Disclaimer: All characters belong to Stephenie Meyer. I own the plot.

A very special thanks to Verucasin, beta – extraordinaire.

AN:

I want to thank those of you who reviewed and added me to your alerts. It is nice to see that there are people out there who like what I try to do at the best of my ability.

If you are curious to know what exactly is going on between Alice and Jasper. Read my other story FOUR WEEKS. It is also posted on here. That is the tale of the romance that Alice is experiencing at the moment.

I hope to see your name in the comments below.

Enjoy

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Chapter 16

Over the next weeks I had decided to face another ghost of mine. I needed to tell my mother that I was pregnant. I hadn't seen her since I had been back from Thailand and I returned months ago. I frequently spoke to my dad on the phone, but that was okay because he was in Forks. I really had no excuse for not seeing my mother she lived only a few stops away on the train. I had had a handful of conversions with her but no face to face confrontations. If I had to be brutally honest I feared her reaction because I knew exactly what it was going to be. So I avoided her at all costs. I knew it was mean, but my mother and I had less than nothing in common, so why push the subject.

I dressed in shorts and a loose black top with long sleeves. It had been very warm the last couple of days, even for September. I wanted to wear something subtle that didn't scream I'm pregnant. I wasn't able to hide it physically any longer, not that I was concealing it in any way, but I found no reason to provoke her, the announcement was enough in itself for a full on epileptic melt down.

I took the train to my mother's. I was spending my entire day off at my old home and with her. I regretted profoundly that I had made plans to be there for that extended period of time and not having made a backup plan with Alice. Backup plans usually contemplated Alice calling and me abruptly leaving for her rescue. It wouldn't be the first time we had done it.

The train was hot and I was getting sticky and uncomfortable, though, I wouldn't blame being uncomfortable on the heat rather than the mission I was on. I chewed my nails to the skin as the train slowly passed through the stops on the way.

I got off the train and started walking the short distance to my mom's place. When we had moved back to New York, my mother had insisted on the address where the mail would be delivered rather than on the house itself. The residence could be in better condition and it could be bigger, but it was the right address and it had been my home for about two and a half years. By then I was off to college with Jacob. I had insisted to live in the city and not with my parents, which mainly meant having the luxury of not living with my mother.

I walked quietly through the front door, bracing myself with a deep cleansing breath. I needed all the strength that I could gather. "Mother." I call out into the empty hall. She elegantly entered from the kitchen with a big smile plastered in the center of her face. My mother was a bit of a wacko and she was thin, almost to the extreme. She exercised like a maniac. She said she was healthy, I thought she was anorexic.

"Bella, lovely to see you." She chimed exuberantly. I planted an appropriate happy-to-see-you-to-smile on my face. I hoped it didn't look as phony as I felt and as fake as my mother's acrylic nails. She hugged me and I gave her a half one armed enfold back, tilting my body so my belly would bump into her.

She stepped back and her too red lips that outlined her smile fell as she studied my face. "You've gained weight." She stated. Gaining weight to her was like death sentence. If I actually killed someone it would raise less alarm in her book. I knew I had gained weight and that was mainly due to my pregnancy. In contrary to my mother, I was thrilled that I no longer looked like a teen after a growth spurt before the curves hit. I had a little shape, I had boobs and my face was rounder now. Though, the best thing was my legs no longer looked like dried out twigs anymore.

"Yes." I smiled with confidence.

"Oh." That was her only answer. This announcement wasn't going to go over quietly. Then again I never expected that it would.

"Let's go into the kitchen." I pushed her gently back towards the kitchen. I made her sit at the counter deciding not to avoid what I came here to say. "Mom." I hesitated. I never normally called her mom. "I'm pregnant." I kept my voice firm and strong. I watched her face, as a wide range of emotions, none of them positive, flickered across her face. I sat in silence as her eyes flashed to my stomach, then to my face and back again. Her narrow red lips, disappeared completely as she mashed them together in anger. She was almost like an enraged bull with gushing pants of air forced through her nostrils. Then she started flinging questions at me, like bullets from a machine gun.

"Did you get married?" She fumed.

"No." I decided it was best to keep my answers short and uncomplicated. I fought the urge to roll my eyes. Seriously, you didn't exactly need to be married to get pregnant.

"Are you engaged?" She asked coldly. It was obvious that I was a disappointment, but I wouldn't let her get to me. I was happy with the decision that I had made.

"No."

