Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Stephenie Meyer owns it all. I am merely having fun with her characters.

Author's Note: HUGE shout out & thank you to my beta dolphin62598 for getting these chapters back to me so quickly! And another big thanks to my pre-reader teacher1209 for reading over these and giving me her thoughts! Another BIG shout out and thank you to LunaEclipse17 for creating the kick ass banner for this story! You can check it out on my Facebook page. I also have other pics posted for this story in an album called A Lie Upon Your Lips on my Facebook page. Song Inspiration for this chapter: Bad Blood by Taylor Swift

Chapter 13

BPOV

Bad Blood

I stood in shock staring at Edward. I was sure my mouth was hanging open like a weirdo.

Why was he standing at my door? He had no business being here in Phoenix. Did someone spill the beans about the twins being his? I would kill whoever did! I did not want him involved! How the hell did he get my address?

He interrupted my thoughts when he started speaking, "I'm sorry. I know I should have more to say than hi, but I'm nervous and please don't slam the door in my face. Can I come in? Can we talk? Please?"

I was not letting him in the apartment.

"Edward, why are you here?"

"You didn't answer my calls…or my texts. I need to talk to you Bella."

I rolled my eyes and started to shut the door when he placed his foot in the way. "I suggest you move that foot or you will lose it, Dr. Cullen. I am busy!"

I tried to shut the door again but this time he pushed his body into the door. Rather than stand there and fight with him over the stupid door, I figured I would let him come in, say his peace and then get the hell out before everyone got here.

I made my way back to the nursery where of course, he followed closely behind once he was inside. When I reached the room, I turned on him and started rambling.

"My friends are going to be here soon…and two of them are huge…and will kick your ass. You need to hurry up and say what you supposedly need to say and leave. My mom will be back soon too. I just don't understand what you are doing here, Edward. We said everything that needed to be said before I left Forks. You made your choice, you have to deal with it…"

He did not let me ramble anymore. He looked determined when he started speaking. "No, Bella…that is where you are so wrong. YOU said everything that YOU needed to say. You barely gave me a chance to speak."

Was he seriously telling me I never gave him a chance?!

I threw my hands up in the air in frustration.

"Edward, I gave you plenty of chances! You always went running when Tanya needed you! You always chose her over me! You told me it would be different and that you loved ME but it was never different! You are a liar Edward. You really need to go!" I knew I was being a bitch about the lying because truth be told, we were both huge, big fat liars. I had told the worst lie of all. I had to get him out of here. My emotions were all over the place and I couldn't cave. I had already made up my mind.

If he was still here when Jasper and Emmett got here it would not be pretty. Nor did I want to explain to my mother who he was. She knew he was my ex but she did not know he was the father and she would push me to tell him if he was standing right here and she was aware of it.

"Things were complicated, Bella."

"I begged you to uncomplicate them! I begged you to pick me over her and you never did. Now you are only here because you two split and you think you deserve a consolation prize. Well I'm sorry but I will be no one's consolation prize, no one's second choice! Not anymore anyway. My babies and I deserve so much better."

I placed my hands over my stomach and took a deep breath.

"Better, hunh? Like Paul?" He spat.

I shrugged my shoulders as he started looking around the room finally and noticed all the boxes. "So this is the nursery?" He questioned as he ran his hands through his hair.

"Yes," I whispered.

"Why are you doing all this yourself? These boxes are heavy."

"I'm not. That's why my friends and mom are on their way here. We're doing the nursery today."

Why was I telling him this stuff? It was none of his business. I hated the affect he still had on me.

"Shouldn't the babies' father be here helping you with this?" He looked absolutely enraged when he asked that question. What was it to him?

I shook my head. "He isn't necessary for this. We can handle it. Now is that all you had to say? It's time for you to go."

I touched his shoulder to try to turn him towards the door and he gently pulled away and held my hand softly. "I have not said what I came to say. I came to beg your forgiveness and beg you not to marry that tool. Please, Bella. Give me one more chance to prove myself to you. You make me want to be a better man…for you…and your babies."

Tears were pooling in my eyes and I was seconds away from telling him the secret I had kept that would possibly make him hate me forever. I removed my hand from his and crossed my arms over my chest defiantly. I had to hold it together and just get him out of the apartment. If I just got him away from me I could go back to my own little world and forget he existed. Except of course every time I looked at my children…

Ugh! He had to go…now!

"It's time to go, Edward. Please…"

He cut me off, "Bella…tell me where Paul is. Why isn't he here helping you get the babies' room together. Why isn't he here if you are getting married?"

"Paul is on his way to Alaska."

He looked surprised and asked, "Why is he on his way to Alaska, Bella? He should be here planning with you. Seems to me you guys have babies to prepare for and a wedding to plan."

