Okay, let's get down to bidness.

First of all, let me thank my wonderful reviewers who make this story worthwhile, and who support me.

A matter of business:

I'm flattered, but also somewhat sad, that I've been added to people's favorites lists and alerts. There's about forty of you. And yet, I only have eight faithful reviewers, (not that you guys aren't fucking awesome, because you are.)

It would make my day to see how people who read my story respond to it.

I'm not asking for page long responses, if you can find one word that sums up the chapter, your favorite line or moment, or you have a suggestion or question, just tell me.

I sometimes even like to use your suggestions. What would this story be without any readers?

Okay. That's enough of that.

Onward!

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. I do own standstills.

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God, Bella! You don't even have a game plan, I scolded myself.

What was I going to do, burst into his room and drag him downstairs?

Hmm, that sounds reasonable.

Okay. So I do have a game plan.

I paused outside his door. Don't lose your nerve now Bella. Just do it.

I held onto the doorknob for a fraction of a second before I opened it carefully.

"Edward?" I whispered. He appeared in my line of sight.

I noticed two things.

One, he wasn't wearing a shirt, which was good in so many ways that I hadn't even imagined before.

Two, he had a deep, straight, vertical scar that dominated his chest. It was long, starting just after his collar bone and trailing almost down to his navel.

I hadn't realized I was staring until he cleared his throat.

"Yes?"

"Um, uh.." Jesus, Bella, say something!

"Rose and Emmett are downstairs. They have news."

He nodded.

"I'll be right down."

I shifted my eyes away nervously and closed the door after myself. He hadn't even seemed angry that I had just barged in. I had expected a dirty look, or maybe a sarcastic remark about how I didn't know when to knock, or something equally cold like that.

But there was nothing. He didn't even seem fazed. He just…stood there. He had a look in his eyes, and now that I thought about it, it was like…defiance?

But why?

I had floated into the kitchen on my thoughts and was standing by the table, lost in the deep tresses of my mind.

"Bella?" Rosalie said tentatively. "Are you okay?"

I mentally shook myself. "Oh, yeah. Just spaced out for a minute." I smiled.

I tried to put myself into the conversation, listening to Rosalie about just how difficult it hade been to get pregnant, and when asked why they didn't want to get married first, her reason was actually quite logical.

"With Emmett just barely starting out in the music business, our marriage would probably suffer a lot. And right now was pretty much my best and only option at getting pregnant. I have to do it very young or I may never get an opportunity. And well, once we found out we were having the baby, Emmett said, fuck the plans, be my wife."

She looked at him with so much love in her eyes it made my chest hurt.

I sat down at the table. "So what do we want to eat tomorrow night?"

They all told me that whatever I made would be good, so I excused myself to go plan the menu.

As I was walking up the stairs to my room, Edward was coming out of his.

I stopped him. "Uh, Edward? I'm sorry for bursting into your room like that."

He smirked, but it looked forced. "At least I wasn't wearing glittery panties."

And he walked away down the hall.

I stood there for a minute, dumbfounded. Did this mean he was talking to me? Were we going to try to be civil now?

I didn't know how to feel about it.

And it sucked.

***

I laid in my bed that night looking up at the dark ceiling, briefly contemplating how the tables had turned so much.

It was bound to happen eventually, and now that it had, I couldn't say that I hated it all that much.

It was so different being the one who was trying to get someone to not hate you so much. Usually I was the hater.

I fell asleep quickly after that.

I dreamt of scars and beating hearts that night.

***

The next morning I awoke early. I had all the ingredients for the meal tonight. Alice had taken me shopping for groceries a week ago. I tried not to remember shopping with Edward.

I lay in bed for a while, and for the first time in my life, I tried to think of a good way to fix things. I wasn't one for groveling or apologies, but Edward and I lived together, and I didn't want this tension and awkwardness anymore. At least that's the reason I was telling myself. Besides, he had enough to worry about without my shit.

I wish I had known from the beginning. It was just my luck that the time I turned on the bitch throttle randomly it would be the guy who least deserved it.

After a while I got up and went to shower and get dressed.

I wore my comfiest sweats and tee so I could begin preparation for cooking. I was going all out tonight. Hopefully everyone liked soul food.

I know Alice does.

I made my way downstairs carefully. I wished he'd be there, but I was relieved when he wasn't.

I busied myself with prepping the glazed ham for the oven, and getting ingredients ready for garlic potatoes, macaroni and cheese casserole, corn bread , and fried chicken. I figured I'd make some greens on the side just so it wouldn't be completely unhealthy.

