AN – No long AN. Just an apology. Internet down. Then doc uploader on FF down. Oh, yeah. And a whole lotta work. It all equals a long update time. But here it is.

Best review goes to andee823 for the comment on how to make funny analogies. If my witty comment at the end sucks, blame her ;) *snort* NOT REALLY. But yeah, totes awesome. Thanks bb.

Bella's POV

Charlotte is now a month old. I've been going to therapy for the majority of that time... twice a week, for the past three weeks. Edward told me he'd like to move Charlotte into her own room, but it made me think. What is the actual age we should move her? I know she's too young. I've told Edward that. He gets it. I think. But Charlotte's age and her own room has brought me to Carlisle's study door today. I lift my hand up to knock just as Alice run's past with a quick "hi, Bella!"

My hand faltered, and I walked away with a sigh. Everyone else has started school again; even Edward, although he's only going two days a week to satisfy the headmaster's expectations. There was a new headmaster, who was a lot more understanding and accepting than the last. She was letting me stay home and study. If I turned up for exams, and submitted all my assessment, she was willing to be lenient. I was grateful. I wasn't ready to leave Charlotte for a whole day, and I certainly didn't want to bring her to school yet. I wasn't ready for the prying eyes of the entire school body.

Anyway, back to the therapy. It has been helping, really. I'm starting to smile more, and I even laugh (genuinely) occasionally. I wouldn't say I'm recovered. I'm still depressed. But I can deal with it. I can get through a day without crying now. Elizabeth says it's going to be a slow recovery, but that I'm doing well. She's become a great support. It is fantastic having someone I can talk to without fear of judgement.

I've been talking to Edward more too. It's tough opening up to him completely, but it's getting easier, day by day. I have kept my side of the pact to be honest, for the most part. Some days it's harder than others, but I still try.

Charlie has been making more of an effort over the past couple of weeks, but I know it's hard for him to help emotionally. That's just not the sort of person he is. I know he loves me, and seeing him once a week is enough for me to feel wanted. It's so much more than some people have.

Elizabeth and I have been working on a type of therapy called radical acceptance and gratitude. Basically accepting a situation for what it is, and seeing if it can be changed. Also being grateful for what is good, rather than focusing solely on what is bad. She says that doesn't mean I should be discounting the bad things altogether. Just making sure I realise I do have some good things. For example; a loving fiancé, and his supportive family; a mother and father who love me; friends who want to see me happy; and, of course, a beautiful, healthy, daughter.

With everyone being at school today, it was just Esme, Carlisle, and I. Carlisle has work in the afternoon. But until then, they plan to take me shopping for new clothes for Charlotte. The idea makes me cringe, but she's growing so quickly! We are going to meet up with my dad for lunch at the diner in Forks.

I walked into the kitchen and flicked the switch on the kettle. I knew I had to go back in to have this damned conversation with Carlisle, but I needed something to do with my hands while I was in there. Hot chocolate was my form of liquid courage. It made me think of Edward. The thought of Edward always did have a way of making me more courageous.

After making the hot chocolate, I walked slowly to Carlisle's office again. Taking two deep breathes, I knocked, and waiting for Carlisle to tell me to come in.

"Come in," Carlisle's voice said from inside the room. I opened the door slowly and walked in. Carlisle was sitting in a leather chair by the bookcase, an open book in his lap.

He looked up. "Ah, Bella. How can I help you?" he asked, lacing this hands in his lap. He reminded me of an elder, a wise man from some unknown culture.

"Um... I was wondering if I could talk to you about Charlotte..."

"Oh?" Carlisle motioned for me to continue.

"Well... Edward and I have been thinking... and I know it's not time yet... but when... what age... should we move Charlotte into her own room?"

Carlisle nodded. "Well, really there's no set date. But I'd still recommend waiting a couple of months more at least. Experts are divided. Anywhere from three to six months. Some even recommend waiting a year. Personally I think that's too long. Edward and Emmett were in their own rooms by four months. Jasper took a little longer."

"So... you're thinking a couple more months at least?"

I can't explain how happy I felt knowing that we should be waiting longer anyway. I didn't want to let Charlotte go yet, and somehow moving her into her own room made me feel like I was putting a huge wall in the way of the progress I'd been making with her.

Carlisle nodded again. "I'd say so. I think the progress you're making now is excellent... I just don't think you two are ready for that step yet. It's really hard, and the undue stress would be... detrimental. But that's just my opinion. I really think you should ask Elizabeth when you see her again."

"Ok... thanks." I turned to walk out the door.

"Oh, and Bella?"

I stopped and turned to look at him again.

"You're doing great."

I smiled at him, unsure of what to say. I nodded and walked out of the room.

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"What about this one?" Esme held up a jumpsuit with flowers on it. I suppressed a shudder and shook my head. It's not that it wasn't cute. It's just that I really could not, in any crazy alternate universe, see Charlotte wearing something with pink and purple frangipanis on it.

"Bella, you have to pick something."

I had two outfits slung over my arm, neither of which I had chosen. Nothing I saw suited my little girl. Charlotte, who was being pushed around in her new pram, seemed to have her own mind about the clothes already. Whenever I held up something, she'd wrinkle her nose and start to fuss, as if to tell me 'oh hells no, mom. You can't make me go out in that!' Damn stubborn child. She must've gotten that from me.

"Ok! Fine!" I threw my hands in the air. "I'll pick something."

After strolling around the pathetically tiny baby's clothes section of the department store, I decided this wasn't the place I was going to find clothes for my little girl.

"Esme, Carlisle!" I called out. Esme turned around. "I'm going to take Charlotte and go to another little store I saw down the street."

"Did you want me to come with you, dear?"

I shook my head. "No thanks. I'll meet you out front of here in half an hour?"

"Okay! Have fun!"

I placed the outfits slung over my arm back on the stands, and pushed Charlotte out the front door.

"Come on, little one. Let's find you some proper clothes."

I found the store quickly. The huge sign saying "Baby's Got Style" with "No One Put's Baby in the Corner" in smaller letters beneath it kind of gave away its location. Anything that managed to work a Dirty Dancing quote into the title was okay by me.

Smiling as I walked into the store, I took a look around.

"See, this is more like it. None of that trust fund baby crap," I whispered as I leant down to make sure Charlotte was still ok.

As I turned around again, something caught my eye.

It was a stand with jumpsuits. Each of the jumpsuits were various colours of the rainbow, with funny sayings on them.

I riffled through and picked out some that I like. They said "expensive but worth it", "I replaced the dog", "9 months in the womb, I can survive anything", "I knew I didn't look like a sea monkey", and finally one that said "this is the oldest I've ever been". I giggled and placed them over the handle of the pram.

Much, much better.

AN – Review for Teaser. Reviews make me happier than fuckawesome baby jumpsuits with witty repartee.