I adopted this plot bunny a year or so ago. It really intrigued me. I posted a poll in my group asking which story I should work on next, and this was the winner. It's definitely a WIP. I've only got a rough outline figured out and I'm going back to my roots with this … writing with a vague plan. I hope that I can do this justice.

None of this is mine … I wish it was. Sigh …

Chapter Twenty-Six

Bella

"I've been such a huge fan, Ms. Swan," said the woman in front of me. "Your first book grabbed me, and I've been addicted ever since."

"What's your name?" I asked, holding my pen.

"Bree," she answered. "Long and Winding Road, it helped me get out of a bad situation."

I blinked up at her. The breeze forced my hair across my face. This book convention was outside, which was perfect in the mid-February weather, which was balmy and warm, encouraging things to grow. The woman was young, with dark brown hair and hazel eyes. Eyes that held a story, a dark story. I reached out with my hand, taking hers. "I'm so sorry, Bree."

"Don't apologize. Reading your story, it made me realize that my life was a nightmare and my partner liked to take out her insecurities out on me," Bree explained with a visible shudder. "Regardless, I got my ass out of there after I read how Charlotte and Peter managed to get out of the horrible situation with John. She found Liam … She got her happily ever after."

"Did you?" I asked, trying not to cry. "Get your happily ever after?"

"I did," Bree nodded with a bright, happy grin. She looked over her shoulder, gesturing wildly. A tall, blonde woman with tattoos and an eyebrow piercing came over to Bree. "Ms. Swan, this is my wife, Irina."

"My girl just adores your writing, Ms. Swan," Irina said with a deep, husky voice. Her expression was filled with love as she looked at Bree. Bree blushed, kissing her wife's lips and I felt my heart gave a little jump. They were so happy. I'd helped them find their happiness.

"You are a beautiful couple," I beamed.

"Can we get a picture with you?" Bree asked, holding her hands up under her chin.

I nodded and stood up, smiling widely. I moved between the two of them and several photos were taken. I sat back down, signing a copy of my book for both of them. As I gave Irina the book, she took my hand. "Your book, it was Bree's talisman, Ms. Swan. I know it was a work of fiction, but it gave her strength to get out of a toxic, horrible relationship. For that, I'm eternally grateful. You helped me find my soul mate."

"I wish you nothing but the best, love and happiness," I breathed.

"I got my forever," Irina murmured, blinking to her wife. "I hope you get the same." She hugged me tightly, which surprised me, but I accepted it, nonetheless.

"I found my forever, too," I whispered to her. "Enjoy the rest of the convention." I sat back down, turning to the next person in the line. After an hour of signing copies of my novels, I was ushered to another part of the convention for presentation for several authors from my publishing company. It was a question-and-answer session, where most the questions were directed to me. My fellow authors were not happy, but I couldn't help that my novels were getting a little more notoriety because of the upcoming movie.

After that presentation, Jasper and I went out to eat lunch at a nearby restaurant. "There's been a change in the schedule, Swan," Jasper said, sipping his beer. "The organizers want a presentation with just you. You're quite the draw, Bells."

"I don't understand why," I snickered. "I'm just a writer. A woman. Nothing special."

"I beg to differ, Bella," Jasper argued. "That couple? Bree and Irina? Your writing helped Bree to garner the strength to leave an abusive situation. Own that …"

"If they knew the truth," I frowned. "There are days where I feel like I'm such a fraud."

xx Blockbuster xx

Flashback

"Bella, why don't you take your break?" Emmett said. "You've been working all morning without any sort of respite."

"I'm good," I murmured, wiping down a table. "I don't want you to think that I'm slacking because you've given me a chance. I'm a hard worker, Mr. McCarty."

Emmett walked over to me, and I stiffened. He put a gentle hand on mine. I began trembling. "I won't hurt you, Bella."

"I know," I whispered, trying to breathe through my panic.

He released my hand and sat down at the table that I'd been cleaning. "Please, sit," he said. He waited until I caught his eyes, and he arched a brow. "And, call me Emmett. Mr. McCarty is my dad."

I sat down, trying not to shake myself into oblivion. "I'm sorry, Mr. McCar … um, Emmett. I just want to earn my keep."

"Bella, you're getting back on your feet. It's okay if you need to take a few days," Emmett said kindly. "You were barely coherent when we first met you. You're just now starting to gain your strength back. You're still too skinny and … I'm still worried about you."

"Emmett," I whispered. "I can't slow down. I have to take care of my son."

"How can you take care of him if you're dead?" Emmett asked. Gently, he took my hand again. "I don't know your story, Bella, but you're safe. No one will hurt you here. You can take a breath, allow yourself a moment to heal."

"How can I afford the apartment I'm living in if I don't have money?" I asked.

"Good thing you know the landlord," Emmett quipped. "Seriously, Bella. We won't throw you out on your ass. You're family."

I shook my head. I didn't want to believe what he said. I was … a parasite. I sucked everyone dry. I was waiting for the other shoe to drop, despite the fact that Rosalie and Emmett opened up their home to me as recovered from months of practically starving myself to ensure that my son got the nutrition he needed, a bed to sleep in and protection from the real monsters in the world.

