EPOV

No sooner than we had all sat down, the phone on my father's desk began ringing. I took that moment of distraction to check my own and was shocked to see that I had a missed call and a message from Isabella. I stood up to leave the room and call her back, but my father's hand was raised in signal to halt me. I froze, unsure of what was going on.

"Yes... I see... well, I hope you have a good attorney, because I know for a fact that she does."

He had my attention now. Was he talking about my mother? Why would she need her lawyer? What the hell was going on today? This was like the twilight zone or something. My musing was disrupted by the sound of my grandfather's aggravated voice.

"What the hell is going on now, Carlisle?" This was not going to be a fruitful meeting, I knew that, but one look at my father's face told me he was hoping for something different. My father wrapped up his conversation and was watching me with careful eyes as he did.

"I don't think that that's going to be an issue... but all the same, if I were you, I would be prepared to make her very happy... because as upset as you are about this, it's no comparison to how Edward is going to feel."

Whiskey, Tango, Foxtrot?

What the hell was going on? Why would I be upset? I began asking these very words aloud as my father hung up the phone but he didn't answer me immediately.

"Edward, sit down. We need to talk." Yeah, I've heard that tone before, and usually what came after was death, or disappointment. Well nothing was going to shock me at this point, so I took a seat and braced myself for the worst. However grandpa wasn't being as cordial.

"Damn it, Carlisle! Your news can wait! We have more important things to talk about right now; we need to get this boy back on track! There is too much riding on this!"

I was already on my feet and halfway out the door but again my father stopped me.

"That's not why you're here, Edward... that is not my goal. I do however have news for you..." With a frustrated sigh I turned around so that he could say his peace and I could get the hell out of there. "That was Isabella's boss, well... ex-boss."

I didn't need anymore information to know what that meant. I closed my eyes and let it sink in... she had been fired... because of me.

"Apparently it is against company policy for employees to have relationships with their clients... and well... after this mornings release... there was no denying that happened between the two of you."

I was torn between being angry or being relieved. I was angry because she was fired, and this was affecting her life even more than it was mine. She had to carry the baby, she had to put up with the name calling, she had to be harped on by reporters. I was on the other hand relieved that she could be out of the public eye for a while... she could just relax and worry about the baby. All this was going through my mind as my father continued.

"She's quite a fighter isn't she" it was a statement, not a question. I looked at him like he was insane... I had no idea what to take from that comment. Obviously, Isabella was a fighter... she was one of the strongest persons I had ever known, but what did my father know of that?

He must have seen the question in my eyes and continued. "She's suing them." I was certain my mouth was hanging open at this point.

"On what grounds?" my grandfather interjected with a chuckle. "It's not their fault she couldn't keep her legs closed!" And on that note, I punched him with all the hate I had for him. I would have kept going, but my father was able to pull me back so that enough space was between us. He said the only thing that could of gotten me to leave then, "Son, Isabella needs you... go to her."

I didn't stick around to hear anymore. I needed to get to Isabella, I needed to find out what was happening.

BPOV

"Charlie, I don't have to..." yeah, he wasn't having that. He cut me off before I could get the words out of my mouth.

"Isabella Marie Swan... don't you dare tell me that you don't answer to me! I am your father!" I knew that he was right... I should have told him... hell I should of told my mother... but we weren't exactly a family crafted out of love. I left my mom's when I was seventeen and spent the last semester of my senior year with my father. And if I'm doing the math right, one semester of high school senior year, does not make you a parent.

"And how many times do I have to tell you to call me Dad! Not Charlie! Were not acquaintances, Isabella! Were related... father and daughter!" I was done, he had already spoken more than he had the right to.

"Charlie, I am a twenty six year old woman, not a little kid. I don't have to do anything but pay my taxes and die. That's it! I owe you nothing... I owe Renee nothing. If I want to bring my child into this world in peace and quiet without inviting the dysfunctional part in... then that's my right!" I took a deep breath and tried my best to relax as I continued. "This is bigger than just our family Charlie... this sin't exactly your fairy tale... I didn't really want an audience."

That was the real truth. What was I supposed to call and say exactly? "Hey mom, hey dad... guess what! I'm pregnant! Oh and its by a Cullen... yeah, and by the way... he doesn't want it... or me. Surprise!" that would have been a catastrophe! Because my father would have flown to Chicago and killed Edward. He wouldn't even have tried to be secretive about it... he would have walked into his office and shot him.

"Bell's what the hell's goin' on kid? I turn on the television for the time of the game tonight and I see a commercial of this TM..something or another with a commercial running about the latest Cullen Scandal involving a mistress and a baby. Then I see you on the screen looking very much pregnant and on the arm of this Cullen kid. What's goin on!"

