Work is ridiculous lately, so I haven't been able to get to the majority of review replies. Shocker, really... Anyway, thank you for all of the reviews and interest in the fic so far, and for voting it as one of the FotW's again. I'm honored :)
Thanks to Stratan for the beta work, and thanks to stephk0525, twilover76, and claireoth for prereading.
You can find me on Twitter - (at) JT040708
Chapter 33
Bella
I found Edward huddled over his laptop, his brow furrowed in concentration, a scowl on his lips. He skimmed over what was written on the screen, and then abruptly lifted his hand up to grab at his hair.
A curse exploded out of him.
I took a step and paused, gauging his reaction. I couldn't be sure if he was pissed off about something to do with a class or assignment, or if it was a different kind of stress.
Something more.
I moved forward again, and his eyes darted up to mine. His face registered something akin to panic, but it was gone in a flash, replaced by something infinitely worse.
That horrible mask of indifference he used to wear when he spent all his time and energy hiding what he could about himself.
"Don't do that," I ground out. "Don't hide from me."
The facade crumbled, and he slammed the laptop shut in frustration. "I'm not trying to hide from you. I'm trying... Fuck, I'm trying to stay sane."
"Sane?" I asked. "Why?
But he didn't answer.
"What..." He cleared his throat. Then again as the words seemed to stick to his tongue. He stared down at the coffee table. "Want breakfast?"
I shook my head, and then realized he wouldn't know my reply because I hadn't spoken out loud. "No, I'm fine right now. But are you?"
"I'm just peachy," he sneered.
I stared at him hard, willing him to look my way. Finally, his head lifted, eyes moved up.
Uncertainty.
Fear.
Anger.
So many things came over me, and my breath caught; I hadn't seen him like this in such a long time now.
"What?" I whispered, holding back the sob that rose in my chest. "What is it?"
"I uh..." He jumped off of the couch and breezed past me, heading straight for the kitchen. "I think I'm going to eat. You're really not hungry? I want some eggs. Bacon. Protein or whatever. You want some of that oatmeal crap? I could-"
"Edward!"
He glanced back at me, hand frozen on the refrigerator handle.
"What the fuck?"
He blinked at the phrasing I'd chosen, and then all at once caved in on himself. "God, baby, I don't how to stop it."
"Stop what?"
"Stop... this. This..." He straightened up and scrubbed his face. "You were right; I need to fucking know."
"About your dad?"
"Yeah. I know you don't want me to go to Chicago, but I can't stop thinking about it. How they ended up divorcing each other or why he had Maggie and not me and what my mom went through when he died."
"Whoa, hold on a minute. What she went through?" I asked, unable to believe what I was hearing. "What she went through?"
"I feel like there's more to it. Some piece that explains why she was the way she was. Not an excuse - nothing can excuse just fucking dropping a child like that - but I... It's what I was telling Dr. Banner."
"And?"
"He didn't comment. Like always the bastard knew I wasn't really ready to focus on it yet."
"Because you're not. Look at you," I said, motioning broadly at him with my hands, "you're all kinds of messed up over this."
"I know," he breathed. And then he laughed bitterly, surprising me. "Sure you want in this? You want this kind of shit for the rest of your life?"
"It's not always going to be like this."
"Yeah, whatever," he muttered.
His eyes were away from me again. This time, glued to the floor.
"Edward." I waited for him to glance at me. Nothing. "Hey!"
He sighed heavily and slowly lifted his gaze to mine. "Yeah?"
"Maggie's your sister."
Confusion swept across his features. "So?"
"Do you remember the first time I said that? Your reaction for weeks after that?"
His lip curled away from his teeth with the memory. "I don't want to fucking think about how I treated you. I don't want you to fucking think about how I treated you."
"You need to, though. You need to see how far you've come."
"Wha-?"
"I love you."
Another blink. "Jesus, Bella, what are you doing?"
"Does it bother you now?"
