Disclaimer: Stephenie owns Twilight, I do not. Damn.
Chapter 20 – The One Where Things Changed
BPOV
"Let's go, people!" Emmett's voice boomed through the house, calling us to the front door.
I grabbed my bag and closed my bedroom door, ready to head downstairs, but when I descended I found the two men of the house, dressed in their light blue uniform shirts (Masen's with accompanying white pants and blue striped socks), having a face-off.
"I can't find my cleats!" Masen yelled, panicked.
"Weasel, we don't have time for you to lose stuff! This is an important day!" Emmett chastised Masen.
My son's face dropped and I was afraid he was going to cry. I, of course, should have known better.
"Oh!" he cried in surprise, and then looked up at his uncle, a huge grin on his face. "They're on my feet." Giggling madly, the smaller of the two weasels pushed Emmett out of the way and ran out the front door to his uncle's Jeep.
"Good God, Bella…" He shook his head, exasperated. "Your kid is weird."
"Takes one to know one!" I sang over my shoulder and grabbed a bag of little red helmets. But I loved both of them for their weirdness, or despite it. It was hard to tell sometimes.
To my relief, Masen chattered the whole way to the field, even mentioning Edward for the first time in days. He almost seemed like he was back to being his normal self. My chest tightened as I thought about Edward. Last night had not gone over well. I felt the need to apologize, but I was waiting to make sure he showed up before letting go of my anger.
We unloaded equipment as other kids and spectators began to fill the small baseball park at the center of town. Dad, Sue, and Seth sat front and center in the stands, Masen's own personal cheering section. I shook my head at my father and he grinned and waved his giant foam finger at me then pointed it to his shirt. It was a jersey the same color as Masen's. He turned around and nodded over his shoulder. Masen's number was on the back with the words "Masen's Pop" on the back. When did my dad get so cheesy?
James pulled up just as the game was starting and Edward was nowhere to be found in the stands. So much for letting go of my anger…
Hearing a smothered "ahem" behind me, I stepped out of the dugout where I had been preparing our stat book to meet him. What I saw stopped me dead in my tracks.
Though he wore a hat and a pair of dark sunglasses there was no mistaking the black eye and swollen lip that disfigured James's handsome face.
"Shit!" I rushed to him, placing my hands on his face and inspecting the wounds. "What the hell happened? Are you alright?" I asked concernedly.
He gently removed my hands from his face and looked over my head; following his gaze, I found it locked with my brother's, and my hands dropped to my side as Emmett's eyes met mine. I saw him sigh and hang his head before he gestured Seth into the dugout and came to meet us.
"I'm fine," James said coldly. "I don't think Edward will make it to the game, though."
"What do you mean?" I asked him, my feigned confusion easily seen through.
"Were you going to tell me he was back, Bella?" I could see his blue eyes narrow behind his sunglasses and an upsetting realization dawned on me.
"Did Edward do this to you?" I whispered, wondering how my voice managed to stay so quiet and calm when inside my emotions were heaving like a choppy sea.
"I asked you a question." He grabbed my elbow tightly and I flinched.
"Did he do this to you?" I repeated as Emmett finally approached. James dropped my elbow and took a step away.
"Yes. He did this. Happy?" James spat the words and I felt my insides grow cold.
I'd known Edward my entire life. The only fight he'd ever been in was with Emmett and he didn't even take a swing. For Edward to harm another person he would've had to have been seriously provoked.
"Not particularly." I stepped away from James and looked up at my brother for an explanation.
"He's at the jail. Jasper picked him up," Emmett said gravely.
My insides weren't cold anymore. I was on fire, furious with both James and Edward now. He wasn't going to make it to the game. Masen would be crushed. I would murder him.
"This is ridiculous. Absolutely fucking ridiculous. You're fucking grown men! Can't you be in – where the hell were you?" I shoved James' shoulder, too angry to control myself.
"The grocery store," he mumbled.
"You have got to be kidding me!" I yelled, grabbing my head in frustration.
"I don't know what happened, Iz, but you should calm down before the little dude hears you." Emmett placed a calming hand on my shoulder.
I dropped my hands to glare up at my brother. "When did you find out?" I demanded.
He shifted uncomfortably. "Jasper called me a couple of hours ago. Listen," he started, but I shook my head.
"No." I stepped away from the two of them. "I don't care what happened. I don't fucking care, got it? James, go home. I can't see you right now."
"Bella, are you fucking serious?" He eyed me incredulously.
"Absolutely," I replied without meeting his eyes. "This is a big day for Masen. I don't want anything to mess it up. Seeing you like this would only upset him."
