A/N: I don't own this. We all know who does. What I do own is a husband who drives me crazy half the time. He loves things I hate, like peanut butter cookies. It's only because I love him that I actually bake them for him and let the stench of them stink up my house and make me gag. If that's not real love, I don't know what is. :)

Thanks to MariahajilE for being brave and smart and far too good to me. She fixes me, even though I'm sure the thought of cleaning up my messes makes her want to head for the hills. :)

I wrote this for the Fandom for Friends charity collab. Thank you to those who donated. Our fandom is pretty wonderful and caring and giving. That's really cool. :)

This is the Bella POV to this little tale. Lots of readers wanted to read more, so here it is. :) I don't have any more planned for these two, but I've learned something during my time in the fandom. Never say never. Ever. :)

.~'~0~'~.

The past month had been torture for Bella. How she had managed to stay away from Edward, her husband and only love, was beyond her. Except that she was hurt. She was torn and ripped apart and sad. So, so sad. Her sister, Angela, tried to cheer her up, to make her feel better, or at least normal, but nothing worked. Without Edward, there was no point to life. Then she felt a tiny fluttering kick inside of her, and she remembered there was a point - there was a purpose - and that part of Edward was still with her no matter where she went.

Bella had loved Edward from the first moment she saw him. He wasn't perfect like many girls thought. He wasn't smooth like all of his friends thought. He wasn't conceited like her father thought. He was sweet and funny and vulnerable. And he was talented. He was so amazingly talented that when she heard him sing as he played his guitar, she knew he was bigger than their small town. He was bigger than anything either of them had ever known. And he was definitely bigger than her. He didn't see it, though, and that gave her hope that maybe, just maybe, they could beat the odds. Maybe they'd make it.

Their wedding had been small, just close family and a few friends. Not many people knew, especially Edward's manager, Jasper. Bella didn't like him for some unknown reason. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but he wasn't a good man. The fact that he practically ignored her and her requests when booking Edward for gigs didn't go unnoticed by her, but Edward assured her over and over again that that's how things were done for newcomers. He had to put in his time and pay his dues before he could start demanding things from the record label.

Life on a tour bus was hard for Edward and even harder for Bella. Every couple of weeks, she had to watch him drive away from her, not knowing exactly when she'd see him again or how much time they'd have when it did happen. Birthdays came and went, and she spent them alone. Holidays seemed to fly by, and he called her for each one. When their first anniversary passed and there was a thousand miles between them, Bella hit her limit. She couldn't take the distance anymore, and when Edward pulled back into town for a couple of days, she boarded the bus with him when it was time to go. Things were so much better for them, and they enjoyed seeing the country together. Bella still got jealous watching all the young, busty women in the audience throw themselves at her husband, but she tried to understand. And she was thankful that he always exited the stage and walked straight into her arms.

A shift took place when Jasper signed a new three-piece sister singing act. The lead was the only other girl Edward had ever dated, and though they'd been broken up for a few months before he met Bella, she got the distinct impression that Rosalie gave no regard to the fact that Edward was a married man. She didn't care that he loved his wife. She couldn't comprehend the fact that he didn't want her. Most likely, she thought those things because Edward was nice to her. Not overly, by any means, but more in the way of old acquaintances. Bella didn't mind until Rose began to overstep her bounds.

There were nights when Bella didn't feel well, when she was exhausted and irritable and tired of being cooped up on a bus all day. Those were the nights she told him to stay out and unwind with the guys from the band, to let off some steam before coming back to her. Those nights began to happen more and more often, and then continued even after Bella was feeling better. And she was never invited, although she witnessed on many occasions that Rose and her sisters were included. The way Rose hung on Edward's every word, let her hands linger on Edward's arm just a little too long, watched him from across a crowded room with eyes that sparkled and smoldered made Bella's stomach turn.

Bella and Edward fought a lot over Rose, so much so that when Bella realized she was pregnant, she told Edward she was leaving the tour, that she was staying with her sister until he was done. She knew she'd miss him, but spending every waking moment together seemed to be hurting them more than helping them, and it was with a heavy heart that Edward agreed. His only request was that once a week if the tour was within a few hours of their hometown, Bella would drive to meet him and stay the night. She always did, and they were much happier because of it.

One night, while Bella stood backstage, Jasper walked by as he yelled at one of the stage hands about lighting and sound. He bumped into Bella, then stopped and turned to look at her. Well, not so much at her as at her stomach.

"What's that?" he asked with an accusing voice.

Bella knew that Edward hadn't told anyone about the baby yet, even though Bella was nearly six months along. "A baby," she softly replied.

His nostrils flared, and she could almost see steam coming out of his ears. "Well, that's just great," he seethed, then stomped away from her.