"Do you at least have a boyfriend?" That was the last of her options and the least attractive one.

"No." I admitted firmly. Images of Edward and his heart stopping smile flashed before my eyes. I wished I could say yes to that question, but I had made my bed and now I had to lie in it. I had run from him when things got complicated. It was my own fault. Why would he even want me anyway?

"Who's the father?" She muttered menacingly quiet.

"A man." I stated the obvious arrogantly. That seemed to enrage her further.

"Who?" She demanded with a voice that was like cold steel.

"He's not in the picture." I couldn't help think how these questions would continue if I told her the truth. Edward may not be in the picture, but I'd bet the questions would soften if she know the truth.

"So you're alone?" She almost sounded blissful at the prospect I was alone and it was the proper punishment that I needed for my actions.

"No." I answered. Her eyes narrowed into little mean slits. "Alice and I are doing this together." My answer made the color of her too tanned face grow two shades darker. To put it mildly my mother loathed Alice, I was never been able to figure out why. To me she was just open and bubbly.

"Why Alice?" She sneered.

"Because she offered." I countered immediately.

"Did you ever think what people are going to say?"

"I don't care what people will say. It's none of their business. Renée, I'm happy about this and I made my decision." I hoped I sounded as confident as I felt. I wanted the message to be short and clear, nothing that could be misconstrued. My mother stopped the attack right then and there. The rest of the day was awkward, but I ignored her discontentment and was flawlessly polite towards her. At least I thought so. I knew my mother was ashamed and disappointed with me, but truth be told, I was ashamed and disappointed with her as well.

She didn't ask one question about me or the baby, nothing regarding my well being or her coming grandchild. Mainly she acted like I hadn't told her. When it all came down to the wire, if she didn't ask me I wouldn't tell anything. I fed her no further information about my life. I felt empowered I had withstood her attack so firmly and not faltered, not one bit.

I heard Alice's keys in the door. I was lounging on the sofa, watching crap on TV to distract myself. The visit at my mother's still clung to my mind like gum in the hair - horrible and unfortunate.

"Hey there." Alice chirped. At least she was in a good mood.

"Hey." I could hear the harpy note in my voice.

"Why all the gloom and doom?" She beamed, still annoyingly cheerful. She kicked her shoes off in the hall. I threw her a short haughty glance over the back of the couch. "Right, your mother." She sighed. "Gloom and doom indeed. Man that sucks. How was Mrs. Nagging-Hag?"

"Pissed off. It's official." I said and glanced down my abdomen.

"How'd she take the news?" Alice asked and leaned over from behind the couch, giving my stomach a gentle brush.

"Let's just say, the baby is just about as unwanted and as big a disappointment as I am. She didn't exactly call me a whore, but she might as well have. She couldn't fathom how I could get pregnant without a husband, a fiancée or a boyfriend… I guess she should have paid better attention in sex ed." I muttered sourly.

Alice chuckled. "I'm sorry. For what it matters, I'm happy for you." She gave me a peck on the cheek and then skipped toward the kitchen. "Hungry?" I smiled at her overbearingly. All I had to eat was my mother's idea of a nutritious meal consisting of two celery sticks and a boiled carrot. I hated celery sticks. "Of course you are. You had lunch with your mother." She rolled her eyes, like she read my mind.

I could hear her scrambling around in the kitchen, fridge opening and closing, cutlery dropped into the sink. She rounded the sofa after a while and plopped down beside me. She placed a plate carrying a sandwich on my lap.

"She does have a tendency to focus on the really important things." She laughed sardonically. I chuckled as I remembered all the ridiculous things my mother found important and essential to this life.

We ate in silence in front of the TV. It was nice and fairly uncomplicated to be around Alice. There weren't many things that I wanted to keep from her and there weren't many of her questions I wouldn't answer. Also I was extremely grateful for the way she had accepted my messy life and had made hers evolve around me. She was the one that had provided me with a home, when I had none.

She sat the plate on the coffee table and glanced at me with a speculative twinkle in her eye. "Can I ask you something?"

I frowned. "Sure." I muttered knowing fairly well I was probably going to regret this.

"I have this theory. I know you say, you don't know who the father of your baby is, that he is no one of importance, but I have a feeling that he's important." I stayed perfectly still hoping she would just let it go. My heart rate spiked and I bit down on my lip. "I think you know exactly who he is, but you just don't want to tell for some reason." I still kept quiet. "Is he somebody you know? Somebody I know?" She asked trying to rein in her elation when she realized she was getting closer. It was like she was bouncing excitedly off the couch.

