Disclaimer: Just a mere manipulation of the wonderful mind of Ms Stephenie Meyer

AN: I want to start by apologising for not writing in a long time, just I had an idea for anoher story and have been working on that...you're going to love it...when I get around to posting...however I'm going to really try my best to update and keep writing now...anyway I will stop rambling and let you read the much awaited chapter...

Chapter 18:

(Edward's POV)

I must have managed to fall asleep knowing that I'd be seeing Bella tomorrow, as the next time I looked at the clock it was eight-thirty. I decided that I'd pop into work this morning, see dad then make my way into town on my lunch break. That way, I'm able to keep myself occupied so that I'm not stewing over what I'm going to say—I've never been one for revision or rehearsal so seemed silly to pick up the habit now. With that thought in mind I hoped out of bed, into the shower and into the car.

I was rather pleased that I had decided to get this Porsche in order to impress Bella; I was enjoying it more than I thought I would. Usually I go for the less conspicuous cars in such areas and leave the sports cars to holidays but it was nice to get up in the morning and just touch the accelerator to hear this baby purr beneath my feet. Having said that, it may just be that I'm going through a bit of a mid-life crisis and it would be cars that would take my eye instead of too-young-women.

Thinking again, I don't think there's really ever been anyone other than Bella. Tanya was just after the fame and her career had taken a better turn in the beginning so the media seemed to think it was perfect. I guess I was happy to settle then, when I didn't know what I could have had. Though I'd never fully committed adultery against Tanya, I'd had my fair share of opportunities and wants. I'd danced, courted and kissed other women but never like she thought. I knew she suspected every woman we passed in the street to have been one of my lovers at some point, but that was never true.

I pulled into my designated parking bay next to my fathers, completely forgetting how I managed to get there. I checked myself in the mirror—not out of vanity but my scanty memory—before getting out of the car and making for the door. It had been a couple days since I'd really bothered about work so today was going to really take an effort.

Having walked straight through reception not really paying attention I was shocked with all the stares I got when I got onto the office flour that I wanted. I had no idea what was going on so in a management role I commanded everyone back to work, before continuing on to Carlisle's office. He would know what's going on.

"Dad? What's with the employment here?" I gave an awkward laugh, looking back over my shoulder to see everyone duck back down behind their desks.

"Take it you haven't looked at the covers lately? You've made the front page again." He handed me the magazine closest to him. "Maybe you should make your meetings with Bella somewhere less open, after all the press aren't aware of your divorce yet"

I couldn't believe what I was seeing; pictures of Bella and I in the park, at 'Bella Italia', at the mall with Carl. She wasn't going to be happy with me for this, especially the headline being 'Cullen's change of house and home as lovely wife Tanya is replaced by local woman and love child'

"Dad, this ruins everything. She's not going to reason now! She's always hated the press. What am I going to do?"

"Son it's only just nine o'clock, call her."

"And say what? Don't go outside your house for the next couple weeks as you're being watched? She's going to hate me; where's my chance now?"

"Bella isn't that fickle—she never has been—so just reason with her. Explain."

"Dad, this isn't just some girl who's getting into a new frame of life."

"Call her." With that final statement he walked away.

I pulled out my pone and started to dial her number. At first I didn't get an answer so I thought I may have dialed it wrong so I tried again. Still no answer. I thought I'd try Alice's cell, they still seemed to be really close.

"Hello?" After the third tone, her voice rang in my ear. I also heard Bella in the back ground cursing her for answering her cell whilst driving—she was quickly turning into her dad.

"Alice thank God. Have you seem the covers?"

"No, what's up?"

"It's me and Bella all over them. They're hating on her, calling her the other woman and Carl our illegitimate love child. I don't know what to do. I think I'm falling for her all over again and this is going to ruin it!"

"Calm down, its okay, where we're going we won't see any, and I can find some way around this, though you'll have to mention it today. I've got to go; driving on the phone whilst sat next to a cop isn't half as fun as it should be. Bye"

"Bye." The line went dead. So now all's I had to do was find a way of explaining over coffee. That on top of everything else.

I decided to bury myself in work, telling my assistant to let me know when it was one o'clock. She smiled and scurried. In a week everything had turned. I'd filed for a divorce, fallen for my high school girlfriend, become a father and hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons. Yet it was all just beginning; would it get worse before it got any better?

Before I knew it my assistant came running through the door.

"Sir I'm so sorry. There was an emergency on the third floor with one of the printers and the deadline and then the elevator got stuck, but its ten past one. Sir I'm so sorry, I tried paging you but it ran out of battery. It seems the day has turned against me."

"It's ten past one?"

