I own nothing.

Okay, so, the wedding activities are over and everything was perfect. My friend had the perfect day she always wanted and I'm exhausted! I have had a struggle just getting this chapter written, and even missed posting on Monday (So sorry about that!) Those of you who have reviewed and recommended this story are amazing! Please know that I cherish each and every one and I am so sorry that I haven't had the chance to reply for the last couple of weeks... I hope to have more time now.

As always, Sunflower3759 is fantastic! She got this chapter back to me so quickly that I actually did a happy dance! Thanks, girl, you're the best!

"I just don't understand why you're so nervous." Edward held out his hand to assist Bella from the car. They had arrived at his parent's home for brunch and Bella had been a nervous wreck for the entire drive. After a moment's hesitation, she took his hand and stood from her seat, exiting the car with much more grace than she felt at the moment.

"It's the first time we've been back here since the wedding and so much has changed. I mean, it's one thing to accept me as a friend, but something altogether different to accept me as your wife."

Edward stopped and turned to face her, pulling her securely against him. "Did you know, that on the morning of the wedding, my family all warned me to not push you too hard, too fast? My mother was vibrating with excitement over her 'baby boy' getting married. She said she thought things were happening exactly as they were supposed to, and was thrilled to be getting another daughter. There is absolutely nothing to worry about, Baby. Trust me."

"I do."

Edward grinned, "I believe you said that last time we were here." He lowered his lips to hers, kissing her tenderly. The moment was cut short by a booming voice behind them.

"Hey, stop trying to eat her face and get in here, Mom's about to burst."

Bella felt her cheeks glow with embarrassment as she turned toward Emmett, who stood waiting on the porch. "Hi, Em."

Hi, Sis. Drag that man of yours in here. I'm hungry."

Turning to glance up at Edward, she was met with his smug grin, "See? Nothing to worry about."

They made their way into the house and were hugged and kissed thoroughly by the entire family. Edward had been right, and everyone was thrilled by the status of their relationship.

"I'm glad you two finally figured it out. It was painful to watch sometimes." Rose tossed her hair back over her shoulder, grinning at Bella.

"Then why didn't you all say anything? This could have been so much easier."

Rose reached up and tucked a stray hair behind Bella's ear, "Honestly, would you have believed us? It's better that you figured it out on your own. I think it makes your bond even stronger in that you can talk about anything now that the awkward stuff is out of the way." Tracing her finger gently across Bella's cheek, under her bruise, Rose sighed, "Except for this. I wish you hadn't had to deal with Jake in all of this."

"I can't understand him, Rose. In all of the years I've known him, he's never been violent before. What set him off, now?"

Rose shrugged, "Maybe he's jealous. Do you think he still has feelings for you?"

"It doesn't matter, even if he does. He's destroyed any chance that we'll even be friends after this. And where is Leah in the midst of it all? The lawsuit he filed states that she is his estranged wife, so what happened?"

Rose just shrugged and shook her head in response as Esme called them all to the table. Conversation was lively and loud as usual, and the topics included everything, ranging from the honeymoon, to the events of the evening before, to the baby that Rose and Emmett were expecting. In the midst of it all, Bella realized that nothing had changed. If anything, she felt more a part of this family than ever before. She was startled when she felt Edward brush her hair back over her shoulder.

"What has you smiling like that, B?" Edward's boyish smile matched her own.

"I'm just happy," she whispered.

Their tender moment was shattered by the sound of Emmett pretending to gag, followed immediately by his yelp of pain as Rose smacked the back of his head while Edward kicked him under the table. The entire room erupted in laughter as everyone finished up and the men headed into the living room to continue their conversations. The ladies cleared the table and cleaned up the kitchen before joining them. Looking around the room, they realized both Edward and Carlisle were missing.

"Where's Dad?" Alice asked, as she sat beside Jasper, who kissed her cheek before answering her.

