Disclaimer: SM owns Twilight, but little baby Ben is mine.

Have I mentioned that my beta lislar is ten kinds of awesome? Because she totally is.

Chapter 13: Your Heart is True

Bella sat in the small exam room at Forks Community Wellness Center, staring blankly at the white wall in front of her. She held Ben tightly to her chest, rubbing his back and whispering in his ear. She hated when he cried or was in pain, but his flu vaccine was a necessary evil. Blood and needles made Bella a bit squeamish so she was trying to avoid looking at what was going on. Ben's screeching wail alerted her to the needle piercing his skin. She rocked him and rubbed his back, hoping to ease his ache.

"There, there. You're all done little man," Dr. Cullen said as he patted Ben on the back. "Bella, you'll need to make an appointment for him to get his month four immunizations before you leave. Be sure to tell Maggie to make the appointment with the new pediatrician and not with me."

"The new pediatrician?" Bella questioned.

"I'm sorry. In this town, I assumed you had already heard. I should have mentioned it sooner. We have a new pediatrician joining the staff in a couple of weeks and he'll be taking on Ben's care in the future."

"Oh, um…okay."

"If you'd be more comfortable, I can continue to see him, but it would be better to get him started with a pediatrician rather than just a general practitioner. Besides, the new doctor and I are quite alike; I think you'll like him."

Bella furrowed her brows, confused by Dr. Cullen's statement.

"My son just finished up his residency in pediatrics. He's moving back to Forks, from Chicago. He won't start here for a few more weeks, but we're already beginning to get his schedule and patient load together."

"I'll be sure to make the appointment," she said as she rose to leave the room.

Since Dr. Burty's retirement a couple of months ago, his patients had been shifted around to the other doctors at the clinic. Because Dr. Cullen was a close friend of Charlie's, he'd taken on Ben's care, rather than switch him to the other pediatrician at the clinic.

Bella felt comfortable with Dr. Cullen, having seen him drop by the house on several occasions to meet with Charlie for camping and fishing trips. He and his wife, Esme, were also regulars at the diner. They'd even sent Bella a gift after she'd given birth to Ben, a beautiful cashmere baby blanket that probably cost more than all of Ben's other blankets combined.

It made Bella nervous to entrust her son to another doctor, but given that the doctor was Carlisle's son, she would give him the benefit of the doubt.

~ O ~

Two days later, Bella was back at the diner, working through her shift and trying desperately not to let her clumsiness and penchant for daydreaming cause another scene. Her day was going well so far, mostly because Jessica was gloriously absent. This meant that her shift had been free of evil glares and annoyed glances. Rosalie hadn't even mentioned the incident of a few days ago and for that Bella was extremely grateful. She was sure she would be facing some sort of reprimand, but her shift was almost through and Rosalie hadn't said a word about it. Charlie had also been in earlier for lunch along with a few of his deputies. They had left Bella a sizeable tip which she was extremely grateful for.

The lunch rush had passed and the dining room was now practically empty. A few diners remained, reading the local newspaper or nursing a cup of coffee, but there was no one sitting in Bella's section. She was passing the time behind the counter, rolling clean silverware into paper napkins. Most of the other waitresses were nowhere to be seen, and Bella had a suspicion they had snuck out back and were taking a smoke break. Moments later, she spotted Carmen coming towards her from the back room.

"Bella, sweetie, I was wondering if you could cover my shift tomorrow?" Carmen sang as leaned against the counter, popping her chewing gum and examining her fingernails.

Bella fought the sudden urge to glare at the woman, annoyed by her orange tan, smeared pink lipstick, and frosted hair. The gum popping surely didn't help either, especially given that Carmen was in her mid-40s and should know better. Instead, she tried to act like a teenager, giggling and flirting inappropriately with the high school boys that came into the diner on weekends. Everything about her appearance and demeanor annoyed Bella, but especially her predilection for gossip.

When Bella had moved to Forks, she truly believed that if people got to know her, they would judge her on her merits, not on some filthy bit of hearsay that was floating around the town. Of course, she couldn't have been more wrong. Almost within hours of her arrival, rumors began to swirl. People were desperate to glean any information about the Sheriff's prodigal daughter, returning to Forks after all of these years. More gossip began to float around once Bella's pregnancy started to show, though there were very few people that had the audacity to come right out and ask Bella about her condition. Carmen was one of those people.

Bella had come to the diner to eat dinner with her father; at six months along, her baby bump was barely visible under the loose-fitting top she'd chosen. Halfway through their meal, Charlie had gotten called away on some police business, leaving Bella there alone to finish up her food and head home. As she sat there enjoying a piece of strawberry pie, one of her worst pregnancy cravings, Carmen came sauntering over. She didn't waste any time with idle chit-chat, simply coming right out and asking Bella how far along she was and where was the baby's father. Bella was immediately taken aback by the woman's brash nature and lack of social tact.