"Bella, look, I know that you've been dealt a shit hand of cards. You're waiting for me to pull the rug out from under you. I'm not. Fuck, Rosie would have my balls in a vice if I'd done something to hurt you, inadvertently or not." He moved closer to wrap his arm around my shoulders. However, he pulled away when I shrunk away from him. "I won't touch you, Bells."

"Thank you," I whispered. "Bad things happen …"

"What happened?" he asked.

I shook my head. I wasn't ready to tell him, or anyone else. I was too ashamed of what I allowed to happen to my body, what Jacob stole from me. He took away my choice, my safety, my womanhood, my freedom. I didn't realize that I was crying until Emmett handed me a box of Kleenex. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize, Bella. Don't ever apologize," Emmett said fervently. "Look, I know that you're a hard worker, but you're still getting back on your feet. Take a break … take the afternoon. You need some time to come to grips with all that happened to you. Talk to someone …"

"I don't have insurance," I whispered.

"Yes, you do," Emmett said, sliding a card across to me. "You're one of our employees and you get benefits. You also get paid sick leave. So, I want you to take a sick day and just be. Do some laundry, read a book, watch some television." He snapped his fingers. "Wait! I have something for you from my wife."

"She's already done so much for me … the clothes, the apartment, the furniture … what more can she give me?" I asked, eyeing him speculatively.

"You'll see," Emmett sang, darting into the back room and returning with a bag. "My wife went through a difficult time when she was in college, and she said that journaling helped. Maybe, it can help you."

I took out a pretty leather journal with a few pens. "This is really …" I said. "I've done some journaling, but when you work so much, it's rare that I got a chance to write. But, I never wrote in anything as nice as this. It would be a cheap, ten cent notebook that I picked up when I got Seth's school supplies." I ran my fingers over the soft leather cover. "Thank you. Tell Rose thank you, too."

"You can thank us by getting healthy," Emmett said, arching a brow. "Go upstairs and relax. Please?"

"Okay," I agreed, holding the journal to my chest. "But, I'm coming back to work tomorrow."

"Hmmm, no, you're not," Emmett snickered. "You're off until Monday."

"It's Tuesday, Emmett," I argued.

"Exactly," he sang, giving me a bright grin. "You're getting a long overdue vacation. I'll see you on Monday, Bella." I stood up, looking at Emmett. He did the same, frowning. "I really want to hug you, Bella. You deserve a hug … more, really."

"You promise not to hurt me?" I asked.

"Women are meant to be cherished and loved, Bella. If someone hurt you, that's their malfunction and they deserve a special place in hell," Emmett frowned, stepping to me. "I want to show you that not all men are assholes like the guy who hurt you." He held open his arms. I bit my lip, staring at the muscled man in front of me. With a shaky breath, I stepped into his arms, and he enfolded me into warm embrace.

I waited for the attack, the pain, but it didn't come. Instead, I felt security and safety and protection. I gripped his shirt, trying not to cry at the first man to hold me since my father. "Not all guys will hurt you, sweet girl," Emmett whispered into the crown of my hair. "Enjoy your time off and let me know if you need more time."

I nodded against him. I gave him a brief smile before leaving the café and walking up to my apartment above the shop. Once I was inside, I slid down the door and allowed myself to have my panic attack in private. I managed to calm myself, dragging my sore body off the floor. I sat down on the couch, picking up the journal along with a pen.

And, I began writing …

During that time off that Emmett gave me, I filled the entire notebook. When I went back to work the following week, I asked Rose where she'd gotten the notebook. She handed me another one and said she'd purchase more of them for me as I needed them. I tried to argue with her, but she gave me the same look that her husband did when I scoffed at taking time off.

However, instead of writing and processing my feelings, I wrote my story as a novel. It gave me a chance to make sense of the bullshit that was my life, but with a fictional twist. I had Rose read the first journal and she was the one who suggested that her twin brother, Jasper, would be interested in reading it. I was hesitant, but when Rose explained that he was a literary agent.

I hemmed and hawed, deciding that I didn't want her brother to read about my darkest moments. Rose then suggested that I go to university. I was smart enough for school, she'd said. I'd saved a ton of money since Rose and Emmett refused to let me pay rent, or utilities. The only thing I paid for was groceries and gas for my behemoth of a truck.

So, I enrolled at UC Berkley after I contacted the ACT and SAT organizations for copies of my test scores. I graduated, using my novel as my thesis, and eventually having Jasper, Rose's brother, read my novel. He fell in love with my prose and the emotions it invoked.

I know that Rose wanted me to fall in love with Jasper, but our relationship was one of friendship and a sibling-like affection. He was my biggest cheerleader as I wrote my novel and was signed by the publishing company.

However, the journals had saved my life. If I hadn't processed what had happened to me, I would have worked myself to death, leaving Seth alone in the world. But, he was my priority. He'd always be my priority … even when I was being selfish as I took classes.

Those journals … they gave me back me.

xx Blockbuster xx

Those journals … they gave me my future and my feelings of safety, security. I was able to understand that my life on the road was over. My transient existence was no longer a concern. I could plant roots and give my child stability.

I managed to come to grips with the abuse that I'd experienced at Jacob's hand at his father's behest. I was able to process each time that Jacob took from me.

Those journals … they gave me back my sanity.

