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 to ALL of you who me to your alerts.

To those of you reading the parallel story FOUR WEEKS, you already met Emmett, for those of you who don't, well here goes nothing.

I know that many of you had problems commenting, that should be fixed by now, so I hope to hear what you think.

Enjoy

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Chapter 17

It was funny how my life changed, when it wasn't really my life that altered. It was Alice's life and therefore undeniable mine too. I basically had no life besides work, reading and Alice.

There was one simple way of saying this - Alice was in love. Large, all consuming, lifetime commitment, brilliant smiles, eyes only for Jasper in love with her. Seeing the two of them so sweet together, it was hard imagining them ever being apart or that they led separate lives not that long ago.

Slowly, I got to know Jasper. She wasn't shy or reserved, but just so damn careful around me. It was freaking me out at times. At some point it got to be too much and I asked her to relax quiet forcefully. I never minded having Jasper around, because she was extremely nice and a gentle respectful person, impossible not to be fond of.

It was painful to watch Alice and Jasper at times, when I longed so much for what I realized I might have had with Edward had I not bolted from him. Seeing how Jasper looked at Alice, it reminded me of how Edward had looked at me on the beaches of Thailand.

Often, I could hear them talk into the wee hours of the night. They would lie on the couch, legs tangled, talking and laughing gently. Jasper had always been the missing piece in Alice's life and the same went for Jasper. They completed each other perfectly.

It was pretty clear to me when their relationship moved from flirting to serious, or to translate that, they started having sex. They were never flamboyant about it in anyway, I just happened to stumble into situations where I couldn't avoid them.

I had a habit of eating in the middle of the night. That was when low muted and private sounds would sometimes emanate from their room. Yes, their room. Jasper never spent the night at her place anymore. Not since the day Alice's collection almost went up in flames. It was like the two of them were attached at the hip from that day.

My nightmares continued with unaltered force. That was the main reason for me eating in the middle of the night. I needed to get up, so that I could go back to sleep without the nightmare continuing. I needed the distraction. That was the first time I spotted them. When I opened my eyes after my night terror finally let me go that specific day, I saw Alice quietly close my door. I had no clue to what the hell she was doing in my room at this hour. After a few minutes of pondering I followed her and snuck out into the living room. The door to their room was open which it never was. Jasper was sitting up in their bed with the sheets clutched to her front. Alice sat down close to her. A dim sidelight cast shadows into their room as Jasper started running her fingers through Alice's hair. I watched awed as the love between them was so radiant and clear that it was impossible not to feel just a little bit jealous of what they shared. To have someone love you with that level of devotion, that Jasper looked at Alice with, was mind blowing. After less than a minute Alice lifted her arms above her head and Jasper pulled Alice's top off. "Make love to me," Alice breathed quietly. Jasper smiled softly just before their mouths connected. Jasper's hand ran tenderly up Alice's bare back, caressing her skin.

I quickly escaped unnoticed and hungry to my room after that. I found my IPod and listened to music until the dawn broke through.

Our apartment wasn't small, but avoiding them or situations like that proved to be close to impossible. That night was only one of many.

So when saying my life was changing, it was because I was always included in their harmony and they never left me out whenever they made dinner, went to a movie, going to a bar. I was always invited, but I very rarely accepted.

I had only had one problem with Alice and we fought over it continually. She was having a difficult time accepting that I hadn't told Edward about the baby. She refused to acknowledge my chosen path to wait. She pushed the subject whenever she could, but every time I got even more stubborn and refused. I wanted to resolve the situation, but I didn't want her to meddle, but she refused to back down. We were at an impasse on the matter.

oooooOOOOooooo

I threw myself on my bed. I was dead tired after work. I had swallowed a sandwich on my way home. My pregnancy was taking its toll and I was getting heavy, severely so. My eyes suddenly fixated on something stuck to the ceiling. I suddenly locked eyes with the green eyed angle I missed every minute of every day. Edward was staring down at me with those piercing green eyes that left me breathless. I wanted him... true, but not as a freaking poster on my ceiling. Only one person could have done this!

"ALICE!" I yelled, hauling my strained body from the bed.

"Yes, dear?" Alice answered theatrically from the living room. I could hear them snicker. I stomped out of my room, furious all of a sudden. Alice had blurted the secret about Edward to Jasper. That was just unacceptable.

"What the hell... did you tell her?" I snapped at Alice. I had explicitly told her not to tell anyone. Beside her Jasper sat up to attention.

"No no no," she refused waving her arms like a maniac.

"How could you tell her?" I spat and jabbed a finger rudely in Jasper's direction. "You told her about Edward?" My voice was tainted with betrayal. Why would Alice do this? I knew they were in love and all, but she still didn't have the right to disclose my secrets. The next thing that would happen was my pending baby with Edward would be all over the gossip pages. I noticed Alice's arms fall into her lab like dead fish.

"I didn't! You just did." Alice countered and rolled her eyes at me. Beside her Jasper was gaping.

"Oh... " I breathed stunned, realizing just how stupid I was. "Dammit!" I snarled, mainly at my own stupidity. Jasper's eyes moved rapidly from me to Alice then flashed to my swollen stomach.

"Oh…OH?" She gasped exuberantly, like this was just too good to be true. "Are you telling me that..." She pointed her finger at my belly in vast little jabs. "You have got to be kidding me."

"Yep and no I'm not kidding." Alice's lips narrowed to a tight line. The two of them locked eyes and exploded into an ear-splitting grin simultaneously.

"That's not fair," I whined, when I was suddenly the center of their joke. They just kept laughing at me. I hated it. I turned around and stalked back to my room fuming with rage. I slammed the door hard. This was just too much. I wanted to be alone when the tears came. I tossed myself to the bed once again and I kept staring at my ceiling. Edward was staring right back at me unfaltering. Well he would, now that he was only an inanimate figure in my life and stuck to my ceiling. I ignored Alice and Jasper talking in the living room. I figured Alice was filling in the rest of the details. I closed my eyes and let misery have me.

The knock was soft on my door. "Not now, Alice!" I defused. I was still unbelievable mad at her, even though I was the stupid one who spilled my guts unintentionally.

"It's not Alice." Jasper's voice was soft. "Can I come in?" I wanted to say no, but it probably wouldn't help anything.

"Sure." I sat up and folded my legs underneath me.

"Are you okay?" Jasper asked when she peaked in.

"Fine," I retorted sourly.

"You don't look fine." Her eyes were kind when she evaluated me. "I won't tell anyone. You can trust me." She looked sincere and I nodded, strangely knowing that I could trust her. "How is Edward taking this?" she asked. "I hope for your sake he's being supportive."

"He doesn't know that I'm pregnant," I answered befuddled and frowned.

"Oh." She looked genuinely surprised.

"Alice didn't tell you this?" I gaped.

"No. I asked her a while back who the father was when I found out that it wasn't Jacob. She wouldn't tell me. She said if I wanted any further information, I would have to talk to you. Bella, Alice would never go behind your back... you know that, right?" Her voice was soft as silk. "And we're sorry about the poster. We didn't think that it would hurt you. Alice just said you thought Edward was kinda cute. We only meant it as a joke." Jasper shrugged. I secretly liked the way she used plural when she spoke of Alice and her.

'Cute?' That didn't even scratch the surface on how I felt about Edward, but I saw no reason to tell her about that. "Okay."

"Let me know if you need anything. And I told you, I'm not telling anyone." Jasper bit down on the inside of her cheek. "I'm not sure Alice mentioned it, but my brother's coming over for dinner tomorrow."

"You have a brother?"

Jasper took a deep breath and held it in. "That I do. He's like a toy and comes with a clear warning. He's a bit of a handful."

"What do you mean?"

"I think it's better you see for yourself. Just remember I warned you." Jasper laughed.

"Okay."

"You wanna watch a movie with us? We were just about to start." She turned before she was out the door, gazing at me.

"No thanks. I think I'll read for a while." I answered, still feeling a slight pang of resentment towards them. I was hormonally irritated and needed to cool off for a while.

oooooOOOOooooo

The next evening the kitchen was buzzing with Alice and Jasper cooking and I was busy setting the table. There was an overload of food for some odd reason. "Older or younger brother?" I asked Jasper.

"Younger. He's twenty-one and a football player," Jasper answered, her face was amused like it had been ever since she got here from work. Alice's was the opposite. She kept licking her teeth and bouncing around like a jack rabbit. Jasper followed my line of sight to Alice. "Baby, it's gonna be fine." Jasper chuckled. Her radiant eyes were sparkling mischievously when looking at Alice.

"Is she nervous?" I mouthed to Jasper behind Alice's back. All this icky love stuff with Jasper had Alice thrown for a loop sometimes. Lately, I had seen sides of her I never knew existed. It was fun.

"Yep," Jasper whispered amused. She turned toward Alice who was stirring the pot, looking pale and shaky. She wasn't her chatty and bubbly usual self. Jasper stroked Alice's cheek and put her arm around her waist. "It'll be fine. I promise." She whispered with a smile and kissed her cheek. For the most part I had gotten used to how they were around each other with their kissing and touching, but at times it was strange to see Alice be so complacent with someone else. She was usually so independent and strong headed, but not with Jasper.

"Okay." Alice sighed deeply. It was amazing how Jasper could wrap Alice around her little finger. Alice was usually the one doing all the wrapping, but with Jasper Alice was like pudding.

