The real deal

.Chapter fourteen.

I rented a large apartment not far from the hospital and mom stayed with me to help with Nessie and Masen. I was surprised how quickly they took to me, and to be honest I loved every minute that I got to spend with them, mom and Alice spent lots of time shopping for them and the new apartment so that it would be ready for when Bella came home from the hospital. Bella was happy with me knowing and taking care of our kids, she said it made her realise how wrong it was to have kept them from me, they needed me in their lives and I needed them. She just needed to realise that I needed her more, and whether she wanted to admit it or not, she needed me too.

Bella came home after a week, but the metal frame had to stay on her leg for about two months, this fact was extremely frustrating to her, she could still get around but it was awkward and she got frustrated easily. She was happy that she could spend all her time with Nessie and Masen, but Nessie was a red headed, flaming spitfire, who was impatient and always running off where Bella couldn't catch her, I tried my best to calm them both in these situations, it turns out that Nessie was very much a daddies girl, and secretly this made me incredibly happy.

Masen was a real mixture of Bella and myself, he always seemed laid back and took everything in his stride, he was always happy and smiling, and whenever I was feeling stressed at what was going on in our lives, he was the one I turned to, he just had a calming influence on everyone around him, surprisingly even on his sister, between the two of them I never tired of the thrill I felt when I saw their smiling faces as they lifted up their arms to be picked up. Not to mention of how my heart melted when I heard the word 'daddy.' it never gets old.

I was happy that Bella never thought twice about sharing my bed, and waking up everyday with her was amazingly good, and I got to take advantage of her a lot. Though things were awkward with her leg, we did manage to have a more than varied sex life, and being pregnant seemed to make her more insatiable than I was for her, I never complained, but with Nessie not napping during the day very often, we were restricted to night times, unless we had visitors and we could sneak off, which we did... often.

It wasn't long before the news hit the headlines of us sharing an apartment, and for the first time in... well ever really I didn't care that everyone knew that I was off the market and shacked up, but as always the pappz got most things wrong, poor Jasper was spotted leaving the hospital looking tired and depressed when Bella first had the accident, and that picture was everywhere. The papers all had the same caption, Whitlock not happy with Cullen living with his kids. Jasper took every opportunity to razz me about it too. But in all honesty he turned out to be a great friend and I'd been glad of his help, I could see why Bella liked him, he was a fun guy.

Tanya had not been seen by anyone and I eventually got to talk to her on the phone after several weeks, she had been through four surgeries but she was still extremely badly scarred and she had informed the studio that when production was eventually back on that she would not be able to fulfil her contract, the producers had been to see her about it and had albeit reluctantly let her out of her contract, so now on top of everything else the studio were looking for a new leading lady. But for now security was still a problem, I only felt safe knowing that the lunatics was still out there because of having Emmett and Tylor here permanently. Tanya was happy for me when I told her my news, she didn't want me to visit her, she didn't want anyone to see her, she was depressed which was very unlike her, she was going back to LA soon and she would be happier there, but it was no use me asking because she did not want visitors. I let it go, she obviously had issues that she had to deal with and I had my own family to protect.

~0~

The months flew by and soon it was time for Bella to have the metal removed from her leg. She was relieved and more than ready to have it removed. She was not so happy with our plans to let the media catch a glimpse of Nessie with me with no hat covering Nessie's hair, it was a big step in our relationship, but we were as good as married albeit without the paperwork, but having the rest of the world know that Masen and Nessie were my kids was something I was happy to do.

Best of all was the tiny bump that was Bella's belly, I had no idea just how fucking awesome that would be, knowing my kids were growing inside of her, I still wasn't sure how it was possible to fall in love with her a little more everyday. But pregnant Bella was so hot, and I told her as much every chance I got, hot, sexy, beautiful, and all mine.

I carried Bella out to the car, eyeing the permanent residents that were the pappz across the road, I captured her lips with mine as I lent over her to buckle her in, then grinning as I ran back up the steps I opened my arms to Nessie and she ran out of the door and into my arms as mom walked out with Masen. Nessie chatting away to me as we walked to the car. I strapped her into her car seat and then took Masen from mom to strap him in, the pappz flashing their camera's like crazy as Emmett and Tylor kept them away from the car.

We were followed by the pappz so getting into the hospital was harder, but Emmett and Tylor had followed us and helped with the hospital security to get us inside, I made up my mind there and then to hire more security for my family. Bella was in wheelchair with Nessie on her lap and I had Masen, but we were pushed and shoved all over the place.

"I hate this damn leg, I would have kicked the shit out of them for that, if I could stand up." Bella complained.

"If you were able to do that, they probably wouldn't have tried to get so close." I pointed out, after all she had a reputation when it came to pappz.

Whilst I waited for Bella's operation to be over the TV in her room was flashing the news headlines with the pictures of Nessie and me, I had to smile. Apparently Hollywood's best kept secret was out, it made me chuckle.

~0~

Once Bella was back home and in a new cast she was up on her feet and doing much more around the apartment with her new found freedom. I came in the kitchen to see she'd been making cookies with Nessie.

"Hey, you are supposed to be resting that leg." I said wrapping my arms around her and holding our bump as I kissed the top of her head.

"Yeah, well I'll remind you of that when we are exercising later." she said lifting her face so I could kiss her lips.

"That's different, that's exercise to keep you in shape." I whispered against her lips.

"It may have escaped your notice, but my shape is altering by the day." she said placing her hands over mine on her bump.

I had to chuckle at that, "I had noticed, and you get more beautiful by the day." I told her. "Now, are you girls almost done in here, the studio called and someone from production wants to talk to us, so they are on their way over." I said as the buzzer went off on the oven.

"Cookies done daddy." Nessie squealed.

I released Bella so that she could see to the cookies and I scooped Nessie up into my arms. "Daddies cookie." I said as I pretended to nibble on her belly, making her squeal with delight.

I didn't know what the studio wanted but I had to be honest I was enjoying the life I was living right now, I wasn't sure if I was ready to go back to work, I didn't want to be away from them the way I would if I was stuck at the studio all day. No I definitely wasn't ready for that.

A/N ooh, What do the studio want? Hmmm will Edward go back to work soon?