I hope you all had a happy start to the New Year! 2016 had plenty of bad times but it treated my writing well, so I can't be too unhappy with it.

Visiting my sister out of state from Sunday-Wednesday and I'm not sure if I'll bring my laptop with me or not. Hopefully I'll be able to post the next chapter of Free by this time next week or a few days later.

… …

Edward Cullen

"I'm glad you found a place so quickly," Bella said, glancing around. Violet looked around with curiosity as well, but I noticed that Bella held onto her hand tightly.

"It's temporary," I assured her.

The place was cheap and had been available immediately, so I wasn't too surprised that it was a little shabbier looking than I would've liked. And small. The bedroom could barely be considered more than a walk-in closet and barely any of my furniture fit. However, I was here. It would have to do.

"Where's my room?" Violet asked.

I crouched down in front of her, taking her free hand.

"This isn't going to be my house for very long," I explained. "This is just until I find something better. And if it's okay with your mom, you two can come with me to look at places. That way we can make sure you help me decide on where to live, and pick out your own room. And when we find a place, you can decorate your room any way you want."

She seemed mollified, and quickly lost interest. "Can we get noodles for dinner?"

"She means Chinese," Bella explained. "Does that sound okay?"

"Perfect," I agreed. "Let me just grab my coat."

We left a few minutes later, Violet clinging onto each of us. She swung our arms back and forth, chattering as we walked down the street. Bella and I sat across from each other at the table while we ate, but both of us focused on Violet. The tension was growing between us, and I think it was growing increasingly obvious to each of us.

"You don't have to walk us home," Bella said after we finished our meal. "It's late- I think we'll get a taxi."

I had hoped to walk them home, tuck Violet into bed, and then finally have a serious conversation with Bella. That would have been the mature thing to do, and probably the right thing. But the coward in me won, and I just nodded my head.

"Okay. C'mere Violet, give me a kiss," I said, opening my arms to her.

She obliged, and squealed as I scooped her up and squeezed tight. Goodbyes were still hard, even now I lived here. Ten minutes apart still felt like far too much.

"Goodnight." Bella smiled slightly as I put Violet down on her own two feet. "I hope we didn't wear you out too much- have a good first day of work tomorrow."

"Yeah, Dad, have fun," Violet chimed in.

"Thanks, girls," I said, giving her one more kiss.

Bella hailed a taxi, and they were gone in a flash.

I walked back to my quiet apartment alone, lost in thought. Print-outs that my realtor had given me lay spread out on the coffee table, but I didn't give them another glance. I fell into bed with my shoes still on, staring up at the ceiling.

This move had been a step in the right direction. But there were still parts of my life that I was not happy with, and those things laid heavy on my heart, especially when I was alone.

We needed to talk.

… …

However, life got in the way.

I started work, and while I loved it, it was draining. When I wasn't at the hospital, I was spending time with Violet or trying to catch up on my sleep. Sometimes Bella was there when I came by the apartment to be with Violet, but lately, it seemed like Jasper or Alice, or both of them, were there in her stead.

She was busy with her company- she had warned me that she would have a lot to do over the next few weeks. Something about an extended holiday launch. I didn't understand, and she didn't explain.

We were becoming more than just two passing ships in the night. It seemed like we weren't even in the same ocean anymore.

Not long ago, I had thought that the only thing Bella and I had in common anymore was our daughter. Even though I now realized that wasn't true, it was hard to come to terms with. No matter what, I loved her. That connection was still there, and I thought that maybe she felt it too. But the connection was convoluted by hurt, bad decisions, and six years apart.

I was surprised when she opened the door when I arrived for one of my frequent visits with Violet.

"Oh, hey," I said. "I haven't seen you in a few weeks."

She stepped aside to let me enter the apartment. "I know…I'm sorry. Things have been crazy at work."

"Crazy good, I hope."

"Definitely good, thank you. Um, Violet is in her room. I told her she needed to finish putting her crayons away," Bella explained.

"I was hoping to take her to dinner," I said. "But now I'd like to take both of you, if you're free."

She hesitated. "Oh, um…"

"Please, Bella," I implored. "It's been forever since the three of us have been able to be in the same room, enjoying a meal together."

"Family dinner," Bella said, sounding cynical.

"Well…we are a family," I reminded her.

"Hasn't felt like it lately," she finally said, no longer sounding cynical. She sounded sad. "But that's not entirely your fault, I know that."

I frowned and reached out for her hand. She let me take it, but didn't look at me. "We really, really need to talk, Bella. Soon."

