Look After You

- - -

BELLA

I was extremely hesitant as I put my fingertips on the handle to my sister's room. My hands were shaking, and my throat felt like it was getting tighter.

I had told Edward to take the kids down to the cafeteria, so that I could have some time alone with Victoria.

What was behind this door would change my life forever. But I knew that I had to say goodbye, and promise her that I would love her kids as if they were my own. She needed to know that they would be safe, and okay after she passed.

The problem was, I wasn't sure if she even cared. The kids seemed well cared for, but that didn't mean that she gave a damn about any one of them.

I walked in.

My eyes fluttered, and my breathing stopped when I saw her. She was not the same girl I remembered from ten years ago. I didn't recognize the woman in this bed.

The dark auburn hair that she once had, had been dyed to a deep copper color, and her natural waves were straightened. She was extremely thin.

It's not that Victoria wasn't thin growing up. She was lean, but never this skinny.

"Tori?" I asked, and her head snapped in my direction.

"Bella." She breathed, and smiled at me.

"You look…amazing." She told me, and I slyly smiled.

"I wish I could say the same thing, but Tori you look like shit." What the fuck is wrong with you, Bella!? She's dying, of course she looks like shit!

She laughed, and closed her eyes.

"I know." She said, and opened her eyes back up.

"You don't have to stand in the door the whole time, you know?" She said jokingly, and I laughed slightly.

"Your children are beautiful." My eyes started tearing, and my throat stated closing again.

"T-thank you. I think they all look like my dad." She smiled.

I smirked, and sat down in the chair next to her bed.

"You know…I changed their guardian to you after I had Alexis. I found out about the cancer about a month after I got pregnant, and I knew I was dying. I knew how much you loved your baby…and…I want that for my kids." She said, and I could tell that that took the breath out of her.

I nodded. "I'm so sorry." I apologized, and she shook her head.

"No. This is a good thing. I could never…I just wanted to be a good mom, but…I couldn't."

I sighed. "You love them. That's what counts." I said.

"They won't remember me, and I want you to keep it that way. Don't ever tell them about me, please. Bella…you have to promise me that the minute you leave this hospital, that my babies are yours." Tears started falling.

"I-I promise. I swear." I nodded frantically, and took her hand.

"I wasn't cut out for this. You and Edward have money…and you can support them. Send them to school. Give them a normal, and happy life. You have to." She pleaded.

"I will. Don't…don't worry." I choked on my sob.

"Bella I want you to go. I don't want you to get upset about this. You haven't thought about me in ten years, and I don't want you to start now. So…just take care of them. Okay?"

"Okay."

"And…tell Edward…I said hello. And goodbye." She said, and her eyes started drooping.

"I will. I'll get mom. I love you, kay?" I asked.

"I love you too, baby. I'm so sorry about this." She said, and squeezed my hand.

A million thoughts came rushing through my mind. This was my sister! This was my sister that would come into my room late at night, and tell me all of her secrets. This was my sister that would play outside with me on my birthday when mom and dad wouldn't. This was the sister that got hit by a bus because she wanted to get the doll for me that mom couldn't afford. This was the sister that I loved.

I leaned down, and hugged her. I held her for dear life. She was leaving everything. She was leaving the kids that she loved, and would die for. She was leaving the mother that she was raised with. She was leaving the sister that would now raise her children.

Once I left, I tried to block out of my head what had just happened. Because now…I had given birth to three children with Edward.

I walked into the cafeteria, and found Edward, and the kids sitting at a table. Alexis in a small wooden highchair, smacking her fists against the table.

I smiled, and walked over to them. Ben and Ella both had M&M cookies, and were eating them quickly.

Edward was talking to Ella, and she was smiling at him while Ben played with his little sister.

"Hello beautiful." Edward said, and patted his leg, offering me a seat.

"We got cookies, mommy." A smile slowly appeared on my face, and I knew that I could not let these kids down.

"What is it, sweetie?" I asked Ella.

"Daddy got us cookies with rainbows in them!" Ella had never had a M&M cookie before?

"That's wonderful honey. Have you ever had one before?" She shook her head, no.

"We weren't allowed to have cookies. Reme said that they were bad for us." I smiled at the way she said my mother's name.

"Well…from now on…you can have cookies whenever you want." I heard Ella laugh, and Edward and I laughed along with her.

Once we were settled in the hotel, and Ella and Ben had had their bath, and Edward had finished giving Alexis her's, we had called room service to get a crib.

