Author's Note:

Okay y'all! Hold onto your seat, and get ready for the ride.

If you haven't already noticed this is a fast paced story, with long-ish chapters.

So, yes, the chapters will be info packed. But hopefully you'll like em.

Well, I hope you enjoy em.

I stopped at Carl's Jr, and bought us lunch, before heading home.

The drive was filled with music, and Lottie singing the wrong words to the music we were listening to, at the top of her lungs.

It made me smile despite my inner turmoil, and the situation at hand.

As we reached the complex, she was still singing 'Bones' by Imagine Dragons to herself. She didn't know half the words but she liked the beat so kept singing it as she skipped towards the building.

As we were walking up the last flight of stairs, we ran into some of our friends.

Jacob and Leah moved in shortly after I did two years ago. Lottie and their son, Embry are friends, well, they were until last week, when a mud fight broke out at the park and Lottie lost her favorite shirt in the brawl between Embry, and his cousin Brady. Or so I'm told.

Lottie now scowls every time Embry comes over for a playdate. Also known as date night for his parents.

"Bellsy!" Embry squealed as he saw me, jumping into my arms. I caught him in surprise, almost dropping my food in the process.

"Son, let her get to the top before you jump on her." Jacob chastised as he grabbed my things and helped me get to the top stairs.

"Sorry." Embry said as he let go.

I set him down carefully, and smiled, as I patted his dark, cropped tresses before looking over at Lottie, who was still scowling at him.

I bit back a chuckle, before speaking. "It's alright, Em." I told him with a laugh, "Where's Leah?" I asked Jacob as we turned to go down the hall.

"Oh, she'll be back soon. She went to the grocery store to get a few things." He replied.

I nodded as I unlocked the apartment and Lottie rushed to the table.

"How'd the thing with — go?" He asked, trailing off.

I sighed, "Well, they met today. For the first time…" I informed him. "She sassed him a lot… and he asked to meet twice a month afterwards." I told him, vaguely as he set the bag down and followed me to the kitchen.

I sighed as I opened the medicine cupboard and pulled out the Advil liquid gels.

"What are you going to do?" He asked me as Embry sat next to Lottie. She stared at him blankly for a second before she began to throw fries at him.

"I'm going to— hang on." I sighed, "Charlotte Reign." I called, causing her to freeze and turn to give me a sheepish grin, before shoving the fry she was holding onto her mouth.

"Sowwy." She told me, talking around the fry, sheepishly.

"Knock it off." I told her, giving her a stern look.

"I see, Miss. Lottie still has a grudge against my boy." Jacob said, snorting as she threw Embry a scowl.

Embry gave her an apologetic smile, before placing his arms on the table to lay his head on them.

I laughed, "I would too if I got pelted with mud on the head and my favorite shirt got ruined too." I replied, amused.

Her favorite shirt was white with a picture of the Caverns and name in the front. She got it last year on our trip to visit a friend of mine, Vicky, in New Mexico, after we attended her wedding to her long-time boyfriend.

We went to the Carlsbad Caverns, and my friend bought her a shirt that had the name of the place.

Lottie still had the sweater but she loved wearing the shirt more, especially on warm days.

I called Vicky to ask her if she could send another shirt via mail and I would send her the money. She told me she would as soon as she got the chance.

I was going to tell Lottie but I knew my little hellion like the back of my hand. I wasn't about to tell her about this bit of information, because then she'd ask if it got here, every day.

So, I was going to keep it to myself until it got here. To avoid a daily headache.

"It was Brady's fault." Jacob finally told me.

I raised a brow, "Your cousin's boy?" I asked.

Jacob nodded, "Emily told me that the three were playing outside, and Brady threw the first clump of mud, which hit Lottie on her back and the back of her head. It's why Embry and Brady aren't talking now. Lottie got mad at both of them because when they started wrestling she got pushed and landed in a puddle." He explained, with a chuckle.

"Kids." I mumbled, shaking my head at them.

Jacob nodded, "Leah already spoke to Sam and Emily, along with Quil and Claire." He added.

I sighed, "You realize that you guys are due to leave again in a few weeks. And Emily is due any day—" I began.

His phone began to ring. "Hold that thought." He told me as he pulled it out and answered.

I nodded, before turning to the counter. I pulled out a water bottle from under the counter and unscrewed the bottle to drop two liquid gels on my palm.

Jacob raised a brow at me, as he spoke on the phone.

