Chapter 10: Meet the Cullens

Dedication: To my Jenn (tellingmelies) who has exactly one thing to say about this fic: WHERE'S MY PREGGO SEXIN, DAMMIT? … Babette - here it is.

Disclaimer: Dear SM. I flove you and have gotten several people addicted to your wonderful books. Please don't sue me as it will be a waste of time anyway. Kisses, Me.

Edward sighed to himself, waking slowly from an afternoon nap to the feeling of warmth surrounding him. His body was pliant and his blood humming with pleasure from the amazing dream he'd had. He was wrapped in a warm blanket, pulled up on one shoulder to ward away the chill from the AC. Sunlight streamed in the window, warming his face just right. And, best of all, was the warm, soft body pressed against-.

Wait.

Prying one eye open, Edward took in his unfamiliar surroundings. This was not his home. This was not his bed. As he became more aware, he could distinctly feel the contours of the very nude female that was sprawled haphazardly against his side. Her head was on his chest, one hand resting on his stomach, dangerously near his budding erection, and her leg hitched up around his knee. His arm was secure around her, hand along her spine, under the velvet strands of her thick hair.

Edward let his eyes drift down, allowing himself to realize that the afternoon hadn't been a dream.

It wouldn't have been the first time Edward dreamt about Bella. In fact, and this was something he had told no one, he had first fantasized about her minutes after talking to Jasper that day in the clinic.

Sitting in that room, alone with the impersonal magazines and videos surrounding him, he'd been unable to turn his brain off. Fresh from his conversation with Jasper, he was thinking about how beautiful this act was, even when it wasn't about the connection between two people. He was helping his sister make a baby.

And that was where his libido had gotten just a little creeped out. It wasn't conducive at all to what his purpose was. His mind had scrambled for something, anything, to get any thoughts of baby-making and his sister out of his head.

His subconscious had provided him with the image in his head of the brunette woman he'd only glimpsed. Long hair - natural looking with just the right amount of wave in it. Eyes that were nervous and hopeful all at once, but while they displayed a certain vulnerability, he could see the strength in them too. Jasper had provided the explanation why. Edward had thought it was very brave to want to go it on her own. So many people - men and women alike - thought of themselves as incomplete and incapable without someone by their side.

His fantasy built naturally. It struck him as odd later... the logistics of the situation. He came in a little plastic cup, in a sterile, unfamiliar room, visualizing extraordinarily sexy scenarios with a woman he never expected to meet, to create a child for his sister and her partner.

Actually having sex with Bella had been better than anything his mind had conjured up. He used to think of himself as creative, but there was no way he could have imagined the way it had played out in reality.

No matter how they tried, they just couldn't keep their hands off each other. As close as they were pressed together, it wasn't close enough for either of them. Bella's hand consistently tugged at his shirt, as if she was trying to pull him inside of her instead of against her. He pulled her onto his lap, and that was better - but he wanted more.

When her firm, squirming behind started to cause a quickly rising problem for him, Edward wondered what the parameters of her 'don't stop' allowed.

But then she had shifted in his arms, straddling him so quickly that his brain sputtered, not quite comprehending how quickly the game was changing on them. His surprise was enough that he had actually stopped kissing her for a few moments. They stared at each other, panting quietly. She looked about as shell shocked as he felt.

There were at least a thousand questions coupled with a thousand reasons that they should not be doing this. But though they were both too rational, the noise of everything they should be saying was drowned out by the shrieking need that radiated all around them - undulating like heatwaves hugged the horizon in the desert. They could see it in each others eyes.

"I want... I want..." Bella stumbled, her hands already undoing the buttons of his shirt with clumsy, shaking fingers. She couldn't articulate. Her brain had turned into a minefield of emotion, and every time she tried to think there was a bright, explosion of sensation that reduced the world to a chaotic state. Desire - white hot and deafening as fire curling out from the detonation zone - ruled over everything.

And he was right there with her. She didn't need to say anything else. He'd wrapped his arms carefully and firmly around her and stood. Her legs tightened around his waist as he carried her into her bedroom.

The memory alone was enough to turn his lazy, content thoughts libidinous. There was no question that he wanted her again. Now, if not sooner. The desire had not abated in the slightest and though he found himself more capable of stringing coherent thoughts together, he still couldn't think past the ways he wanted to have her.

As if she was somehow attuned to him, Bella began to stir in his arms.

