Beneath The Surface

by MyBella

One summer, an internship in Africa, bloodlust, sharp teeth, and a boatload of fear are all that stand in the way of Bella Cullen landing a job at the Atlanta Aquarium - As long as she doesn't count cocky shark expert Edward Masen on her list.

54. 54 New Addition Old Wounds

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. Stephenie Meyer owns anything and everything relating to Twilight. I am in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended and in order to keep it that way, No reproduction, copying, reposting, downloading, or any kind of redistribution of this story is allowed. This is to cover my arse as much as yours! And finally, the Original characters, plot, names, nicknames, songs, poems—anything I created from my very own brain—are all the property of the author of this fanfic, My-Bella. Unauthorized use of the material is plagiarism so please be kind and don't steal my creations.

"~~~^~~~~^~~~^~~~~^~~~^~~~~^"

Chapter 54 – New Addition, Old Wounds

Friday, November 20th

Bella glanced at the Caller ID before answering the ringing house phone. She looked at Edward and gave him a big smile as she answered; they'd been expecting this phone call for a few hours now. "Hi, Esme. How are you tonight?"

"Would it be okay if I came over and crashed on your couch for the night?"

"No it would not because my couch is not comfortable enough for a pregnant woman to sleep on. However, Edward and I are completely willing to come over there and spend the night at your house."

"I don't want to put you kids out."

"Impossible. Edward is always lamenting the loss of your giant television. And Lizzy hasn't had a good slide on your kitchen floor in over a week."

"I didn't hear a mention of a benefit for you."

"Oh did I forget to mention how much I've been looking forward to discussing baby names with you?"

Esme sniffled on the other end of the phone. "You kids are the best ever."

"We'll be over in about twenty minutes. We're just putting the finishing touches on the dinner we made to share with you."

"But how did you know I would call?"

"You're in an empty house for the first time. Of course you'd want some company while Uncle Carl is on his California trip with Alice and Whit."

"Should I do anything? Make some sweet tea or something?"

"All you need to do is decide on which movie we're going to watch after dinner."

"Thank you, sweetheart. I love you."

"Love you too, Esme. We'll see you soon." Bella set the phone down and looked at Edward who was smiling while stirring the mashed potatoes. "You win. With five minutes to spare too," she told him.

"She is my mom," he replied with a laugh. He set the spoon on the pot's lid. "Potatoes are done. I'm going to pack up Lizzy's stuff real quick."

"Will you bring our bags down too?"

"Yep." He hugged her from behind and kissed the side of her neck. "And when I finish packing up the Bronco, I'll come up and help you with the dishes."

"You're getting quite good at this domestic stuff."

"You make it fun, kapu." He kissed her neck again and then let her go. "Lizzy, let's get packed up. Esme's waiting on us."

Their puppy barked happily and then followed him upstairs. Bella smiled, glad that something as small as bringing dinner over to Esme could make both her and her son happy. She had been questioning her choice to stay behind and not visit California this year but now she was certain she was right where she was meant to be.

She also realized there was a phone call she was supposed to be making. She dug her cell phone from her pocket since she hadn't quite memorized the number yet. "Hey, Lee. It's a go."

"I figured it would be. We are packing up the green beans and carrot cake now so we'll just meet you at Esme's."

"Thank you guys again. I can't imagine how exhausted you must be after getting in so early this morning."

"We're a little tired but we're more excited to see you guys. And Em can't wait to regale you all with tales from Tennessee." Lee's voice quickly changed tempo and volume. "Em, if you put that finger anywhere near that icing I will remove it."

"But I made the cake," he whined.

"Once Esme sees it, then you can mess with it."

Bella could no longer hold back her laughter. "We'll see you guys soon." She hung up the phone and then slipped her hands into her oven mitts. The smell coming from the oven was heavenly and when she pulled the baked chicken out, she was extremely tempted to give it a taste test.

"Don't even think about," Edward warned as he headed for the front door with their bags.

"I can think all I want. I just can't touch until we get to your mom's."

"Lizzy, do you believe her?" he asked the puppy dancing around his feet.

Lizzy gave her happy bark and jumped up at him.

"That's right, sweet girl. We know how her mind works."

"Go pack the Bronco," Bella ordered, pointing at the door with a mitt-covered hand.

"Love you, kapu," he called as he walked out the door.

"Ass!" she yelled back. And then with a tender smile on her lips she quietly added, "Love you too, you goof."

When they got to Esme's, she was waiting in the doorway for them. Lizzy was the first to greet her, jumping down from the Bronco and running up the porch steps as fast as her little legs would carry her.

"Don't even think about grabbing both of those," Edward warned as Bella reached for the covered dishes holding their dinner. "Take one and I'll come back for the other," he said as he loaded his hands with their bags. "Just like when we loaded them up, they're hot and heavy and the risk of injury is too high."

Before she could try to argue again that she could handle it, Lee and Gopher pulled up in her car. "Look at that. Another set of hands," Edward said, smiling at Bella's defeat.

"It really is my lucky day," Esme called from the porch. "My misfits are home."

"And we brought food," Gopher said as he carried in the chicken dish.

Bella set the bowl of potatoes beside Lee's beans and cake. "I'll get the plates down."

"I'll grab utensils," Lee offered.

"I've got drinks," Edward announced.

"You kids really didn't have to go through all of this trouble," Esme said, watching them bustle around her kitchen.

"You're never any trouble," Lee promised.

Edward noticed the tears standing in his mom's eyes and he went over to her, hugging her tight. Bella nearly teared up herself watching the two of them. This was how a real mom behaved with a child she loved. They embraced each other rather than pushing away as far and as fast as possible.

"It must have been so weird for Esme to walk around this place with it completely empty," Lee mentioned. "I can't remember the last time that would have happened. If Mase and Whit aren't running around here, then I'm over to share music and watch movies or Gopher's here swapping recipes. Your idea of us all showing up with dinner, I can tell she really loves it, Bella."

"All the times she's made me feel like family, I just wanted to repay that a little bit."

They crowded around the dinner table, with Gopher helping Bella to fix plates while Lee and Edward passed them out.

"Damn, Guppy. This chicken smells amazing," Gopher complimented.

She smiled. "It was so hard to leave it untouched, but like you, I had someone threatening me to leave it alone."

"They always know when we're thinking about the food. It's creepy. And frustrating as hell."

"But now that we're loading our plates, they can't stop us."

Gopher chuckled. "I missed you, Guppy. My family back in Tennessee doesn't understand my love of food like you do."

"I missed you too. In fact, while you were away I found us a new recipe to try." She smiled wide as she shared the dish with him. "Eggplant soufflé."

"When do we give it a try?" he asked eagerly.

She chuckled. "Not sure yet. I'll have to check my schedule."

"That's right. The new job at The Ocean Center. How are you liking it?"

"I love it," she answered with a beaming smile. "Being a group guide and sharing all I know, it's so much fun. Especially when the kids start asking questions."

"Come on you, two," Esme called. "Sit down so we can dig in."

"Esme, no wine tonight?" Lee questioned as she lifted her own glass.

Bella looked to Edward and found him hiding a smile while looking at his mom from the corner of his eye. Esme couldn't wait for Thanksgiving to arrive so she could share about the baby with everyone. And so she wouldn't have to worry anymore about accidentally telling anyone. Honestly, it was a good thing the holiday was almost here because her small frame meant she was already starting to show.

"I want to be awake when Carlisle calls late tonight so no wine for me," Esme answered flawlessly.

"Well I am looking forward to sleeping deeply so I will have some for us both." Lee smiled and took a long sip of her wine.

Dinner was full of laughter and stories as Lee and Gopher shared the highlights of their Tennessee trip. They both excitedly told of their white water rafting adventure with his sisters and their partners. Hearing of their fun and the rush it gave them, Edward immediately declared it a must try activity for himself and Whit. Bella was happy to leave the guys to it, having never been interested in that particular adventure.

After finishing off all the food and half of the cake, Lee and Gopher headed home for some much deserved sleep while Bella and Esme changed into their pajamas and then joined Edward and Lizzy on the couch.

"Are you ready for The Notebook?" Esme asked as she laid her head against Edward's shoulder.

"The movie is for you two. I have a book." He picked the book up from his lap and showed her the cover.

"Lord of the Rings. That's not your usual taste."

He shrugged. "Gopher's been hounding me to read it. Figured I might as well shut him up."

"Lee said 'please'," Bella added, giving Edward a teasing smile. She might have let him play it off as no big deal if he hadn't scared the piss out of her this morning running into the bathroom yelling about a rare Great White sighting at Cape Cod and making her slip in the shower.

"She did but that's not why I agreed," he argued. "I owed Gopher an unnamed favor. This was what he wanted."

"Oh this just got very interesting," Esme said. "How is that you ended up owing Gopher an unnamed favor?"

Edward scratched at the bridge of his nose. "Reasons."

