See you all on Saturday.

Chapter 19

Arriving at Tia's apartment in under twenty minutes, I can feel my adrenalin pumping. Parking my car, I get out not caring I'm here sooner than I said I would be. It's has been far too long since I last saw Bella last. The worry I've experienced since her father pulled her from me has been overwhelming. Knocking on Tia's front door, I bounce nervously on the balls of my feet.

"Hi," Tia says moving toward me as she comes out the door.

Frowning at first, my emotions quickly change to anger, as she closes the front door behind her.

"Tia, I need to see her," I say as I glare down at her. "I have had enough of people keeping me away from Bella, and I'm not taking any fucking more of it."

"I know and I'm not stopping you!" Tia yells back at me.

Raising my brow at her, I motion my head toward the door she just closed.

"Edward, get your head out of your ass. Bella doesn't need this shit, and she doesn't need you going in there yelling at her."

"I wouldn't—"

Tia holds up her hand silencing me.

"Maybe not intentionally, Edward, but you're clearly angry, and there are things about her and Em you don't know."

"He told me everything a few days ago," I say cutting her off and she looks a little shocked.

"Good, but, Edward, I am not sure when you last saw Bella. She told me it has been just over a week, and then it was only for a short time."

Bobbing my head, I agree with her on the time frame.

"She doesn't look too good, but the doctor's are monitoring her. They already said she needs to be on bed rest and have less stress. That's why she hasn't been at school for a few days."

Swallowing, I can't imagine how stressed Bella is, to be forced to abort her own baby would've hurt her deeply.

"I just need to see her," I say pleadingly to Tia. "I swear to you, I will not raise my voice. Its not like she's done anything wrong any way."

Tia nods at me and opens the door. "She's in the bedroom, it's the second door on the left, after the bathroom."

Thanking her, I walk down the hallway and my nerves are still on edge. When I get to the door, I knock gently before opening it to step inside. Walking in, I see Bella in the big bed, hugging Mr. Cullen.

"Hey, Mina," I say moving to the bed.

When I get there I kneel on the floor and take her hands, holding them in mine. Bending forward, I kiss her hands and then brush her hair out of her face. She looks so sick, I'm momentarily taken back.

"I'm okay," Bella says as she tries to smile. "I think school should lose the fake babies and just inject girls with something that would make them feel what it's really like to be pregnant. You know the sore boobs, the sickness, the tiredness and the sickness. I said sickness twice, because it's the worse and it needs to be mentioned more than once." Bella stops and chuckles. "I am sure if I knew this is what could've happened then I would've stayed away from sex all of my life."

Smiling a little, I feel the pain that there's no baby anymore.

"It's okay, they said that the sickness should be gone by my second trimester. I'm just over eight weeks now, so only a little more than three more to go. YAY!" she says with fake excitement, and I sit up looking at her.

"It's not Em's baby, so you don't have to worry ..." Bella stops talking and I see a tear running down her face. "I know you don't want to be a dad again, it's okay."

Moving forward, I cover her mouth knowing she's taken my confusion as something else. "Your dad said you had an abortion?"

Bella shakes her head at me. "He dropped me off, well followed me there, and told me to take care of it. I said I would and I will, but not how he meant. I know it's stupid since they will be back in a year or two. It's not like I can hide a toddler from them. Maybe by then they will see I am doing fine, and they won't be so angry that I didn't go to college, but ..." She rubs her head and I move up to sit on the bed.

"Mina, I want to be a part of this baby's life. Of your life," I say placing my hand on her tummy.

"But you said—"

Shaking my head I cut her off.

"I was saying that as a man who had already raised a child on his own. I didn't trust another woman not to do the same thing. But when it comes to you, I'm in love with you. I saw my whole life planned out in your eyes the first day we met. I want this, because it's a part of you. Mina, how could I not love him or her, this baby is a part of us both."

Bella sobs a little. "Why did you have to say that?"

Frowning, I raise my brow, wondering what she's meaning.

"You said that you loved me."

Paling a little as it comes to me that I did say I love her. The words seemed so natural they just came out as if it was something I say all the time to her.

"Because I do, I love you, Mina."

"Like a friend?" She asks and I shake my head at her.

"Like a lover. I am in love with you."

Bella shakes her head. "Why, would you say that to me knowing we can't be together?" she asks as she moves away from me.

"Why can't we?"

"You said we couldn't be together!" Bella yells looking at me as if I've lost my mind and it comes to me she doesn't know Em and I have talked.

"Emmett told me everything, Mina. I'm so fucking stupid that I didn't notice you never kissed him. You always treated him as if he was your friend." Pulling at my hair, I just look at her. "Why did you go along with his boneheaded idea?"

