CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

EMMETT'S POV:

I love my brother…really, I do. But I'm seriously going to kick his ass. Who the hell does he think he is? He can't treat people like this. I understand that he's angry, but he shouldn't take it out on his family. I absolutely hate how he's been treating our parents. And that little boy? He's known the kid for only a day and Tony already can recognize Edward's mean face? That is just messed up. Someone needs to explain how things work to Edward. Who should he be venting his anger at? HIMSELF! And believe me; I will do the venting for him if I have to.

I have a feeling that this battle is going to be epic. Fighting with grown brothers or sisters is quite different than childhood conflicts. Back then, a quick punch to the gut, or a kick in the shin showed your sibling you meant business. They tattled on you; you moved on; problem solved. But as grown men, a little more force will be needed to get the message across. Factoring in Edward's 'I can do no wrong' mentality and I have a feeling this might become a fight to the death.

As if she could read my mind, Rosalie reached out to take my clenched fist into her hands. "You can't kill him Em - why waste a beautiful life in jail? A good beating should suffice."

"I'll try Rosie, but he has it coming. If things get ugly, you may have to step in." Rosalie cackled, "It would be my pleasure baby." Damn, she's so hot when she's acting all menacing. Man, I can't wait to…NO Emmett, now is not the time to think about sex. Trying to get my brain out of the gutter, I thought back to my phone call with Jasper when all of Edward's dirty secrets were revealed.

*~*Flashback*~*

While driving out to the site of my latest construction job, I decided to give Jasper a call. We haven't gotten together in awhile, and there was a good game scheduled for this weekend. After about two rings, I got his typical introduction of 'Jasper Whitlock'.

"Hey J, how's it going?" Dropping the business façade, Jasper responded, "Hey man! Work is…work. It's going okay. How about you?"

"I can't complain. I get to work with my hands, and handle heavy machinery. What could be better?" Jasper laughed at my antics. "Are you ever going to grow up Em?"

"Sure sure….tomorrow. So….Sunday, I'm thinking I get you out of that estrogen filled house, and we check out the football game. You in?"

"Sorry Em" Jasper said, "but by Sunday I'll be in Forks." Forks? Why would he be heading to…Ohh…but? "You heading down to see Bellarina? You sure that's a good idea? No one's seen her in 4 years…plus Eddie would kill you if he knew you went against his wishes!"

Jasper hesitated in his response. I thought that maybe I talked some sense into him, but I was wrong. "Em, Bella's been in an accident." Tell me something new, buddy. Laughing, I said "Dude, when has Bella NOT been injured? What did she do now?" Waiting for me to calm my laughing down, Jasper solemnly said, "Em, it's serious. She's…she's in a coma."

"Wait…Bella…coma…what? How do you know? Why didn't anyone tell me? I have to call Rose." Before I could hang up on him, I heard him screaming my name, trying to get my attention. "What man?"

"There's more." More? What else could there be? Jasper continued, "Bella has a son." WHAT?

"When the hell did this happen? I'm an uncle and didn't even know it? Wait, no, I wouldn't be the uncle. She's not related….damn that Edward for screwing everything up. But a child? Who's the father? Did she get married without telling us? What about—"

Jasper cut me off, "Can you please let me tell the story. You can ask questions later, if you still have them." I apologized, then gave the floor back to J. Taking a breather, he started again, "As I was saying…Bella has a son. With her current condition, someone needs to step in and watch him. The boy—" "Well, where's the father?"

"EMMETT!" From his voice you could tell he was getting frustrated with me. "I said no questions. Geeze! If you waited five seconds, I would have told you that the father's been called, and is on his way. Wanna take a guess at who the baby daddy is?"

"Jacob Black?" Although it hurt that Bella moved on, I would be supportive of her…as long as it was anyone but Black. That guy seriously annoyed me.

"Nope." Thank God! Who could it be….?

"Mike Newton?"

"Nope." Haha, Newton couldn't even get Bella on the rebound? I bet he's doomed to single-dom.

"Umm…ummm." I was running out of people who pined after Bella in high school.

"It's Edward." Not understanding, I asked, "What about Edward? Oh my god, did he find out about the child? Is he depressed again? Ughh, I hate emo-Edward."

"Emmett, do I really have to spell this out for you? EDWARD. IS. THE. FATHER. OF. BELLA'S. CHILD!"

"But they broke up. Has he been seeing her behind our backs? That sneaky dick!"

"The child is four Emmett. Bella was pregnant when she left."

"But why didn't Edward tell us about him? We're his brothers, his best buds…I thought we kept no secrets."Man, I'm really starting to sound like a chick. I gotta stop watching those Lifetime movies with Rosie.