Most importantly, those journals brought Edward into my life.

"A fraud?" Jasper scoffed, breaking my reverie and inner musings. "What are you talking about? Bella, you're an amazing writer. You have so many accolades - New York Times Best Seller, USA Today Best Seller, Goodreads Choice Award Winner for Best Romance, Best Debut Novel, and Best Fiction. You're getting your first novel made into a movie, under the direction of an Academy Award-Winning director. You, my sweet girl, are the furthest thing from a fraud that I'd ever seen."

"I leeched off Rose and Emmett when I first started writing," I shrugged, frowning deeply. "They supported me when they should have kicked me to the curb."

"They would never do that, Bells," Jasper argued. "We love you. You're family. You'll always be family and that's why we supported you."

"Sorry, insecure moment," I said, waving my hand. I gave him a wary look before tucking back into my meal.

"Sooooooo, I got a weird phone call last night," Jasper murmured with a shaky smile.

"What?" I asked, popping a fry. "Who called you?"

"Um, Alice," he said quickly, looking at me furtively. He gave me an uncertain smile, shaking his hands nervously. "You know, Alice? Edward's sister? That Alice? The woman who tried to fuck me to get information about you, Alice?"

I huffed out a breath, giving him a glower. "What did she want?" There was still some residual bitterness about Alice's actions. It would take some time for me to be comfortable with her, since she was still Edward's sister. As long as I was with Edward, she'd be in my life.

"She wanted to apologize for trying to manipulate me into spilling your secrets," he answered, reaching over to take my hand. He squeezed my fingers, staring at me to gauge my reaction. "Anyway, she called to do that and to tell me something. Did you know she's moving?"

"I did know that she's moving. Edward told me that she's relocating to New York City to work with Broadway performers, musicians, and such. She got hired at a prestigious entertainment law firm," I answered. "I'm upset that she's moving because how can Edward and Alice's relationship heal if they're living on opposite coasts? You know?"

"Good point," Jasper said.

"What else did she say?" I asked.

"Mainly, she apologized, a lot, and she said that if we'd met under different circumstances, we could have had a real go at it," Jasper shrugged with a wistful expression on his face.

"And, what do you think about that? Do you want her? Do you want to be with her?"

"She's gorgeous and sexy and everything I'd ever wanted in a woman, but I can't look past how she tried to fuck information out of me on you and twisted my words," Jasper sighed. "In time, could we be friends? Who knows? Right now, I don't think I could."

"Because of me?" I asked.

"Yes, because of you. Bella, like I said before, you're family. You're my family. Alice was a quick fuck. A great fuck, but I cannot handle all the drama with her," he explained, giving me a loving smile. He checked his watch, waving down the server. "We've got to go. Your next session is in an hour. We need to go over your presentation."

"What presentation?" I quipped, giving him a glower.

"A presentation that I created once I found out that you were going solo," Jasper answered, paying for our meals with a flourish. "It's pretty much a literary biography and information about your creative process. Additionally, there's a little bit about the movie and your upcoming projects, including your latest series going to print soon."

"My creative process? You're not going to make me share about my journals, are you?" I asked.

"No, Bells. That first book … it's for you and your process in healing," Jasper answered. "There might be questions as the truth behind the motivation for the novel becomes more apparent …"

"The fact that it's semi-autobiographical. Not as graphic as the reality of what happened to me in the past, but still it gleaned over my emotional, physical, and sexual abuse," I sighed, twisting my hair into a messy, loose bun.

"If I ever see that animal who hurt you," Jasper growled, "he'd become personally acquainted with my fist, my boots, and my Glock. No man should hurt a woman. Period. End of story."

"Agreed," I hissed. "Apparently, Jacob and Billy missed the memo. Hell, most of the Quileute tribe men missed the memo." Jasper wrapped his hand around my clenched fist. "Sorry …"

"Don't apologize, Bells. Own that anger and use it," Jasper explained. "We really need to go."

"Right," I nodded, picking up my bag. Leaving the restaurant with a wave, we got back into the rental car. Jasper drove us back to convention and we found the tent that the organizers set up for the authors as a 'green room', for us to leave our bags and boxes of swag for our readers. Jasper opened up his computer, showing me the presentation he created. It was amazing and my eyes glistened as I saw photos of my books that had been published, photos of my friends and family and probably the best memory of Edward and me, at the New Year's Eve party, just before Edward and I made love for the first time. You could see how much love was emanating between us. "I want a copy of this picture, Jasper."

"This is from your son. He took this picture and forwarded it onto me when I asked if he'd had any photos of you and DirectorWard," Jasper chuckled. "But, I can get it printed out."

"Thank you," I murmured, caressing Edward's cheek on the computer screen.

"Here's an outline of the presentation," Jasper said, handing me a packet.

Flipping through the packet, I made a few notes until one of the organizers poked a head in and said we were ready to go. Jasper gave me a grin, picking up his computer and walking to the main tent. He plugged in his computer while I was handed a wireless microphone.

Over the speakers, I heard Edward's voice. Blinking up to the projector screen, I saw a video of him.

