Disclaimer: None of this mine, nor will it ever be. The characters belong to Stephenie Meyer and I just like to play with Edward and Bella.

Also, thank you so much for your support for my writing. It means to me more than words can say.

I'm unsure if you'd heard, but one of our beloved fandom family members passed away this weekend. Dee Creston, lovingly known as FangirlinGrandmaDee, died peacefully and surrounded by family. This chapter is dedicated to one of the kindest, warmest and friendliest members of our TwiFamily. Her love of fic and her encouraging words will be missed, tremendously.

From me to you, Dee, {GIANT TUFANO HUGS AND SMOOCHES} … always and forever.

"Each step you take reveals a new horizon. You have taken the first step today. Now, I challenge you to take another."
Dan Poynter

Chapter Six

Bella was at her therapist's office. She was looking at her legs and shocked at how much they'd grown in the three months since she started working with Edward. He was talking about possibly using the bars to start walking. It terrified her. Could she walk again? Would her legs work for her?

"Bella?"

"Coming," Bella said, turning her chair and rolling into Rose's office. "Hey, Rose. How's the baby?"

Emmett and Rose had had a baby girl, via surrogate. "She's good. Just started rolling over. I can't believe she's three months old. How's your physical therapy?"

"Edward mentioned that we may try walking at my next appointment," Bella said, giving Rose a smile. "I'm terrified that it won't work. The muscles in my legs are getting stronger. I have more control in my limbs, but what if I can't … what if this is all for naught?"

"Bella, you will fall. You're rebuilding muscles that had not been used in over a year. It's never easy," Rose said. "However, you can't let that slow you down. Your recuperation has been slow and steady …"

"It's what wins the race," Bella murmured, smiling gently at Edward's tender voice when he first mentioned this.

"Now, there's a face I've never seen before," Rose sang, a coy grin spreading over her face. "Did someone catch your eye?"

Bella's cheeks flamed. She hid behind her hands, shaking her head harshly. "Maybe, I've got some Florence Nightingale thing going on for my physical therapist."

"Florence Nightingale was a nurse, Bella. Not a physical therapist," Rose snickered. Bella gave her a hard look, arching a brow at her shrink. "Okay, okay. I've met Edward Cullen. He's easy on the eyes and he pushes for his patients."

"I agree," Bella blushed. "I may have a teensy crush on him. There are moments where I feel like there is this connection. I feel more comfortable with him than I did with my ex-husband. Edward has been the rock that I expected from Riley, but he's kind, strong and loyal."

"And your ex wasn't kind?" Rose asked.

"He had moments of kindness, but he was very self-centered and narcissistic," Bella shrugged. "I loved Riley when I was with him. Our beginning was sweet. Our middle was rocky, at times. Especially after Jake's birth … and again after I had a C-section with Seth." Rose arched a brow. "With Jake, I suffered from post-partum depression. Riley disagreed with my need to see a therapist. He thought I was just overtired, but it was more than that. We had a huge fight and he moved out for a month. Both of our parents spoke to him about how real my issues were. I started anti-depressants and immediately felt better. Riley saw that and we went to couple's counseling."

"What did that incident tell you about your ex-husband?" Rose asked.

"That he was self-centered. He also was worried about appearance. If I went out not fully made up, he'd get upset. Me having depression, impacted people's perception of him. Or at least, that's what he believed. We talked about it, but he never really changed," Bella huffed. "It's why I kept up with my physical appearance, running and staying healthy. It was something that he'd never get over. One less rift to contend with, I guess."

"And then you had your stroke and you were confined to the chair," Rose muttered.

"To think I was shocked when he asked for a divorce. I wasn't, really. I saw a bit of this behavior after Seth's birth." Bella grumbled. "With my paralysis, I wasn't the picture-perfect wife anymore. I was this broken thing."

"You are not broken, Bella," Rose spat, rolling closer to her and taking her hands. "If anything, Riley is the broken one. He threw away your fifteen-year marriage without a care. He destroyed his relationship with Jake and Seth."

