DISCLAIMER: Stephanie Meyer owns the Twilight Universe

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thanks to everyone who reviewed. I didn't really respond to any of them from the last chapter because I've been at the hospital pretty much the entire last two days. My grandfather went in for emergency surgery. :-( But I did read them, on my phone while he slept. They help pass the time so thank you so much! And now I'm going to write this chapter for you before I pass out for a while before I have to go back up to the hospital. Enjoy!

-BPOV-

"It's so hot!" I complained for the tenth time in about an hour.

Alice sighed, putting her interior design magazine down, and turned to me.

"It's really not." She told me.

I exhaled irritably and crossed my arms over my chest.

It was hotter than normal for September in Forks, meaning that it wasn't raining.

"Are you sure?" I asked.

She giggled, standing from where we had been sitting on the sofa, and stretched.

"Yes." She said. "I'm sure."

I wrinkled my nose. It seemed everything in my system was going crazy. I was always hot. I was always hungry. I always had to pee. And I smelled everything. I mean everything! I spent two solid hours cleaning the kitchen that morning, trying to rid it of whatever it was that was making me gag. Charlie had watched me from his seat in the living room like I was crazy.

"Lets do something!" Alice announced suddenly and I raised an eyebrow.

She had dragged me over here earlier to look through magazines that featured nursery decor. She was trying to convince me that both nurseries needed murals. I had adamantly stuck to my opinion that we needed to keep the nursery at Charlie's house simple since I was going to look for a place of my own once I got my feet under me. But that had been hours ago and ever since I had been sitting on the sofa as she thumbed through different magazines and I flipped aimlessly through channels on the television.

"Like what?" I asked suspiciously.

She thought for a moment and then her eyes literally lit up.

"Lets go to the pool!"

I wrinkled my nose in displeasure. I had been avoiding public places as much as was possible since I began to show more. You could even see a hint of a bump when I wore Edward's teeshirt now. And if I was to wear my own shirts the fabric stretched a tiny bit against my belly and every where I went people were taking double takes at my stomach.

"I don't know...." I trailed off and Alice rolled her eyes.

"It's not raining!" She exclaimed. "When do we ever get this chance?:

I thought about it for a moment and sighed. The cloud covering was omnipresent around here and we really did never get the chance to go to the pool.

"Besides" She continued. "You have been saying how hot it is all morning."

I started to protest and she raised an eyebrow, daring me.

I leaned my head on the back of the sofa and exhaled.

"Fine." I grumbled.

Maybe this would be fun. I was tired and hot and grumpy today. The pool might be just what I needed.

"Yay!" She squealed. "I'll call Rosalie."

Then she turned on her heel, running up the stairs before I could say anything, calling to the guys who were playing video games in Emmett's room.

I frowned. Other than people staring at me like I was an article in The National Enquirer, I also didn't want to stand next to Alice and Rosalie in a swim suit.

This had been something I hated doing even before it looked like I had swallowed a small cantaloupe.

"Rose says she's in." Alice beamed as she danced back into the family room.

I nodded.

"She'll meet us there in an hour." She finished, excitement practically radiating from her.

"What about the guys?" I asked.

I had heard them all groan when she interrupted their game but they seemed okay with it after they heard her idea.

She nodded, smiling brightly.

"They're coming too."

----

"Crap."

I looked at the two swim suits I held in my hands. My old swim suits. Both bikinis.

They weren't immodest by any means but I wasn't sure if I wanted the added attention. They should still fit. One of the things I was eternally grateful about was that I hadn't gained weight every where like some do. My figure was a little more curvy, but the only evidence was the perfectly round bump around my middle.

I thought for a while, weighing the pros and cons of each suit and decided that if I must wear one of them the blue one would probably fit my new... bustier figure better.

My beach bag was sitting open at my feet and I groaned, not wanting to wear either of the swim suits in the least. I didn't feel comfortable with showing... just how much I was showing. There was not going to be any baggy sweats or over sized teeshirts to hide behind.

Alice knocked on my door and I looked at the clock. She had called a couple of minutes ago to make sure I was ready. She was not going to be very happy if I wasn't ready very soon.

I already had sun block and sunglasses in my bag.

