Author's Note

So this is the original ending edited but I was thinking of writing an alternate ending because I don't really like this ending but I would REALLY like some suggestions because I kind of don't know what to write. If you could review with some ideas that would be really helpful.

Chapter Eleven; Marie's POV

"It's okay. You don't have to do this if you don't want." Mum said placing a hand on my shoulder as we pulled up to the next house. It was a small brick low set. It looked like a clone of all the other houses around it. You would never have guessed an ex-con lived here.

"I know. I want to though. I want to hear his side of the story. I want to know more about him. From Bella's story he doesn't sound like your typical criminal." I said before taking a deep breath and opening the door of the car. I walked up the path with mum following behind.

I knocked on the door and a young blonde woman answered the door. She was five months pregnant with a ring on her finger.

"Is Mark Ambrose here?" I asked.

"Mark its Marie." She called out behind her into the house. How did everyone know who I was? It had been sixteen years.

"I'm Lynette." She introduced herself.

"When did you meet Mark?" Janine asked.

"We met about five years ago, got married two years later and then another year after that we had Tyler. This is my second." She said patting her belly.

"Bella has a little boy named Trent. He's ten." I said trying to strike up conversation. Then I wondered if she knew about Bella and all that part of Mark's past but then she knew about me.

"Mark always wonders about Bella." Lynette smiled warmly.

"Marie." Mark exclaimed joining Lynette at the door with a two year old boy attached to his hip.

I don't know what I had expected but his appearance was kind of disappointing. He certainly looked like me so I knew how Lynette knew I was Marie. I don't know how I expected anything else or what I expected but he certainly wasn't it.

He just looked like an everyday businessman returned home from work. He had his long shirt sleeves rolled up, his tie off and his top button undone. His pants were a light creamy colour and his shirt a pale blue.

His icy blue eyes were exactly the same colour as mine. They were the same shape too. That must have been hard for Bella.

"Come in." He said and they moved from the door to let us in. We sat on comfortable chair in the living room.

"So how's Bella?" Mark asked eagerly, this earnt a look from his wife.

"You know I love only you." Mark assured her and gave her a quick kiss on the lips. She smiled.

"She's good. I told Lynette. Edward and Bella have Trent. He's ten." I said.

"That's great. She and Edward went together so well. He helped her when I couldn't." Mark said his tone layered with the weight of the memory.

"How did you two meet?" Mum asked breaking the ice.

"I just got out and we were having a celebration. Strictly soft drink on my part," He added his expression, "Lynette and I just got talking but I didn't have the nerve to tell her the reason we were celebrating. She was about to go and we swapped numbers when Scotty announced it to everyone." Mark groaned.

"Needless to say he was very surprised when I called the next day." Lynette laughed.

"No offense but why?" I asked.

"None taken." Mark grinned.

"To tell you the truth I just didn't believe it but when I did I knew that one event didn't define Mark. I knew there was so much more to him." Lynette said looking at Mark. I could see the way she was looking at Mark and it was the way Edward looked at Bella, Emmett looked at Rose, Alice at Jasper and mum at dad. It was love.

"What do you work as?" I asked.

"Rather ironically, a teacher." He said.

"I didn't think you would be able to with a criminal record." I said thinking of some of the teachers at my school and wondering if they had criminal records.

"I'm a university teacher. I teach criminal law. I just want to make sure that people know exactly what trouble they can get into. I also do a few alcoholic anonymous meetings. I don't need to participate, just host, I could never touch another drop of alcohol again. Some think it's a bit over the top but I don't care about that." Mark said solemnly.

"I should've asked Bella if she drank." I laughed. Mark laughed too.

"I'm pretty sure she would. A good question would be about the nightmares. Do you know if she still has them?" He asked.

"Oh yeah, she mentioned nightmares but not in present tense. I don't think she would. She's got Edward." I said thinking about it.

