Disclaimer: Characters belong to SM, I'm just borrowing them for a little angsty fun.

Warning: This story contains graphic adult situations. 18+ please.

"I'll show you Love
I'll show you Everything
With Arms Wide Open"

— With Arms Wide Open, by: Creed

Hourglass
Chapter: 23

-Rosalie POV-

The stress levels in the house after I came out to Bella and my brother about being pregnant has increased tenfold. If Bella was jumpy before, she's downright cagey and paranoid now.

The only person who she doesn't seem to snap at is Edward. I envy the budding relationship that's growing between them, and I pray that he's good to her. Lord knows she deserves it.

I wish I could've been a little more prepared when I told her. I didn't mean to just blurt it out the way I did, but my mind was all over the place. I felt like I was going to explode if I didn't get the words out. I've never been good at keeping my own secrets, just Royce's really.

Nothing could've prepared me for the unbridled rage she exuded when she flew down the stairs with that shotgun in her hand. I was even more startled when Edward went after her in the front yard instead of Emmett.

Emmett is always looking out for her, for everyone really. He's kind of like a big bodyguard, but at the same time he's kind of like a big teddy-bear. I can tell how much he's come to care for Bella in the short time he's known her, and if I couldn't tell just by how they interact, I can hear it when he calls her "sis" or "Bells".

So when Edward ran full-speed after Bella and tackled her down in the front yard, I was left feeling shocked, intrigued, and curious. From the short time I've known Edward and Emmett, Edward has always been the quiet one. He's the observer, and Emmett's the extrovert.

Edward's actions that night spoke volumes. He obviously cared for Bella very much, and he was worried about her wellbeing and her future. Concerned enough to go head-to-head and toe-to-toe with an armed, furious, and terribly stubborn woman.

The second I saw her step off that last step with the gun in her hand I froze with dread.

Nobody crosses Royce King and lives to tell the tale.

By the time my brain caught up with what was happening, and I was just about to scream for someone to stop her—Edward and Emmett were already out the door.

Emmett, frozen on the front stoop, probably afraid of what it would mean to go after a pissed off Bella with a loaded shot gun. And Edward, one of the bravest people I've ever met, throwing caution to the wind and knocking it straight out of Bella—and hopefully knocking some sense into her as well.

They're both great men, in their faults and their strengths. I'll never be able to thank Edward enough for stopping Bella that night.

When they kissed out by her truck, the entire house fell silent. Emmett, Jasper, and I stopped breathing as we sat in frozen shock—awaiting what would happen next. I mean, one second she was sobbing, the next he's cradling her—and then suddenly—bam, he moves in and kisses her.

Maybe I should've told Edward and Emmett how much Bella hates surprises.

We were all stunned when she pushed him away and slapped him across the face, but he didn't look stunned. Not one bit.

After that, I placed my hand on Emmett's shoulder and tugged the curtain closed above the sink so we could no longer spy on them. Whatever happened between them was their business, and we had no right to watch as much as we had. As soon as we knew that Edward wasn't going to let her leave, and that Bella wasn't going to shoot him, we should've stopped.

Although, the chances of her shooting him probably doubled after that kiss.

When they came back inside a few minutes later, they looked content and calm. They stole glances at one another when they didn't think anyone was looking, it was really very cute. Seeing Bella Swan twitterpatted was a new, and very good look on her.

After they settled back inside for the night, and Jasper returned Charlie's shotgun to where it belonged, Edward and Emmett excused themselves for the evening, leaving Jasper, Bella, and me alone to talk out the recent turn of events.

To say I was scared shitless of the future would be putting it mildly, and I still am, but I'm taking everything day by day.

We decided to sit around the dining room table again. Jasper fixed me a light, quick sandwich that I picked at while I waited for someone to start talking. After a few awkward moments, Jasper finally cleared his throat.

"So…" he said, trying to get us to speak up.

"What are you going to do?" Bella asked quietly. She couldn't make eye contact, and she chose to stare at my sandwich instead of up at me.