"You know -" he started, but closed his mouth quickly. "Never mind." James shook his head, turned his back to us and stalked to his car. The tires squealed as he drove away.
I rubbed my temples and sighed, then felt Emmett's hand on my shoulder again.
"Jesus Christ, Emmett," I groaned and leaned into my big brother. "What the hell is wrong with the two of them?"
"I wish I knew, kid." He hugged me tightly as we walked back to the field. Masen ran out from the gate at our third base dugout and grabbed my hand.
"Where is James going? He's not going to watch me play?" he asked, his green eyes sad under the brim of his hat, his lower lip starting to tremble.
I frowned.
I hated men.
EPOV
My leg shook nervously, making the old mattress I sat on squeak sadly. Jasper cocked an eyebrow at me and I stopped and glanced at the clock.
Then my other leg started to twitch.
"You need to chill," Jasper remarked, turning a page of his magazine idly.
"She's going to kill me if I miss it." I stood up and leaned against the bars.
"She's going to kill you because you beat the hell out of James," he corrected, chuckling, and I rolled my eyes. He tossed the magazine on his desk and grinned, but his smile faltered as his gaze traveled to the glass doors of the station's entrance.
"Sweet fancy Moses," he whispered. For a moment I was afraid something horrible was out there: zombies, giant earthworms, James with a sawed-off, something other than what it really was. "She's fucking gorgeous." He stood up, knocking over a cup full of pens and pencils in the process and completely disregarding the mess as he lunged to open the glass door for the woman at whom he had been staring.
She removed her vintage Gucci sunglasses and cast him a glance filled with loathing. "Are you going to stand there and stare or are you going to let my brother out of that cell?" Alice demanded, arms akimbo, her eyes ablaze.
Jasper looked from my sister to me, stunned at the total lack of resemblance between the two of us. She was petite, just over five feet tall, with black hair and sharp gray eyes like our father's. Her hair, which she had always worn in short spikes, had grown past her shoulders and was pulled back in a loose braid.
"You're joking right?" he asked, looking befuddled.
"God, Charlie Swan retires and the whole department goes to hell in a hand basket," Alice muttered as she pushed past him, setting her handbag on Jasper's desk. Standing in front of me, she reached her hands through the bars and took my face in her hands. "You're so goddamned stupid, Edward," she whispered, voice sad but resigned, and I placed my head against the cold metal and sighed.
"I know," I said sadly.
She took my hands and kissed them softly before turned to Jasper. "Can we please get this taken care of?" she asked, her voice much softer than it had been a few moments before. Jasper, who had watched our interaction curiously, simply nodded. Within moments my bond was paid and I was free. Alice wrapped her arms around my torso and squeezed me tightly. "You're supposed to take care of me, big brother," she said, resting her chin on my chest, and stared up at me, a small grin playing on her lips.
"Oh. Well, what fun would that be, huh?" I tugged at the end of her braid and she shoved me away.
"Do you have any personal effects?" Alice asked me, her eyes on Jasper. He handed me my cell and the keys to my rental car, his eyes locked with hers. "I assume you'll be taking us where we need to go?"
"Yes, ma'am." He nodded and gestured to the door, still staring. I led the way, eager to be out of their staring contest; it was creepy. That was my sister, dude.
I could almost understand how Emmett felt when Bella and I started seeing each other. Almost.
BPOV
Emmett found time during the game to explain what he knew of the situation to me. Of course, he only knew secondhand what Jasper had told him. No one knew what had really happened except Edward and James, and the chances of getting a diplomatic answer out of either one of them were slim to none.
I didn't expect Edward to show up, especially if he were in jail. I did, however, expect that my brother would be the one to bail him out eventually and for that I was glad.
Masen was having so much fun that it was hard to think about anything but him. It wasn't until he was up to bat that I noticed something off. He was distracted while on deck, looking everywhere but at the game and not practicing his swings. When it was his turn to bat he mounted himself on the wrong side of the plate, which was odd; he wasn't a southpaw and he knew it. Coach Emmett helped him out and he hit a solid grounder on his first swing. The first baseman dropped the catch so Masen kept on to second base. The ball had made its way back to the tee but he kept running. People in the crowd chuckled as he rounded second and continued to third.
His helmet and cap flew off just before he reached the base, his sweaty hair sticking to his brow. He didn't stop at third, but he didn't head for home plate either. He ran straight past the third base coach, passed the dugout, and out the gate.
He ran halfway across the field… right into his father's arms.
