Once Upon a Saturday

Story: Once Upon a Saturday

Storylink: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/7175957/1/
Category: Twilight
Genre: Drama
Author: troublefollows1017
Authorlink: https://www.fanfiction.net/u/2118282/
Last updated: 08/27/2011
Words: 36253
Rating: M
Status: Complete
Content: Chapter 1 to 8 of 8 chapters
Source: FanFiction.net
Summary: Sequel/futuretake of Fridays at Noon. Edward loves his daughter, but he must deal with the feelings of guilt
he carries with him. Edward's Penny brought with her all the drama you'd expect from a Masen.

*Chapter 1*: Chapter 1

Chapter 1
"Daddy? Daddy, wake up."
I could hear her voice. A soft, melodic whisper that somehow pulled me from a sound sleep. I could feel her breath on
my face as she nudged my shoulder with her little hand. Opening my eyes at this time of night was not possible,
however.
"What's the matter, Pennylove?" I whispered back.
"Can I sleep with you? I had a bad dream."
I opened my tired eyes just enough so I could see her tiny frame, grab her, and lift her over my body and into the empty
space beside me.
"You don't have to wake Daddy up, baby. Just climb in." She always woke me, though. It didn't matter how many times I
told her to just get in with me. The thing I learned about my daughter early on - she didn't always listen. So much like her
mother.
My sweet girl curled up next to me. Her head rested on my pillow, even though there was one she could have all to
herself next to me. Her little feet pressed against my legs. She was a snuggler, like her father. Anytime she slept in here,
she had to be touching me with some part of her body, usually several parts. How many times had a been woken by a
hand in my face or a knee in my back? Too many to count.
"I hate bad dreams," she said with a sigh.
"You want to talk about it?" I asked, throwing an arm over her and rubbing my thumb back and forth on her back.
"There was a robber and he came in the house and stole Cupcake."
"And then what happened?"
"That's it. He stole Cupcake and I cried and then I woke up."
"Oh, that's not so bad." Someone could come and steal Cupcake anytime they wanted as far as I was concerned. Her
name was completely deceiving; Hell Hound would have been a more fitting choice. She was my punishment for
spoiling my daughter rotten.
"It was terrible! Cupcake would be so scared without me." Her empathy and goodness got me every time. She would cry
not for herself but because the dog might be sad and lonely. She was exactly like her mother. Always putting others
before herself. Oh how that scared the fuck out of me.
I kissed her forehead. "I'll talk to Tyler in the morning. He'll make sure security is tight. We wouldn't want anything to
happen to Cupcake."
"Good thing we have Tyler," she said while yawning. She wiggled and snuggled in closer.
"Good thing," I replied, giving her a little squeeze. My baby thought Tyler could do anything. She listened to him, even
better than she listened to me. She trusted him and believed he would protect her from anything and everything. Yet
another similarity to her mother.
I couldn't fall back asleep. My thoughts drifted back to another time, a time when protecting Isabella meant not protecting
the precious little girl sleeping soundly next to me. My thoughts turned to a real life nightmare. One I had lived through.
One that made me feel like the worst father in the world.
I remembered the night I called Tyler, in hopes that he would help me protect Isabella from herself.
"Sir? Is everything all right?"
"I need you to get over here, now."
"May I ask if Mrs. Masen is okay?"

"No, she's not okay, and I need you to come over here and talking some fucking sense into her."
"Who are you talking to?" Isab ella walked into the office. She was angry, b ut she didn't know angry. I knew angry. I was
angry at the world, once again.
"If you aren't going to listen to me, mayb e you'll listen to Tyler."
"The man is just got b ack from his honeymoon! Hang up the phone and tell him you're sorry for b othering him," she
demanded, storming towards me with a ferociousness that almost made me do what she said.
"I think he should know that you plan on killing yourself! I think he should know that you won't listen to reason! I think he
should talk to you b ecause you listen to him." Not me. Never me.
"What's wrong with Bella?" Tyler's worry skyrocketed after hearing my rant.
Isab ella was shaking her head as tears streamed down her b eautiful face.
"The b ab y is going to kill her if she tries to carry it to term. Tell her she needs to end this pregnancy now, Tyler. Tell her!"
I held out the phone for my wife, my chest heaving in anticipation of the sob s that were threatening to pour out of me.
Instead of taking the phone, she grab b ed my face and stared into my watering eyes. She kissed my lips and promised,
"I'm not going to die, Edward."
I kissed the top of my daughter's head and tried to purge the memory from my mind. If I had a nickel for every promise
someone made me...

A/N: I don't own Twilight.

You all asked for a sequel and here it is. Don't hate me. I said I wouldn't do this unless there was a story to be told.
This is going to be short - 6 to 8 chapters total. It is one day in Edward's life with flashbacks thrown in each chapter.
Today is a special day - today is my dear friend's birthday. Today Memphis Lamb is celebrating a big one :) She is
one of the greatest ladies I know and since I didn't buy her a gift, this was the best I could do. Happy birthday, ML! I
love you!
Chapter two on Saturday, how about that? Will post a chapter every Saturday morning. Still using the blog to give you
some pictures and ramblings.
XOXO,
TF

*Chapter 2*: Chapter 2

Chapter 2
I dumped some dog food into the small pink ceramic bowl. It had the name Cupcake proudly written on it in what I would
consider excellent printing for a four-year old. My aunt had taken her to one of those do-it-yourself ceramic stores and let
her spend all day painting things for everyone in the family, Cupcake included. I had a lovely purple, green, blue, and
sparkly Statute of Liberty on my desk at work because of that day with Grandma Esme.
The white puffball at my feet was wagging her tail in anticipation of eating. "Try not to make a mess, mutt," I grumbled,
walking away and leaving her to her breakfast.
Charlotte shook her head at me as I made my way back in the kitchen. "Having a pet will teach her responsibility. She'll
have to feed it every morning and afternoon. She'll have to walk it and play with it. Not to mention clean up after it. I
promise, Char, you will not have to clean up after it." She was mocking me, using my words against me.
I talked big when I bought the dog. I had rationalized that it would be a good learning experience for my Pennylove. Of
course that lasted all of two days. Then it became too much of a chore for her. She would beg me to do it for her and I
completely caved every time. I've been taking shit for it ever since.
I scratched the back of my neck and shuffled my feet to the table. "Don't start with me this morning. I had a visitor in the
middle of the night, who kept me up with her loud snoring."
My little copper-haired beauty adjusted the baby doll that was sitting on her lap while she was trying to eat breakfast. She
looked over at me with those big, brown doe eyes and pursed those heart-shaped lips.
"I don't snore, Daddy." Her indignant tone made me think immediately of the mother she so closely resembled. "Lala, tell
him I don't snore."
Penny had the hardest time pronouncing Charlotte's name when she was first learning to talk. She could say it now, but
Lala was the name that had stuck. Sometimes, I caught myself calling her Lala.
"An angel like Faith could not possibly snore," Charlotte said in her defense, setting down a stack of pancakes in front of
me.
Faith Elizabeth Masen. Isabella and I had chosen her name before she was born because we knew the baby was a girl.
We had seen the pictures. There had been so many ultrasounds, especially towards the end. So very many doctor
appointments before she was born. Penny was my nickname for her because of her hair and the obvious symbolism. I
shoved a forkful of pancakes into my mouth, hoping they would push the lump in my throat down.
"See, I don't snore. Lala says so, so it must be true." She went back to eating her pancakes that were drowning in way
too much syrup. Her pajamas were going in the laundry immediately after we finished eating. My Penny would be getting
a bath this morning as well.
"Lala's always right, huh?"
"Always," Penny said with a nod.
Charlotte gave me a wink and a smile as she began washing the dishes. Charlotte was right about a lot of things. She
knew things instinctively. I clearly remembered another morning spent in the kitchen with the all-knowing Lala.
"I think she's pregnant."
"What? No," I scoffed.
"She's thrown up every morning this week. There's no way this is the flu."
I shook my head, unab le to wrap my head around it this early in the morning. Since I had assumed my wife had the flu
for the last five days, I had moved myself to the room down the hall b ecause I was not catching it from her this time.
Sleeping alone was not good sleep for me. I hated sleeping alone. Isab ella had only b een off b irth control for a little over
a month and a half. We had plenty of sex, so it was possib le. I knew I was going to b e good at this b ab y-making shit.
"You think?"
Charlotte nodded enthusiastically. "I do. I really do."

Isab ella came b ack into the kitchen, her hair in a sloppy b un. I told her she couldn't go to work today. She had to go to
the doctor to get checked out.
"Mayb e I shouldn't have eggs. Mayb e just some toast," she said to Charlotte as she sat at the other end of the tab le from
me. I looked at her more closely. She looked tired. Her skin color was good, though. She wasn't so pale. She
almost...glowed. "What?"
My eyes met hers. Eyes that made me want to forget all ab out going to work. "Mayb e you should have the doctor do a
pregnancy test."
"What?" Her eyes widened in surprise at my suggestion.
"Char thinks you might b e pregnant. Could you b e pregnant?"
Isab ella put her elb ow on the tab le and rested her head on her hand. "I'm notI couldn't b emy last period wasoh
my Goddo you think?" She looked over at Charlotte, who was again nodding enthusiastically.
"That would explain the morning sickness. Plus, you've b een so tired," Charlotte said.
Isab ella sat across from me, thinking it all over. I could see the gears spinning in her head. She might have b een
mentally counting the days since her last period. She stared b ack at me.
"What are you thinking?" she asked me, chewing on her lip.
"I think you should get a test done at the doctor."
"Are we ready for this? I didn't think it would happen right away. I thought it would take a few months of trying. I'm not sure
I'm ready. What if I'm not ready?"
I smiled at her worry. She was going to b e the greatest mother that ever lived. "We're ready. You're ready. If you want four
or five of these things, we need to get started."
I got up and moved over to where she was. If it was pregnancy and not the flu, that meant I could move b ack in the
b edroom. It also meant we could start kissing again. I hated not b eing ab le to kiss her. I pulled her up out of the chair. I
hugged her and kissed the top of her head.
"Everything is going to b e fine. Let's not worry until we need to worry," I told her.
Charlotte b arked a laugh. My head snapped in her direction. She put her hand over her mouth in apology. Isab ella was
giggling in my arms.
"It's frightening when you are more rational than me," she said, holding on to me tightly.
It didn't happen often, b ut it happened. I could b e rational when I wanted to b e.
"See what loving you does to me? It makes me all reasonab le and easy going."
She lifted her face to me. There was a hint of misplaced fear. There was nothing to worry ab out. I knew we were going to
b e the b est parents ever. Together we would create the greatest, most loving family the world had ever known.
"You're excited ab out this, aren't you?"
"Mayb e a little." I smiled crookedly. It smoothed away those worry lines that creased that spot b etween her eyes.
I wanted children with Isab ella. I had wanted them b efore we were even married. I wanted to prove to myself that I could
b e different from my father. I wanted to create children with her so our love would outlive us b oth in the form of a living,
b reathing person. Someone who could go on and create grandchildren and great grandchildren and so on. Our love
deserved to go on forever.
"I love you."
"I love you infinitely more." It was my new response. It drove her nuts b ecause there was really no way to top that. Edward
Masen's love could not b e topped.
"It could b e a terrib le stomach disease."

I laughed through my nose. "I won't let anything happen to you, Isab ella. I have the ab ility to hire the b est doctors in the
world should it b e life-threatening. It's a b ab y, though, I know it. Charlotte says so, so it has to b e true."
She kissed me softly and smiled up at me. "Not life-threatening b ut definitely life-altering."
How wrong and how right she had been at the same time.
"Is someone going to let Cupcake out before she messes in the house again?" Charlotte asked.
"Pleeeease, Daddy?" My Penny looked up at me with that angel face.
"I'll do it this time, but you're going to let her out the next time. Deal?"
"Deal," she agreed, knowing that she would only need to bat those eyelashes and beg me in that sweet little voice and I
was going to let Cupcake out until the damn thing died...or until she went to live on "the farm."
"You're such a responsible pet owner, Mr. Masen," Charlotte taunted me.
I sneered at her as I scooped up the little devil dog and carried her outside. I set her down on the patio and motioned for
her to run off into the grass and do her business. She sniffed around and pissed on one of the patio chairs.
"Cupcake! Damn dog, go out in the grass!" Instead of going in the grass, she started barking at me. She was a yippy little
thing. "Piss! In! The grass!" I chased her into the yard. She was so stupid. She was lucky my Penny loved her so much. I
would take her to the shelter in a heartbeat.
I rubbed my eyes. I had a full day ahead of me. Penny had dance class, Emmett was coming over, and I needed to get
about an hour's worth of work done. Saturdays were always busy. This one was no exception.
I whistled for the dog. "Cupcake, come! Come, you stupid pup!" As if she knew I had shit to do, the dog did everything but
come to me. I was not going to chase that damn devil dog. I was barefoot and in pajamas. I'd be damned if I was going
to run around my backyard after some fluffball beast. I sat down on the stone half wall that wrapped around the patio. I
could wait her out a couple minutes more.
I closed my eyes and tilted my head up towards the morning sky. It had been a while since I had made the time to
meditate. I took a deep breath and let my mind wander back to a time when Saturdays were spent in bed with my wife.
"Nicholas Charles Masen," I said, kissing her b elly. It was still flat and smooth. She was almost twelve weeks pregnant.
Not far enough along to b e showing yet. Just far enough that we were going to tell the family we were expecting.
Charlotte knew. Tyler knew. Somehow we b oth kept the secret from everyone else. It had b een an excruciating six
weeks. Isab ella almost told Jasper several times. I wondered if Esme wasn't on to us.
"I think she's a girl."
"Boy. He is going to b e a b oy."
"I guess in ab out eight weeks, we'll know for sure. That's if you want to find out when they do the ultrasound." Isab ella
fingers raked through my hair as I drew invisib le circles around her b elly b utton.
"I want to know. Do you want to know?"
She smiled down at me. "Kind of. I don't think I can wait twenty-eight more weeks. That seems so far away. I'd also like to
decorate the nursery b efore she's b orn."
"I'm sure he'd love it if you had his room all decked out in b lue and mayb e airplanes. Boys love airplanes."
Isab ella just shook her head and let me kiss up her b ody until I made it to her b reasts. Her stomach wasn't any b igger,
b ut her b reasts...her b reasts were fantastic.
"Boys love b oob s, too, it seems."
"We do. We definitely love b oob s, too." I nuzzled in b etween them and let my tongue play with one of her nipples. She let
out a soft, b reathy moan of approval.
"You're going to have to share those once the b ab y's b orn, you know."

I didn't want to think ab out that, yet. Just the thought of not having her b ody all to myself was distracting me from what I
wanted to accomplish here. I was going to have to share her in many ways, and I was going to have to b e okay with that. I
was not going to b e my father. Already, I knew I was different. I loved this b ab y. I loved it b efore I was even sure it
existed.
I climb ed on top of her and nudged her legs apart. I slid into her, letting myself feel her b ody adjust to mine inside her.
"I love you," she whispered, dragging a finger down my cheek as I hovered ab ove her.
"I love you...b oth."
The b iggest smile overtook her face. "Well, we love you infinitely more."
I b ent my head and laughed in the crook of her neck. "No stealing my lines." I kissed her neck and b egan moving my
hips. Isab ella scratched down my b ack. Her hands settled on my ass, pushing me deeper. No one loved anyone more
than I loved Isab ella. It was impossib le.
"Arr, arr, arr!" Cupcake was barking at my feet. I hadn't even realized she was back. I also didn't realize she had found the
one mud puddle that was out there. She was disgustingly dirty. Her paws, belly, and face were filthy.
"Are you fucking kidding me, dog?
I didn't want to touch her. I didn't want to deal with her, but Charlotte would quit if I asked her to take care of the damn
thing.
"Good morning, sir," a voice came from the lawn.
Tyler. He would never quit. He and Terry now lived in the guest house. Isabella had coerced him to take it as a wedding
gift, explaining that a married man should have his own house even if he was the head security guard for one of the
richest men in America.
Tyler joined me on the patio. He glanced down at the muddy mutt but said nothing.
"Good morning," I said almost too cheerfully. I tried to hide my evil grin. "I need to give Faith a bath before we go to dance
class. Clean the dog up or find someone else to do it while I take care of my Penny." I patted him on the shoulder as I
walked past him and back into the house. I could swear I heard him cuss at me under his breath.

"Close your eyes, baby." I poured some water over her penny-colored hair, rinsing away the shampoo. I had to do it a
couple times before it rinsed clean. I handed her a towel to wipe her eyes.
Once she could see again, she went back to playing with the little plastic ocean animals she had to have in the bath with
her."What's the mostest far away, Africa or the moon?"
"The moon is farther than Africa."
"What's more far than the moon?"
"Well, let's see. The sun is farther from us than the moon. So are the other planets."
She made the little plastic seal swim side by side with the plastic shark in front of her. "What the most far thing ever?"
"The farthest," I corrected.
"Yeah, the farthest. What's the farthest?"
I let out a contemplative sigh. That was an impossible question. We had no idea what was out there in other galaxies.
Space could be infinite. Four-year olds did not understand infinite.
"I don't know, baby."
"Is heaven farthest?"
I wondered for a moment where this was going. I gently rubbed a soapy sponge on her back. "Heaven is probably pretty
far."

"Farther than the sun?"

I nodded my head. "Farther than the sun."
"Then I love you to heaven and back and heaven and back and then to the sun and then to the moon and then to Africa
and then to heaven again and then to Grandma's house in Florida and then to China and back. Two times."
I had read her Guess How Much I Love You one too many times. We usually had these love competitions at bedtime.
"That's a lot."
"It's the most," she said, satisfied that she had come up with an unbeatable distance.
I squinted, pursed my lips, and nodded. Then with a shrug, I added, "Of course, my love stretches that far four times, so I
guess I love you the most. Sorry."
"I meant to say ten times," she argued.
"You did not."
"I did."
"You love me all that way ten times?"
She nodded; picking up the plastic starfish and making it kiss the plastic shark.
"That's really a lot," I acknowledged. My heart swelled in my chest. She loved me. She adored me. Her love knew no
bounds. She was just like Isabella. She loved me even when I was horrible. It was her love that made me a better man,
someone worthy of love. "Well, I meant to say my love goes on forever, without end, infinitely."
She giggled and looked at me with her mother's eyes. "You sound like Buzz."
"Buzz?"
"To infinity and beyond!"
"Oh, Buzz Lightyear." We had watched all three Toy Story movies more times than I could count. "Yes, I love you to infinity
and beyond."
My Penny thought it over for a minute. She lined up her plastic sea creatures along the edge of the tub, and then knocked
them into the water one at a time.
"Well, I love you to infinity and beyond infinity times. I win."
Her ability to love was mostly Swan. Her competitiveness? All Masen.
I had to laugh. I touched her perfect little nose with my finger. "You win this time, Pennylove. This time."
I let her play a few more minutes as I sat on the cool tile floor. I rested my head against my hand as my elbow sat on the
edge of the tub. I smiled at my daughter when she smiled at me. I pretended to be mad when she splashed water at me,
which only made her splash me again. I told the plastic shark to be nice when it tried to eat the plastic angelfish. And
once again, I tried to forgive myself for things I had said and done before she was born.
"We can adopt, Isab ella. There are millions of children out there without a family. There's ab solutely no reason to
continue this pregnancy!"
Isab ella sat on the couch, Tyler on one side of her, Rosalie on the other. They were b oth her fucking b odyguards. They
were guarding her from me. From me! Tyler had b een no help. He immediately sided with Isab ella. Emmett was at least
trying to stay neutral. Rosalie with her women-have-the-rights attitude was lucky to still b e in my house. I wasn't sure why
she was a part of this conversation in the first place.
"I love her, Edward! I love her. Isn't that reason enough?" She wiped the tears that had not stopped falling from her eyes
since we got the news. "Don't you? Don't you love her already?"
I yanked at my hair with b oth hands. Did she really not understand? I dropped to my knees in front of her. "I love you
more."

