I do not own Twilight or its characters. Stephenie Meyer does.

Ch: 9

(EPOV)

It was well after midnight when I headed upstairs. Jasper and Alice came and went from retrieving the new rental. They both had tried to talk to me but I wasn't in the mood to be social or to talk about what I was thinking or feeling.

I couldn't get over what Emmett had been hiding all this time. I still wanted to beat the ever lovin' shit out of him. However, I knew I had to restrain myself since the last thing I wanted to do was scare Masen again.

I paused by the bedroom door. It was open slightly to let the light of the hall in for a nightlight. I tipped-toed in so I didn't wake either of them. Masen was sleeping soundly curled up with both his frog and Grover. He rolled over when I approached the bed.

"Daddy, treehouse, please," he mumbled. I chuckled. He got talking in his sleep from his mom.

We were camping in La Push with the others. Charlie let Bella go thinking she would be sharing a tent with Alice and Rose, but once we got here the couples split up.

She snuggled into me. "I love you, Edward," she mumbled.

I smiled and without thinking I kissed her. She responded after a moment and I felt her hand push me back slightly.

"Edward?" she yawned. "It's the middle of the night. What are you doing?" Her eyes were still closed so I was unsure if she was awake.

"I'm watching you sleep." I kissed her forehead and moved some hair from her face.

"That's weird. Why?" She opened one eye and looked at me.

"Did you know you talk in your sleep?" I teased.

Her eyes opened wide and she looked worried.

"What did I say?" she demanded nervously. I couldn't help to think she was cute when she was mad or anxious.

"Oh nothing much just…" I shrugged teasing her some more.

She poked me in the chest, clearly not amused.

"That you love me." I beamed.

I could tell, even in only dimly moon lit tent, her whole face was bright red. She covered her face with both hands.

"Baby, don't hide yourself from me." I tugged lightly on her hands to try to pry them off her face. She gave me a timid smile. "Don't be embarrassed. I love you, too, Bella Swan."

"Are you saying that to make me feel better," she accused, looking unsure.

"Perhaps, but it's still true. I just haven't figured out how to tell you first. But believe me it's the truth. I, EDWARD CULLEN LOVE ISABELLA MARIE SWAN!"

Her hand covered my mouth because I screamed the last part, she was grinning madly though.

"SHUT UP, I, JASPER WHITLOCK AM TRYING TO SLEEP!" Jasper yelled back.

"Believe me now?" I asked. She giggled then pulled me into a kiss.

"Edward, what are you doing?" Bella called me from behind. She was sitting up in bed watching me. The light from the hall lit her face so I could see her clearly.

"Sorry, I just wanted to check on him. I got caught up watching him sleep. You know that he talks in his sleep just like you?" I chuckled lightly.

"Oh, god, what did I say?" she groaned.

I laughed lightly at her nervousness.

"Nothing. It was him. He wants me to take him to the treehouse," I explained.

"As long as it's not raining too hard tomorrow that should be fine." She paused thinking. "Have you checked to make sure it still safe?" she questioned.

"I didn't, but Jasper said he climbed up to check and said it looked safe to him," I answered.

She let a big yawn before nodding.

"Sorry, I woke you," I apologized before heading to my own room.

I had barely stripped down to my boxers to climb into bed when I heard Masen start crying and yelling. My heart thundered in my chest that he was hurt as I barreled back into the other bedroom. Bella was already sitting on the edge of the pullout soothing him.

"Daddy?" he cried holding out his arms when he spotted me. Bella glanced over her shoulder, she looked calm and not upset so I knew I wasn't intruding. Her eyes drifted down to my bare chest and she blushed.

"Are you okay, little buddy?" I asked lifting him up and he clung to me like a spider monkey.

"I had a bad dream," he pouted. His damp cheeks wet my shoulder.

"I'm sorry to hear that. You want to talk about it?"

He shook his head. "I want to sleep with you and mommy, pease." Those puppy dog eyes with tears in them were just about heartbreaking.

"I don't think we'll all fit in your bed." I frowned. I looked over at Bella for help. Her face was grim, but she smiled when Masen looked at her.

"Please, mommy? I don't want daddy to leave. He stays right here," Masen asked.

"Well, maybe for tonight. We can share my bed until you fall asleep," she suggested.

"You sure," I mouthed over Masen's head. I didn't want to impose and make her feel uncomfortable.

She nodded and pulled back the covers more.

"Climb in." She sat down on one side. I placed Masen down and he crawled to the middle and curled into Bella.

"Daddy," He patted the space next to him. I laid on top of the covers.

"Under, silly. Like me," he giggled.

I hesitated before I climbed under. Masen grabbed my hand and held it tight.

"Stay, Daddy," he said more seriously, he looked worried.

"I'm not going anywhere," I promised. I could always move to the pullout after he was asleep.

Bella started telling Masen a story that involved Hoppy Froggy Longlegs while she played with his hair. He calmed down and fell asleep before the story was over.

"That was a cute story, did you make it up yourself?" I whispered.

She nodded shyly.

"Maybe you should write children's books?" I suggested.

"I stink at drawing though. That's half, if not most of the book at their age," she answered. "I would love to write again."

"Then go for it. In fact, you should go back to school." I encouraged. She scoffed at my suggestion.

"It's not that easy. I have to find a job to take care of Masen and myself. I wouldn't be able to afford school."

"I can help you," I stated. I received my inheritance plus I barley spent anything I earned the last few years, so I was pretty all set financially. I wanted to help her and Masen the best I could.

"I'm not taking charity," she huffed starting to look upset.

"It's not charity for me to pay my half of child support. And since I owe for back payments, you can use that to help take some classes," I argued softly back.

"You don't owe me anything." She shook her head.

"On the contrary, I do. I owe you a lot for keeping our little boy safe while you were at risk. I haven't really decided what to do next, so I can settle wherever you want to go. I will help you out with Masen how I can," I promised. She closed her eyes as if she was trying not to get upset.

"Edward, we have been through this. I'm glad you are stepping up for Masen. I don't want to come across as a witch, but I'm not part of the deal," she said slowly.

"You're not a b.." she silence me with a pointed look at Masen. "a witch. I do understand that Bella. I wasn't trying to suggest that; you have giving up so much putting Masen first. Let me do this for you. No strings attached, I mean that. At least think about it. If you take some classes, you could get a better job, that helps Masen too, right?"

She opened her eyes stared at me for a moment.

"I'll think about it." She agreed. Her eyes drifted back down to my chest. "You've kept it." I looked down to see where her eyes were glued. She had spotted her ring on my dog tag chain.

"I did. It has stayed with me since that day," I told her.

She flushed looking back up me with doe eyes, her expression unreadable. I started to slip out of the bed.

"Edward?" I turned back and she bit her lip looking down at Masen then back up at me. "If you don't mind, maybe you should stay. Right before he woke up Masen was asking for you…" she trailed off leaving out something. "Anyways I think he would want you here when he wakes up."

"Are you sure? I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

"I'm sure, it's a big bed." She closed her eyes before I settled back into the bed. "Edward?" she opened her eyes again.

"Yes, lo… Bella?" I raised myself up by one elbow.

"You're really not going back to the service?" She asked not meeting my eye, but playing with the blanket.

"No, the time I signed up for is done. Besides, I think I'm needed here more right now." She glanced up looking me straight in the eye. I saw some relief in her eyes.

"Good. Masen would really miss you if you left. I think that's what his nightmare was about."

I glanced down at my sleeping son. I had missed so much already, I dreaded missing more.

"I'm not going anywhere, not without him." Or you I added silently.

She eyed me closely before closing her eyes. I watched as she fall asleep before I drifted off.

LB

In the morning, I woke up with a warm body curled into mine. The floral scent had aroused me and my morning wood was pressed up against something soft. The body shifted with a soft content sigh and I opened my eyes surprised to see Bella pressed up against me with her head on my chest. Her left hand had the dog tag chain tangled in her fingers.

Her brown eyes opened and met mine. She looked confused then she sat up fast. Her whole face was red with blush.

"Masen?" she called out looking around.

"Here, Mommy," he called from the pullout. He was sitting up with a couple of books around him. "Daddy." His eyes lit up and he stood up on the bed. He took a couple of steps and leapt from one bed to the other, a good four feet apart. He landed with a bounce.

"Masen, don't do that, you scared me." Bella clutched her chest.

"Sorry," he bounced into my lap.

Making me wince and let out an 'oomph'. Bella smirked.

"Mommy, I hungree," Masen stated with an adorable grin.

"Okay, I'm coming." Bella yawned and slipped out of bed.

I didn't notice last night but all she was wearing was one of my old high school t-shirts and it barely covered her ass. I tore my eyes away as she slipped on a pair of lounge pants.

"What shall we have for breakfast?" I asked Masen.

"Pancakes," His eyes danced with joy.

"Sounds good, but I need you to come help me." Bella held out her hand to him. He bounced off my lap and grabbed her hand before jumping off the bed. He landed with a soft thud, let go of Bella's hand and ran to the door. He managed to get the door open.

"You coming, Daddy?" he asked, turning and hoping one foot to the other in the door way.

"In a few minutes." I promised.

"Okay. I try to save you some pancakes. But I eat lots!" he yelled before he disappeared from the room running down the hallway.

I heard Bella call out for him to hold on to the railing.

