I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT!

CHAPTER 8
(Edward)

"Matt, you start school soon and Aunt Ali just wants to take you over there to show you around."

"Dad, why can't you come to?" Matt asked.

"Because, I, need to go over to my school to get everything set up for my students."

"I can help," He said.

"I know you can, but, this is something that Aunt Alice has been looking forward to for a while now."

Matt rolled his eyes and plopped down on his bed. We'd been there for a month and Matt seemed a little better, but he wasn't good with change and he still didn't like going places without me. In fact dad was the only one who could get Matt to do anything. Him and dad had really gotten close and if dad was home Matt was glued to his hip.

"Come on Matt, get dressed and come downstairs for breakfast."

"Yes sir," He sighed.

I had just about gotten Matt's breakfast done, when the door opened. "Edward!" Alice squealed. "How are you?" She came over and kissed me on the cheek.

I gave her a hug. "I'm good, how are you doing this morning?"

"Excited to get to take my nephew with me for the day."

"Ali, be calm, he's..." I didn't want to hurt her feelings, she'd been so anxious to get to spend time with him.

"I know Edward, he's scared and doesn't want to go, but I'll take good care of him, I promise."

"I know you will," I assured her.

"Oh Matt, morning." Alice said.

"Morning," He said softly as he sat down at the table.

I watched as Alice walked over and sat down at the table with him. "I know you are unsure about what to expect today, but I'm not going to leave you alone. You can help me set up my room and we can just hang out for awhile."

"Will anyone else be there?" He asked softly.

"Maybe a few other teachers, but no kids."

He looked down playing with his pancakes. "Buddy, you and Ali will have so much fun today."

"I guess," He said looking down.

Alice looked at me sadly. "Edward, maybe we should do this..."

I motioned for her to come with me cutting her off. "Matt, you finish eating we'll be right back."

I got Aice into the livingroom. "Edward maybe he's not ready."

"Alice, school starts soon, don't give up on him. He's going to go with you today and it will be hard at first, don't take it personal he's afraid he's going to lose me that's why he's not wanting me to go, but I think the more we push him, the better it will be for him."

"Are you sure?" She asked softly.

"I am, once he gets there and sees no other kids, that will help."

It was horrible watching Matt hold back from Alice, but I knew once he left with her, he'd be okay and have fun. I was also hoping that Ali could get him to open up some.

(Alice)

Matt was so quiet in the car, that I almost forgot he was back there. I pulled into the parking lot and glanced back at him, his eyes were huge and his lip was quivering as he looked at the school. I turned off the car. "Matt, I promise you that everything will be just fine."

He swallowed loudly. "You wont leave me?" He asked.

"I wont leave you," I promised him.

Matt grabbed my hand as I opened the school doors. "On your left is the office. Now to get to your room turn right down this hallway."

"Aunt Alice, I want to go home."

I looked down at my nephew, he seemed so small. I wondered what he would have been like if Lauren had still be alive. I got down on his level and and hugged him tightly. "I know you are scared, it's normal to be scared about changes like this, but it's going to be just fine, and I will be right down the hall."

I felt him nod against my shoulder. "I miss mommy," He whispered.

I felt tears sting my eyes and I tried desperately not to cry. "She's in your heart Matt, she'll never leave you."

Matt wandered around my room playing with my science projects and looking through my books. "I have a feeling it wont take you long to read," I told him.

"Why?" He asked.

"The way you love books," I said. "You know when we were in high school, your mom always had her nose stuck in a book. We would all laugh at her, becuase everywhere she went she had a book with her just waiting for a chance to read."

He smiled. "She read to me a lot when she was sick."

"I'm sure she did Matt, she loved you and your dad more than anything."

Matt picked up a book and flipped through it. "Aunt Alice, is this really what the planets and stars look like?"

"Sure is, it's pretty neat isn't it?"

He nodded taking the book over to the corner of my room and curling up with it. Lauren had created another bookworm.

