I'm not the kind of girl who's ever had a ton of friends. In fact, I didn't even get a best friend until I moved in full time with Charlie, and it's not exactly a conventional friendship either.

Emmett McCarthy was our neighbor. He smoked weed and played football. Not many people can pull off jock and pothead, but he could. He could blend in with any crowd, and two days after I moved in with Charlie, he chose to make me blend in, too. He made high school tolerable, and since everyone loved him, I wasn't an outcast by his side. I was never popular like him—or a stoner either—but I was Emmett's best friend. And that made things … easier. He made things easier.

In fact, I emailed him after I realized I was pregnant—before telling anyone else. I'd have called him, but considering the fact that he's a Marine and most of the time I have no idea where he is, that wasn't possible. He didn't judge in his reply. He just congratulated me and told me that if I didn't make him the godfather, my tiny human would be sorely lacking. I'd never allow that to happen obviously. But his military career didn't exactly make our friendship easy.

I had no idea he was coming back to the States until I heard a knock on my door.

When I open it and see him, my heart fills and I lunge for his burley frame.

"Em!" I cry out.

He pats my back and chuckles. "I'd hug you tighter, but you seem to have grown a little since last time I saw you."

I pull back and grin, taking in his own goofy one, and then I slap him in the chest. "You didn't tell me you were coming home, dufus!"

He laughs heartily. "It's called a fucking surprise, Belly." He pauses, laughing again. "Literally belly, it seems."

He puts his hands on my stomach, leaning down to face it. "Hiya, little one. I'm your Uncle Em. Are you doing all you can to make your momma's life hell?"

I roll my eyes. "She's perfect, Em. She only makes me throw up every now and again. Get inside now. And tell me everything you're not supposed to."

He follows me in and heads straight for the kitchen, grabbing one of my salami and cheese snacks and a cold Coke without asking before finding a seat on the couch beside me. He used to raid my dad's fridge the same way, and it makes me feel nostalgic. Riley didn't care for the times Emmett visited. He'd complain about his beer going missing, the chips being gone, and how my friend would take up all of my time on his short visits.

But that's all I have with him—days, sometimes a week or two. When he's not deployed, he's stationed in Maryland, so visits aren't exactly easy to come by. When he is here, I can't help but want to spend as much time with him as possible, and Riley never got that.

Hopefully, Edward does.

"So, tell me about life," he says as I sit cross-legged on the couch next to him. "Do you like being back closer to home?"

I nod with a smile. "It's nice to be close to Dad again, and … things are going rather well actually. I kind of, uh, met someone."

His brow raises, and he laughs as my cheeks flare. "Better than Riley, I hope."

I nod, smiling as I think of Edward. "He's kind of my next door neighbor. I told you about how he fed me, remember?"

"Ah, so the way to a girl's heart is the same as a guy's, huh? This is the doctor, right?"

"Yep, and he's …" I sigh. "Amazing in like every way. I had the flu last week, and he took such great care of me. Kept me out of the hospital actually. And then, well, things escalated. I'm falling hard for him, Em. And he's falling, too."

He grins. "I like the way he makes you look when you think about him. Nothing like how Riley made you look. So, how is that going? He's not going to, like, lay claim to the tiny human, is he?"

I roll my eyes. "Highly doubt it. My lawyer will send him parental rights termination papers when she's born. When I told him that, he asked if he could sign now."

I do kind of worry about how he'll feel once she's actually here. I can't imagine he'll change his mind, but I'm ready to fight tooth and nail for her. He doesn't want her, so I'll do my damnedest to make sure he never gets her. She's all mine, and I'll never relent. I want her. I cherish her. I need her. I love her. He doesn't get to know her like I will.

"If he ever tries, I'll be here," he says, suddenly serious before changing his expression. "I'm fucking hungry, Belly. And too sober, to be honest. Let's go out."

I chuckle, looking down at my growing abdomen. "I'm afraid I won't be as fun as usual." I can't exactly match the Goliath shot for shot, but I used to keep up pretty well.

He laughs. "As long as you still like wings, fried pickles, and mozzarella sticks, we'll be fine."

I salivate at the thought and nod. "I'm super down for that. Let's go."

It's the perfect buffet of fried foods. We used to come to Sullivan's Tavern as teens, and the food hasn't changed a bit. Emmett almost begs for the familiar food, but it's unnecessary. I'm starving when we arrive and dig in the moment the first platter of fried pickles are delivered.

"Fuck me," I moan, relishing the taste of ranch and fried tangy pickles. It's so unhealthy, but I couldn't care less.

"I'm afraid that Edward fella of yours wouldn't approve," Emmett says, laughing. "Besides, we decided years ago the spark wasn't there."

I almost choke remembering our little experiment. I never knew sex could go so wrong, but with Emmett, it was. Thankfully, it only somehow made our friendship stronger—probably because we knew there was zero chemistry there. We fumbled and failed and never wondered if there was something more to us again. It was awkward for about two days before we solidified our friendship, banishing any thoughts of a relationship.

"Jesus, don't bring that up," I say, snorting. "And you're right. It's not you who I need."

"Have you … ya know?"

I shake my head. "I think the whole pregnancy thing is in the way of that. He does make me feel beautiful in other ways though. Our make-out sessions are epic. But let's change the subject. What's up with you? I'm thankful to see you in one piece still. Are you going back out in a year?"

The Marines only deploy for so long before at least a twelve month stay stateside. While I may not see him much while he's home, it's comforting to know he's at least safe.

