Here is another chapter, hope you enjoy it. The date gets underway in this chapter and I hope I do not disappoint, just keep in mind that Edward is injured and hamstring injuries hurt something awful and this is his second time.

Read, enjoy, and review. If I get 10 reviews before Saturday then I will post an extra chapter like usual.

Chapter 12

EPOV

"Son are you sure about tonight?" Esme asked as I lay on the couch in my bedroom listening to the radio.

I nodded and turned off the stereo so that I could talk with her about everything that was happening around us. "If there is one thing in my life at the moment that I am sure about, it's this date with Bella. She deserves it after all the bull crap she has had to put up with in just a week of dating me." I told her as I rolled onto my side so I could have a face to face conversation with her.

She nodded as she sat on the end of my bed with her hands folded in her lap prepared for one of our lengthy mother son talks that she had gotten good at over the years. "That girl is so good for you, Edward. I know that you were with Tanya for a long time but you were always so angry and irritable after the first few months and that isn't healthy for anybody. She treated you horribly, son, and you deserve so much better than her."

I sighed and nodded. "I know, Ma. I just want my baby to have a chance. I don't know if I will make a good father or not but I want to be able to at least try. This baby is the only link I have to my parents and I want that more than I can express in words."

"What does Bella think about the baby?"

I smiled because she was honestly the most understanding and surprising woman I had ever come across. "She said that I come as a packaged deal and she wasn't ready to give me up anytime soon."

Esme just smiled and remained silent. "We are thinking of going to Boston for Christmas break. She said she's never been and wants to see it through my eyes and learn some of my memories from there." I said quietly.

She nodded and smiled at me. "That's great, Edward. You could even attend the Snowflake Gala for the Children's hospital this year, if you feel up to it." She encouraged. The Snowflake Gala was created when my mom was a third year resident from what I hear and it was used to raise money for a charity that my mom and dad had created when she first went into medicine as a way to give back to less fortunate families. I used to attend with my parents but not since their deaths. I have been invited to attend every year but had never showed up or even replied back. Carlisle and Esme went every year because they were such good friends with my mom and dad but I couldn't bring myself to attend it. Until now that is. Now I had a reason to attend. I had a baby on the way and a wonderful woman standing at my side and I finally felt like I could attend the Gala and not fall to pieces at the reminder that my parents were no longer here.

"I will run it by Bella, Ma, but I'm not going to pressure her into it." I told her honestly. "She doesn't much like being the center of attention, she prefers to just blend in with the crowds around her and that is what I like about her so much. She's not at all worried about her social standing, appearances, or what people think about her." I said as I felt the smile grace my face as I talked about her and why I liked her so much.

"That's wonderful, Edward. Here is a question for you that Carlisle and I have been wondering about. What are your plans with the baby? One of your conditions with Eleazar was to keep their family's name out of any connection with that baby, right? If you just show up one day with a baby, it's going to raise a lot of suspicions. What about college?" She asked seriously.

I sighed and propped my head up on my hand as I faced her head on. "Bella and I have talked about moving someplace else where nobody knows us so that suspicions won't come up and their family name will have no connection to us and the baby. We have applied to several of the same colleges unknowingly but we are going to wait until we get our acceptance letters before making any final decisions. I also think we need to be dating a little longer before going into too much depth on that front. I fully plan to attend college even if the baby has to go to daycare while I'm in class but that is one thing I won't slack on. It will be tough but I can do it and Bella will hopefully be at my side through it all."

She nodded and smiled. "I don't think that sweet girl is going anywhere. She's had such a rough go of it the past few years with her parents and deserves to be doted on and loved unconditionally. You guys are perfect for one another, in my opinion."

I smiled broadly. "I think we are perfect for one another too, Ma, I see my future with her. Her and my baby, that's where my future lies as well as my destiny."

"Good, Edward, good. Now you have a date to get ready for. What were you planning to do before you got hurt?" She asked nosily and I delved into my original date plans that I had had to alter when I was stuck on crutches from last nights' injury.

A little while later, I was anxious for my date with Bella because I knew we wouldn't be able to do everything I had originally planned because of my leg and the fact that it had turned really cold outside overnight. I had wanted to take her to a local coffee shop that I frequented when I needed time to think and be alone, the shop had a piano sat up in the corner that patrons could play if they so wished to do so. I had never played but frequently sat and eyed the piano and thought of my mother's dreams for me that I had all but give up on. I was going to take Bella there tonight to play her a song that had been brewing in my head ever since I met her but I would have to do that another time since sitting on that hard bench would not be good for my leg. I had also planned to take her to the Shedd Aquarium and go play with the penguins and swimming with the dolphins but that was out because of the stress it would cause to my leg. So we were sticking to dinner at Tavern on the Green which by Alice's reaction was a good choice for dinner and possibly a movie at her house afterwards.

"Are you ready to go, Edward?" Jasper asked as he propped against my bedroom door.

I sighed and stood up putting my dinner jacket on over my white button up shirt before grabbing my crutches. "Yeah, why did I ever choose the third floor for my area?" I asked him as I slowly went down the stairs.

Jasper just laughed. "We offered you the guest bedroom on the main floor last night if you remember correctly." He said from behind me.

I growled at him as I continued down the stairs. "You know I like my own space, like any of you expected me to take that bedroom. I didn't take it last year either." I snapped at him as I headed for the garage and Jasper's truck.

We rode in silence down the road to Bella and Alice's house. "Are you going back home tonight or staying here?" He asked as we climbed from the truck.

I just laughed at him because he knew the answer to that question before he ever asked it. "Good thing I snagged you a pair of clean boxers and pajama bottoms from the laundry room then." He said as he pushed the doorbell.

I smiled and nodded. "Thanks Jasper, I mean it, you have been a big help." I told him honestly.