EPOV
I caught Masen just as he leapt, his arms wrapping so tight around my neck it was difficult to breathe. I didn't care; I hadn't been able to breathe since I'd left him. And now…
"I missed you so much, Daddy," he said into my neck. That word was there again. Daddy. My lungs filled with the air I'd been missing the past few months and I held him tighter.
"Daddy is so sorry," I told him, kissing his cheek, then his head, inhaling the scent of dirt and grass and sweaty little boy. "I love you so much."
"Don't ever leave. Please?" He pulled back and held my face between his hands. For a moment I saw that pitiful face that I'd dreamt about for months and my heart broke.
"Never," I choked, pulling him back to me.
"Promise?" His voice was muffled, his face pressed to my shoulder.
"I promise," I replied. And I meant it.
"I love you, Daddy," he whispered and I smiled.
It was good to be home.
BPOV
I stifled a sob and my hand flew to my mouth. As I turned to the crowd I noticed only three people had continued to watch Masen's escapade. Dad and Seth had gotten up from their seats but Sue still sat, her dark eyes trained on me.
It will be okay, she mouthed.
I nodded and followed Masen's path to Edward. Then, for the second time, an unexpected sight derailed me. It wasn't the fact that they were clinging to each other, tears in their matching emerald eyes. I could scarcely make out the words they were saying; the I'm sorry's, Daddy's, and I missed you's were the ones that stuck out the most. What stopped me was the person who had exited the rental SUV I had seen at the Cullen house just the day before.
She pulled her sunglasses off and I watched her wipe her eyes at the same exchange that was putting a lump in my throat. My heartbeat had accelerated so much it felt like it wasn't beating at all.
"Alice." I barely breathed her name but I swore she heard me. Her head snapped quickly from Edward and Masen to me. Then she started moving; so did I. I touched Masen's back softly as I passed them but did not take my eyes off the apparition in front of me until finally, she stood just a foot away from me.
"Hi," she said softly. I couldn't speak; only stare. And nod. So I nodded and took a deep, shaky breath. Within seconds her arms were wrapped around my neck and the tears flowed freely down my cheeks.
"I'm so sorry and I'm so mad at you," my best friend whispered into my hair. And still, I couldn't do anything but nod, because she'd taken the words right out of my mouth. I understood both emotions, because I felt the same. I was sorry I hadn't told her about Masen and I was so angry that she had deserted me. But here she was… so I laughed and squeezed her tightly before I pulled away so I could look at her and make sure she was real.
"Your hair is so long." I tugged the end of her braid.
She smiled. "You're a mom," she replied and looked over my shoulder to where Edward was still standing holding Masen. They were both smiling now, Masen's arms locked tightly around his father's neck.
"C'mon. Game's not over just yet." I put my arm around her waist and she leaned into me as we walked. Masen ran back to the game, took his place as second baseman and waved to us. Edward waved, rooted in his spot, until we joined him. Alice nudged him softly and he smiled down at her, then at me. I couldn't help the returning smile that graced my face. He slipped his arm around his sister; his fingers brushed against my arm and left goosebumps where he touched me.
We stayed like that the rest of the game.
When it was over and the teams congratulated each other Masen ran to me and wrapped his arms around me.
"Did you know he was back?!" he asked, a grin spread across his perfect face.
"I wanted to surprise you." I pushed his sweaty hair off his forehead and smiled at him. He reached for Edward but stopped short when he noticed Alice was standing between us.
"Hello," he said, and looked shyly up at her. She didn't say anything; she simply fell to her knees in front of him and pulled him into her arms. Masen stood awkwardly for a moment before finally wrapping his arms around her and hugging her back.
"I'm your Aunt Alice," she said, voice sounding suspiciously emotional, and held him at arm's length as she stared at him in awe. Masen smiled up at Edward.
"She's your sister," he stated and Edward nodded. "Cool." Masen hugged Alice again then ran back to his teammates.
"He's practically perfect," she whispered as she stood up, her eyes still locked on Masen.
"In every way," Edward and I quoted in unison. Our eyes met over Alice's head and the corners of his beautiful mouth turned up into a perfect grin. My heart faltered, and I had to blink to clear my head.
"Come see Dad and Sue," I urged, pulling Alice toward the thinning crowd, and gave Edward one last look over my shoulder. I couldn't stop the smile that spread across my face. Or the fact that he could still do that to me, no matter how mad at him I wanted to be.