"No, of course not. I fucking love that you do. Because I feel the same way. I couldn't handle it if it was unrequited bullshit. You know that."
I rushed over to where his wallet sat on the end table, opened it up, and quickly yanked out the condom I knew was sitting inside it. "When did you put this there?"
He seemed so nonplussed still. "I honestly don't know. Right before we went home for Thanksgiving, maybe?"
"And what's the date?"
"Christ, it's February third. What's your point?"
I tossed the condom aside. "My point is that you've not had any desire to use it. Not in over two months now. And you've fucked me numerous times since then."
A growl bubbled up in his chest. "You need to stop saying that word. Right now. Before I take you how I want and act it out."
"What, fuck? You like it or something?"
His gaze was heavy and dark. "Yeah. I do. Always have. More than you could ever possibly fucking know."
I considered that for a moment, what the heat of his stare did to me.
And then I ignored it, because now was not the time to experiment on that.
"Do you see what I'm saying? You barely let yourself kiss me before. You got defensive and panicked over everything. You treated everyone like shit, and now... Baby, we're lucky to have you in our lives."
"Don't."
"Why? Because it's true?"
"No, I-" He didn't continue.
"So now that we've established that you're not a total idiot anymore and that I do, in fact, want to be with you for the rest of my life; will you tell me what you were trying to hide from me?"
His head fell back and hit the refrigerator hard. "Go see for yourself."
I went over to the couch and sat down, taking the laptop away from its spot and bringing it to my lap. I opened it up and typed in Edward's password...
The screen that lit up wasn't all that surprising, given how much he'd been talking about it recently, the fact that his route around it had been blocked the second he found out about his father's death. But it was still a slap to the face, the reality of what he wanted coming up and hitting me hard.
"These are flights to O'Hare." I read a few more of the details. "For spring break."
He didn't respond.
"I... I don't know what to say," I said quietly. I closed the laptop and set it down, and then tried to process it all. "Are you... Do you want to go alone?"
"No."
"Then why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I didn't want to see the fucking disappointment written all over your face. Like I see right now."
"I'm not disappointed," I told him earnestly. "I'm stunned."
"What the fuck for?"
"I don't know," I replied with a shrug. "I guess I was hoping that me telling you how afraid I am of losing who you are now would change your mind."
"Bella," he groaned. "You're not going to lose me. I fucking promise you that."
I wanted to cry. He could promise me the moon and it wouldn't make a difference. Not unless he was able to follow through on it.
But I refused. Crying didn't help anything, just made me feel like an over-emotional, selfish jerk. Like I was letting that little seed of fear blossom and bloom until it suffocated me.
I had to keep reminding myself that I'd been through worse than this. We'd been through worse than this.
So I changed the subject, instead.
"Do you have a plan?"
A few beats of time went by before he answered me, making sure I was all right with everything. And I supposed I was. I had to be.
He wasn't exactly giving me any other choice in the matter, was he?
"Knock on the bitch's door and demand an answer?"
"Well, it's as good as any, I guess."
He laughed, and I let out a little giggle of my own with the sound.
"I'm sorry. I am. I should have talked to you about it."
"Yes, you should have. But it's okay," I said with what I hoped was a flippant wave. "As long as you keep me in the loop."
"I will," he swore. "Now, can I make you some food? You need to take your meds."
"Only if you let me help."
"Bella."
"No arguing with me. I want to figure out how I'm going to organize the kitchen when I move in here. I have stuff I'm bringing with me, you know."
His returning smile was contagious, and I found myself beaming back at him, giddy with excitement for when I could finally call this place ours.
Chicago would be pushed aside for now.
I didn't need to add into any of what he was feeling with my own worries.
He did enough of that on his own.
"I'm going to uh..." Edward spun around in a circle, looking for something. "Hang out with Ben for a little bit after class. I think."
"You think?"
He spun around again, finally spotting his keys and snatching them off of his desk. "If that's... okay?"
"Are you asking permission?"
