Disclaimer: After twenty-three chapters...please tell me everyone knows that I didn't come up with the characters?

Hi! I'm back. You may now put down the pitchforks and the torches...and thank you to the person who reviewed '30 Days To Wed' and said I needed to update this poor, neglected fic!

I do have a legit excuse! I went on vacation and had a hotel with Wifi. Well, I finally got my laptop back from the Geek Squad and I was so excited and, while I was writing this in my hotel room at four in the morning, THE COMPUTER DIED AGAIN!...so, I then get a call that I have to go somewhere on a family emergency that took me a month! And the hotel I stayed in didn't have WIFI there, so I couldn't upload or reply to reviews, etc. So, I think, after a week, I'll move in with my family. Bad idea. Apparently, they haven't had anything but dial-up for ages and, after having this chapter deleted fifteen times, I went to a library...but the librarian thought I was some kind of famous author in disguise and I got halfway through this chapter and I gave up because she kept trying to shoulder read! *sigh*

I feel better now! You may now throw stones and...well, hopefully read!

Sorry, again!

Chapter Twenty-Three

BPOV

I remember feeling anxious as I walk out of the bathroom. I hear voices in the living room, but I feel comforted when I note that they are all female. I also note that they are talking about me. I creep to the end of the hall, pull the sliding door back half an inch and peer out at the scene.

Rosalie is pacing angrily through the living room. I blanch when I catch a brief glimpse of her face. Her long nails look like they want to scratch at something as her fingers clench and unclench, as though involuntarily. "Of course she has to tell him!" Rosalie's frustration seems only to build as she speaks. "Even if she doesn't want Edward to have anything to do with it, he has a right to know!"

Alice is sitting calmly on the edge of the couch. "I'm not proposing that she doesn't tell him, Rosalie, but, with all of the complications involved…"

Esme emerges from the kitchen, carrying cups of some piping liquid. "I do agree with Rosalie, Alice. Bella shouldn't have to be put through an abortion. In a way, though, I agree with you, as well, Alice. I know what it's like to lose a child. Perhaps we should leave this to Bella?" She looks to my hiding place, as if she can see me, as if she can see through those doors and knows exactly where I'm hiding.

Alice shakes her head and hides her face in her hands. "I honestly don't know what to do. Bella won't want to hurt him…and she has to go to see another doctor tomorrow to decide whether or not they need to terminate the pregnancy right now because of the high risk of tubular pregnancy…"

I push the doors open so that I can squeeze through. Rosalie pauses, Esme looks at me appraisingly, and Alice just continues to shake her head.

Rosalie comes to me and wraps her arms around me. Her six foot height dwarfs me. She strokes my hair soothingly as she envelops me in an embrace, but I don't feel weak. I don't want to be hugged and passed around with more emissions of 'poor Bella' from all parties. I shrug her arms away from me.

"Thank you, Rosalie…but…I don't want to be pitied right now." Alice looks surprised. "Can we put this off another day, Alice? At least until they've done the ultrasound to determine my chan…my condition?" My voice sounds almost lifeless to my own ears. I think I've just steeled myself, but I don't know for what.

"Bella," Alice begins.

"No, Alice." I shake my head. I'm going to do what I feel is right. "If they think that I even have the slightest chance of carrying this child to term…if they think that my child has the slightest chance of survival, I'm going back to New York…tomorrow."

"Bella, can't you wait three weeks?" Rosalie was actually concerned? "We could double your filming schedule…say you have a job offer in New York…say you had to go back…wait…why are you leaving? You won't even be showing in six weeks!" Rosalie glances at Alice who looks just as confused.

"I…I don't want to have to put Edward through any of this," I begin.

Esme stops me. "Bella," she looks at me sternly. "You need to tell him. Even if you think that you will be a horrible burden, you need to talk to him." She looks at me lovingly and comes toward me. Placing a hand on my shoulder, she begins again. "Edward loves you, Bella. I can see that. He would never find you a burden. He would take care of you, Bella. I know my son." Her appeals fall on nearly deaf ears. I am set in stone.

"And if I die, Esme? What then? What would happen then? Would you really sentence your son to live with not only one death, but two? Would you really sentence him to be forever burdened with a child that was supposed to be impossible?"

I'm the only one who hasn't looked up toward the door. I'm the only one who hadn't heard the key in the lock, the turning of the handle, the shutting of the door…

As I turn around, I brace myself.

I don't need anyone to sentence me to my own personal circle of Hell…I've done that by myself.

I turn around slowly. Alice is standing up from the couch in seconds. "Please, please, don't say anything!" Alice's pleading look on her face makes me bite my lip.

As my brown eyes meet deep emerald, I know he's heard every word that I've said.

Rose is the first to break the silence. "Okay…I do believe that we should all probably go home get some rest and maybe everyone could…"

"Rosalie," Alice says, tersely. "I think we need to go." Alice wasn't going to let Rosalie get away with this.

"But…" I do not think I have ever heard Rosalie not get what she wanted.

Edward takes a step forward. "Rosalie," I hear him say, tersely. "Out." Alice and Esme are only too happy to oblige.

As they all leave, Rosalie more or less dragged, I hear one last word from Esme. "Bella, if you need anything…" I nod, feigning a smile.