Well when he put it that way, I could see the frustration. I took a deep breath and tried to tell him everything that I could... I left out what would have him on a plane tonight.

"I have been seeing Edward for a months now... and well, we... we got pregnant. It shouldn't have been this big a deal, and to anyone else, it wouldn't have been, but... well Edward comes from money, and well not everyone is thrilled about this."

"What do you mean?" I cold hear the edge in my dad's voice as I got that last part out. He never was one for anyone putting me down or picking on me. As much as he was distant in my life, he was fiercly protective.

"I mean that I'm not exactly what they pictured for Edward... I'm not bred for it. At least that's what his grandpa said."

"Now you wait just a minute here, sweetie... you are more than a good choice for any man... this Edward fellow is lucky to have landed you!" I smiled at the serious tone in my dads voice. He meant it... he really did.

"Yeah, well his grandpa said that I had no idea what it took to be apart of their family. He said that we were from different worlds and that I didn't know how to handle the family responsibilities." I heard my father scoff at those words.

"Family Responsibilities! Who they hell are they, the Gambino's? Family Responsibilities my ass!" I found myself laughing at that. My dad never was one for the rich, he was blue collar all the way and proud of it. I needed to learn to take a page from his book.

"Look Dad... I really need to go, but I promise to call you later... I have a few calls to make... mom included." he laughed good and hard at that one. He knew that would not be an easy call to make.

"Well okay, Bells... but call me... I want to see you... I want to be... well, I want to be apart of all this... the baby I mean." tears had buit in my eyes and before I knew it, they had spilled over.

"Thank you, that really means a lot to me. I'll call tonight Dad... goodbye."

When I hung up, the phone instantly vibrated. It was Rosalie. I didn't bother with formalities and neither did she.

"Rose... I really can't do this right now. I'll talk to you later." before I could hang up though she was already speaking.

"Oh we'll definitely be talking... Alice and I are on the road to the airport as we speak!"

"What! What the hell Rosalie! I have a lot going on right now! I can't be distracted with trying to entertain the two of you! Why can't you just butt out!"

"Hey! I was there for you when the ass hole wasn't! That entitles me to be there now... just because he's with you and claiming you doesn't mean he didn't treat you like shit for the last three and a half months! Now if you don't want us to stay with you, then fine! But were going to be there for you... you need us!"

She was right... at least about me needing them. I huffed out a frustration and gave in. "Fine... but... just, just call me when you get in. I'll come and get you two."

"Bella?" she asked in a much gentler tone.

"Yes, Rose?"

"I'm sorry that I was being a loud bitch earlier... I was... well, I just didn't expect to see you plastered all over the television along side Edward Cullen... this is... well this is pretty big."

I snorted and dropped my head on my pillow to lay down. This was going to be the longest day of my life.

"It's okay..."

We said our goodbyes and when I hung up my phone I powered it down and slipped off my heels. I glanced at the clock and saw it had only been over an hour since this nightmare had began... and I knew all too well that it was nowhere near being done.

I must have dozed off, because at one point I was watching the clouds move across the sky, and the next minute, I was in a maze. Even in my sleep my life was complicated.

I could hear my name being called gently and I was moving toward the sound in an attempt to get to the sound. It felt as if I were searching for hours with no hopes of finding its source, but then I was woken up by the dip of the bed and arms pulling me toward a warm body.

I groaned and stretched along side the firm contours of his body and when I turned my head to see him, I tasted the air around me and smiled when I breathed in his delicious scent. I opened my eyes and was greeted with forest green iris's staring back at me.

"Are you alright, Isabella?" his voice was sad and tired. I could only imagine the day he was having if mine had started off so shitty. I smiled as best I could and gave him the only answer I could find in my head.

"Spitting Image fired me this morning..." he frowned and kissed my nose.

"I know, love. I'm so sorry." I shrugged my shoulders and gave him an attempted look of nonchalance that he used to give me.

"It's okay... I'm suing them." A smile erupted over his face and he pulled me closer to his body. I wanted to throw a leg over him to get closer, but my pencil skirt wasn't having it, so I had to settle for tangling our limbs.

"Yes... I heard that somewhere along the way over here." I figured either Darren himself called him, or Jessica had used that excuse as a reason to talk to him again.

"Did Jessica call you to tell you the news?" I taunted him with fluttered eyes. He just rolled his and kissed my head and whispered in the air around us.

"My father told me..."

I moved onto my back so that I could stretch better and decided to make this a game. "Wanna see who's morning sucked the most?" he chuckled a good laugh and raised an eye brow as if in challenge. He held my hand in his own and raised them so he could see them joined as he spoke.