"Hi," she said, smiling in a bashful way that completely belied the downright naughty things she'd done with him just an hour or so before.

His answering smile spread across his face slow, like syrup pooling from a toppled bottle - looking sweet enough to lick. His fingers stroked hers on his chest. "Hey."

She yawned -wide like a cat- and snuggled closer. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to fall asleep."

"I fell asleep too," he assured.

At that she grinned, this smile a lot more mischievous than her first. "I didn't wear you out, did I?"

He rolled his eyes but smirked at her. "Hardly." He nuzzled the side of her head gently, tickling her with the tip of his nose and enjoying the way she squirmed slightly in his arms. "I have quite a bit more stamina than that."

"Mmm," she tilted her head up so he could kiss her. Edward took the invitation. "I can feel that," she said against his lips, brushing the back of her hand against his returning erection.

They kissed - Bella exploring the length and pleasant girthiness of Edward's cock while he worked his hands down her back, cupping her ass as he pulled her closer to him. Before he knew it, Edward had pressed Bella onto her back and he was leaning over her. The hardness of her belly between them brought some small semblance of sanity back to him. He paused, keeping his weight off her.

"I don't want to hurt you," he murmured, reading the confusion in her eyes at his sudden hesitance.

She relaxed then, and stroked his cheek. "You're not going to hurt me."

He leaned down, kissing her lips lightly, teasingly. "Or make you uncomfortable."

He wasn't naive enough to think that sex could hurt the baby, but he didn't know the mechanics of how Bella would feel. Would his weight on her cause discomfort? Jasper had told him once, rolling his eyes in exasperation, that Bella would probably die before admitting to any sort of distress. It wasn't because she was proud - she just hated to be a bother to anyone.

"I'll tell you if it gets uncomfortable," she said, a hint of impatience in her tone.

"Promise," he demanded, sucking lightly on her neck, knowing he was driving her insane. Still, he needed to hear it. Somehow, the thought of causing her any sort of pain was unendurable to him.

"I swear. Edward... I promise that I will kick your ass if you don't hurry up and..." she trailed off into a whimper as his tongue found her nipple.

"And what?" he asked, tracing the pad of a single, wetted finger around the edge of her areola. As he had discovered earlier when he'd pushed her shirt up and off of her, Bella's breasts had become fuller than they were in his original fantasy, and several times more sensitive to boot.

He was definitely trying to drive her mad now. Bella grasped for words. "Fuck me. I need you inside me. Now," she said hurriedly.

That stopped him short.

Their first encounter had been almost entirely wordless. Neither of them could form more than one word statements here and there: yes, more, oh, Edward, Bella. The first time he'd been inside of her, it was at her own direction. She was a vision: sitting astride him, her hair worked by his hands into a reckless pattern around her face. She was glowing - her skin a perfect, pale pink that absolutely shone in the afternoon light. As she'd slid down on him, surrounding him, her lips had been slightly open and swollen from their voracious kissing.

The moment when they were finally joined was strangely, but perfectly, quiet - an extreme counterpoint to the fervent, just-can't-get-enough kisses. Edward's hands slid up her neck to her cheek, the gesture intimate and affectionate. Then, as they started to move together, he was everywhere.

His hands had run down to her breasts where he had discovered her heightened sensitivity quite quickly. The sound of her moans had made him buck his hips into her a little rougher than he'd intended, but she seemed to enjoy that as well.

As they continued to move together, his fingers traced the contours of her body, finding pleasure points. The way her eyelashes fluttered as he touched her sensitive spots made pleasure coil tighter at his core. Her breathy moans as he moved in her made him crazy. The way she tightened around him had made the building pressure him him all but unbearable.

It was then that Edward's questing hands had encountered the swell at her stomach. Like it had the first time, some undefinable, primal emotion welled in him. This woman was his; she carried him inside her. It was more feeling than concrete thought, and the enormity of it had pushed him into a powerful orgasm.

Now, though, it was a different kind of lust for her that grew almost unbearable at her wanton words. Now, on her back beneath him, she was inviting him in. She was begging for it.

Well, he wasn't going to deny her pleas - especially when it was all he wanted at that moment. Right then, the earthquake that was supposed to send California into the ocean could have hit and neither of them would have noticed. There was nothing more important than being joined again.

If they thought about it for even a moment, nothing about their situation or what they were doing made even a lick of sense. But somehow, when they were joined the world was, for those minutes, exactly what it should be. In the tumult that had been their lives those long months, it was a welcome state of being, and they clung to it.