"Hey Matt, would you like to go look at your room?" He looked up unsure of how to respond. "I bet your teacher will have plenty of books to look at." His eyes lit up and he followed me out of the room.

"Do you see that door right there?" I asked him. He nodded. "That is your room, see not far from mine."

The light was on, so I knew the door would be unlocked. I opened the door and saw Bella sitting at her desk. "Oh hi, I thought I was alone," Bella said.

"I brought my nephew in with me this morning to clean and show him around," I said pulling him into the room.

"Bella, this is Matt, he's going to be in your class."

"Hi Matt, I'm Bella, well when school starts Ms Swan. How are you doing?" She asked bending over to shake his hand.

"Hi," He whispered leaning against me.

Bella glanced up at me. "Hey Matt, weren't you going to ask her about books?" I asked him.

"Do you like to read?" Bella asked him. He nodded. "Well why don't you follow me and I'll show you the books I have in here."

"Alice," He whimpered.

"I'm not leaving," I promised him.

I watched Matt very slowly follow Bella to the other side of the room. I didn't know Bella that well, she was a fairly new teacher to our school, but the kids really loved her. Last year her fiance would come in and see her once in awhile, she'd introduced him to me telling me that she was pregnant, she was so excited. Then not long after that, we found out there at had been an accident and he had died. When she came back to work, she was struggling. I would find her crying many times after school and tried to be there for her, but she had built a wall up around her and I just couldn't get through it.

"He's an amazing kid, Alice." Bella said coming back over to me.

"He is, but he's very shy. We've all been working with him, but I don't know how well he will adjust to being around a lot of kids."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" She asked.

"Matt's been through a lot, he moved here from Chicago with his dad over the summer and he's struggling with that to."

"That's a long way to move."

"It is, but I'm so glad they are back."

We stood there in an awkward silence for a moment. "So Bella, you look great. How old is your little one?"

Bella's eyes filled with tears, but she brushed them away. "Sorry, this is the first time I've really been without her. She's six weeks old."

"Oh, what is her name?" I asked.

"Jaycie Danielle," Bella said pulling her phone out and showing me a picture of her.

"Oh my God Bella, she's beautiful. I would love to see her sometime, maybe before school starts we can get together or if you ever needed a babysitter."

"I couldn't impose," She said softly.

"You wouldn't be, I love babies." I said.

Bella looked down, she looked so sad. I reached out and hugged her, she was stiff as a board. "Bella, I can't imagin how hard this all must be for you, but if you ever need anything, please call me, I'd be glad to help out."

She relaxed a bit in my arms. "Thanks Alice, I'll consider it."

"I mean it," I said pulling away and seeing her tears. "I'll leave you my number and maybe we can take Jaycie and get coffee or something."

"That actually sounds like fun," She sniffled.

(Bella)

Even though I only lived ten minutes from the school, the drive home seemed like an eternity. I was exhausted and wanted to get home to my daughter. I missed her terribly and was already dreading the eight hour days I would be working when school started back up, but I had no choice, I had to support my daughter.

I thought back over my conversation with Alice, I needed a girls day, but being around Emily and Leah would only bring back the memories of what could have been and I wasn't ready for that. Alice had met Jake a few times, but didn't know him that well, she knew he'd been in an accident and had never pushed for details like other teachers there, she'd always seemed to just generally care.

The house was quiet when I walked inside. I found Sue in the kitchen at the stove and Jaycie in her swing near by. "Hey Sue," I said softly.

"Oh Bella, how was your day?" She asked.

"I'm so glad to be home, I never thought I would miss her this much."

Sue smiled and hugged me. "I wish I could tell you that it would get easier, but I can tell you that she did fine today."

"I knew she would and I know she's in great hands with you, but I miss her."

Jaycie started whimpering. "Go to her, she needs you as bad as you need her."

