All Things Twilight belong to Stephenie Meyer; I just like to play with her characters.

No copyright infringement is intended.

HUGE thanks to my betas darcysmom and twimom817 as well as my pre-reader EdwardsMyObsession1971 - without these ladies this would be a mess.

When You Least Expect It

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Declarations

EPOV

Wrapping early ended up being a very good thing. If filming hadn't finished, Jasper would have missed out on the birth of his son. I was so grateful that we got there when we did. Bella was able to go with her friends, Jasper was able to be with his fiancee for the birth of their baby, and I got the entire afternoon and evening with Kaden.

Best. Day. Ever.

I laid watching Kaden sleep for the longest time. After he whispered 'daddy' in his sleep, I couldn't take my eyes off of him. When he finally woke, I was dozing next to him and I woke to an excited squeal.

"Ewward! You're hewe!"

"Hey, buddy," I chuckled. "I am here. Did you have a good nap?"

"Uh huh! Did you tell Mommy dat you'we hewe?" Kaden asked with wide eyes.

"Yeah, buddy. Mommy knows I'm here. In fact, Mommy asked me to watch you this afternoon. She went to the hospital with Uncle Jazz and Aunt Alice."

"Da hospital? Does dat mean da baby's comin'?"

"It sure does, Little Man. It might be a while before he gets here though, so you and me are gonna hang out this afternoon, okay?"

"Otay."

"All right, now let's pack up a few of your things, and Emmett is going to take us over to my house - is that okay?"

"Uh huh!" He nodded excitedly.

More than anything, I wanted Bella and Kaden to come back to my house and stay with me. It was with that thought in mind that I packed up a few of her clothes and her toiletries from the bathroom. Kaden helped me pack up some of his things and I called Emmett to let him know we were ready to be picked up.

It was a beautiful afternoon in L.A. and once we got to my house, I suggested to Kaden that we go out to the backyard. It was obvious from our conversation that Kaden missed their dog Koda very much. Bella had left her at her dad's when she went to stay with Alice because there was no place for her at Alice's. Immediately, Emmett volunteered to go to Bella's dads and pick her up. I couldn't say no, of course, because it meant that everything that meant anything to Bella was there at my home.

We spent the afternoon playing in my backyard, Kaden had brought out a couple of his trucks and we made a mud pile. Together, me, Kaden, and Koda, played in my backyard until it got too dark to see. When we were finished, we completely covered in mud and dirt and it was the best afternoon I'd had since the afternoon I spent with Bella and Kaden at the Medina.

We hosed off our feet and cleaned up enough so that we could go into the house without tracking dirt everywhere. We changed clothes quickly and not long after, Kaden announced he was hungry. I wasn't sure what would be in the house that was edible, but thankfully, Bella had stocked the kitchen the day before and the pantry still had a few things in it from before Bella came into my life.

"What do you want to eat, Little Man?" I asked, afraid of his answer.

"Mac n' Cheese!" Kaden cheered.

Knowing Bella, she probably made the best mac n' cheese from scratch, but I wasn't savvy enough in the kitchen to even dare attempt it. In fact, I wouldn't even know where to begin. I found a couple cups of Easy Mac in the pantry – something I hadn't had since Lauren lived with me. Kaden seemed okay with it and we even managed to find some apple juice that Bella had bought.

As we sat on the couch eating our dinner, Bella called to check in and let me know how Alice was faring. I told her all about our afternoon. I wished that she'd been there to share it with us, but I was also glad to have the time with Kaden.

I didn't know how long Bella would be tied up at the hospital, but I was prepared for any length of time. Taking care of Kaden was incredibly easy and seemed to come naturally to me. Bath time was saved by Bella reminding me not to use bubble bath. How could I possibly have forgotten something like that? My first thought was that I wasn't capable of taking care of Kaden without Bella's help, but in every giggle and every smile Kaden gave me, I knew I was doing okay.

