(A.N. So, first off I got a lot of good reviews for the last chapter, and oddly no one really got mad me for making Edward such a gigantic pain in the ass. Though, strangely, to me at least, I did get complaints about saying Kristen Stewart was a bad actor. I hadn't realized that young ladies felt so defensive over the female lead in the movie(I thought that was reserved for the super 'hunky' male leads) and I'm sorry if I offended you.

Although, one particular reviewer went so far as to call me 'Bitchy' for speaking my opinion, and of course, left their review without signing in first. Now, it's not that I'm refuting the bitchy comment, cause quite frankly I can wear that title somewhat regularly, but I would appreciate not being called a name unless it is truly deserved. Voicing my opinion about a certain actor or actress is just that, my opinion. I am not stating anything as fact, and thus it shouldn't be taken so harshly. It's not a personal jab against any of my readers if I say something negative about twilight or it's franchise, so please don't take it as such.

If you want to disagree, again that's fine. We can debate anything you like but lets be mature about it and better yet, sign your damn review. Let me comment back, just as you did.

Now, lets get some more of those awesome reviews. REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW!)

Disclaimer: Not my characters.

Bella's POV:

I wasn't going to sulk…anymore.

So a guy dumped me? Was that something to ruin my day over. No! Who cares if the guy was Edward and he was gorgeous, sweet, and smart( other then him dropping me so suddenly.) If he isn't smart enough to stay with me, he isn't right for me. Right?

I took a deep breath and shrugged at the mirror. It had been a three weeks since the debacle, and it was a crappy week. I couldn't help myself though. I called Esme to see how Isadora was doing, and the conversation went better then I thought.

Apparently the whole family thought Edward's decision wasn't the right one, but there was nothing to be done about that. Emmett even called to tell me, and I quote, what a 'douche' his brother was and that if I ever wanted to see 'Izzy' to just call and he would baby-sit and call me over. I appreciated that. Beside the pain the breakup itself caused, not getting to see Isadora hurt deeply. It wasn't my business to be in her life if her father wanted me out of it, but I ached to take Emmett up on his offer. I missed that little girl.

I couldn't pry myself into their lives anymore. I wasn't wanted and that was that. I wasn't going to pine over the life I could have had. I was…am a strong, independent women and damn it I would act that way. What was a little pain and heart ache. Everyone goes through it. I would get through this and that pain would subside.

I grabbed my purse, straightened my shoulders and headed for work. I looked good today from my hair to my shoes, and I was going to enjoy it. I put some extra sashay into my walk, and even earned myself a whistle walking out to my car.

Score one for me.

When I got to the office, I said a quick hello to the secretary and then walked straight to Jasper's office where he was sitting at his desk preparing paperwork for his appointments for the day. He was wearing his reading glasses which he hated, but Alice and I thought looked incredibly cute and said a quick hi to me without looking up. I stomped a foot, to get his attention and he looked up with a confused look on his face which soon changed to a look of aw.

Yeah, I still had it.

"Holy shit, Bella." Jasper said giving me the once over. Jasper and my relationship was completely platonic, but we appreciated that the other was attractive. Thankfully we were that perfect balance of friends/adoptive siblings that this kind of reaction wasn't abnormal, or frowned upon by anyone who knew us. "What's with the duds?"

"I have a date for lunch." I said happily. He quirked an eyebrow and frowned.

"Who?" He sounded suspicious. "It better not be that prick Edward, or I will personally kick both your asses."

"NO! No, of course not. I haven't even talked to him since…well you know, and I don't intend to. No, you're my date for lunch. Alice is working all day, I made sure to check, and that means your mine for the afternoon." I walked in and plopped into the seat across from his desk, looking somewhat unlady-like and not caring. "Why would you think I would be going out with Edward? It's not like he has bothered to call me and I'm not about to call him."

"Don't call him. Keep up the resolve and if he calls tell him your busy living your life away from him." I rolled my eyes as Jasper looked indignantly at me. He really didn't like Edward anymore. It sorta made me smile. "Where we going for lunch?"

I smiled, thankful we were off of the Edward subject, and sat up straighter. "I was thinking we could go to that Italian place where they think you have an STD. You know, dinner and a show. Fun, fun."

"Oh, great, the place where the staff won't get within an arms reach away from me. Sounds wonderful." He faked a smile but conceded. I could get nearly anything out of him and Alice for right now and I took advantage of it sometimes. "Come get me when your ready for lunch. I'll be waiting with bated breath to take such a lovely lady out to lunch."

"Suck up." I said standing and smoothing my skirt. A pang hit my stomach flowing straight to my heart, clenching it in it's tight little fist and squeezing the life out of me. I took a deep breath and stood up straighter.

