A/N: Many thanks to all who have reviewed! Thank you! Each and everyone one brings a smile to my face. I originally promised to be the author who always responded to all my reviews... but life has gotten in the way. Teaching, lesson plans, working with a brand new curriculum, and writing have bogged me down. I had to choose writing over reviews. I will still endeavor to answer as many as I can! I adore you all.

Thanks to MarchHare5 and twicrack83. Eskimo kisses to both of you-from Edward, of course.

Thanks to nowforruin! Thanks to MsWDarcy (because I still heart you)! And thanks to Haz, my lil' sis.

Warning: adult content and violence. **Mention of physical and sexual assault. **

Disclaimer: all recognizable characters and Twilight belong to Stephenie Meyer, the rest is copyrighted 2010 ElspethGordie

xoxo

Chapter Twenty: Counsel

"Isabella Swan?" the nurse called.

Shaking the cobwebs from my brain, I tried to ignore the feeling my memory had thrust upon me.

Alice smiled at me eager to get on with the appointment. This time I literally shook my head pushing away the thoughts of hopeless women and my flight from the clinic.

Before I got home that day I'd received no less than twenty messages from my mother begging, cajoling, and threatening me to come back. She even managed to hold my appointment for another two hours, but I never showed.

She barely spoke to me for the next week while I tried to figure out how to come and live with Charlie. I didn't know what to do with her, and she didn't know what to do with me.

"Isabella Swan?" the nurse called again.

I hoisted myself up as Alice tried to help. That midget didn't do much. She propped up my crutches and I hobbled over to the entrance to the doctor's examining rooms.

Crutches were one of the worst things in the world to have to endure. They make your hands and armpits sore. You can easily rub your hands to ease some of the tension out, but have you ever tried rubbing your armpits? It doesn't work.

I grimaced as I made my way down the hall. Alice kept chirping encouraging sentiments, but it just kinda made me want to bite her head off. A whole lot.

"Oh, Bella, this is so exciting!" she rambled on at my side, no longer making any attempt to help me.

The nurse looked at me with concern,\ which didn't really help the situation. She beamed at Alice like she was a goddess. I had to admit, she is one of a kind. How many pregnant teenagers can say they have a friend willing to attend doctors' appointments with them? Other than on overly cheerful, product riddled primetime television?

"Isabella, why don't you set your things in this room and we'll take your weight and height before we start." The nurse pointed towards the room then scale in the hallway.

I set down my bag and took off my shoes, hoping to eliminate as much extraneous weight as possible. I knew I was pregnant, but what woman wants to see their weight increase exponentially?

That's right, no one.

While I followed the nurse's instructions, Alice began to subtly ask about the previous evening. Well, subtle for Ali.

"So, how'd you like Sedona?"

I shrugged, trying to not show the enthusiasm I could feel bursting from me.

"Edward's been really nervous. Not that he told me or anything." She frowned. "He doesn't include me much anymore. But I could tell! He kept replaying some obnoxious song in his room all week, and he got up extra early every morning to run. He almost went to school all sweaty on Thursday, but I told him we weren't leaving for school with him that disgusting."

I blushed, thinking of sweaty Edward. Ducking my head, I tried to hide the burn.

"Bella, I can see that! You have to tell me what happened!" She gave me a semblance of help when the nurse asked me to change into one of those awful hospital gowns. Honestly, they are undignified.

"We had a picnic." I smiled.

"And?"

"We watched the sunset."

"And?" She tapped her foot impatiently as she gave me an oomph onto the examining table.

I looked at her disdainfully. "I got stung by a scorpion."

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. But right before that?"

My eye widened. How on earth did she know? Everything had been so crazy even I had forgotten that we almost kissed.

I almost kissed Edward Cullen.

Edward Cullen almost kissed me!

A smile grew quickly on my face and Alice giggled uncontrollably.

"Oh! I know what that is! Bella got kissed!" she sang in a sing-song voice.

I shook my head, not hiding the blush. "No…"

"But?" She physically leaned in for my answer.

"Almost."

She jumped back and clapped her hands. "Oh this is so perfect! He's been such a pain in the ass since last year. Do you know he actually talked to me? He talked to Mom! You are the reason he has been on cloud nine most of the week!"

I leaned back on the table, happy. I knew what he did for me. He calmed me. He made me feel safe. He touched me. But the idea that I could do something for him? It was mind boggling.

