21-25

Edward POV.
They prepped Bella in a rapid speed, people milling about, driving me insane while I tried to keep Bella calm… and my hand unbroken.
I wasn't lying when I said she was a strong little shit.
"Okay, Bella. It's time to push," Dr. Stevens announced.
"Edward, you better love our children a fuckload for the pain I'm going through for them!" Bella screamed out right before she started pushing.
Fine, I'll love them if that's so important to you…
Was that what I was supposed to say? I mean, come on, I've only dreamt about having children for the past eight years. I think I will love them!
"And push!" Dr. Stevens coached.
"You're doing great, angel," I murmured, wiping her forehead with a chilled cloth. "I love you so much… The pain will be over soon," and please, please loosen your hold on my hand.
You think I'm stupid enough to voice that thought?
Fuck and no.
"I don't wanna anymore!" Bella cried as she panted heavily after a contraction.
"A few more seconds until the next one, Bella. You can do this," Dr. Stevens said.
A few seconds turned out to be one second.
She pushed.
I stopped breathing, hating the pain she was in as well as the nerves in my system just… fucking my shit up.
"I can see the head, Bella. Great job, honey," Dr. Stevens said, and I think I died a little.
One of my children was on the way.
Jesus.
"Edward, it hurts," Bella whimpered, and I died a little again, but in the bad way.
Kissing her tears away, I whispered sweet nothings to her before wiping her forehead again.
Time to push again.
"Push, Bella! Come on, honey, you can do it!"
My wife choked out a scream, and I bit down on my lip to stop myself from screaming as she squeezed the living shit out of my hand.
"That's it, Bella, just a little bit more!"
"You're so fucking strong, baby, you can do this," I whispered to her. "I know you can." Strong on so many levels…
I was in awe of her. Never had I adored a creature more. The way she pushed herself to every goddamn limit, and the way she always pulled through.
"The head is out!"
Fuckshitfuckshit.
"I'm gonna need one last push, Bella. One last and then your first baby will be here. One… two… three… Push!"
This was happening. This was fucking happening. Holy shit. Holy fucking shit.
Bella pushed. She really fucking pushed.
"Great job, Bella!"
Bella let out a sound that was a mixture of a groan, scream, and garbled choking, and at first I feared something was wrong, but… But then I heard a sound.
A scream.
It wasn't Bella's.
"It's a boy!"
Oh. My. God.
Ailín.
I had a son.
I tried to get a better look at him but he was whisked away to get through the APGAR test, but just the fact that I heard him wailing was almost good enough for now.
It became good enough when I heard the one minute score land on seven. On a scale from one to ten, his score was good for being a twin.
"Your little girl will be here soon, honey. It's almost time to push."
"Ah, fucking hell!" Bella groaned. "Already?"
I smiled through a blurry vision, realizing my eyes had welled up.
So much was happening at once, and it was so goddamn hard to focus. But as the doctor announced it was time to push again, I focused solely on my wife.
I barely felt the pain in my hand as I coached her. Knowing that my son was less than ten feet away… I doubted I would feel a bullet wound now.
"Are you ready, Bella?" the doctor asked her.
I smiled down at her, knowing my wife well enough to see when her temper was flaring. This was one off those moments, and the doc would receive a special answer to her question.
I also chided myself for thinking how sexy she was, reminding myself that she was in goddamn pain delivering our children.
Christ, I'm such a fucking man.
"I'm fucking peachy. But the drugs you gave me are complete bullshit!" Bella snapped.
Glancing at Dr. Stevens, I saw her stifle a chuckle.
Told ya.
"By the way," Bella groaned as a contraction started. "If the nurse in the corner could stop checking out my husband's ass, that would be fucking lovely!"
Dear lord, I muttered internally, fighting the urge to roll my eyes at her.
I didn't even turn around. Only Bella would notice something like that while in labor. But every time I see men check my wife out, she calls me insane.
I'd say she's the crazy one.
"Alright, sweetie," Dr. Stevens snickered. "Time to push. On my count, okay? One… two… three, and push!"
And push she did.
For ten minutes. Over and over, bringing us closer to our baby girl.
"That's great, Bella. I see the head. Next time, you give me all you got, okay?"
"I'm so over this!" Bella cried. "Edward, you give birth instead!"
"I would if I could, beautiful," I comforted her, wiping her forehead again. "You know I would. I hate seeing you in pain."
"Yeah, yeah." She waved me off. "You're just giving me the same cliché line every husband to would give their wife in this moment."
"Still true, though." I winked, not embarrassed to admit that I loved it when Bella was snappy.
She could say the funniest things, and the sex was always angry and spectacular.
Again I chided myself.
She's in labor, you fuck-up.
"Did you forget who you married, Edward?" she asked incredulously.
"What?" I asked, confused.
"I can read your mind," she said, giving me a pointed look.
Damn. Busted.
"Sorry," I replied sheepishly.
She rolled her eyes at me, but a contraction hit, so everything was forgotten.
"Oh, mother of fucking God!" Bella choked out.
"Push, Bella! All you've got, just push!"
I kept quiet, just listening to Ailín's wailing and Bella's screaming. One thing had me elated and blissfully happy, but the other brought me to my knees, just wishing the whole thing could be over.
"That's it! Great job, honey," Dr. Stevens praised. "The next one will be the last."
Oh, thank the lord…
"It's already coming!" Bella wailed, panting breathlessly.
"Yes, your girl is ready to be reunited with her brother." Dr. Stevens smiled. "On my count, Bella. One… two… three, push!"
"You're so fucking perfect, baby," I whispered to her, kissing her temple. No words would ever be good enough, and as Bella groaned out loudly, I felt my eyes well up again, knowing that she had just given us two children.
"Your girl is here!"
I swallowed hard and kissed Bella's forehead. "They're here, angel. You did it. They're here," I whispered over and over, not able to believe it yet.
A new scream filled the air, setting Ailín off, and soon it was two wailing babies.
I couldn't be happier.
"You ready to see your son, Dr. Cullen?" asked a voice behind me.
Fuck yes.
I turned around, my eyes immediately landing on a small bundle in blue.
And there he was.
My son.
He was… perfect.
Handing him to me gently, I cradled the small form in my arms as the nurse rattled off some information we would get on paper later, anyway, so I only listened on half ear once I heard he was in perfect health.
Five pounds, five ounces, and nineteen inches long, his last APGAR; nine.
Perfection.
I breathed out heavily, feeling a lot of tension leave my body. It would take some getting used to. Having worried somewhat constantly over the past nine months… and now… Now they were here.
Only…
"One minute score – five," I heard a nurse declare quietly.
Ceara.
Glancing down at Bella, I noticed she was focusing on Dr. Stevens delivering the placenta. She was also out-of-this-world exhausted having just birthed two children.
Good.
I didn't want her worrying.
Swallowing down my emotions and fears, I focused on little Ailín who was falling asleep.
So beautiful.
Bella's hair, I noticed. Dark brown. Little curls. Fucking perfect.
I couldn't wait to see if he would have his mother's eyes, too.
"You're perfect," I whispered, touching his little nose just because I had to. "I've waited for you for so long… and now you're here."
I listened intently for the five minute score on Ceara, and I knew that until I heard it, my heart would be stuck in my throat.
The seconds ticked.
Slowly.
Dr. Stevens finished with Bella, quietly announcing that Bella only needed two stitches, and I could see that she was waiting for the test result herself.
"I wanna see him," I heard Bella croak quietly.
Propping herself up, I leaned down, placing our boy in her arms… words failed me.
"God, he's beautiful, Edward."
I couldn't speak.
I just held them, sitting on the edge of her bed as I waited.
Waited.
Waited.
"Five minute score – Seven."
I felt my entire body relax, and tears spilled over.
She's fine. She's fine. My girl is fine.
"Where's Ceara," Bella whispered hoarsely.
"They're just cleaning her up, love," I croaked, not at all surprised at my breaking voice.
I could finally breathe, and that sure as hell released tension. Nine months of worrying. And before Bella, I didn't even think I would ever have children.
Now I had two. And they were both healthy.
Overwhelming.
March 2nd had officially become the best day of my life.
Twenty minutes later, Ceara had gone through a full check-up and she was in good health.
When Dr. Stevens handed me her, I… almost broke.
She was so beautiful, but she was so small.
At four pounds, seven ounces, and seventeen inches, she was the Mini of our family.
The doctor assured me that this was to be expected when it came to twins, and sure, I remembered Esme telling me that both she and Elizabeth had been small, too, but that didn't exactly calm a father down.
Shit.
I'm a dad.
I'm a father.
That was… surreal.