"Yes, we-"

"Dad!" Violet appeared, almost in a blur, and wrapped her arms around my legs. "Is it dinnertime already?"

"It sure is, Blossom," Bella answered for me as I hefted Violet up into my arms.

"And your mom is going to be joining us," I added before I kissed both of Violet's cheeks. "Why don't you go find your shoes and coat? Then we can get going."

She followed orders, running back towards her room when I put her down. I watched her go, knowing I'd never get tired of her enthusiasm for everything. She came back out with her furry snow boots on, even though it was only the beginning of November, and her yellow raincoat. Bella just smiled, and helped her with the zipper.

"Can we get hamburgers?" Violet asked as we walked down the street.

"Sure," Bella said easily, smiling down at her. "Does that sound good to you, Edward?"

"Perfect," I replied.

Right now, in this moment, things felt fine. It felt natural for the three of us to be together like this, and I almost wished things could just stay this way. But I knew that wasn't possible. There was way too much that needed to be said and too many things that needed figured out. We had been putting it off for too long already.

… …

Bella Swan

I watched Edward tuck Violet into bed later that night, my arms crossed in front of my chest. It was so natural between them, you would never know that they had only known each other for a matter of months.

He kissed her forehead gently, and stroked the skin of her cheek. I was so familiar with those movements, having done them myself thousands of times over the past five years. When I'd had Violet, I had been terrified. I had been young and had absolutely no idea what it took to be a mother. But luckily, the love came naturally and learning how to parent came after that. I shouldn't have been surprised that it seemed to be the same way for Edward.

And not for the first time, I thought about what it might have been like if he had been there. He would have held my hand, and cut the umbilical cord. He would have held Violet in his arms for the first time and loved her already.

By the time Edward finished and exited the room with me, there were tears in my eyes.

"Hey," he murmured, shaking his head. "Don't cry, Bella."

"I'm sorry," I said, turning away. "I'm so sorry."

He had said before that he was sick of me apologizing, but he didn't comment this time. I sat down on the couch and felt the cushion sink as he sat down as well.

"I don't mean to derail the conversation we need to have or make you feel bad by crying," I said truthfully. "I…I just can't seem to come to terms with this. With the consequences of what I did."

Edward just nodded.

"Seeing you with her just hurts," I added. "It's a constant reminder. But I'm sure it's even worse for you."

"Let's not focus on who has it worse or who was wrong right now," he said. "We share some of the blame, and I don't hate you, Bella. I…I can't. You're her mother and despite what happened, you brought my daughter into the world and now you have let me into her life, even though it's much later. I love her so much that it almost makes it hurt less that I haven't been in her life until now. I know you don't understand, just like I can't understand some of your choices. But we're parents, and we have to co-parent now. You have to let me be her father and I have to let you be her mother. She needs both of us and we both need her."

"How can you be so level headed?" I asked, honestly curious.

Just thinking about our situation made me confused and stressed, but he looked calm as ever.

"It's the only way I can…cope, I guess," he murmured. "I am angry, Bella. But most of all, I am hurt. I didn't deserve this, you know. Regardless of how you felt about me back then."

"I know," I replied quietly. "I was stupid, selfish, immature…everything."

"Let's not focus on that tonight. Let's focus on now. What are we going to do? I'm here now, and I want to know that I can see my daughter regularly; have her in my life."

"Well, of course you can."

"I need a schedule," he explained. "Or at least some kind of specific agreement. I know my place is small but I'm already looking for a larger space and I hope to have one in a few weeks. I've never had her to myself, you know? That's what I want."

I swallowed thickly, but nodded. "Of course," I repeated.

"So…for now, this is what I was thinking: I want to pick Violet up from school twice a week and keep her until 7:30. Then, I'll bring her home and tuck her into bed. On my weekends off, I'd like to have her for at least one night. After I get a new place, of course. And we could do things as a family on those weekends, too. I think she would enjoy that."

"Okay," I said faintly. "That all seems very fair."

"I'm going to be apartment hunting this weekend, and I'd like you to both come with me. Violet because I want her to like the place I get and you because…well, I guess you just know more about the city, and I want you to like the place I pick, too," Edward said earnestly.

"I appreciate that. Let me know when you're going, and I'll clear my schedule for a few hours."

"Good. Well, I guess I should head out now- I work in the morning. I wrote out my schedule," he said, reaching for his phone. "I'll text it to you, and we can start with the new arrangement right away."

I stood and walked him to the door, feeling like we had turned a new leaf but also knowing that there was still tension between us. Even after he left, I couldn't get him out of my head. I went to sleep knowing that this was just the beginning of a new life, for all of us.

… …