As soon as he hung up, he turned to look at me, "So, have you given much thought about what I told you the other day?" He asked, curiously.

I sighed before turning to look at him before dropping my gaze to the floor and shaking my head. "Jacob, I'm not quitting my job just to do this. I have a daughter that needs stability. I told you and Sam that the other day." I replied.

"I'm not saying you need to become an unstable parent, Bells. I'm just asking you to do back up vocals for us while we're playing in Washington." He told me. "I'm a dad too. I get it. But this is extra income that you'd get." He told me.

"Jake, I don't do music. Not anymore. Alright? I can't…" I told him, looking away.

He sighed, "Look, I'm not trying to pressure you… but you've got an amazing talent here… and it's just going to waste." He pointed out.

I shook my head, trying not to think about what he and Sam told me. It wasn't my intention to allow them to hear me sing. I was simply sitting in the stairs well, as Lottie played with Embry, in the grass with a ball two weeks ago, got bored and began singing a random song.

Mind you this was the day before the whole mud incident happened with our kids.

I sighed, bouncing my left leg as I stared at the floor. "I can't do it...It's how I met her father. It's how we got close… Music brought us together... and music almost tore me apart." I whispered, as I blinked back tears.

"Oh fuck. I'm sorry… you know what… forget we ever asked. You don't need to put yourself through that shit if you don't want to." Jacob told me.

I sniffled, shaking my head, squeezing my eyes shut as I did. "It's why I got a job as an IT, because it's the farthest thing from music… from my passion…" I trailed off, reaching up to wipe my face.

He sighed, "You allowed some asshole to not only hurt you. But to also take your passion from you. Now, I don't know who this guy is but I do know that he doesn't deserve you or Lottie. You deserve everything, Bells. Happiness, love, and the world. If that guy didn't see your worth, that's his loss. Let someone else in..." He told me as he pulled me into a fierce hug. "Be happy." He added softly.

A throat cleared, causing us both to turn.

Leah stood there leaning on the wall with a smirk. "Am I interrupting something?" She asked, raising a brow at us.

Jacob shook his head. "I was just—" he began before I interrupted.

"He was trying to convince me to take the offer he and Sam gave me, two weeks ago." I told her.

She sighed, "Jacob Ephraim Black, I told you to leave Bella alone. She's got enough shit to deal with now." She told him angrily.

"I know… I know… she told me the reasons.. and I know now why she won't do it." He replied, sheepishly.

I laughed, "It's alright, Leah. Jacob… just helped me realize a few things just now… and he's right about a few things. So, don't be too hard on him, he's just trying to help me." I told her, with a laugh.

"That's a first." She snorted.

"There has to be a first for everything." Jacob deadpanned, with an eye roll.

Leah smacked his arm but smiled, nonetheless, "So, what did this knuckle head help you realize?" She asked.

"That I can't allow someone to hold me back..." I replied.

She smiled, "So, don't. Show this asshole what it's like to see someone move on." She told me.

I sighed, "It's not that simple." I told her.

"Why not? It's been four years, Bella. Are you telling me you still have feelings for that asshole?" She asked me, quietly as all three of us turned to eye the kids.

Lottie was now talking quietly to Embry, who was nodding in response as they eyed us curiously.

"Those kids are plotting something." Jacob said immediately, as he shook his head at them.

"Looks like." I replied, amused.

Leah sighed, "I liked it better when they fought…" She mumbled, causing me to laugh.

A thought came to me, and I sighed, before looking at them, "I would do anything for my daughter, you two know this… Even swallow my pain if it means she's happy…" I mumbled.

They nodded as they waited for me to continue.

"So, I need you two to help me… I can't just suddenly start dating and doing all this shit. It'll affect Lottie. So, please, help me. Because you two are probably the last few people that I can trust." I told them.

Leah frowned, "What about your family?" She asked me, confused.

"Rose and my mom are… I can't trust them, at the moment… not with Charlotte… She heard a conversation between them and I need to talk to them before I decide whether or not I can trust them or not." I finally told them.

Jacob nodded immediately. "You need us to pick her up from daycare?" He asked.

It was times like these that having Embry and Charlotte in the same class helped us immensely.

I nodded, "Yes. It'll only be until I can get her a slot in the daycare that is in the building that I work in." I told them.

Jacob shook his head, "Don't do that. By changing her daycare you're creating unnecessary problems. Let Leah, Sam, and I pick her up. That way you have one less thing to worry about. We'll even watch her after, it's no problem to us. " He told me.