I settled Kaden into the guest room, and we put Bella on speakerphone so that we could read his bedtime story together. Once Nana had gotten Wendy, John, and Michael all tucked into bed, I closed the book and kissed my favorite Little Man goodnight. He was sound asleep and had been for some time, but I knew that Bella was listening. In a moment of pure vulnerability, she'd admitted that she found the sound of my voice soothing. She sounded so tired, but Alice wasn't progressing very quickly, so she was more than prepared to be at the hospital all night.

Emmett was sitting at the breakfast bar when I made my way back downstairs. I still had to clean up the kitchen after our dinner and dessert messes, and there was a load of dirty clothes to take care of that I didn't want to leave for Bella. After all, the dirt and mud was my idea.

"I'm gonna head back to the hospital and just hang out." Emmett announced.

"I just talked to Bella a bit ago, she said things are progressing slowly."

"Doesn't matter. I can wait at the hospital just as well as I can wait here or at home. Bella will be exhausted unless she can get some rest."

I nodded and thanked him again. Emmett had become more than a part of my security team – he'd been a good friend to both Bella and me and looked out for our well-being in addition to our safety.

It was after midnight when I finished the last load of laundry. I grabbed a beer and sat down on the couch, turning on the TV. I put a movie in to pass the time, and when it was over I shut the TV off. I remember thinking I'd close my eyes for a few minutes to rest, but then Emmett called just before three a.m. to let me know that the baby had been born, and he and Bella would be leaving the hospital shortly. He didn't want to give me details because he knew it was something Bella would want to share with me.

I must have dozed off again because the next thing I knew, Bella's breath was warm on my ear and she was pressing light kisses to my cheek. She was beautiful in the moonlight, but I could tell she was exhausted. We made our way up the stairs and as I changed, I told her that I'd brought a few of her things over from Alice's. She stepped into the bathroom, and I crawled into bed. When she came out, her long hair tumbled over her shoulders and cascaded down her back. I laid out a t-shirt and pair of boxers for her since I wasn't able to find many of her clothes at Alice's. She pulled off her shirt and unfastened her bra, letting it fall to the bed before looking up to find me gazing at her. She was so beautiful, but before I could say anything, she quickly grabbed my t-shirt to cover herself and turned away from me.

Before I could think about what I was doing, I was crawling across the bed to get to her. I needed Bella to know how I felt – that she never needed to turn away from me or feel self-conscious around me. I gently touched the warm skin at the small of her back, hoping that she'd face me. She did, but she slipped the t-shirt over her head before facing me. I never pulled my hand away from her – instead I ghosted it across her skin as she turned to me.

God, I missed her and I told her as much.

My quiet whispers that I'd missed her were the truth and in that moment, they seemed to rock me to my core, and I needed her. Maybe it was a bit selfish because she was so tired, but as I pulled her back to my bed, she followed me willingly and it was in those shared tender moments that I fell in love with Bella Swan a little more.

I loved her slowly and completely before pulling her to my chest and falling asleep with her warm breath on my skin. Making love to Bella was so much better than I remembered. My memory of her didn't do her justice.

The weeks following my return were incredible. Bella and Kaden remained at my house – much to my delight – and Bella asked me if I'd help her in planning Kaden's birthday party. She didn't want to have anything big, but she wanted Alice, Jasper and the baby to come over as well as Charlie. She assured me that it would be the perfect opportunity for me to meet him.

"Edward … he may be a retired Police Officer but he puts his pants on the same way you do, I promise."

While her reassurance didn't make me feel one hundred percent sure of myself and the impression I wanted to make on her dad, I still appreciated it. Deep down, I felt that I had a lot to prove not only because of who I was or what I was but because of Mike and the path of destruction he'd left behind.

In addition to meeting Charlie, there was the challenge of the party itself. I'd never planned a party for a four-year old before. What did I know about kids' birthday parties?

"Baby? Don't look so panicked, Edward. Kaden will be so excited about seeing the baby that he probably won't even care what else is going on. I do have one thing to ask though … do you think your parents and sister would like to come?"