Bella shrugs. "He was my first real friend in a long time. I was trying to change, stop being so closed off, and I didn't ..." Bella stops and looks at me sadly. "He was spending time with me. Willingly, spending time with me. I didn't want to go back to being alone all the time." She lies back and looks up at me.

Moving closer to her again, I kiss her head hating how hurt she seems to be.

"Why didn't you come to me and tell me?" I ask kicking off my shoes and lying down next to her.

"I wanted too, but ..." She shakes her head. "I started to feel something for you. I thought it was just a crush, so I pushed it aside to keep my promise to Em. After we started spending more time together, I wanted him to tell you. I told him we should tell you, but he was scared."

Unable to stop it, I snort. "He was being selfish."

Bella just shrugs. "But then we slept together. I had enough and was going to tell you. But then, I overheard you and Jasper, and I knew that it didn't matter about the truth. I knew you wouldn't trust me because you'd know I lied."

Shaking my head at her, I can't help but beg. "Mina, baby, we can make this work. Please trust me, I want to make this work."

Bella frowns as she looks at me. "This is a small town, they will only see me as the girl that slept with both father and son."

Shaking my head, I pull her to me, knowing she's right. This town and their gossip mongers is one of the reasons I let her go. After seeing what my life is like without her, I no longer care. No matter what, I know I can't live without her. I need her.

"We can get through this together. We'll get through this, I swear. Just give me a chance to show you how much I can and do love you," I plead with her.

"I don't know," she says shaking her head. "I'm just so done in, and feel so tired."

Nodding in understanding, I cover her mouth.

"Then get some sleep," I say moving away from her.

Her hand grips my shirt, and I look back at her. She looks really tired and has that lonely look on her face again.

"I'll lie with you until you fall asleep," I tell her knowing that's what she needs and wants.

Lying back down on my side, I open my arms. She moves to me, and I wrap my arm around her. As she drifts off, I let the hope that we can fix this giant fuck up take hold of me.

"Please let it be possible," my mind says.

"Mina, close your eyes and sleep, I am not going anywhere," I whisper to her. Her soft heart beat and breathing seems to sing a lullaby to me making my own eyes roll closed.

~MSG~

Feeling my eyes flutter open, I look out Bella's window to see that it looks like it's no longer bright and sunny outside. Moving my hand to my face, I look at my watch seeing that it's six, meaning I have been asleep for at least an hour.

As I try to slide out from under Bella, her eyes open.

"Go back to sleep," I say in a whisper.

"No, I feel a little hungry, and I feel rested anyway." Bobbing my head at her, I move out of the bed and hold my hand out for her.

"Come on," I say leading her out to find Tia's not around.

"I should let Em know he should just call something in," I say picking up my cell sending him a text. "Now what would you like for dinner?" I ask as Bella looks out the window frowning.

"Dinner, more like breakfast," Tia says as she walks in yawning.

"Breakfast?" Bella and I say jointly.

"Yes, it's six in the morning," she says as she starts the coffee pot.

Taking out my cell, I look at the date and time again and sure enough, it's the next day. Bella and I slept for close to fourteen hours, I can't believe it.

"You both needed to sleep, so I let you be. Besides, I went to your house, because I needed to have a word with Rose."

Looking up at Tia and then to Bella who looks like a deer caught in headlights.

"Why?" I stutter out as Tia hands Bella a dry slice of toast and then turns her back to me. It looks as if she is making breakfast.

"Don't get me wrong, I know it was Em's idea, and Bella went along with it. But they are teenagers, they're not meant to look at the larger picture. Rose is almost forty, and she knows better. Okay, so she fell in love with her friend's son, but to keep you in the dark just to allow her and him time to explore their mutual feelings was fucked up."

"Explore their mutual feelings? What feelings?" my mind shouts. "What?" I ask having no idea if it's just too early or if she's not making any sense.

"She knew way back at Thanksgiving that you had fallen in love with Bella. Okay, it wasn't until Christmas when Em finally explained it to her that she knew he and Bella were only friends. She should have made him tell you, then and there. But no, she wanted to see if what she felt for your son was going somewhere."

Turning my head, I look at Bella who's biting her lip.

"Your friend Rose, Rosalie Hale, is Emmett's new girlfriend," Bella explains and I feel my whole body shut down as I look at her.

"What?" I say laughing, because there is no way Rose is dating Emmett. She's old enough to be his mom.

Tia laughs. "Kettle meet pot!" she says looking at me and I just look back at her. Again having no idea what she's going on about.

"Are you always this slow in the morning? I'm talking about how you are old enough to be Bella's dad and yet you complain that Rose is old enough to be Emmett's mom."