I had enough nonsense and started pushing him to the door. Then words that I did not want to say just started spewing from my mouth. "The father is non-existent and we are not getting married. Are you happy now? Can you please leave? Did you see what you needed to see and get the information you needed? I really need you to vacate my apartment, pronto!"

He was letting me push him back towards the front door even though he had his hands up in protest.

"Bells, please. Stop pushing me. Let me in. Let me stay and help!"

"No, Edward. You have to go."

He could not be here. I was about to tell him the truth about everything and I did not want to do that. He made his thoughts on children very clear and though I thought he would hate me for keeping such a secret he would hate me more for getting pregnant in the first place I'm sure.

He did not need to be in my apartment, looking amazing as always. I needed him out, period.

He turned towards me once more when we reached the front door. He took my hand and placed it on his heart. His eyes were starting to fill with water. He seemed genuinely sincere. I don't think I had ever seen him this emotional or with tears in his eyes.

"Isabella, please. It's always been you…since the day I laid eyes on you. Don't you get it? You were always my first choice. I know it doesn't seem that way, but it's true. I was too stupid and caught up in my need for everything to seem perfect to do anything about it. From the moment I met you, you have owned my heart, no other."

I was too emotional for this. "Edward, I'm sorry. You have to go. I'm not interested. Please get out. Even if there ever was a chance for us…you said you never wanted kids! It's kind of late for that since I am growing two! NOW LEAVE!"

He wouldn't budge and the tears were actually spilling from his eyes now. "Bella, things have changed. I need you to hear me out. I am begging you with everything in me to please just hear me out. Sit with me and we can calmly talk. I've done things I'm not proud of, even after you left Forks but something happened that made me realize what a complete fucking moron I have been all along. It made me realize what you and these babies mean to me and what we could…"

I cut him off but did not pull my hand away. "I'm begging YOU to just stop. I can't take this. I need you to get out! I don't want to hear anything you have to say! If you don't want to leave I will call the police. JUST GO!" I screamed.

Sadness crossed his face as he removed my hand from his heart and kissed my palm ever so gently. With that, he turned and exited the apartment.

After I closed the door behind him, I pressed my back against the door and stood there for a moment. I was reeling from what he said. Did he mean it?

Was he always in love with me?

Why was it so hard for him to leave Tanya then?

Why did he tell me he didn't want children?

I had so many questions and I just let the only person who could answer them walk out the door.

It was for the best though; yes, it was for the best.

I was startled from my thoughts by a knock on the door I was currently still leaning against. A part of me hoped it was Edward coming to try again, but was only slightly disappointed when I opened it to see Jasper and Emmett standing there instead.

I smiled weakly at my friends and said, "Where are my girls?"

"They stopped for food. I'm going to be working, that means I've got to be fed, Bells," Emmett laughed as he and Jasper walked inside.

Emmett McCarty could eat more than any other man I had ever met. And that was saying something considering my brother Seth could seriously put away the food.

"Bells, you look frazzled. What's wrong?" Jasper asked as he passed by me on his way in. He was always perceptive. Sometimes it was quite annoying.

"Nothing," I said shaking my head as I walked into the nursery.

They both followed me, but Jasper wasn't going to let it go so easily.

"I call bullshit. Spill because you can either tell us or you can tell Alice," Jasper said.

He knew that would get me to talk to them. Sometimes they were easier to deal with than Alice. She meant well and I loved her to death but at times, I felt like she would be more dangerous to Edward than either of my male friends.

I sighed and decided to tell them what had just happened. "Edward was just here."

Emmett nudged Jasper and said, "Dude, we passed him in the fucking hallway! I told you something about that guy made me want to kick his ass!"

I knew that Rose and Alice had been completely honest with their husbands about who the father of my babies was. They did not tell me they told them, but I just knew. I knew how close they were and I would not want them to keep secrets from their spouses.

Emmett enveloped me into one of his hugs and said, "Come on, let's go sit on the couch and talk this out."

I smiled at my two best guy friends. They were like my brothers in the truest sense of the word.

They sat and listened as I spilled everything to them as I had once spilled to their wives. Everything came out. I could not stop it. It was as if it was time for all the secrets and lies to come out. I was tired of bottling everything up inside of me. That would only lead to more of a disaster than I had already created.

They never once interrupted me. Both men sat with me and listened carefully to everything I said and they let me cry as well as rant.

When they knew I was finished speaking, Jasper quietly asked one question.

"Bella, what do you want? You told us what Paul wanted and what Edward wanted. But what do you want?"

"I want Edward to already know these are his babies. I want him to have picked me from the beginning. I want my children to have their father. But since none of those things are possible…I mostly just…want…"

I could not say it. As much as I needed to say it…and mean it…it was so hard to say it aloud.

