Disclaimer: Not mine

A/N: I am so overwhelmed with the response this story has received so far. I keep trying to respond to reviews, but I have some news to share that may cut me some slack. I just recently found out that we will be expecting child #4 in late March. My oldest will be 3 on the 26th and my twins will be a year on the 24th of this month, so you can believe that this was a complete surprise! Dally and I joke that I got knocked up because I was doing it to Alice. So please, stay with me over the next few months. I have been doing well with keeping up with chapters so I don't think I will have to push back my updates, but you never know.

Dalloway5906 starts her new job on Tuesday, so send her some good thoughts. She has been super busy, but assures me that we will not be breaking up – she will still somehow find the time to beta this train wreck!

We get some more info about Rose and Emmett in this chapter. I would suggest a tissue for most of the chapter. Just sayin'.

Edward and Bella turned towards the person that had spoken such caustic words, both stunned at whom they found standing in the kitchen doorway. Edward's eyes widened in surprise as he stared at the stranger leaning against the wall. The woman was tall and her violet eyes and long blonde hair would have made her beautiful, but the scowl on her face showed that her personality detracted from her striking exterior. She was dressed casually in khaki pants and a blue button-down blouse with crisp white sneakers on her feet.

"Your mother did not tell me you were having company for breakfast. I would have made something." The stranger sneered, and Edward was finally able to place her voice.

"Good morning Irina. I am so sorry to have invaded your domain." Edward said, chuckling quietly as he tried to pacify the Cullen's housekeeper. Irina Petrov had been the backbone behind the Cullen home since the children were little. Esme did not have to work and wanted to spend as much time with her children as possible. That left Irina in charge of the cleaning and cooking so Esme could dote on Emmett, Alice and Edward. Irina's presence was even more of a Godsend after Edward lost his sight, since he relied on his mother even more after his diagnosis.

Irina should have looked at her position with gratitude. She was working for a wonderfully generous family who went out of their way to include her in their family gatherings. But all Irina could think about was the millions of dollars sitting in the Cullen family accounts. After years of opening their mail and watching the zeros multiply on the savings statements, Irina had finally had enough. She knew there was no way she could get to Emmett or Alice, but Edward was still a possibility. She had been scheming for months, when destiny lent a hand. No one knew that Tanya Denali was Irina's niece, but Tanya knew all about the Cullens. So when she had the opportunity to weave her way into the family, both Irina and Tanya took advantage of it. Irina did her job by dropping hints to Esme and Carlisle about how happy Edward looked with Tanya around. Irina could almost feel the money in her grasp when her twit of a niece went and ruined everything by trying to get in the boys pants. How many times had she explained to the girl that if she just waited things out, they would be rolling in cash? But no, Tanya had to ignore her Aunt's suggestions and go tattling to Esme about Edward's lack of attention. Of course he did not want to touch her, she was a vapid, round heeled slut that was only out for one thing. Now Irina's plans were ruined. She still had her other niece Kate waiting in the wings, but the time had not been right for any more matchmaking with Edward trying to finish his degree. Now, as she watched the sparks flying around Edward and the chubby girl at the counter, she feared her chances were all used up.

"Oh no Edward, don't you worry. You just surprised me." Irina said, trying to bite back her ire.

"Irina, I would like you to meet Bella Swan. Hopefully she will be a permanent fixture around here from now on." Edward said as he slid Bella a sly grin and her face bloomed pink. Irina finally noticed that Edward was not wearing his dark glasses and she stifled a gasp as she realized he was making eye contact with the chunky girl.

"Edward, can you see?" Irina breathed, unable to believe what she was seeing with her own eyes.

"Isn't it amazing! Bella must have some witch's blood in her or something, because anytime I touch her, I can see." Edward said proudly as he raised their twined hands.

Irina felt a wave of relief flood her as she realized that Edward's reasons for clinging to this girl were completely rational and not romantic at all. Of course he would want to take advantage of the ability to see again, who wouldn't? But Irina narrowed her eyes and looked closer at the way Edward's body was unconsciously orienting itself around the girl. He was gazing down at her with joy and admiration painted across his features. He may not know it yet, but Irina could tell the boy had fallen hard. A slow smile crept across her face as she realized she knew just the way to make this poor girl run screaming for the hills.

