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Bella reread Tyler's text several times before she shifted to the side of the bed. She had just stood when Jasper walked in with their pizza, his eyes widening as he all but threw the box on the bed and hurried to her.

"Another contraction?"

"Huh? No."

"Then why are you crying?"

"I'm not," she whispered, but when he wiped the tears off her cheek, she realized she had been. "I need you to take me to The Oasis."

"Izzy, I know you love him, but the last place you need to be is in a bar."

She shook her head and shoved her phone into his hand.

Jasper sighed before reading Tyler's message. "Oh."

"I have to tell him, Jay."

Though she could see the concern in his eyes, he simply nodded and wrapped his arm around her. "Okay, let's go."

Bella grabbed her bag and keys, dropping them and her phone inside, while Jay turned off the alarm and opened the front door. Once she was on the porch, he reset the alarm and closed the door, jiggling the handle to ensure it was locked.

He helped her to his truck and opened the door. Before she could stop him, he lifted her onto the seat and hurried to the other side. Once they had their seatbelts on, he started the drive toward The Oasis.

"Do I need to call Dad?"

"Um, I don't know. Maybe."

Jasper nodded before sliding his phone from his pocket and finding their father's name under his contacts. He pressed call, and since it was connected to his truck, they listened while it rang twice before Charlie answered.

"Jay, aren't you supposed to be with Izzy?"

"I am, Dad. We're on our way to the O."

"Jay, she does not need to be in a bar. She's supposed to be on bed rest, dumbass."

"Yes, Dad, I am aware, but . . . She got a text from Tyler Crowley."

Charlie sighed. "They're letting him out, aren't they? Son-of-a-bitch found a way to get off."

"No, no, he . . . He's dead."

"I'm sorry, but what?"

"We don't know the details. He just said Peter Cullen was found dead in his cell."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"She wants to tell him, doesn't she?"

Jasper looked at her. "He needs to hear it from her."

"I'll meet you there."

"Okay." Jasper ended the call. "Never really heard Dad cuss before."

Bella nodded. "It's rare."

"He called me a dumbass."

"Not the first time."

"Probably won't be the last," he admitted, switching lanes before stopping at a red light. "Promise me you won't push yourself too hard."

"I promise."

"I'm serious, Izzy."

"I said I promise, Jay."

"Yeah, well, I don't believe you," he scoffed as the light turned green, and he slowly pressed his foot on the accelerator. "I don't understand men like Peter Cullen. How can you create beautiful little babies and even think about putting your hands on them? I look at the girls, Iz, and just the thought of hurting them like that makes me sick to my stomach. Even when they annoy me," he added with a chuckle. "We don't even spank them. It's just something we don't believe in."

"Trust me, I know," she replied, sliding her hand over her stomach. "When Carlisle and I started talking about starting a family, he was adamant that we wouldn't ever physically discipline them. Knowing what he'd gone through, I wouldn't even consider it."

Jasper turned into the parking lot of The Oasis. There were maybe ten cars, confirming what Edward said about Tuesday's being slow. He parked close to the door and turned the truck off but didn't make any attempt to get out.

"Don't forget your promise, Iz."

"I won't."

Jasper climbed out and hurried around, helping her before the two made the short walk to the front door. Her fingers trembled as she gripped the handle, pulling it open. Loud music assaulted her ears, and the smell of smoke had her stomach rolling. Three people sat at the bar while another five or six gathered at a table close to the Juke Box.

The door had just closed behind them when Edward hurried out of the back with a box in his hands. He plopped it onto the bar before he saw him.

"What are you doing here, Izzy? You're supposed to be at home. Jasper, you were supposed to keep her in bed!" he exclaimed before rushing around the bar and heading to them. "Are you having contractions again?"

"No," she said, shaking her head. "Can we, um, can we go in the back? Please? It's important, Edward."

"Um, yeah, sure," he mumbled, reaching for her hand. "You're shaking, Izzy. Are you feeling okay?"

"Yeah, I'm . . . I just need to talk to you."

Edward frowned before he looked at Jasper. "Can you handle the front? Just holler if anyone needs anything other than beer."