"Well, I mean um... I don't... No... Not really but-"
My laughter cut off his incoherent sputtering.
"Don't fucking laugh at me," he warned.
"I'm sorry." I wasn't really, but it didn't hurt me to say the words anyway. "You're just so damn cute and nervous."
"He has a girlfriend, you know," he said, a taunting smile quirking his mouth up.
"Are you implying our meeting would be awkward?"
He threw me a lazy shrug. "I might."
I laughed again. "I'm not you!"
"You were in a hospital bed for a year. And you said you never had friends before that either, with the exception of Alice. I mean, fuck, you graduated high school late because of it!"
"Yes, but I wanted friendships during that time. You, on the other hand, did not."
The smile fell from his face, and his brow furrowed as doubt crept through him. "You think I'll fuck it up?"
"His stepfather's your shrink. I highly doubt you will."
He shifted anxiously. One arm crossed over his stomach to fidget with the sleeve of his gray thermal. "Bella, I'm serious. I don't know what the fuck I'm doing here. I... I should just cancel."
"Don't you dare."
"But-"
"No."
"I'd rather stay here with you," he finished.
"Because you're comfortable. Come on; go have fun for a little while. All you do is stress out over Elizabeth, and the last thing I want is for your head to explode."
He let out a snort and shook his head. "I think it'd be more like I'd take off and try to bury all those girly fucking feelings again."
"Well, I don't want that either."
He sighed and came to sit next to me. "Come with me?"
"You're not using me as a crutch, Edward."
"Fuck," he said lowly. "I guess that is what I'm asking."
"You'll have fun. I know you will," I promised him.
"But what if he wants to go to a bar or some other crowded place like that? I don't think - I'm not-"
"You'll deal. Like you always do," I answered soothingly.
He exhaled sharply. "What the hell are you going to do all night then?"
"Pine over you."
He smirked. "Not gonna lie. I like that idea."
"I knew you would." I paused and reached over to hold his hand. "No, really, I'm going to catch up on my studying and sleep and wait for you to come home to me."
"What makes you think I'm coming home to you? How do you know I'm not going to my place?" he asked, his eyes flicking down to my lips.
"Because this is not waiting for you at your place," I said on a whisper. I closed the distance between us and kissed him, softly at first, and then wound my hands in his hair as I deepened it, anchoring him to me.
We fell back on the bed, our limbs tangling together, fingers roaming up and under shirts. His stomach muscles twitched when my hand skimmed down the trail of hair under his belly button, and a low moan was emitted against my mouth.
When I pulled back, his face was flushed, that wonderful crooked smile pulling at his lips. "You realize you just made it so I never want to leave this fucking bed now, right?"
"Wasn't my brightest idea, I'll admit."
He laughed.
But he still didn't make a move to go to class.
"You need to do this," I said gently. "You need to let your feelings about your parents and Maggie go for a while and just have some fun."
"I'm going to be so fucking weird, though," he breathed.
"Weird how?"
"Awkward."
"Oh, like you claim I am, huh?"
He rolled his eyes and groaned, "Bella."
"It's totally normal, I swear."
"Yeah?" he asked hopefully.
I nodded.
"Okay." He sat up, a resolute expression on his face. "I'll see you when I get back."
"Whenever that is."
"Whenever that is," he agreed.
"You can call if you need me to psych you up."
"Right, since you'll be sitting at home pining over me," he teased.
"You got it."
He made sure he had everything he'd need for class and headed toward the door. I followed him, of course, because as always I needed to be certain that he was okay. He stopped just at the threshold, lowered his mouth to mine, and then surprised me by smiling as he pulled away.
He seemed so sure of himself all of a sudden that I had to suppress a giggle.
"Have a good time," I said, grinning, and closed the door.
I pursed my lips and glanced around the apartment, deciding what to do first. School work won out, and before I could talk myself out of it, I was bent over my notes studying for an exam I had the following Tuesday.