I turn my back on Edward and walk around the couch, sitting back into the cushions. I sigh, trying to sound as if I were indifferent. "You heard?"

"Bella," I hear him call softly.

"You don't have to act as if you care or think that I haven't been lying to you," I say, interrupting him, not bothering to turn around.

Edward walks around toward me and sits next to me on the couch. He takes my hand and I'm shocked enough to allow him. "Do you ever let anyone talk?"

I bite my lip. "Occasionally."

Edward takes my lips with one simple motion. I don't fight him. I just let him kiss me and I melt into it. "Then listen to me, Bella: I do not think any less of you, Bella. Just tell me this, Bella: are you sure that you are pregnant?"

I nod. "I'm positive and so is the doctor who examined me." I look at him as if he is crazy. "Do you really think I would be this upset if I weren't sure?"

Edward pulls me into his chest. "Bella, Bella…" He runs his hands through my hair. "Please don't leave me, Bella."

"Edward…" I begin.

"If you want to go back to New York, we will." I take a deep breath preparing to interrupt. "I'll even quit acting if that's what you want."

"Edward," I say, as curtly as I possibly can without hurting him. I try to pull away from him, just to have the ability to look him in the eyes. "You know that's not what I want…"

Edward put a finger to my lips. "Then explain it to me, Bella."

And the words caught in my throat. What did I want? I watched his emerald eyes and I could see a future. I could see my own happiness and somewhere in the back of my mind I could also see myself being stalked by cameras. I could not subject a child to that, could I?

Then again, I had been able to avoid the cameras more and more. Maybe we could make this work.

I take his hand. "I want this to work."

Edward smiles his crooked smile at me. "That's all I need to know."

I'm just glad that his lips meet mine. I am truly happy. I may not know what tomorrow may bring, but I am truly happy. I hear someone knock on the door, but I try to ignore it.

Unfortunately, Edward is more sensible. "I think we need to answer that."

I purse my lips. "I don't." I can feel myself scowling. Edward just smiles and moves from the couch.

When he opens the door, in skips the delicate little pixie. "It suddenly occurred to me that I live here," she says, not in the most joyous tone. I wonder if she got in another fight with Rosalie…or if Rosalie won. Alice begins to march toward the kitchen, but stops short, looking at me. "Wait, I missed something. Do you two want to be alone?"

Edward laughs, I shake my head. "You've already killed the moment, Alice. I see no point in you going anywhere now."

Alice smiles. "I knew you'd understand!" She starts to put on a pot of coffee and I can only watch her through the window into the kitchen. "So, I take it that it's up to me to fine tune the details?"

I turn to Edward who looks just as confused as I do. "Details?" I decide that they can fight. I lay against the couch pillows.

Alice doesn't even bother to turn around. "Oh, you know. The paparazzi, the wedding, the movie premiere, etcetera."

Edward does not look pleased. "Alice, everything will continue as we have planned…"

"No, it can't!" I begin to protest. Alice opens her mouth, but Edward looks away from her and she bites her lip in defeat. "What if…I mean, what if I don't…"

Alice sighs. "Bella, the chances are high, but I have also known you to beat the odds more than once."

Edward looks at Alice. "Tubular pregnancy risk?" Alice nods. I forgot that he was a pre-med major while he was able to take college courses. He turns to me. "Bella, you will get the best medical treatment money can buy," he comes to sit next to me, as though there is more. "However, if you want a closer wedding date…"

Alice stops him. "Oh, no! You are both going through with my wedding! Why? Because I planned it already! I don't care if she's pregnant again at the time and has to wear a maternity dress! This is my wedding!"

I blink at bridezilla, er, wedding-planner-monster, and then shake my head. "Can we take this one day at a time?" I look to Edward. "I am so sorry that this had to happen to you."

Edward pulls me to his chest. I just cling to him, close my eyes and breathe in his scent. "You're sorry for what exactly? It's your health that's at risk, not mine." I don't bother to protest, I just sigh. "And the fact that the woman I love is going to have my baby is nothing I regret."

I hear Alice leave the room, and I smell her coffee. "I'll leave you two alone. I've got business to take care of." Though she mutters it, I can't help thinking that she planned it out somehow.

"Thank you, Edward," I say. I turn my face up toward him and kiss his cheek.

Edward pushes hair out of my face. His smile is contagious. "Now, would you like to go home? With me?"

I nod. "I would love to."

There had been one point at which I thought all that Edward Masen could ever be to me was an enemy. Through all of the insults, somehow I fell in love with him and he fell in love with me. There was no way around it. To add insult to injury, we had thought we could have the perfect life. Maybe we could, ironically. Maybe, somehow, everything would work out for the best.

For now, I didn't know what my future held, but I knew that I would always have Edward and that was all that mattered.

Worst thing I've ever written? Probably not, but worst I've ever written for this story, I think...because of the discouraging computer crashes.

Sorry, people! Really! Review! There is an Epilogue...because I figured you might want a little word from Edward.

I will get a quote to you and, if people review, I'll post the epilogue tomorrow night because that actually got done while the librarian was watching me...Ha ha.

Thank you all again, so, so, SO much for reading this. It means a lot to me.

~BlkTgrRdRse