Irina helped Edward and Bella clean up from breakfast and wished them a good day as she headed up to start the laundry, hoping she could find some place private so she could make a phone call.

()*()

Someone was pounding a rock against her head. That was the only reason Rosalie could come up with for the throbbing in her skull. She opened her eyes, her head protesting against the bright light streaming in through the nursery windows. She stifled a groan as she rolled off of her stuffed animal bed and onto her hands and knees. She squinted against the glare and saw Emmett asleep atop a giant moose, a string of drool running from his lips to the animal's ear. Her heart clenched painfully in her chest as she realized even after he discovered she had been lying to him for months, he still wanted to be close to her. She did not deserve the love of this wonderful man.

Rosalie ignored the cramping pain deep in her abdomen and slowly stood. She made her way to the bathroom, silently thanking her in-laws for cleaning up the mess she had made the previous night. She showered away her tears and quietly dressed in her most comfortable clothes, packing several outfit changes in her overnight bag. Rosalie opened her bedside table and took out the sheath of papers she had printed from the internet a week earlier. Using her laptop, she navigated the American Airline's website and was able to book a flight to Los Angeles in minutes. Knowing she could never explain to Emmett why she was leaving in a note, she vowed to call him as soon as she arrived at her destination.

Rosalie could not help but walk past the nursery on her way out. She choked back a sob as she gazed at the sleeping form of her husband, hoping that he would forgive her for what she was about to do. A well timed call to a taxi company meant that Rosalie was able to walk right out of her house and into the cab, insuring she would make it to the airport in plenty of time for her flight.

()*()

Jasper could not sit still as he waited with Alice in the empty waiting room. When he had originally told Alice he would accompany her to her appointment, she balked. She wanted him to stay put in his bed and rest, but Jasper was not going to sit idly by as Alice was poked and prodded. Now he was second guessing his decision as his eyes rested on the posters of an enlarged uterus and dilated cervix.

"Alice Cullen." A nurse called from the open door.

Jasper jumped as Alice slipped her tiny hand into his and pulled him towards the door that led to the unknown. Alice was asked to change into a gown and sit on the table and Jasper's gray complexion flushed pink at the thought of her conceiving his child without either of them seeing the other naked. His hoarse chuckle made Alice peek her head out from behind the privacy curtain.

"What's so funny cowboy?" Alice asked as she wrapped the gown around her and plopped onto the table, her legs swinging back and forth since she was too short to reach the ground.

"Just thinking how unconventional this whole thing is. I have barely gotten to first base with you and here we are, trying to get you pregnant." Jasper smirked.

"Well, why wait when you have found the only thing you would ever want." Alice sighed wistfully as she yanked at Jasper's shirt to bring him in for a kiss. They were lost to the world as Jasper slid his tongue against the smooth skin of her lips, silently asking permission to enter. Alice gasped as he sucked her lower lip into his mouth and bit down, making her body hum with pleasure. They were so involved in each other that they did not hear the discrete knock at the door or the banging of her chart hitting the counter. It was not until the doctor loudly cleared his throat that the couple pulled apart, Alice reaching up to fix Jasper's wig that her fingers had displaced.

"Well Ms. Cullen, it looks like you finally found your match." Dr. Gerandy said, unable to keep his amusement to himself.

"Yes sir. Now how fast can we get me pregnant?" She asked bluntly, causing Jasper to choke on air.

They decided to try a regimen of Clomid first, hoping that by stimulating Alice's ovaries to make more eggs, there would be a better shot of Jasper's frozen semen finding one when they did the Intrauterine Insemination. Since Alice was set to get her period later in the week, the doctor gave her a prescription for Clomid and instructions to take it five days after her period started. She would be monitored daily to pinpoint when she ovulated and they would inject Jasper's semen into her in the office. The procedure was painless, they told her and although they said it could take multiple times to be successful, she was confident that she would be pregnant before the end of the month.

As Jasper listened to the clinical explanation as to how they would conceive their child, he had a moment of panic. He worried how his child would feel knowing that they were conceived in an office. He wondered if the child would resent the fact that they were fatherless. He was petrified that after he was dead and buried, Alice would look back at this decision with regret. As Alice turned her tear brightened eyes to his face, he did his best to push his insecurities to the side and listen to the rest of the doctor's spiel. Jasper decided to head out to the waiting room while Alice got dressed. He pushed open the door and looked around the room. During their appointment the room had filled up with parents-to-be. He watched with jealousy as fathers stroked their wives' distended bellies and felt their child moving inside. His hands clenched into fists as he realized he may not make it long enough to watch Alice go through this. He did not even notice the hot tear that slid down his cheek until it was wiped away by Alice's delicate fingertips. She unwound his fingers and linked hers together with his as she pulled him out of the waiting room.