Once it came, and we were all settled, and Alexis and Ben were asleep, Ella had asked me to braid her hair.

"Mommy? Can you braid my hair?" She asked, holding two hair ties and a brush out to me.

"Sure baby." I said, and took the things from her small hands, and followed her to the bed.

We both sat down, and I began brushing Ella's hair.

"Tori never let us call her mommy." Ella said, and it broke my heart.

"How come?" I asked, and she sighed lightly.

"She said that she didn't like it and it made her old." She said, and shrugged.

"Did Tori ever braid your hair, Ella?" She shook her head again.

"No. Reme didn't either." She said, and I ran the brush gently through her hair.

I didn't know what to say after that, so I just continued doing Ella's hair.

"Bella, come to bed." Edward called to me from the bed. I was leaning against the wall, looking at Alexis. I couldn't help but feel like this was my daughter.

"I don't want to, Edward." I told him, and then felt two strong arms wrap around me.

"Baby, come on…you need to sleep." He told me, and I shook my head.

"Doesn't any of this not seem right to you!? Jesus Edward…it just feels like her." I said, and tears came over me, forcing me to go crashing down into Edward's chest.

"Oh, god baby, I know. I know Bella." He whispered in my ear, and I could hear the tears in his voice.

"But Bella…we're all that they have now, and we have to take that responsibility." He said more clearly.

"I-I know." I choked out, and continued to try and get Edward closer to me, my nails digging into any part of his skin that I could touch.

"You like your room, Ella?" I asked, as I led the little girl closer into the room.

"I never had one of these." She said quietly.

"You've never had your own room?" I asked.

"No. I've never had a bed." She said, walking over to the princess bed, and touching the headboard.

I felt a wave of tears come into my throat, and I tried to swallow them, only making me choke.

Ella lifted the covers, and got in.

"You want me to tuck you in, sweetie?" I asked, and she looked at me, confused.

"What does that mean?" I swallowed harder.

I smiled meekly, and took a pair of pajamas out of the dresser drawer.

"It's late, baby. Let's get you into your jammies." I said, and she nodded her head.

"Okay!" She said happily.

I offered a small smile, not knowing what to do next. Ella didn't even have a bed of her own when she lived with Victoria and Renee. That nauseated me.

I kissed Ella on top of her head, and headed out into the living room. I dimmed the lights, and lied down on the over-sized chair, bringing my knees to my chest, bring the throw closer to my chin.

I glanced out the window at the snow falling peacefully.

I heard Alexis crying from the other room, and I shut my eyes tightly. I didn't know how in the world I was going to be able to even look at her again without feeling like I had done something wrong.

Soon enough, I heard Edward's soft cooing noises, shushing her, telling her it was okay.

My eyes flickered to the pictures on the wall, and I smiled at them.

"Edward?" I called out.

He came into the room a few minutes later, Alexis in his arms as she sucked on the nipple of her bottle.

I smiled at them, and patted the spot next to me.

Edward smirked at me, and sat down next to me, gently placing Alexis in my arms, wrapping his own around me.

I smoothed Alexis's hair back as she downed her bottle slowly.

"What time is it?" I asked Edward, leaning into his chest.

"A little after eleven." He said, kissing my forehead.

"I love you. I've only ever loved you." I whispered, and I felt his arms tighten around me.

"Bella…you have no idea how much I love you. I've never wanted anyone as much as I want you, and I was so…so stupid to have let you go in the first place. I'm just so damn proud to be here with you." He said, stroking Alexis's cheek with his thumb.

"I have something I need to tell you." I said softly, and took a deep breath.

"What is it, Bella?" He asked against my scalp.

"Edward…after you left…me and Jacob…well…we--" I started.

"Bella. It's okay. You don't have to tell me anything because its none of my business. I left you alone…and I don't need to know because that's your own business. I wont hurt you again Bella." He said, and I shook my head.

"No, Edward…that's not it. I mean…it kind of is, but…that's not what I'm trying to--"

"BELLA! Just say it." Edward said, and I took a deep breath.

"Before you…before we met…Jacob and I slept together." I said slowly.

"Yea, I kind of figured that out a couple of minutes ago. And…I really don't care because it has nothing to do with us." He offered a small smile, and I wish I could return it, and this could just be simple.

"Just…listen!" I yelled, and looked down at the precious baby in my arms.

"Jake and I…we had a baby together." Tears came to my eyes at the memory. I had gone so long without thinking about it.