I ran to my open window and looked down at the front door. Sure enough, there was Alice, tapping her wedged sandals impatiently.

"I'm getting a towel!" I called down to her.

She looked up, shielding her eyes from the sun.

"I'll meet you in the car."

She nodded and turned back to walk to the Volvo where it looked like Edward and Jasper were waiting for us.

I grabbed my beach towel from the hall closet and ran back to my room. I grabbed my copy of Wuthering Heights and placed it in the bag before sighing and tossing the blue bikini in after it.

"You don't care what everyone else thinks." I muttered to myself as I grabbed the bag and slipped on some flip flops.

And I really shouldn't care. It didn't really matter what anyone other than my family and Edward thought about my pregnancy but I suppose it was only human nature.

"Hello Bella." Edward said happily as I slid into the front seat of the Volvo.

Alice and Jasper were sitting in the back seat, holding hands.

"Hi Edward." I said.

He grinned and I looked to the back seat, smiling at Alice and Jasper.

"Hello Bella." Jasper said.

"Hello Jasper."

Edward put the car in reverse and looked at me through the corner of his eye.

"Seat belt please." He reminded me.

Alice clapped and Jasper looked to her with amusement dancing in his eyes.

"This is going to be so much fun!" She squealed. "We haven't been able to go swimming in forever!"

I nodded. It was hard to go swimming with the thunder and lightening.

"Aren't you excited Bella?" She asked.

I took a breath and released it slowly, trying to convince myself that this would be fun.

"It should be interesting." I said in stead.

She raised an eyebrow at me and I shrugged.

Edward looked at me out of the corner of his eye as he drove, seemingly trying to gage my expressions.

I gave him a reassuring smile and he reached across the center console to grab my hand comfortingly.

I smiled and watched out of the window.

----

It seemed as if the entire town had noticed the lack of rain and had the same idea as we had.

Rosalie and Emmett were waiting for us by the entrance and we all separated to go into the different dressing rooms.

I took a deep breath as I stood in my changing room stall, bump in unsettling plain sight.

On either side of me Rose and Alice were getting into their own swimming suits. I could hear them talking animatedly about their days.

Alice was telling Rose about the dresser she had found in one of her interior design magazines and Rose was telling her about the new BMW they were coming out with.

"Bella?" Rosalie called and I saw her feet under the stall as she walked out of her own to stand in front of mine.

"Yeah?" I called, biting my lip.

There was a moment of silence and she shuffled closer.

"Are you okay?" She asked. "Are you almost done?"

I looked down at the small bump and felt terribly exposed. I had never really enjoyed wearing bikinis. Rose and Alice had actually boughten both of the swim suits I owned.

I rolled my eyes at how nonsensical I was being. I should be used to this by now and I was actually even beginning to enjoy my pregnancy a bit but seeing the bump without the baggy sweat shirt or Edward's teeshirt to camouflage it a little was kind of unnerving.

"Yeah." I called, slinging my beach bag over my shoulder.

It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. I reminded myself.

Rosalie smiled as I stepped out and went to the sinks, putting my hair up in a messy bun. I turned and Alice and Rose were standing together, looking at my stomach with their mouths hanging wide open.

Great. I thought to myself. If this was how my best friends reacted what is everyone else going to do?

It doesn't matter. I chanted in my head.

"Thanks for not starring." I muttered, shuffling on my feet.

Alice and Rose looked at my face apologetically.

"We didn't mean to stare Bella." Rose said soothingly. "We just hadn't realized how much you were showing."

I shrugged, looking down at my hands.

Alice squealed.

"It's so cute!"

I looked up with my eye brows raised in surprise and my best friends wore matching grins.

"Yeah, Bella." Rose agreed. "You're practically glowing."

I rolled my eyes.

"Why do you wear my brothers old smelly teeshirts?" Alice asked. "Your bump is so cute!"

I laughed lightly.

"I'm not trying to hide." I said. "They're just comfortable."

And there is nothing smelly about them. I thought to myself. I did wear them for comfort reasons mostly but I must admit that they did hide quite a bit. I thought of this as an added bonus. People were already staring at me. I didn't like feeling like I was on display.

"Screw comfort!" Rosalie said suddenly. "You should always wear that bikini. You look amazing."