An urgent knock startled me, and I glanced up to see that I'd been so engrossed in everything, I hadn't realized that it'd grown dark outside while I sat there.
I stood up just as the knock sounded again, and grumbled as I made my way over to answer the door. I reared back in surprise at who was on the other side, nothing but a squeak coming out of my mouth instead of words.
"I need help, Bella," Jacob said in greeting, his face scrunched up with panic. "All these deadlines and I don't know where- I'm not sure which places would even take me, and I- If I get accepted anywhere, there are all those FAFSA forms to fill out."
I glanced down to see a stack of college applications sitting in his hand.
"Overwhelmed?" I asked, moving aside to let him in.
"Yes," he sighed. "How did you do this?"
"I had help. No one can help you in La Push?"
He barked out a laugh. "Are you kidding me, Bells? No one in La Push cares about college."
"That's not true."
He just eyed me in response.
"Well, get in here. It's cold outside, and I'm hungry. Did you eat?"
He stepped into my apartment and shook his head.
"Do you want to eat?"
If it was possible, I could have sworn his tawny skin went green.
"Okay, so I'll just order takeout then. You can decide if your stomach is up to it when it gets here."
"None of that tasteless, diet shit," he warned.
"What does it matter? It doesn't seem like you're eating anyway."
"I might."
I huffed, "Fine. I'll get something greasy and loaded with cheese and bacon, just for you. Jesus, why does everyone have to give me such hell about what I eat all the time?"
"Because it sucks," he laughed.
I glowered up at him. "Want help or not?"
"I'll just go sit over here..." he trailed off and pointed to the couch.
"You do that."
I went to the kitchen and dug through the stack of takeout menus Alice and I had accumulated over the last few months before calling back out to Jacob. "I'm not in the mood for cheese and bacon."
"Okay, what do you want?"
"Indian?"
Silence.
And then, "Is that supposed to be a joke? Because you realize I'm not that kind of Indian, right?"
"No, curry sounds good, damn it!" I hollered back.
I could hear him chuckling to himself.
"You're not funny, Jake!"
"Yes, I am."
Are. Not.
"Just get me whatever. I don't care."
Easy enough.
After I'd ordered, I grabbed a couple bottles of water and joined Jacob in the living room. But rather than sitting on the couch as I'd expected, he was on the floor, papers spread out all around him.
"So how did you figure out where I lived?"
"Called the chief." I had a reply on the tip of my tongue when he continued, "He had me call Edward."
"Edward?"
"Your dad wasn't sure where you'd be. I guess you guys go back and forth?"
I frowned. "Yeah."
His black eyes flipped up to mine. "He seems a lot different now. Happier. More laid back."
"He is," I agreed. "So how far have you gotten with all of this?"
While Jacob was explaining which messy stack of applications were complete and needed review and which still had yet to be filled out, I sent a quick text off to Edward to let him know Jake was here.
Well, more like give him hell for not warning me he was coming up in the first place.
You're a sneaky, sneaky bastard.
"Jacob, don't any of these places accept online apps? It'd be a whole lot quicker if we could type them."
"They do. Ah..." He ran his hand over the back of his neck uncomfortably. "I just don't have a computer. Ours crapped out on us and we can't afford new one yet."
"Oh. Well, we can use mine if you want."
"You're sure?"
"I let you in my apartment and said I'd help didn't I?"
"Good point," he conceded.
My phone buzzed in my hand.
I take it Jacob found the place.
Yes. I was just slightly surprised when I opened the door and found some tall, black haired guy on the other side. Thanks for that, btw.
"Okay," I said to Jacob. "Give me a few apps and I'll look them up online and see what the submission requirements are."
He nodded and threw a few of the apps at me. I leaned back against the arm of the recliner and went to work, only to be interrupted by my phone buzzing at me again.
When I get back, I'll do something to make up for it.
Something, huh?
I think you know what, Bella. Don't make me sext you.