Esme gave him a dirty look. "It's never failed to amaze me that with a single word you can make it so tempting to smack you."

"It really is," Bella agreed, having heard that same answer to a number of her questions.

"Well we will just leave him and his reasons to their own devices while you and I enjoy this movie," Esme declared. She hit play on the remote and then covered her and Bella with the throw. Of course, as soon as Edward gave her a pout, she shared with him too.

She also gave each of them a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you both again so much for coming over to keep me company. I truly appreciate it."

"Always," Bella said with a smile. Spending her night with Esme cuddled between her and Edward wasn't a way she'd ever expected to spend a Friday night but she honestly couldn't think of a better one right now. It also helped that Esme had chosen one of her current favorite movies to watch.

By the time the movie ended, both women were sniffling while Edward and Lizzy were sound asleep and lightly snoring.

"What's he been up to that he's sleeping?" Esme whispered as she moved a lock of hair from hanging over his eye.

"Working on adding a camera to his drone in the day and studying that pregnancy book he bought at night."

"Is he still hiding it?"

"Oh no," Bella answered with a soft laugh. "Now he's moved on to wanting a woman's opinion on everything he reads. But it gets him talking about his feelings so I don't mind. And since I know you'll ask, he's still happy and looking forward to this baby. He's also ready for you to tell everyone so he can stop worrying about saying the wrong thing."

"Sweetheart, I am ready for that too." She lowered the blanket and patted her belly. "And honestly, I don't think I could hide it much longer. All the weight is going to a tell-tale spot."

"Plus you totally have that pregnancy glow."

Esme snorted. "I'm lucky if I don't look bloated and green most days. But I can honestly say I have never been happier. It also helps that Carlisle has been keeping me stocked in crackers and ginger ale."

"Are you missing him a lot?"

"I am, but I understand this is important and that Alice needs him there. Something tells me her expectations for Whit meeting her mother are going to fall far short of reality. She'll need Carlisle's strong shoulder to cry on and his words of wisdom to help her heart start to heal. Whit is a wonderful young man and he adores her completely but this isn't an arena he has experience in."

"I'm glad for that. I wish no one ever had to have this kind of experience."

"What's important is what you learn from it, how you turn it around and use it to grow."

"I wasn't sure if I was right in choosing not to go this year. It's not like I ever actually go to see Renee. I just hang out with Uncle Carl while Alice visits. But thinking about it during dinner with everyone, I know I've made the right choice. For years I was there just in case Renee asked for me but she never did. I'm done waiting. I'm going to spend my time where I'm wanted and with people who love me. With my family."

"If I could fix this and take away your pain, I would in a heartbeat."

Bella swallowed down the tears trying to pool in her eyes. "Edward told me the same thing this morning."

"We mean it, sweetheart," Esme promised as she hugged Bella. "But since we can't, we'll just tell you that we love you and that we're always here for you."

"I think that's the better option anyway." Bella took a deep breath and then changed the topic to one infinitely better. "I'm still thinking on boy names but I've got a baby girl name for you."

"Better than Edward's suggestion of Amphitrite? How could I possibly do better than naming a daughter after the goddess of the sea?"

She chuckled at Esme's sarcasm. "Let's not forget his boy name suggestion of Biadam after the shark constellation."

"Oh but let's do," Esme replied, making them both laugh. "So! What name do you have for me?"

"I was thinking you might enjoy something slightly more modern as well as something that holds personal meaning for you and Carlisle."

"I like where this is going so far."

"Something that represents you both."

"Even better."

"Carly Beth."

Esme repeated the name twice. "This one's going on the list."

Bella lifted her head to see Esme's expression. "Really?"

"Absolutely. It pays tribute to Carlisle and to me. It's feminine without being over girly. I like it."

"How many does that make on the list now?"

"Five boy names and two girl names. For some reason, your uncle and I are both finding it easier to agree on boy names. Wonder if that's a sign of what this little one is," Esme said as she rubbed her belly. "Whatever you are little one, we are going to love you and try our best not to stick you with a moniker you will be dying to change from the moment you realize such a thing is possible."

Bella chuckled. "I'm sure you'll both do a fantastic job. It's not like you aren't already great parents."

"I'm fairly certain sleepless nights and dirty diapers will put that to the test."

"Lucky for you, you have misfits to step in and help out."

"I am the luckiest. I'm afraid I'm also exhausted."

Bella immediately sat up so that Esme could stand. "Wake us up if you need anything at all."

"Thank you, sweetheart, but I'll be fine just knowing you're here in the house with me." She bent over and kissed Bella's forehead. "I love you."

"I love you too, Esme."

Bella waited up until she heard Esme's bedroom door close and then she snuggled in beside Edward. He woke long enough to move Lizzy and his book, and stretch out with Bella on the couch, and then he was back to softly snoring, this time with his arms wrapped around his kapu.

She watched him sleep for a bit and just before she closed her own eyes, she whispered, "Thank you for giving me a family. I promise to do my best to always deserve all of you."

"~~~^~~~~^~~~^~~~~^~~~^~~~~^"

Tuesday, November 24th

"What do you think, Lizzy? Is my GT-R shiny clean? Will it pass Edward's ridiculous yet somehow adorable inspection?" Bella asked as she finished buffing a spot on the back bumper.

Lizzy didn't respond.

"Are you after that lizard again?" Bella called. When she didn't get a response this time, she started searching the carport area for the puppy.

She finally found her lying down beside the bushes that bordered the edge of the workshop.

She knelt down and ran a hand along Lizzy's back. "What are you looking at, sweet girl?"

Lizzy craned her neck toward the bush and Bella heard a tiny little meow come from the shadows.

She got down on her knees to look in and spotted a shivering kitten. She couldn't tell the color from all the dirt covering it, but she could make out the big green eyes staring back at her.

"Hello, little bitty," she said as she reached a hand out.

Lizzy jumped to her feet and used her head to push Bella's hand away.

"Don't worry, Lizzy. I'm going to help your little friend." Bella considered reaching in but then thought better of it. She liberated a towel from Edward's workshop, both to warm the kitten and to protect her hand from scratches.

Bella reached out again and this time Lizzy let her. She managed to curl her hand and the towel around the kitten on the first try and pulled it out despite its wiggling and crying.

She took the kitten into the workshop and found a cardboard box just tall enough to keep it from getting out. She put the box on the passenger side floorboard and then loaded Lizzy into the Bronco so they could head into town to see Lizzy's vet and have the kitten checked out.

After a thorough bath from one of the vet's assistants, the vet determined the kitten was a seven week old female. It was only slightly underweight so the vet felt it had probably wandered away and gotten lost within the past few days. Otherwise it seemed healthy.

Another assistant came over and took a photo of the kitten, making sure to get a good shot of her grey fur with its black markings. The Polaroid was tacked onto their lost and found board in case the owner came looking.

Throughout the entire process, Lizzy sat upright in Bella's arms and kept a close watch on everyone who came in contact with her kitten friend. Seeing how attached their puppy was to this kitten, Bella ended up agreeing to foster the kitten while they waited to see if anyone would claim her.

Back home, Bella sat down on the living room floor and set the kitten down. "You need a name. Even if it's just for a week, we need to call you something."

The kitten meowed at her.

Lizzy stretched out beside Bella and laid her head on Bella's leg.

"Are you tired from your adventure?" Bella asked as she stroked the puppy's back.

Lizzy's little tail started wagging and suddenly the kitten was right beside her, trying to get a paw on her tail.

"That's probably not the best idea," Bella warned as she leaned over to move the kitten away. That resulted in the kitten batting at her infinity necklace. "That is a huge no-no, little bitty. Edward's not going to want to foster you if you break my necklace."

The kitten hopped onto Bella's leg and then curled up on it, pressing its head against Lizzy's.

Bella smiled as she stroked the kitten. "This is playing dirty, being all sweet and cute, but you should know I'm an easy sell. It's Edward that you're going to have to work at."

She moved the kitten to Lizzy's blanket pile near the living room window. She left Lizzy curled up beside her new friend and headed into the kitchen to put away the supplies the vet had given her. There was enough food and kitty litter to last a week—plenty of time for someone to claim the kitten. Or for Bella to convince Edward to keep her.

By the time Edward made it home for dinner, Lizzy and her kitten friend had investigated all of the downstairs together. They probably would have done the same upstairs but the steps appeared to be an obstacle for the kitten.

"I know I'm late," Edward said as he dropped his bag on the chair by the front door. "But it was not my fault this time."

"You're fine. You're barely ten minutes late," Bella replied before sharing a kiss with him.

"For the record, I would have been here early but Carlisle needed help putting the leaf in the dining room table." He bent over and gave Lizzy a scratch behind her ears, completely missing the kitten hiding behind Bella's sneakers by the door. "Hey, Lizzy. Hey, sweet girl."