*o*o*o*

Bella fell asleep two seconds after she was showered in her new room, and after kissing her softly, I made my way to the waiting room where I knew three people had waited for eleven hours.
I must have looked like a tired wreck when I entered the waiting room, but I think the joy in my eyes told them that things were okay.
"Tell us, tell us, tell us!" Esme beamed, reaching me first to hug me.
I chuckled tiredly before letting go. "Everything is perfect. Ailín was born first," I said, winking at Regan, "and twenty-five minutes later, Ceara came. And they are both in good health."
"I have two cousins now?" Regan asked, his eyes hopeful.
"You sure do, buddy. Wanna go see them?"
He nodded furiously, and I motioned for them all to follow me to the maternity ward.
"Congratulations, Edward," Rose said softly as we entered the maternity wing.
"Thank you." I smiled gratefully, draping an arm around her. "And thank you for everything."
She understood.
Regan and Rose had only been in my life for three days, and they already mattered immensely.
"So many babies!" Regan whispered in awe as we reached the window where we could look at the sleeping infants.
Crouching down slightly, I picked him up so he could see better, and placed him on my hip.
"See the two babies lying together over there?" I said, pointing at the plastic, see-through crib on the second row.
"Yeah? Is that them? My cousins?"
"Yep." I grinned, not able to take my eyes off of them.
Esme was right.
Ceara had my hair. Although I was hugely relieved that she had Bella's curls, and not my straight clusterfuck. But it was my brown, reddish color, and Bella insisted that their bluish grey eyes would turn green one day.
We would just have to see.

*o*o*o*

A few hours later, Bella had tried and succeeded with feeding, and it was… odd to see. I found it beautiful and overwhelming, but odd. I was a man after all, and to see Bella breastfeed, well, it stirred up conflicting emotions.
A part of me was in awe of seeing her interact with our children, and it was a beautiful to see her womanly act, because that was how I could describe it. What I had witnessed today… nothing could be more powerful and womanly. To see her body in its nature, doing what it was created to handle… it was intense. And I already mentioned beautiful, yes?
Then there was the possessive caveman inside of me, screaming that those were mine. Ridiculous, yes, but still a fact. I was weird like that. But can ya really blame me? Bella's breasts are goddamn perfection.
Mine.
Damn, I'm fucked up.
Anyway.
Rose and Regan went back to our house to get some rest after they had been introduced to Ceara and Ailín properly, and it was cute to see Regan with the little ones. He was taking on the role as a big brother almost, and when he introduced himself as Big Cousin Regan, well, it cracked me up. Oh, and both Bella and Rose cried. But I figured I had cried enough for today, having spent a full hour crying like a bitch from birth to… yeah, the hour that followed, so, I settled for grinning like a proud fool.
Esme took off shortly after, her tears finally dried – yes, she was one beaming Nana – and she was also going home to catch some sleep before picking up Alice, Jasper and Lucy from the airport.
Tomorrow will be one hell of a day, I thought as I cradled little Ceara in my arms. Alice and Jazz would be besides themselves when they visited tomorrow, and knowing that everyone would be here at the same time… yes, full house.
Fucking perfect.
I had a family.
It was just us four Cullens in the room, and they were all sleeping peacefully.
We all needed it badly, Bella most of all, but I couldn't. Not quite yet.
The only thing I wanted to do now was to watch. Watch the three people that were the sole reason for my existence.
There was still a lot to deal with, especially things concerning Rose and Regan, but no matter what, we would have them both in our lives from now on.
In just little over two years, so much has happened.
I'd married the love of my life. I was godfather to little Lucy. Uncle to Regan. Father to the two most beautiful children in the world.
Words spoken by billions of fathers, of course. But whatever. My words were the ones that mattered.
My life was full. Work was great and satisfying. My family was wonderful and everything to me. I worshipped the ground Bella walked on, knowing that she felt exactly the same about me. We were, and we had uncles, aunties, children, cousins, wives, husbands, grandchildren…
Cullen, Whitlock, Platt, Masen. Hah… What a family… Sounds funny when put that way, but we were all pieces of other families that had either not accepted us, or not cared enough. In Bella's case, died. Call me a prick, but I'm not complaining about them being dead. They were terrible parents to my Bella.
Just like I'm glad that Carlisle and Elizabeth aren't here.
They don't deserve to look down at little Ceara or Ailín and claim them as grandchildren.
Esme does.
And because of her limitless and unconditional love, she has four grandchildren now.
Yeah, she wasted no time in telling Regan what to call her.
But when Regan's eyes lit up, I knew their affection was mutual. And it kinda had me wondering what kind of grandmother Elizabeth was. And Carlisle; was he a good grandfather?

Edward POV.
"Which one's your favorite, Uncle Eddie?" Regan asked from where he sat next to Bella on her bed.
They were currently gushing over Ceara while I had Ailín in my arms, and Essy sitting next to me. Rose was grinning ear-to-ear as she took picture after picture of us all.
"I don't have a favorite, buddy," I chuckled. "They're both perfect."
"Well, my favorite is Ailín 'cause he's a boy, so can we switch now, Nana?"
We all laughed as Esme took Regan's place with Bella, and he came over to me.
"Auntie Bella says they will have my eyes. S'that true?" he asked, watching Ailín's eyes intently.
"You know, there are a lot of people with green eyes here, buddy. Not just you," I laughed, shaking my head in amusement.
He looked up at me with a scrunched nose before it dawned on him.
"You have my eyes, too!" he gasped.
"So do I, dear Conn," Esme quipped.
"We'll be so outnumbered, Rose," Bella chuckled. "Green eyes everywhere. Even Alice and Lucy have them, though theirs are lighter."
Rose grinned and nodded in agreement.
"Actually, angel, you're really outnumbered, because you're the only one with those gorgeous brown eyes. Rose has Jasper with the blue ones." I winked.
She pouted playfully but Ceara soon had her attention again.
"Is Bella an angel?" Regan asked, making the women 'aaaw.'
"She's my angel," I murmured in response, watching her.
She really was.
Maybe she thought she knew how happy she'd made me, but… there was no way she could.
"Can I nickname my cousins?" Regan asked then. "'Cause nicknames are cool."
"Do you have a nickname?" I asked curiously.
"Some." He shrugged. "Mom calls me baby or honey and dad calls me little guy and some friends call me Mase and you call me buddy and Nana Esme call me Conn but I don't know what that means and Grampa Carlisle calls me sport."
I chuckled at his rambling. "I'd say that's more than some nicknames."
"Conn is an Irish name, and it means 'wise'. That you're a smart little guy." Esme smiled. "It also means 'chief,' and you're the little chief of Ailín and Ceara."
"So cool," Regan replied excitedly.
He announced after a few minutes that he would call Ailín Little King, because Regan was the Big King, and Ceara became Mini-Red, after Essy had told him that she called me Red.
Our conversation ended abruptly by a squeal, and a booming announcement.
The squeal came from little Alice, of course.
And…
"The Godfather has arrived!"
Yeah, that would be Jasper.
"Where's Ceara Esme Cullen?" Alice squealed.
"More importantly; where's Ailín Jasper?" Jasper boomed out. "AJ!"
The next few minutes were fucking insane, and we had to remind ourselves to keep it low after we had set off Ceara for the third time.
There were greetings, introductions, squeals, hugs, tears, and don't fucking ask me how it happened, but in the end, I sat next to Bella in her bed, and I had Lucy in my arms.
Esme, Rose and Alice had Ceara, and Jasper had Ailín and Regan.
Jasper was slightly apprehensive the first few seconds since he had met my parents once, and he was obviously dreading that Rose would be one of their 'kind.' But it didn't take many minutes before he understood that she was different, and after that had dawned on him, he wasted no time in getting to know Regan, which is why he's with Regan and Ailín right now, or AJ as Ailín was called by him.
"And how are you, munchkin?" I asked, tickling little Lucy.
That little girl was the exact duplicate of her mother. Jet black hair, light green eyes, and alabaster skin.
Freaking adorable.
"Mmmhmmm, Eddie!" she giggled.
God, I love kids.
And just thinking that my own two little ones are a few feet away… Indescribable.