She hadn't seen Edward yet, and after his set finished, she watched him be whisked away by several music producers and execs. She knew whatever they were discussing must have been important, so she decided to give him some time and watch the rest of the show from the bar. After drinking a few Shirley Temples and watching the other performers, she was ready to find her husband and show him how much she'd missed him. The security guard let her backstage, and when she saw Jasper again, she almost walked by. She really didn't want to talk to him, but she knew he might be the quickest way to Edward, so she stopped.

"Yeah, I saw him headin' into his trailer a while ago. You should check there." The smile on his face was unsettling, but she went anyway. She knocked softly on the door, but no one answered, so she tried the handle. When it opened easily in her hand, she laughed to herself at how unsafe Edward was, then boarded the bus. The main cabin was quiet and dimly light. Looking down the hallway, she could see the bedroom door slightly ajar and a soft light coming from it. Bella was only a few steps away from it when she heard the first noise. It was low, like a groan. She wondered if maybe Edward was ill, but then she heard it again, and it was definitely a woman's voice.

"Oh, Edward. Baby, yeah. Just like that. Always so good," she said, and Bella felt like vomiting. She pushed open the door and saw her worst nightmare before her eyes. Long blonde hair was swaying back and forth as Rosalie sat atop Edward, who was lying in the bed. The sheets were bunched up around them, but from what Bella could see, Rose was shifting up and down over Edward's pelvis, impaling herself on him over and over again.

"Grab my tits, baby," she called out. "Oh, fuck. Your hands..."

Bella stood in shock, and then she started to scream. It wasn't any normal scream. It was a feral, earth-shattering, heart-breaking scream that she didn't even know she was capable of making. Instantly, Rose turned and gasped, grabbing at the sheets that lay around her and pulling them up to cover her bare chest.

"What the... Rose? What are you..." Edward said, then his eyes looked past her. "Bella?"

Tears were flowing down her face as a sob bubbled out of her chest. "No..." she cried quietly before turning and rushing away from the room and the bus and the man who had just shattered her world. He called out to her and Rose called out to him, but still she ran. Jasper stood outside the bus as she exited, his arms crossed over his chest.

"I told you this tour was no place for you," he said as he glared at her. Her hand covered her mouth as she cried, then ran around the front of the bus and toward the car she'd driven that night. From a hotel, she called Angela and told her what happened. Edward had been calling and texting her cell phone non-stop since she'd run away, and he'd called Angela several times, too. He was beside himself with worry, but Bella just couldn't see him. Couldn't deal with what she'd walked in on. Couldn't forgive him for destroying her. It was Angela who passed along the message to Edward, saying Bella needed time and to just leave her alone for a few days. Once she'd cooled down, then he could try to explain, but until then, he needed to give her space. He didn't like it, but after Jasper reminded him about his contract with the record label, he had no choice but to get back on his bus and drive away early the next morning.

Two weeks later, Bella finally agreed to speak with him. She met him at Angela's house, bringing him some different clothes and some of the music-related things he needed that were with her. He tried to talk to her, to tell her what happened, but Bella still didn't want to hear it. She didn't trust him anymore, and that broke both of their hearts.

A week after that, she and Angela showed up at a bar where Edward was performing. Luckily, it was one she'd been to several times, and the security guard knew her and let her backstage after the show. Making certain to avoid both Jasper and Rose, Bella made a beeline toward Edward's drummer and close friend, Garrett.

"He's in the greenroom," he told her when she asked where Edward was. Bella made her way there with Angela trailing close behind. She only had one thing to do that night, and she knew she needed to do it quickly and then leave. Her heart was racing fast, thumping and pounding like it could sense it's other half there just a few feet away.

"Bella," he sighed as she walked through the doorway. "Hi, baby."

"I brought you something," she said, holding out the black and white picture she'd carried all that way for him. "I got this yesterday and thought you'd want to have it."

Edward approached her cautiously, reaching his hand out and letting his fingers brush against hers as he took the picture from her.

"Oh, wow," he breathed out in a hushed whisper. "Is this her?"

"Yeah. That's the baby. She's healthy and everything's fine, surprisingly enough, considering my mental status the past few weeks."

He lifted his eyes from the picture, looking closely at his wife. "Bella, please believe me. It's not what you think. I didn't do anything. It was all Rose, I swear. I would never hurt you like that. I could never want anyone else, baby."

She could see the tears in his eyes, but she was tired and beaten down. She couldn't listen to him anymore.

"I have to go," she said before turning around and heading toward the door.

"I'll be back here next week. Will you please come to the show? Please? I miss you, Bella," he asked.

Pausing long enough to cast a look at her sister and then think about his words, she turned her head to the side but didn't look at Edward. "Okay."