LB

It was about mid-morning when Masen ran alongside of me holding my hand and Jasper walked with us to the treehouse in the back of the yard. The girls remained inside, Alice convinced Bella to let her trim her hair. Emmett… I'm not sure what he was doing at the moment. Probably sleeping off his hangover. To tell the truth, I didn't care where he was at the moment, just as long as he stayed out of my way. I wasn't ready to forgive him anytime soon, if ever.

As soon as Masen spotted the treehouse he dropped my hand and broke out into a run.

"Masen, wait up." I picked up my strides to keep up with him. I was afraid he would try to climb up and fall before we could get there. I didn't need to give Bella a reason to kill me for not bringing him back in one piece.

We caught up just as he reached the base. He waited patiently looking up trying to see through the hatch.

"May I go up now," he asked.

"Let Uncle Jasper go up first and I will go up behind you," I told him.

He nodded and stepped away from the ladder.

"Do you remember the rules I told you."

"Uh huh. Stay away from the edge. Use both hands when climbing the ladder. I can only go up with adult superstition."

"Supervision," I corrected gently.

"Supervision," he parroted. "and the rope Tarzan swing is off limits because the rope is old and needs a new one."

"Good job remembering," I praised.

He smiled and started bouncing around.

"Hurry up, Uncle Japer." He bounced forward and grabbed Jasper's hand then tugged on it; he pulled Jasper away from the tree he had been leaning against.

"I'm coming, hold your horses," Jasper snickered.
"But I don't have any horses." Masen looked confused.

I hid my laugh with a slight cough.

"It's just an expression that means wait patiently." Jasper laughed and ruffled Masen's hair before starting up the ladder. When he reached the top he disappeared through the hatch, only for his head and shoulders to appear a moment later to lend a helping hand if Masen needed it.

Masen tried to follow, copying Jasper exactly, however, since Jasper was so tall he had skipped a few boards on the ladder.

"Don't skip a step. When your legs are as long as ours you can skip but for now use each one." I held on to him when he started to slip. Exactly why I wanted to be on the ground behind him.

I might be over cautious, there was a thousand times Jasper, Emmett and I climbed up without issues when we were kids, also doing stupid stuff and we were still alive.

He moved slower and when he reached the top Jasper stretched out a hand to help him up and in. By the time I reached the top Masen was by one of the windows looking out. Jasper was hovering near enough he could grab him in case he leaned too far. At first I was surprised how small it felt up here, Jasper and I both had to stoop. I guess it has been a while since I had been up here.

When Masen saw me his smile grew big. "This is so cool! I always wanted a treehouse." His eyes were large with excitement as he hurried over to another ladder built into the wall.

"Well if you like it so much you can have it." I offered. His eyes lit up and he ran over and hugged my legs.

"Thank you." I hugged him back.

"You're welcome, little buddy."

He let go and went back to the other ladder.

"Where does this go?" he asked.

"That up there is a lookout tower. Go ahead and go up." As he climbed the ladder I reached up and unlocked the windows and pushed them open for him.

"I can see water from here," he exclaimed.

"That's Sol Duc river," I told him.

"Can we fish? Mommy says Grampa Charlie fished." He looked down at me with hopeful eyes.

"Well, I'm sure we can try it sometime." I forced a smile as my mind drifted to thinking about the few times I fished with Charlie in hopes to get on his good side when dating Bella. I wasn't very good though.

"Do you fish, Uncle Japer?" Masen started to climb down the ladder with slightly shaky legs.

I braced for a fall but still allowed him to back down on his own.

"I fished a few times before," Jasper answered with a smile.

"What about Uncle Em?" he asked.

"I'm not sure," I answered evenly and exchanged a look with Jasper.

Of course he would call him Uncle Em. He calls Jasper 'uncle' and Alice 'aunt', so I could see why he would reason to call Emmett 'uncle'. However, at this point in time I don't think he was very worthy of the title, but I didn't see how I could explain that to Masen.

"Where is Uncle Em?" Masen asked.

I sighed inwardly afraid that Masen was attached to him already.

"I think he might still be sleeping, he wasn't feeling well," Jasper answered for me.

"Is it my fault?" Masen looked upset.

"No, definitely not your fault," I answered quickly.

Masen still looked upset.

"Would you like to go see the river?" I hoped to distract him.

"Yeah," he rushed for the ladder.

"Woah, partner, wait for me to go first." Jasper beat him to the ladder.

"Sorry," he giggled. "You sound like a cowboy."

"Well, when I was about your age, I spent a lot of time on my grandparent's ranch. So I guess I have a bit of cowboy in me." Jasper snickered, he started down the ladder. He jumped about half way down and got ready to help Masen.

Masen went down slowly and Jasper helped him off about halfway down.