*o*o*o*

The next couple of days flew by, and we were back home.
Rose told us that she had talked to Emmett, and that he was livid with her. So far, she had only texted him, letting him know that she needed time to think, and that both she and Regan were safe. But Emmett didn't know where they were.
I wasted no time in telling her that I didn't want them to face Chicago alone, so after some convincing on Bella's and my part, Rose agreed to stay through out March.
I, in return, called in to get April off, too, so I had two months off with my family. I was my own boss at my practice, so there were no problems there. It was just my boss at UCLA who bickered a bit, but it worked out in the end.
Two months.
That would give me time to have my family settled in, and then maybe we could deal with the Masens together. I knew Bella wanted to be a part of that as well. But for now, we just focused on the babies. Sleep, eat, sleep, change diapers, deciphering different types of screaming, sleep, eat, sleep, eat… yea, you get the picture.
There were two of them.
Oh, and apparently the twins are so synched that they do everything together. When they scream, they both scream. When they're hungry, they're both hungry, and so on. And though it's wonderful that when they're sleeping, they're both sleeping, it's still a goddamn good thing we're two parents.
Rose has also proven to be a massive support with her experience, and Regan has become a little master on distracting Ailín with funny noises while I or Bella change Ceara's diaper.
Our house is full.
I fucking love it.
This is my life.

*o*o*o*

"Regan, could you get the door for me? It's probably Alice," I said.
Bella and Rose were out grocery shopping, so it was me and the kids, and Ceara had just fallen asleep in my arms.
There was no way I was jostling her now.
Regan hopped off the couch and ran towards the door.
"So beautiful, princess," I whispered.
And damn, babies smell good. I wish I could bottle the baby scent.
Sounds filtered into the living room, and soon Regan was back with Alice and Lucy.
"Hey, guys," Alice squealed silently.
Yeah, she had learned how to squeal silently.
"Hey, Pixer." I grinned. "How are ya?"
"Good," she smiled, "and you? Adjusting to being a daddy?"
"It's impossible to wrap my head around it," I chuckled.
"I can imagine. Jasper's still not there yet," she chuckled back, sitting down next to me. "Where's Ailín?"
"Sleeping over there," I replied, pointing at the bassinet in the corner next to my piano.
"Auntie Ali?" Regan inquired, sitting in the chair next to the couch.
Yes, both Alice and Jazz insisted that they were Auntie and Uncle to him, too.
"Yeah, handsome?" Alice chirped, always making Regan blush at the nickname.
"Uhm, is Lucy also my cousin?" he asked shyly.
Damn, he's cute.
"Of course, Regan." Alice beamed. "Wanna know why?"
Regan nodded timidly, still blushing.
I'm thinking he has a little crush on our Alice.
"Because Eddie's pretty much my brother, which is why Lucy's also your cousin."
I kissed her temple just because I loved the little shit.
Regan nodded thoughtfully before dropping the subject to play with Lucy on the floor.
"He's so friggin' cute," Alice murmured.
"That he is." I nodded.
"And so is this one," she whispered, caressing Ceara's cheek.
I couldn't have agreed more.
"I have news," she announced then.
Glancing up from Ceara, I saw that she was bouncing in her seat.
"Well, spit it out, will ya?" I chuckled quietly.
"I'm pregnant," she whispered.
My eyes bugged out, and I fought the urge to shout out 'what!'
"Are you serious?" I stuttered, careful not to wake up Ceara.
Nodding furiously with her eyes welling up, she continued, "I just found out this morning. I haven't even told Jazzy yet."
"That's fucking amazing, Alice," I whispered, grinning like a fool. "He's gonna be ecstatic. Congratulations."
"Thanks," she murmured through her tears.
Draping and arm around her, there was nothing more to do than just enjoy the moment.
The family was growing.

*o*o*o*

Clouds were forming… or something poetic like that.
Whatever.
Trouble was coming.
Rose and Regan had been staying with us for two weeks now, and time was running out. Emmett called her everyday, and he was wasted every time. Threats were flying all over the place, and Regan's a perceptive kid. He can see that something's wrong with his mom. She tries to hide it, and I know that she really likes it here in LA, but there are so many things that need to be settled.
It may sound harsh, but our advantage is the fact that Emmett drinks. That will never work in his favor in court, which is where we know this is heading. Not because of Rose, but because of Emmett and Carlisle.
Rose loves Emmett very much and would never consider divorce, but she's tired and spent from trying to keep up with Emmett's mood swings. She's also putting Regan first, and though he's beginning to ask about his dad, Rose claims that she's never seen Regan this happy before.
It's also just a matter of time before Emmett and Carlisle realizes where they are.
Jasper and I – being the protectors we are – have discussed the matter at length, and even he and Alice has fallen for Rose and Regan, stating that we'll all get through this together. Our first step was to hire a lawyer, which has been done now, and then we'll just wait.
Another two weeks, and then we are all going to Chicago. Jasper and I suggested that we could go with Rose and Regan, but our wives wouldn't have that, and Esme threw a raging fit that we even suggested going without the women.
What Rose wants is for Emmett to seek help for his drinking, as well as distancing himself from Carlisle – to make him realize that he's not himself when Carlisle's around.

*o*o*o*

"Why can't I come?" Regan whined.
We were in Chicago… at last… and I was trying hard not to freak out.
Ten years.
Ten years since I'd been here.
Our entire family was gathered in mine and Bella's suite, and today… we were visiting Emmett.
Jasper and Alice were staying back with the children while Bella, Esme and I were going with Rose. No, there was no way we were bringing Regan.
Things would get ugly.
"Because we need to talk to dad first," Rose explained to him. "I promise you will see him as soon as possible, okay?"
"Tomorrow," he tried to bargain.
Rose's pain was evident. She hated doing this to Regan and of course I sympathized with her, but this was for his sake.
"We'll see what dad says," Rose said, effectively closing the subject.
Walking over to Bella, I sat down next to her, draping an arm over her while she tried to get Ailín to sleep.
"You okay, angel?" I murmured, kissing her temple.
"No. I wanna kick some ass," she huffed quietly. "I can't believe some people… Can't they see what they do to Regan? I just wanna rip Carlisle a new one."
"Don't hold back, baby," I chuckled.
"Oh, I won't," she replied, taking my joke seriously. "I'm gonna go apeshit on his ass if he says the wrong thing about anyone in my family."
My wife is also a protector.
"You have no idea how much I love you right now, angel… But you are not going apeshit on anyone… Your husband might, though."
"Mmm, that'd be a sight," she teased, smiling coyly.
I shook my head at her, silently telling her not to start.
We hadn't had sex in four weeks, and we still had a solid two weeks to go before Bella's check-up, and it was… hard. In so many ways.
I entered the blue-ball stage after a week, and since then, it's been cold shower after cold shower.
Being the perfect wife that Bella is, she's offered to help me out numerous times, but I declined… much to my cock's chagrin.
I want our first time after having the twins to be special or some shit like that.
Yeah, sometimes I question myself, but I know I won't regret it afterwards.
"Could you just…?" she said, holding a sleeping Ailín up for me. "I need to go to the bathroom before we go."
She kissed me chastely after I had my boy and then she headed for the bathroom while I took Ailín to the bassinet where his sister already slept.
"Love you, baby," I whispered, breathing him in before placing him next to Ceara.