Edward cocked his head to the side. "I don't understand…"

"At the time…Renee still lived at home. I was only fifteen…and I couldn't." I said, and took another breath.

"Renee convinced me to give the baby up for adoption…and I really…really didn't want to. But I didn't have much of a choice. So, we found a couple who would take care of him…" I shut my eyes tightly…and braced myself for the rest of this story.

"Bella…love, just tell me." He said, rubbing soft circles on my arm.

"About three months after he was with them…there was an accident." I said softly, wiping away the tears.

"What kind of accident, Bella?" Edward urged.

"Jaime and Daniel fought constantly. So, Jaime thought that a baby would mend their relationship…but it only made it worse."

"Jaime was in the car with Aiden…and her and Daniel had just fought." I said.

"So…she was distraught…and decided that she didn't…couldn't live her life anymore. People tried to convince me that she had forgotten about my…her baby, and that she never would have done it if she knew." I said, and had to take a minute to let the tears to calm down.

"Baby…you don't have to tell me if you don't want to." Edward said calmly, kissing my shoulder.

I shook my head, and continued. "Jaime pulled her car onto the train-tracks…and she…she waited for the train to…to hit her." I choked out, looking down at Alexis…licking my lips.

"I--I don't…Bella, I…" Edward fumbled.

"By the time she realized that Aiden was in the car…it was too late. And when I was so persistent to wait to have a baby…this was the reason why. And then…I lost her too."

EDWARD

"Let's get you to bed." I said to Bella, and took the glass of wine from her hands, and picked her up into my arms.

I knew that if I let her continue down this road…that it wasn't going to end well. Bella wasn't a drunk…but she was bipolar…and like I said, the littlest things seemed to set her off. I couldn't let her continue this.

After I made sure that she was secure in our bed…I went back into the kitchen, and poured out every bottle of wine or liquor that we had in the house.

Flashback

"Bella…you have to stop. You've had enough." I said harshly, and ripped the wine glass from her hands.

"Fuck. You." She lazily pointed a finger at me, and shoved me with her hand.

"Don't pretend to care NOW." She said, her eyes drooping."I'm not pretending, Bella. You need help. Is this what you want your daughter to remember of you?" I asked.

"Oh screw you Edward. You…Don't care what the fuck…I…do." She swayed from side to side, before falling to the floor, laughing.

I sighed, and bent down to pick her up, only to be slapped in the face.

"Don't. Touch me!" She stuttered, trying to get back up.

"I swear to god, Bella. If you don't get your sorry ass clean…I will take her, and I'll leave." I seethed, and Bella seemed to get even more angry.

"THE HELL YOU WILL! You're not taking my baby anywhere!" She yelled at me, her breath smelling of nothing but alcohol.

End Of Flashback

I brushed back Bella's hair with my fingers, as tears started forming in my eyes. I loved this woman with my entire being…and to know how much she had been through just killed me. Watching her sleep was something I never though could be so intriguing.

I kissed her forehead. "I love you, Bella." I whispered against her skin, and wrapped her in my arms, her head snuggling into the crook of my neck.

ELLA

I woke up and remembered that now I had a new mommy. I was so happy that I got to live with Mommy Bella and Daddy Edward. They were so nice, and Mommy got me a princess bed!

I swung my small legs up of the bed, and ran out into the hallway, and smiled at the smell of pancakes.

I loved pancakes, and I bet that Mommy's would be a whole lot better than Reme's was.

I went down the stairs, two feet at a time on each step, holding onto the railing with both hands, and was so happy when I got to the bottom.

I ran into the kitchen, and saw that Mommy and Daddy were standing next to each other, so I giggled, and they both turned around and mommy smiled at me.

"Hey, baby! Do you like chocolate chips or peanut butter chips in your pancakes?" Mommy asked me, and my eyes lit up.

"You can put peanut butter chips inside da pancakes?" That was so cool!"Yea, you can Ella. You want that?" She asked me, and I nodded a lot, brushing my hair out of my face.

Once mommy gave me pancakes, she said that she was going to get Ben up to tell him that breakfast was ready and asked daddy to make oatmeal.

"Daddy?" I asked, putting a piece of pancake in my mouth.

"Yea pumpkin?" He asked, getting something out of the cabinet.

"I like you." I said.

Daddy sounded like a pig because he made a noise that sounded like one, and I looked at him curiously.

"What was that!?" I yelled.

