A/N: I'm trying to keep this rolling and update once a week or so...that being said, it will be a couple of weeks before the next chapter. I will be at Cub Scout camp next week and while I'd prefer to be home writing, I will instead be tying knots and learning CPR with 10 10 year old boys. Wish me luck!

Chapter 12

I opened my eyes and the room was dark. I just laid there for a moment, wondering where I was then my senses realized I was in my room. A quick glance at the clock showed it was late, or really early, depending on how you chose to look at it. I knew I wouldn't get anymore sleep, I was the type that once I woke, I was up and the growling of my stomach reminded me that I had missed dinner.

I climbed out of bed, pulled on a pair of jeans and quietly made my way down to the kitchen. Late night raids on the kitchen were more Emmett's speed, but it seemed I was here more frequently than he was, at least so far this summer. I found some leftovers that Mom had put away and after a quick round in the microwave, I grabbed a fork and prepared to eat. I headed out to the backyard to enjoy the night while I ate. I expected to be alone. Imagine my surprise when I wasn't.

"Can't sleep?" Bella asked.

"Slept too much," I explained. I shoveled a forkful of pasta into my mouth and sat down at the table. Bella was stretched out on the hammock Emmett and Dad had put in the summer before. She looked comfortable and like she had been out here for a while now. "You?"

"Sometimes I'll come out here to sleep, I think the rocking helps," she told me.

"I'll go back inside then, let you get back to sleep," I said quickly, starting to rise from the table.

"No, stay, please? Maybe we can have that talk now?" She asked hesitantly.

I sat back down and stared at the plastic bowl in front of me. Was I ready to tell her what I thought, to hear what she wanted to say? I guessed I should, but that didn't mean I wanted it to happen.

"Sure, let's talk," I sighed. I pushed the bowl away from me and leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms over my chest.

"I really want to say I'm sorry for what happened back at my father's house earlier," Bella started. "It wasn't fair for me to drag you into that, especially without warning."

"You're right, it wasn't," I agreed. My nose still hurt, my pride was hurt and I was still angry at her. The nap hadn't really changed things.

"I knew what my mother would be like and I knew Jake was there. I didn't know he would punch you though. I am so sorry about that," she said. I watched as she sat up in the hammock and look at me. Her hands were clasped tightly together and she was biting her bottom lip. As much as I really didn't like he at that moment, I really wanted to tug that lip free from her teeth using only my lips. It was a little twisted to be angry and turned on at the same time I'll admit, but I was a guy.

"So why did you do it? Why not give me some warning at least?" I asked.

"I needed you," she said quietly. "I knew I couldn't face them alone and needed you there with me."

I closed my eyes and slowly shook my head in disbelief. "Bella, you have a strange way of letting people know what you need."

"I'm not used to it," she explained.

"To what? Dealing with your family? Jake?" I asked in disbelief.

"No, in asking for help. You saw my family, you saw what I've had to deal with. A father who can rule the town as police chief but runs from confrontation at home, a mother who is outspoken, opinionated and happy to voice it to anyone within shouting distance and an ex-boyfriend to thinks of me as a possession, not a human being. I just learned to deal with it the best way I knew how," she told me. As she spoke, she moved from the hammock and over to the table. When she was finished, she sat down in the chair across from me and stared at me hard, begging me to understand, to forgive her.

"And the best way was being a doormat?" I asked bluntly. "Because that is what I saw Bella, you just taking whatever they dished out, with no defense for yourself or for me."

"I'm sorry about that," she told me again.

"I am too," I agreed. "How do I know that won't happen with the baby? That you won't defend or protect the baby around them? I refuse to let that happen to my child."

Bella looked hurt at what I said and shook her head quickly. "I promise you, the baby won't go through that. I won't let it happen."

"Forgive me if I don't believe you Bella, but I have my doubts," I told her honestly.

Her face showed the anger that was building inside her at my comment. Her cheeks flushed dark red and her eyes narrowed. Before she could get a full head of steam going though, I spoke again.

"Right now, I think it's best if you avoid them," I told her. "For the baby's sake."

She let out a harsh breath and glared at me. "The baby is fine," she told me. "If I want to see my family, I will."