*o*o*o*

"You guys ready?" I asked.
Standing outside Rose and Emmett's brownstone with my wife, Essy, and Rose, I found it weird that I was actually calmer now. Gone were the apprehension and angsty feelings. Was I nervous? Of course. But I wasn't scared or even trying to shy away. I was done hiding, done running away. I hadn't done anything wrong.
They had.
All I did was fall in love. I found the perfect person to share my life with at that time, and he felt the same. We were what we wanted and needed then. And they pushed me away because that person happened to be a man.
They judged.
And now they were mistreating a woman and her child who had come to be my family.
Fuck that.
"Yep, I just wanna get this over with," Rose said, shivering in the Chicago cold.
Yes, LA is better on so many levels.
Esme knocked on the door once we were standing outside their apartment.
Rose didn't want to.
The door flew open.
"Mom-" Emmett did a double take at Esme.
That man was not my brother.
That man was not my brother.
What the hell happened to him?
Big and burly, of course, just like before. We may share the same height, but Emmett was broader. And that's saying a lot since I know I'm the opposite of lanky.
But despite his size, he looked… weak. Ragged. Tired.
Drunk.
Dark circles under his eyes.
But dressed to the nines.
Dress pants in grey, with a matching jacket. A pristine button down shirt underneath. Black tie. Cuff links.
Is this Emmett today?
A suit?
I know he's a lawyer, but I guess I never saw him in that way.
I'm a therapist, and I dress properly, but… not like this. Not this… starchy. Stiff like a fucking stick.
No, this is not the Emmett I knew.
"You're not mom," he said slowly, eyeing Esme.
His eyes left her then.
And he found me.