"I wouldn't be sure. It can't have been easy for her when I got out." Mark said grimly.

"Stop beating yourself up, it's all in the past. You're in the present." Lynette said and she rubbed Mark's back.

"Shouldn't I be the one doing that to you?" Mark teased. She stopped massaging and he rubbed her back.

"Would you two like anything to eat or drink?" Lynette asked.

"No thank you." Mum and I said one after the other shaking our heads.

"You don't have to worry about me straining myself to get it. Mark would get it of course." She said sending a teasing look at her husband.

"It's okay." Mum insisted.

"Where are you going for school?" Mark asked.

"Port Angeles. I was surprised by how close you both are. It's amazing I haven't seen you around." I said.

"I've been in Sequim my whole life. I should probably try somewhere new but I can never bring myself to leave." He said sending wife a loving glance.

"Well I suppose I was brought up in Forks for the first six months of my life but that doesn't really count so I've been in Port Angeles my whole life." I shrugged. Mark mused over this thought.

"Where's the other Mark?" He asked.

"Home, I think. We just sort took an impromptu trip after school." I said.

"Impromptu trip?" Mark asked dubious.

"I was going to get my licence this afternoon but of course that requires a birth certificate and mum thought now would be the best time to tell me I was adopted." I explained.

"I see, Happy Birthday by the way." He added.

"Bella seemed to know as soon as she answered the door. So did her father." I said pondering this phenomenon.

"You were born on her birthday. It's her birthday too." Mark explained.

"Oh, if I had of known I would've said something." I said wishing I had known.

"It's okay. She wasn't expecting you too. It's all about you. We haven't seen you in sixteen years. I didn't think I was ever going to see you." Mark admitted.

"I suppose. Why didn't you think you would get to see me?" I asked.

"Well... because of my history." He said sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck a habit it would appear we both had if we were nervous.

"It's not like you're a hardened criminal. Sure its pretty messed up and unforgivable but you regret it and you haven't done anything else." I shrugged mum rolled her eyes. I could tell she was worried though. I don't think she wanted me to have a blasé attitude when it came to criminals. Mark looked at me strangely with his head on a tilt.

"I'm glad you can see it that way. Not even I can sometimes, most of the time." He spoke.

"You're welcome." I smiled.

"If you want something to eat now's the time to admit it. I'm getting food from the kitchen. You may not be hungry but I am." Lynette said and with some effort she stood up.

When Mum and I didn't say anything she went into the kitchen was in the next room and made herself a snack.

"What was it like for you? I know Bella's story and I'm starting to know mine. What's yours?" I asked.

"It was like I was introduced to a whole new world. The world I knew was gone. Everything I thought I knew. All of sudden there was Isabella. The friend's I had were gone and replaced with strangers. I thought I knew them but I didn't. I didn't know myself. My parents were gone for a while too." He said looking for a way to describe his experience.

"But they came back?" I asked.

"Yes they did. It was actually after Bella talked to them. I was very surprised. It's still very awkward but I have Lynette and Tyler now. They're my family too." He said nuzzling the toddler on his lap. Lynette came back in with a plate of biscuits and dip.

"She's nice like that. What about your friends?" I asked.

"They're gone. We don't hate each other but we don't keep in contact. It was a few family friends that celebrated my release with me, the same ones that come to the wedding." He answered.

"We should actually get home for dinner. I'm sure you're waiting to have yours too. Thank you for letting us visit." Mum said suddenly and shook Mark's hand.

It felt too formal and even though I hadn't known this man was my father I wanted him to be now. He was still so upset about the past and some would say he deserved to be but I thought he deserved to have some happiness with his family. I gave him a hug and he looked startled but then he hugged back.

We left and the trip home was silent. Dad had dinner ready when he got home.

"How'd you go squirt?" Dad asked.

"Mum didn't take me to get my license. That's why we're so late." I said sheepishly. How to admit to dad that I knew I was adopted.