Now she sat at a table with Angela, nervous about what she was going to see. Edward had taken to calling her every night again, just like he'd done in the past. He sent her sweet and loving text messages at all hours of the day and night. He sent flowers or baby items or take-out from Bella's favorite restaurant. He was trying so hard, and Bella knew she needed to at least hear him out. She would watch the show, then talk to him afterward, and then make her decision. She loved him so much that she knew if she just walked away, she'd never recover.

Seeing him move across the stage was incredible. The way he strutted and swayed, his long legs taking up so much of the floor with each step reminded Bella just how much she loved his body. The way his cowboy hat sat low on his brow and his hands held his guitar made her think of all the songs he'd sung just to her over their many years together. His broad shoulders and strong forearms forced her to recall how he'd always been there to carry her through trials, to catch her when she fell, and to support her every whim and desire.

She loved him madly, and there was no denying that she always would. Their daughter kicked hard several times, as if saying, "Hey, I know who's out there. Don't mess this up, Mom."

Bella smiled a sad smile and rubbed her stomach just as Edward began to speak. She could feel that his eyes were glued to her, but she kept hers looking at the table as a tear slid down her cheek. The things he said didn't really register until he spoke of writing the song for her. Her head snapped up, and their eyes met. When he finished speaking, he began to play, and she couldn't help but watch him. She was completely unable to look away when his fingers started to strum over the guitar strings. He was singing to her, for her. And only her. The words poured from his mouth and straight into her heart. The melody was different than anything she'd ever heard him play before, and she wondered where the song had come from. But soon, it was clear to her. The song was for her, about her, and he was giving it to her.

"Bella, he's trying so hard," Angela softly said as Bella continued to cry. She bit down on her lip and nodded, knowing her sister was right. She couldn't fight it anymore. Edward was her life, and she couldn't be away from him any longer.

When the song ended, Edward remained on the stool, his guitar perched on his thigh, and the crowd went crazy. For a few seconds, Bella couldn't see him through the sea of bodies that were clapping and yelling.

"Go," Angela said with a smile. "You know you want to."

Bella stood and smoothed down her skirt as she started toward the stage. Pushing between people as she tried to protect her belly was difficult, but she knew Edward was waiting, and as she approached, she realized she didn't know the security guards. They started to push her back, away from Edward, but stopped when he appeared behind them, plucking her up onto the stage with him. Once she was in his arms again, enveloped by his scent and presence, she spoke.

"I love you," she said.

They murmured words of love and apology to one another, honesty and sincerity ringing true in each phrase, each sentence. As he slipped her wedding ring back onto her finger, her heart felt complete and whole.

"Be mine again?" he asked, which made her smile. Silly man, she thought. As if she could ever stop being his.

When his hands moved to her belly, reverently touching his daughter that was growing there, Edward's face lit up even more. "She's so big already," he said with a smile. Then the fans began to gasp, realizing what they were seeing. Bella silently wondered to herself if Edward had just ruined his chances at a long and lasting career, but then he kissed her. Nothing else mattered after that. Nothing but being with him and having him with her.

The audience applauded as the young couple left the stage, but it wasn't long before a ragged-looking Jasper caught up to them. He wasn't happy about Edward leaving, but Bella didn't care. And neither did Edward. They quickly collected Edward's things from the tour bus and then made their way to Angela's car. The drive home was quiet, dark, calming. As they pulled up to their little home, Angela smiled and wished them both a good night before driving off to her own house. Bella hesitated just a bit before walking up the sidewalk to the door.

"I haven't really been here much lately," she told Edward. "I couldn't be here alone, not with the way things have been between us. I just couldn't take it."

Edward wrapped his arms around her and kissed her sweetly on the forehead. "It's okay, and I'm sorry, Bella. I'm so, so sorry I made you feel like that, like you couldn't even be in our home."

She sniffled. "I just missed you. I wanted you here with me." Her face turned up so that her eyes could meet his. "I don't think there's much food in there. And the car's at Angela's," she said with a smile.

A deep, rich laugh left Edward's chest as he pulled her tighter against him. "That's okay. I don't need food tonight as long as I have you."

With that, they made their way into the dark house, turning on lights as they moved from room to room. Their happiness brought life back to the cold little home, as well as warmth and joy. Their bedroom door was closed, and Edward held Bella's hand as he turned the knob and then entered the room. It was just as Bella had left it weeks before, with clothes, shoes, and other items tossed around the room, scattered across the bed and floor. She'd done it in her heartbroken state just after seeing Edward with Rose, and now Edward was finally able to see the toll things had taken on his bride.

"Do you need anything?" Edward softly asked as he cleared a spot for Bella so she could sit down on the bed.

"No. Just you."