"Let's go tell my parents they are going to be grandparents." Alice laughed.

()*()

Edward walked Bella to her truck, hesitant to release their connection. Bella had made sure that Edward had seen everything he wanted to see before she suggested that she should go home. It was late afternoon and Charlie would be home from fishing soon. It was Bella's job to clean and package the fish so they could be frozen for dinners later in the week. Bella hated having to scale and clean the fish, but Charlie made it clear that now that there was a woman in the house, he would not be doing anything he considered to be 'woman's work'.

Bella was opening her truck's door when a car came streaking down the driveway, scattering gravel as it skidded to a stop. Bella stared at the car, wondering who could be in such a rush. The passenger door flew open, revealing a tall blond man who walked gracefully around the hood of the car to open the driver's door, allowing Alice to slide out. Both Bella and Edward were taken by surprise when the man leaned down and pushed Alice against the hood of the car, his hands wrapping around her body as he ravished her. Her hands tangled in the back of his shirt as she held on as if she were drowning in him. Bella quickly averted her eyes, embarrassed to be witnessing something so personal. Edward was unable to tear his eyes from the sight before him. He knew people kissed, although the last memory he had of watching anyone kiss was a chaste peck his parents shared not long after they had gotten his diagnosis. Now watching his sister and this mystery man embrace, Edward felt a painful longing within his chest. He wanted to do that. But not just with anyone, he wanted to share a moment like that with the shy girl standing next to him. He looked down at Bella and noticed her flushed cheeks and downcast eyes, knowing she was uncomfortable watching the display of emotion.

Alice finally untangled herself from Jasper and was startled to realize her brother and Bella were standing in the driveway. She could not help the self-conscious giggle that emerged from her lips as she tugged Jasper over towards their audience.

"Edward, Bella, I would like you to meet Jasper. He is my soul mate." Alice said wistfully as Jasper extended his hand to Edward first and then Bella.

"How did you two meet?" Edward asked, trying to hide the shock he felt at his sister's words. Alice had been talking of her soul mate for years, since they were children. She always knew there was someone out there who was perfect for her and she refused to date anyone who did not make her feel that spark.

"Fate." They said at the same time, causing Bella to laugh. Edward's head snapped in her direction, enchanted by the relaxed sound spilling from her lips. He wanted to be the one to make laugh like that.

"Will you both come back into the house for a second, we have some news we want to share?" Alice asked shyly as she started walking towards the house with Jasper trailing behind her, without waiting for a reply. Edward and Bella returned to the house and were surprised to find a very tired looking Esme and Carlisle sitting in the living room. They had not seen hide nor hair of them all morning.

"Well Alice, what is the big announcement?" Edward prompted as he tugged Bella down to the couch next to him.

"Jasper and I are having a baby!" Alice shouted.

The room was silent as everyone processed the information. Bella was surprised that Alice would want her here for this family oriented discussion, but stayed quiet. Edward was suspicious of Jasper's intentions, since the Cullen family's wealth was well known throughout the area. Esme was ecstatic at first, but quickly realized how hard it would be for Emmett and Rose to hear Alice's news. Carlisle was furious that his only daughter had neglected to introduce them to Jasper before getting herself into this situation.

"When will the little bundle of joy arrive?" Bella asked quietly, hoping to break the tension in the room.

"Well, see that is what we are not quite sure of yet. I should be having the implantation sometime in early June, so that means it would be a February baby." Alice said as she rubbed reassuring circles on Jasper's hand, which was held tightly between her own.

"Wait, what do you mean 'implantation'?" Carlisle asked, stepping into his lab coat and stethoscope without moving a muscle.

"Well you see, Jasper can't have children the natural way, but he had banked some semen before his surgery, so we will be using that." Alice said calmly, as if she was discussing the weather.

"Um, Jasper is it? Could you tell us what is going on, because I am really confused?" Esme said quietly as she tried to keep up with her daughter's ramblings.