Feeling cornered like a wild animal, Bella blurted an excuse about not feeling well and made a hasty retreat. Days later, a rumor began to circulate the town, suggesting that Bella had gotten pregnant by her mother's boyfriend. Renee, angry that her only daughter would betray her in such a way, had sent Bella away and told her she never wanted to see her again. The whole thing was embarrassing and completely ridiculous.

Though her relationship with her mother wasn't great, the outlandish nature of the rumor was almost laughable. While Bella had no proof where that rumor had started, something in her gut told her that Carmen was the source. Since then, she'd found it hard to be cordial to the woman. Thankfully, their diner shifts didn't usually overlap, but today was the exception to that rule.

"Sure, Carmen. I'll cover your shift."

Though Bella wanted nothing to do with Carmen, picking up an extra shift would mean a small boost in her income. She was only working part-time right now, not wanting to spend too much time away from her son or to burden Sue with his care. A few extra shifts here and there really made a big difference in her paycheck though, allowing her to buy extra things for Ben. Most of his clothing came from the thrift store owned by the local Catholic Church, but if she had extra money, sometimes she'd spring for something new. Even just being able to buy diapers for the week without Charlie's help was an accomplishment.

Aside from trying to help with expenses for Ben, Bella had also been trying to save as much of her earnings as possible. She was hoping to take a couple of classes at the college in Port Angeles during the spring semester. The savings she'd brought with her from Florida was all spent and she needed to replace that money. Bella hoped to be eligible for grants or scholarships to pay for the classes, but she needed to be prepared in case she wasn't. There just wasn't as much aid available for those that weren't full-time.

Bella had gotten the job at the diner with Charlie's help and encouragement. He was a regular customer, having eaten lunch and dinner there on a daily basis before Sue came into his life. He spoke with Rosalie and she agreed to give Bella a trial run as a waitress. When she hadn't made any major mistakes after a couple of days, Rosalie told her the job was hers.

Sue graciously offered to care for Ben while she was working. Bella had tried numerous times to pay her at least a little, but Sue always adamantly refused. She said it was an honor to care for her grandson. Those words had warmed Bella's heart. It had hurt her so much when Renee wanted nothing to do with her baby, nor did James and his family. Despite wealth and access to resources, the Harris' were greedy and selfish; Bella knew that she could never expect anything from them. She was glad that Ben would have at least one set of grandparents to love him.

Bella was pulled from her thoughts by the sound of the bell above the diner entrance ringing, indicating a new customer. She smiled in spite of herself when she looked up to see Alice Cullen waving at her. She quickly skipped over to a booth in Bella's section and sat down. Bella shuffled over to greet her, taking her drink order and handing her a menu. Returning with Alice's Diet Coke, she noticed that Rosalie had also stopped by the table to say hello.

"Thanks, Bella," Alice said as she sat her drink down on the table.

"Did you decide on what you'd like to order?"

"Oh, I'm actually not even hungry! I ran into Sue and she mentioned that you worked here, so I came by just to talk to you. I wanted to see what evening you're free later this week? I know your birthday is coming up and I thought we could go out and celebrate."

"How do you know Sue?"

"Oh, silly me. I'm married to Esme and Carlisle's son, Jasper. I dropped in on Esme earlier and Sue was there having lunch with her."

Things started to click into place for Bella. She should have made the connection when Alice handed her the business card—Alice Cullen. There was only one family with the name Cullen in Forks. She realized that Jasper must be the new pediatrician, the doctor that would be seeing Ben in just a few short weeks. This would also explain why Bella had never seen Alice around town before.

"So, dinner?" Alice asked.

"Oh, I don't think I can, Alice. I'm really sorry."

"Please, Bella. We're meant to be friends. I just know it." Sensing Bella's unease, Alice changed her tactics. "If not dinner, how about lunch? You can drop my the shop any day. I always close between one and two. We can order take-out."

"I guess that would be okay."

Alice slipped out of her booth, threw a twenty dollar bill onto the table, and engulfed Bella in an unexpected hug.

"See you soon, Bella!" she said as she exited the diner.

Bella stood there momentarily, stunned by the tiny tornado that had just breezed through. Alice was pushy and overbearing, but her determination seemed to stem from kindness and genuine interest in developing a friendship. Though the encounter once again left Bella feeling flummoxed, she still smiled to herself, an unknown excitement coursing through her veins. But the disappointments of her past weighed heavily on her, squashing the hope that had started to bloom in her heart. As she walked over to wait on another customer, she was once again left feeling bereft.