"He and Edward went out onto the deck." Noticing Bella's worried expression, he added, "I think Dad just wanted to catch up, nothing to worry about."

Bella nodded as she glanced out to where both men were standing, obviously having a relaxed conversation. Shaking her head to clear what she knew were silly worries, she sat and joined in the conversation around her.

Carlisle knew his son, and he could see the contentment in Edward's smile, but he could also see the worry in his eyes.

"What's bothering you, Edward? Don't get me wrong, I don't think I've ever seen you this happy before, but it's obvious that something has you worried. Out with it."

Edward took a deep breath, letting it out slowly before meeting Carlisle's eyes. "Honestly, Dad, I didn't know it could be this good. I love her more than life itself. I think that might be the problem."

"How do you mean?" Carlisle watched as Edward tried to find a way to voice his troubles. "Just tell me what you're thinking, son."

"The thought of someone hurting her, Jake, Renee, anyone, makes me crazy. He hit her, Dad! I was right there, and it happened so fast that I couldn't even stop it. I saw his hand hit her cheek and I literally saw red. I wanted to rip his damn arms off and stuff them down his throat. I think the only way I stopped punching him was because I heard her trying to get up off the floor and I knew she needed me."

Carlisle put a comforting hand on Edward's shoulder as he answered. "Don't look, but Bella is watching, and I think it would be best if she doesn't know the details of our discussion right now. She doesn't need anything else to worry about, so let's just look like we're discussing normal, everyday events, okay?" At Edward's nod of agreement, Carlisle continued, "You love her, so it's only natural that you want to protect her, son. Frankly, I'd be upset if you didn't."

Edward dropped his eyes to his feet before turning and resting his forearms over the deck railing, leaning on them as he glanced out over the back yard where he'd married the woman he loved. He closed his eyes and his brow furrowed, "That's not the worst of it, Dad."

Carlisle remained silent as he mirrored Edward's position. He waited patiently for his son to gather his thoughts. When he finally spoke, it was barely above a whisper, and Carlisle turned his head to watch the sorrow on Edward's face.

"I was rough with her. When we got home from the hospital, I couldn't see past the mark he left on her. It was so wrong, but it made me angry that he had left his mark on her, even if it was in violence. I wanted, I needed to claim her. I took her right there on the living room floor and I was rough with her." Edward scrubbed his hands over his face, pressing his fingertips against his eyes as if he could erase the memory of the night before.

"Okay, well, did she enjoy it?"

"What?" Carlisle chuckled at the incredulous look on Edward's face.

"How did she respond?"

A smug grin grew on Edward's face as he glanced sideways at his father, "Three times."

Carlisle's head dropped back as he barked out a laugh, "That's not what I meant, but damn, son, that's impressive." Carlisle shook his head as Edward chuckled. "I meant to ask if she was angry or upset, but I guess not."

"She said she was fine, but I felt like an ass. I couldn't sleep and I kept checking her body as she slept, terrified I would find bruises or marks from my fingers."

Carlisle nodded, "I think you need to follow her lead. If she seems upset, back off. If she seems okay, move forward. But the key here is communication. Talk things out with her. Not just about this, but everything. Trust each other and be honest, Edward."

Clamping his hand on Edward's shoulder, he tilted his head toward the French doors behind them, "I think we should head back in before the women come looking for us. Oh, and Edward?"

Edward met his father's eyes and sobered at what he saw.

"She's my daughter just as much as you're my son. If someone hurts her, I'll help you hunt them down. If you hurt her, there will be nowhere for you to hide, from me or your mother. Got me?"

***FTDF***

The sun had already set when Edward turned onto their street, and Bella felt his hand tighten on hers as the car began to slow down. Opening her eyes and lifting her head, she glanced at Edward. His jaw was set and his eyes narrowed as he stared straight ahead. Following his gaze, she saw what had caused the tension she felt radiating off of him.

Leah Black was sitting on their front porch steps.