"Hey sweetheart," I said gently picking her up. Sue handed me a bottle and I took her into the livingroom. I gently rocked her as I watched her take her bottle, I never imagined that I could love someone as much as I loved her.

(FLASHBACK)

I waddled into the kitchen as my stomach tightened up again. It hadn't been painful at first, but as the time went on, I was definitely feeling it. I grabbed my phone, dialing Sue's number. "Hello," She answered.

"Hey Sue, can you come over?" I asked holding my stomach.

"Sure Bella, is everything okay?" She asked.

"I think I'm having contractions."

"Okay Bella, just lie down I'm on my way."

"The door's unlocked, just hurry, please."

I laid down on the couch rubbing my stomach as she was calm until I'd have a contraction and then go crazy.

"Bella," Sue coming inside.

"They didn't hurt at first, but they're starting to," I breathed.

"When did the pains start?" Sue asked.

"I started feeling them around four this morning."

"I'm going to call your doctor and see what they suggest," She said rubbing my stomach. I nodded closing my eyes.

"Honey, they want you to come in and get checked out," Sue said.

"Okay, I need help up." Sue wrapped her arms around me and helped me up. "I'm scared," I groaned.

"Just do your best to breathe through the pains," Sue said placing her hand on my stomach. Sue was amazing, she stayed calm and drove quickly to the hospital.

Sitting in the crowded waiting room having contractions was horrible. The room was hot and I couldn't get comfortable. "How much longer?" I asked arching my back.

"Soon, I hope, they said they were backed up."

"Obviously!" I snapped.

Sue put her arm around me allowing me to rest agaisnt her "Do you want me to call your dad?"

"Lets wait and see what they say."

"Isabella Swan," The nurse called. Sue helped me up and we walked to the nurse. "You're feeling pains?" She asked.

"Yes," I said.

"When did they start?"

"Around four this morning. They aren't getting any closer, but they're starting to hurt." She lead us into a room. "Has your water broken?"

"No," I replied squeezing Sue's hand.

"Okay, I need you to climb up here and we will get you hooked up and see what's going on."

Sue never left my side the entire time I was on the monitors. She held my hand and rubbed my stomach as she talked to me trying to keep me calm. Right after I'd been hooked up she offered once more to call my dad. I told her to go ahead, but told her to tell him not to come until we knew if I was actually having the baby. She seemed a little shocked, but happy about that.

After two hours they sent me home saying that I wasn't in labor, only false labor, I was suddenly dreading the real deal. Sue offered to take me to her and dad's house, but I wanted to go home, where I knew I'd sleep better. That evening dad came over and we had supper at my house, I was feeling better and by nine, I sent them home telling them I would call if I needed them. They hugged me and left, neither of us knowing that my water would break a few hours later.

(END FLASHBACK)

I looked down at Jaycie, even though I had her, my dad and Sue, I was still very lonely. I hesitated, but picked up my phone and dialed Alice's number.

"Hello," She answered almost immediately.

"Alice? Um, this is Bella."

"Oh Bella, I'm so glad you called! How are you doing?" She asked.

"I'm okay, listen, I was wondering if you were free tomorrow?"

"I'm free all day. Why don't you come over here to my house and we'll go from there."

"Sounds good," I said softly.

"And bring that beautiful baby girl."

"I will," I laughed softly.

She gave me directions to her house and we hung up.

"Who was that?" Sue asked coming into the livingroom.

"Alice Hale, she's a teacher at the school."

"Yah, her dad is the surgeon in town, Carlisle Cullen. They are a sweet family."

"I guess Jaycie and I are going to Alice's house tomorrow."

"That sounds like fun, you need to get out of the house."

"I know," I yawned.

SORRY IT TOOK ME SO LONG TO UPDATE, WORK HAS KILLED ME THIS WEEK. THANKS FOR ALL THE SUPPORT. PLEASE DROP ME A REVIEW, I LOVE TO HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS.