Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or the characters.

All I Want

Ch 7

I could see his lips moving, but I couldn't hear what he was saying. The only sound I heard was the blood rushing in my ears. I couldn't speak. I didn't know what to say. I looked only at him; all of him.

His hair was a tousled mess that made me want to run my fingers through it like I had so many months ago. Those green eyes were the same beautiful eyes I remembered and dreamt about every night. The same green eyes I looked into everyday since Claire was born. Shoulders that, I knew, were more defined underneath the shirt that he wore. His long arms led to those gloriously hands and long fingers; fingers that worked my body over in the best of ways. Finally, I looked at his chest that was a perfectly carved for my head to rest on, no matter where I laid it.

How? How did he get here? How did he find me?

Honestly, I didn't care how he had gotten there. He was standing in front of me, and I wanted to wrap myself around him. I wanted to tell him that I missed him, that I thought of him every day. I wanted to tell him about Claire and the he was her father.

I looked behind me, looking for Claire. With a clarity that had escaped me before, I saw the train wreck that was my life and how it was about to fall apart.

"Bella?" I heard Rosalie call my name. I had been so focused on him that I had forgotten where I was.

A breath that I had been holding whooshed out of my longs with such force that it hurt.

"Bella?" My stranger looked at Rosalie with confusion clear on his face.

"Yes, this is Bella, mine and Alice's bff. You know, Mike's wife," Rose explained.

He turned to look at me and his expression was unreadable.

"You're Bella Newton? Isabella Newton?" he asked.

I held my hands together tightly in front of me and nodded. I wasn't sure I could speak.

I saw his eyes flick over my shoulder to where I knew Mike was standing by the grill, then back to me. His nostrils flared, and he licked his lips angrily as he shook his head at me. He noticed Rosalie watching him and his features quickly changed from angry to happy.

"Well, it is a pleasure to finally meet you, Bella. I've heard so much about you, it's like I already know you," he said, extending his hand for me to shake. "I'm Edward Masen."

I gave him my hand to shake and smiled at the tingle that I felt when we touched. Edward, I finally knew his name. My beautiful stranger and Claire's daddy was Edward.

Wait a minute.

"E-Edward? Edward Masen, as in M-Mike's boss?" I stuttered, with our hands still clasped.

"The very one," he flashed me the same panty melting smile he did the night I picked him up.

Oh sweet baby Jesus, I had slept with and had a baby with my husband's boss. I was definitely going to hell.

"Bella, what is wrong with you?" Rose's low voice, close to my ear, broke through my stress-jammed brained once again.

"Rose, this is Edward." I was letting a bit of my crazy slip out, but I couldn't stop myself. "You know, Mike's boss, Edward."

"Yes, Bella, I know,"she grabbed the wrist of the hand that was still holding his tightly and pulled our hands apart. "He is Emmett's brother, too. Remember? We've been trying to introduce you two for a while now."

She was talking to me like a parent talks to their three year old in an effort to diffuse a tantrum before it started. The look on her face told me she was concerned about me freaking out.

I took a deep breath and squeezed Rose's hand in thanks for helping me regain the mental stability that was barely there.

"I'm sorry. I'm being terribly rude. It is very nice to meet you Edward. The drinks are over there, food is on that table, and Mike is manning the grill." I pointed out were everything was because if I moved, I feared my legs would buckle from the shock of seeing him there. "Help yourself to anything we have, Rose can help you with whatever you need." I smiled at him and started to back away. I didn't want to leave him, but I needed a moment alone. This was not how I expected to see him again. I didn't think I'd ever see him again; but if I had, this was most definitely not the way I saw it going down.

He stepped towards me, and I think his hand started to reach for me, but I turned away and walked as fast as I could without running towards the back door. There were a few people in the kitchen, but I ran past them into the bathroom and locked the door. I pressed my back against the door and slid down until my butt hit the floor.

This is what I wanted; and yet, I was scared. What should I do now? He was here. He found me. He found us, Claire and me. I had to tell him the truth. I had to tell him about Claire. I already planned to leave Mike and was going to tell him after today, but I hadn't planned on my strang- Edward being here for it all. I thought that Mike would be gone before I had to face Edward but fate had once again intervened.

You couldn't have given me a few more weeks before you brought him back to me? Waited until it wasn't so complicated?

Someone was knocking at the door. I figured it was Rose coming to check on me after my freak out, but when I opened the door the hard chest that I was met with did not belong to Rose. I let my eyes roam over his body before I looked up at him. He was still as beautiful as I remembered him.

"Isabella, are you okay?" His brow was furrowed, he looked worried.

He was worried about me.

"I'm fine."

