EPOV

I overreacted—I knew this—but leaving Bella when she needed me the most had been one of the hardest moments of my life. This certainly wasn't the first time she'd ever been sick in the five years that we'd been married. We've been through colds, stomach flus, migraines, not to mention her period, but this time everything had changed. Bella was pregnant, and while I knew that she just had a cold, I couldn't help worrying about her. She and our children were everything to me. I couldn't lose her, not now, not ever. My heart wouldn't survive another loss.

Running my hand through my hair, I struggled to stop myself from pulling out my cell phone and making sure I hadn't missed a call—for the tenth time. Esme had been all too willing to go over and take care of her. Of course, I already knew my mother loved Bella like she was her own flesh and blood. Esme saw Bella and Alex as the answer to some unspoken prayer. So did I.

Unable to stop myself, I dug the cursed phone from my back pocket, glowering at the blank screen. "Get it together, Cullen, you're fucking lose it."

"Dude, are you talking to yourself?" Sam threw his head back and laughed. I tried to ignore him. "That's priceless. I thought only loons did shit like that."

"Guess that makes me a loon then," I snarked, glaring at him. He sobered up immediately, and I felt like an ass. It wasn't his fault that I was in a bad mood. "Sorry."

Shaking my head, I started to walk away from him, but he reached out, grabbing my arm. "What's going on?"

I sighed. "Bella's sick." Sam just stood there staring at me. "I'm worried about her."

"What's wrong with her?"

"She has a cold." The moment the words tumbled out, the corners of his mouth started to lift. "Don't say it."

"Don't say what?" he snickered. "Dude, it's just a cold."

"Yeah," I agreed, "but the last time my pregnant wife was told it was just something simple, she ended up dying and left me alone to raise our son."

His smile dropped again. "Fuck, I'm sorry. I didn't think…"

I held my hand up, stopping him in midsentence. "It's fine. Logically, I know that Bella just has a cold, but I worry about her."

"Then what the fuck are you doing here?" he groused. I shifted my attention to him. "Edward, your wife needs you and you're standing here acting like you can't go home."

"She made me come," I grumbled.

"And I am making you go home," he scoffed, tearing the camera out of my hands. I resisted the urge to hit him, but you don't touch my camera. Ever. "Look, this building isn't going anywhere. We can meet next week, but for your sake, go home to your wife."

Shaking my head, I smiled. "Thanks, Sam."

"Give Bella a hug for me and make sure she knows that I forced you to go back. I don't want her kicking your ass or anything."

I snorted. "No shit."

A feeling of relief washed over me as I packed up my equipment and ran back to my car. I needed to be with my wife, to be the one sponging her forehead with a cool rag and making sure she stay hydrated. To some men, it might seem like a sign of being whipped, but I took my responsibilities as a husband seriously and I'd never jeopardize what I had now, not again. Dropping my bag in the trunk of my car, I climbed in behind the wheel and headed home.

When I pulled up in the driveway, I was surprised by two things: first, my mother's car wasn't here, and two, there was an old, beat up Toyota Camry sitting in front of our house with Arizona plates. Climbing out from behind the wheel, I grabbed my equipment bag from the trunk and headed up to the front door. My heart leapt in my chest when I found it wide open. Bella never kept the door open—ever.

"I told you to get the hell out of here," Bella yelled, her voice traveling through from the kitchen. "Do not fucking touch me!"

Dropping my bag by the open door, I ran into the kitchen. My fists were clenched tightly. A million pictures rushed through my head to who could be in there with her. Bile rose in my throat and I barely managed to keep it from spilling out of my mouth. Sliding to a stop, I found Bella standing on the far side of the table with the phone in her hand and an angry glare directed to the woman opposite of her. The woman, who I'd never met before, looked over her shoulder at me, a sickening grin spreading over her lips. Even though we'd never been introduced, I knew exactly who she was.

"Bella, come here," I said, holding my hand out to my wife. Skirting around the table, she placed her hand in mine and let me pull her behind me. "Have you called Charlie?"

"Yep," she muttered, gripping the back of my shirt. "She just barged in. I've told her at least ten times to get out."

The woman smiled. "Isabella…"

"Don't talk to me," Bella spat. "I told you to leave."

"That is no way to treat your mother."

"Yeah, but you can't really call yourself her mother, can you, Renee?" Bella and I spun around, finding Charlie standing behind us with nothing, but pure hatred etched on his face. "I believe my daughter told you to leave. Do I need to help you find your ass? Because, honey, I'm more than willing to throw you out on it."

"Well, well, well, Charlie, don't you look handsome," Renee purred, stepping toward him.

Though she stood a good five feet away, I could smell the liquor oozing off of her. She looked like a tramp; her naturally dark hair had been bleached some time ago and she had caked on her makeup, probably in an effort to hide her age. Turning, I wrapped my arms around Bella. Her skin was on fire from the fever that ravaged her body. She should be in bed, not standing here dealing with the woman who abandoned her when she needed her the most.

"Save it, Renee," Charlie barked, moving so that he stood between us and her. It was the first time since I'd met the man that I've ever seen him so angry. Not that I blamed him. It had taken him nearly a lifetime, but he'd finally been able to move on from her hold over him. "Bella told you to leave. For once in your life, put her before yourself and get the hell out of here."

"Grandpa?" I closed my eyes for a split second before looking behind us. Alex, Anthony, and Esme stood in the doorway to the kitchen, their eyes flittering between us. Alex turned his attention to Bella, his lips curving into a frown. "Momma, what's wrong?"

"Is this Alex?" Renee slurred, stepping toward our children.

"Don't even think about going near him," Bella yelled. She pulled out of my arms and barricaded herself in front of our children. "This is the last time I am telling you, get the fuck out of my house."

Ignoring the gasps trickling out of our sons' mouths from her use of the f-word, Bella kept her arms around them and led them down the hallway. A moment later, I heard the door to our bedroom shut. My wife was hellcat who'd rip this bitch apart if she dared come near our children and I fucking loved her for it.

"You heard her," Charlie growled, crossing the room and grabbing Renee by the arm.

"Charlie, just hear me out," she pleaded. However, he ignored her and continued to drag her through the house to where the front door still sat wide open. With a hard shove, he pushed her out. She stumbled down the front steps, almost falling into the grass. "You can't just get rid of me. You love me."

He released a harsh, bitter laugh. "Not anymore, you crazy bitch. Don't come back, Renee. You made your bed, now go fuck yourself in it."

With her mouth gaping open, Charlie stepped back inside our house and slammed the door shut, going the extra step to lock the deadbolt. Taking a much needed deep breath, he looked over at me. His eyes were full of brimstone and malice. His jaw was clenched tight and his face was the color of a ripe tomato. For the time ever, I was afraid of him. Though, he wouldn't hurt me. I knew Charlie thought of me like son, even if he wouldn't hesitate to kick my ass if I hurt his daughter. That was just the kind of father he was and I respected the fuck out of him.

"You need to take her down and have a restraining order issued against Renee," Charlie gritted out. "She wants something, I don't know what yet, but she won't give up this easily."

"Okay," I muttered, nodding in agreement.

"How'd she even find her?" Esme snarled, drawing our attention to her. Bella had always been reluctant to talk about her "mother" to anyone other than me, but Esme could read her like a book. She never asked my wife why Renee wasn't around, or even directed her concerns toward me, but somehow she still knew. Esme turned her gaze on me. "I'm sorry, Edward. The boys were hungry and Bella was asleep. I thought it would be nice to take them to McDonald's and get some lunch. I locked the house up after me, I swear."

"It's not your fault, Mom," I tried to assure her. "You couldn't have known. I'm going to go check on her and the boys."

"Okay, sweetheart."

As I walked down the hallway toward my bedroom, I heard Charlie questioning Esme on why she'd been here for Bella in the first place. I took a deep breath and tried to calm my racing heart before I pushed open the door. Bella had the boys on the bed with her, one arm tucked under the pillows and the other wrapped around the two of them. While the television was on, none of them were watching the show that flashed across the screen.

"Boys, go keep Grandpa out of trouble," I mumbled. Alex shifted his eyes over to Bella. "It's okay, Alex, I promise."

With a nod, he and Anthony climbed off our bed and went back out to the living room. I reached behind me and closed the door. Kicking my shoes off, I walked over and laid down next to Bella, nestling her into my arms. Her skin was fervid, her cheeks red and her eyes glassy. Careful not to hurt her, I grabbed the wash cloth off the nightstand and laid it across her forehead. Bella sighed, letting her eyelids flutter shut.

"Does that feel better?" I asked.

"A little," she whispered. "My head hurts."

"Baby, what happened?"

Bella rolled over and sat up against her pillows. I mimicked her position and waited. Renee was a hard limit for her, one that she avoided at all cost. Her betrayal when she found out she was pregnant with Alex cut through her like a knife. Not only did she tell Bella that Alex would be better off never having been born, but she said Bella wouldn't be equipped to handle raising him on her own. I'd never understand how a woman who abandoned her daughter felt she had the right to tell anyone that they'd be worthless as a parent.

"I woke up when I heard the doorbell. Esme had left a note saying that she'd taken the boys out, but I thought maybe she'd forgotten her key or something. I opened the door and there she stood." Bella shuddered. "I tried to slam the door in her face, but she stepped in before I could. I told her over and over to leave, but she ignored me. I could smell the booze just radiating off of her. It was like being around Lauren again."

"Did she hurt you?" The words struggled to get out, but I had to know.

"Not physically," she grumbled, looking up at me. "She had that wild and crazy look in her eye, Edward. I have to admit that I was scared."

I ran a frustrated hand through my hair. "Charlie thinks we need to go get a restraining order against her."

"Probably a good idea."

The fact that she agreed so fast told me just how afraid she felt. Bringing my hand up to her cheek, I brushed a loose strand of hair out of her face. She leaned into my hand, a delicate smile spreading over her lips. Every day I found myself falling further in love with her, in complete awe of everything she managed to do with her life.

"I love you," she whispered, closing the distance between our lips. "Don't ever leave me."

"Never," I promised, tucking her against my chest. Bella slipped her arm up, threading her fingers in my hair.

After a few minutes, I realized she'd fallen asleep. Detangling myself from her embrace, I pulled the covers over her and shut off the television. I left the door cracked open and headed back out into the living room, finding Charlie sitting on the couch with Esme while they watched the boys play on the Wii. They'd begged us to allow them to put it in their room, but neither of us thought they should. Bypassing them, I walked into the kitchen and poured out the coffee from this morning, starting a fresh pot.

Charlie came in, taking a seat at the table. "Is she okay?"

"Not really," I replied, grabbing two cups out of the cabinet. "She's sick, tired, and scared, Charlie. Should she be scared?"

"Maybe," he said, cryptically.

I slammed my hand on the counter, before looking over my shoulder at him. "This is my family, Charlie. If you know anything that could put them in harm's way, you'd better fucking tell me."

Cocking an eyebrow, he leaned back in his chair. "Because I know that you're just worried about my daughter, I'll…"

"My wife," I snarked, cutting him off. "She's my wife, Charlie, and the mother of my children. Now, I can't protect her or the boys if you're hiding shit from me."

The corners of his mouth twitched, but he managed not to smile. "Fine, a few months ago, Renee called me looking for Bella. I didn't tell her where she was, but, well, Renee has her ways of getting ahold of information. I suspect that Renee's learned of Bella's successful career and wants a piece of the action."

