Chapter 35:

We Need To Talk

I drove down the familiar roadway, twisting and turning. When I reached the garage, Sophie's car was already there. Oh joy. I climbed out slowly, grabbed my stuff and headed inside.

"Hey honey, here's a snack, go and do your homework" my mom said as she handed me a plate. Pushy much?

"Why? Is something wrong"

"No" she answered a bit too quickly. "Just go honey" I eyed her for a minute before heading up. I would definitely be watching.

BPOV

"Ah, that was fun" Nessie said as she left the locker room.

"Yeah, did you see how many times I got Emmett?" Sophie exulted.

We all laughed but Nessie's quickly subsided when she saw someone by her car. An admirer?

"I'll meet you at the house I guess" she said as she headed toward the figure.

We nodded and headed towards Sophie's car. I looked closely and saw the flash of bronze . . . Uhoh. I started shaking slightly. Did he know? What . . . when . . .

"Bella! Come on!" Sophie said as she honked her horn. I snapped out of my worries and climbed in.

The last I saw of Nessie was as she yelled at him and jumped into her car before we drove out. The drive home was pretty quiet but I could feel the tension in the air. When we got home, I got out quickly.

"Bella" Will called.

I sighed as I stopped and turned to face them. It would be pointless to run away.

"Yeah?" I asked.

My whole family stood around him, with the exception of Nessie.

"We need to talk Bells" Alex said and I sighed again.

I turned around and grimaced as I walked to the kitchen.

"BELLA!!" they all yelled.

"I'm gonna make Nessie something and then we will talk" I said as I walked into the kitchen.

I got her a bit of fruit and a cup of sprite and put it on a plate. I walked out just as she walked in.

"Hey honey, here's a snack, go and do your homework" I said as I handed her the plate

She leaned back slightly, confusion in her eyes.

"Why? Is something wrong" she asked, confusion turning into suspicion.

"No" I answered and I saw her eyes slightly narrow. "Just go honey" I begged.

She eyed me for a minute before heading up. I let out a short breath. Well, she's taken care of, though that's the least of my problems. I watched her trudge upstairs, the plate barely jostling. Then, very slowly, I turned and faced my family, this was not a conversation I was looking forward to.

"So guys, what's up?" I said as I leaned against the staircase, crossing my arms.

For a seconds they just looked at me, unnerving me slowly.

"Well Bella, why don't you answer our question, what is up?"Will asked.

I tilted my head faking confusion.

"Isn't that what I just asked you?"

"Bella" Sophie said softly. "What's wrong? Let us help you" she begged as she walked over to me.

"Bells, we're family, we help another, through good and bad" Alex said as he joined Sophie, standing right in front of me.

"No matter what" Mel and Will said as they all walked up to me, standing around me.

I sighed as I broke through their little circle and sat on the couch, my chin resting on my knees. They were poking in painful areas.

"Bells, we just want to help" Will as he sat down. "But we have to know something"

My breath stopped. I could already see it in their eyes. The question already forming on their lips.

"Is there a certain reason Edward coming back hurt you so much?" Mel asked.

"Did he . . . do something that made it worse when he came back?" Will asked.

I started to softly hyperventilate.

"Oh, stop it you guys, your stressing her out" Sophie said as calm washed over me. I welcomed it, spreading through my body "Bella, does Nessie have anything to do with this?" she asked.

At that point, my breathing stopped all together, all traces of calmness gone. They know, holy crap they know! They know I lied, they know he is her father . . . and that means Nessie probably knows!!! Oh. My. Gosh. Not good. Not GOOD!!!! My throat tightened and my head started throb painfully. Images of Edward and I started to flash in front of my eyes.

"Bella!" I could vaguely hear people calling my name.

I was shaking from the pain as the memory flashed of Edward and I in the meadow.

Flashback

"And so the lion fell in love with the lamb…" he murmured.

I looked away, hiding my eyes as I thrilled to the word. "What a stupid lamb," I sighed.