"Try the entire western hemisphere." I muttered carefully. She looked at me confused. I sighed and decided that now was a good time to tell her. I trusted her to keep my secret. I got off the couch and headed for my room.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to show you who the father is."

"So I do know him." She squealed euphorically at her conclusion.

"Sort of." I shrugged. I opened the drawer in my night stand, moved the photo album aside and snatched the stack of pictures I had hidden there months ago. I flipped through them quickly, feeling like my chest was being squashed from the ache and longing for Edward. Months had passed and I still missed him horribly. I hauled in a deep breath and went back to the living room, sitting down next to Alice again handing her the photos.

Alice's mouth was hanging open, completely flabbergasted and she was quiet. I could tell she was struggling what to make of this when she flipped through the picture I took of our last day together. Her expression changed slowly as it looked like she was getting the point. "For real?" She mouthed.

"For real, for real," I answered seriously.

"Let me get this straight." Alice's face changed to glowing. "You're telling me that you slept with him. The hottest guy like... like ever?" Her eyes widened so far I feared they would pop out of her head.

"I wouldn't put it like that… but yes." I rolled my eyes and tried a little humor. "Seriously Alice... Guys?" I teased. She shrugged and her cheeks warmed. She returned to the pictures again and flipped through them once more.

"You fucked the hottest guy ever and end up knocked up. I'm impressed." Alice's head bumped up and down like a hood ornament. "Good thing I know you so well or one might think..."

"Hey! Don't go there. And he's just a person, not a country." I stated grimly.

"Seriously sweetheart…Edward Cullen is not 'just a person', it's like… it's like you screwed the President for crying out loud."

"Alice!" I warned and shot her a dirty look.

"Lighten up, Bella... jeez. You're sitting on a pot of gold here." Alice smiled exuberantly. "Not exactly sitting, but you know what I mean." She paused. "He has a right to know. You know that, right?" I could feel her eyes almost poking sharply at me.

"I know, I just need to figure out how." My hands started sweating at the thought of telling Edward. He would hate me forever. I told him it wasn't possible for me to end up in this situation, so basically I lied. I was so afraid when he did learn the truth that he wouldn't ever want to see me again. I was so afraid. "I need time."

"I don't mean to burst you bubble, sweetheart, but you're sort of running out of time." I wished she didn't remind me. I was perfectly comfortable in my little bubble where I had all the time in the world.

I smiled, but it didn't reach my eyes. "I know."

"Bella…"Alice's voice was soft and gentle when she admonished me. "Anyway, back to the point. How was he?" She looked like she was ready to pick every juicy detail from my brain.

"No no, no. We're so not going there." I shook my head.

"Arggh… come on." Alice whined theatrically and pouted. "Some of these pictures are pretty indecent." She waved one photo in front of me. Edward was lying with his head on my stomach and my free arm hardly covered my exposed chest when my other hand held the camera above us and snapped the shot. "Is that actually your boobs? Was he good?"

"No! I'm not telling you anything." My voice was firm. I got up, snatched my precious photos back and headed for my room. I was in desperate need of a scenery change. "Hey Alice..." She looked at me disappointed. "He was awesome." I simply couldn't help myself. I closed the door to my room and I heard Alice cheering in the next room.

I pulled my pants off and put on my sweats. That was so much more comfortable. I seriously needed to get some new pants soon. I just wasn't thrilled having to buy maternity clothes. It would make everything so much more final. I was a mother to be. The problem was my normal clothes were just getting too uncomfortable and my shirts, even the long ones, were being stretched to their limits and were unable to cover the rubber band holding the button in my jeans. I reentered the living room.

"Yeah, so I have a lot of questions." Alice stated without further ado as soon as my door opened.

"I could imagine." I sighed and sat down next to her again.

"Can I?" she beamed ecstatic, not waiting for my approval. "Where did you meet him?"

"Thailand... you know where I went, Alice." I stared at her incredulously.

"Oh yeah, that's right. How was he?" Her eyes were glued to me, waiting impatiently.

"Alice." I whined, because I didn't particularly want to share intimate details.

"I don't mean that." She snorted mockingly. "I mean, how was he? Nice... charming... hot... smart... conceited..." I cut her off.

"All of the above really, well except for that last one."

"Really?" Her eyebrows shot up.