"Why did Uncle Carl need the leaf in today?" Bella asked. For some reason she felt Edward would have a better reaction if he just stumbled upon the kitten on his own.

"Mom insisted she needed to start decorating the table tonight and Carlisle figured this was not a battle to fight. I figured it was in my best interest to follow his lead," he explained as he moved ingredients from the fridge to the island.

"It's okay. I don't mind you being a few minutes late here and there."

His lips parted but whatever response he'd been about to share stayed in his head, his thought clearly interrupted by the sound of a meow.

"What was that?"

"What was what?" Bella answered innocently.

He narrowed his eyes at her. "That noise."

"I didn't hear a noise. I only hear us talk—" Bella's teasing came to an abrupt end due to the loud meow that originated next to Edward's foot.

His face was priceless as he stared down at the kitten—complete confusion. "Why is there a fur-ball in my kitchen?"

"My kitchen?" she questioned, her lips curved into a wicked smirk. "Funny how all of a sudden it's just your kitchen instead of our kitchen. Of course, I could have just heard you wrong. Did I hear you wrong, Edward?"

He rubbed at the bridge of his nose while trying not to smile. "Bad acoustics. I absolutely asked why there's a cat in our kitchen."

Now that they were clear on who the kitchen belonged to, Bella picked up the kitten to give Edward a closer look at her. "This is Lizzy's new friend and our houseguest for the next week." An idea popped into her head and she decided to run with it. "This is Lilo."

His eyebrows lifted toward his hair. "Was that her name before or after you decided to bring a fur-ball into the house?"

Bella only smiled and held the kitten out to him.

His eyes shifted between her and the kitten but he didn't touch it. "We are going to talk about this, but right now, get the fur-ball out of the kitchen so I can make our dinner."

She technically left the kitchen by going around the island. "Lilo's seven weeks old. She's healthy but she could use a little more weight."

"Sounds like something her owners' need to handle."

"But she may not have people. She could be the baby of a stray."

"She's too calm. A stray wouldn't sit still in your hands like that."

"You know about cats," Bella said, getting excited at the thought of adding this kitten to their little 'ohana.

"I know they scratch and bite."

"She's been perfectly sweet all afternoon. Plus, Lizzy and Lilo are already best friends. They even took a nap together."

Edward frowned and put down the knife before bracing his hands along the island's top. "Where did you get that fur-ball and how long has it been in the house?"

"Lizzy found her outside. She was cold and dirty so we took her to see the vet. She got a bath and a clean bill of health."

"Great. So why the hell isn't it being boarded at the vet's office?"

"They're full because of the holiday and asked if we would foster her until next week. I honestly didn't think you'd mind. Lizzy was once all alone outdoors so this seemed like a pay-it-forward kind of thing."

Edward sighed. "It's not that I mind. I don't particularly like being manipulated, though."

She opened her mouth to rebut his accusation but quickly closed it at the sight of the smirk on his lips.

"Naming it Lilo and using Lizzy's story against me. That is high level manipulation, kapu."

She blushed. "I just wanted to hedge my bets a little."

He sighed heavily again. "Fine. We'll foster the fur-ball."

"Yeah! Lizzy, he's on board," she said to the puppy dancing at her feet.

"One week, Bella. That's all I'm agreeing to." He shook his head at her, obviously knowing her excitement wasn't curbed in the least. He then picked up his knife and put his full focus on making their dinner.

Bella decided to chip in and help and it wasn't long at all before they were sitting together on the couch with their dinner. Edward turned on a nature documentary he'd set to tape this morning. It was a ten episode series developed over four years and shot completely in high definition—he'd been reminding her of those facts for weeks now.

As he set the remote on the arm of the sofa, the kitten set itself on his left foot. He scowled at it. "Move, fur-ball."

"Lilo seems to like you."

"She's on my foot."

"So? You let Lizzy sit on your feet all the time." As if to prove Bella's point, Lizzy came padding into the room and stretched out next to Edward, dropping her head on his other foot. "See?"

He grumbled something she didn't catch and focused on the television screen. But a little later, when he reached down to rub Lizzy's neck like usual, he also spared a second to give the kitten a rub too. Bella hid her smile; she was certain Edward's only issue with the kitten was that it would be another change on top of a huge pile of them.

Her theory was bolstered after dinner when he stretched out on the floor to finish watching his documentary. Lizzy immediately took up residence in her usual spot on his chest and after watching for a minute, the kitten climbed up and curled herself up on his shoulder. Edward allowed it and even smiled when Lilo began to purr.

Bella left them to their bonding and curled up in a chair with the book Esme had loaned her. She'd never tried a mystery with a romance wrapped around it before, but so far it was pretty interesting.

She ended up becoming so engrossed with the characters that she didn't hear the knock at the door or see Edward get up to answer it. It took Edward rubbing her shoulder to pull her out of the story.

"Whit and Alice are here. She wants to talk to you so we're going to head downstairs to the workshop."

Bella peered around Edward and found her sister chewing on the side of her thumb. It was her way of not ruining her manicure while also giving in to her nervous habit of chewing on something. "Guess she's ready to talk about what happened on her trip."

"Want us to stay upstairs instead?"

"It's okay. I know you're excited to show him your progress on the drone. Just don't go far from the house just in case." Alice's avoidance of talking about California had left Bella with a bad feeling the past couple of days.

"You got it." He helped her to her feet, gave her a quick kiss on the lips, and then headed out with Whit.

Bella walked over to the island where Alice was standing. "Want anything to drink?"

"No thanks. We just had dinner with Whit's parents."

"How did it go? Did you enjoy meeting Harrison and Jackie?"

Her sister nodded. "They're nice. I think they liked me okay. They think I'm young too but I don't think they necessarily consider me wrong for their son."

"From everything I know about them, I'm pretty certain all they really care about is if Whit's happy, and we all know he is very happy with you."

"Sure as long as I'm not being a bitch."

Bella was so shocked it took her a moment to react. "What brought out that label?"

Alice finally stopped staring at the island top and looked at Bella. Alice's brown eyes were swimming in tears and now that she wasn't chewing on her thumb, Bella could see her sister's hands were shaking.

Bella took Alice into her arms and hugged her tightly, giving her some time to let her tears out and loosen the tension in her body.

When Alice was down to the occasional sniffle, Bella led her over to the couch to sit and talk. "What's got you weepy, little sister?"

"I had it all planned out, Bella. I knew exactly what I would say and how Mom would react and how she'd welcome Whit and want to know everything about him. But I didn't get any reaction at all. She just kept looking at me with those vacant eyes and that unchanging smile."

"I know it's hard for you, Alice, but you shouldn't take it personally. She hasn't been well for a really long time."

"I know but I thought it was just because she was so sad without Daddy. I thought hearing happy news would make a difference. She'd hear all about the new people in our lives and she'd want to come home and meet them all. When nothing happened I—" Alice dropped her eyes from Bella's. "I did something really stupid. I'm such an idiot."

"You're not an idiot," Bella promised, gently squeezing her sister's hands. "You're hopeful and that's a good thing to be."

"Not when I'm hopeful about a hopeless situation. Not when I let it get under my skin and run out of my mouth."

"What happened?"

"I …" She swallowed thickly as her tears returned. "You're going to be so mad at me."

"Probably," Bella agreed. Alice rarely acted this upset and guilt-ridden without having seriously put her foot in her mouth. "But if I'm going to help you, I need to know what happened."

"I—I kept thinking that the last time Mom talked to me, it was right before she had that big blow up with you, right before she just stopped talking and Uncle Carl had to send her to California. I thought maybe if she got that mad again, it would make her wake up and then after she calmed down she would talk to us again." Alice kept looking at Bella and then quickly looking away, causing Bella's stomach to clench as she waited for whatever bomb her sister was about to drop.

"So I—" Alice paused to lick her lips and then speedily forced out, "I tried to make her angry. I just wanted her to do something other than sit there. I wanted her to come back, Bella. It was stupid and immature and I can't believe I held onto this idea of her magically coming out of her stupor and being our mom again." Alice's voice cracked as she tried to fight another round of tears. "I told her that you're diving again but with sharks this time. And that you're marrying a shark guy, and that your new job is going to be in the water all the time with sharks."

Bella was so stunned and hurt that she couldn't breathe.

"It didn't work. She didn't come back." When Bella didn't say anything, Alice continued talking. "Uncle Carl and Whit tried to tell me it wouldn't work but I was so determined at that point, Bella. I just wanted her to say something. Anything."

Bella shook her head and got up from the couch, putting some distance between them. "That—" With all the strength she had, she carefully chose her words, though they still came out louder than she'd wanted. "That was not your news to share. And never in that way."

"I know. I know and I'm so sorry. I just needed her to wake up but I was still so wrong because … Because I betrayed your trust and you don't deserve that."

Bella tried to digest that apology and use it against the rising tide of anger building within her, but it just wasn't enough right now. Her sister had taken her amazing summer and loving relationship and turned them into a ploy—into bait.