"You keep running away from me," he breathed out.

My head lowered and I stared at my shoes, not able to take the hurt in his eyes or his voice. I felt his fingers on my chin as he lifted my face to his.

"Don't hide from me, please?" he begged as he stepped into me, effectively, putting us out of view from any passersby.

I stepped back a little, and he took another step forward, reached his hand back, and closed the door.

My heart jumped up into my throat. I tried to swallow it back down as I watched his fingers turn the lock on the door. It was just the two of us. It didn't matter that there was a party going outside of the door, in here it felt like the first night we met. The electricity was sparking, and I was surprised nothing had caught on fire. The need to be together was clear in both of us. I wanted to reach out and grab him, take him right here in this bathroom with my husband, soon to be ex, and all our family and friends gathered in the backyard in celebration of our daughter.

Mine and Edward's daughter. That thought of Claire cleared my fogged brain enough for me to speak.

"Edward, we need to talk. There are some things that I need to tell you. Some things you need to know."

"I already know that you are married. It doesn't matter. I've been looking for you every day since our first night together. I found you, and I don't plan on letting you run away from me again."

"It doesn't matter? How can you say that? There is so much you don't know. You may not feel that way after I tell you everything."

"I don't care, we'll figure it out," he whispered, taking the final step that brought us chest to chest. His right hand cupped my cheek. I felt his long fingers grip around the side of my neck.

I sighed at his touch, tilting my face into his hand as I stared into his deep green eyes. His touch was so warm, so comforting. I missed his touch. I let myself enjoy it one last time because I didn't know if he'd still want me after my secret was out in the open. His left hand came up to mimic his other. He was looking at my mouth, and I knew what he wanted. I wanted it too, so much. I licked my lips as his face lowered to mine. He stopped just shy of my mouth and his eyes met mine, asking, begging for permission. Permission that I wanted to grant but couldn't, not until I had told him about Claire. I couldn't do this with him at a party filled with friends and family. In the home I had built with my husband. I might not love Mike anymore, but I owed him at least that bit of respect.

A knock at the door scared the hell out of me and saved me from rejecting him. My heart was beating double time. I prayed no one had seen Edward follow me in here. I grabbed his wrists tightly, but he didn't move except to rub his thumbs on my cheeks. I was sure he felt the tension in my jaw and my pulse racing in my neck.

"Bella, Claire is crying. We changed her, but I think she is hungry," Nic called through the door.

"I-I'll be r-right out. Her uh…pacifier is in her crib. S-see if she'll t-take it," I stammered.

"Are you felling alright, Bella?"

"Yeah, yeah, just a little, um, overwhelmed. I'll be out to get Claire in just a minute."

I waited until I couldn't hear her footsteps before I spoke, "I have to go. Duty calls."

He had yet to move. His eyes were ping-ponging all over my face. Nodding his head, he dropped his hands.

"You won't run away again, will you?" he asked with a slight smile on his face.

"I live here; I'm not going anywhere. Besides, we have a lot to talk about."

"I'm holding you to that." He stepped back behind the door and pulled it open for me while hiding behind it. He closed the door behind me and I made my way to my daughter.

I could hear Claire's cries coming from the kitchen. Rose was bouncing her gently, attempting to keep her quiet, but it wasn't working. Claire was not keen on being kept waiting for her meals. I took her from Rose and the look I got from her told me we'd be discussing my mental lapse immediately.

"Come on, we can talk while I nurse Claire."

I heard two sets of feet behind me, letting me know that Alice had either seen what happened or Rose had filled her in. When we were in the nursery, I sat in the glider next to the window and set to feeding the baby. I liked to feed Claire, so she could see out window. Rose stood on the other side of the window and Alice leaned against the closed door. I wasn't shy about nursing in front of them. They'd been in the delivery room and through everything that followed with me. I was still new at this and couldn't be bothered with modesty and covering up in front of my girls.

"What happened out there, Bella?" Rose jumped right in.

"It's him," I breathed out, as I looked at Claire.

"I know it has to do with Edward, but what about him had you losing it out there? I mean I know he is good looking but-"

"Rose, it is him." My brain was still not functioning properly. I am an educated woman. My job floods me with words, and yet I could not find the words to explain to my best friends and one month old daughter that her father had found us. That my breakdown outside was because the man I had a one night stand with was downstairs in my back yard. That my husband's boss is the man who fathered my child. That I fell out of what I thought was love with my husband because of the man downstairs.

"Em and Jazz thought that since we've been trying to introduce you for a while that it would be okay to bring him today. He had the day off and was going to sit around and mope. They decided on the way here to pick him up to get him out of the house," Alice explained.