Then everything went sour. How could this work out? It was impossible. It would be better to stay away from him. I didn't want to ruin his life.

"Alice?" She stopped talking instantly at the sound of my voice. "He knows. Everything."

Her eyes popped open. "I figured he knew about the baby from the hospital visit, but everything?"

I nodded. "And more."

"There's more?" Her eyebrows twisted up.

I sighed. "He got all the details."

"Oh." Her little lips stayed frozen in place. "How'd he take it?"

"Did you see the two huge holes in the kitchen wall?"

She nodded. I cocked one eyebrow in response.

Ali tilted her head back and forth, thinking over the two giant holes in my perfect kitchen. "Well, it could have been worse."

I looked at her incredulously. "How so?"

"He hasn't driven up to Washington and murdered anyone in their sleep."

I chuckled darkly. "Yeah, that's a relief."

She shrugged her shoulders. "I already offered. Ribcage hats are very fashionable these days."

We sat in companionable silence for a few minutes. Me, contemplating Edward and the paradigm that he is, and Alice… who knew what she was thinking about.

I looked at the clock. We'd been waiting in the examining room for over ten minutes. It was just like doctors to demand that we be on time, but then force us to sit in cold examining rooms in humiliating backless gowns for ages.

Not wanting to be left to my thoughts, because we know how dangerous that can be, I changed the topic.

"So Alice… Jasper?" Her head shot up like she'd been hit with a stun gun. Just saying his name woke her up, gave her life.

"He notices me."

I rolled my eyes. "No, duh."

She stared directly into my eyes, no hesitation. "He's it."

"It?" I shook my head at her, confused. "It it?"

Alice's gaze drifted off like she could see something I couldn't, and a ghostly smile floated onto her face. "I've known it for a while. But when he talked to me more than as Edward's sister, it clinched it."

She reached forward unable to control herself, like we were on one of those sitcoms that has the "moral of the story" at the end of every episode.

"I can see our entire future together."

"Wow… Alice, that's uh, great…" I drifted off.

She rolled her eyes. "I know, I sound crazy, but that's just how I feel."

"Have you even gone on a date yet?" I tried to bring her back to reality. Jasper was great. I even thought he was great for Alice. But, gosh, she had gone even further than I expected.

"No. But we will. He's just working up the nerve." She flounced her dark hair over a shoulder. "My dad says I'm intimidating."

I stifled a chuckle. Don't all dads tell their daughters if they can't get a date that the boys are just scared of them and don't know what they are missing?

Then again, Dr. Cullen might be right about Alice. She was a force to be reckoned with.

Alice used her hand to brush the air. "Don't worry, its not like I'm going to ever tell Jasper all this! He would run screaming!" She laughed at herself.

I nodded, an amused smile teasing my face.

She shook one finger at me. "And you better not tell him either!"

I held up three fingers, and no, I was not telling her to read between the lines, "Scout's honor."

Alice proceeded to spit on her right hand and offer it to me in a handshake. I looked between her and her hand.

She has got to be kidding.

She glared at me, reaching her hand forcefully towards me, challenging me. I looked up at the ceiling. Returning her glare with one of my own I spit in my own hand and grabbed hers firmly, tighter than a handshake really required, but I just wanted to make her hand as slobbery as possible.

It was gross.

Alice's face scrunched up as she tried to pull her slimey hand back; just before I let go, the doctor swept into the room.

"Ew gross, Bella!" Alice whined at the same time the doctor introduced herself.

"I'm Dr. Carmen Randall." She offered a hand to shake.

We both sheepishly wiped our hands on our clothes as nonchalantly as possible. My tomato-colored skin and Alice's hiccup laughs gave us away. Maturity? What's that?

"Hi, I'm Bella Swan, and this is Alice." My embarrassment meter went up a few points. Her hand was still dangling in the air. "You don't really want to shake my hand right now."

She laughed, her voice was a full alto, rich and deep. "That's okay, I recognize a girl pact when I see it."

Dr. Randall went over to the sink to wash her hands. She lathered them up and dried them before she sat down with a small laptop she brought.

"Okay, Bella, how are we feeling today?" She looked directly into my eyes. Her demeanor changed so quickly, one moment she was smiling at our antics and the next she was down to business.