~0~

Bella's growling stomach was what finally got them out of bed as afternoon bled into evening.

It had taken a little convincing, but Edward convinced her to let him make or retrieve something to eat while she showered. "Anything you want," he said, waggling his eyes and hoping to high hell she didn't have another McDonald's craving.

With pursed lips she'd given in. "Eggs," she said finally.

"Eggs?" Edward was endlessly amused.

Bella rolled her eyes. "I have never eaten so many eggs in my entire life as I have these last couple of months."

Twenty minutes later, Bella emerged from her bedroom in a set of comfy looking, silk pajamas to find a feast of bacon, pancakes, hashbrowns and, of course, eggs waiting for her.

Somehow, they managed to make it through a meal without mauling each other, though it was a testament to their will. Edward, Bella thought, didn't make it easier when a drop of orange juice gathered at the corner of his mouth. She wanted to offer to lick it off for him, since he didn't seem to be in a rush to do so. Meanwhile, Edward laughed at himself and the aimless thought that wandered through his head: if everything tasted better wrapped in bacon, would that be true of Bella's kisses?

They were both reluctant when it came time for him to leave. He gathered her close, his arms crossing behind her back as he kissed her. "I have a very early meeting tomorrow," he excused ruefully.

Bella said nothing, letting her lips try to convince him that it would be so much better to stay. What was a little sleep deprivation compared to the absolute pleasure of being together?

They had, for the moment, called a moratorium on even trying to talk. The thousand voices, each with a question or a condemnation in their head, had been silenced. Talking, they knew, wouldn't be nearly as pleasant. One or both of them would probably put their feet in their mouths. Difficult questions would have to be asked and answered.

He did leave, eventually – the meeting he had to go was scheduled ridiculously early and Edward wasn't a morning person. But he couldn't get her out of his head. His dreams that night were visceral. Where they had been washed out and far away before, now they were vibrant and when he woke he could still feel her like a drug in his bloodstream.

His mind drifted to her even after he was awake and sitting across from his editor, Mike, over breakfast and paperwork.

"Yo. Cullen," Mike said sharply, snapping to get his attention.

Edward started and blinked, having absolutely no idea what they'd just been talking about. "Um," he said brilliantly, wracking his brain for the last thing he'd heard Mike say.

Mike chuffed, scrutinizing the other man carefully. "Wow, Edward. You're not usually this spaced out after you get laid. Must be some kind of girl."

Edward grimaced. Mike had an uncanny ability to tell when anyone had sex. Usually Edward found it a little funny. Just then it was quite inconvenient.

Setting his fork down, Mike rested his elbows on the table and rested his head on his hands, leaning forward. He waggled his eyebrows, his big, blue eyes sparkling with amusement. "So. Dish. Tell me all about the woman who has the oh-so-serious, apathetic toward women and relationships, Edward Cullen staring off with – I have to tell you – the goofiest smile on your face."

Edward glared at his boss. "And you wonder why you're single."

Mike just snickered and waited. He obviously wasn't going to let this go.

Well… it wasn't as if Edward could tell any member of his family about this latest turn of events. The too-strong-to-ignore attraction that he felt to Bella felt entirely too overwhelming when coupled with the already tangled mess that was how they'd come to know each other. The pull between them was powerful in its own right and deserved consideration without the addition of everything else he hadn't sorted out in his own head. His family would never be able to separate the two.

So, carefully editing, Edward told Mike a little about Bella.

~0~

Edward and Bella had lunch together three times that week. They were sure to keep it to lunch and to make sure they met in public places so they wouldn't give in to the urge to rip their clothes off. They may have given up on the notion of talking for the time being, but they both knew they couldn't entirely retreat into the intense bubble where only they existed.

"Alice had another ultrasound last week to find out the sex of their baby," Edward said over a bowl of pho.

Bella rolled her eyes. "Believe me, I know. Jasper wouldn't shut up about this teeny, tiny little suit that he bought, 'for Christmas, Bella'" she imitated Jasper's how-can-you-be-so-fashion-unconscious tone perfectly.

Edward chuckled.

"Although," Bella worried a napkin in her hands, "that reminds me. I have an ultrasound appointment the Tuesday after your birthday. If you want to come."