"Alice." She stopped herself, feeling the harsh words ready to jump off her tongue. Her hands rolled into fists at her sides as she tried again, pausing every few words to swallow back her tears. "I love you … but right now … right now …" She forced herself to take a deep breath and then tried again. "I need you to leave. I need … You can't be here. I'm too angry."

Alice stood on shaky legs with tears streaming down her face once again. "I love you. I'm sorry."

With her sister gone, Bella grabbed a throw pillow from the couch and screamed into it until her throat felt raw.

She fell more than sat down on the couch, her own tears coming hot and fast now. How could she do this? How could she possibly be that selfish and just plain mean? We're supposed to be past all of this. We worked so hard this summer to get to a good place. Why would she wreck that?

"And for what?" Bella yelled at the empty house.

The door opened and Edward set Lizzy and Lilo down before closing the door and locking it up for the night. "Between her tears and your yelling, I take it that planned lunch tomorrow is off."

She jumped to her feet. "Do you know what she did?"

He nodded. "Carlisle was downstairs the whole time. He thought it would be easier for you if you didn't have to explain it to me. He also said to tell you to call him if you want to talk. Doesn't matter what time."

"Talk? What could I possibly have to talk about? It's not like I have a selfish sister. Oh wait! I do." Her words fully registered and she winced at the harshness of them. And then she got pissed all over again for caring about whether or not she was being fair to her sister.

"You have every right to be angry. What she did was reckless and it hurt you."

"It pissed me off," she yelled, throwing the pillow at the couch. It was easier to be angry than to think about all the reasons why it hurt so deeply.

"That too."

His calm responses made her suspicious. "Why aren't you mad too? Why aren't you ranting about her bratty behavior?"

"Believe me, Bella, I am mightily pissed off, but right now that's not going to help you."

"Help me," she scoffed. "How can anyone help me? My sister—" She couldn't go through with it. She couldn't actually admit the thought in her head, that her sister wanted an absent mother more than the sister who had been there for her every single day.

He put his arms around her and drew her into his chest. "What are you thinking?"

"All those times I was there for her. Soccer and volleyball games and awards banquets. Crushes and boyfriends. Letting her share my bed in the middle of the night because she didn't want to be alone. And none of it meant anything to her." It physically hurt to think that way but what else was she supposed to think after what Alice had done?

"That's not true. Alice made a pretty messed up choice. But that one mistake doesn't change her love and appreciation for you."

"She doesn't appreciate me. She just sees me as someone Renee hates enough to wake up and go after."

"Hate?" Edward lifted her face until she was looking him in the eye. "Bella, it wasn't about hate. It was about love. Alice was counting on your mom loving you so much that she would come out of it to make sure you weren't in danger."

"Why are you defending her?" Bella asked, harshly rubbing her tears away.

He took her hands into his. "I'm not. I'm giving you my opinion from the outside looking in."

"Which is?"

"Alice believes big gestures are proof of love. Look at the absolute fit she threw when you were hurt by the ray. When you decided not to go to California, Alice didn't see it as you moving forward and being happy with the family you have now. She saw it as you giving up, something she understood your reasons for but felt bad about all the same. She felt she had to try to fix things for both of you, to bring your mom back so she could see how happy the two of you are with the men who love you. Alice is absolutely wrong for the way she went about it, but she didn't do it with malicious intent. The hurt you're feeling right now is an unfortunate and regrettable consequence. It was never her goal."

"You really believe that?"

"As someone who would have done anything just for one more day with my mother, yeah, I believe she was trying to do something good. It just blew up in her face."

Bella took some time to think about everything Edward had said, working hard to review it without letting her hurt cloud her judgement. She had to admit he had some good points, though it did little to ease her pain. "She's always had a bad habit of hearing what she wants instead of what I'm saying. She must have decided I wasn't as okay as I said I was."

"That sounds exactly like something Alice would do."

"But that doesn't make it right, Edward." She leaned in to him as her tears returned. "She really hurt me."

He hugged her tightly and kissed the top of her head. "I wish I could fix this for you. I wish I could feel that pain instead of you."

"I never would have done that to her."

"I know, kapu, but you see the world differently than her. Even as stubborn as you can be, you see when to step back and even when to let go, which can be the hardest thing to do, especially with people you care about."

She stood there in his arms until her tears stopped and then they took Lizzy out for her walk and to get some fresh air themselves. As much as Bella wished she could push this away and forget about it for a while, she had no choice but to confront it and deal with it. Day after tomorrow was Thanksgiving and she wouldn't let her issues with her sister put a damper on the family-oriented day Esme had been planning for weeks. Maybe Alice leaving tonight without a fight was a sign that she truly understood how big she'd messed up and it wouldn't be difficult to get her to understand how she'd hurt Bella with her actions. Maybe this could even be the last time Alice did something that squashed Bella's happiness. Maybe her sister could listen to her words instead of making up an alternate version.

Those were an awful lot of maybes.

"~~~^~~~~^~~~^~~~~^~~~^~~~~^"

Wednesday, November 25th

Masen's hair had never looked so harassed, sticking up and out in every direction as he sat on the couch in the dark, waiting with his cellphone in his hand for it to be a reasonable time to call Lee.

He'd put a lot of thought into who he should talk to about his feelings on this latest mess with Alice. It couldn't be Bella because then she would hold back. She'd be more worried about his feelings than her own. It couldn't be Esme. She had enough on her mind with worrying how the rest of the family would react to her big news. Carlisle was out since these women were basically his daughters and he'd feel the need to defend. Completely understandable but ultimately not helpful to Masen. Going to Whit was out of the question. He had his own need to vent on top of having his plate full with dealing with Alice.

That realization had pissed Masen off even more. In all the years he and Whit had been friends, there had never once been a problem they couldn't talk about together. Alice's good intentions had really screwed them all over.

That left Lee as a friendly ear, though that had its own risks since Lee had grown so close to Bella. But it was what he had. Not that Lee was ever a last resort—he valued her advice and she never sugarcoated with him.

His patience ran out at four minutes to five, almost two hours before sunrise. He pressed the button for Lee's speed-dial and hoped she hadn't turned her phone off.

It rang so long that he had started thinking about the message he would leave when a sleepy voice came through. "'Sup?"

"Hey, bro, it's Mase. I'm calling to see if Lee wants to go surfing this morning."

"Lee is conked out." After a long yawn, he explained the reason for Lee's deep sleep. "She was up late last night planning which dishes she would be cooking today. She's cooking Thanksgiving for her parents and then bringing a dish to Esme's. She looked like you, actually, leaning over her laptop and surrounded by pieces of paper and lists."

Masen hadn't expected Lee to be unavailable and it caused him to stay silent.

"How about I come over?" Gopher offered.

"You don't like sunrise surfing," Masen automatically replied.

"From the sound of you, surfing isn't really what you're after anyway."

He didn't know how to respond to that, never having expected Gopher to be able to read into the sound of his voice.

"I'll be there in fifteen. With coffee."

"Listen, Em—"

"I'm already half way out the door so your resistance is futile."

"I was actually going to say 'thanks'," Masen admitted.

"In that case, you're welcome and I'll see you on the beach."

Masen went upstairs to check on Bella and make sure she was still asleep. She hadn't moved at all, her face partially buried in her pillow and both Lizzy and Lilo curled up just behind her knees on top of the blanket. He wasn't crazy about the kitten being on the bed but right now he wasn't going to refuse Bella anything that might comfort her.

He leaned down to kiss her forehead, careful not to wake her, and then quietly left the house. He thought about heading straight down to the beach but eventually decided to wait under the carport for Gopher.

It wasn't long before the headlights of Gopher's car were lighting up the driveway and a pacing Masen. Gopher climbed out yawning and clutching two cups of coffee. "Mase, bro, you look like you got run over and then they backed up and did it again."

"Thanks," he replied sarcastically while taking one of the cups from Gopher.

They didn't say anything else until they were seated in the cool sand, watching the tide roll in and out.

"I'll apologize in advance if I don't make much sense at first because I'm pretty fucking pissed off and my thoughts are all over the place."

"This about Bella?"

He nodded. "Alice and Whit came over tonight—Carlisle was with them. I knew it had to be something about their mom since Alice just got back from Cali on Monday night. I figured whatever it was, I could handle it. Right up until Carlisle told me what Alice had done. I've wanted to rage about it from that moment but there's this voice in my head that keeps telling me to be as calm as I can."

"That's a smart voice, Mase. Listen to it."

"I'm trying but it's damn hard. I keep reminding myself that Alice regrets her mistake. Because if Bella's hurting and Whit's upset and Alice isn't sorry …" He could only shake his head. "Carlisle's upset but more so because he knows how much this is hurting Bella. He believes that Alice didn't intend to hurt anyone."

"All of which does zero to erase your anger. So hit me with it. What has the little sister done this time?"

