CHAPTER 16 BROTHERS, SISTERS AND COMPLICATIONS

BELLA

Bella was too cowardly to go see Carlisle the next day. She didn't want to face Edward or the fallout of what she had done to him. She knew she should let Carlisle know what she had decided to do so she called him.

Heart pounding in her chest, Bella dialed Carlisle's number and tried to compose herself as the phone rang.

"Hello." Carlise answered.

"Carlisle, hi, it's Bella." she said hoping he didn't hate her.

"What can I do for you, sweetie?" Carlisle asked in a rather pleasant voice.

"I just wanted to let you know that I won't be coming over today. I've already decided that I'm going to keep the baby." she said. "I do have a favor to ask, though."

Her heart was thudding so hard, she thought it was going to fly out of her chest and land on the table. There was a good chance he'd say no because of what she did to Edward. The fact was Bella wouldn't trust anyone else with this favor.

"And what's that?" Carlisle asked. He sounded as if what happened with Edward hadn't bothered him.

"I'd like you to be my doctor and deliver my baby." she said nearly choking the words out.

"It would be an honor." he replied.

She breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank you." Bella replied.

"You're welcome. And I just want to remind you that you will always have family here." he said.

"I know." she choked out. "Thank you for everything, you've already done."

"There's no need. It's what family does."

"I have to go." Bella managed to say before she flipped the phone shut and let the tears fall.

EDWARD

Edward had locked himself in his room. He was still upset about what happened with Bella the night before. He just couldn't figure out her emotions.

He knew that she wanted to be with him. What was she afraid of? Jacob couldn't hurt her as long as Edward was there. So was she afraid of him getting hurt? That didn't make much sense either. Bella knew that he could handle himself better than any other guy she knew. Yet, it would be quite like Bella to think that he would need protection. God, why couldn't he read her thoughts? Life would be so much easier for both of them if he could. He could answer all his questions and reassure her.

He wished that she would at least talk to him. They could figure it out together. That would make things easier on both of them. Or less painful at any rate. Then again, Bella has always been protective of the ones she loved. No matter what the cost.

He remembered when she went to James because James convinced her that he had Renee. It was a trap and she nearly got killed. That never mattered to Bella because at least Renee would've been safe.

Edward couldn't believe that she was taking it to this extent though. She was putting herself through the worst kind of emotional pain to potentially protect him.

Other the other hand, though, Rosalie could've been right the other day. What if Bella thought that she didn't deserve it? There'd be nothing he could do to make it better. There'd be no way to save her. And god only knew what would happen if she gave up thinking she didn't deserve anything. That was somewhere he didn't want to go.

He lay on the bed thinking about everything, trying to make sense of it all. He had been there since Alice went to Bella's that morning, to take over the watch, and made him go home to relax for awhile.

The thing nobody understood was whether he was watching over Bella or not, he couldn't relax. He was way too worried about her to think about anything else.

Sometime around nine o'clock that night, Edward heard Emmett's approaching thoughts. Emmett wanted to talk to Edward about what he went through when he found out what happened to Rosalie. Edward wasn't sure if he wanted to hear it but it touched him that his brother cared that much. So when Emmett knocked, Edward told him to come in.

"Okay, so you probably already know why I'm here. Which is why I'm just going to get down to it." Emmett said as he sat down on the couch. "Rosalie didn't tell me what happened to her right away."

"I know." Edward responded.

"Well, there was one night when I walked by Carlisle studied. This was around the time I started seeing Rosalie the way that you see Bella. Carlisle was trying to convince Rosalie to open up to me about it. She told him that she wasn't ready yet. Well, she came out of the room before I could get away." Emmett continued. "When she asked me if I heard anything. I told her the truth. I didn't think it would help to lie. I said I heard everything. And she took off."

"I remember when she left that day. I never knew why." Edward stated. All he could remember of that day was sitting in the living room and seeing a blonde blur flash past him. He never thought anything of it.

"I ran after her. Chased her for three days." Emmett said. "When she finally stopped, she broke down in my arms. She confessed that she was worried it would change how I felt about her."

"And what did you tell her?" Edward asked.

"That what those monsters did to her didn't change who she was. She would always be Rosalie Hale. They couldn't change that. No one could. Just like no one could change how i felt about her nor what I saw when I looked at her. I told her nothing would change the fact that I was in love with her." Emmett answered.

"That's all good and well but Bella won't listen to me." Edward stated. "I would say those things to her if she would let me."

