MP ch12a

A/N: Deep Breathe...Tissues handy...Quiet, Uninterrupted time...

Yep, ya'll will need ALL of that while delving into this chapter!

Seriously, this is one of my new favorite chapters. You'll see why:)

Before I forget, again, Bnjwl and I post pics/teasers/etc in our FB groups, ya'll should come hang out and see what we have to offer. Cuz, I gave away a VERY pivotal clue to the finale of this fic in my group a few nights ago...and we have a beautiful manip that lvtwilight09 made that will be up shortly in both of our groups. It's how we envision Edward in this chapter of his life;)

Find me in theonlykyla fanfiction group and Bnjwl in Bnjwl's box. Both groups are open for you to find and join;)

Thanks as always to our amazing team; A Jasper For Me for beta'ing and Mamadog93 for pre-reading. Ya'll are the creme de la creme and always do so much to make our story even better. We love you all so much!

Now, on with the show. Enjoy.

She was here.

It's the air that I've been feeling all night.

Bella.

My Princess.

After all this time, after all these years, she's really standing here in my arms staring at me just like I'm staring at her.

"Edward, you've got a crowd of people waiting to meet you and some minor press interviews to finish." Emmett's voice pulled me out of the haze of wonderment I was in.

"What? What? Oh, Emmett. This is her. This is my Bella." I said as the confusion on his face turned into sheer shock.

"TinyBell is your 'one'?" Emmett asked as his wife stepped into the picture now.

"Bella?" Rosalie called, as my Princess finally drew her eyes away from me and towards her name being called.

"This is my Knight." Bella's voice sounded like heaven when she spoke.

"This really is awesome. But Edward, man, you've got commitments we have to tend to right now. I assure you TinyBell isn't going anywhere." Emmett tried to ease my anxiety I know only he saw.

"Can she just come with me? I really can't leave her now that she's here." I said as I looked at Bella to see her nodding her head.

"I can come with you." She wove her fingers through mine and turned towards Emmett.

He laughed, "Fine, come on, let's get this over with."

The whole time I spoke to anyone or took pictures, Bella was either attached to my hand or never more than a few feet away. And she was never from my line of sight. It was all subtle so as to not turn any of the fans off by my overly clingy girlfriend, but at the same time, it still soothed my nerves.

I still couldn't believe it.

An hour and a half later, we were finally done.

"Let's go eat, and ya'll can catch up." Emmett said as I looked to Bella.

"Um, would you be terribly upset if we declined, Emmett?" Bella spoke, and looked to me for confirmation it was okay.

"No, I guess you two don't really need us around while you catch up anyway." He smiled at me and gave me a man-hug while Rosalie hugged Bella.

"Call me tomorrow, maybe we can meet for a late lunch?" Rosalie asked, and we both nodded.

Once they were gone, Bella and I stood and stared at one another.

Then we both started to speak at once, which caused us both to laugh.

"You first," I relented, and she smiled.

"Are you hungry? My apartment isn't far from here, I could cook us a quick bite to eat so we can talk. I mean, that is, if you want too," she said quietly, becoming shy.

This was a new Bella.

My Princess had changed.

Grown up.

She looked different.

Older.

But yet, still the same.

"I'd love that, Bella." I spoke softly and leaned in to place a kiss to her lips.

She leaned into me, and as our lips gently touched, it was like all the electricity in the world surged through that simple connection between us.

We both pulled back after a few seconds, but our eyes never left the other's.

"Let me just get my stuff, and then we can go, alright?" I asked, unsure, uncertain and terrified. I know the Bella in my past wanted me, without a doubt, but this older, more mature Bella, she was a mystery, a wild card, an unknown. I didn't know how to act, think or be with her. I didn't want to screw anything up. I just wanted everything to be perfect for us, for once.

"Sounds good to me," she said and blushed as she pushed a piece of her hair back and tucked it securely behind her ear. The only good thing about this whole scenario was that Bella seemed as off kilter as I was, she also seemed as scared as well. I took that as a good sign. I prayed it was a good sign.

We walked hand in hand back to my little dressing room where I gathered up my clothes, my guitar case and a few personal items I had brought with me.

"I'm all set." I announced, then turned off the lights before closing the door behind us. I quickly placed Bella's hand back in mine.

I don't think I could ever live without this connection to her again.

It felt like my entire world was back on its axis.

It felt right.

"How far is your place? Should we get a cab?" I asked as we exited the club onto the now chilly streets of Seattle.

"Oh, no, I'm just two blocks over." She said and leaned in close to me.