Rolling my eyes, I realize I spoke my inner thoughts aloud. "It's different," I say and Tia shakes her head at me.

"Excuse me," Bella says and bolts off.

Frowning, I jump up and go after her.

"Mina," I say hoping whatever I said to upset her I can work out. When my eyes land on her, I see she's being sick. "Fuck, baby," I say moving into the bathroom, holding her hair back. She keeps being sick, bringing up everything she just ate. "Are you okay?" I ask wiping her face that's now pale with a grayish tint.

"Yeah," she says weakly.

"When's the last time you ate before the slice of toast?" I ask as I help her stand.

"Lunch time, yesterday."

Frowning, I know she needs to eat more often, but as we both fell asleep it's not like she could.

"That's more than likely why you were sick," I tell her making her chuckle.

"I wish," she states and I just look at her. "The more I eat, the more times I'm being sick. I have tried everything," she huffs.

Sighing, I stroke her face, hating that she's so ill.

"Come on, back to bed," I say as I go to pick her up.

"I want to take a shower, I feel yucky," she says and I laugh and give her a nod.

"I'll be here when you get out."

Bella shakes her head at me. "You have work, Edward. Go home, get changed, shave, and go to work. I'll be here when you're done."

Frowning, I just look at her.

"Please, I need to go back to school anyway, and you can't keep taking time off work. You could get fired."

That's the least of my worries, but nod because the last thing I need is to lose my job.

"Okay, for you I will go to work," I say kissing her lips but she pulls back.

"I'm sorry," I say feeling my shattered heart crumble again.

"I've just been sick. I just don't feel like making out when I can still taste it."

Breathing out, I say a silent thank God.

"We still have loads to talk about, Edward. Us," she stops and motions between us. "This. If we choose this, it's not going to be smooth sailing. We both need to cut the shit and get it all out there."

"I agree," I says nodding at her. "I'll come pick you up and take you back to my house for dinner. As much as I like Tia, I think we need some one on one time."

Bella bobs her head.

"Okay," I say this time kissing her temple.

When I arrive home, I head straight to Emmett's room.

"Em," I say as I open his bedroom door. Stepping in I find him in a compromising position.

"Shit, I'm sorry," I mutter, before walking out of the room and closing the door. Only going a few steps before my brain seems to allow the image of what I just saw in. Stepping back to the room, I open the door again. Sure enough, Rose is tied up naked, with Emmett on his knees between her legs.

"Both of you get dressed," I grit out as they both look at each other and then to me. "NOW!" I say slamming the door.

Heading quickly to my room, I shower, shave, then get dressed. Knowing about them from Bella is one thing to hear, but this is so different. When I get down to the kitchen, both Rose and Emmett are there. Rose is just about on his lap, they're so close.

"One of you better start fucking talking."

"We're in love, Dad."

Rolling my eyes at him, I almost choke on the words.

"Hey, just because things have gone sour for you with Bella, don't mock what we have," Rose says in her bitchy tone.

"Things haven't gone sour, we are working it out and it wouldn't have been so fucked up if you both told me the truth!" I end up yelling.

Emmett looks down ashamed, but Rose seems to have a bee in her bonnet.

"Don't lay any of this on him," she argues.

Glaring at her until she shuts up, I snarl back at her. "Don't start," I stop and start to laugh. "That's why you were such a bitch to her at Thanksgiving. You were jealous because she was with Emmett."

"No, I didn't like her because she was making googoo eyes at you while I thought she was with Em. I thought you two were fucking behind his back."

Shaking my head. "No, Rose, that's your style, not mine. Why, Em?" I turn directing my attention to him. "Why couldn't you tell me when you told Rose? Was it okay for you to get your girl, but not me? You were happily fucking Rose and Bella had to stay away from me. She had to pretend to be the good girlfriend?"

"Ha! Good girlfriend, huh? Don't make me laugh. She fucked you and got herself pregnant," Rose snarks out and I shake my head.

"She was drunk and that was on me. The difference is Bella and I both held our feelings in for almost four months because we both loved you!" I state looking at Emmett.

"But you, as soon as you got the green light from Rose, you didn't care, you just said fuck it. But even then you still played on Bella not wanting to be alone anymore, to keep her silence. That's not a friend, Em, let alone how a brother behaves."

"I'm sorry, Dad," Emmett says weakly again.

"I know, Em, and I love you. You are my son, but sometimes sorry isn't enough."

Emmett wipes his face as Rose strokes his back and glares at me.

"I have to get to work, Bella's going back to school today. She's still pregnant so try and keep an eye on her as best as you can, please?"

