EPOV

I still feel like shit, Carlisle gave Mackenzie and me the clear this morning. Bella was right she didn't even get sick, but something was very off with her.

She was letting Mackenzie whine and cling to her, which she usually frowned upon because she said it would spoil her.

Charlie still hadn't spoken to Bella about her mother and estranged brother. I was getting nervous because the longer this was kept from her, the more hurt she would be by it.

I had Mom help me plan a grown up night for Bella and I. She needed to get out of the house and I was beginning to worry about her.

"I don't see why you don't just tell her you're taking her out," Alice complained, peeking up the staircase.

"You know I've never been on a date with her," I said glancing at my phone to see if Emmett had texted me back.

"Never," she gaped incredulously.

"I did take her out for ice cream when she was pregnant with Mackenzie," I looked up to gauge her reaction.

"Ice cream is not a date, it's a dessert." She scoffed.

"She loved ice cream," I shrugged.

That's all Bella craved when she was pregnant. No matter where we were, she would demand her favorite treat and I dropped everything for her to get it. She was carrying our child and I couldn't deny her anything.

"You've got it bad," Alice, sighed wistfully.

"So?" I asked curiously.

"I'm sorry, I'll make sure she is ready," she said spacing off a bit.

"Don't over do it either," I warned.

"If you weren't so smitten Cullen, I would try taking you for me," she cooed.

"And think how heartbroken Jasper would be."

"He is a jackass," she grumbled.

"What did that jackass ever do to you?"

"The question is what has that jackass done to others?" she said raising an eyebrow.

"The more you torture him the more turned on he gets," I told her knowingly.

"I know, I'm keeping him on his toes." She winked.

"Alright Pix, you know what needs done."

"Aye, aye Captain," she saluted, rolling her eyes.

I left Alice to do her thing, while I finalized the plans for tonight. Esme gave me a list of suggestions of what she thought Bella would love. I knew what would make her melt and I put together probably the sappiest date for her.

I went to the secret date location where Jazz and Emmett were helping me set up. They were both waiting for me with the biggest grins and I knew what I was in store for.

"My little brother is officially my sister," Emmett laughed, slapping my back.

"Now c'mon Em, let's give him a little credit," Jasper added pinching my cheek.

"Thanks Jazz," I said dryly, knowing he wasn't done.

"At least he'll get laid," he chuckled and there it was.

Emmett brought his truck and unloaded the carefully carved and padded bench out of the truck bed. I placed it right in the middle of the secret date location. Next, we moved onto the part Jazz was helping me with and set that up.

"I swear to God if you scratch this," he glared, shoving the keys to his Vanquish at me. The Vanquish I sold to him right before Mackenzie was born.

"You are pissy today," I clucked.

"Fuck you, woman," he mumbled.

"I say you're both jealous I was able to think this brilliant plan up," I goaded.

"I would have been able to do this for Rose if I knew her as long as you've known Bells," Emmett defended.

"You wouldn't have thought of it."

"I would have," he mumbled.

"As much as I would love to stay and watch this family quarrel, I have dinner plans," Jasper said grabbing his stuff from the ground.

"I think you are about to make her crack," I supplied helpfully.

"I think Maria was cracked a long time ago," Em chuckled.

"Maria?" I gaffed incredulously.

Maria Santiago was the downfall of Jasper Whitlock. Jasper wasn't always a manwhore extraordinaire like I was. He had his fair share of game when we were in high school and college, for a time I thought he wanted Bella, but it was when he went away to grad school in Texas that he changed. Texas was also a time that a lot changed here at home.

I was an asshole and slept around with the hottest girls Seattle had to offer. I did that because I thought I didn't have a chance with Bella. Jazz later said it was my defense mechanism. Then Bella's twenty-first birthday happened and we found out we were going to be parents.

I was growing up here while Jasper was living a different life completely. He started talking about Maria his second year in Texas not much was said, but she was beautiful and he thought her to be his soul mate. Those words coming from Jasper had to mean something.

Before any of us knew it Jasper had proposed to Maria. She came home with him for Mackenzie's first Christmas and he was a changed man. He let her walk all over him, she would snip about this or that and he would jump in agreeing. Bella wanted her out of our apartment; she said she didn't want our baby around someone so toxic.

Maria told him she couldn't see how he handled being friends with such people all his life and then began spouting off in Spanish. We didn't see Jasper for two years after that. He didn't come home until she cheated on him with Lucy her best friend. If it wasn't for his only friends in Texas Peter and Charlotte, I don't think he would have ever come home.

