Thanks to lislar and shoefreak37 for their help with this chapter. I couldn't do it without either of you ladies!

Chapter 22: Crash

Silence lingered in the dining room, awkward and uncomfortable. Esme and Carlisle seemed to be having a conversation with their eyes, knowing looks passing between them, while Alice stared down at her plate, shoving a wayward piece of cantaloupe around. Bella just felt out of place, as if she were intruding on a private matter that should be kept within their family, even if the comment that had started this downhill spiral had been directed at her. She felt uncomfortable without Edward sitting beside her.

Ben began to fuss, his whimpers and frowns the first indication that a full-fledged tantrum was on the way. Bella tried to calm and comfort him, but looking at the clock, she realized it was nearly time for him to eat again. She continued to rock him and pat his back, hoping the crying fit he was building up wouldn't erupt until Edward had returned from whichever room in the massive house he'd followed Jasper.

"If you need to feed him or change his diaper, you're more than welcome to use one of the rooms upstairs," Esme said, noticing Bella struggling to keep her son quiet.

"Thank you."

"I'll show her the way," Carlisle said, obviously wanting to give Esme a moment with Alice.

Bella retrieved Ben's diaper bag from the front room and met Carlisle by the stairs.

"I want to apologize for my son's behavior. I'm not sure what his problem is, but he was out of line."

"It's okay. He's never really hidden his dislike for me since I met him."

"Jasper's always had problems dealing with his emotions. He projects whatever he's feeling onto other people, tries to make them responsible for his actions. I'm not sure what could cause him to act so horribly to you, but Edward usually has the best luck straightening him out. Hopefully they'll be able to get to the root of the problem."

Bella nodded, unsure if any other response was really necessary. Carlisle had led her to the lone bedroom on the third floor of the house. He gave her a gentle, fatherly pat on the back and a reassuring smile before retreating back down the stairs.

Walking inside the room, Bella noticed the trophies first, stopping to take a closer look. There were a few academic awards, but most were for baseball—and they all bore the name "Edward Cullen." Bella smiled as she ran her fingers over the nameplates, wondering what Edward had been like as a teenager. Her exploration would have to wait, however; Ben was hungry and beginning to cry.

Bella moved to the couch near the window, positioning herself so that she could watch the tiny flakes of snow falling in the backyard. Most of it melted as soon as it hit the wet ground, but it was still a beautiful scene against the lush greens outside. She'd barely gotten Ben settled before there was a timid knock on the door. Bella threw a blanket over Ben and made sure she was covered before calling out for the person to enter.

The sound of metal bracelets clanging together could be heard right before Alice popped her head inside. She stared at Bella for a moment before she opened the door wider and made her way inside. It was obvious that she was upset, but Bella had no idea how to comfort her. Alice was the first person she'd ever really been friends with and she hated to feel so useless.

Tentatively, Alice made her way over to the couch to sit down. She was wringing her hands in her lap, staring at the floor as she finally spoke. "I understand if you don't want to be friends anymore. I wouldn't want to be friends with me either after the way Jasper has treated you," she said, her voice low and meek.

"Oh, Alice, it's not your fault. I would never blame you for what Jasper says and does. I just don't understand why he hates me so much."

"He doesn't hate you, not really. His aura turns dark green when you're around. If he truly hated you, it would be black or a muddied red. He's just jealous."

"Jealous? Of me? Alice, I don't understand."

"You've got the one thing we want and can't have," she said, her eyes moving to Ben as he squirmed underneath the blanket. "A baby."

Bella sat there in stunned silence. It had never occurred to her that anything about her life would be something to be envied. She was a teen mother, a diner waitress that had barely finished high school. And her baby, though she loved him with all her heart, was going to grow up without a father. What was there to be jealous of?

"He's just angry. We've been trying to get pregnant for almost two years, and then someone like you just—"

"Someone like me?" Bella cut in, suddenly feeling more hurt than she'd been all day.

"Oh, Bella, I didn't mean it like that. I just meant that you weren't even in love with the guy and you accidentally got pregnant. Jasper and I have tried everything and we haven't been able to. It just doesn't seem fair that someone that didn't even want a baby gets one, while we struggle. We have a nice home, good jobs—"

"Alice, I think you should go," Bella cut in.

Alice gave her a pleading look, but Bella held her ground. Without another word, Alice moved out of the room, shutting the door behind her. Bella continued to sit and watch the snow fall, insulted and angry. She didn't want to hold the things Alice had said against her, knowing that she was in pain and going through a difficult time in her marriage, but the comments were still biting.

~ O ~

Edward found Jasper in the library, reclining in a chair with a glass of amber-colored liquid in his hand. He stood in the doorway for several moments just watching his brother, the tendons and muscles in Jasper's arm flexing, his knuckles white as he clutched the glass tightly. Edward wondered why it hadn't shattered in his hand.

Clearing his throat loudly to announce his presence, Edward entered the room, taking a seat next to Jasper, not looking him in the eyes. Both men sat there in silence for several minutes, just staring out the window and watching the snow fall.

