again, I wash my hands and pull on my robe.

My bathroom has a door leading into my room and one that leads out into the hallway. Deciding to get some water before I go back to talk to Edward, I step into the hallway, suddenly hearing loud music coming from one of the other rooms.

As I walk down the hall, I realize it's coming from Alice's bedroom at the end. I knock on her door to check on her because it's not really like her to blare music like this. When she doesn't answer, I assume she didn't hear, so I peek my head in.

Kelly Clarkson is belting out that she's already gone, and I see Alice sitting in the middle of her bed sobbing.

Shit.

After turning down her music, I rush toward her, not hesitating to wrap my arms around her.

"What happened?"

Through sobs and sniffles, she tells me that she and Jasper got into a huge fight and may have broken up, and I'm in shock. I didn't think they ever fought. Like, ever. He's so mellow all the time. What would he have to get worked up about?

"I was talking to him about your appointment and how hard it was for you, and he just didn't get it. He said some really insensitive things that I won't tell you because I don't want to upset you. But what if it was me? I mean, what if I had gotten pregnant. He'd just want me to…" She trails off with a faraway look in her eyes, and I can put two and two together.

"I'm so sorry, Al." I rub her back because I don't know what else to do. I also find myself crying right along with her. I mean, it's Alice and Jasper. They've been together for as long as I've known them.

I didn't meet them until last school year, when I was a sophomore and decided dorm-life wasn't for me. I hit it off with Rose and Alice right away, and Emmett and Jasper hung around quite a bit. That whole group has known each other since they were freshmen, but I'd never met Edward until this year because I'd always declined their invitations to go to the frat house, feeling too shy or awkward.

Alice and Rose had prettied me up for Halloween this last fall and insisted I go. And the rest, as they say, is history.

"He's just… I don't know," Alice says. "We started arguing, and everything started coming out. He said I was being irrational and unrealistic… as usual. And I called him an immature asshole. It just got so out of hand." She groans. "I always thought he'd eventually outgrow the pot thing. I mean, I hoped he would. But it's worse now than ever, and I threw that in his face too, even though I've never really said anything about it bothering me before. I just don't think he's ever gonna grow up." Her big gray, bloodshot eyes meet mine, watery and sad. "Do you think it's a frat thing? Do they all just perpetuate each other's immaturity or what? I don't understand it."

"I don't know, honey, but I really hope you two can work things out. I mean, you guys are just so—"

A door shuts down the hall; Alice gives a start, and I stiffen. "I thought Rose was at work," she says.

"It's not Rose." I'm too quiet. Guilty.

Alice pulls back from me and looks me up and down, no doubt seeing the telltale signs of what I was just doing not ten minutes ago. She gasps, forgetting her own troubles for a moment. "Edward's still here? You had sex with him? You're back together?!" She's practically squealing.

It sucks that I have to burst her bubble. Shaking my head at her, I ask her to wait a minute as we hear another door shut. Edward probably thinks I'm hiding from him, and while I'm definitely confused about everything that just happened between us, I don't want him to leave thinking I'm upset with him.

I'm mostly upset with myself.

I step out into the hallway just as Edward does the same from my bathroom.

"Hey," he says, noticing me immediately. "There you are."

"Hey. Sorry. Alice…" I point my thumb lamely behind me.

His head tilts. "Is she okay?"

"She and Jasper got into a big fight and may have broken up."

"Oh, shit."

"Yeah. So…"

"I guess, uh…" He runs a hand through his beautifully messy hair, and this is so awkward. "I should go see how he's doing?" he says like a question. It's odd to see him so unsure of himself, but I feel the same way.

"Yeah, probably." My eyes begin to sting again as I look at him, recalling the ways he touched me just moments ago. The way he felt inside me. The way he told me he loved me.

His brows pull together. "Or I could stay… a little longer. If you want. I mean, are you okay? Is Alice gonna be okay?"

Releasing a heavy breath, I reply, "Wow, those are some loaded questions, Edward." I shake my head. "I don't think any of us are okay right now."

He nods and murmurs, "I know."

We stand there in awkward silence for a solid minute, and I'm just about to speak when he finally does.

"So, uh… should I stay? I mean, do you want me to stay?"

Of course I want him to stay.

"No, go ahead. Go talk to Jasper, and see how he's doing. We can talk later, okay?" Because I have no idea what to say to you right now.

"Yeah. Okay. I'll just, uh…" He points toward the door, and I give him a small smile and nod before turning to go back into Alice's room.

She's blowing her nose and mopping up tears with some tissues, and I move to sit next to her again.

"So, what's going on?" she asks.

I watch my fingers twirl a piece of my hair as I answer her. "We did sleep together, but we're not back together. I just got too caught up in him and made a really fucking stupid mistake. I mean, he was shirtless, and he's so hot, and I still love him, and I've been so horny, and God." Blowing out a heavy sigh, I finally look up at her. "I don't know what to do now. He said he knew it wouldn't mean we were back together, but he also told me he loves me. And as much as I want to believe him, I'm not sure he even knows what that means. I feel like he only said it because he misses me or something. Because why wouldn't he have said it before now, y'know?" I shake my head. "But then I never said it either." Alice gives me a sympathetic smile even though her world is falling apart. "Maybe we're both clueless. I just wish I could forgive him, but I don't know how."

Alice places her hand on my arm. "It's okay not to know right now. I can't even imagine Jasper talking to me the way Edward did to you when you told him the news. It would be hard to ever look at him the same way again, to be honest."

"Yeah," I reply, nodding and wiping a fresh tear away. "I wish I had some brain bleach or something." We both chuckle through our tears. "Maybe after the baby's born, things will be easier. I don't know." I sniffle and straighten up. "Anyway, enough about me. Are you all right? Can I get you anything?"

Alice shakes her head. "I think I just want to sleep for now, but thanks." She gives me a hug, and I wish I could do something to fix things for her. But I can't even fix my own life lately, so I'm not sure how much good I'd be. All I can do is be there for her like she's been there for me.

After giving her another hug, I tell her to get some rest and head back to my bathroom for a shower. As I'm about to open the bathroom door, my hands fly to my belly when I feel a distinct flutter. I've felt a few little things here and there, but I was never sure it wasn't just gas.

This is definitely not gas.

Wiping another tear from my eye with a shaky hand, I look down at my bump and whisper, "Hi, baby girl."

Thank you so much for reading. xoxo

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