Emmett looks at me in shock, but nods at me.

"Rose, it's time for us to go to work."

Walking to the car, I open the passenger side and smile at Rose to show that she's going to work in my car. She gets in and I start to drive. It takes her a long time before she starts talking, which I'm grateful for. Her time taking gave me the chance to calm down.

"Edward," she says and I shake my head at her.

"You're old enough to be his mom, Rose."

"And you're old enough to be Bella's dad."

"That's different," I argue.

"How is it different?"

"It is, Rose, for one thing, I didn't see Bella grow up."

"I didn't see Em grow up."

Looking at her, I know full well she has seen him throughout the years. Maybe it was only a handful of times up until he turned eighteen, but still.

"Then there's the fact that men are meant to be older."

Rose just arches her brow at me.

"So this is okay for you and Bella, but not for me and Em, even with there being less years between us?"

Laughing, I shake my head. "Girls mature faster than boys normally, they're about three years in front of their real age. But then there's Bella and lets face it she's older than most her age. She's her age plus six years, so that makes her about twenty four. Men mature slower, almost five years younger than their true age, until they hit thirty and it doubles. So my age is about twenty-eight, that's only four years between us."

Turning, I look at Rose who's looking at me with amusement on her face.

"Emmett may be nineteen, but really, he's more like fourteen, and you're like a forty-two year old woman. That's twenty-eight years of age difference," I tell her with a nod.

"Edward," Rose says in my ear as I pull into parking space. "You ever say that I'm a forty year old woman again, I'm going to cut you."

Gulping a little, I feel a tad bit afraid of her right now.

"I know that he acts like a kid sometimes, but he's not like that with me. He and Bella were acting like brother and sister and I think that was the real reason he wasn't telling you the truth. He found it odd that his father wanted to fuck his sister." Rose shakes her head. "Add that to the fact it was so clear you were in love with her. Fucking hell, I think even Alice picked up on it. He knew what he'd done, and he was afraid to tell you—his dad—that he hurt the woman YOU loved."

"I know Rose, I just feel so ashamed. I would never have believed he was capable of being so cruel"

Rose bobs her head. "I was a bitch in school. I did a lot more than what he's done and I never wanted to apologize to any of them. I still don't. But he has done it, he has made amends to everyone he was mean to. I know that deep down that's because of Bella and her impact on him. He can't change the past, Edward, he screwed up, but so did you. You should have talked to him. I know you said you didn't because you didn't want him hurt. But you were hurting him, because you were hurting and he had no clue what was wrong or how to help you."

Frowning, I just look at Rose.

"Before Thanksgiving I came across him, he was looking a little lost at the library and I asked what was up. He told me he was worried about you. He said you seemed okay one minute and then pissed off the next. He thought it was stress, but you always seemed to be in pain. He was really worried, so when you ran out of your house like a bat out of hell to get Bella, I knew it was her. I thought she was playing you and Emmett both. That's why I was off that day. It just brought back what Royce did to me. I didn't want Em to go through that. We started talking and the feelings just came out of nowhere. Really, Edward, I didn't wake up one day and think today I'm going to fall in love with my best friend's son."

"Best friend?" I ask interrupting her.

"Sad as it is, yes. After Em, you're my best friend. You don't take any of my crap, and give just as much back. I can be me—the nasty me, the nice me, the hurt me—around you and not care. You've seen me cry." Rose closes her mouth and clears her throat. "I knew I should have told you, but it just felt easier to just let it be. I could see him, without pressure on me, and I didn't want you to take him away."

Rubbing my face, I let out a sigh. "Fine, I'll come around to this, but for my sanity could you both not have sex in my house?"

Rose bobs her head and hugs me.

"How is Bella?" she asks pulling away.

"Sick, stressed ... I'm really worried about her going back to school. I just have this bad feeling in the pit of my stomach."

My cell rings and I jump. Looking to the screen I see it's Emmett. I click send and don't get a chance to say hello.

"Dad, Newton kicked Bella out of school," Emmett bursts out right away.

"What?" I ask looking at Rose.

"Dad, get here now!"

Nodding, I look to Rose.

"Go, I'll cover for you, call me and let me know whose ass I need to kick," Rose says getting out of the car.

"I'll get Emmett to come pick you up!" I yell as she closes the door.

Speeding away, I swear to God I am going to end up knocking Mike Newton the fuck out.

A/N: So Mike Newton is still a force to be reckoned with. What do you suppose Edward will do now? Was anyone surprised by Tia's protective side for Bella? How do you suppose the upcoming talk Edward and Bella have will go? We know Edward was a bit of a BUTT, but what did you think of his explanation he gave Rose about their ages and how they act?