"What a bitch," I muttered, pouring us each a cup of coffee. Sitting his in front of him, I took the seat opposite of him. "Is she dangerous, Charlie?"

"I wouldn't have thought so, but there's something different about her now. Maybe it's drugs or something." He shook his head. "I don't know, but we have to extra careful. You need to make sure Aro and Tanya know; they can protect her interest at the publishing house. I have a couple friends on the Seattle PD. They owe me some favors, so I'll see what I can find on Renee and we'll get her out of the picture for good."

"Okay," I agreed.

Charlie turned in his seat, crossing his legs. "My biggest concern is that she'll go after the boys."

"I won't let her near them." Looking over my shoulder, I found Bella leaning against the doorframe with her arms folded in front of her. "She's not getting her hands my boys."

"No, she's not," I murmured, opening my arms to her. She crossed the room and settled in my lap, laying her head against my shoulder. "I thought you were sleeping?"

"I did for a few minutes, but my throat hurts. I thought I'd make some tea," she whispered, tracing her finger along the collar of my shirt.

I pressed my lips against her forehead. "Baby, have you taken anything for your fever?" She shook her head and I sighed. "Tylenol would be fine."

"I know, but I really don't like the idea of taking anything. Why take the chance?" she mumbled, sitting up. "I think I'm gonna make some hot tea and curl up in bed. Your mother confiscated my laptop, so maybe you and I could watch a movie?"

She batted her lashes at me, an innocent look on her face. Damn, she knew just how to manipulate me. Trying not to focus on the fact that her father was sitting across from us, I told her, "Why don't you go pick out a movie while I make you some tea?"

"Okay," she whispered, leaning in and kissing me. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

She ignored her father when she stood up and walked out of the kitchen. Of course, it might have been the gagging noises he made when she kissed me. I stood up and filled the kettle with water, setting it on the stove before pulling her favorite mug out of the cabinet. It was promotional cup with the book cover from her first real novel on it. Tanya ordered it for her, saying that she'd earned it ten times over.

"I'm gonna head home," Charlie announced, groaning when he stood up. "If you need me, just call."

I turned and faced him. "Thank you for coming. I know Bella feels better knowing that you were here."

"Edward, my boy, I've waited a long time to throw that woman out of a house. I hate that she's back in our lives. I will do everything I can to stop whatever cockamamie plan she's working, but, damn, it felt good to throw her out on her fat ass."

Charlie left after promising to take the boys fishing soon. They rushed off into their rooms, closing the door behind them while Esme came into the kitchen. I dug a tea bag out of the pantry, filling her cup with the boiling water and dipping the bag into it.

"I should go home, too. Let you take care of Bella," she said, slipping her arm around my shoulder. Leaning up on her tippy toes, she pressed her lips against my cheek. "You're a good man, Edward."

"Um, thanks, Mom," I replied, smiling. "You know, for coming over today and everything."

"It's my pleasure," she giggled. "That girl is so stubborn. Lots of fluids, keep a cool rag on her forehead, and try to get her to take something for the fever."

"I will, I promise."

After locking the front door after my mother, I carried Bella's tea into our bedroom. She was under the blankets, wet cloth on her forehead, and our DVD copy of A Walk to Remember in the player. Bella looked over and smiled, sending a tingle through me.

"The boys are in their room, doing God only knows. Charlie and Esme, who gave me a list of instructions on how to take care of you, have gone back home. The house is locked up and, baby, I am yours for the rest of the day."

"Only the day?" she asked, coyly.

Setting her tea on her nightstand, I sat on the side of the bed, draping my arm over her legs. "No, love, forever."

"Good, because I'm nearly done with you, yet."

Kissing her, I growled and stood up, quickly changing from my work clothes and into a pair of pajama pants and a t-shirt. I climbed into bed, pulling the blanket over us, and starting the movie. Within ten minutes, Bella was curled up next to me, sound asleep. Settling into the mattress, I held her tight, vowing to keep my family safe.