I laughed out loud with that one. The picture of Edward sexting was hysterical to me for some reason. Possibly because he was more of an act now, talk later kind of guy. Or maybe because I knew how hard it was for him to loosen up and communicate like that still.
Jacob gazed at me curiously.
"Sorry. It's Edward. He's being a smartass."
He grinned. "Which makes me glad to see that you two have worked your shit out."
"Yeah, the issue isn't really us anymore," I answered. "It's more like things Edward has to sort out on his own."
I abruptly thought of Chicago and tensed.
"You okay?"
"Yeah..." I cleared my throat and tried to smile. "There's just some stuff coming up with him. He wants to talk to his birth mother."
His brows shot up. "Really?"
"I'm not exactly for it. But I know Edward well enough to know that he over-analyzes everything until he breaks. That breaking point usually means he can handle it, whether he realizes it or not."
"But you're still worried about it."
I didn't bother denying it. "More than I can say."
I let the conversation drop and sent Edward a reply.
A girl can dream.
Are you saying you want me to sext you?
Maybe. Eventually. I'm not entirely sure. Let me get back to you on that.
LOL
No laughing in class. You're supposed to be learning something.
Can't learn shit, baby. I'm too busy clinging to my phone in the event that I panic and need you to come save me. Just like I was told.
Now I was laughing again.
OK, Jacob's rolling his eyes. I need to help him. I'll see you when you get back. xx
"Done now, Swan?"
I stared at my phone for a few seconds. When nothing came back, I answered, "Looks like it."
"Thank God. The two of you are revolting."
"Kiss my ass."
"Bend over."
"Nope, too much work. I'd have to stand up, and then bend over, and I'm actually pretty comfortable right now."
"Wow, you're a huge smartass when you're happy."
I plastered on my fakest, sweetest smile. "Only with you. Now, stop talking and start writing. I don't have all night."
I hurried down the hall and opened the door to Dr. Banner's office. I wasn't due to meet with him for another thirty minutes, but I was hoping to get an audience with him before Edward arrived.
I'd even skipped class to do so.
Not exactly something my conscience was happy about.
I slipped inside and smiled at the receptionist, noting how her eyebrows were raised in question.
"I'm early; I know. Is he busy?"
She shook her head, but glanced at the computer to be safe. "His three o'clock canceled on him. You got lucky."
"Can I...?"
"Let me just call him out for you."
I went over to the chairs lined up against the wall and found a magazine I hadn't seen before. I opened it up and scowled at the pictures of movie stars and their significant others, speculation and gossip about which celebrities were dating whom...
Fashion advice. Like I needed it. I had Alice for that sort of thing.
"Bella," Dr. Banner greeted warmly. I glanced up to see him in his trademark charcoal suit, a lavender tie tucked underneath it today. "Everything okay?"
I nodded and put the magazine aside. "Nice tie. Did the wife pick it out for you?"
"She did," he answered.
"Can I talk to you for a minute? Before Edward gets here?"
"About?"
"Chicago."
"Karen," he said, swiveling his head to see if he'd caught her attention, "hold my calls, please."
I followed him inside his office and unceremoniously plopped down in the chair just across from his. My foot bounced against the carpet, because really, I had no idea where to begin or what I even thought I'd accomplish by coming here. I was lost, completely and totally lost, when it came to dealing with this thing with Chicago. Minus the stress, my relationship with Edward hadn't changed any because of it, but I still couldn't push through this horrible, festering fear I had about the entire situation. And I suppose I hoped for answers, though I was sure Dr. Banner wouldn't give me much. He was technically Edward's doctor, not mine; his loyalty was to him.
And yet, here I was.
"I know you have patient confidentiality laws, so I don't expect you to tell me much but..."
I stopped talking, having no idea how to finish that sentence.
"Bella, I need you to stop bouncing around like you are. You're making me nervous," he joked.
"Oh." I stilled immediately. "Sorry."
"So you were saying something about patient confidentiality?"
