Merge? Yeah...we're about ready for the merge.

So...still without power at home, but we decided we could rough it with a borrowed generator.

Um...it was 40 degrees in my house.

No roughing it.

:-(

Chapter Twelve

The Beginning of the End

Three months after the birth of their first child, Edward and Bella found out they were pregnant…again. Then, four months after the birth of their daughter, Bella was once more with child. It became a running joke among their friends that Edward would keep Bella pregnant so he wouldn't have to worry about other men hitting on her. The joke wasn't too far from the truth.

With every new addition to their family, Edward's possessiveness increased. It was as if he knew how important Bella was, not only to him, but to their ever growing family. The need to keep her safe was an obsession, to the point that she was rarely able to go out alone.

They had decided that Bella wouldn't return to work after their second child was born, which was a blessing when she had number three and got pregnant with number four. While Edward went off to the office every day, Bella managed the house and cared for the children. Her parents had moved to Seattle after the first grandchild arrived, and her mother was over almost every day to help.

Bella loved every moment, but she felt like something was missing. She was no longer Bella, she was mom.

The moment Edward would walk in the door after work, Bella would hand over whichever little one was cranky that day and head to the tub for some alone time. Edward would feed and bathe the other children and get them settled in bed, before searching out his wife. He could see the sadness lurking in her eyes, and wanted desperately to fix it. He wanted her happy more than anything. Knowing that perhaps she needed some more time with adults, more conversations that didn't mention poop, Edward encouraged her to go to a yoga class or dancing with friends. While she enjoyed the freedom of being out of the house, Bella dreaded coming home to Edward's inquisition.

"Who were you with?"

"Did anyone hit on you?"

"No one touched you, right?"

Though he never accused Bella, it still felt like there was no trust between them. Edward tried hard to keep his fear from tainting their lives, but the thought of someone taking her away from him, made him miserable.

*()*()*

After a particularly rough week of sick, whiny kids and demands at work, Edward decided to take Bella out. She protested when he tried to get her into a slinky black dress, telling him she looked ridiculous with her big, pregnant belly. But Edward placated her with kisses and gentle hands, showing her just how much he loved her body.

The club was the same one they had gone to years earlier, and it looked just the same. The same music was blaring; the same mindless people were dancing. Bella sipped her bottle of water as Edward held a beer in his hands. Ignoring her glare, Edward pulled Bella out onto the dance floor. Once the music started, she surrendered to the feeling of his hands against her skin. She seemed to enjoy putting on a show, knowing there were hungry eyes following their every movement. Bella was the picture of womanhood, ripe and sexy as she ground her ass against Edward's slowly thickening erection.

Bella didn't even think about leaving Edward's side, for fear of a repeat of the last time they were out in the club. He led her off the dance floor, always cautious of her. She settled on his lap in the shadowed corner booth. When he slid his hand below the hem of her dress, she didn't protest, instead she spread her thighs wider so he could get his fingers where he wanted. With her head resting on his shoulder, her hot breath panting in his ear, Edward caressed her right there in the middle of the club. He could feel countless sets of eyes on them, but his attention was on Bella. Moans and whimpers were lost in the pumping beat of the music as he brought her higher. Edward needed to stake a claim on her, desperate to show the scavengers around them that she belonged to him. Bella just needed a release.

Bella bit into the hard muscles of Edward's shoulder as she came, shaking and shuddering in his arms. He was uncomfortably hard against the zipper of his jeans, but it had been worth it to see Bella so free and happy.

Pulling her out of the booth, Edward made a big production of straightening her dress and licking his fingers clean, which made the other men around them groan and adjust their pants.

"Damn it, Edward," Bella hissed, her cheeks flushing pink in embarrassment as she realized he had put on a show in front of others as a means to stake his claim. When would he realize she only had eyes for him?

*()*()*

"Get the fuck out of here!" Edward snarled, ignoring Bella's exasperated and pain-filled sigh.

"Edward, he's the doctor. He needs to examine me," Bella whispered, reaching out to put a restraining hand on his arm. Edward shook his head and focused once more on Bella, trying to ignore the young doctor cowering in the corner. He seemed to enjoy the examination a little too much for Edward's liking.

Bella wondered how she could have possible forgotten just how much pain was involved with bringing a child into the world, but the look of absolute love and adoration on Edward's face helped to soothe the agony. A different doctor came in, a woman this time, and announced that it was time to push. Edward held Bella's hand, whispering words of encouragement as she struggled.