Leah nodded as she pulled her phone out and sent a text to someone. "Done. Add us, Emily, Sam, and Quil to the list of people who can pick her up and tell them about your sister and mom." She told me.

I sighed and pulled out my phone to text Angela about the situation.

To which she immediately replied that it was fine.

With that was one thing less to worry about.

"So, what's next?" Jacob asked.

"Now, I need to find a nice guy to date…" I replied, quietly.

Leah smirked mischievously, "I think I've got the perfect candidate." She told me.

Jacob raised a brow at his wife, "Who? Seth?" He asked, scoffing.

Seth was like twenty, he was more like a little brother. Not boyfriend material.

She immediately shook her head, "No. Seth is already in a committed relationship." She told us.

"Who then?" He asked her, confused.

She smirked, "Paul." She answered simply.

The following Monday, after work, I drove to my parents house, and asked Jacob and Leah to watch Charlotte while I spoke to my parents about what happened.

I didn't expect to see the familiar red BMW parked on the curb. But seeing as this was probably unavoidable, I steeled myself for the possibilities of this visit with little hope of a peaceful outcome.

As I made my way into the house, I could hear arguing, making me hesitate by the door.

I was glad that I had changed out of my work clothes before driving here, just in case I needed to run.

With that small bit of information in my mind, I shove my keys into my pocket and extended my hand to push the button on the wall to ring the bell.

I took a deep breath to steal myself as I heard someone walk in the direction of the door.

A moment later, my dad opened the door.

"Bells, how ya doin', hun?" He asked me as he pulled me into a hug.

"I— I've been better." I told him honestly.

He sighed, probably seeing how tired I was, and nodded, "I'm sure you've seen better days. Come on in, sweetheart." He told me as he stepped aside to let me in. "You wanna hear a joke?" He asked me.

I refrained from rolling my eyes as I nodded, as I shrugged off my jacket, hung it along with my purse.

This was our routine every time I came here. He'd see me and Charlotte, tell us a joke and smile at us. Charlotte loved his jokes. She always giggled like crazy at them. It made both their days.

"Okay, why was Cinderella so bad at soccer?" He asked, with a small smile.

"Why?" I asked quietly, as we turned to walk down the narrow hall in the direction of the living room.

"Because she kept running away from the ball!" He snorted.

I chuckled once at his joke and rolled my eyes. "You're so hilarious, dad. I bet you can't make another joke." I told him, amused as we walked into the living room.

"Don't assume I can't. I'll think of another one before you leave." He told me, amused, causing me to snort.

As I walked in I froze for a second as I saw my sister sitting there.

At the sight of Rose, the anger I had been pushing back was now full front in my mind.

As I walked further into the room she and my mother stood up immediately.

"Bella, I—" She began, but I held up my hand.

"Save it, Rose. I don't have the energy to listen to your bullshit excuses." I cut her off, as my dad frowned, and I began to pace.

"What's going on, Bells?" He asked.

I turned to look at the lost expression on my dad's face as my mother lowered her gaze, and realization hit me like a ton of bricks.

"Oh. I see that Mom hasn't told you what happened the last time Charlotte was here, yet…?" I asked, trailing off.

"Told me, what? What's going on, Née? What happened?" He asked her.

I looked at both of them, waiting for them to say something. Instead they stood there staring at the floor like it had all the answers in the world.

"Charlotte heard you two talking about her." I finally told them.

I watched both their faces become pale as they gapped at me.

"What did Lottie hear?" My dad asked, staring at the two suspiciously.

I stared at them, disappointment clear on my face, as I swallowed thickly and looked away. "She heard when Rosalie and my mother were talking. She heard when Rosalie told our mom that Edward didn't want her… and… I— I can't finish the rest of what she heard…" I told them, swallowing hard.

"You what?!" My dad yelled.

My mother turned to look at me, tears in her eyes, "This is all a misunderstanding, Bella. We didn't know she was listening." She told me.

"And that makes it okay?" I asked, in disbelief.

I shook my head as my talk with Charlotte the night we got back from Court suddenly bounced in my head.

Rose had said some pretty despicable things… and I didn't know if I had it in me to forgive her this time…

She had not only been hurtful, she had been downright callous.

"A misunderstanding?" My dad echoed.

As I looked at her in disbelief, before shaking my head, "How can you saying she was a fucking mistake be— how is saying that a fucking misunderstanding?!" I growled.