"Of course."

Edward slipped his arm around Bella's waist as the two walked to the other end of the bar and into the back room. She waited until the door had stopped swinging before she slipped out of his arms and turned to face him.

"You're kind of scaring me, Izzy. Are . . . are you breaking up with me?"

"No, no, of course not," she assured him. Bella swallowed against the lump in her throat. "Tyler texted me."

Edward's eyes widened. "Why?"

"He . . . He said they found Peter dead."

He stared at her. "What?"

"They found Peter dead in his cell, Edward."

Taking a step backward, he inhaled a deep breath. "Did someone kill him?"

"I don't know. He . . . he didn't tell me."

Edward nodded. "Can I see the text?"

Bella slipped her phone from her bag and pulled up her messages before handing it to him. Edward's expression was indecipherable as he read the words.

"He's dead. He's . . . dead."

"Edward, I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry, Izzy. I'm . . . I'm relieved."

"You are?"

"Yeah. I mean . . . he can't come near you or Little Bit ever again. I just . . . I just can't believe he's actually dead."

She placed her hand on his chest. "I was so worried."

"Why?"

"Because . . . because he's . . . he was your father."

"He stopped being my father the moment he decided to beat on me and Carlisle, Izzy. Took me a long time to realize it, but . . . he was never a father."

She leaned her forehead against his chest just before they heard the front door open, and Charlie yell, "Where the hell are they?"

Edward slipped his arm around her waist as the two walked back into the bar, finding her father standing with Jasper. He was still wearing his black and red plaid pajama pants and one of the many Woodbury High School T-shirts. His eyes softened when he spotted them. Practically shoving Jasper out of the way, Charlie hurried toward them, but instead of pulling Bella into his arms as she expected, he surprised her by wrapping his arms around Edward. As the two most important men in her life hugged, she heard Edward cry.

—RtW—

Bella sat at one of the tables, her feet propped up in a chair. Edward had closed early, and while Charlie and Jasper were cleaning, Edward was sitting at the bar talking to Esme. He felt he needed to be the one to tell her about Peter. Bella agreed. His sister's relationship with the man had never been as violent as Edward and Carlisle's, yet he hadn't been her father any more than he'd been his sons.

"You okay, Izzy?" Charlie asked, kneeling next to her.

"Yeah."

"Liar."

She tried to smile. "Fine. No, but at the same time, yes. I don't know, Dad. I wasn't expecting to find out that he'd died. I just . . . I was so worried about Edward. I didn't want him to find out from anyone else, you know?"

Charlie nodded. "You love him."

Her cheeks warmed. "I do."

"He's a good man, Iz. He really is."

"I think so."

Edward laid his phone on the bar before he turned toward her. He exhaled a deep breath before standing and joining her and Charlie. He lifted her legs before sitting and laying them on his lap.

"She and Garrett are heading this way."

Bella nodded. "Is she okay?"

"She . . . I don't know, Izzy. She's in shock, I guess. Hell, I'm in shock."

"I think we're all in shock, Edward." Charlie groaned as he stood. "Want me to stay with you? I don't mind."

"Thanks, Charlie, but I think we'll be okay."

Her father nodded, shifting his eyes to Bella. "I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"

"Okay, Dad. Thanks for coming."

He laid his hand on the side of her face. "Love you, kiddo."

"Love you, too." Charlie left as Jasper tossed the last of the empty beer bottles into the recycling bin.

"Well, I guess I should get home. Girls are waiting for me to tell them goodnight. Kind of need to reassure them that I love them after tonight." Jasper cleared his throat. "Sorry, we didn't get to eat our pizza, Izzy. Even if it did have pineapple."

"It's good!" she insisted.

Edward laughed. "It is."

"See?" Bella snickered before slipping her feet off Edward's lap and standing. She opened her arms toward her brother, who grinned as he hugged her. "Thanks, Jay."

He kissed the side of her head. "Anytime, sis."

Once Jasper left, Bella sat back in her chair, her hand sliding over her belly. "Alone at last."

Edward leaned toward her, placing her hand over hers. "Are you feeling okay?"

