AN: Ok so I'm very sorry that it's taken me this long to update with this story but I've been unvailable for the past few weeks. I've been really trying hard to work on this and this is the most I could get in this chapter. Sorry it's pretty short. I wanted it to be longer but I didn't know what else to put in this. Hope you guys liked the chapter. Let me know if you like it please. This chapter was just a look into what's going on with Kristen and what's happening between her and John. Now another thing: Some of you have read my other story and may have voted in the poll and some don't even know it exists. There is a poll going on right now about whether the baby Bella will have is female or male or if there are multiple ones so please vote. Your options are: girl, boy, girl and a boy, two girls and a boy, two boys and a girl, three boys, three girls, two girls, and two boys. Please vote. I could use the help with this. Anways, read and review! I like to hear your thoughts!

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or it's characters. They all belong to Stephenie Meyer.

Chapter Twelve

Kristen POV:

Nine months have passed since Bell found out she was pregnant, since Edward had passed. Bell seemed like she was getting a little better. She wasn't as depressed as she once was. It finally didn't seem all terrible. Bell and her baby have both been healthy luckily for her. Bell and I put all our energy into making a beautiful nursery out of Elizabeth's and Edward Sr.'s bedroom. John moved the bed and dresser out of the room a couple of months ago. I finally got along to introducing him to Bell. Bell and John got along well. It was fun to see them together. I think he's the only one who could really make her smile since Edward but not in that way of course. She's still madly in love with Edward and she only ever thought of John like a brother.

She teased me constantly about being in love with him. I wasn't in love with him. I just...liked him. He is a good man, different from any others that I had met. I liked spending time with him. He always had a way of making me smile, making my heart flutter. I liked the way he could cheer me up when I was down. He was funny, intelligent, charming, mysterious, and kind. There was something about him though that made me feel a distance between us. He was different and I was always determined to figure out what it was. He though never told me no matter how many times I had asked. He was hiding something and I can't decide if it's good or bad yet but I will know soon.

I was in the kitchen cooking for Bell. It was early in the morning. Bell and I both woke up and I decided to make Bell food for her. I made her stay in bed. It's just seemed like it's the best for her so anytime she needs food I take it to her in bed. I just feel like there's a better chance of the baby being healthy by staying in bed. She needs plenty of bed rest, especially since she doesn't always get enough of it. She had nightmares every night. She screamed for Edward but he was never there. It was the same every night. At first, I woke up every time she screamed but as time went on, I started to sleep through it. Then she didn't always get up anyway so I insisted she ate in bed. She didn't like it at first but she got over it for her baby's sake.

As I was frying the potatoes on the stove, I heard the doorbell ring. I turned off the stove and removed the potatoes from the heat before I walked over to open the door. When I opened the door I saw my parents. My father William looked at me through his dark blue eyes. He smiled. What was he doing here?

"Hello, Kristen."

"Hello, Father." I replied. "What are you doing here?" I asked.

"I needed to talk to you about something." he replied. I stepped out of the way of the door, silently inviting him in. I was surprised to see him. Last time we were in the same room, things didn't go so well. We both fought harder than we ever had before. It was because my father was taking control of my life. He was trying to tell me what to do and being the rebellious girl I am, I refused to give him the satisfaction of letting him win.

I walked home from the house that used to be known as the Masens' household. Now it was just Bell left. She needed someone. I walked up the path to my house and went into the house. My parents just got back. They had left a couple weeks prior to Edward Sr.'s death to a business trip outside Chicago. They returned about two days ago and I was both happy and sad about this. I love my mother. She's like my best friend. I can talk to her about anything. My father however always tried to take control of me.

We didn't relate well. My mother said I got my stubbornness from him. It's why the two of us fought so much. We both wanted to win. We butted heads one to many times for my liking. I liked being away from my father. He was always setting me up with men I never wanted to be with and half the time he never gave me a say in anything. My mother was the only person who ever helped me have a say in those things. She always tried to help me and my father kept shoving more suitors down my throat. It irritated me. Being away from him was a miracle. I loved every moment of it.

When I got home I saw my father sitting down with a boy I knew to be Michael Jacobs. He and his parents were there. I came in unnoticed and listened in on the conversation, either that or they all ignored me. As I listened in, I figured out what the conversation was about. My father was trying to set me up with Micheal Jacobs. I felt myself get angrier and angrier the more I heard his critical voice continue on about me and Michael getting married.

"My daughter will be pleased to marry such a fine man. I can tell Micheal will take care of her and I'd be glad to have a son-in-law like him. She'd be excited to marry a man of such class and elegance." my father said before I made my presence known.

