AN: Thank you to everyone who has followed, favorited, and reviewed this story. We're doing a little time jump here. I don't want to focus too much on angst. That's not my goal in this story, but if you would like that later after the fic is done, I might be down to write some outtakes.

To my wonderful pre-reader, Brina. Thank you for always being down for my stories. I have nothing but endless gratitude for you!

Chapter Four

-Game On-

It has been several weeks of constant fatigue and vomiting. I thought it was the stomach flu at first, but I never got a fever, and it's only getting worse. Last week, I had to email all my professors that I could not attend class and ask them to send me my assignments. Luckily, they were super cool about it all and even granted me an extension on upcoming exams. It stinks that I had to miss an entire week, but I couldn't keep my head out of the toilet. Alice, my best friend, finally convinced me to see a doctor, but I have been avoiding it like crazy. The only thing my illness could be was cancer. It ran rapidly in my family, and I always had a feeling that the pendulum was going to swing my way. Alice thinks I'm being silly. "You're too young," she says, but cancer was cancer. It struck down babies and didn't care about age, race, creed, or whatever. It was indiscriminate and an equal opportunist.

Besides, I Googled it, and WebMD said it could be stomach cancer or pregnancy, and I ruled out the latter as being unlikely.

"This is the worst part." My leg is bouncing with uncontrollable nerves. "Just tell me how long I have to live so I can get my affairs in order."

Alice rolled her pretty gray eyes. "You're so dramatic. Everything is cancer to you."

"Excuse me, but a lot of my family members have died from cancer," I whisper back.

"Name one," Alice challenged.

"Aunt Susie."

"She was your dad's cousin's wife and not related by blood, Bella."

"Fine, what about Billy?"

Alice gawks at me. "Your ninety-year-old great-grandpa who smoked since he was fifteen and died of lung cancer in the 1980s?"

"That counts."

She laughs and shoves me on the shoulder. "You're insane."

I laugh with her. "Ugh, I know. Try living in my head."

A little bit of my tension eased. It's nice to have someone who doesn't feed into my fears and tries to keep me grounded.

"How much do you want to bet you're pregnant?"

Then, she had to go and drum up another type of fear. I whip my head in her direction, and Alice grins.

"No, no," I say vehemently. "Not possible. First of all, I haven't had sex in forever, and second, I'm on birth control."

"First of all, I know one is a lie," she says, eyeing me pointedly. The day after spending the night with Edward, I called her up and gushed about the amazing sex I just had, but I didn't tell her anything about the guy—no matter how hard she pried. I just said I met him at a bar. "And second of all," she continues, "birth control isn't hundred percent. Shit happens."

"Cancer is more likely," I say, and just as I am about to list off another obscure family member taken too soon, Dr. Wilson's assistant calls me back.

"Crap!" I exclaim, gathering my purse and standing up. Alice doesn't move, and I glare at her. "Excuse you?"

She shakes her head but gets up anyway. "So needy."

Once we were back in the office and seated in the chairs facing my doctor, I got another wave of nausea. My eyes scanned the room for the nearest trash bin. It could have been my nerves or my gastrointestinal stromal tumor, known as "GIST." Either way, I wanted to be prepared. Alice noticed I was a bit green and gripped my hand in support. I studied Dr. Wilson's face and tried to gauge whether it was good or bad news for me, but she appeared neutral and wasn't giving anything away. That could mean nothing or everything.

"Well, the results are pretty conclusive," Dr. Wilson says as she opens my chart.

"It's cancer, right? Is it stomach cancer? Does that explain the vomiting?" I ask.

"Cancer?" Dr. Wilson repeats slowly and looks over at my friend for confirmation.

Alice shrugs, unsure of what to say.

"What stage is it?" I ask. "Is it four? Oh, gosh. It's four, isn't it?"

"No, Bella, it's not cancer."

I sigh in relief. "It's not?"

"No, it's not," Dr. Wilson says, but this time, her face has some emotion, albeit a sympathetic smile. She's been my primary since I was a teenager and knows I'm prone to overreactions.

"Well, what is it then?" I ask, though my mind has already begun to review a catalog of ailments: appendicitis, smallpox, dysentery. "I can handle it," I add.