"Not any patient, really. Just Edward." Quick inhale in. Exhale out. "Has he mentioned anything about Chicago?"
"Yes," he said simply.
"Can you just tell me if he's okay with it all? I know he's going. I don't know if it's going to be during spring break like he'd planned or not, but I know it's happening. And I'm quietly freaking out about it."
"Quietly?"
"He doesn't know how scared I am. I mean, I've told him once, when he first started really planning his trip, but that's it. I don't want to stress him out any more than he already is. This is... It's big, Dr. Banner. I feel like telling him how insecure I am about the whole thing wouldn't be helpful for him."
"What are you doing instead?"
"Encouraging it?" I shook my head. "No, not it. Just him. I want him to be happy with who he is."
"And you think this is the last step for him to do so," he deduced.
"Yeah."
"Then what scares you?"
"That he'll go back to the giant asshole he was before. That he'll get so wrapped up in where he came from and equate himself to it that he'll push me away again. That he'll..." I choked back a sob. "That something will happen to him there."
He spent what felt like forever thinking out his response.
"I don't know what to tell you about the people he ran away from and their interest in him now, but I do know that he won't push you away again. He's come too far for that now."
I sighed in relief. "Seriously? So I'm just being a basketcase, then?"
He chuckled. "Would you like me to tell you yes, Bella?"
"No..."
"There are things he will probably never get over. But he's slowly begun to understand in the last few months that that's okay. Everyone has their own personal demons. Everyone has something that has happened in their lives they wish they could forget. It doesn't make him a terrible person just because his something happens to be bigger than the average Joe's."
"That's what I've been telling him all along."
"I know. And it's been extremely helpful, Bella. But I think..." He stopped to find the words to continue. "I wonder if maybe he should do everything he feels like he needs to do in Chicago without you."
"What?" I screeched. "Have you lost your mind? If someone from that house finds him and no one's there-"
I suddenly broke off, the thought seizing the words from me.
"Hear me out," he urged. "I don't think he should be completely alone for that reason exactly. Just under the pretense of being alone."
I sniffled and stared at him blankly. "I'm not following."
"He depends on you. More than he should at this point. What happens, if by chance, you two break up or you..."
"Reject the heart or go into heart failure again and die," I finished hollowly.
"Yes. It's a possibility that in twenty years, you won't be here. You accept it, but does he?"
"Not really."
"He needs to know how to cope with things on his own."
"So are you telling me that I should break up with him and make him go see his mother by himself? Because I'm telling you now, I depend on him, too. He makes every day I have worth living. Without him, I'd go nuts. I know I would."
"You really do love him, don't you?"
"I sometimes think that everything I went through built me up for this. For him. Because if I'd have been anything else, I wouldn't be what he needed." I blushed, realizing how ridiculous that sounded. "Never mind. I sound like I already am nuts."
"Well, you've come to the right place then, Bella."
"Ha. Ha," I muttered dryly.
But I still smiled.
"I think you need to be there for him, but give him enough distance to figure out how he feels about it without your influence. Perhaps with another family member there to keep watch of him instead of you, if you think you can convince him of it."
"I don't know how to explain this to him without giving everything I'm thinking away. And I can't lie to save my life, Dr. Banner."
"Yes, you can, Bella. You did it before when you kept what you knew about his sister from him. You just don't want to."
The truth of that sliced right through me. I hid everything I knew about Maggie for weeks without Edward ever knowing the difference. It wasn't that I was incapable of keeping my feelings from him; I simply didn't want to now, not even if it was for his own good.
My hand came up to rub over the ache in my chest. A tear slipped down my cheek, because with just that single, familiar ache, I knew that this was what Edward needed.
My instincts were screaming for me to let him go. Figure it out on his own.
"This has the potential to backfire on us all."
"It does," he acknowledged. "But it also has the potential to be precisely what he needs."
xx
"The shrink wants you to what?" Emmett asked, exchanging a look with Jasper. "I don't think this is such a good idea."