Edward POV.
No, this is not the Emmett I knew.
"You're not mom," he said slowly.
His eyes left Esme then.
He found me.
I felt nothing.
And I felt nothing as his eyes widened. Nothing when I saw him swallowing hard.
I just… stared at him.
Ten years.
This is not my brother.
"Em," I heard Rose say.
His eyes found her immediately, and fury took over his features.
Bella tightened her hold on my hand, and I positioned myself in front of Bella and Rose.
"Where's my son?" he asked calmly.
Too calmly.
"He's safe," Rose replied. "And you reek of whiskey."
"How about we take this inside?" Esme suggested, still standing too close to Emmett for my liking.
"I don't even know you," he told her.
"Well, that's not my fault, Ólcobhar," she replied dryly before walking passed him and into the apartment.
I stifled an incredulous chuckle at the nickname she gave him.
He wouldn't understand of course, because if he knew that she just called him "lover of drink," he wouldn't have let her in.
Emmett let us all in.
The apartment was immaculate clean, and scents assaulted me. Scents I recognized. Elizabeth's perfume. Carlisle's cologne. Detergent. Soap.
I wondered how much power they had in Rose and Emmett's home.
How often were they here?
It wouldn't surprise me if Elizabeth took care of the cleaning. She was always the neat freak.
Poor Rose.
I could hear Emmett walking behind me as Rose led the way into the living room.
He didn't scare me. I thought he would. He was always strong. Physically. Intimidating.
The living room belonged in a museum. Old furniture. Cherry wood. Dark green felt. Velvet drapes. Leather sofas. Coffee table with a bottle cognac.
I wondered what his outlet was.
I imagined the apartment being thrashed. Dirty and reeking from his drunken tantrums, but here was nothing. Not a broken photo frame, not even a dust bunny in sight.
This didn't seem like Rose.
Or Regan for that matter.
"Have a seat," Rose offered quietly.
I sat down next to her on the couch, bringing Bella with me on my other side, and Esme looked mighty comfortable in the leather chair on Rosalie's side.
Emmett hesitated before sitting down in the chair on Bella's side.
"You've been gone for over a month, Rose. Where were you?"
Still too calmly.
"We lived with Edward and Bella."
Like he had forgotten I was here, his eyes found mine quickly, and his façade was slipping.
We stared at each other.
I wondered what he saw in me. Had I changed to him? For better or worse? Did he care? Did he notice? Did he remember the words he spat at me? Was there any remorse? Regret? Care?
I saw nothing but weakness in him. He had been too poisoned, too corrupted by daddy dearest.
"How's the boyfriend?" He smirked.
Ah, there he is.
But instead of disgust or hurt, I just pitied him. I felt sorry for what a failure he had allowed himself to become.
"Oh, I'm just fine, thank you," Bella replied in a sugary sweet tone.
This was my Bella. God, I loved her.
After flashing her an amused grin, I turned back to Emmett.
"Does she know about your lover boy?" he asked then, trying to provoke me.
Oh, she knows a lot about him…
"Of course I do!" Bella grinned wickedly. "What would you like to know about him? Girth? Length? Stamina? Positions preferred? Hmm?"
I choked on a breath before I looked at her with an incredulous expression.
Did she just say that?
Did she just say that?
Both Esme and Rose chuckled silently.
I couldn't believe her.
I wasn't surprised by Rose and Esme's reactions, already knowing everything about our past – and not judging us – and they were also as blunt as Bella.
But… damn.
Glancing up at me innocently, she asked, "Did I say too much?"
Shaking my head in… awe… and astonishment, I told her, "No."
She never shied away. She would never be embarrassed about our past. Never had she showed shame, guilt, or apprehension.
What the three of us shared may not have lasted long, but when we had it, we loved it. It was for us then. It was for us until Bella and I had come to terms that it would be the two of us forever.
Just like Jasper found Alice, I found Bella.
"He speaks," Emmett remarked in a mocking tone.
Cocking an eyebrow at him, I stared him down.
"I'm not turning this into a pissing contest, because I don't have anything to prove," I told him.
The only one here who needed to prove anything was him. Emmett was the one who needed to step up if he wanted to have his son and wife in his life.
"Neither do I!" he snapped, temper flaring.
"I'd say you do, boy," Esme quipped. "Just the fact that you're sitting there trying to get a rise out of Edward proves how little you have in that head of yours. And if you want your son in your life, then you better get a goddamn grip."
Essy's got a mouth on her.
Emmett did look rebuked, and probably realized that his games wouldn't work on us… so, he turned to Rose.
Weak fuck.
"Regan's mine, you hear me?" he said sternly, pointing at her. "You don't have the means to take me down in court, and you know it."
Let the games begin.
"But I do," I said.
"Stay out of this! This is between me and my wife!" he growled, glaring at me.
"Bullshit," I snapped, getting annoyed now. "It became my business when your wife came to me of all people for help!"
"Just go back to where you came from, you queer!"
"For being a lawyer, you're running out of arguments awfully fast," I replied, not missing a fucking beat.
"Hellooo," sang a voice from the hallway.
Shit.
I froze for one split second before regaining my posture.
"Well, fuck me," Esme huffed, making Rose and Bella snicker in amusement.
"Ready to meet your darling sister?" Rose teased Esme.
Instead of worrying about the fact that I was seconds away from facing the woman who gave birth to me, I was immensely glad that Rose felt relaxed and unaffected.
Elizabeth entered and froze when her eyes landed on me.
Carlisle also entered then, and Bella quickly jumped in, squeezing my hand in reassurance when my body tensed.
"Oh, good. It's a real party now," Esme goaded in a cooing voice.
Firecracker is what she is.
She was also the most loving mother I could ever wish for, and with a firm nod of 'you can do this, Red' to me, I steeled myself.
Yes, I could do this.
"Edward?" Elizabeth breathed out shakily.
I gave her a curt nod.
Elizabeth and Carlisle sat down in the leather couch on our opposite side. All sides of the coffee table surrounded now.
Carlisle didn't acknowledge me, which I knew he wouldn't.
Instead he focused his sinister glare on Rose, and I grabbed her hand.
I felt her relax.
"I hope you brought my grandson back," he said.
"He is where he's supposed to be," I answered for her.
"I'm not speaking to you, Edward."
"Good. I don't need you talking," I snapped. "I need you listening, you piece of shit."
A collective gasp came from the Masens.
I knew why.
People didn't ever talk back at Carlisle.
Taking the silence as my opportunity, I continued. "It's quite simple. Emmett seeks help for his drinking, or Rose is filing for divorce, and you better believe Regan stays with her."
This was what Rose had asked me to say if she couldn't get it out. And I had to say it was fucking awesome to say it.
"We're not bringing anyone to court," I added. "But if Emmett won't straighten up, that's where this will end up."
"And we'll all be there to back her up," Esme chimed in.
"You're going to take Regan away from his family, Rosalie?" Elizabeth cried.
I could smell my wife's speech a mile away before she even knew it herself.
She didn't disappoint.
"Are you dense?" Bella asked her. "Emmett won't lose shit if he stops drinking. Weren't you listening to Edward? Did he stutter? You guys are un-fucking-believable, you know that? All Rose wants is for her husband to be himself, to stop drinking and start living his own goddamn life instead of obeying the all-fucking-mighty Dr. Masen like the obedient little poodle pup he's been so far!"
I mentioned I loved her, right?
Amazing woman.
"Shut up, you little tramp," Carlisle seethed at her.
I shot up. "You do not speak to my wife that way. Are we clear? In fact, I say you should get the fuck out of my sight, because nothing will be solved as long as your sinister ass is in the room."
Sitting down again, I turned to Emmett. "A word of advice. If you want to get anywhere, then tell your father to leave. And deep down inside, I'm pretty fucking sure you're tired of him yourself."
The big problem right now was Emmett. And as I stared at his paled face, I could see how Carlisle had set his claws in him.
Rule number one. Never surrender. Giving up is a weakness.
Rule number two. Never show weakness. Weakness turns the man into a boy.
Rule number three. Judge before you get judged.
Carlisle lived by these rules.
And now, looking at… my brother… I knew that those were the same views he'd been fed with. And he's chewed and swallowed every bite.
Emmett wouldn't back down. He wouldn't surrender no matter how much it would kill him. He wouldn't throw Carlisle out for the sake of his son. He wouldn't get help, because that would make him weak in Carlisle's eyes.
"For Regan, Em," Rose murmured softly. "He misses you so much."
"Then you shouldn't have taken him away from me!" he shouted at her in rage.
"But can't you see you're hurting him?" she shot back. "Every time you drink, he sees it! He knows, Emmett! He's not blind, he sees it all!"
"I'm not a goddamn drunk!" he bellowed.
"Language, son. We'll deal with this like proper men," Carlisle told him.
Bella started laughing. "Wow, Carlisle! You are one fucked up individual, you know that?" Turning to me, she continued, "I'm sorry, baby, but I'm glad he's not in our life. I wouldn't be able to handle a minute with him in the presence of our children."
I couldn't agree more.
And I didn't want him in Regan's life either.
"Oh, I think you would handle it very well," I murmured quietly, sending her a wink. "But I don't know if he would've made it out alive."
"True," she conceded.
We were reminded of our surroundings then.
"Edward? You have children now?" Elizabeth asked.
She saw Bella when she was pregnant, and Carlisle performed the goddamn ultrasound. She knew very well.
I nodded at her.
I didn't wanna discuss my children in front of these people.
"A boy and a girl?" she asked quietly.
Cocking an eyebrow at Carlisle, I had to ask, "What happened to doctor-patient confidentiality?"
He glared but said nothing.
Son of a bitch…
"What are their names?" Elizabeth asked then, her eyes soft and curious.
She was genuine, I knew that. But it didn't erase the fact that Carlisle wasn't the only fucked up individual in the room. She was a weak woman who obeyed her tyrant of a husband, even if it meant pushing away a son.
"I'd say that's none of your business," I replied.
I didn't snap or glare. I just told her.
"That's not how you speak to your mother," Carlisle fumed.
I just shrugged, not affected at all. "You're right. Good thing she's not my mother then."
Elizabeth started crying, and the gentleman in me felt a slight sting. But reminding myself of how she kicked me out for being bisexual… well, that did the trick. The way she told me I wasn't her son anymore also reminded me of what I just said were just the same words she had already told me.
"Where's your heart, Edward?" Carlisle asked me.
"Where's yours?" Bella huffed at him.
I ignored her, because I had some major shit to say.
He asked me where my heart was? Unbelievable.
"You have got to be kidding me," I chuckled humorlessly, shaking my head at him. "You ask me where my heart is, and you're the fucker who killed me off! You killed your own son just because he happened to have a goddamn boyfriend."
"It goes against nature!" he argued.
"Not caring for your children goes against nature!" Rose snapped.
The meaning was not lost on me. She spoke to both Carlisle and Emmett.
The room fell silent – apart from Elizabeth's crying – and it was Emmett who broke the silence.
"I'll take you to court, Rose. Regan's mine. My word is final."
"You wouldn't even bother talking to Regan, and ask of his opinion?" Esme asked him incredulously. "You're just going to try to take him? You won't even try fixing the real problem?"
"And what's that, Esme?" he snapped at her.
"Your fuck-up of a father! You'd rather continue obeying him than just admit that you have a problem, fix it, and then be happy as a family!" Esme snapped back.
Silence.
Silent fuming.
"I need a drink," Emmett grumbled before heading to a cabinet.
Well, that is just perfect…
"Take that drink and you won't see Regan until you take us to court," Rose said, standing up.
Emmett poured himself a double… or a triple?
And downed it.
I sighed, shaking my head at him. "You're just like Carlisle, Emmett."
He paled.
Bingo.
I knew it all along. That wasn't what he wanted to be.
But Emmett being Emmett, he wouldn't quit.
"You know what, Edward?" he asked. "I don't even know why you're here. I don't understand why you give a shit. You want more? You want even more from me? You have my wife. You have my son. You have your own children and your own wife. You have everything! When you left, you were still your own goddamn person! You didn't put up with any shit! You. Never. Fucking. Break!"
His last words hung heavy in the air.
I was… shocked.
A full minute passed before my professional side kicked in, and I came to one conclusion; he had abandonment issues. He thought I left him. I left him and he had to face our parents alone. He had to take all the pressure. He had to become the perfect son. He had to be the one. And he couldn't say no. He wasn't the one able to defy Carlisle. So, he caved. He turned into Carlisle. He got the blond trophy wife. The son with a name that means 'king.' The upscale apartment. The fancy law degree. The expensive suits.
And now he's deluding himself into believing that I'm the one taking everything away from him.
The best thing that will ever happen to him is Rose not being the trophy wife he thought she would be. The fact that she doesn't put up with everything, and that she isn't Elizabeth… That is the best thing for him.
The only thing is that we need to figure out a way to make him realize he needs the help.
Right now it won't matter if I say that I didn't leave, even if it was the truth. The fact that they kicked me out, disowned me, called me a freak, called me disgusting, the fact that they killed me off… None of that matters to him. He doesn't see that.
A part of me wants to sit his ass down and have a session with him. I want to know what he remembers of that day.
The day I told them I was with Jasper.
Because what I remember is telling Jasper to stay in the car. I remember entering my parents' house. I remember them still being annoyed and disappointed because I divorced that joke of a woman. I remember talking baseball for a few minutes with Em before mom declared dinner was ready. I remember us sitting down. I remember Em telling mom and dad about the internship in New York. I remember dad being proud of him, and that made Emmett's day… or year. I remember mom asking if I was alright. I remember telling them I was nervous. I remember mom saying that whatever it was, she would always love me… and support me.
And I remember telling them I had met someone. I remember telling them his name was Jasper. I remember Emmett and dad laughing at my tasteless joke. I remember mom screaming when she realized I wasn't kidding. I remember dad's words to me, how disgusting I was, how I went against God's word… and nature. I remember him telling me how worthless I was. I remember the shame. I remember feeling like I was betraying them. I remember Emmett pleading with me for the whole thing to be a joke. I remember dad leaving the room, saying that I was no longer his son. I remember mom telling me that she had never been this disappointed before, how wrong it was of me to feel the way I did, and that dad's words to me conveyed everything she felt, too.
I remember her leaving. I remember Jasper knocking on the door because he had heard mom's scream. I remember Emmett looking at him in disgust, asking me if I was leaving the family because of that fag. I remember him telling me what a complete fuck-up I was for doing this. I remember him shouting how I had cursed the family, what a disgrace I was, how I ruined everything, and what a lousy brother I was.
I remember just standing there, taking every word in, breaking in thousand pieces.
And I remember Jasper spending the following two years picking those pieces up.
So, sitting here, staring at Emmett, I wondered what he remembered of that day.
I left him?
Fuck that.
He turned on me.
But if I had everything, if I had taken so much from him…
"Why did you name Regan after me?" I asked him. "And why the Irish name? You never cared. Carlisle never cared. Elizabeth never cared. And I was dead to you. So, why, Emmett?"
Emmett looked down but said nothing.
Carlisle said nothing.
Elizabeth said nothing.
Alright then.
"I think we're done here," Rose announced. "Emmett, feel free to bring me to court. I hoped it wouldn't turn out this way, and God knows I love you, but I won't have my son living with a drunk."
"This is your home, Rosalie. You're staying here with your husband," Carlisle said.
"You can go fuck yourself," Rose told him.
I was proud of her for finally standing up to him. Her husband should do the same.
"And my home is where I feel like I belong," she added.
"Where's that?" Emmett asked her.
.
.
.
"In LA with my family."
Emmett stayed quiet, but it was clear that her words had punched him hard.
Carlisle however, turned to me. "You just have to pollute everything you go near, don't you?"
I smirked at the bastard. "Drop dead."
"Yes, sincerely. Please do," Bella agreed.
No other words were said.
Well, Esme had a few more words to say as we stood in the hallway, ready to go.
"It was a real fucking treat to see you again, sis. Too bad you never grew a backbone. Oh, and Carlisle? To quote my newest daughter; go fuck yourself."