Silence stretched on between them as Edward took a drink of his Thai iced tea and swallowed hard. It had not escaped his attention that this was the first time Bella actually invited him to be a part of anything to do with the baby. He wasn't exactly sure how he felt about it. When it was him pursuing her it was about taking the right steps to do the right things. Her acceptance was binding somehow. If she accepted him as part of her pregnancy, then the reality that he would be a father in four months time felt closer to cold, hard fact.

Edward was still completely confused as to what he felt about being someone's father, but he wasn't about to make things harder on Bella – especially after all he'd put her through insisting on being a part of her child's life. "Yeah. Tuesday is a slow day anyway," he said carefully. Then he smiled a little easier, remembering Alice and Rosalie's excitement over the revelation they were having a boy. "Are you hoping for a boy or a girl?"

"I'm supposed to say I don't care as long as its healthy, right?" Bella said, the tension draining from her features with a smirk. "I really don't. But honestly, when I think about it, it's a girl I see. I don't really know why." She shrugged, smiling a small, private smile. "That's just the way it is."

They slipped back into easy conversation – Edward sharing stories about his childhood with his rambunctious, older brother. While his mother would tell anyone that girls were harder – and Rosalie hardest – Edward and Emmett had given her a fair share of heart attacks as they were growing up. She'd nearly had a heart attack when eight-year-old Emmett had convinced his three-year-old brother to go down the stairs in a box.

"The first time it was really fun. The second time… well. Let's just say there was a lot of blood." They both laughed a little. Then Edward's expression became more serious. "So… are you coming on Saturday?"

Bella's stomach twisted at the idea of Edward's birthday party. She was so divided about what she should do. She had, however, already made her decision. "I'll be there."

~0~

Esme and Carlisle Cullen owned a gorgeous home in Brentwood. As Bella had expected, the home obviously had its roots in the early days of the city, but it looked like it had been remodeled to incorporate a more modern style. Bella was still marveling at the beauty of architecture mixed with the flawless landscaping when the door opened.

"Bella!" Alice cried merrily. She bounded down the walk to Bella – a feat that was actually a little hilarious as Alice was big enough around the belly and small enough in stature that she waddled as she ran. Bella was surprised when Alice wrapped her in a big hug. "Oh! I'm so glad you came!"

Letting Alice's obvious enthusiasm calm her nerves, Bella hugged the other woman back just as tightly – bump to bump.

"Come on," Alice said, keeping one arm wrapped around Bella's waist as she walked them forward. "Everyone's already here." She leaned in, whispering conspiratorially. "Edward's been looking at his phone every five seconds. I think he expected you to make some excuse. I kept telling him you'd never do that," she clucked, shaking her head.

"Never crossed my mind," Bella lied, amused at how Alice acted like she'd known her forever instead of just having met a week and a half before. The truth was she'd thought about opting out of this party about as often as teenage boys thought about sex. Well, that wasn't entirely true because she thought about sex – especially sex with Edward – as often as a sixteen year old boy. However, most of her spare thoughts went toward dreading this party.

But, in the spirit of making every effort, she didn't want to give Edward's family any reason to think of her as mean or cold. She needed to know, for herself more than anything, that she could interact with these people amicably.

"Carlisle and Esme are the nicest in-laws you could ever ask for," Alice said as they entered the thankfully empty foyer. "Although, Esme does delight in helping my mother torture me by not letting me forget that I'm probably going to pee my pants at some point during this pregnancy."

"It's true. It will happen," came a gentle, cheerful voice. Esme Cullen materialized from a room to the right of where Alice and Bella were standing, a warm smile on her face.

After Esme introduced herself formally, hugging Bella warmly, she picked up the conversation. "Although, if you ask me, a little bit of pee is not the biggest inconvenience of pregnancy. Let's face it. There's going to be plenty of pee in your future."

Alice wrinkled her nose. "I can't decide whether the radiating heartburn or the occasional hemorrhoid is the worst."

"Are you kidding me?" Bella blurted, her surprise momentarily overcoming her reserved, quiet nature. "How is that even a fair contest? Hemorrhoids. Every time."

Both Esme and Alice tilted their heads, but before Bella could blush or stammer out an apology, they both started laughing. "I'm going to have to agree with her, Alice," Esme said.

"Okay, okay, you're right," Alice admitted. "But you know, I can kind of deal with the physical stuff. It's not pleasant or comfortable, but it's kind of what I signed up for – you know? What I really hate is the stomach patting. Hello! I am, very obviously, not Santa, Buddha or the Pillsbury Dough Boy."