Dr. Wilson closed my chart and folded her hands over it. "You're pregnant."

No one moves or speaks, and the silence is loud and buzzing like bees. Dr. Wilson dissolves into a black haze, swallowing her whole. I feel small, folding in upon myself as the walls narrow in on me. The instant dread and panic squeezes my chest until there's no air left. I would gasp, but the shock has me frozen in place.

"Boom!" Alice shouts, bursting out of her seat and startling me. She points her finger in my face. "What did I tell you? I swear, it's like I'm some clairvoyant. How far along is she, doc?"

"We won't know unless we get an ultrasound. When was your last period, Bella? Do you know when you conceived?"

Their voices fade into the background as they speculate, but I know exactly how far along I am.

"I'm eight weeks."

An hour later, I'm home from the clinic and still in shock. How the heck did this happen? I demanded to know. Like I told the doctor, I've been keeping up with bi-monthly shots and never missed an appointment or anything. Dr. Wilson said it wasn't my compliance that was the issue; it was my brand of birth control that was new and experimental. It had only been approved by the FDA about a year ago, but so far, the company that makes it has seen many complaints. Over 3,000 women have reported that it has failed, and most of them were pregnant. A national recall was issued three months ago, and the company notified hospitals, clinics, and physicians. The suggestion in the memo was to change their patients over to another form of birth control until the problem was resolved.

I couldn't believe my crummy luck.

Dr. Wilson had pushed me to take this shot instead of my oral birth control. "It'll be easy to remember, Bella," she said. "One shot every two months, and you're protected."

The funny part (not like ha-ha funny, but kill me funny) – I had my shot appointment with her a week before I slept with Edward. She never said, "Hey, so that you know, your shot is worthless. It has sometimes made women more fertile, so when that handsome man is looking for condoms, don't tell him that you're on birth control and you won't get pregnant!"

Of course, her actual reply only made me even madder.

She took no blame whatsoever and accused her staff of dropping the ball. They had a pasty note on my file to not inject me, but they must have missed it.

Well, isn't that just great?

Meanwhile, I'm out in the wild thinking I'm protected and get knocked up instead. Now, I have two options: keep it or don't. Unfortunately, as binary as those choices are, it's not easy. If I were married and not a twenty-something college student, I would keep it, but abortion isn't possible for me, either. The baby is Edward's, and I can't get rid of it. So, what do I do? Should I give it up for adoption? I could take nine months off school and return next fall. That could work, I think. But then, a thought of a baby boy with sage green eyes and wild bronze hair derails me.

"Ugh!" I threw myself back against the sofa cushions and smashed a pillow to my face. "I need a stiff drink," I say with a groan, but that was out of the question, too.

How did things get so screwed up?

"At least your best friend is here," Alice says, joining me on the sofa. "Before I tell you what I think you should do," she adds, "I'm going to need some context."

"You want to know who the baby's father is," I say, still hiding away from my problems.

Yanking the pillow from my death grip and throwing it across the room, she says, "To name a few, I also need to know when this happened, how it happened, and what you're feeling?"

I met Alice during my freshman year of college when we shared a political science class. I remember seeing her for the first time standing next to a debate stage. She was five feet tall, and if it weren't for her black spiky hair standing on end, the podium would have towered over her. I thought, man, what a pretty girl with such a killer style. Then she opened her mouth and told a guy where to shove it, and I was determined to be her friend from that point forward.

What makes her so great is that she's nonjudgmental. Even though she's disconnected from the situation, I can rely on her to provide sound advice.

"Okay, I will tell you everything," I say and sit up straight. There was so much to say, but where to begin? "First of all, the baby's father?"

Alice tried to act cool, but the tea was too hot for her to handle. "He wasn't just some random guy at a bar."

"The bar part is true, but he wasn't just some guy I met."

"But he was the best sex you've ever had?"

"Oh, most definitely."

"Okay, so who's the guy?"

Here goes. Once it's out there, I can't pull it back. "Okay," I say, "remember when Emmett gave me those Seahawks tickets?" Alice nods slowly as she tries to connect the dots, but there's no way she'll ever guess. "Well, they ended up being these really expensive box seats."

"How expensive?"

"Like a full buffet and an open bar."

"How did your brother manage to get his hands on those?"