Edward POV.
Six months passed and not a word.
Emmett didn't bring Rose to court, and he didn't call. He didn't call his son. He just didn't do anything. Rose did keep track on him, though, and one of Emmett's work buddies called her every once in a while. What we knew was that Emmett was slowly but surely losing it.
I was ready to fly out there. Alone.
Life in LA was – to be honest – perfect, however.
There was a balance, sort of a schedule, that we loved to live by, and to some it might seem repetitive, but to us it was exactly what we wanted. There were barbecues and family dinners on the weekends; it was weekdays filled with work and quiet nights; it was soccer games on Fridays now that Regan went to school here, and it was raising the twins with Bella, and it was… Bella working on her latest Marie Green-book. That part was really, really… pleasurable, especially since I was the lab rat. Didn't mind that at all.
What else…
Well, Rose and Regan lived in the small two bedroom cottage we had built in the backyard, and though she didn't want to be a burden, we knew how much she loved being close to us, and we definitely felt the same. The house was perfect for them for the time being. It had two small rooms, a bathroom, and a small kitchen, and now that Rose had decided to study, it was also perfect since Bella could watch over Regan if Rose had classes late.
Slowly but surely, Rose and Regan were building their life in LA, and though Regan obviously missed Emmett – a lot – he was also smart enough to know that the grownups would do their best to take care of it. In the meantime, school, baseball, and soccer practice distracted him immensely, and he was a happy kid. Even Rose was happier. Of course there were things to be dealt with, but it was evident that she didn't enjoy being a housewife in Chicago, which was why she was now studying now. To become a teacher, in fact.
So, in their little house in our garden they had both the privacy they needed, but they still knew that we were close, and of course we saw them everyday, especially Regan who loved the pool.
Just like me.
Then we had Jasper and Alice.
She was almost seven months pregnant, and Bella was having fun with that. She was also having fun with the times Alice was so pissed at Jasper that he came over to spend the night on our couch. Yep, he was eating up every Shamu-joke he delivered to Bella back when she was pregnant. And Jasper was in pain. Blissfully happy but in so much pain for what the women were throwing him. Hell, even I made fun of the dude. I mean… who was stupid enough to call your wife fatty?
Jasper was.
Esme, ever the diplomat, had been the one to patch shit up, so that Jasper could get back to Ali, and though Esme worked during the weeks, she still found time to come over a couple of nights every week. And that was still a weird thing to me. In a funny way, but still. Because Bella, Rose, and Ali were like Esme's daughters nowadays. The women were literally sticking together, and that left me – the nephew – with Jasper and Regan.
Yeah, we were all teamed up on weekends when they came over to our house for barbecues, and there had been a shitload of throwing the girls into the pool. That was something Regan loved more than air.
Jasper didn't. 'Cause he knew that if he threw Alice into the pool, he'd spend a week on our couch.
Lastly there was my closest family.
My fiery wife and my two children.
Ailín and Ceara were synched, but damn, they were true opposites. Again, Essy was right. Ailín was the calm one, the boy with dark brown hair and green eyes, the boy who could calm his sister down like no other. And he was smart. So goddamn smart. Fuck, the first time he said "Dada," I thought I was gonna cry. And then a month later, Ceara followed. Of course they said "Mama" first. I mean… Bella worked from home and spent time with them all day, so that was just a given.
And speaking of Ceara. Jesus fucking Christ, I'm surprised I don't have gray hair. That little Mini is a fireball. She's just everywhere. Crawling or dragging her little butt across the house. And strong. She's really strong.
Even here, Esme was right. Her reddish hair hasn't changed, and Bella got her wish when it came to their eye colors. The green is becoming more and more fixed, and though the color can change and go back and forth up to the child is more than a year old, the green is so prominent that we kinda know that their eyes will stay green.
I'm digressing.
Ceara's a handful, and only Ailín can really calm her down. Just by being close or touching her, she takes it down a notch or seven.
And Jesus, I didn't think you could love someone as much as I love them. All of them of course, but children always come first. It's the way it's supposed to be. Fuck, I'd be pissed if Bella loved me more than our children. But yes, I'm a sap around my three closest, and don't get me started on my Bella. Actually, I'm not even touching that subject because we're solid. Goddamn perfect, and we couldn't have asked for more. Didn't think it was possible but I still find myself falling in love with her all over, and she's just… you know, my soulmate.

*o*o*o*

Bella had been weird for the past few days, and I wasn't sure it was because I spoke up about perhaps flying out to see Emmett alone. But it didn't feel like it, because when I told her one night, she obviously didn't like the idea, but she realized that it might be what was needed, and she knew I was strong enough to not let any of the Masens talk me down. And after a couple of hours of talking about it, she reluctantly agreed that it might be easier for Emmett to open up if I was the only one there.
So, why was she acting weird?
Fuck if I knew, but I was gonna find out tonight, because we had the house to ourselves.
It was the monthly Esme-Regan day where the two of them stayed over at her house. Not just with Ailín and Ceara, but also Lucy. Yeah, don't ask me how they do it, but they do, and have done so for the past few months.
So, Bella and I were alone.
And speaking of… I just felt her entering the kitchen.
"Dinner's almost ready," I said without turning around. A bit smug, too.
"You're always so proud that you feel me when I'm not touching you," she chuckled.
"Of course." I smirked, turning around from the stove to see her in the doorway.
"You're not the only one," she murmured, approaching me slowly as her eyes roamed my body. Hungrily.
I guess someone's horny.
Well, if she was…
Then so was I.
"You look like you're on a mission, baby." I snickered.
"I am."
Her confidence brought out my dominant side in one second, and I cocked an eyebrow at her, silently conveying that she'd better watch it.
"I want you to fuck me," she said, now standing right before me, her index finger tracing my hardening cock.
I didn't like how confident she sounded. Not one bit. But I knew my wife. I knew this was her way of getting a rise out of me. A feeble attempt, I had to say, because she'd lost her goddamn mind if she expected me to cave. Just because she tempted me didn't mean I'd give in. And right now it was quite obvious that my wife was looking for a hard fuck.
Well, she's in for a nasty surprise then.
Seeking me out to get laid had never worked for her before, and it wouldn't work now.
When we were in this element, I called the shots.
"Didn't you hear me, Edward?" she sighed. And then she tried to pull of a pout as she continued. "Please, baby. I need you… hard."
Oh, I'm hard alright, and I will take you.
But not now.
"You're cute when you're pouting." I smirked cockily. "But you're acting like a desperate slut, and I won't have that," I added before turning back to the stove.
I heard her gasp, and snickered internally, knowing that she fucking loved this as much as I did. This was us in our true element when it came to sex, and it was a side of us we visited often, but usually in our playroom.
"Wait, so you won't fuck me?" she asked incredulously.
This was where she got annoyed.
"Not right now," I replied as I checked the chicken in the oven. "And behave, Bella."
"Fine," she huffed. "I'll just go take care of myself then."
Not a fucking chance.
"Get. Back. Here," I gritted out.
Like a petulant child, she stomped back until she stood behind me again, and turning around to face her; I had to smirk.
She was really goddamn horny.
I guess she's been writing.
"Didn't I just tell you to behave?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at her.
"Yeah, but I really need to come," she argued. "I've been writing ever since Esme came over to get Ceara and Ailín, Edward," she whined. She fucking whined.
Closing the distance between us, I dipped down to kiss her… all while I walked her toward the kitchen counter where I lifted her up.
"And now you want my cock, Isabella?" I asked as I nipped at her neck, rubbing my erection against her pussy for good measure. "Is that it, baby girl? You want my cock?"
"God, yes! Please, Edward!" she moaned wantonly.
Chuckling, I backed away from her, and when she met my eyes with shock, I went from chuckling to stern.
"Get on your knees," I commanded quietly as I unbuttoned my pants.
"W-what?" she gulped with wide eyes.
"I said get on your fucking knees."
Hate repeating myself.
"Oh, God," she breathed shakily.
Yeah, I knew she'd like this.
"Wait," I muttered before she could kneel.
Slipping my hand inside her cockteasing shorts, I cupped her bare pussy, and wasn't surprised to find her drenched.
"You're fucking soaked, my little slut," I cooed, fingering her pussy teasingly.
I stopped when she moaned.
"You really are desperate," I muttered, stifling a moan as I sucked her juices off my fingers.
Fuck, I need her.
But first…
"Now, get on your knees."
She obeyed wordlessly, and I thanked God I could read my wife so easily. Her darkened eyes, flushed skin, trembling fingers, erratic breathing…
Jesus, what hell has she been writing?
"Open up," I told her. "Suck me hard."
I watched in satisfaction as her chest heaved, and of course how she greedily sucked me into her hot little mouth.
"Fuck," I moaned.
Christ, this is perfection…
Weaving my fingers through her hair, I gripped it tightly before I began thrusting in and out of her, and just before I could tell her, she added her luscious tongue, making it slicker and even hotter.
"Take me down, baby girl," I grunted as I fucked her mouth deeper.
I watched with lust-filled eyes as she took my down her throat, and fuck, when she closed her eyes and hummed around me, I thought I was going to finish like a seventeen-year-old.
"You like sucking me off, Isabella?" I murmured, caressing her cheek.
She nodded and hummed in affirmative, and I… was close. Shit.
Gripping her hair even tighter, I fucked her harder, focusing solely on feeling my cock disappear in her mouth. Hot, wet…
"I'm close," I rasped. "Fuck, I love your mouth, baby… Yes… goddamnit."
It became too much when she cupped my balls before swallowing around me tightly, and with a loud moan, I shot down her throat in several hot spurts, feeling her milk me dry.
"Christ," I breathed as I pulled out of her. "So good, Isabella."
Bella was panting as I helped her up. More flushed than ever. Her eyes so fucking dark.
After giving her a soft kiss on the lips, I backed away as I buttoned my pants.
"Dinner's ready in about ten minutes." I grinned, returning to the stove.
Yep, I'm gonna have fun with her tonight.