"Poke 'em back. I do," Bella said. They both stared at her for a moment – tickled and surprised. "What? I figure if public petting is allowable it shouldn't be restricted to just us," she said, smoothing her hands over her bulge.

Alice and Esme giggled. "No, no. Tell me this hasn't happened to you: entirely unsolicited, unwelcome advice."

All three of them rolled their eyes. "Oh, God," Alice said dryly. "I had this woman the other day – the entire time I was working on her daughter, she was on about what I should be doing. Was I reading to my bump? Did I make my husband," Alice's tone was acerbic on that word, "talk to the baby? Am I going to get an epidural because you know, most women couldn't handle the pain. She did. Twenty hours of labor. No drugs. Because she's sooo strong."

"Oh, screw that," Bella said, already too familiar with the epidural/natural argument. "I'm well aware that women survived the pain of labor for centuries before pain killers were invented. Not wanting to feel pain that I don't need to feel is not a weakness – thanks. I mean, I have no problem with people who don't want to use the epidural. If you want to feel the pain, more power to you."

"I know, right?" Alice rolled her eyes. "Rose is that way about silly things like headaches. She refuses to take ibuprofen when she has an ache." Her smile was adoring when she spoke of her wife.

"Speaking of things I miss…" Bella trailed off. Ibuprofen had been a staple in her life before the baby.

"I just about died of lack of caffeine during my pregnancies," Esme contributed.

"What are we giggling about in here?" a soft, amused voice distracted the women. Bella looked up to find Carlisle Cullen leaning against the wall of the living room. He was smiling in a way that Bella recognized. Edward had inherited it.

In all honesty – Edward used it better, but that was beside the point.

"We're just complaining about all the things we're going without, Daddio," Alice said, going to Carlisle and giving him a side hug.

He ruffled her hair tenderly, as if she was his blood daughter, and hugged her back. "I missed alcohol." He caught Bella's confused stare and smirked, again reminding her of Edward. "What? My wife said if she couldn't have any than neither could I."

"Ah, I was already carrying your demon spawn, dear. It was the least you could do," Esme quipped. She looked at Bella and shook her head. "Emmett, if they had let him bake the entire 9 months, would have been over eleven pounds probably. They took him out via c-section three weeks early at nine and a half pounds."

Bella's eyes nearly bulged out of her head, her mind automatically wondering how someone could birth an eleven pound baby.

Taking pity on her, Carlisle distracted Bella by extending his hand and introducing himself. He clasped her hand in both of his, squeezing briefly. "Welcome, Bella," he said sincerely.

"You did come!" an enthusiastic, familiar voice caught Bella's attention.

Edward stood in the entryway, a beautiful smile lighting up his face. He was happy to see her, and it made warmth spread through her. Bella was smiling back before she fully realized what she was doing.

And because she only had eyes for Edward in that moment, she missed that Rosalie was standing right beside him. "Great," she said dryly.

Bella's head snapped to the statuesque beauty's pursed-lipped face. "Happy Birthday," Bella said, somewhat awkwardly.

The tension that suddenly permeated the room was oppressive.

"Hmph," Rosalie grunted in vague acknowledgement. Then her eyes found Alice's. "I'll be in the kitchen," she said brusquely, turning and striding out of the room without another word.

Alice let out a long, slow sigh.

"I can-" Bella began, but Alice cut her off.

"No. You're fine," Alice insisted, forcing a smile back on her face for Bella's sake. "Really. I'll talk to her." She shuffled off then, and Esme took her place at Bella's side.

"Edward told us what you told him about the tape. For what it's worth, we believe you," she murmured lowly.

"Rosalie does too," Carlisle continued. "It's just…"

"It's a lot easier to blame me," Bella finished. "Especially because of everything else that's going on. No. I get it. I never would have used that tape for my own gain…but if I had handled Royce better, it might not have happened."

"The way I understand it, you handled Royce just fine," Esme patted her hand, smiling conspiratorially. "Thank you for that by the way. If I'd have gotten my hands on him, I probably would be in jail right now."

Bella couldn't help but giggle at the mental image of gentle, little Esme taking on the likes of Royce King.

Carlisle and Emse made their excuses then – something about food preparation – and left Edward and Bella alone.

"They like you, you know," Edward said, coming to sit beside her on the couch. "I can tell."

Bella let out a breath she hadn't even realized she was holding. "I like them," she answered honestly.