That was the plain and simple truth. We were sixteen weeks into this pregnancy, b ut if the b ab y was going kill Isab ella, I
wanted nothing to do with it. I wanted it gone. I wanted it to not exist. It was a threat. It had the potential of b ecoming a
murderer. I wasn't going to let that happen.
Isab ella would not give in. She leaned forward and held my face in her hands. "I know you love me. Nothing is going to
happen to me. It's risky, b ut the odds are in my favor."
I shook my head and stood b ack up. I didn't want to hear ab out odds. The pain in my chest was overwhelming. I rub b ed
the spot with the heel of my hand. Mayb e something was wrong with me, too.
"We don't know what's going to happen! We can't b e sure. I like sure. I want sure."
"It's her b ody, her choice. You don't get a say in this one, Edward," Rosalie reminded me for the five-hundredth time.
She was going to make me fire Emmett. I was actually considering firing him for no reason other than allowing her to get
in the middle of this conversation. This was supposed to b e a discussion b etween me and my wife. I called Tyler
b ecause I thought he would talk some sense into her. Emmett hadn't left my side since we returned from the hospital.
Tyler and Emmett were our closest confidants, though. Rosalie was not and she was pissing me off.
"Rose, honey, please." Emmett finally spoke up.
"What? Are you saying you condone him forcing her to get an ab ortion?"
"No doctor will perform an ab ortion if I ob ject. He can't force me," Bella interjected.
"I'll b et that I can find someone willing to do whatever I pay them to do," I spat. Finding a doctor was not an issue. I would
pay any amount to keep my wife safe.
Isab ella's face drained of all color. Her arms wrapped around her stomach protectively. Frightened eyes stared up at me.
"Sir," Tyler said a little too loudly. He sat on the edge of his seat as if he was preparing to tackle me if I tried to take
Isab ella to a doctor willing to do my b idding. "I think you need to clear your head. Perhaps you should go with Emmett;
it's ob vious that you two aren't going to come to an agreement tonight. Mayb e we can talk again in the morning, after
you've had some time to think ab out it."
It was not a suggestion. It was posed as a suggestion, b ut the look on Tyler's face told me that if I didn't leave with
Emmett, he would make me leave. It didn't matter that I was his b oss. This was one of those times when he would
sacrifice himself for her. He was willing to give his life for her, b ut he wasn't willing to stop her from killing herself. It made
no sense to me. How could someone swear to defend her b ut let her do something that could stop her heart from
b eating?
"That's a good idea, E. Why don't you stay with me tonight?"
"Is that what you want, Isab ella? You want me to leave my own house?" I could feel my own heart thumping in my chest
so hard that it hurt.
Her b eautiful face was hiding in her hands. She shook her head b ut stayed hidden.
Tyler didn't care what Isab ella had to say on the matter. "If you don't go, I'll take Mrs. Masen with me. She needs to rest.
This stress can't b e good for her or her heart."
Her heart.
Her heart was b roken. Literally b roken. Faulty. Mayb e that was why it allowed her to fall in love with me.
"Fine! I'll go, b ut I'm not going to change my mind. I will hate this b ab y, Isab ella." I pointed an angry finger in her
direction. "If anything happens to you, I will hate it more than my father hated me." I stormed towards the door. "Infinitely
more!" I shouted over my shoulder.
"Can I wear my purple ballet outfit today, Daddy?"
I pressed my fingers to my eyes, trying to push the ugly memories away. How I wished Isabella was here to tell me it
was all right. I wished she could take away the guilt and the shame that seemed to be consuming me today.
"You can wear whatever you want." Guilt was a funny thing. It made you buy a dog you didn't want and five American Girl
Dolls that one little girl could not possibly play with alone. It made you spoil and dote. It made it impossible to say no to

every whim and want. I would forever be trying to make up for something that, hopefully, my daughter would never even
know happened. "Whatever you want, Pennylove."

A/N: I don't own Twilight.

Okay, so it appears Chapter One freaked a few people out. I still won't answer direct questions about Bella. I will say
I hope that, for those of you who are speculating that she didn't make it, you will wait until the story is done posting
and then come on back. I understand not being able to read this without knowing for sure what happens. SM had the
advantage that people could peek at the last chapter of BD. Those of you who are along for the ride, hopefully I keep
you guessing until the end. That was kind of the point. I wanted the story to be interesting and not a rehash of things
that have been done (so no, Victoria did not kidnap Bella) or pointless fluff. There should be a little of everything in
this story. I promise.
Just don't give up on me, y'all! Hopefully I've proven I know how to take you on a satisfying ride!
Thanks to momof4luvntwisaga for fixing the errors I just can't catch. Thanks to all the people out there that have
expressed their excitement about this mini-sequel. Thanks to Jaime Arkin for making a beautiful banner. My
ramblings are on the blog - fridaysatnoonfanfic(dot)blogspot(dot)com
If you need something to read in between updates, I strongly suggest you check out the one shots in the TLS Lyrics
and Lemons contest www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/u/2942359/TLS_Lyrics_and_Lemons_Contest One of them belongs
to me, but I can't tell you which one. Lots of entries and you can vote for your fav on their blog! If you need a full story,
I need to pimp out There is a Light by belladonnacullen. People, this is an amazing story. She deserves more reviews
for this story. It will leave your head spinning, trying to figure out what's happening. SOOOOO good.
www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/s/7015642/1/There_is_a_Light Read and then review and tell her Trouble sent you.
XOXO,
TF

*Chapter 3*: Chapter 3

"Well, don't you look like the most beautiful ballerina in the world!" Alice picked Penny up and twirled her around.
"You know you aren't supposed to lift her in your...condition."
"I'm pregnant not disabled," she said, rolling her eyes at me.
"What are you doing here?"
"Don't you have a several things to take care of today? I was going to take Faith to dance class for you." She looked at me
like I was slow.
I shook my head. "You don't have to do that, Al-"
"This is what families do, Edward. We help each other out. You don't have to do everything by yourself." That was the
same thing Esme said last night when she and Carlisle came over to take my Penny out for some ice cream.
"Now come on, I thoroughly enjoy dance class," I lied. "The weekends are my only real time with her, you know." That
was the truth. "And don't you have your own child to take care of?"
"Jackson is spending time with his grandparents. Taking Faith to dance class will help me prepare for this little one."
She patted her round belly. Alice was due in a couple of months. They knew it was going to be a girl.
Penny clung to Alice's leg. "I want Aunt Alice to watch me dance."
"I do have some work things to take care of that I was going to squeeze in when she took her nap."
"Well, now you can squeeze it in while she's at dance," Alice said to me before patting my daughter's head. "Say goodbye
to Daddy, Faith."
"Bye!" She let go of Alice and ran to me with her arms raised so I could lift her up. "I love you, Daddy."
I hugged her tightly and kissed her cheek before setting her back down. "I love you more. Be good for Aunt Alice."
She slipped her little hand in her aunt's, and they headed for the door. Penny looked over her shoulder at me and waved
goodbye. I wiggled my fingers at her. She was getting so big. She wasn't a baby anymore. I still wasn't ready for that. Of
course, when it came to Faith, I was never ready for anything. Raising a child was definitely not something they taught
me at MIT.
I walked back to my office, rubbing my tired eyes.
"You need me to stick around?" Tyler stood outside the door.
"You don't need to hang around unless you want to," I replied, walking past him and into the office.
"Emmett's going to be here soon, right?"
My eyes couldn't help but fall on the picture of Isabella that sat in a frame on my desk as I sat down. It was a picture of her
on our wedding day. The woman who had witness our marriage had taken a few pictures. This one was my favorite.
Isabella clutched a small bouquet of flowers in her hands, which were pressed to her chest. She wore that smile that
said, "I can't believe you made me get married without any panties on." She loved it, who was she kidding?
"Em should be here for lunch. Go. You can come back tonight."
"I don't want to intrude."
I cocked my head and gave him a look that conveyed my annoyance.
He smiled and gave a quick nod. "I'll come back tonight then, sir."
"Good."
It was still so formal between the two of us. He never crossed that line with me. He was Isabella's friend, my employee.
Even after everything that had happened, we still maintained a safe emotional distance. It was easier that way.

I shook my head and set to task. Masen Corporation had been hired by the US Government to create a Trojan Horse that
would allow them to infiltrate the computers of known terrorists groups. It was the company's biggest and most
challenging project yet. I was personally involved in all levels. It was consuming mass amounts of my time, causing me
to spend more time at the office than I cared to spend. Yet, I believed that I could create a program that would be
completely undetectable. I was close. So close.
I sent a couple emails and talked to Peter about some of the ideas I had about our latest attempt. My eyes fell back on
the picture of Isabella. I missed her. I missed her in a way that seemed unimaginable. I ran my finger down her glasscovered face. I wanted to touch her again, more than I wanted anything else.
"I can't believe you're working on this today," Peter said over the speaker phone.
"My sister took Faith to dance class. She gave me an hour or so to get things done."
"I just thought you were juggling too many things today."
"Peter, I run a multi-billion dollar company. My management skills are strong."
"I wasn't doubting your ability to manage things." He laughed. "Just thought work would be the last thing on your mind."
"I can always find time to squeeze in some work. That's why Masen Corporation is what it is."
He chuckled again. "We'll see about that."
"Get busy on that code. I'll call you on Monday," I said, pressing the button to hang up the call before he could say
anything else. He had no idea what he was talking about.
Isabella used to get so annoyed with my ability to squeeze in work when I was home. I looked at her picture again.
"You said tonight you were all mine. This is not you b eing all mine," she whispered while I tried to finish my phone call.
I held up a finger, trying to communicate that I only needed one...or two more minutes. "I heard what you said, Tanya. I
understand that things are more complicated than I would like. That doesn't mean it can't b e done."
"Edward, you're asking for something that can't b e done in the time frame you're demanding," Tanya huffed.
"I think if everyone does their job , it can easily b e accomplished within my time frame."
Isab ella sat forward and leaned on my desk. "I think that if you don't get off the phone, the only thing that's going to get
accomplished is me going to b ed. Alone."
I narrowed my eyes at her and pressed the mute b utton on my phone as Tanya made a b unch of excuses why her group
would not b e ab le to meet my deadline. "Isab ella, I need two minutes. Can you stop with the dramatics?"
"Dramatics? You want dramatics?" She stood up and headed for the door.
"Stop!" I shouted. Surprisingly, she listened b ut didn't turn around. "Sit down and give me two damn minutes. I'm sorry. If I
don't handle this, the project is not going to get completed on time. Two minutes."
My wife turned around slowly, her eyes trained on me. "Two minutes, Edward. That's it." She sat b ack down, legs and
arms crossed in anger. She was b eautiful even when she was mad. Sometimes, I liked to get her mad just to see her like
this.
I hit the mute b utton again so Tanya could hear me. We discussed her concerns and tried to prob lem solve them. Two
minutes passed, and I was still on the phone.
Isab ella b egan to mock me quietly from the other side of the desk. "Oh, Isab ella. I want a b ab y. I want a b ab y more than
anything. Please. Please don't get your shots. We'll try for a couple months and see what happens."
She had ob liged me and not gotten her b irth control shots. Now, according to the b ooks and the calendar, the next
couple days were the b est time during her cycle to get pregnant. I had promised her my full and undivided attention. I
was unfortunately not fulfilling my end of the b argain.
She was staring daggers at me. I tried to mouth I was sorry and needed one more minute. If I didn't hurry up, she was
going to go to b ed and promptly fall asleep to spite me.

"I can put someone else on this if that's what you need, Tanya, b ut I thought you wanted this."
"I do. I want this!" Tanya professed. "I am doing everything I can to make this work, I just need a little more time."
"I don't have any more time to give you," I replied, watching my wife stand up again. "Sit down." I pointed b ack at the chair
Isab ella had vacated.
"Excuse me?" Tanya said, thinking I was talking to her.
I thought Isab ella was planning to leave; b ut instead, she reached under her skirt and b egan tugging her panties down
her legs. That was more than unexpected.
"Not you," I said into the phone, unab le to take my eyes off the show going on in front of me.
Isab ella stepped out of her white lace panties and then threw them on my desk. They landed on the picture of her. She
pushed the chair b ack, away from my desk and sat b ack down. From there, I had a perfect view of her entire b ody. She
crossed her legs and taunted me with an arched b row. I knew what she was doing, what she was going to do. Ever so
slowly, she uncrossed her legs like Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct. My eyes widened as she allowed me a perfect view of
the most perfect pussy I had ever seen. She started unb uttoning her b louse b ut stopped when I could just b arely see the
matching lace of her b ra. My mouth hung open, my eyes were wide, b egging her to keep going.
"Edward? Edward?" Tanya's voice invaded my very occupied mind.
"I'm going to have to let you go."
Isab ella smiled and her fingers started working the rest of her b uttons.
I hung up on an extremely confused Tanya. "You're evil. You know that, right?"
"You're the one who made the promises. If I had a nickel..." she teased, opening her shirt all the way so I could see those
pretty b reasts in that very innocent-looking b ra. My wife was anything b ut innocent. I had turned her into a sexy little tease
ob viously.
I stood up from my chair and made my way around my desk, sitting on the other side. I enjoyed watching her. "If Masen
Corporation goes b ankrupt, we'll have no way to support this child we're planning on making. How will you live with
yourself?"
She smirked and slipped out of her shirt entirely. "Something tells me Masen Corp is going to b e just fine."
I folded my arms across my chest. I wanted to touch her, b ut this was a game and I wanted to play. She reached b ehind
her and unhooked her b ra. The straps b egan to fall down her shoulders, b ut she held the front of it against her chest so I
couldn't see what I wanted to see. I decided to join in and unb uckled my b elt. I pulled it through the b elt loops and folded
the b lack leather b elt in half, lightly striking it against my palm.
"I would prob ab ly have to spank you if you caused any harm to my company, Mrs. Masen."
She rolled her eyes and stood up. She was not the least b it afraid of me. "You come anywhere near me with that b elt and
your precious little company is the only thing you'll have to keep you warm at night, Mr. Masen."
We couldn't have that. I set it on the desk and finished removing my pants. She moved towards me like a stalking
predator. I loved the confidence she exuded. I loved that she knew she had me. I loved that she never doub ted I would
do anything she wanted. I loved her. I loved her completely.
She stood b efore me as I b egan loosening my tie. Her arms fell to her sides, b ringing the b ra down with them. I had to
touch her. There was no resisting. I palmed b oth of her b reasts and leaned in to kiss her lips. She was in no mood to
resist either. She went to work on my tie and shirt, while I molested her shamelessly.
"Trying to make b ab ies is going to b e my favorite pastime. I can tell," I said in b etween kisses. She got my shirt off and
let it fall to the floor. I stopped groping her long enough to push some things aside on my desk, so I could lay her down
on it. Being inside her was my only ob jective. I pushed her legs apart and went to work on creating my heir.
"I'm kind of hoping it takes a few months." She smiled up at me as I watched myself going in and out.
I ran a hand over her b elly, imagining it b ig and round someday. Isab ella was destined to b e a wonderful mother. She
was going to teach me how to b e a good parent. We were going to learn together. We would get through the hard times,

celeb rate the joys, and deal with all the in b etween together b ecause together we could do anything.
"I've always b een an overachiever, Isab ella. You'll most likely b e pregnant with twins b efore the day is over."
She giggled and her laughter made me happy. It also made muscles deep inside her contract, making it difficult for
attempt numb er one to last longer than two minutes.
"I love you," she confessed with her eyes locked on mine.
"I love you, too. So damn much." It was the ab solute truth. I felt so much love for her, it was almost a separate entity. It
was like a real and tangib le thing that I could touch, taste, and see. I came hard deep within her, and I knew. I knew we
had made a b ab y b ecause something had to b e created out of the kind of love Isab ella and I shared. It was too
powerful, too b ig to b e denied.
"Who left the bathroom door open?" Charlotte yelled from somewhere else in the house. I sighed, knowing that there
was only one reason she would be asking that question. Cupcake had struck again. I stood up and made my way to the
door. I was met by the devil dog herself. The toilet paper was hanging from her mouth, and she looked at me like she
was trying to determine how much more tissue she could run through the house before I caught her and locked her in
her damn cage. I cursed myself for not thinking of locking her in there while my Penny was gone.
"Cupcake..." I approached her cautiously. She was a runner. I knew it. She knew I knew it. "Stay. Stay, pup." She stood
still, her eyes locked on mine as I made my way towards her. "Good girl." I was close. Too close. She took off, pulling the
toilet paper with her. I could see when I turned down the other hallway that she had practically unraveled the entire roll.
Charmin fluttered all over.
Charlotte was going to kill me even though it wasn't my fault. I had not left the bathroom door open. I knew we needed to
shut the door or the evil mutt would go in there and do exactly this. It was probably Penny. Char should be mad at Penny,
but I knew she would hold it against me instead. No one in this house ever got mad at that little girl.
I ripped the paper, so the stupid dog would run around with whatever was in her mouth and not create a longer paper
trail and began gathering up the mess.
"That was a brand new roll, too," Charlotte fussed. "She ran it all around the living room and up and down the hall. Such
a waste."
"I'll clean it up," I offered. I already had an armful of paper. "I'm sure it was Faith who left the door open."
"One of these days, I'm going to say it's me or the dog."
"Please, do it," I begged. "Say it. You know she'll pick you. She'd be lost without her Lala." I would give anything to be able
to rid the house of that dog.
"Right." She frowned. "Like I'm going to be the bad guy. You bought the dog. You're the one that needs to train it or get rid
of it."
"When am I supposed to train it? I have no time. Soon, I'll have even less. Maybe I can hire the dog whisperer to come
and train it."
Charlotte looked at me like I was crazy. "You can hire all the dog whisperers you want, but training a dog is about training
yourself as well as the dog. She needs to learn to obey you not a dog whisperer who doesn't live here."
"Maybe I can get someone to live here. A live-in dog handler." I sounded desperate because I was.
Charlotte shook her head and returned to the kitchen. She thought I was losing it. Maybe I was. I was not good at doing
this all on my own. I was good at delegating. I was good at managing and dictating. I was excellent at making sure
everyone else did what I asked them to do. I was not so good at doing everything by myself.
"Hello!" Emmett's voice boomed as he entered the house. I had collected all the toilet paper when he found me.
"Somebody left the bathroom door open again, huh?"
I glared at him and his astounding power of observation. "Throw this away in the garage." I thrust the enormous pile of
toilet paper into his chest. It amazed me that a small roll could create such a large mess. Emmett let out a frustrated
sigh but did as I said.
I waited for him in the kitchen since he was here to have lunch. Charlotte already had some things set out for us. She

wasn't talking to me. She moved around the room as if I was not there.
"Thank you for making lunch." I hoped an attempt at being polite would help her forgive me more quickly. She
harrumphed but handed me a freshly made lemonade with a candied lemon wedge on the rim. She loved me. At least
that's what I thought until she handed one to Emmett when he came in to join me. Perhaps she loved us both.
"So, Big Daddy, what's been going on? Where's Faith?" Emmett looked around the kitchen as if my daughter might be
hiding somewhere in the room.
"She's at dance class. My sister took her." I looked at my watch. They should have been home by now. I had left my
phone in the office. There was no reason to be anxious, but I was overprotective. I tried to rein it in.
"Were you going to take a shower and get dressed today or what?"
I glanced down at myself. I was still in my T-shirt and pajama pants. Between taking care of my daughter and doing
some work, I had not left myself time to take care of myself.
"I'll have to take one after lunch. You and Faith can play a game while I clean up."
Emmett found it entertaining that I was so unkempt. "Dude, you used to be the guy who looked like a billion bucks
morning, noon, and night. One little four-year old sure has had her way with you." He poked at the syrup stain on my Tshirt.
I swatted his hand away. "You'll find out what it's like someday. Just wait."
Emmett's smile faded fast. I hadn't meant to darken his mood. Emmett and Rosalie had broken up almost a year ago.
He hadn't dated anyone seriously since then. He had wanted to marry Rosalie, but she had other ideas. Ideas that
included one that took her to the other side of the country to manage a restaurant in New York City. Em and I had spent a
lot of time talking about choosing career over love. He was heartbroken that she could walk away. He thought about
asking her if he could go with, but in some respects he chose his career over her as well. Although, I liked to think he
stayed because of our friendship and his love for my family more than his job as my bodyguard. Emmett loved Penny. He
was completely enamored by her the moment he laid eyes on her. He couldn't bring himself to leave, figuring he and
Rose could do the long distance thing for a bit. Rosalie never asked him to follow her. About six months after she left,
she called him and told him she had met someone else. I thought I had seen him heartbroken, but I was wrong. This
last year had been filled with several ups and downs. He'd been happier lately.
My Penny came skipping into the kitchen, lifting Emmett's and my spirits immediately.
"Daddy, we got to do leaps over the Beanie Babies today! I was so good, Aunt Alice bought me ice cream." She showed
off her leaping skills by jumping right into my arms.
My sister walked in with an apologetic look on her face.
"Well, I hope you saved room for lunch," I said, glaring at Alice. And they all say I spoil the child.
"She totally did." Alice greeted Emmett with a kiss on the cheek and a good to see you. "We shared a sundae. I'm a
pregnant woman, so you know I ate most of it."
"That's not fair. I was going to take you out for ice cream after lunch," Emmett said, tickling my daughter's leotard-covered
belly.
"Her grandparents took her last night. No more ice cream for this one. She's going to turn into ice cream if you people
aren't careful," I told them.
"I can't turn into ice cream, Daddy! Right, Lala?"
"Correct, little girls cannot turn into ice cream," Charlotte replied.
"Lala says, so it must be true."
"Lala's not always right, is she?"
My Penny nodded. "Always."
Charlotte was giving me the stink eye. I had forgotten I was still in the middle of making amends.