*o*o*o*

By the time we got to bed that night, we were thoroughly fucked and sated. And I was one smug husband, having given my wife four orgasms. Damn, we really fucked our way through the house. It was hard, rough, and primal. Over the couch in the living room, I had pounded into her relentlessly from behind. Bent over the desk in my study, I had fucked her tight ass. In the kitchen, I had devoured her pussy with my mouth. And in the bedroom – approximately twenty minutes ago – she had ridden my cock as if her life depended on it.
"I really needed tonight," she sighed softly burying her face in the crook of my neck. "Fuck, you were wild, baby."
I chuckled sleepily, hitching my leg over her hip. I kissed her shoulder as my hand traced her spine.
"So were you, my little nymph." I hummed against her shoulder. "Mind telling me what brought this on, though?" She looked up at me, biting her lip, and I smirked. "What are you writing exactly?"
"Oh," she chuckled. "It had nothing to do with that." And all of the sudden she looked shy. "S'just…" She shrugged a little. "When I was pregnant with Ceara and Ailín, you didn't really go rough on me."
Confused at what she was getting at, I replied nonetheless. "That's not weird, baby girl. I was worried, of course. Afraid I was gonna hurt you."
She scrunched her nose. "I'm not that fragile, you know."
"I know, but you know how I am." I smiled softly, dropping a kiss on her nose. "I'm a worrier."
"I do know," she replied with a smirk. "Which was why I needed tonight."
Hmm?
I tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "What do you mean?"
"Edward…" She kissed me softly, but passionately, leaving me all but breathless as she straddled my waist. "I'm pregnant."
Maybe we could go another round.
My cock was definitely waking-
Whoa.
What?
My eyes widened as that word registered.
"P-Pregnant?" Pretty sure that came out as a squeak.
But, seriously!
She nodded.
Holy…
Pregnant. She was pregnant again.
I swallowed, feeling my throat close up.
The day Bella's doctor had asked her about going on birth control again, we had agreed to skip it since we were both hoping for another child. She'd made my day when she admitted that wanted another one. I was sure it was just my dream, but she proved me wrong, and now…
"You're pregnant," I stated thickly, and my hands went to her stomach. "Holy fuck, baby… When did you…?"
God, I could barely believe it.
"I took a test this morning," she murmured. I wiped a few tears away. Fuck, she was beautiful. "I did the math, and… I'd say I'm about eight weeks or so…"
Sitting up, I kissed her with all I had.
'Cause I was going to be a dad again.
"Happy?" she whimpered against my lips.
"Understatement," I exhaled.
"Oh, God…"
Yes.
Safe to say, we weren't done with our night.
But there was no chance in hell I was going rough on her.

*O*O*O*

"I'll be fine, baby," I murmured, brushing my thumbs under her eyes. "It's just two days, remember?"
She nodded and leaned her forehead against my chest.
It was time to visit Emmett in Chicago.
"Kick his fat ass if he tries anything, okay?" she mumbled.
I chuckled into her hair. "Fat ass?"
She shrugged.
"I promise, love," I laughed through my nose. "You have nothing to worry about."
And then it was time.
"Be careful, all right?" I said, placing one hand on her stomach.
The past few weeks had gone by fast, and we were all excited about Bella's pregnancy. But she was already sick of me, though. Not that I cared. She knew me. I was overprotective and that was that. It wasn't changing. She'd just have to deal. It was only another six months left, anyway.
"I'm always careful," she huffed.
Not true!
"You weren't careful when you tried pushing your desk into my study," I pointed out, unable to keep the annoyance away. But seriously, when I had gotten home from work a few weeks ago, I had found her lifting heavy shit, and that just wouldn't fly with me. Not when she was pregnant. Yes, we needed the space now, but hot damn, couldn't she have waited until I got home?
"Do you really wanna have this convo now?" she asked, arching a brow.
I sighed.
"No. You're right," I conceded. "But you should know that I told Jasper and Rose to keep an eye on you."
She glared at me.
I didn't care.
That was my baby in there.
Case closed.
"I love you," I said, ready to kiss that fire away. "Do you love me?"
She grimaced. "I'm thinking about it."
"Baby, you can't lie to save your life," I laughed.
She smacked me in the chest, then she told me she loved me.
It was all very good.
But it was time to board.
"I'll call you when I land, okay?"
She nodded. "Be safe."
"I will, and you, too."
Half an hour later, I sat down in my window seat.
Almost eight months had passed since I'd seen Emmett.
I didn't want to go to Chicago. Not even a little, but I was doing it for Regan and Rose.