Peter apparently found my number in Jazz's phone and told me what happened. Bella told me I had better get my ass on a plane to bring him home and that's what I did. He didn't argue with me, he just let me pack everything up and came home with me.

"Man, we're just meeting to talk," he said quickly.

"What about Alice?" I asked disbelievingly.

"Alice…"

"No, I don't want to hear you say anything else. Even though Alice is new to all of our lives, she is like my sister. She has done more for my family then most people would ever do for practical strangers. I won't let you treat her like this," I hissed.

"It's not a date," he insisted, but I could see he wasn't telling us something. "Besides you're one to fucking talk."

"What is that supposed to mean?" I spat.

"It's just you shouldn't be givin' lectures about keepin' dicks in pants is all," he said nonchalantly, it made me want to kick his ass.

"You have to be shitting me right now," I laughed humorlessly, running my hand through my hair.

"Can't handle the truth?" Jazz taunted.

"Not that it's any of your business, but I haven't been with anyone, but Bella in the last five years." I snapped.

Jasper stared at me skeptically almost as though he was trying to read me for a lie.

"Dude, he's not lying," Emmett defended me. "You should also apologize, because even I know my little brother has more respect for Bella than that."

"Thanks," I muttered as Em gave me a sheepish smile.

"You told me earlier that the Maria thing was a quick fuck," Em added giving Jazz a pointed look.

"I was just talkin'," Jasper shrugged, avoiding my gaze.

"Alice needs to stay away from you," I fumed.

"Get off your fucking high horse Cullen," he seethed. "You give me all this shit, but look at you. Your twenty-eight years old with a weird fuckin' relationship. You were a selfish bastard that took Bells virginity and it resulted in a perfect mistake for you. That little girl made your life easier."

I saw red and before I knew it, Emmett was pulling me off my former best friend of twenty-six years. I felt my eye start to sting and knew that was his only hit he was able to get in. He was worse for wear and I'm pretty fucking sure I broke the asshole's nose.

Emmett took the Vanquish keys out of my jacket pocket and threw them at Jasper.

"Get out of here Whitlock," he said calmly.

"Already gone," Jazz said spitting the blood from his mouth.

The car sped out of my now foiled date location. I slowly sat down on the bench. He was an asshole. He had no right talking about my child like that. I felt Emmett's massive hand on my shoulder.

"You know he's just saying shit because he felt like he was being attacked," he said slowly.

"That gives him no right…"

"I know," he sighed. "I'll let you borrow Rose's Mercedes, hell I think it will work out better for you because it's a convertible."

"How could he say…"

"He didn't mean it, we all love Mack-mini. You know Jazz would take a bullet for her. The thing is you both know how to hit low and get reactions. Honestly, I think the whole Maria thing was for closure or something so he could move forward with Alice," he mused. For a moment he looked and acted like our Father, it was kind of freaking me out.

"When did you become so wise?"

"I think when I turned thirty, maybe the same will happen for you," he grinned, messing with my already unruly hair. "Let's get you ready and back to your girl."

We stopped and picked up Rose's car, I quickly changed at their house. I wasn't looking too bad. Alice gave me black slacks and a white button down saying it would do. Once I got back to the house I heard Mackenzie throwing a fit and rushed up stairs.

Alice stood their frowning at Bella as she held Mackenzie on her lap on our bed. "She's ruining the dress," Alice huffed brushing past me.

I finally took her in and I didn't know if Alice was talking about Bella or Mackenzie. Bella had on one of Alice's dresses and she was gorgeous. It was a silk midnight blue dress that clung to her perfectly. My favorite thing about the dress was the plunging neckline that was pushing up the twins, 'hello twins' at that. Though the dress was amazing Bella managed to throw on one of my zip hoodies over it. The newest accessory she was wearing was a crying four-year-old wearing Dora pajamas.

"I still sick," Mackenzie cried as she buried her face into Bella's neck.

"You played all day," Bella countered softly.

"I was bored," she retorted, now wiping her face on the hoodie.

I kneeled down so I was eye level with my daughter. Her big brown eyes were sad, but curious.

"Hey," I murmured, brushing back the hair that was sticking to her face.

"Daddy," she whined, sticking out her little arms to me.

I took her, but noticed Bella giving me a reluctant look. Something was definitely up with her.

"Why are you crying?" I asked gently.

"I want to go," she pouted as her lip began to tremble again.

"But Nana's coming over to play with you."

"She is?"

"Just to see you," I explained poking her nose.