She shrugged. "Kind of hungry. Especially after he mentioned pizza."

"I have some cheesecake in the fridge."

"What kind?"

"This was the first time I've ever attempted it, but it's a Nutter Butter cheesecake?"

"Like the cookies?"

Edward nodded. "Nutter Butters, Heath bars, peanut butter. Want a slice?"

"Or maybe two?"

He laughed.

"Little Bit wants some, too," she told him.

"Anything for Little Bit," he snickered, winking at her before he stood and hurried behind the bar. He came back a minute later with two plates, one for each of them. Hers did indeed have two slices. "Be honest if it isn't any good."

"It looks delicious." She picked up the fork and sliced into the first piece, keeping her eyes locked on his as she brought it to her mouth. She slapped her hand over her lips when she moaned. "Oh, my God, that's so fucking good."

Edward laughed. "Yeah?"

"Oh, yeah. I expect one of these on a weekly basis."

"You do, do you?"

"Yep."

"I bet I can make that happen."

They ate in silence. Once they were done, Edward put their plates and forks into the sink before bringing her a bottle of water.

"I'm going to have to plan his funeral, aren't I?"

"I guess."

"I can't believe he's dead, Izzy. I just . . . I just can't believe it."

"Me either," she admitted.

"I don't have a single good memory of him. Not one. No hugs, no 'I love yous.' Just pain and humiliation. At least there were moments with my mom when she wasn't drunk, and she'd tell me that she loved me and that I wasn't a worthless piece of shit. Though, to be honest, there weren't many. As I got older, the more she drank, the meaner she got. The more she blamed me for trapping her with him."

He shook his head. "The night before she died, I'd stopped by the house to get the rest of my stuff, and she practically begged me to stay; said she would stop drinking. Told me she'd already lost one son and didn't want to lose another. And then he came home, and he lit into me about how I was nothing, how I'd spent my entire life being a disappointment to them. I'd been clean and sober for almost three years, Izzy. But all he could see was the junkie who'd stolen their booze because the only way I knew how to manage life around them was in a bottle or getting high. I mean, I know I'm the only one responsible for turning to drugs and alcohol, but it was just so hard to be inside that house with them all the time.

"When he called me the next morning and told me she was dead, I felt so guilty for leaving her alone with him. By the time I got to the house, he'd packed his shit and left town. I planned her funeral and settled her affairs. Then I found out I had a half-sister," he whispered before his eyes lifted to hers. "It wasn't until you came back that I felt like I had a family again."

Bella bit her lip to keep from smiling. "I didn't make it easy for you, did I?"

"No," he admitted. "But you shouldn't have. I made a lot of mistakes, Izzy, and I won't ever be able to make up for them, but I can't thank you enough for giving me a chance. I love you so much."

"Edward," she murmured, stroking his cheek. "I love you, too."

He leaned in to kiss her, but before he could, the sound of a car stopping outside drew their attention to the front door. A moment later, Esme and Garrett hurried inside. She looked frantic, and he appeared worried as he had his hand on her back.

"Have you heard anything new?" Esme asked.

"No." Edward stood and gave her a tentative hug. "I texted Tyler, but he said they probably won't know anything until tomorrow."

Esme nodded, her eyes shifting to Bella. "Aren't you supposed to be on best rest?"

"I'm sitting," she scoffed.

"Not really the same," Esme countered, dragging her hands through her hair. "Kind of quiet tonight."

"I closed early," Edward told her. "We were just waiting for you to get here before we headed home."

"Oh, sorry," Esme grumbled.

"I guess we'll see you guys in the morning?" Garrett asked.

"Are you going back to Minnesota?" Bella wondered.

"Nah, we're going to get a room at the motel off the highway."

"Like hell you are," Edward quipped. "That place is full of junkies."

Bella frowned, knowing he'd spent much of his teen years there, chasing his next high. She and Carlisle had found him there more than once.

"You can stay here."

"What?" Esme asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I have an apartment upstairs. Since I live with Izzy now, it's empty. You can stay up there. I mean, if you want."