I've never told anyone about Edward being a childhood friend to my brother and me. It would be too awkward and feel like I was name-dropping. But now I hope she's not mad at me for keeping it from her.

"So, Emmett is a really good friend of one of the players on the Seahawks."

Alice perked up in her seat and leaned forward. "Really? Who?"

"The quarterback."

"Edward Cullen?! Are you kidding me? Do you know him?"

I blush and duck my head. "Yeah, kind of," I admit. "We all grew up together."

Alice slapped my arm. "You bitch! Why didn't you tell me?"

I shrug, unsure what to say, and decide to be honest. "Just because he's Emmett's best friend doesn't mean I have to sit there and brag about it. That's just a huge ick."

"Hmm, well, I can see that, but you still should have told me. The guy is so hot. We could have met up with him ..." Right then, it dawns on Alice, and she puts the pieces together. "No."

My face gets all hot and red, giving me away completely.

Alice loses her mind. She springs to her feet and screams at the top of her lungs. "You had sex with Edward Cullen? And you're pregnant with his baby?! I can't believe this!"

"Shh!" I covered her mouth and forced her to sit down on the couch. "You need to keep your voice down." The last thing I needed was for the neighbors to know my business. "Yes, I slept with Edward, and he's the father. Can you please not announce it to the whole world?"

"Oh, my God! Tell me everything. How did it happen? Is he good in bed?"

And so, I told her everything. I told her about him showing up at the executive suite, asking me out, the dancing, the kissing, and just how he had made it all seem so magical and perfect. Alice listened without interrupting. I blushed too much when discussing the sex and how Edward had touched me.

"Oh, man! I'm so jealous." Alice then says to me after the excitement dies down. "So, what are you going to do?"

"I don't know."

"Do you want to keep it?"

"I don't know."

"Because if you keep it, you can hit him up for child support. You'll be set for life."

"I don't care about any of that!" My tone is harsh, and it surprises us both. Apparently, Alice hit a nerve I didn't know I had, but I instantly felt terrible. "I'm sorry. I know you mean well. I'm just stressed. If I keep the baby, how do I tell him? He's going to hate me."

"Why would he hate you?" Alice asks. "It's not like you got pregnant on purpose to trap him," she adds, but now she sees how her earlier statement came off as offensive to me. "You know what I mean."

Oh, I did know.

You see, it doesn't matter my history with Edward or the circumstances of why we didn't use a condom. The world will always see me as the gold-digging opportunist who wanted to trap the rich and famous football god Edward "EC" Cullen into marriage by getting pregnant.

But I don't even care about that.

"I've messed up these last two months and treated him awful," I say. "It's unforgivable."

"What did you do?"

I told Alice about the morning after, how I left before he woke, and ignored all his texts and phone calls. She thought I was crazy for not getting seconds or thirds from a gorgeous man like Edward but chalked it up to me being scared of what sleeping with my brother's best friend would do. That had no bearing on my actions at all. I knew Emmett would freak out, but whatever, I'd sleep with whoever I wanted, and he had no say in that.

My motivation for running was fear.

Edward had scared me, and I didn't know how to deal with the intensity of that night.

"But, seriously, Bella. All jokes aside. Do you want to have this baby?" Alice asks.

I rubbed my forehead and squinted my eyes. "I don't know."

"You're twenty-two years old and hot as hell. You're eight months away from graduation and have an internship this summer, likely leading to a career with a prestigious social media company. You're not with the father and don't know if he'll even want to be in this baby's life."

The ache in my chest reopened as Alice laid it out for me, and I used anger to deflect from the pain. "What is your point?"

"It seems like a lot you'll be giving up."

The sincerity and concern she expresses in her words soften my heart.

"I'm so stupid. I should have let him get condoms or just not have sex with him."

Alice pats my hand with sympathy. "You're going to keep it, aren't you?"

My eyes widened. "What? Why would you say that?"

"Because when you talk about Edward, your whole face lights up. You should really call him."

"I know. Even if I choose not to keep the baby, he deserves to know and have a say."

"What if he wants you to get rid of it?"

If Edward demands an abortion, I'll be heartbroken.

"I don't know. But I need to tell him soon. But how am I going to do that? Telling him over the phone..."

"Out of the question, Bella," Alice says, interrupting my cowardice. "It has to be face-to-face."

"Ughhhh." I pulled my knees up to my chest and buried my face. "I know, I know."

Sometime after Alice leaves, I try to find the courage to call, but I've spent the last hour at my kitchen counter just staring at my stupid phone. The text messages Edward left over a month ago remain unread. When I got the notifications on my phone, I would glance at them and clear the screen. I would never entertain the thought of reading his messages – no matter how tempting. The sort of strength and restraint it would take to read his words and not be affected was something I didn't possess. Edward Cullen made me weak and could easily pull me back into his bed with one word. But I need to know where his head was before I call him. So, taking a deep, deep breath, I go through the messages, starting from the beginning and working my way down.

September 13, 2022 - 6:35 a.m.

Hey! Where did you go?

September 13, 2022 - 6:43 am.

If you're getting coffee, I would like mine black. Please get donuts as well.

September 13, 2022 - 8:20 am.

I'm worried; please call me.

September 13, 2022 - 10:20 am.

My doorman told me he saw you leave before five this morning. Are you okay?

September 13, 2022 - 6:59 pm.

I had a great time last night. I thought you should know.

September 14, 2022 - 12:28 pm.

It's killing me that you're ghosting me like this. If I did something wrong, I'm sorry. Please call me or text me. I don't care what time it is. Let's talk about it.

September 16, 2022 - 8:01 pm.

I decided to drink tonight.

September 16, 2022 - 9:34 pm.

Please help me find a way to stop thinking about you.

September 16, 2022 - 11:33 pm.

It wasn't just a one-night thing for me.

September 17, 2022 - 1:33 am.

I guess it means nothing to you.

September 19, 2022 - 4:28 pm.

Sorry about those texts the other night. I was drunk. No excuse. I get it. Things were messy. Emmett's your brother, and we let things get out of hand. I don't regret it. I just

September 19, 2022 - 4:29 pm.

Please talk to me. I'm losing my mind.

September 20, 2022 - 10:42 pm.

Em asked me if I saw you that night, and I lied. I said I was too busy and asked him how you were doing. I don't know what I was thinking.

October 1, 2022 - 12:10 am.

Please call me.

That was the last one he sent, and that's that. He hasn't attempted to call or text since. I reread all the messages at least five times. It pains me that I left him wondering where we stood, and I wish things were different, but I am a big chicken. The thought of giving Edward everything was something I wanted to do with all my heart, but if things went badly, I wouldn't bounce back like I did with Mike or Ben. No, I would be wrecked beyond repair. I thought breaking it off first would make things easier for me - and him, saving us both from that awkward conversation of "It's been fun, but we should remain friends." It's what I expected, and I was scared to be rejected by him.

In my attempt to save myself, I only managed to make things worse.

Okay, enough stalling; it's time for action!

It's now or never.

"Crap, crap, crap, double-crap!" I exclaim, my hands trembling with nerves, making it difficult for me to hold my phone. "Stupid, Belly."

I spring up from my chair and pace my kitchen. My heart pounds and tears prick my eyes. The emotions of fear and longing overwhelm me. I end up collapsing onto the floor. From there, I can hide from the world. It takes all my strength to call him, but I do, and the phone rings for what seems like forever. With every second, my anxiety rises. I want to hang up, but if Edward sends me to voicemail, I owe it to him to leave a message.

On the fifth ring, he picked up. "Bella?"

"Hi, Edward. Sorry. Did I bother you?"

"No, actually..." There's a long pause, and I brace myself for him to lay into me. "I just got back into town. Are you busy tonight?'"

My voice sounds so far away. "I'm not busy," I say.

"Can I see you?" He says that in such a hopeful tone that I nearly drop my phone. "Hello? You still there?"

I stammer, "Yeah, I'm here. Uh, of course. Do you want to come to my house or - ?"

"Do you know that restaurant downtown, Maria's?"

"I have heard of it, but I have never been there."

Maria's is a trendy Italian restaurant where only rich people with influence eat, and I've always wanted to go there.

"I'll send a car for you in an hour."

"You don't have to do all that. I have a car."

Edward ignores me and continues, "Will you be ready in time?"