"I'm glad they did, otherwise I may have never seen him again," I told them as I looked out the window. I watched Edward talk to Emmett, and saw Mike by the grill with Jessica. They were standing closer than before and seemed to be looking in Edward's direction.

A gasp came from Rose. I turned to look at her and saw her head turning from Claire to look back out the window and back to Claire. I watched her face as she put it together.

"Again?"

I nodded. I didn't need to say anymore; she got it.

"Hooooly shhhhhit!"

Alice walked over to us. "What? What do you mean, again?"

"I've met Edward before. Once."

"Edward is M&M!" Rose whisper yelled.

"If Edward is M&M, then that makes him…" Alice pointed at Claire and again I just nodded.

"Edward was your one night stand," Rose stated aloud like she needed to physically hear the words to believe them.

I sat, looking at the product of our night together and touched her tiny fingers and chubby cheek, keeping myself from falling apart at the utter madness that had become my life.

Silence fell over the room as we all digested what had been revealed.

Alice's head pivoted from the window and back to me. I scrunched my eyebrows wondering what she was thinking, but I didn't have to wait long at all. "Bella…Edward…one night stand." She looked back out the window towards Edward as she muttered her disjointed thoughts out loud. "Edward…one night stand…Isabella. Oh my God, you're the one he's been looking for, waiting for all this time." Alice's eyes were fixed on me and wide as saucers when she finished talking.

"What?" I nearly screeched, scaring Claire and making her cry. After clipping my bra closed, I calmed her down and was burping her before I could speak again. Alice had shocked the hell out of me with her statement. I had been so lost in my own mind that everything else had not even registered on my radar. Could I really be the one he had been looking for? Was I the woman he was waiting for fate to bring him? Was it possible that he felt the same for me as I felt for him?

I had so many questions tumbling in my already too crowded head that I was getting a headache.

"You are his Isabella! You are the girl he has been holding out for," Alice repeated.

"This just keeps getting better." Rose smirked.

"Rose!" Alice gave a look that said she wasn't helping and turned back to me. "Bella, does he know anything yet?"

"No, I haven't had a chance to talk to him yet. I plan to tell him everything, but it doesn't feel right to do it here. We have so much to talk about, and it is going to be overwhelming for him. I want to do it when we are alone and have plenty time to sort through everything. You know, it isn't everyday that you learn you have a baby from a one night stand," I explained.

"Hmmm, no kidding," Rose agreed and Alice just nodded.

"So what is the plan, Isabella?" Rose asked with a smile.

I took a deep breath through my nose and blew it out through my mouth that my lips made that horse flapping sound. "Well...I have to talk with Edward to see when is a good day and time for he and I to talk. We enjoy the rest of the party. Then tomorrow I tell Mike the truth, give him the divorce papers, and pray for the best."

"The best being that he goes without a fight and you and Edward can live happily ever after?" Rose's face was hopeful.

"No, the best being that when all the dust has settled Mike and Edward don't hate me. That Edward will want to be in Claire's life," I spoke softly. I was certain Mike would leave and never look back after learning that I'd cheated in him and gotten pregnant. But to add insult to injury, it was with Edward, his boss and someone he disliked with a passion.

I didn't know what I would do if after I told Edward about Claire, he wanted nothing to do with either one of us.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked up into Alice's eyes. "If you need anything let us know. What you are going through is enough to drive anybody crazy, but you aren't alone, sweetie. You have us and we will be here for you no matter what. We're family."

"Thank you. I love you girls. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Well, you never have to find out," Rose said, walking over to Alice and I.

We exchanged an awkward hug since I was still sitting down. I was happy that I had my girls and that Claire had such wonderful aunts to help me raise her. Our little girl was never going to want for anything.

We made our way back to the party, and I could feel the tension all around. I looked at Mike, and he was practically glaring at someone. I followed his line of sight to find Edward on the receiving end of Mike's not-so-nice face. Edward was giving it right back, though. I needed to know why they disliked each other. Something big must have happened. Something more than the contract screw up that Mike mentioned. I just couldn't worry about it today. Today, I was churning in my own sea of emotions; I couldn't deal with someone else's.

I rejoined the table where all the girls were, situating myself to be able to see the entire back yard. Who was I kidding? I was making sure I could see Edward. How could I not look at him? He was standing in my yard after all this time. After all the dreams and memories I relived daily of him, thinking I'd never see him and Claire would never know her father, he was here. He'd found us.

He was beautiful. His hair screamed, "I just had amazing marathon sex", and I knew exactly what that marathon sex felt like. Green eyes that would look straight through to your soul and find out all your secrets, soft lips that I could kiss forever, strong jaw that begged to be licked, and a nicely muscled chest and abs that made my hands twitch from wanting to roam all over it.