"Uh, fine under the circumstances," I said skirting the question. Her shift in behavior threw me off balance.

She pursed her lips, typing a few things into the computer. "Could you tell me what circumstances you imply?"

I looked over at Alice, unsure what I should say, what exactly she needed to know.

Getting no clear answer from Ali, I stared silently at my hands.

"Let me tell you what I know, okay?" she urged. I nodded. "You are eighteen years old. You are still in school. You are around twenty weeks pregnant. Due to your age and situation you are what we consider a high risk pregnancy. Do you know why?"

I shook my head.

"Your body is still growing. You are still changing and developing. It means your body isn't helping your baby grow one hundred percent.

"This is also your first prenatal appointment. You have greatly risked yourself and your baby by not getting the care that you both need before now. Because you have not taken better care of yourself this is again increasing risk to you and your baby on top of the high risk a young pregnancy can provide.

"This is why I need to know as much as possible. I want to help you and your baby. But the only way I can do that is if we work together."

I looked at Alice once more. She nodded, encouraging me to say what was needed.

"What do you need to know?"

OoOoOoOo

I left the doctor's with so much information I felt like my brain was going to explode. Dr. Randall reminded me over and over again that stress was not good for the baby, especially the strain my Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD, was putting on both of us. What I needed to do was calm down.

And breathe.

I took in a few soothing breaths, just like she had me practice in the examining room.

This was after I had a flashback. Of course.

At least I didn't pass out. But there weren't any men to bring on a really good one, so that was a blessing at least.

I told her about the rape and everything after it. Well, everything that pertained to the baby. I doubt she really cared about my issues with Renee or Forks.

She ordered several tests to check on my hormone levels and the baby, but after the ultrasound, despite everything my pregnancy seemed to be progressing normally.

My baby woke up during the ultrasound. It made Alice laugh to see movement on the monitor.

Dr. Randall said that it was a good sign that the baby was so active. She would be worried if I hadn't had any noticeable movement before now.

The scorpion sting made her concerned, but she planned to contact the doctor for my chart from my hospital visit. I didn't know she could do that, but I guess she knew Dr. Sullivan who would help her out. Dr. Randall instructed me to follow the physician's orders for me to stay off my leg and added her own prescription of rest and healthy eating.

The only thing she was pleased with was my diet and consistency in prenatal vitamins. I'd been taking them ever since I decided to keep the baby and fortunately always had a penchant for health foods, much to Charlie's recent pleasure.

The best part of the visit was the pictures. I got to take pictures home of my baby.

My baby was beautiful.

We ended our extended appointment with more information about a social worker, government benefits, and helpful organizations that could assist me as I completed my pregnancy and began my child's life.

Most of it went in one ear and out the other. Ironically, Alice brought a notebook and pen and took notes on most of what Dr. Randall told me. She also collected all the brochures, pamphlets, and business cards for me.

It was like one moment she was this silly lovesick girl and the next, she was take charge woman of the year. I had a feeling that Alice would sort the information into what I needed and could use and what I didn't.

She was officially my hero.

We rode home in silence. Some pop radio station was on in the background. I was lost in thought… or information until Alice broke my reverie.

"When are you going to tell Emmett?"

"Huh?" I asked.

"Emmett, when are you going to tell him? He's technically known you the longest."

My face scrunched up at the thought. Another person to tell? It was tormenting enough to tell the few people I had.

"I hadn't thought of it," I replied honestly.

"I know you just told me, Charlie, and Edward, but… you are showing more and more every day. I'm surprised Rose hasn't said anything yet. I don't know if Emmett or Jazz would have noticed, they are guys, but other girls might. Who do you want to tell them? You or Lauren Mallory?" Her eyes were fixated on the road, because she knew how hard this was for me… would be for anyone.

I scrunched up my face. Lauren Mallory… if I didn't need to keep my stress levels down…

"What should I do, Ali?" I folded my arms, once again frustrated at life. "Do I sit them down and just tell them I'm pregnant? Do I need to tell them more?"

"Hmm," she hummed. "Why don't you tell them that you're pregnant and take it from there. Answer any questions they have?"

I sighed. There was going to be no right way to do this.

I needed to talk to Edward. If he wanted to talk to me.

OoOoOoOo

We arrived home in the early afternoon, back later than we expected, and I was starving. After failing in all things crutches, but finally reaching the house, we bee-lined it to the kitchen.