In the beginning after we got home, I had still hoped this was all a mistake, that maybe Charlotte took everything out of context… but I knew, deep down, that there was no going back after Rose opened her mouth.

Not when Charlotte asked me if I thought she was a mistake. Not when she asked if I loved her.

Rose flinched, and looked away. "Look, we both know that you had a bright future. Had you not had her, you would be doing so much more than working in some mundane job in Seattle." She told me, calmly.

I closed my eyes, willing the tears that I felt to go away. But her words stung more than I ever thought possible, the dam broke.

"Rosalie Lillian Swan!" My mother yelled.

"Apologize." My father growled at her.

I shook my head, "No, it's— it's fine." I whispered, reaching up to wipe away my face. "At least— at least I know that Charlotte didn't mishear. That she was telling me the truth." I added.

"How can you say that about Charlotte? About Bella?" He asked in disbelief.

"Because we all know it's true." She said, rolling her eyes.

I scoffed, "You know what, Rosalie? Fuck you. You can sit there judging me, and calling me whatever you want. But you know, what? At least, I am not pretending to be perfect." I told her calmly.

"Who said I am perfect?" She scoffed.

"You don't need to say it! Your fucking attitude says it, every god-damned day! But we all know that you're far from perfect. Isn't that right, sis? You sit there judging me because I had the balls to do something you didn't!" I yelled back at her. "And you can judge me all you fucking want, but you leave my daughter alone and out of it." I told her.

"Bella, quit being overprotective. It's not like I intentionally hurt her." Rosalie said.

"Oh, you have yet to see me get overprotective. So, watch the fucking venom you spew out of your big ass mouth." I told her, moving towards her as I did.

"Bella, seriously, it's not a big deal, she's a child. She'll forget." She said, with an eye roll.

My eyes narrowed at her as my dad grabbed my arm and pulled me back.

"She's a child. Do you have any idea what type of psychological damage you might have inflicted on her?" My dad asked, in disbelief.

She shook her head, "She'll forget." She repeated.

"No. She won't. But that's not something you would know or understand. Right, Rosalie?" I asked, watching as she flinched away. "You need to stay away from her. Do you understand me? Because if you dare to try to hurt my daughter again? It'll be the last thing you do." I promised her.

"Know or understand, what? Rose? What in the hell is she talking about?" My dad demanded.

Rose stared at me blankly. "Nothing." She said, emotionlessly.

"It's obvious it is something!" My dad stated.

"Oh, it's something, alright." I scoffed, shaking my head, as I wiped my face again.

"Bella…" My mother warned.

My whole life. Rosalie has always judged me and my choices. Acted like she cared, when in reality all I was to her was a fucking punching bag. A live diary she could tell her secrets to… well I was done.

She fucking knew everything. She used it all to hurt my daughter.

To me that means all bets are off.

"Do you know what she's talking about?" My dad asked me.

"No, she doesn't." Rose said, looking at me with narrowed eyes.

"Oh, for fuck's sake. She had an abortion! While she was studying in New York. The fucking dumbass who did it threw her away like yesterday's trash, am I right? Or did I get it wrong?" I asked, sarcastically.

She narrowed her eyes at me, clenching her fists, as she held her arms down at her sides. "You bitch!" She hissed.

My dad seemed to look at us in disbelief. "You had an abortion?! And never told us?" He asked.

"Charlie, calm down." My mother told him.

My eyes flew to hers, and I realized she knew. Rose had told her. So, that meant they kept all this shit from my dad…

Fuck. This made the situation worse than it already was…

"What do you want me to tell you? Huh? That I let Royce King defile me, and knock me up only to have him act like nothing happened between us? That he did the same thing Edward did to Bella? What for? So, you could look at me like you look at her? I don't need your sympathetic, disappointed looks! I already have enough of those from grandma!" Rose yelled.

"No, we didn't! We wouldn't judge you. But we, or I, at least had hope that you'd trust us enough to fucking tell us when something like this happened to you!" He snapped, causing her to flinch.

Rose shook her head and looked away, "It wasn't worth talking about. I found out, and went to get an abortion…" She finally said, in a quiet tone.

"Why in the hell would you do something like that? For Pete's sake, had you told us we could have helped you… We would have, without a second thought. Because that's our job as your parents… even when you're old enough to make your own choices." He told her.

"I didn't want you to judge me… So, I did it in a clinic the next day… I thought that it would be the end of it, but I have so much damage that I can't have kids anymore." She murmured.

