First full chapter (yikes). As far as time line goes, this is set several months before the Prologue.

Chapter 1

"What's for dinner?"

I looked up at David, "When did you get home?" I asked, ignoring his question.

"Just a minute ago."

"I didn't hear you come in," I saved my outline and turned fully in my chair, "Is Kate with you?"

"No. I mean, I don't really know? She was right behind me when we left school."

I rolled my eyes at the less than artful dodge of my question, "Was she coming home or did she say she had other plans?"

"Um," he shifted around on his feet, "I'm not sure?"

"David," I frowned at him, waiting for an honest answer.

He sighed heavily that way only a teenager can, "Fine. She was going to the park with Danny."

I sighed. I hated handling this kind of thing on my own. Edward has always been the stern one. My strengths tend more toward advice and comfort. Of course they're Edward's children, I'm just here for moral support. Or something like that, anyway.

I couldn't believe eighteen months had passed since I moved into Edward's house.

I met Edward my freshman year at Dartmouth. Actually I met his sister first. But where Alice was, Edward was never far away. I lived with my best friend from high school, Tanya Denali. By Christmas Edward was dating Tanya. At the beginning of our sophomore year all four of us had moved into a house together - Edward and Tanya sharing a room.

I wasn't surprised by the fact that they ended up together. They were both almost painfully beautiful. They married the summer before junior year, leaving Alice and I to fill their room in the house while they settled into a modest townhouse near campus.

I was never really jealous of Tanya, per se, just jealous that she had some one. My high school boyfriend, Mike and I split before we both left for college. I dated in college, honestly, I dated a lot. But it was a lot of first dates. A whole lot of first dates. I was in one relationship, with a boy named James.

Six months after we started dating, we had a big fight in the kitchen at my house. Edward and Tanya happened to be over at the time. In fact, James was pissed about the way Edward teased me, which was undeniably in a brotherly way. Edward didn't like how James was talking to me and when he walked into the kitchen, intending to chat with James about how to speak to a lady, he caught the moment James pushed me, hard enough to send me stumbling against the counter, though honestly not hard enough to do any real physical damage. Before I recovered, James was laid out on the floor, knocked out cold by Edward.

James never got another chance to hurt me. Edward hauled him to his feet and threatened to call the police. I never saw James again.

"Auntie Bella?" David was watching me expectantly.

"Sorry honey, what was that?"

"What's for dinner?"

"I don't know yet," I grabbed my sweater off the back of my chair, "I've got to get the kids up."

"Josh is up already, he's watching TV."

I rolled my eyes. Great. I got sucked into my work during nap time. And the hour after nap time too. "Can you go entertain him, please? Just until I get Gigi cleaned up?"

"Sure," David scampers off.

I texted Kate quickly: "Home. Now." pausing outside the door of the nursery. I could hear Gigi talking to herself through the door.

I peeked in and she hopped up in her crib, "Bebe!" she cried in that little Minnie Mouse voice of hers.

"Hey sweet girl," I picked her up. She was definitely in need of a fresh diaper. I changed her quickly and brushed her soft red curls, using a little water to tame them, adding a polka dotted bow that matches the dress I put her in. She didn't seem interested or disinterested in my ministrations, which was better than when she'd scream every time I changed her between about three and five months.

Josh looked equally rumpled after his nap, but Josh was always rumpled. David had taken him outside and was trying to teach him how to throw a football that was almost twice his size.

I plopped Gigi on the ground, where she tended to hang out while I got dinner around. It was only three thirty, but I didn't even have anything laid out.

Spaghetti would be easy to make, but I didn't relish the idea of scrubbing red sauce off two small children. I knew Edward would help, of course, but with my mind still half on my work the mess was too much to deal with, even in my head.

"Gi," I look down at her bright smile while she played near my feet, "What sounds good for dinner?"

"Pizza and beer," comes a deep voice from behind me.

I whirled around to see Edward grinning from the door of the garage. Gigi squealed and rushed for her daddy as quickly as her chubby baby legs would carry her. Edward snatched her up, tossed her in the air and then proceeded to tickle her until she nearly screamed with laughter. I watched the scene fondly. She looked more like Edward than any of his children.

"Hey," he held out an arm for me to join on their embrace. I gladly moved to his side, happy to be in his warm embrace. I could always count on Edward for a warm hug. I really appreciated that about him, especially in the long stretches of my life when I've been without a man. Sometimes its nice just to have someone to touch you, no matter how innocently. Having five people to hug you daily is really a wonderful thing I'd discovered by that time.

"Pizza and beer?" I asked, looking at him.

"Yeah. I TiVoed the game, let's eat like we're supposed to."

"Shouldn't it be hot dogs and nachos then?" I teased.

"Probably, but you're forgetting, those pizzas Mom and Dad sent are in the freezer."

"Pizza and beer it is," I grinned back at him, pulling away and poking my head in the freezer, "What's got you in such a good mood and home so early?"

