Summary: After a night of being cruelly criticized by her family, Edward strives to make Bella realize just how beautiful she is.

Hello, everyone! Okay, so I know that I have a bunch of other projects lined up to be finished, but this is something that I needed to let out. Some of the events of this story have actually occurred, as much as it breaks my heart to tell you so. I guess you can say that this is my way of responding to something that has been bothering me for ages, which will become clear as you read through the story. Nobody deserves to hear criticisms like this, especially not from the people they love. Nobody. It disgusts me and breaks my heart at the same time. Even if you don't like the story, there's one thing I want you all to take away from this: words can break a spirit just as easily as actions.

This is for you, Kate. I'm sorry for what I didn't say. You're beautiful, girl, don't let them tell you otherwise.

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any relating plots or characters.

Beautiful

By Ardent Ly

"When was the last time you went jogging, Isabella?" Her aunt called out to her from across the dining table, setting her critical eye over her niece's form. "You must've gained at least ten pounds since the last time I saw you and that was only a few months ago." Bella squirmed in her seat, her confidence crumbling under the scrutiny of her family members. Edward, resting just to her left, scowled slightly at the attack made on his girlfriend of three years, who was now washed a vibrant shade of red.

"Now, now," Charlie tried to settle from the head of the table. "This is hardly Thanksgiving dinner talk. Leave the girl alone, Leah." Bella shot her father a grateful look, turning back to her plate of turkey and other helpings. Watching her closely, Edward couldn't help but notice the way she poked and prodded at her food, deepening the frown on his face.

"But she's right, Bella," Her mother, Renee, added from Charlie's side. "You're starting to get on the pudgy side again, dear, and we can't have that, now can we?"

"No, mom." Bella responded automatically, her eyes still pointed downwards.

Her mother didn't let up, turning towards Edward."Why, I remember when she was a little girl – well, she could never really be called little, mind you, but anyways – she was always the largest child in her class. Even among the boys!" She laughed heartily at some private memory, while Edward, not wishing to be rude, simply shared a polite smile with her.

"I can arrange for you to get a membership in a gym I occupy, Isabella. It's up in the city, so you can go on your way home from work." Her aunt insisted, spearing some vegetables into her overly wide-set mouth.

"Thank you, Aunt Leah." She replied, trying to appear relieved with the information. Only the bronze-haired man at her side could distinguish the beaten slouching of her shoulders and downcast eyes as one of mortification. Charlie shot his wife and sister-in-law another disapproving glance, which went unnoticed by the two.

"Yes, and you should join my yoga class, as well." Renee insisted. "It'll do wonders for your thighs and calves. I'm sure Edward doesn't want a fat girlfriend." She and Leah shared an airy laugh. The defeat of Bella's stance grew more prominent, her shoulders so slumped they almost touched the table.

Unable to stay quiet any longer, her boyfriend snapped, "I don't know what you're talking about, Mrs. Swan. Bella doesn't need to be a size two to keep me around – she's perfect the way she is. I'm lucky to have a girl like her who loves me as much as I love her." To prove his point, he leaned down and pecked her square on the temple, secretly engulfing her tiny hand with his under the table. Charlie nodded approvingly at his actions, telling him that he had just passed the "Meet The Father" test. The two harpies – as he referred to him in his head – were stunned into silence by his powerful assertion.

"You nabbed a good one, Bells." Her dad commented before popping another morsel of turkey in his mouth.

"I did, dad." She replied softly, briefly squeezing Edward's hand.

The rest of the evening played out with Edward sticking closely by Bella's side, fearing what her relatives might say once he was out of earshot. After a quick round of coffee and dropping a few loose promises to visit soon, the couple headed home, both equally grateful that the night was over.

"Thank you for what you did back there." Bella said shyly, turning her palm upwards to meet his.

Chancing a glance away from the road and towards hers, Edward lifted their joined hands to his mouth, brushing her knuckles with the sweet pressure of his lips. "You're welcome, love. Dinner was...interesting." He murmured, still slightly enraged at the callous conversation that transpired over dinner.

Smile faltering, her chin fell, losing the contact she had with his depthless green-gold eyes. "That's not what I meant… Don't get me wrong, I really appreciate you coming down here and visiting with me and I'm glad you had a good time… but what I meant was, thank you for what you said earlier. To my mom and aunt, I mean." Tears burned the back of her eyes and she had to turn away, ashamed at the uncharacteristic bout of emotion. She was startled when the car began to slow and then eventually stop, resting just along the sides of the nearly abandoned road. It was silent for a moment before she heard the unmistakable click of disengaged a seat belt.

"Bella? Bella, baby, look at me." Forcing her head up, she was taken aback at the fierce expression on his face. "They're the reasons, aren't they?"

"Reasons for what?" She whispered though still feeling as if she were too loud.

His mouth set into a saddened droop, his brows drawn into what she would call an infuriated furrow. "The reason why you won't let me touch you; why you always pull back when I get too close. They're the reasons why you won't let me hug you from behind and why you wear cardigans even on the warmest days." The hurt lacing his tone pierced her deeply.

Her brows lifted at his statements. She hadn't realized he was so aware of her actions. "My family has… always made sure I knew I had no reason to be proud of my body." She confessed, instantly regretting it. She went on to abuse her bottom lip with her teeth. Her earliest memories were of the cruel school children bullying her because of her hefty frame and of her mother placing her on a diet the age of ten after being chastened by numerous family members for having an overweight child. Even sitting in the darken interior of his pristine car she felt subconscious, tugging the material of her navy blue tunic forward to conceal the rolls that prodded from her sides.

Cradling her rounded, delicate face in his grasp, he forced her to look straight at him. "Don't." He commanded sharply, unintentionally making her wince. "Don't you ever, ever listen to what they have to say about you, do you hear me, baby? I meant every word I said back there; you're absolutely perfect the way you are now. I wouldn't change a hair on your head. You can join a gym or do some yoga after work if you want, but only do it if you want to, not because they told you to." He kissed her deeply, willing the sharp words of her relatives out of her mind. He channelled every unspoken feeling into the kiss, making sure she knew with every sweep of his tongue and nip of her lip just how precious she was.

"Promise me, baby." he breathed against her cheek when they separated. "Promise me you'll never listen to them. You're a beautiful woman; my beautiful woman. You will never change in my eyes, not in five years; not in fifty years. I love you."

"I'll try," she mumbled against his lips, tears sliding freely down her face. "I swear I'll try."

"That's all I ask." And with that, Edward lovingly gripped her generous hips and claimed her mouth once more.