I stared at her in disbelief, looking out the window. "You hurt my daughter because you're hurt over something you did to yourself?" I whispered.

My mind was reeling over all of this situation.

My mother sighed, "She's getting help, alright? She doesn't mean half the shit she spews…" She finally told us.

My dad and I stared at her with mirroring expressions of disgust and disbelief.

"I can't fucking believe my ears. She does shit, and you hide it. I have no idea what's going on, and I don't think I want to know, but this ends here." He told my mother, before turning to Rose. "— and you. Until you can get through whatever shit you have going on, stay away from Charlotte. She's a child and doesn't deserve to take the brunt of your lashing out. She's not at fault for the stupid choices you made. You're an adult, act like it." He told her.

"I'm not saying she is at fault!" Rose protested.

He stared at her, with an unexplained emotion crossing his face. "Your mind doesn't say it but your mouth sure as hell does." He replied, shaking his head at her.

Rosalie shook her head, as tears began to fall. "I can't control it." She murmured, as she used her hand to push her hair out of her face.

"Bullshit. You did it on purpose. I can see it on your face. You think I don't know when you're lying? I'm your fucking father, goddamnit! Grow the fuck up, Rosalie! She's a three year old, for fuck's sake!" He growled.

"Charlie…" my mother said.

"Don't you dare say another goddamn word, Renée! This is all on you! You've coddled her! Her entire life you've given her everything she wants, despite my yelling you not to! And now that she can't have something she's fucking lashing out. You two need to get your heads out of your asses, drop those rose-colored glasses, and leave Bella and Charlotte the hell alone. Especially you, Rosalie." He told them.

Rosalie stared at me, tears running down her face. "Bella… I'm sorry." she whispered.

I shook my head, and looked away, "If this had been a few weeks ago, I might have believed you. But I can't, not right now, as much as it pains me to say it… I need you two to stay away from Charlotte." I finally said.

"Mom…" Rosalie whispered.

My mother sighed, "Bella, can't you just forgive her?" She asked.

My dad stared at her with an 'are you fucking kidding me?' look before shaking his head in exasperation.

I shook my head. "Charlotte told me she feels unwanted. I've worked hard to protect her, hoping that she never felt that way, but I never realized my own family could hurt her like this…" I told her.

"Please…" Rosalie begged.

"No." I finally said as I moved to leave, but something stopped me.

I stopped in the doorway of the living room, a frown denting my brow as I turned. "Did you know who Edward was when you started dating Emmett? Did you plan all this shit?" I asked her.

Rosalie looked down, "I— I had suspected who he was when I first met him… the resemblance is uncanny between Charlotte and him… But I didn't want that to happen the way it did. I thought that if I hid it and you saw him that maybe you two could talk... It's why I kept who I was dating from you. But I never planned for Edward finding out about Charlotte like that. You have to believe me." She begged.

I scoffed, "You know, I don't know what to believe anymore… you say something and you do another… I have no idea what you want. We always allowed you to do everything you wanted. But this time you crossed a line, and there's no turning back…" I plainly said.

"Bella, I swear…." She began but I shook my head at her.

"Don't. I can't stomach any more of your shit excuses." I told her, causing her to look down as her tears began to fall. "Look, I love you, Rosalie, I do. You're my big sister, but you— you intentionally hurt my daughter, and I don't know if I can forgive you for it." I told her. "Maybe in the future… after you get the help you need but for right now… I stand by what I said." I add before I turn and leave.

I could feel my eyes water as I made my way out of the living room, down the hall towards the door to grab my things.

Then I rushed out of the house and down the driveway to my car.

"Bells…" he called after me.

I took a deep breath before looking at him. "Ye-yeah, dad?" I asked.

"Make sure you're both safe, alright? Call me when you get home just so I know you got there safely. Cell phone. Alright?" He asked.

I nodded.

Without another word he pulled me into a hug, and kissed my forehead. "Drive safe, hon." He whispered before stepping back.

I slowly made my way to the car, waving at him as I got in.

The entire drive home, I fought to keep my tears at bay, wanting so badly to hit something as I did.

I was so angry at both of them. How could Rosalie be so childish? How could my mother hide this shit from me? How long has this been going on? What kind of mother was I to not notice this shit happening from right under my nose!

Holy fuck! I needed to go to the gym, or somewhere to decompress.

I hit the steering wheel as I waited for the light to change. "Fuck!" I whispered as the tears fell down my face.