I shook my head but I didn't say anything as I looked between them. They were both practically daring me to disagree.

Edward and Jasper and Emmett were waiting for us outside of the dressing room but I could tell they were all dying to get into the water.

Edward saw us first and his eyes widened. I wanted to shuffle anxiously on my feet but I made myself stand still. I squared my shoulders and walked over to them with Alice and Rosalie walking on either side of me.

"Hey Babe!" Emmett called as he finally saw us.

He racked his eyes over Rosalie's bikini clad body and grinned ridiculously.

"Wow."

Rosalie smirked and walked over to him, where he immediately snaked his arm around her waste.

Jasper pecked Alice on the cheek and she smiled.

I joined the group and I made myself look straight ahead of me. I stood beside Edward and he turned to continue looking at me.

"Wow...." He trailed off and I looked at him with an eyebrow raised in surprise.

He ran a hand through his hair and released a shaky breath.

"I mean..."

He trailed off and I focused on not fidgeting as his eyes ran up my body, starting at my toes and working up. He then looked at my stomach again and his eyes softened.

"Wow." He said again, quieter.

I felt my blush flare across my skin and I bit my lip.

"Thanks." I giggled awkwardly.

"I won't be able to see my toes soon right?" I joked pitifully.

He stepped closer and my heart thundered in my chest.

"You look beautiful." He said, his eyes smoldering at me.

I gulped.

Someone cleared their throat and I turned to see Alice, Rosalie, Emmett, and Jasper watching us in amusement.

Alice smirked.

"Wow." Emmett chuckled. "That kid of yours is sure growing!"

I looked down at my stomach and a smile lifted my lips.

"I know." I said, more to myself then to them. "Believe me. I know."

"Well, keep it in there for a while longer will ya?"

I smirked.

"That's the plan Em."

----

The cool water felt so good and I sighed as I eased down the stairs into the pool.

"Let's play Marco Polo!" Emmett exclaimed and I giggled.

"Not it!" We all called in unison.

Emmett frowned.

We all played for a little while, Emmett peeking when he thought no one was watching. I felt eyes on me more than once as I splashed around with my friends but I refused to even acknowledge them.

After a while I started getting a little sleepy and I got out to go get some ice cream from the concession stand.

"Are you okay?" Edward called.

I looked to my right where he was watching me from where he bobbed up and down slightly by the side of the pool.

I smiled.

"I'm fine." I assured him.

He didn't look convinced.

"Baby wants ice cream." I explained.

He chuckled and made a move to get out of the pool.

I rolled my eyes.

"I've got it."

He stopped and looked at me calculatingly for a second but then he simply shrugged and grinned crookedly at me.

I watched him as he floated on his back with a peaceful smile on his face, the rare rays of sunshine hitting his face and drawing out more copper than usual in his wet hair.

I smiled as I walked to the line.

I was trying to make up my mind between ice cream flavors while I waited in line.

Vanilla, chocolate, or banana split? I wasn't the indecisive one here. The baby couldn't make up its mind.

I smirked as I thought this.

"Bella?" A voice broke me out of my reverie.

I looked over my shoulder and cringed slightly before smoothing my features.

Jessica Stanly was standing there, a couple of people behind me in the line. She had tried to make friends with me when I had first moved to Forks. But I think it was more so because of the fact that I was friends with the Cullen's then because she wanted to make my first days in a new town more comfortable. She was only concerned with her popularity rating. And if that wasn't bad enough Lauren Mallory was standing beside her.

I half waved and turned back to the front of the line, hoping that would be the end of it.

"Excuse me. Excuse me." I heard Jessica say as she moved her way through the line of people to me.

I sighed and turned to face them.

"Hello Jessica." I said politely.

"Hello Lauren." I said.

Jessica smiled, although you could tell it was fake. Lauren didn't even bother with that much. She looked at me like I was a piece of particularly nasty roadkill.

"So..." Jessica began.

I sighed, waiting for what was, certainly, inevitable.

"So, it's true?" Lauren said, eying my baby bump.

"Is what true Lauren?" I sighed tierdly.

She eyed me up and down like she was measuring me up, and finding me some how wanting to be sure.

"That you're knocked up." She said plainly.