"Too bad that's not going to happen." I said, leaning against the doorway. The occupants turned toward me, my father's gaze hard with fury.

"Darling, we shall talk about this later." my father replied through his teeth.

"No, let's talk about this now. You clearly haven't gotten this through your thick skull already so let's have this conversation one last time. I am not marrying anyone you set me up with. I will only marry a man that I choose, a man I'm in love with. I refuse to be told what to do with my life." I yelled, trying to get my point across. He glared at me. The other people in the house started to get up.

"We are going to go." said Mr. Jacobs.

"No stay. This isn't going to take long." I replied.

"You are right, Kristen. This isn't going to take long because you are going to do as I say. You are going to marry who I say and if you don't"

"You'll what? Disown me? I couldn't care less. I don't want anything from you! I don't want your money! I'll be fine on my own! Just fine!"

"So what are you going to do, huh? Where you going to live? How are you going to live? Tell me that, Kristen! Tell me that!"

"I'll live with Bell. Bell needs me anyway. That's the only reason I came back. I was coming here to tell you that I'm going to stay with Bell."

"You will not! I won't let you!" yelled Father.

"News flash, Father. You don't have the authority to keep me here. I am capable of making my own decisions so I will do what I want. You can't tell me what to do."

"I am your father, young lady, and you will do what I say!"

"Some father you are! A father is a man who cheers up his daughter when she's sad. He's a man who's there to help her when she needs it. He's a man who loves her for who she is and doesn't try to change her and you belong in neither category. You are not father, just a man I share blood with and you never will be anything else. I am leaving." I yelled, walking back toward the door.

"If you leave you had better not come back!" he yelled. "You are not leaving!"

"Watch me!" I yelled, pulling the door open, walking out and slamming it behind me.

I never regretted my decision. Bell needed me. I was happy after I made the decision. The only thing I regretted was leaving my mother. I never did come back. I didn't need him then and I don't need him now. So why was he here? Was he going to take control of my life again? Was he here to finally be a father? What was going on?

"Darling, I wanted to talk to you about something." he said, sitting down at the dining room table with me.

"What?" I asked.

"Darling, your mother has been sick as you know." he started. I nodded. Yes I knew. That was the saddest thing was that she'd been sick. My mother had been sick for a couple of months. It wasn't the influenza or anything, just a disease that was slowly killing her. "Well, our family has been running low on money recently. We don't have much. We are close to losing the house. We are already in debt and we need money."

"You aren't asking me for money are you?" I asked, shocked at the very idea. My father hates borrowing money from anyone, even my mother and I.

"No, of course not. I am asking that you do me a favor." he said, cautiously. I stared at him intensely, suspiciously.

"Go on."

"I know you don't want to do it but I'm asking you to reconsider marrying Michael Jacobs." he said. I looked away, shaking my head. I should have known.

"I don't want to marry Michael. I don't love him." I replied, irritated.

"Darling, it's only a business deal. Do it for our family. We need money and this is the only way we can get any."

"Oh yes that's a reason to get married." I said sarcastically.

"Exactly. I knew you'd understand."

"You are unbelievable! I told you this! I don't want to get married! At least not to Michael! I will do anything else but not that! I don't love Michael!" I yelled softly, trying not to let Bell hear it.

"You won't even do this for your family?" he asked incredulously.

"No because I know there are other options you haven't looked over. You are forcing me into this, trying to corner me into this and you know that I would do anything for my family so you are using that against me. I'm not falling for it. I know better than that! I know your tricks! If this is the only reason you are here than I am going to ask you to leave now because I won't tolerate yelling in this house while Bell is pregnant." I replied.

"Fine." he said, getting ready to leave before he turns back to me. "I'll make you a deal, Kristen. If you can find a man that you would be happy to marry, a man you love, a man who loves you, in one week I will drop the very idea of marrying Michael but if you don't you will marry Michael and not complain about it again. Otherwise, I'm setting you up with Michael now whether you like it or not."

"Fine, I'll take your deal and I will win."

"We'll see. It's pretty hard to find a man you love in one week."

"Bell fell in love with Edward in one moment. I think it's possible for me too."

"We'll see." he said before leaving out the door. As soon as he left, I shook my head and headed back to the kitchen and heated up Bell's breakfast again before walking upstairs to Bell. I walked upstairs and saw her look toward me and send me a small smile.

"Morning." I said, taking food to her. "I'm sorry I was so late. I was busy"

"Talking to your father? Yeah I heard you. Are you alright?" she asked. I nodded.