Usually, I would be more resistant and waste time arguing for my independence; however, considering how awful I've treated him, I swallow my pride and submit.

"Yes, I will be ready."

"Great!" He brightens, and his tone becomes more upbeat. "That's fantastic. All right, then. I'll see you in an hour. Bye, Bella."

He ends the call, and I stare at nothing, too stunned to think or move. I thought he would be a lot harder on me and that I would have to beg to see him, but Edward did the exact opposite. He seemed excited and happy to see me. How was that possible? Most people would hate the person who ghosted them after having sex. I buried my face in my knees again and let myself break down. It would hurt 1000 times more now when he broke my heart.

"Damn it!" I exclaim, but my eyes widen in shock at my frustrated slip. My hands fly to cover my mouth as I instantly feel embarrassment wash over me. "I'm sorry," I whisper. "Mommy is just upset right now, but don't worry. I will take care of you. I promise."

Getting to my feet, I set my phone on the counter and glanced at the digital clock on my stove. There's so much to do. I have to shower, do my hair and makeup, and be set to fly in fifty minutes. Edward didn't give me much time to get ready, and I couldn't stand around moping, wasting every precious second. A fire was lit under me, and I worked at top speed, jumping into the shower and washing and shaving as fast as I could and praying I didn't cut myself in the process. As much as things were messed up, I wouldn't show up looking as run-down as I felt - no way in Haydes. This was still Edward Cullen, and I was determined to look good for him.

I smile mischievously as a glob of shampoo went in my hair. "And I've got the perfect dress."

The black Cadillac that picks me up is identical to the one that took Edward and me to his apartment that night, but the driver is different. It could be the same SUV, and I spend most of the ride looking for evidence that we might have left behind, but there's nothing. Why it depresses me, I'm not sure, but I think it's because I need something tangible to prove that night with Edward existed. The memory is still vivid, and I have perfect recall, but in time, it will fade.

What will I have then?

My hand rests on my flat stomach, our child barely the size of a raspberry, and I realize this miracle is my tangible proof. Even though this baby is an accident, it's not a mistake. I feel selfish for growing an attachment to something Edward never signed on for, but I can't seem to find my regret or guilt. No matter how this evening goes, I know what path I'm taking, and Alice was right - abortion and adoption were never an option.

When I arrived at Maria's, the hostess asked me for my name, but I gave her Edward's. She takes me to the back of the restaurant, where Edward was waiting for me. My feet stopped, and my heart dropped at how good he looked—a slow, appreciative smile formed on my face. I thought, Well, it seems Mr. Handsome had the same idea as me. While I put on one of my sexiest black mini cocktail dresses with the plunging neckline, Edward also brought his A-game. He's wearing a gray dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing his muscular forearms, a silver tie, a black vest that hugged his lean form, and fitted jeans.

I might have stumbled over myself to get to him. "Hi."

Edward gasped. "Wow, you look great!"

I bite my lip and nervously tuck a few wayward strands behind my ears. "So do you."

It's awkward, and he looks hesitant to touch me, but I can see how badly he wants to. It's up to me to break the ice, so I step into him, wrapping my arms around his waist. His body relaxes, and he sighs heavily as he holds me tight.

Edward buries his face into my hair and breathes in. "It's so good to see you, Bruiser."

"It's good to see you, too."

We hug for a long time, and it feels so good to be in his arms again. If I had stayed that morning, I wonder where we would be. Reading his texts to me, it seemed Edward wanted more, but that was then. It's been two months, and his feelings may have changed. That possibility is what makes me hesitate to pull away from his embrace. I smile at him, and he returns my smile; however, looking deeply into his eyes, I see hurt.

Edward clears his throat. "Come on, sit down," he says, making a big swooshing gesture with his hand. "What do you want to drink? Moscato?"

I can't let him know I'm pregnant just yet. How do I get out of not drinking without tipping him off?

"I'll have just water for now."

Edward nods, and we sit across from each other, staring at one another.

He addressed the elephant in the room. "What happened to you? I woke up, and you were gone."

"We had a good time."

"Yes, we did."

"But that's over now, and we have to…" I say, only pausing as his face crumples at my callous statement.

"And that's why you ghosted me? Was it over for you?"

