If I turn into another
Dig me up from under what is covering
The better part of me
Sing this song
Remind me that we'll always have each other
When everything else is gone.

-Incubus; Dig

EPOV

The day proved to be one of my most difficult. When I walked out to the parking garage of my building, I was met with swarms of reporters, television crews and paparazzi. I had been expecting this, but I wasn't expecting it at that moment. When I saw them waiting, I knew I had two choices. Option one, I could hide out, call a car service and escape a different way. Second option was to face the music and get this over with right away. I chose the second option. I pushed through the glass and greeted what awaited me with a calm face, simple tone and an unwavering stance. I would answer their questions.

"Mr Cullen, why were you fired? Was it because of your extensive past?"

"Did Charles tell you before he made the decision?"

"What are you planning on doing now? Are there any companies you've been speaking with?"

"Is it true that your dating Kate Menelin?"

The questions just went on and on. I stood my ground until they understood that I would not be dodging them and when they realized that, they quieted down and I gave them my statement.

"I do not have the exact reason as to why I was let go this morning, but what I can say is that the split is one that would have come regardless. I had no intentions of becoming the President of this company, and I can assure you that my business endeavors will not be effected by this unfortunate turn of events. Right now, my family and I are celebrating some very good news and when we are ready to announce what that is, we will release another statement. Thank you for your time." and with that, I entered my car and made my way to Bella's home to await her arrival.

When I pulled up, I smiled as I jogged up her steps and pulled the key she had given me from my pocket. Things were going to be different... no more sulking, no more hiding, no more sitting on the steps. I would take her out properly, lavish her with attention and gifts. I could hold her anytime I wanted, anywhere I wanted and nothing would keep me from doing it... not even my family. We were free.

I had decided that it was time I start making good on my promise to properly take care of her, so before I had arrived I stopped and grabbed some chicken and vegetables. I was going to make her dinner.

I stood in the kitchen and stared at the package with a blank expression as I tried to decide where exactly to start. About five minutes later, the chicken was still wrapped in the cellophane and I was no closer to having dinner started. I contemplated my options once more and then pulled my phone from my pocket. It rang only once.

"Edward!" I could hear the relief in her voice as she said it. I instantly felt bad... I hadn't even tried to speak with her since I left the house yesterday. "Hi, mom..."

"Oh sweetheart... how are you doing? I wanted to call you, but I didn't want you to think I was... I just wanted to give you your space." her words were coming out so fast that I could tell she was nervous.

"Everything is going to be just fine... really. This is all happening for the best. But that's not why I'm calling..."

"Oh! Well... okay... what can I do for you?" I smiled as I imagined her face as I told her.

"Well, Bella is going to be coming home from work soon, and I wanted to make her dinner... but I don't know how to make much outside of the way of a pop-tart." It was sad... I know. But in my defense, I hadn't really needed to cook for myself. If my mother didn't cook, we went out... when I was in college... I ate at the dining hall... when I graduated... I ate out. This was all going to be very new to me, so I decided to start with the easiest part of it all first. Domesticity.

I heard her giggle on the other line and I smiled in return.

"Tell me what you have to work with."

BPOV

This day was one for the books, between Jessica constantly in hysterics about not having Edward as her eye candy or client.

You double this with the ridiculous updates that Charles would send through for us to send out, and I was downright sick.

I was still so busy today that I hadn't gotten a chance to call Edward after we had initially spoken earlier in the morning. I decided to just get home first before I started in on that part of my already scary life, it would be easier to think clearly when I had on some pajamas.

I hadn't been expecting to see his car parked out front in his usual spot though. Without realizing it, I was smiling and out of my car and up the stairs. When I opened the door, my eyes met the sweetest sight.

The hall was lit with the dimmest setting and when I walked further into the room, candles replaced the path. My breath caught and I let my eyes focus on the man standing in my dining room. It was Edward.