"You know how their mom went into that fugue state after their dad died. Alice thought she could break her mom out of it with good news about her and Whit."

"Nice thought. I'm guessing it didn't work."

"Nope. Neither did trying to freak her mom out by telling her about Bella diving, being engaged to me, and working with MMR. It wasn't presented as happy news but as things that should scare the shit out of their mom."

"Fuck," Gopher breathed out. "Dude, that's messed up. First of all, that's not her news. That's Bella's life and she gets to decide who shares in it. Second of all, presenting it as anything other than the happiness it is for Bella fucking sucks. But that just makes it a really good thing that it didn't work because their mom waking up just to ruin the happiness Bella's built for herself—Still, not waking up hurts too. It's got to be damn hard for those two to see it as just a sickness and not a sign of being unwanted."

Masen's biggest fear right now was that this would reverse all the progress he'd made with Bella. It had been so hard to get her to stop blaming herself, both for her father's death and her mother's retreat inside herself. He kicked at the sand as a way to let go of some of his frustration.

"Talk to me, Mase. Kicking the sand is too temporary for a situation like this, bro. You need to talk and vent."

"If this was months ago, I could understand better. Alice didn't realize the guilt Bella was carrying. She didn't know Bella blamed herself for their mom's downward spiral and checking out. But she knows now, Em." He couldn't help kicking the sand again as he fumed, "She fucking knows and she still did it. She could set Bella so far back."

He forced himself to take a breath and rein in his anger some. "I can't figure out what the fuck Alice was thinking. I've been trying all damn night. I mean, I completely get missing your mom. I miss Elizabeth every damn day. But I would never say or do anything to make Esme feel less than. That woman has been my mom in every way that counts for more than half my life. Bella stepped up and has been that motherly figure for Alice since the moment their mom checked out. For Alice to make it feel to Bella like her sister was choosing a ghost over her—" His hands rolled into fists as he fought to keep his anger in check. "She's in pain, Em, and I can't fix it. I can't fucking fix it and I hate that helpless feeling so damn much."

"You're doing all you can, Mase. You're keeping the line of communication open with Bella by not venting to her. You're getting your own shit in order by letting it out to a trusted source. You're not facing off with Alice and making things worse with her and for Whit in the process."

Masen stared down at his hands, flexing his fingers to ease the soreness from being fisted for too long. He agreed with everything the man had said but still felt like it amounted to nothing. "It doesn't feel like enough."

"It never does when the woman you love is in pain. Hell, all these years with Lee and I still get worried when she stubs her toe. Maybe now you can see why I get so pissed when you hurt her feelings."

"I get it. Also, I apologize."

Emmett smiled and put an arm around Masen. "You're forgiven. Just know this new level of understanding won't keep you from getting your ass kicked next time you do it."

"It also doesn't allow you to put your arm on me," he said, smiling while pushing Em away. "So," he said, getting serious again. "What do you suggest?"

Em studied him for a moment. "You really want my advice?"

He shrugged. "You seem to be doing great with Lee. Plus, you have sisters."

"Best advice I can give you is two words. They're not going to sound like a lot to you, someone who's used to jumping in and taking charge, but trust me when I say they'll mean everything to Bella … Love her. That's all you need to do, bro."

"I do love her. That's why I kept my mouth shut and I repeated all the reassurances Carlisle told me she would need to hear. I'm just not sure I can keep this anger bottled up, especially when I'm supposed to sit across from Alice tomorrow and share my family's traditions with her."

"I get where you're coming from with that, but, Mase, man, how guilty and regretful are you gonna be if you let this one stupid choice Alice made ruin what you've fought so hard to build with her? And how will it make Bella and Esme feel? They are both so proud of the restraint and forgiveness you've shown Alice. You just need to show her a little more. Not because she deserves it yet, but because Bella needs it."

As much as Masen wanted to deny it, Em was completely right. Any tension with Alice on his part would cause stress for Bella and Esme. "You're right, but I don't know how to do that."

"You'll figure it out. You'll do it for Bella because she means everything to you."

"I hope you're right."

Gopher grinned. "Does that mean I get to say 'I told you so' later on?"

"No," Masen answered with a snort. "It means thanks for coming out here, and for the good advice."

"Since we are talking, I've always wondered something."

"What's that?"

"You claim it's my sense of humor that's made it hard for you to trust me. Is that the real reason?"

Masen smirked, appreciating the man's quick thinking and ability to get something for himself from this early morning conversation. "For the most part. No one else I know jokes the way you do."

"Bull—shit. Whit and Esme are always cracking jokes."

"Yeah, but you're the one who's physical with his comedy. Picking people up, tossing shit, and just generally getting in the way. Sometimes I can find it funny, but mostly I just see all the ways it could cause accidents."

"From that viewpoint, I get why I make you nervous. But is that all? Is that the only reason?"

"When you first came into the picture, I had to make sure you understood what you were getting with Lee, and that you were worthy of her. She's too amazing to settle for anyone, even me."

Gopher chuckled. "It's good to see you aren't completely full of yourself, Mase."

"Ass," Masen grumbled even as he grinned. He played with his coffee cup for a bit, debating on whether or not to say more. In the end, he decided now was the time to make absolute sure Gopher knew they were finally friends without reservations. "You know, Lee feels complete with you. There's no higher praise than that. Except maybe to say this family wouldn't be the same without you here to have our backs and lighten our moods." He held his hand out and when Gopher took hold of it for a shake, he smiled and said, "Mahalo, bro."

"Can I do it?" Gopher asked with an eager grin and open arms.

He knew right away what the man was asking for. "No. Hell no."

Gopher widened his open arms as he begged. "Just this once?"

"Seriously?"

"Bro."

Masen huffed and then nodded. "Just this once."

Gopher threw his arms around Masen and gave him a bear hug. "Love you, Masey."

"Love you too, Em," Masen said as he laughed and gave Gopher's arm a pat. "Now get the fuck off me."

Gopher's phone helped Masen to escape the big bear's clutches. He leaned back and dug the phone from his pocket. "Hey, Gorgeous. How'd you sleep?"

Masen smiled, knowing from Gopher's tone that he meant the compliment as a truth.

"Yeah, we're just finishing up now. We'll head back to the house and see you in a minute."

Even though he knew he couldn't see the house from this spot, Masen still turned his head to look in that direction.

"Love you too, Babe. See you." Gopher ended the call and put the phone back in his pocket but made no move to stand.

"Aren't we heading back?"

"Sure. After you promise there's nothing more you need to get off your chest right this minute."

He grinned. "That is a promise I can absolutely make. I'm still pretty fucking pissed but I also feel like I have control of it. And I'll keep that control for Bella's sake."

"Damn straight you will," Gopher agreed, giving a good natured slap to Masen's back.

They got to their feet and climbed the dune, putting them level with the street although they were still a ways from the house. Masen could just make out a shadow at the edge of Gopher's car.

When they made it to the car, they found Lee sitting on the trunk next to a couple bags filled with takeout containers.

"I come bearing gifts of breakfast goodness," she said as she hopped off the car.

"Morning, Gorgeous," Em greeted with a kiss to her cheek. "Thank you for bringing food."

"Do I want to know right now what's going on? Or is later better?" she asked, looking between Masen and Gopher.

He deferred to his newest advice-giver. "Em?"

"My vote's for later," Gopher answered. "If I was Bella, I'd want a breakfast where I could just relax with friends. Give myself a break from all the heavy."

"Fine, but I have to know one thing," Lee stated. "Who caused Bella to be upset?"

"The little sister but not on purpose," Gopher replied.

"Okay then," Lee said as she forced a smile. "I've got sweet potato hash for Em, eggs and bacon for Masen, and Belgian waffles with fresh fruit for Bella and me. Let's get this food upstairs and dig in."

Masen had one thing he needed to do before they went inside and woke Bella. He hugged Lee tight and thanked her for coming over. She had a full day ahead of her yet she'd still come over here to check on him and Bella.

She returned his hug just as fiercely and whispered assurances that things would be okay. It helped to increase the confidence Gopher had helped him build during their conversation. He could do this for Bella. He could be supportive and silent and just love her.

Once they were inside, Lee and Gopher went into the kitchen to put the food on plates and pour drinks while Masen headed upstairs to wake Bella.

She was still asleep and almost exactly as he'd left her. The difference was the kitten curled up on her pillow and pressed against her forehead. He slid into the bed and gently pushed the kitten out of the spot he usually occupied. The fur-ball lifted her head and let out a soft meow.

"My kapu, my spot," he told her as she pawed at his nose. He moved his finger around until she was following it and then he softly tapped her nose. She was not impressed—she meowed at him again and then curled back up to sleep some more.

He was still grinning when he pressed his lips to Bella's forehead. "Good morning, kapu."

Her eyes flew open.

"Did I startle you?" he asked while putting an arm around her.

"Hi."