"Neither do I," I admitted, "but he has a point. Edward doesn't do anything without me."
Jasper blew out a breath and reached up to mess with his hair. "No, he doesn't. You're good for him, but-"
"I might not always be around."
Both of them gave me a pained look at that.
"Look, it's fact. I don't know how long this heart will last. I want to set a record and live longer than any other transplant patient before with just the one graft, but I don't know how possible that is. None of us do. I need to make sure Edward will be okay if something... If I'm not..."
"We'll do it," Emmett said, his deep voice cracking. "God damn it, Liberty, if it gets you to stop talking about dying, we'll do it."
"I'm sorry, Em," I whispered.
"I know you are. I still fucking hate it."
Silence stretched out around us, none of us exactly sure how to cope with the sadness that enveloped us. I never thought that I'd have this kind of relationship with Edward's family; that I'd have them as my own, that they'd consider me a sister, daughter...
"Okay, so what's the plan?" Jasper questioned, breaking the somber mood.
I cast a furtive glance over at the door to the staff lounge before telling them what I'd been plotting, making sure Edward was still working on my truck. "I've got my dad on board for it."
"What's he going to do?"
"If we can't convince Edward to head back there with you the two of you, he's going to have some heart issues again."
"Convenient."
"I might need to discuss it with Carlisle so it doesn't seem like such bullshit."
"Dad will do it, B. Mom, too. Whatever it takes. You know they will."
I nodded. "I'd rather get him on board, though. But he's not going to want to let you see any of that."
Emmett pursed his lips in thought. "How much time do we have?"
"Spring break's two weeks away," Jasper answered for me.
"Not so much then."
"No."
"Fuck," Emmett cursed. "Jazz, you have any ideas?"
"Not one goddamned thing," he snarled.
"We'll figure it out. Worst case scenario? You two just hop on the plane with us."
"That'll go over well."
"Eh, stay hidden until you're in the air so he can't do anything about it when he sees you," I replied. "He'll hate it, but he's not going to cause a scene. And maybe the flight will be enough time for him to calm down and listen to reason."
The door burst open and Edward strode into the room, his smile wavering when he caught us all hovering in one area.
"What's up?" he asked cautiously.
"Emmett was just telling me some stuff going on with him and Rose," I lied.
Emmett jumped right in. "We're thinking about having a baby."
We all froze in place.
"What?" Emmett demanded.
"You're..." Edward seemed lost for words, but as he quickly righted himself, a smirk formed on his lips. "Really?"
I gave Emmett a confused look, and he grinned.
Holy shit, he was telling the truth.
"Rosie's wanted one for a while, but you know me... Gotta make sure I'm ready and shit."
"You're going to be such a good dad," I squealed, bouncing over to hug him.
"Have to knock her up first, Bella," he chuckled.
He pulled me up off my feet and held on tight. "Minor detail."
"Think we can pull this off?"
He was asking more than just about his and Rosalie's ability to parent.
Unfortunately, as much as I wanted to, I didn't have an answer for him.
And thankfully, Edward made is so I didn't have to.
"All right, you fucker. Get off my girlfriend," he growled. "I want to show her her truck."
I pushed away from Emmett and focused on Edward. "It's finished?"
His shrug was shy in a way. "I need to replace some of the chrome pieces still, but yeah. She's pretty much done."
I rushed off to see it, grabbing his hand and dragging him behind me.
I circled it, marveling at the glossy, red finish. Not a scratch, dent, or patch of rust could be found anywhere on it now.
It was absolutely perfect.
"Say something before I freak the fuck out," Edward said roughly.
I cast a glance back at him to see him shoving his hands in his pockets nervously.
"Why are you freaking out? It's perfect," I told him, voicing my thoughts.
"No, it's not. The interior still needs work, and it's missing-"
I spun around, stood on my toes and kissed him, effectively shutting him up. "It's perfect," I repeated. "Thank you."