Thirty minutes later we were all crammed around my hand-me-down dining room table eating pizza and drinking sodas. Alice, seated between Edward and Emmett, was regaling us with stories of traveling in Europe. The rest of the family listened with rapt attention and, though I'd missed her terribly, I couldn't keep my attention on Alice. My eyes were on my little boy, asleep in his father's arms, across from me.
Edward caught my eye and jerked his head toward the stairs then stood up. I nodded and followed him. I turned down Masen's bed and Edward laid him in gently, and then started to remove his cleats and socks. I watched from the doorway, enjoying the sight that I'd dreamt about so many times during my time with Edward. He pulled the blankets up around our son and walked to me, frowning.
"I'm sorry," he said softly, his eyes on the floor.
"I know," I assured him, tugging at the pocket of his t-shirt.
Edward shook his head and scrubbed his face with his hands. He leaned his head against the doorframe, still avoiding my eyes, and sighed. "I mean… I'm sorry about James."
"Oh!" I blinked in surprise. "Oh, that."
"He told you, right?" Edward's eyes finally met mine and I nodded. "So… yeah. I'm sorry I tried to beat the living fuck out of your fiancé."
"Did he deserve it?" I asked, and watched Edward's eyes widen.
"What?" he whispered, shocked.
"Edward." I rolled my eyes. "I've known you forever. You wouldn't hurt anyone. Did he deserve it?"
"Um…" he trailed off and ran a hand through his hair. The action brought to my attention to the small cut over his eye.
"You're hurt." I stepped to him and pulled his hand down from his hair. I felt the same reaction as before when our skin had touched, goosebumps traveling all the way to my toes. He yanked his arm away. I frowned and reached up to pull his face down.
"It's little, it's nothing," he said, and waved my hand away as I tried to inspect it. I rolled my eyes and grabbed him by the wrist, pulling him into the bathroom. He sighed as he sat down on the closed toilet and I busied myself with peroxide and cotton balls.
"It might sting." I stepped between his legs and dabbed his cut gently. He winced but didn't say anything. I blew on it softly to dry the liquid and watched his eyes close. "Tell me what happened." I discarded the cotton ball and slipped my hands to the side of his face, lifting his eyes to mine.
His eyes tightened with anger before he looked away. "Nothing," he muttered.
"Edward," I said softly. He turned back to me and rolled his eyes. "Tell me."
"He just… said something about you. It bothered me."
"Like what?" I frowned.
"Bella," he huffed, and grabbed my hips tightly. "I don't want to talk about it."
"I just want to know what would set you off." I pushed his hair off his forehead and was briefly lost in a different time; the silky strands slid through my fingers like they simply belonged there.
Edward clenched his jaw and focused on the faucet beside us as he spoke. "He asked about… us. You know, sex stuff," a blush began to creep up his neck but he forged on. "And then – then he said something about the two of you--" his fingers tightened painfully on my hips.
"Like what?" I asked again and felt myself growing even more annoyed with James. It was one thing to ask, but to tell? I was ashamed for him.
Edward mumbled something unintelligible bringing me back to the conversation.
"He told you stuff… about us?" I tried to coax an answer from him. I knew my face was bright red by that point.
He continued to avoid my gaze. His eyes narrowed, bottom lip pulled between his teeth. I knew why he was upset. I wouldn't want to know anything about him and other girls either. And obviously I knew James well enough to know what his motives were.
James was jealous, that was no secret. He was possessive and Edward being back had obviously rubbed him the wrong way. But still… provoking Edward wasn't the answer and he should have known that. If James and I were going to have a relationship that worked there were some things that he would have to understand.
Edward was Masen's father. He was going to be in our lives. It was that simple.
"Just, you know, stuff you do… fuck! I don't know Bella! I hit him before he could make a complete sentence, okay?!" He cried and I breathed out a laugh at his outburst.
"It's not funny," he mumbled, wrenching his face from my grasp to look up at me. "I just… can't think about you with other people."
"Why? Have you not been with other girls?" I asked, disbelief coating my voice.
He cringed.
"I thought so." I grabbed a box of Band-Aids off the counter and his grip lessened minutely.
"It's different though," he shook his head while I tried to cover his cut.
"How do you figure?" I snorted. I smoothed the bandage onto his forehead and then, out of habit more than anything, bent down to kiss his wound.
His eyes were glued to my bellybutton as he spoke.
"I didn't plan on marrying any of them," he answered softly. Edward's shoulders slumped and he leaned his head against my stomach. I rested my hand on his head and closed my eyes as his arms slipped around my waist. I could feel his breath through my t-shirt; my heart was pounding out a message with every beat.
This is wrong.
This is wrong.
This is right.