Bella was so sincere in her hope that my family would come that I couldn't help but tell her yes. She'd won the hearts of my parents and my sister Carlie and her fiancé Jared. Rosalie wasn't sold on her yet, but she was getting there. When Rosalie saw us together, I was sure she'd have a new appreciation for Bella.

The day before the party, Bella was up earlier than usual. She wanted to go the market and get everything she needed. She kissed me before slipping out the door promising that she'd be back before Kaden woke up.

When I came down the stairs a couple hours later, there were mouth-watering aromas coming from my kitchen. Bella's iPod was playing softly in the docking station on the counter and she was dancing to her own beat as she removed a tray of muffins from the oven. The smile that she gave me when she realized that I was leaning in the doorway watching her – took my breath away.

"Hey."

"Hey, yourself. How did shopping go?"

"Good. Is Kaden still sleeping?"

"Yeah, but he's stirring so it won't be long before he comes bouncing in here. What do you have planned for today?"

"Well … I thought I'd take him to Disneyland. It'll be hot today and I'm sure the park will be packed but I'd like to take him."

"He'll like that." I reassured her.

She seemed a little sheepish when she admitted she wanted to take him to Disneyland. I had to wonder if it was because she felt bad at wanting to do something without me.

"I wish that you could come with us." Bella said quietly, as she stepped in front of me, wrapping her arms around me.

"You do?"

"Of course, why wouldn't I? You gave us this wonderful gift – why wouldn't we want to share it with you?"

"I don't know. I thought maybe you wanted some time for just you and Kaden. Since I've been home we've been together pretty much constantly."

"Do you want some time without us?" Bella asked, worry filling her eyes.

"No! No, baby … absolutely not. I love every moment I get to spend with the two of you, you know that. If you really want me to go, I'll see what I can do. I'm sure Emmett will be game for a trip to The Land."

An hour later, we were in the car and on our way to Disney. It was a good thing that I hadn't shaved in a couple days, and was in dire need of a haircut – it helped me be a little less noticeable.

I carried the backpack and stroller as we boarded the tram. Bella sat as close to me as she could and Kaden climbed onto my lap. Together the three of us fit – we were one little unit, and I wouldn't have traded it for the world.

As Bella predicted, it was hot and the park was crowded. Our plan was to leave around three because my parents called and said they'd be arriving that evening for Kaden's birthday party the next day. Bella was so happy to have them that she didn't care if we had to cut our day short.

By two-thirty, Kaden was hot and miserable as we made our way through Fantasyland. We'd managed to ride three whopping rides because the lines were long.

"I wanna ride da horsies!" Kaden cried.

"Little Bear, the line is really long," Bella explained quietly.

"But I wanna ride da horsies! Daddy! I wanna ride da horsies!"

No sooner were the words out of his mouth then he slapped his hand across it, his eyes wide in shock at what he'd just said. My eyes flashed from Kaden to Bella and I realized that she had the same shocked expression on her face.

"Oh, God, Edward, I'm …."

"No, Bella. Don't you dare apologize. Kaden didn't say anything wrong." I quickly replied before turning to Kaden.

"Hey, Buddy. You didn't say anything wrong, okay?" I scooped him up in my arms and held him to my chest.

"'Kay." He nodded against my chest. "Does that mean I can always call you Daddy?"

"We'll talk about it later, okay, Little Man? Right now let's go get in line for the horsies so we can get out of here. Nana and Papa Carlisle are coming tonight for your birthday tomorrow."

Kaden cheered, happy that my parents were coming to see him. He'd told me all about their trip to Napa after I returned. He loved them both, and he accepted them as another set of grandparents which in turn made them happy.

After waiting forty-five minutes for the carousel, we were ready to leave the park. We'd had a good day until we got about half way down Main Street and someone recognized me. Emmett was quick to jump in between me and the girl who was currently hyperventilating because she was standing in front of me. Her mother stumbled over her words as she asked me to take pictures with the entire family and a Disney representative jumped in, asking that no photos be taken and that I be allowed to sign a few autographs and continue my day. I signed for the excited family and turned to take Bella's hand when I'd finished. Kaden was sound asleep in his stroller, thankfully missing out on all the commotion.