The room was soon filled with lusty cries as their son entered the world. Edward kissed Bella's lips and forehead as he watched the nurses clean up their child. He wiped away the tears on her cheeks and tried to pretend that the sadness in her eyes was because she wasn't pregnant anymore.

But he knew better.

*()*()*

With the new baby and the three younger kids at home, Edward took two months off work to stay home and help Bella settle in. Their newest little boy was amazing, sweet and quiet, the best baby ever. While the kids enjoyed their time with their mom and dad, Bella was distant. Edward knew something was going on. He could feel her pulling away from him. She didn't touch him, she didn't talk to him.

And the separation was killing him.

*()*()*

When Edward saw a plain, white business card sitting on the kitchen counter one morning, he didn't hesitate to dial the number and make an appointment. The therapist could see them in a week. He was willing to do anything to get them back to that fairy tale love they'd once had.

Bella smiled at him when he wrote the time down on the calendar, but he couldn't return it. Instead Edward nodded his head and walked up to their bedroom, locking himself in and burying his face in the pillow to silence his tears.

What had happened to them?

*()*()*

"He is so possessive."

"I can't breathe."

"He wants to know where I am all the time."

"He actually assaulted a doctor during the birth of our child."

"I love him but he's suffocating me."

Sitting in the therapist's office, Edward listened to Bella's words and tried not to scream. How had he not seen what he was doing to her? The therapist looked over at Edward with an assessing glare. The way she described him made him sound like he was a monster, but he wasn't. Never once had he ever considered laying a hand on her or their children. That was just the way he loved. He would kill for her. He would die for her.

What was wrong with that?

*()*()*

"The possessiveness is a sign of insecurity."

"Immaturity."

"Perhaps a separation would encourage more mature ways of dealing with that fear."

The therapist's words left Edward in a daze. That was her recommendation? Did she actually think taking Bella away from him would make him less insecure? He wouldn't know where she was or who she was with. He wouldn't be able to see her or touch her.

Edward swallowed hard, pushing himself out of the chair and sprinting out of the office. Too panicked to find a bathroom, he ran outside and retched into the bushes. Through the pounding in his head, he heard Bella's footsteps approach and then the gentle caress of her hand on his back. He wondered if this would be the last time he felt her hands on him. If it was, then it would be the last time he would feel anyone's touch. There would never be another for him.

Never.

Edward wiped his mouth and turned around, falling to his knees. He wrapped his arms around her, pressing his face against her belly.

"Baby, please…no. I'll stop. I'll change…anything," he rasped between panting breaths. But Bella simply closed her eyes, tears falling freely.

*()*()*

The dining room table was covered in food, but no one was eating. Friends and family sat and looked at Bella, unable to meet Edward's bloodshot eyes.

"So she recommended a trial separation."

For a moment, the table was silent as everyone absorbed the information. As conversation erupts around him, Edward does nothing but stare at Bella. He memorizes every little thing about her. The shape and color of her eyes. The gentle slope of her nose. How he could get lost in the thickness of her luscious brown hair.

She was his everything.

"So are you staying here or…" Edward's mother asked with tears in her eyes.

"I'm going to my parent's," Bella said quietly and her father, Charlie nodded his head. Edward had a long talk with Bella's father, and Charlie understood just how hard it was for Edward to watch her walk away from him. He would have been the same way with his wife, Renee.

"I think it's a good idea," Edward's sister Rose said, plastering on a fake smile. Edward clenched his jaw, trying to stay silent as Rose's husband, Emmett, gave him a sympathetic look.

"Me too," Bella's best friend Alice chimed in. Her husband, Jasper, grabbed her hand to try and quiet her down. Jasper knew how hard Edward was taking the separation.

Bella looked around the table at the people she loved most in the world, her eyes lingering on Edward. Although her heart was breaking at the thought of leaving him, she couldn't continue to live in the bubble he'd put her in.

Even if the distance devastated him.

Yep...there ya go.

Next even chapter is brutal...you'll get another odd today and then the even tomorrow.

There are 20 chapters total.

Huge thanks to anyone who voted for me over on Facebook...Fatty came in number 10 in the Top Ten Completed Fic of the Month for September. I don't pimp...so the fact that you guys just saw it and voted...you're awesome!