"Well Mrs. Cullen, I have cancer and no longer have the ability to father children. Alice has gotten it into her head that she wants to have a child, hopefully before I kick the bucket. So we will be doing an intrauterine insemination using the um…stuff I banked before my surgery." Jasper said as his fingers clenched painfully against Alice's.

"What is your prognosis Jasper?" Carlisle asked.

"They were giving me six months the last time I checked." He answered, but Alice jumped in quickly.

"I have been doing some research on the power of positive thinking and happiness and prayer, and I really think that once we get pregnant, Jasper will improve. I really do." Alice said, near hysterics as tears started running down her cheeks. Bella turned her face into Edward's shoulder as she thought about finding one's soul mate and then losing them so quickly. Esme felt her own tears forming as she watched her daughter in obvious pain. Edward and Carlisle both felt better as they watched Jasper turn Alice into his body, making sure that she knew he was there with her. It was obvious to them both that Jasper and Alice had a very strong connection, no matter how short their acquaintance. Drying her tears, Alice let out a watery laugh.

"I would blame the pregnancy hormones, but I am not even pregnant yet." She said, breaking the tension that had settled over the room with her tears.

The rest of the time spent in the living room was filled with Jasper's tales of growing up in the south and how he came to settle in Forks. Carlisle managed to get a moment alone to discuss his treatments and who his doctor was. After hearing his diagnosis and the radical treatment he had already undergone, he understood why he was given only six months. Alice and Esme had pulled Bella into a lively discussion about the pros and cons of a gender neutral nursery when the front door flew open, revealing a distraught Emmett.

"Is Rose here?" He shouted before sprinting up the stairs to search for her. When he had finally woken up, he was shocked to find his house empty. He checked the entire house, finding her car still in the garage. He tried her cell phone, but it went straight to voicemail. Out of ideas, he sped to his parent's house, praying that she had walked the mile or so to his family home. Now coming up empty here as well, he plopped down into a chair in the living room and buried his head in his hands.

Just as Esme opened her mouth to speak, his cell phone started vibrating in his pocket. Pulling it from his pants, he breathed a sigh of relief as he saw it was Rose.

"Where are you?" He bellowed.

The family sat on pins and needles as they watched Emmett's reaction to Rose's words.

"I'm not coming home for a while." She whispered into the phone as she sat in the airport bathroom. She had called to check herself into the treatment center, but the car would not arrive for her for another 30 minutes.

"What does that mean baby? We can work through this. You know how much I love you." Emmett sobbed into the phone and Bella and Jasper squirmed against their respective partner, hating to witness such a personal display.

"I know Emmett. I love you too. But I really think I need to get myself sorted out before I can be good for you." She breathed, tears falling down her face and leaving wet marks against her gray yoga pants.

"Baby, please. Just tell me where you are and I will come and get you. We can work through this together. I am nothing without you." Emmett whispered, his pain evident in his words and the hand that was clenched tightly in his dark curls.

"I'll call you in a few weeks." Rose said, knowing if she did not get off of the phone soon, she would be booking a return flight back home.

"No Rosie, please wait!" Emmett shouted, jumping up off of the chair, startling everyone in the room with his swift movement.

"I'm so sorry Emmett. I love you." Rose sobbed as she disconnected the call and turned off her phone. She knew the device would be confiscated the minute she entered Bridges to Recovery. The in-patient treatment center was highly recommended to deal with depression and eating disorders. Rosalie slowly stood and left the bathroom to wait for her ride. She knew she needed to get better before she could return to her family.

Emmett sat staring at the phone in his hand. Carlisle was the first to approach him, laying his hand gently on his son's shoulder.

"Emmett, what is going on?"

"She left. She would not tell me where she went." He said, his eyes never leaving his phone.

"Did she say anything? When she was coming back?" Esme asked quietly, worried for Emmett but also for Rose.

Emmett slowly looked up into his father's concerned face, tears running freely from his pain filled eyes.

"I have no idea."

Poor Emmett. Things will not start looking up for him for a while yet.

All of the fertility info comes from my own personal use of the stuff. Took me one try on Clomid to conceive my oldest and 5 rounds for the twins. Another reason why we thought we were in the clear and did not worry about birth control. Learn from my little surprise!

What do you think of Irina?

Next Saturday is not too far away! I love you all!