"Of course Lala is always right. I don't think I can remember a time when she's been wrong. She's very wise. We covered
this fact this morning, didn't we?"
Charlotte nodded and smiled. I was winning her back.
"Are you joining us for lunch?" I asked my sister as Charlotte began filling a plate for Penny.
She glanced at her watch. "I should head home. I can come back, though, right?"
I knew she was going to ask.
"I thought we agreed you would come over tomorrow. Don't you want to be with Jasper tonight?"
"Please," she pleaded. Her eyes widened like that damn cat in those ogre movies I watched with my Pennylove.
"Then Esme's going to want to come over..." I argued.
"I won't tell her. Please?"
"If she gets to come back, I'm staying," Emmett said with a mouthful of sandwich.
I narrowed my eyes at Alice. "See what you started?"
"I'm your sister. I love you. Please."
Penny sighed in my lap. "Just let her come back, Daddy. Sisters are very important."
I bent my head and kissed her sweet little cheek. "Just let her come back, huh?" I tickled her sides, making her wiggle.
"Stop! Daddy, stop!"
"Fine." I stop tickling my daughter and looked over at Alice, who was smiling and getting teary-eyed. Must b e her
pregnancy hormones. "Sisters are important; and you, my dear sister, can come back over tonight for a little bit."
She wiped under her eyes. "Walk me out?" She tipped her head towards the door.
I stood up and set Penny back down on my chair. "Don't let Uncle Emmett eat all the food before I come back."
She giggled at Emmett, who puffed out his cheeks as he chewed. I walked Alice to the front door.
"You're so good with her," she said, wrapping me a hug. "You have no idea how happy it makes me to see you like that
with her, to see how much you love her."
"She's my daughter. Of course I love her."
"Well, we both know being someone's child doesn't automatically grant you their love or affection."
We did know that all too well. I was over that, though. My feelings about my father and his lack of feelings for me had
been put to rest. I was worthy of love and very capable of giving it, too. Alice, next to Isabella, had been the one that
worried the most about how I would do with a child of my own, especially given the circumstances. Sometimes I felt like
she was surprised by how much I loved Penny. I tried not to let that hurt my feelings because I had earned her doubt. I
had earned everyone's doubt with my behavior before and just after she was born.
"How long do you plan to punish her exactly?" Alice didn't b other with a hello as she stormed into the condo.
"I'm not punishing her."
"She needs you right now and you're here, tantruming like a child."
I hadn't b een home in two days. I hadn't slept in two days either. That was prob ab ly contrib uting to my inab ility to have a
rational conversation with my wife. We had attempted twice over the phone to no avail. Both calls ended in me yelling and
her crying.
I walked b ack to the living room and returned to my spot on the sectional, near the almost empty b ottle of scotch. "She's
choosing the b ab y over me."
Alice sat down next to me, her fury rolling off her in waves. "What? Do you hear yourself? Don't do this. Don't b e him."

"She could die, Alice! Don't any of you get that?" My voice filled the room as I waved my arms around. No one was here
except for me and my sister. Everyone was with Isab ella. Everyone was on her side. Even Emmett. "Doesn't anyone think
that it's stupid to b ring a child into this world without a mother? What will you tell my child when she asks why her mommy
isn't there? Are you willing to b e the one who tells her she killed her mother?"
Alice closed her eyes and took a deep b reath, b lowing it out slowly through her nose. Her eyes opened, and I finally saw
some fucking sympathy for my plight. "No one is going to say that to your child b ecause Bella is not going to die. Bella is
strong. You have advanced warning, the b est doctors, the b est facilities. Carlisle will do whatever you need him to do.
Nothing is going to happen to her. She and the b ab y will come out of this just fine. You have to b elieve that, Edward."
"People die! People I care ab out die b ecause of me!" I dropped my head into my hands. "I wanted this b ab y. More than
she did. I did this to her. I need to get rid of it, so nothing happens. I need to stop this b efore..." I couldn't finish my
sentence.
I felt Alice's arms wrap around me as b est as she could manage while I sob b ed.
When I quieted, she gave me a squeeze. "Getting rid of the life you created is not the way to save her. She loves the
b ab y. She loves you. The b ab y is part of b oth of you."
"I feel nothing for this b ab y anymore," I confessed. "Nothing."
"I don't b elieve you. I think you're afraid, b ut you aren't Dad. You aren't."
This crisis had tossed me b ack into the dark hole I had spent so long clawing my way out of since I had met Isab ella. I
didn't want to b e my father, b ut for the very first time in my life, I could almost understand him. I was steadfast in my b elief
that if anything happened to Isab ella, I would hate the b ab y who killed her. There was nothing else I could feel.
I was so impossibly stubborn sometimes. It was a wonder anyone put up with me.
"I know what today is, by the way. Someone told me."
"Really?" I knew who told her. No wonder why she was so worried about me.
Alice put her hand on my arm. "I heard you go visit every year on this day, too."
"That's true. I plan to go before I-"
"I could come with you," she interrupted, dropping her hand. She made me smile. Sometimes it was like she was the
older sibling in this relationship. Always looking out for me, always making sure I was taken care of by someone if not
her. She was there for me when no one else was.
"No. You can come here and help Charlotte with Penny," I offered. "And Emmett since you're the reason he's going to
stay." I laughed while she pouted for a moment.
"I will see you later then," she said, patting my shoulder.
"Later." I kissed her cheek and opened the door for her.
I could hear Penny belly laughing in the kitchen. Emmett was surely keeping her entertained. My little girl was constantly
surrounded by love. I would see to it that was always the case.

A/N: I don't own Twilight.

So, I guess you can all cross "shopping with Alice" off your scorecards.
Thanks to momof4luvntwisaga for her eye and her ear. It is not easy to put this thing together and not give the whole
damn thing away! You would all love that, though, wouldn't ya? Not happening. That's what I got momof4 for. She
won't let me slip!
I can't tell you how awesome you all are in reviewing this story. I am completely blown away once again. Thank you
for your support!
Thanks to Midnight Cougar for her review of FaN and OUaS on her blog Rob Attack. She is so extremely flattering. Go
check it out. robattack(dot)wordpress(dot)com/2011/07/22/fanfiction-fridays-recs-s-8-and-9/

Ramblings on my blog. Hopefully will do some review replies this time around. Love you all. Until next week. Teaser
wars forever. Jo and BDC are the bomb.

*Chapter 4*: Chapter 4

"Remember when we got to fly on the plane to Africa?" Penny asked, trying her best to delay her nap.
"I sure do."
"It took so long." She sighed dramatically and hugged her stuffed bunny to her chest.
"It sure did."
"Remember when you and me came back from Africa?"
"You and I. Yes, I remember."
"That took really long."
"Really, really long," I agreed.
"Remember when you and me got to sleep on the plane?"
"You and I slept on the plane," I corrected. "Yes, I remember that as well." She acted as if this all happened a very long
time ago. Perhaps to a four-year old a few weeks was a long time.
"Can I sleep on the bed in the plane when we go see Grandma Renee and Grandpa Phil in Florida?"
"If you're tired," I replied, wishing she would realize how tired she was now and go to sleep.
"Can we bring Cupcake?" She looked up at me with those adorable brown eyes, but I resisted their charm this time,
though.
"I don't think so, sweetheart. Grandpa Phil is not a big fan of dogs, remember?"
"Yeah," she said sadly. "Lala will get lonely, too. Cupcake and Lala can take care of each other when we go to Florida."
That was easier than I thought it was going to be. "Good idea, Pennylove. Now, time to take a nap."
"I'm not tired," she protested with a yawn. I smiled. If I could get her to be quiet for two minutes, she would be out like a
light.
"I think you're a little tired. Just lay here with me for a couple minutes, okay?" I threw my arm around her as we snuggled
on her very pink double bed.
"Next time we go to Africa, can Aunt Alice come with her baby?"
"I don't know. Aunt Alice probably won't be going anywhere for a while after she has the baby."
Penny's brow furrowed. "But babies can go on the plane, right?"
I laughed quietly. "Yes, honey, babies can go on planes."
"Good."
"Let's be quiet, okay?"
"Okay, Daddy."
I closed my eyes, knowing that if I pretended to be going to sleep, she would follow for real. I could feel the rise and fall of
her chest become slower.
Just when I thought it was safe to open my eyes, she spoke again. "Daddy?"
"What is it, baby?"
"Do you remember when I was a baby in Mommy's belly?"
My mouth felt dry and I wished I had something to swallow down the lump in my throat. "Of course I remember."

"Was Mommy happy when I was in her belly?"

The pain in my chest was almost too much to bear. With great difficulty, I managed to push the words out. "She was
more than happy. She loved you the second she knew you were in there."
"I'm sad Mommy can't have any more babies in her belly."
I had no idea how to respond to that. I was going to have to ask my sister what the hell they talked about while they were
together today. She could not have come up with this stuff on her own.
"Let's get some sleep," I said, holding her tighter because the words I wished I could say would not come out.
"Daddy?"
"What, honey?"
"I love you to infinity and beyond."
I pressed my lips in her hair. She made me want to cry. "I love to you to infinity and beyond, too."
"Infinity times."
I tried my best to keep my voice steady. "Me, too."
"And then to Africa."
I kept quiet. She could go on forever if I answered her back. She was silent for a whole minute.
"And then to China and then back here," she added.
"Go to sleep, Faith Elizabeth."
"Okay, Daddy."
I was tired and if she didn't fall asleep soon, I was going to. Emmett would love that. It didn't take much more than two
minutes, though. She fell into a peaceful slumber and I was able to sneak out. I stopped to look at her from her doorway.
Her long wavy hair fanned out on her pillow. She clutched her bunny to her little chest. Her little lips were slightly parted.
My beautiful angel. I truly did not know what I would do without her. Isabella had been so right.
I returned home from my self-imposed exile late one night. Charlotte informed me my wife was already in b ed. She also
made it perfectly clear she was disappointed in me. Not in my failure to return to Isab ella's side the last couple days b ut
in the lack of faith I was showing in general.
"Without faith, you have nothing. Faith is what will carry the two of you through and what will help Bella survive all of this,"
Charlotte said, giving me a hug. "Bella will survive."
I had no faith b ut decided to keep that to myself. I wondered if Isab ella would b e angry with me if I shared her b ed b efore
we actually made up. I quietly entered the room. She was tucked into b ed with her b ack to the door. She didn't stir. I
shrugged out of my suit coat and tossed it on one of the chairs that sat against the wall. I loosened my tie and watched my
angel sleep. I had missed her so much over the last few days. It felt like much longer than three days. I stepped towards
her and the floor creaked under my step. The noise made her sit up.
"Edward?"
I whispered my words. "I didn't mean to wake you."
She slipped out of b ed and, without reservation, came and wrapped her arms around me. She hugged me and cried in
my arms, b reaking me completely in two.
"Shh, don't cry. Please don't cry, b ab y."
"I need you. I can't go through this alone." Isab ella had no idea how much she wounded me with her words. Did she not
realize that was how I felt ab out life in general? I could not live in a world in which she did not exist. I could not survive on
my own. I needed her. I needed her from now until the day I died. She could not die first. She simply could not die first.
"I'm so scared," I admitted aloud.

She clung to me tighter. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm never the one who leaves, rememb er?"
"What if this time you are?"
She let go of me and grab b ed my hands. Placing them on the small b elly b ump that was b eginning to show, she held
my face and looked me in the eye. "We made this b ab y. She's ours to love and protect. There's going to come a day
when you're going to look at our daughter and realize you can't imagine not having her in your life. She's a living part of
you. I can't destroy a piece of you, Edward. I can't."
I closed my eyes. It didn't matter to me that the b ab y was part of me, b ut the more I thought ab out it, the more it mattered
that she was a part of Isab ella. I could not harm the b ab y anymore than I could b ear to hurt the woman standing b efore
me.
"Don't leave me," I b egged.
"Never," she promised.
I found Emmett in the gameroom playing one of the video games. I plopped down on the couch next to him. Immediately,
I felt something jab me in the ass. I lifted up and pulled out one of my Penny's stuffed animals. It's plastic eyes had been
chewed completely off.
"Fucking dog," I said, not holding back any of my frustration. Cupcake had this demonic habit of gnawing off the eyeballs
of unsuspecting stuffed animals and dolls Penny left on the floor and then hid them around the house. It made them look
frightening if you asked me. Creepy-looking animals with no eyes. We all tried our best to throw them out before my
sweet girl came across them. The dog was going to scar her for life.
"Why the hell did you buy that child a real dog? You are such a sucker." Emmett thought this was all very funny.
"I thought she would take care of it."
He paused the game and turned to look at me. "She's four."
"Four-year-olds can be responsible," I defended.
"Responsible for what?" He went back to his game. "Little ones like Faith are completely dependent on their parents.
She's four, E."
He was right, but I was not going to tell him that. I watched him play for a few minutes. I hadn't played a video game in
what felt like years. His words started sinking in. I began to worry.
"You think I'm messing her up?"
"Who? Faith?" Emmett chuckled.
"I spoil her on one hand and treat her like she should know more than she should on the other."
Emmett stopped the game again. "I think you have a hard time remembering what it's like to be four, but I don't think you
ever make her feel bad."
"I should say no more often. I'm going to create a monster who doesn't know what the word means."
He shook his head. "She's a good kid, E. Always has been. Plus, the rest of us do know how to say no." He eyed me
suspiciously. "Where's this coming from? You couldn't possibly get this worked up over me giving you a hard time about
the dog."
I scratched at my head with both hands. "I don't want to fail her."
"Faith?"
I frowned. "Faith." I let out a long breath. "Isabella. I don't know."
"You aren't failing anyone. Faith loves you. You're a good dad. You spoil her, but she's a grounded little girl. She's way
more like her mother than her father."
"She asked about being in her mother's belly today. She asked if Isabella was happy when she was in there. Why would
she ask that?"

"Because she was with her very pregnant aunt today," he replied without hesitation.
"I worried she was going to ask me if I was happy when she was in her mother's belly. I don't know what I would have
said."
Emmett put his hand on my shoulder. "You would have told her you were very happy. There was a time during the
pregnancy you were the happiest guy in the world."
He was right. Again.
"Your wife is on her way up," Maggie said through the intercom.
I pressed the b utton so she could hear me. "Thanks, Maggie."
I quickly finished typing the email I was in the middle of and hit send. I grab b ed my phone and texted Isab ella, who was
no doub t on the elevator up here.
Good news, I hope!
She didn't reply, b ut there was a knock on my door b efore I expected it.
"Come on in!"
She opened the door with her phone in hand. I couldn't read her. I thought that she had come to tell me the good news
face to face instead of over the phone. Now, I worried she had come here to tell me she wasn't pregnant and needed a
shoulder to cry on. She did look like she was ab out to cry.
"Hey," I said, taking three long strides to where she stood. "This just means we get another month of trying. More sex is
never a b ad thing, sweetheart." I wrapped my arms around her and held her tightly. I could not stand to see her cry. It
always tore me apart.
"What if I told you I was sad b ecause we don't need to try anymore?" she mumb led into my chest.
I released her and gripped b oth her arms so I could pull b ack and see her. "We don't need to try anymore?"
She b it her lip and tried to conceal a smile.
"You're pregnant?" I tried to keep from jumping up and down. This was exactly what I had hoped for.
"You and your overachieving sperm have managed to impregnate me. It's true."
I pulled her b ack into my arms and lifted her right off the ground. We were going to have a b ab y. Together we created
life. There was nothing more life-affirming than that thought. "We did it!" I wanted to spin her around, b ut she b egged me
to put her b ack down.
"We can't tell anyone, yet. I don't want to spread the word until we're further along."
"A hundred dollars says I am not the first person you told," I said, knowing her too well.
She twisted her mouth and then let out a little huff. "Tyler met me at the elevator just now. I didn't confirm anything, b ut I'm
sure he knows. He asked how my appointment went, which he could only know ab out b ecause of you, Mr. Big Mouth,"
she said with a scowl. "I said, 'Fine,' b ut I'm sure he knew what that meant."
I couldn't help b ut laugh. It was our secret wedding all over.
"Only Charlotte and Tyler know you went for a test. No one else, I swear."
"Let's keep it that way," she replied in all seriousness. She pushed up on her toes and kissed the corner of my mouth. Big
mistake. I was not going to b e ab le to stop there. I pulled her against me and kissed her harder. We made a b ab y.
Isab ella was carrying my child inside her. The feeling was indescrib ab le. Isab ella pulled b ack and smiled. "I love you."
Her hands held my face. Her thumb s stroked my cheeks. Her heart warmed my soul.
"We made a b ab y." I needed to say it out loud to really appreciate it.
She giggled softly, making me smile b igger. She wrapped her arms around my neck. "We did."

"Since it's not the flu, I'm moving b ack into the b edroom tonight. I think we should celeb rate b y having crazy, we-madea-b ab y sex all night long."
She smirked and raised a b row. "I do b elieve that plan has serious potential."
"Do you?" I snickered.
She gave me a quick peck on the lips. "It sure does, Big Daddy."
I lifted her up off the ground again, kissing her like a madman. Daddy. That was going to take some getting used to.
Emmett squeezed my shoulder. "If Faith ever asks you about how you felt, you tell her about the way you felt the moment
you found out. That's my advice. She doesn't need to know the rest."
The rest was not as pretty. The rest was far from the joy I felt the day Isabella told me she was pregnant. A series of
moments from the day we learned about Isabella's heart played out in my memory.
Maggie didn't even b other knocking. She flung my door open. I was ready to yell at her since I had made it clear that I
was not to b e disturb ed. The look on her face made me pause, however.
"Line One, sir. It's someone from Mrs. Masen's school."
I snatched up my phone and pressed the b linking b utton. "Edward Masen."
"Mr. Masen, this is Deb orah, the school nurse here at Woodinville High."
"My wife, is there something wrong with my wife?" I felt my chest constrict, making it hard to b reathe. My wife and b ab y.
Please don't let anything be wrong with the baby.
"Bella was b rought down here b ecause she was complaining of some chest pain and difficulty b reathing. She got a little
lightheaded and we had her lie down for a b it. When I checked her pulse, I noticed she definitely has an irregular
heartb eat. I suggested she see someone immediately, b ut I don't think it's safe for her to drive. She's giving me a little b it
of a hard time ab out that. You are her emergency contact and...well, I think this is an emergency, even if she doesn't.
Perhaps you could come get her?"
My words came out in a rush. "I'm on my way; tell her not to move until I get there!"
I was in my car b efore Emmett could ask me what's wrong.
...
Bella's knee b ounced anxiously as she assaulted her thumb nail with her teeth. "I feel b ad that you left work for this. I
could have driven myself. Now we have to go b ack to school and get my c-"
"Would you please stop it!" My patience was wearing thin. We were sitting in the waiting room of her OB-GYN, and she
hadn't stopped fretting over the fact that I was there with her since I had picked her up at school. I lowered my voice so
only she could hear me. "I will have Emmett or Liam or someone pick up the car. Would you stop worrying ab out things
other than you and the b ab y, please?"
She nodded and b egan to wring her hands in her lap. I gently pried one away and held it b etween my own. We were
going to b e fine. She was going to b e fine. This was nothing.
...
"Hmm." That was all the doctor had said since he b egan the exam. He pressed the stethoscope against her chest and
listened one more time. He pulled the earpieces out and let it hang around his neck. After jotting some things on
Isab ella's chart, he finally said something meaningful, "Blood pressure is up. You've b een experiencing the heart
palpitations for a while, which concerns me. I think the difficulty b reathing is from some fluid in your lungs."
I learned today, some of her symptoms had b een going on for ab out a week. A week and she hadn't said anything to me
ab out it. I was furious.
"I'm going to send you over to Harb orview. Have them run a couple test. Just to rule some things out."
"What kind of tests?" I asked b efore Isab ella could open her mouth to speak.