"Good afternoon, patrons of Savannah Book Festival," he said with a crooked grin gracing his handsome features. "I'd like to take a few moments to introduce my favorite person in the whole world. When I met Isabella Swan, I was eager to work with her. Her debut novel, Long and Winding Road, had been optioned to be made into a movie. The studio approached me to direct the film and I eagerly accepted the challenge. When I read the novel, I'd fallen in love with her writing style and her unique talent to draw people in with her prose, her character development and the most amazing story of growth, strength, and love. Now, that I know Bella on a more personal level, I can safely say that she's one of the strongest women I know and I'm honored to call her my girlfriend, my best friend and so much more. I wish I could be there, introducing her in person, but I'm kind of in the middle of rehearsals of the movie. Probably, as this is being played, I'm in a fight choreography rehearsal, heading to a production meeting with my directing team." Blinking to the camera, as if he was looking directly at me, he continued, "Gorgeous, I'm so proud of you and I love you so much. Ladies and gentlemen, I'd love to introduce the woman who captured my heart and soul, who is incredibly talented and deserves all this praise, and so much more. Ladies and gentlemen, Isabella Swan!"

I blinked a few times as the crowd cheered for me - the overflowing crowd that filled every square inch of the tent. I started to tremble, afraid that I wouldn't …

"You've got this, sweet girl. Your guy is rooting for you, even across the entire country," Jasper whispered. "Kick some ass."

I walked onto the raised platform, shaking the hand of the organizer of the event before turning to the audience. Holy crap. I blew out a breath, plastering on a smile and I began my presentation. It went by better than I anticipated. I got over my stage fright and talked about my first novel and upcoming projects. I also had time for questions, as well.

"Ms. Swan, are you and Edward Cullen a thing?" asked one brave reader. She was petite and blonde with an impish expression on her face.

"What began as a professional relationship morphed into something more," I answered honestly. "So, yes. We're together. He's an amazing man and he makes me so happy. He's shown me how a man should treat a woman …"

A flicker crossed over her face. "Is your first novel … is it based on a true story?" she asked. "I've heard rumors."

I blew out a breath, sitting down on the stool provided by the organizers. "The book is semi-autobiographical. I lived through what Charlotte endured, times ten. My son was my sole purpose for living after I was thrown out on my ass by my abuser with no money, no future, and no hope. It took me a long time to land on my feet, but I'm here with the support of my found family and my child." I blew out a breath, tucking an errant curl behind my ear. "My life was turned upside down with the death of my father on my graduation day. I turned to a friend for solace, for support and that morphed into a nightmare. No man, no human has any right to hurt or hit another human. You have the right to say no … at any time and they should stop. In the back of my debut novel, I included information about how to get out of the same situation I found myself in."

I wiped my cheeks and looked up. The woman was also crying, as was most of the audience. "One more thing before I end this … I'm proof that there's a way out. I found my happily ever after. It took me some time to find it, but I did. Thank you for reading my story and supporting me today and in the future."

The audience began applauding and stood up from their seats. Jasper came up, hugging me tightly. I gripped his shirt, trying not fall apart. "You did so amazing, Bells," he whispered, kissing my forehead.

"Thanks," I answered, stepping back, and wiping my cheeks. "I know I should take pictures with the audience, but can we go after that?"

"Of course, Bells," he nodded. "I'll pull the car around."

xx Blockbuster xx

Edward

I yawned as I sat in the passenger seat of Emmett's car. The only flight I could get out if Los Angeles was a red eye. Bella was nursing the flu and couldn't really drive to pick me up. Plus, Seth had long hours at school for his performance as the Baker in his production of Into the Woods, Jr. Rose, Jasper and Emmett were picking up the slack while Bella recovered.

"I'm certain that Bella won't mind giving up her car keys," Emmett yawned.

"I could have picked up a rental car," I argued, scrubbing my eyes behind my glasses.

"Dude, you've been enveloped into our family. We take care of our family," Emmett argued, pulling up to the gatehouse at the entrance of Bella's neighborhood. Emmett was waved through, and we traveled through the darkened streets. "Besides, Bells is sick as a dog. She probably wouldn't have been awake to answer the call from the gatehouse. She can't keep anything down and she's weak as a newborn kitten. Rose is tempted to drag her to urgent care while Seth is at school."

"I'll help her. I'm slightly peeved that she didn't call me when she got sick," I huffed.

"She was trying to muscle through it, but couldn't," Emmett explained. "You know Bella."

"I know that she'll want to move heaven and earth to see Seth's performance," I frowned. "I'll take Seth to school tomorrow and help with Bella."

Emmett pulled into Bella's driveway, turning off the car. "Thanks, Edward. Bella, God love her, is the most stubborn woman on the planet. She would work herself to death if we don't tell her slow down. She's so selfless and focused on everyone else, never herself."

"Tell me about it," I snorted. I pulled out the keys for Bella's place. "Send me a text when you get home, Em. I know you have early days with the café."

"I've been working afternoons, but I'm on school duty," he snickered. "Not quite as early as opening the café, but still pretty early. I'll see you at the show, Cullen."

I got my backpack and luggage out of Emmett's car. I opened up the garage, using the code and waved at Emmett as he backed up, driving away. Unlocking the garage entrance, I turned off the alarm and carried my bags up to the main level of the house. Bear was sitting on the steps, his tongue lolling out the side of his mouth. "Hey, bub. You protecting your family?" He barked quietly, licking at my hand as I pet his head.

