It had been a month and I was nine weeks pregnant now. I hadn't seen or heard from him since I left the cafe that day. I did what I could with coming to terms about being alone in this, but it still hurt as if it had just been yesterday. I hadn't expected Edward to be thrilled, but I figured after he had some time to think things over, that he would at least want to be a part of the baby's life... at least in some way. But I let that ember of hope fade out after the days turned into weeks. He had done what I had asked of him, forgotten about me altogether.

I spent most of my time alone these days. I didn't really want to see anyone right now. It was bad enough when the one person I had told at work about the baby went and blabbed it all around, but to make matters worse, with Edward not wanting the baby, I decided not to tell people who the father was. Couple that with being the talk of your office because you were a snob to the sleaze ball men and dismissive toward the bitchy women, and you have yourself a nice scandal along with a new nickname... Mary. It was creative at least, but me being the nave idiot that I am, didn't comprehend why people were calling me Mary behind my back until I overheard the guys in the art department completing the tail end with Magdalene. That one had definitely hurt.

I hadn't imagined myself ever being in this position, a twenty six year old woman being talked about like a high school gossip mill. I chalked it up to small minded people and nothing more. Anytime anyone casually asked if the rumor was true, I was honest. I told them I was pregnant and that I had no desire to share anymore on the subject than that. I gained respect from some but majority saw me as a joke. It didn't help that Edwards Company used the one I worked for, for virtually all their PR. It was how I had met him... how this whole mess began.

I used to jump at the chance to write up the press releases for Edward. I loved that he was mine, even if no one else knew it. But these days the jumping wasn't exactly happening. Instead my days now were filled with writing releases on his public appearances and high profile dates. It was too much after a while and I had to request that someone else handle them, claiming that I was overwhelmed with other clients. No one thought much about it, seeing as a guy like Edward was far out of my league.

I did what I could to move on from him, and I had thought I was doing a good job. I had been doing well today at least, I was swarmed with work all morning long, but just as I was rounding the corner in my office to grab lunch, I ran into someone and went flying back smack on my ass. Instinctively I reached for my stomach and then glanced up to see who I had run into. My breath was gone as soon as I saw his face. He looked like he had just seen a ghost and then righted himself quickly.

"Are you okay?" he asked in a hard tone. I was too dazed to reply at first, but then he repeated it much harsher and it startled me. I looked at him and saw his jaw was set firmly as if angry and I realized he was holding my arm tightly. I yanked it out of his grasp and mumbled "I'm fine" and started off toward lunch once more.

I heard my name being called and when I turned back toward him, I saw that it was actually Carmen, our receptionist who called me. She was jogging toward me with an anxious expression and I caught Edward scowling with disdain toward me as he watched her reach for me and rub at my stomach.

"Sweetheart, are you alright?" I felt my eyes water as she rubbed at where the baby lay resting right now with concern lacing her face. I nodded and the sweet woman being a grandmother herself, turned to Edward and told him in a voice as hard as used on me, "She's carrying a baby young man, next time you run into a woman, pregnant or not, make sure you haven't hurt them!"

I gently patted her hand kissed her cheek. "Its fine, Carmen... I'm fine." I chanced a glance back toward, Edward, and saw shock was written over his face. He was looking at my stomach where Carmen was rubbing at and then into my eyes. He moved to step toward me, but didn't make it past the first step because Darren, my boss came out to greet him.

"Mr. Cullen! I was just about to tell Carmen you were coming and to show you in. Follow me!"

I heard Carmen gasp and in what I could only assume was fear for her job began apologizing to Edward. He smiled warmly to her and told her not to worry on it. After he calmed Carmen, he looked back into my eyes and was about to say something, but I couldn't bear to hear him hurt me again. Instead I turned and with eyes of a hawk, made my way quickly and carefully out of the building and off to eat.

When I made it out of the front doors, I took a cleansing breath. I wasn't prepared to see him... I hadn't thought about the fact that he would occasionally drop in like that. I tried not to think on it and went to a deli a few blocks down and grabbed a sandwich. Normally I would have just gone back to my office to eat, but I didn't want to see him again. So instead, I walked along a beaten path and found a bench to sit down on and ate quietly by myself for an hour.

EPOV

She was still pregnant. I was rendered speechless with that knowledge. I thought she had gotten an abo... I couldn't even think the word aloud in my own head. I felt my stomach turning and then a feeling of relief. I didn't understand it. I should have been angry... but I wasn't.

I couldn't stop the churning in my stomach and even worse the fear. I had seen the receptionist rubbing her stomach, and realization that I had knocked her back so hard that she flew back on her butt kept replaying over and over in my head.

I was trying to listen to this Darren character, but I didn't comprehend a thing he was saying. Twenty minutes had gone by and I was resigned to the fact that I would walk through this next press release about me blindly, but then I heard him say the name, Bella, and he had my full attention.

"I'm sorry, what was that about Bella?" He stopped talking and repeated it again.

"Oh, sorry, you probably know her as Ms. Swan, any who, she's pretty swamped with other clients right now, so were re-assigning your company to another PR rep. shouldn't be a problem though, either way we'll stay on top of your stories."

I knew the truth though, even if this idiot didn't. She had probably grown tired of having to write about all my recent conquests. I didn't get a chance to feel bad though, because Darren was hitting me with figures and facts and a bunch of other things that needed my attention right now.

When it was all said and done, I was just about to walk out the main doors, but someone running down the hall calling my name had stopped me from leaving.

"Mr. Cullen! Wait!" I turned and found a ridiculously eager dirty blonde gasping for air as she grabbed hold of my arm.

"I'm Jessica... your new rep by the way." I gave her my best smile and we had an easy going introduction. I was beginning to see the easy conquest this would be, and began imagining the ways I could have her screaming my name, but someone whispering a soft, 'excuse me' pulled me from my musing, and when I stepped out of the way of the entrance, I saw that it was Bella who had said it. She didn't turn or even acknowledge me, instead she just walked quietly back toward her office and I watched her until she rounded the corner and was out of my sight.

I heard Jessica mutter the name, Mary, under her breath, and when I looked back down toward her, I saw she was staring daggers in Bella's direction. But why the hell had she called her Mary? I hadn't realized I asked the question aloud, but then I heard Jessica explaining.

"Oh, well..." she moved closer and I leaned down to hear what she clearly wanted to be a secret. "her name is Isabella, but we all call her Mary now, turns out little miss sunshine got herself knocked up and is conveniently 'keeping the father's name a secret'..." she air quoted and her tone was condescending. I stood still with what could only be shock as an expression, but Jessica just kept on. "Convenient right? Were all sure she doesn't even know who the father is, so we call her Mary... as in Mary Magdalene."

She finished her story with a quick snort and a roll of her eyes. I felt the churning in my stomach turn into a full on storm. I wanted to defend Bella, I didn't like that her co-workers were thinking such low things of her, but what was I going to say? "Oh hey, I'm the father." No thank you! Instead, I buried the emotion down and turned to leave without another word to Jessica.

BPOV

I cut out of work precisely at five today. After literally running into Edward, my day was shot. I didn't get much done at all, and the idea of overtime just wasn't very appealing. I should of probably been trying to take advantage of it as much as possible, considering babies weren't cheap, but today it just wasn't in the cards.

I pulled up to my street and when I went to park, a familiar car in space in front of mine caught my attention. I jerked my head toward my front steps and there sitting with his head down and his hands' resting on his knees was, Edward.

I had no idea what he was doing here, and more over I was sure this wasn't a happy visit. I took a deep breath and got out of my car and slowly walked to my steps. When he heard my heels, his head popped up and his expression was pained. That lasted only a moment until his expressionless mask was in place. He just stared at me for a moment and then stood. I thought he was going to rub my cheek, but instead he put his hands in his pocket. Disappointment flooded me, and then shame for having even yearned for his touch. I dropped my eyes and then he began.

"Your still pregnant." it was a statement, not a question. I looked up to see his expression, but it was still emotionless. I nodded my head yes, and watched as he walked off of my steps and stood in front of me.

"How can you want this, Bella? Why do you want this?" He didn't say it to be cruel, I could tell that much. But he said it like someone would ask another why they carried someone else's burden.

My breath caught as I felt his right hand gently touching my now burning stomach. I chocked back the emotion that flooded me in that moment and before the tears could fall from my eyes I said the only thing I knew to be true, "...it's part of you. I could never not want something that is a part of you."

As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I closed my eyes and tears were falling with force down my cheeks. Suddenly his lips were on mine, and his left had held my face as his right touched where the baby I was carrying rested. Without permission, my lips moved with his in their own languid dance. The kiss was powerful and hard. It felt like he was trying to speak to me with that kiss, but what he was saying I had no idea. All too soon he pulled away. My eyes stayed closed... I did that on my own accord, because I was afraid I would see regret lacing his beautiful green eyes.

His lips were at my ear then and I felt the sobs threatening to break through when he whispered, "I'm sorry I hurt you today..."

His hands were gone in an instant when the noise of a car coming came into range. I opened my eyes then, but he was already at his car door. I watched him with sobs ripping through me, and without a second glance in my direction, he drove away.