"Yeah, he was nice and kind and gentle. He's not really as you'd think, he's... well different?" I shrugged, trying not to let the somber realization that he wasn't mine, and would probably never want me, dull my evening.

"Different how?"

"I don't know. He draws and he writes all kinds of stuff. He plays the piano, loves music and he's sort of the thinking type, you know, it's hard to describe. He's... er... insightful."

"You're blushing." Alice's voice softened, she bounced around the sofa so she could face me properly. "You like him!"

"He's gone." I muttered feebly.

"He might be gone, but you still have to tell him." Her voice changed from light to serious. "Bella what happened between the two of you in Thailand?" Alice's voice was still solemn, but there was an undertone to it. She knew that something had happened, just not what. I had tried to hide it when I got home, but it hadn't gone unnoticed by Alice.

I decided to tell her the truth again. "You remember a few months back, at the time when I got back?" she nodded vigorously. "Do you remember the rumors there were running at the time? He got arrested... the charges against him?" I worked on keeping my voice steady and even.

"Oh my God, the rape charges." Alice mouthed stunned. "But what does that have to do with you?"

"I'm getting to that part." I pointed out impatiently. I started telling the story in bits, leaving out quite a few details. I told her about how we had spent a few days together. How he had been nothing but understanding when it came to Jacob. How we had ended up having sex and the finally how I had discovered the allegations on the internet and I had run home, as fast as I could.

"I see." she said. I simply nodded. "Are you telling me, you had absolutely no idea who he was when you met him?" Oh that was what she was getting at. Typical Alice.

"No."

"Seriously... are you retarded? He's like the hottest guy on the planet." She stared at me with disbelief.

"There you go with the guy thing again." I said mockingly and rolled my eyes at her. As gorgeous as Edward might be, he was still a person behind the perfect exterior. Quite perfect I had to admit.

Alice ran her tongue over her front teeth a few times, drawing an uneasy breath. "Whatever. The point is, you didn't know? How could you not know?" She asked confused.

"I was lost Alice. I hardly recognized my own reflection at the time, so why would I notice anyone around me?"

"Okay. It's just impressive. Would you have, I mean, if you knew who he was?"

"Definitely not!" I knew what she was implying and there was no way I would have jumped at him had I known who he was. "Look Alice, the thing is and you know this, I was having such a hard time getting over Jacob, I was getting nowhere here. So I left and I tried to get better but I just couldn't figure out how to do that. Along comes this guy and he says all the right stuff and he understands. He helped me and he made me feel so much better. In truth, I think he saved me from having to spend the rest of my life in a padded cell. So please just stop acting like... this. He's a person to me, nothing else."

"You do realize what you sound like, right? Alice chuckled.

"Disgustingly cheesy, I know, but it doesn't make it any less true."

"As I told you, you're sitting on a pot of gold here. I wonder what the press would pay for this kind of info..." I abruptly cut her off.

"Alice you wouldn't!" My voice was arctic.

"Hey! Easy there, hormonella, I was just kidding."

"It's not funny." I muttered.

"Actually, I think it is." She grinned again. "Look at it this way. You're the saddest girl in the world, no offense, you travel to paradise, meet a dreamboat of a guy, he's famous, and you have no idea who he is. You get knocked up, and... well I don't know how it's gonna end yet, but knowing you, it will be something overly dramatic and romantic. I might as well just have read you the plot line to a horribly lame movie released directly on DVD. It is a little ironic, don't you think?"

"It really sounds awful when you put it that way." It might sound like that, but it certainly didn't feel like that. It felt confusing and gut-wrenching all the time.

"On another and more serious note. You know the charges were dropped, right." The smile was gone and her eyes were honest all of a sudden.

"Of course I do. I saw the interview." Deep down inside of me, I hadn't needed to see that interview. I already knew Edward would never harm another person in that degrading way.

"Well I'm not putting my money on what you do and do not know these days." She drawled scornfully and paused. "Can I ask another one? This one's serious."

"Will I regret answering?" I countered and cocked a brow at her.

"No, I don't think so?" she sighed. "Are you in love with him?" I met her sincere eyes.

"I've only been in love once, and know what that felt like. This is different, it feels different, like more. I don't know what it is... or was. Doesn't really matter anymore, does it?" It felt so good to tell Alice about exactly how confused I was. I was nice to finally open up a bit.

"Bella, honey, if you do decide you're in love with him, I'm pretty sure that it is okay."