He smiled and then quickly moved around the room picking things up for her. "I'm gonna grab some water and lock up. I'll be right back," he said, then hurried from the room. Bella took the moment to remove her shoes and her sweater, then step into the small bathroom and freshen up a bit. By the time she returned to the bedroom Edward was sitting on the bed waiting for her. She was nervous, shy, and he could sense her hesitation as she stood in the bathroom doorway and looked at him.

"Baby," he quietly said, lifting his hand and holding it out to her. She walked forward and took hold of it, then stepped between his open knees. "I missed you so much," he mumbled as he pressed his face between her breasts, breathing in deeply and wrapping his arms around her waist. Her fingers moved to his hair, sliding through the soft strands and scratching over his scalp as she held him close.

After a few moments, his fingers moved to unbutton the front of her dress, exposing her pink lacy bra to him, as well as her collarbones and chest. He kissed the upper swells of her breasts, then moved upward with a slow, wet trail of open-mouthed kisses. When his lips finally claimed hers, all nervousness left her body, and Bella gave in to the want and need she was feeling, the raw desire to consume and own her husband.

Edward lifted her dress from the bottom hem, pulling it over her waist and chest, over her head and then dropping it on the floor next to them. Bella stood before him in nothing but her bra and panties, her swollen belly sticking out so much farther than it had a month before. His lips kissed the skin of her stomach as his hands held the precious life growing within. It was like the baby could sense him there, and she began to kick and thump his hands, which made Edward and Bella both laugh.

"Shhh, Baby," he cooed to Bella's stomach. "I need some time with Mommy right now, but if you're good, I promise I'll sing you both to sleep in a little while."

Bella laughed and then smiled a devilish smile at her handsome husband. "I need you, Edward," she whispered, then pushed him back onto the bed so that she could straddle his thighs. They kissed over and over again, their kissing growing hotter and wetter and more desperate with each passing minute. Soon Edward's shirt was gone, and he toed off his boots as Bella worked to remove his pants. Gently, in the dark room, they both removed the other's undergarments, leaving them skin to skin as their hands roamed over all the places they so needed to touch.

When Edward rolled Bella onto her back, he settled between her thighs and let his erection rub along her wet folds. His hands palmed her breasts, holding them and squeezing them, all the while letting his fingers pull and tease at her nipples. His hips pumped back and forth as his cock slid along her skin until finally Bella was begging him with her moans and whimpers. She was begging him to take her, to make her his, to remind her of what they'd both missed. She was begging him to make them whole again.

And Edward did.

As he sank into her, feeling the tight squeeze of her walls around his silky-skinned shaft, his eyes nearly rolled back into his head. To think he'd almost lost her, almost let her go, was too much for him, and he stilled once he was fully inside of her.

"Bella," he said in a voice no louder than a whisper. "I'm so sorry. I only want you. Only ever you."

Bella's hand traced his cheek as his eyes began to glisten with tears. "I know. Never again, okay? No matter what, we never walk away again. Ever."

"Never," he said. Then his lips met hers in a sweet, loving kiss, and his hips began to move. Thrusting was a little bit trickier than it had been before, simply because of the unborn baby between them, but they made it work. Soon he was pounding into her hard and fast, and her head was thrown back as a powerful orgasm overwhelmed her, making her scream out his name over and over again. Knowing he was able to affect her that way had Edward coming, too, pushing himself deeper and harder into her as he finally let go.

They curled up together in their bed that night, Edward singing softly to his girls as his hand rubbed over Bella's belly. She and Edward were both completely naked, drifting in and out of sleep as they let themselves join together a few more times before the sun finally rose the next morning. Over the next several days, they reconnected, talked, and worked out a new plan for their life and their family. They were committed and dedicated, and as a united force, they met with Edward's record label to renegotiate his contract. They didn't get everything they wanted, but they did manage to get Edward off the tour with Rose and her group, as well as a new manager. Jasper wasn't happy about it, but Edward was much better off with Emmett McCarty in his corner, and his family and career both flourished because of it.

As their little Carlie grew, she and Bella accompanied Edward on his bus each time he went on the road. There were times when they couldn't, but those times were few and far between. Bella trusted him, knowing he'd never do anything to jeopardize his family. It wasn't long before Bella was pregnant with Carlie's little brother, Seth. Edward's star continued to rise, to shine brighter and brighter, and though there was no real explanation for his success, he knew the reason. It was Bella. It was his children. It was his family. They were the reason he had a life, a career, happiness. No one else may have known it, but Edward did. And he would never let his Bella get away from him again. Not ever.

.~'~0~'~.

A/N: I hope you enjoyed a little more of my one and only MusicWard and his BabyBumpElla. :)

Oh, and real life's been hectic, crazy, busy, boring. I hope to sometime soon have some new After Jane Died or Mary, Marry, Merry Go Round for you. It's a dream... a goal... a challenge. :)

Thanks so, so much!

beegurl13