Disclaimer: I don't own them...

A million thanks to Sunflower for pre-reading/betaing this for me.

~~edward~~

I rub my hands over my face and through my hair. I'm fucking exhausted. Bella and I celebrated our new home purchase all night, not that I'm complaining. I'm just tired.

Emmett is driving, I'm sitting next to him and Bella and Matteo are in the back seat. We're on our way to see Peter and Charlotte. And can I fucking say, I'm not looking forward to it. The asshole was supposed to be her friend and he fucking disappeared. Not even a fucking phone call when he found out that Marcus Buccieri was working with the Aros.

So no, I don't have any fucking sympathy for him or his family. Call me an asshole, I don't give a fuck. I'm only doing this because Bella asked me to.

Emmett pulls up in front of the building, and I hop out. I open the back door,pulling the car seat out of the base and then help Bella out of the car.

"I'm going to park and I will meet you guys upstairs," Emmett called out before pulling away from the curb.

"Edward," Bella started.

I shook my head, she knew I was pissed. "Don't. You need to do this, I get that, but it doesn't mean I have to like it. That asshole didn't give you a second thought when he found out his family was working against you, against us. So fuck him."

I said this quietly, not wanting anyone to overhear.

Bella sighed and led me to the elevators.

I called Paul as soon as the elevator stopped. He was waiting for us outside the door.

"Rob's here again," he said.

We walked into the apartment and I immediately looked around. I hadn't been here in a while.

I heard footsteps on the hardwood floor and turned toward the noise, "Hey Ed," my friend called out, shaking my hand and kissing Bella's cheek.

"Hey man, how goes it?"

He shrugged, looking tired. "How are you doing, Isabella? Feeling okay?" he asked quietly, almost whispering.

She smiled brightly and nodded, "I'm good, really good."

"Great, I'm going to get out of here. I'm meeting Kristen for dinner," Rob frowned. "If she goes into labor, just send her to the hospital and have them page me." He clapped my shoulder before walking out.

We stepped further into the room, turning to the left. Sitting in the formal living room is Peter and a very pregnant Charlotte. The door opens behind me and I turn to find Emmett. He reaches for Matteo and I hand him the seat.

I place a hand on Bella's waist and we move toward the couple, and Peter stands up as we walk. He looks nervous, a little scared. I wonder what my father and brother said to him yesterday.

"Bella, Edward," he says quietly, and then clears his throat.

Bella sits on the love seat across from him and I sit next to her. I'm not sure what my face looks like, but I'm sure I am giving off the 'I'm an evil fucker and I hate you' vibe.

Bella doesn't answer him, her face is a blank mask. I'm not sure what I expected, but I can't say that I'm disappointed with her reaction to him.

Her head tilts slightly, urging him to continue. He shook his head and looked over at his wife.

"I know I fucked up, and I'm sorry. I just...I got scared," he says, pleading with Bella to understand.

His wife doesn't speak, she just sits there, her hands on her stomach and her eyes on her husband.

"Bella, I'm so, so sorry for how everything turned out. I know I should have contacted you but I was worried about Charlotte and the baby. They are my priority Bella. I didn't ask to get mixed up in any of this."

He blows out a breath and rests his head in his hands. Charlotte places a hand on his arm.

Bella sniffs and nods. I refuse to speak to him, he is a sorry excuse in my eyes. There were a lot of things he could have done to warn Bella but he chose not to do anything. You don't treat family that way.

Bella clears her throat quietly, "I understand. Of course, your wife and child are your priority. I understand." She is quiet for a few moments, gathering her thoughts. "However, I don't accept the reasoning that 'you didn't ask to get mixed up in any of this.' Do you think I asked for the Aro family to come after me? Did I ask for the Buccieri family to come after me? No, I did not. I am hurt and disappointed that you didn't contact me to warn me, after I defended you to my husband, to my family. Your indiscretion put my husband, as well as my family, in danger. That choice killed our friends, parents to a new baby. A child that Edward and I will have to explain all of this to when he is older. So while I understand your priorities, I don't accept your actions. I don't accept that my oldest friend hung me out to dry. And despite what you say, I have the feeling that you knew exactly what was going on with Marcus before I sent you away."

She stood up, as did I, and then she walked over to them. She kissed him on the cheek, and then did the same to Charlotte.

"I wish you the best of luck in life, and with your child. I don't want to see either of you again. Please don't contact me, and I will extend the same courtesy. Goodbye."

She turned on her heel and walked out of the room. I gave them both a hard look, and turned to follow my wife. She was waiting by the door, with Emmett. I placed a small kiss on her temple and then followed her out the door. The sound of Charlotte's cries following us out.

~~u~~

Sunday.

Church.

St. Michael's.

Curious stares.

The new faces with the Cullen family were responsible for the gossip today.

Seth Clearwater and his daughter Leah were with us, at the 11:00am mass. They would also be having Sunday dinner with us in my parents' home. Yes, curious indeed.

I casually looked around the church, searching for anything out of the ordinary. But there didn't seem to be anything off. There were a few Feds here today, looking for something to pin on us, as usual. But they would find nothing.

Seth had resigned from the police force earlier this week. He was pretty sure some of his co-workers knew that he was working with our family, but no one said anything about it out loud. He told the captain that he no longer felt like his job was meaningful. That his co-workers were all crooked, and he didn't have faith in the justice system anymore.

He sent a package to the mayor. A package that included audio on some of the detectives and their shady dealings, photographs of cops with the Aro family and some of them even getting high. Paperwork showing that evidence was being tampered with. It was quite the file, from what I hear.

Another thing that prevented an investigation on Seth, was my father's relationship with the Mayor. My father donated very generously to his campaign and the Mayor was very grateful for my father's assistance with certain 'issues' that came up from time to time.

However, it was a strange decision on my father's part to have Seth connected with us so quickly. My father said he was using him as a personal guard, since Demetri had been killed. He wanted someone that he wouldn't have to spend too much time training. At least, that was the story, and we all knew it by heart.

~~bella~~

I wanted a glass of wine, or a shot of whiskey. Anything to calm my nerves. We were all at Edward's parents' house preparing for Thanksgiving dinner. And Esme is making me crazy.

I literally want to throw a damn potato at her head.

Our issues have obviously not been resolved. I close my eyes and take a deep breath before wiping my hands off and untying the apron I'm wearing. I don't have to put up with her shit. I am already in this family, I am married to her son, and she can just kick rocks if she doesn't like it.

I walk out of the kitchen, unnoticed, and walk into the living room. Edward is holding Matteo on his lap, watching the football game.

He looks up when he hears the heel of my shoes hit the hardwood floor. He frowns, "Baby, what's wrong?"

Ugh, my face must show how upset I am. I can't speak because I will start crying. Damn hormones.

I shake my head and reach for Matteo, "I'm going upstairs for awhile. I'll be back." My voice is rough, scratchy.

I turn before he can answer and walk out of the living room. I almost make it to the door when she calls me, "Isabella, where are you going?"

I take a deep breath and then breath in the soft baby smell of Matt's lotion. I decide to ignore her and reach for the door knob.

"Isabella," she snaps, and I cannot hold my tongue any longer.

"What?" I call out, turning to look at her.

Her eyes widen and she stays quiet, surprisingly. "What, Esme, or should I call you Mrs. Cullen? What could you possibly want from me? I can do no right in your eyes. I don't peel potatoes correctly, or cook pasta correctly, or bake pies correctly. What do you want? Did I do something else wrong in the ten minutes since I left the kitchen? Did I not fold my apron correctly? Or maybe I'm holding my son incorrectly? I'm dressed inappropriately for dinner, is that it?" I ask and then sweep my hand down my body, glancing at my dress and heels.

I ask, my voice is rising slightly, but I am controlling myself for Matt's sake. I don't want to scare him.

"I am so tired of you berating me every chance you get. You don't like me, fine. I get it. But just...don't speak to me, ignore me, I would prefer that. I've held my tongue for quite a long time and honestly, I'm tired of it. I do not deserve your judgments and criticisms. I have done nothing disrespectful to you or to this family and I'm not going to sit here and take it."

"Hey, what's going on here?" Carlisle asks, standing next to his wife.

Everyone is standing around us now, heads moving from Esme to me, like a tennis match.

"You're exaggerating. I haven't treated you in any such way," her voice is shaky, but her stance is strong.

I laugh, and then the tears start flowing. Nodding, "you're right. It's all my imagination. Well, my imagination and I, don't like it and we will not stay here and endure it for a moment longer. Have a lovely Thanksgiving, everyone."

I pulled the door open and walked out, heading toward the elevator to go up to our apartment.

I hug Matt close to me and the tears continue to fall. Stupid hormones, I'm so angry but I can't stop crying. I can hear voices carrying down the hall, and then footsteps behind me, but I don't turn to see who it is.