"Welcome home, Isabella." his face was so warm and indulgent as he watched me watching him. I couldn't find words at the moment, so I just took in my surroundings. There were two plates sitting at the table, flowers, and what looked to be wine. I smiled then... this was definitely new ground for him.

"I can't have alcohol, Edward..." I tried to hide the smile that was threatening to take over my face, but he didn't seem in the least bit concerned about that. Instead he came to me and wrapped me in his arms and held me as he spoke.

"It's sparkling cider, love... I may be new to all of this, but I know that much." He kissed my head as I laughed quietly into his chest.

"A girl could get used to being treated like this." I told him. He watched my face for a moment and then his expression became serious.

"I'm counting on that, Isabella." his voice was so bold... so proud. I tried to lighten the mood by asking him something that I had been dying to know for a long time.

"Why do you do that?"

He watched me with a curious expression before answering, "Do what?"

"Call me by my full name... you call me Isabella. Why?" He knew I preferred Bella... he rarely did it though. He was kissing me so deeply again and my question was long forgotten. He pulled back to answer anyway.

"Everyone calls you, Bella." I didn't comprehend the problem in that. I raised my eye brows to signal that. "I don't want to be like everyone else."

As much as I wanted to believe that, my mind memory wouldn't let me. I didn't say that though, instead I smiled weakly and went to sit down so we could eat. He followed me, but he didn't let it drop.

"You don't believe me." It was a statement, not a question. I kept my eyes trained on my plate as I thought of how to best word my response. I didn't want it to come out wrong.

"I'm not very good with words, so will you try and be patient with me as I try to get this out right?" I really didn't want him to get angry and leave me... I wanted us to work. But I was scared.

He nodded his head and reached out to grab my hand. I kept my eyes on the way we were joined as I began.

"I'm still nervous..." I took a moment to pause and collect my thoughts before continuing. He was patient though; he stayed quiet and gently squeezed my hand.

"I want to believe in this..."I raised our hands to symbolize us. "But you didn't want me for so long... you didn't want us." I touched my stomach then. "That's not exactly something I can just move past overnight... this is going to take some time, I'm going to need some time."

He didn't respond. I let my eyes moved from our hands to his gaze and saw the pain etched on his beautiful face.

"I deserve that... and so much more. I don't know if there will ever be a day that I don't hate myself for what I asked of you... for the way I discarded you that way when you needed me the most..."

I stopped him then. I didn't want him here out of guilt. This needed to be his choice... this was free will. It was the only way I would accept him. "You're not obligated to me... I don't want you here for that reason... I want you here because you want to be here... I won't take from you what so many already have... I won't do that to you."

EPOV

It was in that moment that I realized just how much I loved her. She was selfless. She would have let me walk away right now if she thought it was what I really wanted. She would have raised our child alone and never asked for anything. I could see that in her eyes right now. I could see her strength shine where I would have been a coward.

I was up and in front of her in an instant. I needed to make her see... I needed her to know me and all the issues that came along with me.

"I'm selfish." It was the truth, I only ever thought about myself before any other person. I would need to change that. "I don't like admitting my weaknesses, because I feel like it leaves me vulnerable."

She stared at me with confused eyes and what looked to be growing fear. She thought I was going to leave her... she didn't understand that I couldn't.

"You are the one thing that has ever made me vulnerable, Isabella. Only you. No one has ever scared me so much in my entire life..." her eyes were wet as she absorbed my words. I realized that I needed to amend that statement though. "Well... until this happened." I placed my hand on her growing belly and elaborated.

"I'm terrified... absolutely terrified on letting this little life down. I'm scared of letting you down. I've never had to care about anyone but myself, love. I never wanted to." I watched her glossy eyes spill over onto her porcelain cheeks as I confessed my every fear.

"I have loved you for a long time now, Isabella... but I wasn't man enough to accept that. Instead I pushed you away... I hurt you so deeply, and for that I am sorrier than you can ever know. I will spend forever making it up to you... and maybe one day you'll forgive me, but I will never forgive myself."