He smiled and again, the mood in the room changed. The way he looked at her, Bella had no doubt that he desperately wanted to kiss her, or even pull her close to him. He didn't dare though, and that spoke volumes to her. It answered a question that had been nagging her.

Edward hadn't told anyone in the family about the newest developments in their relationship. She shouldn't have been surprised. She hadn't even told Jake.

She was itching to touch Edward.

Finally, one of them had to break the silence. "Are you thirsty?" Edward asked the first thing to come to mind. She nodded, finding his slight nervousness a little endearing. "I'll get you something to drink," he murmured. He smiled slightly, his fingertips brushing her arm in an intimate gesture.

She raised an eyebrow at him, her cheeks flushing because part of her was pleased at his attention. "It's your birthday party. You shouldn't be serving me."

He rolled his eyes, quickly brushing his thumb over her lips with a wistful expression on his face. Then he got up without another word.

Bella let out a long, slow breath, allowing herself to slump a little. She was a little overwhelmed, though she was trying not to let it show. They were being so kind to her. And even though Rosalie hadn't been pleasant, at least she hadn't glared. Yet. She rubbed her temples, trying to put her thoughts together. Between her nerves, the Cullens' reaction to her and Edward's bewildering - and bewitching - tenderness, her emotions were out of control. She was either going to start sobbing or have some kind of fit over nothing.

Feeling the hair at the back of her neck prick up with the sensation that someone was watching her, Bella lifted her head. A somewhat eerie sight confronted her. Two tiny, blonde haired little girls were staring at her like something out of a horror movie she remembered. "Hi," she said, uncertainly.

Some might have found it strange that despite the fact she was five months pregnant with her own child, other people's children kind of creeped Bella out. Especially when they resembled the children of the corn. She cleared her throat and tried again as the twins kept staring at her. "You must be Katrina and Irina."

At that, they broke into huge, toothy grins complete with dimples. "I'm Katie!" said the one on the right.

"I'm Irina!" her sister chimed in.

They both ran at her then, one clambering onto the couch on either side of her. Katie gasped, her eyes zeroing in on Bella's stomach. "You have baby! Like Aunt Alice!" she said, patting Bella's baby bump.

Out of force of habit, Bella patted her back. Katie thought it was hysterical. Not to be left out of the tickle fest, Irina patted Bella's bump and then broke into her own round of giggles. Soon they were all three poking and giggling fiends.

Bella had to smile because the only thing that could out-cute a giggling baby was a giggling baby squared.

When they got over their giggles, the girls began their interrogation. "D'you play baseball with Uncle Edward?" Katie asked.

"Baseball?" Bella echoed, confused.

The twins nodded in unison. "Uncle Edward plays baseball," Irina repeated.

Edward came back in the room then, handing a glass of orange juice to Bella. "When have you seen me play baseball?" he asked the twins, bemused.

"Mommy said you likes Bella. Then, Daddy saids you bats for the o'er side," Katie responded, her innocent, chubby face and big blue eyes making the comment hysterical. Bella covered her mouth to stifle the giggle that escaped.

A big hand came over the couch, clamping quickly over Katie's tiny mouth. "Oh, isn't that cute. Kids say the darndest things," a deep voice chuckled boisterously. Bella followed the big hands up, up, up until she was looking at the dimpled, smiling face of Emmett Cullen.

Bella stood so she could properly greet him, but Emmett was already jabbering away. "I'm glad you're here, kid. First of all, major props for breaking the bas- uh..." Emmett eyed his daughters, "Royce's hand," he amended, extending a fist toward Bella.

Her mouth lifting up at one corner, Bella hesitantly fist bumped Emmett.

"Also, props on not killing my brother yet," he said, extending a fist again. He smirked at Edward. "Happy Birthday by the way, bro."

Grinning now, Bella bumped him again. Edward winked at her.

"Thirdly - how's the party animal? Have you been thinking boy? Boy? Boy? This family is in some serious need of testosterone. Right now, we only have me and Dad," Emmett shook his head in mock consternation.

Bella laughed at that. "I'll see what I can do."

A beautiful and somewhat exasperated looking woman entered the living room then. The last Cullen. The only one Bella hadn't met yet. "I see you've met my three children," she said wryly as she sidled up to Emmett's side.

Emmett nuzzled her neck playfully. "Babe, you know nothing about me is child sized. You know I know what you were saying in Russian last night right? Ooo, big daddy."