I raised my eyebrow. I knew what she meant but it sounded so rude when she said it like that. My son was a gift, most definitely a surprise, but a gift none the less.

"No." I said sarcastically. "I accidently swallowed an apple seed and now I'm growing an orchard in my stomach."

Jessica snorted out a laugh and I looked to her with eyebrows raised, completely unamused and not fooled by her in the least.

She always sided with who ever was winning at the moment. The second I walked away she would go back to gossiping about me. That was, in fact, probably the only reason she was taking the time to notice me. She wanted the newest gossip.

"Next!" The bored guy working the concession stand called and I turned to him gratefully.

"A small vanilla ice cream cone." I told him. "And a Reeses Pieces please."

He nodded and I slid my money across the counter.

"So we know that the knocked up part is true." Lauren continued.

I refused to even turn back to her. I watched the concession guy fill my cone with ice cream instead.

"But what we don't really believe..." She snickered. "Is who the father is."

I narrowed my eyes into tiny slits as I whirled back to face her. I knew this was just what she wanted but I didn't care now. I wanted to smash her nose into her brain. (AN: This comes from Twilight when Edward rescues Bella in Port Angeles and she's trying to remember self defense... I think. Lol)

"We all know Edward Cullen" She sneered. "Is not the father."

"Yes." I said through my teeth. "He is."

She rolled her eyes and flipped her hair behind her shoulder.

"That's what I hear." She commented casually. "But I think he's only letting you say he is because he feels sorry for you."

I felt tears pool in my eyes but not because I was sad or feeling exceptionally weepy. I was pissed. Like seeing red, pissed.

"Here you are." The concession guy cleared his throat, holding out my ice cream to me.

I took in a deep calming breath. It didn't work so well. But it did help me to think reasonably for a moment. I could not get in a fight. I was five months pregnant. Plus there was a lot of witnesses here that could testify against me if I ended up killing her.

"Thank you." I said in a clipped tone, grabbing my ice cream and chocolate, before walking away.

I knew the truth. Edward loved the baby. Edward loved me. He had said so more than once. In fact he told the baby he loved him every time he saw me.

This helped a little but I still wanted to cause Lauren at least some amount of pain.

Rosalie was lying out in the sun, probably trying to get a nice tan while she had the chance, and I plopped down next to her as I munched angrily on my ice cream.

She looked up slowly, a perfectly sculpted brow raised.

"Something wrong Bella?" She asked.

I huffed, taking another big bite of my ice cream.

She sat up and turned towards me.

"What's going on?" She asked.

I narrowed my eyes in the direction of Lauren and Jessica, where they were walking back to their spots with bottled waters now in hand.

Rosalie followed my gaze curiously and sighed in understanding.

"Aw crap." She muttered.

I didn't say anything.

"What did the wicked witches say?" She asked.

I wiped an angry tear from my face and sniffled.

"Bella?" She prompted.

"It was nothing." I mumbled. I didn't want Rosalie fighting my battles but I couldn't exactly fight them myself, five months pregnant and all.

She narrowed her eyes at me slightly.

"Don't make me go get Edward." She warned ominously.

I sighed.

I knew that if she told Edward I was upset he would be over here in a heartbeat and he wouldn't stop until he got the answer. Then he would feel the need to defend me and it would just make a scene.

"Lauren said Edward wasn't the baby's dad." I grumbled grudgingly.

Rosalie gasped.

I sighed and looked down at my hands.

"It's nothing." I repeated. "She's probably just still holding a grudge because he shot her down before graduation."

She sneered in the direction of Lauren and Jessica.

"That's not an excuse!"

I nodded in agreement but I didn't say anything because even one word would have encouraged Rose at this point.

"What else did she say?" She asked, turning her attention to me.

She looked outraged and even though it wasn't directed at me I still cringed.

"She said Edward just felt sorry for me." I admitted looking at my hands.

I didn't blame them for doubting that Edward wanted to be with me actually. I understood that part perfectly. I didn't believe it myself most days. I was only mad because of the way they spoke of my son and doubted Edward's love for him.

"Hell no." Rosalie snarled as she stood up and motioned Alice forward.

My eyes widened.

"Rosalie!" I hissed. "No! Leave it alone."