"Sorry," I said apologetically.

"It's all right, Edward. It was bound to happen sooner or later." Bella replied softly, squeezing my hand.

A pack of girls followed us as we left the park, taking pictures and talking loudly. Emmett asked them to keep their distance, to allow us our day in peace. The followed us onto the tram and into the parking garage where we cornered by a couple paps.

"Seems we have company," Emmett chuckled.

I waited patiently for Bella to open the door of my SUV so I could put Kaden in his seat. I'd been the one he wanted when we got back onto the tram and I continued to hold him until we got to the car.

"Sit in the back with me," I said to Bella, as I helped her buckle Kaden in.

"Edward! Is that your girlfriend? Edward! Is that your son? Did you have a son that no one knew about?" The paps chanted from across the parking lot.

I wanted to answer yes to all of the above but I didn't say a thing. I got into the rear passenger seat and let Emmett close the door behind me.

"Well … that was fun while it lasted," Bella giggled.

Here, I thought she'd be freaked out by it and she was laughing. It was such a relief to hear that laugh. Bella leaned against me, allowing me to slip my arm around her and I sagged against her in relief.

"I guess we should call Jasper. I'm sure social media will be going nuts."

"Nuts?" Emmett chuckled. "That's an understatement."

As Emmett drove, Bella snoozed and I called Jasper to let him know what happened.

"Ed … I think you're getting closer and closer to where you're gonna have to say something. You may have to do that interview sooner than later."

"I was afraid you'd say that. Let us get past this weekend and then we'll talk about it. I'm taking Bella and Kaden away for a few days, so maybe we'll discuss it then."

Somehow, I'd managed to get Bella to agree to a short vacation in Hawaii. We were going to Maui where I'd rented a house for a week. We hoped to see very little of Emmett or Doug, if we saw them at all and we were keeping our fingers crossed for no crazy fans or paparazzi.

When we got home, Bella bee-lined for the kitchen and began to prepare dinner. I watched, amused, as she buzzed around the kitchen, setting out everything she'd need. When she was done, she set Kaden up in the living room with a DVD and immediately went back to her task in the kitchen.

"I thought we'd eat outside tonight. It's so nice out," Bella murmured as she pulled vegetables from the fridge.

"Hey," I said, stepping behind her, setting my hands on her waist and pulling her to me. "Relax, baby. It's only my parents and they couldn't care less about where we eat or what we eat."

Her whole body seemed to relax at my touch and my words seemed to soothe her – temporarily.

"It's … it's just that it's the first time that your parents have come to visit since Kaden and I started staying here and I don't want them to think …."

I cut her off by gently pressing my finger to her soft, warm lips.

"Bella … you aren't an actress playing a part here. You don't have to pretend to be the perfect little housewife. This is your home – for as long as you want or need it to be."

Her breath caught in her throat and I wished that I could have seen her eyes. No matter what her expression was, I knew it was time that I showed my cards.

"You and Kaden, you belong here. I want you here with me. I love you both so fucking much, Bella. Earlier when Kaden called me daddy? You have no idea how happy that made me. I want that Bella. I want that with him – I want that for him and most of all – I want you."

A soft sob bubbled up from her chest, and I carefully turned her in my arms to face me. Her eyes were swollen with tears and she wore the sweetest smile on her face. Bella wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled herself closer to me, hugging me as tightly as she could. It was like she thought I would slip through her fingers and vanish completely.

"I'm right here, baby." I promised her quietly.

"I love you, Edward. I love you so much. I want you too," She whispered roughly. "I was afraid … afraid to want you because I didn't know if I wanted you for Kaden or if I wanted you for me. I've argued with myself that it's selfish to want you. But after seeing you with Kaden over the past few weeks, I've realized that I want you for both of us. We need you, Edward. Kaden and me … together we're good, but you make us … better – whole."