I decided that since I was confessing that I may as well get it all out on the table. "I don't know how I'll support you. I'm not sure my name carries any weight without my family behind it... but I will take care of you, love. I promise you that I will." I wanted to tell her more. I wanted to confide in her... but she was kissing me then and I wasn't about to stop her. Instead I embraced it... I embraced what was pushed away for so long. I was about to take her to bed and lose myself in her body, but her body had other plans. We giggled into each other's mouths as the rumbling of her stomach sounded between us. I pulled back and caressed her.

"Eat... baby, Cullen is hungry." Her eyes lit at that remark but she said nothing about it. I helped her into her seat and we began what I hoped was the first of many dinners together.

I read over some documents my dad had sent to me earlier in the day while Bella rested alongside me and read her old tattered book. I had just opened up the packet and glanced beside me to look at Bella. She was the perfect picture of ease... I could get used to this kind of a life... I wanted it.

I pulled the envelope open and began the task of figuring out what kind of legal mess this was. It didn't take long for me to figure out that this was indeed no mess... this was my saving grace. My grandmother Elizabeth Masen... my mothers, mother, had left me a trust fund for an absurd amount of money.

I looked at the number twenty-three and then counted all the zeros behind it but still the image was too much for me to take in. My mom came from money... and if we were being honest, then when she married my father... good ol' grandpa Charles' gem... then she married beneath her. Not to say that my dad was unworthy of her... but in the regards of how my grandfather saw life... it was all about money.

Grandma Elizabeth's family came from even older money than my fathers. Her family had stock in some of the oldest surviving oil companies in the world. Their heritage reached much further into just the United States, the Masens had livelihood all over the world. They were definitely not ones for the ridiculous games my grandfather played, and if I were remembering my grandmother correctly, then she had probably foreseen something like this happening to me.

I didn't realize I had gasped aloud, but then I noticed Isabella was leaning over me and holding my face.

"What is it, Edward? What's the matter?" I blinked away the astonishment and smiled at the woman who was carrying our child.

"Absolutely nothing is wrong, love... absolutely nothing." I handed her the papers and watched as her eyes widened at the figure.

"Oh my gosh, Edward... Is this yours? Is this? What? I don't..." I couldn't help but laugh at her expression. She was too adorable when shocked. I moved her gently over me so she was straddling my hips. She didn't seem to even notice the move, but she dropped the papers anyway.

"I guess my question on how to support you, had been answered huh?" I teased her. She blinked at that and shook her head frantically.

"No, no... You don't... I mean, I can take care of..." I was the one shaking my head now. She wasn't going to keep me from doing the one job I knew I would be good at.

"You are going to just enjoy being pregnant. I am the one who will be taking care of anything and everything else."

"But I don't want you to!" her voice was pleading and I tried to make sense of it. I was still trying when she continued on. "I don't want people thinking that I trapped you, Edward... you know that's what everyone will say... I'm already talked about enough..."

Her voice broke at that and she sobbed into my chest as she continued. "They call me Mary at work... because... because..." her sobs were harder as she said it, and I cringed as I remembered that horrible conversation with Jennifer... or was it Janine? It didn't matter, what did matter though was that I had let the forgettable woman talk about Bella that way, I had let her say those disgusting things about the woman carrying my child. I began to cry too.

"Shh, love... don't you worry about any of that, sweetheart. We're going to be okay, you'regoing to be okay. I'm announcing the baby tomorrow... and I want you there beside me when I do... I want everyone to know how proud I am to have you by my side."

She was wide eyed again as she realized what I had said. I knew she was about to argue, but I silenced her with a kiss. I had already wasted too much time hiding how I felt... I didn't want to go a second longer. When I pulled away, I called my father immediately. If he was really going to stand beside me, then the first chance at proving it would be by being there tomorrow as I announced the news of our growing family.