"Yeah, well, I think Edward would have liked to know about the kid as well. I don't know the whole story yet, but it seems that Bella left Edward after finding out he didn't want any Edward or Bella Jrs. Turns out, she already had the bun in the oven, and wasn't willing to give the kid up for Edward."

"Damn….."I didn't know what else to say. Edward's a father? I really didn't see that one coming at all. "So you're heading down to Forks to meet the kid?"

Jasper responded, "Yea…among other things. According to Esme, Edward isn't taking the news very well."

"Yeah…I could imagine. He just found out the love of his life is in a coma. I would flip if something like that happened to Rose."

"Em, that's not the news I was referring to. While he's upset by Bella's current state, it's the fact that someone shares his DNA that has him flipping out. He refuses to accept the fact he's a father." What the hell?

Jasper continued, "After talking with Mom last night, Alice has decided reinforcements are necessary. She's heading out there later tonight in hopes of knocking some sense into him."

Looking at my watch, I saw it was about 11am. "Tonight you say? She got room for some more travel companions?"

And that's how Rosie and I got involved in our current mission. It's no lie that Rose never really liked Bella much growing up. And, that hatred magnified when Bella up and left Edward suddenly. But after telling her about my conversation with Jasper, she seemed a little sheepish about giving Bella such a hard time. Knowing why Bella left, Rose had officially switched teams; and I'm pretty sure she'd defend Bella to the grave.

After what seemed like forever, I saw the flashing hotel sign, and knew we'd finally arrived. Rosie and I grabbed our bags, and headed right to the front desk. Showing my ID to the lady up front, I was easily granted a card to the Cullen suite. In my mind, I heard an announcer type voice narrate, "And Emmett gains the upper hand. Can you say surprise attack?"

Slipping the card into the door slot, the green light blinked allowing us access into the room. Somewhere in the suite was the muffled sound of a television playing. I gave Rose a sinister smile. We followed the noise until we found my little brother sprawled out on his bed, an empty bottle of liquor next to him.

Surveying the scene, I decided that Edward deserved a wake-up call, both figuratively and literally. We'll start with the literal. Grabbing the covers of his bed, I lifted them up and yelled, "Rise and shine sleeping beauty." The sudden action caused Edward to roll off the bed and land harshly on the floor.

Jumping to his feet, Edward took in his surroundings while looking for his attackers. When he realized it was me, he scowled "What the hell?" I loved a drunk Edward. He made arguing more fun.

Giving him a sinister glare in return, I replied, "Hello to you too brother dear."

Running a hand through his crazy bed-hair, a frustrated Edward sneered, "So what's all this? Is there some sort of family reunion scheduled that people neglected to tell me about?"

Rosalie snorted behind me, "More like family intervention a-hole." Mmm, feisty! Just the way I like 'em.

Turning back to the man of the hour, I started my attack. "Listen up Eddie. I've been hearing some things that I really hope are not true."

"Really meathead? Like what? There's no Santa Claus? Pigs can't fly?" Edward spat out sarcastically. So he's going to play dumb…Well, two can play that game.

"Har har. No smell-ward. According to my sources, after you and Bella called it quits, she up and moved here, got jiggy with Eric Yorkie, and popped out a kid! Did you hear about that?"

Edward looked at me like I had four heads. "And who exactly is your source Emmett, because that sounds like a load of crap to me."

Making a motion of zipping my lips, I said, "No can do, my brother. I take my sources to the grave."

Edward turned to look at my wife, and asked, "Is he for real?" Rosalie, not exactly sure what game I was playing, simply ignored Edward's question.

Figuring I needed to plant more ammunition, I continued with my fabrication. "Of course I'm for real. Everyone knew he had a hard-on for Bella all through high school. The way I see it, Bella comes back to Forks all sad and rejected; so in swoops Yorkie. He's desperate enough that he doesn't mind that he's got your leftovers. Instead, he gives Bella the shoulder she needs to cry on. Eventually, she stops crying on that shoulder, and over time learns that it's a good resting place for her head. Then, more time passes, and Bella's get more comfortable with Yorkie."

"Those innocent head/shoulder sessions start to change. I can see Bella turning her head to rest inside the nook between his neck and shoulder. Maybe getting close enough to really inhale Yorkie's masculine smell. Give it the right amount of time, and she's ready for more, leaving him lingering kisses upon his pulse point."

Pausing for dramatic effect, I took in my brother's pacing form. Edward took my silence as a chance to refute my claims. "Masculine smell? Really Em…Yorkie was about as masculine as a glitter-encrusted thong!" Where the hell did he come up with that? I tried really hard not to laugh. At least he was acting defensive.