I swallowed. "Thanks." The word came out as a strangled whisper. I felt drained and I was tired, emotionally exhausted when it came to Edward. I leaned my head to the back of the couch. "Speaking of love. How are things going with Jasper? Did you like her present?" Alice's mouth popped open for a nano-second. I smiled gleefully for a brief moment. Remembering Jasper's face today when she stumbled into the bookstore was priceless. It had to be a coincidence she ended up at my workplace, buying that specific book about lingerie.

"How did you know that?" She gasped.

"I do work at a bookstore, Alice. I sold her that copy." I chuckled amused. It wasn't often I was able to stun Alice into silence. I was going to savor this.

"Oh god." She paused for moment and shook her head entertained. "It's going great actually." She bit down at the tip of her tongue nervously.

"I figured it wasn't a fluke she picked that specific book for you. I sometimes do your laundry." I teased. Alice had a knack for the feminine and frilly French lingerie and I knew that was where a substantial amount of her money went. Jasper had to know that too, to get her that book. Her face flushed scarlet.

"Please just… don't go there."

"Oh," I feigned ignorance. "Is it uncomfortable having your privacy being picked apart?"

Alice rolled her eyes. "Just shut up. I get the picture."

"I'm glad you do." I answered snidely. It was silent for a moment and we watched some TV. "Why her?" I asked.

"Jasper?" Alice asked confused. I nodded. Alice looked down at her fingers for a moment, pondering. "She makes my blood sing in my veins." She answered. "She makes me not want to be alone. For the first time I'm not scared to admit how I feel. I don't want to hide my confusion about what I am from her, because I'm not confused when I'm with her." She answered quietly and honestly.

I muted the TV, eliminating the irritating voices. "Are you in love with her? So soon?"

"I think I fell in love with her the moment that I saw her." Alice's eyes were big and vulnerable, swimming with emotions.

"Love at first sight, huh?"

"Something like that. I never experienced more than a crush, but now I just want to embrace it all."

"Does she feel the same way?" I asked puzzled, when I realized this was far more serious than I first assumed.

Alice shrugged. "Not sure yet. I hope so though, but she just needs to figure that out." Alice smiled and tapped her temple. She always had a tendency to read situations very well.

I nodded, loving that for once she was being completely honest with me. My best friend was giving me a piece of her mind. "Invite her over. She seems nice and I would like to get to know her."

"It might be a while yet. But I will ask her."

"So when are you going out again?"

"Saturday. Just dinner and perhaps a drink." She answered quietly.

"Maybe I could say hello to her then." I paused. "She's very calm."

"She knows herself and who she is. That's why." Alice answered immediately, almost filled with pride.

"That kind of makes me jealous. I wish I knew who the hell I was." I muttered.

"Yeah, me too. But with Jasper, I get to know new parts of myself. Parts I ignored and refused to see existed."

I bit my lip. "Like being gay?"

Alice shrugged. "That too, but also how it feels to be in love and feel there might be a future with her on the horizon. I know it's early, but it's a very invigorating feeling."

I smiled sadly, wishing I knew that. I gently grazed my hand over my swollen belly. I would love to know the feeling of having a future with Edward, if I ever dared to come clean to him. I decided to stop the depressing thought. "What about your parents? You know what they will say." I said softly. Her parents and my mother were a lot alike. They had ideas and conformities to how life should be for their kids. It wouldn't sit well with them knowing who their daughter was currently kissing.

Alice's eyes widened with trepidation. "I can't tell them." She mumbled.

I put my hand over hers. "Sorry I brought it up. I didn't mean to hurt you."

She shrugged. "I guess I have to face it at some point. But for now, I'm going to live in blissful ignorance and date who ever I want."

I smiled vaguely. "Good. I got your back when or if that day comes when you need to tell them." I paused, while she smiled meekly. "I'm going to bed. Good night, Alice."

"Night, Bella." She said softly and turned to the TV.

I crawled into bed and pulled the covers over my head. I rolled to my side. Sleeping on my back was another thing that was getting too uncomfortable. Thoughts started swirling around in my head. I tried to push them away, mentally making a list of chores I had for tomorrow. But it didn't do me any good. I pushed the covers away and grabbed my IPod. I curled up on my side again, putting the headphones in. I pushed play, and turned the volume down to a soft level. This did the trick when there were things in my head I didn't want to think about. Even though I knew I needed to deal with Edward, and soon. The music slowly made me escape to unconsciousness and I fell asleep.

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I hope you liked a little heart to heart between Bella and Alice. Please tell me what you think

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