I didn't need to see Edward to know that he'd shifted Gigi to his hip, loosened his tie and unbuttoned his collar. It was always the first thing he did after greeting what ever assortment of his family were in the house upon his arrival. "I'd finished my depositions and it was too nice to go back to the office. Where's Kate?"

He'd evidently seen the boys out back by then.

"On her way home if she values her life," I locating the pizzas and pulled them to the front of the freezer for quick access later. Chicago pizza, the only kind that's earned the name according to Edward. His parents, Esme and Carlisle, send it a few times a year. I'm addicted now too, and eternally grateful we live thousands of miles from where that stuff is easily accessed. I'd weigh four hundred pounds otherwise.

"That doesn't sound good," Edward said.

I sighed, turning to face him, "Its not. David said she went to the park with Danny."

Edward rolled his eyes. Danny, who Kate called her boyfriend though she was not allowed to have one of those for four more years, wasn't a favorite of Edward's. "She call?"

"Of course not," I hopped up on the counter, "I'd have dragged her ass home if she had."

The front door opened then, signaling Kate's arrival. I heard her soft steps toward the stairs.

"Katherine Esme?" Edward's voice was hard.

She came shuffling into the kitchen, "Hi Daddy," she smiled tentatively, eyes darting to me. I shook my head and she sighed, "How long?"

Edward's lips twitched, just the slightest bit. Yes, we had rehearsed this scene eighteen or twenty times. Kate knew that face. It meant 'You're grounded.' She saw it more often in a month than David probably had in his life.

"Two weeks."

Her eyes nearly popped out of her head, "Daddy!"

"Would you like to try for three?" Edward's eye brows lifted.

"No sir," she muttered.

"I don't appreciate recidivism, Kate."

Her eyes rolled in that way only a way only a twelve year old can manage, "I didn't hold up a liquor store, you know."

Edward closed his eyes for a second. He was trying not to laugh, I could see it very plainly. "How was your day, sweetheart?" he finally managed.

She shrugged, moving toward him and perching on the knee Gigi wasn't using, "Not bad until about three minutes ago. You're home early."

Edward cuddled her closer to him, "I was finished a little sooner than usual with my appointments for the day."

The boys came bursting in the door then, having spotted Edward or heard his car earlier. Then Edward had his hands full.

All four kids are excited, their father is rarely home so early in the day.

"Dad, can we please start the game now?" David asked, the only one not on Edward's lap then. Perhaps he couldn't find a place to squeeze in, perhaps he feels too old to sit on his father's lap. Instead, David gravitated toward me, snuggling against my side.

"He's right," I pointed out, "If we start now, Josh will get to see the end before its bedtime."

"Then let's go," Edward agreed, standing and still holding Josh and Gigi, something I was unable to do. Weight aside, just the sheer size of the two of them is too much for me, Josh's feet were almost down to my knees when I carried him. Honestly, a five year old was a big load to carry for a woman no bigger than I was.

I grabbed a couple of beers for Edward and myself, putting an arm around Kate as we headed for the den, "Sorry," she said softly.

I pressed a kiss to the top of her blond head, "I'm not upset," I told her and it was true, I was never upset once she got through the door. "I just wish you'd call. I worry when you're not home when you're supposed to be."

"I know you do," her eyes were sad when she looked up at me, "I figured I'd beat Daddy home and talk you out of telling him."

I chuckled, mostly because she probably could have pulled that off with her mother. "That wasn't going to happen, Katie girl."

"Get in here!" Edward hollered at us, because we were loitering out in the hallway. His tone was playful, he wasn't upset with Kate, he never stayed upset with his kids long. Once punishment was doled out, all was usually forgotten in this house.

I sat next to Edward and he put a warm arm around my shoulders, Josh immediately shifted to the small space between his father and I. David sat beside me and Kate lounged at my feet. I handed both bottles of beer to Edward, he handed mine back once it was open.

David got up after the third inning and came back with his books, settling at the coffee table, alternately doing homework, groaning and cheering. I nudged Kate gently with my foot, "Do you have homework?"

She sighed, "Yeah."

"Maybe you should do that," Edward suggested, tapping at her knee with his stocking foot.

"Maybe you should get your nasty feet off me," Kate said, narrowing her eyes playfully.

David looked at his sister for a long moment, "Katie, I really could use some help with my math."

That got her moving. Kate was the smarter of the two, no question. David was more driven though. Kate didn't feel compelled to put herself out for an A when she could get a B without trying. David on the other hand, busted his ass for every A and took it very hard when he didn't get one. But Kate was always more than willing to help her twin brother, and he learned better from her than anyone, I would swear because the practically communicated telepathically.

She came down with her math book and the two sat side by side, looking as close to identical as a boy and girl could. They held their pencils the same way, tilted their heads the same way, made the same faces.

"Unnerving, isn't it?" Edward murmured. I noticed Gigi was dozing on his chest.

"Very," I agreed. Edward paused the game, which was in the sixth inning by then and said he was going to put the pizza in. He handed Gigi to me. Josh scampered after Edward.