"Hi," he repeated, holding back a laugh.

"I hear voices."

"Lee and Gopher brought us breakfast."

She frowned. "Do they know?"

He understood what she was asking but decided she needed levity rather than truth right now. "Oh yeah. They haven't forgotten how scary you are with bed-head."

She smiled and refused his kiss by pushing her palm against his lips. "You're mean."

"I am hungry. And in order to solve my dilemma, I need you to get out of this bed."

"And if I say I'm not hungry."

He reached up and lifted the kitten, waking her and getting a grumpy meow in response. He turned her so her big green eyes were staring right at Bella. "I'll eat while you introduce our houseguest."

A small smile curled Bella's lips as she took the kitten and cuddled her. Lilo allowed it for about two seconds and then wiggled away to jump over Bella's legs. They watched as the kitten nudged Lizzy's head with her own until Lizzy woke up.

Bella's smile was much bigger now and it brought out Masen's own smile. "I'm beginning to suspect I'm the only one who thinks this fur-ball is only a guest," he told her.

She chose not to acknowledge his comment. "Come on, Lilo. You're going to love Lee and Gopher."

Masen scooped Lizzy up and the four of them headed downstairs, finding Gopher and Lee seated on the stools around the island.

"Where did this cutie come from?" Lee cooed as she took the kitten from Bella. "Bella, what are you doing holding out on me?"

"I'm not, I just didn't have time to tell you yet. Lizzy found her outside yesterday afternoon."

"Hello, sweetheart," Lee said while looking into the kitten's face. "You have gorgeous eyes." She hugged the kitten to her chest and rubbed behind her neck. "Does she have a name yet?"

"Lilo," Bella answered, giving Masen a sly grin.

"Yeah, she's attempting to blackmail me into letting the fur-ball turn from houseguest to family member," Masen shared.

"Attempting?" Gopher asked with a laugh. "Bro, it's already done. Her name is Lilo and both Lee and Bella are in love with her. Your kapu and your sister have spoken. It is done. That kitten's 'ohana now."

"If you like her so much, you should take her," Masen offered.

"And separate her from her best friend Lizzy and her Bella? We would never dare," Lee said, her lips curled up into a great imitation of his own shitty grin.

"O-ha-na," Gopher told him.

Masen didn't even bother acting put out. If a fur-ball made them all this happy, then fine. "Esme's always telling me to pick my battles … Kitten stays."

Bella squealed and then threw arms around him, peppering his face with happy kisses while he laughed. Gopher gave a thumbs-up of approval while Lee's hands signed "right choice" to him. Right now, anything that made Bella happy seemed like a right choice. He just hoped a week from now he'd feel the same way about the fur-ball staying.

"~~~^~~~~^~~~^~~~~^~~~^~~~~^"

Thursday, November 26th

"I don't know about this look."

"You look great."

"You have to say that."

"And just who is it that you have me confused with?"

Masen turned his head to get a better look at his kapu and the smile on her face. She had a lot going on in her head and heart so being able to make her smile made him feel like he was doing at least a little something to help her.

"Isn't that part of the engagement package? Endless compliments?" he asked.

"Nope," she replied, popping the "p" and smiling wider. "We are lovers of the truth after all. And the truth is that you look nice."

He took another long look in the mirror at his short hair and clean-shaven face, trying to get acquainted with the person staring back at him. He wondered if it would be less jarring without the dress shirt and pressed pants that he was wearing.

"If you hate it this much, why did you do it?"

He turned around to face her. "Right before we left for False Bay, you were mailing a hand written letter. Remember what you said to me when I asked you why you were using snail mail?"

She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Because it was for someone I love, a small thing to make them very happy."

"That's what this is," he said, gesturing toward his head. "Esme will love that I cleaned up for the family photo."

"Thanksgiving seems to be a really big deal for you guys."

He nodded. "When I was a little kid living with Elizabeth and my grandparents, the only time Esme ever came home was Thanksgiving. Christmas Break was longer but she was always invited to spend it skiing with friends, and who wouldn't pick that over hanging out with an adult sister and a toddler nephew? So we would get her for the week of Thanksgiving.

"Then we moved out here, Elizabeth passed, and Esme and I were suddenly staring at a Thanksgiving with just the two of us. She proclaimed that from that point on, it would be the family holiday and we'd be required to come home for it no matter what. She also called up her girls and we spent that first holiday with a lot of stories and laughter. And after the meal, we all stood together in the kitchen surrounded by the empty plates, and took the first of many family photos." Masen wasn't sure what else to say so he just shrugged.

"So pretty much you elevated the day from being thankful for the food on your table to being a celebration of your 'ohana. I like that."

"I like that I get to celebrate having you in my 'ohana." He gave her a long, slow, tender kiss and then hugged her tightly for a moment. "You ready to head out?"

"Most definitely."

They scooped up Lizzy and Lilo and then headed over to Esme's—which was now Esme and Carlisle's. Masen still hadn't fully wrapped his head around all of the changes in his world but he knew he wouldn't have it any other way.

Carlisle greeted them at the door. "Masen, I almost didn't recognize you," he teased as they shared a quick hug.

"You're a funny guy, Carlisle. A real riot."

Carlisle chuckled and clapped him on the back. He then opened his arms to Bella. "Bug."

She gladly stepped into them and the look of relief mixed with pain that crossed her face had Masen heading inside to let them have a few moments alone. Carlisle understood all the ways Bella was hurting, ways that she hadn't yet been able to express to Masen.

Esme was standing at the kitchen sink and he snuck up behind her, pressing his smooth cheek against hers. "Happy Thanksgiving, Mom."

She squealed and turned around, taking his face into her hands. "You look so handsome. Definite model material, Kid."

"Enjoy because this is the last time I'm doing this."

"That's what you always say and yet here you are, looking so dapper."

He glanced around to make sure they were alone before saying, "Next year you'll be way too busy with my baby sibling to be worried about how much hair I have."

Esme bit her lower lip.

"Mom," Masen said, knowing that gesture typically preceded a story about something spontaneous she'd done.

She took hold of his arm and led him down the hall and into his room. "I did a thing," she said, leaning against the closed door.

"Oh I know you did. I just don't know what yet."

"It could be a good thing," she argued.

"Then you wouldn't be biting at your lip. You would be jumping for joy. Biting your lip means you feel it was great but you're not sure anyone else will see it that way. Like when you bought your convertible and you loved it from the moment you first saw it but you were worried that everyone would think it was a reckless purchase."

"But you didn't. You all were excited that I spent my money on myself for a change."

"This will probably be the same so just rip off the band-aid and tell me about the thing."

She smiled despite the tears standing in her eyes. "I'm married."

He blinked, not sure he'd heard that right. "What?"

"I'm married, Kid. Changed my name—well, added to it actually—but yeah, married. Carlisle got home from Cali and I told him I didn't want to wait, that I wanted something solid in the middle of all this change and he agreed and we went to the courthouse. We're married. I have a husband." Her eyes widened as if she was only just realizing what she had done. "I am someone's wife."

Masen tried to keep a straight face but he just couldn't and his laughter bubbled out of him.

"You're laughing!" Esme yelled. "Why are you laughing?"

"Because you have spent most of my life telling me to think long and hard before making life-altering choices and you just hopped in the car and went out and got a new last name."

"In my defense, I've hardly been able to stop thinking about it since he proposed. Carlisle is above and beyond the kind of partner I hoped to one day share my life with. He loves me, he loves you, and he loves the misfits. He accepts my girls and their antics." She put her hands over her belly. "And seeing the love he has for Bella and Alice, I have no doubt he will love this baby the way he or she deserves."

"Well yeah, he's a good guy like that, but, Mom, I still don't understand how that equals you running out for a quick wedding. You are all about family and I never would have believed you'd get married without all of us—without me."

"Edward, I wanted you there so much, I really did. But there wasn't enough time and I needed this. I know it sounds silly because logically a piece of paper doesn't guarantee us anything but at the same time, it makes me feel like I have everything. And there are practical reasons too, like financial and medical privileges we wouldn't have otherwise. I know this seems sudden and I guess it is in a way but … I got scared. Being pregnant, walking around an empty house, and Carlisle being gone right before our big holiday, it really freaked me out, Kid."

He replayed her words in his head, trying to understand. Abruptly the light bulb went off for him and he smiled at her. "Security. You needed security. To know he would definitely be here, to know he would and could handle things if you needed him to."

"Not that I don't trust him at his word because I absolutely do."

"You can do both, Mom. You can trust him and need something solid too. The only thing I don't understand is why you didn't say something. Why didn't you talk to me?"

She waved a hand. "I was already imposing enough having you and Bella come stay with me."

Masen took her hands into his and bent down so they were eye to eye. "You and me, we're a team. No matter who else comes into our lives, it's still always you and me. You can tell me anything just like I can tell you. We're Team Masen, Mom. You promised that would never change and I'm holding you to that."