"Well nearly quarter past now."

"Okay, thanks, take a long lunch." I grabbed my jacket off the back of the seat and ran for the stairs—seeing as the elevator was down I wasn't going to waste more time. Once again I was grateful for the Porsche.

I pulled onto forty-Third Street just to see Bella from the corner. Would this be better in public or could I find some way of distracting her. Pulling the car along side her, I rolled the window down and leaned across.

"Bella?"

"Oh hi Edward, looking for a space? There's a few down the end, I could go on and get the coffee?"

"Actually, I was wondering if you wanted to go somewhere else. I think it would be easier to talk somewhere less public." She took a moment to consider then got into the car unphased.

"I have to call Alice then; we're shopping and she is waiting for me to catch up with her."

"Sure use my cell"

I tuned out whilst she called Alice, only catching bits that I couldn't help. She explained that we were no longer just going to Starbucks so could she take her shopping back with herself and she'd meet her at their house later. To me that meant she was planning on spending more than an hour with me. Carlisle would know where I am so there was no point in calling him too. I'd tell him about it later.

I carried on driving until we were completely out of town, finally arriving at a little boat house that I knew had been abandoned. This would be quiet, alone and romantic. I didn't want us to get caught up in the headlines that we forgot why I actually wanted to speak to her. I pulled the blanket from the trunk that I had left in there from my previous car, then took her hand and walked down to the water edge.

She pulled her hand away and crossed her arms, keeping her self focused on where she was stepping. I took my chance. Stepping twice to get ahead of her I turned to face her straight on.

"Bella, I want to hold your hand, I want to hold you, I want to know Carl, and I want to make everything right. Most of all I want you to want me to hold you and to make you safe again." It came out so fast that I wasn't sure she'd heard me or not.

"Edward." She looked to the ground and started to fiddle with her fingers. I tilted her chin up to face me. I needed to see what was behind her eyes; I could always tell what she was really thinking that way. "I don't know if I can…so much has changed and I have responsibilities now. I want you in Carl's life, if it's what he wants but I'm scared. I married Jacob because he knew me, that didn't turn out the best and look how we ended in college."

"That's why I'm here now. I want to make things up to you. I want to prove to you that what we could have is worth it."

"What about Carl?"

"I'm his dad, what else is there to say? I'm going to provide for him, be there for him and love him. But that doesn't change how I feel for you."

"I don't know what to say. I want all this too, but I don't want what goes with it; the pain, the disappointment, the unsettling feeling. After everything that's happened I don't know that I'm strong enough to deal with so much at once right now."

"Then how about we start with a date?"

"Okay, but I want Carl to understand everything first."

"I want to take Carl out somewhere, have some guy time to get to know him."

"If that's what he wants."

That was all I needed I stepped aside and took her hand again, only this time she didn't hesitate and withdraw. Throwing the blanket onto the floor we both sat down to watch the water flow. I knew that I needed to tell her about the headlines but I wanted this moment to last a bit longer.

After lying in the sun for what felt like most of the afternoon, Bella's stomach gurgled so we decided to make our way back to her place to get some food. Once we were in the car again I knew I had to tell her before the media went any further and there was no easy was of doing it. I stole a brief glance at Bella in her serenity, just to make a mental note before crushing it.

"Bells?"

"Yeah?" The smile behind her eyes

"There was something else I needed to speak to you about."

"Shoot"

"Well I've been really hoping that nothing like this would happen because it's not fair on anyone, but the Media has become involved."

"What do you mean?"

"Well I moved here with Tanya, and then I'm seen shopping with you and Carl."

"Oh, the media thinks I'm the other woman" I could almost see the cogs turning in her head, yet the expression on her face wasn't changing. "Why haven't you announced your divorce yet then?"

"Because it hasn't been finalized, its only been a couple of weeks and her lawyers are playing rough. She signed a pre-nub and now they're trying to get money from me."

"Oh of course, I'm sorry."

"Bells, you're all over the covers. Aren't you mad?"

"It's not your fault. I knew you were a focus of the media. I guess this just makes things more complicated with Carl."

"It doesn't change me wanting to know him, and it certainly doesn't change how I feel about you."

"Then we'll find a way around it. Carl's the main focus here. As long as the media doesn't hurt him then it can't hurt me."

"You've grown so much."

"That's kind of condescending."

"You're right, but what you going to do?" She opened the door and made her way to her house. Letting herself in the door, she carried on in without a glance back—I almost felt my heart sink.

I stared after her for a few more moments, before finally restarting the engine. I looked around to check my blind spots to see her face poking back out the door.

"Aren't you coming in?"