I had the chicken marinated, the ham in the oven, greens acookin' and macaroni boiling when I heard his soft footsteps stumble into the kitchen.

I didn't turn around, I could feel him just standing there.

He cleared his throat softly.

"Where's Rose and Emmett?"

I didn't turn.

"They're telling Rose's parents the news. They'll be back before dinner."

I don't know if I expected him to say something else, or perhaps stay, or maybe offer to help. But I heard his footsteps leave the kitchen.

I sighed. This wasn't going to be easy.

***

Rose and Emmett got home just as I put the bread in the oven. The chicken still needed frying but I figured I'd do that about fifteen minutes before Alice got here. The ham was done, the casserole was done, as were the potatoes.

They walked in looking weary, just brought down by the troubles of the world.

I looked at Rose sadly. "Didn't go well?"

Emmett shook his head. "Her Dad told me he was going to turn my Willy into a Stella."

I grimaced. Ouch.

Rose laughed bitterly. "They don't understand. They just don't get that this is all I've ever wanted all my life. They think I'm throwing my future away. But it's all I want. I want a life with this man here. I don't have a future without him." She faced him and took his hand.

I knew it was true. For all the fronts Rose put up, underneath it all she was just like me. We were both insecure and scared of what was to come.

I pulled her into an embrace. "I cooked fattening things for the baby." I said cheerfully. Rose smiled.

"It smells delicious Bells. And if there's anything that makes me feel better it's food. Especially if you cooked it." Rosalie didn't need to diet. She ate whatever and didn't care what happened. She had Emmett, and he loved her.

I resisted the urge to feel bitter.

Rose looked up at Emmett. "Let's hope your parents take it better."

Emmett's booming laugh blew through the kitchen. "Rosalie, not only do my parents love you, but they'll be happy I'm finally tied down. And they're going to be grandparents! And Esme gets to plan a wedding. What's not to be happy about?"

He lifted Rose's chin with his finger, so much tenderness in that act that I felt the need to look away.

"Besides," he said, kissing her forehead. "They're happy if I'm happy. And I'm definitely happy."

Rose giggled lightly and I rolled my eyes playfully, swatting them with my spatula.

"Okay, okay, you're stinking up my kitchen with love. Go set the table or something."

They scampered out of the kitchen, whispering and smiling. I knew I should be happy for them, and I was. But I couldn't help but have to fight down the jealousy that was currently taking up residence lodged in my throat. It hurt.

I busied myself with cooking.

And tried not to think about Edward.

***

We were all seated around the table waiting for Alice to get home. It was not an awkward silence for once, it was just quiet. Rose and Emmett were lost in each other, Edward looked thoughtful and I was till trying to figure out a way to salvage things, however I could.

The front door opened and Alice walked into the kitchen, chatting animatedly with the man by her side. I caught his eyes and he shot a confused look before grinning widely.

Alice introduced everyone, and I stood and gave him a hug, giggling like a schoolgirl.

Emmett raised an eyebrow. "Do you two know each other?"

He responded with his southern twang. "Very briefly."

Alice gave me a look that said 'you're explaining this later.'

I began doling out food and Rose went to the kitchen to get drinks.

The atmosphere was amicable and more comfortable than it had been in weeks.

Jasper had that effect on the table as he told us about his life. He had lived in Texas on a ranch with his rather large family, but all his life he had wanted to become a 'hot-shot' movie producer. He moved to LA when he was nineteen, and started to work with small independent films, some that were actually having some success.

I only blushed once during the entire meal when Jasper turned to me with a glint in his eyes and asked if I was "Having any luck yet?"

And then of course I remembered my lustful thoughts about him and I internally cringed.

Ouch.

Everyone finished their meals rather quickly and assured me that it was the best thing they'd ever tasted. I shooed everyone away at the end of the meal to get drinks and talk, and busied myself clearing the table. I looked up to see an extra pair of hands picking up dishes.

"It gets kind of awkward being around all the sexual tension." He whispered quietly. I nodded.

We cleaned up and washed dishes in silence and when we were finished, I found myself just staring at him. And he was staring back.

"Bella." He whispered. I could feel some kind of…promise in the word.

But I didn't have a game plan yet, and I couldn't leave all of this unresolved. It would only end up coming back full force.

So I turned around.

"We should go join them Edward."

And I walked out of the kitchen.