"I hate that he abandoned our children," Bella sniffled. "I could handle the end of our relationship, but to casually toss our children to the side. That's just fucking cruel!"

"Your boys have bonded with Edward, right? They come to your physical therapy sessions?"

"Jake, yes. I think Jake believes Edward is the second coming," Bella snorted. "Seth is a bit standoffish. That's understandable. Seth's vision of his father had been shattered and now this new guy comes into the picture? Even if is my physical therapist, he's still wary. I do appreciate your suggestion with the therapist for the boys. I do see an improvement in them."

"Good. I'd like to see them again. If you want to bring them to your next appointment?" Rose suggested. "I know you're going back to court regarding your custody agreement.

Bella nodded. "That should be the best. They need to know that regardless of what the judge says, that I'll always be there for them. I hate that my sons are being abandoned by their father. Asshole."

"I completely agree," Rose snorted. "But, I think your sons are getting a better role model in your physical therapist."

"Perhaps," Bella smirked. "I don't know."

"Just go with the flow, Bella," Rose laughed.

"I'll try."

They spent the rest of the hour talking about Bella's physical improvements and Edward's plans to get her to walk at her next physical therapy appointment. Rose also asked for Bella's advice about handling a colicky newborn who refused to sleep in her nursery.

As Bella was wrapping her up her appointment, her cell phone rang. "That's weird. It's Seth's school." She slid her finger across the screen. "Hello?"

"Mrs. Biers, I'm afraid I need you to come in as soon as possible. Seth was involved in a fight today."

"What?" Bella growled. "I'm on my way." She hung up her phone, looking at Rose. "I …"

"Go. Text me when you want to come in. If you want, I can come over to your place," Rose said.

"Thank you so much." Bella waved and left. She made her way to Seth's elementary school, Highland Park Elementary, parking in one of the handicapped spots. She entered the school, showing her driver's license and was ushered into a conference room. Seth was inside, sitting next to his counselor. He had a black eye and his knuckles were covered in bruises. Bella rolled to her son, taking his face in her hands. "Who did this to you?" Bella asked.

"James Hunter," Seth clipped, his voice seething with anger. The boy that Seth mentioned was a known bully and had picked fights with a lot of children. "He said that his new daddy was my old one."

"What?" Bella breathed.

"Mrs. Biers," said the counselor, a young woman named Kate Lawrence. "James has been picking on Seth since the beginning of the school year."

"And you haven't felt the need to tell me?" Bella snapped. "This is my son, Miss Lawrence. If he's being picked on, I should have been informed. Immediately."

"That was an oversight on our part," Kate muttered.

"Seth, tell me what's going on, bug," Bella said, taking Seth's hands.

Scowling at Kate, Seth huffed out a breath. "James in my class. He's been teasing me. Making fun of me and making fun of you, being in your wheelchair. I usually ignore him. Today, he said something about my dad and he showed me a picture of his mom kissing Dad. There was another picture of Dad crouching next to James in his soccer uniform. I was supposed to be in soccer! We couldn't do it because of this thing." He kicked the tire of Bella's wheelchair.

"Hey, stop that," Bella snapped. "Now, what did you do after you saw that photo? Where was it?"

"On his phone," Seth sneered. "I threw his phone across the playground. He pushed me and I punched him back. We got into a fight and we were pulled apart by Mr. Adkinson. I was brought here while James is in Mrs. Evans' office."

Bella pursed her lips. "Have you called James' mother?" she asked.

"She's speaking to Mrs. Evans," Kate answered. "Both boys were wrong."

"I agree with that statement, but this James is cruel. I want to speak to James' mother and if what James said is true, I will be speaking with my ex-husband," Bella replied coldly. "I also want my son to be removed from that class. I do not want Seth to be in the same room with that boy. How could he be so cruel?!"

"I could ask that about your son, Mrs. Biers," said the principal, Mrs. Evans.

"I'm no longer Biers. It's Swan," Bella said sharply. "And did you even speak to my son about what James did to him?"

"Not yet," Mrs. Evans sighed. "Both boys are in a lot of trouble."