"You alright?" Jasper knew me to damn well, which made it slightly difficult to hang around him at times like these, but I wasn't about to cut him out of my life because he was a good enough friend to know when something was up. He was worried, and I would let him be worried. With the overreaction I laid on him and Alice the night everything went down he deserved to be worried. Now it was my job to make sure he knew I was fine, just slightly wounded.

"It just hits me out of nowhere sometimes. It's stupid, and I shouldn't care so much. I'm working on it." I shrugged and forced a smile that felt convincing-ish. Of course he didn't buy it, but he pretended to. "I'll come get you when lunch rolls around. No more sulking, and no more caring. Normal Bella will come back and get you at lunch. Be ready."

He nodded and watched as I walked out the door, and down the hall to my office. I really was fine. Not perfect but good enough that people shouldn't worry. I didn't want everyone to worry.

Edward left a serious pang in my heart, and Isadora was stored in a completely separate, yet just as prominent part of my heart. I felt like I had barely any left for myself. But it would heal, and I would gain my heart back. Period. I had no other choice.

I'm refused to be one of those girls that went crying to her ex begging to be taken back. I have pride, and I was mature. Regardless of if I miss him that didn't give me the right impose in his or his daughters life.

It may have been sudden, and one hell of a shock, but this break up wouldn't be something I looked back on with shame, and embarrassment. I would look back on these few weeks with a soft sorrow, and pride in myself. I would remember this as a difficult time that I got through with class.

That was all I could do.

Edward's POV

I was standing in my kitchen, sipping coffee, and staring out the window blankly. Isadora was still sleeping soundly in her bed, tired but so much better and I was beyond thankful for that, yet I stood staring blankly without even a hint of a smile.

Being a parent makes you do stupid, rash things for the sake of your child. At least it has that affect on me. I did what I thought was best for my daughter and didn't think about the reprocutions. I let something incredible go, from not only my own life but also Isadora's and apparently my whole family from their reaction, all on a crazy whim. I hated thinking back on that horrible day, but my mind tended to drift back to it without permission.

Isadora was released from the hospital two days after she arrived. She looked so much better, just from getting the needed fluids and taking the medication, and now she was taking it at home, in her own bed with me right down the hall. Or, actually, at least for the first week in the chair pushed into the corner of her room.

The hospital environment made things much worse then they were. The simple thought of my daughter being in the hospital made my throat tighten. She was fine, at home, and asking why Bella hasn't come to see us. I tried to explain, but my young daughter didn't understand why I would ask Bella to stay away. She got mad at me, threw one of the first tantrums I had ever seen her throw, and wouldn't let me hold her when I first told her. She was just so young.

She couldn't understand.

I have had a hard time not calling Bella, not sending her flowers, going by her work to take her to lunch. I wanted to thank her for being so helpful at the hospital, and apologize for doing what I did when I did it. I could have waited at least until Isadora was out of the hospital, maybe then I would have had more time to think. More time to make a more stable decision. Maybe I would have stayed with Bella, and she would be over at our house at night visiting Isadora and helping her get better. I ruined that possibility though.

I needed to apologize.

I have waited, procrastinated really, weeks now, giving not only myself but also Bella time to calm down and think. She deserved to be angry, and she was undoubtedly hurt. I hadn't intended for that, though I knew it would ultimately hurt her. Still seeing those tears sliding down her face, and the heartbreak in her eyes made my own heart break a million times over. I have nightmares about the was she flinched when I told her I loved her for the first time, in the middle of breaking up with her. My stupidity knew no bounds.

I had wanted to call her, to see her, ever since that night but wouldn't let myself. I have picked up the phone and started dialing her number so many times I have lost count. As it turns out I was more distracted without Bella, then I am with her.

I secretly hoped she would just call me. That she would call and ask if I was sure that I made the right decision and I could say no, I didn't. So I could tell her I lover her, wholly and truly, with every fiber of my being without it followed by 'but I have to end this.' It was a cowardly fantasy, but there you have it. Edward the coward with no one to blame but himself.

"Daddy." Isadora walked up to me, still in her pink jammys gripping her stuffed giraffe, Princess Cootie, tightly around the neck. Her free hand lifted rubbing her eye as she yawned and dragged her feet over to me. She held her free hand up to me, flexing her empty fist, silently asking to have me pick her up. I did, and she cuddled her small face into my neck. "Daddy, your face is scratchy."

"Sorry, baby. Daddy hasn't had a chance to shave lately." I said kissing her forehead. "I will later, okay?"

"Then can we go see Bella?" That made my stomach tighten, but didn't surprise me. She had been asking to see Bella since she woke up at the hospital. I assured her that Bella had come to see her while she was sleeping but then had to leave. I didn't want Isadora mad at Bella or for her to think Bella had abandoned her. "I miss Bella."