Edward POV.
After a restless night of tossing and turning in a hotel bed, I prepared myself for meeting Emmett again. I got dressed in a pair of stone-washed jeans, a black pullover, and a pair of black boots. It was Chicago… in November. Boots were needed. And a jacket, obviously. My ski-jacket hadn't been used since I had been here last time. Sure as hell didn't need that shit in LA.
I hated not having Bella here, not to mention my kids, but with them back in LA, I had an extra motivator that would – hopefully – get me home soon. I'd talked to her this morning, of course, and she was as chipper as always, telling me that I had nothing to worry about. I wasn't worried, either, but… Well, we had a lot to gain if things went well. This was for Regan and Rose, after all. Though, mostly for Regan. He missed his dad.
So… around noon, I found myself being let into their building by some cat-lady, and shortly after, I knocked on the door to their apartment.
Rose had assured me – after contacting one of Emmett's work-buddies – that Emmett hadn't shown up for work.
Which was now a common occurrence.
I was nervous as hell, but I didn't show it. I refused to let my drunken brother get the best of me.
He didn't deserve that.
But when he opened the door, I had sympathy for him. Because he didn't deserve that, either. Yes, he had fucked up royally, and he was a weak man. There was no denying that, but… I still blamed Carlisle.
"What the fuck do you want?" he asked gruffly.
Gone was the fancy suit.
He looked ragged as hell, wearing sweats and a stained t-shirt.
Days worth of scruff, so… I guess… a beard.
Dark circles under his eyes.
Mentioned eyes were bloodshot.
I sighed, running a hand through my hair.
Yeah, what the fuck do I want?
"I want to talk about…" Everything. "Regan," I settled on.
He barely reacted upon hearing his son's name.
"Got any booze?" he asked dryly. "That's the ticket into my home." He smirked.
I saw through him.
He was a fucking textbook case.
So, I ignored him and just entered, pushing him aside slightly as I passed him.
"Regan misses you," I said casually, though I was anything but casual on the inside. It wasn't just his fancy suit that was gone, I noticed as I headed straight for the living room. It was everything. Well, everything clean. There was no soapy scent left by Elizabeth's obsession with a clean house. There was nothing starchy or strict. Hell, it was all gone. Including furniture. No more velvet and cherry wood. No leather couches, no expensive bourbon or glasses in crystal. The paintings were gone from the walls.
And I wondered…
"Did you see the paintings to afford alcohol?" I asked over my shoulder.
"Fuck you," he spat. "You have no business here, Edward."
The living room now had a single couch. A black one. There was also a coffee table with only three legs. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry when I saw his books from law school substituting as a damn table leg. Last but not least, one of the kitchen chairs.
I settled for that one.
Pizza boxes on the floor…
A couple of empty bottles… Gin, whiskey, vodka. Cheap brands.
It made me wonder where Carlisle and Elizabeth were.
Though I doubted that they would support his addiction by giving him money, I also doubted that Elizabeth would allow for this place to become a dump.
Yes, my mind was spinning.
It was simple.
Seeing the apartment was probably providing me with more answers than if I had asked him.
Realizing that I had taken a while to speak, I told him, "I'm not leaving until we've talked."
He stood still in the doorway, glaring at me. "Fine. Allow me to call the cops then."
I shrugged. "Do that, and you won't get to hear about your wife and son."
Emmett said nothing. Not a thing, but this time I decided to throw him a bone.
"Sit down, Emmett," I said calmly. "Give me one hour," I added, practically pleading with him. But I knew he needed the feeling of power, the feeling of having the upper hand, before he let go. He needed to be in control, so I gave him that. He just didn't know that I had every intention of ripping that control back in a matter of seconds.
Looking around the apartment, and at him, I knew how close he was to falling apart.
"I'll give you half an hour." He sneered before leaving me in the living room. But after hearing the telltale clinking of glass, I sighed, knowing exactly what he was doing. JesusChrist. And sure enough, he appeared a minute later with a tall glass of what I guessed was ten percent juice, and ninety percent vodka. Or whatever his poison was. I doubted he cared as long as there was alcohol. "So… say what you have to say."
It's for Regan, I chanted internally. You're doing this for Regan.
"Don't you miss them?" I sighed, leaning back in my chair. "I mean… it's your wife and son, Emmett."
He huffed into his glass. "They're better off."
And so my mind took a new turn. They're better off? So… he recognized the issues?
He knew what the problem was?
"You're telling me that you're pushing them away intentionally?" I asked, furrowing my brow. "That's why you haven't fought for Regan? That's why we haven't heard from you?"
He just shrugged before chugging his drink.
And he didn't even make a face as the strong drink was poured down his throat.
I registered this, of course, and I knew that he was deep in.
He would need rehab, counseling…
"Who exactly are you pushing them away from?" I had to know.
Carlisle?
Or himself.
Because if he knew that our dad was the problem, then why the hell didn't he get away from the bastard? Why only push Rose and Regan away from him?
"Look," he gritted out. "I know you're some fucking therapist, okay? But you don't have to play your mind games on me. Just spare me the bullshit."
I opened my mouth to speak, but closed it again.
It was quite clear that he wasn't in the mood to answer questions.
So, I decided to do the talking.
"Rose is in school," I told him, shrugging out of my jacket. He needed to know I wasn't going anywhere, regardless of how much I wanted to. Because I did. I didn't care for this man enough to wanna help him. I just couldn't. I was doing this for two people I loved. Simple as that. Yeah, I had sympathy for him, but that was because I knew how deeply Carlisle had fucked him up. However, Emmett let him. He could've done what I did. He could've left.
Yes, I was all but pushed out, but I knew I wouldn't stick around. I never let Carlisle get to me the way Emmett did.
"She's studying to become a teacher," I continued, leaning forward on my knees. I noticed how he paused, still close to his drink. I had his attention. That was what I wanted. "She's doing really well."
"Good for her," he spat out bitterly.
I went on. "When she's in school, Regan is with Esme or Bella."
He chuckled humorlessly. "Ah, yeah. You're into women now."
And I fought the urge to roll my eyes.
Then we were back to being quiet for a while.
I studied him.
He kept his eyes on the floor or on his drink.
.
.
"I'm just like him," he muttered angrily, quietly.
I inhaled slowly, afraid I'd burst this bubble. I needed for him to speak, but I feared that the smallest thing would shut him up again, so I stayed still. Quiet.
"I didn't see it until it was too late."
Fuck, that anger was eating at him. Destroying him.
A part of me wished I could still see him as a brother. But I couldn't. Not after everything we'd been through. Besides, we were never really close. All we had, once, was a mutual love for baseball. That was it. Four years separated us. We were never on the same page.
Then he chuckled humorlessly. "Know what Dad told me after you left six months ago?" He wasn't even looking at me. I kept quiet. "He said that it was easy to find a new woman. He told me that I didn't need Rosalie." He shook his head, eyes still on the glass. "He even offered to set me up with one of his sluts over at the hospital." I wasn't surprised. Even back when I was a teenager, I knew of Carlisle's sleeping around. "He'd laughed and said that he was quite partial to the nurses in the pediatric wing, 'cause many of them were desperate."
Jesus Christ.
I scrubbed at my face.
"That was how he found about your wife, by the way," he chuckled darkly. "He'd fucked some intern over at the OB/GYN, or whatever it's called, and had overheard the name Cullen…"
I didn't really care, but as long as he was talking, I'd keep my mouth shut.
"Cullen," he huffed quietly. "Masen's not good enough for ya, is it?"
I sighed.
All that hatred he was keeping bottled up was bound to kill him.
And then I had to know… "You know that all of this is killing you, right?"
Pain flashed across his features, and there was my answer.
He did know.
He knew and wasn't going to do anything about it.
He was going to drink himself to death.
This was him taking himself out of the equation.
He'd realized how bad Carlisle was, and he'd realized that he had ended up just like our lovely father.
"You think fixing this is too late," I stated quietly.
He shrugged again then downed the last of his drink.
"Where are they now, Carlisle and Elizabeth?"
Another bitter chuckle. "Fuck if I know. Haven't spoken to them in months."
That surprised me.
Months.
"Well," he said gruffly, standing up. "I think your half hour is up, doc."
And his walls were back up.
"Emmett-"
"Don't." He shook his head. "See yourself out. I'm done."
I bristled. "What about Regan?" I asked, also standing up. "I can't fucking believe you're gonna let Carlisle win this."
"Win?" Now he was fuming. "It's not a goddamn contest."
"Emmett!" I exclaimed. "Do you hear yourself now? You say that you're done! You're giving up!" I took a deep breath, clenching my fists at my sides. "So, it's okay to give up, but it's not okay to win?" I asked as calmly as I could. "It's okay to throw in the towel, but it's not okay to fight?"
He said nothing.
He just walked away.
And I knew he was dangerously close to hitting rock bottom.
What I also knew, from my profession, was that most people killing themselves didn't do it when they were at the bottom. It was statistical fact. Most people committing suicide did it when they were starting to get better. That was when panic and anxiety kicked in. That was when feelings were returning. Not now. Now he was… emotionless. Now he just didn't care. He had no perspective as it was now. Nothing mattered.
Granted, he could still die. He could drink himself into a fatal heart attack or… Well, his liver could give in. He could end up in a coma. So, yes… he could very well die.
But he wouldn't pull a trigger.
However, I could see that Emmett wasn't messing around.
He wasn't calling out for help. He wasn't gathering attention.
This was serious.
As serious as it could get.
And his drinking was another proof of how weak he was. He was aiming for death, but… he was too weak to pull that trigger. Instead he was going to let the alcohol do it for him slowly. It would allow him to stay numb.
Until his body caved.
I knew I wasn't going to be able to fix this alone.
He was far too gone…
"Rose," I whispered under my breath. I needed Rose.