Pulling into the driveway, Edward turned off the engine, pulled the keys out of the ignition and turned to look at his wife, who was staring blankly at the garage door. He reached over, taking her hand in his and waited. For what, he wasn't sure.

"Do you want me to talk to her, or do you want to go together, Baby?"

Bella's eyes shot up to his, "Together, always together."

Edward nodded, bringing her hand to his lips and placing a soft kiss to her palm before pressing it to his cheek, "I'm right here, B."

Leah stood as they got out of the car and walked toward her. Bella's eyes were locked on Leah's very round belly until she heard the woman's timid greeting.

"I wasn't sure if you'd answer my phone calls, so I just came over. If this isn't a good time, I can come back another day."

Edward looked to Bella, waiting for her response. He would let her lead, knowing he couldn't begin to understand how she must feel in this moment. He simply placed his hand on the small of her back, offering what support he could.

After a moment, Bella nodded and turned to unlock the door. "Let's go inside, no need to give the neighbors anything more to gossip about."

Once inside, Bella waved her hand toward the couch, offering Leah a seat. Edward excused himself, quickly gathering glasses and the pitcher of lemonade from the refrigerator. Returning to the living room, he poured three glasses, placed them on the table and sat beside Bella.

Neither Edward nor Bella spoke, waiting for Leah to begin what was sure to be an awkward conversation. Leah reached for her glass, her hand shaking as she brought it up to take a sip. She held it in both hands for a moment, staring down into the pale yellow liquid as though it held the answers to the universe's questions. Finally, taking a deep breath and placing her glass on the table in front of her, she slowly lifted her eyes to Bella's.

"I swear to you, I had no idea he was seeing you. I've lived in Portland for the past year, and Jacob would come down to see me. We were never together here, around his family or friends. I had a crush on him for years, but he was just a friend."

Bella glanced at Edward, who smirked and shook his head. She gave him a small smile at the irony of Leah's last statement. Turning back to the nervous woman in front of her, Bella nodded and waited for Leah to continue.

"When I found out, we had been married for almost a week. I confronted him when he came home and he told me everything. I was devastated, angry, embarrassed… I don't think there was an emotion that I didn't feel, to be honest. I can only imagine how you must have felt." Leah stopped to take another sip of her lemonade before continuing, "It was when he told me the truth about what he did to you, calling you from Vegas and leaving you to deal with the wedding alone… It was then that I threw him out. I filed for divorce yesterday, and I plan to seek sole custody of our son. I don't want Jacob to have any influence in his life."

The room was silent for several minutes as Bella processed through everything Leah had told her. Edward grasped Bella's hand in his own, while gently rubbing her back with the other. He could feel the tension slowly draining from her and was not surprised at all by the first words she spoke.

"I'm sorry, Leah. If my calculations are correct, I was the 'other woman', not you."

Leah had already begun to shake her head, "Don't be sorry, Bella. None of this is your fault."

Bella smiled, "I know, and I blame Jake entirely, but it doesn't mean that I would wish this mess on you or your child."

"He never would have married me had it not been for the baby. And now, for the baby's sake, I can't stay married to him." Leah shook her head and closed her eyes to keep her tears from falling, "I know he hit you last night. Whether he meant to or not, he still raised his hand to you. That's too much of a risk for me, or my baby."

Edward blew out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding and met Leah's eyes, "After the events of last night, I was worried about you, Leah. As full of rage and alcohol as Jake was last night, I feared for your safety."

Leah simply nodded and dropped her eyes back to her hands, watching her fingers twist together in her lap. "I just wanted you to know how sorry I am that things happened the way they did. If I had known, I would have come to you and told you everything. You didn't deserve any of this, Bella."

"It's not your fault, Leah. He deceived both of us, and it seems as though he is getting exactly what he deserves. You and I, on the other hand, get so much more. I have Edward, and you will soon have a beautiful little boy. It's Jake who loses."