Her voice sounded choked, as though it was taking great effort for her to hold back her tears. She was heartbroken by Bella's absence from our lives, and I was the one who caused it. I was ashamed.

"I do too, sweetie, but we can't just go see her." I sighed and leaned against the counter. "You get to go to uncle Emmett's for a little while later today though. You can play with Jose."

She nodded her small head, but didn't smile. "Okay, but then can we go see Bella?"

I closed my eyes and waited for the knot in my chest to let up. You would think I would be used to it by now, but I wasn't. I ruined the possibility for a family. I took away someone important to not only myself but also my daughter. I caused more trouble and pain leaving Bella then staying with her. There wouldn't have been any pain right now if Bella were here, if she wasn't upset, if I hadn't screwed up so much.

Jasper's POV

Bella was hurting but she was doing a hell of a lot better then she had been a week ago. She manned up, and barely shows any of her pain anymore. She is taking it way better then either Alice or myself expected although we both knew she was putting on a good front. I was proud of her, though. She lost more then just a boyfriend, she lost a potential family. If Edward wasn't such an idiot, they could have been a family. Bella could have been Isadora's step mother, and she had wanted that. She had never said it out loud to me, but I knew she did. She was mourning the loss of what could have been, but taking what was gracefully.

I stared up at the clock, noticing that it was few minutes past lunch and called over to Bella's office.

"Give me a few more minutes. I'll meet you in the lobby." She answered, knowing it was me calling then hung up. She was with a client. I sighed and pushed away from my desk.

I walked out towards the lobby and smiled at Katie, our secretary. She was typing something, her fake nails clacking lightly as she hit the keys.

"How are you doing today, Mr. Whitlock?" She asked with a returning smile, never stopping typing as she looked towards me.

"I'm doing pretty well." I said as the phone rang. She picked it up, saying the practiced greeting.

The small bell over the door chimed and a small gust of mind twirled around the office, raising the corners of papers up. The air outside smelled of freshly wet concrete with a hint of sun drying up the dampness. I liked these kind of days. A little rain, and a little sun with some clouds sprinkled here or there. It was the best of both worlds.

I turned to see who had just walked in, but before my head even swiveled a small voice yelled, "JASPA!"

I turned a little too quickly giving myself whiplash and found Emmett, Edward the scums brother, standing with a big grin on his face and tiny Isadora, looking even smaller surrounded by his overly defined arms. She had a huge smile pulling up her cheeks into rosy little rounds that made her eyes squint. Her light curls twirled loosely around her face as she pulled on Emmett's shirt as if yanking him closer to me.

"Isadora." I said smiling myself, though not knowing my stance on Emmett. I assumed him being her sans Edward meant this was an impromptu, discrete trip that would likely get him in trouble with his jerk of a brother. He couldn't be all bad, if that was the case. "How's my favorite young lady doing?" I said thickening my drawl just enough to make her blush. "I've missed that reaction."

Emmett held out a hand to me, and I took it giving it a firm shake. He just continued to smile, mostly at Isadora. "She has been nagging and nagging about seeing you and Bella, and I figured what the hell. I would just bring her down and let her see you."

I could hear Bella's heals clacking lightly on the wood floor as she walked down the small hallway to the lobby. Boy would she be surprised when she rounded that final corner. Isadora held her hand out to me and I took her, throwing her in the air once, for good measure before smiling brightly at her. "I think I hear Bella." I said happily.

Isadora lit up, her mouth stretching so wide it nearly cut her face in two. Her eyes lit up as she stared over my shoulder excitedly searching for Bella. I knew the exact moment Bella appeared because Isadora did a small, high pitched squeal, which was covered only by a very boisterous, "Bella!" from Emmett.

I turned as Emmett strode forward. Bella looked like a deer caught in headlights as Emmett walked right up to her and gave her a hug. He even picked her up off the ground.

"Emmett? What's up?" Bella asked, looking confused and slightly flustered. She smoothed out her clothes then smiled up at him. "Not that I'm not happy to see you. You don't need a lawyer do you?"

Emmett laughed, and shook his head. "Nope. Brought a visitor, actually."

Bella straightened, and from the look on her face, almost like she was panicked, and as she searched the room I knew she was looking for Edward until a small giggled sounded from Isadora.

Bella looked quickly over in my direction, and saw Isadora in my arms. The smile that broke across her face was devastating. She looked like she might start crying as she strode over and took Isadora from me without a word and hugged her tightly. Isadora laughed and hugged Bella back just as ferociously.

They would have made a great family.

"I missed you so much, little girl." Bella said desperately to Isadora while she continued to hug her. Isadora simply nodded and snuggled her face into Bella's neck.

"I missed you too." Isadora finally said with a contented sigh. She laid her head on Bella's shoulder but kept her arms around her neck. "Daddy misses you too."

(A.N. Review! Please and thank you!)