I put the forks and knives on each side of the plate. Glasses and napkins were next. There was a loud pounding on the door and I jumped startled when it sounded like someone was going to beat the door down.

"That'll be Emmett." Jasper frowned and threw a glance at both Alice and me that I didn't understand. From the corner of my eye I saw Alice swallow hard. I chuckled. This really was so much fun. She gave me an annoyed glare when she caught me grinning smugly.

"Jasper!" A loud cheerful male voice sounded from the hall.

"You're up to bat." I grinned at Alice, trying not to laugh too hard.

"I've never been introduced as the girlfriend before." She muttered quietly and stomped off towards the hall. I bumped directly into Alice. She had stopped dead in her tracks hardly through the door. We both stared flabbergasted at the mountain of a guy standing in our hall and Jasper hanging off him like a toothpick.

"That's her brother?" I whispered stunned to Alice.

"God, I hope so... I'd hate to defend my girlfriend against that," Alice gasped. The man standing in our hall looked like he was close to six foot six, all muscles and charming dimpled smiles.

"He would snap you like a twig," I joked.

"How can someone that tiny share DNA with someone that big?" Alice mouthed petrified.

"I can hear you, you know." The giant grinned. Jasper descended the mountain and turned towards us with a huge smile.

"This is Emmett. Emmett, this is Alice and Bella. He promised to behave himself." She gave him a pointed look.

"Come on in." I said while I pulled my face together. The least I could do was be polite.

"Thanks." He grinned at me while taking off his thick black jacket. "So you're Alice." He took a step toward tiny Alice who had frozen solid to a spot on the floor.

"How do you know?" She said with an open hanging mouth. How would he not? I stared at her in disbelief.

"Well, I guess Jasper didn't get the other one knocked up, so that leaves you." A laugh roared off Emmett's chest. It was like Alice was about to growl under her breath.

"Behave Emmett." Jasper raised a threatening eyebrow that Emmett completely ignored.

"I can't believe how tiny 'ass fondling girl' is." He boomed. I gaped at him as I started to realize Jasper wasn't joking when she warned me about her brother. I turned to Alice.

"Ass fondling girl?" I mouthed at her confused. Alice rolled her eyes.

"You don't wanna know," Alice sighed dramatically.

"Emmett." Jasper groaned. "You promised."

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry. Pixie." He amended. "So, how is my sister's ass to fondle?" Once more he laughed loudly and his cheeks dimpled. Alice narrowed her eyes at him coldly. "I like her." He grinned when that was the only reaction from Alice.

"And what if you didn't?" Alice counted, finding some semblance of her normal confident, don't push me around, sneer.

"She'd dump you like a bad habit."

Jasper smacked Emmett's arm hard. He didn't winch, he just laughed again. "Don't do that," she admonished, looking at Alice to see how she'd taken the news. "Don't listen to him... he's as dumb as he's tall." An awkward silence stretched for a moment. "Oh sorry, this is Bella." Jasper stepped in my direction and put a hand on my shoulder.

I put my polite face on. "Hi." I mouthed and I felt a blush rise. This really was an awkward situation.

We moved to the couch and Alice and Jasper went to the kitchen to finish dinner. Emmett sat down and stretched his legs half way across the room. "So where do you come into all of this." He asked casually, not letting the fact he was somewhere new deter him.

"I live here... with Alice."

"Oh... sorry about the dumping her like a bad habit comment, I was just kidding. She looked so scared couldn't help myself." He shrugged. He had an aura of easiness around his persona and it was strangely contagious.

"That's okay... she was scared half to death." I chuckled.

He leaned back in the seat. "So where's daddy?" He eyed my round mid section.

"Gone." I chewed my lip nervously. That was a conversation I was not having.

"You're not being obnoxious, are you?" Jasper snapped from the kitchen.

"Yes." He winked at me.

"Stop that... now! You promised to be on your best behavior." Jasper scolded and emerged into the living room holding a knife when I turned to her. "Dinner's almost ready. You're allowed to kick him if is not a perfect gentleman."

"Thanks... I'll remember that," I answered. Jasper disappeared to the kitchen again.

Dinner was a refreshing experience. Jasper and Emmett kept up a very amusing bickering. They argued several times what it entailed to play nice. Emmett considered joking and making rude and snide lesbian comments were okay, where as it was often followed by 'that's not fair' or 'stop that' from Jasper. Alice was often the expense of Emmett's good humor. I couldn't help joining him in taunting Alice. I loved the way his good spirit touched everyone in the room. I could see why Jasper was so glad to see him, but also found it necessary to warm us. There really was no excuse for him. After dinner we sat down in the couches and relaxed. I don't think I'd ever seen anyone eat as much as Emmett did. Good thing Jasper was prepared.