She complete ignored me as Alice gracefully exited the pool and skipped over to us.

"What's going on?" She asked.

Seeing Rosalie's enraged expression her eyes widened and Rosalie whispered something to her.

She opened her mouth in enraged shock and narrowed her eyes in the direction Rosalie was pointing.

Then they walked purposefully to the other side of the pool where Lauren and Jessica were lounging on beach chairs, eyes closed.

I scrambled to my feet and followed behind them.

"Guys!" I hissed, trying to get their attention.

But they were completely focused on their mission now. And I had a feeling this mission would end in blood shed and tears.

I walked into the back of Rosalie when they came to a sudden halt in front of the two beach chairs.

Rosalie kicked the feet of the one Lauren was sitting in and she glanced up, looking aggravated at who ever was disturbing her sun bathing.

Her eyes widened when she saw Alice and Rosalie glaring down at her, arms defiantly placed on their hips. They definitely knew how to intimidate.

Even little Alice, who was no bigger in size than an over grown pixie, was scary. I would never want to be in a fight against Alice when she was really and truly pissed off. There was no rescue from the wrath of Alice and Rosalie.

"Hi..." Lauren said uncertainly.

Jessica looked up and her face brightened at the sight of two of the only people more popular then she herself was.

"Hi guys!" She said enthusiastically.

Alice raised an eyebrow at her in warning and she seemed to shrink back reflexively.

"Let's cut the chit chat." Rosalie said icily. "You were talking to Bella earlier?"

She didn't wait for them to answer.

"Don't." She said simply.

They looked utterly surprised by her blunt audacity.

"Don't talk to her again."

They didn't say anything and she smirked at Lauren.

"Besides" she continued casually, brushing her hair out of her face. "We all know you're anger at Bella steams from jealousy."

Laurens mouth flew open and she snorted indignantly.

"Why would I be jealous of Ms. Teen pregnancy over there?"

Rosalie let out a sarcastic laugh as she turned to Alice.

"What do you think Alice?" She asked, completely ignoring Lauren. "Could it be because she is having Edward's baby?"

Alice smirked.

"Maybe..." She trailed off, pretending to think. "Or maybe it's because she's in her second trimester"

She shot Lauren a pointed glare.

"With Edward's baby and she still looks better in a bikini."

Lauren and Jessica started to protest but their words stuck in their throat as a shadow fell over us and I looked over my shoulder to see the guys standing there.

"Is everything okay here Rosie?" Emmett asked, standing up to his full height.

Jasper came to stand beside Alice and I almost laughed out loud as all of the color drained from their faces.

"Of course it is." Rosalie replied in a fake chipper tone. "We were just politely warning our friends here that they should not make Bella upset."

Edward moved closer to me, his features darkening at the statement.

"Because when Bella is upset, Edward is upset." Alice sang tauntingly.

I raised an eyebrow at her. Maybe she was going a bit over board here?

But Edward snaked an arm around my waste and I looked at him, startled.

He narrowed his eyes at them and they nodded.

"We weren't upsetting Bella." Jessica choked out. "Were we?"

I raised an eyebrow and simply shrugged, crossing my arms over my chest.

Edward pulled me closer to him.

"I am sorry if you harbor ill feelings for me after the last time we spoke Lauren." He said. "But it would not be wise of you to cause Bella any unease."

He clenched his jaw and looked at her with firey eyes.

"Especially while she is carrying my child."

Lauren and Jessica left the pool very soon after we all walked away. I couldn't help but smirk.

I knew I should have felt bad for the surprise attack. It was hardly fair. We outnumbered them two to six and they hardly saw it coming.

It might have even been a little petty but I just couldn't bring myself to care at this moment in time.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Okay, so I must be feeling particularly vengeful tonight. Lol. I don't know why this chapter ended up being so vicious but it's what came out when I was writing and I kind of like it. This chapter does have purpose in the story though. I wanted to show all of them as a united front and I also wanted to show how hard it is for Bella with all of the propaganda. People are horrible. The evil needs to be smashed sometimes. It just makes you feel good. Haha. Anyway, REVIEW please. I'm due back at the hospital at nine tomorrow. Ick. Hope everyone has a good night(or morning depending on where you are)