"Edward?" Seth called, padding down the stairs. "When did you get here?"

"I just got in. Emmett drove me from the airport. How's your mom?" I asked.

"She's miserable. I can hear her puking through my bedroom wall," he huffed. "She's lost so much weight because she can't keep anything down."

"How are you? How's the show?"

"I'm okay. Mom insisted I stay away from her, so I don't get her flu," he quipped. "The show is doing awesome. I'm nervous as hell."

"Language, Seth," I chided, arching a brow at him.

"Sorry, Edward," he shrugged. "But, I am." He sat down at the kitchen counter. "When you were an actor, how did you not lose your crap when you were onstage or on camera or whatever?"

"Pretend like it's a rehearsal," I answered. "Nerves, though, are a good thing. They remind you that you're alive."

"I'm terrified that I'm going to yack all over the stage like my mom has been doing for the past three days, thanks to my nerves," Seth deadpanned, giving me a wry look. "I love singing. I love performing, but the idea of doing it in front of people? Holy crap!"

I chuckled, smiling at him. He was so much like me when I was younger. I was the same way, enjoying performing but hating being in front of an audience and scrutinized by the public. "Whatever happens with the show, know that I'm proud of you and I love you, no matter what. So does your mom," I said, squeezing his fingers. I heard a loud thud upstairs, causing both of us to jump. Both Seth and I looked at each other before darting up the stairs. In Bella's bedroom, she was on the floor and vomit surrounding her. Despite her illness, she was wearing one of my button-down shirts along with some shorts. "Seth, I need you to go back to your room, kiddo. We'll continue this conversation tomorrow, okay?"

"Is she alright?" Seth asked, his voice quivering. "Promise me she'll be okay. I can't lose her, Edward."

"You won't, Seth. I promise," I answered, kissing his forehead, and sending him and Bear out of Bella's room. I walked into the room, closing the door. Bending down, I picked up Bella from the ground. It appeared she tried to make it to the bathroom, but got dizzy and fainted. She had a small bump on her forehead. As I cradled her body to mine, I could feel her fever. She jumped when I shifted her body closer to mine. "Hey, gorgeous."

"This was not how I wanted you to find me," she grumbled, her voice raspy and drawn. "I was hoping for sex."

"There's time for that, after you get better, love," I snickered. "We need to clean you up."

She looked down, seeing the mess on her clothes and in her hair. "I can't kick this, Edward. It's been three days of throw up, exhaustion and overall disgust. I cannot handle throw up."

"Have you gone to the doctor?" I asked, placing her on the toilet and handing her the garbage can. She eyed it dubiously. "Just in case."

"I probably should, but I've got too much going on," she whined. Her whines turned to retches and she hurled into the garbage can. "Fuck me."

"As much as I love you, I don't think now is the best time," I said wryly, turning on the shower and kept it tepid. I tossed off my shirt and went rooting around in her medicine cabinet before finding a thermometer. I stuck it in her ear, frowning when I saw the read-out. "After I drop off Seth to school, I'm taking you to the doctor, woman. This is not normal." I knew she was feeling shitty because she just nodded weakly, not arguing with me.

I helped her out of the soiled shirt and shorts, lifting her into the shower and cradling her against my body. She shivered, but melted against me as her shivers calmed. Her ear was pressed to my chest, listening to my heartbeat. "I wanted to shower, but I was afraid I'd pass out. Thank you," she whispered.

"Let me get you cleaned up. You've got puke in your hair, and we need to get you back into bed," I said, pouring a healthy amount of shampoo into my palm. I began massaging it into her hair, making her sigh contentedly. "We should change your sheets, too."

"I have no energy," she frowned. "I haven't eaten since last Friday. Whatever I do eat …"

"I know, love," I said, rinsing her hair and washing her too skinny body.

We finished our shower and I dressed Bella in another one of my shirts and a pair of my boxers. She was falling asleep against me while I blew dry her hair. Picking her up, I put her on the oversized chair in her room and covered her with a blanket. She dozed comfortably while I stripped the sheets and cleaned up the mess on the floor from her passing out. With her bed remade, I tucked her underneath the blankets and placed another garbage can next to her. I walked downstairs, tossing the sheets into the washer, and grabbing my bags. Seth poked his head out, worrying his lip. "Will she be okay, Edward?"

"I'm taking her to the doctor after I drop you off at school. She will be," I said.

"Should I stay with Aunt Rose and Uncle Emmett?" he asked.

"For as long as she's feeling crappy, I'm staying here, Seth. So, no. You're staying here, with your family. Filming isn't slated to start until after your spring break. I have some flexibility. Elliott and Alec can run rehearsals. They know my expectations and I can conference in if there's an issue. You guys are far more important to me than any movie," I said, giving him a soft smile.

"Thanks, Edward," Seth breathed, giving me a wide grin. He hugged me tightly and burrowed closer to my body. I cupped his head and kissed his cheeks as I held him. "Love you."

"Love you, too, Seth," I whispered. "Now, get some sleep. Your alarm will go over sooner than you realize."

"'Kay," he nodded. "Thanks for taking care of my mom. She … she's so stubborn."