"Your family causes stress on you, which causes stress on the baby, you will not hurt my baby," I told her firmly.

"Your baby? This baby is mine too and I have rights just as much as you do, more even since it's housed inside of me," she argued.

"That may be true but I'm not being a selfish spoiled brat and thinking of someone other than myself," I told her angrily.

"A brat? Spoiled? Who in the hell do you think you are Mr my-family-is-fucking-perfect Cullen? Maybe you need to look up the definition of spoiled because if anyone here at the table is spoiled, it's you!" She turned and marched into the house, only at the last minute avoiding slamming the door shut. I sighed and sank back down onto the chair. I pulled the bowl of food I had been eating toward me and played with it for a moment before shoving it away again. I wasn't hungry, I was angry and feeling a remorseful. Why couldn't we seem to get things to work? Every time I thought we had reached a good point, a point where I could see us getting along well into the future, we had a fight and went back to square one. I was tired of the ups and downs. I was really beginning to doubt it was worth it.

I made my way back into the house and poured my thoughts and feelings in the Bella files. I hadn't really added much since I had been home but the tone had changed. Those last couple of weeks at school, I had been optimistic, that I could have a happy future that included not only the baby, but Bella as well. Now, I didn't feel any of that at all. I'd be lucky if we'd be civil to one another during visits to see the baby. It was a giant step backwards when we hadn't made too much forward progress to begin with. It didn't bode well for the future.

Over the next few days, everyone in the house became aware that Bella and I were avoiding each other, but not the reasons why. I suspected Mom figured it out and probably told Dad, but Emmett was clueless and drove me insane trying to figure out what was going on.

I was in my bedroom, rereading the Bella files once again, trying to see if I could figure out a way to make things better again when a knock came at my door.

"Go away Em, I don't want to talk," I called out, my eyes not leaving the screen. I heard the door open and I rolled my eyes, then slowly turned to tell my brother to get out.

"Well, I want to talk and since I have you cornered, you'll just have to listen to me," Rosalie said. She leaned against the door frame, her arms folded over her chest and she glared at me.

"I have nothing to say to you Rose, please leave," I told her calmly though I was feeling anything but.

"I have plenty to say to you Edward, so you'll just have to listen," she announced. She stalked into the room and headed straight for me.

"How could you tell Bella those things? Stress her out? Don't you care about her? About the baby?" Rose demanded.

I rolled back from my desk slightly, turning to face her head on and argued back. "Rose, it is between Bella and I, it has nothing to do with you."

"Bella is my friend, I stick up for my friends," she said.

"Good, because Bella certainly doesn't know how to stick up for herself. Excuse me, I need to go to the bathroom," I told her, standing up and waiting for her to move out of my way. "I expect you to be gone when I get back." I strode across the room and out into the hall to the bathroom. I gathered myself while I was in there, forcing myself to remain calm even though Rosalie clearly wanted to fight. She was Emmett's girl and I didn't want to fight with Em, so I would do my best to not fight with Rose.

When I returned to my room, Rosalie wasn't gone. Far from it. She had discovered what I had left open on my computer and I crossed the room quickly, slamming the top down on my laptop and staring down at her in shock.

"That was private, what gave you the right to read what was on my computer?" I asked.

Rosalie smiled up at me and shrugged. She really was something, I thought. First coming in here and yelling at me about upsetting Bella, now reading my private thoughts on my computer. She had some gall and I was going to be talking to Emmett about it, regardless if it got him upset with me or not.

"Are you going to answer me?" I demanded and Rose just smiled. She leaned back in the chair, interlacing her fingers across her stomach and looked up at me.

"I can help you win over Bella," she said simply.

"Why do you think I want you to do that?" I quickly asked in surprise.

Her eyes indicated the computer and then she looked back at me. "It's obvious from reading that you love her. She needs someone in her life who will love her. I can help you."

I stared at her for a moment, then shook my head. "No, whatever is between Bella and I is just us, no one else."

Rose laughed. "Yeah, because that is working so well for you. You need my help Edward and I want to give it to you." She rose from the chair and slowly walked from the bedroom, opening the door and stopping in the doorway to look back at me. "Think about it."