What I found was more delectable than a turkey sandwich or chicken salad on a croissant or a fruit salad or anything else my pregnant mind was momentarily craving.

I found a shirtless Edward covered in dry wall dust and spackle.

Yummy.

Alice groaned. "Edward! Put a shirt on! Bella is going to drool all over the kitchen floor!"

Edward whipped around, pulling ear buds out of his ears. My face immediately heated. The front was even better than the back… okay, it was an even tie, but his face was the icing on the cake. He cracked his lopsided smile and I could feel tingles in my core.

Tingles! Me! Who knew?

Edward leaned confidently on the edge of the counter top, observing my inability to stop sexing him up with my eyes.

"Hey," his voice rumbled, deeper than usual.

"Hey," I squeaked back.

Alice huffed, mumbling to herself, "Get a room," as she opened the fridge searching for our lunch.

Edward arched one brow at the request. If my face could have gotten hotter, it would have. I felt the need to splash it with cold water because I didn't think it would ever go away.

Because, dammit, that request sounded good.

Alice continued to mumble into the fridge, while we took our time staring at each other. Part of me couldn't figure out how he could look at me like he was doing now. I did see how much I weighed. And no, I am not sharing.

For some reason, I figured that his face didn't look much different than mine. We took our time, but we eventually caught each other's eyes.

It was like I was speeding one hundred miles an hour towards him. I could see his wants, desires, hopes, and fears. I knew that he could see mine too. He probably knew what I was even thinking.

Our connection was broken when Edward's meddling little sister waved her hand in front of my face and asked, "Food?"

I was understandably distracted.

"How was the appointment?" Edward asked, still leaning against the counter.

"Good, Dr. Randall said everything is a-okay," I mumbled through a mouthful of chicken salad.

"And the sting?"

"They did a lot of tests. They'll get back to me in a few days, but from the ultrasound she said the baby and I are fine."

He looked visibly relieved, despite the small winch at the word "baby."

Running a hand through is hair, he nodded towards the wall, "What do you think?"

I looked at the wall and realized that there were no longer two giant holes. Instead the dry wall had been neatly cut and a new piece had been secured in place and spackled. I could barely tell that just this morning my kitchen had been part crater.

"All I need to do is paint." He smiled, seemingly nervous.

"Wow, I could hardly tell. How'd you get this all done?" I stuffed some more food in my mouth. I really hoped that I didn't look like the creepy lord of Gondor from Lord of the Rings.

He looked proud. "I talked Emmett into helping me. He walked me through most of it. He went to get the paint while I finished the spackle."

"You did a good job."

He laughed. "I'm just glad Charlie didn't kill me."

It made me snort. "Yeah, me too."

Alice butted in, "I'm surprised Mom and Dad didn't kill you." She raised an eyebrow saying more than just words.

Edward scowled. "They understood."

I looked back and forth between them, confused about the subtext I wasn't picking up.

"Besides, Charlie told me he wished he'd put a hole in the wall first."

I giggled, unable to hold it back. Just last night I was wishing I'd put a hole in the wall. Who knew we all held grudges against dry wall?

Alice joined in first, soon to be followed by Edward. Laughing probably wasn't the best reaction to the whole situation. But, you gotta admit, it's better than crying.

We were all hunched over our bellies laughing ridiculously when Emmett thundered into the house, bellowing about the horrible service at Home Depot.

Entering the kitchen, he stopped and waited, a picture of confusion. His facial expression made the three of us start laughing all over again. It probably wasn't that funny, but our emotional capacity had reached its peak, therefore everything was funny.

I wiped tears of laughter off my face. It was nice to cry over something funny.

Emmett rolled his eyes. Directing his comment at Alice, he said, "Just arrived from the funny farm and brought the crazy back with you?"

"Yeah, I was reserving your spot."

Emmett held his hand to his heart, "You wound me."

"Really, they are expecting you on Tuesday. Your roommate is a shriveled guy named Aro. He can't wait to tell you all about your inmost secrets." Alice flipped her hair over her shoulder in mock triumph.

Emmett guffawed at her retort, not insulted in the least. Actually he looked a little bit proud. Edward looked like his eyes were permanently fixed to the ceiling. I wondered if they were like that a lot around these two.

I snorted, as ladylike as possible.