Bella's words floated continually in a loop around me, caressing me, lifting me up and grounding me -all at the same time. It was a heady feeling knowing that her feelings for me rivaled mine for her. I continued to hold her to me, nuzzling my face into her hair.

"Edward …" Bella murmured, "Say something – anything."

Marry me.

How I wanted to blurt out those two short words that held so much meaning. But I couldn't say them – not then and not there. Bella deserved so much more than a heat of the moment proposal in the middle of our kitchen.

"I love you."

Three simple words that embodied how I felt about the woman in my arms – however short, they were the most appropriate.

"I guess we have quite a bit to talk about when we get a chance, huh?" Bella asked softly, with a slight giggle in her voice.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that, beautiful."

I kissed her forehead and wiped away her tears.

"For the time being, let's get dinner going and we'll worry about all that later." I murmured, releasing her from my embrace. "Tell me what I can do to help."

We worked side by side in my kitchen for the first time that evening. I grabbed a beer and poured Bella a glass of wine, and together we made dinner for our family. I'd heard that the kitchen was the heart of the home, and in those precious moments, I believed it.

Kaden's birthday wasn't a lavish affair. There wasn't an abundance of tacky decorations or goodie bags filled with cheap toys. Bella spent the morning working on decorating a Lightning McQueen cake that she baked after dinner the night before and put into the freezer overnight. When she was all done, it looked like she had spent an obnoxious amount of money on it at one of the trendy bakeries. No, that cake definitely meant more because of all the love Bella poured into it, and coincidentally, it was the best cake I'd ever eaten.

Meeting Charlie for the first time was nerve wracking. What do you say to the man who is essentially trusts you with the two most important things in his life? Thank you? Simple words didn't seem like they were enough. I'll take good care of them? That seemed so insincere and what if 'good' wasn't sufficient?

As I dressed for the day, I realized that I hadn't obsessed this much over meeting any of my girlfriend's parents when I was in high school. Nor had I worried about meeting Lauren's parents this much. Why was Charlie so different?

"Because, Bella is different, sweetheart."

I turned from the mirror to see my mom standing in the doorway with a wry smile on her face.

"Did I say that out loud?"

"Yes. But even if you didn't – you wouldn't have had to voice it for me to know that you were thinking it, Edward. I know you. Don't over think meeting Charlie. He's a nice man – an honorable man. All you have to do is take the best possible care of his daughter and his grandson and he'll be a happy man. You can do that, Edward. Bella already loves you – Charlie will find trust in that."

"Will he?"

Mom nodded.

"He will, Edward. Bella may have lost trust in herself, but Charlie never lost his faith in her. Charlie said that her ex had changed so much in the year before he left that he barely recognized the man he gave his little girl away to. He said he'd known for a long time that Bella wasn't in love with Mike anymore and that his leaving was a blessing – both to her and Kaden. Now we know why. You, Bella and Kaden belong together, sweetheart."

Mom's eyes were full of unshed tears as I gazed at her, trying to process what she'd told me. Bella and I did belong together – that much was true, because I felt it to the very depths of my soul.

"Kaden called me Daddy," I whispered.

Mom gasped.

"In front of Bella?"

I nodded.

"Oh, sweetheart, I'm so happy for you, but that is something the three of you will have to discuss."

"I know, but we haven't had a chance to yet."

"I'm sure you'll talk about it when you find the time, Edward. But for now, I'm sure Bella would love to see your handsome face downstairs in the kitchen. She seems so worried about making everything perfect for today that she can't see that it already is. She needs your soothing presence, sweetheart."

I nodded, knowing that my sweet girl was probably exhausting herself trying to create a wonderful birthday for Kaden.

Walking into the kitchen, I saw that I wasn't wrong. Bella was busying herself with putting the finishing touches on all the food she'd prepared. The cake she'd made was sitting in the center of the table we'd brought in for the occasion.

I wrapped my arms around her from behind and lightly kissed the sweet skin of her exposed neck.

"Bella … baby, everything looks fantastic. You've done a great job putting everything together for today."