"You'd trust us here alone?" Esme questioned, her eyes widening.

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Not like you've known me that long, Edward."

He shrugged. "You're my sister."

Esme smiled and launched herself into his arms once again. "Thanks, Edward. Having a brother is still new to me, I guess."

"I've never had a sister, either." He kissed the top of her head. "I don't want to lose you, too."

"You won't," she promised before stepping back and looking at Garrett. "Guess we're staying here."

He nodded. "We'll come by the house in the morning. Just shoot us a text when you're up."

Edward nodded and dug his keys out of his pocket. "Here's the key to the door. Just make sure you lock up."

"Will do."

"I'd better get her home before she falls asleep at the table," Edward snickered, gesturing toward Bella, who had done her best to stifle a yawn. "If you need anything, just give me a call."

"We will. Thanks again," Esme said, smiling.

—RtW—

Bella was exhausted when she and Edward returned to the house. While he locked up, she wandered into their bedroom, changing into a nightgown and slipping under the covers. Sighing, she leaned against her pillows, her hands roaming over her belly.

Edward walked into their bedroom, reaching behind him and tugging his shirt off. He tossed it into their hamper before grabbing his pajama pants, stripping his jeans down his legs, kicking them aside, and pulling the PJs on. Taking the rubber band from his hair, he dragged his fingers through it before climbing onto his side of the bed and rolling onto his side to face her.

"Are you too tired to look at something?"

"Depends on what I'm looking at," she admitted.

"Little Bits' room."

Her eyes widened. "You said you weren't done yet."

"I'm not," he confessed. "But I'd still like to show it to you. If you're too tired, we can wait until tomorrow."

"No, I want to see it." She threw the blankets off, causing him to laugh before he hurried around and helped her stand.

He placed his hand on the small of her back as he led her across the hall. He reached inside and turned on the light, nudging her forward. She stepped into the room, her lips curling into a smile.

Three walls had been painted a soft sage green, but one had been left white. On that one, he'd put wallpaper of different colored brownstone-style buildings that reached from the floor halfway up the wall. There were five or six birds flying over the buildings. In the corner was a gray plush chair with a matching ottoman. The crib still hadn't been put together and was leaning against the far wall next to the box containing a changing table. An oak dresser had been anchored to the wall in the other corner. On top sat a lamp topped with a shade matching the buildings on the wall, Bob, and a photo of her and Carlisle.

Bella picked up the silver frame as tears flooded her eyes. It had been taken the opening night of the first ballet she'd danced in. She was just a part of the ensemble, swaying back and forth in the back, but it had been the first time she'd felt like a true ballerina. Carlisle, of course, sat in the front row with a banquet of sunflowers on his lap. When the show was over, he smothered her in kisses, telling her how proud he was of her for achieving her dreams.

"I still have to assemble the crib and the changing table, but New York was a huge part of your life, Izzy. I thought Little Bit should be able to have a piece of yours and Carlisle's life together."

She nodded, causing tears to sprinkle across her cheeks. "It's . . . it's beautiful." She looked at him. "Thank you. I know you and Carlisle had a difficult relationship, Edward, but this means a lot."

"We may not have always seen eye to eye, and that was mostly my fault, but he will always be my brother. And he will always be Little Bit's father, Izzy."

She inhaled a deep breath before placing the photo back on the dresser. "I know if Carlisle knew the man you've become, the one you are today, Edward, he would be proud of you."

"You think so?" he asked, his lips trembling.

"I know so. He loved you so much. So very much."

"I miss him every day."

"Me too, but he wouldn't want us to let his death keep us from moving on with our lives. And while Carlisle will always be my son's father, so will you."

"Izzy," he whimpered, wrapping his arms around her, nestling her against his chest.

"Let's go to bed."

Edward kept one arm wrapped around her before the two walked back into their bedroom and slipped under the covers. He reached over and turned off his light, casting them into darkness before snuggling her against his chest.

"I don't know what I would do without you."

"You'll never have to find out," she whispered, kissing his chest. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

Thank you for all the AMAZING reviews! Huge thank you to Sunflower Fran for being an awesome beta!