He nodded just as Alice yanked open the door. "Hey guys. Edward, she's on her way down.

I was floored by Bella as she walked slowly down the stairs towards me. She was more beautiful than I had ever imagined. I quickly stepped to the bottom of the stairs and handed Jasper my crutches. I wanted to be able to pull her close at first and couldn't do that with crutches in my way.

Once I saw her reaction to where we were going for dinner I knew that she would have a great time even though it wasn't going to go as I had originally planned.

About halfway through dinner my leg started throbbing so I shifted in my seat again which, of course, caught Bella's attention immediately. "Is your leg hurting?" She asked as she sat her fork down.

I groaned but nodded in honesty. "Yeah, it hurts to sit down for long periods of time, especially on hard surfaces like this chair." I admitted quietly.

"Why don't we go back to the house then? We can curl up in my bed and watch a movie or something."

I hung my head. "I wanted this to be perfect for you, baby, and it's turning out to be a disaster." I complained as I tossed my napkin on the table in irritation.

She laughed and shook her head. "It's not a disaster, Casanova, I have wanted to come here for years but never had the courage to come by myself. And any time we are together is perfect to me. We could have stayed at home, cooked dinner together, watched a movie, or just curled up and talked just as easily as we can come to a fancy restaurant. It's not the atmosphere that matters to me, Edward. Being with you is what matters to me."

I smiled and nodded. "Okay, sounds good to me. I'm sorry, baby, this is not the night I had planned for us." I told her as I signaled for the waiter.

"Is there a problem sir?" He asked as he stepped to the table's edge.

I shook my head. "No, we just need these and the desert we ordered packed to go, please." I told him motioning to our plates that weren't even half eaten.

"Yes sir." He said as he took our plates away. "I will be right back with your food and ticket."

I nodded and he quickly walked away. I took Bella's hand in mine. "I'm sorry, baby, I had a spectacular night planned and this damn injury is keeping us from enjoying it." I told her again softy.

She smiled at me and she couldn't have been more beautiful than at that exact moment with the city lights glowing behind her. "Tell me about it then, since we can't be there in person?" She asked softly.

I groaned and shook my head but gave in anyways. "I had planned to take you to the aquarium to swim with the dolphins and to play with the penguins first. I have a friend that works there and she was going to let us in for a private tour." I told her honestly as the waiter sat our food and the ticket down on the table silently before walking away again.

"Maybe we can do that once your leg gets better, it sounds amazing. Should I be jealous of this 'friend'?" She asked teasingly as I slipped my credit card into the ticket folder and signaled for the waiter again.

I shook my head at Bella's question. "No, I met her one day while I was at the hospital with Carlisle and we talked for almost three hours while her daughter was having surgery. Her name is Sophia and she is old enough to be my mother." I told her trying not to cringe at the thought of seeing Sophia and myself in that type of relationship.

Bella laughed. "I was just joking, Casanova, but it's nice to know she's not competition. I have enough of that around already."

I shook my head. "No competition. None what so ever. You are it for me." I told her passionately as the waiter handed me my card and receipt to sign.

"Have a lovely night, sir. Ma'am." He said bowing slightly before leaving the room completely.

"You ready to get out of here?" I asked Bella quietly.

She nodded and handed me my crutches that were laying on the floor beside our table. "Yeah, lets' get you home so you can lay down. I want to hear about the rest of the original date you had planned." She said as she slipped her jacket back on before grabbing the bag of food.

I groaned and nodded. "I'll tell you on the way home. The last part is the part I really regret not being able to do." I told her as we walked through the busy restaurant.

Almost an hour later I was sighing in relief as I stretched out across Bella's bed. "Oh my God, that feels so good." I said as she gingerly laid the ice pack on the pillow under my knee.

"Since we got distracted talking about other stuff on the way home, tell me about the supposed best part of our original date plans." She asked as she snuggled up beside me with her head nestled against my chest and tucked under my chin.

I laughed and wrapped my arm around her warm back, we had already taken our showers and changed into our pajamas so we weren't going anywhere for the rest of the night if I had anything to say about it. We had everything we needed right here in her bedroom; food, drinks, snacks, movies, and soft music playing in the background so we could talk and just be. "I have this little coffee shop that I am frequently found at just to get away from things and to think when I am in a depressed mood or just need a moment to myself. In the corner is a piano that the patrons can play if they want to, I usually just sit there and listen to other people screw up some old timey favorites but mostly I think about my mother's dreams for me. I was going to play you a song on it tonight. For the first time in over five years." I confessed quietly.

"You were going to play again? For me?" She asked in shock as she pushed up so she could look me in the eyes.

I smiled and nodded. "You asked me to try so I was delivering." I told her as I quickly kissed her on the lips before tugging her back down against my side.

"That would have been awesome but I want you to play for you and for your mother, not me." She said quietly.

I sighed. "I was playing for all three of us. I was going to play again for myself because now that I don't have football I am going to need something to focus on. I was going to play again because my mother would want me to and she would be devastated to know I haven't played in so long. She would have understood why I quit for so long but she also knew how I felt about music in general but about piano in general. She always called me 'her little musician' because I was always playing either keyboards or my piano." I explained softly.

"And how do I play into all of that?"

"You are the one that made me see that I was giving up something that not only my mother but my father also believed in so passionately and that isn't right. Now that I am going to have a baby of my own soon I want to be able to share that with them as they grow up like my parents did with me. You are the one that made me see the light at the end of a very dark tunnel." I told her quietly.

I felt more than heard her sobs as she clung to my shirt. "What's wrong, baby? I didn't mean to upset you. Baby, please tell me what's wrong?" I begged her as I cupped her face gently in my hands.

She shook her head. "Nothing's wrong, Edward. Everything is perfect." She said before latching her lips to mine.