disclaimer: i don't own any of the twilight characters

.:THANKS:. Thanks to everyone for reviewing my story! I appreciate it a lot! I'll be listing the "thanks list" in the next chapter. Anywayz, thanks again!

.:SORRY:. Sorry for putting up this chapter so late. I know I said 140 reviews, and there's already like 169 on the screen. But something came up yesterday, and I didn't have time to use the computer. Sorry! I hope you like this chapter!

EPOV

I could see I clearly put her in an awkward situation. We were getting closer every day, and I thought that if I could ask her out to a date, I might be able to finally win over her heart.

I could see I was wrong. For an instant, she seemed frozen in place and her expression was one of shock. Then, she wouldn't even look at me in the face Gah! I screwed it up! Fix it Cullen! I racked my brains for some excuse, and I finally came up with a lame one, "I was thinking maybe we could take Ryan to the park?" I said smoothly.

A light came into her eyes, "I'm sure Ryan would love that."

"Alright then. I'll come pick you guys up on Saturday. Bye!" I waved as I walked to the elevator.

"Bye!" I heard a click as her door closed.

Phew! I thought as I climbed into my car. That was a close one! But I was pretty sure she'd say yes, so why did she hesitate? Now is not the time to wonder about that, at least she said yes to the park. We've taken Ryan out together only a couple of times, sometimes just a stroll around the block. The feeling is nice though, and I wouldn't complain if we made this our "weekly-routine". I mean, Ryan gets his nightly routine, why can't I have mine?

xXx

I got up the next morning in a very cranky mood. I've got double shifts today, which meant I wouldn't be able to go over to Bella's place today. I only got to say a quick hi to Bella in the hallways. I'm in a very bad mood indeed!

I'm in my second year of residency, since I did some training during my time in Chicago too. My hospital in Seattle wanted me to start over again this year, but I used my charms and persuaded them to let me go on ahead as a second-year resident. I chose Emergency Medicine as my medical specialty without a doubt; as Bella chose Pediatrician. The hospital has been pushing us to the limit, reaching our 80 hour limit every week. I wouldn't be surprised if they asked us to hide our work hours once they pass the limit. I went to see my licensed physician to see what I should work on.

After checking in with my physician, I went over to the hospital emergency department as usual. And my day started with victims from a pile-up five blocks away. It was going to be a VERY busy day.

Everything happened in a blur, patient in, patient out. Every procedure had to be precise and fast. Bella often joked that if I could transfer my love of driving speedily and carefully to my work, she would be forever grateful. Well, unfortunately for her, I work fast and drive faster. A string of patients came in, and I don't even remember if I had lunch yet. I think I'd better swallow some crackers before I continue on the next load of patients being rushed in.

The sky was getting dark when I finally had a chance to take a rest. But not for long, a voice whispered in my head, you've got another shift. I headed back to our rest area to see some of my friends off.

"Hey Bella!" I called out as I saw the familiar brunette round the corner. She stopped walking and turned around.

"Edward! I wasn't expecting you to come back!" She walked towards me and hugged me quickly. "We were waiting for you at lunch but you didn't come."

"I was caught up with work. There were a lot of accidents today….." My mind thought back to all those patients that came in today. I accepted that as a must in my job, but sometimes the sight can still haunt you.

She placed her right hand on the side of my cheek, and her eyes softened, "You'll be ok. You saved lives today! You couldn't have prevented all that from happening, but you helped them, that's what matters most."

I leaned into the warmth of her hand and sighed contentedly. "So, how was your day?"

Angela suddenly spoke up, "A thirteen-year-old boy was crushing on her today." When did Angela get here?

Bella removed right hand and had a look of surprise on her face as well. Neither of us knew how long Angela had been standing there. "Was not, " Bella shot back.

"Was too. Ask anyone who saw you in the room." Angela smiled sweetly.

"Ugh! I'm never going to win this fight." Bella concluded, defeated.

I chuckled at their exchange, "I mean, it's not impossible, Bella."

"Don't you start too…." Bella growled at me.

I kissed her hair, "I was only kidding." I saw Bella visibly relax.

"See you guys later then. And relax, I didn't hear any of the conversation between you and Edward. I was just walking by." Her eyes twinkled. She pointed her fingers to the both of us when she said the word 'between'. And she turned around to walk away.

"Angela!" Bella and I both exclaimed at the same time. Bella's face was reddening like a tomato.

"Like I said, there's absolutely NOTHING between you guys." She turned her body sideways to wiggle her forefinger at the two of us again, and walked around the corner, laughing.