"We should check on her heart first and then we'll see."
We'll see. I wasn't clear what that meant, b ut I didn't like it. I didn't like any of it.
...
"He's the b est cardiologist in the entire state," Carlisle informed me over the phone.
"He's making us wait." We were in another doctor's office, waiting. I was sick of waiting. My wife had some sort of
arrhythmia and shortness of b reath, something was wrong. It was pissing me off that they were not telling us what the
prob lem was.
"Patience, son. It's going to b e all right. I'll come down as soon as I can."
Isab ella grab b ed and squeezed my hand. Guilt weighed me down like an anchor in my stomach. I should have b een
the one comforting her, not the other way around. Instead, I was a b asketcase. A sweating, nervous wreck.
"Carlisle says it's going to b e all right. He'll b e down soon," I said as confidently as I could muster.
She smiled and leaned her head on my shoulder. "I told you that you've b een worrying for nothing."
Nothing. This was nothing. Pregnancy caused all sorts of things to happen to a woman's b ody. She was going to b e fine. I
rub b ed the b ack of my neck and tried to ignore the way my lungs were b eginning to b urn with every inhale and exhale.
...
"Mitral stenosis." The cardiologist looked at us like we knew what that meant. Eventually, he went on to explain what it
was, how she prob ab ly got it, why she had no symptoms until she was pregnant. He explained that they would start her
on a medication regimen.
"What are the risks? The pregnancy caused the symptoms to present themselves. What are the risks of continuing the
pregnancy?"
"Edward," Isab ella's hand gripped my forearm. There were tears in her eyes. For herself? For me? For the b ab y?
Prob ab ly all three.
The doctor understood my concern. "All women with mitral stenosis are at risk of heart prob lems during pregnancy.
There is a higher rate of complications during pregnancy the more severe the case. Mrs. Masen's is not the worst I've
seen, b ut it's not b est. Heart failure, stroke, rhythm prob lems are all possib le complications. There's not a huge
possib ility b ut a possib ility she could experience some of those complications."
Heart failure? Death. She could die. My vision b egan to narrow and the sweat was b eading on my forehead.
"There are some medications I'm going to prescri-"
"She could go into heart failure and die b ecause of this disease and the b ab y?" I interrupted. I could feel my own heart
hammering in my chest.
"There is an increased risk of that happening, yes, b ut-"
"She's sixteen weeks, is it still possib le to terminate the pregnancy?"
"Edward!" Isab ella b lanched and her grip on my arm was like a vice.
"Mr. Masen, I understand your concern, b ut many patients with this disease have very uneventful pregnancies and
deliveries. Both mother and child come out of it just fine."
It was b ecoming impossib le to b reathe. The walls were closing in on me. "But some die? Correct?"
"Her risk is slightly higher than most," he concurred. "But, truthfully, I would say the odds are in your favor."
"I need to find Carlisle." I stood up and avoided looking at Isab ella. I couldn't look at her, knowing I had done this to her.
The b ab y I put inside her could stop her heart from b eating.
I left with Emmett following me into the hall. It had b een a very long time since I had experienced a full-on anxiety attack.
I had almost forgotten what they were like. This one was fucking me up. I was a sweating, out of b reath, claustrophob e.

Thank God for Emmett. He knew what was happening and did his b est to talk me through it. He prob ab ly kept me from
having my own heart attack.
...
"We'll look at the b ab y, make sure everything is all right in there, and then you two should head home and get some
rest." Carlisle had b een trying desperately to reassure me that everything was going to b e fine since he found me in the
hallway with Emmett mid-panic attack. He took me b ack to talk to Isab ella and the cardiologist and then snuck us in for a
3D ultrasound at Isab ella's request.
Isab ella couldn't stop the tears from falling. It b ecame clear her tears were for the b ab y, not herself. Carlisle held her
hand as the technician prepped her for the ultrasound. I was no longer experiencing a paralysing anxiety attack, b ut I
was still against having this b ab y.
"There are the legs and feet," the technician said, pointing to the screen. "Bab y looks good. See the face. There's a really
good profile shot."
"Beautiful," Carlisle said to Isab ella. "They didn't have this kind of technology when I was in medical school. This is
amazing. Look, you can see the whole face. Wow. The b ab y appears to have your chin, Edward."
I knew what he was doing. He was trying to get me to look. Trying to make it sound interesting. I didn't care ab out the
ultrasound. I cared ab out my wife and her heart. Could this machine fix her heart? Could any machine fix her heart?
Would the medications the doctor provided really do the trick?
"Did you want to know if it's a b oy or girl? Bab y is giving us a clear shot here." The technician looked to Isab ella first, then
to me.
"Edward?" Isab ella looked over at me as I paced b ack and forth b eside them all in the small exam room.
She was b reaking my heart. Did she not care? If she didn't care ab out her own heart, could she at least care ab out
mine?
"It doesn't matter, does it?" I quipped.
Fat, round tears fell down her face, wetting her cheeks and eyelashes and making her nose b egin to run. "It matters to
me."
"Well then, let's find out, shall we?" I said gruffly, earning me a nasty look from my uncle.
The tension in the room was suffocating more than just me. The technician nervously exchanged a look with Carlisle,
who nodded for her to proceed. She eventually told us it appeared to b e a girl and a healthy one at that. I didn't care. I
found no happiness in the news that I was having a healthy daughter. I only wanted a healthy wife.
Emmett stood in the corner and had stayed quiet, knowing I needed someone who listened and didn't tell me everything
was going to b e fine when we didn't know if anything would ever b e fine again.
"A girl. I knew it was a girl," Isab ella whispered.
A girl who could quite possib ly b e the death of her.
"She can never know."
"I'm not telling," Emmett said confidently. "No one is ever going to say anything to that little girl. And it doesn't matter, E.
What matters is today. Today you love her more than you ever imagined. Come on." He gripped my shoulder. "We've
been over this. You can't change the past, you don't control the future. You live in today."
My head fell back on the couch. "I know. I forget sometimes. The past loves to drag me back. Today is one of those days
that makes me focus on some of the darker days, you know?"
Emmett frowned. "I know. That's why I'm staying." He knew the significance of this particular day. "I can drive you. If you
want."
I shook my head. "Nah. I want to go by myself. You hate cemeteries anyway."
"That I do, but I would go if you wanted me to."

I smiled at his kindness. I would never understand why I was so fortunate to be surrounded by so much of it. "I know you
would, but I'm all right to do this on my own."
"I get it." He always got it. Emmett got me. He had no idea how much that meant.

A/N: I don't own Twilight.

Big thanks to momof4 for keeping this on the straight and narrow. Like I said last week, never easy to know what to
say and what not to say. She's also the one who did a crapload of research on mitral stenosis. I will say I've read a
lot about it, but I'm not a cardiologist. If you are, cut me some slack because I'm sure I'm gonna be making some
stuff up here in the near future. This is a work of fiction. I'm doing the best I can!
Big love to everyone in the Nothin' but Trouble Facebook group. You guys make writing this so much fun. Hello to all
of those who follow me on Twitter as well. Thanks to everyone who is recc'ing and reviewing this story. You guys
are blowing me away with the response. The theories are killing me. Some of you are freaking me out a little. I had to
go back and read the last chapter to see if I said things because you were coming up with stuff I hadn't even thought
of! I did not mention cemeteries in the last chapter, but man if you all didn't assume that was where he was going.
Guess it wasn't much of a surprise to hear him say it this week. Some of you have figured out what is going on here
and I am floored. Make me wonder how secure Google docs really is...
I replied to all the reviews last chapter unless you didn't sign in when you reviewed or you have your PM's turned off.
FF changed the way the review replies work now. Instead of sending you an email, it is sent through the private
messaging system. So, I can't reply if you have that disabled. FictionFreak95 - I'm talking to you, guess I have to
bother you on FB some more.
Speaking of Facebook - FictionFreak95 and BellaDonnaCullen and I wrote this crazy little mash up of our three Work
In Progress stories. It made us laugh to write, hopefully will make some laugh to read. You can find it in all three of
our groups over there. I'll have to try to talk them into letting me post it over here sometime. Teasers wars still going
strong. WPoF and FIP - thanks for keeping me sane in our drama-filled playland.
Ramblings on the blog and Wednesday teasers over there as well :)
So, now you know where his first stop is tonight. Where is his second stop? Now that you know what's wrong with
her, what do you think happens? Your theories always intrigue me!
Have a great weekend! XOXO, TF

*Chapter 5*: Chapter 5

"If this makes that animal sick, you are taking her home with you." I watched as Emmett shot another marshmallow into
the yard.
"She's not going to get sick," he asserted. "You know, if you exercised the dog more, she wouldn't be so wound up in the
house all the time. Dogs need to run off their excess energy." He aimed his marshmallow shooter a little bit away from
where Cupcake was running to find another "bullet".
We were standing on the rooftop patio, looking down at the estate. The horses were out, and I thought about how I
needed to take Penny down there to feed them some apples after her nap. The little white devil dog was sprinting
towards her next snack. There were some landscapers working around Tyler and Terry's house. Isabella's flower garden
was looking quite colorful for this time of year. The groundskeeper was doing an excellent job.
"This thing shoots better than that last one we had," Emmett noted as he shot again. He was sometimes more like a
child than a grown man. It was Isabella who once said he would be one of the reasons I would be a good father. If I
could figure out how to play with Emmett, my own children would be no problem. I thought I did a good job of playing with
Penny. I wasn't so good when she wanted to play with her dolls, but I was an excellent guest at tea parties. I was also
very good at hide and seek - both the hiding and the seeking. Just the other day, I beat Lala and Penny at Old Maid. I had
the playful Daddy thing down.
Emmett was reloading his shooter, his huge fingers looked comical trying to place mini marshmallows into the small
tube. I would have had no idea how to work many of the toys I owned was it not for Emmett. My mother played with me
and Alice when we were young, but we were never allowed to have many toys other than what we had in our bedrooms.
My father wouldn't tolerate the mess or the clutter anywhere else in the house. I never realized how much I missed out on
until Penny came along. She would never miss out on anything.
I began to spout my thoughts aloud. "My father never did anything with me. Never showed me how to play ball or how to
tie my tie. He never once came to piano recital or a little league game. He really was a dick," I said, turning and leaning
against the wrought iron and brick.
Em's eyes met mine quickly as he continued working on his shooter. "Total dick based on what you've told me. Good
thing you have chosen to enjoy your children."
I moved over to one of the patio chairs and sat down. My head fell back and I looked up at the sky. I pulled my phone from
my pocket to check the time. Two-thirty. Time seemed to be dragging today. It was probably because I wanted it to go
faster so badly. Two more hours. I could make it through two more hours.
"I wonder what my mother ever saw in my father. He didn't seem to have one single redeeming quality that I can put my
finger on."
"Some women have the ability to see good in the darkest places."
I knew that. I married a woman like that. Isabella. Isabella. Isabella. I closed my eyes and let myself get lost in her for a
moment. Thinking about her was preferable over thinking about my father.
Her smile. Completely disarming. Enchanting even. One smile and my day improved exponentially.
Her laugh. More beautiful than her smile. Sexy, although she would disagree. Adorable when she would try to stop it by
covering her mouth with her hand. That never worked.
Kissing her. The one thing I missed more than anything. I could kiss her all day if I was allowed. Her lips, her cheek, her
neck, that spot at the base of her throat, the inside of her elbow, her inner thigh.
Her inner thigh. God, her inner thigh was so damn soft. It was definitely my favorite part of her body.
I opened my eyes and made sure Emmett wasn't looking at me. He was thankfully too busy making my stupid dog chase
marshmallows. I discreetly shifted things around in my button fly jeans. I was going to excite myself in embarrassing
ways if I wasn't careful.
I closed my eyes and leaned my head back again. I really needed to start meditating again. I needed a quiet mind, some
stress relief. And who didn't want to find some inner peace? I could really use some fucking inner peace today. I
chuckled at my own musings.

I remembered times I sat on this very patio, meditating, relaxing, centering myself. I had only attempted meditating with
Isabella once. We sat on yoga mats, facing one another. She held my hands as I closed my eyes. We managed to stay
that way for about five minutes before she starting giggling.
"The ob jective is to stay quiet and clear your mind."
"I know, b ut you have no idea how cute you are when you do this. Your face looks so relaxed and the corners of your
mouth turn up ever so slightly like this really does make you happy. Staring at your lips makes me think ab out how much
I love everything ab out them. Next thing I know, I'm thinking all kinds of dirty thoughts. Dirty thoughts make me giggle. I
can't help it."
I opened my eyes. Her hair was up in a ponytail and the tank top she was wearing dipped very low. The tops of her
b eautiful b reasts were just b egging to b e touched. Dirty thoughts, indeed. I focused my eyes b ack on hers.
"You're supposed to close your eyes not watch me."
"I like watching you."
"You're making it difficult for me to find my inner peace."
"You are my inner peace."
I loved her so fucking much. "Close your eyes, Isab ella, and b e quiet."
I closed my eyes after she closed hers. A few seconds ticked b y and I felt her lips on mine. I opened one eye to find her
trying very hard not to laugh.
"Sorry," she tried to say seriously. "I just love your lips. Even when my eyes are closed."
"You love b eing a distraction, that's what I think, Miss Swan," I said, getting up on my knees and pushing her down on her
b ack. I kissed her lips and then down her neck. I kissed down to those b reasts as she hummed in appreciation.
"Meditation, outdoor sex, b oth will accomplish inner peace. I promise." She slipped her hands under my shirt and ran
them up my chest.
I kissed her hungrily. "Inner peace or in your piece?" I wondered aloud, making her giggle again. Her presence was b oth
calming and unb elievab ly arousing at the same time.
"Tomato, tamato," she replied in b etween heated kisses and playful nib b les.
I couldn't get her clothes off fast enough. The morning air was cool, b ut our tangled b odies were all the heat we needed.
There was nothing more b eautiful than Isab ella naked in the sunlight. Her skin practically glowed like she was some sort
of celestial b eing. My angel.
My eyes shot open. I scrubbed my face before checking to see where Emmett had gone. He had moved to the far corner
of the patio. He was reloading the marshmallow shooter again.
I missed her so damn much. I pulled out my phone. A whole ten minutes had passed. This day could not go on forever, I
reassured myself.
"Cupcake's doing a bang up job of keeping the squirrels away," Emmett informed me.
"You and that dog are perfect for one another. Why don't you tell Faith you want to take Cupcake home with you? She'll let
you if you make it sound like you're real lonely."
"I'm not that lonely."
"Oh yeah? Is there something I should know about? Or someone I should know about?"
Emmett pointed the fully loaded marshmallow shooter at me. "I didn't say there was anyone, just that I wasn't lonely
enough to take the dog you should never have bought in the first place."
"I wouldn't point that thing at me."
"Oh really? You're afraid of some little marshmallows, E?"

I raised one eyebrow in warning. "If even one marshmallow hits me, you will be terminated."
Emmett let out a laugh that shook his whole body. "How many times have I heard that one? You are so not scary." He
began pelting me with the entire barrel of marshmallows.
Fucker.
I jumped up and ran into the solarium, making my way into the library where I was greeted by Charlotte and a sleepy
looking little one.
"Someone's nap is over. She wanted her daddy," Charlotte informed me as my Pennylove ran to me.
I snatched her up in my arms and she wrapped her arms and legs around me like a monkey. Kissing the side of her
head, I gave her a big squeeze. "I thought you would sleep longer after all that leaping you did at dance today."
"Why do you have marshies in your hair, Daddy?" She lifted her head off my shoulder and pulled a marshmallow off the
top of my head.
"Uncle Emmett wants to start a war. Whose side are you going to be on?" I asked, giving her little tummy a tickle.
She giggled and wiggled in my arms. Never was there a sweeter sound. "Your side. Let's get him!"
Masen, she was all Masen sometimes.
"Faith! How could you side with big bad Daddy instead of me?" Emmett protested. "He was trying to make me hit
Cupcake with the marshmallows!"
"Liar!" I laughed. I couldn't believe he'd stoop so low as to lie.
"Daddy loves Cupcake!" Penny shouted in my defense. At least she believed what she was saying was true.
"Grab the reading pillows!" I carried her over to our reading spot in the library. There were dozens of pillows for lounging
on in Faith's little corner. We armed ourselves with pillows after I set her on her feet. We both chased Emmett around the
room. He had no more marshmallows and was never going to get a chance to reload without being pummeled by us.
Running was his only option.
"Go that way, baby. We'll trap him," I said, pointing around the piano.
"Faith, please! Have mercy!" Emmett pleaded. My daughter was kind but not merciful when it came to pillow fighting. She
whacked him with her unicorn pillow and he went down.
I, too, had no mercy. Once he was down, I felt quite justified in beating the shit out of him with the extra large floor pillow I
had chosen from the pile.
"Say the Masens rule," Penny demanded, hitting him on his covered head repeatedly.
"Masens rule! Masens rule! I surrender!" Emmett was smarter than he looked. My Penny stopped her assault while I had
to get one more hit before I could feel good about it all.
"Are you okay?" She patted him gently on the one of the arms he was using to cover his head.
"I'm all good, Princess." He sat up and shot me a look, letting me know he was displeased with my...overzealous
retaliation. I shrugged. He started it.
Penny climbed into his lap and gave him a hug. She really was an equal amount of me and Isabella wrapped up in one
little person. "We love you, Uncle Emmy, right Daddy?"
"You love him. I tolerate him. Let's not forget he started this war, Pennylove." I picked up the pillows and returned them to
Faith's reading corner. She had a comfortable little area with her books on the lower shelves. We spent a lot of time up
here reading, playing piano and board games; it was also where she loved to hold her tea parties.
"Did you know me when I was in Mommy's belly?" I heard her ask Emmett, freezing me in my spot.
"I sure did. I knew your mom and dad b efore you were in your mommy's belly. Your dad is my best friend, remember?"
"Aunt Alice is gonna go to the hospital to have her baby. The one where Grandpa works."

