One Family:

Summary: One night changes everything about Dr. Edward Cullen's life when he suddenly has to take full custody of his two little girls. Caring full time for little ones is different than part time. One night changes Dr. Bella Swan's perspective after nearly losing her young son to a fatal car accident. What brings Edward and Bella together, two complete strangers? Is it the same thing that threatens to tear them apart?

AN: Sorry this chapter took so long, I've been extremely busy and with school starting up again and musical rehearsals, and indoor soccer. Second semester senior year, graduation is sort of kicking my butt because I have "senioritis" bad and on top of all this I'm trying to decide which college I'm going to go to. I'm just very busy so I apologize in advance for not posting as frequently. I'm leaving for the senior trip on Thursday to Disney World so that's amazing! Anyway, here's chapter 14, sorry it sort of sucks. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed this story! Also, sorry this isn't as lengthy as past chapters, I just liked the place I chose to end it.

Chapter 14: Can You Feel the Love Tonight

Leighton had finally been released from the hospital about a week ago and had started to recover. I don't think she was expecting so much pain to come after her surgery so she was not in the best of moods. Honestly, I don't think I was expecting Leighton to be in so much pain either. I knew that with knee surgeries came a lot of pain, I had been through the pain myself, but it was different with my child. I felt helpless again, like I couldn't do anything to help my little girl. I had continued going back to work, like Bella advised, and now I was working full days four days a week. Mom took care of the girls for me during the day, with Bella's help, and soon enough, once Leighton was a little ore self-dependent, I'd move back home with my girls.

Bella and I still hadn't discussed what would happen with her and Colton once I moved from my parents' home. I was sure that Mom would be grateful to continue having Bella and Colton stay with her but I knew Bella wouldn't want to feel like a burden. It was a complicated situation, one I wasn't quite ready to face. Another thing that had changed was that Emery was free of casts. She still had to take it easy, no contact sports, but she was able to run around and play some. She was healing, a lot quicker than I had expected, in all aspects, including her emotions. I thought Leighton would be the most resilient, the easiest to overcome things but I was wrong. Emery had been the first to overcome the horrible circumstances she had been put in.

Emery was in the acceptance stage of grief, the fifth and final stage. Bella told me she worried Leighton had taken a few steps back and was back in the first stage of grief, the denial and isolation. She said it was an odd mix though, she said while most of her feelings were denial and isolation there was also some anger, bargaining, and depression. Leighton wasn't in a single stage of grief like most children; it was like she was in all of the stages except for the acceptance stage. She was worried, she had seen children through these situations before and she was concerned about Leighton. That alone scared the hell out of me. Bella had told me if Leighton didn't start improving soon that she would want to seriously consider some anti-depressants. She wasn't quite there yet but the thought had crossed her mind several times. She thought that her mother's death and the stress from surgery was just becoming too much or Leighton to handle and so while she might be in one stage of grieving over the death of her mother, she was in a different stage of grieving due to her surgery. It was all very complicated and I was thankful Bella was here to help me because I knew I wouldn't be able to do it on my own.

Today, Emery had gone with Emmett, Rosalie, Logan, Lucas, and Colton to see the Red Bulls play in the city, Jasper had tagged along as well as little Oliver which meant that Alice had come to spend time with Mom and Bella, her new best friend. Bella and Alice were definitely something to see, Alice treated Bella like a Barbie doll, always wanting to dress her up and put make-up on her, something Bella wasn't too fond of. Leighton enjoyed it though, helping Alice play "Bella Barbie" so Bella endured it. Alice, Bella, Rosalie, Esme, and Carlisle were the only ones aside from myself that could make Leighton smile and feel happy. Today, Carlisle and Esme had claimed Leighton and were going to head out and take her to see a play, asking Alice to go along, which left me alone with Bella. This was all part of Mom's plan, she thought I should have some time alone with Bella because she suspected that I was falling in love with her. She couldn't be more right.

When we were finally alone it was quiet. Neither of us really knew what to say as we sat on the couch of the living room. "I think Mom's catching on." I said breaking the silence.

She smiled. "Your mother is very observant."

"Tell me about it, I could never get away with doing anything wrong as a kid." I mumbled.

She giggled. "What could the goody two shoes doctor have done as a kid anyway?"

"You have no idea." I laughed. "The worst I ever did was when Emmett and I got caught smoking and drinking on the back porch at thirteen, well Emmett was fifteen, but we were still entirely too young to drink or smoke."

"I bet you got quite the tongue lashing." She giggled. "How'd you get the cigarettes and booze anyway?"

"That's the worst part, stole them from a gas station. I don't think I've ever seen either of my parents so angry in my entire life. That was the last time either of us ever got a whipping and believe me, even if we were teens it was just as bad if not worse as when we were younger." I sighed.

"So you were a bad boy hmm?" She asked.

"Not really, I was a jock; I usually stayed out of trouble. Emmett though, he had a wild adolescence, he claims trouble found him but I think he looked for it." I told her. "Alice was the best behaved of the three of us, such a suck-up. Were you always a goody two shoes?"

"Actually yes." She laughed. "I was a shy nerd, I liked reading, writing, I kept to myself quite a bit."

"So a nerd and a jock wind up falling for each other, a little ironic hmm?" I laughed.

"Cliché for sure." She smiled.

"Do you think it's been long enough that we don't have to keep this such a secret anymore?" I asked.

She looked at me, pierced her lips and pondered what I had asked. "I don't know." She admitted. "We weren't concerned about Leighton's reaction at first but now she's the one I'm worried about. I think Emery would initially be angry but would be okay with it after just a day or two to adjust. Colton, well, he's so observant that I feel like we would just be confirming his suspicions, but Leighton, I feel like this would just be the straw that breaks the camel's back."

"So we just keep pretending to be friends and friends only?" I asked.

"I don't like it either but we have to think about what is best for the children in this relationship, not what is best for the two of us." She told me.

"How long do you think it will be until Leighton heals?" I asked.

"We've been over this Edward." She sighed.

"I know but I keep hoping I'll ask you and you'll say something different." I admitted.

"My answer is the same, it's going to take time, a very long time, it could take years before she's completely better or it could take weeks, I just don't have a specific time frame for you." She frowned. "I wish I had better news, I do, but she's just not progressing quickly. I think once her knee is better, once she is no longer in any casts and is rehabbed that she will heal a lot quicker."

"Have you thought anymore about anti-depressants?" I asked.

"With all the other medications she's currently on I think they would do more harm than good." She told me. I sighed and stared at her for a minute. She gave me a sympathetic look. "I'm sorry Edward, I know this hasn't been easy, I know that this will never be easy, but I don't want to give you false hope."

"I know." I admitted. "Let's change the topic shall we? We rarely get to spend time alone, we shouldn't spend it focused on the children."

She giggled. "So what should we focus on then?"

"Well, I need a shower, care to join me?" I smirked.

"I'd be honored." She winked.

After Bella and I had some very steamy, hot shower sex, we laid on the bed beside each other in new clothes. Bella's head rested on my chest while I ran my hands through her hair, her beautiful hair. When I held Bella in my arms I felt almost complete, like that empty place in my heart was filled. It was an unusual feeling, one I wasn't used to and I never wanted to lose that feeling again.

"Bella." I mumbled.

"Hmm?" She answered.

"I don't ever want to lose this." I admitted.

"Neither do I." She agreed.

"I love you Isabella Marie Swan." I smiled.

"And I love you Edward Masen Cullen." She told me before pecking my lips.