Bella groaned, "I'm never going to hear the end of this from her." She buried her face in my chest, I patted her back reassuringly.

"Oi! Go open a room will ya!" I heard Newton's voice closing in on us. I muttered, "Shit! Now I'm not going to hear the end of THIS! Why can't everybody leave us alone!" I could feel Bella's body trembling against mine. She was laughing.

I drew back from Bella momentarily, "Well, Mike, at least it's PG-rated unlike you and—"

Mike surrendered on the spot, "Ok, my lips are sealed."

"You'd better." I growled back, and he backed away. Bella looked up at me and whispered, "What did you see that's got Mike on the edge both times?"

I turned her in the direction of our rest area, and started walking, "Well…I think I'd better close my mouth on that subject if Mike doesn't tell on us either. You know he tends to add his own 'creative' fillings to a gossip. It's not that I don't trust you to keep a secret, but it's only fair…."

Bella smiled, "Don't worry about it! I get your meaning." I stuck around our rest area for a while, and waved goodbyes to people heading out for the night. Bella was the last to leave.

"I'll text you tomorrow about the time I'm going to pick you up, is that ok? I don't know how freaking tired I'll be once I end my shift."

"Take all the time you need." She gave me a peck on my cheek. "Go save some lives tonight, hero."

I hugged her, "Thanks." And she walked out the door too.

I hung around the room for a while longer, taking a much needed rest. Then went on duty.

xXx

Patients lessened during the start of my night shift. Sometimes I even got to hang back and watch others work. My cellphone vibrated.

U doing ok? –B

Im good. Not many patients yet –E

Ryan misses u –B

Only him? Give him a kiss for me then –E

I know I was flirting with her a bit with the question. But I wonder how'd she answer?

Sure ; ) –B

Ahh, just like I thought. She ignored my question. Suddenly, I saw a colleague motion for me to go over, seems like another accident happened on the road.

I g2g. talk 2 u later –E

Go! –B

The order made me smile. I tucked my phone away, and went back to work.

A few hours to midnight, I could finally stop to take a breath again. I don't think I'd have the energy to take a morning stroll since I'd be kissing the pavement if I tried that. But I really needed to see Bella. And Ryan of course.

Could we make it an afternoon stroll? I think I'd be sleeping my morning away –E

Whatever's good 4 u –B

She's still awake?

Call u tomorrow? –E

I'll b waiting. : ) –B

I heard some shouts coming in from the emergency room entrance, and the rumbling of wheels reeling on the tiled floors. This is a HUGE one.

Patients coming in. sweet dreams hon –E

Oh. I will –B

I took a deep breath, and walked quickly in the direction of the sounds. This was going to be a long night.

BPOV

I arrived home today to see a very happy Jessica. That's weird. I wonder what's up with her?

"Thanks, Jess."

"No problem! I'll be heading out now!" She waved and practically skipped to my front door. I decided to call Angela up to see if she anything about Jessica's weird behavior. I called, but no one answered. Oh well, I could always try again tomorrow.

After dinner, Ryan and I moved to his playroom. As I was flipping through the channels, Ryan looked at me questioningly, "Dada?"

I smiled warmly at him, "Dada's not here now, sweetie." I decided it was time to teach him who's actually 'Dada'. I went to retrieve a picture of me and Edward from my night table. It was a picture of him and I smiling happily at the camera during our college years. Our school building could be seen in the background. I went back to the living room, and sat Ryan on the couch with me.

"Ryan, this is 'Dada'." I pointed to Edward's face on the picture. "Dada," I repeated again.

"Dada," Ryan said quietly, and pressed his forefinger on Edward's face too.

"Yes. Good boy!" I said, ruffling Ryan's hair as a compliment.

We played cars for after that. A while later, I decided Ryan could play on his own for a few minutes while I texted Edward. I saw his pained expression this evening, and was worried about him.

After a few texts back and forth, Edward said he had to go. I blushed after seeing one of the texts he sent over. I couldn't think of anything creative to throw it back in his face, so I just skipped it. I put my phone down. Just then, Ryan climbed onto my lap and pointed at the TV, "Dada?" I understood he meant the 'Dada' on TV yesterday, so I pointed my fingers at the television too, and said, "No, that's not daddy. This is daddy." I picked up the photo again. Ryan looked back and forth between the TV and the photo. He had a knowing look on his face, at least that's what I thought. He then scrambled back to play with his cars.