Her scent hit my nose, and I stifled the urge to moan.

It sent a thousand and one memories swirling in my head; all the nights I laid beside her in her old bed as we talked and plotted; all the innocent kisses we stole under the covers as we touched softly for the first time; the countless times I smelt her while I fucked her senseless in our New York hotel room.

"You look really good, Edward." Bella's voice brought me out of my stupor.

I sighed and let out a little chuckle, "Thank you, Princess. Words cannot even begin to describe how amazing you look."

She cut her eyes to mine before I could see the telltale blush reappear on her cheeks.

We made small talk as we walked to her place. We reached the door to the building, and I was so thankful to see that she had security. I wanted the best for Bella, so it thrilled me to know she was at least safe.

Once we got onto the elevator, we couldn't stop staring at one another.

"I still can't believe you're here," I whispered as I brought my free hand up to caress her cheek.

"It's like a dream come true," she whispered in return.

We both smiled and leaned our foreheads together for a second before the elevator chimed our arrival on the eighth floor where she lived.

She scrambled for her keys in the bottom of her purse she had crossed over her shoulder.

"Found them." She declared and waved them in front of me as I laughed at her mini-struggle in that bottomless pit she carried.

Bella opened the door and flipped on a light switch. I stepped in behind her and took in the room. It was like nothing I would have ever imagined her home to look like. It was haphazardly eclectic; different furniture, new mixed with old.

Her pictures blew me away.

There were pictures of us all over her living room walls, tables and bookshelves.

It almost took my breath away as my mind flooded with all the memories from each and every frame that caught my eye. I remembered them all with perfect clarity.

She released my hand and wound her arm around my waist. Her action seemed scared and unsure. I realized how my perusal of her space must have looked to her. Her eyes clearly told me she was worried I didn't like it.

How could I not?

"It's like our lives on display." I managed to whisper as she leaned into my side.

"They're the most precious memories of our life together." She responded in a whisper of her own.

I dropped my bag and guitar case and turned to face her. It took all of about one point five seconds for our lips to collide and our arms to tighten around the other.

That kiss held all the hope, passion and life we shared so long ago. The exact things we both seemed to yearn for again.

We had to break away for air, and yet we continued to cling to each other.

"Bella, Princess." I murmured as I smothered her face in tiny kisses.

I couldn't feel enough of her.

I needed her.

I wanted her.

She was the very life I breathed.

She was my everything.

I couldn't afford to lose her again.

"Knight … I've missed you so much." She said as tears plagued her cheeks, and I couldn't stop my own from falling.

"I'm here, Princess. I'm finally here. I'm never leaving you again." I declared through my cries.

Our eyes met, and we both worked to swipe away each other's tears before we both began to laugh lightly.

"Let's move to the couch and get reacquainted." Bella finally suggested. The action was hard to do because neither of us was willing to let go of the other.

I sat on the couch and pulled her into my lap as her arms wound around my neck, and we rested our foreheads together.

"You really are here?" She asked again as I nodded.

"Where have you been, Bella?" I finally had the gumption to ask.

She smiled at me before she pulled back so we could still keep eye contact, but remain comfortable enough to talk.

"Here and there," she replied with such sadness. "But, I've always wished I was where you were." She spoke softly with that last confession.

I sighed and ran a hand through my hair, "I've wished for that every single day since I last saw you in New York." I admitted.

"What happened to you?" She asked, curiously.

"When exactly?" I gave a light laugh and closed my eyes for a moment to gather myself before I admitted to all of the things I had done while we were apart.

"Are you hungry?" She asked with a pat to my chest to force me to open my eyes again.

I smiled, "A little."

"Let's start some food, and we can talk while I cook." She said and started to stand up before I pulled her back to me one more time.

It felt cold without her against me.

I hated it and never wanted to feel that way again.

"One more kiss, please?" I asked as she smiled and leaned into me with her lips hard against mine.

We kissed until we were breathless once again before coming up for air.

"We need to eat." She giggled and stood up, pulling me with her.

Her kitchen was quaint and full of every appliance known to man. I looked around and quirked an eyebrow at her.

"I've found a new hobby." She said with a shrug of her shoulders before she began to pull food from her refrigerator.

"So, tell me your story … then I'll tell you mine." She offered while she began to prepare a meal for us.

I told her about how I landed in rehab the first time and coming back to the hotel and finding her gone. By then the food was ready, and we ate as I told her about buying her house and my second trip to rehab. She cried several times as she questioned my drug use and overdose recall, or as best as I could recall each time.