"That's cool," Emmett responded casually. I couldn't help but fear where this conversation was headed.
"Did I get born at Grandpa's hospital?"
My back stiffened. I could feel the tension in my neck and shoulders. I did not want to think about Faith's birth. I certainly
did not want to have this conversation with her and Emmett.
"You sure were. That made you super special. They took extra good care of you because you were Dr. Cullen's
granddaughter." Emmett tickled her belly.
"How do you know? Did you see me at the hospital?"
"Of course I did," Emmett said enthusiastically. "I couldn't wait to see you. We were all totally excited about your arrival."
Excited. Anxious. Completely terrified. Those were the same thing, correct?
"Did I cry right away? Aunt Alice says babies cry when they get born."
This question caused Emmett to pause. He looked at me, knowing I was the only one who could answer that question.
"She cried. Right, Big Daddy?"
Faith's birth was somewhat of a blur in my memory. Too many emotions had overwhelmed me, making certain details
fuzzy. I nodded, not sure if I was telling the truth. She probably cried. My focus had not been on the baby in the room,
however. It was completely on the woman giving birth. The woman whose heart rate skyrocketed followed by a rapid drop
in blood pressure.
"Her heart rate is increasing," someone called out. There were so many doctors and nurses in the room. I wanted them
all here, b ut it was distracting when I was trying to focus on Isab ella.
"Come on, Bella. One more push and this b ab y will b e out," her ob stetrician said.
I wanted nothing more than for this to b e over. I wanted this b ab y out of her, so they could fix her heart and make her all
b etter. The last couple weeks had not b een good, physically or emotionally. We had known weeks 32 through 34 would
b e the hardest on her heart. I had read enough medical journals and spoken to the cardiologist enough that I felt like an
expert on pregnancy and heart disease. I had b een pushing for her to have the valve replaced during the pregnancy. It
was very common to have the surgery when the other treatments didn't control the failure. Isab ella's symptoms were
inconsistent, though. She opted not to have the surgery. I prayed I would not live to regret that decision and that she
would just...live.
Today, her water b roke late in the morning and the contractions came on strong after that. She was 36 weeks. The b ab y
was going to b e small. Premature and small b ecause her mother had heart disease. She was going to need special
treatment and it was all Isab ella was worried ab out. She wanted the neonatal team in the room. She was finally learning
to b e a demanding Masen.
Isab ella gripped my hand so tightly, I thought she was going to b reak it. She pushed and let out a feral grunt while doing
it. Her b reathing was lab ored, more lab ored than it should have b een. I didn't need to b e an expert to realize that was a
prob lem.
"That's good!" the ob stetrician encouraged her.
My wife b egan coughing. She b egan coughing up b lood. The machines started b eeping. The doctor monitoring her vitals
took over. There was a nurse, trying to pull my attention away from Isab ella and towards the b ab y. I didn't want to deal
with the b ab y. Something was wrong. Very, very wrong.
"Did Mommy cover her ears like this?" Penny covered her ears with her hands and closed her eyes.
Emmett laughed. "I bet your mommy loved hearing you cry."
Faith dropped her hands and looked at Em like he was crazy. "I hate the sound of babies crying. It's so loud."
I wanted to speak and tell her not to use the word hate, but I was choking on bad memories.
"You sound like your dad. He doesn't like anyone being louder than him," he teased me while he talked to Penny. "I bet
he covered his ears."
"I bet Mommy gave Daddy the stink eye...like this." I could see her scrunch up her nose and narrow her eyes.

I didn't want them to talk about this anymore. I couldn't even listen to it.
Emmett nodded and laughed at my daughter's silliness. He looked up at me and could see that all the blood had
drained from my face, the sickness I was feeling because of their topic of conversation. "Hey, your dad tells me he's
been teaching you a new song on the piano. Can you show me?"
My Penny popped up and ran to the piano. "It's so silly! You'll like it."
I exchanged another look with Emmett, thanking him for the distraction. He patted my shoulder when he walked by me
on his way to the piano. "You know me too well, Faith. Silly Uncle Emmy, that's me."
I needed to pull it together. Just thinking about the day she was born rendered me useless. Every year on her birthday, I
worked extra hard to focus on celebrating the year that passed and not the anniversary of her birth. It was easier that way.
Shaking off the darkness, I turned to join them by the black Steinway grand piano that sat in the middle of the room.
Penny had climbed on the bench, her feet dangled because she was too little to reach the pedals yet. She crossed her
legs at the ankles and placed the right sheet music where she could see it. I had taught her a simple song that she
picked it up quite quickly. I had to keep things simple because her hands were so tiny. Her range was limited. She liked
to play, though. She loved to listen to me play even more.
She played and sang along, "In a place I..." She hit the wrong note and restarted. "In a place I know a magician has a
show. In a basket deep sits a cobra fast asleep."
Penny played and sang while Emmett arched his brow at me. When she finished, we both clapped and she smiled
proudly.
"You taught her to play 'There's a Place in France'?"
I jabbed him with my elbow. Of course he would know that version of the song. "It's called 'The Snake Dance' and it has
nothing to do with France or ladies without...you know."
"Daddy, you play it your way. Please?" Penny scooted over so I could join her on the bench.
I sat down and obliged her because there really was no saying no to her. I played the song from memory. My fingers
moved along the keys as I played a more complicated version of the same song. My little one loved it when it seemed my
hands had a mind of their own. She clapped when I finished and begged for another song.
"Do that one with all the cartoon songs and Mommy's lullaby mixed together," she requested. "Please?"
Every so often, I would put together a little mash up of song for my Pennylove. It was usually a mix of children's songs
and some real classical tunes. The one she was asking for also included the song I wrote for Isabella when she was
pregnant.
"The b ab y loves her song," Isab ella said from her spot near the fireplace.
I stopped playing for a second, looking over my shoulder at my pregnant wife. "I wrote it for you." Not the b ab y. I would
write nothing for that b ab y.
"Oh, please. You named it 'Isab ella's Lullab y'. It's for me and your daughter and you know it."
She wanted me to love this b ab y, b ut I didn't. I couldn't. Isab ella was on nearly b edrest. She had to take all these pills
everyday so her heart wouldn't give out, b ut they weren't without side effects. She had lost weight at the last checkup,
which made me and the doctor very unhappy. This b ab y was literally sucking the life out of her.
Isab ella got up and walked over to the piano. She sat next to me b ut faced away from the piano. Her hand rested gently
on my thigh as I continued playing the song.
"I read somewhere that music is good for the b ab y's b rain development. I b et this little girl will b e as smart as her daddy,"
she said patting her stomach lovingly.
This was what she did to me. Constantly reminding me of ways this child would b e like me. I didn't want it to b e like me. I
didn't even want to think ab out it.
Isab ella picked up on my inner conflict. "Why do you do that?"
I stopped playing again. "Do what?"

"Make that face every time I b ring up our daughter." She reached up and ran the b ack of her fingers down my cheek.
I shook my head and grab b ed her hand, kissing her wrist on her pulse point b efore setting it b ack in her lap. Every b eat
of her heart was precious to me. "I don't know what you're talking ab out."
"It's not the b ab y's fault, Edward."
I refused to look at her, instead I stared down at the piano keys. Black and white. So simple. So uncomplicated. So unlike
the rest of my life.
"I love you more than anything in this entire world. You fail to understand," I said with my fingers hovering over the keys.
Isab ella's hand came down hard on the piano, making a loud and discordant sound. "You are so frustrating!"
"I'm frustrating?" I glared at her, letting my anger seep out slowly. "Because I love you so much? Because I can't b ear to
think ab out not having you in my life? Because you are the only thing I want?"
She was shaking her head and her nostrils flared. "Because you think you're the only one that feels a damn thing! You
don't think I love you?"
"I have never doub ted that you love me."
"You don't think I love you as much as you love me?"
"No one can love anything as much as I love you," I replied, placing my hand on her cheek.
She covered my hand with hers. "You're wrong. You are so wrong." She slid my hand down and placed it on her round
b elly. "She's going to love you in a way you can't even imagine."
I swallowed hard and stared at my hand. If Isab ella died, it wouldn't matter. The child would never know me. I was going
to make sure of that.
"I love you," Isab ella continued. "I love you just as much as you love me and it pisses me off that you think that's not
possib le. I have b een to hell and b ack for you. I have risked my life and faced down an insane psychopath for you. You
have no idea how much I feel!"
"Please don't get upset," I b egged her, turning my b ody towards her. "You know you aren't supposed to get overly
emotional."
She put her own hands on her b elly. Staring down at it, her eyes b egan to well up with tears. "I love this b ab y, too. I love
her more than I ever thought possib le. I can't put into words what it feels like to have a life growing inside me. There's
nothing like it. There are no words to describ e what she means to me. What our b ab y means to me. I would kill for her. I
would run into a b urning b uilding to save her. Does that help you understand? You do not have a monopoly on crazy,
overwhelming love. You don't."
My b eautiful Isab ella looked up at me, hoping I would understand. I leaned over and kissed her forehead. I never meant
to upset her. I did not doub t her or her love for me. I struggled with her willingness to die for this b ab y, with the fact that
she could love someone she hadn't even met yet as much as she loved me. Sadly it was clear, I was still my father's son.
"I love you b oth too much to die, Edward," she said, looking at me with those sad fucking eyes.
"You have no idea how much I want to b elieve that." I kissed her gently at first, then I let myself get lost in the feel of my
wife's lips on mine.
Just as I slipped my tongue inside, the b ab y kicked right where my hand was resting on her mother's stomach. She
kicked so hard, Isab ella grunted in response. I had never felt the b ab y move b efore. I refused to touch it when she
asked me. I had watched everyone else smile and laugh when they felt it. Tyler, Charlotte, Esme, Alice. Even Jasper,
Charlie, and Emmett.
Isab ella giggled. "I think she wants you to quit kissing me and finish playing the song."
I laughed. Truly laughed. Something I hadn't done in a very long time. The b ab y kicked again and I found it difficult to
pull my hand away. Mayb e she was trying to tell me something. Mayb e she just enjoyed hearing me play. I didn't b lame
the b ab y, I b lamed myself. Our child could b e the ultimate victim in this whole messed up situation if Isab ella died. I
would b e a terrib le father without my wife. I just knew it.

"Your dad is good. I think the Flinstones was my favorite part," Emmett said when I finished.
"Mommy's lullaby is my favorite."
"Mine, too, sweetheart." I kissed the top of Penny's head. "Why don't you run downstairs and tell Charlotte we're ready for
a snack? I bet you're hungry."
My little girl slid off the bench. "My belly is really hungry!" She skipped out, cheerfully doing what I asked.
"Leave the past where it belongs, E." Emmett narrowed his eyes at me.
I pushed the bench back and stood up. "I know. She makes me feel so damn guilty, though. I have one flesh and blood
child. One. And I didn't get to enjoy the experience, you know? I didn't get to be excited. Shit, you know what I did. You
know how I almost..."
"Dude, stop. You can't change it. You can't go back. Yes, it sucks. Yes, it was shitty and you made some even shittier
decisions while going through the most difficult thing a guy can go through. But now you've got Faith, and you are a good
dad, who loves her. That's what she knows and that is what she's always going to know. Plus, like you just said, you
almost. We both know you wouldn't have gone through with it. I know you wouldn't have."
I rubbed my eyes with the heels of my hands. He was right. Again. That was becoming annoying.
"She deserved better, that's all." Yes, my Pennylove deserved much better than how I acted.
"In the end, she got the best. Remember that."
Well, I certainly couldn't have gotten worse. Isabella made it clear nothing was worse than the monster I was just a few
weeks before Faith was born.
I got home late from work. I had b een hiding, using work as an excuse for not coming home for dinner. Dinner, which
consisted of things that had no salt or fat b ecause Isab ella could not eat anything that was b ad for her heart. Dinner,
when she would tell me things ab out the b ab y that I didn't want to know. Dinner, when she'd purposely leave out details
ab out how she was feeling b ecause she didn't want me to worry. She was protecting me when I was powerless to do the
same for her.
I was talking to Kate on my cellphone when I pushed open the door to my home office. Isab ella was sitting at my desk.
Her eyes were red and puffy like she had b een crying for much too long.
"I'll talk to you ab out this tomorrow." I hung up and put the phone in my pocket. "What's the matter? Why have you b een
crying?"
The underlying anger in her tone was not was I was expecting. "When Terry came over the other night and you two came
in here to talk, what were you talking ab out?"
I could feel my heart stop. She couldn't possib ly know. Terry had to ab ide b y client attorney privilege. Terry could not
have told Isab ella or Tyler. No one was to know.
Isab ella spoke b efore I could come up with a good answer. "I swear to God if you are standing there trying to think of a lie
or a way to avoid answering, I will hurt you. I will...throw something at you." She grab b ed the glass glob e paperweight that
sat on my desk. This was so out of character for her I almost laughed. I didn't laugh, though, b ecause that glob e would
b e chucked at my head, no doub t.
"I had her draw up some papers for me," I replied honestly. I didn't move. I wanted to, b ut I couldn't lift my feet.
I saw her chin b egin to tremb le. It made me want to look away. Her pain tore me apart. I couldn't b ear it when I already
carried around so much of my own. Whoever told her was dead. Dead to me, at least. I would wipe them from my life in
an instant.
"What kind of papers?"
"Why do you want to know?"
"Alice called tonight, asking me ab out the Summer Bash. She needed to know if you had signed the contract with the
company who's doing the light show. She said she had put it on your desk when she was here last weekend." She pulled
a large yellow envelope out of the drawer b eside her.

My eye twitched and my chest ached. No one told her anything. She had stumb led upon them herself b ecause of my
carelessness. I should have locked the papers up somewhere at Masen Corp. instead of hiding them in my desk.
"I came in here to look for it for her. I figured you wouldn't mind. We have no secrets." The sense of b etrayal she felt was
clear. She loathed secrets and this was the b iggest one yet.
"Isab el-"
She slammed the glob e down, effectively silencing me. "How can you do this? How could you even think to do something
like this?"
"I can't do it without you! I can't! I know it!"
With a tremb ling hand, she wiped her wet cheek. When she looked at me, I could feel all her sorrow deep inside my
chest. "You want it to b e as if she never existed?"
Yes...no...mayb e a little of b oth. I wanted Isab ella to live. That was all I wanted. If I couldn't have that, then I wanted
nothing. Nothing at all.
I tried to appease her with the reasoning I had used on myself. "I would see to it that she was placed with the b est
possib le family."
The fire in her eyes made me hold my b reath for what was coming. She clawed at her head and pulled her hair at the
roots. "The b est possib le family? She has the b est possib le family!"
"Not if you are dead!" I roared, rushing towards the desk that separated us. I pounded my fists on the wood. I was
b reathing heavy as my heart thundered in my chest. "If you die, I die! I will b e of no use to a child!"
"You are so selfish! You are so narrow-minded and fucking selfish! Our family loves this b ab y. Our entire family wants
this b ab y. If you give her up, they will never forgive you! I will never forgive you!"
"You'll b e dead! Dead women don't hand out forgiveness! Dead women do nothing b ut rot underground!" I punched
down on the desk again, causing her to jump. "The dead don't get a fucking say in how the living carry on!"
That shut her up. Her mouth hung open as she stared at my face. Her eyes scanning for some sign of remorse or
apology for the harshness of my words. There was none, except for the fact that she had found out. She was never
supposed to find out. The papers would only matter if she died. If she died, I would put the b ab y up for adoption
immediately. I could not b e any part of the child's life.
She stood up and b rought the b ack of her wrist up to her mouth as if to hold b ack her emotion. Her hand dropped to her
side and her words were painted with her melancholy. "I can't do this anymore. I've b een trying so hard, b ut you've lost
your mind. I don't know how to help you, and I have too much to deal with to figure it out. I love you and I swore I would
never leave you." She seemed pained b y what she was going to say next. The tears b egan to fall in earnest. "But b elieve
this, Edward Masen, I will file for divorce and fight for sole custody of our unb orn child b efore I ever give you a chance to
go through with this horrib le plan of yours."
She walked towards the door. Leaving me. I just knew it.
"Jasper is on his way to pick me up. I need to get out of here. You need to b e alone, so you can figure out how to make
this right. In the meantime, I suggest you find a good hiding spot, just in case Alice has decided to make the trip to get
me as well."
That night was worse than the day I left her in Forks. That night, Isabella drew a line in the sand and dared me to cross it.
I knew she meant every word. Her threat was real and ripped my heart out. That was the night I realized death was not
the only thing that could make her break her promises.

A/N: I don't own Twilight.

Thanks to momof4luvntwisaga for her help and support. She is the best :)
Happy birthday to Kitty Vuitton! (one day late, darn not posting on Fridays anymore) Love to all my Pennyladies and
the people on Twitter who are constantly pimping this story and FaN. You guys are awesome.
One more chapter of mystery and then all will be revealed for those of you wondering when the heck you're going to

get some damn answers. Eight chapters in all. I know it's short. I'm sorry but this is the story I had to tell and this is
all there is of it! If I promise to write something else soon, does that help? Love you all and your reviews. I was totally
a slacker on replies this week. You guys have lots of good thoughts. Does this chapter make you change your mind?
Happy weekend.
Lots of hot pics of Rob playing piano on the blog along with some youtube videos of the songs Edward and Penny
played, in case you are interested. There are no answers as to where Bella is on there, however. Sorry! I do love you,
though!
XOXO,
TF

*Chapter 6*: Chapter 6

Seventy-two seconds.
A lot can happen in seventy-two seconds. I can say I love you one hundred and fifty-nine times. I can go up and down the
all of the stairs in my house three times. I can do ninety-one jumping jacks. I can recite the alphabet fourteen times. I can
type the quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog ten times. Seventy-two seconds might not seem like very long. But to
me, seventy-two seconds was a lifetime.

"How come I can't come?" Penny asked as I slid my leather jacket off the hanger.
"Daddy needs to go see someone, but I expect you to help Lala babysit Uncle Emmett and Aunt Alice while I'm gone." I
bent down so I was eye to eye with her.
She twisted up her little mouth, then smiled. "I can't babysit them. They're too big."
"Okay, well, then maybe you can just play with them, so they stay out of trouble. You know Uncle Emmett, he gets crazy
when Daddy's not here to make sure he behaves."
Penny giggled. "He does not!"
"He does," I said, my eyebrows raised. "He eats all my fruit snacks when I'm not here."
"Daddy..." her hand smacked down on my shoulder "...the fruit snacks are mine."
I feigned surprise. "Yours? No, you're obviously confused, Pennylove. The fruit snacks are mine."
"They're mine."
"I'm pretty sure Lala buys them for me."
"No!" She giggled, her little face lit up with unadulterated joy. "Lala buys them for me."
"You?"
She nodded happily, and I leaned forward to kiss her sweet little cheek.
"Fine. They can be yours, but you have to share with me. I'll see you in a little bit. I love you."
"I love you, too, Daddy." She hugged me tightly before skipping off to find one of the many grown-ups hanging around
here.
I went to grab my keys when Alice appeared out of nowhere, startling me. "I can still go with you."
I shook my head. "Stay here. I don't have a bus, you know."
"Fine," she said in defeat, her smile faltering. "Um, I don't want you to be mad, so I'm going to tell you that-"
"Where's my little bit of Faith?" Esme said sweetly in her sing-song voice as she opened the front door. I watched as she
and Carlisle walked in the house, turning my glare on my sister.
Alice looked a bit sheepish. "I sort of told Esme that I was coming over here."
"Alice," I groaned. I knew she would do this. I knew if I let her come over, she was going to let it slip.
"Hey there! Are you heading out already?" Esme walked over to us and wrapped me in a big hug.
"Grandma!" Penny came charging down the hall followed by an overexcited Cupcake.
"There's my pretty girl!" Esme let go of me and picked up my daughter.
I stepped around them to get to the dog, who was practically attacking my poor uncle. "Cupcake, knock it off!" I swatted at
her to get her to stop jumping on his leg.
Carlisle bent down and gave the dog a pat on the head, pleasing the stupid mutt to no end. "Alice said it was okay if we

came by. It was okay, wasn't it?" He knew to be suspicious of my sister and with good reason.
I gave him a hug hello and goodbye. There was no reason to fight it. "It's fine." I noticed the multiple shopping bags in his
hand. "Those better not be for anyone who lives here."
He shrugged. "It's the perk of being a grandparent. She can't stop herself." He nodded at his wife.
Esme would hear no complaining from me. "Oh, Edward! Come on. You, of all people, cannot give me a hard time about
spoiling anyone."
I was certainly guilty of that. The annoying animal at my feet was evidence of my inability to control my need to please
those I loved. I sighed. "I'm heading out. I'll be back in an hour or so."
"We'll be ready and waiting," Esme replied. "Right, Faith?"
"Yep!"
I planted one more kiss on my Pennylove's forehead and headed out. Even though the quiet was going to be a welcome
relief, I was leaving the madhouse and heading to the cemetery. Not the most pleasant alternative.
Lake View Cemetery was west of Lake Washington. It was a huge cemetery, much bigger than the one my parents were
buried at back in Chicago. It was kept up quite nicely, the trees and other landscaping were always pruned and trimmed.
There was a lot of open space and interesting statues to look at as you walked around. There were some very old graves
here, the cemetery dated back to 1872. Bruce Lee was buried here, as well as his son.
I parked my car and jumped out. I didn't like coming the cemetery, but always felt a little better when I left. Coming here
made me feel like I was making it clear that I would never forget. I shook my head. As if I could ever forget. I would never
forget. Certain events in your life are unforgettable. That goes for some people as well.
I walked down the path that led to the grave I was here to visit. I felt bad as I passed one headstone with flowers set on
top of it. I never brought flowers. I knew they would just die in a day or so and some poor groundskeeper would have to
throw them away. I wasn't the only one to visit, this I knew. There were times I found flowers sitting by the grave from the
others that came to pay their respects. I knew one person in particular came much more often than I did. I visited twice a
year. Once for each date on the headstone.
I rarely visited my parents' graves in Chicago. Mostly because it was far away and I didn't have much reason to go to
Chicago. The last time I had been there was in the spring of 2012. I had brought Isabella there to "meet" my mother. She
taught me how to talk to the dead that day. I remembered she was so nervous.
"It's so windy. No wonder why they call this place The Windy City."
"It's not that b ad, Isab ella."
"Is my hair a total mess?" She tried to smooth it out and pushed it b ehind her ears for the hundredth time.
I grab b ed her hand. "Bab y, no one is going to b e looking at your hair. There's no one here b ut you and me."
She shook her head at her silliness. "You're right. I don't know why I'm nervous. It's not like your mom is going to
disapprove, right?"
"If my mother had not wanted us to b e together, she would have sent a giant wave to wash you away b ack in Fiji. I think
we're good." That earned me a laugh, which made me smile.
We walked up to the spot under the flowering crab tree. My parents were b uried side b y side, though I tried not to focus
on my father's side. They shared a headstone. My mother's side was engraved with BELOVED WIFE, MOTHER, SISTER.
My father's simply said his name and date of b irth and death. It was almost pitiful, if I could feel pity for the man who tried
to kill me.
Isab ella never let go of my hand as we stood on the side where my mother was b uried.
"I never know what to do when I come here," I admitted.
"You don't talk to her?"
"I don't know what to say." It was true. What do you tell your dead mother that she doesn't already know? If there is a
heaven or whatever, wasn't she already looking down on me?