"What Bells? What do you want?" Emmett pushed.

"I just want…Edward to go away. He has to you guys. I can't do this with him here. I need him to go back to Forks and not come back here. If he sticks around and keeps pushing, I am going to end up telling him the truth. Or God forbid, the babies will look like him and he isn't stupid. He will know then what I have been keeping from him."

Both men were exchanging looks with each other that I was unable to read.

"What? What is it?" I questioned them.

"Look, I'm not trying to take that douche nozzle's side or anything, Bells…but as a guy…whether I wanted kids or not…I would want to know if I had offspring out there. I could not imagine not knowing I was a father…period. You know I love you. You're my sister from another mister but it's not right…keeping something like this from him isn't right."

Emmett was right, he absolutely was. Before I could say anything, Jasper continued for him. "Look, what Emmett means is we will all stand beside you no matter what you decide. But maybe you should think on this a bit. If he is here, and wanting to talk to you. Perhaps it may show you that he is ready for the truth. Maybe, just maybe at the very least, your babies could get that father you so badly want for them."

Emmett was nodding in agreement with Jasper.

They left me with a lot to think about. Shortly after our discussion, Alice and Rose arrived with the pizza they had gone to pick up. There was still no sign of my mother. Since we needed the paint to do that first in the room, they pulled out boxes and started putting together baby furniture.

My friends said I would not be allowed to help paint because of the fumes…they said I could not help put together furniture because it was too heavy…so basically I was only allowed to sit on the couch and supervise…and think.

Being alone with all the thoughts I had was not a good thing.

The more I sat there and thought the more exhausted I became until before I knew it, I was drifting off to sleep.

I woke up in a panic because when I felt my stomach it was flat once again. I shot out of bed in a hurry looking for my babies.

When I reached the nursery, I saw the most beautiful sight. In the rocking chair in the corner, Edward was sitting with a baby nestled in each arm.

Ahh…clearly this was a dream.

So be it…I was in no hurry to wake up. I leaned against the doorframe and reveled in the sight before me. He was passed out deep asleep with each one of our angels sleeping in his arms so peacefully.

After a few stolen moments of enjoying this picture, Edward's eyes opened and he smiled.

"They woke up and I wanted to let you sleep. They went right to sleep in my arms. These two are the best babies."

I went to him, took Claire out of his arms and let him get up with Tony. We nestled them both back gently into their cribs and returned to my room.

As soon as we were getting into bed, his phone rang.

He answered it even though it was the middle of the night. Who would be calling him at this hour?

"Hello?"

"Hey, baby. Yes, of course. No, I'm not doing anything important. I'll be right over."

He hung up the phone and told me he was going home to Tanya.

I started crying tears that would not stop falling and begging him not to go to her. When I tried to reach for him, he vanished.

I woke up screaming out his name and Rose was trying to get me to fully awake.

"Bella, sweetie, wake up. Please, it's just a dream."

The tears were real and she held me while I cried for a few minutes. Everything was quiet in the apartment until there was a loud knock on the door.

Alice went to the door and was saying, "It's probably Renee. I bet her hands are full. Took her long enough."

When she opened the door I heard her say, "Can I help you?"

Then I heard his voice again.

"I need to speak with Bella. Is she still here?"

"Yes, but you need to tell me exactly who you are. I don't just let strange men into my best friend's apartment."

"You're protective of her…I like that. I'm Edward…Edward Cullen. She knows me…I'm from Forks. I am just not sure she will see me…"

Alice did not let him continue, "Let me stop you right there…Dr. Cullen. That's right…I know exactly who you are…and you will not be seeing my friend. Not now not ever if I have anything to say about it."

"Please, can you just ask her if she will see me."

Alice never budged from the door. "Bells, do you want to see Dr. Cullen?"

This was my chance…make a decision. Let him stay or make him go. That dream…I could not shake that dream. We would never be rid of Tanya. He would still choose her over us.

I knew what I had to do.

"No, Alice. I don't want to see him. He needs to leave and not come back."

I could tell by the tone of her voice she was smiling when she told him, "See…you heard it yourself. Now let me get my husband and our dear friend to show you the way out. Don't bother to ever remember this address. Have a wonderful day, Dr. Cullen and a safe trip back to Forks!"

Emmett and Jazz took their cue and left the apartment to make sure Edward was gone for good.

It had to be done…he had to go away. I had made up my mind…he would never know the truth and I was officially doing this on my own.

So why didn't I feel any better about it? Why did I feel like the worst human being on the planet? Why did it feel as if there was a hole in my chest the size of the Grand Canyon?

Author's Note: *going to hide* don't kill me. You know what to do if you aren't too angry with me.

Story Recommendation: Solace by MissLiss15. I think a lot of you might already be reading it but if you're not you should be. It's really good.