He nods. "Probably. It's my career, Bella. I know you hate it, thinking I'm in danger, but I know how to stay safe and keep my unit the same. Now that we're out of Afghanistan, I'm not sure where I'll go next, but I'll be fine."

"Maybe you won't have to go overseas again in a year. It'd be nice if you were stationed on the West Coast though. Maybe I'll see you more."

He nods. "There's always a chance, but I like seeing the world—even the desolate parts. It'd be nice to go somewhere with less sand though. Europe would be nice for once—a nice calm posting. We'll see though … and I see our mozzarella sticks and wings. Fuck, yeah, come to Papa."

Our waitress laughs as he eyes the food she sets down, almost drooling at the sight.

"Can we get an order of fifty wings to go?" I ask, knowing he's missed these. Plus, they're worth the volcano throat to me, too, and Edward would probably enjoy them as well. I'd get less, but I know Em's stomach. He could probably tackle fifty on his own if no one was there to stop him.

"Sure thing," she says as Emmett tears into his first like he hasn't eaten in years. The moans coming from him keep her laughing as she walks away.

We enjoy our meal, talk about the past and future, and then head back to my house.

I decide I need to get a shower since I didn't this morning, so I tell him to make himself comfortable, and then head upstairs. Alexei is a bit indifferent to Emmett—unlike how he loves Edward. As long as he gives him treats, he's the cat's good friend, so I leave them to themselves.

Halfway through my shower, I suddenly hear yelling and panic, rushing out with shampoo in my hair as I throw a robe on.

"Who are you to just waltz in here?" Emmett booms, elbows deep in the wings we brought back.

He looks ridiculous.

And Edward looks furious.

"I'm her boyfriend," he says. "Excuse me for doing what I do everyday. And who are you even?"

I make it down the stairs and tell them both to stop. "Edward, this is my friend Emmett. I've mentioned him, remember? The Marine?"

He looks between us and nods. "Sorry, I thought—"

"What?" Emmett interrupts. "That I was robbing her of chicken wings? I didn't realize you two were at the point of just waltzing right in unannounced."

I rub my forehead, shaking it. "Jesus, guys. Yes, Emmett, he has a key. I gave it to him when I was sick, and I don't care when he comes over—unannounced or not. Also, those are for all of us. How are you still hungry?"

He shrugs, closing the container he'd opened. "I'm a growing boy. Don't judge me."

"You certainly act like one," Edward says, a little bite in his voice.

"Look, I'm naked and covered in shampoo. Both of you just … get along for the next ten minutes, okay?"

They both roll their eyes, and I feel like I'm suddenly stuck between two children. Hopefully, they can figure out how to put this behind them or else there's going to be drama that I'm not really in the mood to tolerate.

Once I'm actually dressed, I go back downstairs to see the two of them sitting across from each other on the couch, dirty looks on their faces. This was not how I pictured the two of them meeting. Emmett hated Riley from the get-go, and yeah, he was technically right in the end, but I don't want him to feel that way about Edward.

He's nothing like Riley, after all.

"Okay, introduction time," I say, standing before them. "Edward, this is Emmett, my oldest friend. Emmett, this is Edward, my boyfriend. Can we play nice now and shake hands?"

Edward looks a little guilty and puts his hand out first. "I'm sorry for freaking out on you, Emmett. I care about Bella greatly, and I just … wasn't expecting a stranger eating wings in her kitchen."

Emmett, thankfully, takes his hand, giving it a firm shake. "I suppose I can understand that. And I didn't realize she'd given you a key. You know, I feel like she could have prevented the whole thing by letting you know I was here and telling me you might be over."

"You're not wrong," Edward agrees. "Thanks, beautiful."

My jaw drops. "You guys fucking suck. Maybe I don't want you to be friends."

They both laugh as I roll my eyes.

Thankfully, they seem to get along better as they get to know each other. Emmett's always a hoot and tells stories about his time away, which Edward listens to with rapt attention. By the time dinner rolls around, it's like they're old pals, and I'm so happy.

"Wings galore," I say, placing the platter on the coffee table between all of us. "These are the best you'll find, Edward. When Emmett's here, it's basically all he eats."

Edward bites into one and moans, nodding. "I can see why. This won't give you too much heartburn?"

I laugh. "Oh, I'll be miserable tonight, but it's worth it. She's been kicking up a storm since I had them earlier, so I think she likes them."

He reaches out and I put his hand where her feet are. He smiles so brightly as she kicks him. "Hey, little one. Enjoying the wings?"

She kicks him again, and he laughs.

"Can I feel?" Emmett asks, and I nod, taking his hand. He laughs at the feeling. "That's got to be weird as hell for you."

I smile, shaking my head. "I'm used to it now, but at first, it was strange."

He nods. "I bet. I can't wait to meet you, tiny human," he says with a grin.

The night is perfect with them, and I've all but forgotten my mom's call. The voicemail is still there, but I've decided not to deal with it right now. I'm finally feeling better from the flu, and right now, I'm with my boyfriend and best friend.

I don't need drama when I'm surrounded by this kind of happiness.

I don't own Twilight.

Thank you, Ashley for prereading and Alice's White Rabbit for beta'ing!

Thank you all so much for reading! Hopefully another chapter in the next week or so! In the meantime, I'm posting a new drabble called Matters of the Heart that updates at least 3 times a week. I have over 6 months of updates written.