I felt a nudge on my knee and looked away from Edward to see Alice looking at me with raised eyebrows. She quickly cut her eyes to Edward, back to me, then to Mike. She barely shook her head. She'd caught me ogling Edward and was warning me. I let my eyes roam the yard casually towards Mike to see if he'd noticed the thorough eye fucking I'd just given Edward, but he was once again occupied with Jessica. It was just the two of them now; all their other co-workers had gone off to talk to other guests.

I sat watching them. They were talking quietly. She reached over and touched his arm like she was trying to calm or sooth him. He wrapped his hand around her elbow and leaned in to whisper something to her. She nodded in response, and he stepped back away from her.

I couldn't give that exchange anymore thought because I was pulled away by Amy and Ang to open presents. I handed a sleeping Claire off to Nic, and Christine began handing me wrapped boxes to open.

Claire received more clothes than she could wear in her lifetime and a few mommy pampering gifts were also in the mix. Thank God because I would be in need of those soon.

The cake was brought out, and everyone dispersed to mingle once it was gone. I hadn't had much time to think about anything, much less talk to Edward to set up a time to talk. I was kept busy. The girls and I began to clean up and put things away. During the many trips in and out from the house to the yard I noticed Edward watching me. Our eyes would lock and we'd smile at one another.

I was grabbing the last tray of food off the table to take inside when I heard someone clear their throat behind me. "Do you any help with that?" I knew who it was before he spoke. The pull I felt in my gut when he was near me gave him away.

I turned with the tray in my hands and smiled. This may be your only chance to get him away from the party.

"Yeah, sure. Thanks." I handed him the tray.

He walked beside me back into the house. Luck was on my side for a change, the kitchen was empty. He put the tray on the counter and turned around to lean against it. I looked around to make sure that there was nobody with in ear shot.

"Edward we need to talk, but here is not the place to do it. Could you meet me somewhere for coffee or lunch later this week?"

"You keep saying that." He raised his eyebrows and tilted his head with a slight smile.

Maybe he was trying to keep things light, but the reality of our situation was anything but light. After I dropped my bomb on him, we needed to decide what the next step would be. Would he want to be in our lives? Would he want nothing to do with Claire? Or me? We had visitation to work out and we had to tell our families. Well, he had to tell his family, but I had to tell my family the truth. No more hiding and no more lies.

"Because it is true. I need to tell you everything that has happened since…that night," I breathed out the last two words.

He pulled out his phone, pushed a few buttons and looked at the screen.

"I have a few things to do, but I can move them around."

"That'd be great. What time?"

"Well, there are a few things I need to tell you as well. Will brunch be okay? We can meet at this great little place down-"

"I think maybe it should be somewhere a little more less…public." I looked up to see his eyebrows joining his hair line and realized what I said.

"Oh, no, I didn't mean it like that! I just meant..."

"It's okay Bella, I know what you meant," he said with a smile on his face. "I have a few questions for you and something I need to tell you. A public place isn't going to be the best place for you after I do."

His words scared me, and my eyes turned toward the floor to hide my fear from him. He had something he needed to tell me that I wasn't going to like? Did he find out about Claire? How? He couldn't have. Only Rose and Alice knew, and they wouldn't tell, but what he'd said did not sound good at all. I was pretty sure that what I had to say to him could very well send him running for the hills, but I hoped he would stay. I hoped he would want to be a part our family.

I looked up to see his brows furrowed. Whatever he had to tell me was bothering him. I wanted to smooth out the spot between his brows. My fingers twitched with the need to touch him.

"What? What is it?" I asked trying to distract myself from going to him.

As he opened his mouth to answer me, the back door opened and Mike walked in. He looked at me, then to Edward, and back to me. For just a split second I saw anger in his features, but then he smiled.

"Bella a few of our guests are leaving. They were looking for you to say goodbye." He reached his hand out for mine.

"Sorry, I was cleaning up the dishes. If you'll excuse me, Edward." I looked at Mike's hand and walked around him without taking it. Since I hadn't taken his hand, Mike placed it on my lower back and led me out the door.

Over the next hour our guests slowly trickled out. We said goodbye and thanked them all for coming. Mike was called away to find something but hadn't made it back to me yet. Our closest friends were the only ones left. I was going to go find him when I heard Claire fussing.