"Bella's sitiuation is slightly more delicate. The mutt spent a month telling her that he was the only one who would ever love her. He was the only person she deserved. He told her she was worthless. He physically and verbally pounded those thoughts inside her head. Plus, she's decided to keep the baby which means she's going to live the rest of her life with the reminder of it all." Emmett said. "Her sitiuation is very different from Rosalie's but they have the same base. It'll be harder to get through to Bella because terrible things happened to her repeatedly. Rosalie was lucky. It only happened once. Bella's been hurt so many times over, it's gonna be harder. You just can't give up on her."

"I know but it feels like she's giving up on me." Edward replied.

"It still feels like that with Rose sometimes. But you just have to be there even in those times. She may not want it but she will thank you for it later. I know Rose always does."

"Thanks, Emmett." Edward answered. He still wasn't sure if he would take the advice but it was nice to hear that Rosalie and Emmett still struggled with Rosalie's past.

"It's what family does." Emmett said. "And speaking of what family does, Rosalie relieved Alice about half an hour ago. She's going to try to get Bella to listen to her."

Edward smiled. If anyone could do it, Rosalie could. She didn't stop until it was over.

BELLA

Bella decided to take a nice warm bath that night. Charlie was working late. Sam had told Charlie that Jacob was missing. They didn't want it to look suspiscious. The report said that he was a runaway. Charlie was working extra hard to find a lead. He was perceiving Bella's gloominess as worry over Jacob.

The truth was, Bella could've cared less if they ever found him. He had caused way too much pain her life for her to ever want to see him again. It was nice, though, to have an evening without Charlie asking her all kinds of questions. She stll had no idea how she was going to explain the baby.

When she finished her bath. She put on a pair of crappy sweat pants and a black camisole. She brushed and braided her hair then headed to her room.

When she got there, she got a shock in the form of Rosalie Hale sitting on her bed.

"What are you doing here?" Bella asked.

"We need to talk." Rosalie said.

Bella who was intrigued about what Rosalie could possibly want to talk to her about, sat in her rocking chair.

"What about?" Bella asked.

"My brother." Rosalie responded.

"What about him?" Bella said.

"Why are you pushing him away?"

"Why do you care?" Bella asked. Wasn't it Rosalie who never liked her in the first place?

"Contrary to what everyone thinks. I care a lot about you." Rosalie answered. "I'm just not good with feelings. So are you going to answer my question?"

Bella didn't know if she should or not. She needed to tell someone. She couldn't bear all this on her own. Then again, no one would understand any of it. But this was Rosalie, she might be able to understand, at least a little.

"I'm worthless. I don't deserve someone who will risk their life to protect me or my child." she finally said.

"That's not true!" Rosalie exclaimed. "Let me tell you a story about Emmett and I."

Bella nodded.

"I didn't tell Emmett about what happened to me, right away. I was worried that he wouldn't look at me the same way. I didn't think I deserved to be loved by someone like him. Around the time he started looking at me the way Edward looks at you, Carlisle tried to convince me to talk to Emmett but I couldn't bring myself to. I was afraid his feelings would change." Rosalie went on.

Bella nodded again.

"One day, Carlisle and I were discussing it. Emmett overheard us. When I found out, I did the only thing I could think to, I ran. He chased me for three days before I finally stopped and broke down in his arms. I told him everything. When I was finished, he told me that it didn't matter to him. In his eyes, I would always be the same Rosalie Hale that he was falling in love with. He told me that no one could change that for him. He would always see me as beautiful and worthwhile." Rosalie continued. "Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Bella shook her head. It was a lie but she just needed to hear the words from someone other than herself.

"In Edward's eyes and heart, you will always be the same beautiful, worthwhile, and deserving Bella Swan that you've always been. His opinion of you won't change because some mutt violated or hurt or tried to drive you away from him. It won't change because of the cub (A/N: Sorry, I thought it might be funny to phrase it like that) you're carrying. He just wants you to be happy and if that means raising a werewolf, he'll do it. You deserve that Bella. You really do." Rosalie finished.

"With all that being said. I still can ask him or any of you to help raise the baby." Bella responded. There were so many things wrong with that.

"And why not? We'd all be more than willing to." Rosalie replied. "It would be nice to have a child around the house."

"Because he will more than likely grow up to be a member of Sam's pack. That would make you guys enemies." Bella stated. Rosalie giggled.

"We haven't been enemies with Sam's pack since the Victoria's army." Rosalie said. "Besides, it could only help both sides to have such a strong connection with him. It will bring us closer."

"Okay, but I can't ask you guys to live with the discomfort of having a werewolf around. I mean always having the smell around the house." Bella pressed. She had to find away to convince her that it wouldn't work. She had to protect the family from Jacob.

