Updating again! Like I've said previously, I'm kind of working on wrapping this story up. It'll be done by the New Year…but I have no real time frame other than that. Unless something big changes, that'll be it. At the moment, I am not planning on a sequel. I just want to end it where it falls, if you catch my drift.

The Everlastingly Faithful Chapter Playlist:

Another Sunny Day by Belle and Sebastian

Thunder by Boys Like Girls

I Love How You Love Me- The Like Young

The Great Escape by Boys Like Girls

As always, big shout out to Wendy for pre-reading this for me. Thanks a million billion trillion times!

Princesssparkle01 got this chapter early again…thanks to all of you for reviewing…I'm hoping that we'll get closer to 700 reviews for this chapter. The lemon in that chapter before last is probably about descriptive as they will get. As always, I think sex is a more personal, intimate thing that doesn't need to be heavily detailed, but also doesn't need to be fade-to-black.

…

BPOV

There was a noticeable change in Rosalie's behavior. Instead of the subdued behavior she had been exhibiting lately, she walked into our parent's house with Emmet's arm around her shoulders and big smile on her face. I knew there had to be something going on, but decided not to pry. If Rosalie wanted to tell me something, she would. Simple as that.

So I wasn't all that surprised when Rosalie pulled me aside right before lunch, the cheesy smile still plastered across her face.

"Have some news to tell me?" I guessed, and her smile just grew even larger.

"I took a home test this morning…" She squeezed her eyes shut, clutching my hand in hers. "I can't even describe how excited I am, Bella. I know I'm young but I am so ready to be a parent! Emmet and I are both so excited, and I have a doctor appointment scheduled for tomorrow afternoon."

"That's great, Rose," I said earnestly, giving her a big hug. "I told you it would happen!"

Edward appeared behind Rosalie then, holding his hand out to me. "What did you tell her would happen?" He asked as I took his head. "Your mom says lunch is ready," he added.

"Nothing you need to worry about right now, buckaroo." Rosalie winked coyly, patting Edward on the shoulder as she left the living room and headed towards the dining room to join the rest of our family for lunch.

"It's no big deal," I assured him, pecking him on the lips. "Now come on…I'm starved." I kept on tight grip on his hand as we walked into the dining room, taking our seats around the table. Rosalie was on my left and Edward was on my right, and I grinned when I felt Edward rest his hand on my upper thigh.

Yet again, I felt like a teenager. This- the secret touches and subtle glances- was so reminiscent of our past relationship.

That made me a little scared, because honestly, our past relationship wasn't one to build a good marriage off of. If Edward and I were going to make this work, things really were going to have to be different and serious efforts would have to be made.

The conversation flowed casually between all of us- my parents fawned over Alice and her ever-expanding belly, while Jasper smiled proudly as his pregnant wife told us about the doctor's appointment she had just had a few days ago.

They asked Edward about his next assignment, and were pleased when he said it would take place in a small town just a few miles away so he wouldn't have to leave Liam and me.

And then Liam was the center of attention, fawned on by his grandparents and aunts and uncles. He loved the attention- obviously he had been spoiled as the only grandchild/nephew of the family.

I loved the way our family worked together so wonderfully. Things obviously weren't always perfect, but it was still so amazing when we all got to spend time with each other like this. The same went for how I felt when I was with Edward...even though it couldn't always be perfect; it was still one of the most beautiful things I had ever experienced.

…

"Thanksgiving is coming up," I said softly, playing with the ends of Edward's unruly hair as he, Liam, and I watched television later that night. "Do you know if you'll be home?"

Edward nodded, not looking away from the television. "I'll be here," he promised. "I don't have anything scheduled for then, but then I have a two day assignment right afterwards. "I have to be in Bozeman, Montana, on Saturday night and then I'll be back at home early in the morning on Wednesday."

"You're leaving again?" Liam suddenly interrupted our conversation, his focus shifting away from the television and towards our conversation instead. "Why?" He asked in a small voice, his eyes sad and wide.

"It's only for two days, Liam," Edward said soothingly, kissing the top of Liam's head. "I have to do my job…but I'll be back really quick." Liam perked up a bit, but still looked devastatingly sad. "And it won't be until after Thanksgiving," Edward added. "I'll be here for that…this time."

I remained quiet, realizing that in the years that we had been married, Edward and I had only spent one Thanksgiving together. All the other years, he had been working or stuck at an airport and we had been apart.

After so many years of getting used to that crazy schedule, I was just now realizing how awful it had really been. At the time, I hadn't cared all that much. I had missed Edward, and felt awful for Liam, but it hadn't been the same…

All the missed Holidays, family events, and special moments started to add up in my head, and even though I didn't want to hold a grudge against Edward, it would have been so easy too…there was so much that he hadn't been a part of and that just wasn't right for any of us.

"You said you'll have to finish up some other big assignments," I reminded Edward, not caring that Liam was listening in on our conversation. "What assignments? And how long will they take?"

Edward hesitated for a moment, capturing his bottom lip between his teeth. "Um, well, like I told you, I've got the New York City one and the one in Paris…those are the big ones. But Bella, you know that if Alec really needs me for something, I've got to go, right? It's my job. I don't want to be away…but sometimes I won't be able to avoid it."

I didn't know why I was doing it, but I didn't care. I was worked up and agitated and I started to pick a fight. "So even though you're supposed to be working close to home from now on, you still might have to go to Africa on a moment's notice? That's how it used to be, and I thought this was supposed to change. You said things would change, Edward-"

"Whoa, Bella, what's going on with you, honey?" Edward asked, sitting up and turning his body to face me. "Why are you freaking out about this all of a sudden?"

"I don't want to talk about this in front of Liam, Edward," I said coolly, trying to calm down a little. I didn't want to take out my frustrations on Edward, he didn't deserve it…I needed to cool off. If Edward kept trying to make me talk, I would just freak out and I didn't want that.

"Um, okay?" Edward turned away from me, a confused look on his face.

I felt guilty instantly, but I continued to try and calm down. I had to remind myself that I was supposed to be trying to fix my marriage- not make it worse.

But this was harder than I expected. Being with Edward- just being with him and loving him was wonderful. But I had to remember that all our times would not be happy. There would be fights and struggles and problems, and there was nothing I could really do to stop them.

…

Yawn. I'm exhausted…sending this chapter in to Wendy and then catching some sleep…I get to work ten hours straight tomorrow!

As always, please be sure to leave a review. One word or one paragraph, it always means a lot to me. I'm normally really really bad about replying to reviews, but for this chapter I'll reply to every single one with a teaser from chapter 22! So press that little green button down there and make me happy, please ;)

Xoxo- Melodyella aka Mellie