I went to her instead of looking for Mike. It was time for her to eat again. The yard was basically back to normal, with just a decoration or two left hanging. I told everyone to come inside with me and make themselves comfortable while I fed the baby. I would only be gone for thirty minutes, but I was sure Mike was inside so he could keep the boys busy. Edward was still there since he'd come with Emmett, and I was sure that Mike wasn't going to like that, but there was nothing I could do to change it. Besides, I wanted him here. I was scared if he left, I wouldn't see him again. It was an irrational thought because I knew how to get in touch with him if I needed to. I knew his brother, his father, and where he worked. I could find him again, but I didn't want him to go yet.

At the top of the stairs Claire began nuzzling, looking for my breast. I sped up and walked to her bedroom door. It was cracked open, and I could hear voices inside and they stopped me in my tracks.

"Baby, calm down, he told you he wouldn't tell anyone. Besides, he's had all day to talk to her, and I guarantee if he'd already told her, she would have confronted you by now," a woman's voice spoke softly. She was with someone else, but they hadn't spoken. I felt my blood boil and surge through me. Who had the audacity to sneak a private moment in a baby's nursery for Christ's sake? I let the anger in me push me forward. I flung the door open and stepped inside the room. The sight before me made me take a step back.

In my rocking chair sat Jessica, but the most disturbing part was that she was sitting on my husband's lap with her arm wrapped around his neck and his arms around her waist. I lifted Claire to my shoulder to protect her from.

"What. Is. Going. On. Here?" My voice got louder with each word that come from my mouth. Even if I was planning on leaving him, it still hurt me to see them like that.

Mike jumped up, shoving Jessica off his lap and stepping away from her. "I-it's not what it looks like? W-we were-"

"I'm not blind, I can see what you were doing!"

"Bella? What's going on, are you okay?" I turned around to see Emmett stop just behind me. Rose was next to him followed by Edward, Jasper, and Alice crowded in the hall just outside the doorway. They all were breathing a bit fast. I guess they ran up the stairs when they heard me raise my voice. I hadn't heard them coming up the stairs, though; the sound of my heart beating a frantic rhythm was consuming my attention. I was certain Claire could feel it against her chest and belly. She had stopped crying but was squirming in my arms. She was hungry, but I knew that my stress was going to pass to her, so I tried to take deep breaths. I rubbed her back for comfort, more mine than hers. I knew she wasn't going to get to eat for a little while longer as I looked around the room and took in the disaster before me.

Mike and Jessica stood by the fouled rocking chair, looking nervous as hell at being found out. Rose and Alice looked suspiciously at the offenders, and confusion filled Emmett and Jasper's faces. But Edward's face was what surprised me and kept me looking at him longer than the others. Rage, barely contained rage, was marked in every line on his face, and his eyes were lit from the inside. They flickered from Jessica to Mike like dancing green flames.

"Everything is fine. Bella and I need a moment to talk…alone," Mike spoke up, gaining everyone's attention.

Is he out of his fucking mind?

"Everything is not fine! How can you say that? What I just walked in on is not fine!" The only thing keeping me in place was my daughter in my arms. Rose stepped up beside me. Her eyes were volleying between Mike and I. The tension in the room was almost visible, and I wanted to get Claire out of that atmosphere.

"Can you take her downstairs? I'll only be a few minutes." I kissed Claire on the head and handed her to Rose. Her expression was uncertain and asking if I was sure. I just nodded.

Jessica stepped forward to follow Rose and Emmett out of the room.

"I don't think so. You stay," I told her, pointing her back to her previous spot. She briefly looked like she wanted to argue, but they look Mike shot her kept her quiet.

She knows what his looks mean. Interesting.

The room cleared out and I was left alone with them.

"How long?" I had to clear my throat from the emotions that clogged it. "How long have you two been…," I couldn't finish, but waved my hand between the two of them.

Jessica was the one who answered, "A year and three months." The strength in her voice and smile on her face showed how young and naïve she truly was. She was proud of the fact that she had taken my husband from me.

I was too shocked to answer. I stood, staring at them and trying to process what she had said. He had been sleeping with her while we were trying to get pregnant. During the hardest time of my life, he was off building a relationship with her. He was making me promises, telling me what I needed to hear and then going to her. All the times he promised we'd keep trying, the countless times he consoled me after I found out I wasn't pregnant, when he told me he loved me, those were all lies.

I knew I didn't love him anymore, but it was still hard to learn he had thrown us away long before I had. He had given up on us during a time I thought we were trying to create a new life, the ultimate symbol of our love. But I was wrong. I was seeing all of his mood swings and actions in a new light.

All the late nights and business trips came crashing through my mind. She was always with him. All day at work, when he went on trips, she even called in the evenings.

Wait a minute… they were together at work. Together together!