My hands moved themselves to the back of his neck, slipping into the short hair there. His face turned up toward mine and I found myself lost in the deep green eyes that I loved for so many different reasons.
They were my one true comfort when my mother left, always so incredibly honest and caring.
I remembered exactly the way they looked when he told me he loved me for the first time.
I knew how shy and reserved they were the first time we made love.
I could also never forget how the emerald orbs turned almost black when he told me he didn't want me.
Then my son was born and I fell in love all over again.
But now, as he stared up at me in my tiny bathroom, I was that little girl, that teenager in love, the young woman with a boy who held her world and her heart in the palm of his hand.
Even more than feeling like that girl, I wanted to be her again.
Edward stood up slowly, his arms tightening around my waist, pulling me closer to him. My hands wound themselves deeper into his hair and he rested his forehead against mine, warm breath caressing my face. My face lifted of its own accord to meet his, our noses touching gently.
My lips parted involuntarily, eager to feel his mouth on mine. I lifted myself onto my toes and found his eyes closed, waiting. He tilted his head and his bottom lip brushed lightly against my top and -
And I wanted more. I wanted everything he had; to give him all of me and -
"No."
We broke apart so quickly that I couldn't tell whose voice had spoken the word.
"I'm sorry. I can't, Iz." Edward smoothed his hair and looked at me sadly. "I shouldn't have -"
"It's okay," I mumbled, desperately trying to avoid his burning gaze.
"It's not." His voice broke when he spoke and I knew what he was feeling. His hand cupped my cheek, forcing me to meet his gaze and there it was, in the mossy eyes I loved so much.
Sorrow. Emptiness. Regret.
I felt them all in my heart, too.
"This isn't us anymore." He repeated the words he's said to me weeks before, because they were true. There was someone so much more important than the two of us. Edward pressed his forehead to mine and I wrapped my arms around his body, holding him to me, holding myself to the earth.
"I know," I whispered and closed my eyes against the tears threatening to spill out.
"I want you to be happy, Iz. I won't stand in your way." He kissed my hair, stepped away from me and took my hand in his.
"I should go." He rubbed his thumb over my knuckles. "They're probably wondering where we are anyways." I giggled nervously and he smiled my favorite smile.
"Well, we did always have an uncanny knack for making out in awkward places." I opened the bathroom door and ushered him out.
"Because you couldn't keep your hands off of me," he smirked as we walked down the stairs.
"Whatever!" I elbowed him in the ribs and he laughed because it was absolutely true. I couldn't keep my hands off him then; I'd always wanted to be around him… that wasn't going to change.
EPOV
"Are you ready?" Alice tore herself away from admiring Seth's biceps and wrapped her arms around Bella's waist, her chin resting on her shoulder.
"Yeah… I kind of need some groceries," I mumbled and shifted my weight awkwardly. It was silent for a split second before Seth guffawed loudly. Everyone else chuckled politely, except Alice and Bella, who had moved to the foyer and were looking at pictures of Masen that hung in the small space.
"Let's go, Brain." I squeezed Alice's shoulder and she turned to me beaming.
"You still call each other that?" Bella asked softly and we laughed.
"Of course," Alice cried and hugged her long lost friend. "We're Pinky, we're Pinky, we're Pinky and the Brain, Brain, Brain…" my sister sang, then collapsed into giggles with Bella.
"Come on." I rolled my eyes and pushed her to the door. She called goodnight to everyone and hugged Bella once more as if she would disappear in the night.
"Goodnight." I placed a hand on Bella's shoulder and kissed her forehead softly.
"We'll call you tomorrow," she smiled as she followed me out the door.
"Thanks." I gave her a small wave and got in the car.
Alice grinned at me as we pulled out of the driveway. "Where did you disappear to?" She drummed her fingers on my arm and stared expectantly at me.
"Bathroom." I pushed her back to her side of the car. "Have you always been so intrusive?"
"Only since I was born, brother dear," she retorted sweetly and ruffled my hair. I tried to scowl at her, but I couldn't. Not even if I'd tried. I was too happy.
Sure, I'd spent most of the day in a small, dank jail cell for trying to beat the fuck out of James, but…
I spent the rest of the day with my son. He called me Daddy. He said he loved me.
I knew things were looking up, that they could only get better and -
"Is that a Strawberry Shortcake Band-Aid?"
A/N: Thanks to messynachos for making me revise something *grumble* that obviously needed it. Thanks to killerlashes for making my words more better.
Thank you to everyone who has put this little old thing on alert, favorites, or has taken the time to review. You're the loves of my life. I try my best not to disappoint you.