I told her about my last OD and stint in rehab before she said, "So you're clean and sober now?"

Her eyes welled with tears again as I nodded and moved us back to the couch. This time, however, she sat on one end of the couch while I sat in the middle facing her, our fingers entwined on the back of the sofa.

"I've been sober for almost three years. My sobriety date is in three weeks." I sighed and looked away from her as my eyes landed on a picture of a small boy holding a bundle of balloons. He was precious, and I was curious as to who he was. He looked familiar, but I knew I'd never seen him before.

"I'm proud of you, Edward. You survived. It would have killed me if you'd died, too." She stared at me as I pulled mine back to meet her eyes.

"I'm sorry you lost your mother." I admitted, unable to say Renee's name or express my condolences for her death. I felt sorry that her death caused Bella pain; that's what I was sorry for ... only Bella's pain. I didn't know that I could ever feel sorry for any pain Renee suffered. In my eyes, it would never be enough for what she put us through.

"Thank you." She said quietly as she swiped at her cheek, but turned her head to look away.

I gave her the moment she needed, but I noticed her eyes went to the picture of the small boy. It made me all the more curious as to whom he was.

"Renee's death was a blessing and a curse." Bella said and turned to face me once again.

She began to tell me about her life after the night of graduation. She told me about her accident. Her long, hard recovery and how Renee was more spiteful than ever.

I got a strong feeling there was a lot of the story she left out. I didn't want that; I wanted her to trust me, be honest with me, but I didn't want to question her. So, for now, I let it be.

"Her death changed my life, but not really in the ways you would think. I mean, yes, I finally had my freedom, but it changed a lot of the hurt and resentment I'd held against her for so long." Bella said and looked down into her lap.

"How, Bella?" I asked with a gentle nudge to her chin, forcing her eyes to meet mine. I had seen this position too many times to count with Renee. I wanted Bella to see her mother was gone now, and she would never have to cower down to anyone ever again.

"I found something … someone I thought I'd lost forever." Her words rattled in my head.

Someone.

Someone … that wasn't me.

Someone … that meant something to her.

Someone … she thought she'd lost and now she'd found.

But, it wasn't me.

I felt my hand move to my chest and begin to rub in a circle over my heart.

I could feel my heart begin to break … not a small crack, but a big fucking Grand Canyon-sized break. All along, I imagined Bella was still single, still waiting for me. Now to hear it voiced this was not the case, it was too much. I felt my breathing pick up, and I knew I had to calm down or I'd have a full blown panic attack.

I turned away from her and stood up.

I walked over to a bookshelf and stared at a picture of us from when we were around eight or nine years old. We were in my backyard eating a popsicle. My dad had put out a swimming pool for us to play in because it had been unseasonably hot and dry for a few weeks. We were both missing front teeth; our hair was all crazy from drying in the sun after playing in the water. There was grape juice on my chin and cherry juice on hers.

It had been a fantastic summer day.

Renee and Charlie had gone out of town for the day, so Bella had been free to spend the whole day with me and my mom. We had acted like the normal little kids that my mom allowed us to be on rare days like that one.

It was an amazing moment captured in that tiny faded picture.

"Edward?" I heard Bella's voice call my name, but I was terrified to turn and face her.

Fear gripped my very soul as I forced myself to turn around.

"Are you okay?" That sweet voice I'd longed to hear for ages rang through the still quiet of her apartment as I forced myself to nod at her before I let my eyes meet hers.

"So, you found something … someone, again?" I swallowed a dry gulp as I repeated her statement as a question.

She nodded and once again looked to the picture of the little boy.

"I did," she answered, finally.

Her eyes met mine.

"His name is Riley," she said as I felt the bile rise into my throat.

I think I nodded.

I think I ran a hand through my hair.

I know I quickly walked towards my bag and guitar case.

I picked them up and spoke over my shoulder.

"I'll always love you, Bella. But if you have him, then you don't need me." I walked towards the door before her voice called out to me.

"Edward?" I stopped with my hand on the doorknob.

I couldn't turn around.

I didn't know if I had the strength to even open the door and walk away.

"He's our son." She said through a sob, and I froze.

What did she just say?

Our son?

We had a son?

I had a child?

Bella had a baby?

I turned around and saw her shatter before me.

"Our son?"

She simply nodded.

"We have a son?" I questioned as she stood and picked up the picture I'd been staring at all night.

"This is Riley." She said and held it out for me.

"My son." I said and felt my whole body tremble with fear.

And then the rage consumed me.