"What do you mean?" I asked, not understanding her question.

"Are you…" She trailed off, looking frustrated as she gripped her hair and yanked on it before raising her gaze to meet mine. "Are you going to have it?"

"Of course," I answered without hesitation.

I refuse to hold the fact that the father is a monster against my child. Yes, the baby growing inside of me is half Royce, but it's also half me. I refuse to end its life just because Royce tried to end mine. I will not stoop to his level.

Bella swallowed thickly and dropped her gaze to the tabletop. I could hear her taking deep calming breaths, and I wanted nothing more than to soothe her, but I wouldn't budge on this. I refused to kill my baby.

Life is a gift to be cherished. I refuse to extinguish this light just because it stems from the darkest part of my life. This baby is the rose in the crack of my frozen sidewalk. It's beauty in pain, and I could never do anything to hurt it.

"Have you thought about this, Rose? Really thought about it?" Jasper cut in where Bella trailed off.

"Yes." My answer was unwavering.

That was the last time we spoke about the possibility of terminating my pregnancy. It was also the day some of the light left Bella's eyes.

. . . . . . .

I know it's been hard for Bella to look at me since finding out about the baby. I'm not really showing yet, but baby fever is kind of in the air. Jasper says I have that glow about me, the one that screams, "I've got a bun in the oven" at least, according to him.

I know that in time, Royce will end up finding out about the baby. I can't stay locked up inside Charlie's house forever, and it's not like I can just run off and leave my life in Forks behind—besides, he'd probably find me anyway.

I haven't decided yet what I'll do when he finds out. I'm not so naïve to think that he would want to become a happy family, or to think that this would make him wake up and settle down. Being naïve almost got me killed once. If I want any chance at a happy future for myself—or my child—I can't be that same sheltered girl again.

Not that I think he'd drop his entire life just to search me out anyway, well, at least not out of love. If he wants me dead, he definitely would. I have no doubts that Royce would stop at nothing to make sure I was no longer breathing if he truly wanted me dead.

What I can't figure out is why we haven't heard from him yet.

What are you waiting for, Royce? Why haven't you shown yourself, yet?

Along with occasional sickness and mildly bizarre food cravings, I'm also starting to have really strange dreams. I haven't been able to remember much of them when I wake up, but the parts I do remember after waking quickly fade away as I become more alert.

The only reason I know I'm dreaming—and apparently quite vividly —is because Jasper, Bella, and Charlie have all at some point or another made comments about it. They've all heard me sleep-talking, seen me thrashing, or been woken from my blood-curdling screams.

Maggie tells me that my strange dreams are normal. She said that the change in my hormones could be attributed to it. She also asked me to write down anything that I can remember from my dreams, so that we could figure out what is subconsciously bothering me.

As if we really need to dissect my dreams, though. I have a psycho ex-boyfriend who raped and tried to murder me just over seven weeks ago. Pretty sure the trauma is still fresh, and I'm still freaking the fuck out.

Apparently mood swings are a part of the pregnancy process as well. Super.

Speaking of mood swings, my parents still haven't returned from their trip. Wherever the hell they are. I stopped caring a while ago. My mother has always been this…cold, but my dad was always her opposite. Where she was cold and cruel, he was warm and loving. I suppose it's normal for a little bitterness to creep in when you find out that your own parents have deserted you.

I could almost understand it if I had a habitual drug problem, or a police record, or just…was a murderous, terrible person, but I'm not. I'm their daughter I've done absolutely nothing wrong, except for fall for a terrible person. And technically, Dad shouldn't be pointing any fingers at me, because Mom isn't such a great person either.

Any person that takes pleasure from another's pain is a terrible person. But I don't really need them in my life, anyway. Not when I'm surrounded by so many good people. People like Bella, Jasper, Charlie, Emmett, Edward, and Doctor and Mrs. Cullen.

Those are the people I need in my life.

Author's note: Thank you for reading. More to come in a couple of weeks.

xxoo,

Missy