"Takes one to know one," I laughed quietly. "So, am I. See you in the morning." He ducked back into his room, chuckling when Bear sauntered out past me and into Bella's room. He easily hopped up onto the bed, curling near Bella's feet. He knew she wasn't feeling well and was providing her comfort. I yawned deeply, setting my alarm, and crawling into bed, snuggling behind Bella. I draped my arm around her body, drifting off to sleep.

As I predicted, the alarm went off way to early. I groaned and tightened my arms around Bella. She tried to move closer to me, but I knew I had to get my ass out of bed to drive Seth to school and to make an appointment for Bella at her doctor because of her illness. I threw on a pair of jeans and a hoodie, covering my head with a baseball cap. Seth was already downstairs, eating some breakfast. He grunted his good morning. I did the same. I took one of Seth's notebooks and jotted down a note. "You almost ready to go?" I asked. "What about Bear?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "And, Bear did his business in the backyard while I was getting dressed."

"I'm going to run this up to your mom, in case she wakes up while I'm gone," I yawned, pouring myself some coffee into a travel mug. "Can you put some milk in my coffee?"

"No milk. Mom was too sick to go grocery shopping. We have Coffee Mate," Seth suggested.

"Ewwww, no thanks," I snorted. "I'd rather drink it black. I'll be right back. Load up in the car, Seth." I went upstairs, placing my folded note next to her. "I'll be back, gorgeous. Love you."

"Love you, too," she mumbled, curling up into a tiny ball.

I kissed her forehead, noticing her fever had broken. As much as I hated to do so, I left the room and went down to the garage. Seth was in the backseat, flipping through his script. I backed out of the garage and closed it with the remote. Seth was humming under his breath, singing his music for the show. His voice was starting to drop, and he'd grown five inches since I'd known him. He was taller than Bella, coming up to my ear. But, despite that, he was still a little boy. A boy who needed his mother and protected her fiercely.

"Edward, can I tell you something and you promise not to freak out?" he asked.

"I don't like where this is heading, Seth," I murmured, pulling into the car line.

Seth unbuckled his seatbelt and pointed to a dark van. "That van has been at my school during pick up and drop off since we got back from winter break. Sometimes, they have a camera out. Other times, they don't. I can't tell who they're taking pictures of, but they're always there."

"Are you sure it's the same van?" I asked.

He slid out his phone, handing it to me after he found pictures. I blinked up at the van and the photos on his phone. I forwarded one photo to my phone and pursed my lips. "It's the same, Edward."

"Do you notice where they're photographing?" I questioned, inching closer to the front door.

"No, not really. It's just weird," Seth shrugged.

"I want you to tell the main office," I suggested. "Show them the pictures and they can get the police involved to remove them from the street."

"Okay," Seth nodded, sliding over to get out of the car. "Will you pick me up?"

"Call me when you're almost done with rehearsal" I said.

"Seven. Rehearsal is done at seven," he explained. "Bye, Edward. Thanks for … well, everything. You didn't need to …"

"Seth, you and your mom are my family. I would do anything for you," I explained. "Have a good day at school."

"Um, one more thing. Can I have money for lunch?" he asked, wrinkling his nose. "Again, no food because Mom couldn't go grocery shopping."

I reached into my wallet and handing him a twenty. "Is this enough?"

"More than enough. Thanks," he grinned. "Bye, Edward." He got out of the car, catching up with his friends, Cooper, and Nick. He waved at me as I pulled away from the curb. I drove toward the van, and it tore out of there, making my brows raise. A teacher heard the tired squeals and scurried inside. Hopefully, they would let the administration know. I had to get back to my sick girlfriend. I drove back to the house and sent a text to Rose, asking her to pick up some groceries for the Swans. She asked why I couldn't. I told her that I was hapless in the kitchen, and I didn't know what to get. Most of my meals were prepared by a cook I'd hired, or food magically appeared in my fridge along with instructions on how to reheat. Rose teased me, saying I was an overgrown kid, but said she'd get what we needed.

Pulling into Bella's garage, I parked the car and found Bella downstairs. She was curled up on the couch, wrapped in blankets and idly flipping the television. Her eyes were still glassy, and the trash can next to her indicated she still was not feeling better. Bear was next to her, burrowing close to her body. "Hey, gorgeous," I said. "You should still be in bed."

"I needed a change of scenery," she answered, giving me a smile. "I also wanted to try drinking some water. I was thirsty."

"Are you hungry?" I asked.

"No, not really," she grimaced. "I'm thirsty, but I'm paranoid that it's all going to make a reappearance."

I sat down next to her, taking her hand. "You need to go to the doctor, gorgeous," I said.

"We leave in an hour," she sighed, giving me a defeated look. She pushed her blankets away, revealing that she'd put on clothes. Well, she put on leggings, but was still wearing my shirt.

"Will you be okay while I shower?" I asked, brushing her hair back to check on her bump.

"I should be. I got the garbage can and I won't get up until you're back. I probably should have waited to go down the stairs, but I couldn't lay in those sticky sheets any longer," she grimaced. "My fever broke, and I couldn't handle laying in my own funk."

"I put your other sheets in the washer. I think Seth flipped them into the dryer this morning. We can change the sheets after we get back from the doctor's appointment," I murmured, kissing her forehead. "You worried me, gorgeous."