"Nana can play with Drix too," she said, wiping at her eyes.

"That's very nice of you."

"Drix is a puppy, she likes to play."

"Then it's a good thing she has you to play with her," I nodded.

"I'm done crying," she announced.

"Good it makes me sad when you cry," I told her kissing her head.

"I can go the next time?" she asked hopeful.

"I'll plan a Daddy and Kenzer's night," I said hugging her tightly.

"Okay," she smiled brightly at me.

Mackenzie shimmied off my lap and ran downstairs.

"We can stay home," Bella said quietly, stroking my arm.

"I'm taking you out," I said shaking my head adamantly.

"Okay, I was just saying we've all had a rough couple of days."

"We need this, love. I like the dress by the way," I smirked, tugging my finger in the v of her neckline.

"Alice thought you would," she giggled. "It makes me look like I actually have boobs."

"I love your boobs," I grinned.

"I bet you do," she smirked, bringing her hand to rest on the back of my neck.

She was beautiful and mine. My mind kept going back to what Jasper said. He didn't know shit. Bella was always too good for me and I was well aware of that. I fucked up and did a lot of things I can now say I was never proud of. I was a coward that hid in other women, quite literally at that.

Everything shifted the moment I met my daughter. I knew I changed my ways when Bella told me she was pregnant, but I saw this little person she gave me I knew that it would only ever be them.

"Care to share," she asked, running her finger through my hair.

"Just thinking," I sighed.

"Does it have anything to do with Jasper?" she murmured as her fingers brushed my injured eye.

"What do you know?" I asked cautiously.

"He stopped by with a broken nose apologizing to Alice and me."

"He said some things…" I began.

"And you said some things," she supplied and I nodded.

"He is an asshole."

"He's your best friend," she argued.

"You're my best friend." And she was.

"I'm your girl," she pointed out, kissing me sweetly.

"That you are," I smiled. "Let's go."

"You will tell me about this whole Jasper thing. I heard his side and I want to hear yours so I can compare stories."

"Later," I agreed.

"Where are we going that I don't need shoes?" She asked when I picked her up.

"Patience darling," I said placing a quick kiss on her cheek.

"Oh God, you just sounded like your dad."

"That's a bad thing?"

"You don't sound right calling me darling," she said scrunching her nose.

"How bout I call ya sweet cheeks?" I asked.

"Ugh now you sound like Em." Her face looked even more disgusted.

"We don't want that."

"Definitely not," she said, letting her thumb brush my cheek.

We made our way to the living room to say our good byes to Mackenzie. Alice gave me a wary smile. I wondered if Jasper's apology to her involved the Maria story.

When we did leave, Bella grew more suspicious since we were in Rose's car heading towards Forks. I sped the whole way to our meadow. The meadow was a place Bella and I would go when either one of us was stressed or just needed somewhere peaceful. It had been our meadow since we were young.

I got out of the car, scooping her into my arms and carried her to the bench I had in the middle of the field.

"What is this?"

"Watch," I said placing a kiss right below her ear.

I pulled the remote for the projector out of my pocket and hit play towards the screen. I was smooth and had My Heart photo album made into a slide show. I also added Adele's Make You Feel My Love to the production before us.

I glanced over to my angel and saw the tears streaming down her face. She shifted and made her way to my lap. She cuddled closer to me her eyes never leaving the screen.

The final picture was of us in Fiji and she turned her focus to me.

"When…where did those come from," she sniffled.

"That is from the album I carry, when I go on assignments," I said gazing into her beautiful eyes.

"You take those with you?"

"Everywhere."

She stared at me and grabbed my face for a searing kiss. "I love you lots," she said against my mouth.

"Mmm," I agreed.

That's how I knew Jasper was wrong. I would do anything for her and never hurt her. She was my world.

A/N: Happy Valentine's Day I guess, not going to lie I'm not really a fan of it. Any who this is my gift to all of you. Thanks for all your sympathy for my heat and power loss good thing is I got it back!

I have the next chapter done and am shaping it up for all of your expectations. I'm pretty geeked about your reactions.

I do want to recommend a couple of fics I'm reading that I think deserve some love. Some Life in Me by Pinkpixiechick it's four chapters in, but pretty good so far and a little heartbreaking. The other is Winter of Love by BelleDean it's all human and takes place in the sixties and I love that decade. It's weird because I was born in 87, but I always love the sixties my minor was history maybe that explains it?

Again I want to thank my beta dolphin62598 because she's awesome! Read and review, please!