"I punched my grandpa..." he said with a smile. I rolled onto my side and tangled our legs again, "My dad learned about the baby on TMZ." I laughed as he groaned and chuckled at the same time.

"Oh god... you're kidding me!" I laughed harder at the lameness of it all and shook my head.

"I wish to god I was, but no... he really did." I was on my back and he was kneeling over me in an instant with a serious expression on his face.

"You didn't tell them?" I knew who he was talking about... he meant my parents. I just shook my head in silence and focused on his hair.

"Because of me... because of how I was treating you, right?" he said in a factual tone... not condescending. I nodded my head and ran my hand through his hair in an attempt to calm him while I explained.

"I wasn't going to tell anyone it was yours... I didn't want to risk you being exposed." When I met his eyes I saw the pain in them. Instantly I wanted to retract my words and start over, this wasn't about the past anymore... this was about the future.

"I..." he was trying to get something out, but he couldn't find the words. I shook my head to him, silently asking him to not do it. It wasn't necessary... we needed to move forward.

"I know" that was all I said to him. I knew he didn't want to drop it, but really... there wasn't much left to say on the subject anymore... nothing would change the past. I decided to change the subject, it was one I was going to need to tackle anyway.

"Edward..." he kissed my cheek and smiled.

"Hmm?"

"I need a lawyer... but, well... I can't really afford the kind of lawyer I need right now, and I was hoping maybe you could help me out on finding someone who would take my case and not mind getting paid after it settles."

"Ah... the lawsuit... well, don't worry about that, love. My dad already hired you a lawyer."

"He did!" When the hell did that happen? Man this family worked fast.

"I imagine he did it right after I left, but on my way here he sent me a message saying that it was being taken care of... Spitting Image will definitely be settling with you.

Hell I knew that. They had no case against me. I on the other hand owned their ass, and Darren knew it. They all knew it. I remembered my conversation with Rose at that point and scrunched up my nose... Edward was going to need to be warned.

"Um... I have something important to tell you." he turned to me and suddenly looked nervous. "My two friends Alice and Rosalie are flying into Chicago tonight... they just called about an hour ago saying they were on their way to the airport." Edward looked at me like he knew there was more to the story...and there was.

"And... well, Rosalie kind of hates you... because of everything that happened." Edward closed his eyes and whimpered.

"Well it's not like I don't deserve it..." well, that was true, but he didn't know how much Rose could truly hate someone with the right motivation. I decided to play it by ear... hopefully she was feeling forgiving today.

Edward rolled over me and held his weight up on his elbows as he began kissing me in ways that should be illegal. I didn't fight the feeling... this was my heaven. Just as his hands were about to unzip my skirt, a fluttering in my stomach startled me and I sat up like a lightning bolt.

"Whats wrong, Love? Did I hurt you?" He was off the bed and leaning over me with eyes of a hawk. I tried to find the words for what I felt, but I didn't get the chance to hunt... it started again.

"Oh!" he crawled back on the bed and fear was lacing his gorgeous face as he looked at my hands resting on my stomach.

"Please love... what is it? Is it the baby?" Frantic hands were along side mine then and just as I found the words to tell him the amazing thing that had happened, he was feeling it for himself.

"It's the baby, Edward... the baby is kicking." my words were no louder than a whisper and when I looked into his eyes, I could see some very powerful feeling resting inside him. He watched my belly dance with small movements and I heard him gasp at the feel of it all. I didn't realize I had tears until they fell onto my hands.

"Isabella..." he said gently while resting his forehead along my own. "I..." he took a deep breath and started again.

"This is the most meaningful moment of my entire life... thank you for giving this to me."

In that moment, nothing else mattered. Not Charles, not the news and certainly not our problems. We were feeling the life we had created together, living... he or she was living right beneath our fingers at that very moment.

EPOV

There had never been a moment in my life where I thought to myself, "I will never forget this." There had simply never been anything as amazing as what I was experiencing with Bella right now. She didn't even realize just how much she had given me... how much her life alone had completely altered my own. I felt our child moving and it did something to me... it somehow made me born again. I had wronged them both, Isabella and the little one. Even if the baby never knew of this, I would know. And I would never let myself forget how close I came to ruining the best thing to ever grace my world.

I looked down to Isabella and in that moment there was nothing I could say to articulate the feelings coursing through me. I did the only thing I could think to to... I kissed her so gently, so lovingly and warm and then rested my face at the base of her belly. I let my memory drink in this moment and commit it to the deepest place inside me.

"I love you, Isabella... I love you for not listening to me... I love you for being right and for being strong enough to fight for this." I placed my hand along her swollen abdomen and kissed it gently. She didn't say anything, instead she ran her hands through my hair and we lay silent while enjoying this perfect moment in time.