"What a sick, masochistic lion."

End of Flashback

"BELLA!!" called a voice, louder this time but still faint. I was being swept into another memory just as a shock passed through my body. I snapped out of it, startled and disoriented. I focused my eyes and saw my family watching me worriedly, Will in front of me.

"Mom? You okay?" Nessie called as she came down.

"Yeah," I said as I fixed some loose strands. "I was just messing with Will and he went overboard" I said as I desperately tried to flatten my hair.

"Umm . . . okay, if your sure" she said as she stood there. "Oh" she said as she noticed our stares "I'll keep on doing my homework" she said as she raced upstairs.

I turned back to everybody else.

"Sorry" I coughed. "I must have zoned out" I said with a slightly forced laugh.

"Bella, what was the flash back about?" Sophie asked.

What was I in, therapy?

"Umm . . . just a memory, that's all" I said as the hole in my chest ached again.

I hadn't bothered me since I had been changed but had started again with the return of the Cullens. I unconsciously wrapped my arms around my torso but dropped them at their funny glances.

"Was it about—" but I cut her off, I couldn't take much more of this.

"Get to the point Sophie" I said knowing it would be less painful than circling around the subject.

"Bella . . . well we were talking and we started noticing some . . . features that seemed alike and taking into consideration your story—" Mel started to say.

"Easy version - Who is Nessie's Dad?" Will asked straight out.

"Will" Mel hissed and I almost smiled.

Then I noticed a thump, thump, thump and the sound of short breath coming from somewhere behind us. My eyes widened as I noticed Nessie's scent. Everybody else also seemed to notice her.

I turned and saw a wisp of bronze fly up into the corridor. Little eavesdropper! I thickened my shield against all sound, making our little private bubble.

"She can't hear us, even if she tried" I mumbled.

They all nodded and looked at me. I looked straight at them, trying to mask my emotions. I knew they were waiting for an answer but now, I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to.

"Bella, is Edward Nessie's dad?" Mel asked as she sat next to me.

I tried to swallow but my throat felt as if I had truly not drunk anything in 30 years. They all stared at me expectantly and I knew that from now one, all my threads that I'd been trying to hold together were going to begin to unravel and quickly.

"Yes" I said barely a whisper but I knew they heard me.

My head fell in my hands and I fought desperately against the sobs threatening to overtake my body. Some escaped my lips. I knew I had to tell Edward and Nessie . . . but how could I?

"It's okay Bells, everything is going to be okay, we'll figure it out" Alex said as he patted my shoulder.

Everyone murmured in agreement. Then, once again, I became aware of Nessie.

I saw her reflection in a vase, her eyes scrunched up, trying to listen.

Everyone seemed to finally notice her presence again and they smiled.

"Umm . . . let's go for a run, we'll talk more when we get back" Sophie said as she got up.

"WHAT??" They all hissed.

"Now" she said warning them with her eyes. "Nessie, come on, we're going for a run, maybe a small hunt, you up for it?" Sophie asked.

"Yeah, be right down" Nessie said as she ran down, her hair in a neat ponytail.

"You coming mom?" she asked.

"No, you go ahead honey, I have things to do" I said.

She looked at me, suspicion in her eyes before she finally left.

"We'll be back soon" Alex said just as he closed the door, though the way he said it made it sound like a warning.


A/N

Hey Guys! So . . . what did you think? I'm sorry Edward wasn't in this chapter. I though it would be best if she talked to her family before she talked to him. HE will definetly be in the next chapter though. NEssie that little eavesdropper . . . how mush did she hear . . . who knows . . . ????? HAahahahhaha. Anyways, I just got back from MPA (Music Performance Assesment) yesterday at about 11:00 pm. iT was awesome. We did great but the bus ride was the best. W were all blinding eachoteher with camera flashes and making whale sound and it was soo much fun. Very big statewide tests this week soo I might skip the update. Sorry. Luv ya!

=^.^= JMFanficQueen =^.^=