"Oh my God, it was you! It was you who Edward walked in on. You two were the ones who got caught fucking in the office." I was almost laughing, this was all too much to process. It was more of a hysterical crazy laugh because nothing about our situation was funny. This was a cluster fuck of massive proportions.

"You told her didn't you?" Mike asked.

I thought he might have meant the question for Jessica, but he was looking at me.

"What?" I was confused, but I heard feet shuffle behind me.

I turned to see Edward there. "I didn't tell her anything. She's not dense, and it doesn't take a genius to see what you two were doing."

Of course he knew; he found them together months ago. A flash of betrayal shot through me, but I squashed it down. I couldn't blame Edward for this. He didn't know who I was, let alone that I was Mike's wife.

"You couldn't even keep away from each other at your daughter's baby shower, in her room no less!"

I needed to stop this. I wanted to get them out of my daughter's room, out of my house. I was already done with our marriage, so I didn't care to argue it out and give Mike, or Edward, the idea that I wanted to work it out. I wanted out. This just made it easier to do it. I wouldn't really be hurting Mike after all. He had chosen Jessica over me a long time ago. Now, he would be free to be with her without me or a baby in his way. He had made what I was going to do next easier for me. I walked out of the nursery and down the hall to my room.

"Bella, wait!" I heard Mike call after me but didn't stop. There was something I needed to give him before I asked him to leave. I had nothing else to say to him. I could hear him following me as I stepped into my room. He reached out and grabbed my wrist, "Bella, please? Let me explain." I stopped but only turned my head to look at him over my shoulder.

"Let go of me," I gritted out between clenched teeth with my eyes burning into his.

"Please, baby?" he begged. His hand did not let go of my wrist, though. I could feel the fire start to rise up again. I didn't want any explanations.

"Let go of me and get out of my room!" I yelled.

He let go of my arm but stepped further into the room. He stood in front of me and started to talk.

"I'm sorry, Bella. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for any of this to happen. It just did. I was trying to be strong for you and each month that you weren't pregnant, it broke my heart to see you so upset-"

"So of course, the next logical step when you're heartbroken over your distraught wife, is to take up a mistress. I get it. It totally makes sense."

"Don't be like that. I know it was wrong, but I just needed to talk to someone and she was there. It just happened, I didn't plan it. Bella, the only time you and I had sex was when you were ovulating. All of the fun and spontaneity was gone. It was hell having to come home. Seeing you so sad all the time and the only time we were together was when the charts and your hormones told us it was time."

"I'm so sorry that our lack of conceiving a baby became such a burden for you. I'm so sorry that wanting to give you a child and my body's lack of cooperation was so hard on you." I walked over to my dresser and pulled out the envelope I had hidden in my clothes.

"Here you go, now you don't have to worry about sneaking around anymore."

"What the hell is this?"

I left him standing there while he opened and began to read the divorce petition I had just given him. I went into the closet, pulled out a suitcase and started to throw his clothes in it. I grabbed whatever I saw. I just wanted him packed and out of my house. I knew he'd need to come back for the rest of his things, but I wanted him out of my sight.

I walked back into the room to see Mike flipping angrily through the papers in his hands. I tossed the suitcase on the bed. "Pack whatever you'll need for a few days. We can set up a day and time for you to come get the rest of your things later."

"I'm not leaving. This is my house, too. You think because you gave me those divorce papers that that's it and I'll go along with whatever you say. It doesn't work that way. I want to talk this out; we can get past this."

"You're right we can get past this…separately. I haven't been happy for a long time and neither have you. Mike, you've been having an affair for over a year for Christ's sake. You don't love me. Just go."

"No! I'm not leaving! What about Claire? You don't want to try to work it out for her?" Mike was yelling, and I could hear footsteps coming down the hallway.

"I am doing this for Claire! Don't you dare try to use her to weasel your way into staying here. You didn't give a shit about her when you where fucking Jessica all this time and you sure as hell didn't think about her when you were cuddled up in her room with your whore! Now, get out of my house!"

"You heard her. Get your things and leave." Edward was standing inside the room behind Mike with his arms crossed over his chest.

Behind Edward were Emmett and Jasper in the same stance. If we were in another situation, it would be comical seeing the three of them standing like that.

"Who do you think you are? This is my house you can't kick me out of my own house!" Mike's face was turning red as he spoke.

Emmett stepped forward and put his hand on Mike's shoulder and started to lead him towards the door. I saw Mike wince as soon as Emmett's hand gripped his shoulder. "Come on, you both need some time to cool down. You don't want to make this harder than it already is."

"Get off me. If anyone is leaving, it is you guys. Bella and I have to talk."

"I don't think so. The only thing I want from you is for you to sign the divorce papers and let me move on with my life. I have nothing more to say to you. You need to go."