Her head tilted to the left as she studied his face. "You're taking this so much better than I imagined the twelve times I practiced this conversation with Carlisle. What gives, Kid?" Her eyes suddenly widened. "He warned you somehow, didn't he?"

"No," Masen replied with a chuckle. "Carlisle did not warn me. I think that with everything going on with Bella and Alice, I've reached my limit for being shocked. Plus, I'm really happy for you, Mom. You and Carlisle love each other and that's the important thing, not who got to witness your marriage."

Her eyes were watery once again as she took his face into her hands. "You are being such an adult right now and I just want to cry because it was only yesterday that you were this lanky little teen asking me about girls."

"Don't get too used to it because it's about to end. My understanding comes at a price."

"And there it is," she said, laughing as she let go of him. "Blackmailing your own mom."

"You deserve it for doing the thing without me."

"A little bit," she agreed. "What is it? What do you want?"

His small smile morphed into his shitty grin. "I get to do the baby announcement during dinner."

"That's not mine alone to grant, Kid. I'd have to talk to Carlisle first. And you'll have to hope his girls haven't already asked for this."

"Bella isn't going to blackmail anyone because she's too sweet. Alice won't do it because she's in such deep shit that all she can think about is fixing the damage she's done."

"She really didn't mean to hurt anyone, Edward."

"I know. It's why I haven't put her ass on a plane back to Florida."

"Edward," Esme admonished, slapping his arm lightly.

"You didn't see Bella's face right after she found out."

"True, but I saw Alice's after she confessed. She went out there to California as a confused yet hopeful girl. She came back a hurt and forever changed young woman. Not to say at all that Bella's pain doesn't matter. I just want you to be aware that Alice is deeply hurting too."

"I am aware, and I'm not going to do anything. This isn't my fight, as much as I would like to jump in and handle it. Bella and Alice have to work this out in their own time in their own way. My job is to be here for Bella when and if she wants to talk about it."

"That is some very sound and grownup advice. Was it Lee or Gopher who gave it to you?"

"Both," he admitted with a grin.

There was a knock at the door and Esme opened it, finding a nervous-looking Carlisle standing in the hall. She pulled him into the room and closed the door again.

"I just told him," Esme shared as she wrapped her arms around him.

Carlisle's eyes shot to Masen's face. His mouth opened but nothing came out.

Masen found himself fighting the urge to laugh again. He found it completely surreal to be the adult and not the one having "done the thing" for once. He offered his hand to Carlisle. "Congratulations."

Carlisle looked a little unsure as he shook Masen's hand. "Esme seemed certain you would be upset at not being there to witness our marriage."

"You know how Mom's always accusing me of being dramatic?"

Carlisle nodded.

Masen's smile widened. "Where do you think I get it from?"

Carlisle chuckled while Esme poked her tongue at Masen.

"Mom is also the smartest person I know and she told me once that we go to weddings to bear witness to two people making a loving commitment for a lifetime. I've been lucky to be here to witness you two for months now. I can forgive missing out on one time."

"Thank you, Masen," Carlisle said sincerely. He lifted his hand as if he was going to offer to shake again but ended up grabbing Masen by the shoulder and pulling him into a hug instead. "Thank you for allowing me into your family. I will love you both and be here for you in every way for the rest of our lives."

With so much going on the past couple of days Masen couldn't control the smart ass side of himself. "Does this mean I have to call you 'dad'?"

"Edward," Esme half-groaned and half-laughed.

"Love you, Mom," he said, chuckling as he extracted himself from the hug.

"And yet you're blackmailing me," she replied. "He wants to deliver the baby news," she explained to Carlisle.

Carlisle took a moment to think about it. "I don't see any reason not to let him. We both know it's coming from a place of love and true excitement for becoming a big brother."

Masen smiled and rubbed his hands together in anticipation. He already had some fun ideas in mind for his delivery.

"However," Carlisle cautioned. "You cannot say anything that will greatly embarrass your mother. She's a little high strung today and I would rather not have a weepy wife on my hands."

"Wife," Esme said with a snort. "He called me his wife."

Masen looked to Carlisle. "And you're worried I'm the one who will embarrass her?"

"I think this would be a good time for you to go find Bella," Carlisle told him. "I'd like to share the good news with her next. We'll tell Alice when she arrives later on with Whit."

Masen figured what they were really after was a moment alone to feel relieved he'd taken the news so well. He found Bella in the living room squished in between Kate and Irina. He almost laughed and then he noticed they were looking at a photo album and he no longer felt like laughing.

"Ladies, what are you doing?" he asked, directing his question to Kate who was usually the ringleader.

"Just showing Bella a few photos," Kate chirped with a big grin.

"Don't worry, Edward, dear. We haven't told her many stories," Irina assured him.

"Yet," Tanya added as she strolled into the room with a tray full of beverages. "Our gathering has only just begun. Who knows what adventures await us all!"

Masen couldn't recall ever being so happy to be running an errand for Esme. "Bella, Carlisle and Esme need to see you for just a second."

"Oh, okay," she said as she passed the book to Kate and then scooted off the couch.

"Not so fast," Tanya said as she snagged Masen's arm. "They want to see Bella. You can stay and tell us all about the little ball of fur that is following Lizzy around the house."

Seeing that Tanya wasn't going to take 'no' for an answer, he saved himself a fight. "Sure thing, Tanya. Bella, they're in my room."

"Be nice to each other," Bella said as she planted a quick kiss on his cheek.

"I really, really like her," Kate announced once they heard the bedroom door close. "She can't ever leave now. I won't allow it."

Masen smiled and mumbled under his breath, "Get in line."

"What's with the cloak and dagger?" Irina questioned.

"What is your mother up to now?" Tanya asked. "You can tell us."

He snorted. "She's being Esme. Loving, goofy, and independent, with a streak of unpredictability just to keep us all guessing."

"What's she done now?" Lee asked, setting her arm on Masen's shoulder.

Once he got over the shock of her being there, he turned and hugged her. "When did you get here? I thought you were going to be with your parents until right before dinner."

She snorted. "They kicked us out. Something about me hovering over Mom. Blah, blah, blah."

It was Masen's turn to snort. He had been on the end of Lee's hovering mode before and he knew how quickly it could wear on the nerves despite knowing she only did it out of love.

"So where were you hiding?" she asked.

"Talking with Esme."

"Is that where Bella is now?"

"Bella's where?" Gopher asked as he came into the living room.

"With Carlisle and Esme," Masen replied, accepting a half-hug from Gopher.

"This secrecy never lasts," Kate warned. "We always find out."

"I don't think it's anything major," Lee said as she joined the ladies on the couch. "Probably just checking in to make sure we're all going to play nice with Alice at dinner."

"I must say, as much as I wish the girl had chosen differently, I understand where she was coming from having lost my own mother far too soon. I can't imagine there being anything I would not have tried in order to save her. Alice deserves our empathy as much as our disappointment," Tanya shared.

Her words came to Masen an hour later when he opened the front door to let Alice and Whit into the house. He could see the uncertainty in Alice's eyes and figured she was probably considering running.

"Happy Thanksgiving, Alice."

She looked to Whit as if she needed him to confirm Masen had really spoken.

"Thanks, Mase," Whit said as he nudged Alice forward into the house. "Smells great in here."

"Esme made all of our favorites this year," Masen replied.

Whit came to a full stop. "Bourbon Pecan Pie?" he asked hopefully.

"Cooling as we speak," Masen assured him.

"I love your mom."

Masen chuckled. "Yeah, you've made that pretty clear over the years, bro."

"I thought I heard new voices," Esme greeted as she pulled Alice into a hug. "I hope you two saved some room after that spread Jackie laid out."

"The Commander ate most of it himself," Whit told her. "We've got plenty of room."

"Glad to hear it." Esme looked between the guys and then gave Masen a knowing smile. "Why don't you two head out to the shed and grab a couple more chairs while Alice and I join the others in the living room?" She didn't give any of them a chance to object, taking Alice with her and leaving the guys alone.

They headed down the hall and out the backdoor together. "Esme's slacking on her subtlety," Whit joked. "She could have at least hid a couple of those empty chairs first."

"You know how she is on Thanksgiving." There was no point in pretending they needed to grab chairs so they just sat on the back steps.

Whit nodded. "Wired for sound. Much like her kid when his world deviates from the norm."

"Not being able to talk to you sucked ass. But adding to your stress would have been a lot worse."

"Is that why you were nice to Alice a minute ago?"

"Partly. But mostly it won't do any good to make a tough situation harder. And quite a few people I trust have pointed out Alice is hurting too."

"She's beating herself up pretty bad on this one. Even talked about going back to Florida to let all of us enjoy the holiday. I asked her what she thought she'd solve by running away and it didn't take long for her to see it would just cause more trouble in the long run. Plus she'd miss out on making memories with all of us."