"I know." Dad said.

"Oh, yeah, it went well. They're nice. I have three step siblings. Well one isn't born yet but..." I started in a rush and dad laughed kissing me on the forehead as he set the bowls on the table for dinner.

"We'll get your license tomorrow." Mum promised as we ate and I just nodded.

I thought about Mark's words. You would think finding out you are adopted would be the end of the world but it was the creation of a new one, that I never knew existed.

"There we go. You stay safe on the roads." The cheery old lady at the licensing office called as we walked out. Mum had kept her word and I had gone for my license and passed.

There was a sense of freedom that came with having a license. The knowledge I could now drive, on the road. I could go anywhere I wanted, see whoever I wanted and do anything I wanted, nearly.

Mum wouldn't let me drive home. She muttered something about lessons and my father's less powerful car. She couldn't contain my excitement though on the trip home.

*** Nine years later ***

I drive along the winding roads. I wasn't looking for an escape, I didn't need one, but I found a sense of peace on the road. It was just me and the road. I would go where it led and it could lead me anywhere.

There was no one else to worry about. There was nowhere to be. It was a void that filled mine.

There was no one to see, no one to care, so I sped up and drove along the road faster enjoying the thrill of the speed. There was nothing like it, nothing that could equal it.

My phone rang but it didn't intrude on my bubble of peace, there was no knowledge that perhaps someone wanted me, needed me. It was just an electronic device making noise and I turned it off.

The music was a mind numbing noise in the background and I let it wash over me.

*** Peter's POV ***

I opened the door to the house which was unusually quiet. There was no noise. Usually if Marie was home she would have the radio turned right up and she would be singing in the kitchen. Or she would be on the phone. She didn't do quiet. I had come to learn this the hard way over our three year marriage.

I searched the house finishing in the bathroom. She wasn't there. I found a package torn open on the floor. It was a pregnancy test. I searched for the results. They were positive. Had she gone to tell her parents?

I called her phone and I got no answer. I checked the garage, something I should've done first up, and her car was gone. She had run away because she was pregnant? I dropped to the floor of the garage. How had things gone so wrong? I didn't think she would do this. It should be a happy thing, not stressful.

The phone rang and I emerged from the depths of my misery to answer it.

"Hello."

"Hey, it's Janine here. Is Marie there?" She asked.

"No. She isn't. She's gone. Her car's gone." I said stiffly.

"Oh. Is anything wrong?" She asked.

"She's pregnant." I answered curtly.

There was silence on the other end. I wished I knew what Janine was thinking. I had a feeling she knew why Maire would run away.

"What is it?" I asked.

"She's adopted. She probably doesn't see a baby as being a good thing. All she's ever known is confusion. She hides it well. I don't think she knows herself but it's there. She doesn't know who her true family is and it hurts. She probably doesn't want that for her baby." Janine answered.

"Do you think she would... get rid of it?" I asked hesitantly.

"I don't think she would but I don't know what she's thinking right now. She won't want to put it up for adoption if my assumptions are correct but that only leaves two other options, both of which she won't like. Just give her time." Janine said calmly.

'Okay." I sighed.

How could she say that so calmly? That wasn't reassuring. What if she never wanted to see me again? I loved her and I wanted her back. I wanted to think this through together.

I was lying in bed still in my clothes just looking at my ceiling when my phone rang. It was two in the morning so I didn't know what to think when I answered.

"Hello."

"Hey, Peter." She said meekly.

"Marie. Please come back." I said immediately. I was just so worried about her.

"I think I will. I just had a lot on my mind when I found out. Did you see the bathroom?" She asked.

"Yeah, it's okay. Come back. You can tell me what's on your mind and we can talk." I suggested.

"Okay." She agreed.

"Are you at a hotel?" I asked.

"Yeah." Came her answer.

"Good. I miss you." I said.

"I miss you too." She said.

"Bye."

"Bye."

*** The End ***