"Edward," She murmured, "Please give me this. I need this to be perfect for him. Last year, we didn't really celebrate. It was just me and him – I made him a cake and we ate hot dogs and mac n' cheese. He didn't have a dad to share the day with last year and this year … he does. You're so good with him and he loves you. I see every day how you two look at each other – you're his hero and you light up when you see him. He may not be yours biologically but he's yours in every other way and somehow that makes up for it. What he said yesterday, I know he wants that …."

I knew there was more that she wanted to say but I turned her quickly in my arms and cut her off with a kiss.

"I want that too, Bella. I told you that last night and I haven't changed my mind. We can talk to Kaden about it later, but for now we have guests and more on the way. Let's not let this weigh down our day, all right?"

She nodded against my chest and wrapped her arms around me for a quick hug. I would have liked it to last a little longer, but the birthday boy came charging in, announcing that Papa Charlie had arrived. I pulled back slightly and I could feel my anxiety shoot through the roof.

"Edward, relax," Bella giggled. "He won't bite … hard."

"Papa, Papa! Come meet Ewward!" Kaden sang as he pulled Charlie into the kitchen.

"Chief Swan, it's nice to finally meet you." I attempted to smile, holding out my hand in greeting.

Charlie took my hand in his and shook it firmly. The rough, calloused skin reminding me he'd spent years protecting people – Bella and Kaden included. His eyes were kind yet serious and I knew I'd eventually have to have a serious discussion with him.

"Hi, Edward. This is a nice place you've got here."

"Thank you, Sir. It wouldn't be quite as homey without Bella and Kaden here."

Bella joined me and stepped up to give Charlie her warm signature hug.

"Hi, Dad."

"Hey, Bells." He smiled, his love for his daughter shining through. "You doing okay?"

"I'm great, Dad. In fact, I've never been better. Now come on in, you can meet Edward's dad, Carlisle."

Bella walked away with her dad and Kaden in search of my father. I hung back in the kitchen for a few moments, gathering my thoughts. I grabbed a beer from the fridge and was just on my way out to the patio when I heard Bella's phone ringing on the counter. I snatched it up and carried it out to her.

"Who is it?" I asked, gazing at Bella.

"I don't recognize the number but it's a Tacoma area code."

I watched as Bella excused herself and walked away from our guests to take the call. She wasn't on the phone for more than a few moments before she was stowing the phone in her pocket and charging into the house.

Charlie looked up to me, concerned.

"What was that all about?" He asked.

"I don't know, but I'm about to find out."

I followed Bella into the house. She wasn't in the kitchen or living room so I slowly climbed the stairs and went in search of her on the upper level of the house. The door to my music room was open, so I peeked in to find her staring out the large picture windows looking down on the festivities below.

"Baby? Are you okay?"

The closer I got to Bella, the more I realized that she wasn't okay. Her whole body was shaking. I reached out and gently laid my hands on her shoulders. She jumped at my touch but relaxed as soon as she realized it was me.

"Bella?"

She turned to face me and her eyes were full of tears, salty drops falling down her beautiful, heartbroken face.

I pulled her into my arms and soothingly rubbed circles on her back.

"What is it?" I asked against the sticky skin of her neck.

"That was Mike's mom on the phone. She wants Kaden."

A/N: Damn that Karen Newton! Hehe Sorry for the slight cliffie but they need to happen every now and then. How was it having Edward back? I just LOVE Edward and Kaden together. *le sigh* they make your heart melt in the best ways.

Be sure to look for next week's chapter teaser on the Fictionators later today.

I hope all the Moms had a lovely Mother's Day … I know I did. =)

Also … I know I mentioned that I have two other stories I'm working on that I want to post after the conclusion of When You Least Expect It. One is further along than the other so I will post the most complete one first and it's called 'Never Let Go' and here's the summary:

Bella Swan and Edward Cullen meet in preschool and immediately form a strong bond that is tested time and time again. Through thick and thin, their friendship remains. Pinkies entwined, they vow to never let go – especially when they need to hold on the most. Rated M for violence and description of abuse.

Thanks for reading and I'll see y'all next week!