The way it sounds when he says it out loud is so horrible, and I have to fight from wincing. That's not why I left or why I ghosted him. The truth, however, will crush me, but I can't let him believe I used him. We have too much history. He's my brother's best friend. My protector and dance partner. The man I love and the father of my child.

So, I decided to lay my soul bare. "I didn't think you wanted me there when you woke up."

He leaned back in his seat in complete disbelief. "Didn't you read any of my texts?" he asked incredulously. "This wasn't just a fling for me. I like you, Bella."

"I like you, Edward," I say quietly, letting my hair fall in front of my face, feeling too exposed.

"Then why did you disappear like that?"

"I panicked! Okay? We had a great night, and I felt..."

The server arrives, and her chirpy voice cuts me off. My eyes remain fixed on the fabric napkin in my lap as my fingers twist and pull at it. Edward orders our drinks, and the smooth timbre of his voice makes me ache for him. My thoughts are so consumed with his smile, how he kisses me, and the feel of his strong arms around me that I don't even notice when the server leaves.

"Bella," Edward calls to me, and I look up, meeting his intense gaze. "Do you think I'll hurt you?"

"Hurt me?"

"Yes, like, I would break your heart."

I shrug. "Maybe."

He scoffs. "Maybe? Really?"

The way he sounded so dismissive upset me, and I straightened my spine. "Well, yeah. I mean, you're Edward Cullen. You can have any girl you want."

"That's not true."

"Oh, please," I say, rolling my eyes. "You're gorgeous, charming, rich, and, believe me, incredible in bed. Any girl would kill to be yours."

Edward stares at me, not blinking, and it's unsettling.

"Oh, yeah? Who can't you have?" I say, slightly mocking.

"I want you, but you don't seem to want me. So it's you, Bella. You are the girl I can't have."

"What?"

He chuckles and releases me from his gaze as he looks down at his napkin. "For a smart girl, you sure are dense when realizing a guy is crazy about you."

The air gets sucked from my lungs, and my world spins. It's hard for me to believe that Edward wants me as much as I want him; my cognitive dissonance starts making up reasons why it can't be true.

"But I'm your best friend's little sister!"

"I'm aware of the complications we face by getting involved. Emmett is a huge one, but I don't care. I knew it the second I saw you." Edward leans across the table and cups the side of my face. He stares at my mouth, and I feel that ping again. "Tell me not to kiss you."

My heart races. "I want you to."

Edward grabs my chin between his forefinger and thumb, pulling me closer but still needing to move the rest of the way to press his mouth against mine. My eyebrows shoot up to my forehead as the electric shock tingles my lips. The kiss was slow, sweet, and meaningful. Edward takes his time, expressing himself fully, letting me know how insane of me it was to run.

Pulling away slightly, Edward stares into my eyes with a peculiar look. "What are you thinking?" he asks.

If he's serious about taking this further, he needs to understand the gravity of the situation.

"I'm already in too deep."

Edward smirks as he caresses the side of my face with his knuckles. "How deep?"

I grip his wrist and stop his hand mid-stroke. "Deep enough where, if you don't feel the same, you need to tell me now."

The boldness of my words surprised me, but I'm tired of protecting my heart by being a coward. I've put it all on the line, and I need to know if he wants a forever with me.

He doesn't think about it or hesitate to answer. "I'm game if you are."

The breath I've been holding escapes in a relieved whoosh. "I'm game," I say.

Edward's responding grin is enormous. "Really?"

It's infectious, and I can't help but smile back. "Really."

Edward grabs both sides of my face and pulls me into a kiss, harder this time, and everything around us disappears. The only thought I have in my head is the same one that's been whispering to him since I was twelve: I love you.

I'm breathless as Edward breaks away, and when I open my eyes, he's already waving over the server.

He says with excitement, "We should celebrate." He continues, "Let's get some champagne. Have you ever tried Dom Perignon?"

I swallow my nerves. "I have something to tell you."

Edward notices the seriousness in my voice, and his happiness fades as he becomes concerned. "What is it, honey?"

Taking a deep breath, I exhale the words. "I'm pregnant." Edward chuckles a little, but when I don't smile, his face goes pale as a ghost. "And it's yours."

AN: *Backs out slowly and shouts* KAY' thanks Bye! Please review! *Then bolts*