Tanya turned an interesting shade of red at Emmett's whispered words. She smacked his arms and hissed at him, "Stop it!" but even Bella could tell she was grinning. She shook her head, looking back to Bella. "Anyway! I'm Tanya," she said friendlily, extending her hand.

The Cullens, Bella found, were just a great bunch of people. Genuinely warm and demonstrably loving toward each other, most of them went out of their way to make Bella feel welcomed.

Most of them.

Bella was taking a moment to herself, sitting on a bench below the elevated patio, when she accidentally overheard a conversation between Rosalie and Tanya.

"I just don't understand why Alice had to invite her to my birthday party. This is my day. I shouldn't have to deal with things I don't like on my birthday," Rosalie groused.

"She didn't do it for you," Tanya said softly. "She did it for Edward, but I think you know that."

Rosalie apparently had nothing to say to that. As Bella considered texting Jacob and asking him to make up some excuse to call her away, Tanya sighed and spoke again. "Rose, I know this isn't easy on you, and it's understandable that you've been preoccupied about how your life has changed, but do you realize that you've essentially abandoned Edward through all of this?"

"What are you talking about?" Rosalie hissed back defensively.

"It's telling that you would even have to ask me. Of everyone, you've always been the one to know when he needs help. Well, he needs help now and you're ignoring him. And let me say this since no one else in this family will – you are wallowing in misery of your own making. Yes, I know it's been a struggle because it wasn't what you expected, but tell me this – do you love your child any less because of everything that's happened?"

"Of course not!"

Tanya's voice was a gentler as she continued. "In a few months time, you and Alice will have a beautiful child that you love and wished for together. Yes, Jasper is a person you did not plan on having in your life, but he adores your child and your wife while not presenting a threat to your parenthood or your connection to Alice. And you like him. Don't tell me you don't."

There was a pause and a sigh. "He's growing on me," Rosalie admitted.

"So what do you have to be upset about?" Tanya asked plainly.

"Bella –"

"Bella, Bella, Bella. All I hear out of your mouth is how Bella's mere presence affects you. Well, I have news for you, sister: she impacts your brother's life a thousand times more than she does yours. You are acting like she's a nuisance he chose to inflict on you." Tanya spoke quickly then, covering up the noise of Rosalie's rebuttal. "Rosalie, he's completely lost over this. He is having to re-write his outlook on his entire life. You know, you and he are two of the most stubborn people I've ever met. You don't change your minds easily. I don't think he has the first clue of how to come to grips with everything."

"He knows he can talk to me," Rosalie insisted.

Tanya scoffed. "Even I know Edward better than that. He'll drive himself insane worrying about if he's even fit to be a father before he actually talks it out with any of us. You actually have a chance of smacking some sense into him; he needs the reassurance. But I'm betting that as much as he doesn't want to come to any of us, he's even less likely to come to you with this. How many times in the last few months has even the mention of her name caused you to go on some sort of tirade? Your first and last piece of advice to him has been 'don't trust her'. Well – he has no choice, Rose."

"He does have a choice!" Rosalie countered. "He could get it all hashed out legally – iron out his rights the way you told him he should, on paper. So she can't screw him over."

"That was a worst case scenario," Tanya returned, exasperation leaking into her tone. "I tell my clients to be aware of the worst case scenario but not to plan on it. There's no reason to make this situation unpleasant just for the sake of it.

The older woman sighed, her voice calming again. "Even if you're right and she's out to screw Edward over – for whatever reason – then you should be playing the nice guy anyway. If things go horribly wrong and Edward ends up in court, we don't want to look like the acrimonious ones now do we?"

Again, Rosalie was silent. "Look, for Edward's sake if not your own, you need to get this through your head. That woman is bearing his child. She will be in his life forever. There's no reason not to at least try and make things amicable between all of us."

A/N: My normal beta, jadedandboring, decided to go and give birth (I'm sure she did it because I needed some first hand research for the birth scene later, but it's SOOOOO inconvenient). Let us all send her some mental well wishes for her miniest (who is ADORABLE and I want to smoosh).

Thank you, thank you, thank you to my lovely bmango. She looked this over for me when I was in a tizzy. All mistakes are mine because I have no patience.

OH. P.S. welcome to the SLEW of new followers. ::waves:: Hope you are enjoying your stay here...but I'm sofa king curious... where did you all come from? Did I miss a rec somewhere? The mystery keeps me up at nights.

I know people had the audacity to give you advice you didn't ask for - what was the worst thing someone told you?