Daddy turned around. "What do you mean, Ella? I snorted. I do that sometimes."

I giggled, and covered my mouth. Daddy came closer to me, and picked me up, tickling me. I hated when people tickled me.

"DADDY! STOPPP! I'S CANT BWEATH!" I couldn't help the giggles as daddy flipped me up onto his shoulders.

"What is all the yelling about?" Mommy came downstairs with Ben and smiled at me.

"Daddy! Puts me dowwnnn! I's hungwie!" I said, and tried to get down but it looked so high up from here!

"Sorry pumpkin. There you go." He said, and put me back in my chair.

BELLA

After breakfast, Edward took Ella and Ben to the park, and left me with Alexis, and a grocery list.

I really didn't want to go out. I hadn't been feeling so great, and I just wanted to sleep.

I looked at the things on the list.

-Milk

-Eggs

-Chips

-Ice cream

-Weaties

-Rice

-Beer

Of course. He wouldn't forget the beer. I sighed, and went up to the nursery to get Alexis changed.

I walked in, and carefully picked her up out of her crib, balancing her over my shoulder as I walked to the changing table.

I laid her down, and reached for the diapers, wipes, and baby powder, and changed her. I pulled out a Sesame street onesie.

Once we got to the grocery store, it was a pretty easy trip except for the smiles that I got from people thinking that Alexis was mine.

I got the things that Edward wrote down, and got the hell out of there. What was wrong with me?

I decided to stop off at Target and get some things for the kids. I picked up a few DVDs and toys and baby things. I got some shirts for myself, a pair of boots, and earrings.

Alexis was good in the cart, just looking around. I smiled at her several times, just out of non resistance.

I walked in, and put Alexis in her playpen, and then into the kitchen to go find Edward to get him to help me with the bags. I found him leaning against the fridge, a drink in his hand.

My blood boiled.

"What the fuck are you doing!?" I screeched, and pulled the drink out of his hand.

"What the fuck Bella?" He snarled, and backed me up into the wall, the glass falling to the floor.

"Get off of me." I seethed, and pushed him away.

"How much have you had?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest.

"None…you ripped the fucking thing out my hand!" He yelled.

"Clean this up." I said, and headed outside for the bags.

Once everything was brought in, I told Edward to make dinner.

About a half hour later, "dinner" was ready. Of course, he was too lazy to make anything so he just heated the leftovers.

"What's gotten into you?" I asked, and tried to keep a low voice for the kids' sake.

"Nothing, Bella. Nothing." He said, shaking his head.

I knew it wasn't nothing, but I wasn't going to make a scene at the dinner table.

"Edward…you're going to talk to me!" I yelled, chasing after him as he walked into the bathroom.

I followed behind him, and watched as he clenched his hands into fists, and slammed them on the counter, then putting them to his sides.

I harshly turned him towards me, and pulled his neck to my level.

"You want to hit me Edward?" I asked, and his eyes darkened.

"Do it then! What are you waiting for!?" I seethed, and his hands harshly grabbed my face.

"How. Fucking stupid can you be!? You think I'm going to hit you!?" His nostrils flared, and it actually scared me.

I pried his hands away from my face, and he turned around.

"So just fucking tell me then! What the hell is going on, Edward!?" I shouted.

He balled his hands up into fists, and slammed them down on the counter.

"I cant fucking do this!" He shouted, and I didn't take a step toward him.

"Why all of a sudden?" I asked slowly.

"God damn it, Bella. It's not all of a sudden. How the fuck can we possibly do this? We want kids of our own! But we're stuck with your fucked up sister's." I lifted my head up straight, and slapped him.

"You can go to hell." I turned to walk away, but turned back around.

"How can you say that!? It's not their fault!" I yelled at him, and pushed him into the wall.

"I know that! But fuck! My job can't help all five of us, and the kids we eventually have! I can't make that much damn income, Bella!" The vein in his head started to bulge, and I knew that his blood pressure was rising.

"Edward, baby…I know this is stressful---"

"STRESSFUL!? Bella! Think about it! All the school funds, college funds, car funds! Think bout all of that! How many babies do you want Bella, hm?" He asked, and I shook my head.

"I don't know." I whispered.

He laughed in a non-amused way. "Well don't think about having any more than one. Because I can' t afford it." He snickered.

I am beginning to love this story more, and more. But you guys don't reveiw, so I don't know if I'll continue. So if you like it, and you want more....REVEIW!!!!!