Emmett set a can of paint down in front of Edward and handed him a brush. "Get to work, Leonardo."

"Thanks." Edward smacked Emmett, then dodged his returning whack.

"So Bellasaurus, I hear you've been causing trouble all over the place." Emmett sat down and began munching on bits and pieces of my lunch that dropped onto my plate. It was like being around a wild animal.

"I have crutches and I'm not afraid to use them." I tried to lift them menacingly, but my hands slipped and they crashed to the floor.

Ali, Edward, and Emmett laughed while I cracked a smile. Not one of my most graceful moments… then again, I didn't think I'd ever had one of those moments.

Emmett leaned back in his chair, reaching his arms behind his head and airing his smelling armpits for the rest of us. Alice began to flit around the kitchen cleaning up the mess she made pulling together lunch. I thought she was also mumbling a list to herself. I heard "alphabet letters" and "pink elephants." Ironically, I thought I knew what she was talking about.

I unconsciously began rubbing my stomach in response to the miniature gymnastics taking place inside.

"All right, homeboys, here's the dealio." Emmett smacked his palms on the table making it shake. I hoped it would hold together. "I asked out Rose."

Alice swiveled so fast I thought she was going to fall over.

We simultaneously tried to speak over each other.

"Homeboys?"

"Rose?"

"Dealio?"

"Rose?"

Edward didn't even bother to more than pause momentarily in his painting. He looked over his shoulder and perceptibly shrugged.

"We've got to work on your slang!" Alice exclaimed. "And finally! I was going to ask her out for you if you didn't work up the courage." She swore under her breath about terrified guys and intimidating girls.

I held up my hands in confusion. "Wait a minute! You haven't asked out Rose until now?"

Emmett blushed. "I had to make sure."

"Well, you took your good ol' time. No wonder I can never tell if she's happy or pissed off!" I said, shaking my head.

Edward exhaled, barely concealing a laugh. "That's just Rose. You probably won't be able to tell much of a difference now either."

Smirking, I patted the table near Emmett's hand. "Good for you. I'm happy for you."

He rubbed his neck awkwardly, looking between me and Alice. "Thanks. But I have a problem. You see, the date's tonight and I have no idea what to do."

"Tonight?" Alice screeched.

He nodded bashfully.

"You gave me barely anytime to work with!" she lamented.

Alice began rambling over the numerous options he had. I was glad she was bursting with ideas because I hadn't a spec of advice to give him. I'd gone on my first date in months yesterday and I ended up in the hospital.

I pushed myself up out of my chair, bending over to pick up my crutches. My bladder was beginning to bother me, and I didn't think that I would be missed.

Taking care of business, I hobbled back to the kitchen where Alice was speaking faster than humanly understandable. I could see Emmett through the doorway all the way into the living room nodding vigorously at whatever she was saying.

Before I had a chance of getting halfway across the living room the doorbell rang. Groaning, I changed directions and limped to the front door, forgetting to look through the peep hole.

Opening the door, I stepped back, shocked.

"Isabella!" my mother cried.

My body was frozen as she threw her arms around me and hugged me tight to her chest.

"Oh, my, you are getting so big! I've decided to come and help with the baby. You can't have a baby without your mother!" She beamed as she placed her hands on my growing tummy.

"Baby?" I heard Emmett gasp a few yards behind me.

I turned to find Emmett standing stock still, his eyes wide and mouth fixed. His eyes flickered between me, my mother, and my belly.

Alice stood a few feet behind him with intense concern etched on her face. She seemed lost as to what to do or what to say.

But worst of all was Edward standing in the door frame of the kitchen with a murderous look directed at Renee.

You know how this works ;) Make the monkey dance.

Recs:

Legacy by AutumnDreamer - love this one, my jaw was literally on the floor at her major plot twist. Yes, it was that good.
Summary: Edward is used to living life as a solitary teenager until he moves to Washington & reluctantly makes friends. When everything seems to be going right, his world is torn apart by a long-kept secret that leaves him questioning everything he's ever known.

The Hostage by ebalways - really well written, regular updates, on Twilighted. Honestly, I look at her angst and I hope that mine can minutely compare.
Summary: Trapped by the realities of her life, Bella Swan lives in solitude until the day everything changes. SWAT officer Edward Cullen wants to help, but getting too close to the courageous older woman may be more than either one can handle. B/E, AH, Lang/Lemons.