"Did they have horses?" Masen asked.

"Yup, some cattle, too," Jasper replied. "My parents live there now, perhaps one day you can visit, and I'll teach you to ride a horse."

"Can we, Daddy?" he asked looking up. I got the puppy dog eyes.

"Ah… I can't make promises without talking to your mom first." I deflected for the time being. I wasn't sure what the future held at the moment, but I was still hoping for the best.

We showed Masen the path down to the river from the house. "Can we fish now?" he asked running up to bank. I grabbed the back of his shirt just before he started to tumble in.

"We need to get some gear first, so maybe tomorrow. Stay away from edge okay? If you fall in your mom isn't going to be very happy with me." I pulled him about two feet from the edge.

I bent down and picked up a rock and tossed it into the water making a splash. I smiled as I watched Masen trying to copy me. I stayed hunched down so I was eye level with him.

"Masen, I got a couple of important questions for you, and I need you to tell me the truth, okay. You won't be in trouble for anything you say. Understand?"

He nodded but looked nervous, he bit his lip the same way Bella did. He played with rock in his hand.

"Did Mr. Alec ever hurt you or touch you in a way that you didn't like?" I asked.

Bella was adamant that he didn't, but I still felt like I had to check in case Masen was trying to protect her from knowing.

"No." he shook his head. "He yelled a lot and call me fudding brat. I don't know what fudding means, mommy says it's bad and I'm not allowed to say it." He looked at me nervously.

"It is a bad word. But you're not in trouble right now." I realized he meant 'fucking'.

"Did you ever see him hit your mom?" I asked.

"Ah huh, mommy doesn't know I saw, I lied and said I didn't." His little lip wobbled.

"That's alright, little buddy, I think I know why you did. You're both going to be safe now. Okay?"

He nodded and I gave him a small hug.

"Can I throw more rocks in?" he asked shyly.

"Yup, just no closer than right here. I'm going to sit with Uncle Jasper."

He nodded before stooping to pick up some rocks.

Masen tossed some small rocks and sticks in from the spot I left him in. I sat next to Jasper on a large rock. He gave me a grim smile.

"At least the bastard never touched the kid," he murmured in low voice.

"He still threatened Bella that he would kill him if she ran," I whispered back, and Jasper scowled and cracked is knuckles.

"So are you going to turn Emmett in and press charges?" he asked in a low voice.

I frowned as I contemplated, technically what Emmett did was a federal offense by obstruction of mail. I was conflicted on how to proceed. Sure I was pissed the hell off at him and wanted to kick his ass, but was I mad enough to send him to jail for it? This was a man who I fought alongside with and who, without any hesitation, helped me save Bella and Masen. However, then there was the argument they wouldn't have needed saving if I received those letters and I knew about Masen sooner. But then, if I wasn't an idiot in the first place, I wouldn't have to worry about him protecting me from her letters if I didn't break up with her.

"I have to think about it. Right now I'm too angry to make a decision when it comes to Emmett. I trusted him and he destroyed that trust. I probably should include Bella in the decision as well."

"You can go talk with her right now, if you like. I'll keep an eye on Masen and make sure he doesn't fall in." Jasper offered.

"I think I might take you up on that." I stood up. "Masen, I have to go to the house for a moment, you can stay here, but listen to Uncle Jasper, okay?"

He turned and smiled. "Okay. Uncle Japer, do you think we can find a real frog?" He asked.

"We can try." Jasper stood up and went over to him.

While he was distracted I headed to the house. I was almost there when I saw Bella headed towards me, her face was unreadable.

"Hey I was just coming to find you. I need to talk to you about something." I greeted her.

"I needed to talk to you too, about this." She held up a small white card in the air between her index and her middle fingers and I froze in panic. How was I supposed to explain it and have her believe me?

A/N:

Some daddy and son bonding time with Uncle Jasper too.

Many of you caught something last chapter. That Emmett was saying letter while everyone saying letters. I'll just say, he was being truthful and not hiding or lying about the other letters and leave it at that.

If you want to know what Bella found, it was mentioned in one of the previous chapters.

Thank You For All Reviews!

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Preview Alert

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Preview (Since so many of you have asked about her):

"Whatever happened to Rose?" I asked. I had lost touch with her a long time ago. Even before Masen was born. I couldn't believe that she was so shallow that she broke up with Emmett because of money and that he became a solider, it seems that she provoked him to react like he did.

"She is married to a man name Royce King. I think he's involved with banking." The name sounded familiar but I couldn't place it. "Rose has been in and out of 'spas' for the last few years." I raised an eyebrow at the way she said spas. "Rehab, Bella. She has been drinking and dabbling in other stuff. Every time she gets out, something sets her off and she ends up back after not too long."