"Yes, I'm fine. He's just pushing me to get married again." I replied.

"I can see why that didn't go well."

"Yeah. Now we have this bet on whether or not I can find a man who loves me that I am willing to marry in a single week. If I don't, I must marry Michael." I told her.

"Are you sure that was the smartest idea? I mean, what's the chances of finding a man within a week?" she asked pessimistically.

"Bell, you fell in love with Edward in one single moment." I reminded her.

"Yes but two things. One: that was just lucky. I was lucky to have found him. It was a one time thing. That's not likely to happen again. Two: I didn't even realize I was in love with him until you helped me realize I was. It's just not likely."

"Yes but Bell, I'm different. I'll realize it when I found the man I'm going to love and marry."

"Oh really? So you aren't in love with John?" she relied with an arched eyebrow. I glared at her.

"No I'm not."

"Uh huh, sure." she replied with a smirk. I shook my head. I heard the doorbell ring again.

"If that's my father again, I swear I'm going to kill him." I said, irritated. Bell laughed, knowing I didn't mean it. I walked back down the stairs and saw, preparing myself for another visit from my father. I didn't really expect it to be him but today just seems like a day full of surprises. I opened the door and saw a face I was happy to see, John. He was a beautiful sight to see.

"Hello, Kristen."

"Hello, John." I sighed with a smile. I stepped out of the way. He walked in and looked at me with concerned eyes.

"What's the matter, Kristen?" he asked.

"What makes you think something is wrong?" I replied.

"I can tell by the look in your eyes. You just...you look upset. I've gotten to know you well enough that I know when something's wrong. So what is it that's making you so upset?" he answered. I sighed.

"My father came by today." I stated.

"You know you never mentioned him to me. You mentioned how much you love your mother but you didn't mention you father. Do you two not get along?" he responded.

"You can say that. We...we constantly fight. There's not really one moment of peace in that house when the two of us are there. We can't ever seem to stay civil toward each other."

"Why not?" he asked.

"He's...he's awful to me sometimes. It's not that he's really mean. It's just...he tries to run my life for me. I know that I should listen to him but how can I when he doesn't even give me a choice in anything? He's been forcing me to marry different men for the past couple years. Edward was even one of the people he tried to set me up with and that never worked because neither of us felt anything romantic for another. Now he's trying to set me up with Michael Jacobs, the same guy he tried to set me up with before I left to move in here. He wasn't going to even let me live here and it irritates me because he's telling me what to do and run my life and it's just...it's frustrating me. Now he's giving me a week to find a guy who will marry me that I actually will be happy to marry otherwise I marry Michael and that's the last thing I want to do and I just...I don't want to deal with this. He just finds ways to play with my life." I said, leaning my head against John's shoulder, tired. He wrapped his arms around me.

"It's ok. I'm sure you will find someone." he said.

"You think so?" I replied looking up at him hopefully.

"Yes I do. How could anyone not love you? You are an incredible woman who has been able to keep her best friend together after the love of her life died. That's just amazing in enough itself. You truly are special and anyone would be lucky to have you as their wife." he replied. I smiled and placed a kiss on his cheek.

"Thank you, John. Sometimes I wonder what I would do without you. You really do keep me sane after all this stuff going on with Bell."

"I'm always glad to be here. I love knowing you. I will always be here for you, no matter what."

"Thank you." I repeated. I looked into his eyes and saw something in his eyes that just made me feel completely and utterly addicted to him. His smile made me smile and all I wanted to do now was kiss his lips. Wait what? Why would I want to kiss John? I don't...I stopped my thought. I started hearing Bell's voice in my head. So you aren't in love with John? Maybe she was right this whole time. Maybe I was but that didn't mean anything because he couldn't feel the same way. Great! Now I sound like Bell and Edward! I rolled my eyes and looked at John and saw him staring at me in amusement.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked.

"Nothing important, John. Nothing at all important." I answered.

"Kristen..." he replied sternly, waiting for a real answer.

"Just wondering what I would do if I didn't find a man in the one week time limit." I lied.

"I'm sure something will work out if you don't. I'm willing to bet there is one guy who will marry you that you'll like." he reassured me.

"I hope so." I responded honestly. John embraced me in a hug, holding me close.

I was so caught up in him and the scent of him that I didn't hear Bell screaming my name. I heard her scream it multiple times, enough that it started to worry me. John and I looked at each other and ran up the stairs. Once we reached Bell's room, we saw Bell with a shocked look on her face. Her eyes were panicked. John and I ran to her side.

"What's the matter, Bell?" I asked.

"I think my water broke." Bell replied.