"You just talk to her. Like this." Isab ella let go of my hand and crouched down. "Hi, Mrs. Masen. My name is Bella and I'm
in love with your son. He's quite a wonderful guy. He's a good man. You should know that. I'm certain he hasn't come
here b efore to b rag ab out himself that way. He likes to talk ab out his money and his smarts, b ut it's his heart that really
matters. He has a b eautiful heart."
She was my heart. If it was b eautiful, it was b ecause it b elonged to Isab ella completely. I b ent down on one knee and
took her hand b ack in mine.
"Hi, Mom." It felt stupid to b e talking to grass. "So, this is Isab ella. My wife. I got married. So did Alice. We're doing really
well...I guess." This was so weird, talking to a dead person. I looked over at Isab ella. She was smiling and squeezed my
hand.
"It was a lovely wedding," she added. "They b oth were. Well, all three were actually. Edward and I had to have two
b ecause the first one we did alone and I'm sure you know how Alice felt ab out that."
I couldn't help b ut laugh. Yes, we had two weddings. One for us and one for everyone else. The first one was my favorite,
however. Nothing could top that day in my mind.
"I married an incredib le woman, Mom. You'd love her b ecause she's so much like you." My throat tightened up. My
mother would have loved Isab ella. Esme was completely taken with her, and my mother and Esme didn't disagree ab out
much. I could see my wife's cheeks pink up. She still couldn't take a compliment without doing that.
We stayed quiet for a little while as the wind b lew her hair all over the place. For a spring day in Chicago, it was quite
warm. The b reeze made the heat tolerab le. I concentrated on the feel of Isab ella's fingers threaded b etween mine and
listened to the b irds in the trees.
"Edward makes me so very happy. I just wanted you to know that, too. I promise to take good care of him."
My mom would b e happy to know that. She would have wanted me to b e someone who made other people happy. She
wanted me to b e a good person. It would have made her happy to know I was with someone as good as the woman who
vowed to spend her life with me. Isab ella was b etter than I deserved. I wanted to b elieve my mother would b e proud of
me. Alice and I were her legacy. That was more important than I had realized b efore I met Isab ella.
"I miss you," I whispered, surprised at the emotion that laced those words.
I stood up and pulled Isab ella up with me. I started to walk away, b ut she didn't b udge.
"What ab out him?" She glanced at my father's side of the plot and b ack at me expectantly.
"What ab out him?"
"Don't you want to say anything to him?"
I shook my head. There was nothing to say. It wasn't that I couldn't think of anything, I simply had nothing I wanted to
share with him. He didn't deserve it.
"I just want to say a couple things. You don't have to stay if you don't want to," she said, letting go of my hand and moving
around to the other side. She never failed to surprise me. I certainly wasn't going to leave without hearing what she had to
say to the man who hated me.
"I'll wait right here."
Isab ella nodded and then sunk down like she did when she spoke to my mom. "Hi, I'm Bella. I just wanted to say two
things. First, I'm sorry. Something really terrib le must have happened to you to make you so horrib le. You missed out on
loving two of the most incredib le people I've ever met. Your children are worth knowing and worth loving. I also want to
say thank you. Thank you for giving your wife the gift of children even though you didn't want them. I reap the b enefit of
that decision everyday. So...yeah, thank you." She started to get up, b ut then crouched b ack down. "Um, and I kind of
hope you're in hell, b ut that seems really mean, so I also kind of hope you aren't. Okay, that's it."
I stood in shock as she moved b ack over to take her place next to me. Her hand grasped mine. I stared at her in
amazement.
"You're really something, you know that?"
"You're really something. Do you know that?" she retorted.

"You're sorry and thanks? That's what you wanted to say to him?"
"And go to hell, b ut I sort of chickened out." Her eyeb rows pinched together in the most adorab le way.
I let out a b reathy laugh. "You are too kind, especially to those who do not deserve it, sweetheart." I kissed her head and
pulled her away b ack to the car. I didn't say it, b ut there was a small part of me that also hoped he wasn't in hell. Of
course, there was a very large part that hoped he was b ecause, let's b e honest, I was nowhere as kind as my b eautiful
wife.
I made my way over to the grave I was looking for just past the large willow. I could smell rain in the air. I hoped it would
hold off until this visit was over. I hadn't grabbed an umbrella on my way out even though it seemed like it rained every
time I came here. Standing beside the large granite headstone, I took a deep breath. I brushed some brown and
shriveled leaves from the base. I had bought an expensive upright monument. It didn't have any creepy angels or overly
ornate carvings, but it was a fitting memorial.
"It's me," I announced. I still felt so damn silly talking to a grave. "Happy birthday. I know you never really liked celebrating
your birthday. You weren't big on being the center of attention." I zipped up my jacket all the way before shoving my cold
hands in my front pockets. "So, there's a lot to tell you, I guess. You'd be amazed at how big Faith is getting. She's so tall.
It's hard to believe she used to be this tiny little baby, you know?" I always started out with talking about Faith. I didn't
know why. It was probably because she was easiest to talk about.
"She's so smart that it actually freaks me out sometimes. She loves watching stuff on the Discovery Channel and asks
me questions about things like how people make computers and pencils. She's curious about everything. I'm waiting for
the day she stumps me because I know it's coming. Sooner than later, she's going to ask me something I can't answer
and that image I've built as the smartest guy she knows will be blown right out of the water." I laughed, knowing that was
so true.
"Being a dad is so weird. I don't think I could have ever imagined how wonderful and hard it would be at the same time. It
would have been nice if you or someone had given me a heads up. Everyone tells me I'm doing a good job, which is nice
to hear. I think she'd be spectacular regardless of my influence, though. I'm not sure I should take too much credit for
how amazing she is."
I looked up at the heavens, making sure the rain clouds weren't going to unleash on me. The sky was getting darker by
the minute. I knew I didn't have much more time.
"I'm rambling. Sorry. I should get to the point, right? Well, I still miss you. You have no idea how many people have tried to
get me to fill the spot you left in my life, but you are simply irreplaceable. I've thought about it. I've even considered a few
people. In the end, I just don't think anyone could be enough. You were so much more than my right hand. You were my
friend. My confidante. People like you just don't come around that often."
I touched the cool granite, my fingers running over the top of the headstone. No, no one could replace what I had lost.
Some people were too important. Too special to replace.
"I was thinking about my dad today. I thought about how he never really taught me anything. Maybe I learned some bad
habits from him, but he never was there to mentor me. He never offered guidance or tried to get me to question things so
I wouldn't act on impulse. You did that though, Alec. You were more of a father to me than my dad ever was. I am so
fortunate to have had you in my life. Men like you and Carlisle make me realize that sharing DNA with someone doesn't
make you a father. A father-figure earns his title through his love and actions. You have no idea how important that was
for me to come to terms with."
Truly, I could never thank Alec enough for being the man he was and for making me part of his family. He was always
there for me even when I was a giant pain in his ass. I was not easy to work for and I was much worse before I met
Isabella. Alec respected and cared for me when I wasn't all that respectable. I made an effort not to take my life for
granted. It could have easily been me that was in that car that night. I owed it to him to live my life right. I felt like I did that,
most of the time.
"Today is a big day," I began as lightning shot across the sky. Shit. It was going to rain on me. The wind began to pick up.
I cursed myself for not bringing an umbrella. "I'm sure you know. I think you and my mom watch over me. I hope you'll
watch over him, too." The rain began to fall, and I knew I needed to get back to my car quickly before I got drenched.
I ran through the cemetery and jumped in the car before the clouds unloaded. I turned on the headlights and wipers.
Thunder and lightning boomed and flashed together. Today was a big day. Today, my life was about to change - again. I
rested my head against the headrest. Alec and Carlisle had prepared me for this day more than they both ever would
know. There would be no darkness shrouding this day. It wasn't like the day my Pennylove was born.

"Mr. Masen, why don't you follow your daughter?" A tall and slender nurse was attempting to move me from my spot next
to Isab ella.
"I'm not leaving my wife! What's happening?"
Doctors and nurses were all moving and talking. They were scramb ling around and shouting things ab out b lood
pressure and pulmonary edema. Isab ella stopped coughing, b ut the b lood was still all over her lips. My head was
spinning. She was dying. They needed to stop it. She needed to stop it.
I had promised her that I would not relinquish my rights to our daughter. I had promised my sister, my aunt, my uncle
they would all b e ab le to b e a part of the b ab y's life regardless of what happened. I had sworn to them all. I made the
deal, b ut she had made promises, too. Isab ella promised not to die. She promised.
"Push the Nitropress," someone said. They were injecting things into her IV. The machines continued to make noise. The
doctors were talking loudly, not arguing b ut definitely trying to decided who needed to b e in charge of what.
"Isab ella," I called out, pushing the nurse standing b etween us away. I needed her to look at me. "Don't you fucking
leave me. Do you hear me? Isab ella!"
"Get Mr. Masen out of here, please." I heard one of the doctors say. I wasn't leaving. They could not make me leave. Two
people, a man and a woman, stood on either side of me and put a hand on my shoulder.
"Isab ella!"
She didn't look at me, though. Her eyes were rolling b ack in her head. The machine monitoring her heart started making
a noise. It was one long b eep. I looked over and saw the flatline.
"Asystole!"
"Start compressions and grab the crash cart!"
The flutter of activity b egan to move in slow motion as my own heart stopped b eating. My eyes moved b ack and forth
b etween the woman on the b ed and the flatline on the screen. She was dead. My worst fear realized. Dead. Somehow a
million thoughts ran through my head like a tornado raging across an open field, a swirl of confusion and pain.
I love you.
I can't do this.
I won't survive.
You promised.
I hate you.
You said you loved me too much to die.
Kill me.
I love you.
I can't lose you.
Take me with you.
Don't go.
I told you this would happen.
I will never forgive you.
I love you.
How could you?
This wasn't supposed to happen.

I wanted forever.
Not even forever would b e enough.
What we had is not enough.
I love you.
I love you.
I love you.
A lot can happen in seventy-two seconds. In seventy-two seconds, I could think a million thoughts. I could die a thousand
deaths. I could lose the love of my life. Seventy-two seconds could feel like a lifetime.
Isab ella was dead. Her heart stopped b eating. She stopped b reathing. She b roke her promise.
I watched as they placed the paddles on her chest and shocked her diseased heart, causing her upper b ody to lift off the
hospital b ed. I watched in horror as the alarms continued to ring. The nurses tried to remove me from the room, pulling
me away from my only reason for b eing.
"Let's go see your daughter, Mr. Masen. Your daughter needs you now."
My daughter? My daughter needed me? She killed Isab ella. We killed her. Me and the b ab y. We killed the b est thing that
ever happened to me.
They shocked her again. The sound made my whole b ody shudder.
"Normal sinus rhythm," someone said as I saw the flatline b egin to form small peaks. The machine started b eeping
again. Beeping to each b eat of her heart.
"Let's get her into an OR," the cardiologist ordered, now the one in charge.
Seventy-two seconds. My wife died for seventy-two seconds. Then she came b ack to life.
The clock in the car said it was after four o'clock. I had less than ten miles to go to get to my next destination. It would
take me a little over fifteen minutes. I was right on time. I might even be a bit early.
I pulled out my phone and typed out a text message.
I missed you more than I imagined I would.
I smiled, knowing the reaction that would get. I typed one more message.
And we both know how out of control my imagination usually gets...
With so many distractions, I wasn't sure she would turn on her phone before I got there. Just in case she did, I needed
her to know. I was lost without her. Even if it was just a few short weeks. Hell, seventy-two seconds was too long for me.

A/N: I don't own Twilight.

Well, I'm listening for that collective sigh of relief! So, I killed Bella, but I brought her back to life. My plan was always
to keep this really canon. Of course, I couldn't make her a vamp, so she was brought back from the dead instead!
Now, where has she been? We'll find out next week. You'll get all your answers next week even though I'm sure
many of you know now.
Thanks to momof4luvntwisaga as usual. Thanks to everyone who voted to make OUaS one of the Fics of the Week
over at The Lemonade Stand. Lots of great stories highlighted over there this week! Happy Birthday to Jaime and
Jennifer, two of my Pennyladies. Early posting for the win! Love you all. See you next Saturday!
XOXO,
TF

*Chapter 7*: Chapter 7

"I bet he won't even talk to me. I bet I've just wasted five hours of my life."
"Don't be so melodramatic," Jasper said, tossing his crumpled up cocktail napkin at his sister.
"You know what?" she snapped back. "You make it very easy to forget how much I thought I missed you."
Jasper got up and took the seat next to his sister. He placed his hand on the hand she had resting on her lap. "No one
knows what he's going to do. At least you can say you tried, right? Do you really want to spend the rest of your life
wondering if you walked away from the person you're supposed to be with?"
Rosalie bit down on her plump lower lip. "I should have asked him to come to New York with me. I was too afraid he was
going to say no."
"Tell him that and I know he'll give you a chance," I said, butting in on their brother/sister moment.
She looked over at me appreciatively. "You think?"
"Like I told you last night, he misses you. He's going to be mad that you lied and said you found someone else, but then
he's going to be relieved that you didn't really move on. He's spent a long time second guessing all the same things
you've been second guessing. It will good for you two to see each other and be honest."
"Looks like we're going to get in a few minutes late, Mrs. Masen. There are some strong storms over Seattle right this
minute," Griffin announced over the speaker.
Everyone let out a collective and frustrated sigh. My head fell back against the seat. A few more minutes seemed like an
eternity. Being apart from my husband and daughter for almost three weeks had been so much harder than I imagined.
Skype was helpful but did not allow me to hug and kiss them. All I wanted was to have my entire family under the same
roof; together, complete, whole.
"Don't worry, honey," my dad said, picking up on my frustration. "I'm sure that husband of yours will use his influence and
get those clouds cleared away in no time."
I swatted his arm. He thought he was very funny. Everyone, including Edward himself, thought my husband had more
power than he really did. "Which reminds me, if I read one tabloid article that even insinuates we received special
treatment because we're the Masens, I am going to hurt someone." There was no special treatment in Nigeria; in fact, I
felt like there had been more red tape to get through because the illustrious Edward Masen was involved.
"Remember when Madonna took all that heat a few years ago? At least the focus will mostly be on Edward and not you,"
Rosalie said in a misguided attempt to make me feel better. "You know, since he's famous and you're not."
I tried to remember why I thought it was a good idea to bring her back to Seattle with us. Maybe Emmett wouldn't take her
back and she'd go back to the other side of the country.
We had met Rosalie for dinner last night. Jasper and I thought we'd be spending the entire evening listening to how
much she loved New York and her glamorous life. One bottle of wine was all it took and the woman was in tears telling
us how she regretted moving there a year and a half ago and was still head over heels in love with Emmett. She had lied
to him about finding someone else. She just thought it would make things easier and help him move on without her.
Jasper encouraged her to call Emmett and I foolishly offered to bring her back with us.
As annoying as Rosalie could be, I knew deep down that Emmett was still hopelessly in love with her. It had almost
been a year since they ended things, but I knew he hadn't moved on for a reason. I probably understood better than
most. Rose was Emmett's Edward. Some people didn't think my husband was very nice sometimes and failed to see
how I could put up with some of his...idiosyncrasies. Love is blind and all that jazz. It keeps no record of wrongs
according to the Bible. I figured Emmett was obviously vying for sainthood. He was in love with Rose and best friends
with Edward. He was either a saint or insane.
"Liam, can you email Edward and let him know we're going to be a little later than planned?" I had my hands full and he
was already playing on the iPad.
"Sure," he replied with a sympathetic smile. A smile from Liam was still rare, but I could get one out of him every now and
again.