~ O ~

Edward sat in the floor of his office, shredding documents and putting books into brown cardboard boxes. He'd been hard at work for hours, trying to pack away the life he'd made for himself in Chicago. He had planned to take two weeks to close up his life, but he found himself anxious to get back to Forks. He groaned as he stretched his stiff muscles, sore from having spent too much time hunched over on the hard, unforgiving floor. He rolled his neck and twisted his back, making the bones crack loudly. He probably should have hired a moving company to come in and pack up all of his things, but he felt odd letting strangers come into his home and go through his stuff. It was hard enough trusting them to get his possessions from point A to point B intact.

It felt odd being back in Chicago, in the downtown apartment that he'd lived in for so many years. The place no longer felt like home, more like he was walking through a museum or looking at the pages of a decorating magazine. Everything in the apartment was artfully placed, useless statues and pieces of art that meant nothing to him. There were no family photos or sentimental items. The place felt cold and modern. He longed for something warm and comfortable. Realizing that almost none of the furniture he owned would be appropriate for the small cottage he'd purchased in Forks, he decided to simply donate it, choosing only to keep the antique desk and bookshelves from his office.

His first order of business upon his return to the windy city had been to meet with his mentor, Dr. Aro Volturi. Aro had been Edward's boss and close confidant while he completed his residency in pediatrics. Edward was thankful for the guidance and knowledge that he had imparted upon him. He knew that Aro was hoping he would join the team at Children's Memorial, the offer too good to pass up. The hours had been excellent, with minimal on call time, and the pay was much more than Edward would have expected. As tempting as the offer was, however, his desire to return home and work alongside his father was even greater.

Edward had felt a twinge of guilt during his meeting, feeling a sense of obligation towards Aro for all of his help. Aro hadn't seemed shocked that his offer had been turned down though, giving Edward best wishes for his new adventure. He left his offer open, telling Edward that if he ever changed his mind, there would be a place for him in Chicago. Edward thanked him for his kindness and for the wisdom he'd passed down. He was excited for the next stage of his professional career to begin.

After that meeting was taken care of, Edward began to tie up other loose ends. He still had a few months left on his lease, but the landlord didn't seem concerned by that and let him go without a penalty. He called to schedule dates to have his utilities shut off, as well as going to the post office to have his mail forwarded to a P.O. Box in Forks. He called the Salvation Army and scheduled a truck to come over and pick up his donations. Much sooner than he had anticipated, he was packed and ready to book a flight to Seattle.

On his final evening in Chicago, Edward went out to a local bar with some colleagues from work, enjoying one last night out on the town.

~ O ~

The week flew by quickly and Bella did her best to avoid Alice. As much as she wanted to forge a friendship with the little sprite, she couldn't seem to overcome her own insecurities. She'd never been good at making friends, even worse at keeping them. Now, with her unique set of circumstances, it seemed nearly impossible. She had simply resigned herself to living a solitary life with her son, having only Charlie and Sue to keep her company.

After finishing a short shift at the diner, Bella headed home, intent on spending the evening lounging on the couch and watching Golden Girls reruns. Entering the house, she found Sue sitting on the couch knitting. Ben was on the floor, amusing himself with a brightly colored bug hanging from his Baby Einstein activity gym. Bella plopped herself down on the floor, enjoying Ben's laughter as she pushed the buttons to make his toy light up and play music.

"Alice Cullen called earlier today," Sue said as she raised one eyebrow.

"What did she want?" Bella answered, trying to feign ignorance.

"Well, she said she invited you out for your birthday, but that she thought you were trying to avoid her. So, I told her you'd call her this evening."

"Sue!" Bella wailed as she got up from the floor.

Sue simply gave her the hairy eyeball and patted the space beside her on the couch. Bella reluctantly gave in and sat down next to her, resting her forehead against Sue's shoulder.

"Look, sweetie, I know you've been through a lot, especially this past year, but at some point you're going to have to let someone in again. I've known Carlisle and Esme Cullen for years. They're some of the kindest people you could ever hope to meet and I'm willing to bet that their daughter-in-law is cut from the same cloth. Give her a chance," she said as she patted Bella on the hand.

"I'll try," was all Bella could say.

Bella wrapped her arm around Sue's shoulder and gave her a gentle squeeze. Then, she got down on the floor once more, tickling Ben and kissing his face. He giggled loudly at her antics. Finally, with a resigned sigh, she made her way upstairs to call Alice.

~ O ~

A/N: **waves hi to new readers** This was supposed to post tomorrow, but I got all excited and decided to put it up today instead. Next update will be on Wednesday and we'll go back to once per week updates from there.

Reviewers get a teaser. And I promise there will finally be some action on the Edward/Bella front in the next chapter. :)