"I have no doubt. Violence is never the answer, but James has been picking on my child for months. Not ONCE did I get a phone call or an email. That is unacceptable. From what my son told me; James was rubbing his face into the fact that my ex-husband is now dating his mother. He showed him pictures."

"I don't see that as a reason to fight, Mrs. Biers," Mrs. Evans said snootily.

"On weekends when my son was supposed to spend time with his father," Bella snapped. "I don't condone how Seth behaved, but what James did was cruel."

"Now, James neglected to mention that," Mrs. Evans sighed.

"This is a very delicate situation," Bella muttered. "I've already told Miss Lawrence my requests regarding Seth. My son deserves the punishment for fighting, but the other boy was not right. He deserves a punishment, as well."

"In light of this new information, I tend to agree," Mrs. Evans nodded. "I will have that conversation with Mrs. Hunter. For now, we need to discuss Seth's punishment. We have a zero-tolerance policy on violence. It's an automatic ten-day out of school suspension."

"Ten days?" Seth wailed. Tears streaked down his pink cheeks, shattering Bella's heart.

"However, with the new information and James' behavior toward Seth, we will lessen it to five days," Mrs. Evans explained.

"I also want Seth in a different class," Bella said. "Away from that boy."

"We'll switch James. Seth is not the only one James has teased," Mrs. Evans said, giving Seth a smile. "I'm sorry, Seth."

"He tortured me, Mrs. Evans," Seth cried, bolting out of the room. Kate left, following him.

"No child should be tortured, Mrs. Evans," Bella clipped. She pushed back from the table. "Is Mrs. Hunter still here?"

"She left," Mrs. Evans answered, grimacing at Bella's clenched fists. "I will be speaking to her about James and about switching his class. I also feel that you should bring Seth to a therapist for his anger issues."

"I have been bringing him to a therapist for a few months," Bella retorted. "Now, if you excuse me, I have to help my son in understanding that his father is an asshole, replacing him with another little asshole." Mrs. Evans puffed up her chest. "Do not take offense, Mrs. Evans. That's what James is and what he'll always be, just like my ex-husband. My son is no angel, but he would never be deliberately cruel." Bella rolled out of the conference room. She got her son from Kate's office and they left the elementary school. Bella drove them back home and Seth ran out of the car.

It took her a few moments to get out of the car. When she did, her son's sobs tore at Bella's heart. She picked up her cell phone and dialed her ex-husband at the office.

"Riley Biers," he said brusquely.

"You asshole," Bella spat.

"Isabella, now is not a good time," Riley said.

"No, it's the perfect time. That woman you're seeing? Her son is in Seth's class. He showed him a picture of the two of you. Nice of you to throw away your children for another little prick," Bella screamed.

"Fuck," Riley spat. "James … he said that he and Seth were friends."

"No, Riley. James is your son's tormentor, not that you care. You tossed Seth aside for James," Bella cried. "I hope you know that your custody is gone. Done. You cut your children out of your life, just like you did with me. I can handle it. My children? You're breaking them. Your selfishness broke them. When our children look back on you, they'll see an egotistical, self-serving jerk who threw them away."

"Bells," he whispered. "I love the boys. I can't not see them."

"It's been nearly a year since you've seen Jake and months since you've been with Seth. You really do love them," Bella sneered. "I'll see you in court and you will never see your sons again." She hung up her phone, blocking Riley's work number and rolling into Seth's room. She found him on his bed, crying and clinging to a stuffed animal that Riley had won at a local carnival. Bella locked her wheelchair and she slid into bed, curling Seth to her chest. He gripped her, squeezing her waist tightly as he cried.

Damn Riley Biers to deepest pits of hell!

A/N: Riley has to be the douchiest of all ex-husbands I've ever written for Bella. He's awful. Throwing away his children for a new family? Yep, douche.

Anyhow, pictures are on my blog. You can access that on my profile. I'm also on Facebook: Tufano79's Twilight Fanfiction Appreciation. I'm also on twitter: tufano79. I'll see you in a couple of days. Thank you so much for reading!