6/03/08- So this is my first stab at something like this. It's hard to get a story started, so bear with me.

This story takes place approximately 5 years after Edward leaves Bella. Renee took Bella back to Florida and Edward never returned. Most of New Moon, and Eclispse never happened.

Bow down to Stephenie Meyer. She's the goddess, I merely worship her and play with her characters. I own nothing but the plot.

I sighed and closed my eyes as I felt the plane start to descend

"Breathe, Bella," I thought to myself.

I had been nervous from the moment I had made my decision to return to Forks. In a sense, though, I had no choice. Charlie needed me to take care of him. His stroke had left the right side of his body almost totally paralyzed. He needed someone to take care of him. I was the only one that could, despite my condition.

Charlie needed me, so of course I obliged, despite the pain that torn at every seam and line of my heart, reopening the careful stitches I had sewn to close the holes, to no avail. I closed my eyes and wished the pain would go away. I willed the memories to stay locked away. I could barely hold them back and the tears they invoked.

I wrapped my arms around my stomach, seeking any source of comfort I could find. I flattened one of my hands on my stomach and felt a small, but strong, kick. Hopefully my baby would be stronger than I was. I felt weak and heartbroken. I hoped my baby would never have to go through what I have gone through.

The plane gave a shudder and my heart leaped. I didn't need danger following me already. I was already clumsy enough with my large belly. I didn't need anything else to worry about. I only had two months to go before a new set of worries.

My heart was still racing painfully as the plane came to a stop. As we started to unload, I started having flashbacks of my arrival to Forks five years ago. I had been upset and angry about moving in with Charlie, not knowing what awaited me as I stepped off the plane. Now I knew so much more. And I knew much more pain. But I couldn't let that stop me. Charlie needed me now more than ever, and I needed to be strong for my baby. I would need to be both a mother and a father to the child, so I needed to start now. I wanted to put my past behind me as much as possible, even though I knew that it was impossible to ever stop loving him.

As I made my way through the Port Angeles airport, I saw a familiar face stand out in the crowd.

"Bella!" he called out.

I smiled nervously as the man came toward me. A huge smiled covered his entire face, making me blush furiously. Although he was older, Jacob Black had the same warm eyes and sunny smile that I remembered. Only now he was a man, and there I was, pathetic and fat. When he finally reached me, I was able to see just how much he towered over me.

"Hi, Bella," he said, still grinning.

"Hey Jacob, thanks for picking me up."

"No problem. Wow, you look great!"

His sudden statement made me blush harder. I then noticed his eyes as they fell down to gaze at my stomach. Being pregnant was almost embarrassing for me. Even though I'm twenty-two, I still looked eighteen or nineteen. This caused many people to take one look at me and judge me, thinking I got knocked up by my boyfriend because I wasn't careful enough. But the worst part of that was that it was true. I did get knocked up. But I hated the thought of my baby having to live the impression that she or he was a mistake.

Jacob's voice awoke me from my reverie.

"Well I guess we should find your luggage and get going then. Come on, Bella."

I nodded and followed him as we maneuvered through the airport. Well at least my attempts to maneuver. I ran into several people on the way, although they apologized to me, since I was the pregnant one. Then I got the stares. I just ignored them and followed Jacob as we found my luggage and made our way to his car.

"So, Bella, what's new? I haven't seen you in ages," Jacob said as we pulled onto the highway. I already knew where this was headed.

"Not that much, Jake. I mean besides this," I said as I gestured to my stomach.

He looked over at me and grinned. "And if you don't mind my asking, how did that happen? Clearly, you didn't bring the father with you."

"That's because the father is dead."

"Oh. Geez, Bella I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"It's alright," I said softly. "You didn't know. And it happened a couple months ago. He died in a car crash. Some drunk driver ran a red light. He was on his way to propose to me."

"Oh, Bella, that's awful."

"Yeah, I suppose it is. I'm just sorry that my baby will never know their real father."

"Yeah that's a shame," he said. "How long were you guys together?"

"We were together for six months before I got pregnant. I was three months pregnant when he died. He was on his way to meet me. And when they searched him, they found an engagement ring in his pocket."

Jacob turned and looked at me. His eyes were full of the most sincere concern I had seen in a long time. At the funeral, everyone acted sympathetic, but no one seemed to care how I felt about everything. I was just the girlfriend. The knocked-up girlfriend at that. I had been the gossip at the funeral. Of course, that only invoked more stares. But I knew I deserved it. I wasn't half as sad as I should have been. I was sad that my baby wouldn't have a father, and I was sad that I lost a small source of comfort, but that's it. I never loved him. I knew I never would have, even if I had accepted his proposal. There was only one man I could ever love. And he didn't love me back.

After that, Jacob and I were silent for awhile. There just wasn't the need for conversation. It was only when we got closer to Forks that he spoke.

"Do you know if it's a boy or girl?" he asked.

"I don't have a clue. I never asked."

"You are going to keep it, aren't you?"

"I plan to, Jake. I don't think I could give it up and not know what happened. If they got treated badly I'd feel guilty." I really would. And after all the comfort that this child has provided me, I don't think I could give them up. I need a new reason to live, or at least, something to distract me from the other reason, even though that was nearly impossible.

It was then that I realized the car had stopped. I was home. And despite the pain, and despite the responsibility and work I had before me, it felt good to be back.