I was glad he had spent the last few weeks with us. Tyler and Emmett had been on duty the first part of the trip when
Edward and Faith were with me. I couldn't bring myself to ask them to stay another month. Tyler needed to get home to
his wife just like Edward needed to get home because of work. Leave it to some big project for the CIA or the FBI or
whatever agency within the government he was working for to interfere with this undertaking. I wasn't really mad. The
truth was Faith needed to get home, too. She wanted to go to preschool and be with her friends. She really wanted to see
Charlotte and the rest of the family. Where Edward went, Emmett followed, of course.
Edward being Edward had Liam, my dad, and Jasper fly out as replacements. Lagos and its seven million plus people
and the U.S. Government's warning about kidnappings and attacks in Nigeria had him beyond worried. I had an
entourage with me at all times. Always overprotective. Always taking security to the extreme. Edward would never change,
which was fine by me because I loved him exactly the way he was.
We had bought a house on Victoria Island last year. It made it easier when we brought Faith with us. The U.S. Embassy
and Consulate both were located there. For some reason, this made Edward feel like we were safer than if we were on
the mainland. It was definitely an affluent area and the main business and financial center of Lagos. I never felt like we
had anything to worry about.
Nigeria became important to me when I learned that it had the most children out of school in the world. Over eight million
children in Nigeria did not attend school. I had to admit, being married to a multi-billionaire had its perks. The one that
allowed me to see to it that we steadily chipped away at the number was one of the biggest. The Elizabeth Masen
Foundation built schools, funded others, helped the other organizations that were already busy doing the same.
I believed that I had been sent to Nigeria for a reason. I thought it was to help bring education to those who did not have
the opportunities we often took for granted in the United States, but the real reason snuck up on me. Over two years ago,
I befriended a woman who changed my life. A woman who fought a fight not unlike the one I fought the nine months I
was pregnant with Faith. I, fortunately, won my fight. I gave birth to my daughter and survived. Kikelomo Okoro was not as
lucky. She lived long enough to give birth, but died less than two weeks later.
When I met Kikelomo, she was a bright-eyed eighteen year old, who shared her story with me at an EM Foundation
function. She was what I had considered a success story. Her parents were both deceased and she had no siblings.
She was raised by her elderly grandmother and almost forwent her education to work to support the two of them. Luckily,
she had caught the attention of an American teacher sent over by our foundation, who persuaded her not to give up.
When we met, she was studying to be a teacher thanks to scholarships the EM Foundation provided. There was
something about her that spoke to me, and she became the face of our initiative in Nigeria. She and I spoke often and
emailed regularly.
Two days after Kikelomo turned twenty, she found out she was pregnant. Without a family to support her and the father of
her child unknown, I found myself wanting to help. She would not accept any financial support from me or Edward,
however. She was much too proud. I kept tabs on her, though, even while I lived my life back in Seattle. Almost a year
ago, I received an email that left me in tears. Kikelomo had been complaining about being extremely tired. She said her
doctor thought she was anemic. They ran a CBC and realized something was very off.
Stage III cervical cancer.
She was fourteen weeks pregnant.
The decision to continue with the pregnancy was much like mine. There was no doubt in her mind that she would see
the pregnancy through. The cancer ruthlessly carried on as did the pregnancy. It began to spread and left her with little to
do but pray she could give birth before it took her life. She was almost eight months pregnant when she finally asked me
for something. Kikelomo did not ask for money or fancy doctors, although I offered them and consulted with the best of
the best back in the states. She did not ask for anything for herself. She asked that Edward and I take care of her child.
Kikelomo knew our story. After Faith's birth and my brush with death, convincing Edward to let me have another baby was
next to impossible. Add to it the high risk of blood clots associated with mechanical heart valves, and I most definitely
was going to be the mother of only one natural born child. We had talked about surrogates but decided that wasn't the
path we were meant to take. Adoption was a word we were just beginning to throw around when Kikelomo asked us to
take her child in the event of her death. Being the eternal optimist, I believed that she was going to beat this horrible
disease after the baby was born, but agreed to care for the baby as my own if she could not.
Almost three months ago, during a planned C-section, a baby boy was born. A baby boy, who Edward and I immediately
took custody of because his mother was too sick to care for him. The cancer had progressed so much so that Kikelomo
never left the hospital. I was still mourning the loss of a friend and a beautiful spirit. Since Edward and I were named
legal guardians in the will, things were supposed to be easier than a regular adoption. I was married to Edward Masen -

nothing was simple in his world. Perhaps the best thing Kikelomo did was refuse to allow us to give her any money.
Edward did pay for her funeral and burial, but that was it. We had to do an interview with Diane Sawyer last month to kill
all the negative press that was saying we had bought a baby from a dying woman. I allowed the interview only to make
the world aware of the amazing woman Kikelomo was and to highlight the work of the EM Foundation. I didn't really care
what the world thought of me. At least, I knew I shouldn't care.
"We have clearance to land. Please make sure you have your seatbelt fastened." Marcie, the flight attendant, came
through the aisle to check on everyone one last time.
I looked out the window as the world below came into view. We came through the clouds and the lights of Seattle shined
brightly. I was so close, I could almost feel Edward's presence. I could hear the landing gear descend and squeezed my
dad's hand as we touched down. We were home. Home at last.
The best thing about my entourage was that I never had to lift a finger. Dad and Jasper carried all my carry ons. Liam
grabbed the car seat and the diaper bag. Rosalie even offered to hold my coat for me. I only had arms for one thing and
that was my sweet baby.
I saw the Mercedes as soon as I stepped off the plane. It was drizzling, so I covered the baby's head with the blanket he
was wrapped in. Edward jumped out of the SUV and my heart skipped a beat. Brown leather jacket, hair in beautiful
disarray, jeans that fit him perfectly. I couldn't make it down the steps fast enough.
Ignoring everyone else, he ran right to me and wrapped me and the baby up in his arms. "Welcome home, my love."
"I missed you," I replied, gripping him tightly with one free hand.
"I missed you more. Trust me." He kissed me softly before giving the baby a kiss on his little head. "Hey there, big boy. I
missed you, too."
We headed to the car, one step closer to being a complete family again. Liam and Jasper got some of the luggage in the
car. There wasn't going to be enough room for all of it. We were going to have to have a car bring the rest back to the
estate.
"Rosalie, nice to see you again," Edward said, opening the car door for her.
"Thanks," she said hesitantly. Things were never very friendly between Edward and Rosalie after what happened when
we found out about my heart condition. Add to that the breaking of his best friend's heart, and even I was surprised he
was being so welcoming. "It's nice to see you as well. Congratulations, by the way."
He smiled and gave a quick nod as she climbed in the car and out of the rain. Dad had gone to work getting the car seat
in place and I buckled my little boy in.
"You brought home a surprise," Edward whispered in my ear before I got in the car.
"If they're meant to be, they're meant to be."
He shook his head with a grin. "He's gonna flip."
My eyebrows shot up. "I know."
Liam sat in the front with Edward while the rest of us piled into the back. Thank goodness we had bought the GL550.
Who knew we were going to need this much room. Edward kept looking back at me through the rearview mirror while
everyone chatted about the flight and Rosalie lamented some more about Emmett's reaction to her visit. Edward warned
us there was a houseful of people waiting to greet us. I knew the family was kidding themselves about waiting until
tomorrow. I didn't say much during the drive home; I was enjoying looking at my husband too much to join in the
conversation. He hadn't shaved this morning. I supposed with Faith running around and needing to get to dance class,
he might have lacked the time to do so. His hair was long. Work was keeping him much too busy. I wondered how often
he came home, spent time with Faith, put her to bed, and then went back to work. Too many times, I was sure.
We got home and the anticipation of seeing my daughter again was killing me. I jumped out and ran around the car to
get the car seat out. Edward took it from me and kissed my cheek before taking my hand. He tossed Liam the keys and
asked him to run back to the airport and grab the rest of the luggage. Then he pulled me toward the house. Home. I was
so happy to be home.
"They get to stay thirty minutes. Tops," he said, pushing the front door open.

"Right. Dream on, Mr. Masen." I chuckled. "Hello! Anybody home?" I shouted as we stepped inside.
"Mommy!" It was the greatest sound I had heard all day, followed by the pitter patter of her feet as she ran down the hall
to greet us. "Mommy! Mommy!" Faith leapt into my waiting arms.
"Hey, baby," I said, holding her tight. "Oh, I missed hugging you so much. I think I might hug you all night. Would that be
okay?"
Faith giggled. "Lala will want hugs too, silly."
"So true. I suppose I will have to stop hugging you long enough to hug Lala. Maybe Grandma and Grandpa too."
"And Uncle Emmy and Tyler and Aunt Alice and Jackson and Cupcake."
"Cupcake?" Only then did I notice the white animal at my feet, yapping loudly.
"Um, surprise. We got a dog." Edward looked petrified.
"We got a dog?"
"I got Penny a dog because I thought it would be good for her to have something to take care of when you were taking
care of the baby. It seemed like a really good plan...you know...when I first thought of it."
"We got a dog?" I repeated, dumbfounded. I had a three month old baby and a dog? Was he kidding me with this?
"Look how cute she is, Mommy. She's the best dog in the whole world. She almost knows how to sit and she only poops
in the house when Daddy forgets to let her out. And don't put the baby on the ground because she likes to bite my babies'
eyes. Daddy has to throw them away. I don't want to throw my brother away."
I stared at my innocent daughter and then glared at her very remorseful-looking father.
"I'm going to hire a dog trainer. Tomorrow. Tonight, if you want me to," he offered.
I shook my head. "We'll discuss this later." Yes, later, as in as soon as my daughter can't hear me tell him we were not
keeping the dog.
Alice and her much larger belly joined us in the foyer along with little Jackson. Letting Jasper go for almost a month
seemed to me to be such a huge sacrifice on her part. Of course, she never once complained about him being gone. I
watched their touching reunion. Jasper hugged and kissed Alice and Jackson, then got down on his knees and kissed
Alice's stomach, whispering hello to his baby girl. I loved my family.
We made our way back to the family room. Esme, Carlisle, Charlotte, Tyler, Terry, and Emmett were all there waiting.
Hugs and I missed yous were exchanged all around. With the huge amount of people in the room and all the attention
on the baby, it took a couple minutes for Emmett to notice who was there. I saw their eyes connect. Rosalie was holding
Jackson and gave Emmett a shy smile.
"Well, look who's playing matchmaker once again," Tyler whispered in my ear as he wrapped one big arm around my
shoulders. I leaned into him, weary from two days of traveling.
"I really didn't have much to do with it. Just offered her a ride home."
"Uh huh," he said, unconvinced.
I smacked his chest. "I missed you."
"Missed you, too. Glad the whole family is back in one place."
"I'm mad at you, though. You let him buy a dog."
"I don't let him do anything."
"Let me rephrase. You knew he bought a dog and you didn't tell me?"
"I like my job, Bella." He laughed. "I like my job a little too much to tattle."
"Like he'd ever fire you," I said shaking my head as I looked over at my husband showing off his son to his family.

Charlotte was making the baby smile and kick his little legs. I turned back to Tyler. "Plus, you know I'd just hire you back."
"I almost called you. I did, but Faith loves the damn thing.
"Oh, I'm sure she does." I rubbed my sore neck. We were going to have to keep the damn dog. I knew it.
I watched as Emmett approached Rosalie and gave her a cautious hug hello. He was done for. When he heard she was
miserable without him, he was going to take her back without a second thought.
Faith tugged on my hand. "So what did you bring me?"
I frowned. "What did I bring you?"
"Didn't you bring me a present?" she asked, looking dismayed. "Daddy always brings me presents when he goes on a
trip."
"I wasn't on a trip, baby. I was waiting for the people over there to tell me I could bring your brother home."
"No fair," she pouted. Now, I saw why we had a new puppy. Edward couldn't handle this kind of guilt trip.
I bent down and looked my little girl in the eye. "I missed you so much. I hope you missed me too, even if I didn't bring
presents."
Her lips pursed to the side as she thought about what I was saying. She threw her arms around my neck. "I missed you,
Mommy."
I smiled, hugging her back. She wasn't spoiled, just a four-year old who never had to want for anything. My daughter
knew not everyone had what she had, and we always made it a point to include her in our charity work. I knew when she
was old enough to get it, she'd get it. We were determined to make sure Edward's money had little effect on the kind of
person she was going to be. She ran off after the dog, who came into the room with someone's shoe in its mouth.
Edward cringed. Something told me he would be calling a dog trainer tonight.
"So how many times do you think people will assume Tyler's the daddy when it's just you two and the kids out and
about?" Terry asked, linking arms with her husband.
I pinched Tyler's cheek. "Poor Tyler. Everyone is going to think he's my baby daddy."
He laughed and pushed my hand away with his giant paw. "You wish you could get some of this."
"That's just...wrong. I've pretended to be your daughter before," I said, elbowing him in the ribs. He chuckled as I held on
to his other arm. "Really, with all the attention this is getting in the press, I'm sure only the people living under a rock
won't know the real story."
"It hasn't been too bad," Tyler assured me. "I assume once they know you're back, the paps will be heavy for a bit.
Security will be tight. Then some celeb will get arrested or break up and you'll go back to being old news."
"Can't wait," I said with a sigh.
After about an hour, Alice had a pizza place on the phone and it looked like they were all settling in to have dinner here.
My husband followed me into the kitchen. I needed to make the baby a bottle. He stood behind me and massaged my
shoulders as I pulled out the formula and bottles from the diaper bag.
"They're going to leave right after dinner, I promise."
"It's fine. I don't mind." I smiled at him over my shoulder. He planted a kiss on the back of my head. I made a bottle and
leaned back against him as I shook it. "So...the dog."
His arms fell from my shoulders and wrapped around my waist. His chin rested on my head. "I should have talked to
you. She was so upset about not being with you, and I started worrying about how she was going to feel about having the
baby here in what she considers 'her' house. I thought the dog would keep her occupied when you were busy with the
baby. I thought it would help with sibling rivalry."
I couldn't stop myself from laughing. "Sibling rivalry between a three month old and a four year old?"
"I don't know," he groaned, holding me tighter.

"The dog is trouble. Isn't it?"

Edward kissed my neck. "Yes," he said close to my ear. "She's the devil dressed in white fur with a cute little nose and a
wagging tail."
I closed my eyes and tried to tell myself that his intentions were good. Edward had a difficult time saying no to our
daughter. He'd find a way to give her the moon and the stars if she asked for them.
"We'll figure it out," I said, turning in his arms so I could see him. He looked as tired as I felt. I brushed the back of my
fingers down his cheek. His scruffy jawline was going to feel amazing against my skin later tonight when we were alone
in our room. "I missed you too much to be mad right now."
Edward kissed my lips, his hands dipping below the belt. The warmth of his body washed away all the tension I felt. "I
knew you'd say that. Good thing I haven't lost my hold over you."
My lips curled and a giggle escaped. "Good thing." I kissed him and handed him the bottle. "Go feed our son. He's
hungry."
Soon everyone was fed. The kids were getting tired. Jasper looked ready to go home. Emmett and Rosalie were
whispering in the kitchen while they helped clean up. Dad took his bag up to his guest room. I sat in the rocking chair
Esme had bought me when Faith was born and gently rocked my son to sleep. Home. I was right where I wanted to be.
Tyler and Terry were the first to go. My 50/50 never overstayed his welcome. Alice and Jasper were next. Esme offered to
put Faith to bed, but Dad asked if he could do it. Carlisle and Edward shook hands before Esme hugged my husband to
death. Emmett announced he was going to give Rosalie a ride to her hotel. Hotel. Yeah, right. Before I knew it the room
was empty except for me, Charlotte, and Edward.
"You want me to put him down for you?" Charlotte asked, smiling with a kindness that made me love her even more than
I already did.
I declined with a shake of my head. "I'm going up in a minute. I need to give Faith some extra attention before she falls
asleep."
"All right." She came over and stood beside us. "He's an adorable little guy."
I looked down at the sleeping baby in my arms. He had his mother's nose and the littlest lips. I thought Faith was small,
but this guy was still so tiny. "He's perfect. I wish Kikelomo could have had more time with him." My heart still hurt for the
young woman whose life ended much too soon.
"He'll know all about her; that's the best we can do," Edward reminded me.
"You look so tired, Bella," Charlotte fussed. "If you need an extra pair of hands in the morning, you let me help. You hear
me?"
"I will, I promise."
"I missed having you around." Charlotte kissed my head and ran a gentle finger across the baby's forehead and down
his cheek. "Everything is better when you're here." She left to make sure Emmett and Rosalie actually cleaned up the
kitchen.
I rocked a few minutes more because I couldn't find the energy to lift myself up and out of the damn chair to be honest.
Edward could see I needed some assistance. He got up and took the baby from me.
"Come on," he said, offering me a hand so I could stand. "I need to get you upstairs and naked before you fall asleep on
me."
"Nice. Always thinking about getting some action, aren't you?"
He pressed his lips against my temple. "I think about you all the time. Wanting to make love to you is the natural
progression of those thoughts. What can I say?"
We headed upstairs just as Dad was leaving Faith's room. "She told me she wants Mommy and Daddy kisses."
"I'll go first," Edward said, handing me the baby after giving him a kiss. "Put him down and meet me in there."
I wished my Dad sweet dreams and walked down to the nursery, which was next to our bedroom. The room was

completely redone and looked nothing like it did when it belonged to Faith. Edward had someone come in and do the
work while we were gone. We didn't know the sex of the baby until he was born, so Esme and I did all the planning over
the phone. The walls were a light blue. In navy blue, the words from some of our favorite nursery rhymes and children's
books were written in various places on three of the walls.
Twinkle, twinkle little star...
Hickory dickory dock, the mouse ran up the clock
Goodnight stars, goodnight air, goodnight noises everywhere
...and the dish ran away with the spoon!
I love you to the moon...and b ack.
The last one was all Edward.
Above the crib in big block letters were the initials A. A. M. for Alec Arinze Masen. Kikelomo wanted us to choose his
name but asked that we use a Nigerian middle name. We chose Arinze because it was her father's name. Alec was my
first choice, and Edward loved it so much that it brought tears to his eyes the first time I suggested it. Things were so
much easier when we agreed.
I laid Alec down in the crib and turned the baby monitor on. I kissed two fingers and then pressed them to his head. He
was going to be up in a few hours, I just knew it. His schedule was totally thrown off by our world travel. I didn't even know
what time our bodies thought it was. Jetlag was the worst.
By the door hung a picture of me and Kikelomo. His two mothers. I touched the frame with the same fingers that I used to
give him his goodnight kiss. He would always know her. He would always know how much she loved him. I would make
sure I told him every day.
I made my way back to Faith's room. I could hear her and Edward talking in quiet voices. I stood in the doorway and
watched the loves of my life say goodnight.
"I love you all the way to Africa and back to the house in the mountains to Uncle Seth's house to heaven and the moon
and back infinity times."
"That's really far. I think you beat me again. That's twice today."
"Three times," she corrected him.
Edward was on his knees beside her bed, his head resting on his arms that were folded on the edge of the mattress.
"Hmm, that's too many losses for Daddy. I'm going to win tomorrow. You'll see. My love is going to go all that way infinity
times plus one."
I heard Faith giggle. I saw her small hand pat her father's head, her hand getting lost in his messy hair. "Alec's belly
mom is in heaven."
My heart clenched.
"Yes, Pennylove. Kikelomo is in heaven, but she trusts me and Mommy to take good care of Alec. You too."
"I'm glad Mommy's not in heaven. I would be sad. Do you think Alec is sad?"
My little girl had an enormous heart, but I knew this topic was difficult for Edward. I could only imagine what was running
through his head. I stepped in the room. "Hey there, sweet girl. Can Mommy give some kisses and hugs goodnight,
too?"
Faith's head popped up over Edward's, a big smile on her face. "A million kisses and hugs!"
"A million?" I looked over at my smirking husband. "Someone is just like her father." I climbed onto her bed and hovered
over her, leaning down to kiss her nose, her cheek, her forehead, her chin, and finally her neck.
She wiggled and giggled. "Stop! Stop!"
I lay down beside her. My arm draped over her waist. "I can't wait to play with you tomorrow. Will you play with me?" I
asked.