He was about to say something but stopped when he found himself surrounded by all three guys.

"You really want to do it this way?" Emmett asked disbelievingly. "I can promise you, it won't turn out in your favor."

Mike scoffed, "This is what you want Bella?" I nodded. "Fine."

He snatched his bag off the bed went to his dresser and threw a few things in it, then went to the closet and grabbed a suit. He walked out of room and down the hall. Jessica was on the stairs. Smart girl not to want to be alone with Rose and Alice, they'd have ripped her apart.

It wasn't until I was on the stairs myself that I heard Claire crying. She must have been starving. I went straight over to her. I took her from Alice and began to bounce her lightly in my arms. I watched Mike walk towards the door with Jessica on his heels. The boys were a few feet behind her.

Emmett came to stand beside Rose and wrapped his arm around her waist. Rose looked ready to pounce on Jessica as she walked by. I was grateful Em was there to hold her back if need be.

I stepped into the foyer as they made it to the door. Mike stopped, dropping his bags by the door. He came back towards me and held his arms out for me to give Claire to him. He still didn't know she wasn't his baby, but there was no way I was going to hand her over to him. I didn't think that he would run out the door with her or anything, but why take the chance? People do crazy things when they are angry.

"Bella, can I say goodbye to my daughter?" Mike was still furious that I was making him leave, but his voice cracked when he spoke.

I heard my friends shuffle closer to me, trying to protect Claire and I.

"I just want to say goodbye," he breathed out.

I heard Jessica huff and looked around Mike's shoulder at her. "She is his baby, too. He has every right to her that you do."

"Oh no, this bitch didn't! Who the fuck do you think you are?" I was surprised to hear those words fly out of Alice's mouth but not enough to keep me from giving her a piece of my mind. I didn't appreciate her telling me what was wrong or right in regards to my daughter.

"Don't mistake my not screaming and yelling for weakness. I invited you into my home and you used my baby's room for your quality time; cuddling in her on her rocking chair. You both make me sick. Get the hell out of my house."

"Jessica meet me at the car," Mike told her.

"Baby, I was trying to-"

Jessica's words were stopped before she could finish. "Jess. Car. Now."

"She's right, though, Bella. We are going to have to work something out because I'm not giving Claire up without a fight."

There it was part of the silver lining to this dark cloud above my head. There would be no custody disputes over Claire. I giggled a little at that thought.

I felt someone touch my shoulder and turned to see Rose looking at me like she had earlier today, as if I'd lost my mind. I winked at her then face Mike again.

"Lucky for you then, there is nothing to fight over because she's not yours." I turned around headed back to my room to feed Claire. I left my friends there to take care of getting Mike out of the house.

I made it to my room, but I could still hear Mike yelling up the stairs. I couldn't make out what he was saying through the closed door, but I was sure he wasn't telling me what a wonderful person I was.

Claire was way past her feeding time and she was ravenous. She had been routing the whole time I held her. My painfully full breasts told me I had waited too long. We lay down on my bed, and she was finally able to eat. The only sound in the room was her sucking and swallowing. All the noise from downstairs had stopped and now my mind was running a hundred miles an hour and my tears we slowly trickling down my face. Too many emotions were going through me to try to figure out which one was making me cry.

I felt guilty. I behaved superior to Mike and I wasn't. I had done the same thing, I had slept with someone else. The baby that was feeding from me was what I took away from my one night stand. I was no different than Mike. Although he had been doing it for over a year, I felt what I had done was worse. The length of his affair was nothing compared to the fact that I brought a child into this world that belonged to another man. I let him believe Claire was his all this time.

I was angry with him and her throwing her two cents in about what Mike was entitled to didn't help. Of course, had Claire been his daughter, they would have been absolutely correct, but she wasn't. When Mike told me he would fight for her, he set off a protective fury I had never felt before. I shouldn't have told Mike he wasn't her father that way, but I didn't want him anywhere near her. After finding him and Jessica together and learning how long he had been betraying me, I didn't want him to be a part of Claire's life like I had originally planned.

What a difference half a day makes. What is it they say about the best laid plans?

Claire wiggling brought me out of my thoughts long enough to roll over and set her up on my other breast. She was starting to slow down, and I knew she'd be asleep before that side was empty.

My emotions wouldn't give me a moment to rest and my tears came a little faster. I knew I would be upset that my marriage had fallen apart, but I was sad that we had hurt each other so completely. We were happy before, but I don't think we were truly in love. The last year and a half had taken it's toll on us. If we had really loved one another, we would have never let it the issues beat us.

There was a soft knock at the door.