"If you're here for an apology, you're wasting your time," Jasper said, finally breaking the silence.

"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to. You might want to start with Mom and Dad, your wife, Bella."

"I'll apologize to Mom and Dad for ruining brunch and to Alice for upsetting her, but if you think I'm going to apologize to that little tra—"

"Don't," Edward cut in. "Don't say something you'll regret later."

"Oh, I won't regret it. I can't believe you're defending that girl, Edward. Am I the only person that sees her clearly? Alice thinks she's her best friend. Mom and Dad were acting like royalty was stopping by. And you—you're pathetic, trailing after her like a lovesick teenager."

"What exactly is it that you see that no one else does? Please, enlighten me," Edward said, barely able to restrain the anger he felt boiling inside him. Jasper was completely out of line, but Edward wanted to give him the chance to voice his feelings, to get to the bottom of what was going on.

"Let's see…she just shows up here, pregnant with some guy's kid. No one has a clue what she was doing before she came here. Of course, I have a pretty good idea. The guy isn't around and after she pops the kid out, she immediately attaches herself to the new, wealthy doctor in town. I think her motives are pretty clear. She's using you, Edward."

"Fuck you, Jasper. You don't know anything about Bella, about what her life was like before she came back to Forks or since she's been here. I don't give a damn what you think, but I swear to God, if you ever say anything like that to her again…"

"You'll what? Hit me? Fuck you, Edward."

"You know what, Jasper? I don't think this has anything to do with Bella. I think you just want someone to blame for your failing marriage, for being so shitty to Alice."

"You don't know anything about my marriage, asshole," Jasper said, rising from his seat to lunge at Edward. Edward wrapped his arms around Jasper, holding his flailing limbs to his sides as he continued to struggle and mumble under his breath.

"Always so fucking perfect. Alice and I can't get pregnant and what do you do? Drag in some girl that already has a kid."

"My relationship with Bella has nothing to do with you and Alice. I had no idea what was going on with the two of you."

"Alice wants a baby so fucking bad and we've tried everything. And some random, irresponsible teenager gets one? It's not fair. And Alice keeps bugging me about going to some fertility specialist. She wants us to go and get checked together. I can't do that."

"Why? Why can't you do that, Jasper? If you want a baby, that might be the only way."

"Because I already went! Six months ago, I thought something was wrong so I went. And it was. I'm the problem. I'm the reason she can't get pregnant!"

~ O ~

Bella wasn't sure how long she sat there, just staring out the window, but she eventually heard Edward come into the room. Bella turned and smiled, but he could see that it was forced and strained.

"Are you okay?" he asked as he sat down on the couch beside her. "I'm sorry. I should have been up to check on you sooner, but I was trying to deal with Jasper and—"

"It's fine. I just needed some time to clear my head."

"Come on. Let's get out of here," he said, pulling her to her feet.

It was quiet as they made their way back downstairs. Edward buckled Ben into his carrier quickly and they headed out to Bella's car. She noticed that Alice and Jasper's car was still sitting in the driveway, making her wonder what was going on inside.

~ O ~

The drive to Edward's house was short, but gave Bella some time to think. Though she now knew what the problem was, she still hoped that Edward's talk with his brother had been productive. Alice and Jasper had both said things that were painful to hear, but she still didn't want to see them in so much pain.

Inside, Bella moved a sleeping Ben to Edward's home office and turned on the baby monitor. Edward's house was really the only place that Ben spent a lot of time away from home, so Bella had left his travel crib there permanently, finding a space big enough for it in Edward's office. Edward had gone out and bought the monitor so Bella wouldn't have to worry about checking on Ben as often, just another small gesture that showed he was serious about being a part of both her life and her son's.

When she made it back into the living room, Edward was stretched out on the couch, his head back and his bare feet propped up on the coffee table. He'd pulled off his button-down, leaving him in jeans and his white undershirt. He looked exhausted. Bella wasted no time sitting down and curling into his side. Edward wrapped his arm around her and continued to stare at the ceiling.

"Alice and Jasper are having some problems."

"She told me Jasper was jealous because I have Ben, that he was angry."

Edward shifted to look at Bella. "He's going through a lot right now—they both are—but that still doesn't give him the right to say things like that to you."

"It's okay, Edward. I understand," Bella replied, looking down at her hands.

"No, it's not okay. Bella, he was completely out of line. I don't care what he thinks about my relationship with you, but he needs to keep his damn mouth shut."

"Edward—"

"Bella, please, can we just talk about something else? I don't want to fight about Jasper," Edward cut in, exasperation evident in his tone.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean…" she trailed off, pulling away.

"Hey, don't do that. Come here."

Edward pulled her back into his side and kissed her temple, resting his forehead against the side of her head. "I don't want to fight with you," he whispered, trailing kisses down her cheek and along her jaw until he reached her lips. She opened her mouth to him immediately, wanting to push the events of the day to the back of her mind, to concentrate only on Edward.