It was getting close to Ryan's bedtime, so I led him to the bedroom. I picked him up, and gave him two kisses and a hug. I told Ryan that the second kiss was from daddy, and he yawned in response. After tucking him in, I went back to finish a book I started a few days ago. Suddenly, I saw my phone light up and vibrate beside me. It was Edward again.

I opened his text message. Afternoon stroll? That's what I thought too. I told him to make the decision. His patients were streaming in again, and when I saw the last message, I had a silly smile on my face. I was going to have sweet dreams alright.

xXx

"Hey Angela! Do you know what's up with Jess? She was skipping on her way out of my house yesterday." I called Angela in the morning.

"Looks like someone's extremely happy about something."

"Have any ideas?" There was silence on the other end.

"Nah, I can't think of any." She continue, "So….you're not the only happy one around here, eh?"

I was blushing. I muttered into the phone, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Sure you don't." She laughed. "Hey, is Edward at your place now?"

"No, he traded night shifts with someone yesterday." I said, trying not to let my disappointment show.

"That's too bad." We were both silent for a moment.

Suddenly, I heard Ryan say, "Mama!" beside me. I almost dropped my phone.

"I heard that. I'll let you go now." Angela said softly.

"Yeah. Thanks." I hung up, and turned slowly around to face Ryan. "What did you say honey? Could you say that again?"

He was staring silently at me. I'm sure I didn't imagine it, even Angela heard it! I tried again, "Could you say 'Mama' again, Ryan?" He looked at me with no expression, then went back to his toys. Oh well, I guess I'll just have to wait. As I was starting to wash Ryan's plastic bowl from breakfast, I heard him yell, "Mama!" I turned my body around, expecting to find Ryan in the room. He wasn't there.

I walked to the living room. There he was, standing closely beside the couch and had one of his fingertips touching it. No way, he can't be saying my body is as huge as a couch! I thought despairingly.

As I walked closer, I noticed he was more like pointing at something on the couch.

It was the photo from last night. He was jabbing at my face in the photo.

"Mama." He pointed to the photo, then at me.

I broke into a large smile, "Yes, that's mommy. I'm mommy." I hugged him tight. I was deliriously happy! My first thought was to call Edward, but then I remembered he was probably sleeping right now. After calming down a bit, I came to a decision.

Why not give Edward a surprise?

EPOV

I finally got home sometime in the morning. I took a quick shower, then plopped onto my bed. I felt like a walking zombie. I faintly heard my home phone ringing, but decided to let the machine take it. I was too tired to reach for the phone.

"Hey Edward, it's Jasper. How would you like to have…" Before Jasper finished his call, I was fast asleep.

xXx

I was woken up by sun rays coming in my window. I should have pulled the curtains! I groaned. I cleaned myself up in the bathroom, and wandered into the living room. I had my duffle bag from yesterday untouched and laying on the ground, and the red light was blinking from my answer machine. I dimly remember hearing the phone ring before I fell asleep. I pressed the play button.

"Hey Edward, it's Jasper. How would you like to have dinner with Alice and I tonight? And no, Alice is not giving you a choice, you'd have to come. Dinner's at our hotel, six o'clock. Bring Bella if you want. Beep!"

Six o'clock? Well, I could fit that into my schedule after our afternoon stroll. I wonder what time it is now? My eyes landed on the time display on the phone.

Four o'clock?

And Jasper and Alice's hotel is a long drive from my place! It's considered long even to faster drivers like me. Half an hour if traffic is light, but during five o'clock, we'd be stuck in traffic for God knows how long!

Why didn't I set an alarm? I just slept away a perfect afternoon with my two favorite people! And now, there's barely enough time for a leisurely stroll. I hope Bella isn't mad at me.

My hand shot out towards the phone, and I started dialing the numbers I knew by heart. I hope Bella wouldn't be angry with my decision.

I waited impatiently for Bella to pick up the phone. After what seemed like the hundredth ring, I finally heard the voice I've been dreaming about for hours on the other end of the phone.

"Hello?"

A/N:

so what do you think edward's decision is?

is he going to say no to alice? or say no to the park? or...?

this chapter has a lot less drama in it, I was trying to put some more information in for you guys. it's necessary if i want to continue on with the next chapter lol!

they are getting together VERY soon~~next chapter? or the one after the next? depends on ur reviews lol! keep 'em coming!

plz leave a review after reading this chapter!

i'll be going on vacation for two days, so i'd probably be away from fanfiction for two days.

next chapter would be put up on wednesday like every week!

review review review!

thx a lot =D

born2bmyself 2010.06.25