"Bella, we've dealt with the discomfort of having the scent of a human in the house for over a year. I'm sure a werewolf in the house won't be too different.'' Rosalie stated with another little chuckle. ''Why don't you just tell me the real reason you don't want my brother's and the family's help?''

''What if Jacob comes back?'' Bella said in a terrified whisper.

''You aren't planning on taking him back because of the baby, are you?'' There was worry mixed with a little anger in her voice.

''No, I will never ever take him back.'' Bella responded reassuringly. ''It's just I'm worried about what he'll do if he finds out that vampires are helping me raise his child.''

"What could he possibly do?" Rosalie asked. "Take you to court and try to prove you unfit. We'll just fight him."

"Yeah and when we do, we'll have to tell them about the abuse and rape. That would get him in trouble and potentially expose everyone!" Bella stated. She didn't know why she was being so passionate about this agruement. It wasn't the worst Jacob.

"And to prove you unfit he'd have to tell them that you were raising the child with a family of vampires." Rosalie replied. "If he said that, they'd think he was unhinged and lock him up."

"Okay but there are other things he could do. I won't deny him his right to his child." Bella replied. "So it's very possible that Jacob could poison him against Edward or even me. Not to mention, he could resort to killing to keep his child away from your influence." Bella stated.

"I see." Rosalie said. "This is about protecting Edward and the rest of us. But Bella, we will always stand beside you. We will defend you and your child, even if it means our death. You are family. We'd do anything for family. You should've figured that out by now."

"I have and that's exactly why I can't let you guys help." Bella said. "You guys are like my family too and the only way I can protect you is to cut you guys out. This whole thing started because Jacob felt threatened by Edward. If I take Edward and you guys out of the equation, he has no reason to want to hurt any of you. He has no more reasons to feel threatened."

"Bella, if protecting us costs you your happiness then it's not worth it." Rosalie stated. "Edward would gladly put his life on the line to protect your happiness. You know that. You have to have faith that it'll all work out in the end. I don't know how I would get through this existence without always thinking things will work out when they are meant to."

Bella knew she was right but she also knew that she couldn't live with herself if anything happened to any of them because of her. As she opened her mouth to say this but Rosalie suddenly stiffened.

"What is it?" Bella asked.

"He's here." Rosalie answered.

"Who?" Bella asked praying she was wrong.

"Jacob."

"What do we do?"

"Nothing, right now. It's possible he won't come in because I'm here. He might be too afraid."

"But what if he'd not?"

"Then I want you to run downstairs, get into your truck and get to my house. I'll deal with him."

"No. I won't let you fight him by yourself."

"Look, Bella, the worst he'll be able to do is hurt me. He won't be able to kill me. It would be to risky for him to start a fire this close to the woods. And when the vemon will just heal any of my wounds so don't worry."

Bella couldn't let her fight him. She couldn't deal with it if someone in the family got hurt. Especially if it was defending her.

"And the baby can heal mine!" she argued.

"Not if he kills the baby before he gets a chance to heal you. He doesn't even know about the baby. He won't be careful." Rosalie stated. Bella opened her mouth to argue but Rosalie cut her off, "You're a mother now Bella. The baby has to be your first priority. It's going to be hard but you can't let anything happen to your child. Who knows what the mutt is planning on doing. The baby might be killed before he gets a chance to heal anything. Please, Bella, if he comes just run."

Bella couldn't argue with that. Rosalie was right the baby was the most important thing right now. She had to protect him even if that meant leaving Rosalie on her own. She was going to hate doing it but there was nothing else she could do. She just nodded.

"Go stand by the door. I want you to have a clear escape." Rosalie ordered. Bella did what she said.

Things happened very quickly after that. Halfway across the room Bella heard a crash and glass went flying everywhere. Rosalie jumped on top of Bella to protect her from the shards. The both rolled to the door. Rosalie got up and stood in a crouching position to poised to attack. Bella looked up to see Jacob in wolf form prepared to attack.

"Go!" Rosalie yelled before leaping at Jacob.

Bella heard growls and yowls of pain as she took off down the stairs. She went to the hook in the living room but the keys to her truck weren't there. She didn't want to waste precious time looking for them. She wrenched the door open and ran toward the forest.

She realized her mistake just a she tripped over a tree root. Why did she try to run through the woods, barefoot, in the middle of the night? She should've known, being Isabella Swan, that it was a recipie for disaster. She fell to the ground, hitting her head on a large rock.

"Maybe, Edward will find me before Jacob does." she thought as the world faded to black.

A/N: Another long one. I started it last night but it was taking too long so I had to stop. I do need your opinion on something. I was thinking of giving Jacob an accomplice. What do you guys think? Hugs for reviews!!