His hand moved to her hip, then her waist, fingers dipping beneath the hem of her sweater, searching for bare skin. Bella felt his thumb gently rubbing back and forth across her skin, leaving a trail of fire in its wake. She wanted to be closer. As if he could read her mind, Edward's arm moved down to her thigh, pulling her towards him.

Letting the feelings coursing through her guide her, Bella moved to straddle him, placing her knees on either side of his waist. She hesitated momentarily before sitting down, resting her weight on his legs. When he pulled her closer, she could feel him hard beneath her, straining against the fabric of his jeans.

Edward groaned as they continued to kiss, his hands moving underneath her sweater, lightly caressing the skin of her back. Bella moved her hands into the hair at the nape of his neck, lightly scratching her nails against his scalp. When they finally pulled apart to breathe, Edward continued to trail kisses down her throat, pulling down the neck of her sweater and diverting his path along her collar bones.

In her mind, she'd always imagined she would be nervous and awkward in moments like this with Edward. James had always made her nervous, self-conscious about her actions. She'd never felt comfortable, but part of that could have been attributed to her lack of desire for him. With Edward, everything was different. Bella was determined to do what felt natural and hope that it was right.

"Is this okay?" Edward asked, his forehead resting against her shoulder, fingers still lingering on her skin.

Not wanting to ruin the moment, Bella simply placed her hands against his cheeks, pulling his face up to look him in the eyes. Wanting to convey the emotions that she found herself unable to voice, Bella leaned forward and kissed him. Feeling emboldened by the sounds Edward was making and the way he whispered her name—full of want and need—she moved her hands down his chest, to the bottom of his shirt, fingers sliding underneath to feel the skin of his belly.

His stomach was smooth and warm, the muscles lightly defined, a trail of coarse hair leading down into his jeans. She touched him with hesitant fingers, letting his moans and groans guide her. When she felt him tugging lightly on her sweater, she raised her arms slowly, allowing him to remove it.

Bella shivered as the cool air hit her bare skin; the small tank she wore underneath was tiny and thin, the hem not quite reaching the waistband of her jeans. She had the urge to cross her arms in front of her, to cover the bare skin of her stomach that was exposed. Though her body had bounced back well from her pregnancy—youth likely on her side—she was still aware of all the imperfections that marred her skin, the faint white lines on her stomach and hips.

Edward brought his hands up to cup her cheeks, kissing her lightly on the lips. He continued his previous path, kissing the newly exposed skin. His hands trailed down her sides, lightly brushing against the sides of her breasts as they moved toward her waist. She shuddered beneath his touch. It was too much. It was too little. As his hands wrapped around her waist, he pulled her closer and she could once again feel his erection pressing against her, right where the tingling sensation in her body emanated from.

Wanting to be closer, to feel more, Bella grinded herself down on him, moaning his name. She wasn't sure of her movements, but she knew she needed to feel more friction. When she did it again, his hand around her waist tightened, guiding her movements.

Incomprehensible words flew from her mouth, the sounds of their pleasure filling the air. If she were more coherent, she might have been embarrassed, but all she could think about was Edward. Her entire body felt hot and tight, like a coil ready to spring. With one more swirl of her hips, she felt her body explode, her toes curling in ecstasy.

Edward continued to guide her hips as she rode through her orgasm. Moments later, he found his own release, muttering her name along with a string of curse words. No longer able to hold herself up, Bella collapsed against him like a wet noodle, sweat beading along her hairline. Edward wrapped his arms around her and held her close, placing one final kiss on her shoulder as they began to relax, their breathing returning to normal.

Bella wasn't sure how long she sat there, but their bubble was eventually burst by the sound of Ben crying.

~ O ~

After feeding her son, Bella had handed him off to Edward, knowing her cheeks were giving away her embarrassment. She wasn't sure what to say to Edward about what had happened between them, or if anything even needed to be said. Heading into the bathroom, she splashed water on her face, staring at her flushed cheeks in the mirror. Still feeling overheated, she twisted her hair up into a messy knot on top of her head.

With a sigh, she moved back into the living room, finding Edward bouncing Ben on his knee, her son laughing loudly. She sat down next to them, tickling Ben's belly and making silly faces. Leaning her head on Edward's shoulder, she realized that this was what she wanted for herself and for Ben: a family. Edward was the puzzle piece their lives had been missing.

A/N: **chews fingernails** Really nervous about this one! A few astute reviewers correctly guessed what Jasper's problem was. Was it what you expected? And what did you think of the progression of Bella's relationship with Edward? Reviewers get a sneak peek!

I realized I haven't done any fic recs in a few weeks, so…

Second Chances by lislar – I beta this story and I absolutely adore it. It's a shame more people aren't reading it because it's really good.

Never Enough by GrayMatters – This is an older E/B, trying to form a relationship after both have divorced from other people. I have been reading it from the first chapter and I like it a lot.

Also, don't forget to check out The Vampies to nominate your favorite vampire fics! http:/twificpics[dot]com/vampawards