The room was silent for a moment as both women were lost to their own thoughts. Edward took the opportunity to ask a question that had crossed his mind during Leah's explanation.

"Leah, I'm curious as to how you found out about Bella. You said you learned the truth, then confronted Jake. If he didn't tell you, who did?"

Leah stared at Edward for a moment before slowly swinging her eyes to Bella, "Your mother came by the house a few days after your wedding. She demanded to see Jacob, who, of course, wasn't home. When she realized I was pregnant, she asked if the baby was Jacob's. I told her yes, the baby belonged to my husband. I was actually offended that she thought otherwise, but then she laughed and said some things that…. Some things…."

"She assumed I was carrying on an affair with a man who was expecting a child with his wife." Bella knew her mother's opinion of her well enough to know exactly how Renee would read the situation.

"Yes. I'm so sorry, Bella. I was so angry, I shut the door in her face without correcting her assumption. Of course, I didn't really know the truth at that moment, anyway. Neither Jacob nor I even knew you had gotten married until she told me."

Edward was squeezing Bella's fingers so tightly that her hand ached. She used her free hand to pry his fingers loose while whispering his name. He closed his eyes as she watched his jaw visibly relax. When he finally glanced up, meeting her gaze, his eyes were full of grief as well as anger. She knew he was remembering the phone call from Jake on their honeymoon. She leaned up, kissing his cheek and whispering, "It doesn't matter. Neither of them matter. I have you."

Turning back to face Leah, Bella reached out to take her hand, "I know it must have taken a lot of courage for you to come here, Leah. Thank you. And I really am sorry about everything. I wish he had been everything you thought he was."

Leah smiled and nodded, "Me, too. Please don't drop any of the charges you have against him, Bella. He needs to grow up and take responsibility for the lives he damages."

Both Bella and Edward agreed with Leah and were determined to see him prosecuted for the assault. They spent another hour asking after Leah's family and about her plans for the future and for her baby. She planned to move back to Portland to live with a close friend after the birth. Bella asked her to let them know when the baby arrived and they parted on friendly terms.

After watching Leah drive away, Edward and Bella walked back into the house in silence. Bella gathered the glasses and pitcher, carrying them into the kitchen and loading them into the dishwasher. She wiped down the counter and turned off the light as she left the room. She found Edward standing in the middle of the living room, exactly where she had left him.

"Edward? What are you thinking?"

He looked up at her, his face blank as his eyes searched hers. "How do you do it? Where do you find the strength? I want to destroy him. To literally rip every appendage from his body and burn him alive. And don't even get me started on your mother! It is interesting to me that she accuses you of destroying lives, and yet, with a single conversation, she takes out a marriage, leaves a little boy fatherless, and calls you a whore! How do you find the strength?"

Bella held his gaze as she moved to stand in front of him, taking his right hand and placing it against her heart, "Because I don't love Jake. I love you." She lifted his left hand and pressed it to her cheek, "And I can't concern myself with what Renee thinks of me anymore. She doesn't matter. Neither of them matters. Only you. And as long as I have you, and you love me, I have everything I need."

Edward used the hand cupping her cheek to bring her lips to his, rubbing, caressing, then kissing her deeply. Breathless, he drew back, pressing his forehead to hers, "I want to make love to you. I want to show you what you mean to me, Bella. Let me love you. Please."

She pressed her lips against his in a tender kiss before kissing the palm of the hand that still held her face so gently. Grasping it with her own, she silently led him to their bedroom.

Edward slowly removed her clothing piece by piece, thoroughly kissing every inch of skin as he uncovered it. He loved her with his body from the soles of her feet to the top of her head, the only sound in the room were their breathless gasps and sighs as their bodies joined. The pleasure they drew from one another was unlike any they had experienced together and they held each other close as their heartbeats slowed to a more normal rate.

Tomorrow would bring talks of lawsuits, meetings with publicists, and agents. But for tonight, the world outside was lost to them as they slept content in each other's arms.