"You just didn't want to miss out on the pie," Masen teased.

Whit slung an arm around Masen's shoulders. "What I didn't want to miss out on was Thanksgiving with my 'ohana. For some strange reason I love all of you clowns."

"Probably because we put up with you and your snoring."

"Probably."

"Are we good, bro? Did I do right by giving you some space?"

"You did exactly right, Mase."

"This whole thing … Some good came of it, though. Gopher actually gives damn good advice when he's being serious."

"'Bout time you two started acting like the brothers you both know you are."

Masen chuckled. "How long have you been waiting to say that?"

Whit rolled his eyes. "You know damn well how long. Let's talk about something I don't know yet. How's Bella doing with having to see Alice today?"

"She's torn. She loves her sister with all her heart, but it's a hurting heart right now. I think she understands this was Alice's attempt to fix their family, but that doesn't fix the pain and the anger. Bella's taking it more as a personal strike against her, that Alice isn't proud of her and doesn't want her to really be happy."

"You know that's not true, right?"

It was Masen's turn to roll his eyes. "How do you think I'd be behaving right now if I believed that?"

"Good point." Whit let out a sigh. "The only advice I have in this is to be there for Bella. Give her a hug, a comfort food, let her yell … Just whatever she needs until she's ready to talk. And when that day finally comes, be completely honest with her. Let her get out her view of this mess and then share yours. Show her how it looks from the outside to give her perspective."

"Can I give you some advice for a change?"

Whit's eyebrow lifted up. "You can try."

"Don't make any decisions any time soon about your relationship with Alice. Let the dust settle first so you know the choice you make is the one you really want."

"You telling me to stick it out with her?"

"I'm telling you to protect your happiness. Most of the choices we've ended up regretting were heat of the moment decisions."

"You know, Mase,' Whit said as he slug an arm around his shoulders. "It's nice to see you've been hearing me out all these years even if you done the opposite of what I advised."

Masen grinned as he looked at Whit. "Head inside and grab some of the pisco Esme's been hiding on the top shelf in the pantry?"

Whit chuckled. "She still thinks that just because she can't see it up there that we aren't tall enough to see it."

"Let's hope she never figures it out," Masen said as they got to their feet.

"You got your ID on you?"

"Yeah why?"

"'Cause I need to card your ass with that baby face of yours."

"Fuck off," Masen replied, laughing and pushing his shoulder into Whit's.

"Right after Gopher pays me the twenty he owes me. I told him you wouldn't disappoint Esme."

After sneaking a little of the Spanish brandy, they joined the rest of the family in the living room. Multiple conversations where going on while photo albums were passed around and random bursts of laughter sounded off. Masen stayed near the doorway, taking it all in, especially the lovely brunette sitting between his mom and Tanya. Her face was flushed from laughter and her smile made it impossible not to smile with her. Seeing the love she had for Esme just made Masen fall that much harder for his kapu.

"So have you figured it out yet?" Lee's question had Masen looking over at her and Whit. He'd ignored all of the empty chairs and perched himself on the arm of the sofa right beside her.

"Figured out what?" Whit asked.

"That you're dating the female version of your best friend."

Both Masen and Whit yelled in response. "What?"

Lee chuckled. "Think about it. She's single-minded, she doesn't account for emotional consequences in her plans, and she's devastated when she learns she's hurt someone she cares about. How much more 'masen' can she get?"

Masen's jaw dropped. "Did you—did you just use my name as a verb?"

Whit and Lee cracked up at how indignant he sounded.

"Think about it, Mase," Lee encouraged. "It's the ultimate compliment really."

"Can we just go back to when my only worry was him crushing on my mom?"

Whit and Lee looked at each other and then turned to Masen with big smiles on their faces. "Nope."

By the time Whit and Lee's parents arrived for dinner, Masen had his speech laid out in his head and could hardly wait to give it.

"Why are you so smiley?" Bella asked as they settled into their seats at the table.

He leaned in close as if he was going to share a secret and whispered, "Reasons."

She laughed and pushed his shoulder until he was sitting up straight again.

Between Esme's cooking and the side dishes everyone had brought along, there was more food than they could possibly hope to eat in one sitting, though the guys gave it their best try. Whit was the first to stop but only because he was drooling for a giant piece of pie for dessert. Masen bowed out next but Gopher held out for an extra serving of Lee's potato salad before admitting he was stuffed.

After the desserts and coffee were passed out, Esme gave Masen the go-ahead to make the big announcement.

He stood and looked out over the table at this group of people, completely random from the outside and absolutely 'ohana on the inside. "Thank you all for being here tonight to celebrate with us. For the newest members here tonight, this dinner is more than just a Thanksgiving dinner. It's an acknowledgement of the luck we've had to love and be loved by some of the best people on this planet. It's a 'thank you' for enriching our lives every day, no matter how far away from home we might travel. It's a way to let all of you know how much you mean to Esme and me. You are all 'ohana to us."

Esme had tears in her eyes as she gave him a proud smile and a thumbs-up.

He smiled at her before starting his speech. "This year, I have the added privilege of sharing some important news with all of you," he said as he looked around the table.

"There's a new adventure in the works and while this role will be unlike anything I've tried before, I fully expect it to be one of the most rewarding. It's going to be loud at times, and certainly dirty, but since that's not much different from a typical day on the boat, I'm confident I'll be able to rise to the challenge."

"Edward, what are you saying? Are you leaving MMR?" Kate asked.

"You can't! You love your company. You're doing important work," Irina argued.

"Sisters, calm down," Tanya cautioned as she kept eye contact with Masen. "I suspect this isn't as related to his company as he would like you to think."

Masen gave up on trying to control his smile. "My new role takes effect in May … when I become a big brother."

The initial silence that followed his words was quickly interrupted with happy screams and skidding chairs as they descended on Esme and Carlisle with hugs and words of congratulations. It took quite a while before everyone calmed down and reclaimed their seats.

"Your love and support," Esme said with a sniffle. "I just can't tell you all how much it means to me, and to Carlisle." She put her hands on her belly. "And I know it will mean everything to this baby too."

"A baby!" Kate squealed. "I can't wait to teach her or him to call me Auntie Kate."

"So Esme and Carlisle are having a baby and you're the brother," Whit pondered as he smiled evilly at Masen. "How's that gonna work with Bella being both the sister-in-law and the cousin?"

"Ooh! If she's on the market again, I call dibs," Kate yelled while waving her hand in the air.

"You're dating Deputy Dale," Gopher pointed out. "Dude is actually sitting right beside you."

"And?" Kate replied with a mischievous giggle.

"Kate, I love you, but you have no chance against me," Lee told her.

Masen shook his head at them. "Ladies, I'm going to have to ask that you kindly stop trying to steal my kapu. Or else."

"Or else what?" Lee pushed.

His lips curled up in his shitty grin. "Or else I'll toss you out on your pretty little ass."

"Edward, language," Esme fussed.

"Yes, Edward, language," Bella agreed, giving his leg a playful slap. "And I'll date anyone I want. You're just lucky it happens to be you."

"Mahalo," he said as he leaned in and kissed her lips softly.

"Do we have names yet?" Tanya asked. "I have always loved Ava."

"That actually did make the list," Esme shared.

"We have more boy names so far," Carlisle added. "The front runner for the moment is Ethan but we've still got a few weeks to add to the list before we find out which set we'll need to choose from."

"Still can't believe none of my suggestions have made either list," Masen said jokingly. He'd never expected Esme would go for a name that would be hell on spelling and pronunciation.

"When you bring us a serious competitor, then we'll see," Esme told him. "Have Bella help you."

Masen looked at his kapu closely. "You got a name on the list, didn't you?"

She shrugged. "Maybe."

"Why are you being secretive?"

She laughed and then she used his own word against him. "Reasons."

He pulled her into his arms and hugged her tight while pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "Aloha Au Ia 'Oe, kapu."

"Even when I tease?"

"I think because you do, along with about a million other reasons I find you irresistible."

"Are they all catalogued and color coded in your head?"

He smiled into her hair. "Maybe." Masen looked up and caught Esme's eye. She smiled and lifted her hands, signing 'lucky' to him and then placing her hands over her heart. No spoken words could have done a better job of describing this new stage of their life with their 'ohana. There was absolutely nothing he could think of that he wanted more than for their luck and love to continue.

"~~~^~~~~^~~~^~~~~^~~~^~~~~^"

A/N: Sorry it's been so long since we posted a chapter. Everyday life has required more of our attention than usual and we are so excited to get back to the misfits and their life in Hawaii. We are also excited to welcome Lilo to the 'ohana. EA has posted pics on the Sharkward blog.

We hated to make Bella sad in this chapter but her mom needed to be addressed so that she and her sister could really move forward with their new family. And as Masen said, some good did come of it. He and Gopher are in a better place than they've ever been before. It won't be long before Alice and Bella reach that better place too and stay there.