"I worried me, too," she muttered, wrinkling her nose. "Hopefully, the doctor can give me some anti-nausea meds and I can actually have food."

I nodded, kissing her again and went upstairs. I showered again and put on a sweater since it was chilly this morning. I grabbed a sweater for Bella, jogging back downstairs. Bella managed to keep the water she sipped down, and I drove us to her doctor. We were ushered into a room after the nurse saw how pale Bella was. We didn't wait very long in the examination room as her doctor breezed in. Bella was diagnosed with a particularly nasty strain of stomach flu. She was given some anti-nausea medications. However, it seemed that she was over the worst of it.

The next couple of days, Bella did rebound from the flu. She was able to keep down simple meals of rice with chicken broth and dry toast. I took Seth to and from school, keeping my eyes out for the van, but it didn't come back while I was acting like Seth's personal chauffeur. On Friday morning, Seth looked at me as I dropped him off. He had a look of terror in his eyes. "Tell me I don't suck," he squeaked.

"You do not suck and if someone said that you to you, I'll kick their ass," I said.

"No, nobody said. I'm just terrified that I'm going to suck," he sighed. "We open tonight. My family, my friends, are coming to see the show and what if … I suck?"

"We don't have the script. The only people who know that you made a mistake are you and your castmates," I explained. "Don't let the mistake show on your face, Seth. Just keep going. And no matter what … your mother and I …"

"Love me. I know," he laughed. "I'll see you tonight at the show. The director is feeding us dinner in between the end of the school day and the show."

"Have fun," I said. He jumped out of the car, waving as he ran into the school. I waited until he was inside before I drove to a nearby floral shop. I wanted to get Seth some flowers, adding a spatula into it since he played the part of the Baker. I also got Bella a beautiful bouquet, as well. She deserved some beauty in her life.

When I got back to the house, I found Bella on the couch. She was typing and she looked the best I'd seen her since I arrived. Her face was no longer pale and gaunt. She had some warmth in her eyes and pinkness in her cheeks. "You look so good, baby," I purred, balancing the two bouquets.

"It's amazing how much a shower and some makeup will make you feel better," she giggled, smiling at me. "Are those for me?"

"One is for your son for opening night," I said, holding up an orange bouquet with the spatula stuck inside. "This is for you, my love. You survived the stomach flu and I wanted to give you something pretty."

"Just being here and holding my hair back while puked was more than enough, Edward," she snickered, getting up and walking to me. She slid her arms around my waist. "Thank you for everything, Edward. I … I don't know …" She sniffled, looking up at me with love swirling in her eyes. "I never had this. Someone to take care of me. I mean, Rose and Emmett did when I first fell onto their doorstep. You …"

"I would do anything for you, love," I whispered, wiping a tear away. "I love you."

"I love you, too," she murmured. "I'm so sorry for being so weepy."

"I get it, Bella," I said, holding her to my body. "You were sick and scared, and I get it." I kissed her gently, relishing in the soft lips moving against mine. She tried to deepen the kiss, but I pulled back. "You're still getting over the flu, woman. I love you. I love making love to you, but you're still getting over the funk. I promise you … I will make love to you before I fly off to start principal filming for your movie."

"Okay," she said, pressing a soft kiss to my jaw. "Do you want to go out and have a date today? I want to get something for Seth for his show. You got him the flowers."

"I think we can do that, but you still need to take it easy," I said, threading my fingers with hers.

We spent the morning and early afternoon shopping for a gift for Seth. We ended up getting a Build-A-Bear in the form of a baker, along with a ginormous cookie that said congratulations. Driving back to the house, Bella decided to shower again since she felt gross, and I made us a light dinner.

Okay, I reheated a light dinner. Rose a godsend when it came to make bland meals for Bella since the smells of the kitchen still caused her stomach to revolt. I plated the half chicken breast and white rice with a glass of ginger ale. Bella walked down, wearing a pretty dress. "Wow," I drawled. "You're gorgeous."

"So are you," she grinned.

"I need to change," I shrugged, plucking at my button-down and pair of jeans.

"But, you are gorgeous, inside and out," she whispered. Her cheeks flushed and she looked up at me. Her hand was pressed to her stomach as it snarled angrily. "I'm starting to get my appetite back."

"Good," I said. "I know it's not much, but let's eat some dinner before we have to drive to the school."

After sharing our meal, I changed into a pair of black dress pants and a charcoal gray cashmere sweater with a leather jacket. We loaded up into Bella's car, driving to the school and parking in the lot. Threading our fingers together, Bella handed me a ticket from her purse as we entered the foyer of the auditorium. "Nice digs," I whispered. "I think that middle school I would have attended had a cafetorium."

"This was a recent addition," Bella said, handing our tickets to a parent volunteer.

A star-struck parent volunteer … crap.

Bella arched a brow, tightening her fingers around mine. "Can we get a couple of programs, please?"

"Right," the volunteer said, fumbling with the booklets and handing them to Bella. "Enjoy the show."

In the auditorium, we found Emmett, Rose, their children, and Jasper sitting in our row. We said our hellos, chuckling at the sheer amount of swag in front of us for Seth. I could feel the stares of people who recognized me as a former actor. I didn't want to be the one on display. This was Seth's show. Not mine.