I jab the button on the wall, urging the elevator to hurry up.

Big, warm hands wrap around my waist and I let myself fall back against him. The elevator doors open, and we walk in. Edward hugs Matt and me, and I rest my forehead against his chest.

We don't speak, but Edward's hands run up and down my back. It seems like a couple minutes later, we are inside our apartment. Edward takes little man from me and lays him in the portable crib we keep in the living room. He then walks over to me and pulls me into his arms.

"I don't know why she doesn't like me, what have I done? I've done nothing wrong. I am not responsible for Demetri or Gianna's deaths. I didn't ask for these things to happen but they did, and we are handling it the best way we can. I love that little boy as if I gave birth to him myself, and I don't appreciate the whispers and comments the family is making about me. I am more loyal than any of them!" I cried. "Fuck! I hate that I let her get to me like this."

Edward didn't say anything but continued to hold me and rock me in his arms. I calmed myself down slowly, and stopped crying.

"Better?" he asks me.

I nod. "Sorry, I didn't mean to ruin Thanksgiving."

Edward laughs, "You didn't. I'm glad you stood up to her. She needed to hear it. Jasper and I have been giving her shit, but she didn't care. I'm pretty sure my Dad is giving her hell right now." He pulled away slightly, pulling my chin up to look at him. "You know my Dad loves you like a daughter, like his daughter. He talks about you all the time, worries about you. I'm pretty sure my mother is just jealous."

I frowned, not understanding why she'd be jealous of me.

"She's jealous of the attention you are getting from not only me, her youngest son, but also from Jasper, Santo and Carlisle. You found a place so easily in the hearts of all of the men that have only ever paid attention to her. Not to mention, we have Matteo now also. I think she's feeling insecure. But it doesn't excuse her behavior. I'm glad you finally spoke up, and stood up to her."

Huh, I never thought she would be jealous of me. That just seems so...I don't know, childish.

"Whatever," I took a deep breath and then let it out slowly. I tip my head up to look at my wonderful husband, "thank you for following me, and calming me down."

His hands cup my face, "I will follow you anywhere, Bella. Forever."

I can't help but smile, "I love you, so much."

He leans in and kisses me sweetly. "I love you, too."

We hold each other a little longer before I realize that it's still Thanksgiving. Our first Thanksgiving together.

"How about I make us a nice romantic Thanksgiving dinner? It's our first major holiday together."

Edward looks over my shoulder and then smiles. "It is, isn't it?" He kisses me again and laughs. "A romantic dinner sounds wonderful, baby. But I think that's going to have to wait."

I frown, and open my mouth to ask why but our front door opens revealing Jasper, Emmett, Paul, Rachel and Tanya. My eyes tear up again.

Jasper walks over to me and kisses the top of my head, "Hey, honey. You okay?"

"Yeah, thanks. You guys didn't..." I trail off.

"Yeah, we did. You are family and she is wrong. So we're here to support you and Ed."

Tanya walks up and gives me a hug. "I brought some groceries from Jasper's. I figured we could make a nice dinner here, for the seven of us."

I nod, "great idea. Thanks, Tanya."

Paul and Emmett walk over and kiss my cheek and Rachel gives me a side hug.

"Edward," He smiles.

"We got the kid, you girls go do your thing."

And with that the TV turns on, bottles of beer are opened, Emmett is talking to Matt about Detroit's offensive line and the girls are unpacking the grocery bags on the dining room table.

I can't help but smile; this day turned out so much better than I could have ever hoped for.

~~~~~~~~~~~~unexpected~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

a/n: I know this is shorter than usual, but I am tying up loose ends here. With Charlotte and Peter, I figured quick and to the point was going to be Bella's style. Once she got over her anger, she realized that shewould never be able to trust her oldest friend again, soshe cut them out, short and sweet. I think dragging it out would have sounded fake and unrealistic.

Also, for those of you interested in the football deets, this Thanksgiving the big games are between the Detroit Lions and the Houston Texans, along with the game that is most important in my house, the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins.

GO NY GIANTS ! (from Fran) GO COWBOYS! (from Me)... lol

Oh! If you are looking for something good to read, I just read a lovely story by TheFlutteryButterfly called Back Home. It is complete, and it's very sweet. There is also a Rocker Bella story that I have been reading called When in Doubt, Blame the Singer's Girlfriend by RRose.

And thanks so much to all of you for reviewing! I totally failed at responding this time around, but I'm glad all of you enjoyed the last chapter.

Okay, now...I'm done. See you guys next time!