"Why did you never tell me? Where is he? When did this happen?" I screamed as she stood there and tears flowed down her cheeks. Her immediate answer came in the form of her head that shook back and forth. I paced around and then stopped.

I had to remember where I'd been, how I lived my life … and how far apart Bella and I had been for years.

"When?" I asked quietly. My knees felt like they were about to give out so I sat on the edge of the couch.

"I found out after graduation." Her voice quivered as she spoke and sat down beside me.

I turned to look at her … she suddenly looked older, worn out, and just plain fucking scared.

I reached a hand out to cradle her cheek, "Why didn't you tell me? I would have wanted to be there for you, for our son. I just," I sighed and tried to wipe her tears from her face. "I never expected this. I never expected our lives to go the way they have and now, after all this time ..." I stopped speaking as her eyes bore into me with terror and regret.

I didn't know what happened or how, but I owed it to her to let her explain.

"Tell me, Bella. I'm strong enough now. I'm sober. I'm here. Just tell me." My eyes held hers as I saw her soul open up.

I knew this would once again, forever change our lives, but for once, I wasn't leaving her side. I had missed her with a desperate ache for far too long.

No matter what, I was here to stay, never to leave her again.

I whispered against her lips as I leaned in to kiss her, "Just tell me, Princess. I'll always love you."

I sat back against the sofa and pulled her into my lap.

She told me about finding out she was pregnant. She recalled how Renee had done everything in her power to get her to abort the baby or give it up for adoption. My hatred and rage towards Renee inflamed my senses. I knew I had to keep it under control for Bella's sake, but I knew my anger would never subside even though she was dead.

Then she told me about the accident; how she was told the baby died and she had to go through all of it alone; how she had to be medicated to function, to help with the depression and grief of losing our son.

I felt like my heart was about to explode from the pain she had to endure without me. I wasn't there to help her, hold her… or to even rescue her from Renee.

"Bella, why did I never know? Why didn't you just call me? I would have come to you. You know I will ALWAYS come to you, right?" I held her face in my hands and forced her eyes up to meet mine.

"I didn't know where you were. Renee kept showing me all these magazine articles and pictures of you drunk or high surrounded by all those other girls. I didn't think you still wanted me." Her voice was soft and broken as she kept her teary eyes closed.

"Bella, look at me." I demanded as she did what I asked.

"I have always loved you and no one but you. Those pictures were staged or fakes and those magazines were being fed lies and rumors. I haven't been with anyone but you ... ever. Drugs and alcohol filled the gaps in my life you left."

I pulled her tighter against me and kissed all over her face; her eyes, her chin, her nose, her cheeks.

"I would have been there. I would have stopped Renee from hurting you or lying to you. I would have kept you safe." My words were whispered in her ear as she buried her face into the side of my neck and sobbed. Her arms tightened around me, and her hands gripped the back of my shirt as if I could disappear at any moment.

"I'm here, baby … I'm not going to leave you ever again." I tried to reassure her as she pulled back and looked at me.

"Renee gave our son up for adoption." Her words were soft spoken, and her eyes wide with fear, again.

"How did you find him? Is he safe?" I asked in the same calm, quiet tone.

She nodded her head, "I think you'll love his parents. He's been very well cared for."

I shook my head and drew in a deep breath.

"We'll get him back. He's our son, he belongs with us." There was no way a child produced from our love wouldn't be living with us, his mom and dad.

I don't know if I could stay away now that I knew we had a child.

A child.

I'm a dad.

My Princess had my baby.

She gasped and started to cry again.

My Princess was fragile.

She'd been alone for so long.

I knew now it would take a lot to rescue her this time.

I only hoped I hadn't been to late this time.

"We can't get him back. He's theirs now." She mumbled into my neck.

"Who? Who has him?" I asked, my curiosity getting the best of me.

She shook her head, and I attempted to pull her off me.

"Who, Bella? Tell me who has our child." I forcefully demanded and shook her a little because she wouldn't look up at me.

Finally, after what felt like hours, she looked at me and dried her eyes, took a deep breath and cupped my cheek.

"Your aunt and uncle, Carlisle and Esme. Riley is their son." She whispered, and I suddenly felt like all the breath in my lungs was sucked right out of me.

For the first time in three years ... I was dying to get high.

A/n: Surprise! Did you like the early update? We've been sitting w/ this ch for about 2 weeks and it's been KILLING me to have to wait to post it...

But, once again, we have to ask that you all have faith...the road is not bump free just yet. However, at least they are together, right?

We're here to hold your hands, as always;)

See ya on Thursday!

Love, Bnjwl & Kyla