The stares stopped when the lights went down, and the music began for the overture. The curtain opened, with three vignettes frozen in time, as the music continued. When Seth's vignette came to life, I was blown away by how amazing he was. He was a natural on the stage, interacting with the Baker's Wife, Little Red Riding Hood, and the Evil Witch.

I was completely mesmerized, watching the production. Seth was one of the stronger performers, along with the Evil Witch and Cinderella. There were a few weak links, like the Wolf and Rapunzel, but overall, it was a good production for a middle school show.

At the end of the show, Seth easily got the loudest round of applause. He dropped his character, smiling shyly, almost exactly like his mother. He bowed deeply, gesturing to his wife, who curtseyed adorably and took Seth's hand. Bella gasped, looking at me. I chuckled, kissing her temple. "It's a showmance, Bella. Once the show is over, it'll probably end."

"My baby boy has a girlfriend," Bella whimpered.

"You don't know that for certain," Rose argued. "They could just be friends."

The curtains closed and the lights went up. We walked out into the foyer, waiting for the cast to come out. About ten minutes later, the kids came clambering out, finding their families. Seth was one of the last ones, finding us easily and being pulled into a tight hug by his mother. Seth dwarfed her, but snuggled against her as they swayed back and forth. He pulled back, blinking to me, and hugged me just as tightly as he did his mom. I could feel his body tremble against me. "I did it, Edward. I did it," he whispered.

"You more than did it, Seth. You rocked it," I breathed, kissing his cheek. "I'm so proud of you and I'm in awe of how great you performed. You might be better than me!"

He pulled back, giving me a rueful look. "Doubtful, Edward," he snorted. "You won an Academy Award!"

"As a director. Not as an actor," I argued, giving him his bouquet. "You gonna make me some of those sweets?"

"Hardy har har," he snickered, rolling his eyes, hugging me again. "Thank you for being here, Edward. It meant a lot to me. More than you can possibly understand."

"Okay, Bakerman, get together with your parents and smile pretty for the camera," Emmett sang. "You're rocking the makeup, my main man."

"I own this, Uncle Emmett," Seth said, sliding his arms around Bella's shoulders and my waist. "You couldn't rock this lip color like me."

"He's got a point," Jasper snickered.

Bella rolled her eyes. "Take the picture, Emmett. I'm wearing heels and they hurt," she snorted.

We took a ton of photos and clambered into the car. Seth had two more performances on Saturday. Bella was working as a parent volunteer for the afternoon performance, and we were going to watch the Saturday evening performance, just Bella and me.

The final performance was even better than the first, without the opening night jitters gone and the comfort of being in front of an audience. When the show was done, Seth told us about the cast party. We drove him to the girl's house who played his wife. The party would be going until midnight.

Bella wanted to say no because of the location of said party. She didn't want her baby boy to … be influenced by the older girl who played Seth's fake wife on stage. I just reiterated that it was a showmance.

Thankfully, the party was more about watching movies, eating snacks, and playing video games. There was no making out or baby-making that Bella fretted about. Seth was still her baby boy. If I had to guess, it would be some time before Seth would be ready for a relationship. He was wise beyond his years in many ways, but he feared being a relationship because of how his sperm donor treated his mother. He didn't want to repeat the cycle of abuse. He'd told me that while we were driving home from rehearsal early in the week.

Sunday, Seth spent the day catching up on sleep and homework. I spent the day showing Bella pictures of costume tests, sets, and rehearsals. She was excited to see her story come to life, but was not ready to let me go in a week. Hell, I wasn't ready to go in a week, despite the joy I found in directing.

On Monday, we dropped Seth off at school and went to the publishing house. Bella had to do some editing for her latest novel, and I had to conference in with Alec and Elliott. I was set up in one of the conference rooms, logging into the program and speaking with my production team. However, Bella stepped into the conference room, with her face as pale as a ghost. Like when she'd been sick, but worse …

I ended my call with Alec and Elliott and walked over to her. "What is it, Bella?"

"In my mailbox, there was a letter from … Child Protective Services. Someone filed an anonymous report that I'm an unfit mother," she whispered, handing me the letter. I skimmed it, feeling my blood pressure spike with each bogus complaint. "I could lose my son. I'm being investigated for neglect and … this has to be Jacob. He won't let this go."

"We'll fight this, gorgeous," I vowed. "Call Caius. He'll know what to do."

"I can't lose him, Edward. Seth is my little boy," Bella sobbed, collapsing against me. "Why can't he leave well enough alone?"

Good question …

A/N: No one should be in a situation like Bella … where you fear for your life and your livelihood. Where your integrity is questioned. Please check out these resources if you need help.

National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Up next will be meeting with Caius and fighting these claims of neglect and abuse, thanks to the anonymous tip. However, if an allegation is posed, the person in question does need to be investigated. Though, we all know it was Jacob or one of his cronies …

We're also going to have some separation for Bella and Edward … he's got her movie to make. They will be reunited, but the drama isn't over yet.

Pictures for this chapter are on my blog. You can access that on my profile. I'm also on FB: Tufano79's Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation. Twitter, too: tufano79. Leave me your thoughts! Thanks for reading!