When Edward came back it was with more beer. "Trying to get me drunk, Cullen?" I grinned at him.

"Wouldn't be the first time," he shot back, smiling evilly and removing the cap from my bottle.

I took the beer and grumbled at him to shut up, which only earned him ruffling my hair affectionately.

The Cubs won the game and we're all happy about that - It would be hard not to be a Cubs fan with the sheer enthusiasm in the Cullen house.

After the pizza was eaten and Edward passed the phone around so all the kids could talk to their grandparents back in Chicago I scooped up Gigi who was nearly falling asleep in her high chair. Pizza hadn't been any less messy than spaghetti would have been, but we all had full, happy tummies and I could care less if I had to scrub a little extra now. Besides, Edward was currently scraping burned cheese of the bottom of the oven, so I had the easy job. Baby shampoo smelled much better than oven cleaner.

Gigi splashes and giggles in the tub. She's old enough to know that bath time means bedtime is coming and she's babbling something about her teddy bear happily.

I hear the door creak open and I sit back on my heels to see Edward. "Hey you," I murmured. This was usually the time of night when he would get sad if he was going to. I wondered sometimes that he didn't resent me for being here, doing the things that Tanya should be doing.

"Hey," he knelt beside me, smiling at his little girl, "Miss Georgia, are you ready for bed?"

She splashed the water with her chubby little hands.

"How the oven?" I asked, carefully rinsing the shampoo from her hair, making sure none of it even got a chance to get near her eyes. These were things Edward had to teach me.

"Probably cleaner than when it started."

I pulled the plug from the drain and stood Gigi up, grabbing a towel and wrapping her in it before lifting her from the tub and into my arms, quite as if I wasn't already practically drenched.

I rubbed her dry and carried her in the towel into her room. Edward trailed behind me, sitting in the rocker while I diapered and dressed her in her little sleeper. She would go to sleep on her own, so after we'd kissed her goodnight we turned off the light and pulled the door halfway shut.

"Did the twins finish their homework?" I ask.

"Kate's helping David with his paper for science."

That was a good thing. It meant Kate wasn't on the phone.

Josh was more than ready for bed though his bedtime wasn't for another half hour. The days he had preschool he tended to be beat at night. I bathed him quickly. His short hair was much easier to deal with than his sister's. Edward took Josh from me when I'd finished drying him. We both got in bed with him and I read to him from The Giving Tree.

"I like that one, Auntie Bella," he murmured, leaning heavily against me when I'd finished the book.

"Me too, sweetie," I untangled myself from him and kissed him and told him I loved him. He was asleep by then though.

Edward kissed him too and we slipped into the hallway. I could heard David and Kate talking down the hall. They weren't due to go to bed for another two hours, though we didn't enforce their bedtime all that strictly. As long as they weren't on the phone or just starting their homework at that time we more or less left them be.

Edward and I flopped on the sofa in the den together.

"I'm beat," he said, rubbing a hand over his eyes.

"Me too," I yawned, "I really should go upstairs and work for a little while. I don't think I'll make it past my bed though."

"How's the book coming?" he asked.

I wrinkled my nose in distaste. My newest venture was harder for me than those in the past had been. It was my first sequel and the first book I'd written about a married woman. "Things aren't flowing the way they usually do," I admitted, "I'll get it though."

"I know you will," his voice was confident, "You always do."

"I could pass out right here," I murmured, shifting over so I was snuggled at his warm, solid chest, "You'd carry me upstairs if I fell asleep, right?"

Edward chuckled, jostling me against his chest, "Bella, I'm not quite as fit as I was at nineteen."

"And I'm not quite as thin," I sighed.

"Hush," he nudged me, "You're gorgeous, you always have been."

"Fine, fine, I won't make you carry my fat, gorgeous ass upstairs."

Edward laughs out loud at that. "I almost forgot," he poked at my side, right where I was ticklish, clearly concerned I'd gone to sleep, "The partners want me to join them for a dinner next Friday. Are you free?"

I looked at him, cracking one eye open, "Does that mean what I think it does?"

He looked hesitant, "I hope so."

I squealed and threw my arms around his neck.

"Don't get your hopes up," Edward cautioned, "It might not mean anything."

He'd had to pass on his first opportunity to become a partner at the firm about two years ago. He had way too much on his plate by then and he knew he would most likely be a single dad soon. Last year there had been no offer made, though it was just as well. This time last year Edward was in a frighteningly deep depression.

But the old Edward was back, he was more like himself, though he carried a weight I doubted would ever really dissipate.

The rest of our night was quiet. We talked, we checked on the twins, who had moved to their own rooms. Once they were in bed I called it a night, crawling into my own bed too exhausted to mind that I slept alone.

For reference, the Cubs season opener would take place in early April and since Seattle is two time zones behind Chicago and Opening Day is ALWAYS a day game, the game would have started at 10:20 a.m. Pacific Time, which is why Edward had recorded it. Just in case anyone is as crazy about nipticky stuff as I am.