"Anyone want some dessert?" Alice asked and Emmett beamed what was by now a notorious grin. I couldn't imagine him ever turning down food. "Thought I needed to ask," she shrugged.

"I'll help." Jasper offered. "And you..." She poked a finger at the six foot six pile of human sitting next to me. "You play nice."

Emmett smirked. "Don't I always?" It would an earthquake to discourage this guy and a lifetime of discipline to get him to encourage, I suspected.

There was a soft chatting coming from the kitchen, while a delicious scent of warm freshly baked pie and other delicacies filtering through the apartment. It made my mouth water. It suddenly grew quiet in the kitchen while Emmett blabbered about football. I just nodded and pretended to pay attention. Sports were never my thing.

Emmett threw a glance over the back of the couch and smiled wickedly noticing the silence as well. "Hey, you guys aren't making out, are you?" he yelled. The guy was relentless. I smacked his arm the same time a "shut up" sounded from Jasper.

"I was just asking." He bantered back, feigning innocence.

"Do you ever do as you're told?" I mocked.

"Nope. I never play nice... my special charm." He gave me the naughty bad boy grin. I smacked his arm for the second time. "Good thing I don't bruise easily," he said rubbing his arm, pretending that I actually hurt him. The voices picked up from the kitchen again.

Questions I didn't want to ask Jasper found their way to my mouth. I could use her all too good humored brother as a vent for answers. "When did you know about Jasper?" I hoped he didn't have problems with questions about sister's preferences to girlfriends opposite boyfriends. So far he was so much at ease with everything and strangely I was dying to know.

"Always, I think. She was never interested in guys, not the least bit."

"So no boys?" I whispered.

"I don't think so," he answered. "Hey Jasper. Did you ever make out with any guys?" He called toward the kitchen with absolutely no hint of shame. I cringed. So much for going stealth digging for details.

"No way... and eew." Jasper snickered.

"That would be a no." He said like I needed the translation. "So did you always know about Alice?" he asked back.

"No... not really. All of this is fairly new information."

"Really? When did she tell you?" He looked intrigued.

"She didn't. I caught them kissing once. Then I made her tell me." I admitted a little smug.

"Sweet." Emmett approved. "So where's daddy?" he asked after a silent moment. I only shrugged in response. "Complicated?"

"Very." I bit my lip from saying too much. I had a feeling that Emmett's contagious grin could make anybody spill their guts.

"Were not taking about it, are we?"

"You're smart." I raised my brows, mocking him.

"Yeah," he laughed.

Emmett stayed late. I had gone to bed hours ago, but I could hear Jasper and him talking in the living room into the small hours of the night.

Emmett decided to pay us a visit again two days later. He told Jasper it was because he missed her, but I figured it was the food he was aiming for - free dinner. I was happy that he was joining us again, not that I minded Alice and Jasper, but it was getting a little repetitive being the third wheel.

Emmett entered without even knocking, and the not so subtle sound of his footsteps inclined the giant was here. Jasper was just as happy to see him as she was two days ago. Alice had lost her nervous edge and joined perfectly in Jasper and Emmett's banter. During dinner friendly insults were thrown across the table, followed by roaring laughter, stomach cramps and soar cheeks. I couldn't remember the last time I laughed so hard and had this much fun.

Lounging on the couch after Emmett left I kept glancing at Jasper and Alice. They were in their usual absorbed tangle, and Jasper was tracing patterns with her finger on Alice's inner arm. "I was thinking about something." I said carefully.

"What?" Alice asked absentmindedly and turned the page in the latest edition of Elle.

"Jasper, I don't have a problem with you staying here all the time, but when was the last time you actually stayed at your own place?"

Her eyes turned confused and she bit the flesh inside of her cheek. "A few months ago, I think." She answered carefully. Alice put her magazine down and started wide-eyed and offended at me.

"I just wanted to state the obvious and clear the coast if you two were talking about it. If you wanted to move over here and save some money on rent, that would be fine by me. I wouldn't have a problem with you living here, so you don't have to ask my opinion when you talk about it." Alice all but fell off the couch. Jasper gaped at me. "You would probably go insane with all the baby stuff soon though." None of them answered, just gaped moronically at me. "Goodnight." I murmured and went to my room. I was happy I got to say what was on my mind. I wouldn't mind living with the both of them. I couldn't imagine them without each other.

For a little self torture before I went to sleep I glanced at my ceiling for a while, indulging in memories about Edward. I pulled my pictures from the drawer and let my mind run free reminiscing how it felt to be with someone that I was in love with. I stroked my heavy stomach, I only had about a month to go now.

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I hope you liked meeting Emmett.

Next chapter, Bella will have to endure some pain only a mother knows. Not saying anything else.

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