"Come in," I called softly over my shoulder since Claire had fallen asleep, and my back was to the door.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't know you were still nursing. I didn't see you in the nursery, so I thought you were done." Edward's voice carried from behind me.

I knew he couldn't see anything, so I put my head back on the pillow and put my boob away before I sat up. I wiped my face dry and turned around.

"It's alright. I couldn't sit in that chair with Claire after…they were in it. I'm going to need some help burning that chair." I shuddered at the thought of feeding my daughter in that chair.

"You can count me in." He smiled sadly. "I'm sorry you had to see that. That was what I wanted to talk to you about. Had I known who you were, I would have come to you sooner."

"It's not your fault. I appreciate you wanting to tell me the truth." That reminded me of everything that I still had to tell him. I was really nervous now that he wouldn't want us. I reached over to put a pillow behind Claire. She was sleeping peacefully, and I couldn't help but smile at her sweet face. I ran my finger tip down her cheek and she smiled a little.

"She is so beautiful. Just like her mom." Edward was right behind me. He was so close that I could feel his heat all over my back.

"That's funny, I think she looks like her dad," I said as I watched our daughter sleep.

"Isabella?"

"Yeah?"

"I don't mean to offend you, and you can tell me to shut up and get out if I do, but if Mike isn't her dad..." He didn't finish sentence, but I knew what he wanted to know. Who was Claire's dad?

This was it. I wanted to do this differently, but he was pretty much asking me and I didn't want to lie to him. I was going to have to tell him now. I took his hand and pulled him to the other side of the bed. "Sit."

I sat on the bed, facing him with one foot on the floor and my other leg bent on the bed. I rubbed my hands over my thighs and took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. I could feel him watching me but, he didn't say a word. He was giving me the time I needed. We finally locked eyes, his green with my brown and a calm settled over me. This was the right, I hoped after the words left my mouth he would stay.

"Edward, she is yours. Ours."

I saw him swallow and the rise and fall of his chest picked up pace.

"Mine? She is mine? I'm her dad?" His eyes left mine and slowly trailed along the bed to our sleeping baby.

"Yes, you're her daddy. I'm so sorry, I didn't know how to find you to tell you."

His hand was scooting towards Claire. He looked a little scared to touch her…like maybe she wasn't real or she would disappear.

"It's ok, you can touch her. She won't wake up; she's a heavy sleeper." I smiled gently.

His hand finally reached her socked feet, and he rubbed her tiny toes with his index finger. I heard him exhale and saw a smile start to form on his lips.

"Do you want to hold her?"

His head snapped to me, and he looked terrified. "I- I…I don't know how to. N-no, no I'll break her."

I didn't mean to giggle, but it was such a cute thing to see this grown man over six foot tall, who could run an entire division of an architectural firm, be turned into a bumbling mess at the thought of holding an eight pound baby.

"You won't break her. She's a lot stronger than she looks, and I can show you how to hold her. Alright?"

His eyes were wide and his brows were almost lost in his ruffled hair but he slowly nodded.

"Okay."

I walked back over to the side of the bed where Claire was sleeping, and I picked her up. She pulled her legs up, tucking them between us as I carried her over to Edward. He didn't take his eyes off us.

"Hold your arms like mine." I shifted her so she was cradled in my arms. He did as he was told and I slowly lowered Claire into his arms for the first time.

"Her head will be supported by the bend in your arm. Wrap your other arm around her back in case she starts to wiggle. Like this." I adjusted his arms a little so he could get more comfortable, but he was still nervous and a little rigid.

I stepped back to give them a moment to spend with her. I couldn't hold back the tears as watched him taking everything about her in. He relaxed enough where he brought his hand away from her back, and touched her wherever he could. He used the back of his fingers to caress her cheek. He held her foot between his index finger and thumb. He gently cupped her head and brushed her hair forward. He put her hand in the palm of his. Her hand was tiny compared to his. Finally, he talked to her.

"Hi beautiful girl, I'm your dad," he spoke so quietly, I almost didn't hear him.

"I'm not sure how to do this. You are going to have to work with me until I figure this out, but I want us to figure it out together," he said a little louder, looking up to me. I smiled through my tears and nodded.

AN:

I don't know how many of you are still with me after that super long wait for this chapter. I'm sorry for that. RL decided to hand me a few things that threw me for a loop, and then landed me in surgery, but I'm back. Thank you to those of you who are still here.

A lot happened in this chapter, but we are finally rid of Mike! Woohoo . Edward found Bella and he said he want to stay with her. That's a good thing. Next chapter is the big talk.

Big thank you goes to TroubleFollows1017 for cleaning this up. I also want to thank all my FB girls who turned up the pressure.