"Regardless man, Eric was there for her. He helped mend her broken heart, showed her the love she deserved. And considering he knocked her up, I'm quite sure he showed her that love again and again and again and –"

"Will you shut up Emmett!" Edward roared at me. I was getting to him already…I wonder how much longer until he breaks.

"What's wrong Eddie? Does my talking about your precious Bella boinking another bother you? It shouldn't. You let her walk away from you. You didn't go after her. And as a result, she's moved on. Just like we all knew she would. Forgive me Rosie, but it must be said that Bella is a catch. And you just let her go. You practically handed her over to her next relationship."

"I'm warning you Emmett. If you don't shut up, I'm going to"— Grabbing his shirt, I threw him up against the wall, and restrained him there. "You're going to what, Edward? Make me shut up? No, you're not. This is information you need to hear." Making sure he was listening, I continued, "So you get a call saying Bella's been hurt and you came running. But the spot next to her bed is no longer yours Eddie. As I stated before, you missed your chance. So you don't get to act like the distraught boyfriend, moping around going, 'woe is me' to anyone who will listen."

"Is that so? The spots been filled? Well, where is Bella's boyfriend, Emmett? Where is Mr. Yorkie? I sat by her bed all day, and the only other visitor she had was Angela Weber. There were no other men fighting for that bedside chair. So unless Bella's batting for the other team these days, I think you sources are wrong."

"Last I heard, Eric was getting the necessary paperwork filled out so he could take temporary custody of the kid." With this little tidbit of information, Edward's mask of indifference dropped, but he quickly redeemed himself.

"Emmett, I've seen the kid. He looks nothing like Yorkie at all." Thinking to myself, I couldn't help but chant just a little more Edward, and I'll have you right where I want ya.

"Yea, that's what I thought at first too. But then I was talking to my sources, and I found out that Yorkie can't access his trust fund if he has a bastard child, so Bella had to pawn her son off on someone else. Hence the hair coloring, and the use of your last name. What's in a name after all? But if something happens to Bella, I heard that she asked that her son's name be legally changed so he could live with his father."

"Yorkie is not that boy's father."

"Really Edward, and why are you so certain of this fact? It's not like you've got any sources spouting out information. Do you have contradicting evidence? I mean, if it's not Yorkie, it's gotta be someone." Addressing my wife, I asked, "Rosie, didn't that Newton kid have a thing for Bella too? What was his first name?"

"Emmett, I don't need any ridiculous sources to get a sense of what's really going on. Obviously your sources have done nothing but lead you astray. I mean common, Eric Yorkie? Michael Newton? Bella couldn't stand those idiots when we were in high school. Why would she ever give them a chance?"

"People change man. I mean, look at you and Bella. I thought you guys would make it through and through, and yet she picked up and left. Then she got knocked up by the next best thing. That's definitely not like the Bella I knew."

"Well you don't know anything Em. Bella was nothing but true to herself in this entire situation."

"Yea? Tell me where you've been getting your information from. You seem pretty well-versed in all things Bella considering she's been M.I.A. in your life the last couple of years. And if she hasn't changed, how do you explain that fraud….that phony little bastard?"

Reversing our positions, Edward now had me pinned up against the way, "You will not call Bella's son a bastard."

"And how would you know?" I quipped.

"I've got the best source of them all."

I scoffed at that reponse. "Whatever Mr. 'I Must-Be-Right-About-Everything'. I don't care who your source is. I still think the boy's a-"

"GOD DAMMIT EMMETT, LEAVE MY SON ALONE!" Eureka!

Still playing dumb, I asked "You have a son?"

"Yes Emmett. Is that what you wanted to hear? Tony is my son. Not Yorkie's. Not Newton's. Mine."

Like a spider with a bug trapped in his sticky web, I had him right where I wanted him. "Yes Edward, you are a father, and it's time for you to grow up and be a parent." Stopping for a second to think about what I just said, I asked, "Did that sound like I was on the Maury show to anyone else?" Mimicking Maury's voice, I tried again. "Edward, the results are in. In the case of Anthony Cullen, the tests show you ARE the father." With that I started cracking up. Seeing the bewildered faces of my family set me off even harder. I don't know if it was the tension lifting in the room after Edward's admission, or the fact that this situation has made everyone a little batty, but eventually Edward and Rosalie were laughing right alone with me. The three of us were gasping for breaths from laughing so hard.

When I came into this room originally, I figured I would have to use my brute strength to get Edward to come clean. Who knew all it would take was a little white lie and the power of laughter to turn my brother into a man? I was soo proud. My baby brother's growing up!