She fiddled with my wedding ring, pushing the diamond side to side on my finger. "Yes, we can play all day and Daddy
can play with Alec."
"Good idea, baby. Get some sleep then. I love you."
"Night, Mommy. I love you, too," she replied, rolling over to give me one more hug.
Edward and I left her to fall asleep. We walked hand in hand to our bedroom. Edward headed straight for the bed, pulling
me down and wrapping himself around me. My back was pressed tightly to his front.
"I didn't die. I don't plan on dying for a very long time."
"Liar," he said into my hair. "You did die. You died long enough for my heart to feel it."
My daughter learned how to give a guilt trip from the master himself. I couldn't deny what he said, so I chose to step
around it. "Did you go to the cemetery today?"
"Yes."
"Have you been beating yourself up all day?"
He didn't answer right away. Instead his hands began to slowly explore my body. "Yes, but not about Alec."
I saw his guilt all night. I could practically feel the weight of it sitting on his shoulders. "What were you beating yourself up
about?"
"You know how close to home this all hits. You know that if that little girl down the hall had lost her mother the way that
little boy next door lost his, her world would be a very different place."
"But she didn't lose her mother," I argued.
He rolled on his back with a emotional sigh. I sat up and clung to his bent knee. Pressing my cheek against it, I looked
down at my poor tortured husband.
"It doesn't change the bullshit I put us through. Doesn't make it right that I almost denied her all the people who love her
and would have brought you to life for her through their memories."
"You never would have given her up. You thought you wouldn't survive, but you would have. For her, you would have."
His hand slipped under my shirt, its warmth spread across my skin. "I think you're wrong," he whispered.
"I know I'm not."
"I love her so much."
"And she knows it." It killed me that he needed this kind of reassurance. His love for his daughter was undeniable.
Everyone that ever saw them together could see it, feel it.
His hand moved and rested over my heart. "You are my everything, though. Without you..."
This was why I loved this man so fiercely. This was why I would never give up on him. His love for me was so strong, so
real. It kept me alive. It was what brought me back, kept me from walking into the proverbial light.
I lay down beside him, propped up on my elbow. My fingers ghosted over his lips. "Without me is something you'll never
be, Edward. Never."
"Promise?"
I kissed him softly, letting my lips show him I meant what I said before telling him. "I promise."
Our kisses turned heated. Urgent hands held me tighter. Our legs tangled together. He was my everything, too. Surviving
without one another was possible but would never truly be living. I knew that was what he feared when I was pregnant
with Faith. I had helped him live and love. Without me, he imagined going back to who he had been before me. He didn't
want to live with a walled up heart ever again.
Edward dropped his head and kissed my neck. "I think this is what I missed the most. This spot right here..." he placed

warm lips to the side of my neck "...is what I missed more than anything. You smell so good. You taste even better."
My eyes closed as I tipped my head back, giving him better access to his favorite part of me. He tickled me with the soft
but prickly hairs on his face. Our clothes fell away. Our bodies pressed together. Nothing separated us. A strong hand
caressed my thigh, pulling my leg over his body. Needy lips and a tantalizing tongue played games with my mouth and
under my ear and across my chest. He positioned himself on top of me and settled in between my legs. Rolling hips,
aching need. Never-ending love and eternal devotion. As he pushed inside me, one word breathlessly fell from my lips.
"Home."

A/N: I don't own Twilight.

Well, there you have it! Now you know where she was and why she was there. I can't believe we are almost totally
finished with Pennyward. I'm feeling a little sentimental and sad.
Big thanks to my BFF momof4luvtwisaga for her help and encouragement with this story. Thanks to BDC, my favorite
oncologist, for her medical advice and for telling us who the daddy is in There is a Light finally. I was a researching
maniac for this chapter. I know more about Lagos, Nigeria and Nigerian adoption laws than I ever need to know! Big
love to all the ladies on FB and Twitter. Thanks to all of you who review. I wish I had more time to reply but know that
your kind words mean so much to me! I appreciate your support and love of this story more than I can say. That's
what I would have said in my review reply. I swear it :)
Ramblings on the blog as well as my picture inspiration for this chapter.
Only one chapter left. Then I'm all done for a while. Tell all your friends it's safe to read this story now. Trouble is all
about the HEA! Don't forget it.
XOXO,
TF

*Chapter 8*: Chapter 8

I looked down and smiled at my son as he drank from his bottle. He stopped sucking to return a milky one my way. He
was so damn cute. Even in the middle of the night. Even when I really wanted to be wrapped around my wife in our bed.
Isabella had fallen asleep quickly after she let me make love to her. I couldn't bring myself to wake her when I heard Alec
crying. Poor guy had no idea where he was most likely. Not to mention his body thought it was morning. It took Penny
well over a full week to readjust when we got back last month. Isabella was going to have her hands full for a few days.
When we were all in Lagos, I usually took the nighttime feedings because I was up working. I pretty much lived in Pacific
Standard Time while physically residing in UTC. It was the only way I could stay there for as long as I did, but it was
definitely like living like vampire. Up all night, sleep all day.
Alec stopped eating, and I took that to mean it was time for a good burp. Awkwardly, I tried to throw the burp rag over my
shoulder and prop him up there. He was definitely bigger than the last time I held him. It amazed me how quickly
children grew. They definitely grow way too fast. It seemed like yesterday when it was Penny in my arms. Small, fragile,
innocent. I might have resisted bonding with her at first, but once I held her, I was hers forever.
"Come see the b ab y. Please. She needs to b e held and not left in the nursery," Alice pleaded.
I was pacing in the waiting room, waiting for someone to tell me when my wife came out of surgery. I was not going
anywhere. "You and Esme go; I'm waiting here to hear ab out Isab ella."
Hands on hips, my sister stood in my path with a scowl on her face. "You aren't going to b e ab le to see Bella for hours.
Your daughter, on the other hand, is ready to see you now." I stepped around her, b ut she grab b ed my arm. "No one
else is allowed in the nursery, Edward. The b ab y needs you."
"Needs? Don't talk to me ab out needs. I need my wife! I need to know she's alive and well. That's what I need!" It was the
only need that mattered.
"Your daughter needs you. It doesn't matter if Bella is okay or not okay. Alive and well or not. She would want you to b e
with the b ab y. You are her father and you are going to b e the one who takes care of her."
I was going to have to take care of her. By myself. At least for a little while. But all I could think ab out was Isab ella. Alice
was right ab out one thing, my wife would insist I check on the b ab y. When she woke up (b ecause she was going to wake
up), she was going to want to know ab out the b ab y.
"Fine," I huffed, yanking myself from her grasp. "I want someone to come get me the second there is news ab out
Isab ella."
"Ab solutely." Alice was grinning and patted me on the shoulder.
I was led to the hospital nursery. There were half a dozen b ab ies in there. Some sleeping, some crying. After checking
my wristb and, the nurse wheeled over a clear plastic b assinet with a b ab y inside. She was wrapped in a white b lanket
and had a pink and white striped cap on her head. Her eyes were closed and her tiny lips pursed. She didn't look like me
or Isab ella. She just looked so...adorab le.
"Why don't we try to get her to wake up and eat something?" the nurse suggested, lifting the b ab y up. She nodded at the
chair. When I didn't sit, she smiled. "You'll b e much more comfortab le if you sit."
I pulled at my hair and sat down. Before I even had a second to think ab out it, she placed the b ab y in my arms. I had
never held something so light b efore. I had never held a b ab y b esides Angela and Ben's little b oy, who was a good nine
pounds when he was b orn. This little girl felt light as a feather.
"Let's try to wake her up so she'll eat." The nurse b egan to unwrap her, and two itty b itty arms along with two skinny little
legs were revealed underneath. Ten toes, ten fingers. She was drowning in a diaper that looked much smaller than the
ones I watched Isab ella put on Ben Jr. when we b ab ysat. She wore nothing else b esides a plain white T-shirt. She was so
damn small.
"How much does she weigh?" I asked with this living piece of Isab ella and myself in my arms.
"Um..." she looked at the card on the b assinet "...five pounds, two ounces."
"That's small, right?"

"She's a wee one." The nurse smiled again and gave me a wink. "We're going to have to b other her so she'll wake up.
Rub her feet, move her around."
I didn't question her. I just did what I was told, too overwhelmed from this emotional day to think for myself. I rub b ed her
foot, amazed that something that small had kicked my wife hard enough for me to feel it. The nurse and I worked
together until the b ab y b egan to fuss and move around. With a little more effort at annoying her, she b egan to cry.
"Good work, Mr. Masen. Let's see if she can take a couple ounces." The nurse handed me a b ottle like I knew what the
hell I was doing. Luckily, I was a genius and figured it out.
I put the nipple of the b ottle near her mouth and after a few tries, she b egan to suck on it. It was kind of...amazing. Her
eyes were closed, a gel wiped over the lids. Her skin was pink and delicate. She didn't seem to know what to do with her
b alled up little fists. Her nose was so tiny I couldn't b elieve she could even b reathe through it. Everything ab out her was
incredib le.
My daughter. Isab ella's daughter. Our daughter.
I fed her and, with a lot of assistance, b urped her. I watched the nurse change her diaper, and then I rocked her until she
fell soundly asleep.. I didn't know how long I sat there, holding and staring down at the first and only child Isab ella and I
would make together. All those months I spent hating her, wishing she didn't exist seemed like such a waste of time. How
could anyone hate something so perfect, so precious, so innocent? The reality of how monstrous I had b een hit me hard.
No matter what happened to Isab ella, I would spend the rest of my life making this child feel loved and cared for. I made
a silent promise as I pressed my lips to her cap-covered head.
Carlisle came in and informed me Isab ella had successfully made it out of surgery and was in recovery. My relief was not
only emotional b ut physical. Tears fell from my eyes and my shoulders shook as I held my daughter a little closer and let
the feelings have their way with me.
"Have you two talked ab out what name you're going to give her?" my uncle asked after I calmed down.
Isab ella was right from the start and had chosen the perfect name. "Faith. Faith Elizab eth Masen."
"Daddy, I can't sleep." Speak of the devil. "I can't sleep at all. I never even sleeped one minute. I was awake this whole
time," Penny said from the doorway of the nursery, rubbing her eye with one fist and holding on to her bunny in the other.
I knew this was not the truth. I had checked on her after Isabella fell asleep.
"Well, you certainly aren't going to fall asleep standing up. You need to go back to bed, Pennylove."
"I can't! I tried and I can't sleep!" The tears were coming.
"Shh, don't wake Mommy or Grandpa Charlie." I patted my knee. "Come here and sit with me and your brother."
Penny didn't waste a second; she climbed on my lap and lay back on me. Alec lifted his head, trying to see what the
commotion was all about. Penny gently rubbed his back. Isabella would have cried several happy tears at the sight of us,
I was sure.
"Everybody loves Alec more than me," Penny said with a sigh. This was an unexpected complaint.
"That's not true. Everyone loves you and Alec the same amount."
She shook her head. "Nope. Grandma and Grandpa brought a million presents for him tonight and none for me."
Three. They brought three presents for the baby and two of the three were clothes. My daughter was quite the
exaggerator. No clue where she got that from.
"Honey, when you were born, Grandma and Grandpa brought lots of presents over. In fact, Grandma Esme probably
gave you more than she gave Alec. You have never lacked in the gift getting department."
With a pout, she whined, "Mommy didn't even bring me anything."
"Now, that is just not true. She brought you the most important gift of all."
"No, she said it was not a trip, so no presents. She only cared about getting Alec here so everyone could love him more."
Her Masen-ness was in full effect. I could almost hear my mother laughing up in heaven as she watched our exchange. I

could feel her, like a twitch in my heart.

"Oh, my Pennylove. Do I have a story for you."
"What?" she asked, tipping her head back so she could see my face.
Again, I was forced to fumble around with Alec. I turned him so he could see his big sister. My mother's wisdom was truly
a gift as I imparted it to my own child.
"When I was about your age, my mom brought home Aunt Alice and you know what?"
"What?"
"I didn't really like it that everyone thought the baby was more interesting than me."
"Aunt Alice is so pretty and nice."
I tried and failed to not roll my eyes. "See? That's exactly what everyone said. No one said I was pretty or nice."
She giggled. "You can't be pretty! You're a boy."
The right side of my mouth shot up. "Who says? Lala? Because unless Lala says, I don't believe it."
"Everyone says," she replied with another tinkling of laughter.
"Anyway, my point is when she came home, I thought everyone loved Alice and not me. Especially my mom."
"Your Mommy didn't bring you presents either?" She looked up at me so innocently.
I tried to keep from laughing. "My mom brought home the same gift your mom brought home tonight."
"What was it? Mommy said there were no presents for me."
"Mommy brought home Alec, just like my mom brought home Aunt Alice. Your brother is the most special gift ever. You'll
never outgrow him like those clothes Grandma gave him. He'll never get boring. He's going to get more fun to play with
every day. Most of all, he's going to be yours forever. He's your brother. No one else gets to say that. That's pretty special
if you ask me."
Penny scrunched up her little face while she thought that over.
"He's also going to love you almost as much as I do. He's going to look up to you and want to be like you. He's going to
trust you and need you. And you are going to be the coolest person he knows."
"Cooler than you?"
I squinted and pursed my lips. "Probably. But only by a little," I amended.
Penny turned to her baby brother, leaning in so their faces were inches apart. She spoke in the same voice she used
with Cupcake. "Did you hear that Alec? You're gonna love me so much. I'm your sister and you're my brother and you
have to do everything I say because sisters are important."
Okay, that wasn't exactly what I said. Isabella had made a point of telling her how important sisters and brothers were
when we decided we were going to adopt. Penny tended to pick and choose what she remembered from conversations.
No idea where she picked that trait up from.
"I don't remember saying anything about listening to everything you say."
"You do everything Aunt Alice says," she countered.
"Ridiculous." I did not do everything she said.
"Remember when you wanted to get Mommy a new plane for Christmas and Aunt Alice said you better not or Mommy
would make you live on the plane? She said you should give that school a library and name it Mommy's name? And
Mommy cried lots of happy tears when you did."
All right, I occasionally did things my sister said to do.

"And remember when Aunt Alice told you those mommies in that one place needed a better hospital for their babies and
you made one for them?"
Fine, often. I often did the things my sister told me to do.
"And remember when Aunt Alice wanted to have a big party here for Grandma's birthday and you said no, but then she
said your whole name, even the middle one, and we had the biggest party ever?"
Ugh. Always. I always did what my sister wanted.
"Oh, just you wait. Being the oldest is not easy. You wait until your little brother begs you with those big brown eyes of his
to do something for him or worse; to help save the starving children all over the world or the ones without a hospital or a
school or a home with indoor plumbing!"
Penny looked at me, surely confused by my rambling.
I closed my eyes and shook my head. "Never mind."
I rocked all three of us for a couple minutes as my two children smiled back and forth. Alec seemed to save his biggest
smiles for his sister. He was going to adore her. Just like the rest of us. She was doomed to have my ego.
"Do you love me?" Penny asked her brother in that high pitched voice. "Do you?" He smiled so big and was wiggling in
my arm. You could tell he wanted to shout yes at her. "You do! You love me all the way to the moon and then to heaven
and then to China and then to Africa and then around the world infinity times?" He was beaming at her and then the
loudest noise came out of his mouth, startling us all - Alec included. I glanced down at Penny and we both began to
laugh. Alec tried hard to make the noise happen again.
"Do it again!" Penny encouraged.
I noticed a movement by the door. When I looked up, my wife was standing there, wiping her face.
I motioned for her to join us. "Look who's up."
"Mommy! Alec just laughed!"
Isabella stepped in the room and dropped to her knees in front of us. "Do you three know how much I love you?"
"To the moon and back and then to Africa an-"
"Yes, Faith Elizabeth." I squeezed her so she would stop. "Her love goes on forever, without end. Infinitely."
Isabella put one hand on my knee and the other on our Pennylove's cheek. "I could not love three people more." Her eyes
moved from our daughter's to mine. I could feel it. She radiated love. She was the source of love in this family. The neverending supply we could all draw from.
"Let's get these children back to bed. Shall we?" I said, resting my cheek against the top of Penny's head.
"Good idea," Isabella said with a knowing grin. "Come on, Faith. Mommy will lay with you until you fall asleep."
My two girls walked out of the room hand in hand. I stared down at a very awake and content little baby. "We are seriously
the two luckiest guys in the world. People like your mom don't often exist. She could have loved anyone, but she chose
us. We can never take that for granted, okay?"
Alec looked up at me with an expression of pure happiness. We were the most fortunate guys in the world. I put him back
in his crib and turned on one of the musical toys hooked to the side. He kicked his legs and reached his hand out to the
flashing lights. I turned off the lamp by the rocker and was met my Isabella in the hall. She practically jumped me.
Wrapping her arms around my neck, she kissed me with fervor.
"Wow, I should not have let you fall asleep without brushing your teeth. Three hours of sleep and pizza breath, not a good
combination," I said partially in jest.
She punched me in the stomach, not hard but I doubled over for effect. She began to walk away.
"Kidding. Well, not really, but if you go brush, I will so make it worth your while."
She gave me the stink eye that Penny so perfectly imitated earlier today. I saw her stink eye and raised her a perfect pout.

She smiled and walked back to the bedroom, turning to make sure I followed.
She brushed her teeth and so did I, to be fair. We slipped into bed, and she rested her head on my chest. "You are a
wonderful father."
"You taught me everything I know," I whispered, combing my fingers through her the hair that fell down her back.
"You've gone from the man who loved nothing to the man who loves to infinity and beyond."
We both chuckled.
"So, about making the teeth brushing worth my while..." Isabella said as her hand slowly moved down my stomach and
under the waistband of my sleep pants. Her hand felt cool against my warm body.
I went from soft to hard instantly. I smiled into her hair. "Mmm, yes. I would definitely like to make it worth your while."
She tilted her head up so I could kiss her minty-tasting mouth. I sucked on her tongue as she wrapped her hand around
me. We could take our time and just enjoy one another. Clothes were thrown on the floor, hands roamed and groped.
Wet lips kissed down her long, graceful neck. Down her chest, across her stomach. She giggled when the soft whiskers
on my chin brushed against her skin. I moved back up her body. My hand gripped the back of her neck, pulling her closer
so I could devour her.
"Chair," she said with a moan as I brushed my lips across her jaw.
I stilled and stared while her hand pulled and stroked. "Chair?"
Her head turned and I followed her eyes. Ah, yes. The chair. The chair had been neglected lately. Tonight seemed as
good as any to get it back in the game. I sat down first and she climbed on top of me, bringing me into her. She moved
as I kissed and sucked and licked and pinched. I pulled her closer and held her tighter, my fingers surely leaving marks
on her flawless skin. My heart thumped harder. It swelled and felt like it could burst. She made it impossible to not feel. I
always felt everything when I was with her. Wanted, needed, fulfilled, cherished, loved.
Alive.
Isabella brought me to life. From a black and white existence to a world full of color and light. Blues and greens, red and
oranges. She even brought amethyst and apricot. Chartreuse and fuchsia. I was no longer the man I was that Friday at
noon when I sat in Eclipse's private dining room and complained about all the apologies I had gotten that day. Now, I
was a husband, a lover, a friend, a father. I was more than I ever imagined I could be.
Little did I know that a nickel (or one thousand one hundred and forty nickels to be exact) would change my life forever.
But they did.
The End

A/N: Happy Birth(plusone)day, Obsmama.

I don't own Twilight.
But I do owe a ton of thanks. Thanks to all you readers for supporting this fic even when you thought I killed Bella.
Thanks to all of you who have reviewed and shared your stories and kind words or made me LOL with some kind of
silliness (yeah, I'm talking to you KRYork) Thanks to everyone who rec'd this out and pimped it all over the fandom
(yeah, I'm talking to you Kennedy Nicole Cullen) To Crooked Smile for writing the most beautiful review of OUaS for
TLS. Most recently, thanks to whoever posted on Pwn of the Week over at The Fictionators. A big thanks to Little
Miss Mionie who did a review for Fridays at Noon over at TwiMuses. Thanks for all the nominations and votes you
cast for me and this story in various contests. Pennyward thanks you as well! :)
Thanks to the Pennyladies and the Twitter followers who make me smile everyday. I love that friendships have been
formed, not just with me but between you guys, because of Pennyward. That's what it should all be about!
Thanks to all my BFFs, my WPoFs, my FIPs, my ICs, my RLFs, my LMNOPs, and QRSs
Thanks to FictionFreak95 (have you Met the Masens yet? No, then go read, love) and BellaDonnaCullen for making it
fun to write every week.

Thanks to momof4luvntwisaga for loving me when I wrote stories that only got three reviews per chapter. Oh yeah,
and cleaning up my messes!
Want to know all the clues I dropped along the way? I'll try to dissect the story for y'all on the blog later today.
No more Pennyward. Well, no new Pennyward. There are a couple FaN outtakes left but no more futuretakes. They
live a long and happy life together.
New story? Yes. Donating Ch. 1 to the Fandom for LLS. Send in a donation, get to read it earlier than everyone except
for momof4! What's it about. Romance/humor. High school fun. B&E, of course. Guaranteed HEA.
I'm also beta for Simone and Marie, who are writing a lovely story called Beautiful Enemy. It is a sequel to A Beautiful
Nightmare. You should read it, it is great. Beautiful Nightmare is a Jasper centered story, but I love Edward in it. They
gave him his own story, Beautiful Enemy. It's posting on their blog thebeautifulseries(dot)wordpress(dot)com. Give it
a go and tell them I sent you!
One thousand one hundred and forty nickels changed MY life.
XOXO,
TF